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Did Your Parents Buy You Video Games Of Their Own Accord When You Were Young? Did They Have Good Taste?
- Thread starter Deleted member 52442
- Start date
No, I usually had the money they gave me for whatever occurrence to buy it myself or just ask for it for a holiday/birthday. I had way less buying power back then though and just got the ones I was super anticipating. Now it feels like there are WAY more of those games as an adult lol
My parents mostly refused to buy me games or consoles growing up unless I could afford them myself, so the only two instances I remember where they bought something without guidance are:
1. They got me Fallout 2 for Christmas in 1998.
2. They bought me an o.g. Xbox with Halo and KOTOR.
Pretty solid track record, to be honest.
1. They got me Fallout 2 for Christmas in 1998.
2. They bought me an o.g. Xbox with Halo and KOTOR.
Pretty solid track record, to be honest.
my dad had absolutely no clue about videogames outside of Mario.
so he would just pick up random games that he could afford at the flea market to surprise me which i am grateful for, given how poor we were
Final Fantasy VII - Pokemon Yellow - Getaway - Lord of The Rings two towers - Donkey Kong Country - Yoshis World - Wipeout were some of those
can't complain
it was only until the Ps/360 generation until i could afford to buy myself some videogames and inform myself online
so he would just pick up random games that he could afford at the flea market to surprise me which i am grateful for, given how poor we were
Final Fantasy VII - Pokemon Yellow - Getaway - Lord of The Rings two towers - Donkey Kong Country - Yoshis World - Wipeout were some of those
can't complain
it was only until the Ps/360 generation until i could afford to buy myself some videogames and inform myself online
A couple of times, but mostly they asked us what we wanted.
In case of the Nintendo 64, they came home with Cruisin' USA instead of Super Mario 64. The former was entertaining, but not quite comparable to SM64. Luckily they quickly learned that, in general, Mario = good. So the next game they bought after SM64 was Mario Kart 64.
When they bought us a PS2 they initially wanted to buy Treasure Planet, but this time they decided to ask a store clerk, just to make sure. He told them to buy Kingdom Hearts instead and that we would love it. He was right.
In case of the Nintendo 64, they came home with Cruisin' USA instead of Super Mario 64. The former was entertaining, but not quite comparable to SM64. Luckily they quickly learned that, in general, Mario = good. So the next game they bought after SM64 was Mario Kart 64.
When they bought us a PS2 they initially wanted to buy Treasure Planet, but this time they decided to ask a store clerk, just to make sure. He told them to buy Kingdom Hearts instead and that we would love it. He was right.
I usually told my parents what I wanted. I don't remember too far back, especially not during the SNES days which was the era I was born in, but I got Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario 64 with a Nintendo 64 without asking.
The most memorable time they gave me something I didn't ask for was when I got Viewtiful Joe for the GameCube on my birthday. It was because my dad saw me playing it at a demo kiosk in Toys 'R' Us. I remember enjoying it but not necessarily wanting it, but my dad thought otherwise. That birthday is one of my fondest childhood memories.
The most memorable time they gave me something I didn't ask for was when I got Viewtiful Joe for the GameCube on my birthday. It was because my dad saw me playing it at a demo kiosk in Toys 'R' Us. I remember enjoying it but not necessarily wanting it, but my dad thought otherwise. That birthday is one of my fondest childhood memories.
I'll never forget my dad coming home and giving this to us for no real reason. This was a guy who did NOT do stuff like that. Ever.
That was really cool of your Dad to do that ! His doing that out of nowhere must have made it extra special since he never did things like that.
My own parents got my games because they wanted to. Early on my Dad brought discs home with Commodore 64 games on them almost weekly that an old friend copied for him. His friend charged just 1 dollar for each disc so for 10 bucks you can imagine we could get a lot of games! I quoted your post because my Mom used to pick me up the Castlevania games because she thought they looked interesting! She hasnt played a video game since the Atari 2600! She bought me Castlevania 1, 2 and 4 for Christmas. My Godfather got me 3 for Christmas that year but mom said she wishes she wanted to get me 3 but he needed a present to give me that year.
My mom was also able to get me a copy of Mario 3 as soon as the store got it. I wanted it wasn't expecting it until later that year! She just got it at launch without my asking for it. Later she came home with a Game Boy Advance with Mario Advance. The most recent thing she got without me asking for it was the Wii the day it launched, she ended up with a cold a few days later due to standing in line to get me one!
My parents, no. They were both surprisingly good at listening when kid me would go on a tangent about what I wanted. I think they even took it a step further and told my extended family what I liked too. They'd buy me video games too and I never got a game I didn't want or enjoy.
Nope, we picked out our games. On the flip side, now that I'm a parent, my kids mostly don't know what's out there except for a few things so mostly their exposure is what I have available. Fortunately, I have good taste so they're exposed to the good stuff. They're going to be kinda spoiled with the accessibility of games for them since I'll end up buying it for myself anyway and everything will be readily available. It's such a contrast from when I grew up.
