Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden

by | Mar 17, 2019 | 1980s, Reviews, The Story Of...

In his classic book on kenjutsu, The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi wrote, “…in a fight to the death, one wants to employ all one’s weapons to the utmost. I must say that to die with one’s sword still sheathed is most regrettable.” Growing up, I had many...
Deja Vu

Deja Vu

by | Mar 7, 2019 | 1980s, Reviews, The Story Of...

The term “film noir” traces back to 1946 and the French film critic Nino Frank. He used the phrase in an article titled, “A New Kind of Police Drama: the Criminal Adventure,” which focused on films like Double Indemnity, The Maltese Falcon, and Murder My Sweet. They...
Grim Fandango

Grim Fandango

by | Mar 3, 2019 | 1990s, Reviews, The Story Of...

All good things come to an end. Beginning with the 1986 release of Labyrinth, Lucasfilm/LucasArts released some of the greatest adventure games ever created. Games like The Secret of Monkey Island, Zak McKracken and The Alien Mindbenders, and Maniac Mansion still...
Caveman

Caveman

by | Mar 1, 2019 | 1980s, Pinball, Reviews, The Story Of...

Pinball has a long and varied history, with roots that stretch back hundreds of years. In the 18th century, the game Billard japonais (Japanese billiards) introduced the spring launcher that is a staple of all modern pinball machines. A little under 200 years later,...
Kirby’s Dream Land

Kirby’s Dream Land

by | Feb 24, 2019 | 1990s, Reviews, The Story Of...

One of Nintendo’s most iconic characters was never really meant for the screen. Kirby, who has appeared in over 30 games, was initially just used to hold space until developers created a more detailed character. The game’s developers, HAL Laboratory, planned on...