By Julie
This year for Hanukkah, I asked for a Crimson Nintendo DS so I could play games on my own handheld 
console. I wanted the DS because I fell in love with Jewel Quest Adventure and wanted to play it without having to borrow Colter's DS. Jewel Quest Adventure wasn't my first DS game -- Previously, I tried Planet Puzzle League because I love the Nintendo 64 game Pokemon Puzzle League, and I tried Pokemon Trozei for the same reason. Neither was as satisfying as Jewel Quest. Once I completed Jewel Quest, I tried 7 Wonders, and Puzzle Quest, but I didn't become obsessed with another DS game until Mah Jong Quest, which I'm playing now. I'm beginning to understand why Colter loves these games -- the instant gratification, the certainty there is a correct answer if only I can figure it out, the satisfaction of trying and trying and trying until I succeed.
Gary and I were talking recently to Colter about the first game he loved, and he thinks it was Pokemon Red. This got us remembering each gaming system we've owned, which inspired our family gameography.
Super Nintendo: Gary bought this when Colter was still in preschool. They played a paint program on it and a basketball game. We got rid of the Super Nintendo in 2002.
Game Boy Advance: We bought this for Colter when he was in first grade so he could play Pokemon Red. He still has it but uses it rarely, and then only as an extra controller for the Wii.
Nintendo 64: For Christmas, when Colter was 6, Santa brought him a Nintendo 64 and left it in our hotel room, the day we moved from North Carolina to Florida. Colter loved playing Kirby on it and, eventually, Pokemon Stadium. Gary and I stayed up late many nights playing Pokemon Puzzle League. We still get it out once in a while.
GameCube: When Colter was 7 years old, a family friend sold him his GameCube for $40. It was a thrill because Colter really admired Robin (and his game-playing skills) and so the GameCube remained very special to him. He played Pokemon Colisseum on it and discovered co-op games like Shrek and The Lord of the Rings. Gary and Colter's Favorite GameCube game is The Hobbit. Once the GameCube broke, we had all the reason we needed to get a Wii.
Game Boy SP: Eventually, Colter wanted a Game Boy SP and he got one. Gary started playing Pokemon Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby on the SP, so we got him his own handheld. Colter sometimes still uses his SP, in fact we just bought him a Duel Masters Game Boy Advance game the other day, and he's playing that on his SP.
DS and DS Lite: These handhelds were irresistible, and we continue to love them. Colter's favorite DS game is Pokemon Pearl.
Wii: What can I say? We waited in the '06 holiday lines, but didn't get a Wii until early in '07. We've been enjoying it ever since. We play Wii Sports the most.
