Share Your Personal Videogame Love!

Over the years on Giant Bomb, I have to say that I’ve enjoyed posting, sharing, and meeting a diverse bunch of people with various and diverse interests. There were actually a handful of people that I grew unexpectedly close to, though I may be the naive one believing that, but I have never felt so alive since this Giant Bomb experience. I think that it would be appropriate to make mention of my video game love with everyone. I also encourage you all to share your video game love. (I know I write cheesy and there is a huge wall of text, but just follow along if ya’ll can.)

**Also, I want to make note to all. This thread was intended to make everyone feel good about being a gamer. At times, we are looked down and frowned upon, and it's NOT FAIR! Sometimes we can get discouraged because some games don't meet our expectations, but there are things that we can look back on that touches our inner child. This thread is for not just me, but it's for the people of Giantbomb! It's for them to realize that they love games, and nothing will get in the way of that. Use this thread to look back on, and realize that it's a wonderful world after all even for gamers! = - D

My video game love runs a bit deep. Ever since I was 2, I’ve been playing video games, so it’s been 21 years now. My first system was the NES, and my first two games were Super Mario Bros. and Tetris. From then on, I’ve stuck with Nintendo products and haven’t been able to stay away. In fact, I’ve almost had all the Nintendo systems that Nintendo came out with. I do want to try a PS3 and a 360, but I’m not confident enough to really know if it’ll be worth it, as I might not have as many games on them considering that I only like certain genres. (I tried an XBOX, but I ended up selling it with all its games.) I wish I had a friend that would allow me to try out games on other systems that I have so badly wanted to play, but I do not have any friends that actually play games. I can’t afford having 3 systems, so Nintendo is what I stick with… whether if that is a bad thing or not. I often see people having a great time playing these MMOs, and I so wish I could share the excitement… but I don’t have that privilege unless a game has online multi-player on a Nintendo system. This coincidence just happens way too often.

I mentioned that I had an XBOX. I have to day that there is one particular game that I miss dearly, and it’s from a genre I do not like to beat it all (which I’ll mention later)! I loved Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee, and what a charm it had! I think the wiki definitely shows what knowledge I had on the game, as I did that entire wiki from the ground up. I mean even including the pictures. Overtime, my memories of the game faded away... but thank goodness for YouTube (yet it still isn’t the same.) So, I’m really more than willing to try new things, as those things can be the most enjoyable aspects that life offers.

I have a very nice collection of games for my Nintendo systems. There are lists available by system on the exact amount of games that I have, excluding IPhone, here on Giant Bomb. I do not have lists for my NES, SNES, or Genesis collection, as I don’t have the systems anymore, and it’s been very long ago since I’ve had them. All I have is memories, remakes, and PC versions for the ones that I really care about. I do try to keep everything updated, and pretty much all the lists are up to date. Stuff accumulates over time, and I have to say that I very much enjoy being in the environment that I have created for myself in terms of having a place for my video games. I have many favorites, so I won’t really mention all my favorites. When people just talk to me, then they slowly start figuring it out!

Here are the lists:

Wii

Nintendo 64

DS and 3DS

Gamecube

XBOX (Previously owned)

Gameboy, Gameboy Color, and Gameboy Advance

PC

When I had a Sega Genesis, I had a game that I loved to play over and over. When I was young, I was a sucker for pinball machines, thus I got Sonic Spinball. I would play that game for hours and hours, but one night… someone came in our home, and stole my game. I was really little, and I very much cried because it couldn’t be replaced. When the Virtual Console for Wii became available, that is when I was able to play Sonic Spinball.

I have such a love for video games that only I can comprehend, and it has become a huge influence and part of my life. Exploring and being able to enter another imagination is so much fun, and I consider video games as imaginations! These imaginations are so great, that it actually helps me continue to use my imagination for more so my well-being. Take what I love away… then I certainly wouldn’t be happy, and I would be very bored. Anyone I meet probably has to understand that I must have a video game nearby. I’m referred to as “the game boy” in my area, and I do earn that title… though I might not be the best gamer or the one with the most games. I guess that the influence I show is very noticeable thus is why I have earned the nickname in the area.

