New games this week: Wii Fit edition

by Justin McElroy { May 19th 2008 at 9:55AM }

It was a close call for the featured pick this week, and not because we don't see the value in people getting healthy with Wii Fit. But the Joystiq moms and wives all agree that we're perfect just the way we are, so the stereotype perpetuators among us will continue to rock the hearty keg or spindly champagne flute look in lieu of a six-pack.

Check out all of this week's releases, like Haze on the PS3 and (finally) Garfield: Lasagna World Tour on the PS2, right after the break.

Gallery: Wii Fit

Xbox 360:

UEFA Euro 2008

PS3:

SingStar
Haze
UEFA Euro 2008

Nintendo Wii:

Wii Fit

PS2:

UEFA Euro 2008
Garfield: Lasagna World Tour

PSP:

UEFA Euro 2008

PC Games:

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
Dracula: Origin
Supreme Ruler 2020
Luxor 3 with 7 Wonders Ancient World
Theatre of War

Tags: haze, newgames, wii-fit

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 19th 2008 9:58AM

I will be getting this once my stimulus check arrives...in July. Sorry, Nintendo.

Vol @ May 19th 2008 10:33AM

I am picking it up tomorrow. If I fail to see the value or find entertainment with it, I am selling my Wii. I have used my Wii once in the past 6 months and have kept it around to try out WiiFit. I spend too much time on my 360 and PS3.

Ridgecity @ May 19th 2008 11:00AM

Vol,

don't buy it, you are going to be dissapointed by lack of HD graphics and console overheating at 640p, and since you like your other consoles so much, this product isn't actually aimed at you... make sure you set a high price for your used Wii on ebay, you can get as much as a new Ps3...

nealbailey @ May 19th 2008 11:04AM

"If I fail to see the value or find entertainment with it, I am selling my Wii. I have used my Wii once in the past 6 months"

Dude, totally. I have been trying to sell my Wii after I was un-impresses with Mario Galaxy but my wife loves it (she beats me in Mario Kart consistently). Now that the big games have dropped (Zelda, Mario Kart, SSBB, SM Galaxy, Metroid) it's clear that Nintendo is for children and women.

SoulBlade @ May 19th 2008 11:04AM

640p? Yea you know me!

I haven't had any overheating problems, but my Wii only does 480p :(

Graphics aren't the selling point of Wii Fit (or any Wii game for that matter) - let the man decide for himself.

Dirty @ May 19th 2008 11:15AM

You didn't get your stimulus check yet... Direct deposit rules, I got mine 2 weeks ago.

Yes the Wii is for women and children, and sadly we all own one. DAMN YOU BIG N.

xFenixKnightx @ May 19th 2008 11:35AM

"it's clear that Nintendo is for children and women."

Justin McElroy Memorial comment of the month? :O

Say bye-bye to ur hearts when NDF wakes up from their SSBB hangover.

Vol @ May 19th 2008 11:44AM

I'm not trying to beat my Wii up, but it just doesn't appeal to me as an adult male. However, chicks dig it at my house.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ May 19th 2008 12:29PM

my parents claimed me cause they help me pay tuition, so i didnt get a stimulus check :_( . ill probably rent Haze though if the Blockbuster i go to actually gets it. they never get any new PS3 games.

Burritoclock @ May 19th 2008 5:22PM

It's not just Blockbuster, no one gets new PS3 games... ba da bing!!!

jorojoserojas @ May 19th 2008 10:05AM

Looks like Wii Fit and SingStar will be taking my money this week.

xFenixKnightx @ May 19th 2008 10:09AM

Wii Fit?!! Bubbbubut HAZE!!

BURN!

FOXHOUND @ May 19th 2008 10:14AM

Thanks again to playable demos, HAZE is no longer a worthy purchase to me. Much like TUROK. :\ All those delays... for that. meh.

xFenixKnightx @ May 19th 2008 10:18AM

I concur. Well...my sons like it so the Demo still serves a purpose I guess.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ May 19th 2008 12:32PM

well Haze isnt the second coming of Christ like everyone was playing it up to be but its not a terrible game. i actually had fun with it (the voice acting is hilarious to me). alot better than that Turok crap IMHO. it wasnt good enough for me to drop $60 on but maybe $20-$30 during the summer or something. i may give it a rent though if i somehow get bored with GTAIV.

