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I'm not getting any younger, but I don't care. I love video games. From the Intellivision gaming system to my current XBOX 360, I have loved video games. Through the years I have witnessed such dramatic change in the technology of gaming systems. It always makes me laugh when I think about the little square-like man in Intellivision's Dungeons and Dragons compared to the artistic renderings of XBOX's Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Though change and breakthroughs in technology the last 25 years have led to a far superior gaming experience, do not underestimate the entertainment value of the systems of yore.

INTELLIVISION
As the first console in my family, the Intellivision will always hold a special place in my heart. The first games I remember bring back some great memories of fun had with brothers and sisters alike. From intense horse races to vine-swinging in Pitfall, we strived to outplay each other at every turn. As Intellivision gained in market share against the rival Atari, the game library grew and, as a whole, dominated the competition. I believe this system is still in the hands of my brother. Every once in a while I'll itch to play He-Man: Master of the Universe or Tron: Deadly Discs and I wonder if I could pry it away from him.

NINTENDO
As wonderful as Intellivision was, there was no way it could survive the emergence of the next generation of console games: the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Simplified controls and unrivaled graphics had every child salivating at the mouth upon its release. Not to mention refined sound and music integrated into the games. I would venture to say that the Super Mario Brothers theme song is one of the most recognizable tunes in the world. Once Nintendo burst onto the scene, its predecessors had no chance. Intellivision and Atari fell by the wayside as we were enthralled by Legend of Zelda, Metroid and Mario Brothers 1, 2 and 3. As much as the NES revolutionized the video game industry once again, this was not the end.

SEGA GENESIS
I only mention this system because I do have fond memories of one game in particular-Pirates: Gold. Never owning one myself, it wasn't until my oldest brother had one that I played it. The overall speed and graphics were superior to the NES due to its 16-bit capability, but Sega seemed unable to keep up with competition from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. The Sega name is still extremely viable in the video game world due to shifting focus to game publishing instead of console manufacturing.

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