Considered by many as a sport, a passion, and even a way of life, Starcraft is one of the most popular video games of all time. Nearly everyone has heard of it at least once in his or her life. But only few can say that they are skilled at it. With three races to choose from, Protoss, Zerg and Terran, and unique buildings to construct, units to command and upgrades to research, Starcraft has limitless combinations and possibilities. There are many options for you to choose and paths to follow. You can choose to push your way through the brunt of the enemy defense. Just like a blitz in football, with a burst of speed and overwhelming numbers, a Zerg rush can take down your enemy’s defenses. You can choose to strike from a distance and score hits on the adversary. Just like a three-pointer in basketball, you can use a siege tank to strike from long distances and hit them before they know what happened. Or perform a sneak attack from behind. Like a slide tackle coming out of nowhere in soccer, a Reaver dropped from behind enemy defenses can cripple the foe. It is your choice to pick a technologically advanced alien race with the ability to warp in buildings and units. Or choose a biological swarm that has the ability to mutate into different organisms and evolve limitlessly. Or even a human race that is focused on building machines and factories. You can become the coach and take control of your diverse players and fight on a wide and diverse battlefield. The game is all about strategy: should I sacrifice all of my units at once and rush the opponent? Or should I focus on protecting and watch as they get destroyed behind a wall of defenders? It is the ability of this game to allow you to personally take control when playing. The reason for its extensive popularity is its capacity for customization and individuality. With so many different options and choices, there is much difficulty in how to decide and only the truly skilled can become great. "I like it because it is really fast paced and difficult," junior Peter Dixon said. With over nine million copies sold, making it the 5th most popular PC game of all time, Starcraft has definitely earned its status as one of the best games ever. There are professional teams and televised tournaments. "Also , in South Korea, there is even a pro league that is just as popular as any sport," Dixon said. With such a great game, so much to do, so much to conquer, it’s no wonder why this game has such a large following. When it is freezing outside with five inches of snow, why play soccer when you can play Starcraft within the comfort of your own home? You can sit down and enjoy exercising and entertaining your brain while sipping hot cocoa. "Starcraft is the only video game I play all the time, every time," senior Bosung Kim said.