This is the third part of an interview series, “Unmasking the Gamers,” humanising the people who play video games: the real character controlling that fictional character; the person behind that First Person Genre. Previous interviewee(s): Brendan Stapley, Andrew Doherty

This edition of Unmasking the Gamers features an interview with Cody, an old 1up friend, artist and up-and-coming gaming journalist. A vocal and influential member of the 1up network for several years and I had the good fortune of being able to sit down with him for a Q&A (or rather, sitting down in front of a computer, half the planet apart from each other and exchanging emails over time) =).

Will Ooi: Cody, tell us about yourself.

Cody Winn: Hi there! You already know me, Will, but for all your readers, my name is Cody Winn. I grew up in Utah and started playing games as far back as I can remember. I grew up with a ton of siblings so it always seemed like one of them got a new system or game, and luckily I was always able to play along with them. I still play videogames today, of course, and I’m lucky enough to have a bunch of people who enjoy reading my thoughts on them. I hope to work as a games writer someday, and I’ve made a lot of connections the past few years and made a lot of friends in the industry, so let’s hope that helps! When I’m not gaming, I collect knit caps, draw portraits, and enjoy a good walk. I also have two adorable kittens named Figaro and Sebastian.

WO: How did you get into knit hats, and how many of them do you actually own?

CW: I have this widow’s peak, and though it’s not terribly bad, I was always a little embarrassed about it. I never liked regular baseball caps, so one day I decided to try knit caps. I really enjoyed them and didn’t think they looked half bad on me, so I got a few more here, and a few more there, and now I’ve got around 50. I’m far less self-conscious than I used to be thanks to a very special friend (she knows who she is), so I go out without any knit caps or beanies on quite a bit, but I still love them.

WO: What’s the origin of your online name, NintendoTheory?

CW: Well, when I was a bit younger and more angsty (as angsty as you can be when you’re growing up in Utah, anyway) I listened to lot of Linkin Park. I really loved their first album, Hybrid Theory, so when I was trying to think up a good username to use on the Internets, I put “Theory” and my love of Nintendo together and created the name I have now. That’s a bit boring of a story, though, so I also like to think it stands for the opinion that games should focus on fun before any other factors, like graphics, story, etc. However, with recent releases like Heavy Rain, I don’t really agree with that opinion as much as I used to. Some games, like books and movies, just aren’t meant to be fun, and are more about stirring our emotions or, occasionally, punching us in the (empathetic) gut.

WO: How did you get into gaming in the first place, Cody?

CW: I’m lucky in that my family has always been very videogame-friendly (more women play games in my family than men, actually), so I was put on the gaming path quite early in life. It’s a little hard to remember when it all began, but I probably started gaming when I was around two-years old. My earliest memory of playing games is when I got to play Super Mario Bros. 2 at my sister’s house. Ever since then I’ve been a huge fan of our chubby little red-hatted friend.

WO: You’re currently moving/have moved to San Francisco! What’s happening? Cute girls, I hear… =)

CW: I had planned to move to San Fran over the Summer, but you know how life goes. Always got to expect the unexpected, which I didn’t. That’s endless optimism for you, ha ha. My current plan is to move there next April, but wish me luck. Oh, and yes, the girls are quite cute there, though I’ve met a lot of ‘em from around the world online, and I gotta say, girls are pretty cute regardless of where they are. And luckily (unluckily?) for them, I’m a huge flirt.

WO: What games are you playing right now?

CW: Right now I’m playing Final Fantasy: The Four Heroes of Light, as well as Fable III. By the time people read this my review of both should be up, but if not, here’s the scoop: the former is awesome, and the latter is awesome, if a bit glitchy. I’m also looking forward to getting my hands on Kirby’s Epic Yarn as soon as possible. The new Donkey Kong looks great as well, and you know I’m going to pick up any game with “Golden Sun” in the title.

WO: What titles are you most looking forward to over the turn of the year?

CW: I mentioned a few of them, but next year it’s all about Zelda, Pokemon Black & White, and The Last Story. Oh, and The Last Guardian if it hits stores in time. I’m probably missing a bunch, but those are the ones in my mind at the moment.

WO: What are a few of your favourite games? Ones which have really stood out for you, and why.

