Video Games Do you stick with one genre of video games?

I love playing games, whether online or simply on my own console at home. I've actually lost count of the number of different games that I have played over the years. I certainly know that I have often been most interested in games that clearly have strategic elements.

From an early stage, I was keen on playing the Football Manager games, which have grown over the years and are now popular in many different parts of the world. Those original games were, of course, relatively simple to play. They also had limited graphics, which was a reflection of the processing power that was usually available at that time.

When I think back to those games, I realise that they revealed the fact that gaming didn't have to be about impressive, realistic images and never-ending amounts of action. Instead, it was possible to derive enjoyment from playing games that were thought-provoking, even if they weren't particularly fast-moving.

We often talk these days in terms of gameplay and those early games highlighted the need to provide a challenge. Encouraging players to come back again and again was often at the very heart of creating a successful series. That theme was developed over time, particularly when I look at the amount of time was was spent playing variations of Sim City.

That was a type of game that was particularly interesting, since it was actually pretty difficult to lose. There was a limited competitive element too, suggesting that the Sim City series provided a great example of something that, in theory, really shouldn't have worked as well as it did. Of course, there have been significant changes over time. But have those changes really added very much?

These days, there's an expectation that games should look better, but still offer the challenges that we require. That's clear when considering the latest games on a whole range of consoles, from the Xbox 360 to the Nintendo Wii. Those consoles often have a more high profile position within the home and might be seen as being more dominant within the family environment.

If I look at my own experiences, then I also come to realise that they have changed the way in which I play games. Consoles are often suited to quicker games and for filling time. I'm much more happy to play a relatively brief games, which has led me a little further away from the strategy genre.

Have you seen the same impact within your own approach? Do you find yourself playing a wider variety of games, or is this something that's simply not had much of an impact for you? I'm interested to learn more about how we are all adapting to the changes that have been brought about in recent years.

You can use TM Cheats online to improve your gaming experiences, as discussed by Keith Barrett. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.