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I'm 46 years old and I still play video games. That rather sounds like the beginning of some 12 step program, doesn't it? Not too far from the truth. These new-fangled video games are extremely engrossing and it is absurdly simple to lose oneself in some pixel-laden netherworld. I can't count the number of times my wife has come into our den to find me bivouacked in front of the television, moving my hands and little else; she has difficulty telling the zombie on the screen from the zombie on the couch. Occasionally an expletive escapes my lips, aimed squarely at some demon-spawned ten year old who inexplicably has the power to dance around the virtual me and score points I only dream about. Yet I soldier on, confident that at some point old age and treachery will win out over lightning reflexes.

I usually play first-person shooters, like Rainbow Six or Halo2. I enjoy these violent games about as much as I enjoy old cartoons. The violence is not real (although it can be frighteningly realistic) and I certainly meet the criteria described on the box (Mature). At work they tend to frown on me running around shooting bad guys willy-nilly - so I do some vicarious house cleaning with my XBox360, striking blows for truth, justice and the American way with my MP5 and Desert Eagle. And let me tell you, there is no greater satisfaction that cutting some nitwit off in mid-taunt using the business end of an 870 pump.

One of the great pleasures of gaming is that you can share the experience with your children. I've played games with my kids (girl and boy) since they were old enough to hold a controller. Because of the connectivity of the Internet I can still enjoy playing with one of them while she is in college. My son and I regularly discuss new games and tactics. Sometimes he learns from me (strategy) and sometimes I learn from him (cool tricks). The time we share is important and I don't have much time for traditional outings (like hunting and fishing). Gaming is a great way to keep in touch with your kids through their teenage years. As a parent you have the ability (and trust) to be able to closely monitor who they are talking to online without coming across as too oppressive.

The bottom line is that video gaming transcends age. You are never to old to have fun and video games are certainly that - and if you run across me sometime on XBox Live have a care ... I'm a dangerous old goat.

Learn more about this author, Hugh McKelvy.
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