Games
Discover facts about games. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Games
Pushing in blackjack means you merely survive a hand
Tying the dealer is celebrated like a victory, even though you gained absolutely nothing. It is the gambling equivalent of a participation trophy, gently…
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Paper game Consequences generates incoherent narratives
Writing a coherent story requires vision, but this parlor classic relies on isolated ignorance. By folding a piece of paper to hide the previous sentence,…
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Why Celeste makes one strawberry so hard to reach
Why climb a mountain safely when you can throw yourself into crystal spikes for a meaningless piece of fruit? Celeste is a masterpiece of precision…
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Baccarat allows players to bet on a highly unlikely tie
Despite the primary focus being on the banker or the player, you can throw your chips onto the absolute rarity of an exact equal score. The massive payout…
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Wii Sports crowds gasp when you bowl backward
Digital audiences are incredibly judgmental. If you accidentally release the ball behind you instead of rolling it down the lane, the entirely unseen crowd…
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Why actors get rewritten dialogue on recording day
Nothing instills confidence like handing an actor a script still warm from the printer. Writers regularly sit in the recording booth tweaking and rewriting…
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The Ouija board supposedly named itself
According to the entirely unbiased patent holders, the talking board literally spelled out its own name when asked what it wanted to be called, claiming it…
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The bathroom scale obsession behind Wii Fit
Only Nintendo could take a middle-aged man's midlife health crisis and spin it into 43 million units sold. Miyamoto realized his family was tired of hearing…
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The first PlayStation prototypes had nowhere to plug in
Turns out standalone consoles usually need a way to plug in inputs. The device was originally conceptualized as an optical drive add-on for a rival system,…
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Centurion challenges require mathematically paced consumption
Taking a single shot of beer sounds pathetic until you are mathematically forced to do it one hundred times in a row. The Centurion challenge isn't about…
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Why Silicon Valley loved playing Settlers of Catan
Forget golf courses; modern venture capital is secured by trading virtual sheep for virtual wood. The resource-management board game became an obsession among…
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The Rubik's Cube was once called the Magic Cube
Before stamping his own surname onto the most frustrating block in human history, the creator opted for a highly generic magical title. It was quickly…
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Why one last game can last until sunrise
Saying you will log off after one final round is a binding curse that actually means playing until the sun comes up. The addictive loop of wanting to end on a…
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Why Kratos has his signature pale skin
Nothing screams 'protagonist with baggage' quite like wearing your dead wife as aggressive body powder. The Ghost of Sparta didn't get his iconic ghostly…
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When losing Old Maid meant buying the drinks
Avoiding the unpairable card was originally less about family fun and more about getting totally wasted. During the Victorian era, holding the final unmatched…
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Dreamcast optical discs hold precisely one gigabyte
A very specific, entirely proprietary format meant to restrict media. Known as the GD-ROM, this unique disc spun faster and held slightly more than standard…
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Why Team Fortress 2 players stack ridiculous hats
What started as a gritty class-based shooter slowly degenerated into a strange runway show for completely absurd headwear. Players will literally spend…
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The crying koala that replaced a censored scene
If the ratings board refuses to classify your explicit scene, passive-aggression is the only answer. When Australia refused to rate a South Park software…
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Hearts centers entirely on avoiding the Queen of Spades
Despite the incredibly romantic title, the entire goal is purely an exercise in avoidance. The activity revolves entirely around making sure someone else gets…
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Why gamers reload after firing one bullet
Discharging a single round instantly triggers a compulsive need to swap magazines. This irrational fear of entering a fight with anything less than maximum…
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Jumping over obstacles is preferred over using open gates
Even if an unlocked doorway is completely unobstructed, players will opt to aggressively mantle over a crumbling brick wall nearby. Pathfinding is less about…
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Baccarat third-card rules operate on an automatic chart
You do not even need to think to play the highest-stakes table in the building. The drawing of the pivotal third card requires zero player input and instead…
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Why children everywhere play the floor is lava
Nobody actually taught you this one. Psychologists note that completely independent cultures universally invent the exact same imaginary peril of avoiding the…
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Arthur Morgan previously owned a dog named Copper
Even hardened, tuberculosis-ridden outlaws have a soft spot for man's best friend. Long before the events of Red Dead Redemption 2, the rugged protagonist…
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