What do girls want in a video game?

[applekid]

What do female game players want in a video game? What attracts the female gamers?

There's been a few studies going on finding out what kind of games women want to play and what attracts the female gamer, but I thought I ask right here at MacRumors and hopefully get some responses from enough females to figure it out.

Is there something in the gameplay? Does a particular genre attract you? Are you interested in a certain kind of story? Do you play your games casually? What makes a guy's game boring for you?

Thanks for any useful input.

[Applespider]

Not a fan of shoot-em-ups in any genre.

I prefer games that you have to puzzle your way through, strategy-planning games or games that you can pick up casually and play for an hour or so without having to reread the manual to relearn all the key combinations and moves; basic driving and Madden on rookie are good! For this reason, I'm a big fan of games that have the 'easy' mode so that I can feel like I'm getting somewhere without devoting days of my life to a game.

[Jaffa Cake]

I've just asked my girlfriend, who's a pretty keen gamer, what she looks for in a game. Her response:

"Killing"

Pretty straightforward, really...

[Tommyg117]

haha, my girlfriend LOVES and i mean ABSOLUTLY LOVES playing games like mariokart, where she can race and do fun sorts of things. however, she also asked me to go to blockbuster with her just so she could rent grand theft auto vice city because she likes running around and blowing stuff up.

[iDM]

A vibrating feature? :p

[greatdevourer]

Dude... stereotypeing... stop it :p

Gals like games for the same reason guys do - it's fun. Maybe there's some other unknown reason why you play games, but for the rest of us, it's the fun of the game

[iDM]

Dude... stereotypeing... stop it :p

Gals like games for the same reason guys do - it's fun. Maybe there's some other unknown reason why you play games, but for the rest of us, it's the fun of the game

I meant for that to be a poke at shovanist men, who would assume that was a feature they wanted, I guess i should've added a smiley! ;)

[greatdevourer]

I meant for that to be a poke at shovanist men, who would assume that was a feature they wanted, I guess i should've added a smiley! ;) I actually meant the threadstarter, but I guess it has added meaning when put against your post ;)

[GorillaPaws]

I actually meant the threadstarter)

I don't think it's chauvanistic (sp?) to ask this sort of question. Sure there are going to be stereotypes, but men taking an interest in what women as a whole tend to enjoy isn't a bad thing. Sure, he's asking a question that requires a response that generalizes certain tastes that women have. But that's not negative.

I personally agree w/ the poster that said women tend to like the strategy/puzzle games more, that and some of the old-school games like mario and stuff. My girlfriend, who isn't a big gamer loves games w/ a cartoony-vibe, not the ultra-realistic one that's more popular w/ shooters, racers etc. So as a genre I'd say platform and party games. My girlfriends fav's include, pretty much any mario game ever made (esp. mariocart and mario party), Worms 3d/ Worms Forts, and some RTSes (but I think it's mostly the older warcraft games-- which I've never seen her play, but she knew all about 'em when she saw me playing it).

[combatcolin]

Fluffy.

[risc]

My GF was addicted to Lumines on PSP but she stopped playing it when she became aware of her addiction, read: She started to notice the sun coming up before she had stopped playing. She also really loved Bejeweled on my iPaq. So in her case puzzle games. Oh she was also addicted to Tetris on MAME, so yeah she wants puzzle games! Now that I remember she also loved playing Zoo on PS2, um that is another puzzle game.

[Blue Velvet]

A friend of mine is intensely into Diablo 2. She is beyond obsessed...

I've enjoyed all sorts of games before but hate getting bogged down in the detailed minutiae of inventories etc. Not keen on driving games. Enjoyed Tombraider's 1-4, Alice... even Wolfenstein recently which is very blokish but still good fun.

It depends on what form of release you seek in a game. I'm usually looking to take out my work frustrations with clients in a game so for me...

