Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Super Smash Brothers???
For years, I hated video games. My hatred and avoidance was on the level of how I banned all violent games/toys (ie. Guns) from our house. I remember once, a teen nephew gave my daughters his old Nintendo system, as he was upgrading, along with tons of games. My husband became quite addicted for several months, until he “beat” the games, but my daughters were not as interested. Finally we were able to get rid of the thing in a yard sale.
Seven years ago, something happened to change all of this. I had a baby boy. As he got older, I started realizing that it was going to be hard to control his exposure to and, I hate to say it, his interest in violence. I couldn’t believe by age three as he fit the “stereotypes” of boys, and repeatedly wanted to shoot guns (even if he had made them or used his own fingers). I came to believe that somehow there is a hard wiring difference between boys and girls – maybe some kind of masculine/testosterone thing.
In any event, I started dating Eric when Owen was about three. Eric and his three children loved playing video games. What surprised me even more was that two of his kids were teen girls! I thought this was really bizarre as my three girls had never really been interested in gaming. Eric explained to me that he found playing video games very relaxing but also stimulating to his brain. I didn’t get it at all.
I decided that I had to explore this phenomenon. As I got to know Eric and his kids, I discovered that they didn’t play “first person shooter” games. Rather, they played RPGs, or Role Playing Games. These games had nothing to do with violence. Okay, yes, sometimes you had to kill monsters, and usually there are “bosses” (the really supreme bad guys) to defeat at the end of each game. But more often than not, you are trying to solve a complex puzzle or logic game.
Over the past four years, I have really changed my views about the value of video games. I decided that since video games are so important to Owen, I had to make an effort, and I learned to play Mario Party with him (which is basically playing a board game on a tv screen). I have even recently found this site by homeschoolers who argue that video games are educational and valuable.
Now, we have three game systems in our home. Eric brought his Nintendo 64, which is only used by Owen these days for Mario Party or his friend Kayla, who likes Pokemon Snap. Eric also has a Playstation 2, for which he must own about a dozen games. Recently, I negotiated the purchase of a Game Cube for Owen (as a birthday present) so that he could play his favorite game, Super Smash Brothers, at home. He also bought some used games recently with his allowance.
I still think video games are pretty boring, and I don’t get how so many gamers love watching each other play for hours. But, I respect their right to pick what they do for recreation. I just think it’s more fun to read, garden or sleep.
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I use to play the computer game, Myst, and its' sequel, Riven, but I really do not get my stepteens constant obsession with all things video gaming, or the fascination with anime. I never thought I would feel the generation gap, but here it is in all its craggy horror!
Pattie
Pattie
# posted by 
: 11:18 p.m.
: 11:18 p.m.
Adison, and to a lesser extent the girls, like to play the RPG games where you build up civilizations and go to war against each other. Sure, we're not big on war AT ALL, but the historical aspect of all these games has been for more helpful to learning than reading a dry ol' history book. :)
(Yeah, we all play gaems here... I like Tomb Raider, which is a 3rd person shooter, a lot tamer than the rest, but also full of logic puzzles.)
(Yeah, we all play gaems here... I like Tomb Raider, which is a 3rd person shooter, a lot tamer than the rest, but also full of logic puzzles.)
Clearly that hottie, the Prince of Persia, does not live at your house. I could watch him for hours.
Moody Mama loves Mario Party as well. We're Mario Kart people, but the music is starting to drive me insane. Useless wants to check out the new Donkey Kong game with the bongos. Oy.
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Moody Mama loves Mario Party as well. We're Mario Kart people, but the music is starting to drive me insane. Useless wants to check out the new Donkey Kong game with the bongos. Oy.
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