Wii Fit Plus – Review

Nintendo's New Wii Fit Software Has Extra Features, But Keeps Quirks

Oct 8, 2009

Wii Fit Plus has new games, options, and exercises which improve upon its predecessor. Gamers who enjoyed the original Wii Fit will likely find it a worthwhile upgrade.

Wii Fit Plus is the follow-up to the highly successful Wii Fit bundle (game disc and Balance Board accessory) for the Nintendo Wii. Wii Fit Plus is essentially the same program, but it adds a number of new exercises and activities to the original, and tweaks Wii Fit's functionality as well.

My Wii Fit Plus Adds Custom Routines

The most noticeable addition to Wii Fit Plus is the My Wii Fit Plus Menu. Here, users can program custom routines of yoga and strength-training exercises, including six that are new to Wii Fit Plus. Preset routines that focus on particular goals – relaxation, weight loss, and so on – and random routines are also available.

Welcome as these innovations are, they occasionally fall short. Custom routines can't include exercises from the Aerobics Menu (such as Free Run), and repetitions in the strength training exercises aren't adjustable. Wii Fit Plus users can program repeated sets of these exercises, however.

Also, some of the quirks from the original Wii Fit remain. Accuracy is still a problem in some exercises, and the only way to change from metric to imperial measurements (pounds to kilograms, or miles to kilometers) is to change the console's localization in the Wii Menu. It would have been better to have this as an option within Wii Fit Plus itself.

The new Training Plus Menu features fifteen new activities ranging from sports simulations (Driving Range and Skateboard Arena) to plain wackiness (Bird's-Eye Bull's-Eye). Many, like Island Cycling and Snowball Fight, make use of the Wiimote in conjunction with the Balance Board, giving the activities an extra gameplay dimension.

Some of the new games improve upon those found in Wii Fit. Table Tilt Plus and Balance Bubble Plus, for instance, are more advanced versions of those activities, though the originals are still playable under the old Balance Games Menu.

A multiplayer mode is another new feature, allowing users to take turns using the balance board on a select number of training games – the user with the highest total score wins.

Wii Fit Plus has a number of modest changes affecting the game as a whole. A few are purely cosmetic, such as slight tweaks to certain background graphics and music. Other changes are designed to give more depth to Wii Fit's statistics and progress tracking.

For instance, activities now have metabolic equivalent (MET) ratings, which indicate their level of exertion. Calorie counts have also been added, and there are more daily tracking options available for users, such as waist size or steps taken. Body Test exercises have been revamped to challenge memory as well as coordination.

Wii Fit Plus software now comes bundled with the Wii Balance Board, at a slight price increase over the original Wii Fit. Those who have bought Wii Fit already can buy the Wii Fit Plus disc by itself, for about twenty dollars. It's a low price, but Wii owners should keep in mind that Wii Fit Plus isn't all-new.

Despite the calorie-counting and other additions, Wii Fit Plus's activities remain more focused on fun than serious fitness – gamers looking for a heavy gym-style workout may still want to look elsewhere. But those who enjoyed the original Wii Fit's blend of fun and low-key fitness will find Wii Fit Plus a worthy upgrade.

The copyright of the article Wii Fit Plus – Review in Sports Games is owned by Luke Arnott. Permission to republish Wii Fit Plus – Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.