Welcome back to another Wii Fit Wednesday, wherein I endeavor to prove that gamers are not a bunch of fat, lazy slobs living in their parents’ basement. Some of us own our own homes.

Last week, I rounded things out with a solid 3.1 pounds of weight lost in a flurry of yoga and strength training. How’d I do this week?

Well… that’s a gain of 0.2 pounds since the end of last week… but still an overall loss of 2.9 pounds. I guess there’s bound to be a little bit of an adjustment period. Maybe this week, I’ll try switching trainers. The male coach is kind of a dork.

And yes… I got a little lazy on the 26th. But I made up for it with three and a half hours of yard work and Halloween decorating.

Somewhere in the realm of 4 months ago, I made an impulse purchase, as I am often wont to do when meandering past GameStop out at the mall. Sadly, I have very little impulse control when it comes to clearance bins filled with video games, and they put the damn thing front and center right outside the door. Damn you, Gamestop! But I digress.

On this particular day, I ended up buying Wii Fit… partly because I wanted to try out the Balance Board, and partly because I had some company coming to visit the next weekend, and I knew they’d get a kick out of it. Suffice it to say, I played with my new toy for a few weeks, eventually got bored with the mini-games, and put it away.

About a week ago, after being reminded that I still had the thing to begin with, I dug it out again, and an idea occurred to me. Realistically speaking… just how effective is a game as a fitness coach?

Now, I’m the first to admit, I’m about as lazy as they come. But, all other things being equal, if I dedicated, oh say, 30 minutes a day to actually using Wii Fit, rather than just playing the mini-games and doing yoga poses, what sort of effect would it have on my slothful, slothful self?

Well, I’m going to find out. And since I’ve been indescribably bad about keeping this blog updated lately, you’re going to find out with me. So welcome to Wii Fit Wednesdays. In these posts, I’ll be keeping track of my losses and gains until such time as I get sick of this damn thing again and shove it back in the closet (my coworkers may feel free to start a betting pool on how long that’ll take).

To get things started, here are my first week’s results… and no, I’m not posting my actual weight…

Well… not a bad start. A total loss of 3.1 pounds, and I finished with a Wii Fit Age of 24 (just for for reference… I’m 28). Of course, next week brings with it my greatest obstacle. Halloween Candy.

As much as those overused phrases like “going green” and “greening” tend to annoy me with their catchphrasey, fad-promoting, mainstream media nature, as today is, after all, Earth Day, I’ve made an exception to my personal ban on the term and put together a little list of things we, as gamers, can do green up our gameplay, starting with…

5. Rent. And then buy used
Sure, video games don’t generally come wrapped up in tons of packaging… but how long do you think those cellophane sleeves will be around in the world’s landfills? Think of all the millions of games that are sold every year and the millions of little plastic wrappers that go along with them. Besides… buying used will save you money, too. That means you can afford more games!

And I don’t mean you have to buy exclusively from Gamestop or other profit-mongering resellers. Garage sales are great places to find used games (and if you happen to come across a mom cleaning out their college-age kid who was foolish enough to leave their games at home’s old room, you can often get a whole box of stuff for around $10)

4. Invest in rechargeable battery packs
Especially if you have a Wii. Those controllers suck down the double As like there’s no tomorrow. Get yourself a nice charging station for your Wii-remote instead of filling the dumpster with spent batteries.

3. Power down your console
There’s really no life-altering need to have your console constantly plugged in. Stand-by mode consumes power, too, you know. Stick them on a power strip and flip the switch to off when you’re not using them.

… Or at least make use the power saver options built into the consoles, like the 360’s Auto-Off feature (for those nights when you stagger off to bed and accidentally forget to shut your console off after a Halo 3 marathon).

2. Unplug your chargers
Did you know that your PSP and DS chargers continue to draw power even when you don’t have your handheld plugged into them? If you’re not using the charger, don’t leave it plugged into the outlet. Stash it in a drawer until you need it again. Same goes for controller charging stations.

