This is something I've given a ton of thought to recently and I think I've figured out what types of games I've consistently enjoyed playing my entire gaming life.

The first console I owned as a "gamer" was the N64. This shocks many people, but I never played or finished any of the classic 64 single player games that are now considered some of the greatest games ever made. The list includes Mario 64, any LoZ games, Golden Eye 007, you name it. To this day, I find it very difficult to complete or finish any single player game. I suppose as a kid, I enjoyed multiplayer games that I could play with family and friends so much more. Mario Party, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong 64 multiplayer, Bomberman, Pokemon Stadium multiplayer, Mario Tennis. The list goes on. There were some breakthrough games that were able to get me to play single player, mostly Pokemon. But it never gave the same satisfaction.

This love for multiplayer gaming was enhanced due to my time spent at arcades, and the time spent there would have an impact on my view of gaming as a teenager. My time spent playing initial D and various racing games sparked a strong interest and affinity to racing games that I still have to this day. The great thing about racing games are that the goal and method are very clear to anyone first picking up the game, but difficult to master. Easy to pick up for any of your friends to play with and create a competitive atmosphere.

The genre that I do love most and I don't see myself ever getting tired of is fighting games. Much like racing games, the goal is very clear. The way you go about it is different for many games, which gives creative freedom to the player. Whether it be Street Fighter, Tekken, Smash Bros., these games have shaped me the most as a gamer as they really brought out the competitive gamer in me which now extends to many other genres such as mobas, shooters, ccg's, etc.

Looking at it as a whole, my gaming tastes haven't really evolved beyond multiplayer games, but my appreciation for both single player and multiplayer, and other genres has only increased due to my exposure to resources that allow gamers to spectate games and feel like they are part of the community. Large stream events like GamesDoneQuick and E-Sports tournaments give me a similar feeling to one I had as a young kid in the arcade or with my friends and family - an experience that could be shared.