So, you think the Wii's Balance Board is a new invention and totally original? Think again. Water Cooler Games pointed out that the Board is similar to Atari's Joyboard that was released in 1982. Of course the technology wasn't as good and the Joyboard only supported one game but it is in essence the same.

As for exercise on the Joyboard, it didn't have the success or longevity to support such ideas. However, as a part of my combined interest in physical/exercise games and the Atari, I have created a zen meditation game that you play on the Atari VCS with a Joyboard, called Guru Meditation. The game is designed to be played by sitting cross-legged on the joyboard. The player must situate themselves perfectly still on the device, legs crossed, on the floor. A yogi will slowly rise if the player is properly situated. Time passes, zen ensues. You can read more about it over at my personal website.

My point is not that Nintendo has "stolen" the idea of a balance board from Amiga, nor that their revisions are unimportant. Rather, I want to suggest that product like Wii Fit don't come out of a vacuum. Fit evolved from decades of experimentation in physical interfaces and creative game design. Game players and critics alike would do well to learn some history about their medium to help make sense of new entries like this one.

Synergized via watercoolergames.org »