My Fitness Coach: Get in Shape

This game is for the Wii, if it didn't need to be. It does not matter in this if you use a Wii-Mote or a joystick, because you only navigate menus and the like with them. When you load this up, you will be greeted by an alien having assumed the human form of a young woman(presumably the one on the cover... I guess they didn't have any black hair dye) with eyes that couldn't be deader if they were the credibility of Creationism(thankfully, her movement animations are convincing and natural). Do not be alarmed. This is Maya(who talks a moderate amount, often encouraging you(maybe I'm just cynical... I'd like her to be pragmatic, or for us to be allowed to turn her off, it can be pretty annoying) though she obviously can't directly evaluate your performance without your own input; she'll ask you sometimes if the level of an activity(you'll unlock new ones as you put in time... that, and the full range of stuff this lets you use) is appropriate, too much or easy for you, and alter it from then on, accordingly... I do wish this didn't so thoroughly halt this, as it takes half a minute from your answer to whatever you're doing next), your personal trainer(and as such, this is much smoother than Wii Fit, which is really like your playful friend) and she means you no harm. She'll guide you(showing you the movements) and change outfit daily(I didn't want to mention it, but other coaches do begin to reek after a while). This will request your weight(note that there's no Balance Board use in this), height and physical measurements(the latter ones can be skipped... and these are only in American measurements, it doesn't help those of us who don't count in pounds, feet and inches), and calculate how often you should exercise and for how long(and honestly, this tailoring of the plan to you and your needs is the only real argument I can think of as to why this wasn't merely a DVD, because it really is not very interactive; you don't choose very much, you're following expert advice for the majority of this), and it creates a profile based on it. As you progress through the slightly awkward menus, you will select a daily focus(it will give you a suggestion as to what it ought to be, you don't have to abide by it), from Yoga(with only one option for the tunes during... that could have been handler subtler; it's painfully repetitive(honestly, the first five minutes were the same exact thing over and over) - hey, maybe going to it for real is as well(I mean, maybe it's intentional), I've never had a class - and the directions go way too fast), Cardio, Flexibility and Upper, Core and Lower Body, respectively. It can implement hand weights, a step bench, a balance ball and a heart rate monitor into workout, if you tell it you have them. You set a workout duration, at 15, 30, 45, 60 or 75 minutes, and it really *does* take almost exactly that amount of time, with some built-in rest periods. There are the following music styles to do it to: Hip-Hop, Eighties, Latin, Dance, Techno and House; none of them really stand out and make an impact... well, I guess they're supposed to not distract you. You get to decide between 8 environments, outside and in: the desert, a dojo(yes, she will make the obligatory reference), an urban setting, a meditation garden, a tropical island, an alpine ski resort(don't ask me, I have no clue), a rooftop and a forest glade, and all are different from one another. During the game-play, the camera will move dynamically and keep the energy going nicely, instead of the static nature of several of its competitors. It doesn't necessarily really tell you what to do(other than the name, and, through a moving bar in the bottom of the screen, the progression through it), you're shown and then you have to mimic it(well, there is a tutorial for each... still, early on or if you've forgotten what to do, this really ought to have a function for slowing down to the point where you can properly catch up or do the thing right the first time, the way an actual, living individual working with you would), and you kind of do have to watch the screen all the time to get the timing right(and this includes the ones where you're lying down; of course it isn't an issue when you're going to be facing the TV anyway). This badly needs a "count"(instead of just starting and expecting you to immediately be ready... when you may not know what to do) or for the instructions to let you know *when* to do something(instead, you get no information, or it's all in a bundle at the beginning). It also doesn't fully(it does make an effort to) take your flexibility or coordination into account, so you may be stuck trying to pull off what you simply cannot(at least yet). This does require and expect you to have a lot of space... I don't know of any way to tell it you don't have that much room and to adjust accordingly. The graphics are pretty photo-realistic(well, for the console), particularly your surroundings, and while there are silly jokes in this, the tone is neutral, instead of the kiddish and colorful of Nintendo's own games in this subgenre. On the whole, this will help you a lot if you want to get in shape, improve your physique and/or get rid of excess calories. It is simple to fit into a busy schedule(you can be using it within a minute or two of starting it up, after the initial one), you can use it regardless of if you're in great or just adequate shape, and it doesn't take any extra equipment(yet it can work it into the routine). I recommend this to anyone who wants something like this. 7/10