Though the recent court battles over the protected nature of video games as a conduit for free speech are over, the much longer, and perhaps more important argument over their value as art continues. Games like Heavy Rain are pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling. Another telling measurement of games’ artistic merit is what kind of creativity they inspire.
Next month, the Brick Theater in Brooklyn will be running their third annual Game Play festival, consisting of various performance arts inspired by and occasionally performed using our favorite games. Last year’s festival caught the attention of the New York Times. In an article describing performances including Mortal Kombat controlled using a modified electric guitar and scenes from several classic plays performed with World of Warcraft avatars, Seth Schiesel says, “the portrayal of the brothers Luigi and Mario as stoners whacked out on psychedelic mushrooms in the middle of the desert as they deal with visions of huge turtles and man-eating plants is hilarious.”
Other beloved characters were interpreted for a modern audience, including Donkey Kong, Mario, and Pac-Man. You can find this year’s lineup at the Brick Theater’s website.
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