Another factor not touched on in this video is energy levels. Sometimes I have free time but not free energy. Some games require some level of energy to want to get engaged with them. When i'm tired i also find that i don't get the positive emotional response from games either. I've learned when not to turn on a game based on how i'm feeling.
Busy dad in my 50s with two kids and a time-consuming job, so yeah I'm one for whom free time is at a premium. But videogame are top of the list for me (and my kids) when it comes to free time, so I definitely am sure to play a few times every week (about 50% new games, 50% retro). Awesome! I have some advice about playing late at night ("when the world stops") -- the older you get, use caution and be sure to listen to your body about how much *sleep* it needs. In my teens, 20's and even 30's I enjoyed regular all-night gaming sessions by myself and with friends, and as long as I slept in the next day never felt any ill-effects. In my 40's with two very young kids, I tried to keep playing games and working on other projects late at night ... it was fine for awhile, but in my late 40s my body started to fall apart. It turns out that I'm someone who really needs 8 hours of sleep a night (or 7 minimum) to stay healthy, and I'll bet that many other people are the same. Certainly, there are other middle aged adults who can get by on an average of 6 hours (especially if they can fit a nap/siesta in during the afternoon, which I can *never* do ...) but again, everybody is different. To live a happy and healthy middle aged life, there are four absolute requirements: good diet, good sleep, good exercise, and good fun. You can cheat on all of them occasionally of course, but all of them are very important. I didn't realize until my breakdown in my 40's that sleep is *just as important as* the other three. I thought I could just tough it out ... nope! Nowadays I game a little less, am in bed by 11, and feel so much more energetic and happy than I used to. Happy gaming, and happy sleeping!!
I hear ya brother! I’m still in my mid 30s, but have already started to see the negatives of sleep issues (was a shift worker with insomnia for about 13 years, finally got on a normal shift job now and am doing quite a bit better). Also recently changed my diet up quite a bit and have gotten rid of my chronic headaches (thank the LORD). But as far as the gaming goes, I went roughly most of my 20s - now without having much game time; wife needed tons of attention and then 10 years ago we had my son, so gaming took a back seat. My son is into video games, but for the most part, just the big 3 of the kids today, Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. But luckily, he has become much more independent and such recently and me and him still hang out in the same room but he is usually watching TH-cam or playing on his computer or doing art, so that gives me time to actually do some gaming. Unfortunately, now that I HAVE time to game, choosing WHAT to play is the problem :P I have missed out on so many titles in the past 15 years that I don’t know where to start. As I posted on another video, I’m considering starting 2022 with diving into the mass effect trilogy, but am pretty weary of the time commitment that each session may require. One of my huge reasons for enjoying retro gaming so much is the sheer simplicity and quick playability of the games. God bless and happy gaming fellow gamer dad!
You’re absolutely right. I push my luck with staying up too late, but I don’t do it daily. I’m in my early 50’s now. Also, after some years in the Army I’m pretty tough, so I wake up at 4:15am to go to work and can go to bed at 11pm and still pull it off. That said, it does feel harder than it used to. Recovery times are longer the older you get. Diet is exceptionally important, though.
@@Lokiofasgard616 it’s great! I’ve been homeschooled for 2 1/2 school years now…it started with COVID when my 6th grade year ended early, my parents put me in homeschool. Now I’m able to focus better and don’t have to worry about getting picked on, but I might go back to regular school next year!
I love the “time when the world stops” it’s the only window where I can have a crack at something... but lately I’ve been way too tired to take advantage of it. So in the last month I’ve played Metroid dread for 45 minutes. 👍👍 I’m impressed so far... cherish the free time kids you’ll miss it later.
You hit this nail right on the head. The time when the world stops for me is usually after 10 or 11pm. I have to wake up at 4:15am for work, but I frequently still play a video game for a few minutes before bed. I game weekly if not daily. One thing I never let myself do, though, is online shopping when I’m tired. Never! Fatigue clouds your judgement almost as much as alcohol. If you shop when you’re tired, you’ll wake up with buyer’s remorse.
I really want to see a gif of you and a Sega Genesis running across a field towards each other, arms outstretched, tears of joy streaming down your face. Such a touching moment.
Between having a Full time job, two young kids, responsibilities, TH-cam videos to watch, etc, etc, I’m usually only able to squeeze in an hour of gaming before bed. Which is partially why retro games in particular appeal to me. Can get a lot done in an hour of retro gaming compared to modern. Handhelds are also a nice way to fit in a bit of extra game time through the day when I get chances to
When you become an adult, free time becomes a luxury. I still manage to play retro games at least a few times a week though. Very true about modern games taking longer to start.
Recently, I’ve been playing them way more than anything else. I’m a senior in high school, and free time is pretty much non-existent. When I do get time to play games, though, I either call up my friend and play a few rounds of Guilty Gear or I play my SNES. I have a set-up right across from my bed with a CRT sitting on a table with my SNES on the floor underneath. It’s pretty much perfect, and it allows for me to just relax for a bit while working on projects and essays and the like. I do enjoy modern games, but I just haven’t had time. Maybe I’ll get around to playing Doom Eternal or Yakuza eventually (They are in my collection, just haven’t gotten to them!), but for now all I need is U.N. Squadron and Link To The Past.
My family knows I play retro games, so I get my time on them every day. Each day is something different Switch Saturdays, 3DS Sundays, NES Mondays, SNES Tuesdays, SEGA Wednesday & GB to Advance Thursday. Friday is what TH-cam told me to play! SEGA Wednesday is something new, as it use to be open for whatever, but after watching Retro Bird I've found enough good SEGA games to add SEGA to my weekly Retro Game Schedule! This Friday adding Master of Darkness to play, also thanks to Retro Bird! What? Two days on SEGA this week...who am I?
I generally have time at night once the house is settled, but I often don't feel like playing games in the evening...I can't explain the psychology of it, but I feel more desire to game during the day. I seem to associate playing certain games with a particular season which I also can't quite explain other than to say that some games just have a feel about them that gives off a particular feel of when and how the mood is best set to play them. The other road block I run into is that I have to be in the right mood to play, so even if I have the free time, I end up doing something else. It all boils down to me only playing for a bit - maybe an hour or two - 2 to 3 times a week. Sometimes I might game for an afternoon, playing an RPG or clearing a shorter game like Resident Evil in one sitting, but that's more the exception than the rule. I never want to feel forced into playing, because then the fun is gone and I won't want to play at all at any point. One benefit of more spread out sessions is something I liken to the 'Monday/Friday' effect: you've gotta have the lows to feel the highs.
Pop out a few kids retro bird and your gaming time and videos will probably be cut in half to whatever it is now 😜… but once they get older like mine are now … it’s like having best buds to play with again … it’s awesome
Ehh, because of high school being a thing, and exams coming up and all that, I don’t get too much time to squeeze in some gaming. However, lately I’ve been trying to fit in a bit more time because I just got a cib copy of mother on famicom. Anyway, another great video Bird! By the way, video idea, “Reuniting with games that you sold as a kid”
That is a great idea for a video - this could be reuniting with an actual copy of a game or console that you had but lost or sold etc or even playing a special game for the first time again years later as an adult.
Wow such a relatable video. I work a full time job, a side hustle on eBay, and two young kids. Also a wife an an active life overall. I LOVE video games, and TH-cam alike. I find myself squeezing my free time out of my sleeping hours, so my normal 1130-12 bedtime turns into 1am or so. Sucks in the morning. The IBS thing is also hilarious. I actually have a slight version of it, so some days my body just goes nuts. However, I do tend to dramatize it some days just to get some time alone ro play some Clash Royale matches or a quick TH-cam video. As you’ve said, free time becomes golden! As always, most underrated TH-camr I know. It’s overdue for the algorithm to do it’s thing and get you to blow up!
Hah, it seems that -1 kid, we have a lot in common. Why not work from home? 10 hrs a week commuting could otherwise be split between workouts and gaming. Just don't get 4 project cars and that balance won't be tipped ;)
I play a retro game every day. This Sunday 12th of December, i am hosting a massive retro session party at my home for freinds and family. Its going to be a 24 hour marathon of retro and booze.
