Too often the big names of video games get all the attention.  You see plenty of art created honoring Mario, Master Chief, Sonic, etc., but what about the unsung heroes?  But some dedicated fans, such as Shuji Suzuki will not let the past fade away.  His clay models have been featured as part of the I Am 8-Bit art exhibition, and the above is one of the more colorful ones based on Bubble Bobble.  If you’re asking, "What is that?"  You’re obviously too young to have played one of the iconic games of the NES generation, which somehow got forgotten.

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Ever wanted a Nintendo DS with a hot pink top, but a black bottom? Sure, who hasn’t? Now, thanks to Colorware you can have just that. Or, basically, any other horrid combination you can imagine.

Colorware is offering an online custom paint application for the DS. Using it you can color just about any part of the DS whatever you want, including the stylus. They even offer the option to send your current DS in or to buy one from them. The prices, however, will set you back a bit. A fairly basic color scheme will run you $129. (more…)

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Are video games art? Ask that of most gamers and you will hear angry rants about Roger Ebert and Clive Barker. Ask a fan of other mediums of art, and you might get a more hesitant response. Not so from the Vancouver Art Gallery, who is set to unveil this summer a groundbreaking new exhibition featuring video games.

The exhibition is titled Krazy! The Delirious World Of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art. Yes, that is a mouthful. So how do you feature an exhibit consisting of the above mediums?

Easy, you devote two floors of your museum to original sketches, notes, concept drawings, final production drawings, animation cells, three-dimensional models and published works. Included among the artists who will be featured are Maus author Art Spiegelman, The Sims creator Will Wright, comic artist Seth and animated feature film director Tim Johnson. Yes, a pretty much all-star lineup. (more…)

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This original artwork of Ryu from Ninja Gaiden is incredibly fun and good for just a “doodle.” That’s the word that the creator, Gary Harrod, uses so no disrespect meant. It’s made from a mix of oils and paints, but the neatest part is how perfectly it captures that line between cartoon and comic. It’s one of the more impressive “doodles” out there. Click on the image for a full sized version.

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Sure, there are prettier and more realistic fighters out there. Still, Street Fighter II HD is a thing to marvel. It’s like the first time you saw Super Mario Bros. as part of Super Mario All-Stars and it felt like an entirely new game. Capcom has managed to take a classic and breathe into not just a burst of new life, but an intoxicating addictive aroma. Any gamer who remembers playing Street Fighter II the first time around in an arcade or pizza parlor will again be hooked. This is the way all remakes should be. Click on the image for a full sized version.

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Yes, technically trippy is probably not a word. But can you conquer up one that better fits this image? Perhaps: fantastic. It’s essentially the entire Mario franchise summed up in one artistic swish of the brush, and it’s very, very good. Credit goes to Gabe Swarr. Perhaps you can print it out and hang it above the fireplace in a vain effort to feign taste. Click on the image for a full sized version.

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As the first generation to not remember a time when Nintendo was a household word, those in college today apparently spend a great time of making Nintendo art of their campus surroundings. Today’s image, for example, covered bricks at the College of New Jersey in chalk to create the above image of Mario and Bowser facing off. Even more fun, additional images show Link, Kirby, Mega Man and Princess Peach. Click on the image for a full sized version.

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