Best beginner-friendly video games for your coronavirus quarantine

For better or for worse, social distancing because of coronavirus is turning a lot of you into gamers. 

But fear not! Because video games contain multitudes and playing them can bring so much value to your life, whether or not you’ve ever considered yourself a “gamer.” And anyway, the New York Times gave us the official OK to game without guilt now, so what’s stopping us?!

Truly, the mainstream concept of what video games are is such a narrow subset of the wide, wonderful world of interactive entertainment available out there. Games can help us live richer lives, and there’s plenty of great ones for all experience levels. But your Beautiful Gaming Future does have one big roadblock: On the whole, the video game industry does a pretty bad job of making newcomers know they’re welcome. 

That’s where we come in.

Basically anyone can enjoy the many fantastic games on this list, even if you barely know how to hold a controller. They’re able to be played on a variety of platforms that you very likely already own. Our exhaustive guide into gaming for beginners also spans many genres and interests, so there’s something for everyone. 

It’s all especially escapist as the world experiences an array of lockdown orders, from staying at home, but still going to the grocery store and exercising outside whenever you please, in the U.S. to more restrictive rules in Italy and India. Video games transport us into different worlds and bring us together in ways other mediums can’t. And right now — facing the uncertainties, terror, loneliness, and boredom of a deadly pandemic — that’s exactly what we all need.

Perfect Puzzlers

Untitled Goose Game

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: The lols of being an absolute shit to your neighbors.

• What it is: Listen, I know we all need togetherness, loving thy neighbor and all that to beat this thing. But there’s also a lot of reasons to feel angry about what’s happening. Untitled Goose Game simply and brilliantly allows you to be a goose with one goal: wreak utter havoc upon an innocent neighborhood. We sorely need the petty satisfaction of the game’s now-iconic HONK button more than ever before.

• Multiplayer/online play: None.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Mac, PC

• Price:  $19.99

Old Man’s Journey

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Those of us grieving the precious, singular beauty of the Italian countryside. 

• What it is: An old man’s seemingly simple trek across the beautiful hills and bustling towns of an Italian-inspired landscape takes on new meaning in a post-pandemic world. When Italy went on lockdown, leaving its historic and iconic streets empty, the gravity of COVID-19 seemed to finally hit the world at large. But though we can’t turn away from the nightmarish horrors our European brethren are facing, we also can’t forget the value of the life they are all fighting to return to when all of this is over. 

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android, PC, Mac

• Price: $4.99 –  $9.99 (depending on platform)

Wattam

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: We could all do with befriending whimsical piles of poo.

• What it is: OK, here’s that togetherness we were talking about. Wattam is a heart-warming game unlike any other. You bring the world back from apocalyptic nothingness by helping a growing cast of anthropomorphized inanimate objects work together to fix each other’s problems. It’s odd and delightfully surprising at every turn. And it’s better to start talking to your silverware in a video game than IRL when the stir craziness gets real bad. 

• Multiplayer/online play: You can play couch co-op with a quarantine buddy!

• Platforms: , PC, Mac 

• Price: $19.99

Donut County

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: We need to know there’s a light at the end of this all-consuming, world-ending sinkhole.

• What it is: Another humor-based puzzler, Donut County is about a trash-talking raccoon not taking responsibility for the destruction he’s bringing by sucking everyone and everything in his wake into an inescapable pit of nothingness (you know, like a lot of our world leaders right now). It’s also low-key about gentrification in Los Angeles, and the struggle to survive a winner-takes-all economy. So all in all, very relatable. Plus holes are, like, real fun!

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, iOS, Xbox One, PC, Mac

• Price: $4.99-12.99 (depending on platform and sale)

Monument Valley 1 and 2

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Anyone with eyes, fingers, and a phone.

• What it is: There’s a reason Monument Valley is a ubiquitous recommendation for any beginner-friendly video game: It’s proof of just how far games have come as an art form, and accessible to everyone with a phone and some spare change. This mind-bending puzzler turns MC Escher’s famous stairs illusion painting into an interactive puzzle, delivering meditative satisfaction at every turn.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: iOS, Android

• Price: $4.99

Gorogoa

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Puzzle lovers who appreciate gorgeous hand-drawn art.

