Many years ago, “Let’s Play” videos became popular on YouTube. A “Let’s Play,” in short, is a video of someone playing and adding their commentary on different video games that they play. Of all the Let’s Players that I’ve watched, the Game Grumps are the most beloved and downright hilarious people I have never met.

Arin Hanson and Danny Avidan play video games for hours, adding in their own personalities and stories to each 10-15 minute video. Though The Game Grumps started off as their own channel, with different people it has now grown to include several different YouTube channels or playlists that feature certain kinds of video games – for example, “Steam Train” features Arin and Dannny’s friend Ross O’Donovan (along with others) who solely play games from Steam, the PC gaming content. Arin’s wife, Suzy Berhow,also has “Kitty Cat Gaming,” where she plays games she’s interested in, while also working on her own personal channel “Mort3mer” which are personal videos / makeup / fashion blogging, her Etsy shop and so much more (Suzy is just really really great and you should check her out!)

With all this information that I know about the Game Grumps and the crew, it got me thinking about what they really mean to me. Arin and Danny recently finished “Pokémon Fire: Red” after going on hiatus for over a year and a half, yet in episode 115 where they decide to pick up again, Danny talks about how in the past year and a half, so much has happened in his life – he lived in a different city, was with a different person, and heck, dropped two albums since with his band “Ninja Sex Party.”

Then I think about all the things I’ve learned from the Game Grumps – Danny’s stories of

struggle with mental health in his early 20’s, Arin and Suzy’s struggle to make it on their own after Arin dropped out of high school, and even Ross’s stories of being bullied in his Australian home town. And the best part is? The way that they talk to each other in each episode, makes it seem like you are there. Fans of the Game Grumps know all about the people who create these shows, making it feel like you have friends… but you’ve never really met them.

So if you have a few minutes to spare, I suggest checking them out. These playthroughs are also great, because if you’re stuck in a game, or don’t have the money to buy it, you can always just watch them play it, and enjoy it with them. Whether you like “cute” games like Animal Crossing, scary games like Five Nights at Freddy’s, or simply want to watch them play shitty cereal-box CD-ROM games from the early 2000’s, they have it.

Here's the "Best of" fan compilation for July 2016 - if you like this, you are guaranteed to love their work.