Atari – Page 3 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 30 (Star Wars Special)

May 19, 2025May 26, 2025carlocarrasco

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

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

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.

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 76

May 14, 2025October 6, 2025carlocarrasco

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

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Reactions and retro review of Friday The 13^th: The Final Chapter – If you have seen at least a majority of the many Friday The 13^th movies, which one do you think is the best of them all? For me, it is the fourth movie Friday The 13^th: The Final Chapter and you can read my retro movie review of it by clicking here. Already there are many movie reaction and retro review videos about the 1984 film on YouTube, and I selected the entertaining ones for you to see below.

#2 The failure of BuzzFeed – I never relied on BuzzFeed for updates nor entertainment stuff. As I was browsing YouTube, I noticed this video by It’s Blanko focused on BuzzFeed which has been in trouble for some time now (click here, here and here). Recently, BuzzFeed, Inc. tapped into AI (artificial intelligence) for audience engagement and growth. The video below is quite comprehensive with its examination of BuzzFeed’s culture, business practices and how it struggled years later.

#3 PatmanQC examines the history of Atari’s Star Wars arcade game – Now on to retro gaming! Way back in 1989 in a Las Vegas hotel, I played the Star Wars arcade game produced by Atari. It was an enjoyable experience as the game design was pretty immersive, fun and responsive. It was also one of the early first-person view games that I experienced as a gamer. Storywise, the game was set during the Rebels’ attack on the Death Star. To find out more about the history and making of the arcade classic, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#4 Retrospective on Parasite Eve – Back in 1998, Square released Parasite Eve, a role-playing game (RPG) that emphasized horror over fantasy, and a story that had some grittiness related with its police story concept. I finished the game on PlayStation and ultimately I was not too impressed with the game nor was there any incentive for me to replay it. While it was commercially successful enough to spawn two sequels, Parasite Eve has been pretty much forgotten by the public and Square Enix showed no signs of reviving its franchise. That being said, I found a retrospective that should interest both Parasite Eve fans and younger gamers who are interested in the 1998 game.

#5 The Denver Nuggets’ memorable 1994 elimination of the Seattle Supersonics – If you are fond of basketball and if you are interested to discover a great upset in the history of the NBA Playoffs, you should check out the shocking fall of the Seattle Supersonics to the Denver Nuggets in the elimination round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs. Back then, Seattle was #1 in the Western Conference while the Nuggets were at #8. Dikembe Mutombo led the Nuggets and their team was fortunate to have talented supporting players to help them outclass Shawn Kemp and the Sonics. To learn all the details, watch the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 75

May 7, 2025May 2, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith makes big comeback – This year marks the 20^th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and its impact was felt when it finished 2^nd in the American box office with its anniversary theatrical release. The George Lucas-directed movie grossed $25.5 million on April 25-27, 2025. For the newcomers reading this, Revenge of the Sith’s successful return to cinemas was celebrated by long-time fans as it was George Lucas’ Star Wars, and not the woke garbage from Kathleen Kennedy and the woke Disney company. To learn about the significance of Revenge of the Sith’s return, watch the videos below.

#2 Ashleigh Burton, Popcorn in Bed, VKunia and Decker Shado react to Revenge of the Sith – Revenge of the Sith is the real Star Wars as it was made and released many years before woke Disney made the unfortunate deal with George Lucas. I myself was fortunate enough to have seen the movie inside the cinema during its opening week here in the Philippines way back in 2005. To see how Revenge of the Sith impacts viewers, watch the respective video reactions by Ashleigh Burton, Popcorn in Bed, VKunia and Decker Shado (review) below.

#3 PatmanQC examines the history of Centipede – Centipede was an Atari game that I played a lot on the Atari 2600 a long time ago. It was simple with its game design and yet it was a lot of fun to play with. I never got to play the arcade version of Centipede in the old days but thanks to the Atari 50 collection I own, I finally played the arcade Centipede on my Xbox Series X. The development Centipede is interesting and you can learn more about it and the games by watching PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#4 Lunar games retrospective – If you are feeling nostalgic or interested in the Lunar franchise of video games, then Gaming Broductions’ retrospective video should interest you. For the newcomers reading this, the Lunar franchise started on the Sega CD (Mega CD in other markets) with Lunar: The Silver Star which was a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) developed by Game Arts. Sequels and spin-offs were released in the years that followed and the Lunar franchise was revived for modern consoles with the Lunar Remastered Collection. Watch the video to discover more about Lunar games.

