This show makes me so fucking happy. I get so tired of seeing "gamers" just bitch and complain about EVERYTHING. It's great to see someone like me who just enjoys video games. Thanks, Johnny.
There are two Years that I´ll never forget : Christmas 1989 : After all Presents were given too each other and me and my Siblings wanted to play with our Gifts, my Dad suddenly get a big Box from out of the Kitchen and sayd " And this is a extra gift for all of us." He gave it to us Kids and we opened it together and we were all shocked and in awe. It was the NES Family Pack with the NES Console,the Multitap, 4 Controllers and the Cartridge with Super Mario Bros,Tetris and Nintendo World Cup. We Kids felt like that we were the Kings and Queens of the World. It was the best Christmas of my Life :-) And the second Christmas was 1992. Our Dad bought us the brand new Super Nintendo plus Street Fighter 2. Man, Super Mario World and Street Fighter. What an awsesome Christmas that was. Oh, I forgot 1984...I received He-Man and Skeletor that Year :-D
Unfortunately we we're too poor for any video concoles let alone games. Had to go to friends that had them. I am 54 now and bought all consoles and games myself so I never had that " Great game present moment. Glad you had many and lots of fun. I still have most my consoles and games, lots of good times though I had to buy all myself but that's ok, mom was still great and did all she could for us. Merry Christmas.
1987, I was 3. I got Zelda from my grandmother(aka my Santa), I learned numbers just to learn how to use money in the game. Played it everyday until xmas 91 when I got the SNES. Fast forward to this past summer and I gave it to my 4yo son who picked up my save from 26 years ago on a game I started 30 years ago. He now desperately wants a Switch and BotW for xmas. Let's say Santa is on it. Has to be the best gift I ever got. That cartridge was gold for a reason.
John, I've been following this channel for what seems like years. And every year I look forward to your Xmas themed episodes. So a happy holiday and yuletide for you and yours, good brother.
I remember the Christmas that me and my brothers got a SNES many moons ago (1992 I believe). Growing up (being 7 at the time) my family did not have much money, so we were lucky to get a single game during the holidays. Yet, here we were waking up one fateful Christmas day to find a SNES in the middle of the living room. We were overjoyed. We each received 2 games to go along with it, mine being Super Mario All-Stars and Chuck Rock, as well as the pack in game Super Mario World (which we had to share lol). I will always remember that as the best Christmas I had in my youth and cherish those memories fondly. Happy Holidays to you John and everyone else who reads this comment.
My favorite thing I ever got for Christmas was Zelda: Twilight Princess. I remember that was the one game I wanted so badly when it came out for GameCube, because zelda is my favorite game of all time. And I remember opening up most of my presents and being kinda disappointed because it wasn't there. But there was one present left and it was a bigger box not the shape of a game case, and I thought oh it's just clothes or something. But NO! There it was the one thing I really wanted for Christmas. I spent the rest of the day playing it with my relatives in the room watching. Such a memorable Christmas for me :)
The best Christmas gifts I have ever and probably will ever receive was a Super Nintendo with Super Mario All Stars, and Donkey Kong Country 1, as well as few years later, the Sony PlayStation 1 with Crash Bandicoot, and Ridge Racer. The reason they will never be topped is because of all of the countless hours of fun and joy, and the MEMORIES that will last forever. Been a fan of the channel since about 2010, much love to you!
gotta say johnny, love all your christmas episodes. i still remember enjoying your show last christmas, i remember the snow, going for breakfast woth family during the holidays, and i remember your show with rob, can't wait for these christmas episodes, please keep doing these.
I had Super Mario 2 on its release day! At least for our town. It was the second Friday of October 1988 and they just happened to be putting it out while my family was at the store and all 6 copies were taken within 5 minutes and we had one. It was also the weekend of a Boy Scout camping trip and so I had to leave for the weekend after playing Mario 2 for just 15 minutes! On the trip, I told everyone about it, but they ALL thought I as full of crap. Which yea, I wouldn't have believed it either.
