PC games – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 41 (Jurassic Park Special)

April 6, 2026April 2, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads related to the 1993 blockbuster film Jurassic Park. As part of the business strategy of the film directed by Steven Spielberg, several video games were licensed to make movies based on the movie. Unsurprisingly, the sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park was released in 1997 and it also had its own video games. This is the Jurassic Park Special.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Jurassic Park SNES Game Print Ad

*I saw this 2-page print ad in video game magazines in 1993.*

Just a few months after the release of the movie, the official Jurassic Park video game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was released by Ocean and the company came up with a 2-page print ad to showcase a few screenshots and creative text emphasizing an adventure experience with a touch of “3-D”. The ad makers cleverly showed two first-person view sequence screenshots that showed the SNES was strong enough to deliver the so-called 3D experience. I remember seeing this ad while reading a video game magazine in 1993 and it easily caught my attention.

2. Jurassic Park PC Game Print Ad

*This Jurassic Park game I never had a chance to play.*

For the Jurassic Park personal computer (PC) game, Ocean came up with a single-page print ad that uses a live-action image from the film’s production. Not only was the image of Tyrannosaurus Rex head (with its sharp teeth visible) touching the vehicle very engaging to see, it is also a reminder that practical effects and other physical stuff were heavily used to do it resulting in a high level of realism that computer-generated imagery (CGI) cannot match.

3. Jurassic Park Sega Genesis North American Print Ad

*The most visually striking 2-page print ad of the JP game for Sega Genesis.*

Sega acquired licenses to make Jurassic Park games for its existing consoles plus the arcade game. To promote the Sega Genesis JP game, Sega came up with this 2-page print ad with a great visual design. While there were only few screenshots from the video game, the rest of the ad was filled with lots of eye candy such as dinosaur fossils, illustrations, science-based details and more. Very clearly, this print ad strongly emphasized the dinosaurs, adventure and intrigue. The game eventually sold a lot of copies and added to the overall commercial success Sega had in North America in 1993.

4. Jurassic Park Japanese Arcade Flyer

*I played this Jurassic Park game in arcades here in the Philippines.*

In 1994, Sega released the ambitious Jurassic Park arcade game which was a rail shooter game that had a sophisticated physical design that includes seats for two people. Developed by Sega’s AM3 team, the player(s) equipped with the joystick(s) has to shoot the dinosaurs that appeared on-screen from start to finish. To immerse gamers into the Jurassic Park environment, the game has a fine blend of 2D sprits and 3D polygons which resulted in the feel of 3D surroundings. For its part, Sega had to excite players and arcade operators while also explaining the technical details using the arcade flyer. The arcade game was a commercial success.

5. Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues Print Ad

*This surprise sequel excited many gamers who were into the 1993 movie and 2D side-scrolling adventure games.*

While it is a fact that the sequel to Jurassic Park did not come out in book format (1995) and in the cinemas (1997), Ocean went ahead with its very own sequel titles Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues. They even had an original tale about the established character Dr. Alan Grant returning to Jurassic Park to stop a rival corporation from taking over the place. To promote the SNES version of the game, the company came up with a single-page print ad that had an “under new management” sign above while showing a Velociraptor and a few screenshots from the game. As it was released in 1994, the game strongly appealed to the fans as well as gamers who enjoyed 2D side-scrolling adventure games on the SNES.

6. The Lost World: Jurassic Park Print Ad

*DreamWorks Interactive made the official console games of The Lost World: Jurassic Park and they had EA and Sega publish it.*

Like its blockbuster predecessor, The Lost World: Jurassic Park had its own video game adaptations. The Lost World: Jurassic Park games for PlayStation and Sega Saturn were developed by a video game company which was under DreamWorks SKG (note: Steven Spielberg was one of the founders), and they had Electronic Arts (EA) and Sega publishing each game per specific console. To market the game, a 2-page print ad was made which featured a dinosaur skull dominating the image leaving some space for screenshots and the descriptive text. Having seen the movie and having played the game, I can say that the dark aesthetic of this print ad reflected the dark and gritty tone of the Spielberg-directed movie.

7. The Lost World: Jurassic Park North American Sega GameWorks Arcade Flyer

For me, the best game based on The Lost World: Jurassic Park has always been the official arcade game developed and distributed by Sega. It was a sophisticated rail shooter made by the same team behind the 1994 Jurassic Park arcade game. The arcade flyer clearly mentions the Model 3 which was a highly advanced arcade hardware of Sega that made highly detailed 3D polygonal graphics and smooth animation possible. The flyer also boasted the use of a 50-inch medium resolution Mitsubishi monitor and the 4-speaker Surround Sound system that made the arcade experience intense. Even by today’s standards, this 1997 arcade game still looks great and remains enjoyable to play. This arcade flyer really promoted what was real for gamers to experience in the arcade. Are you aware that Steven Spielberg himself received The Lost World: Jurassic Park arcade cabinet as a gift from Sega?

