It is round four, and Lauren Wood ’08 only needs one more knockout to defeat her housemate Aimee Trainor ’08.
“You’re going down,” says Wood, taunting her opponent as she takes a sip of water.
The two start swinging, and soon Wood shouts a victory whoop.
“You got lucky,” says Trainor as she unstraps her hand pieces.
These two boxers are not in a ring, nor are they anywhere near the RecPlex. They are in the comfort of their beach house living room on Reef Road playing Nintendo Wii.
Jonathan Proctor ’11 said he enjoys the interactive game as well, although his brother is a true testament to the effects this interactive system can have on a player’s body.
“My family bought [Wii] the first day it came out on the market, and my brother has actually lost a surprising 50 pounds from playing for the past year or so,” Proctor said.
Interactive, high-energy games such as boxing, bowling, tennis, home run derby and other game options offered by Nintendo Wii have turned video games from a lazy pastime into a fun and interactive way to stay fit.
To See a Trailer for Wii Sports, Click Here
“The reality is that today children are found on their computers or playing video games much more than outside playing. A game like this keeps the concept of playing video games alive but enables kids to stay active,” said Kristen Daly ’08.
“It’s better than regular video games because it’s not just kids becoming obese sitting on the couch pressing buttons. It simulates real sports,” said Trainor.
The gaming system has had other positive effects as well.
“It is also a great way for parents to interact with their children,” said Daly. “Over the holidays my parents, grandparents, cousins and sister all played together, and it has become the new family activity in my house.”
While the Wii system has gained rapid popularity in the United States, a game yet to be released here, Wii Fit, has swept Japan’s gaming market and taken the system’s calorie-blasting ability to a new level, according to an article on GameInformer.com
To See a Trailer for Wii Fit, Click Here
By its second week on the market, Japan’s Wii Fit sold 150,000 copies and a million copies at roughly $80 USD a piece in little over a month, according to the article.
It is debatable whether the American public is ready to embrace the merging of exercise and leisure that Wii Fit provides, a review on the Web site said.
“On the one hand, you have a giant Wii install base that is craving something new for their little shiny console. On the other hand, you have a public that is almost seemingly random when it comes to whether they care or not about working out. Most people that work out already jog around their block or go to the local gym,” according to the Web site.
The game includes a Wii Balance Board with which users work their core and balance while their body mass index [BMI] and Wii Fit Age are tracked.
The 40 types of training activities fall into four fitness categories: aerobic exercise, muscle conditioning, yoga and balance games.
Craig Cherpock ’08, who has a Play Station 3 system at his beach house but not a Wii system, said, “I like going to the gym, but I don’t really do cardio and I would never do yoga.”
He said that he would not purchase the game.
Before beginning a game of Wii Fit, players must have their BMI calculated according to their age, weight and height, which is reflected in a personalized Mii character who is given the appropriate age for each player’s health statistics, according to the site.
The game is set to be released in the United States sometime this season, but don’t look for it to be added to the RecPlex’s equipment anytime soon. However, Philip Palumbo, director of the RecPlex, said he is not opposed to purchasing researched systems.
“There has been no research published on the claims of the manufacturer. I would have to see some peer-reviewed studies as to the effectiveness to positively improve fitness levels,” he said. “There are many companies with products claiming to improve fitness levels, which fall short when the spotlight of independent research is used.”
If responses to Wii sports games are any sign of Wii Fit’s calorie-blasting abilities, things look good for the game’s release.
“We thrive off of them,” Wood said of her Wii games.
“Boxing left me with a sore arm the next day, and every time I play Dance Dance Revolution I end up feeling like I just got in a good workout for the day,” said Daly. “I would definitely use a game that is specifically for working out, since I find playing the Wii much more exciting than running on a treadmill.”
Palumbo said that he would not rule out considering the purchase of a Wii system for the RecPlex.
“While they may not survive close scrutiny for fitness, part of recreation is, of course, to have fun,” he said. “We are always looking for new ways to meet the students’ needs. If we feel that this is something that would be popular with the students, then it is something that we will seriously look at for future purchases.”
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