YEAH!!! Glad someone got the subtle homage that I did, there. I actually found a complete dump of all of the sounds in the original Speak & Spell and used that to create the intro for this vid.
CGQ+ Very nice. I freaking love Kraftwerk, I've probably listened to the whole Numbers album from start to finish at least 100 times in my life. This is the kinda stuff that makes your channel(s) click with me.
I'm 44. My mum used to drop me off at the local arcade here in Nashville, TN with a 5 dollar bill while she went shopping for an hour or two. $5 of quarters back then bought you an insane amount of arcade fun. One of my greatest childhood memories.
No issues with how the video was shot, even my mom stopped to have a listen. I like how this channel is just you talking, and giving the audience a more in depth view into your life. It takes me back to being a kid, and man in the 90's I had a tiny black & white tv for awhile that I borrowed to play my nes on away from the living room, eventually I got a personal 13in quasar from a buddy, I wish I still had it, that tv was awesome, and would look great on my desk haha. Thanks for another cool video.
Great series. I keep coming back to these videos from time to time to relive those days. I'm 36 and have fond memories of my uncle bringing over an (old) Atari 2600 and memories growing up swapping NES games with friends since I only ever got 2-3 new games a year as a kid.
I grew up in the 80's and i think this was the best time to grow up as a kid. I had a Nintendo but we also played ball outside, we rode our bikes, played baseball and football on the street. We would play outside and we would see the house lights and street lights come on and we kept playing. Those were good times and wonderful memories. Great vlog video.
I often think about this. Obviously I grew up in the 80's, and I feel the same as you; it was the best time to grow up. But I also feel that for almost anyone who had a positive childhood, they are going to think that it was the best time to grow up. All I can say is that I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything.
The NES with the light gun was a birthday present to me when I was around 9. I remember wanting it so bad because a friend had an NES and I had become hooked on Mario. My mom and I would take turns playing Mario nearly every day until we picked up Legend of Zelda, which then became the game of choice.
I remember when my mom bought us a Nintendo w/Zapper and Robby and the two games. You really brought back some good memories for me. Thanks. Really liking your program.
Loved this video. I'm feeling nostalgic about my own youth as you go through your memories and it's honestly very comforting and relatable. I feel like you're being a tad too self critical toward the end of this video though. I didn't just "sit through" the video, I found it to be a lot of fun and a nice change of pace from less down to earth youtubers who wouldn't have the balls to be as open about their memories as you are here. Great stuff overall.
Dude, that was touching, and your dad sounded so great. I’ll never forget the first time I saw an NES either, must have been 86’ at my dads friends house, his son had one and I was pretty amazed myself. If memory serves I got mine in April the following year on my b-day. Great video man, you really take me back, and so many of the things you describe about growing up sounds exactly the way it was for me.
Chris, please make the effort to submit the corrections to Wikipedia. You have the sources at hand, and have a contribution to make. In order to reject your correction, they will typically have to provide alternate sources disproving you (which they won't be able to do). Wikipedia isn't carved in stone -- the collaborative aspect of it benefits from all of us improving it when we're in a position to do so. Everyone else who reads that article going forward will benefit from having the correct information. Let Wikipedia reject you (if they were going to) -- please don't just sit there and have them reject you in your head without even trying. Best wishes, and thanks for the great video.
I’m from the UK and watching videos like this sometimes makes me sad that we missed out on the whole NES experience (hardly any penetration over here). I was born in ‘77 too and most kids my age over here had either a C64 or a ZX Spectrum then a Sega Master System.
Watching this reminds me of when my brothers and I got the Nintendo system and all of the memories we got to share with our Dad n the hours we were played n the games were awesome. We lost our dad in 1994
Great memories, great show! Just found out about this channel yesterday watching your Let's Read of GamePro. It brought back a lot of memories for me when I played NES and Super Mario Bros. for the first time, as well as when my older brother and I got our NES for Christmas back in 88. The first time we played it was at our friend's house. They had this cool, dark little cubby room you had to crawl to in order to get to it. Inside there, they had a TV and a NES. Myself, my brother, my sister, Toby and Bailey (our friends) would cram into this little space and play the day away. At the time my dad had an Atari 2600 and when we saw Super Mario Bros. the graphics (and gameplay) blew us away (like it did most kids at the time). I was only 5 at the time, so I wasn't very good at it either and I remember my older brother making fun of me because both he and my sister had beaten the game before me (though she swears she never did). That made me determined to beat it once we owned it. After playing it, my brother and I immediately asked our parents for a NES for Christmas. We didn't have a lot of money either, so they told us we'd have to share it and it would be the only gift we'd get that year, to which we had no problem with. However, it was the hot toy of that holiday season, so they were hard to come buy. I remember my parents saying they were having a hard time finding it and they warned us they may not be able to get us one for Christmas. Of course, we were freaking out about it because, unlike you, we were DYING to get one! You're probably thinking at this point they were just saying that to mess with us, but they were actually telling the truth. My mom later told us that it wasn't until a day or two before Christmas they were finishing up their Christmas shopping and happened to find one. It was the last one the store had and as they were leaving the store, they were approached by a couple different people who offered to pay them well over the asking price at the time! Not having much money, they could have sold it and it probably would have paid for everyone's Christmas that year. However, they knew how much my brother and I wanted it, so they declined the offers and come Christmas morning, when we opened it up, we went nuts because we really didn't think they were able to get one! We played that thing the whole rest of the day and thus began our love affair with Nintendo (I've bought every system since and will continue to do so). To this day, this is still one of my all-time favorite memories. Thanks again for doing this...it's a great way for us old-school gamers to connect! Cheers!
My first introduction to Super Mario Bros was actually the Vs arcade system in August of 1986. The NES was never really on my radar until I went to my friend's house during Easter break and his neighbor had just gotten it for Easter. When I saw Super Mario Bros again, this time looking to me like an exact port of an arcade game, I became obsessed with getting an NES. I mowed lawns and scrounged favors and chores for my parents and got one in May 1987. My next game was Kung Fu but ended up returning it for ExciteBike. Next up was Donkey Kong 3 (don't ask), which I had exchanged for Commando. For my birthday that summer I got Rush N Attack, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr (guess who loved his arcade games!). I remember seeing the ad for Zelda with the weird guy running around calling out "Zelda!" and it didn't do a very good job of selling me on the game so I had no interest. I ended up getting Commando again that October or November and for Christmas my spoiled self did pretty well-- Rad Racer, Metroid, Castlevania, and my love for arcade games reared itself again with Popeye, Section Z, and SpyHunter. My brother got a copy of Double Dribble. 1987 was a great year to be a Nintendo fan!
I used to skip school back in like grade 5, and I remember hiding under my bed while my mom would come home for her linch break. I would lay there while she played Super Mario Bros 6' away, man alive
This was great and brought back lots of memories of my mam and cousins playing super mario bros for the first time and flipping the controller up to make mario jump lol....25 years later it came true in the form of the Wii lol
Great Story, I had my NES in 1989 here in Venezuela. I found a lot of similarities with my childwwod. Thanks for your video, it was awesome. I did beat Mario 1 in those days and that first time was the most perfect moment I lived when I was a kid.
Really great story, I sincerely appreciate you sharing such a profound piece of your childhood with everyone, and yes it took me back to my childhood and my relationship with my father as well, may he rest in peace and the connection that my Nintendo, and my memories of him, getting my NES from him as well for Christmas in a similar fashion you did, ....and despite him bearly making ends meet I was able to own one because of him simply wanting me to hang out at the house instead of being out in the streets were he thought I wouldn't be as safe,..damn I miss him,.. thanks so much, great stuff Chris.😊
Man I can remember getting my NES for Xmas in '88 and I played the hell out of Super Mario Bros.!!! Its funny to think about how HUGE that was back then to my 7yr old self!!! Love this video series man!!!
Also I can remember that Xmas day trying to hook the NES up and my grandma's old floor model tv had the two wires with the U shaped hook ups that went underneath the screw! We had to go to Radio shack the next day (cause it wasn't open on Xmas) and getting an adapter.... That was torture because I was soo excited to play it!!
It took a few days to get through this but I love the content just the way you presented it. Your commentary and knowledge overlays well with my memories. I'll still watch if you want to clean it up for others.
Great video man, it's like listening to a story about my own childhood. I got the control deck that didn't come with a game, but I got Castlevania with it. I had an Atari 7800 before the NES, but it didn't hold my interest that much. It was the NES and Castlevania that started my love affair with gaming. I'm still just as passionate about gaming today, but I find myself looking to the past more and more thanks to the Everdrive. Being able to buy all the consoles I had or wanted as a kid now has really brought me a lot of joy. Nostalgia is part of that, but I do still have a great affinity for retro gaming.
