Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009

Probably best known for her work as a trainer on TV's The Biggest Loser, fitness expert Jillian Michaels is the featured instructor in this exercise video game for the Nintendo Wii, which uses the Wii remote and nunchuck (or the Wii Fit balance board). Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 adopts a bootcamp-style setting for training in four types of workouts: weight loss, strength training, intervals, and hill climb. After creating a customizable character, viewers can vary workout length and intensity in this game that incorporates off-the-beaten-exercise-track activities such as log walk balancing, the handcar pump, and a hand grenade toss, together with more traditional running, rowing, and boxing exercises, all backed by music ranging from country to dance to rock. Featuring multiplayer contest challenges, and tips on fitness and diet (as well as graphs to help gamers keep track of their progress), the game unfortunately sports a couple of serious flaws. The balance board doesn't work as smoothly as it does with the original Wii Fit game, and many of the activities are awkward even using the remote and nunchuck. Overall, viewers would be better off picking up one of Michaels' instructional DVDs instead. Not recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)