5 Rules Gamers Love to Break

Rules are the very essence of gaming. Boundaries present challenge, guidelines retain order. This has been established since the first Pong's bounce. Even so, there are times when gamers find themselves wanting to bend the rules- perhaps even break them. I give you the five most classic cases of 'Gamers Breaking the Rules'.

1. Action Replay & Gameshark

From the Moon Jump to Infinite Lives, gamers love to cheat their way through video games. It seems so harmless until it turns into hacking in on online game. Just why do gamers do it? Because by tampering with the game's code, you become a god or goddess in that game's world. Suddenly you're flying over the sea as Toon Link in Legend of Zelda: Windwaker. Or perhaps you're playing as Master Hand or Giga Bowser in Super Smash Brothers Melee. Maybe an endless supply of shiny pokemon is what you're after. No matter what the end result, you're getting to do things the developers didn't intend you to. Different from cheat codes in which the game makers intended for you to mess around with tweaked settings.

2. Spying In Split-screen

Split-screen is now and always has been superior to online play. A greasy headset and a broadband internet connection is no substitute for being on the couch with your family or friends. Still, there is one infamous condition that comes along with split-screen. Spying on other players through their screens. Gamers have been doing it since Goldeneye and will likely never stop peeking at what weapon you're using, where you are, and how much health you have.

3. Button-Mashing

For many the unskilled gamer, the mantra goes, "When all else fails, button-mash!" A few hundred slams of the 'A' button can get a lot done in your typical dial-a-combo fighting game these days. It's a frowned upon method that often breaks an otherwise fun game. There are those that are even skillful button-mashers, those that know to span certain attacks over and over due to their cheapness- fireballs in Street Fighter and shuriken in the Naruto fighting games. Then, of course, you thankfully have games where button-mashers always fail- Super Smash Brothers Brawl and the Dragon Ball Z fighting games come to mind.

4. Camping & Farming

Ah, the dreaded camper. The bane of a shooter fan's existence. By hiding in one spot and sniping enemies, a win is all but assured. Perhaps it is right near a spawn point or a necessary pathway. Whatever the reason, campers love to seek out these holes and corners where they can win with as little skill as possible. The RPG equivalent? Farming. Sticking to one spot to fight spawning enemies that drop gold, exceptional EXP, or useful items. What appropriate names for these two frowned upon practices. Two of the worst offenders due to their high reward of such cheap tactics? For campers, the Call of Duty series. For farmers, World of Warcraft.

5. Kill Stealing

KO theft in the Super Smash Brother series, stolen kills in Halo, and the pilfering of final blows in MMOs are all infamous to gamers. Why do we rob our fellow gamers of their rewards and reap the benefits of their efforts? Because it's easy and beneficial to us. For gamers looking out for 'number one', dealing the last blow to a boss a fellow gamers has been grappling with for hours is as advantageous as it is satisfying. Some of the games most plagued by conniving, kill-stealing players? Any competitive game where defeating your enemy is a component. In other words, 90% of games.