I was talking to a buddy during lunch and the conversation came around to video games. His son recently landed a job at Chik-fil-A for the express purpose of funding his next gaming console - a Nintendo Switch. I checked out the device and was impressed. Its form and capabilities are radically different from systems released just a decade ago.
My last gaming rig was an Xbox 360, and at the time it was the near epitome of gaming technology. Not only did it offer some seriously immersive games, but the device also doubled as a DVD player. Also, with existing subscriptions, it functioned as a portal for streaming services like Hulu and Netflix. While that may draw a yawn today, a scant 10 years ago, a lot of us still had Blockbuster membership cards.
When the latest Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim, came out on its famous release date, 11-11-11, I picked up my copy, loaded it up, and went deep. I submerged myself for hours in that world, constantly working to level up my avatar. Periodically, Andrea attempted a few quests but found it just wasn't her thing. She was content and amused to watch me run around the province of Skyrim, clearing out "just one more dungeon" before turning in. During one session around midnight, she went to bed, admonishing me to do the same. "Sure thing, Babe. I'm close to leveling in alchemy - I just need two more 'crimson nimroots'."
After an annoyingly convoluted search, I found the aggravatingly rare plants but immediately got sidetracked into another quest. Next thing I realized, Andrea was tapping me on the shoulder. I had my hands full trying to take down an Elder Dragon, so I brushed her off. "I know. I know. I'll come to bed in a sec." She immediately rebuffed me.
"No, hon, you won't. It's 5:00 in the morning. You leave for work in an hour."
Before the Xbox 360, my last console was a now vintage, faux wood-grain Atari 2600. These units sold for $199, a bargain considering the Switch is $300, as was the Xbox 360. However, adjusted for inflation, that $199 would set you back a cool $800 in today's Benjamins. My buddy Mike and I spent countless hours dodging a trio of dragons and an annoying black bat in Adventure or digging for the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Even with a stack of game cartridges and easy access to drinks and snacks in the kitchen, sometimes you still needed the arcade experience. Arcade games didn't always translate well to the 2600's 8-bit console. While it sold a crap ton of units, Pac-Man for the Atari did not look good. While they were very functional, Atari joysticks and paddles didn't give the same granular control as high-end arcade games with trackballs, spinner dials, and multiple buttons with special sequences or combos. Sometimes the Atari version just didn't exist. One of my favorites, Tempest, comes to mind.
To remedy this, Mike and I had a plan on the last day of school one year in Junior High. We walked from the school to the arcade downtown with our pockets bulging with quarters and dollar bills we'd hoarded over the past few weeks for just this occasion. We made multiple runs at every game, smack-talking each other from across the room. Periodically, we paused at the snack bar, recounted our exploits, and checked out our high scores. After hours in the shadows, we emerged, blinking at the sunlight, substantially lighter after dropping our horde of loot down countless coin slots, and walked home. On the way, we laid out plans for the rest of the summer. More than likely it involved going toe to toe with our three favorite dragons, Yorgle, Grundle, Rhindle, and that bloody black bat.
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