Awesome 8-bit

Ok, so the graphics on our 8-bit systems were never this good, but we’ll forgive the guys at CineFix their slight misnomer since their pixelated RPG remake of Anchorman is spot on. You stay classy, Nintendo. (Thanks PhilRoy!)

One could argue that Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories sounds like it was recorded back in 1978, so it’s ironic that Joe Jeremiah’s chiptune version actually modernizes the album with its 1980s sounds. Best watched in 144p.

Chiptuner Oliver (aka Superpowerless) overlays 8-bit tracks played live on his Nintendo Game Boy with popular tunes – in this case Bangarang by Skrillex. He even makes Call Me Maybe listenable.

Check out the modern 8-bit artists and chiptune musicians who have elevated the beloved form to new levels of creativity and cultural reflection in PBS Off Book’s Evolution of 8-Bit Art.

It’s not yet April 1st, but we suspect the guys at Google released one of their pranks early, with the new Google Maps for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Click “Quest” in the upper right to try it.

A classic storyline that involves fighting your way through 8 awesome levels drives the gameplay in this free retro-inspired game that pays proper tribute to the glory days of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming.

Turns out that Skyrim started out as an 8-bit game on the NES back in the 1980s. Don’t know what Fus Ro Dah means? Clearly you haven’t been playing enough. Also available in sticker form.

A limited-edition series featuring NES cartridges with retro pixel art of modern video games. Each cartridge contains a random NES game, not an 8-bit version of the game on the cover, though.

A tribute to classic 8-bit video games, blown up to building size, spawning unholy mashups of retro games. Too bad the final projection mapping only included a small bit of Pavel Novák’s animation.

8-bit fanatic DoctorOctoroc is back on his game with 30 chiptune tracks based on classic TV shows, cartoons and commercials. Ok, Adventures of The Gummi Bears is not a classic.

This geeky accessory pays homage to simpler times, when the video game worlds were made of blocks and not polygons. Has a stainless steel face with ABS plastic band. Goes well with the 8-bit tie.

Hollerado’s music video for Americanarama uses a cool gimmick – the background is a 6×4 display, controlled entirely by humans. Bonus points for the Space Invaders and PONG references.

Cee-Lo’s hateful yet groovy song still stuck in your head? Try this equally awesome video game parody by Inverse Phase, in which a NES rages after being ditched for a Sega Genesis. Ouch.

Ninjamoped (formerly known as Rymdreglage) are back with more chiptunes, video games and LEGO. Their latest stop-motion videos feature popular NES games recreated using LEGO.

Whether you’re into Supreme Beings or Darwin, this light-hearted 8-bit style animation by Marieke Ottrand is meant to entertain. We don’t remember this game on our Atari 2600s.

This 22 second video will likely have you laughing, provided you 1) enjoy the current pop culture offerings on YouTube and 2) appreciate the good old days of video gaming.

Imagine for a moment if DJ Hero were made for the Nintendo NES. This de-make from Eric Ruth isn’t just a video clip, it’s an actual game, slated for release in the next few weeks.

We can hardly believe it ourselves, but these beautiful animated scenes – reminiscent of the backgrounds in old LucasArts adventures – were entirely coded in HTML5 using 8-bit color cycling.

Nerdcore rapper ytcracker takes on classic 1980s video games in this music video, animated by Doctor Octoroc, the same guy responsible for 8-bit Dr. Horrible. Let the pop culture references fly!

If you’ve ever struggled to complete a video game, then you might want to check out this video that shows off what “super-easy” mode might look like in classic games. Ninja Gaiden needs this.

This awesome costume was created by Hyperbole Studios for a Toshiba commercial. It’s made from thousands of individual “pixel” blocks cut from foam and glued to a cardboard structure.

This short animated film by Alex Varanese is a wonderful tribute to 8-bit video game style. Alex says he was inspired by both Michel Gondry and R-Type, and you can definitely see both influences.