...yeah, killing. :D

[raggedjimmi]

My girlfriend is completely and utterly addicted to Nintendogs right now. Its like before I was... y'know... making my move and all that. only she was a little ill and just said "i'm not feeling too well"... so she rolled over and started playing on Nintendogs :cool: dont blame her though. good game.
but going off memory the girls in my life play;

Caroline (me girlfriend, 19) Nintendogs, Nanostray, Sonic (pretty much every one ever), Tales of Symphonia, FF7, Windwaker, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun, Tomb Raider, Mario Party 5, Metroid Prime 1, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, Smash Bros Melee, any Mario Kart, Ragnarok, Maple Story, Worms Armageddon, my games (she always gets so hyped when she helps make them, gets excited by the reviews and happy its all gone well, but rarely plays them :confused: )

Nicole (the sister, 12) Nintendogs, Yoshi's Island, Mario Party 5, Halo, Sonic GBA series, Mario Kart 64+Double Dash, Mario 64 DS, Worms Armageddon

the rest don't play games! they have DS's and Gamecubes but aren't really gamers.

[Lau]

Ok - here's mine:

-Easy - so I make progress quickly. As Applespider says, I don't want to spend days over it.
-Simple controls - again, I agree with Applespider, I want to pick up and play. Don't mind learning as I go along, as long as it doesn't go all Lara Croft, with 27 different kinds of crouch. :mad:
- FPS - boring.
- Cool characters - not necessarily cute, but fun, and interesting. Not a fan of all that blood n gore and ripped clothing and stuff. I'm thinking more Mario in the Raccoon suit, Super Monkey Ball.
- Not gross and dark - not because I'm squeamish (I'm not, at all), but because I like to see what I'm doing. And I like bright/light colours in my room in real life, so why shouldn't they be in the telly? :p
- I like the linear old platform games, you'd do a level and that would be that. I'm less fond of the whole exploring thing.
- I get bored really, really easily. The games I have spent hours over have been Mario 3 or something, where there's level after level, and they're just the right difficulty.
- Skill based stuff, like Amplitude, or Super Monkey Ball is good, you learn and get better and better.
- Multiplayer's all good - I've had such a good laugh playing Micro Machines, Mario Kart, MonkeyBall, even multiplayer Tetris. Oh, and Total Carnage on the SNES. "You are the weasel man. Prepare to experience total pain".... :confused: :D I digress. But I like the people to be there, rather than online or something. It's all about sitting about with your friends, playing something simple and funny, ripping the piss out of each other, and chatting at the same time.

That all sounds like such a girl. :rolleyes: But then, I am. And it does kind of fit in with my life, I guess. I'm easily bored. I like short, fast projects. And I like hanging about with friends, and taking the piss out of each other. I'm not into horror or anime, so it makes sense that a game that looks/acts like, say, a horror film isn't going to do anything for me.

Oh, and I'm quite good at computer games, as a rule, and it really annoys me when girls are all "oh, I'm really rubbish at games" and drive into walls and stuff. It's like girls who can't play pool. Sheesh. :p

[devilot]

Oh, and I'm quite good at computer games, as a rule, and it really annoys me when girls are all "oh, I'm really rubbish at games" and drive into walls and stuff. It's like girls who can't play pool. Sheesh. :p*sniff* I'm one such girl. I really suck at most games... that's why I feel like I have no choice but to stick w/ puzzle type games. :o Although I do play and love Diablo II LoD (the expansion). But I hate to propagate gender stereotypes, but, sigh, I really do like games that have 'cute' characters or a cute feel to it. I hate myself now...

I enjoyed er, watching my bf play Zelda Windwaker (I tried playing, but I got stuck). I love love love Puzzle Fighter Turbo 2 (psst, that's where my name is from :p ), bustamove (the one where you burst 3 bubbles of the same color)...

Honestly, if I were better at playing games I'd love to play; Hitman2, GrandTurismo, CS/Half Life...

[clayj]

For the two of you who BOTH managed to mangle it, the word is "chauvinist" ("SHOW-vin-ist"), after a Frenchman named "Chauvin" (pronounced "show-VAN") who served under Napoleon... and the word itself does not necessarily apply to males, but to anyone who is excessively loyal or prejudiced in their support of a particular cause, group, or gender.

[Lau]

*sniff* I'm one such girl. I really suck at most games... that's why I feel like I have no choice but to stick w/ puzzle type games. :o

You don't count, ok? :p And puzzle type games are fabulous.

But I hate to propagate gender stereotypes, but, sigh, I really do like games that have 'cute' characters or a cute feel to it. I hate myself now...


A lot of boys like games that have shooting stuff, or fast cars, or fighting, or gore in them, and that's not a stereotype. Don't see why we shouldn't like games that are cute, or easy, or whatever, because we play them for different reasons.

