zwolanerd

If I’m going to write about things I want you to read about, it might be good for you to know where I’m coming from.  So from the gaming front, here’s a list of gaming consoles I’ve owned over the years, in the order I got them:

1. A Pong knock-off.  I don’t even remember what it was called.  My parents got it for my brother and I at a garage sale.
2. Commodore 64. This wasn’t technically a gaming console, but it might as well have been. The only other thing I used it for was typing in BASIC programs from that backs of computer magazines. Favorite games: The Last Ninja, Karateka
3. Sega Genesis. Most people I knew had a Nintendo system when they were kids, but one friend of mine had a Sega Master System, and I liked it so much more than the NES.  When the time came for me to get my first ever actual console, I went with the Sega Genesis.  Also, I was 22 years old when I got it. Favorite games: Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog
4. Sega CD. Gotta have the add-on! Favorite game: Eternal Champions, Sonic CD
5. Sega 32X. Yes, I am one of the 6 people that bought this. Favorite games: Blackthorne, Virtua Fighter
6. Sega Saturn. I was fully on the Sega train, committed to whatever they were going to do.  I still own my original Saturn, and I have two other ones besides. The “batwing” controller is still one of my favorite controllers of all time.  Favorite games: Tomb Raider, Virtua Cop, Saturn Bomberman, Virtua Fighter 2
7.  Intellivision. I had played this as a kid at my pastor’s house. I ran into him years later after he had moved and he still had it, and he gave it to me. Favorite games: Donkey Kong, Kool-Aid Man
8. Colecovision. I don’t even remember where I got this, but I only have one game for it: Donkey Kong
9. Sega Nomad. I had all those Genesis games laying around, so having a portable system to play them on seemed a logical choice.  It was kind of awesome and kind of not at the same time.  Favorite Game: Street Fighter 2
10. Playstation. So began my journey of not playing favorites in the console wars any more.  Just buy them all!  I got a Playstation mostly because Tomb Raider 2 wasn’t available on the Saturn. Favorite games: Tomb Raider 2, Hot Shots Golf
11. NES. Finally picked one up. The power cord has disappeared, though, so I can’t play it.  Favorite games: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (though I don’t know why – I sucked at this game), Q*bert
12. SuperNES. I only ever had one game for this system: Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
13. Sega Dreamcast. One of my favorite systems ever.  I still own two of these, a regular one and a blue one. Some day I’ll get a black one to complete the set.  This is still the only system I’ve ever pre-ordered. Favorite games: NFL2K (blew me away so much I still don’t enjoy playing Madden), Rippin’ Riders
14. Nintendo 64. Even though it’ll cost me some street cred, I’ll go ahead and admit I’ve never really enjoyed the Mario games. Still, I got to play Mario 64 in a game store a couple of weeks before it was officially released in the States, and it was pretty neat.  Favorite games: Goldeneye 007, 1080° Snowboarding, Wave Race 64
15.  Xbox. Thing was a beast!  It was the first console I started seriously playing online games on. Favorite game: Links
16. PlayStation 2. I bought this thing strictly for Guitar Hero. I saw a guy playing “More Than a Feeling” in the store and knew I had to have it. Favorite game: Guitar Hero
17. Atari 2600. I finally got one. And then another one. And then a third. I don’t even remember where they all came from.  Favorite games: Space Invaders, Pac-Man (even though it was terrible)
18. Xbox 360. Man, do I love this thing.  My current Gamerscore is 64550.  Favorite games: the Rock Band series, the Mass Effect series, the LEGO series… and many, many  more.
19. Sega Master System. All these years later, I finally got one of the systems that made me a Sega fanboy for so many years. Favorite game: Ghostbusters
20. Wii. I got this thing for the Wii Bowling, just like everyone else. That ended up being just about the only thing I ever liked on it.
21. PlayStation Portable. Got it mostly to review PSP games. Favorite games: Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee, Lumines II
22. PlayStation 3. Honestly, I got this because I wanted a Blu-Ray player and I had enough store credit built up that it brought the price down to about equal with regular Blu-Ray players, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have the gaming functionality, too. Favorite games: God of War III, I guess. I’ve only played 4 games on the thing.

And, of course, various PCs and cell phones over the years.  I hope I’m not leaving anything out…

I present this list so you can see where I’m coming from.  I love gaming and I think my history shows it!

Tags: consoles, videogames

Written by: Mark