How many of us haven’t played Sims before? It’s probably the most well-known casual gaming experience—create a family, build a house, set the kitchen on fire, remove all of the doors… The all-around fun and opportunity to play god is something we can all appreciate. Perhaps most importantly, it’s casual. We can leave a file sitting untouched for months on end and, when the urge to play is strong, jump right back into the thick of things with ease. But if Sims isn’t your style, or if you want to branch out into other franchises, here are some options for casual gaming.
Pokémon
One of my personal favorite franchises of all time is Pokémon. It’s got everything I enjoy—cute creatures, freedom of choice and a healthy dose of violence. Ever since seven-year-old me was gifted a copy of Pokémon Emerald, I’ve found a means of escapism. Pokémon allows players to capture the titular creatures, raising them to take on talented trainers and, inevitably, save the world. Every game is different, no matter how many times you’ve played it. You can nurture hundreds of teams, trade with friends and, in the newer games, give them some good old-fashioned love. Have you ever pet a Pikachu? It’s an incredible form of stress relief.
Stardew Valley
For those of you Farmville addicts, here’s a collect-a-thon you can play from the comfort of your own computer (or Nintendo Switch). Stardew Valley places you on a farm in a small town, where you can grow parsnips, chop down trees and spelunk for treasure. The game is well-known for its nostalgic pixel style, its relaxing soundtrack and the characters with whom you can interact. Players can befriend and romance various townspeople. And the best part? Everyone is bisexual. So whether you play as a boy or girl, you can romance anyone from the adventurous Abigail to the brooding Sebastian. Plus you can ride a horse and own a cat or dog, which is ALWAYS a good thing.
Skyrim
I originally wasn’t going to include this one, because (a) the art style is hyper-realistic instead of cute-ified and (2) it’s rated M for mature. But after an in-depth discussion with a fellow Skyrim player, I see value in placing it on this list. Skyrim is one of the most expansive games on the market, with over 300 hours of content and hundreds of choices. Set in Tamriel, Skyrim lets players become the Dragonborn, a human (or elf, or orc, or cat-person, or lizard-person) born with the soul of a dragon. Players can seamlessly transfer the main classes of thief, warrior and mage, allowing for each play experience to be unique but not limiting. Skyrim is a rich world that’s easy to get lost in, but for RPG newbies, it’s a perfect place to start. Oh, and a little tip—don’t kill the chickens.
Animal Crossing
Plenty of us downloaded Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp as soon as it came out, but the true Animal Crossing experience can only happen on a true Nintendo game system. Many elements are the same between the smartphone game and the rest of the series—you befriend townspeople, design homes and forage. However, Animal Crossing games are much more expansive, and are basically collect-a-thons on steroids. Plus, you’ve got to pay off the loan on your house… On second thought, buying a 3DS just to negotiate a mortgage may be more stressful than stress-relieving.
Basically Any Side-scrolling Platformer
It’s hard to think of just one game to fit in here, so I devoted this section to an entire category of games. Side-scrolling platformers cover a wide range of games—the Super Mario Bros. games, Yoshi’s Island, Braid and numerous other titles fit into this category. Levels are typically short, so these games aren’t too time-consuming. They’re simple to control and even simpler to pick up. If you’ve played one platformer, you can play any of them (unlike first-person shooters—no matter how many I play, starting a new one always results in a learning curve).
Minecraft
Minecraft may have become something to mock on the internet, but one can’t deny it’s an incredibly relaxing game. Really, any sandbox game that lets you design a world is something to enjoy. Think of Minecraft as the Sims’ blocky cousin, mixed with some of the adventure from Skyrim. You can play online and make friends, or you can construct a tiny hut in your own corner of the world and get that peaceful solitude you’ve been looking for.
If you’ve never tried video games, give one or two of these a chance. Just like there’s a book out there for everyone, there’s a game out there for everyone. So grab your Pokéballs, pick up your iron greatsword and start playing!