So it’s been a while, I’ve been working on some other creative projects and keeping myself as mentally and physically healthy as I can. Whilst doing so, I realised I’ve missed writing again, writing just for me about things I enjoy.

Part of helping my mental health has been making sure I schedule time for myself to game. I know there have been many stories lately about how addictive gaming can be but honestly, that goes for anything in life. People can get addicted to eating, not eating, exercise and watching TV just to name a few. It’s just easy to hate on gaming right now. So I kind of want to switch up that narrative a little and talk about what gaming is to me, how I feel it helps keep me sane and how it’s an important part of my life.

My love of gaming started when I was really young. Being a redhead, I really wasn’t suited to being outside. I was also a weird, shy and small kid, whose body was not built for sport. After finding the original Wolfenstein and Duke Nukem installed on our home computer (thanks Dad) and playing those, Dad thought it might be fun to bring out his Atari 2600 and plug it in. I still remember playing River Raid and Barnstorming so much! Then my brother and I were gifted a SNES. I never looked back. It really wasn’t until we received the N64 though that I truly was engrossed with a game. That was Ocarina of Time. This game blew my little mind.

Between then and in my very early 20’s I gamed as much as I could possibly game around school, uni, work and life. Then proper adulthood happened. Sure I played here and there, especially if it was a Zelda or Pokemon franchise game, but it wasn’t the same. It would be like this for almost a decade. Then I started a job where I am a part of the industry. Being around like minded people who loved gaming as much as I did, reignited the fire in me to tackle that shame pile as well as add to it.

Last year I actually played more than I had in so long and it was amazing. The feeling of solving a particularly hard puzzle or defeating a boss and in my case…collecting everything possible to get that 100% completion brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. Experiencing a new world, exploring it, getting to know characters and immersing yourself in the lore is like being sucked into a really good book, except you get to interact with it.

This year, one of my goals has been to game more. Not constantly of course, but really take some time to get sucked back in again. In order to do this, I have been scheduling in time to my days and weeks to make sure that I do spend time doing one of the things I enjoy most.

The release of the Switch plays well into this as lunch time gaming at work is now a thing. Most of my gaming time has been spent on Breath of the Wild. I recently completed the game 100%, but I’m still playing. There was DLC :p But I’ve also been playing the God of War reboot and really enjoying that too.

To be honest though, I’ll come back to Hyrule in BOTW even when I’ve done everything. It’s an amazingly crafted world. I really lose myself in this Hyrule. It’s such an escape and truly is one of my happy places. I’ve told a few people this story, but the was one time, when I just needed to zone out and I came across a rockpool near a beach. I have always been fascinated by rock pools so I slowly walked around and watched the water ripple, fish swim and detailed the coral I could see. All the while, a soundtrack of the ocean lapping the shoreline, birds singing and a beautiful piano played in the background completely teleporting me away from my couch and into Hyrule, specifically Puffer Beach. The next thing I knew, 15 mins had passed. I’ve never had a game give me an experience like that before. BOTW is special to me. To the point I feel like it was made for me.

Anyway, I guess to sum up this rant, gaming to me is beneficial to my mental health. The fact that I can achieve a mindfulness space within BOTW solidifies that for me. Sure others may find it to be an addiction, but that’s no reason to vilify gaming. Just because it doesn’t interest you, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. That goes for everything in life. On the flip side, if gaming doesn’t interest you, that’s 100% ok too. We are all wired differently and that’s what makes us wonderful. So don’t sweat the small stuff and things that don’t affect you.

Till next rant I bid you adieu.