Great video. Thank you for sharing your personal memories. My first experience seeing a home gaming machine was actually the Sega Master System. My first American friend invited me over to play and that very night, his dad had bought him a Sega Master System along with Alex Kidd, Hang On and Safari Hunt with 3D glasses. I was VERY impressed and thought all American kids had gaming machine like this. Anyway, in 1987, my older sisters formed a coalition and lobbied our parents for a gaming system. I, of course, wanted a Sega, but my older sisters vetoed me. Bless their dictatorial souls--they saved me from years of self-pity of being one of the few Master System kid. I remember some kids didn't have a lot of money and they would play with Atari 7800. And some had hand-me-down Commodore 64 or Colecovision. Those kids had it rough back in late 1980s... I was very fortunate, because by early 1988, my parents bought us the Legend of Zelda, which really decided the playground argument of best gaming system. By then, NES had Metroid, Contra, Castlevania, Ice Hockey, and Mike Tyson's Punch Out. Sega still had Outrun, Space Harrier, and Afterburner, but Sega didn't have an answer for LoZ until Phantasy Star came out.
Man Chris, your stories and memories beat out any raw let's play footage! Not to be too dramatic, but so far, your childhood has alot of somber moments; but you're just telling it like it is; which is appreciated!
I was the same when I was 8. I went through a long phase where I really wasn’t bothered with playing home systems. I was out riding my bike, playing in the yard with friends and doing anything else that involved adventure. I wasn’t until I hit 9 or 10 that I really got into home games again and then wanted a Genesis.
Thanks for the fun video. Makes me think about my memories. I got the NES Action set with grey zapper in I think 1988. Before that I actually had the Atari 2600 Junior. I recall liking the Max controller, especially with a game like Blades of Steel.
In my 40s and had a vasectomy last week. You bet your ass I had a PS5 beforehand so that being immobile would be fun. Wish my kids cared about gaming more so we could have shared it more.
Love these trips down memory lane. I remember playing the display Nes at Walmart as much as I could while we were there. They also had a play choice 10 in the vestibule out front as well. I so looked forward to Saturdays and going to Wal-Mart at that time.
I don't comment on youtube but I had to make an exception here. This video brought back some great memories I had as a kid. My dad who passed away last year brought home the NES Action set in 1987 or 88. I was 4-5 years old at the time and your memories really hit home with me. My dad basically said it was for me and my sister but HE ended hogging it and we would be glued to the screen watching him play Zelda or Final Fantasy, lol deadly towers was another one, castlevania. He didn't get into Mario much cuz he sucked at it but me and my sister would play that when he went to work. That trend of watching him play RPG's and other adventure games extended well into the late 90's until girls and other things became more interesting lol. None the less me and my dad remained gaming until his passing and I will carry it as my main hobby till I kick the bucket. I shed a tear listening to your story as it reminded so much of that day he brought it home and kicked off one of the greatest and honest fun I think I'll ever have in this life. Keep up the great work and I think your format for these videos/channel is spot on. Game on!
Chris, you have made something most wonderful and special here. I've watched everything you have put up on CGQ and CGQ+. You have most perfectly taken me back to my childhood nastolgia days. Everything you talk about from going to toys r us to the rules of game borrowing are just sooo spot on... Thank you for this.
I too got the Control Deck for Christmas. I remember setting it up (well, dad setting it up) in the room he grew up in at my grandparent's house and spending the rest of the night playing SMB. Everytime I beat a Bowser castle, I'd run out of the room and tell everybody I saved the princess (again). It was if course, Toad.
These videos are great. I don't normally watch Let's Plays, but with your videos being focused more around your memories growing up, it's easy for me to lose an hour listening to them. Honestly, after watching episode 1, I forgot there was going to be an actual gameplay session, so when it hit I was surprised. That said, the theme of the video is retained in both parts and that's what counts. Looking forward to the next episode!
Great story, very cool video. Nostalgia lane. Regarding the video, I think you can get a little more relaxed and not be so criticized of yourself when sharing your moments thinking it can be tiring. I was driving back from work listening to the audio and I liked it. And about the "Lets play" section also does not need to be critical if you can not beat the game, the more important is to demonstrate how the game works and drop some trivia like mario 1 not be a NES launching game, very cool info. Now a little bit about me, I was born and I live in Brazil, in São Bernardo do Campo. I started playing games because of my brother, who had an Atari 2600. I started early, I really enjoyed Pitfall, Enduro, Keystone Kapers, Dishaster, Freeway and Dragonfire. I remember a neighbor who had Intelevision, but I do not remember playing. Later we won a master system, and my first platform game was Alex Kidd Miracle World and not Mario. But soon after I played Mario at a friend's house on his Phantom System (aka NES). I remember when I saw Mario 2 in the video rental store I was excited because of 4 characters (note: here in Brazil it was possible to pay to play an hour in the video rental store). And on TV was broadcast the american program of Mario that had real actor, and had a Brazilian program of games that appeared Robotnik. I do not have this specific image, but I have clip from the program ruclips.net/video/ge9p6oxgNX8/видео.html
Finally, someone brings up the fact that SMB was not a launch title! I've argued with people over this topic, that are adamant that it was always a pack in game, since day one. I got my NES on my birthday in Feb of '86 and I remember specifically having to wait until May of '86 for the release of SMB. Being from the Bay Area had its perks.
Just echoing a lot of others' feedback about how the stories you relate on this channel and in this video specifically resonate with me (born in '75). The biggest difference from your experience vs mine was that in '87, NES was all the rage with my circle of friends and classmates. I wasn't the first or last of my group of friends to get a NES for Christmas in '87 but by then it was massive. We were talking about and playing Nintendo all the time which sounds a little different than what you experienced. Either way, digging the channel and the nostalgia trip which is something I try to do when possible on my own retro gaming blog. Look forward to watching the rest of the videos you have up on this channel as well!
I think my first platformer might have been Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle on the Colecovision in 1983. It was mostly jumping, low jumps, high jumps, double jumps..! so many jumps! :) I somehow think I played it before Pitfall!
Well, since you don't remember the first time you plugged it in, I'll tell you mine. I got the NES for Christmas one year at my grandparent's house in SC. I might have been 1986? I would have been 8 or 9. Whenever we stayed there, I slept in the room my dad grew up in. There was an old radio and TV. Dad hooked it up for me. Afterward, I spent the rest of the night playing SMB, running out, telling everybody how I "saved the princess" each time I beat Bowser (it was just Toad). Honestly, I've only beaten it a few times and with Game Genie. The Hammer Bros in 8-3 always get me.
Man, I have been following you in your CGQ channel. I really enjoy your videos, very professional and top notch quality. But watching this video I feel you would be the kind of guy I'll go to a pub and buy a drink and just share tales from our gaming past. Keep it up mate, thanks a bunch. Best vibes from a Venezuelan in London!
InIeresting video! I also hate how everyone lists SMB as a launch game as well. Including Nintendo themselves! I've actually been friends with Frank for around 15 years now and spoke with him about the NES and SMB launches. I personally received my NEW (PRE-DELUXE set) as a gift from my parents in September 1985 as a Birthday present / "shut the hell up" gift hehe... I used to buy them pretty constantly about it! I used to play SMB in the arcade on the Vs. system around the time I received my NES in Sep/Oct 1985 and also saw it on the NINTENDO GAME PLAN large poster packed in with my system. I was really hyped for it and would call the local Kay-Bee Toys store every day asking if the received it yet! The manager finally added me to a list of people to call when it actually showed up. It was in mid-February of 1985. I remember it like it was yesterday! The manager knew I was "nuts for Nintendo" and even let me open the large Nintendo box and pick out my own copy. It was a very exciting time. I called my best friend over and we played it for about 8 hours straight. Such great memories, and I always love hearing about other's memories of this as well. I also recall the very first NES 3rd party games, and have some photos of my collection with the first NES game pak launches if you need any extra stuff for your NES launch episode. Just let me know.
I laughed so hard at the NES Max Controller story... good stuff man. The struggle was too real as a kid looking through a bunch of games you didn’t want so that you could go home with something.
I received my Nintendo for Christmas, 1987. It was the one with just SMB as the pack-in game. We were at my grandparent's house and I was staying in the room my dad grew up in. I think I was 10 or 11. Anyhow, dad hooked it up for me. Every time I beat a Bowser castle (it was likely the same one over and over), I'd run out of the room, telling everybody I saved the princess again. It was just Toad, of course. I never even beat it until adulthood, and with Game Genie.
Ok, I’m coming to the conclusion you must be a bot. Pfff, you just straight up copied dudes story about running out the room screaming you saved the princess. Bot. Prove me wrong. Answer with something original
Really interesting to hear about your personal history with gaming. My sisters' dad had a VCS and I grew up playing that in the early 80s before eventually getting a 2600 Jr. of my own around 87 or 88. Totally forgot that was even the name of the model version!
