First the New York Post reported on a Guitar Hero course being offered at NYU this fall, now comes word that the University of Houston has integrated Wii Fit, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Dance Dance Revolution into its physical education curriculum. I am thrilled that video games are being used for educational purposes, but I do have one question: Where the hell were these classes when I attended college?

In those days of yore, Wii Fit hadn’t been released, and the Guitar Hero IP was still gaining steam, but DDR was certainly an established franchise. The University of Kentucky even had a DDR arcade machine in the Student Center Cats Den, an on-campus rec room. Instead, I had to turn to the geology and geography departments for schedule fillers. Don’t get me wrong, I ate up talk of natural disasters, natural resources and topography, but would have much preferred to humiliate myself on a plastic spaz pad.

Wii Performance won’t be all fun and games though, reports NBC Philadelphia. Students will still have to take health and nutrition exams, as well as document their meals and activities. Still sounds better than discussing geodes and minerals.

Journal

Noon: Bowl of Ramen.

12:15 pm: One round of Wii Sports Bowling.

1:00 pm: Lost, Cheetos and a beer

1:20 pm: Another beer

2:00 pm: Shower

2:30 pm: Wii Sports Resort Swordplay with the roomie

2:40 pm: Busted my screen during a heated game of Frisbee. I hate schoolwork.

All kidding aside, this kind of press is great for the industry, and getting video games into the hands of non-gamers is definitely a positive. A little surprising to see that EA Sports Active didn’t make the cut, as it is said to be more physically demanding than Wii Fit. I only hope that participants don’t come away thinking that they can negate an entire evening of boozing by spending 15 minutes on the Balance Board. Nintendo has admitted that the game is intended to be a catalyst for a more active lifestyle, not a dietary miracle. Still though, if Wii Performance encourages at least one individual to adopt healthier habits, then it will be a success in my eyes.

Now, about a Punch-Out!! class. I swear it would be a valuable educational opportunity. The franchise teaches patience and resource management (stars), while also allowing users to hone their hand-eye coordination. It also covers stereotypes, including those that suggest that French people are pathetic fighters, Russians love vodk … soda, and Germans have big bushy mustaches. Alright, the first one was a poor example. French people really are cowards.

Source: NBC Philadelphia via Destructoid

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