What makes a gamer?

I think video games get a bad rap. Oftentimes, people picture a man well into his 30s, still living in his mother’s basement, not doing anything with his life except shooting people on screens.

While there’s certainly people like that out there, that’s not the average gamer. I’m not sure there is an average gamer anymore, due to the variety and accessibility of video games now. Is your grandma a gamer due to the amount of time she spends on “Candy Crush” on her phone? What about your dad and all the solitaire he plays on his computer?

While some might try to argue these are not actual video games, I would disagree. A game doesn’t have to be a first-person shooting game to be considered a real video game.

Now, I’m definitely not what may people picture as a gamer. I like cozy games with little action. My favorites include the “Sims 4″ and “Disney Dreamlight Valley.” I also enjoy “Animal Crossing” and “Stardew Valley.” If I want a little more action, I might play one of the Lego games, but that’s about it.

While the video games I play might not fit the stereotypical mold of a gamer, I know we all play for the same reason - simply because we enjoy it. In some games, you get to be creative, building characters or buildings to your liking. Some are more like puzzles, each step of the game a different problem you have to fix. Many games have a storyline, the choices you make changing the plot. Still others can be used as a social tool, playing a game with a friend, even though they might be a continent away.

This last category of video games have become a larger part of my life the last few years. In the past, my friends and I might hang out together when gaming. In a free hour between classes we could each play Sims on our own separate laptops, playing separately but also showing each other our builds or asking for tips. Once, we even skipped all recent games and all logged into our old Webkinz accounts. Nothing says a Friday night in college like a bunch of nerds playing Webkinz together.

Since I moved to Iowa, I’ve had the opportunity to try a couple of the other aspects of gaming with your friends. Thanks to technology, we can play a game with each other despite living in different states. I can race against them in “Mario Kart,” fight them in “Super Smash Bros” or even visit their house in “Animal Crossing.”

My generation is not the type to just call a friend and chat. In general, phone calls are things we avoid like the plague. However, it feels a lot less awkward to make a phone call while gaming. We can smack talk each other on the course while also just catching up on life.

Friends gaming with each other is far from new, but I feel like it became much more popular during the pandemic. Suddenly, none of us could leave our homes, and gaming with each other became one of the few ways people could actually still be social.

While my friends and I might stick to a certain kind of gaming, there are tons of other games people can play with each other. Co-op games like “Call of Duty” have been around for probably the longest, many gamers often wearing headsets as they fight their enemies.

Jackbox Games has become pretty popular in the last few years. People can buy a number of different party packs, each with different games. The games generally have a board game feel, with competitions featuring drawing and trivia.

While all these games can be played with people in the same room, they also provide a way for friends to enjoy time with each other when apart.

Another social aspect of gaming that has become more popular recently is esports. Many of the students that join esports teams would not have joined any school activity before. Now, they have a way to do the activity they love and also be a part of a team.

I won’t argue there aren’t issues with video games or the amount of time some people spend on them. However, how is that different than pretty much anything else out there? Whatever other form of media one consumes, many of the same problems are there. Too much violence, not enough educational content, etc.

Sure, people spend a lot of time in front of screens, but I can’t say the amount of time I spend reading is necessarily healthy either. Just because it’s a newer form of media doesn’t make it bad.

You certainly don’t have to enjoy video games yourself, but I think too many people jump to bad conclusions when they hear that someone enjoys video games.