US/Euro Wii Fit will weigh your pet

By Tom Bramwell Published 25 April, 2008

Watch out, hamsters.

The US and European versions of Wii Fit allow players to weigh their pets as well as themselves, according to Shigeru Miyamoto's translator Bill Trinen.

Speaking to Newsweek, Trinen said that Miyamoto had wanted to include that mode anyway, but wasn't able to do it in Japan.

"Players will receive a message informing them that if they weigh themselves while holding their pets, then weigh themselves again separately and subtract the two, the difference will tell them how much their pet weighs," Newsweek says.

The US version of Wii Fit is out on 19th May, whereas the European one is out today. So is this pet stuff in the European one? We asked Ellie, who reviewed it and has played it about a dozen times since then, and she says it's never popped up.

Then we spoke to Nintendo, who said that it is in fact true of the European version as well, and that details can be found buried away in the manual.

Since Wii Fit is out today, why not read our Wii Fit review, or watch Ellie playing Wii Fit in a variety of outfits. It's fine, she volunteered.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (16) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ChrisOTR #1 4 years ago

    It doesn't have to be a pet you... Drop off... Between weighings...

  • mcmothercruncher #2 4 years ago

    "Players will receive a message informing them that if they weigh themselves while holding their pets, then weigh themselves again separately and subtract the two, the difference will tell them how much their pet weighs,"

    Jesus, you really have to walk Americans through life, step by step eh?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #3 4 years ago

    Or you could, you know, just do it on a set of fucking scales.

  • Killerbee #4 4 years ago

    "Players will receive a message informing them that if they weigh themselves while holding their pets, then weigh themselves again separately and subtract the two, the difference will tell them how much their pet weighs,"

    Wow! You know, I reckon this could have practical applications for any item, not just pets. Like, if I wanted to, say, measure 400g of flour out to make a loaf of bread, I could weigh myself with the flour; then weigh myself, subtract the two et voila! Incredible! How did no one think of this before!?

  • the_dudefather #5 4 years ago

    durr hurr I bet wii fit will break in ammerika because them yanks is real fat amirite?

  • sickpuppysoftware #6 4 years ago

    Who weighs their pet anyway? I had a dog for over 15 years without once wanting to know how much he weighed.

    Good luck to the owners of dobermans.

  • mossychops001 #7 4 years ago

    Weigh this!

  • neilka #8 4 years ago

    We can only pray that someday, someday, a 360 or PS3 game will arrive to tell us how to subtract one number from another.

    Until that day, thank fuck we have the Wii.

  • Eighthours #9 4 years ago

    This isn't a mode at all, though. The message comes up, but even if that message didn't exist, you could do it anyway. There's no separate screen or anything for it.

    Talk about scraping the barrel!

  • Headache #10 4 years ago

    I can't help thinking it would be much more fun to use this to weigh other things, maybe younger siblings or relatives, parcels or drugs.

  • defdaz #11 4 years ago

    Man, I so have to get a Wii. Not. :(

  • mossychops001 #12 4 years ago

    Tried to weigh my gold fish this morning, now he's dead. Thanks Nintendo

  • cak #13 4 years ago

    Yes it's in the manual, page 23, although the explanation raises some doubts. The manual states that the pet must weigh at least 3kg, otherwise the difference in measurement will be interpreted as a normal fluctuation in the weight of the player.
    Now, to be honest all electronic scales ignore small difference in weight between a measurement and the other, but that's usually something under 1kg. Nintendo doesn't seem to rely too much on the precision of their new kit....
    I wonder if it's good enough to weigh this:
    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=JkMZqhfQmac

  • BobsUncle #14 4 years ago

    What if I own an Elephant?

  • tap #15 4 years ago

    Complete non-story as per from EG. Probably a mis-translation as usual.

    Still, helps me fill my ignore list!

    Anyway, been playing all morning and it's a lovely bit of kit - fucking knackered.

    Should help with stamina for the upcoming marathon GTA IV sessions :)

  • Nikanoru #16 4 years ago

    LOL HI GUISE, THIS IS A MINUSCULE BUT TOTALLY USELESS FEATURE THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE A SARCASTIC COMMENT ABOUT TO MAKE IT SEEM AS IF IT INVALIDATES WII FIT AND, IN FACT, THE WII AS A PLATFORM IN ITS ENTIRETY. IS THAT ALRIGHT WITH YOU? IF NOT, I'M GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY BECAUSE, WELL, IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER OK?