Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Q*Bert and I: Reunited

My husband and I have a weird fascination with game systems. Some would think collecting the old game systems would be a sign of a midlife crisis. Ours started when we got married.

Playing video games together was something we always enjoyed. It was a fun night of smack talking back and forth. If it was a fighting game, I usually got my ass handed to me. On the other hand, if it was something like Dr. Mario, Tetris or Q*Bert, I would rule the kingdom.

What started off with us finding an old school Nintendo and collecting the games turned into finding all the old systems and investing in them. We were living our childhood over again.

Sadly though, as we started investing in the newer game system models, like the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation 3, the other game systems started collecting dust. When we moved, we couldn't bear to part with the game systems even though they were no longer being used. We packed them all up in plastic bins and when we unpacked into our house, they got hidden in the deep dark corners of our front closet.

Q*bert on a 60 inch TV screen doesn't have
nearly as impressive graphics as we once
remembered. But it was still fun!
That all changed yesterday. My husband pulled out one of the game systems and was playing it. Suddenly, memories started returning and the only thing I could think of was a want to play Q*Bert! Funny, because I haven't thought about Q*Bert in years! But I was determined. I knew we had the game and I was going to find it!

I did find it and we pulled out our Sega Dreamcast anticipating a night of alien interaction. Sadly though, we couldn't find the power cord. And with it being an older game system, buying a replacement cord would take time. But I knew we had to have a cord somewhere. And that is when the Playstation 3 came to the rescue. It worked on the Dreamcast. We hooked it up immediately and started a trip down Memory Lane.

We played for a little bit before bed. Our kids were fascinated by such a crazy looking creature. And then my daughter recognized him.

"Hey! He is the funny character from Wreck It Ralph!"

She was pretty excited. My husband and I felt old. The only reference these kids had to Q*Bert was from a movie about old video games. Oh how times have changed. The simplicity and challenge of a game that didn't require 30 million different button combinations just to kick. It was mind-numbing while still being a challenge. I miss that from the old game systems.

So today, I only have one thing to do on my "To Do" list! I am going to reunite with Q*Bert. Go ahead and laugh, but that game is not only addicting and fun, but it is hard and I can't get passed the first level. So today, Q*Bert and I will be spending quality time together.
A "To Do" List to keep me on track!

If you don't see me tomorrow... send a search party!

5 comments:

  1. Oh too funny and now I remembering my old Atari days (yup showing my age, too!). Sadly, those days are gone around her, but we do have a PS3 (Kevin is addicted) and also a Wii (which I love). Thanks for the walk down memory lane!! :)

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  2. Those old games are so much fun! I have a few piled away somewhere...now I have a Wii and believe it or not, my favorite thing I have on it is the yoga stuff. LOL

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  3. I LOVE this. My best friend and I bought a super nintendo a few years back and wrapped Super Mario World III, and it was some of the best days of my life. We looked like a couple of burn-outs and survived off of popsicles and little sleep to do it. Takes me back.

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  4. I used to love playing Tetris -- totally addicting! I'm so old that I remember when Pong came out. Our kids would have one look at Pong and be like, "what is this?"

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  5. That sounds like a great day! I love playing video games too and I love the old ones! Dave and I used to play (before having kids) but now, my kids wait for him to play with him...and I'm not really good at some of these new-fangled games. :) Except for Let's Dance. Damn, I'm old.

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