Nintendo Wii Health Benefits: Mario and Sonic at the Olympics

I was recently lucky enough to borrow the Wii game Mario and Sonic at the Olympics. I wanted to give it a try to review its gaming capabilities and see if there were any health benefits.

The reality is that there really is. Many of the games give you a good cardio workout if you play them the right way. More active games like Aquatics and Track require you to “run” or “swim” by waving the Wii remote and Nun-chuck up and down alternately. This can make you shiver like crazy. I was out of breath in no time!

When you try out fencing games, make sure you are on your feet so that you can actively participate in the game as you rush to hit your opponent. Standing while playing the different Olympic events really optimizes the training you can do, and you will perform better in games as your mind will be more alert and focused. I know that I am more likely to win the gold medal if I stand up to play because I am actively participating rather than passively pressing buttons.

Use the more stationary games like Skeet and Trampoline to give yourself a “break” from the more hectic games.

Here is a list of the 21 events that you can play in Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Games:

1,100 m of runway

2,400 m track

3.4 relay x100

4.110m hurdles

5.400m hurdles

6. Long jump

7. Triple jump

8. High jump

9. Pole vault

10. Hammer throw

11. Javelin throw

12. Aquatic freestyle 100 m

13. Freestyle aquatic 4x100m

14. Trampoline

15. Vault

16. Skeet (shot)

17. Archery

18. Fencing

19. Table tennis

20. Rowing

21. Dream events

You have many options to choose from when it comes to all the action in the game. Don’t forget that you can play with up to 4 players in those daredevil contests!