Total Paddling Mania

Previous reviewers seem to me to have discounted this little gem of humor as unworthy of sincere exploration from the start, and many comments and complaints reveal exactly this lack of due diligence. Panning this game as "propaganda" is hardly fair. The game is listed in the "joke" category.

Granted, political correctness dictates that "paddling" is verboten, and so the icy reception is to be expected, but my experience with the game was perhaps different and more rewarding than others' because I approached it with an earnest curiosity and eagerness to discover - and a willingness to spend some time - rather than with preconceived notions and a desire to get on to something more 'serious' involving swords, sorcery and grues.

I chose to proceed toward the "Paddling Werkshop" first, and enjoyed my first belly-laugh reading the rules sign. I then approached and questioned the receptionist (or "old bag", as the author notes, freeing players from the burden of typing "receptionist" with every new command.) She didn't know much, but she was able to tell me precisely what wrongs the kid had done to earn his place in the game. For those too impatient, unskilled with Interactive Fiction commands, or politically correct to "ask" the "old bag" about the "kid", I will quote her response as a 'spoiler':

(Spoiler - click to show) >ask old bag about kid
She says, "That kid elbowed a little girl in the nose and then kicked his teacher. He needs a paddling! His parents said that they always use time-out but that he doesn't seem to pay any attention to it."


Some further spoiler/suggestions for those who either didn't have time or don't/didn't feel like exploring the game :

(Spoiler - click to show)
- Examine everything/everyone
- Ask the Old Bag about the kid (if you didn't read the spoiler above :)
- Take the Time-Out man's milquetoast (examine it!) then examine him and/or ask him about things.
- After taking the paddle, try to paddle either/both of the men.
- Ask the Paddling man about the Werkshoppe, Baylor and children.
- After taking the kid, ask him something, then ask the Old Bag about the kid again.
- Examine the kid after putting him in the Bender 5000
- After paddling the kid (50pts! WIN!) examine him and ask him something, then take him and drop him, then examine him again.
- The "only funny line" mentioned by the rather hostile initial reviewer can be produced, once the paddle is taken, by attempting to paddle an inanimate object, such as the Time-Out man's toast. Of course, the result of trying to paddle things without a paddle is somewhat humorous, also.


Using only the most basic and obvious command words and phrases such as, "examine X", "ask X about Y" "take X" "drop X", this game yielded up a great deal more humor than reviews have given it credit. This game is obviously not intended to - nor will it - change anyone's mind on the subject of whether or not hitting children is appropriate, so kindly abandon any such anxieties at the door and enjoy this short and quite humorously irreverent "Interactive Punishment Jag", as the author dubbed it.

For those who find this game or the concept of paddling to be funny, I suspect the author of this game or someone with a similar sense of humor has established a Web site at WackenHurt Systems, Inc.

It is crucial to mention that neither the game nor the site contain any sexual fetishism related material of any kind whatsoever - in fact, the Web site is explicit in its condemnation of those who give paddling humor a bad name and a sleazy reputation.