Early Gaming Memories
Taking you back, back, way back to my youth with this post.
I had just turned 7 years old when my dad got me my first Nintendo. I remember coming home and seeing him connecting it to the TV, with the bright orange zapper that made this really cool “twang” sound when you pulled the trigger and this cool looking controller. The only other controller I’d ever played with before that was my cousin’s Atari joystick to play some of the weakest games at the time (there was no accounting for taste with that guy). So here I was, with my own system, with this neat looking cartridge on it that had TWO GAMES!! Awesome!
Awesome, that is, until I met my childhood nemesis - this guy:
Bane of my Childhood Existence
That’s right, the first goomba in Super Mario Bros. was the biggest pain in the ass to me for the longest time. You know how when you look at a D-Pad, there’s an “Up” button? I naturally assumed that was ‘jump.’ I remember waking up early on a Saturday and forgoing cartoons to play Mario, and almost immediately regretting that decision. I beat the hell out of that button just trying to get away from that guy. After a few play throughs of the first 3 seconds of the game, I either griped about how the controller must be broken, or played Duck Hunt, where, even in that game, I was being mocked by that damn dog.
Those formative years in gaming might explain my pent-up frustration.
Seriously, look at that goomba. He’s got this angry face that just says he’s pissed at you and will do whatever it takes to kill you, provided you’re standing immediately to one side of him and don’t jump. That game actually forced me to eventually read the manual because apparently “Up” wasn’t good enough to get over him.
Have any bitter childhood gaming memories? Feel free to share.
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CK010 January 8th
I remember those times as well, dude. Good old times. I got it with Mario/Duckhunt. But once I got my hands on that old Golden Cartridge of The Legend of Zelda, I was sold. A few other games, besides Zelda 1, dragged me into gaming: Pinbot, Faxanadu, Dr Mario, Tetris and Mario 3.
Bitter memory: Faxanadu and getting lost, dying a LOT in the Fog Area.. took me hours and hours to get past that stage… Up until the point that I was ALMOST ready to get a hammer and smash the bloody NES Advantage Joystick.. (Yes.. remember that one? hehehe.) But I made it, don’t quite remember how, and finished the game.
I must state that I had this game a week before official release in the Netherlands… I finished it before others got their hands on it.
Even called the Club Nintendo (Hey, I was young! ok?) and told them how to finish the game. Awesome good ol’ times those were.
Eliot von Braun January 8th
Thanks for the post, CK.
No matter how bad Faxanadu was, you were still using the NES Advantage, which automatically would’ve made you the coolest kid in my neighborhood.
CK010 January 8th
Haha.. Well, I didn’t want to brag about that one.. just popped in my head. Good old times and I am missing those times badly.
Saw the twitter picture I linked? Me and my old NES gun?
(when I was young)
Ball licker USA January 9th
Robby the robot would never work right when ever I tried, biggest piece of crap peripheral i’ve ever seen for a game, well aside from the power glove.
Fozzy Bear January 9th
I think Ball licker is one of the old men from the Muppets.
Rowlf Dog January 9th
I agree with Fozzy…Ball Licker sounds like old man Muppet
Beaker January 9th
meep meep meep meep Ball licker meep meep meep meep meeep Waldorf meep Stadler.
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