🔥 This week on Pause Menu:
🎮 Madden 25 (Tue/free) –finding calm in repetition
🧩 Tetris 99 (Thu/paid) –responding to and carrying the weight we didn’t choose
🍌 Donkey Kong Country( Sun/Legacy paid)– lessons that still echo as an adult gamer
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #madden #tetris #dkc
🎮 Madden 25 (Tue/free) –finding calm in repetition
🧩 Tetris 99 (Thu/paid) –responding to and carrying the weight we didn’t choose
🍌 Donkey Kong Country( Sun/Legacy paid)– lessons that still echo as an adult gamer
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #madden #tetris #dkc
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 PM
🔥 This week on Pause Menu:
🎮 Madden 25 (Tue/free) –finding calm in repetition
🧩 Tetris 99 (Thu/paid) –responding to and carrying the weight we didn’t choose
🍌 Donkey Kong Country( Sun/Legacy paid)– lessons that still echo as an adult gamer
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #madden #tetris #dkc
🎮 Madden 25 (Tue/free) –finding calm in repetition
🧩 Tetris 99 (Thu/paid) –responding to and carrying the weight we didn’t choose
🍌 Donkey Kong Country( Sun/Legacy paid)– lessons that still echo as an adult gamer
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #madden #tetris #dkc
☕️ Sunday morning load screen.
Kids up. Coffee half gone. Controller calling from name from across the room.
Likely no campaign work today, but maybe a side quest or two later this afternoon.
#pausemenu #videogames #gaming #sundayvibes
Kids up. Coffee half gone. Controller calling from name from across the room.
Likely no campaign work today, but maybe a side quest or two later this afternoon.
#pausemenu #videogames #gaming #sundayvibes
November 9, 2025 at 12:42 PM
☕️ Sunday morning load screen.
Kids up. Coffee half gone. Controller calling from name from across the room.
Likely no campaign work today, but maybe a side quest or two later this afternoon.
#pausemenu #videogames #gaming #sundayvibes
Kids up. Coffee half gone. Controller calling from name from across the room.
Likely no campaign work today, but maybe a side quest or two later this afternoon.
#pausemenu #videogames #gaming #sundayvibes
Some games don’t wait for you to be ready. They just drop you in and say: hold the line. ⚔️
Today’s Quiet Mode reflection dives into Warcraft III and the quiet heroism of showing up when it’s hardest.
Link to article is in the comments.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #warcraft
Today’s Quiet Mode reflection dives into Warcraft III and the quiet heroism of showing up when it’s hardest.
Link to article is in the comments.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #warcraft
November 6, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Some games don’t wait for you to be ready. They just drop you in and say: hold the line. ⚔️
Today’s Quiet Mode reflection dives into Warcraft III and the quiet heroism of showing up when it’s hardest.
Link to article is in the comments.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #warcraft
Today’s Quiet Mode reflection dives into Warcraft III and the quiet heroism of showing up when it’s hardest.
Link to article is in the comments.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #warcraft
Not every week needs a boss fight win.
Sometimes the victory is just hitting save and logging off. 💫
#CozyGames #PauseMenu
#gaming #videogames
Sometimes the victory is just hitting save and logging off. 💫
#CozyGames #PauseMenu
#gaming #videogames
October 24, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Not every week needs a boss fight win.
Sometimes the victory is just hitting save and logging off. 💫
#CozyGames #PauseMenu
#gaming #videogames
Sometimes the victory is just hitting save and logging off. 💫
#CozyGames #PauseMenu
#gaming #videogames
🎮 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
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
October 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
🎮 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
🌙 In XCOM 2, we all tell ourselves the same lie: “Just one more.”
One more mission. One more turn. One more try.
But the hardest move isn’t the next run — it’s stopping.
New Pause Menu reflection drops tomorrow.
#pausemenu #xcom2 #gaming #videogames
One more mission. One more turn. One more try.
