25th October Added the forthcoming WiiWare game 'Overturn' to my Balance Board Games Table

21st October Added the release date of 24th October for 'Tetris Party' to my Balance Board Games Table

20th October, 2nd update Added new WiiWare title 'The Incredible Maze' to my Balance Board Games Table - the game isn't yet out in the UK, but is available in America and of course supports the Wii Balance Board.

20th October Sorry to say that Amazon France are no longer shipping Wii Fit to the UK, so please use the alternatives of Amazon Germany or buecher.de who still are (for now at least). Full instructions below in the 'Wii fit stock checkers' area.

19th October Updated my Balance Board Games Table with some further info on 'Vertigo'

14th October Added a couple more Wii and Wii Fit stock checker sites to the stock checkers areas below.

11th October Both Amazon in France and Germany have Wii Fit back in stock. See the Wii Fit stock checkers area below for detailed ordering instructions.

9th October, 2nd update Updated my Balance Board Games Table with some links to new screenshots and videos for the 2009 game 'We Ski World: Ski and Snowboard'.

9th October Once again I must apologise for the lack of updates - 'normal' life has been taking a precedence of late I'm afraid! Anyhow, less of my woes ....... Wii Fit stock levels aren't much improved; sometimes Amazon UK and various other online and high street stores get some in and promptly sell them, they're still fairly hard to find non-bundled in the High Street, and the best, easiest option is currently to buy from the fast and reliable buecher.de in Germany as Amazon in France and Germany are out of stock! If you haven't already it's worth taking a look at my Wii Fit Buying Guide which should help in your search, or Click here for instructions on how to order from buecher.de

4th October Apologies for the lack of updates but there really hasn't been that much to report on of late. Wii Fit is a bit easier to find and there's not been any updated news on games that support the Balance Board. I have though updated my Balance Board Games Table with a link to 'Skate It' at Amazon.

1st October, 2nd update Added a forthcoming French game to my Balance Board Games Table - the game is called 'Koh-Lanta' and is the French version of the TV series Survivor. Why am I adding a French game? Well, it's a European game so will work on the UK Wii, but in French of course as it hasn't been regionalised for the English language. An English version may appear one day, but there's no official word on that. Still, some people who like Survivor and similar TV series may find this appealing (if they can speak French .....).

1st October The forthcoming 'Kororinpa 2' has had a name change to 'Marble Saga: Kororinpa' - head on over to my Balance Board Games Table for some new screenshots.

30th September, 2nd update Amended my Balance Board Games Table so it links to some much nicer screenshots of 'Family Ski: World Ski & Snowboard' - I really do like the look of this game, especially as it's a follow-up to the rather excellent 'Family Ski'.

30th September Apologies for the lack of updates over the past few days - simply put, there hasn't been anything exciting to write about. I guess it's kind of the calm before the Christmas Shopping Storm really begins in October. Wii Fit is a bit easier to find online and in the high street right now (usually in bundles) - whether this is just a temporary upward blip in UK stock levels is impossible to say, but I would be surprised if it didn't become hard to find again in the coming weeks as people ramp up their shopping.

27th September, 2nd update Just a quick reminder that 'G1 Jockey Wii 2008' was released yesterday (how could I have forgotten such a momentous release ......... !) so if this kind of game interests you then feel free to head on over to my Balance Board Games Table where you will find links to the website for the game, videos, screenshots plus a link to Amazon UK (should you be tempted to purchase a copy).

27th September Argos are once again out of stock of Wii Fit after selling them for a few hours yesterday.

26th September, 3rd update In a moment of inventive madness, I decided to write a short article on What the Wii Balance board really needs. Take a look if you dare.

26th September, 2nd update It seems to be a time for announcing release dates - 'All Star Cheer Squad', 'Skate It' and 'Babysitting Party' have been updated and I've added the new dates to my Balance Board Games Table

26th September The first Balance Board-supporting game 'Family Ski (We Ski)' is due a sequel in the guise of 'Family Ski: World Ski & Snowboard' - the release is scheduled for November in Japan, no sign as yet of any European release date. I've added it to my Balance Board Games Table and also added the now announced European release date of 14th November for 'Wii Music'! Argos now have Wii Fit in stock for home delivery - Click here to see if they still have some left.

