PixlBit

Wii Fit began a video game revolution when the fitness title hit the market a little over 18 months ago. Since then, fitness and physical wellbeing titles are releasing on a regular basis. While Wii Fit attempted to bring a healthier lifestyle to homes everywhere, there were some definite flaws in its formula; mainly the chopped-up workout sessions that forced players to select each exercise individually. With Wii Fit Plus, Nintendo has remedied this issue and added even more to help make the workout experience more personalized and easier for those seeking a healthier life.

The first thing owners of Wii Fit Plus will notice is that the game doesn't stray too far from the original formula; however, the small changes that were made make a large difference. For one, players will no longer have to repeatedly play certain exercises in order to unlock the higher difficulty settings for the same exercise. Now, when a player boots up Wii Fit Plus, all of the exercises are immediately unlocked; a convenient feature for individuals like myself who didn't appreciate the waiting factor.

Before going on to the larger changes I'd like to mention the smaller ones added to Wii Fit Plus. Smaller ones include the ability to now weigh small children in addition to family pets; a functional and entertaining feature. Others are more useful, such as the calories burned goal, which shows players how many calories they have burned, and will even equate the amount to common food items. Furthermore, players can select a general food (slice of cake, soda, chips, etc) and the game will tell them how many calories are in that food item, subsequently setting the daily calorie burn goal to that amount.

The main menu generally looks the same, and offers all of the same features as it did previously. One personal disappointment was the great carry over of previous exercises compared to the lack of new ones. The only new additions are three yoga poses, three strength positions, and several exercise games within the new section Training Plus. However it should be noted that some of the exercise within Training Plus are merely remakes of ones previously seen in Wii Fit. The other two categories, Aerobics, and Balance Games offer nothing new.

While this factor was a bit off-putting, Wii Fit Plus offers a brand new mode that allows for a more personalized, focused, and less broken-up exercise session. The new section, My Wii Fit Plus (comprised of three subsections), is obviously the highlight of this sequel, and the draw for Wii Fit veterans.

The first is My Wii Fit Plus Routines, which has four of its own subsections with preset workouts within each one. The four sections are Lifestyle (intended to help condition your body for everyday situations), Health (to tone your body), Youth (to maintain a youthful physique), and Form (to help keep a good figure). Each of these categories are broken up further into three subsections of their own, highlighting a particular fitness goal. Depending on which players choose, the game creates a three part non-stop program for players to complete.

The second section is My Routine, an area where players can create a customized workout of up to thirty different exercises. While this is a great feature, players are confined to choosing exercises only from Yoga positions and Strength. Being barred from choosing exercises in any of the other three categories is frustrating, especially when there is no apparent reason why you can’t. The good news though is that unlike Wii Fit, the exercises flow smoothly into one another without the choppy break taking players out of the workout mindset. If pressed for time, this section also offers the option of telling the Balance Board how many minutes they have for a workout. A personalized workout will then be created for an optimal workout in that set amount of time.

The final section is Favorites, an area that allows players to scan through their most commonly performed workouts. They are separated into three different categories, Frequently, Recently, and Rarely, so players can keep track of which exercises they do often and which ones they are neglecting.

This helps players keep track of which exercises they do often and which ones they are neglecting in order to perform their overall daily routines.

Without a doubt, Wii Fit Plus is a much better exercise tool than its predecessor. Personalized workouts and uninterrupted sessions allow players to immerse themselves in their exercises, and the ease at which selections can now be made without having to navigate through several screens is much more appealing. While it is disappointing to see the lack of new exercises in many of the different categories, especially within My Routine, the changes that have been made make Wii Fit Plus a worthy purchase for serious Wii Fit owners.