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FIFA Football 2004
I remember watching my dad play FIFA games when I was young. He would sometimes hand me a controller, which I'm pretty sure was unplugged, and let me 'play' the game. FIFA 04 was the first one I remember being able to actually play, and I would challenge my dad often. I'd normally lose, but I still remember the thrill I got whenever I would win.
FIFA Football 2004 cover art. Viewed 27 Feburary, 2024. Wikipedia. -
Yu-Gi-Oh!
I started collecting Yu-Gi-Oh cards after watching the anime in the morning, and the card game quickly got popular across school. I still play it occasionally nowadays, but I really miss the time where our decks were inconsistent, our 'trump card' was some random card that no-one knew how to counterplay, and it felt like we really had to believe in the heart of the cards to win.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Volume 1 cover, viewed 27 Feburary 2024. Wikipedia -
Webkinz
When I visited cousins in Canada in 2007, they introduced my sister and I to Webkinz. It was an online world that you could only access by buying a plush animal, which came with a code that would let you access the game with that animal as your avatar. When we arrived back in Australia, we used Webkinz as a way to keep contact with our cousins, sending in-game letters and playing minigames together.
Webkinz Logo, viewed 2 April 2024, Wikipedia. -
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
Dragon Quest IX utilized DS wireless play, which allowed you to play through nearly the entire game with friends, as well as to share items and maps that would lead to post-game superbosses. I spent so much time playing this game with friends when I was young, and it brought us all together in a really special way I haven't experienced with another game since.
Dragon Quest IX Box Art, viewed 2 April 2024, Wikipedia -
Team Fortress 2
TF2 was one of my first introductions to PC games, aside from flash games. It quickly spread throughout my friend group and pretty soon we were hopping on everyday to play, sometimes organizing our own little LAN events to play. We even made our own team to compete in a competitive league at one point. The gameplay and all the community-made maps and modes have kept me playing for years.
Team Fortress 2 Cover Art, viewed 27 Feburary 2024. -
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game
The first board game I played outside of more mainstream ones like Monopoly. It was the first game pulled out at a meetup a friend invited me to. While it took me a while to get a hang of the rules and mechanics, I still somehow ended up winning the game. The experience hooked me on board games, and made me start looking deeper into new ones to try.
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Box, viewed 2 April 2024, A Wiki of Ice and Fire -
Celeste
I found out about Celeste right before it released, and preordered it right away because the gameplay looked so good and I recognized the creator from free games I played when I was younger. The gameplay did end up being amazing, but I didn't expect the story to hit me the way it did. I played it at a rough point in my life, and it really helped me come to terms with the challenges I was facing. Then the DLC did it all over again.
Celeste Cover Art, Viewed 2 April 2024, Wikipedia. -
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
I started playing this right around when COVID hit, and sunk so many hours into it over the time I spent at home. It allowed me a place where I could still socialize with other people, while also containing great gameplay and a story that really struck a chord with me. I still keep track of updates and play the game regularly.
Shadowbringers Cover Art, Viewed 2 April 2024, Reddit