What Was the First Game You Ever Played? - GameSpot Q&A

Welcome back to GameSpot Q&A, a weekly section where we ask our staff and readers a discussion question about video games. Look at this as a forum where you and others can discuss and compare your opinions of this beloved hobby of ours. Let us know what your answer is to this week's question in the comments below!

This week's question is:

What was the first game ever you played and where?

We all have a first game we played. Whether it was one on the Nintendo Entertainment System, an old Apple computer, or the PlayStation, we all had to start somewhere. So what was your first and where did you play it?

Berzerk | Eddie Makuch, News Editor

The first game I ever played was Berzerk for the Atari 2600. It was my dad's, and he told me it was one of his favorites, so I asked if I could try it. I can still remember sitting on the floor just a foot from our TV, struggling to kill evil robots and trying to avoid getting zapped by the walls. It was a stressful, challenging game. Most of the time I failed. But it was also very rewarding when I was successful.

Defender | Chris Watters, Host

One of the first games I can remember playing is Defender on the Apple IIGS. It was installed in a room upstairs in my house that was set off as a stodgy, stuffy guest room, which I was largely discouraged from spending time in. As I whipped back and forth, blasting tiny UFOs out of the sky with my joystick, the dangerous sense of speed clashed with the vibe of the room. Good thing I wasn't paying attention to anything but the screen.

Tiger Electronic Handheld? | Rob Crossley, Editor

I have no idea what it was called, and I would love it if someone got in touch to tell me the name of this: When I was about eight-years-old, in the early nineties, my mother bought me this physical handheld racing game. Essentially it was a hollowed plastic shell shaped a bit like this, and inside it had a wheel on a rotor. Tiny plastic cars were attached to the wheel, while your own car was attached to an up-and-down slider that had to dodge the cars as they spun around. Just imagine moving the needle up and down on a vinyl player, and you're actually pretty close to what it offered. It didn't come with day-one DLC.

Ghosts 'N Goblins | Ty Root, Video Director

1986. I was 6 years old and had just moved to a new city. I met this kid down the street from me who had an NES. I had never seen a home console before. He gives me Ghosts 'n Goblins. I sat there for 2 hours trying to navigate Sir Arthur through a mountain of torturous bullshit that eventually ended with me throwing the controller on the floor as I yelled profanity at the TV. My friend's mother watched in horror, and my dad sat there amazed that such horrific language could spew from the mouth of a 6 year old.

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? | Scott Butterworth, Editor

My dad's an engineer, so we always had random technology around the house when I was growing up. For example, we had an Apple II really early, and I remember playing Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? when I was, like, maybe three years old. I didn't really understand the game, but I remember figuring out how to get weapons to fly from one side of the screen and stick to the other, which I found captivating. I think you had to accuse Carmen of being in a particular location, maybe? Regardless, I started young and will always remember Carmen Sandiego's crude, fascinating animations.

Paperboy | Mary Kish, Video Producer

I was about 4 years old at the babysitter's waiting for my mom to pick me up. There were a bunch of older kids playing Paperboy on Sega Genesis. They let me have the controller and showed me how to throw the paper. It's amazing how a game revolving around doing work was so much fun. Also because the older kids included me I felt super cool.