Have you ever wondered how your favorite video game journalists got into video games?  Maybe even community members, or just random gamers?  Perhaps you've even wanted to examine why video games interest you, and which ones have kept you coming back.  Certain personal articles I've read in the past two weeks on Bitmob have encouraged me to examine my past with video games.  I'd like to examine how I got started with the hobby, and what has kept me gaming for the majority of my life.  Hopefully, others will feel encouraged to do the same.  In this first entry, I'll explore the advent of my gaming years, and end with the arrival of the 32/64-bit era, where I reached the end of elementary school.  These were the formative years of my experience with video games, so they certainly played an important role in the development of my tastes.

It all began with a machine that predated the Nintendo.  It was not the Collecovision, nor the Intellivision, it was the Atari.  I now know that there were multiple versions of the Atari, but because I'm not sure what version my dad owned, I'm simply going to call it the Atari.  I probably started playing the brown and black console featuring paddle controllers when I was three or four.  At that time, I lived in the country, and a terrible tragedy befell my family, which eventually resulted in us moving, so unfortunately, I remember little about that portion of my life.  I do remember a couple games though: Pac-Man (yes, the lousy arcade port), and spinach-lovin' Popeye.  These games certainly weren't amazing, but I do remember them captivating me at one point.  Running across the screen with Popeye wasn't all that exciting, but it was cool that I could actually manipulate an object on a TV monitor.  Unfortunately, I don't remember much beyond that, so I'm going to fast-forward to a period in which the video game industry experienced a rejuvenation--the Nintendo era, when I was a plucky five-year old.

By the time the Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES) was released, I had moved to a relatively unknown city of 130,000 in Oregon.  I was nearly five, excited by my new environs (a rental home on a block full of kids), and I didn't really think much about video games...until one fateful day when my dad received an NES as a (birthday?) present from his parents who reside in cold Minnesota.  I was surprised that they got my dad such a high-tech gift, but it sure didn't bother me any.  Even though this was technically my dad's system (although it's now in my possession), the NES is where I got my first start with video games.

I remember the NES coming with a wonderful pack-in that most of you are likely familiar with--Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.  This side-scrolling platformer featuring a portly, pixilated plumber that was unlike anything I'd ever seen.  Most video games I'd played before the NES involved screens that looped, and environments that looked uglier than an industrial district.  Mario's world, on the other hand, was magical.  Leaping through environments with pinpoint precision, eating magic mushrooms that made you a giant (or at least life-size), and stomping stubby little creatures called goombas--that was all part of the wonderful Mario experience, and that's not even including warp pipes and rescuing (or not rescuing) the princess (damn you Toad!).  The world of Super Mario Bros. captivated me, as did its cousin Duck Hunt.

Duck Hunt has absolutely nothing to do with Mario other than the fact that it was packaged together with the mustachioed plumber, but it was a fun experience, nevertheless.  In Duck Hunt, you got to wield an actual firearm and shoot virtual ducks!  If only the European "settlers" had this--maybe the Buffalo would have never been endangered. I didn't play Duck Hunt religiously, but I still remember capping ducks and going skeet shooting with my Nintendo Zapper.  It was quite fun, but more importantly, I made plenty of dogs cry.

Now, I can remember playing those games, but I don't actually have that many memories associated with them.  What really got me into video games were two titles: The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. 3.  One of these titles even managed to alter a family relationship.

During the early years of my life, my dad wasn't much of a gamer.  He used his Atari occasionally when it worked, but the NES didn't really interest him (except for the occasional round of Duck Hunt).  Even worse, my mom didn't care for games at all, and being a family who was outdoorsy and not into TV and electronics, video games weren't important.  Around this time, I gained a new sibling, but she was just a baby, so of course she also had no interest in video games.  It was basically just me who expressed interest in playing video games, until the release of a magical, golden cartridge called, The Legend of Zelda.