My parents knew nothing about games and would go off my recommendations but one time my dad got me Deus Ex because it had 'game of the year edition' on the cover so he figured it was worth getting if it was literally the best game of the year.
And, to be fair, that was a great pick.
And, to be fair, that was a great pick.
My parents got us an NES and I remember playing Super Mario, Killer Instinct and Bomberman. My dad liked to play a lot, especially when PSX came out. We played a lot of Gran Turismo, Soviet Strike, Tenchu, and Tekken. I like to think he had good gaming taste. I was too young to buy games so they bought all the games.
I don't think my parents every did, games were an expensive gift when I was growing up, I'd get one or two per year and it'd be my biggest birthday or Christmas present. I think if they were going to spend that much money they wanted to be sure it was something I wanted.
My grandma once bought me a dorky console from some mail order service. It claimed to have over 100 games or something like that, though it had more like five and the rest were minor variations. It had Snake, Tetris, a "racing" game where you controlled a "car" made of about seven pixel, all you did was steer left and right to avoid other cars. There wasn't really a track, you just dodged and weaved across three lanes.
She never understood why I'd rather play my GameBoy that I owned like four games for.
My grandma once bought me a dorky console from some mail order service. It claimed to have over 100 games or something like that, though it had more like five and the rest were minor variations. It had Snake, Tetris, a "racing" game where you controlled a "car" made of about seven pixel, all you did was steer left and right to avoid other cars. There wasn't really a track, you just dodged and weaved across three lanes.
She never understood why I'd rather play my GameBoy that I owned like four games for.
My grandparents got me my N64. I wanted Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing. Instead of Mario Kart and DKR, I got Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (which I grew to like over time) and Killer Instinct Gold (which I probably would've asked for since my brother had the SNES one). Pretty good substitutes! I do remember getting Ocarina of Time later without asking for it, but I don't remember who bought it and I totally got stuck and gave it away so that's bad taste on my part.
After that my grand/parents were really on point with getting games I knew I wanted. Super Monkey Ball was the last game I got (and loved!) that I didn't ask for.
After that my grand/parents were really on point with getting games I knew I wanted. Super Monkey Ball was the last game I got (and loved!) that I didn't ask for.
My parents stopped getting me games with the PS2. I remember feeling like a "fake" gamer due to barely being able to afford the games I loved and having to borrow from my friends all the time.
My parents got me a Sega Genesis at Xmas.
Sonic 2. X men. And.... evander Holyfields real deal boxing?
I was confused.
then one morning my mom was scolding my dad for being up until 3am drunk playing boxing and yelling at the tv.
that's the only game he ever bought "me".
Sonic 2. X men. And.... evander Holyfields real deal boxing?
I was confused.
then one morning my mom was scolding my dad for being up until 3am drunk playing boxing and yelling at the tv.
that's the only game he ever bought "me".
I wanted Zelda and Mario 2, my dad got me Zelda II and Mario 3 which I am grateful for. I think both those games are superior to what I wanted (don't @ me). I think Zelda II was during the time of the shortages too, so looking back that's pretty cool that I was able to get it.
Pop also got me a Genesis for my birthday back in... '90 I think?
I was actually pretty mad because I wanted "nintendo games." That shitty attitude quickly passed though once I started playing Sonic the Hedgehog with my friends who were there for my party and we couldn't believe what we were seeing (it's weird to think about that now... lol).
He bought me an N64 with Shadows of the Empire and I'm pretty sure Mario Kart 64 just out of the blue one day, so that was really neat.
He bought a lot of PC games that I played back in the early 90s too, like Wing Commander, the 2 Wolfenstein games (W3D and Spear of Destiny) and Doom, but he's always been into PC games and as much as I loved the Wing Commander games, he might've liked them more so those weren't likely "for me." Man... he loved the first Privateer.
Pop also got me a Genesis for my birthday back in... '90 I think?
I was actually pretty mad because I wanted "nintendo games." That shitty attitude quickly passed though once I started playing Sonic the Hedgehog with my friends who were there for my party and we couldn't believe what we were seeing (it's weird to think about that now... lol).
He bought me an N64 with Shadows of the Empire and I'm pretty sure Mario Kart 64 just out of the blue one day, so that was really neat.
He bought a lot of PC games that I played back in the early 90s too, like Wing Commander, the 2 Wolfenstein games (W3D and Spear of Destiny) and Doom, but he's always been into PC games and as much as I loved the Wing Commander games, he might've liked them more so those weren't likely "for me." Man... he loved the first Privateer.
Hell no. My parents actually hated video games but only got them for me as a kid cause I kept my promise of getting good grades. Even then it was a struggle convincing them. I still remember kicking and screaming because I couldn't get my Mom to buy me Syphon Filter lol.
Ahh, childhood.
Ahh, childhood.
It was... hit or miss with them. By the time I entered middle school I was able to choose what games I wanted, but before then I was mostly the subject of their whims outside of trips we take to the mall and such.
