This is an opinion piece written by Radical Edward and does not necessarily reflect the views of NintendoGal.com as a whole.

Remember back in the 80’s (or 90’s, for some of us), when you were sitting in front of a video game, eyes wide with wonder, and your mom/dad/grandparent walked into the room and told you to "stop wasting your time and rotting your brain on those damn Nintendo games"? In this age of gaming, it’s easy to forget about those early days, when video gaming felt almost like a rebellion. Nowadays, it’s the parents who are gamers, having grown up with Ataris and NES’s, while casual gaming is placing Wii controllers in the hands of the elderly.

It both amazes and frustrates me that many kids growing up today will never hear their parents call video games "garbage." It amazes me because it shows how this "garbage" has grown from a handful of geeks in a basement to becoming more and more accepted as a form of entertainment. One that no longer rots kids’ brains, but teaches them how to read. Some games are even considered works of art. It frustrates me, because I’m jealous.

You see, my family has never seen gaming the way I, and most likely you, do. And no matter how much I try to defend my hobby, no one in my family has ever been able to get past the same old stereotypes that originated in the 80’s. Now, my father was the person who brought home an NES in 1988 and changed my life, but since then, not once have my parents ever bought me anything video game related for a birthday or holiday. I’ve been on my own, so to speak, for my entire life.

The only game I owned for years and years was Super Mario Bros, which probably explains why today, I can race through the game in under 6 minutes (close to a world record). For years and years, I’ve repeated to my parents any results from studies that showed the good side of games. The studies that show that gamers make better drivers, that they can be used as a form of physical therapy, etc etc. My parents seemed to show some interest in the Wii, but I guess they eventually dismissed it as just another console.