1. Donate, don’t dump
We all have games we don’t play anymore. I see loads of retro cartridges and consoles all the time at garage sales, and I’m amazed at how many people have told me that they’re just going to throw them out if they don’t sell (which usually results in me purchasing said games and consoles… I consequentially own two Super Nintendos, two Dreamcasts, three original GameBoys, more controllers than I can plug in at any given time, and several duplicate titles). There are lots of people and organizations out there who’d love to have some games, even if they’re not the latest tech.

Given the sheer number of Final Fantasy fans out there, I’m sure I’m not that only person around the217.com who’s anxiously looking forward to FFXIII (and to Versus XIII). The former will be released over in Japan later this year, with a sneak preview available to those who purchase Advent Children Complete in March.

But what about us, here in the U.S.? According to guardian.co.uk, quoting Square Enix’s Yoichi Wada, “Overseas launches of the latest “Final Fantasy” game will come in the business year from April 2010 or later, Wada said.”

Yes, we’re stuck waiting at least a year from the day it drops in Japan. A year of avoiding internet spoilers, a year of subsisting on other RPG franchises… a year of waiting. I hate waiting. I accept waiting, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Really, if it were any other genre, I’d import the damn thing and be done with it… but RPGs are a little pointless if you can’t figure out what’s going on, and the only Japanese I speak is what I learned in a semester long class at Parkland five years ago, and what I’ve picked up from anime (which pretty much consists of various battle cries, and demands that my opponent not look down on me).

2008 has come and gone, and with it, oodles of titles to choose from… some better than others. So here’s my top 5 favorite and least favorite games of 2008:

The Best of the Best

2008 had a host of games that stood out from the pack. Of all the ones I played, these are the five I enjoyed the most.

5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
The Smash Bros. series made it’s debut on the Wii this year, marking the return of many Nintendo fans’ favorite beat’em up series. Featuring characters from some of the most popular franchises on the market, Brawl is a fighter that pits the likes of Legend of Zelda’s Link against Metal Gear Solid’s Solid Snake. It is also the first in the series to allow gamers to go head to head in online battles for up to four players.

4. Dead Space (PS3, 360)
A third-person survival horror game, Dead Space puts you in the role of system specialist Isaac Clarke, sent to repair the USG Ishimura and finds more than he bargained for. The game is filled with plenty of scares, and is an experience on par with my favorite game from last year, Bioshock.

3. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Every since Mario first went 3D in Mario 64, gameplay for the franchise has changed drastically from the original side-scrolling platformers… and in a good way. Offering extensive worlds to explore, traditional platforming, as well as a few surprises here and there, Mario Galaxy has shown that everyone’s favorite plumber still has what it takes to rescue the princess.

2. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
While most of the Final Fantasy VII spin-offs and sequels have been lamented by fans as little more than Square Enix’s cashing in on one of their biggest fanbases, Crisis Core stands out as both one of the best titles available on PSP, and a worthy addition to the Final Fantasy series. An action RPG chronicling the life of Zack Fair, mentor to FF7’s hero, Cloud Strife, Crisis Core is a prequel that brings to light the events that occurred prior to the original game and gives fans a fresh look at one of the most under-appreciated characters of Final Fantasy VII.

1. Fable 2 (360)
Sequel to 2004’s Fable, Fable 2 takes the original concept to a new level, placing you in the role of an orphan descended from the ancient Hero bloodline. While the main storyline of the game is noticeably short by RPG standards, the real wealth of this game can be found in what can be done outside of the primary quest. Allowing you to choose between good and evil, alter your appearance, and start a family are just a few of the many choices you can make that affect how your avatar is perceived by other characters in the game.

The Biggest Letdowns

2008 was also a year of games that I was intensely looking forward to but just didn’t meet expectations.

5. Soul Caliber VI (PS3, 360)
I generally like the Soul Caliber series, and strictly speaking, SCVI wasn’t a bad game… but it really did nothing for the series. Up until this point, Soul Caliber II was my least favorite of the series, and VI managed to replace it as such. And who the hell came up with the idea of throwing in Darth Vader and Yoda? The online play was a nice touch, but I was hoping for so much more.

