By Anonymous on Jun 27, 2015 04:55 am
Video Games: Hollywood
With the release of the Adam Sandler movie Pixels, video games will once again come to life on the big screen. Games haven't always had the easiest transition to cinema, but there's plenty of good stuff for fans of the medium to watch. (Photo credit: Sony Pictures)
Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters (Average Critic Score: 85.5)
Ecstasy of Order follows Tetris lover Robin Mihara as he tries to find the top players of the game. With incredible storytelling and a phenomenal soundtrack, the 2011 documentary won the Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Austin Film Festival. (Photo credit: Reclusion Films)
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Metacritic Score: 83)
The documentary tracks Steve Wiebe's quest to beat Billy Mitchell's 25-year high-score record in Donkey Kong. Chock-full of classic games, plus a few real-life heroes and villains, King of Kong is a must-see for fans. (Photo credit: Picturehouse)
The Lego Movie (Metacritic Score: 83)
Lego's, of course, started as a toy, but it's evolved into a booming video game franchise. The 2014 Lego Movie brings some of your favorite block-sized characters to life. From Batman to Gandalf to Superman, everything is fun, imaginative and awesome! (Photo credit: Warner Bros.)
Free to Play: The Movie (Average Critic Score: 82)
The 2014 documentary chronicles three Dota 2 gamers as they play The International 2011 tournament. Love eSports or hate them, you'll love the trials gamers go through to be professionals. Spoiler alert: Don't miss out on a great NBA cameo in the film too!
WarGames (Average Critic Score: 81.5)
Starring as a high school slacker, Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) hacks into a computer called Joshua and, by accident, almost starts World War III. Broderick's David Lightman must outsmart the supercomputer before it's too late. (Photo credit: MGM)
Minecraft: The Story of Mojang (Average Critic Score: 81.5)
Funded through Kickstarter, the documentary illustrates the creation and success of the incredibly popular open-world game. Whether you're a fan of the game or a future indie developer, The Story of Mojang will inspire your creative juices. Distributor 2 Player Productions released the documentary via XBox Live and the torrent site Pirate Bay. (Photo credit: 2 Player Productions)
Tron (Average Critic Score: 75.3)
The original Tron saw Jeff Bridges in the role of Kevin Flynn, a man forced to enter a virtual gaming platform by an AI named Master Control. In 1982, Disney released a companion arcade game with the original movie release. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)
Wreck-It Ralph (Metacritic Score: 72)
Wreck-It Ralph yearns to evolve from villain to hero, and he enters a new video game to make that happen. The only problem: Ralph accidentally unleashes a super bad guy that endangers everything. Incredibly fun set pieces along with a retro-gaming look makes this an entertaining watch for all ages. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)
The Last Starfighter (Average Critic Score: 71.5)
Outshone by films like Star Wars, The Last Starfighter brings to life two things we all love: video games and space. After attaining the high score in Starfighter, Alex Rogan is recruited by the game's creator to pilot a ship in an intergalactic war. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (Metacritic Score: 69)
Michael Cera (Superbad, Arrested Development) stars as Scott Pilgrim, a nerdy drummer in the garage band Sex Bob-omb. Pilgrim falls for Ramona Flowers, but he must defeat her seven evil exes to win her heart. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film uses classic game tropes along with an engaging visual style to tell the story. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)
Tron: Legacy (Metacritic Score: 49)
The long-gestating sequel to Tron finally arrived in 2011. Jeff Bridges reprised his role as Kevin Flynn, whose son, Sam, must now enter the Grid. Tron's visuals and the incredible Daft Punk soundtrack made the sequel fun for fans old and new. (Photo credit: Disney)
Grandma's Boy (Metacritic Score: 33)
Allen Covert (any Adam Sandler movie) plays Alex, a video game programmer in this stoner-movie classic. The cast is filled with hilarious folks like Nick Swardson, Jonah Hill and, of course, Linda Cardellini doing her best rendition of Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." (Photo credit: 20th Century Fox).
