Memory Lane...

Now, I'm not really a technology kind of person. You won't find me with an Ipod or an Iphone or an Ipad. Unless I'm in the process of setting fire to the bloody things!

But I feel it is just one of those necessary constants in life to be the owner of a games console. Currently I have a 'games-console-shaped' hole in my life that is just desperate to be filled. I have had them in the past, and enjoyed countless hours playing various games, but circumstances have contrived to give me reason to part with my games consoles over the years. And right now, at this precise moment in time, it is giving me some cause for upset that I can't satisfy my hunger for gaming.

Now that's out of the way, time for a self-indulgent trip down memory lane...





The first games console I ever had was the Sega Game Gear. The creme de la creme of handheld gaming at the time. No rubbishy green-screened Game Boy for me, oh no! Colour all the way. The joys of Super Kick Off 2, upgraded to the more expansive Sensible Soccer as time went on. My 'Wimbledon' tie-in game, Madden NFL (the '95 version). The button pounding Olympics game for Barcelona 1992 is quite an enduring memory for me, mostly because that is the very first game I had for the console, along with the obligatory 'Columns' (Tetris rip-off). One particular Christmas Eve, I so badgered my parents into allowing me a Christmas present to open (just to tide me over until morning) they let me have one present to open, and I tore the paper off to reveal Ecco The Dolphin. Needless to say, I didn't go to bed particularly early that Christmas night, but was still wide awake and bushy tailed at 6 the next morning, much to my parents' dismay!! And I almost forgot my peer pressure-led purchase of Mortal Kombat. It was okay, especially when you'd mastered the death moves. But I don't miss it now.

I loved my Game Gear so much, and got so much play out of it, that when it broke, my parents weren't too happy, but gave into my whining and bought me a replacement. Cue many more years of enjoyment with only one more addition to my game library in the form of PGA Tour Golf as the second console began to wear and get old.

It wasn't until I'd moved out and was living with my soon to be first-wife (at the time - now she's my ex-wife) that I decided the time was right to go back into the gaming world. I bought myself the Sony Playstation One (or Playstation, as it was at the time!) Again, being sporty-minded, I leaned towards Football games, but with two stepdaughters, compromise was needed, hence my collection included a Dancing game. I had Pro Evolution 2 which I upgraded to FIFA03 before the end. Other games that I can remember were Music Manager (a big let down), one of the early Harry Potter games (I think it was Chamber of Secrets, but I'm not sure) and maybe a World Rally Game.

The most recent drain on my free time was the Playstation 2. A straight trade-in to get the bundle with Gran Turismo 3. Over time, I built quite a good collection of games (yes, sport dominated) but it got me through tough times in marriage, a divorce, and lonely times back at my parents house with no job, no money and no girlfriend. Hours were spent on various FIFA versions, F1 2005, Madden NFL 06. I had the Sims game briefly, along with Shark Tale. I'm sure I had others, but my memory has now failed me!!

Now I think about it, I have forgotten something. Back in April this year, I did buy a 'Used' Xbox360 off the GAME website, but that only lasted two days before it fucked up and I had to send it back for a refund.

And now we are back at the present day. I know I want a games console, but don't know what I want. I'm wary of the unreliability of the Xboxes (yes, I'm sure the newer ones are better, but it's alot of money to spend if they're not!), the recent Sony hacking issues have really put me off the PS3 completely. Which leaves me with three options that I can see:

1) the Nintendo Wii - I want to avoid the Wii because I've played on one and it hurts my shoulder with all that arm waving malarkey!

2) the Playstation Portable - it would take me back to my Game Gear days. Except that they cost almost as much as a normal console, so for the money, I may as well get an xBox or something!

3) the Playstation 2 - just put myself back where I was before I had to sell my old one in order to tax my car!

Self-indulgence over. Thank you for reading.