I never received any videogames or consoles at Christmas or Sinterklaas (Sinterklaas is our Santa Claus, we celebrate it on and before the 5th of december in Holland). So sadly I don’t have these kind of memories. I did get a Game Boy for my birthday once and that was probably one of my best birthdays ever, I love the Game Boy so much......so many memories. I had a paper job to finance my gaming obsession. Bought my own SNES, N64, GBC, GBA, PS1, PS2 etc etc...I do remember that magical experience of buying those consoles in the shop myself after having drooled over it for weeks and weeks when I hadn’t saved enough money yet.
Christmas 1996 my parents got me,my brother and sister a Sega Saturn with virtual fighter and Sega rally and remember being blown away by the graphics. Its still going strong in 2017 after all the drops and beer spills.
I remember on Christmas of 2000 I got my first game console that was just mine, a ps1 and I got alot of games with it, it was such a great Christmas at least at the time. Unfortunately my mom was sick at the time, then 2 weeks later we lost her, so Christmas for me nowadays is pretty bittersweet but I have plenty of great Christmas memories, and hearing yours was great!
The two most memorable Christmases for me was 2003 when I got a GBA with the generation 3 Pokemon games, where like a week before Christmas my parents took me to Toys R Us, my dad went into the electronics section while my mom took me and my brother around the store. I assume he was buying those two things. And 2005 where I got the GameCube Melee bundle. I remember a few months before Christmas we went to Wal-Mart where they had a GameCube running Melee, I assume I got the GameCube because I had so much fun that day.
My Nintendo 64 Atomic Purple Controller set on Christmas of 1999! I got Pokemon Snap, Star Wars Shadows of the Empire and my aunt gave me Super Mario 64! It was a fantastic day indeed!
That beard is getting more and more devilish. Another great episodes that focuses on johnny's greatest gift for his youtube channel which is his ability to be an excellent storyteller. I look forward to the retrospective review on the cosmic fantasy series, I just never heard that many people talk about it. A lot of my video game memories are usually associated with christmas because every video game system that I owned growing up was a system that I received on christmas morning. Those systems were the nes, snes, playstation 1, and playstation 2. I think the best christmas gift I ever got as a kid was when my parents got a generation 1 megatron for christmas. It came in this wooden box with foam in it, and I just remember being really excited about getting it. One christmas tradition is that I always asked my mom to get the biggest most complicated jigsaw puzzles she could fine and that is usually what I spent all my christmas holidays working on was a 1000 to 1500 piece puzzle with a lot of trees and skies in it. It was a great way to pass time.
17:50 Same here. Got a SEGA MegaDrive Sonic 1 bundle to christmas back then. In retrospective not my favourite console at that time BUT i was exited af and had a great time with it. One of the memories that you'll never forget.
It's always a pleasure being here as a fan of the 80's and 90's gaming, and having you sharing similar Christmas memories with receiving video games that helped shape your future. I remember the Sega Genesis really being that console that brought me to video game heaven. I was born in 81, so I totally love my classic 8-bit NES, but it was when I got my Sega Genesis when it really dawned on me how lucky I was to receive the amount of games that I was getting for Christmas. So special and thanks again for the fond memories of your past! :) Game on!
The most special one for me was when I got my Wii U in 2014. Back in 2012 when it was released, I was bullied alot because I was the only one playing Nintendo instead of playstation or xbox in my class. I loved Nintendo, but because of that I wished for a 360 that christmas instead of a Wii U, hoping they would accept me. So I got a 360, but time passed and I barely used it. It just did not feel the same. Then came 2014 and Super Smash Bros was around the corner, I needed a Wii u because of that. I fully expected not to get one since I have only had the 360 for nearly 2 years. Then Christmas of that year came, and one of the first gifts I got was shocking for me, Super Smash Bros for Wii U. I then knew what was coming up, and I was not disapointed. I also got Mario Kart 8 and the Bayonetta bundle, making that Chrismas one to remember.
