...and now it's time for presents.
#10 My 13th Birthday: Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast) - My grandfather has almost always bought me games for my birthday, or the money to buy them. I believe he's bought me 15 games over the past 21 years. He's awesome like that. Sonic Adventure 2 was one of the more understated ones, but it was one I very much wanted. The game was no where near as it's first, but it held my interest for a few weeks and that's something, right. I'd actually wanted Shenmue 2 for the Dreamcast that year, but it was not ever released in the U.S. as such, sadly.
#9 My 9th Birthday: Game Boy Pocket - My Aunt is notorious for spending money on exorbitant gifts as well, and for this one, she bought me a complete Gameboy starter pack, with rechargable pack, light up magnifier, and Donkey Kong Land 3. All of it was solid black and it was a huge step up for me from the cheap Tiger Electronic ones I'd had before.
It was on this system that I first system I really played The Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, and Megaman. It was a great first handheld for me, and it was my second gaming platform that was really mine.
#8 My 18th Birthday: The Wii and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - For my 18th Birthday, my parents bought me the Wii and my grandmother got me Twilight Princess...it was a good year, and I was the first to even own a Wii at my school, making me much more awesome than I ever really will be. I loved Twilight Princess, even though it did feel like a rehashing of Ocarina. The waggle controls were annoying, but Wii Sports was actually fun. At the time, it was a great distraction from finishing high school and getting ready for college.
Finally, a sidekick I could relate with...
#7 My 10th Birthday: Pokemon Yellow - My grandfather is awesome. He can get a lot of great games...on accident. Yellow was one of those right place, right time purchases on his part. In this case, his girlfriend at the time (the man's been a bachelor forever) was working for one of the electronics distributions groups, and was able to pick up three copies of Yellow for $10.00 a piece, legally. That was amazing at the time. She sold one on eBay, gave one to her nephew, and one came to me. One of my more awesome lucky moments in gaming.
The game itself is amongst my favorites, and you should check it out if you get the chance. Though, don't ever hope to have my story about it.
#6 My 11th Birthday: Donkey Kong 64/Majora's Mask - I couldn't decide which, so I picked both. I was getting Majora's Mask anyways. My parents were into Zelda as much as I was, so I knew either I was getting it or they were, so I dropped the hint that DK 64, a game I'd played at a friends, came with the necessary expansion pack for 10 dollars more...I felt fairly sure that I'd end up with the game. I was right, of course, but my parents were sneaky about it and ended up actually making me think they didn't get it that way. Evil parents that they were.
#5 My 20th Birthday: Rock Band - What can I say? Rock Band has been a part of my life since this time last year, for no other reason than it's cool. As a musician myself, being able to play the drums and sing as a video game is awesome....now where's the keyboard and sax set ups? Heh heh.
There's no real story about this one though, save that it's been a good game for me this past year when I haven't been able to buy a lot of new ones, as there's always DLC to master.
#4 My 7th Birthday: The Sega Genesis - The first console I ever owned. My father owned the Nintendo before this...but this was it for me. It was 1995, and if I'd had a brain, I'd have asked for a PS1, but my real first steps into gaming were the Genesis and NES, and I had no idea what the PS1 was.
When I was three, my cousin's dad got the system for the earliest Madden football simulator. He also got Sonic for my cousin, and I knew I had to have the system. My mom made a deal with me then. If I still wanted it when I was seven, she'd get me a Genesis. I got a Genesis, heh heh.
#3 My 18th Birthday: Spider-Man 2 - My little sister is a sweetheart sometimes. We fight like cats and dogs most of the time (she's the dog), but every great once in a while, something happens and we end up being nice to each other. Such was the case with my present from her that year. The gift beat out the Wii as my favorite gift that year, simply because it was from her.
So, we're standing in the movie rental store looking for a movie or game to rent, and we see the previously owned games shelf. There on it was Spider-Man 2. I made the comment that this might be fun, and she bought it on the spot, knowing that I'd liked Spider-Man 1.
The game being amongst my all time favorites doesn't hurt it either...heh heh.
#2 My 12th Birthday: The Dreamcast and Shenmue - Oh, Dreamcast how I love thee. You make me so happy. My parents bought it for me...and my grandfather was serendipatiously awesome yet again. Shenmue was the first game I really played in depth for the system of dreams.
The two were awesome together and made that December go by amazingly quickly. According to my grandfather, he went in and said "I need a Dreamcast game thingy for a twelve year..." "Shenmue." "Ring it up."
#1 My 10th Birthday: Before I tell you...watch this...
Yeah, if both of them were girls, that would be and my little sister on my 10th Birthday. This started what we affectionately call the "Nintendo Dance", which involves dancing with a game in front of us happily...it's weird, and we both do it...but yeah. This was my second console, and one we both loved already having played it at a mutual friend of ours. I got Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 also, and we played the latter to death, killing the cartridge after six months.
Then Ocarina came out...yeah...first family game where everyone was fully involved with different aspects. Kate could do any of the bow and slingshot work and horse riding better than anyone. I was the best fighter. My mom was the best at solving puzzles, and my dad didn't care about staying up late to do the side quests. Yeah, it was fun, the three of us working together like that.
So that's my favorite birthday presents. So, tell me what you think, your faves, and go ahead and have a piece of cake. I'm off to have a good birthday.
-Sara
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