Tiny Death Star and Operant Conditioning
How the Star Wars mobile game conditions you to spend money.
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Video Games on Overthinking It
Overthinking It Popfixers, Episode 4, “It’s a Me, Mario!”
The panel considers Koopa kidnappings, union insurance and the virtue and vice of one-man armies in this all-new, all-Mario episode.
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Keys to Your Brains: Plants vs. Zombies vs. Operant Conditioning
Plants vs. Zombies 2, and the psychology of “grinding” in casual video games.
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When Games Pretend to Be Games They Aren’t
Candy Crush pretends to be a game of skill to trick you into spending money. But can a game pretend to be something it’s not for valid artistic reasons?
Dragon’s Crown: It’s Not For You
On Dragon’s Crown, sexism, Penny Arcade, and the gentle art of video game criticism.
Episode 245: Uncanny Valley of Polygonal Animal Space Pilots
The Overthinkers tackle whaling in Assassin’s Creed IV, the symbolism of different animal species in Star Fox, and the rocky launch of SimCity.
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Mass Effect 3 and the Ethics of Revolutionary Choices
Okay, let’s talk about the ending.
Episode 225: We’re Going To Wasteland
The Overthinkers tackle Graceland, Argo, and, if you can believe it, listener feedback.
Listen Now · Download · 29 · Show Notes »
Angry Birds Power-Ups Flap in the Face of the Olympic Spirit
Rovio rocked automatic updaters with the Angry Birds 2.2.0 update, a harrowing prospect, set against the backdrop of the ongoing London 2012 Olympics.
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When Your PC isn’t PC
Video games, “political correctness,” and hegemonic discourse.