THE Game That Defined Your Childhood

[demonstarfox]

I want them to remake this on the 360.....with XBL matchmaking

You are not alone, my friend. I have such fond memories of that game.


As for the game that defined MY childhood, I'd have to say Half-Life 2. Before that, I was a fairly casual gamer. I played simple, non-violent games, and I was happy with that.

Then one day, my father decided to buy a copy of the game. I distinctly remember the art on the back of the box... It had nothing to say about the story or gameplay, and only had a few images, none of which told me anything about the game. I was worried because it was rated M, and my parents had banned M-rated games (a decision I fully supported at the time).

Dad decided to let me play, under the conditions that he would supervise the affair and I would stop if I got too freaked out. The first time I started the game was one of the most memorable points in my life... I can still remember seeing the G-man and city 17 for the first time. Every dead Combine soldier shocked and exhilarated me in a way I'd never known before. Unfortunately, I got stuck on the part in "Route Canal" where you have to cross on top of the train (Wish I'd know that back then... oh well). Also, Mom found out about the game and ordered me to stop playing.

That wasn't the end, though. Even though I had stopped playing, the events I'd witnessed stayed with me. I wanted to return to City 17, and finish what I'd started. Years later, I did. My parents allowed me to go back, and that's exactly what I did. I played that game from start to finish, and loved every second.

Half-Life 2 not only showed me what gaming was, it showed me what it could be. I haven't seen another game that matches the masterful mix of story, graphics, and gameplay I found in Gordon Freemans' second outing (other than Episodes One and Two; those were great). Sure, Bioshock came damn close, but it didn't have quite enough variety to outmatch the One Free Man.

So, to make a long story short, Half-Life 2 is THE game that defined my childhood.
Oh, and Valve? I love you guys, I love the steam service, and I love all the games you've made since Episode Two came out, but you need to get off your asses and make Episode Three, or Half-Life 3, or whatever the hell you're going to call it. Your fans have been asking for it for YEARS.

TL;DR: Half-Life 2 is an awesome game, and it made me the geek I am today. Also, Valve needs to make Episode 3.

 

[JCBFGD]

The original Half-Life. When I was three, my dad would let me run around on empty multiplayer maps. When I was five, I finally moved on to singleplayer. And thus, a gamer was born.

 

[Ersanven]

Xenogears held a massive thick shadow over my childhood. Went through that game like four times before finally beating it.

 

[DSK-]

I know I keep talking about it, but Total Annihilation

Gameplay, although this is normal speed, I normally had the speed up to +10. Furthermore, this is a mod.

 

[MetalDooley]

Super Mario Bros.It was the first game I owned on my first console and I absolutely loved it and played it to death.I still break it out from time to time for a bash

 

[Richardplex]

1 game? really? But... damn it. Well, it would either be Spyro 2: Gateway to Glimmar or Ratchet & Clank 2: Locked and Loaded. Probably the former; the latter was more of my tween years.

Edit: Actually no, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. The game that got me my first real friend, whom is still my closest friend today.

 

[Kayevcee]

Turrican 2 for the Amiga. I had the demo on a coverdisk- I was very new to gaming and Turrican was quite tough, so it took me many attempts to complete it. Once I did, I explored every nook and cranny of the single level and played it till the disk wore out. 3.5" floppy. Took about a minute to load. Frustrating for what was, by the time I had the level down pat, a five minute demo game, but I learned platform/shooter patience watching my mates wait for Robocop to load on the Spectrum.

-Nick

 

[Gnoekeos]

I think its a tie between Banjo Kazooie and The ocarina of time

 

[Skoldpadda]

Playing doctor behind the sand pit, of course. For you guys it was actual video games? I mean, I like 'em, I LOVE 'em, but that's kinda sad.

 

[Fleetfiend]

Spyro the Dragon was the defining game of my childhood. An adventure game with eclectic levels made me the gamer I am today. It also indirectly led to me discovering Sly Cooper when I was a little older that got me into my favorite type of game: Stealth.

Kingdom Hearts was also a big one and it got me into Final Fantasy and really made story one of the most important elements I look for in a game.

All the same for me, except stealth isn't necessarily my favorite genre.

Age 6-10 -- Spyro the Dragon, leading to all others
Age 10-13 -- Kingdom Hearts, leading eventually to FFX

That's my life, right there.

EDIT: Oh my god, how did I forget about pokemon.

Age 6-near present -- Pokemon.

 

[godofallu]

I suppose Mario 1 and 2, and the Mario on super Nintendo where Yoshi shows up occasionally.

It was Goldeneye followed closely by Perfect Dark and then Halo which solidified my need to play FPS games in multiplayer mode.

 

[Chupacabra]

Forestia (kudos if you know the game!) and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.

EDIT: Oh goodness me, how could I forget Pokémon Yellow, Red Alert, Age of Empires and Mario Bros.!? Those came later, however.

 

[Joseph Alexander]

MegaMan X, I played the living shit out of that game.

 

[Yarpie]

Super Metroid. It is still to date one of the best games I have ever played and would be the game I would compare all others to in terms of how big of an impact thy had on me. The combat, the music, the atmosphere... it was all just so damn brilliant that I replayed untold number of times. It was also the first (in my mind at least) mature game I ever played and the first time I saw a dead human body in a video game. I could go on all day, but yeah, that was the game that began to shape me into the gamer I am today.

Also, when this theme started playing, enough bricks were shat to build a small castle.
<youtube=AqaNrWcIRYY>

 

[theSteamSupported]

I mostly grew up with child oriented point-and-click games. The games from 'Levande Böcker' come to mind.

 

[Godhead]

Dungeon Siege. It was the first RPG I ever played and I still think it's the best. (fuck Diablo)

 

[ElPatron]

Spoiler: Road Rash

Kicking bikes into the side rails and into a river?

Totaling your bike a mere hundreds of feet away from the finish line and finishing the race on foot?

 

[Anti Nudist Cupcake]

The first Crash Bandicoot.

Man that was awesome

 

[Shraggler]

I know I keep talking about it, but Total Annihilation

Fuck fuck fuck yes. Developed about a mile down the road from me; parents still live in the same house. Oh Cavedog...

Man, that game. During the time when game titles adequately defined what you were getting into. This game was it for me, at least on PC. It ran on almost any hardware and the graphics were jaw dropping. One of the most underrated games of all time.

 

[kgpspyguy]

The Pajama Sam adventure games