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Those born between 1983-1993

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I really do think that I was born in exactly the right time for me - 1978. This meant that, when I was about 5 years old I was introduced to the first flourishing of British computer games such as Manic Miner and, later, Monty on the run and Dizzy, early games from Ultimate -Play the game (who later became Rare), Attic Attac and Jetpac and various classic Japanese arcade games like The New Zealand Story. And then I was playing the great Commodore Amiga (e.g. Monkey Island, Lemmings, Cannon Fodder) and Megadrive (which I preferred to the SNES overall but I loved Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World) when I was about 12.

For me, something died in videogames in 1995, particularly for British gaming. The platform game genre, that had been so integral to my videogame upbringing (and which constituted about 30% of games at one time) slowly declined in popularity. It was still in good health, in terms of 3D platformers, especially on the N64 , thanks largely to Rare, but by the time of the Xbox launch in 2001/2002 (after Conker's Bad Fur Day and after the decline of the Dreamcast), it was in decline. Almost overnight, FPS games became undeniably dominant.
This is the games scene that most people here may be familar with but I am in no doubt that the games scene today is far less full of good humour.

Born in Thatcher's era, there was a new entrepreunarial optimism in the country and the bedroom videogame coders seemed to define this spirit, even though most politicians at the time would hate videogames. I also enjoyed 80s music (which I particularly remember from 1985 - Kate Bush's Hounds of love lodging itself in my memory at a tender age) , early 90s stuff which tended to be American country rock like R.E.M. and the Spin Doctors and then I went to university at an ideal time in 1996 when Britpop was in full swing.

The music scene now in particular seems a pale shadow of what it once was (Radiohead excepted). The odd videogame still amazes like Bioshock and Uncharted though and I am looking forward to Bioshock : Infinite. But the days of surreal greatness like Jet Set Willy feel like part of a more eccentric past.

Another time that would have been great for me is being young in 1965 when The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Byrds were flourishing.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 61

jwright91

I reckon there's potentially a hell of a lot that our generation might witness..

AI, quantum computing, a digital revolution or two....

.....some interesting space missions...

Reply 62

LazyWorseThanInfidel

we are also the age that is most effected by the recession because we are trying to find our first decent job

1990 ftw!

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Jeffy91

The 90s was awesome.

I totally agree- i loved the 90's!!

Reply 65

max_123

I was born in 1993 - yeah the 70s sound idyllic, but anything different always sounds better. I've seen, experienced and learnt so much thanks to recent developments in technology and socioeconomic policy that I have nothing but gratitude for being born when I was. Yes we've had the War on Terror, but our predecessors had the Cold War and the Eastern European problems - there will always be negatives. We can't change when we were born, and jealousy towards other times/ resentment towards our own won't solve current issues - we should focus on making future generations grow up in a better society rather than complain about our own.

Reply 66

SpamBa

1991

I remember the days before internet... now I think about it I have no idea how I passed the time!

Reply 67

JubWeMet

Add rampant sex to that list

Reply 68

Glen_Nichols

Nickolodean :biggrin:

Reply 69

infernalcradle

born on 1st jan 1993...remember getting our first computer...a trashed up windows 95....obviously I thought it was amazing...remember when we first got the internet...the wonders of email etc...

Reply 70

SpamBa

princessnavi22

I'm a 1986 baby and I look back and think I had it much better than some of the kids now. Some of the children in my class I teach cannot function without technology, 5 year olds obsessed with playing on an xbox and not understanding how to play properly with a train track?

I agree. I used to teach gymnastics to kids aged 5-12 and the only 'play' they ever seemed to do involved consoles. When I did a summer camp they would all pull out their Nintendo DS in the break and go on that. Considering it was a gymnastics centre full of exciting equipment (that I would have loved playing on as a child) I found it kind of sad that all they were interested in was these consoles when it came to having the choice. There was also none of the 'daredevil' spirit I remember having myself - they've had so much drummed into them about risk and safety that it can be very hard to get them to do anything dangerous (ie most gymnastics) without loads of coaxing. I used to climb on everything as a child and I certainly wasn't scared of getting hurt.

Also I remember reading a letter in The Times recently, from a guy who must have been retired judging by his name. He was saying how he couldn't believe it when he passed a group of primary school boys walking through a load of conker trees, and totally oblivious to the "treasure at their feet!". I remember collecting conkers with school as a child, I guess it's something to do with nut allergies that they can't do that now :rolleyes:

Reply 71

Indieboohoo

You forgot the millennium :ahee:

Reply 72

princessnavi22

SpamBa

Yep!! And the 'helicopters' from maple trees, that you hold up and let go and they fall to the ground.. I spent many a lunch time playing with them!!

In my last school in Year 3 (the end of year 3 so they were all 9) about 3 of the children in the class could do a forward roll!! I completely agree about taking risks, they're all too scared! It's very sad :frown:

Reply 73

QuantumOverlord

princessnavi22

I have a severe nut alergy but always collected conkers. Im not alergic to conkers!

Reply 74

rainbowbex

AshDonson

I think you've done very well with your cut-off points because I know a few people born in 1994 and they had very different lives growing up than what I did being born in '92.

I consider myself fortunate because I had the pleasure of an 'old-fashioned' upbringing with family meals and respect for others but at the same time I got to experience the '90s and the '00s and all the breakthroughs that happened during that time.

So true, my brother was born in '95 and has a different upbringing, he had computers/games console, internet from a much younger age etc.

Things I never had at his age because they just weren't available

Reply 75

CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK

Spinnerette

I was born 1989 and very much remember most things of the 90s and how early 90s between 91-94 were very much like the 80s. I look back on it now and remember the music and movies fondly. It seemed so much more fun back then the music, and kids music. Everything's much more serious these days in regards to childrens music. I also remember the Spice Girls and they made my childhood and after the Spice Girls went I think it marked the end of it. I think one thing I remember the clothes and hairstyles from the early 90s more than anything, I do think it was a decade that fashion forgot :P.

I still have those old computers where there is really nothing on it except 1 pixel games and MS Paint. And all the old Sega games are in my attic.

Great post. I was also a 1989 baby and agree with all your points (apart from the Spice Girls, I wasn't so hot on them at the time). Not just music, but kids TV was so much better back then. I remember being so excited on Saturday mornings to watch SMTV with Ant, Dec and Cat Deeley and their shows like pokemon! Remember Kenan and Kel, Are you afraid of the dark, goosebumps to name but a few. And Funhouse!! There are no shows like Funhouse anymore.