Justin Zombie
“I am a 22 year old gamer. I am a self proclaimed, self taught prodigy of gaming. I love to play games, new and old. When I am not playing games, I enjoy writing about games, tweeting about games, doing game reviews, reading about games… I think you get the point.
Seriously though, I enjoy spending time with my family, my wife and daughter. I have been trying, somewhat successfully, to introduce my 4 year old to God’s gift to the world, but she usually pushes a few buttons and runs off. I used video games to get myself through a lot of dark times in my past and that, I think, just strengthened my love for them. I was told by my therapist (Yes, I am crazy) that I have an addiction to games, but I think that’s a big steaming pile of doody. Oh well, there goes the first step out the window.”
Name: Justin Zombie (Gross)
Country: USA
Platform: 360, PS3, PC, PS2, Xbox, Dreamcast, PS1, SNES, Genesis, NES, Atari 2600.Website: https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreGamingAssociation
What first attracted you to the world of gaming?
I think the thing that first attracted me to gaming was just the ability to emulate someone else. I grew up in a home where my parents were divorce, my Father was addicted to drugs, and I never knew when I would eat more than what I had at school. Playing video games allowed me to escape to another world and leave behind all my worries.What was the first video game you ever played?
I think my very first game was Pitfall or some other 2600 game. But, the earliest game I remember playing vividly was Gex for Playstation. It was, I think, what changed a hobby into a love.
What is your fondest gaming memory?
My fondest gaming memory? This is a tough question to answer because there are so many! My fondest memory, if I had to choose, would be playing my old Atari 2600 with my Dad. That was back before my parents split and it was one of the few times I can remember him not being high. It was great to interact with my real Father and not the person that he would become.What’s your worst gaming memory?
Hmmm, also a toughy. Probably one of the worst things to happen to me, and any Gamer it affects, would be when the power goes out. I am notorious for not saving periodically and I tend to game for hours on end. There is not a feeling more devastating than staring at a black screen and knowing that all that work you have put in is now lost. If not for the advent of auto saving in most modern games, I would be screwed!Have you ever tried any stunts (in reality) which you picked up from a video game?
Well, I am a little embarrassed to say, but I have tried to jump a ramp like in ExciteBike. But, instead of it being a cool red motorcycle, it was a stupid, white moped. And, upon landing, which I did, the thing snapped in half. I was seriously concerned that I had castrated myself. Aside from a few burns though, I made it out unscathed.
If you could be any game character in the world, who would you be and why?
That’s, yet again, a difficult question to answer. I think I could narrow it down to a few though. I would want to be either, Alucard, Link, or The Nameless One. These characters are from some of the most beloved games of all time. To start off, I would want to be Alucard because he was a pimp. He got all of the traits of his Father, Dracula, except for the humanity he inherited from his Mother. Who wouldn’t want to be that dude, seriously? Link is given, I think. Link is the what the the mold of hero was created from. They literally laid him down and created a mold from him to use in all future games. That’s a true story, I was there. And, lastly, The Nameless One. For those that aren’t familiar with him, he came from a game called Planescape: Torment which released on the PC in 1999. Through the game we start to realize that The Nameless One is a tortured, tormented soul who has lived a thousand different lifetimes and has played host to a dozen different personalities, only to be slain and rise again. What’s even worse is that every time Nameless is reborn, a random soul in the dies to fuel his resurrection, eventually returning as a shade to exact its revenge. Have you ever heard of a cooler game character? I challenge you to find me one and post it on https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreGamingAssociation. Yes, that was a shameless plug. I don’t even feel guilty about it either.What’s your favorite game at the moment?
Well, I have been playing Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning lately and it is really good. I am honestly trying to get through it though so I can start on The Witcher 2 which I have had since it’s release, but haven’t gotten to yet. So, as of now KOA, but I am hoping The Witcher 2 takes that title away in a few days when I boot it up for the first time. (See how old I am. I said, “Boot it up.” No one says that nowadays.)What’s your favorite game of all time?
I don’t know that I could answer this with any amount of confidence. There are so many games that I cherish, I think it would be impossible to name one. So, I will instead name a few of my favorites. Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy 6, 7, and 8, The Elder Scrolls series, Jade Empire, KotOR, Resident Evil 2, Silent Hill 2, BioShock, Castlevania: SotN, Command and Conquer, THIEF, The Secret of Monkey Island, Legend of Zelda: OoT, Planescape: Torment, Half Life, Mass Effect, Heavy Rain, Phantasy Star, Brave Fencer Musashi, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Halo, Gears of War, Battlefield, etc. Do you think that is enough? I know I will look at this list later and think, “What was I thinking? How could I forget ____?What do you think gaming will be like in the future?
I honestly don’t know. I don’t think that the consoles will be going away anytime soon. I do think that motion controlled gaming such as the Kinect, Wii, and PS Move will continue to increase in popularity though. Especially as more and more community activists realize the impact that gaming has on children and the usefulness to get them up and off the couch for a bit. Personally, I would love to see more in the way of virtual reality. I know that some psychiatrists are using virtual reality programs to diagnose and treat patients and they are also being used as a form of pain therapy. But, I also realize that they are very expensive and it is a ways off before technology like that becomes more accessible. I would like to see another boom in the Arcade craze. I used to love going down to the arcade in the mall and hanging out with all my friends, but that scene is disappearing rapidly.Any advice for new gamers out there:
My advice would be, don’t take negative comments to heart. If gaming is something that you enjoy and it is something that you are passionate about do not give up on it. I am 22 years old, married, and I have a daughter AND I am still gaming like no other. Do not let the negative stereotypes get you down. I am overweight, I am a nerd, I am socially inept, and, until meeting my wife, I was a virgin. So what! Be who you are and show everyone the value that gaming can bring to your life. Be a pioneer. Bring the storm that is the Gaming world to your neighbors doorstep, light it on fire, ring the doorbell, and hide in the bushes while they stomp it out. Or, something like that…
A massive thanks to Justin for taking part in the Nizulo Gaming Corner. As you can see this guy’s a character! Not only is he a hardcore gamer but he’s deep, fun, and above all, genuine. I gotta say, I really enjoyed reading his responses and I’m sure you did too, so why not leave your comments down below and tell us if you related to anything! We’d love to hear from you.
If you, yourself would like to be showcased on NGC, all you need do is hit us up on twitter @Nizulo