These are the types of videos that made me a fan of your channel. The excitement and joy you have talking about the past really drew me in. Awesome job.
Hi John,For Christmas in 89 my parents got me Double Dragon for the Commodore 128. I found it a few weeks before, carefully opened the box and finished by the time it was wrapped and put under the tree.It was a pretty weak port but hey, it was a 128, still loved it.In 90 it was Super Mario 2
This is going to sound weird, but it's a tradition of mine now to watch all of John's Christmas specials prior to Christmas happening. It just gets me in both the gaming and giving mood. Love it! I'm excited for your's and Rob's exchange this year
You have wonderful parents :) As a huge Ys fan, it always makes me feel happy whenever you talk about the Xmas Ys episode. It's so nice and warms my heart because I can totally relate to your excitement. The music, the visual... Ys I & II was just unbelievable.
I can remember when my mom and dad bought us the NES when it was first released. My brother and I spent countless hours in front of the TV playing Duck Hunt, Mario, and Zelda.
I still really love my GameCube I got from my partner back when we first started dating prob 12yrs ago, as a kid I never got my own console it was always for my brother because my parents saw video game as a boy's toy, and he never shared so I'd never had a TV console before and I just remembered decorating it w a skin and anime stickers and being so proud of it on my shelf and I even saved up for pink skins for my controllers and I still have that system and it's a prize possession. Great video!
Christmas 2000, when me and my brother got Shenmue. After we played it for a bit we all went for a walk in the snow, and in our minds we were walking through those snow covered streets of Japan.
Getting my first and now (all-time fav) console the Gamecube. To finally have a console I can call my own and not have to play my older brother's consoles (Gen/Ps1/DC) was such a special moment for me.
One of my favorite Christmas memories was the Game Boy system in 1989. My mom also bought Super Mario Land, Alleyway,and Baseball. I loved hearing Nintendo games in stereo and being able to play the games late at night when I should have been sleeping. ;)
I'll never forget the Christmas that I got my SNES packed with Mario World, that and one other huge box that my mom put Link to the Past in. She was a single parent and that was ALOT of money for her to spend so those were the main things I got but I don't think there are any childhood Christmases that can top that because I wanted the SNES soo badly.... Playing those games for the months after was such an amazing and nostalgic time..
Most memorable for me was1978 (I think) when I got a huge card Palitoy Death Star along with loads of other Star Wars toys. Man, I can't describe the excitement I felt that day. Just pure joy. It's sad to think I'll never feel that way again but it's such a wonderful memory. Gaming wise I don't have many memories as I was 12 when I got my first computer, a ZX Spectrum in 1983. That was exciting though. I remember the thrill of playing it in my room on the evening. I was an arcade nut so this was heaven. Love all your videos, Johnny! My favourite channel
My two favorite Christmas mornings where in 1997 I got Final Fantasy 7 for PS. I played that game all day. The following year I think it was I woke up to a Nintendo 64 with the atomic purple controller and the legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. Man I miss being a kid!!!
Crazy how exciting it was to get your own TV back then. I remember for my 10th birthday I got my own TV and I was so excited to be able to play Sega in my room with no one bothering me.
Super Star Soldier... I got this on Christmas, but forget what year. To this day, however, I still adore that game. I was so excited to get it, play it and finish it over and over.
I love these stories so much! 2006 was my favorite childhood christmas memory... Waking up early and then discovering that SANTA put a Mega Man toy and fucking Pokémon LeafGreen version for the GBA under the tree. I was blown away, cus just as John, I had to wait a lot to get new games, and this one was the sole reason I got a GBA in the first place back then. I was 8 by the time, and spent the whole day playing.
I remember getting my first TV, lol. It was a game changer for sure, even though it was a handmedown from my grandma. It was probably from the 70s and it had nobs to change channels and volume. Also it was a pain in the ass to figure out how to get your ps1 era consoles to show up without av cables. Things are so much simpler and streamlined today, people tend to take that for granted.