"Oh and speaking of blowing!" .....awkward pause.... I just reverted back to being a kid and lol'd too that for some reason... but on topic, I'm your age and I dont really remember home video games either, until I got the NES bundle with Rob the robot and Mike Tyson's Punch out for Xmas one year. (whatever year Punch out came out)
Great show and heartfelt. No that's not grainy at all man! I think the video quality is just fine. Now, I'm going to hit that subscribe button. This reminds me of my childhood. I'm binge watching your Flashback videos and enjoying them very much. I know this is one of your early videos but I had to comment on this one. Great content CGQ+
Yeah, my folks got the family an Atari 7800 around '87. I got alot of use out of that system - Asteroids, Desert Falcon, Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, all the classic 2600 games. And besides, EVERYONE else had a NES, so it was practically like I had one too. Was that the case for you? I mean it, like 4 kids in my school had it, my cousin, best friend's neighbor, a kid of a parent's friend, etc. Not getting an NES and my love of the arcades eventually led me to MY first game system, the Genesis, bought in Sept '89 abouts. So it all worked out. Yeah, I'm a SEGA kid :)
Your story of getting your first NES reminded me of so many times I went to buy so many new systems. I remember when I got my first gaming PC (first modern one, I've had Amigas and whatnot). I had received a fortuitous gift from the inland revenue totalling a grand and a half and I knew I was getting a PC because I would never get a better chance to get started with a real decent computer. It was a letter I opened on Christmas Eve. As chance would deign, me and my son were going out to buy his Christmas gift, a PS4, and I was happy enough I was gonna play some PS4 with him, but on the way out I picked up this letter, and after picking up my jaw from the floor, went back in the house, grabbed some ID, and after buying the PS4 and taking my son home, went to put the cheque in the bank. I was told it would take a while to clear, longer cos of Christmas and New Years. It took about a week. Then I went and bought the computer itself, but I only picked out the components and paid the money over, I had to wait another week for everything to get there for the guy to assemble it. It was the longest couple of weeks of my life. I was very happy to get this piece of good luck, but cursed the time of year. This was the turn of 2015 into 2016 and I was 36 years old. Although the magic of games doesn't work on me so much anymore, but when I'm bout to get a new system, I'm like a damn puppy when daddy comes home.
Got that same bundle for xmas of 87! I too wanted it real bad, and my mom had to travel away just to find one on the shelves, as these were selling like hotcakes as gifts with even reports of moms getting into fights over the last few remaining!
At 15:30 you go to push up your glasses, but they're not there. I do this all the time when I'm not wearing mine, so it's funny to notice someone else do it too. Great videos by the way. Keep them coming.
by the way, there still are no games that compared to the arcade experience. Not just graphically, but what arcades brought to the overall experience. Keep it up man, I like this format and your other.
Me too, i didnt have any other games for like 2 years back in my country. But luckily this is great game. Never got tired of playing it tho. Good times.
dude my dad did the same thing to me said id get it at christmas but later on told me to get something out of the trunk and it was NES although once i got my genesis later on and could relive my love arcades by playing my fav game MORTAL KOMBAT on the genesis i became a genesis fanboy for the next 10 years until they stopped making consoles
This has been enjoyable and I like the setup you did on this one. You are a good story teller. I could see either way working, what you did on this one, or where you place gameplay throughout, but I think I would prefer the gameplay at the end with the cuts.
21:50 Your grandma sounds really awesome to have given you a TV. In 1998 I had my own TV, which felt like such a luxury at the time. But it was an antique and just up and broke from old age. That same year my little sister got a TV for her birthday. I was super jealous, cause she could watch stuff whenever she wanted but if I wanted to play Nintendo 64 I still had to wait until no one else was using the living room TV. My grades never really suffered due to games, though, so maybe this was for the best. XD
She was a great lady. To this day, she is still probably the kindest, sweetest person that I have ever known. Do kids have TVs in their rooms these days? Seems like back in my heyday, it was pretty rare. Most parents (correctly) suspected that kids would abuse the privilege.
Yeah, honestly your whole video says a lot about how parents and grandparents love to spoil their kids. I had a TV in my room from '96 to '98, until it broke. By the time I was a teenager playing Gamecube I had a TV in my room again. I just assumed it had to do with how much TV's cost compared to my parents' household budget and the falling prices of technology over time, not necessarily a "privilege" thing. It would be interesting to research and compare TV prices from those decades.
H37a: "I got the NES Max, because I thought it would make me better at everything." The hypothesis receives partial support. The NES Max is THE BEST CONTROLLER for R.C. Pro-Am, which is worth it, by itself, because RCPA is a Top-10 NES game... I don't know if a better controller COULD be made, for that or any other similar racer. It's perfect for "tiny racing," making corners and such, in 3/4 "tabletop" racing. I'd LOVE to have a controller like that for the PS4 or Android box, for "Table Top Racing (World Tour)"... It's dope.
Awesome video my friend, really enjoyed it. Such memories. Hey I would love for you to play Jackal for NES or at least give your impressions on it. Its my favorite multiplayer game of all time. Great memories playing it with my dad,
I love this stuff. I listen to your stories and think about my own memories. I'm a little bit older than you so my memories are more about the Atari games. Memories range from getting Frogger after a long day of cutting lawns as a high point...to the disappointment after only 15 minutes of Donkey Kong. Pac Man was simply horrible and a Christmas present low point. But I could always go back to Joust, Tron or Wizard of War. The pile of garbage games in the dollar bin at a record store was a bit like you being offered a game at Bed Bath and Beyond. No good options there. Anyway, I reached the age of "girls are awesome" by the time the NES was released so it wasn't my priority. In 1989 I had a GF who had an NES and Tetris. She was perennially late so I played hours of Tetris waiting on her to get ready. At some point gaming stopped because college, work and kids happen. I was brought back into the fold around 2004 because I wanted to play Tetris again. I started collecting about 5 years ago because I wanted to play some Donkey Kong Country and got bit by the bug.
Those were the days, brother. I have similar and very vivid memories that play out pretty much the same way, but you're much better at conveying them than I am. My parents never divorced though. In fact, I've never heard them yell or argue about anything in my 43 years. As far as my old friends in the neighborhood, they've moved on and grown up. Are we man-children? I remember KB (Kay Bee) Toys. I got several GIJOE toys and my only Bionic 6 figure (Jack) from there. Maybe the occasional NES game. I also remember Radio Shack. I know you worked there for a while. Other than Spencer's for their gag/prank stuff and KB, RadioShack was my other go-to. I was fascinated with the technology there, mostly things like the RC cars and robots.
Recently subbed to your main channel and liked it enough to sub to this one. Sad to hear about your dad. I know by now, it's a long time ago, but that really sucks. You're only 2 years older than me, so I had similar gaming experiences back then at the time. Though I stuck with Nintendo, and I actually started working to buy my own games really young, at like 13. EGM kept previewing all of these awesome imports, which I had access to growing up in New York City, but imports were so expensive. Like $150-$200 for certain games. I remember paying like $200 for a Dragon Ball Z fighting game for Super Famicom back when the whole Moral Kombat/Street Fighter craze was a thing. This was before anyone even knew what DBZ was. Obviously we found out eventually. But man I remember I was a busboy back then making next to nothing, maybe working a whole Saturday and coming home with $35 or $40, but for me as a kid, that was a ton of money. Felt good buying my own stuff.
Back in 87' the first game system was commodore 64 the later in 88' the nintendo entertainment system and it was my fathers friend who he knew from association with his work actually convinced my dad to buy me and my brother a nintendo entertainment system the summer and if it wasn't for Workie my dads friend I would've never got one, well not at that time, it was funny because when he was telling us about he said his son who was 25 years old plays it and me and my brother were surprised, we thought it was some arcade system and very pleased when we got it and very addictive, lol
I love how you told the story of getting the Nintendo from your Dad. I have fond memories of getting the Nintendo from my parents at Sears! You and I are close to the same age, from what I can tell. I got my system around the same time. Just like you, Super Mario Brothers is my all time favorite game too! Cool stuff man! Love your channel and videos!!
