“Dire, Dire Docks” from Super Mario 64 is one of the best songs from a video game. It’s a great melody that really sets an acoustical atmosphere of underwater peacefulness and serenity. But the Giant moray eels with sharp teeth that want to put you in their mouths sometimes ruin the peace. They scared the crap outta me, and that visceral feeling of fear along with the joys of success are part of why I love this game and this song. Back then, when playing the game, I would be totally immersed in the digital, “analog controlled” environment. Also, fortunately for my parents, I was quiet and kept out of trouble. All that mattered to me in the universe was getting past a gigantic moray eel. And I had a BLAST doing it. I learned life lessons as well! Like practicing something till I got it right, and not giving up. And if I’m ever under water and out of breath, I should absorb or eat a gold coin to get oxygen. (Mental note, carry buckets of gold coins the next time I go swimming) See, video games can do you well!
During that summer of ‘96 my long time gamer friend Wayne, who gained local gamer fame by always having all the new systems first, got the Japanese N64 with Mario 64 included! I would wake up, and I would run and sometimes briskly walk from my house in Arleta, CA to my friend’s house in Sun Valley, just to experience the strong combination of Miyamoto-sensei ’s gameplay/fun, a winning score by Koji Kondo, awesome art and seemingly seamless code. It was without a doubt worth the run and the smoggy air, and the stray dogs. That Fall, I got my own US N64 and Mario 64 a week early for $300 bucks out of the back of a car in a motel parking lot. It seemed pretty shady, probably cause it was, but it made quite an impression on me, and added to the thrill of getting something before you were supposed to get it, and being “the Wayne” for once! I took it home and I began to fall deeper into the game and deeper in love with it.
This was the path I ran and briskly walked, like a little brown streak on many “summer of ‘96″ mornings.
Oh yeah. Here’s an awesome piano rendition of Dire, Dire Docks I found on youtube. It made me want to pick up piano. But not like “Me angry. Me want to pick up piano.”
