Hello, dear readers. Let me introduce myself - I'm Mia. I'm one of the writers here at Everybody Plays, and I'd like to get to know you guys and girls a bit better, and let you know me. This is an article I recently posted over at my personal blog, but I figured I'd share it here as well, as it's certainly relevant.
Like many of you, I'm someone who plays games with my family, so I figured I'd take a break from my usual news and reviews, to tell you about one regarding a specific piece of videogame art, as well as giving you a little information about the person behind it.
Specifically, this awesome 'The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask' piece that my sister painted for me.
As a fan of Majora's Mask I was more than chuffed
Now my little sister isn't the biggest gamer in the world - she doesn't buy games, or deal in any kind of gamer culture herself, but she still gets it. Regardless of how she feels about gaming, to me, she represents something far more important: she's my Player 2.
Ever since I was little there was always one person I could rely on to be my co-op buddy; my little sister. She fit the bill perfectly. In the early days it would be facing off in Super Puzzle Fighter 2: Turbo or blowing each other up in Bomberman. Then came the GameCube era where we would spend an almost infinite amount of hours smashing it up in Super Smash Bros. Melee or getting angry over a well timed red shell in Mario Kart Double Dash.
On occasion we would break traditional gaming values and just try to subvert any normal way of playing games, instead opting to create something far less competitive. Whether it was creating a real life roller-coaster simulator using Theme Park's first person mode or even co-op touring Mario Kart Double Dash stages in the same kart, we had ways of making games more fun.
She also became my back seat gamer for many iterations of The Legend of Zelda. We would spend endless hours exploring the various versions of Hyrule. Me in the driving seat and her just watching. I'm pretty sure we invented the LetsPlay in the process. It was just fun times, and a welcome distraction from other more negative things that were going on in our lives at the time.
Then for a couple of years we went our separate ways and the gaming stopped, at least for her. She went to college/university while I kept myself busy with my Xbox 360. The void where co-op existed now masked by an online world filled with faceless voices encouraging you to 'get to the next checkpoint', congratulating you with a 'gg' or more commonly just screaming rage through a headset. It was still fun, but it wasn't the same kind of fun.
She's actually a fan of Zelda herself
As a gamer she was never far behind me growing up. She ended up with both a Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance on the same Christmases that I did. To this day I never could understand why she'd end up with the same things I did. Maybe it was our parents doing.
The only games I remember her playing were my hand me down copies of Pokémon. Once I had completed my own adventure first of course. I have no idea if she ever finished any of the games though.
One thing she did play and play well, is Tetris. In fact she's also the reason I can never play Tetris ever again… ever. Somehow she's just better at that game than I am, and isn't afraid to rub her High Score in my face.
Today my sister is what I would describe as a 'Casual+' gamer. She plays games, but only if I'm involved… I think. In fact for all I know she could have a secret stash of gaming consoles but that's unlikely, although it's fun to imagine her training to beat me. No, unlike me her unhealthy obsession is actually animé. Something that I won't delve into here.
Yes that's me, in all my geeky glory...
I don't get to see my sister much these days (she's a really busy person), but I do really look forward to her weekend visits. She makes dinner, we have a shared love of Asian cuisine, specially ramen and Japanese curry. We may watch TV or a movie but the main event is always going head to head on my Wii U.
Like a replay of gaming past we play the updated classics, facing off in Mario Kart 8 or beating the hell out of each other in Super Smash Bros. We still co-op Classic mode, me maining Toon Link while she sticks with her dreaded Kirby. We're currently working on beating Master Core above a 7.5 difficulty.
What's scary though is that she's actually starting to give me a run for my money. I mean I still win most of the time but she's starting to win more often than I care to mention, in both games. Heck, she even has a Kirby amiibo trained specifically to beat me. I can only think I must be getting old. This can't be another Tetris.
The funny thing is that I don't really play my Wii U with anyone but my sister. It's a system I specifically bought not only for the exclusives but because I was safe in the knowledge I would enjoy it with others. I've yet to complete Super Mario 3D World because I don't want to play it solo and my sister's not a fan.
Majora has earned a permanent place in my room
What I'm trying to say is that she's one of my favourite people in the whole world (even if she did break my GameCube that one time (this is a story that needs to be told - Ed)), and I wouldn't be half the gamer I am today without her to beat relentlessly. I'm looking forward to not only being co-op buddies for future consoles to come, but for her eventual taking of the gaming crown.
We all have our Player 2's. It could be a best friend, a sister, a brother, a father, mother or maybe even a grandma. It doesn't matter. Video games are a fantastic medium that allows us to connect like no other form of media. So I guess I just want you guys to take a minute out of your day to remember your Player 2's and all the good times you've had with them. Maybe give them a call and invite them round for a healthy session of gaming, and a unhealthy pizza.
Or if you care to share your own fond gaming memories, let us know in the comments below.
