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AP
Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Wii Fit, as he does a yoga pose as he demonstrates the game in New York.

The hot toy this year isn't a toy, it's an interactive exercise video for the Nintendo virtual game system called Nintendo Wii Fit.

It's basically a virtual personal trainer leading the woefully out of shape gently through yoga, strength training, aerobics, and balance drills and balance games, including ski jumping, tightrope walking, and snowboarding. A wired "balance board" senses your responses.

Couch potatoes like me can convince ourselves we'll segue from the slalom to yoga and not break a sweat. It has a better chance of getting me moving than the rows of robotic cyclers I glimpse driving past gyms with storefront windows. And I can do it at 3 a.m. in the privacy of my cozy cave.

Good luck finding one.

You can get the Nintendo Wii console hardware right now at Amazon for $249.99, with free shipping, for the usual click.

But the Wii Fit? It's a wasteland of scarcity out there.

Shacknews reports that Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime warned Forbes' Chris Morris:

"With Wii hardware, I think we've got a good shot at meeting demand during the holidays," he commented.

The Wii had its production ramped up following the 2007 holiday. This year, a 50% increase in Wii supply is anticipated, and Nintendo already met its promise of a 33% bump earlier this year.

Wii Fit, on the other hand, may be the sellout phenomenon this year. "With Wii Fit, I know we'll fall short. That's a product we have consumers lining up for each morning outside of our Nintendo World store [in New York City]."

Wii Fit Tracker sees it backordered or sold out at the major retailers, including Amazon. Circuit City seems to be the exception, but the site shows it's only for pickup, and it's not available at any stores in an unspecificied radius of my zip code.

Enter eBay. No longer a great source of cheap catalog returns, unrecognized treasures and dirt-cheap shipping, it has largely -- and deliberately -- morphed into a marketplace for virtual retail stores. There, Power Sellers gleefully offer thousands of Wii Fits -- brand new and fiercely bid -- at a premium. Ordinary eBay buyers have known to pay handsomely for the privilege of snagging an item at nearly any price rather than spend another night losing in the last seven seconds to automated bidding tools acting on behalf of sleeping bidders.

Buy WII Fits tracks eBay prices for Nintendo Wii Fit in realtime, if the eBay search results are overwhelming.

I wouldn't expect to pick one up Christmas Eve, if this is what someone on your list is planning to build all her New Year's resolutions around.

You might check out sites such as AuctionStealer or Auction Sniper, pick your price and wait for an auction the shopping horde has failed to bid up.

Good luck with all that.

 Tags  eBay hot games Nintendo shopping Wii Wii Fit

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4 Comments

Pamela Reinsel Cotter said:

Here's my take on Wii Fit, from a Fitness standpoint: http://fitnessblog.projo.com/2008/09/new-to-working.html

Link | November 19, 2008 11:17 AM
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Sheila Lennon said:

Tiny Pam, let's make clear you're no couch potato.
This is for the sluggish among us.

Link | November 19, 2008 12:23 PM
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Free Wii said:

I'm really sorry this is off topic, but how awesome does his house look? I want that seat! :p

Link | November 20, 2008 7:02 PM
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zooLert said:

We are providing up to the minute tracking information on where to get Wii Fits over here at :

http://www.zoolert.com/wiifit.php

Good luck!

Link | December 8, 2008 12:59 PM
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