The Nintendo Entertainment System Experience

Ok, so I really don't care whether or not people know how old I am. I just turned 30 (ouch!) last month. That means that I was just learning how to ride a two wheeler during the advent of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Which for me didn't work out too well, because I wasn't exactly the most coordinated six year old on the block. Learning to ride a two wheeler was quite a painful experience! Anyway, it wasn't until I was in the second grade did I even get to see an "NES". Of of my classmates (who used to beat me up...weird relationship - maybe I'll make another lens to explain later) invited me to his house and it was in that very moment that Kung Fu, Nintendo, and I really fell in love. The rest, well, as they say was history.

As I mentioned about, the first time I played Nintendo was with a classmate and not a friend. Truth of the matter, I wasn't exactly Mr. Popular back in the day. The few friends that I did have either didn't have Nintendo or simply would never let me play it (again, another lens for another day). My only option was to go to what was formerly Showbiz (now Chuck E Cheese in the Midwest) and play Super Mario Bros. Gosh, I loved those days. I used to take my allowance - all $4 of it, and play Mario. I would wake up on a Saturday morning and get there before the doors opened up at 10:00a. I remember clearly. I would walk in, and about 15 paces was the change machine. I would put my $4.00 in the changer and get my 16 tokens. Back in the day, (for all the youngsters reading) this was an era where a video game only needed 1 credit. The monetary translation - 1 credit = $.25. Then it was off to my mini-sanctuary. About 13 paces back the other way, there it stood. Super Mario Bros. in all it's glory.

So basic math will tell you that I had 16 tries to try and beat Super Mario Bros. How many did really take me? Well, no one really knows for sure, but I can tell you that it was well more than just one Saturday and certainly more than 16 credits. Hey, I said I liked video games, but I never claimed to be good at them! Anyway, what I remember most was the extremely embarassing and disconcerning feeling I had when people would stand behind me waiting for their crack at it. So here I am, a strapping 8 year old that can't seem to make it out of the 2nd level. Meanwhile, a scrawny little 5 year old behind me, gets up and darn near beats the game and only uses 2 tokens. So what is the most logical thing to do at that point? Some would say to watch and learn. Others would just pummel the kid. Me? I bet him the last 2 tokens I had (I had 3, but I needed one to play) that I could beat him in the race car game next to Mario. Oh, hindesight is 20/20 isn't it? What would make me think that I could beat the Mario god in another video game?

So until next Saturday, I bid farewell to you Showbiz and Super Mario Bros.

While my memories at Showbiz obviously lasted a lifetime, they were short-lived. Just a few months later, Mario was replaced with the next big thing. Now please don't ask me what it was replaced by because I don't remember. What I do remember though is finding a friend that actually owned a Nintendo and that would let me play it! Now I was on cloud nine. I mean the kid (another classmate) wasn't always the nicest to me, but his mom liked me so I got to play whenever I was over there. It was the next couple of summers that I really found my TRUE passion for Nintendo.

I would ride my bike (yeah, took awhile but I finally got it down) over to his house when weather permitted. We'd play catch in the yard, trade baseball cards and then get up on some Nintendo. We'd play Duckhunt (very archaic at that time, but still cool!), Backyard Baseball, Techmo Bowl and even Contra! Speaking of which - does anyone remember the code for Contra? I do...Anyway, it was a blast. The problem was that I still wasn't that good at all the games. I realized what the root of the issue was. I STILL DIDN'T OWN A NINTENDO! That's ok though because I think I was able to play so much because it gave him someone to beat. All in good fun though, right? I really needed to find a way to get one of these.

Unfortunately, as with many childhood friendships, we grew apart. Ok that's a bit of a stretch. We just stopped hanging out after school. I landed on top of him when playing a pick up game of football and almost broke his ribs. That really put a kink in our Nintendo days. Another Nintendo outlet was taken away from me. Oh the horror!!