A green-clad warrior, who would later become legendary not only managed to enthrall me--he hooked my dad as well.  I remember journeying through Zelda's huge overworld with my dad, marking locations on the game's included map (which I still have to this day).  Slaying Stalfos Knights, feeding hungry Dodongos (bombs of course), and burning bushes were just a few of the fun things I remember about Zelda.  I also recall the crazy old men spouting nonsensical messages in caves.  What stood out to me the most, however, was the incredible variety contained in Zelda.  Exploring the Lost Woods, raiding tombs (or pushing gravestones rather), and slaying everyone's favorite pigman--Gannon, were just a few of the things you could do in Zelda.  Link's adventures so inspired me that my dad actually created a duct tape sword and cardboard shield for me at one point.  I also remember making Link (and Mario) legos.  Sadly, this would be the last single-player game my dad would ever enjoy, but my uphill battle with him over the medium would not come until later.

The other game that hooked me was a title that became so famous that it was even featured in (often- horrible) movies.  Of course this legendary title was none other than Super Mario Bros. 3.  I actually did play Super Mario Bros. 2 (the U.S. version of course), and had fun, but Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the first games I remember that truly drew me in.  During most of my years growing up, I wasn't allowed to play video games often, but regardless, I somehow managed to play Mario 3 for hours on end.

What I noticed first about Mario 3 was its amazing graphics and incredible level designs.  This game packed nearly a dozen levels per world, each overflowing with secrets.  Mario 3 is actually the only instance where I can remember video games being the talk of the town.  I even remember a former secretary of my dad's who passed away excitedly discussing the game's secret whistles.

Another memory I have with Mario 3 was getting in trouble for playing the game five hours straight.  I don't remember if the original saved your progress (it probably didn't), but one day, I spent a long period of time trying to clear the game without using whistles.  I managed to get all the way to the Pipe Vault (World 7), but unfortunately, I was unable to complete it.  Only within the last year (in Mario All-Stars), was I finally able to fulfill my childhood dream of truly completing Mario Bros. 3.

I also remember enjoying a few other games during the NES era, some of which were good: Tetris, Burgertime, Turtles II, and Super Mario Bros. 2, and some which were not so good: Bart Vs. The Space Mutants, Section-Z, and Bible Adventures (hey, it was all I had to play at a family friend's house).  These memories quickly faded however, with the release of the NES' successor, the Super Nintendo.  I hadn't even heard of the Sega Master System or new-fangled systems coming out like the Turbografx-16, but I somehow gained word of the upcoming Super NES, and decided that I needed one.  I remember constantly doing chores, yard work, and other tasks to earn enough money for the system when I was six.  It took several months of chores (possibly even a year) to earn enough money for the gray system sporting purple buttons, but it was well worth it.  Before purchasing the SNES, I also remember predicting what Nintendo's following system would be, and I guessed "Ultra Nintendo", which was actually rather close (the Nintendo64 used to be known as the Ultra 64).

Once I'd managed to scrounge up enough dough to buy my first game console, I headed to the local store to buy this new piece of plastic, which came bundled with Super Mario World and two controllers.  Unfortunately, Super Mario World didn't have two-player co-op, but it managed to be an incredible game, regardless.  Like Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World was chalk-full of secrets, so it kept me busy for months.  I remember discovering numerous secrets myself, but my neighbors also exposed hidden areas like, Star Road.  I was the only person on my block who actually owned an SNES, so people would always be excited to come to my house and play.  This continued for a couple months, until a new game hit me as hard as an atomic bomb.

From this point on, I had to purchase most of my games (or receive them as birthday and Christmas presents), but I did receive one incredible title as a reward of some sort.  This game featured an incredible opening sequence featuring environmental effects that left an impact on me for years to come.  It was also incredible enough that even though I was bedridden for over a week due to a certain surgery, I managed to make a speedrun through the game with only one death.  What was this legendary game?  The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

From the moment I turned the game on, I was captivated.  As was mentioned previously, I was already a Zelda fan, but never before had I played a game like this that actually felt like an "experience" rather than simply being "a game".  The opening cutscenes and dialogue featuring Aghanim and the sealing of the princesses was simply incredible at the time.  I was surprised that Gannon was nowhere to be found, but the level of detail in A Link to the Past's story, environments, overworld, and dungeons was certainly a highlight of the 16-bit era.

As was mentioned on a recent Bitmob podcast, the rain from the initial sequence had a lasting impact on me.  Being left all alone by your uncle with nothing but a lantern--wandering through a downpour, was an amazing experience.  Never before, had a video game world felt that real.  My dad even gave A Link to  the Past a shot, but unfortunately he quickly became frustrated after being unable to figure out how to access the castle.  Luckily, I happened to pick up a bush in the right spot, and my incredible adventure began.

