The big deal is the announcement of Wii Fit, which utilizes the new wireless Wii Balance Board in a number of ways, including step aerobics, balance challenges, and more traditional Wii Sports-type games. Over 40 activities will be included on the Wii Fit disk, and Nintendo promises the board will be used in other games as well. Essentially, it takes the basic idea of Wii sports to the next level, getting gamers off the couch and active. Seems like another smart move by Nintendo, which continues to draw new and non-traditional gamers in by flipping the stereotypes about gaming upside down.

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Nintendo made a number of other announcements today as well. Here are some highlights:

First off the line is the Wii Zapper, a $20 housing for the Wiimote and nunchuck, which Nintendo touts as bringing a whole new level of control to the first-person shooter. Games in the pipeline to take advantage of the Zapper include Sega's Ghost Squad and EA's Medal of Honor: Vanguard. Oddly enough, a live demo of Metroid Prime 3 didn't make use of the Wii Zapper.

Some other Wii details announced today included a December 3 release date for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a Wii version of Mario Kart early next year, to be bundled with a Wii wheel controller, and a November 12 release date for Mario galaxy. Reggie enthusiastically calls the latter "the first worthy successor to Super Mario 64." With gameplay innovations like varying gravity and the ability to run upside down, he just may be right.

There are apparently a slew of new educational and training games in the works for the DS as well, including Brain Age 2, My Word Coach, and a "vision training" game called Flash Focus. This is all part of Nintendo's push to expand the gaming market. Though I somehow doubt the DS cookbook will make its way over from Japan.

The Wii is on track to be the most successful game system of the current generation; over six months past the release date, most retailers still can't keep the console in stock. And games like Brain Age and Wii Sports continue to make gamers out of people who never bothered to pick up a controller before. Wii Fit will likely draw in plenty more. Reggie wrapped up the event by saying he was happy, but not satisfied. "Minute by minute," said Reggie, "we intend to steal more of that [entertainment] time for video games." It looks likely that the company will continue to do just that. Nintendo of America's President also said "this is Nintendo's time to lead." Fans of fun, innovative games can only hope Sony and Microsoft will follow.

[Miyamoto Photo via MTV.com]

Post by Matt Safford