Wii Fit - first impressions

I'vespent the weekend playing what I predict will be the biggest sellinggame this year. No, not GTA IV - though clearly that will sell millions- but Wii Fit.Nintendo's fitness board add-on to the Wii hits that sweet spot betweengaming and self-improvement that Brain Training hit so successfully onthe DS. But is it worth 70 quid and will it make you "fit"?
Beforehandmy concerns were all about the board itself. If Wii Fit had anyaspirations to be more than just a toy then Nintendo had to get thisright. Within seconds of opening the box it's clear that they have. TheWii Fit board is weighty, sturdy and quite wide (reminiscent of largebathroom scales). Assuming you are 23 stone or under then you can usethe Fit. The board works by measuring pressure from the soles of yourfeet, which allows it to gauge your position and weight. It isremarkably sensitive, picking up small shifts in balance veryeffectively.
Socks off - lycra pants optional - and you're away. First up youchoose your Mii - you have created one right? - and then stand still asthe board tells you your weight and Body Mass Index. Once you've gotover the shock/relief you get to set a target - lose 5 pounds in amonth etc - and then you're free to go. Much like the Brain Traininggames you get a chance to do a daily test to measure your Wii Fit age.My "age" is 40 at the moment - I'm actually 34 - but I'm blaming thefact that the tests so far have all been based on balance rather thanstrength or cardio. Plus it takes a while to get used to the board, andI had a couple of pints the night before and... yes, Wii Fit makes itmuch harder to get your usual excuses in.
The test is fine but the freeplay training section is where you willspend most of the time. Here you can choose between strength, cardio,balance and yoga events and work out for as long as you want. I'mhalf-marathon fit and pretty active but clearly not very flexible.Press-ups and lunges were fine, holding the warrior pose was muchharder. So for me the yoga and balance areas were really beneficial.Luckily the combination of on-screen instructor and board make most ofthe workouts enjoyable/doable/tolerable (delete where applicable). Theonly occasional niggle involved events such as press-ups and stomachcrunches - the latter done with your foot on the pad - that take youreyes away from the screen. For these events a handy whistle marks whento start and stop the rep, but it will take practice to properlyco-ordinate.

The cardio events are a bit more of a mixed big. Hula Hoop - standon the mat and wiggle those hips - is easy to play and perfect forparties. Ski-jump - bend knees, lift heels - is more fiddly but amusingenough. Jogging though is a disappointment. Taking place off the board,jogging has players running on the spot with the wiimote in hand orpocket. Initially this seems fine, with nice touches such as otherMii's jogging alongside and giving encouragement. But the controllersometime fails to pick up speed variances - cheating is easy here,although why would you bother? - and this is one of the few events I'vetried so far that feels a bit gimmicky.
What else? Potentially sensitive weight and BMI data can be passwordprotected - ideal if you want to dig the game out with your friends andhide your vital statistics. Players can also choose a male or femaleinstructor to motivate them through the exercises.
Of course, the fitness stuff is only one part of the Wii Fit package -Nintendo have included plenty of more traditional games in the package.Most involve balance - guiding your Mii across a tightrope - while theslalom event sees you veering your body side to side down the virtualslope. The football heading game is the easiest to pick up and play andpoints at a potential future for new standalone games that use the WiiFit board. Most traditional gamers will be better off waiting for thesetitles to appear but Wii Fit is not just for the gym bunnies.
Only a few days in then but I'm enjoying Wii Fit so far. Clearly youshouldn't ditch that gym membership just yet - the cardio events arethe game's weak point. But as a well made fitness tool with someentertaining minigames Wii Fit is hard to beat. Tempted then? Or is GTAIV the next big game in your life?