Toy Story Mania (Wii)

really fun and easy
i bought this game for me and my 4 year old and have been really pleased with it. its eay enough for my daughter but not so easy that its boring for me to join in, its a mixture of puzzles and arcade style target shooting, brilliant fun

Ready, Aim, Fire!
The first time I played this at the Disney theme parks, I thought it would be perfect for the Wii. And now here it is. It is certainly lots of fun. Unfortunately, it isn't quite as cool as the theme park version.

In many ways, this game is a collection of mini games with a boardwalk theme. Just like the attraction, the games are separated out into five different categories. You've got Hamm's egg toss, Bo Peep and her balloon pop, Buzz LIghtyear's ring toss, the Army Men's plate breaking, and Woody's suction gun shooting.

Each of these five areas combines several levels of game play. There are at least three variations on the throwing or shooting theme per area. The controls here are pretty obvious. You point the control at the screen and push A to fire. There is a little target on the screen that shows where you are aiming. You can turn it off it you want, but since I have been known to not be point at the screen, I like to have it on.

In addition to these shooting levels, there are other midway type games. They range from the fun of trying to roll a marble through a maze (by tipping your controller) to following a ball mixing through various cups. They've got a variation on skee ball and one where you shoot a ball through hoops. Unfortunately, a couple of these are rather stupid, like the version of hitting a target to ring a bell at the top of a tower. And don't get me started on trying to spin the controller to twirl a rope like Woody.

In addition to trying to get a high score, you also have other objectives you need to meet. Some of those objectives are rather hard to find because you have to do other things to get them to appear. They make a couple of the levels needlessly hard, but they add fun to most of them.

There are two ways to play, Story or Free Play. In Story, you must meet at least half the objectives to move on. Once you've met all the objectives, you unlock the level in free play. Fortunately, you also earn tickets along the way, and you can redeem them to unlock the games in free play. In free play, you can choose the exact level you want to play and skip those you find annoying or difficult.

The game is multi player. Up to four people can play. You'll take turns on whatever game you've selected, either one at a time for some of the games or two at a time for the shooting galleries.

And there are some 3-D levels. You get two pair of 3-D glasses and can unlock 5 3-D levels. These are the most like the original attraction. To unlock these levels, you need to use the tickets you've won playing others games and trade them in for access.

As much as I love the source material, I must admit, this game doesn't have quite the replay appeal. It's probably because it is targeted at a younger audience. The encouragement from the characters gets annoying quickly (they really needed more lines for them to say). A few of the additional games are fun, but most of them are stupid. And almost every level ends with you shaking your remote for bonus points. I find that extremely annoying.

Despite the flaws, I do find this game highly addicting. Once I get going, I don't want to stop. And playing it with other people can be quite fun as well. I'd still say this game is targeted more at kids than adults, but if you love the theme park attraction and want to give this a whirl, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

All good fun
We bought this game after loving the Toy Story Mania ride at Walt Disney World. Love the game so far, although got a little frustrated to begin with as I couldnt figure how to get away from the practise games. Alas, hubby sorted it! Great fun.

About Toy Story Mania (Wii) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Disney
• Released on: 2009-09-18
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Format: Unknown format
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Toy Story Mania (Wii) Description

Toy Story Mania! is the first video game to place characters from the Toy Story films into a carnival game setting and is expected to resonate with fans of the films and the attraction, as well as gamers who like pick-up-and-play party games. In the game, players experience the fast-paced, zany fun of the Toy Story Mania! theme park attraction, which is an interactive experience requiring 3D glasses and involving rapid or quick-firing shooting galleries.

In addition to galleries adapted from the attraction, the game includes new and original galleries and a series of mini games, all hosted by beloved characters from the movies. The thematically-connected levels are designed for up to four players of all ages with competitive and co-operative multiplayer options. Toy Story Mania! also includes bonus 3D features, transforming the game experience with eye-popping visuals.