Just need more friends who appreciate or care about retro stuff lol. Have a bud who we used to play different games and drink. One time we even beat turtles in time and see how far we’d get in sunset riders. Since tho he got married and has a busier life so haven’t in a long time sadly
Whenever I have the time, I guess. It really depends on how much I have going on, which sometimes means I go weeks without playing or I can play hours a day. It's probably the reason I have always loved handheld gaming; it's so much easier to fire up a handheld anywhere then commit to sitting on your couch for a good while.
Same and I agree! In the days when I barely have any free time, i usually play on psp or phone. The psp has a good library of games as well so it's a good enough solution for those kind of days. Which handheld consoles/devices do you play your games on?
@@sonicmaiden2871 I'm catching up on my DS/3DS backlog, and I even recently picked up some new GBC and GBA games to get through. I also have about a half dozen Vita games I need to get to as well.
As usual it depends. I try for 1 hour or so on days my wife works later. Me and my daughter got a mini marathon this past weekend. Another great topic, Birdman.
As a Dad, I get to play games mostly twice a week. Currently, I am playing through Earthbound and so I sit down and give that some time about once a week. My largest game play day though are Thursdays. My neighbor comes over who loves Metroid as well as normally another friend and we normally put in around 4 hours on Thursday evenings taking turns and playing games together and having a couple drinks. We have been playing through the Metroid series since he loves them and when we started, I had only completed Super Metroid. Since we started a couple months back, we beat together Super Metroid on an authentic Snes followed by Metroid Dread, followed by Metroid Zero Mission on the Gamecube Gba player, followed by the Original Metroid on the Authentic Cart playing on an Analogue Nt Noir Mini, and we just started the Prime Trilogy last week on the Wii. We are currently playing through the first game. This has been great as I realized I really have missed out on these Metroid games. My neighbor is literally helping me get through my backlog and it is so much more fun playing with him and another friend that one evening a week. I only own Other M so after we finish the Prime Trilogy, we will probably do that one. Hopefully I can track down a complete copy of Fusion and Return of Samus for Gameboy so we can play those. After that, who knows what? Maybe Castlevania, Axiom Verge, or some other great Metroidvania game.
I recommend the fan made "DX" Gameboy Color port of Return of Samus if you're planning to use the GameCube GBA Player to play together. They have repro carts online, and they're completely compatible. The color really adds a lot to the game. I had a hard time getting into the standard version, because with no map the samey environments can become very confusing, and just... dull to look at. The color really brings out the game's full potential. I'd also recommend checking out the AM2R remake if you ever get a chance, because it's amazing.
Love your show retro bird, I play a couple hours everyday, mostly nes and snes, but play some new stuff every here and then and love when the world stops!
this actually helped me a ton! it has been hard to find time for games lately but this really put things into perspective. Thanks! Another great Bird upload!
Oh it really depends actually.... I had days where I just was drawing, watching videos etc. The best thing is if I am in the mood for a specific game. Also the:" get on my lawn" hat just never gets old xD
Another cool vid, I wish that I had more time to game. I try to play a few times a week, even if only for a few minutes before dinner when my kids are doing homework. Realistically though, I do most of my gaming on the weekend. I usually start on Friday night once my family is sleeping and then play early Saturday morning while they are still sleeping. I've tried to stay up late during the week and get some gaming time in, but I'm very tired of paying for that the next day 😅
Great question. Between my regular job and side hustle, I don't really have alot of free time. And of that free time, I'm not always in the mood. I have trimmed down my collection dramatically to reflect this phase in my life. I think I will always make time for another run of Super Metroid no matter how old I get.
I am a dad in my late 30's, so maybe 1-2 hours per week and mostly on weekends. My oldest kid is 7 so we can play some harmless retro games together, and then mostly different old TMNT games, Tiny Toons and Super Mario titles.
Any amount of time playing video games as an adult is always simultaneously not enough time and too much time. At least for me I wish I had more time to play but also while playing I can't help but feel like I'm neglecting important things. 🤷🏼♂️
I always take 1-2 hrs the most of my time every day to play retro. I play them when I am at home from work during my rest time. I have a family life that to be valued.
I'm 42. And I play video games during my free time all day every day. Heck I'm playing right now!! And furthermore, I have a great job so I'm not on welfare or anything thankfully.
Lately I've been going through the first three Gears Of War games in my Xbox Series S, they just added 60fps to them and I have to say, Quick Resume is a blessing, it grants semi modern games that pick up and play functionality :)
I enjoy multitasking. Playing a handheld game with wrestling on in the background. Having Spotify loaded up while playing Forza or Rocket League. Good times.
Dude, how? I can only be engrossed in one thing. Unless it's drinking while I work on a car, or drink while I retro game. The odd exception is watching TH-cam whilst I treadmill.
100% agree with how games are now. Put the game in, download, update, tutorial,....takes so long to get into the bulk of the game. That’s why I’ve switched to playing platformer games. Just finished Ori and the Blind Forest and it was amazing. I play platformer games on weekdays for 30min to an hour and play multiplayer games with my friends on the weekends usually from ~10pm-12:30am
that's why I love these (DIscussion) videos, you can catch up on some playing while also consuming video game media :) two birds with one stone and one of the birds is retro
I can go months without playing and also have months where I play nearly every day. I'm always interested in the retro homebrew scenes though and enjoy going down the rabbit hole finding new things. Recently I found a SNES port of Mega Man IV, a brilliant NES game called Micro Mages, a SNES version of Mario Excitebike and a great new SNES platformer called Dottie Dreds Nought.
Been watching your videos for a while now and the first thing I enjoyed and noticed and it’ still remains true that your voice sounds literally exactly like Owen Wilson
Love your channel and all your videos! I hope you get noticed more for the quality you produce and get more subscribers! I am newly a dad so allllll my spare time has gone, I used to enjoy the time where the world stops but currently that has gone away. I'm on paternity leave right now, but I might have to take my Gameboy with me to work so I can play it on my lunch break. Keep up the excellent work!
A little bit each day, with a dedicated "when the world stops" time (retro/racing/fighting/puzzle). Then usually carve out a few hours once a week for additional (RPG/Adventure/story gaming).
Usually a little bit everyday, varies from a half hour to about 2 (occasionally more if it's a really immersive game). If I'm being honest, if it's something more arcade-y or retro usually 15 to 20 minutes and that would be it for that day.
I play games daily. When I'm with my kid, not too much lately. However, at night while working, I play throughout the night in between actually fixing stuff.
While I do play games on a almost daily basis (at least a little bit) I've been mostly completing co-op games with friends or getting through newer games as the backlog groweth. I doo want to carve out more time for my retro games though, but finally getting them hooked up with a capture device (should be coming today) means I'll be more ready to prioritize them. The situation with the youngest kid coming downstairs is what's happened a good amount to my usual "Game crew" friend & caused co-op game issues.
Speaking of playing past bedtime I’m watching this video past bedtime. Anyway I try to complete a warp pipe run of SMB every other day or so. I also try to play around 30 minutes on my switch 3-4 days a week once my 2 year old goes to sleep. I don’t have a ton of time to play but my switch and NES are my best friends currently.
Whenever I have free time away from work I get some gaming in, retro and otherwise. There's so many games in my collection that I need to spend time playing but haven't been able to. Looking forward to having more free time one day!
I'm one that plays everyday but it's mostly in short bursts via handheld. When I get more time, I'll usually play for a couple hours; marathon game sessions tend to leave me feeling gross as I've gotten older.
I spend way more time hunting down games, discovering new games, and editing my wishlist these days than I do playing games. Media coverage of games from 1985 to 1995 was sparse and fragmented. Many magazines only published in certain countries. You had to buy the magazines just to read the bulk of them without looking like a joker in the middle of the supermarket. Access to reviews from months prior was limited due to no internet. Tons of games just didn't get covered, due to being import-only titles. A result of all that is that there's a goldmine of hidden gems for retrogamers to discover, research and hunt down.
