The game “Fancy Pants Adventure” and its sequel, “Fancy Pants Adventure: World 2” are both straightforward. They are simply about some unidentified (stick figure) man with fancy pants and a spiky hair cut running around and jumping on things, like spiders and rats with guns. No explanation is really given on why these creatures are sitting around elaborate stages with mysterious pieces of land just floating around, but it is besides the point. The real focus of the game is the running, because of the interesting physics engine that allows for very fast acceleration and various tricks like wall jumps. The satisfaction from this game results in being able to navigate the landscapes at the fastest speed, an example of ilinx, rather than outwitting enemies or saving the world from annihilation.
Espen Aarseth said that games are “the art of simulation”, and that that is the cause of enjoyment for the player, rather than the storyline. The second Fancy Pants game even acknowledges this; the game starts with an ice cream cone being stolen by a rabbit and the mayor telling the player to chase after it “…for World 2 to have a plot line!” The developer himself knows that any arbitrary story is fine, and that the players really desire the experience the gameplay provides. Thus these games are prime evidence supporting Aarseth’s assertion that games should not be analyzed like books, based on story, but rather on other elements such as the experience provided.