The Multi-Faceted Nature of Video Games: An Introduction

"Video games are ingrained in our culture," as once stated by Entertainment Software Association president and CEO Michael Gallagher, "our industry's unprecedented leaps in software and hardware engages and inspires our diverse global audience." From Spacewar! and Pong, to The Last of Us and Splatoon, no matter the genre, video games bring people together. With over 155 million Americans playing video games (Campbell), and today's online capabilities, people are able to stay connected with one another from anywhere in the world. Video games are a medium for different ideas, expressions, and opinions. Each game, no matter how simple, can bring about discussion, thought, or critique. Every game has an audience. Every game has a purpose. Every game is a medium with complexities that many do not give it credit for.

Women in Video Games: Helpful or Hurtful? (Introduction)

According to Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times, video games are made “by men, for men and about men,” (Suellentrop). He insists that The Last of Us pretends to be a game about a powerful teenage girl who has been orphaned in a post-apocalyptic world. In reality, the main character is a man named Joel, who has recently lost his daughter. Through their experiences, the two join forces to survive life after the apocalypse. Suellentrop admits that many games like these have the potential to make their female characters shine, but many times, they are overpowered by the male leads. It is becoming more and more popular for women to play video games, and female characters can be a crucial part of any game. Stereotypes and images of women affect the portrayal of females in video games, as they are often used to enhance story lines and reduce violence.​

Introduction Works Cited:

Suellentrop, Chris. “In the Same Boat, but Not Equals.” The New York Times. The New York Times. 14 June 2013. Web. 21 November 2015. 

"Would You Like to Log Out?"

This is usually the time when you introduce the sequel.

Hi guys!  So this post is a little different from the rest of my other posts because this is the last one. My project was to have ten posts, and this is the tenth one. I've given you guys what might seem like a metric butt ton of information at this point, but I hope you all learned something from it.

Personally, I already knew plenty of what I was writing about (with a few exceptions), so much of this probably wasn't as much of a learning experience for me as it was for you, but I truly hope you all got something out of this (because that means I did a good job).

But, I will say that this wasn't as bad of an experience as I thought as it was going to be (heck, I'm even proud of a post or two). Researching stuff I had heard about or seen briefly was definitely something worthwhile to me, since I got to do my nerdy hobby for homework.

Whether or not you guys change your opinion on video games isn't really my business, but I do hope my posts had done something to make a bit more informed.

Well friends, I must go. My work here is done.

Game Over! (or is it?)

“What if I played video games?”

That’s the first thought that popped into my head five weeks ago when my English professor told our class we had to do a blog project.

Up to that point, I had played very few video games. Most of my knowledge came from what people had told me about them. I’d hear “this character is better than that one” or “use that move” and I’d just nod my head and oblige (I’m still guilty of that sometimes).

Even though I didn’t have to learn how to play these games by myself, I still learned a lot and developed some of my own opinions about them.

Throughout this series, I played all types of games from Mario to Pokémon to Minecraft. I reviewed aspects of gaming such as aggression and concentration.

It was fun to come home from class to relax and play video games for homework, but it did make me feel a bit lazy. I’m sure there were times when my roommate walked in our room and wondered why I had been sitting at my desk all night playing games instead of “doing homework.”

My opinion of video games has changed a bit. I went from never really playing them at all to playing at least two games a week. I still don’t think I’m the gamer type, but I won’t turn down the opportunity to play a game or two every once in a while.

Special thanks to Danielle, Tim, my sister, and all our wonderful readers for making this blog possible!

The Return of the Super Disc

So I guess unicorns are real.

So as I was scouring the internet today for today’s topic, and lo and behold, I found an interesting little nugget on Polygon. Apparently the infamous, fabled “unicorn” of the gaming world, the Nintendo PlayStation prototype exists, and it works. Pictures of the mysterious device have been floating around since this past July, but only now has been proven to work.

So, what exactly is it?