I really liked this one. Alot of good input. I relate to alot of the things you said, but also it's hard to have motivation sometimes to play. I'm in a unique position with my job, where my schedule is very random. So some days I have tons of time to play, some days not so much. Even on days when I have the time though, I don't always feel motivated to play. I love gaming and collecting, but when you live on property there is always something to be doing it seems like!! I wanna dedicate more time to playing, even if it's just an hour a day. I'll never get through my backlog of I don't play lol. Also, me personally I enjoy playing more in the early evening or during the day if possible. I don't function very well when it's time for me to get to bed. One last thing. I love story based games, but obviously they require alot of time. On days when I don't have that time , I go for some more quick pickup and play. Guitar hero 3 on 360 is a go to for me, and also I have been playing shovel knight!
I've played in spurts for all of my adult life. For instance, I didn't game much at all between 17-20, gamed hard for a couple years in my early 20s then life got all crazy between a horrid relationship, getting into some trouble and then having kids, I rarely gamed for a lot of years there but now in my 30s life is a bit slower and my kids enjoy gaming too so I've been back into the hobby these past few years harder than ever, at least since high school. Even now though I play a lot more between say October through April or May bc the weather tends to be crap up here for most of the year.
No matter how little time I have in a day I'll always find time for REZ✨ 👌☃️ Ssx tricky,Um Jammer Lammy,Rhythm heaven fever,any pick up and play Sega Dreamcast 🎮 Retro is so great not having to wait for updates and patches or sit holding the forward button for five minutes as characters walk and spout on. 🤫 I can't believe the game Journey is already 10yrs old! ⏳🤪
i spent the last year catching up on my backlog of older games and it felt good beating games i never made time to beat like Jet Grind Radio, The Last of Us, Tony Hawk 4 and Panzer Dragoon Orta.
Man, as a married software engineer with 2 kids, 2 dogs, play keyboards in a band, play guitar on the side too, and now making YT videos once in a while, I can’t deny the only way I can find time to play is by playing at the “time when the world stops”. The problem is that sometimes either “daddy time” happens in the middle of the night, or the dogs bark to go potty (because they know I’m awake). Even if I play with headphones and completely silent. So one thing that has helped me is to stay in bed and play handhelds. For whatever reason, my kids don’t wake up and my dogs don’t bark to go out. Probably because they think I’m sleeping. 😆
I generally play my retro games about 2-3x/week - depends on what I have going on at the time. I generally play them more than usual. One day, I'd like to link up with some friends and get some sessions going.
It depends on the season for me. I do way more console gaming in the winter time when there isn't much to do outside. In summer time though it's a different story. I usually put the consoles on the back burner and get the handhelds going since I'm gone most of the time camping. My wife and I don't have kids either, so that definitely helps free up some time all around :P
I don't play as much as other people for 2 reasons. I get tired after about an hour of playing and I also want time to read. But I try to play on Sundays which I consider my "fun day". I also find time during the week.
Honestly, I rarely play games. Sometimes one game will grab me and I’ll play it every day for a week (Celeste is my most recent example) but as fas as the stuff I collect actively, it’s definitely more about building the collection and my base of knowledge than it is about making it to the credits of everything I buy. That said, I consume a lot of gaming content on twitch and TH-cam (shoutout to the retro bird channel, dunno if you’ve heard of them) so maybe I’m just lazy and prefer my time spent on that with creators and friends I enjoy. Like you said, everyone has to strike that balance.
Honestly i play quite a bit during the day (bout a couple hours) but i mostly play during late night hours and most into the very early morning hours. Btw, i saw your Paper Mario n64 copy, and i say, Nice! Great video Btw, Your content is quite entertaining and informative and gives off a chill vibe, you sir are awesome! Keep up the great work
I am 36 and I play games at least 3-4 times a week. The pick up and play factor is very important for me, thats why my ps4 is full of capcom/neogeo emulation purchases. I also have the wii u next to my bed. It is not even hocked up to a TV. Been using it like a handheld for years.
I play games maybe two times a week. Mostly retro games, where I can get a quick start and feel I've had a quality time after 15 mins already. But then there are evenings when I can play Pac-Man on the 2600 (yes, that one, not joking) for one or two hours, scoring six digits and feel completely "in the zone" and happy.
It's always hard to find the time. I find myself too exhausted to play video games at the end of the day which always leads me to TH-cam where I watch Retro Bird non stop, but I do manage to play at least an hour or two a week.
Lately I've actually been playing most of my games especially my back log on twitch. I like single player games but I don't like playing games alone so this is the perfect compromise. I can play games & interact with people and make possibly new friends along the way. :)
Play pretty much every day. Mostly play at night once the kids are asleep. Sometimes also play a bit during my hour lunch at work; switch, vita or psp. Most I play at night is about 1-2 hrs
Great question! 3 squares folded per wipe with good quality toilet paper. Cheaper paper typically takes 4 squares. How many wipes you ask? On a good day it can be as low as 1wipe, on a messy day 8-10. On average 3-4 wipes and it's bye bye Hershey's.
Usually I play 2 to 3 hours of games a day. Sometimes I go overboard and play up to 7 but that’s only if I get really sucked in. For example I’ve been playing persona 5 royal for hours straight because it’s so addicting to me.
I play games every 1-3 days. I play Sega Genesis mostly, but I do take turns with all my systems. Lately I’ve been playing Deadly Premonition for the first time but I don’t have much time to play it most days and, like your friend, I have a little boy who I have to keep protected from all the weirdness and blood/guts (it’s a survival horror game in case you didn’t know) so when I *do* play it’s after his bedtime (and mine).
I set a side 2 gaming time slots a week on my calendar. Sometimes there’s time for more but that’s the average. Life is busy and I was playing 0 until I put it on my calendar. Create the time and commit to it and then you won’t feel like you missed out later.
If I'm in the mood to play but it depends on what game in a way, I usually have art and piano to do as well So for now I'm on my switch or Xbox one playing games.
In the fall and winter I play pretty well every day. I typically take the spring and summer off of video games to pursue outdoor hobbies like disc golf.
Same but for me, as soon as it's warm enough to do it, my project cars come out of storage and there's a lot of welding, rewiring, etc. Retro gaming season started 2 weeks ago for me, and I am about to upgrade my 386 with an SCSI sound card (to drive my 2x CDROM, mostly) so... yeah vive le vent d'hiver!
Videogames have some big competitors when it comes to my free time. My guitars (and other music instruments) , festivals/concerts, reading books, photography. As much as I love videogames, I don't need to play daily. It really depends on my mood and how much exhausted I am.
Other things besides video games, ya say? I'm listening... Awesome discussion though! I try to mix in retro gaming on my Retron 5 with my ever-growing backlog of new games. Believe it or not, I actually use my Google calendar to schedule out all the games I "need" to play. It's silly, sure, but it actually has been quite useful!
I probably don’t play my games as often as I should. I certainly have the time, but unless I really get into a game, I have a hard time sustaining interest. That’s why I lean more retro. One sitting equals one play-through. Maybe I should go plug in rocket Knight adventure and see how long it sustains my interest. I’ve heard from (cough) someone that it’s a pretty good game.
I feel quite fortunate to be able to play games most days for at least a few hours, lately if I'm not speed running Metroid Dread I'm catching up on my old DS games
I'm 13 and I have a ton of free time so I have been playing my NES and Gameboy a ton and man have I been enjoying some NES Tetris and Dragon warrior monsters on Gameboy!
I play everyday! Don’t have as much time as I would like these days but I try to get at least two hours in a day. I find handheld games I can squeeze more time in because I can take them anywhere. So I end up getting more time out of my game boy or switch than my home consoles.
I play when I’m able, which with two under two is very limited. I have the issue off sometimes there is so much of a gap I can’t remember what I was doing or even how to play if the controls are anything different
I usually play around 30 minutes to an hour a day. Ill play for around 15 minutes before work, maybe 15 minutes during a break if its a stressful day, and usually around 30 minutes when i get home depending on how tired i am. I have my own modded hand-held for most of my backed up nes-dreamcast retro titles but the switch also makes jumping into retro games (and modern games) so easy.
