That Damn Eel

Scott Hardie | October 18, 2003
Two neat things I read today about video games:

Computer games are effective for treating phobias. That's neat, and it's no surprise to me: I used to have a fear of swimming in deep bodies of water, which made me anxious that some unseen creature would rise up from the deep to grab me. When I started playing Super Mario 64 in college, I literally couldn't play the third world, which involved diving down to the bottom of a cove, where a monstrous giant eel lurked. It once had me shaking so much that I had to turn off the game and just breathe. Over time, I was able to play the world anyway despite my anxiety, and eventually, I felt nothing bad when diving down there. Other games no longer faze me in that regard. I have a friend who is similarly fearful of swimming in murky water, so I'll recommend a few good underwater games to her; obviously they help. Has anyone else had an experience along these lines?

What would kids today think of classic games? This is too short of an article even with a "bonus game," but it still made me smile. Those of you who still adore Intellivision, this one's for you.

Matthew Preston | October 18, 2003
I get a feeling a vertigo every once in a while in a game. Anything that has me pearched high on a building or a highwire or something. One of the recent Spiderman games, Max Payne, and Shadows of the Empire did a good job of that. I got a feeling of immenent doom as I was trying to maneuver through rooftops.
 
The kids playing the games article is hilarious! I love reading comments by kids who know they are being listened to, and try to say adult phrases.