It's not the game it's the experience

[JayJaySut]

I think videogames have been and important and valuable part of my life so far and I've cherished many of the videogames I've played just as much as movies I've seen books I've read and songs I've heard even when videogames don't touch on that level of beauty and there's only a handful that do I remember them fondly. But usually I remember games for the experience of playing them, not just the game. I wish there were more games that would strive for that. examples are things like Pokémon, Pokémon wasn't just a game it was a lifestyle. Trading, battling, comparing collections with your friends that was exciting and magical even if it's not art with a capital A I cherish it just as much. Anybody else have any stories of great experiences playing game?

[Erik_Twice]

This is something I've pondered about and is more important than it seems at first glance.


Pokémon is a great example as it's clearly designed to produce such an experience. Tajiri found the idea of creating a literal bond when trading, the link cable, incredibly compelling and it's true, it has a raw power that is not often found in gaming. The game incentives you to make new friends, to solve the mysteries of the game together, which you may note aren't written down anywhere and are beyond what a single player could discover alone.

This is, of course, reminiscent of The Tower of Druaga, which is the first game I can think of with such a "metagame" of sorts.

Magic: The Gathering is another very important example, especially in its original form. The idea of having a card that nobody else in your group would have even seen and you could trade for was a quite amazing idea.

[fvgazi]

I would say Pokemon Red is up there with good experiences. I had a lot of fun trading and battling friends, as well as looking up how to get MissingNo. and Mew.

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault: The FPS I played for a few years straight. I was in a few clans and won some LAN tournaments. I remember all the modding and late nights with this one.

Asheron's Call: I think I was addicted to this game. My neighbor and I played this basically non-stop. During the summers that I played I would grind/quest all day. When I wasn't playing I was thinking about it.

Goldeneye 64: I think most people had great experiences playing this 4 player.

Actually, most of the 90's were amazing. I remember going over to my friend's houses because I didn't have Genesis or SNES(until very late) and they had all the great games. I played mostly PC games... and Doom/Quake/Unreal/Age of Empires was where it was at!

[Jengud]

It's not the game it's the experience you can learn. I want to provide some flat, but yet sincere example. SEADELPHICA is a game designed to be a unique kind of spiritual experience.

[Cronozilla]

Some of the best memories I have are taking turns on single player games. On the NES up through the N64 and PS1. It's not game specific, but I played through a lot of games like this and they would have otherwise been unremarkable experiences.

It allowed me to learn about people in a manner you otherwise can't, and unlike most board games it required massive cooperation and respect for one another to actually get anywhere.

It's just not something that's easy to do in other mediums.

[SirGawain]

The experience and memories are a huge part of gaming. I personally love games that re more than a notch on the belt, so to say. I would go spend the weekends with my cousin and we would always rent 2 or 3 games and beat them. We had a blast, not just from the games but hanging out and drinking Mountain Dew until 5 in the morning.

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault: The FPS I played for a few years straight. I was in a few clans and won some LAN tournaments. I remember all the modding and late nights with this one.

I think this may be my favorite part of online FPSes. I always played with 2+ friends and had a blast.

[BogusMeatFactory]

I wouldn't necessarily say that it isn't the game, as it is a medium that brings people together. Sometimes it is the specific gameplay that provides that experience. Great examples of this for me would be games like Revenge of Shinobi, where the gameplay was what engaged me and I struggled to overcome the obstacles provided.

Other games, like the Elder Scrolls Series or the Fallout Series stand out to me as a social experience. My friends and I would each have a copy of the game and every week would meet up, or talk on the phone about our experiences with the game, sharing stories unique to each other.

Now, my wife and I share those experiences together, playing co-op games and single player games alike. I remember getting Heavy Rain for Christmas a few years ago and I spent a lot of time playing. One day, I remember my wife waking me up at around 6 AM saying, "Hey, you know that game you got for Christmas? I just beat it." She had spent the entire night playing it without me knowing and beat it in one sitting. She did not think it would have that affect on her, but she was so engrossed in the story and presentation that she had to see it fulfilled in a way that was completely different than what I had experienced.

For me, I see gaming as a social experience. As I got older, I started to play games in solitude and it never had the same affect as when I was younger. Old age wasn't ruining the experience, it was having others around to talk about those games; to enthuse to no end about what you had seen and share your joy.

That is why I stream games, because most of my friends have gone to the four corners of the universe and I still want to socialize with others while I play, maybe sharing an experience and show these games I have grown to love in ways that others may not have seen them.