Sales of the game in Japan and Europe have been solid so far, so there's not much reason to think it will fare differently here in the U.S. Whether players here will use it as designed or figure out ways to beat the records without actually doing the exercises (i.e., waggling the remote to simulate running full speed while actually laying on the couch) remains to be seen, but I'm hopeful.

Important note: The game apparently requires a system update via the Internet before the game will play properly.  If you don't have your Wii online already, this may present a problem for you.

First impressions of the game are that it's fun and can give you a workout while entertaining at the same time. Of course, for the $95 and change that Wii Fit came to with tax, you could buy a hula hoop, free weights, and go running on your own and have money left over. But its ability to tell you when you're doing an excercise optimally, as well as track your weight and overall performance and keep you motivated give it value as both a statistician and a personal trainer as well. It's also great for people who can't or don't want to go outside for whatever reason. Can't make it to the gym before it closes? Your Wii is available any time you want it. Despite how well it does, I can't help but think it would have been an even bigger hit if released this past winter, when people were stuck inside scarfing holiday goodies, and getting ever more self-conscious about their weight. There's always this coming holiday season.

Will it become the must-have gaming item of 2008? Will it develop a one-to-one sell ratio with Wii systems? It's anyone's guess at this point, but very early indications are that the demand is roughly equal to the supply. Scalping has begun already on Amazon.com and Ebay.com, offering the game for a wide range of prices, up to several hundred dollars; fortunately, our retailer was limiting sales to one per customer to help prevent enabling scalpers. In any case, if you're interested in the game, you might want to get shopping.