Technabob » 8 bit

Mega Star Wars Duels: A Long Time Ago and 8-Bits Away

Range — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:00:56 +0000

After his Super Bros collection, featuring all sorts of my favorite characters rendered with some pixel love, Ty Lettau is back with some Star Wars love. This time around, he focuses on the battles between good and evil, Light Side and Dark Side, Jedi and Sith.

His minimal Star Wars characters remind me of Mega Man, which is appropriate since they’re supposed to be in Mega Star Wars. The funniest thing is that when I take my glasses off, the images become smooth, and less pixelated, which is cool, but reminds me that my eyesight is gradually going.

I wonder if we’ll ever end up playing as these characters in some retro platformer on Xbox Live. I sure hope so.

[via How to Carve Roast Unicorn via Thaeger]

Mike’s Mega Man and Mario Mosaics Make Me Mappy

Technabob — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:00:17 +0000

No matter how many new video game franchises come along, it’s still some of the earliest console games which have the most popular gaming characters of all time. Take, for instance, Mario and Mega Man. Both released nearly 30 years ago (yikes, I feel really old), these iconic gaming characters have grown up alongside those of us who grew up playing video games. If you’d like a constant reminder of these classic characters, then you might want to add one of these handmade gaming mosaics to your home.

Michael Crow of Mike’s Mosaics created these Mario and Mega Man mosaics using glazed terracotta and ceramic tiles, and they look awesome. I love that Mario is wearing his Tanooki look, though I think he’d have trouble getting off the ground with all the added weight of the tile and concrete backing board.

Mega Man looks mighty fine too, sporting his classic blue costume.

Mario is really substantial, measuring in at 27.5″ x 23.25″, while Mega Man is a bit smaller at 12.5″ x 15.5″. Since both have been sealed, they’re okay for indoor or outdoor use. I’d be so thrilled with these guys in my garden instead of gnomes (hint-hint). Mario is priced at $250 (USD), and Mega Man is going for $200. Both can be found over at Mike’s Mosaics Etsy Shop. Mike will also make custom mosaics of your favorite character on request.

QR Code Super Mario: Unscannable Plumber

Range — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:40 +0000

From time to time, you come across interesting images on the web, and sometimes, it’s not easy to figure out nthe story behind them. I spotted this QR Code Super Mario on this Spanish website, and which led me to find out it was created by one Mr. Kuwahara. Unfortunately, that’s about where the story ends.

In his original post, Kuwahara simply says “No you can’t scan this .” Perhaps the juxtaposition between QR codes and 8-bit gaming imply that QR codes are already a relic of the past. Or maybe he created it for fun. Let’s go with that.

It does make you wonder if it would be possible to create a QR code with an image like this that could still be scanned.

[via DesignYouTrust]

World’s Largest NES Controller Adds Co-Op Mode to Super Mario Bros.

Technabob — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:25:14 +0000

I’ve previously featured some pretty ridiculously large NES controllers here on the site, but this one is the new supersize champ, measuring approximately 30 times the size of an original NES gamepad.

The massive controller measures approximately 12ft (w) x 5 ft (d) 3 in x 1ft 8 in (h), and weighs in at a whopping 265 pounds. It was built by Ben Allen, along with Stephen van ‘t Hof and Michel Verhulst.

The controller cost over $6,000 (USD) to construct, and yes – it does play games. The thing is so big that it takes at least two people to play a game with it, as the armspan required to use the D-Pad at the same time as the A/B buttons is too wide for even the likes of Yao Ming. Hence, my comment about Co-Op mode in the title above.

The controller was shown off at London, England’s Liverpool Street Station in celebration of the release of Guiness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2012. And no, you can’t have it in your living room.

[via EGM]

Legend of Zelda NES Mod a Real Team Effort: It’s Dangerous to Mod Alone

Technabob — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:19:01 +0000

While I’ve seen tons of NES casemods over the years, I have to say that it’s sometimes best to keep things simple and elegant, like with this Legend of Zelda tribute NES done up by Ryan Fitzpatrick (aka “Platinumfungi,”) along with the help of pro console painter Jayrod2.

The console offers up a stunning automotive grade, clear-coated finish, with gold, silver and red accents, clearly reminiscent of the original Legend of Zelda gold cartridge. Ryan says they allowed the paint to cure for a full month between steps to ensure a perfect finish. I certainly would never have that kind of patience. But paintjob aside, the very best part of the design though is the intricate pixelated Link on top.

You might assume that it was laser cut, but it was entirely done by hand, which makes it way more impressive in its level of detail and clean construction. Utilmately, it took Ryan over 50 hours of cutting, sanding and soldering to work out the light up multi-colored Link character.

