Female Gamers

One of my favorite things to during lunch is read blogs. Usually it's crafting blogs or gaming blogs, because those are definitely my two of my biggest interests. Inevitably, though, I will eventually stumble onto some blog talking about female gamers - or how females suck at gaming - and I'll get sucked in.

There are a lot of misconceptions about female gamers. For instance, recently, at E3, a Nintendo rep kept trying to tell me that a device was perfect for women because they are casual gamers and this device would make gaming easier. I kept trying to refute his point that some women are actually skilled at games but he just kept repeating his point like a robot). I really just wanted to look at him and ask "are you seriously sitting her with a gamer and trying to tell her women don't play real games?," but I restrained myself from doing so. These seems to be the most common misconceptions about female gamers:

1. We don't exist.
2. We prefer cutsey games like The Sims and Nintendogs or casual games like Bejeweled to other titles.
3. We look like trolls.
4. We suck at gaming.

I've been gaming since I was about four. My first gaming memory is of my dad bringing home the Apple IIc and I remember getting really into games like Snooper Troopers and Alice in Wonderland and Zork. I even subscribed to the magazine where I would see screenshots from upcoming titles (like Indiana Jones) and get really excited. Just as a reference, here's the back of the box (note that it mentions the game has "superb graphics!").


My parents were totally hooked on Ultima IV, which also had amazing graphics. They'd spend hours working together to write down spells and other useful information they gained along the way.


Yes I just said "my parents." My mom is mainly responsible for getting me into gaming since she's a gamer herself. She had an Atari 2600 (until she finally gave it to me after years of asking along with her three cases of games) and I used to play games on that when I was waiting to get a NES. My parents also used to take me with them when they went to their weekly bowling league events and let me play the arcades instead of always having to have a babysitter. Let me tell you - when you're ten, it's way more fun eating fries and playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Arkanoid than it is sitting inside at home restarting Dragon Warrior because your babysitter forgot to hold reset when turning the game off after you went to bed and thus erased your game. Maybe it's time to let that grudge go...

Throughout my childhood and teen years I played a ton of games either on the Atari, NES, computer, PS2 or my high school boyfriend's N64. My favorite games growing up included a few cute titles but nothing like Barbie. Here's some of my favorites from back then:

Zelda


Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?


Super Mario Bros. (series)


Shadowgate


Milon's Secret Castle


Mickey Mousecapades


Mega Man


Mario Kart


Kid Icarus


Gauntlet


Faxanadu


Contra


Castlevania


Bubble Bobble


Adventure Island


I remember talking about Final Fantasy VII nonstop with my boyfriend at the time (who was also playing it) and spending hours working through the levels with my mom in the original Tomb Raider.

But that was a while ago, and I guess that doesn't really say too much about my gaming habits/skills now. But this list of information should:

- I just went to E3 because I'm a gaming editor
- I have most, if not all, current and next gen consoles
- I am counting down the days until Bioshock comes out. It's August 21 for everyone who isn't obsessing yet.
- I almost ran up and down the halls of my office in glee when Konami sent me a full-size belmont whip from Castlevania.
- I am currently playing God of War II (it took me a while to get back into this since I had to restart), The Darkness, and soon Jericho and Final Fantasy: Revenant Wings.
- I get the jokes in the Penny Arcade comic
- I once played Resident Evil 4 until the sun came up
- I can hold my own. I smoked other journalists at a Nintendo event once, won the Rockstar Table Tennis tournament (my pic is up on Jane's blog somewhere from the event), and at Universal Studios in Florida climbed to the 3rd position in Marvel Vs. Capcom
- I don't look like a troll.

Female gamers exist. We don't look like trolls. And we enjoy blowing off a zombie's head just as much as the next gamer. ::grin::

side note: I did not play that much of the original Xbox because I do not have bear hands. The controller was gigantic and clunky and awkward. Until the 360 came out, the PS2 was my main console of choice.

side note 2: Though I don't think girl gamers should have to take off their clothes for attention, I don't care if the female characters in games are wearing skimpy outfits and have comic proportions. I just want there to be more strong female characters I can play as, and if they look sexy and can kick butt at the same time, that's just fine with me.