Although 72-year-old Wayne Hansen is a regular bowler, he’s usually miles away from the nearest alley.

With his remote control in hand, he’s one of several residents at the Oak Harbor Senior Center to use Nintendo Wii, a popular video game system.

“It’s the most realistic thing you can do without a ball,” Hansen said.

A few of the center’s regulars have rarely touched a video game in their life, but are suddenly hooked on virtual bowling. The game has a wireless controller that translates a player’s motions onto the screen.

Wii instructor John Rybij says people are attracted to the game’s simplicity. There are only a few buttons to learn and it’s intuitive.

“You can even make the ball curve,” Rybij said.

Wii gaming found a broad audience among senior centers after it was unveiled in 2006, administrative assistant Pat Gardner said. The center introduced the Wii several months ago, after a group visited the Nintendo company in Seattle.

“Other centers are ahead of us and already have this thing going, so we decided to get the ball rolling,” she said.

In Anacortes, a group has started their own league team and purchased bowling T-shirts.

“One day, we want to challenge them to a round,” Rybij said, adding that they need a few more members.

When it comes to the game play, the seniors say it doesn’t matter how old you are or if you can’t walk or see as well as you used to.

“We had a man in a wheelchair who bowled over 200,” 80-year-old bowler Betty Gage said.

Wii Sports also allows people to mimic other live sports such as boxing, golf, tennis and baseball. But bowling was a general favorite, Rybij said.

Gardner adds that the multi-player game allows for social activity and doesn’t require costly equipment.

“It’s great for the winter because they can’t go outside to play tennis or golf.”

The team hopes to become more competitive in the near future and begin local tournaments. They practice several times a week at the center in front of a big screen television.