It doesn’t make logical sense, but some activities are just better in certain locations. I’m not talking about, like, skiing. Of course you’ll have more fun shredding the gnar on a snow-capped mountain than you would trying to slide your skis along the flat concrete in a warehouse. No, I’m talking about things that you can do anywhere, but which are way, way better in specific places.
I can watch Friends from the comfort of my couch — it’s right there on Max — but the ideal circumstance for watching those wacky twentysomethings’ misadventures is when you’re staying the night in a hotel after a long flight. At home, I can watch anything — it’s where all my streaming services live. But when you stumble onto a rerun airing at 10 pm on TBS? That’s the good stuff. Sometimes, limiting your options makes enjoying the options you do have all the sweeter.
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A few weekends ago, I was reminded that playing handheld games at your parents’ house is one of those situations. My wife and I were only supposed to be there from Friday through Sunday, but our car broke down on Sunday, and we ended up staying two extra days to get it fixed. In those days, I played a bunch of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Balatro.
In both cases, while I was playing the game, I was in the living room as my parents watched TV. I saw a lot of the Rob Lowe-hosted game show The Floor, which involves contestants fighting for squares of territory on a room-sized LED screen by naming people, places, or things they recognize. They’ll see a stock photo of some M&Ms and then they have to shout “M&Ms!” to get a point. It ain’t Trivial Pursuit. Though it’s kind of stupid, it kept pulling me in, so I mostly played Balatro in between rounds and on commercial breaks. That wasn’t the ideal ‘parents’ house show to watch while you’re gaming’ because I kept involuntarily paying attention to it.
Zelda Playing Switch
But, my parents are also currently rewatching ER — they’re still in the George Clooney seasons — and that ended up being the ideal background show to put time into handheld games with. I rarely felt compelled to look up, and I picked up the majority of the plot for each episode just by listening. My attention could mainly be focused on solving the Mt. Lanayru Temple or attempting to build some sexy synergies in Balatro, but I also got the gist of each episode. I wouldn’t do this for a show I was actually invested in, which is why being at my parents’ house, and not having control of the remote, makes it easier.
I’ve always loved playing handheld games there, especially around the holidays. The hustle and bustle around me makes me feel like I’m part of something, while I can still chisel away at a game I’m enjoying on the couch. It combines the joy of getting engrossed in a solitary activity with the comfort of not being completely alone. This is how I played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and many a Pokemon game, so Echoes and Balatro are in good company.
In fact, I think playing so many Game Boy and DS games this way as a kid is what made me love handheld gaming in the first place. I never use my Switch in docked mode, and this experience may be the reason. When you’re playing on the TV, you dominate the space. But, when you’re playing handheld, you’re just there, along for the ride.
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