For 90s kids, there’s no need for explanation. For others, well, pokemon was a phenomenon. It was everywhere, on TV, in magazines, toys, stickers. You could trade pokemon at the school excursion on the bus.
You felt alive in this world, pokemon gen 1-2 were the pinnacle of pokemon for me. And in gen2, finishing the game, and lo and behold, there’s a whole other region (kanto) waiting for you to explore it. The night cycle in the game blew my mind in ways that I have been chasing ever since.
I know it will never be reached again, but the memory will remain as powerful as it was that evening of the early 00s. What is your greatest gaming high, that you know will never be topped again, and that you have been chasing ever since?
DOOM II. Sinking the final rocket into the demon’s brain on L30 Icon of Sin. I did it before Z-axis engines like ZDoom. 30 years ago? Something like that.
The very last level is worthy. You must train in order to finish it. I could not do it today without a month or two of practice.
These days if I want that rush, I boot up DOOM 2016 and play the first level on Ultra-Nightmare Arcade.
I did enjoy killing every last Brotherhood of Steel member in the airbase and then blowing up the Institute in FO4. That wasn’t a rush, it was a culmination of about 800 hours. I was done. Kill em all now.
More recently, the first time I killed the final boss in Risk of Rain 2 was quite satisfying. Took about 3 months.
Hey, just in case people don’t know:
There is a very lively community still playing Doom II. There are incredible mods and maps, from minor addons to gamechanging mechanics. I love the Brutal Doom-addon for it’s modern shooter feel and the heavy pixel-gore. But there is loads of other stuff, years of fun!