Most of us probably remember the first game we ever played, or at least the first system we gamed on. For some of us, that first gaming memory goes way back, and that's certainly the case with Xbox boss Phil Spencer, whose recent Twitter response revealed his first ever game.
So, Pong is where it all started for Phil, which is a bit before our time if we're honest. You can't say he hasn't loved games for most of his life though, this is a stone cold classic!
Incidentally, Phil's reply stems from an initial tweet from Xbox's Sarah Bond, who also revealed her very first game too. This one's a bit more modern; a mid-80's classic called King's Quest II.
We're always curious to see where people's gaming journeys begin, so it's nice to see these gaming memories shared!
Where did it all start for you? Which game ignited your love of gaming? Let us know in the comments.
Comments 24
Pong in the 70's was my introduction to gaming. I had a 'pong' type console that plugged into the TV as a Christmas present and that was my first gaming device.
Phil Spencer is a 'bit' older than myself, so its not surprising that we both have the 'same' game as our 'first'. I would think most 50+yr old gamers would have 'Pong' as their 'first' experience of video gaming
Me too Phil, at a friends house, then Space invaders. But it was Harrier Attack, Shinobi and Speedball 2 that really converted me to this hobby.
Pong for me too.
I'm remember my 9 or 10 year self thinking at the time wow this is cool. I had no idea at the time what was going to possible in the future.
And here I am , after 42 years of gaming on nearly all the platforms down the years. Playing on the frankly incredible Xbox Series.
What a fantastic journey I've been on.
I'm 58, so Pong was my introduction to gaming way back in the 70's. My father died when I was 6 weeks old, and so every summer I was shipped off from Southampton to Derby to spend the school holidays with my 3 cousins. I remember trying to compete with my cousins at Pong, but failing miserably as they had many, many hours of practice behind them, and I hadn't even heard of the game at the time. I also remember seeing my first ever colour television and hearing my first stereo hi-fi at my cousins (they were much better off than my mum and I). I remember being blown away hearing the plane at the beginning of The Wall by Pink Floyd flying from one speaker to the other.
That was my formative years; black and white television with only one or two programs for children at 5 p.m each day, mono radio, no internet, and only getting to play Pong during the Summer holidays. Vastly different to my children and grandchildren's upbringing...
Mine Storm on the Vectrex was the first game I played as the local video store rented out the Vectrex. First game I owned was Dig Dug on the 2600 in 83, still love that game
My first game was super Mario bros on the snes but i wasnt very good used to play it with my mum having shots each and she'd always do better than me lol.
Videopac for me too, but was at a friends house, game&watch Nintendo donkey kong were was the first game I owned. After that MSX , C64 and the list goes on and on...
@BAMozzy That’s exactly what we had too, a console that plugged into the telly that played Pong, it had scrolling wheels on the console and a wired remote scrolling controller. I think it was my first game possibly?
Tetris was the one for me.
I'm pretty sure mine was Super Mario Brothers for the NES. The NES was the first console I ever owned. It came with the Zapper and Power Pad with SMB, Duck Hunt, and Track & Field on one cartridge.
@S1ayeR74 I remember mine having wired controllers with a wheel to move up and down but also remember mine having manual switches to switch up difficulty (one for speed, one to make the bats smaller) and I think it had a few different modes, tennis & football if I remember...
I do remember having Atari consoles, Nintendo Game & Watch handhelds, Desktop electronic games like Astro Wars, Pacman etc and TomyTronics 3d electronic Games as well as Home Computers (Like the BBC Model B, Vic 20 etc) but they all came after Pong for me. Even before I saw my 'first' arcade game - Space Invaders...
Probably Chuckie Egg or Frogger on the Dragon 32
Pong was my first too with both parents and grand parents on the dedicated Atari console in the late 80s. It wasn't long after that we got a C64 and we were playing Flimbo's Quest & Fiendish Freddy's Big Top o' Fun.
Space invaders on atari
Sinclair Flight Simulation or 3D Monster Maze on ZX81. Considering I bought my Series X mainly for flightsim, we've come a long way.
Pong was first but real gaming began with leather goddesses, Floyd, or an ostrich stuck in a vending machine. 🤓
@BAMozzy Yeap that's exactly what we had, it's like a long black and silver device with the switches on the front. Can't remember the name of it.
Something on the Atari 2600, I certainly remember the likes of Space Invaders, Pacman, Asteroids and Crystal Castles being very early gaming memories
Pong was the first game i played too, early 1985…. been addicted to gaming ever since
Pokémon Yellow on the Gameboy Color. Still my favorite game, even though it’s mostly due to nostalgia. I can still picture playing it back then… amazing.
Super Mario Mario World on SNES and games on my father's PC as well.
Amazing how many of us have PONG as our first game!
I'm the same. My parents picked one up in about 1988 as they thought I'd like it. I did of course but it wasn't until I got a C64 that the true gamer was born 😊
This also semi confirms something I've long thought was true. The average age of gamers on this site is far older than the users of other sites.
The general respect and discussion is always far more mature.
I have no clue what was the first game I played.
Might had been an arcade game, an Atari 2600 game, or a Colecovision game.
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