#5 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Cape Fear (1991) – Remember when Robert De Niro played a very bad guy in 1991’s Cape Fear? Believe it or not, that particular movie was actually a remake of the original 1960s version and it even got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. There were moviegoers who got terrified by Cape Fear in 1991 and you can see for yourselves how it impacted YouTuber Popcorn in Bed in the reaction video below. By the way, Nick Nolte was really good in his role in the film.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 66

March 26, 2025March 22, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Modern feminists’ survival weakness exposed – Are you surrounded by the so-called modern feminists who kept boasting they can excel in anything men can do? I was just browsing YouTube until I spotted a video by Christine Grace Smith who shared her own reaction to another video that examined a series of tests of survival for two separate groups – one group of men and the other group of women – on an uninhabited tropical island far away from each other. Smith’s video is a must-watch and I encourage you to pay attention to the details as you view it. Her video and thoughts can change the way you look at survival as well as women empowerment.

#2 The 1993 World Trade Center bombing examined – Fern recently released an in-depth explanatory video about the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center committed by Islamic terrorists. This is an important video to watch given the fact that the 1993 bombing is often forgotten since the WTC twin towers collapsed on September 11, 2001. It will give you some insight on the radicalized evil Islamists live with and how far they are willing to go to commit murder and destruction. The moral lesson here is that being an Islamist means being evil.

#3 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Weird Science – Are you fond of 1980s Hollywood teen comedies or do you prefer 1950s science fiction tales of Weird Science published by EC Comics? Back in 1985, there was a teen comedy and sci-fi film titled Weird Science directed by the late John Hughes. Its concept was actually inspired by the EC Comics-published “Made of the Future” tale from the Weird Science comic book series. YouTuber Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video of the film is enjoyable to watch and I encourage you to see it.

#4 PatmanQC examines Berzerk – I still the old days when I played Berzerk a lot on the Atari 2600 (read my retro gaming review by clicking here). Being so young back then, I was not even aware about the arcade version of Berzerk. That being said, it’s a good thing that YouTuber PatmanQC made a retrospective video about Berzerk. If you are interested to find out what inspired the concept of Berzerk and who exactly created the game, watch the retro gaming video below.

#5 You, Me and the Movies react to 1978’s Piranha –When Steven Spielberg’s Jaws achieved tremendous commercial success in the mid-1970s, there were a lot of creature feature movies approved for production as other producers wanted to cash in on the craze. Among those flicks was 1978’s Piranha directed by Joe Dante and produced by low-budget movie king Roger Corman. You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video of Piranha is a must-see.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 28

March 19, 2025March 12, 2025carlocarrasco

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.

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

1. Japanese Macross video games print ads

*This 2-page ad had Minmay, Misa and Hikaru.*

*Computer-generated image of the Skull Leader Battroid was used here.*

Looking at the history of Macross video games released only in Japan, there were these notable games that catered to the fans with different tastes during the period of 1997 to 1999. The two Japanese print ads here promoted the PlayStation version of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (read my retro review by clicking here) and Macross: VF-X2 (only on PlayStation). 1997 marked the 15^th anniversary of the entire Macross franchise and game publisher Bandai Visual kept the excitement for fans on high gear by aggressively promoting the two advertised games for their respective releases in 1999. These two print ads still resonate with long-time fans as each were clearly made to emphasize the games (with details, screenshots and original artworks) while using the right images of the Macross franchise for relevance.

2. Star Raiders print ad

*This Star Raiders print ad made me interested enough to play the game on Atari 2600.*

I remember the old days of play Star Raiders on the Atari 2600 back in the early 1980s. Strangely enough, I don’t remember seeing this old print ad. Regardless, I really like the way the ad makers used hand-drawn art work to dominate the space while leaving enough space for text description, a screenshot and the picture of the Atari console with the TV set. In my view, this old ad is both amusing and attention-grabbing.

3. The Empire Strikes Back arcade flyer

*This is still a great looking arcade flyer.*

Here is a Star Wars game I never played but managed to play it on a home computer. Released by Atari in 1985, The Empire Strikes Back (full title: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) arcade game was the follow-up to the very popular Star Wars arcade game. Like its predecessor, it used vector graphics and certain sounds from the 1980 film for immersion. This arcade flyer is well designed showing three selected screenshots, a picture of the arcade cabinet and a portion of the AT-AT walker from the movie. The flyer truly showed gamers and arcade operators what they would get by selecting The Empire Strikes Back.

