The Nintendo Generation

Ever since I saw The Protomen, I've been obsessed with Mega Man. I remember the very first time I played the original Mega Man. It was at my friend Jimmy's house. He threw the cartridge in, and I was hooked. There were all these different robots with different themes and catchy music and neat looking costumes. The experience was only hampered by the fact that I accidentally got hit in the teeth with an aluminum baseball bat later that day when we were playing the aforementioned game in the backyard. I was supposed to spend the night, but sadly, my mom came and got me when I got my bell rung. This was last week. Kidding, this was 1990.

Every Friday when I was a kid, my mom would take us to Video Premier. My brother and I were allowed to rent a game each. It was here I first discovered the "Adult Video" section, but that's a tale for another time. You guessed it, the next game I rented was Mega Man. That first one, it's up there with Ninja Garden, TMNT, Marble Madness, and countless other games that were damn near impossible, no matter how good your reactionary or platform skills were.

Throughout the years, I've played countless Mega Mans. Mega Mens? I dunno. Actually, they're probably countable, I'm just lazy. What amazes me is that my generation never outgrew these games. Nor did we outgrow cartoons. I still know people who skateboard. Do we like these things for nostalgia purposes? Are they ingrained into our minds as something to be done for leisure? Honestly, I think we just like 'em.

Our generation is the Nintendo generation. In my free time, I read comics, I play guitar, and I master video games. I like laser tag, go karts, and disc golf more than most people. I'd rather go to an arcade than a night club. I'd rather watch rockumentaries than strippers.

Not to sound depressing, but a friend of mine had a stroke this week. Dude was only 25. It just makes me far more grateful for what I have and what I've had. I can't tell you how many people I talk to my own age that don't want to grow up. If you don't want to, then don't. Your outside is shaped by your insides, I think. If you feel young, you will be young. And besides, you can never tell what tomorrow holds. So do what truly makes you happy, no matter what it is.

20XX is rapidly approaching, you know.

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