By Matthew Walden on Jun 27, 2015 04:22 am
1. Super Mario Bros. 3
A copy of this game should come in any collector's starter kit. The US box art is certainly iconic, with Mario flying against a plain yellow backdrop, but this Famicom release seems to truly capture the game's ebullient creativity. For a title bursting at the seams with new ideas, this busy cartridge art serves it well.
2. Mega Man
Choosing a single Mega Man cart (known as Rockman in Japan) may be too hard. You can take your pick from any of the original six games with their vibrant color schemes and you'll undoubtedly be satisfied with your score.
3. Demon Castle Special: I'm Kid Dracula
Kid Dracula is a fun parody spinoff of the Castlevania series, filled with adorable demons and somewhat controversial bosses. In an alternate history where it got released in the rest of the world it would have been a surefire hit.
4. Punch-Out!!
Sure, we've got a gold Zelda cartridge on this side of the world, but that doesn't make this gold Punch-Out!! from Japan any less desirable. It was given out as a prize in a Famicom Golf competition, so only 10,000 copies exist. But with some careful hunting, you can snatch one up for under $300.
5. Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti
Another cute horror game that never made its way across the sea, Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti is an 8-bit tour de force through American horror tropes–including a nod to The Fly, and a vampire obsessed with Michael Jackson. It's also secretly the best Splatterhouse game. (Image via West Mansion)
6. Salamander
Salamander always got short shrift as the lesser-known sister to Konami's arcade shooter Gradius. But Vic Viper still delivers with style, and its translucent Japanese cartridge definitely glows with the life force of the series.
7. Dr. Mario
Dr. Mario is a perfect example of how bland gray cartridges in the U.S. and PAL regions are a giant missed opportunity. The pristine white plastic of this cart matches Mario's white coat, emphasizing the clean, virus-busting theme of the gameplay.
8. Dragon Quest II
Dragon Quest has always featured the instantly recognizable art of Akira Toriyama in its Japanese releases, but it took several games before the West ditched its generic medieval fantasy covers. Dragon Quest II may not be the best game in the series, but its cartridge art perfectly captures its adventurous spirit.
9. King's Valley II: The Seal of El Giza
King's Valley is a pretty nondescript puzzler in the vein of Spelunky: An archaeologist explores pyramids for treasure. But the package artwork is evocative and downright spooky. Twenty gold versions of the cartridge were also produced. If you can obtain one of them, you'll have a real treasure on your hands.
10. JESUS: Dreadful Bio Monster
Worth it just for the bizarre name alone, JESUS: Dreadful Bio Monster turns out to be a great survival horror adventure with gorgeous art and a fascinating story. A hobbyist translation team has made an English patch, so you can finally experience an oddity that had no chance of ever seeing an official release.
11. The Guardian Legend
Here's a cover so amazing it needs no extra justification to buy, beyond owning the gorgeous art. But if you haven't played the game, it's a passable genre mash-up with a unique spin on the Metroid and Blaster Master model. Surprisingly, despite how cool it looks, it will only set you back $20. (Image via Retro Gamer Japan)
12. Metroid
This one's a bit of a cheat, because it technically came out on the Famicom Disk System, so it includes a floppy disk instead of a cart. But this is by far the best box art the Metroid series has ever seen, and there's something magical about holding a copy of the pivotal game that started such a huge genre.
13. Uchuusen Cosmo Carrier
This is an oddball first-person space shooter in the mold of Top Gun, but it's definitely a cart you'll want to own just for the amazing art. This picture was provided by Heidi stopXwhispering at Retro Video Gaming, where she showcases an astoundingly well curated gallery of her personal Japanese game collection. Prepare to be amazed.
