Video games are full of heroes. They can be super-powered figures or ordinary people on a mission. As these characters grow in their travels, players will learn from them and perhaps bring a bit of their wisdom with them into the real world.
None of these characters would be where they are if they didn’t have their own mentors. Even if they are flawed, they can provide valuable life lessons that will guide these characters on their journeys or simply stop them from doing something stupid. In reality, even though these characters are fictional, that doesn’t mean what they have to say is any less true. Here are some of the most important bits of video game mentor wisdom.
6 “There is always a solution.” — Batman, Batman: The Rise of Sin Tzu
Batman Not only is he the caped crusader who hunts criminals at night, but he also has a habit of collecting orphaned/troubled children and training them to fight in the streets. Such apprentices he has taken on include Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, both of whom would take on the mantle of Robin. In Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, one of Batman’s video game outings, the titular villain orders the Dark Knight to find a destructive weapon on a barge. Sin Tzu calls it a “puzzle with no solution,” to which Batman replies, “There is always a solution.”
Sometimes it seems like there is no solution to some problems in life. Often, however, there is a way to handle things. Sometimes it can just see things from a different angle. Other times, it may be necessary to just step back and focus on something else while subconsciously letting the brain do its thing. This can give a “Eureka” moment worthy of the best detective in the world.
5 “It’s taking what comes your way, the good and the bad, that gives life flavor.” — mr. Resetti, Animal Crossing: Wild World
The Animal Crossing Games are all about enjoying everyday life, from collecting bugs to chatting with neighbors, and paying the clocks owed to that pesky con man, Tom Nook. In previous Animal Crossing games, if they messed up, players could reset the console and reload their save. mr. However, Resetti the mole would give players a mouthful and say that this is a different kind of game and just resetting and clearing things is not what life is all about.
If life always had the desired outcome, it would become boring. Everything would be completely predictable and there would be no funny stories to tell the colleagues around the water cooler. If there were never winter, one would appreciate spring less.
4 “. . . [Y]You have every right to be angry, but believe me when I say you don’t want to feed that emotion.” — Kyle Katarn, Star Wars Jedi Knight – Jedi Academy
Kyle Katarn is an important character in Star Wars‘ Dark Forces and Jedi Knight video games. He would eventually become Luke Skywalker’s right-hand man in Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, where he becomes a teacher to the player and their fellow Jedi Knights in training. In a practice course, Rosh, the player’s classmate, sends a training droid to slow him down, causing him/her to become enraged.
In this bit of wisdom, Katarn reminds you not to let their anger consume you. Being a Jedi and being a decent human being requires controlling your emotions. Acting out of anger can cause someone to do stupid things that can hurt themselves and others. In the Star Wars universe, anger is often referred to as a path to the Dark Side.
3 “Getting experience in a single skill is admirable. But you should never lose the urge for self-improvement.” — Onigiri-Sensei, Okami
Fighting the eight-headed demon Orochi is challenging, even for a Japanese sun goddess reincarnated as a wolf. Thankfully, Onigiri-Sensei is on hand to teach Amaterasu, or “Ammy” for short, some new fighting moves in Capcom’s cult classic, okami. As any good teacher would, he expects the best from his students.
Onigiri-Sensei reminds Amaterasu not to be too complacent, which everyone has to watch out for. It’s always good to try new things and get better at something you’re already good at. If there is no struggle, there is no growth. Learning a new skill can lead to new opportunities, big or small.
2 “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take it.” — Old man, the legend of Zelda
In the very first Legend of Zelda game for the NES, the ever-silent Link wanders into a dark cave. There, a single old man stands before a sword and urges him to take it, warning Link of the dangers in his journey.
The world can indeed be a dangerous place, with all kinds of threats from both human and non-human sources. So it’s best to have some tools handy in difficult situations, just in case. If you are on the bike, you must wear a helmet. This does not only apply to tools. It’s always worth having someone who can help provide guidance and be a motivator when life gets in the way.
1 “We can’t choose how we start in this life. True greatness is what you do with the hand you’ve been dealt.” — Victor “Sully” Sullivan
Victor Sullivan is the snoring cigar-smoking partner-in-crime of adventurer, treasure hunter and occasional criminal Nathan Drake, who debuted in the first game of the not mapped series, Nathan Drake. Sully found Nate on the street when he was a child and took him under his wing. He didn’t even want kids until he found him.
At the end of Uncharted 3Sully gives Nate his ring to replace the one Nate lost, which was inscribed with Sir Francis Drake’s words, “Greatness from Small Beginnings.” Nate had always aspired to be like the legendary explorer Sir Francis Drake, even claiming to be a descendant of him. Sully reminds Drake here that one’s race is not the deciding factor in what makes one great. The potential to do incredible things in life exists in everyone, regardless of who they are descended from.
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