Games offer rewards, present time management problems

September 30, 2009

Wait for it…wait for it…BAM, the river card is the ace of spades which gives you the royal flush you needed to win the 2.3 million dollar pot. This is the anticipation that one will get while enjoying a nice competitive game of poker, one of the hundreds of games on Facebook.

Facebook’s wide variety of online flash games, including Facebook poker, Restaurant City, Typing Maniac, Yoville, and Mafia Wars, have taken the site by storm.

“All the games are simply just too fun,” freshman Bianca Magpayo said.

The games range from the childish Farmville and Pet Society to the more mature poker and Mafia Wars.

Part of why flash games appeal to students is because of the animations.

“[It’s the] bright lights and flashing color,” sophomore Darrell Nielsen said.

A bigger draw is the competition games provide.

“Sometimes, it’s just really fun to compare your high scores with friends to see who’s better at a certain game,” senior Greg Jay said.

Magpayo enjoys long, late night games of Bejeweled and Restaurant city, but she keeps on playing because of one of her friends.

“My friend Sergio Reyes took all my food in Restaurant City and I want to get everything back!” she said excitedly.

The communal aspect is a major cause of the boom in Facebook gaming in recent months.

“I think the games are booming because you can see your friends’ wall posts, and you check out the game and get hooked,” Jay said.

A lot of Facebook users share that repetitive wall posts from people may get annoying, especially if it shows their achievements in a certain game. Yet this is the attraction that brings many users to play games in which their friends are excelling.

Adults enjoy the games for similar reasons as students. English teacher Michelle Dwyer enjoys playing games while taking a break from grading her students’ essays.

“I love Scrabble! Especially the fact that I can chat with other people while playing the game,” Dwyer said. “I also play games on Facebook because I love the connection I have with my two sisters and being able to play with others.”

All of the benefits come with potential dangers.

“It takes away a lot of my study time, which is why I try to be cautious about playing games on Facebook,” Magpayo said.

“I have self-discipline when on my laptop, so I know when to play games and when to finish work,” Dwyer said. “I believe students should also try to have self discipline as well.”

The restraint required for staying on task, however, is difficult for some to harness.

“Once you start though, you need to finish the game!” she said.

Once Nielsen reached the end of his favorite games, he understood the merits of playing.

“The rewards you get such as beating your friends are amazing. Also you get a picture of a trophy when you win something!”

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