News: Females In Games
Posted 03 Mar 2003 at 19:13 by Ashley Jones
With the recent Edge talking this issue Nintendo have decided to also do so, a convenient tie-in with Metroid Prime.
The past two decades have witnessed some radical changes to media perception of video games and their content. A perfect example of this phenomenon is the inclusion of a new type of character who has captured the minds of the gaming public. The female action hero!
In contrast to the helpless victim of the 80s and mid-90s, contemporary video games have introduced the strong female figure who can defend herself against enemies. Like her male counterparts, she inflicts justified violence without punishment. She is often highly intelligent self-sufficient and self-confident.
The sexuality of female video game characters was an element often exploited for purposes of mass male appeal. However, with the rise in popularity of video games among the female gender, designers have had to rethink their approach towards character creation. Female leads now have brains to rival their beauty, and their strength of character and determination now being the attributes that gamers wish to see portrayed.
Prior to the age of 32-bit consoles, female characters in video games were usually there to be rescued. Their saviours were typically muscle-bound gun-wielding maniacs or knights in shining armour. There were a few exceptions to the rule but the technology at the time couldn't do the fairer sex justice in the minds of the public.
Despite these trends there was always going to be one exception to the rule. Her name was Samus and she was a bounty hunter who first appeared on our consoles in 1986. Samus was one of the most infamous and yet mysterious characters Nintendo had so far introduced us to.
The appeal of Samus was not based upon her stunning looks but upon her numerous abilities and determined spirit of adventure. The morph ball capability of Samus was unique to the Metroid titles allowing her to reach otherwise inaccessible areas for purposes of further world exploration. These features and more are soon to appear in the latest outing for our favourite heroine. Metroid Prime for NINTENDO GAMECUBE.
Samus is no longer the lone flag waver for credible female characters in video games. Developers have become increasingly savvy to the appeal of girls in games giving them each a variety of styles and abilities. Here's a few highlights in gaming girl history!
NAME, D.O.B., Style, Abilities Samus Aran- 1986, METROID, Techno Chic, Beam Weapon
Chun Li- 1991, Street Fighter, Traditional Oriental, Thunder Kicks, Thunder Punches
Sonja Blade- 1992, Mortal Kombat, Athletic 80's, Kiss of Death
Lara Croft- 1996, Tomb Raider, Sexy Explorer, Handstands, Pistol Wielding
Tifa- 1997, Final Fantasy 7, Street Punk, Fists of Fury
Jun Li- 1997, Tekken, Angelic, Crushing Blows
Sophitia- 1997, Soulblade, Medieval, Sword & Shield
Joanna Dark- 2000, Perfect Dark, Futuristic Lycra, Espionage
Cate Archer- 2001, N.L. Forever, Liz Hurley, Bondesque Toys
Alex Roivas- 2002, Eternal Darkness, Undead Slayer, Spells & Swords
And now Samus Aran returns in 2003 in Metroid Prime for NINTENDO GAMECUBE.
As the listing shows, Samus is one of the original game girls with attitude and her ability to re-invent herself as the gaming generations demand has never shown any signs of diminishing. Samus is clearly smarter than the average girl whilst being capable of performing feats of astounding physical prowess. Make no mistake, Samus is here to stay.
So its 2003 and much has changed in the realm of equality within games. Designers no longer feel the need to portray the females as victims but instead as the saviours of their respective titles. Where once was brawn, is now not only brains but beauty too. It's an exciting time for our onscreen heroines and as the evolution of gaming content continues, things are only going to get better! Metroid Prime is exclusive to the NINTENDO GAMECUBE and launches on March 21st at an estimated retail price of around 60 euros.
MORE DEADLY THAN THE MALE
The past two decades have witnessed some radical changes to media perception of video games and their content. A perfect example of this phenomenon is the inclusion of a new type of character who has captured the minds of the gaming public. The female action hero!
In contrast to the helpless victim of the 80s and mid-90s, contemporary video games have introduced the strong female figure who can defend herself against enemies. Like her male counterparts, she inflicts justified violence without punishment. She is often highly intelligent self-sufficient and self-confident.
The sexuality of female video game characters was an element often exploited for purposes of mass male appeal. However, with the rise in popularity of video games among the female gender, designers have had to rethink their approach towards character creation. Female leads now have brains to rival their beauty, and their strength of character and determination now being the attributes that gamers wish to see portrayed.
Prior to the age of 32-bit consoles, female characters in video games were usually there to be rescued. Their saviours were typically muscle-bound gun-wielding maniacs or knights in shining armour. There were a few exceptions to the rule but the technology at the time couldn't do the fairer sex justice in the minds of the public.
Despite these trends there was always going to be one exception to the rule. Her name was Samus and she was a bounty hunter who first appeared on our consoles in 1986. Samus was one of the most infamous and yet mysterious characters Nintendo had so far introduced us to.
The appeal of Samus was not based upon her stunning looks but upon her numerous abilities and determined spirit of adventure. The morph ball capability of Samus was unique to the Metroid titles allowing her to reach otherwise inaccessible areas for purposes of further world exploration. These features and more are soon to appear in the latest outing for our favourite heroine. Metroid Prime for NINTENDO GAMECUBE.
Samus is no longer the lone flag waver for credible female characters in video games. Developers have become increasingly savvy to the appeal of girls in games giving them each a variety of styles and abilities. Here's a few highlights in gaming girl history!
NAME, D.O.B., Style, Abilities Samus Aran- 1986, METROID, Techno Chic, Beam Weapon
Chun Li- 1991, Street Fighter, Traditional Oriental, Thunder Kicks, Thunder Punches
Sonja Blade- 1992, Mortal Kombat, Athletic 80's, Kiss of Death
Lara Croft- 1996, Tomb Raider, Sexy Explorer, Handstands, Pistol Wielding
Tifa- 1997, Final Fantasy 7, Street Punk, Fists of Fury
Jun Li- 1997, Tekken, Angelic, Crushing Blows
Sophitia- 1997, Soulblade, Medieval, Sword & Shield
Joanna Dark- 2000, Perfect Dark, Futuristic Lycra, Espionage
Cate Archer- 2001, N.L. Forever, Liz Hurley, Bondesque Toys
Alex Roivas- 2002, Eternal Darkness, Undead Slayer, Spells & Swords
And now Samus Aran returns in 2003 in Metroid Prime for NINTENDO GAMECUBE.
As the listing shows, Samus is one of the original game girls with attitude and her ability to re-invent herself as the gaming generations demand has never shown any signs of diminishing. Samus is clearly smarter than the average girl whilst being capable of performing feats of astounding physical prowess. Make no mistake, Samus is here to stay.
So its 2003 and much has changed in the realm of equality within games. Designers no longer feel the need to portray the females as victims but instead as the saviours of their respective titles. Where once was brawn, is now not only brains but beauty too. It's an exciting time for our onscreen heroines and as the evolution of gaming content continues, things are only going to get better! Metroid Prime is exclusive to the NINTENDO GAMECUBE and launches on March 21st at an estimated retail price of around 60 euros.
