STACK #183 Jan 2020

I’ve been around video games since I could walk!

best sellers at

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STACK ROVING REPORTER

If I’m not on PC I’m mostly on my Xbox – I play everything!” Like many we chat

in. Everyone’s opinion is definitely different on things, too. I really like talking to people

Date ending: 29/12/19

with, Cecilia benefited

1 CALL OF DUTY MW (PS4/XB1/ PC) 2 STAR WARS JEDI FALLEN ORDer (PS4/XB1/ PC) 3 FIFA 20 (PS4/XB1/ PC/switch) 4 NBA 2K20 (PS4/XB1/ PC/switch) 5 POKEMON SWORD (SWITCH) 6 POKEMON SHIELD (SWITCH) 7 NEED FOR SPEED HEAT (PS4/XB1/ PC/switch) 8 LUIGI’S MANSION 3 (SWITCH) 9 JUST DANCE 2020 (PS4/XB1/switch) 10 THE LEGEND OF ZELDA (SWITCH)

from having older kids around when it came to a grounding in games. “I’ve been around video games since I could walk! I have a lot of older siblings, so I’ve always been into the early stuff from the Nintendo 64 – we still have the same one that we had when I was born, and I have every single platform since. So, play everything, have everything, love it!” Cecilia tells us that she’s currently working her way through several games. “I’m playing a lot of Minecraft right now, other than that though I’m working through a couple of story-based games – I’m trying to finish Death Stranding at the moment, and I’m absolutely obsessed with the new Star Wars Jedi game, too – I’ve just finished that one.” So, what’s atop her wish list? “ Dying Light 2 definitely, and other than that The Last of Us Part II – everyone’s dying for that!” to the Super Mario series, so far generating more than US$300 million. Once again on January 27, but this time in 1966, a man named Ken Sugimori was born in Tokyo. In his teens he illustrated a gaming fanzine, before moving into game design. More specifically, Sugimori was a co- designer of, and drew and finalised all 151, of the original Pokémon characters... Meanwhile, a games system that didn’t need much in the way of art design due to its graphical limitations, the ‘Brown Box’ was taken on for production in January 1971 by a company named Magnavox. This sound-free, monochrome machine went on to become the world’s first ever

not only about video games, but physical hardware as well. It’s fun talking about their computer builds, and being able to relate to them is pretty much my favourite thing.” As for any format allegiance, Cecilia’s mainly a PC person. “I’ve always been on the computer myself, PC-based gaming. I have my own computer that I built with my own hands.

SHOP TALK

M uch like us, many games coordinators who we speak with have tended to rove between stores during their careers at JB. Cecilia Sadgrove’s story is different, however, as she’s had the role at the JB Hi-Fi Home store in Dubbo, NSW, since it opened. Like in many stores, the PS4 is king in Dubbo, but it’s got some stiff competition. “Our most popular platform is PlayStation 4, followed closely by the Switch. I’ve definitely seen a massive increase of popularity behind the Switch this Christmas – it’s selling many more units at the moment. But any other day of the week it’s generally PS4.” Rather than seeing it as just a job, Cecilia finds much to love in her role – especially when dealing with games customers. “Everyone’s got their own story, what they’re interested

Cecilia Sadgrove with some of her favourite things at JB Hi-Fi Home, Dubbo NSW

JANUARY

A little slice of gaming history…

1955: The first Guinness Book of World Records was published, McDonalds became a chain, and Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. Elsewhere in California, on January 27, a child named Eugene Peyton Jarvis was born. He didn’t have much effect on the world for a while, but

Smash TV … Speaking of smash, January 21 saw the launch of what would become a wildly popular Nintendo IP for decades to come in Super Smash Bros. It followed the successful formula of Super Mario Kart in bringing together characters from the Nintendo stable, this time having 12 of them going the biff on

home video games console upon launching to market in 1972 as the Magnavox Odyssey.

Games Released In january Xevious (1983) Mega Man 4 (1992) Diablo (1997) The Getaway (2003) Bayonetta (2010) Soulcalibur V (2012) DmC: Devil May Cry (2013) Monster Hunter: World (2018)

come 1981 video game fans were thankful for his existence, as they pumped many a coin into his multi-button arcade

each other. Evolutions of the game have appeared on each Nintendo home console since, and it’s now the company’s sixth biggest money-spinning franchise… Another Nintendo franchise that can make a dizzying dollar claim is Pokémon – in fact it comes second only

smash Defender . As well as creating this milestone in gaming, Jarvis also gave us Robotron 2084 , Stargate , NARC and

3.5 million copies of Dragon Ball FighterZ sold

2 years to develop the 1997 Medal of Honor

40 years since the arcade classic Asteroids was released

25 the age Shigeru Miyamoto was when he joined Nintendo

122 known Pokémon games in existence

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