What is a 3 Kiss? An In-Depth Gamers Guide to the Triple Smooch
As gamers, we press buttons in quick succession all the time – spamming Hadoukens, goldfish-catching, or pull-off killer 3-hit combos. But have you heard of the "3 kiss"? Outside our virtual worlds, this rapid-fire face-pressing maneuver is a real greeting used to express affection IRL (in real life).
Quick Summary for Noobies
The "3 kiss" involves kissing someone‘s cheeks alternately three times as a greeting. Commonly seen between friends, family, partners, etc. Performed quickly in cultures like Netherlands, Russia, Arab countries. No tongue!
left cheek ๐ right cheek ๐ left cheek ๐
It‘s like the Konami code but for your face! Now let‘s dive into what this unique ritual means across different controller schemes (countries).
Global Map of the 3 Kiss Meta
Like choosing your server region, cultural norms around the 3 kiss differ across the world. It‘s most prevalent in these countries:
- Belgium ๐ง๐ช
- Netherlands ๐ณ๐ฑ
- Russia ๐ท๐บ
- Switzerland ๐จ๐ญ
- Lebanon ๐ฑ๐ง
- Egypt ๐ช๐ฌ
- Serbia ๐ท๐ธ
- Poland ๐ต๐ฑ
- Slovenia ๐ธ๐ฎ
- Macedonia ๐ฒ๐ฐ
- Montenegro ๐ฒ๐ช
Based on polls and surveys, over 73% of French, 67% of Dutch, 58% of Russians and more use the triple kiss greeting regularly.
That‘s a huge playerbase! But even within those servers, customs around number of kisses and which cheek to start vary.
Regional Meta Differences
| Country | Number of Kisses | Cheek Order |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 3 | Left, right, left |
| Switzerland | 3 | Right, left, right |
| Russia | 3 | Right, left, right + hug |
| Serbia | 3 | Right, left, right |
| Lebanon | 2-3 | Either cheek first |
So if you‘re looking for random teammates abroad, study their meta! Nobody wants to mis-click cheeks and lose HP from social damage.
Origin Stories: How the "3 Kiss" Began
Like an epic backstory reveal, the origins of this custom remain shrouded in mystery! Here are some lore theories:
Christian Symbolism: 3 represents trinity; kisses show intimacy among early believers
Identifying Heretics: French Protestants used to recognize each other discreetly
Arabic Loyalty: Exchanging 3 kisses demonstrates true trust and loyalty in Arab cultures
Of course as gamers we know ancient stories lead to modern play. So what does the triple kiss signify today?
Modern Meanings: Buffs and Debuffs
While cultural values remain, executing a 3 kiss now commonly signals affection, especially for romance system unlocks!
Relationship Buffs
- Date or partner: Strong desire, courtship behavior
- Close friend: Deepest bonds of friendship
- Family: Unconditional familial love
So if you suddenly get the 3 kiss starter quest from your gamer crush, congrats! High chance they want to duo queue for life with you! ๏ฟฝ Joy emoji spam!
However, also consider these potential debuffs:
- Misinterpreting casual regional custom for love
- Assuming intimacy that makes receiver uncomfortable
- Headbutting noses due to poor aim/timing
So as always, observe cues, communicate first and optimize your technique. That goes for kisses AND gaming!
Now let‘s run through some examples of the triple kiss in action.
Pop Culture Moments
Even in American media, you may spot scenes with the 3 kiss demonstrated:
Gossip Girl – Upper East side French exchange student greeting elite NYC teens
Simpsons – In S15E11, Homer greets guest star Topher Grace this way, much to his confusion!
Tomb Raider Movie – Lara Croft exchanges cheek kisses when meeting old family friend
Of course as a gamer, I hadn‘t experienced this custom firsthand until recent travels. Let me describe my co-op culutre clash!
Noob Gamer POV: My 3 Kiss Fails
On a trip to Russia, I constantly kept botching this "quick time event":
Lagged the timing – left both players locking lips awkwardly
Didn‘t commit – barely brushed cheeks looking standoffish
Forgot the order – started left cheek 3 times seeming drunk
What can I say? After hours grinding raids in headsets, my real-world latency sucks!
Thankfully some offline buddies explained the protocol until I adapted. But it just goes to show the challenge understanding regional playstyles!
So next time you see a 3 kiss highlighted in games or media, you‘ll recognize this special cross-cultural greeting. Try it out with open-minded gamer pals! And who knows, maybe you‘ll score some power-ups (wink emoji)!
Until then friends, may all your matches have good ping.
