Archive for June, 2012

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8-Bit Couch

You can have your very own Space Invader at home with the Retro Invader Couch. It is probably one of the highest quality retro video game couches we’ve ever seen. It’s sleek design and memory foam cushioning makes this Space Invaders inspired couch not only incredibly nostalgic, but comfortable too.

We think this wonderful piece of furniture would  be the ideal place to make yourself comfortable while playing your surface tension arcade coffee table.

 

The couch, made by Russian designer Igor Chak , has until recently only been available in the USA but Firebox are now stocking it in their WTF (What The Firebox!) section. Each couch is handmade to order and will cost you £5,500 but delivery is free.

Beer never tasted so good

Following on from yesterdays beer inspired post I’ve found these amazing beer glasses from Etsy seller WastedTalentDesigns.  This awesome Galaga engraved pilsner glass is one of several different designs available.

The glasses are hand engraved or etched and there are a variety of designs to chose from, including Asteroid and Pac-Man. For those that prefer wine to beer all designs are available as wine glasses too.

Available through Etsy starting at £13.00 plus post and packing (from the USA)

via: Global Geek

Arkeg – Beer Arcade

Combine your love of alcohol and arcade gaming with this beer tap arcade machine that comes with over sixty classic arcade titles and a five gallon keg.

Capable of serving over fifty five beers from the tap, this gaming / beer machine is a must have for gamers who love to drink.

Available for $3,999 from Arkeg and they ship all over the world too!

The Evolution of the Game Controller

This must be the most extensive charting of video game controllers ever, detailing 119 species and 11 genera over seven decades of gaming.

Each print is signed and numbered by the artists, from a limited first edition of 1000.

Using 100 lb. archival recycled stock certified by The Forest Stewardship Council, this print is pressed with vegetable-based inks in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Available through Pop Chart Lab for $30.00

 

8 Bit Games Enter The Real World

Patrick Runte is a German photographer, and he’s decided to bring the 8 Bit world into ours. There is both something fun and surreal about his photos.

Patrick Runte’s photographs don’t just imagine what old video games might look like in the real world — with 8 Bit characters translated into three dimensions. They also imagine how those games might be played in our world — and they look like a good deal of fun.

Hedge maze Pac-Man would be a blast, and not being able to see the placement of all the dots and ghosts adds a layer of difficulty to the game. How would you go about doing real-world Tetris, though? Would you have a wind machine or conveyer belt that pushed players down in one direction?

What other 8 Bit games would you want to see in the real world?

earth block eco-friendly LEGO

Even the most hard-core LEGO fan has to grow up someday. Fortunately, Earth Blocks give adult enthusiasts a more sophisticated way to get their stack-and-lock fix. Instead of the brash, kid-friendly colors of their Danish counterparts, Earth Blocks draw on more urbane hues—a palette of greens and browns, mottled, like a forest floor. Not surprisingly, the blocks are made from natural materials—scraps of cedar bark, coffee beans and green-tea leaves—that have been blended with polypropylene for rigidity. The green-tea blocks in particular (which will be available soon) give off a sweet, almost floral fragrance.

Earth Blocks are softer around the edges than the classic toy. As a result, they don’t snap together as tightly as LEGOs do, which makes them less than ideal for making lightsabers. But their uniform shape lets them stack beautifully, and the colors blend harmoniously no matter what combination you put them in.

 

Only one size of block is available, measuring 1 1/4 inches by 5/8 inch by 5/8 inch. If you’d like to see what you can make with some Earth Bricks they are available from the Guggenheim Store for $30.00 a set (50 bricks)

The Futur-ama of Operations

I don’t even know how many years it has been since I have played Operation, but I always enjoyed it as a kid.  It was always a challenge and it was a good game for seeing who had the steadiest hand.  Well, I think this Futurama version with Bender as the patient kicks the butt of the original board game!

Instructables member lcbo1234 is the creator of this awesome Futurama version of the board game Operation with Bender as the patient where you have to remove items from him like a gear, cigar, Fry’s wallet and a beer bottle.

If you are good at making things, you can find the guide to make your own Futurama game of Operation over at Instructables and if you do make one we’d love to see it!

Nintendo Controller Coffee Table

I’m sure you all know by now that we love interesting coffee tables here at surface tension and we think this Nintendo Controller Coffee Table is awesome. Created by designer Charles Lushear, from the Etsy store ‘The Bohemian Workbench,’ this nod to retro gaming is completely functional, so you can actually play your old favorites while sipping on your morning coffee.

Made using premium maple, mahogany and walnut, the Nintendo Controller Coffee Table will cost you a pretty penny, but the novelty alone is well worth the extra coin. Play one round of Tetris on the coffee-bearing control board and you’ll be hooked. Sure, it might be a little harder to get your thumb to the B button in time, but the fact that you’re playing with your coffee table should take the sting out of any low scores.

Available through Etsy store “The Bohemian Workbench” priced £2,452 plus shipping.

Pac-Man-Table

I can find very little information on these amazing Pac-Man tables by carpenter, furniture designer and photographer, Thanasis Mokas.

Mokas is from Anthens, Greece and while I don’t see any mention of how to buy them I think this guy deserves a posting for creating such great tables.

Cartoon Character Building Blocks

The LEGO Advertisements by Jung von Matt feature famous cartoon characters made out building blocks. The characters are all very minimalist and you can only tell who they are when they stand with their entire group.

The pop culture characters featured include The Simpsons, Ninja Turtles and even the boys from South Park.

For further images see Ads of the World

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