14. Duck Hunt
With a recent re-release on the Wii U and an inclusion in the new Smash Bros, the Duck Hunt spirit is surprisingly alive and well. If you haven't had your nostalgia itch scratched enough, there's an illustrious purple Famicom cart with your name on it.
15. Yamamura Misa Suspense
This murder mystery adventure game will probably be impenetrable if you can't read Japanese, but the cartridge looks like a cool poster for a Dario Argento film set in a murderous geisha house. Crank out a Goblin record while you admire it on your fireplace mantle on a cold, candlelit night.
16. Argus
Sometimes striking cartridge art doesn't always contain a game worthy of its cover, and Argus, a perfunctory shooter, is a perfect example. But that light blue plastic and sleek spaceship conjure up the best feelings of a bygone era of arcade gaming. (Image via Heidi stopXwhispering)
17. Kamen no Ninja Akakage
This is a decent platform brawler based on the anime of the same name. It can't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the stronger ninja games on the NES, but that Toei artwork makes becoming a Zorro-masked ninja seem so damn cool.
18. Devilman
Nintendo, perhaps wisely, steered clear of religious iconography in their Western releases to skirt controversy. But it's a shame we missed out on this adaptation of the classic anime Devilman. It's another Toei hit you need to own. (Image via Heidi stopXwhispering)
19. The Legend of Zelda
This is one of the rare examples where the import cartridge looks slightly less cool than the American version. Still, there's no reason you can't own both copies when it's a game as important as the original Zelda. The light blue gives off a more humble impression than the glittering gold cart we grew up with. It's as if the game is unaware it has already become a classic.
20. Gargoyle's Quest II
Firebrand is such an indomitable foe in the first Ghosts 'n Goblins game that it's a miracle he was even relatable when he branched to his own series. This cart sees him in fine form, with a cool Faustian arm spread of a logo that went missing in the American version. Murnau would have been proud.
21. God Slayer: Sonata of the Far Away Sky
God Slayer, released in the West as Crystalis, has become a cult classic known for excellent RPG action reminiscent of the Zelda and Ys series. It also features a complex post-apocalyptic plot and a terrific soundtrack. You'll definitely want to own it in its purest form. (Image via Heidi stopXwhispering)
By Matthew Walden on Jun 27, 2015 04:21 am
Step 1: Purchase (Or Make) a Version of Google Cardboard
Valve, Sony and Oculus have been making big waves with their high-end VR kits, but you can take virtual reality for a test run in your home. All you need is an Android or iPhone. Simply purchase a version of Google Cardboard (or make your own from a free template). We ordered the DODOcase VR Pop-Up Viewer for $24.95. (Photo by: Dodocase)
Step 2: Assemble the Device
Putting together the makeshift VR kit was ridiculously simple, so don't be intimidated. You simply lock a few cardboard tabs in place, and you're up and running in under 10 minutes. If you've operated a children's pop-up book or closed a box of cereal before, then you can certainly handle this.
Step 3: Download Some Apps and Insert Your Phone
You'd be surprised how many free VR apps are currently available for Android and iPhone users. Just search in an app store for terms like "VR," "Google Cardboard," or "Dive VR," and a host of developers experimenting with virtual reality games will pop up. Once you've got an app loaded, insert your phone into the case, and you're ready to dive in.
