Edemia World

About two weeks ago, I was having Nintendo flashbacks and ordered Frank to dig up the NES emulator from his flash drive. As always, the world’s only Edemia artist obliged and we spent an entire evening playing Bomber Man, Adventure Island, Battle Toads, Contra, more Contra, and some more Contra. But in the days that followed, we played mostly Battle City.

To the uninformed, Battle City is a game where you (and sometimes a second player) have to kill a wave of enemy tanks while defending your base. Each level has a different layout and you can shoot the occasional shiny tank for powerups.

I played a lot of Battle City with my dad as a kid. Back then, I just liked the sound of exploding tanks, especially when you hit two in succession. But twenty years and a wedding ring later, I’m finding that life and relationships are a lot like a two-player game of Battle City. Think about it:

>You’re not just responsible for yourself. You watch out for each other.

>Because if one dies, the other has to face the enemy alone. And they won’t last very long. (“Tank” allows you to steal your partner’s lives, but that’s why I prefer Battle City.)

>You find yourself a hideout, but you’re prepared to leave it, face the enemy, and get powerups. How else would you grow into a big tank and become a better partner?

>Construction mode can't last forever. Things can go your way for a while, but eventually you'll have to face it like everyone else.

>You share the blessings. Love is the reason you give up the star to your partner, even if you’re one upgrade away from being able to shoot concrete walls.

>All that really matters is the base—your relationship. Once the eagle’s dead, so are you, no matter how fancy your tank is or how many lives you have.

>So if you see any tanks threatening your base, you drop everything and set out to destroy it, no questions asked.

>The sound of exploding tanks really is awesome.

What’s your favorite Nintendo game? Are you this cheesy about it? :P