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 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace revisited – Remember way back in 1999 when Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was released with a massive amount of hype and anticipation? I first saw that George Lucas-directed movie at the cinema in Festival Mall which was full of people. As the years passed by, The Phantom Menace did not age well as it had serious pacing issues, lots of childish elements (mainly because of a certain very annoying character) and it ended up inferior compared with its sequels Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. But let’s be honest here…while The Phantom Menace is indeed the weakest film of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, is it truly terrible and unwatchable? Now is a good time to revisit the 1999 movie through retrospective videos posted below.
#2 You, Me and the Movies react to Cape Fear (1991) – In recent times, YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video of the 1991 version of Cape Fear starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte. For the newcomers reading this, Cape Fear of 1991 is pretty hard core with its violence and, more notably, it carries elements that would terrify both viewers and their respective families. It is the kind of movie that will make you think about your family and how to protect them from cunning and violent criminals. Watch and learn how the movie impacts You, Me and the Movies.
#3 PatmanQC examines the history of Operation Wolf – Now for some retro gaming fun! I remember back in the late 1980s, Operation Wolf was popular in arcades here in the Philippines. As that game was released during the late stages of the Cold War, it was not surprising that it was both socially relevant and enjoyable for gamers. If you are wondering who created the game and what inspired them to produce Operation Wolf, watch the in-depth video by PatmanQC below.
#4 King’s Quest revisited – Still with retro gaming, I want to share with you all that in the late 1980s, I was fortunate to have played King’s Quest on PC (DOS specifically) which was an intriguing and challenging gaming experience for me. I never finished the adventure game from Sierra On-Line but I enjoyed its game design, its groundbreaking visuals and its fantasy world. I recently saw Space Quest Historian’s retrospective on King’s Quest and it had a nice mix of comedy and attention to details. Watch it now.
#5 Pedro Pascal’s wokeness exposed and explained – I really hate it when entertainment gets poisoned by the woke mob from the movie studios down to the performers and creators. I also despise the trend in which woke forces in Communist-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) make movies and shows that promote their Satanic Leftist agenda, and then the woke stars propagate their toxic beliefs in multiple ways. Recently Ranting for Vengeance posted new videos exposing the woke toxicity of actor Pedro Pascal and explaining in detail what happened. I can say this early you should stay away from Pascal’s projects such as the new woke Fantastic Four movie. As for Warner Bros., I don’t like James Gunn’s Superman. Watch and learn from the video below.
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 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Cold Mountain – Were you fortunate enough to watch Cold Mountain in 2003? It is an American Civil War movie that has a very notable cast that includes Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman and Donald Sutherland. Not too many people in online movie-focused communities or social media groups talk about the movie. Strangely, there are very few movie reaction videos of Cold Mountain on YouTube. This past March, Popcorn in Bed posted a reaction video about the film and how it impacts her emotionally make it a must-see.
#2 PatmanQC examines the history of Pitfall! – While I was fortunate enough to play lots of video games on the Atari 2600 decades ago, I never played Pitfall! That game produced by Activision was a massive hit on the said console and how the game and its company started is fascinating to discover. In case you did not notice, Pitfall! grew into a game franchise and it was one of the early video games to have merchandising. Discover more about it in PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.
#3 You, Me and the Movies react to A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – The 1980s is the so-called golden age of slasher horror movies. One particular slasher horror flick of 1984 focused on the concepts of nightmares, the bogeyman and the fear of dying while sleeping. You can discover more by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below. Observe how it draws reactions from them.
#4 Slope’s Game Room examines Smash T.V. – Here is more nostalgic fun for those of you who love retro gaming. Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective video of the arcade classic Smash T.V. is a lot of fun to watch and the YouTuber really paid close attention to the details for viewers to learn. When was the last time you played Smash T.V.?
#5 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Alien Resurrection – Way back in late-1997, I saw Alien Resurrection inside the movie theater here in the Philippines carrying some excitement in me. After the movie ended, I left the cinema feeling numb. That being said, you have to see how Alien Resurrection drew reactions from Ashleigh Burton and perhaps you could relate with her perception of the movie.
