Video games are a staple of modern entertainment, offering immersive worlds and engaging narratives. But did you know that there are some surprising facts about your favorite video games that you might not be aware of? Let’s dive into these seven surprising facts about popular video games.
- Pac-Man’s Ghosts Have Personalities – Each of the four ghosts in the classic arcade game Pac-Man has its own distinct personality. Blinky, the red ghost, is the most aggressive. Pinky, the pink ghost, tries to position itself in a set way ahead of Pac-Man. Inky, the cyan ghost, is shy and tries to stay away from Pac-Man, while Clyde, the orange ghost, moves completely at random.
- The First Easter Egg in a Video Game – The first known Easter egg in a video game was in the 1979 game, Adventure for the Atari 2600. The game’s creator, Warren Robinett, was not credited in the game’s instructions or packaging. To rectify this, he hid his name in a secret room in the game, creating the first Easter egg.
- Mario Was Originally a Carpenter – Before he was known as a plumber, Mario, the iconic character from Nintendo, was originally a carpenter in the 1981 arcade game, Donkey Kong. It was only later in the series that he became a plumber.
- The Most Expensive Video Game Ever Developed – The most expensive video game ever developed is “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” The game reportedly cost anywhere from $150 to $200 million to develop, making it more expensive than many blockbuster movies.
- The Longest Video Game Marathon – According to the Guinness World Records, the longest video game marathon is 35 hours and 35 minutes, and it was achieved by a Japanese gamer known as “Diehard Birdie.” He played the game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” continuously for over a day.
- The Tetris Song Has a Name – The catchy tune that plays during the game Tetris is actually a Russian folk song called “Korobeiniki.” It was chosen for the game because of its fast pace and repetitive nature, which matched the game’s mechanics.
- The First Video Game to Feature Voice Acting – The first video game to feature voice acting was the 1980 arcade game, “Berserk.” The game used a speech synthesizer to generate voice lines for the characters.
In conclusion, video games are full of surprising facts and hidden details. So, the next time you play your favorite game, remember that there’s more to it than meets the eye.
