The Pokemon pedometer: childhood obesity is so over

Nintendo has revealed a new fitness gimmick to accompany the European release of Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version in March. The latest games in the massively successful series will come packaged with the Pokéwalker - a pedometer that interacts with the Nintendo DS via infrared. Players can transfer any of their Pokémon into the Pokéwalker and then train them by taking them for an actual walk. From the press release:

The Pokéwalker counts the number of steps you take in the real world as you walk with it, using these to earn vital experience points while strengthening the bond between you and your Pokémon. The more steps you take in the real world, the more Watts are gained. Watts are used within the Pokéwalker to encounter and catch wild Pokémon using the Poké Radar or to search for hidden items using the Dowsing Machine, which can then be transferred into Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version.

Apparently, you can match your wander to the shops with an in-game route - perhaps a jaunt through the plains or along the coast. Each route has different wild Pokémon to find and grab, and some special Pokémon can only be found within certain routes. And to ensure you recruit friends to your Pokémon-based fitness drive, users can create an infrared connection between two Pokéwalkers, receiving a game item as a gift.

Of course, this is a transparent attempt to allay parental (and media) fears about the sedentary lifestyles of our technology-obsessed children. But it's an amusing real-world implementation nonetheless, and reminds me of Konami's Game Boy Advance RPG, Bokura no Taiyou, which came with a light sensor that meant certain in-game interactions would only take place if you played outside in the sun. The next evolution is a game that comes with some bathroom scales - "You cannot access level two until you lose 10 pounds..."

Can you think of any other game series' that would benefit from a pedometer?