Games engage our senses of sight and sound, and with rumbling controllers, even touch. But have you ever wondered what all 1,000+ Pokémon smell like? Because we have. With the news of a unique device called Game Scent, we’ve compiled a list of game worlds we're most curious to experience through scent – for better or worse.

Figure 1. Minecraft looks like it'd smell pretty nice - most of the time.

Game Scent, with its hexagonal shape and flashy lights, fits right in among other gaming peripherals. Essentially a diffuser, it releases various scents based on what's happening on screen, whether in games, TV shows, or movies. The scents range from pleasant ones like Forest, Ocean, and Storm to more questionable ones like Gunfire, Explosions, and even Blood. The idea is to enhance immersion in the game (or movie) world, thanks to AI that determines the appropriate scent by analysing the audio. Figure 1 shows Minecraft looks like it'd smell pretty nice - most of the time.[1]

The entire concept reminds us of Smell-O-Vision, a technology designed to pump scents into theatres, which was used for exactly one movie before being abandoned. This idea was later spoofed by John Waters in "Polyester," where audiences were enticed with the scent of roses to encourage deep breathing, only to soon find themselves inhaling the smells of farts and stinky shoes.

Whether it's a good idea or not, it got us thinking about which video game series we'd want to play with an ideal version of Game Scent. Imagine a device that truly works, offers an unlimited range of smells, and perfectly times the release to match the onscreen action.

Pokémon

The world of Pokémon offers one of the most comprehensive and varied scenescapes in all of gaming. Among the critters themselves, half of them are literally flowers, making for a delightful experience of stopping to smell the Roselia’s. Mr. Mime, on the other hand, exudes a pleasant cotton candy waft.

Conversely, some Pokémon might have us reaching for the nose pegs. Machamp, with four armpits as a gym junkie, would likely emanate a distinct locker-room stank. And then there’s Trubbish, a literal sentient bag of trash. Battling these Pokémon would certainly feel more intense with Game Scent in the room.

As for Fidough, would it smell like baking bread or wet dog? These are the questions that keep us up at night.

Minecraft

Another world with rich olfactory potential, for better or worse, is Minecraft. A stroll through Minecraft's pointy pine forests or jagged jungles would be enhanced with piped-in scents of grass, trees, and oceans. Even the damp, earthy smell when venturing into a cave could be surprisingly pleasant. However, catching a whiff of gunpowder means you better be on the lookout—a stealthy Creeper is probably nearby.[2]

Resident Evil

This challenge is more about enhancing the horror experience. The musty old mansions in Resident Evil would have a characteristic smell that would only heighten the creep factor, and being ambushed by zombies would be way scarier if you were gagging on the taste of rotten flesh at the same time.

And let’s not forget that later games have you strolling through sewers, filthy villages, and the black mold-coated Baker house. Just imagine that infamous dinner scene from Resident Evil 7 with perfectly-timed blasts of “eau de entrails.” This is one game we can practically smell without the Game Scent.

Overcooked

Okay, we need a palate cleanser after that. Depending on who you ask, Overcooked is either a casual, couch co-op game or a chaotic friendship tester, so it’s hard to tell which way the pendulum would swing with the addition of smells. Maybe the aroma of baking pizza would be calming. Or maybe the acrid stench of your kitchen hand burning the burgers AGAIN would launch you into a Gordon Ramsay rant.

The Last of Us

There’s probably only one word to describe the smell of a world overrun by fungi – damp. Not one indoor location in The Last of Us game (or the TV series) looks like somewhere we want to be sticking our noses. Maybe at best, it’ll have notes of truffles, but honestly, those kind of still smell like expensive farts anyway.

Reference:

1. https://newatlas.com/games/gamescent-5-game-worlds-smell/
2. https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/News/359864-2024-03-19-5-video-games-we-wanna-smell-now-that-its-kinda.htm

Cite this article:

Gokila G (2024), 5 Video Games We Want to Smell Now That It's Possible with Game Scent, AnatechMaz, pp.15