Sunday, July 4, 2010

Will you every stop playing video games?

While watching the latest installment of PATV, Mike and Jerry were asked the question "Do you think you'll ever stop playing video games?"  I was taken aback by the thought.  I've been "playing video games" since I was 8 years old and my Dad bought us the original NES.  I was never an arcade fan, until I met my husband, so home consoles were the beginning for me.  The first Super Mario Bros,
Duck Hunt, BurgerTime, and the Legend of Zelda were the baptismal waters for my lifelong interest.   I remember being taken on exciting trips to the Video Rental store (BEFORE BLOCKBUSTER BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME, can you believe it?), and I believe that the shop was called "PLACER VIDEO STORE".  And my brother and I would peruse the offerings.  Of course when I became aware of BOYS, video games became a latent interest, carried by my younger brothers as they purchased each new Nintendo Console as it came out. 
Then in high school I met a boy who's PRIMARY interest was video games and that altered my life forever.  He was immediately welcomed into my family of video gamers, as all three brothers were raised on them.  And I think Jeff would tell you that in the hours that he'd play sitting on the floor of my living room he found acceptance and a place that he belonged.  Because in the world I grew up in there were no restrictions on how long or when you could play.  We played Final Fantasy III for the SNES together.  That was our first game.  I went off to college and immediately found friends who played video games and HOURS were spent playing fighters and watching friends complete RPGs.
I married Jeff and he introduced me to the world of arcade rhythm games.  DanceDanceRevolution practically raised our children for a a few years.  And there were always the RPGs.  As the kids grew older our game playing time was restricted to "After bedtime" or to "kid-friendly" games.  And now the kids get a lot of say in what games we play.  Games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 are more for THEM then they are for us, but we enjoy them just as much, if not more.  Knowing WHERE Mario has come from gives the games a special flavor. 
But to answer the question, "Will I ever stop playing video games?"  No.  I doubt there will ever come a time that video games as an entertainment media will ever stop appealing to me.  Especially as the  media continues to change.  Now I use it as a fitness tool and an education tool for my children as well as entertainment.  I will continue to be there as video games evolve.  And I will enjoy every minute of it.

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