Im-a Wario! Im-a Gonna Tell Your Fortune!

Fortune teller machines, most often found in antique penny arcades and ghostly road-side fairgrounds, rank in at a respectable 9.5 out of 10 on my spookometer. From top to bottom, inside and out – their shuttering doll eyes and slack-jawed, loosely accented utterances of futures untold – there’s something about a robotic torso in a glass box that just gets my hackles up.

They’re the sort of company I’d expect evil clowns, demonic marionettes, and possessed ventriloquist dummies to keep. Thankfully for us, talented customizer and artist Donald Kennedy (of Kody Koala) put his passion for geek culture to work to create a lighthearted miniature alternative to the classic creepy coin-op machine. Introducing the omnipotent, the great … Wario?

Made out of a boardwalk bank and a Wario vinyl figurine, judging by the visible detailing in the wood paneling alone, a lot of work went into this piece to make it evoke the, as stated by Kennedy, an “old school fortune teller machine” vibe. Authentic in look and practice, the crystal ball clutched in Wario’s hands lights up while the charming anti-hero utters his quintessential phrase (requiring some DIY wiring-up on the part of its creator.) Though we don’t get to hear it, you can imagine that it does wonders in bringing this little replica to life.

While I can’t say I’d be too eager to trust what good old Wario has to say about my future – fortunate or otherwise – I will say that this is an example of a custom that could stand alone on its own merits (outside of being a highlight on any geeky mantelpiece.) Whether it was a conscious choice or a forced consideration due to the size of the schnoz, having the nose touch the glass seems true to the goofy character of Wario himself. Finally, choosing to swap out his traditional hat in favour of a more suitable chapeau really enforces a sense of consistency in design. While I’m about as qualified as Wario in the fortune telling department, as this is just one sample of an expansive roster of customs, I’d say this is one artists’ future that looks mighty bright.

For more topnotch customs by Donald “Kody Koala” Kennedy, checkout his Zombie Princess Peach and Zombie Hunter Toadette.

Via: Kody Koala