Tag: arcade

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 162

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 162

carlocarrasco

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 English-dubbed Super Dimension Fortress Macross episodes – As some of you are already aware, I am a Macross fan when it comes to anime. I saw lots of anime since I was little but it was the Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime TV series that I found very compelling and engaging to watch. A few years ago, I view all of the original SDF Macross TV episodes subtitled in English. Recently, I found this YouTube channel called MacrossMan and it featured all 36 SDF Macross episodes dubbed in English (the dub was done in 2006 by ADV Films). Apart from having a really good cast of voice actors, original Macross singer and voice actress Mari Iijima returned as Lynn Minmay complete with English dialogue! For your viewing pleasure, posted below are three videos covering the first 18 episodes of Super Dimension Fortress Macross.

#2 Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest revisited – The original Castlevania console game of 1986 is still widely remembered by long-time fans and retro gamers not only because it started successfully and paved the way for a long-running game franchise, but also because it was an inspired work that captured the popular elements of horror connected with pop culture. I noticed there are gamers who still replay the original Castlevania on different platforms to this day. Strangely enough, not too many Castlevania fans and retro gamers talk about the 1987 sequel Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. I myself played and finished that game and it was loaded with gameplay features that made it play and feel different from its predecessor in many ways. To learn more about Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, watch the retrospective video below.

#3 Japan’s effort to protect the future of food – Food is undeniably essential. Without food, people would not survive and nations will collapse. In Japan, there are these gene banks that store a few hundred thousand genetic resources. Those gene banks were designed to preserve varied food genes such as the rare heirloom vegetables, fruit varieties from around the world and more. These gene banks reflect Japan’s focus on ensuring food security as well as the survival of different types of food on the genetic level. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#4 The House of the Dead remembered – Remember the sudden rise in popularity of zombies and horrific monsters in video games back in the mid-1990s? Apart from the success of the original Resident Evil video game, Sega made its presence felt in horror-themed gaming with the release of The House of the Dead in 1996. Powered by Sega’s Model 2 arcade hardware, The House of the Dead is a light gun arcade game that had players facing off with zombies and other horrific creatures. The game was a tremendous arcade success with sales of more than 8,500 cabinets globally and it led to the production of ports and sequels in the years that followed. If you are wondering who created The House of the Dead, what specific audience Sega targeted and what controversies did the game generate, watch the video of the late PatmanQC below.

#5 The 1989-90 Phoenix Suns remembered – Before Charles Barkley joined the Phoenix Suns and led them to the 1993 NBA Finals, the team’s strong formation and rise happened in the late-1980s. Entering the 1989-90 season, the Suns had the high-scoring Tom Chambers and the action-packed point guard Kevin Johnson who were already among the elite players. That said, the Suns made quite an impact on the Western conference during the 1990s NBA playoffs. To find out what the 1989-90 Suns achieved and why they were a solid team, watch the retrospective basketball video below.

#6 You, Me and The Movies reacts to The Return of Godzilla – Way back in 1984, Toho revived the Godzilla movie franchise with grittiness, darkness and the Cold War mixed in. They achieved that with The Return of Godzilla and it truly was a return to form for Japan’s iconic cinematic monster. To make things clear, this is NOT Godzilla 1985 which was a butchered low-budget Western version that had Raymund Burr. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video of The Return of Godzilla and it is entertaining to watch.

#7 Moxy Swim 2026 Miami Swim Week fashion show – Are you familiar with Moxy Swim? Moxy Swim is a popular, creator-designed brand of swimwear. During this year’s edition of Miami Swim Week, Moxy Swim had a flashy fashion show showcasing many beautiful women and the latest swimwear of the company. Watch and enjoy the video below.

#8 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers reaction videos – In early 2003, I saw The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in a local cinema with many other moviegoers. It is truly a great fantasy movie and the cinematic experience was captivating despite the long runtime. There are even a few film buffs who considered it the best of the LOTR film trilogy. To see how much of an impact The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers has on YouTubers, watch the videos below.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 161

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 161

carlocarrasco

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 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring reaction videos – I can hardly believe it has been almost 25 years since The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was first released in cinemas. The first time I saw it (the first part of a cinematic trilogy) was during its final week of showing at the local cinema and I ended up being very engaged by it. Since then, the Peter Jackson-directed fantasy movie (and its two follow-ups) was released in different editions on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray formats, ultimately offering movie buffs and J.R.R. Tolkien fans a lot of choices. Considering its great cinematic quality, in-depth storytelling and memorable characters, The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is arguably the greatest cinematic fantasy spectacle ever made. As such, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring itself was featured many times in reaction videos by YouTubers, and posted below are the ones I enjoyed watching. Go watch the videos below.

#2 Islamic Slave Trade examined – When it comes to the disturbing topic of slavery, not too many people want to discuss the Islamic slave trade which started from 7th century and even persisted in various forms into the 20th century. When compared to the transatlantic slave trade, Islamic slave trade happened across North Africa, East Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Southern Europe and South Asia. There were women who were trafficked as domestic laborers or concubines, there were men who were recruited into specialized elite slave militaries, and there were others who subjected to brutal physical labor in various forms in different regions. The Islamic slave trade was indeed twisted and cursed, and it should never be revived. To find out more, watch the in-depth video below.

#3 The impact of Super Castlevania IV remembered – Released in December of 1991 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America, Super Castlevania IV was easily one of the most anticipated new games of that year given the fact that the Castlevania game series was already wildly popular with gamers. Considering its American release date, it was also the most pursued SNES game during the Christmas season. As such, its impact with gamers during the season was memorable and the YouTube video below by My Retro Life captured the game’s impact.

#4 Skipjack tuna’s impact in Japan – If you are fond of eating tuna, are you familiar with skipjack tuna? Skipjack tuna (also referred to as Katsuwonus pelamis) is a medium-sized, streamlined pelagic fish in the tuna family of Scombridae. It is the one tuna species that got heavily fished and chances are, you canned tuna you ate came from it. In Japan, there was a surplus of skipjack tuna which not only brought down prices but also made an impact on customers through the restaurants and groceries. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#5 The history of Tron – If you have seen the classic sci-fi movie Tron from 1982, were you able to play the official video games about it? Back then, there were video games of Tron released in the arcades and on game consoles of the time. Having seen the movie first, I remember wanting to play the Tron video games whenever I saw a print ad or a poster about the games. To learn more about Tron and its impact on video gaming, watch the video below from the late PatmanQC.

