Maybe you’re not a huge TV fan, or maybe you need another reason to make your parents yell at you to go outside. Maybe you want to watch TV but you need a more engaged way to spend your time so you don’t go totally insane. It’s a boat we’re all stuck in, so we might as well make the most of it and waste as much time as possible. Here are nine time-consuming video games that should keep you occupied for as long as quarantine goes on.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)
If you’ve played any of the previous Zelda games, upon getting Breath of the Wild you’ll almost immediately see that Nintendo went above and beyond for this one. It can be technically described as an open-world, third-person RPG, but those words don’t even begin to encompass the sheer size of this game. The world is massive, complete with many colorful characters, over a thousand puzzles (no, that isn’t an exaggeration), and lots of enemies to battle (all of which regenerate every few days).
It took me over 200 hours to finish the game’s main plot, and another 100 hours to do the many side quests and puzzles. All that said, I still haven’t done everything there is to do in the game, and I don’t expect that I ever will.
Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4, Microsoft Windows)
Similar to BOTW in that there is a massive world to discover, this game follows the life of an orphaned girl named Aloy, who wants to find out more about where she came from. It is set many years into the future, when machines roam the Earth in place of animals. You can carry out tasks for the characters around you and, meanwhile, hunt the machines with the end goal of solving the mystery of Aloy’s origins.
Prepare for some emotional moments in this game, as you become absorbed in the atmosphere of the game’s violence-ridden world. You’ll likely be able to spend hours progressing through the main plot, not to mention the countless side quests.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch)
Nintendo’s most recent release, ACNH, follows a similar premise to the other games in the series. The main difference is instead of building up a town from scratch, you get a whole island to work with. There are tons of things to do daily in the game, such as fishing, bug hunting, digging for fossils, mining ores, and chopping wood, meaning you could spend large chunks of time each day kicking back and relaxing with Animal Crossing. The game also serves as a creative outlet; the design and layout of your island is totally up to you, and can be changed any time you want.
This game is the completionist’s dream. Anything you can collect in the game is carefully recorded on your in-game phone; for creatures and fossils there is an entire museum to fill. And let’s not forget the many adorable characters that bring your island to life. Besides its lovable NPC’s, ACNH allows you to visit your friends’ islands or invite them to yours. So, if you were looking for an excuse to socialize, here’s your chance.
The Sims (PS4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows)
A classic management simulation game, it’s no surprise The Sims made my list. In this game, the player starts by designing their family of Sims, which is several hours in itself. After that, gameplay is eternal; you can constantly improve and modify the lives of your Sims. This game is another great creative outlet, perfect for using your mental energy towards something so fun, yet so unproductive.
Currently, The Sims 4 is on sale $4.99, so if you don’t want to break the bank, but you need something new to distract you from quarantine woes, this is definitely a game to consider.
The Sims Mobile (Android, iOS)
Don’t have a computer with Windows? No problem! The Sims Mobile is just as interesting. It follows the same premise as the PC versions, but is condensed into a smaller game that will fit in your pocket.
The reason I included this game instead of The Sims Freeplay (another Sims game for mobile devices) is because it is more similar to the PC versions. While I’d also recommend The Sims Freeplay, The Sims Mobile has better attention to detail and more options for gameplay in early-game.
Minecraft (All Platforms)
Where have you been if you haven’t played Minecraft at least a little? I’m still going to talk about it, but seriously! Where? It’s amazing how a game with such a simple premise could become such a cultural classic. The opportunities in Minecraft are endless: you can explore an infinite world made of cubes, defend your base against zombies and other creatures, care for a quaint, peaceful farm, or mess around with your friends and a stack of explosives. The game has also featured a sandbox mode since one of its earliest updates, in which every resource is right at the player’s fingertips and all the player needs to do is let their creativity run wild.
While there is an end boss, and an attempt at a storyline, the main focus of Minecraft is the control the player has over their own gaming experience. Outside of the game itself, the Minecraft community on social media boasts millions, perfect for if you’re looking for some new friends or just inspiration for your next project.
Terraria (All Platforms)
What would this list be without a hardcore sandbox game? Terraria follows a similar premise to Minecraft, however there are more bosses, more resources to choose from, and is two-dimensional instead of three-dimensional. It is another classic in which you can build up your world from the bottom, explore lots of cool landmarks, and fight monsters. What sets Terraria apart from other, similar games is the sheer multitude of things. Seriously, there are so many things to collect and craft, from weapons to armor to decorations for your base.
From the complex, randomly-generated cave systems, to the wide open skies, to the dangerous but yielding Underworld, you could spend hours exploring a single world in Terraria. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful pixel graphics.
The Pokemon Series (Most Nintendo Platforms)
Most gamers, even the most inexperienced, have played a Pokemon game. If you haven’t, now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with this cultural classic. You could start with some of the older games to gain an understanding of the basics, or dive right into one of the more recent installments to explore large maps and collect lots of Pokemon. Whatever you choose, every game in the Pokemon series has a unique plot that accompanies you through the boss battles.
Once you finish the main plot, you have the freedom to find and collect every Pokemon in the game, battle online with other great players, or engage side quests assigned by fun, colorful NPC’s. The best part is that there have been over a hundred games released over the years, all separated into 8 generations. So if you have a few dollars and an Ebay account, you’re set for quarantine.
Stardew Valley (All Platforms)
It’s really hard to be a farmer when you live in the small suburb of Camp Hill. Instead of having to travel, Stardew Valley brings the farm to you. You can care for animals, grow seasonal plants, and build friendships with the friendly villagers of Stardew Valley. While its world isn’t the biggest, the player has an entire farm to build and maintain. With little effort but lots of hours, you can build an adorable place for your character and animals to live.
The developers of Stardew Valley are always rolling out updates, and the online community is still thriving as well, so this game is perfect to become invested in while you still have the time.
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