• What it is: Similar to Monument Valley, Gorogoa is another testament to games as art that’s super accessible and literally hands-on. The controls are a bit more demanding than the simplicity of a touch screen, but not by much. And it’s easy to lose yourself (and worries) in the blissful beauty of it all. 

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, iOS, PlayStation 4, Android, Xbox One, PC, Mac

• Price:  $4.99 – $14.99 (depending on version and sale)

Alternate worlds with much-needed distractions

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Anyone with a soul who needs wholesome fun, friendship, and something to look forward to when they wake up in the morning.

• What it is: If you’ve been online at all since March 20, you’ve probably been bombarded by screenshots of your friends talking about this virtual medicine. In this life simulator, one does not “do” much of anything. You vibe. You build a beautiful community of animal friends on an island by exchanging gifts with them, decorating the town and your house with furniture, collecting resources, fishing, planting flowers and fruit trees, and paying off your house loan (but that’s a little too real right now). The most unique quality of Animal Crossing also makes it most ideal for escaping the horrors of existence during the pandemic: Everything happens in real-time. That means it reflects our IRL 24-hour days and 12-month seasons (based on your time zone), with special events and items tied to specific times of the day, and even holidays like Easter and Christmas. So when spending another second in the real world starts feeling unmanageable, or you get sad about missing an event, turn to Animal Crossing, where your biggest worry is that your neighbor’s upset you haven’t talked to her in a week. For newcomers to the series, we suggest looking up some guides, especially week-one walkthroughs.

• Multiplayer/online play: Oh my god yes! One of the best features is visiting and meeting up with up to eight friends at once on their own islands via online multiplayer. People have been even having virtual birthday parties and weddings through Animal Crossing while social-distancing.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch

• Price: $59.99

Stardew Valley

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Animal Crossing lovers who want a little more danger and challenge.

• What it is: Stardew Valley is one of those peaceful and relaxing games set in an idyllic village where the only main concerns are working on your farm, exploring a mine, and making friends with neighbors. While it is a pretty easy-going game, you can quickly ramp up your production and make your days much more involved as you expand animal stocks, increase your growing operations, and delve deeper into the dangerous tunnels of the mines. Getting swept up in it requires a lot of attention, which is perfect for times like these. [Editor’s Note: This description was written by Entertainment Reporter Kellen Beck]

• Multiplayer/online play: The multiplayer is also one of its best features to stave off the loneliness of social-distancing, though playing multiplayer is more of a process and changes the gameplay.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Android, Xbox One, iOS, Mac, PC

• Price: $7.99 – $14.99 (depending on version)

The Sims 4

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Recreate a virtual version of your non-quarantine life that you can control like a god!

• What it is: A classic that just celebrated two decades of bringing joy to players from all walks of life (especially those who don’t usually play games), The Sims is, as the name suggests, the original life simulator. You create either a single Sim or family and control their daily activities, love lives, careers, and everything in between. As you might imagine, The Sims is the perfect way to regain a sense of control during real-life existential crises, whether it’s moving in with your boyfriend or not being able to see your family because of COVID-19.

• Multiplayer/online play: No multiplayer, but you can definitely play around with virtual versions of all your friends and family.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, PC

• Price: $39.99 (but we recommend springing for bundles with expansion packs if you’re going to be playing a lot)

Minecraft

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Kids or parents who want to join them in an activity with endless creative potential, possibility, and playtime.

• What it is: Kind of…everything? Minecraft is a virtual sandbox so, aside from the very beginning and core game loop of building shelter and surviving, it can be anything you make it. Seriously, though, the sheer amount of ways you can play with its basic building blocks are staggeringly endless and vast. Aside from the game itself, there’s also a thriving community, from YouTube to forums, with instructions on different things to try, create, and push its boundaries to the limit. (Though, as always, be very careful about what your kids are watching on YouTube). Minecraft is even used as an education tool in the classroom, particularly for coding and engineerings skills. Poland already took steps to make the already extremely popular game the perfect way to encourage kids to social distance (and not drive their parents insane).

