Super Mario Bros. Series Unfair to Turtles
Super Mario Bros. Series Unfair to Turtles
December 4, 2009
Tongue firmly in cheek, University of Pittsburgh student Ben Korman has penned a column decrying the way turtles are portrayed and treated in Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. series of games.
While the in-game amphibians reptiles in question are labeled Koopas, Korman notes that, “The playful branding of these enemies is semantic at best.”
He continues:
These games, first and foremost, graphically depict innocent, healthy turtles being slaughtered by the hundreds at the hands of human characters. The main character, Super Mario, is consistently rewarded for these atrocities.
Are we really to believe that shelled amphibians were simply chosen arbitrarily as the series’ most pervasive antagonists? Was Bowser, the chief nemesis in the series, portrayed as a belligerent power-tripping-maniac-turtle-thing with no specific message in mind? Is the shelled community simply a capricious victim here?
GP: Excellent satire which shows that we sometimes forget that games are here for our entertainment and that maybe, just maybe, sometimes we take them a little too seriously.
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Posted 09/02/10 at 01:48pm
mogbert: Dang, I guess I'm late to the party, I came here to see if you already had the GS/MOH story.
mogbert: Dang, I guess I'm late to the party, I came here to see if you already had the GS/MOH story.
Posted 09/02/10 at 01:40pm
Andrew Eisen: GS trying to be considerate or did the bases ask that the stores not carry the title?
Andrew Eisen: GS trying to be considerate or did the bases ask that the stores not carry the title?
Posted 09/02/10 at 01:37pm
E. Zachary Knight: PHX, you beat me to the draw.
E. Zachary Knight: PHX, you beat me to the draw.
Posted 09/02/10 at 11:41am
mdo7: http://kotaku.com/5628432/sheriffs-deputy-accused-of-choking-wife-over-ps3-argument
mdo7: http://kotaku.com/5628432/sheriffs-deputy-accused-of-choking-wife-over-ps3-argument
Posted 09/01/10 at 11:40pm
ZippyDSMlee: Got an Ipod touch need a MP3 app with seeking ability...
ZippyDSMlee: Got an Ipod touch need a MP3 app with seeking ability...
Posted 08/30/10 at 03:44pm
JDKJ: AE: Thanks. That cured my head-scratching. They're actually making money the good, ol'-fashioned, American way: stealing it.
JDKJ: AE: Thanks. That cured my head-scratching. They're actually making money the good, ol'-fashioned, American way: stealing it.
Posted 08/30/10 at 10:41am
E. Zachary Knight: A Trademark/Media lawyer reviews the DigiPen IP ownership issue and proposes a change to their ownership policies. Good read.
E. Zachary Knight: A Trademark/Media lawyer reviews the DigiPen IP ownership issue and proposes a change to their ownership policies. Good read.
Posted 08/30/10 at 10:13am
Andrew Eisen: JDKJ - Doesn't appear that it did refuse the ad revenue. "Stingray Sushi says that it already paid for the ad and that a refund is not an option."
Andrew Eisen: JDKJ - Doesn't appear that it did refuse the ad revenue. "Stingray Sushi says that it already paid for the ad and that a refund is not an option."
Posted 08/30/10 at 09:20am
PHX Corp: Sensitive files For the Sony PlayStation 3 have been stolen by hackers
PHX Corp: Sensitive files For the Sony PlayStation 3 have been stolen by hackers
Posted 08/29/10 at 03:55pm
JDKJ: What leaves me scratching my head is why any municipality or authority would be interested in refusing advertising revenues while crying that they're flat-ass broke, raising fares, and reducing services. Go figure.
JDKJ: What leaves me scratching my head is why any municipality or authority would be interested in refusing advertising revenues while crying that they're flat-ass broke, raising fares, and reducing services. Go figure.
Posted 08/28/10 at 02:38pm
Andrew Eisen: Agreed. If aiming guns in a mildly threatening manner and short skirts are not okay, fine. But you have to be consistent. I've seen too many underwear ads and action movie posters with characters in the same pose not to call BS on this decision.
Andrew Eisen: Agreed. If aiming guns in a mildly threatening manner and short skirts are not okay, fine. But you have to be consistent. I've seen too many underwear ads and action movie posters with characters in the same pose not to call BS on this decision.
