Jump to content

Wii Balance Board: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Kev19 (talk | contribs)
519 edits
m 19th, not 18th.
Line 29: Line 29:


[[THQ]] have also announced that ''[[All-Star Cheer Squad]]'' for the Wii will feature Balance Board compatibility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://n-europe.com/news.php?nid=11583|publisher=[[N-Europe]]|date=[[2008-03-06]]|accessdate=2007-03-16|title=All-Star Cheer Squad Hits Wii & DS}}</ref>
[[THQ]] have also announced that ''[[All-Star Cheer Squad]]'' for the Wii will feature Balance Board compatibility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://n-europe.com/news.php?nid=11583|publisher=[[N-Europe]]|date=[[2008-03-06]]|accessdate=2007-03-16|title=All-Star Cheer Squad Hits Wii & DS}}</ref>

It has also been announced that the Wii version of the boxing game [[Don King Presents: Prizefighter]] will make use of the Wii Balance Board in some of the training mini-games. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.videogamer.com/news/15-04-2008-8035.html|publisher=[[VideoGamer]]|date=[[2008-04-15]]|accessdate=2008-04-15|title=Prizefighter to include Wii Fit Balance Board support}}</ref>


Over 10 games are in development that make use of the Wii Balance Board.<ref>{{web cite | url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/853/853258p2.html |title=Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime on Wii Fit |date=2008-02-20 |publisher=IGN}}</ref>
Over 10 games are in development that make use of the Wii Balance Board.<ref>{{web cite | url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/853/853258p2.html |title=Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime on Wii Fit |date=2008-02-20 |publisher=IGN}}</ref>

Revision as of 03:44, 16 April 2008

Wii Balance Board
The Wii Balance Board attached to a Wii Fit demo at the Leipzig Games Convention in August of 2007.
ManufacturerNintendo
TypeVideo game controller
GenerationSeventh generation era
LifespanJapanDecember 1, 2007
European UnionApril 25, 2008,
AustraliaMay 8, 2008,
United StatesMay 19, 2008

The Wii Balance Board (バランスWiiボード) is a balance board accessory for Nintendo's Wii video game console.[1] It was first revealed on July 11, 2007, at E3 2007, in combination with its software counterpart Wii Fit.[2]

Design

Wii Balance Board
The bottom of a Wii Balance Board

The Wii Balance Board is shaped like a household body scale, with a plain white top and light grey bottom. The board is wireless and contains multiple pressure sensors that are used to measure the user's center of pressure—the location of the intersection between an imaginary line drawn vertically through the center of mass and the surface of the Balance Board—and body mass index. In an interview conducted by gaming web site IGN, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that the Balance Board's ability to measure weight is probably more accurate than that of a typical bathroom scale.[3]

Ideally Nintendo would like to launch a same-sized Balance Board worldwide,[4] although after receiving feedback from Wii Fit's Japanese launch Nintendo decided an "American-sized" Balance Board is needed, as the Japanese model is designed to support people weighing up to 300 pounds (136 kg/21 stone 6lb). The "Western" Balance Board will support people of a weight up to 330 pounds (150 kg).[5]

Due to the similarities between the two products, the Wii Balance Board has been compared to the Joyboard, a peripheral released for the Atari VCS in 1982 by Amiga Corporation.[6] The technology within the Joyboard was much less advanced than that in the Wii Balance Board,[6] however, and instead of using pressure sensors under each footpad, the Joyboard simply positioned the four latches of a joystick beneath the board.[6] Leaning would engage the latches, controlling the game.[6]

It is noted that the Balance Board is recommend to play on hard floors because rugs can push the power button if stepped on.

Software

Wii Fit is the first game to make use of the Wii Balance Board. Shigeru Miyamoto noted the potential for other uses, however, noting that "probably the simplest and most straightforward [idea] would be a snowboarding game".[7] Miyamoto has also stated that Nintendo has received "many inquiries" from third parties following the announcement of Wii Fit and the Wii Balance Board,[4] as well as receiving interest from the physical fitness industry.[4]

Square-Enix has become the first third-party publisher to show interest in the Wii Balance Board.[8] Motomu Toriyama, when discussing the American release of Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings in an interview with IGN, announced being "mostly interested in Wii Fit" when questioned on the developer's interest in the microphone and Wi-Fi capabilities of the Nintendo DS.[8] Although he stated that there "are no actual plans to take Final Fantasy into the fitness genre",[8] he noted that the "whole system and mechanism of using [a person's] weight and balance to control games is something we're interested in incorporating into future RPG titles".[8]

We Ski by Namco Bandai Holdings is the first third-party game to make use of the Wii Balance Board, in conjunction with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk attachment.[9]

THQ have also announced that All-Star Cheer Squad for the Wii will feature Balance Board compatibility.[10]

It has also been announced that the Wii version of the boxing game Don King Presents: Prizefighter will make use of the Wii Balance Board in some of the training mini-games. [11]

Over 10 games are in development that make use of the Wii Balance Board.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Wi Fit: How To Stay Balanced," GamePro 235 (April 2008): 19.
  2. ^ "Stay fit with Wii Balance Board". Console Watcher. 2007-11-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Shigeru Miyamoto (Interviewed) (July 12). E3 2007: Shigeru Miyamoto Video Interview. IGN. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  4. ^ a b c "Miyamoto Roundtable full transcription". 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Western Wii Fit-board for bigger people". GameLegend. 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2008-01-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b c d Bogost, Ian (2007-07-15). "The Prehistory of Wii Fit". Water Cooler Games. Retrieved 2007-07-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "E3 2007: Nintendo Developer Roundtable". IGN. 2007-07-12. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d "E3 2007: Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings Interview". IGN. 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Bandai Namco makes an excellent decision - Family Ski supports Wii Fit board". GoNintendo. 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2007-11-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "All-Star Cheer Squad Hits Wii & DS". N-Europe. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 2007-03-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Prizefighter to include Wii Fit Balance Board support". VideoGamer. 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-04-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime on Wii Fit". IGN. 2008-02-20.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wii_Balance_Board&oldid=205946481"