#6 Bill Clinton’s immorality, lying and sex scandal revisited – It has been almost thirty years since the Bill Clinton – Monica Lewinsky scandal first rocked the world resulting in massive news media coverage, legal implications, political debates and even a successful impeachment of Clinton. If you set aside the politics and media coverage, Bill Clinton’s sex scandal alone was essentially embarrassing and tarnished the Office of the President of the United States. I personally know Democrats who had trouble defending their immoral and dishonest President Clinton, and they are still worshipping both Bill and Hillary to this day. Recently, a comprehensive look back at the late-1990s sex scandal of Bill Clinton was released on YouTube and I encourage you to watch it now. Learn from history and never ever follow the evil Clintons.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 48

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 48

carlocarrasco

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.

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. Broderbund British print ad

A colorful advertisement for Broderbund's video games featuring 'Lode Runner' and other titles, with a bright design that includes text promoting 'America's Favourite' and 'Big Value Choice.'
An American-themed promotion of games for the British market in the 1980s.

Back in the 1980s, home computer systems were already popular platforms for playing electronic games. The American company Broderbund was one of the dominant forces of home computer gaming back then with lots of hit games (a mix of their own productions and the publishing of ports of games from other companies) that entertained many. When it came to England, Broderbund was aggressive on marketing its games there and the above print ad is a fine example of it. They came up with an American theme on their ad promoting the Lode Runner games, Choplifter, Spelunker and Stealth to British computer gamers. The imagery of a burger and the display of the American flag made the ad eye-catching.

2. King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch Japanese print ad

Promotional advertisement for the video game King Kong 2 by Konami featuring a close-up of a gorilla's face, vibrant graphics, and game details in Japanese.
A print ad of King Kong 2 and two other Konami games for Japanese gamers.

Believe it or not, Konami had the license to create the 1986 adventure game King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch which was very loosely based on the 1986 movie King Kong Lives. To promote its release for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom), Konami came up with the above print ad that had an actual movie photo of King Kong, inserted two screenshots and showed some creative writings. Conveniently, Konami also inserted two of its other games for promotions.

3. Datsugoku Japanese arcade flyer

An intense illustrated scene featuring muscular characters in action, one wielding a gun while shouting. The background shows a prison-like setting with buildings and characters on the ground. The image includes bold Japanese text that translates to 'Escape' and hints at a theme of liberation and combat.
The front.
An advertisement for a video game featuring various characters in action poses, illustrating gameplay mechanics like combat and weapon usage. The text is in Japanese, explaining character controls and actions for different scenarios.
The rear.

In 1988, SNK released Datsugoku in Japanese arcades and it became a commercial success for them long before they transitioned to their Neo Geo hardware. As you can see in the Japanese arcade flyer, the game has a war theme about prisoners of war struggling to fight their way out of enemy territory. This is not surprising because of the popularity of Hollywood’s military themed action movies and the Cold War itself had influenced game designers. The arcade flyer has fine-looking art of war. This game was eventually released in other parts of the world under the title P.O.W.: Prisoners of War.

4. The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback! North American print ad

A vintage advertisement for the video game 'The Punisher' featuring a muscular character in tactical gear and a machine gun, with Spider-Man appearing in the background. The ad highlights intense action against crime and showcases gameplay details alongside an image of the game cartridge.
The Punisher with Spider-Man in this action-oriented print ad.

In the early 1990s, Nintendo’s Game Boy was the dominant handheld gaming device and it was not surprising that a lot of companies released games on it. Along the way, the Punisher became one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters and there were two monthly comic book series about the character. Acclaim produced The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback! for Game Boy featuring not only the Punisher but also Spider-Man (in the background) which was enough to get the attention of comic book fans. The descriptive text they came up with has this obvious anti-crime theme and it emphasized action. I saw this print ad in some 1991 comic books I read and it remains eye-catching until now.

5. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Japanese print ad

A promotional image for the video game based on 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,' featuring AT-AT walkers and various characters, with text highlighting the game's release.
This is one captivating print ad.

In the early 1990s, Victor/JVC published Star Wars games developed by Lucasfilm Games for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Following the 1992 release of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on the NES in the West, they released a port of it for the Famicom in Japan in 1993. To promote the game, they made a print ad that highlighting the memorable Battle of Hoth (using art and one screenshot) as well as iconic photos of Luke Skywalker in Hoth and Dagobah (with Yoda). The ad makers strategically inserted screenshots showing the in-game Hoth and Dagobah settings plus two of Cloud City. I played the game myself and it was very punishing. Still, this ad looks great. It also motivated me to replay The Empire Strikes Back on home video back then.

6. Contra: The Hard Corps Japanese print ad

A vibrant video game advertisement featuring a male and female character armed with futuristic guns, set against a fiery background. The text highlights the game's themes of cyber action and features the game's title prominently.
This Contra: The Hard Corps print ad for Japan still looks exciting.

In 1994, gamers in Japan who owned the Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis in America) were highly engaged when Konami released Contra: The Hard Corps specifically for the said console. Konami aggressively marketed the game and one of the ads they made for Japan was the above 2-page print ad that had dynamic looking hand-drawn artwork that had strong anime aesthetics. They inserted two screenshots of the game and posted a text description to get gamers excited. Apart from bringing Contra excitement for Sega gamers and Contra fans who happened to own the Mega Drive, this print ad clearly shows Konami went all-in with doing business with Sega.

7. Skimaxx North American and British arcade flyers

Promotional image for the Skimaxx arcade game featuring a virtual water-skiing experience with a bright blue and pink design, showcasing the game machine and a player on a water-ski simulator.
Skimaxx arcade flyer for England. Does anyone know who the pretty model is?
Promotional image for SKIMAXX, an interactive water-skiing simulator featuring a player on a ski board, a colorful arcade machine displaying gameplay, and descriptions of features and pricing.
Skimaxx arcade flyer for North America.