#6 Scottie Pippen, the Chicago Bulls and Jerry Krause – Remember back in the 1990s when the Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls won six NBA championships? Behind the scenes, Scottie Pippen’s years with the Bulls (led by Jerry Krause) were actually filled with frustrations and his salary was tiny when compared to other NBA superstars of the era. To find out what happened and what were the factors behind it all, watch the two videos of Secret Base below.
#7 Minty Comedic Arts presents Cool World trivia – Recently, YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts posted a new trivia video about the 1992 live-action/animated hybrid movie Cool World. Directed by Ralph Bakshi and starring Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger, Cool World had an original concept that was eventually altered into its final cinematic form. There are lots of intriguing details to discover and I urge you all to watch Minty Comedic Arts’ video below.
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 – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s but with focus on Star Wars games that were released during the era of George Lucas. This is the Star Wars Special of RGAB.
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 and 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. 1983 Star Wars arcade game flyer
The front of the flyer.
The rear of the flyer.
Just weeks before the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi was released in cinemas in 1983, Atari released the Star Wars arcade game which became a tremendous hit around the world. Both Star Wars fans and gamers of the time loved the game as it provided a very immersive and fun-filled arcade experience. The print ad Atari released has a nice artwork on the front (showing a portion of the Death Star, two TIE Fighters, a Rebel X-Wing Fighter and Darth Vader’s image) and the text description plus the pictures of two arcade machines on the back. While no screenshots were shown, the print ad still had strong visual impact to catch the attention of players and arcade operators. This arcade flyer still looks great!
2. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle Atari 2600 print ad
Parker Brothers really stood out among publishers of games on the Atari 2600 and they even had the Star Wars license.
Considering the massive success that Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back had in cinemas, merchandising and other entertainment media, it was not surprising that games based on Return of the Jedi were produced. For the Atari 2600, Parker Brothers produced Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle which my friends and I played a lot in 1983. The print ad Parker Brothers came up with has a very eye-catching design showing a Rebel pilot flying a space ship (supposedly the Millennium Falcon which is the only playable ship in the game) towards the Death Star. The visual design is a stroke of genius because it appeals strongly to Star Wars fans while highlighting a major battle in the film which influenced the core concept of the game. This is a classic Star Wars game ad.
3. Star Wars Arcade Japanese market flyer
This arcade game was one of the first fully polygonal Star Wars games released.
In the 1990s, Sega acquired the license to produce Star Wars games for the arcades and they had the hardware for polygonal graphics. In 1993, the released Star Wars Arcade which is a space shooter that offered gamers the freedom to fly their Rebel space ship in 3D space with environments and huge space ships rendered in polygons. As you can see in the arcade flyer for the Japanese market, Sega went hard with their presentation showing 3 carefully selected screenshots (amazing for the time) and a picture of the arcade machine which had an elaborate control set-up, seats and decorations. As Star Wars Arcade was released more than a year before the polygonal game consoles Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation hit the market, this arcade flyer was mind-blowing to gamers who were on the verge of playing video games with polygonal visuals.
4. Super Star Wars print ad
Yes, JVC was involved with the Super Star Wars trilogy starting with this one.
In 1992, Star Wars fans who enjoyed playing 2D side-scrolling games saw their dream of the next great Star Wars console experience come true when Super Star Wars was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). With the SNES technology, more detailed visuals and improved audio brought the Star Wars universe to life and the addition of 3D-like playable sequences (made possible by Mode 7 effects) made Super Star Wars a very unique console experience. The print ad only showed three screenshots and three paragraphs of descriptive text but the use of images from the 1977 movie poster added a lot of punch to the visual presentation. This ad is both eye-catching to gamers and long-time Star Wars fans.
5. Star Wars: TIE Fighter print ad
This game offered gamers the opportunities to be with the dark side.