1989 Xmas was the best of my childhood by far.....I was 11 years old, and my awesome parents not only got me a Sega Genesis in partnership with my grandparents (after having only had a Nintendo of my own, but also partially owning a Master System at my grandparents house).....but I also got the Bat Cave play set from the 1989 Batman movie! My parents knew I wanted it more than anything, and waited until I had opened all my little stocking stuffers after my single present of the Genesis, which would have been awesome enough on it's own. After asking if I got everything I wanted, I lied and told them yes because I was truly grateful for the Genesis. The little kid mind in me was a bit down about not getting the Bat Cave, but I did not express it. 30 minutes later, my dad proceed to feign surprise at a lump under a blanket and told me to check it out. There was the Bat Cave in all it's glory, hidden by "Santa" lol.....I was overjoyed! My parents really went out of their way to accommodate me, and I am forever grateful to them for the memory they provided me, despite it being material objects. :)
This makes me so nostalgic for Christmas 1988. I had a Master System and I got Phantasy Star, Double Dragon and Shinobi. Christmas 1991 was amazing as well. I got Super Nintendo. That entire school break all I played was Super Mario World and Super Ghouls N Ghosts. Those memories are what make this hobby so special for me.
I was early teens and I got a gamecube with Mario Sunshine and Mario Kart Double Dash! I was so thankful and excited to play Double Dash to no end! It really was an awesome Christmas. Finally got my own system and didn't have to share with my brothers.
Great video as always! I didn't usually get games when I was younger but when I got Ocarina of Time in Christmas 1998 I was absolutely blown away. I remember playing it many hours straight and when it was time to go visit my grandmother, I was angry because I wanted to continue playing :) What a stupid kid I was but OoT was just something else. Those were the times...
The playstation as a big gift for me. I was a bout 15 and I wasn't expecting to get anything for Christmas. After the "Santa" years, somehow I got to the point where my parents didn't really get me anything for Christmas. I think they asked and I said I didn't really want anything. I have great parents and they got me anything I NEEDED, like clothes or shoes. Once I started working, there was a weird unspoken thing where I simply bought whatever I wanted and they bought me anything i needed. So the playstation was an "out of nowhere" kind of thing. I was really thrilled. Got Jet Moto and Star Gladiator. Those two games will always have a huge place in my heart.
The Christmas I got my SEGA CD was one of the best Christmas's ever! Also, the year of Secret of Mana... Had two of my buddies over for a weekend and we did nothing other than play SoM. I don't think we even slept.
back in christmas of the year 2000, me and my brother got a Sega Dreamcast, after my brother had already peeked and knew what was inside of the wrapped present I didn't know what he was talking about when he said we got a dreamcast.... as soon as we opened the sega dreamcast we started playing, even though we didn't have a game the console came with a demo, it had Power Stone, Rush 2024, ready 2 rumble boxing, virtua tennis and so many other cool games...and we also got a Red see through Pelican controller which my brother got dibs, I was jealous at first but then he had to take mine cus that controller when dead right away...lol...though we played that demo till death, all the games were amazing, Power Stone and Virtua Tennis were our favorites till this day...that's probably the best Christmas gift I ever had.
My best video game Christmas memory was back in '98. I kept seeing all of the promotional videos and magazine articles for Banjo-Kazooie throughout the year and kept pestering my parents to get it for me. Out of nowhere, that Christmas, my Uncle sent me a copy of the game and the strategy guide. Only time he ever sent me a game, but it's one of my favorite memories.
Great video. Always great to reminisce about old Christmas gifts. I remember getting a NES in the late 80's that was a complete surprise and it was the combo pack with the Zapper and SMB/Duck Hunt cart. I also was given Contra (of course). For Christmas 1992 I was given a Genesis (Sonic 2 pack in I believe) and another relative gave me NHLPA '93. My other biggest surprise came in Christmas 2000 from my now ex-girlfriend. She bought me a Dreamcast, which totally blew me away. On top of that she gave me Shenmue and Soul Calibur. Honestly that is what re-booted my love for gaming in a big way.
