How we got here.

I don’t generally link to 1Up, not because I specifically dislike the site, but because I know they don’t need any help getting hit. However, considering I just pimped a shirt for Penny Arcade, I figured I could include this as well.

1Up is currently running a feature on play mechanics that changed gaming. It’s a fascinating read for anyone who was there, and I would imagine even more so for younger gamers who’ve never known a world without life bars. It also draws some nice parallels between early games that featured ground-breaking play mechanics and modern counterparts that still rely on them.

The best thing about it? Grappling hooks. Bionic Commando, baby!