Step 4: Put on Some Headphones and Enjoy
You'll want to find a large, quiet space to try this out. If you hook up a decent set of headphones, the sense of complete immersion is actually kind of impressive. Next up: Which particular apps show off your DIY VR kit the best? (Photo by: Jessica Schilling Photography)
VR iPhone App: Stereopsis
One of the coolest projects we discovered is Stereopsis, a gallery of 3D, retro-surrealist art reminiscent of a Guy Maddin film. It's a nice, clean way to test your kit and make sure everything's working correctly. If both images combine into a single three-dimensional picture, you're ready for something more intense. (Photo by: Domonkose)
VR iPhone App: Kris Menace Virtual Edition
This one's a psychedelic, geometric music video that resembles Tron or Mizuguchi's Rez. Even though it's completely composed of abstract shapes, it does a great job at creating a seamless, consistent world. (Matrix Technologies)
VR iPhone App: Evolution of Verse (included in VRSE)
Evolution of Verse is a 360-degree video that tracks your head as you examine your surroundings. It's got limited interactivity, but when you find yourself standing on a lake and swarmed by a flock of birds, you'll get a small but incredible tease at what the future of VR has to offer. (Photo by: Vrse)
VR iPhone App: Clouds Over Sidra (included in VRSE)
This is probably the most remarkable activity you can enjoy with your new VR kit. Clouds Over Sidra was created by the UN, and places you alongside a young girl living in a Syrian refugee camp. Whether you're eating dinner with her family or playing soccer in mud puddles with her friends, your empathy inputs will get flooded. It's a moving experience that shows that virtual reality may actually bring mankind closer together. (Photo by: Vrse)
VR iPhone App: Casa Maracana
This isn't really a game so much as an environment explorer. You'll find yourself in a multi-story, modernist hipster pad decked out with art and expensive furnishings. It's simple to navigate, and you can experience everything in about five minutes. But the sense of being transported to a virtual location is striking. (Photo by: Coelho)
VR iPhone App: Dive City Coaster
Riding a roller coaster seems like a requisite VR experience, and Dive City Coaster is the best roller coaster sim currently available for your phone. It's got a collection of cool high-rise buildings to gawk at and a few huge loops to run as well. (Photo by: Durovis)
VR iPhone App: Moorente
There isn't anything particularly stunning about this simple duck hunting app, except for the enormous pile of dead virtual ducks that pile up at your feet. If you grew up on Nintendo's Duck Hunt, however, it offers a nice benchmark of just how far technology has come since you were a kid. (Photo by: Die Etagan GmbH)
VR iPhone App: Cardboard VR Shooter
It may have a bland name, but Cardboard VR Shooter is actually the closest you'll get to a fleshed-out VR game on your phone. It plays like Disneyland's Toy Story Midway Mania, except with a spooky-themed shooting gallery. (Fun Media Factory)
VR iPhone App: Sharks VR
If you're jealous over all the virtual shark games making the rounds in press events, here's your chance to get in on the action at home. You explore an undersea world teeming with predators. It's a little difficult to navigate, but the setting is super cool. (Photo by: Lakento)
VR iPhone App: Froggy VR
This is one of the rare apps that offers a more robust game, rather than just a bare-bones tech demo. You play a frog navigating lily pads across a cartoonish pond. Along the way you'll get to swallow bugs in first person–an activity that probably wasn't on your bucket list, but that definitely shows the imaginative possibilities for VR. (Photo by: FIBRUM)
VR iPhone App: Crazy Swing VR
Strap yourself in for a thrilling fair ride that'll spin you for loops over a busy cityscape. This may be the only time you don't mind feeling dizzy in a VR app. The sense of vertigo and the fear of heights translate well to the virtual world. If you turn your head to the left, you'll notice you have a companion who's along for the ride too. (Photo by: FIBRUM)
Final Verdict? Go For It!
