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157-520: Wii Fit is a 2007 exergaming video game designed by Nintendo 's Hiroshi Matsunaga for the Wii home video game console, featuring a variety of yoga , strength training , aerobics , and balance mini-games for use with the Wii Balance Board peripheral. Matsunaga described the game as a "way to help get families exercising together". It has since been adopted by various health clubs around

314-479: A Princess Peach -themed Wii Remote Plus, on April 24, 2014. A year later, Nintendo also released Wii Remote Plus controllers themed after Bowser , a Toad and Yoshi in the fall of 2015 to accompany the releases of Super Mario Maker and Yoshi's Woolly World , exclusively available at GameStop . The Wii Remote has an expansion port at the bottom which allows various functional attachments to be added. The connector, and any accessories that attach to it, use

471-597: A touchscreen , but Nintendo rejected the idea of a touchscreen on the controller, "since the portable console and living-room console would have been exactly the same". Coincidentally, this idea would later be implemented on the Wii U 's GamePad controller, as well as the Nintendo Switch . Sources also indicate that the Wii Remote was originally in development as a controller for the GameCube , rather than

628-523: A user profile , assigned with the player's date of birth, height, and Mii character, that keeps track of the player's progress. Physical activities done outside of Wii Fit can also be logged into the profile. Wii Fit allows up to eight different profiles to be registered. The Yoga and Strength Training activities in Wii Fit provide the player with an on-screen personal trainer who offers direction and evaluation. While standing or otherwise leaning on

785-536: A "full-scale" team for a year at the time, and added that there were no plans to integrate WiiConnect24 functionality into the game. He said there was a possibility to take advantage of 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. Wii Fit Plus is an enhanced version of Wii Fit , released in Japan on October 1, 2009, and in other regions in

942-522: A 16 KiB EEPROM chip of which a section of 6 kilobytes can be read and written to by the host. Part of this memory is available to store up to ten Mii avatars, which can be transported to use with another Wii console (but it can be used to upload Miis to the Mii Parade and keep it on the console (by copying Mii to remote, moving Mii to parade from console, and then moving from remote to the console)). 4,000 bytes are available for game use before

1099-533: A 400 kHz I²C protocol. This expandability is similar to that available with the port on the Nintendo 64 controller. There is a female connector on Wii remotes, to which expansions with a male connector can be connected. The multiple kinds of controllers that can connect to the Wii Remote make it into a more versatile controller, opening up new Wii controller configurations and likewise multiple control schemes. Various racing games such as Mario Kart Wii and

1256-402: A Wii Remote, Wii MotionPlus, and Nunchuk, all in a sky blue color referred to as Mizuiro and distinct from other blue Wii Remotes. For North America, Nintendo announced on September 1, 2009, that black versions of the Wii Remote, Wii MotionPlus, and Nunchuk would be released during the holiday season . On November 16, 2009, the black Wii Remote and Wii MotionPlus was released as a bundle, and

1413-547: A built-in safety jacket that is unsafe to remove, according to Nintendo. At the E3 2006 trade show, Nintendo displayed white, black, and blue controllers; press images released for the event featured white, red, silver, lime green, and black versions. The Wii console and controllers launched in only white versions, with Shigeru Miyamoto commenting that new hues would be provided when supplies became available. On June 4, 2009, Nintendo revealed that it would release black versions of

1570-436: A company that produces wireless motion-sensing computer mice . Gyration had previously pitched their idea and patents of a motion controller to Sony and Microsoft , who both declined. Nintendo then commissioned Gyration to create a one-handed controller for it, which eventually became the "Gyropod", a more traditional gamepad which allowed its right half to break away for motion-control. At this point, Gyration brought in

1727-459: A constant heart rate, with Game Revolution criticizing a serious limitation: "as a stand-alone fitness trainer it suffers greatly by the inability to assemble a full, unbroken workout without the horrible 'fitness interruptus' necessitated by bothersome menu navigation and obtrusive Wii remote usage." Some have also pointed out a lack of Nintendo's usual charm in game design, specifically in the yoga and strength training exercises which take place in

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1884-488: A core group of games including Wii Sports and Wii Play , the entirety of which was scribbled onto a sheet of paper. As with other games designed by Miyamoto such as Nintendogs , the design of Wii Fit was influenced by activities in his daily life. He 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 oneself "didn't make much of

2041-474: A distance of up to 10 metres (30 ft) from the console. The Wii Remote communicates with the Sensor Bar by infrared, providing pointing functionality over a distance of up to five metres (16 ft) from Wii Remote to Sensor Bar. The controller can be used in either hand; it can also be turned horizontally and used like a Famicom/NES controller, or in some cases (including Excite Truck , Sonic and

2198-481: A few Need for Speed video games, as well as some fighting games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl , Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars and the Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution trilogy take advantage of the versatility the expansion port confers to offer multiple control schemes to suit different kinds of players. The Nunchuk (model number RVL-004) was the first attachment Nintendo revealed for

2355-492: A game", Nintendo decided to build games around the idea to mesh with the concept. The Wii Balance Board had been worked on for "almost two years", and was inspired by heavy sumo wrestlers' need to weigh themselves with two scales. The game was announced under its current title at Nintendo's E3 press conference on July 11, 2007, and demonstrated by Miyamoto, Nintendo of America CEO Reggie Fils-Aimé and other participants. Miyamoto revealed that Wii Fit had been developed with

2512-471: A longer life cycle with the addition of top-secret peripherals that would forever enhance the gameplay experience." He suggested that Nintendo may have wanted to release the Wii Remote with a new system, instead of onto the GameCube, as "[the] Revolution addresses one of the GameCube's biggest drawbacks, which is that it was/is perceived as a toy." Images of the GameCube prototype of the Wii Remote, including

2669-423: A motion sensor, infrared pointer, and the layout of the buttons, and by the end of 2005 the controller was ready for mass production. During development of the Wii Remote, video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto brought in mobile phones and controllers for automotive navigation systems for inspiration, eventually producing a prototype that resembled a cell phone. Another design featured both an analog stick and

2826-551: A movable slide to prevent the strap from working loose during prolonged play; the lock clip strap became the standard form. In 2012 with the launch of the Wii U, the wrist strap was once again updated to allow users to push the sync button through the new jackets and battery covers. Nintendo announced a free accessory for the Wii Remote, the Wii Remote Jacket, on October 1, 2007. The removable silicone sleeve wraps around

2983-433: A muted setting that one critic referred to as "the world's most lifeless, depressing gym." Despite these limitations, the game's friendly front-end and amount of activities are cited as appealing features to those who are perhaps seeking an introduction to daily exercise. In a review on IGN , Wii Fit was said to create "an environment in which working out is less daunting and as a result enjoyable – fun, even." According to

3140-405: A network or scaling the number of players, enabling novel exercise experiences not available without the technological augmentation. One of the newest trends is using virtual reality immersion. VR systems have several potential advantages for athletic training; environments can be precisely controlled and scenarios standardized, augmented information can be incorporated to guide performance, and

