Started With Gaming is one of the few pastimes that caters to virtually every age group (you’ve probably heard the phrase “Rated E for Everybody” by now). For most gamers, this phrase is probably ingrained in their skull. All things considered, it is a fairly inclusive hobby. Of course, everybody has to start somewhere.
However, this is the beauty of video games: they take you on a journey. I’ll never forget my first Game Boy Color when I was five years old. Even the process of creating a save file in Pokémon Red was beyond my comprehension.
Although a lot has changed since then, those early 8-bit games helped shape me into the gamer I am today, whether for the better or worse. While beginners don’t have the luxury of growing alongside the technological leaps and bounds we’ve seen over the last three decades, there are ways to dip your toes into the water, so to speak. Simply place one foot ahead of the other. I rounded up a few of my favorite games for beginners, many for the latest console, the Switch 2, so you or your little one can ease into the rapidly expanding world of gaming. Playing games that, well, you don’t totally suck at on day one helps, and it’s not necessarily rocket science. Trust me on this one: This is the newest and probably my favorite game on the list. I can’t leave my home. Pokopia is probably the most brazen adventure Nintendo and Pokémon have been on in quite some time, and it’s a steep departure from the mainline series. Even though the standard games aren’t always hard, Gen 9 makes it hard to get into the universe. Pokopia is a great way to learn about the Pokémon universe because it has a lot of lighthearted world-building and fun friendship-driven storylines. Suffice to say, you won’t grow out of it when you get the hang of things. If anything, you’ll only begin to appreciate it more.
After promoting Pokopia, we simply cannot avoid mentioning Animal Crossing in good faith. After all, this is where it all started. Pokopia borrows heavily from another Nintendo IP, Animal Crossing, and it’s another rated E game that covers a lot of ground. At least, in terms of skill level. You can build your own island, complete quests, and if you have Nintendo Online, visit a friend’s paradise, too. It’s one of those games that takes a fairly simple idea but expands it enough that it never really feels stale.
