Relationship with Nintendo

Looking back on my childhood, one of my earliest recollections of technology was receiving a Nintendo Game Boy Color for my birthday. At the time, it was the hottest gift on the market, and I could not be more ecstatic. As the years passed, technology became more integrated into my life, and it extended into other facets beyond entertainment. In particular, I explored several forms of communication technology, including cell phones, email, instant messaging, etc. The use of calculators and computers for research soon became vital tools for school as well. My father has always been the technology expert in the house, and as a child I always turned to him for help. He was responsible for introducing newer forms of technology to our household, including the latest software for computers, iPods, and more efficient home appliances. Without him, my family and I may be several years behind the latest technological innovations. However, with rapid improvement and newer forms of technology over the past few years, he now occasionally turns to me to answer his questions. As a child growing up in a generation dominated by video games, I have seen Nintendo evolve from a simple form of entertainment to an electronic lifestyle that extends far beyond the world of video games.

As previously stated, one of my earliest memories of using technology was a Nintendo Game Boy Color. This and the Nintendo 64 became less of a hobby and more of an addiction for several kids in my neighborhood. Playing Nintendo became the top priority for them, and they resented doing schoolwork or any activity that prevented them from playing. For example, my neighbor was the same age as me and he played his Game Boy at the dinner table every day. It is appalling that he was more concerned with video games than socializing with his family. I personally never used these pieces of technology to that great of an extent, but I still remember riding my bike around town to play Nintendo at a friend’s house. Besides playing sports as a child, Nintendo was one of the primary ways that kids, including myself, socialized with their friends. Since we were willing to travel to play, one could say that Nintendo 64 had a controlling influence on our lives. However, it was only used as a basic gaming device and did not include various features found in later Nintendo consoles. The relative simplicity of Nintendo 64 and Game Boy parallel my relationship with technology at the time. Besides entertainment purposes or phone conversations, technology was not as significant in my life as it would later become.

After the Game Boy and Nintendo 64, Nintendo released a new gaming console called GameCube. This was a transitional system for Nintendo, with improvements being made in memory capacity, graphics, aesthetics of the product, and a wider array of games. GameCube achieved greater popularity and demand compared to Nintendo 64 and Game Boy, mainly due to the drastic upgrades in performance and variety of games. Nintendo’s introduction of more games coincides with Elizabeth Eisenstein’s argument in The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe. Eisenstein mentions that the printing press made texts more readily available to a wider spectrum of people. Everything from bibles to indulgences to maps was being published, which means that nearly everyone was directly or indirectly influenced by the printing press. Likewise, Nintendo expanded to a wider audience by presenting a greater amount of games available for GameCube. Similar to Nintendo 64, children in my neighborhood utilized GameCube as a social tool. It was evident that the technology around us was rapidly improving, but the relationship that I maintained did not change until a few years later.

In 2006, Nintendo released its latest game console, the Wii. This is considered to be their most innovative, entertaining, and state-of-the-art system yet. One of the more intriguing aspects of the Wii is its capabilities through Wi-Fi connection. The Wii allows one to play against friends, stream movies from Netflix, and even purchase classic Nintendo games. Just as Nintendo has utilized the internet more effectively in its latest game system, I have done the same through my own interaction with technology. As of late, the internet has played a more significant role in my life due to the convenience of smartphones and apps. In addition, since the Wii allows users to purchase former games from previous consoles, Nintendo has preserved the best of what their game systems have to offer. This relates to Once More to the Mountain, where Rosalind Williams and Charles McFarland return to the Bernese Alps after fifty-one years. The authors mention that even though methods of transportation have evolved since their last journey, some of the villages and towns have resisted building up larger developments to maintain their warm and intimate settings. Moreover, the fact that the Wii is Nintendo’s most complex and advanced model yet also relates to how I’ve matured up to this point. Just as the Wii has several new features, including motion-sensing technology and online capabilities, I have garnered new skills myself. These include maintaining a job, driving a car, and even surviving at college six hundred miles from home. Even though Nintendo is no longer the neighborhood gathering it once was, it still reflects how crucial technology has become in my life and how it is utilized in society today.

Growing up in my generation means that Nintendo was not merely a source to play video games, but a representation of how technology has affected our lives. In addition to the technical improvements Nintendo has made over the years, they have also extended their products to a wider audience. A decade ago, few people other than teenagers or elementary school children could be found with a Game Boy in hand or playing Nintendo 64. Nevertheless, through the introduction of adult-friendly games and programs, people of all ages can be found playing the Wii. One of these programs is the WiiFit, which is utilized for exercise and has the capability to track the user’s progress. Even though I have continuously played Nintendo over the past decade, their products have also shaped the surrounding culture. This has been driven by the desire and expectation to improve upon what already exists. With fierce competition, including Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo has risen to the occasion with their revolutionary motion-sensing technology, Wi-Fi capabilities, and additional innovations. That being said, Nintendo has not only taken feedback from the culture it is a part of, but it has also influenced the lives of millions of users around the world. I, a mere one of these users, can say that Nintendo tells the story of my relationship with technology, as well as provides a concrete example of how technology affects culture.