4. Mirror’s Edge (PS3, 360)
While an absolutely beautiful game, and a great concept, the game itself fell short. In Mirror’s Edge you play as Faith, a “runner” charged with delivering messages in a world where information is restricted. Gameplay consists primarily of parkour running: moving from building to building via rooftops, drain pipes, and just about anything else you can grab, climb, or run across. The problems lay in the inconsistency in both the story, which tends to jump from one thing to the next and then back again so often that it’s hard to remember who some of the characters even are, and in the gameplay itself, which, while a unique experience, is often frustrating. When the time trails mode is more fun than the game itself, you’ve got a problem.

3. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (PS3, 360, Wii)
I’m a fan of Aerosmith. Not a huge fan, but a fan nonetheless. So when I found out that my favorite Aerosmith tracks were all neatly compiled in one Guitar Hero game, I grabbed it. And the track list IS decent, but it’s missing a few songs I would have liked to have seen… and unfortunately, the difficulty is pretty low. Granted, I don’t particularly like being booed off the stage, but it’s still far too easy.

2. Haze (PS3)
I’ll admit, I only played this at a PS3-owning friend’s house a few times, but he and I both agree that it just wasn’t a very good game. It’s also yet another case of an over-hyped title not living up to expectations. As a shooter, the plot is awful, the visuals are buggy, and the whole experience is just plain underwhelming.

1. Infinite Undiscovery (360)
Maybe I set myself up to be disappointed on this one… but when something has Square Enix stamped on the cover, I generally expect it to be an immersive game that I can’t put down. Unfortunately Square Enix only published Infinite Undiscovery. Development was done by tri-Ace… and the result was a fairly mediocre RPG. It just didn’t live up to the hype and the promises made by early previews of the game, and while most RPG fans will find that it’s worth playing through once (and only once), it’s easily the most forgettable game of 2008.

It’s 20 degrees out there right now, with a wind chill of something like -3 (though it felt more like -20 during my 2 block walk from my car to the office…). So here’s some games to help keep you nice and toasty now that winter seems to be settling in to stay.

10. Beyond Good & Evil for PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. Explore the world map in your hovercraft, race, photograph wildlife… and as a bonus, sneak around, break into places, and head out to expose corruption and stop and evil invading force. Besides… with Jade wearing that outfit, it can’t be too cold.

9. Mirror’s Edge for PS3 and 360. Ok, so there’s nothing very “summery” about this per se, but the fury you will feel after having fallen from a 50 story building to your untimely demise should heat things up.

8. Super Mario Sunshine for GameCube. Head to the beach with Mario, enjoy the sand and surf… and squash some goombas along the way.

7. Rockband 2 for PS3 and 360. Work up a sweat on drums, or get into the groove on guitar or vocals. Either the physical activity will warm you up, or the utter humiliation will.

6. Tak and the Guardians of Gross for Wii. Spend some time with Tak and the rest of the Pupununu villagers in the jungle. Jungles are warm, right?

5. Donkey Konga 2 for GameCube. Or, if you prefer, spend some more time in the jungle with DK and Diddy, and play the bongos, instead.

4. Mario Kart Wii for Wii. The many races tracks of the Mario Kart circuit should take your ming off the fact that frostbite is setting in… as long as you avoid those ice-covered raceways.

3. Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party for Wii. Advertised as the first video game you can play with your butt, this one makes optional use of the Balance Board to get you up and moving.

2. Endless Ocean for Wii. Strap on your scuba tank and go for a swim in warm tropical waters.

1. Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3 for 360 or Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 for Wii. If you’re not sweating after a few rounds of DDR, there’s either something very wrong with you, or you’re in way better shape than I am.

Fable II came out yesterday, much to my delight (Yay! ^_^), and after spending somewhere in the realm of five hours playing it after I got of work last night, I’m fairly impressed right off the bat. If the first Fable was immersive, the second Fable is even more so (and at least as addictive). The world is bigger, the side-activities are more robust and plentiful, and the voiceovers… are still kind of corny.

