Pause Menu
@thepausemenu.bsky.social
Pause Menu is a reflective gaming newsletter about play, time, and how we relate to games.
A quieter way to love games as an adult.
pausemenu.substack.com
A quieter way to love games as an adult.
pausemenu.substack.com
Pinned
Pause Menu
@thepausemenu.bsky.social
· Oct 13
The Pause Menu | Substack
Video game reflections from the pause menu of life. Click to read The Pause Menu, a Substack publication. Launched 3 months ago.
pausemenu.substack.com
🎮 Welcome to Pause Menu
Reflective gaming essays for the moments between missions
I write about what games teach us— about calm, growth, and meaning — when life won’t let us hit pause.
🕹 New reflections Tuesdays & Thursdays
Join:
pausemenu.substack.com
#pausemenu #videogames #gaming #reflection
Reflective gaming essays for the moments between missions
I write about what games teach us— about calm, growth, and meaning — when life won’t let us hit pause.
🕹 New reflections Tuesdays & Thursdays
Join:
pausemenu.substack.com
#pausemenu #videogames #gaming #reflection
☕️ This morning’s coffee feels like a healing potion.
Just enough HP to keep moving, clear one more day, and reach the weekend without respawning.
Just enough HP to keep moving, clear one more day, and reach the weekend without respawning.
January 16, 2026 at 1:13 PM
☕️ This morning’s coffee feels like a healing potion.
Just enough HP to keep moving, clear one more day, and reach the weekend without respawning.
Just enough HP to keep moving, clear one more day, and reach the weekend without respawning.
🏮 Sometimes the board feels steadier once the gap is gone.
Not because the move was perfect.
Because something finally landed.
Not because the move was perfect.
Because something finally landed.
January 14, 2026 at 12:58 PM
🏮 Sometimes the board feels steadier once the gap is gone.
Not because the move was perfect.
Because something finally landed.
Not because the move was perfect.
Because something finally landed.
🏮 We often leave space for the perfect piece.
A clean gap.
A future version.
A moment that hasn’t arrived yet.
Today’s essay is about what happens when you stop waiting and place what’s actually falling.
Tetris 99: Stop Saving Space for the Perfect Piece is now live.
#Pausemenu #Videogames
A clean gap.
A future version.
A moment that hasn’t arrived yet.
Today’s essay is about what happens when you stop waiting and place what’s actually falling.
Tetris 99: Stop Saving Space for the Perfect Piece is now live.
#Pausemenu #Videogames
Tetris 99: Stop Saving Space for the Perfect Piece
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:17 PM
🏮 We often leave space for the perfect piece.
A clean gap.
A future version.
A moment that hasn’t arrived yet.
Today’s essay is about what happens when you stop waiting and place what’s actually falling.
Tetris 99: Stop Saving Space for the Perfect Piece is now live.
#Pausemenu #Videogames
A clean gap.
A future version.
A moment that hasn’t arrived yet.
Today’s essay is about what happens when you stop waiting and place what’s actually falling.
Tetris 99: Stop Saving Space for the Perfect Piece is now live.
#Pausemenu #Videogames
🏮 There are moments where we realize we’re not stuck.
We’re just paused inside something unfinished.
An awkward piece falls.
An old save loads.
Nothing explains itself.
And we keep playing anyway.
We’re just paused inside something unfinished.
An awkward piece falls.
An old save loads.
Nothing explains itself.
And we keep playing anyway.
January 12, 2026 at 12:52 PM
🏮 There are moments where we realize we’re not stuck.
We’re just paused inside something unfinished.
An awkward piece falls.
An old save loads.
Nothing explains itself.
And we keep playing anyway.
We’re just paused inside something unfinished.
An awkward piece falls.
An old save loads.
Nothing explains itself.
And we keep playing anyway.
🕯️The year doesn’t always need a main quest right away.
Sometimes it starts by helping someone with something small and seeing what that changes.
A new Legacy essay on Final Fantasy XVI and side quests publishes this evening.
Sometimes it starts by helping someone with something small and seeing what that changes.
A new Legacy essay on Final Fantasy XVI and side quests publishes this evening.
