The Games That Made Your Childhood

[Damarioman]

Everyone has those games they played as a kid that makes them look back and say: "that is my childhood."
I'd like to take a walk down nostalgia boulevard with you all, starting with the three games that I most associate with my childhood.

1: Super Mario Bros. 3

Remembering back as far as I can, I believe the first video game I ever played was SMB3. Despite the NES being far out of date during my childhood, it was one of the two systems we had, the other being a Sega Genesis. To get back on point, I spent hours upon hours playing SMB3. From Desert Hills to Big Island to Pipe Maze, I'd spend my days after school honing my skill so that one day I'd be able to save the princess without the aid of the warp whistle. The day I finally trashed the mighty Koopa King's tank brigades, navies, and air forces, and stormed his keep was a great day indeed. The brothers had marshalled around me for support. With nought but the did of a mushroom I trounced the mighty Bowser and saved the Mushroom Kingdom.
That is why Super Mario Bros. 3 is my childhood.

-=-=-=-=-

2: Super Smash Bros.

Funny story. We got the N64 before the SNES. The first games we got for the system were Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Starfox 64, and Super Smash Bros. My favourite thing to do in smash was to play as Mario and fight a bunch of computers on whatever stage I saw fit, the chaos of items and all. I also enjoyed classic mode, enduring the challenges on the road to master hand. Some of the most memorable moments were the fight against Metal Mario, the Fighting Polygon Team, and Master Hand himself. The first time I saw Master Hand, he scared me. His power was vast and as a dumb kid, my abilities were not of the stock to defeat him, even on easy mode. His foreboding strength and my multiple defeats at his... er... hand, made my triumph all the sweeter.
And that's why Super Smash Bros. is my childhood.

-=-=-=-=-

3: Warcraft II Tides of Darkness / Beyond the Dark Portal.

My brother was always a Starcraft person. I, however, was all about Warcraft II. The intro, despite its not ageing well, still makes me all excited. The battles fought across Azeroth and Lordaeron, the skirmishes at sea, the clashes of mighty beasts in the air... I still adore it all. The sacking of Tol Barad, The runestones of Caer Darrow, and the sizing of the Stratholme oil fields in the Orc campaign. The defence of Hillsbrad, the razing of Grim Batol, and the assault upon the Dark Portal in the Human campaign. The story and strategy of Warcraft II gave me hours of joy and frustration as I played the campaigns over and over again.
And that's why Warcraft II is my childhood.

-=-=-=-=-

What games made your childhood?

[Mario]

Couldn't say, feels like I played plenty of games.

Proud member of the Shadow █████████████

Interested in web development? Check out Super Mario Web Development. Wahoo!

 

""We choose to go to the [Suggestions board] not because it's easy, but because it's hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win."
- John F. Kennedy"
- gothgirlgangblastermaster

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

It's really hard for me to say because I played a lot, but if I had to compile a short list games that seem most prominent in my childhood years they'd be:

Super Smash Bros Melee
Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess
Super Mario Sunshine
Shrek 2 (Gamecube)
Mario Kart Double Dash
Paper Mario TTYD
Little Big Planet

[Rapidkirby3k]

Super Smash Bros. (N64)
The original Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 64 is special to my gaming heart and it's been that way for many years since it came out. Being a huge Kirby fan as well, it's primarily the reason why I randomly came up with the username, 'Rapidkirby3k'. After all, I was looking for a new alias for myself, instead of using my real name's initials.

Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2 (GEN/MD)
Although I never had the chance to play the original Rocket Knight Adventures for Sega Genesis/Megadrive during my childhood until now, this is one of the few games I rented (or played on SEGA Channel, I can't remember) and I still personally love this underrated franchise to this very day. In fact, I recently came back into it, thanks to RK2010 as well coming across a friend who draws fanart.

[littlelum]

Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Mario Kart Wii are mine (the latter led me to discover MFGG, but in a really convoluted way)

I'm a forum guy living in a Discord world

[Thunderbro]

I played many great games during my childhood, but I'll list the ones that stuck out to me most. I'll keep closely related games together.

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit, Need for Speed: High Stakes, Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed:

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The Need for Speed series was among some of the first video games I ever played and were some of the most played pc games I had as a kid. In middle school I even went back to High Stakes after discovering it had a modding community. Later games in the franchise just weren't as good, but those 3 I could definitely get back into at anytime. Also they had killer soundtracks, I still listen to their OSTs to this day.

Roller Coaster Tycoon 2:

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Another PC game that I played a ton, I just had so much fun with, especially with the scenario creation mode (I honestly didn't play actual scenarios too often). Like NFS, I ended up going back to the game later after discovering mods for the game, I even ended up making a few basic mods of my own.