• Multiplayer/online play: Yes! Online multiplayer is a core aspect of Minecraft (if you want it to be).

• Platforms: Java, iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, Playstation 4 (basically anything, so check out how to play and what versions you can buy here)

• Price: Free to download

Pokémon Go

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Nostalgia-seekers looking for a comforting, fun, mindless, and passive distraction.

• What it is: Pokémon Go created a revolutionary new genre of games, as an augmented reality mobile game that lets you catch Pokémon that appear in the real world through your phone. What made it so wonderful and different at first, requiring people to go out into the real world and interact, is also unfortunately the antithesis to social-distancing. But developer Niantic created a clever work around with features that allow people to keep playing from home. It’s introduced all sorts of new gameplay elements, and you love to see a company acting quickly and responsibly to the needs of a pandemic.

• Multiplayer/online play: Online multiplayer is kinda the whole thing! You’ll meet randos on your journey, but can also exchange gifts and Pokémon with friends.

• Platforms: ,

• Price: Free to download

Needed narratives

Night in the Woods

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Anyone who needs a laugh while trying to cope with mental health issues, economic stress, and the hell of the boomer vs. millennial generational gap.

• What it is: Despite this being yet another video game world inhabited by colorful animal characters, Night in the Woods is one of the most relatable games in recent history. It’s a story that’s full of sardonic humor and joy, alongside real-life strife and thoughtful metaphors for the biggest problems our society is facing. It doesn’t shy away from showing the harshness of it all, but it also never stops feeling like the big warm hug you need.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, PC, Linux

• Price: $11.99 – $19.99 (depending on platform and sale)

A Short Hike

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Caged-in outdoorsy types yearning to feel lost and directionless in the world, but in a good way.

• What it is: In the wake of stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders across California, people flocked to nature, leading to crowded beaches and trails that negated the point of social distancing. Now trails are closed in Los Angeles. And locked inside our houses, we all miss the experience of feeling small in the woods. Well, here’s a hike. To boot, in A Short Hike you’re not just some measly human exploring the outdoors and all the quirky characters contained within it. You’re literally free as a bird, letting your wings soar with no fear of COVID-19.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: PC, Mac

• Price: $7.99

Coffee Talk

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Those who miss coffee shops, random encounters, and people-watching from normal city-living.

• What it is: Set in a near-future Seattle, Washington during a time of great crisis (uncomfortably relatable, I know), you’re a coffee shop barista serving its population of magical beings (OK, a little less relatable). Described as a “heart-to-heart talking simulator,” you get windows into their lives and problems — all while making their favorite caffeinated beverages. What’s particularly nice about Coffee Talk right now is how it shows that, despite whatever turmoil is happening, life continues. The world’s problems certainly impact us, but people (or fantasy creatures in this instance) are still always people. We all keep dealing with the same daily issues, big and small. And that normalcy is kind of…nice?

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac

• Price: $12.99 (but there’s a free demo for PC and Mac)

Like Roots in the Soil

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Because we all want to believe in building a better future after all of this.

• What it is: Less of a game, Like Roots in the Soil is more of a short virtual poem. But what it lacks in length and interactivity, it makes up for in relevance. Believe me, this emotional arc will hit hard right now.

• Platforms: PC, Mac

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Price: Name your price (we recommend a couple bucks to support creators who might very well be struggling right now)

Kentucky Route Zero

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Artsy types who need to lose themselves in a narrative of strange truths, visual beauty, and unsolvable problems. 

• What it is: It’s not for everyone, and it’s hard to even describe what Kentucky Route Zero is, exactly. But trust its countless accolades to know that it’s worth playing the experience to see for yourself. Through a backdrop of melancholic Americana and magical realism, Kentucky Route Zero gets to the heart of the existential dread that is the underbelly of the American existence. If you feel lost, unheard, unseen, forgotten, and like you just keep driving and getting nowhere, this one’s for you.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, PC, Linux 

• Price: $24.99

Journey

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: A connection to the mythic, with the life-affirming sense of awe, wonder, and humanity that comes with ancient storytelling.

