Years ago I stopped playing video games. Not just online video games, but all video games. Not as a rule, it just happened. Considering how much I played them in my youth, stopping was quite notable. Board games took over as my competitive entertainment of choice. I preferred sititng at a table with friends and family and having that battle of wits over having a battle of dexterity. I still do.

This spring, I was gifted a Nintendo Switch for my birthday. Cheryl said it was to give something to do during the long flights to and from Japan, which we visited at the end of April. She had a good idea. I definitely used it during those flights, as well as during some of the shinkansen rides once I’d had my fill of gazing out the window.

I’ve almost exclusively played one game since I got the Switch – Tetris 99. I’ve always liked Tetris, and long been sad that there isn’t any good version of Tetris for iPhone or Mac. But Tetris 99 is truly excellent.

I’m not great at it, but I’m decent. It’s a battle royale version of Tetris, where you’re playing against 98 competitors. Everyone is sending each other garbage lines, and you’re trying to be the last one standing. In the nearly 8 months that I’ve been playing, I’ve played over 1800 games and won just 5 times. I assume that’s a terrible victory rate, since 1800/99 suggests I should have won at least 18 times. Regardless, for some reason I’m still driven to improve at it. I wish I knew how I could win more consistently, but I’m very patient. Win or not, it’s great fun, and it’s a quick, satisfying experience.