Traveling through the castle was an experience I remember to this day, even though I haven't played A Link to the Past for at least fifteen years.  Being handed the sword and shield by my uncle, evading soldiers, and opening a secret wall to help Zelda escape through the castle sewers are permanently etched in my memory.  I also remember the first three dungeons vividly, and obtaining the Master Sword in the Lost Woods that actually looked like a true forest!  And to think that this was only the start of the adventure.  There was still a whole Dark World to explore, and Gannon.  Gannon's repeat appearance blew me away for the last time, but the Dark World's many dungeons--all the way up to the final confrontation with the pigman himself in the Golden Temple, were simply incredible.  Only one Super NES game would have a greater impact on me, and surprisingly, this gem was not by Nintendo.

The title that would forever make me a gamer was none other than Square's epic, Final Fantasy IV.  Yes, it was called FFII at the time, due to certain Final Fantasy titles not being released in North America, but whatever you call it, it managed to embrace me with a grip of death.  I can't help but think that being introduced to this title was my destiny.  See, before Final Fantasy, I had no idea what an RPG was.  I had never heard of one (even though I'd briefly played a neighbor's Dragon Warrior game, and by briefly, I mean five minutes), and I wasn't really the kind of guy you'd associate with RPGs.  When I was first introduced to Final Fantasy, I was in third grade, and I was heavily involved in sports and music.  At that time, I wanted to be a basketball player, and all I could think of was basketball.  I knew pretty much every NBA player, collected basketball cards, watched every game I had time for, and was always on the court at every opportunity.  Well, a new friend of mine changed that.

This friend of mine had actually met me a few years earlier in Karate, but we didn't meet again until a tennis camp.  He lived in a small town that was relatively far from where I lived, and with only one car in the family, I didn't get to see him that often.  This changed with tennis, where we became mischief makers, tennis pros, and avid video game fans.  This friend purchased an SNES a couple years later than me, but he had enjoyed a variety of NES games including Mega Man 3, Mario, and even Final Fantasy.  His older brother had introduced him to the series at a very young age, and he was mesmerized by the massive world and the variety of ways in which you could equip your characters.

Well, one day, my friend and I hit up the local Blockbuster, which was new in town.  I had recently moved to a different house, and had yet to set foot in that store, but that fateful day changed my life.  I was with my mom and my friend Max, but I was set on renting a game that I wanted to play.  I figured that Max would want the same: a basketball game or Turtles Tournament Fighters.  Thankfully, my mom sided with him, and we rented this little title called, Final Fantasy II.

We took it home, and immediately loaded up someone's save file.  In this save file, there was a mysterious airship that looked like it was made of bones that carried us between the Earth and Moon.  There were also strange battles where you'd line up and attack static enemies.  Your characters wouldn't move, and your weapons wouldn't even make contact with the enemy when swung.  We were also slaying them with ease.  Both of us were confused, and quite bored, but thankfully, we decided to start a new file in the morning.  And boy, were we amazed.  First of all, the characters were plain badass; there was Cecil who was a Dark Knight and Dragoon Kain.  Cecil committed a horrible atrocity at the beginning of FFIV, and decided to question his king upon his return.  The king was outraged and decided to send Cecil and Kain to this village in the boonies, and gave them a mysterious "package" to deliver.

My friend and I had fun slogging through the Mist Cave, raiding treasure chests, and slashing/jumping on enemies.  A great time was had, until we ran into the Mist Dragon, which we called "Doctor Mist".  This enemy (or boss, rather) was unique in that you could not attack while he was in a certain state, or he'd unleash a devastating counterattack.  This mechanic would be used in many future FF games, but it was quite unique at the time.  What amazed us most though, was not this fearsome foe, but rather, the incredible destruction we brought upon a quaint village.  It was surprising that our action caused a tranquil village to be razed.  See, this so-called package was actually a bomb that leveled the village of Summoners known as, Mist.  Soon after this event, there was a devastating earthquake caused by the sole-surviving Summoner, Rydia.  It separated our party, and my friend and I wondered if we'd ever see Kain again.

