WEBVTT 00:00:05.549 --> 00:00:08.263 It’s no secret that the gaming industry is still unfortunately 00:00:08.263 --> 00:00:14.306 a very male dominated, male centric place from the developers to the story lines to the in-game characters. 00:00:14.306 --> 00:00:21.014 So it’s important to note that "realistic-looking" first-person shooters and other games that employ graphic violence and sexist imagery 00:00:21.014 --> 00:00:27.402 are not the only games out there even though they do tend to get most of the attention when it comes to talk of "serious" gaming. 00:00:27.402 --> 00:00:31.964 Because I'm often frustrated with the male dominated, blood and guts, testosterone driven shoot em up 00:00:31.964 --> 00:00:35.310 games that seem to dominate the xbox and ps3 platforms, 00:00:35.310 --> 00:00:41.146 it's refreshing to see so many games on Apple's iOS that focuses on puzzle solving and creative storytelling. 00:00:41.161 --> 00:00:48.423 iOS is the shorthand for Apple computer's mobile operating system which is used on their iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices. 00:00:48.423 --> 00:00:56.633 Even with, or perhaps because of, its limited graphics and processor capabilities the iOS platform has managed to expand the scope of what gaming can be. 00:00:56.633 --> 00:01:02.067 We’ve seen a flood of highly imaginative and engaging games that borrow from 80's era classics 00:01:02.067 --> 00:01:05.739 as well as breaking new ground with simple and innovative gameplay. 00:01:05.739 --> 00:01:12.406 Having so many creative, simple, intuitive and non-traditional games available right in our pockets has really helped bring gaming 00:01:12.406 --> 00:01:18.161 to a wider range of people (including to more women) who may never have considered themselves gamers before. 00:01:18.161 --> 00:01:23.959 These are some of the reasons why I find myself playing games on my phone much more than I do on the more traditional gaming platforms. 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:29.673 My iPhone is always there for me when I'm waiting in a long line, riding the subway, or sitting in a boring meeting. 00:01:29.673 --> 00:01:36.597 With somewhere in the neighborhood of 100,000 games currently available for iOS it's not an easy task to pick out the best of the best. 00:01:36.597 --> 00:01:39.851 So, for this particular top ten list I decided to narrow the field a bit. 00:01:39.851 --> 00:01:47.149 While I really love games like Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies, I'm reserving this list for games that are based on non violent problem solving. 00:01:47.149 --> 00:01:55.426 Of course I recognize that Angry Birds uses an adorable and comical form of cartoon violence- plus those damn pigs really do deserve it! 00:01:55.426 --> 00:02:02.693 I want to make absolutely clear that I am in no way saying that games that involve violence are always bad or have no value. 00:02:02.693 --> 00:02:10.635 What I am saying is, at their best video games can promote problem solving skills, critical thinking, creative mathematics and confidence building. 00:02:10.635 --> 00:02:14.745 One of the things many feminist movements have advocated for over the decades is 00:02:14.745 --> 00:02:20.736 non-violent conflict resolution and creative ways to solve both domestic and international disputes. 00:02:20.736 --> 00:02:25.095 So while these games might not be explicitly feminist per se, they do focus on problem solving. 00:02:25.095 --> 00:02:32.410 So with that, here’s my top 10 favorite (mostly) non-violent games for the iPhone that don't involve beating anything to death with a stick. 00:02:34.196 --> 00:02:38.575 Tiny Wings is an adorable game about a little bird whose wings are too small to fly. 00:02:38.575 --> 00:02:44.699 It's a simple one touch button but don't be deceived by its simplicity, getting that little bird to fly can be tricky. 00:02:46.166 --> 00:02:51.880 World of Goo was originally created for a PC platform and was formatted to fit the iPhone and I've got to say, 00:02:51.880 --> 00:02:56.802 it was an incredibly fun game on the computer but it’s even more compelling on the iPhone with its touch screen. 00:02:56.802 --> 00:03:04.101 This physics based puzzle game involves building bridges, towers and other structures to move the goo balls from one place to another. 00:03:07.178 --> 00:03:13.329 Groove Coaster is an audio/visual game that tests your rhythm. You have to tap on the screen every time a bubble appears on the track, 00:03:13.329 --> 00:03:19.088 which corresponds to the beats of the music. It's not that complex but the combination of the geometric visuals 00:03:19.088 --> 00:03:22.826 and rhythmic music make the experience compelling and engaging. 00:03:24.870 --> 00:03:29.614 Cut the Rope is a physics based puzzle game where you have to feed a piece of candy to a frog. 00:03:29.614 --> 00:03:35.406 In addition to the main goal you have three stars to acquire before feeding the frog in order to get a high score. 00:03:35.406 --> 00:03:39.921 And you really want to pass each level because he looks so sad when you don’t feed him 00:03:39.921 --> 00:03:48.929 Whale Trail is a whimsical and simple game where you help Willow the Whale fly through the rainbow sky dodging the Thunder Brothers, collecting bubbles and making friends. 00:03:52.571 --> 00:03:59.777 Bumpy Road is a cute, cartoony game that follows a family traveling through their car along the bumpy road while collecting things along the way. 00:03:59.777 --> 00:04:03.548 You control the movement of the car by manipulating the bumps in the road. 00:04:07.025 --> 00:04:12.215 Drop7 is a number puzzle game that at first seems simple but gets complex during game play. 00:04:12.215 --> 00:04:19.176 You drop numbered discs into rows and columns to match the number of discs in that row or column or a disc with that number in the row or column, 00:04:19.176 --> 00:04:21.896 and you have to clear out discs before the board maxes out. 00:04:23.820 --> 00:04:29.478 Flight Control is a simple and compelling game where you have to land different aircrafts without crashing into each other. 00:04:29.478 --> 00:04:33.740 However it's a questionable inclusion on a Feminist Frequency list because of its sexism. 00:04:33.740 --> 00:04:42.420 While the game play only includes planes and helicopters, the menu exploits a retro sexist style image of a woman dressed up in various costumes. 00:04:43.909 --> 00:04:49.105 Edge Extended is a puzzle game that involves rolling a cube around a maze as quickly as possible. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:55.545 But to reach the end of each level you have to avoid falling off the edge as well as traveling along moving floors and walls. 00:04:57.301 --> 00:05:05.170 contre jour is a stunningly beautiful physics game where you have to manipulate the world around the hero Petit as opposed to moving the hero himself. 00:05:05.170 --> 00:05:11.114 To move Petit to the objective you have to nudge the ground and manipulate various environmental elements. 00:05:11.114 --> 00:05:16.900 Plus, fun fact, the protagonist is named after the classic french children's book Le Petit Prince. 00:05:16.900 --> 00:05:21.446 Just like television, movies and music, video games are part of our pop culture landscape and 00:05:21.446 --> 00:05:26.117 as such play a role in the way that we come to understand and engage with the world around us. 00:05:26.117 --> 00:05:31.706 They are a part of our social development and at their best they can do more than entertain, though they do that too. 00:05:31.706 --> 00:05:36.736 Some of these games are also available on Google's Android as well as other mobile operating systems, 00:05:36.736 --> 00:05:41.174 so go play them, have fun, and be sure to tell me what your favorite games are! 00:05:41.174 --> 00:05:48.810 If you enjoy these video please help keep Feminist Frequency going by donating today! 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