Cubism, Volume 5
Of Mario and maturity.
Opinions are like... well, uh, let's just say that everyone has one. This is especially true of us videogame folk. We simply love to offer our opinions on anything and everything related to our beloved pastime. So when offered a soapbox upon which to preach to the masses, who would turn it down? Certainly not me. Lovingly titled "Cubism," this column will be home to topics ranging from the irreverent to the inconsequential, and everything in between.
I find it truly ironic that at a time when videogames are finally gaining acceptance as a mainstream entertainment medium -- after being perceived as nothing more than toys for many years -- gamers feel the need to resort to petty name-calling and childish arguments. If there's one thing in this world that I simply cannot tolerate, it's ignorance, and it's ignorance that fuels the misguided notion that Nintendo games are "kiddie." It's no secret that Nintendo games are aimed at players of all ages, but labeling them as "kiddie" carries with it the connotation that these titles are basic, easy and mind-numbing for anyone under the age of ten, when in fact nothing could be farther from the truth.
Nintendo and its designers have always sought to create titles that appeal to both children and adults. Mario 64 is a prime example of this philosophy. It was, and still is, one of the greatest platforming titles ever created. The design was perfect, the gameplay sublime and the camera-work the standard by which all future 3D titles would be judged. In the years to follow, few titles have ever come close to matching the perfect balance achieved in Mario 64. Of course, it featured a cute protagonist, basic storyline, cartoonish antics and colorful visuals, so then by today's standards it must surely by a "kiddie" game, right? I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. For lack of a better contemporary comparison, Shrek is a movie that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Children love the visual style and the on-screen antics of the endearing characters, but adults can appreciate the subtle references and clever dialog scattered throughout.
That same philosophy can be traced throughout Nintendo's (Rare games included) vast library of games: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, Mario Kart, Metroid, Tetris Attack, and Paper Mario, to name but a few, all represent the very pinnacle of their respective genres. And they do so without the slightest hint of blood, sexual innuendo or any other mature themes. Heck, unlike games such as Tomb Raider (and its many clones) that feature female protagonists for no reason other than the fact that it provides an opportunity to show a little skin, in Metroid Nintendo didn't even tell you the character was female until you'd finished the game.
It seems that trying to explain to the proponents of "mature gaming" that the gameplay is what makes a game enjoyable to play is like banging your head against a brick wall. Grand Theft Auto 3 is not a great game because it features blood or allows you to steal and kill, it's a great game because it creates consequences for your actions and allows you the freedom to do as you wish, while weaving a compelling narrative and providing enough semblance of structure to guide gamers along the "main path" as it were. Remove all that and you're left with something akin to State of Emergency -- a game that's violent just for the sake of being violent, and one in which the gameplay suffers as a result.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but regardless of whether you're blowing off someone's limbs or collecting Super Happy Tree Fruit, if you're playing videogames, the "mature boat" has sailed a long, long time ago. Let's face it, despite the continually changing attitudes towards gaming, there are still those who look down on our favorite pastime. And while explaining how you cracked that game-winning homer for your local team, to the ladies at your local hangout might get you a couple of dates. Bragging about how you pumped your Ranger up to Lvl. 45 before finding the Bow of Awesomeness and kicking the living beejezus out of that massive Ognarok with it most surely will not.
What irritates me the most about these endless tirades is not the senseless arguments people make, but rather, the fact that they're missing out on some of the greatest games ever made. Super Monkey Ball is one of the best puzzle-action titles to come along in years, yet most people won't give it a second look simply because it features cute little monkeys as the lead characters. To be perfectly honest, I could care less about what you play in your personal time (it is your choice after all), what I do care about however, is the message that your purchasing choices send to developers. Buying bad games just to look "cool" in the eyes of your peers only ensures that more like it get made, instead of the kind of quality we expect from this industry.
I shudder to think how many copies Thrill Kill would have sold had it ever been released. There's simply no comparison between it and a four-player fighting game like say, Super Smash Bros. Melee or Power Stone 2, yet, I'm convinced that the lure of malevolent midgets and whore-like French maids kicking the stuffing out of each other would prove too much for a lot of gamers. And before you fly off the handle, yes, I have actually played it.
Perhaps that's why Nintendo has endeared itself to me over the years. They've never felt pressured into doing something with a game they didn't want to. Sure, Perfect Dark and Conker's Bad Fur Day were mature games, but both were simply an ends to a means, after all, you can't make the best FPS ever without a little blood, now can you? And regardless of the furor over the new "Cel-da" look, how many of you can honestly say that you expect the gameplay to be anything but astounding? If that's the case, then I truly feel sorry for you.
Life's simply too short to worry about what your friends will say if you come home with a copy of Animal Crossing instead of Diablo II. Gaming is a form of escapism and those of us old enough to rent porn, drink alcohol and drive way over the speed limit if we so choose, also know that it's the quality of a game, not its maturity factor that makes it worth a purchase. Hopefully you'll realize this sooner rather than later.
Cubism has, for better or worse, taken on a far more serious tone over the past few weeks than I had originally planned. While I have no problem dealing with contentious issues, I'd probably end up having a heart attack before the age of 30 if I continue to rant week in and week out. That said, you can look forward to something a little more light-hearted next week.
) met het spel : WaveRace
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hou ik nooit vol
kun je je post editen. 3 posts achter elkaar is een beetje teveel van het goede.
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en natuuuuuuuurlijk SUPER SMASH BROTHERS : MELEE!!!!!!! /edit/
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) wordt Rogue Leader denk ik mijn 1e spel :strip_icc():strip_exif()/u/29184/crop6486f3bf4147f_cropped.jpg?f=community)
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*BRAP*
Dit topic is gesloten.
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