Do Gaming Tastes Grow Up? Paula’s Story

Over at LadiesGamers we were wondering: do gaming tastes change when people got older? We asked our writers to expand on that theme, so time for a new series. Do we still tend to play the same genre of games? Or was there a change growing up? Read on to find out!

Giving Them All a Try

Many years ago when I first picked up a game controller I would try any gaming genre going. First-person shooters and platform games to sports games (even though I have no interest in sports whatsoever) or stealth games, beat-em-up games and massively multiplayer online role-playing. I’ve tried every genre in gaming there is. You name a genre and I will have played it, I basically wasn’t fussy about what style of game I got into.

Nausea, Reading Glasses and Reaction Time

Many of them were platform games, such as all the Mario games, Rayman, and Crash Bandicoot. I have good memories of playing Super Mario Bros on the NES and hardly mistiming a jump at all. Being able to finish the game in a short time and move on to something new in the platforming style.

Not anymore, I seem  to have fallen out of love with platform games. I think this is mainly down to my reaction time, which isn’t as quick as it used to be as I’ve gotten older. And my eyesight isn’t as sharp either so the addition of glasses probably doesn’t help in seeing where exactly my character was meant to land.

So nowadays platform games are a no go for me, they turn into a frustrating, blood pressure rising infuriating mess of “why can’t I time that jump correctly”. Life is too short to be frustrated by a game so platform games had to go.

First person shooter and beat-em-ups, I’ve played my fair share of those types of games too. Goldeneye on the N64 was a particular favourite in its time. I loved being 007 and shooting the baddies between the eyes. Unfortunately for me, that was about the time that motion sickness arrived when I played a first-person game.

That cut my gameplay sessions of Goldeneye short. You would think that I would learn a lesson but no, I persevered with playing Goldeneye in short bursts and with bathroom breaks until I completed the game. I was determined to finish the game regardless of what it did to me. Yes, I know I’m a glutton for punishment. Since then I have learnt my lesson and getting older I can’t seem to tolerate FPS in any game that has a first-person view and now avoid them completely.

Adventuring, Strategy and Simulation

Not everything has changed though. I have always liked adventure games and that is still the same today. Like most gamers, I’m looking forward to the new The Legend of Zelda Breath of The Wild 2 or whatever title Nintendo decides to give the game when it is finally released.

The strategy genre is much loved as I’ve gotten older. I appreciate a good in-depth strategy game now more than ever. Spending days playing the same map in Civilization trying to win, plotting out my next move is a lot more enjoyable than watching Mario fall down a gap fifty times.

Laidback gaming such as a simulation game, without too much or even better no violence in it, has grown on me. It’s more my kind of game now than it used to be maybe 20 years ago. A nice gentle game that I don’t have to put much thought into. A game that is great for a relaxing change of pace. Such as Animal Crossing, or ones that have something unusual in them, like Lost Words Beyond the Page or Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. Enjoyable stories are more of a draw more so than they used to be. Probably as I am older I appreciate a good story attached to a game.

So yes, my gaming tastes have changed over the years but I wouldn’t exactly say they grew up with me. Some I don’t play anymore for various reasons. Some that now have my full attention. And some have been loved from the start.

Did games grow up with you? Feel free to leave a comment below!