When I was a kid we had one of those old games consoles that plugged into the TV. It was the late early 80’s and at the time the Atari console was the big hitter. We didn’t have that one, we had a more generic brand which my school friends would delight in telling me they had never heard of. Nonetheless it played the all important games of Ping Pong, Space Invaders, and Grand Prix. Despite it’s simple blocky graphics and uninspiring sound, the “games machine” as it was known, kept us amused for a few years.

I remember spending hours in front of the TV playing ‘Ping Pong’ and ‘Breakout’ sometimes against the machine and sometimes against my siblings or friends.

Back then we used to have swimming lessons on a Friday evening and after swimming we would emerge from the changing rooms, buy a packet of Pacers from the vending machine then watch, with some degree on envy, older kids play Galaxian on the arcade game that was in the foyer of the pool house. I remember thinking that machine was cool. It had great graphics and would send the sounds of whooshes and explosions echoing through the foyer that humid and thick with the smell of Chlorine.

Perhaps it’s with this sense of nostalgia that I find I’m still amused by these games when I come across them every so often. Either way, it’s fun to waste a few minutes of the day when I should probably be doing something far more important!

I’m nowhere near as good as I once was, but then I don’t have my favorite turtle cushion to sit on and a plastic cup full of some Soda Stream concoction next to me, so maybe without that I’m a little off my game? I haven’t won a game yet, so if you fare better than me feel free to gloat. (Play the Flash game below.)