I have been gaming since the original 8-bit days: namely Super Mario Bros
. on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. I am one of the increasingly rare few who have placed large cartridges into a video game console. The second and third game I ever got were The Legend of Zelda and Rad Racer, respectively. The latter even had a so-called "3D" mode and the case came with a pair of funky "3D" glasses. Needless to say, as a small kid who did not know much, I was awed by the cool graphics. Fast forward two decades later and no longer sporting 3D glasses - just regular ones - I am still playing video games. But why, as adult, am I passionate about games?
Simply put, video games are fun. It is a hobby of mine that I have taken into my adulthood because it is very entertaining. Much like friends and relatives it has sustained me throughout both good and bad times. It is a way to momentarily escape from the real world and step into the shoes of a great hero. It is a way to escape the bad days of work that we all get from time to time. I love the stories being told in these games; some can easily rival those of their small-screen or big-screen counterparts. Being able to solve some complex puzzles; fight off hordes of demonic foes; wage war on a battlefield; drive the fastest cars in the world: what is not to love about the fact that video games can let you do any of these things?
Much like watching our favorite TV shows or reading our favorite books and witnessing our favorite characters pull off some amazing things, video games can not only pull that off but also lets its players live each characters' lives. We control their actions and in many ways we feel and understand the consequences of those actions. Players have played the role of a paragon of the righteous, smiting all the evil in the world and offering justice. We have also stepped into the shoes of terrible men with no qualm about doing evil deeds and using everything and everyone around them for their next great conquest. There are also those who merely go with the flow, not aligning with either side and choosing to make decisions that are in their best interest. Any and all of these things are possible in video games.
The world of gaming is varied enough for all people to enter without fear of being lost in the large number of titles available. All you have to do is find something you are interested in.