ASUNCION: When he rides in the real thing, the pope just smiles and waves. In this videogame, the holy father dodges killer potholes and other obstacles as he drives the popemobile.
Papa Road – Papa means pope in Spanish – is the brainchild of young Paraguayans who got the idea as their capital city prepares to host the pontiff starting July 10 as part of a tour of South America.
Back in June, crews started fixing up streets that were along the route the pope's transparent, bulletproof buggy will follow, said Jose Manuel Gonzalez, producer of the videogame.
But they ignored others that are still an absolute mess, he added.
"Potholes that are like lunar craters, people offering to wash windshields, roving vendors and motorcycles that appear out of nowhere are just some of the obstacles you have to confront," Gonzalez said.
The game works with cartoon figures and is free on the Internet.
It's all just a way to poke fun at the government as the city prepares to host the pope.
In the game, the pope drives past city landmarks like the government palace, the Pantheon of Heroes and the cathedral, just as he will in person starting July 10.
When the pontiff hits something, the face of Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes appears on the right of the screen, squealing and holding out a sign that says, "keep going."
The pope will arrive in Paraguay after visits to Ecuador and Bolivia. He leaves Asuncion July 12 to return home to the Vatican. – AFP
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