How do you get your non-gaming partner interested in games? What actually worked for you?

CasualGamerKat

2 posts · Joined Feb 2026

Feb 22, 2026 201 views

Okay this is only partly a gaming question and mostly a relationship question but stay with me.

My partner watches me play games all the time and says they look fun but every time I hand them a controller they lose interest within about 20 minutes. I have tried:

- Stardew Valley (too many systems at once apparently)
- A Short Hike (they loved watching but didn't want to play)
- Mario Kart (motion sickness from the kart wobble, I didn't know that was a thing)
- It Takes Two (they got frustrated with the controls and we had an Argument with a capital A)
- Overcooked (we nearly broke up)

I think the issue is that they're not used to the feeling of being bad at something they're trying for the first time. Like they can see what they want to do and the gap between intention and execution on a controller is genuinely frustrating when you haven't built those muscle memories.

Has anyone successfully got a non-gaming partner into games? What was the game that did it? And please don't say Minecraft because I suggested it and received a look that I'm still recovering from.

4 Replies

SoulsBorne_S Feb 23, 2026

I would like to first acknowledge that Overcooked has ended more relationships than it has started. This is a known fact. That game is a stress test for communication disguised as a cooking game and you should never play it with someone you are not prepared to argue with about onion placement.

My suggestion — and I recognise I am the last person who should be giving cosy game advice — is to start with a game where they watch YOU play first. Let them get invested in a story without the pressure of controls. Then offer the controller during a calm section. My partner got into games by watching me play The Last of Us and wanting to know what happened next.

NintendoNerd Feb 23, 2026

Mario Kart is usually the answer but you said motion sickness which is a real problem. Have you tried turning off the motion blur settings? In MK8 Deluxe there are options that can help. Also sitting further from the screen reduces the effect for some people.

Alternatively: Nintendo Switch Sports. No kart, no blur, very simple controls, genuinely accessible, and the bowling in particular tends to click immediately with people who don't normally play games. My mum plays Switch Sports. My mum.

XboxChief Feb 24, 2026

Unpacking is genuinely one of the best answers to this question because the controls are so simple there's nothing to learn. Click and drag. That's it. My partner who has never played a game in their life sat down with Unpacking and played it for three hours straight. Didn't need me to explain anything.

The fact that you've already done Unpacking is very impressive by the way. That's a good sign. The issue might just be about finding the right genre rather than games in general.

CasualGamerKat Feb 25, 2026

Update: we tried Nintendo Switch Sports bowling as suggested and something clicked. They bowled a strike on their third go and the celebration was completely disproportionate to what happened and it was genuinely the best thing I have ever seen.

We are now also watching me play Spiritfarer together. They cried at the Gustav chapter. I told them that was normal. We are making progress. Thank you all.