An iconic image for video games (although incorrect picture. Due to copyright)
I have been a gamer since I was a kid. My cousin introduced me to video games when I was 5. His first console? An Atari 2600. I’ve put in hundred of hours playing 2 games: Pitfall and Pacman. We never had any other games on his Atari, mainly because its hard to get one from the US (We are from the Philippines). Back then, I was fascinated on the interaction between a person and something in TV. In a third world country, owning a console puts you on an elite status. Not only everyone can own one, also not everyone was buying the idea of having video games since what we do when were young is play outside. And this is before the advent of the Internet.
The first console I owned was a Nintendo Gameboy. It was gift from my dad since he is working abroad and thought that buying stuff will be enough to cover being a parent. (Note: it is NOT) My first game was Super Mario Land. I did not know Mario back then. I was astounded on how much they were able to cram on a small display. And I was surprised on how much battery my mom has to buy for such device. It ate battery life like a free for all buffet. But I loved it so much I bought a lot of its accessories and games that it was crazy.
My second console that I owned was a famicom. In the Philippines, famicom games were bootleg copies. So I never owned any original games. Most of the games available were 100 in 1 games, but they were only 10 games with the other 90 putting you on a different stages or a hack of a game. It was fun, but as a kid, I just played not knowing if its a legit copy or not.
My cousin then handed me down a Nintendo Entertainment System. The American Famicom. And all NES comes with Mario and Duckhunt as launch games. I can still hear the laughing of that god forsaken dog when you miss a flying duck. I had legit copies of the game but it was few since NES games are not sold in the Philippines. I had to get them as a gift from my relatives in the US. So I have to wait for December to have a couple of new games each year.
I had a Game Gear as well but it was not as exciting or fun. Its only saving grace for me was not everyone has a Game Gear. And when you have a handheld in color back in the days, they know you are filthy rich (note: I was NOT).
When my mom bought me a Super NES, that was the time I knew in my heart I am a video game player. My first game was Final Fantasy 6 (Yes, I know its 3 but who the hell cares). I was so mesmerized that all of my games were RPG’s. From Chrono Trigger to Super Mario RPG. I love how it put me in a world were I was the hero. I was the one to save the day. It was an interactive book for me because of the story telling that RPGs had. It was an escape to a fantasy world.
I’ll not dwell on the other consoles I owned after that but here is the list:
- Sony PSX
- Sega Saturn
- Sony PS2
- Gameboy Advance
- Sony PSP
- Nintendo DS
I stopped playing games during the 7th generation consoles due to personal, and financial reasons. I was left out in the dark with the new games. The only thing I was able to do was go to the video game stores and stare on those games that I wanted to play. I waited and waited. Then I got a break in 2016 and bought my first console: A Playstation Vita. I knew I was late but it was the machine that started my romance with the world of video games.
This site will be dedicated for reviewing, news, life of playing and other stuff about video games. This is my love letter to the interactive entertainment, and how to be a gamer in the Philippines.
Late Game Bloomer 