In 1994, LucasArts released Star Wars: TIE Fighter which offered gamers the opportunity to play an Imperial pilot serving Darth Vader on missions set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This print ad has a sharp visual design enhanced by Darth Vader’s iconic look in the background. The selected screenshots shown were good to look at but the artwork used to present the TIE Fighters really stood out. This solid looking print ad does come with a bit of disturbance as the Galactic Empire in Star Wars lore are evil.
6. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi print ads
Nothing like seeing Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill as the Star Wars icons on a video game ad.
I never played the portable editions of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Have you?
As far as gaming on the SNES was concerned, the Super Star Wars trilogy of games really kept fans and casual gamers busy. By the time Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was released in 1994 on the SNES, there was already immense speculation about the Star Wars prequel trilogy and George Lucas himself started writing them that same year. The 2-page print ad of the game on SNES had a creepy photo of Emperor Palpatine on one side, the other characters on the other side, and six selected screenshots displayed on the lower part. The way the print ad was design reflects that the game is the end of the trilogy like the 1983 film itself. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was also released on Game Gear and Game Boy and the ad makers made the right decision to use the Death Star and space battle image as the background so that the portable games would stand out.
7. Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi print ad
I wonder if George Lucas ever regretted approving this Star Wars fighting game. It was so rough and unpolished with its quality.
If there is any sub-par Star Wars game released in the 1990s, it is none other than Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi on the PlayStation. The 1997 game was LucasArts’ attempt to cash in on the booming fighting games genre and they took a huge risk of making it entirely polygonal. Instead of using photographs or hand-drawn art, the ad makers used a fully rendered 3D polygonal models of Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett which was alienating to look at. In fact, those polygonal models looked very different from the in-game polygonal models of Skywalker and Boba Fett presented during gameplay. This print ad is a sad reminder about an ill-conceived concept for Star Wars that materialized into an actual product.
8. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire print ad
If you have read the novel, were you able to play this video game?
LucasArts and Nintendo teamed up with something ambitious – a video game adaptation of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire that was released exclusively to the Nintendo 64 (N64). Released in late 1996, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire was part of the multimedia entertainment project of the same name and it is the result of LucasArts’ decision to be an early adopter of the N64 for business-related reasons. The 2-page print ad shown here has a dark, star-filled background which captivating screenshots on the left and the N64 controller standing out. This print ad strongly expresses that gamers would need the N64 in order to play Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire in the comfort of home.
9. Star Wars Trilogy arcade flyer
The front.
The other side.
Before the Star Wars Prequel trilogy started with The Phantom Menace, Sega came out strongly by releasing Star Wars Trilogy Arcade in arcades around the world. Released in 1998, the game was arguably Sega’s most ambitious Star Wars-licensed game ever as it was made with the powerful Model 3 hardware, it came with unique controls and the game was designed as a polygonal rail shooter focused on key segments from the original trilogy of films. Sega wisely used dynamic artwork for the front of the flyer giving viewers the impression that the X-Wing fighter was approaching them closely. At the rear, three screenshots only showed space battles which was a wise decision by Sega to keep the surprise intact for gamers until they play the game. Having played this in the arcade myself, I can assure you that Star Wars Trilogy Arcade has more varied types of gameplay and challenges. It’s a lot more than flying and shooting in space, and it has a lot of stuff that Star Wars fans will love.
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
Shane, the classic Western film from 1953 directed by George Stevens, is all set for a 4K Blu-ray release on July 15, 2025 and already the publisher Kino Lorber is already accepting orders online.
Shane 4K Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
Posted below are the technical details of the Shane 4K Blu-ray sourced from its Blu-ray.com page. For the 4K visuals enthusiasts reading this, Shane will be in native 4K resolution.
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Single disc (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50), Digital – Digital copy included
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
The movie poster of Shane.
