Video games. Speaking broadly, they are games that are “played by electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a television screen or other display screen”. I think we can all agree that’s a sufficient general definition. It sums up what a video game is in the most literal sense. However, the true meaning of a video game is derived from the experience of the person behind the controller. From the single pixels of Pong back in 1972 to the gorgeous, multi-dimensional graphics of Breath of the Wild in 2017, video games have evolved and changed significantly throughout the years. As video games have grown and matured, so has its audience. However, must I remind you that growing up and maturing is not synonymous with the loss of one's child-like imagination (as many people have made it out to be). In fact, that is a fine example of one of the many ridiculous social constructs we need to throw straight out the window! To maintain that child-like sense of play is something to be cherished. I think I speak for many gamers when I say that we have a close connection to that side of ourselves. I would argue it’s practically necessary to be in touch with that side of yourself to truly appreciate video games. But more on this later. Let's jump into a brief history on my relationship with video games.
A BRIEF HISTORY
I grew up around video games. They’ve been around for as long as I can remember. I have two older siblings who were already delving into the world of gaming before I could even walk. So, needless to say, I was exposed fairly early on. I learned through observation. My interest in these pixels on the screen grew and grew until soon enough I was holding a controller myself (incorrectly I must point out. My left hand was too small to grip the right side of the N64 controller while also reaching the joystick with my thumb, so I would simply control the joystick with the entirety of my left hand, holding the controller up with my right. To this day, I am unsure how I successfully played games like that... anyway. I digress). The first console I really remember playing on was the Nintendo 64. This is still one of my favorite consoles to this day because of the nostalgia it holds within its chunky, polygon-esque, plastic system. Just a few of the games I would play included Banjo Kazooie, Mario Kart, Yoshi’s Story, Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time etc. My siblings and I would play these games for hours; switching off in order to take turns. As we grew older, our love for video games only blossomed. This shared love of video games was apparently blood-bound because our cousins were just as enraptured with them as we were! We would always go over to our cousins (who conveniently live one house away from us) to play games! Some of my most cherished childhood memories are playing games at my cousin’s house during the summer. Nothing beats that kind of bliss. Being inside an airconditioned house on a blazing summer day, drinking instant lemonade, and playing hours upon hours of video games. I vividly recall one summer where we were all obsessed with Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix. We played for HOURS on end: dancing and trying to beat records. It was a BLAST. I cherish these simple times. Now, admittedly, my memory is horrible and all of this was when I was very little, so some of the recalling's of my past may not be 100% accurate. It’s all stuff I am inferring from vague memories, feelings, evidence, and stories of my childhood from outside sources; but I’d like to think it’s rather accurate. My brother, Santiago was a huge influence on me. He’s always been the bigger gamer. He was always someone I looked up to. He sort of imprinted on me at an early age, I guess you could say. I wanted to be like him in many ways, and one of those ways included video games. Watching him play really captivated me. It looked so fun! To be able to control these characters and to take on all of the challenging levels. To get past the boiling lava to get to the star. It really was incredible to me. Needless to say, most of the games I’ve played have been influenced by my brother. We are absolutely Nintendo babies to the core. However, we began expanding our horizons of games, branching out into different consoles. Our virtual world just opened up to a whole new level. As we grew older, our gaming world began to diversify. And needless to say, my passion for gaming only grew as I did. I don’t expect everyone to understand this perspective that I am presenting you within this blog. There are some people who simply do not understand the appeal of video games. We can pinpoint some of these misunderstandings to generation gaps. This needs not be said, but it’s no secret that, generally, older people tend to struggle more with technology. So in that case, I can absolutely understand that perspective. There are hundreds of other reasons as well as to why people may not be partial to video games. That is completely fair. To each their own. I mean, I haven’t the slightest idea what is so appealing about football, but people go crazy over that too. So if video games aren’t for you, I understand. But I am here to offer some of my perspectives as to why I cherish video games so much. Why they are so important to me. I would like you, the reader, to gain some understanding of why some of us are so passionate about them; as to why these virtual stories mean so much to us. So, if you are one of the skeptics, all I ask of you is to open your mind and hear me out.