I work 60+ hrs a week an have a 1 year old boy.hes my world..but when that world stops its game time..I play maybe twice a week max of 4 hrs.keep flying bird
During the summer vacation I almost play them daily, but during the learning semester I barely have time to play any video games. If I have work to do on pc, i usually can do a few breaks of an hour or half of an hour and play some games on pc, either emulating some or playing some of the newer ones. (Recently, I started playing the Crash Bandicoot n sane trilogy remake). I also can sometimes play on psp during the week. I've been playing some Rayman 2 and some Pac-man championship edition on psp recently. Sadly, I don't have time to play my games on the home consoles during the learning semester, but at least the winter vacation is coming soon and I could play them then.
@@tonyp9313 Piggybacking on that, the only consoles I have at home is the NES and Wii. I have computers ranging from 1987 to 2005 though (several dozen...)
@@the_kombinator Oh ok the wii is 6th gen then. Ok cool. I don't like the wii. Motion controllers do not work all the time when waiving your arms even if you are right up close to the censor at times.
@@tonyp9313 My old manager gave me the Wii, my wife likes playing bowling and WiiSports with me on it, so a free console and playing with my spouse (it gets competitive sometimes hah!) makes it fun. It's not a serious console, in fact, I don't think I've played it solo since I got it 4 years or so ago, but what it is is fun. And maybe retro? No idea. But it's fun ;)
On weekdays I reserve 30mins a day to play video games. No more, no less. What I play will vary depending on what I think I can accomplish in that amount of time. That's one of the reasons I love Nintendo Switch because standby means I can theoretically save at any moment. On weekends I generally try to limit my game time to 2hrs because there is so much else which needs to be done when you're an adult. Holidays are the best though since I can dedicate entire days to gaming with no net loss (mileage may vary).
I don't really have a lot of commitments outside of work, so it's odd if I don't play a game for at least a little while each day. Of course, the Switch has helped with this massively, as I don't always find the time to sit down in front of my TV.
There's a lot of work that isn't getting itself done, specially since the pandemic started. So, as a general rule, I've tried to leave gaming for Fridays, Saturdays, Sunday... and ok, a little bit on Wednesday night so as to soften up the mid-week burdens of the world. As summer looms over here in the southern hemisphere, sticking to that schedule has become more difficult. I guess you could say that, if I'm enjoying myself and it helps blowing off some steam, I should just go for it every day of the week. However, I'll try to stick to some sort of schedule, as I miss dedicating a few nights a week to other things, like reading a book, watching a talkie, or just spinning a record with a glass of good ol' Kentucky rye.
I typically play once a day (for about 30-40 minutes), but it depends on whether my three year old can get his ass to bed on time. This is why I love the Game Boy and NES so much. A lot of pick up and play, single screen games. Indeed, 30-40 minutes is a good chunk of time to put a dent into GB/NES adventure games and RPGs.
Never enough time, but I agree that it helps to make a plan and ensure the type of games fit. Eg: I have my gba and SML2 in my work bag ready to go for small bursts at lunch. Unlike SML1 it has a battery save so I’m not required to start over each time. After I complete that I have plenty of similar GB/GBA titles. The kid factor is also pretty significant with online games. I basically stopped trying to do anything online awhile ago as I was always interrupted and had to quit the match. I’ll try to stick with games easier to pick up, save and put down at this time. Sometimes the weekend mornings work for smash bros with the kids which is also a convenient way to sneak in some time even if smash wasn’t really top of my personal list.
I think retro games usually require much more uninterrupted time compared to modern games. Many games don't have save function or password system, so when you start the game you have to know that there's enough time to spare, if you want to complete it. Otherwise you just lose the progress. Nowadays I play retro games like once a month, and I always aim to complete the game to reduce my backlog. But modern games I play daily. I wake up at 6.00 AM and start my morning playing MGSV: Phantom Pain. I usually have a difficult time waking up, but doing something active and fun stuff like gaming really helps. And MGSV is perfect game for short bursts. I grab the daily rewards, start research projects, send application for short league, deploy troops and grind current FOB event. Takes about 15-30 minutes and that is enough, I'm completely awake. I try to get everything I can in this game before the servers get shut down next year (for PS3). After that, I need to find another game for my morning routines, so any recommendations are appreciated. I really feel that "time-stands-still" atmosphere which night time represents. For many years I used to stay awake for much longer, but wanted to change my sleep patterns to better reflect the "normal" schedules of society, for practical reasons. But I still sometimes take advantage of the night time, it's my ace in the hole. I change my sleep patterns temporary to complete some specific project during night times, like my masters thesis. I'm much more motivated to do that kind of stuff when the whole world is asleep. No one is going to interrupt me and there are less distractions.
I enjoy gaming as a hoppy and I play games on a pretty regular basis. However, due to working full time, having a wife and pup, among other responsibilities, I don't have a lot of time to invest in a lot of long games. I make exceptions for the ones I really enjoy like Zelda, but most of my gaming is more "arcade focusd" such as racing, fighting or quick retro games.
A couple times a month. As time goes on life makes it harder and harder to commit time to playing. I haven’t bought a really long video game in awhile and generally stick to retro games or fighting games as they don’t take as much commitment to get into. I can play a few rounds and pop out!
Although I have a demanding job, I exercise often, and I have to keep up with a number of career-related things, I probably have more free time than the dads on here (no kids). I can go entire months without video games, but then I eventually get "the urge" and I get into one or more games for weeks at a time. One pro tip for the busy dads on here: if you like level-based platformers, and particularly if you have a system that allows you to use save states, try playing one level a day of something right before you go to bed. Depending on what you're playing, it will probably not take more than somewhere between 5-15 minutes, and it adds a nice continuity along with gradual progress. I have taken down many platformers on my 3DS this way over the past year (Wario Land 1, Donkey Kong Land, and Adventure Island II for starters).
Another factor not touched on in this video is energy levels. Sometimes I have free time but not free energy. Some games require some level of energy to want to get engaged with them. When i'm tired i also find that i don't get the positive emotional response from games either. I've learned when not to turn on a game based on how i'm feeling.
Sometimes you just need to chill with other thing or don't do absolutely nothing. I hear you man
Busy dad in my 50s with two kids and a time-consuming job, so yeah I'm one for whom free time is at a premium. But videogame are top of the list for me (and my kids) when it comes to free time, so I definitely am sure to play a few times every week (about 50% new games, 50% retro). Awesome! I have some advice about playing late at night ("when the world stops") -- the older you get, use caution and be sure to listen to your body about how much *sleep* it needs.
In my teens, 20's and even 30's I enjoyed regular all-night gaming sessions by myself and with friends, and as long as I slept in the next day never felt any ill-effects. In my 40's with two very young kids, I tried to keep playing games and working on other projects late at night ... it was fine for awhile, but in my late 40s my body started to fall apart. It turns out that I'm someone who really needs 8 hours of sleep a night (or 7 minimum) to stay healthy, and I'll bet that many other people are the same. Certainly, there are other middle aged adults who can get by on an average of 6 hours (especially if they can fit a nap/siesta in during the afternoon, which I can *never* do ...) but again, everybody is different.
To live a happy and healthy middle aged life, there are four absolute requirements: good diet, good sleep, good exercise, and good fun. You can cheat on all of them occasionally of course, but all of them are very important. I didn't realize until my breakdown in my 40's that sleep is *just as important as* the other three. I thought I could just tough it out ... nope! Nowadays I game a little less, am in bed by 11, and feel so much more energetic and happy than I used to. Happy gaming, and happy sleeping!!
Yep, the sleep thing creeps in silently. If I do stay up I’ll try to break up the week so it’s not on consecutive days.
I hear ya brother! I’m still in my mid 30s, but have already started to see the negatives of sleep issues (was a shift worker with insomnia for about 13 years, finally got on a normal shift job now and am doing quite a bit better). Also recently changed my diet up quite a bit and have gotten rid of my chronic headaches (thank the LORD).