Posted 08/28/10 at 02:10pm
Mad_Scientist: "violent" and "obscene"... because the character has guns and a short skirt? Guess they've been taking lessons in double standards from the Chicago Transit Authority.
Mad_Scientist: "violent" and "obscene"... because the character has guns and a short skirt? Guess they've been taking lessons in double standards from the Chicago Transit Authority.
Posted 08/28/10 at 02:09pm
Mad_Scientist: Phoenix Public Transportation Department bans an ad for a restaurant that features an anime-style character, claiming it's "viol
Mad_Scientist: Phoenix Public Transportation Department bans an ad for a restaurant that features an anime-style character, claiming it's "viol
Posted 08/27/10 at 12:52am
Dante: @gellymatos thats just your avarage yellow press article.
Dante: @gellymatos thats just your avarage yellow press article.
Posted 08/26/10 at 10:19pm
gellymatos: @Dante: Last I checked, you don't do any of what is decribed by the article in the game.
gellymatos: @Dante: Last I checked, you don't do any of what is decribed by the article in the game.
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Amusing, but not really anything I haven't seen done on any given gaming message board.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Just a little Friday fun my brother.
Yeah, I did take it a bit too seriously :-P
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Turtles are reptiles not amphibians.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
d'oh, thanks
Nothing against you. You were just following the lead of the article writer. Glad that you recognize the error.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
The original author probably got confused because Turtles are amphibious reptiles, and he referred to them as amphibious early in the article.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000
Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
Let us not forget the plight of Turtle-Americans everywhere!
It's even better when he goes into other Turtle culture icons, such as in movies and literature.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000
Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
Video games are a wonderful subject for any type of writing. Satire is usually the most suited because of the "out there" feel of some game mechanics, but hell, i managed to work WoW in to my very serious paper on the success and failure of nonviolence.
gave my instructor a bit of a "WTF?" moment, but got a 100 on the paper regardless.
Ah modern racisim...aint it so nice?
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Actually, that's "Speciesism".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speciesism
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000
Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
Otherwise defined as "where black and white gang up on green" Gotta love Terry Pratchett :-P
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Remember that old saying: If you make a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day. If you set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.I love that series, im only halfway done with it after finding it in the basement a few months ago.
I wonder if the mushroom hate factored in, or if he only cares for his turtles. Selective anger at specism is just as bad as specism buddy.
In war, truth is the first casualty.
Tell that to laraza,al sharpton and jeus jackson!
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Aren't Koopas more like Tortoises that Turtles?
This reminds me of a April Fools joke Gamespot made it souind like a real news article.
This "column" is so outlandish that that the tongue in cheek term should be re-phrased to "Tongue frozen in cheek".
Seriously what the hell?! what's next? PETA bitching at Nintendo for the cruel treatment of tur...... You know what, I'm gonna shut up now.
Anyone remember the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
Maybe Bowser should hire the Heros in a Half Shell in order to take over the Mushroom Kingdom next time.
:D
Totally tubular, dude!
But seriously, that's where my incurable obsession with Ninjas, the color blue, swords, and pizza started. And given how awesome all of those are, who would want to be cured? People who suck, that's who.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
I like TMNT just not all of it :P
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Yes some people do take games like this too seriously. Dude get a life & this game has been around for a very long time!
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
I suggest you use that "intellectual" brain of yours and look up what "tongue-in-cheek" and "satire" mean.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
What are yall even talking about!?!?! I am saying my opinion on here once again. I think yall just don't have people skills. Yall need to get out into the real world & figure out that other people are diff not just thinking things through, but also everything else like i.e. their looks, their personality & not judging on what people say. I feel sorry for people like yall that have to pick on other people that sometimes don't get the point. B/c one day someone will knock yall out. & when that happens I will be laughing. Yes I am sticking up for the people that don't understand the first time around. Just like Zippy had said. Get over it. & oh btw, a guy that picks on a girl is lacking something on himself. Makes me wonder too. All i hear on here so far is the talk, but there is no walk. LMAO!
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
I've been told worse by smarter people. The only person in this article that didn't understand the first, second AND third time around was you. Not the guy quoted in the article (who was making a joke FAR too sophisticated for you to comprehend.)
