What is the best video game to start off with? Some people know little about video games and may have trouble even holding the controller. So what game may be easiest to start with for those who have not played a game before?
The first is the most famous game: Minecraft. While maybe not the most beginner friendly game, it can be a good choice. The simple blocky look of all the textures is not too bad on the eyes and most of the mechanics are easy to grasp and get used to.
Second is Pokémon. A turn based RPG with a kind of rock paper scissors elemental system is not that difficult to understand. Along with a wide variety of various battles, characters, story elements, and different Pokémon too, this game is a good choice for any starting beginner.
Third is Mario. A simple and enjoyable platformer with the most iconic characters in it. The levels are colorful and have a lot of unique enemies and power ups. Along with the regular platformers, there are other games with Mario in it, such as Mario Kart or the various Mario Sports games.
Fourth is Kirby. The platforming is simple but charming and the characters are rather diverse and the unique powers in the Kirby franchise can make a memorable experience. Along with having a few spin offs as well, such as Kriby’s Air Ride, or Kirby: Battle Royale.
Fifth is Astro Bot. a platformer released in 2024 to widespread praise. The colors are vibrant; the enemies are unique, and the powerups are also unlike most other games. The bosses are well designed and not too difficult but can still be challenging. Hidden levels with more difficulty than the rest of the game are welcome, constant references to other games make it quite enjoyable. Along with extra levels after you beat the game that keep the player engaged even after beating the main game itself.
Out of the five, most would say Astro Bot is one of the best games for a beginner. Each level is unique and colorful, every level has a reference or two in it for the player to find. Some levels even have entire themes surrounding other games, like Uncharted or Horizon Zero Dawn. There are over a dozen challenge levels as well, where you need to break platforms, defeat enemies, or do some very challenging platforming. There are also tutorials everywhere, so if you forget or don’t know how something works, the game will tell you, as opposed to a game like God Of War where if you forget how something works, it may not tell you again. Along with having a prequel tech demo called Astro’s Playroom designed to teach people how to use the PlayStation 5 and other consoles like the Nintendo Switch or Xbox series X.
