Ben's Game facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben's Game |
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| Developer(s) | Eric Johnston |
| Publisher(s) | Make-A-Wish Foundation |
| Designer(s) | Ben Duskin Eric Johnston |
| Platform(s) | Windows and Mac |
| Release date(s) | May 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Therapeutic action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Ben's Game is a special video game about fighting cancer. It was created in 2003 by Ben Duskin, an 8-year-old boy from the United States. Ben had leukemia, a type of cancer, and was getting better. The game was published by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The Idea Behind Ben's Game
When the Make-A-Wish Foundation asked Ben what he wished for, he wanted to design a video game. He hoped this game would help other kids with cancer. Ben wanted them to imagine fighting their cancer cells. He remembered his doctor telling him to think of chemotherapy as eating cancer cells.
At first, gaming companies said it would cost too much and take too long to make Ben's game. But Patricia Wilson, a director at Make-A-Wish, didn't give up. She asked for help from her team. Soon, game designers from all over the world offered to help.
One special offer came from Eric Johnston, a software engineer from LucasArts. He wanted to lead the game design. But he had one rule: he had to work directly with Ben. For six months, Eric met with Ben every week. Together, they created Ben's Game. Ben's own doctor even helped as a medical adviser. She wanted UCSF Children's Hospital to be the first place to have the game for kids to play.
The game was released in May 2004. By 2009, over 300,000 people worldwide had downloaded it. Ben's Game is freeware, meaning it's free to download. It works on Mac and Windows computers. It's also available in 9 different languages!
Ben Duskin and Eric Johnston received a special award. The Dalai Lama honored them as "Unsung Heroes of Compassion" in 2005.
In 2007, another child named Jericho Rajninger was inspired by Ben. Jericho used his own Make-A-Wish wish to help other kids too. He created J.R. the Robot, which delivers medicine to children in the hospital.
What's the Game About?
In Ben's Game, you play as a child patient. You are made super tiny, like a microscopic hero. You go on an adventure inside the child's own body. Your goal is to destroy all the cancer cells. You also need to collect seven special shields. These shields protect against common side effects of chemotherapy.
Each shield is guarded by a "monster." These monsters represent the different side effects. The game is designed so that your character never loses or dies. This helps kids feel strong and hopeful.
How to Play Ben's Game
The game is like a 3D version of Asteroids. Instead of a spaceship, you control the child patient on a hoverboard. You use the left and right arrow keys to turn. The up arrow makes you go faster, and the down arrow makes you stop.
You have four different weapons: Sword, Crossbow, Blaster, and Missile. Each weapon shoots different types of projectiles. You also have built-in ammo.
Your main goal is to destroy all the mutated cells. There are also seven shields to find. Each shield protects you from a common side effect of chemotherapy. A "monster" guards each shield, representing that side effect.
Here are the seven monsters and what they represent:
- Iceman monster: Represents colds.
- Robarf monster: Represents vomiting and nausea.
- Big Chicken monster: Represents chicken pox.
- Fire monster: Represents fever.
- Vamp monster: Represents bleeding.
- Qball monster: Represents hair loss.
- Tornado monster: Represents rash.
Your "ammunition" in the game is special. It includes health (from a hospital), ammo (from a pharmacy), and attitude (from home).
The game also lets you control the camera view. You can even play with a friend in a two-player mode! There are 12 characters and 6 game boards to choose from. You can even create your own characters and boards. The game uses simple image files (JPEGs) for textures. This means you can copy and edit them to make new characters or boards.
