Walk Down Memory Games

Thanks to my little brother I am helplessly and hopelessly hooked on an online sensation known as "The Angry Video Game Nerd."

He first showed it to Joe and me on a recent visit.

"Hey, you guys ever hear of 'Angry Nintendo Nerd?'" he asked us excitedly. We shook our heads no and I couldn't help but roll my eyes a bit. I mean, how entertaining could THAT be? Some dorky guy explaining the ins and outs of games I'd never even heard of. The answer is- extremely entertaining. So much so in fact, that as soon as we got home Joe and I began uploading episode after episode, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit to Castlevania.

It is a surprisingly entertaining show, despite the fact that I'm pretty clueless to video games. But not completely, as I found myself walking alongside him with his reviews of games that I could recall, paying attention to the memories they invoked from my past, as opposed to just the game play. I think that's partly what I enjoy the most about the show- the fact that with each review or tour of a game I find myself back as a little kid in my pj's, watching my sister or cousin or whoever playing the game and excitedly holding my breath as they battled the final boss.

So I though I'd take a turn and take you back to the past- my past- with video games.

1.) Super Mario Bros.- One of the earliest games I recall, but still one of the best by many standards other than my own. I can clearly recall watching my sister playing this game as if it was a reality TV show. These weren't just characters. She was IN the game, just in the shape of a bunch of red and brown pixels. I remember being enthralled watching her finally get to the last boss- Bowser, and getting the best feeling when he was defeated and Princess Peach (or Toadstool, I never knew if there was a difference) was finally safe.

2.) Legend of Zelda- What can I say about this game? Though our Nintendo library was small it always stood out- primarily because it was gold. But it deserved to be; a game with such infectious music and epic plot should be given a carat rating. And I never even cared about playing- it was always about just sitting back and cheering on whoever was, as if Zelda's life really was held in the balance. Plus the idea of the Triforce, the plethora of enemies and hidden passageways; it was hard to not be excited. And it still is, all these years later.

3.) Super Mario Brothers 2 and 3- I recall a sunny morning and early afternoon, in the summer I believe. My sister and my cousin Evan were furiously trying to beat the latest Mario game while my other sister and I watched like excited spectators. It wasn't just the two of them playing- it was a battle that we all felt. We shouted and screamed at the screen whenever an enemy popped out of nowhere and exclaimed with delight when they made it past another level. I can't recall for sure which one it was but I am pretty sure that they DID beat that game that day.

4.) Ms. Pac Man- One of the few games I actually would play and only because it was in the mini arcade inside the dentists office. Well, that and Centipede. Though I still get the taste of fluoride in my mouth whenever I think about it, Ms. Pacman used to vex the hell out of me because I never seemed to get very far. Still, it remains in a place in my heart forever.

5.) Tetris- Another game that sits in sparse category of "Games I Played" was Tetris. I think it was because you couldn't really "die" because you were basically just a bunch of blocks. But again, another great game with a great soundtrack that could penetrate your brain as badly as the game would. At times if I was bored I would begin to really see things in terms of space and blocks, imagining what shapes I'd put where. At church, when I should've been listening to a sermon or something, I'd be putting the tiles on the floor together, finding the L shape to fit in perfectly over the square block. I once got to level 13 on the Gameboy version- a feat I daresay I could never and will never duplicate.

Hope you enjoyed this tour down memory lane. I'll try to post tomorrow, but it being St. Patty's I doubt I'll have the time (or sobriety) to do so, so have a good one everybody!