Looking like they just finished an epic Wii Boxing battle, Obama and McCain will finally throw down tomorrow. And though this US election season has often been reduced to such inanities as tax-dodging plumbers, washed-up hippies and unworn flag pins, videogames somehow escaped unscathed.

This was primarily because of culture warrior Hilary’s epic fail (she has a history of attacking games to prove her family values bona fides) but also because Obama claims not to have played a game since Pong and McCain probably thinks a Dual Shock 3 is a GitMo torture device. In fact, the only time gaming came up in the campaign was when youth-centric Obama bought political ads in Burnout Paradise, Madden 09, Guitar Hero III, and other games, an election first. (The McCain campaign did release a Facebook game called Pork Invaders, but even if he was trying to evoke the ‘80 Reagan era, a barely-skinned Space Invaders clone is too lame to count).

But just because gaming was absent from the campaign trail, didn’t mean the campaign was absent from gaming.

Machinima nerds have modded Half Life 2 to recreate the last presidential debate (now with headcrabs!)  Palin has inspired a raft of free flash games, like Huntin’ With Palin (“Take aim as Sarah Palin with an assault rifle! Shoot rare Alaskan wildlife, Russian MiGs, and other enemies of freedom. Katie Couric not included.”) and will even appear as a playable character in Mercenaries 2, as will Obama. World of Warcaft players have been polled (the 11 million strong continent of Azeroth totally has a crush in Obama) as have Xbox Live members (once again going with the Blue team) As well, the candidates have been turned into Wii avatars, Spore creatures and Sims 3 characters.

But Stardocks’ The Political Machine 2008 takes it the farthest with its update on the 2004 Kerry vs Bush political strategy game. Originally released early last summer, when players could pick any of the candidates on the primaries, the recent 1.5 update brings Biden and Palin onboard. Played online or single-player (and available as a free demo) the game gives you 21 weeks (or turns) to take home the presidency. Balancing fundraising, speechmaking, negative campaigning and other election epehmerals (like appearing on TV shows "O'Malley Factor" or "Colvert Report"）

For a more realistic political sim, try President Forever (which also allows you to re-play US elections dating back to Reagan vs Carter in 1980) or the more globally-minded Democracy and its sequel. Oh, and for a less realistic take, peep The Minus World’s Thwomp the Vote, where Mario and Luigi are running against each other for president fo the Mushroom Kingdom.

Oh, I hope the skinny one wins，especially after VP candidate Daisy’s followers started chaniting “God hates Luigi” at a recent rally. Guess hoping for an honourable campaign was a warp-pipe dream.