"The system for everyone." Video games began as and retain elements of a niche market. You can't invite anyone of any age category into your home to play a random title and expect them to enjoy themselves. Not every girlfriend will sit down and play Halo 3 with the boys, not every guy into sports games can play a fighting game at his friend's house, and Momma probably can't compete in Call of Duty. The Wii is supposed to be inviting and fun for everyone.

Few games achieve this synergy of gaming fun and widespread appeal, or offer a simplistic system of gameplay anyone could enjoy. These titles succeed:

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

This game takes the familiar single player Mario titles and perfects the gameplay for up to four simultaneous players. New Super Mario Bros. Wii cleverly allows you to play the story mode in any order you want, and even has an option to watch the game beat itself if fail a level enough times. The mayhem of having multiple players on the same screen bumping into each other and pushing each other off cliffs promotes fun and silliness, rather than winning.

A game so absurdly flashy it makes you giggle like a child. Capcom vs. Tatsunoko is the latest in a series of two-dimensional fighting games that pit a universe of characters against Capcom fighters (X-Men, Marvel, SNK, and now Tatsunoko). You know Speed Racer? That show and those characters are products of the Tatsunoko production company. There are essentially two buttons for attack in the game, and you don't even need to know how to perform moves to marvel at causing a billion damage. People who learn the moves and play properly will inevitably play better, but the game favours shaking Wiimotes and mashing buttons like a wild caveman.

Tornado Outbreak

Tornado Outbreak is a simple one-button game. At the beginning of each stage you start as a small tornado. You move around gathering up tiny things first: flowers, pebbles, and chicken feathers, gradually getting bigger until eventually you're pulling up people, trucks, houses, and ocean liners. Exactly what you can pull is indicated with a childlike lucidity. If it wiggles, it's yours. The game isn't long at 8 hours, but that short time will be some of the least painless, and most rewarding spent with a simple game since Frogger.

Guitar Hero 5

From the moment you enter the game, you are a button away from playing one of 85 tracks already available. This new mode (aptly named "Party Play") waits behind the soft music of the title screen which showcases the game's song list. This could serve perfectly as a party's background music until someone screams, "Oh my God, they have Ramstein - Du Hast!?" Then just plug in an instrument, and play. Players can join or leave Party Play at any time. There are no menus, and no selections; it's so inviting it practically whispers, "play me."

Being a bad host is inviting your friends over and beating them at a game you play all the time, or forcing them to play a game they can't learn quickly. With these games, at least with these games your friends will be more likely to enjoy playing with you and each other, on the "console for everyone."