[Gabbin' with Gamers] Philip (a.k.a. thatphil)

Joining The Switch Effect in today’s Gabbin’ with Gamers is Philip. Philip is a Nintendo fan and retro video game enthusiast from Ireland and we had jumped at the chance to learn more about him. So without further ado, here we go!

Philip, thank you for giving us this interview. I came upon your Instagram page and I see that you’re a big collector. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi and thank you for having me! I’m 35 years old, husband to an amazing wife, and dad to two furry babies living in Kildare, Ireland with a passion for gaming and retro gaming in particular.

Can you tell us about how you got into gaming and collecting?
Growing up I would have been exposed to video games a lot while playing with friends on my street or visiting with cousins who had an NES. I was always intrigued and when I got my first console I was completely hooked! I’ve been playing video games now for nearly 25 years so without even realizing it you start to amass quite a collection. In the last two years or so though I’ve been more actively collecting retro items and I’ve been having a blast hunting them out at car boot sales and charity shops.

What was the first console and game that you owned?
When I was 11 or so I got a Super Nintendo for Christmas. It came with Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario World. So with 5 Mario games to play I was in heaven!

Look at that Mario collection!

Do you have any fond childhood memories based around gaming?
The whole family sitting around the Super Nintendo and playing Mario together was special. We’d all take turns trying to complete a level and cheer when we did or scream and laugh if we died. It was so much fun and the kind experience you just don’t get if watching a movie or TV I think.

Were any of your family members enthusiastic about gaming?
Not to the same extent I am. My mother is very good at the 2D Mario games and a dab hand at Mario Kart Double Dash! My little sis loves her 3DS and Animal Crossing in particular.

Let’s jump forward a bit. Here’s one to get you thinking. If you weren’t collecting games, what would be your hobby?
My other passion is health and fitness, but I’ve not been getting to the gym as much as I’d like recently so maybe if I wasn’t playing so many games I could concentrate on my fitness more!

As you’re aware, technology continues to advance the gaming industry. Have you been a fan of these changes?
On a whole, yes, I’ve been a fan. The advancements in graphical fidelity have been amazing. The first game I played on my Xbox One was Rise of the Tomb Raider and I was blown away with how incredible Lara looked with her individually animated strands of hair. With the recent launch of the Xbox One X and high end PCs it’s just going to keep getting better. However I do have some concerns with the proliferation of loot box systems which I consider to be gambling in all but name and the move away from single player experiences. Thankfully, Nintendo seems to be steering clear of these so we will have to see how it pans out.

Where do you think technology will bring us in the future?
That’s a tough one! I guess the boring answer would be virtual reality and 4K becoming more mainstream, but I honestly haven’t a clue. Look at the Switch as that totally came out of left field!

We at The Switch Effect are obviously big fans of Nintendo’s new console. What are your impressions of the Switch?
The lineup of games so far has been really impressive, probably the most impressive launch lineup of any system I can remember. The hybrid form factor is also a fascinating concept with great potential. Unfortunately I don’t own one yet, but I’m hoping that if I’m really good Santa Claus might just bring one to me.

Which new games are you looking forward to the most?
Even though all we’ve seen so far is a logo, I’m hyped for Metroid Prime 4. The Prime games on the GameCube and Wii were amazing. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 looks fantastic and also Sea of Thieves by Rare looks very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LTXXdiivtg&feature=youtu.be

We came across your Instagram account and loved seeing your collections. What interested you in starting a social media account?
I created an Instagram account years ago, but it lay dormant till this summer when I logged back in and loved seeing everybody’s video game collections and finds and decided to share my own. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and met some really cool people so it’s been really great.

What is the best way for our readers/followers to keep up with you?
You can follow me on Instagram @thatphil and on the budding YouTube channel Irish Guy Videos where my friend John and I play some retro games together and John rants about movies and TV.

Last question now that I’ve run you through the gauntlet. Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you so much for inviting me to be interviewed. It’s been a lot of fun and you really got me thinking!

Use the links below to follow Philip: