Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 (Wii, 2008)

My family and I like this game. It is so much better than workout tapes where you are forced to stare at hard bodies and can't help but to compare yourself to them. This game you create your character and don't have to try to keep up with anyone. Really it is any skill level and you can go at your own pace! As you play you can unlock tips Jillian has for diet and exercise which is always helpful. Also it tracks your weight (with balance board) and your calories burned on a chart which is fun to see your improvement, can't get those with regular workout tapes. Plus my 7 year old son and I have been competing to see who can earn the most points on the games (workouts), the more you stick with it and work hard the higher the points. We are on our way to a more heathly lifestyle with this wii game!!
The only thing I could say that I dislike about the game is there is somewhat of a learning curve with the remotes. You can use two wii remotes or one remote and a nunchuck attached, and you have to place the remotes in the right place or the wii cannot pick up your movement. So the first time we used the game we were working alot harder than we had to. So before you begin to "workout" try each game first and get the movements of the remotes down. But after we figured that out we were having a good time.
Like I said before this style of working out has turned out to be the best. No gym and no workout tapes what more can I say!

I’m a detail person; just skip down to PRO/CON’s if you want quick.

OVERALL: Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 did not turn out to be as expected. This is better as a game with multiple levels of aerobic activity than a physical workout training session.

The JMFU2009 boasts if you have no time for the Gym-No problem! J. Michael’s challenges you w/ a fun yet intense workout of rigorous exercise routines. I found there are many activities that do get your heart pumping, but it's not like you are performing specialized fitness routines. I give this game 3 out of 5 stars because it does have some fun things, yet, it’s just not all it advertised.

The GAME: You will create an avatar. There are 4 different training activities: Weight loss, Intervals, Strength trainin, & Hill climb. Each one targets a different area of need. You can set the amount of training time from 5 to 60 minutes. Additionally, you can choose if you want a Light, Medium, or Hard training session. Option for custom workout & have the ability to choose your own 5 activities. It allows multi-player, but you will not be able to use the balance board. This limits the way the activities are performed. You also earn Fitness Tips as you complete different activities. The more time you spend the more tips you earn.

Games/Activities: Paint grenade toss, Cannon attack, Handcar pump, Tire Trail, Rowing, Monkey bars, Log jump, Log walk, Boxing, Punching bag dodge, and Running.

PROS/CONS:
Pro: Lots of variety in activities - you can do them with or without Wii balance board. Each activity is done a little differently depending on if the balance board is used or not.
Pro: Many of the activities if done correctly will really get your heart pumping.
Pro: Ability to use two controllers which gives you more mobility than the controller/nunchuck combo.
Pro/Con: some tips are useful; some are no brainers!
Pro/Con: ability to change the music; however, you can go forward or backward only one song at a time – what a nuisance.
Con: Difficult to figure out some features as the booklet that comes with it is not very detailed.
Con: Hard to find your way around initially, until you start playing with it.
Con: Not enough time given to read instructions about how to perform activity.
Con: Some of the movements, if they are supposed to replicate a sports movement, don’t seem to be very clear or clean in the action to get the avatar to move.
Con: Limited Avatar choices, limited changes to the avatars, limited clothing options, no hair choices.
Con: When trying to run with the controller/nunchuck combo, you feel limited because of the connection not being very long.
Con: Controller/nunchuck combo not very good when doing log walk you need to extend your arms –you cannot do this because the length on the cord is too short; unless you’re 6 years old.
Con: you can cheat the workout portion & just get the game to behave – thereby defeating the workout you should be getting

Overall, it seems to be more a fun game than a fitness challenge. If you are looking for correct movement – this really doesn’t help in that area. If you are trying to decide between JMFU2009 and the Wii-Fit – choose the Wii-Fit. If this is just something extra you want to add to have more variety, then I supposed it’s good for that. Everyone is different, and the features I don’t care for, perhaps someone else thinks are great. :)

I love Jillian, but this game is dark and slow to capture my movements. There are places I can be running full speed on my board and it barely moves my avatar. Most of the scenes are very dark and lack detail. The setting is very 'boot camp' which is what I thought I wanted, but compared to Wii Sports Resort, I realize I miss the lively color, sounds and other distractions.

What I DID love about this game is the ability to weigh yourself, make your avatar (Mii) in your own image, including the application of your weight! The digital weight was a shock for me, since I have not weighed myself in a very long time. It was a shock I definitely needed to experience. There are additional rewards as you go along and it does track your progress. My only problem is the motivation to get to that disc. I know that may sound super lazy, but consider that I could be playing table tennis with brightly colored people or jumping on waves in the water or any number of imaginative games out there. Jillian's designers need to brighten up the place, tighten the action, and keep all the great tracking tools and tips! I would buy it again, but I do use it less than other games.

Anita Nelson @ModelSupplies & DNAshopper

Overall this game sucks. When I used it for the first time it seemed to be what I needed (Being someone who hasn't exercised in about 11yrs.) As the training choices were good. A bit much, but doable. However, Everytime since I've tried to play the game, it only allows for Running in place, and one balance game. There's NO way to go back to get out of when it AUTOMATICALLY sets it to running into place. Have to choose Home on remote, then Reset program, which doesn't allow for saving data to memory card and again ends with same results. only TWO exercise games available, having to reset program or go to Wii Menu to get out of it, as it also twice locked up and stopped acknowledging the remote, RIGHT in the middle of a game. I wouldn't recommend this to ANYONE, as the supposed Tips, Nutrition Tips, and other features are all empty, There is NO instructions, information as to how to possibly add, etc. I consider this a BAD FINANCIAL Deal, I'm just having to write off and know can't get money back. As seller only allows for 7 days refund option and that isn't enough time to receive item, check it out and contact to return it. :-( BEWARE

This game was pretty glitchy in spots. I found myself getting very irritated especially during the paintball game. I would bend down and throw the paintball; so I thought...and it wouldn't throw it on the screen. I was getting exhausted just trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. Jullian's voice would come on and say "good job", but I didn't do anything on the screen. I thought that maybe the batteries were running low, but after I changed them, the same things would happen.
Controller/nunchuck combo not very good when doing log walk you need to extend your arms–you cannot do this because the length on the cord is too short; unless you are young or have shorter arms.
Overall, it seems to be more a fun game than a fitness challenge. If you are looking for correct movement – this really doesn’t help in that area. If you are trying to decide between JMFU2009 and the Wii-Fit – choose the Wii-Fit.
Some of the games/workouts were not too bad, but it seemed like I was putting more effort in to trying to get it to work properly.
I wanted a workout, but not the type that I was getting from this game. Wii fit & Wii fit plus are much more fun and I play them just about everyday.