As found in NPD Group Inc.’s videogame sales data for April, Nintendo Co.'s Wii surprisingly outsold Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 combined. While Wii recorded 714,000 sold units, the Xbox 360 had 188,000 and the Playstation 3, 187,000.

As Take-Two Interactive Inc. launched its Grand Theft Auto IV on April 27, it was a bit too late for it to positively influence sales. For May however, it will probably be an entirely different situation.

With 1.1 million copies sold, Wii’s great April success was Mario Kart Wii. It was a hit in the UK as well, Mario Kart Wii becoming the eighth fastest selling game and in Japan, the blockbuster release managed to sell nearly 600,000 copies in only one week, clearly dominating the sales charts.

Nintendo Co. has another ace up its sleeve, the Wii Fit. The $89.99 title uses the Body Mass Index (BMI) in order to monitor the player’s daily progress toward a healthier lifestyle. The BMI is in fact a standard measure of body fat approved by the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health. Activities that can be performed on Wii, while instructed by one of the two virtual trainers, include balance games, yoga, aerobics, strength training, and muscle-toning exercises.