Videogameologists

Sorry Folks, VideoGameOlogists Is Shutting Down

Bad news everyone…this will be Videogameologists last post.   It has simply become too expensive and time consuming to keep this site running and so I’m afraid that I will be ending it here. When I started this website years ago, it was with a goal to share and spread new ideas about game design and culture. It was also a place where I would share all the fantastic ideas, history, and culture…

Cracked: “4 Things Gamers Think Are Important (But Aren’t)” by J.F. Sargent

Cracked’s by J.F. Sargent has a really great and humorous article on things gamers constantly say they want, but really don’t. His list includes such things as ultimate freedom, movie quality stories, and cutting edge graphics, but time and time again we see games that deliver on these conditions flop while games that openly defy them succeed.   His ultimate point is about hype and how we can…

“Your Pokemon Team Is Waiting For You” – Fan Art by xfreischutz

I think some of the best fan art is the kind that make super cool posters (mainly cause I would love to frame them and hang them around my place.) So naturally, I really love the work of Tumblr user xfreischutz. Take a look at some my favorites and then check out the rest of the gallery.    

“Support Your Friends and They’ll Support You” – Fan Art by Tinysnails

Tumblr user tinysnails has some of the cutest fan art around. She has works from games like Mario, Pokemon, and Overwatch (just take a look at some of my favorite examples below) but also work from other mediums as too. Be sure to take a look at her full gallery.  

Medarot 4’s “Do or Die” Metal Cover perf. by Dinnick the 3rd

Oh my gosh, this has to be a first. Something from the Medabots series (known as Medarot in Japan).   I never played the games, but I’ve kind of wanted to. The anime was one of my favorites growing up and watching it again a few years ago did not diminish my fondness for it. I hope Dinnick the 3rd does more covers from lesser known…

Eurogamer: “Putting the magic back into magic in fantasy games” by Edwin Evans-Thirlwell

Here is an interesting article by Edwin Evans-Thirlwell over at Eurogamer that is a brief analysis of magic in video games and what inspirations they could use to improve it.   The gist of the article is that magic in video games tends to be too conventional and detached from the world the player is in. I agree whole-heatedly in this sentiment, especially as we are not getting to the point where…

Nintendo’s First Console…Is a Pong Clone – Rerez

Rerez talks about one of the Nintendo’s least talked about game consoles, their first game console: the Color TV-Game 6. Though I believe console is represented in Super Smash Bros. 4 as an assist trophy.   By the sound of it though, this console is kind of a let down. It’s definitely a precursor to the Nintendo we all know today.…

“Spooky Ghosts and Others” – Fan Art by koolaid-girl

The summer is ending, which means Halloween is just around the corner and you know what that means!   GHOSTS! And Werewolves. And other spooky things. There are lots of spooky Halloween things in video games, take the works of Deviantart user koolaid-girl’s for example. Below are some of my favorites from her gallery but her gallery has a lot more awesome things to look at it.      

Unraveling the Mystery of Shadow the Hedgehog – Did You Know Gaming?

  DidYouKnowGaming? dishes out facts and trivia about another underrated Sonic game, Shadow the Hedgehog.   It’s actually a little hilarious how often this game was touted as being Sonic Team’s last effort to remain relevant when it was the fans themselves saying they would like to see a game exactly like this (a game starring…

Killscreen: “Overwatch and the problem of caring labor” by Ryan Khosravi

Here is an article of how Overwatch treats the healer class by Ryan Khosravi, basically comparing the lack of appreciation from players to the real undervaluing of of the care labor force in the real world. I think some of it is a bit of  stretch, but I think the points about the healing class being seen as a chore is spot on.   I’m someone who plays a healer a lot and I’ve noticed this problem.…