I have to say, that I love to hear these "History gaming stories", at about same age range than myself (you might be a couple years younger). Interesting to hear about the differences in (home)gaming machines, arcades, computers and so on. In different countries. Regarding the playing part, I really don't need (or want) you to make a play through video. If I wanted that, there are millions of them out there. Somehow I liked that you told things on top, when you we're playing... If you are going the route to use just game footage, then don't make just an voiceover on top of that. To me, it it adds to video, when I can see you talking. Now I just have to share a few of my memories ;) Arcades, we never had dedicated arcades here in Finland (only on amusement parks). Arcades here we're scattered around pubs and bars. Strangely even my little village had a small bar, which had dedicated department for flippers and games. Not totally sure anymore, but I think there was 2 pinballs and 1 or 2 arcade machines. I remember Pac-Man pinball, which had a little Pac-Man subgame made with leds in the middle of playfield. From games I remember Track'n'Field and Munch Mobile/Joyful Road. Later I started to know places at the nearest town, which had games also. I remember many times I went bicycling to the town, just to see different games, I have a faint memory of seeing Atari's Centipede tabletop version... One of the most memorable time was, when I heard that on one place there would be Dragon's Lair and that was BIG. I remember seeing it on magazines and it became larger than life for me. I drove many times to the town with my bicycle (about 5 km), just to be able to see the game in action. Those we're fantastic times, when everything was new... On the home gaming front, consoles weren't that hot in here at the beginning. They and specially the games we're very expensive around here, so 8- and 16-bit computers were much more dominant here. Mainly Commodore 64 and later Amiga, but also things like MSX, Spectrum and Atari ST. My first time seeing an computer was at my friends place, he told me he has a Spectrum and would I like to see it. Well, of course I would! I was always interested in electronics, be it VHS, cassette players etc. I vividly remember, when we walked to living room and I though there was a book on top of the table. But it wasn't a book, it was Speccy laying keyboard down on the table ;) We played Space Invaders clone and some of Horace games. My first computer was Mattel Aquarius, which I remember playing games like Tron Deadly Discs and D&D. For some reason my next computer was Oric Atmos, which was expensive and kinda obscure machine. I think, that my first console was Colecovision (which I still have)... I also had SNES for a brief time and then I moved to Atari ST and eventually Falcon, before the PC-era started. Don't get me wrong, people here owned NES too, but I think that here it came later and the big console times came with SNES. Mostly people we're renting games, because they we're REALLY expensive here... Well, enough of my ramblings ;) I need to get breakfast now ;)
Hearing you talk about the past has me relive my life in Lake County California (clearlake, CA) kind of boring and it was so cool to just find video games just something to get my mind off how much it sucked living away from everything. I wanted to ask you is it really worth doing a video game blog or just do videos? In late 2015 I came back from being a missionary and a pastor in Haiti. I am working a crummy job now and hopefully my luck will change and be a pastor somewhere or something. But when I found you it just takes me back to who I was and who I will be. Like acknowledging that it is okay to still love NES games even though you are 39 like I am. It fills the void of the midlife crisis all of us maybe going through. It is just great to go somewhere and you can feel at home. Take Care man and God Bless
Clearlake is really nice, although I agree that you're kind of isolated there. Is it worth doing videos like this? I guess it depends on why you do it. I just really enjoy having my RUclips channels. Doing these "Flashback" videos really makes me think a lot about my childhood, which is nice. It also makes me realize how much I am forgetting, and doing stuff like this helps me to put this stuff back in my active long-term memory.
Yea I hear ya man. When you do the videos it takes me back to the arcades when I was a kid and also when I got my first nintendo. It also helps me remember too. I think we all need to go back so that we don't lose all of our memories.
Great video Chris. Watched all the way and enjoyed the whole thing. Video is great cause we can see your reaction to things but this could even lend itself well to podcasting as well.
All of your experience on gaming pretty much reflects on me, excepy Im going through all that experience in early /mid 90s(becasuse I was born mid 80s and third world country is a bit late in almost every sector I guess). I remember going to arcade in city near my village ,then go to my cousins and watch SMB for the first time. Not much excited to have one actually, but Im visited His house quite often each saturday and sunday to play and my parents suddenly asked me do I wanted NES also,I said yeah, that would be cool, but not wishin' it that much. Until some day in 94 they took me to electronic store to buy cassette karaoke machine and they told me that NES also being sold there and its actually quite cheap (its actually NES clone console called Spica) so they bought me one out of plan along with a 7in1 game cartridge and thats when I got excted
40:43 I remember getting a few good games from the Albertsons grocery store. There was also this coin shop that would buy and trade video games, which was a strange place to buy games. heh.
Ive heard that warp zones were put into nintendo games without passwords to function similarly to passwords....i use them like that a lot, or on a difficult game to practice on later levels
Another FAB video!! As I've said before I'm from the UK and when I was 10 years old that would of been 1996 and I remember other kids talking about the PlayStation at recess one time and thought it was a kids work bench or something lol. My folks never really had any money when I was growing up so I would have to go to different friends houses to play video games but at that age I guess I was more interested in playing soccer and watching TV.
Most people claim they got the NES in 85. But no one had it really in 85. Some people got it in 86. But Xmas 87 was when shit went nuts. That's when most people actually got it. I wouldn't even believe Pat the NES Punk if he told me he got it in 85 with out any proof. I think I got mine in 88 or 87 can't remember. It was the zapper Mario/Duck Hunt pack.
That's my memory, as well. Like I said, I didn't know anyone else who had a NES when I got mine in October of 87, but I also feel like by the Spring of 88, most kids I knew at school had one.
1) 16:30 OMG, I feel so bad for your dad that had to go through that surgery. Holy smokes, It was like it would be th eonly entertainment besides the TV that he would use to combat his surgery. My eyes and mouth wide open...wow, and in my childhood I didn't have any of that. Because everyone around me, my neighbors, were all into sports and it was very hard to find people that would enjoy video games as much as I would with my siblings. You are very lucky you had friends that were into that interest, not just toys and cartoons. 18:25 *gasps... Sorry to hear about that. 2) 22:00 In my elementary school in 2005, they never told us about semesters. We would get Marking Period Grades based on what grade you got in class but I don't remember having Marking periods in Elementary school since I dind't really understand them at that time. In fact, from the very beginning I didn't want to care about homework or even school becasue school to me was boring and I just wanted to go home and either play roller coaster tycoon 2 or wait until the weekend comes around (like fridays, saturdays, and sundays) and play video games from there. that is until the 2010s when that rule was basically broken in high school. 3) 27:23 If you like twitter a lot as well as facebook, then you'll definitely love Discord. Discord was made for gamers but I also find it as one of my favorite chatroom applications in the world. Hands down the most omdern and best chatroom application so far in my opinion. Overall, I find this type of storytelling from you and playing the game way different then what most Let's Plays I would have seen from other people.
1) I mean, it was elective surgery. You just have to sit on the couch for a week afterwards. That would get boring, even for me. 2) Yeah, I dunno. I just feel like we knew when report cards were coming out, but it's not like we had "semesters", or "quarters". I don't remember that being a thing until at least jr. high school. 3) I keep hearing about Discord, but I guess I just don't understand what it is or how it works. Maybe I'll check it out. Glad you're enjoying the channel!
Good times!!!! That bit about the NES Max controller made me laugh quite a bit. You were spot on man, that thing sucked!! I can imagine the disappointment and the thoughts about how anything would have been better than that. Lol Funny, I don't really remember when I got my NES. I grew up relatively poor so I rarely got anything in the launch year. Maybe I got it in 89? Because I do remember having a TG16 after the NES, and I did get the SNES really soon after launch, maybe launch month. Anyway I'm loving these! Keep going.
Kraftwerk... I love it.
YEAH!!! Glad someone got the subtle homage that I did, there. I actually found a complete dump of all of the sounds in the original Speak & Spell and used that to create the intro for this vid.
CGQ+
Very nice. I freaking love Kraftwerk, I've probably listened to the whole Numbers album from start to finish at least 100 times in my life. This is the kinda stuff that makes your channel(s) click with me.
We are Schaufensterpuppen.
Fuckin' badass.
Senna's cap! TKS for the Episode. Very touched by your relationship with your father
Your an open book Chris. Thank you for sharing with us. Your a good guy
I'm 44. My mum used to drop me off at the local arcade here in Nashville, TN with a 5 dollar bill while she went shopping for an hour or two. $5 of quarters back then bought you an insane amount of arcade fun. One of my greatest childhood memories.
No issues with how the video was shot, even my mom stopped to have a listen. I like how this channel is just you talking, and giving the audience a more in depth view into your life. It takes me back to being a kid, and man in the 90's I had a tiny black & white tv for awhile that I borrowed to play my nes on away from the living room, eventually I got a personal 13in quasar from a buddy, I wish I still had it, that tv was awesome, and would look great on my desk haha. Thanks for another cool video.
Great series. I keep coming back to these videos from time to time to relive those days. I'm 36 and have fond memories of my uncle bringing over an (old) Atari 2600 and memories growing up swapping NES games with friends since I only ever got 2-3 new games a year as a kid.
I grew up in the 80's and i think this was the best time to grow up as a kid. I had a Nintendo but we also played ball outside, we rode our bikes, played baseball and football on the street. We would play outside and we would see the house lights and street lights come on and we kept playing. Those were good times and wonderful memories. Great vlog video.
I often think about this. Obviously I grew up in the 80's, and I feel the same as you; it was the best time to grow up. But I also feel that for almost anyone who had a positive childhood, they are going to think that it was the best time to grow up. All I can say is that I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything.
this dude is fascinating. Love his videos
The NES Advantage was the best controller for the NES. I did like the MAX for some games though.
