Specialist subject?

The guy on Mastermind, last week? He was rubbish. He jostled into the meeja glare as a cosy example of Grown Man With Pale Face Who Likes Videogames But Should Know Better. Here, we say: Like videogames? Excellent choice, sir. Getting on a bit? Call it experience. No-one sneers about the other apparently frivolous stuff that fills the fun hours. Golf or cars or fishing or sketching or fruit machines or films or BOOKS, for Chrissakes.

“Tsch. He’s in his mid thirties and he just sits there, reading. He needs to grow up and get a proper hobby like chess or tomato tending.”

Remember when The Simpsons was young? It’s a cartoon, it’s brightly coloured, it’s clearly for kids. Now, of course, we know The Simpsons as a comedy show that just happens to be animated. We’re comfortable with that. So it’s about time we snuggled up to the idea of videogames as a play thing rather than a sad, geeky thing.

John Humphrys is welcome to his musty study. We’re proud of our passion. You should be, too. Express it. Revel in it. The End.

It’s… coming alive…

This week’s medicinal swigs on the original spirit of videogaming…

Four joystick ports good, two wheels bad AHCHAY

One day in October… THEMEADOWS

Kick Off 2 – more than just a game, it’s a game review ELY

At last, a Phantom Menace review for grown-ups THEMEADOWS

Surfing in on a fragrant gush of PC Halo, here’s BOG

All done, folks. Keep up the click-throughs. It keeps us going, knowing you want us to keep going. Coming soon – Game Gods Reunited.

Don’t be afraid.

THE ORIGINAL RODENT october 15th 2003