I have been playing Maplestory on and off for several years now. The game is a 2D side scrolling mmorpg (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game). The game can be compared to other popular rpg’s like Runescape or World of Warcraft. There is one perk to this game that makes it so popular and addicting, it’s free. The game is free to play meaning that players can sign up without having to pay a monthly subscription fee like other online games charge. However, there is the option for people to pay for this game. They can pay so they can obtain exclusive items from the Nx Cash Shop. These items are typically clothing or pets that they can equip to their computer character. This seems ridiculous to some, but to the Maplers (people that play Maplestory) it is necessary.
The game is a way to escape reality for many. After a hard day of work or tedious study time they can sit back, relax, and log in to play on their second life. People can fight monsters, level up, and spend time with their best friends while never having to leave their computer chair. This can be looked at as a bad thing or a good thing. On the bad side it can be seen as a way that people waste their lives. Instead of getting up, going outside, and experiencing the world they spend most of their time in front of a computer screen. On the good side it can be looked at as a way for people who are working on developing social skills to practice them online with their friends. They are able to spend time with people they like and can associate with for hours having conversation and learning group skills.
Maplestory is a social game like Second Life (another RPG) but also has game aspects such as fighting fictional monsters and leveling up their characters. The game combines two different ways to stimulate the brain and to entertain people. By leveling and completing quests one can learn to follow rules, develop patience, and to work toward goals. On the social aspect a Mapler can learn to interact with people, manners, and how the social world works.