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9/11 game whips up a storm: Because y'know, that wasn't likely to happen photo

A French Web site released a game on the Internet called New York Defender several years ago, a so-called satirical game in which you get a chance to "fight back" by shooting at a multitude of planes before they hit the Twin Towers. While shocking online games are nothing new and this one in particular is quite old, it has recently hit mainstream news sources, ensuring that a flood of reactions and screaming from people who should probably just ignore it is now underway.

The designer of the flash game claims that the message is that like America's war on terror, the game cannot be won. Wow man, that's about as deep as the faux social commentary spewed by the Super Columbine guy.

While I like some hard nosed satire and bad taste humor, this game is neither clever, funny, nor even a very fun thing to play. As for the people who are going to cry and be offended about it though, just ignore it. It's a bloody flash game, and if you're going to subject yourself to it and "open old wounds," as the CBS report claims, it's your own bloody fault. The game is stupid and so are the people who are going to willingly subject themselves to it just so they can be upset.

[Thanking Jack Klassen]


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59 comments | showing # 1 to 50

MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 01/06/2008 00:45
French.

That says it all.
MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 01/06/2008 00:46
I like how a French guy has the balls to mention war and terror in the same sentence.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 01/06/2008 00:47
Also, will anyone else be writing stories for Destructoid from now on? Not that I mind your writing, Jim, but you have to sleep at some point.
SantanaClaus89's Avatar
SantanaClaus89 at 01/06/2008 00:48
Damn Frenchies.

This baffles me.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 01/06/2008 00:51
This is why we can't have nice things
Trevor McGee's Avatar
Trevor McGee at 01/06/2008 01:06
They made some crappy movies about 9/11, so what not a crappy flash game?
BA Chieftain's Avatar
BA Chieftain at 01/06/2008 01:09
Similar game with the whole "there's no way to win" philosophy was September 12th, which also came out a fair while ago...

http://www.newsgaming.com/games/index12.htm

Warning: Uses ActiveX control but I haven't had any problems since using it. It takes all of 4 seconds to figure out the "message", but *shrug* it didn't really rile me up or anything.
MaxVest's Avatar
MaxVest at 01/06/2008 01:12
Is that Jack's first credit? I'm having a tingling sensation in my left arm...
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 01/06/2008 01:22
Jack gave a tip? A GOOD ONE?

Polish Hill's Avatar
Polish Hill at 01/06/2008 01:27
Seriously Jim are you just a robot fueled by mountain dew and tips because I don't even remember when another person wrote an article. But that'll just make your coup even more simple to achieve.
CannibalCalvin 's Avatar
CannibalCalvin at 01/06/2008 01:35
NEVER LINK TO GODDAMNED EBAUMS.

TAKE IT DOWN NOW.
Spykron's Avatar
Spykron at 01/06/2008 01:39
i played starcraft SCUMS like tower defense. they were actually fun though.
velcroman's Avatar
velcroman at 01/06/2008 01:45
SPOILER: JACK KLASSEN IS WIISUCKS LOLOLO (BANNED FROM C-BLOGS.)
Shin Oni's Avatar
Shin Oni at 01/06/2008 01:47
people are still whining over 9/11? Grow the fuck up.
realyst's Avatar
realyst at 01/06/2008 01:49
Just what that thief Bauman needs, more publicity.
destructo5000's Avatar
destructo5000 at 01/06/2008 01:51
The wounds...HAVE BEEN OPENED
Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 01/06/2008 02:04
Best game ever.
j0mb13's Avatar
j0mb13 at 01/06/2008 02:06
I played the game before anyone freaked. I agree the commentary is pretty one dimensional. But the game is fun. It's just a old school arcade shooter. I don't see the towers incident as taboo. Maybe it lets me fulfill may fantasies to kill flying terrorist? Lets be fair and consistent. Free speech! let this guy have it too. Here in the USA we have the right to offend and be offended.
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 01/06/2008 02:09
Sure he can say it,

but that doesn't make it not stupid.
Redzie's Avatar
Redzie at 01/06/2008 02:12
"omg lets stop calling it french fries and call it freedom fries again". Would it be worse if an American did it? If south park did it would be totally okay, right?

@Trevor
DAMN STRAIGHT
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 01/06/2008 02:27
What, are we not allowed to say Wiisucks around here anymore?
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 01/06/2008 02:32
j0mb: I love free speech and I think he had every right to make the game, just like I have every right to say I think the game was lame.
Macca's Avatar
Macca at 01/06/2008 02:49
We all know it was Ubisoft.
pizzaface's Avatar
pizzaface at 01/06/2008 03:05
I now read all of your posts with a british accent, ever since hearing your voice on FNF.
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar
PrinceofCannedPeaches at 01/06/2008 03:15
He spent six years developing that shit? Poor Pierre - think of all the wonderful opportunities to spread STDs and retreat in panic he must have passed up to create that game.

+1 French Deprecation! Kekekekeke.
Atlas's Avatar
Atlas at 01/06/2008 03:22
HAHA! When I saw Jack Klassen I got a kick out of it.

Jack "Wiisucks" Klassen is on a one way trip to being hired at D-toid, like I always say.
Atlas's Avatar
Atlas at 01/06/2008 03:28
HAHA! When I saw Jack Klassen I got a kick out of it.