Personally, I have not seen Shane in full. Apart from seeing selected scenes of it within the 2017 superhero film Logan, I saw Shane partially on cable TV a few times. I am personally interested to watch Shane entirely in native 4K and for this reason alone, Shane 4K Blu-ray is a future purchase for me. I am also aware that the 1953 film was based on the novel from 1949, and in 1993 the movie was selected for preservation in America’s National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
As for the Western genre of American films, my interest in Westerns from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s has grown over time. I am not interested anymore in modern movies pumped out by Commiewood (note: woke stuff here and there) and I did not even see a single new movie in the cinemas in 2024. That being said, Shane is something I want to watch in 4K in the comfort of home soon. Here is hoping that the film restoration and remastering will be of top-notch quality.
If you have decided already to order Shane 4K Blu-ray this early, you can do it through Kino Lorber by clicking here.
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
If you love Steven Spielberg’s classic film Jawsand if you are determined to collect the latest thing about it, be aware that the Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBookwill be released commercially on June 17, 2025. In relation to that, customers are welcome to order it in advance by clicking here.
This is the 4K Blu-ray SteelBook set of Jaws. (photo source – Amazon)
Posted below are the technical details of the Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBook sourced from its Blu-ray.com page,
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (70.80 Mbps)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS 2.0 Mono
French: DTS-HD HR 7.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Three-disc set (1 BD-100, 2 BD-50), Bonus View (PiP), BD-Live
D-Box, Social network features
Digital – Digital copy included
Packaging – SteelBook, inner print
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
Although I never saw Jaws inside the movie theater, I saw it multiple times from local TV to cable TV, and DVD. It truly still is one of Steven Spielberg’s best works to this day and it should be stated that filmmakers encountered a lot of problems during production at the time. To animate the killer shark, they used physical stuff while shooting on the ocean extensively. Computer-generated graphics and digital editing were not the standard back then. I have yet to view the classic film on high-definition and it should be stated that the Jaws 4K Blu-ray has been available for years now.
Mark your calendars for June 17, 2025. (photo source – Amazon)
If you have decided already to order the more affordable and simpler 4K Blu-ray copy of Jaws, click here. If you really want the upcoming 4K Blu-ray SteelBook edition, click here.
By pointing to the trade policies of the United States and weak private spending, ANZ Research says that the economic growth of the Philippines for 2025 could slow down to 5%, according to a BusinessWorld news report. ANZ also downgraded its growth forecasts for many other Asian economies.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
PHILIPPINE economic growth is expected to slow to 5% this year due to the fallout from the Trump administration’s trade policy and weak private spending, ANZ Research said.
In its latest Asia Insight report, ANZ cut its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for the Philippines to 5% this year from 5.7% previously. It also lowered its 2026 GDP projection to 5.5% from 6% previously.
Both forecasts would fall short of the 6-8% growth target set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee from this year to the next.
“Our new forecasts incorporate our expectations of direct and indirect impact of tariffs, bilateral trade agreements between the US and individual economies, revised growth estimates for mainland China and the US and potential policy response,” ANZ Chief Economist for Southeast Asia and India Sanjay Mathur said.
The downward revisions constitute a “durable shock to regional growth as US tariffs imply a long-term reduction in global trade,” he added.
President Donald J. Trump slapped reciprocal tariffs on most of its trading partners earlier this month but suspended these higher tariffs for 90 days. Only the baseline 10% tariff remains in effect.
The Philippines was hit with a 17% reciprocal tariff, though this was the second lowest in Southeast Asia, just after Singapore.
“It is likely that some Asian economies will negotiate down or even do away with the April 2 reciprocal tariffs owing to the potential damage to US growth,” Mr. Mathur said. “Even so, the uncertainty around US trade policies will constrain business activity, including hiring and investment.”
ANZ slashed its growth projection for Asia, excluding China and India, to 2.9% this year from 3.4% previously. It also trimmed its 2026 forecast to 3.3% from 3.5% previously.
ANZ also downgraded its GDP projections for all countries it covers, namely India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will be able to negotiate with the United States on tariff and trade matters soon?
