Trading Card Spotlight - Ryan Hart
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Ryan Hart, who is displayed on card number 214, from the Superstars of 2012. Ryan is from London and has been playing games since he was 10 years. His genre of choice is fighting games. He succeeded tremendously in series like Street Fighter, Tekken, Virtua Fighter and King Of Fighters. Ryan has won close to 500 titles on fighting games around the world. Along with 4 Guinness Book World Records, Ryan hold multiple fighting tournament records all around the World.
What games today do you play and what are your favorite genres of games?
As you’d probably guess I play a few fighting games such as Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Mortal Kombat, King of Fighters. I also play a bit of Counter Strike too since I work a lot with the game, I’m really enjoying it as well.
Do you remember your first video game / arcade you played and what do you remember about it?
Yes, I do, it was called Golden Axe, a Sega game. A side scrolling action game. I was only about 10 at the time but the memory is still clear in my head. I knew that I had to beat as many enemies as possible without losing, I don’t think I got very far on my first go but I got the hang of it pretty quickly.
What are your opinions about today’s generation of video games? How do you compare them to older, classic games?
I mean games look beautiful now, console conversions have come so far with game graphics even being compared with real life imagery sometimes. It’s so impressive! When I was younger, I was forced to go to the arcade center if I wanted to play games since there weren’t relatable home conversions then and home PC’s hadn’t even been invented, there was no such thing as the internet, etc.
Did you ever think when you were younger you would be on a Video game Trading card?
Ha-ha, no never! It’s a great feeling.
Have you ever received any media coverage for your appearance on the Trading Card? If so, where?
I actually haven’t, I just think not many people know about it, at least around me anyway.
Are you still involved with gaming today, and what role do you play?
Depends who you ask? Bitter Villain? Happy Champion? Community Supporter? Pro Gamer? Presenter? Streamer? Coach? You could literally put any of those labels by my name and it would resonate with someone out there. Truth is I enjoy a lot of different things, mainly expressing myself and giving back to the gaming community that gave me a home back when I didn’t have one.
Do you prefer PC or Console gaming and why?
I mean both are amazing, but I prefer console since it’s what I’m more used to and have grown up with.
If you could own one arcade game or pinball game, what would it be and why?
That would be Terminator 2 Pinball just for the awesome sound bites and I’d have Beatmania on arcade since it was the first of its kind and set the standards for games we see today like Guitar Hero, Drum Mania, Guitar Freaks and Rock Band. In Japan there are even more amazing music-based games now but I’m an original kind of guy.
Which console company is your favorite and why? Nintendo, Sony, Sega, or Microsoft?
Wow, I don’t really have a favorite, they are all great and have made amazing things happen for the gaming world.
What does it take to be a Video Game Journalist?
I think a lot goes into this and it’s not an easy job at all even though people probably think its fun to get early access to cool games. Just like with everything though, you got to take the rough with the smooth. You need to have great knowledge of the scene, the community, local and international events, trade shows. You should have a foot in the door of publisher/developer movements, plans and about 500 million friends on LinkedIn. Ha-ha I jest, but you absolutely have an advantage the better connected you are (not LinkedIn). You aren’t getting that important milestone code hands on unless you know who you’re talking to and more importantly, they know you.
How does video game music influence games past and present?
It honestly breathes life into games and completes the gaming experience. Without the stimulation of the auditory senses through the amazing musical scores we’ve come to take for granted it wouldn’t be half as exhilarating. Music style changed over time but quite honestly, I could listen to the 8-bit jingles of the mega man 2 OST anytime.
Are video games aimed mainly at children, adolescents or adults?
There are a good mixture of games nowadays, they may have started out more child then family oriented but now they are very much also targeted at adults, which is why we have age ratings in place. Every age group has its gaming pigeon hole.
What is your favorite portable gaming device and why?
Hmm…Nintendo DS.
Do you believe some Video Games are too violent and lead to violence in America today?
This is a tough one, and no matter how I answer, someone will disagree. haha Crime existed way before digital gaming did. It is true that gaming could plant ideas for certain things in a person. Me personally though, I don’t believe that games are ultimately responsible for violence we see in today’s movements. I believe parents are tasked with the job of teaching their children right from wrong and done correctly won’t be overturned by some violence witnessed through pixels on a digital display.
I can’t speak for everyone because we are all completely different skittles in a bag, but I feel like it shouldn’t be hard to discern that crime is wrong and choose not to do it whether you’re given an idea or not. The thing with these topics is they aren’t black and white, depending on your social status, where you live, the type of personality you have, your surrounding company, your needs and wants, how oppressed you are by society, etc. I mean if you mix these the right way, I’m sure it results in crime somewhere, gaming doesn’t make you do anything though and using it as a scapegoat is just shirking responsibility.
Do you prefer playing video games alone, against friends or online against the world and why?
Well depends on the game, I like a mixture but, in the end, I’ll always end up sharing with people, even if it’s just to show them my high score on a single player game, it always comes down to being with others and sharing. Especially in this day and age where sharing has become so easy, I literally have a button on my controller that says SHARE, can’t get more accessible than that. ha-ha
Do you learn anything from playing video games?
Gaming teaches you a lot about who you are as a person and how you deal with certain situations. Most if not all of these things can be applied to real life as well which is where it gets really interesting.
Are video games good for relieving stress?
Oh 100%. Better pick the right game though ha-ha
When did you first meet Walter day and where was it at?
I’ve never met him, we’ve spoken a few times online, but I don’t think we’ve actually met in person.
If you could describe Walter Day in one word, what would that word be and why?
He seems like a genuine person
Where do you see Video gaming in the next 20 years?
I don’t really try to look that far into the crystal ball, I accept what comes and enjoy each movement that comes along in my own way…or not. I think that now with all the VR activity happening, gaming will transform into more physical movements where possible, to try to increase the realistic phenomenon a person can experience through software. A largely great effort to strengthen the bond between man and machine. Scared? No, but I probably should be haha