Nintendo and Me.

It's part of growing up. The word Nintendo is almost genetically ingrained into everyboy's mind. From the moment you first tore back the carboard, openend the box and grabbed the rectangular gray controller. If felt so natural in your hand, like a missing appendage. Well I wanted to write about an 8-bit expierence I had not too long ago....




It all started at a school rummage sale. It was a cold winter day, As I drove into park my car. I walked inside the dark gymnasium, A handfull of people roamed this dungeon of second hand goods in search of treasures unspeakable. As I combed the isles of cardboard boxes filled to the brim with paperback novels and broken vcrs, something caught my eye. Alone and hidden in one of the darker shadows was a brown paper bag. I ventured towards it, not knowing what to expect. As I grabbed the bag and opened it, peering into it like a ancient well, I lost my breath. For inside this common paper bag was a very uncommon find. An Original Nintendo console, complete with cords, controllers, Zapper gun and games. Suspicious of my fellow treasure hunters, I closed the bag nonchalantly and made for the nearest merchant to make the purchase. Sweat gathered at my brow as I lay the bag gently on the table. "That will be Five Dollars Please." I coughed defensively, surprised to say the least...





As I drove back home, Thoughts bubbled in my mind. It had been years since I had my first Nintendo. I thought of the fortune sitting in my trunk. I imagined the history of this particular piece. From it being bought at the store. Opened as a present, and played gleefully by it's owners. But years passed, new advances caught the owners attention. Gathered up and put in the attic the sytem would be forgotten and wait for along time till someone would discover it again. Lucky I was to be that person.





I opened the door to my house hastily. I ran to my bedroom and emptied the contens onto the floor. I wanted to savor this moment. I carefull inspected all of the components. Long forgotten memories surged back to life as I held the console. From the gradually yellowing two tone paint, to the strange removable plastic cover on the bottom.



As I went to start the process of hooking it up, I stopped and thought of the poor system. Locked away for countless years and to be suddenly revived would be a trying event. So I introduced it to its long lost bretheren. They were all apprehensive at first but soon warmed to each other.






It had been such a long time since I hooked up one of these that I was unsure of what to do. I dumbly looked at the RFU adapter, uncertain of its purpose. I finally remembered and went to connect it to the cable rod on the back of the TV. As I shuffled myself akwardly between the TV and the wall I remembered how much of a ordeal it was to screw the adapter on to the cable rod. Today it was no different. My fingers ached as I tried heroically to connect the pieces. After a few profane outbursts, I did it.




After all the dirty work was finished I looked greedily upon my pile of games. Not wanting to spoil the moment I took carefull consideration as to what cartridge would have the first honor. Super Mario would have that Honor.





I insterted the game, pressed it down, and closed the lid. Pressing the power button excitedly I waited....nothing happened. The light blinked.




Fool! I thought to myself. You can't just turn it on, expecting it to submit itself to you so easily! Nintendo's were finicky, they needed coaxing so start. I was an expert at this back in the day. First I examined the cartidge for any foriegn debris...




Nothing. I blew lightly into the cartride and popped it back in. The system was unmoved by my display of wit. I had one other trick up my sleeve. Pressing the power button on, I waited for it to start blinking. Carefull and patient I timed the blinking with a press of the Restart Button...Success! I was back in action now.



As soon as the level started I felt myself caught in a space time continuum. It seemed only yesterday that I last played Super Mario. I knew exactly where all the mushrooms were at and what bricks yielded coins. Although I felt as though was comitting some sort of Blasphemy playing Nintendo on a LCD, I didn't care. The past and future met together beautifully. Caught up in a sublime cloud of enjoyment I was completely oblivious as to what buttons to press and when to press them. It was all done sub conciously.



I quickly made progress though the first two levels and found myself at the Warp Zone!




I made short work of every opponent and found myself face to face with my old nemesis, Bowser.




It was a hard fought battle, but I came through un scathed.





After a few hours of side scrolling bliss, I retired Mario and decided to vent some anger on the native water fowl.




After several precisely aimed shots with no luck I recalled that this game didn't work on lcds. All the while that stupid dog mocked my every ill placed shot. He was lucky I couldn't shoot him.





After that I went through the rest of the titles. Playing each one happily.








In the end, I was thoroughly satisfied. I now want to explain this article. It is not in the fashion of the usual ones I do. I did this on a whim. I really forgotten all the memories of playing Nintendo. Now days most people are concerned with only the new. Quickly forgetting the old. I am not just talking about material items but memories and life lessons. I have a odd feeling this will end up on the back pages but it would be an even greater crime for me not to have written it because I did not think it would go over well. For those of you who read it completely through, you have my sincere thanks...