Gaming in C++

Here's the deal, /prog/. Over the winter break, I have decided I want to practice and expand my skills, and as such, design a small applet type game using C++. Now, i am fluent in C++, and MFC, but MFC wouldn't exactly be ideal for this. I fully intend for the game to be 2D Sprite based.

What should I look into, what should I use, and how should I go about things? I've heard openGL would work well, is there anything else I ought to remain cognizant of?

>>25
(Off topic)
>>25 is just an ENTERPRISEfag who can't figure out what makes him ENTERPRISE.

(On topic)
Mindlessly wrapping OpenGL or Direct3D and duplicating the tedious effort of others is a good way to exercise your coding skills? See, this is why we don't like C++. It trains poor, weak-minded programmers like you to think that (eq coding-skills  willingness-to-waste-time) => T. In C++ land, code is judged strictly by its volume. And more is clearly better.