Best Videogames For Enthralling Non-Gamers?

Thanks to GameSpy for its article discussing the best videogame titles that appeal to those unfamiliar with gaming. The list of these 'gateway' titles, games which "...are usually quite easy to pick up and play and remain addictive", includes EyeToy: Play ("It's immensely entertaining to watch your co-workers move around ridiculously while trying to wash a virtual window or fight a virtual boxer"), Dance Dance Revolution ("sits in a strange purgatory between social awkwardness and coolness"), and The Sims ("...breaking boundaries that many thought impenetrable.")

Comments

A good story counts

[Decaffeinated Jedi]

Out-of-the-ordinary, mainstream games like DDR and The Sims are a good place to start, but there's also something to be said for introducing a non-gamer to a game featuring a storyline that you think might appeal to him or her. For instance, my wife was never a fan of gaming aside from Mario on the NES and SNES. A little over a year ago, however, I convinced her to play the vastly underrated Anachronox with me because I had read a bit about the game's storyline and thought the sci-fi/comedy elements might appeal to her.

It turns out that they did, and the game got her interested not only in the RPG genre (we just finished Knights of the Old Republic together), but also gaming in general (some of her favorites have been Thief, System Shock 2, and Tropico).

That being said, if you can find a game with a story that might appeal to a non-gamer, you might have even more luck than just introducing him or her to a more gimmicky title.

Tetris

[brejc8]

The obveous game that hooked an entire generation.
I remember my mother being really addicted to it. Although she didn't know how to do anything on the computer (turing the mouse like a steering wheel to go sideways etc.) she could still find and play tetris.

Re:Tetris

[EvilOpie]

I have to agree with you on Tetris. My mom used to borrow my gameboy to play it too. I even remember bringing my GB to a friend's house to play it there, and we'd link up with his mom and their GB for a game or two.

My mom eventually switched to Dr. Mario when it came out, though ity's the same type of game in a way. My girlfriend now loves games like collapse. It's been my experience that most "non-gamers" will take an interest in games, as long as they are the right games. It seems like generic puzzle games seem to work the best as they are not just mindless shooting games, and you don't need to know how to work 20 different buttons and pull off a hundred different combos to make the game fun. Simple games that challenge the mind seem to be the best at pulling in the non-traditional gamer.

Easy, fun, varied, and pretty games

[viking099]

I got my wife semi-hooked on games mainly by just playing them while she was around. I spent a few weeks playing Grandia II on my Dreamcast, and she finally let her curiosity get the better of her, and sat down and played it through.
Now she's playing Animal Crossing, and really liking it. She likes all the different things to do, all the interactions, the letter writing, decorating, digging, etc, etc.
Puzzle games as mentioned above are great as well, but I've noticed that once they find a puzzle game the like, they'll only be interested in playing it or something similar.

Let me get this straight

[bigbigbison]

So the PS2 version of DDR is good for a non gamer, but not the x-box version? The x-box version of GTA is good for non gamers but not the PS2 or PC versions? I just find it incredibly odd that they would only mention versions of games for certain platforms when that game is available (in slightly different forms) on other platforms as well.

Everquest

[pelsmith]

Yeah, Everquest.

I know, I know, you think I have lost my mind. As far as learning curves go in computer games, EQ's is pretty steep. Also, it has a reputation as a hardcore gamers obsession.

However, I know many EQ players personally, and I have noticed that those who "succeed" in it are often from seperate peer groups than the veteran gamer:

1. Atheletes - Believe it or not. I know lots of people who play lots of sports, and their competitive nature played well into EQ. Once they learned that this was a way for them to rise above the competition, and get the phat bling-bling, most took off at rocket speed.

2. People with time on their hands - That can be most of us during periods in our life. These are the moms after the kids have flown the coop. They are also the guy who got fired, the couple just trying to stay home and save some money, and the teenager counting the days till graduation and escape.

3. Anyone with more than 0.001% obsessive-compulsive behavior.

My point is I know many, many people who never played a computer game more complex than minesweeper, and then found themselves serving up an 8 hour day behind an EQ avatar.

I do not recommend you buy a copy for Grandma though, unless you are desperate to cease her meddling.