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 40 (RPG Special)

March 2, 2026February 25, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s focused mainly on role-playing games (RPGs) from the East and the West. This is the RPG Special!

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Dragon Warrior II Print Ad

*The art style used made this one looked similar with Dungeons & Dragons.*

When Dragon Quest was released in America titled as Dragon Warrior, its sales there came nowhere close to what it sold in Japan. The game, however, sold enough copies to convince Enix to bring the sequel Dragon Warrior II (Japanese title: Dragon Quest II) to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in America and they came up with an ad that had obvious Western-style artwork to emphasize the fantasy elements. By comparison, the Japanese version of the game used the distinct art of Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z). Back in those days, there was this belief that Toriyama’s art style would not be effective in promoting the game in America.

2. Breath Of Fire Japanese Print Ad

*This is how Breath of Fire looked like in Japanese print media.*

In 1993, Capcom officially broke into the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) genre with Breath of Fire on the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom). The print ad they came up with for the Japanese market showed several characters – including Ryu and Nina who would later become recurring characters as sequels were released – with designs that had elements of anime and manga styles blended which contrasted the gritty and realistic approach of Western fantasy art. The ad made it clear to readers that new adventures in a fantastic world await them. The game achieved enough commercial success in Japan which convinced Capcom to make a sequel (plus more in the years that followed).

3. Phantasy Star II North American Print Ad

*The 3-page ad showcasing Phantasy Star II and many other games.*

After selling a good amount of copies of the original Phantasy Star worldwide on the Sega Master System, Sega knew they were on to something. They confidently produced the sequel Phantasy Star II for their brand-new Sega Genesis console in 1989 and aggressively promoted it in America with a daring 3-page print ad. If you look closely, majority of two of the pages were used to promote Phantasy Star II with screenshots (including a big one with a TV), the text description and the console. The spaces below allowed Sega to promote their many other games in convenient fashion. The result is huge success for Sega as more than 1.6 million copies of Phantasy Star II were sold worldwide. Sega would go on to make even more Phantasy Star games.

4. Estopolis Denki II Japanese Print Ad

When Estopolis Denki was released on the Super Famicom in Japan, sold enough copies to justify not only bringing the game to Western markets as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom but also the production of a follow-up titled Estopolis Denki II. To promote it, Taito made a Japanese print ad that had a captivating art style (with the characters looking more realistic and a floating land that had a gritty touch), some screenshots and the promise of fantastic adventures. While the game’s title sounded like a sequel, its story was actually set in the past. Estopolis Denki II would be released in the West as Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals.

5. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals North American Print Ad

*Clearly Natsume did not have any game critics quotes to use to promote Lufia II.*

When the first Lufia RPG was released in America on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), it became a commercial hit finishing as the top SNES game in the February 1994 sales chart. The sequel Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals was published by Natsume in America in 1996 and they daringly called it “The Ultimate Role Playing Game!” in its print ad utilizing the official artwork of a major character, two screenshots and descriptive text giving readers an idea on what to expect. This ad strongly relied on the visual elements while the first game’s American print ad (made by Taito) emphasized the critical acclaim received.

6. Chrono Trigger North American Print Ad

*A lot of Dragon Ball Z fans recognized the art style of Akira Toriyama here.*

Chrono Trigger, the JRPG that had the dream team creators of Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy creator), Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest creator) and Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z creator) behind the production, was easily the most ambitious game SquareSoft released in 1995. As part of the marketing strategy for the North American market, Square came up with a 2-page ad that had Toriyama’s art as the dominant image while using the remaining space for screenshots, the description and the SNES box cover placed strategically. Such a creative visual design was eye-catching and even memorable. Chrono Trigger became a huge commercial and critical hit in the West and it has long been regarded as a classic JRPG.

7. Secret of Evermore North American Print Ad

*The creepy red images overshadowed the promotion of Secret of Evermore in America. Some readers might have been scared away by this ad.*

Still in 1995, Square released Secret of Evermore for the SNES. Unlike most of Square’s RPGs, Secret of Evermore was developed by an American team in Washington state which explains why the game has a very distinct tone and strongly Western art style (note: the gameplay was patterned after that of Secret of Mana). To promote the game, Square came up with a very odd-looking 2-page print ad that had two dominating red images – eyes of a man on top and the front of a dog below) that felt like a forced approach to emphasize the game’s concept of the hero (a teenager boy) and his loyal dog (a very capable fighter). They used the remaining space for screenshots (which made gamers believe it was a sequel to Secret of Mana), the game box cover and a not so helpful text description. In my view, this print ad was a marketing misfire and Square could have produced hand-drawn art of the hero and his dog instead of the creepy red pictures.

