Playing games is seen as an enjoyable way to relax and engage with friends and even strangers due to the multiplayer aspect many have nowadays. Popular ones that existed in the early 2000s, like “Toontown Online,” lost traction in the 2010s. Individuals’ interest in it diminished as they grew older, and school and jobs became priorities. This lack of interest meant a lack of money poured in to keep up the servers and continue updates. As a result, the companies who created these games decided to close the servers, eliminating the game altogether. Even though these major companies disregarded the games, more often than not, the code and other important information would become available for public use. Through this, dedicated fans of the game would work on reviving the game for other fans, both old and new, to enjoy again. When the pandemic began, people were home more often and instructed to practice social distancing. People spend time and hang out with friends virtually through these massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG). 

And this is what I did with my close friends! “Toontown Online” came back as “Toontown Rewritten,” which shared the same premise of creating a toon and fighting against “cogs,” greedy, corrupt robots that are planning to turn the town into a corporate dystopia. To combat this, toons would fight back with gags, which are jokes that the player collects over time. It was a fun concept. It took our minds off arguably the worst time of the lockdown, and it was a favorite to play among my friends. 

Many MMORPGs are downloadable games that one can load directly onto their computer. In addition to the classic PC, there are many gaming systems, such as the Xbox, PlayStation and Switch. My favorite to use is the PC, but I have a soft spot for the Sony and Nintendo consoles. I had a PlayStation 3 when I was younger, where I would play games like the “Uncharted” series and “Tomb Raider,” which were primarily action-adventure games and had little to no multiplayer aspect. The fourth generation came out shortly after, so that made me unable to play many of the games specifically formatted for the newer generation regarding graphics and overall technological advancements that improved the quality of gameplay. Nevertheless, I enjoyed playing the games I did that were able to run on the processing unit of the PlayStation 3. 

I bought a Nintendo Switch just to play “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” Everyone was talking about it, and my friend had recently got it, so my FOMO was at an all-time high. I actually ended up liking it way more than I thought I would, having logged over 1,000 hours. The premise involved designing your own island and having villagers of your choice live on it. I loved it so much that I decorated my high school graduation cap based on it. 

You had to get a subscription to partake in online play, but it was worth it as you could trade with other players for recipes and furniture pieces and have your friends visit your island. Unlike a huge console with many wires or a hefty gaming PC, a Switch was portable and carried the same quality as the others, albeit on a smaller screen.

As much as I love “Animal Crossing,” my current favorite game, which I also have over 1,000 hours logged, is one I play on the PC, which is “Stardew Valley,” an open-world farming RPG that allows you to level up skills, build relationships with the townsfolk, farm, craft, cook, forage and mine to your heart desires. Creating a farm with your friends and seeing how it progresses with the work of two or more people is one of the best things the game has to offer. I plan to decorate my next graduation cap with “Stardew Valley” themes. 

There are many upsides to gaming, both regular and online, but there are also downsides, especially when it comes to playing online due to how unsafe it can be. Sites that cater to a younger audience, like “Roblox,” are unfortunately very rampant with issues of grooming from older individuals who pretend they are the same age as the person they are talking to gain their trust. Some trolls play these games and load the servers to create chaos, making it an unenjoyable experience for others. Cases have even come up where people, primarily younger ones, are bullied and threatened by others to have their IP addresses leaked. Many times, the troll does not even have this information, but they do this just to get the morbid satisfaction from disturbing the other player’s peace. This is why it is important to use a security feature like a VPN and always be cautious when sharing information online.