Writing samples
Ultimate game boy
For a Tampa video game fan, his collection provides an endless source of entertainment.
From the Tampa Tribune, Aug. 5, 2001 (BayLife cover story)
By DIRK LAMMERS
TAMPA - For David Walegorski, settling down after a hard day's work by playing a video game is a no-brainer.
The tough call is deciding which game to play.
Walegorski, 34, has amassed an assortment of 18 video game systems and more than 1,300 cartridges in his quest to someday boast the largest collection in the world. He hopes to eventually make it into the Guinneess Book of Records.
"I don't get sick of games," says Walegorski, whose day job is fixing coin-operated video games. "It's a lot of fun - a big stress reliever. It helps because you can take out your frustration on video games without really getting violent or any of that."
The Tampa native started collecting about four years ago, but the hobby has grown more serious during the past two and has begun to take over the living room of his one-bedroom North Tampa apartment.
A pair of bookshelves to the right of a wall unit house the 1,311 neatly stacked cartridges, organized by the game console with which they work. The wall unit holds a television and the numerous game systems, which range from the more modern Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo 64 to old-timers such as Pong (1974), Mattel Intelivision (1979) and the Atari 2600 (1977).
They're rigged so Walegorski can play any game on any console at any time with a simple flip of a switch. "If you were to look behind my TV you'd see three miles worth of wire," he says.
An additional bookshelf to the right of the television holds various game pads, specialized joysticks and add-ons to the old systems, while a beanbag provides an up-front seat to the action.
So what's his favorite game? It's difficult to pinpoint one, but lately Walegorski has been leaning toward "Crazy Taxi," a more modern Sega Dreamcast game in which you pick up customers and drive like a maniac to get them to their destinations.
"I started playing this game, got obsessed with it and had to buy it," he says. "But in all-out reality, I'd rather be playing the Atari 2600, the old 'Pitfalls' and stuff like that."
The Atari 2600 system was the first cartridge-based system to gain widespread popularity, and its charm is its simplicity. One of his favorite titles from that system, "Kaboom," is a straightforward yet fast- paced game in which a pixilated prisoner tosses bombs while you try to catch them in buckets of water.
He says younger players don't appreciate the classics, which essentially set the stage for today's modern marvels. "This one is archaic, but in its time, this was the system to have," he says.
His love of the classics apparently runs in the family, as Walegorski's 86-year-old dad still plays his Atari 5200 (circa 1982). "He will sit there and play Pac-Man and beat me on it."
Walegorski builds on his game collection by combing yard sales, flea markets, pawnshops and online auction sites such as Yahoo! and eBay. He has started a small side business by buying cartridges in groups and selling off his doubles. His goal is to break even to help pay for adding to the collection.
Older cartridges typically sell for $2 to $5. But Walegorski has paid as much as $18 for one ("Gremlins" for the 2600), and he has seen some go for as much as $150.
"I haven't really wanted one that badly to pay that much," he says. "Once I get close to having them all, then yeah, I'll probably do that."
His sole coin-operated arcade game is a classic Centipede, which stands in his bedroom. The classic coin-ops are getting harder to find. Arcades are a thing of the past, and most of his work for Southeast Game Brokers is done in bowling or skating centers.
Walegorski hopes someday to open a classic video game store and arcade to help preserve the history.
Return to my writing samples menu
For a Tampa video game fan, his collection provides an endless source of entertainment.
From the Tampa Tribune, Aug. 5, 2001 (BayLife cover story)
By DIRK LAMMERS
TAMPA - For David Walegorski, settling down after a hard day's work by playing a video game is a no-brainer.
The tough call is deciding which game to play.
Walegorski, 34, has amassed an assortment of 18 video game systems and more than 1,300 cartridges in his quest to someday boast the largest collection in the world. He hopes to eventually make it into the Guinneess Book of Records.
"I don't get sick of games," says Walegorski, whose day job is fixing coin-operated video games. "It's a lot of fun - a big stress reliever. It helps because you can take out your frustration on video games without really getting violent or any of that."
The Tampa native started collecting about four years ago, but the hobby has grown more serious during the past two and has begun to take over the living room of his one-bedroom North Tampa apartment.
A pair of bookshelves to the right of a wall unit house the 1,311 neatly stacked cartridges, organized by the game console with which they work. The wall unit holds a television and the numerous game systems, which range from the more modern Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo 64 to old-timers such as Pong (1974), Mattel Intelivision (1979) and the Atari 2600 (1977).
They're rigged so Walegorski can play any game on any console at any time with a simple flip of a switch. "If you were to look behind my TV you'd see three miles worth of wire," he says.
An additional bookshelf to the right of the television holds various game pads, specialized joysticks and add-ons to the old systems, while a beanbag provides an up-front seat to the action.
So what's his favorite game? It's difficult to pinpoint one, but lately Walegorski has been leaning toward "Crazy Taxi," a more modern Sega Dreamcast game in which you pick up customers and drive like a maniac to get them to their destinations.
"I started playing this game, got obsessed with it and had to buy it," he says. "But in all-out reality, I'd rather be playing the Atari 2600, the old 'Pitfalls' and stuff like that."
The Atari 2600 system was the first cartridge-based system to gain widespread popularity, and its charm is its simplicity. One of his favorite titles from that system, "Kaboom," is a straightforward yet fast- paced game in which a pixilated prisoner tosses bombs while you try to catch them in buckets of water.
He says younger players don't appreciate the classics, which essentially set the stage for today's modern marvels. "This one is archaic, but in its time, this was the system to have," he says.
His love of the classics apparently runs in the family, as Walegorski's 86-year-old dad still plays his Atari 5200 (circa 1982). "He will sit there and play Pac-Man and beat me on it."
Walegorski builds on his game collection by combing yard sales, flea markets, pawnshops and online auction sites such as Yahoo! and eBay. He has started a small side business by buying cartridges in groups and selling off his doubles. His goal is to break even to help pay for adding to the collection.
Older cartridges typically sell for $2 to $5. But Walegorski has paid as much as $18 for one ("Gremlins" for the 2600), and he has seen some go for as much as $150.
"I haven't really wanted one that badly to pay that much," he says. "Once I get close to having them all, then yeah, I'll probably do that."
His sole coin-operated arcade game is a classic Centipede, which stands in his bedroom. The classic coin-ops are getting harder to find. Arcades are a thing of the past, and most of his work for Southeast Game Brokers is done in bowling or skating centers.
Walegorski hopes someday to open a classic video game store and arcade to help preserve the history.
Home |
Web design |
Online gallery |
Writing
Writing samples | About Us | Contact Us
© Copyright 2004 lammers.net
Writing samples | About Us | Contact Us
© Copyright 2004 lammers.net