Wii Fit Plus

We've proven to ourselves that the Wii Fit can help you shed pounds, but according to the American Heart Association, the gaming console can be good for your health in more ways than one. Both the American Heart Association and Nintendo announced their partnership today in NYC, which will bring about a new AHA-branded Wii console box, and an endorsement for Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, and Wii Sports Resort (coming bundled with the new black Wii), which enhance the active play initiative founded by the Heart Association.

According to the AHA, the Wii console promotes movement and activity among kids and adults alike — 60 minutes of activity a day is recommended — which makes this partnership kind of a no-brainer. Exercise and gaming? Everyone can get in on that, right? You'll begin seeing the AHA label on the console's box, and new products focusing on health will likely be released in the near future.

Have you given up your Wii Fit, or are you still keeping active with it?

Confession: I love playing video games — I especially love them on the Wii because I get to move, jump, and shake myself into a tizzy. Three fitness games were released for the Wii this last week and even though it's not like doing the real deal outside, the games are a fun way to burn calories and whip your bod into shape.

Nintendo Wii Fit Plus ($20)  Wii Fit Plus is Nintendo's follow-up to the popular Wii Fit. There are new exercises, balance board games, and strength and yoga activities, as well as targeted exercise routines for things like reducing tummy fat and toning your figure. A great improvement is the addition of a calorie counter — after you complete each exercise the game tells you how many calories you've burned.

To hear about the other two games, continue reading.

Earlier this month, Nintendo announced the latest addition to its empire — the next version of Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus. With new features including a wider selection of exercises, yoga activities fun balance board games, as well as more customization options, Wii Fit Plus is all about getting fit while having fun. I had the chance to check out the $20 game last week ($100 in a bundle with the balance board), and they've certainly made some huge improvements since the original Wii Fit exercise program. I can't wait to test it out at home to see how it compares to our 30-Day Wii Fit Challenge and the EA Sports Active 30-Day Challenge.

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