Games Are Common Experiences

Games and sports are similar: each game is an attempt or interactive exercise or physical challenge that requires participants to use their entire body. A game is generally a competition or contest where people participate in certain physical actions based on a set of predetermined rules and engage in a competition against each other. In games like tennis, football, baseball and basketball, the objective is to score points (“runs”) by making hits with a ball (“pitched”) or objects (“struck”) that moves (“ballized”). Each run is also dependent on the presence of another player; runs are often referred to as “runs” or “runs per game”, “overs” or “seasons” in baseball and “rushes” or “runs allowed” in basketball. Games can also be won, sometimes via a draw, goal, or overtime; some may even be determined by individual competitive aspects, such as the Olympic diving events.

In most games, however, the aim is not necessarily to win but to work towards a common goal. Some examples include Chess, dominoes, bingo, hopscotch, crossword puzzles and others. There is almost always a winner, although it is occasionally possible for a single game results to have multiple outcomes (e.g. a bingo game with one possible outcome, such as seven possible letters).

GAMES & SPORTS Games are categorized according to the end result they seek to achieve. The outcome or results are usually what drives the participant(s) into the game world of the game. This includes those who simply “want” something, i.e. “to win” a game; or those who “play” the game for various reasons, usually out of a desire to learn, to be better at, or to beat someone. For example, a child might play a video game designed to teach him/her how to count, while an adult might play to improve their golf swing.

GAMES & SPORTS come in many forms. For example, many board games take the player into the common experience of the physical environment, where certain strategies can help the player to win. Chess games teach the player the use of abstract thinking in order to come up with strategies and work out strategies against other players, all while playing a virtual game that mimics the physical world. Playing computer games such as chess is just as much about using abstract thoughts to solve abstract puzzles as it is about actually playing a real game in the world of the game. Likewise, many video games involve using situational cues from the real world to solve problems. All of these activities leave the player with the feeling that they are actually “playing games,” while within the context of the video game world.

GAMES & Sports activities tend to be the common experience for everyone. Children usually like activities that involve sports or games that require physical exertion, such as wrestling or soccer. These activities give children the sense that they are doing something physical when they play games. Adults often enjoy the feeling that they are “just working out” by playing games like solitaire. It is common experience for anyone who plays a sport or spends time exercising to be “Into the game.” Most anyone who spends time outdoors or working out tends to be “Into the game,” regardless of whether the activity takes them out of the common experience.

GAMES & SPORTS activities can be used for many different types of purposes. Gambling has been shown to reduce stress and raise overall mental health. Playing a challenging game is often a common experience for those who are into the activity. For adults, games can help them reduce common stress levels and increase their general mental well being. The common experience of playing a game can give anyone many valuable and constructive mental and physical health benefits.