Versus Software

Because my father was in the navy I lived all over the world. I grew up meeting hundreds of different people, different cultures, different habits. As a way to blend in, meet people and generally make friends in these conditions, it was video games that allowed me to have a common background with people.

I would go to a new school and usually the topic of games would come up. We talked, played it for hours and generally had a good time. Games have been my companions since early on and they served me as a way to become accustomed to the new place I found myself at.

Now, usually one thing that struck me is that people, no matter where I go, would generally have the same game preferences and the same emotions and experiences as they played the same games. I did to. Every gamer remembers the first time they played a Mario game, beat a Final Fantasy, saw Ryu’s haduken and so on. These are all common experiences we have and shared.

However there are a few that pretty much everyone I know has had except me. These are my video game moments of shame. So without further ado, here is the list :

• I never finished Final Fantasy 6 nor Chronno Trigger. Only got half way in FF6 and to the final lavos battle in CT.



• Never finished Street Fighter without using a continue or resorting to using a very easy level.



• I never won a Stracraft  multiplayer match.



• I cannot for the life of me beat a Heroes of Might and Magic 3 map. I always get my ass kicked.



• Never killed a person in Counter Strike with an AWP. Ok, I hated using the weapon and everyone that used it, but still.



• Never beat a Megaman game without save states.



• I love all the point & click adventure games by Lucas Arts but I am still yet to play Grim Fandango.



• It took me almost a decade, with the same save state on the NES cartridge, to beat Dragon Warrior. I played that game to death when I was 11, maxed out my character but got stuck in the story. When I was 21 I dusted of the cartridge, got a FAQ and finished the fucker.



• I actually enjoyed playing Star Wars Shadows of the Empire.



• I own a original copy of Daikatana. Didn’t buy it but I still managed to get  copy, for free at least.

I guess that’s it for now. Quite shame full. Triple face palm.