When I was much younger, games cost 1/2 of my entire summer salary (chores paid very little in my house) and because of this games were had at birthdays and Christmas, and very rarely outside of these times. Often, I got my entire years worth of games during Christmas. Having said that, I look back at some of the games I had back then and how much I really enjoyed them and how long I played each one. Often I played every game I had all the way through if not over and over. This really meant playing each game to death and squeezing every penny of joy out of them that I could. You see, back then, I didn't have a choice. I didn't have the money to get every system and every good game that came out. What I had, I enjoyed to the fullest if I could (I'm looking at you Playaction Football).

The reason this all comes up is that I recently remembered one of my favorite games on the SNES: UN Squadron. It was released in 1991 and I was 12. I don't actually remember what made me buy this game since up to this point I had only played a few shoot em ups (SHMUPS) and never actually bought any. That and there was no internet. You found out about games through friends and magazines (Nintendo Power). There must have been a lot of buzz for UN Squadron at its release to get me to buy it, especially since, at the time, I was way more into games like Mario and Zelda on my SNES. This game was top of all 2D shooters on Screw Attack's Top Ten List. So, I scrapped enough money together and bought this game. I played it to death, playing through the game on all difficulties with all three pilots. I even tried to finish the game with every plane (I didn't succeed).



Anyway, this isn't a rant on how good UN Squadron was, or why the SNES is the best system ever. I think that I, to this day, appreciate those games more than I ever will even the best of the current crop of titles. I truly think this is because I was able, neigh, had to spend more time with them.

This brings me to today. This last winter has seen the release of so many truly great titles which have caused many game purchases, which I can now afford for my systems because I have a real paying job and not just chores. The problem lies in the fact that even though I can afford these games, I hardly have the time to play them. This is even more evident over the past few weeks. After only recently getting a 360, I've hardly had the time to play it other than the last few Fridays.

I find myself playing games to finish them rather than actually enjoy them. I don't go back and play my games anymore after I've finished them, and I'm starting to feel as though I'm not getting my money's worth because of it. Back when I was a kid I would have killed to have a lot of games to play over those boring summers when it was too hot to go outside, but now I look back and am happy that I wasn't over spoiled with games since I enjoyed them way more.


How do you guys feel about this?

Do you find yourself playing games for acheivement points rather than actually enjoying the game?

Do you find that you have more games to play and yet little time to play them?

Do you think you enjoyed your games more when you had fewer?