3297-434: A new peripheral, the Wii Balance Board . The popularity of the Wii led to it being used in hospital "Wiihab" rehabilitation programs. The PCGamerBike appeared at CES in 2007 where it received an Honoree Award. It differs from other fitness game devices in that its pedal motion can be mapped to any key on the keyboard. It also has an optical encoder which detects forward and reverse pedal motion. The Fisher-Price Smart Cycle

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3454-407: A number of specialized routines based on specific objectives and available time, and the option to create profiles for pets and babies. Users are also able to navigate more quickly between exercises. Following the commercial success of Wii Fit , producer Shigeru Miyamoto decided to produce a follow-up. Miyamoto learned during Wii Fit Plus development that many Wii Fit owners had stopped playing

3611-412: A pair of flashlights or a pair of candles , as Sensor Bar substitutes. The Wii Remote picks up traces of heat from the sensor, then transmits it to the Wii console to control the pointer on your screen. Such substitutes for the Sensor Bar illustrate the fact that a pair of non-moving lights provide continuous calibration of the direction that the Wii Remote is pointing and its physical location relative to

3768-402: A pseudo- pedometer . The game provides variations of step aerobics and jogging (called "Free Step" and "Free Run" respectively) where the user may exercise at their own pace and does not require viewing the game screen; the player is able to watch television or something similar while performing the exercise. Balance Games consist of nine activities that focus on directly controlling the game using

3925-423: A quarter of a million copies in its first week, and, despite not being released outside Japan, one million copies of Wii Fit had been sold by January 6, 2008, after being released on December 1, 2007. As of January 4, 2009, it had sold 3,125,000 copies in Japan. In Japan it was also the third best-selling game and the best-selling Wii game of 2008, selling 2,149,131 in that year. Prior to release, consumer reaction

4082-599: A secondary market for people to purchase Wii Fit at retail outlets and sell it on for a profit. In June 2008, Wii Fit was reported to be selling at an average of $ 175 per unit on Amazon.com and eBay . According to the NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track, and Enterbrain , from January to July 2008 the game sold 1.433 million copies in the United States, 624,000 in the United Kingdom, and 1.547 million in Japan,

4239-510: A separate design firm, Bridge Design , to help pitch its concept to Nintendo. Under requirement to "roughly preserve the existing GameCube button layout", it experimented with different forms "through sketches, models and interviewing various hardcore gamers". By "late 2004, early 2005", however, Nintendo had come up with the Wii Remote's less traditional "wand shape", and the design of the Nunchuk attachment. Nintendo had also decided upon using

4396-417: A single Wii controller, enabling the multiplayer modes of Bash! and SpeedZone to support five to eight players across the maximum four Wii controllers that can be synced to a single console. One Nunchuk comes bundled with the Wii console. Additional Wii Remote units are sold separately without the Nunchuk. The two shoulder buttons, formerly named Z1 and Z2 respectively, have been reshaped and renamed from

4553-437: A small reduction in body mass index . As of 2016, fitness games for those with neurological disabilities had been studied in around 140 small clinical trials in people of all ages, to see if it can help this group get enough physical exercise to maintain their health. This mode of getting exercise appears attractive in this population from a public health perspective because of its low cost and accessibility. Fitness games have

4710-407: A speaker was added to the face beneath the center row of buttons. The B button became more curved resembling a trigger. The "Start" and "Select" buttons were changed to plus + and minus – , and the b and a buttons were changed to 1 and 2 to differentiate them from the A and B buttons, while also evoking the keypad of typical television remotes. Also,

4867-466: A specially designed dancepad, that game can alternatively be played by pushing buttons with one's fingers using a standard hand-held gamepad. When played with the dancepad at higher levels the game can be quite challenging (and physically exhausting), but if the game is played using the buttons on the hand controller, none of the sequences are physically limited. Newer systems such as Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 and Wii use alternative input devices such as

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5024-497: A study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, the aerobics portion of Wii Fit was not sufficient to maintain a heart rate of the recommended intensity (known in sports physiology as a target heart rate ) for maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness. A study published by Tokyo's National Institute of Health and Nutrition concluded that only 33% of the exercises (22 of a total of 68) qualified as medium-intensity, with

5181-402: A total of 3.604 million. By March 31, 2009, Nintendo had sold 18.22 million copies of Wii Fit worldwide. According to the NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track, and Enterbrain, in the third quarter of 2008 the game sold 1.283 million copies in the United States, 460,000 in the United Kingdom, and 346,000 in Japan, a total of 2.089 million copies. Wii Fit was the third best-selling game of December 2008 in

5338-560: A unique platform peripheral that the player stands upon during play. The Wii Balance Board can detect and track the user's center of balance (COB), a feature heavily utilized in the game; it will also measure weight in the same way as a bathroom scale . Wii Fit contains more than 40 activities designed to engage the player in physical exercise , which consist of yoga poses, strength training , aerobics , and balance games. Most activities generally focus on maintaining COB and improving posture . Players register and play in Wii Fit via

5495-495: A virtual landscape generated on an NES or Commodore 64 by connecting their bike trainer unit directly to an external port on the game cartridge. Two trainer units could be connected at a time for 2 players to race virtually on screen while also displaying data such as speed, power, pedaling cadence, heart rate, and distance. As riders raced virtually, the cartridge sent a signal back to the CompuTrainer unit to dynamically change

5652-561: A week) as suggested by the ACSM, significantly more time is required, due to the repeated manual navigations of the menus required between each exercise and the inability to program customized exercise routines, repetitions, or time limits (or even personalized intensities—the "trainer" will never modify the speed based on the user's fitness level). Wii Fit was awarded Best Use of the Balance Board by IGN in its 2008 video game awards. It

5809-465: A wider visible spectrum than the human eye. The Wii Remote provides basic audio and rumble (vibration) functionality, but the Nunchuk does not. At the 2006 E3 press conference, it was revealed that the Wii Remote has its own independent speaker on the face of the unit. This was demonstrated by a developer as he strung and shot a bow in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess . The sound from both

5966-564: Is a definite improvement in the format." The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences also nominated Wii Fit Plus for " Family Game of the Year " at the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards . In May 2010, the AHA endorsed the Wii to encourage sedentary people to take the first step toward fitness. The AHA heart icon covers the console itself along with two of its more active games, Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort . Wii Fit sold over

6123-410: Is also unclear whether official accessories operate correctly with counterfeit units due to the differences in internal components. The Wii Remote assumes a one-handed remote control -based design instead of the traditional gamepad controllers of previous gaming consoles. This was done to make motion sensitivity more intuitive, as a remote design is fitted perfectly for pointing, and in part to help

6280-417: Is placed on. The Remote should be pointed approximately towards the Sensor Bar; precise pointing is not necessary so long as it is within the limited viewing angle of the Wii Remote. Use of the Sensor Bar allows the Wii Remote to be used as an accurate pointing device up to 5 meters (approx. 16 ft) away from the bar. The Wii Remote's image sensor is used to locate the Sensor Bar's points of light in

6437-527: The Journal of Medical Internet Research of 10 randomized trials studying the "Social Effects of Exergames on Older Adults" found that "the majority of exergame studies demonstrated promising results for enhanced social well-being, such as reduction of loneliness, increased social connection, and positive attitudes towards others". Another 2018 systematic review of 10 randomised controlled trials of fitness games in overweight children found that they can produce