I never played Skimaxx in the local arcades. Did you? Released in 1996 by Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, Skimaxx is very notable for having a truly unique physical cabinet design featuring a pivoting hydraulic footboard which brings to players the simulation of rock motions, twists and more. Two arcade flyers – for North America and England – were respectively published and both featured a pretty blonde lady wearing a swimsuit playing the Skimaxx machine, highlighting the use of the footboard. Apart from the technical features, a Skimaxx machine can be linked with another machine for head-to-head competition. These arcade flyers are very cool and mesmerizing to look at and they contain enough details to make arcade operators interested.

8. Genso Suikoden II Japanese print ad

Promotional poster for the video game 'Gensou Suikoden II' featuring various vibrant scenes and characters from the game, with Japanese text and a price listed.
This is truly an epic-looking print ad promoting Genso Suikoden II. A lot of images were shown but they did not spoil the plot.

When Konami released the original Suikoden (Genso Suikoden in Japan) fantasy RPG on the PlayStation in the mid-1990s, the game achieved positive feedback from gamers and critics which boosted sales. In late-1998, the sequel Genso Suikoden II was released for PlayStation in Japan and Konami became aggressive on promoting it as it became aware of the many dedicated Suikoden fans. They came up with an epic-looking 2-page print ad that had a collage of official artworks, screenshots of in-game cutscenes, and some of the fancy looking visual effects to sell the game. The images and descriptive text informed gamers of the new conflict following the events of the original game. I played Suikoden II a lot and it is easily bigger and better than its predecessor. That said, this epic-looking print ad truly highlights the great stuff Suikoden II offered gamers and it made the Suikoden II print ads in America look inferior. Too bad Konami did not use the approach of the Japanese print ad in the Western markets because Suikoden II truly is epic fantasy.

9. Einhänder North American print ad

The 2-page print ad of Einhänder for North America.

Back in the late-1990s, SquareSoft became a more prominent game developer and publisher by releasing new games that not only had 3D polygonal visuals but also tackled gameplay styles beyond role-playing games (RPGs). In the case of their game Einhänder, they made a serious gamble on the shooter genre of gaming while moving forward with 3D polygons and some unique gameplay features of their own. In preparation for the game’s North American launch in 1998 for PlayStation, the company came up with a wide print ad with a dominant artwork that showed a planet with a huge part torn off and drifting into space. Even a small part of the planet’s core got exposed. This ad pounded hard on the expression of “Earth shattering”, and it showed SquareSoft was serious on making an impact on the shooter genre. When I saw this ad in a magazine, the planet caught my attention and then I focused on the right section which had the descriptive text and screenshots of Einhänder. This is still an engaging print ad to look at.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 159

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 159

carlocarrasco

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 You Me and the Movies reacts to Wicked City – Having watched lots of anime feature films, OAVs and TV shows before, I never saw Wicked City. Released in 1987, Wicked City is a neo-noir cyberpunk horror anime movie directed by Yoshiaka Kawajiri. YouTuber You, Me and the Movies recently posted a reaction video about Wicked City which is entertaining to watch. That said, it is also their latest anime reaction video and I encourage you to see it.

#2 Nintendo’s Virtual Boy revisited – I never owned the Virtual Boy from Nintendo. Released in the mid-1990s, it was a table-top game console that displayed stereoscopic 3D graphics which ended up as a major failure for the company. Virtual Boy was designed by the late Gunpei Yokoi who was the same guy behind the Game & Watch and the original Game Boy. To learn about the history of the Virtual Boy and why it was approved for release, watch the video below.

#3 Tokyo’s midnight restaurants – In Tokyo, life does not simply stop when regular office hours are over. There are people who have unusual working schedules and there are those who are actually living as night-time persons. That said, there are restaurants in Tokyo that fully operate late in the evening. The good news here is that visitors and food lovers can find delicious Japanese meals, fine drinks and more. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#4 Punch-Out!! revisited – When you hear the title “Punch-Out!!”, do you think of the popular Famicom/NES video game that had Mike Tyson, the 1990s Super Punch-Out!! console game, or the original arcade game with the dual-monitor set-up that Nintendo first released in 1984? Indeed, Punch-Out!! went a long way and ultimately, it made video game boxing cartoony, wholesome and fun. To learn how the game franchise started and who exactly were involved, watch the comprehensive video from the late PatmanQC.

#5 When the Phoenix Suns had Charles Barkley – In 1992, NBA superstar Charles Barkley transferred from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Phoenix Suns. During his first season with Phoenix, the Suns made it to the NBA Finals of 1993 facing off with eventual champion the Chicago Bulls. If you ask me, Barkley’s tenure with the Suns was memorable as he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award with them and really came close to winning an NBA championship. Nothing has been the same since Barkley left Arizona. For an immersive look back at Barkley’s days as a Phoenix Sun, watch the video below.

#6 Friday The 13th (1980) reaction videos – What can be said about the original Friday The 13th movie of 1980? Directed by Sean Cunningham, the slasher-horror film made almost $60 million worldwide on a negative cost of a few million Dollars, and it led to many sequels throughout the 1980s. The film was released at a time when many low-budget horror movies were made to cash-in on the success of John Carpenter’s Halloween. In my opinion, the movie itself is dull and it is actually one of the weakest of its franchise. Still, this old movie has impact on YouTubers who saw it for the first time ever. That said, go watch the reaction video below.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 158

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 158

carlocarrasco

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 Major League (1990) movie reaction videos – When it comes to American sports, I am not really a fan of baseball. That said, I was not too interested with Major League Baseball (MLB). Strangely enough, the 1989 comedy film Major League – which I saw on home video in 1990 – turned out to be entertaining to watch and it became a hot rental in our local community here in the Philippines. As such, American sports movies about baseball became more interesting to see just as cable TV became more common locally. Some film buffs still consider Major League the most entertaining of them all. To find out how much impact Major League has on YouTubers, watch the selected reaction videos below.

