What Games are You Addicted To?

Anonymous Coward from Gamers Anonymous asks: "Recently I have found myself highly addicted to Freecell, as I cannot go near a computer without just playing a quick game or two, I even have one going at the moment. In the past I have also had problems with Minesweeper and Tetris, both of which I overcame when I had to delete them around exam time. Is there anyone else out there with this problem, I can imagine it would be quite common. What are the most addictive games out there? Is there a support group?" I don't know about PC games, but I've been playing an awful lot of Frequency on the PS2. I just can't seem to help myself even though the game can be frustrating as hell at times. Anyone else have a game that, once under the skin, you can't get enough of it?

Final Fantasy VI and X

[questionlp]

For me, the games that I'm addicted to are Final Fantasy VI (or III in the US) and X... but my addiction are beyond just the game but to the music. Although FF6 is fairly old, but the story line, the twist and turns, and the depth of the game (i.e.: the opera) are what make me cling on to the game. While on the music tangent, I'm also addicted to the Final Fantasy VIII soundtrack.

Grand Theft Auto 3

[topside420]

Who could resist a game that has completely been banned in Australlia.

What other game does this:
Ride around find a hooker. Stop, and let her in. Drive to a secluted spot and when ya stop for a little bit, the car starts bouncing up and down. You look at your money...and the money is going down, but the health is going up, hehe.

Then, if you didn't feel like wasting that money, when the chick gets out the car, you can run her over then pick the money up off the ground.

You can also run over cops, get all sorts of guns and blow em up. You can shoot the helicopters down, and get tanks on ya.

Not to mention, steal someones car and go listen to the talk radio stations on the radio.

Bejewelled

[Howie]

After it was mentioned a couple of times on Penny Arcade [penny-arcade.com], I got into Bejewelled [popcap.com], first the Java version [popcap.com], and then the Windows one on my laptop. It has the same sort of evil 'one more go' deal that tetris and freecell have.

Other things that have had the same effect for shorter periods are: SSX, Wipeout (all three), Cannon Fodder, Mr Do!

Urban Terror (Q3 mod)

[extra88]

Urban Terror [urbanterror.net] is a "realistic" total conversion of Quake III. I haven't played Counter Strike but my impression is UT (not to be confused with Unreal Tournement) has less deadly weapons and more movement and action. It helps to have a hotshot on your team but if one team works their radios and really plays like a team, they WILL come out on top.

I used to play a ton of Q3 then after I tried UT I totally switched to it completely. UT definitely sets me more on edge than Q3. It's an extremely well done mod and its fans are desperately waiting for 2.4 which is coming Real Soon Now to provide a variety of improvements and enhancements. Don't wait for 2.4 to try it, it's ready to play NOW.

go

[bjpirt]

although i have spent extended periods of time being addicted to computer games (doom and Quake 3 particularly), my recent addiction is the game 'go'
played in high resolution real 3d space (with little black and white counters on a grid board). This game is utterly addictive and one of the interesting things about it is that, although it follows a very simple set of rules, no program has ever been created that could beat a vaguely good go player. (unlike chess :-)

Not that there hasn't been any incentive either, a Taiwanese businessman wagered $1,000,000 that noone could build a go program that could beat a professional go player.

I suggest not trying this game, as it is far too addictive :-)

Nethack, Civ, Xboing - In that order

[xsbellx]

I had an after-school job in a sandwich shop/pinball arcade back in the 70's. I still remember the amazing line-ups to play Space Invaders, unfortunatley/fortunately I never relly became a big fan of shoot-em ups. My tastes ran a liitle more towards the strategy genre.

So in order of addiction,

1) Nethack mostly for nostalgia. I still fondly remember playing "Collosal Cave" on a 370 running MVS.

2) Civ. WOW what a game. Unfortunately, the time commitment is a little heavy. You just can't play for 15 minutes at a time.

3) Xboing. Pure mindless escapism, who can ask for more.