Well, back in the late 80s into the early 90s, before Sony was also a video game company, they were working with Nintendo to bring CD-ROMs to video game consoles. This partnership brought about the Super Nintendo Entertainment System Super Disc (SNES-CD). It was designed to be like a regular SNES console, but with an added CD-ROM drive on the bottom of the system for add-ons and new games. It’s said that there were only 200 that were made, but they were quickly destroyed once the Nintendo-Sony partnership fell through; well, except for this guy.

Now, remember how I said it works? Well, it does, but only partly. The key selling point to the console, the disc drive, didn’t work when the system was first turned on. That aside, the fact the thing exists is super important to gaming history. It was common to think it never existed, but one was found and it still works.

This is super cool. I might need you to excuse me because I need a moment.

Who's in the Kitchen with Mama?

Welcome back! You’re just in time for my final game review of the series!

My best friend from middle school wasn't a gamer, but she did play all the "girly" DS games. Her favorite was Nintendogs. She loved telling me about all her new “pets.”

Another game she played was Cooking Mama.

I haven't reviewed any DS games yet, and Cooking Mama is unlike any other game I've written about for this series, so I decided this was a good last video game for me.

Countless toy manufacturers have attempted to make successful products that teach kids how to cook. In 1963, Hasbro introduced the Easy Bake Oven, which allows children to bake cakes and cookies without the danger of using a conventional oven. 

Majesco Entertainment tried to do something similar, but in a video game. According to Marketing Week, Cooking Mama "aims to encourage children to learn how to prepare food." Instead of making physical food to eat, players receive medals depending on how well they perform.

I tried playing this game, and let me tell you, it's harder than it looks. You must be very precise in each step in order to receive a gold medal. I suppose a silver medal is "good enough," but I am quite competitive when it comes to these kind of games. I won't feel accomplished until I have achieved a gold medal for every dish.

Anyway, the concept is simple. Players have to chop, slice, flip, and arrange food in order to prepare dishes. They either receive a "good," "very good," or "mama will fix it."

If you have enough patience to play the game for a while and master the dishes, I recommend it. If you're like me and have a short attention span when it comes to games like these, then I suggest cooking in an actual kitchen instead.

What do you think of the games I've played? I'm posting my reflection on Wednesday, so stay tuned!

Girls Play Video Games, Too, You Know

Video games aren’t “just for boys” anymore.

So, just the other day Gamespot came out with an article. And, not just any article. It’s an article about well, girls and games. According to this article, a recently conducted Pew Research survey found that women own more game consoles than men. Now, it’s by a slim statistical margin of 42 to 37 percent, but it’s still super important.

“But Danielle, why is it important,” you ask.

Well, dear reader, I’m about to tell you.

If you’ve been on the internet for more than five seconds, you have probably heard of the “fake geek/gamer girl”. This type of girl, as people say, fake the fact they are interested in geeky things (like playing video games), just for people’s attention. This type of girl, frankly, doesn’t really exist. (Sure, there are a few that would be like that, but surely we’ve all faked something about ourselves for other’s approval, but I digress.)

This trope exists because many people believe video games are a “boy thing”, like playing with toy cars, or the color blue. But, video games are actually an “everybody” thing. From children to adults to boys to girls and everything in between, anybody with an interest can play video games. And, these stats help prove that.

With women being the main owners of video game consoles, it shows that we have an interest in these things. We, as females, like “geeky” things. Growing up, video games were as a big a part of my life as breathing, and I’m sure they have been to so many other girls.

So, always remember, if a girl tells you she’s beaten every Pokémon game, you might want to believe her, because otherwise you’re going to be surprised when she beats you. 

Minecraft Mayhem

This series is almost over, but today I wanted to go back to the basics and review a PC game that is widely known for beginners.

Minecraft is a “sandbox” independent video game. The setting is constructed completely of blocks, similar to Legos. It allows players to build structures such as houses, farms, and mines.

Two months ago, my boyfriend bought me a Minecraft membership for my birthday, so why not write a post about it?

