Nintendo has a new console coming out. If you missed it yesterday, we had a lengthy discussion on The Christian Nerd Podcast about the Nintendo Switch. At this point in my life I can’t see myself purchasing another console; I barely have time for the console I already own. I’m not the biggest Nintendo fanboy, but its consoles have definitely been a big part of my life. Leading up to the release of the Nintendo Switch on March 3, I thought I’d share some of my favorite Nintendo memories. We’ll get started with the original Nintendo Entertainment System.
Duck Hunt
I could clearly write an entire list about Super Mario Bros. Mario was probably the first video game I ever played and I absolutely loved it. The game is a cultural icon and Mario is one of the most enduring video game characters. However, I was also a big fan of the second game on that original cartridge. Duck Hunt was so much fun; I loved shooting down the ducks and trying to make it to the next level. I never owned an NES of my own as a child, so I would have to hone my skills when I visited my friends’ houses. I never mastered Duck Hunt, but I still loved the game even when that dumb dog laughed at me.
The Karate Kid
This is by far the most random memory I have the NES. As stated above, I never owned a Nintendo of my own. So one of my friends must have owned The Karate Kid and I was lucky enough to play it at his house. I don’t remember anything about the game itself, but there was a bonus minigame at the end of every level. The minigame involved using chopsticks to catch flies. I don’t think I was very good at the minigame; I didn’t learn how to use chopsticks IRL until I was 20. Apparently the game itself wasn’t very memorable if the only part of it I can remember is a silly little minigame. Here’s a video of the minigame.
Double Dragon
Double Dragon is the first multiplayer video game experience that I can remember. I understand that Battlefield 1 and Destiny are much more refined and advanced multiplayer experiences, but I miss the days of side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups. There was nothing better in the early days of gaming than taking down groups of identical thugs with a friend. As advanced as modern systems are, most of them have taken away couch co-op gaming. The only option Alycia and I have to game together on our Xbox One is with the remastered version of the Halo games. Games like Double Dragon may have been simple, but that simplicity bred a lot of fun.
Nintendo has a great history in gaming; for a lot of us the NES was probably the first console we ever played. I’ve missed a lot of Nintendo’s history in recent years, a trend that will most likely continue with the Nintendo Switch. However, it does come out on Alycia’s birthday so I could get her the most selfish gift ever.
What are some of your favorite NES memories?
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