25 Video Games People Who Don’t Regularly Game Can Enjoy

Posted by , Updated on March 23, 2024

Video games have grown into a distinct subculture with global recognition. They not only offer a unique form of art but also serve as an effective means of relaxation, a bonding activity for families, and at times, a therapeutic tool for veterans coping with PTSD. What initially started in arcades has now evolved and become available for every age group and skill level across various platforms including computers, gaming consoles, portable gaming devices, and even smartphones.

While there are those who have been a part of gaming culture since they were in elementary school, it may be a big more intimidating for someone who’s new to video games or who rarely plays to know where to start or what would be enjoyable instead of frustrating. Here’s a list of 25 Video Games People Who Don’t Regularly Game Can Enjoy. 

Sources: http://www.livescience.com/ & http://www.makeuseof.com/

25

Plants Vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 is a third person shooter that doesn’t take itself too seriously. You play as a Zombie, trying to defend yourselves from intelligent plants that have come to take back suburbia. There are several classes to choose from, and the gameplay mechanics are simple enough to master that it’s a game that can be enjoyed by both children and hopelessly uncoordinated adults. Currently available to play on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

PlantsVsZombiesSource & Image: www.youtube.com
24

Tetris is a classic puzzle game first released in 1984 as an arcade game and for the home computer. The most recent version of the game, Tetris Ultimate, was released in December of 2014, but they’re all basically the same game - stack the blocks, make a row, and rack up points. It’s currently available on just about every platform in some iteration (including some graphing calculators), and if you’re new to gaming or looking for a way to just mentally unwind, Tetris is a great place to start.

TetrominoesSource: wikipedia.org Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
23

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim has gained a bit of a cult following and for good reason. Developed by Bethesda, Skyrim is an open world Role-Playing Game (RPG), meaning there’s an entire world for the player to explore and discover with many side quests and stories, rather than playing straight through the main storyline. Set in what appears to be medieval times, Skyrim includes plenty of ale, magic, and dragons. There’s a truly massive fan community for this game, so if you try it and you like it, you’ll find yourself in good company. Skyrim is available on PlayStation 3&4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

skyrimSource: http://www.gamesradar.com/ Image Source: www.youtube.com
22

Bioshock takes the writings of Ayn Rand to the extreme worst possible outcome. Released in 2007 and developed by 2K , Bioshock is a first-person shooter action adventure game.You find yourself in Rapture, an underwater city built so that people could create and live without the bonds of governments unlike on land. You have to find your way through the underwater city to get back to surface, uncovering the story of Rapture along the way. Choices you make in game determine the ending you see, such as choosing to rescue Little Sisters, or harvest them for Adam which can be used for upgrades. The game is breathtakingly beautiful and immersive, and fans of Art Deco will want to spend part of the game just looking around the detailed environment. Bioshock is currently available for the Xbox360, Playstation 3, Windows and Mac.

BioshockSource: http://the-artifice.com/ Image Source: www.youtube.com
21

Journey was developed as a joint venture between an independent studio called thatgamecompany and Sony. Released in 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation network, you start out simply sitting in the dessert, starting at a mountain in the distance. Along your Journey to the mountain, you meet other players, but you cannot communicate with them other than by “singing” simple notes, as there is no dialogue in the game, nor do you have a score, or statistics like health or lives to keep up with. Journey is a highly stylized artistic game that takes you through beautiful landscapes. It also won the 2013 BAFTA award for artistic achievement in games. Journey is available on PlayStaytion 3 & 4.