Haggard @ May 19th 2008 5:49PM

I'm not trying to intentionally stir up arguments but to be honest, Haze looks terrible. It could follow the hype but frankly I don't think PS3 fanboys should be jumping up to defend it at every turn just because it's on the PS3.

I for one am a PC fanboy (if such a thing exists) and yet S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was an awful game.

SoulBlade @ May 19th 2008 10:18AM

I might be pickin up Wii Fit. What's wrong w/ Haze FOXHOUND?

Farseer (GDI) @ May 19th 2008 10:26AM

Seriously, what could be wrong with a futuristic, high-tech first-person shooter? I've been waiting for this kind of game to finally come out...

Noshino @ May 19th 2008 10:29AM

There is nothing wrong with it, its just that many have found it too generic...

Anyway, I guess Haze is the only title I will be buying from this list as I prefer Winning Eleven series over EUFA Euro, well, actually over EA soccer games in general...

FOXHOUND @ May 19th 2008 10:45AM

SoulBlade --
Don't get me wrong, it's a decent FPS. I'm certain the full version probably has redeeming qualities(FYI for those just tuning in; I only played the demo)... however, there just wasn't enough to the game to warrant a full price purchase. Maybe when there's a significant enough price drop or a good sale going on, I'll snag it. But it's in a *VERY* crowded genre that has other games with a lot better features, gameplay, and graphical qualities.

Add in the fact that the game was both hyped and delayed repeatedly for trivial or reasons that weren't entirely disclosed... and thus, my aforementioned "meh" in hearing of its release date this week. Any and all anticipation for it faded with the holiday delay(the better buy was obviously UNCHARTED!).

SoulBlade @ May 19th 2008 11:02AM

Cool - thanks for the feedback - just wanted to know. I didn't really expect much from it, but I had hoped it would be decent given the hype and such you mentioned.

Max Headroom @ May 19th 2008 12:27PM

Maybe Haze would be better received on the Wii. At this point, I'd really like even a generic FPS. Metroid Prime is good, but I want some futuristic death match action.

Rob @ May 19th 2008 10:31AM

Haze demo was pretty good. It is what it is. If you are burnt out on FPS's then it is not for you, but if it is a genre you enjoy then it is a very competent addition. I see nothing wrong with the 'quality' of the game based on the demo.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ May 19th 2008 12:37PM

yea im with you. its not the greatest thing in the world but it wasnt bad by any means. its a pretty fun game but i just dont think its worth $60. if i see it cheap somewhere ill probably snag it but it just didnt live up to the hype that surrounded it. not a bad game, just not as good as it was supposed to be.

deaftly @ May 19th 2008 10:32AM

Yay another week I save money not buying anything!

NATO_Duke @ May 19th 2008 12:11PM

I'm with you there. I don't see too many things on the buy list up until the fall/holiday season.

Cyro @ May 19th 2008 12:12PM

I am starting to feel the exact same way. lol!
At least Ninja Gaiden 2 is far away!
Oh, wait..

:/

*My wife looks at me with that look again*

xFenixKnightx @ May 19th 2008 12:24PM

Ninja Gaiden 2 is very near my freinds.

DO WANT!

baby sea tuna @ May 19th 2008 10:33AM

I'm guessing that SingStar will make me buy yet another set of microphones instead of supporting the multitude of USB ones I already own, huh? Whatever, I'm still way too far behind FenixKnight in my GTA score to play anything else anyway.

edgore @ May 19th 2008 10:40AM

From everythign I have seen it will work with your existing Singstar mic. I don't know if it will work with the Logitech mic or not. They are selling with both with (59.99) and without (39.9) the mic.

Scary - after having my PS3 for 6 months this will be the first PS3 game that I am buying.

baby sea tuna @ May 19th 2008 10:47AM

I don't have SingStar. I have like 10 million K-Rev mics, as well as the one that came with Rock Band. If those don't work, I probably won't bother. I guess that's okay though, since I'm not real jazzed about the song lineup right now anyway. I suppose that if Rock Band had duets this would all be a moot point.

xFenixKnightx @ May 19th 2008 10:59AM

I've been slacking on my GTA, didn't really play it this weekend. A couple buddies and I were getting some good ole' Ranked Gears MP back in the rotation. Gotta love the teamwork and trash talk Gears brings out of you...good times. I'm hitting GTA back up today, bout half way through. I think lol.

