I don’t know about anyone else but getting a new console from my parents always felt magical when I was a kid. I guess through the lens of a child, parents buying anything new would feel magical. But as soon as I was able to buy consoles on my own, it felt cold and calculated…maybe that’s a bit harsh because while the purchases were planned, I was completely ecstatic when I received my Playstation 3 with Metal Gear Solid 4 and playing Gears of War for the first time on the Xbox 360 was exhilarating. This post is simply for nostalgic purposes, here are some of my most memorable console purchases of the past.
Nintendo Entertainment System: According to my mother, when I was a wee toddler, I saw a commercial for the NES and I was begging her to buy it for me. Not surprisingly, I cannot recall that moment, but what I can remember (at least in bits and pieces) is the day we came home with the NES and my dad hooked it up. I’ll never forget sitting down on the floor looking up at television in the small apartment, grasping the rectangular controller and seeing the title screen for Super Mario Bros. for the first time. And when the ‘ground level’ tune started to play, it hadn’t left my mind since. To this day I can easily remember the first time I played the opening level in the game, along with playing Duck Hunt using an orange zapper. That crucial moment in time is the reason I love video games so much till this day.
Sega Game Gear: Although the Game Gear has given me some brief but decent times, I would have been better off with a Game Boy! I was probably 8 years old around the time I convinced (translation: begged) my mother to buy me a portable game system. I don’t remember the location but we went to a Woolworth (showing my age, huh?) and I was confronted with two choices: Game Boy or Game Gear. I’m sure the Game Boy was cheaper (in hindsight a better system!) but I that it would be difficult to see the games because it lacked color. After feeding that bullcrap just so I can get the bigger portable system with color and backlit screen, I picked up Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six. Despite not having the same legacy as Nintendo’s Game Boy, I enjoyed my time with the Game Gear but the biggest problem: it needed SIX AA batteries! SIX!
Sega Genesis: Well this one wasn’t really for me. My parents wanted to buy my 1st little sister a game console since I seemed to be having a blast playing them. There must have been some type of sale at Toys “R” Us because they purchased a 3rd generation Sega Genesis console with the “Six-Pak” bundle. The cartridge that came with the system had Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, Super Hang On, Golden Axe, and Columns, all in one neat package. After we got home and I set everything up, she played for a few minutes and it became evident, she didn’t want to play games. Long story short, I jumped in and pretty much took over the system. Hey, that’s what big brothers are for!
Super Nintendo: Even though I got the console pretty late in its cycle, I had a lot of experience with the SNES. My cousin Carl got the system before I did and his was bundled with Super Mario World. We played the game to death. So when it was my turn to own a Super Nintendo, my mother and I went to our trusty Toys “R” Us and again I was faced with two choices: SNES with Killer Instinct or the other with BattleClash. I didn’t know what type of game it was, but the image of Fulgore on the package was pretty cool. I returned home and opened up the box. The first thing I noticed was the Killer Instinct cartridge was black. Even before I put the cartridge in, this game was already cool in my book (I was easy to please)! I boot up the system and I’m introduced to these high-quality graphics and sound . Let’s just say I was button mashing for months to come.
Nintendo 64: Supposedly, the N64 was the last system I would ever ask for. I pleaded with my mother to purchase it as my 5th grade graduation present and swore to her it would be the last video game system I would ask her to buy for me. Interestingly enough, the minute I made that promise, I thought twice. Once again, we graced the same Toys “R” Us with our presence and a familiar situation occurred: I was asked if I really wanted the Nintendo 64 or the Playstation. The N64 was the new platform, of course I wanted that one, and I convinced my mom not to buy the Playstation with inane excuses such as the buttons on the controller are confusing to read and since it uses a CD format my sisters would break them. Kids say the darnest crap, huh? We ended up buying the Nintendo 64 sans game because they were too expensive at the Toys “R” Us . We decided to walk down to some other non-franchise game store. Apparently, we got a good deal for Super Mario 64 and bought it. The game was wrapped in plastic and the guy promised us it was brand new which was why when I got home and turned on the game, File A had already 78 stars collected. At the time I didn’t understand what the whole 78 stars thing was about but I was too in love with the freedom of running around in 3D and interacting with the environment. Truly my first immersive polygonal experience.
Nintendo GameCube: This is my final entry since this was the last time I relied on my parents for a new console (I think I got an original white GBA from them though). It all started when my dad had bought a brand new CD player with awesome sound quality, thanks to the big speakers. I wanted one. He said he’ll put money aside so when the holidays arrive, I can buy one too. Well the holidays came and with the launch of the Nintendo GameCube. Coincidently, the money he saved up came awfully close the price of the GameCube. With Super Smash Bros. Melee out by that time, I knew I needed to have the system. My mom gave me a ride to the-can you guess? Yeah…the Toys “R” Us. But I told myself I would only buy the system under one condition-it had to be black. I refused to buy a purple…okay, fine, INDIGO or Spice Orange colored GameCube. I wanted jet black and luckily I got the last one. At home, I played Smash Bros. Melee past 3am in the morning and I didn’t even have a memory card yet.
Closing Comments: I’m happy to take a stroll down memory lane and share my first experience with each console. I know there are many others who feel the same way when they think about their childhood console history.I also want to give a special shoutout to the Jamaica Avenue Toys "R" Us store which helped provide most of my game consoles of the past.