4. Steve Meretzky’s Spellcasting 301: Spring Break print ad

*Clearly the promoted game is for adult players only.*

In the realm of computer gaming, there were certain games that catered to the more mature players. One example is Steve Meretzky’s Spellcasting 301: Spring Break which was released on for personal computers running on DOS (Disk Operating System) in 1992. This print ad clearly shows the adulterated nature of the game emphasizing sexy women with a paradise setting. This is the kind of print ad that you only in computer gaming magazines which had predominantly adult readers.

5. Pitfall! print ad

Back in 1982, 2D adventuring on the Atari 2600 reached new heights when Pitfall! was released. The game garnered wide praise for its gameplay and graphics, and because it was so enjoyable, it sold millions of copies and its success spread across other platforms. A key factor to its commercial success and strong identity with the Atari 2600 was this colorful print ad. The ad makers daringly used original artwork to emphasize the jungle, wilderness and adventure concept while leaving some space left to show a screenshot and the Atari 2600 game cover. Pitfall! is a video game classic.

6. Mario Bros. print ad

*I saw this comic-style print ad while reading a comic book.*

A few years before Nintendo skyrocketed with the massive success of Super Mario Bros., there was Mario Bros. on the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. Published by Atari on their consoles, Mario Bros. was already a hit in the arcades. To capitalize on the popularity of the game, Atari came up with this comic-style print ad to capture people’s attention with the hope that the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 ports will sell a lot. I first saw this ad while reading a comic book and it remains entertaining to see.

7. Ghoul Patrol print ad

*Too bad the screenshots, the game box cover and white descriptive text were too small to look at.*

Released in 1994 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Ghoul Patrol is the accidental sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors. This was because the game did not start as a sequel but rather as an unrelated project that used the same gameplay engine of its predecessor. Since Zombies Ate My Neighbors already had a dedicated fanbase, a decision to turn the game into a sequel followed. Ghoul Patrol’s print ad took a different creative approach on its presentation by trying to look cool and catchy with a dominating pink background and slightly adulterated descriptions in green leaving little space left for screenshots and the white descriptive text. The print ad of Zombies Ate My Neighbors remains more engaging and more eye-catching than this one.

8. Silpheed print ad

*This ad caught my attention and even made me interested on the Sega CD.*

Released in 1993, Silpheed on Sega CD was a remake of the original game of 1986. Like its predecessor, the Sega CD had 3D effects but used pre-rendered computer animation for a background that actually was full motion video. The print ad of this game had this fantastic looking computer-generated artwork and displayed four screenshots that looked really exciting back in 1993. If you look closely at the captions, the ad emphasized the CD-quality look and the cinematic graphics the game had. This old ad has aged well.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 58

February 24, 2025February 16, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton and VKunia’s reaction videos featuring Captain America: The First Avenger – Way back in 2011, I saw Captain America: The First Avenger in the local cinema and it was an enjoyable viewing experience. Among all the Marvel Cinema Universe (MCU) movies released to date, it remained the most unique superhero movie as it had a strong World War II aesthetic and really brought much of Captain America’s literary concepts to life. I recently saw the respective reaction videos of YouTubers Ashleigh Burton and VKunia and they were enjoyable to watch. If you have not seen the movie, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

#2 The wickedness of Qatar and its agenda against Israel and the West explained – When it comes to waging war against Israel and Western civilization as we know it, Qatar is much more subtle when executing its sinister agenda. While terrorist state Iran openly expresses its hatred towards Israel and the West, and arms many Middle East terrorists groups, Qatar uses the terrorist news network Al Jazeera, lies through the diplomatic arena and clearly sided with the Palestinian terrorists. Watch this explanatory and analytical video.

#3 Trump Gaza plan makes sense – Since it was first announced, the ambitious plan of US President Donald Trump for America to take over the Gaza Strip has been making a lot of waves internationally. Of course, the political activists who hate Israel and support Palestinian terrorists just won’t relent with their distorted views and they preferred more people to become misled to support their so-called pro-Palestine movement. That being said, if you want to truly understand the truth and the details carefully, watch the videos below.

