What Was Your First... (Gaming Related Things)

[Princess Garnet]

Originally, I was thinking of making a thread about just one of the questions below, but then I thought it'd be more fun to do a broader thread about the many firsts of gaming (or hardware). You don't have to answer all of them. Some of them might not apply to you. If you're not certain on a particular question, you can just skip it or put the one that you first remember. Also, I may add more questions in the future if I think of some good ones after posting, and if I do, I'll leave a reply saying I updated it with more questions for those who already replied by that point.

Since there's multiple questions, to make it easier to reply to, I will have a spoiler at the bottom with all of them so you can quote this post, remove everything outside the spoiler, and then insert your answers.

What was the first video game you played?

I think mine might be the original Super Mario brothers on the original Nintendo.

What was the first video game you completed?

The same as the above.

My mother used to play this when I was like four or five years old (and it's part of what got my attention to games in the first place), which is funny because she sort of stopped playing around that time too. I don't know if she played anything before that or if it was a one off game, but... passing of the torch either way? I was impressed when she beat the game and it let you replay the game with the goomba things replaced with the beetles, and then she let me pick up from there. I remember being sad when I was done playing because it felt like I was erasing her work, haha, and she had to tell me it was alright. I remember I would always try to beat it like she did, and one day, I eventually did. I remember eventually beating it twice to see if there any further changes (no, there isn't).

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

I'm going to cheat and list two since they both feel like a first of their own due to the distinction.

The first one purchased used/with money I was getting from birthdays/holidays before I had income would have been Final Fantasy VIII. I had already owned Final Fantasy IX (I convinced my brother to trade a game we shared and I didn't care about that the friend was willing to trade for it) and I remember seeing Final Fantasy VIII as the first one I ever saw, so I decided I wanted it too. I remember getting home and finding out that only three of the four discs were present. I can't even remember what disc was missing either. I was worried the store (and get ready for a blast from the past, FuncoLand, remember them!?) wouldn't believe me that one was missing. We called when we got home, and then returned the following day and they straightened it out.

The first game I got new with my own earned income was Final Fantasy X-2 right as it released. This was coincidentally the highest numerical mainline Final Fantasy title I ever purchased.

What was the first PC video game you played?

I believe it was Sim City 2000 (though I first played this game itself on the Sega Saturn).

What was the first arcade video game you played?

I don't have an answer for this one, as I'm a bit young for that. I mean, arcades were around for a while yet when I was growing up, but I never played in them as home consoles were more popular by then. I wanted to included this for those who were old enough to be around to experience when arcades were the big thing.

What was the first online video game you played?

I don't remember, unfortunately. I included this question though since it'd be fun to see the answers for those who do.

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

So, this one wasn't a purchase per se, because I was actually given it, but it occurred at a store and I want to talk about it! It was The Art of Final Fantasy IX book. I was in FuncoLand in either 2001 or 2002, and I figure this as the time because Halo for the Xbox had somewhat recently launched and apparently that was late 2001 and it was on their in store demo thing, and a friend's brother who was there to buy something else wanted to start playing it. I had been playing Final Fantasy IX a lot the prior year, and my friend (the brother's sister) knew this and pointed out to me that they had a book for it during checkout by the counter. I didn't even know such a thing existed, and I started looking over it with awe, and the employee who was finishing up checking her brother out just... offered it to me for free? Saying it was their last one? (In retrospect, that was probably "it won't sell, please take it" or maybe he was just being nice, I'm not sure which.) Of course I accepted, and I was like super excited and trying to contain it, haha.

Yeah, that's the very aged price/bar code sticker at the top! It's far too aged to see now but I think it listed/would have been $19.99. Whoever was working at FuncoLand one afternoon in 2001 or 2002 and gave the last one of those in the store away, I remember! Sadly, they closed and it's a GameStop now? If it's even still there? It may have been an EB Games in the interim? Odd how I don't know for sure since it's live five minutes from where I live and I do grocery shopping int he same plaza sometimes but I do think GameStop is still there...

