Stuart Thompson

Elite on the BBC Micro was the first real video game I ever played. I was very young at the time, yet I still remember sitting on my father's lap gazing in wonder at the stars whizzing past our ship. I watched as we targeted an enemy vessel and then "blip blip blip" as the pulse laser began to rattle against their hull. It didn't take long before my own commander made his way out into the dark searching for adventure. I have incredibly fond memories of the game, from the noise and graphics of heading into hyperspace, to the compulsion of "just one more jump" into an anarchy system to see just what is out there. By today's standards Elite does not compare graphically, in audio, scope, or polish. Yet this special game will always hold a very dear place in my heart as the one that began my journey into a wonderful virtual world. Elite gave me a sense of wonder, a sense that games could be about more than high score tables or twitch reactions. Elite invited me to explore a galaxy, to create my own narrative, and to dream of what might be out there in the depths of space. It is an unforgettable part of my childhood and an iconic part of gaming history.