A strange little side quest
Pinch Hitter belongs to a much longer story of play than a browser tab might suggest. Sonic the Hedgehog launched in 1991 and turned speed itself into a defining platform-game mechanic. That is only half the story. Basketball became an Olympic medal sport in 1936, while women’s basketball joined the Olympic programme in 1976. That history is one reason familiar mechanics can still feel new when they are recombined well.