8. Star Ocean: The Second Story North American Print Ad

The Star Ocean JRPG franchise of Enix had its first game released in Japan only. That first game on Super Famicom sold a lot of copies which led to the production of the sequel Star Ocean: The Second Story. By the late 1990s, Enix itself had a partnership with developer tri-Ace on the Star Ocean games. Somewhere along the way, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) secured the publishing rights of Star Ocean: The Second Story for not only America but also in other parts of the world. For the American market, Sony came up with a very odd-looking 2-page print ad that had a mail service form on the left. The form emphasized the concept of being away for a long time (reflecting the science fiction and extensive fantasy adventuring of the game itself) which incidentally was the eye-catcher of the ad. The other half of the page showing the game’s title, screenshots and detailed text description got overshadowed. This is another marketing misfire.

9. The Legend of Dragoon North American Print Ad

*The movie poster-inspired print ad is memorable to look at.*

Given how success Sony was with selling PlayStation consoles worldwide and how massively successful the Final Fantasy RPG franchise of SquareSoft was, it was not surprising that they decided to make their very own big-budget and exclusive JRPG with the intention to succeed and possibly establish a franchise. The result was the PlayStation-exclusive game The Legend of Dragoon which was made with a budget of $16 million and lasted three years in development. The game was released in Japan in late-1999 and sold at least 280,000 copies (note: majority of that in its first week of sales). In preparation for the June 2000 launch in America, Sony produced a print ad that had a very strong movie poster vibe showing what looked like painted art of the characters with vivid colors in the background and the title on the lower part. If you look closely, the credits were deliberately stylized over the way movie posters showed credits. While the game was not the massive hit Sony hoped for, it went on to become a million-seller and a great majority of its sales were from America. By today’s standards, the movie poster-like ad used to promote The Legend of Dragoon is memorable and an inspired piece of marketing work.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 39 (RPG Special)

February 2, 2026January 29, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s, particularly on role-playing games (RPGs) from the East and the West. This is the RPG Special!

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Phantasie North American and Japanese Print Ads

Released by Strategic Simulations in the mid-1980s, Phantasie was a fantasy role-playing game that became a huge commercial success paving the way for not only ports on other computer systems of the time but also sequels later. The ad they came up with for the North American market had strong fantasy vibes and the screenshots gave readers the impression that it looked playable or user friendly. For the Japanese market, Phantasie was ported to the MSX system and they came up with an ad using radically different art work that had a horror vibe.

2. Phantasy Star Japanese Print Ad

*Phantasy Star in the Japanese print ad sharing the spotlight with After Burner.*

In the 1980s, role-playing games started gaining popularity with Japanese console gamers and there were game developers who were inspired by established RPGs from the West. Enix released two Dragon Quest games and each of them sold a lot of copies on Nintendo’s Family Computer (Famicom). At the time, Sega already had the Master System (called the SG-1000 and its variants with revisions) in the console market and they were way behind Nintendo on hardware sales. Knowing there is a market for console RPGs, Sega went on to make their exclusive RPG Phantasy Star. In 1987, a print ad was released showing Phantasy Star sharing the spotlight with Sega’s blockbuster game After Burner in the background. While the ad felt a bit disorienting to see, the game achieved much-needed success for Sega which in turn brought the game to the Master System in America in 1988. The game sold more and eventually led to sequels in the years that followed.

3. Ultima III Japanese Print Ad

*Remember the old days when anime or comic book-style artwork was used to promote games in the Japanese print media?*

Released in Japan under the title Ultima: Kyoufu no Exodus, Ultima III: Exodus was a breakthrough for the series as the Famicom version marked the first console release for Japanese gamers (note: the game was also offered for MSX and other computer systems in the country). The anime-style artwork used for the print ad is the same virtually the same with the front cover of Famicom version. Very notably, the art on the covers of the PC-88 and PC-98 versions were different.

4. Lunar: The Silver Star Japanese Print Ad

*Game Arts’ Lunar: The Silver Star as advertized in Japanese magazines.*

By the 1990s, console RPGs were very popular as franchises like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy each released sequels that sold a lot of copies. The company Game Arts decided to make a role-playing game which can tell stories better using animation with voiceovers and music while being very playable and enjoyable. They came up with Lunar: The Silver Star and released it on the Mega-CD add-on (connected with the Mega Drive console of Sega) in 1992. As such, it was not surprising to see the print ad having anime-style artwork as the game itself had several minutes of anime cutscenes complete with audio. As most Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) did not have playable anime cutscenes for storytelling, Lunar: The Silver Star really stood out. Sometime later, the small American company Working Designs would handle the game’s English version and start a healthy business relationship with Game Arts.

5. Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun North American Print Ad

*A print ad that strongly appealed to both Sega Genesis gamers as well as fans of Dungeons & Dragons.*

By the year 1992, the fantasy games franchise Dungeons & Dragons was wildly popular as players around the world kept enjoying the tabletop RPG modules (using dice, pen paper) as well as many computer and video games already available. Sega acquired a D&D license and eventually released Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun exclusively on their Genesis console in 1992. To promote it, Sega produced a 2-page print ad that had one half showing the game’s box placed with jewelry while using the other half to show the screenshots, descriptive text and other details. The way it was presented, the print ad was cleverly structured to attract the attention of Sega Genesis gamers as well as Dungeons & Dragons fans. The game ended up as the first and only official D&D product for the console.

6. Shadow Sorcerer North American Print Ad

*This is one of many Dungeons & Dragons computer games released. The use of painted art for marketing was done many times.*

In the history of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise and electronic gaming, it was on computers where the more ambitious and more intricate licensed games were played by many fans. In 1991, the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) electronic game Shadow Sorcerer was released on MS-DOS PC, Amiga and the Atari ST. The painted artwork used on the print ad was virtually the same as that on the box covers of the MS-DOS and Amiga versions. I can only guess that the ad markers must have paid a lot of money on the painted art and decided to use it for both marketing and packaging since it looked so detailed.

7. Estopolis Denki Japanese Print Ad

*The 2-page Japanese print ad of Estopolis Denki.*

In 1993, a brand-new Japanese developer called Neverland was established and its first project was the fantasy role-playing game Estopolis Denki for the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom). That same year, publisher Taito released the game and they promoted it with a 2-page print ad that featured a whimsical looking hand-drawn art work on one half and utilized the other half with details, screenshots and part of the art that was used on the game’s Super Famicom box cover. While Japanese game sales are not available, it seems Estopolis Denki sold enough to convince the publisher to release the game in North America as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom.

8. Lufia & The Fortress of Doom North American Print Ad

*If you were able to play Lufia & The Fortress of Doom on the SNES, were you able to see this ad in a comic book or in a magazine?*

Upon release in America in late 1993, Taito scored gold as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES or Super NES) became a critical and commercial success. In fact, it literally gained steam during the early months of availability and ended up as the top-selling SNES game in America for the month of February of 1994. Take note that at this particular point of time, RPGs on game consoles in America were not yet in high demand as gamers’ tastes were different. When it comes to the marketing, Taito came up with a single-page print ad showing fantasy artwork, the game’s box cover and the published quotes from game critics who gave the game positive reviews. This is smart marketing on the part of Taito.

9. Record of Lodoss War Japanese Print Ad

*The Japanese print ad of Record of Lodoss War for Super Famicom.*

Have you ever heard of the Record of Lodoss War fantasy franchise? That one started as a series of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno who previously worked on an RPG project. Record of Lodoss War was eventually adapted into comics, anime and video games. One of those games was released on the Super Famicom in December 1995 published by Kadokawa Shoten which in turn made the one-page print ad for the Japanese market. Using established art from the anime OVA (original video animation) series was a strategic move by the publisher as millions of Japanese people viewed it. Unsurprisingly, the art on the ad is almost the same as the one displayed on the game box cover.

10. Fallout North American Print Ad

*A gritty looking print ad of the original Fallout PC game.*

In my gaming life, I played Fallout 3, Fallout 4 and Fallout: New Vegas on Xbox consoles. When the first-ever Fallout game was released in 1997, I did not notice it as I was more into console gaming than PC gaming. The above print ad appeared is several PC gaming magazines and it clearly shows what it offered which gamers eventually ended up enjoying a lot. The mechanical helmet – protection for the user during battles and from radiation in the nuclear wasteland – on the left side of the ad became a key symbol of the Fallout franchise as further games also featured mechanical helmets. Fallout was highly acclaimed for featuring open-ended gameplay and its immersive post-apocalyptic setting. It sold enough copies to convince publisher Interplay to proceed with a sequel and the rest was history.