More pictures of inside.

Spoiler

Slightly related, but here's what's often considered "the worst strategy guide in existence". I got it on eBay really cheap in the like the mid-2000s just for the sake of having it, so there was no disappointment in the purchase.

Otherwise, I think the first gaming related purchase I made was for the Final Fantasy IX soundtrack but I'm not positive if that was actually the first. It's the first I remember though.

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

Mine would be two, since I got them simultaneously. Those would be a PlayStation One analog controller, and a Play Station memory card. I specifically remember it being a transparent Blue one.

This wasn't for any game in particular. The controller was partly to get my own (as opposed to sharing with siblings), and partly because the ones we had didn't have analog sticks. It actually ended up being my favorite controller ever, and I seriously regret getting rid of it. The memory card was to save games of course. Likewise, I had a memory card before this so it wasn't like I couldn't save at all before, but it was for more space and to be mine exclusively (limited space apparently leads to arguing between multiple siblings, haha).

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

Peggle on Steam in mid 2008 was the first, which got me to later get Plants vs Zombies in 2009 as an honorary mention.

The first triple A game (and expansions) I got digitally was The Sims 3 in mid 2009 from Direct 2 Drive (the original iteration that was owned by IGN). Eventually, maybe in 2011 when they were being purchased by Gamefly (?), I believe the expansions weren't being added to the service, so I continued buying them directly from EA on the EA Download Manager (precursor to Origin) so I could keep playing. The keys from Direct 2 Drive activated/granted the game on EA Download Manager service too. The game later came to Steam, and yes, I re-bought the ones I owned when they were on sale there, and then continued buying future ones on Steam instead of on Origin. How dedicated was I to move between three platforms for one game, haha.

(The answer was, very.)

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

Recalling my first with certainty is... probably impossible, so I'll just list the first I remember even though it probably wasn't the first.

Coincidentally, it was probably the first game I purchased with my own earned income, and that was Final Fantasy X-2. The disappointment was only minor, not severe, so I do not regret the purchase. I actually came to like it more over time, but after playing Final Fantasy IX, then X, and then VIII... it was a disappointment comparatively. Not even any summons? *sad noises* No, the evil versions you fight don't count. Final Fantasy X got rid of the world map but it did most other things well.

I haven't been interested in the later titles, and while I like Final Fantasy X-2 a little more now than I did back then, I have to think it was a key point in time where the series was shifting more and more. XI was an MMO, XII was an offline MMO with a story that just never captivated me and had a really uninteresting combat system (I watched a friend play through enough of this one, and Ashley I'm sorry but X was the far better one!), XIII was a corridor experience with few redeeming features for me unlike X, XIV was another game-as-a-service and was terrible at first too, and I stopped paying attention well before XV, which seemed to be "road trip with the boy band in an trend-of-the-time open world"? Before it released, XVI looked like it would be half promising and then... it was Game of Thrones with Devil May Cry action combat, and where is my party, and where are my spells, and what the heck happened to this series!? Apparently it sold incredibly poorly on the PC too, with less total copies until now than Silent Hill 2 sold in three or four days.

*obligatory sulking about wanting a Final Fantasy IX remake even though it might not be as popular financially either*

Anyway...

That's it for now, if/until I think of some other notable firsts that could make for good questions.

(The following spoiler is just the questions for those replying.)

Spoiler

What was the first video game you played?

What was the first video game you completed?

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

What was the first PC video game you played?

What was the first arcade video game you played?

What was the first online video game you played?

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

 

[Kapone33]

The First Video Game I played was a tank based Game that came with 2 physical controllers and plugged onto the TV. PVP before it even existed.

I used to complete all my Games but completing Silpheed is my crowning achievement from back in the day

SNES came with Street Fighter

Asteroids or Wizard of Wor

Online Played would be SOCOM on PS2.

Games used to come with paraphernalia I remember a Game called Interceptor. It was a 4x Space RPG. It had beautifully drawn cards of all ships in the Game.

