Animal lovers go hunting for Japanese game

Older readers might be forgiven for thinking that Nintendo’s Pokémon game, surely, does not exist anymore. But they would be wrong.

However, the game has drawn the fire of campaigning animal charity PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – who claim that the whole pre­mise of the game is “horrible”.

“The difference between real life and this fictional world full of organised animal fighting is that Pokémon games paint rosy pictures of things that are actually horrible,” claimed PETA as it unveiled a new game.

In PETA’s new game, instead of catching mythical creatures, players have to free them. Sounds fantastic.

In 2010, PETA also com­plained about a platform game called Super Meat Boy. It produced a parody called Super Tofu Boy in response.

In turn, the producers of the game – Team Meat – taunted PETA on Twitter: “How many PETA members does it take to change a light bulb? None, PETA can’t change anything...”

Meanwhile, before you next tuck into a cheeky haddock and chips, be sure to read PETA’s “Nine Ways Fish Are Just Like You”.