CW: It’s hard to narrow it down, but if I had to pick just a few, I’d probably go with Animal Crossing, Yoshi’s Island, and Majora’s mask. I love Animal Crossing because it gives you almost complete control of your life, and as someone who suffers from anxiety, control isn’t always something I have a lot of (though recently I’ve made great strides and hopefully won’t be dealing with it much longer!). Plus, I love being able to customize characters and worlds to my heart’s content. I love Yoshi’s Island because it was a departure from most of the 2D Mario games that came before ir, but still kept a lot of what made those games so special. It’s my favorite game in the Mario series, actually. Lastly, Majora’s Mask is my favorite game of all time. To me, it is an absolutely perfect game. I still find myself amazed by all of the little things Nintendo did to create such a beautiful and timeless work of art. The music, visuals, emotion, character, and charm in that game are all second to none.

WO: How about consoles?

CW: Well, I grew up in the SNES/Genesis days, despite having an old NES as well, so those two consoles will always have a special place in my heart. I think my favorite, though, despite all of its shortcomings, would be the N64. It had blurry graphics and maybe two or three good games every year, but those games were mind-blowing. I’m not exactly sure if I’d be the gamer I am today, or if anyone would, without stuff like Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time.

WO: Super Mario – what’s the appeal? I’ve always been a Sega fan and cannot bring myself over to the dark side =)

CW: I’m quite the fan of Sega myself, though I think the reason Mario has stayed so relevant over the years is because of a basic design philosophy that Nintendo are masters at — make it fun. I mean, think about it. How many times have you been frustrated with a Mario game? Well, outside of the Japanese SMW2, anyway. Plus, there’s a certain childlike wonder to the Mario universe, the same kind of wonder that brings throngs of adults to every Pixar premiere. Oh, and he’s got a damn fine ‘stache.

WO: You’re an excellent artist with a skill in sketching and the use of colours. How did you hone this ability?

CW: Thanks for the compliments! I’ve been drawing since I was very little, probably longer than I’ve been playing videogames, so I suppose it’s just a natural increase in skill throughout the years; if you stick with something long enough, you’re bound to get good at it. Still, though I love art and I love drawing, it’s not something I want to do professionally. Whenever I’ve tried to do so, it just takes every ounce of enjoyment out of it. So, even though I’ve only been writing for a few years now, “writer” will probably end up as my career choice instead of artist (unless I can mix the two together). Luckily, people like Hsu and other game journos think I’m a pretty decent writer, so hopefully it’ll work out someday!

WO: Is there a link between your creative ability and your passion for games? You certainly enjoy drawing game characters

CW: I do! And there’s most definitely a link. When I was growing up, I’d say 90% of my creative passion came from videogames. I’d see all these cool characters and the wonderful worlds they inhabited, and I’d either draw them or draw things inspired by them. I like to draw other stuff too (some people reading this might have seen a few of the portraits I’ve done), but drawing videogame-related content has always been a passion, for sure. In fact, at one point I wanted to be a concept artist! Also, on a related note, I managed to get myself in Nintendo Power a few times with my letter art, back when the mag still showed off art sent in by their readers. I was pretty darn proud when I spotted my name in what was then my favorite magazine.

WO: You’ve been a prominent member of 1up for years now. Please tell us what your involvement has been, and currently is.

CW: Back when I first joined 1UP, I really wasn’t too involved with the site outside of creating a few clubs and leaving a couple comments here and there. It wasn’t until I created The 1UP Awards when I started to gain popularity and get noticed a bit. After that I started talking with people like Dan Hsu and Sam Kennedy, which ultimately led to friendships and a look behind-the-scenes of 1UP and the industry in general; I’m proud to say I knew about Bitmob, and even the Sore Thumbs blog that preceded it, well before they existed. Nowadays on the 1UP side of things, I’m asked for my opinions on community additions and future changes of the site, and sometimes my input turns into actual features and improvements, which never ceases to stun me (“People like my ideas? Awesome!”).

WO: How does one get into the videogames industry or gaming journalism? Is passion enough?

CW: That’s a question everyone asks but no one seems to have an answer to, including me. Though I’m not in the industry quite yet, I’ve made a lot of connections, like I said. From my own experience, it’s all about respecting your peers, taking advice and criticism well, and just being a friendly person. I never went looking for a job or a way in, but people found my stuff because I’d made friends who’ve spread the world. it’s all about being kind, like everything else in life. Still, all that said, everyone has their own experience with it, so if you haven’t climbed the wall yet, keep trying! You’ll make it.

