Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 63
October 5, 2022
Polybius: The Most Dangerous Video Game to Never Exist
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
During the 1980s, youthful gamers flocked to arcades with quarters in hand to play legendary games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. In Portland, Oregon, amongst these colorful cabinets laid Polybius.
This video game was apparently so dangerous it made players sick, and government agents used it to control minds. The game’s biggest mystery, however, is whether it ever existed in the first place.
The Legend of PolybiusPolybius is allegedly an arcade game that occupied the soda-stained rugs of Portland arcades in 1981. Dressed in an unmarked black cabinet, it attracted players through its colorful gameplay of geometric patterns and shapes dancing across the screen. The legend goes that upon pressing start, unsuspecting gamers quickly became addicted, falling into a trance-like state that triggered memory loss, seizures, blackouts, and hallucinations.
Greeks, Geeks, and Government ConspiracyThe Polybius arcade game shares a name with a Greek philosopher. Born in Megalopolis, Arcadia, in 208 B.C., Polybius the philosopher is known for creating the Polybius Square. This device functioned as an encryption table that converts Greek letters into numbers to share secret messages. Polybius also translates to “many lives” in Greek.
Credit: Manfred Werner – Tsui Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
When players fell under the spell of Polybius, the gameplay seemed to deliver subliminal messages to them. Combined with reports of government workers in black suits removing not quarters but data from the arcade machines, surely something sinister was afoot. Eventually, these same workers removed the game from arcades one month later, with Polybius never returning to any establishment ever again.
Many thought that government workers used Polybius as an extension of MKUltra, government experiments ran by the CIA to determine ways to mind-control the populace through hypnosis and drugs. Whether Greek or geek, this sounds concerning.
Online Myths and TricksDespite its apparent haunting of 1980s arcades, the first public record of Polybius surfaced in February 2000 on CoinOp.org, a database for arcade games. The database page provided the basis for myths surrounding the game, alongside an image of the start screen.
The Polybius start screen lacks any significant detail apart from the game’s title in large letters and “1981 Sinneslöschen Inc.” The latter text is the supposed copyright date and game developer, but neither seems to check out. No copyright was ever filed for the game at the time, to the point of the FBI confirming it never existed in the first place. “Sinneslöschen” also means “mind erasing” in German, at least according to Google Translate.
Game Over for MythsWhile the myths of Polybius made it seem a treacherous plot was unfolding in Oregon arcades, these rumors were disputable with real-world evidence.
As for the soulless, blank cabinets used for Polybius, black cabinets were utilized as test machines for new games. The artwork was not applied until the arcade cabinets were ready for a wide release.
While players may not have experienced the side effects of long arcade sessions through Polybius, many reports of them getting sick while playing games. In a Portland arcade, the Eugene Register Newspaper outlined the story of Brian Mauro, a 12-year-old who experienced stomach pains while playing Asteroids for 28 hours straight. Instead of being put in a Polybius-like trance, Mauro’s stomach couldn’t handle the endless supply of soda he drank, fizzling up his chance at beating the high score.
In a report from Cat DeSpia, on the same day in the same arcade, 14-year-old Michael Lopez suffered from a migraine and threw up in the parking lot after a long session of Tempest. Tempest has graphics in line with Polybius’ rumored pixels that could have been confused for the cursed cabinet.
What about the government agents? Law enforcement would put cameras and wires inside arcade machines, hoping criminals would spill their beans between rounds of gaming. Besides gaming, gambling and drug dealing were common occurrences in arcades.
All these scenarios culminate into a realistic foundation for one of gaming’s infamous urban legends.
Ludicrous LegacyDespite debates of its existence, Polybius has appeared in many TV shows and inspired other video games. Polybius machines appeared in the background of The Simpsons season 18 episode 3, “Please Homer, Don’t Hammer Him,” and Marvel’s Loki episode 5, “Journey Into Mystery.”
The Simpsons once made a reference to the Polybius arcade urban legend, and I think it’s amazing. pic.twitter.com/yfaGrkkRe8
— Epixcs (@Epixcs) August 18, 2018
Polybius also inspired two real video games of the same name. In 2007, developer Rogue Synapse created a free game based on the rumored descriptions of Polybius. In 2017, developer Llamasoft released their version of Polybius for PlayStation 4.
Rogue Synapse intended to simulate the rumored gameplay of Polybius. On the other hand, Llamasoft only used the urban legend as inspiration, with no intention of replicating any rumored gameplay.
So, did Polybius ever exist? All signs point to no, so it is probably best you save your quarters for another game.