#2 The history of TwinBee – Decades ago, I played TwinBee on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) with my friends. It was a fun-filled, vertical-scrolling 2D shooter that had this cute visual design and it was unexpectedly challenging to complete. What I never played, however, was the original arcade game of TwinBee which Konami released way back in 1985. To find out who were the creators behind TwinBee, how its development happened and how it became a game franchise, watch the video below.

#3 Nostalgic food alley in central Tokyo – If you have ever visited Tokyo before, were you able to eat at specific places that had a lot of history within? There is this nostalgic food alley in the central part of Tokyo. Having seen the Nippon TV video below, the featured food alley is indeed very interesting and the food offered to customers is captivating to see. I wish I had dined there the last time I visited Japan. Watch and learn from the video below.              

#4 The Road to the Temple Mount Revealed – In 2023, I visited Israel with my local church on a pilgrimage tour that lasted twelve days, and it was during the last five days when we stayed in Jerusalem. During our tour of Pool of Siloam (where a man-born-blind got healed and gained sight because he followed Lord Jesus’ instructions) we reached one end of the place which turned out to be the entrance leading to the ancient pilgrimage road leading to the Temple Mount. Back then, it was closed but we all saw what it looked like. In recent times, a lot of progress was made on the restoration of the ancient pilgrimage road (the very road where Jews hiked coming from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount) and CBN News has an in-depth feature of it in their video below. I encourage you all to watch it.     

#5 From Mahane Yehuda Market to Jaffa Gate – During the one and only day-off of our 2023 Israel pilgrimage tour, I marched all the way to the Temple Mount and other holy sites inside the Old City of Jerusalem to spend quality time with the Lord. After visiting the grave of Oskar Schindler, I marched all the way back to the modern part of Jerusalem with the Mahane Yehuda market as the final destination. That said, the video of Jerusalem Walker posted below is nostalgic to me as I had two visits to Mahane Yehuda. The only thing was that I have not yet experienced spending time at Mahane Yehuda on a Friday which is often full of people as the Jews prepared themselves for the night before Shabbat. The video below is a must-see.

#6 You, Me and the Movies reacts to The Fly (1958) – Like most moviegoers, I saw the 1986 version of The Fly without seeing the original 1958 version. Of course, the original The Fly was released long before I was even born and it was still very challenging to see it on home video, UFH TV, cable TV and DVD or Blu-ray. I eventually saw The Fly (1958) on local TV back in the 1990s but it did not engage me enough to complete it. That said, watching reaction videos of it was a more suitable way of seeing it and I can say that I enjoyed You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video of it is entertaining.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 47

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 47

carlocarrasco

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.

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. Atari Console and Games Print Ad

Atari video game console advertisement featuring various game titles and cover art.
Back in the 1980s, this was simple and yet exciting to look at.

Back in the 1980s, the styles of video game advertising were very different. Back then, Atari was the market leader on console gaming with the Atari 2600 and they had a lot of video games made for it. As such, the above print ad showing the console and the video games (with the front covers of the game boxes) was typical of the era and it was captivating to look at. By today’s standards, the ad looks simple but it still has the appeal to lure gamers.

2. Shark Attack North American Arcade Flyer

An advertisement for the arcade game 'Shark Attack', featuring a cartoon shark and a woman in swim gear, promoting gameplay where players experience a shark diver challenge.
The front.
Promotional image for an arcade game called 'Thrust and Munch' featuring a woman wearing a diver's mask, smiling. The background includes text highlighting game features like shark control and dimensions.
The rear.

Remember long ago when Steven Spielberg’s Jaws made some people afraid of sharks and the sea? Jaws was a massive blockbuster, and it was influential to the public. A few years later, Universal Pictures pushed through with Jaws 2 without Spielberg, and it also was a huge commercial hit. By the start of the 1980s, creature feature films inspired by Jaws were released and pop culture itself was influenced. In 1981, the obscure arcade outfit Pacific Novelty Manufacturing released their game Shark Attack in arcades. To promote the game, the company came up with an arcade flyer that had a comedic touch on the text descriptions while featuring a pretty blonde fashion model posing as the diver. The front of the flyer had the arcade cabinet, the model and an exaggerated artwork of a shark holding a knife and a fork. On the rear, the sexiness was ramped up with a shot of the model’s behind (plus more pictures of the model herself). This is indeed an amusing and funny arcade flyer.

3. Centipede North American Arcade Flyer

Promotional poster for Atari's Centipede video game featuring colorful artwork of a centipede character and arcade game machines in the background.
This was designed with arcade operators in mind.

When Atari released Centipede in arcades in 1981, it attracted a lot of gamers and became a huge commercial hit. Part of its success is linked with the strategic promotions Atari committed, and the above arcade flyer is one of the variants of Centipede flyers. The one above shows an illustrated centipede carrying a coin in its mouth and in the background are two different arcade cabinets plus a cocktail table machine (for those who want to play Centipede while sitting down). This particular arcade flyer of Centipede emphasizes the popularity of the game and there are different types of machines that arcade operators can choose from. At the same time, this old flyer remains amusing to look at.

4. Rambo Famicom Japanese Print Ad

A promotional poster for a Rambo video game featuring a muscular man holding a weapon. The background is yellow with text in Japanese and images of the game on the right side. The large text reads 'RAMBO' in bold letters at the bottom.
Using this iconic imagery of Sylvester Stallone as Rambo was a very smart move.

When it comes to Hollywood action movies of the 1980s, Sylvester Stallone was highly successful, and he impacted American pop culture with the Rocky and Rambo films. By 1985, Stallone struck gold with Rambo: First Blood Part II which made over $300 million worldwide. Considering the Cold War theme and ambitious action scenes of the movie, it was clear for Japanese game developer Pack-In-Video to make an official video game adaptation of Rambo: First Blood Part II for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) in the form of a 2D side-scrolling adventure game. The said game was simply titled Rambo and to promote it, the company came up with the above Japanese print ad that had the iconic Rambo image of Stallone holding the rocket launcher, and a few screenshots of the game itself. If you look closely at the lower-right corner, you will see a cartoonish hand-drawn art of the Rambo character with a bow and arrow. Considering how very popular Stallone, his character and the movie were, it made a lot of sense to promote the Rambo Famicom game like this in Japan. 