• What it is: Journey won just about every major award available in 2012 for good reason. A virtual adaptation of Joseph Campbell’s famous Hero’s Journey narrative structure, your mission is both simple and vast. The last of your kind, you must reach the peak of a mountain, soaring through a gorgeous sand desert and overcoming all the challenges a hero must face. We also recommend checking out its iOS spiritual successor, called Sky: Children of the Light, which is like a more expansive mobile vision of this one’s core values (particularly wholesome social interaction).

• Multiplayer/online play: The co-op option in Journey revolutionized what we thought multiplayer games were capable of. Instead of the typical cespool cesspool of nastiness you expect from online games, in Journey you’re joined by only one other random player from anywhere in the world. You both remain anonymous, genderless, faceless strangers, with no ability to communicate other than through chirps. You survive this gorgeous and harrowing experience together, developing such heartwarming feelings for each other that players even started making hearts in the sand to express their gratitude for one another.

• Platforms: PlayStation, iOS, PC

• Price: $4.99 – $14.99 (depending on platform)

Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Season 1

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: A reminder of what we’re fighting for when we fight a seemingly world-ending virus. 

• What it is: Don’t let the AMC TV show and its endless seasons turn you off from trying this one. Based on the comic books, the first season of Telltale’s Walking Dead was a massive success that revived the choose-your-own-adventure style video game. Now, with a pandemic bringing impossible moral choices onto our doorsteps, its story feels more relevant than ever. Just don’t expect the excellence of its first season to carry into any of the others, since the lead designers that made it great left shortly after it launched in order to create an independent studio that went on to create our next recommendation.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac

• Price: $14.99

Firewatch

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: The world is beautiful out there. Don’t forget it.

• What it is: Honestly, Firewatch is worth it just for the gorgeous views. Overall, the story Is admittedly a little underwhelming. But the conceit of being a park ranger alone in the forest all day with no one but another park ranger on the radio for company feels particularly relevant to this moment.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, for Xbox One

• Price: $19.99

Just chillin’

Everything

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Philosophers who want to give existentialism a hug.

• What it is: In Everything, you get to be literally…everything. From a bear, to a bug, to a bacteria, to a planet, to a solar system, to a universe, and well, everything in between. This weird, wonderful philosophical meditation on the nature of consciousness is an exercise in shaking hands with your own insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe. It offers a sense of scale, helping us reckon with how life goes on, with or without us.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Linux, Playstation 4

• Price: $14.99

Flower

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Nature lovers and botanists.

• What it is: Before there was Journey, there was Flower. For those expecting anything typical, it will be underwhelming, as you are just wind in a field, helping flowers pollinate. It’s a simple, meditative experience, though. And aside from bringing us back into the world we’re locked away from right now, it might also help some of us understand how easily air-borne things can spread (ergo, why social distancing  matters so much!)

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Playstation 4, iOS, PC, Mac

• Price: $4.99 – $6.99 (depending on platform and sale)

Abzu

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: Deep sea divers who miss their oceans.

• What it is: Another meditative explorer, Abzu lets you swim through a beautiful underwater world with little to no goals or end. There’s a freedom in its boundless aimlessness now more than ever, and it’s a feast for the eyes.

• Multiplayer/online play: Nope.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

• Price: $12.99 – $19.99 (depending on platform and sale)

Kind Words

• Who it’s for or why it’s perfect: All of us.

• What it is: You know lo-fi hip hop radio on YouTube? Now imagine that vibe, but in a world where all you do is send and receive letters with comforting words from real-life anonymous strangers (see my example above). Don’t worry, it’s moderated for errant nastiness, and also provides mental health resources right there in the game. You can either fulfill people’s requests for help or ask for help yourself. The conceit of Kind Words (which came out last September before any of this, if you can believe it) is that we’re all a little scared and vulnerable. But that means we also have the power to make each other feel better. All you need to do is ask, and give.

• Multiplayer/online play: Of course. We’re all in this together, but online.

• Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux

• Price: $4.99