Games
Discover facts about games. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Games
PlayStation disc colors tell two console generations apart
Original PlayStation game discs had dark undersides. PlayStation 2 games could use blue CD-ROMs or silver DVD-ROMs, reflecting different disc formats and…
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A beloved game prototype made in 48 hours
The famously clunky medical simulator was built during a weekend game jam.
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Raise SimCity's taxes too far and your city can empty out
Tax rates affect the appeal of living and doing business in the simulated city. A larger percentage can therefore undermine the population and businesses that…
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QWOP makes running 100 meters feel impossible
Four keys control the runner's thighs and calves separately. Pressing forward isn't an option: you have to coordinate a body that immediately demonstrates how…
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Farming Simulator requires players to balance crop moisture
Players have to track soil composition and moisture, adding a surprising amount of logistical planning to a virtual harvest.
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Football games build their crowds from real stadium sound
EA's audio teams record and organize chants, reactions and other game-day sounds so the virtual crowd can respond to play. The recording is only raw material:…
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Euro Truck Simulator players formed virtual unions
Players formed virtual unions that demanded higher freight rates and standardized rest periods.
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Crazy Taxi's game mechanics ended up in a patent lawsuit
Sega sued over The Simpsons: Road Rage in 2003, alleging infringement of patents associated with its driving games. The dispute reached beyond copied artwork…
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EA’s soccer game helped bankroll risky projects
The annual soccer franchise brought in steady revenue, giving EA a reliable source of money to fund riskier projects.
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How your PS3 could help scientists
Stanford’s Folding@home program let PS3 owners donate their consoles’ idle processing power to simulate protein folding and support disease research.
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Why soccer scouts use Football Manager
Real soccer clubs use Football Manager's extensive player-statistics database to help scout talent for their rosters.
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PaRappa turns an urgent toilet visit into a rap battle
In the fifth stage, a stomachache sends PaRappa toward a bathroom, where familiar teachers stand in the queue. He has to rap his way through the obstacle. It…
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Session gives each thumbstick a different foot
The skateboarding game's dual-stick controls map separately to the skater's feet. Instead of choosing a finished trick from a button, the player coordinates…
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Gran Turismo forces players to take tests
Players must pass driving tests on basics like braking and turning in a compact hatchback before moving on to cars such as a Ferrari.
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Why esports players face drug tests
Major esports leagues introduced anti-doping rules after some players used stimulants such as Adderall to try to gain a few milliseconds.
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A slot machine's spinning symbols are not a guide to its odds
The game determines outcomes using its programmed probabilities, then displays the result through symbols and animation. A symbol looking close to a winning…
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Card-game judges interpret rules during tournaments
At tournaments, judges interpret complicated rules and explain how they apply to specific moves, such as a monster attack.
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PowerWash Simulator turns leftover grime orange
A highlight mode makes leftover grime glow bright orange, helping players spot the last tiny patch hidden on a huge surface.
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Heavy Rain lets you scream Jason on repeat
In a mall sequence, repeatedly pressing a button makes the protagonist yell “Jason,” puncturing the thriller's serious tone with a bizarrely repetitive…
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A Shark Tank pitch can begin with thirty seconds of silence
Entrepreneur Eric Bandholz described waiting on the mark while cameras captured establishing shots before he could start. The pause felt awkward even with the…
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Wheel of Fortune still charges $250 for a vowel
Contestants still pay $250 for a vowel, a price that has stayed fixed despite decades of inflation.
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Euro Truck Simulator lets you hear live Berlin radio
You can tune in to a real, live Berlin morning show while hauling 30 tons of digital fertilizer across a recreated German highway—without the diesel fumes or…
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LA Noire makes you interrogate every twitch
LA Noire asks you to read suspects’ highly realistic facial expressions for clues, so a quick blink or twitch can send you chasing an elaborate conspiracy…
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Bingo daubers use specialized ink to prevent ticket smudging
The ink dries almost as soon as it hits the paper, helping keep bingo cards free of smeared neon blotches.
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