Vol IV. Video Games

NINTENDO!!!!

That name alone just sends a rush of glee throughout my body. Endorphins rise to the top, anxiously awaiting an explosion of excitement and joy to overflow.

I may have just had a video game orgasm.

I don’t apologize for my excitement, because Video Games are a huge passion for me. I know, I probably say this about many things. I just have a huge amount of things I’m passionate about. Like Comedy, Wrestling, Music, TV, Movies, 80’s and 90’s cartoons and now Video Games. I’m just a passionate guy with too many emotions. Yup, that’s me.

This specific blog is not about only scratching the surface regarding these interests of mine though. I want it to be more of a deep dive into my addictions and I’ll try my best to explain all of that. Hopefully I express that throughout these blogs and help you understand where my passion and love for all of this comes from.

My earliest memory of gaming was an Atari 2500 that I somehow came in possession of. No way my parents bought it. My dad was never big on me having anything I actually wanted (more on this later). My parents were Superintendents/Landlords throughout my childhood for high rise buildings in and around Toronto. This involved sometimes coming across items left behind by tenants that either rushed out or were kicked out. I’m sure the Atari was a result of this.

Memories of Pitfall and Donkey Kong filled these days. Yes I even tried to make sense of that E.T. game. It really does belong in a landfill.

Then something happened. This thing called the NES, The Nintendo Entertainment System. That original beautiful grey bastard with the Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt 2 in 1 double feature. WITH A GUN!!! GODDAMN, I…..Was….Hooked. This part of my childhood holds some of my happiest and fondest memories. My brother Darrell and I sitting or laying on the floor with our controllers in hand, watching in awe as each of us found new pipes to go down and warp zones to explore. Finding a bean stock to climb or just a hidden 1up box would be so exciting. This was something neither of us had ever experienced. This was the closest my relationship between my brother and I ever got…. This may add to it being so special. And this proves the power that gaming has.

From this point on, my life would be forever changed. A new World of possibilities and games have been exposed to me. Games and franchises such as Zelda, Metroid, Mega Man, Super Mario, Contra, Double Dragon, Castlevania and so on and so on now filled every free minute I had.

I started visiting arcades and this whole video game BOOM just happened. It was actually more of like a NUKE had gone off and all of a sudden I was surrounded by so many cabinets and flashing pixels. I was the perfect age to soak in all of this Video Game Revolution that was happening at the time.

My generation had the best advancements I think, when it comes to the world of gaming. The World today is moving so fast regarding technology that we don’t really have the time to enjoy and soak in every aspect of each upgrade we get. There are of course so many great decades and generations out there, all with their own accomplishments and such, but to be a kid aged 8 – 12 during the Video Game BOOM was the greatest. We got the early childhood without the Internet so we knew what that wonderful life had to offer and no matter what kids today say life was amazing before the Internet. Then to make it even better, when we became teenagers we all of a sudden got the World Wide Web. We we’re online. 

Then in 1991, a very special video game cabinet was wheeled into my local arcade. A little something called Street Fighter II.

The day I walked into that arcade and saw all the people huddled around this thing, I knew I had to be a part of this. What was this? It was like the positive magnet to my negative. Science Bitch! I had no choice but to invest my all. No matter how many quarters it cost me…. Well, really it was all my Mom’s quarters. She’s the best.

That was it. I had never seen anything like this. Ryu, Ken, Blanka, Guile, Bison flashing across the screen. Fireballs, Yoga Flames, Sonic Booms, Tiger Knees filled my dreams at night. This was the mother load of games and something I had no idea I needed. But Goddamn did I ever need it, and I wanted it bad. I would have taken this bitch to my prom, if I didn’t already take like 5 dime pieces. I was swimming in poon in High School*

I had never even heard of Street Fighter 1. It didn’t matter. Quarter after quarter, I shoved into this cabinet like I was getting the latest and greatest drug in return from it. Then came Mortal Kombat, TOASTY. Killer Instinct, C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER, and it just kept going. I was hooked on these 2D and 3D Fighters. Video games were bigger then ever and nothing was coming between me and them.

I really hope one day Arcades make a comeback. I mean real Arcades. Those memories are so vivid and crucial to me and what I remember as such happy times I used them to escape the bad. Kids need to experience these arcades. I’m not even sure what to call what you kids have now. A bunch of garbage that spits out tickets, and you can redeem them for a pencil case or whatever. It’s like a modern day travelling carnival of Gypsies. Games built with no real accomplishment achieved or talent needed. THIS IS NOT GAMING.

Real classic Arcades are where you throw your quarter on the cabinet and claim next game against the winner. This is how we flushed out the real gamer’s from the flaky amateur gamer’s.

Kids these days will never know this, and I’ve never felt older as I typed that phrase.