A Flight Stick to play Freespace 2

That is a good one. I guess I would say Kingdoms of Amulaur

My first disappointment would have been the abandonment of the Dreamcast. That system was so much fun. Or maybe the first time I played Dragon's Lair.

 

[sepheronx]

holy hell that is quite the story. My attention span lost track at around your first game you played.

Uhh mine?

Well it was tank wars on the colecovision

First completed game would be probably Legend of Zelda on NES. Or maybe FF1. I cant remember. Years of alcohol abuse has degraded my memory.

Online played? maybe it was Diablo 1 was first one.

First disappointment? Holy moly, I been disappointed most of my life. I agree with Kapone and say Dreamcast. But I would go earlier and say the short lived Saturn.

 

[Hyderz]

What was the first video game you played?
The first one i've ever played was i think was street fighter 2 on NES at a friends house.
What was the first video game you completed?
Starcraft + Brood War i remember completing.
What was the first video game you bought with your own money?
Diablo 2 + Lord of Destruction
What was the first PC video game you played?
Warcraft Orcs and Humans.. i had a jam with my siblings
What was the first arcade video game you played?
One i actually remember putting coins in was time crisis or house of the dead either one of them. Arcade shooters was fun.
What was the first online video game you played?
Starcraft over battle.net 56k modem! with 6 other friends slugging it out.
What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
This would have to be brady games guide book for FF8. Book is gone now due to coffee spill on it when i was at school.
What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
Geforce 4 MX420... into my Celeron 700mhz so i can run Warcraft 3. Either i was limited by cpu or the gpu wasnt good... didnt run warcraft 3 well.
What was the first digital video game you purchased?
That would be Plants vs Zombies... boy was that game fun.
What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)
2008 Half Life 2 Episode 2 - Game would not run and it would get stuck at main screen trying to load. I had all the requirements to run it.. AMD Athlon Xp, 768MB Ram 128 Radeon 9600Pro, episode 1 and half life 2 would run no problem but i dont know what was going on with Episode 2. Then i was able to play it a year later when my second hand new pc came in

 

[JIWIL]

What was the first video game you played?
Something on an Atari at my grandfolks place; Pitfall or Pong.

What was the first video game you completed?
Had quite a few computers but no TV growing up, so something in the PS1/N64/Dreamcast era when I moved out.. FF Tactics may not have been the first, but it's the one I remember.

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?
Can't remember. Probably an early PS1 game like Ridge Racer or Twisted Metal.

What was the first PC video game you played?
Colossal Cave Adventure on the Osborne at home. At school there was a Commodore PET (yes, just one computer), some game with a frog, you had to catch flies by shooting it's tongue out, dunno name.

What was the first arcade video game you played?
Can't remember, would have been early 80's.

What was the first online video game you played?
Did a lot of play by email strategy games in the late 80's; if those don't count then something on Compuserve or Prodigy. Avara was the first standalone TCP/IP game I remember playing online.

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
Don't recall ever buying any. I did splurge and buy a copy of Jane's Fighting Ships when I was really into Harpoon in the early 90's.

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
CH Flightstick for some sim stuff I reckon.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?
Not a clue.

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)
In the mid-90's there was a Pacific Campaign strategy game that crashed so constantly I gave up trying to play it. It was my first experience with a game shipping in an unplayable state, alas not my last.
[EDIT] It was Victory at Sea (1993;reference) but I can't really find much info on it, presumably because it flopped so hard.

 

[Todestrieb]

What was the first video game you played?
Either Top Gear 2 or Super Mario Kart on Super Famicom. I was some 3yrs old then, so blurry memories.

What was the first video game you completed?
Totally not sure about this one; Could be Top Gear 1, or Choro Q Park (Sega Saturn), could be Gran Turismo 1. I don't have that much brain capacity and time to do any serious game back then.

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?
Ignoring piracy purchases, the first one I have to pay, erm, real price is F1 2019. It is also my first digital purchase. Kinda anti-climatic.

