My lust for interactive pixel-crafted stories began at an early age.  Sunday mornings – before church of course – were spent preventing alien ships from touching down, no matter how fast they moved as their fleet was destroyed.  My Commodore 128 taught me about text-based games and to always carry some form of light when entering a dark area.  While other children saved their money for a Nintendo, my cash went towards the superior 16-bit graphics of the Sega Genesis.  Beating Sonic the Hedgehog made the investment worthwhile.   My first year of college I spent more time sacking the quarterback in Super Tecmo Bowl than attending class.

While in college I quickly realized the cost of games when they are first released, as my parents no longer subsidized my obsession.  Sure, I enjoyed being the first person to beat Streets of Rage, but I learned that if I waited six months, the price would drop in half.  Being a poor college kid, that was like an extra two months of ramen noodles and a case of Schlitz.
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