This list contains just a fraction of VR software available for iPhones, but if you've got an Android, it opens up even more possibilities. The one downside: You'll inevitably wade through a lot of nausea-inducing failed projects. That's okay though; as an early VR adopter, you can consider yourself a cartographer, mapping out uncharted territories. Don't expect fully polished games yet, but do expect to get excited by your very own glimpse into the VR revolution. (Photo by: Corbis)
By Matthew Walden on Jun 27, 2015 04:20 am
1. Dr. Wily in Mega Man 7
Dr. Wily zooms in on a robot-crushing spacecraft shaped like a skull. It's the ending to nearly every Mega Man game, no matter how many disguises the mischievous villain tries on first. But he's never been tougher than his appearance in Mega Man 7, which requires pixel-perfect jumps and slides to avoid the ungodly amount of firepower raining down. If you've destroy him, you've got an abundance of talent. (Photo: Capcom)
2. Wizpig in Diddy Kong Racing
Before Angry Birds had its own magical porker, the almighty Wizpig reigned supreme in Diddy Kong Racing for the N64. If your monkey paws slip on the steering wheel for a fraction of a second in the race against Wizpig, you may as well start over. Wizpig turns even the most hardcore drivers into slops for the trough. (Photo: Nintendo)
3. Father Gascoigne in Bloodborne
In every Souls game, there's a boss that tests your commitment to the game's marathon of endurance. Father G in Bloodborne fills that role. With a killer beast lunge that pounds your hunter into gravestones, Father G is bootcamp for Bloodborne babies. If you emerge from the fight alive, the paleblood sky belongs to you. (Photo: Sony)
4. Mr. Sandman in Punch-Out!!
Mike Tyson gets all the infamy for frustrating end-game fisticuffs. But the newest Wii Punch-Out!! game has a seriously brutal challenger guarding the credits scene: Mr. Sandman. This heavyweight champ pulls no punches in a devastating fight that's nearly equal to the 8-bit Iron Mike. (Photo: Nintendo)
5. Inbachi in Dodonpachi Saidaioujou
If you've ever wandered down the dark alley of bullet-hell shoot 'em ups, you know this one has to be on the list. Inbachi from Dodonpachi Saidaioujou is so tough, very few fighter pilots survive the battle to tell the tale. One look at that screen filled with beautiful bullets is enough to give the boldest of navigators second thoughts. (Photo: Cave)
6. Jasper Batt Jr. in No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
There's a reason this game is called Desperate Struggle, and that reason is Jasper Batt Jr. This final boss has got a range of phases and attacks, including a charged-up triple punch and an overhead strike so severe it'll give you migraines just witnessing it. If you manage to get him to his massive ultimate form, featured above, you're only a few belly combos away from victory, along with another proud notch on your boss-beating belt. (Photo: Ubisoft)
7. Bowser in Kaizo Mario World 2
Bowser might be the most frequent boss you'll encounter in your career as a video game hero, but he's a quantity-over-quality kinda fella. He's rarely more than a push over ... until you face him in the devilish fan remix Kaizo Mario World 2. Mario has to swim upstream against invisible water and a barrage of bad guys before he can even begin to attempt a fight against the Koopa King. (Photo: T. Takemoto)
8. Agni and Rudra in Devil May Cry 3
If you haven't mastered the Revolver combo by the time you meet this duo, Dante's as good as toast. An excellent defense is important too. Don't worry about looking like a rolling maniac trying to dodge their attacks. If you can bring them down in Dante Must Die mode, you deserve a Triple S for Stylish. (Photo: Capcom)
9. Fire Leo in Viewtiful Joe
Before director Hideki Kamiya beat us into submission with the menacing bosses of Bayonetta, he was walloping GameCube and PS2 owners with the super villains of Viewtiful Joe. The meanest of them all was the Inferno Lord, Fire Leo. If you survive the majority of the battle with him, he punishes you by ramping up his speed and unleashing a frenzy of fireballs. (Photo: Capcom)
10. Luca Blight in Suikoden II
It doesn't matter how strong of a party you assemble by the time you meet this murderous psychopath; Luca Blight will take them all down. You're in a race against time, so get your strongest magicians to rain down lightning from heaven as quickly as you can. This guy deserves your rage. (Photo: Konami)
11. Rajang in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
