Ever since I was little, I've been playing video games. Hell, our dog, Kirby, is named after the video game "Kirby".

This game is fucking awesome, by the way.

 As I was saying, before Kirby interrupted me. Video games have always been a part of my life. Back then, and even now, years and years later. I remember being a little lad, sitting on the floor, controller firmly in hand, bashing away while playing "Top Gun" in hopes that I'd be able to finally beat the game. Alas, I never did. I was horrible at video games, I was a stupid kid and still am. Lately, those feelings have reemerged in my heart, the wanting to play some good ole' "Top Gun" or "Mario Brothers". Two wonderful games for the classic NES. Sadly, long ago, the family owned NES was lost by a family member who, for their own safety, will remain nameless. I was heartbroken over it for quite awhile, but with the emergence of PC gaming technology, the X-Box, the Playstation, etc., there was no need to mope about it. It was a sign for me to move onto the big times. So, I turned into a pretty avid PC gamer, and I still am, always will be (See: "Oblivion Fucking Rules").

 I was fine dealing with all the "new" stuff coming out, and enjoying it. Gaming was back for me, and it was good. But nothing, nothing competes with some good NES action. You can't beat classics like "Duck Hunt" and the others mentioned. Just the little things, like the extremely simply controllers.

Just look at that thing and compare it to nowadays? Jesus, it's gorgeous!

 I was missing "Mario Brothers" and "Top Gun" the most. The two games that consumed me day after day, ngiht after night for so long. Those beautiful game cartridges that you had to clean out before each use, they were missed.

 "Mario Brothers" was an awesome game. It was so odd, looking back on it. But it was so cool. It was a game based around instant gratification but also contained ultimate goals. You wanted that princess, and you wanted her sweet-ass quickly. But you also wanted to kill every damn turtle on the way. Was it hard? Not really. But was it fun? Hell yes.

Look at the fireballs! I loved getting those fireballs!

Then there was "Top Gun" based off the movie starring then normal, Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise and his killer hair. And Val Kilmer with the badass callsign, "Iceman". Iceman and his jaw chomp, how cool. Anyway, yes, "Top Gun" was another classic game but was very different from most NES games, different because it was fucking impossible to succeed in. Maybe it was because I'm a sucky gamer, but landing was never that easy, and just normal gameplay was never pleasant. It was stressful. It was hard. But you loved every minute of it, because you were FLYING a jet. You were kicking some serious Tom Cruise ass.

I love the pure-cheese look the game had. It's so grand.

 You'd think after playing those games my whole childhood, I'd be "over it". I would have moved on. And I did, for quite awhile. But for the past few weeks, I've longed to play NES yet again. I've missed it, I've missed being that frustrated, that angry and trying my hardest to break the controller by giving it a controller's version of an "Indian Wrist Burn" thing you do to friends to piss 'em off. So, I set out. I set out to buy myself an NES system and get back on the horse. I searched e-Bay for days and days. I kept bidding on various items, but kept losing. Then finally, just a few days ago, I won one. I finally got it. See the picture at the top of the article? Yeah, that baby is all mine. I'm excited, I'm "stoked" as the cool kids say. It comes with five games, so I'll bust those out right away and get gaming. Is this the second coming of something wonderful? Or will this all end in disappointment? We'll see, and you'll get updated. My system ought to be here sometime next week, and when it gets here, you FartStockers will be the first to hear about it.