This was one of the many sequences that remained etched in our memory.  We only got to see each other every few months, but we rented Final Fantasy IV countless times while it was still available.  Sometimes, our save file was erased, but other times, we were more fortunate.  By the last time we rented FFIV, my friend and I had reached Rubicante, which is about three-quarters of the way through the game.  I later rented it one more time on my own and reached the Giant of Babil.  Only a few years later would I find Final Fantasy IV used at a local store after putting myself on a waiting list.  I actually offered Final Fantasy IV as a birthday suggestion to my grandparents at one point, but they got me Final Fantasy VI instead (probably because the game was no longer available).  I was entirely unaware of FFVI's existence at that time, but that's another story.

Anyway, Final Fantasy IV managed to captivate me because it combined two of my passions: video games and reading.  Before Final Fantasy IV, I hadn't played a video game where the story was such an integral part of the gameplay.  I quickly grew attached to characters like Cecil, Kain, Tellah, and even Golbez.  Many later RPGs featured characters with more complexity, but each character had enough to them, that I felt like they could be real people.  I also felt that the gameplay system had a lot of depth, despite the sometimes annoying random battles.  Also, Final Fantasy IV's brilliant soundtrack managed to mesmerize me.  Everything from Rydia's somber theme to the Giant of Babil's upbeat, mechanical tune floored me.  I was amazed that Nobuo Uematsu (the game's composer) managed to pull that much out of the SNES hardware, and it would only be outdone by the work of later RPGs like Final Fantasy VI.

Also, I can't forget the humorous moments in FFIV.  I can still remember the dancers who'd jump in the water and stick their feet in the air.  I also remembered foxes and pigs hopping over each other; and who could forget the ladies' man, Cid?  Unfortunately, FFIV's original translation was heavily censored, but the game's humor still managed to be conveyed.  The range of emotions in that game was quite impressive, with many mature themes being covered.

I realize that I probably sound like a fanboy gushing at this point, but Final Fantasy IV just had such an impact on me that I had to discuss it in detail.  It not only changed my gameplay tastes, but it changed my other interests, and who I was as a person.  Final Fantasy IV forged one of my most important friendships of my younger years, and awakened my inner-nerd.  All things Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Tactical, would later be right up my alley.  If it weren't for Final Fantasy and that friend of mine, I may have been a baller, but I don't regret my decision one bit.

What other games had a major impact on me during my elementary school years (which coincided with the 16-bit era)?  Final Fantasy VI, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Secret of Evermore, and Mario RPG.  RPGs weren't the only type of game I played--I also loved titles like Mega Man X, NBA Jam, and Donkey Kong Country, but for me, RPGs were the most memorable.  Besides Max, there was this other friend of mine, who was quite wealthy (unlike Max and I), and he had an incredible library of games (which was likely due to the fact that he had many gaming magazines, including EGM).  This friend, who I would have an off-and-on friendship with throughout high school, familiarized me with the RPG genre.  He made me aware of the incredible Action-RPG known as Secret of Mana, and also introduced me to an RPG called, Chrono Trigger, which was developed by a "Dream Team".  Again, through him, I became familiar with Earthbound--a game that I had previously looked at in disgust.  Unlike the other previously mentioned titles, Final Fantasy VI and Secret of Evermore were my own gifts and purchases.  I'm not going to go into too much detail with each game, but I'd like to describe at least one experience with each.

Final Fantasy VI, as I mentioned earlier came to me as a birthday present.  I had no idea that there was another Final Fantasy after IV, and didn't even associate the two with each other at first.  There was a reason for this.  FFVI's world felt much more modern with its combination of magic and technology.  This steampunk world also felt different because of its larger character sprites.  Final Fantasy VI still had relatively small characters, especially in comparison to Secret of Mana, but the characters (and environments) were much more detailed than those found in its predecessors.  The hulking magitek armor, massive airships, and mobile castles gave Final Fantasy VI a unique vibe that many RPGs were unable to match.  The incredible level of character customization was also a vast improvement over previous RPGs.  Each character had a variety of special moves (one character even had Street Fighter-esque abilities executed through button/d-pad combinations) and they could equip Espers, which taught them various magic abilities.  Not only was the gameplay deep, but the story was moving, and featured many memorable moments such as the Opera House, World of Ruin, and Scenarios.  FFVI was also chalk-full of secrets, it had some of the most memorable characters to ever grace an RPG, and it had a brilliant soundtrack.  This game kept me hooked for a couple years.

