Launch Date For Wii Fit Plus

Nintendo announced the October 4 launch of the newest version of Wii Fit . The release comes just in time for the holiday season, but more importantly in time for the New Year’s resolution season, when people are more willing to spend the money in the hopes that a bigger cash outlay will mean better results in the long run.

The promised enhancements for the new Fit have some pleasant surprises. For one, the price feels good. The cost, including the balance board is $99. For Wii Fit owners, upgrading to Plus will only cost $20 for just the disk.

Since the Wii Fit has enjoyed maniacal popularity since its release three years ago, Nintendo is counting on the Wii Fit Plus to keep the wave high.  Their timing couldn’t be better, but what’s the “Plus” in the new Wii Fit ?

Apart from all the accoutrements, programs, and customizations of the original Fit, Wii Fit Plus adds 15 games to the lineup. These mostly consist of balance routines, designed to make the workout a stability test rather than a strength or cardio builder. The games look fun enough, but should double as a comedy show for any onlookers. In addition to the balance board games, the Wii Fit Plus also has six new strength training games.

Wii has always been a family activity, but with Wii Fit Plus, some of the activities will include family pets! Now, users can get their pets involved in the fitness program, and even weigh the pets periodically to see if their dog or cat is keeping up and slimming down.

Yoga gets brand new attention in the new Wii Fit Plus. Based on the reception of Yoga activities in Electronic Arts Sports Active game, Nintendo has included yoga lessons, enhancements, and activities for their upgrade.

Besides the new games, the Wii Fit Plus has additional features that were long in coming. Users can now develop their own customized workout programs to incorporate personal goals for weight loss or other fitness goals. Workout regimens that fit into the busy schedule are easier to create. The calorie burner counter is also a welcome addition to the Wii Fit package.

With the launch of the Wii Fit Plus this fall, it remains to be seen whether Wii Fit be able to maintain its competitive edge over EA Sports Active . Both programs have their strengths, and each are backed by reputable names. But while the Balance Board is the Wii Fit’s greatest strength, Sports Active gets most of its input from the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Both activites have their shortcomings in the fundamentally inescapable fact that the Wii is still a game. And workouts, no matter how they’re packaged , are still work. Coupling the two into a happy medium is still a challenge that both platforms are working on.