Who got game ?

Well, it would appear that my generation got game. I'm said to be part of the gamer generation. Now before your heads start spiralling off into distasteful thoughts of "playas" and the like- im talking about video games. Console stuff, arcades, PC games, Game Boys and the like.

Im part of a generation that has changed human evolution !! Did you know what digit is the most nimble and dexterous on your fat hands ? (according to BBC) In my parents generation it was the index finger. I can definitely testify to this with the way both my parents type and enter SMSs on their phones....they do it with their index fingers. Well, if that sounds akward to you- you're probably from my generation where holding a Game Boy in your hand required the utmost precise micromovements in your thumbs to make damn sure that Mario didnt fall off those moving platforms into oblivion on stage 43 !!

I was a bit motivated to write this after last nights Shabu-shabu dinner at my house. I have Thom's copy of Winning Eleven 8 (a fantastic football game- and i hate football) . Rich and Rob were around...and after dinner picked up the controls. Rob had played once before- and Rich had never played that game before....yet (maybe it's cause they're English and have a natural disposition to all things pertaining to football)....yet...Rich just picked it up and played like he'd been playing that game for ages.

My dad sometimes used to play on our old "super fami com" - but games requiring limited dexterity- bomber man, city fight? tank fight? (the tank game) and pin ball were amoung his three favourites. Anyway- if I gave him anything more complex- he would just duff out. I could never in a million years give him a mouse and a keyboard and say: "here! have a go at Counter Strike." Yet- our generation can. You know all in all there are 10 clickable buttons(12 including the select and start) on a PS2 pad- and three controllers ! And we very happily click away ambidexterously. I didnt pay much thought to it- but i was quite impressed last night by someone who is clearly not a mad gamer (such as myself- and even im only a mid level mad gamer).
Anywho- food for thought. You know you're old if you're using your index finger !!