As a young girl in elementary school, I was fascinated by the video game console, the Sega Genesis. And why yes, I did just go way back. I still have memories of my mom, younger sister (sorry to the youngest one; she was too young then), and myself playing the system. Scratch that - being totally dominated by the console. We spent many summer nights up in the early AM playing, for the most part, one single game - Sonic the Hedgehog. Aside from the blue hedgehog my sister and I engaged in many brutal Mortal Kombat battles, with the usual 'hit those three buttons as quickly and randomly as possible to enable the cool moves.' There's also other games that were played with that stupid dolphin game coming to mind. I just could not figure out that game.
But no game consumed by childhood more than the precious Sonic. He taught me many things with perseverance being the main one. See, back then, games did not come with save options or cheat codes (imagine if that were still true!), so playing games that like was pretty much do or die, go all the way or go back to start. Starting out, it's just a little fling. Oh, you think, I will just play around. Then as you advance levels and accumulate lives, it becomes a challenge. You just want to keep going and start to become a little frustrated when you run out of lives. After playing for a long (read: very very very long) time, you start to memorize the game. I know I did. I could breeze through levels, knowing exactly what was going to happen. The levels I had previously beaten started to just become a prerequisite for the undiscovered levels. They got boring and just something in the way to the good stuff, like basic courses in college.
Being young with no Internet at the time, I became pretty fixated on beating the game. It didn't help my mom was into the game too. Together we tried to own that game and its many levels and whatnot. The hardest feeling to take was losing; it just hurt so badly when you advance to newer levels only to die before clearing. Seeing that GAME OVER message was so hard to take when you had sat there for hours trying to keep alive. But in those losing moments, is where the hard work and determination were groomed. Of course, it was rather difficult to want to replay after spending hours already on the game. Sometimes I just needed to step away for a moment and go outside, which I did. Don't be misled - I was an active kid. I played outside, unlike now, and watched TV. I played sports and whatnot.
I remember arriving at the very last level of Sonic. It was a glorious moment indeed. Nowadays if at least one person makes it to the final stage, they can take pictures/video and put online for others to see. Back then, not so much. So getting all the way to the end was marvelous. Beating that last level, however, was another story. It was like four levels in one. It was so difficult but then again, it was the last level. It had to be.
Attempting to beat the robot Sonic was hard. He had so many moves he did, I had to remember what was coming next or risk losing a life. And before him, beating the thingy at the top with the laser and those flying thingys with spikes at the bottom was tough. Then meeting Robo-Sonic was even tougher. Then challenging the flying mega tall boss in a robot suit was of course, even tougher. And getting all the way to the end, only to lose, made losing even harder. Alllll the way to the end, so close to victory, and I die. Back to Level One. No saves or cheat codes here.
In the end, besides the memories we shared and now treasure, Sonic did teach me a lot. Some might think it was just a video game, but how many people stick it out that long to accomplish a goal? I know nowadays I sort of lost that drive, that motivation. I got a little lazy. My younger self would be ashamed to see that. Translating the hard work that went into finally beating Sonic into today's goals of saving money or finishing school makes sense. I sat there many a night determined to beat the game, the boss, the robot Sonic and I did. The feeling I got from finally accomplishing that goal was amazing. I still remember it.
Then of course, I found myself with plenty of free time after that and a lost sense of purpose. Accomplishing such a big goal can do that to a person. But I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Thank you Sonic.