11. Xenogears Japanese and North American Print Ad

*This North American print ad of Xenogears clearly showed the main character, a robot, the sci-fi setting and the visual style of the game.*

Xenogears was a sci-fi JRPG I played on the PlayStation in 1998 but I was unable to finish it. Before it was released in America, there was speculation that Squaresoft would not be able to produce an English version for international release due to its religious content. The game was highly challenging to translate into English due to religious themes and psychological elements. Regardless, the game achieved successes commercially and critically in both Japan and America. Xenogears has since been considered by many as a classic JRPG and to play it today is pretty challenging as an existing PlayStation One, PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita is required as well as the physical PlayStation disc itself (note: digital copy of Xenogears for PS Vita). Square Enix – which previously remastered Chrono Cross and several Final Fantasy games for modern gaming platforms – has yet to remaster Xenogears for those with modern game consoles, mobile devices and the PC.

12. Final Fantasy Anthology Print Ad

*I remember seeing this 2-page print ad in many gaming magazines I read.*

By the year 1999, Squaresoft established itself as the best role-playing game company as they achieved critical and commercial success with Final Fantasy VII in 1997, Brave Fencer Musashi, Parasite Eve and Xenogears in 1998. For 1999, Squaresoft decided to bring ports Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI – both games were released in cartridge format on Super Famicom/Super NES some years prior – to their fans who owned PlayStation consoles by releasing the collection called Final Fantasy Anthology. For the North American market, Squaresoft aggressively promoted the 2-game collection with the above 2-page print ad on several video game publications. One half featured exquisite artwork by Yoshitaka Amano and the other half showed the screenshots, descriptions and details. Clearly the ad was made with Final Fantasy fans in mind and it was also clever with the use of nostalgia.

13. Final Fantasy VII North American Print Ad

While it did not show any of the characters, this 2-page print ad of Final Fantasy VII appeared in many gaming magazines and ultimately made the public aware of the game which went on to sell millions.

There is no denying that Final Fantasy VII is the most defining Japanese RPG of the 1990s. Given its huge pre-release promotions, the critical acclaim and the tremendous sales achieved in North America and Europe, the game arguably made the JRPG sub-genre more popular among gamers and game publishers while also making the original PlayStation console the must-have machine for video gaming. The above print ad is one of several released through print media and even though it did not show any characters, the image of a futuristic looking city caught the attention of not just gamers but also others who loved entertainment.

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Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Is Now Available On Xbox Series X|S

January 30, 2026January 29, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) enthusiasts, Final Fantasy fans and fellow geeks!

Over a week ago, Square Enix officially released Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S plus Windows PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming. For Xbox gamers who love JRPGs and the Final Fantasy games franchise, this development marked the end of a years-long wait for the big budget remake of Final Fantasy VII to be released on their consoles.

*This is Aerith Gainsborough in the big-budget remake?*

This early, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Xbox is already making a positive impact as it launched strongly on the Top Paid Xbox sales charts ranking 9^th place overall. The PureXbox.com news article states as follows:

There are multiple reasons why FF7 Remake will have sold well on Xbox, even beyond the fact that it’s one of the most requested Xbox releases of the past few years. For one, it’s available at the pretty low launch price of just £39.99 / $39.99, and as a “limited early” bonus, it even comes with the original version of Final Fantasy 7 as well. Don’t forget it’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title too, which means you get a free PC version when buying it on console.

Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade co-director Naoki Hamaguchi expressed his happiness that Xbox gamers are enjoying the game and he already confirmed that the remaining chapters of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy will be released on Xbox. Read his Twitter post below.

Final Fantasy VII Legacy and Cultural Significance

Historically, the original Final Fantasy VII was released on PlayStation in 1997 and it became a massive commercial juggernaut which arguably made the JRPG more popular among Western gamers. Characters like Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, and Yuffie Kisaragi became wildly popular not only among Final Fantasy fans but with JRPG enthusiasts. Sephiroth meanwhile became one of the most defining villains of video gaming.

*Battles in the game are often fast, intense and filled with visual spectacle.*

The road to the big budget remake was a long one and it eventually Final Fantasy VII Remake was released as an exclusive game on PlayStation 4 in 2020. A year later, the upgraded version called Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released on PlayStation 5.

Xbox gamers who purchase Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade can expect the following: Quests, mini-games, and missions set in expanded areas of Midgar. There are also some new characters and content that adds even more depth to the story.

*The main cast in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.*

If you are an Xbox gamer who has decided to purchase a copy of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/final-fantasy-vii-remake-intergrade/9NRQVQ7ZRM7Z/0010

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 98

September 3, 2025August 28, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Fly Revisited – In 1986, The Fly was released in cinemas and it impacted the science fiction genre, the horror genre and pop culture with body horror presentation under the direction of David Cronenberg. The film, which was a remake of the 1958 original, established Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum as cinematic artists. The movie even became an allegory about AIDS and how people care about those who are living with diseases. That being said, it is not surprising that The Fly became the subject of many YouTube videos in the form of retro reviews, reaction videos and trivia videos. To enjoy The Fly, watch the selected videos below…

#2 Steve Ditko Remembered – Are you familiar with the late illustrator Steve Ditko? He was the co-creator of Spider-Man and he illustrated the first 38 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series. Unlike the other Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee (who went on to be famous and celebrated a lot), Ditko had a low-key profile and did not want to be interviewed. If you want to learn more about the late illustrator, watch the video below.

