Video games hold a special place in our hearts. The virtual worlds and competitions we’ve explored on consoles and computers have shaped who we are and occupied tons of our headspace over the decades. Hell, dads love video games so much, we created a whole group just for them.

But just because a certain game means a lot to you doesn’t mean it necessarily does to everyone else.

YouTuber and first-year PhD student Data Is Beautiful dove into the history of video games to do what he does best: take us on “a fun trip down memory lane together so we can relive the colorful events we all experienced.”

Specifically, he charts video game sales worldwide over the last 30 years. These are measured by cumulative units on both PC and game consoles excludes both mobile app sales and free-to-play games (e.g., Fortnite).

Talk about some serious twists and turns! The video perfectly illustrates the radical changes that swept through the industry over the decades – some you surely expected and others you probably didn’t.

Frogger held the top spot for 3 years before finally being toppled in 1992 by everyone’s favorite Italian plumber in Super Mario Land. Soon after, though, Tetris saw an impressive rise to the top of the charts where it remained for two decades, despite several popular franchises like Pokemon and The Sims experiencing cult-like popularity in the ’90s and 2000s.

Tetris and its iconic falling blocks remained king of video game sales for what felt like an eternity until another block-centric title came seemingly out of nowhere to take the title spot in 2013: Minecraft. The sandbox video game saw a meteoric explosion of popularity, essentially leaving all the other titles and franchises in its dust.

So, for all of those who dream of designing a video game of their own one day, learn from history: Make a game with some damn blocks.

Family photos are notorious for being cheesy, poorly staged, and just bad overall. Fortunately, a special grandmother-grandson duo is redefining the game and kicking out some unforgettable family pics to their now millions of fans.

Ross Smith, 27, and his 93-year-old grandma, Pauline “Granny” Kana, began posting short videos on Vine over 6 years ago. One particular vid featured Ross getting savagely blocked by Granny while playing basketball, which went subsequently went insanely viral and launched the duo into internet stardom.

Even with the decline of Vine, the duo has continued making videos and doing hilarious photoshoots, which has earned them an astounding 2.7 million followers on Instagram and 900k subscribers on YouTube.

We’ve compiled a number of our favorite parody costume shoots from Ross and Granny for your viewing pleasure. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

Clearly, family holidays are even more special for this pair who plan something costumed and ridiculous for nearly every single one of them. It’s also hard to tell who’s enjoying it more.

In addition to posting amazing photographic content like this, Ross and Granny also film comedy sketches, mini-documentaries, Granny’s words of wisdom, and sometimes just typical updates to let us know Granny hasn’t kicked it yet.

Sometimes, they’ll even visit conventions to heckle folks walking around. Check out Granny’s shenanigans at this bodybuilding event:

If you need more quality content from this iconic pair, check out their posts on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

The best part about Star Wars is that there’s something that most people can appreciate—rich character arcs, badass villains, and otherworldy droids and weapons.

But Chewbacca… Chewbacca is for everyone. Man or woman, young or old, human or otherwise – you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love that big walking carpet. Even someone as young as 8-months-old can’t keep their cool around him, as shown by a recent viral video.

“Lil Chewie” was visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Disney World Resort, Florida with his grandparents, Rachel and Eric Herrholz, when he finally met his hairy hero. Sporting his own Chewbacca apparel, the little boy was totally tickled while the famed Wookiee co-pilot playfully grunted and poked at him.

“This was Lil Chewie’s first visit with Chewbacca. We dressed him in a Chewbacca outfit, and Eric wore a Han Solo shirt,” said Rachel, regarding her Facebook video, which has since been viewed over 2 million times. “We were not expecting him to react the way he did. Chewbacca came over to get us.

“Next thing I know, I heard him laughing. I looked up and he was belly-laughing. Chewbacca was just as excited. I started to record. I was amazed and I wished his Mom and Dad were with us.”

The adorable interaction took place in the ‘Star Wars Launch Bay,’ an attraction where park-goers experience “immersive exhibits of costumes, models, concept artwork and actual movie props” as well as a meet-and-greet with Chewie himself.

“I am blessed that my grandson can make people smile and bring them happiness in this world we live in,” Rachel added.

I’m pretty sure any world with more Chewbacca in it is going to be happier, overall.

A major part of being a parent is making sure your kids appreciate the things you loved growing up. Few things hurt more than your kid yawning during an iconic moment in Star Wars or asking to play Minecraft when you’re teaching them how to use the warp tubes in Super Mario Bros.

Fortunately, Back to the Future superfan James Napier has never had a problem getting his kids to share in his excitement for his favorite movie franchise, in no small part due to his DeLorean, which has been immaculately restored to resemble Doc’s time machine from the 1985 classic.