25th September Well, yesterday's Wii Fit stock at Argos didn't last long as they have now sold out, but they must have had a pretty large delivery as it did last for a few hours (unlike Amazon's stock which usually runs out within minutes). Of course, that could be down to other factors, such as less people checking Argos for home delivery of Wii Fit. So the shortage continues and it's back to hunting the local high street stores, online shops and buying from the ever reliable Amazon France and Amazon Germany. If you're stuck and frustrated, try my Guide on How to find Wii Fit in the UK

24th September Argos now have Wii Fit in stock for home delivery - Click here to see if they still have some in stock.

23rd September Some more changes to my Balance Board Games Table - added some more screenshots for 'Hula Wii' and also changed the name of 'Sophie's Friends: Fashion Show' (previously known as 'Imagine Fashion Party') to 'Imagine Fashion Idol'. I do wish Ubisoft would make up their minds as to what they are going to call this game!

22nd September, 2nd update Added some new screenshots from 'Sophie's Friends: Fashion Show' (previously known as Imagine Fashion Party) to my Balance Board Games Table (the screenshots are from the Australian version of the game, known as Imagine Fashion Idol).

22nd September Just a reminder that a few days ago I created what I hope is a very comprehensive guide to finding Wii Fit in the UK. Click here to take a look if you haven't already.

21st September Added some new screenshots from 'Sophie's Friends: Fashion Show' (previously known as Imagine Fashion Party) to my Balance Board Games Table (the screenshots are from the Italian version of the game).

20th September Sorry for the lack of updates today! Anyhow, have made another update to my Balance Board Games Table with a new video for 'Shaun White Snowboarding'.

19th September I've updated my Balance Board Games Table with an amended game title - the game previously known as 'Imagine Fashion Party' is to be released in Europe as 'Sophie's Friends: Fashion Show'. And no, I have no idea who Sophie is either. Also added a new video for 'Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009'.

18th September, 2nd update I've created what I hope is a very comprehensive guide to finding Wii Fit in the UK. Click here to take a look. I hope that it's helpful.

18th September This site continues to update it's list of YouTube videos featuring daily releases of the various instruments which can be used in the soon-to-be-released Wii Balance Board-supporting game Wii Music.

17th September As you've no doubt noticed, there are very few games currently available which support the Wii Balance Board - there are a good selection in the pipeline but what can you buy now? Well, there's Family Ski are, er, well - that's it! I decided to splash out on Family Ski a few days ago and surprised myself by not only enjoying it, but really loving it. It's one of those games that doesn't go overboard with the graphics, but it does have masses of gameplaying fun and charm. If you're looking for another game to play with your Wii Balance Board (you can also play it if you don't yet have Wii Fit) then I say give it a try.

15th September, 3rd update Another new game featuring Wii Balance Board support has been announced - it's called Vertigo and it's being released in the 4th quarter 2008 by PlayLogic. It's a combination of things - precision control, puzzle solving and racing. From the description and screenshots it looks intriguing and the use of the Balance Board should add to the ubiquitous 'fun factor'. I've added it to my Balance Board Games Table so feel free to have a look there for links to the official page for the game along with some nice screenshots.

15th September, 2nd update I've now edited my instructions on ordering Wii Fit from Amazon Germany and included some screenshots - I hope this will help people a little bit more. Click here to take a look at the enhanced page.

15th September On casting my eyes around the various sites it still seems to be the case that the standalone Wii Fit package in the UK is about as rare as the proverbial hen's teeth. Bundles unfortunately seem to be the order of the day and aren't too hard to find, that is if you don't mind paying over the odds for items which you probably don't really want. It still seems that the easiest way to obtain a standalone Wii Fit for the recommended retail price is to order from Amazon in Germany or France (or German retailer buecher.de) - full instructions in the Wii Fit stock checkers area below.

14th September I've made the instructions on how to order Wii Fit from Amazon France somewhat easier to read and understand by adding some relevant screenshots. I intend to do the same to the other instructions too. Click here to take a look at the enhanced page.

