Deep within the National Museum of American History’s vaults is a battered Atari case containing what’s known as “the worst video game of all time.” The game is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it was so bad that not even the might of Steven Spielberg could save it. It was so loathsome that all remaining copies were buried deep in the desert. And it was so ho ... Show More
Jun 24
American Aspirations: A Nation in Pursuit
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III has spent a lifetime thinking about how history gets told. Before becoming the head of the Smithsonian, he was a curator, someone whose job is deciding which stories, people, and objects help us make sense of ourselves. So as America appr ... Show More
42m 14s
Jun 17
U.S. History in 100 Objects (with Roman Mars)
A screw. A stuffed possum. A shoe-sizing device. What could any of these objects possibly tell us about the history of the United States?When we think of historic artifacts, we tend to picture the extraordinary: Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch, the original Kermit the Frog, Martin ... Show More
31m 13s
May 2021
Super Mario Bros - The First Videogame Movie
Before ‘Tomb Raider’, before ‘Mortal Kombat’, before ‘Street Fighter’, there was something even WORSE. ‘Super Mario Bros’ - which opened in the United States on 28th May, 1993 - was such a critical and commercial failure that for years afterwards Nintendo kept their franchises ou ... Show More
11m 59s
Mar 2020
Arsenio: Rocketships and Wiimotes
The unbelievable true story of Arsenio, who now works for NASA and has sent something into space, all because of a video game.Aoife Wilson and Julia Hardy are best mates who love video games and have worked in the industry for years. They find the most shocking, moving and inspir ... Show More
21m 20s
Aug 2024
Tore C. Olsson, "Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past" (St. Martin's Press, 2024)
Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II, set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American history video games since The Oregon Trail. Beloved by millions, they’ve been widely acclaimed for their realism and attention to detail. But how do they fare as re-creations of his ... Show More
1h 13m