5. Gyruss Family Computer Disk System Japanese Print Ad

A retro video game advertisement for 'Gyruss' by KONAMI, featuring a spaceship amidst a colorful space backdrop with planets and swirling galaxies. The poster includes gameplay screenshots and promotional text in Japanese, with the release date and price displayed.
Gyruss was Konami’s first-ever game developed for the Famicom Disk System of Nintendo.

In 1983, Konami released Gyruss, a science fiction tube shooter designed by Yoshiko Okamoto. The game was a huge arcade hit and it really attracted a lot of players who enjoyed the unique game design and spaceship shooting. Konami licensed the game to a few companies which resulted in the creation and release of Gyruss ports for different consoles and home computer systems. In 1988, Konami released an enhanced Gyruss port for the Family Computer Disk System of Nintendo. To promote the Famicom Disk System port, Konami came up with a print ad that had a nicely detailed painted artwork of a spaceship (representing the player) about to hit incoming enemies deep in space, 3 screenshots and the official price and release date displayed. The artwork is still captivating to look at and the port itself features major overhauls that arguably made it better than the arcade original. Konami really went the extra mile for this Gyruss port.

6. Operation Thunderbolt Japanese Arcade Flyer

An illustrative movie poster for 'Operation Thunderbolt', featuring military characters in action with explosions, tanks, and aircraft in a dramatic background.
Great looking artwork on the front.
Illustration of two masked figures holding firearms against a plain background, with the word 'ENEMIES' displayed prominently at the top. Below, there are technical drawings and measurements of objects in blue and red colors.
The rear.

Following the huge success of Operation Wolf, Taito went on to make the sequel military shooter Operation Thunderbolt which was named after the 1977 movie that itself was based on the real-life Entebbe raid of 1976. To promote the game, the company came up with a pretty compelling arcade flyer for the Japanese market. The front has a detailed painted artwork that emphasizes the conflict between soldiers and Islamic terrorists in the Middle East. The rear has technical details of the arcade cabinet, several phone numbers and hand-drawn art of the terrorists (they easily remind me of Palestinian terrorists) clearly called the enemies. While the listing of phone numbers on the rear was very unusual, this old arcade flyer still looks great. Operation Thunderbolt went on to achieve huge commercial success in the arcades and later on consoles. It was one of the highest grossing arcade games in Japan in 1989.

7. Batman Returns North American Print Ad

Promotional advertisement for 'Batman Returns' on Sega CD, featuring Batman and Catwoman with game screenshots and reviews.
Sega’s clever print ad promoting the Sega CD game of Batman Returns.

Batman Returns was a big hit in cinemas in 1992 although it never came close to matching the success of its 1989 predecessor. When it comes to video games, Batman Returns was even more ambitious as there were different game adaptations on different platforms. For the Sega CD Batman Returns game, Sega came up with the above ad that strongly featured photos of Michael Keaton as Batman, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as the Penguin with a stylish dark background and four screenshots of the game. The line “Batman Returns…on Sega CD” was really catchy and ultimately the game itself was very notably an expanded version of the Sega Genesis version with selected video footage from the film. As Sega had the license to make Batman Returns games for its platforms, this print ad is absolutely an attention-grabber.

8. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi North American Print Ad

Vintage advertisement for 'Super Return of the Jedi' video game featuring Sega Game Gear and Nintendo Game Boy packaging, with space-themed background and game screenshots.
The Force is with the handheld gamers.

If there is anything notable about Star Wars in the 1990s, it is the fact that there is a lot of merchandise, comic books, video games, books and other licensed products released long after 1983’s Return of the Jedi which itself was perceived to be the last of the film franchise. In the mid-1990s, ports of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi were released on the competing handheld platforms Nintendo Game Boy and Sega Game Gear. This particular single-page ad has a nice visual design that captured the vibe of the movie (which I saw as a young boy in 1983) and it made handheld gaming look cool.

9. Elevator Action Returns Japanese Print Ad

Retro video game cover for 'Elevator Action Returns' featuring illustrations of characters and a helicopter, with bold yellow title text and release date information.
Did you play Elevator Action Returns on the Sega Saturn?

In 1994, Taito struck gold with the release of Elevator Action Returns in Japanese arcades. The sequel was a big hit for the company and they eventually released a console port on the Sega Saturn only in Japan. For promotion, a print ad was made using the official painted artwork while also showing the screenshots and other details about it running on the Saturn (which itself was a powerful 2D sprite machine). Just looking at this old ad brings back the excitement of Elevator Action Returns and I now have a digital copy of it on my Xbox Series X.

10. Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu North American Print Ad

Promotional image for the video game 'Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu' featuring various characters and creatures within bubbles, showcasing the game's fantasy theme and release date of July 14, 1999.
A very ambitious print ad promoting Jade Cocoon in North America.

By the late 1990s, Japanese role-playing games (JRPG) really became popular on gaming consoles in America which arguably was the result of the massive global success of Final Fantasy VII. In 1999, there were a lot of JRPGs that got released on PlayStation and publisher Crave Entertainment literally pounced on American gamers’ interest on JRPGs by releasing Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu. Crave aggressively promoted the game and the result was this 2-page print ad that emphasized the game concept (developed by Genki), showed screenshots of the game, and displayed artworks that fans of Studio Ghibli anime productions can recognize. While Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu never became a massive commercial hit because of the low print run, there is no denying that its print ad was one of the most visually appealing ads of 1999. The ad alone made it look very ambitious.

11. Konami LaserScope North American print ad

Did you get excited after seeing this Konami LaserScope print ad? Do you know anyone who bought the peripheral?

In 1990, this print ad of Konami’s LaserScope appeared in comic books and several other publications. The LaserScope was a gaming peripheral designed for use on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) complete with compatibility with existing games that were made to support the NES Zapper. The ad even boasted a voice-activated firing feature and a hands-free approach on playing NES games. While the ad boasted that players will have the most powerful voice in video games, the LaserScope itself was a very flawed and badly optimized device. Apart from having a built-in microphone that was oversensitive, tracking targets was a chore requiring constant head-turning which in turn made the gameplay experience very tiring and frustrating. This old ad promised a lot and the LaserScope was a catastrophe. When was the last time you bought hardware from Konami?

