Games (video, computer, board, or outside) can be fun ways to pass the time, but beneath their seemingly simple surface lies something more serious: an engaging and exciting way to tell stories. Games can bypass the barrier held by childhood, slipping into our adult lives, leaving a lasting impact we'll remember forever.
Reddit user, u/gubbatv, wanted to know what game you'd replay in an instant when they asked:
What game had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Waddle Around And Meet New Friends
GiphyClub Penguin.
It was my escape from the world for years. There I had friends and could lose myself to roleplays that were better than my real life. I'm better now, I have friends and like myself more, but for young me that was the escape I needed.
Collective Storytelling...With Swords!
Dungeons and Dragons. I started playing when I was ten. Here we are 38 years later and I'm still playing D&D. Lots of my friendships revolve around the game.
Same (started way later though), especially right now with the lockdown. For my friends and I, it's pretty much the only routine we still have.
Let's Find All The Moons!
Super Mario Galaxy is the first game I truly fell in love with really kicked off my gaming addiction
Such an amazing game. I still cannot understand how they programmed the gravity, and how they made it feel so natural at the same time
Games Of Adventure To Teach You To Overcome
Far Cry 4. I was going through a tough time in life and missions that took place in shangri-la gave me a lot of insight into how to come out of them. It unknowingly turned out to be a turning point in my life.
I know this feeling. In my second year of grad school I had a full mental breakdown that lasted months and Star Wars Battlefront was a big part of of my recovery. It represented the passive part of my recovery, but was essential none-the-less.
It's A Painting That Comes To Life
Okami.
My absolute #1 favorite game of all time. The first time I ever tried a dating site, I found somebody who had the game listed as one of her favorites in her profile. Jump forward 11 years, we're now married with two children.
The BEST Zelda Game Of All Time. Fight Me.
GiphyZelda: Ocarina of Time - The timing of the game, riding around on your horse and unique temples made this one of the best adventures! There were so many unique aspects to the game that really made it stand out and make it a magical experience.
This Is The End Of The World...Of Warcraft.
Probably WoW, I've never spent that much time playing any game, much less the same game off and on for ~15 years now.
From being a kid and hiding in my real life basement on new years because I didn't want to socialize and watching the fireworks from Org to raiding 3 days a week with a guild of cool people in Legion, WoW's always been there.
WoW is the only reason I learned how to type, learned online etiquette, hell, learned a majority of my social skills.
A Game That Teaches Everything
Runescape changes my life for the better. Seriously.... I played it from 6th grade to when I was a senior in 12th grade.
I of course learned and explored a vast landscape with many hidden secrets but it taught way more to real life then that. I learned to merchant, selling high/buying low. Learned basic economy and trades, and that emotion can be such a strong pursuit in any trade deal where you can in fact benefit and make so much from.
I learned more... during my 7 years, I fell for scams, so many scams. I fell for password scams, lost my Santa hat from people taking advantage of me during a construction skills bug, lost my Abby whip from a scam I really thought I was helping a stranger in the wild. It made me learn to never trust strangers when you think you'll benefit or even to trust strangers with deals that are too good to be true. In fact, I learned to scam back. I scammed a ton of people back in my day when I was younger. The most expensive thing I scammed was an Abby whip - the same way it got stolen from me - I ended up giving the guy the price for it 3 years later & he had no idea who I was or why I did that.
I learned more. My words have consequences.
I learned to type like a wild man with so much repetition "selling 1k lobbies, 200k" etc. I'm such a better typist because of it
I mostly learned friendships. I made friends in the community but mostly I played alongside my real life friends. We went to the wildy, talked about it for days, did quests, merchanted, learned ways to strategize. It was such an experience and I've taken allllllll my lessons from that game and applied them to my real life. Happy to know I've gotten a run through full life before adulthood.
Build n' Build n' Build Together
Minecraft, that game has helped me through so many rough times and i have an incredible sense of nostalgia for it. Even now, in the pandemic, it's still helpin me out, as i can still interact with my friends in the game
At first I didn't understand the appeal for my kids. But they got me to join them in constructing buildings etc.. its therapeutic, I love it.
...well I have to add I play it without my kids now lol. I'm middle age, in a very demanding job... minecraft has the effect of recalibrating my mind after work. I'll call it [Mindcraft].
Any Game That Comforts You Is Worthwhile
GiphyKingdom Hearts.
I was a pretty lonely kid (we lived in the middle of nowhere, and my siblings were a few years older), but playing this game made my loneliness disappear for a few hours.
I started replaying KH1 and KH2 while stuck at home, and it's made me appreciate it so much more being an adult. So many things that I glossed over as a child are much more poignant as an adult.
moonishthingsDo you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk him about it.
Redditor Tight_Anywhere6794 wanted to hear about the things parents have said in the past that haunts everyone still, so they asked:
"What insult have your parents said, that is stuck in your head as an adult?"
I've been blessed with the mother I had.
So I can't speak from experience.
But I've heard parenting horror stories.
Bad Expressions
Sad Kid GIF by 1tvGiphy“'You’re so annoying.' Said to me as a young kid while I was expressing enthusiasm over some new interest. Later my father complains I never tell him anything."
foppishyyy
Mean Spirited
"What did I do to deserve a fat kid?"
Silosolo
"My parents also mocked me for being fat, and outright physically abused me as in forcefully grabbed my fat child manboobs or slapped me while calling me fat-related names."
"A lot of people at school did it too, so obviously I have a lot of self-image issues like I never let anyone see me without clothes these days. The worst part is that I legitimately internalized a lot of hate, I could never care for myself enough to actually get fit."
FoeWithBenefits
What's My Name?
