For this entry in our everlasting GU Fantasy Draft articles, I went ahead and asked the staff a rather fascinating question: what’s the oldest game we all still enjoy to this day? I’m sure every gamer out there has some game from an older generation that they still enjoy playing to this day. What defines an old game? Well, that’s all up to you as a person. It could be something from the PS1 days or it could be a game going all the way back to Atari. Let us relay to you all our picks for this draft entry. Let us know in the comments what your picks would be as well. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’d sure like to know (nostalgia days much?).

Chris Penha- Staff Writer
Pick: Tetris (NES/Game Boy)

“At first I thought that Chrono Trigger would easily take this spot, but I realized that the oldest game I’ve played, still play and continue to enjoy is Tetris. Tetris is timeless, a game anyone can pick up and play at any point in their lives. Tetris is a mental game that requires quick thinking, foresight, and reactions. It’s mildly addictive and has a theme song that is probably seared into your brain for eternity. With places like Tetris Friends around the game will last forever and it deserves to. -Russian Salute”

Jeremy Pool- Staff Writer
Pick: Super Mario Bros. (NES)

“I had to think about this one for a while, but since the question is in regards to what we still enjoy, and not what we may still play often, I unabashedly choose Super Mario Bros. This gem was the first game I ever remember playing. EVER! And, when I recently re-purchased it through my Wii’s Virtual Console, I found myself smiling and humming the catchy polyphonic tunes once again. It was like my four year-old self re-emerged for a short, blissful moment, and it was worth every penny of the admission price.”

Joshua Hugo- Staff Writer
Pick: Dig Dug (Arcade/Atari 2600)

“I don’t know what I can really say about this game other than it’s just really fun. You really have to appreciate games that can take a simple concept like sticking an air pump in dragon’s mouths to pop them and still be addicting. This game is probably my favorite out of the old Namco arcade titles (mainly because I’m better at this one than titles like Galaga and Pac-Man). While I don’t officially own a port, I do have slight access to Dig Dug through a Namco collection someone I know owns. You’ll see me playing this only whenever I get my hands on it. Dig Dug is just a really simple, yet really fun game to play. I’ll just leave it at that.

Ryan Taylor – News Editor
Pick: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis) 

“If I had to choose an old game that still gave me as much fun as it did when I first played it, I would have to go with Sonic 2. People might not know this, but I am kind of a Sonic fanboy. I have been playing the Sonic franchise since it was first introduced on the Sega Genesis, and I have gotten a chance to try out almost every Sonic game (outside of the few which were blatantly horrible). Sonic 2 was the second Sonic game released, and it is the poster child for how Sonic the Hedgehog games should be made. Gameplay was simple, the graphics and music were great (I actually loved the music and have since downloaded the soundtrack for the game. Mmmmmm that Cave level), and it was fun, which is something that Sonic games have since strayed from. Though I still have not ever beaten Sonic 2, I love throwing the Sonic Genesis Collection into my PS3 on occasion and giving it a go. It brings back some great memories of the good times in gaming.”

Jake Thomas- OC Editor/Forum Manager
Pick: Pokemon Puzzle League (N64)

“My pick for old game that I could pick up and play right now and still have a blast is Pokemon Puzzle League. Unfortunately, a game that many people give me an odd look for mentioning, Puzzle League is a sorely underappreciated N64 puzzle game, with influences from the Pokemon anime. In fact, it is based on a classic Tetris variant called Tetris Attack. Instead of falling from the sky, players are tasked with making chains and combos from blocks coming up from the ground. Making combos drops blocks on your opponent’s screen that he or she must then deal with. The game is over when one player hits the top.

The game, while underrated, is actually extremely fun, full of content, and was well received by critics. Ryan and I have had some of the most intense confrontations in this game, which we have both considerably mastered. Matches taking as long as 10 minutes, with combos going so high that the game can’t even count them anymore, Pokemon Puzzle League is an important part of both of our childhoods.

What about you, readers? What would your choice be?