Before the fancy schmancy Playstations and the X-Boxes, there was the simple world of 8-bit gaming. A world where Pac-Man was content with gobbling pills and listening to electronic music and where Mario liked munching on magical mushrooms, while in pursuit of the hot princess. So, for kids from my generation 8-bit games have an unbeatable nostalgic value, and no Zelda or a Guitar Hero can ever come close.
Fortunately, we are not the only one who feels nostalgic about 8-bit games, or miss the quirky dot-pixel renditions, hence, you will come across 8-bit tributes at the oddest of places. Case in point, the 8-Bit Subway Station in Stockholm, Sweden, which we came across on Unreality Mag.
This pimped out subway station sure makes the daily chore of commuting more interesting and is guaranteed to make anyone’s day brighter. Called the Thorildsplan Metro Station and located on the green line in Stockholm, the uber-geeky subway station’s tiles are covered in 8-Bit gaming icons, including legends like PacMan, Space Invaders and everyone’s favorite sibling team, the Super Mario Bros. The station wants to reach out to all the geeks of the world and not just gaming fanatics, hence, don’t be surprised when you come across the long-forgotten MacOS six Icons as well!
Doing up the walls of a subway station (no matter what form of art) is a great idea and a better alternative to dull and dreary depressive stations. In fact, from an aesthetic point of view, subway stations are often large architectural monstrosities that seem like purgatory which you have to experience everyday, all in the name of commuting. Thankfully, the Thorildsplan Metro Station provides a welcome break from the familiar and highlights how art and architecture is not mutually exclusive.
