News

Previous Article Next Article

Game boys: Google plays the fool with Maps joke

By Robin Key 01.04.2012 Google : Google Maps : Quest

San Francisco – Google announced an 8-bit version of Google Maps as an April Fool’s Day joke.

The Quest function appeared on 1 April as an additional feature on the ubiquitous Google Maps programme. An accompanying spoof video explained that the programme had been developed for the classic Nintendo Entertainment System – an 8-bit video game console that was popular in the late 80s.

Quest transforms the Maps interface, including Street View, into a simple grid of coloured squares, reminiscent of early exploration-based computer games such as Zelda or the Final Fantasy series.

Although the project was created as a joke, it demonstrates consumers’ increasing nostalgia for early digital culture, a theme LS:N Global explores further in our Netstalgia macrotrend.

Latest Articles

Stat: One-third of Millennials regularly feel lonely

Stat: One-third of Millennials regularly feel lonely:

Millennials are the loneliest generation yet, according to a new US study by YouGov.

Youth : Society

Artisan vodka distilled from grains grown in Chernobyl

Artisan vodka distilled from grains grown in Chernobyl:

Scientists in the UK and Ukraine have collaborated to create an artisan vodka made from rye grown in the...

Drink : Vodka : Spirits

HoliFrog is re-inventing the cleanser category

HoliFrog is re-inventing the cleanser category:

Although cleansing is the most common of skincare steps, beauty brands often treat cleansers as an afterthought.

Beauty : Skincare : Holistic

This drinking glass fosters coffee connoisseurship

This drinking glass fosters coffee connoisseurship :

Icosa Brewhouse has designed a collection of drinking glasses aimed at enhancing the full taste and aroma of...

Drink : Coffee : Design

Mini’s short film challenges the notion of branded content

Mini’s short film challenges the notion of branded content:

Nimic, a 12-minute film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, features no cars.

Mobility : Creativity : Film

Thought-starter: How will museums compete for our attention?

Thought-starter: How will museums compete for our attention?:

Pop-up museums are transforming from novel experiences into platforms for people and brands to engage in...

Culture : Technology : Museums

Stat: Suncare education is lacking in India

Stat: Suncare education is lacking in India:

A new study has found that 65% of consumers in India did not use any form of sunscreen in the 12 months to...

Beauty : Health : Suncare

A time capsule of young Millennials' digital musings

A time capsule of young Millennials' digital musings:

Pitch Portal has launched Streaming Consciousness, an interactive visual experience to unearth the...

Media : Youth : Digital

Recycle plastic for reduced metro rides in Rome

Recycle plastic for reduced metro rides in Rome:

The city is trialling a new scheme where locals can recycle bottles and receive free rides on public transport.

Sustainability : Travel : Recycling

Helsinki develops a city-wide sustainability app

Helsinki develops a city-wide sustainability app:

Think Sustainably is an app guide that helps citizens and tourists experience Helsinki’s eco-friendly side.

Sustainability : Placemaking : Society

Lynx wants to keep tattoos looking fresh

Lynx wants to keep tattoos looking fresh:

The men’s personal care brand has launched a campaign to promote its Ink Shower Gel.

Beauty : Wellness : Personal Care

Thought-starter: Will social media dictate packaging trends?

Thought-starter: Will social media dictate packaging trends?:

Catwalks have historically set colour trends, says James Cropper’s Mark Starrs, but in today’s digital-first...

Colour : Design : Packaging

Stat: Binge-watching elevates the risk of heart disease

Stat: Binge-watching elevates the risk of heart disease:

The ease of streaming on-demand entertainment is damaging our health, according to a new report by the...

Media : Health : Wellness

This appliance brews beer, coffee and kombucha

This appliance brews beer, coffee and kombucha:

PicoBrew has released a new multi-functional appliance capable of brewing a range of drinks from coffee to beer.

Drink : Technology : Coffee

Robotic lenses that zoom in when you blink

Robotic lenses that zoom in when you blink:

Scientists at the University of California hope the lens could one day be used in a similar way to binoculars.

Health : Wellness : Technology

Nike launches a shoe subscription for kids

Nike launches a shoe subscription for kids:

Nike Adventure Club offers three subscription levels payable on a monthly basis.

Fashion : Subscription : Kidswear

Delta urges cramped New Yorkers to leave the city

Delta urges cramped New Yorkers to leave the city:

The airline’s latest travel campaign highlights the poky living conditions of urban dwellers.

Travel : Urban : Society

Thought-starter: How can designers successfully brand a place?:

Droga5’s Chris Chapman on why it is crucial to delve into an area’s past and present, but have a malleable...

Branding : Architecture : Placemaking

Stat: Duty-free resellers drive the South Korea market

Stat: Duty-free resellers drive the South Korea market:

Increasingly itinerant Chinese consumers are giving the South Korean duty-free market a lucrative boost.

Luxury : Retail : Travel

Future objects could be designed by brainwaves

Future objects could be designed by brainwaves:

Studio José de la O is experimenting with ways that brainwaves could be used to design objects.

Design : Technology : Creativity

You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to one of our membership packages from just £100 a month.

View Subscription Offers Sign in

What do we use cookies for?

We use cookies to enable the use of our platform’s paid features and to analyse our traffic. No personal data, including your IP address, is stored and we do not sell data to third parties.