The NES with the light gun was a birthday present to me when I was around 9. I remember wanting it so bad because a friend had an NES and I had become hooked on Mario. My mom and I would take turns playing Mario nearly every day until we picked up Legend of Zelda, which then became the game of choice.
I remember when my mom bought us a Nintendo w/Zapper and Robby and the two games. You really brought back some good memories for me. Thanks. Really liking your program.
Great video, I am 37 and the NES brings back so many great memories.
Love the way your dad casually made you open the car trunk and you discover the NES!!
Loved this video. I'm feeling nostalgic about my own youth as you go through your memories and it's honestly very comforting and relatable. I feel like you're being a tad too self critical toward the end of this video though. I didn't just "sit through" the video, I found it to be a lot of fun and a nice change of pace from less down to earth youtubers who wouldn't have the balls to be as open about their memories as you are here. Great stuff overall.
Dude, that was touching, and your dad sounded so great. I’ll never forget the first time I saw an NES either, must have been 86’ at my dads friends house, his son had one and I was pretty amazed myself. If memory serves I got mine in April the following year on my b-day. Great video man, you really take me back, and so many of the things you describe about growing up sounds exactly the way it was for me.
Chris, please make the effort to submit the corrections to Wikipedia. You have the sources at hand, and have a contribution to make. In order to reject your correction, they will typically have to provide alternate sources disproving you (which they won't be able to do). Wikipedia isn't carved in stone -- the collaborative aspect of it benefits from all of us improving it when we're in a position to do so. Everyone else who reads that article going forward will benefit from having the correct information. Let Wikipedia reject you (if they were going to) -- please don't just sit there and have them reject you in your head without even trying. Best wishes, and thanks for the great video.
I'll give it a try.
I’m from the UK and watching videos like this sometimes makes me sad that we missed out on the whole NES experience (hardly any penetration over here).
I was born in ‘77 too and most kids my age over here had either a C64 or a ZX Spectrum then a Sega Master System.
Watching this reminds me of when my brothers and I got the Nintendo system and all of the memories we got to share with our Dad n the hours we were played n the games were awesome. We lost our dad in 1994
Dude, your second channel deserves a nintendo's seal of quality in it
Great memories, great show! Just found out about this channel yesterday watching your Let's Read of GamePro. It brought back a lot of memories for me when I played NES and Super Mario Bros. for the first time, as well as when my older brother and I got our NES for Christmas back in 88.
The first time we played it was at our friend's house. They had this cool, dark little cubby room you had to crawl to in order to get to it. Inside there, they had a TV and a NES. Myself, my brother, my sister, Toby and Bailey (our friends) would cram into this little space and play the day away. At the time my dad had an Atari 2600 and when we saw Super Mario Bros. the graphics (and gameplay) blew us away (like it did most kids at the time). I was only 5 at the time, so I wasn't very good at it either and I remember my older brother making fun of me because both he and my sister had beaten the game before me (though she swears she never did). That made me determined to beat it once we owned it.
After playing it, my brother and I immediately asked our parents for a NES for Christmas. We didn't have a lot of money either, so they told us we'd have to share it and it would be the only gift we'd get that year, to which we had no problem with. However, it was the hot toy of that holiday season, so they were hard to come buy. I remember my parents saying they were having a hard time finding it and they warned us they may not be able to get us one for Christmas. Of course, we were freaking out about it because, unlike you, we were DYING to get one! You're probably thinking at this point they were just saying that to mess with us, but they were actually telling the truth. My mom later told us that it wasn't until a day or two before Christmas they were finishing up their Christmas shopping and happened to find one. It was the last one the store had and as they were leaving the store, they were approached by a couple different people who offered to pay them well over the asking price at the time! Not having much money, they could have sold it and it probably would have paid for everyone's Christmas that year. However, they knew how much my brother and I wanted it, so they declined the offers and come Christmas morning, when we opened it up, we went nuts because we really didn't think they were able to get one! We played that thing the whole rest of the day and thus began our love affair with Nintendo (I've bought every system since and will continue to do so).
To this day, this is still one of my all-time favorite memories. Thanks again for doing this...it's a great way for us old-school gamers to connect! Cheers!
My first introduction to Super Mario Bros was actually the Vs arcade system in August of 1986. The NES was never really on my radar until I went to my friend's house during Easter break and his neighbor had just gotten it for Easter. When I saw Super Mario Bros again, this time looking to me like an exact port of an arcade game, I became obsessed with getting an NES. I mowed lawns and scrounged favors and chores for my parents and got one in May 1987.
My next game was Kung Fu but ended up returning it for ExciteBike. Next up was Donkey Kong 3 (don't ask), which I had exchanged for Commando. For my birthday that summer I got Rush N Attack, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr (guess who loved his arcade games!).
I remember seeing the ad for Zelda with the weird guy running around calling out "Zelda!" and it didn't do a very good job of selling me on the game so I had no interest.
I ended up getting Commando again that October or November and for Christmas my spoiled self did pretty well-- Rad Racer, Metroid, Castlevania, and my love for arcade games reared itself again with Popeye, Section Z, and SpyHunter. My brother got a copy of Double Dribble.
1987 was a great year to be a Nintendo fan!
Even though it's been a while, I'm sorry about your dad, C. It's moving that you have such a nice memory of him in Luigi.
I used to skip school back in like grade 5, and I remember hiding under my bed while my mom would come home for her linch break. I would lay there while she played Super Mario Bros 6' away, man alive
This was great and brought back lots of memories of my mam and cousins playing super mario bros for the first time and flipping the controller up to make mario jump lol....25 years later it came true in the form of the Wii lol
Great Story, I had my NES in 1989 here in Venezuela. I found a lot of similarities with my childwwod. Thanks for your video, it was awesome. I did beat Mario 1 in those days and that first time was the most perfect moment I lived when I was a kid.
Really great story, I sincerely appreciate you sharing such a profound piece of your childhood with everyone, and yes it took me back to my childhood and my relationship with my father as well, may he rest in peace and the connection that my Nintendo, and my memories of him, getting my NES from him as well for Christmas in a similar fashion you did, ....and despite him bearly making ends meet I was able to own one because of him simply wanting me to hang out at the house instead of being out in the streets were he thought I wouldn't be as safe,..damn I miss him,.. thanks so much, great stuff Chris.😊
Man I can remember getting my NES for Xmas in '88 and I played the hell out of Super Mario Bros.!!! Its funny to think about how HUGE that was back then to my 7yr old self!!! Love this video series man!!!
Also I can remember that Xmas day trying to hook the NES up and my grandma's old floor model tv had the two wires with the U shaped hook ups that went underneath the screw! We had to go to Radio shack the next day (cause it wasn't open on Xmas) and getting an adapter.... That was torture because I was soo excited to play it!!
great video. were all friends here. you don't have to worry about production value or everything perfect.
and dude, I'm sorry for your losses.
Thanks. I'll try not to worry about it so much.
It took a few days to get through this but I love the content just the way you presented it. Your commentary and knowledge overlays well with my memories. I'll still watch if you want to clean it up for others.
Not sure what you mean by "clean it up for others", but I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Great video man, it's like listening to a story about my own childhood. I got the control deck that didn't come with a game, but I got Castlevania with it. I had an Atari 7800 before the NES, but it didn't hold my interest that much. It was the NES and Castlevania that started my love affair with gaming. I'm still just as passionate about gaming today, but I find myself looking to the past more and more thanks to the Everdrive. Being able to buy all the consoles I had or wanted as a kid now has really brought me a lot of joy. Nostalgia is part of that, but I do still have a great affinity for retro gaming.
Much respect man for allowing your viewers to take a peek into your life and your memories...had a blast watching!
I’ve got so much nostalgia playing Mario.
Great video. Thank you for sharing your personal memories. My first experience seeing a home gaming machine was actually the Sega Master System. My first American friend invited me over to play and that very night, his dad had bought him a Sega Master System along with Alex Kidd, Hang On and Safari Hunt with 3D glasses. I was VERY impressed and thought all American kids had gaming machine like this. Anyway, in 1987, my older sisters formed a coalition and lobbied our parents for a gaming system. I, of course, wanted a Sega, but my older sisters vetoed me. Bless their dictatorial souls--they saved me from years of self-pity of being one of the few Master System kid. I remember some kids didn't have a lot of money and they would play with Atari 7800. And some had hand-me-down Commodore 64 or Colecovision. Those kids had it rough back in late 1980s... I was very fortunate, because by early 1988, my parents bought us the Legend of Zelda, which really decided the playground argument of best gaming system. By then, NES had Metroid, Contra, Castlevania, Ice Hockey, and Mike Tyson's Punch Out. Sega still had Outrun, Space Harrier, and Afterburner, but Sega didn't have an answer for LoZ until Phantasy Star came out.
