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Confessions of a Hardcore Gamer

What is your earliest gaming memory? Do you recall the very first time you ever played a video game? I was seven, give or take a year, and my grandmother bought my brother and I an NES for Christmas. This wasn’t the bare bones NES mind you, this was the real deal, complete with the Mario/Duck Hunt hybrid cartridge, the light gun, Gyromyte, even R.O.B.. The only thing this package lacked was the Power Pad. But none of that stuff really mattered much. Why? Because my grandmother, who knew absolutely nothing about gaming, also simultaneously purchased both Castlevania and The Legend of Zelda for my brother and I, respectively. I look back on that event and question whether it was some sort of nerd destiny.

It became an addiction, as if that Christmas morning my grandmother wrapped up a gram of heroin, with a bow on top. A year later, my mother cursed her for doing it. My brother and I would skip chores just to see how high the levels in Rampage actually went. My mother would say outrageous things like, “I wish Grandma never would have got that for you!” and the dreaded, “You’re grounded from Nintendo.” Ugh, that last one was a killer.

One NES Advantage, a few subscriptions to Nintendo Power, too many hours of the dreaded Saturday morning cartoon, and several bowls of Nintendo Cereal later, I graduated to the TurboGraffix-16. I experienced the brilliance that few gamers have in Ninja Spirit, an uncut Splatterhouse, and Cadash. Not long after, another bit of destiny found its way to me…

A sleepover at a friend’s house on a Saturday night. He had just recently acquired a Genesis, and his collection was but a cartridge of Altered Beast. So we headed down to the local rental store, the only one that had Genesis games to rent at the time. He said to pick out what ever I wanted. Insert proverbial kid-in-a-candy store reference here. I instantly recalled the multiple page spreads in EGM and Diehard GameFan of two specific games…The first being Golden Axe 2.

The arcade was my second home, and I had spent too much allowance money on the original Golden Axe not to consider myself a GA aficionado. This was the obvious choice. But, then that second aforementioned game caught my eye: Streets of Rage, and it was all over. Yes, my first NES experience was a near simultaneous dose of Castlevania followed by Zelda, and my first Genesis experience was Streets of Rage. Perhaps destiny is an understatement at this point. Needless to say, my friend and I did not sleep that night.

It was not long before my gaming thirst became unquenchable. I had to have a Genesis. My model came with Sonic the Hedgehog, which I enjoyably finished. I then proceed on to the sole reason why the Genesis was now sitting next to my NES and TG-16, Streets of Rage. This was the stuff arcade junkies dreamed of.

Having ventured to the end of both the original Finial Fantasy and Dragon Warrior, you could imagine my expression when first introduced to the Phantasy Star universe. Not long after, I stumbled upon the gem known as Shining Force. I guess this would have to be the point when I realized the genius of the Role Playing Game. Sure, I was instantly hooked the moment I fought my first green slime in Dragon Warrior back on the NES, but games like Contra and Bionic Commando always seemed to place me as more of an action/adventure fan. But after Shining Force, I began to see that gaming had this new found depth to it, exploration, adventure, becoming my on-screen persona and living their journey…So, obviously, I bought a Sega CD.

Lunar, the brilliance that was Dark Wizard, and the magnificent Shining Force CD soon joined my collection. But I wasn’t just a mere RPG nut. My action roots directed me to Final Fight CD; the closest thing to a perfect arcade-to-home conversion I had ever seen. I was blown away. In fourth grade my best friend, ironically named Cody, and I played Final Fight obsessively, no-monomaniacally-at the local arcade. Needless to say, a not only perfect, but enhanced, home conversion was a dream come true. After building up an extensive Sega collection, a PlayStation inevitably followed, which I was mildly impressed with, to put it generously. That led to the immediate (I.E. reactionary) purchase of a Sega Saturn. With my purchase of a Saturn, I picked up Guardian Heroes. Okay let’s recap, shall we? First NES experience - Castlevania. First Genesis experience - Streets of Rage. First Saturn experience - Guardian Heroes. I assure you I am not making this stuff up.

Like any sensible mother, my mom questioned my hobby through every expensive stage. To an “outsider” it’s easy to see how pastimes of this nature can be detrimental, especially to a child. Now, however, I’m sure she regrets none of it. It has shaped me into who I am today. It served as a bonding tool among brothers, and still does even to this day. It established unbreakable social connections between friends, and memories that will never fade. As an artist, it has unquestionably fueled my endeavors. My income may not always agree with me, but I consider myself a successful artist. And my work just wouldn’t be the same had my Grandma not bought my brother and I that NES on Christmas morning.

I guess that means the nostalgic portion of this column is officially over. Those fond memories and treasured experiences were conveyed for a specific reason…I am not a casual gamer. I am one person, out of many, who has shaped this industry. I am the reason why we have Shining Force, Street Fighter, and Contra sequels.

Now, for the awful truth. Video games have become popular. The hobby of a select few has now become a widely accepted form of entertainment. And any form of mainstream media has its share of dumbed-down money makers that hurt the industry in the long run. The problem here is that video games have never had to bear this crutch (on a comparable scale), until recently. And my hobby is now suffering for it.

This biggest downside to this problem is that the generations that follow us won’t be able to have the memories of gaming being shaped into what it is now, or perhaps even the appreciation that gamers of my generation have today. When it’s time to get your son or daughter that new system, do it right. Start off with a classic. Instill that appreciation for 2D. Because when they finally get their hands on that three dimensional remake of Bionic Commando, it’ll make all the difference.

A hypothetical causal gamer, sporting a typical next-gen collection, who not only has never experienced a 2D masterpiece, but completely disregards it as enjoyable, will never understand the first ten paragraphs of this column. This theoretical gamer can’t tell you who the opening opponent in Punch-Out is, or recite the Konami code by heart, yet they will decide the future of gaming. Think about that the next time you pick up the newest version of EA’s ceaseless onslaught of reoccurring, annual sports titles. Chances are there’s a Smilebit, Treasure, or SNK game just a few feet away that could change your life.