I know retro folks, I have been a bit blog lazy lately (my day job and my YouTube channel are time consuming), but no worries, I am not going to stop interviewing my favorite gamers. The “we are gamers” series is here to stay, lol.
I have a lot in common with today’s guest: not only are we both retro gamer dads, but we are also on a mission to preserve the greatest games of our generation. And what platform did he choose to begin his journey? None other than TikTok, the social network for teenagers!
Tapping into younger generations on TikTok is easy, engaging them, not so much. But you know what? He is doing a surprisingly great job at sparking young people’s interest in retro gaming and keeping them entertained… Mad props to him!
No more talk from me, the floor is yours, Pete…
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1. So, welcome Pete and a big “thank you” for accepting my invitation to be interviewed for the blog. For a starter, please introduce yourself to RGL’s readers.
Thank you for the opportunity, Hi Everyone, I am Pete from Toronto, Ontario Canada, I do a TikTok page called Pete and JJ Gaming with my oldest son.
2. What was the first video game you ever played?
The first video game I ever played was Combat for the Atari 2600.
3. What about the first gaming system you ever owned?
The first console I have memories of was the Atari 2600, it was the “family” console at the time as my dad used to play it a lot more than me and my brothers. Probably around 1982-83, I was around 5-6 years old.
4. Were you an arcade gamer? If you were, what about your favorite titles back in the 80s / 90s?
I was! Not heavily, but I did love going to the arcade and play! In the 80s, I spent many hours playing Donkey Kong. In the 90s, I gravitated towards fighting games, so Street Fighter and Tekken were some of my favorites.
5. I am going to name a few video game genres: please tell me your favorite retro title for each of them:
A) Adventure
The game and the series that changed gaming forever…
Adventure – The Legend of Zelda (NES) the game really made an impact on my generation. And to see how many more titles have been made ever since is simply incredible.
B) Platform
Platform – Super Mario bros 3, arguably one of the best NES games ever. It had everything.
C) Puzzle Games
Puzzle – Adventures of Lolo, this game grew on me over time. I got it as a Christmas present in 1988 and thought it was boring at first. After a few months, I picked it up again and discovered the challenges and fun of beating it.
D) Role-playing games
RPG – Final Fantasy. I am not a big RPG fan, but Final Fantasy for the NES was pretty amazing.
E) Racing Games
Racing – F Zero (SNES) There were some good racing games like Rad Racer, RC pro-am, etc. but F-Zero was so different with the futuristic look, 3D simulated cameras, and music!
F) Soccer/Football
Soccer/Football – Goal! I spent many hours playing that game with my friends growing up. A great game to play co-op or versus.
G) Sports Games
Sports – Track and Field II. The thrill of the Olympics, packed in a single game? Just awesome!
H) Any other games whose genre I did not mention?
Beat ‘em up – Double Dragon 2. An absolute must in my collection. One of my all-time favorites!
6. While growing up, what gaming system did you have the most fun with? Are you still a regular gamer?
Now you’re playing with power! One of the best gaming slogans I have ever heard…
The console closest to my heart will always be the NES, I remember fondly when we first got ours in 1987 (I still have it today!) and the jump from the Atari2600 games to the NES was simply mind-blowing. I am a regular gamer today, mostly retro games I like to collect for the NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis
7. What is your relationship with the online gaming world? Do you play online with your friends/family members/random gamers?
I do not do a lot of online gaming, I do however love playing strategy games with family and friends every now and then. Age of Empires II is a popular one between us.
8. What are your finest memories related to video games?
My finest memories are all related to my childhood back in the 80s. The world was so different, and it is hard to believe how far we have come. No internet, no social media, trading games with your friends at school, renting games for the weekend! That was my 80s early 90s best memories of video gaming. Getting together in a friend’s basement with pizza, soft drinks, and snacks to spend a very long afternoon playing our favorite games. Good times!
9. What prompted you to start a TikTok page?
It is fun to remember it, back in March 2020 (beginning of the pandemic) I slowly started to learn about TikTok as a new Social Media Platform. JJ asked me if I could help him set up a gaming Tiktok account. After chatting a bit about ideas, I proposed to focus on retro gaming instead of gaming. It all started there!
10. What is the goal of Pete and JJ Gaming?
Pete’s TikTok account: Pete and JJ Retro Gaming
I truly want to help show the new generations where it all started with video games, and though it has been many decades, lots of those old games are still amazing and fun to play today. Ultimately help to save and preserve the classics!
11. Last but not least: any future plans or secret wishes?
I love the sense of community the retro gaming world has. I would absolutely love to participate in larger retro gaming events, game swaps, blogs, podcasts, once the pandemic is over. Spread some positivity and encouragement through retro gaming.
Best,
Pete
