10 Fitness Video Games: Healthy Gifts for Christmas

One of the hottest video game trends today is "exergaming" - using a video game to exercise. Fitness-related video games vary in intensity, some have you barely breaking a sweat, while other fitness video games will have you dripping wet and headed for the shower after an hour of game play. Here's a closer look at 10 fitness related video games.

Fitness Video Games: My Fitness Coach - Nintendo Wii
Price: $19.49
If you've ever wanted a personal trainer working side-by-side with you on every workout, check out My Fitness Coach for the Nintendo Wii. Maya, your personal coach shows you the correct form and asks you how you felt after each exercise, and then the game adjusts accordingly. This game includes 500 different exercises, so you'll always be able to change up your routine. As an avid runner and fitness buff, this is my favorite game.

Fitness Video Games: Dance Dance Revolution
Price: Varies
Once only available at arcades, Dance Dance Revolution is now available for your home gaming console. If you're not familiar with Dance Dance Revolution ("DDR"), it's like Guitar Hero, except with fancy footwork. The downside to this is that there's an extremely high learning curve, so if you get frustrated easily, this might not be the best choice. Although it's no substitute for a good run on the treadmill, this game will keep your heart rate up!

Fitness Video Games: Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board
Price $99
This is the standard in fitness video games, and if you have the Wii, the Wii Fit is a must. If you think you can't get a good workout using a Wii, think again! This "game" will push you to your limits and track your progress, all in a fun video-game style format. This particular link includes the balance board, so if you already have the balance board, the game price drops to only about $20.

Fitness Video Games: Gold's Gym Cardio Workout
Price: $29.99
This is the real deal - after playing for an hour, you'll be wiped out, ready for a shower and a nap. This game keeps track of your progress including calories burned and automatically adjusts intensity to match your fitness level. It also includes a 1-week trial membership pass for a "real" Gold's Gym!

Fitness Video Games: Fitness Dash
Price: $6.99
This is not an "exergame" - it's a traditional video game. This is a fitness center simulation game, similar to Diner Dash and Cake Mania. In this game, you play "Jo", an owner of a local gym, trying to get Diner Town's residents back in shape for the Tug of War competition. This game has 50 levels of fitness action, many upgrades, wacky customers, and an exciting tug of war mini-game . This game is available for the PC as a download.

Fitness Video Games: Walk it Out
Price: $27.99
During the winter months, it gets too cold to walk outside. If you don't own a treadmill or a gym membership, it can be difficult to maintain your walking routine. That's where Walk It Out for the Wii comes in! 120 unlockable music tracks are available, along with mini-games.

Fitness Video Games: We Cheer
Price: $29.99
If you find yourself daydreaming of being a cast member of Bring It On, then We Cheer is the fitness video game for you! You'll use your entire body to learn choreographed cheer and dance routines. You'll be spinning, jumping, kicking, and cheering all night long. In-game music features songs from Hilary Duff, Boys Like Girls, Moby, and Donna Summer. It's an incredibly addicting game and you'll get a great workout (especially your arms! Mine were killing me after only playing for an hour!) Plus, you'll improve your coordination and dance skills and learn some moves to show off in the club.

Fitness Video Games: Celebrity Sports Showdown
Price: $30
This Wii game allows you to play as a celebrity - Leann Rimes, Fergie, and Kristi Yamaguchi, just to name a few-in several different sports matches. Events such as beach volleyball, curling, and wild water canoeing will have you up off the coach and getting sweaty. Not only is this great exercise, it's also makes an excellent party game.

Fitness Video Games: Quick Yoga Training for Nintendo DS
Price: $15.79
This is an excellent video game to learn new yoga poses. 180 different yoga poses are in this game, ranging from beginner to advanced. Best of all this game has voice navigation, so you can practice yoga hands-free while using this game.

Fitness Video Games: Active Life Extreme Challenge with Mat
Price: $60
15 different, wicked-cool activities are featured in this game, including street luge, sky diving, and kite boarding. This game will challenge you and burn a lot of calories. Game play gets absolutely intense, even for someone like me who runs 60+ miles a week! It's almost like a workout dvd, but it's fun and interactive. Kids will love this game! You can also purchase this game without the mat, if you already own Active Life Outdoor challenge.