Gold's Gym Cardio Workout (Wii)

GOLD'S GYM CARDIO WORKOUT is a fitness trainer for the Wii that focuses on boxing. Holding the Wii remote in one hand and the Nunchuk in the other, players practice punches (jabs, crosses, upper cuts, and hooks), defensive moves and footwork under the guidance of a virtual trainer. Players can also use a unique double Wii remote control scheme (holding a Wii remote in each hand), which actually works much better since there's no cord to get in the way. After going through a series of lessons to learn the basics, players can select workout routines of increasing intensity that include punching a virtual bag and dodging blows from a robot. Optionally, some exercises are compatible with the Wii balance board accessory.

Lessons follow a Dance Dance Revolution-style rhythm action format where the player is encouraged to bob rhythmically to the beat in a fighting stance and time movements to the beat as different symbols scroll across the screen. The atmosphere is similar to a gym's cardio class, and work is always with a trainer as opposed to facing actual opponents in a boxing ring. The game keeps track of a daily punch count, total calories burned, and days you worked out.

Sensitive players might resent being called "Overweight" or "Obese" based on the game's Body Mass Index (BMI) calculations or might not be happy with how chunky the game makes their avatar look based on the height and weight numbers they've entered. Overall, though, Gold's Gym is a basic yet very fun and effective boxing simulator. Players can string together 15-17 minute workouts with minimal interruptions (i.e. no cutesy dialogue or drawn out menu scrolling), which makes Gold's Gym Cardio Workout one of the more intense and less gimmicky fitness trainers for the Wii.