While high-pitched beeps from clunky and colorful gaming devices may seem like a thing of the past, some Aragon students still enjoy playing on their GameBoys and PlayStations.
Many students who use these devices do so in order to reminisce the past. “I play for the nostalgia factor. It reminds me of when I used to play when I was younger,” says senior Wesley Lee.
Some also feel that older games are just as good as newer games, or sometimes better. Lee adds, “I play both new games on my Nintendo DS and GameBoy games, but the games are usually equally good.”
Others enjoy playing games that can only be played on GameBoys. “I still use my GameBoy Color because it has games that are exclusive to GameBoy,” says freshman Sean Heffernan.
The most popular games that gamers used to play are the ones which have newer versions out today. Lee says, “I played ‘Megaman,’ ‘Pokemon,’ ‘Dragonball Z’ and ‘Legend of Zelda’ games mostly.”
Heffernan adds, “I played ‘Pokemon,’ ‘Olympic Games’ and ‘Donkey Kong.’”
Others have evolved their passion to use emulators, devices that mimic functions of other systems, on smartphones, PCs, or even modern handheld consoles where they can play the same games in a different format. “I think emulators are better,” explains sophomore Trevor Graf. “I use one to play ‘Pokemon’ on my iPhone, and my iPhone has better quality and is bigger than a Gameboy.”
Some maintain the traditional method. “I don’t mind emulators, but I enjoy using the original handheld best.” says junior Samantha Donath.
Students who have played on these devices have stopped using them due to the rising popularity of games on smartphones and newer devices such as the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Vista. “They keep releasing new versions and devices, and those seem to take the place of the older ones, with better graphics and advanced technology,” says Lee.
While these gadgets were popular before, new video games have taken their place. “The games I play the most are ‘Defense Of The Ancients’ on my PC and ‘Puzzles And Dragons’ on my iPhone,” says sophomore Jason Yang.
Parents mostly view these throwback gadgets as harmless. Donath’s father, Robert Donath says, “It reminds me of when I used to play with the devices. I like Samantha using the older devices because they are cheaper.”
GameBoys send many to memories of their past, but today they aren’t used by Aragon students as much as other, more advanced gadgets. As video games improve and adapt to the latest technology, the devices which began students’ gaming lives are being replaced. “I keep getting newer games,” Lee says, “I’m beginning to start playing Gameboy games less and less.”
