Video Game Saga *

Ok guess I am going to age myself here...  I think it was the Christmas when I was 7 years old and Santa brought my sister and I a Colecovision with an Atari 2600 adapter.  On that day an addict was born.  What are your first memories of when you became an addict? Here are the games I played on our Coleco/Atari:

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong Jr.

Maze Craze

Pitfall

Burger Time

Froger

Qbert

Venture

Zaxxon

Super Action Baseball

Smurfs: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle

Mouse Trap

Lady Bug

Cabbage Patch Kids Adventures

One of my many many early memories of becoming a video game addict would have to be playing Super Mario Bros on the NES as well as playing the Sega Master System and I totally got addicted when I was first exposed to Altered Beast which was a pack in on the Sega Genesis when I first got mine 

Combat, River Raid, Space Invaders, Berzerk, Pitfall, pretty much all the old classics.  Funny thing is, my parents thought that the ATARI 2600 would break the TV, so they forbid me having one.  But I just would hang out at any friends on the block that had a 2600, just to get a chance to play!

My first system I ever owned was an Atari 7800.  Good lord I still love me some Food Fight and Xevious.

I can't remember the very first time I played but I would have been 6 or 7 most likely.  On home consoles at least.  My first console was an NES with power pad, zapper, and the combo cartridge of Mario and Duck Hunt.  My Dad also randomly picked up Contra, a game that would become a favorite of mine due to a combination of availability and raw awesome.

I would say it became an official addiction because of arcades.  I remember a ton of days wasted at the local mall playing all sorts of classic game (mostly fighting and SMUPs).

I can VIVIDLY remember the first time I played Street Fighter 2 our local 7-11.  That was pretty much the end of any chance I had at being normal.

I remember my brother bringing home the NES that came with ROB the robot.  Gyromite came along with the system as well as Super Mario Bros.

I ended up getting a Sega Master System and while I really enjoyed it I liked the games better on the NES.  By haveing two systems early on I learned that one system will never have all the best games.

PizzaNinja at January 23, 2011 at 12:57 PM

I remember my brother bringing home the NES that came with ROB the robot.  Gyromite came along with the system as well as Super Mario Bros.

I ended up getting a Sega Master System and while I really enjoyed it I liked the games better on the NES.  By haveing two systems early on I learned that one system will never have all the best games.

I've never had the chance to sit down and play Gyromite with ROB--is that actually a fun game?

Lifeless at January 21, 2011 at 12:05 PM

I can't remember the very first time I played but I would have been 6 or 7 most likely.  On home consoles at least.  My first console was an NES with power pad, zapper, and the combo cartridge of Mario and Duck Hunt.  My Dad also randomly picked up Contra, a game that would become a favorite of mine due to a combination of availability and raw awesome.

I would say it became an official addiction because of arcades.  I remember a ton of days wasted at the local mall playing all sorts of classic game (mostly fighting and SMUPs).

I can VIVIDLY remember the first time I played Street Fighter 2 our local 7-11.  That was pretty much the end of any chance I had at being normal.

Speaking of Street Fighter, I remember back in the early 90's my local Pizza Hut had a Street Fighter the Movie Arcade Machine that I played like crazy. They also had a Primal Rage Arcade Machine which kicked much ass too!!!

TonyB at January 24, 2011 at 2:42 PM

PizzaNinja at January 23, 2011 at 12:57 PM

I remember my brother bringing home the NES that came with ROB the robot.  Gyromite came along with the system as well as Super Mario Bros.

I ended up getting a Sega Master System and while I really enjoyed it I liked the games better on the NES.  By haveing two systems early on I learned that one system will never have all the best games.

I've never had the chance to sit down and play Gyromite with ROB--is that actually a fun game?

Fuck no.

Wait, did that answer your question?

Jim-

There is an AMAZING developer's diary on Shoryuken.com forums from a lead designer who worked on Street Fighter the Movie.  He explains in detail the process of designing the game, why Capcom wanted it to try and compete with MK, and what went wrong (it's not a very good game).  The guys who designed it were the same as the guys who made Timekillers and Bloodstorm (also bad, but 2 of my favorites).

I looked all over the place for a Primal Rage cabinet when it first came out so I could play it and never found one as a kid.  The "reversed" Street Fighter controls were very strange and would make a reappearance of sorts in Weaponlord (Both games use Negative Edge specials, aka moves performed by holding a button, performing a motion, and then releasing the button.).

The "reversed" Street Fighter controls were very strange and would make a reappearance of sorts in Weaponlord (Both games use Negative Edge specials, aka moves performed by holding a button, performing a motion, and then releasing the button.--Lifeless

I will say this though, once you got use to it, that was a pretty slick control scheme.  It was much easier to mask your movements and not be as telegraphed!

TonyB Gyromite is a game I can't recommend to anyone.  Lifeless pretty much hit the nail on the head with his short to the point answer.

Now arcade games is a different story.  I remember playing Galaga at the bowling ally.  I took great pride in beating all the boys.