“I take it out on weekends and I drop my kids off at school or football sometimes. They like it and their friends find it quite amusing!” says Napier. “You see other people’s jaws drop when we drive past. The family adores it—although my wife Emma probably doesn’t want to know how much it has cost me in total to restore!

“We drive it everywhere we go—you’ve got to make the most of it.”

Folks in the area can’t seem to get enough of the stainless steel coupe, especially since there’s reportedly only one other like it in the U.K. Napier’s youngest daughter, Daisy, says she loves when people honk their horn as they drive past.

“It’s really cool. Dad is probably a bit crazy to build something like that!” the 8-year-old reports.

It took time, money, and a lot of elbow grease to get the vehicle to the pristine condition it’s in today. When Napier bought it for £55,000, someone had already tried to convert it into the iconic time machine but with really shoddy workmanship.

“It was quite run down. It needed a lot of work,” says Napier. “Somebody had tried to make it into a Back to the Future car—but it was really quite bad! The car was an absolute mess. I was completely nuts.

“I thought maybe I could salvage some of it, but in the end, I needed to get rid of everything and start from scratch,” he added. “I probably spent around 1,200 hours working on the car and it was quite expensive to do. It was a seven days a week job.

“It might have took a while, but it’s definitely worth it.”

He says the project cost approximately £80,000 from start to finish.

Now, Napier drives the art piece in charity events around the U.K. and is always happy to indulge people who want a photo op. He even added all the bells and whistles to give it the same flair as the DeLorean from the films.

“In the film, you see white plumes of smoke and that’s done by fire extinguishers in the film,” he continued. “We’ve done something similar—we’ve used CO2 fire extinguishers with a remote control.

“We have a smoke machine inside the car too so when you open the doors smoke comes out so it’s like you’ve traveled in time. A lot of the props inside makes the exact same noises. We’ve got the iconic car doors and lights too.”

It’s been a long road to get Napier’s DeLorean up and running to such exact specifications, but with the machine they have now, they don’t need roads.

Look, I can hold my own when it comes to wrapping Christmas presents but I’m not one of those people who can make frickin’ works of art with one measly piece of colored paper and some tape. You know the ones – they can wrap anything, no matter the size, shape, or consistency. Usually, such powers are used for good. Other times, though, they are utilized for some top-notch holiday shenanigans.

Jo Thornly—Sydney-based author, podcast host, and self-proclaimed spelling bee champion—decided to festively decorate her superior’s office with wrapping paper.

And we’re talking the entire office, folks.

My boss took the day off today, but might never again. pic.twitter.com/CR1PWS9Ud8

— Jo Thornely (@jothornely) December 2, 2019

Thornly’s boss had taken the day off, something the malevolent gift-wrapper says they “might never do again.”

Just about every surface is tastefully covered in festive, Santa-covered paper—chairs, books, the phone, even the computer. It’s so intricate and thorough, it rivals the original source material (without the additional prank, as far as we know).

People on Twitter were quick to support Thornly’s truly “gifted” pranking skills as well as desperately hoping to see her boss’s response:

Well it looks like SOMEONE had a bit too much time on their hands!! (Not to mention, an abundance of gift wrap!) pic.twitter.com/U6ArL8pwIS

— Maria S Hind (@MariaSHind1) December 2, 2019

You wrapped the office better than I can wrap anything 🙈

— Gregor Suttie – azureadventcalendar.com (@gregor_suttie) December 2, 2019

Whoever did this needs to start a profession gift wrap business!! Flawless 💝🎄

— Jane Mills (@whatjanesays) December 2, 2019

holy bejebus. Please film their reaction.

— Frank the Dasher (@vwdasher) December 2, 2019

No word yet on the response from Thornly’s boss, but if she gets fired, I got dibs on hiring her as my professional gift wrapper.

Having a child with disabilities can be a serious struggle at times, but thanks to modern technology, many of those burdens have been lightened and tons of children can experience a certain degree of normalcy.

For example, a video of a giggling 4-month-old Georgina Addison recently went viral due to her adorable smile and coos as her hearing aids were switched on in the morning.

If this doesn’t warm your heart, literally nothing will.

Georgina was born completely deaf but was quickly fitted for her own personal hearing aids, which she received only weeks later. Ever since, the little girl’s parents start the day by flipping on the devices and watching as their daughter’s world is flooded with sound—something she clearly enjoys, too.

“It fills my heart with joy and you just can’t put a price on things like this,” Georgina’s dad, Paul Addison, commented. “Every morning she reacts like it’s a completely new experience and that will never get old.”