RIP Jamaica Ave Toys "R" Us (1993?-2006). Thanks for all the toys, games and memories...and the super-discount I got for Guitar Hero when you were going out of business. Thanks...
Nintendo Entertainment System: According to my mother, when I was a wee toddler, I saw a commercial for the NES and I was begging her to buy it for me. Not surprisingly, I cannot recall that moment, but what I can remember (at least in bits and pieces) is the day we came home with the NES and my dad hooked it up. I’ll never forget sitting down on the floor looking up at television in the small apartment, grasping the rectangular controller and seeing the title screen for Super Mario Bros. for the first time. And when the ‘ground level’ tune started to play, it hadn’t left my mind since. To this day I can easily remember the first time I played the opening level in the game, along with playing Duck Hunt using an orange zapper. That crucial moment in time is the reason I love video games so much till this day.
Sega Game Gear: Although the Game Gear has given me some brief but decent times, I would have been better off with a Game Boy! I was probably 8 years old around the time I convinced (translation: begged) my mother to buy me a portable game system. I don’t remember the location but we went to a Woolworth (showing my age, huh?) and I was confronted with two choices: Game Boy or Game Gear. I’m sure the Game Boy was cheaper (in hindsight a better system!) but I that it would be difficult to see the games because it lacked color. After feeding that bullcrap just so I can get the bigger portable system with color and backlit screen, I picked up Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six. Despite not having the same legacy as Nintendo’s Game Boy, I enjoyed my time with the Game Gear but the biggest problem: it needed SIX AA batteries! SIX!
Sega Genesis: Well this one wasn’t really for me. My parents wanted to buy my 1st little sister a game console since I seemed to be having a blast playing them. There must have been some type of sale at Toys “R” Us because they purchased a 3rd generation Sega Genesis console with the “Six-Pak” bundle. The cartridge that came with the system had Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, Super Hang On, Golden Axe, and Columns, all in one neat package. After we got home and I set everything up, she played for a few minutes and it became evident, she didn’t want to play games. Long story short, I jumped in and pretty much took over the system. Hey, that’s what big brothers are for!
Super Nintendo: Even though I got the console pretty late in its cycle, I had a lot of experience with the SNES. My cousin Carl got the system before I did and his was bundled with Super Mario World. We played the game to death. So when it was my turn to own a Super Nintendo, my mother and I went to our trusty Toys “R” Us and again I was faced with two choices: SNES with Killer Instinct or the other with BattleClash. I didn’t know what type of game it was, but the image of Fulgore on the package was pretty cool. I returned home and opened up the box. The first thing I noticed was the Killer Instinct cartridge was black. Even before I put the cartridge in, this game was already cool in my book (I was easy to please)! I boot up the system and I’m introduced to these high-quality graphics and sound . Let’s just say I was button mashing for months to come.
Nintendo 64: Supposedly, the N64 was the last system I would ever ask for. I pleaded with my mother to purchase it as my 5th grade graduation present and swore to her it would be the last video game system I would ask her to buy for me. Interestingly enough, the minute I made that promise, I thought twice. Once again, we graced the same Toys “R” Us with our presence and a familiar situation occurred: I was asked if I really wanted the Nintendo 64 or the Playstation. The N64 was the new platform, of course I wanted that one, and I convinced my mom not to buy the Playstation with inane excuses such as the buttons on the controller are confusing to read and since it uses a CD format my sisters would break them. Kids say the darnest crap, huh? We ended up buying the Nintendo 64 sans game because they were too expensive at the Toys “R” Us . We decided to walk down to some other non-franchise game store. Apparently, we got a good deal for Super Mario 64 and bought it. The game was wrapped in plastic and the guy promised us it was brand new which was why when I got home and turned on the game, File A had already 78 stars collected. At the time I didn’t understand what the whole 78 stars thing was about but I was too in love with the freedom of running around in 3D and interacting with the environment. Truly my first immersive polygonal experience.
Nintendo GameCube: This is my final entry since this was the last time I relied on my parents for a new console (I think I got an original white GBA from them though). It all started when my dad had bought a brand new CD player with awesome sound quality, thanks to the big speakers. I wanted one. He said he’ll put money aside so when the holidays arrive, I can buy one too. Well the holidays came and with the launch of the Nintendo GameCube. Coincidently, the money he saved up came awfully close the price of the GameCube. With Super Smash Bros. Melee out by that time, I knew I needed to have the system. My mom gave me a ride to the-can you guess? Yeah…the Toys “R” Us. But I told myself I would only buy the system under one condition-it had to be black. I refused to buy a purple…okay, fine, INDIGO or Spice Orange colored GameCube. I wanted jet black and luckily I got the last one. At home, I played Smash Bros. Melee past 3am in the morning and I didn’t even have a memory card yet.
Closing Comments: I’m happy to take a stroll down memory lane and share my first experience with each console. I know there are many others who feel the same way when they think about their childhood console history.I also want to give a special shoutout to the Jamaica Avenue Toys "R" Us store which helped provide most of my game consoles of the past.
RIP Jamaica Ave Toys "R" Us (1993?-2006). Thanks for all the toys, games and memories...and the super-discount I got for Guitar Hero when you were going out of business. Thanks...
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