I have a picture of my kid self holding the box up at Christmas, but I can't seem to post images. It was the Control Deck with SMB.
I used to make lego super mario bros. levels out and it was always with the tree 1-3 type levels.
Touching stories about your Dad are great. Sorry to hear he passed shortly after.. Keep it up man!
Man Chris, your stories and memories beat out any raw let's play footage! Not to be too dramatic, but so far, your childhood has alot of somber moments; but you're just telling it like it is; which is appreciated!
Thanks man, glad you're enjoying it. My childhood had it's ups & downs, but overall I think it was a good one.
I was the same when I was 8. I went through a long phase where I really wasn’t bothered with playing home systems. I was out riding my bike, playing in the yard with friends and doing anything else that involved adventure. I wasn’t until I hit 9 or 10 that I really got into home games again and then wanted a Genesis.
Really liked the video, the part about Luigi and your dad actually made me smile and i thank you for sharing that
Thanks for the fun video. Makes me think about my memories. I got the NES Action set with grey zapper in I think 1988. Before that I actually had the Atari 2600 Junior. I recall liking the Max controller, especially with a game like Blades of Steel.
In my 40s and had a vasectomy last week. You bet your ass I had a PS5 beforehand so that being immobile would be fun. Wish my kids cared about gaming more so we could have shared it more.
Love these trips down memory lane. I remember playing the display Nes at Walmart as much as I could while we were there. They also had a play choice 10 in the vestibule out front as well. I so looked forward to Saturdays and going to Wal-Mart at that time.
I don't comment on youtube but I had to make an exception here. This video brought back some great memories I had as a kid. My dad who passed away last year brought home the NES Action set in 1987 or 88. I was 4-5 years old at the time and your memories really hit home with me. My dad basically said it was for me and my sister but HE ended hogging it and we would be glued to the screen watching him play Zelda or Final Fantasy, lol deadly towers was another one, castlevania. He didn't get into Mario much cuz he sucked at it but me and my sister would play that when he went to work. That trend of watching him play RPG's and other adventure games extended well into the late 90's until girls and other things became more interesting lol. None the less me and my dad remained gaming until his passing and I will carry it as my main hobby till I kick the bucket. I shed a tear listening to your story as it reminded so much of that day he brought it home and kicked off one of the greatest and honest fun I think I'll ever have in this life. Keep up the great work and I think your format for these videos/channel is spot on. Game on!
SolukPlay sorry for your loss.
Thanks for coming out of the woodwork to leave a comment! Sorry to hear about your dad. He sounds like a cool guy.
Chris, you have made something most wonderful and special here. I've watched everything you have put up on CGQ and CGQ+. You have most perfectly taken me back to my childhood nastolgia days. Everything you talk about from going to toys r us to the rules of game borrowing are just sooo spot on... Thank you for this.
Thanks, Mike! A new episode is going up tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled!
I too got the Control Deck for Christmas. I remember setting it up (well, dad setting it up) in the room he grew up in at my grandparent's house and spending the rest of the night playing SMB. Everytime I beat a Bowser castle, I'd run out of the room and tell everybody I saved the princess (again). It was if course, Toad.
These videos are great. I don't normally watch Let's Plays, but with your videos being focused more around your memories growing up, it's easy for me to lose an hour listening to them. Honestly, after watching episode 1, I forgot there was going to be an actual gameplay session, so when it hit I was surprised. That said, the theme of the video is retained in both parts and that's what counts. Looking forward to the next episode!
My favorite RUclipsr! Thx, for doing this! Keep it up, you're the best!
Thank you for sharing your story. It reminded me of my own childhood and how I should better spend time with my kids. Keep up the good work.
My long term memory is legendary. I remember everything. At least, as far as events and circumstances. Short term memory, not so much.
Great story, very cool video. Nostalgia lane. Regarding the video, I think you can get a little more relaxed and not be so criticized of yourself when sharing your moments thinking it can be tiring. I was driving back from work listening to the audio and I liked it. And about the "Lets play" section also does not need to be critical if you can not beat the game, the more important is to demonstrate how the game works and drop some trivia like mario 1 not be a NES launching game, very cool info.
Now a little bit about me, I was born and I live in Brazil, in São Bernardo do Campo. I started playing games because of my brother, who had an Atari 2600. I started early, I really enjoyed Pitfall, Enduro, Keystone Kapers, Dishaster, Freeway and Dragonfire. I remember a neighbor who had Intelevision, but I do not remember playing.
Later we won a master system, and my first platform game was Alex Kidd Miracle World and not Mario. But soon after I played Mario at a friend's house on his Phantom System (aka NES). I remember when I saw Mario 2 in the video rental store I was excited because of 4 characters (note: here in Brazil it was possible to pay to play an hour in the video rental store).
And on TV was broadcast the american program of Mario that had real actor, and had a Brazilian program of games that appeared Robotnik. I do not have this specific image, but I have clip from the program ruclips.net/video/ge9p6oxgNX8/видео.html
Finally, someone brings up the fact that SMB was not a launch title! I've argued with people over this topic, that are adamant that it was always a pack in game, since day one. I got my NES on my birthday in Feb of '86 and I remember specifically having to wait until May of '86 for the release of SMB. Being from the Bay Area had its perks.
Anyone tries to give you guff about SMB being a launch title, you can send them to me.
Just echoing a lot of others' feedback about how the stories you relate on this channel and in this video specifically resonate with me (born in '75). The biggest difference from your experience vs mine was that in '87, NES was all the rage with my circle of friends and classmates. I wasn't the first or last of my group of friends to get a NES for Christmas in '87 but by then it was massive. We were talking about and playing Nintendo all the time which sounds a little different than what you experienced. Either way, digging the channel and the nostalgia trip which is something I try to do when possible on my own retro gaming blog. Look forward to watching the rest of the videos you have up on this channel as well!
I think my first platformer might have been Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle on the Colecovision in 1983. It was mostly jumping, low jumps, high jumps, double jumps..! so many jumps! :) I somehow think I played it before Pitfall!
Well, since you don't remember the first time you plugged it in, I'll tell you mine.
I got the NES for Christmas one year at my grandparent's house in SC. I might have been 1986? I would have been 8 or 9.
Whenever we stayed there, I slept in the room my dad grew up in. There was an old radio and TV. Dad hooked it up for me. Afterward, I spent the rest of the night playing SMB, running out, telling everybody how I "saved the princess" each time I beat Bowser (it was just Toad). Honestly, I've only beaten it a few times and with Game Genie. The Hammer Bros in 8-3 always get me.
Bro, you are half the comments in this section. Chilllllllll. Don’t have to post every thought you have while watching the video. Dear Lord..
Man, I have been following you in your CGQ channel. I really enjoy your videos, very professional and top notch quality. But watching this video I feel you would be the kind of guy I'll go to a pub and buy a drink and just share tales from our gaming past. Keep it up mate, thanks a bunch. Best vibes from a Venezuelan in London!
InIeresting video!
I also hate how everyone lists SMB as a launch game as well. Including Nintendo themselves!
I've actually been friends with Frank for around 15 years now and spoke with him about the NES and SMB launches. I personally received my NEW (PRE-DELUXE set) as a gift from my parents in September 1985 as a Birthday present / "shut the hell up" gift hehe... I used to buy them pretty constantly about it!
I used to play SMB in the arcade on the Vs. system around the time I received my NES in Sep/Oct 1985 and also saw it on the NINTENDO GAME PLAN large poster packed in with my system. I was really hyped for it and would call the local Kay-Bee Toys store every day asking if the received it yet! The manager finally added me to a list of people to call when it actually showed up. It was in mid-February of 1985. I remember it like it was yesterday! The manager knew I was "nuts for Nintendo" and even let me open the large Nintendo box and pick out my own copy. It was a very exciting time. I called my best friend over and we played it for about 8 hours straight.
Such great memories, and I always love hearing about other's memories of this as well.
I also recall the very first NES 3rd party games, and have some photos of my collection with the first NES game pak launches if you need any extra stuff for your NES launch episode. Just let me know.
I laughed so hard at the NES Max Controller story... good stuff man. The struggle was too real as a kid looking through a bunch of games you didn’t want so that you could go home with something.
I received my Nintendo for Christmas, 1987. It was the one with just SMB as the pack-in game. We were at my grandparent's house and I was staying in the room my dad grew up in. I think I was 10 or 11.
Anyhow, dad hooked it up for me. Every time I beat a Bowser castle (it was likely the same one over and over), I'd run out of the room, telling everybody I saved the princess again. It was just Toad, of course. I never even beat it until adulthood, and with Game Genie.
