The Evolution of a Gamer

Do you remember your first time?

Do you remember the first time you wrapped your hand around that stick and pressed that button?  What about when you got your moves just right and hit that target?  Remember how your temperature would rise while you concentrated on satisfying your urges?  Do you remember that excitement you felt and the late nights you spent?  Do you remember?

I know that sounded a bit out there, but get your minds out of the gutter.  I'm talking about playing video games.  I remember sitting cross legged on the floor watching my older cousins play Pac-Man on the Atari.  I remember when they asked if I wanted to try and the excitement my little four year old self felt while controlling Pac-Man.  And when he ate the power pellets?  Oh man, it was like heaven.

But at that time, it wasn't serious for me.  I was curious and I had fun, but it didn't define me.  I wasn't yet a gamer.

A few years rolled by, and I received a Nintendo for a gift.  Ah, now here we go.  I began my 8-bit adventures and things got a little more serious.  Like many budding gamers at the time, I cut my teeth on Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.

I took mushrooms, picked flaming flowers, bumped coins out of bricks, stomped on creatures, pulled down flags, and saved the princess.  And I happily did it time after time.  Super Mario Bros. was my first obsession.  When I wanted a change, I could be seen shooting ducks or being taunted by a large dog I came to hate.  Oh yeah, I shot at him with the NES Zapper more than a few times.

Ugh

I remember one of my cousins even had a Power Pad.  We used it to play World Class Track Meet.  We were gaming and burning calories before the Wii or the Kinect.  Yeah, yeah.

As time went on, I began to amass a nice collection of NES games.  I fondly remember anxiously awaiting Fridays because my mom would let me rent a game every weekend.  My weekends were spent trying to save April with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, punch out Mike Tyson, and help Darkwing Duck keep St. Canard safe.  A little gamer was beginning to grow.

A couple of years passed, and I received a Super Nintendo from a cousin.  I stepped into the realm of 16-bit gaming, and my love for gaming grew deeper.  It was on the SNES that I teamed up with Mario and Yoshi to defeat Bowser again, and I threw the first of many Hadoukens with Ryu on Street Fighter II.

The gamer in me continued to grow.  It was during this era that I truly began to enjoy gaming as a social activity, and my competitive edge began to show.  I wanted to prove my dominance over my cousins and friends in everything from Mortal Kombat to NBA Jam.

I started to read various gaming magazines like Nintendo Power and longed for a Game Genie.  I accumulated various codes and strategies.  I had to feed the need.

Oh, the hours we spent huddled around my little TV punching the YXBA buttons and bumpers in any number of combinations.  There were times when my mom had to make us stop in order to eat.  Gamer life, man.  It is what it is.

Fast forward a few years, and I was introduced to the Nintendo 64.  Imagine the excitement on my face the first time I loaded up Super Mario 64 and discovered I could tug and pull Mario's face on the title screen.  The time I spent on Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Donkey Kong 64, and Cruis'n USA will forever be priceless to me.

I was beginning to view gaming as a less of a hobby and more of a lifestyle.  It wasn't simply something to do anymore; it was becoming my life.

I remember opening presents one faithful Christmas morning, and I became the proud owner of a brand new Playstation.  Yeah!!!  Am I the only one who remembers spending hours playing demo discs on Playstation?  Classic times.

I think it was with the Playstation that I began to evolve into a marathon gamer. I couldn't rest until I beat whatever I was playing.  I was hooked on Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, and Resident Evil.  I was quite fond of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, as well.

My appetite only grew with the release of the Playstation 2.  I would go to Blockbuster every weekend to rent something different.  I was a full fledged gamer by then.  If it was out, I had probably played it.  I don't even know the number of hours I spent playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.  It was no longer a hobby.  Gaming had become a major component of my life.

I eventually moved on to the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One.  Gamers constantly evolve, but I sometimes go back to the old consoles.  That nostalgia will get you every time.

So, here I am today.  If I'm not playing something, I'm watching gaming videos through the YouTube app on my Xbox One.  So even when I'm not actively gaming, I'm still gaming.  I read my Game Informer magazine from GameStop.  I research upcoming game releases and anxiously mark my calendar for my favorites.

I evolved from blowing into cartridges to wiping discs.  I grew from having to write down pass keys, to using memory cards and sticks, to finally saving to the hard drive.  I witnessed games changing from simple side scrollers to near movie experiences with actual actors in them.

I am a full fledged gamer.  I'll never change.  I am what I am.

What about you guys?  Do you have fond memories of your first time?  Drop some comments and let's connect.

Game on, my friends.