#4 The significance of Capernaum – It has been two years since I visited Israel on a Holy Land pilgrimage tour with my local church. Capernaum is the ancient site that Lord Jesus Himself chose to base His ministry after leaving Nazareth. In addition to being Jesus’ chosen city, Capernaum is also where many significant events happened as recorded in the Holy Bible. Having visited Capernaum myself, it is indeed a very holy site and you can learn more about it by watching the videos below from Hananya Naftali and HolyLandSite. I pray that these videos will inspire you to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Lord Jesus. Grab the Bible as well.

#5 There was a superhero-themed restaurant by Marvel – Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) rocked the world with many blockbuster movies, Marvel Entertainment Group (in partnership with Planet Hollywood and Universal Studios Hollywood) actually launched a superhero-themed restaurant that eventually failed. Launched in the late 1990s, the restaurant Marvel Mania was located near Universal Hollywood Studios. The failed business has long been forgotten. Fortunately, someone managed to record videos inside Marvel Mania long ago and uploaded footage on YouTube. The video below by Panels to Pixel is a must-see!

#6 PatmanQC examines classic game Xevious – During the golden age of arcades, the 2D sci-fi shooter Xevious was released and became very successful both commercially and critically. The only version of Xevious I played was on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) and it turned out many other local gamers played it in their respective homes. There is a lot more to the history and conception of Xevious and you can find out more from PatmanQC’s videos below.

#7 Rob Liefeld’s Captain America artwork explained – Going back to Captain America, it’s time to take a closer look at a certain artwork of the icon done by Rob Liefeld (Youngblood, X-Force, The New Mutants) a long time ago. A lot of people hated it and called it exaggerated and totally unbelievable. There is an explanation for Liefeld’s Captain America artwork and you can watch and learn from the video of YouTuber Panels to Pixels below. Trust me, it is worth your time.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 27

February 17, 2025February 10, 2025carlocarrasco

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 to the year 2000.

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

1. Tutankham print ad

*This print ad appeared in several comic books in 1983.*

First released in the arcades in 1982, Tutankham is a 2D adventure game that had a mix of shooting, maze exploration and puzzle-solving with Egyptian settings and concepts. It made its way to the Atari 2600 published by Parker Brother, and it was this specific version I played. This game print ad appeared in comic books I read in 1983, and the people who made it implemented a hand-drawn art of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun dominating the space to emphasize the Egyptian setting. In fact, this ad made me think more of Egypt and left little to give me an idea of the game design.

2. Star Trek arcade flyer

*The clever use of classic Star Trek imagery was used in this initial flyer by Sega.*

*Back in the 1980s, a futuristic design for an arcade machine like this one was mind-blowing.*

I never played the Star Trek arcade game (full title: Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator) Sega released in 1983. I only saw its graphics and gameplay during an episode of Starcade. With its game design and visual presentation, Star Trek was a very ambitious arcade project for its time and Sega really went in to promote it. The initial arcade flyer (first one above) was meant to grab the attention of both gamers and arcade operators. The next arcade flyer (2^nd one above) showed the ambitious design of the arcade machine made with player immersion in mind.

3. Battlezone arcade flyer

*While the hand-drawn artwork was too detailed for the arcade game’s graphics, it still emphasized strongly the concept of the game.*

In the history of video games, Battlezone was a groundbreaking game both visually and with game design. It was designed to give gamers an immersive experience of driving a tank with 3D graphics, fun gameplay and a first-person view. Its own history is worth researching. Atari knew it had to heavily promote their ambitious game and the arcade flyer above featured nice hand-drawn artwork while also showing the two types of Battlezone machines that arcade operators can choose from. Battlezone went on to become a highly influential arcade game.

4. Chrono Cross North American print ad

*Arguably, this print ad was aimed at RPG enthusiasts, Chrono Trigger fans and gamers looking for something adventurous to play.*

First released on PlayStation in Japan, Chrono Cross made its way to the said console in America just a few months before the PlayStation 2 launched there. While there was a risk that came with releasing the ambitious follow-up to the classic Chrono Trigger so late in the PlayStation’s life, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) still went on to aggressively promote Chrono Cross in America. This 2-page print ad that appeared in many gaming magazines remains captivating to look at. As typical of the time, 3D polygonal models and the epic-looking art were used in dominating fashion leaving the small space (lower-left corner) to display a few gameplay screenshots and other 3D art. Still it a fun game to play and this should remind you that Chrono Cross was recently remastered for modern consoles.

