Ubisoft steps up to My Weight Loss Coach

Of the two current Nintendo video game machines, the Wii is the most well known for attempting to keep gamers fit. First, there was Wii Sports, which comes bundled with the console (unless you live in Japan), and next will be the upcoming Wii Fit, which will come with a balance board to chart gamers' progress. Third-party publishers also have a bevy of similar fitness-themed titles in the works, including Namco Bandai's Active Life: Athletic World (working title).

Now, the DS is getting in on the weight-watching action, thanks to Ubisoft, which has announced My Health Coach: Weight Management (known as My Weight Loss Coach in the US). The game is being developed by Ubisoft Montreal and is due for release in both territories this summer.

My Health Coach's unique selling point is that it will come with a pedometer, which will count the steps players walk every day. The pedometer slots into the DS and downloads the day's total. It will then let gamers know how far they've travelled and when they've, for example, walked the equivalent of the Great Wall of China.

The game is designed to be played for around 10 to 15 minutes every day. According to today's statement, "Instead of putting you under pressure and setting you distant objectives, it is a fun, short, and rewarding method to help you and guide you, step by step, to a healthier, more balanced lifestyle."