Iconic Moments

Gonzalo Frasca of Powerful Robot has unveiled "Debate Night," a two-level online game, which the creators describe as structured by a game mechanic of "Zuma meets Bejeweled."

Many remember that Frasca was also involved in the creation of the first videogame designed for a presidential run, the Dean for America game. He has now returned with a pro-Obama game that shows how the "debate" often consists of little more than sequences of single issues that can be reduced to icons for hot-button topics like gun policy, Iran, same sex marriage, etc. Shoot two issues and they switch positions, group three together for points, and keep your main pet personal issue -- which can be one of your own choosing -- placed up in front of the queue. (I chose "minibars," since Lev Manovich is right that they really should be better designed, which appeared as "MIN/IBA/RS" in my icon.)

Spoiler alert: After you beat the game, a George Bush cartoon figure appears to move the numbers around on the tally of votes.