Composting Paper Mario

For my electronic text evaluation I will be using the video game Paper Mario by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems for the home console Nintendo 64.  I will prove this “game”, as an example for many other cases as well, deserves to be considered an “electronic text” and therefore a legitimate literary piece supported by the textual based story elements along with the style, form, and charm of the game itself.  As a literary piece it tells a tale that only a game such as this could; a book would just not compare to offer the same experiences that game like Paper Mario could or did for myself in my youth.  Birkerts goes against this point, as he completely dismisses Nintendo games when he talks about the future of hypertext: “We do not know yet whether hypertext will ever be accepted by a mass readership as something more than a sophisticated Nintendo game played with language” (Birkerts, 164).  Frankly hypertext is already accepted by a mass readership with Nintendo games alone.  The way Birkerts uses “sophisticated” in this line seems sarcastic to my sense.  This is supported when he mentions that the games “play” with language, as if they do not really use it properly or in a “sophisticated” manor.  In fact these Nintendo games, such Paper Mario; utilize hypertext, interactivity, and visual elements to enhance one’s reading experience not deter it.   I understand that some would argue how some/many games can not be viewed as textual as Paper Mario.  And I whole-heartedly agree with the fact that there are plenty of games that are mindless enough with violence and other explicit content to turn away from the story-telling effects of games.  Yet this is always going to be an issue, and its not necessary bad to have games like this but its very important to know take not all games are of this fashion.

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