Mario Kills Tanooki - PETA's latest game

[Autosaver]

Video of the game
Website + Game

Tanooki may be just a "suit" in Mario games, but in real life, tanuki are raccoon dogs who are skinned alive for their fur. By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur. Play Super Tanooki Skin 2D and help Tanooki reclaim his fur!

This has spreading around the internet like a wildfire. Have any of you heard about PETA's latest flash game? It involves a raccoon trying to get back his skin after Mario violently rips it off. There is blood (Just on skin/terrain) but it shouldn't be too bad. It isn't that bad of a game and I recommend a try.

My thoughts on the game? PETA has it all wrong. First of all, Mario first had this ability 21 years ago. The powerup was also based upon the mythological version of Tanooki and not the actual skinning of a raccoon.

Edit: Update by Nintendo and I want to expand my points.
Like I said, Mario had this ability 21 years ago. Why is suddenly popping up now? Second of all, the powerup focuses on getting leafs to transform (like the mythological version of Tanooki's) to essentially become one. Mario is in no way skinning or killing raccoons for their suits. And yes, the last point is it is just a powerup. (who would of guessed?)

"Mario often takes the appearance of certain animals and objects in his games. These have included a frog, a penguin, a balloon and even a metallic version of himself. These lighthearted and whimsical transformations give Mario different abilities and make his games fun to play. The different forms that Mario takes make no statement beyond the games themselves." - Nintendo spokesperson

 

[TrueTenguMan]

I won't deny that there has not been several accounts of abuse in slaughter houses, hunting animals for their skin, nor some areas who barely have empathy for harming an animal. . .

But when you start believing certain family games are like a death simulator, your just being ridiculous.

 

[Fawfulfan]

I am in favor of greater animal rights, but I am not in favor of PETA. Their philosophy seems to be twofold:

1. Animals should be accorded rights equal to or almost equal to the rights of people.
2. It is justifiable to spread lies and exaggerations about the extent to which people and corporations mistreat animals in order to make animal rights reforms politically palatable.

I find both of these ideas thoroughly ridiculous. It is generally within our own best interests as a species to treat our fellow creatures with respect, and our laws should indeed reflect this. For instance, if only we reduced crowding and filth in feedlots, and fed the cattle grass, they would be less likely to produce diseased meat...and at the same time, they would be happier and healthier. Similarly, it is easily arguable that we should maintain ethical standards for highly intelligent creatures. It's quite another thing to suggest that animals unconditionally have the same rights we do, and that harming them in any way is inexcusable.

 

[MascaraSnake]

The game is just a generic Flash bore. Not worth any further discussion. The premise is of course retarded; this is PETA we're talking about after all. They're obviously hunting for anything even remotely popular so they can criticize it as part of their agenda. Why anyone even listens to that bullshit is beyond me.

There is something I'd like to address though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pYE0Rwjnc1EFirst of all, Mario first had this ability 21 years ago.

How does that make any difference?

The powerup was also based upon the mythological version of Tanooki and not the actual skinning of a raccoon.

And how does that make any difference? Whether he's skinning a "mythological version" (whatever that's supposed to mean) of a raccoon or an actual raccoon, he's still skinning a raccoon.

The real rebuttal is obviously that the powerup is just a tanuki-like costume and not actual tanuki skin.

 

[Wombatwarlord777]

I like this game. I like how comical and pissed-off the protagonist raccoon looks. And how the hills in the background resemble wrinkled penises. And its gameplay is... okay.

Do people even skin raccoons on a large-scale basis anymore?

 

[Majro]

Mario is sending a message that wearing fur is ok?
What are they going to tell us next? That jumping on turtles is bad?
What a shameful way to get some popularity from a video game.

 

[Monsteriestyn]

PETA grew up playing Mario Bros 3. They know that he doesn't grab a tanuki to skin them alive, but touch a leaf that gives him the powers of one. Why not protest that Mario kills turtles by jumping on them while high on mushrooms? Their argument is invalid.

Also, if that game is really that fun, then just download it to your PC. The site would otherwise get a lot of hits, and would be called a success.

 

[Autosaver]

How does that make any difference?

Peta makes it seem like that this is entirely new. It isn't, Mario had this power-up for 2 decades. Why the big deal all of a sudden? Just because they can get attention with the latest game?

