People getting mugged. People getting shot. People needing escorts to their cars. People waiting in line for hours upon hours for the local Wal-Mart to open. You'd think that with all this chaos and ridiculous behavior that the apocalypse had finally arrived. That 或者 two video game consoles that gamers have been anticipating for years now have finally hit store shelves.
I've been following all of the craziness and irrational behavior of the past few weeks since 任天堂 launched the Wii and Sony launched the PS游戏机 3 and it has been nothing short of insane. People waiting for days in line for a game system that costs $650 after tax 或者 that they could get in 2 months with no wait. Stories of people getting link for their game consoles. Listings on eBay for several 100% markups over the retail price. And idiotic publicity stunts like link which worked because of the sheer audacity and stupidity of these idiots. Granted I 爱情 video games as much as the 下一个 guy, okay maybe not as much as link. You'd think that they were giving away water from 喷泉 of life 或者 something! The other 日 my friend was fortunate enough to get a PS3 randomly at Toys R' Us (lucky bastard) and they had to escort him to his car in the parking lot!
That being said, I can appreciate the excitement about getting a new game system. Heck I've been gaming since I was a wee lad myself when my dad bought me my first console, the Magnavox Odyssey (first distributed 由 任天堂 in Japan). Then I got a ColecoVision, opting for the 冷却器 graphics and numbered keypad over the Atari 2600. I was always one for better graphics and comparing 导弹 Command, 太空 Invaders and Asteroids on the Atari to Donkey Kong, Smurf Rescue 或者 Congo Bongo on a Coleco was like comparing the Simpsons to the Incredibles. It was in those early days that I got a taste for the greatness of 任天堂 gaming through games like Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Mario Bros.
I got my first 任天堂 Entertainment System in 1986 when I was in fifth grade. It changed my life (not necessarily for the better!). Virtually all of my earnings from my paper route were going directly into the hands of 任天堂 (and the Garbage Pail Kids people). After the NES I had to get a Game Boy. In 9th grade I picked up the Super NES. My first magazine subscription ever was to 任天堂 Power Magazine. I spent all my money on games. I even paid to see 费雷德 Savage in the Wizard just to see Super Mario Bros. 3! Needless to say, I was not the ladies man I am today back then. Right.
It was in college that I first betrayed my 任天堂 heritage. I purchased the Sony PS游戏机 and never looked back. I was far too mature and sophisticated to be playing games like Super Mario Kart. Real men didn't play games with Italian plumbers and 龙 racing around in go karts. Real men played games with men who shot fireballs and yelled "Aaayoooken!". The same went for the PS2 over the GameCube. 任天堂 was for kids and sissies. If 你 wanted a real gaming machine 你 got a PS2, if 你 wanted to play a party game putting strawberries on cakes 你 got a GameCube. Yes, this was indeed a dark time for me, as I had strayed very very far from how Link and Mario had raised me.
Now the 年 is 2006 and the only two game companies that matter Sony and 任天堂 are in a battle of titans vying for my 迷失 and confused gaming soul with the Wii and PS3. In one corner we have the Wii with a stupid name but revolutionary gameplay. In the other corner we have the PS3 with mind-blowing graphics but a ridiculous pricetag. I initially thought I'd hold out for the PS3, because I justified the price with the Blu-Ray Disc player. But seeing as I don't have an HD TV yet, that seems pointless. I just can't bring myself to pay almost $1000 after the system, controllers, accessories and games for any console. Plus, outside of the amazing graphics, I don't know that I can even justify it if I wanted to. I could just go buy some 更多 games for my PS2. On the other hand, I see the 任天堂 Wii selling for just $249 and link and I am in awe and wonder. It is a whole new way of playing video games at 首页 that is interactive and in a word: fun. I want to have fun again and be that 10 year-old who escaped into video games because he wanted to experience the fantastic worlds and whimsical adventures they had to offer. Sure I may look like an idiot waving around two joysticks like swords 或者 boxing gloves, but at least I'll have a blast doing it. Now if only I could get my hands on one of those darn things!