#3 Pro-Palestine Activist Riddhi Patel Bashes City Officials And Threatens Them With Violence – I have seen a lot of Islamo-Leftist activists and zealots. Most of the time, they hate Israel and took sides with Palestinians and the Islamic terrorists. Also many of them activists are so extreme, they became entitled, arrogant and disrespectful to higher authorities. In the Communist state of California, the pro-Palestine activist Riddhi Patel spoke to city officials of Bakersfield and went as far as threatening them with violence. She even misused the name of Jesus. In her own words, Patel said “We’ll murder you.” To find out more, watch the video from SaharTV below.

#4 Wood-Fired Rice Balls Served By Store in Japan – Have you eaten any freshly cooked onigiri (Japanese rice ball) lately? I live here in the Philippines and because onigiri is not a common food, my only options are to buy them from the convenience store or from a foreign food vendor. In Japan, onigiri is widely available and customers can avail of them freshly cooked. There is this store in Japan that sells onigiri which are prepared with rice (cooked by wood fire) and fresh ingredients. Watch and learn from the video below.

#5 Meet The Programmer Behind The Classic Game Centipede – While I never had the chance to play the classic Atari game Centipede in the arcades in the 1980s, I played the Atari 2600 port a lot and enjoy it. Because I have a copy of the Atari 50 collection on my Xbox Series X, I am able to play the Centipede arcade version in the comfort of home. For the newcomers reading this, Centipede is a tremendous success in the arcades ending up as one of the Top 4 arcade games of 1982 in America. It was also ported to many consoles and home computers years later. Recently, I found a YouTube video featuring Dona Bailey, one of the programmers behind Centipede.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 97

August 29, 2025August 23, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Very In-Depth Retrospective about Saints Row (2006) – Back in 2006, I bought my Xbox 360 console and one of the very first games I bought for it was the original Saints Row. The game exceeded my expectations for a fun-filled open-world experience and in some creative ways, it was more entertaining than the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) games available at the time. Recently, I found what is very clearly the most in-depth and most analytical retrospective video about the game which you must watch now.

#2 The Night Donald Trump Destroyed Hillary Clinton With His Al Smith Dinner Speech – Remember the Al Smith Dinner event of 2016? Al Smith Dinner is the annual white tie dinner held in New York City to raise funds for Catholic charities and it has the notable tradition of having US Presidential candidates as guests every four years. The 2016 edition of the dinner was very memorable because of what Donald Trump said about the wicked Hillary Clinton. Trump’s line of Clinton “pretending not to hate Catholics” drew a lot of reactions and was magnified by the mainstream news media. There is a lot more to be discovered in the video from MAGAMark below.

#3 The Sixth Sense Revisited – When it was first released in cinemas in 1999, The Sixth Sense generated a tremendous amount of word-of-mouth reactions and discussions among local moviegoers. This was because of the twist ending, M. Night Shyamalan’s directing, the intense combination of suspense and fright, and the memorable acting between Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment. It’s not surprising that The Sixth Sense became a popular choice of film for YouTubers to make videos of and you can enjoy watching the selected videos below.

#4 Gradius III Revisited – While I played a lot of video games released by Konami, I never ever got to play Gradius III in the arcade nor on game console. Back in the early 1990s, I remember seeing boxes of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version of Gradius III displayed in local game stores but I did not have the money to purchase it. None of my neighbors (with SNES consoles in their respective homes) had it. Eventually, I saw some YouTube videos focused on the old game and you can enjoy watching them below.

#5 Okonomiyaki in Japan – I enjoy eating Okonomiyaki which is a Japanese teppanyaki savory pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients. In my experience, I have not toured Japan for a very long time and there are lots of places there that cook and serve Okonomiyaki to customers. If you want to see what Okonomiyaki looks like and hot it is cooked, watch the selected videos below.

#6 Entitled Illegal Immigrants – Is your local community still literally flooded with illegal immigrants? There is no doubt that crime is connected with illegal immigration and there are even illegal immigrants who believe they are entitled and cannot be held accountable for wrongdoing. You can see why and learn more by watching the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 96

August 20, 2025August 17, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky Scandal Remembered – Remember how wild the news and opinions were back in 1998 over the scandal of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky? Even though there was no social media and people’s access to the Internet was not so massive at the time, there was no escaping the media buzz about the scandal which is arguably the most defining scandal of the 1990s. It also made Clinton not only look even more immoral, it damaged the reputation of the Democrats as well. I encourage you all to watch the video below.

