Gaming Friends and Memories

Today I thought I'd take a stroll down memory lane. I have a group of guys for whom I've been beating around with for what feels like forever. I'm 34 now, and I met them when I was 18. Back in the day, I used to work at a game shop, Microplay. I had access to basically every system and game known to man at the time (we're talking N64, PS1, Sega Saturn, 3DO era). We've all got great memories of a simpler time. The nights out drinking (under aged or not), the nights partying. But one of my fondest memories, if not THE fondest memory of that time was a Friday night at my friend Steve's in Mt. Pearl. There was 4 of us I believe, maybe with a couple of guys coming and going throughout the night. It was myself, Chris, Steve, and Tim. I had an N64 system taken home from the Microplay rental stock, and somehow we had gotten our hands on some beer. (I think there was some diet root beer in the mix too... volatile stuff) We were playing San Francisco Rush.

Now Steve was a lucky young man. He had the priviledge of having a MONSTER sized tv to plug this thing in. I can't remember exactly how big it was, but it being a memory, and a good one, it was so large you could house homeless people in it. This was before the times of wall mounted flat screens, this was a big assed, 1000 lb. TV set. We were all drinking, and playing Rush, and laughing about how we were "drinking and driving". I won't get into the hairier details of drunkenness or the diet root beer, but you guys involved know what I'm talking about. :P

There are so many ways gaming has touched our lives, not because it was a good game, but because it facilitated great memories. It's not just a "guys" thing. I remember nights where we had the girls in playing "Worms" on Sega Saturn. (I'm lucky enough to have had one of those girls become my sister in law! She's awesome. :P) I remember playing Ace Attorney on DS with my wife on our first date. I remember my brother coming home and we played Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past on Super NES, and Bushido Blade on PS1. I remember living in Mt. Pearl with my other brother playing Desert Strike on PS1. I even remember waaaay back and watching my father playing Tank Command on Atari! The funny thing is, I don't remember what happened in the games. I remember sitting there with my brothers, with my friends, my parents, and having a good time because it was them who I was sitting with, not because of what we were playing.

Here's to fond memories folks. Remember and cherish those times, because there'll never be anything like them again. :)

C