Tell Us Your Favorite Video Games And We'll Guess Your Age!
- by Joshua Olivieri
- – on
- in The Geek Corner
Video games have been around for decades. What slowly evolved from the pinball machine has now become one of the biggest industries in the world. Many companies have each tried to get their hands in gaming and, as a result, we have numerous consoles and games to choose from when we want to play.
That said, it's impossible to go out and play every game that's ever been created. It'd be impossible to do that on just one console alone (save for the Virtual Boy). As such, consumers have to pick and choose which games they're going to play, and that has a lot to do with their age.
People who grew up during the days of the SNES are going to pick drastically different games (most of the time) than people who were born ten years ago. As the gaming market changes, so too do the tastes of the consumers that enter it. Because of this, it's not difficult to guess someone's age based on the types of games that they play.
Whether you like Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo, someone who is 30 will be playing different games from someone who is ten. All you have to do now is tell us what your favorite video games are, and we'll guess your age.
Pick a PlayStation exclusive
PlayStation came around fairly light in the console race. That said, they made a great impact with titles like Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot. The company also managed to deliver one of the greatest consoles of all time: the PlayStation 2.
Which genre do you like the most?
It's difficult to say which games are better than others due to the various genres that exist in the industry. There are several shooters to combat the many racing games that exist in the market. Everyone has their own taste and, as such, gravitate toward a specific section.
Choose a mascot
As opposed to creating games separate from each other, companies were smart in bringing together some famous mascots that would dominate their titles. Whether it be the difficult Mega Man series or the strategic Pokemon series, there's a face associated with each name.
Which controller do you like the most?
Where gaming consoles differentiate themselves is partially in the controllers they use. The industry has evolved drastically from the days of just using joysticks for input. Nowadays, we have motion controls, expert gamepads, and even the illustrious keyboard.
Choose a non-Nintendo 3D platformer
3D platformers have seen a resurgence recently. With titles like Super Mario Odyssey and A Hat in Time dominating the sales, it reminds many gamers of a time when those games were more popular. Many grew up on playing those popular titles as kids.
Pick a Nintendo Switch game
The Nintendo Switch has the rare magnificence of numerous first-party titles coming in the first year alone. Titles like Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey spearhead the console while smaller but relevant games like Splatoon 2 and ARMS beef out the library.
Pick a JRPG
JRPGs are the turning point of adventure games. Constantly featuring a diverse and complex progression system, only the most dedicated gamers can give them a shot and actually beat them. Square Enix started this genre and it continues in several forms today.
Choose a horror game
Horror games are a bit of a guilty pleasure. Most people who play them love the thrill and terror of having something haunt them. As a result, there is an entire genre dedicated to this sort of experience. It has been around for decades and will not slow down anytime soon.
Pick a 2D platformer
2D platformers were the game to make in the early days. The NES and SNES were both dominated by these experiences, and the trend continues today. Nintendo is still churning out quality 2D platformers that put any player's skill to the test. Not everyone likes them, but they're still tons of fun.
Pick a Halo game
When it came time for Microsoft to enter the console race, they needed to have a big title that would get people excited. That title turned out to be Halo: Combat Evolved, which was one of the most innovative shooters anyone had ever played. It's constantly a system seller.
Choose a party game
Party games were always the thing to play when you had a bunch of friends over. While the genre has been largely extinct as of late, due to the rise of online gaming, there's a lot to look back on fondly. Whether you were a fan of PlayStation knock-offs or the massive Mario Party, they were fun in their own ways.
Which Pokemon games are your favorite?
The Pokemon franchise began on the GameBoy with Pokemon Red and Blue. Since then, it has been the tentpole series for Game Freak. Each year, people are bursting at the seams as they wait for a new Pokemon game. That said, plenty of people have fallen off that bandwagon.
Pick a shooting game
When game consoles started to get more powerful, the first-person shooter took off. Franchises like Call of Duty and Halo spearheaded the genre, with other releases innovating later on. Newer games, such as Overwatch, have brought fresh spins on what this genre can be.
Choose a new game
Ever since the days of the Wii, Nintendo has always made a point to show off the capabilities of their new consoles. It all started with the massive success of Wii Sports, which has gone on to spawn games such as the colorful Nintendo Land and the poorly received 1 2 Switch.
Choose a racing game
Racing games have made an impact since they were first invented. Titles like Gran Turismo and Need for Speed gave players a sense of what it was like to be a real racer. Meanwhile, Nintendo created games like Mario Kart to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Which handheld is your favorite?
When it was understood that there was a serious market for console gaming, some companies took to creating these experiences on handheld devices. Nintendo, SEGA, and eventually Sony all tried their best to create memorable games you could play on the go.
Pick a secondary Nintendo mascot
Nintendo has some powerful icons in the industry like Mario Donkey Kong, Link, and Pikachu. However, they have many more characters apart from that, such as Ness and Fox McCloud. Unfortunately, these secondary characters don't get as much love as the primary ones.
Who would you like to hang out with?
Over the years, there have been several characters to have their time in the spotlight. Some of them have remained prevalent in the industry, like Master Chief and Link. Others haven't been as fortunate and have ended up fading out of relevance.
Pick a unique shooter
Not all first-person shooters follow the same format. As a matter of fact, many developers spent years trying to innovate the formula. Games like Left 4 Dead and Goldeneye 007 both redefined what a shooter could be and what it could achieve. It's a shame that games like that aren't made as frequently anymore.
Pick a critically-acclaimed game
There are games that come and go and there are others that make an impact for generations. These are the games that developers spent decades ironing and perfecting. These experiences are the ones that last and make you want to come back over and over again.
Choose an indie game
Fairly recently, there's been a wave of amazing games supplied by independent developers. These games make some amazing leaps and bounds that many AAA titles fail to understand. Indie games are cheap, quality, and worth every bit of your time and money.
Choose a Zelda game
Starting out as an open-world adventure game, The Legend of Zelda series quickly became one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. Now being a big reveal at many of the Big N's presentations, many people are excited to see what's next for the world of Hyrule.
Pick a Wii U game
In terms of marketing and sales, the Wii U wasn't a great console. What it lacked in selling power, though, it made up for in some terrific titles. Games like Hyrule Warriors and Pokken Tournament were completely new for their respective franchises, and many big games that came out were praised from beginning to end.
Choose an open-world game
There's something innately captivating about open-world games. Dropping the player into a new environment and essentially letting them do what they want and explore where they want is something that everyone's inner 10-year-old craves. Many games have delivered on this front.
Pick the best console
Several consoles have been introduced since the gaming industry began, and each has had their ups and downs. That said, there are some that have risen to the top of the pile in terms of popularity. These select few consoles made history and are still lovingly remembered today.
