There are plenty of video games that captive gamers for a brief shining moment before fading back into the shadows, lost for all time. A lucky few never seem to go out of style. For example, Mario, our favorite Italian plumber, has been in over 300 titles since he jumped his first barrel in 1981. Although most of his missions consist of rescuing Princess Peach, Mario has been known to cut loose with his pals from the Mushroom Kingdom in order to race some karts, compete in the Olympics, and play some rather interesting party games. But how long can Mario’s star power last?
Just as certain pieces of literature become an integral part of our culture and never fade from the public’s view, video games have the same potential to last forever.
At the very core of the most popular video games lies a hero’s journey centered around a character who we can stand behind, who represents some facet of ourselves. The journey that matters isn’t one that the character takes per say. It is the player who grows with each completed level. We must overcome incredible odds, we are tempted to quit, obtain new powers in order to defeat the enemy, and become a master of two worlds. Each new title, no matter how repetitive the main task might be, feels like a fresh adventure.
No matter where Mario goes, we willingly follow. Whether it’s the depths of space or out on the tennis courts we eagerly accept another chance to prove our skills. Over time Mario’s fame has spread from one generation to the next. He’s become a modern legend who is celebrated, parodied, and consumed by gamers everywhere.
Mario isn’t the only one on the road to immortality. Link and Sonic, Mario’s eternal rival, are also prominent characters in the gaming world who thrive from turning players into heroes.
Today new characters are joining the gaming world everyday, facing a longer road to immortality. They must not only provide gamers with a journey, but they must also jostle their way to the top of the best sellers list, and be playable on multiple devices.
There are a few series that appear to be making the run for immortality. Angry Birds and Pokemon prime examples of modern games who have placed gamers in the hero’s seat. Yes, even if it is just flinging birds and fighting monsters. We fling those birds with all your might to defeat those evil pigs and save the eggs. As a Pokemon trainer, we build up our own personal team of pocket monsters and battle who ever we come across in order to become the Pokemon Master. Both games have also become deeply entrenched in popular culture, so their place amongst the gaming gods is basically locked into place.
Grand Theft Auto (GTA), another wildly popular game, is on its fifteenth game and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, GTA seems to be gaining traction amongst gamers who happily play hookey on release day. It’s not hard to figure out why either. Rather than playing the squeaky clean hero who saves the day, we become the anti-hero. We cause problems and perform actions that make the hero in us cringe. Ever expanding worlds and colorful characters play a part in making GTA hard to resist as well. Only time will tell just how far GTA’s reach will extend.
Video games can definitely become immortal beings under the right circumstances. Answering the call to adventure is something we never grow tired of because although a basic formula exists for the hero’s journey, there are no rules that bind us to that formula. After all, being the hero of the story is a matter perspective. Once a game has established a solid journey for gamers to take half the battle is over. The real challenge is becoming part of pop culture, and here is where a lot of games fail. Those select few who charm their way into every corner of our lives will be the games that are played for generations to come.
- Elizabeth Rico
Elizabeth is a part-time gamer from the Golden State who believes that the best games have the best stories. She loves coffee, and used to be fond of cake until she learned that it was a lie. Elizabeth is full prepared for the zombie apocalypse, a talented dragon rider, and a keyblade master
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