Ridiculous Life Lessons From New Girl Games | GameLife | Wired.com
Some parents worry that videogames might cause their children to become violent and antisocial, but what if the opposite were true? What if games could make kids exceedingly likable and fashionable?
A wave of new games for tween girls seeks to do just that, serving up innocuous gameplay designed to let players become perfect little princesses. Aimed at that lucrative, Hannah Montana-fueled intersection of childhood and adolescence, these games might give 8- to 12-year-olds their first experiences with fashion, make-up, popularity … even boys.
The weird thing is that you can view these “wholesome” games as being just as bad for girls as Grand Theft Auto’s random bloodshed and rampant criminality is for young, impressionable boys. And while GTA’s influence on boys has been dissected to death, what about the Nintendo DS’ upcoming avalanche of games for tween girls? What kinds of values do preteens learn from these titles? Valuable life lessons, or bad habits?
The Clique: Diss and Make Up
(Warner Bros. Interactive, Aug. 31)
What it’s about: Inspired by the best-selling books, The Clique has the player take on the role of a new student at an all-girls middle school. The goal is to work your way up the social ladder through different cliques (math club, jocks, etc.) using “gossip, fashion and wit” until you finally are able to join the school’s top posse, the Pretty Committee.
What it teaches girls: Ponytails, books and plaid shirts will get you stared at. Better to jump through hoops and pretend to be someone you’re not in an effort to become one of the most popular girls in school, because it beats the hell out of being part of the Ugly Committee.
Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Mall, My Fashion Show and My Perfect Prom
(Electronic Arts, Oct. 20)
What it’s about: EA’s new line of games features possibly the hardest-working group of BFFs in America. Fashion Mall has the girls managing a mall, dealing with “mall drama” and making it a “hip hangout”; My Fashion Show lets players design clothes (”And make sure the puppy’s outfit matches too!”) and direct models; My Perfect Prom has you plan, decorate and eventually attend the big dance. The goal? To complete tasks and collect “sparkly, virtual charms.”
What it teaches girls: “Sparkly, virtual charms” are just as good as money. Mall management is a viable career choice. You can bring your pets to fashion shows. And prom has to be nothing less than perfect.
The Daring Game for Girls
(Majesco, October)
What it’s about: This interactive version of the best-selling how-to hardcovers guides players through the book’s suggested activities: everything from spy missions and cave exploration to Double Dutch and basketball. It also imparts educational facts about famous women in history; players are tested with pop quizzes. The goal is to obtain six merit badges in order to earn an adventure to Africa, the Amazon or Mt. McKinley.
What it teaches girls: Surprisingly, a lot. Like the book, the game offers handy tips and facts as well as non-stereotypically female activities, encouraging girls to seek adventure — not boyfriends or cute clothes, for once. So, of course, no one will actually play it.
Dreamer Series: Top Model
(Dreamcatcher Interactive, July 21)
What it’s about: Top Model shows what it takes to become … a top model. Players can choose their make-up and clothing as well as learn the right poses through various mini-games. Girls will be able to “glide through the glitter and glamour of a catwalk career” that culminates in “a fabulous photo shoot on a Caribbean island!”
What it teaches girls: This game might offer a better example of an aspiring model’s life than, say, America’s Next Top Model. But we’re guessing the game doesn’t expose girls to some of the harsh realities of the industry, such as eating disorders, drug-addled rock stars and completely insane reality TV hosts. And girls, we’d be wary of any “modeling shoot” that promises to take you to a Caribbean island. Just sayin’.
Imagine: Babyz Fashion
(Ubisoft, October)
What it’s about: For the tween without enough time to play separate games about babies and fashion, Babyz Fashion combines them. Appease these fashion-savvy infants by dressing them in the right seasonal clothes (i.e. light outfits for summer, heavy coats for winter) and creating designs to their liking.
What it teaches girls: First, it’s OK to pluralize words by adding the letter Z to the end of them. Second, babyz don’t feel good unless they look good, so make sure their outfits match if you want to be a good mom, like the one on Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Imagine: Detective
(Ubisoft, September)
What it’s about: As an “independent adventurous feminine heroine,” you solve local mysteries armed with your photographic memory, karate skills and “feminine sixth sense.” Then you write about everything on your personal blog, where your goal is to raise traffic and collect cash from sponsors.
What it teaches girls: Girls have a “feminine sixth sense,” so don’t forget: No matter what masculine qualities you have (solving mysteries, karate), you’re still a girl. Which means you can make way more money blogging. (If only this were true.)
My Boyfriend
(THQ, Sept. 14)
What it’s about: Players pick various outfits and make-up while they hang out, exercise and gossip with their friends. But the main object of the game is to create “the love story of your dreams” by choosing from five different guys. Then, players will have to “charm, chat up and chill out” with each different guy to find true love.
What it teaches girls: You are incomplete without a man, or at least a digital replica of one. More specifically, the game instructs that there are only a limited number of potential mates in the world, and the only way to find the right one is to flirt with all of them.
Princess in Love
(THQ, Sept. 14)
What it’s about: Customize Princess Isabella with clothing and accessories. As the queen-in-training, players must mind their manners and plan gala balls while searching for Prince Charming, who can be wooed by learning the right dance moves.
What it teaches girls: No, really, you need a man. Being a princess isn’t just about wearing pretty dresses and waiting for your knight in shining armor all day: You’ve got to work. If you want Mr. Right, it’s up to you, not him, to make the first impression. So get dancin.’
Style Lab: Makeover and Style Lab: Jewelry Design
(Ubisoft, November)
What it’s about: In Makeover, players use the DSi’s camera to take photos of themselves, then superimpose hair and makeup styles over them. Jewelry Design lets girls create their own jewelry and even upload virtual designs online — then buy replicas of the actual products they made in the game.
What it teaches girls: Makeover seems harmless enough; girls might wonder what their hair looks like with rainbow streaks in it. But Jewelry Designer is what parents need to worry about. At a recent demo of the game, we were told that custom jewelry items would cost between $10 and $25 each. Maybe My Boyfriend will pay for it.
Style Savvy
(Nintendo, holiday 2009)
What it’s about: As a boutique owner, players will manage the store by monitoring inventory, funds and fashion trends to keep up sales. Players can customize their own character’s looks, and they’ll also help customers style themselves according to their budgets with more than 10,000 in-game items.
What it teaches girls: All you really need to care about is clothes and how they look on you (and maybe others). But at least you’re able to manage a retail outlet and make some money, although Nintendo’s virtual cash won’t buy any $25 necklaces from Ubisoft.
