Feature: Playing Until We Get It Right - How Perfectionism Appears In Gaming
The article explores how perfectionism manifests in video gaming, using the author’s personal experience with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to illustrate the phenomenon. The author describes their struggle with obtaining a bonus treasure chest in Ree Dahee Shrine, which was visible but seemingly unreachable despite trying multiple approaches: items, runes, armor, food buffs, and jumping. The author emphasizes their frustration and embarrassment at being unable to solve a puzzle in what they perceived as a children’s game, ultimately resorting to looking up the solution online. This anecdote serves as a foundation for broader exploration of gaming perfectionism—the compulsive drive to complete every puzzle, obtain every item, and achieve perfect results. The piece highlights how open-world games with vast amounts of optional content can intensify perfectionist impulses, even for experienced players. The article’s title promises practical strategies for recognizing and addressing perfectionism when it arises during gameplay, suggesting constructive approaches to maintaining enjoyment while pursuing challenging gaming goals.