Next week, the video game producer will unveil its latest product aimed mostly at women, the Wii Fit, as part of its strategy to vastly broaden the world of gaming. Marketing to women has helped Nintendo defy industry expectations and garner blockbuster sales, soaring profits, and an audience of loyalists along the way including senior citizens, teen girls, and working moms.

"Nintendo noticed prior to 2006 was that the amount of people who were participating in the video-game market over time was actually shrinking," said Matt Ryan, spokesman at Nintendo of Canada Ltd. "[Chief executive] Satoru Iwata and his team decided they needed to do something if they were to stay vital."

I can't wait to get into shape! Now I just need cheat codes for this Wii so I don't have to work out as much.