How Atari Changed my Life

Did you play Pong?  How about Pac Man?  Or here's one for you -- Yar's Revenge.  (My babysitter had this one and would bring it over and let me play it sometimes -- so awesome!)

My uncle was an electronics fanatic.  He introduced me to Atari which we played on his huge projection TV -- the projector was bigger than me and the screen was enormous for the late 70's early 80's.  (He also introduced me to computer programming, but that's a story for another day.)  He later gave me that Atari system and I played it for years and years.

Enter NES -- The Nintendo Entertainment System.  After I played Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, there was no turning back.  I have purchased each of the new Nintendo gaming systems as they hit the market, and spent many hours playing my favorites.

For the last few years, I've played the Nintendo DS (then DSlite and now DSi ) religiously.  I have a few games...

Okay, I confess, this isn't all the DS games I have, and about twice a year I sell the ones that I can live without on eBay, but this is the majority of the stash. 

I'm sure there are other gamers from my generation out there.  I can't be the only one who was sucked in my Atari back in the day.  So, I'm going to do what I said I would do ages ago and begin reviewing video games, focusing on DS and Wii games.

Are you a gamer?  What are your favorite systems?  Games?  (I've been tempted to get a PSP, but have restrained myself.  Anyone have any thoughts?)

Comments

[Suzanne]

Yup. The gamers are out there! I have a DS, PSP, Wii, and Xbox 360. I have to admit - I love my PSP. There are times I don't like futzing with a stylus and so many DS games are stylus dependent. Enter the PSP. If you are interested in the PSP you should check out the games LocoRoco and Patapon. Seriously addictive. Seriously. And I love that I can store multiple games on a storage card at one time on it. But I love my DS too. I'm just finishing up the first Professor Layton game. And your collection looks just about the same size as mine. :) Can't wait to read your reviews!

[Jessimuhka]

I <3 Meteos! I have a DS lite, and mostly play meteos, Mario Kart DS and Gardening Mama. I also have a PS2 just so I can play Katamari Damacy. I don't play a ton of games (and never had a gaming system until college, because my parents didn't approve of them) but I definitely have a few I love now. The boyfriend is a big Xbox360 fan, but most of those games are too hard for me to the point where they're not fun anymore. I would love to get a Wii, and I'm tempted by the dancing game where you hold the controller and do fad dances like the Cabbage Patch.

[Michelle]

Atari kid here too. My younger had a Nintendo. I didn't play video games much for a long time until last year when I started working in Tech Support for a local software company. My coworkers are a younger generation very much into computers, iPhones and gaming. Last year I bought a DS. I prefer quest games. Right now I'm playing Prince Caspian, The Golden Compass and Guitar Hero.

[Cyndy]

I don't play at all but my husband loves the Metroid Games. Once he starts he can't stop.

[Tsoniki Crazy Bull]

Yes we are a gamer family! We have the XBox 360, the Wii, all of us have a DS (dh just got his this past Christmas). We have a Super Nintendo still and just got rid of the Gamecube.

Did you know there is a card out there you can buy and then you can get ALL the DS games on it? I hesitate to say that because companies need to make money right - except games are or can be expensive and if the card wasn't there, people wouldn't buy it...

Anyway - yes i love gaming! And we had an Atari back in the day too. :)

[Annette]

we were just talking about Atari today. My family had Intelevision-- so it was Space Armana and skilling. My best friend had Atari so I hung out at her house a lot. Wii, DS-- we might get a PS3 only because Santa got DJ Hero for the PS3 evidently and not for the Wii. So I thought-- bring it back with packaging all ripped up or get a new system? hmmm....