I would have never predicted that I would meet my now boyfriend because of a video game console. I also would have never predicted that a worldwide pandemic would force the entire world into a lockdown. But they both happened and first would not have happened if it weren’t for the second.
Crazy, I know. But video games were a great way for us to date from a distance and ended up being the start of our video game dating story.
My Nintendo Switch Got Me a Date – Stories From our Video Game Dates
At the time, I was recently laid off and living alone during a worldwide pandemic. I like my alone time, but I’ll admit that was a bit much. I was desperate for something to do early on and no amount of at-home workouts, cleaning, job hunting or Netflix could have sufficed.
I hadn’t owned a video game console since the Play Station 2 and even then it wasn’t mine, it was the family console that we all shared. I never owned my own console in my adult life, that plus my frugal self kept saying “if I still want it later, I’ll get it then” and moved on with my life. Well it was at this point that I decided I wanted to get a Nintendo Switch.
Chapter 1: On The Prowl (For a Nintendo Switch)
Do you remember early in the pandemic when finding a Nintendo Switch was as difficult as finding toilet paper?
The Nintendo Switch was a hot item during quarantine when people were encouraged to stay at home and everyone was starved for things to do. I searched everywhere for one and even though I was able to locate one or two, I absolutely refused to pay the incredibly marked up price of resellers ($800 for a regular Nintendo Switch was absolutely absurd). I also refused to buy a Nintendo Switch Lite because… why?
One day, I received word from my sister that Costco had the Nintendo Switch available online, I dropped everything and quickly placed my order.
From that moment on, I checked the shipment tracking every single day. At first I was excited to have something to do, but then I quickly realized that it would be even better to have someone to play with. At that time, I didn’t know of anyone else who had one. Until…
Chapter 2: A New Challenger Approaches
One day I got a ping on my phone and saw that I matched with a fellow on Bumble (not sponsored, just wanted to share that it is possible to meet some nice people on dating apps).
In the early part of our conversation, we sparked up a lively conversation about musicals followed by past relationships. Yes, I’m that person. I don’t do small talk. It’s much easier for me talk about relationship trauma than what my favorite TV show is. And people wondered why I was single.
With the voice in my head saying “you’re being too intense” I went changed the conversation to the next largest occupant in my head, my soon to arrive Nintendo Switch, and began to gush over how excited I was for it to arrive.
That was when he shared with me that he had one and how much he loved it, and that was when I knew that if this goes well I may need to take the next level and… add him as a Nintendo friend.
Chapter 3: Our Nintendo Switch Dates
I did not feel comfortable meeting a stranger in the middle of a pandemic for our first date. Because, you know, scary deathly virus and stranger danger.
But I’m also the type to get the first meeting over and done with to avoid the forever texters and catfish who will talk to you for months but never meet. So I used my Switch as the ultimate wingman and proposed a video date and a game on the Switch.
Deciding on what my first game would be was tough. I looked back on the last time I owned a Nintendo console (the iconic Nintendo 64) and fondly remembered some of my favorite games to play. Mario Kart 64 instantly popped into my head. So I proposed Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
And just like my daily shipment checks said, the day before my planned virtual date, and lo and behold my Nintendo Switch had arrived. I ripped the box opened like an animal and quickly started charging it so I could practice (err.. I mean set up) the game.
First Date: MarioKart 8 Deluxe
With my couple hours of practice, I won most of the races in the beginning of our date. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, whoever is currently in the lead wears a gold crown on their head in the lobby area. I remembered I had a gold paper crown at my disposal so I wore it when I was winning.
As we played more rounds throughout the night, he ended up winning more and was the superior driver between the two of us. But at least I had a crown in real life.
Fun Fact: Two years later, I asked my boyfriend what was the moment that he knew that I was the girl for him. And he said "our first date when you pulled out and wore that crown." Who would've thought?
A year later, I admitted to him that I had a few practice rounds played right before our date. After all it’s been well over a decade since I last played MarioKart let alone any video game console.
And surprisingly, he too had a secret about that date. He shared with me that the only reason why he even bought MarioKart on the Switch was to play with me that night. Flattery points x60, one for every dollar that game costs. It’s pretty dang expensive.
Second & Third Dates: Animal Crossing New Horizons
A few days later I got a text message from him asking if I was busy that evening and asked if we could have another date in a couple hours. His virtual video game date idea? Watching a meteor shower in Animal Crossing New Horizons.
I absolutely loved this idea. I had just started to build my island and was learning about the game so this was my first introduction to meteor showers. But I was far from being camera ready so I hopped onto Skype with my frizzy hair and all.
Honestly, watching the meteor shower in Animal Crossing: New Horizons was my favorite of our virtual dates because it was so much fun to run around his island (looting all his fruit and money trees). And to “wish” on the shooting stars. The best part was that he remembered that I said I wanted to go stargazing. Even though it’s in a game, it still meant a lot that he remembered.
The meteor shower took place in a different constellation than mine, so the star fragments were for a different astrological sign, but around a couple weeks later when it was in my constellation, he quickly called me and we had another video date so I can get enough star fragments to make the furniture collection for my astrological sign. I’ll give you extra bonus points if you can guess what sign it is 🙂
If you told me that my Nintendo Switch would get me a date, I would have thought you were crazy. But it’s kind of funny how things work out.
Trying to date during a pandemic was one experience I would rather not have to live through again. And hopefully I won’t have to – (looks at my boyfriend) right, honey? 🙂
My Advice for Virtual Dating
I hope we won’t find ourselves in another lockdown where virtual dates are the norm, but here is my piece of advice for virtual dating should you find yourself needing it.
My piece of advice for a virtual date for people in the “getting to know you stage” is to have some sort of an activity planned and no, just having drinks does not count (speaking from experience). Honestly, I could not have thought of a better first couple of dates than to play games.
Don’t have a way to play games online?
There are plenty of ways to make distance/virtual dating possible. I once made a faux Battleship board in Powerpoint, sent him the file and played Battleship over video chat.
Not into games altogether? Not a problem! There are plenty of ways you can do an activity with someone. One time I was sick and we had a movie night watching Disney+.
I’m working on a future blog post with some great date ideas for gamer and non-gamer couples. Be sure to subscribe for updates on new posts!