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Gaming is about to become your new favourite hobby

With most of us stuck indoors at the moment now is a good time as any to delve into the world of gaming. But if you don’t know your Switch from your Sonic, where do you start?

Even non-gamers will likely be aware of titles like Fortnite or Call of Duty, but these high-octane shoot 'em ups might be a bit overwhelming for some just dipping their toes in the water. Speaking on 鲍鱼tv Radio Scotland’s Mornings programme, games critic Louise Blain advised that there are gentler entry points into the world of gaming, and that it can be done without forking out on an expensive console.

"We all have mobiles, a lot of us have tablets. So if you are thinking about spending time the first thing I would do would be to head into your app store," advised Louise.

"Take a look at the top charts and see what everyone’s playing. If you look at it just now there's digital versions of a lot of board games in there, so there’s a lot of people playing Scrabble, Monopoly and Cluedo. So if you aren’t quite sure what to do that’s a really good place to start."

Playing on a console can make for a richer gaming experience - as can playing with others. Because while gaming inevitably involves staring at a screen, it needn't be a solitary pursuit - unless you want it to be! Louise explained the alternatives:

"There’s local play, which is when you play with your family in the same room; and there’s online play, that’s when you can play online with everyone."

So, with the basics covered, where next? You could begin with the following games which are fun and relatively inexpensive:

Local player games

It's a choice between teamwork or treachery in games with friends or family in the room:

Ticket to Ride: it's a race across the country and against other players as you aim to be the first to build railways and connect cities; : in a chaotic kitchen players work together to serve their customers in this fun and frenetic game; Worms WMD: teams of worms fight to the death using bizarre weapons, including an angry donkey and a barbecued sheep.

Online games

Join up with friends outwith your own home to collaborate or compete:

Houseparty: the online video chat app allows friends to play games and quizzes together; Fortnite Battle Royale: this thrilling fight to the death requires strategic thinking in order to be the victor; Don't Starve Together: an action adventure game set in the wilderness where danger lurks at every turn.

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