In the last couple of posts I’ve been listing 15 fitness themed video games for both the PlayStation Move and the Kinect which would make excellent Christmas gifts for owners of either console. In this article I’m going to be completing the series by focussing on the Nintendo Wii.
The Nintendo Wii was the first of the three major motion sensing video games consoles to be released. With the launch of Wii Fit in 2007, it also became the first console to establish motion sensing video games as a viable way to keep fit. Since the release of Wii Fit, many more fitness themed titles have become available for the Nintendo Wii and of the three motion sensing video game consoles, it has the widest range of fitness themed video games by far. In this article I’m going to be listing the Top 15 Fitness Themed Nintendo Wii Games For Christmas which you can use to help you choose the perfect Christmas gift for any Nintendo Wii owners on your list.
1) 10 Minute Solution
10 Minute Solution is an excellent Christmas present for people who lead a busy lifestyle. It allows players to create a fully customised, stackable 10 minute workout which can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as 60 minutes and then perform this workout whenever they have a free slot during the day.
The in-game workouts target the entire body and cover all types of exercise including cardio and strength training. The game also provides players with feedback after each workout by monitoring their progress and then giving them a “Fitness Score” which allows them to visualise the impact of each workout in real time.
2) ABBA: You Can Dance
ABBA: You Can Dance is the perfect Christmas gift for fans of the 70s super group. It features 26 of their greatest hits including “Dancing Queen“, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!“, “Mamma Mia” and “Super Trouper“, so is sure to get any ABBA lovers up of the couch and have them singing and dancing the night away while also burning some serious calories at the same time.
The game itself has a range of modes including “Karaoke” which allows up to three players to sing along to the on-screen lyrics as they dance, “Mini-Musical” which does exactly as it suggests and allows players to participate in a mini-musical featuring ABBA’s music and “You Can Dance” which allows up to five players to dance for points. It’s also packed full of exclusive ABBA themed content including classic photos, live concert footage and music videos which will act as the icing on the cake to any hardcore ABBA fan.
3) Exerbeat Gym Class Workout
Exerbeat Gym Class Workout is a simple but effective fitness game that allows players to turn their living room into a gym class. It features over 155 different exercises and borrows moves from a range of fitness styles including Karate, Pilates and Yoga. The in-game trainers assist players at all times during their workouts and the game also displays the number of calories burned and workout intensity on-screen as players exercise.
In addition to the traditional workouts, Exerbeat Gym Class Workout also has plenty of fun filled modes including “Around the World” which converts players workout results into a distance and has them racing around the globe and “Party” mode which features a range of fitness themed mini-games including “Pirate Attack”, “Pizza Toss” and “Wall Smasher”.
4) Family Party Fitness Fun
Family Party Fitness Fun is a great title for families who like playing on the Wii together with their kids. Unlike some of the other games on this list, this title is firmly focussed on family fitness and ensures that everyone keeps moving and no one gets left out.
The game itself features contains 30 active multi-player party games, sports and Wii Balance Board activities including dodge ball, fencing, roller derby, skydiving and tug of war. It also features 12 cute playable cartoon characters who can be dressed up in customisable workout gear. In addition to this, players can win medals when they achieve high scores which adds a competitive element to the fitness fun.
5) Mario & Sonic At The London 2012 Olympic Games
Mario & Sonic At The London 2012 Olympic Games is an all action fitness themed game that allows players to experience all the events from the London 2012 Olympic Games with a little help from Mario, Sonic and their friends. Since it’s an Olympic themed game, it requires constant movement and is sure to boost the fitness of all the players involved.
When it comes to playing the game, it has full support for both single and multiple players. It also features a whole host of Olympic events including aquatics, canoeing, equestrian events, fencing, gymnastics, table tennis, track and field and volleyball. Finally, it contains all of London’s iconic scenery including Big Ben and the famous red London buses.
6) My Fitness Coach: Get In Shape
My Fitness Coach: Get In Shape allows players to enjoy all the benefits of a personal trainer without the monthly fee. The game evaluates player’s current fitness levels and then helps them set fitness goals which can be based around core strength, flexibility, weight loss or anything else. Once the fitness goals have been set, it then creates a workout program for the player using almost 500 different in-game exercises. The on-screen personal trainer – Mya, then guides players through these workouts and provides them with advice and motivation. At the same time. the game also displays graphical charts on-screen, so that players can instantly monitor their progress.
The game itself is fully customisable and lets players choose from eight different training environments and seven different styles of workout music (including 80s, Dance, Hip Hop and Latin). It also lets players set the frequency and length of their workouts and even create a workout calendar which can be used to schedule workouts for specific dates and times.
7) NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer
NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer is another fantastic Christmas present for people who like the idea of having a personal trainer in their own home. All the in-game workouts are designed by coaches from Fitness First and are sure to get players the best results in the shortest time possible, whatever their fitness goals.
In total, NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer features four real Fitness First personal trainers (two male, two female) who each bring over 80 unique exercises to the game. The game also allows players to choose from four different training locations (Beach, Forest, Gym or Mountain) and provides them with 130+ healthy recipes to ensure that their in-game efforts are supported by a solid diet.