The icing on the cake for this mod is the accompanying launch video clip Ryan and his pals made, working with Avid Productions 479 on the video, and Will Chiles on the original Zelda-inspired score. It’s really a loving tribute to Zelda, and shows off the console in all its glory:

Now wasn’t that special? Seems to me that all casemods should come along with such a magical launch video, don’cha think?

[Thanks for the tip, Will & Ryan!]

8-Bit Series Game Console Posters: As Seen From the Eyes of Grandpa NES

Lambert Varias — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Etsy seller Biscotto Cotto is currently offering a line of minimalist pixel art prints of video game systems. They’re done in 8-bit, which is kind of funny when you notice that the NES – perhaps the most famous console from that generation – isn’t included in the series. At least the Game Boy and the Sega Master System are representin’.

This is exactly how I perceive things without my glasses on. On second thought, my eyesight’s not that bad – I probably have 16-bit/16-bit vision. The current gen systems also get their own prints, so there’s something for young gamers as well. No iOS devices though.

Head to Biscotto Cotto’s Etsy shop to order the 8-bit series. A4-sized prints sell for $15 (USD) while A3-sized prints sell for $25.

[via It8bit]

8-Bit Tie: Perfect if You’re Interviewing to Be a Video Game Character

Range — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:00:41 +0000

While it’s been around for a while, the pixelated 8-Bit Tie might still be cool to wear around if you’re a big fan of retro video games, especially if your office has a casual dress code.

Oh, and there’s a good reason why this tie absolutely has to be a clip-on. If it weren’t, it would create a triangular pattern at the knot instead of blocky pixels, so no can do. Besides, making it a clip-on makes it just that much more geeky. The tie is made out of microfiber and polyester, so you can also use it to clean the screen of your tablet or smartphone.

It would be funny to find a matching 8-bit suit, so that you’d basically be just a few blocks of pixels when you dress up. The 8-bit Tie is available from ThinkGeek for $14.99(USD) in red or blue.

[via GeekAlerts]

HandyNES: the Portable NES with the Not So Portable Gun

Conner Flynn — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:00:06 +0000

Behold the latest NES mod, a portable NES from “LovableChevy”, the creator of such mods as the HandyDuo, Handy Gear, and Nintenduo. This one is called the HandyNES.
It’s handy and also compact thanks to the NES cartridge top-loader slot. The code name for this project was “red mushroom”, obviously.

It took her over a month to complete this one and the finished product looks good enough to market, even if the color makes me think of a First Aid kit. Under the hood is a full NES (version 2) console and a 3.5″ LCD screen, powered by rechargeable li-ion batteries, as well as a built-in D-Pad and buttons.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

It is pretty cute, but ever since seeing the pic, I just want that gun to be modded along with this portable. It bugs me. I just want it to be smaller and more James Bond-like – something that a woman could use with her feminine NES portable and then conceal in her purse.

[via ModdedByBacteria Forums]

PlayMore Handheld: Another Portable Emulates Retro Consoles

Technabob — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:55:30 +0000

There have been numerous handhelds out there which can play games from the old 8-bit and 16-bit era consoles. Personally, I have the Dingoo A-320, which handles the job nicely. But there’s a new player in town which looks like it could be good, and it’s also cheap.

The PlayMore handheld can play games from the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Nintendo NES/Famicom, SNES and Gameboy, GBC/GBA right out of the box. Games are played on a 2.8″ 300×240 resolution screen (or is that 320×240?) The system looks pretty nicely designed, and has both a D-Pad and analog stick, as well as small L and R shoulder buttons. It’s not clear how these are used with older console games, but I’m sure some hackers will get their hands on the PlayMore and get it emulating other systems which take advantage of these additional controls.

Not that you’re likely to use this thing as a media player, but the PlayMore also supports playback of a wide variety of audio and video file formats, and it even has a (craptastic – 0.3mp) camera built in. But you’re not buying this thing to take photos. You want to play some Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog and Donkey Kong Country, right? Well it should handle those just fine – assuming you know where to (ahem) get your hands on those game ROMs.

In terms of storage, the PlayMore has 4GB of on-board capacity, plus you can add up to 16GB with a microSD card. It’s also got an A/V out cable for hooking it up to a TV, and is charged via a standard mini-USB connector.And if you’re to believe the photo below, it’s even more fun when you’re drunk:

So now on to the best part. The PlayMore sells for just $57.88 (USD) over at ChinaVasion, so if you don’t already have a handheld retro emulator, this looks like one of the better deals out there. If you buy one, post a comment and let us know how it works for you!

8-Bit Hair Bows: No More Bad Hair Days

Hazel Chua — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:00:01 +0000

I sported a boy-cut until just before I became a teenager. That’s over a decade of bad hair cuts and hair that was so short that sometimes, strangers mistook me for a boy. I had always wanted to grow out my hair but my mom would insist that I keep it short because I was the messy kind of kid who never made any effort when it came to grooming. Thankfully, those days are over (and I’ve finally gotten my mother off my case when it comes to my hair. My hair.)

