The 5 Best Video Games of my Childhood
Recounting Tales of Friendship and Gaming
Much of my childhood was spent playing video games. Buying the newest releases each year, I have fond memories of staying up and gaming with friends. Sitting in a basement, loaded on pizza and soda, video games brought us together. As I venture deeper into my adulthood, I miss these days. Responsibilities grow, interest changes and the free days of youth are replaced with action. A vessel of old life, I take a glance at the games when I pass the shelf. Retaining value for obscure collectors, the treasures of my youth, sit idle; collecting dust. It’s hard to digest, but mostly, life goes on.
Gamecube turns to ice cube and life in the basement moves to a bar. There was a time though when all we had were these games. Five dollar footlongs, Arizona Ice Teas and homework due next week. Nirvana if it ever existed. In light of my memory, I made a list of the top 5 games we played. These were never “the greatest games” but rather the ones I enjoyed the most. The ones that made us laugh, that made us stay up late and the ones that made us forget our problems. Looking back, we never had any problems, but hindsight is 20/20. These are the classics of my youth.
5. NBA 2K
When I was in 9th grade, my friend bought this game and it took over our lives. Every weekend, our group of 5 would get together for full nights of 2K. At the time, we weren’t huge basketball fans but this game was very addicting. Especially it’s versatility. If you want to be competitive: there’s a lot of options to raise the difficulty. Moreover, the base game is simple enough that it can be played without much focus. Many times we would play 2k in the background and talk about life.
Playing with height and weight settings, we’d also have a ton of jokes. There were games where we made players 1 foot tall; there were others where players were the full 12 feet. In the game, we’d even go as far as making our friends and teachers in the game. On one occasion, we made our gym teacher and laughed at the attributes we designed. Shot making? We set at 100. Speed? Let’s try 0.
Even now, I still play 2K. My best friend moved away and we play about once a month. Mostly when we link online, we’re playing the MyGM mode. Here, you act as a team’s general manager operating under a very simple goal. Create the best team in the NBA and win a championship. In this mode, one can trade players, fire coaches and draft real-life amateurs. This works great for us because we love basketball. Altering present reality, it’s very rewarding to see how a real team could be improved. Beyond reality, 2K is enticing in that it allows one to remix past events. With access to the great “what ifs” and “what could have been’s” you can use many historic teams and players. Jordan vs Lebron, Kobe vs Luka, in 2k can you see things you can’t see in reality. In general, if you’re a fan of sports or if you want something to relax too, 2K is a must.
4. Super Mario Strikers
In theory, Super Mario Strikers is soccer. In reality, it’s hardly about soccer. In Super Mario Strikers, players use explosives, mushrooms, shells and stars to literally obliterate the opposition. It is a game that reflects total warfare and one in which fire is used without fear of getting a red card. Penalties don’t exist and alligators defend goalposts with animalistic ferocity. Super Mario Strikers works because it matches the tantalizing destruction of war while simultaneously invoking the silliness found in Nintendo. One minute you’re laughing, the next you’ve been hit by a bomb. A beautiful fusion, Mario Party Strikers is iconic for rekindling friendships in our group.
In truth, the game is really intense. With overpowered weapons and many moments when the offensive becomes isolated, you never feel comfortable when you’re in the lead. Unlike regular soccer, this game lets you score two goals at once.
As such, you can be up 6–2 with only one minute left and still blow it. With matches only 5 minutes in length, Super Mario Strikers is a race to the finish that is ripe with heaps of pressure. This is especially true in the late game scenarios as losing players gain access to special weapons that can turn the tide instantly. Furthermore, there’s a lot of variance in the results as the game will drop in bowser or change the angle of the stadium at random.
All things considered, Super Mario Strikers is wonderful. It’s one of those games that you play by accident and return for its undeniable charm. There aren’t many modes which is normally a detriment however the no-frills nature of the game is enticing. The simple game mechanics do not leave room for cheap tricks or drawn-out games with stalling. Super Mario Strikers works because it’s simple and has low learning barriers. A diamond in the rough, I highly recommend giving this game a try.
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
I’ll never forget, Christmas of 2008. Outside snow was pouring in the city and inside we had made hot chocolate. My friend Max had just gotten his Christmas presents and our group came over to hang out. I had never seen so many Christmas presents in my life and I remember feeling amazed by the sea of wrapping paper. We sifted through the hall and inside we had discovered the game that would forever shape our childhood. Unassuming at first, we put the disc into the X Box and from that moment, I was shook. When we began playing, all I remember thinking is “WOW, this is vivid.” The scenery was vibrant, there were crescendos of exciting weapons and there was this great tension that persisted when we played other.