But the hardest move isn’t the next run — it’s stopping.
New Pause Menu reflection drops tomorrow.
#pausemenu #xcom2 #gaming #videogames
October 13, 2025 at 12:38 PM
🌙 In XCOM 2, we all tell ourselves the same lie: “Just one more.”
One more mission. One more turn. One more try.
But the hardest move isn’t the next run — it’s stopping.
New Pause Menu reflection drops tomorrow.
#pausemenu #xcom2 #gaming #videogames
One more mission. One more turn. One more try.
But the hardest move isn’t the next run — it’s stopping.
New Pause Menu reflection drops tomorrow.
#pausemenu #xcom2 #gaming #videogames
🍁 In case you missed it:
Stardew Valley: The Perfect Fall Game — cozy mornings, pixel harvests, and that bittersweet reminder that every season passes.
#pausemenu #stardewvalley #gaming #videogames #promosky
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
Stardew Valley: The Perfect Fall Game — cozy mornings, pixel harvests, and that bittersweet reminder that every season passes.
#pausemenu #stardewvalley #gaming #videogames #promosky
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
Stardew Valley: The Perfect Fall Game
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life
open.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 11:00 AM
🍁 In case you missed it:
Stardew Valley: The Perfect Fall Game — cozy mornings, pixel harvests, and that bittersweet reminder that every season passes.
#pausemenu #stardewvalley #gaming #videogames #promosky
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
Stardew Valley: The Perfect Fall Game — cozy mornings, pixel harvests, and that bittersweet reminder that every season passes.
#pausemenu #stardewvalley #gaming #videogames #promosky
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
🔥 Rest isn’t the reward for finishing the journey. It’s what helps you continue it.
In Elden Ring, the bonfire isn’t the end it’s the pause that lets you keep going.
That’s what fall feels like too. 🍂
#EldenRing #GamingReflections #PauseMenu #FallVibes
In Elden Ring, the bonfire isn’t the end it’s the pause that lets you keep going.
That’s what fall feels like too. 🍂
#EldenRing #GamingReflections #PauseMenu #FallVibes
October 8, 2025 at 11:17 AM
🔥 Rest isn’t the reward for finishing the journey. It’s what helps you continue it.
In Elden Ring, the bonfire isn’t the end it’s the pause that lets you keep going.
That’s what fall feels like too. 🍂
#EldenRing #GamingReflections #PauseMenu #FallVibes
In Elden Ring, the bonfire isn’t the end it’s the pause that lets you keep going.
That’s what fall feels like too. 🍂
#EldenRing #GamingReflections #PauseMenu #FallVibes
Ubisoft packt jetzt Ads in Spiele rrein sobald mman die Karte oder das Pausemenü öffnet 😂😂 wie kann man eigentlich so lächerlich dumm sein und sich denken dass Spieler dann mehr statt weniger die Spiele zulegen 🙈🤦♂️🤦♂️ Big Lose to the industry
November 25, 2023 at 12:16 PM
Ubisoft packt jetzt Ads in Spiele rrein sobald mman die Karte oder das Pausemenü öffnet 😂😂 wie kann man eigentlich so lächerlich dumm sein und sich denken dass Spieler dann mehr statt weniger die Spiele zulegen 🙈🤦♂️🤦♂️ Big Lose to the industry
... hausen, genügt es, wenn ein:e Spieler:in eine Solo-Welt startet und dann im Pausemenü die Welt im LAN öffnet. Andere können den lokalen LAN-Server dann im Mehrspieler-Menü finden und bei korrekter Konfiguration der Betriebssystem-/Firewall-Einstellungen auch beitreten. (Nur Java Edition.)
2/15
2/15
December 22, 2024 at 6:05 PM
... hausen, genügt es, wenn ein:e Spieler:in eine Solo-Welt startet und dann im Pausemenü die Welt im LAN öffnet. Andere können den lokalen LAN-Server dann im Mehrspieler-Menü finden und bei korrekter Konfiguration der Betriebssystem-/Firewall-Einstellungen auch beitreten. (Nur Java Edition.)