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
LOL... We make fun of you because you are SO stupid, and you don't even realize it. It was pretty clear this story was a joke, but it was so far over your head, you didn't even see it.
As far as people skills go, they don't apply when the person you are talking to isn't any smarter than my 12 year old brother, who, by the way, would have understood the humor of that article. Yup, I just said it, your College age ass is less intelligent than my 12 year old brother. Way to go. I hope you are proud of yourself.
You do know that the article in question is not a real opinion don't you? Yes or no: Do you know what satire is?
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!!
You know.. all of my previous comments about your elementary level education are totally proven right, here.
The guy was using SATIRE to make a larger point about how people oftentimes make too big a deal about video games..
If you ARE in college, it must have had a HELL of a lax admissions department, because you have NOWHERE near the education required to attend HIGH SCHOOL, let alone college.
Vlag
Oy....some people might just skip it and miss it being satire.....I know I did the frist 2 times >>
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Your observational skills have always left something to be desired.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Thank you Zippy. All I see in this story is some guy probably has a problem w/animal cruelty & saw this game & thought Nintendo is supporting animal cruelty. Aka the guy in the story could also be a tree hugger. But who knows?.......anyways the guy in the story is just complaining.
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
It should be obvious from reading Korman's article that the whole thing is satire (especially since GP opens his story with "Tongue firmly in cheek..." and closes with "Excellent satire...") but hey, sometimes you just miss stuff. It happens to us all. Additionally, we've seen some crazy stuff over the years at GP so at first glance, taking Korman's article at face value isn't that farfetched.
That said, at this point, you do realize the whole thing's a joke, right?
Andrew Eisen
Probably not.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
I'm thinking she's still scratching her head, AE. She's clearly not exactly "equipped" to handle this kind of humor. Maybe we should be telling her Knock Knock jokes instead?
I suspect she'd keep leaving to answer the door if we did.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
LOL!
sharpshooterbabe
I tell ya lassy the trolls here get reallly bored 0-o *rasies hand*
Anyway they do tend to go off on easy targets and real crazies, you do realize that this story is satire, IE fake, its making a point useing humor.
Tho.....even I am unsude of the point 0-o
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
This game has been around for 25 years & someone is just complaining about it's cruelty to koopas. Ben Korman must of ratted out to the PETA about this nonsense.
What we got here is failure to communicate!
Why do I get the feeling the joke went over your head by about a mile?
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
are we at the point of the debate where PETA starts yelling "Turtle Power"!?
Or how about singing the kickass theme song from the turtles in time arcade game?
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/
You may not be aware about it, but 16 years ago in France, Super Mario 2 was blamed for inciting a crazy man to take a preschool in hostage. It was the "affaire de la Maternelle de Neuilly", see here for more info.
During the hostage taking, a French newspaper linked it to video games, and said that the gunman not only became crazy by playing Super Mario 2, confusing its world with reality, but he also trained on it and took his scenario from the game. For example, the hostage children were equivalent to Super Mario's "lives", the bombs he carried were his "superpowers", and he looked for "gold coins". And believe me or not, other journalists believed it too...
Although the original article isn't available online, there is a comment on this article by a gaming monthly (in French, unfortunately).
Lol! Funny joke, Soldat! Hahhah.. People aren't THAT crazy, are they? The media wouldn't ACTUALLY blame the mushroom munching plumber on a guy taking a kid hostage, would they??
What's that? They did? You're serious??
*sigh* It seems the media has been making this argument for decades. What's next? "Pac Man blamed for rise in commercial pain killer abuse!"
I am bloody serious, and so were they. Our media blamed Super Mario for this. In particular, Le Figaro, one of the major French daily newspapers, launched the accusation, and it was followed by monthly Le Monde Diplomatique. I even read something related to that in the proceedings of a conference on the future of computer science. Newspaper Le Monde was a bit more "sober", just saying that the hostage taker had the mindset of someone who had played "computer role-playing games" extensively.
I plan to translate one or two articles when I get the chance.
Something about the whole "search for gold coins" part is ringing a bell with me, but I'm not sure if was from this one (16 years ago seems a little too long ago for the memory that's nagging me) or another, more recent but equally absurd news story.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.