It’s that time of the year again where you can almost catch a taste of the semester’s break yet you still feel bombarded with papers, midterms, and the ever looming finals. Sometimes its good to just take a break before you get too overwhelmingly stressed. But Netflix binge watching has become so passé and lets face it you probably already went through the entire series of Gilmore Girls when it went streaming in October. It’s time to dig deep into that nostalgic kid that everyone has inside herself and bring out the timeless video games that helped shaped childhoods abound. So here’s a list of just four of the countless games that have destressed us over the years and provided countless hours of fun.
Animal Crossing
If you feel like you need to be brought back to the calm countryside filled with friendly neighbors, a local shop, and trees filled with fresh fruit then go back to your town in Animal Crossing! You’ve probably been gone for 10 years and your neighbors have been beyond worried. Just kidding, you’ve most likely never stopped playing. Animal Crossing is the best little town anyone could ask for, it moves through real time along with real holidays and events so you don’t ever have to enter the real world again. There are many versions of this beloved timeless game, but if you have a friend get them hooked on it too that way you guys can visit each other’s town and the fun will literally never end.
Legend of Zelda
Taking a day to rescue a beautiful princess is always an excellent way to spend a much-needed break. By playing lovable Link in the fantastical world of Hyrule you have to prove yourself and work on your skillset through battle, exploring, and tantalizing side quests. Being a little guy in green running around in the world never seemed more fun but don’t take it lightly! When playing the Legend of Zelda you are participating in an epic quest through your use of power, wisdom and courage in order to obtain the triforce.
The Sims
If you feel like your life is out of control take a break and control someone else’s for a change. The Sims is great fun that can go on for hours, especially when you have a superiority complex and just love being in control of your own little silly talking family. Feel like you may have totally failed that midterm? Don’t fret! Take out your frustration on your teenage sim by making them go to Sims University and ace their finals. With all of the add-ons and cheats the possibilities of The Sims are endless. Fish out your edition of The Sims or try out the new Sims 4 and enjoy ruining your sims’ lives, or rather making all of their dreams come true.
Nancy Drew
You’re favorite girl detective Nancy Drew is not only the poised female empowering sleuth featured in numerous books but she also stars in her own computer game series. You may have found yourself playing these as a kid and being incredibly stumped by the difficult puzzles. But it was so difficult to not fall in love with the intricate storylines, the mystery solving, and Nancy’s famous one-liners like: “It’s locked!” The original games are some of the best but Nancy is still going strong today with two new games a year. So ones thing for sure, you won’t ever have a low supply of solving mysteries or watching Nancy and Ned’s relationship flourish.