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“How Gaming Will Change Humanity as We Know It”: A Reply
A point-by-point rebuttal of Tyler Cowen's article criticizing the ability of video games to have cultural value within a literary canon.
Podcast
With a Terrible Fate Podcast Episode 11: EarthBound’s Flavor Text
Enjoy a conversation with Max Gorynski about the latest in his Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound, plus meditations on Nintendo hardware, collectibles, and narrative metagames.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
Why EarthBound’s Flavor Text Tastes So Good
The flavor text of EarthBound tells a story you may have missed.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
“If You Change Your Mind”: Shapeshifters of EarthBound
Only EarthBound could marry the mechanics of dungeon-crawling with the themes of epic poetry.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
The Music of EarthBound: The Chromatic Scale of Life
Despite being smaller than an MP3 file, EarthBound achieved more with its music than many symphonies manage.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
How EarthBound Brought Fatherhood to Gaming
In a decade that gave us a library of games about orphans, EarthBound reminded us how important fathers are to their sons.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
The Drawing Board: What is a “Comprehensive Theory” of a Video Game?
On our latest podcast episode, we chat with two of our team members who are developing "comprehensive theories" of landmark video games.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
Better the Devil You Notice: The Enemies of EarthBound
EarthBound’s most pervasive villainy isn’t its final boss: it’s the everyday evil of people you know.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
The Horror of Setting in EarthBound
If you think that Giygas is the scariest part of EarthBound, think again.
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LAN Party: What Are Your Favorite and Least Favorite Sequels?
We ask our analysts to share the highlights and lowlights of the video-game sequels they've played.