There are some gamers out there who buy every console alliteration that comes out. How many gamers do you know that own the Halo Xbox 360 along with the regular one, both still working? That have traded in their PSP about 3 times now for every “upgraded” one.

I am a 15 year old gamer, who has always been at least one console behind. During the Playstation days, I was still rocking Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure on the Genesis (I had to put the Boogerman reference in here somewhere). The PS2 launches and the first thing I do three weeks later is buy a PS1 and Star Wars: Demolition with my hard earned holiday money. The Playstation 3 launches, and my Mom was totally unconcerned with my gushing about processors and flashing my little PS3 System Specs article in her face. No PS3 for me.

My Junior High mind was set right then. I would get a next-gen system, and I would do it in the most noblest way possible. By not working for it. That’s right, this is not a story about me learning responsibility and life lessons by saving up for my PS3. I just decided I wouldn’t buy anything.

I guess in the end I did learn a life lesson, its sucks when your Mommy doesn’t buy things for you anymore. I went about 2.5 years straight (felt like a long time to me), ignoring what I viewed as PS3 money sucking leeches (teenage girls), and purchasing any video game. I relied on many other venues for my gaming fix. My Mom who sometimes bought me a used $10 PS2 game I asked for, to keep me happy or good karma or something (I was cheaper than Dad for a karma fix it seems). Sometimes good old Grandma would give me a Gamestop gift card I could use to buy a game.

Often I would meet a strange family member for the first time since I was a “little tike”. These family members might see me holding a game from a collection left by their kids when they moved out or whatever. They thought the best way to impress this bookish, quiet nephew would be to just give him the game. Fine by me! I can’t recall what their names were, but in the grand scheme of things, I got a video game.

My burning crusade sort of lost its fire over those two years. I still avoided spending money, but that had become a habit by then. I was growing up to be a first class moocher. Then one day I realized I probably had enough money to buy my new (really new) console! I could now use my Gamepro magazine not as a door into a shiny new world, but to actually see reviews for games I could buy and play! I would always be looking into what was going on in games with awe. I played the hell out of Splinter Cell: Double Agent for the PS2, but was always watching walkthroughs for the PS3 version.

Yes, I bought the Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles for the DS, because its isometric world was the closest I would get to the huge and amazing high definition Assassin’s Creed experience, which was the killer app for me.  On that note, the next console was always very magical for me. I couldn’t believe some of the things that were happening. I never had a gaming capable PC, so even the thought of going and playing a FPS game online with my friends was awesome!

Looking back (you know, like 2 years) I can say I was almost lucky to not have the latest generation of consoles. Mainly, because I got to experience my little section of the evolution of video games from what I thought was an outsiders viewpoint. Think of taking a PS3 back to yourself a few weeks after the PS2 launched, it would impress you just a little.

With my old fire back, I was now reading up on the Xbox 360, Wii and PS3. The Wii was out of the lineup first, it wasn’t really an option in my mind in the first place. It was a hot contest between the 360 and PS3, but in the end I choose the PS3. Why pay for Xbox Live when the PS3 is free? Also, it was more expensive so it must be better right? After buying and playing games like The Orange Box, and Oblivion. I realized something after my three or so year journey. I had picked the wrong console. So I’m stuck for now.

In conclusion, (my freshman English teacher would be proud of that last bit) I apologize for my creepy obsession with (these things), and the dry, tired Kotaku/Joystiq humor. Also, I will call this my first article, but lack of quality writing and editing has definitely turned it into a teenage boy’s blog post. Anyway, better luck next time right?