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When the days get shorter and there’s a chill in the air, people curl up on the couch with their loved ones, a cup of hot cocoa, and a controller. These warm gaming date nights are something that everyone can look forward to. Here’s a list of games that make a gaming date night more fun, each for their own reasons.
Yoshi’s Woolly World
Yoshi’s Woolly World is a great, low-effort cooperative game with just enough difficulty to make you work with a partner. It’s a soft game with comforting colors. Plus, most levels lett you set your own pace for a more calm experience, if you’re dealing with someone who doesn’t play a lot of games or use controllers often. The Wii U and 3DS controls are easy to learn and deal with, and if necessary, one person can take control of the level. Woolly World is wonderful for when you want to cuddle up, kick back, and accomplish something with your loved one.
Until Dawn
For those looking for something more spooky and thoughtful, Until Dawn is a great one. Until Dawn is about the story and the choices you can make to shape it. It’s technically single player, but it’s easy to make quick decisions, just the two of you, talking it over and joking, and see who survives because of them. It’s much more fun to theorycraft about the mysteries of the story with someone; just having that sounding board to laugh about ridiculous theories can make a game that much more fun. No matter who holds the controller, everyone has a good time, unless that person keeps missing shots with the shotgun.
Portal 2
Sometimes you and your significant other want something more challenging. You’ve been gaming together for a while and need something that’ll make you work together and get those neurons firing. Portal 2 is just the game. It can get a bit stressful, but if you’re on the same level as your partner, working together and getting all the co-op achievements in Portal 2 can be very rewarding. The game is fun, well put together, the characters are memorable and funny, and Jonathan Coulton wrote another great and catchy credits song for it.
Warioware
For a night that isn’t specifically game-centric, Warioware is the way to go. It’s a bit older, but it’s a memorable and unique game. It’s a large collection of “microgames” made by Wario and his friends, all requiring quick reaction time, puzzle-solving, or rhythm.
It’s a bit more competitive than the other games on the list, but because of the short-form mini games, it’s great for handing off and playing with another person and laughing at the weird games Wario has supplied for you. The newest installment, Game and Wario for the Wii U is more of a spiritual successor, but the use of the gamepad updates the game a bit.
Borderlands
Last, but not least, there’s the Borderlands series. a perfect mix of mayhem, fun, and difficulty. A duo can play through Borderlands with ease. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously, with the first one including a character that has a specialization that allows you to summon more and more powerful birds.
Not sharing weapons creates a need to work together, and the downed system lets you rely on your teammate more and more as you go on in battle, as your partner can help you rally by going after an enemy, or help you up, putting themselves at risk. Quests can get a bit repetitive, but something that would be obnoxious in a single-player campaign can turn into a time for idle chatter as you blast away at some skags from the back of your vehicle, as your partner drives you both into the sunset.
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Video games can bring people together and let you learn about those around you. The type of game you play with someone, whether it has personal feelings behind it or not, can set the tone for the time you spend with them. A good date night with a good game depends on the person you’re with, and if they’re perfect, you won’t even need a list of the perfect date games to enjoy yourselves.