15 Video Game Worlds We Wish We Could Live In

For generations, video games have brought not only iconic gameplay, storylines, and characters to the masses, but they've also given countless gamers some truly unbelievable virtual worlds to explore. From the far-fetched to the ultra-realistic, these in-game universes are often sights to behold.

Of course, these massive worlds lead to one predictable question: Which ones would gamers want to live in? Today, I'm presenting this curated list to get to the bottom of this topic.

1. Super Mario Bros.

The Super Mario Bros. world (specifically the Mushroom Kingdom) unsurprisingly tops this list for nearly every nostalgic reason you can think of. Living in a world where you grow to triple your size by eating mushrooms, saving princesses, and having a brother by your side as you jump your way to victory sounds good.

The colorful world of Super Mario Bros. has evolved with each new Nintendo console generation, and living in that universe today would be a decidedly colorful and immersive experience.

2. Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball

The developers of Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball set out to accomplish two things: make an entertaining and playable volleyball game and work overtime on giving the character models the most realistic body movements ever. (If you know, you know.)

Living inside the Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball world would be like a perpetual spring break. Although I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life there, it's worth a visit.

3. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

Being a professional skateboarder takes a lot of skill, guts, and dedication. I do not possess those three qualities. Living in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater world would allow me to live out my skateboarding fantasy and make my inner teenager very happy.

In addition, the music from the game's iconic soundtrack would render my headphones obsolete, so it would be one less thing for me to carry around throughout my day.

4. Grand Theft Auto

Ask around: living inside Grand Theft Auto would be unbelievably fun for many gamers of all ages. From running from the police to driving exotic cars to committing multiple horrific crimes daily, you certainly wouldn't be bored.

The Grand Theft Auto franchise has succeeded because it acts as the ultimate form of escapism, which would hold true if you could live in the open-ended world.

5. The Sims

Sometimes, speaking a language everyone knows is too stressful. Imagine living in The Sims, where the babble-like language would mean one thing: no responsibilities whatsoever. In addition, living in this world would mean being at the mercy of whoever is controlling you, which might lower your stress level even further.

We've all played The Sims endlessly; who would say no to living in it for a bit?

6. Sonic the Hedgehog

Although I grew up in a Nintendo family, I've always had a soft spot for the blue Sega mascot. Living in the Sonic the Hedgehog world would quench my need for speed and allow me to collect plenty of rings for my fiancee. (Yes, I'm dragging her into this thought experiment.)

Sure, my life would be a blur, and the jury is still out on whether Sonic is a jerk or not, but it would be memorable nonetheless.

7. Oregon Trail

This PC classic was part of millions of childhoods, and the game taught us a little bit about what life was like hundreds of years ago when the United States was in its infancy. The graphics were nearly non-existent, and the gameplay was average at best.

Still, I'd love to put myself in the Oregon Trail universe and try my hand at fording a river while trying not to die from dysentery. It sounds super fun!

8. Red Dead Redemption

If living inside Grand Theft Auto is too intense for you, I highly recommend somehow transporting yourself into the world of Red Dead Redemption. Replace fast cars with horses and machine guns with pistols, and hey, that's the recipe for a pretty fun experience.

The slow-living approach to Red Dead Redemption‘s gameplay is ideally suited for somebody looking to live in a video game world but at a slower pace.

9. World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft put its action-packed, turn-based adventure gameplay on the map decades ago, and in 2024, the franchise is still as popular as ever. Living in this fantasy universe would be a mind-altering experience for many gamers.

I'm unsure if I could handle the rich colors and the overwhelming number of characters onscreen at once if I lived here, but I'm sure many gamers could pull it off.

10. Resident Evil

I'm not a scaredy-cat, but even someone like me often wonders if they could live in a survival horror universe found in the Resident Evil series. I always thought I'd thrive in a zombie apocalypse scenario, and if I could live in this world, I'd have my shot to prove it.

Would I be immediately eaten by the undead? Probably. But there's a slight chance I'd survive and lead humanity to a new beginning, too.

11. NBA Jam

As someone whose lifelong dream is to dunk a basketball on a regulation hoop legitimately, I'd love to live in the world of NBA Jam. It would be too good to be true; being able to effortlessly dunk a basketball (with a few flips thrown in for good measure) would be fantastic.

Plus, literally catching on fire and a fantastic PA announcer narrating my exploits, and you've got a recipe for a good life if you're a basketball fan.

12. Call of Duty

War-simulation games are a dime a dozen in 2024, but no game captures the spirit of modern warfare better than Call of Duty. Imagine living in that world: it would be like living out the ultimate soldier fantasy without drawbacks.

Unfortunately, I think we'd all come desensitized to the violence prevalent in these games if we lived inside its world, but that wouldn't stop gamers from wanting to do it in the first place.

13. Minecraft

Let's all agree to live in Minecraft‘s simple, pixelated world where we can build whatever we need and live in harmony. Doesn't that sound wonderful?

The game boasts one of the largest player bases in gaming history, so conventional wisdom suggests Minecraft would be a very popular universe to take residence in. However, I must admit it would get exhausting being around so many children all the time.

14. Fortnite

Speaking of video games that kids can't get enough of, Fortnite earns a spot on this list because living inside its world would be ridiculous to the highest degree at all times. Fortnite is a game that constantly reinvents itself; what was true yesterday may not be true today.

Put two and two together: knowing this, living in this world would be mayhem. However, it would undoubtedly be fun, like many games on this list.

15. WWE 2K

Who hasn't daydreamed about being a professional wrestler at some point in their childhood (or adulthood)? If you gave someone a bodyslam or piledriver in real life, you'd seriously injure them. But in the WWE 2K universe, anything's possible. Who knows? You could become bigger than The Rock!

Besides, the next-best option is to actually become a professional wrestler, and let's be honest: that's never going to happen.