Where there were video games, there had been cannabis all along. Gamers immediately discovered that they worked well together on many levels. Whether you’re reaching for top scores or escaping to fantasy worlds, getting high can improve your skills. Elevate your game and your high as we guide you through our favorite strains and game pairings.
Video games and weed: a match made in heaven?
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist, studied cognitive flow to learn more about what makes people happy. It’s an elusive mental state in which high levels of immersion, focus, and productivity become effortless. What he didn’t realize was that he had stumbled upon a formula for optimal game design.
The psychology behind getting “in the zone” is crucial when designing an interactive and enjoyable game. To put it simply, video games need to slide into a goldilocks zone of “not too boring” and “not too hard” for a player to reach flow state.
Within this “flow,” all sense of time and self-awareness go out the window. like when you’re holding your breath and clenching your ass tighter with every button mash—almost spilling the weed bowl.
Now, holding a fat joint while playing may impact dexterity, but the high can help you think laterally; try new moves or paths, solve a puzzle that’s been teasing you for hours, or notice new levels of detail within the virtual world. Games known for their extreme difficulty, such as Dark Souls, may keep your high-mind engaged long enough to progress past some of their “fuck this” moments.
“”It’s not hard to imagine the world’s first official game designer lighting up the herb before playing their creation. That person was physicist William Higginbotham (future strain name?) who used a small analogue computer to create a simple sports match called “Tennis for Two” in the early 1950s.
We might never know if he blazed up, but what we do know is that he paved the way for future gamers and blazers alike.
Sativa or indica for gaming?
There are different levels of gamers, just as there are different levels of stoners. So, finding the best strain to enhance your experience will require trial and error. A simple rule to follow is: sativa for energy; indica for sinking into the couch.
Typically, indica-dominant strains affect your body and heighten the way things feel, taste, and sound. In addition, the highs produce a couch-lock effect that can place you in a hazy, dream-like state. It’s the perfect mood for a trippy space exploration game like No Man’s Sky.
In contrast, sativa-dominant strains produce a stimulating energetic and mental high, which is conducive to social interactions and competitive play. Consider Mortal Combat, a player-versus-player battle game in which you must read your opponent and act in real-time to win.
When sativa and indica plants are crossed, they create a hybrid strain that has the effects of both.
Top 9 cannabis strains for gaming
1. Girl Scout Cookies
?Who wouldn’t want to start a gaming session with a delicious treat? Girl Scout Cookies is a superstrain, winning numerous awards at the Cannabis Cup. The sweet and spicy aroma of GSC will leave your room smelling like the inside of a French bakery, so if you’re going clandestine, make sure to close your bud bag tight.
Expect to be severely blazed! Take a few hits and enjoy the immediate euphoric rush, followed by a mellow body high.
Best games to pair with Girl Scout Cookies
GSC pairs nicely with games that have that nostalgic factor. Think of “Mario 64,” where everything is trippy yet familiar—except now you’re a stoned adult. It’s perfect for a night of pizza, friendly competition, and games you don’t have to take too seriously. If you’re the reigning champion of Mario Kart, maybe wait until after your race to light up.
2. Gorilla Haze
Gorilla Haze is a sativa-dominant variety of weed with gangster genetics. A crossbreed of Gorilla Glue and Amnesia – it’s advised to approach this strain with respect. The highs are intensely uplifting, energetic, and psychedelic.
Best games to pair with Gorilla Haze
The wanderlust Gorilla Haze awakens in you matches the free-roaming fantasy action-adventure genre. Games like The Witcher 3, Fable, and Skyrim let you set your path, pace, and challenges in lush, detailed worlds.
But why not try a classic from the “Legend of Zelda” series? famous for its nostalgic art style and rich lore. “The Ocarina of Time” has prevailed as a fan favorite because of the incredible musical score and captivating narrative. Get high and explore the terrain of Hyrule or bliss out to the sounds of Link’s ocarina—it’s good for your health.
3. OG Kush
OG Kush is a 3-way sativa-dominant hybrid, descendant of Pakistani Kush, Lemon Thai, and Chem Dawg. Those first hits will give you an uplifting and chatty buzz, followed by a well-balanced body high.
Best games to pair with OG Kush
In recent years, gamers have taken to livestreaming their gameplay on platforms like HitBox and Twitch. It’s a fun and social way to test and improve your skills in front of like-minded gamers. There’s a chance to go “pro” and start making money while playing games you enjoy.
