PhD student Kieran Nolan created "meta game" CONTROL as part of the Game Pack 01 compilation from LA Game Space. Apparently playing CONTROL is pretty finger cramp-y as you press flashing buttons and try not to make a wrong move that will send the game into "meta glitch mode with excruciating digital sounds."
Kieran's research is about exploring the "collision of videogame aesthetics, new media art, and interaction design." The culmination of that research via CONTROL comments on the use of teeny plastic controllers and Atari joysticks to control on-screen motion. Or something. In any event, the idea and execution is rad-i-cool.
After you check out the trailer below, find more self-aware games at LA Game Space.
In his series, Genesis 2014, Dan Hernandezmixes Super Mario Bros hallmarks with ancient religious frescoes. 2-up, Dan. Hi-fives. These are amazeballs.
I particularly dig this Untitled piece in which Jesus fights Roman soldiers with fire(balls) from heaven (like a fire-flower-powered Mario) through the halls of his inquisition (bottom two stages) and the tortures of Gethsemane (upper-right corner) to the resurrection moment in which(evoking Fra Angelico's Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb) the Son of Man vanquishes his enemies, the Roman soldiers, by the power of his holy light.
The bridegroom of heaven's solo crusade takes place in Super Mario-style castlerooms connected by floating platforms that he must fight to ascend.
See moreof these pop-culture-frescoes at the Kim Foster gallery site.
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