It’s still very early in the game, of course. I have a halfway decent sword, and I managed to upgrade to a slightly better crossbow than what I started out with, but my armor sucks, and I have no money (as usual).

So… things I need to do as a hero just starting out:

1) Get some more money. That would nice.

2) Increase my health bar, since, as per #1, I can’t afford much in the way of potions.

3) Buy a gun. Crossbows suck.

4) Impress this “Abbot” that Theresa keeps insisting I have to get to trust me. I wonder what would happen if I just kill him?

5) Figure out how to get my character laid.

And somewhere in there, I should probably make time to play through the main storyline. I think this game is going to keep me busy for awhile. About time, after the disappointment that came with Infinite Undiscovery.

P.S. - Check out the217’s new forums. There’s a gaming section….

So Kotaku posted an interview with Peter Molyneux (you know… the guy responsible for Fable II, releasing Oct. 21…), and in it he chats about the dog your Fable II character gets to have follow him or her around.

There’s nothing like a game that intentionally plays on your emotions. According to Molyneux, there’s really only one way to get rid of your dog if you don’t want it following you around all the time… and that’s to not heal it when it’s injured. Apparently they opted for this over simply allowing players to toggle the dog on or off.

An injured or sick dog will not just abandon you. It will crawl after you, and eventually it will catch up to you… sort of an in-game guilt trip. I like it. It’s a liberating idea that’s slightly disturbing at the same time. Not enough games have significant emotional consequences to your in-game actions… although it would be nice if there’s a less sadistic option at some point for going it alone.

I became fond of the first Fable, very quickly. It’s a fun environment to experiment in. I’ve gone from good to evil and back so many times, I’ve lost track. There aren’t many games out there that give you the choice between beating your wife to death or bring her a rose.. or between buying the local weapons shop or massacring the entire town. If Fable II manages to improve upon it, I’m going to be putting in a lot og hours on this one.

Alright, Ubisoft has hit a new low, even for them. And before you ask, no this is not a Photoshop job gone horribly wrong… it’s real cover art for a real game.

Imagine: Party Babyz (Why, God? Why?) is coming in late October. Personally, I think the entire Imagine series is pretty god-awful, but this is a whole new level of stupid.

Like essentially the whole series, Party Babyz is little more than a collection of themed mini-games. This set includes such favorites as Red Light, Green Light, and one wherein you must feed your baby as many bottles as possible within the time limit (Overfeed the Baby?).

And of course you will be able to customize your baby, GATTACA-style.

Ubisoft, please just do us all a favor and go back to working on Beyond Good & Evil 2… before your developers finally crack and kill themselves. Seriously, do you guys just sit around playing Mad Libs to come up with these games?

Collider.com has posted an interview with John Davis, producer of the in-the-works Sims movie, and frankly, I’m not all that impressed with what he has to say on the subject (and not just because his rambling is a touch hard to understand at times).

Not that I expect a whole heck of a lot from movies based on video games, but still…

Annnnnnnnnd freeze. Really? Can it be? The Sims Infinity Pack? Not only a gimicky and remarkably convenient plot device, but also contrived and overdone. Thumbs up, pal.

Moving on.

Hey, wait… Is this starting to sound familiar to anyone else?

*face plam*

So now The Sims is an adventure movie. Please just stop. Seriously, just stop.

This is Bob…

Yikes.

Now, I heard rumors of a Sims movie ages ago. Personally, I pictured a comedy… because god knows Sims families are more than dysfunctional enough to be absolutely hilarious.

To be honest, I had pictured the typical Sims family moving into a real world neighborhood, complete with unknown invisible force from beyond directing their every move as the “normal” neighbors look on, trying to figure out why these people feel the need to trap themselves in doorless rooms, electrocute themselves with the industrial strength bug zapper, and wet themselves on a regular basis.

The father would, of course, be played by Bob from the Enzyte commercials.

Maybe that’s just me.