• 10 fast-paced shooting galleries - some brand new and some adapted from the theme park attraction
• A variety of 50+ addictive mini-games
• Experience bonus levels in 3D
• Up to 4 players
• Unlock and build your own toy story carnival
• Compete against family and friends for top prizes
• Team up to unlock Easter eggs and collectibles

Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360)

Fun
This game is tha greatest driving game on xbox easily i completed the last one time for another i tried demo and was amazing but if it has at least 400 to 500 races it will be the greatest game on xbox. x

Demo version
I downloaded the demo of this game and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I've never been much of a racing game fan as I've found them all to be a bit unrealistic and difficult. This one is different. Really easy to get started but also, as far as I could tell from the demo, it has a lot of scope to take the safeties off to make it properly challenging for the seasoned racer. Great graphics, slick interface, excellent detail and great gameplay. This will realy come into its own on-line, when you can race against friends. I can't wait for the full version.

The demo Director's cut review
Hello, recently I upset a lot of people on here passing off my opinion of this game as apparently an 'Official review' because the whinging saddos out there with very little to do with their lives had to write slating comments about my review, so i'll just clarify things more clearly for the less intelligent amongst us.

I GIVE IT 5 STARS BECAUSE I LIKED IT, SO I'M GOING TO BUY IT! (Do let me know in the comments section if you need any further help with that sentence!)

About Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Microsoft
• Released on: 2009-10-23
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Format: Unknown format
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .0 pounds

Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360) Description

A love of cars lives in all of us. "Forza Motorsport 3" is the automotive playground we've all been waiting for. The Xbox 360's answer to Gran Turismo returns in the most complete driving simulator yet

FIFA 10 (Wii)

Total and complete dissapointment
- Total lack of depth, and customisable options.
- Cartoon like presentation
- Scoring goals is way too easy
- Defending is more about blind luck than skill or judgment
- Slide tackling almost always results in a foul/sending off
- online tournaments.
In the manager mode, or 'Battle for glory' mode, match length is 2mins a half, which cannot be altered. Also difficulty cannot be adjusted mid season. Player transfers is a farce, no negotiations involved at all, no contact options at all, and most dissapointly of all no money involved what so ever.

I was so looking forward to this years fifa i've purchased every edition since 1998 but EA have really dropped the ball with this years offering.

Yet another prime example of Wii owners being short changed with multiformat releases. I expect that the 360 & ps3 versons will have all the usual features & be true to the good name of Fifa, just a shame that 09 on wii was such a step in the right direction that 10 has done away with.

oh dear oh dear...
Please please please don't read the Amazon product description and believe it. They've simply transposed the same text from ther XBox and PS3 pages. This game is nothing like that described.

This is my first Fifa game - always been a PES player before this - and got seduced into thinking this was a step on. It's not. It's several giant moon leaps backwards.

First of all, this is NOT a football sim, it's an arcade-like novelty game. The flow of play is poor. After two games I managed to win a 4 minute match 7-4 which highlights how easy it is too score and how poor the 'keeping is. The momentum bar and super slow-mo when you shoot are frustrating to say the least and there's no way to turn them off. Which leads to the gaming options - yes there're various controller options here, but very little to control the length of a game and the conditions.

There are other issues already highlighted in other reviews so I won't repeat them, merely add my agreement to them all.

I'm very sure I'll keep playing this game to give it a wee bit more of a chance, but as soon as PES10 is released, this is being traded in.

EDITED TO ADD: After a wee bit more playing I've realised this is a decent (not great) arcade game. Some nice novelties and trick moves which would work well for a drunken night in with the lads, but it's not the football simulation game you'd expect (or want) from FIFA, and it's not something I want to invest time in developing a team and my skills within the game.

Fifa 10 (Wii)
This game is the worst football game i have EVER played. The game itself has been made to be arcade,which has totally gutted me, it's awful. EA Sports should realise that when it comes to our football games we won't realistic sims. not cheap looking 'kick-abouts' I don't want every game i buy for the Wii to be for the under 5's. Don't get me wrong i know this console is more for the family, but come on! I hope PES 10 has not followed this direction.

