Game Theory

As everypony reading this article would know, the recent advent of electronic computing have had been a subject of much controversy and opinionated discussion in Equestria. While nopony denies the tremendous opportunities afforded by computers, there is still much debate about the cultural impact of such an invention. It is not a secret that the technology itself is not of Equestrian origin - it`s been born to civilisation having very little in common with equinity. As such, many of the concepts that this civilisation is holding for granted are either alien to ponies, or are, at best, in infancy.

One of such concepts is the Internet. While the entirety of this concept could easily serve (and already had, in fact) as basises for doctorate works, we will limit ourselves with the simplest explanation for the sake of brevity. Simply put, Internet is a world-wide (Yes, this is correct. World-wide.) network connecting the computers into a singular medium of computation and information transfer. The implications stagger the mind, when one considers that such a construct enables every single pony with a computer assess an entirety of equinity`s wisdom and knowledge with just a few strokes of a button. Still, that much is only a pipe dream now. Sure, the research is going on, but it will take decades to lay down the appropriate infrastructure to even begin to recreate Internet in Equestria.

However, even without the overarching net, there is plenty of methods for information transfer on physical carriers. In theory, it is feasible to use regular books and scrolls to store information meant for computers, but compared to magnetic and optic methods of storage they are woefully slow and lacking in density. A simple "compact disk" can easily hold the entirety of cirriculum for a university, from the first day to the graduation. This also allows for storage of entertainment data of unparallelled complexity. Songs, dictation, images, even whole recorded scenes (referred to as "movies" in common parlance already). And... games. Which will be the focus of the following article.

In the interests of gauging the culture of which the technology came from and to determine just how compatible it is with Equinity, a group of pony exemplars have had volunteered to play those games and give their opinions on the experience of thereof. The group in question, the Mane 6, also known as bearers of the Elements are the best ponykind has to offer, and their reactions are the best medium by which we the ponies can possibly judge ourselves. So without further ado, let us examine their reactions.

The four following chapters are being split according to the age and popularity of games showcased. First chapter, "Old games" will examine the games created as the forerunners of industry (And currently, the only ones for which we the ponies have some kind of analog for - the arcade cabinets.). "Classics" will examine the games which are widely known as the trendsetters and pioneers of ideas that shaped the gaming. "A-list" will consider the reaction to the games created to push the technology and possibly, excitement to the limits. Finally, "Curios" will examine the games which did not see huge commercial successes but nonetheless established cult followings. For each game, all of Mane 6 will offer their thoughts and opinions, with the possible addition of extra participants where their reactions warranted specific mention.