The couple didn’t know their jubilant daughter was deaf until shortly after her birth after initial audiological tests revealed significant hearing-related issues.

“Getting that sort of news is always going to be difficult,” Paul continued. “We focused on the practicalities of the situation and did our best to stay positive.”

The video was taken only a couple of months after Georgina had received her custom-made hearing aids, and she’s already pretty comfortable with them already.

“She’s a very happy baby and we made sure it wouldn’t become a long term issue,” Paul disclosed. “Every morning now when we turn the hearing aids on, we get this lovely reaction from her. She smiles every morning when she’s able to access sound. It’s just gorgeous.”

Sounds like it’s going to take a lot more than simple hearing loss to slow down Georgina.

Pranks can fall under a number of categories, from mean and unfunny to wholesome and hilarious, but a truly masterful prankster always includes some artistic flair to their misdeeds – something that reflects a certain level of refinement to his or her work.

Take Imgur user eeplesandbaneenees85, for example. He went Christmas tree shopping without his wife this year and decided to have some fun at her expense with the help of his buddy, Photoshop.

This guy pretends to go full Clark Griswold, picking out a majestic tree that is clearly too big for their living room (or so it seems, thanks to a little photo editing magic).

And it didn’t stop there – this prankster is clearly a professional. He had a bevy of altered photos ready to send from various points in the tree moving process.

Sure, it’s not the best edit, but we’re assuming he was working with limited time. Plus, his wife was clearly too busy trying not to absolutely flip on her idiot of a spouse to zoom in on a tiny little phone screen.

Trying to find some inkling of reasoning in her husband’s thinking, she asks about the cost.

Big mistake.

Dad proudly reports that he paid $190 for the gargantuan spruce—well over double what the average Christmas tree costs—which just about sends his poor wife through the roof.

Knowing divorce papers on the horizon when he sees them, dad finally decides to reveal the happy holiday hoax for what it is along with an adorable and only slightly infuriating ‘heart eyes’ emoji.

Well played, sir. Enjoy the coal in your stocking.

It’s official – A Wisconsin city has made it illegal to throw snowballs.

Or at least that’s what was widely reported in the media due to Wausau’s municipal code:

No person shall throw or shoot any object, arrow, stone, snowball or other missile or projectile, by hand or by any other means, at any other person.

Wisconsin town has outlawed throwing snowballs https://t.co/toCv5c9xVJ pic.twitter.com/B91Ut5Z2VL

— New York Post (@nypost) December 4, 2019

Snowballs are officially on par with stones, arrows, and missiles when it comes to lethality, folks. To really make sure there are no grey areas, the ordinance goes on to specify that snowballs cannot be thrown “at, in or into any building, street, sidewalk, alley, highway, park, playground or other public places within the city.”

I guess that means this classic scene from the Christmas classic, Elf (2003), should come with a trigger warning now:

“It’s really in the interest of public safety,” Wausau Mayor Robert B. Mielke told WCCO in regards to the ruling, which he actually introduced years ago. “A lot of it is just consideration and common sense. You don’t throw stuff at people, period.”

Look, tossing snowballs in the wintertime is about as wholesome as it gets. Hell, I’d put my money on it being displayed in a Norman Rockwell painting somewhere. I’m all about keeping people safe, but this is, coincidentally, not cool at all.

The good news is that thanks to a video just released by Wausau Police Department, it looks like it was all one big misunderstanding!

Deputy Chief Matt Barnes is joined by Mayor Mielke to clear up some misconceptions about this story which seems to have snowballed out of control:

Whether you’re on board for Tesla’s new futuristic Cybertruck or think it’s just laughably weird, people can’t seem to stop talking about it. It’s been the subject of jokes, memes, and thousands of internet searches, and now it’s even somewhere you probably didn’t expect: Goldeneye 007 for the Nintendo 64.

YouTuber Graslu00 shared gameplay of the classic N64 shooter and thanks to a little modding magic, Bond stumbles across both the Cybertruck and Tesla CEO Elon Musk (we still aren’t quite sure what Elon was doing on the streets of St. Petersburg at this time of night but he seems to be holding his own).

Booting up the ‘Streets’ level, the player casually strolls over to where the tank usually sits and instead finds Elon accompanied by the Cybertruck in all her low-polygonal glory. The best part is that it all kind of works. Sure, the Tesla CEO’s face is all sorts of distorted (like all faces in the game) but the Cybertruck looks pretty spot-on for what we thought a high-tech car from the future would look like back in the ‘90s.

Hell, Bond even takes damage through the car just like he would if he drove the actual “bulletproof” stage model from Tesla’s unveiling event. Realistic!

