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| Next stop, Xbox..... |
First computer, ZX Spectrum.
Rubber keys, 48k memory, the games on cassette tapes, the future.
This ages me rather, I realise, but there it is.
I mention this because, in recent days, The B&G have both discovered computer games.
It's not quite Manic Miner but, for their respective ages, the games in question are rather sophisticated.
Located here, on the Lego website, there is a generous selection from which to choose.
The Train Game, The Cake Game, The Shop Game, The Rocket Game and more, The B&G like them all.
Indeed, so much gaming has been done in recent days that I've found it difficult to get access to the laptop (bad for blogging, good for New Year's Resolution Number 9).
The B likes to think that he's in charge.
Yesterday, The G, allowed to command the mouse for a rare moment, discovered a game that hadn't before been encountered.
It looked a little complicated.
The B thought about it for a minute.
"This game's too difficult for little people," he said.
Not the others, though, so much so that several hours have been spent at the keyboard, baking virtual cakes, assembling space rockets and serving shoppers.
Could this be an addiction in the making?
Certain symptoms are being displayed, there can be no doubt (the wide eyes, the aching fingers, the tears whenever a higher authority rules that it is time to turn it off).
These I recognise from the Spectrum days.
For the time being, however, I'm not too concerned.
For one thing, this is a pastime that - for now, at least - The B&G are enjoying together.
For another, the games that are being enjoyed at this time all have a strong educational aspect and exposure to them is making The B&G computer literate to a surprising degree.
Yesterday, teasing them for a moment, as is my wont, I pretended to be unable to locate their favourite game.
"Just go to the Lego website," came the instruction. "It's there. In the games section."
Needless to say, I obliged . . . .
. . . . after all, the Spectrum experience has ensured that I understand computer cravings more than most.
Be thankful there isn't an equivalent to Daley Thomson's Decathlon or Hypersports - I don't think modern PCs could take such a battering on the N and M keys.
ReplyDeleteAh, Daley Thompson....good times :)
ReplyDeleteOf course, it depends on whether you were a joystick or keyboard player. I always preferred the keyboard myself.
We didn't have a Spectrum, but did have a Commodore Vic 20. It had cartridges - the games loaded "instantly", or you could add memory expansions of 8K! Great stuff ;-)
ReplyDeleteI tried to keep my girls off computers because I figured they'd pick it up regardless. I had to relent when eldest was 3 & she instantly knew how to use mousepad from observation only. Kids... ;-)