Post Holiday Memories: Consoles for Christmas

 

With another Christmas out of the way, some of you can finally sigh in relief. You've survived another year of potentially awkward family moments, and another season of unwanted socks, fruitcakes, and emotional roller coaster rides. Many of you will also get the chance to sit down and enjoy some of the gifts you received, including video games and consoles.

Video games were a Christmas sensation since the beginning, and the days after Christmas are an excellent period to experiment with newly received gadgets. Many families also choose the holidays as a time to welcome video games into their household for the first time, purchasing consoles for family experiences, or handheld systems to entertain individual relatives.

As gamers, we almost always expect a game or two will find its way into one of our stockings. Still, some holiday moments stick out more than others. So in honor of the passing of Christmas and the next few days of gaming paradise, here’s a list of some significant Christmas console moments.

1991 - SNES

Everyone in my family loved the NES, so naturally we were crushed when the device stopped working. We owned heaps of games and constantly rented other titles like R.C. Pro-Am and Shadowgate. The day our Nintendo machine died left an entertainment void that wouldn't be filled until Christmas in 1991.

As I unwrapped gifts with my brothers on that day, we worked our way to the designated “family” present -- a Super Nintendo bundled with Super Mario World. Following the holidays, my family got involved with other hits like Final Fantasy II (IV in Japan at the time) and A Link to the Past. Once again our trips to local video stores became common, and we began sampling other titles like Mortal Kombat, Lagoon, Sim City, and U.N. Squadron (Area 88).

Years later, I inherited the console as my first, and the still functioning SNES turned 20 yesterday. The old family SNES has survived three cross-country movies and a corroded AC adapter, and I still consider it to be the greatest Christmas present I ever received. 

2000 - PS2

Sony's PlayStation 2 left an exceptional impression, becoming just as popular as longtime running consoles like the NES and Atari 2600. My own dad, a heavy opposer of Black Friday and other crazily unnecessary shopping “doorbusters” even stood outside of a Best Buy at 4:00 AM to assure we would be playing Tekken Tag Tournament on Christmas Day.

Out of 58 available console tickets, he received ticket 56.

Sony wanted to create a revolution with their newest system, and it’s safe to assume they succeeded. Titles like Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy X, Grand Theft Auth III, Persona 4, and other big time hits were released throughout the years, making the PlayStation 2 a popular holiday gift for several years.

The PS2 is still sold in most gaming and electronics retailers, and even continues to hold a tab on the front of PlayStation's US page. Though support for Sony's most popular product remains at large, most of the "new" PS2 games released are nothing more than shovel-ware titles plugging kids movies, and so-on. Still, gamers who have yet to experience the best of this system will want to snag one if they can find any of the titles listed above for a reasonable price.

2001 - Xbox

When high school began, I knew getting good grades during that first semester might guarantee a pretty neat Christmas gift. But there was one problem: I never really specified what I wanted. Either way, my dad ended up purchasing an Xbox with Halo when it came out. Honestly, I think my dad wanted it more than I did.

Microsoft’s Xbox changed the way most individuals thought of gaming. Friends of mine (or “friends”) who used to make fun of my excessive playtime on the PC or PS2 were now spending double the amount on their brand new Xbox. Most of them even went so far as to haul giant TVs over to other peoples houses so they could all play in LAN Halo matches together. Being one of the only other kids with an Xbox, I was usually invited to go along. After countless frags and multiple stacks of pizza boxes, the art of tea-bagging and shouting the word “owned” after each kill became common rituals.

With that being said, I’m wondering if I should travel back in time and warn myself about the future of FPS shenanigans. Then again, I'm a fan of pizza and shouting. I could, however, live without repetitive "teabagging" references.

2004 - Nintendo DS

Also an early graduation present, this was the last major Christmas gift I received from a parent. The Nintendo DS was a huge landmark for the handheld console since the classic gaming giant almost always set the standard for portable gaming. The Game Boy name was retiring, and it was time for Nintendo to invest in the next big thing. Thankfully, their planning paid off, and the Nintendo DS became another on-the-go sensation.

Initially, the only unfortunate drawback of this dual-screened powerhouse was the delay of Metroid Prime: Hunters, which was scheduled to release shortly after the system’s launch. Still, the “First Hunt” demo did an excellent job of selling the system. Lucky for Nintendo, the DS successfully recreated the same innovative and portable experiences consumers loved experiencing on the Game Boy, and continues to live on in the form of the 3DS, the company's latest attempt at capturing the portable market. Sony and Apple have made the handheld market one tough arena for Nintendo, but even the 3DS maintains a classic on-the-go charm that remains unique in every way.

Of course, you’re going to recall multiple happy Christmas gift moments if you love video games. We look forward to hearing what you got this year, whether it was a couple of big time hits like Skyrim, or a brand new console. We'll just be happy to hear you didn't get stuck with an unwanted pair of socks -- or even worse, a video game based on receiving socks for Christmas.

Have any special holiday gaming memories that stand out?

Comments

[iodine]

Awesome read.

As for personal stories I remember back to September of 1996. My parents dropped the Nintendo 64, Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, and a tv adapter on me. My jaw hit the floor. Sure I had been talking about it and even showed them the Toys 'R Us displays/demos, but never did I imagine they would buy me a complete set on release day! This was a truly a first for me. They told me not to expect anything for Christmas and I simply responded "It's already here!". I put up my little three foot Christmas tree in celebration and kept it up throughout the remainder of the year. Friends and family alike questioned why the tree was up and I just had to point to the N64. It's those golden moments you hold so dear.