I remember a Sunday afternoon around my nan's house, playing Sonic on the SEGA. What year it was, I have no clue, but I was rather young. I'd played the game so many time with no fear, but for some reason I was too scared to make him run across the pillars because I was scared they'd squish him, yet I'd done it before, I just couldnt take the risk.

   On the good ol' PlayStation One I used to love playing Worms, those little guys made me laugh so much, and I nearly always won. Though thinking about it, I never fired many weapons back then, I spent most of my turns digging tunnels, creating a fortress for my team to keep them safe.

   Tekken, now that game was utter fun, I'd play against the computer before school and after. I liked that game, there was no real threat and just one objective, make your opponent KO, easy.

   Now we come to my lady, my heroine for most of my life. Beautiful, educated, couragous and a gorgeous body. Miss Lara Croft. I loved the fact our names are so similar. Oh how I wanted to be this woman when I grew up. I'd play the game, oh yes I would. I knew the layout of that house like the back of my hand! I didn't want to hurt her, ever. So I kept her confined to her house, how she must've been annoyed with me for that, I'd grounded her afterall. I'd just watch my dad do the levels, he put her at risk. I wished then I was brave like Lara, but I still couldn't do it.

   Gaming-wise I think that Pokemon has to be my safety-net. There was no death no start over if you lost, you could just carry on, get stronger and overcome anything! I still felt bad for Lara, it was like she was calling to me, wanting me to be her again. In some ways I did, I was learning new languages, geography, history, fighting physically though, just not in games. I got a new Pokemon game for Christmas each year that one came out and rather happily played them, but I generally lost interest in games for a while. I had Harry Potter books to read and enjoy, why would I need games? I was going through a girly phase too and games weren't cool and I wanted to fit in.

   The year the slim PS2 came out, my dad bought one along with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. I'd watch him play it like I used to watch him play Tomb Raider. This C.J intrigued me. Dad would ask me if I wanted to play, he handed me the controller and that fear was back. I just got into a parked car and drove, got him a haircut and a change of clothes, speeding off if rival gangs came towards me. I started to get comfortable with C.J, we were a team, I got brave and we got our first wanted star, oh man, the adreneline! We got more and more confident and did a mission, and passed it! Oh wow! We'd open fire on pedestrians, find a place to hide from the helicopters and the police and go out and do it again!

   That Christmas I got my own PS2, my own memory card, my own C.J! The first game I bought for myself though was The Sims Bustin' Out. I found heaven! I loved it, I could play God, create myself in an image of someone I'd always adored. Summer came, and guess who reapeared in our house? Lady Croft, looking even more gorgeous as ever in Tomb Raider Legends. I fell into the old routine of watching dad play the levels whilst I played the house, and I still couldn't bring her to any harm. Now it was C.J encouraging me.

   Everything I loved about The Sims and GTA was in this game. The clothes, the shooting and of course, my Lara. Once my dad completed it I stole Legends away from him. What he failed to tell me was that I couldn't play the house until I'd completed the first level! Damn! I printed out a walkthrough (hey! I needed a safety-net) and I began playing. Oh this was wonderful, what I wanted to do for years! I was new Lara, the woman I'd wanted to be since I was about 7 years old! Tomb Raider Legends was the first game I'd ever completed.

   During 2007 I got The Sims2 for the PC and I was hooked! I loved that game, I would spend hours on it, these people I created became family to me. I had the expansion packs and I downloaded content. My Sims celebrated Christmas! They wore CKY tshirts and Hogwarts Robes. I was in utter heaven. It was a very sad day when I sold those games. I do intend to get them back though, that or buy The Sims3!

   On my 18th birthday I got given Tomb Raider Anniversary for my PS2, I still haven't played it. I bought a Nintendo DS and a CSI game, but I still play Pokemon Sapphire on it. For Christmas I got an XBOX360 and I play Smackdown Vs Raw 09 alot, it is pretty much the only game for it I own though.

   There are some games I'd rather watch being played though. Now I love the Metal Gear series, I love the story, I love the characters, it's a beautiful piece of artwork, it's the reason why I applied for my course at university, it's why I can see my future in games. But I'd still rather sit and watch my boyfriend play it.