Trading Card Spotlight "Rewind" - Jesse Porter
This week we look back at an interview I did with Jesse Porter on February 24th, 2017. Jesse is a supurb console video game player and has over 300 world records with Twin Galaxies. Jesse’s trading card was presented in March in Banning, CA where Walter personally presented Jesse with the card and an award.
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Jesse Porter, who is displayed on card number 2644, from the Superstars of 2017. Jesse is a huge classic console fan. Jesse holds over 300 Twin Galaxies world records, which one of them, Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi for the Sega Genesis Collection on the PS2 is Jesse’s biggest accomplishment. Jesse’s collection of video games is over 1,300 and growing. Jesse’s Walter Day Trading card will be presented in March in Banning, CA where Walter will personally present Jesse with the card and an award.
Which company makes the best games and why?
I don’t see any company as making the “best” games. For every game, there is a person somewhere in the world that likes that game. I have learned that certain games can be loved personally no matter how many other people hate it. Every company has their place and every game has its place. But if I had to pick a favorite company, I would have to say Blue Sky and LJN. I like LJN because they have extremely hard games to beat and they are usually based on cool movies. Themes in a game and what the game is based on is a dominating factor in my group of friends. I like Blue Sky for their vibrant colors, incredible graphics, and amazing sound tracks.
If you could describe Walter Day in one word, what would that word be and why?
Us. Because He feels to me like he’s one of us. Basically, there is closeness. Relatable. And that’s something I can feel comfortable about.
Do you remember your first video game / arcade you played and what do you remember about it?
The first game I remember playing was Super Mario bros. for the NES. My aunt has a picture of me playing it when I was 2 years old!
What are your opinions about today’s generation of video games? How do you compare them to older, classic games?
Games today feel a lot easier to beat and a lot less interactive in my opinion. New games just feel slower. With older games, there are a lot less buttons on the controller so the game designers were forced to be a lot more creative. I feel that’s why they are harder, I feel like more input and awareness is needed when playing them.
Did you ever think when you were younger you would be on a video game trading card?
No. But I remember wishing to have every video game in the world for my 5th or 6th birthday.
Have you ever received any media coverage for your appearance on the trading card? If so, where?
Only Walter Day sending me a tweet asking if I wanted to be on one lol.
When did you first meet Walter day and where was it at?
I first saw Walter Day in Banning California at the Twin Galaxies Entertainment Festival but I did not walk up to him because I wanted Walter to know who I was before I met him. If I saw him now, I would be thrilled to talk to him!
What is your favorite portable gaming device and why?
The N-Gage. I just remember when it came out. It was one of the first smart phones and one of the big promotional titles for it was Tomb Raider. I like retro devices and this has become an obscure phone that can play cartridge based games. I just think it’s really cool to show off and be like “look I can play cartridge based games on my phone after I hang up” lol.
Do you prefer PC or Console gaming and why?
Console. I like a controller in my hand and I despise games that cannot be beaten. for instance, MMO’s. MMO’s cannot be beat in my opinion so I have no interest in them. Beating games for me is what keeps me going. It’s what keeps me motivated. Otherwise, I feel like I’m wasting time and that’s something I do not like feeling.
What games today do you play and what are your favorite genres of games?
I don’t really have a favorite genre and I play all kinds of games. I am always playing something different. Once I beat a game, I rarely go back to it. I try to beat as many games as possible, which means I go through games quite often so there is always a new game I have never played before that “comes across my desk”.
How does video game music influence games past and present?
I don’t think music influences a game. You are going to have to explain your question differently so I can understand what you mean. However, I can tell you what I don’t like about music in newer games and that’s that they use a lot of orchestrated music. I would rather hear music that’s electronic or at least synthetic. Just a personal preference.
Are video games aimed mainly at children, adolescents or adults?
Depends on who is aiming them. Do you mean the media? I don’t think anything needs to be aimed to any specific prejudice specifically. If you limit your audience, you limit your sales. But what do I know, I’m not a business man. Although why would I limit myself on one category of clothes for example? Just because someone says “that’s the male section” and “that’s the female section”? If I limit myself, I have less to work with and less options. That’s constricting on the mind. Again why would I do that. That analogy can be applied to the question you’re asking. Why would children, adults, or adolescents NOT play video games just because they may not be “aimed” for them?
Do you believe some Video Games are too violent and lead to violence in America today?
Although I really like the Tomb Raider series, I personally do not like killing animals in the game. I always hated that I had to do this. Do I still play the game? Yes, but not because I want to kill animals.
Do you prefer playing video games alone, against friends or online against the world and why?
