Summary
Comprised of 31 states, each with profoundly rich histories and climates that go beyond the common cactus-and-yellow-filter stereotypes, Mexico’s vibrant culture, from its Day of the Dead traditions to its legendary pre-Columbian civilizations, has been drastically underexplored in the medium of video games.
That said, there are a handful of great options for those interested in exploring prehispanic or near-contemporary Mexico, from critically acclaimed journeys across a twisted Mesoamerican afterlife to more grounded looks at recent Mexican history.
InLara Croft and The Guardian of Light, players choose between the tomb raider herself or Totec, a warrior of light from the far past. While the shift to isometric action gameplay was new for the franchise, the game retains the series' love for elaborate ruins, rendered with striking (if culturally ambiguous) Mesoamerican influences.
Two players can guide Lara and the titular guardian through lost tombs, walkways, traps, and tunnels together throughlocal coop play. While there is little real-life lore to learn fromLara Croft and The Guardian of Lightbesides a few tenuous allusions to Aztec creation myths, the crumbling temples and sun-baked ruins in each level are at least pleasing to the eye, even for a game from 2010.
Originally created as papier-mache symbols of sin to be destroyed by the faithful, piñatas soon evolved into colorful animals and characters to be whacked at with sticks by blindfolded aggressors at birthdays and other events. The cute animals inViva Pinata: Trouble In Paradiseare about as far from anything sinful as can be.
In fact, gamers will want to cultivate their garden in paradise to accommodate as many of thesecute, candy-filled paper animal palsas possible.Viva Pinatadraws from Mexican culture to the same extent that Taco Bell creates authentic Mexican dishes, but the gameplay loop of attracting colorful, folk art-inspired critters in a lush garden with creativity and cultivation captures, at least in part, the vibrant, communal, and festive spirit of Mexico.
While there are plenty of gamesbased on Aztec mythology, very few have tackled Mexico’s modern era.Mexico, 1921: A Deep Slumberattempts to tackle the tricky subject matter of Mexico’s revolution, transition to modernity, political violence, and top-to-bottom corruption. The game puts a camera in the player’s hands and entrusts them to collect clues, conduct interviews, and discover the identity of the president’s assassin.
Just asA Deep Slumberdoes not shy away from real-world history and politics, it lovingly recreates many iconic landmarks and historic locations in Mexico City, including its presidential palace and main square. However, this game is no mere walking simulator. The personalities, cultural zest, and true-to-life history of 20th-century Mexico are rendered with compelling dialogue, poetic prose, and a visual style reminiscent of Mexico City’s great urban art murals, all waiting to be captured by a keen photographer’s eye.
It is easy to forget that, while it is one united country today, Mexico is a multiplicity of distinct cultures. This is especially so when it comes to its indigenous peoples, whose histories and identities are often boiled down to monolithic stereotypes.Mulakais a game that immerses players in the stories and living lore of the Tarahumara, from Mexico’s northern state of Chihuahua. Players step into the sandals of a Sukurúame,a mystical and combat-ready shaman, as he battles the corruption destroying the land.
Besides the legendary athleticism of the Tarahumara, known for their natural agility and endurance running, players can draw from the powers of demigods to shapeshift to overcome puzzles and throw down with enemies. The studio behind Mulaka strove to accurately portray the Tarahumara culture, from the vibrant costumes and mystical beast designs to the prominent use of the Tarahumara language and music in its narration and (incredible) soundtrack, respectively.
There is obviously more to Mexico than luchador wrestlers and guacamole, but honestly, they’re hard to beat (the guacamole as a condiment, the wrestler literally).Guacamelee!astoundingly manages to combine both of these things into a colorful and good-humoredMetroivania beat ‘em up platformer. After being sent to the underworld after trying to protect the president’s daughter from a skeletal horseman, Juan Aguacate stumbles upon a magical mask that restores him to life and transforms him into a luchador of legend.
Juan can learn new fighting techniques and traversal powers that will allow him to access new parts of the map and drop bad guys with style (literally, with a piledriver). Like the dip itself, the only real criticism of the game is that there isn’t more of it. Thankfully, however,Guacamelee!has a sequel that delivers another serving of what made the original great, including the alebrije-inspired art and luchador combat.
2The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
From The Four Sacred Directions To The Depths Of Woodfall
Gamers with a keen eye for Mesoamerican architecture and style may have noticed the similarities between Woodfall Swamp’s Deku people and Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec designs, especially in Woodfall Temple, the first major dungeon, which itself resembles a sunken, pyramid-like ziggurat. The inside contains face and jaguar sculptures reminiscent of these made by ancient Mexican civilizations.
The temple’s music, while notas catchy thanOcarina’s Forest Temple, is a course of psychedelic percussion, death-whistle shrieking, and tribal chanting, lend humid-panic vibes to the descent. Its final boss, a masked tribal warrior also chants threats in a Mayan tongue. Besides Woodfall,Majora’s Maskborrows from more ancient Mexican mythology for world-building. For example, the four giants that Link frees throughout his adventures resemblethe Bacab, the four ancient godsthat held up the sky from Mayan legend.
Grim Fandangofollows the escapades of Manny Calavera, everyman reaper and travel agent for souls, as he traverses an art deco-dressed Day of the Dead and Aztec-inspired afterlife. It’s Day of the Dead meetsCasablanca, where a soul’s final resting place is never certain thanks to the undying (literally) efforts of human greed and corruption.
Doublefine’s take on Mexico’s Land of the Dead resulted in a near-universally beloved adventure game: a hearty blend of puzzles, good humor, satire of bureaucracy, allusions to film noir, and a constant peppering of Spanish and Spanglish puns. Although itfailed to sell on release, it became a cult classic and a favorite of those who treasure Mexican culture.
Honorable Mention: Mariachi Legends (Upcoming)
Although this promising indie Metroidvania has yet to show a release date, its visuals, music, and story teases promise a game teaming with mariachi bangers, deliciously-rendered pixel art, and Mexican folklore based on figures likeLa Calavera CatrinaandEl Charro Negro.
Figures of myth can be encountered during the day and night. Magical tarot cards, weapons, and deadly supernatural skills are scattered around the world, and iconic Mexican dishes, made from local collectable ingredients, can prepare Pablo Cruz, AKA La Sombra, the mariachi of legend, in his battle against the criminals and darker forces encroaching on his hometown.
