Wii Fit set for April release in Europe

Nintendo has announced that it will be launching its much-anticipated physical action title Wii Fit on April 25 in Europe.

The title has sold almost 1.5 million units in Japan since it was released there in November last year, and with the rising level of mainstream interest in the Nintendo console, it's gathered a lot of attention in the West.

But according to reports, the US release date for the title has been set at May 19, almost a month after the European release date.

Availability of hardware and software in the US usually precedes Europe, so many will see the relative release dates as something of a surprise.

Nintendo told GamesIndustry.biz that there was no special reasoning behind the move, just that "Nintendo has just decided to release Wii Fit in Europe first."

In a separate announcement Mario Kart for the Wii will be released in Europe on April 11, and come bundled with a new peripheral - the Wii Wheel - priced at GBP 39.99.