Fat World

Fat World has a very unique message to it.  Especially, when one considers that a large amount of gamers are children that stereotypically eat lots of snack foods and rarely get sufficient exercise.  The game shares aspects much like the "Purple Moon" series because the game allows players to try out different options and make decisions that will be made in real life.  This game acts as a simulation as to the type of diet one may choose to follow and also illustrates the results of these diets.  For example, the player could choose to eat nothing but fast food and candy, then observe the results from a physical and emotional perspective.  Furthermore, the game illustrates the resulting life expectancy of a person that follows the chosen diet.  An even more interesting aspect of the game is that the game goes deeper than just the choices that a person may make concerning their diet.  Fatworld makes a statement about the differences in diet by economic class.  Healthier foods tend to be more expensive and therefore a luxury for the wealthy and unhealthy foods are often times easily affordable and therefore eaten by lower classes.  The goal of the game's creation is to teach people the dangers of poor diet and to illustrate the easily reached life improvements that come with healthy diet and exercise.  The designers of this game would be considered "culture workers" by Laurel due to the fact that the goal of the designers was not only to create a "fun" game, but to deliver an important social message to those that play the game.  The gameplay of "Fatworld" is much like that of, "The Sims".  However, the Sims do not have the blatant social messages that Fatworld provides.  If I were a parent, I would introduce this game to my children with the hopes that they would be able to learn the importance of healthy diet and exercise.  American society has an infatuation with fast food, especially amongst lower classes.  This game helps to make gamers realize this dangerous reality that has led to the growing obesity problem in this country.