Wii Fit - Misplaced Pages Continue

6594-568: The 2018 E3 convention . According to US Gamer , the female Wii Fit Trainer has gained a cult following their announcement in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U , initially receiving positive attention from people on the Internet as well as skepticism from critics such as PC Magazine ' s Will Greenwald and Mike Fahey of Kotaku . Some critics however praised her inclusion; Patricia Hernandez wrote that Wii Fit Trainer

6751-521: The COVID-19 pandemic . Ring Fit Adventure (2019) sold-out at most retailers worldwide and saw a price increase from $ 80 to $ 300 on reselling websites. Nintendo also released Jump Rope Challenge (2020) for free and for a limited time in an effort to keep Nintendo Switch owners active while in quarantine. However, Nintendo later announced that the game would remain on the Nintendo eShop until further notice. As of September 30, 2020, players of

6908-650: The Classic Controller , Wii Zapper , and the Wii Wheel , which was originally released with the racing game, Mario Kart Wii . The controller was revealed at the Tokyo Game Show on September 14, 2005, with the name "Wii Remote" announced April 27, 2006. The finalized version of the controller was later shown at E3 2006 . It received much attention due to its unique features, not supported by other gaming controllers. The Wii's successor console,

7065-526: The Exertainment System; Precor had an LCD-based bike product, and Universal had several CRT-based systems. The Netpulse system provided users with the ability to browse the web while exercising. Fitlinxx introduced a system that used sensors attached to weight machines in order to provide automated feedback to users. Three issues combined to ensure the failure of these systems in the marketplace. First, they were significantly more expensive than

7222-924: The Family Trainer pad, released in 1986 for the Famicom (the Japanese version of the Nintendo Entertainment System ). In 1988, Nintendo acquired the North American rights to the pad, and marketed it as the Power Pad in North America. The first fitness game system released to the market was the 1986 CompuTrainer by RacerMate Inc . Designed as a training aid and motivational tool, the CompuTrainer system allowed users to interactively ride on their own bicycle through

7379-522: The Game Developers Conference on. The circular top shoulder button, now called C, is much smaller than the lower rectangular shoulder button, now called Z. The body of the Nunchuk is 113 mm (4.4 in) long, 38 mm (1.5 in) wide, and 37 mm (1.5 in) thick. The connection port also has a larger size. The Nunchuk can be connected to any microcontroller capable of I²C (e.g., Arduino 's Atmel AVR ), where

7536-502: The Kinect and PlayStation Move . The Move uses image analysis to extract the motion of the user against a background and uses these motions to control the character in the game. A specifically designed exercise game Kinect , superimposes animated objects to be punched, kicked, or otherwise interacted with over a video image of the user. The Wii and PlayStation 3 both incorporate motion sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes into

7693-498: The Mario series' 25th anniversary, was included in red Wii bundles released for the occasion along with a matching Nunchuk and console, Wii Sports and New Super Mario Bros. Wii . The red Wii Remote Plus would also be bundled with European copies of Wii Play: Motion , which is replaced with a black one in other regions. A red Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk of matching color is also included with every Wii Mini . At E3 2011 , it

7850-638: The Nintendo eShop in October and November 2013 to major markets, a retail version, made available in Europe and Australia in December 2013, was scheduled for release in North America in January 2014, and in Japan the following month. A new exercising game for the Nintendo Switch , Ring Fit Adventure , was released on October 18, 2019. It attaches the right Switch Controller on a wheel peripheral included in

8007-517: The Wii Menu in order for players to perform Body Tests without needing to load the Wii Fit game disc . Wii Fit was first revealed as Wii Health Pack by Nintendo's chief game designer Shigeru Miyamoto , during a conference in mid-September 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

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8164-406: The Wii U , supports the Wii Remote and its peripherals in games where use of the features of the Wii U GamePad is not mandated. The Wii U's successor, the Nintendo Switch , features a follow-up named Joy-Con . Development of a motion-enabled controller began when development of the Wii console started in 2001. In that year, Nintendo licensed a number of motion-sensing patents from Gyration Inc.,

8321-399: The Wii U , the Wii's successor. Another sync button on the battery cover was added, allowing users to sync without removing the battery cover. A year later, Nintendo began releasing Wii Remote Plus controllers that are themed after Mario characters, starting with Mario and Luigi on November 1, 2013, to accompany the release of the Wii U Deluxe set. A few months later, Nintendo released

8478-552: The Wii Zapper and Wii Wheel and comfortably use the Wii Remote horizontally without having to remove the Wii MotionPlus attachment from the Wii Remote. Wii Remote Plus competed with Microsoft Corporation 's Kinect and Sony Computer Entertainment 's PlayStation Move with PlayStation Eye motion controllers , respectively. Nintendo later announced that the remote would be available in white, black, blue and pink. It

8635-638: The Xbox One launch day Xbox Fitness service (2013), which tracked metrics such as heart rate and correct form while synchronising these metrics with the Microsoft Health . By 2017, Microsoft had pivoted away from Kinect and fitness games on consoles. In 2019, Nintendo released Fitness Boxing , and Ring Fit Adventure for the Nintendo Switch , which take advantage of the Joy-Con controllers, acting as motion detectors in multiple areas of

8792-488: The "Xbox" button), or the PlayStation 3 's mid-game XMB . It may be accessed under most circumstances during Wii operation, which pauses the on-screen action. Otherwise, a "home" symbol with a no symbol on it appears onscreen. It is also inaccessible during Nintendo GameCube play, as the Wii Remote cannot control Nintendo GameCube software. The Wii Remote has the ability to sense acceleration along three axes through

8949-409: The "replacement program". The old 0.6 mm (0.024 in) diameter strap is replaced by a larger, 1.0 mm (0.039 in) diameter version. Nintendo's online "Wrist Strap Replacement Request Form" allows owners to receive up to four free straps when a Wii serial number and shipping details are provided. On August 3, 2007, a new wrist strap was found to be supplied, with a lock clip instead of

9106-859: The COVID-19 pandemic, as they proved to be more socially distant , required less direct supervision, and used less personal protective equipment . These games can be adjusted for each patients' exercise needs, making them suitable for the COVID-19 patients whose mobility became limited, or elderly patients, who were affected by COVID-19 at an increased rate. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that some fitness games can provide light to moderate intensity physical activity. Recreational fitness games can also be useful for rehabilitation . While they are not always as adjustable as therapeutic fitness games, recreational fitness games can still help maintain an adequate amount of physical activity, can help those without access to traditional rehabilitation, and can prolong

9263-415: The COVID-19 pandemic, as they were a great motivator for physical activity, which fought the sedentary lifestyle lockdowns caused. Physical fitness is known to aid in disease prognosis, as it boosts the immune system, shortened the recovery period from COVID-19 , and reduced the negative effects of stress from living in isolation. Overwhelmed medical centers also turned to therapeutic fitness games during

