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Opinion

The Museum In Your Video Game

Since 8-bit everything is so in nowadays, it should be no surprise that the geeks (I admit, I can be one) are combing over vintage (and more recent) video games to find glimpses of art and other visual treats. Here are some screenshots that would make the art set look twice when they partake in vide

Hrag Vartanian

Hrag Vartanian

— 2 min read
Screeshots from the PC version of Lucasfilm Games' "Maniac Mansion" (1987)

Since 8-bit everything is so in nowadays, it should be no surprise that the geeks (I admit, I can be one) are combing over vintage (and more recent) video games to find glimpses of art and other visual treats. Here are some screenshots that would make the art set look twice when they partake in video gamery.

Btw, if you’re a fan of the video game as art narrative, then you should probably be reading Kill Screen, a fantastic journal that is the gold standard on the topic.

The ancient Laocoön and his Sons statue in the background of the 2001 video game Tekken 4. (vis Tekkenpedia)
The room of Brauer in "Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin" (2006), who is an artist turned vampire. HOT! (via forums.selectbutton.net)
The mansion in "GunZ: The Duel" (2003) has paintings by Leonard da Vinci and Renoir among other works. (via forums.selectbutton.net)

There’s a whole page of identified works here. Then there’s the work of contemporary illustrator Aled Lewis who creates famous works in the 1980s gaming style. Who says gamers can’t get a dose of art history with their kill, kick, duck action?