By James Whelan, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Polybius: The Most Dangerous Video Game to Never Exist
October 4, 2022
91 Days and 2,000 Miles: Man Kayaks from California to Hawaii
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Remember the adage, “You can do whatever you put your mind to?” Cyril Derreumaux of California recently became the poster boy for this statement. That said, most people would think twice before putting their mind to what Derreumaux achieved: a more than 2,000-mile-long historic solo kayaking trip. It took him from his home in the “Golden State” 2,400 miles away to the “Aloha State,” Hawaii! And he did it in 91 days and nine hours.
Here’s everything you need to know about Derreumaux’s record-breaking trip and the crazy challenges he faced along the way.
The Culmination of an Incredible JourneyAlthough many would consider Derreumaux’s lengthy kayaking trip downright ludicrous, nobody can deny he knew how to pick the perfect final destination: Hilo, Hawaii. After three months of floating and paddling, the bronzed kayaker sported a lengthy beard, rock-hard arms, and a Tom Hanks Castaway vibe (minus the Wilson volleyball).
His adventure began in Monterey on June 21, 2022, after he departed in a kayak modified with pedals and a cabin big enough to squeeze into for sleep. Despite these minor creature comforts, he left other things to chance, foregoing an engine or even a sail. But he did carry valuable experience, having attempted a similar endeavor in the summer of 2021.
In 2021, he wanted to reach Hawaii in 64 days, but the expedition fell apart six days in due to bad weather, electrical problems, and issues with the sea anchor. Reflecting on his first attempt, he explains, “The general behavior of my kayak suddenly changed, which I immediately attributed to sea anchor damage. In a few moments, my kayak was positioned almost parallel to the axis of the waves, and I found myself violently tossed from side to side along with all the equipment that was stored in the cabin.” He had to call the Coast Guard for rescue.
Lessons Learned and Goals ReachedAlthough the cancellation of Derreumaux’s adventure in 2021 brought disappointment, he gleaned valuable lessons from it, too. These lessons led him to increase his physical fitness and develop new techniques for staying mentally fortified. The first shot at Hawaii also pushed him to make critical modifications to his kayak, including adding a manual bilge pump, side panels to shield the cockpit from water, a sea anchor system, and a satellite communication system.
Nevertheless, Derreumaux’s achievement verges on superhuman. He spent 10 hours per day paddling. To make the effort doable, he organized it into a daily routine. Each morning, he started with four hours of paddling, followed by a meal and some relaxation. He’d put in two more hours in the afternoon and four more before sunset. This allowed him to turn in at night for satisfying, much-needed sleep fests.
To fuel his endeavors, he consumed between 4,000 and 6,000 calories daily. He also trained carefully, attenuating specific tendons to handle the extra exercise and stress. After all, tennis elbow isn’t something you want to deal with mid-ocean. Derreumaux also experienced a profound spiritual transformation he has only started to discuss in interviews.
Sharing His Journey With the WorldAlthough Derreumaux initially hoped following his passion would take 70 days, the first leg of his journey ushered in rough weather. He paddled into heavy winds for days, attempting to maintain what little ground he achieved. In the second week, he faced flooding in his cabin, and by day 46, his water maker stopped working. He also dealt with food rationing, rapid weight loss, and more bad weather. Yet, he never gave up.
Throughout his improbable journey, Derreumaux remained well-connected with his fanbase thanks to the wonders of modern technology. But he was surprised about who followed and cheered him along: “I was so glad I could share the whole journey on social media. Having people that connect with not just the kayaking side, or even the adventure side, it’s more the human spiritual journey that I was on.”
Constant music fueled his paddling marathons, and Seinfeld helped him relax and decompress at night. Along the way, he sighted hundreds of dolphins and had a “pet” mahi-mahi follow him for a few days near the end of his adventure. (In social media, he blamed the fish’s sudden disappearance on a Celine Dion album!)
Derreumaux follows in the footsteps of Ed Gillet, who completed the route from California to Hawaii in 1987 in an unmodified, off-the-shelf kayak with no way of communicating for 90% of the trip. Of his predecessor, Derreumaux states, “I am more in awe of Ed Gillet and what he accomplished [than ever].”
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: 91 Days and 2,000 Miles: Man Kayaks from California to Hawaii
October 3, 2022
Accessible Gaming with Streamer RockyNoHands
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Rocky Stoutenburgh of Southgate, Michigan, is a massively popular Twitch streamer and professional gamer signed to Luminosity Gaming. If you were just watching Rocky’s gameplay, you likely wouldn’t know he was playing entirely with his mouth! That’s right, Rocky is a gamer with quadriplegia and does all of his streaming, editing, and gaming with the use of his mouth and a custom controller!
Where It All BeganFor most of Rocky’s young adult life, he spent his time going to school, playing sports, and hanging out with his friends. Along with a passion for hockey, Rocky also found a love for weightlifting and spent a considerable amount of his free time in the gym bodybuilding.
