I think there are two main reasons that I fell in love with Nintendo: first is that it was so influential during my childhood years. I got my first NES several years after my friends had gotten theirs, and I remember having to wait. I remember the day I got it (May 4, 1988). I remember sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night to play it when I was supposed to be in bed. The smell in my parents’ basement still brings back memories of Mario’s first adventures across my TV screen. The nostalgia is virtually palpable.

The other reason is that, early on in their video game manufacturing endeavor, Nintendo made a commitment to making games that are fun. The characters are clever and endearing, their adventures are epic yet simple… the games are just fun! I’m sure I’ve played the majority of my favorite games on Nintendo systems.

I’ve spent the past two evenings downloading Nintendo oriented ringtones to my cell phone. I gave my nephew a large plush 1-up mushroom for Christmas. I have more t-shirts dedicated to Nintendo than Star Wars (and I’ve got a lot of Star Wars t-shirts). And when the time comes, my kid will probably have a birthday party a lot like that one; that’s the coolest birthday party I’ve ever seen.

The thing is, this party was probably as much for the parents as it was for the kid. I’m sure Ethan was ecstatic, but I guarantee you that his folks had a least as much fun putting this together for him as he had playing with it. Think about it: they’re getting to share something with their son that meant so much to them when they were his age. It’s like passing the torch and getting to keep it at the same time. Awesome.

I could go on and on (believe me, I could), but instead I’ll just say this: I can completely relate to these folks. I guess that’s what makes us a community of kindred spirits.