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 Christine Grace Smith discusses gender differences and major UK Supreme Court decision – I like watching Christine Grace Smith’s commentary about society as well as her ways on pointing out the wrong and the twisted. Recently the United Kingdom’s (UK) Supreme Court delivered its major decision on the legal definition of the term woman in relation to human biology. Christine Grace Smith not only calls the UK Supreme Court decision a win for women (read: men who believe they are women are clearly NOT women at all), she also explains a lot of relevant stuff and details as well. It’s a win for women and a defeat for the transgender mob. Watch and learn from her video below.
#2 Predator reaction videos by Ashleigh Burton, VKunia, Popcorn in Bed and You, Me and the Movies – The 1980s was a memorable decade of R-rated action movies from Hollywood. Among them was the action-packed science fiction film Predator that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and the movie itself had a careful blend of elements from specific genres under the direction of John McTiernan. By today’s standards, Predator is a classic and now is a good time to see how it impacts YouTubers like Ashleigh Burton, VKunia, Popcorn in Bed and You, Me and the Movies through their respective reaction videos.
#3 PatmanQC examines the Alien vs. Predator arcade game – In 1994, Capcom released Alien vs. Predator in video arcades around the world. In addition to being well received by game critics, the game became a big hit commercially and added to Capcom’s credibility as an arcade industry player. If you are wondering how the arcade game first started, who the developers were and why the game was never ported to any console, watch and learn from PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.
#4 Decker Shado’s review of The Fifth Element – Back in 1997, The Fifth Element was released in cinemas and it attracted the attention of a lot of people mainly because of Bruce Willis’ fame. With its style of presentation, the movie impressed local moviegoers and there were some who found it a zany film experience. Some time ago, Decker Shado posted his video review of The Fifth Element and it is entertaining to watch.
#5 Slope’s Game Room examines the history of Pac-Man – Do you still remember playing Pac-Man long ago? As a little boy, I only played the Atari 2600 port of Pac-Man and managed to play the original arcade game on different platforms much later. There is a lot of history behind Pac-Man and it involves the growth of its game franchise and reach towards cartoons and merchandise. To have an in-depth look at Pac-Man’s history, watch the extensive video by Slope’s Game Room below.
#6 Tron revisited – You must have heard the news about the newly announced Tron sequel called Tron: Ares. Honestly, I am not too confident about it and 2010’s Tron: Legacy left me unsatisfied. That being said, the original Tron movie from 1982 remains special and memorable, and now is a good time to take a look back at it through the selected videos below. Watch, learn and enjoy!
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Val Kilmer remembered – In case you missed the news, actor Val Kilmer passed away at age 65. He contributed a lot to the art of cinema for decades and had many memorable performances in films like Top Gun, Heat, Top Secret!, and Tombstone to name a few. He appeared in a very touching scene in Top Gun: Maverick. In memory of him, posted below are assorted videos of his past works.
#2 PatmanQC examines Galaga – Originally released in arcades in 1981, Galaga is a classic 2D shooter game that consistently provided gamers bouts of fun, unique challenges and an immersive science fiction feel. Through the decades, I played it in the arcade and on game consoles, and the fun was always there. The production history of Galaga is pretty interesting and it includes developmental challenges connected with hardware limitations, revision of creative ideas and the like. PatmanQC’s examination of the history of Galaga is a must-watch!
#3 The entire Terminator film franchise examined – From 1984 to 2019, a total of six movies of the Terminator film franchise got released. If you ask me, only The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day are the ones worth replaying and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) made them even more socially relevant. Then there are those who really liked Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines as it was a very expensive follow-up to its predecessor. Terminator Salvation attracted moviegoers with its portrayal of the future war between man and machines. In recent times, YouTuber Outside Intel posted its in-depth retrospective of all the six Terminator movies, and it lasts over an hour. If you are feeling nostalgic about Terminator films, this is a must-see.
#4 Fictional TV news reports and commercials from RoboCop (1987) – Remember the first time you ever saw RoboCop inside the cinema way back in 1987? If you did, do you still remember how you first reacted when you saw the fictional TV news reports and commercials that were played within the context of the film’s story? In case you have forgotten, posted below is a YouTube that conveniently collects them all for you to see.
#5 James Gunn’s Superman looking super bad right now – There is a brand new Superman movie directed by James Gunn coming out months from now. While the first teaser of the film looked interesting, the newest teaser made the upcoming movie look bad. Among all the reactions towards the latest Superman 2025 sneak peak, Ranting for Vengeance and Ben Shapiro have the most opinionated and most analytical reactions of them all. Watch the videos below and ask yourselves this – do you really want to see James Gunn’s very own take on Superman and the DC Comics characters?
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 – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
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 and 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. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero arcade flyers
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero arcade flyer for the Japanese market.
The North American arcade flyer of G.I. Joe.
Back in the 1980s, my friends and I saw lots of episodes of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero on TV and there were lets of toys of it available. I also read some comic books of G.I. Joe. While there were G.I. Joe video games, I never got to play its early 1990s arcade game from Konami. By comparing the two arcade flyers of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, the American flyer excels visually showing the characters with a powerful war-themed background. The Japanese flyer had smaller space for the same artwork and displayed the arcade cabinet (take note of the controls laid out to accommodate up to four players). Between the two, I prefer the American arcade flyer.
2. Alien 3 Japanese arcade flyer
With this arcade flyer, Sega clearly showed arcade operators what to expect when ordering machines of Alien 3: The Gun.
Watching Alien 3 inside the cinema in 1992 was one of the worst moviegoing experiences I ever had. By the time video games based on the movie were released, I was surprised to see how action-packed and entertaining they looked. The one Alien 3 game that captivated me was Sega’s Alien 3: The Gun in the arcades as its design and concept contradicted the essence of the film. The Japanese arcade flyer has this aggressive approach on laying down the details, displaying the arcade machine and displaying carefully selected screenshots to excite both gamers and arcade operators. This arcade flyer still looks good today.
3. Super Cobra arcade flyer
A great artwork emphasizing the concept of Super Cobra.
First released in Japanese and America arcades in 1981, Super Cobra is a 2D side-scrolling shooter in which players pilot an armed helicopter through tight caverns while facing enemies capable of firing. The American arcade flyer has great artwork that almost perfectly captures the essence of the game. This is another old arcade flyer that has aged well.
4. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin print ad
Back in 1993, animated sequences included in video games were still new and even exciting.
Moving forward to the year 1993, gamers in America who owned a Sega Genesis console were being motivated by Sega to upgrade their gaming experience with the Sega CD add-on. Along the way, Sega really ramped up efforts to have more games supporting the Sega CD and one of them was The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin on Sega CD was actually an updated version of the original 1991 game and Sega’s team included several improvements to take advantage of the CD-ROM technology of the add-on. This print ad showed Sega’s hard work on selling the game.
5. Soulstar print ad
The artwork of this print ad has very strong sci-fi vibes.
Released in 1994 for the Sega CD (Mega CD in other markets), Soulstar was sci-fi 3rd-person shooter that delivered amazing visuals, fun gameplay and an immersive experience of space travel to gamers. This European market print ad is a very effective way to promote the game using carefully selected screenshots, amazing artwork and a cleverly written text description. Still a fine print ad to look at.
6. Batman Returns print ad
This print ad effectively promoted both the game and the movie. In retrospect, the line “Our new Batman game is anything but tame” turned out to be true as lot of parents who brought their kids to the cinemas for Batman Returns were turned off by the adulterated elements.
In 1992, Batman Returns played in a lot of cinemas but its very dark tone and adulterated elements prevented it from matching the huge box office success of its 1989 predecessor. Regardless, a lot of licensed video games based on the movie were released and in early 1993, Konami released a Batman Returns video game on the aging Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This print ad used a photograph from the filming of an scene that actually had Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, dominating over the iconic Batman. Also displayed were screenshots, the game’s box cover (showing Pfeiffer, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito as their respective characters) and the text description. Even if you did not like the movie, this old print ad is a solid way of promoting both the game and the movie. The line “Our new Batman game is anything but tame” strangely turned out very true.
