Some Thoughts from a Retro Gaming Dad
Maybe it’s nostalgia or a midlife crisis, but right now everything seems retro. My introduction to video game systems initially came through other people’s homes. It started in the early mornings.
Intellivision
Every morning, I was dropped off at my babysitter’s home while my mom went off to work. I stayed with them from early in the morning, around 6:30 am, until my mother picked me up after school. Guess what they had? A video game console, and it was an Intellivision. As a child growing up, I always wanted one. The flashing lights and sounds were amazing to me. But again, it wasn’t mine. I couldn’t play it whenever I wanted. However, I can confess that I often contemplated quietly hooking it up and playing a few games. I mostly watched as older kids and adults played the system. Maybe I got a chance to try it a few times, but not that often. The game I remember the most was Astrosmash, in all its pixel glory.
ColecoVision
When my babysitter wasn’t available, I went to another home. They had a ColecoVision. Unfortunately, it wasn’t played on a regular basis. It seemed to me that everyone was simply too busy to use it. Then again, I wasn’t there on weekends, so maybe I just wasn’t around when they used it. When they did play it, it was mostly The Smurfs. I’m not really sure why. Yes, they had Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, but I think the popularity of the TV show pushed it to the top of the list. The game itself was fairly simple, almost basic. But for a young child, it was fun. What I remember most was the music, which is now permanently etched in my head. #SoSorryNotSorry
Nintendo
The most memorable part was getting my first own video game system. Yes, it was a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), purchased from Consumers Distributing. I’ll never forget that system. I vividly remember the first few days playing Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. It was nothing but pure fun and absolute amazement. Why? Because it was mine, and it felt like a brand new world had opened up. I had an NES, just for me. Of course, that joy was short-lived as it had to be returned for a refund. No need to get into the details, but let’s just say I was devastated.
Moving On
At that point, I was determined to buy my own video game console, no matter what it took. It didn’t take long for me to narrow it down to a few contenders. Logically, you might think I’d go back to the NES. I guess the experience left a bit of a scar, pushing me away from the system for the time being. My focus shifted to both SEGA and Atari, excluding everything else. I wanted to stand out and have something unique that others didn’t have. But more importantly, I craved the ownership of having it be mine. While I have nothing but love for Atari and SEGA, I think I’ll save the rest of the story for part 2.
To Be Continued…
