Image via Complex Original
When riding public transportation, there are endless ways to get annoyed. There are people with bad hygiene, violators of personal space, seat hogs and the like. One of the most diabolical however, is the tactless mobile gamer. Those jerks are the ones who believe that everyone wants to hear every sound from their favorite game.
We're not knocking the sound effects or music of mobile video games, some are really catchy and sound great when you are the one playing it. To everyone else, it's a reason to punt the device onto the subway tracks or into the street.
In an effort to save a lot of you from embarrassment, we've put together this Guide To Mobile Video Game Etiquette On Public Transportation. Hopefully, it'll be enough to keep you out of a fistfight because face it, public transportation is stressful enough.
8. Leave The Gaming Headsets To At-Home Gaming
Annoyance Level: Low
Recently, we've been bombarded with gaming headset releases and most of them are compatible with mobile phones and portable games systems. That doesn't mean that you should wear a giant headset with the mic attached. It doesn't make you look cool, it makes you look like a telemarketer who never left the office.
7. Contain Your Gamer Rage
Annoyance Level: Extreme
A failed level in Jetpack Joyride does not give you the excuse to swear like Ozzy Osborne caught in a bear trap. There are other people riding along with you who may not appreciate the lesson on eloquent profanity.
6. Don't Try To Bum A Charge
Annoyance Level: Moderate
To lean over and ask some one if they have a portable charger so you can charge your device to get one more level in is as bad as asking if they have an extra pint of blood they can spare. Invest in a charger or stop playing so long in the bathroom at work or school.
5. Use The Pause Function
Annoyance Level: High
Developers have been putting in the pause feature in video games since the 80s so why stop using it now? It's not worth being trampled during rush hour just because a rare pokemon is almost weak enough to be captured.
4. Don't Get Physical
Annoyance Level: High
It's fine to get immersed into a game while you're playing but bobbing and weaving like you're flying a B-52 bomber looks incredibly silly. One misplaced elbow and someone's morning coffee your bonus point to the face.
3. Mash Buttons Quietly
Annoyance Level: High
There are times when button mashing can be just as annoying as the sound effects in Bejeweled. If you're on a quiet bus, the buttons of a portable gaming system can sound like a woodpecker on a meth binge.
2. Don't Pull Passengers Into Your Games
Annoyance Level: Extreme
The person sitting next to you is not your personal thesaurus. Don't challenge someone to a bout of Words With Friends and then take a live poll on whether or not "yolo" should be a valid word.
1. Use Headphones
Annoyance Level: Legendary
The Angry Birds theme is awesome and getting coins in Temple Run is very exciting but except for someone's three-year old, no one else on the bus or train wants hear it. Do everyone a favor and plug in the headphones that came with the phone and keep the bleeps and blips inside your own head.
