UK: Wii Fit still on top, Wolverine holds on to 2nd

it's just that his adamantium skeleton makes him too heavy to use the balance board

The worst thing about it is that the game keeps telling him he ways too much which brings down his self-esteem. The set backs to having an adamantium skeleton are many.

i think it makes him so angry he goes into a rage he destroys it, forgets why, and buys another

Which explains the sales. He's the only person buying the thing.

I can't even believe that I typed "ways" instead of "weighs". Ugh, too early for me.

You guys are too cute! You're even finishing each others' sentences.

Time to go to Iowa and make it official.

That was really uncalled for.XD

^- Ironically the above video is unavailable in the UK.

What are you guys saying about us that we're not allowed to know? :(

why are ppl are flocking to drop $100 for a toy that will just end up collecting dust within a week.

Because it offers hope that they can turn into well-chiseled supermen with no effort at all on their part. Just like the Atkins Diet, just like Paul McKenna, just like dance-ercise.

We can scientifically explain the existence of life, create a computer chip with more processing power than the brains of an entire nation combined, write music with vibrating strings that can move someone to tears - but mankind is never going to stop buying into stupid gimmicks to cure his obesity.

Hold on a sec there, the Baron. We actually can't scientifically explain the existence of life. We've got some good theories, but actual science requires actual proof which we don't actually have. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the majority of your post but we can't even scientifically prove the theory of plate tectonics.

Well, OK, bad example.

Also, Baron, while it's extremely hard to quantify the processing power of a human brain, it's very unlikely that even the most powerful super computers approach its speed. In terms of who can complete a specific task, the computer will likely win, but the human brain is doing many, many things at once.

The biggest thing Wii Fit has going for it isn't that people think it's a magic weight loss spell; almost everyone knows those don't work by now. They would've spent the money on a more traditional piece of exercise equipment (also keep in mind that many people buy Wii just for Wii Fit). Wii Fit's thing is feedback, points, data. Lots of people are addicted to information nowadays, not to mention some people find a line on a screen more meaningful and inspiring than simply feeling a bit better. This sort of feedback was traditionally very limited if you didn't have a personal trainer or a gym membership. You maybe logged your weight and how long you spent exercising, but that's about it.

The second advantage is making exercise more of a game, and less of a chore. Of course you're not going to stick with Wii Fit, day after day, if you're not trying. Like any exercise plan, the motivation to continue has to come from somewhere. But Wii Fit is more fun and interactive than just doing exercises to music, a DVD, or a book. This is the same advantage DDR has, and why I'm amazed they've wasted their Wii efforts so badly so far. A bit of extra flare in an exercise routine to keep the monotony away, to tell you to keep coming back, is a big help. Back when I played DDR, my weight loss goals were rather quickly overshadowed by just how much fun I was having, and motivation came from high scores. Wii Fit isn't that fun, but it's certainly harder to stop in the middle of an exercise when you get bored when it's a game, and will complain, than a book, DVD, or nothing at all which simply won't care. It's obviously not as useful as a partner or a trainer, but it's a good inbetween.

My point was more to point out how fantastic human creativity, ingenuity and thought can be rather than provide specific examples. Of course, if the brain is as epic as you say it is, then that's further evidence :D

I agree very much with your other points. I used to play Rock Band drums for up to two hours per day, and enjoyed the heck out of it. My pedal broke about four weeks ago and I've definitely put on a bit extra round the edges since then. Funny thing is that I didn't even think of it as excercise.

Regarding the Wii Fit, you also have to bear in mind that it has MASSIVE cross-over appeal:

1) People that are into Yoga (or want to get into Yoga) buy it, for the visible feedback and confirmation that they are or aren't doing it right (though, of course, there's debate as to whether WiiFit got it exactly right in that respect).

2) People are buying it for the elderly, to help improve their balance.

Those were two VERY large untapped markets right there... that (not so) coincidentally, also tend to have disposable income.

And then you have the people that think it will miraculously cause them to lose weight. And then the people that more realistically want to use it as an aid to help them lose weight. And then you have the people that buy it to keep up with the Jones'. And then you have the people that buy it because "it's hard to get, so they MUST need it for some reason, right"? And then you have the people that buy it to re-sell it on Ebay.

I'm sure I missed a few in there somewhere, but that's a bloody smegload of sales.

There's a hierarchy among the Nintendo trolls, my friend. Newbies can't quite jump in like this, you have to ask permission

+0.5 for compelling points
+0.5 for excellent use of 'smeg'

Revisionism: It makes reality happier

Wii Fit was made to be a weightloss tool (to make easy money off of people who are fooled by that sort of thing), rather than a video game.
Wii Fit is marketed as a weightloss tool (to people who are fooled by that sort of thing), rather than as a video game.
Wii Fit is being bought as a weightless tool (by people who are fooled by that sort of thing), rather than as a video game.

If Wii Fit is a video game like all the others why is it completely steamrolling all other video games (including, nay, especially Nintendo's games. The very games that Nintendo was hoping would get bigger sales from all the expanded (diluted) audience that Wii Fit would bring in. But it hasn't done that because the hordes of middle-aged women gobbling up Wii Fit will never in a mllion years be interested in any other video games beyond it).

Fanboy delusion: it makes Mr Khan happier.

You're a weightless tool

OK Markez, I did deserve that. Damn spelling errors!

nice comment, man