My first game

[Hijiri Byakuren]

My first game was Donkey Kong Country for the SNES. Got it for my 6th birthday in 1997. I still go back to it from time to time, and I think it's aged pretty well.

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[SGOS]

Interesting Kong video.  That game did seem like it took electronic gaming in a new direction, although I admit I wasn't watching the evolution very closely.  I had seen it in an arcade, which was not my usual hangout type place, but people were stuffing money into it to play it. 

I remember Pong (that ping/pong game) as the first electronic game I had seen.  It was totally fascinating, but not for very long because it seemed like it only did one thing.  The fascination was more about the technology than the actual game.  Then came Kong, and a couple of others that just seemed like Kong all over again, and then Pac Man, and I quit watching what was going on.

By the time I bought my first PC (I had been using apple IIs for years), there was a demonstration disk included with my new Dell laptop.  It was Combat Flight Simulator, and I tried the demonstration disk.  Now I was truly impressed, so I ran out and bought the game.  It involved taking off from one or two sites in England along with a small squadron, flying across the Channel and encountering German fighters and bombers.  There were also several airports across the Channel that you would sometimes start a mission from.  And one day, I decided to see if I could actually find my way from one airport to another.  Everything about the flight was visual, so it was sort of like finding a needle in a haystack.  But there was a lat/lon readout that you could get to show up on the screen.  I'm not sure why it was there, because it had little to do with actual flying during WWII (I might be wrong about that), but I went to one airport and while sitting on the runway, I recorded lat/lon on a piece of paper.  Then I booted myself up again to another airport.  There was no map of the area in the game, so I didn't know if I was north, south, east, or west of the other airport, but I did have the coordinates which I could use to figure the general direction.  As I got closer, I started flying along grid lines that I could imagine in my head, and eventually found the airport I was looking for.

That did it, I went out and bought Microsoft Flight Simulator with it's GPS, VOR, IFL, Charts, an array of planes ranging from Piper Cubs to 747s, and world wide coverage.  Just one game, but I was obsessed with it for years.  It took years just to figure it all out, and I'm not sure I've learned it all yet.  Eventually, I started buying  other games, which I enjoyed, but never got as addicted to as Flight Simulator.

Before I bought my first laptop, I asked a local guru guy what kind of computer I should get, and he asked me what I was going to use it for.  I was befuddled and thought, "Jesus; What do you think?  Computer shit of course!"  Then he pressed me further, and asked if I wanted to play games, and I said, "No," while thinking to myself, "Games???  Do you think I'm some kind of idiot?  I'm going to use it to do computer shit!" 

But, after I bought Flight Simulator, not knowing what a memory hog it was, I realized I had to buy a more powerful computer, so 3 months after I bought my laptop, I bought a desk top, which was only good enough until the next edition of FS came out.  Then I had to get a better one just to keep up.  Yee Gods!

[Sal1981]

Rick Dangerous for the Commodore 64. There's an online version (requires flash plugin):

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[Munch]

Rick Dangerous for the Commodore 64. There's an online version (requires flash plugin):

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woo, I forgot about that one, I did have it though. nice reminder!

[Cavebear]

Don't know why, but I was thinking about this today.  Maybe it was Hydra's offhand comment--I wouldn't even be playing games now except for XCOM.  I think I was born into gaming.  My first remembered game was Go Fish.  I remember playing Authors in the first grade.  And Old Maid in both school and home.  My mom and dad were game players, so we always had games at home.  My first board game that I remember was Pollyanna (much like Sorry).  Dad liked poker, so I learned that fairly early.  My grandparents taught me pinnacle and Rummy 500.  And solitaire, as well.

But when my mom and dad took on three of my male cousins permanently, suddenly there was a large group to always be interested in a game of some sort.  We played the hell out of Careers, Clue and Risk.  Played checkers, Chinese checkers and chess a bit as well.  Played a southern game of Rook, Boorah, and learned canasta and somba (3 deck canasta) at that time as well. 

Then in high school I stumbled across Tactics II, a war strategy game--then found the Avalon Hill Company and their line of war games and I was in heaven--except finding playing partners for those games was not easy; but found one guy and played the hell out of D-Day.  Created my own game of baseball--later stumbled upon APBA and Strat-O-Matic and started playing them--got into some early play-by-mail baseball leagues. 

In college I played a bunch of hearts, pinnacle and spades.  Started playing a little bridge, as well.  The next big thing I discovered when I was discharged from the Army--D&D, especially solo dungeons.  I have love dungeon divers ever since (including the Cave, an early IBM all text exploring game)--computers were a huge draw for me from the beginning. 

Basically, games are simply part of my DNA; computers allow me to play all types of games without trying to track down playing partners.  But in the baseball gaming side, there are now hundreds of leagues to choose from; I have settle on 3 greats ones at the moment--been in one for over 25 years.

Anybody else have gaming in their DNA?

We are gaming twins!  I had the same general gaming experience you did.  Well, more Rummy with Gramma, and bridge with Dad, but any game available, I played it.  Still would if anyone to play with.  I have a closet shelf full of them. 

Try to name a game you played that I won't know...