9420-605: The Mii data. Pokémon Battle Revolution and Super Swing Golf also use this memory. This function is also used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl , allowing the user to save controller configuration data to the Wii Remote. Monster Hunter Tri also uses this function by allowing players to save their profiles to the Wii Remote. Pokémon Rumble uses this section to store Pokémon. Carnival Games: Mini Golf and Club Penguin: Game Day! as well as other games use this to store

9577-425: The Nunchuk, were found online in October 2018 when one of the prototypes was made available through an online auction. As the Wii gained in popularity, reports surfaced of counterfeit Wii Remotes entering circulation. Although these devices may provide the same functionality as official Wii Remotes, the build quality is typically inferior and components such as the rumble motor and speaker are noticeably different. It

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9734-656: The Secret Rings , Mario Kart Wii , and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing ) as a steering wheel. It is also possible to play a single-player game with a Wii Remote in each hand, as in the Shooting Range game contained in Wii Play . At E3 2006, a few minor changes were made to the controller from the design presented at the Game Developer's Conference. The controller was made slightly longer, and

9891-421: The Sensor Bar using triangulation . Rotation of the Wii Remote with respect to the ground can also be calculated from the relative angle of the two dots of light on the image sensor. Games can be programmed to sense whether the image sensor is covered, which is demonstrated in a microgame featured in launch title WarioWare: Smooth Moves , where if the player does not uncover the sensor the champagne bottle that

10048-537: The Short Feedback Questionnaire (SFQ). This was done before the first training session and after the last one. From the results and her own feedback, she had improved antero-posterior symmetry of stance. "When released from hospital, she was able to walk with a walker with minimal supervision." In summer 2009, Finnish Defence Forces support organisation invested in 384 Wii consoles (including Wii Sports and Wii Fit ) for military bases around

10205-431: The United Kingdom. As of March 2012 the game had sold 22.67 million copies worldwide, and was 6th on the best-selling Wii games list. Wii Fit Plus sold 2.16 million copies worldwide within one month of its release and by September 2018 had sold 21.13 million units worldwide. Wii Fit has been used for physiotherapy rehabilitation , and gaming rehabilitation and has been adopted by various health clubs around

10362-559: The United States, selling over 999,000 copies. It was also the third best-selling game of 2008 in the United States, selling over 4.53 million. Within 18 months, by June 2009, the game helped health games generate revenues of $ 2 billion, most of which was grossed by Wii Fit's 18.22 million sales at the time. Wii Fit ultimately received a "Diamond" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 1 million copies in

10519-564: The Wii Balance Board, the player is instructed to perform the activity by precisely imitating the trainer's actions. In Yoga, the player holds a particular pose or series of poses for a duration of time; while in Strength Training the player performs a set number of repetitions of the exercise selected. During these sessions, the player is shown a visual indication of their COB, represented as a red dot. The trainer advises

10676-509: The Wii Remote Plus in late 2010, which featured built-in Wii MotionPlus technology, it would initially be available in the same four standard Wii Remote colors, plus a special red variant that was included with red Wii consoles manufactured to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mario series. In the years that followed, Nintendo released more Wii Remote Plus color schemes based on its first-party game franchises. Accessed with

10833-532: The Wii Remote and television was altered as the bow shot to give the impression of the arrow traveling away from the player. In addition to reproducing certain in-game sound effects that reflect the on-screen action, the Wii Remote speaker can also function as a voice receiver through which non-player characters can speak to the player with long-distance telecommunication , featured in games like Red Steel , Real Heroes: Firefighter and GoldenEye 007 . Some party games and hotseat multiplayer games also utilize

10990-485: The Wii Remote at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show . It connects to the Wii Remote via a cord 1 to 1.2 m (3.5 to 4 feet) long. Its appearance when attached resembles the nunchaku weapon, hence the name. It also resembles the middle handle of the Nintendo 64 controller . Like the controllers of the Wii's two predecessors, the Nunchuk has an analog stick whose movement is restricted by an octagonal area. The Nunchuk also has two trigger buttons (a last-minute modification changed

11147-424: The Wii Remote can also control rotation of a cursor or other objects. The use of an infrared sensor to detect position can cause some detection problems in the presence of other infrared sources, such as incandescent light bulbs or candles. This can be alleviated by using fluorescent or LED lights, which emit little to no infrared light, around the Wii. Innovative users have used other sources of IR light, such as

11304-611: The Wii Remote flying. WarioWare: Smooth Moves also sometimes requires the Wii Remote to be dropped, which would cause problems in the event of a strap failure. In response, Nintendo has posted guidelines on proper use of the strap and the Wii Remote. On December 8, 2006, units with thicker straps began to appear in some areas of the world. On December 15, 2006, Nintendo denied reports of a Wii wrist strap recall. While Nintendo denied claims that three million straps had been recalled, it replaced broken wrist straps free of charge. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission became involved in

11461-641: The Wii Remote in such a way that would be hindered by a wrist strap, such as Let's Tap , most House Party games in Wii Party and the Treasure Twirl game in Wii Play Motion . In such games or game modes, on-screen prompts, as well as instruction booklet text, will specifically state that they must be played without the wrist strap. Video game web site IGN reported that the strap tends to break under heavy use, which would potentially send

11618-522: The Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via motion sensing, gesture recognition , and pointing using an accelerometer and optical sensor technology. It is expandable by adding attachments. The attachment bundled with the Wii console is the Nunchuk , which complements the Wii Remote by providing functions similar to those in gamepad controllers. Some other attachments include

11775-419: The Wii Remote to provide a better grip, and cushioning to protect the Wii Remote if dropped. Nintendo started including the jacket with the controller on October 15, 2007. The safety jacket included with every Wii Remote is usually translucent. However, for black Wii Remotes and red Wii Remote Plus controllers, the safety jacket would be of the same color. The original Wii MotionPlus accessory also comes with

11932-486: The Wii Remote's Home button, the Home Menu displays information about the controller(s) currently being used, and allows the user to configure certain options. At the bottom of the menu screen, the battery life of all connected controllers is displayed. Below that is a bar labeled Wii Remote Settings. Selecting it brings users to an options screen where they can control the audio output volume, rumble settings, and reconnect

12089-463: The Wii Remote's field of view. The light emitted from each end of the Sensor Bar is focused onto the image sensor which sees the light as two bright dots separated by a distance "mi" on the image sensor. The second distance "m" between the two clusters of light emitters in the Sensor Bar is a fixed distance. From these two distances m and mi, the Wii CPU calculates the distance between the Wii Remote and

12246-417: The Wii Remote's pointer in-game. Because the Sensor Bar allows the Wii Remote to calculate the distance between the Wii Remote and the Sensor Bar, the Wii Remote can also control slow forward-backward motion of an object in a 3-dimensional game. Rapid forward-backward motion, such as punching in a boxing game, is controlled by the acceleration sensors. Using these acceleration sensors (acting as tilt sensors),

12403-468: The Wii console. The position and motion tracking of the Wii Remote allows the player to mimic actual game actions, such as swinging a sword or aiming a gun, instead of simply pressing buttons. An early marketing video showed actors miming actions such as fishing, cooking, drumming, conducting a musical ensemble, shooting a gun, sword fighting, and performing dental surgery. The LEDs can be seen by some digital cameras, phone cameras, and other devices with

