A few weeks ago, episode 145, Sometimes You Have to Kill Things: On Games and Self-Care focused on self care and games. Basically the folks chose the games that they play when everything else seemed to be slightly unbearable. The games to “soothe the soul,” as it were.
I wasn’t on that podcast so I figured I’d take this chance throw my hat into the ring because, honestly, I’m fucking tired. And so we all deserve to be happy for a bit. So the following is a non-comprehensive list of games I play to be happy for a bit, and the reasons why. Enjoy the show.
Ilomilo
(Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, Mobile; Initial Release: Nov 2010)
I’ve written about this game before, in my post “Thinking Of You, Wherever You Are”: How Games Connect Me to People I warned folks it was a cute but sad game. It deals with distance, mental illness, and loss.
Why play a game that is sad when I want to be happy? Well, it isn’t always sad. It’s also teeth-rottingly sweet. It’s message is ultimately uplifting. It’s soundtrack is really happy (Just listen to my favorite song from it). The puzzles are fun, and plus it’s got co-op! Go solve puzzles with friends and listen to good music. Nothing spells happiness like reunions with loved ones.
Little Inferno
(Platforms: Mobile, PC, Wii U; Initial Release: Nov 2012)
I’ve also written about Little Inferno and it’s strangely uplifting but dark message . I don’t go into story mode when I want to be happy. Little Inferno’s story will always make me a little sad and unsettled.
However, the sandbox mode is great because sometimes you just want to light things on fire in a controlled environment. And get paid.
Shadow of the Colossus
(Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3; Initial Release: Oct 2005)
So this game is currently on the top of my favorite games list. Slots 2-15 rearrange themselves a lot but Shadow has been at number 1 for about 10 years.
And maybe it’s because, when I feel sad, I just want to ride around the Forbidden Land with Agro for awhile.
To be fair, I can get almost the same effect from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, riding around Hyrule on Epona, but there is something specifically cathartic about the vast openness of the world in Shadow of the Colossus. The fact that, besides wildlife, it’s just Wander and Agro and Mono back at the temple. 
The emptiness is lonely, and pressing, but the sense of wonder sometimes outweighs that. I have ridden around the world, completing the map, for hours. Standing on top of cliffs and at the bottom of valleys, just taking in the world. And it’s easy to avoid the Colossi for awhile, just make sure never to follow the sunlight of Wander’s sword.
Shadow lets me forget everything for awhile and be somewhere beautiful and quiet.
Animal Crossing/ Harvest Moon/ Stardew Valley
(Platforms: Various; Initial Release: Multiple release dates)
I lump these games together not because they’re alike (well, Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley are, but anyway), but because they provide the same sort of feeling when I play. They are, at their core, goal-oriented sandbox games that allow you to help literally everyone. And I cannot stress how much I love to be useful. It makes me so happy.
These games are also pretty straightforward and simple, but there’s plenty to do. The others at NYMG can attest to how much time we’ve lost to Stardew Valley, because it’s so easy to get lost in playing and so much fun. Harvest Moon was my precursor to Stardew, and I still like going back and scrubbing cows and listening to the record player. Animal Crossing is along a different vein, but with the new update, it’s a whole other game that has a lot of fun. Just watch what trees you shake.
And, I mean, sometimes you just spend five hours fishing.
Kirby (Rainbow Curse, Epic Yarn)
(Platforms: Wii, Wii U)
I could have put any Kirby game here, but I picked these two specifically because I have such fond memories with them. Kirby’s Epic Yarn has one of my favorite side characters, Prince Fluff. It’s so cute and low stress, and the co-op is so much fun.
In fact, Epic Yarn and Rainbow Curse are here because they are my go-to co-op games. My partner and I used to play them to help me go to sleep. He will play Kirby music to cheer me up.
The memories I associate with these two games put them on this list, but memories aside, these games are particularly fun. You can’t even die in Epic Yarn. Rainbow Curse presents a sometimes frustrating challenge, but one you can overcome. Plus, you get to be a rocket ship!
Hyrule Warriors
(Platforms: Wii U, 3DS; Initial Release: Aug 2014)
My contender for sometimes you just want to kill things. Since they already brought up Diablo 3, I figured I’d add Hyrule Warriors. Because I’m a sucker for Zelda games, and because sometimes you really really just want to be an overpowered hero and mow down hundreds of enemies in minutes.
Hyrule Warriors allows for a quick pick-up-and-play experience for me too, and since I’ve beaten the story a few times with my partner, I can just go in and play any mission I want. Sometimes I try to accomplish new tasks but, really, sometimes I just want to be powerful.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
(Platforms: GameCube; Initial Relase: Feb 2004)
Perhaps I shouldn’t include Crystal Chronicles, but once again, it’s the fond memories that puts it on this list. Part of me would warn not to play this game to stay happy, as it gets dark quickly after the first “year” of game play. However, the first “year’ (first three missions) are fun, the game is beautiful for its time, and the music fantastic. Plus you get followed around by a very optimistic fluff ball Moogle.
And sometimes, it’s okay to play a game that starts happy and goes sad, becau
se you allow yourself to sort out your own emotions as you go. Kind of like the Undertale effect, but this game is a little slower on stabbing you in the heart right off. Then again, that could make it worse. After all, sometimes it’s worse when you think everything is fine and things are assuredly not. But I really liked the way the story was told on this game. It helps manage the feelings.
So long as you stop before “year” five, you should be pretty okay to avoid the unhappy bits.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
(Platforms: 3DS Initial Release: Apr 2014)
Okay, I’m sorry. We got two Final Fantasy games on here, but this game is really fun. And kind of dorky cute. And not sad! No sad in it (I know, what? It’s Final Fantasy! Where’s the drama?). It’s a musical rhythm game where you play through your favorite songs and collect points and power up different characters and unlock more. And there’s different play styles and adventures and challenges.
This is a good game for playing on trips or when you need a quick (or not so quick) break. It’s not hard to pick back up and remember how to play, and it’s pretty quick to “beat” (although there’s always things to do as you go through).
—
Playing games doesn’t always help when you’re sad. Sometimes, like me, you get so sad you can’t game. If you’re like me, that’s when it’s time to go talk to someone.
But for all other sads, the manageable sads, or when the world seems too overwhelming and you just need to get away for awhile, try a game from the list above. Tell me how you played it, and if it helped.
