Who says that all video games are bad? Certainly not the individuals flocking to the Time Warner Center this coming weekend, June 2-3, for the World Cyber Games U.S. Open; and certainly not the senior citizens at the Sedgebrook retirement community in Lincolnshire, Ill., where the average age is 77. They’ve discovered the fun of the Nintendo Wii, as have many new gamers including myself. We’re getting off the couch and bowling, playing golf, swinging the bat — all in our living room and best of all, we’re losing weight.

The heavy-duty best gamers are the ones flocking to New York City to compete at The Samsung Experience, located on the third floor of the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle. The competition kicks off the American leg of the world’s biggest International Video Game Tournament Series. These elite players will battle for more than $20,000 in cash and prizes and a berth in the WCG USA National Final this September in Seattle.

Unless one has teens or young adult children, one might not have any idea how lucrative gaming can be for those proficient with systems like Xbox 360, or Playstation3, or equally adept at PC games. Generally the only impression one may have about video games is largely negative due to the near-obscene games such as “Grand Theft Auto III” and others.

These are definitely not the games that will be part of the Cyber Games. I have never heard of these titles: “Gears of War,” “Dead or Alive,” “Project Gotham Racing,” or “BroodWar,” but there’s a lot I didn’t know about this digital playground. It’s a lot more respectable than what I imagined.

Michael Arzt, general manager and senior vice president of ICM, global organizers of WCG, said, “The most exciting part is that the WCG U.S. Open is that it’s not just for the pros: In the true spirit of an ‘open,’ people can come off the street and compete in one of the most popular console games on the planet.”

I received an invitation from a representative of the event reminding me that on Thursday, May 31, there would be a Pro Gaming training clinic between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Samsung Experience for anyone interested in learning tricks and tips from the nation’s best pro gamers. Fast-paced video games, however, are for the young with nimble fingers and definitely not my speed. However, last November, a gaming system was introduced that is not only fit for me, but is helping to make me fit.

I had no idea why my daughter, who was graduating from St. John’s University, wanted a Nintendo Wii (pronounced wee) for her present. What I did learn was that the local stores were always out of stock. While the system retails for $249, it will cost much more on the black market for those impatient to try this innovative system that is proving that video games are not just for kids. Senior citizens are getting out of their armchairs to swing bowling balls, golf clubs, or bats with their remote controllers that drive the targets on their TV screen. The harder you swing the more power you wield. The wireless controller translates the player’s action onto the screen. You twist your hand, your ball will curve. It’s positively addicting.

I managed to find a new Wii console on sale at eBay, and soon the family was having tournaments and competing for points. I found myself out of breath after a few games and in a week had lost three pounds. This, apparently, is not a new phenomenon, but one that is being repeated throughout the country. There are also additional games to buy that offer dance and exercise programs that are not only real workouts but fun. For Mother’s Day, my son bought me my own individual remote controller with a distinctive pink cover, which I found so much more delightful than flowers. Whoever invented the Wii is a genius. It’s getting youths off the couch and bringing generations together, and so far it’s a pretty wholesome environment with parental controls available, since the system can also access the Internet.

But I wouldn’t know any of this if I hadn’t learned to listen to my children and to have respect for their opinions. Parents and teenagers tend to drift away from one another when we scoff at their interests, and this generally leads to trouble. If they can connect on just one thing that bonds them, even if it’s just a video game, it’s a godsend. Go for it.