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From the cartridge

Every old game has more than one story to tell

Cartridge Almanac explores the games, machines and small rituals that made play memorable, with room for history, close looking and another turn.

Game Design · 7 min readWhy the Screen Scrolls Before the Player Reaches the Edge
Pixel art video game scene with character running towards an enemy on grassy platforms over water and mountains
Hands holding a vintage video game controller with joystick and D-pad in front of a CRT screen displaying a pixelated maze game
Hardware

D-Pad or Joystick: Two Different Feelings of Control

D-pad or joystick: understand how their shapes and movement affect classic-game control, so you can choose the input…

Selected stories

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  1. 01Game Design

    Rules, levels and decisions that give a game its particular rhythm.

  2. 02Hardware

    The consoles, controllers and displays that shaped play.

  3. 03Game History

    The changing ideas and moments behind games and their makers.

  4. 04Play Culture

    The ways people shared, collected and talked about games.

  5. 05Player Craft

    Habits and approaches for getting more from a return visit.