Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. And it was also a time when I couldn't break away from the world of video games even if I tried. Growing up in a family of nine siblings meant I was used to throwing around a controller or TV remote. and asking me to work while my parents go to work or asking me to stop bothering them for five minutes
Because of this, I became proficient at video games from an early age. Not long after we moved to a random farmhouse in the middle of Wales in 2002, I received a box containing a PS1 and a bunch of games my mother had clearly stolen from my father, who she had walked out on a few weeks before. I don't understand the complexities of adult relationships. But one thing I can relate to is the joy of Crash Bandicoot and the melodrama of Final Fantasy 7, two classic games I played at a young age that would influence my tastes. In the next several years My father did not pay child support. But he got me into Japanese RPGs.
Video games are for life. It's not just Christmas.
This brings me to those early Christmas mornings. used in frayed bungalows This coincides with the early years of the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube generations, with four siblings of similar ages. It makes sense that we would have different consoles. Because there's no way in hell we're going to share.
But console games are very expensive. Just like the games you play. But not if your parents were crafty types and were willing to buy you your PS2 from your brother's weed dealer along with a second-hand copy of Final Fantasy 10 and Tony Hawk's Pro. Skater 4. I was a kid and didn't know anything, so when The dawn of tales has arrived. And we have various consoles. under the tree So it's a Christmas miracle.
Thinking about gaming and Christmas morning is a spiritual connection.
We spent the next several days bouncing between bedrooms. Switching between new consoles and games is like a video game buffet. Star Fox Adventures' visuals are out of this world, while Halo: Combat Evolved introduced us to a new genre we'd never been given the privilege of. touched before Everywhere I look There is an important game of the era being played. It introduced me to new characters, worlds, stories, and mechanics that would have an impact on my personal and professional life that could not be quantified at the time. A time like this had never happened before. And it was only after the meaning of those things immediately crystallized.
Nowadays, I know one type of game and one that I like. and have disposable income to go out and buy something But when I was a child My parents had the basic idea that we enjoyed video games and needed to fill that gap. I might give you some advice. But the fact that I received SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom and Ico on the same day is a killer combo that will have lifelong effects. It's hard not to feel nostalgic for times like this when Christmas arrives. And how my parents' sudden decision while throwing presents under the tree would forever change who I am.
I had a similar experience when the PS3 launched, but it was another console purchased from a family friend who may or may not have anything to do with illegal drugs. But that didn't matter when it worked, and my family picked up a slew of villains that included Fallout 3, Dead Space, and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. During this time, I became more immersed in the game's world and got to know the game. The type I want But even then, there were still a few surprises that I couldn't predict. And like many Christmas mornings, the morning before that That means the whole world.
As the medium transitions to the new digital era, blockbuster games are becoming less common. It feels like these magical moments of gaming have been lost to time. That makes looking back all the more valuable. And why is it that I always have this time of year to thank you for your love of gaming?
