Motion gaming has certainly evolved ever since the Wii was introduced to the world a decade ago. We’ve gone from relatively simple swings and jabs to lifelike virtual reality. So it’s time to take a look back at the console that got this craze started.

The Wii arrived as the GameCube’s successor in 2006. Originally codenamed “Revolution,” the Wii introduced motion control gaming and was primarily focused on different kinds of player interaction rather than pure technical processing power. By taking that approach, the Wii was able to target a much wider demographic and entice more casual gamers to purchase it. The Wii was also backwards-compatible with GameCube discs, instantly expanding the system’s available game library.

The motion-based gaming was achieved via the Wii Remote, essentially a pointing device that can detect movement in a three-dimensional space. By waving the Remote, players were able to emulate swinging a tennis racket, punching an opponent, or stabbing with a sword, among numerous other possibilities.

At launch, the Wii was in such high demand that it was frustratingly impossible to purchase despite claims from company representatives that they were producing nearly 2 million consoles every month. In total, it sold nearly 102 million consoles worldwide – by far and away the best-selling Nintendo console, and the bestselling console of its generation. However, the motion-focused gameplay alienated many hardcore gamers, and a lack of third-party support made it even less appealing to that crowd.

Read more about the Wii and other consoles in The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Video Games, coming soon!