I'm not really sure what was my first ever video game but I have faint memories of playing Pokemon Yellow, Skate or Die :Bad n' Rad on the Gameboy and some old Moomin point and click game on the PC when I was a child.
hahaha, I know right!?
So, when I first got the PS1, my dad didn't realize you also needed the memory card. I had the console and the game. That's it. But I had initially rented Final Fantasy 7 from Hollywood Video (that makes me feel so super old...) so I knew what to expect while trying to get out of Midgar. Everything past that was new.
I decided against doing the side quests like Wutai and getting Vincent because the first time I tried those I died and was SUPER mad. I didn't rush off to the next area until I was confident in my ability to beat the enemies where I already was. On top of that, I sold off restore materia once it got to 3 stars so I could keep buying potions, phoenix downs, and tents, just in case I needed them. (I would always have at least 2 Restore materia with at least cure 3, so I wasn't relying solely on items). I stole like a maniac for ethers around Rocket Town until I literally had 99 of them. I avoided the Weapons (Ruby and Emerald Weapon specifically) like the plague. I also kept all the weapons I found or bought so I could switch. Like, once I was comfortable in an area and knew I could win, I would switch a high powered weapon for something with triple growth to get my materia stupidly powerful before moving on. Then I'd get to the next area, switch out for my high powered weapons with normal growth and go from there.
I had to beg my dad not to turn off the game because I was just barely past disc one and he did. I died a little on the inside that day.
I think it took me 3 times to beat Sephiroth. Like...not counting the ones where I got game overs in-between. I had to fight Sephiroth at the end 3 times to figure out how to beat him.
When I replay FF7 I totally feel like a badass because I'm like, "If I can do this without saving, I got this!" But now I can actually go and do all the side quests. 
The same thing happened to me except it was for the PS2. I was nowhere near as dedicated as you were to attempt beating a game without saving! It's been a long time, did FF7 have a continue screen if your entire party died or was it a too bad - GAME OVER screen?
Laughing and feeling sorry for you at the same time
Most important question of all: Did you ever get that memory card?
FF7 did not have a continue screen. It's just a big ol' GAME OVER screen which is completely demoralizing.
And yes, eventually, my dad got me a memory card because the electric bill went through the roof and he realized it was way cheaper. 
After that game I got to enjoy so many others without the same soul-crushing no-save attempts. Like FF8, FF9, and Chrono Cross.
How did you manage that?? I didn't have a memory card either when I first got that game and system and managed to do the whole first disc without saving, but as soon as it made me switch discs it would not load the 2nd disc if I didn't have a save file????? So it wouldn't let me play past the first disc.
I beat the first disc so many times while waiting to get a memory card (and some how hoping it would magically let me continue on the next disc THIS TIME)
Unfortunately, no. But I played the game so much my save file before I moved on (my dad bought a Ps2 and then mom bought AL: ToS for me and I proceeded to be sucked into that game, was a good 40 years in the game's internal calendar. Each dragon had a maximum life span of a month, roughly, before dying of old age. So I probably raised a good 4k dragons between those that died in battles and those that made it to old age? I was so obsessed with that game... 
Hm, I was never forced to save. It asked if I wanted to save, so I would just hit no, put the next disc in and keep going.
4K dragons?! That number is so incredible, I don't even know what to say... Did you get to name all of them? 
I can relate to this though I did get to play Pokemon Blue on the N64 using a transfer pak (Pokemon Stadium) after everyone already got Gameboy Advances. 
My first portable console was a blue 3DS + Pokemon Y.
My dad is big into video games so I was super little technically my first one was probably GTA on Playstation where I apparently "borrowed cars" but my personal first game was Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 on Gameboy advance
Lol, yeeep. I played that game (it was my only ps1 game I had) for like 5 years before my dad got the ps2.
The chibified characters are too adorable! I haven't beaten it yet since I keep swapping between games. Recently got addicted to playing Overcooked with my twin. 
Hmmm... not sure. I waited a long time before buying a PS4 since I heard it wouldn't be backwards compatible... maybe it was in Japan?
