You’ve been invited to a party of a friend of a friend and you’re worried you might not have anything to talk about. Or maybe you need something to break the ice with new people. Hard Drive has got you covered with these video game facts! Your mileage may vary.
The Origins of the Konami Code
You arrive at the party and notice someone wearing a novelty shirt with the famous “Konami Code” for all to see. You take this opportunity to break the ice.
“Did you know that the Konami Code, sometimes called the Contra Code, actually first appeared in the NES release of the game Gradius? The code was added to the home release of the game because it was found to be too hard during testing.”
You get a half-interested “oh, cool,” response before your fellow party guest informs you they don’t play video games all that much and just thought the shirt looked cool.
Early Model PS1s Are Considered One of the Best CD Players Ever Made
The party starts to get going and you notice some people trying to get a bluetooth speaker connected to their phones. You spot this as the perfect time for your next opener.
“Did you know that the first PS1 systems are considered to be one of the best CD players ever made? Since they have individual analogue audio ports, the first generation of PS1 systems can produce audio that could only be matched by other CD players costing thousands of dollars at the time.”
Right as you wrap up telling this fact, the bluetooth speaker connects, music starts blasting, and your fun fact gets drowned out.
Blowing into a Video Game Cartridge Can Damage It
The party has been going for a while and you’ve been bouncing between groups, pretending to participate in their conversations. Suddenly, the host of the party emerges from a side room with a saving grace in their hand: A box labeled “N64.” You notice them pull out a cartridge, and before it is too late, you blurt out.
“Did you know blowing into a video game cartridge can actually damage it? The moisture from your breath can cause damage to the pin connectors over time. The idea that blowing into a cartridge works is mostly anecdotal.”
You get a confused look from the host, who hasn’t gotten a chance to meet you yet.
The Manual for Super Mario Kart Encourages You to Look at Other Player’s Screen
The cartridge you attempted to save happens to be Mario Kart 64. Your time to shine. You put on a clinic and execute perfectly. After you win, you get accused of looking at your opponents screen. Time to save face.
“Did you know that in the original Super Mario Kart manual, it actually encourages you to look at other player’s screens? It actually says ‘keep an eye on your opponent’s screen’ in the manual.”
The attempt doesn’t work and everyone decides to play a different game.
The Original NBA Jam is Rigged Against the Bulls
Another classic game is selected, this time it’s NBA Jam. You decide to sit this one out, but you notice the two people playing have selected the Bulls and the Pistons. You try to resist saying your next fact, but can’t help it.
“Did you know that NBA Jam is rigged against the Bulls? The creator, Mark Turmell, was a Pistons fan, so he programmed a bias against the Bulls when they played the Pistons. If the game is close, the Bulls will always miss last-second shots.”
The only response you get is a slight nod from the person who selected the Bulls as they switch to the Nicks.
The Dev Team on Dead Space Looked at Pictures of Car Crash Victims when creating the Necromorphs
Your video game facts haven’t really been a success at the party, so you decide to take them in another direction and hit the group with some shock value.
“Did you know the dev team on Dead Space used pictures of car crash victims and scenes of war as reference when creating the Necromorphs? The team did this because they didn’t want the dead bodies in the game to look unrealistic.”
The room goes silent.
The First Shot From An Enemy in Bioshock Will Always Miss
The party is winding down and all eyes are on you. It’s time to recover with one final video game fact.
“Did you know that the first shot from an enemy in Bioshock will always miss? The game was intentionally designed this way to give players a chance to dodge initial attacks from enemies.”
The room remains silent until a single voice breaks through. “Oh, I never knew that. That’s really cool!” Unknown to you, this group of people are huge Bioshock fans. Your awkwardness has been forgotten and your reputation has been saved.