P.S.
The code to Contra is -

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, b, a, start (or select start for multiplayer)

I really can't recount what the next couple of years accounted for. I mean there was school, camp, baseball, bike riding, etc. You know all the things that little boys do. The lone exception being - Nintendo. I mean was able to play every once and awhile, but it wasn't anything more than that. I made some good friends that had the NES but they already had it for so long that they became bored with it. Now if there's one thing that I learned from my childhood, it's this - If you are at your friend's house and he doesn't want to play Nintendo, then your out of luck. Trust me, don't even try it. That is one solid piece of advice that I can pass on to my children!

One fateful day in early spring, it happened. The details are still a bit scetchy, but I believe it was either 1992 or 1993. A gift arrived at the house. A gift so glorious it takes my breath away everytime I think about it. Inside a precious Jewel-Osco paper bag, it sat. A brand new - used Nintendo from a family friend. It had everything! The adapter to plug it into the tv, two controllers and games! Zelda, Mario, Duckhunt, oh my! Now mind you, this is 1992 or 93 and I'm getting my first Nintendo. Now people are starting to talk about Genisis and Turbo Graphics but it didn't matter. It was all mine! Well not technically. I had a big family and the rule was that we had to "share". I swear that has to be one of most loosely used words in the English language. And so I was off and running with my new, used NES. Can this get any better?

Well it probably could have gotten a bit better. Turns out, the system was broken or something. I couldn't play a game without having to "clean it" first. You know what I mean. Blowing inside the cartridge like a moron pretending that you know what you're doing. Turns out, that does work though. Some people have different techniques, but the end result is the same. Apparently, this was not conducive to just my machine. That was good to know, but wow was that frustrating!

So I'm good right? Got the game in and ready to play until my thumbs fall off. Oh wait, another problem. Zelda seems to keep freezing up on me. That stinks. I just spent 45 minutes walking around into walls trying to find the secret caves and now I have to start over. Truly you must be kidding me! Nope, Nintendo doesn't kid around. I figured that game out too. I would get it to load up and then stick a 1/2" piece of cardboard between the game and console and it worked like a champ. I haven't really heard of anyone else doing that so maybe that problem was in just my system. All and all though, it didn't matter. I had my own Nintendo!

I knew that a movie store about 4 blocks away had movies, but apparently didn't realize that I could rent Nintendo games there. My God, this was a gift from the heavens. I was able to rent 2 games for $5 and keep them for 5 days. So many titles to choose from! There was Top Gun, Super Techmo Bowl, Baseball, etc. I would spend nights playing for hours. The joy it gave me. I would give up eating and drinking just so I wouldn't have to waste time with, well you know. I had better things to do.

I remember that I would get my $5 a week for my allowance (crappy allowance right? I was getting $4 four years ago.) and head right to the Video Matic. I couldn't begin to tell you how much money I spent in the joint. It was rather pathetic actually. But there was such a cool feeling with renting a game that you've never played before. I'd sift through the instruction manual to learn how to play it first wondering how many people before me have played this very same game. Just talking about it brings me back. Brings me back to when things were simple and the only problems that I had were what I was going to rent when the game I wanted was out of stock. Oh what I wouldn't give to go back for just a couple of days and not have a care in the world. I think we probably all think like that from time to time, right?

Nintendo became a staple in our house for the next few years, but like so many other thngs, sort of faded out. There was Super Nintendo, N64, Playstation and so on. I dabbled with all of them - not going to lie to you. Then Playstation came out. And that was my preference and still is to this day. But I don't ever forget where I came from.

Oh Nintendo, you little devil you! You kept me up late, gave me anxiety, and usually got me in trouble, but we had a lot fun. I know sometimes I'd get mad at you and want smash you, but we made it through. My kids will never be able to appreciate what you've done for them. You paved the way for many other systems, but you know where my loyalties lie. In today's world of gaming, your graphics are weak and your game play is blan. Your box is bulky and your controller is simple. But with out, there would be no other. You've done well old friend, you've done well.