The Joy of Replaying Games

The concept of a backlog is one of gamers favorite topics. At first it comes off as a quaint little to-do list of games you purchased on sale, and would like to play sometime in the future. But, the backlog has become almost a meme with the way people talk about it. We talk about it almost like it’s a monster that can never be conquered. We talk about it like it’s a toxic relationship we secretly love being a part of. Because if we didn’t enjoying having a huge list of games to play, why do we keep buying more games? I fell victim to it recently; I saw Fallout: New Vegas on a steep sale and decided to rebuy it for my Steam Deck. Thankfully it didn’t consume too much of my time, but these things happen.

But I never really struggled with the idea of a backlog. If I see a game I’m interested in on sale, I’ll buy it and give it a couple of hours. If I’m not compelled enough to beat it by then, I put it down. But, the number one reason I don’t even feel like I have a backlog, is because there’s something I really love doing that isn’t crossing games off of a checklist. Something that takes up over half of my gaming time.

I love replaying my favorite video games. 

I’ve noticed with my friends that most of them don’t replay their games. Even if it’s in their top 10, they don’t replay them. And I understand why. Replaying a game is a commitment. You could watch your favorite movie three times, and it’d still take less time than replaying and beating a single game (usually). And with work, school, errands, responsibilities, and kids, gaming time is becoming rarer and rarer for most of us. A lot of us value the newness of an experience, over doing something we’ve already done. 

Something simply being unknown to us is exciting. It makes our brain fire off a bunch of questions like: Who is this character? Can I experiment with this gameplay mechanic? Wow, how is this song so good? 

As of the time of this video, everybody I know both online and in person is gearing up for Shadow of the Erdtree, which is probably the most anticipated piece of gaming content in 2024.

And what am I doing?

I’m replaying Majora’s Mask for the fifth time.

Replaying a game is different than rereading a book or rewatching a movie. The former are linear experiences that will always play out the same exact way. There are some exceptions like movies that aren’t told in chronological order, or albums that are better if you play them backwards (Memento and DAMN are the examples in my mind). But for the most part, they aren’t as variable as a game is. The reason why replay value is so important to me and millions of other players, is because it’s a very fun feeling to commit to one play style, and to know that you can run through the entire game again and get another experience. 

Even games that don’t offer huge play style choices like Majora’s Mask give me reason to return. Maybe I’ll go for a completionist run and collect everything. Maybe I’ll do the opposite and just mainline it. Maybe I’ll do a three-heart challenge and never upgrade my health. Maybe I’ll try to speedrun it. Maybe I’ll never use the reverse Song of Time and make the game much more challenging. And for my last “maybe”:

Maybe I just want to exist in those digital spaces again.

I’ve found that out of any form of entertainment, revisiting a game is the most emotionally fulfilling. It can be a way of reaching your arm out into the past, and reconnecting with the version of yourself who played that game for the first time many years ago. Maybe you see a save file from eight or nine years ago still sitting in the main menu. Nostalgia is a beautiful pain, and I feel it every time I return to a game that was important to my youth. As I’m playing Majora’s Mask, I’m reminded of 16 year old Dylan who agonizingly tried to dig up every single secret he could find. I’m reminded of the classes I hated going to in high school. There was one cutscene this morning that made me feel overwhelmingly nostalgic, giving me goosebumps and making my eyes tingle. It’s nice being able to revisit these places, songs and moments with a click of a button.

Let’s be dark for a second here. We all have limited time on this planet, so we might as well enjoy ourselves. And if a game really engages and thrills me while playing through it; I’d like to experience that happiness I get playing it more than once.

If you have a game you hold dearly and have never revisited, maybe give replaying it a thought. It’s very much so worth it.