As if it was a bit of foreshadowing, I talked about the hours that I spent playing little puzzle games like Bejeweled on consoles when Pea was an infant because I had figured out how to play while feeding her and holding her upright afterwards (severe acid reflux made that necessary) and the music from those games soothed her and me through those long nights. Baby wearing is invaluable in situations like this.
Today, after two long days of vomiting and horrible fever dreams I find that I am again most thankful for handheld games. For the uninitiated the severity of the sickness of a child is directly proportional to the amount that said child will want to snuggle with her parent. This, unfortunately, makes it impossible to do most things like eat, work, or play regular console games. So I have spent a lot of time these last couple of days reliving those wonderful (and I do mean wonderful) nights almost six years ago when Bejeweled soothed us both, but this time there was no Bejeweled.
Hearthstone (iOS)
For the cunning folks out there Hearthstone for the iOS is available in the New Zealand, Canada, and Australia stores and you may just be able to swing getting it in the US if you can’t wait a month or so for the US release. The interface is familiar and the touchscreen is what the game has been asking for. But do be prepared to use the wrong card on the from minion/hero a couple of times before you get things down cold. It can be a little laggy, but I am hoping that this will get better with the US release of the game and more servers online.
Bravely Default (3DS)
While it is dang near impossible to play most 3DS games with limited mobility (because the handheld boasts lots of platformers), Bravely Default is turn based so you have lots of time for strategizing and planning out your actions when your turn comes around. And the extended cutscenes make for a good bit of entertainment when you don’t want the glare of television to keep wee ones awake. An added bonus is the musical score which is reminiscent of the score from Ni No Kuni, which is much loved in this house.
Bejeweled (360)
Because it is a good standby and I am often nostalgic for days of old. Also because you can play in endless mode and you don’t have to play against the clock like you do one other games like Peggle (or Peggle 2) which can cause for some more frenetic play and some jerky movements while holding on to little ones. A current favorite in the match 3+ genre for me right now is Another Mystery Solved which merges the puzzle element with mini mystery cases. It’s much like Professor Layton meets Bejeweled on your phone, but don’t expect deep narratives here.
Clash of Clans (Android/iOS)
Really any of the time management type freemium games that require lots of checking and clicking are great for one handed play while you caress feverish brows or cradle little ones. The biggest problem for me is that CoC sucks my phone battery dead in no time flat.
So the next time you find yourself with lots of time to fill and little mobility just think about what you can play safely with little ones. Do you have other baby care/gaming secrets to share?
