GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

French-tipped fingers quickly press the brightly colored buttons on the neck of a mini plastic guitar.

A teenage rock star wanna-be stands in the middle of the living room, her girlfriends staring in awe as she beats their top scores.

Though the common stereotype of a gamer is a guy, more and more girls are trying their hand at the controller, and video game makers are taking notice.

Games such as "Guitar Hero" and "Sims" have introduced girls to the world of gaming by appealing to their interests.

"(‘Guitar Hero’) is something easy that everyone can do and it gives you something to talk about with the guys," says Ashley Peterson, a senior at Liberty High School.

A 2004 study by Michigan State University’s Comm Tech Lab explored gender preferences when choosing games.

Researchers reported male gamers usually enjoy games where they can be heros and kill virtual enemies. Boys also tend to choose games in fantasy locations. Popular video games among boys are "Halo III," where the gamer’s objective is to kill as many people as possible or "Madden NFL," where the gamer gets to play on a NFL team.

"Guys don’t like using their brains," Peterson says. "They play games to get away from that stuff."

The Comm Tech Lab found female gamers prefer games where they are given the opportunity to swap identities with another person. Girls typically choose games that allow them to experience real-life situations that they are currently struggling with or will struggle with in the future. These games are set in familiar locations such as home or school.

"Like books, (video games) are an escape from reality," says Gina Mathews, a sophomore at Coronado High School. "They get your mind working strategically."

Mathews says when picking a game to play or buy, she looks for games that require two or more players. This allows her to be competitive and spend time with others.

"It’s just plain fun to do with the family," she says.

Silverado High School sophomore Janinna Garde agrees.

"I like beating people at games," she says. "Or, just being with my friends and family."

Comm Tech Lab found that girls also enjoy games that emphasize hand-eye coordination.

"I love how challenging it is to work both hands while doing two different things with each," Peterson says. "I like to challenge myself and have fun when there is nothing else to do."

Shayna Morris, a junior at Liberty, enjoys the "guy games" that other girls stay away from.

"I enjoy playing skateboarding games like ‘Tony Hawk’ or fighting games like ‘Ready to Rumble Boxing,’" Morris says. "That’s always fun."

Peterson likes that games are not just for days when she has nothing else to do; she can have fun playing them with others.

"(Video games) can be a date thing, it can be a family thing, it could be the sitting-around-the-house thing, or you can perform games like ‘Guitar Hero’ for friends," she says. "It can be a variety of activities."