GENRE
	Fitness
	DEVELOPER
	Webfoot
	PUBLISHER
	THQ
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	No
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

Nintendojo was provided a copy of this game for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation. For every review, Nintendojo uses a standard scoring criteria.

The Biggest Loser for Nintendo DS isn’t really much of a game; instead, it's more of an all-in-one guide for weight loss. Of course, like any other weight loss plan, The Biggest Loser has its fair share of faults, but it also has an assortment of useful tools for those looking to shed a few pounds. But gamers should be warned, there is not much that most would actually qualify as gameplay.

After starting The Biggest Loser, the player is asked to enter their current weight, height, and target weight, and from there they are introduced to the main screen that links together the major elements of the game. Altogether this consists of a calendar for setting up a regiment and entering daily progress, a variety of exercises, a food guide with recipes and calorie counters, and charts to track progress towards the target weight. The exercises and food guides are the most important elements of the The Biggest Loser, and while the game might at first seem a bit anemic, these two options actually have quite a bit to offer.

The exercises are split up into several categories, including warm-ups, upper body, lower body, core, cardiovascular, and cool downs. Right from the start there are several routines that cover all the categories or are specifically targeted to one. Thankfully, there is also the option to create new routines where the time and intensity of the exercises can be customized. Completing a routine adds up the calories burned and puts on the calendar.

The other data that finds its way onto the calendar is the number of calories consumed. The food guide has a handy calorie guide that will cover most of the basses for typical cuisine and even has a decent selection of restaurant items from large chains; though a few notable businesses, like McDonald's, are absent and more times than not the lists only cover the healthier items on the menu. Overall the calorie counter isn’t quite as thorough as some books on the market, but it is very easy to navigate. A nice addition is a decent cookbook with enough options to give the dieter plenty of variety for a few months.

Unfortunately, a few problems really do throw a wrench in the experience. First and foremost are the problems with the exercises; the only real instructions for them are poorly animated images of the show’s trainers doing them and proper form is absolutely vital to maximize a workout and prevent injury. Also, the entire game is really working on the honor system. Unlike the Wii version, which has access to the Wii Remote and Balance Board for input, the DS game makes the assumption that the player is doing the workouts properly and for the allotted time. However, anyone considering the purchase of the game should weigh in the portability of the DS version when deciding whether or not it is worth the buy.

Less important to dieters and more important to the gamers of the world is The Biggest Loser’s presentation, which is laughably bad. The aforementioned pictures of the trainers aren’t just poorly animated, they are quite low res and done in a style quite devoid of detail-– the end result barely resembles the actual people. The menus don’t help the aesthetics one bit either; they are easy to use but are also incredibly bland and basic. Probably the worst thing about the whole experience is the audio, most of the menus have the same annoying tune playing over them and the little bits of dialogue from the show that are thrown in might please and inspire hardcore fans but will surely annoy everybody else.

The Biggest Loser does also have a DSi-exclusive feature. Using the DSi camera, the gamer can put their face on the bodies of past contestants of the show. It’s hard to imagine anybody actually using this feature, much let alone enjoying it.

The Biggest Loser is a very poor game; the presentation is pathetic and there is no real interactivity to keep gamers interested. However, this really isn’t a game and it would be unfair to simply dismiss it because it doesn’t adhere to the standards of people who probably never had any intentions of buying it. The Biggest Loser is a solid weight loss companion with enough tools to potentially be effective, and enough nods to the source material to please fans of the show. Like all weight loss plans, though, success or failure is ultimately decided by the participant.

7.0/10