And how does that make any difference? Whether he's skinning a "mythological version" (whatever that's supposed to mean) of a raccoon or an actual raccoon, he's still skinning a raccoon.

I don't think you get it, I'll use an example that another poster brought up on a different forum.

"Mario doesn't wear the skin of a tanooki, he essentially BECOMES a tanooki"

ALSO

Tanooki suits are named after tanukis, Japanese creatures who, according to mythology, can use leaves to shape-shift and cause chaos.

Notice that Mario picks up a LEAF in Mario 3D Land. (IIRC, the opening even has a tree which drops those leaves!)

The real rebuttal is obviously that the powerup is just a tanuki-like costume and not actual tanuki skin.

That too. But..

Tanooki may be just a "suit" in Mario games, but in real life, tanuki are raccoon dogs who are skinned alive for their fur. By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur. Play Super Tanooki Skin 2D and help Tanooki reclaim his fur!

I'm guessing PETA already knew that and they are just pointing out that they think Mario is sending a message about it. Not that I agree with it.

Oh, the game isn't that bad. PETA has some really good developers that make pretty fun games. Even the Tofu game on their website is a good time waster.

 

[Rei]

I find it funny that they refer to it as tanukis instead of a raccoon. It makes their point seem more comical that they are advocating rights for a mythical creature. Who's their next target? Dr.Eggman for trapping animals in robots or Kirby for eating whole animals alive? XD

Edit: They do? You learn something new each day. :P

 

[Sonic Shadow]

But Tanukis DO exist. No, not the mythical creature with huge testicles. I'm talking about those tanukis:

Anyway, PETA being PETA. Making federal issues out of innocent things.

 

[MascaraSnake]

Peta makes it seem like that this is entirely new. It isn't, Mario had this power-up for 2 decades. Why the big deal all of a sudden? Just because they can get attention with the latest game?

Yes, just because of that. What I mean is that it doesn't make any difference to their point when they say it. Of course they don't have a point, but if they did, calling them hypocrites for only bringing it up after 20 years would be irrelevant to the discussion. Just because you're a hypocrite, that doesn't mean you don't have a point.

I don't think you get it

I do. But the way you said it, it looked like it made a difference to you if he was skinning mythological creatures or real animals. You didn't actually say that Mario doesn't skin the mythological Tanookis that the powerup is based on, which is of course the really important point.
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I'm guessing PETA already knew that and they are just pointing out that they think Mario is sending a message about it. Not that I agree with it.

"By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur." So yes, they're actually saying that he's wearing these animals' skin as a suit.

Oh, the game isn't that bad.

I played it and I thought it sucked. The game always runs 69 seconds until you can touch Mario (I think it was 69, might have been 59 or 79), so the end result is always 9, 19 or 29 seconds (anybody who gets 39 or more really sucks, so yeah). It is possible to get 0 (technically -2) seconds if you're really lucky, but that's it. Once you've done that, there's nothing more to do. And I found it pathetically easy to do it, so I really didn't get any entertainment out of it. Just a generic Flash game of which there are thousands. If it weren't for the pathetic backstory, we wouldn't even be discussing this.

 

[Autosaver]

I do. But the way you said it, it looked like it made a difference to you if he was skinning mythological creatures or real animals. You didn't actually say that Mario doesn't skin the mythological Tanookis that the powerup is based on, which is of course the really important point.

Yeah, I was thinking that I wasn't being specific enough.

"By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur." So yes, they're actually saying that he's wearing these animals' skin as a suit.

Whoops! Thanks for pointing that out.

Oh, I just saw the game in the news today. I wonder if PETA is going to comment about the inclusion of the Tanooki Powerup in Mario Kart.

Edit: PETA comments - "Mario spoof was just a joke"

"Mario fans: Relax! PETA's game was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, a fun way to call attention to a serious issue, that raccoon dogs are skinned alive for their fur. We wish real-life tanukis could fly or swat enemies away with their tails and escape from those who profit from their skins. You can help them by never buying real fur." - Shakira Croce, PETA's media coordinator

http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=166491

Edit2: Funny Taiwanese Video. (Same people that did the Anonymous/Lulzsec video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=80NevH6DFPA

 

[Monsteriestyn]

That's BS. I bet it didn't go as planned, and came up with a quick way to end all the riot.

 

[Sergeant Brown]

Oh god the horror.

I can't believe I just played that... thing...