These mini tabletop versions of classic retro arcade games are perfect for getting a quick fix of your favorite childhood gaming memories

Excalibur’s Desktop Arcade games come in both Space Invaders and Frogger models, and have a tiny little arcade style cabinet, joystick and a small backlit LCD color screen.

They also play the authentic sounds and music of their birth parents (audio can be quickly muted when the boss comes around). While they’re not exactly the same as the original arcade games (think Nintendo’s classic Game & Watch collection), they do look cool sitting on your desk.

You can find them both over on Amazon (Frogger | Space Invaders) for about $29 each.

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If one of your fondest memories of youth is getting blisters on your fingers from zapping space debris and aliens, these most-excellent coffee tables belong in your living room.

Designer C. Macintosh (”Mac”) Morrison plans on creating a limited run of these tables (probably no more than 50 of them) for release sometime this Summer or Autumn. In addition to the Asteroids (aka “Storm”) design, Mac is working on a Space Invaders (aka “Invasion”) table as well.

The images shown above are early concept versions, and will likely change in the final production pieces. There’s no word on pricing yet, but I’ll post back with more details when I’ve got some.

[Mostly This via Wonderland]

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]

Here’s an interesting concept, what if Pac-Man’s gameplay were the exact opposite of what you’ve come to expect after all these years. That is to say, what if, instead of Pac-Man being chased by ghosts, you controlled the ghosts and Pac-Man came after you. That’s exactly the idea of this new Flash game called “Anti Pac-Man”.

The concept is simple. Think of it like a squad based version of Pac-Man. Use the keys numbered 1 through 4 to take command of each ghost, then use the arrow keys to guide them away from your yellow dot-gobbling nemesis. As Pac-Man eats up, your score keeps going down, but if you can keep your ghosts alive, you can minimize the damage.

Maybe it’s the annoying loop of the Pac-Man theme that plays over and over again, but I find the whole thing a bit unsettling. You be the judge and check it out for yourself over at Sugar Free Games.

[via Random Good Stuff]

Crocheted by Flickr member SheriB626, the handmade throw is plenty big enough to cover up even the most die-hard couch potato. Sheri describes the intricately crafted blanket as “My most epic project to date. Made for someone I loved very much, who then broke my heart. The only thing I asked him to give back was this. Damn straight.”

It’s a sad tale of love, loss, heartbreak and video games… and of course Sheri gets extra points for using my favorite word, “Epic”. Sheri, I’m sure there’s a dedicated Tetris fan somewhere out there who will truly appreciate your efforts and never leave you for Columns or Lumines.

Crocheted by Flickr member SheriB626, the handmade throw is plenty big enough to cover up even the most die-hard couch potato. Sheri describes the intricately crafted blanket as “My most epic project to date. Made for someone I loved very much, who then broke my heart. The only thing I asked him to give back was this. Damn straight.”

It’s a sad tale of love, loss, heartbreak and video games… and of course Sheri gets extra points for using my favorite word, “Epic”. Sheri, I’m sure there’s a dedicated Tetris fan somewhere out there who will truly appreciate your efforts and never leave you for Columns or Lumines.

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I was surfing around over on Flickr today, when I came across this great Pac-Man display made entirely out of cans.

Photographer eyesplash Mikul captured this image of the giant Pac-Man and ghosts installation. The display was one of several made from thousands of brightly colored cans for a show called Canstruction Vancouver. You can check out the entire exhibit between now and March 2 in the Cruise Ship Terminal at Canada Place.

All of the cans and entrance fees collected will go to the Vancouver Food Bank, so it’s all for a good cause.

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I’ve got a (Pac-Man) fever, and the only prescription is more Blinky. Well the good news is that there are certainly plenty of Pac-Man’s ghostly pals to go around on these most excellent sneakers from designer Ben Sherman.

Sherman’s aptly-named Blinky Shoes are covered from end-to-end with tons of little monochromatic ghosts, with just one red Blinky hidden on each shoe. If you’re a true Pac-Man fanatic, you simply must wear these everywhere you go. I think they’d look especially good with a matching Pac-Man hoodie.

When you’re ready to hit the streets, you can grab a pair from the Gap’s Piperlime ($60/pair) or if you want a real bargain, check out OnlineShoes.com (currently on sale for $39.95 a pair).

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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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Who says arcade cabinets need to be made out of wood and metal? Why can’t they be soft and squishy? That’s what this crafter thought when she created this fun plush Pac-Man machine.

Created by Lady Harvatine, the stuffed arcade machine captures the spirit of some of my fondest arcade memories. Inspired by these most excellent papercraft arcade creations, she set off to create her own unique spin on the arcade classic. The centerpiece of the squishy system has to be the piece of retro Pac-Man fabric that a friend of hers scrounged up for the screen. 

Affectionately known as “Pac-y”, the plush arcade machine has a stuffed joystick and two coin slots that actually will eat your coins (there’s a zipper in the back that lets you retrieve your money).

The machine is the first of the Lady’s “Harvacade” collection. I’m hoping for some Donkey Kong or Dig Dug next.

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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]