Game On

I'm a child of "Arcadian" times, meaning I spent quite a few Friday nights at the Air Hockey table in the local arcade. Air Hockey was definitely my favorite of all the arcade games. Sure, I liked the simulated driving but nothing was better than the cool air as it arose from the pinprick holes and the click of the plastic puck as it found it's way into the goal. Friday nights were always fun when they included a few games of Air Hockey.

My adolescent years paralleled the very beginning of the video game era. There was Asteroids and Space Invaders, but before all that there was Pong. Need I say more? That newfangled video game of the 70s consisted of a little black box that plugged into the TV so we could guide an over-sized cursor up and down the screen in the hopes of connecting with a square object. I loved it... until I met Pinky, Blinky, Inky and Clyde.

Ms. Pacman brought a whole new dimension to my video game experience. It brought color and music. Even today, I have a hard time passing by a Ms. Pacman machine without giving it a go.

My dream house would have a game room. In the center would stand a regulation, arcade-sized air hockey game. A Ms. Pacman game, the tabletop model, would be there too. For old times sake I'd be sure to get the Pong hooked up to the TV, which would of course be a standing console model housed in a big cherry cabinet.