Video games have been growing in popularity over the last few decades with millions of players choosing to relax by matching symbols, fighting zombies, or scoring virtual hat tricks. There are dozens of different genres and styles of games which are designed to appeal to different types of players – hence the mass appeal. In fact, most gamers nowadays are casual gamers who play to relax and pass the time, and therefore choose less intense games to play.
When people think of video game skills, most will picture serious gamers pulling off unsighted headshots or winning virtual races, but there are important skills involved in casual games too.
These are mostly played on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones and include everything from puzzle games, match-3 games, and word games to multiplayer war games and online casinos.
Whatever games you like to play, here are some top tips for building your skills and taking your gaming to the next level.
Research Skill
The best way to get good at anything is to make sure you’ve researched tips and strategies which you can implement in your game. Because of modern technology and the way that so much is available online, it’s never been so easy to get hold of the information you need.
One of the best ways to research strategies is by watching videos of professionals playing on sites like Twitch. There are thousands of streamers and professionals who post videos of themselves playing all kinds of different games and talking through what they’re doing. By watching them you’ll get to see a variety of strategies, but you won’t be distracted by also trying to play your own game.
Researching skills are very useful when playing action and RPG style games. These are mostly played solo, so watching others is the best way to see different strategies in play. Often these games involve some element of skill building, and seeing what others recommend can help you make the best selections to set up your character for your play style.
Analytical Skill
With repetitive games, it can be hugely beneficial to look back over your previous games and analyse whether you made the best move in each situation. Many modern games offer replay functions, and some can be set to automatically record your movements for playback afterwards. You can even post the videos for feedback from others, as other players are probably going to spot errors more easily. If you game with a regular team it can be really helpful to analyse each other’s performances and see how you could develop a more cohesive play style.
Self-analysis can be particularly helpful in competitive games like Poker. This is why online casinos such as Megaways offer you the chance to look back at your gaming stats for every hand played.
By spotting patterns in your play and identifying traps you keep falling into, you can fine tune your strategies and tighten up your game play for future opponents.
Mentoring Skill
Sometimes passing knowledge on to others can improve your own game – it’s called the protégé effect. Having to recall information can make you more effective at applying it to different situations. By tutoring a new player in a game, you are replaying and re-evaluating your strategies, refining different parts, and getting rid of aspects that didn’t work.
Anyone who has been playing the same game for a long time will probably find there are basics they have forgotten about, which can be rediscovered when introducing a new player to the rules.
This can inspire you to find a different way to play, or to try different tactics and approaches to situations where you had fallen into old routines.
Players of combat games where tactics are vital to success, like Counterstrike and League of Legends, will often benefit from this approach. Whether you mentor a new player in person or decide to create a series of help videos to post online, it won’t just be their game which improves.
Practise Drills
Lots of modern video games are played online with all the players in a team having to work together to pull off a victory. These can be players you meet randomly or a set group of friends who play through a whole campaign together. When you have a squad who like to play together, it’s easy to find everyone a role and set up different characters so that they complement each other.
But it’s often not enough just to have all the right gear and stats; you also need to be able to execute plays with precision. And just like in real life, this is something which benefits from repeated practise. So, get your team running the same levels again and again until they know the maps and movements inside out.
This is also a useful exercise for sports games like FIFA or F1. Getting to know the layout of race tracks will help you find the best braking and turning points, whilst having finessed the art of the long throw or overhead kick will make sure your football team brings home the trophy.
In Summary
Your gaming won’t just improve through practise alone. Make sure you also take the time to research good strategies, analyse your past performances for repetitive mistakes, and refresh your knowledge of the basics.