""If video games aspire to movie-like status, then games need to become topics of conversation at dinner parties and happy hours."

I suddenly not missing E3 anymore.

Ahem.

I probably know a number of others, too. The last sports videogame I played was a baseball game for NES.

what's the point? there was more variety to video games back when programmers only had 16 bits to work with. Nowadays 90% of everything slots into one of four formats - the two-player hand-to-hand combat game, the first-person shooter game, the sports game, and the driving/racing game. Its so boring and restrictive for a medium that should literally have NO limits on the scenarios and visual worlds it can create.

there are other games, like Ico or Psychonauts(which you ALL should try, cuz it was done by the guy who did Grim Fandango/Full Throttle, etc), but they don't sell as well, so the game companies go with the ol' stand-by.

because its a sports video game and its fun!

Phil OTM too, though.

But I also agree with Phil re: playing a sports game != playing sports

"I exploded someone's head once. Well, four times actually."

I've had conversations about all this with my b/f recently. My take is, we need more simple, not taxing on the PC games like the Sims, because more people will ALWAYS have PCs than will go out and buy a dedicated console.

(well okay I guess I enjoy playing basketball.)

but i just went out and bought a used xbox for super cheap and got: tony hawk 4, brothers in arms, medal of honor, espn college hoops, splinter cell, midnite run. i cant wait to try

Ah, Katamari Damacy. Not only was it my favorite game of last year (better than San Andreas! better than anything!), its soundtrack was one of my favorite albums of last year. One of the best games of all time, and its sequel is coming soon!

I would like to second the recommendation of Psychonauts (I don't think it's out yet, but it's really great), Ico, etc. I also would recommend Alien Hominid and Viewtiful Joe, two incredibly awesome sidescrollers.

I personally love sports video games, but I can see why some might not. They aren't exactly innovative. I had a conversation about this with Scott Tobias of The Onion. Most of the industry is obsessed with verisimilitude, but my favorite sports games of all time were those that were made before technology allowed for greater realism. Realism and sports games are a terrible combination, and hopefully someone will realize this someday and make a sports game that is actually FUN.

That said, I enjoy the realism AND fun of Winning Eleven 8 and NFL 2K5. I'd rather go with the insanely violent and fast paced Burnout 3 over the sterile simulation of Gran Turismo 4, though.

this is the whole problem right there, and is also my main complaint with computer animation/CGI effects. Why bother wasting so many resources attempting to create a replica of reality? I already LIVE in reality - gimme something I've never seen before!

I don't buy that for a second. There are recreational leagues and public resources available in every city for all those sports.

What if you want to play NOW.

(and I was sorta kidding about Burgertime. tho it is a great, strange game)

Why are you kidding about Burgertime, it's awesome.

I prefer people for time-dependent gratification and computers for instant gratifcation. I mean, neither playing sports video games nor actually playing sports precludes participation in the other.

I should look up Psychonauts, I think Katamari Damacy is the best game ever and I haven't found anything else that comes close. I've been thinking about trying to find super mario 2 for PS2, I really liked that.

Yeah, I only keep that one around for this sick love/hate relationship I have with Robotron.

I was a big fan of Parappa the Rapper. There was a great idea, tho not entirely executed perfectly.

Well, given that the movie industry has used this model, ten times worse, for the past half century, and it's still around...

heh, not since the id John's kinda faded into gamer obscurity after 1997...

I think the "work the young underpaid people into the ground" business model is inevitable for any industry where there is a constant stream of young people who want to be involved in what's seen as being "fun."

I can't believe no one's pointed that out yet.

Mark Lawson: "So, what did our panel think of GTA: San Andreas, there's been much controversy surrounding its content, but is it successful as a _game_?"

Germaine Greer: "*mumbles*"

Mark Lawson: "What, you couldn't get past the tutorial level? You really are shit aren't you?"

Super Mario 64, for example, is so, so much better than Citizen Kane it's not even a joke.

(By 'better' I mean more invovling, more enjoyable, uses more time, expands your mind more etc.)