8) Nickelodeon Fit
Nickelodeon Fit is a brilliant Christmas gift for kids who you think could do with getting a little more exercise. It features all the most popular characters from the Nickelodeon channel including Dora from “Dora The Explorer“, Diego from “Go Diego Go“, Kai-Lan from “Ni Hao, Kai-Lan” and “The Backyardigans“, who guide players through a range of child friendly workout routines.
The game itself contains over 30 different exercises including hula hoop, pogo stick and skipping rope, all of which provide the perfect blend of of fun and fitness for children. It also allows parents to track their child’s fitness using various stats and even create customised workouts for their children.
9) Punch Out!!
Punch Out!! is a modern update on the arcade classic from the 1980s and the perfect present for boxing fans. The best part is that since it’s a boxing game, it really puts players through their paces and has them constantly blocking, ducking and punching as they face off against opponents and gives them quite a workout in the process.
In terms of gameplay, Punch Out!! features 13 different opponents (of which 12 are opponents from previous games including Glass Joe, King Hippo and Von Kaiser), all of whom have their own unique fighting style. It can also support multiple players and features online leaderboards which allow players to demonstrate their win totals over the Internet.
10) Raving Rabbids Triple Pack
The Raving Rabbids Triple Pack is a surprisingly effective fitness bundle that includes three games; Rayman Raving Rabbids, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 and Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party. All three games require players to bring their full body into play and will have them working up a sweat in no time at all. However, they’ll be having so much fun, they won’t even realise they’re exercising.
In total, the three titles in the Raving Rabbids Triple Pack contain over 200 action packed mini-games which have players doing everything from throwing a cow, to milking a pig, to snowboarding on a buffalo. All three games also feature full multi-player support for up to four people.
11) Step To The Beat
Step To The Beat is an innovative fitness game that has players walking to the beat of music. It features over 120 popular tracks including “Boom, Boom, Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas and “La La Land” by Demi Lovato.
The game itself has players making their way around Rhythm Island and encourages them to step in time to the music. As players step, the game records and displays on-screen how far they’ve come. It also rewards players with musical notes which can then be cashed in to construct new buildings, unlock new areas of the island and buy new songs.
In addition to this, Step To The Beat fully supports two players and is 100% compatible with both the Dance Dance Revolution Controller Mat and the Wii Balance Board.
12) The Biggest Loser Challenge
The Biggest Loser Challenge is a fantastic Christmas present for fans of the TV show and lets players become a virtual contestant using the power of the Wii. It features the host Allison Sweeney along with the charismatic trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels plus over 70 former contestants.
In terms of gameplay, it contains 125+ different exercises (including cardio exercises, core exercises, upper body exercises and yoga), 10 pre-set workout programs and four different workout environments from the TV show. It also provides players with 50 healthy recipes and allows them to track their caloric intake within the game.
13) Wii Fit Plus With Balance Board
The Wii Fit Plus With Balance Board package is an extension of the hugely popular Wii Fit game and allows players to get a varied and effective workout within the comfort of their own home. The package also makes full use of the Wii Fit Balance Board and this allows players to get a much richer fitness experience than many of the competing titles on the market.
The game includes all the workouts from the original Wii Fit along with a range of brand new features and workouts. Some of the main additions include 15 brand new balance games, six brand new exercises (three new muscle exercises and three new yoga poses) and the ability to create customised workout routines.
14) Wii Sports Resort With Wii MotionPlus
The Wii Sports Resort With Wii MotionPlus package contains both Wii Sports Resort (the sequel to the hugely popular Wii Sports) and a Wii MotionPlus accessory which clips to the bottom of a standard Wii Remote and provides players with improved accuracy and motion tracking. Not only does it provide players with hours of fun but all the sports involve plenty of movement and give players a good workout too.
The game takes place on the tropical island of Wuhu and features 12 sports in total; Air Sports, Archery, Bowling, Canoeing, Cycling, Frisbee, Golf, Power Cruising, Sword Play, Table Tennis and Wakeboarding. As with the original, all the sports have full single player and two player support.
15) Zumba Fitness 2
Zumba Fitness 2 is a high intensity, calorie burning sequel to the original Zumba Fitness game. It’s a great gift for Zumba fans or people who like dancing in general and the best part is it can burn up to 600 calories per hour.
In terms of gameplay, Zumba Fitness 2 features 32 dance routines with accompanying music tracks from a number of today’s hottest music tracks including Nicole Scherzinger and Pitbull. It also features 20 dance styles (including Bollywood, Hip-Hop, Merengue, Salsa and Swing), five game modes (including “Learn The Steps”, “Singie Song”, “Zumba Class” and “Zumba Party”), five dynamic environments (including an LA nightclub and a Miami yacht) and three celebrity Zumba instructors (Beto, Gina, Grant and Tanya Beardsley).
Summary
I hope this article helps you knock some items off your Christmas shopping list. All 15 of the Nintendo Wii games listed are brilliant fun and effective calorie burners, making them an excellent choice for both regular gamers and people who want to start getting more active.
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