10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

As someone who’s spent countless hours tinkering with computers, building PCs from scratch, and flying virtual planes in the sky, I can confidently say that video games have played a significant role in shaping my life skills. From the tranquil beauty of Flight Simulator to the heart-pounding challenges of Celeste, these digital worlds have provided me with valuable lessons beyond just entertainment.


Each game offers a lesson, often in the form of instructions on gameplay techniques that may be forgotten once the game is completed, but some games can have a significant influence on real life.

I’m referring to games that are not designed primarily for enhancing your skills in video gaming; rather, this ability is a common feature among all types of games.

There are several games available that aim to enhance your practical skills, ranging from common tasks to highly specialized ones.

Here are some practical skills I’ve gathered, which range from piloting an aircraft to making a perfect cup of coffee – all of them useful in their own right.

10 Lethal Company

A Terrifying Lesson in Team Building

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

As I delve into the gritty world of Lethal Company, where the roar of gunfire echoes through the air and my comrades’ shouts carry far, I’m reminded that this game is more than just a battlefield – it’s a school for teamwork.

In the gaming world, I’d put it this way: Lethal seems to be exceptionally designed for helping gamers like me learn teamwork on a deeper level. It’s not just about working together; it’s about understanding roles, communicating effectively, and trusting one another – all crucial skills that make the difference between victory and defeat in this game.

Primarily, it’s essential that you employ your combined expertise, utilize walkie-talkies for communication, and collaborate extensively given the restricted vantage points and the need to achieve substantial production targets.

Observing skilled play in Lethal Company will reveal a well-coordinated team effort, where each participant contributes evenly. This is an impressive ability to master.

9 Guitar Hero

Vaguely Teaching Guitar, Mostly Teaching Rhythm

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

Instead of teaching you the technical aspects of playing the guitar, Guitar Hero provides instruction on essential musical elements like rhythm, instrument handling, and exceptional hand-eye coordination using an unconventional controller.

It’s crazy what rhythm game players can achieve, and especially if you get into the depths of the hardest Clone Hero tracks, you’ll need insane dexterity.

So, if you consistently put forth an effort by tackling the challenging game modes, you’ll see significant improvement in mastering rhythms and playing your virtual guitar effectively.

Learning to play the genuine guitar effectively means that your skills from playing Guitar Hero can be applied, just like how some of your high school credits carry over to university studies.

8 Portal 2

Crash Course in Game Development

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

Playing Portal 2 not only provides an enjoyable gaming experience, but it also effectively prepares you for the profession of game development in a similar way that reading any book might inspire you to become a writer.

A significant portion of this can be attributed to the detailed developer logs that provide insights into the intricate process of creating the game, as well as the minor glitches and charming design aspects that may have gone unnoticed by most players.

Beyond the fantastic audio logs, you also have an incredibly comprehensive level editor, a thriving modding community, and workshop integration at your disposal, allowing you to personalize the game according to your preferences.

This game seems to be an excellent choice if you’re interested in delving into game development. Plus, since it’s recommended by Valve, the guidance provided is undoubtedly top-notch.

7 Microsoft Flight Simulator

Fun for Pilots, or Messing Around

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

Instead of packing the list with numerous simulators, I chose to avoid labeling them strictly as games due to fairness considerations. However, Microsoft Flight Simulator can certainly be categorized as a game.

One enjoyable aspect is soaring above a meticulously crafted replica of our world, where you can playfully experiment with highly accurate flight dynamics. Microsoft takes great care in handling this game series.

It should go without saying, but a flight simulator is intended to make you better at flying planes, and is accurate enough that pilots use this game for training.

It’s an incredibly niche skill, sure, but if you ever wanted to start learning how to fly, there’s no better place to start, and even if you don’t, trying to find your house on the map is fun.

6 Persona 5

Passionate Coffee Brewing

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

Persona 5 can often be characterized as a blend of social simulation and Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG), yet there’s another side to it that makes it a dream come true for coffee enthusiasts as well.

