Big Market Potential for Christian Games

[fitbabits]

Next Generation (http://www.next-gen.biz) has more details (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1913&Itemid=2).

An article in the Kansas City Star focuses on the sizable market gap left by the lack of quality Christian-based games.

The piece cites the box-office success of last year's "The Passion of the Christ" as the primary indicator that a large amount of people are willing to spend money on Christian gaming experiences.

"It’s all about having the right product that will appeal to that crowd, and it’s a huge crowd," said David Cole, an analyst with DFC Intelligence. "So, yeah, there’s a great deal of potential to have a breakout hit. And right now a lot of people are jumping on board."
I'm surprised there hasn't been a breakout hit in the Christian games market given the potential size of it in the USA. Maybe that will be next on W's to-do list?

[OUX]

So what are they saying? They should make a game that you crucify Jesus in? Or that you should make a game where your Jesus and you are basically a light side jedi till you get crucified then it turns into MGS's torture resistance mini game.

[Akeldama]

I'm a Christian, yet I find these games very embarressing. I think perhaps the market exists in the US where Christians seem to be able to cope/welcome plenty of cringeworthy cheese, but across the pond I think most Christians I know would laugh at most Christian games I've seen.

Of course, the weird fetish movie Passion of the Christ was somehow sold to a Christian audience, so I guess some people will buy any old shit. :)

[JudasGoat]

Not everything should be made in to a game. A hit movie genre does not make a hit game. For example, consider a romantic comedy game with Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan voiceovers. WWII and sci fi games are successful for a reason: those genres lend themselves to exciting scenarios. I suppose you could reskin shadow of the colossos with david and goliath skins, but it would still be crap.

[Citizen Philip]

LOL, It's me Jesus.

http://ourgodisanawsomegod.ytmnd.com/

---

Do we get to go the middle-east as Knight crusaders and purge the holy land? Oh oh oh! Does it have medevil and US in Iraq version too?

Aw man, this would be awesome! The amount of easy humour to generate from games like this would be cool. Instead of Painkiller; Heaven's got a hitman, you could play Agent 47 and save the souls of heathens with sneak-attack hugs and koolaid!

[fitbabits]

Wasn't there some sort of FPS Christian game where you were basically 'killing' demons?

[Voodoo]

I hope there is a Christian game where you can play Constantine and choose which parts of the bible should be taken out, which disciples should be changed from women to men, which rabbi can be choosen to be named the messiah and then at a later stage you can be King James and rewrite the entire thing again. Sounds fun! I hope 3D Realms makes it.

[Citizen Philip]

Wasn't there some sort of FPS Christian game where you were basically 'killing' demons?

I remeber what game you are talking about, but I don't remeber the name. I read an article about it. I believe the game was set in roman times and you played some christian (with a cross?) and you would run around "saving souls" of the heathen Romans from their pagan gods.

..tee hee.

[bapenguin]

I always wanted to make a fighting game where the characters you choose are religious gods and figures. Jesus vs. Buddah, yes sir! Zeus vs. Muhammad? I'll take 2!

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

christians cant play videogames, the bible says so. The devil made this article!

[Voodoo]

christians cant play videogames, the bible says so. The devil made this article!

The devil tied my shoes today and played Lil Jon for me on the way to work.

[Akeldama]

The problem is that drama is based on conflict, it's true of games just as in the theatre. And a Christian FPS firing Doves at people to convert them is not really different from UT2007. So what's the point? Many Christian games seem to be poor-rip offs of existing games with just thematic/graphical replacements.

Now I can see the market for quiz games. Fair enough. But I'm struggling to think of ideas for a genuinely innovative Christian/or Judeo-Christian game.

Yes there are Biblical sequences that do lend themselves to games. The wars of Joshua for example, yet just because a bloodbath of a game could be based on these events, doesn't really make them a Christian game. Regular games in the clothing of Biblical references just seem lame.

I suppose a good point and click adventure could be made based on The Acts of the Apostles as it features plenty of location changes, characters and exciting events (such as a storm and shipwreck). But again, without any real conflict, I wonder where the drama and thus excitement would come from.

And what of non-Biblical games of a Christian bent, perhaps a Sims-style Christian game? Well the problem here that you're taking a free sandbox game and putting a narrow constriction on it.

However one game that perhaps shows the way (not that I care if these games are successful as I'll play any games) is Black & White 2. The good path actually was a much more pleasing way to play this time around. But again, it's doing good for reward, hardly a lesson about benevolence.

