The phrase “8 Bit” evokes images of dusty old videogames and dank recreation rooms with shag carpeting. It’s time to blow this stereotype to smithereens, with glorious, time consuming pixel art that does nostalgia justice.

Videogames are often a focus of pixel art, but almost always with a neat spin, giving outdated tech and dusty childhood memories a salute.

(Images via noupe, noupe, smashingmagazine, pixeljoint, techeblog)

If pixel art still seems like a joke, check out these incredibly detailed portraits of an 8 bit world. Leagues above the Mario characters of yesteryear, this artwork is fine enough to be hung on a wall.

(Images via flickriver, livbit, improbabilidade, yurikoval)

Legos are basically pixel art brought into structural form, so it’s only natural that people would use them to recreate their favorite childhood memories spent in front of a boxy television.

(Images via thisblogrules, blameitonthevoices, current, superpunch, pichaus)

Renowned pixel artist Jude Buffum illustrates a variety of subjects and has a soft spot for his favorite films. He loves taking modern movies and creating pixelated visions of video games based on them. These seem plausible enough to be real screenshots straight from the past.

(Images via whatisblik, velocityartanddesign, inadawords, shinyshiny)

Video game themes can occasionally escape the television screen and attack the walls. What better way to prove one’s nerdiness than planting a gigantic pixellated video game character on the wall?

(Images via thisblogrules, pichaus)

Not all pixelated art faces backwards in time. Some artists like to flex their 8 bit muscles and comment on modern politics. The evil Cheney bot reveals this artist’s political leanings pretty clearly.

How cool would it be to find one of these graffiti creations in a dingy alley? Bricks provide a unique opportunity for pixel fans.

(Images via sevensheaven, thelittlechimpsociety, technabob, thelittlechimpsociety)

Sevens Heaven is an artist who loves to break pixel art into a more modern dimension, by putting together awesome three dimensional images.