Wii Warm Up: So who's buying it?

by Alisha Karabinus { May 15th 2008 at 8:00AM }

There seems to be quite a bit of ill will and even more apathy toward the release of Wii Fit among Nintendo fans. Whenever it's mentioned, there are always a few people aggressively against the exergaming title ... and yet, preorders have been huge. So who's buying all these copies? People who want the balance board for later titles, or people genuininely interested in Wii Fit? More importantly: did you preorder? Did your friends?

Tags: preorder, wii-fit

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ May 15th 2008 8:11AM

When it was first announced, I thought it was a terrible idea.

Since then, it's started to warm up to me and I was practically all in. I mean, what do I know? I initially thought duel screens, stylus gameplay, and the motion sensing remote were bad moves too, yet I have and enjoy both the DS and Wii.

Gamespot's review, however, has made me think twice. Is it worth $90? If my ultimate goal is to lose weight with the product (which, if I'm honest with myself, is the case) would I be better off with the stationary bike which I already paid $90 for years ago and don't use?

Consider me still on the fence. Or rather, consider me hanging on to the fence with my foot above the ground on the side that says "save up for Guitar Hero instead; you'll play it more".

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ May 15th 2008 8:14AM

For the prefectionists out there, I meant "dual" not "duel" above.

Oh, and, yes I meant to do *that*: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/894a/

Alex @ May 15th 2008 12:01PM

I bet you would probably use your stationary bike a lot more if it were somehow integrated into a game console, no?

masami @ May 15th 2008 8:20AM

i preorder it,
mostly for the balance board.

I played the games 4 times, one when I bought it, one to show it to some friends, two to play some minigames.

I probably won't use it to lose weight.

masami @ May 15th 2008 8:20AM

90$?
in europe is 90 euro.

why ninendo hate us?

Waffala @ May 15th 2008 4:21PM

They probably hate you because you can't spell their name correctly.

snkngshps @ May 15th 2008 8:26AM

I'll buy it. I'm interested in it for both the weight loss/fit factors as well as the minigames/future uses factors.

Nigeria @ May 15th 2008 8:28AM

I'm not buying it. And the couple friends that have a Wii - 3 - aren't buying it either.

Like, I asked myself: in three months would I really be using this? And I couldn't come up with a concrete answer. It seems gimmicky. I don't know, it's just not for me, man.

Mike D @ May 15th 2008 8:33AM

Not many games do pass your "3 month rule" though. Outside of something like Brawl, Kart and games with "no end". The biggest draw for me is the balance board, just for its use for future games.

Nigeria @ May 15th 2008 9:11AM

Well, I still play Umbrella Chronicles and Nights and both those games came out last year. But yeah, I get what you're saying.

kastonie @ May 15th 2008 10:10AM

are you just mad you weigh over 330 pounds, which is over the limit for the balance board?

Nigeria @ May 15th 2008 10:52AM

330 pounds = 23 stone.

...

That's pretty heavy, bruh.

If I did weigh that much I'd probably buy the board, then eat it, most probably with mayonnaise, or something.

CPFace @ May 15th 2008 8:31AM

I was excited from the moment it was first announced, and I pre-ordered on Amazon the first day I could.

There's any number of reasons. Foremost is because I like exercise and video games, and especially the blending of the two. It's just easier for me to keep active when I have a video game involved. Whether it's DDR, trying to get 10,000 steps a day on my Pocket Pikachu, or playing Phoenix Wright on the treadmill, my most successful workout programs have always had some sort of interactive element to them.

Another reason is because I want the rest of my family to get in on it. My mom has trouble keeping up with exercise, and I think a lot of it is to do with the fact that she doesn't see the results. My younger sister is just dead opposed to getting active, but she loves our Wii -- I'm not expecting any miracles, but if it can get her moving a little bit, it'd be an improvement.

And last of all is the balance board itself. I wanted the Wii for active games like Wii Sports, so it'll be awesome to have a controller that will get even more of my body into it. There may not be many games that use it, but the ones that do will be all the sweeter -- I never regretted my Dreamcast Maracas, which had the support of exactly one game.