2/15
2/15
It’s a calm Sunday spawn point. 🌤
Low stakes, soft light, warm mug.
Just breathe, load in, and start slow. 🍁
#PauseMenu #CozyGaming #SundayMorning #Fallgaming
Low stakes, soft light, warm mug.
Just breathe, load in, and start slow. 🍁
#PauseMenu #CozyGaming #SundayMorning #Fallgaming
November 2, 2025 at 12:48 PM
It’s a calm Sunday spawn point. 🌤
Low stakes, soft light, warm mug.
Just breathe, load in, and start slow. 🍁
#PauseMenu #CozyGaming #SundayMorning #Fallgaming
Low stakes, soft light, warm mug.
Just breathe, load in, and start slow. 🍁
#PauseMenu #CozyGaming #SundayMorning #Fallgaming
⚔️ Congratulations you made it to Friday. Consider this your checkpoint.
Breathe. Log in. Play slow.
You’ve earned your pause.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #fridayvibes
Breathe. Log in. Play slow.
You’ve earned your pause.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #fridayvibes
October 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM
⚔️ Congratulations you made it to Friday. Consider this your checkpoint.
Breathe. Log in. Play slow.
You’ve earned your pause.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #fridayvibes
Breathe. Log in. Play slow.
You’ve earned your pause.
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #fridayvibes
👻 We all have one —
that save file we’ll never open again.
Not because we didn’t love the game, but because we’ve changed since the last time we played.
Haunted Backlog: The Save File I’ll Never Open Again
🎮 A reflection on Metroid Dread, memory, and digital ghosts.
#PauseMenu #metroid #promosky
that save file we’ll never open again.
Not because we didn’t love the game, but because we’ve changed since the last time we played.
Haunted Backlog: The Save File I’ll Never Open Again
🎮 A reflection on Metroid Dread, memory, and digital ghosts.
#PauseMenu #metroid #promosky
The Haunted Backlog: Games We Keep Avoiding
Gaming reflections from the backlog menu of life
open.substack.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:26 AM
👻 We all have one —
that save file we’ll never open again.
Not because we didn’t love the game, but because we’ve changed since the last time we played.
Haunted Backlog: The Save File I’ll Never Open Again
🎮 A reflection on Metroid Dread, memory, and digital ghosts.
#PauseMenu #metroid #promosky
that save file we’ll never open again.
Not because we didn’t love the game, but because we’ve changed since the last time we played.
Haunted Backlog: The Save File I’ll Never Open Again
🎮 A reflection on Metroid Dread, memory, and digital ghosts.
#PauseMenu #metroid #promosky
🍬 Every Halloween haul had its final boss: my siblings stealing from my chocolate stash.
New Pause Menu Side Quest: Snacks That Fueled My Gaming Quests
🎮 Cream soda. Sour candy. Save files that still taste like childhood.
#pausemenu #gaming #halloween
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
New Pause Menu Side Quest: Snacks That Fueled My Gaming Quests
🎮 Cream soda. Sour candy. Save files that still taste like childhood.
#pausemenu #gaming #halloween
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
🎃 Snacks That Fueled My Gaming Quests
Side Quest: Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life
open.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 2:02 AM
🍬 Every Halloween haul had its final boss: my siblings stealing from my chocolate stash.
New Pause Menu Side Quest: Snacks That Fueled My Gaming Quests
🎮 Cream soda. Sour candy. Save files that still taste like childhood.
#pausemenu #gaming #halloween
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
New Pause Menu Side Quest: Snacks That Fueled My Gaming Quests
🎮 Cream soda. Sour candy. Save files that still taste like childhood.
#pausemenu #gaming #halloween
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
🎮 Friday: the final boss of the work week.
Stamina low, save point ahead.
Weekend loading…
Breathe. You got this.
Good luck everyone!
#PauseMenu
Stamina low, save point ahead.
Weekend loading…
Breathe. You got this.
Good luck everyone!
#PauseMenu
October 10, 2025 at 11:17 AM
🎮 Friday: the final boss of the work week.
Stamina low, save point ahead.
Weekend loading…
Breathe. You got this.
Good luck everyone!
#PauseMenu
Stamina low, save point ahead.
Weekend loading…
Breathe. You got this.
Good luck everyone!
#PauseMenu
Not every night’s for grinding XP.
Some nights, just sitting at the campfire is progress.
🌙 #PauseMenu #Gaming #videogames
Some nights, just sitting at the campfire is progress.
🌙 #PauseMenu #Gaming #videogames
October 25, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Not every night’s for grinding XP.
Some nights, just sitting at the campfire is progress.
🌙 #PauseMenu #Gaming #videogames
Some nights, just sitting at the campfire is progress.
🌙 #PauseMenu #Gaming #videogames
🎯 In XCOM 2, every click feels like a life or death call.
My new Pause Menu piece is live and discusses XCOM2, risk, rest, and the tempting pull of “just one more.”
#pausemenu #gaming #XCOM2
#videogames
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
My new Pause Menu piece is live and discusses XCOM2, risk, rest, and the tempting pull of “just one more.”
#pausemenu #gaming #XCOM2
#videogames
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
One More Run Before Bed: XCOM 2 and the Pull of “Just One More Mission”
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life.
open.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 11:11 AM
🎯 In XCOM 2, every click feels like a life or death call.
My new Pause Menu piece is live and discusses XCOM2, risk, rest, and the tempting pull of “just one more.”
#pausemenu #gaming #XCOM2
#videogames
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
My new Pause Menu piece is live and discusses XCOM2, risk, rest, and the tempting pull of “just one more.”
#pausemenu #gaming #XCOM2
#videogames
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
In Hi-Fi Rush gibt‘s die Option „Zum Unterschlupf zurück“. Was für ein niedliches Wort ist Unterschlupf, bitte? Ehre an die Übersetzer:innen!
#gaming
#gaming
July 26, 2024 at 6:06 AM
In Hi-Fi Rush gibt‘s die Option „Zum Unterschlupf zurück“. Was für ein niedliches Wort ist Unterschlupf, bitte? Ehre an die Übersetzer:innen!
#gaming
#gaming
Midweek reset.
Small quest, soft light, warm mug.
Load in, do one good thing to advance your file, save. 💾
#pausemenu #gaming #vidrogames
Small quest, soft light, warm mug.
Load in, do one good thing to advance your file, save. 💾
#pausemenu #gaming #vidrogames
November 5, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Midweek reset.
Small quest, soft light, warm mug.
Load in, do one good thing to advance your file, save. 💾
#pausemenu #gaming #vidrogames
Small quest, soft light, warm mug.
Load in, do one good thing to advance your file, save. 💾
#pausemenu #gaming #vidrogames
⚔️Elden Ring doesn’t care how tired you are.
The storms don’t wait. The enemies don’t stop.
But when you rest at a bonfire, the weight of the world suddenly feels lighter.
#Eldenring #gamingreflection #pausemenu
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
The storms don’t wait. The enemies don’t stop.
But when you rest at a bonfire, the weight of the world suddenly feels lighter.
#Eldenring #gamingreflection #pausemenu
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
Elden Ring: Before the Dark, Find Your Fire
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life.
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:10 AM
⚔️Elden Ring doesn’t care how tired you are.
The storms don’t wait. The enemies don’t stop.
But when you rest at a bonfire, the weight of the world suddenly feels lighter.
#Eldenring #gamingreflection #pausemenu
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
The storms don’t wait. The enemies don’t stop.
But when you rest at a bonfire, the weight of the world suddenly feels lighter.
