My Top 10 - Birthday Presents

I'm 28 today, which means I'm continuing on toward that age when I'll start asking for a gift card to Geriatrics R Us instead of Gamestop. So in an effort to battle my eventual initiation in to adulthood, here are the 10 best birthday presents I've ever received. (Well, at least the ones I can remember in my old age.)

10. Pokemon Snap - Nintendo 64. For the life of my I can't remember why I lost my mind when I unwrapped this, but darnit it was a thing of beauty! While I didn't play this game for weeks on end like I did games like Harvest Moon 64, I can still relive that sense of awe as I was ushered through an island filled with Pokemon living in there natural habitat while taking some very staged photos.

9. WWF Wrestling Buddies. Words cannot do justice to what you can see in the commercial for these things. The fact that I got Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior made me hot stuff with my friends.



8. Pogs. Okay, hear me out. Yes, Pogs were probably the most annoying toy to come out for kids, but this was also my first introduction in to the world of collectible games. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but as I recall the winner was determined by who had the best Slammer, right?

7. Tomagotchi. If there's anything that makes me go hipster, it's that I liked Tomagotchis before they were cool. In 5th grade I took a trip to Kofu, Japan as part of a sister-city program. The family I stayed with had a few kids, and they introduced me to this weird little game with a Space Invader that pooped Hershey Kisses. It was weird, but I was fascinated with that thing right along side them. Then I get back to the States and a few months later everyone had one... except me! I got a few off-brands over the years, but finally my mom broke down and spent too much money to get me an authentic Tomagotchi.

6. Weapons. Hey, I'm Ray, and I was once a teenage boy. While I still appreciate a cool fantasy weapon, I was obsessed with anything that looked so cool that it couldn't possibly serve a practical purpose. Throwing stars, blow guns, daggers, batarangs, swords... I had a very violent 16th birthday party that ended with a throwing star ricocheting off my door and burying itself in my foot.

5. Ninja Turtles Concert Tickets. I don't remember my age, but I know I went and I know I was terrified of Shredder. Still, I got to see the actual Ninja Turtles rock out. How many people can unabashedly make that claim?

4. Magic the Gathering - Portal. I still have these lying around on my gaming shelf because I just can't make myself get rid of them. My mom got these for me one birthday not really knowing what they were, but figuring I'd like the art. For a couple years I would look at them like some magical artifact, not really having anyone to play with nor understanding how exactly a trading card game worked. The art was awesome, the flavor text was enchanting, and the rules on the cards made me feel like I was one step away from untangling the mysteries of the universe. I never actually played a game until my house lost power for a few days and my friend Cody, who basically lived at my house, dug them out of my gaming box. That was my true, one-time introduction in to Magic, and the thrill of the game has never fully let me go.

3. Thematic Birthday Cakes. Every year my mom has made me a cake based around whatever my latest obsession is. I've had wrestling, Ninja Turtles, Homies, ninjas, any number of superheroes... even turning 28, I'm pretty sure she's still planning to drop off a cake topped with toys that would make any child jealous. If I were a less geeky person I might be embarrassed that my mom is still making these for me. Fortunately that will never be the case!

2. PS3. This one would probably rank #1 if I didn't have to talk my wife in to making this an early birthday present, so as it is it's a bit of a tie. Still, this year I finally got a PS3, and I've been catching up on years of missed exclusives. Some were worth the wait (Infamous, Last of Us), while others were a bit disappointing (Uncharted 3, wow). Still, it marked a noticeable change in my gaming as I no longer ally myself with just one console. Switzerland baby!

1. Airsoft Zombie Apocalypse Shootout. You read it right! This morning I got an email from a Groupon-like company that my mom bought me and a friend a session of shooting zombies with airsoft guns. I'm not sure what exactly it entails, but I do know I'll be shooting zombies without a controller in my hand, so I'm beyond excited!


Let's hear it guys! What are the best birthday gifts you've received?


See you tomorrow!

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