Christian Game Developers, in it for the money I reckon, because there's no good games in there as far as I can see. The Christian money market is huge, especially in the states. Companies can sell folks substandard books, movies, music and games that'll sell because it has some Christian connection. Just like my opinion on Christian music, I think the only games that'll be of any worth are the ones that can be a success in the secular market, not just playing to the ghetto.

[Roc Ingersol]

Perhaps the intersection between gamers and Christians-that-want-to-be-beaten-over-the-head-with-Christianity isn't all that big?
Most Christians are already buying and playing games - just as they were already watching movies prior to The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre.

What's unChristian about Mario, the Sims, Sonic or Warcraft?
Some fundies might have issue with them, but once you're talking about that subset, you're into territory where computer games just aren't going to sell. Short of a JesusBox that plays only JesusTitles.

[Librum]

I was playing a great Christian game the other day - Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion. Good stuff.

[Abednigo]

The problem is that drama is based on conflict, it's true of games just as in the theatre. And a Christian FPS firing Doves at people to convert them is not really different from UT2007. So what's the point? Many Christian games seem to be poor-rip offs of existing games with just thematic/graphical replacements.

Now I can see the market for quiz games. Fair enough. But I'm struggling to think of ideas for a genuinely innovative Christian/or Judeo-Christian game.

Yes there are Biblical sequences that do lend themselves to games. The wars of Jakob for example, yet just because a bloodbath of a game could be based on these events, doesn't really make them a Christian game. Regular games in the clothing of Biblical references just seem lame.

I suppose a good point and click adventure could be made based on The Acts of the Apostles as it features plenty of location changes, characters and exciting events (such as a storm and shipwreck). But again, without any real conflict, I wonder where the drama and thus excitement would come from.

And what of non-Biblical games of a Christian bent, perhaps a Sims-style Christian game? Well the problem here that you're taking a free sandbox game and putting a narrow constriction on it.

However one game that perhaps shows the way (not that I care if these games are successful as I'll play any games) is Black & White 2. The good path actually was a much more pleasing way to play this time around. But again, it's doing good for reward, hardly a lesson about benevolence.

Christian Game Developers, in it for the money I reckon, because there's no good games in there as far as I can see. The Christian money market is huge, especially in the states. Companies can sell folks substandard books, movies, music and games that'll sell because it has some Christian connection. Just like my opinion on Christian music, I think the only games that'll be of any worth are the ones that can be a success in the secular market, not just playing to the ghetto.

I couldn't have said it better myself. And the fact is, most Christian gamers don't want the kind of crap that gets put out by these Christian developers. It's the same with music, books and movies. Every Christian I know who has seen those Left Behind movies says they suck. Remember back when that movie The Omega Code came out? It was supposed to be the beginning of awesome, big budget Christian movies. I saw it, it sucked. Christian groups tend to push for this crap for some odd reason. I'm sure there is a group that loves them, but your average Christian doesn't (I know I don't). The problem is that most people's view of what your average Christian looks like and how they think is based on the extremists that are blabbering on TV. They make us all look like idiots.

If they want to really break into gaming they need to come up with a new genre. Don't take the Half Life 2 engine and turn Gordon into King David and the aliens into the Philistines. Actually, that might be cool, but it needs to be done well. They need to put a huge budget behind it and make a FUN game. Don't just replace these characters with Bible heroes and say "It's a Christian game! Lead Moses and the Israelites through the desert to the promised land!" Then you've just got a crappy version of the Oregon Trail.

As a Christian, I'm honestly disgusted by what is advertised as "Christian entertainment". It's no wonder people laugh at the mere mention of it.

[Akeldama]

I agree completely with you Roc Ingersol. I think perhaps the issue is that there's a market there for the strict fundies, most regular Christians can find plenty of good games to play already.

The fact is some people want to buy the Christian version of everything, even if the secular version is identical. That's how the massive Christian market keeps afloat, by selling people tat like Christian cook books and the like to people who really don't know better.

[Kelegacy]

Christian games could probably be pretty fun. Look at the movie Passion of the Christ. There's so much violence, blood and gore that you could make 2 snuff films from it.

Wait a second, isn't Painkiller for PC a Christian game? You are killing demons in the name of God, after all. You are Heaven's hit man.

[Abednigo]

What's unChristian about Mario, the Sims, Sonic or Warcraft?
Some fundies might have issue with them, but once you're talking about that subset, you're into territory where computer games just aren't going to sell. Short of a JesusBox that plays only JesusTitles.

