Desert Bus Departs For Charity Once Again

19 Nov 2010 at 20:14:03 by Peter Parrish

The fourth annual 'Desert Bus for Hope' event will kick off in just under seven hours, once again aiming to raise money for the Penny Arcade-founded Child's Play charity and bore some unfortunate players to death.

A bit of background for those unfamiliar with the juggernaut of gaming that is Desert Bus. It's a sub-game from an unreleased Sega CD title "Penn & Teller's Smoke & Mirrors," in which players are challenged to drive a bus from Arizona to Las Vegas (a trip of around eight hours.) Features include bland, empty landscape, a bus which pulls slightly to the left (forcing you to maintain control at all times) and a few stops which are, of course, empty. You can open the doors, but no-one will ever get on.

Best of all in this achievement-saturated era, if you reach Vegas you get ... one point. And the chance to drive back again. This continues indefinitely, and the brave/foolhardy chaps at Desert Bus for Hope are this year planning to drive in 24 hour shifts (presumably with 'comfort stops.')

You can follow their slow descent into sleep deprived madness at the official site, and (of course) donate some cash there too.

To those who are about to Desert Bus: IncGamers tips its hat to your commitment to mind-meltingly tedious videogames. Oh yes, and the well-being of children.

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