The most defining points to me though was definitely the gaming. The first true game i remember playing was called 'The trap door' for the amstrad cpc a game based on a cartoon i also watched (a game made from a tv show actually being any good ? yup in the 90's it was!).
gaming in the 90's was amazing beyond belief, not just to you though it was a activity where you brought family members around you to listen to your clicking whirling computer load a single blue blob that then clunkily across the screen.
it was the era when the phrase "nintendo hard " was coined, developers made games disgustingly hard to extend game play. no easy normal or hard settings you couldnt beat a boss ? you bring your mate round to do it! or you sick with never finishing the game..
why am i thinking today about old games and their difficulty well i have been playing Bulletstorm a new action packed shoot em up by epic games, my old man walked past as i was deftly lassoing a glowing mutant to me well aiming a kick to chest and sticking him to a cactus gaining those extra points i had already loaded a exploding cannon ball and shot it into the closest man eating plant. all this in one fluid movement, and i thought nothing of it. if i was 10 years younger i would of down right feinted if i would of seen someone perform that level of finger trickery.
is it a loss that kids nowadays take so much for granted ? or is this their 90's which they will look back on with fond memories ?, but i really couldnt be happy looking back on a childhood where halo was the first game i played it just feels unnatural you know !?
** this is my first proper post it seems, dont worry my writing will get better im sure of it ! my posts will generally be a mix of wildlife and computer games my two loves :)