Wii Weight Loss Games: Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009

My hopes were high when I received a review sample of Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009for the Nintendo Wii. My Nintendo Wii is an essential part of my exercise and fitness program, and I thought it would be fun to add more variety to my Wii Routine. (Click here for my Wii Fit review.)

The Amazon reviews of Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 are mixed. Some love the workout, and others pan the poor graphics and slow response time.  After trying the game, I can understand the love/hate reviews.

Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 lets you choose four types of workouts: Weight Loss, Strength Training, Intervals, and Hill Climb. Then, you pick your intensity and workout length. I selected Weight Loss, Medium Intensity and 30 minutes. The game leads you through workouts like running obstacle courses, walking on a balance beam, rowing, throwing paint grenades, boxing and more.

You can play with your Balance Board or solely with the Wii controllers. I found that the game gave me a better workout when I played without the Balance Board since I had more freedom to move. Wii Fit was designed specifically for the Balance Board, and Wii Active Life Outdoor Challenge effectively uses both the Wii controllers and a specially designed floor mat.

The graphics aren’t inspiring compared to my two favorite Wii Games: Wii Fit and Wii Active Life Outdoor Challenge. However, the activities did get my heart rate up, and I was sweating and tired by the end of the 30 minute workout. I would rate Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 as an exercise program rather than an exercise game. You can use Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 to get a legitimate workout, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a fun game to play with your kids since the graphics are boring.