As a kid, I loved playing video games, and I’m a very nostalgic person so I still enjoy going back and revisiting some of my favourite games I used to play. The list of games I used to play is long, and I could probably deliver a whole lecture about the nuances of each one, but these are the ones that most helped to shape me into the person I am today.

Club penguin

Club penguin was a classic and the most popular among my friends so we’d all play together. I was also fortunate enough to have successfully convinced my parents to buy a membership for me for a couple of months, so my penguin was really living its best life. I think my favourite part about Club Penguin was working at the coffee shop to earn my coins. It really taught me the importance of working hard for your money.

8/10

Fantage

Fantage had me in such a chokehold that I was playing it well beyond my childhood. It was similar to club penguin but the characters were actual people. I remember there were so many mini-games and places to shop to buy clothing for your avatar. Although I only got to play the free version of this game, I never had as many options for clothing and accessories. This game was easily one where I could spend a good 8 hours a day in front of the computer playing it.

7/10

Sims 2

Even today, the Sims is a game that I love playing, but it was Sims 2 that I spent my entire childhood playing. In some ways, Sims 2 was actually perfect in preparing me for my life as an adult. It introduced me to capitalism, taught me what good family values are, and planted the idea that we are all living in a simulator as well. What else could you ask for?

10/10

Harvest Moon

Even now, I’m a sucker for a good farming game and I can thank Harvest Moon for the start of that. Harvest Moon was a farming game where you had to run a farm all by yourself, build relationships with the townspeople, and possibly find yourself life long partner. It was a stressful game, but it taught me the importance of hard honest work.

9/10

Dress up games

There wasn’t one specific game, but the dress up game genre as a whole was another favourite of mine. Dress up games really allowed me to explore my creativity by either dressing up, dressing down, or furnishing a home for my character. The possibilities were endless. Dress up games were also something I’d play with my friends, and we’d make stories for each other's characters, so I have a lot of fun memories playing with my friends too.

7/10