Normally I try to keep my gaming at healthy levels, but holidays offer an opportunity to just wallow in it.

Suikoden 3 is still my favorite game in that series - Thanksgiving 2002, my parents had already been down to visit earlier in the month and we'd done 'Thanksgiving', so I had the entire week free.

I spent the whole week on the couch playing Suikoden 3 and I could. Not. Stop. Playing. It was so good. I still did an hour a day on the stationary bike (while playing), which is probably why I didn't fall over dead from an embolism. I remember the final gameplay time being about 85 hours, which was far more than I'd expected going in, but I certainly wasn't complaining.

Sure I can tell you heartwarming social tales like the time we all played tag team Wind Waker (another Thanksgiving), or the New Year we spent almost all day playing Rez, but the Week of Suikoden 3 is the one that sticks with me the most.

It was the perfect plan. Christmas morning, wake up early and sneak downstairs to play N64 until it was time to open gifts. Until my dad caught me playing Ocarina of Time at 4:30 a.m and sent me back to bed :(