Sing, Dance, Move & Lose Weight! Nintendo Wii Games Fight Fat & Obesity

The recent buzz over Nintendo’s latest generation of video game system, the Nintendo Wii, can’t be ignored. People are praising the Wii for its originality and its ability to draw whole families in on the action. The Wii system uses a fully interactive Wii-mote and, on some games, an accompanying nunchuk, to allow players to get up and get into the game. In a time when obesity and laziness is becoming more and more common, the Wii encourages people to get up and stay active. One of the latest Wii games, Mario Party 8, continues this tradition of interactive gaming on the Wii.

That’s right; Mario and all his buddies are back again. As usual, they’re taking on Bowser in this new interactive Wii game. Mario Party 8 can best be described as monopoly with movement. The object is to race around the board and collect coins and stars.

The new and exciting twist is that now, as you move around the board, you land on certain spaces that require you to play mini-games. Each mini-game requires its own distinctive movements.

One game, Swing Kings, requires you to hold the Wii-mote like a baseball bat and hit as many balls into the outfield as you can in the time allowed. This is a bit reminiscent of the baseball game on the Wii Sports disc, which comes with every Wii. Your upper body gets the same swinging motion and exercise as if you were actually playing baseball.

Other mini-games, such as Shake it Up, are based on fairly common activities. In Shake it Up, the object is to shake a soda pop can for a certain amount of time, while your opponents do the same, and get your can to spray the highest when opened. In that instance, the Wii-mote is held in an up and down position and shaken up and down, just like a can. That lets you have fun, burn calories and enjoy soda pop, without actually having to drink it.
Some of the other mini-games, such as At the Chomp Wash, are loosely based on real activities. Anyone who has ever played a Mario game is probably familiar with the round black characters called chain chomps. They are sort of like guard dogs. In At the Chomp Wash, the object is to wash paint off of your chain chomp before your opponent by using a cloth and scrubbing in a circular motion.

Still other games, such as Crank to Rank, are really not based on something most people do often, but they are still fun and offer a bit of exercise. In Crank to Rank, the idea is to be the first person to crank a flag to the top of a flagpole.

Mario Party 8 is full of similar mini-games. As you play through the game you will exercise and burn calories without even noticing. In a time when obesity and sluggishness is a growing problem, games like Mario Party 8 help to keep families active and moving, while still letting them have fun.

Another recent Wii release, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, is similarly fun, while healthy. You would need to be living under a rock to not know about the Harry Potter franchise. The latest Potter video game lets you explore a fully interactive Hogwarts castle. You can wave your wand (Wii-mote) to cast spells, pick things up and brew potions. The game requires very specific hand and arm motions for each action, so your upper body gets quite a workout, while you are busy playing and having fun.

Another upcoming Wii game, Boogie, is expected to bring an entire new level of play. In Boogie you will be able to customize a Boog (character) and give it its own distinctive look. Then you can use it to create music videos. You can get up and dance and sing as you take your Boog through the motions, all the while burning calories and getting a lot of exercise. Boogie promises a huge collection of familiar songs to dance to and fun, multi-player modes. It makes an excellent party game or family game and it will certainly keep kids busy on rainy days.

So, whether it’s casting spells as Harry Potter, beating Bowser as Mario or one of his friends, or dancing along to your own music video, the Nintendo Wii is a great exercise tool, as well as a fun video game system. Pick up your Wii-motes and get in on the game. Make your own Wii exercise routines or play Wii with friends. You’ll be glad that you did.