That is, until the night Rocky’s life would be forever changed. While at a party, Rocky got into a playful wrestle with a friend and ended up falling and landing on his neck. The impact immediately left Rocky paralyzed from the neck down.
For someone who spent so much time being active and using his hands, having all of that taken away in a split second was a dark and confusing moment for Rocky.
The Comeback KidAlthough Rocky experienced unimaginably hard periods coming to terms with his life after the accident, his family helped him stay in good spirits and never allowed him to lose sight of who he was inside.
In fact, it was Rocky’s brother who ultimately stumbled on the QuadStick, a mouth-based video game controller developed specifically for people with quadriplegia. At first, Rocky was apprehensive to try the controller, but his brother knew that once Rocky had the QuadStick “in mouth” it would only be a matter of time until he was the best.
Rocky in action with the Quadstick.
His brother was right, and before long Rocky was beating his family and friends at games with ease. At his brother’s suggestion, Rocky began streaming himself playing battle royale games in 2016. It was not long after that when everything began to change for Rocky.
Just Getting StartedNow Rocky has more than 70,000 followers on Twitch, where he goes by RockyNoHands, and is the first gamer with quadriplegia to join a professional esports organization! Believe It or Not!, Rocky has also set numerous world records for his incredible gaming abilities.
Rocky has gone on to inspire countless others to pursue their passions and not be afraid of what people may say or think. Rocky has been a major support for those in the gaming community with disabilities and has made a point to reach out and act as a mentor for those struggling with the process.
RockyNoHands, 3x Guinness World Records holder.
Rocky’s accomplishments have greatly encouraged other people with disabilities and brought awareness to the need for accessibility in gaming.
To stay up to date with Rocky and his content, follow his Twitch or Twitter where he is active on a daily basis.
Escape the Ordinary With Ripley’s Latest Book!Find this story and more inside Ripley’s all-new book! Escape the Ordinary’s 256 pages spark curiosity, challenge perception, celebrate differences, and curate a sense of wonder for the weird world around us! Available now on Amazon and at most major retailers.
October 2, 2022
October 1, 2022
September 30, 2022
Art Exhibit Features Purr-fect Portraits of Nicolas Cage with Cats
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The cat’s out of the bag on CatCon’s main event, a purr-fectly curated art exhibit dedicated to Hollywood’s favorite cat dad, Nicolas Cage.
All About CatConPasadena, California’s most claw-some event welcomes individuals passionate about pop culture and the feline purr-suasion to saunter over to the Convention Center to mews at “Uncaged: The Unbearable Weight of Genius Cat Art,” honoring the Academy Award winner and fellow cat enthusiast.
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Titled after Cage’s film “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” in which his character uses his acting roles to save his family, the exhibit will feature paw-traits of everyone’s favorite movie and meme star posed with a variety of–you guessed it–cats.
The Cat DadWhile the acclaimed actor is best known for movies like National Treasure, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Con Air (depending on your age), he’s also a known cat dad to Merlin, who he refers to as his best friend.
The exhibit is presented by Cat Art Show, whose founder (and exhibit curator) Susan Michael deemed a “dream subject,” explaining “He’s cult, he’s camp, and he DGAF”–just like a cat.
Interested in owning one of these mouse-terpieces? Cat Art Show will be selling the original artwork this weekend, Oct. 1 and 2, on its website, with ten percent of proceeds donated to cat-related charities.
This isn’t the first time artists have given cat burglars something worth breaking and entering for.
Cats of the PastHiss-tory has been littered with depictions of cats since the 17th century when oil paintings of sneaky kitties snagging snacks off tables were fairly commonplace.
The iconic paintings were recently dragged into mainstream interest by Molly Hodgdon’s Twitter account, Cats of Yore.
One of my favorite sub-genres of art is Cats Stealing Food in Still Life Paintings. It’s so wonderfully disrespectful. So here is a thread celebrating the need for snacks triumphing over art. First, Still Life with Cat. Alexandre-Francois Desportes, 1705. https://t.co/pvPWJOYuZj pic.twitter.com/dGtRqaB62V
— Cats of Yore (@CatsOfYore) September 14, 2022
Molly’s account went viral with a single tweet showcasing a painting of a cat swiping an oyster off a well-set dining table, joined by the caption reading “one of my favorite sub-genres of art is Cats Stealing Food in Still Life Paintings.” She followed up with eight additional 17th and 18th-century paintings showing variations of cats stealing tasty treats like sausages, fish, and pheasants.
The paintings are a cat-egorically purr-fect example of how far back feline’s genuinely haven’t cared about human reactions.
By Meghan Yani, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Art Exhibit Features Purr-fect Portraits of Nicolas Cage with Cats
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