Recently in the City of Las Piñas, a 24-year-old man suspected of robbery was arrested by law enforcers, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The arrest happened in Barangay BF International-CAA.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
A robbery suspect was arrested during a manhunt operation conducted by members of the Las Piñas City Police Warrant and Subpoena Section and Station Intelligence Section against wanted persons on Monday, Nov. 18.
Las Piñas City Police chief Col. Sandro Tafalla said the suspect, identified as alias “Rodney,” 24, was arrested at around 10:40 a.m. in Barangay CAA, Las Piñas City.
Tafalla said the suspect who was placed as Top 2 wanted person under station level was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Victor Ramirez Aguba of the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court, Branch 197 on October 16, 2024. He said Aguba recommended a bail of P100,000.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think that someone in your local community could have been involved in robbery? When was the last time a member of your local community got arrested by law enforcers who were armed with a warrant of arrest?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, City Councilors Mark Santos and Henry Medina pushed for the establishment of a 2nd legislative district pointing to the growing population, the voice of the constituents, development of the city and other factors, according to a Manila Times news report.
For the newcomers reading this, Las Piñas City currently has one seat in the House of Representatives and its population has exceeded 600,000 since 2020.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from new report of the Manila Times. Some parts in boldface…
LAS PIÑAS City leaders are pressing for the creation of a second legislative district, citing the local government’s growing population and the need for broader representation in the House of Representatives.
City Councilors Mark Anthony Santos and Henry Medina filed a resolution urging Congress to establish an additional congressional district for Las Piñas, a city that has seen significant population growth since it became a city in 1997.
According to the 2020 census conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Las Piñas had a population of 606,293, way above the constitutional requirement of 250,000 residents to qualify for another legislative district.
Section 5, Article VI of the Philippine Constitution provides that each legislative district “shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory. Each city with a population of at least two hundred fifty thousand, or each province, shall have at least one representative.“
Currently, Las Piñas is represented by a single congressional seat despite its population and administrative structure. The city has two councilor districts that are used for electing six city councilors from its 20 barangay (villages), but this bifurcation has yet to translate into additional representation in Congress.
Las Piñas’ journey to cityhood began in 1997 under then-president Fidel V. Ramos, with residents overwhelmingly supporting the change in a plebiscite.
Since then, the city has undergone rapid urbanization and population growth, further strengthening the case for additional representation.
Despite these developments, proposals for a second congressional district have not gained traction until now.
“With the creation of another congressional district representation in the House of Representatives, the voice of Las Pinyeros will be heard in a broader arena,” Santos said as he highlighted the benefits of increased representation.
Medina echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that an additional district could lead to improved public services, increased budget allocations and accelerated development for the city.
He pointed out that the establishment of a second district would allow the city’s growing population to have more direct representation in national governance.
This, in turn, could translate into better legislative focus on local issues, from infrastructure and education to health care and economic development.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you believe it is high-time for Las Piñas City to have a 2nd congressional seat? What do you think is the problem preventing Las Piñas City from having another seat in the House of Representatives?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the Barangay Nutrition Workers (BNWs) received gifts for Christmas from the City Government during the annual gift-giving event held at Las Piñas Café, according to the social media post of the local government unit (LGU).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
The City of Las Piñas, led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar and Vice Mayor April Aguilar, conducted its annual gift-giving event for Barangay Nutrition Workers (BNWs) on Tuesday, November 12, at the Las Piñas Cafe. The initiative aimed to honor the dedication of BNWs in promoting the city’s nutrition programs.
Vice Mayor April Aguilar personally distributed Christmas food packages to the BNWs, thanking them for their tireless service to the community. The event was organized in partnership with the City Nutrition Office under the leadership of Dr. Julio P. Javier II.
The activity served as an opportunity to recognize the invaluable role of BNWs in implementing grassroots health initiatives and ensuring proper nutrition for residents across Las Piñas. It also highlighted the city’s commitment to supporting its volunteer workers.
Vice Mayor April, through the program, reaffirmed the city’s dedication to providing inclusive and progressive public service for all.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are there many people who work as a barangay nutrition worker in the city?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, Mayor Imelda Aguilar provided financial assistance to the surviving family of a woman who was stabbed to death by her ex-husband, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar distributed financial assistance to the family of the entertainer who was stabbed 25 times by her ex-husband on Nov. 18.
The family of the victim identified as “Janilyn” visited Aguilar on Nov. 21 to seek assistance for the release of the victim’s body from the funeral home.
Aguilar was joined by Vice Mayor April Aguilar in handling the financial aid to the family.