Now let’s jump back to home consoles. I was always a Nintendo kid. From the moment I got that NES, I knew I was playing with POWER! Haha, that’s so lame. Shut up. I just never jumped on the Sega bandwagon. For me, the games that Nintendo were putting out could not be matched from any other gaming company SEGA still had some great games too of course). It’s exactly why Nintendo is still around and loved so much to this day. They never changed their game plan. Ever. It was always about how fun and awesome a game could be and not focused solely on graphics. It has always worked for them and no one else is doing it so the complete industry is yours to bathe in. Innovation above graphics. I find more fun involved in a newly released 4 player co-op Mario game over any Call of Duty. Nothing compares to 4 player Mario Kart. Drunk Mario Kart is even better. It’s the only safe way to drink and drive. Yoshi is a fucking lush according to the way I play.

Then all of a sudden something called the Super NES came around. I was in full steam ahead mode enjoying this new escape I had. My life was filled with so much depression and hurt during this part of my life due to abusive issues at home. The joy I got from sitting around with friends and playing co-op games while in the same room meant the World to me and my sanity. These day’s we have lost that togetherness that gaming used to bring. The love and excitement of co-op couch play. Now everyone is alone in a room yelling through a headset that they had the sex with your momma, while they teabag you with their character. I tried to enjoy these Call of Duty games, but after a hard day at work, it just wasn’t a relaxing and unwinding time to go online for an hour while a 12 year old that’s been sitting at home all day practicing, snipes me over and over.

I never stopped gaming while growing up. I had every system Nintendo released (Except the Virtual Boy of course, let’s all just forget that one) Fond memories of 4 player Goldeneye on the N64. I ruled that game and I challenge anyone today to take me on in any level. Just no Oddjob of course. 

I eventually had to pick a console for it’s graphical features. I couldn’t just rely on Nintendo for all my gaming anymore. I decided I was gonna make the Playstation my console of choice. Especially since Sony were the ones to drive that final nail into Sega and their console dreams forever. Although if Sega just all of a sudden surprise announced a console at E3, I would shit a brick, like a Microsoft sized brick. Imagine…. SEGA Dreamcast 2!

The PS1 and PS2 were game changers. Literally. Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy 7, Grand Theft Auto 3 and God of War just to name a few, changed my own and majority other gamer’s lives forever. From the moment we picked up that controller and pressed start. 

Throughout all this time I was still blowing my load all over the Street Fighter releases. Still tossing my quarters on the machines as I attempted to crush competitor after competitor. HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!!! 

Back in those days we had Blockbuster to feed our video game addictions. You see kids, Blockbuster used to be a place of business for people to go and exchange currency to in return rent movies and video games. At this time my friends and I ordered these special chips from Japan that would let our systems play burnt/copied games. I had my PS2 modded with one of these. I would rent a game from Blockbuster and go home and burn it right away on my buddies computer. Then I would go back to the Blockbuster and tell them there was a scratch on the disc and it wouldn’t play, so they would let me rent a different game and take that home for the week. Then I would proceed to burn that disc as well and would have two new games to own for the price of one rental. This was the life. The illegal life and probably all my fault Blockbuster went under now that I think about it.

Games filled my life at this time still like they had before. I am not one of those gamer’s that sticks to a certain genre or has an overall favorite though. I never had one. I play all styles of games. A good game is just that, a good game. Action, Adventure, FPS (First Person Shooter), RPG (Role Playing Games), Sports, Horror and Puzzle games as well. I absolutely love a great story and game all in one. And I only discriminate against Call of Duty and Fortnite…….. and all kids under 13. Not in that particular order.

Then I sold my PS4 and most of my other belongings when I decided to move to BC and pursue this Stand up career. I made the conscious decision not to purchase another console when I got here solely based on the fact I need to use all my productive time for Stand up and writing. I began feeling guilty when I gamed. Thinking I was wasting my time while playing instead of pursuing my goal, and the reason I moved here in the first place.

I still am very involved in everything gaming such as visiting gaming sites daily while at work or home. Making sure I’m aware of all the latest trailers and upcoming games. Always checking the latest gaming news. I love Speed running videos and gaming documentaries on YouTube. I’ve included some excellent YouTube channels here on the right to check out if you enjoy that sort of stuff or seem intrigued to see what it’s all about.  

Awesome Games Done Quick is a very cool event that hosts some of the best worldwide gamer’s and also raises a lot of money for Cancer research and such.

The Gaming Historian – Gaming Documentaries

Apollo Legend – Gaming Documentaries

Summoning Salt – Speedrunning History Documentaries

Captain Eggcellent – Video Game Easter Eggs

DidYouKnowGaming – Cool Video Game Facts and History

EZScape – Speedrunning Highlights and Updates

GenerationGapGaming – Cool Dad shows Kid’s Old School Games

I will be purchasing the newest Playstation and Nintendo systems once again soon. Especially since the PS5 is right around the corner. AHHHH I’m freaking out like a kid. The year a new console generation is released is the best ever.

I just need to know I’m being as productive as I can be while still reaching for this comedy goal of mine. These sacrifices are what will bring success to my journey. 

Maybe one day I’ll do a Podcast where we dive really deep into my passions/obsessions/addictions in my life. I have so many I need to share. But for now I’ll keep adding them here. This is what you get. STOP COMPLAINING!

Catch Me Somewhere

Jay R