Non-game

Non-games define a class of software that lies on the border between video games, toys and applications. The original term non-game game was coined by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The main difference between non-games and traditional video games is the apparent lack of goals, objectives and challenges. This allows the player a greater degree of self-expression through freeform play, since he can set up his own goals to achieve. Non-games are particularly successful on the Nintendo DS and Wii platforms, where a broad range of Japanese titles appeal to a growing number of casual gamers.

Examples

Non-games have existed since the early days of video games, although there hasn't been a specific term for them. Among the earliest examples are I, Robot (Atari 1983), which featured a special "ungame mode" called "Doodle City", and Jeff Minter's Psychedelia (Llamasoft, 1984), that is an interactive light synthesizer. The simulation game SimCity was called a software toy by its creator Will Wright, since there is no ultimate objective in the game. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Brain Age) is a video game featuring a variety of puzzles and exercises designed to train the player's brain. Second Life can also be regarded as non-game, since its features allow usage as game and application alike. Today, the most popular examples of non-games are The Sims of games. One of the lastest examples of a non-game is Nintendo's Wii Fit which allows users to do exercises and track their weight without requiring goal-oriented gameplay.

References

External links

• gamesindustry.biz: When is a game not a game?
• Eludamos: Electroplankton revisited: A Meta-Review
• Retro V - Gaming Blog: Warum „Non-Games“ trotzdem Spiele sind
• Lost Garden: Nintendogs: The case of the non-game that barked like a game