Oh, and Bustamove. Utterly, utterly fantastic. Have you played the one on the PS2 where you get your fortune told as you play. Most amusing. And the characters make me laugh, like in 2 player when they get all stressed when you're kicking their arse. :) Actually, maybe that explains the cute characters thing. I wouldn't go "ooh, isn't it cute" but I like it when a character makes me laugh. Men covered in blood, growling, don't make me laugh. Mario when he goes all racconified makes me smile, and the camp old Streetfighter characters make me laugh out loud. Oh, and Total Carnage isn't cute at all, but it's hilarious. Then again, maybe I'm just really superficial.... :p

I attach an amusing Total Carnage screenshot for your perusal.

http://www.xgpgaming.com/gamecube/images/LG_TotalCarnage_002.jpg

[katie ta achoo]

I'm not really a gamer, but I like puzzly thinking games.

puzzly, thinky, and related to the economy!
now, someone write this!!

[clayj]

I'm not really a gamer, but I like puzzly thinking games.

puzzly, thinky, and related to the economy!
now, someone write this!!You should see if there's a version of the classic "Balance of Power" available for current Macs... now, THAT was a cool game. Play as the US President or Soviet Premier and try to become as powerful as possible... WITHOUT starting a war (in nuclear war, NOBODY wins, after all).

[cubist]

Anybody remember M.U.L.E.? Now there was a fun party game.

[Brian Hickman]

A vibrating feature? :p

Some women actually do look for this as shown by the following classic article:

http://www.gamegirladvance.com/archives/2002/10/26/sex_in_games_rezvibrator.html#000141

May not be entirely work-safe but it is pretty tame.

Hickman

[devilot]

A lot of boys like games that have shooting stuff, or fast cars, or fighting, or gore in them, and that's not a stereotype. Don't see why we shouldn't like games that are cute, or easy, or whatever, because we play them for different reasons.Good point. And as you and other women have noted, sometimes we're into a good, mindless 'killing' spree. Oh, and Bustamove. Utterly, utterly fantastic. Have you played the one on the PS2 where you get your fortune told as you play. Most amusing. And the characters make me laugh, like in 2 player when they get all stressed when you're kicking their arse. :) Haven't tried that version, but I think I'll try to sniff it out and give it a whirl... I wanna know my fortune! :p Actually, maybe that explains the cute characters thing. I wouldn't go "ooh, isn't it cute" but I like it when a character makes me laugh. Men covered in blood, growling, don't make me laugh.I think that's what it is... I know that I enjoy a game/movie if I feel some sort of connection w/ the character.

[mrzeve]

What do female game players want in a video game? What attracts the female gamers?

Their husbands credit card.

[.Andy]

My current girlfriend would definitely love something along these lines;

http://www.maj.com/gallery/drawne/Curve/pandp.jpg

[Bedawyn]

I love exploring games and building games, one that allows me to achieve something concrete, not just destroy things.

I'm happy enough to fight in a game if it's necessary to achieve something else, but not when fighting is the goal in itself. I have no use at all for first-person shooters, and although I used to love Missile (where you're defending cities from incoming missiles), I can't stand the Parachute version of it (where the only difference is the graphics, but you're shooting down people instead of defending cities). I love Civilization, but I always play to win by being the most technologically advanced, never the most aggressive or militarily developed. I want to conquer the world by slow and steady expansion, by isolating my enemies, keeping my allies happy but small, and making people want to join me, not by attacking other nations. If someone refuses to respect my borders, I'll still wipe them out without hesitation, but I don't want a game where I have to make the first strike (or draw first blood) to win. And if I have to spend all my time defending myself from aggressive neighbors who don't care that, logically, they'd be better off allying with me, I'm gonna get bored and frustrated pretty quick. When combat is necessary, I want it to hinge on tactics and proper management of forces, not just brute force. I'd rather play the same battle a dozen times until I figure out the right combination of spells, equipment, timing, and positioning to let my six party members defeat several dozen monsters than play one battle that's won according to which character is stronger, more advanced, or has the better rolls.

