I can't remember the last time I finished a video game. I've had my Nintendo Switch Lite for two years now, and it's riddled with a number of titles I've abandoned for one reason or another. I often scroll through the Nintendo eShop, watching dozens of trailers in search of a game that might hook my ADHD brain, but nothing ever feels quite tantalizing. And now I feel guilty that my Switch sees most of its days tucked away in a drawer. As a kid, I was always into simulation-style games (The Sims, Mall Tycoon, and Nintendogs, to name a few) and that has carried over into my adulthood. I've long struggled to find a game that scratches this itch though--devoid of side quests, intense customization, multiple storylines, and tough levels.

Right now, nothing is easy. It's hard to imagine things getting better, given where we're at right now--a raging, global pandemic, a violent attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government, and no real end in sight for the hardships we continue to endure. Scattered among the difficulties, though, are bright spots that make it easier to cope. Whether you are a single person craving connection or the parent of a toddler desperate for some alone time (hello, it's me), video games can help--help you find solitude, or just help turn your brain off, keep your hands busy, and stop you from doomscrolling for awhile. The year 2020 brought about many plot twists, but one of the welcome ones was buoyed by the Covid-19 lockdowns: "Casual gamers" entered the mainstream.

Unlike most other forms of entertainment, video games weren't hit as hard this year. Sure, the big live events like E3 and EVO were cancelled, but gaming is an activity enjoyed by most at home. That means the majority of big releases -- like Doom Eternal, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla and Final Fantasy VII Remake -- were able to go on as scheduled. With live sports and movie theaters shut down, lots of people who normally wouldn't consider themselves "gamers" turned to the medium for entertainment and solace. And the games they played weren't always the big action-packed AAA titles.

Microsoft has been teasing its new Project Scorpio Xbox for months, but it's finally real, and it's called the Xbox One X. Awkward name aside, the new $499 machine is crammed full of enough computing power to run some 4K games at 60 fps. It also has a liquid-cooled vapor chamber to keep it from overheating. To really get the benefit of the upgraded Xbox One X, you'll likely want to have a high-end system to surround it, including a 4K TV and advanced surround sound. Otherwise, you're probably best sticking to the regular Xbox One S, which has gotten a price drop down to $249 to start. Oddly, VR didn't seem to make much of an impact at all on the Xbox Team.

With three kids and constant travel for work, John Hussey jumped at the chance to play an open-world adventure game like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" anywhere, anytime. After he heard about the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid game machine that works as both a console at home and a tablet on the go, Hussey ordered one in January even though it wouldn't arrive until Friday, when Nintendo's latest game machine debuts. Nintendo will need lots of traditional gamers like Hussey to redeem itself as a console maker, after being eclipsed by Microsoft and Sony in the game-console wars. But Nintendo will also need lots of casual gamers who are satisfied with playing on a smartphone and would never have dreamed of buying a $300 game machine. And in trying to appeal to many audiences, Nintendo risks not being the best at serving any one.