Today, I'm taking a step back from writing fictional stories. Although I am in the middle of writing my very first published Novel (Not counting Neverending Nightmares), I thought it'd be great to take a step back and show you the true Nick Federico. In fact, it's the Nick Federico that not too many have seen outside of friends and family. Consider this a series of "Blogs," if you will. I put that in quotes because It's not really a blog, but it's not really a story. So what is this exactly? It's me. Me enjoying one of my alltime favorite pastimes. Gaming.
I am only 23 years old. Oddly enough, that's considered "Middle Aged" for Gaming. It doesn't really feel like it, but that's what it is. My Gaming story starts I would say around 1993. Given the fact that I was only 2 back then, I clearly don't remember much, if any at all. The reason why I say it started that year is because that's when my Mom (As she would tell me now) bought a Lego set. While it's not an actual Gaming platform, it does invite creativity into your minds. Something which I feel Gaming does too.
Now, I want to introduce you to the year 1996. This was when I actually remembered Gaming. It all started on a Friday after school. I turn on the TV, and what do I see? Some story of a little kid named Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. He's supposedly trying to "Catch 'Em All." Now, what can be that "All" in which I'm referring to? Well, if you don't know...Your childhood kinda sucked.
Anyway, that's right. Pokemon! It soon became a staple of Gaming. It's still a game that to this day I still buy in. I actually still have my original Pokemon Red copy from 1996. Hell, I even play it from time to time. The goal of the game is simple; Travel from town to town and collect these "Pocket Monsters," with special abilities. After training and raising them, you can become strong enough to challenge Gym Leaders. Defeat all 8 Gym Leaders and you go on to challenge the Elite Four. After defeating them, you are now known as the Pokemon Master of the Kanto Region. It sounds mildly cheesy and relatively dorky, but you can't argue the success that Pokemon has had as a whole.
I will never forget when I first got the game how excited I was. I would take it on road trips and play it until all 4 of my Duracell's were completely dead. I would take it to the Indians home games. While everyone was cheering and celebrating a Homer smashed in by Jim Thome, I was too busy leveling up my Charmander.
Nowadays, there is Pokemon X and Pokemon Y. The main game centers around the Kalos Region. New trainers can start with 1 of three types of Pokemon; The first is Chespin of Grass Type. The second is Fennekin of Fire Type. Lastly (And my favorite) is Froakie representing Water Type. I had my copy of X when it first came out. However over the summer, tragedy struck. I lost my copy and now can't find it. I've spent so many hours trashing my 1 bedroom apartment simply hoping that there was a corner I may have missed. Alas, I have nothing.
Whether if you are a die hard, or a complete newbie of my page you don't have to read. I'm honestly not caring for views. I just want to use my platform to express my true feelings for one of the very few things in life that I have a complete passion for. Thank you for reading my very first post of the series! Next time, I move onto another big event from 1996! You can say it had a...CRASH...Landing in my home?
