Nintendo’s Wii games are revolutionizing video gaming. Going against the “couch potato” stereotype of video game culture, Wii games are designed to get you up, get you moving, and get you interacting with other people. Wii games even have programmed pauses that urge you to go outside and get some fresh air! Clearly a new paradigm in video games, Wii represents a completely different style of user interface.
Video Gaming and Fitness—a Whole New World
Nintendo’s new Wii Fit game system actually help you get in shape and stay in shape. With its unique balance board and bio-feedback loop, the Wii Fit game can act as your virtual personal trainer, helping you monitor your weight, your cardiac fitness, your flexibility, your balance, and other important indicators of health and physical fitness. Designed to work perfectly with the Wii game console, Wii Fit places you in both a digital and a real-time community to encourage you to establish and maintain a responsible exercise program and diet. This is definitely not your father’s video game!
More Movement, Less Sitting
Even with its other games, the Wii system encourages movement and interaction that more closely resembles real life. The Wii Sports game module, for example, features digital versions of popular sports like golf, bowling, tennis, and even boxing. With the special wireless Wii controllers, players must coordinate arm, hand, and other movements in patterns that actually simulate real bowling, golf, tennis, and boxing. In fact, some nursing homes and retirement centers are actually offering Wii to their residents to encourage more physical movement and interaction with the environment. Even Wii games that are not specifically related to athletics, such as Wii Zelda, employ controller movements that more closely resemble real swordfighting, throwing, and casting. The whole idea of Wii versions like these is to encourage players to exercise not only hand-eye coordination, but gross motor skills as well, while still enjoying state-of-the-art graphics and computer-generated graphic interfaces. Continue Reading »