About FIFA 10 (Wii) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2009-10-02
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Format: Unknown format
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

FIFA 10 (Wii) Description

Last year's game topped the league and now the all-new FIFA 10 is looking to defend its title as the number one football action game. More realistic than ever, this latest sequel has greatly improved artificial intelligence, ball physics and graphics.

Brand new this year is the 360 degree dribbling system, giving you the most precise control ever. There are also changes to how the defensive line is formed, as well as improvements to crosses, freekicks and goalkeepers (who can now receive red cards).

Naturally the game retains its hugely successful on and offline multiplayer modes, with new options and better stability for online play. The manager mode has also seen a massive update to make it just as deep and complex as the main game. With all these new features and more EA Sports are betting on FIFA remaining the champions for a long time to come.

Key Features

• Leagues better: The world's most successful football sim gets even better with improvements across the board, including physics, controls and multiplayer options.
• Dynamic dribble: New 360 degree dribbling control system allows for pixel perfect control of the ball at all times
• Football focus: Newly improved artificial intelligence ensures teammates and opponents always move with a purpose and stay focused on the ball at all times
• Beautiful game: Massively improved graphics, including better player likenesses, new crowd animations and new rain and snow effects that really affect the gameplay.
• Master manager: Greatly expanded manager mode, with a revamped experience point system and staff upgrades, a new interface and the chance to edit kit numbers.
  
  

Football Manager 2010 (PC/MAC DVD)

Some things never change!
I have really struggled tactically during the last few efforts of FM. However i heard of the Tactics Creator which helps select Team/Player instructions to suit your formation. Great - or so i thought. Everything about the game looks impressive but what good is that if you struggle to win games, huh?
Well i started off with a few easy friendlies to see how it went, only to find nothing has really changed at all. First game i seemed to do ok, created chances but lost 0-2. Then in my next game i peppered their goal only to lose 0-3 to a team with only 3 chances. This sounds all to familar doesn't it?
So what about the Tactics Creator then? No idea. There are changes which allows you to 'express' yourself during a game. However do they actually work? I choose... player wider and eploit spaces down the wings. Yet both teams continued to play narrow. This game will no doubt be great for the tactical geniues but to the ordinary person who struggles to understand what means what you havn't a hope.
Yet another disapointment, i don't recommend it and won't buy it.

I am praying...
Lets hope they get it right this year as last year - as we all know was a disaster. I have been playing this game since the early 90's and nearly quit over last years debacle. Sega are lucky that Champ man or any other Manager sim dont come near them or they could have lost a lot of custom.

Fingers crossed people.

Football Manager 2010
Looking forward to this as i do every year since the mid 80's, however please lets hope it does not have that stupid key code disaster like the 2009 had. Even the Sega website had to react within minutes of the stores opening.

About Football Manager 2010 (PC/MAC DVD) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sega
• Released on: 2009-10-30
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Mac OS X
• Format: DVD-ROM

Football Manager 2010 (PC/MAC DVD) Description

Football Manager 2010 sees the return of the famous football management game for the new season, fresh with new signings, tools and features. With a new Tactics Creator and the introduction of touchline shouts and quick tactic changes, you'll always be able to react to the ebb and flow of the game from the dugout. Working with coaches from various levels of football, the game now has an extensive array of pre-set tactical options allowing the user to select a detailed role for a player in the team (such as ball winning midfielder or deep lying playmaker). Feedback from matches has been improved to give better insight into where your team is going wrong or doing it right. A new Match Analysis tool gives you the power to see where shots, passes, crosses, headers, tackles, fouls and interceptions have been made on the field for all players on the pitch. Viewable both live in-game and post match, pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of both your team and the opposition and mastermind your route to victory accordingly. Football Manager 2010 features a brand new User Interface, with the side bar navigation of previous years replaced by an intuitive tab system at the top of the screen, making Football Manager's famed depth easier to navigate for new managers. A brand new Data Editor allows the addition of new divisions to existing leagues and of entirely new leagues as well as making it easier than ever to keep the game up to date, and do so for free. For even more information, a new look News Centre allows you to receive an in-game subscription based newspaper with only the news that you want about the football world. Following the debut of a 3D match view in Football Manager 2009, this year's release sees a revamp with improved AI, over 100 new animations for the 3D pitch view, new stadiums, crowds, realistic pitch degradation and better lighting, creating an even more realistic match experience.

