role-playing games — Bunk History

When Dungeons & Dragons Set Off a ‘Moral Panic’

D&D attracted millions of players, along with accusations by some religious figures that the game fostered demon worship and a belief in witchcraft and magic.

by Clyde Haberman via Retro Report on April 17, 2016

Illustration of fantasy elements including a maze and a crystal ball from a "choose-your-own-adventure" scene from a book.

The Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure Books

How a best-selling series gave young readers a new sense of agency.

by Leslie Jamison via The New Yorker on September 12, 2022

A screen with an image of a woman holding a baby and running.

The 'Oregon Trail' Studio Made a Game About Slavery. Then Parents Saw It

'Freedom!' tried to show the horrors of antebellum slavery and the courage of escaping slaves. But neither schools nor audiences were ready for it.

by Robert Whitaker via Vice on November 3, 2020

Advertisement commemorating 25 years of video games since the release of Oregon Trail.

Playing in the Past

Gameplay can be useful in history classrooms – but manufacturers have to think about how children will be affected by the competition.

by Robert Whitaker via Play Stuff Blog on December 9, 2019

Screenshot from "The Oregon Trail" computer game

The Forgotten History of 'The Oregon Trail,' As Told By Its Creators

You must always caulk the wagon. Never ford the river.

by Paul Dillenberger, Bill Heinemann, Don Rawitsch, Kevin Wong via Vice on February 15, 2017

Enemy monsters in first-person shooter game

A History of 'Hup,' The Jump Sound in Every Video Game

You can hear it in your head: the grunt your character makes when hopping a fence or leaping into battle. Its sonic roots trace all the way back to 1973.

by Bryan Menegus via Wired on March 26, 2022

Stereograph titled 'The Toucans' depicting three toucans and a snake amid plants and rocks

Stereographs Were the Original Virtual Reality

The shocking power of immersing oneself in another world was all the buzz once before—about 150 years ago.

by Clive Thompson via Smithsonian on September 21, 2017

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