“Animal Crossing” isn’t the only game in town.
Whether you like to throw punches or pigskin, expert Daniel Mastin, who runs Video Games New York in the East Village, the oldest and largest video-game emporium in the city, has a recommendation to keep you entertained during lockdown.
Best throwback: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening’
If you’re nostalgic for your old Game Boy, consider the re-upped “Legend of Zelda” game. The adventure premise is the same from the ’90s: a quest to escape an island, but Mastin adds, “Nintendo modernized it. It’s beautiful and easy to play.”
Non-gamer game: ‘Wii Sports’
“’Wii Sports’ is like ‘Tetris’ for the original Nintendo, it’s great fun and an affordable way into gaming,” says Mastin, who’s had trouble keeping the interactive game in stock since the pandemic began.
Indie hit: ‘Overcooked’
“In ‘Overcooked,’ you’re in a kitchen and have to frantically fulfill orders,” says Mastin of the popular multiplayer. But if you’ve been quarantined with your family, it may be a little close to home. “It captures the essence of a real busy kitchen where everyone is in the way,” he says.
Fighting favorite: ‘Mortal Kombat’
Mastin says that this one-on-one fighter game, although rated “mature,” captures “the excitement of arcade days,” but with more interactive story elements than earlier generations.
Hi-fi sports pick: ‘Madden NFL 20’
It’s not just about touchdowns in this updated Madden game: “You get to play the character throughout the drafts, from college to when he gets a call from his new coach, depending on how well you do in the scouting combine,” says Mastin.