I’ve had a very lonely and not-so-great childhood, and young adulthood is hell! Playing video games have actually helped me through. Whenever I’ve felt lonely, punished, and sad, I’ve become more sane playing games. It’s like it’s therapeutic in a way. In fact, every night when I go to sleep I have music playing. If I don’t have any music, I won’t sleep. Specifically, if I don’t have easy listening, Celtic, new age, or video game music playing, then I won’t go to sleep. Mostly, I’ll have video game music playing.

When I was young, I couldn’t and didn’t per say like to play games that were gory, extremely or overly violent, and gross. Today, I still do not play such games. None of them appeal to me whatsoever, so I definitely have perhaps too much of an inner child. I’ve never really let it bother me, because it’s what makes me different from all the rest who really lost their inner child over-time, meaning that they don't like games anymore.

Call it an obsession, illness, crazy, or severe addiction all ya’ll want, but I am not going to change. Playing video games is what I love to do, and I am not going to stop. I play for me, and for no one else. I have many games that I love, but I'm not going to list them all, and how I came about to getting them all. I would continue on about my video game love, but I was trying and making the effort to make this blog readable and interesting.

So, there you all have it… my video game love. Feel free to post comments, criticisms, share your video game love, and ask any questions that you all may have for me or anyone else!

My name is Tyler, and I’m proud to be a gamer!

PS: I’m going to do something new. I’m going to have a motto. “No blog is complete unless I have a song in it.” I'm "Ti-re-yo", btw... so, here’s the song!

Over the years on Giant Bomb, I have to say that I’ve enjoyed posting, sharing, and meeting a diverse bunch of people with various and diverse interests. There were actually a handful of people that I grew unexpectedly close to, though I may be the naive one believing that, but I have never felt so alive since this Giant Bomb experience. I think that it would be appropriate to make mention of my video game love with everyone. I also encourage you all to share your video game love. (I know I write cheesy and there is a huge wall of text, but just follow along if ya’ll can.)

**Also, I want to make note to all. This thread was intended to make everyone feel good about being a gamer. At times, we are looked down and frowned upon, and it's NOT FAIR! Sometimes we can get discouraged because some games don't meet our expectations, but there are things that we can look back on that touches our inner child. This thread is for not just me, but it's for the people of Giantbomb! It's for them to realize that they love games, and nothing will get in the way of that. Use this thread to look back on, and realize that it's a wonderful world after all even for gamers! = - D

My video game love runs a bit deep. Ever since I was 2, I’ve been playing video games, so it’s been 21 years now. My first system was the NES, and my first two games were Super Mario Bros. and Tetris. From then on, I’ve stuck with Nintendo products and haven’t been able to stay away. In fact, I’ve almost had all the Nintendo systems that Nintendo came out with. I do want to try a PS3 and a 360, but I’m not confident enough to really know if it’ll be worth it, as I might not have as many games on them considering that I only like certain genres. (I tried an XBOX, but I ended up selling it with all its games.) I wish I had a friend that would allow me to try out games on other systems that I have so badly wanted to play, but I do not have any friends that actually play games. I can’t afford having 3 systems, so Nintendo is what I stick with… whether if that is a bad thing or not. I often see people having a great time playing these MMOs, and I so wish I could share the excitement… but I don’t have that privilege unless a game has online multi-player on a Nintendo system. This coincidence just happens way too often.

I mentioned that I had an XBOX. I have to day that there is one particular game that I miss dearly, and it’s from a genre I do not like to beat it all (which I’ll mention later)! I loved Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee, and what a charm it had! I think the wiki definitely shows what knowledge I had on the game, as I did that entire wiki from the ground up. I mean even including the pictures. Overtime, my memories of the game faded away... but thank goodness for YouTube (yet it still isn’t the same.) So, I’m really more than willing to try new things, as those things can be the most enjoyable aspects that life offers.

I have a very nice collection of games for my Nintendo systems. There are lists available by system on the exact amount of games that I have, excluding IPhone, here on Giant Bomb. I do not have lists for my NES, SNES, or Genesis collection, as I don’t have the systems anymore, and it’s been very long ago since I’ve had them. All I have is memories, remakes, and PC versions for the ones that I really care about. I do try to keep everything updated, and pretty much all the lists are up to date. Stuff accumulates over time, and I have to say that I very much enjoy being in the environment that I have created for myself in terms of having a place for my video games. I have many favorites, so I won’t really mention all my favorites. When people just talk to me, then they slowly start figuring it out!