The Sims is only so-so and I don't really think of it as a game, but I used to adore SimLife, where you got the thrill of unexpected new things happening, but also had to use your brain to implement (or at least try to implement) new things you wanted and planned (32 species of crawfish! But I never could keep the whales alive). I want a plot where it at least pretends I'm doing something useful with my time (learning history! practicing logistics! governing the planet!) and where there are discrete but flexible and changing goals -- solve this quest, stabilize that city, explore and secure every inch of that square then move on to the next knowing that the monsters you already killed aren't going to come back and that area is now safe for the virtual civilians behind you. Exploration exploration exploration! Give me wonderful maps and never before seen creatures and newly founded outposts! Spaceward Ho was great the first dozen times, but after that there's nothing new anymore, just the same planets over and over again. Might and Magic III, on the other hand, had a tremendous area to explore, that I never got through because the world had too much depth -- solving quests was a full-time job that required taking notes and remembering things from squares I played months ago. Sorry, ain't gonna happen. On the other hand, M&MIII had a wonderful variety of different things you could do -- exploration, battles, quests, riddles, all at your own discretion. A game that's repetitive or forces me into a script, where it's either impossible to do or impossible to win by doing what I'd really want to do in that situation, is a game that will lose my interest pretty quickly.

If a game has characters, they need to be either ones I can identify with or vague enough that my imagination can fill them out without obstruction. I've had entire novellas worth of subplots and character interaction, arguments and love affairs and power struggles, going on in my head in games where the "characters" were just faces on the screen. On the other hand, everyone here was so fond of Warcraft I bought the Battlechest version -- and have barely played it at all, because the first mission forces into a scripted role with fleshed-out characters that don't appeal to me. I don't want a game that tells me who I (or my protagonist) is -- I should be making that decision.

And I would dearly dearly love -- but have never yet found -- a game that allowed you to secure an area, then build a proper base that you could return to to store your loot and generally appreciate the rewards you've won.

[reberto]

My GF and I do Doom 3 and Halo 1 duels for a few reasons

1. We like FPS
2. We like getting the $#!T scared out of us!
3. With Xbox live, the monthly cost is cheeper than us talking on the phone!

......shes better at Halo than me.....I still kill more psyco mars workers and demons than her! :p

[PCheese]

My sister loved Ferazel's Wand (http://ambrosiasw.com/games/ferazel/). Cute characters, great artwork, levels filled with puzzles...

[Flowbee]

And I would dearly dearly love -- but have never yet found -- a game that allowed you to secure an area, then build a proper base that you could return to to store your loot and generally appreciate the rewards you've won.

Sounds like Animal Crossing (http://www.netjak.com/Reviews/gamecube/ani.htm)
:cool:

[Lau]

My current girlfriend would definitely love something along these lines;

<Darcy-o-rama>


Mr Darcy? <swoon>.

Dammit, conforming to another cliche. ;) What can I say? I was an impressionable 15 year old doing Pride & Prejudice at GCSE English....

[Jedda]

My current girlfriend would definitely love something along these lines;

http://www.maj.com/gallery/drawne/Curve/pandp.jpg

hahahahaha

That is the funniest thing i've seen all week. Thanks.

My girlfriend would eat her own head to play a pride and prejudice game.

[ReanimationLP]

My girlfriend is addicted to the Harvest Moon games. And Capture the Flag games.

[applekid]

Thanks for the replies!

I don't see why people are thinking my question is chauvinistic (it helps to use spell checker if you want to spell it right) because I think it's just a fair question to ask. Let's face it, when you think of a mainstream gamer, it's going to be a male in his teens to early adult. It really comes down to what do guys find fun and what do girls find fun. And, the replies so far have been helpful. I think it's perfectly fair to be curious about.

And, partially, as an aspiring game developer I want to know what it takes to reach an audience.

[madmax_2069]

I belong to a team for 4x4 evo called AKoR that is ran by a girl and she can kick anyones butt in that game. I like it when a girl can kick my ass in a game i like to play even in unreal tounament and others. i am a guy but just wanted to throw this in That girl gamer's kick ass to. id like to find one lol

[supergod]

Burt Effin Reynolds. Oh wait, no. That's gay men. My bad.

[Santaduck]

I beta test a bunch of casual games, and out of the whole bunch, my GF got addicted to only one:
Feeding Frenzy by Sprout Games
http://www.sproutgames.com/feedfrenzy.php

She liked it because it was easy to begin playing, but that she could actually get better (but not in a male way, how males get obsessed with getting ***incrementally*** better at notoriously difficult and stupid things like bar games-- billiards, darts, foosball or statistics-driven stuff like fantasy football). Note that these all involve beating other people.



