E3 '07: Wii getting Fit

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--Nintendo fans have already been using Wii Sports as part of their fitness routines, and clubs like the YMCA have been running Wii Sports tournaments--now the Wii will be getting a dedicated fitness game, Wii Fit, along with a new peripheral called the Wii Balance Board.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime announced the news as part of Nintendo's press briefing this morning at the E3 News & Media Summit. The president showed Wii Fit as the last game of the conference, along with the new Wii Balance Board, essentially a pad that sits on the floor.

There will be four different exercise types covered in the game: Aerobics, Muscle Conditioning, Yoga, and Balance Activities. The Wii Balance Board can also calculate a person's body-mass index, and players can track their fitness progress over weeks and months.

One exercise asks players to stand on the pad and balance their weight between their feet within a specific zone. Other exercises using the pad include push-ups, various stretches, and using hula hoops. Another game asked the player to head away incoming soccer balls; the Balance Board can determine which way players' heads are tilted from how they balance their weight on the pad.

At the Nintendo conference, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto said Wii Fit was the one game he wanted to introduce at E3 this year. He told members of the audience that when Nintendo designers were first thinking up the concept for the Wii, they wanted it to be relevant to everyone in the household, and provide opportunities for everyone in the household to interact with games.

For more of Nintendo's E3 conference, check out GameSpot's live blog of the event.