It is a new age: an age of smartphones. With this technology, humans can do practically anything, from surfing the web to taking professional looking pictures. For smartphone users across the globe, the craze of games from the app store is something that cannot be denied or ignored. Regardless of age, gender, or profession, almost no one is exempt.  The mother of two plays Candy Crush while her toddlers argue about whose turn it is to play Angry Birds or Minion Rush.

What is the obsession? Why are these games are highly addictive? What do they trigger something in the human brain?

Perhaps people are just plain bored and looking for something to pass the time. Regardless of the cause, it is indisputably a major element in the lives of students at Hammonton High School.

“I enjoy playing Clash of Clans. It is a 24/7 commitment, whether you are building villages and fighting or expanding empires with an iron fist it takes lots of patience and dedication,” he said. Seth insists he’s not obsessed, ”just committed.”

Senior Gary Scola plays traditional games in a non-traditional way.

“I like to play solitaire and poker on my phone,” he said. “I play about an hour a day and always take the pots.” .

Dan MacDuff has recently come under the spell of “Le Puppy.” “Le Puppy,” a game in which you play from the point of view of a puppy, has players gather as many bones as possible while jumping over logs.

“This game is actually so fun, I get a good laugh every time I play because of the name but strangely enough, it is very addictive,” he said.

Sports games have also become more popular. If players are not at home playing Xbox, they can simply download the game to their phone. Games like NHL, NBA and Madden have become very popular, but the latest craze with students is Fifa, a competitive soccer app.

“If I’m not at home playing, I’m playing on my phone,” said senior Matt Parker. “I can’t get enough of Fifa; I just love beating  kids with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).” Parker  is this year’s 2014 Fifa tournament runner-up.

It’s quite evident that phone gaming has become the new norm, whether one is gaming simply because he’s are bored in class and tired of refreshing twitter or perhaps just “committed” as Tristan Seth would say.