I was first introduced to video games at the early age of 5 (thanks to babysitter Tracy and his Atari). Sometime later in vague memory of childhood, I was reintroduced to games when my grandmother bought a NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) for all the grandkids to enjoy. We spent endless summer days at grandma's between the pool and the Nintendo. Each of these games has a special place in time, a special meaning or memory that goes with it. Here are some of the highlights:

• Jackal: This one reminds me of my childhood best friend. His mother would rent a Nintendo each time he brought home a good progress report. This was our game of choice.
• Bad Dudes: My grandmother wasn't fond of this game because the word "dude" in her vocabulary had another meaning and she thought the game was rather "violent". She's still mum on the meaning and I don't think I turned out to be too bad of a dude.
• Top Gun: Out of at least a hundred tries, I actually landed the fighter on the carrier just once to see if in fact it was possible. Then, I hung this one up for good. What a waste.
• Super Mario Bros 3: I remember one summer when my eldest cousin narrowly beat this game and the rest of us kids absolutely lost our minds as if we won the lottery. Epic day.
• Pro Wrestling: Played this one more in high school with my buddies, actually. Many arguments were started and settled on the mat.
• Tetris: This is a Montgomery family favorite. The handheld version accompanied us to the hospital when baby Miles arrived. It always makes for a good distraction. I love puzzles.