What was the first PC video game you played?
It could have been some very early Test Drive series of Need For Speed series, but the first game I'm sure I have played is some Taiwanese take on Monopoly (made in 1997, only ran on DOS). And if it doesn't count, the next one is Age of Empires 2, which I sucks to this day because I only enjoyed building the economy and lighting up the whole map part.

What was the first arcade video game you played?
I almost wanted to say jubeat copious in 2011, but I'm sure I have touched some OutRun series before. These were high school days when I had very very limited money, so the time I could spend on arcades are also very limited. And I was educated that arcades ~= areas with no public security, which was true to a degree as I later learned. There were local "rules" that essentially meant when the local pros want to play, and you want to play at the same time, you have to beat them, which is impossible because they are local pros. Bad old times.

What was the first online video game you played?
osu!, the (doujin?) rhythm game that got big and I once got very serious for. Not for the main mode though.
If that doesn't count, the next one is Phantasy Star Online 2 (Japan server, waaaay before NGS and region lock). I have to say I despised online game in general, but I have a lot of fun in this one (until it isn't fun anymore) and made a few Japanese friends that have the same rhythm game hobbies. Even I stopped playing any online video game in general, every year I will go to Japan, and I will have a day of fun with them (except human malware days).

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
If gifts count, I'm sure that would be a bunch of rhythm games related doujinshis (no R-rated stuff, I have to buy them by myself lol), small figures and a merch bag from the friends ^ I met.
The first one I bought would have been, naturally, R-rated doujinshis, in Akiba.

Spoiler: Some of the gifts

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
More of a "my PC sucks, let's buy a new one" purchase, not for specific games. 4th gen i7 to a Ryzen 3700, and leads to my current build.
If it must be for a specific game, at the time Gran Turismo 7 came out, my brother and I paid for a PS5 together. He took the PS5, I took a PS4Pro (bought used a few years before, from one of his friends no less) along with a few games. To this day, GT7 is the only game we have for PS5. Probably not wise.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?
F1 2019.

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)
Almost all the NFS games after Prostreet and Shift series. ALL OF THEM. Also, the save file of TDU2 on XBox360 that keeps nuking itself.

 

[Macro Device]

What was the first video game you played?

No idea, I was born in '95 and had a PS1 since '98 and can't say I remember that time in my life at all.

What was the first video game you completed?

Probably Zombie Smashers X but unsure. Might as well be some PS1 title I don't even remember playing.

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

What was the first PC video game you played?

What was the first arcade video game you played?

What was the first online video game you played?

Also no idea.

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

Grabbed an ATi Radeon X1950 Pro so I could play FIFA 09 without hiccups.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

Crimsonland (2014).

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

Also don't remember.

 

[Arctucas]

First game; Pong.

Completed; Mario Bros.

First bought; Do not remember.

First PC game; do not even know the name of it. It was around 1982-83, it was text based only, and ran on a Commodore64.

Arcade game; Pong.

Online game; Never have.

Merchandise; None.

Hardware; 2007 built first gaming rig, no game in particular.

Digital game; Do not remember, it was from Amazon though.

 

[Apocalypsee]

What was the first video game you played?
Life Force

What was the first video game you completed?
Same as above, took me half a day to get there. I still remember that day.
What was the first video game you bought with your own money?
Physical game? It might be a PS1 games, Brave Fencer Musashi I think.
What was the first PC video game you played?
Doom 1993, on my cousin PC
What was the first arcade video game you played?
I really don't remember, I think it's those F-14 ones I can't remember the name.
What was the first online video game you played?
Medal Of Honor Allied Assault multiplayer I think?
What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
Hot Toys Metal Gear Rising Raiden

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
Inno3D TNT2 M64 PCI, it was the only card I can find in PCI format that can be slotted on Dell Optiplex GX100 which didn't have AGP slot. To play Medal of Honor Allied Assault, GTA3 and the likes.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?
I lost here, really can't remember the first one.
What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)
The Life Force one, I did finish the game but I jumped to joy that it knocked the console off and game hangs before the end credit rolls.

