Another day, another app addiction. We here at the sneer campaign are no stranger to the stupid appiction. After all, neko atsume got three whole articles written about it. We actually are constantly getting games, but the princess horse apps haven’t sucked us in quite like disco dancing bees, and the odd game where you collect items or dress a chicken haven’t been as important in our day to day as making geometric bears cuss with a word game. Really, there is very little rhyme or reason when it comes to which games addict us. We try to pay attention so that some day we can combine all of the best attributes and make our OWN game, somehow. If we ever learn a skill or make a friend who would like to make an app for us sometime.
One important element, for sure, is that it is a game that we can talk about. If only Dollissa likes it, but I am too busy to play, she seems to lose interest faster. If I start a game and she forgets to get it two days in a row, suddenly I am uninstalling it. Sorry, KleptoCats. But if we can share that bonding moment of being able to say, “I have a million things to do, but I have to play this game,” and the other answers with, “oooh good idea. Me2.” Well, that is a game with staying power.
This brings us to Sailor Moon Drops, the first Sailor Moon app available. It is one of those “match up some gemstones” games that are all the rage. We had passed by Candy Crush, but I am sure this is much like it. You know. Match three or up to six and combine things to accelerate your score and wow so many points bling bling bling bling! It’s all very exciting and makes the right noises and we see Sailor Planets and Luna and a story is apparently playing out and it’s all great. It’s so good that we refer to it as “s dropping” and our other friends have even voiced disapproval that we are wasting our lives. I have received at least one Very Special Talk about it from cchris, laced with judgments and condescension. So what else is new!
As we play on, however, we are discovering that it is becoming a hardship. It is challenging us suddenly! At first, this game was easy. Back then, I was demoralized just by not reaching a score that gave me three stars on the level. Now, every level is a fight for survival. Now, I am a little relieved when I’ve used up my fifth heart and have to wait hours for them to fill back up again. I’m glad to be given a reason to put down the game and do healthier things, like write down a little list as to why the game is making my life a little worse whenever I play it.
And finally, the ultimate moment of demoralization: When you draw a great big list complaining about how hard the game makes your life, take a screenshot of it to show your friend, and somehow the act of doing that makes your brain think you actually saved it when in fact you did not. It’s probably very fitting that you get to squint at a small screenshot. YOU WON’T WIN THIS TIME, SAILOR MOON DROPS. YOU AREN’T GONNA BREAKA MY STRIDE. You aren’t gonna hold me down.