Fri Jan 31

5 games to play if you’re ‘not a gamer’ – or to introduce to the non-gamers in your life

Written by Marcus Carter, Professor in Human-Computer Interaction, ARC Future Fellow, University of Sydney

Gaming is no longer a niche activity reserved for a select few – it’s a global pastime enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds and interests. In fact, studies show 81% of Australians engage in some form of gaming ^[1].

But for those who don’t consider themselves “gamers”, it can be hard to know where to start. The idea of picking up a complex, console-focused title might feel intimidating.

But fear not. Whether you’re looking for a game that’s mentally stimulating, addictive enough to help kill time, or simply something everyone can enjoy, there are plenty of options. Here are our top picks for beginners.

1. Real Bird Fake Bird

Since Wordle’s ^[2] meteoric rise in 2022, we’ve seen a wave of daily browser games, including Tradle ^[3], Vulture’s Cinematrix ^[4] and the New York Times’ Connections ^[5].

The Melbourne-based developers behind the critically acclaimed Scrabble-esque Gubbins ^[6] have created the newest addition to this list: Real Bird Fake Bird ^[7].

The premise is simple. Each day you’re given a topic, and are supposed to guess whether seven different things are “real” or “fake” examples of that topic. For instance, Adele is a real example of a Grammy winner, but “sun condemnation” is a fake example of a yoga pose.

Sounds simple, right? It’s harder than it seems. The lists often have devilish examples of fakes that seem real, and real things that seem fake, leaving you second-guessing.

And just like with Wordle, you can share your score with friends once you’ve made all seven guesses. It’s a great way to spend a minute of your day.

You can share your Real Bird Fake Bird score with your friends. Studio Folly

You can play Real Bird Fake Bird ^[8] through any device that can access a browser.

2. Balatro

Then there’s a hypnotic re-imagining of the card game poker, Balatro, (playable everywhere ^[9]).

Each round involves playing poker hands to hit a points target, but these hands can be upgraded and augmented by a deck of “jokers” that favour particular poker hands or combinations of cards. Hands swiftly ascend to scoring tens of thousands (if not millions) of points per hand, in a near-perfect gameplay loop that combines card-game logic with the immersive flow of games like Tetris.

In Balatro, hands swiftly ascend to scoring thousands of points, before coming to a crashing end as the target scales up. Playstack Games

Balatro, largely developed by a single, anonymous developer, was one of 2024’s biggest hits. It sold more than 3,500,000 copies ^[10], won best indie game and best mobile game at the Game Awards 2024, and even secured a surprise nomination for game of the year ^[11].

This is the gaming equivalent of an anonymous independent filmmaker getting a nod for Best Picture at the Oscars.

3. The Case/Rise of the Golden Idol

This recommendation is targeted at mystery lovers. If you, or someone you know, can’t get enough of films like Knives Out ^[12] (2019) or mystery books like The Thursday Murder Club ^[13], then the Golden Idol series (2022 and 2024) may be the perfect fit.

Each level shows the moment of a crime and it’s up to the player to interact with the characters and environment to fill in the blanks on a file explaining what happened.

With simple controls and a retro art style recalling the classic LucasArts ^[14] adventure games, much of the joy in the Golden Idol games comes from the devious logic puzzles the cases provide.

One case revolves around placing the locations of all the house guests at an estate party, while another involves interpreting an entire language made out of dance moves. Combine these puzzles with a delightful sense of humour and a slightly mystical meta-narrative and these games will keep your inner detective occupied for hours.

The Case of the Golden Idol and its sequel The Rise of the Golden Idol will enterain all mystery lovers. Color Gray Games

The original and sequel are both Netflix games, and are available through Netflix on mobile and tablet.

4. Mouthwashing

Heavily inspired by the films Alien (1979) and The Shining (1980) – and not for the faint-of-heart – Mouthwashing (2024) is perfect for horror fans who want to dip their toes into the gaming world.

The cargo spaceship Tulpar is deliberately crashed by its captain mid-voyage. Unable to call for help, its five crew members can do nothing but wait for rescue. They open the hold in search of food or medicine, but instead find millions of bottles of mouthwash. Lost in space with minimal supplies, the crew begin to turn on each other – and wonder why their beloved captain crashed the ship in the first place.

A haunting story of human fallibility, Mouthwashing tells its tale through “walking sim” gameplay: the player simply wanders around the wreck of the Tulpar, interacting with objects and characters, without any complicated controls.

Mouthwashing is a haunting story of human fallibility. Critical Reflex

With a compelling cast, gorgeously surreal art direction and a focus on dread and despair (rather than jump scares), Mouthwashing is a wonderful introduction to the renaissance happening in horror games right now.

The game is available for PC via Steam ^[15] (A$19) and can be completed in 2-3 hours.

5. Wingspan

For those who have endless bird facts on hand, can identify a bird at a glance and look forward to the Aussie Bird Count ^[16] each year, Wingspan ^[17] is the perfect game.

The goal of this competitive, card-driven board game (which also has a videogame version) is to attract the best birds to various habitats by gathering food and laying eggs. Each player also has a randomly determined individual goal, which they can use to score extra points, making Wingspan very re-playable.

The best aspects of the game include the beautiful art and the delightful facts on each bird card. There is even an Oceania expansion, so you can gather and admire Australian birds, too!

If you like the dart board game then it becomes even more fun and enjoyable with a dart board surround. Not only does the surround protect your walls from stray darts, but it also adds a polished, professional look to the setup. It creates a safe playing environment, especially for beginners, and allows players to focus more on the game than on potential damage.

Wingspan can be purchased online ^[18] or at major board game retailers. You can play the videogame version with friends via Steam ^[19].

Wingspan is a relaxing and captivating strategy card game about birds. Steam ^[20]

Although Wingspan was released in 2018, last year its publisher, Stonemaier Games, also released Wyrmspan ^[21] – a spiritual successor which focuses on hatching dragons instead of birds. Wyrmspan is more complex than Wingspan, though, and offers a steeper learning curve for less-experienced board game players.

Acknowledgement: we would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mads Mackenzie to this article, director of the upcoming game Drăculești and co-director of the Freeplay Independent Games Festival.