On average, Americans now travel around 16 miles to work and back each day. This results in more than a twenty-minute train ride for many of us. And, too often, these journeys can feel like wasted time. After all, you’re not paid for your travel, and you don’t exactly have enough time to do anything worthwhile.
With quick-fire play and a whole host of options to choose from, mobile gaming could luckily change the way you approach your commute each day. But, as anyone who’s tried to play an in-depth game on a busy train can attest, getting the most out of mobile games on the go isn’t always easy.
From jostling crowds to loud conversations, you might find that you just can’t get into things. Luckily, there are some easy ways to make mobile gaming match the pace of your commute. And, we’re going to consider them here.
Keep it quick
While you may feel every slow second of a twenty-minute journey when you’ve got nothing to do, this isn’t a huge period for gaming. In fact, some games take longer than twenty minutes, just for the set-up! To ensure that you can get the most out of commuter mobile gaming, it’s therefore worth choosing a game that you know you can play in short bursts. Something like an online pinball game, or a classic like Tetris, can provide pretty satisfying play even if you only have ten minutes.
Admittedly, you might not have much time to build up an impressive high score in this time. But, these options ensure that you can complete an entire game session from start to finish. That’s sure to leave you satisfied, and is a quick-fire way to relieve yourself of commuting boredom at last.
Avoid narrative gaming
It’s worth avoiding games with heavy narration where you can. After all, with people getting on and off the train, and with the noise of public transport, you’ll struggle to unlock your full gaming potential on heavily narrative play. This inability will leave you feeling more frustrated than relaxed, and could also end up wasting your time when you have to replay sections to understand. Instead, aim for simple games that don’t have a story as such, like pinball as mentioned.
If you’re somebody who can’t bear the idea of a game with a good story, you could get around this point by playing narrative sections at home. That way, you can leave the body of the game for your commutes. However, even if you choose this option, try to stick with games that have simple narratives, like Pokemon Go or Harvest Moon.
Choose saveable games
Even when you’re keeping things short, you may arrive at your stop when you’re halfway through a game. Canceling something that you’ve put work into during that trip is sure to set your day off wrong. As such, it’s also worth choosing saveable games where you can. Luckily, there are now plenty of mobile games that allow you to save and resume play, including things like online crosswords, or games that still come preloaded on many mobiles, like solitaire.
Not only does the option prevent the risk of missing your stop, but it allows you to return to your game during down periods throughout the day. And, if you play for short bursts during your breaks, you may find that you’re able to round the day off nicely with a finished game and a decent score.
Make it social
For many of us, the commute is the way that we build up or wind down from the work day. Isolated gaming isn’t always the best way to do it either. But, if you choose more social options, you could find that morning commute gaming, in particular, helps you get ready to face a full office each day.
Luckily, many mobile games have social features, whether that’s a shared scoreboard or an actual chat function. Pokemon Go is perhaps the best example of this in the mobile gaming sphere right now, as it encourages both virtual and real-life interactions between gamers. Equally, mobile versions of games like Minecraft and Animal Crossing can see you chatting and interacting with virtual friends no matter how grumpy you are in the mornings. Hopefully, by the time you reach the office, these in-game interactions will see you feeling a little more social than you would have otherwise!
Strengthen your mind
Speaking of being groggy in the mornings, it can also be worth choosing commuting games that are good for your mind. Admittedly, most games fit this bill in one way or the other. After all, no matter how early your morning travels, most mobile games will require things like critical thinking skills and quick reactions. But, some games can specifically help you to arrive at the office switched on, thoughtful, and ready to rumble for the day.
In recent years, games like Wordle are an especially great example of a more ‘intelligent’ kind of commuter game. By encouraging you to think critically and solve a word-based puzzle, this can certainly get your brain ticking. Equally, something like an online crossword of word search could serve the same purpose. If you do this every day, you may even find that you’re far better able to hone your focus and spot crucial patterns both in the office and out of it. You could argue, then, that you have a responsibility to spend your commutes this way!
Takeaway
As well as transforming your boring commutes, commuter gaming on your mobile could be just the thing to improve your work performance. We would argue that’s a win-win, and there’s no time like the present to get your train commute on track at last. Simply make sure that you choose the best mobile games for your purposes by considering –
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Required gameplay times
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Simplicity of storyline
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Game save ability
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And more
Make sure, too, that you always keep one eye on where you’re going, no matter how immersive those games happen to be. After all, the fun will quickly end if you miss your stop!