Jack "Wiisucks" Klassen is on a one way trip to being hired at D-toid, like I always say.
danluvswii's Avatar
danluvswii at 01/06/2008 03:29
wat a gay game
Zero_armada's Avatar
Zero_armada at 01/06/2008 04:15
vexed alex's Avatar
vexed alex at 01/06/2008 04:44
Seriously, Jim. You're a fucking blogging machine. Is everyone else on vacation?
j0mb13's Avatar
j0mb13 at 01/06/2008 05:18
Jim Sterling you can say game was lame as well offensive. I disagreed tho.I Never disputed your right or ability to state your opinion. Hope your cool with me stating mine? All is good!
Banj's Avatar
Banj at 01/06/2008 05:58
So, hang on, in this game you are DEFENDING New York? What's the fucking problem? That's like getting upset about WWII games because, y'know, people died.

I love the French. The country and it's people pander to no-one. If someone wants to get bent out of shape over this game then that's their issue, not the French's.

The game does look shit though so, y'know, fair review.
Drunken Haze's Avatar
Drunken Haze at 01/06/2008 07:38
About as tasteless as call of duty. Only these guys didnt obey the 22.3 year rule AND are french so obviously we should pour hatred upon them.

new york defender 2 seemed like a standard flash game to me. No good, but an engaging 5 minutes.

Also, could jim maybe post fewer 'news' stories to the frount page. Quality over quantity for once?
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 01/06/2008 07:43
haha, best game idea I've heard since Mass Effect.

Would it be funnier if it were about rape?
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 01/06/2008 08:48
Yeah seriously the crappy 911 movies didn't open old wounds? Oh Sterling you make such a good point. Who even cares.
Dastardly007's Avatar
Dastardly007 at 01/06/2008 09:04
A purile piece of toss that deserves to be ignored. Not because it's crap or offensive, but because of the reason it was made in the first place - shock value.

Same goes for Manhunt.
Orionsaint's Avatar
Orionsaint at 01/06/2008 09:40
FOX NEWS will eat this up, especially that asshole Bill O' Reilly.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 01/06/2008 09:43
wardrox: I thought 9/11 was all about international rape? :D
AgentMOO's Avatar
AgentMOO at 01/06/2008 09:52
If anyone's opening old wounds it's these misery thirsty news organizations digging up a several years old game. Shh... nobody tell them about the towers in The Godfather.
Eschatos's Avatar
Eschatos at 01/06/2008 10:13
You'd think that they'd have found this sooner.
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 01/06/2008 11:17
Damn, I just got so close to 1000 points! This game is good.
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 01/06/2008 11:22
Sweett! Just got +1500
Turtule Soup's Avatar
Turtule Soup at 01/06/2008 12:59
That game sounds pretty gay. Its the you can't win thing that I found the worst.
SubOrbital's Avatar
SubOrbital at 01/06/2008 13:10
Agreed
Magesx's Avatar
Magesx at 01/06/2008 13:28
Games like these are why people blame videogames for everything. :/
vexed alex's Avatar
vexed alex at 01/06/2008 13:55
"Also, could jim maybe post fewer 'news' stories to the frount page. Quality over quantity for once?"

Also, could you be less of an asshole? I'm just curious. Is it possible for you not to be be a complete cunt?
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 01/06/2008 14:51
"I love the French. The country and it's people pander to no-one."

Except islamic extremists. And Nazis.

To echo Dastardly's statement, making media for shock value is for Rockstar and Uwe Boll. I mostly don't care about this, but seriously. Manhunt 2 was a pile of crap that was made to stir up the public, as is this piece of tripe. If you're applauding the French asshole who wanted his ten minutes in the spotlight, or cursing him because he's distateful, you're a fucking moron. You're pandering to an insecure attention-freak either way. I'm actually a little upset with myself that I couldn't keep out of this one, but crap like this isn't helping the image of gaming in general. Avoiding reporting it would be a diservice, as it is the responsibility of the press to inform and educate, but people need to see this for what it is: Some dick-squeezing french pussy trying to get Americans all fired up so he can tell us how we're all reactionaries.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 01/06/2008 18:42
That game was a piece of shit. Why is it that all the controversial games never deserve the bloody attention? If you're going to try to be offensive, at least try to make it entertaining, otherwise you just come off as a fucking tit.
StolenName's Avatar
StolenName at 01/06/2008 21:05
There was another game quite similar to this, which depicted a middle eastern style village with both terrorists, civilians, dogs and children wandering the streets.

Your objective is to bomb the terrorists, however with every shot you killed the innocent. Once you killed anyone, those civilians surrounding the dead begin mourning and turn into terrorists themselves.

Your bomb cools down just too slow to kill all the terrorists before more are created and thus, there are always terrorists.

The idea is that killing only leads to more hatred and you'll never win the war on terror using violence.

I've just spent ten minutes looking for a link but can't find one anywhere, grrr, it was done a lot better than this two towers game and wasn't as "controversial" as such. It was blunt, non-violent and the meaning was immediately evident from just a minutes play.
101gfx's Avatar
101gfx at 01/06/2008 22:39
@Stolen: I stumbled across that game not too long ago, it was a brilliant "game". One of the few instances of actual "art" in a videogame.
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