Victim of Culture

Wii Fit versus EA Sports Active

Wii Fit may be far from the darling of the hardcore gaming crowd, but that hasn’t stopped it from being a hugely successful gamble on Nintendo’s part.  With over 18 million in sales, Wii Fit has far exceeded anyone’s expectations in just a year on the market.  It has essentially turned the Wii into a workout device, and led to similar releases like Gold’s Gym and My Fitness Coach.

Now, EA Sports has released EA Sports Active a year after Wii Fit.  What’s different?  What’s better?  What’s worse?  This review compares the two and gives you insight into which might be of more use to you personally.

If you’re looking for a game, then Wii Fit is definitely the winner.  It’s activities, from boxing to snowboarding, all feel more like real games you might want to play even if you weren’t working out.  EA Sports Active, on the other hand, never quite feels like a game.  It’s definitely missing that Nintendo quality that makes even the simplest of activities seem like a riveting gaming experience.  So, if that’s what you’re looking for, go with Wii Fit.

On the other hand, if what you’re looking for is a workout tool, then you’ll definitely want to go with EA Sports Active.  It isn’t that Wii Fit can’t give a decent workout for what it is.  If you’re into yoga you will definitely enjoy it.  It definitely has a more Eastern approach to working out—focusing on balance and form.  Active, on the other hand, feels like an interactive workout video, or perhaps just a personal trainer in your home.  The exercises are much more geared towards strength and aerobic exercises.

In my time working with both I found it difficult to ever break a sweat with Wii Fit (minus the 30-minute free run).  Obviously that is not the point of all of its exercises, but mentally I never felt I was getting much of a workout with it for this reason.  Active, on the other hand, is easy to break a sweat with.  It customizes a 30 day workout routine for you, and by the end of each day’s workout routine you will definitely break a sweat.

Active’s graphics don’t really match up with those of Wii Fit, and as noted many of the games don’t feel nearly as polished.  But many are quite a bit of fun.  Activities like volleyball and basketball make one feel there is definitely a full game waiting to be made of each of these sports on the Wii.  The controls sometimes feel sloppy, but usually the issue is that there’s a correct method and form to do each activity.  This is very similar to Wii Fit, and for that matter, most of the Wii software.  If it others you in other games, it will bother you here as well.

On the other hand, the addition of the leg strap to hold the numchuck controller is inspired.  It works remarkably well.  The Balance Board integration, on the other hand, is not nearly as precise as it was in Wii Fit.  That makes sense.  One title was designed for the peripheral, and the other added it as a bonus feature.  Still, it adds some greater control and complexity to some of the exercises, such as boxing where it asks you for a mix of kicks and knees to the weight bag.

So, which game is a better bet for getting in shape?  The truth is that both are probably worth the money as a sort of circuit training program.  Use them on alternating days.  You won’t get too much overlap, and the Balance Board is a nice addition for use in EA Sports Active.  Neither game will overcome a completely unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle.  But both can certainly make getting 20 minutes of exercise a day a lot easier and more motivated.

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