A strange little side quest
The mechanics around Magnetic Blocks have roots that stretch far beyond modern browsers. The first crossword puzzle book appeared in 1924 in a cautious initial printing of 3,600 copies, complete with a free pencil. There is another connection worth keeping in the same mental pocket: Street Fighter II, released in 1991, turned head-to-head arcade fighting into a worldwide phenomenon and helped define the modern fighting-game genre. It is a good reminder that simple game mechanics can carry a surprising amount of history.
