Games
Discover facts about games. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Games
What makes cheap plastic miniatures chemically risky
Some flexible PVC miniatures contain plasticizers that can migrate out of the material over time. The chemicals used vary, so the risk depends on the specific…
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A Clue speedrun can end before the narrator catches up
A speedrun of the Super Nintendo game has finished in under a second of timed play. The trick exploits the accusation sequence: an incorrect accusation is…
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A Jeopardy invitation has traditionally come with travel costs
Regular first-time contestants have generally arranged and paid for their own trip and accommodation, while returning appearances and special formats can have…
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A crossword brought MI5 to its compiler's door
Before D-Day, invasion-related code words appeared in Daily Telegraph puzzles. Compiler Leonard Dawe later recalled being questioned by MI5. Ordinary puzzle…
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The spikes are painted onto flat surfaces; touching an invisible collision box triggers the impalement sequence.
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Taboo heavily restricts your vocabulary to explain concepts
The game makes you explain a word without using obvious clues, like describing a refrigerator without saying “cold,” “ice,” “food,” or “appliance.” It shows…
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The first D&D boxes waited in a family basement
Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson's first 1,000 copies appeared in 1974 and were stored in Gygax's Lake Geneva home. That same house had hosted early play sessions…
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Why sniper rifles work like shotguns in games
At point-blank range, games may reward firing a sniper rifle from the hip rather than taking time to line up its long-range scope.
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Pac-Man escape tunnels wrap directly side to side
The tunnel links the left and right edges, letting Pac-Man slip past pursuing ghosts when their delayed reactions leave an opening.
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A Nintendo–Sony console that never launched sold for $360,000
The prototype combined a Nintendo cartridge slot with a CD drive, a relic of the companies' abandoned partnership. Heritage Auctions sold it in 2020 as the…
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Why Splatoon music works without understandable words
Because the vocals use invented, unintelligible language, the composers leaned on thick synth basslines to carry the tracks. The result is high-energy aquatic…
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Street Fighter III Third Strike uses a hip-hop soundtrack
Its hip-hop beats replace the expected orchestral fight music, giving each stage a looser, underground-club feel.
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Jump ropes dictate perfectly strict parabolic arc lengths
The rope has to pass beneath your feet and over your head in a smooth arc. Mistime your jump, and it can catch you in the shins.
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Gears of War 3 features a character shouting about cereal
Amid the game’s bleak, monster-ravaged world, the character’s enthusiastic shout about cereal offers a jarring bit of comic relief.
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Sudoku standard rules ignore diagonal line repeats
So two identical digits can sit at opposite ends of a diagonal without breaking the standard rules.
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Changing full outfits occurs directly during combat
You can swap outfits mid-fight without pausing or alerting the enemy—even trading heavy armor for a bright jumpsuit.
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A Guess Who co-creator went to school with Anne Frank
Theo Coster, who created the game with his wife Ora, had been Anne Frank's classmate in Amsterdam. He survived the Holocaust in hiding and later built a…
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Resident Evil 2 lets you survive as a slab of tofu
The bonus character replaces the usual human hero with a tall white block while keeping the danger of the escape challenge. Familiar horror becomes absurd…
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Why being “It” is unfair in tag
You have to react to several unpredictable runners at once, while each runner only has to evade you.
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Half-Life: Alyx tested the crowbar—and left it out
Valve tried its signature weapon in VR, but a player's real hand could keep moving after the virtual crowbar hit an enemy. Testers responded differently: some…
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Bowling pins are solid maple inside
Their shiny plastic exterior covers a dense, solid maple core.
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Doom appeared inside a pregnancy-test shell
In 2020, hardware tinkerer Foone replaced the test's display and electronics to show the game on a tiny monochrome screen. The recognizable plastic shell made…
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Free League of Legends matches sell a different kind of upgrade
Players can spend on skins that change a champion’s appearance rather than buying admission to each match. A favorite character becomes something to…
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Twister mats utilize highly specific tear-resistant vinyl
The vinyl is designed to withstand the concentrated friction and pulling of players’ elbows and knees without tearing.
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