My Weight Loss Coach DS Preview
Upcoming Video Game Encourages Gamers to Exercise, Lose Weight
This summer, Ubisoft plans to release My Weight Loss Coach, a Nintendo DS game that will provide accountability and helpful tips for those gamers eager to lose weight.
The Basics
The idea behind My Weight Loss Coach is pretty simple. At the start of the game, players will need to enter in their weight, height and any other pertinent details. From there, the game will calculate the players' current BMI (Body Mass Index), as well as an ideal BMI that players can work toward by completing certain weight-loss challenges.
For instance, players will be asked to enter in what foods they eat every time they finish a meal. In return, the game will tell players how many calories they've consumed and what foods they should be consuming to have a balanced diet. Each day, My Weight Loss Coach will also give certain challenges to players. These challenges could be as simple as "hide the salt shaker," or there could be some physical exercises that players should perform to keep fit.
The Pedometer
Besides telling players what foods to consume and what exercises to perform, however, the game provides another helpful tool to players in the form of a pedometer accessory. Players will need to attach this pedometer to themselves anytime they leave the house so that the game can know exactly how much walking players do each day. Then, when players get home, they can insert the pedometer into the Nintendo DS' Game Boy Advance cartridge slot so that they can be congratulated for doing a certain amount of walking, or encouraged to do more walking the next day.
Presentation
All these tips and challenges will be presented by a cartoonish stick figure character in a simple notebook-style interface. Though the simplistic graphics may make the game less technically impressive than other Nintendo DS games, My Weight Loss Coach isn't exactly a "game" to begin with. Instead, the graphics hint at the game's purpose: a weight loss encouragement tool that happens to be in the form of a Nintendo DS cartridge.
Outlook
The biggest question about My Weight Loss Coach is, obviously, does it work? And, although My Weight Loss Coach has some promising features, such as the included pedometer, there isn't any way to gauge the game's effectiveness until it actually releases this June in Canada and this September in the United States.
What does seem to be clear is that My Weight Loss Coach isn't some magical device - it will require the gamer's full participation and cooperation in order to guide the player to his or her ideal BMI. Thus, gamers should only invest in the game if they are truly willing to work to lose weight.
Those who don't own a Nintendo DS or are interested in other options, however, may also be interested in Nintendo's upcoming Wii Fit game for Nintendo Wii.
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