I'm not expecting this to be my best fitness program yet, but I really like the ideas they've brought up.

bakk @ May 15th 2008 8:32AM

I preordered it, but most of my friends think im nuts for doing so...Call me crazy but I cant wait! And im a hardcore pc gamer at heart but I dont see how anyone can hate the amazing ideas that nintendos brilliant minds come up with

Patrick @ May 15th 2008 8:53AM

i was kinda on the fence of preordering because i thought u could only do it online. 90 plus shipping 20 was jus to much i will wait till i luck out an find it in a store till then i play wii sports an remain unfitt.

Ray Ray @ May 15th 2008 9:03AM

I didn't preorder the game, but I plan on going to best buy with my $10.00 off coupon to get Wii fit the day it comes out. I figure that even if Wii Fit doesn't make me lose massive amounts of weight, it'll at least get my fat ass off the couch and I'll be a little more active than I am right now, but if I do lose weight, then that's a bonus.

ViewtifulVance @ May 15th 2008 9:06AM

I think I'll buy it. Just not right away

samfish @ May 15th 2008 9:10AM

This is the only game I've ever pre-ordered, so ye – I'm buying it.

Elemental @ May 15th 2008 9:13AM

i will get it at BB on launch day with coupons rewards and gift cards. I have never pre ordered anything. It is true they may not have any but I will get it. I think it will get used alot as a exercise motivator and Titles such as Skate It and We Ski and others not yet announced will give alot of board replay value.

Magnus @ May 15th 2008 9:14AM

I always thought it was a cool idea. I wasnt sure if I was gonna buy it. $90 was kina expensive but seemed fair to me. My decision was all dependent on the reviews wiifit scored and the number of other games announced that would use the board. Now that more games have been announced to use the board I will at some point buy it. Though I refuse to buy it right away because just last week I severely broke my leg and will not be able to use it for 2 months so Im not gonna throw down 90 for something I cant really take advantage of.

I actually got into an argument with a friend(who is a sony fanboy) who asked me if I was gonna be a fanboy and buy wii fit. Ok so I do own a lot of games, but I dont see any differnece between buying this or any of the guitarheroes with a guitar. They are pretty close in price and your basicly paying for a differnt way to interact with a game. Though I argued that at least the board can be used in differnt games besides just guitar games. That shut him right up, he saw my point and while wii fit isnt for everyone it seems unique and now with 4-5 games announed to use it should be a lot of fun.

SWAT Kats are back! @ May 15th 2008 9:23AM

Not until there are a couple of other balance board games that i am after, I hinge the $90 value on the Balance Board, not on the software. I'd probably play Wii Fit casually, just as I do Wii Sports still from time to time

samfish @ May 15th 2008 9:37AM

I don't have a problem with the Balance Board's price, especially when you compare it to the equally priced hunk of plastic that comes with Guitar Hero. I look at it as "at least there's some actual technology in this thing".

unblogindue from italy @ May 15th 2008 9:24AM

I bought it on April, 24.
Here in Italy it costs 84.99Euros.
I like it, I honestly don't think I'll lose weight on it, but i'll try.
It's funny tu use with friends but I wait for better games yet to come.
Sara!

converge666 @ May 15th 2008 9:37AM

I pre-ordered it for my wife for our anniversary off Amazon awhile ago. She's more excited for it then I am, I can't put down MLB Power Pros since the day it came out.

jsa3mm @ May 15th 2008 9:37AM

I did not preorder WiiFit, but my girlfriend really wants it. That means I will be a future owner. She really wanted Carnival Games too, but I traded that in to get Mario Kart Wii for $20. So, it worked out for me in the long run.

coleduke @ May 15th 2008 9:38AM

I already ordered mine. I'm stoked for it to come. I have to send my wii in for repairs, but I'm holding off for a few days so I can play a little wii fit before the long drought.

kentbphat @ May 15th 2008 9:42AM

I pre-ordered. I think I'll use it (I need to drop about 20 pounds before a tennis tournament later in the year) and this could be a fun way to assist in that journey.

Furthermore, I think my wife and kids will enjoy it. If nothing else, for the mini games, and subsequent 3rd party games.

I agree that the price is steep, but I do think it will get a great deal of use in our household. That will more than make up for it.

The_Mike @ May 15th 2008 9:54AM

why are people complaining about the price for wii fit?? Guitar Hero cost the same, and all it comes with is a shell to slap your wiimote in. At least the ballance board has more too it, and looks great for other games in the future. I'm pretty sure you won't be using the guitar controller with many other games.

