Jay Honeck writes:

Mary and I spent some time pondering some of the reasons why this
transpired. One guess was that the Kiwi is just *so* realistic that it
really doesn't seem like a game?

That's certainly part of it. Everyone (irrespective of sex) enjoys a
realistic simulation.

Another possibility was that there is no real "game" aspect to flying
the Kiwi -- no points are scored, no kills recorded -- and perhaps
this appeals more to girls?

It's not playing games that puts girls off ... it's the type of game.
Girls as a group don't like violent games, first-person shooters, and
games with all sorts of high-speed movement. They are just as
intrigued as anyone by intellectual games, games that involve people,
and so on. Most video games are very highly optimized to appeal to
boys, and thus often do not appeal to girls. But girls like games
that are optimized for them, and games that are intended for everyone.

A simulator really isn't a game, though, and so the rules for games
don't apply to begin with. Everyone likes simulators, as it allows
them to try things they wouldn't otherwise be able to try--and safely.

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