I recall a time during the early 2000s and perhaps even the late 90s when I was introduced to flash games and a particular website called Shockwave. My brother was living out of state at the time and he showed me an acronym game that we could play together in a chat room. Acrophobia it was called. You entered a virtual game room with multiple players and as an acronym and timer was flashed on the screen, you were tasked with entering clever words of your own creation to satisfy the acronym. Other players would then vote on the best acronyms invented. Even writing about it now, it seems quite silly. However, it satisfied my extremely competitive spirit and allowed me to chat with my brother in a fun setting. Casual games have evolved since Pac Man to a different beast. Although I would consider Shockwave games to be casual games, I know that even when I played them, they did not cater to as large of an audience as they do now. Out of curiosity, and as research for this blog post, I recently attempted to visit the Shockwave website. I was greeted by a motherfunny NickMom logo and the website design/color is ENTIRELY different from the Shockwave I remembered. Further digging on Wikipedia confirmed my suspicions about the demographics difference in time periods (the Shockwave crowd in 2000 was comprised of equal gender mix and today the Shockwave crowd is well over 50% female and aimed at moms in particular) . The acquisition by Viacom in 2006 changed the image. My google searches failed to turn up any of the 'retro' 2000 website design images to show examples, but if my memory serves me correctly, the site had an IGN or Gamespot type feel - black, blue or grey colors, more of a stereotypical tech/gamer website than a bright, colorful mom website. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shockwave_(game_portal)
So when, how and why did casual games change? Without hard evidence research that I can direct you towards, I will give you one of my guesses: social media. Since I joined Facebook in 2009, which incidentally started as a job requirement, I have played dozens and dozens of casual games. I think Farmville was the first 'time waster' I started playing as I affectionately call casual games (well, it is a love-hate relationship). My [female] babysitter introduced me to the game and we would spend thirty minute or so increments tending to our farms, planting things and chatting with each other via Facebook. These games have a very cooperative communication environment allowing friends to help each other out by 'gifting' needed items, etc.
Speaking from my own perspective as a busy mom of two boys, the other appeal of casual games is the time investment, or lack thereof, in comparison to more hardcore games. We moms are busy multi-taskers. We don't have the luxury of sitting down to immerse ourselves in some fantasy 'World of Warcraft' for two hours while our kids starve, husbands look lost and the house burns down.. Ok, seriously though, I could start dinner, throw a load of laundry in, check on kid's homework, all while leaving my laptop open and immersed in an easy casual game world, periodically checking on my progress or responding to a chat. Again, uses and gratifications theory is obviously present. Another launchpad for casual games? The birth of the app.
In the age of Smartphones and Tablets we have seen the rise of a new form of software, the 'app', a mini version of games, entertainment, utilities, insert-something-that-will-make-your-life-easier-here. Pocket-size, portable, easy to load up and easy to shut down. While there are likely some in depth games available in the Apple or Android store for your Ipad or Google Tablet, the proliferation of casual games in this market is undeniable. Moneymakers too..developers offer hundreds of thousands of short, addictive games for free but you are subjected to advertising or flooded with offers for 'in-app' purchases, temptations to buy items to help your game progress. I find it ironic that while I might justify playing a casual game takes less of my time than playing a 'hardcore' game, such as an RPG on a console, that might take me an hour just to get from save point to save point, or fifteen minutes to go through an intense battle filled with cinematic cut scenes, etc. , I am starting to add more and more casual games to my Ipad. This results in more and more time wasted, so that juggling between four or five casual games, I spend as much time as I would on one hardcore game. Briefly, what is a hardcore game?
Well, I think I am more comfortable defining the term 'hardcore gamer' rather than taking a hack at a 'hardcore game'. I think the lines have become a bit blurred today in defining if a game itself is hardcore. Does the time spent on a game define one as hardcore? The time spent on mastering skills of a game? For example, the Mario franchise. I think any 'casual gamer' could pick up any copy of any Mario Brothers and play for thirty minutes or less and pick up easily on controls and game play. Then comes the question of how far you actually advanced towards the end goal, etc. 30 minutes of Mario time for novice players is only going to get you through a few levels in a game that typically consists of 8 'worlds' give or take, each with multiple levels, loads of secrets to find, mini games, and various facets to the game play. So, one would argue that Mario falls into 'hardcore'. I would define a hardcore gamer though, as somebody who follows the industry, knows the names of developers, has played lots of various titles, multiple genres, multiple consoles, and/or owns a GameStop card/has a subscription to any gaming magazine. http://www.hardcoregamer.com/ I define myself as a hardcore gamer, but depending on current circumstances, i.e. everyday life, I guess I am a 'retro' hardcore gamer..because I can't play what I consider hardcore games anymore. Super Mario Brothers Wii is not hardcore to me anymore, it is just a fun stress reliever for me to play with my kids..we've already beaten the game so I blow off steam by playing a level or two once in awhile.
Having given my definition of hardcore gamer first, I can define what I consider hardcore games. Any game that has enough substance to it to warrant a FAQ or game guide from Prima or other publisher is not casual. This is where Mario blurs the lines, because to beat any Mario, you need to spend considerable time on the levels and the guides can get you all the coins, hidden items, whatever..I play Mario casually though, something I can't do with any of the Final Fantasy series, even though I have also played most of them to completion. For the most part, each installment in the Final Fantasy series is its own separate world with different languages, creatures, character, etc. There are similarities that go across all of them to ease you into each new venture. Thinking back on this game play and trying to explain to a non-gamer what materia or explaining grid maps for leveling up skills and the categories of skills, the need to have dark magic, light magic, warriors and summons..it's like you could have an entire college course dedicated to teaching someone about the world of Final Fantasy..not that that would have any educational value or progression towards any life goal or anything. Complicated missions, myriad controls, inventory menus, cinematic cut scenes, etc. are several elements in hardcore games. MMORPGs are hardcore games and if you know the acronym, you are either a media expert or a hardcore gamer.
In conclusion, I feel like I have already talked too much without even mentioning 'serious games', games for educational use or even military use. In studying the history of video games, especially looking across the development of the current trend of casual games, what can we say about the theory of technological determinism? Did the media shape us into the busy, crazy, instant gratification society we are today? Or does cultural determinism prevail? That is, has the media changed by the influence of the people and created our current version of casual games to fit who our society is? I would like to think that we influence the media and that it is created to fit our needs, advertising efforts shift to focus on where people spend their time and what is most effective. However, I can't help but think of the pink/blue issue, and the role that media has played in undoubtedly shaping our popular opinions about how we view everyday life in general. It is impossible to grow up without the influence of the world's media pressing in on every aspect of your life. Unless you are born on a remote island with no wi-fi..but how likely is that to happen?
Just for fun, I will leave you with a list of my current (I tend to be finicky and change ideas quickly with this category, as is the nature of these type of games) favorite casual games:
1. World of Goo, Ipad
2. Animal Crossing, DS
3. Scribblenauts, DS
4. Cooking Mama, DS
5. Kumo Lumo, Ipad
6. any Mario title on DS - I play these casually, except the Mario and Luigi RPG
7. Angry Birds, Ipad
8. Fruit Pop, Ipad
9. 100 Floors, Ipad
10. Contre Jour, Ipad
