This draggable, zoomable map of NYC is made from old 8-bit NES elements. It is as awesome as it sounds. [ 8-Bit NYC via WAXY via Kottke ]

By way of Kotaku, we hear about Canadian blogger Rinry, who subjected eight NES cartridges to all manner of video game torture and hell. When the dust settled, seven of the cartridges still worked. [ Kotaku ]

Is there still room in your heart for eight more unassuming bits of Xmas? We hoped you’d say yes. See, 8-bit Xmas 2009 is an all-new NES cart full of festive LEDs and an original multiplayer snowball fight NES game. It sells for $43, but for $5 more you can get a personalized title screen — which seems like a relatively cheap fulfillment of that decades long dream of yours to have your name up in pixelated lights on the home console that defined the home console. The cart should be compatible with all real NES systems and hopefully many fake ones , and while it can’t help you forgive your Aunt Samantha for giving you that Sudoku quilt, it might just do the insignificant task of teaching you the true meaning of Xmas .

If you don’t have at least one NES-style accessory incorporated into your daily routine, you’ve haven’t just failed us, you’ve let down everyone who ever believed in you. Score this NES netbook case for $50. [ Etsy via Lilliputing via UberGizmo ]

If you don’t have at least one NES-style accessory incorporated into your daily routine, you’ve haven’t just failed us, you’ve let down everyone who ever believed in you. Score this NES netbook case for $50. [ Etsy via Lilliputing via UberGizmo ]

If you don’t have at least one NES-style accessory incorporated into your daily routine, you’ve haven’t just failed us, you’ve let down everyone who ever believed in you. Score this NES netbook case for $50. [ Etsy via Lilliputing via UberGizmo ]

This is a seven-foot-tall throne made entirely of Famicom (NES) cartridges. Whoever sits in it becomes king for the day of the fantastical realm of Sadtopia. [ Erick Kwiecien via Make ]

So a new, potentially very popular Mario title comes out today. Sweet, sweet nostalgia. To celebrate, let’s revisit all the 2009 NES hacks and mods that have, thus far, utterly destroyed or otherwise corrupted my most cherished memories, shall we? Our first mod is a relatively recent one . The modder took a nice, fully functioning Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt combo cartridge, gutted it, and turned it into an admittedly clean and portable NES emulator

From the front this threesome looks pretty hot. Clear case with bright LEDs, original SNES buttons, and the ability to play three great systems on to go. All great. But what’s going on in the back? A lot, apparently.

This full scale Lego NES reproduction is exactly like the original, complete with video and audio connectors, gamepads with flexible cables made out of solid pieces, pushable buttons, and a working front-loading mechanism to insert the included Tetris cartridge. Confession: I always thought Mario was pixelated because he was made of Lego bricks himself. [ MOCOlympics via Brothers Brick ]