But as far as the gaming goes, I went roughly most of my 20s - now without having much game time; wife needed tons of attention and then 10 years ago we had my son, so gaming took a back seat. My son is into video games, but for the most part, just the big 3 of the kids today, Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. But luckily, he has become much more independent and such recently and me and him still hang out in the same room but he is usually watching TH-cam or playing on his computer or doing art, so that gives me time to actually do some gaming.
Unfortunately, now that I HAVE time to game, choosing WHAT to play is the problem :P I have missed out on so many titles in the past 15 years that I don’t know where to start. As I posted on another video, I’m considering starting 2022 with diving into the mass effect trilogy, but am pretty weary of the time commitment that each session may require. One of my huge reasons for enjoying retro gaming so much is the sheer simplicity and quick playability of the games.
God bless and happy gaming fellow gamer dad!
You’re absolutely right. I push my luck with staying up too late, but I don’t do it daily. I’m in my early 50’s now. Also, after some years in the Army I’m pretty tough, so I wake up at 4:15am to go to work and can go to bed at 11pm and still pull it off. That said, it does feel harder than it used to. Recovery times are longer the older you get. Diet is exceptionally important, though.
Wise words, can relate as a 50+ yo gamer.
Everyday! As a homeschooled kid with nothing to do… but right now I’m playing Metroid Dread so, I’ll beat it tonight and then play some Shinobi 3.
All right! Sweet games :)
I play games everyday for at least 3 hours. I work at a gaming pc place, get those nasty 3090 ti out of my site I'm trying to play some Super Nintendo
I remember when I could play all day and was homeschooled, it was awesome, enjoy it while it lasts man!!!
@@Lokiofasgard616 it’s great! I’ve been homeschooled for 2 1/2 school years now…it started with COVID when my 6th grade year ended early, my parents put me in homeschool. Now I’m able to focus better and don’t have to worry about getting picked on, but I might go back to regular school next year!
Must be nice
I love the “time when the world stops” it’s the only window where I can have a crack at something... but lately I’ve been way too tired to take advantage of it. So in the last month I’ve played Metroid dread for 45 minutes. 👍👍 I’m impressed so far...
cherish the free time kids you’ll miss it later.
Yeah, that's the thing! Sometimes you're just too tired by the time you get to the end of the day.
You hit this nail right on the head. The time when the world stops for me is usually after 10 or 11pm. I have to wake up at 4:15am for work, but I frequently still play a video game for a few minutes before bed. I game weekly if not daily. One thing I never let myself do, though, is online shopping when I’m tired. Never! Fatigue clouds your judgement almost as much as alcohol. If you shop when you’re tired, you’ll wake up with buyer’s remorse.
I really want to see a gif of you and a Sega Genesis running across a field towards each other, arms outstretched, tears of joy streaming down your face. Such a touching moment.
Between having a Full time job, two young kids, responsibilities, TH-cam videos to watch, etc, etc, I’m usually only able to squeeze in an hour of gaming before bed. Which is partially why retro games in particular appeal to me. Can get a lot done in an hour of retro gaming compared to modern.
Handhelds are also a nice way to fit in a bit of extra game time through the day when I get chances to
Yeah, in an hour you could potentially play through a few retro games (though perhaps not all the way to the end of each one).
i feel your pain and im in same boat. yes retro games are great for the hour before bed
My situation is similar; 2 small kids + f/t job. Sometimes I get up early (5am) especially if the game is addictive and I want to crack on.
Out of the new games, the indie ones are usually short. Also the newer Sonic games tend to be quite short.
When you become an adult, free time becomes a luxury. I still manage to play retro games at least a few times a week though. Very true about modern games taking longer to start.
Good to hear you're still getting in that game time.
Recently, I’ve been playing them way more than anything else. I’m a senior in high school, and free time is pretty much non-existent. When I do get time to play games, though, I either call up my friend and play a few rounds of Guilty Gear or I play my SNES. I have a set-up right across from my bed with a CRT sitting on a table with my SNES on the floor underneath. It’s pretty much perfect, and it allows for me to just relax for a bit while working on projects and essays and the like. I do enjoy modern games, but I just haven’t had time. Maybe I’ll get around to playing Doom Eternal or Yakuza eventually (They are in my collection, just haven’t gotten to them!), but for now all I need is U.N. Squadron and Link To The Past.
Glad to hear you're getting in some time on those older consoles!
You're a senior in high school who regularly plays SNES? Awesome! You just made my day. Retrobird, here's a guy who is "on your lawn!"
My family knows I play retro games, so I get my time on them every day. Each day is something different Switch Saturdays, 3DS Sundays, NES Mondays, SNES Tuesdays, SEGA Wednesday & GB to Advance Thursday. Friday is what TH-cam told me to play! SEGA Wednesday is something new, as it use to be open for whatever, but after watching Retro Bird I've found enough good SEGA games to add SEGA to my weekly Retro Game Schedule! This Friday adding Master of Darkness to play, also thanks to Retro Bird! What? Two days on SEGA this week...who am I?
I generally have time at night once the house is settled, but I often don't feel like playing games in the evening...I can't explain the psychology of it, but I feel more desire to game during the day. I seem to associate playing certain games with a particular season which I also can't quite explain other than to say that some games just have a feel about them that gives off a particular feel of when and how the mood is best set to play them.
The other road block I run into is that I have to be in the right mood to play, so even if I have the free time, I end up doing something else.
It all boils down to me only playing for a bit - maybe an hour or two - 2 to 3 times a week. Sometimes I might game for an afternoon, playing an RPG or clearing a shorter game like Resident Evil in one sitting, but that's more the exception than the rule. I never want to feel forced into playing, because then the fun is gone and I won't want to play at all at any point. One benefit of more spread out sessions is something I liken to the 'Monday/Friday' effect: you've gotta have the lows to feel the highs.
Pop out a few kids retro bird and your gaming time and videos will probably be cut in half to whatever it is now 😜… but once they get older like mine are now … it’s like having best buds to play with again … it’s awesome
Ehh, because of high school being a thing, and exams coming up and all that, I don’t get too much time to squeeze in some gaming. However, lately I’ve been trying to fit in a bit more time because I just got a cib copy of mother on famicom. Anyway, another great video Bird!
By the way, video idea, “Reuniting with games that you sold as a kid”
That is a great idea for a video - this could be reuniting with an actual copy of a game or console that you had but lost or sold etc or even playing a special game for the first time again years later as an adult.
I have exams as well but at the university. Sometimes I don't play any video games for weeks but when I do, I usually play 1 or 2 hours on psp or pc.
Wow such a relatable video. I work a full time job, a side hustle on eBay, and two young kids. Also a wife an an active life overall. I LOVE video games, and TH-cam alike. I find myself squeezing my free time out of my sleeping hours, so my normal 1130-12 bedtime turns into 1am or so. Sucks in the morning.
The IBS thing is also hilarious. I actually have a slight version of it, so some days my body just goes nuts. However, I do tend to dramatize it some days just to get some time alone ro play some Clash Royale matches or a quick TH-cam video. As you’ve said, free time becomes golden!
As always, most underrated TH-camr I know. It’s overdue for the algorithm to do it’s thing and get you to blow up!
Hah, it seems that -1 kid, we have a lot in common. Why not work from home? 10 hrs a week commuting could otherwise be split between workouts and gaming.
Just don't get 4 project cars and that balance won't be tipped ;)
Glad you could relate and thanks for the kind words!
I play a retro game every day. This Sunday 12th of December, i am hosting a massive retro session party at my home for freinds and family. Its going to be a 24 hour marathon of retro and booze.
The kinda parties I wanna have
@@onehardtosolvekase6670 Whats holding you back :)
Just need more friends who appreciate or care about retro stuff lol. Have a bud who we used to play different games and drink. One time we even beat turtles in time and see how far we’d get in sunset riders. Since tho he got married and has a busier life so haven’t in a long time sadly
With the way gaming is going today, older games are actually better. Also what's nice is there's like 50 years worth of games to play.