Me and my brother got a NES with Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt as a christmas present. I think that was the only time my parents bought us games (and a console, we were not expecting it at all) without asking us first. It was a very nice present.
My dad bought us FFX and Beyond Good and Evil as kids somehow so yes, I'd say he picked excellently.
Oh man, my Ma was "Asian mom stereotype" who freaking hated video games and whenever she saw me playing one she'd yell at me "Why don't you read a book!" (hmm... not bad advice)
She fell in love with SSX for the Gamecube though. I really don't know what drew her to it but she loved playing that game, and that was one of two video games that I ever saw her enjoy (other being DK: Jungle Beat).
The only thing I remember my mom buying me without asking me was an SNES. But it came with SMW, so it was a safe bet.
I remember a period where I only had SMW, my older brothers copy of Sim City, and TMNT Tournament Fighters. My parents didn't really buy me games regularly growing up. Which is weird because my brothers had an Atari 2600 and NES and I bet we had over 60 games between those two systems.
I remember a period where I only had SMW, my older brothers copy of Sim City, and TMNT Tournament Fighters. My parents didn't really buy me games regularly growing up. Which is weird because my brothers had an Atari 2600 and NES and I bet we had over 60 games between those two systems.
I was about 5 when I started gaming, mostly on the PS1/PS2. My parents (no gaming knowledge of IPs, etc) had one of two buying patterns.
A) Shitty Disney movie tie ins
B) Incredible mascot platformers. Spyro, Ratchet, Crash (The only game property every single member of my family knows and loves), and Jak's trilogies are my oldest gaming memories
.... Honestly I got very lucky
A) Shitty Disney movie tie ins
B) Incredible mascot platformers. Spyro, Ratchet, Crash (The only game property every single member of my family knows and loves), and Jak's trilogies are my oldest gaming memories
.... Honestly I got very lucky
My parents were sort of ambivalent about videogames in general, and had no interest in them personally, so the list of videogames they ever bought me period is pretty short.
- They bought us an NES w/ Super Mario Bros. + Duck Hunt (which was obviously good), and later Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers (which was fine, I guess—we liked the cartoon). I can't remember if we asked for any of these specifically.
- I randomly got King's Quest VI for DOS for Christmas from my grandparents one year. I think my parents picked it out for them. I enjoyed it.
- They gave me a copy of Batman: Arkham Origins for Xbox 360 as a Christmas stocking-stuffer one year. I didn't bother to tell them I'd already bought and completed the game on PC.
I think the only time they bought me a game I'd actually asked for was one year when they bought me Earthworm Jim for my birthday, and Sonic & Knuckles for Christmas. That was a good year. Every other game or system (family PC excluded) I ever owned I had to pay for myself with saved-up gift money, or money from mowing lawns or other jobs.
- They bought us an NES w/ Super Mario Bros. + Duck Hunt (which was obviously good), and later Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers (which was fine, I guess—we liked the cartoon). I can't remember if we asked for any of these specifically.
- I randomly got King's Quest VI for DOS for Christmas from my grandparents one year. I think my parents picked it out for them. I enjoyed it.
- They gave me a copy of Batman: Arkham Origins for Xbox 360 as a Christmas stocking-stuffer one year. I didn't bother to tell them I'd already bought and completed the game on PC.
I think the only time they bought me a game I'd actually asked for was one year when they bought me Earthworm Jim for my birthday, and Sonic & Knuckles for Christmas. That was a good year. Every other game or system (family PC excluded) I ever owned I had to pay for myself with saved-up gift money, or money from mowing lawns or other jobs.
My grandpa one day saw me fawning over Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door while reading Nintendo World (Brazilian Nintendo Power) in a car ride to school.
When he picked me up later in the day, the game was waiting for me on the backseat of the car.
It's honestly one of my favourite gaming memories and favourite games of all time
When he picked me up later in the day, the game was waiting for me on the backseat of the car.
It's honestly one of my favourite gaming memories and favourite games of all time
My grandma got me Pokemon Blue for my 11th birthday. My parents didn't give it to me right away, had to do some research and find out if it really was a demon collecting game designed to corrupt America's youth, but eventually I was able to keep it.
My favorite gift of all time, Rest In Peace Mum Mums love you!!!
My favorite gift of all time, Rest In Peace Mum Mums love you!!!
My grandmother bought me games usually among the gems:
Little Nemo
Battletoads
Ninja gaiden
now for some context my grandmother or Abuela knew about 4 words of English. She bought me these because Nemo looked like me/ I liked frogs a lot/ I liked ninja movies and TMNT... I miss my abuela
Little Nemo
Battletoads
Ninja gaiden
now for some context my grandmother or Abuela knew about 4 words of English. She bought me these because Nemo looked like me/ I liked frogs a lot/ I liked ninja movies and TMNT... I miss my abuela
SMB 3, Mario 64, Super Smash Bros., Glover, Pokemon TCG for GB, NFS Most Wanted 2, Lego Island, Myst, Pokemon Red & Gold, Pokemon Stadium 2, etc
Yeah my parents nailed it
Yeah my parents nailed it
