Quick: look over at someone else’s laptop or other device as you’re reading this. What are they doing? No, they’re not doing their work like they’re supposed to. They’re playing video games!
What’s with the hype about video games? There are a multitude of reasons they are so popular: immersion, social connection, stress relief, accessibility, for example. Unlike a movie or book, oftentimes you get to control what happens. Video games offer an escape from your stressful life. Anyone can play it, considering they’re on their phones now. Video games also help with your hand-eye-coordination and your memory.
What does the internet think?
A popular video game website: IGN’s top 3 video games of all time:
IGN
3. Super Mario World – Nintendo
IGN gave this game a 9.2/10. Fun fact: I named my cat after this game. This is a platforming game where you go through a multitude of levels to save the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach. It was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America, and 1992 in PAL (Europe) regions.
2. Portal 2 – Valve Corporation
IGN gave this game a 9.5/10. It is a puzzle-platform game released in 2011 where you solve puzzles with your portal gun that shoots portals.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo
IGN gave this game a perfect 10/10 rating. This game is a 2017 release action-adventure game. Link sets out to save Princess Zelda and defeat Calamity Ganon, stopping him from destroying the world.
Enough about these uncs nostalgia baiting, what do these yuncs (young uncs) of Harrison think?
Harrison’s favorite genres
- Shooting (E.g. Call of Duty) (42.9%)
This genre just barely beat out Platformers. Shooting games offer a fun way to improve your hand eye-coordination.
- Apps (E.g. Roblox) (46.4%)
App video games are very accessible, offering a very easy way to play with all of your friends.
- Action-Adventure (E.g. Red Dead Redemption 2) (55.2%)
This genre is basically like watching a movie, but you get so much control of what happens and why. Many games in this genre have different endings, depending on what the player chooses.
Harrison’s favorite games
Some honorable mentions that didn’t get enough votes, but I’d like to highlight:
Honorable Mention 1: Red Dead Redemption 2 – Action- Adventure – Rockstar
Yes, it is “peak.”
Honorable Mention 2: Tomb Raider – Action-Adventure – Crystal Dynamics
Lara Croft is a very empowering and inspiring woman.
Honorable Mention 3: The Stanley Parable – Story-based – Galactic Cafe
Never gets old. Too bad I can’t play it anymore. I’m waiting for the “Go Outside” achievement where you wait 10 years to open the game again. I have about 6 or 7 years left.
Now, for the actual results:
3. Fortnite – Shooting – Epic Games
Released in 2017, taken over audiences of all ages, it is apparent due to it being the third voted in this poll. It is a free-to-play third-person battle royale shooting game. Be the last man (or turtle, cat, Travis Scott, Peter Griffin, Master Chief) standing to win.
2. Roblox – Apps – Roblox Corporation
There is no one game to play on Roblox. You have many options. You can even make your own game. It is free-to-play on any device, which is what grabbed everyone’s attention.
1. Minecraft – Sandbox – Mojang Studios
You can do anything. Minecraft is the definition of a sandbox game. The greatest definition probably comes from everyone’s parents “Is that the LEGO game?” No, but yes. Thank you.
Here are some things I noticed:
- Free-to-play/Cheap
No one likes paying a boatload for a game.
- Easily accessible
You can play these games everywhere; phone, tablet, laptop, computer, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, etc.
- No age range
You can be a baby or a 100-year-old and play these games. No limit, nothing too graphic.
- Multiplayer
You can easily play with your friends.
No more positives. Too much fun. What games does Harrison hate? (Warning: There’s overlap, for some reason)
Least favorite genres:
- Shooting (E.g. Halo) (24.1%)
These are too violent for some.
- Role Playing (E.g Pokémon) (31%)
They’re boring or too “complex” to some
- Sports (E.g. Madden) (44.8%)
It’s a waste of time and money to some, same game every year.
Least favorite games:
I’d like to highlight just two things I thought were funny:
Dishonorable Mention 1: Five Nights at Freddy’s – Scott Cawthon “…scares the pizza out of (me)” – A student
Dishonorable Mention 2: Pokémon – Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
Overrated, repetitive, and excessive battles. “The best thing that ever happened to the franchise was the introduction of Ditto.” – Another student
Ditto is truly peak. I stand with you, student. Pokémon is overrated. Persona – Atlus, however, is peak everywhere. The peakest of peaks.
Now, for the majority vote:
3. Call of Duty – Shooting – Activizion
Call of Duty is a first-person arcade shooting game. It typically has 3 game modes (which has changed since the introduction of Warzone): Campaign, which is the story, Multiplayer, which is Player v Player, typically 6v6, and Zombies/Special Ops, which is typically Player v NPCs (non-playable). Recently, Warzone has been introduced. This is a free-to-play Battle Royale game mode. This game mode has changed the formula for the rest of the game modes for the worse to most people. Microtransactions, Battle Passes, and wacky skins have plagued this game for years, and doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. Developers are more worried about making new purely visual additions rather than improving the game. Boring, lack of love (I personally think they’re bringing that around with Black Ops 7. This year looks promising, but yes, the franchise has been a money grab lately).
2. Madden – Sports – EA Sports
The least favorite was actually just “sports,” no particular game, but I chose Madden because it’s the one I play the most. Most of the below can be applied to the other sports games like 2K and FIFA.
Madden is an NFL sports game, where you can play as your favorite team: the Cincinnati Bengals. Yes, this is your favorite team. You have no choice. It is an arcade-style game, but you can also simulate seasons. You can build your dream team of players and make a super-team, or you can rebuild from the ground up. Some people just don’t like sports, though. Boring, same game every year, waste of time and money, cash grab.
1. Fortnite – Shooting – Epic Games
Here’s the overlap. Harrison’s third favorite game is also the least favorite. Hmm…
Many people dislike it simply because they grew up. It was fun back in 2017, but not anymore. It was more simple back then, some think that’s good, some think that’s bad. Another reason is that many feel that people feel bullied if they don’t have cool, purely cosmetic, skins. “It’s really hard to not buy a skin,” says a student “…you have to spend so much [money] just so people don’t make fun of you.”
Here are some things I noticed:
- Expensive
All of these games cost money or have microtransactions.
- Same-old, same-old
These games haven’t really changed all that much over the years.
- Violent
All of these games feature violence, whether through shooting or through other injuries.
Harrison is filled with a lot of people, and they all have differences in taste of video games. The opinions of the highschoolers’ tastes overlap, but that’s okay. It proves that we’re all different. That is more than okay. So, whether you spend 6-7 hours a day, or around 41 hours a week, on the game, or none, all that matters is that you’re spending your time however you want.
If video games aren’t your style, check out this awesome article on board games. (WAITING ON HYPERLINK)
