I remember when I was very little
Skyward Sword was something I wanted very much, and we already had a Wii, but I was too scared to go past the first flower enemy, coming into the forest area
My brother (was my sister at the time) decided he'd play the game instead, and I always looked up to him for it because it meant I could continue to see the game and meaningfully interact beyond just looking at a screen, I could say something and influence the outcome
It gave me something to look forward to. I was very young at the time, so I didn't have a lot to worry about at the time, but it made me happy to be a part of my brother's journey through the game
I think that's why I almost prefer watching others play games in real time instead of playing them myself. It's my way of spending time with the people I care about