Windows games

[Ack]

So if you're on a Windows box right now, you've got that folder full of various games. But when we think about what games we own, how many of you actually think of Hearts or Minesweeper?

I was wondering about this the other day while clearing the last of the six designs in Mahjong Titans. These are computer games, yet we don't think about them, and none of us really view them as a part of our game collections, despite their being here. Why do you think that is?

[jeffro11]

I actually unsure... Remember Chips Challenge?!

[YoshiEgg25]

Remember Chips Challenge?!

Yes, and that is the only PC game I have ever considered illegally downloading.

Also, Minesweeper is awesome and sometimes it is the only thing that keeps me sane.

[CRTGAMER]

You are not kidding, go to any Thrift store. Tons of PC games.

I think the PC-MAC distraction of the Internet keeps computer gaming dead. Consoles also have a huge bite of gaming and not distracted of searching the web with a game controller.

[Ziggy]

You're right, Ack. I don't even see them as "video games" as I do my console games, just "games" in general.

Also, Minesweeper is awesome and sometimes it is the only thing that keeps me sane.

Having Minsweeper on my Treo was almost a mistake, I'd play it for hours at work. God, I love that game.

[Ack]

So we see them as games, and they're definitely popular. I've wasted hours playing SkiFree in the past. But what's the difference? Why is Minesweeper not acceptable as a video game compared to Tetris, or Solitare, Freecell, and Hearts not ok compared to something like Super Solitaire or Super Ceasar's Palace?

[Ziggy]

It might be the mindset that I have. Those games came on my Windows 95 computer, video games were something that I had to plug into my SNES and cost $50-70 a pop. Hell, even the rare times I bought a game for Windows back then I don't recall ever calling them "video games". I remember specifically referring to them as "computer games". Maybe that's just me.

It might fall into the same category as (for example) some one playing PS2 while the father walks by, "Hey, what are you doing? Playing Nintendo?"

If they are video games, surely they're digital only copies. That doesn't help, since most people don't count games they've downloaded from PSN or Virtual Console games as part of their collection.

[arion]

I think it's because minesweeper looks too much like a typical windows application. Solitare at least throws in a few colors minesweeper just looks so gray.

[slowslow325]

I generally don't count digital games I have when I'm tallying my collection.

But, minesweeper just seems to be on the border of just a Windows application thrown in there and a game.

[Ziggy]

Not the Minesweeper on Vista or 7.