I have always been a fan of video games ever since I laid my hands on my first handheld console: the Nintendo DS. As I matured, so did my taste in different kinds of games. I remember clearly as I began my adventure in the Sinnoh region in Pokemon Diamond. The excitement and anticipation I felt for the journey I was about to embark on. From catching a variety of types of Pokemon to assemble into my personal team who would go on to fight trainers and gym leaders. The countless hours I spent levelling up my team of Pokemon to defeat tough opponents only to continue to train them. It was an endless cycle of battles with wild Pokemons and trainers to build a team strong enough to take on the Elite Four, the crème de la crème of the game. A difficult feat in the eyes of the 9 year-old me.
Throughout the five years that I have indulged in the series of Pokemon, I remember I always had a problem hoarding items such as potions and ultra balls that I found. For some reason, in my mind, if I were to use these items I felt like I was cheating in a way and I followed this rule of not using items like a religion. I would only use pokeballs when catching Pokemon, you know how hard it is to catch legendaries only using pokeballs? It was quite the challenge and I was usually left with a fraction of pokeballs that I had to begin with. My obsession with the game was an addiction. I would come home everyday after school to play at least half an hour of the game. Pokemon White was the last generation that I played as I grew older and Pokemon felt outdated and I needed to find another video game to play and depend on to bring thrill.
A few weeks later, one of my high school friends purchased Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO) for me as a gift. I was immediately addicted, spending all my free time on the computer. CS GO was different from Pokemon as it was a multiplayer first-person shooter. Unlike Pokemon it was a multiplayer game and I had numerous friends playing at the time so finding others to play with was never an issue. I was drawn to CS GO as it was a combination of strategy and team work, however individual skill was an important factor as well. Basically, the game revolves around two teams the Counter Terrorists and the Terrorists each having different objectives, but the point of the game is to win 16 rounds. The Terrorists’ main goal is to plant the bomb and have the timer run out or kill all the Counter Terrorists, while the Counter Terrorists’ main goal is to either defuse the bomb or kill all the Terrorists. Coordinated attacks are vital to the success of either teams and communication is important. Usually people hang out with friends on Friday nights, however I spent them locked in my room gaming with my friends. CS GO led to the strengthening of many of my friendships as we spent a few hours a week together. I personally enjoy CS GO much more as it is more team reliant and requires high levels of strategizing.
Video games have been a vital aspect of my life and it is an important part of my identity; it shapes who I am as an individual. It created many long lasting friendships that I currently have as we felt a connection and a sense of belonging with one another as we gathered to enjoy video games. Playing video games has always been a favourite of mine during my spare time, however as I grow older I view them with less and less interest than I used to. My passion for these virtual games has significantly declined as I got older. I came to the realization that at this point in my high school career a greater emphasize needs to be put on my education. More time has been put aside for studying rather than video games. However, I will always cherish the memorable times playing alone or with others as it was a essential part of my childhood and growing up. Video games truly has brought about happiness in my life.