Gran Turismo (PSP)

Visually impressive, shallower than other GT versions
Like many, I have been waiting for this game for a long time, having been a big fan on the GT games.

So I guess there are two reviews needed, one for those who are familiar with the series, and one for those who are not.

So, is it a proper Gran Turismo game on the PSP? A qualified yes. There are loads of cars, and loads of tracks, and it looks better than I would have believed possible on the PSP. The graphics are smooth, wonderfully detailed, with no trace of scenery popup (so far). The cars look great, the tracks look great, the dust effects are convincing. Loads of cars, and loads of varied tracks, real and fictional. Including new versions of tracks from the old games. However a few things are missing that GT fans may be disappointed by.

There are only 3 opponent cars at a time. Not good.
There are no options to buy parts to upgrade your cars. Ouch.
There is no career mode. Double ouch.

To be fair, given the limitations of the hardware, the first two are understandable. But I'm really not sure about the lack of career mode, which really does drop the long term appeal. I suspect they were taking the view that unlike a home console, the PSP is often used in short bursts while travelling, rather than for extended sessions.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the structure is the same as most others, with a series of races, and opportunites to get more cars. It looks better than any other racing game I have seen, and it is the first time I have been tempted to hook the PSP up to a big screen - it really is that good. There are also nice graphic flourishes like the way that the others cars brake lights come on as they slow down.

Sound is pretty good, (if you use phones of course), though the soundtracks may not be to everyone's taste. I normally play with the music down anyway...

Overall I give it 4 - but only because the other GT games had more depth. Despite that it is still a huge game, and I really can't emphasize enough how good the visuals are.

I think I'll be sticking my elbows into other passengers on the bus for weeks to come as I get into this!

Greatest racer ever for PSP
I'm quite a fan of racers on PSP, having both WipEout games, Need for Speed Undercover and F1 but this gamehas massively raised the bar. This is definitely the best racer on the PSP (with perhaps the exception of maybe Motorstorm: Arctic Edge, which i've not had the pleasure of playing yet). [EDIT: now reviewed Motorstorm too, with a slight GT comparison for those thinking of getting one or the other]

This game has been in development just a tad too long, i'd totally forgot it was ever mentioned back in 2004. But to say its been a while in development does no justice to just how superb this game really is.


Prositives:

- I pre-ordered the UMD version which arrived this morning. From the moment you start it up you realise this game is something quite special. Somehow, developers are managing to squeeze more and more out of the PSP, and this game is the showcase of the lot graphically.

- The cars are superbly rendered on the screen and are even better in the races, and really makes you wonder how this is just a PSP. The race tracks are equally well rendered. Of course, there are limitations to the PSP so there are still jaggies and hard lines where there should be curves, but i'd expected far more.

- The controls i found take a little bit of time to get used to, certainly my first race wasn't exactly smooth, but i'd expected this as with any new game. After a few races though, it feels very smooth and intuitive. They've done a good job with less buttons.

- I'm only in the early stages of the game and haven't tried racing the fast cars just yet, but even with the slower cars the game feels fast. I can only imagine what its going to be like with the supercars.

- The number of cars and tracks is stupendous, i can't work out how they've managed to get so many into 1Gb of storage space. I don't think you could ever do collect every car!

The graphics and the gameplay really do make this game so superb.


Limitations:

- There have been number of rumblings on the internet following the announcement that there is no campaign mode. I've never had a GT game before (with the exception of GT5 Prologue), so this is not a feature i know to miss. However, if you are a hardened fan of GT then you may miss it. There are a series of challenges with races and tasks within each one that will keep you interested and tested while improving your virtual driving skills.