I've been following all of the craziness and irrational behavior of the past few weeks since 任天堂 launched the Wii and Sony launched the PS游戏机 3 and it has been nothing short of insane. People waiting for days in line for a game system that costs $650 after tax 或者 that they could get in 2 months with no wait. Stories of people getting link for their game consoles. Listings on eBay for several 100% markups over the retail price. And idiotic publicity stunts like link which worked because of the sheer audacity and stupidity of these idiots. Granted I 爱情 video games as much as the 下一个 guy, okay maybe not as much as link. You'd think that they were giving away water from 喷泉 of life 或者 something! The other 日 my friend was fortunate enough to get a PS3 randomly at Toys R' Us (lucky bastard) and they had to escort him to his car in the parking lot!
That being said, I can appreciate the excitement about getting a new game system. Heck I've been gaming since I was a wee lad myself when my dad bought me my first console, the Magnavox Odyssey (first distributed 由 任天堂 in Japan). Then I got a ColecoVision, opting for the 冷却器 graphics and numbered keypad over the Atari 2600. I was always one for better graphics and comparing 导弹 Command, 太空 Invaders and Asteroids on the Atari to Donkey Kong, Smurf Rescue 或者 Congo Bongo on a Coleco was like comparing the Simpsons to the Incredibles. It was in those early days that I got a taste for the greatness of 任天堂 gaming through games like Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Mario Bros.
I got my first 任天堂 Entertainment System in 1986 when I was in fifth grade. It changed my life (not necessarily for the better!). Virtually all of my earnings from my paper route were going directly into the hands of 任天堂 (and the Garbage Pail Kids people). After the NES I had to get a Game Boy. In 9th grade I picked up the Super NES. My first magazine subscription ever was to 任天堂 Power Magazine. I spent all my money on games. I even paid to see 费雷德 Savage in the Wizard just to see Super Mario Bros. 3! Needless to say, I was not the ladies man I am today back then. Right.
It was in college that I first betrayed my 任天堂 heritage. I purchased the Sony PS游戏机 and never looked back. I was far too mature and sophisticated to be playing games like Super Mario Kart. Real men didn't play games with Italian plumbers and 龙 racing around in go karts. Real men played games with men who shot fireballs and yelled "Aaayoooken!". The same went for the PS2 over the GameCube. 任天堂 was for kids and sissies. If 你 wanted a real gaming machine 你 got a PS2, if 你 wanted to play a party game putting strawberries on cakes 你 got a GameCube. Yes, this was indeed a dark time for me, as I had strayed very very far from how Link and Mario had raised me.
Now the 年 is 2006 and the only two game companies that matter Sony and 任天堂 are in a battle of titans vying for my 迷失 and confused gaming soul with the Wii and PS3. In one corner we have the Wii with a stupid name but revolutionary gameplay. In the other corner we have the PS3 with mind-blowing graphics but a ridiculous pricetag. I initially thought I'd hold out for the PS3, because I justified the price with the Blu-Ray Disc player. But seeing as I don't have an HD TV yet, that seems pointless. I just can't bring myself to pay almost $1000 after the system, controllers, accessories and games for any console. Plus, outside of the amazing graphics, I don't know that I can even justify it if I wanted to. I could just go buy some 更多 games for my PS2. On the other hand, I see the 任天堂 Wii selling for just $249 and link and I am in awe and wonder. It is a whole new way of playing video games at 首页 that is interactive and in a word: fun. I want to have fun again and be that 10 year-old who escaped into video games because he wanted to experience the fantastic worlds and whimsical adventures they had to offer. Sure I may look like an idiot waving around two joysticks like swords 或者 boxing gloves, but at least I'll have a blast doing it. Now if only I could get my hands on one of those darn things!