Generally, young children play Minecraft, but in January 2015, San Jose Mercury News wrote a “parents’ guide” for the game. The purpose of the article was to explain to parents that all Minecraft games, no matter the platform, are basically the same. Therefore, there’s no need to purchase multiple Minecraft games.

I found the article helpful in learning some background about the game before I played it.

Minecraft has a “survival mode” in which players are free to build whatever they want, but they must find a way to protect themselves from monsters at night. There is a multiplayer mode available, so naturally I played with Tim, Noah, and their other friend Brax.

We found a small server named "Grey Seal Shores" to play on together. There are only 40 members and the server itself is well put together.

First, we had to find a place to build our house. Tim found a nice place to build a "modern" house. He made a farm in the middle and built the actual house around it.

While he was constructing the house, I was chopping down trees and mining for coal to build glass for the windows of our house.

The whole time we were doing this, we had to make sure we took cover during the nights to avoid being attacked and killed by zombies and other monsters.

In conclusion, Minecraft is a fun game for anyone, whether you're an experienced gamer, like Tim and his friends, or a noob like me.

What games should I play for my final posts?

PC: Personal Computer or Personal Console?

Your computer is more than a fancy typewriter.

Once upon a time, in the early age of the World Wide Web, when everybody started getting their own personal computer, or PC, the online video game started to come into fruition. This would spark the beginnings of an important part of video game history.

Way back in 1983, the first online game, Snipes, was being played by friends with connected IBMs; now, you can play next FPS with someone on the other side of the world.

My, how far we’ve come.

After games like Zork and Snipes, the PC became a top commodity in the gaming industry. But, after consoles like the Nintendo 64 and the first Playstation, the PC took a backseat to the consoles for a while.

But now, the PC is making a comeback.

With sales in PC games now surpassing those of consoles, the gaming dynamic is changing once again. But why? It’s simple: the PC is now basically just a console that does more things. Games have the same graphic capabilities and frames/sec as that of the current generation console (unless you’re Batman: Arkham Knight, but that’s a different story), they are more accessible since more people have their own computer and/or laptop, and some games are cheaper because of online game stores like Steam and their many sales.

The PC is making is grand return and it was a long time coming. Our computers are such an important part of our daily lives, so why shouldn’t they also be part of our gaming experience?

Video Games and Gender Roles

Growing up, boys and girls each have their own set of toys that society expects them to like. Boys play with toy cars, dinosaurs, and video games. Girls play house, dress up, and brush their dolls’ hair.

Luckily, millennials are coming of age in a time where it is becoming more and more acceptable for gender roles to be reversed. The amount of girl gamers has been increasing and video game companies are starting to target their products more towards women.

I picked today's game because I feel it is important to address the evolution of female video game characters.

When the video game industry was directed almost exclusively towards men, the few female characters that most games had were over sexualized. Developers believed this was what consumers wanted.

But now, a lot of games have been introducing strong female leads. Characters such as Jade from Beyond Good & Evil, Samus Aran from Metroid, and Zoe Castillo from Dreamfall are some of the original kick-ass female protagonists. There are even a few strong women who are not main characters. One example is Ellie from The Last of Us.

Ellie is a powerful teenage girl. She is found orphaned in a post-apocalyptic world. Ellie befriends the protagonist, Joel, who has recently lost his daughter.

When the game was first released in 2013, some were worried that it wouldn’t sell very well with a female character pictured on the front cover.

They were wrong.

According to IGN, The Last of Us has been a very successful game despite concerns.

This illustrates the growing acceptance of strong female characters in video games.

I did not have a chance to play this game myself as I do not own or have access to a PS3 or PS4, but I love that it aligns with our blog’s concept of girl gamers, so I felt the need to review the characters.
 

If you would like to learn more about Ellie and the complexity of her character, I recommend reading this article published by The Huffington Post.

What are your favorite games with strong female leads?