- Cockpit mode is pretty shoddy really, and after playing GT5 Prologue, i was expecting something slightly better rendered. It is still my prefered driving method though, giving a much more realistic driving feel.

- Car availability seems a little confusing to me. New cars are available each virtual day but not always the ones you want. You have to exit the challenge mode to go back to the main screen to go to the showroom. At first i was doing this after each race - if you leave the challenge it adds a virtual day, so new cars become available. Now i've realised you can do more than one race in a challenge then exit and it will only have added one day too.

- there are only 4 cars on a track. this surprised me as i was expecting more, but it's not bothered me at all, you're usually only concentrating on the car in front and the car behind anyway! its definitely still a challenge.


Overall:

If you are already a GT fan and you own a PSP, and you want the GT experience on a portable, i'd hazard a guess that you will be quite pleased at this amazing game.

If you have never played GT and you want a polished and superb racer/driving simulator that will make your shiney PSP even shinier, then this really is, by far, the best game you could get.

GT PSP has made itself a must have for PSP owners, even in the rapidly expanding collection of great PSP games.

Perfect for a quick thrash around the Nordschleife in your favourite cars.
I've only seen GT3 on the PS2 and played it briefly (my son decided to trade it in for something else shortly after we bought him his PS2 with this game), so I'm not a Gran Turismo expert and the lack of a 'challenge mode' doesn't really bother me.

I have (and like) Ridge Racer on the PSP, but it can get frustrating constantly finishing 2nd when I want to move onto the next race (and all the races seem a variation on a few selections).

After a few hours of GT on the PSP, I can say it has better graphics than RR (although not as much better as some might lead you to believe) and the ability to hack cars around well rendered representations of the Nordschliefe or Laguna Seca has already been great fun.

As you would expect, the cars are clear as to what they are and, for example, the RX7 handles vastly differently to the Renault Megane. Driving the lines correctly really does reward you with faster times.

The lack of damage is a bit odd (but equally I'd never complete a lap of the Nurburgring if damage worked - Perhaps it could've been made switchable?) and the limitation of 4 cars isn't that much of a problem from the play I've done so far - The tracks, though, seem more of a challenge than the other drivers.

If you take this as a 'pick-up-n-go' game, where you can hack your favourite cars around some of the world's greatest tracks (and lots of fictional ones - The Amalfi coast was pretty well represented with killer hairpins - I'm sure I spotted the turn to the hotel I stayed in last year at one point!) it's a winner on the PSP.

If you were expecting GT5 (or even GT4?) on the PSP, you will be disappointed, but perhaps your expectations were a little unrealistic?

About Gran Turismo (PSP) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2009-10-01
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: Sony PSP
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Gran Turismo (PSP) Description

The highly acclaimed Gran Turismo makes its highly anticipated

• Developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. for PSP - Gran Turismo's debut on PSP is developed by the internal team behind the world's best-selling racing series.
• Over 800 vehicle models - Players can race their favorite vehicles from the top manufacturers around the globe, including Ferrari, Nissan, and more. The vehicle model count climbs to over 4,500 when the various paint configurations are included.
• Over 30 Tracks from Around the World - Famous circuits and some of the favorite environments from the Gran Turismo series have been optimized for racing on PSP.
• Share and Trade Vehicles with Others - For the first time in the Gran Turismo series, players can share and trade the vehicles they have acquired throughout the game with others via PSP's ad hoc mode. Certain vehicles will be acquired by trade only, so players will want to trade and share in order to virtually drive all of the meticulously designed vehicle models.
• Dynamic Vehicle Roster - Based on the amount of time Gran Turismo is played, the in-game calendar will change the dealer car lineup seasonally.

Professor Layton and The Curious Village (Nintendo DS)

One of the best games on the DS
I completely agree with all of the positive reviews on here and would like to also highly recommend this game as it is amazing. If you imagine a point-and-click murder mystery in the style of the classic Broken Sword or the more recent Phoenix Wright games and mix it with the puzzle elements of the best selling Brain Training games, then you will have some idea what to expect here.

