The extreme popularity of Wii games has skyrocketed since Nintendo introduced it in 2006. If you’ve been living under a rock, you might not know what Wii is. It’s an interactive video game, which started out with simple things like playing tennis or bowling, and has now branched out to games where you are in a rock band or fighting with a light saber. For the first time, it really is a “we” thing-family and friends can play together.

It isn’t just Nintendo, either. A lot of other gaming companies have created games that can be played using Wii. In fact, because of its popularity, many are putting their main focus on interactive games. But why is it so popular? It’s universal. There is no age limit. Anyone can play, from 3 years old to late 90s. The games are diverse enough to interest everyone. There are keep-fit games, strategy games and learning programs.

Another new development in the Wii world is that you don’t have to go to a store and rent or buy a game-you can download it online. There are sites that either charge you a one-time fee for access to their database of games or others that charge low monthly fees. This is particularly useful for trying out new games without the expensive commitment of buying.

Considering the fact that the entire stock of Wii game consoles ran out last Christmas, and that some gaming companies are re-releasing old favorites in the Wii format, you might want to get shopping early. The average cost of a Wii console, remote and basic games ranges from $250-$550. And of course, there are a lot of extras you can buy, like nunchucks.

It doesn’t look like its popularity is going to slow down any time soon. And if you’re tempted to crawl back under your rock, you might want to try it first. Just once-to see what all the fuss is about.