Breaking the Bank

A strange little side quest

There is a neat bit of history hiding behind the kind of play you find in Breaking the Bank. Early computer role-playing games helped turn rules, inventories, exploration and character progression into systems that could support long-form digital adventures. And the history keeps stacking up: Computer Space reached arcades in 1971 and became one of the earliest commercial electronic arcade games, even though its controls proved demanding for many players. It is a good reminder that simple game mechanics can carry a surprising amount of history.