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 46

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 46

carlocarrasco

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 early 2000s.

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. Frogger Print Ad

Do you find this old ad humorous?

When Frogger was first released in video arcades in 1981, it easily attracted countless gamers offering them bouts of fun and the video game critics were very impressed with it. Considering its massive arcade success, it was unsurprisingly ported to the game consoles and home computers of the time. Parker Brothers secured the license for cartridge versions and the company produced Frogger ports for not just the Atari 2600 but also the Atari 7800. This print ad they came up with had a deliberate cartoony artwork (with a touch of humor) and an artist created a hand-drawn illustration intentionally made to resemble a screenshot from the game. I saw this ad a number of times when I read comic books in 1982.

2. The Legend of Kage Japanese Arcade Flyer

Action and excitement in ancient Japan!

In my life, I never had the opportunity to play the original arcade version of The Legend of Kage and ended up playing only the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) port. Behind the scenes, Taito itself came close to preventing The Legend of Kage from being released in the arcades. The company placed it in a certain game show where it received praise by many which prompted Taito to give it a full arcade release. To promote the game, the Japanese arcade flyer had lively hand-drawn artwork that perfectly reflected what the game is about, who the playable hero is and what ancient Japanese setting was used. Fortunately for Taito, The Legend of Kage became a huge commercial hit and this led to the production of ports for different consoles and computers.

3. Hyper Olympic Japanese Arcade Flyer

Arguably the best track and field game ever made for the arcades.

In 1983, Konami released their summer Olympics-inspired arcade game Hyper Olympic (titled Track & Field in other parts of the world) which offered players the opportunities to compete in a series of events with emphasis on pressing the buttons as quickly as possible. The arcade flyer Konami came up with featured fine-looking hand-drawn artwork showing athletes competing in track and field events (with the types of events displayed at the top-most part of the flyer) while showing just one screenshot (lower right) and displaying the officially 1984 Los Angeles Olympics logo (lower left). In my view, this old arcade flyer does a good job promoting both the arcade game as well as the 1984 Olympics itself. Too bad nobody makes this kind of arcade flyer anymore.

4. Terra Cresta Japanese Arcade Flyer

Did you ever play Terra Cresta in the arcades in Japan?

Nichibutsu, which produced a lot of arcade games that were released only in Japan, released Terra Cresta in Japanese arcades in 1985. It turns out Terra Cresta is a sequel to their 1980 game Moon Cresta which itself was their first big arcade hit game. Nichibutsu literally loaded the front of Terra Cresta’s arcade flyer with lots of visuals and details. As you can see, seven screenshots of the game were displayed (each with descriptive text), a fancy looking artwork that emphasized the science fiction setting, some English descriptive text, the cocktail table arcade machine and a pretty Japanese lady wearing an aerobics outfit with legwarmers (popular in the 1980s). This flyer truly has a strong 1980s flavor.  

5. Sega Master System European Print Ad

From the early days of Sega’s console business.

After many years doing arcade games, Sega made the bold decision to start competing in console gaming with the release of the SG-1000 in 1983 in Japan. Even though Nintendo was a very tough competitor with the best-selling Famicom, Sega did not give up and proceeded to launch their console in America and Europe referred to as the Master System. In a serious attempt to gain customers specifically in England, Sega made a print ad showcasing a family sitting in front of a TV set with the young boy playing a racing game on a Master System. Looking at how the descriptive text was presented, it was clear that Sega emphasized bringing the arcade game experience into the comfort of home while also promising that a lot more new games will be released in the near future. This is an eye-catching ad and also a fine example of aggressive marketing by Sega.

6. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run North American Print Ad

What was the best baseball video game you ever played?

Following the commercial success of the 1994 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball, Nintendo got Ken Griffey Jr. again as endorser and proceeded with the follow-up Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run. With the highly talented Rare (Donkey Kong Country) chosen as game developer, Nintendo was highly confident with the baseball sequel and the 2-page print ad reflected that. The Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run ad had a striking image of a broken baseball bat on one side while the game’s details, two screenshots and the creative description dominated the other side. While I am not so interested in baseball, I can say that this old print ad is indeed attention-grabbing.

7. 2Xtreme North American Print Ad

From the time when the X Games were wildly popular.

Remember how popular the X Games (Extreme Games) were back in the 1990s? Early in the life of the PlayStation console, Sony released ESPN Extreme Games which sold over a million copies worldwide. As expected, a follow-up titled 2Xtreme was approved for a 1996 release. Sony came up with a 2-page ad that had an upside-down X Games participant with roller blades dominating most of the space and six screenshots were displayed. The descriptive text in the lower part of the ad was deliberately written to be hip and cool.  

8. Macross Plus Japanese Arcade Flyer

The front.
The rear.

Based on the mid-1990s anime OAV, the Macross Plus video game from Banpresto was designed as a vertical-scrolling 2D shooter that captures the feel and intensity of the anime’s spectacle. The front of the Japan-only arcade flyer showcased the YF-19 Excalibur, the YF-21 Sturmvogel and the VF-11 Thunderbolt (plus the basic arcade controls on the lower-left) which were all rendered in 3D polygons to delight Macross fans and gamers who are interested in new 2D shooting experiences. The rear of the flyer showed additional details and it even includes English text descriptions. Strangely, no screenshots of the game were displayed. Being a long-time Macross fan, I can say this old arcade flyer is still engaging to look at.  

9. Macross VF-X2 North American Print Ad

An impressive looking print ad for a Macross video game that never got released in North America.

In the late 1990s, Bandai prepared to launch Macross VF-X2 (the sequel to 1997’s Macross Digital Mission VF-X) on the PlayStation console in North America. This was a very intriguing move because Bandai never brought the mentioned 1997 Macross game outside of Japan. Shortly after the official announcement of a North American release, Macross VF-X2 got featured in video game magazines, an English demo of the game (first mission only) was distributed through Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, and Bandai came up with the 2-page print ad you see here. Unfortunately, Macross VF-X2’s North American release got cancelled because of copyright issues and legal obstacles (note: Harmony Gold held the Western rights to Robotech and actively blocked the release of genuine Macross products in America). As such, this impressive looking Macross VF-X2 print ad for North America ended up as a promotion for nothing!

