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The Four Greatest Videogame/Drug Combinations of All Time (Speaking From Personal Experience)

The world’s worst fears are true: you need to take drugs to play Grand Theft Auto. The only way to get the most out of your time in Liberty City is to eat ecstasy, let the chemical take hold, and swim in an ocean of thick joy as you wreak impossible acts of havoc on the digital world’s citizens. I’m sorry I’m stealing your car, I need it right now, but I looooove you, man. Just the way it is, I guess. Bold choice, Rockstar! I kid. It was no doubt an unpleasant surprise for Richard Thornhill, a father of two, to open his recently purchased copy of GTA and find four mysterious pills sitting in the game’s case. I can’t imagine the confusion and fear. My god, what have I touched? Is this poison?

There’s nothing more noisome than someone telling you that drugs of any stripe enhance an experience. Oh man, you can’t listen to Dark Side of the Moon if you aren’t stoned, man. Shut up. You’re a moron. I would, however, be a liar if I said that I haven’t had a marvelous time playing videogames while using illicit substances. Yes, like President Obama, I too inhaled during the heady days of my youth. Amongst other things. Let us take a brief stroll down memory lane. I will be your pharmacological guide across the gaming landscape.

Live Action Mario Madness and the Culture of World 1-1

The games industry can be a pretty volatile place. When things get rough, I ask myself if it's worth it, if I shouldn't be involved in a field that contributes more to the well-being of mankind in general (elephant racer).

Happily, I am often thrown a reminder of why I love games writing at the most crucial times. I love game culture. I love experiencing how games make people talk, think and act. Humankind has always needed leisure activities after coming down from a hard day at the office, the factory, or the Great Mammoth Hunt. There is a lot of truth to All Work and No Play, and video games can serve up that vital relaxation as effectively as television, music and movies.

Certain games are also as capable of entering mainstream culture as movies and television shows. Here's a Japanese re-enactment of Super Mario Bros using puppets and black screens. You've seen this kind of thing before, but Super Mario Bros, particularly World 1-1, is so ingrained in our culture that everyone recognises the game and enjoys different interpretations on it.

And even if you don't get as weepy over game culture as I do, watch this video for a most bizarre cameo by a Japanese Obama impersenator.

Barack Obama's Sweet Ride

In news that would have been Onion-worthy satire a mere 4 years ago, Giga Omni Media reports that Sen. Barack Obama has moved his presidential campaign to the world of virtual death racing in Burnout Paradise. That's right; instead of only seeing billboards for places to buy large, overpriced electronics, driving through the streets of Paradise City may also serve as a reminder that you live in a democracy, and may be asked to get off your ass once every four years.

But, as the article indicates, this move to in-game advertising may be a tad contradictory when compared to comments previously made by the senator:

Of course, detractors could accuse Sen. Obama of sending out mixed messages; earlier this year he was telling audiences that parents need to “turn off the television set, and put the video games away.” Then again, since the Burnout billboard specifically advises gamers to vote early, maybe it’s his subtle way of trying to get them off the couch.

about the blogger

John Constantine, our superhero, was raised by birds and then attended Penn State University. He is currently working on a novel about a fictional city that exists only in his mind. John has an astonishingly extensive knowledge of Scientology. Ultimately he would like to learn how to effectively use his brain. He continues to keep Wu-Tang's secret to himself.

Derrick Sanskrit is a self-professed geek in a variety of fields including typography, graphic design, comic books, music and cartoons. As a professional hipster graphic designer, his recent clients have included Nerve, Pitchfork and MoCCA, among others.

Amber Ahlborn - artist, writer, gamer and DigiPen survivor, she maintains a day job as a graphic artist. By night Amber moonlights as a professional Metroid Fanatic and keeps a metal suit in the closet just in case. Has lived in the state of Washington and insists that it really doesn't rain as much as everyone says it does.

Nadia Oxford is a housekeeping robot who was refurbished into a warrior when the world's need for justice was great. Now that the galaxy is at peace (give or take a conflict here or there), she works as a freelance writer for various sites and magazines. Based in Toronto, Nadia prizes the certificate from the Ministry of Health declaring her tick and rabies-free.

Bob Mackey is a grad student, writer, and cyborg, who uses the powerful girl-repelling nanomachines mad science grafted onto his body to allocate time towards interests of the nerd persuasion. He believes that complaining about things on the Internet is akin to the fine art of wine tasting, but with more spitting into buckets.

Joe Keiser has a programming degree from Johns Hopkins University, a tiny apartment in Brooklyn, and a fake toy guitar built in the hollowed-out shell of a real guitar. He writes about games and technology for a variety of outlets. One day he will stop doing this. The day after that, police will find his body under a collapsed pile of (formerly neatly alphabetized) collector's edition tchotchkes.

Cole Stryker is an American freelance writer living in York, England, where he resides with his archeologist wife. He writes for a travel company by day and argues about pop culture on the internet by night. Find him writing regularly here and here.

Peter Smith is like the lead character of Irwin Shaw's The 80-Yard Run, except less athletic. He considers himself very lucky to have this job. But it's a little premature to take "jack-off of all trades" off his resume. Besides writing, travelling, and painting houses, Pete plays guitar in a rock trio called The Aye-Ayes. He calls them a 'power pop' band, but they generally sound more like Motorhead on a drinking binge.