Don't expect an easy game here though as even the puzzles early on take a lot of thinking about and will have you clicking on the Hints button! Most puzzles are solved by using just common sense and the answer will suddenly click and you'll be kicking yourself for not seeing it before. As well as some truly brain-teasing puzzles, there are also some of the best videos - with full spoken audio - that I have seen on the DS and it all adds to the story and will make you want to keep playing to solve the mystery.

Overall this is without a doubt one of the best games on the DS and is one that everyone will enjoy regardless of your age or gender. Just be prepared to get addicted to it!

A Victorian brain workout.
The DS has excelled in bringing us puzzle games, and this is a great new spin on a well established idea.

Professor Layton's Curious Village is a series of puzzles which range from pretty easy to annoyingly tricky. This isn't a game for young children as some of the games might be a tad complex, but it should appeal to everyone from the age of around 10 upwards. My wife has been addicted to this game and even after completing it felt compelled to keep playing to unlock the last few remaining puzzles.

Most of the puzzles are based on very simple principles and seem easy at first - it's only after a few attempts at trying to get the worm into the middle of an apple, or trying to get equal amounts of liquid into a couple of jugs that you realise that this could be quite time consuming!

The puzzles are linked together by means of a plot to uncover the secret of the village and the late Baron Augustus Reinhold. By the end of the game you find out the secret and what starts to seem like a gimmicky story is tied up rather nicely.

Graphically the game impresses. With animated sequences and Victorian style quirky artwork, the game looks unique. The mockney accent of Luke is a bit annoying, but not enough to put you off!

In a nutshell: If you like a cerebral workout and brain training feels a bit old-hat, then this is a fun way to exercise the grey cells. At times you'll want to throw the damn game out of the window, but it's well worth the "eureka!" moment when you solve something you've spent ages trying to figure out!

puzzle-tastic!
I can honestly say this is one of the best games I have played for the DS. It is suited for puzzle fans - there are a LOT of puzzles to solve, some quite straight forward but there are a lot of taxing ones. I'll admit I was naughty and referred to an online FAQ more than once! It has a nice story, lots of quirky characters, different locations to look around as well. Once you complete certain bits you unlock bonuses. Great fun and although I've finished it I will definetly play it again.

About Professor Layton and The Curious Village (Nintendo DS) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Published on: 2008-02
• Released on: 2008-11-07
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Nintendo DS
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .63" h x 4.97" w x 5.74" l, .25 pounds

Features

• 130 puzzles
• Touch Screen controls
• New puzzles are available weekly for download via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
• Fully voiced animated scenes

Professor Layton and The Curious Village (Nintendo DS) Description

In the curious village of St. Mystere, townsfolk greet each other with rebuses, lock their doors with sliding puzzles and hide their secrets within brainteasers. When a wealthy baron passes away, his will reveals an elusive treasure hidden someplace inside the village. Now it`s up to Professor Layton to untangle St. Mystere`s riddles and puzzles, find the hidden treasure and crack the case. As Professor Layton, you`ll tackle over 130 puzzles as you unravel the mysteries of the village. Puzzles range from mazes and riddles to logic and sliding puzzles. Fully voiced animated scenes bring the story to life, while the funny and eccentric villagers and the classic, hand-drawn art provide a stylish charm that will appeal to all.

• Touch Screen controls make working through puzzles a snap
• New puzzles are available weekly for download via Nintendo WFC
• 130 puzzle
• Touch Screen controls
• New puzzles are available weekly for download via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
• Fully voiced animated scenes

Wii Fit (Wii)

Does this spell the end for the gym???
Well, I've had my Wii Fit for a week now and I'm still as hooked. Infact, as you unlock more features the more you use it, I'm even MORE impressed than I was when I got it, and that's saying something!

If you are considering the Wii Fit because you want to lose some weight, or tone up, or improve your fitness, then I can say without fear that this WILL provide you with all you need to achieve your goal. Whatever your current activity level, Wii Fit has something to help you improve.

