Most likely the original Wii Sports. It's so instantly understandable with little to no prior gaming knowledge, one single-controller to use, nothing too unnecessary, no online play complications, and most of all it's just a fun game
There is a lot I could recommend but I think the Master Chief Collection is probably the best bet. It can be easy to play, has a really good story, and the music is sooo good!
Something couch co-op that I am passionate about so we could talk about why I enjoy the hobby. For me I would make everyone in the world play Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles with me if it were possible. Great inviting visual style, stellar music, and it's just all about overcoming stuff together.
Depends largely on the kind of vibes the person is looking for.
For casual/cozy vibes, probably Animal Crossing or Astroneer; for more action, probably Halo 1 or Bioshock 1; and for strong story-driven experiences, Outer Wilds or Undertale.
Super Mario Odyssey, or any other 3D Mario, really. Encourages and rewards exploration without putting pressure on you, and always patiently teaches you the game without talking down to you.
Seconded! The game is full of whimsy and it teaches you to work up slowly and simply, but if you find yourself getting comfortable you can work up to some really technical play! Any game recommended here I would hope does something similar within its own genre, otherwise you would lose too many ppl
Unironically, Minecraft. It can be hard getting started but it’s really fun, and once you see that you can really do and build whatever you want, you start to have more fun.
It really would depend on the stuff each person likes. I think the easiest way to bring someone into something is to build off of what they already like.
The Sims 2. Easy to make something to play as that you can identify with, multiple styles of play and varying "objectives", doesn't rely on knowledge of other games to engage properly with. Mostly uses the mouse and clicking on the actual things you're interacting with instead of obtuse commands
I think there’s a magic to a game like Portal 2 that can attach them to thoughtful gameplay and well written characters. I’d love to recommend Hollow Knight as well but I’m not sure how friendly the beginning is until you get the wall jump and find the map seller
Honestly, most non gamers I know struggle with modern game controls. With this in mind I'd say a good starting place would be something like Atari 50. The games are fun and offer an easy way to learn how to use the controller while building up to more complex games.
A Short Hike! It’s very simple to play, it has a wonderful atmosphere and beautiful visuals (without setting a high standard for fidelity), it’s short and sweet and all round just a joy to experience 🥰
That is a great rec! Love that game so much! Short and sweet and enough to get them to be like huh… I wonder what else there is. I do wonder if a non gamer would truly appreciate a game like that
Thanks! I think controls can be a barrier for entry, so a game that plays simple and quickly lets a new player feel good at a game which would be a nice start!
Another recommendation would be Kingdom Two Crowns since it’s simple to learn but has deep gameplay and tons of mystery and discoveries 😊
I'm seeing a lot of people recommend currently popular and/or relatively easy games, or their current favorites and I think you should start them off on the raw goods, Pacman or Tetris, something with a long-standing track record of putting hooks into people's heads. They can branch out from there
As a person who really likes weird ass videogames for crazy people, that's a really hard question, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say Yakuza like a dragon. It's a turn based game so you don't have to worry about reflexes or getting to grips with the controls since you have as much time as you
want to pick what you want to do, and its story, although wacky at times, is also grounded enough that it can probably attract people who are fans of things like crime dramas, which, quite frankly, is most of the world. If you liked the sopranos or breaking bad, like most people did, then-
you're probably going to be into the story of Like a Dragon, even without the context of the previous yakuza games. It really helps that the cast of the game is also mostly older people dealing with the relatable, middle aged problems, rather than, you know teenagers out to kill god.
Not that there's anything wrong with teenagers going out to kill god, but to someone getting just into videogames, who's unfamiliar with the tropes, it might be a little too weird
I would say The Plucky Squire. Easy going game. Shows how games are basically interactive stories. Plus some of the mechanics and sciences harken back to older gameplay styles (Punch Out, etc.) plus not an overall difficult game. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1627570/The_Plucky_Squire/
Either Secret or Curse of Monkey Island.
They're my gateway to gaming with humour, not too brainy with the puzzles and they can take their time completing them.
I tried this with my mother in law. Didn't work. Animal Crossing New Horizons did though. She's put more hours into that than anyone I've known. Stardew, just like 1-3 hours. *sigh*
Probably like Animal Crossing or Stardew. There's no fail state that might put them off.
A visual novel like Ace Attorney would be a nice "bridge" if they already enjoy reading.
Last idea would be like any match 3 they can play on their phone lol.
