Wii Fit Plus – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Wii Fit Plus

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2009

72%

WISE Score

71%

IGDB

Nintendo's 2009 fitness game that turned your living room into a gym—if you can still find a working Wii Balance Board.

Wii Fit Plus

game

2009

72%

WISE Score

71%

IGDB

Nintendo's 2009 fitness game that turned your living room into a gym—if you can still find a working Wii Balance Board.

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Nintendo

Screenwise Verdict

Wii Fit Plus is a legitimately good fitness tool that happened to arrive in 2009, which is both its strength and its curse. It teaches real skills, promotes healthy habits, and has zero of the predatory nonsense that plagues modern games. The problem? It's locked to discontinued hardware that feels ancient by 2025 standards.

If you already own a Wii and Balance Board gathering dust in the closet, this is absolutely worth dusting off for family fitness sessions. It's wholesome, safe, and gets kids moving in a way that feels more engaging than 'go run around outside.' But if you're starting from scratch, the barrier to entry is high—you're hunting down 16-year-old hardware on eBay.

The WISE score reflects this tension: excellent content held back by obsolete delivery. For families with access, it's a solid 80+ experience. For everyone else, it's a curiosity from the motion-control era that's been surpassed by Ring Fit Adventure, Apple Fitness+, and frankly, YouTube yoga videos.

Age Fit

Best for ages 5-14, though parents and older teens can genuinely benefit from the workouts. Kids under 5 can participate in some mini-games with help, but many exercises are too complex. Teenagers may find it dorky compared to modern fitness tech, but it's still effective if they're willing to engage.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Promotes physical fitness and healthy habits in a friendly, encouraging way. The Balance Board character is supportive rather than judgmental. Activities emphasize personal progress and family participation without competition pressure. ESRB notes 'Mild Cartoon Violence' which refers to playful mini-games, not actual combat.

Imaginative

Offers variety with 15 new balance/aerobics games and expanded yoga/strength training, but fundamentally it's a fitness tracker with guided exercises. The 'Training Plus' mini-games add some creative scenarios (like chicken flapping and snowball fights), but you're still following prescribed routines rather than creating or exploring freely. It's more structured than imaginative.

Safe

No in-game purchases, no online chat, no predatory mechanics. Users can interact locally (multiplayer fitness is wholesome). The physical activity aspect requires appropriate space and supervision for younger kids to avoid falls or collisions with furniture. ESRB E rating with only mild cartoon violence in mini-games. No content concerns whatsoever.

Enriching

Genuinely teaches body awareness, balance, and the value of consistent physical activity. Tracks progress and sets achievable goals. Kids learn yoga poses, proper form for strength exercises, and develop coordination through balance games. The educational value is real—it's not just entertainment disguised as fitness. However, it's not deeply intellectually challenging or emotionally complex.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Actually gets kids (and parents) off the couch with yoga, strength training, aerobics, and balance games that feel more like play than exercise
Tracks progress and sets personalized goals, teaching kids about consistency and incremental improvement
Zero predatory monetization—no ads, no purchases, no chat. Just pure early-2010s Nintendo wholesomeness
Family-friendly multiplayer that encourages everyone to participate together, from preschoolers to grandparents
Teaches real skills: body awareness, proper form, balance, and the connection between movement and wellbeing

⚠

What to Watch For

Requires a Wii console and Balance Board (discontinued hardware from 2009), so accessibility is a real barrier unless you already own one
Younger kids under 6 need supervision—not for content reasons, but to avoid toppling off the board or crashing into the coffee table mid-lunge
Some activities are genuinely challenging for small children; they may get frustrated or bored with exercises designed for older users
It's 16 years old. The graphics, interface, and overall vibe feel dated compared to modern fitness games or apps

Conversation Starters

"Which balance game was hardest for you? Why do you think some movements are trickier than others?"
"How does your body feel after doing yoga versus the running games? What's the difference?"
"Can you teach me one of the strength exercises you learned? Let's see if I can do it with good form."
"What's a fitness goal you'd like to work toward? How could we track it together?"

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