 

[Hankieroseman]

PONG on somebody's TV 50 years ago? Donkey Kong in bars in the 80's and my first computer and computer game in 2000 was Microsoft Combat Flight SimulatorⅡ.

 

[londiste]

What was the first video game you played?
What was the first PC video game you played?
What was the first arcade video game you played?
For both video and PC game this should fit. I do not ever remember playing arcade games. Apple Panic.

Play Apple Panic online - Play old classic games online

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playold.games

What was the first video game you completed?
Either Alley cat or Karateka.

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Karateka | Play game online!

Karateka was the first commercial project of Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, released in 1984 on the Apple II. Karateka's animation was years ahead of its time. When it was released, it had the most realistic animations ever made for a video game. Play Karateka online!

playclassic.games

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?
Crusader: No_Remorse.

What was the first online video game you played?
Other than trying some older ones for an hour or so, probably Quake.

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
Do collector's editions with additional stuff count? I still have some of those on my shelf - Oblivion, Age of Conan, a couple Deus Ex games and a few others. If completely separately from a game purchase then Bethesda pieces a couple years ago:

Fallout: Vault Girl Statue by ThinkGeek

Fallout and I parted ways with the release of Fallout 76, but at least I can always relive my glory days with the franchise, whether it be on Steam with the PC originals, or on the consoles with th…

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DOOM Limited Edition Red Replica Key Card

Keeping the DOOM Limited Edition Red Replica Key Card is a dangerous responsibility. So lock your doors and guard it with your life. Get this replica by Fanattik at the Bethesda Gear Store!

gear.bethesda.net

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
The earliest would be a 512KB VGA card for Transport Tycoon.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?
The Orange Box back... god knows when.

The Orange Box on Steam

The Orange Box is a bundle that includes five titles from Valve: Half-Life 2; Half-Life 2:Episode 1; Half-Life 2: Episode Two; Team Fortress 2, the sequel to the game that put class-based, multiplayer team warfare on the map; and Portal, the game that blends puzzles, first person action, and adventu

store.steampowered.com

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)
Tasoth Commander Trap in XCOM: Terror from the Deep.

 

[JWNoctis]

What was the first video game you played?

Adventure Island, the classic version, on a full-keyboard NES clone - apparently actually intended to be a home computer - that happened to be regionally popular. Mid-late 1990's.

What was the first video game you completed?

Complete in the sense of the main plot played to the end, Spore, I think. Or maybe TESIV: Oblivion.

Which is notably late, me having been brought up on a steady diet of endless minigames, plotless FPSes, and RTS skirmishes.

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

"Buzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager", after too heavy a dose of Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space, but found it suffered from the same kind of frustrations that ultimately turned me off the original. Too much things left to Fortune.

What was the first PC video game you played?

Minesweeper. Staring at the 3D Maze screensaver was, at one time, also a favourite pastime.

I think that might actually count as an idle game by modern definition. How misspent it would be is left to reader's imagination.

What was the first arcade video game you played?

Actually cannot seem to recall any by name now. Some classic side-scrolling shooters I never got any good with.

What was the first online video game you played?

Some square-grid city-builder with little soldier counters called "Artifact" or "Artefact". Cannot seem to find a clear reference now. Never figured out how to play and gave my password to the first one who asked. (I was young.)

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

A 3D papercraft of a Glaceon, a favourite 4th-gen Pokémon when Generation V was still recent and Generation VI still about a year away. Purchased in the sense of paying for the printout and the toolset. Still had it as pristine as the day it was done. Now there's maybe a dozen of those action figures, actually purchased.

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

A 3DS for the 6th-generation Pokémon games. Ended up with X on a cart, Y as a promotion freebie, Alpha Sapphire for the trip down the memory lane, that 3DS-gen Pokémon Mystery Dungeon for something different, and Ultra Moon for the eventual 7th-gen. The last one was especially amazing, in how far they pushed the hardware on an obviously aging platform.

