Almost all of my time in elementary school was spent in front of a computer...

...and when the internet was choppy and toilsome to connect to (which was about 80% of the time), I would instead spend that time playing computer games (CD-ROMs, specifically.

CD-ROM is short for compact disc read-only memory. Aside from game files, these discs also held software, computer data, and audio. They were popularized as a form of media storage in the 1990s and early 2000s. I mean, forget about making mixtapes. At that time, it was all about burning a CD. This page, however, is dedicated to the inumerable computer games I fell in love with that would be stored on these discs.

A reward for good grades, sometimes a present for a birthday or holiday... all I know is I have my parents and older siblings to thank for the development of my collection.

Whether it was a trip to Fry's or K.B. Toys, as soon as I walked in, I made a beeline straight for the computer software section. I wasn't interested in toys anymore. "Those are for little kids" I thought to myself (still a very little kid). I would contemplate quietly on which box I should choose to take home (why DID they come in such big boxes, anyway?). "I need this because it's the third in the series... but I just saw the commercial for this one and the mini games looked sooo cool! Oh but THIS one is in 3-D..." I had so much to consider.

The CDs displayed here are some of the few I played quite literally to destruction. I'm talking completely scratched up and unable to read. But they were loved! So, so loved.

• Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside (1996), Humongous Entertainment
• Tamagotchi (1997), Bandai Digital Entertainment
• The 3D Adventures of Sailor Moon (1997), 3VR
• Backyard Baseball (1997), Humongous Entertainment
• Rockett's New School (1997), Purple Moon
• RollerCoaster Tycoon (1999), Hasbro Interactive
• Diva Starz (2000), Mattel Interactive
• Nancy Drew: Message In A Haunted Mansion (2000), HeR Interactive
• The Sims (2000), Maxis & Electronic Arts

CD-ROMs were also available to borrow at my local library. I remember playing sooo many from there, but, naturally, I've completely forgotten their titles. My search continues through media archives for those lost few discs I connected with so personally.