A game with a mysteriously named titled also managed to hook me.  The first time I witnessed this title, I chose not to rent it.  My mom picked up the video game box at Blockbuster and thought it looked interesting, but I dismissed her idea.  Later, I heard of Secret of Mana from a friend, and a Martial Arts Instructor (who was a student at the time), and the concept of the game interested me.  I never really liked random battles, and always imagined a game with an RPG-quality storyline that featured real-time battles with multiple players.  Zelda kinda fit the bill even with its fairly simplistic story, but it was only a single-player game.  Enter Secret of Mana.

Not only does Mana feature two-player gameplay, but it allows up to three players to play simultaneously (with a multitap, of course).  My friend Mike would brag about how amazing this game was.  Every weekend, he'd go to his family's vacation home--the only place where he could play video games with his brothers.  They had a multitap and a game called Secret of Mana that enabled cooperative play.  He would rave about being able to run around villages together, charge up attacks, and cast magic spells, all in real-time.  After hearing his spiel, I decided that I had to have this.  Fortunately, he was kind enough to let me borrow the game, and as a result, I spent many late nights with Max playing Mana whenever I could go over to his place.  Unlike my parents, he had relatively few rules, so we got away with playing Mana all morning.  A couple moments in particular remain etched in my mind.  His step dad came home at 1am, while we were battling Fire Gigas, and we decided to leave it on pause and simply turn off the TV.  We then covered the SNES with a blanket, so the little red light wouldn't show.  Max fell asleep, while his step-dad talked about meatballs for an hour, but I eavesdropped as I eagerly anticipated finishing our confrontation with Fire Gigas.  An hour later, I woke my sleepy pal up, and we got back in the game.  I have several other memories like this, which makes Secret of Mana one of my most cherished multiplayer games.

Now, enter Chrono Trigger.  I had heard about this game during a discussion on the bus, but the only thing I remembered being mentioned was the "Dream Team".  Chrono Trigger's "Dream Team" of developers was actually a set of key Square and Enix employees, which were two rival developers of RPGs.  They came together for the benefit of humanity, and crafted one of the world's most well-regarded RPGs.  Even with all the hype, Chrono Trigger still managed to surpass my expectations.  Once again, my friend Mike was the guy who hooked me up.  During fifth grade, I remember him bringing the instruction manual to class, so he could draw Frog, and he'd constantly be talking about Chrono.  Fortunately for me, he couldn't play games often, as he was only allowed to play at his weekend vacation home, so he was kind enough to let me borrow this game that would soon become legendary.  Sadly, I was swayed into using the Game Genie, because "cheats" were then all the rage, but I still managed to have a blast, regardless.

I still remember starting up Chrono Trigger, and watching my lazy main character, Crono, get out of bed at the request of his mom.  Instead of being an action-packed opening, Chrono felt like it could be the real world.  You start out going to an event called the Millennial Fair, which included an assortment of mini-games.  You could chug "cider", trash a robot, and watch the laughably named, G.I. Jogger run.  This tranquil opening soon changed with one invention and a girl sporting a mysterious pendant.  This contraption created by your nerdy friend, and a mysterious pendant worn by a local hottie would change everything.  Crono would soon break the boundaries of time and travel to various fictional eras, that slightly resemble the real world.  Everything from the detailed graphics to the loveable characters, moved me.  The storyline, music, and graphics were unrivaled at the time.  I also loved how Chrono Trigger contained no filler and lacked the annoying random battles that plagued many other RPGs.  Chrono Trigger even managed to impress friends of mine who normally hated RPGs.   I still remember people huddled around the TV for my 5th grade birthday party watching this incredible game late into the night.  What tops off my Chrono memories is the fact that I was able to purchase the game in eighth grade for twenty bucks.

