I stand in front of the TV, eyes fixed on the small rectangle where the game unfolds. The green mushrooms, red fireballs, blue Koopa shells—everything looks sharp and clear. I press down on the jump button on my 8-bit controller with just enough force to make Mario’s feet snap back as he soars into the air. Each time, his head bobs up and down like a rubber ball. I try pressing harder, but it only makes the sound louder. The jumping becomes a little faster now, almost too quick for my eyes to follow, but still—there’s that satisfying pop every time. I tilt my head closer to the screen, trying to catch more of his movements. Sometimes when he touches something, there’s this faint tingling noise, like static electricity. Mario keeps running and jumping, avoiding those pesky Goombas as they hop towards him with their tiny arms stretched out. The screen flickers slightly under my gaze, but I keep pressing on, determined to see what happens next.