That line about being on the couch in 10 minutes is way too real for me. What worked for me was keeping a packed gym bag in the car so there was no excuse to stop at home first, and even a quick 20 minute session right after work did more for my mood than an hour later in the night. Going straight there won it for me because once I sit down at home, the day is done.

Read a study a while back that said writing down your worries actually calms your brain down, like it tells your nervous system the day is over and it can chill. Games do the opposite for a lot of people because the screen light and fast action keep your brain humming even when you feel relaxed. Your buddy isn't wrong though, some folks really do need that controller to switch off, it just depends on what kind of tired you are. For me the journal thing works because it gets the stuff out of my head instead of letting it sit there. Games are fun but they don't always turn the brain off, sometimes they just distract it for a bit. Try both for a week each and see which one actually puts you to sleep faster, that's the only test that matters.