Walk it Out
Enjoying the game will take patience and dedication on the part of the player,
because the instruction manual is almost useless - except for telling you that if quarter beats are too fast for you,
you can change to half stepping mode and - if you don't want points subtracted from your
total select "Miss Penalty".
I strongly suggest that you do.
Other clues like how to turn around (click on your character) and opening up different places is in the in-game tutorial.
Nowhere is it clear that the game is pegged to the players local time.
While there is much talk of exploring - it is only one island - Rhythm Island.
Variation comes from opening new sections, how the island looks at different times
of the day and how you build up the island.
The concept is not clearly stated anywhere and it is an important part to keeping you walking.
House icons appear along the path you are walking - click on them with the remote and they will
indicate - palm tree, bench, windmills, apartment house.
If you have made the requisite number of points by walking - the item will appear.
This is how you build up the island. The items in the icon (called capsules) appear at appropriate spots.
Apartment icons do not appear on the beach. Tip - don't waste you points on trees, wait for the good stuff.
Konami claims 100 songs can be unlocked and you can turn off the vocal track to make the walking beat feel stronger.
Settings are: Easy, Medium and Hard - tempo is quarter or half beats.
Stats are kept on calories burned, distance walked and how much of the island you have explored.
It would be a nice option, for grandmothers, to design a personal tempo.
The object the game is to get you walking.
The manual spends time discussing the three controller options: nunchuk and remote with the nunchuk placed in your pants
pocket to respond to your walking movement; the Wii balance board; and the Dance Dance Revolution dance pad.
I suggest the nunchuk and remote because the others tie you down to stepping in place.
We tested the range of the nunchuk and remote and it was well over 50 feet.
Of course at that distance, you won't be able to click on the capsules, but you might be able to make the beds.
This is a good beginning on what could be a new game genre, now that we have admitted to the casual
gamers - A walk through a medieval town, or one through the Myst countries, even Final Fantasy lands.
Come on producers - a great way to optimize the assets.
Reviewed by: Editor - 02/10
Ages: Everyone 10+
Fun Factor: A good game but they don't make it easy to get into it.
Female Factor: Unimportant - Girls wear skirts, boys pants.
Player Friendly: Big lack in organization and information.