Journey-logoSource: http://www.ign.com/ Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
20

Minecraft is a sandbox game, meaning there’s a large open world , and you can roam to your heart’s content or set your sights on a quest or bigger goal. The beauty of Minecraft is that you can make it as simple or as complex as you’d like. You can play alone or you can join a server and build with others. Minecraft is available to play on PlayStation 3 & 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, WiiU, Windows, iOS, OS X, Linux and Android.

minecraftSource: www.youtube.com Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
19

Mario Kart is a great game for a mixed crowd. Any age, any level of skill, if you have some friends over, plug in the WiiU and everyone’s going to enjoy themselves, racing each other around bright and colorful tracks (grandparents included). The most recent release, Mario Kart 8, was released for the WiiU in 2014.

mariokart8Source: http://www.metacritic.com/ Image Source: flickr.com User: bagogames
18

The Lego games have become a genre in their own right because they’re a new way to play through some of our favorite movies and all have a bit of a sense of humor. Whatever your favorite current movie franchise is, there’s probably a lego game for it. Lego Dimensions, however, combines your favorites into one game, and instead of just playing through a storyline, it allows you to actually build things in game. The game is integrated with actual lego characters you can buy and add to the game via a base system. Lego Dimensions was released in 2015 and is available on PlayStation 3 & 4, WiiU, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack Xbox OneSource: http://www.digitalspy.com/ Image Soucre: flickr.com User: Source: GiocoVisione
17

If you’re looking to become a gamer or understand more about video game culture, it’s kind of a prerequisite that you play some for of Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda. Just to clarify, Zelda is the princess and you play Link, the guy in the green hat, trying to save her. Wind Waker is a good intro to the series for less experienced gamers as it’s controls are simple to learn and it has possibly the best music of any of the Zelda games. Wind Waker is available in HD for the WII U.

The_Legend_of_Zelda_The_Wind_WakerSource: http://www.metacritic.com/ Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
16

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a game for the Nintendo 3DS. It features adorable animals and people, and you play a character who is new to their town and build your character a life there. You can complete various tasks for money to upgrade where you live, buy furniture, etc. Released in 2013, Animal Crossing New Leaf makes a wonderful introduction to gaming for younger players.

AnimalCrossingNewLeafSoucre: en.wikipedia.org/ Image Source: www.youtube.com
15

Civilization V is a world building game where you literally build a Civilization from the ground up, starting with prehistoric times. A turn based strategy game, each player represents a nation or race of people, and your goal is to build a strong and advanced civilization that’s better than your opponents. You have the option of playing online against other players or against the in game AI. This game will appeal to people who already enjoy games like Catan or Risk. Developed by Firaxis games, Civilization V is available for Windows, OS X and Linux.

CivVSource: wikipedia.org Image Source: www.youtube.com
14

Fable is an action role playing game (RPG) where you play an orphan in the kingdom of Albion who grows up and becomes a Hero. Aside from being incredibly charming, the gameplay isn’t difficult to pick up for new players, and the storyline draws you in. It’s also worth noting that the original Fable score was co-written by Danny Elfman. There are currently 3 Fable games, all set in the same kingdom at various time periods and available on Windows, OS X, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

FableSource: http://gamefaqs.com/ Image Source: www.youtube.com
13

Fifa 16 is the 2016 version of the EA Sports popular football (that’s soccer, for US readers) simulation game for the PlayStation 3 & 4, Windows, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Fifa 16 includes real world players, teams and venues and is the first in the series to include female players. The 16 implies the year, not the number in the series, as a new edition with new players and tweaks to gameplay is released every year.

Fifa_16_logoSource: wikipedia.org Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
12

Castle Crashers is a 2D party game developed by The Behemoth. A simple arcade style game, the hand drawn characters are charming, colorful, and oddly cute as you slash your way through the world to defend your castle and save your princess. Castle Crashers is available for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Windows and Mac OS.

Castle Crash LogoSource: http://www.metacritic.com/ Image Source: youtube
11

Mass Effect by BioWare is a story driven action role playing game (RPG) set in space. You play Commander Shepard and set out to solve problems and explore the galaxy. There’s a pretty detailed world to explore and lots of side quests to take so you can go through the main storyline as quickly or leisurely as you’d desire, leading to a big reveal at the end. Mass Effect is available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows.

