8 Video Games That Reward You For Doing Nothing

In this modern era of "always online always available", we've seen the utter erosion of patience.

If a parcel isn't next day delivery, it's annoying to some, if people don't respond online it causes people to utterly melt down, and as such it means that we're approaching a position in our society of being unable to rest, or at least not understanding that true rest actually comes from doing nothing and mentally accepting that it's ok to do nothing.

Thankfully there are a handful of games out there that actively encourage players to stop, think, listen, and just exist, either doling out rewards for patience, unlocking new areas from meditation, or sometimes just straight-up defeating a boss for you because you gave it a silent glare.

So let's take a look at the times when the best things came to those that stayed silent, passive, and resolute.

When you're making a game for children, accessibility and ease need to be the core concepts of your level design.

After all with a brain comprised mostly of mushed apple puree, Paw Patrol, and the beginning of a deep-seated association with capitalism through endless advertising, young kids are going to need all the help they can get when attempting to complete a video game.

However, the Barney game for the Sega Genesis decided to go perhaps a little too far with its hand-holding in the sense that it physically rips all control away from the player should they idle too long.

If the player leaves to, what's the equivalent of "putting the kettle on" for a toddler? Cry? s**t themselves? Cry because they were told that they can have a cookie because like I said their brains are made of burst bubble wrap? Let's just go with that, if they stop playing to cry because of bubble wrap brain, they might find Barney not just moving on his own, but actually completing the levels for them!

Seriously if you were to put the controller down this game would literally complete itself! Theres' even a speedrun for this game designed around it called the Any Percentage, No Controller run, which sees the control pad literally removed from the console.