What was your first ever video game?
The narrative reflects on the author’s journey from a modest upbringing in a small city to adapting life in a larger urban environment, highlighting both nostalgia for the past and adjustments to new experiences. Early diversions included cycling and market visits, but the introduction of television transformed entertainment. The emergence of video games in the mid-eighties marked a significant cultural shift, evolving from arcade machines to home PCs, leading to a surge in popularity worldwide, especially in India. However, while video games offer cognitive benefits, they also present risks of addiction and loss of personal information, necessitating cautious engagement and supervision.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- The author shares their journey from a modest upbringing to adapting to urban life, marking a shift from simple pastimes to modern technology.
- Video games emerged in the mid-eighties, becoming a popular leisure activity in India, evolving from arcade machines to home PCs.
- While video games offer cognitive benefits, they also present risks like addiction and compromised personal information if not cautiously engaged.
- The gaming industry features a variety of games designed for all ages, improving mental agility but requiring careful supervision to prevent negative outcomes.
- In the end, moderation is key; while video games can enhance mental well-being, they may lead to addiction without proper control and oversight.
Simple and humble life
Coming from a not-so-advanced city and a humble background, he was a novice in a comparatively big city that was also a state capital. The city he lived in was moderate, with a colonial background, tranquil and romantic. Cycling on calm city roads flanked by shady trees with their drooping branches often laden with flowers was his favourite pastime. Away from the glitter and humdrum of large cities, he was oblivious to the way large cities live and video games which were unheard at that time. Though his old city life was not easy for him but it left an indelible mark on his mind.
Routine sans video games
Apart from wandering and cycling on silent city roads, passing past the colonial buildings converted to government offices, he had no other thing to for recreation. He would often visit the posh market of the city and listen to music on stereo-system, which was a happening thing half a century ago. He knew nothing about other games or video games, other than the conventional sports.
Fun and frolics not video games
Fairs, fun and frolics were usual in those days. Hawkers used to roam the streets, lugging their heavy bioscope, calling for children to view the motion pictures by peeking at them through heavy lenses. Films were common too, but these devices and means were mostly audio-visual; there was no involvement of cognition like in games.
New city
His first few days in the city were not good either. Often remembering his old city and the people he left behind, he would become emotional. The new life was to become his permanent and routine feature; therefore, he had to adjust, and he successfully did it. Gradually, life began to settle, and he was adopting new routines and new acquaintances. Like a newlywed girl whose kith and kin used to visit her frequently, his old acquaintances would often visit him. Mostly, they would visit for their own work, but meeting them in a new environment would give him a tingling sensation.
Technological advancement
With the progression of time, technological advancements were changing lives; television was making inroads into people’s lives. The era of black-and-white TV brought in the idiot box of the time, which emerged as a novel means of providing information and entertainment through analogue audio and visual signals. TV was the craze because like cinema, it was able to show moving pictures with sound without going to a cinema hall. Though a new means but TV was not interactive.
Video games
In the mid-eighties, a new form of gaming emerged and soon gained ground. It was video games. Video games became popular; even office workers were addicted to them. After office hours, they would visit video game parlours to play games on an hourly payment basis. One of his office colleagues was fond of playing them. He would watch his colleague play video games. Somehow, the games appeared monotonous and repetitive. There appeared to be no fun in them.
Video games in India
It began in India with coin-operated arcade machines in local parlours situated in marketplaces. In a relatively big city, these parlours were frequent in various markets and market complexes. The gaming systems used to be big, cumbersome, fixed and very expensive. Strict trade policies and the prevalent Inspector-Raj made them more difficult to procure. Official Nintendo systems were not easily available, 8-bit NES/Famicom clone consoles ran multi-game cartridges. Nonetheless, it became a popular pastime of denizens, where people had to wait for their turn.
During the 1990s, the popularisation of PC made them a popular platform. The home computer became a convenient instrument for playing video games. These progressively became more interactive with crisp graphic and fast. With the fast transformation from analogue technology to digital technology, aided by cheap computing devices and powerful smartphones, video games entered a virtual world. Children and adults alike played games, and it became a popular pastime. Basic card games like Solitaire are always present and can conveniently be played. Their different difficulty levels keep the player engaged and let not lose interest.
India has grown as having one of the largest gaming countries having 568-591 million gamers (2023-2025). (Wikipedia)
Varieties of video games
There are a number of video games available to general users. Some of them are based on historical themes while some based on fantasy. Games are also designed for older people to hone their brain power and keep their brains functioning. They help them prevent geriatric problems and keep their brain active. Various puzzle games and word games fall into these categories, which can easily be downloaded from Google Play or any other such platforms free of cost and played. For a specific player, there are paid options as well.
With the growing popularity of video games, a new generation of home computers and laptops is available in the market. These are game oriented Gaming laptop or PC with powerful processors, big RAM and faster refreshing rates. They rely on an independent GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and need more power and emit high heat while in operation. Their body, cooling system and battery pack is more powerful and robust. These features make a gaming laptop or PC highly costly.
Word games, puzzle games, adventure games, strategy and many more games stimulate brain to think, act and exercise. This greatly help people struggling with many mental problems, insomnia and lack of concentration. The ease of use, free or low cost has made them popular. Yet, there are some grey areas as well.
Words of caution
Some game developers offer money to play games. They lure people with easy levels and offer a handsome amount as a prize after successful completion of the round. The growing popularity of video games gives an opportunity for revenue generation through advertisements. Those which offer prize does sharing of ad revenue, but they lead to watch more advertisement. People become addicted to it and often lose money, and their vital identifiable information is also compromised.
It is necessary to see these aspects and use prudence before entering such uncertain but easy games that offer easy money. It is the player’s own discretion and sole liability to stay safe and secure. Before entering a game, a look into its terms and conditions is necessary. The user must go through them carefully before accepting the offer. The terms and conditions, terms of use, and processes are legal provisions; therefore, it is essential to study them, especially when money is involved in a game.
In the end
Things are good when used in a controlled way. Whereas sports and games strengthen body and mind, train to stay composed and collected, they also teach how to control oneself and be equanimous. Likewise, video games also train mind to keep it healthy and flush out negativity. Nonetheless, it is equally important to have a control on it from addiction. While physical games do not make person with substance abuse disorder, humans are prone to become in video games. It may be harmful from social, financial and even mental point of view. Some video games prove the player for self-harm and even instigate strong negative emotions, particularly in children and adolescent. It is important to have an expert supervision of sensitive games. Therefore, it is necessary to have a brief outline of the game and its modus operandi.
Information is protection.
Further reads:
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Kamal Kishore Srivastava
A retired government officer turned writer and photographer, Kamal Kishore Srivastava is a regular blogger and essayist who explores life’s deeper meanings through immersive reflections on nature, impermanence, and happiness. On his blog Nature’s Narrative, he blends philosophical storytelling with practical insights. Writing 1,200–1,500 words or more regularly, Kamal is committed to refining his craft, expanding his audience, and building a sustainable space where thought and feeling intersect.
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