My wife is pregnant, so here are 3 Super Famicom masterpieces I want to teach my future child

There are some important things in life that are better conveyed through "experience" than through words.

The other day, I found out my wife is pregnant. When I saw that tiny, yet powerfully beating life on the ultrasound, I was overcome with an indescribable sense of emotion, along with a comforting sense of responsibility: "What kind of world should I show this child?"

Books, movies, travel. There are countless things I want to teach, but as a gamer, and as a man who is about to become a father, I want to put a Super Famicom controller in my child's hands.

In this day and age, there is an abundance of the latest VR and photorealistic games. However, I feel that it is within those 16-bit pixel graphics that the bonds between parent and child and a microcosm of life are packed.

This time, I would like to introduce three Super Famicom masterpieces that I want to play with my child when they grow up, along with my own memories.

1. The origin where I first played with my mother: "Super Mario All-Stars"

The first one I want to teach is, of course, this one. "Super Mario All-Stars," released in 1993. This is a work that feels like a textbook packed with the history of Mario, condensing Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3, and USA into one package.

In fact, this was the software where I first encountered what a "video game" was in my life. And my mother was always there right beside me.

The magic of turning "failure" into "challenge"

I wonder if my mother was about the same age as I am now back then. She patiently taught me how to hold the controller, how to use the B-dash, and how to stomp on Goombas, even though my hands were clumsy.

The basics of Mario are extremely simple: jump over holes, avoid enemies, and aim for the goal. However, the foundations of life are packed into that. I would fall into holes over and over, scream "Ah!", and start over from the beginning. Every time I made a mistake, my mother would laugh, and when I reached the goal, she would be as happy as if it were her own achievement.

My future child. You will surely not be able to jump well at first. But that is fine. Mario has a "number of lives remaining," but in reality, you can try as many times as you want. Through this game, I want to convey to you, while laughing together by your side, that "failure is just a step toward the next success."

In the living room where Mario's cheerful background music plays, just as my mother once did for me, I intend to watch from the best seat in the house as you experience the surprise of entering a pipe for the first time.

Here are my memories with my mother!

2. An overwhelming masterpiece. An adventure spanning three generations of a family: "Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride"

If you ever want to know the depth of what a "story" is, I will hand you this software without hesitation. "Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride." This is not just a role-playing game. It is a grand epic drama that depicts the very "life" of a man.

The greatest feature of this game is that it is a magnificent story spanning "three generations," from the protagonist's childhood to his youth, and then to when he becomes a parent and stands up against the Demon King together with his own children.

A father's back and the resolve of a parent

When I play it now, I inevitably see the story from the perspective of Papas, the protagonist's father. Papas, who sets out on a journey to find his late wife while taking his young son with him. He protects his son with overwhelming strength, but in the middle of the story, he is forced to make an ultimate choice.

I won't go into detail because it would be a spoiler, but the "decision" Papas makes to protect his son, and the words he leaves behind at the end, are so heavy and precious to me now that I am about to become a parent.

When you play this game, you will likely empathize with the protagonist at first. You will make friends on your journey, fall in love, and have a family. You might even find yourself seriously struggling with the ultimate choice of "marriage" that you have to make along the way.

And then, toward the end of the story, when your (the protagonist's) children join the party, you will realize: "Just as I was once protected by Papas, I have now become the one who protects these children."

The "Will" That Is Passed Down

"Adventure is passed down through generations." I want you to know this message. From me to you. And someday, when you have children of your own, to them as well. Even if physical things disappear, feelings and wills are always connected. Dragon Quest V is the ultimate bible that teaches us that beauty.

I wonder what kind of expression I will have sitting next to you when you find the legendary hero. I am already looking forward to it.

3. If you want to play together as parent and child, this is the one: Kirby Super Star

Finally, I chose a game where we can relax a bit more and laugh from the bottom of our hearts. It is "Kirby Super Star." This title is often called the greatest masterpiece in the Kirby series. The reason I chose it is very clear.

It is because "two-player simultaneous play is incredibly fun."

The Helper System that teaches "cooperation"

This game has a groundbreaking system called the "Helper." It is a mechanism where the second player can control the ability that Kirby (Player 1) has inhaled as an ally character. This is perfect for parent-child play.

If you are not used to games yet and get stuck on a difficult stage, I will become your "Helper" and clear the path by your side. Conversely, there might be times when I am in a pinch and you will have to help me.

"When you play together, you can go much further than when you play alone." I want you to experience that simple yet important truth within the pop and colorful world of Kirby.

The "playfulness" taught by diverse modes

This software contains multiple stories with different themes. "The Great Cave Offensive," where you explore a labyrinth in search of treasure, and "Gourmet Race," where you compete for speed. You can play whichever you like, and we can even make up our own rules.

I want to nurture a sense of "playfulness" with you, finding ways to enjoy ourselves even when there is no set right answer. The rhythm of each other felt through the controller. The high-fives when we work together to defeat a boss. I am certain that such moments will create irreplaceable memories between us.

Things I want to buy for my future child

In closing: I am waiting for the day you are born

The Super Famicom. To you, it might look like a slightly old-fashioned machine. But the sparkling magic I felt when I was a child is still locked inside it, just as it was back then.

I am now fully prepared to teach you how to beat these games. But what I really want to teach you isn't how to play games. It's that "the world is so much fun, and the time spent sharing it with someone is so precious."

You, who are living so hard at this very moment inside your mother's womb. Once you are born, can hold your head up, and can hold things with your own will, I look forward to the day we sit side-by-side in front of the TV and click the power switch on.

Until then, I will do my homework as a father. So that I can be your best advisor, your best rival, and above all, the best "dad" I can be.

I'll be waiting for you, my future little gamer.

Continued