Whenever I have the time, I guess. It really depends on how much I have going on, which sometimes means I go weeks without playing or I can play hours a day. It's probably the reason I have always loved handheld gaming; it's so much easier to fire up a handheld anywhere then commit to sitting on your couch for a good while.
Same and I agree! In the days when I barely have any free time, i usually play on psp or phone. The psp has a good library of games as well so it's a good enough solution for those kind of days. Which handheld consoles/devices do you play your games on?
@@sonicmaiden2871 I'm catching up on my DS/3DS backlog, and I even recently picked up some new GBC and GBA games to get through. I also have about a half dozen Vita games I need to get to as well.
@@Level1Sword nice choices! There are many good games on these handhelds as well!
As usual it depends. I try for 1 hour or so on days my wife works later. Me and my daughter got a mini marathon this past weekend. Another great topic, Birdman.
You’re darn near my favorite channel these days, amigo. This was another fine video. Great stuff.
Thank you Dave!
As a Dad, I get to play games mostly twice a week. Currently, I am playing through Earthbound and so I sit down and give that some time about once a week. My largest game play day though are Thursdays. My neighbor comes over who loves Metroid as well as normally another friend and we normally put in around 4 hours on Thursday evenings taking turns and playing games together and having a couple drinks. We have been playing through the Metroid series since he loves them and when we started, I had only completed Super Metroid. Since we started a couple months back, we beat together Super Metroid on an authentic Snes followed by Metroid Dread, followed by Metroid Zero Mission on the Gamecube Gba player, followed by the Original Metroid on the Authentic Cart playing on an Analogue Nt Noir Mini, and we just started the Prime Trilogy last week on the Wii. We are currently playing through the first game. This has been great as I realized I really have missed out on these Metroid games. My neighbor is literally helping me get through my backlog and it is so much more fun playing with him and another friend that one evening a week. I only own Other M so after we finish the Prime Trilogy, we will probably do that one. Hopefully I can track down a complete copy of Fusion and Return of Samus for Gameboy so we can play those. After that, who knows what? Maybe Castlevania, Axiom Verge, or some other great Metroidvania game.
I recommend the fan made "DX" Gameboy Color port of Return of Samus if you're planning to use the GameCube GBA Player to play together. They have repro carts online, and they're completely compatible. The color really adds a lot to the game. I had a hard time getting into the standard version, because with no map the samey environments can become very confusing, and just... dull to look at. The color really brings out the game's full potential. I'd also recommend checking out the AM2R remake if you ever get a chance, because it's amazing.
Love your show retro bird, I play a couple hours everyday, mostly nes and snes, but play some new stuff every here and then and love when the world stops!
this actually helped me a ton! it has been hard to find time for games lately but this really put things into perspective. Thanks! Another great Bird upload!
Glad it was helpful!
Oh it really depends actually....
I had days where I just was drawing, watching videos etc.
The best thing is if I am in the mood for a specific game. Also the:" get on my lawn" hat just never gets old xD
Another cool vid, I wish that I had more time to game. I try to play a few times a week, even if only for a few minutes before dinner when my kids are doing homework. Realistically though, I do most of my gaming on the weekend. I usually start on Friday night once my family is sleeping and then play early Saturday morning while they are still sleeping. I've tried to stay up late during the week and get some gaming time in, but I'm very tired of paying for that the next day 😅
Great question. Between my regular job and side hustle, I don't really have alot of free time. And of that free time, I'm not always in the mood. I have trimmed down my collection dramatically to reflect this phase in my life. I think I will always make time for another run of Super Metroid no matter how old I get.
I am a dad in my late 30's, so maybe 1-2 hours per week and mostly on weekends. My oldest kid is 7 so we can play some harmless retro games together, and then mostly different old TMNT games, Tiny Toons and Super Mario titles.
Great video ! Love this style of content with your humor and genuine insight - keep it up !
Thanks for the great content!
Thank you Cody!
I’m playing them right now!
Any amount of time playing video games as an adult is always simultaneously not enough time and too much time. At least for me I wish I had more time to play but also while playing I can't help but feel like I'm neglecting important things. 🤷🏼♂️
I’m playing Metal Slug right now as you speak.
Awesome game!
I always take 1-2 hrs the most of my time every day to play retro. I play them when I am at home from work during my rest time.
I have a family life that to be valued.
Currently playing through Metroid Prime 2. But yea it's hard to find enough time. I jump around from game to game too often.
I love how subtly you put Rocket Knight Adventures in the background 👍
I'm 42. And I play video games during my free time all day every day. Heck I'm playing right now!!
And furthermore, I have a great job so I'm not on welfare or anything thankfully.
What game you playing if you still are playing?
@@tonyp9313 Currently I'm trying to beat Valhalla Knights 2: Battles Stance on my hacked Vita.
@@aztekno2012 That game. I am staying away from Assassin Creed games.
@@tonyp9313 Good deal. I like it though.
Lately I've been going through the first three Gears Of War games in my Xbox Series S, they just added 60fps to them and I have to say, Quick Resume is a blessing, it grants semi modern games that pick up and play functionality :)
I enjoy multitasking.
Playing a handheld game with wrestling on in the background.
Having Spotify loaded up while playing Forza or Rocket League.
Good times.
Dude, how? I can only be engrossed in one thing. Unless it's drinking while I work on a car, or drink while I retro game. The odd exception is watching TH-cam whilst I treadmill.
100% agree with how games are now. Put the game in, download, update, tutorial,....takes so long to get into the bulk of the game. That’s why I’ve switched to playing platformer games. Just finished Ori and the Blind Forest and it was amazing. I play platformer games on weekdays for 30min to an hour and play multiplayer games with my friends on the weekends usually from ~10pm-12:30am
I love Ori!
that's why I love these (DIscussion) videos, you can catch up on some playing while also consuming video game media :) two birds with one stone and one of the birds is retro
I hope you like what he had to say, before you slayed him with said stone.
I'm glad you're able to multitask like that. I have a heck of a time with it.
I can go months without playing and also have months where I play nearly every day. I'm always interested in the retro homebrew scenes though and enjoy going down the rabbit hole finding new things. Recently I found a SNES port of Mega Man IV, a brilliant NES game called Micro Mages, a SNES version of Mario Excitebike and a great new SNES platformer called Dottie Dreds Nought.
Been watching your videos for a while now and the first thing I enjoyed and noticed and it’ still remains true that your voice sounds literally exactly like Owen Wilson
Love your channel and all your videos! I hope you get noticed more for the quality you produce and get more subscribers!
I am newly a dad so allllll my spare time has gone, I used to enjoy the time where the world stops but currently that has gone away.
I'm on paternity leave right now, but I might have to take my Gameboy with me to work so I can play it on my lunch break.
Keep up the excellent work!
Congratulations on becoming a dad! Also, thank you for the kind words.
A little bit each day, with a dedicated "when the world stops" time (retro/racing/fighting/puzzle). Then usually carve out a few hours once a week for additional (RPG/Adventure/story gaming).
Usually a little bit everyday, varies from a half hour to about 2 (occasionally more if it's a really immersive game). If I'm being honest, if it's something more arcade-y or retro usually 15 to 20 minutes and that would be it for that day.
I play games daily. When I'm with my kid, not too much lately. However, at night while working, I play throughout the night in between actually fixing stuff.
While I do play games on a almost daily basis (at least a little bit) I've been mostly completing co-op games with friends or getting through newer games as the backlog groweth. I doo want to carve out more time for my retro games though, but finally getting them hooked up with a capture device (should be coming today) means I'll be more ready to prioritize them.
The situation with the youngest kid coming downstairs is what's happened a good amount to my usual "Game crew" friend & caused co-op game issues.
Speaking of playing past bedtime I’m watching this video past bedtime. Anyway I try to complete a warp pipe run of SMB every other day or so. I also try to play around 30 minutes on my switch 3-4 days a week once my 2 year old goes to sleep. I don’t have a ton of time to play but my switch and NES are my best friends currently.
