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[lock2k]

Pardon me if there is a similar thread to this. I've searched and didn't find anything like it.

I've been thinking about comfort food and how some games (or even media) are just like comfort food to me. So I thought about Comfort Gaming.

What is comfort gaming? Games or genres you'll always go to when you're bored or if you want some familiarty. To me, these are mostly arcade games. Something that helps me clear my mind. Older platforming games, arcade racers, Street Fighter 2, Tetris, Guitar Hero, Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, Parappa the Rapper and also lots of beat-em-ups (I guess playing a lot of Streets of Rage this weekend triggered this subject for me). These are games that I almost play on a semi-auto-pilot state. They're very relaxing to me and they make me feel good, just like comfort food.

What are your comfort gaming titles?

 

[Kev Kev]

minecraft, lo-fi hip hop beats and a fat bowl

 

[Vawn]

Turn-based JRPGs. Old stuff and new stuff that fits a similar mold - Octopath Traveler, Bravely Default, I Am Setsuna, Persona 5, Dragon Quest XI, etc.

 

[BusierDonkey]

Animal Crossing.

It's like a giant comfy couch of a universe where your neighbors are all super friendly stuffed animals that think anything you do is the best thing that's ever been done.

 

[chixdiggit]

4X games or other Turn based strategy games. I usually turn off game music but leave sound effects on and jam my own tunes. Or play while watching Netflix.

 

[PureYeti]

Right now I'm trying to finish up my backlog games I bought on sale then didn't touch

 

[lock2k]

Just bought Doom 64. Damn. That's awesome and it fits right into my comfort gaming hall of fame

 

[Cynical_Aries]

Age of Empires 2, Skyrim, Witcher 3, Bloodborne.....

 

[teezzy]

1. Chrono Trigger
2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
3. NHL Hitz 2003
4. Mr. Driller
5. Killer 7

I'm getting old, man. These games never fail to make me reflect on life. I feel as though I know 'em all like the back of my hand at this point.

 

[Kerotan Frog]

1. Dark Souls 1 and 3
2. Bloodborne
3. Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, 3, 4
4. Gears of War 1 or 4
5. Sonic Adventure 1 and 2

It always feels good to pop those games in to just run around and beat a few levels/enemies/rounds of mp.

 

[Fuz]

 

[Kev Kev]

Just bought Doom 64. Damn. That's awesome and it fits right into my comfort gaming hall of fame

doom 1 and 2 with some 80's slayer and metallica, or early 90's cannibal corpse good shit

havent played 64 yet.... havent played the new doom yet either, gotta get on that

 

[Samboread]

Cities skylines.

 

[rofif]

Fuel 2010. No stress. Just drive around and watch the views

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Over the past few years, my comfort-food gaming has also been arcade stuff lock2k , the big three being Fighting, Puzzle, and Shmups.

Spending 30 minutes going through Guilty Gear Xrd's arcade mode, playing some online matches, or even just mindlessly practicing muscle-memory fundamentals in the training mode was my way to unwind after a day of work for about 18 months. This habit extended to other fighting games and kinda rejuvenated my passion for the genre. Another comfort-food fighter has been Street Fighter V. I've owned it since the beginning and it's still enjoyable. I like to pick a fighter off the shelf and grind through a few Arcade rounds and/or check out the training mode to see what I like about the game, slowly picking it apart over the years (I'm in no hurry).

Puzzle genre qualifies as cozy beyond cozy for me. I have numerous (read: too many) handheld and console puzzle games that I always enjoy popping in and playing for 30m or so. Some standbys are Columns III, Magical Drop III, Puyo Puyo Tetris (and standalone variants), Builder's Block, Meteos, Critter Crunch, Bombliss, Octomania, M&M Clash of Heroes, Puchi Virus, Baku Baku Animal, Money Idol Exchanger, Super Puzzle Fighter, etc etc etc

Shmups are a comfort-food for practice-play. The mindless repetition of playing stage after stage, practicing dodges, learning better ways of handling patterns, etc is rather relaxing to me. I can always sink 30m into practicing a few Daioujou stages / bosses and walk away satisfied. Other personal comfort-food shmups would be Twinkle Star Sprites, Gradius, Espgaluda, Layer Section, Darius series, Ghost Blade HD, and Hellfire.

