I do have to apologise for my poor grammar etc, I am literally writing as I think so you're getting it raw and straight from the heart!

My earliest memory of anything video game wise was being taken to Edinburgh Airport to 'watch the planes land'. Back in 1975, this was a night out for my family, Mum, Dad, 2 sisters and me. I can remeber being led by the hand to go upstairs to the vantage point when i saw this large machine. "Oh look Pamela, tennis!! Dad, can we have a go" Two minutes later and my meeting with Pong was over. If we were extra lucky, on the way home, we'd go into Leith in Edinburgh and get freshly baked rolls or a bag of chips.

A few years later visiting my Granny (she's now 95!!), she told me to ask my Grandad what he'd bought. He was about 60 then!! He went away into the bedroom and came out with a bright orange Binatone TV Game!! Fuck, here was this thing I'd played in my granny's house and it was free!! It didnt take long before I was evetually given it to bring home. I did get board pretty quick, trying to make up my own games ie football was Space Invaders. It wasnt long before I discovered if i turned it on anf off quickly, it would display what looked like a scrolling road. Cool!!!

A few years on the Atari vcs made an appearance, I never did ask for one cos Mum and Dad couldnt afford it. However, my spoiled mate turned up one day with one, He left it with me after much badgering "You should can come down tomorrow so it would make sense just to leave it here!!" I never did get to bed that night, Atari Pacman was burned into my memory for ever.

Oct 1983 saw my first computer, the Spectrum was too expensive so we headed to Comet for my birthday. I came out later clutching a Texas T199 4A, hell it looked smart, nice and shiny and boasted a real keyboard. Only problem was, there was feckall games!! I later ordered a game from C & VG - CORE a game written in BASIC utilising letters as graphics. If i recall you controlled a V thro flocks of killer birds - W's . I reckon i completed the bastard on my second go. Woo, 5 quid well spent.

Early 1984 saw the real deal!! I secured a part-time weekend job in Woolco (Woolworths mega store) . the pay was 10-16 quid depending on shifts per week, more than plenty to stick petrol in my Green 50cc Moped AND pay up a brand new C64!!! First game was Interceptor's Krazy Kong which was frankly shite, attempting to climb a ladder was nigh on impossible BUT it was a real game. I quickly established a few 'contacts' in my work, one of whom had oodles of games

The first time he came down he loaded "Kong 64" by Anirog Software. I was gobsmacked, here in my own bedroom was a game just as good if not better than the arcades. I asked if I could copy it, it wasnt that simple. I had to discover the way of bartering and swapping. The only game I could give him was a shite version of what we were playing!! Once he left, I left the computer on all night and day only to return from school and play till the early hours.

Up until now, buying games was nigh on impossible, there were no shops to speak of in my town that sold computer games, such was the infancy of the industry. All that changed when a computer shop opened in a small shopping centre a mile from where I stayed. It was owned by an Italian "Ray Agostini". The shop was no bigger than a small living room but it was fuckin heaven to me. He was predominantly an Atari stockist but also did C64 games. He did also do Spectrum games but only ever stocked 'Make a Chip" and Hungry Horace. Every Saturday after work I would race up on my moped and get the last 20 mins before it shut. Having read the latest Zzap I already knew the title I was wanting. I can still recall walking in, the stronge smell of pipesmoke and all these kids standing around watching the latest Atari or C64 game being put thro its paces. I wondered in amazement when he put a "disk" game on - fuckin disk!!!!! Summer Games on the Atari was to become a regular sight there. Here I was clutching my weeks wages, thinking "Do I get Exploding Fist" or "Beach Head"....MMmm, but theres "Bruce Lee"...fuck, decisions. As my years wore on, my capacity to buy grew but the feelings of racing home, game in pocket were and have never been equalled. I've done the upgrade thing, the computer owning went as follows. Texas T199 4A, C64, Atari 540, Atari 1040, Amiga 500, C64, Amiga 500, PC, Snes, PS, Gameboy, DC, GBA, PS2...............God there were great days!!

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