Summary
In modern times,ADHDhas become a very well understood neurodivergent condition. Millions of children, teens, and adults are affected by it on a daily basis, forcing them to make considerable changes to their lifestyle to manage it. One way in which it is managed is through the use of gaming, which has received recognition as being a kind of therapy for those who suffer from it.
Amazingly, evenmassively popular gameshave come to be known as specially equipped for dealing with ADHD due to their fundamental design and gameplay loop. Here are a few such games that are great for people with ADHD.
The thing that makesMinecraftgreat for players with ADHD is that there is always something to do. Whether it’sfarming, hunting, building, or just exploring,Minecraftis second to none when it comes to capturing the player’s attention by allowing them to create their own world with its own story.
The investment comes from being able to exercise creative muscles at virtually every level.Minecraftalso lends itself well to modding, which means the experience can be reshaped time and time again if it ever truly gets boring.Minecraftcan also be a relaxed enough experience that it can be played while watching or listening to something else on the side. This makes it well suited for people who have difficulty being able to hyper-focus on one task.
Not everyone with ADHD experiences it the same way. Some people, instead of having a hard time focusing on one subject, will hyper-focus on one subject that interests them and filter out everything else. In the case ofCounter-Strike,it’s a tense first-person shooter that requires laser-like focus to succeed, thus making it a great outlet for those with certain forms of ADHD.
It’s also, at the very least, worth looking into for anyone with issues focusing, as the gameplay could be used to practice “getting in the zone,” so to speak.
ThePortalseries might be a great option for those with ADHD, as it has actually been found to have a positive effect on the condition in formal studies. No doubt this is due to it beinga puzzle gamein which players utilize the physics of the game engine to complete each stage, thus training their brains in a fun and engaging way.
Another great thing about the series is that it’s cooperative, which itself may open the door to beneficial social experiences and cognitive growth by allowing two people to work together to solve problems.
PowerWash Simulatoris one of the most relaxing and easy-to-grasp games there is at the moment. The premise is simple; the player just has to clean every surface in a level using a power washer. Each section that is cleaned will further their progress in completing the level, and will give a satisfying audio cue when finished. Much likePortal,PowerWash Simulatorsupports cooperative play, but it’s not so much a puzzle game as it is a passive checklist-type game.
The player can walk around in this game cleaning each surface without a care in the world. It’s a great game for those with ADHD who just like to zone out while they play and still be able to complete tasks, and is another great game for those who want to listen to music or podcasts while they play.
While it’s often stated as a pejorative,Call of Dutyis actually a very good game series for people with ADHD because of how effective it is at grabbing the player’s attention for short bursts. In the case of the single-player campaigns, mostCoDgames are tightly structured and featureexciting Hollywood-like setpieces, making the experience both entertaining and easy to follow.
The multiplayer component is more of a moment-to-moment, high-intensity affair, where the player is really only engaged for short durations in repeated succession. Compared to something likeCounterstrike,CoDis considerably more friendly to casual gamers.
Subnauticais like a more narrative-focused version ofMinecraft. Sure, it has those freeform sandbox elements, but it also has a more directed (and engrossing) story for the player to engage with if that’s more their speed. It should be noted, however, that this story is not weighed down by exposition and lore, so it’s rather easy to engage with. Along the way, there are things like crafting, building, and basic survival mechanics for the player to keep track of should they warrant their attention.
This is the beauty ofopen-world sandbox gamesconcerning people with ADHD; if they’re having a hard time focusing on one task, there’s always something else they can switch to whenever they want. On the flip side, players who tend to hyper-focus can spend hours doing one thing while ignoring everything else.
Stardew Valleymight look likea simple farming game, but it’s so much more than that. Sure, farming is a big part of it, although it’s also about forming relationships and building a life on the farm left to the player by their deceased grandfather. The player can engage in many activities, such as fishing, mining, exploration, crafting, and much more, all while interacting with the people of Pelican Town, learning their stories and bonding with them.
Stardew Valleyis a great game for those with ADHD because it provides a wonderful balance of open-ended and tightly structured gameplay with relatively low stakes and at a pace that the player is comfortable with.
