Polygon’s best stories of 2021

The end of 2021 has arrived, and it’s here. It’s been another, shall we say, Interessant year, and we hope we’ve been able to offer you some respite from … *gestures at everything* … in the wide range of stories and videos we’ve sent out into the world. We have the deepest secrets The Lord of the Rings to the magic of playing games on an ancient television (and everything in between), we’ve got you covered. As always, we thank you for being part of this exciting journey called Polygon. Thank you for joining us on this wild journey we call Polygon. We are looking forward to being there in 2022.

Year of the Ring

Illustration by Petrana Radulovic/Polygon. Source images: New Line Cinema| Source images: New Line Cinema

In honor of the 20th anniversary of these enduring cinematic classics’ debut, we’re exploring every aspect of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s source material to the best scenes and moments, along with the continued influence of The Fellowship of the Ring, Two TowersAnd The Return of the King on modern pop culture. The stories are worth reading

My ancient TV is my connection to the future.

Jordan Starkweather

Illustration: Jinhwa Jang for Polygon

While CRTs are large and expensive, they provide something that flat-panel TVs cannot. The story is available here

Break-ups, porn, and bakas: The legend of the Barnes & Noble manga section

Ana Diaz

Photo by Ana Diaz/Polygon

What if we kissed in the manga section of Barnes & Noble? The story is available here

Guide to the first fifteen seconds of each game

Patrick Gill

You might be surprised at the number of logos you will see when you start a game. The exciting world of middleware is here! You can watch the video

D&D’s Drizzt books were built on racist tropes. R.A. Salvatore is determined to make that change.

Charlie Hall

Harper Voyager

“If the drow are being portrayed as evil, that’s a trope that has to go away …” The story is available here

In the ’80s, she was a video game pioneer. No one today can locate her.

by Patricia Hernandez

Illustration by James Bareham/Polygon

You can search for Ban Tran. The story is available here

Netflix is having a serious problem with its biracial characters

Petrana Radulovic

Image by Netflix

This keeps parents of color away from their coming-of age stories. The story is available here

Noob Saibabot is the origin

Michael McWhertor

Image Credit: NetherRealm Studio/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Mortal Kombat’s secret ninja was even a secret to the man he was named after. The story is available here

Graphic by Alyssa Nasner/Polygon. Source images from DreamWorks| Source images: DreamWorks

An assortment of stories that reflect on the origin story of the ogre 20 years ago. The stories are worth reading

The harbinger for human evolution is my living space, with three televisions.

Ryan Gilliam

Illustration by Inkee Wang, Polygon

What’s the best TV to put in your living room based on size and wall availability? There are three TVs, not one. The story is available here

A mini oral history of Willy Wonka’s gross chocolate river scene

by Matt Patches

Warner Bros. Pictures

“That scene probably wasn’t OSHA approved.” The story is available here

To beat Sekiro, it took me 2 years and 300 hours

James Bareham

Illustration: James Bareham/Polygon | Source images: FromSoftware/Activision

I don’t consider myself a gamer. When I told a handful of experienced gamers that I was starting to play, they were elated. Sekiro: Shadows Die TwiceMost of them advised me to steer clear. I didn’t listen to them. The story is available here

A study into why Marvel Cinematic Universe has so little kissing

Joshua Rivera

Photo composition: Joshua Rivera/Polygon

Are superheroes aware that there are so many reasons for kissing? Tell them. The story is available here

Why Assassin’s Creed Unity can’t rebuild the Notre-Dame Cathedral

by Simone de Rochefort

Major changes are needed in our perceptions of historical accuracy. The story is available here

Street Fighter: The Movie: The movie: The story of the game: An oral history

by Matt Leone

The Street Fighter History Series continues with an examination of the times Capcom copied these copycats. The story is available here

The Neopets black marketplace

by Nicole Carpenter

Image: Neopets/JumpStart

‘Black market’ players want you to know they’re not boogeymen. The story is available here

MiSTer 101: The classic gaming device that will rule all

Christopher Grant

Illustration by Justin Volz, Polygon

You don’t need to be a perfectionist to play the same games as your childhood, just like you recall them. The story is available here

Deathloop’s big twist is unearned and underbaked

Maddy Myers

Image: Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks via YouTube

Characters that are central to DeathloopColt and Julianna have a great time playing the game together, exchanging bullets and making quips. Their chemistry was my favorite part of the game — until Deathloop’s big twist and downer ending left me cold. The story is available here

The Sonic Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade crash: An oral history

Jack Yarwood

Photo: Andrew Toth/Getty Images Sega of America

The famous moment as told by the people who were there The story is available here

Activision Blizzard workers walk out, call for CEO Bobby Kotick’s resignation

Nicole Clark, Nicole Carpenter

Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Employees protested at Activision Blizzard’s offices and online. The story is available here