Outside of these, I would add certain well-known 2D platformers like Super Mario Bros 3, SMW, Sonic 1 - 3&K, etc that a lot of us grew up playing. I'm not particularly "great" at these games, I just have the benefit of decades of experience massaged into my brain-circuits. Therefore, I can reliably beat them without struggling and it's fun popping them in and running through them on a rainy afternoon every once in awhile.

 

[Anki]

For me its usualy older games, donkey kong country, ninja turtles on genesis, toy story...

 

[Kharnivore2099]

A few specific titles come to mind:

Pac-Man
TESIII: Morrowind
Tetris
Doom (I,II)
Civilization (I,III,V)
Downwell
Lemmings (I,II)
Don't Starve
Minecraft
X-COM (UFO Defense)
Speedball 2
Rick Dangerous.

Often it can just be returning to a specific platform that i haven't touched in a while. Whether it's Amiga, Megadrive or DOS.

 

[Nero_PR]

• MotorStorm Pacific Rift - Still off-road silly fun. The third game felt too far away from its roots
• Blur - Best Mario Kart with licensed cars
• Destiny 2 - Just do strikes, gambit, and some crucible. Jumping on a day and play with all classes
• Battlefield 4 on PC
• Gravity Rush 2 - I put some fancy music from my playlist (mostly game ost and orchestral to enjoy with it)
• Crash games - I grow up with them, so it is understandable why I like them so much
• Fighting games in general (old or new; 3D or 2D) - This is an odd one. I learned to like 2D fighting games not long ago, but they are so good for when you don't have much time for gaming (I've been suffering maining Narmaya and Zeta in Granblue Fantasy Versus)
• Older JRPGs - Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Breath of Fire (IV was my first JRPG that I remember playing), Final Fantasy (X, VII original, VI)
• Shadow of the Colossus - since I'm prone to loneliness, games with dark undertones of desolation, solitude always resonates with me. Death Stranding really made a good impression on me.

 

[lock2k]

doom 1 and 2 with some 80's slayer and metallica, or early 90's cannibal corpse good shit

havent played 64 yet.... havent played the new doom yet either, gotta get on that

You have fine taste in music sir!!

 

[lock2k]

Over the past few years, my comfort-food gaming has also been arcade stuff lock2k , the big three being Fighting, Puzzle, and Shmups.

Spending 30 minutes going through Guilty Gear Xrd's arcade mode, playing some online matches, or even just mindlessly practicing muscle-memory fundamentals in the training mode was my way to unwind after a day of work for about 18 months. This habit extended to other fighting games and kinda rejuvenated my passion for the genre. Another comfort-food fighter has been Street Fighter V. I've owned it since the beginning and it's still enjoyable. I like to pick a fighter off the shelf and grind through a few Arcade rounds and/or check out the training mode to see what I like about the game, slowly picking it apart over the years (I'm in no hurry).

Puzzle genre qualifies as cozy beyond cozy for me. I have numerous (read: too many) handheld and console puzzle games that I always enjoy popping in and playing for 30m or so. Some standbys are Columns III, Magical Drop III, Puyo Puyo Tetris (and standalone variants), Builder's Block, Meteos, Critter Crunch, Bombliss, Octomania, M&M Clash of Heroes, Puchi Virus, Baku Baku Animal, Money Idol Exchanger, Super Puzzle Fighter, etc etc etc

Shmups are a comfort-food for practice-play. The mindless repetition of playing stage after stage, practicing dodges, learning better ways of handling patterns, etc is rather relaxing to me. I can always sink 30m into practicing a few Daioujou stages / bosses and walk away satisfied. Other personal comfort-food shmups would be Twinkle Star Sprites, Gradius, Espgaluda, Layer Section, Darius series, Ghost Blade HD, and Hellfire.

Outside of these, I would add certain well-known 2D platformers like Super Mario Bros 3, SMW, Sonic 1 - 3&K, etc that a lot of us grew up playing. I'm not particularly "great" at these games, I just have the benefit of decades of experience massaged into my brain-circuits. Therefore, I can reliably beat them without struggling and it's fun popping them in and running through them on a rainy afternoon every once in awhile.