#2 The Democrats Who Destroyed Themselves as They Tried to Destroy Donald Trump – By today’s standards, the Democrats of America are the Satanic Left, the Islamo-Leftists, the woke mob, the DEI nuts and also the most foolish group of politicians. That being said, take a close look at the Democrats who tried to destroy Donald Trump only to end up ruining themselves. Watch the video below.

#3 Independence Day Revisited – Way back in 1996, I saw Independence Day in a fully packed cinema here in the Philippines, and almost everyone enjoyed it for the thrills and the so-called ride experience. While it was the highest grossing movie of the world during its year of release, Independence Day clearly had flaws and it did not age well in my view. I have no intention to buy a Blu-ray or a 4K Blu-ray copy of it. Still, a lot of YouTubers made videos of the movie and you can see how it impacts them or what they learned about it by watching the selected videos below.

#4 Poltergeist a Cursed Movie? – If you have seen the 1982 film Poltergeist (directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg), chances are you got scared and startled while watching it. That being said, do you believe the claims and reports that the production of Poltergeist was cursed and haunted? To find out, go watch Minty Comedic Arts’ detailed video below. Then decide for yourselves after completing it.

#5 Foreign Tourists Enjoying Eels in Japan – Have you ever tasted eel with your meal? In Japan, it is a tradition for people to eat eels as those have a place in Japanese cuisine. I’m referring to unagi (Japanese for freshwater eel) which is served as part of unadon which is the popular meal consisting of a donburi type bowl (large size) filled with steamed white rice topped with eel fillets. It is not surprising that as Japan is attracted a high number of visitors from around the world, more foreign tourists there are consuming and enjoying it. Watch and learn from the video below.

6. Woke Hollywood Pathetically Freaks Out Over Dean Cain’s Decision to Join ICE – I can say it out loud that actor John Leguizamo – who is very woke and allied with illegal aliens and illegal immigrants – is pathetic with his response to Superman Dean Cain’s decision to join United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to serve the nation in getting rid of illegal immigrants. This goes the same with other woke nuts of Hollywood (Commiewood) who reacted the same way. Watch and learn the details from RK Outpost’s video below. I also want to state again the illegal immigrants are criminals, not refugees.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 95

August 15, 2025August 11, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 PatmanQC examines Popeye video games – Were you able to play the classic Popeye arcade game from Nintendo in the early 1980s? How about the other video games that featured Popeye the Sailor Man? Indeed, the American icon Elzie Crisler Segar had a presence in video games and I was fortunate enough to play a Popeye game on Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) a long time ago. To find out more about how Popeye went from cartoons and literature to video games, and what led to the production of the arcade game by Nintendo, watch the in-depth retrospective video below by the late PatmanQC.

#2 You, Me and the Movies react to Suburban Commando – In recent times, the famous Hulk Hogan passed away at age 71. Apart from being very famous as a wrestler, he also made his presence felt in movies with such films like Rocky III, No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando and more. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video about Suburban Commando and it is entertaining to watch.

#3 Foreigners love all-you-can-eat in Japan – If you will visit Japan as a tourist, how much food do you plan to eat? Recently there is a trend in which foreigners, specifically tourists from different countries, visiting the all-you-can-eat restaurants in Japan and it is not surprising that such images or details are spreading over social media. If you are interested in food and where to eat in Japan, watch the video below.

#4 Superman Dean Cain joins ICE – Immigration matters, particularly the presence of illegal immigrants, are still hot topics in American society. In recent times, the famous television Superman Dean Cain made the crucial to join the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and help in the effort to apprehend illegal immigrants (who are always supported by Democrats, the terrorists, the criminals, the woke and Satanic Leftists) and deport them. To learn the details about the latest move of the star of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, watch the Sky News Australia video below. I also added Minty Comedic Arts trivia video of Lois & Clark for those who want to learn more about the series and Dean Cain’s work.

