Katy Perry just released a music video for her song “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” and aside from all the ’80s references, the music video also shows Perry playing the game Just Dance, seen at 3:18 in the video:
A strange pairing considering Just Dance didn’t exist in the ’80s, but hey, it’s a good game for a party so that part of it works. What other music videos feature a video game being played in them? How about music videos that have been heavily influenced by game-style animation? Let’s take a look at some of my personal favorites:
Space Invaders Invade Music Videos
References to games of yesteryear crop up in “Happy Up Here” by Röyksopp, which features Space Invaders. “Everybody Nose (Remix)” by N*E*R*D includes Space Invaders as well but throws in Donkey Kong and Galaga.
Reality Check: Guitar Hero is a Game
It still counts because it features a video game! And the title says it all in MC Lars “Guitar Hero Hero (Beating Guitar Hero Doesn’t Make You Slash).”
[stream provider=youtube flv=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dg7V7BaRAy0k img=x:/img.youtube.com/vi/g7V7BaRAy0k/0.jpg embed=true share=true width=620 height=495 dock=true controlbar=over bandwidth=high autostart=false /]
Game-style Animation
Architecture in Helsinki’s “Do the Whirlwind” features a side-scrolling beat-em-up arcade animation style.
[stream provider=youtube flv=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DMXIzyquw-kc img=x:/img.youtube.com/vi/MXIzyquw-kc/0.jpg embed=true share=true width=620 height=495 dock=true controlbar=over bandwidth=high autostart=false /]
Junior Senior’s “Move Your Feet” features nothing but 8-bit animation.
[stream provider=youtube flv=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DSPlQpGeTbIE img=x:/img.youtube.com/vi/SPlQpGeTbIE/0.jpg embed=true share=true width=620 height=495 dock=true controlbar=over bandwidth=high autostart=false /]
Honorable Mention
“Those Minerals” by Kabuto the Python. True, it doesn’t really have a full video, only a repeated snippet of video. But the use of Mass Effect 2 music and voice samples is so well done, how could I not post it?!
[stream provider=youtube flv=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DYFCZMEwl_K8 img=x:/img.youtube.com/vi/YFCZMEwl_K8/0.jpg embed=true share=true width=620 height=495 dock=true controlbar=over bandwidth=high autostart=false /]
What are some other music videos that references or features a video game or multiple games? What about videos that feature game-style animation? Tell us in the comments!