Bingo. Some "fundies" as you call them ;) want everything to be Christian! Give me Christian mints and gum with bible verses on them! Give me Christian coffee mugs with proverbs written on the side! Give me Christian t-shirts with catchy sayings! Um...what makes those things Christian? I don't get it. Only a human can be a Christian. A shirt or piece of candy can't. We that stuff call it "Jesus Junk". It's the same with games.

[Akeldama]

Fundies exist in a ghetto of their own making, buying books from people who make a living telling them to buy the kind of books they write.

[Abednigo]

Fundies exist in a ghetto of their own making, buying books from people who make a living telling them to buy the kind of books they write.

It's the same group who think Harry Potter is evil, and yet they have never read the books themselves. They just take what the ghetto leaders say and run with it.

[Akeldama]

Yeah. They are an odd bunch. I've met plenty of them in my time, especially when I was at uni. The funny thing is about the whole Harry Potter thing is that on the whole the books and movies are hugely popular with most Christians, it's just this small minority that's rattling on about it that gets noticed.

[Abednigo]

Yeah. They are an odd bunch. I've met plenty of them in my time, especially when I was at uni. The funny thing is about the whole Harry Potter thing is that on the whole the books and movies are hugely popular with most Christians, it's just this small minority that's rattling on about it that gets noticed.

Yup, I'm one of them. I love the books and the movies!! I've actually "converted" some of my Harry Potter hating friends at church and they love the movies now too. :D

[Akeldama]

I've been reading the first Harry Potter book with my girlfriend recently and she told me she was quite surprised by one aspect. She'd been told by several Christian friends that the Dursley family were a cruel parody of a Christian family. It's clearly BS, the kind of urban myth BS that you see get passed among many Christians.

[Abednigo]

I've been reading the first Harry Potter book with my girlfriend recently and she told me she was quite surprised by one aspect. She'd been told by several Christian friends that the Dursley family were a cruel parody of a Christian family. It's clearly BS, the kind of urban myth BS that you see get passed among many Christians.

There is actually this christian guy who has some great articles on Harry Potter. You might find them interesting. Some of them are a bit of a stretch, but they're good reads.

Hogwarts Professor (http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/home.php)

[president_fred]

The devil tied my shoes today and played Lil Jon for me on the way to work.
Skeet skeet skeet!

[Mason]

What, America's Army doesn't count?

To me, the obvious response here is "what do you mean by Christian?" A Christian worldview encompasses an awful lot, from pacifism and neighbor-loving to pogrom and genocide.

The biggest problem is that if you target people who are so completely wrapped in (American protestant) Christian culture that they can't interact with non-Christian media, they 1) are a relatively small demographic, 2) aren't likely to be that into gaming in the first place, and 3) would require games that no one else would enjoy. And Christians with broader minds can easily find Christian themes in stuff like Fable or FFVII, so they don't need to be catered to.

The sad thing is that the people calling for this would immediately turn on anyone who tried to make a Christian game, if the game didn't fully support all of their interpretations and prejudices. They don't want to put up with a plurality of views, they just want to hear their own voice repeated back to them in convenient child-brainwashing form.

They'd be the world's worst fanboys.

[amusedtoe]

I'm surprised there hasn't been a breakout hit in the Christian games market given the potential size of it in the USA. Maybe that will be next on W's to-do list?[/I]

How can you be surprised based on the quality of product they peddle? You push that quality slop to any demographic and it's not going to take anywhere.

[VoodooKarma]

Maybe there should be some sort of 'Separation of church and games' amendment?

[ezra]

Psh, its been done. (http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/929596.asp?q=the%20bible%20game)

[Abednigo]

Psh, its been done. (http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/929596.asp?q=the%20bible%20game)

Looks like Mario Party meets You Don't Know Jack.

[Sion]

Wasn't there some sort of FPS Christian game where you were basically 'killing' demons?


Yeah, it's called Painkiller.

[Roc Ingersol]

What Would Jesus Play?
the PrayStation.

[Jetherik]

I hope there is a Christian game where you can play Constantine and choose which parts of the bible should be taken out, which disciples should be changed from women to men, which rabbi can be choosen to be named the messiah and then at a later stage you can be King James and rewrite the entire thing again. Sounds fun! I hope 3D Realms makes it.

One of the best posts yet. Sad that it is true. My wife and I were RoFL.

[Abednigo]

Yeah, it's called Painkiller.

No, it's another one. I can't remember the name though. I'm looking for it.

EDIT: Here it is.