Previously she was addicted to a game by an old college friend called Snood:
http://www.snood.com (the original Snood game).

She really deplores the violent stuff, mostly because she says it must make your mind sick. Both these titles are appealing and make her happy.

[GonzoRob]

She really deplores the violent stuff, mostly because she says it must make your mind sick.

http://www.santaduck.com/

well, she must love a sick mind :D



Rob

PS: my g/f hates fps shooters also, she's just happy I've had to give up CS:S (no PC) :)

[zap2]

I don't think it's chauvanistic (sp?) to ask this sort of question. Sure there are going to be stereotypes, but men taking an interest in what women as a whole tend to enjoy isn't a bad thing. Sure, he's asking a question that requires a response that generalizes certain tastes that women have. But that's not negative.

I personally agree w/ the poster that said women tend to like the strategy/puzzle games more, that and some of the old-school games like mario and stuff. My girlfriend, who isn't a big gamer loves games w/ a cartoony-vibe, not the ultra-realistic one that's more popular w/ shooters, racers etc. So as a genre I'd say platform and party games. My girlfriends fav's include, pretty much any mario game ever made (esp. mariocart and mario party), Worms 3d/ Worms Forts, and some RTSes (but I think it's mostly the older warcraft games-- which I've never seen her play, but she knew all about 'em when she saw me playing it).


the origanl post was asking what girls like in vidoe games if 30 girls like fighting games and 3 like puzzle games(made up #s) then a logical thing to say would be that most/more girls like fighting games!

[devilot]

the origanl post was asking what girls like in vidoe games if 30 girls like fighting games and 3 like puzzle games(made up #s) then a logical thing to say would be that most/more girls like fighting games!But then you have to take into account-- what kind of girls peruse and post on MacRumors... ;)

[Lau]

But then you have to take into account-- what kind of girls peruse and post on MacRumors... ;)

Great ones. Obviously. :)

[miloblithe]

My wife likes the little yahoo puzzly games primarily. She likes Civ III, but preferred Civ II. She plays a version of Civ that I think can best (if innapropriately) be described as ethnic cleansing. She sets it on the easiest level and just tries to exterminate her enemies (odd, since she's very much a non-warry type). She also loves the Sims, and curses the 1Ghz eMac for not quite being fast enough for Sims2.

She also used to like Dope Wars.

[devilot]

PS: my g/f hates fps shooters also, she's just happy I've had to give up CS:S (no PC) :)I don't like most FPS... but CS really intrigues me. I'm too competitive for my own good and so the thought of potentially kickin' pimply, hormonal, gamer nerds at their own game makes me giggle... My problem w/ CS is that 1) not supported on Macs, 2) watching makes me nauseated, 3) I can't tell the terrorists from the counter (but I've heard that if I just got a different skin, I could easily discern). :p

And Lau, you are right again, of course. We are the bestest women types out there! Apple users and geeks! Well, I'm a wannabe geek. Don't know enough to qualify yet.

[Mavimao]

My girlfriend likes Warlords, Pong, Space Invaders and Breakout.

(gotta love those 2600s!)

[Lau]

And Lau, you are right again, of course. We are the bestest women types out there! Apple users and geeks! Well, I'm a wannabe geek. Don't know enough to qualify yet.

Does that make you an "eek"? :p

And from your posts, you know plenty. :) Not that I'm saying you're a geek though, unless you want me too!

[mahashel]

One of my gamer female friends mentioned something interesting the other day. She said that a huge turnoff to her in a lot of games lately is the music. It's typically too loud and aggressive to match the scene.. it's like the devs over-dramaticize the situation by using over-the-top music.
I stated that the music doesn't bother me, and she replied "that's because you're a guy". Her reasoning for that is women tend to be better at multitasking. When the game action gets intense, guys tense up and tune out any sound that isn't necessary to survive. While *she's* playing this game, the music gets so much louder during the fight scenes that she can't stand to play it. She notices the music playing throughout the game.. and I only notice it during cut-scenes. Interesting. (and yes, my music is turned on.. hehe If I concentrate, I notice it too)

Obviously, she turns the music off in all the games that will allow her to do so. Odd.. yet an interesting realization.