I'm assuming they're so new to it that they still need to look down at the controller every time they need to do something.
So low stakes games like farming sims and visual novels would be a less frustrating experience if they don't have to react to an enemy coming at them.
i would star with a ds/wii game?? those were designed specifically for non gamers, even my mother who doesn't understand videogames can play something like wii sports, wii party or new super mario bros!!
I think breath of the wild might be the best starting point to modern gaming. You get them used to so many mechanics that are integral to multiple genres, but it's still fairly easy going.
Between these games imo:
Batman Arkham Asylum. Since it's an action adventure Metroidvania, it's a gateway into so many other games + a great story.
Metroid Zero Mission (I'm biased towards Metroid but it's also PEAK)
Doom 2016
Og RE2/Remake
Og FF7/Remake
Something that's closer to media they might consume like movies, but interactive. Mechanically simple. Stuff like tell tale games, what remains of Edith finch, the Stanley parable etc. Which I recommend depends on the person and their personality/preferences smile ☺️
Probably something chill and easy to start.
Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing are always good choices since you can do almost no wrong in those.
Then some smaller cozy indie games are also always an options.
I'd have to know more about their individual taste to make an informed recommendation, but for a safe pick, I'd just say Minecraft. There's a reason why it's the best-selling game of all time.
Dependa on what experience are you looking forward to.
Cozy and relaxed?
-stardew valley or animal crossing would be an easy choice
Want to playaform a bit while killing things?
-Hollow knight or ori
Want to anihilate everything?
-Doom Eternal
-Hades
Lego anything those games are super simple you can't really die and they have couch co-op. Just pick a universe they enjoy and let them go to town. Plus the comedic aspect of the games makes them more enjoyable
otherwise, for one game, it'd have to merely be Astrobot, due to the fact that it's very concise in tutorials. i mean, they do it mid-game, it's a platformer, camera controls are simple, parkour isn't that hard, so i'd say it's a nice starter.
I would probably say Super Mario Wonder, bonus points if I could play it with them. It's just so delightfully charming as far as animation, music, and the gameplay feel is incredible while providing little challenge to simply beat the game.
Fall Guys. We gamers sometimes take for granted how easily we grasp moving in a 3D space and managing a camera at the same time after years of practice. Fall Guys is super intuitive and just a silly fun time for them to get their sea legs with.
Terraria. Simple to pick up, covers a lot of different things without being overwhelming. Gem of a game that will greedily consume your time if you’re not careful. 😂
Probably a Kirby game. Return to Dreamland comes to mind as a good one. They're simple enough that you can just play through them, but there's still depth if you want to complete them 100%.
I feel like Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild really has it all. Easy to learn and hard to master combat, mostly low stakes adventuring, exploration, cooking, simple crafting, puzzles, music, art, ect.
Really hard without knowing what platform that person has... I would probably go with something basic and addictive like vampire survivors on their phone heh, it's also free
I’d say It Takes Two! Play together and make it a fun time ! I found a lot of people I know got into games because of their partners introducing them to games they could play together ! :D
Easy answer is Mario Kart or Animal Crossing. Nintendo makes accessibility a focus, so they're great for getting people in the door. I've also found stuff like Rock Band was huge too back in the day.
Minecraft, it's such a versatile game with so many modded game modes and servers. Can be casual or hardcore, you can focus on building or surviving or exploring. Don't like how it looks? Install one of the thousands of various visual mods. A great introduction to the interactiveness of video games!
Honestly, i might pick metroid prime. It'd be a hard sell, especially at the tutorial, but once you land planetside, the atmosphere and music just absorb you.
Depends on the person, but FFXVI seems a good starting point cause it’s easy to pick up, deeply emotional, and full of spectacle. So I’d definitely consider it.
When I was a Gamestop manager, I got this question OFTEN. There's no 1 game I could recommend because everyone's tastes is different. I always responded by asking questions back. What genres do they like in shows/books? And cater to that.
Happily, I can confirm many ppl loved the recommendations 🥰
I'd ask them what they wanted or what they like.
Cozy sandbox? ➡️ Tiny Glade
City building? ➡️ Cities Skylines
Map enthusiast/political junkie? ➡️ Civilization V
A story to get lost in w/ a lot of exploration? ➡️ Witcher 3, Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age, or Fallout
DnD fan? ➡️ BG3
Torn between Animal Crossing, Minecraft and LoZ: Breath of the Wild. They are my go-to suggestions recently, I've had several friends get more into gaming thanks to them.
