Image via Complex Original
Geek culture has been, for better or for worse, co-opted. Geek culture is mainstream culture, and it shows no signs of branching off and returning to its humble, sub-culture roots.
You'd be hard pressed to find an adult under the age of 40 that doesn't have at least some experience playing video games. Arcades, home consoles, mobile titles, and PC titles have had years to proliferate and saturate entertainment. Most grandparents could pick out Mario or Luigi if they were forced to. That's not a bad thing, it's just telling of how far the reach of video game and video game culture has traveled from its humble beginnings.
What may be harder is convincing your non-gaming loved ones and significant others that there's a place for them at the table of gaming. For some, it's merely a lapse in their gaming careers; for others, the entire world of gaming may come of as intimidating. Where would you even start if you were to pick up a controller for the first time today?
Allow us to help. Here are The Best Ways to Get Your Non-Video Game Playing Significant Other to Be Your Player 2.
RELATED: Teenagers With Attitude Behind the Scenes of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"
An officially licensed title could be good.
Entry Level Title: Marvel Ultimate Alliance, X- Men: Legends
Ignore the fact that the majority of officially licensed titles are consistently horrible cash grabs. Name recognition goes a long way when it comes to easing non-gamers into the waters of console gaming. Titles like Marvel Ultimate Alliance , X-Men Legends, Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure offer an easy pick up and play approach to visually familiar characters. The RPG elements of Marvel Ultimate Alliance and X-Men Legends may be off-putting to some, but they're easily ignored using auto-equip settings. Whos doesn't want to play a video game where you get to be Storm, Batman, or Wolverine? Nobody.
Dust off those plastic peripherals.
Entry Level Title: Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Just Dance, Singstar
Sure, hardcore gamers are glad that the trend of piling up flimsy plastic musical instruments only good for playing a handful of titles has gone the way of auto-tune and flip phones, but these titles are perfect for luring the un-expecting into playing video games.
Most of these titles have the universal comforting presence of musical acts recognizable to nearly everyone. Your better half may not know what Mass Effect might be, but everyone knows who Daft Punk and Green Day are.
Avoid hard RPGs to start.
Entry level title: Dynasty Warriors
Role-playing games can be involved. Involved to the point where you can easily lose an hour equipping different armor types, comparing weapon stats, and taking stock of your inventory. Nobody is going to give a shit if your sword of Burning Flint is going to give you a +18 damage to undead, but slows your movement by %3. That shit is boring to someone who's not literate in that lingo.
A title like Dynasty Warriors may come off as redundant to veterans, but to a neophyte it is a simple and engaging romp in a fantasy realm bolstered by simple controls and visually dynamic gameplay. It's perfect for your loved one to pick up and dominating endless hordes of enemies.
The Wii/Wii U is your friend.
Entry level title: Mario Kart
This should seem like an obvious tactic to get your non-gaming partner into the fold. Nintendo has a long and well-established history of attracting adults to the realm of gaming and presenting themselves as family-friendly. Utilizing the Wii/Wii U will be a damn near sure fire way of getting your non-gamer behind the idea of a turtle racing a go-kart.
Bring some friends.
Entry level titles: Mario Party, Super Smash Bros.
Combining name recognition, with the notion that playing a game is a social experience, should go miles to ease your non-gaming loved ones into picking up a controller. Literally everyone knows who Mario is. He will be with us long after all of us are dead and buried. Gathering a living room full of people and playing something like Mario Party will seem less like a huddled mass of antisocial gamers and more like a party where you just happen to be playing a video game. Super Smash Bros. is also a simple and competitive twist on the party vibe.
Go easy on the old ultra-violence.
Entry level title: Little Big Planet, Minecraft
While games like The Last of Us are marvels of character development, narrative structure, and visual beauty, the shiving of jugulars and the accompanying death rattles might be a turn off to the uninitiated. Video games can be bloody, video games can be cartoonishly violent, but maybe a title like Dead Island should come a little further down the line. World building, on the other hand, can be a non-bloody and rewarding way to get your significant other on the ground floor of a long and varied gaming career. Both Little Big Planet and Minecraft are perfect places to start.
Do your research.
Entry level title: Journey
Is your significant other currently obsessed with Candy Crush? Maybe you need to get them on a puzzler. Favorite movie Indiana Jones? The Uncharted series could be a good place to start on your quest. Is your significant other a fan of contemporary art and orchestral arrangements? Journey should seem like a no-brainer. Simple and elegant controls, vast and immersive landscapes, and a soundtrack that already has a Grammy behind it are all going to be strong selling points for the legitimacy of the title. A perfect entry-level sampler for the non-gamer in your life.
Don't be a dick.
Entry level titles: NBA Jam, FIFA Street
Patience is going to be your best ally in all of this Maybe it's been years since your significant other has picked up a controller. Try handing an Xbox controller over to someone who has a massive gap in their gaming resume. They'll look at it the same your grandparents look at your smartphone. Go easy when explaining controls and button layouts.
Maybe look to the past. At this point, nearly everyone under the age of 40 has grown up with some console experience. A simple sports title is always a good place to start. Both NBA Jam and any of the FIFA Street titles offer double doses of nostalgia and relatively simple controls. Your significant other may not know what DPS may mean, but they will definitely know what basketball and soccer are.
Compromise is key.
Entry level title: Castle Crashers
Asking a significant other to get into gaming is going to take some compromise on your part; try thinking in smaller terms. Avoid titles like StarCraft and XCOM, even though they are amazing real-time strategy titles. It's going to be overwhelming. Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network are filled with literally thousands of games a nascent gamer can pick up and master in a few minutes. Castle Crashers is a perfect example. Simple controls, easily defined goals, and a healthy dose of fart jokes make the whole endeavor seem far less serious.
Make it visually engaging.
Entry level titles: Mark of the Ninja, Telltale's Walking Dead
Indie titles are going to be your friend with this. When attempting to lure a non-gamer into what can, admittedly, be an overwhelming realm with its own language, customs, and behaviors, a little eye candy goes a long way. Many think the entire gaming world is made up entirely of Halo, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty. Starting with any of those is akin to throwing a toddler on the back of a motorcycle and asking them to do their best Evil Kinevil. Start with a title pleasing to the eye that won't overwhelm. Telltale's Walking Dead is perfect. Simple controls and a story that is focused on small-scale human interactions is a better place to start than some grand operatic sci-fi FPS.
