Gamer Banter: Uncovering Lost Treasures

This month’s Gamer Banter asks “What was the game that made you a gamer?”

Flashback to when I was a toddler. Living in New York at the time, my twin brother and I uncovered some old gaming units in the attic. My older brother and sister used to play them, and they let us have them. We played these units a lot, as I remember constantly having to ask my parents for more D-size batteries.

Coleco Arcade Units and a Microvision? Old school. All still work.

So we played these a lot.

Behold, it's Mario, Donkey Kong, and Princess Peach. 1982 style.

Look at the graphics in this picture, real classic. These sounds are memorable: “Dun Dun Dun Dun, Ding! Dun Dun Dun Dun, Ding! Dooteetootootoo…” Yep, that’s Mario moving along and then jumping, followed by Mario getting hit by a barrel causing a Game Over after you’ve lost all your lives. Simple but addicting.

Games back then did not need amazing graphics or awesome features. Just something simple and fun to play over and over again. I still play these units from time to time and they hold up quite well.

Anyways, a few years later it led to us getting a Super Nintendo. I can’t really pinpoint to a game and say “this game made me a gamer” –  but rather the overall experience has determined that.

This post was part of Gamer Banter, a monthly video game discussion coordinated by Terry at Game Couch. If you’re interested in being part, please email him for details.

Take a look at other participant responses:

Aim for the Head: The Gamer I Am Today, carocat.co.uk: A Trip Down Memory Lane, Yuki-Pedia: A Tale of Two Games, gunthera1_gamer: Early Gaming Experience, Extra Guy: Ah yes, I remember it well, The Average Gamer: What Made Me a Gamer, Master Kitty’s World: Gaming Through the Years, Gamer Unit: What was the game that made you a gamer?, Game Couch: Karateka, Next Jen: What Made Me into a Gamer.