Welcome to Britt5091: Origins, where I dig up old blog posts I used to write for IGN’s community under the username Britt5091. Some posts may make you giggle, some may make your eyes bleed, and some may make you stroke your beard in a pensive manner. All you need to know is that these posts, no matter how terrible some of them may be, ultimately lead to everything I do now.
My grandma is, by far, the coolest gamer I know
August 25th, 2009
Walk into my grandma’s living room, and from first glance all seems too typical. An oak coffee table, a couch, a rocking chair–
–two televisions, game controllers, monthly PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo magazines scattered everywhere and a cabinet crammed to the brim with video games.
Resting on top of the television to the left is a PS2 Slim. A PS3 sits nearby on a TV tray. Below the television lies a SNES and a N64. To the left of that are boxes containing unopened PS2, PS3, Wii and 360 games with their respective guides.
Just chilling on top of the right television is a Sega Saturn with a neighboring GameCube. Like the PS3, an Xbox 360 sits atop another TV tray. Another holds a laptop built specifically for gaming. On the ground and to the right lie two unopened Nintendo Wii consoles.
Venture off into the storage room and you will be blown away by the amount of gaming paraphernalia. A shelf running alongside the back wall holds unopened boxed systems such as the SNES, Saturn, PS3 and everything in between. A bookcase against the right wall holds 100+ game guides. Complete copies of vintage games are stored away in countless storage bins.
Take another peak in the living room and you’ll find my grandma sitting in her favorite chair button mashing.
It’s great.
Come on. Not only does she cook amazing meals (that only a grandma can make), and has the best hugs around, she can hold a conversation about the latest and greatest in the gaming industry. She then makes you weep with envy as she shows you an insanely large wad of reservation receipts. There is not one game I can think of that she does not have reserved. Not ONE.
By far, she has the most impressive collection I have ever seen. As mentioned above, all of her vintage games are intact and complete. It’s safe to say she owns at least two of every system and accessory you can think of. She can’t wait for the PSP Go and is in the middle of playing Enchanted Arms, Infinite Undiscovery and Lost Odyssey.
Ah yes, my grandma is a gamer, and thanks to her practically all of us are in some shape or form. This includes three aunts, two female cousins and five male cousins. We are one big happy gaming family.
When I’m asked how I got into gaming, I can’t help but smile. How many people can say their grandma, who is a hardcore gamer, got them into gaming. I love telling this story!
Ah yes…the early days. See what you started G-ma?!
What about you all? Who or what got you to pick up that controller and begin gaming?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Update
April 5th, 2012
I’m obviously immune to the shock factor that comes with “OH BTW my grandma is a hardcore gamer!” but I’m always reminded how rare and neat it is when I bring her up in casual conversation.
Me: Yeah, my grandma is currently playing [insert JRPG here]
Person: Wait, what? Your GRANDMA? How old is she? What does she play? What games and consoles does she own?!
Me: …O__O;
Me: Oh, right. Hemhem. ::goes into long spiel about grandma’s gaming history::
I’d really like to interview her and get a video up. She’s so opinionated re: the gaming industry and it’s fascinating to hear what she has to say. I should really get on that…
Anyway, last time I talked to her she was playing Dragon Quest VIII! That’s one of the titles she plays over and over again…that, and Dark Cloud. <3.
Haha, this is indeed awesome! I am jealous!
:) She’s amazing!
OH man, I played DQ8 once and that was enough. It’s a fantastic game, for sure, but LOOOOOOOOOONNNNGGG! Still, your grandma has good taste, obviously. :)
THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!
My grandma got me into video games too. She used to beat Mario 3 to get all the P-wings whenever me and my brother came over. I also remember her cussing a lot at the NES. But she’s not a gamer now, just an avid Facebook memer.
That’s an awesome memory :)