Whenever I have free time away from work I get some gaming in, retro and otherwise. There's so many games in my collection that I need to spend time playing but haven't been able to. Looking forward to having more free time one day!
I'm one that plays everyday but it's mostly in short bursts via handheld. When I get more time, I'll usually play for a couple hours; marathon game sessions tend to leave me feeling gross as I've gotten older.
I spend way more time hunting down games, discovering new games, and editing my wishlist these days than I do playing games. Media coverage of games from 1985 to 1995 was sparse and fragmented. Many magazines only published in certain countries. You had to buy the magazines just to read the bulk of them without looking like a joker in the middle of the supermarket. Access to reviews from months prior was limited due to no internet. Tons of games just didn't get covered, due to being import-only titles.
A result of all that is that there's a goldmine of hidden gems for retrogamers to discover, research and hunt down.
I'm here for the outro theme!
And it's here for you!
I really liked this one. Alot of good input. I relate to alot of the things you said, but also it's hard to have motivation sometimes to play. I'm in a unique position with my job, where my schedule is very random. So some days I have tons of time to play, some days not so much. Even on days when I have the time though, I don't always feel motivated to play. I love gaming and collecting, but when you live on property there is always something to be doing it seems like!! I wanna dedicate more time to playing, even if it's just an hour a day. I'll never get through my backlog of I don't play lol.
Also, me personally I enjoy playing more in the early evening or during the day if possible. I don't function very well when it's time for me to get to bed.
One last thing. I love story based games, but obviously they require alot of time. On days when I don't have that time , I go for some more quick pickup and play. Guitar hero 3 on 360 is a go to for me, and also I have been playing shovel knight!
I've played in spurts for all of my adult life. For instance, I didn't game much at all between 17-20, gamed hard for a couple years in my early 20s then life got all crazy between a horrid relationship, getting into some trouble and then having kids, I rarely gamed for a lot of years there but now in my 30s life is a bit slower and my kids enjoy gaming too so I've been back into the hobby these past few years harder than ever, at least since high school. Even now though I play a lot more between say October through April or May bc the weather tends to be crap up here for most of the year.
No matter how little time I have in a day I'll always find time for REZ✨ 👌☃️ Ssx tricky,Um Jammer Lammy,Rhythm heaven fever,any pick up and play Sega Dreamcast 🎮
Retro is so great not having to wait for updates and patches or sit holding the forward button for five minutes as characters walk and spout on. 🤫
I can't believe the game Journey is already 10yrs old! ⏳🤪
i spent the last year catching up on my backlog of older games and it felt good beating games i never made time to beat like Jet Grind Radio, The Last of Us, Tony Hawk 4 and Panzer Dragoon Orta.
Man, as a married software engineer with 2 kids, 2 dogs, play keyboards in a band, play guitar on the side too, and now making YT videos once in a while, I can’t deny the only way I can find time to play is by playing at the “time when the world stops”. The problem is that sometimes either “daddy time” happens in the middle of the night, or the dogs bark to go potty (because they know I’m awake). Even if I play with headphones and completely silent. So one thing that has helped me is to stay in bed and play handhelds. For whatever reason, my kids don’t wake up and my dogs don’t bark to go out. Probably because they think I’m sleeping. 😆
I generally play my retro games about 2-3x/week - depends on what I have going on at the time. I generally play them more than usual. One day, I'd like to link up with some friends and get some sessions going.
Good luck with that. I can barely get my friends to play online games
It depends on the season for me. I do way more console gaming in the winter time when there isn't much to do outside. In summer time though it's a different story. I usually put the consoles on the back burner and get the handhelds going since I'm gone most of the time camping. My wife and I don't have kids either, so that definitely helps free up some time all around :P
I don't play as much as other people for 2 reasons. I get tired after about an hour of playing and I also want time to read. But I try to play on Sundays which I consider my "fun day". I also find time during the week.
Honestly, I rarely play games. Sometimes one game will grab me and I’ll play it every day for a week (Celeste is my most recent example) but as fas as the stuff I collect actively, it’s definitely more about building the collection and my base of knowledge than it is about making it to the credits of everything I buy. That said, I consume a lot of gaming content on twitch and TH-cam (shoutout to the retro bird channel, dunno if you’ve heard of them) so maybe I’m just lazy and prefer my time spent on that with creators and friends I enjoy. Like you said, everyone has to strike that balance.
Honestly i play quite a bit during the day (bout a couple hours) but i mostly play during late night hours and most into the very early morning hours. Btw, i saw your Paper Mario n64 copy, and i say, Nice! Great video Btw, Your content is quite entertaining and informative and gives off a chill vibe, you sir are awesome! Keep up the great work
I am 36 and I play games at least 3-4 times a week. The pick up and play factor is very important for me, thats why my ps4 is full of capcom/neogeo emulation purchases. I also have the wii u next to my bed. It is not even hocked up to a TV. Been using it like a handheld for years.
You should have the marketing arm of retro bird Enterprises start making some get on my lawn hats! I’d buy one.
I play games maybe two times a week. Mostly retro games, where I can get a quick start and feel I've had a quality time after 15 mins already. But then there are evenings when I can play Pac-Man on the 2600 (yes, that one, not joking) for one or two hours, scoring six digits and feel completely "in the zone" and happy.
Pretty often, sometimes i take breaks but i always comeback
It's always hard to find the time. I find myself too exhausted to play video games at the end of the day which always leads me to TH-cam where I watch Retro Bird non stop, but I do manage to play at least an hour or two a week.
Lately I've actually been playing most of my games especially my back log on twitch. I like single player games but I don't like playing games alone so this is the perfect compromise. I can play games & interact with people and make possibly new friends along the way. :)
Play pretty much every day. Mostly play at night once the kids are asleep. Sometimes also play a bit during my hour lunch at work; switch, vita or psp. Most I play at night is about 1-2 hrs
Great question! 3 squares folded per wipe with good quality toilet paper. Cheaper paper typically takes 4 squares. How many wipes you ask? On a good day it can be as low as 1wipe, on a messy day 8-10. On average 3-4 wipes and it's bye bye Hershey's.
keep it up. love you're videos.
Usually I play 2 to 3 hours of games a day. Sometimes I go overboard and play up to 7 but that’s only if I get really sucked in. For example I’ve been playing persona 5 royal for hours straight because it’s so addicting to me.
I play games every 1-3 days. I play Sega Genesis mostly, but I do take turns with all my systems. Lately I’ve been playing Deadly Premonition for the first time but I don’t have much time to play it most days and, like your friend, I have a little boy who I have to keep protected from all the weirdness and blood/guts (it’s a survival horror game in case you didn’t know) so when I *do* play it’s after his bedtime (and mine).
I set a side 2 gaming time slots a week on my calendar. Sometimes there’s time for more but that’s the average. Life is busy and I was playing 0 until I put it on my calendar. Create the time and commit to it and then you won’t feel like you missed out later.
If I'm in the mood to play but it depends on what game in a way, I usually have art and piano to do as well So for now I'm on my switch or Xbox one playing games.
In the fall and winter I play pretty well every day. I typically take the spring and summer off of video games to pursue outdoor hobbies like disc golf.
Same but for me, as soon as it's warm enough to do it, my project cars come out of storage and there's a lot of welding, rewiring, etc. Retro gaming season started 2 weeks ago for me, and I am about to upgrade my 386 with an SCSI sound card (to drive my 2x CDROM, mostly) so... yeah vive le vent d'hiver!
Videogames have some big competitors when it comes to my free time. My guitars (and other music instruments) , festivals/concerts, reading books, photography. As much as I love videogames, I don't need to play daily. It really depends on my mood and how much exhausted I am.
Just started playing Skyrim, when the wife and kid were away last weekend I got a ton of time in. They came home and I haven’t played since..
Other things besides video games, ya say? I'm listening...
Awesome discussion though! I try to mix in retro gaming on my Retron 5 with my ever-growing backlog of new games. Believe it or not, I actually use my Google calendar to schedule out all the games I "need" to play. It's silly, sure, but it actually has been quite useful!
