Teaching stock basics: Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore
A new game by Konami for the portable Nintendo DS system teaches players the basics of stock training, using real Tokyo Stock Exchange market data from the past five years. For novices, the game has step-by-step lessons in stock-market transactions and trading, including a lecture mode and a story mode. Experts can also play an expert mode, which lets the game function as a market simulator.
Series creator Hideo Kojima (who has also created games like the Metal Gear series) seems to understand the increasing importance of games that move beyond entertainment. Kojima states: “Video games have been changing during the past one to two years. The recent trend is toward training software, which brings affluence to life rather than drama. Although we’ve been releasing games for the hardcore audiences up until now, we’re really about taking on new challenges.”