MassEffectSource:http://www.ign.com/ Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
10

Super Mario Galaxy by Nintendo is one of the highest rated games ever put out by Nintendo and is a good introduction to the Mario Franchise. Set in space, you go from planet to planet, trying to recover Power Stars and rescue Princess Peach. The game includes things that help newer players, like an extra guide when you’ve failed a level a certain number of times, and the ability for a second player to help complete levels. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is available on the Wii and Wii U.

mario-galaxySource: http://www.metacritic.com/ image Source: en.wikipedia.org
9

The Last Of Us is a survival game developed by Naughty Dog Studios and released in the US in 2014. You play Joel, who must escort teenaged Ellie across the United States in the aftermath of an apocalypse type event. Because so much of the game is story and character driven, even those new to gaming will be drawn in and want to make it to the final scene. The Last Of Us is currently available for the PlayStation 3 & 4.

The_Last_of_Us_LogoSource: http://www.eurogamer.net/ Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
8

Monument Valley is a logic and puzzle game for iOS and Android platforms (phone or tablet). You manipulate the world and objects around the character princess Ida on her journey to be forgiven. This game is somewhat short and simple, but all the better for it, as it’s not intimidating to those who don’t usually spend time playing video games.

Monument.ValleySource: wikipedia.org Image Source: www.youtube.com
7

Pokemon Go uses your phone’s GPS device to let you find and train Pokemon, which you can then use to battle other player’s Pokemon and take over training gyms. The game, released in July 2016, is free to play and has already become immensely popular in the United States, where groups of people can be seen regularly out and about “hunting” Pokemon.

Pokemon_GoSource: wikipedia.org Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
6

Fallout 4 is an action adventure game that takes place in Boston a few hundred years after a nuclear war. You start the game by emerging from a fallout shelter and then proceed to explore the world. Like Bioshock, choices you make in game determine the ending you see. Developed by Bethesda studios and released in 2015, Fallout 4 is available on Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Fallout_4_LogoSource: wikipedia.org Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
5

Diablo III is an action role-playing game (RPG) made by Blizzard, the same people who brought us World of Warcraft. Diablo III allows you to choose between 6 different classes in order to achieve your ultimate goal: defeating Diablo. The first time you play through, play solo, take some time to play around with settings and crafting to figure out what works best for you, and don’t skip any cutscenes. Diablo III is available on PlayStaytion 3 & 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows and OS X.

DiabloIIISource: www.gamefaqs.com Image Source: www.youtube.com
4

Lord of the Rings Online is a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (otherwise known as an MMO, or MMORPG) set in Middle Earth where you can play an elf, a hobbit, a ranger, or a dwarf. Lord of the Rings Online is free to play, but there are microtransactions to get you certain items in the game or help you advance faster. This game is a good starting point for someone who’s never played an MMO as you can download it and start playing for free, rather than having to buy a subscription service before you even know if you enjoy the gameplay.

lotroSource: http://www.pcgamer.com/ Image Source: youtube.com
3

The Sims is one the best selling videogame franchises worldwide, and it is immensely popular with people from all walks of life. It’s a life simulation game with no quest or story to work through, rather you build a character, make friends, get a job, fall in love, and have a Sim family, kind of like the ultimate dollhouse. Released by Electronic Arts, the most recent edition, Sims 4: Backyard Stuff is available for Windows, OS X, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Sims_4_logoSource: www.gamespot.com Image Source: wommons.wikimedia.org
2

The original Call Of Duty by Activision has become a new classic that to date has spawned eleven sequels. A first person shooter style game set in World War II, COD is a good introduction to this genre of combat game. If you’re new to gaming, it’s best to start out with the single player campaign. The original Call of Duty is available on nearly every platform (including most smartphones) with the exception of some handled gaming devices.

Call_of_Duty_logoSource: www.ign.com Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
1

Portal 2, by Valve, is a follow up game to the immensely popular and much shorter original Portal, which was included in a bundle of games called “The Orange Box” in 2007. Released in 2011, Portal 2 is a puzzle game where you have to use a portal gun to create wormholes and escape Aperture Science’s underground labs, while avoiding GLaDOS, the evil AI supercomputer that’s using you as a test subject. The game controls are easy to pick up for an inexperienced player, and while you can die if you fall off a platform, it’s a lot more low pressure than many games, letting the player largely go at their own pace. Portal 2 is available for the Xbox360, Playstation 3, Windows, Linux and Mac.

Portal_2_Official_LogoSource: theportalwiki.com Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org