This is some godly taste in gaming you have there. I enjoy all of these.
I think fighting, puzzle, shmups and also arcade racing and rhythm games are all related in some way. They are all about fast paced action and memorization and stuff like that and they all seem to stimulate my dopamine-needing brain very much.

 

[Moogle11]

Animal Crossing.

It's like a giant comfy couch of a universe where your neighbors are all super friendly stuffed animals that think anything you do is the best thing that's ever been done.

Yep. Nothing comfier. The latest one came out at a perfect time with all this Covid nonsense.

 

[RSB]

The best comfort gaming for me was doing treasure hunts in Gravity Rush 2, but Sony decided to close the servers (just 18 months after release) so my default comfort gaming option has reverted back to Halo and Resident Evil.

Fuck you Sony.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Adventures and action-rpg are the genres I usually go to for relaxed gaming. Souls, BB, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy, basically any Jrpg. I love exploration in games, discovering new places. Its one of my favorite things in games.

 

[dilbag]

I usually go to co op mindless grinding type of games. Diablo/Titan quest/World War z/Gears Horde mode stuff of that nature, games I can just place my wrath upon my enemies but dont have to over think things.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

This is some godly taste in gaming you have there. I enjoy all of these.
I think fighting, puzzle, shmups and also arcade racing and rhythm games are all related in some way. They are all about fast paced action and memorization and stuff like that and they all seem to stimulate my dopamine-needing brain very much.

Rhythm is another one I fondly enjoy. Recently passed the 200 hour mark in FF Theatrhythm Curtain Call (already sunk 100+ hours into the vanilla version) I'm a big fan of Dance Dance Revolution and DJ Hero but mostly missed the Guitar Hero / Rock Band craze.

I'm pickier (not disinterested, mind you) when it comes to arcade racing but I have my favs like Outrun 2, Burnout 3, Neo Drift Out: NT, Crazy Taxi, SEGA Rally, etc

What are some of your favs in those genres?

Yeah it's weird that high-octane arcade games would have a chill-out effect.

 

[MasterDerico]

-Day of the tentacle
-Walking Dead season 1,2,3 (telltale)
-Full Throttle
-Stardew Valley
-Locoroco 1, 2
-Erica
-Oxenfree

Etc...

 

[Makariel]

Dark Souls.

 

[TheStigGT999]

fallout 3/NV
Saints Row 2/3/4
Dead island /riptide

 

[lock2k]

Rhythm is another one I fondly enjoy. Recently passed the 200 hour mark in FF Theatrhythm Curtain Call (already sunk 100+ hours into the vanilla version) I'm a big fan of Dance Dance Revolution and DJ Hero but mostly missed the Guitar Hero / Rock Band craze.

I'm pickier (not disinterested, mind you) when it comes to arcade racing but I have my favs like Outrun 2, Burnout 3, Neo Drift Out: NT, Crazy Taxi, SEGA Rally, etc

What are some of your favs in those genres?

Yeah it's weird that high-octane arcade games would have a chill-out effect.

I love Daytona, Outrun (the old version and the online version that was discontinued), Super GT, Ridge Racer, Top Gear, San Franscisco Rush, Cruisin series and I also like fun isometric stuff like Rock'n'Roll Racing and Mille Miglia.

 

[martino]

zelda alttp

 

[Nymphae]

Tetris. I can play it for hours or bang out a few matches in 5 minutes.

 

[lock2k]

Tetris. I can play it for hours or bang out a few matches in 5 minutes.

Tetris is the ultimate comfort game to me. I can still play the OG game boy one on that green screen and feel the joy.

I remember a funny story. I was travelling with that OG Game Boy in 2000 and I wrote my highest score yet on the cloth napkin of the hotel and I took it because I had no other place to write it. After that I had many higher scores but I still have it.

 

[MrS]

FIFA muted and Aphex Twin's discography on. Bliss.

 

[Nymphae]

Tetris is the ultimate comfort game to me. I can still play the OG game boy one on that green screen and feel the joy.