As a certified bean juice enjoyer myself, I find the really intricately animated pour-over technique, the various trivia cards about coffee, to be excellent at making people learn what coffee is all about.

If you select your preferred beans using trivia, grind them coarsely in a pour-over device similar to the one shown in the game, and follow the process you observe, you’ll end up with an excellent cup of coffee.

Once more, this is a somewhat specialized ability, yet it was explored with such depth that I feel compelled to bring it up.

5 Gartic Phone

Become an Artist

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

If you’re searching for a game like Jackbox’s Drawful, then Gartic Phone offers an equivalent experience plus additional features, encouraging improvement in artistic skills.

In Animation mode, another artist’s work is consistently present as a background guide, assisting you in learning by following along and tracing.

It’s particularly enjoyable when you can gather a lively, encouraging team, as the atmosphere is not competitive with points or goals but rather focused on enjoyment. Consequently, it makes for an excellent environment for learning.

Instead of merely embracing the humor in less-than-perfect artwork, going the extra mile with intricate, yet absurd concepts takes it to a whole new level of amusement.

4 Forza Horizon 5

Tuning to Perfection

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

If someone you know enjoys fine-tuning vehicles in Forza Horizon 5, it’s quite likely that they are deeply passionate about cars in general, and there’s good reason to believe this connection is not a coincidence.

This game excels at teaching you the complexities and workings of automobiles, making you well-versed in their tuning in practical situations.

Knowing how to fine-tune a car isn’t guaranteed to turn you into the greatest mechanic of all time, but mastering the minor adjustments, specific details, and every tiny trick for enhancing performance is truly valuable knowledge.

While Forza may not boast the most realistic racing and vehicle physics compared to others, it certainly offers these unique aspects, which can be quite beneficial for players.

3 Celeste

Learning to Breathe

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

Though it doesn’t offer instructions for performing a double jump, the game Celeste offers valuable insights into coping with anxiety, moving past self-loathing, and conquering mental obstacles.

Though everything was truly remarkable, there’s a moment I’d like to bring up – the one from the cable car ride. It played a significant role in helping me cope with stressful periods.

Theo advises Madeline to visualize a feather ascending as she exhales and descending gently thereafter. He encourages her to breathe gradually and maintain a steady breath in the middle.

This technique for visualizing is quite straightforward to aid breathing, but surprisingly effective. It’s something I frequently revisit, and it’s a key factor behind my recommendation of this game to numerous individuals struggling with anxiety.

2 Minecraft

Discount Computer Science Class

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

In my perspective, Minecraft offers an endless array of creative possibilities. Undeniably, this game presents a fascinating pathway for honing design skills or enhancing decorative flair, but the joy it brings goes far beyond that.

With this striking red substance, you’re able to create a variety of inventive devices – ranging from enormous doors to basic arithmetic tools, all the way up to complex computer systems.

Incorporating Command Blocks, Minecraft essentially transforms into a versatile stage for various coding exploits. From emulators to functional video calls, you’ll find an assortment of random computer science projects executed on this platform. It was likely experimenting with these tools that eventually steered me towards programming as a career.

1 PC Building Simulator

No Cable Management Required

10 Games That Teach Real Life Skills

Instead of Flight Simulator, PC Building Simulator simplifies the process of creating a computer and turns it into a game, placing you in charge of a personal PC repair business.

You’ll definitely get hands-on experience with replacing various PC components, troubleshooting and repairing damaged elements within a computer, and even constructing an entire PC system from the ground up.

As someone who appreciates gaming on computers, I must admit that having the skill to construct these machines is quite specialized, especially since they are essential for my gaming experience.

Having the freedom to customize any aspect of your computer according to your preferences, be it for upgrading components or troubleshooting issues, offers immense practicality, making it an excellent learning experience.

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2024-11-16 19:09