Myfanwy Ashmore, a conceptual artist, has unveiled a ROM version of the original Super Mario Brothers for NES with almost everything removed - including enemies, structures, and power-ups.  Basically what this means is that, as Ashmore describes it, “all you can do is go for a walk.”  This idea of a “walk” might be so foreign to the average gamer that the download site even includes directions on the ultra-limited controls, presumably to make it clear that nothing else is possible.

Perhaps it’s the pure manic nature of such outrageous reductionism, but the idea of this game seems very intriguing.  As a parody of the current trend toward open-ended environments in videogame design, it really is pure genius.  Make sure to notice the mention of Ashmore’s previous piece on the download site, a controversial project involving two-way communication between a viewer and a network of decaying grapefruits.

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