In 1981, Donkey Kong, was the first game ever featuring Mario rescuing a damsel in distress from some kidnapping monster. That became a tradition in the video game genre and it continued through out years. In at least every Mario game, the helpless Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser and doesn't even do anything to try to escape. She has been kidnapped at least 20 times by Bowser and she hasn't realized that maybe she should learn some self-defense or maybe upgrade her security? Maybe she thinks she doesn't have to do anything because her prince in shining overalls, Mario, will come save her every time. Is Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, ever going to change the tradition of Mario, saving the princess every time in every game? Is he portraying that even in video games that women are helpless and always expect the men of the video game world to solve all their problems? Wouldn't you think Mario would be tired of all this trouble Princess Peach is giving him and leave her already?
What are your opinions on this?
You had to take this first didn't you? That aside, I agree that video games generally depict women as weak and in need of saving, in this case a plumber. Although some like Tomb Raider say otherwise, video games appeal to the males by having male heroes, which doesn't make sense to me. But c'mon, would you fight off a giant spiked Koopa if you were in a pink dress?
ReplyDeleteP.S. It was only 12 times :3
There's something called changing clothes Abdinasir -.-. I have to agree with you on the fact that video games show women as the weaker sex, besides Tomb Raider. I don't see why the creators of the game did not take the time to make a game where the gender roles flips and Princess Peach is suppose to save Mario and Luigi. That idea would actually give the company a lot more female gamers if it actually happened.
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ReplyDeleteI also feel bad for Luigi since he is only a wingman for Mario: http://www.collegehumor.com/video/4044824/luigi-finally-snaps :-)
ReplyDeleteI am not much of a video game player,and partly the reason is because of the selection of characters are limited in the gender. Why is that men always have to be the hero? Having the video game first invented in 1981, women back then were portrayed as weak and fragile and these characteristics were carried into the video games. Now in the 21st century, I do think the role of women has changed, and Shigeru should also change the tradition of Mario always being the hero. Not only will this show that the role of women is now gradually changing, but he will also gain more female players like Mohamed mentioned above. The fact that Mario has not given up on Princess Peach shows the love he has for her, and in a way portrays that to gain the trust and affection of the one you love, you must go through many obstacles just like in real life. However, it's not always the men rescuing the female.
ReplyDeleteTo Abdi, don't underestimate the power within a pink dress.
Haha, you can never know what kind of weapons women can keep under their pink dresses ;)
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think Shigeru Miyamoto was just targeting the audience he felt that would most likely buy his product, and at the time it must have been rare for females to play videogames. He probably believed that men would want to play characters that are men rather than females because they can connect to the male characters. I also think the reason behind why he might not want to change the tradition is because it works; Mario is a well-known character and even to this date many females and males play Mitamoto’s games.In addition to Mohamed's point, Miyamoto did change the tradition. He alongside with others have produced Super Princess Peach (2006), a game where the traditional roles have been switched. In this game, Mario, Luigi, and Toad have been kidnapped by Browser, and Princess Peach must save them.
ReplyDeleteOh, my baaaaad. I didn't know they made a game for Peach. Like Jamie said, it didn't get as much fame as the original Mario games.
DeleteActually, you do know what's under that pink dress: A frying pan, a golf club, and a tennis racket. I'd say a giant, horned, fire breathing turtle still wins.
ReplyDeleteJenani - I completely forgot that they made a Super Princess Peach, but it didn't get as much fame as the other Mario games.
ReplyDeleteYes, I heard it was not as successful as his other games but the reason behind why it was not successful was not due to the switch of roles. Instead it was criticized for the way Princess Peach attacked, the simplicity of the game and the marketing campaign which can all be improved. However, Mario games will always be successful because at the end of the day all that really matters is if it is fun.
DeleteWell having grown up with so many cousins I have played video games all my life and playing the game Mario is not something new to me. However I never looked at the game in this manner. Yes now that I look at it Princess Peach is normally always the one in trouble and Mario always goes to save her however considering the time period the game was made in it was natural for men to be the protectors and women to be in trouble. It also made men feel better about themselves. I think when it comes to games that are made nowadays women are also given the roles men play. My brother has many PS3 games and in most of them you can chose whether you wish to be the male or the female.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add on Shahin point. In the video game "Halo 3", the main character is Master Chief. Throughout the campaign he is the main character, but once you enter the matchmaking part of the game, you have a choice of making your a character a male or a female. Once you die, the voice of your character would be different depending on your gender. I believe this is maybe why there is some population on women playing this game. The other aspect of the game that you can change is your armour colour. Having the ability to change your armour to pink shows another way to portray a women playing the game.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the colour "Pink" is the out most way to find a girl playing a online game. Most guys fall for this as people on the internet are "trolls" and pretend to be a girl just to mess with people. It is funny though :)
DeleteIn every single "Fable" game, before the game begins, the player gets to choose whether the protagonist is male or female. Regardless of your sex, the citizens will treat you as they have been directed to. The only difference is that the opposite sex (or same sex) might comment on your appearance every now and then.
ReplyDeleteIt's virtual though. Of course the game in programmed to treat you as they were directed to, it's their main program. What kind of game would people buy if you chose a female or male character and treated badly?
DeleteSure, but you are forgetting Fable isn't held in modern times. In the past the Greeks didn't judge one another based on their sexuality seeing as plenty of them did have sex with the same sex (in the male's case, I don't know about the female's).
Deleteooooh yea baby.
DeleteI agree with the fact that women are weak in most video games and the selection of female characters is limited. But as time went on more and more games started giving the option of selecting which character gender you want to be despite the gender you are in real life. Female are starting to get a bigger role in video games compared to before.
ReplyDeleteIs Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, ever going to change the tradition of Mario, saving the princess every time in every game?
No, i don't think that Shigeru would change the tradition and i feel like he shouldn't either. Usually when we play a Mario game, there are two thing that happen. One being Princess Peach is kidnapped and the other is that Mario and Luigi have to save her. If you were to change this tradition, then i feel like Mario won't be Mario. This is what differs Mario from any other games. The fact that you have to save Princess Peach, while racing throughout the many different levels and battling Browser and his minion.
It is in most video games that when women are created, they have amazing bodies with such huge breast and good legs.
ReplyDeleteEspecially in anime where all these women have perfect faces and such large sex appeal.
For example http://tinyurl.com/7kuqd5y
I think it is a custom in the past for video games to have the male character save the female characters. Before, females are seen as weak and fragile. Therefore, men has to protect them and save them when they are in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree to Shahin, when she said that we can now choose whether to be female or male in video games. I do play online games and some of my male friends uses a female character as their main character in the game.
Jamie, I agree to you when you said that women are created with amazing bodies. I love watching animes and most of the animes that I've watched hast those stereotypes about women.