Ben's Game was the culmination from the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Ben Duskin, at the time a 9-year old Leukemia patient. Ben was an avid video/computer game player and wished to have a game designed for kids with cancer to relieve some of the stresses with chemotherapy. However the idea was was put into a quandary because executives believed that the game would take a couple of years to make and millions of dollars in cost. Fortunately, Eric Johnston of LucasArts volunteered to create the game and worked together with Ben to help his wish come true. The object of Ben's Game is the player must shoot the infected blood cells and collect seven shields that symbolize protection against the side effects of chemotherapy. The features include new characters to choose from or creating your own and the game is in several other languages.
As I played this game, the action was suited for a younger audience. I found it a little difficult to maneuver my character as it speeds past everything, but since I'm an adult I think my patience runs a bit thin compared to someone twenty-years younger than me. I like the symbolism as monsters represent the ill side effects of chemo and I can see where a child could get into destroying an effigy of something that makes them sick. The weapons are pretty cool as they give a bit of variety to what power-ups you can gain for your character. Being able to pick differenct characters also creates a personalize game for whatever child that plays it. Overall I think the game is great for kids with or without cancer and it gives control and meaning to taking treatment for chemotherapy.
http://www.makewish.org/ben
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