I can't believe I just found this channel
Great videos
Glad you found it! Welcome to the channel :)
Love your channel just subscribed !!! I just had a child and the night time is the best guilty pleasure lol 😂!!!
Welcome to the channel!
@@RetroBirdGaming thank you 😊!!!!l Look forward to many more adventures here !!!!!
I probably don’t play my games as often as I should. I certainly have the time, but unless I really get into a game, I have a hard time sustaining interest. That’s why I lean more retro. One sitting equals one play-through. Maybe I should go plug in rocket Knight adventure and see how long it sustains my interest. I’ve heard from (cough) someone that it’s a pretty good game.
sometimes i spend too much time watching videos about retro games instead of playing hahaha. but i try to play at least an hour of nes a weekend.
I feel quite fortunate to be able to play games most days for at least a few hours, lately if I'm not speed running Metroid Dread I'm catching up on my old DS games
I'm watching this video at 1:40am with the wife and kid asleep. 😆
Taking a toilet break from playing yakuza: like a dragon
I'm 13 and I have a ton of free time so I have been playing my NES and Gameboy a ton and man have I been enjoying some NES Tetris and Dragon warrior monsters on Gameboy!
I play everyday! Don’t have as much time as I would like these days but I try to get at least two hours in a day. I find handheld games I can squeeze more time in because I can take them anywhere. So I end up getting more time out of my game boy or switch than my home consoles.
Every morning I play a few rounds of Pocket Reversi to kickstart my brain. Other than that, whenever there's time and I'm not too tired.
I play when I’m able, which with two under two is very limited. I have the issue off sometimes there is so much of a gap I can’t remember what I was doing or even how to play if the controls are anything different
I usually play around 30 minutes to an hour a day. Ill play for around 15 minutes before work, maybe 15 minutes during a break if its a stressful day, and usually around 30 minutes when i get home depending on how tired i am. I have my own modded hand-held for most of my backed up nes-dreamcast retro titles but the switch also makes jumping into retro games (and modern games) so easy.
I work 60+ hrs a week an have a 1 year old boy.hes my world..but when that world stops its game time..I play maybe twice a week max of 4 hrs.keep flying bird
During the summer vacation I almost play them daily, but during the learning semester I barely have time to play any video games. If I have work to do on pc, i usually can do a few breaks of an hour or half of an hour and play some games on pc, either emulating some or playing some of the newer ones. (Recently, I started playing the Crash Bandicoot n sane trilogy remake). I also can sometimes play on psp during the week. I've been playing some Rayman 2 and some Pac-man championship edition on psp recently. Sadly, I don't have time to play my games on the home consoles during the learning semester, but at least the winter vacation is coming soon and I could play them then.
I play games everyday. Retro games, probably about twice a week and I consider retro to be 5th gen and under.
I looked it up. So PS1 and under. You don't consider PS2 retro?
@@tonyp9313 Piggybacking on that, the only consoles I have at home is the NES and Wii. I have computers ranging from 1987 to 2005 though (several dozen...)
@@the_kombinator Oh ok the wii is 6th gen then. Ok cool. I don't like the wii. Motion controllers do not work all the time when waiving your arms even if you are right up close to the censor at times.
@@tonyp9313 My old manager gave me the Wii, my wife likes playing bowling and WiiSports with me on it, so a free console and playing with my spouse (it gets competitive sometimes hah!) makes it fun. It's not a serious console, in fact, I don't think I've played it solo since I got it 4 years or so ago, but what it is is fun. And maybe retro? No idea. But it's fun ;)
On weekdays I reserve 30mins a day to play video games. No more, no less. What I play will vary depending on what I think I can accomplish in that amount of time. That's one of the reasons I love Nintendo Switch because standby means I can theoretically save at any moment. On weekends I generally try to limit my game time to 2hrs because there is so much else which needs to be done when you're an adult. Holidays are the best though since I can dedicate entire days to gaming with no net loss (mileage may vary).
I don't really have a lot of commitments outside of work, so it's odd if I don't play a game for at least a little while each day. Of course, the Switch has helped with this massively, as I don't always find the time to sit down in front of my TV.
There's a lot of work that isn't getting itself done, specially since the pandemic started. So, as a general rule, I've tried to leave gaming for Fridays, Saturdays, Sunday... and ok, a little bit on Wednesday night so as to soften up the mid-week burdens of the world. As summer looms over here in the southern hemisphere, sticking to that schedule has become more difficult.
I guess you could say that, if I'm enjoying myself and it helps blowing off some steam, I should just go for it every day of the week. However, I'll try to stick to some sort of schedule, as I miss dedicating a few nights a week to other things, like reading a book, watching a talkie, or just spinning a record with a glass of good ol' Kentucky rye.
I typically play once a day (for about 30-40 minutes), but it depends on whether my three year old can get his ass to bed on time. This is why I love the Game Boy and NES so much. A lot of pick up and play, single screen games. Indeed, 30-40 minutes is a good chunk of time to put a dent into GB/NES adventure games and RPGs.
HELLO!!!!!!!!! Nice video
Never enough time, but I agree that it helps to make a plan and ensure the type of games fit. Eg: I have my gba and SML2 in my work bag ready to go for small bursts at lunch. Unlike SML1 it has a battery save so I’m not required to start over each time. After I complete that I have plenty of similar GB/GBA titles.
The kid factor is also pretty significant with online games. I basically stopped trying to do anything online awhile ago as I was always interrupted and had to quit the match. I’ll try to stick with games easier to pick up, save and put down at this time.
Sometimes the weekend mornings work for smash bros with the kids which is also a convenient way to sneak in some time even if smash wasn’t really top of my personal list.
I think retro games usually require much more uninterrupted time compared to modern games. Many games don't have save function or password system, so when you start the game you have to know that there's enough time to spare, if you want to complete it. Otherwise you just lose the progress.
Nowadays I play retro games like once a month, and I always aim to complete the game to reduce my backlog. But modern games I play daily. I wake up at 6.00 AM and start my morning playing MGSV: Phantom Pain. I usually have a difficult time waking up, but doing something active and fun stuff like gaming really helps. And MGSV is perfect game for short bursts. I grab the daily rewards, start research projects, send application for short league, deploy troops and grind current FOB event. Takes about 15-30 minutes and that is enough, I'm completely awake. I try to get everything I can in this game before the servers get shut down next year (for PS3). After that, I need to find another game for my morning routines, so any recommendations are appreciated.
I really feel that "time-stands-still" atmosphere which night time represents. For many years I used to stay awake for much longer, but wanted to change my sleep patterns to better reflect the "normal" schedules of society, for practical reasons. But I still sometimes take advantage of the night time, it's my ace in the hole. I change my sleep patterns temporary to complete some specific project during night times, like my masters thesis. I'm much more motivated to do that kind of stuff when the whole world is asleep. No one is going to interrupt me and there are less distractions.
I enjoy gaming as a hoppy and I play games on a pretty regular basis. However, due to working full time, having a wife and pup, among other responsibilities, I don't have a lot of time to invest in a lot of long games. I make exceptions for the ones I really enjoy like Zelda, but most of my gaming is more "arcade focusd" such as racing, fighting or quick retro games.
A couple times a month. As time goes on life makes it harder and harder to commit time to playing. I haven’t bought a really long video game in awhile and generally stick to retro games or fighting games as they don’t take as much commitment to get into. I can play a few rounds and pop out!
Although I have a demanding job, I exercise often, and I have to keep up with a number of career-related things, I probably have more free time than the dads on here (no kids). I can go entire months without video games, but then I eventually get "the urge" and I get into one or more games for weeks at a time. One pro tip for the busy dads on here: if you like level-based platformers, and particularly if you have a system that allows you to use save states, try playing one level a day of something right before you go to bed. Depending on what you're playing, it will probably not take more than somewhere between 5-15 minutes, and it adds a nice continuity along with gradual progress. I have taken down many platformers on my 3DS this way over the past year (Wario Land 1, Donkey Kong Land, and Adventure Island II for starters).