#5 Twilight Zone: The Movie revisited – When I was a young boy, I saw a preview of Twilight Zone: The Movie on TV before it opened in local cinemas. I only got to watch it on cable TV in the 1990s and replayed it on DVD some years later. The 1983 movie, which had short stories crafted by different directors (including Steven Spielberg and George Miller), is indeed flawed yet a focused attempt by the filmmakers to get people involved with the decades-old Twilight Zone franchise as a whole. That being said, I encourage you to watch the selected Twilight Zone: The Movie videos below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 94

August 11, 2025August 8, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed react to Man of Steel – It has been over twelve years since I first saw Man of Steel in the cinema. Directed by Zack Snyder, the 2013 Superman movie had a mixed reception but managed to gross $670 million worldwide and led Warner Bros. to releasing more DC Comics superhero movies in a shared universe (ended in 2023). Recently, Popcorn in Bed finally posted its reaction video of Man of Steel and I can say it is worth the wait. Watch it now.

#2 Where to buy onigiri in Tokyo – Have you tried eating onigiri lately? Onigiri is a rice ball (rice wrapped in nori) popular in Japan and it is eaten by hand. While there is a growing number of convenience stores selling onigiri, there is still nothing like buying freshly made onigiri in dedicated stores or restaurants in Tokyo. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Faked presentation of starvation in Gaza exposed! – You might have seen all the news and images about starvation in Gaza through mainstream news outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, The Washington Post and more. Countless reports and images were published showing Gaza residents (Palestinians) desperate for food made gullible people sympathetic for the hungry while also becoming angry towards Israel. The truth of the matter is that the portrayal of Palestinian starvation is fake, staged and deliberately crafted by the Islamic terrorists who have lots of mainstream news media partners-in-crime with them. There is no real famine in Gaza at all and it is undeniable that Palestinian terrorist group Hamas (loved by the Islamo-Leftist media) stole humanitarian aid to feed themselves leaving nothing for their fellow Gaza residents. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#4 Full Metal Jacket reaction videos – Released in 1987, Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket succeeded in intriguing or even shocking moviegoers whose perception of the Vietnam War got shaken. To be clear, the movie (which starred Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio, Adam Baldwin, and Arliss Howard) was more than just about war. It also showed the dehumanizing effects of war preparation, the dark humor that happens during war time and how people react when their emotional limits and sanity were really pushed hard. That being said, you should see how the movie draws reactions from the following YouTubers through their respective reaction videos.

#5 Slope’s Game Room examines Castlevania game franchise – Since the 1980s, Konami and its talented developers produced a whole lot of Castlevania video games ranging from 2D side-scrolling adventures into 3D polygonal escapades. Considering how significant Castlevania is as a game franchise, now is a good time to examine the history of Castlevania through the in-depth videos of Slope’s Game Room below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 93

August 4, 2025August 10, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Octopussy – As a young boy, I first saw the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy on home video. Starring Roger Moore, the movie has Agent 007 on another wild adventure facing off with a Soviet Union general and the exiled Afghan prince. With a notable part of the film shot on location in India, Octopussy’s action and stunt scenes looked exotic and sometimes comical. That being said, I enjoyed watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video and it is easily the most entertaining Octopussy reaction video on YouTube to date. Watch her video now.

#2 Trump crushes the European Union and wins big for America – After executing the greatest comeback ever, US President Donald Trump’s winning streak of achievements continued as he scored big for the Americans by crushing the corrupted European Union (EU). Not only did American win over the EU on trade, Trump slammed Europe’s approach on migration as well as their renewable energy policies in front of the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Watch the two videos below and pay close attention to the details.

#3 Slope’s Game Room examines Theme Park – While I played a lot of video games and computer games through the decades, I never had the chance to play the 1994 game Theme Park. Developed by Bullfrog Productions, Theme Park is a simulation game in which players get to construct an amusement park and manage it with the goal of attracting visitors, making profit and expanding globally. The game was a major hit among critics and gamers. To find out more about who made Theme Park and what inspired the developers to make it, watch Slope Game Room’s in-depth video below.

#4 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Jaws 2 – Recently the Canadian YouTuber Popcorn in Bed posted her reaction video of Jaws 2. A sequel to Steven Spielberg’s classic Jaws, the 1978 movie had Roy Scheider as the star again but he and director Jeannot Szwarc had conflicts behind the scenes and the production was troublesome. Having seen all Jaws movies, I can say that Jaws 2 had a lot of creative elements common with slasher horror movies. That being said, the way this movie drew reactions from Popcorn in Bed is a must-see.

#5 Japan’s authorities react to troublesome foreigners and tourists from overseas – There is no denying that Japan is a great place to visit and explore. As a young man, I toured Japan twice (in 1996 and 1997) and I can say that the travel experience is tremendous. In today’s age of social media and people having their own smartphones, Japan continues to attract even more visitors from around the world and the sad thing is that there are troublesome or disrespectful foreigners who arrived as well. Now the authorities are making adjustments in reaction. Watch and learn from the video of Asian Route below. Also, remember to respect the rules and the locals in every country you visit.

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