[AndiePandie]

I like mission style games with fighting. Resident Evil 4 is my favorite game to play. I also like RPG that have a co-op mode, such as Baldur's Gate and the Everquest games. I like being able to build up my strength and acquire better weapons.

I'm not into cutesy games. If I'm playing a video game I want to think and work at it, I don't want to see little cartoon figures.

I also do not like driving games at all. The exception to both those rules is The Simpson's Road Rage game. It's an excellent game even if it is a cartoony driving game. :p

[katchow]

my ex really liked res evil though she would make me work the controls for the most part. she was all about the puzzle solving.

[melody]

I welcome a night away from the TV wasteland: Me playing The Sims 2 on the computer and my husband on the XBox with one of his many FPS games. When I buy him a new game I ask the salesperon for something where he can "sneak around and kill". There are a LOT of these available but it's harder to find something I like.

I've figured out that I don't like a game that requires a quick reaction time, as in FPS or driving games. If it's hard to get around, forget it. And I agree with the point about music on FPS games: Guys of all ages tend to like distorted, screaming guitars, especially on a testosterone-pumped hunt. Females, not so much. It becomes a sensory overload thing. (Of course it wouldn't make sense to put some nice, chilled-out groovy tune as a backrop for a killing rampage either!)

I admit that I even mute the music on The Sims when in Buy/Build Mode. The loop gets pretty annoying.

I have not tried any of the FPS games where a female character is the ass-kicker. Opinions, Ladies?

Besides the dollhouse world of Sims games I've also enjoyed the Myst series, especially Riven, which we played as a team. I liked wandering through the different atmospheres discovering puzzles and having to figure things out.

After reading these posts it sounds like Civilization would appeal to me. Can anyone suggest which version? Is there another mystery-solving game out there?

Can't speak for everyone but appeal to my imagination, logic, aesthetic sense, desire for control/power . . . I'M IN!
And no, I don't need ponies, butterflies or flowers.

Thanks!

[ifjake]

i have only one friend who i know actually plays video games because she wants to, most others who know what video games are just grew up in a family where they were the only girl. this other girl likes Zelda and RPGs, and is kinda obsessed with WoW. FPSs don't appeal to her. but she isn't your average girl. she'd definitely be a huge geek if she was a guy. she still kinda is a geek. i would guess that most girls lean toward the Nintendo ideology of gaming.

[melody]

i would guess that most girls lean toward the Nintendo ideology of gaming.

What do you mean? (I'm not up on this terminology.)

[joker2]

I like some puzzle-type games: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSX) & Aria of Sorrow(GBA), Bust-A-Move II(PSX), Tetris (any platform), Scrabble (GBA)... BattleHunter

RPGs (or what pass for them...): Final Fantasy (VII, VIII, IX, Tactics, Tactics Advance), Champions of Norrath ...

Some simulation games: Monster Rancher (I, II & IV, never seen a III), Zoo Tycoon (with Dinosaur and aquatic expansion packs)...

Some racing games for fun -- Ridge Racer, Rage Racer..

I never have gotten into the purely fighting games like FPSs, Tekken, or the sports games (but we have them as my husband likes and plays them! :))

[PharmD]

Not a fan of shoot-em-ups in any genre.

I prefer games that you have to puzzle your way through, strategy-planning games or games that you can pick up casually and play for an hour or so without having to reread the manual to relearn all the key combinations and moves; basic driving and Madden on rookie are good! For this reason, I'm a big fan of games that have the 'easy' mode so that I can feel like I'm getting somewhere without devoting days of my life to a game.

I just asked my wife what she looks for in a game and she more or less said the same thing.:D

[bigandy]

my new woman thinks a game's not worth it if there isn't a large amount of blood, killing, and nasty little creatures getting what they deserve.

i thought it was quite unusual for someone so small and cute. thoroughly unexpected. although she did say this the day of the elections in poland, and she did seem a little angry at the guy that got in. (in case you hadn't guessed, she's polish).

[Jaffa Cake]

my new woman thinks a game's not worth it if there isn't a large amount of blood, killing, and nasty little creatures getting what they deserve.She sounds positively charming – keep hold of her! :cool:

[Mord]

my sister liked soul caliber on my DC, and house of the dead, which tells me two things, she likes kicking my ass and she likes shooting things that will explode in blood and gore.

she cant stand RPG's, or any game where she cant "kick ass" i tried her on halo but she did not survive the controller fps learning curve.