Requiem: Avenging Angel (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/requiemavengingangel/index.html?q=requiem)

If memory serves me right, this game was marketed as a Christian game.

[XxSATANxX]

Christian Games.........Thankfully the so called HUGE MARKET has failed to appear in any form. Almost every number given about the HUGE market place by the FUNDIES
(like that by the way....In my house we call them POD people) turns out to much smaller when stuck under the scope of reality. Appears they replace the word zest for lying. Several years back The Left Behind series of books was going to be a monster hit movie and a game and a TV series. Nothing happened.

Pointing to Mel Gibson and Passion of The Christ and saying there is a market is like saying Santa Suits will be the new fashion trend this year!

[fitbabits]

Christian Games.........Thankfully the so called HUGE MARKET has failed to appear in any form. Almost every number given about the HUGE market place by the FUNDIES
(like that by the way....In my house we call them POD people) turns out to much smaller when stuck under the scope of reality. Appears they replace the word zest for lying. Several years back The Left Behind series of books was going to be a monster hit movie and a game and a TV series. Nothing happened.

Pointing to Mel Gibson and Passion of The Christ and saying there is a market is like saying Santa Suits will be the new fashion trend this year!
Be off with you, Satan. :rolleyes:

[jpublic]

I swear, if you got someone to make a *decent* Christian game, I'd play it. The problem is, most of the developers are so wrapped up in their 'good wholesome Christian message' that they forget the real thing they should be working for is creating a good game.

I admit to anticipating (and in some ways, dreading) seeing what the game industry does with Chronicles of Narnia. Since CS Lewis wrote the books as a Christian allegory, one would expect the games to mirror that.

[Sykus]

Jesus attacks Possessed Boar!

Possessed Boar takes 12 points of damage!

Peter attacks Possessed Boar!

Possessed Boar takes 9 points of damage!

Possessed Boar is defeated!

*ding*

Jesus has gained a level!

[Abednigo]

Jesus attacks Possessed Boar!

Possessed Boar takes 12 points of damage!

Peter attacks Possessed Boar!

Possessed Boar takes 9 points of damage!

Possessed Boar is defeated!

*ding*

Jesus has gained a level!

LOL! Nice.

[MosBen]

I don't have much of an opinion on the religious games. If there's a market for them and a company makes a quality game people will buy it. Some gamers will be turned off by a Christian theme, some won't care, and some will be drawn by it. As to whether Christian themes and stories lend themselves to games, it's a rather narrow view of the medium to say that they don't. It's not like every game has to be a FPS or some other current genre. A Hanks/Ryan romantic comedy game could be very good, if you're the type of person that likes those kinds of movies. I'm not terribly fond of them, nor do I think are most current gamers, but just like The Sims proved there are millions of people that are interested in playing games that more traditional gamers find boring.

I know I'm certainly intrigued by the possibility of games that don't focus on violent conflict.

[ElectricMonk]

The christian market isn't that good. All the bible belt states are in the lowest income bracket.

[ElectricMonk]

Yeah, it's called Painkiller.

there was another one before that long long ago... requim: avenging angel.

[Abednigo]

there was another one before that long long ago... requim: avenging angel.

Yeah, I posted this link on the last page.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/requiemavengingangel/index.html?q=requiem

[GunnyMo]

The most current game, The Bible Game, is a terrible piece of intolerant propaganda. We popped it into the system at the store and it was funny and terrible at the same time. There was a lovely "stone the philistines" bit which I thought was great for teaching kids how to throw rocks at people who disagree with you. :) As an agnostic I found the game highly amusing and disturbing but then again that's the kind of person I am. I was hoping it had mini-games like Stone the Whore, Collect the Philistine Foreskins or an Avoid the Sodomites in Action adventure game! They never put the really good stuff in these games.

There is a game coming in April based on the Left Behind books which I'm sure will be a major flop.

[Voodoo]

The christian market isn't that good. All the bible belt states are in the lowest income bracket.

Ha Ha! Bigot humor so funny! Ha Ha!

Hey boy, put that banjo down and lets squeel like pigs together while we play Jesus Saves The Devil on the Nintendo64 I just got from turning in my double barrel at the pawn shop!

Yeeeeehaw!

/sarcasm

In case you aren't aware, the Bible Belt doesn't exist anymore. What you describe is anywhere in America which is 50 to 60 miles outside of most major cities.

