On this blog and in the Technology section of the paper, we have often pontificated about the underlying dogmas which innocent computer games promote. Some, like Left Behind or Special Force, are not so subtle. Even consumerist simulation Sim City (or any one of The Sims franchises) doesn't disguise itself from what it truly is: a digital propaganda machine dressed up in entertainment clothing. Last week we wrote about the hidden religious messages in innocent titles like Pikmin and Halo; previously we have discussed the emergence of racial and gender stereotypes in World of Warcraft. But never has there been a list as conclusive as this, from GamerHelp. Among the sheep in electronic clothing:
Pac-Man The premise: As the disc shaped Pac-Man, you have to clear various mazes of pellets while avoiding contact with four enemy ghosts. The Hidden Truth: Consume or die.
Super Mario Bros. The premise: A chubby, moustachioed plumber named Mario must save Princess Peach from King Bowser. The Hidden Truth: Guys will do pretty much anything if there's a pretty girl involved.
and the most revealing:
The Sims The premise: Take control of your Sim avatar and run every aspect of their life. The Hidden Truth: God allows bad things to happen because they're more interesting.
Who knew?
