11/03/00

In The Line, Jake's PS2 Experience

    Well my good friends out there in the gaming world, its after October 26 and Sony's over hyped machine is in the homes of few Americans. With the odds against many of us, the PS2 was possible the hardest system to find in history! Those of you who got yours, congratulations, those who didn't YAGO! This article isn't about you gamers who didn't get one, no it's for you to help you understand what happened to those who got a PS2 and what they had to do. Well I was one of the many who indeed got one but of course got in the line. It took forever and the experience was terrible. I'll take you through step by step and show you what it was in the dreaded line.

    Here I am pacing back and forth in my room. I had just gotten word from Funco Land that I had a PS2 waiting for me. Here it is, about time to leave and head out and stand in line, but wait! I had mine reserved and did not need to wait in line. So I sit back and relax and catch up on some sleep. A few hours later I awake and look at the clock. I see the time.....11:30pm! I get up put on my coat and run out. Now it's time to get what's mine and let the games begin.

     As I pull up to the store I notice several colorful dots from the distance. I get closer and they begin to move. I get even closer and they have on baseball caps and are moving back and forth in clusters. I get closer and closer..and CLOSER! There it is, the dreaded line of  PS2 doom! Several people, more then I expected. I thought my PS2 was guaranteed! I walk up and stand towards the back. I look towards the front and notice a rather large and loud man hand out number cards to people. I swallow hard and wipe the sweet off my forehead. I look at my watch and only 10 minutes to go till it's Oct 26! I breath deeply and lay back towards a near by trash can. The cement was cold and a little wet. People were spiting on it and some were dropping a great amount of drool as they could see the large mound of PS2 boxes inside the distant store.

    After a rather long wait the man handing out the numbers which I named Jim Bob begins to hand me a number. He stands there and asks me what I want, I tell him KIessen and Midnight Club Racing. He nods then says "anything else?" I stand there with a million thoughts racing through my mind wondering what else! What else can I get! This is my only chance! If I don't speak now I'll never get anything else! Good thing I new what to say... "Ya, I also need a vertical stand and a memory card." There it was, my complete order, all set and ready to go. Then Jim Bob looks at me and says "Sorry were out of PS2 memory cards." What! no memory cards! What am I going to use? I sit there with hesitation realizing what's the point of playing a game when you can't save the game! Well my friends, I had to go on without one. The man nods again and begins to serve the rest of the long line behind me. There it is almost time to open and I'm a few numbers over what I wish I was.

    It's Oct 26! The store is open and the first 4 people enter the store with great big smiles on their faces. I stare at my watch and smile thinking to myself any second now I will be at home with a black controller and commanding a 16th century Japanese army. Twenty minutes pass..... I though people were supposed to be coming out of the store! What? They are still in line! It's almost 12:30am and I'm in the middle of the line! I sit down on the cold, sticky, and wet like ground and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait so more till a miracle happened. Something so big that it made several people drop their jaws and look forward..... A man has left the building! A large applause comes out from the crowd as Jim Bob presents the first owner of a PS2 tonight from Funco Land. big deal, where's mine? So I sit down and continue to wait staring out towards the parking lot wondering, how's my N64 doing? Another hour has passed and, wow, six people have been served. I look in the distances and I can see, and I mean can see the inside of the store, you know, the part that shows the corner sign and a small TV.

    A few minutes pass and a few crowds next to me begin talking about Sony and acting like they know the gaming biz. This was interesting. Finally something to do, what's better then proving so biased ass fanboys wrong? Remember I learned from the Master, Master Fat that is. So I stand up and ease drop a little hearing their conversation. Interesting, I never knew SegaNet had so many games on it, you know games that aren't supposed to be out for a year. Yep even one of the guys played Phantasy Star Online, right in his own home, now that was impressive. My only question was, where's your time machine at? I continue to look towards the line seeing it get smaller and smaller while listing to the lies get bigger and bigger. Is it true? No way really? Now here's a good one, Sega was going to buy out Nintendo? Oh I couldn't stand it anymore! I stand up and face the large group and begin to express my opinions. After a careful explanation about the lies, the confusion, and the over hyped machine the PS2. I look at the line.... Only two people away!!!! I stand up there prepared for my reward, I stand tall as another person leaves the store. I look into the store, I can see it. The blue box, the gray lettering "PS2," and most of all heat!

    Here I am, in the store. I begin looking through all the games noticing the long line  to the counter. So I take my time and just scan through the titles. I rub my icy hands together to get so warmth back in them and trying to regain the feeling in my middle finger. I'm next, up to the counter. Here it is, a box with my number on it. it's blue, it's big, and it's in a bag! I stand there going through my savings and pull out a few hundred dollars and patiently wait for the computer to re boot and come back to working order.  After a few more minutes of extra waiting my price is up on the screen. My hands begin to tingle has I now have no feeling in them. it's not the cold, it's the icy breath of poorness! I shake while handing over a large stack of dollar bills and quarters. After so counting and some serious questions, I am handed the bag. It's over, the receipts in the bag, my heart rate is pacing a little slower now, and most of all, A PS2!!! I stand out and breath in the Smokey air and listen to the constant Diddy Kong jokes while taking in the moment. I then step off the sidewalk and walk towards the car, towards home for an unexpected gaming experience.

    This experience has taught me two things. One, never stand in line a half an hour before a system launches and only 500,000 units are out through the nation. Two, make sure you get a loan before buying anything from Sony. Those are two things I will never forget. When I finally got my PS2 it was close between 2am and 2:30am. Was the PS2 worth it? not really. The PS2 though was fun to get, it was truly a personal experience and a life threatening one at that. Till then Gamers, remember to always stand in line a few hours before a systems launches.

                                         
-Jake

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