In an age where everyone’s glued to their phones, computer games somehow continue to be a staple of everyday school life. Whether it’s a quick break during lunch or something to pass the final minutes of a free period, students find comfort in classic browser games that have survived for more than a decade.
For senior Jace DeMoss, nothing beats the timeless appeal of Tetris. While most people see it as just a puzzle game, DeMoss sees it as something more familiar and nostalgic.
“It’s a classic. No matter how many new games come out, it never gets old. It’s easy to jump into during school, and it just puts my mind in a good place.”
For him, the simplicity is part of the magic—no loud graphics, no complicated storyline, just pure focus.
Senior Mikail Ahmed also finds nostalgia in games like Minecraft which allows for creativity.
“Minecraft lets you build anything, and playing with friends makes it even more enjoyable. We’d spend hours building or exploring together,” Ahmed said.
On the other hand, senior Ivana Case prefers something more adventurous: Fireboy and Watergirl. The cooperative puzzle-platform classic has been around for years, and for Case, it’s more than just a fun challenge.
“I’ve played it since I was little with my older sister,” she said. “So every time I play it now, it feels kind of sentimental.”
Case also loves the difficulty of the game.
“It’s actually really challenging. Finishing a level feels super rewarding,” she said. “When I play it during school, it’s like a little accomplishment in the middle of my day.”
Even with the rise of fast social media apps and new forms of entertainment, these small games show that not everything needs to be modern to stay meaningful. For many students, it’s the comfort, nostalgia, and small victories that make these games worth returning to.