ICHIYA’s POP Eye – TV Game

　From Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Moshi Moshi Nippon’s “ICHIYA’s POP EYE”.
  Today’s topic is TV Game!
   “Pac-Man”, “Super Mario Bros.”, “Sonic the Hedgehog”, “Street Fighter” and “Resident Evil”- Japan has given birth to a diverse range of TV games (video games). Have you played with them? Japan has also given birth to many TV gaming consoles like Nintendo Family Computer, Sony Playstation, Sega Dreamcast. Have you owned one? 

  The Japanese game market is worth $10 billion. Although anime, movies and music account for a part of media content that is exported overseas, games make up 95% of the total value exported. The video game industry is large and popular worldwide. 
   Video game technology was born in America. Japan imported this technology, developed games that were for everyone and began their own unique development of games. The Family Computer first appeared on the scene 30 years ago. At the time, shooting games and sports games were being made all over the world, but Japan was making games that no on else in the world was making, for example: games like “Tamagotchi” and “Seaman”  where characters are “nurtured”; fighting games where 2 characters fight each other; games that simulate history and games like “Dance Dace Revolution” and “Taiko no Tatsujin” where players compete on musical and dance skills in game arcades, were created and gained popularity. 

   In particular, story-oriented games featuring anime characters are popular. Role playing games are the perfect examples of this. Numerous RPG games, such as “Dragon Quest” and “Final Fantasy” were created. 
  The most Japanese of all is the “dating game” where the player empathizes with a character and showers him/her with affection. The player becomes impatient when things don’t go his/her way and the character can be mean- but he/she is so adorable… It’s truly absurd. 
  Apparently, there are many people in Japan who feel awkward dating real people, but in games, a player can always fall in love with a character. The player can escape from reality by going on dates with the perfect partner and by becoming the perfect man or woman him/herself.

  Dating games aren’t just for men, there are those for women as well. There are even games of the “boys’ love” genre where boys fall in love with each other. Japanese women have always enjoyed romantic dramas and manga, and now they can enjoy romance in games as well. 
  It is a little worrying though, to be preoccupied with a virtual world right? But the reality is, most people enjoy games while keeping reality and the wold of games separate. The game serves as a trigger for people to start gaming communities, they host parties, and exchange information. 

  How about it? Please give Japanese games a try.