Girlprince’s Weblog

My first few posts will be rather low tech as I start getting the hang of blogging. I’ve entered this realm of writing because I miss the creativity I used to allow myself. Now, with a bit of new found gumption, let’s begin what I hope will be a fruitful relationship between myself and you the reader.

I’ll start by saying I am a gamer first and foremost. I roamed long and hard in the Mushroom Kingdom. I’ve fought countless battles with monkeys who think they are donkeys. I’ve used countless cures and phoenix downs. I’ve fragged a few noobs and captured flags. I have even stood up and become the champion bowler in my own living room. I must say however, what intrigues me the most about the video games I love is the lack of images of myself.

I’m really not kidding. I mean, I’m a tall black chick from the East Coast. I don’t need a fat plumber to come and save my life. I’ll kick the turtle’s spikey ass my self and I won’t do it while wearing a bodice that reshapes my internal organs. I want to let the men of the gaming universe relax while I take a turn at saving the world. Really that’s what all games come down to, saving the world.

When Mario went from castle to castle to find Princess Peach he wasn’t looking for love. No! He was trying to save the world. Why did King Koopa kidnap her in the first place? To own her, to make her his. If he, evil personified, owned Peach the very fabric of Mario’s world would have been torn. Where would the peace be? Where was the love? No, Mario was trying to save the world. Halo?…saving the world from the threat of tyrannical primary colors. Pac-Man? …saving the world from ghosts. Why can’t I a tall black girl from the East Coast save the world too? What rule forces the men to save the world while women must be saved?

This is my question, why have the rules of gamedom fallen along such black and white lines as: men strong, women weak? Why do men wield guns swords bigger than their bodies and women hang towards the back with white magic? What does this say to us, the accepting audience?

I, like many of my generation have grown up with video games. I can’t imagine a world without their distraction and their lessons. My goal is not to condemn, but to explore. What need did Duke Nukem fill? Why has is only true female counter-part been the busty Lara Croft? What niche does the first-person shooter fill? Why is Guitar Hero so popular? Where are the girls? Where are the boys? What do they think? What do you think?

~Lor