The Biggest Loser

Review

Common Sense Media says

TV-based fitness sim emphasizes nutrition and weight loss.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Biggest Loser is a fitness sim for the Wii based on the TV show of the same name. Unlike some other fitness sims, The Biggest Loser doesn't rely on Body Mass Index (BMI) to decide if a person is the "correct" weight. Rather, players are free to set their own weight loss goals, which the game helps them achieve through exercising with a personal trainer and monitoring caloric intake. The game also contains 50 recipes that players can try at home. The Wii balance board is an optional accessory; all exercises can be performed either with the balance board and Wii remote, or just the Wii remote by itself. The game keeps track of progress via graphs and calendars that encourage the player to exercise every day.

  • Positive messages4
    This game encourages a healthy lifestyle through exercise and healthy eating, and motivates the player to create and follow a regular workout routine. At the beginning of the game, players choose a Biggest Loser avatar to represent them. They always appear large at the beginning, but are shown slimming down over time if the player sticks with their routine.
  • Positive role models4
    The personal trainers (hosts Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels from the TV show), are supportive and offer a ton of healthy living tips.
  • Ease of play2
    All activities are demonstrated by a personal trainer, making even the more advanced exercises easy to follow. Creating a workout is as simple as clicking on the exercises you want in the order you want.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism2
    The game is based on the TV show of the same name, and recipes and tips are taken from The Biggest Loser books, whose covers appear in the game.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    When entering your daily caloric intake, you can choose from a list of beverages that includes alcoholic drinks (wine, beer, and hard liquor).
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What's it about?

THE BIGGEST LOSER is a fitness simulation based on the TV show of the same name, where overweight contestants compete to lose the most weight and earn a cash prize to become "The Biggest Loser." In the video game, payers can select a full 4-week, 8-week or 12-week fitness and nutrition program that tracks calories consumed and burned, and overall weight loss. Alternately, players can jump into preset routines of various lengths, or create their own by selecting from full body, upper body, lower body, core, and yoga exercises. There are also four challenge games that incorporate exercises, like flying a virtual hang glider with Tricep Dips and Leg Lifts, or staying on an elevated treadmill above a pool using Skaters and Side Step exercises.

Is it any good?

 

Fans of the TV show will feel right at home being coached by digital versions of hosts Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, reading tips from past show contestants, and watching video clips of Bob and Jillian dispensing workout and nutrition advice. Aside from the TV show theme, a few other nice things help set The Biggest Loser apart from other fitness sims on the Wii: one is a nutrition section that includes 50 healthy recipes that players can try at home, and the other is a system of measurement that doesn't rely on the sometimes unreliable Body Mass Index (BMI) scale. The main game's  emphasis on weight loss makes it especially suitable for obese people looking to shed dozens of pounds or more (just like the TV show), but the make-up-your-own-routine and quickplay modes are suitable for those who simply want to maintain an ideal weight or stay active, making The Biggest Loser well-rounded fitness package.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about whether it's more fun or easier to work out alone or with a "workout buddy."

  • Does having a personal trainer make you more motivated to finish the whole workout?

  • The Biggest Loser contains 50 real recipes to try at home. Which of the recipes did you try, and were they tasty?

This review was written by Erin Bell
Adult
October 24, 2009
AGE
9
 
I have given up on the Wii. Games like this shouldn't even exist
Why did you make me waste my $250 Nintendo? Brawl was good...Metroid Prime 3 was awesome...Twilight Princess was cool...but lately I've seen nothing but cheap, kiddy, and/or poorly made games being disgracefully spewed out onto the Wii. The Wii is either now a kids toy or a workout session, it should not be considered a "gaming console" anymore. I bought the Wii when it first came out, expecting Nintendo to release some decent games, and that's what they promised with their "revolutionary" system, but now it is nothing but a kids toy, with the occasional decent game here and there. Please, save yourself the trouble and either get an Xbox360, PS3, or a gaming PC and skip out on this game, and this system. Your kids will thank you. If you are really serious about exercise, GO. OUT. AND. EXERCISE! There is no reason to spend 200 dollars on a fancy workout machine disguised as a console. Unless your kids are really young (Under the age of 8) then avoid the Wii at all costs and avoid wasting 200, plus another 50 for this worthless game.
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This review was written by Erin Bell
Platforms:Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Exergaming
Developer:THQ
Release date:October 6, 2009
Price:$29.99-$39.99
ESRB rating:E for Alcohol References
This review was written by Erin Bell

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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