12560-424: The Wii, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, and Classic Controller PRO in Japan on August 1, 2009. Each black Wii Remote includes a matching solid-black Wii Remote Jacket. In addition, Club Nintendo in Japan held a contest between June 25, 2009, and August 31, 2009, wherein members who purchased and registered a copy of Wii Sports Resort would be entered into a draw to win one of 5,000 blue controller sets. Each set included

12717-420: The Wii. Video game developer Factor 5 stated that during development of launch title Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader , it had an early prototype of a motion-sensing controller. Video game journalist Matt Casamassina , from gaming website IGN , stated that he believed that Nintendo had planned to release the Wii Remote for the GameCube, noting that "Nintendo said that it hoped that GCN could enjoy

12874-475: The Year " and "Outstanding Innovation in Gaming". Wii Fit Plus generally received positive reviews from critics. GameRankings reports an aggregate score of 80.83% based on 18 reviews, and Metacritic reports a score of 80% based on 33 reviews. IGN gave Wii Fit Plus a score of 8.2. GameSpot gave it a 7.5 out of 10. 1UP gave it an A−, stating, "There's still some tightening up to be done, but Wii Fit Plus

13031-548: The balance board while playing Wii Fit . There was minor controversy regarding Wii Fit in the UK, where two parents complained after the known limitations of BMI led to their daughter being labeled as overweight. Nintendo apologized over any offense caused by the terminology used in-game. During the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards , the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Wii Fit for " Family Game of

13188-463: The bar. The LEDs farthest from the center are pointed slightly outwards, the LEDs closest to the center are pointed slightly inwards, while the rest are pointed straight forward. The Sensor Bar's cable is 353 cm (11 ft 7 in) in length. The bar may be placed above or below the television, centered horizontally, in line with the front of the television or the front of the surface the television

13345-455: The batteries may be temporarily interrupted. If the Wii Remote is not used for more than 5 minutes, such as when the player is using a GameCube controller, it will shut off, and can be re-activated by pressing any button (this was also the case when using a now discontinued video-on-demand service). Games are able to determine and react to the current battery life of Wii Remotes, with certain games using unique, extra- diegetic methods of alerting

13502-506: The beginning of its instruction booklet (even if the game does not use motion controls). The latter is a word-for-word reproduction of a standard wrist strap warning notice established by Nintendo. The wrist strap is also used to restrain the Nunchuk's connector by its hook, safely slowing any sudden movement of the Nunchuk's cord if the connector is forcibly disconnected. In spite of widespread wrist strap safety notices, there are certain Wii games, in whole or part, that are played by moving

13659-415: The benefits of in-hospital rehabilitation. However, recreational fitness games might require more supervision, as they are less likely to exercise the correct muscles as therapeutic fitness games. Exercise games have also proven to be an effective supplement for rehabilitation programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including balance rehabilitation for the elderly. Children are oftentimes more receptive to

13816-672: The bicycle's actual resistance based on what was happening on screen in real time with incline, wind, and drafting. The product had a price that was far too high to be considered as an entertainment product, but was affordable by dedicated athletes. RacerMate released the "Racermate Challenge I" cartridge on the Commodore 64 and the "Racermate Challenge II" cartridge on the NES. RacerMate made the CompuTrainer until 2017, where its latest version runs using Microsoft Windows compatible software with extensive graphic and physiological capabilities. About

13973-549: The black Nunchuk was released as a standalone purchase. Blue and pink Wii Remotes were released in Japan on December 3, 2009. In North America, the blue and pink Wii Remotes were released February 14, 2010, in a bundle with a standard white Wii MotionPlus. In Australia, the black, blue and pink versions of the Wii Remotes were released on February 25, 2010. In addition, the black Nunchuk and black Wii MotionPlus were also released on that day as well. When Nintendo released

14130-436: The body. Mobile phone apps such as Zombies, Run! (2012), Run An Empire , Ingress (2013), and Pokémon Go (2016) have been described as augmented reality exergames. Virtual reality (VR) is emerging as a new interface method for fitness games. Games like Beat Saber , Holodance , OhShape , and others allow players to get good exercise while playing a video game. Fitness games gained in popularity during

14287-665: The commercial fitness market. Fitness games came to the mass media attention at the Consumer Electronics Show when Bill Gates showcased the Exertris Interactive Gaming Bike in 2003, and the following year the same show hosted a pavilion dedicated to video game technology that also worked as sports and exercise equipment . The 2005 release of the EyeToy: Kinetic brought the first multi-function fitness game hardware into

14444-446: The console appeal to a broader audience that includes non-gamers. The body of the Wii Remote is 148 mm (5.8 in) long, 36.2 mm (1.43 in) wide, and 30.8 mm (1.21 in) thick. The Wii Remote model number is RVL-003, a reference to the project code-name "Revolution". The controller communicates wirelessly with the console via short-range Bluetooth radio, with which it is possible to operate up to four controllers at

14601-682: The console's physical reset button . Operations Guide : On Wii Menu channels, including the News Channel, Forecast Channel , Internet Channel , Everybody Votes Channel , certain WiiWare titles and Virtual Console titles, the Operations Guide button appeared on the Home Menu. The guide accessed acts as an instruction manual for the game being played. The Home Menu can be compared to the Xbox 360 's in-game menu (accessed by pressing

14758-402: The controller (see Wii Remote Chargers ). Nintendo's industrial designer Lance Barr said that the Wii Remote's expansion port is unsuitable for internal battery charging. The only type of (externally charged) rechargeable battery supported is nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). A 3300 μF capacitor provides a temporary source of power during quick movements of the Wii Remote when connection to

14915-422: The controller face was replaced with the Wii logo. Also, the expansion port was redesigned, with expansion plugs featuring a smaller snap-on design. The Wii Remote had the capability of turning the main console's power on or off remotely with a power button, further reinforcing the impression that it looks like a television remote. The blue LEDs also indicate the battery's state: on pressing any button (other than

15072-576: The controllers, for example to connect Wii Remotes through one-time synchronization. Depending on when the Home Menu is accessed, a different number of buttons are displayed. Wii Menu : No matter when the menu is accessed, the Wii Menu button will always be present. Selecting this will exit a game or a Wii Menu channel and return the player to the Wii Menu, where users can choose another channel. When playing certain Virtual Console titles, with

15229-507: The country, in order to inspire soldiers to exercise more in their free time. The feedback from the conscripts and officers was positive. Some nursing homes use Wii Fit as a way to engage in gentle exercise. The system is used to give the residents a yoga workout along with flexibility and balance exercises. The game allows those who are unable to perform rigorous daily exercise to increase their heart rate and improve their overall health. Depending on their level of mobility, some can perform

15386-428: The decision as to whether the system will be usable with off-the-shelf games or if custom software must be written for it. Because it takes longer for a user to move their entire body in response to stimulation from the game, it is often the case that dedicated software must be written for the game to playable. An example of this is Konami 's Dance Dance Revolution . Though designed to be played by users moving about on