5. Ms. Pac-Man arcade flyer

Given the fact that Pac-Man was so massively successful, it was not surprising that a sequel had to be made and released on as many arcades as possible. Ms. Pac-Man was the sequel and it was released in arcades in 1982 eventually achieving huge commercial and critical success. To promote the game, Midway’s ad makers came up with an ad showing unique art of Pac-Man’s wife looking glamorous (with a driver and a vehicle in the background) and a photograph of the arcade machine on the right. This also was one of the early arcade flyers to use the words “femme fatale”.

6. Centipede arcade flyer

*Three machines of Centipede for arcade operators to choose from.*

Centipede is another arcade classic from Atari. Released in 1981, a lot of players enjoyed the game’s simplistic and yet addicting design of shooting an incoming centipede and its remaining portions that move down the field. Similar to the Battlezone arcade flyer, this game’s flyer had nice art of a centipede on the top and images arcade machines. Even by today’s standards, this flyer remains eye-catching.

7. Tempest 2000 print ad

*This 2-page print ad of Tempest 2000 is still captivating to look at.*

Back in the 1990s, Atari went on to release their Jaguar console which was promoted as a 64-bit machine. At a gaming convention, the company met with prospective game developers over Jaguar projects and one of the developers volunteered to do Tempest (a memorable Atari arcade game). This resulted in the development of Tempest 2000 which was a remake of the classic.

As a Jaguar-exclusive game, Atari came up with an eye-catching 2-page ad showing off the 3D visual presentation (6 gameplay screenshots and one original artwork) while boasting in the text description that Tempest 2000 was named the “Best of Show” at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The game was released in 1994 attracting mostly positive reviews from game critics and was one of the best-selling Jaguar games (note: Tempest 2000 can now be played in the Atari 50 collection). With the Atari legacy and presentation combined, this print ad remains captivating to look at.

8. Alien vs Predator print ad

*Arguably the most defining and most entertaining game on the Atari Jaguar.*

If there is any game that truly defined enjoyment and the technological features of the Atari Jaguar, it is the 1994 first-person shooter Alien vs Predator. At the time of its release, it was one of the most immersive games of the Alien vs. Predator crossover franchise and it allowed players to experience what fighting the Predator or the Xenomorph was like. The game also allowed gamers to play as a Colonial Marine (human soldier).

To sell the game, Atari came up with a 2-page ad highlighting the Aliens on one page and the Predator on the other. As the Predator was shown with a grotesque human skull, the use of photographs (most likely sourced from the movies) strongly emphasize the game was aimed at the mature audience among gamers. Six screenshots of gameplay were displayed by the ad makers who were clearly aware of the high popularity of first-person shooting games. Alien vs Predator was a critical and commercial success, and its print ad is arguably the most memorable one of any Atari Jaguar game ever made.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 55

February 5, 2025November 19, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 VKunia’s Akira reaction video – In recent times, I published blog post that had several videos of reviews, analysis and exploration of the 1988 anime feature film Akira. This time around, I posted for your viewing pleasure the Akira reaction video of VKunia. What I like about it is that VKunia herself is quite reactive to what was shown. Watch her reaction video below…

#2 Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise reviewed and analyzed by Cinemology 101 – Way back in 1985, the ambitious anime feature film Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise was released in theaters and eventually made its way into the West with English translation in the cinemas in 1988 and on home video a few years later. While I was not exactly entertained by it on home video, I still was left intrigued by its highly imaginative world, art and animation quality that was comparable in some ways with Akira. YouTuber Cinemology 101 (AKA The Cinemologists) posted its review and explanatory video of the film which is very comprehensive to watch.

#3 Hong Kong Action cinema of the 1980s revisited – If there is anything I miss from the 1980s, it is the dynamic action that came in different styles from the Hong Kong action movies of the time. By comparison, I am disgusted with Hollywood’s so-called modern approach of recording action that involves shaky camera handling and the quick cuts on editing. In Hong Kong action movies, the filmmakers recorded action with stable camera handling and using the right angles to capture the action visibly and clearly. Watch and learn from the video below…

#4 PatmanQC examines Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time arcade – Back in 1991, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time was released in the arcades and it became a big hit for Konami as it earned the approval of the critics and the coins of many gamers who paid for bouts of fun. The game was designed to be very playful and it also had a lot of stuff that resonated with TMNT fans. To find out who were responsible for the game and what inspired their work, watch the in-depth video by PatmanQC.

