It always looks so simple

The idea has been sitting right under our noses (where our mouths are) the entire time: we blow into cartridges; we blow into harmonicas. Why not merge the two together? Finally, we have the technology — or at least someone creatively wily enough to use it.

The gadgeteer(s) at Ugoita hollowed out some old Famicom cartridges and replaced the circuitry inside with the workings of a digital harmonica. Blowing into the microphones at the opening of the cartridge produces a range of 8-bit tones.

Aside from the sound of rushing air, the harmonicas sound quite faithful in recreating the music of Super Mario Bros. As many who have commented on YouTube suggest, doubling the speed of the video puts it just about on tempo with the original music.

Would you want to jam on an 8-bit harmonica? Are there any other pieces of Nintendo history you'd like to see converted into instruments? A Super Scope saxophone, perhaps? Let us know below.

[source tinycartridge.com, via ugoita.com]