If you're a Monster Hunter neophyte, then all of the beasts in the game can seem intimidating. But Apex Rajang stonewalls even the most talented of warriors. You'll want to collect a group of three pals to take him down, and just prepare to get a faceful of laser. (Photo: Capcom)
12. Old King Allant in Demon's Souls
By now, the Souls series is synonymous with difficulty, but because Demon's Souls was the first game in the franchise, no one quite knew how vicious these games could get. All it takes is a permanent drain of your soul level to figure out Old King Allant means business. He's not the hardest Souls boss of all time, but he may be the most famous wake-up call. (Photo: Sony)
13. Penance in Final Fantasy X
There's standard grinding for experience in RPGs, and then there's the NEXT-LEVEL hellish quest of grinding required to take on the ultra-powerful optional boss Penance. His ultimate attack is appropriately named Judgment Day, dealing 99,999 HP of damage instantly against all of your party members. You've gotta fight for your right just to confront him. (Photo: Square Enix)
14. Boost Guardian in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
The sequel to Metroid Prime never got quite the same love as the original, and we're pretty sure the Boost Guardian boss has something to do with that. This nasty piece of work has an invulnerable morph ball and a devastating damage-dealing boost ball attack. (Photo: Nintendo)
15. Dark Demon from Demon's Crest
Dark Demon is a bit of a deep cut for masochistic Ghosts 'n Goblins fans who somehow didn't think that game was tough enough. This monstrosity isn't impossible to beat; he's just completely infuriating. It takes the patience of a saint to destroy this skeletal wraith from hell. (Photo: Capcom)
16. Culex in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG feels like a role-playing game with training wheels on, unless you accidentally stumble upon the optional boss Culex, who will wreck your party with the furious flair of a grown-up Square boss. It all comes down to those deceptively bright crystals. Mario and company could use some help from the four heroes of light. (Photo: Nintendo)
17. Hiruko Ubusuna in Shinobi
The classic Shinobi franchise makes a grand return on the PlayStation 2, reviving the hardcore ninja arts after generations of slumber. The game pack a brutal experience, culminating in Hiruko Ubusuna, a boss so hard it often takes players months of practice to beat him. If you manage to restore peace to the Golden Palace, come collect your gold star. (Photo: Sega)
By Matthew Walden on Jun 27, 2015 04:19 am
Killer AIs Mean Business
The Terminator franchise is overflowing with fun science fiction ideas. But that nasty, red-tinted cyborg-ocracy may be closer to reality than you think. How close? Hey, glad you asked. (Photo by: Paramount Pictures)
Bipedal Humanoid Robots Walk The Earth
Real-world engineering Company Boston Dynamics currently has the lead in scaring the world with ambulatory robots, including the bipedal machine featured here. The bot can perform natural movements including calisthenics and dynamic walking. The increased prevalence of robot workers even prompted the New York Times to publish an article entitled, "As Robotics Advances, Worries of Killer Robots Rise." (Photo by: Corbis)
Stephen Hawking Warns Humanity
Killer robots seemed like a cinematic fantasy in 1984 when The Terminator premiered, but now prominent scientists, including Stephen Hawking, warn of a grim future for humanity if safeguards against strong AI aren't taken now. He told the BBC recently, "The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race." Thanks for the pep talk, professor. (Photo by: Corbis)
Human Flesh and Machine Can Become One
When Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator first sliced into his arm to reveal a cybernetic skeleton, he not only proved he was a robot from the future, but also pointed a way forward for human advancement. How close are we to blending synthetic human parts with mechanical enhancements? (Photo by: TriStar Pictures)
A Physics Lab Revolutionizes Prosthetics
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has made radical advancements in prosthetics technology, including a surgery that reassigns nerves that used to control arms and hands. Literally, we now have people who can control prosthetic limbs by simply thinking about actions they want to perform. An innovation that carried a lot of doom and portent in the Terminator films actually has delivered tremendous benefit for real-life people. (Photo by: Corbis)
Scientists Create Lab-Grown Flesh
