Gamer's Closet #8: Barbie (NES)
After reading my article yesterday asking for new entries for our Gamer's Closet, reader Sarahvait wasted no time in tearing down the door of her Gamer's Closet to bring us this classic tale of a young girl's love for Barbie and all her pink glory.
When I was first introduced to it, video gaming was still pretty young. Our family's first console was the original NES, and my sister and I liked it very much. I was a cute little girl at the time, young and naive, hardly able to finish any game I was given because, as a child, I was stupid. But, I do remember that we often played games together with our next door neighbors. And one game I remember distinctly at these gatherings Barbie, for the NES.
Yeah, this was a cash cow game based on a doll that little girls begged their moms to buy them in droves. While I wasn't exactly doing the whole drove thing, I had my fair share of Barbie dolls. And I was young, so I still liked pretty things, and the color pink.
Anyway, I would watch my older female neighbor play through this game in about an hour, since it wasn't very long. As the story goes, Barbie goes to bed after reading a riveting tale of mermaids. As she falls asleep, she goes through her mental checklist of all the super fun things she's going to do tomorrow. In the game, she enter her dream world to visit these places. When you completed each level, you would get a piece of an outfit. From the mall to the Soda Shop to the ocean where you become a mermaid, you collect shoes, a gown, and a tiara. What happens when you win? You get to show up at a party, pretty as a princess, with Ken waiting to escort you. When I was actually given the chance to play it myself, I had a lot of fun. My neighbor had to walk me through it, but it was great to platform through the game.
Well, I'm older and wiser now. After my sister got me a CD with hundreds of original NES games and an emulator, Barbie included among them, I thought it might be fun to revisit that old nostalgia. But surely, it would just feel silly to my matured sense of taste in gaming.
WRONG!
Dear God help me, it was still fun. The music, despite the fact that it's sugary sweet, and it repeats over and over, is still cute to my ears. I even still like the noise Barbie makes when she jumps. Hell, there's still some challenge to be had with the jewels Barbie throws, which have multiple uses from getting friendly animals to help you, fending off attacking clothes, and having sentient cars and food items with big eyeballs to assist your progress.
So there it is. No matter how I try, I can't escape the pull of the girly, pink toy franchise from my childhood. I know only shame.
Does anyone else have a game they have played, and kept it a secret. It’s time to ‘fess up. Let us know what’s in your Gamer’s Closet. Inquiring minds want to know.
Fruit Brute
Posted to Gamers Closet, Hot Stuff, Miscellany, Video Games on 1 March 2007
· Comments (7)
Other stuff like this: barbie, gamer's closet
omg, barbie looks totally scary there.
Hi Tech expressions are also responsible for a very cute Tom&Jerry game.
Playing Barbie for NES is one of my most vivid childhood gaming memory! We rented it and I remember playing the game for a whole weekend. One of the later levels required one to make Barbie jump from spinning records. I remember getting frustrated and swore never to play the game again!
Ummm...I'm actually a girl. But it's still plenty embarrassing! Argh, Barbie, why do you taunt me so?!
Good show, Sarah! All I really know of this game is from Seanbaby's ragging, but hey... He's just a curmudgeon. Nothing wrong with a little pink in your day! (Especially if it's Kirby, but Barbie is fine too. :P)
You know, I've been called a curmudgeon too. :) Well, I'd take Kirby over Barbie any day. Yeah, Seanbaby's where I found the pics. He actually has another game on his site that I also loved as a kid. .......
the first game i ever beat, though i'm pretty sure my original copy of it has bite marks on it for some reason.