‘Jet Grind Radio’

Last Thursday’s game review of “Jet Grind Radio,” which we described as “irresponsible” because it glorifies graffiti tagging, drew quite a response from readers--most critical of our position.

Here are some excerpts:

“Video games are all about living our fantasies and being able to do things that we know we can’t do in real life. By your logic, you should have also disliked ‘Cool Boarders 2001’ because it encourages kids who have never picked up a snowboard in their life to go out and attempt tricks that defy the laws of physics and possibly get themselves killed! If a kid can’t differentiate between a video game and reality, then that kid has much bigger problems than playing video games that set a bad example.”

--SCOTT TAUBMAN

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“Don’t start with this censorship propaganda over harmless games like ‘Jet Grind Radio.’ I doubt, in all the world, that one piece of graffiti has been put on a wall because of this game, and I doubt it will. The game has a disclaimer at the beginning that clearly states that the graffiti depicted in the game is illegal. Can’t that just be enough?”

--JERRY JACKSON

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“Games don’t really influence children. Millions have played ‘Doom,’ yet millions don’t run around with shotguns killing people. Millions have played ‘Driver,’ yet millions don’t drive around smuggling drugs and such. Just look at ‘Goldeneye,’ a game that millions of children have played, my cousins included. None of them are violent after playing ‘Goldeneye.’ ”

--PHILLIP RONCORONI

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“The problem has nothing to do with these forms of entertainment. It has to do with parents not caring about what their kids watch or play or do after school, and not teaching them good values or even talking to them on a semi-regular basis. . . . Preventing your kids from playing ‘Jet Grind Radio’ is your business. And if that’s your decision, then great. But saying it promotes juvenile delinquency is naive and ridiculous.”

--ANDY SINESIO

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“It is unfair to assume that a game like ‘Jet Grind Radio’ will cause children to run rampant with cans of spray paint. If anything, the truly innovative and addictive game play will keep most gamers indoors and away from the hardware store.”

--MATTHEW KLEIN