Video Games - Entertainment or Creative Immersion

I’m not sure if you are a video game player, but even if you aren’t, there are some pretty exciting things happening with the market, namely the devices that run video games as well as the method of interaction with games. Everyone has heard of the Nintendo Wii and their innovation in regards to a motion sensitive ‘wii-mote’ which detect the controllers orientation, motion, and alignment relative to the screen. But if you’ve played any games on Apple’s iPod Touch or the iPhone, I think you’ll be impressed by the level of interaction that the iTunes App Store provides. Click here to see Apple’s iPod Ads featuring games.

Even the quality of free iPod / iPhone games such as Metal Gear Solid Touch and Tap Tap Revenge 2 have intense graphics and unexpected points of engagement ranging from the intellect all the way through fine motor skills. See the Tap Tap Revenge 2 video:

I don’t know if Apple had the iPod and iPhone in mind as a legitimate gaming platform (Apple's iPhone emerges as gaming platform, but it has definitely become more viable and it is only going to grow in the next few months with new software and hardware announcements coming at Apple’s WWDC in June. 

Sony isn’t far behind with their six axis motion sensitive controllers that use games such as Flower, built by That Game Company. Flower is not your typical game by any means. Its hard to explain, but take a look at the video below:

The game is a little strange at first, at least with the years of experience I’ve gained, but I LOVE IT and its a good release from the serious, goal oriented games I’m used to. Instead of being a ‘character’, you become a flower petal that seems to ‘recruit’ new petals along a journey throughout a very detailed and vast universe. 

Echochrome, another engaging example, is a game that makes a player think about perspective. Use the controls to change your perspective and make obstacles ‘hidden’ from view in order to advance to the next level. See the video below:

So what’s the conclusion? It is an exciting time for games and even if you haven’t thought about them or even tried them for lack of interest, it might be worth trying to play a game. It won’t be long before these interactive points find their way into everyday software and everyday lives. We might as well have fun learning it before it becomes a ‘requirement’ for living.