A 30-year-old man named Antonio, an avid gamer, discovers a rare 8-bit Nintendo console at a garage sale. He purchases it and finds a mysterious, unlabeled cartridge that appears to be a version of Super Mario Bros. However, as he plays the game, it becomes clear that something is off - the graphics are distorted, the music is warped, and the gameplay is erratic. As Antonio continues to play, the game becomes increasingly bizarre and disturbing, featuring strange creatures and unexplained events. Eventually, the game overwhelms Antonio, causing him to have a physical and emotional breakdown. The story concludes with the Nintendo console and mysterious cartridge being sold again, potentially to another unsuspecting buyer, and Antonio's friends and family dealing with the aftermath of his traumatic experience.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Antonio was a 30-year-old man who was a gamer at heart.
2. He had a job and was doing well in life, but he had previously struggled with depression.
3. Antonio's greatest love in life was video games.
4. He grew up playing games and continued to do so as an adult.
5. Antonio bought an 8-bit Nintendo console at a garage sale from a Chinese seller.
6. The console came with a series of games, including one that didn't have a cover or a sticker.
7. Antonio chose to play the game without a cover first, which turned out to be the original Super Mario Bros. game.
8. However, the game was damaged, and the graphics and sound were distorted.
9. As Antonio continued to play, the game became increasingly erratic and eventually crashed.
10. Antonio was shocked and scared by the game's behavior and felt a sense of unease.
11. The game's cartridge was damaged, and Antonio's experience ended with a sense of fear and uncertainty.
12. After Antonio's death, his belongings, including the Nintendo console and games, were sold by his mother.
13. The Nintendo console and the damaged game cartridge were bought by another gaming enthusiast.
14. The new owner inserted the cartridge into the console and turned it on, but the game's behavior was still erratic.
15. The new owner was surprised to see the game's presentation screen display "Playa 4" instead of the expected text.