By Wang Ru (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-27 10:02

Crouching down and springing onto her tiptoes, Zhang Li held the joystick steady as she played a virtual ski-jump game. The result soon flashed up - she broke her personal record again.

Usually around this time of year, Zhang would start to worry about her shape. Zhang says that she gains weight easily, and that she attended quite a few banquets during the Spring Festival.

The 26-year-old public relations officer believes that a slim figure will leave a good impression on her clients.

Two young gamers play an online football game. Yang Xi But Zhang is not a gym-goer as her busy job leaves her with little spare time. She bought a treadmill last year, but the expensive machine was soon deserted two months later - riding it was too monotonous.

Recently, Zhang found a new way to burn calories, stay at home, and have fun while losing weight.

Wii, Nintendo's next generation video game console, became Zhang's virtual gym. Connecting the white magic box to her TV, she could play all kinds of sports in her living room.

Two weeks ago, when her boyfriend bought the Wii and several sports games for 2,800 yuan ($394), Zhang, who never played video games before, complained about it.

But now she's hooked.

And as girls like Zhang are working out with the Wii, veteran gamers are hunting for higher quality gaming experiences.

Absorbed in latest sniper game, Shen hides in a virtual forest, picking enemies off one by one. The 37-year-old who asked not to give his full name works in a big hospital in Beijing. As a surgeon who finishes work around 10 pm most nights, Shen devotes his limited leisure time to two things: mountain climbing and video games.

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