On Gaming with my Sister
I’ve been doing a lot of cooking lately. I really enjoy it, and it feels like magic to create something out of what seems like such simple ingredients. Cooking isn’t something that I’ve always done, but it’s something that I’ve appreciated more and more the older I get. Shoot, I’ve even started watching cooking streams on Twitch.tv. Shoutout to Drunkn_Buddha and TheHungerService for putting together some amazing content. Cooking is universal, and it’s brilliant being able to cook and create something in the middle of the chaos of the world.
But it’s also made me think about the game Overcooked 2, surprisingly. This is a game that I’ve only ever played with my sister (and once my mom, but we only let her wash the dishes). But it reminds me of what it can be like to cook in the kitchen during the holidays. Playing Overcooked with my sister online has given us the opportunity to hang out again like when we were kids sitting on the couch trying to hit each other with shells in Mario Kart (she always won when we were little; I win now). It’s been brilliant.
There’s something about running around a kitchen, shouting about needing ingredients and then inevitably either getting hit by a car or being pushed off the map carrying a plate. Overcooked 2 and playing online has allowed me the opportunity to continue to hang out with my sister despite us being a 7 hour drive apart. And it’s definitely made me appreciate the ability that playing online has to help us form, develop, and keep relationships. There’s something about being able to login to the same game, see if there’s anyone online, and being able to play with them like you’re all sitting on the same couch.
This has been especially important during the shelter at home stages of the pandemic. My sister and I don’t get to see each other very often, but we’ve gotten to stay in touch and hang out with each other frequently because of online video games and sites like Twitch. And the beauty is that we aren’t just limited to Overcooked, we’ve also started at least 4 farms on Stardew Valley. That’s been a ton of fun messing with each other as we try to put together a functional farm while also making sure that we can get upgrades before the other person. Like that time that I spent literally all but 2 of our dollars on the backpack upgrade before she could get it. There was also this time in Kingdom: Two Crowns where we got killed because she wanted a griffin as a pet; that was intense.
I’ve seen some hot takes lately where people wonder how anyone over the age of 18 can still be engaged with video games. They see them as a waste of time. But I just can’t believe that. Gaming has allowed me to make so many amazing connections online, and it’s also made me more critical of the world and the way that games are created. My sister and I talk often after we’ve beaten games about the impact the stories have had on our lives, and I’m so thankful that we have this in common. We grew up without a lot of friends who really loved playing games that had stories. Sure, we played a lot of Mario Party (which is not my favorite), Mario Kart, and Smash Bros., but we never had friends that could work together to play co-op games. I’ll never forget when we beat New Super Mario Bros Wii together one summer. Or having video calls and having the most ridiculous set ups for our phones so that we could watch each other play games like Hollow Knight and Breath of the Wild.
In an age where we both have capture cards, we’ve had the chance to start streaming with and for each other and share our love with growing communities. It’s been amazing, and I’m so thankful to have a sister that’s interested in being on this journey with me. I love her. I also really enjoy making her stressed while we play Overcooked 2; it’s one of my favorite pastimes.
I know this is a bit different than my typical articles, but it was the one that came to me when I was brainstorming for this week and I’m happy that it exists. We’ve gotta be better about celebrating the things that we are thankful for, and I’m beyond thankful for my sister and the times that we get to spend together. Our ability to work together in games, while also managing to troll each other is something that I’ll cherish for as long as we play together. I hope that y’all get the chance to find a group of people who you can play with as well, there’s nothing like it.
