I finally managed to get my hands on a Wii Fit and I must say – it’s a pretty incredible game (despite the training avatar’s trashtalk and the Wii Balance Board that cries “Oww” every time I step on it).

Since its North American release a few weeks ago, the game has generated a tremendous amount of hype, both on- and offline.  The latest buzz surrounding the game has been created by a YouTube video entitled “Why every guy should buy their girlfriend Wii Fit”.  In the two and a half weeks since the video’s release, it has attracted nearly 3.5 million views, and while many question the authenticity of the video’s grassroots approach (the creator and his girlfriend featured in the video both work for an advertising agency), with millions of views and a number of popular spoofs . ., the video has surely helped maintain a healthy buzz around the Wii and the Fit.

The real opportunity for Nintendo to help maintain its popularity, though, could come from embracing a little bit of Wikinomics through the creation of a development kit for the Fit (and potentially even the Wii in general) whereby users and developers would be able to write their own activities and games that could be downloaded (likely purchased) through the Wii’s integrated Shop Channel.  The Fit’s activity-based games in particular would be a great spot for experimentation as most are fairly quick activities that platform off of the same movements, allowing gamers to refine their skills using various activities with the same end goal – improving balance, stregth or aerobic fitness.  Techy prosumers can be quite a powerful, and lucrative, source of innovation – just ask Apple.  Historically not known for their willingness to embrace consumer input and creation, Apple has experienced great success with the iPhone SDK since its release in March and it has become a key weapon in the iPhone’s fight against the other big mobile platform(s) available.

With competitors such as Microsoft reportedly ready to jump on the Mii too bandwagon, allowing for personalized gaming figures within existing games, prosumer creation could be one of the tools that helps keep Nintendo ahead of the rest.

And hey, if Steve Jobs can start to embrace prosumerism, Nintendo should be a shoe-in.  (One can only hope, right?)