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Best or Worst Christmas as a Child Gamer?
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yes sir they were.
I'm still a JRPG geek to this day.
I played through Skies of Arcadia on the Dreamcast in one sitting, just because it was so good that I couldn't put it down. Even though I loved it, I'm quite happy that it ended when it did, because I'm not sure my body could have handled much longer without sleep
. . . the Christmas on the year that I got a NES, was playing it later in the day when suddenly the Christmas tree fell on me (was bare backed and we had glass ornaments, also it made me game over in Super C) Fun!
. . . the following Christmas, we had a much better Christmas tree stand, which unfortunately doesn't function all that well when its on a slant. Christmas trees 2, me 0.
. . . the following Christmas, now wary of the attacking army of Christmas trees, I kept a wide berth at all times. Except for once, passing by to get to the mountain of unwrapped gifts, the Ninja tree sees its opportunity to attack.
. . . the following Christmas, we loop twine around the tree and staple it to the wall, lulling me into a false sense of security. Tree tumbles over the immovable twine to hit me.
. . . the final Christmas of the series, now with a complete phobia of the trees I absolutely refuse to be involved in the yearly family outing to choose a Christmas tree from the tree farm, with a plan to never be within 7 feet of any tree related to Christmas. I'm like 8 at the time so I don't really get much of a choice. There we are with a tree picked out and my dad starts to cut it down, he says he's going to cut it half way then just kick it in a direction that isn't towards me. Unfortunately its towards another tree, bounces off and the score settles 5-0.
I was the unluckiest child alive.
Here's the thing you have to understand about my family: we get strange during the holidays. A few years prior to this, my oldest brother convinced me that since money was tight, I wouldn't be getting the TMNT toys I had asked for. Instead, all my parents and extended family (cousins, mostly) could do was go to the dump, and find old G.I. Joe toys that had been thrown away. Unfortunately, most of their thumbs had broken off. Not to worry, though, as my cousin found a Barbie Ferrari in good shape and painted it camoflage so my new action figures would have a vehicle. Of course, this was all a lie, but I believed him because I was young and stupid. It didn't help that my mom was in on the joke. She was gone, doing some errands or something, when my brother told me this fabrication. So, when she came back, she asked me in a pissed off voice "What did they tell you?!" I started to freak out and cry. But, hey, at least I can laugh about it now.
Why is this relevent? Well, my oldest brother tried doing the same thing. He told me that since the SNES was such a hot item, my parents couldn't find one for me. Instead, they got me a Turbo Grafix 16 because a console is a console. I didn't fall for it completely, but my brother definitely planted a few seeds of doubt in my mind. That's the thing about him -- he can lie with such ease and confidence that you convince yourself that he's actually telling the truth. Must be why he became a lawyer.
Needless to say, I was thrilled that I got the SNES that Christmas, along with Sim City, Actraiser, and I think Hyperzone (I love that game -- easy, pretty fun, and not too long, plus it has some decent music).
You must have really pissed off the God of Christmas Trees in a past life or something.
N64 & Mario 64 was the best Christmas for me, I recall.
Also, when I was much much younger I had one christmas where I got a ton of lego's and constructs, good times there.
Also, my parents got my sister Super Mario 3 for christmas, but neither me or my brother a game, we couldn't fathom that one since my sister played the NES all of about 20 hours total back then while that was what my brother and I called a good saturday (waking up at 4am to get in a good run before parents were up to start yelling about chores and going outside since it was a beautiful 100+ degrees out).
However, one time a few weeks before my birthday, I gave my mom the money to go and get me a copy of the Legend Of Zelda. I was OH SO EXCITED to get that game. It was on lay away and it had taken me for fucking ever to save up the money to get it considering I got no allowance and was far too young to get a job.
She came home saying that they didn't have a record of the lay away and that all the money was gone. What she actually had done was bought the game WITH MY MONEY and then saved it and gave it to me as my birthday gift FROM HER.
And she wonders why I never speak to her any more.
SNES (With SMW, or course) + Street Fighter II. Man, I played SFII for about a week solid, it was so amazing playing this game that ate up so many of my quarters, now for free!
