"Tropes vs. Women in Video Games" is worth watching

By Kelly Manser on March 15, 2013

There has been a lot of Nintendo 64 playing in my apartment since my housemates set up the console last month.  As we replay childhood classics, we are noticing certain things we didn’t see as youngsters.  In The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, failing to save feisty Romani from aliens results in the girl being essentially lobotomized.  Taj, the genie elephant in Diddy Kong Racing, is a walking stereotype of Indian culture.  And Zelda…well…

In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the (seemingly male) ninja Sheik helps Link through dungeons, proving capable and independent.  However, once Sheik’s true identity—Princess Zelda—is revealed, the character is promptly rendered useless and trapped in a crystal.  Fifteen years ago, one would say, “Girl power!  Sheik is awesome!”.  Today, we see something problematic—once in royal garb, Zelda loses her abilities, and a connection is drawn between femininity and helplessness.  (Tagline from a nineties ad for Ocarina: “Willst thou get the girl…or fight like one?”  First, the game is about SO much more than saving Zelda, and second…excuse me? Is the year 1955?)

Source: TV Tropes

Apparently, she couldn’t ninja her way out of this one.

Said damsels are the focus of the debut installment of Anita Sarkeesian’s Tropes vs. Women in Video Games.  Sarkeesian, media critic and founder of the Feminist Frequency blog, released the first part of this newest project last week.  In her more general Tropes vs. Women series, Sarkeesian has already tackled various tropes that marginalize and objectify females, some of which are not immediately obvious, so it’s worth taking a look.

In the video released last week, Sarkeesian analyzes the history of “damsel’d” game ladies.  The most obvious example: Peach of Mario Brothers Fame.  In 13 out of 14 games in the core franchise, the pink-clad princess is kidnapped–and it’s up to a short plumber to rescue her.  (Not that we’re looking to a Mario game for meaningful character development and social commentary, but still…not the norm you want to establish for children to follow.) Furthermore, for many male protagonists, being imprisoned or kidnapped—and weaseling one’sown way to freedom—is a challenge incorporated into gameplay.  If men can do it, then why are there SO many (no, really, you have no idea how many) games in which the bad guys whisk away frantic, helpless females who require someone to rescue them?  The implications are unfortunate, to say the least.

Why doesn’t the princess save Mario for once, then?  It’s a bit surprising that Sarkeesian does not mention Super Princess Peach, in which the titular character rescues the pipe-diving brothers and their fun-sized sidekick, Toad.  However, a closer look reveals that SPP is hardly a feminist manifesto; Peach’s abilities are dictated by her “vibes”, or moods, perpetuating the stereotype that women are overly emotional and driven by feelings.  Ever have someone try to tell you (if you’re a female, that is) that the only reason you’re acting the way you are is because it must be “that time of the month”?  Super Princess Peach isn’t too far off from drawing that kind of connection.  And thus we are back at square one.

In fact, the role reversal makes Peach more of a novelty than a social statement.  We can do better.  What if Link and Zelda fought side-by-side?  Or, what if—hold on—there was a Zelda game in which Princess herself was the protagonist and had to fight Ganon?  An independent, capable protagonist… who also happens to be female?

If I just blew your mind, then that goes to prove why commentary such as Sarkeesian’s is both relevant and necessary.

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