Abstract

Fan fiction is a body of work where the writer uses characters and/or settings from an already established work to create a new story. While the term has gained a negative connotation in our society, fan fiction is quite valuable as it bridges the gap between two opposite human desires: the comfort of familiarity and the thrill of exploration & discovery. If the appeal of fan fiction comes from fulfilling a psychological need, then perhaps taking observations from psychology to build these stories can give a certain credibility to the sub-genre. That is the basis for this project. The project takes four video games from various genres and creates new stories by focusing on a psychological aspect that the original story does not address. The aftermath of Punch Out explores the dark side of becoming a boxing champion at age seventeen; including addiction, brain damage, and exploitation. The new story from Phoenix Wright is about adoptive siblings who try to reconcile with each other over the monstrous actions of their father. Darkest Dungeon’s story is about grief and how coping looks different for everyone. Lastly, Cuphead discusses the greed and selfishness involved in selling your soul to the Devil.