I was about five years old when Super Smash Bros came out on N64. If you were to tell me at the time that I would still be playing that game 15 years later there is no chance I would’ve believed you. However, here I am 15 years later and I don’t play video games often, but when I do, I smash (XX). I think that is an incredible thing that a game can follow me from 5 years of age to 20 years of age and not get old. It doesn’t really make sense that that is possible considering the fact that I get sick of iphone apps after about a week of playing them. 15 years of playing this game, and I know I am not the only one still smashing because I have friends in many other houses that say that their house still loves the game too. This is a true testament to how good of a game that it was an instant hit and that people are still playing it after quadrupling their age. Not only do kids in my house play this game, but kids get in serious fights over this game. It is incredible to me that kids legitimately get mad from losing to someone else in this game. It is not a video game at that point, but it becomes bigger than that and it becomes personal.
There are some other-wise calm and chill people that I have played with that have gotten pretty heated throughout the course of the game. Smash has an uncanny ability to bring out the best and the worst in people, which is why it is such a powerful game. If arguing and fighting isn’t a big enough loss of innocence for the game of smash, there is also money being thrown around over a simple game of smash. Once again, if I were to hear as a 5 year old that I would be playing this game and betting on it in 15 years to come, there is zero chance I would believe it. Why does such a simple 2-dimensional game like this become so personal? Why do we freak out when someone beats us in such a meaningless game?
Oh mannnn. I LOVE this game. We play it almost every day at my apartment.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I think because this game has been around for so long, because we've played it most of our lives, the characters we play, their behaviors, how we move them/make them behave, sort of become an embodiment of us. It sort of feels like an extension of yourself, in that you aren't even thinking about how to press the buttons/joystick to get them to do something, since you already feel, think, the movement of what's about to happen, you just watch what you "do, or did" on screen.
To me, this game is not meaningless. In a sort of cliche, geeky sense, it shows a part of who I am.
-Andrew Liu
Smash is just one of those timeless games. The innocence of the Nintendo characters (even the villainous ones) is enough to attract a young audience. However, the complexity of the play is what keeps them playing through the rest of their life. It's definitely a game you get better at over time, and like most other fighting games (such as Street Fighter and Tekken), it has a large following in the tournament world.
ReplyDeleteSome argue that playing such a game professionally takes the fun out of it. I guess this is true, unless you're consistently playing against other professional-level players. Once you learn how long each move takes, how much damage it does, and what it can counter, you are well positioned to beat any casual player. The unpredictability of the game is lost if a professional is able to dominate.
- Jonathan Lipkin
My best friends from high school were made while sitting around the Nintendo 64. I'm going to toss out some titles: Golden Eye. Mario Party. Bomberman. Now those were video games. I love the beautiful graphics and woven narratives we have today, but I will always remember the bonds I made while playing a game like Super Smash Brothers. Who was your character? I was Link. OCARINA OF TIME. I forgot about that. I tried to play it for the first Minor Quest and did just as poorly as when I tried when I was nine. They've made games easier. Games like this, I suppose. Smash had less of a narrative feel.
ReplyDeleteI'm rambling. WIthout the N64, I would be a very reclusive child. Thank you, parents, for purchasing that device and giving me friends.
Chad Rhiness
I can relate to this experience as I have p=been playing nintendo for about the same amount of times as you. I remember when i was in middle school, my friends and I played N64 every single day and the two games we played were either super smash bros or Mario Party. Both of these games allow all four players to play against each other and have an effect on the performance of each other and it gets extremely competitive. We would always argue with each other during games and complain about each others actions. We constantly tried to argue why each of us were the best at the game when in reality these conversations were pointless, accomplishing nothing. You're right, you never would have thought that after fifteen years that I would still be playing these seemingly pointless, childish video games. I think the reason that we continue to play, is due to the competitive atmosphere that it creates. You can play against anybody, and competition amongst friends is always fun, especially when you are good at the game and win most of the time. One might think it would be crazy to say this, but who knows, I will probably still be playing these same games another 15 years down the road. It can't get old, Can it??
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