What video game do you come back to the most?

With the Tennessee Titans on a bye this week, it’s only natural to talk about....outside topics! So to pass the time, let’s get to know each other a little more and discuss video games.

Hey, video games can be about football sometimes! But I’m getting ahead of myself, so here’s my question to you: What video game do you find yourself coming back to the most? It doesn’t have to be your favorite video game or a game you consider the best ever, just a game you find yourself returning to the most.

For me, that game is Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis.

Now, like many millennials, I was introduced to the Sonic franchise via Sonic Mega Collection on the Nintendo Gamecube 15 years ago, and I’ve been hooked to the series ever since. And why wouldn’t I? The combination of breathtaking speed, graphics, tight controls and catchy music gave the series mass appeal. Since the 90s’ the Sonic franchise has taken lots of ups and downs, but the recently released Sonic Mania finally restored the honor of a treasured franchise.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is not my favorite game of all time or my favorite in the series (Sonic 3 & Knuckles can’t be beat), but it happens to be the game I return to the most. I’d include it in my top ten to be frank.

As a stand alone game, it hasn’t gotten better than Sonic 2. The predecessor was great, but there was a little too much focus on slow platforming, which got tedious at a few points. Sonic 2 addressed that flaw head on by increasing the size of the levels and putting more emphasis on dashing through courses. While it may sound like it’s making the game shallow, it actually makes it a lot more fun to explore all the alternate routes and find hidden items throughout.

From the tropical paradise of Emerald Hill, to the industrial wastelands of Chemical Plant and Oil Ocean, to the Vegas inspired Casino Night (my personal favorite), each level is fun to explore and occasionally I enjoy looking at the sights. And with an insanely fast frame rate, the game remains as gorgeous to look at in person.

While the ability of Tails would be better streamlined in Sonic 3, it’s still fascinating to use him in this game. The special stages—where you collect chaos emeralds—are challenging as hell, yet there’s so many opportunities throughout the game for you to try them out and get the good ending. I also love how getting a score of at least 10,000 points allows you to get a continue.

Bottom line, Sonic 2’s difficulty is just right, allowing you to make loads of progress quickly while having a lot of fun. The controls, graphics, music, and core gameplay are perfect. This is the game I’ve played a billion times and look forward to playing a billion times more. If you haven’t played this yet, there’s no excuse. It’s on iPhone, Android, and pretty much every modern console in existence. Play this brilliant game.

With that said, let’s hear your pick. What game do you return to the most?