A game that I experienced concurrently with Chrono Trigger was a quirky title crafted by Nintendo.  This game, Earthbound, was relatively unknown at its launch, but it later became famous due to its vocal fan community and the inclusion of the main character, Ness, in Smash Brothers.  Like Chrono Trigger, I didn't own this game (initially), but I quickly fell in love after I watched my friend, Mike bike around a city and purchase hamburgers.  Earthbound was such a trip--everything from the Happy Happy Cult to the retro hippies you'd battle oozed with personality.  The battle system was relatively archaic, and it largely imitated Dragon Quest, but the dialogue was flavorful, and really added to the experience.  Earthbound took a rather cliche story, and managed to twist it into something quirky, and memorable.  The game's plethora of jokes, sixties' America environs, and Beatles-style music combined to make Earthbound an experience for the ages.  Thankfully, the thought of assaulting crazed retro-hippies never crossed my mind.

The next game I'd like to discuss is a guilty pleasure of mine.  Not many RPG fans remember Secret of Evermore in a favorable light, but I enjoyed it.  It was one of the few RPGs that I actually had the money to purchase new, and I loved how Evermore felt like Secret of Mana, but also had a personality of its own.  Many people ignored or hated this title, because "it was responsible" for Secret of Mana's sequel being locked away in Japan.  Actually, that wasn't true.  The real issue was that Seiken Densetsu 3's (Mana's sequel) cart was so large, that it would be unprofitable to release the game in the U.S.  It was, after all, a massive game with multiple endings and scenarios.  So, we had to accept defeat and play Secret of Evermore, but I really didn't mind at all.

I loved Secret of Evermore's world that was crafted by scientists.  See, the main character, you, lives in a boring town called Podunk, and lives his life watching terrible B-Movies with his dog.  Well, this kid one day walks into a mansion and happens upon a machine that transports him to a mysterious world crafted by scientists in that very mansion itself.  This new world is quite unique, because it features four different eras: a prehistoric period featuring dinosaurs, a period similar to the Greco/Roman times, a period that resembles Medieval Europe, and a futuristic period.  Time travel had been done before in Chrono Trigger and Tales of Phantasia, but it still felt fresh with Evermore.  The game had a very serious tone with its eerie music and heavy use of sound effects, but it was also interspersed with plenty of B-Movie jokes.  Unfortunately, Evermore was only single-player, but the combat was similar to Secret of Mana, and the world looked amazing.  Evermore's dark tone had a lasting impact on me, and I'll never forget the Cecil cameo.

Finally, I'd like to discuss one last game that was released during some of the happiest years of my life: Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars.  Even though I was an RPG fan by the point of the game's release, I still loved platformers, and especially games that included Mario (titles like Mario is Missing excluded).  What could be better than the combination of the portly plumber and an RPG-like quest?  Possibly Mario 64, but that was still a few months away.  Mario RPG managed to be amazing because it combined the running and jumping action of Mario with the storyline of an RPG.  Instead of simply saving the princess this time, Mario would actually join forces with his main enemy, and would even be aided by the princess.  Besides these familiar allies, Mario would also meet new friends created by Square.  These two characters, Mallow and Geno, are quite memorable, so I'm surprised that they haven't been used since (with the minor exception of a Geno cameo in a portable RPG).  Like other Mario games, Mario RPG was packed with secrets, and included nearly a dozen mini-games.  Remember FFVII?  While Gold Saucer contained plenty of fun mini-games, it has nothing on Mario RPG.  Navigating through waterfalls while collecting coins and barrel jumping are just a taste of what this unique RPG had to offer.  Even though Mario RPG was fairly short, and too simple for some tastes, it was an incredibly polished game.  The pre-rendered isometric graphics were impressive, the action-oriented, turn-based battles were fun and involving, and Yoko Shimomura's soundtrack was brilliant.  This was the last 16-bit RPG that I would enjoy for awhile, as the release of the N64 was imminent.

This turned out to be much longer than I expected, but I managed to cover my early years with video games.  I only covered a smattering of the titles I played, but I wanted to familiarize you with some of the games that had a major impact on me, and reminisce about the titles I played in my formative years.  My interests and tastes in gaming would change further, but many of the types of games I enjoyed then are still titles I regularly consume.  I owe a few of my former friends and my SNES for much of the entertainment I was provided with during my younger years.  I hope you enjoyed reading about my experiences, and learned a bit about why I enjoy certain types of games.  Stay tuned for the next installment that will cover my experiences during the 32/64-bit era.