IMAGINATION
I believe it takes a certain amount of imagination to fully appreciate video games. Now, don’t get butt-hurt by this statement. I’m NOT saying if you don’t appreciate video games to the extent that I and others do that it means you have no imagination. That’s not at all what I’m saying. I just believe it’s one of the qualities a lot of us gamers have in common: creativity and imagination. Let me elaborate. With video games, the game does a great deal of the imagining for you. It quite literally puts on the screen a fictional world in which you can explore and create in. There’s no need for any visual imagination; it’s right there in front of you. However, the screen is only as one-dimensional as you make it. To me, I completely fall into the world of the game. Your imagination begins to assist you in how deeply the story affects you. It’s all about how you experience the game, and a more vivid imagination lends itself to a more immersive experience. The depth of your experience is completely in your hands. For me, the pixels disappear and I’m suddenly standing on the dewy grass in Hyrule, breathing in the fresh spring air, feeling the warm sunbeams on my skin. Video games tap into that child-like imagination in an instant. I’m quickly going to present you with an analogy that may help you more closely understand the point I'm trying to get across. In classic Verónica fashion, this analogy is going to revolve around my one true love: acting. Think of video games as a play. You go into a play with the knowledge that everything you are witnessing is fictional and rehearsed. There’s no denying that the people on stage are actors. There is lighting to simulate a specific atmosphere, sound effects to imitate real-life, and props that look legitimate but aren’t actually functional or practical. But this is my whole point: how much you suspend your disbelief and are willing to experience the truth of the play is COMPLETELY up to you. Video games aren’t much different. The form of media, yes, exponentially different. The concept? Surprisingly similar. You can play a video game and be in a constant state of “Oh. Well, it’s just a game. None of this is real.” Well, DUH. BUT WHERE’S THE FUN IN THAT? Why not give over to the game completely? Let it guide your imagination. Get invested in the story. Connect with the character you're playing as to the extent that you feel their emotions in your gut. Imagine what the sounds, tastes, smells, feelings, and sights are from your character’s perspective. Give into the world. I promise, your experience will be drastically enhanced if you do.
POPULARITY
So, why are video games as a whole so widely popular? Well, we can’t fully give credit to their popularity based on the content of the game. This is due to the fact that there are so many different video games. There are hundreds, upon thousands of games that all vary in the category, playing style, length, genre etc. Therefore, we can't necessarily say video games as a whole are popular because of their content. If we said that we would be generalizing the content of video games into one category which simply cannot be done. It's such a large spectrum that we really are not able to lump them all into one category. Admittedly, content is absolutely a huge factor, but what I'm getting at is: what do all video games have in common despite their differences? Well, it’s simple. The one thing all video games have in common is escapism. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, escapism refers to “the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy”. Video games are a very effective means of escaping into a different world. Now, I’m going to be a Debbie-downer for a hot second. The truth of the matter is, sometimes reality sucks. Sometimes we need to escape the real world for a bit. Some people experience this more often than others. So what can you do to distract yourself from reality? Well, a lot. A lot of good, and a lot of bad. I'm sure you can come up with plenty of your own examples of good and bad outlets that people turn to in times of need. But one means of escape many choose to turn to are video games! And why not? Video games can be the perfect outlet, which leads me to my next point.
CATHARSIS
I will argue tooth and nail about this: video games are a SAFE, creative, and healthy outlet. Now don’t twist my words here. I am not saying video games should serve as a person's only creative outlet. Video game addiction is a reality that some do develop, however, the majority of the gaming population does not. In my opinion, one should have a healthy balance of hobbies and outlets. A balance between outdoor activities, to hands-on crafts, to simply sitting down and enjoying a video game. To me, it’s important to keep every creative muscle in shape and to do so by whatever means you find most pleasurable. Now, the point I AM making is that video games are a safe means of catharsis. Video games allow for a certain catharsis unobtainable in the physical world, but obtainable in the virtual world. There are hundreds of types of catharsis a video game may lend itself to. For instance, racing games allow for a release of adrenaline. Sandbox games allow for a release of exploration and curiosity. Fighting games allow for a release of tension and frustration. So on and so forth. I will present you with a personal example of mine. I used to play Call of Duty: Black Ops II to release some anger when I was an angsty high-schooler. It was incredibly cathartic for me to come home after a long, stressful day at school and to just decompress in front of the TV for a couple of hours. Now, here’s a possible misconception: the pleasure I experienced from playing this first-person-shooter didn’t come from the idea of killing people in the game. It came from everything else. The strategy, the quick-paced rhythm, the hyper-focus, the motivation of being first on the leaderboard, the satisfaction of reloading a gun, the feeling of being a complete and utter badass. It's all of those examples and more where I experienced some form of catharsis. This can get into the more controversial topic regarding the correlation between video game violence and violence in the real world. This is not the main point of this blog, but I will touch on this briefly for just a second. I will aggressively advocate for video games being healthy. This is why I emphasized the word “safe” when introducing this idea. I want to crush that stigma against violence in video games. There is no study that links violent video games directly to acts of aggression. Correlation does NOT equate to causation. If anything, these games are going to serve as a form of release for pent up anger. Video games are a form of simulation, so in that sense, you can be liberated from a lot whilst playing them. Anyway, that is a whole other topic that could be debated. I digress. Another example of catharses in video games that I am currently experiencing is from playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons during the COVID-19 quarantine. Animal Crossing simulates this care-free world where everyone works in harmony to expand and improve their lives. Being cooped up all day due to the shelter-in-place quarantine, I hardly interact with anyone on a day to day basis. I don’t get to see nature as often as I would like, and I’m not able to really explore the world as I would typically do. The world of Animal Crossing, to a certain extent, is substituting for the real world while I am confined inside the walls of my apartment. I can bring the world to me. This game is successful in not only relaxing me, but also in giving me a sense of peace and control. In a time where we lack so much control over our circumstances, having a game like Animal Crossing is grounding. It gives me something to do. Something to look forward to. I have goals to achieve. It’s not just a game to me. It’s a form of easily obtainable happiness. It's cathartic.
