Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

The Biggest Loser

By Erin Bell, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

TV-based fitness sim emphasizes nutrition and weight loss.

Game Nintendo DS , Nintendo Wii 2009
The Biggest Loser Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • The Biggest Loser Game: Screenshot #1
  • The Biggest Loser Game: Screenshot #2
  • The Biggest Loser Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

FreedomFromCensorship
FreedomFromCensorship 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.
See all 1 parent review

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?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

Game Details

  • Platforms: Nintendo DS , Nintendo Wii
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: THQ
  • Release date: October 6, 2009
  • Genre: Exergaming
  • ESRB rating: E for Alcohol References
  • Last updated: August 31, 2016

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate