3. Virtua Tennis (Dreamcast, PSP, PS3, X360)

While people like to argue what the first video game is, a lot of them say Pong.  Pong sucks though.  It's really basic, and probably a good thing to try and program yourself if you were learning a programing language.  I will not recommend you ever play Pong because Virtua Tennis exists.

As is common with the previous two entries, Virtua Tennis has physics and is for the most part incredibly easy to learn.  I say for the most part because I want to say the newer versions have added more buttons.  In the Dreamcast version you have two buttons: hit and lob.  Hit hits the ball back to your opponent (here I am assuming you are at least familiar with the idea of tennis) and lob launches the ball in to the air.  The Dreamcast version has a good chance of having the ball go out of bounds if you lob.  I still recommend it because even using one button the game plays very fluidly.  "This must be what it feels like to play tennis well."

Having each player return the other's shot for more than 3 hits with the racket has the game become a meta-game where you somewhat want your opponent to keep the rhythm of hitting your shots. Asuka 120% Burning Fest (the probably first obscure game on this list (number to be determined)) has a similar feeling with it's parrying system.

For more video game elements, the game features a World Tour mode in which you need to rest, buy clothes, and participate in silly minigames to level up your tennis player.  This can be keeping 3 balls at once in play, knocking over bowling pins, or well, here are the new ones for Virtua Tennis 2009.

and the returning ones (Ones I would be familar with!)

Watching those videos makes me want to play it!  But not the wii version!  If I wanted to do the motions of playing tennis, shouldn't I just play tennis? 

CAN I PLAY THIS NOW?
You'll need to go to a store, but yes I'm sure you can find a copy for the PS3 or the X360.  I assume the newer versions have updated rosters and did not screw up with the wonderful physics.  I have Virtua Tennis 3 (PS3), and play a couple of rounds of it every month.

2. Ice Hockey (NES)

You've got skinny guy, normal guy, and fat guy.  You've got several different countries that only determine your team colors.  It's still more fun than just about every other sports game I've ever played.

It's hockey, a game you kind of know sometimes involves fights.  Which are wonderful stop and move affairs that involve you and hopefully your friend hitting buttons as fast as possible hoping you win and the other guy gets sent the penalty box, giving you a temporary advantage.

Your fat guy is good at fighting, but the skinny guy can dash around him with ease.  Normal guy is average at everything.  The fat guy has a hell of a shot though.  Like Super Mario Bros you know everything you need to know almost immediately, and there is still mastery to be had. 

The intermission music and zambonzis put a smile to a face like the Duck Hunt dog puts anger to anyone elses.

CAN I PLAY THIS RIGHT NOW?
Shit yeah!  Virtual Console!

1. Super Mario Bros (NES, SNES)

For now I'm going to number these, even if I have no intention of the number being important.

When I was young, SMB was fun.  As an adult it's fun and amazingly impeccably designed. Mario is facing right.  You use the cross shaped button to move him left or right.  You stop at the edge of the screen if you go left, if you continue right the screen follows you.  coming towards you is a mushroom.  If you touch the mushroom you die.  One of the buttons on the controller allows you to jump.  You can jump over the mushroom, or if you land on it, it pops out of existence and you get points.

I'm not going to continue with that.  I'm certain I've read something similar on action button .  What I will say, and what so many games before and since SMB have gotten wrong, is that it is fun to control Mario.  He has physics and friction.  You hold the button to determine the height of his jump.  you keep your thumb held on the other button to make him run.  The little pixel animation at just tapping the d-pad is excellent.  The fact that he slides just a little bit if you start running and let go.

So many other games, games that are praised, are not fun to control.  Monster World IV is depressing to move around in.  You can run, but it doesn't have an effect on your jump.  It's predecessors, the Adventure Island series, takes the SMB format in such a weird direction. 

Playing it now, I'm amazed how tightly design it is, and how Super Mario Bros 2 (FC, SNES) subverts that design and tightens it even more.  Watching someone blaze through either game is entertaining.  While Castlevania is fun, I'm certain watching someone play it well would be.

If you're going to start learning about video games as a medium, as entertainment, Super Mario Bros seems like the perfect place to start.  In the 25+ years since it's release, video games have rarely been better or as tightly designed.

Confession: I've never beaten SMB or SMB2.  I've seen them both beaten (not the ultra end of SMB2 however) .  If I have five minutes to spare somewhere, it is not unheard of me to play the first stage of Super Mario Bros in a frenzy.  I've played it between rounds of Counter-Strike.

I use Super Mario Bros as the basis for video games entertaining me.  While their are other video games I would rather play, SMB works as a grading scale for excellence.

CAN I PLAY THIS RIGHT NOW?
Dude, of course you can. Virtual Console. Also, I am surprised you are reading this blog and have never played this game.