Magnus @ May 15th 2008 10:14AM

I hear you with mlb power pros. I consistently come back to that game all the time its freaking awesome game with so much depth. My brother just makes characters and I pick up the decent ones to fill in my holes during my season. Great game especially since you can pick it up for 20-30 now and then.

jan_halmes @ May 15th 2008 10:36AM

Do you guys really think you'll be getting Wii Fit on launch day without the pre-order? From the way things are looking, WiiFit may be harder to get than the Wii was at launch.

jb1830 @ May 15th 2008 10:41AM

I pre-ordered it. I figured it would be fun. Plus I don't have a scale at home so this way I can keep a watch on my weight. Hopefully there are future games that make it worth to own and if not then its just another collectible along the lines of my e-reader, the virtual boy and the power glove :P

GRT @ May 15th 2008 10:56AM

I pre-ordered it from Amazon a while back. I didn't realize there was some kind of backlash against the game in the Wii community (based on this blog post). I was lucky enough that my girlfriend wanted it for her birthday, so I'm killing 2 birds with one stone. :)

Plus We Ski looks awfully darned fun. I'll be getting that as well.

$90 doesn't seem high to me, for a game and a controller.

willxcore @ May 15th 2008 11:24AM

can i just say something please? WiiFit will NOT MAKE YOU FIT! I don't even care if you play that shit every single day from now until you die. I'm positive that it is not enough "exercise" to get anyone in shape and if you're in bad shape as is, it's 99% most likely your shitty diet that's to blame. Which you will not change just because of a video game.

This game is a gimmick, it won't be fun, they're charging an arm and a leg for it and no one will play it down the line. If you want the balance board I'm sure you can buy it later on when it comes out as a standalone peripheral.

Mythor @ May 15th 2008 11:54AM

It's physical activity. That it happens to be attached to a video game doesn't magically remove the health benefits from engaging in physical activity.
There are some very strenuous exercises in Wii Fit and if you do enough of them you WILL get fitter. If all you ever do is the penguin balance game, you probably won't though...

Waffala @ May 15th 2008 4:37PM

Okay, after reading about everyone who's buying it I'm tempted to jump on the bandwagon and slap down the money for a pre-order, since I know I won't be able to find this in-store for a while.

I was going to wait until at least one other first party title was announced with Balance Board compatibility, but the more I think about it, the more I actually am interested in the yoga aspects of WiiFit as just a way to feel healthier. I don't really need it for weight loss, I'm 5'11 and 116 pounds, but I am interested in what the game will say.

Is gamestop still taking pre-orders?

Waffala @ May 15th 2008 4:38PM

oops, that wasn't meant as a reply to you, sorry

stinkbug @ May 15th 2008 11:26AM

wow, such wii fit hatred here.

yes, I pre-ordered it. yes, i'm looking forward to getting it. (apparently they will be at stores on the 22nd?)

no, i don't think $90 is a lot for the board and the software. no, i don't expect it to magically shed the pounds like some people think. (it mainly focuses on eastern exercises involving balance, it doesn't replace some intense workout machine. fit and thin aren't necessarily the same thing.)

i also look forward to putting two wiis/TVs atop each other so that I can yoga in wii fit while playing tennis in wii sports. ok, that's a lie.

Mythor @ May 15th 2008 12:00PM

I didn't preorder but I did get it on release day. Haven't regretted it in the slightest - in fact I've got more play out of it than some other recently released titles.
There's a good variety of exercises - though some DLC with more exercises would have been great - ranging from the very easy twists and flexes to various pushups and lunges and a nightmare collection of yoga poses.

I'm not particularly surprised there's haters, particularly among Nintendo "fans". Having to pry themself off the couch for more than a trip to the fridge is a bit much to ask of them.
Anyone actively hating on the game needs a reality check. It's like the people hating on Barbie's Horse Adventures - you're not the target market, deal with it!

SoshiKitai @ May 15th 2008 12:32PM

DLC exercises? Nah, I don't think so. It basically has the general amount of morning exercises that business people do in Japan, the things that keep them fit and awake for the rest of the day, so I think the exercises it already has fit their purpose well.