15543-576: The eighties, including the Joyboard , a Atari 2600 peripheral developed by Amiga and released in 1982, the Power Pad (or Family Trainer) a peripheral for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), originally released by Bandai in 1986, and the Foot Craz released for the Atari 2600 in 1987, although all three had limited success. Konami 's Dance Dance Revolution (1998) was cited as one of

15700-533: The empirical evidence still is limited. Studies have shown that fitness games help manage anxiety in several ways. Fitness games help lower anxiety levels in various clinical populations such as patients with Parkinson's disease , enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation , with fibromyalgia , and with systemic lupus erythematosus by introducing more permanent positive physiological changes than methods that do not involve exercise do. Fitness games are accessible to many disabled patients, as some have settings that allow

15857-473: The environment can be dynamically altered to create different competitive situations. High frame rate display technologies, for example head-mounted display , can be used to transform the user into any sporting situation e.g. a track cycling veledrome. Natural movements can also be incorporated into the games, for example utilizing an omnidirectional treadmill , such as the Infinadeck. Such a system allows

16014-437: The equivalent models that did not have all the additional electronics. Second, they were harder to maintain, and were often left broken. Lastly the additional expertise required to operate the software was often intimidating to the users, who shied away from the machines out of fear that they would look foolish while trying to master the machine. Until 1998, nothing significant happened in the field of videogame exercise. Hardware

16171-451: The exception of the Nintendo 64 and Neo Geo , this will also create a suspend point. Reset : In applications and games (both retail and downloadable), the Reset button is available. This performs a soft reset of that particular application, for example returning a game to its title screen or the loading screen of a Wii Menu channel, the same as what would happen if the player were to press

16328-421: The exercises while standing, while others may remain seated. The third installment in the series, Wii Fit U , was released for the successor to the Wii, the Wii U . While maintaining most of the overall features of its predecessors, the game utilizes the Wii U GamePad and can also sync data with the optional Fit Meter, a pedometer accessory which measures activities such as steps taken and altitude. Released on

16485-505: The first major fitness games; when it was ported from the arcade to PlayStation , it sold over three million copies. In the 2000s, a number of devices and games have used the exergame style to much success: the EyeToy camera has sold over ten million units, while Nintendo's Wii Fit has sold in excess of 21 million copies. By June 2009, health games were generating revenues of $ 2 billion, largely due to Wii Fit's 18.22 million sales at

16642-590: The game (called the Ring-Con) and attaches the left Switch Controller to their left thigh by a Leg Strap. This is intended to perform more complex maneuvers for stretching, poses, and jogging in place: compared to the Wii Fit Board. This game introduces a new protagonist (Ring Fit Trainee) who performs these exercises to go on a role-playing adventure. The Trainee has their own Ring-Con ingame that can be used to defeat mobs in combat. The female Wii Fit trainer

16799-560: The game had recorded 2.5 billion jumps in total. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused delays in the industry. One reason Ring Fit Adventure (2019) did not have enough supply to meet demand was that China was hit early by the pandemic, leading to manufacturing shortages. The pandemic also delayed several VR products, such as the Valve Index , and titles such as Marvel's Iron Man VR and Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing . Fitness games also proved to be especially helpful during

16956-578: The game in North America as opposed to as many as two million units to Europe. According to Pachter, the Wii Fit units were allocated by Nintendo to maximize profit, by prioritizing Europe over North America, taking advantage of the strong value of the euro compared to the US dollar. According to the NPD Group , Wii Fit sold 690,000 units in the US in May 2008, making it the country's third highest selling title for

17113-440: The game is aimed at its limitations in offering a serious workout regime. In 1UP.com 's review, one such limitation was attributed to the lack of structure the game imposes on the player, stating that while having "complete freedom to choose what you want to do, you might find yourself cheating, despite your best intentions." X-Play also noted that the brief activities are separated by menus, making it difficult for one to keep up

17270-411: The game to remember a person's range of motion, whether they have any assistive devices, and general physical ability. Fitness games have been shown to be safe and cost effective when used for stroke rehabilitation. Virtual environments allow patients to practice skills that would otherwise be unsafe in real world scenarios. A stroke patient with compromised balance, for example, could practice crossing

17427-467: The game, believing the primary reason to be inconvenience. A new menu interface, My Wii Fit Plus, was implemented to address this issue and make accessing activities quicker and easier. The interface was recreated and adjusted multiple times during development. In designing new minigames for Wii Fit Plus , Miyamoto wanted to create activities that played upon the Stroop effect , requiring coordination of both

17584-410: The hand-held controllers that are used to direct behaviors within the game. Research projects such as exertion interfaces that investigate the design aspects of these games explore how the technological augmentation that comes with the digital gameplay component can be nurtured for additional benefits, such as utilizing the social power of exercising together even though players are connected only over

17741-508: The home market. Making the players physical movements into the game's controller. 2006 saw the launch of Gamercize , combining traditional fitness equipment with game consoles. The minimalist approach allows game play to continue only when exercising, turning all game titles into potential fitness games. Nintendo 's Wii in 2006 brought acceleration detection with the Wii Remote . In late 2007, Nintendo released Wii Fit , which utilized

17898-943: The idea of fitness games, making it an especially helpful tool in motivating ill children in their rehabilitation efforts. A 2021 systematic review found that exercise games could reduce BMI, and improve body fat percentage and cardiorespiratory fitness. A 2020 systematic review found that fitness games can be utilized to augment treatment for a variety of patient populations such as geriatrics, and those with Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injuries. A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis found that fitness games are effective for improving muscle tension, muscle strength, activities of daily living (ADL), joint range of motion, gait, balance, and kinematics. The review also suggested that fitness games may be more effective at improving dynamic balance control and preventing falls in subacute and chronic stroke patients when compared to current treatment methods. A 2018 systematic review in

18055-419: The initial teaser video that revealed the controller at Tokyo Game Show 2005, the 1 and 2 buttons were labeled X and Y. The Wii Remote has a wrist strap attached to the bottom to prevent it from flying away during game action if not held securely. The wrist strap is tied with a cow hitch knot . Every Wii game contains safety warnings concerning wrist strap use during its startup sequence and also at or near

18212-410: The light sources. There is no way to calibrate the position of the cursor relative to where the user is pointing the controller without the two stable reference sources of light provided by the Sensor Bar or substitutes. Third-party wireless sensor bars have also been released, which have been popular with users of Wii emulators since the official Sensor Bar utilizes a proprietary connector to connect to

18369-409: The month, behind the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV and Mario Kart Wii , but ahead of the PlayStation 3 version of Grand Theft Auto IV . Wii Fit debuted in the United States at a suggested retail price of US$ 89.99 for the base system unbundled with other accessories. As with the Wii console itself, the demand for Wii Fit far outstripped the supply. The perceived shortage created

18526-493: The need to balance the physical effectiveness of the exercise with the attractiveness of the gameplay, with both factors needed to be adapted to the abilities of the player, referred to as 'dual flow' Fitness games contain elements that were developed in the virtual reality community during the 1980s. The pioneer in this area was Autodesk , which developed two systems, the HighCycle and Virtual Racquetball . The HighCycle