I miss the days of just being able to power through games in one weekend. Damn responsibilities. Great video this really made me reminisce on . When i got my game boy color with Pokemon red and rampage world tour in 1998. And my game cube in 2002 was just a magical experience that i will never forget. Playing metroid prime when it first came out was a truly breath taking experience. Being stranded on a planet in a new unknown world. Finding each power up with my best friend at the time was just amazing. This was a big leap for also because i only had a snes and gbc prior to having the gamecube.
I remember getting my own PS1 and own 14inch CRT monitor for my bedroom! After years of pestering to have the mega drive on in the living room! Such a great feeling.
You truly have a blessed family. I have to buy every single consoles including NES with my own saved money. My mom was poor. My bastard rich dad in VN never gave a single penny to us in US. He got his mistress. Even on his death bed, I have no respect for him even though he proclaimed that the his kids in US never respect him. He left us without a single supports. When I look at other family, I grew jealous of what they have. I have a family of my own and would never done what my dad do.
Four of my most memorable set of Christmas gifts were from 1997 (getting the PlayStation, Final Fantasy VII and tons of other games) and 1999 (Power Stone), 2000 (Shenmue), and 2002 (Getting an Xbox and Shenmue II).
Best gaming gift i ever got was my first one ever. That was my NES got for christmas when i was 4 years old and i will never forget it. I had to stand on a chair to play duck hunt so i could see the TV up on the entertainment center. But that day i spent the whole day playing TMNT and the rest was history.
My best Christmas memory is from back in 2000. I was a huge Zelda fan (still am) and I had asked for a game that year. I went so far as to sneak a look at it before Christmas. Much like you did Johnny, with YS 1 and 2. I finally received the game that Christmas morning, and it was the Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask complete with the expansion pack. It has been my favorite game of all time since then.
Best Christmas for me was 1991. I was 6 years old and I'll be honest, I don't have a memory like yours man...you get into detail I'm looking at hazy fudges a week ago. But I distinctly remember opening a present and getting "Ys III: Wanderers from Ys" (which I pronounced out the letters because dumb, so it was "Y - S") and looking at mom and saying "But...we only have a regular Nintendo! This only works for Super Nintendo!" mom assured me that we'll rent a SNES as soon as the Bijou Southwest (mom and pop rental spot) opens. But while the cleanup is going on here comes dad with the giant wrapped rectangle. Best day of my life man.
I remember being spellbound by Suikoden 3 (my favorite game period) before it came out. I hadn't heard of the series before but something about the adds in magazines (which I cut out and still have) made me obsessed with it. Finally in November I found it after much begging my Grandparents got it as a Christmas gift with the conditions that I would shut up and know one else was getting me anything, I must have played through that game five times before I voluntarily went outside again.
Best Xmas gift was getting a ps1 with resident evil. OMG I was blown away by the cinematics and horror. I watched the intro vid at least 20 times before playing. Worst gift was the virtual boy. I was so underwelmed by the 3d and RED!
My most memorable childhood Christmas moment would have to be when my parents got my brother and I both our own Gameboys with their own carrying case, plus a handful of games. That shit was epic! Also, when we got an NES, Genny and a PS1. Great times!
I can't remember the year but when I was around 5 years old and my brother 8, we went down at Christmas and started opening gifts, my brother got an AT AT walker and I got some cool Action Man figures but the cherry on top for this christmas was our Gameboy Colours and Pokemon Red and Blue, I can say that Christmas holiday will be cemented into my memory forever. I have played every Pokemon since and have that year to thank for it.
damn you are the king of nostalgia dude. i identify myself with your stories, something only a person that really has a passion for games can understand, thats what i like about you
It’s awesome that you remember this stuff so well. It shows that you are a grateful person. I’m ashamed that I don’t remember more clearly. Also, “spri-GONE!?” Not “SPRIG-gun?”
