Hands down, this would have to be Pokemon HeartGold and Pokemon White. I openly admit that this game series is very addicting, with so many pocket monsters to collect and raise, as well as tons of extra goodies to waste time on while slowly grinding your team to perfection. The throwback graphics hit home, and I dig that there’s a crazy amount of stats buried beneath every Pokemon, even with I myself don’t pay attention to such minutia. However, as a twenty-seven-year-old, recently married man, I can’t help but feel like, at times, I’m playing a kid’s game. Or something seriously twisted. Also, stuff like this doesn’t help:
So yeah, it’s a guilty pleasure. Always will be, especially as I continue to age. And I’ll keep playing, sure, but only when nobody’s looking.
Grinding Down 
For me, it’s mindless hack and slashers, or playing games on Easy and destroying them.
Can you name any recent examples? Devil May Cry or is that not really mindless?
I’ve racked up over 200 hours playing Disgaea DS. There are times when you just need to grind brainlessly.
Oh wow. I never even knew there WAS a Disgaea game on the DS! Is it a port or all new title? I’m okay with grinding too. It’s why I named my blog Grinding Down!
Pokemon is such a good choice.
Even though, you’re right, it seems like a kid’s game, it’s actually really hardcore. So I think you’re covered.
Glad I’m not alone in this. 😀
Of course not! I played Pokemon Red in my Pokemon Gameboy colour last night. What does that make me?
For me at 19 years old, I’ve recently decided that my passion for Pokemon is no longer a guilty pleasure, and is simply straight up love. I went through a stage, namely the Saphire/Ruby stage, where I had to psyche myself up simply to purchase the game. I think I was about 16 at the time, and I was convinced that only children bought the game. Somehow as I’ve aged I’ve decided that forgoing any Pokemon purchase would be insane. The games are undeniably great and while many of the core target audience may be kids, the gameplay is so addictive that I feel guilty if I don’t buy them. After all, I want them, it would be a betrayal to myself.
The original Silver was the first Pokemon game I bought, I’ve never looked back. I got SoulSilver and relived it and enjoyed every second.
Mac.