While it’s said by some that women gamers are only of the “casual” type, one could be hard-pressed to say that of Elizabeth “Ebo” Hanning. The Seattle resident owns more than 625 games across 15 game consoles and has been playing since the heyday of the Nintendo Entertainment System.
“I was six years old in 1987 when Nintendo installed one of their kiosks in a local mall. I’d never seen video games before and they fascinated me,” Hanning recalled. “I begged for months before my mom finally caved and let me walk over to the kiosk. The lines were tremendous, but an older kid thought it was cute that a little girl wanted to try and he let me play my first two games ever: CastleVania and Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! Not a bad way to start.”
From the first day at that World of Nintendo kiosk, Hanning says she was hooked.
“Video games were so different from anything I’d encountered to that point and they still are,” she said. “I play video games for all of the reasons that bibliophiles read books; escapism, adventure, immersion into another world. Video games can provide a tactical challenge or a way to put your mind on hold.”
Having discovered the Nintendo Entertainment System and its hit library, Hanning was eager to own one of her own, dealing with teases and challenges along the way.
“In 1988, my grandma and grandpa sent me a box for Christmas that looked to match the dimensions of an NES Action Set, and I actually measured it to be sure,” she said. “Christmas morning came and I saved that gift for last. I open it and it's a comforter. My grandparents bought a seven-year-old a blanket for Christmas. I ended up buying my NES a few years later, and paid for it entirely in dimes. I'm sure the clerk hated me.”
While her collection spans across a great deal of video gaming history, Elizabeth has professed a love for some little-known titles and a desire to expand her collection to even greater heights.
“One of my favorite games I own is Little Samson for the NES. It’s a rare game and I snagged my copy for $3, but what impresses me is that it’s actually a good game!” she said. “So many of the rarities aren’t particularly good games. I’ve never really had a holy grail, but am looking to expand to some of the systems I don’t have.”
After 24 years in gaming, Hanning says she prefers some of the traditional aspects of the industry while predicting changes in others.
“I don’t know (what the future of gaming holds), but I pray it’s not more arm-waving and jumping up and down in front of a motion sensor, as creative as that is. Give me a controller, please,” she said. “I think handheld gaming in the traditional sense is potentially on its way out, which is sad. Mobile offers too much today and core gamers have consoles. I think that the hardcore and casual gaming worlds will continue to blend. While some folks may not like that, I’m a fan of gaming, period, and think any enthusiasm generated for the hobby is a good thing.”
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