Non-game
Encyclopedia
Non-games define a class of software that lies on the border between video games, toy
s and applications
. The original term non-game game was coined by Nintendo
president Satoru Iwata
. The main difference between non-games and traditional video games is the apparent lack of goals, objectives and challenges. This allows the player a greater degree of self-expression through freeform play, since he can set up his own goals to achieve. Non-games are particularly successful on the Nintendo DS
and Wii
platforms, where a broad range of Japanese titles appeal to a growing number of casual gamers.
's Alien Garden
(Epyx, 1982), I, Robot
(Atari 1983), which featured a special "ungame mode" called "Doodle City", and Jeff Minter's
Psychedelia (Llamasoft, 1984), which is an interactive light synthesizer. The simulation game SimCity
was called a software toy by its creator Will Wright, since there is no ultimate objective in the main game (scenarios with objectives existed in some incarnations of the game, such as Sim City 2000, but these were not the focus). Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Brain Age
) is a video game featuring a variety of puzzles and exercises designed to train the player's brain. The MUD
genre, though dominated by computer RPGs
, has long featured non-game varieties such as social MUDs, educational MUDs and talker
s. Second Life
can also be regarded as non-game, since its features allow usage as game and application alike. One of the latest examples of a non-game is Nintendo's Wii Fit
which allows users to do exercises and track their weight without requiring goal-oriented gameplay. Korg DS-10
is a synthesizer
-emulator
for the DS designed exclusively for the creation of music.
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s and applications
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
. The original term non-game game was coined by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
president Satoru Iwata
Satoru Iwata
is the fourth president of Nintendo, succeeding the long-standing previous president of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002. He was responsible in great part for defining Nintendo's strategy both before and during the release of its Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001, a vision which...
. The main difference between non-games and traditional video games is the apparent lack of goals, objectives and challenges. This allows the player a greater degree of self-expression through freeform play, since he can set up his own goals to achieve. Non-games are particularly successful on the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
platforms, where a broad range of Japanese titles appeal to a growing number of casual gamers.
Examples
Non-games have existed since the early days of video games, although there hasn't been a specific term for them. Among the earliest examples are Jaron LanierJaron Lanier
Jaron Zepel Lanier is an American computer scientist, best known for popularizing the term virtual reality .A pioneer in the field of VR, Lanier and Thomas G. Zimmerman left Atari in 1985 to found VPL Research, Inc., the first company to sell VR goggles and gloves...
's Alien Garden
Alien Garden
Alien Garden was one of the first non-game "software toys" released. It was designed in 1982 by Bernie DeKoven and programmed by virtual reality pioneer, Jaron Lanier, and it was designed with an emphasis on the need for experimentation....
(Epyx, 1982), I, Robot
I, Robot (arcade game)
I, Robot is an arcade game designed by Dave Theurer, and published by Atari Inc. in 1983. The arcade machine comes with two games. The first is I, Robot, a multi-directional shooter that has the player assume the role of "Unhappy Interface Robot #1984", a servant bot that rebels against Big Brother...
(Atari 1983), which featured a special "ungame mode" called "Doodle City", and Jeff Minter's
Jeff Minter
Jeff 'Yak' Minter is a British computer/video game designer and programmer. He is the founder of software house Llamasoft and his recent works include Neon , a non-game music visualization program that has been built into the Xbox 360 console, and the video games Space Giraffe , and Space Invaders...
Psychedelia (Llamasoft, 1984), which is an interactive light synthesizer. The simulation game SimCity
SimCity
SimCity is a critically acclaimed city-building simulation video game, first released in 1989, and designed by Will Wright. SimCity was Maxis' first product, which has since been ported into various personal computers and game consoles, and spawned several sequels including SimCity 2000 in 1994,...
was called a software toy by its creator Will Wright, since there is no ultimate objective in the main game (scenarios with objectives existed in some incarnations of the game, such as Sim City 2000, but these were not the focus). Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Brain Age
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, also known as Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? in PAL regions, is an entertainment video game that employs puzzles. It was developed and published by the video gaming company Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console...
) is a video game featuring a variety of puzzles and exercises designed to train the player's brain. The MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
genre, though dominated by computer RPGs
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
, has long featured non-game varieties such as social MUDs, educational MUDs and talker
Talker
A talker is a chat system that people use to talk to each other over the Internet. Dating back to the 1980s, they were a predecessor of instant messaging....
s. Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
can also be regarded as non-game, since its features allow usage as game and application alike. One of the latest examples of a non-game is Nintendo's Wii Fit
Wii Fit
is a video game developed by Nintendo for the company's home video game console, Wii, designed by Hiroshi Matsunaga. It is an exercise game consisting of activities using the Wii Balance Board peripheral...
which allows users to do exercises and track their weight without requiring goal-oriented gameplay. Korg DS-10
KORG DS-10
KORG DS-10 is a music creation program for the Nintendo DS that emulates the Korg MS range of synthesizers. Frequently people refer to the Korg MS-10 but this is a single oscillator monosynth. The DS-10 adds sync which the MS-20 is lacking...
is a synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-emulator
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
for the DS designed exclusively for the creation of music.