What is it about video games?

What is it about video games that makes them so addicting? Way before all the high-rez graphics and the controllers that have 37 buttons on them (all which do multiple functions within a game), there were simple games like Super Mario Bros. that required you to do only 2 things: jump on anything that got in your way, and run to the right hand side of the screen until you reached the flag. That was it. There were no cutscenes, no dramatic storyline, no voiceovers from famous actors/actresses, and the graphics weren't even in 3-D. Even still, if you ask anyone on the street if they've played Super Mario Bros, chances are they have, and they loved it.

Why?


Because it was so simplistic.

Because the game created a challenge while at the same time provided hours and hours of fun.

Because it's fun to be someone else other than yourself for a while.

I could go on and on, but i'll leave you to think about any more reasons.

I'll admit it...my addiction is World of Warcraft. Now don't get me wrong, when I say "addiction" I don't mean "OMG I PLAY NONSTOP 24/7 AND I HAVE 10 LVL 80 CHARACTERS AND THEY'RE ALL IN HIGH-END RAIDING GUILDS! I'M UBER 1337!" What I mean is that no matter how many times I tell myself, "That's it Guan, you're done....the game isn't fun anymore, you don't have the time to spend 4-5 hours 2-3 times a week to raid, you suck at PvP, and leveling just isn't fun when you're doing it alone," the game always finds some way to bring me back. Even little things like the Recruit-A-Friend program have brought me and 4 of my RL friends back to the game. Even my own brother, who has told me hundreds and hundreds of times that, "WoW is such a stupid game, and everyone who plays it needs to get a real life," has joined the world of Azeroth.

I could talk forever about WoW, but my warlock isn't going level itself ;)

So my question to you is: Which video game has made such a long-lasting, almost-addiction mark on you?


Until next time,

~TheGuan