Yoga Comes to Consoles

A Japanese video game software firm has come up with a novel way to release stress that doesn't involve blowing up aliens or racing roadsters: yoga.

Konami Digital Entertainment showcased its digital yoga instructor at Asia's biggest video game expo to cash in on the global popularity of what industry experts are calling "casual" games - lifestyle-oriented software that is aimed at older gamers for whom slaying monsters holds little appeal.

"There is very much a health boom these days. So we thought it would be great if we could make people healthier or more beautiful with these games and provide value-added services to the gaming industry," said Katunori Okita from Konami.

The digital instructor, which fits on a portable game console, guides you through all the moves, giving you tips on where to stretch. It also keeps a daily log of your activities.

The software also comes in a pilates version and costs $35.

Promoters for Nintendo's hit Wii console and its rivals, Sony's Playstation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox, vied for the attention of the thousands of gamers, industry specialists and the members of the media that packed the Makuhari Messe on the outskirts of Tokyo for the show's opening.

Around the world, fans spend around $30 billion a year on electronic games and equipment and Asia accounts for a hefty portion of that, especially tech-savvy countries such as Japan and South Korea.