Why Do We Replay Our Favorite Games?

Boss Rush Banter: Why Do We Replay Our Favorite Games?

Mary Helen Norris

September 6, 2023

2–3 minutes

My to-be-played pile is about as overwhelming as my to-be-read pile. Sad fact is, there’s just entirely too many games I want to play and not nearly enough time for me to juggle them all.

Reading yesterday’s banter got me thinking about my pile yet to be played. And despite its sheer size, I’m sitting here on another play through of Horizon Zero Dawn.

Why do we do that?

Why do I circle back to the same games? Why do I have a set of books that I reread year after year? Why are there TV shows that I love to re-watch?

As I sit here and write this article, I’m on my lunch break at my day job. I’ve got a tea from my favorite place sitting beside the labtop and a fuzzy blanket that I’m happily wrapped up in (they fixed the AC in here and it’s now freezing).

Those favorite things I mentioned above? They’re like my favorite tea or the fuzzy blanket. Familiar sensations that give a sense of comfort. In each of these franchises, I can easily find something familiar and comforting – even in a setting where it wouldn’t be immediately obvious.

These stories lines bring comfort. They bring a sense of peace. They’re welcoming in a way that is sometimes just so needed in this crazy world.

And that’s why I think we play them so often. I think that’s why we gravitate towards the familiar despite the pile of new waiting to be explored.

What are your thoughts? What are the games you keep revisiting again and again? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.

Featured Image: PlayStation

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Mary Helen Norris

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Boss Rush Banter, featured, Horizon Zero Dawn

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Email your ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questions to the podcast here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Nintendo Switch 2's lineup continues to become a stacked one for 2026, showing now signs of slowing down. This week on Nintendo Pow Block, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss the wave of new release date announcements including Splatoon Raiders, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2, and more.They also discuss how Nintendo continues to expand its ecosystem with spin-offs, expansions, and their major franchises hitting new milestones, including the Super Mario movie franchise passing $2 billion globally. Pokémon TCG is getting a new expansion featuring Lucario, Resident Evil Requiem’s continues to hit new sales records for the franchise, and even a remastered collection of Ecco the Dolphin is making a comeback. They end the podcast as always with community questions and topics. This and more on Nintendo Pow Block!Join our Communities:Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Nintendo Pow Block on Social Media: Nintendo Pow Block Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitch.TV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the Boss Rush Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitch.TV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow our Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder of Boss Rush Media and host of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nintendo Pow Block⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder and CEO of Boss Rush Media and host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nintendo Pow Block⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Xbox Casuals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Boss Rush Network:Support Boss Rush on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy merch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website at BossRush.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more great content.Thanks for Your Continued Support!Thank you for supporting Nintendo Pow Block! If you’re listening on podcast platforms, leave us a five-star rating and a review. If you’re watching on YouTube, subscribe, like, comment, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. Your support means the world—see you next time on Nintendo Pow Block!

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Xbox is making some aggressive moves, and it feels like things are finally out in the open. Under Asha Sharma and Matt Booty, the team laid out a clear four-part plan for the future, covering hardware, games, player experience, and services. On this week’s Xbox Casuals, Corey Dirrig and Josh Finney discuss what it all means, from stabilizing the current console generation and teasing Project Helix, to growing franchises and rethinking how Xbox Game Pass works going forward. There’s even talk of potential acquisitions and changes to exclusivity. It’s a lot to take in, but more than anything, it finally feels like Xbox is being upfront about where it’s headed and has lit some fire under the community. Now it’s just a matter of seeing how it all plays out.This and more this week on Xbox Casuals. Join our communities:Boss Rush Community Discord Tower Casuals Destiny DiscordFollow our Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Founder of Boss Rush Media, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Finney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, cofounder and cohost of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Boss Rush Banter: Why Do We Replay Our Favorite Games?

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