18683-439: The player sits on the Wii Balance Board and remains motionless for a period of time. Players may undergo "Body Tests", in which the player's body mass index (BMI) is calculated and balance control is tested. Each Body Test determines and updates the player's "Wii Fit Age ", which loosely suggests the player's physical strength in relation to their true age. A standalone application called "Wii Fit Channel" may be installed to

18840-424: The player to low battery life. In September 2010, rumors were circulating of a Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus already built in after the box art for the upcoming FlingSmash revealed it to be bundled with "Wii Remote Plus". Nintendo initially declined to comment, but later announced the device on September 29, 2010, confirming it to be a Wii Remote with MotionPlus built in, allowing players to use peripherals like

18997-785: The player to maintain the COB throughout the activity, requesting that it not move outside a particular threshold usually indicated as a yellow circle. When the activity ends, the player is scored based on how well the player kept their balance during the session: points are deducted if the player's body haphazardly swayed or shook at any point. Wii Fit has 30 Yoga and Strength Training activities. The other two major categories in Wii Fit , Aerobics and Balance Games, consist of 18 minigame activities that feature Miis as playable characters. Aerobics focus on activities that require more vigorous movement, and are divided into three distinct types: hula hooping , step aerobics , and jogging . In Hula Hoop,

19154-413: The player twirls their hips in order to spin a series of hoops, and is scored on the number of spins achieved within a period of time. Step aerobics (simply referred to as "Step" in-game) focus on stepping on and off the Wii Balance Board in a rhythmic fashion. In jogging, which does not use the Wii Balance Board, the player runs in place while keeping the connected Wii Remote in their pocket, which acts as

19311-432: The player's COB. "Soccer Heading", for example, focuses on leaning left or right to control the player's Mii in order to head incoming soccer balls. Another, "Table Tilt", focuses on directing balls into holes by shifting the player's balance to tilt the platform they rest on. Activities based on slalom skiing , snowboarding , and tightrope walking are also available, and a Zazen -based game (called "Lotus Focus") in which

19468-412: The player's hands independently, a feature that is leveraged to implement boxing controls for Wii Sports or dual wield combat in some hack and slash games, such as Prince of Persia: Rival Swords . Despite having fewer buttons, the Nunchuk can also be used as a controller itself, a feature that is leveraged by Opoona , Bust-A-Move Bash! and SpeedZone . This allows two players to share

19625-501: The player's in game avatars. The game Petz: Monkey Madness allows players to transport their monkey between copies of the game. The Wii Remote uses two AA size alkaline batteries as a power source, which can power a Wii Remote for 60 hours using only the accelerometer functionality and 25 hours using both accelerometer and pointer functionality. In May 2013, Nintendo announced a rechargeable battery and dock accessory, and various third-party manufacturers market charging solutions for

19782-435: The player's mind and body; minigames in which the player uses both the Wii Remote and the Wii Balance Board at the same time became a major focus. Wii Fit was well received. It currently holds an 81.18% score on GameRankings , aggregated from the scores of 57 media outlets, and got an average score of 81 on MobyGames . While the playful balance and aerobics minigames have generally been praised as simple fun, criticism for

19939-710: The potential to provide moderate intensity exercises in this population, but the evidence was too weak on long-term follow-up to draw strong conclusions. There is significant evidence across multiple random controlled trials relating fitness games to improved cognitive functioning in healthy older adults (with a mean age of 69), and attenuated deterioration or improvement in adults with cognitive impairment from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. In addition, studies investigated if fitness games can lead to improvements in cognitive performance in clinical and non-clinical populations such as those who have ADHD and depression. There are first encouraging results, but

20096-506: The power button) while the controller is not being used to play games, four LEDs flash to indicate full battery, three for 75%, two for 50%, and one for 25% life remaining. Similarities have been noted between the Wii Remote and an early Dreamcast controller prototype. In the Red Steel trailer shown at E3 2006, the Wii Remote had a smaller circular shaped image sensor instead of the larger opaque IR filters shown on other versions. In

20253-499: The remote represents will not open. The Sensor Bar is required when the Wii Remote is controlling up-down, left-right motion of a cursor or reticle on the TV screen to point to menu options or objects such as enemies in first-person shooters . Some Wii games that depend on infrared pointing, such as The Conduit and The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return , allow the player to calibrate

20410-644: The rest as low-intensity. No exercises qualified as high-intensity. The researchers concluded that only one-third of the exercises qualify towards the exercise guidelines provided by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA), and that the exercises offered less benefits "than authentic sports or exercises because playing these active video games involved little horizontal locomotion." However, to reach 30 minutes of moderate activity (5 times

20567-407: The same month. The game was announced during Nintendo's E3 2009 media briefing on June 2, 2009. It includes all of the original content from Wii Fit along with 15 new balance and aerobics games (referred to as "Training Plus") and six new strength training and yoga activities. New features include a calorie burning counter, the ability for users to create custom fitness regimens or choose from

20724-460: The same time as the Computrainer, Concept II introduced a computer attachment for their rowing machine. This has become their eRow product and is used for both individual motivation as well as competition in "indoor rowing leagues". During the 1990s, there was a surge of interest in the application of virtual reality to high-end gym equipment. Life Fitness and Nintendo partnered to produce

20881-410: The speaker to indicate changes between player turns. The volume can be changed or muted with the "Home" button and selecting the corresponding controller icon at the bottom of the screen; if the speaker is muted, any sounds intended to be emitted from the speaker will come from the television in most cases. The rumble feature can also be switched on or off using the Home Menu. The Wii Remote contains

21038-414: The street in a simulated environment, something that would be risky and unsafe in real time. Fitness games can also make typical rehab exercises safer. Implementing virtual obstacles instead of physical obstacles in balance training exercises, for example, mitigates the risk of falls while increasing a patient's confidence. When making a fitness game system, the manufacturer of a consumer product must make

21195-449: The symbol on the Home button was changed from a blue dot to a shape resembling a home/house, the shape of Power was made circular rather than rectangular, and the blue LEDs indicating player number are now labeled using 1 to 4 small raised dots instead of numbers 1 to 4, resembling the dots used to mark the four controller ports of the GameCube console. The Nintendo logo at the bottom of

21352-521: The time. The term exergaming entered the Collins English Dictionary in 2007. The genre has been promoted as a way to improve users' health through exercise, but few studies have been undertaken to measure the health benefits. Smaller trials have yielded mixed results and have shown that the respective traditional methods of exercise are superior to their video game equivalents. Design considerations for fitness games include

21509-488: The top 40 altogether, believed to be caused by Wii Fit being completely sold out. In the United States Wii Fit was reported to have sold out at pre-launch sales of retailers Amazon.com , GameStop and Wal-Mart . After the initial release, reports showed stores selling out of Wii Fit nationwide. Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Securities , estimated that Nintendo shipped only 500,000 copies of

21666-407: The two triggers to one trigger and a C button, as described below). It works in tandem with the main controller in many games. Like the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk also provides a three-axis accelerometer from STMicroelectronics for motion-sensing and tilting, but lacks any feedback features. The presence of a motion sensor in the Nunchuk allows the Wii controller to recognize gestures from both of

