Dating idea:  Play a video game together

By Pierre Coda

When I first started to date, it was a big deal to be able to go to the movies. There were so few theaters in my small town in Wisconsin. When the weather was nice, we could even go to the open-air theater. Sometimes I would have money to buy her an ice-cream and it felt so romantic to sit close together and eat it while watching the movie under the stars. At times, I got lucky and my date would let me kiss her or touch her. But there is only so much you can do in a public place. As I was growing up, VCRs were just starting but I did not have one in my room. We only had one in the family room. So I would often be allowed to invite my girlfriend to watch a movie at home but it was not as much fun as going to the movies. I couldn't even hold her hand when my parents were around.  There were those rare occasions, though, when my parents were out and I will have the VCR and the family room to myself and let me tell you, those dates were fun.

So what is a big deal now? Video games. For those men who are fanatic about video games it was always a frustration that girls did not like video games. So it was one of those guy things: football, beer, etc. But not any more. Not only am I seeing this with my clients, but a lot of people have written to me that movies are out and video games are in as a way to entertain on a date. So I decided to check if it is really true that women are now playing video games. According to the Pew Project on the Internet and American Life as many college-age women as men are playing games. The Interactive Digital Software Association, which represents the video game makers, reports that during 2003 women made up 40 percent of the total universe of gamers. What does it mean? When you date a girl these days, chances are that she already plays games or is likely to have at least a casual interest in them. (Related article:  Today's latest accessory for women - a cute laptop)

How to play video games on a date?

Remember that there are still differences, like the movies, in the way women play video games. So you will need to come to a compromise so that both of you will like a game. Many women are playing the same games that men are playing but some games are more popular among women than men. I also hear that consoles are less popular among women. They prefer games on a computer and are less likely to embrace violent video games. What should you do so that you will have a game that she likes? Have lots of them at home and every time you want them to come over to your place, better have some new ones.  Alex from Minneapolis agrees though he has found that girls still need to do a bit more to catch up with him.   "Girls like games a lot more than they used to but it's still limited.  Though I think I've found the ideal game to meet/impress girls:  Dance Dance Revolution! (DDR) It's a perfect way to start a conversation and fun if it's a good challenge," he tells me.

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