Online gaming has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment among young people within the past couple of years. Games like World of Warcraft and Age of Conan get up to a million subscribers at a time. Called massive multiplayer online role playing games, or MMORPGs, users interact with others from around the globe through a fun online environment. Many end up totally absorbed into the game sometimes, with the extremists gaming for days at a time.

Teresa Nguyen doesn’t play as long as that, but she admits to being addicted to MMOs. Her favorites are shooting games like Guns and Gunbound, but her top pick is Maple Story. ”I was on AIM chatting with my friend and she told me to play the game.”

Thanks to her friend’s suggestion, the junior has spent countless hours dedicated to Maple Story, falling in love with the game immediately after trying it. Maple Story is known among the MMO community as being very kid-friendly, with colorful, vibrant backdrops making up the scenery and cute, super deformed characters making up the cast. Nguyen embarrassingly admits that “It’s kinda fruity but it’s an adventurous game.”

Despite the “fruitiness” of the game, Maple Story has managed to appeal to a wide audience of more than 2 million worldwide, with Korea and the United States making up the largest chunk of the users. The funds to run the game generate through the Cash Shop, which rewards players with in-game bonuses like new clothing, hairstyles, and other stylish additions in exchange for donations. Nguyen tries to recall how much she has spent on Maple Story, but she can’t remember.

Most people are only allowed one account to login, but Nguyen has more. “I made 25 accounts and I even sold one account,” she said, referring to how people sell their accounts with characters that are already built to new people for money.

Nguyen was even willing to hack Maple Story at one point. “On videogames, you’re not supposed to hack, but I guess I did…” she said as she recalled the time when she was banned, smiling a bit as she remembered.

Many of her friends didn’t really think well of her obsession with Maple Story at first. Stacy Her, one of her best friends, sees gaming as more of a guy thing. She said, “It’s unusual because it’s weird for girls. But she does have a girly side,” said the junior.

Another of her friends, Channa Prak, sophomore, remembers when she would ask Nguyen to hang out. “We would call her and she would be like nooo! I’m playing right now! Get out!”

Fellow Maple Story player and friend Arthur Maglalang, junior, is more understanding of the game. “You just wanna get stronger all the time,” he said. Despite this, he restricts his play to weekends and not even every weekend, describing himself as a casual player. “I know some people who spend $700 on this game. That’s the kinda thing addicted people do.”

Despite all of this, Nguyen still spends time with her friends whenever she feels like it. “I try to go outside. If they want to go play tennis, basketball, go to the mall… If it’s fun , then I’ll do it, but if it’s something common, something boring, then I won’t do it.”