Wii Fit Plus

Meghan says:

When I bought my Wii Fit last year I was DETERMINED to use it regularly and get back in shape.  That lasted, oh, a day week.  I enjoyed it when I did it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to use it reguarly.  Especially since it was a huge pain in the butt to try to break it out when the kids were around.

They were constantly all up in my grill.

So I was excited when Nintendo offered me the opportunity to try the new and improved Wii Fit Plus.  Because I certainly hadn’t used my Wii Fit Regular to it’s full potential.  Maybe the fun, new games would get me motivated to…actually use it.

It hasn’t.  But not for the reasons you might think.  Because Dylan likes it so much I can’t use it, EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO.

The kid is obsessed with it.  OBSESSED.  He has been known to spend hours at a time playing it.

And I don’t really mind because he’s being active, he’s problem solving, he’s counting…and he’s learning about losing.  Which, if you know Dylan AT ALL, you know that he HATES to lose.

Wii Fit Plus has some really cool new features.  It shows you how many calories you’ve burned per exercise game.  Which is nice because it gives you some positive reinforcement as you go, but it stink when it’s only a handful of calories.  You can also set up a custom workout using the My Wii Fit Plus Routines section.  Each routine targets a different section of the body, so you can work on the specific areas you want.  Goodbye thunder thighs!

There are also some fun new games, including a TON of new balance games.  Dylan and I really enjoy snowball fight and the obstacle course games.  There’s a fun game called bird’s eye bulls eye where your Mii is dressed in a chicken costume and, while standing on the balance board and leaning to and fro to steer your bird, you flap your arms to fly though the air.  You have to land on these pillars sticking out of the ocean and you get points and extra time based on how close you are to the center of each one.  Let me tell you, by the end you can feel it in your arms.

Dylan’s favorite games are the ones that require him to run in place.  There’s a new bike riding game that takes you all over the island (which is another new addition to Wii Fit- it takes place on an island, pina coladas not included, darn it.) and requires you to find flags.  There are some new running courses that test your memory (and math skills) by giving you a short quiz at the end.

My only real complaint is that the Balance board character guy talks to you A LOT and he’s annoying.  But I’ve said the same thing about my husband, so…yeah.

If you already have Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus is a great value and is totally worth the $19.99.  If you’ve been thinking about getting Wii Fit, and you’re committed to losing a few extra pounds and having fun while doing it, the $99.99 price for a balance board and Wii Fit Plus is definitely worth it.

*Disclosure – this item was received free of charge with the understanding that I would give an objective review*

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Swinxs Game Console (Giveaway!)

Meghan Says:

When I was first approached with an offer to review Swinxs, I was a little confused as to what it was, exactly.

The press release says:

The hottest innovation in family-friendly interactive play has hit U.S. shores. The portable screen-free entertainment console engages kids in physical, creative and educational play (including musical chairs, tag and relay) by using its voice in combination with sounds and colors.

It sounded fun and like something that Dylan would enjoy, but I couldn’t really figure out how it worked.  So, I decided to reserve judgment until I received it and had a chance to check it out.  And I’m glad I did!

It’s really pretty cool. It came loaded with a few games, and as soon as I plugged it in (the battery wasn’t charged) Dylan and two of his cousins were racing around my Mother-in-Laws house and having a blast.  The played Swinxs Dash the most, where each player takes a turn running a course, and Swinxs keeps track of who runs it the fastest.  Each player has their own colored wristband, and that’s how Swinxs knows who is who.  Fancy, right?

It’s water resistant and cordless (when the battery is fully charged) so your kids can take it outside and keep themselves out of your hair entertained for hours!

There are a ton of games available for FREE download on the Swinxs website, so you can customize your Swinxs console to suit your children’s individual tastes.  Not interested in running around the backyard?  Then download the quizzes and games that require children to stay in one spot, like Flyswatter or Animal Quiz.

There really is something for everyone!

I would definitely recommend Swinxs for children a bit over four.  Dylan will be 5 in March, and I feel like he’s a little young to understand the rules behind some of the games.  But he’s a pro at the ones he does understand.  It’s something he will definitely grown into, though!

Also, at $150.00 retail value, it’s a bit pricey.  But, if your kids are as active as mine, Swinxs will give them an opportunity to play, have fun, learn and exercise at the same time.  And it’s hard to put a price on that!

Giveaway!

We’ve been given the opportunity to give a Swinxs Game Console away to one of our lucky readers!  To enter, simply head over to the Swinxs website and check it out.  Come back here and leave a comment telling us what game you think would be popular in your house.

You may gain an extra entry by:

1) Following Hot Mom Reviews on Twitter

2) Tweeting about this giveaway with a link back to this post (only once per day, please)

The winner will be chosen by random drawing from all eligible comments on Monday 12/14/2009 at Noon Pacific.  Only open to US Residents.    Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and include a link to your tweet!  The winner will be notified by email and I will need your mailing address by Tuesday, December 15th.

Good luck!

And the winner is….

Comment # 38  Becca!  Congratulations!  Please email your shipping address (no PO Box) to meghan (@) hotmomreviews (.) com by tomorrow!

*Disclosure – this item was received free of charge with the understanding that I would give an objective review*

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