Every once in a while when a sad story full of losses and dismay to Atari, there's always someone who says "Hell, I still have my 2600 in my closet." When there's a big Nintendo sucess story I see someone say "Nice job Nintendo.  Been with you since the NES and still going strong"
No matter what changes, which commericial head comes and goes, we as gamers who have not stopped at adolecense and kept playing will always keep a piece of that childhood gaming with us.  And when we look back and look foreward, things are never the same.
This remeniscense began today when I was flipping through my iTunes library and I launched up my LOZ: Ocarina of Time soundtrack.  Once it got to "Zora's Doman," I began thinking.  When I was a kid, I loved this game more than anything.  Played it multiple times through, just having to get *every* last piece of heart or Gold Skultulla.  As I listened to the cheerful melody of this watery cave, I thought "How can it be that I've played this game as a child and yet even today if I have the slightest urge to play I fire up my N64 in an instant?"
Same thing for another memorable Nintendo franchise.  I was 7 when it happened, and it changed my life forever.  Pokemon was released.  Yeah, I know; the PERFECT wallet-I mean age to milk for all its worth.  I even distinctly remember one moment with my parents at a store: "Mom, you have to buy me the holographic Dragonite card or I won't be popular!"
This isn't just the guys in their late 20s who grew up playing NES and Master System, or my generation who had to catch 'em all.  15 years later those f**king little kids from Halo will experiance the same remorse.  So there will be the newest, young, hot protagonist from Final Fantasy XXVI, the ever-memorable Mario, and some other so-and-so, but those same grown-up people will look back and say "These games are great...but I miss the Cheif.  Where's Fenix when you need him?  Whatever happened to Nathan Drake or Commander Shepard?"
Even now playing through Asassin's Creed I imagine him taking the head of a target and holding it above his head the way Link would whenever you discovered the Hookshot or Fairy's Bow.  I'm watching Drake smashing mercenaries against solid walls, jumping on thier backs to snap their necks, among other badass actions...but he's no Duke Nukem (a little early for my time, but you get the picture).
So I ask this question: We were gamers before with the games we loved.  Who are we now?  Why does it seem nothing was as good as it was when we were little (Star Wars [old timer's here], Pokemon, Mario, Sonic, whoever you grew up with), and why is it that no matter how much we replace them with the Master Cheifs, Marcus Fenixs, and the Ratchets & Clanks of today?  I want people to respond with their opinions, so I know I'm not alone in my thinking.