One of my fondest childhood memories involves my parents cozy on the sofa, diving into the whimsical world of Super Mario Bros on the Nintendo Entertainment System. In the early '90s, the sight of two chubby plumbers growing gigantic from munching on magic mushrooms was both hilarious and captivating. Their laughter filled the room as pixelated adventures played out, creating a magic moment that tethered me to them and this vibrant gaming universe.

However, life dealt me a heavy blow when I lost my father suddenly at the age of four, a heart attack taking a vibrant man too soon. That fateful day during a bike ride shattered my family and left a poignant ache that never faded. Yet, the vivid memory of him joyfully wielding that NES controller became a comforting beacon amidst my grief, humanizing him beyond the tragic figure he became.

Our modest household lacked the space to keep the NES, and it gradually vanished—lost to time and dust. So imagine my surprise when my mother handed me the long-lost console during a recent spring cleaning! "Can you fix it?" she asked, launching me into a nostalgic mission.

The console was a relic, missing leads, games, and controllers, covered in grime, and severely water-damaged. After a thorough cleaning and hooking it up with a device that converts its signal to HD, I turned it on, and against all odds, it sprang to life. It turns out these 1980s machines are built to last, nearly indestructible.

Revisiting these classic games has been nothing short of therapeutic for my mental health. I dove into the pixelated realms, reliving moments of joy and triumph. Mastering the jump in Super Mario Bros 3, dodging peril like my father might have, made me feel as if we were connected across time.

Then there was Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!—a throwback that became an obsession. Even with its clunky graphics, the thrill of taking down giants by exploiting their weaknesses reminded me that victory is often a dance of skill and strategy.

Double Dragon captivated me next, with its co-op philosophy and the exhilarating chaos of fighting enemies surrounded by obstacles. The tension was palpable, and navigating the mausoleum of foes felt like stepping into an action film.

The old-school gameplay, void of save points, coaxed me into learning and improving. Each "Game Over" screen became a motivational challenge, much like I imagined my dad felt after putting me to sleep and sneaking in a gaming session of his own.

Now, as my two-year-old son experiences the joy of gaming, firing Flower Power-ups and battling Dracula Duck, it feels like I’m not only preserving my father’s legacy but also sharing it with the next generation.

Retro gaming is experiencing a renaissance across the UK and US. Many are turning back to these nostalgic consoles, reconnecting with the joy of analog gaming while escaping the relentless pace of modern life. For some, it’s a chance to bridge the gap with loved ones lost, finding comfort in the memories that these machines evoke.

So, don’t let that dusty old console become a home for spiders in your attic. Dust it off, revive those cherished memories. When the iconic Super Mario Bros theme hits my ears, I'm transported back to that sofa, my parents beside me, a smile on my face and a sense of hope in my heart.