What was your first ever videogame?
My first videogame was Space Invaders. I was studying Theology at the time, having previously completed a mathematics degree and worked as a computer programmer. The residential college where I lived had a Space Invaders machine, and I thought it was wonderful.
I spent rather more time playing it than I should have.
College life was very social. I played sport every day, and a group of us gathered for supper each evening. There were always people around, conversations to be had, and things to do together.
The problem wasn’t that Space Invaders took me away from my friends or kept me indoors. It was that it took me away from my studies.
I was learning to write essays for the first time. Theology required me to read widely, think critically, weigh competing arguments, and work out what I actually thought. It wasn’t easy.
Space Invaders was much more straightforward. The enemy was obvious, the rules were clear, and you knew immediately whether you were winning. I’d take a short break from studying, intending to play for a few minutes, and somehow find myself still there much later.
I’ve never really become a gamer. Not because I disapprove of videogames. I understand why people enjoy them, and I know they can be a wonderful way of connecting with others.
But I discovered early on how easily they could absorb my attention. When games became readily available on personal computers, I was reluctant to invite that distraction into my life.
I still enjoy relaxing activities. Reading, walking, spending time with friends, and watching football are a regular part of the life I want to live.
Perhaps that’s what Space Invaders taught me. It’s not simply a question of whether something is enjoyable. It’s whether it deserves the time we give it.
And, as much as I enjoyed defending the planet from alien invasion, I eventually decided there were more important things to do with my time.
What was your first ever videogame?
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