The song is considered Del Rey's "breakthrough hit" and was a commercial success, peaking at number one in Germany, Iceland, and Luxembourg, and reaching the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

[3] "Video Games" was written and composed by Del Rey and Justin Parker in the key of F♯ minor[4] and was produced by Robopop (Daniel Omelio and Brandon Lowry) at BMG Studios in New York City.

[4] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian praised how Del Rey's vocal performance, against ballooning orchestration and pizzicato strings, overlapped the subdued theme of an aloof, beer-drinking boyfriend figure.

[8] Del Rey described her music and day-to-day style as "gangsta Nancy Sinatra",[7] with contemporary critics noting the song as a doom-filled ballad that unapologetically displays vulnerability.

[18][19] Of the musical composition, MTV lauded the cinematic atmosphere of the song, adoring its feathery violins, echoing electronic thumps, and melancholic crescendos — wound into a dramatic exhibition.

Following its release, Ian Cohen dubbed the song "Best New Music" on Pitchfork commenting, "on her stirring debut single, New York singer-songwriter Lizzy Grant transforms into the more bombastically named Lana Del Rey and absolutely wallows in it.

"[15] Digital Spy writer Robert Copsey noted Del Rey "combines a near-identical [Nancy Sinatra] vocal with her own fascination for the tragically glamorous — or 'Hollywood sadcore' as she succinctly labels it.

[21] Lewis Corner, also of Digital Spy, said, "New York-born, London-based Lana Del Rey is currently working on her debut album, but if this newly released preview track/video is anything to go by, it's going to be avant-garde pop at its very best.

[23] Maura Johnston of The Village Voice, however, called the song and its accompanying music video overproduced,[10] while New York magazine contributor Amanda Dobbis commented, "it's hard to totally separate Del Rey's looks from the criticism that's been bubbling around her.

"[24] In responses to this controversy, Paste's Luke Larson said, "when 'Video Games' first hit the web, people weren’t freaking out about Lana Del Rey or fake lips or Lizzy Grant.

The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop annual critics' poll ranked "Video Games" as the seventh best song of 2011, tied with Britney Spears's "Till the World Ends".

[37] In an interview with T, Del Rey explained that record labels initially perceived the downbeat production of the song as a commercial risk, especially considering the pervasive popularity of electronic dance music at the time.

"[59] Pitchfork's Ian Cohen commented that the music video "fits between surrendering to romance and depression, moving with the elegant wastefulness of the kind of day drunk that's a true privilege of the beautiful, idle class.

[60] Uploaded to her official Vevo account on October 18, 2011, the video features Del Rey in jean shorts and a white T-shirt, singing into a microphone while barefoot, accompanied by a pianist.

"[61] Aside from criticizing her pillowy lips and long fingernails, The Guardian applauded Del Rey for amping up on the coquettish glances and hushed vocals as she devastatingly delivers the line, "I heard that you like the bad girls, honey, is that true?

"[14] "Video Games" was performed by Del Rey in a number of live appearances, including for MTV Push[62] and at the Bowery Ballroom, where, according to Eliot Glazer of New York, "the polarizing indie hipstress brought her 'gangsta Nancy Sinatra' swag".

[63] Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone commented that, despite Del Rey being nervous and anxious while performing the song live, the singer "sang with considerable confidence, though her transitions from husky, come-hither sexuality to bratty, girlish petulance could be rather jarring".

"Video Games" has been covered by several artists, including Boy George, TYP, John Mayer (on guitar), Rasputina, Jay Jay Johanson, Bristeil (in the Belarusian language[71][72][73][74][75][76]), Ben Howard, Maverick Sabre, Tyler Hilton, Amanda Palmer, Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus, Patrick Wolf, Tom Odell, Trixie Mattel,[77][78] Tire le coyote (in French)[79] and English rock bands Bombay Bicycle Club and Kasabian.

Used in place of Desdemona's "Weeping Willow" song, it was performed by live choir at various points in the production in an Elizabethan style, framing key moments of the play, as well as being used as the opening overture.