As students, our primary responsibility is to pay attention in class. Unfortunately, while many people strive to be good students, it is difficult to pay attention to every boring powerpoint for eight periods a day, five days a week. During breaks in classes, or boring lectures, more and more students have turned to computer and phone games to help pass the time.

This trend has inspired one of the largest struggles between students and teachers since Pokemon cards were popular in the second grade. Teachers have attempted to ban games and phones, but students seem to always be able to find a way to continue to play, whether it be hiding their phones under their desk, sitting in the back of class, or the classic extended bathroom break. In this battle between teachers and students, the teachers are seemingly overwhelmed by the sheer number of answers that the students have for their rules and regulations.

The addictive nature of these games makes it difficult for students to pay attention in class. In a more positive light, the games do give students a way destress, and focus on things besides school.

“The games are enthralling, and they give me an opportunity to think about something besides school,” freshman Amrik Eastman said.

These games do not even have to be good. In most cases, the more simplified and straightforward the game is, the better.

“I’m not playing these games because I want to play a quality game, I’m just trying to have fun,” Eastman said.

This infatuation with simple computer games has spread across the school, but some games have proven more popular than others. These quirky, bizzare games, as Eastman said are “enthralling,” and all have addictive qualities that keep students playing, even when they should be working.

Shell Shock:

One of the more popular games is Shell Shock, a game that revolves around eggs with guns in an arena trying to kill each other. The concept may seem odd, and it does take a few rounds to get used to all of the egg puns embedded in the game, but it is inexplicably addictive.

One of the addictive qualities of the game is the schoolwide competition that it inspires. Students compete to have the best kill to death ratio, and this competition keeps them logged on to the game.

It is not all a competition though. Players of the game say that, even more important than their personal statistics, is the bond that they form with their fellow players.

“An old friend, Aidan Stroup, invited me to join him playing Shell Shock. We played and more people started coming, pulling up chairs, joining in….It’s amazing to think that I now have five new friends because of a silly computer game,” William McClennan said.

Surviv:

Another game that has grown in popularity is Surviv.io. Surviv, as the gamers call it, is another shooting game, however it is even more bizarre. The game takes place in a two dimensional world, and centers around circles with hands, holding guns. The game has been compared to the popular console phenomenon Fortnite because of its “battle royale,” format, which means that all of the players compete to be the last one standing.

Surviv is another very simple shooting game, and it has similar addictive qualities to Shell Shock, inspiring competition and forming bonds between the players. However, one unique aspect of the game is the constant chase for first place. Surviv has been described by those who play it as difficult to win, and because it is hard to stop playing until you win, it is easy to lose track of time.

Clash Royale/Clash of Clans

These two games, created by Supercell, are different from the other games because they are phone games as opposed to computer games. Computers make it harder for students to play games without getting caught, but with phone games it becomes much easier for students to avoid teachers and their watchful gaze.

Clash Royale and Clash of Clans have been around for a long time, and many students here at school probably remember playing them in elementary school. The games revolve around a fictional world, in which you deploy magical beings to defend yourself against other, online players.

While these games are popular among students, there are some who see them as teachers do,  a giant waste of time.

“I think that people are ruining their learning and getting addicted to games that, while they may be entertaining, do not have any real benefits,” freshman Zach Levin said.

While not everyone loves computer games, each student has a different approach to staying entertained in class.