I know for me, growing up in SoCal with my mom, we were not that well-off and we were living in a modest manufactured home near Huntington Beach. We would go my uncles house frequently to have meals and I remember he bought a Super Nintendo with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

I would watch him play a few hours here and there, and we would talk our way through the dungeons and puzzles. I loved how the game made us think and solve problems, and the answers were not always obvious. I think he saw my fascination and adoration for the game, so about a year later he and my mom pooled their resources and bought me my very own SNES with Zelda.

I would have all my friends come over and we would pile around our TV and we would take turns either by if we died, or if we beat a dungeon.

From then and on, my love and adoration for the Zelda franchise has grown larger over the years and I can honestly say that it is the reason why I love video gaming. It is a bridge to our childhood, as well as fostering critical thinking skills that can transfer to other areas of our lives.

I want to hear your stories!