Because IYKYK
If you know, you know…ADHD makes it hard to find Nintendo Switch games that will hold your attention span long enough to finish them. They have to have certain qualities. At least for me.
If you have ADHD, do you have the same issue?
I have to find the sweet spot.
Factors of Nintendo Switch Games I Look For
There are definitely a very specific set of qualities I’m looking for when I buy games on Nintendo Switch. Maybe they are very specific to me but I feel like sometimes it has a lot to do with my ADHD. My attention span is small.
Here’s my sweet spot:
- Has specific tasks – but not too many at once! If I have multiple quests to work on I just get overwhelmed.
- Isn’t too long – if it is going to take me more than 100 hours of game play to finish the game I’m likely not going to finish it.
- Has clear instruction – if I need to look up how to do something every time I have a new task, I’m not going to keep playing
- Is easy to come back to if I haven’t played in a while – if there are 500 different ways of doing things or I have to pretty much relearn the game if I haven’t played in more than a week, I’m probably not coming back more than a few times.
- Is not too repetitive – I get bored of doing the same task everyday. Do I really have to do it or can I skip it if I’m not in the mood to harvest my gardens?
Here are the Nintendo Switch Games That Held My Attention:
Animal Crossing
This is the game I’ve played on Nintendo Switch the longest. It is one of the first games I bought when I got my Switch. But I held off on buying it for months. My son said I’d love it but I just didn’t really get it. I didn’t think it would be my thing. But it’s definitely one of my favorites now. I love that it is simple. Keep your villagers happy. Grow a garden. Buy things in the stores. Catch fish and bugs. Plant trees. Decorate. So simple.
But there are definitely specific things to do. Each day you have certain tasks that will get you more Nook Miles. Fill out your critterpedia. Collect villager photos. And decorate! I love decorating. I’ve had several different versions of islands now. For a long time I just did the basic tasks but eventually, I settled into creating a theme. I’ve done a music festival island and a lake resort island. Now, I’m working on a cyberpunk themed Animal Crossing island and this is my biggest challenge yet.
And that’s not even to mention the Happy Home Paradise DLC and the addition of the hotel. There’s always something to do. If I get bored with fishing and catching bugs, I just don’t do it. I’ve been playing for years now. And the nice thing is, if I don’t play for a week or two weeks, it’s easy to jump back into. There’s nothing complicated about it.
Wylde Flowers
I haven’t played this game in a minute but I did play it obsessively for a long time. It’s not hard but I love the relationships in this game and I love how there’s an actual story that evolves over time. I know there is an end point to it and some day I’ll get there. But for now, it’s a game I can just jump back into and pick up where I left off.
There are basic tasks (like harvesting your garden and collecting from the caves) but you absolutely don’t need to do them everyday. In fact, you can hire little bots to do it for you! I would like it if I could open up more areas but I think I’ve opened up every area I can. But I still love Wylde Flowers and there’s always a new quest to work on. And I don’t have to go and look things up all the time.
Little Kitty, Big City
I’ve completed this game once and really enjoyed it. Enough that I want to go back and play it again. I liked that it was simple but there was always one or two things to work on. Never more than that. It’s not complicated and the game mechanics are simple. And the ending was soooo cute! Collecting hats was fun and I really enjoyed the different areas. I had fun just exploring the stores.
There were a couple things I had to look up but nothing too major. It’s a simple game that was enjoyable enough that I was able to do a complete playthrough.
Alba: A Wild Life Adventure
This is a game that is simple enough that a child could play it but had enough tasks to keep me interested. Taking photos, helping friends, and a world that is big enough to explore. I had a great time playing this game and learning about the people and the area. I completed this game in a fairly short time but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I definitely want to give this game another play through.
Stray
I actually played this game the first time on PS5 but I loved it so much that when it came out on Switch I immediately bought it. Despite the fact that I have played it several times (4 or 5?) I enjoy dropping back into the game and just jumping into whatever location I want (after you’ve done a complete play through you can go to any location you want) and running around and talking to the robots or replaying a favorite challenge.
Stray was just challenging enough that I didn’t get bored but not so challenging that I gave up. It’s a short game and even I finished it in about 13 or 14 hours the first time I played it. Apparently, it is possible to do the whole game in 2 hours but I have not managed that! I love playing as a cat and I love the robots that are so human like.
I especially love games I can actually finish. And a vast majority of the time, there’s just too much to do for me. Do you have any recommendations for games that you think would hold my attention?
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