January 12, 2026 at 12:37 AM
🕯️The year doesn’t always need a main quest right away.
Sometimes it starts by helping someone with something small and seeing what that changes.
A new Legacy essay on Final Fantasy XVI and side quests publishes this evening.
Sometimes it starts by helping someone with something small and seeing what that changes.
A new Legacy essay on Final Fantasy XVI and side quests publishes this evening.
I totally agree. Some of my favourite moments playing ACNH are when the community gets together. Sorry to hear they weren’t biting too much, maybe next time. Best of luck with your terraforming!
January 11, 2026 at 4:26 PM
I totally agree. Some of my favourite moments playing ACNH are when the community gets together. Sorry to hear they weren’t biting too much, maybe next time. Best of luck with your terraforming!
Nice review. I feel like my horror gaming days are likely behind me, but I must admit your review has me intrigued on this one. Also, I hear you on the art style, it looks great and is part of the intrigue for me do this game.
January 11, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Nice review. I feel like my horror gaming days are likely behind me, but I must admit your review has me intrigued on this one. Also, I hear you on the art style, it looks great and is part of the intrigue for me do this game.
Totally agree. This was one of my first FE games and I knew as I played it, that I’d have to check out the rest of the series.
January 11, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Totally agree. This was one of my first FE games and I knew as I played it, that I’d have to check out the rest of the series.
I like how small events, like a fishing tourney are such a draw for players to log in to ACNH. I’m on it whenever something like that comes up in my game. Hope the fish were biting!
January 11, 2026 at 1:13 PM
I like how small events, like a fishing tourney are such a draw for players to log in to ACNH. I’m on it whenever something like that comes up in my game. Hope the fish were biting!
Sometimes epic quests are nice to embark on. At those hours of gameplay, it certainly sounds like you are on one!
May your hits land as critical and your rebuild of Wishvale be bustling.
May your hits land as critical and your rebuild of Wishvale be bustling.
January 11, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Sometimes epic quests are nice to embark on. At those hours of gameplay, it certainly sounds like you are on one!
May your hits land as critical and your rebuild of Wishvale be bustling.
May your hits land as critical and your rebuild of Wishvale be bustling.
I loved playing the Spyro games on my PS1. So much fun plying through the missions. One of my favourite 3D platforming experiences.
January 11, 2026 at 12:16 PM
I loved playing the Spyro games on my PS1. So much fun plying through the missions. One of my favourite 3D platforming experiences.
I can hear the jingle as the cube logo loads up upon start up already.
January 11, 2026 at 12:08 PM
I can hear the jingle as the cube logo loads up upon start up already.
🌤️ Sundays don’t ask much.
Just enough quiet to remember yourself before pressing save on the weekend.
Just enough quiet to remember yourself before pressing save on the weekend.
January 11, 2026 at 11:59 AM
🌤️ Sundays don’t ask much.
Just enough quiet to remember yourself before pressing save on the weekend.
Just enough quiet to remember yourself before pressing save on the weekend.
🎮 Saturday afternoon energy is free-roam mode.
No main quest.
No side quest.
Just moving through the world and letting the game breathe.
#Pausemenu
No main quest.
No side quest.
Just moving through the world and letting the game breathe.
#Pausemenu
January 10, 2026 at 6:10 PM
🎮 Saturday afternoon energy is free-roam mode.
No main quest.
No side quest.
Just moving through the world and letting the game breathe.
#Pausemenu
No main quest.
No side quest.
Just moving through the world and letting the game breathe.
#Pausemenu
🛠️ Not every struggle means you need an upgrade.
Sometimes it means your tools don’t fit you anymore.
Today’s Quiet Mode is about equipping before improving
and why misalignment feels like failure even when you’re “doing everything right.”
#Pausemenu
Sometimes it means your tools don’t fit you anymore.
Today’s Quiet Mode is about equipping before improving
and why misalignment feels like failure even when you’re “doing everything right.”
#Pausemenu
January 8, 2026 at 12:12 PM
🛠️ Not every struggle means you need an upgrade.
Sometimes it means your tools don’t fit you anymore.
Today’s Quiet Mode is about equipping before improving
and why misalignment feels like failure even when you’re “doing everything right.”