Here are the lists:

Wii

Nintendo 64

DS and 3DS

Gamecube

XBOX (Previously owned)

Gameboy, Gameboy Color, and Gameboy Advance

PC

When I had a Sega Genesis, I had a game that I loved to play over and over. When I was young, I was a sucker for pinball machines, thus I got Sonic Spinball. I would play that game for hours and hours, but one night… someone came in our home, and stole my game. I was really little, and I very much cried because it couldn’t be replaced. When the Virtual Console for Wii became available, that is when I was able to play Sonic Spinball.

I have such a love for video games that only I can comprehend, and it has become a huge influence and part of my life. Exploring and being able to enter another imagination is so much fun, and I consider video games as imaginations! These imaginations are so great, that it actually helps me continue to use my imagination for more so my well-being. Take what I love away… then I certainly wouldn’t be happy, and I would be very bored. Anyone I meet probably has to understand that I must have a video game nearby. I’m referred to as “the game boy” in my area, and I do earn that title… though I might not be the best gamer or the one with the most games. I guess that the influence I show is very noticeable thus is why I have earned the nickname in the area.

I’ve had a very lonely and not-so-great childhood, and young adulthood is hell! Playing video games have actually helped me through. Whenever I’ve felt lonely, punished, and sad, I’ve become more sane playing games. It’s like it’s therapeutic in a way. In fact, every night when I go to sleep I have music playing. If I don’t have any music, I won’t sleep. Specifically, if I don’t have easy listening, Celtic, new age, or video game music playing, then I won’t go to sleep. Mostly, I’ll have video game music playing.

When I was young, I couldn’t and didn’t per say like to play games that were gory, extremely or overly violent, and gross. Today, I still do not play such games. None of them appeal to me whatsoever, so I definitely have perhaps too much of an inner child. I’ve never really let it bother me, because it’s what makes me different from all the rest who really lost their inner child over-time, meaning that they don't like games anymore.

Call it an obsession, illness, crazy, or severe addiction all ya’ll want, but I am not going to change. Playing video games is what I love to do, and I am not going to stop. I play for me, and for no one else. I have many games that I love, but I'm not going to list them all, and how I came about to getting them all. I would continue on about my video game love, but I was trying and making the effort to make this blog readable and interesting.

So, there you all have it… my video game love. Feel free to post comments, criticisms, share your video game love, and ask any questions that you all may have for me or anyone else!

My name is Tyler, and I’m proud to be a gamer!

PS: I’m going to do something new. I’m going to have a motto. “No blog is complete unless I have a song in it.” I'm "Ti-re-yo", btw... so, here’s the song!

Sports games kept me interested in video games. I bet I bought and played every baseball game available on the SNES. It wasn't until I bought a N64 that I started playing action adventure games. The whole new 3D era of gaming intrigued me. I liked Mario 64 more than the other Mario platformers combined. As video games grew in complexity, I too grew with them. I remember playing Grand Theft Auto 3 and thinking, man, this is it, I'm living in this virtual world. Now let's cap some fools and run over some pedestrians. I don't wax poetically about the days of yore, because I believe the here and now is the best of times. I always look forward to what the future might hold in this, my hobby, video games.

@Claude: Very impressive Claude. Now that is what I call a love for video games! = - D

There is something nice about video game that still lets you live out your inner-child. There are times where I've felt that I've almost lost it when I played uninspired video games, especially when I started playing COD. At first I really enjoyed the game, but as the series went on it became too 'polished' and lacked some element of imagination. Everything was rendered for you to see, and it made playing the game relatively boring.

I haven't played many video games as long as I did when I had been playing in my childhood. I would log so many hours into certain games on the N64 etc. and invite friends over and play split-screen. It was an integral part of my childhood in terms of entertainment, and a way to entertain friends. Today I feel that with so much online play, multiplayer doesn't feel the same anymore. There isn't that 'friend' connection you had when you played with your friend in split-screen. Plus the amount of exploring/glitches that occurred in those classic games such as Mario made it all the more fun. Back to what I was originally talking about... now games have put a sense of boredom into me. Especially shooters.

