Nintendo  Wii  Fit  and  Wii  Fit  Plus

There  is  variety  of  digital  sports  games  in  the  market.  What  follows  is  a  more  precise  definition   about  the  games  mentioned  in  this  research.  

2.3.5.1  Nintendo  Wii  Fit  and  Wii  Fit  Plus      

  Wii  fit  press  photos  

The  Wii  is  a  video  game  console  released  by  Nintendo.  It  was  launched  on  November  19,  2006   with   21   game   titles.   The   Wii   is   played   by   waving   a   wireless,   motion-­‐sensitive   remote   control   (Wii  Remote)  to  control  the  movements  of  the  players  in  different  games.  Vajk  et  al.  describes   the  interface  as  following:  

“The Wiimote, a wireless controller, which is able to sense both rotational orientation and translational acceleration along three-dimensional axes. It achieves this through the use of inbuilt accelerometers, together with a light sensor. This light sensor is used in conjunction with an array of light-emitting diodes centrally positioned above or below the console’s display, which allows for six degrees of freedom. The Wiimote can be augmented with additional features, one of which is the “Nunchuk,” which features an accelerometer and a traditional analog joystick with two trigger buttons”

(2008, Vajk et al. 1).

After  Nintendo  released  Wii  Fit  for  the  Wii  console,  it  became  a  great  success  and  “is  currently   the  third  best  selling  console  game  in  history  (among  games  not  packaged  with  a  console)  with   22.61  million  copies  sold  as  of  May  2010”  (Wikipedia.com,  “Nintendo  Wii  Fit”).  The  Wii  device  is   the   primary   controller   for   the   console.   Wii   Fit   Balance   Board   measures   the   user’s   centre   of   balance,  centre  of  mass  and  weight.  The  user  can  stand  on  the  board  in  various  poses,  balance   or  do  pushups.  The  software  in  Wii  Fit  calculates  the  body  mass  index,  among  other  functions.  

Wii   Fit   has   about   50   exercises,   such   as   yoga   poses,   strength   training,   aerobics   and   balance   games.   Wii   Fit   Plus,   which   is   an   enhanced   version   of   the   original   Wii   Fit,   includes   15   new   balance   and   aerobics   games,   six   new   strength   training   and   yoga   activities   together   with   a   calorie  burning  counter.  

Patrick   Crogan   states   in  Culture   Machine:   “Wii   Fit   Plus   follows   up   this   offer   of   vicarious   participation   in   the   hi-­‐tech   feedback-­‐based   training   and   fitness   evaluation   systems   of   professional  sports”  (2010,  88).  He  continues:  “This  is  what  the  Wii  system  is  designed  to  boost   -­‐  the  familiarity  of  its  attentive,  embodied  engagement  of  the  user  in  virtual  interaction”  (90).  

Crogan   argues   that:   “The   Wii   could   be   said   to   boost   the   immediacy   of   the   virtual   world   by   enhancing  physical  involvement  in  the  mediated,  virtualised  world  of  play”  (2010,  91).  

Below  a  discussion  about  Wii  Fit  sports  games  in  Gamecritics.com:  

Over on Game Critics, part of their ongoing series on Wii Fit suggests the question, is this exercise through a game, or just a simulation of exercise.

The counterpoint might be: how does it really differ from any other pop-exercise regime, in book or video form, for example.

comment:  

It doesn't differ. Simply because people may be more inclined to exercise because of digital feedback doesn't mean it isn't real exercise, it is moreso a testament to our gratification culture. We need feedback to everything at every moment.

Mike  Doolittle  writes  in  Gamecritics.com:  

For many people, it will probably be the only exercise they get. Better than nothing of course, but it will be interesting to see how many of those people achieve their goals.

Researcher   still   disagrees   with   the   benefits   and   physical   efficiency   of   digital   sports   games.  

Crogan  argues  that  the  Wii  games  are  related  to  the  actual  games  such  as  tennis,  baseball,  golf   and   boxing,   but   he   notes   that   they   are   only   comparable,   not   the   same   (2010,   87).   Users,   however,  experience  that  some  of  the  games  are  very  effective  in  terms  of  physical  exercise.    

Some of the games have been developed just for exercise, and these games do not differ from real world exercise in any way, it is real exercise (Respondent 5).

Janell  Troyer  writes  in  Gamecritics.com:  

…So you wonder if it's challenging??? Ever tried hula hooping for 6 or 10 minutes at a time. I tell ya, I didn't know I had muscles on my hip bones...

they're screaming!! My obliques are sore, my back is sore, my arms are sore. I feel it in practically every muscle in my body--it's GREAT!! Even with 3 small children I'm able to get in over an hour a day...because it's fun and it's not disruptive to our daily routine.

2.3.4.2  Introduction  to  Xbox  Kinect    

Kinect  Sports:  Season  Two  –  Tennis  –  Play  with  a  Friend  (microsoft.com).    

Kinect   advertises   that   Kinect   for   Xbox   360   lets   the   player   to   be   the   driver.   According   to   the   advertisements,  the  game  is  based  on  natural  experiences.  Kinect  uses  a  motion  detector,  which   monitors  the  whole  body.  When  playing,  the  whole  body  is  moving,  also  on  the  screen.  During   play,  Kinect  creates  a  digital  modeling  based  on  depth  data.  The  sensor  captures  the  movements   of   the   body   as   the   player   moves   around.   Kinect   ID   uses   the   Kinect   sensor   to   recognize   the   players  face  and  automatically  loads  the  player’s  profile.  Kinect  ID  collects  physics  data  of  the   player  and  saves  the  information  on  the  profile.  The  navigation  takes  place  by  moving  a  hand;  

when  the  sensor  detects  the  player,  the  screen  cursor  moves  (xbox.com).