It should be noted that by all accounts, Modern Warfare 2 is a certified classic. First-day sales exceeded over 4.7 million copies and total sales revenue is over 1 billion dollars. When this game was released, the zeitgeist was everywhere and it’s easy to understand why. The game offers a large collection of guns, a simple re-spawn system and controls that can be learned with ease. Beyond basics, the game shines in its graphics and colours. When I recall playing, I can mentally picture the blissful, intense imagery and the blood that appears on your screen when shot.
Essentially, this game is that perfect, simple Margherita pizza. Nothing complex, just the fundamentals done at the highest level. When COD first got to us, it was pandemonium. The game was done so well that I had friends skipping school to play online. To this day if you buy the latest Call of Duty, you’ll find swarms of middle schoolers to join you. A pseudo bar mitzvah playing Call of Duty is a right of passage for the teenage male experience.
2. Halo 3
If Modern Warfare 2 is margarita pizza, Halo 3 is Hawaiian. While Call of Duty is defined by fundamentals, Halo 3 is propelled by pushing things to the limit. Before Halo, I could never even imagine the weapons they would create. Spartan Lasers, The Energy Sword, Rocket Launchers, each weapon was more unique than the last. Even beyond the weapons, the vehicles in Halo were top caliber. For example, “The Ghost”. What’s a ghost? It’s a driving purple spaceship that runs over your friends. What about a Banshee? Why drive when you can fly and gun everyone down?
Set design aside, I think Halo 3 stood out because of the choice to play in the third person. Before Halo, I never thought I would enjoy it. I would have figured looking at your character gets in the way. Truly I was mistaken. In Halo 3 it’s exciting to witness yourself doing things yourself. Perhaps this is because of how unique each action can be. Well done in many regards, Halo 3 was also comical. My friends and I would argue about the merits of using a sniper rifle. We’d say, “That doesn’t take any skill! You’re 100 feet away from me and you won’t face me like a man!” Meanwhile, we thought it was “talented” when we ran up on each other with a bazooka. “Now that’s what I call ‘real skill’.”
Bold, innovative, enticing, Halo 3 is one of a kind. To this day I still revisit Halo 3 when I get a chance. Game modes like Capture the flag, King of the Hill or Slayer kept the game exciting. As a side note, the soundtrack is also phenomenal. The intro music provides a hymn that makes you feel like you’re ascending to heaven. Actually, the whole game makes you feel that way.
1. Super Smash Bros Brawl
Truly a game that follows you through life, the Super Smash Bro’s franchise has been relevant since 1999. With a new game every few years and similar controls throughout its history, the game evolved alongside us. A staple in popular culture, I have to explain the appeal of the game through the form of analogy. Imagine it’s your first day at a new school and you only have 1 friend. As the year goes on, you and your friend decide to be more social. You spend time in the schoolyard and meet more and more of your peers. By the end of the year, your crew is 4 or 5 people deep. So instead of having that 1 person to spend time with, you have a whole team behind you.
This is the essence of Smash.
When the first game arrived: “Super Smash Bros” there were only 12 playable characters. (insert photo) Since then, the series has grown leaps and bounds. The latest “Super Smash Bros Ultimate” features a whopping 80 characters. The experience reminds me of ageing. The older you get, the more people you know. The more people you know, the more life you enjoy. Every iteration of Smash shows characters come from new and old games alike. As such you never know who will be joining you for the next phase of your smash life.
This feels like a good time to bring up the age-old adage:
“Make new friends but keep the old, one is Silver and one is Gold.”
While there are life long characters you are very close to — Pikachu and Kirby, you will also meet new ones. People like Ken, King Dede and Ridley. You perspective will change and you will make friends you never thought possible. In this way, Super Smash Bros is the perfect metaphor for life. Life changes and evolves. As you age you are privy to new, enticing things. At your core, however, you can never escape who you are in your heart. No matters how many versions of Smash that are made, the true essence of the game remains the same. Life is beautiful and so is Smash.
I recognize in this analogy I haven’t discussed the actual game play. Trust me, it’s irrelevant. Smash was at every young birthday I ever attended. It’s an amazing game. At 25 million copies sold, it is the best selling fighting game of all time by 10 million units. Not only that but the game and its many versions appear twice in the top 3 and six times in the top 20.
There you have it. The top 5 games from my childhood. Shout out to all the friends who made it possible.
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