May is Video Game History Month, where we reflect on our roots as gamers and see how far the industry has come. Our team is going to share a little about themselves these next couple of weeks and tell you about their first gaming experience!

“The first game that really resonated with me would have to be Secret of Mana for the Super Nintendo. I had friends whose parents had gotten them a NES, so I remember playing bits of Metroid and Ghosts and Goblins; but it wasn’t until I had my own console that I really felt like a gamer.

What I remember most about it was that it didn’t really call to me. I got it as part of a bundle pack and while Mario was hyped up and fully imprinted on my mind, this was just “some game” that I got at discount. Never-the-less, there came a time when I was inevitably exhausted of Super Mario World, and I popped this game in and had my mind blown.

The combat was tough for me as a child which made it all the more sweet when I did beat that boss that had got in my way. Embarking with a cast of characters on this grand sweeping quest laid the path way to other games; not just action/ adventure games but also games with really substantial story and plot and really gave you a sense of place. You got to grow with this characters, learn their life lessons. To me, a game isn’t just about “going here, shooting that, collect this;” it is about delivering an experience that would otherwise be unatainable and that is what Secret of Mana showed me.”

-Bryce Peters, Lead Writer