[Mike Cl]

We are gaming twins!  I had the same general gaming experience you did.  Well, more Rummy with Gramma, and bridge with Dad, but any game available, I played it.  Still would if anyone to play with.  I have a closet shelf full of them. 

Try to name a game you played that I won't know...

The gaming twins.  I, too, have a closet full of games still.  I'll make you a deal--move to my neighborhood and you will have a built in gaming partner!
Games I played, eh---------------casino, cribbage(but you must have played that), Michigan Rummy,  Battle of the Bulge (did you play war games), Stratego , Extra Innings (did you play sports games--I have several more), Acquire, Rail Baron, Balderdash, Go (Japanese sailor version), Barsoomian Chess, Samba, and more if I really thought about it.

[Cavebear]

The gaming twins.  I, too, have a closet full of games still.  I'll make you a deal--move to my neighborhood and you will have a built in gaming partner!
Games I played, eh---------------casino, cribbage(but you must have played that), Michigan Rummy,  Battle of the Bulge (did you play war games), Stratego , Extra Innings (did you play sports games--I have several more), Acquire, Rail Baron, Balderdash, Go (Japanese sailor version), Barsoomian Chess, Samba, and more if I really thought about it.

Congrats, you named several I didn't know.  I knew fewer than I thought I did!  But I will offer in return:  Feudal, Shmess, Avalon Hill games Gettysburg/Origins Of WWI/Business, Civil War, 1812, Sub Hunt, 3D chess, Camelot, Touring, Oh Shit (a competitive 2-player solataire game), Authors, Stadium Checkers, Bridges, and Skip-Across.

I know you can't mention you specific location, but if you are ever in MD, let me know.

[Mike Cl]

Congrats, you named several I didn't know.  I knew fewer than I thought I did!  But I will offer in return:  Feudal, Shmess, Avalon Hill games Gettysburg/Origins Of WWI/Business, Civil War, 1812, Sub Hunt, 3D chess, Camelot, Touring, Oh Shit (a competitive 2-player solataire game), Authors, Stadium Checkers, Bridges, and Skip-Across.

I know you can't mention you specific location, but if you are ever in MD, let me know.

I also played Feudal; AH games I had by the dozens, it seems--and still have several--played the hell out of Gettysburg, and Civil War and Sub Hunt; authors and Bridges.  I subscribed to a war mag, Strategy and Tactics; it was published every 2 month and had a game bound in--first time I saw a designed solo war game; one was Operation Olympic (invasion of Japan) and Wolfpack (a sub chasing WWI game)--I still have a couple dozen of them, some are still unpunched.  I also have over a dozen sports games, mostly baseball.  AH also published a boxing game featuring all the great boxers of all-time (came out in the mid-80's) and love pitting Ali in an all-time heavy weight boxing tourney. 

I live in a smallish town (Merced) in central CA--we are about as far apart as people can be in this country. :)  But I did spend most of the first part of my Army stint in Baltimore--well, really Dundalk, Fort Holibird (with beautiful colgate creek running thru it)--it was the training center for US Army Military Intelligence.  It was the late 60's and The Block  was a bit wholly in those days--but what the hell, I was a young GI. :)

[Cavebear]

I also played Feudal; AH games I had by the dozens, it seems--and still have several--played the hell out of Gettysburg, and Civil War and Sub Hunt; authors and Bridges.  I subscribed to a war mag, Strategy and Tactics; it was published every 2 month and had a game bound in--first time I saw a designed solo war game; one was Operation Olympic (invasion of Japan) and Wolfpack (a sub chasing WWI game)--I still have a couple dozen of them, some are still unpunched.  I also have over a dozen sports games, mostly baseball.  AH also published a boxing game featuring all the great boxers of all-time (came out in the mid-80's) and love pitting Ali in an all-time heavy weight boxing tourney. 

I live in a smallish town (Merced) in central CA--we are about as far apart as people can be in this country. :)  But I did spend most of the first part of my Army stint in Baltimore--well, really Dundalk, Fort Holibird (with beautiful colgate creek running thru it)--it was the training center for US Army Military Intelligence.  It was the late 60's and The Block  was a bit wholly in those days--but what the hell, I was a young GI. :)

First, I bow to your more games.  I'm seriously impressed.

Second, other than the roommate who played Feudal with my sometimes, I have never met anyone who has ever heard of it.  And Sub Hunt was my favorite game as a teen.  It was one game that Dad was equally fascinated by.  We even compared mine placement ideas.  I preferred a knight-move arrangement, Dad went for walls.

We also played Stadium Checkers a lot.  We made the stated moves pretty complicated like having an empty slot move halfway arounf the board because it dropped 3 marbles on the way. 

BTW, Dad was death at Clue.  He developed a system (which I figured out myself later) for keeping track of who saw which demanded cards.  Mom was the official reader of the cards.  He won 60-40.  On the other hand, he was bad at games he couldn't "game".  He gave up on chess when I was 12.

I forgot to mention Careers.  I figured out how to win at any equation of hearts, fame, and money.  When my youngest sister thought she was really got at it, I would visit and crush her.  Everyone else let her win; my job (so to speak) was to be "reality". 

