WTF is a Tesla Coil? Screw it, it plays Mario...

Now, this video appeared on the front page of YouTube, so many of you have probably already seen it. For those of you who passed it over because nobody knows what in the Sam Hill a Tesla Coil is, prepare to be amazed. These gentlemen put together a big machine that does not one, but two awesome things: 1) Shoots lightning, and 2) Plays the Underworld Theme from Mario and the Tetris music. Imagine a robotic Koji Kondo as a Dark Lord of the Sith, and that's pretty much what you have here. Listen for the guy yelling for "Freebird".

Now, for those who don't know what a Tesla coil is... too bad. Neither do I. Wikipedia does, but balls if I can figure any of it out. All I get is that it involves circuits, can shoot lightning, and has appeared as a weapon in various games. And I'm fine with that.

I dug around YouTube a little more and found this second video as well. A Tesla coil duet featuring the Mario theme. The tones on this one are a little fuzzier, but overall I think the performance is better, though you lose the effect of the lightning somewhat, not being in the dark.



Bask in the glory of Tesla's magnificence. If any of you playing our home game have their own Tesla coils, bust them out and lay down some tracks.