I've considered this question a lot, and ultimately you want to go with something easy and fun.
My suggestion is MineCraft. It's easy enough to understand on a base level, you exist, mine and build stuff. The harder stuff can come later if they want to.
A friend of mine got his gf into vgs by playing with her It takes two, so I'd say something couch co-op like that it's a great start. For single-player I'd recommend something more arcade, so if they don't feel invested in the story they at least will have fun
Super Mario Wonder, Tetris or If It's the first RPG that person plays, Super Paper Mario, Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster. Those are fun and easy to play, which would make you curious and eager to know about more games. But there are tons of really fun games for newcomers too!
Comments
- Zelda
- Fortnite Zero Build
- Dark Souls
- Stardew Valley
- Portals
There is one impostor! Good luck and have fun 😇💀
Easy to play, good setting, plenty to do without being overwhelming, and playable on any platform they want
Approachable, has soul to it, can play at your own pace, culturally recognizable
For casual/cozy vibes, probably Animal Crossing or Astroneer; for more action, probably Halo 1 or Bioshock 1; and for strong story-driven experiences, Outer Wilds or Undertale.
Git gud 😈
Seriously though maybe something story focused like wolf among us or cute and heartfelt like it takes two
Ease em in with a more cinematic experience with moments of gameplay
Also would probably need to consider if they like reading because otherwise, story-focused games with a ton of text will probably not click with them.
Probably something casual and simple, maybe a COD campaign or Fortnite creative maps or something.
Easy to pick up on, but impossibly fun to try and master.
Or What Remains of Edith Finch to show how great stories in games can be without falling into stereotypes and more so 'thinking outside the box'.
Another recommendation would be Kingdom Two Crowns since it’s simple to learn but has deep gameplay and tons of mystery and discoveries 😊
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1627570/The_Plucky_Squire/
They're my gateway to gaming with humour, not too brainy with the puzzles and they can take their time completing them.
might depend on the person though, might be convinced by something more typical video game
A visual novel like Ace Attorney would be a nice "bridge" if they already enjoy reading.
Last idea would be like any match 3 they can play on their phone lol.
So low stakes games like farming sims and visual novels would be a less frustrating experience if they don't have to react to an enemy coming at them.
Batman Arkham Asylum. Since it's an action adventure Metroidvania, it's a gateway into so many other games + a great story.
Metroid Zero Mission (I'm biased towards Metroid but it's also PEAK)
Doom 2016
Og RE2/Remake
Og FF7/Remake
Probably something chill and easy to start.
Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing are always good choices since you can do almost no wrong in those.
Then some smaller cozy indie games are also always an options.
Cozy and relaxed?
-stardew valley or animal crossing would be an easy choice
Want to playaform a bit while killing things?
-Hollow knight or ori
Want to anihilate everything?
-Doom Eternal
-Hades
Also, pokemon and minecraft are good starters
(Would recommend the first, but feel True Colors is slightly less traumatic for a newcomer)
I’m not sure what I would use today but Animal crossing def a good choice.
The Last of Us (1 and 2)
Ghost of Tsushima
Detroit: Become Human
God of War
Super simple controls - anyone will be able to play it.
Clear objectives - people know what the basics are to cooking. Prepare - cook - serve - clean.
Co op fun - you can play with them! Makes it more fun for everybody! And you can help them.
Happily, I can confirm many ppl loved the recommendations 🥰
Cozy sandbox? ➡️ Tiny Glade
City building? ➡️ Cities Skylines
Map enthusiast/political junkie? ➡️ Civilization V
A story to get lost in w/ a lot of exploration? ➡️ Witcher 3, Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age, or Fallout
DnD fan? ➡️ BG3
I feel like it’d need to be something cinematic & narrative-driven, so it doesn’t feel like this massive jump to something so different.
Maybe The Last of Us? Or maybe Ghost of Tsushima?
But the one game I could always get him to play was Goldeneye on the N64
So I guess that would be my recommendation
My suggestion is MineCraft. It's easy enough to understand on a base level, you exist, mine and build stuff. The harder stuff can come later if they want to.
An introduction to gaming to somebody who has never played one? A Telltale game
Somebody looking to relax? Animal Crossing.
Somebody looking to get good? Mario 3 is the foundation of all my skills, i'd start there.
But yeah my personal pick would be either Minecraft OR Detroit Become Human.