The semester is over, winter break is here and the holidays are near. So what better time to just sit down and relax and try and play some games over break?

Today’s video games are cool and different, but they’re lacking in some potential. Don’t get me wrong, there are some modern games that are good, but not like the classics. When I hear “classic,” it reminds me of how great the games were back in those golden days of video games.

Here’s three classics from that era of gaming greatness that stand above today’s competitors and are totally worth a replay this winter break.

Sonic the Hedgehog

The first game that I enjoy playing is the fastest thing alive, “Sonic the Hedgehog.” This Sega series wasn’t introduced to me until the 4^th grade. On my computer, I saw this cool blue hedgehog that runs very fast, and that is basically what his games are about. is the “Sonic” games are all about speed and collecting those golden rings and even the seven chaos emeralds from the evil Dr. Eggman (or Dr. Robotnik).

“Sonic” made my list because of how the games grab that “need-for-speed” feeling when you hold that Sega Genesis controller and see just how fast you can go, and that is exactly how I feel when I play these classic games.

The “Sonic the Hedgehog” series was so good in the 1990s and in the early 2000s, but all that came to an end when they made “Sonic Boom” and “Sonic Forces” — to me, that is where the “Sonic” series hit rock bottom. They just don’t play how you would expect when you pop in a classic “Sonic” game.

Street Fighter

This next game is a big one for me because it made love fighting games.

“Street Fighter” is a fighting series, and its popularity really took off in 1991 when Capcom made “Street Fighter II.” These two fighting games would allow the players to create their own combos, but that is not all. “Street Fighter” is known for having unique tournaments to see who’s the best of the best.

“Street Fighter” was a smash hit in the 90s, and these old games are still played competitively to this day. There are newer versions, but they are just not the same as their old counterparts. The new versions of “Street Fighter” still do cool and creative combos, but they’re missing that spark on what has made “Street Fighter” so good to play for so many years.

Dragon Ball Z Fighting Games

My final pick for my favorite games to play is any sort of “Dragon Ball Z” fighting games. Now these are like “Street Fighter,” but there is a huge difference between them — and that is fighting while fighting.

But of course, the core of the ” Dragon Ball Z” games, as expected, is fighting. There are a lot of games in this series, but the ones that I suggest you check out are Budokai series of DBZ, with the best one of those  “Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3.” Why, you may ask. Well, this game has a  fluid and unique style of play,. and it also made the ultimates way easier to pull off than in the Budokai 1 and 2 games.

The final thing that makes “Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3” so cool to play over and over again is the 3-D arena-style of gameplay, that the Budokai Tenkaichi games introduced.

The classic “Dragon Ball Z” games were great. Newer games are out there, and their only one problem is lag, which is especially a major issue when it comes to playing online matches like in “Dragon Ball Fighterz” and “Dragon Ball Legends.”

With all of these series, the newer versions of the games just can’t compare to the originals.

Over the Christmas break, I encourage you to play a classic game that you haven’t played in a while and see for yourself why the classics are way better than what you would normally play nowadays.