I was concerned that perhaps this would be a 'token gesture' of a fitness game. It isn't. This is the real thing and Nintendo should be congratulated on not just throwing out a quick fitness gimmick, but on taking the time to really cover all aspects of fitness.

Not only have I used this every day, but I wake up looking forward to my next shot! I spend time working on my posture and balance - which is built into some great games but which are also very insightful, and a bit of an eyeopener. The Balance Board is so well created that, in seconds, it was able to tell a friend of mine that he slouches, has terrible posture, and explained exactly what he was doing wrong, and how he could correct it. It was absolutely bang on.

I then spend time doing some aerobic activity, like jogging, hula hoops (great for the hips, thighs, and bum), and step dance. This lot will have you sweating every bit as much as a trip to the gym. But it's great fun too!

I can then spend some time on toning up with the help of my personal trainer. And to cool down, I do some yoga... something I have never even considered before but which I'm enjoying. The board is so sensitive that it really ensures you achieve the correct technique.

This is a real workout, every bit as productive as a trip to the gym. I have a gym membership and, when I manage to drag myself up there, I do enjoy it. The problem is I don't drag myself up there enough. Maybe I've only a couple of hours before I start work; maybe it's rush hour and I can't be bothered getting stuck in traffic; maybe it's raining. There's always a reason not to go.

The beauty of Wii Fit is it's waiting for you, right in your livingroom, whenever you want it. It's fun, it's inventive, it's personal and gives real time feedback. Forget the gym. Forget your workout video. Wii Fit WILL get you into shape, and you'll love every second!

Getting fit at last is fun!!
Having tried gym membership several times over the years with the best of intentions I can honestly say this is so much more fun! I must admit I have concentrated more on the "fun" aerobic & balance exercises and haven't tried out yoga at all yet. The muscle strengthening exercises are even interesting as you endevour to keep your balance in the correct place ....which also helps to ensure you do the exercise properly.

Hula hoops certainly works the abdo muscles ( ones I didn't know I had !!) and the step routine is just like the real thing ( and I still go the wrong way.)
If you can ski the slalom brings back memories of winter holidays... and my husband who can't ski, skiied it just like beginners do by trying to turn with his shoulders !! The running you would think is a a gimmick but it is so much easier running on your lounge floor after a little Mii and being overtaken by dogs !! I even found myself waving at spectators on the grass (well they waved at me first!!) And every now & then something happens to make you laugh ...like being overtaken by another mii who then promptly falls flat on his face.

All in all ..... great fun and a good aid to fitness for the unfit & the over 40's who don't what to compete in the gym but don't want to turn to seed either !!

Get it ..... you won't regret it

Getting Fit is Fun?????
My husband & I deliberately took our time to purchase a Wii Fit as we wanted to see a few reviews before taking the plunge. A few friends had got one and they liked it. However, the seal of approval that came from my brother-in-law was the one that made us decide. He had his a week and cancelled his gym subscription saying that this Wii Fit was better than any gym and made him "use muscles he didn't know he had!" From a bloke who was in the army for 10 years, that is some endorsement!!

We got ours last week and apart from being perhaps a wee bit awkward to set up - mostly in the configuring the balance board to the console; the instructions on this aren't the best - but once it was up & running, it was a dawdle.

You have to load in personal details like your age & height but this is easily done with your normal Wii remote. There is emphasis on your balance & centre of gravity and is the starting point for your assessment. This made me think of the Alexander Technique which is considered to be the best 'thing' for posture improvement etc. A few fun games later & this thing has you sussed. It then gives you the once over for weight, height etc and presents you with the final reading. I had no problems with either the BMI or the weight it gave me. Both of these were in keeping with my last gym assessment.

I am a member of a ladies 30-min gym which concentrates mostly on muscle tone so my cardiovascular exercise is not what I would like it to be. I don't really have enough self-discipline to go out running or swimming etc which was one of the main reasons for getting the Wii Fit. I still thought I was of ok fitness though..... until I got on the darn thing!!!