#Pausemenu
Sometimes it means your tools don’t fit you anymore.
Today’s Quiet Mode is about equipping before improving
and why misalignment feels like failure even when you’re “doing everything right.”
#Pausemenu
🏮
“In Elden Ring, resting is not a grand ending. It is a breath.”
Taking one of those today.
“In Elden Ring, resting is not a grand ending. It is a breath.”
Taking one of those today.
January 7, 2026 at 12:15 PM
🏮
“In Elden Ring, resting is not a grand ending. It is a breath.”
Taking one of those today.
“In Elden Ring, resting is not a grand ending. It is a breath.”
Taking one of those today.
🕯️ Today’s Pause Menu starts at a Site of Grace.
Not a reset.
Just a place to sit, take the heal, and continue.
Not a reset.
Just a place to sit, take the heal, and continue.
Elden Ring: You Don’t Need a New Save File
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life
open.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:04 PM
🕯️ Today’s Pause Menu starts at a Site of Grace.
Not a reset.
Just a place to sit, take the heal, and continue.
Not a reset.
Just a place to sit, take the heal, and continue.
🕯️ January isn’t about starting over.
It’s noticing what’s still here
after the noise fades.
#PauseMenu
It’s noticing what’s still here
after the noise fades.
#PauseMenu
January 5, 2026 at 11:59 AM
🕯️ January isn’t about starting over.
It’s noticing what’s still here
after the noise fades.
#PauseMenu
It’s noticing what’s still here
after the noise fades.
#PauseMenu
I’ll play. Final Fantasy 6 was my first FF game. As a kid, I ended up renting it back to back to back numerous times. It’s my favourite FF game to this day, and I doubt it’ll ever get usurped. The characters, the world, the plot, it was magical.
January 5, 2026 at 12:40 AM
I’ll play. Final Fantasy 6 was my first FF game. As a kid, I ended up renting it back to back to back numerous times. It’s my favourite FF game to this day, and I doubt it’ll ever get usurped. The characters, the world, the plot, it was magical.
It’s okay to take it slow. A return to gaming can start with rest 😊.
January 4, 2026 at 9:41 PM
It’s okay to take it slow. A return to gaming can start with rest 😊.
☕ Coffee. A slow start.
No quests yet. Just the title screen music playing.
Some days are meant to load quietly.
#Pausemenu
No quests yet. Just the title screen music playing.
Some days are meant to load quietly.
#Pausemenu
January 4, 2026 at 2:04 PM
☕ Coffee. A slow start.
No quests yet. Just the title screen music playing.
Some days are meant to load quietly.
#Pausemenu
No quests yet. Just the title screen music playing.
Some days are meant to load quietly.
#Pausemenu
I’ll likely pay closer attention to the Nintendo Directs, but I always game quite a bit on Xbox so whatever gets announced for that.
January 4, 2026 at 1:56 PM
I’ll likely pay closer attention to the Nintendo Directs, but I always game quite a bit on Xbox so whatever gets announced for that.
So true. I really liked playing the RE games, but after playing, senses were almost always heightened and a harmless shadow looked like a ferocious zombie lol.
January 4, 2026 at 1:34 PM
So true. I really liked playing the RE games, but after playing, senses were almost always heightened and a harmless shadow looked like a ferocious zombie lol.
Sounds like Peach and Toadette settling an old score.
I always preferred when the ai controlled characters focused fighting with each other instead of me.
I always preferred when the ai controlled characters focused fighting with each other instead of me.
January 4, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Sounds like Peach and Toadette settling an old score.
I always preferred when the ai controlled characters focused fighting with each other instead of me.
I always preferred when the ai controlled characters focused fighting with each other instead of me.
😌 I chose rest instead of pushing myself to play last night.
Woke up today feeling amazing.
Happy Saturday everyone.
Woke up today feeling amazing.
Happy Saturday everyone.
January 3, 2026 at 1:04 PM
😌 I chose rest instead of pushing myself to play last night.
Woke up today feeling amazing.
Happy Saturday everyone.
Woke up today feeling amazing.
Happy Saturday everyone.