LOS ANGELES – At first glance, the rack of video games seems out of place next to the row of elliptical machines at The Sports Authority in Burbank, Calif.

The nation’s largest sports retailer partnered with Nintendo in November to sell the popular Wii console and games. It’s another sign of the times: Video games aren’t just for shooting aliens anymore.

Launched by Nintendo in 2008, the fitness game “Wii Fit” and accompanying Wii Balance Board have bench-pressed the gaming world. Thanks to the Wii’s motion-controller and the scale-like balance board, exercise games – or exergames – have become a genre, attracting users who don’t normally play with game controllers.

“With sales of over 8 million, it’s a sure bet that Wii Fit has gone well beyond the traditional video game consumer in its reach,” said industry analyst Anita Frazier from research firm NPD Group. “I hear stories all the time from friends and colleagues about their 60-, 70- and even 80-something parent, grandparent or aunt using Wii Fit. ”

Electronic Arts, THQ, Ubisoft and Majesco Entertainment have unleashed exergames featuring cameras that scan users’ flabbiness and virtual trainers who urge players to “Never stop moving!”

The biggest competitor to Wii Fit is “EA Sports Active,” the gaming giant’s fitness franchise launched last year starring Bob Greene, author of “The Best Life Diet” and Oprah Winfrey’s trainer. The workout simulator comes with a resistance band and leg strap, which work in tandem with the motion-controller to track players’ movements.

“I’ll be honest, I was skeptical,” Greene said. “I looked at what was already on the market at the time. To me, (workouts were) mostly just slow movements and relaxation, which is a great part of overall well-being; however, it didn’t actually challenge you.”

Ubisoft is taking a hands-free approach to working out with “Your Shape,” which features celebrity mommy Jenny McCarthy. The game uses a digital camera plugged into a Wii console, which scans players’ bodies. Many of the “Your Shape” exercises can also incorporate real-life workout equipment.

Majesco’s “Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010” features the tough-as-nails trainer from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” which has spawned its own exergame that can transform gamers into contestants from the popular reality weight-loss competition. Both titles use the Wii Balance Board and can schedule players’ fitness regimes.

Whether these exergames actually help players lose weight or build muscle mass has been questioned. According to a recent study by the American Council on Exercise that measured calories burned using Wii Fit, the game’s simulated activities provided a “a very, very mild workout” compared with their real workouts.

That hasn’t stopped exergames from experiencing healthy sales. EA’s Sports Active has sold nearly 1 million copies since it was released in May, according to the NPD Group. A beach-themed sequel, “EA Sports Active: More Workouts,” was released in November.