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Blasts From The Past: The Art Of Video Games Hopper, Hockney, Lichtenstein. Among these great artists featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., you'll now find Lara Croft and Earthworm Jim.

Humor & Fun

Blasts From The Past: The Art Of Video Games

Heard on Weekend Edition Sunday

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NPR Staff

Blasts From The Past: The Art Of Video Games

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  • Marble Madness, 1992.
    Marble Madness, 1992.
  • Super Mario Brothers 3, 1990.
    Super Mario Brothers 3, 1990.
  • Earthworm Jim, 1994.
    Earthworm Jim, 1994.
  • Shenmue, 2000.
    Shenmue, 2000.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, 2006.
    The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, 2006.
  • Flower TM, 2009.
    Flower TM, 2009.

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The Art Of Video Games Trailer

Smithsonian American Art Museum YouTube

Hopper, Hockney, Lichtenstein. Among these great artists featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., you'll now find Lara Croft and Earthworm Jim.

The Art of Video Games is a trip through time and pixelated space. It's been 40 years that we've been blasting, jumping and scoring with just a twitch of our thumbs. Along the way, we've left a wake of lushly designed worlds teeming with colorful characters and obsessively detailed scenes.

Weekend Edition Sunday guest host David Greene tours the exhibit with curator Chris Melissinos, and asks just what makes video games art?