Are Real Filipino Games Dead?

January 28th, 2008 23 Comments

In this day and age, when I go out of the house, I rarely see kids playing traditional Philippine games. These are the games that I used to play as a kid. Some of these games include patintero, taguan and agawan-base.

Of course, the games of choice are now video games and online. You’re most likely to hear a group of kids chatting about an MMORPG or about Guitar Hero rather than talking about real games.

But are the traditional games dead because of the rise in technology? Let’s find out.

Here are the games I used to play…

  • Patintero – a fun game played on the streets. Usually at night, two teams try to attack and defend a football-like series of lines. Great fun and exercise too.
  • Taguan – the “it” covers his/her eyes, counts to ten and all the other kids hide. He tries to find them. Those who are hidden can attempt to sneak back to the base to stave elimination. The essence of the “survivor” TV series, in my opinion. Kewl eh?
  • Agawan Base – 2 teams. Equal number. If you’re tagged, you get “captured” and have to be inside the opponents’ base. You can then attempt to bypass (via running) the defenders and free your captured team mates by tagging them. This stuff is the reason boys are boys!

At any rate, I really miss those games.

How about you? Have you tried them before? Or have you heard or even seen someone still playing it?

[ photo courtesy of imagephilippines ]

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  • http://www.atmaxplorer.com/ sylv3rblade

    Hmm I guess the only way to bring people back to playing these games again for one one aspiring programmer to make games out of it.. Online (hopefully) or Offline.

    Kinda reminds me of the TOngits on Adobe Air.

  • http://www.joelsarmy.tk joel

    ako di na ako laro nun haha.. umm.. ayos lang naman if hindi na laro nun kc di n tau bata haha.. meron naman extra curricular activities na pwede gawin.. i think meron pa naman naglalaro ng patintero, agawan base at taguan.. most likely sa loob ng school nila nilalaro yun… school ko last yr noong highschool aq, every year may palarong pinoy.. so definitely yes meron pa naglalaro nun.. :P ska mga bata habang naghihintay ng school bus naglalaro nun sa parking lot..

  • http://www.toingks.com toingks

    lahat yan nalaro ko… istriboy ako eh mweheh joke lang… di na uso dito yan puro kompyuter geyms na inaatupag ng mga bagets ngayon eh… like this meme game na pinatos ko.. tinag nila ko eh itatag na rin kita.. hetong link nasayo kung makikilaro ka …

    http://www.toingks.com/2008/01/meme-na-meme-ko.html

  • http://www.joelsarmy.tk joel

    How about you? Have you tried them before? Or have you heard or even seen someone still playing it?

    parati ka kc nasa office e haha kaya di mo nakikita.. mdmi prin.. its part of our culture.. madami naglalaro na pre-school students ng mga games na yan hindi lang sa public pati na sa private schools.. these games ain’t dead…

    i think you need a day off from work.. haha :D

    personally, i really think this is absurd.. sorry in advance for my comment and my bad mouth @_@

  • http://bloggers-me.blogspot.com Ryan

    There are just some games that you cannot recreate online.

  • http://sniperangel.pinoygaming.net SniperAngel

    I tried all of them and I think agawan-base is also called Moro-Moro. We also have Shato [dammit I miss this] and Luksong Tinik. T_T Those days..

  • Judicator

    kahit anong blog na like ko punta andyan c epal joel.. from waukster hanggang dito..stfu dude..please read GM T’s 1st sentence “In this day and age, WHEN I go out of the house, I rarely see kids playing traditional Philippine games.” i caps-ed WHEN..it just so happens kung lalabas c GM T wala cyang nkkta naglalaro ng real pinoy games..it doesnt mean wala tlaga cyang nakikita.. malay mo saglit lang cya lumabas.. or malay mo ung dinadaanan nya walang ganun..UNDERSTAND y his posting this topic,ok? and about what u said.. “parati ka kc nasa office e haha kaya di mo nakikita”..u think the topic is absurd? well think again..may be ur the one absurd.. lahat ng nilagay nyang topics d2.. from his simple, inner thoughts na POINT OF VIEW.. the hell with ur stupid statements.. just shadap.. FYI sagwa ng site mo.. pambata..haha.. pasenxya GM T sa post.. nkakaeps na c joel eh..insignificant sadistic moron.. im an aivd viewer sa blog nyo po.. more power po

  • Judicator

    btw for me real pinoy games still survives.. inde lang gaano ka wide open like dito sa urban streets of manila for some factors like.. maraming tao,alam mo inde tlaga ligtas tuwing gabi,so much lil space to play around with except sa schools.. more likely sa mga provinces d2 pinas buhay na buhay parin real pinoy games..

