Mark Wesley Pritchard

My Love of Retro Gaming

The 80s: the decade that retro games were popular and enjoyable. The first game system that I had laid my hands on was the beloved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It belonged to my father and I was mesmerized by it. My love of retro gaming started back in 1989 and I saw this awesome game console that had a few games and a great accessory called the NES Zapper. I was eager to try this electronic light gun accessory. The very first game I have played on the NES was Super Mario Bros. Unfortunately, I never made it past World 1-1. So I played a game called Duck Hunt, which required the NES Zapper. Growing up, I wanted to shoot the laughing dog so bad. Almost 30 years later, I still haven't done it. Every time that I would miss shooting the ducks, it would laugh at me. By the early 1990s, I knew that playing video games was something that I was good at. It was a hobby that I can enjoy. The NES is and will always be my first love, but I have played many games on different gaming systems. To this day, my favorite NES games are the following: Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt, Contra, Super Contra, Bubble Bobble, Ninja Gaiden, Super Mario Bros. 3, Tecmo Bowl, Galaga, StarTropics, Wrath of the Black Manta, Pac-Man 1943: The Battle of Midway, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game.