I came into this class having played some games as a kid (Minecraft– a lot of it, Kirby’s Adventure, Wii Sports, Super Princess Peach, Super Mario Bros) and a couple as an adult (Fortnite, Monument Valley), but I realised that my connection with games had definitely dissipated over the years. This was definitely a challenge for me coming into this class, since I didn’t have any examples off the top of my head for a lot of the concepts we were learning. When I think about why, it’s probably related to the fact that I’m also not subscribed to any streaming services either, and don’t really allow myself to have fun time alone. When I have free time, I socialise, which is where I allocate all of my “fun”.
I see now that that’s stupid. I went through a lot during Winter and Spring quarters (major earthquake in my home country, as well as an election won by a dictator) that made me spend hours and hours on Twitter a day just to keep up with the news. Everything I did and consumed was so serious: from mourning those lost in the earthquake and fundraising to worrying how votes would be stolen in the election and doing schoolwork, I never let my mind just ask for something less serious and more fun. The hours I spent on Twitter getting myself riled up or sad about things I really did not have much power to change definitely impacted my psyche, and were no more excusable than just letting myself relax and enjoy something less serious, like games.
I think the concept that stuck with me the most is what Christina said about how everyone can and should have fun, that having fun and doing it alone through games isn’t a waste of time and can even helps us learn and grow. To be honest, I had never even thought much about the fact that adults play games (or that they can, or that they should), which points to a serious misconception on my part on what games are. This class made me buy a Nintendo Switch (which I probably could have never justified buying before) and I now play alone regularly. I now have a more educated view on games and can think critically about what the designer might have intended, which stimulates me in a more “adult” way as well as just having fun with the game. I also experienced how “childish” games can bring people together: when I played Among Us with my friends, they all enjoyed it so much and asked if we could play it again. I realised that it actually makes me sad that there aren’t many catalysts for adults and young adults to just gather and play, which the critical plays really did for me.
I’m walking away from this class having realised that games are indeed very respectable: they have a tremendous amount of thought go into them, are designed intricately, unleash a side of us that we don’t really show the outside world, can teach us about ourselves and the people around us, are worthy of being studied in academia, and are something I can enjoy as often as I like.
