Over the past few years I noticed a trend amongst my friends that is bringing about a change. Couples are getting married, moving away and starting families of their own. At first this wasn’t a problem; with online gaming it’s easy to send a group of texts saying “Game on,” and everyone knows what it means. Moments later the band would be back together and everything was right in the world. Now the same text is met with responses like, “Can’t, gotta watch the kid,” or “Can’t, going over the in-laws.” Can’t has become a four-letter word I wouldn’t say in front of my own mother. So how do you fit your career, family, and the controller into a nice neat package? This is something as adults we are always struggling with, trying to find that little opening in our schedule where there are no deadlines to be met or spills to be cleaned. As difficult as it may seem sometimes, there are various avenues to choose from.
If you’re like my brother, who has three brat….I mean kids, the Wii is a no brainer. It has a library full of family and party games that are both educational and fun simultaneously. Games like Wii Play and Brain Age Academy can help to both reinforce the family bond and teach young kids to play well with others. They’re also educational, but don’t let them in on that. If you do manage to get some time alone, Modern Warfare is on Wii as well. Good luck with the Wiimote there.
Perhaps you are a frequenter of mass transit. If you have an iPhone or an Android device you can dull the pain and get your fix at the same time. There are thousands of games – or maybe just hundreds on the Android – to choose from like Plants vs. Zombies, Bebbled, Replica Island, and Doodle Jump. Games such as these are easy jump –in-and-jump-out games that don’t require a lot of time or commitment. Perfect for short trips on a bus or train, making the distance between stops seem miniscule. Just remember to listen for yours.
Once you’re in the office, working on those TPS reports is enough to make you feel hypnotized. Providing your office allows it, sites like Kongregate, Playdom and Facebook have games that can tide you over. Communities like these are always up and running, so they are there when you need them, helping not only to quell the need for game time but also acting as a stimulant, or refresher, breaking you out of your rut and getting your mind back on track.
It can be difficult to chisel down those 20 plus hour weeks in the World of Warcraft or the extensive evenings of trash talking in Modern Warfare 2 with smaller, more controlled sessions of gameplay. However, there is something to be said about jumping in, taking care of (insert your social game addiction here) and going about your daily routine. Most people don’t see them as multiplayer, let alone a real game for that matter, but it satisfies a small part of that interaction lost from putting down my headset. After considering all the options that are available today it really isn’t hard to find the time to start up a game and do what it is we love to do. You shouldn’t have to even consider giving up your passion entirely; merely find a new outlet to plug into.