AC: NL was fun, too.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

TESV: Skyrim, in the sense of the DVD being more or less a self-extracting installer for Steam.

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

Some The Lion King tie-in on the NES that was basically unplayable to the 7-yo me. It was a bootleg cart that was returned the next day.

Still the first thing I recalled years later when I first got Trine, though. Platformer with selection of three characters in an artful-for-its-time setting, perhaps.

 

[Psychoholic]

Dating myself a bit, the first game i played was dig dug on atari.
First PC Game was probably kings quest.
First One i bought for myself was probably Duke Nukem 3d.

 

[SoftenChewy]

What was the first video game you played?

I’m pretty sure it was Sonic 2 for Genesis

What was the first video game you completed?

Me and a friend of mine completed Resident Evil 2 for the PS1 by taking turns.

For PC, I completed a few chapters of Wolfenstein 3D in 93/1994, I don’t remember finishing all of them.

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

The Longest Journey for PC in 1999.

What was the first PC video game you played?

Gorilla Basic in early 90s

What was the first arcade video game you played?

I remember playing The Simpsons, XMen, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Mortal Kombat, I don’t remember which was first.

What was the first online video game you played?

The first game I played online was Quake 2.

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased?

Book(s): The original Doom novel adaptations by Dafydd Ab Hugh and Brad Lineaweaver and The Doom 2 Strategy Guide by Ed Dille (a great read on it’s own right)

Clothing: I bought a couple from Valve, a Portal shirt and a HL2 Deathmatch shirt with the Gravity Gun kill icon.

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for?

Diamond Monster 3D Voodoo card for $40, so I could play Quake 2 at higher res & fps.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

I honestly don’t remember… does DLC count? If so, Undead Nightmare for RDR on PS3. I tried for the longest time to stick with physical purchases, even on PC. I think the first digital purchase I made on Steam was Amnesia: Dark Descent.

What was the first video game disappointment you had?

A few games for Sega Genesis, since you couldn’t really save your progress. Dying in the final levels of Sonic 2 and not being able to get past a certain point in Jurassic Park video game were my biggest disappointments as a kid.

More recently, not getting credit for sending a gnome into space achievement for HL2:Ep2.

 

[Lew Zealand]

What was the first video game you played?

Pac-Man, in late 1980 at an IHOP

What was the first video game you completed?

Pitfall II on Atari 2600, most games were endless play at the time

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

Wizardry, original on Apple ][, still have the entire box & contents for those and W2 and 3, and Ultimas I-V.

What was the first PC video game you played?

Oregon Trail on Apple ][

What was the first arcade video game you played?

Pac Man again!

What was the first online video game you played?

Probably Rocket League, I don't like online games much

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

Other than what came in the box, maybe nothing? I must've had a Pac Man shirt at some point!

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

Joystick for Apple //e. Parents said no to video games so no joystick, I figured out how to play everything well on KB. I play Rocket League on KB today because of this. However some games require a joystick so I eventually bought one.

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

Ultima 3 for Mac by an indie developer who licensed it from Richard Garriot in the '90s. He's been keeping it up and it works on the newest M# Macs. Bought at least 3 times as I keep misplacing my license. 1000% worth it because of the uniqueness of the situation.

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

Hm. That kind of annoyance usually fades quickly but the only game I remember refunding was the recent Quiddich Champions game. Played 10 minutes and realized I'd never play it again. Refunded, thanks Steam!

 

[dirtyferret]

What was the first video game you played?
either Pong or Dr J vs Larry Bird, can't recall
What was the first video game you completed?
Legend of Zelda
What was the first video game you bought with your own money?
Tecmo Bowl
What was the first PC video game you played?
Dr J vs Larry Bird
What was the first arcade video game you played?
Pacman, Star Wars, or Space Invaders, can't recall
What was the first online video game you played?
Phantasy Star Online sounds good
What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
my next will be my first
What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
a blazing fast Pentium Processor Gateway PC to play Lands of Lore
What was the first digital video game you purchased?
probably half life II ep 1
What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)
Pitfall, the MFer kept falling into caves

 

[eidairaman1]

Arcade games, then NES, SNES, Genesis/32X, Dreamcast, PC, DS, Wii, 3DS

 

[wNotyarD]

What was the first video game you played?

