My Earliest Videogame Memory

Dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum, dumdumdumdum BOOM!!!!

And one of my earliest ever memories when I was five years old and I clapped eyes on my first ever coin-op!

I was on holiday at a rainy campsite near Scarborough in northern England, and one day I accompanied my mother on a trip to the campsite laundrette. I remember a small, stuffy room with a couple of leaky old washing machines and driers, that smelt of damp clothes and detergent.

But there was something else in that room...something that was to change my life forever!

Standing in the corner, looming like a monolith was the Taito Space Invaders arcade machine. I could bearly see the screen and had to stand on a box and pull myself up to peer inside. I was instantly mesmerized by the weird electronic patterns that appeared to be marching back and forth through space, as if by some strange magic force that I had never encountered.

Tearing myself away I asked my mother what it was and she told me she had no idea and to ask my father. I later asked my father who thought it was some kind of gambling contraption but did give me some 10p pieces to try it out.

I don't remember much about actually playing the game - I expect it lasted about 3 seconds.

3 seconds of pure magic...