I'd say the NES, but my memory isn't as clear when I got that, I was probably around 7 or 8.
Worst Christmas:
Getting Dark Cloud. I didn't own a PS2 at the time, and wouldn't for probably another year or so.
I haven't really had a Christmas since, so I still hold a grudge. :P
"When I was about 12, and my brother was 10 and my sister was about 8 the NES was just coming out and like any warm-blooded American children we wanted it more than life itself. We begged and pleaded with our parents but they weren't convinced, "You have a computer that plays games just fine! You don't need a Nintendo."We decided to take matters into our own hands and created a super secret box with the words "Super Secret Nintendo Fund" printed out with the computer (I guess it was good for something) and taped it to the top. Over the next six months we pooled any and all spare money into that box, keeping dutiful track of who put in what just in case our parents found out and we had to take it all back. About two weeks before Christmas we had somehow accumulated enough money and the time had come . There was only one store in biking distance that sold Nintendo's and it was a 30 minute ride. So my brother, sister, and I trekked across town, hundreds of dollars in tow, to the shop and returned as owners of a brand new Nintendo.
We knew we couldn't hope to bust out a brand new Nintendo and not catch hell for it, so I come up with an idea so brilliant it had to work. We wrapped the Nintendo set like a present and wrote on the tag, "To the kids, From Santa." During a moment when my parents weren't around we slipped under the tree and waited until Christmas morning.
"YAY!! A NINTENDO!!!"
"I thought you said we weren't getting them a Nintendo"
"I didn't get them in a Nintendo"
My parents spent the next week calling all their friends accusing them of buying us the NES. This went on until at my parent's new years party my mom was retelling the story, tag in hand, when she realized the handwriting looked curiously familiar. She must've matched it to some homework on the fridge or something because I remember hearing "RICHARD ALLEN" and knowing exactly what had happened. Fortunately for us this discovery happened with every single one of my parent's friends present, who were all laughing so hysterically that my parents couldn't get that angry with us.
The best part? My parents ended up making us return everything, but only because they found out what a terrible deal we got from the video game store. We went right from returning the system to getting a brand new one, at a much better price. In fact the only thing I did get in trouble for was taking my 8 year old sister across town on her bike. Ah well, it was worth it."
Bestest Christmas- A few years later I got a GBA SP the first Christmas they were out with Mario and Lugi Superstar Saga.
Also last Christmas/Birthday I got a DS Lite and like 5 or 6 games once all my money was spent, but that was after returning the expensive digital camera my parents had bought me that didn't do what I wanted it to do. So I guess you could say, bestest delayed Christmas ever?
That, sir, is awesome.
It wasn't technically on Christmas, but it was somewhere close. I was sitting in the dining room on a cold, chill night. The family's just minding their own business, we had just finished dinner, and we were basically just going to sit around for the rest of the night. Oh, but I would be doing the most sitting.
Out of the blue, my grandma pulls into the driveway and comes in. Just a regular visit? Seemingly. But there's a plastic bag in her hands. I'm only slightly inquisitive, clueless 11-year-old that I was, but within that plastic bag resided nirvana.
She whips 'em out. Pokemon Gold and Silver, plus the strategy guide. The games had only come out the day before.
Heaven.
This is what it looks like on the NES so imagine it somehow looking WORSE
Try and have fun with that game.
I realy wanted one but I never thought I would get it. Xmas Eve came along and I opened it up and almost crapped myself. Before I went to bed I asked my mom if she though Santa (I still believed at the time, hell I was only like 8) would change What I asked for because now that I had a nintendo I wanted Zelda (the whole reason for wanting a nintnedo). She told me to leave a note for him on the tree and maybe I would get lucky. Well, When I woke up in the morning there was a beautiful gold cartridge with my name on it (commence pants crapping part 2).
The second best xmas was when I got Zelda 2. The game was damn near impossible to find thanks to "Chip shortages" My mom happened to be at the store when a very limited shipment came in and she got one of the only copies. Suffice to say I had dirty pants again that year hehe.
