Plants vs. Zombies began as a fish simulator sequel and became PopCap's best-selling game

pop & funWikipedia2009

Plants vs. Zombies began as a fish simulator sequel and became PopCap's best-selling game

the gist

Plants vs. Zombies, released in 2009, is a tower defense game in which a homeowner places plants to stop lanes of zombies from reaching the house. Players collect sun to pay for each plant, and one zombie getting through loses the level. The game began as a more defense-focused sequel to designer George Fan's fish simulator Insaniquarium. Its development took about three and a half years. Reviewers praised its humour, simple but engaging gameplay and soundtrack, and it became the fastest-selling game PopCap had made, surpassing Bejeweled and Peggle.

so what

The game shows how a simple, readable mechanic with a sense of humour can outsell more complicated titles. Its success led to a whole franchise after Electronic Arts bought PopCap in 2011.

fun fact

The tutorial was deliberately designed to be simple and spread through the game so it would appeal to both casual and hardcore players.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Illustrative photo · PopCap Games, Designed by Mark Simonson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