"My parents divorced when I was young and they hate each other. My mom would call me my dad's name when she was really upset. What makes it worse is that I confided in her that I never wanted to be like my dad. She used that ammunition against me."
Discarded_Pariah
"That's awful. You are your own person. You aren't your father."
blksmnr
Unfunny
"'You can't even laugh right.'"
"My mom in a weird moment I thought we were bonding. There's something inherently extra evil when someone tells you your joy is wrong. Told her I'm engaged and hoped she could at least be happy I'm happy and she ghosted everyone to the point the family thought died. She's a mess."
BlindEditor
"I'll never understand parents that are so hard on their own children that they can't even be happy for them. So their sole function is to bring misery to their offspring?"
macabre_irony
Evil
Oh My God Wow GIF by The Roku ChannelGiphy"My little brother was drowning, I tried to save him but also almost drowned, we got rescued by a neighbor. My mom told me that they should've left me in the pond. I haven't spoken to her in many years."
Ilookbetterthanyou
Good Lord. How do people like this exist?
Tragic.
HIM
"She told me I was acting just like my father when I would get upset. I would just get kinda pissy and sulk. He would go on rampages and scream and hit and throw things. He pushed her down the stairs once. I would never lay a finger on my current partner. The worst part is I look just like him. I was wondering if my mother always expected me to turn into my dad. I prove her wrong every day."
rot_grl
10 Years Old
"When I was ~10 years old, my mum once said 'If I could go back in time and make sure I never gave birth to you, I would in a heartbeat.'"
"Never forgot it. Talked to her about it a couple of times years later and her responses ranged from 'That never happened' to 'Oh yeah and I suppose I’m just the worst mother ever' and finally 'Yeah but I didn’t mean it, you know that.'"
"Messed me up tho tbh. Another one was '[older sibling] was the only child we actually planned for, the rest of you were accidents.' I don’t think it was intended as an insult, but being told your entire existence was an accident as a child kinda stung."
SpiderP*bes
Failures
“'You’re the biggest mistake I ever made.' - my mother when I was 5. I’m 32 now and it’s been the undercurrent for our relationship ever since, constantly wondering if anything I’ve achieved or struggled for is something she’s genuinely proud of or just relieved to say I wasn’t a total failure on her part."
thefaehost
Generational Issues
"Not a parent but a grandparent, I was adopted when I was 12 years old (my parents were both drug addicts so I was in and out of foster care most of my life) my adopted mother's father turned to me on Christmas Eve when no one else was around and said 'My daughter should have never adopted you, she should have let you stay on the streets where you belong'… he got nicer as he got older and sicker but I couldn’t find it in myself to forget what he said even almost 10 years later. Went to the funeral for moral support but was indifferent about his passing."
samweather227
Just Me
Sad Kids GIF by Cian DucrotGiphy"I was an only child and lonely. When I asked for a sibling, the response was 'If you want to know why we don't have more kids, go look in the mirror.'"
Responsible_Fly_3565
Some people should never have children.
Awful.
"What is something you no longer have patience for?"
Off The Clock Means OFF THE CLOCK!
"Working outside of work hours."
"I used to go above and beyond, now I only put in what is required."
"Life is too short to live only to work."- Chesterfieldcat
"The working world."
"My life doesn’t revolve around working here and it never will."
"It will never be a part of my identity."
"I come in, do the job, make money, go home."
"Don’t expect me to come to all the work happy hours so I can pretend how much I love working here."- nuclearsalt
Some Things Just Don't Get A Free Pass
"Sh*tty people getting a pass 'because they're family'."- cgulash
angry homer simpson GIFGiphySay What You Mean, Not What You Feel
"Having to guess what people REALLY mean by something they said."
"I take everything people say at face value now and don't replay conversations in my head to find out the real meaning anymore."
"Be passive-aggressive if you want to but talk to me like an adult if you really have a problem."- WateredDownSalt
EYES ON THE ROAD!
"People who text and drive."
"You're driving a giant piece of metal propelled by explosive liquid."
"Pay attention."- MasterfulNothasie
The Only Life That Should Concern You Is Your Own
"People and groups of people that only talk about other people."- Turf98
"People who can’t mind their fucking business and are always worried about what other people are doing."
"If it doesn’t effect you, f*ck off."
"It’s literally free."- wackwackwackjpg
GIF by WWEGiphySome People Didn't Mind Social Distancing
"People invading my personal space."- Mighty-Foreskin
Influence Can Be Dangerous
"Anything that has “influencer” in it."- chemistcarpenter
Indoor Voices People...
"Streamers screaming, losing their sh*t, breaking things, and having tantrums."
"I used to think this was so funny now I just can't stand it; I can't even watch a streamer if I notice they're not using their normal talking voice." - Reddit
Fail Oh No GIF by G2 EsportsGiphyTaking Responsibility Is A Sign Of Maturity
"People who constantly blame others for the situation they are in."- SuvenPan
Time Is Precious And Shouldn't Be Wasted
"Waiting on people who are constantly late to plans."
"I will wait 15 minutes then excuse myself."- Dabbles-In-Irony
There's Multi-Tasking, And Then There's Just Being Rude...
"People being on their phone while in a conversation with you."
"Seriously."
"Put your phone away!"- rosieblinkstime
Phone GIF by Poehlmann FitnessGiphyIt Takes So Much More Effort To Be Nasty...
"Bad manners, unkindness and general rudeness."
"It costs nothing to be a nice person and from someone who works in a customer-facing industry, attitudes, sadly, appear to be getting worse."
"It really makes me cross."- Bellamiles85
At Least They're Being Transparent
"Medicine commercials with worse side-effects than the thing being cured."- mrbbrj
Wasting our time and thoughts about things that we know can only bring us down is simply no way to get through life.
It's essential to live our lives by taking the present moment for what it is: a present.