10. Star Wars: Racer Arcade Japanese Print Ad/Poster

This is one of the many video games based on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

In 1999, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was a massive box office hit in theaters around the world and it marked a new era of Star Wars movies with digital effects available. Similar with 1993’s Jurassic Park, George Lucas’ movie also had a huge lineup of merchandise, action figures and video games. The pod racing from the movie became the basis for Star Wars: Racer Arcade which was released in Japan on June 2000, and then in America a month later. To help arcade operators attract gamers and Star Wars fans, a print ad and poster were released featuring a very dynamic image of pod racing from the game dominating the background, a few screenshots displayed and some computer-generated of characters and vehicles. At the lower right part of the ad/poster is the image of the arcade machine which has a huge screen, a seat and control panel. The descriptive Japanese text was written to excite both fans and gamers. Did you play this Sega-produced Star Wars game in the arcades?

11. Konami Wai Wai World Japanese Print Ad

Can you spot Simon Belmont, Mikey Walsh and King Kong in this Japan-only print ad of Konami Wai Wai World?

Going back to the late-1980s, Konami released a 2D adventure game on the Famicom that was very ambitious as it featured side-scrolling treks, vertical-scrolling shooting sequences and, most notably, a cast of characters that emphasized crossovers between intellectual properties of gaming. I am talking about Konami Wai Wai World (sometimes called Konami World for short) which had characters, settings and elements of Konami’s own properties like Gradius, Castlevania and Twin Bee. Not only that, King Kong of King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch and Mikey Walsh of The Goonies were also featured which is astonishing because they represent entertainment intellectual properties that were licensed to Konami for video game adaptation. That said, the emphasis of crossovers and excitement was shown in the form of 2D character sprites in this Japanese print ad of Konami Wai Wai World. This is the kind of game that Konami itself will never be able to make again and to do a remake or an enhanced re-release of Konami Wai Wai World will require overcoming all the legal obstacles in the way.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

carlocarrasco

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.

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. Tron Arcade Flyer

The front.
The rear. The details were clearly written for arcade operators.

Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.

2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer

This is a very stylish flyer.

Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.

3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers

The Japanese flyer.
The North American flyer.

Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?

4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad

Fun and excitement emphasized in this print ad.

There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.

5. Blasteroids European Print Ad

Blasteroids for the Europeans.

Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.

6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad

The legends of the NBA in the Japanese version of EA’s Team USA Basketball. Retitling the game as Dream Team USA made more sense because “Dream Team” was a much more popular reference than “Team USA Basketball”.

Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.

7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad

No screenshots of games used. Just the official images from the posters of the two movies.

Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.

8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad

A mesmerizing ad for the acclaimed Super Mario RPG.

Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.

9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad

Did you play this on PlayStation in 1997?

If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.

10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad

Perhaps someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) thought Legend of Legaia was a horror video game.

There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 148

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 148

carlocarrasco

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 Heaven’s Gate Revisited – What is there to be said about the 1980 historical epic Heaven’s Gate apart from the facts that it failed spectacularly and brought down United Artists a lot? To its credit, it has a grand look that required a massive amount of money to be spent and the sheer depth of authenticity implemented under the direction of Michael Cimino (The Deer Hunter) is eye-catching. The film also had fine performances by Kris Kristofferson, Jeff Bridges, Christopher Walken and Isabelle Huppert. Historically, the massive failure of the movie impacted Hollywood as a whole and movie studios rarely grant the final cut privilege to movie directors. That said, there is a lot more to learn about Heaven’s Gate and I encourage you all to watch the video below.

#2 Moments That Destroyed Political Careers – Imagine yourself working so hard to get elected into public office in America followed by efforts to solidify the trust of voters who helped you win. With huge expectations, there obviously is pressure on you (the elected official) to serve them and fulfill your promises. Then one day, you committed a blunder or a very embarrassing moment that eventually leads you into a painful downfall. In America, there are Democrats and Republics who saw their political careers get destroyed because of the moments gone wrong. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 History Of Sega And Its Impact On Video Gaming – Remember long ago when Sega was a highly prolific and innovative maker of games for arcades and consoles? Remember seeing consoles and add-ons with Sega branded on them? Decades ago, Sega was a gaming titan and it was a powerful competitor with Nintendo during the so-called 16-bit wars of the 1990s. Today, Sega is still operating but it is a shadow of what it used to be. To find out what happened, watch the very informative video game documentary below. It also has interviews with Tom Kalinske and other important video game personalities.

#4 Totally Whatever Reacts To Deep Impact – Back in 1998, I encountered some people who claimed to have cried while watching Deep Impact inside the movie theaters. When I saw it in the cinema, I saw a few other moviegoers near me having tears flowing from their eyes. Indeed, Deep Impact was made to move viewers emotionally with its themes of family, strained ties, and the struggle to remain intact before a massive tragedy happens. That said, you must see how the movie impacts the YouTubers in the video below.

#5 Tuna In Japan – Whenever I visited Japan, I always made the effort to enjoy a meal with tuna on it. I enjoy eating sashimi (specifically raw tuna), sushi and cooked meals that have tuna in different forms in them. If you love eating tuna and if you plan to visit Japan soon, watch the video below. Learn the details.

#6 Child’s Play 3 Reaction/Review Videos – Believe it or not, the 1991 movie Child’s Play 3 was released less than a year after Child’s Play 2. The movie followed the character Andy Barclay again, only this time he was portrayed as a troubled teenager who enters a military school. Unsurprisingly, the evil Chucky was revived and pursued Andy once more. Having seen Child’s Play and Child’s Play 3 on home video just months apart from each other, the viewing experience was unique given each film’s differences in terms of casts and settings. When Child’s Play 3 came to an end, there was this feeling among many moviegoers that the film series concluded solidly. To see what kind of reactions the 1991 movie attracted from YouTubers, watch the videos below.