#Eldenring #gamingreflection #pausemenu
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
🎮We rented Harvest Moon 64 as a joke. Then it quietly became the game that taught me patience, persistence, and pride in slow progress.
💾 Found Save — new today on Pause Menu.
#pausemenu #HarvestMoon #gaming #foundsave
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
💾 Found Save — new today on Pause Menu.
#pausemenu #HarvestMoon #gaming #foundsave
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
Harvest Moon 64: The Game That Taught Me Hard Work Pays Off
Found Save: The games that shaped the player
open.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 12:51 AM
🎮We rented Harvest Moon 64 as a joke. Then it quietly became the game that taught me patience, persistence, and pride in slow progress.
💾 Found Save — new today on Pause Menu.
#pausemenu #HarvestMoon #gaming #foundsave
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
💾 Found Save — new today on Pause Menu.
#pausemenu #HarvestMoon #gaming #foundsave
open.substack.com/pub/pausemen...
☀️ Saturday’s here.
The world slows down just enough to breathe.
Maybe you’ll grind a quest, start something new, or just let the controller rest for a bit.
Whatever your pace today, play slow, play kind, and play for you. 🎮
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames
The world slows down just enough to breathe.
Maybe you’ll grind a quest, start something new, or just let the controller rest for a bit.
Whatever your pace today, play slow, play kind, and play for you. 🎮
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames
November 8, 2025 at 3:19 PM
☀️ Saturday’s here.
The world slows down just enough to breathe.
Maybe you’ll grind a quest, start something new, or just let the controller rest for a bit.
Whatever your pace today, play slow, play kind, and play for you. 🎮
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames
The world slows down just enough to breathe.
Maybe you’ll grind a quest, start something new, or just let the controller rest for a bit.
Whatever your pace today, play slow, play kind, and play for you. 🎮
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames
🎮 The boldest move in XCOM 2 isn’t a desperate grenade toss or a flawless flank. The boldest move is quitting the game, and saying goodnight while you’re ahead.
Sometimes the hardest mission is just calling it a night.
Read the full article below:
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #XCOM2 #promosky
Sometimes the hardest mission is just calling it a night.
Read the full article below:
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #XCOM2 #promosky
One More Run Before Bed: XCOM 2 and the Pull of “Just One More Mission”
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life.
open.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 11:57 AM
🎮 The boldest move in XCOM 2 isn’t a desperate grenade toss or a flawless flank. The boldest move is quitting the game, and saying goodnight while you’re ahead.
Sometimes the hardest mission is just calling it a night.
Read the full article below:
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #XCOM2 #promosky
Sometimes the hardest mission is just calling it a night.
Read the full article below:
#pausemenu #gaming #videogames #XCOM2 #promosky
Sell your catch before it rots. 🎣
In Dredge and in life, the things we hold too tightly lose their shine.
Ideas, kindness, and even regret fade if we keep them too long.
🕯 New reflection - Dredge: Sell Your Catch Before It Rots
#PauseMenu #Gaming #Dredge #Reflection #videogames
In Dredge and in life, the things we hold too tightly lose their shine.
Ideas, kindness, and even regret fade if we keep them too long.
🕯 New reflection - Dredge: Sell Your Catch Before It Rots
#PauseMenu #Gaming #Dredge #Reflection #videogames
Dredge: Sell Your Catch Before It Rots
Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life.
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Sell your catch before it rots. 🎣
In Dredge and in life, the things we hold too tightly lose their shine.
Ideas, kindness, and even regret fade if we keep them too long.
🕯 New reflection - Dredge: Sell Your Catch Before It Rots
#PauseMenu #Gaming #Dredge #Reflection #videogames
In Dredge and in life, the things we hold too tightly lose their shine.
Ideas, kindness, and even regret fade if we keep them too long.
🕯 New reflection - Dredge: Sell Your Catch Before It Rots
#PauseMenu #Gaming #Dredge #Reflection #videogames