13th September, 2nd update Have updated my Balance Board Games Table again with new videos for the forthcoming Balance Board-supporting games 'Skate It' and 'G1 Jockey Wii 2008'

13th September A new game trailer has been released for the forthcoming WiiWare title 'Tetris Party' (with Wii Balance Board support). Take a look here or wander over to my Balance Board Games Table for a link to assorted info plus the YouTube video (which, by the way, is for the Japanese market so has Japanese onscreen text - but hey, it's Tetris, so it's pretty simply to understand!).

12th September Regarding ordering Wii Fit from Amazon France (and sometimes Amazon Germany) - I've documented this in my ordering instructions, but it's worth re-iterating here: if you go to the Amazon France page for Wii Fit and see that the price has apparently gone up to over 100 Euros, then look a few lines below that and you should see a lower price of about 88 Euros. Click on the link '9 neufs et d'occasion' (the '9' may be another number) and you SHOULD see that the cheap price is for a Wii Fit as sold by Amazon France (you'll see the amazon.fr logo on the same line). If those criteria are met then you can be sure of ordering from Amazon France at the correct price, and not from one of their marketplace sellers.

11th September, 4th update Another forthcoming game has been confirmed to support the Wii Balance Board - 'Skate City Heroes', a skateboarding game with a twist. Take a look at my Balance Board Games Table to find some relevant game links and info.

11th September, 3rd update Some boxart for the forthcoming Balance Board-supporting 'Wii Music' has surfaced; it's for the North American version but is also highly likely to be the same for the UK release. Click here to take a look.

11th September, 2nd update It's competition time! My graphics skills are lousy (I didn't design this site, someone more talented did) and I want to prepare a Christmas-themed header for the site, so it seems like a good idea to throw the doors open and see if you can design something suitably Christmassy (snow, ice, Father Christmas, a robin, whatever!). The prize? My opened but barely used copy of Endless Ocean for the Wii (the prize is non negotiable). Click here to go to the header which you will need to right click on and download. I reserve the right not to use any of the entries if I don't consider them suitable, but if there is one that I really like then that person will win Endless Ocean. When editing the header, please bear in mind that the text The UK's Wii console and Wii peripherals stock checking portal will be added to it by me when I upload it to this site (ie as it's displayed in the current header). Please also try and keep the existing graphics (and colour scheme) in the header and just add to them. When you have finished your creation, please let me know via this Contact form and I will then let you know how to send your entry to me. Good luck!

11th September So far nothing exciting to write about today on the Wii Fit front, plus the dearth of High Street stock sightings continues as it seems that few stores are receiving deliveries now. However, I have slightly amended the instructions (linked in the Wii Fit stock checkers section below) regarding ordering Wii Fit from Amazon in France or Germany. You see, didn't I tell you there was nothing exciting to write about?

10th September, 3rd update I've just made a few changes to the site, so if you think that the font size for the headers for the various sections has suddenly increased then don't worry, you're not going mad, I've made them bigger to increase clarity and to help visitors to navigate around the site sections a bit easier. I hope you like it. If not, please use the form in the Contact Us area to let me know.

10th September, 2nd update This site continues to update its very useful list of Japanese YouTube videos of instruments that can be 'played' with Wii Music (which supports the Wii Balance Board for some instruments). Instrument 13 caused a bit of an uproar among Nintendo fans as it's the sound of a dog barking. You've got to admit that it's unusual, to say the least ........

10th September Amazon France are running low on stock of Wii Fit (must be all the UK residents buying them !) - a note on their Wii Fit page basically says that the stock is low yet they are doing their best to replenish it. I just hope that they don't stop shipping Wii fit to the UK like they did with the Wii last year. If they do then let's hope Amazon Germany don't do the same, but if that does happen there is always buecher.de to order from, assuming that they also don't run out of stock ........ !

