Do you know what I can’t stand? But I mean, what I really, really can’t stand? How even in 2006, it’s fine if you can openly admit to watching television, see movies or listen to painstakingly bad pop music, yet if you play video games, there’s a problem. Because to those (most) who don’t regularly enjoy games, they are convinced that they are nothing more than an extremely childish and outgrown hobby. My personal favorite is when games are labeled under “complete wastes of time”. Oh please. What I find even more amusing are the archaic stereotypes that supposedly solidify the image of the average gamer. And we’ve all heard of them before. The average button masher is clearly an uncoordinated, nerd with zero social skills and/or fashion senses. So it seems that nothing will ever pry us away from the dreadfully awful (though nostalgic) 1986 Legend of Zelda TV Ad.

Well, that blows.

So why is this? What do video games, which are as big a part in mass media that T.V., films and music are, have that’s so different? What is it that labels casual and much more actively involved gamers (see: 1up members, forum posters, etc) to be so peculiar?

I guess every rant begins with a story, so here’s mine.

A couple nights ago, a bunch of co-workers and myself organized a gathering to say goodbye to one of our very own who was moving to France for the summer to finish her studies. Her (Veronica’s) dinner was going along just smoothly with everyone sharing stories and laughs. Towards the end of the night, things were getting quiet and I was asked by a friend how New Super Mario Bros. was, so I pulled out my DS Lite and showed him.
And then it happened.

(Female co-worker) “Hey, what is that?”

(Me)”This? Oh, it’s just my DS.”

(F)”Is that a video game…thing?”

(M)”Yups…”

(F)”What?! Pat!!! Put that away! Don’t take that out in public!”

(M)”What the hell…”

Okay, in the lady’s defense, from her standards it must have been rude to see someone pull out a Game Boy when the table was starting to quiet down, but I doubt anyone would have recieved the same kind of talk if it were just a cell phone or a Blackberry (or something).

Besides, unless we were dining at Queue de Cheval, that outburst would have been totally unecessary and pretty misplaced. But I found it more along the lines of funny then disturbing. Actually, I just found it really funny. No one should get worked up over something so silly.

Another age old debate I enjoy returning fire to is how games are considered to be a complete and utter waste of time. This is ridiculous. Not only because it comes from people who have played nothing more than Track & Field and several titles from the Super Mario legacy, but these are usually the same ones who watch an insane amount of television or films.

I remember the first time I was told that and I was probably 9 years old. The only logical comeback I could give was that “well, when you play games, you’re looking at a screen and you have to think, so there.” which is a pretty basic argument, but it still works.

Bah, in many ways I think its great that games still haven’t reached the “everybody does it” status TV and music have been for the last 50 years, but it bites to be on the recieving end of criticism that people should do something else with their time.

So to those who would rather watch The O.C. then cause havoc as God of War’s Kratos, I have two words for you all — Marissa dies.