The Nintendistance of Two Young Lovers

The year was 1991. His name was Chris, he was 15. His most attractive quality was that he was some kind of Nintendo Tournament champ. Chris responded to my posting on whether or not it was possible to play US CD games on a Japanese PC engine console. He not only knew the answer (yes, they were interchangeable), but in his first email uttered these sexy words:

“I think gameplay is more important than graphics!”

At 14, I believed I had found my soulmate.

In her story “The Keeper,” Raina Lee reminisces on her first romance, faxing long-winded letters and discussing favorite import titles with her video game valentine. The internet was a different world back then–MySpace stalking, webcam dates, and trading Youtube’d videos of rapping cats just weren’t possible with a 9600 baud modem.

They managed technology’s limits, but were never able to exchange Zelda tips and consummate their affair unfortunately. Raina’s parents found out about their nerdy courtship, and swiftly octorok-blocked Chris, forbidding their daughter any further communication with him. Their two hearts were never reunited.

I was CRUSHED. I had to return to the reality of not having a special someone who liked me not for my looks or popularity, but for my secret geek knowledge. My mother never told me this, but those are the keepers. I found the curly fax paper years later, and I wonder if Chris is still out there playing import games.

You Only Live Twice: Adventures In Game Culture – The Keeper

“Maybe We Could Get Together” Artwork (Sam Brown)

source: GameSetWatch