Sonic Adventure 1 and 2:

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On a family vacation I ended up playing Sonic Adventure at my God Parent's house... and man I ended up loving it so much, I had so much fun with the gameplay with the characters I played as (I don't think I played as Big or Amy during my stay there) and man, I loved that music. That same year I ended up getting a Gamecube along with Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 and Sonic Mega Collection (I got a Nintendo console and only got Sonic games, go figure). And if the gameplay wasn't fun enough I ended up playing with the Chao garden more and got hooked on that. SA2 also had a great 2 player mode, that ended up being a blast to play with family and friends. Also, did I mention the great music, because both games have great soundtracks, and I still play both of these games to this day.

Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon Gale of Darkness:

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My personal favorite Pokemon games to this day, as well as my introduction to the Pokemon video games (I watched the anime some when I was younger, but I didn't have access to a console until long after I stopped watching it). I was in a "Pokemon is stupid phase" like many kids were at the time, but then a friend of me showed me this game... and I just had to get it for myself after that. I loved the double battle gameplay, being able to steal pokemon, the story, and I absolutely adore the soundtrack. It's a shame that we will never get another Orre game, because I prefer these games over the main series by a long shot.

Shining Force:

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Probably one of the first RPG games I ever played and one of the reasons why I like RPGs so much today. I just thought the setting of the game was so cool (even though to be honest, it's pretty generic, but it was my first time being exposed to a fantasy world like it) and I could control so many different units. I also sucked really badly at this game and started over from the beginning so many times because I was to awful at the game to actually complete it. Also, A+ soundtrack, I think there is a bit of a trend here?

Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door:

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My favorite turn based RPG of all time. Everything in this game was just so charming, the dialog could get hilarious, while at the same time it told a great story, the gameplay was very fun and engaging, I never got bored of it, the graphics were unique and very pleasing to look at (and they have aged great to this day as well!), and it has a wonderful and memorable soundtrack. My friend showed me this game one day, and I got absolutely hooked on it. This is one of the few games where I actually went to 100% clear it, and aside from hitting level 99, I did achieve this goal. Its been quite awhile since I've played this game, but I feel like it deserves a replay soon.

Maplestory and Mabinogi

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Two different MMOs from the publisher Nexon that I played a ton of in High School (and continue to play to this day, more so Mabinogi). These are games that I started playing in High School (still technically part of my childhood, and probably my most played games during High School and after graduating). Both games gave me huge worlds to explore and allowed me to meet many friends, plenty who I still keep in contact with today, even if some of them have moved on from these games. I started with Maplestory the summer before my freshmen year, and boy did I get hooked on it. I was absolutely terrible at the game and totally messed up my character, but that didn't matter to me because I got to explore and make friends and just goof around. I joined Mabinogi a little later because I wanted a new game to play (I did not quit Maplestory though) and it reminded me of Harvest Moon, which I had played on my Wii around that time period. I was also terrible at this game when I first started, but its rebirth system and lack of class system kept me going. The game had a very interesting storyline and like Maplestory, had a huge world to go and explore. I still play Mabinogi very actively to this day (and Maplestory every once in awhile).

Anyways, there is my essay on the games that I felt impacted my childhood the most, also a few more honorable mentions as well, because there were far too many games I enjoyed as a child.
Mario Kart Double Dash
Super Smash Bros Melee and Brawl
Kirby Air Ride (still play it with friends in City Trial mode to this day)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue/Time/Sky
Pokemon Emerald Version
Pretty much every Sonic Genesis Game
Lego Island 1/2/Extreme Stunts
Lego Racers 1/2
Lego Rock Raiders

The power of teamwork will eventually pull us through

[Mariotroid]

I would say Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime Trilogy but that would be a lie of course. Really the games that made my childhood are N64 ones cause I'm old

Super Mario 64

First game I owned on my N64. Tons of hours collecting stars alongside my brother. I remember making drawings and comics about this game and all the different ideas I had for games featuring Mario after playing it. Now I'm on a Mario fangaming site. Coincidence?

Kirby 64

I made good friends with a girl in elementary school. I played this game when I borrowed it from her. It was very fun. It was an imaginative game with great music and a fun wholesome cartoon feel to it. (I wish recent kirby games were more like this one... it's so cute.)

Bomberman 64 series

Amazing games. Puzzles all over. It was a lot of fun to play with friends and my brother to figure out where to go next. I think I did a few playthroughs with my sister as well. Interesting and weird games... loved them. (Bomberman Hero was my favourite and I want to play it again)