Duck Hunt, NES.

What was the first video game you completed?

Gunstar Heroes, Mega Drive.

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

Sonic 2, Mega Drive.

What was the first PC video game you played?

If I'm not to count BANG! on Win95/DOS, I think it would be Novalogic's F-22 Lightning II.

What was the first arcade video game you played?

Mortal Kombat II.

What was the first online video game you played?

Ragnarök Online.

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

Not a purchase for myself, but I gifted a friend of mine with the Assassin's Creed: Renaissance book. If you asked me first merchandise I got, it would be the Battlefield 3: The Russian book he gifted me.

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

First part I bought myself for a game? Could be the RX460 I bought for the game key it included, which I can't recall what it was

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

Battlefield 3, Origin.

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

When the Gunstar Heroes cartridge stopped working. I loved the game (still do, actually) and as a child it hurt.
Also, not having a SNES as a kid. I still love the Mega Drive to this day, but the neighbor having a SNES with Super Mario World and Goof Troop...

 

[KrazyT]

What was the first video game you played?

Probably Super Mario Bros. on the Nes

What was the first video game you completed?

I think it was Zelda II : The Adventure of Link, Nes of course !

What was the first video game you bought with your own money?

Hmmm, Castlevania on Nes, I've gave the money to my mother, with a list of game, and she picked up Castlevania

What was the first PC video game you played?

Don't remember, probably Sim City or LHX Attack Chopper :/

What was the first arcade video game you played?

Should be The King of Dragons or Ghouls and Ghosts

What was the first online video game you played?

I think it was the demo of Battlefield 1942 !

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)

Don't remember, probably a game guide ?

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)

Hmm, probably an new GC for the pixel shaders in Morrowind

What was the first digital video game you purchased?

A steam game I think, which one ... ??

What was the first video game disappointment you had? (This could be a game that let you down, a moment that ruined you in a play through, a lost save, etc.)

Maybe Actraiser, every time I finish it (every 2 years), I realize the game is over and I'm sad letting down my fellowers
I'm too sensitive

Here is how my gaming CV ends !
Interresting to see the others answers !

 

[Princess Garnet]

holy hell that is quite the story. My attention span lost track at around your first game you played.

Haha, yeah, sorry. That's why I italicized the answer itself in my responses, for people who just wanted the answer and not the additional context.

First disappointment? Holy moly, I been disappointed most of my life.

But I would go earlier and say the short lived Saturn.

Um... that's sorry to hear. I hope it's better now.

The Sega Saturn was an important one for me! I understand the disappointment in it, but despite that it was important for me, basically because my family was not well off back then. I had moved from living with my mother/stepfather in with my father, who was even less well off. The fact that the console did poorly and had a lot of people abandoning it for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 meant it was the best current thing I had a chance to get. I sort of took a break for a few years growing up from video games, but then this was the start of what got me back into it. I was new to the area moving in with my father so making friends as a pre-teen and fitting in and all that were a real struggle for a while, so I can't hate that console because it brought me lots of fun. Fun, and setting the seed for my love for horror. I mostly remember Sim City 2000 and Resident Evil being two of the games I played a lot. Some Sonic game (Sonic 3D Blast?) being another. I had some other games but I'm drawing blanks on them now.

What was the first hardware purchase you made for (a) video game(s), and what game(s) was it for? (This could be a new PC part for a new game with higher requirements, or on the console side something like a new accessory such as a memory card, or even a new console itself for a new game you wanted.)
More of a "my PC sucks, let's buy a new one" purchase, not for specific games.

Oh, yeah, that's fine. In case the question wasn't clear, it's fine whether it was spurred by a single game or just a more broad reason for it.

