In defense of gaming
You might be one of those people who try to stay away from video games for a number of reasons. You don’t want yourself or you kids exposed to violence. You don’t want to be in front of the TV all day separated from the rest of the world. You think video games dull the imagination. You don’t really enjoy the games you see your brother playing. And so on and so forth.
While these concerns are certainly valid, they might be somewhat dated. Video games are evolving. They are no longer just the button-mashing, hack-and-slash games that one might be picturing in one’s head. Games have grown more sophisticated, more intelligent, and more relevant. They deserve a second look.
In fact, I would go as far as to say that people should start embracing video games. The idea that video games are bad for you or are a more damaging entertainment medium than, say, books, movies or television is simply absurd. Here are five reasons why you need to rethink gaming:
1. Video games are smarter.
Remember those days when you’d pretend you were a small Italian plumber who ate red mushrooms and glowing stars and jumped on turtles and slid through sewer pipes in order to save a princess from a fat angry dragon and never stopped to think how ridiculous it all was? Well, Super Mario still exists, but video game storylines have improved exponentially over the years.
Just this year, Hideo Kojima’s “Metal Gear Solid 4” debuted as the first true movie-game hybrid of our time. It featured a lengthy and well-constructed storyline filled with elements of war, corruption, romance, economic freedom and the dangers of advanced science. These are issues normally tackled by critically acclaimed movies like Syriana or Blade Runner. Games like “MGS4” are what have made Hideo Kojima a household name among gamers.
Let’s debunk the myth that video games dull the mind right here. Some video games are very well-written and even surpass some of the stuff we pick up off the shelf at the bookstore. And with games being an interactive medium, the experience ends up more fulfilling.
2. Video game are more social.
The Internet has changed the way we meet and interact with people and video games have embraced this development with open arms. Games no longer keep you cooped up in your mother’s basement away from your friends, preventing social interaction. These days, it’s quite the opposite.
Titles like “Call of Duty,” “NBA Live,” “World of Warcraft” and “DoTA” can all be played online with friends and strangers alike. People get to interact with friends in the comfort of their own home. There is legitimate social value in online gaming.
Even without the Internet, video games like “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” encourage social interaction by allowing players to work as a team while jamming along with their favorite songs. These days, there are parties thrown just to be able to play “Guitar Hero.”
3. Video games can now make you sweat. With games like “Wii Sports” and “Wii Fit,” the notion that video games make you fat and lazy is a thing of the past.
“Wii Fit,” for example, is a game pack that allows you to do exercises like aerobics, yoga and jogging. It is able to compute your weight and Body Mass Index in order to optimize your experience.
If you’re a health buff or just want to get in shape, video games can now help you instead of hurt you.
4. Video games can be educational. There have been a number of educational video games over the years, but I don’t think they were as appealing as what’s available now. The “Nintendo DS” has a significant library of games that can help people learn proper spelling, speak a foreign language and sometimes even learn medical techniques.
In fact, an article in the Wall Street Journal notes that the “Nintendo DS” has been incorporated into a Japanese school’s curriculum in order to teach its students proper spelling.
This, along with other less obvious games like “Civilization,” has made the video game platform a viable mode of education.
5. Video games are more diverse.
If the concern is that video games are in large part made for young males, fret no more. Games of this generation aren’t centered on violence or sports or cars or smashing things as they were in previous years. Today, games have a broader appeal for a broader audience.
Many former non-gamers have embraced the Wii because of the novelty of motion-sensor boxing and golf games. Games like “The Sims” also have broad appeal, keeping men and women of all ages up until the wee hours trying to get their Sim a better job.
The aforementioned “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” have made a lot of people more interested in music than in “Grand Theft Auto.”
There are even games like “Cooking Mama” which allow you to cook up all sorts of dishes by chopping, mixing, stirring and flipping ingredients via the Wii-mote. It doesn’t get more diverse than a video game that teaches you to prepare food.
The gaming world isn’t the exclusive club of rowdy boys and geeks as it was once upon a time. This generation of video games has far more to offer beyond slaying angry dragons.
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For questions, comments or corrections please email me at carlfrancisramirez@gmail.com.
