GameGemini – Video Gaming Heaven

The Wii Fit is the newest genius product from Nintendo that is supposed to entertain you whilst getting you fit. So how does it work, and what is it? Basically, you’re given what’s called a ‘balance board’ that you must stand on. It’s an ultra-sensitive platform that you stand on that can detect even the slightest change in your balance and weight, and whether you’re putting too much weight on one foot. You then participate in a number of Yoga exercises, balance games (such as tight-rope walking) and cardio-exercises (such as jogging on the spot).

Nintendo has sold over 21.82 million Wii Fit units since it’s release, there has been very little evidence that the Wii Fit actually helps you lose weight and/or get fit. But is this the case?

I decided to do some searching around, and found several blogs of people who have conducted experiments. Because the Wii Fit lets you record data, set goals and chart how you’re doing, it’s easy to see your progress and if things are actually working or not. I found several people who claimed to do Wii Fit every day and felt a lot better for it (especially the people who did Yoga exercises).

In the end it comes down to how much Wii Fit you do a day. I’d recommend you try to do around 45 minutes if you want to see a difference. How fit you become and how much weight you lose also relies on a number of other factors, such as how healthily you eat and your other general day-to-day activites, eg. do you walk to work, or do you spend all day at home like a couch potato?

The Wii Fit won’t turn you into a supermodel overnight, and if you want to lose a lot of weight than there’s more that you need to be doing, but it is a great game for anyone looking for increased flexibility and fitness.

Since the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series began 8 years ago, there has been a constant battle between the new FIFA game and the new PES game, since EA Sports and Konami both release new editions of their game each year to keep up with the changes in the game, as well as to make improvements.

Since the rivalry began, PES games have always been praised for having superior gameplay and realism, whilst FIFA has always had better presentation, and a wider choice of teams and players, as well as all of the team licenses. It seems that FIFA catered to the casual gamer, who wanted to occasionally play a quick game of England versus Germany and thrash them 5-0. Pro Evo was more for the people who enjoyed playing their famous Master League mode, where you could take a team with a bunch of misfit players and gradually turn your team into a series of world-beaters.

However, with the release of the 2010 editions of the game, most critics have branded FIFA the superior game this year for the first time ever, and have even gone as far as to say it offers better gameplay. The problem with this claim, and with many video game journalists is that they’re only part-time/casual football fans, meaning they don’t quite understand many of the in-depth subtleties and nuances in the modern game. While I’m making broad generalisations, I myself have played both games in-depth every year, and have once again found that FIFA is lacking in depth. Pro Evo 2010, on the other hand is an absolute revelation. It is by far the most balanced and realistic footballing simulator (I think it’s gone one further than simply being a ‘game’) ever. The passing, shooting, crossing, tackling, heading, dribbling, first-touches are all spot on. They have also controversially (for the first time ever in a Pro Evo game) included 360 degree movement. The way the game flows now is just like watching ‘Match of the Day’ on TV.

On the other hand, FIFA fails to address it’s ‘beach ball’ physics, and once again tries to lure gamers in with another ‘footballing magic pill’, instead of focusing on improving the gameplay.