Subscribe to the Domestic Gamer column:
RSS or Newsletter.

---

Why not try our Blog, Radio or TV shows. Click for samples...

---

Your Shape Nintendo Wii

Format:
Nintendo Wii

Genre:
Improvement

Style:
Thirdperson

Buy/Support:
Support Josie, click to buy via us...

---

Other GamePeople columnists have reviewed this from their perspective - huh?:
Fitness Gamer (Wii)

---

Your Shape on the Wii is workout game with a new idea - a camera. This means it comes at things from a new 'Motion Tracking Camera' angle. The game does away with any need to hold for a Wii-mote, stand on the Balance Board or use other motion sensing paraphernalia.

When I first read the box I was filled with horror 'The camera scans you and projects your image onto your TV screen'. Every woman's worst nightmare, I thought! Actually it wasn't all that bad. You have a little portion of the screen showing what the camera sees - your living room and you!

Next to this in the space age training space is the stick-thin computer workout lady, who is actually quite motivating. After the camera has scanned your body, you are presented with a computer generated version of your silhouette. You can then choose which areas of your body you'd like to work on, depending which bit horrifies you most.

Your Shape has some great upbeat music and is presented in a very modern and funky way. You can then go through your workout, all the time watching yourself waving your arms around like a loonie in your living room. I have to say I could have done without seeing myself attempting to do star jumps. I kind of like to imagine I am looking as sleek and beautiful as the person on screen instructing me. No where to hide here though!

There are a good variety of workouts. You can either follow the programme according to which bit of your body you want to strengthen or there are some special workouts: The Active Mom Routine - I think I do that one every day anyway, Free your Mind Routine, Get Bikini Ready and New Years Resolution.

The first time I tried out this game was just after the kids had gone to bed, whist doing my workout I saw a small child appear behind me on the TV screen. What she didn't know is that I could see her! After a while she joined in with what I was doing. It was really funny.

Seriously though, this is actually a good workout programme that you could do with kids around. Because they can see them selves on the screen they seem to really love joining in, in fact you could make it a whole family workout if you had enough space. Though it might confuse the camera a bit if there are too many arms and legs flailing about.

The Your Shape camera has another trick up its sleeve - it can tell if you are doing the exercises right. If you slack off the instructor barks advice at you accordingly. All this clever analysis seems to come at the cost of the on screen image having a bit of time-lag, but nothing that became a problem.

After your workout you get a percentage score as to how well you did, this felt a bit vague. For instance, I wasn't sure what the percentage was of - how hard I'd worked, how accurate I was, How much fat I'd burned or how close i was to my goal? The game encourages to book your workouts in a calendar, so you can plan your exercise regime

The real selling point of Your Shape is the body scanning camera, but for me the results were rather poor. The image of my shape generated on screen could have been anyone really and didn't really give me many clues as to what I needed to work on.

But apart from this, the game is really good quality and very do-able. The simple fact that there isn't any other paraphernalia involved is great - and makes me wonder whether the Wii-mote is a bit of a mistake for fitness games. All that faffing with leg straps and fit boards kind of put me off other games like EA Sports Active. As soon as you've set up your camera it is good to go at any time.

Written by Josie Campbell

You can support Josie by buying Your Shape



Subscribe to this column:
RSS | Newsletter

Share this review:
Tweet

Josie Campbell writes the Domestic Gamer column.

"As quite a domesticated mum of three I love the thought that Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS lite and PSP games can have a practical role around the home and enriching everyday life but also fun to chill out and unwind with too. Here are my Domestic Gamer review, join me to read about all sorts of games, from cooking, health, and family ones too."

Here are the games I've been playing recently:

• Just Dance 3
• All-in Yoga HD
• Fruit Ninja
• Wii U
• Home