Ok, I’m coming to the conclusion you must be a bot. Pfff, you just straight up copied dudes story about running out the room screaming you saved the princess. Bot. Prove me wrong. Answer with something original
Really interesting to hear about your personal history with gaming. My sisters' dad had a VCS and I grew up playing that in the early 80s before eventually getting a 2600 Jr. of my own around 87 or 88. Totally forgot that was even the name of the model version!
"Oh and speaking of blowing!" .....awkward pause.... I just reverted back to being a kid and lol'd too that for some reason... but on topic, I'm your age and I dont really remember home video games either, until I got the NES bundle with Rob the robot and Mike Tyson's Punch out for Xmas one year. (whatever year Punch out came out)
Great show and heartfelt. No that's not grainy at all man! I think the video quality is just fine. Now, I'm going to hit that subscribe button. This reminds me of my childhood. I'm binge watching your Flashback videos and enjoying them very much. I know this is one of your early videos but I had to comment on this one. Great content CGQ+
Thumbs up! I think everyone besides me had an NES back then 😕
Did you have a game system?
Yeah, my folks got the family an Atari 7800 around '87. I got alot of use out of that system - Asteroids, Desert Falcon, Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, all the classic 2600 games. And besides, EVERYONE else had a NES, so it was practically like I had one too. Was that the case for you? I mean it, like 4 kids in my school had it, my cousin, best friend's neighbor, a kid of a parent's friend, etc.
Not getting an NES and my love of the arcades eventually led me to MY first game system, the Genesis, bought in Sept '89 abouts. So it all worked out. Yeah, I'm a SEGA kid :)
Your story of getting your first NES reminded me of so many times I went to buy so many new systems.
I remember when I got my first gaming PC (first modern one, I've had Amigas and whatnot). I had received a fortuitous gift from the inland revenue totalling a grand and a half and I knew I was getting a PC because I would never get a better chance to get started with a real decent computer. It was a letter I opened on Christmas Eve. As chance would deign, me and my son were going out to buy his Christmas gift, a PS4, and I was happy enough I was gonna play some PS4 with him, but on the way out I picked up this letter, and after picking up my jaw from the floor, went back in the house, grabbed some ID, and after buying the PS4 and taking my son home, went to put the cheque in the bank.
I was told it would take a while to clear, longer cos of Christmas and New Years. It took about a week. Then I went and bought the computer itself, but I only picked out the components and paid the money over, I had to wait another week for everything to get there for the guy to assemble it.
It was the longest couple of weeks of my life. I was very happy to get this piece of good luck, but cursed the time of year.
This was the turn of 2015 into 2016 and I was 36 years old. Although the magic of games doesn't work on me so much anymore, but when I'm bout to get a new system, I'm like a damn puppy when daddy comes home.
Got that same bundle for xmas of 87! I too wanted it real bad, and my mom had to travel away just to find one on the shelves, as these were selling like hotcakes as gifts with even reports of moms getting into fights over the last few remaining!
mgtowfish73 me too
At 15:30 you go to push up your glasses, but they're not there. I do this all the time when I'm not wearing mine, so it's funny to notice someone else do it too. Great videos by the way. Keep them coming.
by the way, there still are no games that compared to the arcade experience. Not just graphically, but what arcades brought to the overall experience. Keep it up man, I like this format and your other.
SMB was the only game I had for like 3 years
I would have loved to have Deadly Towers back then
Me too, i didnt have any other games for like 2 years back in my country. But luckily this is great game. Never got tired of playing it tho. Good times.
dude my dad did the same thing to me said id get it at christmas but later on told me to get something out of the trunk and it was NES although once i got my genesis later on and could relive my love arcades by playing my fav game MORTAL KOMBAT on the genesis i became a genesis fanboy for the next 10 years until they stopped making consoles
I love these in depth rants about your youth and how gaming was in the mid to late 80s :-)
This has been enjoyable and I like the setup you did on this one. You are a good story teller. I could see either way working, what you did on this one, or where you place gameplay throughout, but I think I would prefer the gameplay at the end with the cuts.
21:50 Your grandma sounds really awesome to have given you a TV. In 1998 I had my own TV, which felt like such a luxury at the time. But it was an antique and just up and broke from old age. That same year my little sister got a TV for her birthday. I was super jealous, cause she could watch stuff whenever she wanted but if I wanted to play Nintendo 64 I still had to wait until no one else was using the living room TV. My grades never really suffered due to games, though, so maybe this was for the best. XD
She was a great lady. To this day, she is still probably the kindest, sweetest person that I have ever known.
Do kids have TVs in their rooms these days? Seems like back in my heyday, it was pretty rare. Most parents (correctly) suspected that kids would abuse the privilege.
Yeah, honestly your whole video says a lot about how parents and grandparents love to spoil their kids.
I had a TV in my room from '96 to '98, until it broke. By the time I was a teenager playing Gamecube I had a TV in my room again. I just assumed it had to do with how much TV's cost compared to my parents' household budget and the falling prices of technology over time, not necessarily a "privilege" thing. It would be interesting to research and compare TV prices from those decades.
H37a: "I got the NES Max, because I thought it would make me better at everything."
The hypothesis receives partial support. The NES Max is THE BEST CONTROLLER for R.C. Pro-Am, which is worth it, by itself, because RCPA is a Top-10 NES game... I don't know if a better controller COULD be made, for that or any other similar racer. It's perfect for "tiny racing," making corners and such, in 3/4 "tabletop" racing. I'd LOVE to have a controller like that for the PS4 or Android box, for "Table Top Racing (World Tour)"... It's dope.
'87 man... it all happened in '87. best year of my life.
Prince Knight 87 topps are the best baseball cards too
Just found your side channel. I love it!!!!! It really makes me wanna get on camera and talk about my memories of the Nes days!
I had almost the exact same experience and feelings. One of the best days of my childhood.
These flashback videos get me right in the nostalgia.
Its the same reason i develop emulators. love the 8bit stuff.
Awesome video my friend, really enjoyed it. Such memories. Hey I would love for you to play Jackal for NES or at least give your impressions on it. Its my favorite multiplayer game of all time. Great memories playing it with my dad,
Thanks! I'll keep Jackal in mind for an episode of "Weekend Rental".
Love the new series. I enjoy hearing both the history as well as your personal stories related to it.
Loved it. I like the mistakes. I found myself watching the video more while you were playing the game as opposed to listening to it (while at work).
I love this stuff. I listen to your stories and think about my own memories. I'm a little bit older than you so my memories are more about the Atari games. Memories range from getting Frogger after a long day of cutting lawns as a high point...to the disappointment after only 15 minutes of Donkey Kong. Pac Man was simply horrible and a Christmas present low point. But I could always go back to Joust, Tron or Wizard of War. The pile of garbage games in the dollar bin at a record store was a bit like you being offered a game at Bed Bath and Beyond. No good options there. Anyway, I reached the age of "girls are awesome" by the time the NES was released so it wasn't my priority. In 1989 I had a GF who had an NES and Tetris. She was perennially late so I played hours of Tetris waiting on her to get ready. At some point gaming stopped because college, work and kids happen. I was brought back into the fold around 2004 because I wanted to play Tetris again. I started collecting about 5 years ago because I wanted to play some Donkey Kong Country and got bit by the bug.
The series is off to a good start. keep up the great work!
Those were the days, brother. I have similar and very vivid memories that play out pretty much the same way, but you're much better at conveying them than I am. My parents never divorced though. In fact, I've never heard them yell or argue about anything in my 43 years.
As far as my old friends in the neighborhood, they've moved on and grown up. Are we man-children?
I remember KB (Kay Bee) Toys. I got several GIJOE toys and my only Bionic 6 figure (Jack) from there. Maybe the occasional NES game.
I also remember Radio Shack. I know you worked there for a while. Other than Spencer's for their gag/prank stuff and KB, RadioShack was my other go-to. I was fascinated with the technology there, mostly things like the RC cars and robots.
Recently subbed to your main channel and liked it enough to sub to this one. Sad to hear about your dad. I know by now, it's a long time ago, but that really sucks.
You're only 2 years older than me, so I had similar gaming experiences back then at the time. Though I stuck with Nintendo, and I actually started working to buy my own games really young, at like 13. EGM kept previewing all of these awesome imports, which I had access to growing up in New York City, but imports were so expensive. Like $150-$200 for certain games. I remember paying like $200 for a Dragon Ball Z fighting game for Super Famicom back when the whole Moral Kombat/Street Fighter craze was a thing. This was before anyone even knew what DBZ was. Obviously we found out eventually.
But man I remember I was a busboy back then making next to nothing, maybe working a whole Saturday and coming home with $35 or $40, but for me as a kid, that was a ton of money. Felt good buying my own stuff.