Dutch scientist Mark Post displays samples of his lab grown flesh at the University of Maastricht. In-vitro meat has become a popular venture as scientists seek solutions to world hunger. Human organs also have been grown independently for transplant patients. A terminator's synthetic fleshy exterior is much closer to reality than ever before. (Photo by: Corbis)
There's No Stopping Shape-Shifting Metal
Watching T-1000 effortlessly glide through a row of steel bars evoked a feeling of sublime horror. A technology that advanced seemed alien when Terminator 2 came out. It isn't quite 2029, when the fictional machines developed the tech, but how far along are we toward building our own liquid metal in the real world? (Photo by: TriStar Pictures)
Gallium Might Hold the Key to Liquid Metal
The chemical element gallium, found in trace amounts in zinc oxide, has shown promising leads. Researchers in Beijing recently created an aluminum-fueled, liquid-metal motor made largely out of gallium. Its inherent properties allow the metal alloy to shift to fit whatever space it occupies, particularly when electricity is applied. (Photo by: Corbis)
Time Travel Requires A Lot of Energy
When a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger traveled back in time, arriving in a blinding flash of light at a truck stop, he sliced off the edges of a few big rigs in the process. The Terminator films seem to understand that the energy created during time travel would constitute a massive force. But is time travel even theoretically possible? (Photo by: TriStar Pictures)
Atomic Clocks Helps Demonstrate Relativity
It's hard to believe, but time travel actually happens every day. Beginning in the mid-50s, scientists have used precise atomic clocks on airplanes and satellites to demonstrate an aspect of Einstein's relativity theory: Two matching clocks can report different times, depending on the impact of velocity or gravity. The "time travel," or dilation that occurs, usually accounts for fractions of seconds, but it proves that time is truly relative. Even your phone's GPS contains equations that factor in the bending of spacetime! (Photo by: Corbis)
Small Comfort: We're Nowhere Near the Genisys of Time Travel
The Terminator films don't just include a few seconds of time travel, though. Their characters travel decades into into the past, a feat that would, scientists believe, require the energy equivalent of the sun's nuclear power. As of now, NASA scientists think we're centuries away from even being able to explore the idea. (Photo by: Paramount Pictures)
Judgment Day is a Real Threat
In the Terminator franchise, the artificial intelligence system Skynet becomes self-aware and instigates nuclear strikes across the world: an event known as Judgment Day. One of the most striking images from the films includes a fiery ruin of Los Angeles. Do these nightmare scenarios hold any weight? (Photo by: TriStar Pictures)
Nuclear Threat Motivates Scientists to Update "Doomsday Clock"
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists runs a real-world doomsday clock: a symbolic countdown to the "midnight" of global catastrophe. Currently, nine countries have a total stockpile of 16,300 nuclear weapons, enough to blow up the world several times over. In early 2015, the nuclear arms race prompted scientists to move the clock to three minutes until midnight. While we don't have a menacing artificial intelligence threatening nuclear war, the danger of computer-controlled systems sparking an apocalypse is considered very real. (Photo by: Corbis)
Bullets Cannot Make Bodies Fly Through The Air
For all the cool ideas the Terminator movies bring to the table, there's one important area they get comedically wrong. When the T-800 walks into a room and sprays a round of bullets, you'll notice bodies flying backwards, as if the victims have been shot out of a cannon. Unless the robots have circumvented physical laws we've known about since Newton, this simply isn't possible. (Photo by: Orion Pictures)
The Conservation of Momentum Ruins The Terminator Movies
If you've ever seen one of these cool Newton's cradle toys, you'll understand the basic principle of momentum conservation: momentum is neither created nor destroyed. It remains constant. Momentum is literally the mass of an object multiplied by its velocity. Bullets are very, very tiny, so even when traveling at a high speed, they'll never get a ton of shoving power. A human (or robot) will get pushed back a fraction of an inch when shot, but causing them to fly through an office is highly unlikely. When it comes to the shootouts in Terminator movies, you'll just have to turn off your brain and enjoy. (Photo by: Corbis)
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