Category: Games

6 min 0

Lawn Darts: The Lethal Backyard Game of the 1980s That Parents Regret Ever Allowing

Few 1980s toys hold a reputation as wild and controversial as lawn darts. Known officially as “Jarts,” these backyard game pieces weren’t your average playthings. They were heavy, sharp-tipped metal projectiles disguised as family fun. Sold alongside croquet sets and badminton rackets, they were marketed as wholesome outdoor entertainment for the whole family—except they had the curious distinction of being capable of piercing skulls. For a generation of kids raised on free-range summers and very little adult supervision, lawn darts weren’t just a game—they were a gamble. The concept behind lawn darts was deceptively simple. Players stood at one end…
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8 min 0

Pixels and Zappers: The 1980s Magic of Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt on the NES

When the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) launched in North America in 1985, it wasn’t just a new video game console—it was a revival of the entire video game industry. Following the infamous crash of 1983, where cheap, low-quality games and oversaturation nearly killed consumer confidence, Nintendo emerged from the wreckage like a savior in gray plastic. But even more iconic than the console itself were the games that came bundled with it. For millions of kids, their introduction to the NES—and to video gaming as we know it—came in the form of a single cartridge: Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt. One…
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