"I love the power glove. It's so bad."

Video games. I think I could have a blog (or bjournal) devoted completely to that subject itself. It’s hard to say why or how electronic simulations and games have become so intertwined with my life. Often times I think I do it simply to entertain myself, a bit of a personal challenge and gauge of my skills (I didn’t say useful skills, but skills nonetheless). In fact I remember reading an article in the paper about how kids who play video games have better reflexes and perception, making better drivers. Better is such a relative term.

Often times I think video games are more of an escape. For those that can be consumed by their imagination, video games really do provide the ultimate escape with the simplest effort. I have never fired an AK-47 in defiance at a group of counter-terrorist soldiers. I have never sat in an F1 McLaren and pushed my car to the limits as I clipped the car in the lead in order to grasp victory. I have never fought a huge sumo wrestler in a global street fight competition. And I have never adventured in a far away land in order to save a Princess. I don’t even think I know any princesses. But through the magic of video games — I have. In fact I vividly remember coming home after my first car accident, and not wanting to talk to anyone, just to go downstairs and cut up some Storm troopers with a lighsaber (ok maybe that newspaper article might have been a bit off). Some people drink, I game. I guess simultaneous drinking and gaming would be like the ultimate escape.

But I have found that rarely do girls share in the joy of gaming. Guys inherently play video games, and play them well. Ask any college guy what’s his favorite weapon in HALO. Ask any college girl if they’ve ever played HALO (and watching her boyfriend doesn’t count). Of course these are broad generalizations, I know guys that are about as comfortable with video games as a Mormon with a beer bong and girls that will put two rounds in your head before you have time to say “Hold on, I gotta change my controls.” But oddly, girls just don’t feel the drive for simulated carnage as guys do. Guys like games that let them do things that they can only dream of, like Wolfenstein 3D, Madden Football 2004, or Quake (I mean who doesn’t want to shoot an automatic nail gun at a couple of hell-hounds?). Girls tend to like games such as Bubble Bobble, Tetris, Dr. Mario, or heaven forbid — the Sims. Games that are fun or cute and don’t involve massive amounts of blood. I’ll admit those games have there place…replacing the missing front leg of my couch. I’ll take Contra or Metal Gear Solid any day of the week.

I play games to do things and go places I’ll never experience. Everyone needs to have an escape from life. By having one, that doesn't mean that you don't enjoy your life or that you're depressed. All it means is that you are normal. We aren't professional athletes or secret agents. We're regular people with regular lives. And we're fine with that. We play video games, watch movies, ride bikes for 70 miles, or build model ships inside bottles to add variety and excitement. Maybe international secret agents can't wait to get home and play a game of "Checkbook Balancer 5000" in Quicken. But I’m not passing up or missing out on this life in exchange for an electronic simulated one, perhaps just I'm just augmenting life. Is that so wrong? If you think so, well I’ll meet you behind 7-eleven and we’ll settle this like men...bring your own controller.


..."Yeah, well, just keep your Power Gloves off her, pal."