Games I Thought Were Boring But Gave Them Another Chance

I almost skipped some of my now-favorite games because I thought they looked boring at first. Turns out I was wrong. Here are three games I gave a second chance that completely changed my mind about them, and what I learned from the experience.

I used to be really quick to judge games. If something didn't grab me in the first five minutes, I'd write it off as boring and move on. But I've learned that first impressions can be misleading, especially when it comes to games that require a different mindset or approach.

Golf Games - I Was So Wrong About This

When someone first recommended a golf simulation game to me, I laughed. Golf? Seriously? I thought it would be the most boring thing ever. Just hitting a ball and watching it slowly roll across a green. Where's the excitement? Where's the action?

But I was bored one day and tried it anyway. I figured I had nothing to lose. And you know what? It's actually really satisfying. There's strategy in planning your shot, skill in timing it right, and it's surprisingly challenging without being frustrating.

I realized that golf games aren't about excitement - they're about precision and planning. Each shot requires thought. You have to consider the wind, the slope, the distance. It's like solving a puzzle, but with physics. Now I play it all the time when I want something calm but engaging. Sometimes "boring" just means relaxing, and that's exactly what I needed.

I've gotten really into it now. I'll spend 20 minutes just trying to perfect my swing on a single hole. There's something meditative about it. I never would have discovered this if I hadn't given it a second chance.

City Builder Games Seemed Too Slow - But That's the Point

I tried a city building game once, played for five minutes, and quit. It seemed way too slow. Just placing buildings and waiting for things to happen. Where's the action? Where's the challenge?

A friend convinced me to give it another shot and actually stick with it for like 20 minutes. She said I needed to get past the tutorial and actually start building. So I did. Once I got past the tutorial and started actually building my city, I was hooked.

The satisfaction of watching your city grow and figuring out the best layouts is really cool. And yeah, it's slow, but that's the point. It's a thinking game, not an action game. Once I stopped expecting it to be fast-paced, I actually enjoyed the slower pace.

I spent hours planning out my city layout, optimizing traffic flow, balancing residential and commercial zones. It's like a puzzle that you solve over time. The slow pace gives you time to think and plan, which is actually really satisfying when you're used to everything being fast-paced.

Now I play city builders when I want to relax and think. They're perfect for unwinding after a stressful day. The slow pace is a feature, not a bug.

Jigsaw Puzzles? Really? Yes, Really

Digital jigsaw puzzles seemed like the most pointless thing ever. Like, just... putting pieces together? That's it? I thought it would be mind-numbingly boring.

But during a really stressful week at work, I needed something that would completely occupy my brain without being stressful itself. I was scrolling through games, looking for something simple, and saw a puzzle game with a beautiful landscape image. Decided to try it.

It was perfect. For 30 minutes, all I thought about was finding the right pieces. No work stress, no life problems, just shapes and colors. My brain was completely focused on this one simple task, and everything else faded away. Sometimes simple really is better, especially when you're overwhelmed with complicated stuff.

I've since played dozens of jigsaw puzzles. There's something almost meditative about it. Your brain is engaged but not stressed. You're making progress, seeing the image come together piece by piece. It's satisfying in a way I never expected.

I play them now when I need to decompress. They're perfect for quiet evenings when I want to do something but don't want anything too demanding.

Why I Was Wrong - My Misconceptions

Looking back, I realize I was judging these games based on what I thought gaming should be. I expected action, fast pace, excitement. But games can be other things too. They can be calm, slow, thoughtful, or meditative. Not every game needs to be a thrill ride.

My mistake was not giving them enough time. You can't judge most games in five minutes. You need to actually get into them, understand what they're trying to be, and then decide if you like them. Some games take time to reveal their appeal.

I also realized that my mood affects what games I enjoy. On a high-energy day, I want action games. On a tired, stressed day, I want something calm. The games I dismissed as "boring" are actually perfect for certain moods and situations.

I was also comparing them to games I already loved, which wasn't fair. A golf game isn't trying to be an action game. A city builder isn't trying to be a racing game. Each game has its own purpose and appeal.

The Lesson - Give Games a Real Chance

If a game seems boring but lots of people love it, maybe give it a real try. Not just five minutes - actually sit down and play it for like 20-30 minutes. You might be surprised. Sometimes games need time to click.

Different games are good for different moods and situations. Action games are great when you want excitement. Chill games are great when you want to relax. There's room for both in your gaming library.

Also, your taste in games can change. Something that bored you last year might be exactly what you need now. Don't be afraid to revisit games you dismissed before. I've gone back to games I didn't like initially and ended up loving them.

I almost missed out on some of my favorite games because I was too quick to judge them. Don't make the same mistake I did. Give games a real chance before you write them off. You might discover something you love.

Now I have a much more diverse gaming library. I have action games for when I want excitement, puzzle games for when I want to think, and calm games for when I want to relax. Having variety means I always have something that fits my mood.