Game On: Feeling ill? Here are five simple games to pass the time

I recently fell ill. Fortunately, I tested negative for COVID-19, but whatever sickness I had still hit me like a truck. I hadn’t fallen ill even once since the lockdowns began in March 2020, so I’d become spoiled living a sickness-free life. Aside from classic cold and flu symptoms like fevers and muscle aches, I found myself shocked by just how cloudy my brain functioning became.

Whatever spare time I didn’t spend sleeping I spent playing video games, and I quickly found that some of my tried-and-true games weren’t working for me. I tend to enjoy fast-paced and competitive games like shooters and platformers or strategic role-playing games, and my brain was not up for that. So, it got me thinking – what are some easy, lazy but engaging games?

Bejeweled

If you know, you know. This so-called puzzle series is just about the most simplistic match-three game in existence. If there’s any real strategy to it, I have yet to find it. But something about mindlessly exploding jewels cascading endlessly is a great and effortless source of dopamine for a little while.

Assassin’s Creed

This historical-fiction series maintains a certain degree of notoriety for its convoluted plot, but, over the years, Ubisoft has seen fit to give the overarching story of Assassin vs. Templar and freedom vs. security less and less attention while focusing more on the time period in which you’re playing.

The controls can take some getting used to, but the main story of almost every game in the series practically plays itself. Combat and stealth are forgiving, and, once you get the hang of things, they prove to be easy and enjoyable games with immersive settings for playing.

Want to explore the time of Middle East crusaders? The first game has you covered. Renaissance Italy? Assassin’s Creed II. Want to be a Caribbean pirate? Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is a delight.

The Viking Age? The recent and well-received Assassin’s Creed Valhalla won’t disappoint. I would only avoid Assassin’s Creed III, which has a convoluted story and a plethora of random difficulty spikes.

Halo

I wouldn’t advise dipping into multiplayer without being at the top of your game, but at lower difficulty settings, the single player lets you cut a swathe through hordes of aliens with ease. The stories are never terribly deep, but when you’re feeling sluggish and ill, that’s not a bad thing.

The only games in the series I would consider suboptimal for sick days are Halo 3: ODST and the debut title Halo: Combat Evolved. Levels in both of those games are a bit more open-ended and easier to get lost in, and, for many gamers, these campaigns are a nice little trip down memory lane.

Mario Kart

Most people will tell you that Mario Kart can get pretty darn competitive, and, frankly, they’re not wrong. But given the fact I was already isolated, I just played some rounds against the AI opponents and didn’t sweat it if I didn’t nab first place. Something about the cyclical tracks allowed me to daze out but hone in just enough to pass the time and have a little fun.

Sonic the Hedgehog

I’m oversimplifying, but most 2D Sonic games can be completed by holding right and most 3D ones by holding forward. Case in point: Consumers and critics alike actually complained that the recent mainline entry Sonic Forces had such linear level design that it was too easy. Sometimes you barely even needed to jump.

This is a series with quite a few stinkers, so I’d recommend the original trilogy and Sonic Mania for fans of the 2D games and the Adventure series for those not opposed to 3D Sonic. Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations are good choices if you crave a bit of both.

So, to any fellow sick folks out there, take care, stay safe, and I hope this helps you find some good ways to pass the time while you recover.

Riordan Zentler can be reached at riordanzentler@gmail.com.