And I know I may not be a kid anymore, but all I know is, I probably would’ve wanted a couple of these 8-Bit Hair Bows to keep my mane in place.

They’re delightfully geeky and will appeal to a lot of girls (and maybe even some guys?). They’re not just for gamers, either, because the red and black pixelated look actually makes for a pretty stylish design.

The 8-Bit Hair Bows are available for purchase from ThinkGeek for $6.99(USD) a piece.

8-Bit Wreath: May Your Days Be Merry And Brightly Lit By LEDs

Technabob — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:30:28 +0000

Gamer geeks looking to show off their holiday spirit should forget about the old pine needle wreath on the front door, and instead consider this one, covered with retro video game pixel art.

Your neighbors are sure to know you’re into gaming the minute they see this 8-Bit Wreath, which has a game controller, pixelated cherries, a 1-up mushroom (with a Santa hat), a Galaga ship, Tetris block, and even Slime from Dragon Quest. You’ll even notice how it’s got gold coins, glittering in the night thanks to yellow LEDs inside each one.

The 8-Bit Wreath measures 10.5″ x 13″, and is made from durable EVA foam (which happens to be what pixels are actually made of – I know I read that somewhere.) It sells for just $19.99 (USD) over at ThinkGeek.

8-Bit Heroes: Saving People One Pixel at a Time

Range — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:21:24 +0000

These pixelaterd superheroes designed by Jesus Castaneda remind me of a time when I used to play my Nintendo Entertainment System for hours upon end. Jesus has created a bunch of superheroes, as well as other characters from films and video games. Some of them make me think of Mario in his Tanooki suit about to take flight.

Jesus was born in Chile, but now lives in Toronto and like many designers, loves pixel-art. You’ll find Superman, The Hulk, Batman, Robin, Deadpool, Mystique, Frodo and Sam, Harry Potter, Wolverine, Boba Fett, Ironman and a few others.

You can buy all of these images in prints at Jesus’ Society6 store. They cost $15 (USD) a piece. I’d like to see them made into pendants.

[via Thaeger]

Retro Warfare: Man vs. Pixels

Technabob — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:00:26 +0000

While you might think the best way to take down alien invaders in an arcade game would be to use a joystick, or maybe a trackball or spinner, it turns out that you can also use a good, old-fashioned handgun. At least if you’re the dude in this video clip.

In his short titled Retro Warfare, Andrew McMurry finds himself backed into a corner by a variety of pixelated foes, and has to resort to the weapon he has on hand to blast them back to where they came from.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Wasn’t that fun? Now I wish I could go back and play Space Invaders and Pac-Man with a loaded gun and real bullets. It looks like fun. In case you’re wondering, Andrew created the clip with the help of After Effects, Cinema 4D, and a pocketful of quarters.

[via The High Definite]

Goats vs. Nazis Could Be the Next NES Game

Technabob — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:00:19 +0000

How’d you like a brand new game for the old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System? Not convinced? What if I told you it involved an epic battle between goats and Nazis? Ah, I thought that might sell you on it.

Developer Jim Welch has kicked off a project to build a new game for the trusty old NES, called GOATS vs NAZIS. And what, might you ask, happens in this game? Well, we’re not 100% sure, but the 1- or 2-player game involves goats spitting bullets at the evil Nazis, and muching on helmets, guns, tin-cans, grass and other stuff to restore their energy. Oh, and goats riding motorcycles. And blowing up spaceships. Sign us up.

If you want to be playing GOATS vs. NAZIS on your NES emulator (physical carts and mobile versions might come in future), you’ll want to head on over to Kickstarter and contribute to the cause. Jim is looking to raise $14,000 to complete the game, which he plans on releasing freely to the public once finished.

While you might think that $14k is a lot of money for an NES game, that cash will be used to cloth, feed and shelter Jim as he sequesters himself to build the game over the next 12 months. And if just 2800 people each pony up just 5 bucks, Jim will hit his goal, and you’ll be playing GOATS vs. NAZIS this time next year. If you don’t believe that Jim is up to the challenge, be sure to check out some early test footage he created.

Atari Flashback 3: 60 Retro Games for the Price of One New Game

Lambert Varias — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:00:50 +0000

The Atari Flashback 3 is an officially licensed console with has 60 Atari 2600 games built-in. It’s a great gift for the old-school gamer who’s been nice. Or the young gamer who’s been naughty: “I got you a console! It’s just been released!” Then make your best troll face. Then watch ‘em weep when they find out that the console it’s based on is so old it didn’t even have a pause function.

Of course there’s always a chance that kids will learn to love at least one of the 60 games built-in, like the unwinnable Missile Command or the exploitable Asteroids. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of the games in the Flashback 3 already have mobile versions though. At least you get to play them using the iconic Atari-style joysticks.

