Games
Discover facts about games. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Games
Warhammer 40,000 began as a parody
The game began as tongue-in-cheek satire of Thatcher-era politics and over-the-top militarism. Over time, some fans embraced the Imperium without the intended…
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When slot machines paid out in cigars
Because cash payouts were illegal, early machines awarded tokens redeemable at a bar for cigars or drinks.
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Yakuza 0 lets players buy a solid gold statue of themselves
In the game's 1980s boom, players can spend their accumulated wealth on a useless solid-gold likeness of themselves—a monument to their in-game fortune.
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A Sim's route to an object is not the route you imagine
An object can look reachable from the camera while the game's routing system cannot find usable space for the required action. Furniture placement and access…
Discover moreNBA Jam let you put a president on the court
Hidden-player codes brought Bill Clinton into NBA Jam's home versions. Al Gore also joined the secret roster. A game already famous for impossible dunks let…
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Directional dodging creates sliding speeds
A precisely timed midair dodge can transfer momentum into a fast horizontal slide, letting players move faster than ordinary walking.
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Standard pool balls are cast from dense phenolic resin
Phenolic resin can withstand repeated hard impacts without shattering. The balls are still heavy enough to hurt fingers if mishandled.
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First generation PlayStation 3 weighs eleven pounds
Its large footprint could take over a living-room shelf.
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A game where you just walk and listen
You walk across a Scottish island as a disembodied voice reads gloomy letters; there are no action sequences, puzzles, or jumping.
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How a keg stand makes liquid defy gravity
During a keg stand, liquid can travel through the esophagus while a person is upside down because muscular waves called peristalsis move it without relying on…
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Red Light, Green Light turns one person's gaze into a stop signal
Players advance while the caller looks away, then freeze when the caller turns around. Variants change the words or setting while preserving the same tension:…
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Persona characters attend high school classes daily
Even after fighting demons at night, the characters still attend school, take ordinary classes, and answer pop quizzes during the day.
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The Etch A Sketch was sold for almost nothing
Unable to afford a patent, the French electrician who invented it sold the design to an investor for very little.
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A stunt can look brutal because its protection is hidden
Pads, rehearsed movements, controlled surfaces, and carefully chosen camera angles help sell an impact without presenting every part of the real setup. The…
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Factorio lets you build the logic that runs your factory
Its circuit network carries signals between machines, and combinators can compare values or perform arithmetic. A simple rule can switch production off when a…
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Mashing action buttons skips dialogue much faster
Hammering the continue button skips dialogue boxes, but it can also leave you clueless about your next objective.
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Why speedrunners switch games to Japanese
In some games, Japanese text fits into fewer boxes, so switching languages can cut the time speedrunners spend waiting through dialogue.
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Flop rounds reveal three community cards at once
The three-card reveal can upend a strong pre-flop hand in an instant, turning early confidence into a much less certain bet.
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Micah Bell inherited more than his name
Micah Bell III inherited his name—and his criminal legacy—from his father and grandfather, who were also ruthless criminals and murderers.
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Bridge players can put their bids on the table
Bidding boxes contain cards for bids and other calls, letting players display their choices instead of speaking them. Everyone can see the auction, and tone…
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Primary playing marbles contain significantly heavier mass
The heavier shooter marble can transfer more momentum to a target, helping knock it beyond the game's boundary.
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Standard bingo B-columns feature numbers one to fifteen
The B column holds numbers 1 through 15, so a called B-42 won’t appear on a standard bingo card.
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Completely abandoning heavily publicized multi year roadmaps
Anthem was promoted as a 10-year experience, but its planned overhaul was canceled barely a year after launch.
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Dodging electric zappers while riding a mechanical dragon
One upgrade puts you on a giant robotic dragon that poops coins as you dodge floating lasers.
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