2008 Woodie Awards
Outing what's in: Wii need to get out and exercise
Erich Pilcher
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: A&E
Currently there is one constant that drives many people -the quest to be fit. That quest has now invaded the holiest of holies, the video game world, and the results are quite shocking.
The Nintendo Wii, the video game system that everybody wants but no one can find, has taken the world by storm. With the motion-based controllers and the way video game legend Mario has been brought back to the four front the Wii is the most popular video game system today.
Recently I found a Wii at a local retail store and having the extra funds, I decided to buy it. This led to an impromptu Wii gaming party with my closest friends. As we played the ever popular Wii sports, one friend whom I will call Mr. Z, said, "Let's play Wii fitness." Everyone agreed and here is where the problem comes into play.
One by one we all took the Wii fitness test and following a short battery of tests the system tells players their age based on performance. Mr.. Z was told he was 32 years old but myself, the ripe old age of 65.
Are you kidding me? Let's be real here. I'm not the face of physical fitness, but I felt I was in better shape than an aging man who is collecting social security. By comparison, Mr.. Z is a guy who parties and eats whatever he likes but does workout. On the other hand I eat somewhat healthy meals and workout when I can. Still, he beat me.
Following this I decided to do research and I found that according to gamepolitics.com, a gym class at Chelsea Intermediate School purchased 28 Wii remotes, a system and a console for the school to help students practice physical fitness. There have also been various reports of the Wii helping people go through physical rehabilitation.
Is this what our nation has become? Have we become so busy, or dare I say lazy, that a video game system has to help us maintain physical health and well being?
I guess it is beating the video game beast at it's own game. By encouraging kids to play the Wii it gives them a form of physical activity and at the same time appears to be a leisure activity. So, it seems to be a win-win. But the Wii is what it is - a video game system. The only way to be truly fit is by eating right and doing it the traditional way, not playing a video game.
The Nintendo Wii, the video game system that everybody wants but no one can find, has taken the world by storm. With the motion-based controllers and the way video game legend Mario has been brought back to the four front the Wii is the most popular video game system today.
Recently I found a Wii at a local retail store and having the extra funds, I decided to buy it. This led to an impromptu Wii gaming party with my closest friends. As we played the ever popular Wii sports, one friend whom I will call Mr. Z, said, "Let's play Wii fitness." Everyone agreed and here is where the problem comes into play.
One by one we all took the Wii fitness test and following a short battery of tests the system tells players their age based on performance. Mr.. Z was told he was 32 years old but myself, the ripe old age of 65.
Are you kidding me? Let's be real here. I'm not the face of physical fitness, but I felt I was in better shape than an aging man who is collecting social security. By comparison, Mr.. Z is a guy who parties and eats whatever he likes but does workout. On the other hand I eat somewhat healthy meals and workout when I can. Still, he beat me.
Following this I decided to do research and I found that according to gamepolitics.com, a gym class at Chelsea Intermediate School purchased 28 Wii remotes, a system and a console for the school to help students practice physical fitness. There have also been various reports of the Wii helping people go through physical rehabilitation.
Is this what our nation has become? Have we become so busy, or dare I say lazy, that a video game system has to help us maintain physical health and well being?
I guess it is beating the video game beast at it's own game. By encouraging kids to play the Wii it gives them a form of physical activity and at the same time appears to be a leisure activity. So, it seems to be a win-win. But the Wii is what it is - a video game system. The only way to be truly fit is by eating right and doing it the traditional way, not playing a video game.
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