RUPEE (The Legend of Zelda)
Worth: $3 (U.S.)
Methodology: 100 rupees = magical shield. Crappy shield on eBay = $300
What It Means: U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke could learn
a couple of things from Hyrule's math whizzes, who have kept the region's
inflation rate at an astounding 0.00 percent for over 20 years.
GTA DOLLAR (Grand Theft Auto III)
Worth: $25 (U.S.)
Methodology: 100 GTA dollars = Colt .45 Pistol (M1911 A1). Custom model
1911 A1 pistol made by the Springfield Armory = $2,500
What It Means: If you do find a handgun for a hundred bucks in the real
world, you'll probably have to call Nerf for more ammo.
COIN (Super Mario Bros.)
Worth: $37,000 (U.S.)
Methodology: 100 coins = 1 life. Human life = $3.7 million, according
to the Environmental Protection Agency
What It Means: What can we say? Girls dig guys with large coin boxes.
GOLD RING (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Worth: $103,000 (U.S.)
Methodology: 50 gold rings = A bonus-level shot at a chaos emerald as
big as your head. The largest emerald ever found was 86,136 carats,
valued at over $5.2 million. In today's market, 50 real gold rings,
or about $10,000 worth of gold, will net you a 3.9-carat emerald.
What It Means: On a side note, give one gold ring to your girlfriend
and you unlock the bonus stage where everything you do leads to your
life being over.
SIM DOLLAR (SimCity)
Worth: $611,000 (U.S.)
Methodology: 1,000 Sim dollars = baseball stadium. The new Washington
Nationals stadium = $611 million
What It Means: Think the government is the only waste in D.C.? Each
Nationals win in 2007 cost $13.70 in SimCity money, $8.4 million in
today's economy.
MINERAL (StarCraft)
Worth: $25 million (U.S.)
Methodology: 100 minerals = Terran Vespene gas refinery. A gas refinery
in Arizona = $2.5 billion
What It Means: At this point, you might as well make a three-button
suit out of your worthless money and light yourself on fire.
ADAM (BioShock)
Worth: Infinity
Methodology: 1 murdered Little Sister = 160 ADAM. 1 real murdered little
sister = life in prison. You'll probably meet about 160 Adams there,
too. Some may make you call them "Big Daddy."
What It Means: They use cigs as currency in the joint, so you're better
off with smokes than you are with C-notes anyway.
