This week's Ask the GameGirls question comes from Brizzol. He writes:
Hey GameGirls!
I've always enjoyed games ever since I got my hands on the Atari 2600 wayy back in the day. Of course I played tons and had fun, but then started coming across games (double dragon 2 - nes; earthbound - snes; flashback - sega; resident evil - psx; metal gear solid - psx; etc.) that just really sank in and displayed how powerful of a tool that video games could be. I'm not saying of course that these games inspired the industry, but on a personal level. After finishing some just sitting back and thinking "damn, that was a really good game" (or what the hell just happened lol). But to get to my question, what's a game that comes to mind for each of you girls that really sank in and made you realized that this was something to stick with?
Thanks Girls! Keep up the l337 work!
brizzol
Well, as a child, and even today, my dad was a VERY casual gamer. I wasn't given lots of different video games to play and my brother and I bought almost all of the games in our collections. My very first video game was Super Mario World, which holds a special place in my heart, but doesn't even compare to how much The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time defined me as a gamer. It was really a huge staple for me. I think Donkey Kong Country 3 was also a big deal for me. Most people say there were many other games that should have molded my gamer lifestyle, but I didn't get a chance to try out a large majority of them. Hell, I didn't even get a non-Nintendo system until high school. I think that's also why I'm so fond of the old school games; They were all I played for an extremely long time and just stuck with me. Obviously Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 64 went on to be important aspects, but Ocarina of Time, dare I say, changed my life. To this day Ocarina of Time is my absolute favorite video game of all time. This picture couldn't describe me more perfectly.
Nice question. Well, where to start? I first began playing video games when my mom brought home a handful of educational PC games for me when I was five, then an SNES later that year. I mean, GumShoe wasn't the most visually moving game, but it stuck well enough for me, even back then. Honestly I think the first game that sold it for me was Kingdom Hearts. I was really deep into playing games at that point, but it was after finishing Kingdom Hearts that I realized how a game can have both a beautiful visual setting and a moving story. From there my eyes were opened to the wide world of RPGs and it just took off. WoW caught my eye, as well as a chunk of Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry, Elder Scrolls and a whole lot more. Honestly, from those days onward, I knew it was love. I sell games, I make games, I study games, and I write about games. It's a field that keeps growing and truly has no bounds. I knew it back then that games are incredible, driving forces that are, and will continue to be, hard to ignore. All the games I have ever played impacted me in some way. The most I can say is "Thanks Mom for buying me Freddy Fish and Reader Rabbit. Without those two first games, I may not be where I am today."
Hey Brizzol! There have been tons of games that have really "spoken" to me or made me really feel something. There have been many games that impressed the hell out of me and made me go "Yep. This is why I game." A few of those games would be Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, God of War 1, BioShock, Super Mario 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Gears of War, and there are many others. I would say the two games that made me realize that gaming was not just a passing hobby for me was Pitfall and the original Super Mario Bros. At the time I played those two games I was just getting into gaming and both of those titles made me realize that this was more to me than just entertainment, this was my new lifestyle.
There is a reason Xenogears is my favorite video game ;) I had loved playing games since I was a really small child because they were fun. But it wasn't until I got into RPGs on the Playstation that I realized they could be a powerful form of storytelling. Before that my favorite games with story were the Zelda series. But when I popped in Final Fantasy 7 I was floored. As someone who loves getting wrapped up and involved with characters, I was really hooked. I started to really appreciate games for being deep and involving experience. Since then I've obviously branched out from JRPGs and enjoy a number of games. The Metal Gear franchise is one that continues to impress me and prove video games as a valid form of media, with its storytelling, music, characters, etc.
I have to say, hands down that it was Zelda Ocarina of Time, I just remember playing that game as a little girl and every single thing in it had a way of making me smile. From the music and sounds of the game to the little movements of the Deku Scrubs, I was in love with every part of it. And when I finally finished it, even though I was pretty young at the time, the game still had a way of leaving an impression in my mind that told me it was a passion of mine. I'm still in love with the soundtrack, I have it in three different versions no joke, and I can't see myself ever getting tired of hearing the Lost Woods theme/Saria's song over and over. After that game I knew that video games were always going to be a part of my life, no matter how old I got, I've actually been wanting to get a tattoo of the hylian symbol behind my ear, just to represent, as if it's not enough that I have a sticker of it on my car already.
Great question Brizzol. Although it is hard to pinpoint an individual game for everything, but I first started playing on the NES and my dad's old PC. My dad loved video games (he's a PC gamer), and is the reason I really started when I did. Game wise, I would have to say there were a few games that really got me into gaming. They are Super Mario Brothers, Duck Hunt, Master Blaster, and Jump Man Jr. (for those who don't know it was on the Commodore 64). Those 4 games really stick out in my mind. I loved the adventure style, shooting things, and trying to get to the next level. They may not have the graphics and cutting edge technology that we have now. But it definitely lead me to want to play more, which has been very obvious over the years. :)
What are some of your game suggestions?
Got a question of your own for the GameGirls? Send an email to them at Tips4GameGirl@gmail.com. Your question may appear in the next segment!!
