My Amateur Opinion: Why are indie games so popular?

I had no idea what an indie game was until I married The Gamer. I would play them on my phone and computer and not think anything of it. Now I know just how cool these games are and how they show the creativity and determination someone can have.

Examples of some successful indie games include Goat Simulator, Five Nights at Freddy’s and The Stanley Parable. According to Wikipedia, indie games (or independent games) are created by individuals or small teams. They usually don’t have a lot of financial support from a publisher and heavily rely on digital distribution. Players can access indie games by buying it for computers or consoles or by purchasing a phone app.

I give the developers of indie games a big slap on the back because they put in all this time and effort into creating a game that will, more often than not, fail. Then again the rewards can be huge. Have you ever heard of Minecraft? The total of people who have bought this game for their PC or Mac is over 18 million! Holy Crap!

Here’s why I think indie games are awesome:

• They inspire others. Yes, an average joe with enough gumption can make a game!

• They are usually shorter than other games. These types of games are perfect for me. I will play games with longer stories, but if I just want to relax and finish a game quickly I choose an indie game.

• They show creativity. The most popular indie games out there are very pleasing to the eye. One look at the game and you know the title. I think they provide a unique way into what someone would want from a video game.

So in honor of the indie game industry, here are a couple of games I found this week that I think are worth playing.

• Canabalt

• This game kind of reminds of Minion Run where you just have to avoid obstacles. I kept saying to myself, “Just one more run” and then I pressed the continue button.

• Buy the phone app for $2.99 or try it out for free on your computer, found here.

• Pause Ahead

• I don’t know why this one was so challenging for me, but I can see myself playing this for a while. I really enjoyed figuring out the best way to maneuver around the level. I also enjoyed the music. I don't want to give too much away because I think the concept for this game is interesting. The game is found here.

We'll see you next week!