While I’m not a huge fan of many of those old full-motion-video (FMV) games, I have to keep a place in my heart for Space Ace, a surprisingly entertaining FMV laserdisc-based game created by some of the industry’s most respected animators.

While the game has been resurrected numerous times on everything from CD-ROM to DVD to PC, this is the first time it’s making its way to true high-definition disc formats. 

Bucking the recent industry trend of Blu-ray only releases, the classic title will be hitting both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats, and will support widescreen Full HD (1080p) resolution. The game has been lovingly restored and remastered from the original film footage, and pumps up the volume with an enhanced 5.1 surround soundtrack.

Expect the title to include interactive gameplay using your video player’s remote control (or your PS3 controller), as well as picture-in-picture commentary by the games original creators Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, and Rick Dyer.

Space Ace should hit stores on April 8th for a rather pricey $49.95. Digital Leisure has started to accept pre-orders now. While you’re there sure to check out Bluth’s other classic, Dragon’s Lair in high def if you haven’t already.

[via Punch Jump]

When you sleep, do you dream in blocky 8-bit graphics? Are your sleepytime thoughts filled with visions of Link rescuing Zelda? Instead of counting sheep, do you count Koopa shells? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need a pair of these on your bed.

Designed by Nintendo fan Penguinotic, these handcrafted giant NES controller pillowcases are perfect for anyone who got their start button-mashing on Nintendo’s classic 8-bit console.

Each pillowcase is stitched from machine washable super-soft fleece, keeping you warm and cozy as you dream of Mario and Princess Peach walking off into the sunset.

A single NES controller pillow case will set you back $40, while a pair is $70. You can find them over on Penguinotic’s Etsy shop. They should fit most standard pillows, but she can custom sizes on request.

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One of the most popular computers from the 1980s, the Commodore 64, is having a minor renaissance as an electronic musical instrument. The C64’s audio chip is famous for producing an array of warm, familiar 8-bit beats and blips.

As a result, the trusty C64 has become a popular platform for “circuit bending”, which is hardware hackers’ terminology for taking old technology, applying circuit modifications to output audio or video effects that the original device wasn’t necessarily designed to produce.

Now you can own your own circuit bent C64, without any electronic know-how. The circuit bending wizards from Bighead Electronics have made this extremely limited edition pre-modded C64, appropriately called the Bent64. 

The system comes completely loaded Paul Slocum’s Cynthcart, a custom program which helps the heavily modded Commodore produce a wild cacophony of retro noise as you press keys on the keyboard

The Bent64 is a ready-to-go electronic musical instrument, capable of cranking out 3-note polyphonic analog sounds, applying effects with a “whammy” tuning knob, and even stereo support if you can wrangle a second sound chip and install it in the provided socket. The Bent64 can even output a psychedelic light show through a composite video output, so you’re ready to rave out of the box.

Oh yeah, it’s still fully functional as a standard C64 with the flip of a switch before you boot up. So you’d better brush up on your Commodore BASIC.

[eBay Auction Page]

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Ever wonder what a Mario game would have looked like if it came out on the Atari 2600 instead of the NES? The guys over at Geekstir dug up this great clip which shows off what that serious visual downgrade would have done for the game.

Imagine a world where you can barely make out the difference between the blocky little plumber and his squared off foes. Beavertron Entertainment’s re-imagining of the classic Super Mario Brothers does a pretty good simulating what the 2600 version might have looked like.

While it’s not perfectly accurate (there’s no way the 2600 could have produced those original NES sounds or the relatively crisp text at the top of the screen), but it’s still fun to watch.

Next up, Bioshock on the VIC-20.

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One of the greatest boxing games of all time has been immortalized in wearable form. This oh-so-awesome handknit scarf features the fighters from the NES classic Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!

Created by El Paso crafter Beatboxtaun, the scarf features the likenesses of two of the game’s pixelated pugilists. At $175, it’s not cheap, but the scarf represents many, many hours of hand crocheting.

If you want to be the proud owner, you better head on over to Etsy, since this is a one-of-a-kind piece.

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Have some old computer gear lying around? Why not do what this guy did, and turn it into something useful once more.

By taking an old Apple 5-1/4″ floppy drive he found at a thrift store, then working some electronics wizardry on the interior, modder Jeff Kobi took this old piece of tech junk and gave it new life as a retro-styled amplifier.

At the heart of the revamped drive is the hacker’s favorite Sonic Impact 5066 T-amp, capable of cranking out amazing clarity and boldness with just 15-watts per channel.

Wanna make your own? Check out Jeff’s step-by-step tutorial over on Instructables.

If you’ve got a serious Mario addiction, you might just have to break open your piggy bank for this. This fun quilt features the likenesses of Mario and his foes in the context of the NES platformer that really put the little Italian plumber on the map.

It looks like Mario just hopped out of his green drain pipe, only to have to face a tough decision. Should he go for the gold coin, flip the Koopa and toss his shell, or squash that Goomba? Oh, life’s little decisions. Why not go for all three in a spectacular display of dexterity? 

The 64-inch square quilt was sewn by the fine folks at Carolina Patchworks (makers of the most-excellent Galaga and Zelda quilts). If you just have to have this on your bed, gather up your gold coins ($350 of ‘em) and jump on over to Etsy before its gone. 

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If you think that mankind continues to evolve, perhaps you’re wrong. According to this clever video game T-shirt, we all stopped evolving somewhere back in the mid-1980s, parked in front of a Missile Command cabinet.

Depicting the gradual metamophosis from ape to human to arcade addict, this shirt doesn’t take into account the gradual decline from the upright position of Homo Erectus in the arcade to today’s Homo Potatus parked on the couch in front of the Xbox 360.

Regardless of its lack of anthropological accuracy, the shirt makes for a nice retro-chic fashion statement, right down to the familiar bitmapped “INSERT COIN” type. The Evolution of Man T-shirt is available from GameAsylum for $19.88.

[via Fashionably Geek]

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Looking for a way to make your game room really special? Look no further than these original 3-dimensional arcade artworks by sign maker Melissa Jones.

Melissa creates original wood carvings of classic arcade characters, then creates a resin casting of the original and hand paints each one with bold acrylic colors.

Her arcade designs include classics like Donkey Kong, Galaga, Robotron 2084, Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Q*Bert and Burgertime among others.

Prices for individual castings range from about $20 to $60 a piece, but complete sets with a matching canvas backdrop run from $225 to $375. But for about $2000, you can deck out your entire room with this complete collection.

She’ll also do custom orders on request. Check out Melissa’s entire collection over on her site NiceCarvings.

[via Flickr]