You can order the Atari Flashback 3 from Amazon for $60 (USD). UK customers may want to head to Blaze instead, where it’s being sold for £50. Pause function included. No really.

[via Chip Chick]

Anrealage Pixel Fashion Collection: 8-Bit Hits the Runway (and the Dining Room)

Technabob — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:04:28 +0000

I’m definitely a big fan of pixel art. Whether they’re found in paintings, furniture, housewares, or costumes, pixels are still pretty cool in my book. So when I saw that this fashion house is featuring an entire collection of stuff inspired by pixels, my inner geek got all hot and bothered.

For his Anrealage fashion line, Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga took inspiration from the squared-off pixel block to create his F/W 2011 collection, which includes shoes with pixel heels, pixelated prints on on jackets, sweaters and slacks.

But my favorite part of the collection isn’t the clothing. It’s the pixel furniture, which includes a pair of awesome blocky armchairs, a matching café table, a pixel-patterned Oriental rug, and some awesome pixel light bulb fixtures.

I would live in a house filled with this stuff if I could. But I can’t. So for now, the only way to experience this is to head to the Anrealage showroom in Harajuku, Tokyo.

[KoiKoiKoi via Fancy]

Super KataMario Bros.: Your Princess is in Another Sticky Ball

Technabob — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 02:39:39 +0000

What would happen if the cylinder-headed green Prince dropped in for a visit in the Mushroom Kingdom with his rolling Katamari? For starters, I’d imagine clearing World 1-1 certainly would go a bit faster than usual.

Find out exactly how the whole visit goes down in this short video clip by Daneboe:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Well that went pretty much as I would have expected it to. Though I wonder if the Katamari could squeeze inside all those green pipes and underground. I have a funny feeling the Prince missed a few secret levels between 1-1 and 8-4.

[via AOTS via HALOLZ]

Pixel Galaxy Game Boy Book: Turn Page to Start

Lambert Varias — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:28:04 +0000

If you’re one of the millions of gamers who have fond memories with the Game Boy, then you’ll love Sergio Ingravalle’s book, Pixel Galaxy. It’s a tribute to Nintendo’s Hall of Famer handheld and to pixel graphics in general.

Despite its chunky form and monochrome display, up until today the Game Boy remains the third best selling video game system of all time, topped only by the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation 2. Part of it’s success was because the competition sucked, but more than anything the Game Boy was successful because it had a legendary line up of games, from Tetris to Pokémon. Judging from the shots of the book’s contents, Sergio seems to be well aware of that.

Pixel Galaxy singles out and takes a closer look at some of the Gameboy’s most popular games like Link’s Awakening, Castlevania and Street Fighter II. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he focused on the different kinds of art styles used in the games rather than their gameplay. Not that that would be disappointing. For gamers like me who grew up in the mid-80′s until the early 90′s, 8-bit graphics will always have a special place in our hearts.

You can find more pictures of Pixel Galaxy in Sergio’s Behance page. Sergio is also currently looking for a publisher for Pixel Galaxy, so if you’d like to help him out spread the word about his book or even better, find him a publisher. Hopefully he’ll thank us by coming up with an English – and Japanese! – translation of the book.

NES Nyan Cat Would Have Been the Easiest Game Ever Made

Lambert Varias — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:25:34 +0000

How would a Nyan Cat game be played? An on-rails shooter where the only command is to press a button to shoot rainbows out of Nyan Cat’s butt? Or perhaps a side-scrolling racing game where you press a button to propel Nyan Cat by shooting rainbows out of its butt? Or would it be pet sim where the only pet available is Nyan Cat, and the only thing it can do is shoot rainbows out of its butt?

Whatever the case, J.R. Barker has ensured that this non-existing NES game has an awesome video game box art, modeled after Konami’s classic design. Barker also did the back of the box:

I wonder what bonus you’d get when you enter the Konami Code in NES Nyan Cat. Maybe a cameo of Maru or Keyboard Cat. You can buy a poster version of the front cover over at Society 6 for $20-$30 (USD) depending on the size.

[via Rampaged Reality]

8-Bit Assassin’s Creed Looks Better than any 8-Bit Console Game I Ever Saw

Range — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:16:44 +0000

I like Assassin’s Creed and I’ve played it a bit, but I also like retro games. Maybe I would have liked it better if Assassin’s Creed were an 8-bit game on the NES. Check out this sweet animation that was created to showcase just this.

This video was made by Balazs Kalocsai and it shows you exactly what the game might have looked like in the 80s, on an 8-bit console. Would this game work for real this way on an Xbox 360? Probably not, but the video is still fun to watch.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The art looks way better than any 8-bit console I’ve ever seen, but you get the point. The characters sort of like voxels which have been flattened into two-dimensions, which is a strange way to describe them, but that’s what they look like to me.

[via Olybop]