A strange little side quest
Even a quick game like Obby: Make It Home sits on top of decades — and sometimes centuries — of ideas. Alexey Pajitnov created Tetris in 1984 after drawing inspiration from pentomino puzzles, then simplified the idea around shapes made from four squares. A second detail makes the picture even better: Early computer role-playing games helped turn rules, inventories, exploration and character progression into systems that could support long-form digital adventures. It is a good reminder that simple game mechanics can carry a surprising amount of history.