But who needs bulletproof windows when you can launch tank shells during a leisurely drive through the city, right? Maybe Tesla should take a page out of this modder’s handbook and add some MI6-level firepower to their electro-truck.

One of the best parts of being a parent is introducing your kids to all of your decades-worth of nerdy hobbies and interests. Seeing their little eyes light up almost feels like rediscovering it for yourself. Plus, you can finally be the cool parent who indulges them like your parents never did.

For example, Logan’s dad is not only a huge comic book buff but an incredible artist and cosplayer, too. And who gets to reap the benefits of his nerddom? That’s right: Logan.

The star of their Instagram account, Logan shines as the model for his dad’s amazing comic and pop culture costume designs. He even accompanies him to conventions where people can’t get enough of the pint-sized cosplayer in his incredibly detailed get-ups.

His most recent and one of the most impressive ones to date is Mando from The Mandalorian in full beskar armor:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#MandoMonday #MandalorianMonday This was the movement test to see what adjustments to do so Logan can be more comfortable walking. Had to adjust a couple of things. . . . #babyyoda #yoda #starwars #disney #disneyplus #themandalorian #themandaloriancosplay #cosplay #kidscancosplay #cosplaykids

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on Dec 2, 2019 at 1:33pm PST

On top of relevant Star Wars costumes, Logan has sported plenty of other elaborate ensembles that would make any nerd worth their salt perk up and take notice.

Here are some of our favorites:

Red Hood

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Throwback to the “Dominic” part of “LoganDominicCosplay” Lol when Jacob liked cosplaying. I was a big fan of this one. Loved how it came out. . . . #redhood #jasontodd #batman #undertheredhood #redhoodcosplay #cosplay #kidscancosplay #cosplaykids #dc

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on Nov 27, 2019 at 1:44pm PST

Cyclops

 

View this post on Instagram

 

End the night with this awesome photo from @elementaloasisphoto thank you very much for the pic . . . #cyclopscosplay #marvelcosplay #xmencosplay #marvel #xmen #kidscancosplay #cosplaykids #90sxmen #comic #cosplay #lacc #comicconla19

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on Oct 20, 2019 at 10:40pm PDT

Magneto

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#MARVELMONDAY So I thought I gave another peek at the Magneto suit. Working on the gloves right now and printing an updated/more accurate Magento helmet and then air brush some details. . . . #Magneto #marvelmagneto #magnetocosplay #xmenmagneto #magnetoxmen #marvelstudios #marvelcosplay #marvel #xmen #xmencosplay #cosplayers #kidscancosplay #cosplaykids #cosplayersofig #cosplaying

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on Sep 9, 2019 at 12:23pm PDT

Spider-Man

 

View this post on Instagram

 

He really loves being Spider man lol . . . #spidermancosplay #spidermancosplayer #peterparker #marvel #cosplay #cosplayers #kidscancosplay #cosplaykids #cosplayersofig

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on Aug 27, 2019 at 12:42pm PDT

Gambit

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Logan had an awesome time at @gapplecomics for #xmenday they had tacos and @1025kissfm giving out goodies to those that know some X-men stuff. . . . #cosplayersofinstagram #cosplayers #kidscancosplay #cosplay #gambit #gambitcosplay #xmen #marvel #cosplaying

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on May 13, 2019 at 3:20pm PDT

Deadpool

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Logan wanted to say Happy Birthday to @vancityreynolds with some throwback pics lol. Thanks to @robliefeld for creating this character and to Ryan Reynolds for bringing him to life. . . . #deadpool #deadpoolcosplay #marvel #marvelcosplay #Logan

A post shared by Logan Winter Dominic (@logandominiccosplay) on Oct 23, 2019 at 3:06pm PDT

To go see more of Logan and his dad’s awesome work, check out their Instagram or maybe just attend your local Comic-Con – they’ll be the ones drawing all the adorable attention.

Beer culture is weird. Two people who consider themselves hardcore beer fans can have completely different stances regarding what a frothy brew should even be. Some might love the variety and limit-pushing nature of modern craft breweries while others prefer that one simple beer that they, their father, and their father’s father drank.

Well, an exciting beer from DuClaw Brewing Company is getting prepped for limited release and is definitely for the more adventurous beer snobs… and might even be a stretch for them.

In partnership with Diablo Doughnuts, the Maryland-based brewery is bringing back their vivaciously named ‘Sour Me Unicorn Farts beer,’ which saw a short but extremely successful limited run earlier this year. What sets the beer apart (besides its colorful branding) is that it’s brewed with Fruity Pebbles cereal and edible glitter. You will literally watch it shimmer in your glass, just like an actual unicorn’s fart, we assume.