WO: Generally speaking, what do you look to gain from playing a game? Is it a sense of escape, via single player gaming, a sense of teamwork in multiplayer, etc.

CW: I look for various things, depending on what kind of game I’m playing. For games I play online, I want something my buddies and I can enjoy while sitting back and just talking with each other. If it gets too competitive, or just isn’t fun, then I usually don’t play it for long. For offline stuff, I’m either looking for something fun and casually challenging (nothing too frustrating), like Super Mario Galaxy or Animal Crossing, where I can relax and enjoy some peace and quiet, or something that’s going to evoke some emotion in me or keep me engrossed with a good story and characters.

WO: Given gaming’s controversies over the last few years, with Jack Thompson, GTA “Hot Coffee”, and MW2‘s “No Russian” stage, what are your views on how gaming is seen in the media and the public eye?

CW: Things aren’t all that great right now, as the mass media and the public at large aren’t all that informed in general (not just with games, but in every respect), but we’re slowly getting better as time goes by. I absolutely support what Nintendo is doing, because even though a lot of the content on the Wii isn’t something I’d personally be interested in, it’s easing a lot of people into our little hobby that might have otherwise been recruited to the dark side. Hopefully the anger and “moral outrage” at our little industry will keep getting smaller and, hopefully, disappear entirely someday.

WO: Do you think game developers have a social responsibility in, say, a similar way to how films and novels and music seek to educate and inform. In other words, to use the medium for ‘good’?

CW: Absolutely. I think we kind of get a free pass right now, actually, which isn’t fair. We always say we want our medium to be taken seriously, but when race or social issues or the like pops up, we throw responsibility to the wind and use the tired “they’re just games” excuse. We can’t have it both ways. As gamers, we need to start asking for more mature, thoughtful content, and not be afraid of the backlash that follows. If we don’t let the industry grow up, we’ll never get the games we keep asking for.

WO: Online multiplayer voice-chat. Good or bad?

CW: Good and bad. It’s bad that I have to hear annoying little homophobic/misogynistic/racist idiots, though it’s good that I can put a voice to all the friends I’ve made over the years. The hard part comes when you want to make new friends through online gaming; most of the good people have, sadly, turned off their mics because of the aforementioned idiots. It’s not a good situation, and I hope someone thinks up a fix someday, because the way Microsoft currently tries to fix the problem — allowing people to choose different ways to play, like “Underground” — just doesn’t work, as far as I can tell.

WO: What are some of your best offline and online gaming memories?

CW: Offline, I’d say it’d be when I first collected all 150 of the original Pokemon. I was also really proud of getting all 1000g in Tales of Vesperia, which only took me 450+ hours. Online, there’s too many to count. Every time I log in and get the chance to game with my buddies, it’s qualified as a “best memory.”

WO: Speaking of which, how about social networking… how do you currently consume it, and what do you think the future holds?

CW: Currently, I feel a little tired and spread out, so I have plans to leave certain sites and focus on a smaller group. I’ll leave what the sites are for another interview though, ha ha. I’m at my PC most of the day, and Twitter is always open. I’m addicted to it now, always wanting to know what’s up with my friends and see if they’re okay. Who said social networking was all about being self-absorbed? (Okay, I am a little bit.) As for what the future holds, I can only imagine. I truly believe that my generation and others (35-years old and under, mostly) are going under a huge global transformation. The internet, in terms of human history, is a very new thing, so with all of the different ways we’re able to connect these days, it will be interesting to see what happens going forward. A complete merger of “e-friends” and those we know in person? A borderless world? So much potential… and I have faith in humanity, so I think really good days are ahead of us.

WO: Feel free to give yourself and your websites a plug or two =) Where can people find Virtual Cody? Give us your clothes, your boots, and your motorcycle…

CW: Currently I’m on Twitter (@NintendoTheory), Tumblr (NintendoTheory), 1UP (NintendoTheory — seeing a pattern?), and also on my own website, Nice Guy Gamer. I’d especially appreciate it if you clicked on that last one!

WO: Finally, any words of wisdom? =)

CW: Be kind to yourself, see the beautiful things in life, and make other people smile, because if you spread the happy, you’ll be happy too.

WO: Thanks for your time, Cody.