what are your guys first gaming experiences?

[miguk miguk]

My dad let me go into an arcade during a family trip. I had no idea what the place was, what these big TV boxes were, or what a video game was. Saw "cartoons" on them and weird sticks (and sometimes guns!) in front of the screens, as well as slots that asked for coins. Came to the shocked realization it was some sort of coin-operated game where you control the "TV show". This was some seriously futuristic stuff to me. (For the record, my pop culture awareness up to this point was just PBS, Saturday morning cartoons, Gisnep, and classic literature.) Spent half my pocket change on Rampage, the other half on Operation Wolf. Dad refused to give me more change or time at the arcade, though eventually got me a NES (SMB/Duck Hunt edition).

 

[tigg]

Sitting in the house playing Pong with my brother when I was around 3 or so. We played the crap out of that little console.

 

[AnonymousCookieMonster]

First experience that i remember...

I'm told my mom would put on the Atari and have it do asteroids and i'd watch it when i was like 2-3. And i know i played Defender, watched Fort Apocalypse, and PacMan, River-rat, Spy Hunter, Captain Cosmos, Crazy Chopper, Jumpman, My ABC's, Questron, Castle Wallenstein, Hangman, battleship, some type of stocks buy/selling game, Joust, Mission to mars, Last Starfighter, ET, to name a few. Had dreams i could type a command on the Atari and make a Superman game pop up, but when i went to show it off BASIC just said it was a syntax error. hmmm disappointed...

But the first experiences i can likely call my own that i can remember, would be when my brother rented a NES. so... 1989? Games he rented included TMNT, Megaman 3, and Rygar? Other memories include Rescue Rangers...

Also the main gas station had 2-3 arcade games, NARC, Robot Cop and Altered Beast come to mind. I played those a few times.

 

[Nidoking's iconNidoking]

My parents filmed themselves playing Chip n' Dale (NES) and put a controller in my hand with it playing to make me feel like I was playing. We're talking SUPER young. Then eventually they just put it on for real. Clicked immediately and I was locked in.

 

[King Koopa's iconKing Koopa]

I just remember having an NES and SNES then seeing a shiny gold cartridge (Zelda) and popping it in immediately.

 

[Kid Dynamite]

I remember like it was yesterday. I lived in the local arcade with a pocket full of quarters daily. I played Donkey Kong, Kung Fu Master, Double Dragon you name it. Good times.

 

[chxshire22]

It was probably in 2001, when i was 4 that my cousin gave me an old windows 98 computer and on it were a bunch of old DOS games. I was quickly addicted to Chip's Challenge.

You might recognise it:

That's my earliest memory of playing any computer games at all. After that we had Sims on the pc, then also after that my first console game was Sonic on the PS1, after my older brother upgraded to a PS2.

What a beautiful console. Probably nostalgia, but I think it's a timeless design.

I remember clearly setting it up on the small crt TV in my room. Didn't need any help to set it up. Cables makes sense, white to white, red to red, yellow to yellow. Ah I remember hearing the boot up screen on the PS1 for the first time too... what a memory. My dad and his friend were standing behind me checking it out as well and when I booted up Sonic. When I started playing he said "Wow I remember playing this on SEGA". Makes sense, he was born in '62 so when SEGA released Sonic for the first time (?) in '91 he'd be 29 years old.

Playing my first computer game and booting up the PS1 for the first time are fond memories although it's getting fuzzy for me already. I'm glad I have the opportunity to recount it here. <3

Also I really think simple games like Chip's Challenge helped a lot in developing my cognitive abilities as a child.

 

[Trainer Red]

well since this is in the NES talk section
i recall being in a relative's apartment and trying out the Mario Bros on the NES that included Duck Hunt ... that light gun sure was neat :O