Back in 87' the first game system was commodore 64 the later in 88' the nintendo entertainment system and it was my fathers friend who he knew from association with his work actually convinced my dad to buy me and my brother a nintendo entertainment system the summer and if it wasn't for Workie my dads friend I would've never got one, well not at that time, it was funny because when he was telling us about he said his son who was 25 years old plays it and me and my brother were surprised, we thought it was some arcade system and very pleased when we got it and very addictive, lol
I love how you told the story of getting the Nintendo from your Dad. I have fond memories of getting the Nintendo from my parents at Sears! You and I are close to the same age, from what I can tell. I got my system around the same time. Just like you, Super Mario Brothers is my all time favorite game too! Cool stuff man! Love your channel and videos!!
I have to say, that I love to hear these "History gaming stories", at about same age range than myself (you might be a couple years younger). Interesting to hear about the differences in (home)gaming machines, arcades, computers and so on. In different countries.
Regarding the playing part, I really don't need (or want) you to make a play through video. If I wanted that, there are millions of them out there. Somehow I liked that you told things on top, when you we're playing... If you are going the route to use just game footage, then don't make just an voiceover on top of that. To me, it it adds to video, when I can see you talking.
Now I just have to share a few of my memories ;)
Arcades, we never had dedicated arcades here in Finland (only on amusement parks). Arcades here we're scattered around pubs and bars. Strangely even my little village had a small bar, which had dedicated department for flippers and games. Not totally sure anymore, but I think there was 2 pinballs and 1 or 2 arcade machines. I remember Pac-Man pinball, which had a little Pac-Man subgame made with leds in the middle of playfield. From games I remember Track'n'Field and Munch Mobile/Joyful Road. Later I started to know places at the nearest town, which had games also. I remember many times I went bicycling to the town, just to see different games, I have a faint memory of seeing Atari's Centipede tabletop version... One of the most memorable time was, when I heard that on one place there would be Dragon's Lair and that was BIG. I remember seeing it on magazines and it became larger than life for me. I drove many times to the town with my bicycle (about 5 km), just to be able to see the game in action. Those we're fantastic times, when everything was new...
On the home gaming front, consoles weren't that hot in here at the beginning. They and specially the games we're very expensive around here, so 8- and 16-bit computers were much more dominant here. Mainly Commodore 64 and later Amiga, but also things like MSX, Spectrum and Atari ST.
My first time seeing an computer was at my friends place, he told me he has a Spectrum and would I like to see it. Well, of course I would! I was always interested in electronics, be it VHS, cassette players etc. I vividly remember, when we walked to living room and I though there was a book on top of the table. But it wasn't a book, it was Speccy laying keyboard down on the table ;) We played Space Invaders clone and some of Horace games.
My first computer was Mattel Aquarius, which I remember playing games like Tron Deadly Discs and D&D. For some reason my next computer was Oric Atmos, which was expensive and kinda obscure machine. I think, that my first console was Colecovision (which I still have)... I also had SNES for a brief time and then I moved to Atari ST and eventually Falcon, before the PC-era started.
Don't get me wrong, people here owned NES too, but I think that here it came later and the big console times came with SNES. Mostly people we're renting games, because they we're REALLY expensive here... Well, enough of my ramblings ;) I need to get breakfast now ;)
Hearing you talk about the past has me relive my life in Lake County California (clearlake, CA) kind of boring and it was so cool to just find video games just something to get my mind off how much it sucked living away from everything. I wanted to ask you is it really worth doing a video game blog or just do videos? In late 2015 I came back from being a missionary and a pastor in Haiti. I am working a crummy job now and hopefully my luck will change and be a pastor somewhere or something. But when I found you it just takes me back to who I was and who I will be. Like acknowledging that it is okay to still love NES games even though you are 39 like I am. It fills the void of the midlife crisis all of us maybe going through. It is just great to go somewhere and you can feel at home. Take Care man and God Bless
Clearlake is really nice, although I agree that you're kind of isolated there. Is it worth doing videos like this? I guess it depends on why you do it. I just really enjoy having my RUclips channels. Doing these "Flashback" videos really makes me think a lot about my childhood, which is nice. It also makes me realize how much I am forgetting, and doing stuff like this helps me to put this stuff back in my active long-term memory.
Yea I hear ya man. When you do the videos it takes me back to the arcades when I was a kid and also when I got my first nintendo. It also helps me remember too. I think we all need to go back so that we don't lose all of our memories.
Great video Chris. Watched all the way and enjoyed the whole thing. Video is great cause we can see your reaction to things but this could even lend itself well to podcasting as well.
Thanks! I'm looking forward to making some new vids for this channel now that the N64 video is done on the main channel.
Nice work. I too have vivid memories of my introduction to video games. I actually liked the nes max, especially on games like Tecmo Bowl.
Great episode. I like the idea and will look forward to the next.
i love you videos on both your channels i just don't have the time to watch these longer videos. hope
your new channel goes well
All of your experience on gaming pretty much reflects on me, excepy Im going through all that experience in early /mid 90s(becasuse I was born mid 80s and third world country is a bit late in almost every sector I guess). I remember going to arcade in city near my village ,then go to my cousins and watch SMB for the first time. Not much excited to have one actually, but Im visited His house quite often each saturday and sunday to play and my parents suddenly asked me do I wanted NES also,I said yeah, that would be cool, but not wishin' it that much. Until some day in 94 they took me to electronic store to buy cassette karaoke machine and they told me that NES also being sold there and its actually quite cheap (its actually NES clone console called Spica) so they bought me one out of plan along with a 7in1 game cartridge and thats when I got excted
44:08 You somehow did absolute WONDERS not to die then Chris you lucky bastard!!
40:43 I remember getting a few good games from the Albertsons grocery store. There was also this coin shop that would buy and trade video games, which was a strange place to buy games. heh.
42:30 I also had a black and white TV that I used for video games and David Letterman.
Ive heard that warp zones were put into nintendo games without passwords to function similarly to passwords....i use them like that a lot, or on a difficult game to practice on later levels
Another FAB video!!
As I've said before I'm from the UK and when I was 10 years old that would of been 1996 and I remember other kids talking about the PlayStation at recess one time and thought it was a kids work bench or something lol.
My folks never really had any money when I was growing up so I would have to go to different friends houses to play video games but at that age I guess I was more interested in playing soccer and watching TV.
Most people claim they got the NES in 85. But no one had it really in 85. Some people got it in 86. But Xmas 87 was when shit went nuts. That's when most people actually got it. I wouldn't even believe Pat the NES Punk if he told me he got it in 85 with out any proof. I think I got mine in 88 or 87 can't remember. It was the zapper Mario/Duck Hunt pack.
That's my memory, as well. Like I said, I didn't know anyone else who had a NES when I got mine in October of 87, but I also feel like by the Spring of 88, most kids I knew at school had one.
1) 16:30 OMG, I feel so bad for your dad that had to go through that surgery. Holy smokes, It was like it would be th eonly entertainment besides the TV that he would use to combat his surgery. My eyes and mouth wide open...wow, and in my childhood I didn't have any of that. Because everyone around me, my neighbors, were all into sports and it was very hard
to find people that would enjoy video games as much as I would with my siblings. You are very lucky you had friends that were into that interest, not just toys and cartoons. 18:25 *gasps... Sorry to hear about that.
2) 22:00 In my elementary school in 2005, they never told us about semesters. We would get Marking Period Grades based on what grade you got in class but I don't remember having Marking periods in Elementary school since I dind't really understand them at that time. In fact, from the very beginning I didn't want to care about homework or even school becasue school to me was boring and I just wanted to go home and either play roller coaster tycoon 2 or wait until the weekend comes around (like fridays, saturdays, and sundays) and play video games from there. that is until the 2010s when that rule was basically broken in high school.
3) 27:23 If you like twitter a lot as well as facebook, then you'll definitely love Discord. Discord was made for gamers but I also find it as one of my favorite chatroom applications in the world. Hands down the most omdern and best chatroom application so far in my opinion.
Overall, I find this type of storytelling from you and playing the game way different then what most Let's Plays I would have seen from other people.
1) I mean, it was elective surgery. You just have to sit on the couch for a week afterwards. That would get boring, even for me.
2) Yeah, I dunno. I just feel like we knew when report cards were coming out, but it's not like we had "semesters", or "quarters". I don't remember that being a thing until at least jr. high school.
3) I keep hearing about Discord, but I guess I just don't understand what it is or how it works. Maybe I'll check it out.
Glad you're enjoying the channel!
Great show. Sound much like my years on 80's too. Keep the amazing work. Cheers from RJ,Brasil!!!
Good times!!!! That bit about the NES Max controller made me laugh quite a bit. You were spot on man, that thing sucked!! I can imagine the disappointment and the thoughts about how anything would have been better than that. Lol
Funny, I don't really remember when I got my NES. I grew up relatively poor so I rarely got anything in the launch year. Maybe I got it in 89? Because I do remember having a TG16 after the NES, and I did get the SNES really soon after launch, maybe launch month.
Anyway I'm loving these! Keep going.