#7 The Legend Of The Lone Ranger’s Failure Explained – As a young boy, I saw The Legend of the Lone Ranger on home video and enjoyed it. Back then, I was completely unaware about the controversy regarding past Lone Ranger actor Clayton Moore who was legally barred from appearing in public wearing the trademark black mask. That controversy alone hounded the movie and was arguably the single biggest factor behind its failure. By the way, the film’s star Klinton Spilsbury was dubbed over as the Long Ranger and he never acted again. To learn more, watch the video below.

#8 Minty Comedic Arts Examines Tales From The Crypt – When you hear the title Tales From The Crypt, do you think about the about the horror anthology TV series or the original comic book series published by EC Comics in the 1950s? I myself read several reprints of EC Comics – including Tales From The Crypt – and saw some episodes of the TV series. That said, both the TV series and the comic books delivered a very unique kind of entertainment that is sadly missing today. In his video, Minty Comedic Arts revealed a lot of interesting details about the TV series as well as EC Comics. I encourage you to watch his video now.

#9 The Unification Church Exposed – When former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in 2022, the killer Tetsuya Yamagami committed the act not because of politics but because of the perceived connections the politician had with the controversial Unification Church which he blames for financial ruining his family and his own life. The killer’s own mother was a member of the Unification Church and because she donated so much money to it, her own family ended up lacking money for survival, education and other needs. The murder investigation eventually unraveled decades of allegations about financial exploitation, shattered families and the immense influence the said church had on its members from Japan to South Korea and the United States. There are a lot of very intriguing details in Dark Asia with Megan’s video below and I encourage you all to watch it.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 147

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 147

carlocarrasco

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 Saints Row 2 Revisited – Having played the original Saints Row on my Xbox 360 console in 2006, I wished for a sequel to happen as I enjoyed the game a lot. Saints Row 2 was released in 2008 but it was in 2010 when I played it as it was locally sold to me with a really low price, and I enjoyed the game a lot. As a direct sequel, Saints Row 2 took place in the fictional city of Stilwater (the main setting of the first game) which has been expanded and modified a lot by Volition to not only reflect the passage of time but also offer gamers a bigger environment to explore and enjoy. Among fans of the Saints Row series, it has been argued that Saints Row 2 is the best to play and I myself enjoyed replaying it the most. There is a lot of inspiration behind the game and you can learn all about it by watching the informative video below. Saints Row 2 was made by Volition long before it turned woke and ruined the franchise with Saints Row (2022).

#2 EOM Reacts To Weird Science – If you have seen the 1985 sci-fi teen comedy film Weird Science, did you notice any connects between it and the 1950s sci-fi comic book series published by EC Comics? Did you recognize Bill Paxton, Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Downey Jr. when they were so young making the movie? By today’s standards, Weird Science is very unique when it comes to teen comedy, science fiction and sexiness in cinema. To find out more about it, watch EOM Reacts’ video below.

#3 The Last Time The Future Felt New – Remember the many technological and creative breakthroughs that happened in the late 1990s? As the world slowly crawled to the year 2000, there were these changes that came with technology and turned out to be futuristic in different ways and in different forms to many people. To understand what I am saying, I encourage you all to watch the video below. Enjoy the discoveries and retrospective.

#4 A Look At Chichibu in Japan – Here is something for you who intend to visit Japan soon. In Saitama Prefecture is the place called Chichibu is emerging as one of the nation’s most astonishing tourist destinations. It has rich natural beauty, retro streets and lots of hidden gems that are attracting visitors right now. To learn more about Chichibu, watch the informative video of Nippon TV below.

#5 Reaction Videos Of Live Free Or Die Hard – What do you get when you have the famous action here John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) who is not versed with technology and has to deal with a cyber terrorist who is messing with the entire United States? You get the 2007 movie Live Free or Die Hard (AKA Die Hard 4.0) which was huge box office success and made the Die Hard film franchise relevant in the 21st century and proved that moviegoers love watching Bruce Willis as John McClane. Considering its reputation, it is not surprising that the movie got featured in many reaction videos on YouTube. For your entertainment, watch the selected reaction videos below.

#6 Satoru Iwata Remembered – It has been over a decade since Satoru Iwata died. He is still remembered for rising from working as a video game programmer to reaching the top of Nintendo’s hierarchy by becoming its president and chief executive officer (CEO). Under his leadership, Nintendo achieved strong growth and it stood its ground in the console wars over many years. Considering the frustrating state of modern-day video gaming, Iwata’s wisdom and business savvy are missed. No matter what the trends of gaming and business were, Iwata maintained strong insight about the gaming industry and really stuck to principles. Watch and learn from the video below.

#7 Double Dragon Revisited – I have been playing video games since I was very young. While me and my friends played Double Dragon on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and on personal computer (PC), I never had the chance to play the game’s original arcade version. By the time I started playing more games in the arcades, Double Dragon was long gone. In the mid-1990s, a Double Dragon live-action movie was released and it only reminded me that Double Dragon grew a lot as a game franchise. That said, now is a good time to examine the very first Double Dragon game, who made it and what led to its creation. Watch the video below.

#8 Ranting For Vengeance Slams New Ghost In The Shell – Anyone among you a long-time fan of the manga and the 1990s anime film of Ghost in the Shell? There is a new TV series of it titled as The Ghost in the Shell released recently and Ranting For Vengeance slammed it in a recent video he posted on YouTube. He also has reasons and explanations supporting his stand against it. Watch his video below now!

#9 Woke Disease In Video Gaming – Over the past several years, wokeness in video games intensified a lot and ruined gaming a lot. There are woke nuts, social justice warriors (SJWS), feminists, Islamists and LGBTQ activists working as game developers and many of the games they worked on were laced with identity politics and other elements reflecting their beliefs and political agenda. The are also Leftists among video game journalists who work in tandem with woke game developers, and these propagandists distort public perception of video games as we know it. That said, you must guard your minds whenever you read video game news articles, reviews and opinion pieces. Watch and learn from the video below.

#10 Leftists Love Violence – Let’s be very clear here. Today’s Democrats and their allies are so twisted, they have grown heartless to people who are simply do not share their beliefs and values. Today’s Leftists are so Satanic, they celebrated political violence a lot. Watch and learn from the video below.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco