On July 11, 2007, at the E3 trade show, Nintendo's press conference culminated in the announcement of its newest Wii peripheral, the "Balance Board." The board was featured alongside its flagship game, "Wii Fit." "Wii Fit" follows in the vein of the cultural phenomenon "Wii Sports" by encouraging gamers to get out of their comfy chairs and do their bodies good while playing with their favorite little time-wasters.
Yes, "Fit" is meant for a more casual gamer. "Wii Sports" received critical acclaim for its ability to bring the family together and get casual and non-gamers interested in video games again. Now "Fit" looks to expand on that market by teaching its users about proper bodily fitness. The wireless "Balance Board" measures center of balance and body mass index through multiple pressure sensors. The preview video that Nintendo presented demonstrated yoga exercises, heading a soccer ball, and push-ups, to name a few.
One complaint that arose on the Internet after Nintendo unveiled the "Balance Board" was that it was yet another step toward the alienation of core gamers. Many cynics viewed the board as another way to appeal to families and soccer moms. The "Balance Board" is another kid-safe, healthy alternative to the violent games with which most core gamers are enamoured.
However, the smart?or at least optimistic?gamer salivates when thinking about the opportunities that a pressure-sensitive board presents. Consider for a moment the quintessential survivor horror series, "Resident Evil." Now imagine your character creeping down a hall. Try not to put too much weight down on your steps; the creaking floorboards might wake up a sleeping, bloodthirsty zombie hidden in the shadows. Combine that with your Wii Remote as a flashlight, and you are one step closer to complete immersion in a virtual world. "Resident Evil" and other games of the survival horror genre are so predicated on the visceral feelings the game evokes while playing that these additions will surely make for an enhanced experience.
Unfortunately, the vision described above is only this writer's fanciful idealization of the possibilities of the "Balance Board." If only such a game were known to be in the works. The only game that is currently known to be in development in conjunction with the board is the aforementioned "Wii Fit," which will be to the "Balance Board" what "Wii Sports" is to the Wii itself: essentially a demo or introduction to the accessory's potential. "Fit" is the only game on the horizon compatible with the board, and in today's fast-paced, disposable market, some gamers jump the gun and assume that the board will only cater to non-gamers or casuals.
The "Resident Evil" example above proves that even though "Fit" is the only game currently in development for the board, its forte of fitness programming is not where the possibilities end. Beyond survival horror, the board presents other unique opportunities. Shigeru Miyamoto, the genius behind such icons as Mario, Donkey Kong, and Link, recently stated during a round-table discussion, "probably the simplest and most straightforward [idea] would be a snowboarding game."
Even beyond snowboarding, the board could be used for racing games. With the Wii Remote as a steering wheel and the "Balance Board" for foot pedals, racing games would enter a new dimension of interactivity.
Miyamoto's quote shows that the man himself has put thought into the possibilities of the Wii "Balance Board." It is possible that this peripheral will flop in the same way that the "Super Scope" or the (gasp!) "Power Glove" did in the past. This is where the beauty of "Wii Fit" comes in.
Given the current craze surrounding health and fitness, and in particular the health and fitness of children, this thing will sell like crazy. Like it or not, Nintendo is going to get rich off this peripheral non-game.
Even more than "Wii Sports," this will encourage family togetherness and family fitness simultaneously. "Fit" will find its way into millions of households and along with it, the "Balance Board." Once enough people buy it, developers will have no excuse not to utilize it. "Wii Fit" is currently slated for a May release.
Light-gun style shooters, snowboarding, and racing games...the Wii is shaping up to be the arcade in your living room. And if anything epitomizes being a real gamer, it is the arcade.