IT'S PERSONAL!
One thing I adore about gaming is how personal of an experience it really is. Video games require quite a bit of thinking! Skills and strategy. Generally speaking, as humans, we enjoy a challenge. We crave that release of dopamine we get when we solve a puzzle correctly or perform the best amongst our peers. Video games appeal to many critical thinking skills such as problem-solving, thinking on your feet, testing your reaction time and ability to look at situations/obstacles from multiple angles. These are all important skills that we should have as humans. As to how you obtain/learn said skills is personalized to you, but to some, video games may be the answer. Those who start video games at a young age may develop these skills more rapidly since they are required to use them more frequently than those who do not engage in gaming. Whether you may realize it or not, gaming, much like anything else, is very entwined with humans psychologically thus categorizing it as a personal experience. Now, I am not a psychologist by any means. I took one psychology course in college as a requirement. However, I am greatly intrigued by it and I have done a decent amount of my own research. So there. I provided you with a disclaimer about my limited "qualifications" on psychology. But I am human and I can provide some insight as to what I've observed! What I’ve noticed about the relationship between video games and psychology is how you can tell a lot about a person by how they play their games. It may sound silly, but think about it for a second! Think about the different styles of gaming you've observed: some people are hardcore completionists, some enjoy a casual playthrough of a game, some explore every crevice of the world whereas others speed through, some play strictly for the storyline and some will only play online. So if you observe how someone plays, there are some things you can infer about them as a person. For example, I personally find a huge amount of satisfaction in mostly or entirely completing a game. There is something so gratifying about obtaining every item in the game. I believe this aspect of me is reflective of my perfectionism. I talk about my struggle with being a perfectionist in another blog on my Mental Health page, so if you would like further insight on that, go ahead and check that it out here. But this perfectionism bleeds into all parts of my life. Video games included. The perfectionist in me wants to complete the games as close to perfect as possible. This is just one of the many examples of what I am referring to in terms of how your playing style can reflect who you are as a person. Similarly, you can also determine some information by what kind of video games people like to play. Some video games are high adrenaline situations, whereas others require a mug of warm tea and a blanket by the fire. Some people prefer sports games, some mostly play fantasy, some stick to first-person shooters, and some people try a little of everything. You can possibly infer that a person who plays a lot of racing games enjoys fast-paced scenarios and the rush of adrenaline. Therefore, you will most likely be able to find examples of this in their real life. You see what I mean? The examples are endless. How and what you play is up to you. It’s a very personal experience and thus is very telling of the kind of person you are. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty cool.
HERO OF YOUR STORY
Finally, one of the best things about video games: you get to be the hero of your story. Unfortunately in life, there are a great deal of people who (incorrectly) feel as though they are not of much value. So many turn to video games as a sense of comfort. Video games can give you that fulfillment of importance. YOU are the hero. YOU make the choices. YOU are the protagonist. Without YOU, the moon would be crashing into Termina. Without YOU, that little boy would have drowned at the hands of the Origami Killer. Without YOU, all of the Little Sisters would have been harvested. Without YOU, Glados would have you trapped in a simulation to serve as nothing but a human pawn for the rest of your days. Without YOU, Princess Peach would still be in that tower. Your victories are all a reflection of YOU. YOU are the hero.
IN CONCLUSION
I find there’s always something so bittersweet about finishing a game. I always take a moment to reflect back on my journey. All those hours I put in. How I overcame difficult obstacles. The journey I went on with my character. How invested I was. You really do become a part of the game. It’s an experience unlike any other. So yes, I may be partial to video games. But partial isn’t the word I would use. Grateful. Grateful for the years of joy, and adventure, and unforgettable worlds. I look forward to many more.
Comments