Mine was the Atari 2600 and the NES nearly at the same time
In a discussion yesterday about elementary school kids who use their 3DS as their primary music player, I got swept up in a gale of nostalgia. For many of those kids that was their first system: a multifaceted device that could really, do anything (at one pointSwapnotewas effectively a free texting service).
As an ’80s kid things were a bit different: a gaming system was a one-note device that wholly transported you into another world with no other bells and whistles. While I most definitely prefer the convenience of having everything at my fingertips, the retro era was without a doubt unique.
While the first game I ever remember playing of my own volition was City Connection on the NES, my earliest gaming memories are of walking into my older cousin’s room at three years old and watching him play Dig Dug on an Atari 2600. I was drawn to the screen and apparently wouldn’t stop asking about it for days on end.
I’m not 100% sure on what my kid’s first gaming experience will be. The Switch seems like an obvious fit, as it houses a ton of indies and would make for some fun gaming sessions in a makeshift pillow fort in tabletop mode. Most of the people I know introduce their kids to video games by way of Marioor another Nintendo classic.
I have a few more years to ponder that question (maybe Switch 2.0 will be out by then): but for now I want everyone else to share their memories. Gushing about your kid is fair game too!