Video Games, Art?

So, I've been watching the coverage of the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) all day while waiting for my gums to heal. For those of you who're unaware, E3 is a huge convention every May in California to show off the best upcoming video games. Think of it as a World's Fair for nerds.

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Brothers on the small television in my parents' bedroom. I had it in my head that if I jumped when I hit the A button, Mario would jump higher. So I got a lot of exercise playing Mario. Back then, games were simpler; generally, it was just a basic story with side-scrolling action. But it was fun.

Games soon evolved to feature more complex stories and systems of gameplay. One popular series is Final Fantasy, which is known for engrossing plots and compelling characters. I've always loved to read, and as a child I'd play video games with the same sense of story-telling.

I could make a compelling argument that I became even more attached to the characters in video games than in books because, obviously, I became the characters. I did not watch Link strike down Gannon; I did. Fox McCloud did not fly an Arwing; I did.

Yet, despite my love of these games, I always felt that they were looked down upon. People didn't seem to view them as a valid form of media. They were little more than animated board games, diversions fit for children.

So here I am now, 18 years old, and I still love video games. I believe that they accomplish the same artistic tasks as do books and movies. But, you tell me. Are video games art? Can they move people? Are the objects of creativity, or just playthings?

I welcome your thoughts.