#5 Lunar games retrospective by Xygor Gaming – In case you missed the news, the first two Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) of the Lunar series – Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue – will be released for modern consoles in a package on April 18, 2025 called Lunar Remastered Collection. If you are fond of Japanese RPGs of the 1990s or if you want to discover what the Lunar series is about, watch the in-depth retro gaming retrospective video by Xygor Gaming.

#6 Sorority House Massacre explored by GoodBadFlicks – Recently, it was revealed that the 1986 horror movie Sorority House Massacre will be released on 4K Blu-ray this coming April. I never saw the movie but heard that it was criticized for being too familiar with a certain slasher horror movie from 1978. Regardless, you can learn about it by watching GoodBadFlicks’ explanatory video and perhaps it can provide insight as to why the movie is being released on 4K Blu-ray.

#7 US President Trump’s efforts against illegal immigration make waves overseas – Even though I am not an American citizen, I personally oppose illegal immigration. I simply believe that no government should ever let lots of foreigners to trespass into the country, violate the national sovereignty and consume taxpayer-funded resources. It is a great thing that Donald Trump is officially back as US President and this early, his efforts fighting illegal immigration is making a lot of impact even overseas. The Leftist leader of Colombia gave in to Trump in humiliating fashion, and you can learn all about it in the Sky News Australia video below. Lastly, let me remind you all that illegal aliens are criminals by default, and they certainly are NOT refugees.

#8 Palestinian discredited! – By now, many of you should know that I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish state. Let me tell you the truth that Palestine never started as country, never started as people but rather it started as a name imposed by the evil Roman empire on Israel centuries ago. The Palestinian identity only started in the 1920s, and the Palestinians have a history of chaos, violence and disruption. History and the facts are on the side of Israel, not the Palestinians. Watch and learn from the video below…

#9 Assorted videos of The Matrix – If have seen 1999’s The Matrix, do you personally consider it to be the most revolutionary action movie of all time? Was it the most definitive movie of 1999? Or have you forgotten much about it? If you are feeling nostalgic about the movie, watch the videos below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 54

January 29, 2025January 22, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The return of US President Donald Trump – Donald Trump is officially back as President of the United States. Officially speaking, he has been counted as the 45^th and now the 47^th US President. Within the first day of his new administration, President Trump proceeded with the reforms by signing them with his approval. Indeed, America is back with Trump and this means removing the woke trash left behind by the failed Biden-Harris administration. The following videos were selected for your interest and enlightenment.

#2 TBR Schmitt reacts to 1997’s Air Force One – I don’t know with you readers but I enjoy watching the movie reaction videos of YouTuber TBR Schmitt (a couple who enjoy movies together). In light of Donald Trump’s return as US President, I posted below TBR Schmitt’s reaction video of 1997’s Air Force One (note: for other YouTube reaction videos of the said movie, click here) which is entertaining to watch. If you have not seen Air Force One, watch the movie first before seeing the reaction video.

#3 The rise of Vietnam – It cannot be denied that Vietnam truly progressed economically over the decades. Previously ravaged by war, Vietnam is now in a position to replace China as the manufacturing hub of Asia and they already have tech giants like Samsung and Apple on their side. This video by ColdFusion explains in details the historical background and the astronomic rise of Vietnam. It’s a must-watch.

#4 VKunia reacts to Rocky – Have you been watching the movie reaction videos of YouTuber VKunia? She has lots of reaction videos and most of them are enjoyable to watch. For this post, I am sharing with you her reaction video of the one movie that made Sylvester Stallone a movie star – Rocky. Not only that, VKunia herself used to live in Philadelphia (Rocky’s city). Watch VKunia’s Rocky reaction and observe how Stallone’s film draws her reactions.

#5 PatmanQC examines the Atari Jaguar – Back in the early to the mid-1990s, console gaming was already dominated by the Japanese, particularly by Sega (with the Genesis) and Nintendo (with the SNES). Along the way, while reading a video game magazine, I was very surprised to see the announcement of the Atari Jaguar console. Back in those days, a lot of people thought Atari faded away in the console business. The Jaguar eventually failed commercially but it still made its mark in video gaming history, and already a lot of YouTubers posted retrospective videos about the said Atari console. If you want an in-depth look at the history of Atari Jaguar and what its games were, watch PatmanQC’s video below.

