Getting Your Significant Other into Video Games

Given time, couples can learn to enjoy various activities together such as music, television programs, and other hobbies that they introduce each other to. Video gaming is no exception. Here are a few tips and games that should help you get your boyfriend or girlfriend into video games so that the two of you may enjoy it together.

1: Focus on the Social Interaction

Interacting with one's significant other is usually the point of spending time with him or her, whether it is a walk in the park, attending a concert, or a night on the town. Since the innovation of the two-player mode, video games have also become a great source of social interaction whether people aim to boast about their high scores or advise each other with some backseat gaming. Nowadays online gaming and the Internet have made it possible for people to do either without being in the same country. It is not exactly the best way for a couple to game together though.

Fortunately there are plenty of casual party games-mostly on the Nintendo Wii-with enough multiplayer support within the same room for great social activity. But for a nice couple activity in gaming, I recommend a few sessions of a music rhythm game whether it is a dance game like Just Dance (Wii) or any of the many Rock Band (PS3 or Xbox 360) editions. The dance games will allow the couple to show off their usually embarrassing moves within the privacy of their own quarters for a good laugh and occasional compliment. The exercise is pretty good too.

Rock Band with its variety of music in the general volumes and band specific add-ons allow almost every person to find at least one song he or she likes. The couple can live out their fantasy of being a music legend without having actual musical talent. Though if the non-gamer wants to really gain skills from a game, the drums are a good start. Rock Band typically caters to two types of people. One type is the gamer who may be a bit shy but likes to show off his gaming skills that consist of hitting the right color on a simulation of a musical instrument. The other type is the outgoing who loves the attention he/she receives for making a spectacle of him/herself who might not game as much but can enjoy belting a song during karaoke. Together the two may just make some beautiful music together... at least from the video game's scoring system.

2: Difficulty Curve

The problem of introducing a new hobby or pastime like video gaming to a significant other is trying to introduce it a difficulty curve that is easy enough for the newbie to get into yet fun enough for the veteran to still enjoy doing with the newbie. I would not throw Metal Gear Solid (PS1) onto the lap of my significant other and expect her to clear the game for date night. I still cannot get used to the controls myself. Find something simpler.

The aforementioned Rock Band and music-based games have simple controls of pressing the buttons when told. Personal sense of rhythm is the only difficulty curve. Casual games like Bejeweled are simple and addicting enough to get a non-gamer into gaming. But one game that sticks out to introduce gaming for couples is the Katamari Damacy series (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360). No matter which game it is for which system, the game objective is simple: Roll up a big ball of stuff. The controls are simple enough for any novice gamer to comprehend. The randomness of levels and challenges ensures a variety of gameplay for both to enjoy. And the game is simply fun-something definitely needed to keep people playing. For added couple interactivity, try out the co-op mode where the two of you work together to roll up that big ball of stuff.

3: Match the Non-Gamer's Hobbies

Most couples should already have an idea what their significant others like and hate as a hobby. There will be games that match those hobbies. Sport games look and play just like the sports they represent whether soccer, football, baseball, and basketball. Cooking and gardening fans can simulate cooking or gardening with Cooking Mama (Nintendo DS or Wii)or Gardening Mama (Nintendo DS). They are simple to play, cute to watch, and easy to pick up and play. For a more serious cooking to gaming crossover, America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking (Nintendo DS) makes for an interesting experience. It features the constant barrage of objectives to complete that a games does, but this game is an audio and visual recipe guide that instructs users to prepare and cook about 300 recipes. It is a near perfect combination of video games, cooking, and couple interactivity. Best of all, the recipes are gamer-proof.

4: Game & Watch

Video games have lately evolved into interactive films. While most of these games play like action films (Uncharted; PS3), games can expand to genres like sci-fi (Starcraft), drama (pretty much any JRPG), mystery (Heavy Rain), and even comedy (Armed and Dangerous). Simply pick out a game that suits your significant other's taste, play a round, watch the in-game cinematic, and hand the controller to him/her to see how much of the "movie" he/she progresses through.

5: Have Fun

Just remember to have fun when playing video games with your significant other. That is the point of the gaming after all. If you have fun, chances are he/she will as well. And that will encourage more game play. At the very least, the co-op play may help advance a level or unlock an achievement at least.

My favorite video game to play with a girl is the arcade rail-shooter Let's Go Jungle! Lost on the Island of Spice. The rail-shooting mechanic is easy to play with a simple pull of the trigger to shoot things and press the button when told. The game emphasizes teamwork and rescuing each other from enemies. The game even ends with an evaluation of the couple's relationship in terms of teamwork. The evaluation is for entertainment value, but still a good nod for couples.