Most people when it comes to "The Start of the Affair." They mention a game, and some experience that goes along with that game. To me my start was not a single game, but an experience with gaming that drove my anticipation up to a level I've never felt in my entire life.

The story starts (like a lot of you) two months before that glorious holiday known as "Christmas." When I was growing up I don't really remember if it was the marketing or the fact my grandparents bought my cousin and me a SNES to keep at their house, but beyond anything else in the world I wanted a Sega Genesis.

that may or may not be my copy of Barbie

I already had a NES, and a Gameboy, but this feeling of NEED for this console was beyond anything I've ever felt. During this time period I also realized that Sega (the new savior of man) Came out with their own hand-held to combat the Gameboy. I was picking my team for the upcoming battle, and I chose Sega. This Christmas I needed a Sega Genesis and a Gamegear. The Year was 1993 and I was only 7 at the time (by this time I remember playing NES sense the age of 3 with my mom). Being 21 its hard to believe I still have this vivid memory what where we where and how I went about the conversation. I was an only child, and I played that to my advantage many times.


shit son its got COLOR

The story continues with an in passing conversation me and my mother had. I didn't really think I would get a Genesis OR a Gamegear, but I mentioned it anyways. My mother listened and just smiled and said "Ok lets see what Santa brings." My mom was a gamer (and still is although she likes PC puzzle games the best) and she only had me to spoil rotten so unknowing to me this Christmas would be ingrained in my memory for the rest of my life. Christmas at my house were by far the worst thing ever. My grandparents lived about 2 hours away, and I was not allowed to open ANYTHING until they arrived. It was hard falling asleep and then I had to sit there with the presents in front of me taunting me, most of the time I wouldn't be able to open ANYTHING until 11am or even later depending on traffic.

So I awake early morning and stumble down get some OJ (like I said this is ingrained in my memory to a T) and started watching some TV. By this time I was smart enough to not sit there crying and I tried to pretend this was just any normal day. My mom on the other hand was going to start something that will last until my dieing breath. This Christmas my mom started a new tradition (that would include many other game gifts including Zelda OoT) she decided she was going to give my one gift early, and this gift turned out to be none other then a Sega Gamegear. I went nuts, what else would you do? One of the things you wanted more than anything in this world was yours, I knew I would be on cloud 9 for the rest of the day.

After about an hour and a half of tinkering with my new toy, my grandparents finally arrived and when I heard the door open it was time for presents, and they were already getting ready for the oncoming barrage of paper, and ribbons to be thrown without delay. After examining all the gifts I noticed something odd about two of the gifts, they said do open last. I was curious, but thought nothing more about it. After about 20 mins of delight it came down to the final two. One looked like a big box the other a smaller box. So I just picked the smaller leaving my self up to a great surprise at the end.

So I tear into the smaller box, but I learn its not a small box. Its 3 small boxes, and they appear to be hard plastic. I turn it over, and I notice it says Aladdin on it....and Then I said words that will be ingrained in my memory forever. "Mom this is for a Sega Genesis, I don't have a Sega Genesis." If you could see my face I'm sure you could see my brain working in overdrive to comprehend what was going down. I turned and just exploded as I ripped open the bigger box, sure enough it was the Sega Genesis I longed for. First game I played on my Genesis was Aladdin and I loved every minute of it.

If anything made me addicted to gaming, this would be step 1.