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Didn't the main character just inexplicably disappear at the end of Wonder Boy IV?
I got a Dreamcast on launch day as well but ended up selling many months later. I regretted it and asked for another for Christmas. :P
Majora's Mask
N64 + Goldeneye
GC + SSBM
This was before youtube, mass use of the internet by my family, and the obvious video. I. KID. YOU. NOT.
EDIT: Heck I even got it on video tape, if I could only find a way to convert VHS to a digital format...
EDIT EDIT: And no I'm not trying to pull some stupid joke or prank, myself and my sibling all screamed at the top of our lungs when we saw that glorious dark gray machine. Also, worst Christmas game wise would have to be the time I asked for the first Spyro game for the game boy advance. Only game I got that Christmas too. Dang I was stupid.
EDIT EDIT EDIT: Man I hate editing so much but I think that was also the same Christmas where I got Mega man 7 and my brother got Yoshi's Island from relatives. Holy crap we were spoiled.
Of course last year (Though I wasn't a kid...23 at the time) was big because my Dad got a Wii for me. He stood in line at Best Buy the weekend after Thanksgiving to get it. If you knew my Dad you would understand what a huge deal this was...
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Each wonderboy game takes place hundreds of years after the previous ones. it's sorta like Zelda. The only things that really survive are the royal family (especially the queen) and the legendary hero. The Wonderboy is a different person each game. What makes the dude into wonderboy is when he collects and uses the legendary armor to defeat the dragons and free monster world.
Which is why I said Wonderboy III: Monster's lair, while not a monster world game, did reference monster world. In that game you play as members of the royal family who fight to protect the legendary armor so when the Legendary Hero returns he can save them.
Mine were never wrapped, only the stuff from my parents were. In fact, I still get unwrapped presents from "Santa" since I live at home and have younger siblings.
Christmas eve rolls around i open all my presents from my mom, i didnt get a ps2, I acted happy but was really bummed. I went upstairs to go to sleep, oblivious to what was around me. My mom walks in and goes whats that on your bed?
I was so sad that i didnt notice a PS2 GT3 package sitting on my bed unwrapped. There was no words to describe how i felt.
Next day at grandmas i got DMC, FFX, and onimusha need to say i did not sleep for the rest of christmas break.
Hey, I say that too. Anyway though, my best Christmas was probably when I got a ps2. It came with ATV Offroad Fury and THPS3. Best...games...ever.
This. I frikin' LOVE this. Had me cracking up for a good while. Now every time I see a Christmas tree I'll think of your saga. Thank you acidlace, THANK YOU
I'm 24, and have never received a single gaming related item for Christmas. I've stopped asking entirely. My ONE gaming gift moment was a good one though. For my birthday this last April, my wife's best friend and her husband (who works for a game store while going to school) gave me a freaking Wii! I probably STILL wouldn't have one if they hadn't gone so over the top.
Same here.
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No longer a child, but after years and years of getting games for Christmas that I have to hide away in my room to enjoy on my own, having the Wii hooked up to my cousins wall projector and having 4 generations of family all playing Wii Sports with such enthusiasm (and only minor injuries) really made my day.
I gotr the game for Christmas one year, and my older brother who had moved away for school was in town for the holidays, we stayed up until 3:00 am fora few days in a row listening to the radio, talking and leveling up. It was awesome to hang out with him for a while and actually get along. We finally beat the game just before he had to leave town again, I think we each took a few turns in beating the end boss.
I still impulsively buy JRPG's to capture that memory.
snes w mario world
zelda lttp
mario kart
pilotwings
mario paint
hal's hole in one golf (my dad loved golf games)
Unless you count the TI-99 4/a (pre-Commodore 64 home computer) or the only family PC (a 386 with VGA graphics and DOS 5) I never got any gaming systems for xmas or my birthday. It's not that I didn't get nice presents and toys, but gaming systems were always a little too costly for my parents. So I had to buy my own NES, while I was still just a kid in grade school... (using money accumulated from gifts and very small allowances.) Although, I did get it a few months before xmas, which meant that I got a couple of games as xmas presents. My parents got me City Connection, which doesn't really hold up that well, but is still a blast to play in short bursts, and my godmother got me "Major League Baseball" by LJN. I played it to death, even while being conscious of the fact that it was probably the worst NES baseball game ever (and the NES really got its fair share of baseball games, for some reason...)
