Nintendo announces Euro dates for Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii

Wii owners who have been putting off their New Year's resolutions to get fit may finally run out of excuses in April. Nintendo announced today that European gamers will be able to buy Wii Fit, which comes bundled with the Wii Balance Board, from April 25, 2008.

The game is designed to provide a daily fitness programme based around four categories--aerobic exercises, muscle workouts, yoga, and balance games--that contain over 40 individual activities. Up to eight people can track their progress within the software on a single console. It has already sold one million copies in Japan, and you can find out more about the activities in GameSpot's hands-on preview.

The application also adds the Wii Fit Channel to the Wii Menu. Nintendo says that once this is installed, users do not have to insert the disc in order to complete basic tasks such as using the balance board to calculate their Wii Fit Age.

Nintendo has also announced the European launch date for Mario Kart Wii. The game, which will be released in Japan on April 10, will be available throughout the continent the day after on April 11, at the estimated retail price of £39.99 (around $80) for the UK. The game adds 16 new tracks as well as a variety of new vehicles, including bikes. For more information on Mario Kart Wii, see GameSpot's recent preview.

Mario Kart Wii will also include the Mario Kart Channel, which will let players check their ranking from online racing against others, as well as sharing and accessing ghost data. Nintendo says that the channel will open up "a host of new online features," which include "special worldwide events organised by Nintendo." The game will come bundled with a new accessory, the Wii Wheel, but will also support the Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Classic, and GameCube controllers.