So, what ARE my favorite games? It really is a loaded question. I think it’s like asking a musician what their favorite song is, or a librarian what their favorite book is. It’s impossible to come up with “THE ONE” so to say. Just like a favorite song, my answer can change from day to day depending on my mood. Not only that, but I’ve been playing games for a LONG time and my tastes have changed over the years.
Instead of trying to compile some kind of top 10 list or something, I’m just going to start from the beginning and talk about some of the games that got me hooked on gaming to begin with. From there I’ll work my way forward to some of the recent games that I’ve fallen in love with.
Just like a TON of people from my generation, the first video game I remember ever playing was Pac-Man. My parents had an Atari 2600 and a handful of games. Pac-Man and Combat are the two that I know I played the most. The Atari 2600 is also where I learned to play Blacjack!
It wasn’t until a few years later when a couple friends of mine got a Nintendo that I REALLY started to dive into video games. Of course the Super Mario Brothers games were a lot of fun. It wasn’t until I went to a friend’s house one day and he had this game called “The Legend of Zelda”. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It had a HUGE map and you could literally wander around and get lost. You collected different items and weapons, fought monsters, and searched for treasure inside of dungeons. My young mind was blown. It wasn’t until some time later before I finally got my own copy, and with the help of a special issue of Nintendo Power, I was able to complete the entire adventure and defeat the evil Gannon!
I had a pretty decent collection of Super Nintendo games. However, there are two that really stand out. First, of course, is The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past. Even today, this is one of my favorite games of all time. The amount of time I sunk into this game as a teenager is mind blowing. I mastered the game. I knew every secret, where every hidden item was, and knew the map like the back of my hand. When you beat the game it kept track of how many games it took you to finish. I had it down so I’d never die and never turn the console off and I’d finish the game in 000 games. I was so proud!
The first game I bought for myself for Windows 95 was Star Wars: Dark Forces. It was the first 3D shooter game set in the Star Wars universe. No game had ever allowed the player to walk around the Death Star and other locations shooting Stormtroopers. It was GLORIOUS! I clocked many hours into that game!