Two researchers are developing an algorithm designed specifically to ‘de-pixelize’ 8-bit (and 16-bit) video game graphics in real-time into smoother, more flowing ones. This. changes. everything. No, no it doesn’t — but it does change the amount of time I’ll spend playing NES games on an emulator while I’m supposed to be working. *checks to make sure Spy Hunter is still paused in the background* What? I just made it to the boat part! To achieve such beautiful images, the researchers use a complex blend of pixel analysis and spline curves. These approaches in specific, and vectorization of bitmaps in general, are nothing new — Adobe Illustrator does it quite well — but in this case, because the researchers were only working with 8-bit pixel art, they could create a very specialized algorithm. You know what would be even cooler? If there was an algorithm that made 8-bit graphics look photo-realistic . Now that — that’s the future. “But I thought the future was all personal jetpacks and world peace.” HA — keep dreaming, Nostradamus. Hit the jump for a bunch more examples, including one from Doom that didn’t turn out so hot.

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Damn Mario, Lookin’ Good!: Algorithm That Smooths Out Old Video Game Pixelation

Today marks the 25th birthday of Tetris . In its quarter century of service it has been responsible for thirty googlejillion man hours of gameplay and countless drops in productivity. I know I got fired for playing at work once. You here that, the man? YOU CAN’T HOLD ME DOWN! Happy Birthday, Tetris, this long piece is for you. And by long piece I mean 40. A GLUGLULGLULAGLUG! At 25, `Tetris’ drops into place as gaming icon [yahoonews] Thanks to Pat, Watch-303, catch22 and /Eyeroll, who don’t even bother working at work anymore.

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Screw Productivity: Happy Birthday, Tetris!