I only play video games if I have nothing else to do and there is a game that needs to be beat. I prefer to watch someone else play video games than doing it myself.
Do you learn anything from playing video games?
I have learned that I can be the best at something if I want to be. If it wasn’t for video games, I would never have found the great friends I have today, I wouldn’t be in such great relationships with my friends, I would have never found TG and I would not have found the one person that was once on TG that has helped me grow as a person. The one person who has helped me learn who I really am and how to treat others. She’s helped me learn that I need to work on myself. She helped me learn about bonding and about a lot of life lessons that have helped me progress forward. What I’m trying to say is, everything happens for a reason. And my path in life is what it is because of my actions and my original actions was to be great at video games. But that can be said with anything. Life flows no matter what you decide to do. Almost like a chain reaction.
Are video games good for relieving stress?
I usually smoke cigarettes If I’m stressed out. I usually can’t focus on a game If I am playing while stressed. I can’t play games if I drink alcohol either. Which I don’t drink anyway.
Do you like it when Hollywood makes a movie from the video game?
I’m not that much of a movie person. I don’t have Satellite, Cable or even Netflix. I don’t have the patience for movies and I always hate having to sit and watch them because I feel like I’m wasting my time. Not saying movies are bad, just not that interested in watching them.
Who is your favorite video game character and what makes that character special?
Lara Croft. She was a real revolution in pop culture. She had such an impact and was important in showing people that woman can be strong and have nice features. The way I see her is the same way I see Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold had the “perfect” male form and men wanted to look like him physically even though for most of us, that was impossible. Looking like the OG Lara physically was almost impossible also but the point is that we have to work hard to achieve what we want. If you want to look like eye candy for others, you have to work hard for it. In today’s society, all of that has changed and Lara changed with it. She now supports being happy with your body, no matter how “out of shape” you may think it is. I’m old school though, so of course I firmly believe in changing your appearance instead of accepting it.
What springs to mind when you hear the term ‘video games’?
I’m so used to hearing that word that I probably don’t even notice hearing it or saying it
Of these five elements video games, which is the most important to you and why? Gameplay, Atmosphere, Music, Story, Art style
Gameplay is the least I concern myself with because I will play anything and the “worse” the gameplay might seem just makes the game harder, which is good in my opinion. I also see dominance in theme over gameplay when it comes to games that me and my friends enjoy playing. If you have played and beaten as many games as we have, gameplay becomes less important and theme becomes everything.
Atmosphere and art style go hand in hand for me. I have a closeness to Atmosphere and music in a game. If I am playing a game with good atmosphere, I usually have good life memories every time I think about the game or hear music that I heard while playing it. As far as story goes, I find it hard to pay attention to storylines. It is nice if I know the story but it’s not super important to me.
If you could own one arcade game or pinball game, what would it be and why?
Shinobi. I want to go for the world record on it.
Growing up were you team Sega or Nintendo and why?
Neither. I owned both and enjoyed both.
Do you find boss battles to be the best part of a video game?
Nah. A lot of games don’t even have bosses. The best part of a video game to me is the character I play as in the game. If the character I’m playing is someone I really like, I will almost immediately have to play it and beat it. And it allows me to enjoy the game a lot more.
What is your favorite singe player game and favorite multiplayer game?
I honestly don’t have a favorite game but if I had to pick one for the sake of it, I would pick Tomb Raider. Any game can be a multiplayer game if you want it to be. my favorite multiplayer game would be any game that I need someone’s help in order to beat it.
If you can design your own game, what would it be about and who would be the main character?
It would be about a person who at first strived for something so hard just to find out that it wasn’t meant to be. then decided to work hard on himself/herself instead until what he/she actually needed materialized into thin air. Moral of the story. Do not work hard for someone else. Work hard for you and the one needed will come. I had to learn this the hard way.
Are you still involved with gaming today, and what role do you play?
Yes. I try to teach people. There have been many breakthroughs in how people should look at games and achievements but I still have many philosophies that still need to be understood and accepted. Hopefully one day. I am also the team leader of a group we call “The Circle” which consists of around 16 members. We are all friends that live in the same area and almost all of us have video game world records. It is my job to keep them supplied with games and to motivate them to keep striving to achieve goals. I keep a heavy bond between all of us.
Where do you see video gaming in the next 20 years?
If I had the choice of where it went, I would like to see games convert back to 2D again but with real graphics. For example, Take a 2D game like Donkey Kong Country. But use the same type of capture that the old Mortal Kombat’s used. So like, you would have REAL bananas spinning on the screen and have like REAL monkey’s and shit. But I know that’s not where it’s going. It seems it is all going to VR which to me isn’t a video game anymore, it’s just VR.