Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest
  • New games for 2025
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 stock

Recommended reading

A screenshot shows Hello Kitty staring off into the distance.
Xbox The $10,000 Hello Kitty Xbox Crystal is one of the rarest consoles in the world, and my search to find it 20 years later ended in complete disaster for video game preservation
Best SNES games: a screenshot of an SNES console with a Mario figure next to a collection of games.
Games The best SNES games of all time
Luigi running from ghosts in Luigi's Mansion
Games The 25 best GameCube games of all time
God of War
God of War 20 years later, God of War's original monster art has been revealed: behold this army of stick figures slapped on a whiteboard, no clue Kratos is coming for them
DS
Games The 25 best DS games of all time
mina holding three sketch books in a rather bizzare way, one is in her mouth
Pokemon Pokemon logo designer speaks up after 27 years, shares unused designs and says Nintendo gave him a month to draft one of the most iconic logos in history before Red and Blue reveal
Screenshot featuring Toad and Toadette from the Wii U version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Games The 25 best Wii U games of all time
  1. Games

Classic gaming moments, lovingly recreated in MS Paint

Features
By Maxwell McGee published 12 November 2014

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The still life

The still life

Famed American novelist and all around cool dude Herman Melville once wrote, "To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme." Sage advice, true, but I believe Melville's scope was too narrow. Might I suggest, "To produce a mighty work, you must choose a mighty theme." Countless works of sight and sound have drawn upon universal themes that speak to the soul of our species.

I believe we can do better, thanks to the power of video games. Never since the invention of the theater has one creative discipline combined art, sound, and audience participation into a single, harmonious whole. And while gaming is still in its infancy, there remain dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of moments that have left a lasting impression in our minds. Drawing from these moments - these mighty themes - we have set upon the digital canvas and given them form. If you're having trouble seeing that form, don't forget you can click the expand arrow in the top right to get a better view.

Image source

Page 1 of 13
Page 1 of 13
"Boy with Tail" by Henry Gilbert (2014)

"Boy with Tail" by Henry Gilbert (2014)

Page 2 of 13
Page 2 of 13
"Magical Sprite Shower" by Justin Towell (2014)

"Magical Sprite Shower" by Justin Towell (2014)

Page 3 of 13
Page 3 of 13
"Forbidden passion" by Andy Hartup (2014)

"Forbidden passion" by Andy Hartup (2014)

Page 4 of 13
Page 4 of 13
"Futility" by David Houghton (2014)

"Futility" by David Houghton (2014)

Page 5 of 13
Page 5 of 13
"Jason: An elegy in button X" by Artist Unknown (2014)

"Jason: An elegy in button X" by Artist Unknown (2014)

Page 6 of 13
Page 6 of 13
"the looking glass" by Anthony Snyder (2014)

"the looking glass" by Anthony Snyder (2014)

Page 7 of 13
Page 7 of 13
"Forever in your arms" by Ashley Reed (2014)

"Forever in your arms" by Ashley Reed (2014)

Page 8 of 13
Page 8 of 13
"The Master" by Jann Jones (2014)

"The Master" by Jann Jones (2014)

Page 9 of 13
Page 9 of 13
"rivalries" by Maxwell McGee (2014)

"rivalries" by Maxwell McGee (2014)

Page 10 of 13
Page 10 of 13
"On the importance of teamwork" by Lucas Sullivan (2014)

"On the importance of teamwork" by Lucas Sullivan (2014)

Page 11 of 13
Page 11 of 13
"Tragedy in motion" by UK contractor Sam (2014)

"Tragedy in motion" by UK contractor Sam (2014)

Page 12 of 13
Page 12 of 13
What speaks to you?

What speaks to you?

Now you have seen our very souls laid bare upon the digital page. What does this stir within you? Will you follow in our wake and give form to your own thoughts and passions? Sing. Draw. Create. Whatever it is, make your voice heard.

If the fine arts aren't your thing, you could also check out 5 obnoxious ways to be a troll in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare or Halo 5 beta: Hands-on with new modes, maps, and game-changing Spartan abilities.

