There was an interesting question posted yesterday over on big daddy Joystiq and we're bringing it over because we want to know what you think. These days, it is completely acceptable, generally, to be a gamer? Are certain levels of gaming preferable? And if we have experienced a major shift in attitudes, then what's caused it? Is it now "okay" to be a fanboy because geek is the new cool ... or because gaming has simply become more accessible for all types of people?We feel this is a particularly interesting question to pose to handheld enthusiasts, because of the widespread success of the DS. So let us know what you think!
[Image, and shirt, from ThinkGeek.]
Earlier this month, the French minister of culture declared that video games should be included in the industries that are considered for tax breaks in that country -- something limited to artistic endeavors. Yes, that's right ... in France, someone is moving for games to be declared bastions of art. That's quite different from what we've more often heard over the years, but it's not too new for France, a nation that offered up Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (awards for cultural achievement) to game designers, including our own Shigeru Miyamoto.
Kudos to 1up and Nadia Oxford for posting a truly excellent article that examines how the personality traits of Animal Crossing players are reflected (and distorted) in their endearingly constructed and personalized towns. The findings point to something quite sinister, with many suspicious objects and design choices littering each of the four towns that the author pays a virtual visit to. As with anything overly cute and seemingly free of worry, there's just something not right about these towns. Take for instance, the many mysterious and seemingly innocent holes that litter the landscape in one town.
You know, we've been waiting forever to use the term "Electroplankton-esque" in a post. We are now given the opportunity to not only thoroughly abuse the newly-coined description, but to experience one of the strangest (and coolest) bands we've heard in a while. The Six String Sonics / The Six String Stairs (their website can't seem to decide on the official name) are very much in opposition to traditional band setups and instead adopt a group of musicians that are each equipped with a single-string guitar.
The connection between holding a stylus and holding a pencil is a fairly obvious one, though many would agree that the latter is more often involved with unpleasant things such as writing essays, ticking boxes in a Reader's Digest survey and, of course, stabbing people in the eye. To be fair, I did use my stylus for stabbing once, but I really can't be held responsible for my actions during a heated Mario Kart DS session. Perhaps if there was some game that allowed me to release my frustrations through artistic expression, some people wouldn't regret using homing shells so much.
You may remember a little game for the DS going by the name of Animal Crossing: Wild World. You may also remember a 
