Happy Valentine's Day

I got married this year. See?
My wife Sydnee has, surprisingly, completely changed the way I played video games. There have been many more important changes, sure. But I think the most profound changes have been to my hobby of choice.

No, it's not that she's kept me from playing, she's not that kind of wife. No, what she's done is completely change the type of video game that I want to play. To whit: The most satisfying gaming experience I had this year was "Justice League: Heroes," a game that was almost universally regarded as mediocre. But when your wife is sitting next to you complaining about how much the Martian Manhunter sucks and how she wants to be Batman next time, the game had a very particular sort of magic.

Through my wife I rediscovered the fun of social gaming. I've remembered the little things that I forgot after two decades of playing games solely to entertain myself. Through her love of petting the goats and carrying around cats in "Zelda," I've been reminded that not every good part of a game has to have a point. Through her sister Rileigh and hours of Wii Sports, I've discovered that sometimes you don't need so much a single button to have fun with a video game.

Through finding someone to share my life with, I've discovered that I know longer play games to have an experience contained only to myself. I installed "World of Warcraft" again recently, only to begin mindlessly clicking and typing as if I had never left the MMORPG. That was all until I looked over to the couch and saw her, lying idly on the couch watching "The Daily Show" with a smirk while she was supposed to be studying. It was then that I realized, as I logged off for the last time and reclaimed my spot on the couch, that mindless escapism has no grip over those who have nothing to escape from.

Happy Valentine's Day everybody.