I still have a GB Pocket carted up and ready to go, but I almost never play that version these days, I hate the piece lock mechanics on that one.

My go to lately has been Tetris Effect because it plays like a dream and has wonderful music and sound effects. But I also keep my modded DSLite close by with TGM3

 

[lock2k]

I still have a GB Pocket carted up and ready to go, but I almost never play that version these days, I hate the piece lock mechanics on that one.

My go to lately has been Tetris Effect because it plays like a dream and has wonderful music and sound effects. But I also keep my modded DSLite close by with TGM3

I really like the 3DS version. It's fast paced and I enjoy the hard drop.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Pardon me if there is a similar thread to this. I've searched and didn't find anything like it.

I've been thinking about comfort food and how some games (or even media) are just like comfort food to me. So I thought about Comfort Gaming.

What is comfort gaming? Games or genres you'll always go to when you're bored or if you want some familiarty. To me, these are mostly arcade games. Something that helps me clear my mind. Older platforming games, arcade racers, Street Fighter 2, Tetris, Guitar Hero, Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, Parappa the Rapper and also lots of beat-em-ups (I guess playing a lot of Streets of Rage this weekend triggered this subject for me). These are games that I almost play on a semi-auto-pilot state. They're very relaxing to me and they make me feel good, just like comfort food.

What are your comfort gaming titles?

Gravity rush 1 and 2.

Fly around the city when you listen the beautiful Ost.

 

[rofif]

Dark Souls.

I can see that. Big, dreamy dead world which You can roam around freerly

 

[ROMhack]

None except Everybody's Golf but that's an excuse just to listen to audiobooks.

I don't really enjoy comfort gaming as I prefer an end goal to work towards (ie crossing my mammoth backlog off my list).

 

[lock2k]

None except Everybody's Golf but that's an excuse just to listen to audiobooks.

I don't really enjoy comfort gaming as I prefer an end goal to work towards.

You can find comfort while having goals.

Tetris is an example of that for me. It's comfort as fuck but I'm always trying to better my scores

It's like a high release of dopamine that also makes me comfortable.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

None except Everybody's Golf but that's an excuse just to listen to audiobooks.

I don't really enjoy comfort gaming as I prefer an end goal to work towards (ie crossing my mammoth backlog off my list).

I Love Hot shots golf world invitation... is the only Golf game that i enjoy it.... THANK YOU AGAIN MY JAPAN STUDIO... And more because my Kat is a PLayable character.

 

[ROMhack]

Hot shots golf world invitation

That's the one on PS3 isn't it? It's a great game, as is World Tour.

The new one on PS4 is a little worse I think as I don't enjoy the walking around aspect but still good fun.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

That's the one on PS3 isn't it? It's a great game, as is World Tour.

The new one on PS4 is a little worse I think as I don't enjoy the walking around aspect but still good fun.

Yeah i guess.... i play it in PS VITA.

Thats was my real reason to play it =)

0:38 Kat plushy

 

[Laconian Sword]

Phantasy Star, Wonder Boy Dragon's Trap, Sonic 1 & 2, Sega arcade games, Chrono Trigger, Zelda Link to the Past, Animal Crossing, Doom 1 & 2, Star Control 2

 

[ROMhack]

Yeah i guess.... i play it in PS VITA.

Thats was my real reason to play it =)

0:38 Kat plushy

Nice. I wish Switch had a golf game like it because handheld must be the comfiest way to play.

 

[Sakura Doritos]

Dark Souls
Mass Effect 2
Sunset Overdrive
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Garou Mark of the Wolves
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Mario Kart 1
Lunar 1 and 2 on psx

 

[MaestroMike]

Mario platform games and Mario Kart. In Odyssey at least, running and jumping around and exploring is pretty relaxing.

 

[synchronicity]

Out of the Park Baseball
Rocket League

Those come to mind as something easy to slip into without any resistance from learning something new, lol. There are more, for sure, but those came to mind immediately. Easy to slide right in and have fun without any trouble.

 

[n0razi]

Apex Legends, seriously

 

[Damigos]

World of Warcraft

 

[deriks]

The main Sonic games on Mega Drive, Need for Speed Underground, Mario Kart, Star Fox...