Sister site Serious Games Source posted such an odd story yesterday that we felt we had to pass it on - the announcement of a cricket-based AIDS awareness cellphone game for India.

It's explained: "The report noted that one of the games, Demons XI and Safety XI, is a “cricket-based game involving balls in the form of condoms, faithful partners, information on HIV and the symbolic AIDS red ribbon.” In order to win the game, a player must avoid “googlies and doosra balls - unsafe sex, infected blood transfusions, infected syringes and the company of bad friends.”"

So: "'The games will educate mobile subscribers and create awareness while reducing stigma and discrimination,' noted Hilmi Quraishi, ZMQ's chief technology officer. Other similarly themed games released by ZMQ include Ribbon Chase, Messenger, and Quiz with Babu." AIDS is indeed a major problem in India, so it's good to see someone trying to do something about it, but packaging AIDS and cricket makes us boggle a lot. Still, good for them - no weirder than Puyo Puyo and AIDS, right?