Super Mario Bros. 2 was one of my favorite games when I was a kid. I didn’t have a Nintendo because my best friend Ryan had a Sega and so that is the console I got. But during the summer I would go over to my friend’s the Hanley’s and Billy and Kevin would let me play theirs for hours on end. Super Mario Bros. 2 was the hottest game in our neighborhood but nobody could beat it until one day I did!
I was so proud of myself and nobody could believe it. I didn’t even own a Nintendo!
I absolutely loved gaming and wanted my own kids to have the same experience I did. So, I’m the ‘good cop’ when it comes to games and I knew we had to have a Nintendo Switch when it first came out. As everyone knows it is a fantastic and wildly popular console. I also love it because it is the same company and I was so fond of as a child.
Well, when my kids aren’t using it I’ll jump on it from time to time and with the new $20 service that lets you play the old games I purchased that right away mainly for myself.
To bring back a bit of nostalgia I started playing Super Mario Bros. 2 and beat it again. But in all honesty it was easier this time because it lets you save the game where the original version did not. You had to go all the way through, in one sitting and not lose all your lives. Well, I just don’t have that kind of time anymore so I made good use of the save function and am happy to say I beat it again.
Just seeing this scene brings back a lot of good memories for me. After playing games the Hanley’s would often invite me to stay for dinner. These are memories that are often forgotten as we grow older but I remember a lot from my past very clearly. I remember Billy touching the screen gently saying “Wake up Mario, wake up,” as we all stood in awe of what I had just accomplished.
My other favorite game was Zelda which is also available in the old and new versions on the Nintendo Switch. I haven’t played the old version but instead opted for Breath of the Wild. This game is fantastic and has stolen a number of hours of my life as I wander through beautiful Hyrule taking pictures and just appreciating the scenery. I’ve already gathered all the armor and maxed them out and now just go around looking for Korok seeds.
My parents didn’t have home game systems so they just don’t understand the pleasure it can bring and never played. But my generation remembers and we are happily playing these games with our own kids. We’re also easier to convince to buy new games then my parents were. I always had to wait for my birthday or Christmas but now the only hurdle is convincing the wife as I’m an easy sell. It makes me smile to think I had to get my parents permission for them to buy me games as a kid and now at 41 have to get permission from the wife.
