Valentine’s Day is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than spending time with loved ones? Whether that be friends, family or that special someone, there is nothing like spending time together. One great way is to play video games. For loved ones who are playing in the same room or far apart, here are five games to play this Valentine’s Day.
Starting off the list, is the game that won Game of the Year at the 2021 Game Awards, “It Takes Two”. This game is a co-op only, action-adventure game with puzzle and platforming elements. It stars Cody and May, two parents who have decided to divorce, as they magically become dolls after their daughter wishes for them to love each other again. While the plot at first begins as a downer, the story is about the main characters rebuilding their relationship and is full of humor and heart.
Since the game is made for cooperative play, it is accessible for gamers of all skill types, meaning that even if your significant other has never touched a game, they can jump in. There are also minigames scattered throughout, allowing for some friendly competition to arise. “It Takes Two” is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and the Xbox Series consoles.
Next is “Stardew Valley.” This life simulator, similar to the “Harvest Moon” franchise, is a fan-favorite indie game. The player starts their own farm and spends days farming, fishing, mining and making friends with the residents of the neighboring town. The game had a massive update on Dec. 21, 2020 which included co-op mode with up to four players.
In this mode, everyone shares a farm and certain decisions in the game need to be made collaboratively. The“Stardew Valley” multiplayer settings allows for players to marry their favorite residents or another player. They can also help each other with various tasks to make completing the game easier. “Stardew Valley” is available for PC, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
“Animal Crossing New Horizons” took the world by storm at the beginning of the pandemic. Almost two years later, the game is still very popular and a creative outlet for many. Although Valentine’s Day is not one of the in-game holidays, there are ways to get creative and celebrate. Looking back to lockdown, “New Horizons” was used early on to recreate real life events and activities that were suddenly taken away.
Many players began date nights in game, whether they were long-distance or lived together. Date nights can be made as simple or extravagant as the player wants. The game’s museum can act as a date or, thanks to the new cooking mechanic, the players can spend a night in, cooking and eating.
“Mario Party Superstars” is the newest entry in the long running party game series. It takes five boards from the first three “Mario Party” games and remakes them for a new era of gaming. The game works similar to a board game. The players pick their board and characters, then they roll a die to determine turn order.
Everyone takes a turn moving across the board and interacting with it before playing a minigame, the winner of which receives coins that are used to buy stars to determine the winner. This game is great for friendly competition whether people are playing with their friends or partner. The board Peach’s Birthday Cake is not based on Valentine’s Day, but it is a good board to celebrate on. “Mario Party Superstars” is available for the Nintendo Switch.
Lastly, “To the Moon” is the most somber one on this list, but it has a lovely story that is heartwarming as well as tear-jerking. The only single player game on the list, it is story based and not a game that requires minimal gameplay elements. “To the Moon” stars two doctors, Eva and Neil, who grant wishes to dying patients by creating artificial memories.
The doctors are helping Johnny Wyles fulfill his wish to go to the moon. In order for their job to be completed, Eva and Neil must enter Johnny’s memories and proceed to his earliest memories to place his dying wish. The two enter his memories, watching his life occur backwards through significant events in his life. “To the Moon” is available for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and Nintendo Switch.
