Weekend Star Sasa
Date: 01.03.2014
Page 5
Article size: 470 cm2
ColumnCM: 104.44
AVE: 183822.22
The next generation of
Nairobi based video games
By James Murua
For many years, video game
1 Gridlock 2014
players could only shop for the Players in this game include a voter,
gadgets in shopping malls like member of the county assembly (MCA),
Sarit Centre, and a few others. MP, senator, governor and president. The
centrates more on collecting tokens than
winning the game.
2. Poster Wars 2014
In the recent years however,
lowest level of the game starts with a voter, The next game that can do very well is
play stations stopped being a
who has to fight his way up to become an the Postet Wars. In this game, the players
reserve for kids after adults
MCA. The MCAs receive a certain amount move up several levels of a game and have
started demanding for the product. The
to decide which poster means what. If they
of tokens called "money" allowing them
wider customer base has been occasioned
get their posters right, they progress to the
to move up to another level. In the new
by creation of new distribution channels by level, they compete with their fellow MCAs next level. If for instance, they encounter
companies such as Nintendo Wii, Micro­
a poster with a message like, "Blurred
to ensure the finest gets the highest token
soft Xbox and Sony Playstation to ensure count and weakest is eliminated. Those
Lines" with half naked couple on the cover,
play stations get into Nairobi homes.
who maintain the lead begin to eye the
they have to decide whether they want to
Games are a common feature in most
technologically advanced mobile phones.
To satisfy the growing demand, most
mobile phone companies have responded
governors level.
As governors, the desire to collect more
by manufacniring billions of such phones.
On the other hand, game lovers continue
to download their favourite games from
the internet. The most common are Angry
Birds, Fruit Ninja with Flappy Bird being
competitors in this level are senators, who
tokens increases. However, their biggest
or "hell". Those who gains access to hell
get into the Nairobi's famous strip clubs,
where they are given a hot night they will
fortunately or unfortunately have rhe man­ never forget. The few who decide to pick
date to summon governors to "question"
"heaven" find themselves getting into one
them over the tokens collected so far. Note
that the grilling process is occasioned by
the latest entrain in rhe market. Unfortu­
the senators* desire to also have an oppor­
nately, the creator of the game, a Viet­
tunity to collect as many tokens as possible
namese video game designer, deleted the
for themselves. The governors are also very
game after raking in more than US$50,000 keen at this level because they fear MCAs,
daily. As enterprising Kenyans watch the
who can gang up against them and strip
business in video game thrive, some are
probably thinking of venturing into it and
abandoning quails. This however remains
knock on the. door that leads to "heaven"
them off their current gains, which will
bring them down to the lowest level.
of the new genetational churches in Kenya
and are only given sermons and prayers,
much to their distress. The irony of this
game is that those who pick "heaven" will
actually move one level down.
The other level of the game will see
players bombarded with two posters of
politicians seeking political office; one
offering "Peace, Love and Mobile money"
The senators and governors will be hop­ and the other "Jobs for Youth." The former
ing to go to the next level, the president.
leads you up one level where, those in that
Should Kenyans decide that they want
In this game, the president is the most
level are highly influential as they can send
to develop the next Flappy Bird game, they powerful player but his reign only lasts for money via their phones. Those who will
should incorporate local 'features' that
slip one level down will he disappointed as
a short time before he is stripped off the
Kenyans are familiar with for easy play.
powers. This is because the president con­ the concept has not taken root in Kenya.
Here are a few suggestions:
to be seen.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
Weekend Star Sasa
Date: 01.03.2014
Page 5
Article size: 470 cm2
ColumnCM: 104.44
AVE: 183822.22
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya