-     Pong

The core game mechanic of Pong is the movement of one of the two 'bats' or 'rackets' on either side of the screen to volley the 'ball' back and forth.

Other games which utilise the base mechanics of Pong may involve some narrative, but the original Pong game mimics a game of tennis in almost every aspect, the players both try to score against each other by getting the ball past their opponent's bat. But instead of a tennis court, you have a black screen. The player with the highest core at the end of the game is the winner, although the length of the original Pong games was indefinite. 

The game can be easy or difficult depending on the players' understanding of fundamental physics, which dictates the angle of reflection depending on the angle of reception. If players can use this knowledge to their advantage, they will have the edge in gameplay.

Having played other versions of Pong such as Taito’s Arkanoid (1986) and Reflexive Entertainment’s Ricochet (dates unknown), the experience was enhanced greatly with the addition of levels, weapons, lives, and even bosses. These games both only had one player, whose task was to clear the level of all the floating blocks, some spawning the aforementioned weapons. This step up in engagement and goal setting made the experience a whole lot more fun than the original Pong, and I would gladly play them again and again.