As if procrastination wasn’t a big enough issue already, this desktop application is here to eat up even more of your time by transforming almost any selection of your computer screen into a level of Super Mario Bros. So, if you don’t feel like busting out your mobile gaming device in the middle of class or work anymore, you can boot up Screentendo (if you can figure out how) and be secretly sidetracked.

Once the source code–which developer Aaron Randall explained on his blog–is launched, a transparent window appears, which you can then resize over other open windows on your computer screen. Once that’s done, all you’ll need to do is click inside the window and it’ll cause the app to render a game based on the content within. As you can see in the video at the top of the page, the app can easily be used on an ordinary Google search page. Before you know it, you’ll be traversing the rocky six letter word in no time.

So, how does it work? Randall reveals on his blog: “there are two basic steps to Screentendo; image processing to determine the structure of the target region, and the level generation.” The aim of the first step, image processing, is to fetch the target region underneath the transparent window. Once that’s done, the blocks, player and background can be generated. For more on how it all works, check out Randall’s blog post we’ve linked at the bottom of the page.

Unfortunately, however, there are a few caveats. First things first, you’ll need to download the buggy source code from GitHub and compile the app yourself before you can play. Also, there won’t be any enemies shambling about for you to stomp on. The bricks however, are breakable, so you can still have a little bit of fun running through the level and smashing things.

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Are you planning on trying this out? Let us know in the comments below.

HT: Aaronrandall.com