Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

Remember the recent fad of gamers wanting more out of their gaming experience? And by that I don’t mean more intuitive gameplay or better graphics and sound, I mean gamers want an emotionally satisfying experience. Though reports of this urge has quieted down in major publications such as Electronic Gaming Monthly and Game Informer, the need still seems strong in the lesser-known realm of gaming news. The Wiire(previously known as Revolution Report) has recently release a strong and satisfying editorial reminding the big guys over at EA, Ubisoft and other developers/publishers that we still want to feel emotions like fear, sorrow and anger from our experiences and not just go on mindless killing sprees. I strongly urge you check out the article here, especially if you have never read an article concerning emotions in gaming.

Though the report at The Wiire deals mainly with the Wii, this is an industry-wide concern that should be addressed to help better satisfy the consumer. Though games like Metal Gear Solid and The Legend of Zelda have successfully entered gamers into immersive and fantastic stories, feelings like sorrow and sadness come along but once in a blue moon. When was the last time you cried in a game? My last tear-filled session of gaming was way back in the days of Final Fantasy VII, and not many games have made me feel even a slight emotion besides shock or terror, which are powerfully presented in games like Resident Evil.

But don’t you for a second think that developers are sitting on their butts and letting gamers’ hungers go unfed. One developer that was in the limelight for a while was NIBRIS, which plans to create a game called Sadness exclusive for the Wii console. The game features all black and white graphics in an attempt to capture the feel of a classic movie from way back when. Though this game has seemingly fallen off of the face of the Earth, what little has been released about it is fairly interesting and can be found here.

Thanks to The Wiire for reminding developers that we still want more.
Article on Sadness for Wii via IGN.com.