CAN FANTASY VIDEO GAMES HAVE REAL LIFE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

When many of us think of video games, immersing ourselves in the exploration of fantasy worlds is probably one of the first things that come to mind. Games like Final Fantasy for instance allow us to explore incredible fictional settings. While video games like Minecraft allow players to build our own fantasy worlds to interact in. Just like reading a great piece of fiction, there’s a time and a place for these kinds of experiences, particularly when we wish to enjoy a little escapism.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.

However, can fantasy video games help us fantasize beyond just having fun imaginary adventures? In other words, can games help us fantasize outside of fantasy? Can there be practical applications in the real world created through fantasy simulations in video games?

Of course video games and digital simulations can have practical implications in real life! From virtual reality crash dummies assisting engineers to statistical simulations assisting physicists the benefit of computers to society is fantastic. But there are also computer programs that can be used on video game consoles and people's home PCs that that provide more practical benefits than some fun escapism. Here are three examples of how video games having people escape from reality actually provide a creative lens that can can have real life implications from home improvement projects to driving tips.

Home Design & Creativity 

Home design and creativity can be tremendous tools in helping us express ourselves and personalize our homes, but did you know that these are popular topics for video game content? From games such as House Flipper and Stardew Valley to crafting games like My Time In Portia reorganizing digital spaces with furniture placements and managing aesthetics can truly help us feel engaged in something other than digital conflict. It also provides skills and insight for applying what is learned in the digital sphere to your own living spaces.

Vehicle Simulations 

The digital racing scene has become so realistic that automobile manufacturers are incorporating video games into car shows and other marketing events to showcase both current vehicles and concepts to consumers without having to have the liability of people actually doing test drives.  These video games have become so advanced that finding the best drift car in Forza Horizon 4 or tuning cars in Gran Turismo can give car fanatics or even mild petrol-heads a means to explore their passion and drive cars that they may never even touch in real life.  Fantasy driving allows consumer to learn more about how vehicles actually work, create an expanded interest in car and truck brands as well as create an interest with real life motor sports. So what may seem just a video game can impact someone purchasing a particular car or want to actually go in person to see an Indy or NASCAR race.

Job Simulators 

Some games are even curated to help you make better purchasing decisions or learn new skills though making what someone might otherwise consider a boring chore as a fun activity. For instance, PC Building Simulator has performed very well on home computers. The game has you pretend to run your own computer repair business diagnosing and fixing broken equipment. 

Players use products from actual manufacturers and real dimensions in order to complete a construction project. The game mechanics focused on running your own repair shop can be beneficial to do it yourselfers as well as people interested in tech careers.  Gamify your education to make learning and improving skills both educational and entertaining!

In that respect, losing hours to titles like these is hardly overly indulgent, it can quite literally help you with developing practical skills in the real world. Keep this in mind when choosing games to play and how much time is being spent in these fantasy scenarios. Remember playing these fantasy games may actually provide an experience that could assist you with something that you may not usually do outside the digital space.

Miitopia

I've had a lot of fun playing the game MIITOPIA on my Nintendo 3DS.  It is full of magic and monsters as you battle your way through a fairy tale land with a group of heroes that can be made to look and act like people in your life.  A Nintendo Mii is a cartoonish figure that can be shaped to have the appearance of someone you know or created to have its own unique wacky look.  These Miis are the characters that live in the land of Miitopia.

The Miis are in trouble! An evil sorcerer is stealing their faces and creating monsters out of them.  Your mission is to defeat the monsters so that the faces are returned to the Mii they were stolen from.  You also must stop the villain from continuing to threaten the Mii of Miitopia in order to win the game.  To do this players create a team of four warriors to try and save the day!

It is neat that you can choose the name, appearance and attitude of your warriors.  Also your team can be made up of a variety of different skills so a member can be a knight in shining armor or a witch with a pointy hat while another can be a chef or a pop star musician.  The chef and pop star characters can be really funny and make MIITOPIA stand out from other games that revolve around dragons, princesses, wizards and that sort of stuff.

I had an awesome time creating my team.  The group's main hero Mii is based on me of course!  I was glad they had glasses that looked like mine to put on my hero's face.  Oh by the way I named the game's bad guy Dark Lord Dad. Ha Ha!!!

If you have amiibo figures, MIITOPIA will let you scan them and have your main character be able to dress like them.  Find the lady who is dressed like Super Mario in the game and she'll ask if you have any amiibo to show her from your collection.  Place a figure on the Nintendo 3DS pad and next thing you know your team's main hero has a new look.   I've been able to have my character dressed like Link from Legend of Zelda while playing MIITOPIA using this feature. AWESOME!!!

I made a Mii that looked like my sister and named her Sunflower because of her bright blond hair.  She made a nice addition to the team and was assigned the job of being my squire in the game.  She does look good in a suit of armor!  I also added my friend Whitney from school to my group of adventurers and put her in a chicken outfit because that was just hilarious.  My friend Parker is also part of the group.  He's a pop star because that fit his real life personality being a fun, popular guy to hang out with.

While making your way through the game, you can earn gold and experience points by defeating monsters, restoring faces to Mii who have lost theirs and by completing quests.  This will allow the characters in your team to purchase new clothes, weapons and supplies.  I bought the Mii of my sister a bumblebee outfit to wear and a bee stinger sword to battle the bad guys with using gold earned from battling monsters.

You can also pick up different types of food along your journeys.  Feast on these meals while resting up at an inn and your characters can earn higher skill ratings and hit points making them tougher to beat in combat.  Be careful though because if a Mii doesn't like the food you're serving they'll be in a bad mood afterward.

I also like to win gold and gear by playing in MIITOPIA's arcade area where you can play games like roulette and rock paper scissors that award prizes. Earning tickets while battling monsters gives you a chance to play these games. I'm a champ when it comes to Rock Paper Scissors. One of my favorite parts of MIITOPIA!

Something I really liked about the game is that the monsters in it are goofy rather than creepy.  It is really fun to see the different monsters and the weird powers some of them have.  Beware the banshees that can make characters cry uncontrollably during a battle.  This game can be very silly which adds to the fun of playing it.

Being able to add your own touches to the look and feel of the game is great.  The silly characters, zany situations and goofy monsters you encounter had me not wanting to put my Nintendo 3DS down.  Plus the 3D images really pop off the screen and look incredible.  It is really nice you don't have to wear special goggles to see the 3D since I already have to wear my own glasses.

I enjoyed playing MIITOPIA a lot.  If you have the chance to get the game I sure do recommend it.  For more information about MIITOPIA it has its own page on the Nintendo website.  The game is rated E for Everyone.  You can buy a cartridge to insert in your 3DS from stores like Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart or purchase a digital download from the Nintendo website.

-- Little Luigi

A Geek Daddy's twins are participating in the Nintendo KID REVIEWERS program.  My daughter (Little Mario) and son (Little Luigi) will be providing reviews of Nintendo games, hardware and other merchandise from a kids perspective.  Our family will be provided complimentary products to review but the opinions expressed will be honest and their own.