What I was getting at with the question was "what was the first time you wanted to play a game (or games), and found that your hardware was holding you back from those new games". So whether that's a new single PC part, a new PC entirely, or a new console generation, it still applies.

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Ohhhh, that's interesting. I never thought of cups, even though it seems so obvious. I'm pretty minimalist these days (meaning I usually won't buy physical things unless there's a good reason for it), but cups are something that's practical. And I'm sure services exist to make custom design ones.

*considers looking into Final Fantasy IX ones now*

What was the first video game related merchandise you purchased? (This could be clothing, a book, a statue or figure, etc.)
Do collector's editions with additional stuff count?

I would say yes in the cases where there was a base version of the game without it, and other versions with it. Even if they came with the game, you still spent more for that extra merchandise.

But for older games that often included larger manuals/maps compared to today, then I wouldn't say it counts the same.

The idea with the question was "when did you first go out of your way to obtain something physical related to a game".

What was the first PC video game you played?

Oregon Trail on Apple ][

Whelp, this answer makes me realize Sim City 2000 wasn't the first PC game I played. When I answered, I was thinking back to when I had a PC and games in the household, but there were a few I played at school in the library around the early 1990s.

Unfortunately, I can't remember all of the games (let alone which was first), but I'm almost positive they were Apple/Macs. Or at least some were, so maybe there was a mix.

I think Oregon Trail was one of them. That seemed like an obligatory staple at schools back then.

"Word Munchers" and "Number Munchers" seem like they match two others I am remembering.

Then another two (or the same game?) involved moving a character like a sidescroller of sorts. I recall a mountain with snow you had to progress up, and piles of snowballs at points (might have had to do with counting?), and traveling through a school for another.

Also, not having a SNES as a kid. I still love the Mega Drive to this day, but the neighbor having a SNES with Super Mario World and Goof Troop...

Oh my goodness, I love you for reminding me of Goof Troop! I played a lot of Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country on the Super Nintendo, but everyone knows about those two. Goof Troop is one I loved so much yet so easily forget about. It's not often I see someone else mention that game.

 

[Macro Device]

And I'm sure services exist to make custom design ones.

I just bought a couple of those for about a dozen dollars or maybe twenty bucks from a random guy on a local Craigslist equivalent. One of them is in use by my brother and another one collects dust mostly since I don't drink as much coke as I used to. And I find it questionable to use it for drinks other than coke. Still a pretty item. Highly recommended.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Almost seems like each question could be its own thread.

I’m going to have remember long ago here on the first game. It was one of 4 possibilities, all on the Commodore 64. There was Bruce Lee, Kung Fu, Top Gun, and Two Minute Warning. I want to say Kung Fu, but we’re going back to early grade school, when I watched older kids play more than I played myself. We also had a Texas Instruments computer back then, featuring Tanks and Alpiner. That one was fun because to get sound, you had to buy an expansion module, that for some reason had a door on it kinda like Hungry Hungry Hippos.

 

[Vario]

Most disappointing game I ever bought was Black & White, the overhyped trash god simulator made by Peter Molyneux. I returned it and had store credit so I bought Tribes 2, which was the best game I have ever played (to date).

 

[freeagent]

This is probably the first "video" game that I played:

The first game I finished was Super Mario World on my GameBoy haha.. Thanks Nintendo Power

I dont remember the first PC game I played, it was on the old green and black monochrome screens in school haha.

The first PC game that I bought was Max Payne.

And that is the end of my attention span, sorry

 

[Prime2515102]

I'm too old to remember any of that except the first online game I played, which was Quake III Arena.

I remember that because when I died I didn't understand what was happening at first while waiting for a new match (seeing through somebody else's eyes while they played). When I realized what was happening I started cracking up and said, "This is like being John Malkovich!"

If you saw the movie you'll get it.

The first game I ever played was probably Pong at the local Pizza Hut, but I'm lucky I remember my own name so who knows.

The first game I ever finished had to be on Atari 2600 but, again, I don't remember which game.