During some of the most cherished days of my life, I reveled in the simplicity
of being a dedicated student who relished life and spent endless hours immersed
in the joy of gaming. Life was uncomplicated: I'd return home from school eager
to dive into my favorite games without the burden of homework or any other concerns.
The afternoons were a sanctuary of simplicity, with gaming sessions from 1:30 p.m.
to 4:30 p.m., followed by either swimming classes or engaging in cricket, football,
or spontaneous adventure games on the IIT KGP campus. It wasn't until the eighth grade,
when we moved to the ISI Kolkata campus, that I began to contemplate the intricate process
behind creating these games.
My initiation into the world of gaming started in class 1 with Minesweeper and Pinball,
which we played tirelessly until we discovered Road Rash—one of my earliest gaming
experiences during my KG-1 days at a neighbor's house. The graphics, though basic by
today's standards, held a captivating allure with their simplicity, vibrant colors,
and a touch of physical realism that drew me in.
From flash games offering brief bursts of gameplay to the quaint Java-written
mobile games and the expansive world of PC games, my gaming journey spanned
various platforms. My desire to commemorate the memories these games bestowed
upon me led me to recollect over 90% of the games I've played, arranged chronologically
from the early 2000s to 2016. This webpage stands as a tribute to those games that made
my childhood extraordinary, as it was a time predominantly spent on either games or anime.
Despite growing up, there's an ongoing quest to rediscover the same joy etched
in those memories, yet the pursuit has evolved. The thrill that simple games
like IGI provided, with modest graphics but a wealth of surprise and challenging
levels, is hard to replicate. The transformation of gaming from single-player
campaigns to multiplayer experiences has altered the landscape, and as '90s kids,
we find it challenging to derive the same enjoyment from ultra-realistic
environments—they lack the raw thrill of our earlier experiences, perhaps a
testament to our journey into adulthood.
From my extensive list, standout favorites include IGI, Midtown Madness,
Vice City, and the Call of Duty series. The desire to revisit those simpler
times and immerse myself in the games of my childhood is a longing to reconnect
with the carefree spirit of youth.