[Viking+]

http://h3server.com/public/rebel_planet_cnn.wmv

Christian games are about all the Christian Moms in the world that are so afraid of technology to actually be able to look at a game and see if it is appropriate for thier child. They want to buy a "safe" Christian game so that they don't need to do the work and research what their childeren are playing.

But there are a lot of lazy Christian (and non-Christian) moms in the world. So guess there is a market.

It's just a bad looking FPS with a semi-Christian backstory where you shoot prayers to banish demons. Yet another game of tag.

[MosBen]

I don't remember Requiem: Avenging Angel being marketed as a religious game. Same with Messiah. Both were had some religious elements, but didn't really preach any values other than "You gots ta kill bad guys like nobody's business." As I remember it, Requiem was one of the first, if not *the* first, game to incorporate bullet time, and I still think it's among the best implementations.

[XxSATANxX]

Be off with you, Satan. :rolleyes:


Satan has brought suffering and death to the whole human race. However, if eternal torment IS TRUE, then Jesus Christ will torture forever the whole human race, except the small handful who will be saved. In one hour, in a hot searing hell, our Lord will inflict more pain and agony on each person than Satan inflicted on that person during his entire life."

-J. Preston Eby, The Law of Circularity

Man this sounds like a really cool game.........call it DOGMA! :D

[captainspankypants]

I really like this thread and all -- great conversation all around, lots of varying viewpoints, etc. -- but I just wanted to say

An article in the Kansas City Star...

Look at who's saying there's a market for Christian games. These are the same folks who approve of intelligent design (no offense intended to anyone here who might believe that). Passion of the Christ's popularity does NOT equal Christian game popularity. That movie was an aberration... a movie masquerading as a church sermon. As mainstream as gaming is, it's not mainstream enough to be passed off as communion like a movie can. My grandmother isn't picking up a controller even if Jesus himself told her to. The source of this story is not reliable.

[A Lusty Alien]

Can you imagine the uproar from the religious fundamentalists that Will Wright's new game "Spore" is going to create? (Or do you think they will try to use it as a justification for the "Intelligent Design" hypothesis?)

[Alex]

This (http://www.angryflower.com/afterl.html) might be a good concept for a Christian FPS.

[Akeldama]

Can you imagine the uproar from the religious fundamentalists that Will Wright's new game "Spore" is going to create? (Or do you think they will try to use it as a justification for the "Intelligent Design" hypothesis?)

Even the folks peddling Intelligent Design don't believe it. It's part of something called the wedge philosophy. Creationists know they can't argue with scientists by trying to use their own wacky brand of science. So instead they invent a system called Intelligent Design (which they don't subscribe to) and as it's (almost) a scientific theory, albeit one full of holes.

It's kinda like bringing non-alchoholic beer along to get into a party held by a friend of a friend.

I've no problem at all with creationists. Logically an all powerful God can create whatever he/she wants any way she/he wants, be it seven days or four billion years. What really pisses me off are fellow Christians who feel the best way to defend their narrow viewpoint is to lie and cheat in the scientific debate. Great example there guys, thanks.

/rant over :)

[LilAbner]

There is a game coming in April based on the Left Behind books which I'm sure will be a major flop.

While you're probably right, the game doesn't have to be a flop. Those books are awesome and could be made into a fantastic adventure/RPG.

[mister_slim]

Think the Christians will buy my game?

It's called NintenLion (name may be changed after Nintendo sues me into the ground). You play a Christian tossed into a pit with hungry lions. You have to sooth, feed and groom them, using the power of God's love to tame them. Minigames involving making your own shampoo and bubble blowers are included, but so far nobody has survived long enough to test them.

[GunnyMo]

I would also like to point out that this so-called Prince of Darkness, ol' Satan never actually killed anyone. Now, now before you call me on the carpet try and find anywhere in the Bible where Satan directly killed anyone. Not one. :) God/Jeebus/Holy Ghost have the corner on wholesale slaughter of mankind and the examples are graphic and numerous. God just has better PR.

My point? A game based on Satan's exploits would be boring. Let's get some ol' plague causing, 1st born killing, foreskin collecting, city burning, world drowning God games going! Hell, I'd play those in a heartbeat. Of course, we couldn't sell them to minors as they'd have to be rated "M". :)

[Kelegacy]

I would also like to point out that this so-called Prince of Darkness, ol' Satan never actually killed anyone. Now, now before you call me on the carpet try and find anywhere in the Bible where Satan directly killed anyone. Not one. :) God/Jeebus/Holy Ghost have the corner on wholesale slaughter of mankind and the examples are graphic and numerous. God just has better PR.

