Are you out there? Anyone?
I hope I’m not alone. I fear that casual gaming may be getting a bad rep. I, for instance, own a few game systems. I’ve played video games most of my life, from the original Game Boy to the Nintendo DS. I’ve played Duck Hunt, Tetris, Street Fighter II, Sonic the Hedgehog, Killer Instinct, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Mario Kart, Halo, Guitar Hero, Donkey Konga, and MANY more. But I’m still a casual gamer. Why?
Well, for starters, I have a pretty short attention span. I’m fine when I go to movie theaters, but when I watch movies at home, I get antsy. They are just too long. And honestly, there is nothing more boring to me than being at a bar, standing around awkwardly nursing a drink and trying to chat someone up by shouting over the oppressive music hammering in the background. Snooze.
When I’m at home, I’ll pick up a book, read a chapter, and put it back down. Then I’ll jump on the internet to check my various email accounts, pull up a few regular websites I visit, play a game of Sudoku. Then over to the futon, flip on the TV, see what’s on, and flip it off again in a matter of minutes. Pick up my DS, play for twenty minutes, get bored. Back to the book.
I admire those who can immerse themselves completely in the video game culture. Gaming is like anything else in life; you can hate it, like it, love it, or live and breathe it. I guess I’d fall somewhere between like and love.
Truly, there is nothing better than getting a group of friends together, knocking back a few beers, and playing a crazy round of Donkey Konga. The result is a lot of shrieking, laughing, and a video that may be floating around on YouTube somewhere.
Gamer math: Beer+Donkey Konga+Fellow Gamers=Incriminating YouTube video
But I don’t come home from work every day and dive for one of my game systems. Sometimes I’ll play a game of Mario Kart to unwind, and occasionally I’ll get the urge to play one of the Zelda games from the beginning, for old times’ sake.
Red shells: the ultimate de-stresser. Unless, of course, they are aimed at you.
I am a casual gamer. And I’m okay with that!
So if you, too, are a casual gamer, stand up! Be proud! We may not have the most current systems and most popular games, we may not have all the gear, and we may not know the lingo…but we are NOT ashamed that little part of us that is a gamer geek!
January 17th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
That is a nice game room…except for the broken blinds. I wonder what did that? I bet it was a cat.
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I love your casual gamer personality. I bring out more of the geek in you, and you make me remember that I have a life! Its a great trade!
January 17th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Well, I think I left casual gaming days back a long time ago. I know I play at least an hour or two a day, and that is if I don’t have a new rpg in front of me. But my excuse for excessive gaming is that I work late. And aside from my computer, there is nothing to do at night but watch my wife and kids sleep. So I play to unwind. My friends tell me that I am not a casual gamer cause I get so into my games. But you try finding something else to do at 2 in the morning when you have kids at home. But that is just me. But when my kids finally are old enough, I believe if I can get any gaming in will be a miracle.
January 18th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Your gaming personality, as far as short attention span, fits mine perfectly! I don’t think that’s bad, it just means we need more than one game to immerse ourselves into!
January 20th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
VirtualGirl: Those broken blinds, I think I found your suspect:
January 20th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
LOL….That is what I come home to almost every day. I just started putting the blinds up all the time so we don’t have to replace EVERY SINGLE ONE!