3. Know Thy Girl Gamer: It’s extremely important to select what you’re going to play based on who you’re trying to play with. If your initiate is the type to hide behind pillows during a horror film, co-op Resident Evil might not be the best choice. Either of the Viva Pinata games are an excellent choice for those who abhor violence and love cute things, though there you have to deal with the inevitable demise of cute piñatas by more predatory ones. Keep in mind that not all licensed games are bad as well. My fiancée has always been a big X-Men fan and was excited about getting to play as some of her favorite characters.
2. Give Her The Reins: Letting your initiate control the pace and frequency of gaming can be crucial to not burning them out. I know there are few cases where I’m against the idea of playing video games, but your initiate might need a break now and then. When a particularly frustrating boss battle arises, many of us feel a certain challenge to our prowess is implied and labor as though under a geas, throwing ourselves at the foe or obstacle until it is broken under our relentless onslaught. Your initiate though might tire after one or two attempts. Always make it clear that you’re willing to stop whenever they are. Making your initiate aware that half the fun is playing with them is important.
1. Keep Her Playing (and Happy): It’s just like in dodgeball. It’s no fun to be the first one out, sitting on the sidelines and watching everyone else have fun. If you’re playing a game where one player can lose/die/etc, be sure to devote as much energy as possible to bringing her back in, even if you’re burning through health tokens/potions/etc. If revival is impossible and you’ve got a long slog ahead of you, reload the level. One excellent way to keep your girl interested is to give them first pick of any bonuses/upgrades/etc. Boost their character before you tweak your own. Reading FAQs online to help give suggestions on how to best utilize their character is helpful as well, since they’ll likely by a bit overwhelmed by some of the endless numbers or statistics.
Remember, these are just our top 5 tips to your girlfriend into gaming, there’s no guaranteed way of pulling someone (especially an uninterested female) into the world of video games and it all comes down to the individual person. In that case the best you can hope for is a better understanding for your hobby by the person you are attempting to get into gaming. If you can accomplish that at least the two of you will connect on some level, even if it is just small steps. Remember that this guide does not apply to those girl gamers that are so skilled at gaming they would even kick my ass, this is by no means meant to be a sexist article as girls have the same ability to be gamers as guys do.
