Games

It seems like Mario and Luigi have been around since time immemorial. What began as an eight-bit video game with the goal of rescuing a princess from a dragon in the '80s and '90s, has become a veritable empire of games. From the 3-D Nintendo 64 edition of the original, which expanded Mario's worlds and took the U.S. by storm circa 1996, to the nostalgic yet evergreen Mario Kart, to the newest addition Princess Peach Showtime, Mario has reached a broader audience than perhaps any other game franchise.

Discuss the popularity of the Mario-verse and why its creators have been so successful in marketing not only the original games, but also games in completely different genres (racing, fashion and dress-up, and so on). You might choose to discuss characters and how their universes and personalities have expanded over time. Finally, you could speculate on where the Mario-verse might go next, and what worlds and ideas Gen Z and Alpha might find most appealing.

Depictions of the ideology of Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels are lacking in the world of video games. Many critics of Marxism have at best a child-like understanding of the term often reducing it to a string of buzzwords and malformed propagandist talking points.

As a result most games that feature any sort of Marxism, Socialism, or Communism, end up regurgitating the same played-out tropes. "No food, no freedom, all leaders are dictators"

One game that avoids the typical negative stereotypes of Marxism is "Victoria 3." In this grand strategy video game, players can explore and implement socialist policies inspired by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. By prioritizing workers' rights, collective ownership, and economic planning, the game allows for a nuanced exploration of Marxist principles, demonstrating their potential benefits while navigating the associated challenges. How does "Victoria 3" provide a balanced and respectful depiction of Marxist ideology compared to other video games?

Analyze the rise of cozy games and why they are becoming so popular. Jumpstart Magazine defines cozy games as "a type of gameplay that emphasizes relaxation, comfort and self-care." Cozy games tend to have calm music and a slower game pace. Look at why cozy games continue to grow. For example, cozy games are an escape from the fast paced nature of reality. When compared to games like Fortnite, they provide a much more calm experience. This resonates with a certain subsection of gamers. What is the demographic of this subsection? Additionally, the cozy game sphere tends to be more welcoming to marginalized folk such a people of color, those who identify as LGBTQIA or disabled.

In this topic, we'll delve into the fascinating intersection of BTS's influence and the world of video games. We'll examine how BTS's presence has shaped the gaming landscape and its diverse audience by posing thought-provoking questions. We'll investigate BTS's collaborations in video games, such as their roles in mobile games like "BTS World" and "BTS Universe Story," as well as the phenomenon of their virtual concerts within gaming platforms. Furthermore, we'll analyze how BTS's involvement has contributed to the promotion of gaming culture among their fanbase, and explore the broader implications of their engagement with video games on entertainment and digital media consumption trends. Through a nuanced exploration of partnerships, endorsements, and interactive experiences, we'll uncover how BTS's presence in the gaming world has not only expanded their influence but also revolutionized the way fans interact with both their music and gaming content.

Knuckles the Echidna, a prominent character in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, has often been associated with the African American/ Black racial identity due to his distinctive design and personality traits. Not to mention his various theme songs in the games. For this article the writer should delve into the nuanced discussion surrounding Knuckles' racial representation within the Sonic universe.

They can explore the cultural significance of Knuckles being portrayed as a strong, independent character with traits that some interpret as reflecting aspects of Black identity.

Consider the implications of racial representation in gaming, including themes of diversity, stereotypes, and the importance of authentic representation. Reflect on how Knuckles' character resonates with audiences and contributes to broader conversations about race and representation in popular culture.

Tenchu was a franchise of ninja games first released on the Sony PlayStation in 1998. The franchise went on to publish 9 games but the cultural legacy of them seems to have been almost completely forgotten. The final release was in 2008.
Why is that?
The writer can write about how the franchise first grew and what decisions or shifts in culture led to it falling into irrelevance.

Most games, since the rise of the PS3 and Xbox 360, have introduced some kind of trophy system that marks completion progress. Some trophies or achievements provide some challenge, while, depending on the age of the game and if multiplayer is involved, some trophies are nearly impossible to obtain. In more current generation consoles, particularly if a game is known to be difficult, like Dark Souls, or long, like the Persona franchise, there is usually a tedious nature to obtaining that coveted platinum trophy or other mark of completion. However, especially in older games that received a remaster or port from a time when there were no trophies or achievements to mark progress, a lot of the added in trophies can become a little ridiculous and suck the fun out of the game until you have that one flawless run.

The topic taker should examine whether or not platinuming or otherwise achieving a maximum achievement score has become too tedious for players, given the example above. Clearly, completing any game to that level is a matter of choice, so that aspect should also be touched on. In addition, the topic taker should consider whether or not achieving such feats adds or detracts from the fun of gaming, if it may add too much bloat to the game, and, as the title suggests, if it forces a causal gamer to feel more like a let's player or streamer at the end of the day.

For resources to start with, the topic taker should consider the list of achievements for platinuming or reaching the most achievements with a variety of games, some remasters or ports that did not have trophies or achievements when they were released, such as the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 releases, as well as more modern games, such as Assassin's Creed: Valhalla where the trophy/achievement system is innate to the product, for example, focusing particularly on any trophies or achievements that seem to not make much sense in the list, or clearly have a lot of players complaining about the difficulty to achieve the trophy or achievement–likely resulting in a low trophy or achievement percentage–that bars them from 100% completion.

Using these starting points, the topic taker could then jump into the phenomena of completing a game and what it means at a societal, within gaming communities, and/or psychological level and then from there determine if completing games for the reward is worth the time put into it or not.

Video games can often be addicting, and it can be very tempting to play for long periods of time without stopping. To stop this, some games (mostly those designed with kids and families in mind) will implement features designed to stop players from going overboard and playing for too long. This can be a pop-up message noting that you've played for quite a while and should take a break (such as those seen in Wii games like Wii Sports) or a feature integrated into the game itself (such as the iconic phone call from your dad in Earthbound).
These types of features serve a useful purpose, especially when it comes to games for kids whose parents might want to regulate their screen time but also for anyone. But of course, they also break immersion and can feel frustrating. This article would discuss the time-out features of video games, and their positives and negatives.