[meaculpa20v]

*sniff* I'm one such girl. I really suck at most games... that's why I feel like I have no choice but to stick w/ puzzle type games. :o Although I do play and love Diablo II LoD (the expansion). But I hate to propagate gender stereotypes, but, sigh, I really do like games that have 'cute' characters or a cute feel to it. I hate myself now...

I enjoyed er, watching my bf play Zelda Windwaker (I tried playing, but I got stuck). I love love love Puzzle Fighter Turbo 2 (psst, that's where my name is from :p ), bustamove (the one where you burst 3 bubbles of the same color)...

Honestly, if I were better at playing games I'd love to play; Hitman2, GrandTurismo, CS/Half Life...

You can play too. I think you would be good at Counter-Strike.

[BurtonCCC]

Boys... and... stickers...

Daniel.

[FleurDuMal]

II love Civilization, but I always play to win by being the most technologically advanced, never the most aggressive or militarily developed. I want to conquer the world by slow and steady expansion, by isolating my enemies, keeping my allies happy but small, and making people want to join me, not by attacking other nations. If someone refuses to respect my borders, I'll still wipe them out without hesitation, but I don't want a game where I have to make the first strike (or draw first blood) to win. And if I have to spend all my time defending myself from aggressive neighbors who don't care that, logically, they'd be better off allying with me, I'm gonna get bored and frustrated pretty quick. When combat is necessary, I want it to hinge on tactics and proper management of forces, not just brute force. I'd rather play the same battle a dozen times until I figure out the right combination of spells, equipment, timing, and positioning to let my six party members defeat several dozen monsters than play one battle that's won according to which character is stronger, more advanced, or has the better rolls.


I remember my sister telling my years ago "You play Civilisation like a girl". I thought to myself "How the heck does a girl play Civilisation?!?". Now, reading your description of how you play, I think she's been pretty much vindicated - I do play like a girl :o .

Reading this thread, it appears I pretty much game like a girl. Although the geek in me can't help but be awed by the graphical brilliance of some games such as Far Cry and Halo (when it came out), they do bore me terrible quickly. I probably do go for cutesy-ness and colorful, bright and vibrant worlds - but not the Nintendogs type of cutesy-ness. I don't know why I love those games so much; it might be because they take me back to being a child where you'd imagine all these wonderful worlds in your head. If not, I like games with a strong intellectual strand - where you have to think; not just bash the X-button a million times. Civ, FM, Sim City, etc.

As you can probably guess, I'll be buying a Wii.

(Btw, I'm a 20 year old male. I'm butch, but I spell it with an 'i')

[FleurDuMal]

Why am I not suprised to see no ones mentioned this game as a favourite?

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00023HUOO.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Actually, that games enough to insult anyone with a braincell, nevermind ovaries.

[plinkoman]

is it just me or has there been alot of year old threads resurrected recently?

[Foxglove9]

I'll play just about anything really.

I do prefer simplist control setups, no combos, no studying the control scheme or manual for 10 minutes before I can start playing a game. I hate long drawn out CGI intros too (i just skip over them). I prefer lots of violence and adult themes, but also cutesy colorful characters too if it's done well like Mario Bros.

I definitely go for the puzzle games first because I find them most addictive and have more replay value. Strategies/RPG's/Sims/FPS's/Sports are probably my least favorite genres. Where puzzles/classic games/platformers/action/adventure/shooters I like best.

[Silencio]

My girlfriend will try just about any game, though we haven't tried any of the team sports games yet. I am considering picking up a soccer sim, actually. (Fifa 06/World Cup 06, or wait for Winning Eleven 10?)

She's not into gratuitous, über-realistic violence. She loves adventures and puzzles and racing games.

The list of games my girlfriend has obsessed over:

Katamari Damacy / We Love Katamari -- did nobody really mention this series yet!? I have quite a few female friends who bought PS2s just to play Katamari!

Sims / Sims2, Tropico -- sims be good.

SSX series -- racing, after a fashion. We've had some really good trick battles, but I am the undisputed owner of the half pipe.

Ratchet & Clank series -- lots of weapons and explosions, but more cute and funny than anything.

There was an adventure game called Okage that seemed aimed towards the pre-teen/early-teen demographic that she absolutely loved. Too bad there never was a sequel.