The next year, I got much better games: Dragon Warrior and Faxanadu!
But, since my parents never bought me new game systems, I almost completely skipped over the 16-bit era (only played games at friends' or cousins' houses...) as well as the first generation of 3D consoles.
It's only when I finally moved out, and started making real money that I finally bought a new console: an Xbox.
So it's profoundly ironic that I destined myself to become a video game designer (although that's not what I'm currently doing, I've done it before, and I will do it again, damnit!)
Still, because of all this, I feel it forced me to apreciate what I had more, and to apreciate how hard these things are to come by. I mean, I rented a bunch of NES games because I only ever owned 9 games myself... Half of which I bought with my own money.
It's only recently, now that I have more money to spend, and a recent set of personal events that caused me to end up with a glut of new games all together, that I've gotten to the point where I can't get to apreciate each game I have individually and on its own terms.
Worst xmas yet? Nothing too bad: last year I did all sorts of things to try and get a Wii, but I just never ended up in the right place, at the right time. I even emailed Nintendo Canada to tell them about my situation, but apart from empathizing, there just wasn't anything they could do, obviously. So while I was planning on playing Wii with friends and family all holiday, it took me all the way until last June before I could get one. So, really, it wasn't that bad an xmas, as we still had lots of fun playing 4-player Gamecube games (Wario Ware GC is the awesomest party game ever!) and 4-player DOA2U and Halo 2 on XBox.
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The UK version of SFII:Turbo didn't come out for a further 12 months, and the game to import then was about £70 - 90 on top of £30 - 40 for a converter or paying £150+ to have your SNES 60/50hz switch fitted and the cart slot widened, the equivalent of rebuying another Super Nintendo!
I was so pissed I traded in my 'Tuff E Nuff' in for a different game because it just paled in comparison to SFII:Turbo!
A little backstory, my mother always gave us an 'open last' present. Usually a tiny box with a note as to where in the house we could find our final - and best - gift.
Anyway. My next to last gift was simply an envelope wherein I found an IOU for 1 N64 and 1 copy of Mario 64. Naturally I was heartbroken, but understanding. Then I opened my last gift, followed the directions, and there it was...an N64 with a copy of Mario 64 on top.
Mom was a crafty one.
Then in 98 if I recall I got MGS and Ocarina of Time. Awesome - twice.
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Nearly every family I know in my entire town in the UK like's gaming, thank gawd Nintendo came along eh and made games cool?
when I got a brand spanking new Atari 7800
my parents didn't hate video games .... they just didn't understand them.
The best day though was when my Mom was supposed to get me Super Star Wars for getting good grades or something. My sister had broken her glasses the day before (expensive ones I guess) and my Mom said we couldn't afford the game now. I took it fine though I was just a little bummed (I only had Mario World, but had beaten it soooo many times).
The next day we were in the car and she asked me to grab her purse from under my seat .... it was Super Star Wars. She just smiled and said 'we'll manage' .... I can't remember being so happy about a game in my life.
But I do have one pretty great story and it's a reason why I contribute to Child's Play and proof how excellent my Mom is:
In 8th grade, I came down with bacterial meningitis. This is the bad meningitis that leads to a hospital stay and risks include brain damage and death. Just getting diagnosed properly requires a spinal tap (imagine the biggest fucking shot you can get that takes 40 minutes to stick in... in your spine) and symptoms include everlasting headaches and throwing up bile and... well you get the point. It's bad news bears.
Anyway, this is right around the time Metal Gear Solid came out. Once I got home and finally caught some real sleep, the next day I awoke to a PS1, the game, and the strategy guide. I couldn't go back to school for another two weeks and when my head wasn't splitting, I would play and forget how crappy that time was.
So, while not on a celebrated holiday or anything, that's the best gaming related present I ever got. MGS still has a very special place in my heart because of it even if the sequels have never done much for me.