Many people believe that video games are toys that brainwash children into sitting in front of a television screen, causing obesity, violence, and apathy towards education. However, video games are an art form akin to novels or film. Art is an outlet of human creativity. An artist uses imagination and skill to create an object or environment that others can view and participate in. Art stimulates senses and causes emotions for the viewer or participant. Art is divisible into genres and styles, and all art is communicated through a medium. Art is compelling, and art inspires later art.
Video games are definitely an outlet of creativity. For example, Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario, used his adventures in the caves and forests of his backyard and stories of heroes he read when he was a child to inspire the creation of Link, the main character of the Legend of Zelda series. Some games are even an outlet for the players creativity. Will Wright, creator of The Sims, was inspired by the rebuilding of his home after it burned down to design a game that allows players to create a home and interact with it. Okami, a PlayStation 2 game, collected Japanese mythology and used a sumi-e art style that was familiar to players but new to video games. Other games use cel shading, flat coloring similar to comic books, for a unique art style. Some game narratives tell stories similar to a novel and take dozens of hours to play. Themes from games can be heard in popular culture, and games often feature professionally orchestrated music. There have been several concerts featuring philharmonic orchestras playing game music in world-famous venues.
Games also cause emotions in the player. Using visual, auditory, and sometimes physical feedback, games tell some sort of story. Some narratives of games are derived from classic stories of rescuing the princess from the castle, or from defeating an evil that threatens the world. The Final Fantasy series of games have inspired a whole genre of games that excel at these stories, called role-playing games. The game is used to place the player in the shoes of the main character, participating in the storyline rather than as a bystander, as many films and novels are. Final Fantasy VII is one of the most-loved games ever, with a storyline that still brings gamers to tears.
Games can draw on feelings like love and fear, or parallel real-world situations, such as underground organizations attacking a world power, to help the player connect with the game. A successful game often leaves the player caring for the virtual world in which they are interacting. 8.5 million players worldwide play World of Warcraft, a game where a whole world is able to be explored (Blizzard 1). Blizzard, the developers of Warcraft, created an immersive world with a storyline that spans centuries and where players strive for rare and expensive equipment and weapons. Blizzard is also responsible for Starcraft, a real-time strategy game. This genre of games is akin to being a battlefield commander, giving orders to units to collect resources and fight battles. Though the game is 9 years old, the core mechanics of the game were created so evenly thousands continue to play online every day, and is also crucial to professional gaming contests. Some professional gamers make hundreds of thousands of dollars and have fan clubs of half a million people.
Art also falls under many genres. Games can be classified as strategy, sports, adventure, action, role-playing, simulation, or abstract. Many abstract games are fine examples of art. In Katamari Damacy, you play the Prince of All Cosmos. The Prince is tasked with rolling up matter on Earth to create stars in the sky. Featuring an eclectic soundtrack, simple graphics, and an odd storyline, Katamari is a prime example of an abstract, artistic game. Another example is LocoRoco, a game where the player tilts the game environment to roll globular LocoRoco through the level, rather than directly controlling the characters. Becoming a popular game, this mechanic was quickly copied to other games.
Video games are compelling. Many gamers are so drawn to the virtual worlds that their games hold, that they put a hold on their social life to complete a game. Other gamers spend hours a day playing games so they can compete in tournaments. Some games even become chemically addictive. Dr. Orzack, a certified psychologist, released a study showing that as many as 40% of the eight million World of Warcraft players worldwide are addicted to the game (Ferguson 12). In 2005, a South Korean man died from exhaustion after taking few breaks during a marathon session of Starcraft (BBC). Some Asian countries have taken steps to limit the time a game can be played at once via in-game lockdowns, and several clinics in Europe and America have opened to treat gaming addiction. Video games seem to be the most compelling art form, because gamers are driven in social games to outperform other gamers.
Games share mediums with other types of art. Games use picture, sound, text, and sometimes force-feedback to interact with the player. Thus games can be seen as a blending of other arts, such as film, writing, painting, and music. Games also draw from and inspire these other arts. The Guitar Hero series features popular rock music that players play on a special guitar controller. Conkers Bad Fur Day features parodies of films such as The Terminator, Saving Private Ryan, and The Matrix. The Gex series features an anthropomorphic gecko that enters the Media Dimension to defeat his enemy. The levels in the Gex games are based off of television and film genres, and all feature parodies of popular programs. Many films now have companion games that either adapt the films storyline, or expand upon it. Japanese games draw on traditional legends that gamers are familiar with. Games have also influenced other art forms. Popular series Starcraft and Halo have continued their stories through novels. Music from games like Super Smash Brothers has been performed by an orchestra and is available as sheet music.