  • http://ashveendae.blogspot.com/ Nina Ricci

    Here in Manila, I rarely see kids playing these traditional games. Maybe because there are a lot of vehicles and it’s not that safe to let the kids roam the streets anymore (whether the place is in a village or not).

    However, in our place in Bulacan, kids still play these games. Running here and there and even climbing trees.

  • http://gmtristan.com GM T

    Just to make myself clear.

    1. It doesn’t mean that these games DO NOT exist
    2. I merely posted this coz I’m wondering if they are still popular.
    3. thanks to your insights. I am NOT all-knowing. The reason that blogs are better than static sites is that you can share thoughts and info.

    A post is a matter of opinion and may be true, may be wrong. It’s a democratic country (and WWW)

    Thx,
    GM T

  • http://www.joelsarmy.tk joel

    wow thanks @Judicator

  • Blackwolf

    Don’t forget tabletop games such as Game of the Generals, Dama, and Sungka. Trumpo, Tex, Sipa and Jolen are somewhat in-between the highly physical games and games that require dexterity.

    We Filipinos have quite a number of these games. ;)

  • http://www.john005.wordpress.com john005

    me and my classmates played agawan base halos everyday nung elementary kami hehe bwisit na bwisit un mga tao kasi andami namin naglalaro hehe

  • http://gmtristan.com GM T

    Thanks for the added stuff, Blackwolf. @john005: Yup, boys will be boys…

  • hessler

    naglalaro parin kmi ng agawan-base tska patintero kahit college na kmi..
    ang sarap maging isip-bata.. haha..

  • http://www.gamerster.com alwell

    My kids plays mmorpg games and they also play traditional games like Patintero and sipa almost every afternoon after arriving at home from school. Minsan maganda rin yung tipong hindi masyadong pang mayaman ang subdivision tinitirhan natin para marami pa rin ganitong games nakikita sa kalsada. Besides its also good for kids to play traditional games for their physical development.

    agawan base is one of the best game I missed hehee :D

  • http://gmtristan.com GM T

    That’s right, Alwell. I agree. I grew up in a street where we kids could play to our hearts content. Thanks for dropping by and for the comment

  • http://www.freindster.com dykstra

    4me meron pah nman nagla2ro ng patentiro like kmeng magba2rkada, eventhough nursing students kmeh..nagla2ro pah rin kmeh..
    i say it bcoz my mga nice aq nah nagla2ro ng patentiro..

    add me 2 ur frenzter

    artskyd10_milan@yahoo.com

  • sheena

    hi! I was really glad when read this one. I’m a fourth year student from the UP college of Fine Arts and I’m taking up my thesis… Which is all about traditional Philippine games… Like you, I was fond of playing these games when I was a kid and I believe that there is a need in reviving these games… According to my survey, most children still know these stuff like patintero and agawan-base but they are really into computer games now. And as an artist, my output for my thesis would be a website with 2D games for children. Do you think it would be a good medium? :)

  • http://gmtristan.com GM T

    It could be. But in your site, try to encourage them to play the REAL thing.

    Thanks for the comment and for dropping by.

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  • PANIRA

    OHH??..,

    WLa na Bang Naglalaro Nyan?.,

    Edi laru Ka Jan Sa BAhay Nyo ng Patintero.,

    yayain mo nanay tatay at mga kumpare mo.,

    maglaru kayu ng luksong tinik at baka.,

    pero pinakagus2 ko tlgang laro eh ung….

    “WAG WAG”

    lam nyo eun?

  • ricemonster

    ang alam ko lang

    “o sige sige”


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