With personal computers making their way into more and more homes, the young and the restless are increasingly turning to games for entertainment.

The youngsters are rushing back from school and college or staying at home to try their hand at the latest games, according to parents.

Mario, Doom and Mortal Kombat have become household names for those in their teens and 20s. The popularity of gaming consoles has contributed to the craze.

“I hardly see a youngster coming out to play these days. Most prefer to stay cooped in rooms, playing games on their computers or gaming consoles,” says 25-year-old Ananda Sen, a member of an upcoming city band.

“I am very fond of video games myself,” adds Sen.

Such statements are common in school and college canteens, malls and multiplexes. Apart from wider penetration of personal computers and gaming consoles, lack of time to pursue other forms of entertainment has contributed to the popularity of gaming.

There are options galore for the gamers — several versions of indoor equivalents of cricket and football, role-playing games like Legend of Zelda and Castlevania, first-person shooters like Quake, third-person shooters like Max Payne and interactive games like Guitar Heroes.

“Very good graphics, attractive presentation and interactivity make these games better choices than watching television. Youngsters have a lot of energy that they are not being able to utilise through sports because of lack of time. Computer games provide them with an alternative to expend their energy,” explains Atashi Gupta, psychologist at Teenline (Child In Need Institute), a counselling centre for adolescents.

“Spending hours before the computer or the gaming console is a way of life for us. It is about knowing the game and the console. It is about being up-to-date about the latest versions of the games,” says Rishav Kapoor, a student of St Xavier’s College.

Compared to outdoor games, the computer games are expensive. But GeNext is not complaining.

“Practically everyone has a personal computer. Gaming consoles have become affordable. Some of the models cost about Rs 7,000. All you need to do is keep abreast of the latest games,” says Sen, who owns a Sony Playstation 2, a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) and other handheld consoles, like Nintendo DS.

Though the original versions of the latest games cost about Rs 2,000, the pirated copies are available for as little as Rs 100.

“We generally go for pirated games since they are pocket-friendly,” states a gaming enthusiast in Calcutta.

For the serious gamer, gaming is more than a hobby. It is a social activity involving networks of friends, who live, breathe and dream gaming.

“We play games for about eight hours a day, sometimes even longer. We keep exchanging CDs, so there is always a new game to play,” says Rishav.

Many parents do not like their children to spend hours before the computer or the gaming console, but some provide tacit support to the youngsters.

“If my son spends too much of time before the console, I get angry. But at times I don’t react, since he is at least in front of my eyes,” says Smita Gupta, whose son is a gaming addict.