As someone who loves tracking my gaming habits (hello, Backlog Explorer!), I’ve recently started leaning into the idea of marking games as DNF—Did Not Finish. It’s a small label, but honestly? It’s kind of liberating.

For me, DNF means I’ve given the game a fair shot—sometimes even more than one—but I’ve decided I don’t want to spend any more time on it. And that’s not a failure. It’s a choice. One that says my time and energy matter.

Here’s a look at my current DNF list, and some thoughts on why I’m letting each of these go. All of these were played on Nintendo Switch, except for Sun Haven, which I played on Steam.

🧸 Bear & Breakfast

I was so excited for this one—but wow, the controls were just terrible. I don’t think I even managed to host the first guests. I found the gameplay confusing and unclear, and I wasn’t having fun. Big letdown.

🧙‍♀️ Fae Farm

Another one I was super hyped for. Apparently, I stopped too soon—because all the magical systems unlock later—but after about 10 hours, I felt like I’d seen enough. That said, I loved the built-in almanac! It’s refreshing when a game lets you find all the info you need in-game, instead of forcing you to search a wiki.

💃 Fashion Dreamer

I bought this right after moving to France from New Zealand. Life was chaotic, and I just needed something light after my son went to bed. It gave me that creative escape for a little while. But after a month, I got distracted by something else and never felt the pull to go back. It’s repetitive, and I think it gave me what I needed at the time.

🐾 Garden Paws

I couldn’t play this for more than five minutes without feeling sick. Something about the camera movement or motion made it unplayable for me on the Switch. I’ve tried several times, but I tap out every time.

🏕️ Haven Park

I bought this around the same time as A Short Hike (which is phenomenal, by the way). My son was just a month old, and I was trying to reconnect with things I loved. While A Short Hike was magical, Haven Park felt… meh. Confusing, aimless, and kind of boring.

🎀 Hello Kitty Island Adventure

I wanted to love this. But once I missed a few days and fell behind, it felt more like a chore than a cozy escape. That “behind schedule” feeling totally killed the vibe for me.

🧑‍🎓 Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

This game should be my thing. The style, the music, the Studio Ghibli magic—it all screams Joana. But no matter how many times I try, I always fall off somewhere around Al Mamoon. Even looking at screenshots, I want to like it. But I just can’t get into it.

🧪 Potion Permit

I was visiting the Netherlands with my 18-month-old when I played this—sneaking in sessions after bedtime. It was charming, but I got stuck trying to figure out fishing (??) and then got totally pulled into Disney Dreamlight Valley for a while. And once I lost momentum, I never picked it back up.

🌾 Sun Haven

This was my very first Steam Deck game! I was thrilled to play it. But the controls (at the time) were unintuitive and overwhelming. I dropped it. And now, with the controversy around the Switch release and how volunteers were treated… yeah. I think I’m done with this one.

Letting Go is Progress Too

DNF’ing a game isn’t failure—it’s self-awareness. It’s acknowledging that not everything has to be finished, and that our time is limited. Especially as a parent, as someone trying to balance creativity and rest, I want to spend my time on games that spark something. If you’re holding on to games out of guilt or “maybe someday,” consider this your permission slip to move on.