It was the Atari 2600 for me...games like:

Pitfall

Pacman

Journey Escape

Missile Command

Ms. Pacman

Asteroids

Then, I traded me Atari for an NES when I was like....5 or 6. It was around then that I started to smash RPG's.

When I was a wee toddler, I could not play the arcade or 2600 versions game of Pacman.  Why?  Cause all the chasing stressed me out so much I couldn't have any fun with it.

Screw you Ray Parker... I AM afraid of ghosts.

TonyB at February 3, 2011 at 9:54 AM

When I was a wee toddler, I could not play the arcade or 2600 versions game of Pacman.  Why?  Cause all the chasing stressed me out so much I couldn't have any fun with it.

Screw you Ray Parker... I AM afraid of ghosts.

That is funny.  I remember being really stressed out by Frogger.  Those cars would just fly by.  You would think since I was a frog that was the same size as the cars that I would at least have a fighting chance. 

Wee toddler.... Really?!  LOL

Meleena at February 7, 2011 at 4:15 PM

TonyB at February 3, 2011 at 9:54 AM

When I was a wee toddler, I could not play the arcade or 2600 versions game of Pacman.  Why?  Cause all the chasing stressed me out so much I couldn't have any fun with it.

Screw you Ray Parker... I AM afraid of ghosts.

That is funny.  I remember being really stressed out by Frogger.  Those cars would just fly by.  You would think since I was a frog that was the same size as the cars that I would at least have a fighting chance. 

Wee toddler.... Really?!  LOL

When you're a kid, the wierdest stuff freaks you out.  Pac Man still makes me nervous when I play today.  When I used to go to arcade, FRICKIN' SINISTAR intimidated the hell out of me.  Go figure.

I HUNGER...

So TonyB with you being afraid of ghosts I take it Luigi's Mansion is out of the question for you to play?

PizzaNinja at February 8, 2011 at 9:16 PM

So TonyB with you being afraid of ghosts I take it Luigi's Mansion is out of the question for you to play?

heh , no I don't have any problem with ghosts or any horror.  Let me see if I can explain...

Being confined to a single screen and chased by enemies stresses me out, and it's almost like clausterphobia.  Expect that it's more of a mild annoyance, rather than fear.

So yeah, F#$% Pac Man.

Lifeless at January 27, 2011 at 4:29 PM

TonyB at January 24, 2011 at 2:42 PM

PizzaNinja at January 23, 2011 at 12:57 PM

I remember my brother bringing home the NES that came with ROB the robot.  Gyromite came along with the system as well as Super Mario Bros.

I ended up getting a Sega Master System and while I really enjoyed it I liked the games better on the NES.  By haveing two systems early on I learned that one system will never have all the best games.

I've never had the chance to sit down and play Gyromite with ROB--is that actually a fun game?

Fuck no.

Wait, did that answer your question?

Jim-

There is an AMAZING developer's diary on Shoryuken.com forums from a lead designer who worked on Street Fighter the Movie.  He explains in detail the process of designing the game, why Capcom wanted it to try and compete with MK, and what went wrong (it's not a very good game).  The guys who designed it were the same as the guys who made Timekillers and Bloodstorm (also bad, but 2 of my favorites).

I looked all over the place for a Primal Rage cabinet when it first came out so I could play it and never found one as a kid.  The "reversed" Street Fighter controls were very strange and would make a reappearance of sorts in Weaponlord (Both games use Negative Edge specials, aka moves performed by holding a button, performing a motion, and then releasing the button.).

Hey Lifeless,

That is fascinating man! Thanks for the link, I'm still digging to try and find the article but once I do, I'm totally gonna read it. Who woulda thought the developers behind Timekillers and Bloodstorm did Street Fighter the Movie the game.

I was actually on Ebay searching for a Primal Rage Board Game and came across an arcade machine on their for $350 bucks. I have a premonition Lifeless, that one day you will open up your very own fighting game Arcade That would be bad ass! Thanks again for the info man.

350 for a working arcade machine is a good deal.  The real question is...  How much was the shipping?  Train freight can be a little expensive.

I digress, back on topic.

My first handheld system was an original grey brick Gameboy.  I'd trade/loan it to my buddy to borrow his Sega Game Gear.  I had:

Super Mario Land

Motocross Maniacs

Revnge of the Gator (pinball)

Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turles

Tetris

Batman

Dr. Mario

TonyB at March 1, 2011 at 5:34 PM

350 for a working arcade machine is a good deal.  The real question is...  How much was the shipping?  Train freight can be a little expensive.

I digress, back on topic.

My first handheld system was an original grey brick Gameboy.  I'd trade/loan it to my buddy to borrow his Sega Game Gear.  I had:

Super Mario Land

Motocross Maniacs

Revnge of the Gator (pinball)

Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turles

Tetris

Batman

Dr. Mario

A friend of mine brought out the grey brick Gameboy a few weeks back.  I forgot how BIG those things were.  I still remember getting hours of entertainment from the original Gameboy.  Super Mario Land was fun.  TMNT kept me busy on trips most of one summer.  I could beat the game easy enough but I kept playing it over and over.

Did you ever play Tetris with a friend on that system?  You got a cord that was no longer than 3 feet to hook the two systems up.