That is, until I got Skyrim. The fantasy world they laid out in the game reinspired some sort of inner-nerdiness and I have logged 94 hours into the game so far. I have not done this sort of play in a long time, if ever. I think about the game when I am not playing it and the things I will do when I go back to the game. They've created a world where so much is possible, and unlike GTA, it's full of exploration and the fantasy elements make for constant surprises. The fact I have played so much of the game makes me realize how important video games are for me, especially as a stress reliever during University. It lets you forget about a lot of issues in the real world, and you become immersed in a fantasy world for a period of time... sort of like repressive desublimation.

Good blog.. :)

@LtColJaxson: Thank you! And, thank you for sharing!

Goddamnit, Mork. You are making me all emotional.

@Sweep said:

Goddamnit, Mork. You are making me all emotional.

Share your love Sweep, your video game love!! It can even be for a particular game or game system if you wish! Let it out, and be proud to be a gamer!

My personal video-game loves? I'll forego talking about Deus Ex, Super Mario Bros, Passage, Portal or any of the other obvious ones. Looking back on what games have crafted and shaped my tastes, a couple weird ones stand out.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Yup, weird one I know. But I was a young Potter fan when this came out (so sue me). Looking back on it, it's obvious to me why I loved this game, it's because it was an early example for me of occupying a (seemingly) living space, with which I interacted, learnt about and explored. That's a joy I find in games, and games alone. It's the easiest way to get me interested and still something I continue to find enthralling. Sure, the spell mechanics kind of sucked, and the world was little more than a small series of rooms and I had experienced bigger and more detailed environments before, but man ...

TimeSplitters 2: This game comes up pretty much every time me and my former group from school meet up again, and has been a constant for so long it's hard to imagine not playing it. It's pretty hard to describe, other than just as perfect.

Ok I lied, I'm going to talk about Deus Ex and Portal. These might be, to me, the two most important games since the transition to 3D. Both play like manifestos for what games should, can and will be. Not specifically in their mechanics or scope, but in the way they treat the player. They feel revolutionary, still. But none of that really matters when it comes to loving them, I love them because of what they mean to me and how they changed my thinking. I blame them for my obsession with games, with reading about games and with writing about them. I expect more from games because of them, I seek out that revolutionary feeling because of them. Although Passage had a bigger impact on my approach to indie games, Deus Ex and Portal gave me a new critical vocabulary. Deus Ex came at a time when I was reading thing likes Abbott, Bogost, Hocking, Ferrari, Huizinga etc etc, and Portal came as I was beginning write on games. I love these two games like I love no others.

Nice blog by the way.

haha Timesplitters 2. I remember my buddy asked me to play that once and I assumed it would suck horribly. I was wrong.

@MideonNViscera:

Yes, Timesplitter's 2 was one of my favourite split-screen games on PS2 - I also got a free controller when I bought that game. Something about it was extremely playable and addictive... miss that series so much.

Sorry, late reply.

My very first video game love was definitely Super Mario Bros. for the NES. My dad got it and I was hooked on video games ever since. The music, the engaging platforming gameplay, well-designed levels--it was an enjoyable game that brings about all sorts of nostalgic feeling every time I think about it. It's a shame that our house burned down when I was 4 years old, and I was on and off video games for a period of time. I spent some time in arcades playing Time Crisis and Tekken with my friends, and a little something called Galaga, which has since become one of my all-time favorites. Sadly, my time with video games were very limited; most of that time I spent watching friends and strangers play their Final Fantasies and Resident Evils on the PS1 era and never ever touching a controller. I didn't know why at the time, but looking back, I guess I was more into watching people play than playing them myself. Maybe out of fear. Fear of embarrassment. I'm not even entirely sure.

It was when the new millennium came around that video games sparked something in me to give it a go again. There was a brief moment when I was just 100% into PC gaming. I spent a chunk of time--as well as a ton of my allowance--in computer shops (similar to PC baangs, I guess) losing myself in games like Counter-Strike, Starcraft, C&C: Red Alert 2, and Diablo II. It was because of video games that made me almost fail 5th grade. But it felt good.

