Though 2020 saw the end of seeing friends in real life, it didn’t bring a halt to amicable meetings in the slightest. Video games, such as Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Among Us have allowed hanging out to continue during these trying times; what’s more, these three only scratch the surface of what Sequoyah’s high school students are playing. The Barefoot Times has compiled a list, based on data gathered from the school, of the top 10 games people are playing.
- Among Us
This game really needs no introduction–everyone’s heard of it. Players play as little people in colored space suits who just have to complete their tasks while 1-3 of their teammates are actively trying to kill them. There are multiple maps to murder or get murdered in, and you can do so in a variety of hats and outfits to show off your style. The game can be downloaded on the App Store for free and Steam for about $5 (for PCs only).
Image Credit: Innersloth
2. Minecraft
The game has been around for over ten years, and you can read my article about it here. Minecraft can be played on your own, and while that can be fun, the best is when you can play in multiplayer mode. You can get it on Mac, PC, Switch, IOS, Android, XBox, and PlayStation.
Image Credit: Minecraft
3. Valorant
Valorant is the only first-person shooter I’ve ever played, and I like it a lot. You have the choice to play as one of a group of “Agents,” all with different power sets and play styles; going through them all would require a whole other article, so I’ll just stick to the basics. You and your team of five have to either plant a bomb called the “Spike” (if you’re attacking), or defend the plant sites and/or defuse the Spike (if you’re defending). Either team can win if the other is eliminated completely before the Spike is planted. The first team to win 13 rounds wins the match. There are other game modes, but this is the most common. You can get it for free on a PC.
Image Credit: Riot Games
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
In his video “We made all 78 Breath of the Wild recipes in one day,” Brian David Gilbert tells us that “This most ambitious game pits Link against the most difficult challenge a young man can face– feeding himself.” And it’s true: while Link has always swung his sword and gone to rescue the princess, he’s never done anything quite like this before. Aside from the cooking you get to do, you get to experience the wonders of riding a horse through a grassy field with ne’er a care in the world (besides the cataclysmic events that are unfolding around you), you get to smack down on bokoblins who are unaware of you until it is too late, and you get to go shopping (because you can’t escape capitalism even in a fantasy world where robots shoot lasers at castles). This game, as well as the sequel and prequel that are set to come out soon, can be played on Nintendo Switch.
Image Credit: Nintendo
5. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
As opposed to many of the games on this list, I actually haven’t played this one. But from what I can gather, it’s similar to Valorant in the sense that it’s a team-based first person shooter game. The teams, the terrorists and counter-terrorists, compete in different game modes that have different objectives. You can find the game on Steam.
Image Credit: Counter Strike
6. Fortnite
This game that seemed to have swept the world quickly after its release in July of 2017 still hasn’t let up. Fortnite, specifically Battle Royale, has you dress up as a cartoon-like character and slay your enemies. While it is free to play on Switch, PlayStation, XBox, Windows, Mac, IOS, and Android, to get many of the skins, emotes, and other cosmetic features, you have to have the in-game currency V-Bucks which, more often than not, cost real money. There is a Marvel crossover going on right now as well.
Image Credit: Epic Games
7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
New Horizons, the 11th game in the Animal Crossing universe, came out this March and has been considered a life-saver by many. This game turns the wholesomeness up to 100: you play as a little villager and you try to get adorable animals to come live on your island, while also trying to pay off your crippling debts. The game is only found on the Nintendo Switch, though its predecessors such as New Leaf and Pocket Camp can be found elsewhere.
Image Credit: Nintendo
8. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
I have only played the most recent installment of the Assassin’s Creed franchise (and very little at that), but I’ve found it quite interesting. You play as a Viking, Eivor, who can be male or female; your parents were killed when you were young and, like any reasonable person, you have sworn to get revenge on their killer. The game is called Assassin’s Creed, which implies stealthiness; this isn’t necessarily the most Viking thing, but it’s great for people like me, who hate confrontation and prefer using the raven, Sýnin, to mark out the locations of enemies and take them out with a bow from a distance. The game can be played on XBox, PlayStation, PC, and Stadia.
Image Credit: PC Gamer
9. Team Fortress 2
Yet another team-based shooting game makes it onto this list. In TF2, you can play as one of nine characters for one of the two teams, RED and BLU, in game modes like Capture the Flag or King of the Hill. It also has some comics, for those who are interested in learning the lore of the universe, I highly recommend the comics. You can get it for free on Steam.
Image Credit: Team Fortress
10. Pokémon: Sword/Shield
A series that seems to have been around forever, Pokémon now boasts 893 different Pokémon across eight generations and 122 games. The most recent “main story” game has been Sword and Shield, set in the Galar Region; in it, you try to compete for the title of “champion” (as you do in every other game), you work alongside legendary Pokémon to save the world, and you try to “catch ‘em all”. This game can be played on the Switch.
Image Credit: Nintendo