NATO_Duke @ May 19th 2008 12:13PM

I finally played some GTA MP last night and didn't see you guys on. Let it be known to all - I am haing a rocky start at it.

I love the anarchy of it! I went into a server with bats and knives only and here I am runing around like an idiot until I realize there are a fleet of cars coming at me. Panic attack!

Brent @ May 19th 2008 10:41AM

Haze...to buy or not to buy? The demo was not that great, I think everybody can agree on that. However, it was the first level of the game, and nobody seems to know when the demo was made (perhaps it is an old build?). I think I'll wait and see what the reviews are like.

Esat Dedezade @ May 19th 2008 10:50AM

Are they serious with that logo? It looks like it's for the 360.

Deck @ May 19th 2008 10:51AM

I haven't played the Haze demo so this is coming from someone with no experience with it..

But I find that many times Demos do not showcase the game well. Since because it is only such a small portion, they do not always show the right bit to show off. Thus the game may come off looking worse than it actually is..sometimes...

el serpiente @ May 19th 2008 11:45AM

You have to wonder, though, if you're not gonna show the best the game has to offer, isn't it a negative to show anything at all in a demo? I mean, this was their chance to make a first impression after all the delays, and then they toss out some mediocre jungle romp with alpha looking graphics...

tmacairjordan87 @ May 19th 2008 12:49PM

The bioshock demo tricked me into buying it because it was so good. If I only knew the last half of the game was going to suck so bad I probably would have gone with a rental.

Markez (MKWii 4339-2878-5120) @ May 19th 2008 10:53AM

Garfield: Lasagna World Tour !?!?!?!?!?

Thank the lord I have my slim PS2!

neondoto @ May 19th 2008 10:57AM

I have to admit, the juxtaposition of Wii Fit with a Garfield game entitled "Lasagna World Tour" made me laugh. (Yeah, I know I'm easily entertained.)

Shagittarius @ May 19th 2008 11:07AM

I thought this was a gaming blog. Giving game of the week to a loose collection of questionable exercise activities over real games, Age of Conan and Haze, just looks like your appeazing the majority of your Nintendo Fanboys.

Wii Fit is not a game. You Phail.

Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 19th 2008 12:04PM

video game
n. An electronic or computerized game played by manipulating images on a video display or television screen.

Sounds pretty fitting (pun intended) to me. YOU fail.

Noshino @ May 19th 2008 12:15PM

Wow, great Cesaria, I didn't know that you could use the word "game" to define "video game"...

game:
–noun
1. an amusement or pastime

3. a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.

If you go by those 2 definitions, then I don't think WiiFit would qualify as one...probably interactive training program

Shagittarius @ May 19th 2008 12:19PM

using the term game to define videogame is rather vague.

your definition phails.

Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 19th 2008 12:20PM

That was quite possibly the worst reply you could use. Are you really going to argue what a fucking video game is by breaking down the word to game? Sorry, but there is a massive difference between playing Clue and Halo. Fail.

Noshino @ May 19th 2008 12:25PM

Cesaria, oh, I see, your elementary class hasn't gotten to the part where you learn how to define words huh?

Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 19th 2008 12:58PM

And actually, those two definitions to define Wii Fit. Allow me to elaborate:

"game:
–noun
1. an amusement or pastime"

Some people find working out/minigames an amusement pastime.

"3. a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators."

It is competitive in that you are competing against yourself, and there are certainly other games in it that require two people, hence COMPETITION. I think the endurance portion speaks for itself. And finally for spectators amusement, who wouldn't enjoy watching someone make an ass of themselves trying to hoola hoop on a white plastic thing?

Noshino @ May 19th 2008 1:12PM

so by your definition of "video game" any training/exercising device that inputs the information on a screen (monitor, tv, etc) is considered a game?....

Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 19th 2008 1:21PM

You do know that you can do more than exercise in it...right? Yes, they may be silly minigames, but they still fall under the category of video game. Not to mention that the Balance Board will be used for other games down the line, Skate It being the first, I believe.