Bust your boredom with these fun video games

Whether you’re playing alone or with three friends, “Super Mario 3D World” is easily one of the better Mario games to be released in recent history. You’ll run and jump your way through dozens upon dozens of wonderful, colorful Super Mario stages, encountering new twists and surprises right up until the final level.

If you’re an old-school gamer that misses the roleplaying games of the Super Nintendo era, “Bravely Default II” is likely up your alley. It’s as if the Final Fantasy series went back to its ’90s gameplay roots but with a storybook-esque graphical overhaul that takes advantage of the more modern Nintendo Switch hardware.

This is the game all the cool kids on Twitch are playing right now. “Valheim” is like if someone took the survival elements of games like Rust and Ark and added Vikings. You must hunt, fight and build your way through a randomly generated world.

“Control” is getting a new lease on life on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with improved graphics and frame rates thanks to the power of the new consoles.

Do you like Greek mythology and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”? Do you want to play a colorful open world game in which you can fly? Then this is the game for you.

As a teen, the “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” games almost got me into skateboarding. Almost. The problem, though (aside from my complete lack of balance and fear of injuring myself), is that unlike in a video game, I can’t grind my way through an abandoned mall or through a secret lab at Roswell.

Speaking of “Zelda,” it sounds like we may still be waiting for a little while until we see the next great adventure in that series. The latest original game to grace Nintendo Switch doesn’t even have the name “Zelda” in the title, and for good reason: It’s an action game in the vein of “Dynasty Warriors” in which you spend hours mowing down hundreds upon hundreds of enemies in a story that serves as a sort of prequel to “Breath of the Wild.”

Despite the name, this game doesn’t always take itself too seriously.

Even though the original PlayStation console is only about 25 years old, this retro version is available, and at a reasonable price. It comes preloaded with 20 retro games that PlayStation fans will love seeing again. It includes two controllers, so you can play with a friend. There is no AC adapter included with this console, so you’ll have to supply your own.

Nintendo has fully embraced the retro gaming market, releasing a few different vintage consoles featuring a number of highly popular games, including Super Mario Bros.

Originally, Neo Geo made full-size arcade games, so it didn’t have a console for home use. Now, gamers can buy a portable Neo Geo console that gives access to these vintage games, such as Aero Fighters.

Nintendo made home exercise waves years ago with Wii Fit, but if you ask me, it’s outdone itself this time with Ring Fit Adventure for the Nintendo Switch.

The main gameplay answers the age-old question, “What if, in order to attack enemies in a video game, you had to do a lot of squats?”

One of virtual reality’s shiniest gems, Beat Saber is an addictive rhythm game that lets you burn calories, enjoy great music and feel like a Jedi all at once.

Similar to games like Rock Band or Dance Dance Revolution, the point of Beat Saber is to hit specific notes in time with a beat. What makes this game unique, however, is that you are holding two (virtual) lightsaber-like blades with which you need to slash notes up, down, left or right. That’s a good enough workout for the arms, but your legs will get in on the action, too, as you duck and dodge your way past obstacles as songs play.

Both boxing and dancing can be great ways to stay in shape, so Nintendo combined the two in Fitness Boxing and the new Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise. Taking a Nintendo Switch controller in each hand, you will jab, weave and uppercut various boxing-related icons in time with music.

It’s a bit simplistic and not as innovative or engaging as Ring Fit Adventure, but it serves its purpose and is easy to pick up and play for quick sessions.

If your entire workout goal is to get moving with some popular music, the Just Dance series has been serving that purpose admirably for years. Featuring a wide array of current songs from artists such as Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Harry Styles, Just Dance is all about, y’know, making you dance.

If you’re playing on the Nintendo Switch, you can use the system’s included motion controllers, but you also have the option of connecting with your phone via the Just Dance mobile app, so just about anyone can hop in and play — for better or worse. The downside to this control method is that the tracking of your movements is less than perfect (and limited to just one arm, rather than your entire body), so Just Dance can often feel less like a game and more like an encouraging dance workout video.

This one will actually force you to leave your house, but it doesn’t require interacting with people.

Zombies, Run! is an old favorite for joggers who want to spice up their runs with the threat of a zombie apocalypse.

If you’re not interested in running, dancing or strength training, it’s probably still a good idea to get outside.