9th September, 3rd update I've shuffled a couple of things around on the site - the link area to the Balance Board compatible games table has been shifted to the left, under the Wii Consoles box. Also, it was getting a bit silly having to add the same old sites to the High Street Stock Sightings area, seeing as Smyths, Argos and even HMV are worth checking regularly - as a result of this I've put a new, permanent box under that section titled 'Stores worth checking daily' so the main stock sightings area can be used solely for 'temporary' sightings, ie high street stock that is likely to vanish within hours, if not minutes.

9th September, 2nd update Some screenshots have been released for forthcoming Wii Balance Board-supporting titles 'RTL Winter Sports 2009' and 'RTL Biathlon 2009'. Click here to go to my Balance Board Games Table and click on the Screenshot links for the relevant game to take a look.

9th September From looking at Wii Fit stock levels over the past few weeks it appears that it's getting even harder to find the normal Wii Fit package online and on the high street; instead many of the retailers that have Wii Fit are only selling it as part of a bundle, sometimes a rather expensive one, so if you're really desperate you end up buying games and accessories that you might not have otherwise purchased. This is of course always the case with popular but hard to find products of all descriptions and it happened a lot with the Wii in the run up to Christmas last year. So if you're still hunting for that elusive Wii Fit at the RRP of £69.99 what's the best way to find one? By far the easiest and most hassle-free option is to buy one from Amazon in France or Germany (or buecher.de in Germany) - you'll often receive it within two to three weeks and at least you'll know that you're definitely getting one. The price (including shipping) is only about six Pounds more than the UK RRP. I have provided full ordering instructions in the Wii Fit area below. If you are set on buying one within the UK then phone your local Argos on a regular basis (also try using the number provided in the Stock Sightings area), keep an eye on the automated stock checkers (I provide links to the major ones below), check if there is a branch of Smyths Toys near you and see if they have any in stock (web site link in the High Street Stock Sightings area to the right). Also phone your local electrical and game retailers (first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening are both good times to call that improve your chances). And there is of course always Ebay, BUT for a standard Wii Fit package you will be looking to pay about £90 to £100 on average - the price has been slowly creeping up of late and is likely to go up even more over the next few weeks. Other than all that, please keep checking this site - I'll always provide information on any 'bargains' that I hear about (such as the 'hidden' play.com ordering option the other day, sadly now sold out) and will of course update the High Street Stock Sightings area for the normal Wii Fit package. Good luck!

8th September I'm not in the habit of repeating old news items, but seeing as a few people have asked me about batteries for the Wii Balance Board I think it's worth repeating the following bit of info from a few weeks ago: One problem with the Wii Remote and the Wii Fit balance board is that they appear to eat AA batteries for a living. Rechargeable batteries or rechargeable battery packs are therefore a great solution, but normal NiMH rechargeables lose their charge pretty quickly when not in use. Now there is a far better alternative, Eneloop batteries from Sanyo - these are not only sold pre-charged (unlike normal rechargeables) but also hold their charge much longer when not in use. They can also be charged with a standard NiMH battery charger. Depending on what they are used in, Eneloop batteries can also last up to a year between charges. Seems like a very good 'green' investment to me.

7th September, 3rd update at 5pm Amazon UK have Wii fit in stock! Click on the following link, but do make sure that you are ordering one from Amazon UK at a price of £69.99 - here's the link: Wii Fit - if they are suddenly out of stock then keep refreshing the page as they seem to be listing them in batches. 6pm - Out of Stock now. But knowing Amazon more may be listed later, so it's worth bookmarking the page.

7th September, 2nd update In an attempt to make this news area a bit more compact and also make the page load a bit faster I have archived off all the news items, etc from August and put them onto a separate page. I'll do the same again as each month goes by. Scroll to the bottom of this page and click on 'August' if you feel like looking through the old items - after all, you may have only found this site recently and missed some items, either of news, hints or tips.

7th September This weekend I'm taking the opportunity to carry out some web site maintenance along with making a few other changes. One 'obvious' change is the addition of a nice, subtle, non intrusive link to my Amazon aStore (the link is at the bottom of this page) - it's a set of links to all the Wii related products that Amazon sells, ie Wii Games, Hardware and Peripherals. So, if you're looking for anything Wii related for Christmas (or otherwise) feel free to Click here to take a look around from the comfort of your favourite chair.