After my short time with PC games, my family moved here in the States, and I put off video games again. That is, until I got a Playstation 2 for my birthday. The first games I played on that system were Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex and High Heat Baseball 2004. Many of my favorite games came out of the PS2 such as FFX and Persona 4. I started to expand my tastes in games since then, eventually moving on to the PS3.

I won't spend more time yapping about my personal story on video games, but what I'm basically trying to say is that I didn't really have a favorite hobby to speak of until video games came along. My views on it were superficial at first, but I've since started to have a deeper connection with some. Over the years, I've broadened my tastes; I restricted myself with RPGs and platformers, but I grew out of my comfort zone and tried others that I probably sucked at. But I did it anyway, and it was fun. 20 years later and my interest in video games is stronger than before. I don't think I'll ever get bored of it.

@asian_pride said:

Sorry, late reply.

My very first video game love was definitely Super Mario Bros. for the NES. My dad got it and I was hooked on video games ever since. The music, the engaging platforming gameplay, well-designed levels--it was an enjoyable game that brings about all sorts of nostalgic feeling every time I think about it. It's a shame that our house burned down when I was 4 years old, and I was on and off video games for a period of time. I spent some time in arcades playing Time Crisis and Tekken with my friends, and a little something called Galaga, which has since become one of my all-time favorites. Sadly, my time with video games were very limited; most of that time I spent watching friends and strangers play their Final Fantasies and Resident Evils on the PS1 era and never ever touching a controller. I didn't know why at the time, but looking back, I guess I was more into watching people play than playing them myself. Maybe out of fear. Fear of embarrassment. I'm not even entirely sure.

It was when the new millennium came around that video games sparked something in me to give it a go again. There was a brief moment when I was just 100% into PC gaming. I spent a chunk of time--as well as a ton of my allowance--in computer shops (similar to PC baangs, I guess) losing myself in games like Counter-Strike, Starcraft, C&C: Red Alert 2, and Diablo II. It was because of video games that made me almost fail 5th grade. But it felt good.

After my short time with PC games, my family moved here in the States, and I put off video games again. That is, until I got a Playstation 2 for my birthday. The first games I played on that system were Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex and High Heat Baseball 2004. Many of my favorite games came out of the PS2 such as FFX and Persona 4. I started to expand my tastes in games since then, eventually moving on to the PS3.

I won't spend more time yapping about my personal story on video games, but what I'm basically trying to say is that I didn't really have a favorite hobby to speak of until video games came along. My views on it were superficial at first, but I've since started to have a deeper connection with some. Over the years, I've broadened my tastes; I restricted myself with RPGs and platformers, but I grew out of my comfort zone and tried others that I probably sucked at. But I did it anyway, and it was fun. 20 years later and my interest in video games is stronger than before. I don't think I'll ever get bored of it.

Don't worry about being late. You had a worthwhile post!

Great blog man!

I also love games, and have an history with games, as long and yours, having started with the Spectrum and Atari 2400, and moving on the NES, SNES, Sega Saturn, Master System, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, PS2, Xbox 360 and NDS.

And behold I've found myself, despite the length of my elopement with games, something I hadn't uncovered til now: awesome low budget games. I had a very bleak picture of indie games, associating it with experimental, and unnapealling games, but games like Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac and Cthulhu Saves The World gave me a different perspective. They are awesome titles, innovative and fun, much more enjoyable for me than many big budget AAA games. I have found myself a gold mine! ^^

I think my first video game system was the Gameboy Color. I bought Super Mario Bros. and some shitty Spongebob game, and I remember playing Super Mario Bros. to death. Love that game. Next came the N64, and games I remember playing are Super Mario 64, Donkey Kong 64, Mario Kart 64, Mario Tennis, and that Namco Collection. After that came the PS2, and I was most excited to get that console. (Sony's marketing worked!) A played a shit load of games on my PS2, some of my favorites being Burnout 3, Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, and fucking Psychonauts. Next came the PS3, then a few years later came my 360. I don't have the same enthusiasm for video games as I once had, but I still enjoy them, and there's no denying that they are a huge part of my life.

Yeah some videogames are alright.

Video games have the ability to shock you, scare you, amuse you and ultimately amaze you. They grab you and pull you into a world outside of reality where you can forgot your worries and just be entertained. My life just wouldn't be the same without games. I love 'em.