The Day Video Games Almost Died

It’s time to get Halloweeny and tell you about a really scary time…

So, a long, long time ago (in a galaxy far away), back in the year 1983, there was a time when the video game industry almost went away. Back then, there were few game systems and too many games. Many blame the infamous E.T. game for the Atari home console (this is why people say it was buried in the desert, but that wasn’t why). It was mainly because of people’s expectations for the next big console and then no sales to back up the cost of creation. (If you guys want to know more about this, there’s a great documentary on Netflix called Atari: Game Over.)

But, what if I told you there have been other crashes in the video game market? Well, it’s true. In 2013, there were whispers of a video game crash about to happen, and no one is exactly sure if it’s happened yet. But, one we do know happened, the one that happened before the infamous Crash of ’83, was the often ignored Crash of ’77.

1977 was an even simpler time than 1988; with even less consoles and surprisingly even more expectations than in ’83. After the introduction of the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972, people knew that this new-fangled technology was getting better and better, and the games people wanted were expected to be just as advanced. But, the newer systems weren’t selling as expected. Only the biggest companies, like Magnavox and Atari, managed to stay in the market because of the popularity of their systems. But these systems were quickly becoming outdated and so the games were expected to 

be better, but the systems couldn’t keep up, and the market spiraled.     

Long story short, don’t expect too much too fast, or it’s all getting messed up. 


Be sure to leave comments down below!

Trick or Treat?!

It’s that time of year again! ‘Tis the season for scary stories, spooky movies, and candy hoarding! I decided to make this a Halloween-themed post in honor of the holiday this Saturday.

Plants vs Zombies 2 is a popular mobile game in which players have to plant flowers to attack approaching zombies before they "eat your brains." The game already has a spooky feel since the antagonists are undead creatures, but for a limited time, the game is getting a Halloween makeover.

I figured there was no better time than the present to learn to play this game!

I downloaded the Plants vs Zombies 2 app with the new update on my iPod, and then I started with the tutorial. Although it went at a very slow pace, I found the tutorial fun and informative.

World 1 started out easy. As the levels went on, I unlocked more and more plants. First, I had the peashooter. The peashooter is a basic plant that shoots enemies with a normal amount of damage. It was the most effective plant for killing zombies that I used. Eventually, players are able to buy plant food to make the peashooters more powerful. Sunflowers are also helpful to gather sunlight in order to buy more plants.

I enjoyed playing the game until power-ups were introduced. I was used to placing plants down to attack the zombies, and now I was expected to kill the enemies myself.

I enjoy playing video games as a part of this project, but when I’m sitting at my desk, hunched over, staring at a tiny screen, I feel a little unproductive. So hopefully I can find a game that makes me feel a little more industrious for next week’s post (any suggestions?).

Happy Halloween!

Why Indie Games Really Are Cool

Just because it’s indie doesn’t mean it’s for hipsters.

In case you’ve been out of the loop, indie, or independent games, have been on the rise recently. The amount of crowdfunding for games has become insane, and these games have become super popular, super fast.

Why though?

Well, for one thing, indie games provide something new and different to the gaming scene. Games like Shovel Knight and Undertale are highly successful games made by independent developers that change the mechanic. Shovel Knight might be like a retro platformer, but using a character that uses a shovel as his weapon of choice is certainly different. And Undertale, during its crowdfunding campaign, was advertised as an RPG where you don’t have to kill anyone to progress through the game, which certainly has never really been done before in gaming history. This is definitely something, but what else makes them so different?

For another thing, they’re generally cheaper than most other games on the market. When I bought Undertale, the game was only $10 on the Steamstore. Depending on the system for which the game is sold, the prices of indie games can be anywhere from free to $30, but it is generally very rare to see a title be the same amount as a AAA game ($50, $60). These cheaper prices make it easier for gamers to buy and get access to these unique games.

    

Indie games are inexpensive, highly inventive games that allow people to enjoy something new without destroying their bank accounts. Buying these titles helps support people who have made full story video games either by themselves or with a very small team of people. I believe having indie games strengthens the community as a whole, and gives us something fun at the same time. 


Have a suggestion for the next post? Let me know in the comments down below!