In AH Gettysburg, I only had a couple years play with a friend who also loved the game.  But he moved away and NO ONE else would even try after starting to read all the rules.  Did you ever master hidden units?

I could go on for days about games, but one has to stop somewhere.

[Mike Cl]

First, I bow to your more games.  I'm seriously impressed.

Second, other than the roommate who played Feudal with my sometimes, I have never met anyone who has ever heard of it.  And Sub Hunt was my favorite game as a teen.  It was one game that Dad was equally fascinated by.  We even compared mine placement ideas.  I preferred a knight-move arrangement, Dad went for walls.

We also played Stadium Checkers a lot.  We made the stated moves pretty complicated like having an empty slot move halfway arounf the board because it dropped 3 marbles on the way. 

BTW, Dad was death at Clue.  He developed a system (which I figured out myself later) for keeping track of who saw which demanded cards.  Mom was the official reader of the cards.  He won 60-40.  On the other hand, he was bad at games he couldn't "game".  He gave up on chess when I was 12.

I forgot to mention Careers.  I figured out how to win at any equation of hearts, fame, and money.  When my youngest sister thought she was really got at it, I would visit and crush her.  Everyone else let her win; my job (so to speak) was to be "reality". 

In AH Gettysburg, I only had a couple years play with a friend who also loved the game.  But he moved away and NO ONE else would even try after starting to read all the rules.  Did you ever master hidden units?

I could go on for days about games, but one has to stop somewhere.

I am equally impressed with your knowledge of games.  I had an advantage--4 brothers and a dad who loved games.  We wore out more than one Risk board.  I only played one or two games of Fuedal since I had a hard time finding anyone else interested.  Careers was a family fav, as well.  I remember liking science since it was a longer path--more goodies on it.  I remember we got Clue one Christmas vacation and played for years after--Col. Mustard did it in the kitchen with the lead pipe--sometimes. :))  In HS, if found another nerd who liked AH's D-Day, so we played that two summers.  I do remember playing Gettysburg but not much about the hidden units rules. 

I remember still owning an AH game, Panzer Blitz, in the mid 70's.  My neighbor found out and almost demanded I teach him to play.  As it turns out, he was the commander of the local National Guard unit and loved war games.  So, we played a few games and he was so impressed how I handled the armor, he talked and talked about me joining the unit.  I finally game in after he promised to give me a camera and I became the 'photo man'.  I also took an Army course on NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical warfare) defense; so I became the unit instructor for that area.   

[Cavebear]

I am equally impressed with your knowledge of games.  I had an advantage--4 brothers and a dad who loved games.  We wore out more than one Risk board.  I only played one or two games of Fuedal since I had a hard time finding anyone else interested.  Careers was a family fav, as well.  I remember liking science since it was a longer path--more goodies on it.  I remember we got Clue one Christmas vacation and played for years after--Col. Mustard did it in the kitchen with the lead pipe--sometimes. :))  In HS, if found another nerd who liked AH's D-Day, so we played that two summers.  I do remember playing Gettysburg but not much about the hidden units rules. 

I remember still owning an AH game, Panzer Blitz, in the mid 70's.  My neighbor found out and almost demanded I teach him to play.  As it turns out, he was the commander of the local National Guard unit and loved war games.  So, we played a few games and he was so impressed how I handled the armor, he talked and talked about me joining the unit.  I finally game in after he promised to give me a camera and I became the 'photo man'.  I also took an Army course on NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical warfare) defense; so I became the unit instructor for that area.

I envy you your family of game-players.  My only brother hated competition and the 2 sisters were really too young to ply any game well until they were adults.  It was only Mom and Dad and any neighbors I could nail down.  And no matter what I said, Mom just wouldn't try to beat me at any game.  Heck, I caught her cheating to lose a few times.  Dad, though, was lethal and I loved that.  But he couldn't play for hours and the rules had to be simple.  It wasn't like he could spend a lot of time waiting for a Union Division to arrive at Gettysburg.

So we played quick hard games like cribbage, and stadium checkers.  There was once a games club here in my town, but it closed the year before I found it.  I tried to recreate it, but no one was interested. 

I had the benefit of one neighbor friend who also loved games.  We would play Risk for days, Stratego for hours and chess endlessly.  But they moved.  In college I found chess players, but not much else. 

You should try playing Civ2.  The skills that military guy saw in you would be well-rewarded there.

[Cavebear]

Rick Dangerous for the Commodore 64. There's an online version (requires flash plugin):

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Are there other plug-ins for Commodore 64?

[Sal1981]

Are there other plug-ins for Commodore 64?

There are emulators for Commodore 64, some are so precise they even emulate the quirkiness of the Commodore 64 chipset. The ROMs for Commodore 64 are tiny in size, so you can have a massive library of games without it taking much space.

[Cavebear]

There are emulators for Commodore 64, some are so precise they even emulate the quirkiness of the Commodore 64 chipset. The ROMs for Commodore 64 are tiny in size, so you can have a massive library of games without it taking much space.

Do you have an opinion on the best emulators to use on either windows or Apple  (Have both, one each offline)?