A replica of Nintendo Family Computer, released by Subor in the early 1990s. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An interactive device titled Fall Again, Fall Better by artist Jeffrey Shaw explores another aspect of games-their relationship with life and death. Here, visitors can determine how computer-modeled characters on the screen move-stand on the pressure-sensitive floor mats and the characters drop; exit the mat and the characters stand.

"Due to a special algorithm in the device, the characters will fall in different positions each time, and this signifies that life cannot be repeated," Qiu explains.

"Games usually reflect real life, not merely modern life. Many games, including the popular run-and-gun video game Contra or adventure-game series Super Mario, are rooted in history, legends or myths. For instance, the characters' badges and armors in the multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft are influenced by medieval knights," Qiu says.

Other themes such as the impact of games on family relationships and friendships are also featured at the exhibition through artworks like the interactive installation Be Ready, which was created by students at the School of Experimental Art at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

If you go

Player of Beings

10 am-6 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, through March 28. Ming Contemporary Art Museum, No 436, East Yonghe Road, Jing'an district, Shanghai.