#6 You, Me and the Movies react to Mac and Me – Have you ever been interested in a movie geared towards children with a creative mix of Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and a story that has similarities with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? Such a movie exists and it is called Mac and Me. You, Me and the Movies recently posted their reaction video about it and you have to see it.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 53

January 22, 2025January 15, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed reacts to An Officer and a Gentleman – Released in 1982, An Officer and a Gentleman is a romantic drama film with a militaristic flavor showing a young Richard Gere and Louise Gosset, Jr., in a very memorable role. Some parts of the movie were filmed on location here in my native Philippines. While I am not exactly a fan of the movie, I can say that it still has some shining moments as well as some memorable dramatic scenes. Recently, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed posted its reaction video of the movie, and I can say it is worth watching.

#2 When hackers made ATMs release so much money – Recently, YouTuber fern published a new video explaining a certain financial crime that resulted in physical activities that was hard to imagine – automatic teller machines (ATMs) shooting out multiple bills of cash for thieves to collect. What happened, what can financial institutions do to prevent their system from getting hacked, and how the events turned out are explained in detail by fern.

#3 Criterion Collection shows how to restore and remaster very old films – The Criterion Collection (AKA Criterion) is a company that specializes on licensing, restoring and releasing selected films that movie buffs, fans and new film enthusiasts could enjoy. I myself own the Criterion Blu-ray discs of The Blob (1958) and Gojira, and I can say that the company did a great job restoring the said films while adding stuff for collectors and fans to enjoy. When it comes to restoring decades-old films and making them presentable with quality in mind, Criterion really works hard and you can learn a lot from them by watching the videos below.

#4 VKunia reacts to Man of Steel – Do you movie fans enjoy watching Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel? The 2013 Superman movie remains divisive among fans and superhero movie enthusiasts to this day. I’ve seen the movie many times from the local cinemas to my Blu-ray copy, and I can say it truly is a mixed bag when it comes to providing viewers fun and defining Superman in the 21^st century. Still, there is a chance that the Man of Steel reaction video by YouTuber VKunia could spark your interest in the film as well as in Zack Snyder’s visceral vision of DC Comics superheroes. I encourage you to watch her reaction video below.

#5 Commie Kamala Harris proves herself pathetic yet again during California wildfire briefing – By the time you are reading this, Donald Trump has officially returned as United States President. That being said, even during times of disaster, the defeated Commie Kamala Harris proved to be pathetic and worthless during the recent briefing about the wildfire in California. She is so pathetic and worthless, Harris proved she is not trustworthy. Imagine all the amounts of American taxpayers’ money that got wasted by Harris during her 4 years as US Vice President.

#6 Battlezone revisited – Released by Atari in 1980, Battlezone was a groundbreaking game both visually and with game design. It gave gamers an immersive experience of driving a tank with 3D graphics, fun gameplay and a first-person view. If you wish to learn about the history of Battlezone, who the creators were and how were they able to produce the game, watch the video of gaming history expert PatmanQC.

#7 Minty Comedic Arts and the 1980s – I really enjoy watching the videos of Minty Comedic Arts. His series of “10 things you didn’t know about…” videos on pop culture (mostly movies) is fun to watch and he often entertains with his delivery of trivia information. In recent times, he posted trivia videos about certain films from the 1980s – each one being memorable in their own ways – namely Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, The Blue Brothers, Beverly Hills Cop and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Watch Minty’s videos now!

#8 The failure of Segway remembered – Remember decades ago when the Segway was first launched and heavily featured through the media? Invented by Dean Kamen, the Segway was a 2-wheeled personal transporter which was released looking fantastic but ended up as a failure. The Segway also ended up looking very bad in media reports about accidents with it. To find out what led to the Segway’s debut and how it failed, watch the video below.

#9 GoodBadFlicks examines five major flops – When it comes to movies that failed miserably, were those really terrible to watch or were they actually decent productions that failed to attract enough moviegoers? There are factors as to why movies fail. There are films that generated so much negative press, the moviegoers were convinced to avoid them. There are movies that were really badly made and there are others that got promoted or distributed very poorly. GoodBadFlicks recently post a video examining five major flops and it might convince you to watch The 13^th Warrior, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Titan A.E., The Chronicles of Riddick and Cutthroat Island.

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