"You don't understand."
If you follow my blog, firstly I want to say thank you. Secondly, you've probably noticed that I've been writing less and less (and less). That is partly because I have returned to working full time, but just as big a reason was the release of Street Fighter 6 on June 2, 2023. I have spent nearly as much time playing Street Fighter as I have working, and I get the withdrawal shakes if I go too long without getting my fix. (I'm only slightly joking.)
I've addressed fighting games several times in previous posts, but its time to divulge my all consuming obsession with them. I played lots of fighting games in my childhood (Tekkens 2 and 3 were particular favorites of mine, I even once claimed to have the world record for longest combo in a fighting game [I once hit 10k hits on a combo loop in practice with Jun, but I doubt thats a record, just something I liked to brag about as a preteen]) but it wasn't until college that like turned to love. In 2009, while working at a local video store, Hastings (RIP), I met a fellow gamer named Hola Bird. (as always in my blogs, i refrain from naming names to protect those who claim to be innocent) Hola Bird told me of his obsession with Street Fighter 4, and suggested that we play some time.
I told Hola Bird of my success at fighting games in my youth, and assured him that I was no scrub when it comes to fight games. He replied simply, "No, you don't understand."
When he came to play fight games that very night, the exhibition of just how much I did not understand began.
That night, Hola Bird showed me my very first fight stick. For those of you not in the know, a fight stick is like the control portion of an old arcade cabinet cut off and boxed up to fit in your lap. (since this introduction to these fabulous oversized controllers i have bought 5 or 6) He trounced me time after time as I fumbled on my dual shock controller to perform a simple Hadoken.
By the end of the night I admitted, "You're right, I didn't understand."
That one night of gaming turned into a 5-nights-a-week routine. As time went on we slowly added members to our little fight crew, until there were nearly a dozen players at our weekly game night. Each time a new player showed up, they'd receive the same warning, "You don't understand."
There really is a difference between playing Street Fighter and playing Street Fighter. If you don't have a friend to show you the way, you just won't understand.
I had my Hola Bird, and I'm perfectly happy to do the same for anyone. Just remember, you don't understand what you are getting yourself into.
