Few forms of media are as widespread and diverse as video games. If there’s an idea, there are five genres for it and a thousand games, indie and mainstream, that cater to it. Not all of these games are exactly the type you’d brag about playing, though. Some are a bit harder to explain.
Fortunately, I am shameless enough of a person to be able to admit my gaming tastes publicly. Even so, cringe recognize cringe, and there’s no denying that every one of these games has given me weird looks from friends, family, and coworkers.
I will do my best to not start every single entry in this list with “okay, hear me out…”.
Roblox
You Got Any Games On Your Phone?
- ESRB
- Teen / Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Roblox Corporation
- Publisher(s)
- Roblox Corporation
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- PC Release Date
- September 1, 2006
- Meta Quest Release Date
- July 27, 2023
- Genre(s)
- Game Creation System
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro
Roblox is the wild west of convenient gaming. For those unfamiliar, Roblox itself isn’t as much of a game as it is a game engine for other people to develop their own games and share with others. This means that a Roblox game’s quality will vary wildly.
I don’t play games like Adopt Me and Blox Fruits. Some games really break away from the mold to offer a surprisingly solid experience, like Doors. But explaining that nuance is easier said than done, so I’m left seeming like I have the taste of someone’s eight-year-old nephew.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
All My Homies Stan Big Challenges
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Sunblink
- Publisher(s)
- Sunblink
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Hello Kitty
- PC Release Date
- January 30, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- August 5, 2025
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- January 30, 2025
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Life Simulation
- Platform(s)
- iOS, Apple Arcade, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5
Originally a mobile game, it wasn't until the Nintendo Switch port that I realized just how solid this game is. It’s a charming, fun, and surprisingly deep game that showcases an absolute all-star cast of Sanrio characters.
But Hello Kitty is the poster cat for one of the most successful young girl brands of all time. As a man in my 30s, it’s expected that I DON’T have strong feelings about Bantz Maru, or that I keep a picture of a cartoon gator on my desk that says “Big Challenges? No Problem!”
Bitlife
Starting A New Life As An iPad Kid
Life is stressful. And the older I get, the more I feel it. Something easy, low effort, and repeatable can be just the thing I need to wind down. Bitlife fills that void nicely, letting me just play out different lives when I’m just sitting around.
But Bitlife is also one of the most over-advertised games online, pushing to appeal to young kids who are on their phones too much. And unfortunately for me, I’m lumped into that group whenever I mention playing it.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby
Gold Ship Is A Nightmare
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Cygames
- Publisher(s)
- Cygames, Kakao Games, BiliBili
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- PC Release Date
- June 26, 2025
- Genre(s)
- Sports, Management, Gacha
- How Long To Beat
- 74 hours
I don’t generally care for Gacha games. But for some reason, the one where real-world race horses are turned into anime girls, and you coach them through training regimes to become the best runner, is the one that stuck with me.
As it turns out, the ‘number go up’ appeal of the game hits hard, and they put some legitimate effort into representing real-world horse racing history. But I don’t need to explain why “anime girl horse racing, but the horses are the girls” is a hard one to justify.
Yakuza Mini Games
Baka Mitai
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ / Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega, Deep Silver
- Engine
- Dragon Engine
- Franchise
- Yakuza
- PC Release Date
- August 29, 2017
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- October 24, 2024
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 18 Hours
Yakuza is a wild one. Each game features a generally serious crime drama plotline, but each side story and mini game is more wild than the last. They range from games of bowling to managing your own hostess club.
Sure, the darts, fishing, and arcade games are mundane, but the mud wrestling and swimsuit video collections are… hard to explain. Whether or not people give me weird looks solely depends on which mini games they’re familiar with. Fortunately, most folks don’t think beyond the karaoke game.
While the Hostess management was one of my favorites, my all-time favorite will be Business management in Zero.
Sucker For Love: First Date
The Lovecraftian Dating Sim
Sucker for Love: First Date
- Released
- January 21, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- DreadXP
- Publisher(s)
- DreadXP
- Engine
- gamemaker
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel
- Platform(s)
- PC, Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
It’s a pretty apparent part of my cultural personality that I’m a big fan of the Lovecraftian. I’ve read Lovecraft’s work, seen films, and played countless games, all that play into the cosmic horror. But when the common themes are things like terror, tentacles, and pain, it’s hard to explain why a dating simulator would appeal to me.
The truth is that Sucker for Love is a tremendously clever game, written with the perfect blend of genuine engagement and satirical representation. It knew its audience from the start, and it gave them an adventure that keeps things fun and frightening at the same time.
Bejeweled
The Match 3 King
Bejeweled
- Released
- 2000
- Developer(s)
- PopCap Games
- Publisher(s)
- PopCap Games
- Genre(s)
- Arcade, Match 3
- Platform(s)
- PC, Mobile, Xbox (Original)
Where Candy Crush stood on the shoulders of giants, Bejeweled was that giant. The sharp graphics and powerful audio of Bejeweled 2 initially captured my heart in the mid-2000s. So since then, I’ve had a soft spot for this match-three puzzle game.
But a lot has changed since then, the mobile game market is full of match-three games like Candy Crush, Gardenscapes, and so on. These games, while popular, don’t have the same respect for the player as Bejeweled does. But even so, it doesn’t stop me from looking like I have the gaming habits of someone’s mom.
Farming Simulator
Because Who Doesn’t Love Industrial Agricultural Equipment?
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Giants Software
- Publisher(s)
- Giants Software
- Engine
- GIANTS Engine 10
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes, all platforms
- Franchise
- Farming Simulator
- Number of Players
- 1-16
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- November 12, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- November 12, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- November 12, 2024
- Genre(s)
- Farming, Simulation, Immersive Sim
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- File Size Xbox Series
- 45 GB
Alright, heart on my sleeve time. Farming Simulator is one of my favorite video game series of all time. I love the modern approach to agriculture, the attention to detail, and the realism behind the series. It’s relaxing, at my own pace, and provides a charming sense of progress.
But almost everyone I’ve met struggled to relate. Most people don’t understand why I would want to emulate such realistic farming conditions, and those who tried the game themselves have remarked on how terribly confusing it all is.
Even so, I will not stop preaching the good word about Farming Simulator. It ain't much, but it's honest work.