The last we heard from SolidSmack favorite Love Hultèn, the Swedish designer had just announced a retro-inspired portable wood arcade cabinet containing 100 classic 2-player arcade games back in the Fall of 2017.
Hultèn, who seamlessly blends traditional wood craftsmanship with modern technology, is already at it again with yet another take on the retro gaming experience.
Built as a tribute to the Commodore PET 2001, released in 1977, Hultèn’s PET De Lux is a self-described “luxurious one-of-a-kind tribute” made by hand from American walnut.
While Hultèn preserved many of the iconic design features from the original including a cassette deck and chiclet keyboard, the PET De Lux houses a modern computer that emulates not just the original Commodore system, but other retro video game systems as well. True to the original, the entire system is operated via two custom-built wireless controls inspired by the original TAC-2 joystick.
“By playing with preconceptions about art and design – the social, cultural and historical relations to objects we all share – (I) tear consensual connections apart and provides a new context,” explains Hultèn. “To present genuine and attractive alternatives to contemporary appliances, (I) add unforeseen functionality, delicate execution, and mystique.”
Find out more about the project over at Hultèn’s site.