Page 13 of 13
Page 13 of 13
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii-u Nintendo PlayStation PS4 Xbox Xbox One Platforms Mobile Gaming
Maxwell McGee
Maxwell McGee
Maxwell grew up on a sleepy creekbank deep in the South. His love for video games has taken him all the way to the West Coast and beyond.
See more Games Features
Read more
A screenshot shows Hello Kitty staring off into the distance.
The $10,000 Hello Kitty Xbox Crystal is one of the rarest consoles in the world, and my search to find it 20 years later ended in complete disaster for video game preservation
Best SNES games: a screenshot of an SNES console with a Mario figure next to a collection of games.
The best SNES games of all time
Luigi running from ghosts in Luigi's Mansion
The 25 best GameCube games of all time
God of War
20 years later, God of War's original monster art has been revealed: behold this army of stick figures slapped on a whiteboard, no clue Kratos is coming for them
DS
The 25 best DS games of all time
mina holding three sketch books in a rather bizzare way, one is in her mouth
Pokemon logo designer speaks up after 27 years, shares unused designs and says Nintendo gave him a month to draft one of the most iconic logos in history before Red and Blue reveal
Latest in Games
The Outer Worlds 2 screenshot showing a handgun being reloaded in the middle of combat
After playing The Outer Worlds 2, I'm convinced that it has the potential to be Obsidian's greatest game – and the best FPS of 2025
The Witcher 3 next-gen
"Suddenly a lot of people who loved Skyrim started paying attention to The Witcher 3": CDPR says an old E3 demo was a turning point for its defining RPG
Grounded 2 screenshot showing the entrance to the Ice Cream Truck chill area, with Summer Preview 2025 branding
Everything is bigger in Grounded 2, but Obsidian never considered stretching beyond four-player co-op: "It would have undermined what Grounded was really about"
Grave Seasons art showing a man with tied-back black hair wielding a hoe while a crow rests atop a fence nearby
This Stardew Valley-ish farming sim looks super cozy until you find out about the supernatural serial killer (who you can also romance)
The Witcher 4 cinematic screenshot showing a closeup of Ciri, protagonist of the new adventure
The Witcher 4's narrative lead is holding onto some of his earliest Witcher 3 feedback for the RPG's sequel: "We don't do fetch quests"
Grounded 2 screenshot with Summer Preview logo
After playing Grounded 2 for 30 minutes, it's clear that my favorite survival game is getting a massive glow-up
Latest in Features
The Outer Worlds 2 screenshot showing a handgun being reloaded in the middle of combat
After playing The Outer Worlds 2, I'm convinced that it has the potential to be Obsidian's greatest game – and the best FPS of 2025
Grounded 2 screenshot showing the entrance to the Ice Cream Truck chill area, with Summer Preview 2025 branding
Everything is bigger in Grounded 2, but Obsidian never considered stretching beyond four-player co-op: "It would have undermined what Grounded was really about"
Grounded 2 screenshot with Summer Preview logo
After playing Grounded 2 for 30 minutes, it's clear that my favorite survival game is getting a massive glow-up
Marco Ng as Alan in The Way We Talk
A new Hong Kong drama about three d/Deaf friends brings sign language to the big screen in a different way
Kill Team: Typhon box and card decks on a wooden table
Kill Team: Typhon introduces an unexpected twist to its competitive gameplay, and I think it might be a game-changer
End of Abyss Summer Preview
I played 30 minutes of the new game from the original Little Nightmares devs, and it turns out a twin-stick survival horror Metroidvania is a recipe for spooky heaven
  1. Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour screenshot
    1
    Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour review: "Mostly a fancy toy and not much more"
  2. 2
    MindsEye review: "An uninspired and forgettable sci-fi action adventure that feels like a Netflix movie you watch while on your phone"
  3. 3
    The Alters review: "More tactile and story-heavy than the Frostpunk dev's earlier games, but the fight for survival is just as fierce"
  4. 4
    Splitgate 2 review: "A slick and enjoyable free-to-play FPS, but a disappointing sequel"
  5. 5
    Date Everything review: "A masterclass in character design full of wonderful faces I love meeting, but juggling so many means sacrificing depth"
  1. The Yautja in Dan Trachtenberg's animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers
    1
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  2. 2
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  3. 3
    Karate Kid: Legends review: "Better than Karate Kid (2010), nothing on Karate Kid (1984)"
  4. 4
    Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning review: "Wraps up this spy franchise in spectacular style with Tom Cruise in peak condition, even if its villain lacks terror"
  5. 5
    Final Destination Bloodlines Review: "Meticulous murderous mayhem"
  1. Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley / Number One and Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
    1
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  2. 2
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  3. 3
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision
  4. 4
    Rick and Morty season 8 review: "Largely plays it too safe after years of crossing boundaries"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 6 spoiler review: 'The Interstellar Song Contest' is "a blast and sets the stage for a thrilling season finale"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...