I am sure that everyone has nostalgia. “Stay with your cousin after class and do homework. Don’t play video games,” said my mother. I still remember what she said to me when she dropped me off at school in the morning. After school, I used to spend time playing Super Mario World video game with my cousin while I was waiting for my mother to pick me up at my aunt’s house. I did not used to feel lonely because of the companionship from my cousin and Super Mario. Although my cousin was younger than me, she was the person that I could rely on for almost everything. She could cook dinner for us, teach my homework and cheer me up when I had a bad day at school. My cousin and I were raised in different cultures. While her family was easy-going, my family was conservative. Because video games were prohibited at my home, I would question my mother on the different parenting styles between our two families. I asked my mother “ Is banning video games a good thing to do? Why does Yong, our cousin, often get grade A in school?”
I still remember the time when I first met her. She said “Let’s play Super Mario. You are Mario and I am Luigi. Our mission is to save the Princess!” I could feel warm friendship from her invitation. Not only was Super Mario World the tool to connect my cousin and I, but it also brought us to a new favorite outdoor activity. During school holidays in summer, we used to dress up like Mario and Luigi and would go cycling around the neighborhood areas to take some adventures. After finishing school, we would not play Super Mario video games, because she moved to live in China with her father. Even though we lost our contact, I can recall the past enjoyable moments with her every time I think of Super Mario World.
To conclude, my favorite video game, Super Mario World, is important to me. It evokes my nostalgia for the feelings of my friendships with my cousin in my childhood. I wish I could turn back the time.
Hi Emma, Thank you for sharing your story with us. It's great to learn that the game, Super Mario World, helps you build a last long relationship with your cousin and every time you think back, you are still able to feel the warmth and a good memory of yours. It's true that games could bulid relationships as you and another need to go hand in hand working together to reach out your goal. It is a smart tool to help game players learn to work with others while practise negotiating and accept the differences of the others. These might be the purpose of playing games, besides having fun.
ReplyDeleteYour experience of playing Super Mario World with your cousin reminded me about my childhood memory of playing game console with my cousin-brother. I would like to say that it was the first time of playing a video game with someone. Playing Mario game together helped me build up closer bonds as we could share our thoughts and minds while playing together. So, my feeling was the same as Emma and I hope that one day my cousin-brother and I would share such memorable moments again.
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