Gary Larson’s The Far Side is simply delightful. Between 1980 and 1995, the artist published single-panel comics drenched in satirical humor, surreal imagery, and splashes of dark comedy. Despite incorporating the occasional pop culture reference, The Far Side‘s jokes and themes have really stood the test of time, and one of the funniest gags involves video games.
To be honest, Larson didn’t tackle gaming all that often, be it of the board or video variety. They just weren’t a common source of inspiration for the cartoonist; however, the exceptions are quite fantastic and even sit among The Far Side‘s most iconic panels. They are funny, cute, slightly weird, and shockingly predictive. Let’s take a look at the most hilarious gaming panels in The Far Side.
The intro probably clarified this already, but I’m including a wide variety of game types, not just video games.
5
“Dogs” Playing Poker
The Far Side Comic About A Painting About A Gambling Game
- Release Date: August 10, 1992
- Caption: “Long before his rise to fame, artist Gus Nickerson experimented with many variations on a single theme—until that fateful day when a friend said, ‘Gus… have you tried dogs playing poker?'”
Let’s start with what might be the most recognizable The Far Side comic of all time, and one that is somewhat infamous due to a mistake. While Larson had a wicked sense of humor, he generally sought to ground his work in accurate history if he sought to reference something real. For this strip, Larson used Cassius Coolidge’s “Dogs Playing Poker” painting as inspiration, but he accidentally credited the original creation to Gus Nickerson instead.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
Moving past the mistake, which only really became well known long after its original publication, this cartoon is otherwise pretty darn charming. Like most of Larson’s greatest work, the concept is very simple: trial and error. Any creator in any medium understands the importance of retries, as the first draft is almost never the best. In this case, a down-on-his-luck street artist tries to sell multiple paintings featuring animals playing poker, but something isn’t quite right.
4
A Lopsided Game Of Jeopardy
The Far Side Comic About A Trivia Game Show
- Release Date: June 18, 1990
- Caption: “Excuse me… I know the game’s almost over, but just for the record, I don’t think my buzzer is working properly.”
Going from a painting of a card game to one of the most famous game shows of all time, this Far Side panel is one of the few to feature Jeopardy, as Larson apparently enjoyed using it as a framing device. In this example, the contestants are Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Jones. You know, Jones, that perfectly ordinary guy who might have the worst luck ever, considering he ended up on a trivia night alongside two of the smartest people in history.
At a glance, you might feel sympathy for Jones, as he really cannot be expected to compete against Einstein and Edison, but that’s not the comic’s tone. No, the caption specifically establishes Jones as the butt of the joke, with his ego refusing to allow him to admit defeat. He comes up with an obviously fake excuse to try to justify why he lost (badly) against two folks who are literally synonymous with “genius.”
Just accept it, dude; nobody is going to think less of you.
3
Dodo Birds Playing Chess
The Biting Far Side Comic About A Board Game
- Release Date: November 14, 1991
- Caption: “Unbeknownst to most ornithologists, the dodo was actually a very advanced species, living alone quite peacefully until, in the 17th century, it was annihilated by men, rats, and dogs. As usual.”
Yeah, we are jumping purely into black comedy here, a territory that Larson visited sporadically but consistently with sharp wit. Dodos are eternally associated with stupidity, with “dodo” being basically slang for “idiot.” These birds went extinct in the 17th century, and “dodo” didn’t become a common insult until Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland weaponized the word (in a funny way; the book is awesome).
Considering the only fact most people know about dodos is that they went extinct, their demise must serve as the basis for their reputation for stupidity. However, these birds died because of humans, as we invaded their habitats, destroyed their homes, introduced predatory animals, and hunted them into extinction. Dodos had nothing to fear until humans arrived, and then it was too late.
Yeah, dodos were victims, not idiots, a point made beautifully by this cartoon that shows them playing chess, reading books, and demonstrating their intelligence.
2
Rejecting Reality In Favor Of Otherworldly Luck
The Far Side Comic Directly About A Gambling Game
- I couldn’t confirm the release date, although I believe it came out in 1984. This panel is part of The Far Side Gallery Volume 2, though.
- Caption: “Well, shucks! I’ve lost again! Talk about your alien luck!”
Oh, yeah, this one is brilliant. The cartoon depicts a poker game between a human and an alien with multiple eyes that can see from different angles. As the latter takes the former to the cleaners, the guy only stares in bewilderment while proclaiming that his opponent simply benefits from “alien” luck, a play on the concept of beginner’s luck. With tentacles peeking from under the table and eyes that can see basically everywhere, the alien clearly cheated to amass their riches, something that they aren’t even trying to hide.
Instead of facing the truth that is staring them right in the face, the human rejects reality and simply credits this circumstance to incidental luck. Poker is entirely about keeping your hand and psychological state a secret, and the human is going up against a creature largely consisting of eyes and hands. Everybody should be able to recognize that this is a terrible idea, but the man would rather stay blind.
1
Hopeful Parents Dream Of A Nintendo Future
The Far Side Comic About Video Games
- Release Date: October 15, 1990
- Captions (in newspaper): “Nintendo Expert Needed. $50,000 salary + bonus”; “Looking For Good Mario Brothers Player $100,000 plus your own car”; “Can You Save The Princess? We need skilled men & women $75,000 + retirement”; “If You Have 50,000 Hours Or More Of Video Game Experience, We Need You.”
Yeah, Gary Larson is a prophet, although accidentally in this case. This comic depicts a child playing a Nintendo game while his parents wistfully imagine a 2005 newspaper with classifieds dedicated to video game jobs. In 1990, gaming was regarded as a brain-rotting activity that offered nothing of value to the real world, and Larson cynically satirizes the parents’ delusion that their son could eventually benefit from the hours they spent playing.
In the age of Esports, Twitch streaming, professional gaming, and development, the punchline no longer seems all that farfetched, as plenty of people use their love for gaming to craft careers. This Far Side comic predicted the future by mocking its present.