“This glittered sour ale with fruity cereal mashed in, brings slightly tart sour, a bouquet of fruits & a hint of biscuit,” reads the description on their website.

As if that wasn’t enough, DuClaw is pulling out all the stops with their advertising campaign on their Instagram page. If you know who Lizzo is, you probably know about her viral photo featuring her submerged in a bathtub full of Skittles.

Well, the DuClaw team took some creative liberties and recreated the iconic shot with their head brewer as well as the owner of Diablo Doughnuts giving us BIG MOODS in tubs full of Fruity Pebbles and beer.

Here are some side-by-side shots to compare – prepare yourself:

Look, I know some folks think beer is a “man’s drink” and, therefore, should be “tough” and “not full of glitter,” but who can resist a literal shining glass of alcohol? You’ll probably drink it and then have to go on some magical quest to conquer evil afterward. COUNT ME IN.

Expect to see Sour Me Unicorn Farts on store shelves June 2020, but you’ll have to act fast – this is just another limited release. Like an actual unicorn’s fart, this is a rare treat to be savored.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Disney is at it again pumping money out of the ludicrously successful Star Wars brand. In addition to J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker hitting theaters later this month and The Mandalorian releasing weekly episodes on Disney+, Disney’s Lucasfilm is preparing an all-new new game show: Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge.

The show is aimed at children and is scheduled to start streaming on Disney+ in 2020, but here’s the thing… it’s hosted by Jar Jar Binks.

Okay, technically, it’s hosted by Ahmed Best, the actor who played Jar Jar in the prequel trilogy, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit worried. It’ll only take one “Mesa…” or “Ex-squeeze me” to ruin this for me.

The showrunners definitely appear to have Best’s back, though, sharing in a press release: “Best’s unique set of skills as an actor, dancer, martial arts expert, STOMP musician, and Star Wars fan make him the perfect choice as the show’s host and mentor…. Best is joined by a hilarious humanoid droid companion, voiced by Mary Holland (VEEP, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre).”

“This is definitely a kids game show like no other,” says Lucasfilm’s senior director of Online Content & Programming, Mickey Capoferri. “The various challenges will test a Padawan’s connection to the Force in three locations — a forest planet, on board a Jedi star cruiser, and inside a Jedi Temple — immersing them and the audience in a fun, humorous, and exciting competition.”

I’m not-so-secretly hoping this means blindfolded kids will be handed toy lightsabers and told to deflect laser blasts (or at least Nerf bullets).

“Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge brings together the best of Star Wars – competitive spirit, harrowing obstacles and a hero’s triumph over challenges – in a totally new format for the franchise,” reports Dan Silver, vice president of Originals – Unscripted Content and Disney+. “A game show set in the Star Wars galaxy is a perfect fit for Disney+.”

Unscripted content is pretty unusual for the Star Wars franchise so I guess we’ll just have to trust in the Force (and the Mouse) that this show will be a winner and not another Jar Jar Binks-level blunder.

Disney+ is now available for $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year>>

Just a heads up, if you buy stuff using the provided links, The Dad may collect a small commission.

Few creatures are as adorable and enigmatic as Baby Yoda, which makes it so fun to speculate what exactly he’s capable of. In lieu of spoiling anything from The Mandalorian, let’s just say he’s already proven himself to be more than meets the eye.

So, while we await the inevitable slew of merchandise based on the mysterious viridian toddler, fans have already begun creating their own Star Wars Baby Yoda fan fiction (don’t worry, we’re not getting into anything too weird in this article).

For instance, what if Baby Yoda replaced his namesake in the Episode III: Revenge of the Sith lightsaber duel against Darth Sidious?

Creator MaxeBaumannFilms2013 playfully calls it a battle between “the baby and the boomer” and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t all-in after watching the Sith Lord ridicule a cooing infant for his “arrogance.”

After some heated swordsmanship between Sidious and a bouncing hover stroller, the two are left to duke it out in the Senate chamber with their epic force powers.

Of course, in the source material, the fight ends with Yoda’s bitter defeat, resulting in his exile on Dagobah. In the fan edit, Baby Yoda appears close to meeting a similar fate as the Sith charges up his force lightening to finish him off. Thankfully, good ol’ Mando shows up in the nick of time to disintegrate Sidious’s wrinkly old tookus and save his little green pal.

Yes, the edit is over the top and ridiculous, but it’s fun to wonder about the potential for everyone’s favorite knee-high force wielder. It’s doubtful we’ll see him building his own lightsaber anytime soon in the show but he’s allegedly still going to be around for The Mandalorian Season 2, so you never know!