7. The Terminator games print ads
The Terminator for Sega Genesis.
The Terminator for Sega CD.
Released in cinemas in 1984, The Terminator was a surprise hit as well as a career-booster for Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron. What is very notable is the fact that several video game adaptations of The Terminator were released on consoles in the early 1990s. I can only guess this was done to capitalize on the resurgence of the Terminator franchise in connection with Terminator 2: Judgement Day’s much-anticipated release in cinemas. The Sega Genesis version print ad features a digitized close-up of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator while the 2-page Sega CD version print ad used a lot of the space for large text (with an incomplete shot of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator on the edge of the 2nd page) emphasizing “He’s Back” and “The Terminator” while leaving little space for text descriptions and screenshots. Between the two, I find the Sega Genesis ad more effective with its promotion of the game.
8. Defender arcade flyer
More choices of a very successful game for arcade operators also means more ways for players to play it.
Even though it had a soft start in the early 1980s, the classic game Defender went on to become a massive commercial success in the arcades. Being a major attraction in America’s video game industry, Williams unsurprisingly went on to release this particular arcade flyer to sell to operators different types of Defender arcade machines that could fit into their respective joints while providing gamers choices on how to play the game. Some players preferred to stand in-front of a tall arcade cabinet while others prefer to play the game looking down on the screen. This flyer is an example as to how a company can keep their biggest success moving on while offering business clients more choices.
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Mr. Holland’s Opus – If there is anything that comes to my mind about the actor Richard Dreyfuss, it is his involvement in Steven Spielberg’s classic films Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He is truly is a great actor and appeared in many films through the decades. Then in 1995, his name become prominent again in Mr. Holland’s Opus and his performance in that film earned him the nomination for the Academy Award of Best Actor. Recently I saw Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video of the said movie and it is a must-see.
#2 Radiant Silvergun revisited – In 1998, the sci-fi shooter Radiant Silvergun was released in arcades and on the Sega Saturn console, and it turned to be a very cleverly designed game which resulted in a positive reception with both players and game critics. The game made its debut in the West through Xbox Live Arcade in the form of an Xbox 360 port. Recently The SEGAGuys posted an in-depth, retrospective video about Radiant Silvergun which retro gaming enthusiasts should watch.
#3 Popcorn in Bed reacts to 1991’s JFK – With the recent release of previously confidential documents related to the 1963 assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, it is not surprising that a resurgence of public interest in the 1991 movie JFK happened. I saw that film on DVD a number of times and by today’s standards, it has not aged well and it is historically flawed. The movie’s biggest selling point is not the star Kevin Costner but its concept that Kennedy was the target of a conspiracy by certain forces within the US government at the time. Recently, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed posted a reaction video and the movie has its moments of engaging her.
#4 You, Me and the Movies react to The Andromeda Strain – Do you enjoy watching science fiction thrillers from the 1970s? The Andromeda Strain was one of those films from the said decade that was designed to intrigue viewers with its concept and style of presentation. It is also one of the early cinematic works written by the late Michael Crichton. It was directed by the late Robert Wise who would later direct Star Trek: The Motion Picture. You, Me and the Movies recently posted their reaction video of it and it is entertaining to see.
#5 A warning about the next Spider-Man movie becoming woke – YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance recently posted a video warning us that there are signs that the next Spider-Man live-action movie starring Tom Holland will turn out woke. If that happens, I definitely will stay away from it and I certainly will not spend time and money on any woke crap produced by Communist Hollywood (Commiewood). Ranting for Vengeance hit all the points precisely and he has in-depth explanations for each. Watch the video and share it to others. Thanks.
Author Carlo Carrasco 