I’m something of a pretty casual video game fan now adays. I enjoy interviewing game creators, and discussing the process involved. I like finding that perfect game and playing the heck out of it. And I just really dig the art and design of fantastic games. But I really don’t play games by the hour upon hour like I used to. I probably would if I could… but life. Right?
There was a time in my past though when I was constantly playing. Mastering and investigating the various video games that were popular. I remember, pre-internet, when I experienced my first MUD, or Multi-User Dungeon. Users would dial-in directly to someone’s house, and you would connect to the MUD and chat with others, and play the game by yourself or in tandem with other players. It was an eye-opening experience of what was possible. If you’d like to try out a MUD, because you were cursed by being born 15 years ago? I can help with that – here’s a pretty popular MUD that is still running today – check it out – http://www.aardwolf.com/. And it was then, after my first experience with MUDs that I designed my own stock-trading MUD. I think I was 14 at the time? And I’ve enjoyed all thing games ever since.
About that same time I discovered Nintendo and Super Mario Brothers. I was unfortunate enough to not own a NES system. But my best friend had one. And every time I headed to his house I’d ask to play a single round of Mario. The only glitch? A single run would last something like an hour and a half. So he got to be where he would hide the game. But I was on to that action… so I began my visits by going straight to the cracks in his bed or behind his desk and voila, MARIO. Worked every time. Then, one day, he gave the game away to another friend of his. Yeah. That was a bad day. And ever since that day I have been sans Super Mario Bros. Yeah, a fairly sad existence.
But now? NOW?! Now I have Mario back in my life again after all these years. Want to give it a spin? You can try it out here: http://html5-mario.memolas.es/mario.php And then I want to here if you can tell me where this thing ends… does it play through to the normal NES ending?!? Huh, does it?