Pel

Pointless list, yet misses the point

[antin]

I know Gamespy like their top 10 lists and all, but they really should go to a little bit of effort to compile them. This most recent list seems to completely miss the point.

As I was working my way through the top 10, I kept expecting to see Animal Crossing somewhere in there, but it was nowhere to be found. It is without a doubt the number one game to enthrall non-gamers. I speak from experience as it rapidly had my mother and my sister playing, and neither of them had ever played a console game before in their lives (and I do own other games from that list).

I don't think many of the games on the list would appeal to people who have never before played a game, although many of them would appeal to casual gamers. I don't see how racing games, fighting games, shooting games, sports games etc... will suddenly appeal to people who weren't interested in playing those games a year ago, five years ago, or ten years ago - they aren't a new idea or genre.

While I can accept that Gamespy have listed some of the best racing games (eg Mario Kart), some of the best FPS games (eg Counter Strike) or one of the best sports games (eg Madden) they have only listed one or two simple and innovative games, that might attract someone who hasn't been interested by the normal fare.

The only four games I see on the Gamespy list that might attract new players is the Eye-toy (although I think that it is something that will only capture attention for a short period of time), Karaoke Revolution, Dance-Dance, and the Sims.

Animal Crossing is a glaring exception - not only did my mother start playing it, but she is still doing so 6 months down the track. However Animal Crossing is not the only exception - there are many other games suited to the list, for example nearly any web-based puzzle game, or new games like Donkey Konga.

Monkey Ball, every time.

[nicky_d]

Gots to be Monkey Ball for non-gamers - no buttons to push (in the main game), gameplay based around simple physics - everyone knows about gravity and inertia, even if only instinctively - a great learning curve, a simple goal, intuitive control with instant feedback... and all wrapped in a great package. I bought my GameCube into work at Xmas, and one non-gaming coworker had ordered one of their own within five minutes of starting Monkey Ball. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it at all; it's a perfect game.

Having said that, try explaining the Monkey Bowling mode to a novice...

"Okay, there'll be a bouncing line - don't press A yet, or... okay, you pressed it, no problem - there's the line. You have to stop it in the middle. Just press A.... you've only got a few seconds. Don't panic! Right, you've stopped it at the side, you'll start rolling in a second or so - you'll need to spin in the opposite direction. Use the shoulder button. No, the shoulder button. Before you cross that line! Oh, see, you span the wrong way. Your monkey's dead."

(Trying to explain it beforehand is even worse, by the way).

This article completely misses the point.

[NedR]

It's a really stupid idea to try to sandwich people into categories like "women will like this game" and "your drunk football buddies will like this game." Here's my theory; it's not that some games are "too cute" or "too violent." It's not that women naturally want to play a game that is like an interactive soap opera. This article reads like the people who wrote it actually believe that non-gamers have never heard of Vice City, or don't know that they also have nonviolent games out there. I think it's more likely that there are three primary reasons for non-gamers.

1. Don't realize there are good plots out there. It certainly could happen. The pure dumb fun of Vice City gets played up, while the homages to Scarface and Miami Vice, and the game's dark humor, get played down. Games like DOOM get all the attention, while games like The Getaway and Beyond Good and Evil get swept under the rug. Even absurdly popular games like MGS and the Final Fantasy series get little or no attention from the non-game media.

2. Some adjustment to the controls is required. For somebody who has never used a gamepad before, the first time can be awkward, annoying, and extremely difficult. This can, in some cases, turn a person away from gaming, and it takes some persistence to get that person to adjust to a controller.

3. Or maybe they just never really got into it. Let's face it, there are people out there who have other things they have to take care of, and other people who just aren't willing to fork over the money for what can be a pretty expensive hobby.

So, what's the solution? Well, for 3, maybe it's best to find some free time that person has, and try to make him/her sit down, shut up, and play. 2, same thing, but it's going to require a lot of persistence, and keeping that person at the game for a while. Games like Soul Caliber II are good for that person, because button mashing still works. Sometimes, it's probably not even worth it, however, if the person can't adjust. As for 1, the solution is relatively simple; show them games like The Getaway, MGS, FF X, etc., maybe bring up your favorite cutscenes if you can find them.

Remember, this is just the short list; I realize there a lot of other reasons why somebody wouldn't be a gamer.