I had a few days of work earlier this week to coincide with the kids Half Term school break. On Tuesday we took them to Southend for a day at the Adventure Island amusement park. Despite being late October the sun shone pretty much all day and the kids had a great time on the rides.However after 6 hours of this I was starting to get a little bit bored and I cast my eye in the direction of the Video Arcade. I found myself playing a game called Operation Vulcan wielding a monster of a chain gun and blasting aircraft out of the sky while laughing maniacally. I think I may have embarrassed myself a little. OK, more than a little, but that's never stopped me before.
I tried to explain to the kids how the games have moved on a bit since I was a nipper. But I'm not sure they understood what I meant when I described the very basic and jerky graphics I knew as a teenager. It's all a bit incomprehensible to a generation that have grown up on PS2's and X-Boxes. This Star Wars game was utterly awesome in its day and I remember spending a large amount of time - and a significant amount of pocket money - playing it while on holiday one year. Ah, those were the days!
When the stand up console for Star Wars came out, I was a young teen. I was so intently watching a guy play it, that when he banked hard left to avoid one of the rising pillars, I actually fell over on the floor to the right.
ReplyDeleteBack in the mid 70's my Dad came home with a new toy, a games consol, it just played hockey doubles and singles, we were the first kids we knew to have one and all the other kids in the street used to come round to play. The game was so basic, but it was excellent. Of course it pails into insignificance to todays games. Kids today don't know how lucky they are.......
ReplyDeleteLoved that game, was crap at it but still loved it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so damned old that there were no video games when I was a teen, only pinball. Of course I spent plenty on them. Glad you had fun, Lee.
ReplyDeleteI remember that Star Wars game. I was crap at it as well. But it was fun.
ReplyDeletecheers
I know just what you mean!
ReplyDeleteThe first game I ever saw was Pong. you know that ping pong game that you could play on the tv.
ReplyDeleteMy word that's a big 'un! Fantastic trip down memory lane gentlemen, thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes good old memories eh?
ReplyDeleteAwesome memories....seaside arcades, penny slots and video games. That game with the mini-gun looks a blast.
ReplyDeleteAh, that starwars screenshot brings back memories, indeed. Particularly the speed and sense of virtually being in a bigger world. Some of those old games got the adrenalin pumping with not much input at all, looking back. Another thing to admire about homo ludens, the ability to have fun.
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