Hard video games have been around since gaming itself. Back in the NES era, games were much harder because they were short, and a difficult game meant that you’d get your money’s worth mastering it. As gaming became more mainstream, games became a bit more streamlined and “dumbed down,” as some may say.
However, there has been a surge in popularity for difficult games like Sekiro, Dark Souls, Cuphead, and more. One reason is that they are so mentally stimulating. There are many myths about games, from games being for kids to them rotting your mind. A hard game can actually improve your mind. Here are a few reasons why.
It Teaches You to Focus
With an easier game, you don’t have to put much effort into it. You can text on your phone while you fight a boss, or listen to a podcast while you roam the land. However, a hard game, where every mistake can be your last, requires intense focus. This can teach you to stay focused on other things, like work, school, and it can help you be mentally strong when you are depressed.
It Teaches You That Anger Isn’t the Solution
It’s kind of funny watching gamers get mad, or salty, at games. They may scream, throw their controller, or just quit in a fit of rage. However, this is not the way to go about a hard game. When you get angry, you just make more mistakes. Instead, you should look critically at your mistakes and figure out how you can do better. If you end up messing up, figure out why. If your anger is building up, take a break and come back to a clear mind. That’s how you handle a hard game.
It Teaches You to Try New Things
With an easy game, you can use the same attacks and be able to defeat the boss. But with a hard game, your strategy may not work. You may need another weapon, item, or have to use a combination of everything you have.
Being able to be open-minded and willing to change your strategy is important towards improving your overall mental health. You should be able to learn from your mistakes and want to improve upon yourself, not just try the same move set over and over again. Always change up your moves if you feel like you’re not winning.
It Teaches to Never Give Up
Having dedication towards beating that superboss can help you stay dedicated to the other challenges in life. Plus, you feel so satisfied when you win. Every time you fight the boss, you do a little better. You dodge more attacks, get more hits in, and that life bar goes down more each time. It can be the perfect motivation for you to keep going and defeat the boss in the end.
In the real world, we need to have the same attitude. If you lose, keep trying, and every time, you get better and better until you succeed. Kids can game too, and here, you can learn about some great games for kids
Seek Help!
If you have depression, anxiety, and anger issues you take out on your controller, you may want to talk to a therapist. An online therapist lets you stay home, play your games, and get the help you need. You can speak to a therapist via phone, text, or video chat, and they can help you improve as a person.
Think of a therapist as an NPC who gives you upgrades. Your therapist can upgrade your mind and allow you to take on the toughest of fights.