21823-512: The two users to play each other over phone lines. In both systems, the users could wear the VPL eyephones , an early head-mounted display (HMD), that would provide more immersion for the user. The first true attempt at what would later be called Exertainment was the Atari Puffer project (1982). This was an exercise bike that would hook up to an Atari 400/800 or 5200 system. Forward speed

21980-483: The use of Analog Devices MEMS -based three-dimensional accelerometers . The Wii Remote also has a PixArt optical sensor that allows it to determine where it is pointing. Unlike a light gun that senses light from a television screen, the Wii Remote senses light from the console's Sensor Bar (RVL-014), which allows consistent usage not influenced by the screen used. The Sensor Bar is about 24 cm (9.4 in) long and has ten infrared LEDs , five at each end of

22137-410: The user to virtually be in the game while allowing 360 degrees of movement. While the technology is new, it is showing promising results in weight management as well as in high participation rates. Wii Remote The Wii Remote , informally referred to with the portmanteau Wiimote , is the primary game controller for Nintendo 's Wii home video game console . An essential capability of

22294-510: The world, and has previously been used for physiotherapy rehabilitation in children and in nursing homes to improve posture in the elderly. The game has received generally positive reviews, despite criticism over the lack of intensity in some of its workout activities. As of March 2022, Wii Fit was the third best selling console game not to be packaged with a console, having sold 22.67 million copies. Wii Fit Plus , an enhanced version featuring additional games, activities, and features,

22451-573: The world. Wii Fit has also been used for the treatment of balance problems in the elderly. In a study, an 86-year-old woman was unable to walk without close supervision, even with a walker, due to poor balance and a tendency to fall, after a stroke. She participated in four training sessions along with physical therapy. She was tested on the outcome measures of Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Functional Reach and Lateral Reach tests, Timed Up & Go test (TUG), computerized posturography, and

22608-528: Was also nominated for multiple other awards, including Best New IP and Best Sports Game. Hyper commends the game for its "effective exercise program, its accessibility and its massive novelty value". However, he criticized it for not being a "gamer's game and no good for long sessions". Cycling Weekly reported that Mark Cavendish , a double Madison World Champion and Commonwealth Games gold medalist bike racer, had to stop his training regime when he injured his left calf's gastrocnemius after falling off

22765-492: Was also positive in the United Kingdom, with some retailers having to stop taking pre-orders due to its increasing popularity. Reports in the United Kingdom state that the Wii Fit launch had seen queues form nationwide. Retailer Woolworths said that the game was selling 90 copies per minute. Nintendo UK said that in April 2008 that it was working hard to ensure that enough stock was available. In its first week of release, Wii Fit

22922-402: Was an exercise bike that a user would pedal through a virtual landscape. If the user pedaled fast enough, the virtual bike would take off and fly over the landscape. Virtual Racquetball tracked the position and orientation of an actual racquet that was used to hit a virtual ball in a virtual environment. This environment was shared with another user equipped with another tracked racquet, allowing

23079-499: Was another entry in the field. Other examples of fitness game products include: Positive Gaming iDANCE, iSTEP, Cobalt Flux Blufit, Cyber coach , NeoRacer , Gymkids exercise equipment with interactive technology, some Wii titles such as EA Sports Active , Cybex TRAZER , Powergrid Fitness Kilowatt , Lightspace Play Floor , PlayMotion , Yourself!Fitness , Expresso Fitness S2 , i.play , Cyber ExerCycle , VEQTOR Sport Trainer and Sportwall . Microsoft's Kinect (2010)

23236-542: Was controlled by pedaling while steering and additional gameplay was handled by a handlebar-mounted Gamepad. The machine was nearly ready for production with several games ( Tumbleweeds and Jungle River Cruise ) when Atari declared bankruptcy and the Puffer project was abandoned. The Joyboard for the Atari 2600 was also released in 1982, by the Amiga Corporation . In Japan, Bandai dabbled in this space with

23393-403: Was later revealed by Sakurai, in commemoration of the release of the trial version of Wii Fit U, that the male trainer would also appear, albeit as an alternate character that shares the female's slot and characteristics. The Wii Fit Trainers were announced to return in the series' next installment Super Smash Bros. Ultimate alongside every fighter that has appeared in the series' history at

23550-781: Was one of her favorite characters in Nintendo 3DS and Wii U , citing their uniqueness and charm as factors, and Cecilia D'Anastasio said that characters like Wii Fit Trainer were what made the game worth playing. The gym from the Rhythm Boxing minigame is the same gym from the boxing training games from Wii Sports . The island featured in the Jogging minigame also serves as the predecessor to Wuhu Island, which appeared in Wii Sports Resort , Wii Fit Plus , and several other Nintendo titles. Exergaming The genre's roots can be found in game peripherals released in

23707-405: Was released for the Wii in October 2009. It also garnered positive reception and was a commercial success; as of March 2022, it is the seventh best-selling game on the Wii , with a total of 21.13 million copies sold. Both versions have sold a combined total of 43.8 million copies, making the game one of the best-selling video games of all time . Wii Fit requires the use of the Wii Balance Board,

23864-588: Was released in Australia on October 28, 2010, in Europe on November 5, 2010, in North America on November 7, 2010, and in Japan on November 11, 2010. In addition to being available in the four standard Wii Remote colors, specially colored Wii Remote Plus controllers themed after Nintendo's first-party video game franchises were also released in the years that followed, with one golden Legend of Zelda Wii Remote Plus and several others based on Mario characters . A red Wii Remote Plus, initially designed to celebrate

24021-399: Was revealed at the 2013 E3 convention to be a playable character in the 2014 video game Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U . Series director Masahiro Sakurai noted that while he expected that people would see no meaning behind the trainer's inclusion, he included her because of his perception of her uniqueness and to surprise people, instead of doing so for "cheap novelty." It

24178-464: Was revealed that a gold Wii Remote Plus with the Hylian Crest superimposed over its speaker would be released alongside The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword . It was available as part of a bundle with Skyward Sword for a limited time. A matching gold Nunchuk was also available to earn for Club Nintendo members for a limited time. In 2012, the Wii Remote Plus was reissued, and branded for

24335-491: Was still too expensive for the average home consumer, and the health clubs were gun-shy about adopting any new technology. As high-performance game console capabilities improved and prices fell, manufacturers once more started to explore the fitness market. In 1998, Konami 's Dance Dance Revolution was released. Pump It Up , a dance game similar to Konami's, was released in 1999 by the company Andamiro. In 2000, UK startup Exertris introduced an interactive gaming bike to

24492-434: Was the best-selling video game in the week, topping the all-format chart. Despite the game being sold at a higher price than average (£70, compared to an average of £35–40) it became the UK's sixth fastest selling console title according to Chart-Track / ELSPA and made over £16 million in sales. During the week beginning May 19, 2008, Wii Fit ' s sales in the UK fell from second in the all-formats chart to dropping out of

24649-413: Was the first major consumer-focused body motion tracking hardware. Games such as Just Dance and Nike+ Kinect Training (2012) used Kinect to make physical body motion into a method of control for games. The trend within consoles that started with the Wii peaked with the pedometer-pairing Wii Fit U (2013). These were followed up in the eighth generation by a fitness game push by Microsoft with

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