There are many gamer couples out there that are one part Gamer and one part game-experienced Gamer’s Girl (GG). There are also a lot of gamer couples where gaming tends to lean more toward the Gamer and not the GG. It’s not necessarily for the sake of not trying. Perhaps, the attempts made were simply more discouraging than fun or the intro game was not a good fit. Here are some tips and lists for Gamers and GGs to give it another go. Every GG is different, and it is perfectly acceptable to not play games. These are simply a few recommendations to those who might want to try.
Best Video Games To Play With Girlfriend
Below is a list of games to start with and work towards. Any of these can help build up GGs confidence. She may need to start with some user-friendly games to work up an interest to play more advanced ones. If a Gamer doesn’t have any games their GG likes, try renting a few to test them out. It might be worth it to make a trip to the game store. That way the GG can take part in the game purchase and ask questions on types of games (Gamers, you don’t have to point out she’s a newb to everyone in the store). Once you find a game, apply the tips above.
Fun Strategy and Adventure Games to Share
- Zelda
- Mario Brothers (any of those really)
- Lemmings
- Spore
- Portal
Scary Games to Watch, Assist, and Share (works great on the big screen)
- F.E.A.R.
- Deadspace
- BIOSHOCK
- Fallout 3
Easy, Start and Stop Multiplayer Games
- Little, Big Planet
- Lego Star Wars
- Mario Kart
- Super Smash Brothers
Easy Multiplayer/CO-OP first-person shooters
- House of the dead
- Half-Life 1 and 2
- Left 4 Dead
- Team Fortress
Team Building Games
- Team Fortress
- Left 4 Dead
- World of Warcraft
- Counter-Strike (even though it’s old)
How to teach the Gamer to teach the Gamer’s Girl to play?
Tips for Gamers teaching the games to girlfriends:
- Make a Commitment. Gamers are always quick to suggest playing video games to their gamer’s girls as a way to spend time together. They are also sometimes the first to abandon their GGs if they aren’t catching on quickly enough. If a Gamer really wants to level up their GG to game with them, they first have to accept the responsibility that comes with that.
- Be prepared to help her out.
- Be supportive and understanding.
- Be prepared to share the game if she gets really into it.
- Recognize that she may not want to play 8 hours straight.
- Don’t get annoyed when she struggles with seemingly easy tasks.
- Don’t be a sore loser or rub it in when you win.
- Don’t snatch the controller from her every 10 seconds.
- Don’t use her as bait!
- Keep it fun! It’s important to have fun when playing a game with your GG. She might not become a full fledged “Gamer,” but if their Gamer makes it fun and entertaining, she’s more likely to want to play again. Remember, it only counts as quality time if the GG enjoys it. So try not to force her into games she may not be into.
- Remember that you’re teaching her. If you’re looking for a teammate to dominate a new game with, go hook up with one of your Gamer friends. Otherwise, slowdown! In the beginning, a way to make it entertaining for a GG is to focus primarily on spending time with her and working on her skills, not on beating the level or campaign. The more practice she gets, the quicker she’ll improve. Even if that means spending all your ammo while she learns to throw that dam Molotov… for the 23rd time.
- Controls can feel foreign. Whether you’re working together on an MMO or Co-OPing in a first person shooter, controlling a character can be tricky to someone new. So before you throw her into WoW or Halo – take the time to physically show her the controls. You may have to put your hands over hers and walk her through the basics. By doing so, her muscle memory will kick in and she’ll be doing it on her own.
- Advance to strategic game play. Once she has a decent handle on her character, move on to strategies. For a GG it’s more fun to play as a team rather then her wondering around while you do all the work. Make her vital to the mission. After a while, ask her to be captain for a few rounds and tell you where to go.
- Play together with one controller. MMOs or Co-Op games aren’t the only type of games Gamers and GGs can share. If they’re not into casting spells or shooting things up, try some fun, easy to start and stop, strategy games or action adventure games. Remember to take turns if she wants to. GGs don’t have to become pure gamers or adopt gaming as their main hobby in order to have fun playing. It can be something casual for both Gamer and GG to enjoy sporadically. Something she can follow and enjoy.
Tips for Gamer’s Girls learning to game:
- Make a Commitment. Your Gamer loves the fact that you are taking an interest in his hobby. Don’t make him walk on eggshells because you get frustrated easily. If he follows the tips above, you shouldn’t be getting upset with him or the game. If you start to feel frustrated, let your Gamer know. He of all people knows that it takes time before you are really good at a game. If a GG really wants to play with her Gamer, they have to make a commitment actually to play and stick with a game.
- Don’t resent the fact that he already knows how to play.
- Don’t be afraid to die (pst – you’re not actually dying).
- Accept you are going to fail attempts in the game… a lot.
- If you don’t understand something, speak up.
- Don’t be whinny when you struggle (it’s really unattractive – and annoying).
- Don’t be a sore looser or rub it in his face when you win.
- Keep it fun! Laughter really is the best medicine. When you make a mistake, try to laugh about it. You won’t be letting him down. Your gamer knows what it’s like to learn how to play a game. Once upon a time, he wasn’t as good as he is now, either.
- Learn your skills. Before you go running off and saving the day, you will actually have to learn how to use the controller. It can be intimidating, but the more you practice the quicker you’ll pick it up. You will find that game systems tend to follow a basic formula of gameplay. Try using the controller on an easy strategy game that doesn’t force you to make quick, split-second decisions. Get comfortable with the controls before you tackle more complex games. Your reaction time will improve with time.
- Learn to die with grace. Yes, your character will be dying…a lot. That’s just the way the gaming world decided to set things up. Don’t feel like you’re a loser for it. No matter how good your Gamer is, he has died a million times. So before you throw a tantrum, remember that it’s supposed to be fun.
- Know when to stop. Your gamer can probably go hours before turning off the game. If you feel your hands are cramping up or find yourself getting tired or bored – tell him you’re done for the day. You’ll keep gaming fun and frequent if you’re in the right state of mind.
Remember Gamers, if she’s making this effort to play with you – you might want to consider sharing something new that she wants to do!
Feel free to post your own tips or suggest some great starter games!