My point? A game based on Satan's exploits would be boring. Let's get some ol' plague causing, 1st born killing, foreskin collecting, city burning, world drowning God games going! Hell, I'd play those in a heartbeat. Of course, we couldn't sell them to minors as they'd have to be rated "M". :)
Satan (Lucifer) was a good guy, an angel, that wanted a piece of the ruling action in Heaven. God was greedy, wanted the whole thing for himself, cast Lucifer into Hell for having too much ambition. It's like spanking my son for wanting to eat some of my candy bar. MY candy bar! The nerve!

It's a fun statistic you have on Satan in regards to his unkilling hand. He's smart and can use his cunning and guile to seduce stupid people...that's his biggest trick. God wanted humans to remain stupid/ignorant, but Satan gave them the ability to taste knowledge. God was pissed that his creations suddenly had brains and wisdom and kicked them out of Eden.

Knowledge is power, ignorance is bliss. Knowledge is evil, ignorance is good.

[president_fred]

Satan (Lucifer) was a good guy, an angel, that wanted a piece of the ruling action in Heaven. God was greedy, wanted the whole thing for himself, cast Lucifer into Hell for having too much ambition.
Maybe it was more of a franchise move, like "you want some power fine why dont you open up a McD's down there and see how well you do." I reckon it was a mutual agreement, 'Cept we are God's employees so he is hardly going to say "go work for the McD's down the block" in the training video is he.

[Thenetcase]

I'm hungry.

[Zeal]

I'm Christian, but I don't feel there's a need to seperate the market into "Christian Entertainment", as opposed to 'regular' entertainment. Christianity, like many things, is a set of principles one chooses to follow, not a completely seperate entity.

As a Christian, simply choose what you think is appropriate to play.

Satan (Lucifer) was a good guy, an angel, that wanted a piece of the ruling action in Heaven. God was greedy, wanted the whole thing for himself, cast Lucifer into Hell for having too much ambition. It's like spanking my son for wanting to eat some of my candy bar. MY candy bar! The nerve!
Actually, he wanted to set his throne above God himself, but there's no need to get picky or argue religion.

[IagoTheHunted]

Bleah, who would want to develop a christian themed game anyway? Clearly nobody. But even if they did what sort of crappy game would you end up with? Christianity is all about restriction... than lends to some GREAAAAT gameplay, like "resist the urge to kill bad people so that god can judge them later", you just sit there for hours while bad things happen all around you and then die of old age. WOOHOO!

Blasphamy aside though it totally sickens me that religion has become a marketing group in america. Don't christians realise that making your religion into movies and video games and tv shows is compleately corrupt? They pay money to the big-wigs who make those movies and then the money is used to buy mansions and prostitutes and fund porn and reality tv shows etc. etc. etc.

Oh well, I guess religious people will just follow the flock off a cliff as long as they don't have to think for themselves.

[derjester]

Bible Adventures for the NES. It was a series of action games that were all fairly lack luster. One put you as Noah gathering animals and putting them on the Ark. The only way to get the eagle was to jump off a tree and throw the haystack from your head at just the right moment to knock the eagle out.
Another game was to play as David. For several level you simply gathered your flock of sheep (by stacking them on your head) and getting them across a screen. Side scrolling style. The final level is the only level you had the sling on and you had to land one stone on Goliaths head.
A Third game put you as a servant carrying baby Moses through Egypt. You tried to avoid getting speared by Egyptians and throw into the river, and would toss baby Moses over the roof tops to safety. I could never beat that game.

All in all there are few stories that would remain family friendly due to wanton violence. You could make an RTS with Joshua as the commander and lead the conquest of Kanaan. The Crusades could also make for a good RTS. An ADventure RPG for the life and times of Christ, what have you.

Though honestly if a religious game is made many will disagree with it. It's just the nature of taking chances with ideologies. Unless it's a historically dead religion like Greek Gods, you will offend a large amount of people. The game will be boycotted, and you will lose money. It's not a good market to try.

[ElectricMonk]

Ha Ha! Bigot humor so funny! Ha Ha!

Hey boy, put that banjo down and lets squeel like pigs together while we play Jesus Saves The Devil on the Nintendo64 I just got from turning in my double barrel at the pawn shop!

Yeeeeehaw!

/sarcasm

In case you aren't aware, the Bible Belt doesn't exist anymore. What you describe is anywhere in America which is 50 to 60 miles outside of most major cities.

Go visit south carolina some time and then let's talk.