You find yourself walking serenely along a beach. The gentle roll of the waves crashes against your ankles periodically,
the rise and fall, ebb and flow. The moon above is full and silvery, illuminating only the most grandiose details faintly.
The wind blows gently across your body as the salty sea air fills your nostrils. You stop and stretch your arms to the sky,
relaxing your muscles and fully taking in the soothing effects of the nightlife. You notice a flash from beside you,
coming from a cluster of dense foliage, and your dead body crashes into the sea.
Come on, you deserve that for trying to take a break in the middle of Capture the Flag with plasma weaponry! What
were you thinking?!
Video games are awesome... They are a good way to tell stories and express ideas, and best of all, I don't
have to move! Having said that, here is a list of the pros and cons of various gaming styles for the few of you who
have never lifted a controller.
Platformers
Platformers are 2D sidescrolling games, like the original Mario games (die, Goombas!) Simplistic in their design, they
are often a beginner's textbook to video games.
Pros: Platformers are easy to learn, do not take much more time to master, are simple and just overall
fun when done properly.
Cons: They also can get very old very fast. The entire game is the same "move left or right and jump"
sort of gameplay. The only real change is in the backgrounds.
Recommended: The Mario Series, The Sonic Series, The Megaman X Series, The Kirby Series
RPGs
RPG stands for Role Playing Game. This genre is usually the most in-depth of games; they usually employ characters and
plots that can draw you in like a good story. As a result, RPGs gain cult followings moreso than any other genre of game.
Instead of fighting opponents by dodging and attacking, you enter commands in menus when a battle occurs.
Pros: The game will usually draw you in very well; the characters endear themselves to you and the systems
are usually very simplistic.
Cons: The game is usually beaten with the use of the directional pad and the [confirm] button. It's
more a mental challenge than a button masher.
Recommended: Final Fantasy 3 (or 6, in Japan), Final Fantasy 10, Chrono Trigger, The Golden Sun Series,
Fire Emblem, Earthbound
Fighters
Fighters are usually 2D games that pit your character against another character until one is beaten into unconsciousness.
Or death. Most (dare I say all) fighters have multiplayer, so not only can you trash a computer, but you can also school your
friends!
Pros: These kinds of games are very fun and have great character depth in the sheer number of moves
and techniques they learn. It's also very fun to pwn your friends.
Cons: Punch. Kick. Punch, punch. Kick. Special move. It's over! Play again?
Recommended: The Super Smash Bros. Series, DBZ: Budokai (for DBZ fans only)
Shooters
Shooters are usually done in first-person perspective nowadays, and feature your character with a gun or other long-range
shooting weapon against hordes of slayable enemies. Very satisfying, especially in multiplayer games.
Pros: There's nothing quite like fragging your buddies until someone wants to strangle something with
the controller cord.
Cons: Shooters in five words: Point, throw, shoot, strafe, die.
Recommended: Goldeneye 007 (the original, N64 style), Perfect Dark, Halo
Turn-Based Games
This game style usually involves the player taking the role of tactician. You have control of units, and order them to
move over a large map. The goal is usually either map domination or specific character killing.
Pros: Players who appreciate a mental challenge will love this genre. It's like chess, but more detailed.
Cons: You'll either like it, or you won't. And if you don't, it will be so utterly boring.
Especially because you can win with one button: [confirm].
Recommended: Fire Emblem, Ogre Battle