If this sounds like you, then OG Kush has got your back—keeping you lit without wiping you out.
4. Blue Dream
What do you get when you cross blueberries with haze? Blue Dream, a sativa-dominant hybrid, is hailed for its alert, sharp, and focused highs. You don’t need too many hits to get on the level, so spark it up right before you press start.
Best games to pair with Blue Dream
“Hotline Miami” gets our pick for the best game to pair with Blue Dream. an unforgiving top-down arcade-style action shooter with an upbeat techno soundtrack. You’ll play as an amnesiac hitman dubbed “Jacket,” known for their unparalleled wits and strategies.
Blue Dream helps you swiftly breach, execute, and escape the technicolor AI-riddled levels unscathed by hitting the replay button.
5. Pineapple Express
The notorious Pineapple Express is a sativa-dominant hybrid of Trainwreck and Hawaiian. always on the side of the creative due to the long-lasting and inspiring highs. It’s nothing short of iconic—just check out the movie!
Best games to pair with Pineapple Express
Lots of games benefit from having Pineapple Express behind the controls. We’ve chosen Valheim—an open-world crafting and exploration experience catering to both the hunter/gatherer and the Norse warrior in you. Smoke an insightful joint as you build your village, craft your weaponry, and plan your voyage to the edge of the world. It only requires 1 gigabyte of space on PC—so go download it now!
6. NYC Diesel
NYC Diesel is a resilient indica-dominant hybrid, winning multiple Cannabis Cup awards. The highs are talkative, euphoric, and floaty, despite being glued to your seat.
Best games to pair with NYC Diesel
Besides being a great muse for memes, we think this next game pairs up with the NYC Diesel High the most.
Minecraft leans more to the solo or cooperative side of gaming and has a rather Lego-like approach to creativity. with thousands of simple crafting elements that encourage insanely complex builds and inventions. Be the best architect you can be while you blow smoke up the asses of the Endermen.
7. Super Strawberry Cheese
Not everyone is a social gamer or social stoner. If that sounds like you, perhaps Super Strawberry Cheese is more on your level. An indica-dominant hybrid that produces a very mellow, calming, and focused high.
Best games to pair with Super Strawberry Cheese
The peak high for this strain is best matched with games that send you to the astral plane, and nothing takes you out-of-body like “Soundself.”
All you need is a microphone, headphones, and your commuter. Talk, hum, sing, and laugh your way through an evolving landscape that replies with hypnotic DMT-like shapes, colors, and sounds. Each session is unique and lasts as long as you do. Be warned—you may conjure sentient creatures after a few hours. Oh, did I mention it’s compatible with VR?
8. Chernobyl
a hybrid strain boasting strong sativa genetics. Don’t let the name fool you—Chernobyl is a happy high. Its radioactive aroma penetrates your senses like a bag of lime or lemon sherbet bombs. It’s made a name for itself among medicinal cannabis patients for managing pain.
Best games to pair with Chernobyl
Chernobyl is the ideal strain for fast-paced first-person shooters. You’ll be flexing your reflexes during high-stakes matches of “Call of Duty” or testing your mental endurance against overwhelming odds in Doom’s “Nightmare” difficulty.
9. WSS Skunk
Finally, WSS Skunk is a classic indica-dominant strain originally bred in the Netherlands in the 1980s. The crossbreed of Skunk and Viking genetics should frighten you—the highs are potent.
The effects of WSS Skunk are strong, with an initial rush of euphoria in both mind and body. You won’t remember passing out while gaming, thanks to the super-heavy body high. Her flavor is rich and peppery, and her aroma is deliciously skunky.
Best games to pair with WSS Skunk
The Sims is a well-known game that shows both the pros and cons of giving players a lot of freedom in a game. On one hand, the player can foster a well-adapted Sim with plenty of charisma, a decked-out crib, and a thriving social life. On the other hand, a more sinister reality reveals the dark depths of the human psyche.
We all had that one friend who left their Sim burning inside a room with no doors or trapped in the pool with no ladder in sight (wink, wink). Either way, WSS Skunk will unearth your sick sense of humor.
Hours can be spent pairing strains with the best video games—but we want to hear from you! Do you prefer indica before a gaming session, or is sativa more your style of high? Share your favorite combinations in the comments below.
