Most of us spent our adolescence without the presence of the internet, hybrid cars, and fancy next gen gaming consoles. Cops and robbers with our mates was the only first person shooter we were going to be playing. It should come as no surprise that we are all a bit envious of today’s youth, with their spiffy PS3 slim 120GB consoles and facebook accounts.
Amidst the hot new video game releases like Call of Duty Black Ops for PS3, video game makers have not forgotten us, the children of the 90’s. With a laundry list of classic games like Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers being updated and re released, I think it is time to reflect on some of my favourite old school video games. What can I say; I am an analog player living in a digital world.
Super Mario Land
Part of you will always remember your first kiss, your first car, and in my case, my first video game. It came with the original Game Boy I received as a young lad. Countless batteries were drained to fuel my obsession with this classic.
NBA JAM
Chock full of gravity defying monster dunks and hardnosed defending that would make Ryan Shawcross cringe in fear , this arcade classic brings me joy to this day (if you don’t think I hooked up my old Sega Genesis to my 42 inch LCD TV, you’re having a laugh). I still remember crying when my 52 game unbeaten run came to an end. Three words for you: Stockton to Malone.
Donkey Kong Country
I marveled at the graphics. I cringed in frustration as I tried to navigate the pesky mine shaft level. I stared in blank confusion as I controlled a cartoon gorilla riding an ostrich. I loved this game.
Tomb Raider
Yes Laura Croft was constructed purely out of polygons, but lord, she was fit. Maybe I was young, but something was very appealing about running about exotic locations with a woman with 2 big, err, hand guns.
Golden Eye
Sure the solo missions were a constant source of entertainment, but this game took the cake when it came to its multi player mode. To this day it still irritates me that someone had to always pick Oddjob. This game simply oozes child hood nostalgia.
