What a great time to be a gamer. Significant others can no longer yell about spending countless hours playing on the game console. There is simply nothing else to do during this time of social isolation. There are so many games to choose from and there are many different consoles like Xbox, Switch, Playstation and more.

“I have a lot of games, I’ll list them; ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare,’ ‘NBA 2k20,’ ‘Madden 20,’ ‘Rainbow Six Siege’ and ‘Battlefield 4.’ Those are my top favorites,” said Asher Lynde, a junior majoring in broadcast news and journalism. 

I have been playing “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” on the Switch and building an island and community over the last week or so. The game lets the player travel from island to island as well as fishing, shaking trees and planting flowers. There is not much else to ask for in a low stakes game. My little island is called B224, after the apartment I am staying in.

“’Animal Crossing’ is good. It’s too easy to get sucked into it,” said Jenna Rock, a junior studying biochemistry.

“Animal Crossing” fills my free time and keeps me busy. I can turn on the Switch and play for at least an hour or two before getting bored. There are missions to complete throughout the day and this can keep the game rolling.

“If you like ‘Animal Crossing,’ ‘West of Loathing’ is a similar adventure style game, and ‘Luigi’s Mansion 3’ is also a must,” Rock said.

For those who don’t consider themselves gamers, this could be a chance to try something new. There are different difficulties to each game, some are more competitive than others.  

“Social isolation has been so different from my normal life. Although I am a homebody I still enjoy hanging out with friends and I have learned how much I actually need to be around people and go outside,” said Taylor Padgett, a junior nursing major.

Boredom is bound to happen now that the social isolation is going until the end of April. Games can be fun for the whole family. My family is addicted to board games and it’s how we spend our family time. We used to be into “Rock Band” and honestly I don’t even know if that game is still around. 

“For non-gamers I would recommend any LEGO game, or ‘Minecraft.’ They’re not competitive but they are super time consuming and fun at the same time,” Lynde said.

Games are fun and can be a chance to connect with friends again even though it is online. The games can enact a little healthy competition. There may even be a chance to make new friends when playing a game online or with a new group.

“I miss my friends from school and in-person classes,” Padgett said.

Gaming gives you the chance to step into another world. Best of all, they are time consuming. Games give a chance to relax and forget about worries and events. Gaming can be used in a way to reconnect with friends and meet new people.

Whether the game is building in “Minecraft” and “Animal Crossing” or defending a location in “Call of Duty” or “Halo,” the opportunities are fun and virtually endless. 

Online gaming can be used to cope with social distancing. After you have taken your daily walk and texted all the people you know, try playing a new game. Pick up a controller. If it is the worst thing you have ever tried, I will take full blame.