ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I describe the development of Ambos Nogales Repair, an 8-bit game about the attempts to repair sewer infrastructure in the border metropolis of the two Nogales. I speculatively explore each of the elements of the game in order to argue for the value of critical media-making for sketching out complex urban, infrastructural, and environmental problems. Because critical making emphasizes process, I explain how the research and analysis of the issues at hand inform the game’s different components. Ambos Nogales illustrates the potential of treating border watersheds in a holistic manner, socioculturally and physiographically. Moving from entrenched state-thinking to regional cooperation will benefit the entire border region. To force this epistemological reorientation requires seeing and engaging with the border city in newfound ways. By explaining the design decisions of the game and how these impact player interactions, this chapter ultimately demonstrates the ability of games, and specifically playing, to address issues of border cooperation.
