Moments are important.  They’re the parts of a game, which you cherish, which you fixate on and which you tell your friends about – over and over again.

Denki tries to fit as many moments as it can into its games.  The exciting, utterly unexpected, unbelievable or even shocking points, which you know the player will remember.

Our favourite moments from games is a conversation which comes up fairly frequently at Denki.  On Friday evenings most commonly and we thought we’d share a few with you over the coming weeks.

First up – me (since I’m, you know, writing this…) The first example is not necessarily a design issue, but is the single most memorable gaming moment ever.  Even now, I still get a smug little grin when I think about it.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

I’ve played this game for longer than any other.  For years in fact.  I first came across it on the PC back in 1988 or so, when I had a real job and computer games were something other people made.  I had to fit in 20 minutes or so once or twice a week, when the office PC was free (yes, PC singular – and I am talking mono screen and single floppy drive here).

I love everything about this game.  There are so many moments that stand out for me.  Footnote 11, the small dog and the sandwich and stealing the damn spaceship.  That caused me more sleepless nights than my children.  Douglas Adams was reading my mind and making a game that I – a loyal fan – adored like no other game since.

However, my favourite part of the whole game – and one which confused, puzzled and perplexed me for weeks – and I mean weeks and weeks and weeks – was the babel fish.

You have a babel fish vending machine (of course).  You have assorted inventory items – most of which are rubbish.  You have limited time before Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz starts talking to you and you really need this fish in your ear.

What follows is a caper in every sense of the word. The process is simple.  The sequence is logical.  It should, in principle, be fairly easy.  However, with time against you, a gown-full of tat and a growing sense of dread, it actually becomes a mad, screaming rush to try and get the fish before you collapse weeping in a heap and/or die in the freezing vacuum of space.

Every step of the process is now burned into my brain.  To the extent that I could reel it off now – in order – if only I was not giving away any spoilers.  It’s the perfect example of what an adventure game can be.  It’s straightforward while being ridiculously complex, it’s entirely obvious in hindsight and teeth-grindingly frustrating after each and every step.

It’s also ridiculous, silly and fun.  It’s where the game kicks in and puts you right in the heart of the Hitchhiker’s universe – without destroying the original story (ok, stories).  It was also the first game I ever played right through to completion in a little under 2 years.

Well, I did say it was hard…

- Brian (@flackboy)