Election Day: Video Game Edition

Voting stickers are bit accusatory in my district.

Consider this my obligatory post about election day. Hopefully you will find a way to cast your vote either in person or by absentee ballot because this a very important election.

It doesn't really matter who or what you vote for as long as you make sure that your voice is heard.

On a lighter note, what if video game characters could run for president? Who would you trust to run this country of ours?

Personally, I would choose Fox McCloud from the Star Fox series. It's true that he has no experience repairing a failing economy, but I think his experience leading a diverse (and in some characters' cases, annoying) crew could help to blur the lines in between political parties.

If he can handle them, he can handle anyone.

Which video game character would you vote for?

Do You Want a Wii U as Much as Nintendo Wants You To?

Nintendo wants you to care about this. But do you?

With the North American launch date (Nov. 18th) only a few days away, everyone's attention is turning to Nintendo and the shiny high-definition Wii U.

It's pretty obvious that this console's pre-launch hype is not as strong as the insane anticipation leading up to its predecessor's release. Not many people believe that lighting while strike twice for this line of systems... But even though the fanboys and girls don't seem quite as intense as they were back in 2006 (trust me, I was one of them), people are getting excited about Nintendo's newest console...

But I'm not. At least not enough to make to the store that Tuesday.

Hardcore Nintendo fan that I am, I am intrigued by the new technology, even though if I am bit skeptical. I look forward to the moment when I have it in my hands and can decide for myself if the screen in the controller actually makes sense in real life. But when it really comes down to it, the launch titles just don't make me want loosen the tight grip I have on my wallet right now.

This doesn't mean I don't want it almost desperately...It just means I can be more patient than usual.

Are you looking forward to the Wii U launch date with painful anticipation? Can you wait for the new system or are you going to pass on it completely? Was there a game launch that you were excited about in the past?

"Play As You Are"--Nintendo and the Female Audience Part 2

Be a girl AND a gamer...with a little help from Nintendo

I'm a hardcore Nintendo fan and that will probably never change, but I can hold a serious grudge. After writing (and venting to anyone who would listen) about Nintendo's new "I'm not a gamer" ad campaign, I let it go. I didn't think that the marketing would be that serious anyway.

Then a new Nintendo commercial popped up on my YouTube subscription box (because yes, I do follow their company channel). It was just another spot with a girl rambling on about how she doesn't play video games, but this time it came with a link to their "Play As You Are" website. Of course, I was extremely curious...

Clicking that link was like reopening a wound.

The first thing you see are the smiling faces of their beautiful young spokeswomen but Nintendo makes sure to remind you immediately that these girls aren't gamers. Everything on the page is swirly and feminine. I must admit that I like the way it looks even though it offends me. Nintendo knows exactly what it's doing.

Nintendo makes games like this for girls like me.

The site is basically a portal to the main websites of a handful games Nintendo considers "appropriate" for non-gaming female consumers. Fashion, photography, art, puzzles. Yes, there is a Super Mario and a Professor Layton game mixed in, but the rest are titles you will soon see in your nearest Wal-Mart bargin bin.

This is the stereotype that I was arguing against in my post about whether boys are better gamers than girls. Nintendo made this entire campaign with the idea that females are better at puzzles, word and art games than any other kind they could possibly come up with. Look around...you don't see any sites like this for males, do you? That's because no one thinks they need them. Because boys don't need easy titles to give them an excuse to purchase a game system.

A little known fact: girls don't either.

I love Nintendo from the bottom of my gaming heart, but this approach is wrong on so many levels.

What do you think about Nintendo's new campaign and website? Does it make you want to purchase the console and games featured? Am I overreacting?

Wish List--Pac-Man Print Mini Skirt

No quarters required to play.

Pac-Man is one of the most iconic video game series ever. It's not the hottest thing now, but there was a point when anything related to that hungry yellow circle was considered a guaranteed hit. Even that rushed Atari port that was pretty much impossible to play still sold millions of copies simply because of the hype...

Whether you poured your soul and extra quarters into eating those colorful ghosts or your arcade experience is extremely limited, chances are that you've played Pac-Man--or one of its numerous spin-offs--at least once in your life (I wasted my allowance on it more times than I'd like to admit...). Its pick-up-and-play simplicity has made it an extremely universal game.

With its multi-colored ghosts and circles, this skirt is the perfect way to display your love for the addictive maze game. But the design is so understated that from far away it looks like any other pattern. The skirt is almost as universal as the game itself. A fantastic combination of video game love and everyday style.

Find this skirt on Etsy.

Ever blow all your money on an intense game of Pac-Man? Would you ever wear this skirt?