Before I begin, I want to thank Lucid Delusion for allowing me this opportunity to contribute to his blog. Without him, I would simply be ranting to myself (what else is new?) Thanks Sean!
Hi, my names Brian, and I'm a game-a-holic.
”Hi Brian!”
Ever since I can remember, I've owned a console system. I also remember being so attached to the joystick, my mother had to literally pry it from my hands more than once to get me to do my homework, chores, or simply go to bed. I must have felt like Charlton Heston, whom at the time I was ignorant of, when he so rightly and powerfully stated “..from my cold dead hands!” Granted, Heston was speaking of his right to bear arms, but let's be honest, at seven years old that joystick was my freedom from “parental tyranny”.
Ever since I can remember, I've owned a console system. I also remember being so attached to the joystick, my mother had to literally pry it from my hands more than once to get me to do my homework, chores, or simply go to bed. I must have felt like Charlton Heston, whom at the time I was ignorant of, when he so rightly and powerfully stated “..from my cold dead hands!” Granted, Heston was speaking of his right to bear arms, but let's be honest, at seven years old that joystick was my freedom from “parental tyranny”.
It all started with an Atari 2600 bestowed to me from my dad. I'll never forget the day we went to KB-Toys to purchase my very first cartridge. The game he had was boring. He was a huge centipede fan, a shooter I never, still to this day, have enjoyed. At the time games were $15, which seemed like a fortune. I brought all my allowance money with me which barely covered the cost, and purchased from the superabundance of games on their display wall what had the coolest looking box, Jungle Hunt. I soon came to find out I had made an excellent decision.
I ran through the food-court of the Echelon Mall with my recent purchase swinging excitedly from the plastic bag it was held in, fighting every impulse to scream with joy and excitement unsuccessfully, as I remember my parents telling me to calm down, or they wouldn't let me play the game when I got home... that shut me up quick! After a car ride that seemed like an eternity, I plopped in front of the television in my den, switched the gray AV selector from TV to COMPUTER, and it was time to play.
The game consisted of four levels. Level 1 involved swinging from vine to vine, level 2 was an underwater level where you were forced to avoid or kill crocodiles, level 3 was an incredibly challenging climb up a hill while avoiding bouncing boulders, and level 4 you had to quickly run under dancing cannibals who were holding captive what I could only assume was the adventurers girlfriend. If you were able to complete the four levels, they would start over again, each time increasing the difficulty by increasing the speed of the challenges presented to you. Faster swinging vines, faster swimming crocodiles, faster rolling boulders, and faster dancing cannibals. What seems simplistic, at the time, was actually quite entertaining.
If I'm boring you with the story of my video game history, that isn't my intention in the slightest. I only wish to portray that I am no fair weather gamer. I was a subscriber to Nintendo Power from issue number three, up until about 2002, and from that point on I've been a member of IGN and subscribe to Game Informer. I'm very critical when it comes to game design, music, multi-player features, graphics, and replay ability. Gaming to me isn't just about the latest technology (examples being Project Natal, or the 3DS), but about the reason we all play games in the first place. For that sense of excitement and awe we get from the pixelated images that tell us a story.
From the Atari 2600, to the X-Box 360 (my current fling), I look for the games that keep me playing so long, before I know it, the suns coming up, and I haven't slept all night. I hope that's what you'll be interested in reading about in the coming weeks and months, let the rants begin!
No comments:
Post a Comment