Customizable Experience

I think one reason that some games are so successful is because they are structured in a way in which the player believes they are in control to some extent of what's happening in the game. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, one way that the game is able to be customize the player is the way that the character's in the game are rewarded with experience points. In the game, after playing a certain number of battles and earning experience points Mario, Luigi, and Bowser will advance one level. When they advance a level, each of their subcategories of points, such as health, defense, power, special, etc. are given additional points. Next the player is allowed to chose one category to add additional points to, and a random number of additional points is added to that category. Because the player is able to choose which categories to add additional points to every time the character levels up, the characters can become more advanced in certain areas depending on how the player distributes the points. I think this is an important aspect to this game because it really allows the player to feel in control of the game and to stay interested and involved in it.

"Just In Time" Learning

Throughout playing my game this week, I was able to find the concepts of "Just In Time" learning in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. "Just In Time" learning is the idea that you are not taught specific skills or facts until just before you will need them. This is one way to keep learning active. In playing my game, I have noticed that tutorials that teach you specific skills come just before you will need them to solve a puzzle or use in a battle. I find this idea of "Just In Time" learning very helpful and rewarding because I am not bombarded with numerous amounts of facts and information at once and then need to remember them to use later. Instead right after I learn a new move or new skill, I am immediately able to practice that skill and put it into effect. I believe that this is an important concept found in many games that differentiate learning from games from learning in a classroom setting.

Mario or Bowser?

Now that I am beginning to get the hang of the game and advance to higher levels, I have started to be able to transition more between playing as Mario and Luigi and playing as Bowser. In order to move along in the game you have to switch back and forth between the two, each time assuming their identity fully and utilizing their special attacks and skills. I believe that throughout swtiching back and forth between these characters I have begun to learn some things about myself and the identities I am taking on while playing the game. Before starting this game, I had played a few other Mario Bros. games. In all of these that I had played Bowser was the portrayed as the bad guy and the story line ultimately involved defeating bowser in the end. However, for Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story they give the traditional games a twist. Now you are playing as both Mario and Luigi and Bowser, working towards the same goals of saving Mushroom Kingdom. As I play as Boswer more, my feelings and preconceptions about him as a bad guy are starting to be lost as I need to assume his new identity in order to move forward in the game.

Gee Principle

As I have continued to play Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, I have found myself noticing the presence of many of the principles that James Paul Gee talks about in his book What Video Games Have to Teach us About Learning and Literacy. Through my playing of the game this week I have really come to find the ideas of the "Psychosocial Moratorium" Principle. Gee describes this principle as learners being able to take risks in a space where real-world consequences are lowered. There were several times in throughout my playing in which I decided to shut down my game without saving. I had taken risks since my last save point that I had not liked the outcome of, so by restarting the game I could return to my last save point and not felt any of the effects of the risk I had taken. I believe this is very important principle to learning in video games and how it differs from learning in school. In school people are raised to value success and not take risks if they could lead to failure. In video games however, options such as restarting to return to the last save point allow people to take risks they would normally not take in an environment such as school. By taking these risks you can explore various outcomes and learn from your mistakes.