That song in the background is my favorite off the SoTN OST, I was literally JUST showing my wife the song an hour ago, and now I'm like, wait, is that it in the background? Beautiful taste man : )
Johnny you were so lucky as a kid. Getting all those consoles for Christmas. My parents refused to get me consoles only games, apart from the one Christmas they got me my oldest brothers gba sp with one of my favorite games of all time Golden Sun. Anyways always enjoy listening to your stories Johnny.
1992 and 1993 were both great Christmases, but while I got my SNES, Super Mario World, and Mario Paint for Christmas in 1992. 1993 still takes it for me due to one word: StarFox. It took years for anything to top StarFox. My mom will agree that it was my first big obsession. A game like StarFox was sure to have a sequel, and I dreamed about StarFox 2, and drew pictures of what I thought it would look like, and wrote stories of how I thought it would progress. In 1997, when StarFox 64 was released, I got to play it for a few minutes in a Best Buy. It felt so real, and so smooth. It felt like I was actually in the sky flying. I wanted an N64, but my parents wouldn't get me one. My stepdad eventually got an N64, but I wasn't allowed to play it. I didn't get mine until 2001, like 5 months before the GameCube launched in North America. I like StarFox 64. I think it's a better game than the original, but it never had the chance to have the same impact on me as the 1993 classic.
One thing I got was my Playstation I believe model SCPH-5501. I still remember opening it and having the biggest smile on my face. I also remember having to same the box from my mom as she was starting to tare it up to burn in our fireplace too. Sadly I have nothing but that goes in the bot other then the system and controller. Another gift I remember get from my dad hanukkah (Jewish on my dads side and christen on my mos side) in 1998 the Dreamcast a NFK 2K bondle (for some reason I wanted it over the Sonic Adventure bundle) that also came with a boxed controller. I still have the system and controller boxed with out the bag it came in in the box. Those are two gifts I will never forget getting. Thoes are two thing that helped make me a gamer for life. But the thing that started me off was my uncle showing me the games (some arcade machines, a pinball machine and Atari as for what I remember) he had when i was still a pretty young child. I will never forget all of that witch helped me have the love and passion for playing and collecting all things games and accessories.
I love videos like this! I remember when my Pop bought us our first Nintendo. We didn't have a lot of money but my Pop worked his ass off to provide for us. Anyway we wanted a NES and my Dad told my brother and I that if we made the A's and B's on our report cards next report card (No C's or D's) in combination with our chores and duties, he promised us he would buy it for us. So we busted our asses off and studied hard and made A's and B's. My Dad came home from work and we showed him our report cards, signed them and a few minutes later told us to get in the car for a ride. He drove us to Toy's R Us, bought us our first Nintendo Entertainment System with Mario/Duck Hunt and it was AWESOME! The feeling was great and felt well earned. I know this is not a Xmas Story but just the fact that Parents are Awesome and loving...well My Pop delivered as Promised and I was never the same since as a gamer. That is why I have such a passion for Nintendo because it molded me to what I am today and very nostalgic plus my Dad would play video games with us well. Very fun, hard work involved and just good times. Thanks for your fun stories. A++++
i remember the day i got the ps1 as a christmas present... with ridge racer type 4, pac man and spyro 1- this was a good time but i always wished for a n64 :D never got one thou :-(
My favorite video game gifts were Gargoyle's Quest for my Game Boy, and a few years later, the mighty Chrono Trigger! I had been convinced that I was getting Mortal Kombat 3. I've never been happier to be wrong about anything!
I remember the Christmas when I got the NES Game Genie and the board game Hero Quest. Much like you, I snooped and knew exactly what I was getting, so I had to practice my Christmas morning reaction. Turns out, I was still just as excited on Christmas morning even though I knew what I was getting.
The best Christmas gift I ever got was my 2nd PS3. I got one at launch, probably in 5th grade, and the thing ended up blowing itself up. I didn’t have a game system for a month or two until my dad, who wanted me to play sports instead of games, bought me a PS3 slim for Christmas. That thing got me through so many good and bad times and I’ll never get rid of it, I probably play it more than my PS4.
