The Game Guru
Topic: Who is Attracted to What Games
Gaming culture is more than joysticks and button mashing. In this column, our video game wiz will introduce you to the vast world of gaming. So plug in and check it out.
By Ben F. Badger Jr.
Whether it’s for Christmas, a friend’s birthday or even Valentine’s Day (for the unconventional types), chances are you are going to do some video game shopping at some point. If you’re going to buy a video game, then this month’s column is just for you.
Bee Movie
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As you browse the isles of any video game store you will quickly notice that there are thousands of games out there. They range from chess simulators to aliens bent on world domination. But which game do you pick?
It’s important to remember when buying video games for someone else, all that matters is if that person enjoys the title. Just because you don’t like the green alien on the videogame cover doesn’t mean your gift recipient won’t.
gamers are usually attracted to movie games, which are based off movies or television shows (anything from Bee Movie to SpongeBob). These gamers are already familiar with the story and characters, so they won’t need much to get into the game. Anyone over the age of 13, on the other hand, might not feel the same way.
A lot of movie games are simply sub par. For the most part they are unoriginal or are badly designed. There are surely some exceptions according to reviews and word of mouth, but personally I haven’t come across any good ones.
Now if you’re buying a game for the “jock” (lack of a better word) any current sports title will do (e.g. Madden, NBA 2K8, or generally anything from EA Sports). They already love sports, so playing a virtual one will be right up their alley. Just try to buy a game they are familiar with. In other words, don’t buy a football player a golf simulator.
World of Warcraft
After kids and jocks, determining what type of game to buy is a real challenge because there is no way to know a person’s taste unless you know them well or pay close attention to their video game rack. But there are a few tricks you can use to determine what to buy.
A well-known or well-advertised game, like Zelda, Halo or Metal Gear, is almost always a safe bet So if you see a sign for the latest game and know the person you’re buying for is a general player, you can’t go wrong; just give them a gift receipt, as the danger with buying a well-known game is that the gamer may already own it.
Otherwise, think about the person’s personality. Are they outgoing? Do they have a lot of friends? Are they quiet? Do they keep to themselves?
Madden 08
For the really outgoing type, look for games that are meant to be played with other people in person. There are a lot of multiplayer games out there like Super Smash Bros., Halo, and Dragon Ball Z just to name a few. You’ll know if they liked the game if in 12 hours they have friends over playing it.
On the flipside, there are a lot of people who are very quiet or tend to be very reserved. These kind of people are longing for an anonymous outlet where they can do things they would normally never do in real life. These gamers would love online games like World of Warcraft or Second Life.
Online games serve like Internet chat rooms, only they are much more involved. Instead of just typing message after message, users can actually do something. It’s debatable about how mentally healthy it is to completely withdraw into an online fantasy world, but in my experience if the person is doing OK in school or work, there really isn’t a problem.
If you’re buying for a reclusive person, find out if they have a favorite online title, and instead of actually buying a game for them, just get them a subscription. You never really stop paying for an online game due to recurring subscription fees, so a month or two’s worth of play time will be much obliged.
In the end, don’t panic about your selection, as all video games can be exchanged (that is, unopened with a gift receipt).
Next month’s column topic: THE RIVALRY BETWEEN SONIC AND MARIO.
Still can’t find the right game for someone? E-mail Ben: gameguru@outloud.com..