1. Polybius
Polybius is one of the oldest video game urban legends, and one that has cemented itself in pop culture. Hell, even the Simpsons paid to homage to it. What is Polybius? According to rumors, Polybius was an arcade cabinet that started appearing in numerous areas of Portland, Oregon in the early 80’s. The game proved to be so addictive that it would cause players around the cabinet to fight in order to play next. Polybius combined elements of many classic games of the era, such as Pac-Man and Tempest, and the psychedelic effects on screen would cause negative side effects such as stress, insomnia, seizures, blackouts, and in some cases, suicide. Men dressed in black would also be seen near the arcades, leading some to speculate that the game was some sort of government experiment or subliminal imagery. Is Polybius just an urban legend that spiraled out of control to the point of exaggeration? It very well could be. But if history has taught us anything (entry #3 is a prime example of that), it’s that some mysteries are still out there to be discovered.
~ Paul Cesar