6th September, 2nd update play.com are now out of stock of Wii Fit, so even though they can be added to your basket they now show as 'Out of Stock'. Ah well, it was good while it lasted - I hope quite a few of you managed to get some via that handy 'hidden' link.

6th September Some screenshots have been released for the forthcoming boxing game Shape Boxing: Wii de Enjoy Diet! I've also added a link to the screenshots via the Balance Board Games Table

5th September, 3rd update There's another game in the pipeline with Wii Balance Board support, namely 'Shape Boxing: Wii de enjoy Diet!' - yes, really! It's due out in Japan at the end of October, no release dates yet confirmed for anywhere else in the world but I'm guessing that the title will be re-worked or shortened when it's released in the West. I've added it to the Balance Board Games Table even though little information is available right now.

5th September, 2nd update Just a reminder that if you're lucky you can sometimes manage to order Wii Fit from play.com via an alternative ordering route - Click here and see if one is added to your basket. It doesn't work all the time and you can end up thinking that you have ordered one only for it to be cancelled or severely delayed (due to lack of stock), but it's worth a go; don't get your hopes up too much though! Keep an eye on your play.com order status for a few days after placing the order to see if it has been successfully processed. 6th September - SOLD OUT !

5th September Many of you will be aware of the 'Wii Fat' nickname that has been given to Wii Fit. Well, now you can laugh back by purchasing your own 'Wii Fat' T-shirt! Click here if you have a sense of humour.

4th September, 3rd update If you're lucky you can sometimes manage to order Wii Fit from play.com via an alternative ordering route - Click here and see if one is added to your basket. It doesn't work all the time and you can end up ordering one only for it to be cancelled, but it's worth a go. Just keep an eye on your orders for a few days after placing the order to see if it has been successfully processed. Good luck!

4th September, 2nd update At the time of writing (5:50pm), there is Wii Fit in stock online at shopto.net - Click here to take a look, but be quick as I doubt they will last long! I mention this as not all of the automatic stock checkers look at shopto.net - 6:10pm SOLD OUT!

4th September Just a reminder (in addition to the mention in High Street Stock sightings) that Toys r Us in Ipswich are due to be getting some Wii Fit stock (30 to be exact) and putting them up for sale first thing on Friday morning. They are likely to go extremely fast and I woud also recommend phoning first to verify this, their number is: 01473 604000

3rd September, 3rd update Amazon France appear to have Wii Fit back in stock, although stock levels are low so they could all vanish again as they did earlier today - as a result of this one of their Market place vendors is showing up first on the page, so be careful that you order a Wii Fit from Amazon France by selecting the lower link on the page with a price of EUR 88.99

3rd September, 2nd update - Amazon France are once again out of stock of Wii Fit - I would advise ordering from Amazon Germany or buecher.de instead.

3rd September Something that has just caught my eye but which isn't Wii Fit related is a recently released WiiWare 'game' called My Aquarium - it's incredibly relaxing and beautiful to look at and, in a nutshell, gives you your own virtual fish-tank on your Wii. It costs 500 Wii Points (£3.75) and I think it's a bargain. Click here to go to the official site to see what it's all about, take a look at some screenshots, etc. If you like it enough you can buy it via your Wii by going to the Wii Shop Channel.

2nd September, 2nd update With Nintendo gearing up for the release of Wii Music (with Wii Balance Board support) in the coming months (Japan gets it in October, America possibly in early November. The UK no doubt will get it some time in November or maybe December at the latest) more and more screenshots and videos are being released. It's definitely a game that is going to appeal far more to children and 'casual gamers', as opposed to the 'hard core' gamers who are more into Mario, Zelda and the like. Why not judge for yourself - Click here to see various videos and screenshots.

2nd September Argos stores are apparently due some Wii Fit stock in the next day or two, so it might be worth phoning your local branch to see what their status is. If that fails then it's still worth calling their Home Delivery number: 08456402020 and giving the item number: 568/5970 as some people are still managing to get hold of a Wii Fit that way.