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Updated March 2, 2023 5.5K votes 1.5K voters 122.8K views
Over 1.5K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Top 10 Games to Cheer You Up When You're Depressed
Games for depressed people. We all have tough days, tough weeks and even tough years. At our lowest points we need to find a way to get through the day and so we look at the hobby that normally just entertains us and we ask that hobby to also make us feel better about ourselves. There’s music, movies and even foods that make us happier, so I’m going to list the best games to brighten our moods and lift our spirits. When the your world is starting to feel as dark as level 1-2 of Super Mario Brothers (budda budda budda……budda budda budda) load up one of these classic games to play when depressed and you’ll feel better than an Italian plumber who just collected a shine.
What are games for depressed people? There are some solid choices listed above, so take a look and hopefully you'll cheer up!
Okay, it’s a way-obvious choice, but come on! It may seem like the brightness of the game and the yelps of joy are the main reasons to include this game, but really it’s about the gameplay and the soundtrack. Just watch (and listen) to the clip here and try to stay in a grumpy mood. Seriously, try it. Watch the clip and try to keep wearing your biggest frown. I’ll wait…
It’s impossible isn’t it? The sheer playful joy has cracked your bitter and apathetic exterior, and that’s just watching a clip. Once you play the game the genius of the level design will melt the ice around your heart. Go, explore Mario’s playground. He doesn’t even want thanked when you finish his game and go back to the real world. In fact he will thank you. "Thank you very much for to playing my game". No, don’t thank us. Thank you Mario. Thank you.
Journey is a gorgeous visual game for the PS3 that you can easily finish in a couple hours. It is a beautiful, satisfying game full of simple puzzles, sweeping landscapes and a mesmerizing soundtrack.
While the narrative of the game is simple, it's very moving and is about overcoming challenges and striving forward on your life's journey. I cried (happy tears) when I finished it for the first time.
Ok, so you may have read this list and you’re not in a place to play these games. Maybe you’re at work so there’s no consoles around or you’re poor so can’t afford to buy any (depressed AND poor? Damn!!!). Anyway, Robot Unicorn attack is perfect. It’s got a soundtrack by Erasure (and stop laughing its awesome) and a surreal sense of humour. Gameplay is classic Canabalt with an extra charge button. While we’re at it, let’s link to Canabalt and a few other games you can play right now. While the last one (Don’t Look Back) may start a little gloomy, it is beautiful and I believe might honestly help someone who is feeling bad right now.
Sure, playing games can make you feel a little better. Slashing zombies or collecting shines will brighten your day. If you really are low though, you need to talk to people. Go to your Corp in Eve or your Guild in WOW and say "hey guys, I’m having a s**tty day/week/year and I think I’m depressed". You WILL get support. When your friends know that you are sincere and you really are feeling low, they will offer that one thing that can make things better for you. They will have time for you. True friends, whether online or IRL will always be there when you need them. In the world today the media and our elders don’t understand that online friends are not something to be mocked, feared or dismissed. They are important and real connections we have in our lives and they will help you more than any game can. Let someone know how you feel, we gamers have to look out for each other.
Music has always been a form of therapy for musicians and song writers as much as it has helped those that listen to the songs and sing them in the shower. Rock Band offers a way to experience that music in a more interactive way, to play along with and to the music and to even influence how it sounds. Whether your unions been on strike or your down on your luck, Rock Band has the power to make you feel better by banging on rubber pads, fingering a plastic nubbin or shouting into a microphone at the top of your lungs. It wasn’t easy for Tommy and Gina either, but they gave it a shot!
