[Taking part in the NEXON PEAK Post Challenge]

https://blog.naver.com/kkwaedwae/224346996049

Is there a game that's always stayed with you?

For me, it's definitely MapleStory.

​

I first started playing with my family when I was 7 and still in kindergarten. Now, nearly 20 years later, I'm still playing MapleStory.

These days, though, I mostly play versions of MapleStory like Mapleland that capture that old feeling.

Looking back, I think what keeps me coming back to MapleStory isn't the flashy skills or items, but the memories of playing together.

A party quest screenshot from 11 years ago

Growing up, I spent most of my time in MapleStory doing party quests.

​

I started with the Kerning City party quest, then moved on to Ludibrium and Orbis as I leveled up. Reaching each new party quest was part of the fun.

​

I still remember our party leader clicking the entry button over and over so we wouldn't lose our spot in the Kerning PQ, while the rest of us cheered them on with “You can do it!”

In the Ludi PQ, we'd walk newcomers through each step and clear it together. And in the Orbis party quest, I remember us laughing when a party member went down after Papa Pixie dispelled their buffs.

​

I still remember so clearly how easy it was to chat with people I'd just met while we played.

We'd divide up the roles, laugh off each other's mistakes, and celebrate together after a hard-earned clear. Those moments have stayed with me.

​

Thinking about it now, what made party play in MapleStory so much fun was that sense of being in it together.

Even content I might have moved on from quickly on my own gave us a chance to talk as we helped each other and shared the work. And when we cleared it, the sense of accomplishment felt so much greater.

That's why I think MapleStory has stayed with me as more than a game about leveling up. It's a game where I made memories with other people.

A screenshot from a guild Ursus run 9 years ago

Over my many years playing MapleStory, I've defeated plenty of bosses, including Seren and the Black Mage, and taken part in all sorts of events.

But even now, what comes to mind first isn't gear or levels. It's the people I played with.

​

The time spent chatting with friends while hunting,

the moments spent gathering with guildmates for screenshots,

and the celebrations when we defeated a boss and got a good drop.

As those memories added up, MapleStory became more than just a game to me. It became a place that held those memories.

​

What amazes me most is that I'm still in touch with the guildmates I played with back then.

More than 10 years have passed, but we still check in on each other and sometimes play games together.

As a child, I never imagined that friendships that began in a game could last this long.

Looking back now, I think it's these people who made MapleStory more than just a game to me. It's the memories and friendships that have stayed with me.

A screenshot from a Black Mage clear with real-life friends 3 years ago

These days, I've been finding that old feeling again in Mapleland and 메이플플래닛.

Of course, things aren't quite the same as they were back then. But hunting in a party or taking on bosses with guildmates brings back memories of playing MapleStory for the first time as a child.

​

If you're starting MapleStory for the first time or coming back to it now, I hope you'll give party play a try at least once.

I'd really encourage you to try party hunting and bosses in Mapleland, or guild activities and the different boss encounters in the main MapleStory game.

The time you spend laughing and playing together may stay with you far longer than any good piece of gear.

I'd love to know if there's a game whose party play has stayed with you over the years.

​

Thank you for looking back on these memories with me.