During those "formative" years (maybe 9-12) when everybody in town had Nintendo, my parents (mainly my father) wouldn't allow it. I was pretty pissed at the time. Eventually, around 14 or 15, they let me buy a Game Boy but were somewhat strict about how often I could use it.
However, because I never really became "addicted" to video games as a kid, eventually the interest waned. I would play linear games (like the first few Mario Bros) at friends' houses, but it was never much fun because they were so much better than I was. After a few years, I stopped using the Game Boy as well.
I'm really happy, looking back, that my father limited my usage of it. My brother had it a little easier - he has a PS2 now but he doesn't use it to excess at all. I have a SuperNES in the house but I almost never hook it up. While I do think it'd be fun to have an outlet like that, I don't understand how my friends sit up and play all through the night. Just not my thing. And it obviously saves me a lot of money in games.
The Internet, on the other hand....
