Games

The Early Years

It all started on my older brother's Amiga — I must have been around six years old. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was immediately fascinated. The sounds, the colours, the sense that something was happening because of me.

When I was around eight, my sister and I got a NES to share. It came with Super Mario Bros, and I had already played Megaman at a friend's house. I knew exactly what I wanted next. The moment I got Megaman in my hands at home — that was it. I was completely sold. That feeling has never left me.

Trading Up

A friend of mine had a Sega Mega Drive with over ten games and offered me a deal: I lend him my NES and 25 games, he lends me the Mega Drive. It felt like a fair swap at the time. The Mega Drive was incredible.

I never really touched the SNES — very few friends could afford it. It was a rare sight. But I eventually got my NES back, and by then we were at the dawn of something new.

The Playstation Era

I wanted a Playstation more than I had wanted anything. My mum pitched in, I sold my entire NES library — something I still regret to this day — and we got a PSX. It came with a demo disc that had Wipeout and Loaded on it. I was busy for hours.

Then came Tomb Raider. Then Resident Evil. Then Final Fantasy VII.

The impact those games had on me is impossible to measure. It echoes still today, and I get goosebumps writing this.

Collecting Today

While the industry pushes toward a digital-only future, my passion for physical media has only grown. There is something irreplaceable about owning the actual thing — knowing that regardless of server shutdowns or delistings, these games will always be playable.

I focus on curating complete-in-box copies where possible, appreciating the manuals and inserts that once defined the experience of unboxing a new adventure. The hunt for elusive titles is half the fun.