I want to ask you all a question. Do you remember what one of your earliest memories playing a video game was? Right now your probably thinking of either playing a video game console that a family member like a cousin or older relative had or the first video game console you ever owned or maybe even just seeing an arcade machine at some public place. Those examples tend to be pretty interchangeable I find.




For me though it’s definitely when I got my PlayStation 2, the very first video game console I ever owned, for Christmas back in 2000. And with that console not only did I also get Crash Bandicoot 3 and Spyro 3 since the PlayStation 2 was backwards compatible with PlayStation 1 games but also a demo disk containing previews of upcoming games at the time. And there were only really three games from that disk I remember that well. Jak and Daxter, Devil May Cry because of course I’d remember that and Klonoa 2 (which side note can I just say how fucking stupid it is that the original PlayStation 2 version of Klonoa 2 costs as much as it does second hand on Ebay when not only is it over 20 years old at this point but you can literally buy an enhanced version of both it and the first game for modern systems and around the same price of $70 AUD? I mean that’s not as bad as some second-hand games can sometimes go where they can reach into the 100’s for but still.) All of these demos on this disk, they were all different kinds of games of different styles and different tones and different genres, and I had no idea what any of them were going to be like until I played them. And I loved that! Not knowing what I was getting into, that sense of the unknown, was exciting to childhood me.




I still remember when I originally played that Klonoa 2 demo as a child. That dark and stormy first level with that music in the background contrasted with the almost marketable plushie like character designs only for the other playable level in this demo being this bright waterpark where your going down a water slide on a floating surfboard. I loved it and am still kicking myself over how it took me over 20 years to play the full version of this game and it wasn’t even the original release either.




And that wasn’t even the only Demo disk for the Playstation 2 I had. You see my parents actually got a subscription to a PlayStation Magazine for me during the 2000's and every issue they would come attached with a playable demo disk. And I had a lot of these which meant even if I wouldn’t get to play the full versions of these games until much later in my life for various reasons, (other games that were more interesting to me/was a child and didn’t have my own money/was literally at the mercy of my parents bank account) I still had the opportunity to play a short snipit of a lot of different kinds of games. Zone of the Enders, Prince of Persia The Sands of Time, the original God of War, fucking Dog’s Life! And Dog’s Life wasn’t a very good game to begin with! But guess what? Even though Dog’s Life is one of the games I admit I’m glad I never sought out the full version of it was still something I had never tried before then. Same with almost every other game on these disks I played. Some I would eventually get the full versions of and others I wouldn’t until I got much, much older. Or maybe not at all!




And then we have games where my parents just got me them as a surprise gift, ones that I had no idea existed until that point nor did I have any expectations prior to playing them like with Scaler or Super Paper Mario. And that’s what I loved about playing new games, trying something new! Trying something different! Experiencing something new and unique!




And that love for trying unknown, different, and unique experiences, that never left! It has remained as I grew into a teenager and then into an adult. Only difference is that now I have more access to the internet which… okay to be honest that’s been just as much of a curse as it has been a blessing because of how much toxicity, cancer and negativity I’ve sadly had to put up with over the years not to mention all the people who are so thin skinned they see everything as an attack on them because “THIS PERSION SAID SOMETHING I DON’T AGREE WITH! THIS PERSON POSTED SOMETHING I DON’T LIKE! THIS PERSON IS SAYING OR POSTING STUFF THAT ISN’T EVEN DIRECTED AT ME PERSONALLY! I’M UNDER ATTACK! PERSONAL ATTACK! I’M UNDER ATTACK!!!” but it has also opened up a lot more opportunities for new games for me.

Trying new games and franchises broadens your gaming experience and keeps it exciting. Exploring different genres and titles can introduce you to innovative gameplay and fresh stories. Platforms like offer a diverse selection, ensuring there's always something new to discover. Embracing this variety helps you stay engaged and find hidden gems you might otherwise miss. Dive into new adventures and enhance your gaming journey today.