BY LOUIS PHILLIP: Fantasy in a variety of entertainment mediums is big business. Movies, books and video games create humongous and loyal fan-followings – Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia are just two examples. The reason is simple: escapism. We all appreciate some time off from real life and want to see what exists in the unknown, especially when the unknown is something that has emerged from the depths of someone’s imagination. Exploring outer space is one such area of fantasy and science fiction that continues to develop an audience, as the technology isn’t advanced enough to allow us to experience it right now.
The thrill of outer space
Few people have experienced what it feels like to leave the Earth’s atmosphere. We don’t know how things really work once you step away from the earth. With infinite space all around, it must be easy to feel overwhelmed when you don’t have a natural habitat around you.
Gamers have the opportunity to experience this sensation more than fans of other mediums. Most out of space games involve mission strategies where the storyline revolves around completing different tasks – I always refer back to the Star Wars video game back in the 90s, which I spent hours playing as a kid.
Apart from the gripping storyline, the fascinating graphics also make the video game thrilling. The sound of the spaceship taking off, the roaring of the engines, the sudden calmness once you leave the earth, the sound of another spaceship attacking you, and the overall experience of fighting them back; everything is so realistic that you don’t feel you are not in your own world.
Space-themed educational games
Kids love playing video games, but what if they could learn their lessons while playing games? Many space-themed games have physics simulators where kids can explore galaxies. They can also build their own spaceship in the video game. This helps to enhance their creativity. It also shows how fast they learn about physics even they don’t have any idea about what will happen next. If their spaceship does not take off, they will try again. This trial-and-error method has a positive impact on the minds of children.
Moreover, space-themed video games give children an idea about how efficient speed control. If you move aside from the hardcore action-packed games that professional gamers play, there is an entirely different world where space-themed games now teach children about the safety of their vehicle. This is an effective way to help them learn about road safety too. Of course, they may be too young to drive, but these small things remain in their mind for a longer period just because they are having fun while learning about them.
Incredible graphics
The graphics and sound quality of space-themed videos games are just out of this world (pun intended). Even if you have not been to outer space, you may have an idea about how spaceships and rockets look, thanks to hundreds of movies that show these things in detail. Your mind registers these details in the subconscious. So, when you play a space-themed game, your mind tries to connect with the graphics and sound. Together with the incredible storyline, the experience is so thrilling that you end up spending hours on your computer.
So, now you can understand why space-themed videos games have become so popular everywhere. From children to adults, everyone seems to remain hooked up with these games because of their graphics, sound, and realistic storyline.
