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Tofu Activists Spoof Meat-Based Indie Game

Posted by Soulskill on from the have-a-burger-to-celebrate dept.

Faulkner39 writes "In response to the recently released independently developed platformer Super Meat Boy, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has released a Flash-based spoof game titled Super Tofu Boy. The spoof attempts to mirror the original by featuring a protagonist made of tofu and an antagonist made of meat in a statement promoting animal rights. Ironically, however, the original game is about a human boy who is vulnerable because he lacks skin (Meat Boy), raising the question: 'is the spoof in reality really about cannibalism?'" The Super Meat Boy team posted a response on their Twitter feed.

14 of 420 comments (clear)

  1. Streisand effect by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 4, Informative

    I had never heard of Super Meat Boy.

    1. Re:Streisand effect by mcvos · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That's wht the PETA spoof is so important for them. On their site they explain how they've been trolling the PETA forums, hoping for this to happen. Apparently with success. It's a weird kind of PR, but it works, because now you've heard of Super Meat Boy. Thanks to trolling, PETA and Slashdot.

    2. Re:Streisand effect by Yvanhoe · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's a weird kind of PR, but it works, because now you've heard of Super Meat Boy. Thanks to trolling, PETA and Slashdot.

      I am feeling I am becoming too old for this century...
      And I am not even 30...

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  2. I feel about PETA like PETA seems to feel about me by icannotthinkofaname · · Score: 5, Funny

    They offer downloads for PC and Mac. What, no Linux version? You mean I have to play the version on the website to play in Linux?

    If they won't give me Linux Tofu Boy, then I have absolutely no incentive to cease my consumption of meat. Clearly, they don't care about me, so I will continue to not care about them.

    I should go have a double down or something later....

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  3. PETA by guyminuslife · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You know, maybe they could have spent some of that development money on outreach for their shelters, so that they wouldn't have to kill 86% of the animals they shelter.

    But no, I guess making video games, stockpiling red paint, and placing ads of naked hippies should really come first.

    --
    I don't believe in time. It's a grand conspiracy designed to sell watches.
    1. Re:PETA by Gordonjcp · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The problem is that PETA don't think *any* animals should be domesticated, so mostly they don't even bother to try to rehome animals.

      Quite often they don't bother to find out if they're abandoned or unwanted - a couple of years ago two PETA activists were arrested for basically trapping cats and dogs (and indeed, going into people's gardens to catch them) and killing them. They claimed that the animals were "abandoned" or "strays", but couldn't offer any convincing reason for thinking they were. They weren't interested in animal welfare, they just liked stealing then torturing and killing people's pets.

    2. Re:PETA by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Don't you see man! It's like slavery! thinking you can "own" an animal.
      We can't "own" our animal equals!
      keeping a pet is so like exactly the same as slavery!

      or something absurd like that.

      either way everyone knows: dogs have owners, cats have staff.

    3. Re:PETA by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The reason PETA are disconnected from reality is that they are projecting their own self-loathing onto the arena of animal rights issues, rather than addressing animal rights with logic and rationality. The driving thought in a militant PETA member's head is that humans are disgusting worthless bullies and animals are perfect and angelic. Because humans are in a position of power over animals, they are evil, and revenge must be sought at every opportunity. They're projecting their own self loathing, and their own feelings of powerlessness onto an unrelated issue. When the time comes for them face a logic rebuttal to their behaviour, cognitive dissonance kicks to protect them from facing the fact that they have become the very bullies they despise.

      --
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    4. Re:PETA by The+Mighty+Buzzard · · Score: 4, Funny

      I just can't stand f**ing hypocrites.

      Dunno why not, they're just as good in the sack as everyone else.

      --
      Violence is like duct tape. If it doesn't solve the problem, you didn't use enough.
    5. Re:PETA by LingNoi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If the goal is actually REDUCTION OF ANIMAL SUFFERING, it isn't "cruel" (anyone unsure of the meaning, get a fucking dictionary) to the animals to painlessly kill them.

      Logic failure.. So what if we rounded up all the homeless people; it wouldn't be cruel to painlessly kill them too? I'm sure lots of homeless people wouldn't mind you killing them because you believe they are suffering just as I'm sure the cats and dogs that are homeless wouldn't mind too.

      Before you start a debate about animal != human that's exactly what PETA is campaigning for. Rights for animals, so they're pretty much hypocrites.

      I can see from your post however that you believe people or animals should be killed regardless of if they want to. I wonder how you will feel later on when you yourself are getting old and your own death squad is coming for you.

  4. Bunch of dicks by GF678 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    No, not PETA, the developers of Super Meat Boy.

    After hearing about this game I was curious as to whether a Linux version was available or in the works. I ended up at http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2010/10/indiegamescom_podcast_5_super.html, and a commenter put a link to a podcast with the developers here: http://www.levelfortytwo.com/2009/12/talk-is-cheap-12-21-09/

    The relevant bit starts at 43:55. Basically, they think that a Linux version would mean it would have to be open source, which obviously it doesn't. To quote one of the developers: "Linux can fuck off as far as I'm concerned." Gee, thanks. I don't mind if you're not going to bother making a port to Linux, but to not even bother to understand what people are asking and instead resorting to profanity shows these guys are a bunch of closed-minded dicks.

  5. It's probably about cannibalism... by Grapplebeam · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Because their president wants to be cooked at a barbecue when she dies, to disgust people from eating meat. Or something. Honestly, the idea was so nuts, I forgot to take notes on why, and merely listened to the what. Because when you're spoon-out-your-eyeballs crazy like that, it's hard not to be inadvertantly entertaining and terrifying at the same time.

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  6. It's dicks, all the way down... by adamofgreyskull · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Indeed, I hate PETA as much as any right-minded individual, but these guys pulled a dick-move. They basically trolled the PETA forums with a bunch of sock-puppet accounts in order to goad them into action and to get publicity for their game, which seems, judging by the /. comments, to have not made it onto many peoples' radar. Yet again, PETA have made the world a worse place in which to live. This time by giving these tumbling tumbling dick-weeds the publicity they are so obviously desperate for.

  7. Re:We all know PETA is crazy by dafing · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As a Vegan, I'm always interested when these issues come up on my usual websites. I, like many of the other Animal Rights people here visit Slashdot, Ars, Engadget, Gizmodo etc daily, we dont cause any fuss, but when these "stories" arise, "ohhhhh, they're hypocrites", or "I'm gonna have me a big steak, yummy mc yum yums!!!111!!!" are the usual posts.

    I'm also quite against PETA, they have a New Welfarist approach, I despise how they have Women pose and RE promoting Veganism, "screw the principle" http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/ingrid-newkirk-on-principled-veganism-screw-the-principle/

    "PETA can't rightfully preach about animal rights while euthanizing tens of thousands of unwanted pets every year. Hypocrisy at its finest.".

    They can "preach" Animal Rights while also practising euthanasia you realise? Just as I love being alive, but were I to have Cancer such as others in my family, I could well imagine rather being dead, than to die slowly over the months. Now, I much prefer the idea of No Kill shelters, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-kill_shelter , I dont know how practical they are in real life. I've had family members who've volunteered with the SPCA etc, I myself have no hands on experience of this kind.

    I agree with practically NOTHING coming from PETA, I think it must obviously be wrong that they "put to sleep" so many animals each year.

    However, please dont write off Animal Rights because of PETA's actions.

    http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/ and these shows http://bit.ly/veganpodcastinfo were useful for me.

    I also promote Veganism through videos of my Chicken Friends (such as "A Day in the Life..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj8gL8lj-Yg ), and through my show http://coexistingwithnonhumananimals.blogspot.com/

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