If you’ve never been to an arcade, then I pity you. You’ve missed out on some of the best aspects of what gaming is all about, an aspect that many players forget: fun. Playing video games is about having fun, not being hardcore, beating every level, unlocking every secret, and being otherwise OCD. Sometimes, though it pains me to admit it, playing video games isn’t about the graphics, music or story; sometimes it’s just about the amount of fun a game allows you. Ask any person who may not even consider themselves a gamer, per say, what it was that they enjoyed about any game made prior to the year 2000. You’ll most likely notice a glaze over their eyes as they stare into space, as if they were literally looking into the past, and then present you with information concerning simple stories, epic struggles of good, evil and turtle shells, hours spent playing with friends and family, and how enjoyable every last bit of it was. I, for one, remember waking up early and running to the houses of friends and cousins, getting there before even our parents were awake, to play games of Mario, Star Wars and the like.
Years later, when gaming had evolved and become more interactive with various peripherals, most notable of the lot being light guns, arcades seemed more fun than playing the consoles at home. Many of my favorite games of all time involved shooting aliens, zombies, and various other baddies. Unfortunately, I didn’t always have the money to attend the arcades or to even, later, buy consoles, games and peripherals to play the old games I fell in love with at home in my very own bordello of game lust. It is thanks to, let’s be real, emulators that I was able to play many a classic title, and many more obscure ones. One of the best, lesser known titles of all being The Typing of The Dead.
Zeblue is an amateur graphic artist and blogger, who is hopelessly addicted to Twitter and all things geek. It is his passion to share geek awesomeness that brings his articles to iGeekTrooper,Necessary Cool, Murmur, zMoPo and ZebluePrime.com. Be ready for more.