If you want more exercises, fret not, future games will be applying different exercises to the balance board.

redster68 @ May 15th 2008 12:01PM

I admit it ... I am.. well... fat. I know this is not going to revolutionize weight lose, but it will get me up and moving more than I normally would. My kids will enjoy it also.. So I guess I am getting it. When is the release date? Some sites say the 19th and others say the 21st.

stinkbug @ May 15th 2008 12:17PM

redster68, it now appears that the release date is the 21st and most stores will receive it on the 22nd.

if people can prove otherwise, please do so. thanks.

SoshiKitai @ May 15th 2008 12:30PM

Preordered, fully paid for.

Getting it when it comes out.

No regrets. And no more debating with people with the game. I'll just play it, smile, and consider myself satisfied.

Jon @ May 15th 2008 1:13PM

I pre-ordered it on Amazon a while back. My wife heard about the game and really wanted it, so I'm buying it for her birthday. I think it'll be fun though, to work out at the same time (well, taking turns). I'm a runner and she's more into the Pilates/yoga type stuff, so we don't usually work out together.

Also, $90 doesn't seem bad when you compare it to, like others have said, GH3 which is the same price and just includes a plastic shell for the wiimote. I'll be able to use the balance board with other games like we ski and probably many others, so it's not too bad of a deal I don't think.

I don't know of anyone else who pre-ordered it, though most of my friends don't have a Wii.

Fa1kor @ May 15th 2008 1:52PM

Better question, is who is not. I plan on buying it, if I can find it.

ILPC @ May 15th 2008 2:41PM

I don't plan on buying it. Honestly I don't play the games I have often enough as it is, and this one just doesn't interest me. I am more of a game player, I bought the wii to play games. Plus my job is really physical so i get plenty of exercise at work, when I'm home I want to relax.

That said, my step-mother is a wii owner and new video-game convert, so I may buy it for her for her birthday. she would be very interested in it.

redster68 @ May 15th 2008 3:56PM

Thanks Stinkbug, I will be looking for it on the 22nd!

Matt @ May 15th 2008 8:22PM

I used to have a Skateboard Controller for the Original Playstation and we would play Tony Hawk and Snowboard games for hours after the pub closed ....this is one reason I purchased Wii Fit as a controller for Skate and Snowboard games and now I'm in my Mid 30s to make sure i keep the Middle Age spread from occurring ;)

NetOperator Wibby @ May 16th 2008 2:02AM

geez, there are people *still* bashing this game, it doesn't even make sense. why get so worked up and [vehemently] give a crapload of reasons of why it won't be fun, won't work, etc? give me a break. anyhoo ...

i am actually very interested in Wii Fit b/c although i am in pretty good shape [6'1'' with a hyperfast metabolism so im pretty skinny] i know i can be in better shape. people are saying that the balance board is a gimmick and whatnot, but i think that is kind of the point. Nintendo gives great thought into everything they do, from the revolutionary design of the Wii controllers to the name of the console itself. they recognize that video games are increasingly popular but they are making people less active as well. there is no way in hell to stop people from playing video games [hello, we are all fanboys/girls right?] but Nintendo can make sure that some people will start moving. now, i do not think that Wii Fit is supposed to be a substitute for exercising, it is supposed to get people *interested* in exercising and to aid as a supplement to said exercising. i mentioned that i was in pretty good shape but that's only thanks to my metabolism. all i do everyday is work and then come home to check emails, etc and sleep. that's lazy. i used to be active pretty much everyday for the past 6 or 7 years but since i started college i've been pretty much blah.

so for me [and im assuming for others that are interested in this as well] Wii Fit would make a great addition to my gaming collection and it's not something i would just play once and forget about//trade in. i grew up with Pokemon, i can't help but to better myself in all the minigames. in a sense, it'll be like im leveling up myself. except that i don't gain a Blizzard attack ... just health attributes. ;)

Waffala @ May 17th 2008 2:11PM

No Blizzard Attack = No Buy

Actually, I didn't realize I really wanted WiiFit until recently, but now I can't pre-order anywhere, I'm just going to hope I can find a retail copy.

natureboy46 @ May 16th 2008 8:42AM

I pre-ordered a few weeks back when Nintendo World announced that they were offering the Miyamoto shirts as a reward.

I'm not expecting it to be a replacement for the gym but like DDR, if it gets me up and moving then it's always better than simply sitting on the couch. I've also been thinking of giving yoga a chance so this might provide a nice taste.

My wife also wanted it so there was no way I was going to pass up the chance to play MORE games.