Wii Fit

Wii Fit (known as Wii Fitness in EU territories) is an upcoming video game for the Wii console, currently in development by Nintendo. Previously revealed under the code name Wii Health Pack, it was announced under its current title at Nintendo's E3 press conference on July 11 2007 by famed video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. At Nintendo's media briefing, it was demonstrated by Miyamoto himself, Reggie Fils-Aime and other participants. Like the rest of the Wii Series, Wii Fit will integrate Miis into its presentation and gameplay. The game is designed to function with the Wii Balance Board peripheral and is an example of exergaming. The game is set for release in Japan on December 1, 2007 for a price of 8,800 yen (roughly $75 U.S.). Wii Fit will arrive in the U.S. and Europe sometime in early 2008.

History
Wii Fit was first revealed as Wii Health Pack, by Shigeru Miyamoto, during a conference in mid-September of 2006. Then described as a "way to help get families exercising together", the game idea had first been included in Miyamoto's original design document for the whole Wii Series, the entirety of which was scribbled down on a single sheet of paper.

As with other games designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, such as Nintendogs and Pikmin, the design of Wii Fit was influenced by the activities in Miyamoto's daily life. Miyamoto states that he and his family had become more health-conscious, going to the gym and tracking their weight. He found that it had become "fun over time to talk about these things", and as weighing yourself "didn't make much of a game", they decided to build games around the idea to mesh with the concept.

In an interview with Game Informer at E3 2007 Miyamoto revealed that Wii Fit had been developed with a "full-scale" team for a year at the time. The Wii Balance Board had been worked on for "almost two years", however.

Gameplay
Wii Fit will use a unique platform peripheral called the Wii Balance Board that can measure a user's body mass index and their center of gravity. The game will have about 40 different activities, including yoga poses, press ups, and other exercises. Furthermore, Wii Fit will allow its players to compare their fitness by using Wii Fit ' s own channel on the Wii Menu.

In a similar manner to the "Brain Age" calculated within Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, Wii Fit will also track a user's "Wii Fitness Age".

At the moment, according to Shigeru Miyamoto when speaking to IGN during an interview at E3 2007, there are currently no plans to integrate any WiiConnect24 functionality into Wii Fit. He did note, however, that there could be possibilities to take advantage of the WiiConnect24 in the future, such as using the service to keep in contact with a doctor to help with rehabilitation, or with a fitness specialist to help with training exercises.

Activities
Nintendo of Europe's E3 2007 page for the United Kingdom states that the training within Wii Fit will be divided into four categories: Aerobic Exercise, lasting ten minutes, Muscle Conditioning, Yoga Poses, and Balance Games, including ski-jumping. These exercises will provide a "core workout", emphasizing slower, controlled motions. Of these activities, the following were shown at E3 2007, in conjunction with Wii Fit ' s announcement.


 * Yoga exercises
 * Press ups
 * Step aerobics, including a game in which the player must step on and off the Wii Balance Board in rhythm to the background music
 * Hitting on-coming soccer balls and avoiding other objects by leaning forward and back
 * A ball-rolling mini-game
 * Hula hooping
 * Ski jumping, whereby the player squats as low as possible, whilst maintaining his or her balance, and then quickly stands as fast as possible in order to gain a good jump