I warmed up with a couple of Hula Hoop sessions (2 mins each) - dead easy I thought as I puffed a wee teeny bit. Then I had a go at the basic Step (never done step in my life btw!) - 3 mins later, a bit more puffing and a head dizzy with trying to keep up!! However, don't be put off, once you've done the Step about 3 times you really get the hang of it. I then went for broke on the Jogging - hahahahahahahahaha! "3 mins???? You're having a laugh" I wheezed...... after a minute and a half!! This for me was the cruncher - it darn near killed me!! Fit my bottom!! After 20 minutes of these various activities I was only fit to keel over! However, you WILL get back what you put in and a week down the line I can now do a 3 min jog without sounding like someone's ripped my lungs out.

My husband passed his opinion of the muscle tone section as I myself am not using that right now. His comment was "It's hard" injected with many words that it would be inappropriate to type here. He has also cancelled his gym membership as he feels he is getting more from the Wii Fit than he did down the gym.

The balance games are great fun and I personally like them for cooling down after a good work out on the Aerobics. These are very good for making you change the manner in which you stand and carry yourself. The Ski Jumping is a personal favourite.

I have been advised by a yoga-class-attending person that the Yoga programme is very good and she highly recommends it. I have yet to get that far.

All in all, I think the Wii Fit is good value for money, I think it is of a high motivational standard and I do believe that if you really DO want to improve your fitness level, this will help greatly. The top ten ranking system is very good for ensuring you keep at it because you will always want to better your score or beat that of others.

Additionally, and just a wee tip/suggestion, when we bought our Wii Fit, it was recommended to us that we purchase a silicon cover to assist with keeping it clean and to prevent the board becoming discoloured. I would recommend this to any would-be purchasers. The covers have two 'footprint' grips on them which prevent you from sliding if you're working out in socks or bare-footed, which is how some people prefer it. The board itself is quite smooth and I think it would be quite easy to slip on it if you weren't wearing trainers.

Finally, I'm glad we bought the Wii Fit, I'm enjoying the fact that the more time you're on it, the more games you unlock which prevents the likelyhood of getting bored with it too quickly. Just remember though - it ain't a miracle machine and you have to work it baby to get results. If only I had known that.......... (sigh!)

About Wii Fit (Wii) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Model: RVLRRFNE
• Published on: 2008-04-30
• Released on: 2008-04-25
• Rating: To Be Announced
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 3.10" h x 13.20" w x 20.50" l, 10.00 pounds

Wii Fit (Wii) Description

Designed to help you become more aware of your physical condition, Wii Fit invites you to have fun and get healthy in the process. With exercises that focus on helping you to improve balance and posture, change your Body Mass Index or simply relax, Wii Fit uses the latest technology to assist you in leading a healthier lifestyle. The first step is putting your feet on the state-of-the-art Wii Balance Board in order to get an overview of your present fitness level. By measuring your BMI (Body Mass Index), analysing your centre of gravity and calculating your athletic ability via a couple of simple tests, the software determines your Wii Fit Age - a measure unique to the game which could range from 2 to 99. Wii Fit features more than 40 different exercises across four areas of training. Burn calories with the Aerobic Exercises, work on your balance and posture with the Balance Games, bulk up with the Muscle Workouts or learn to stretch and relax with the Yoga poses. Featuring everything from Step Basics to Snowboarding, Rhythm Boxing to Jogging, Wii Fit offers a vast range of entertaining activities that will keep you interested in working out and encourage the rest of the family to give it a try. To help you keep track of your progress, Wii Fit includes a special Wii Fit Channel that allows up to eight people to store and compare their personal fitness profiles, and also takes account of any exercise done away from the Wii Balance Board - ensuring you have an accurate overview of your fitness. And when you do make progress, you won't only be able to see it represented by a graph, but by the changing waistline of your chosen Mii character. Take the first step on the road to a healthier lifestyle with Wii Fit!