Police investigation showed that Janilyn had a confrontation with her ex-husband identified as “Dennis” on Monday which led to the stabbing. He was later arrested by the police during a follow-up operation.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you satisfied with the way the mayor reacted to the victim’s family who needed financial assistance?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, a woman was found dead on an open field in Barangay Manuyo Dos and the local police arrested the victim’s ex-husband in response to the claim of a witness according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Members of the Las Piñas City Police arrested the former husband of an entertainer who was found dead at an open field in Las Piñas City on Monday, Nov. 18.
Las Piñas City Police chief Col. Sandro Tafalla said the suspect, identified as alias “Dennis,” was arrested after he was pinpointed by a witnesses as the last person seen with the victim, identified as alias “Janilyn.”
Tafalla said Dennis was arrested at around 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at the house of the victim on P. Manahan St., Pasay City.
He said a security guard of Fine Property reported to the police that he heard a commotion in an open field in Gatchalian Road, Barangay Manuyo Dos at around 12:00 noon on Monday.
The witness said a male person wearing a blue half face helmet, black jacket, and maong pants on board a blue /red motorcycle was with the victim during the commotion.
Responding police officers found the body of the victim with multiple stab wounds in the different parts of the body and rushed her to Las Piñas District Hospital for treatment but was declared dead.
The police recovered a broken cellular phone at the crime scene and discovered that the victim’s last conversation was with Dennis.
Tafalla said a Shopee delivery called up the cellular phone of the victim leading to Janilyn’s identity who was first declared as unidentified.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? When was the last time a stabbing incident happened within your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, a raid that took place at a condominium building resulted in the seizure of P34 million worth of illegal drugs and the arrest of one high-value individual, according to a Philippine Star news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Philippine Star. Some parts in boldface…
Five kilos of shabu with an estimated value of P34 million were recovered when anti-narcotics agents raided the house of a suspected drug dealer in Las Piñas City on Saturday.
Armed with a search warrant issued by a Las Piñas court, agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided a condominium building along Alabang-Zapote Road in Barangay Almanza Uno.
The anti-narcotics operation targeted two high-value suspects. One of them, identified as Kenneth Bandong, 30, was arrested.Bandong’s cohort, a woman, was not around during the raid.
PDEA agents said they found five kilos of shabu in the condominium unit. Bandong is facing cases for illegal drug possession under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think that someone in your local community could be secretly engaging in illegal drugs?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, three foreign nationals – two Chinese and one Cameroonian –were arrested over a shooting incident that wounded another foreign national at a residential complex, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Three foreign nationals were arrested in a shooting incident that wounded a Chinese national in Parañaque City, the Southern Police District (SPD) said on Thursday.
In a report, SPD Director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang identified the suspects as alias Shi, 31, and alias Sui, 33, both Chinese nationals, and alias Edwin, 39, a Cameroonian.
They were arrested after a shooting incident occurred at a residential complex in Barangay Don Galo on Wednesday morning.
The victim, a money changer employee residing in the complex, identified as alias Li, a 35-year-old Chinese national, sustained gunshot wounds and is currently receiving medical treatment at the San Juan De Dios Hospital in Pasay City.
He identified the suspects to the police, leading to a swift operation that resulted in the arrest of Shi, Sui, and Edwin.
During the arrest of the suspects, operatives seized 200 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP1.2 million, a 9mm Glock 19 pistol, one magazine, ten live ammunition, two empty shells, one bullet slug, three butane gas canisters, and two pointed weapons.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that the city will remain a hot spot of criminal activity involving foreign nationals? Why do you think foreigners who engage in violence and possess firearms commit crime in Parañaque?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, more than six hundred residents of Barangay Daniel Fajardo were served with varied health services provided by the Las Piñas Health and Wellness Caravan, the City Government announced via social media.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas Health and Wellness Caravan, organized by the City Health Office, delivered essential health services to residents of Daniel Fajardo at the Casimiro Townhomes Covered Court on Wednesday, November 6. Over 600 residents took advantage of the free services, showcasing the city’s commitment to delivering accessible healthcare.
The event provided a comprehensive range of medical services, including consultations, blood sugar and cholesterol tests, dental services, ECGs, chest X-rays, and lifestyle-related illness risk screening. Residents also availed of pneumonia vaccinations for senior citizens, free medicines at the pharmacy, and support for PhilHealth registration and the Green Card program. Mobile birth registration and a station offering massages were also available to further support community well-being.
City Vice Mayor April Aguilar was on hand to oversee the health caravan, emphasizing the local government’s dedication to health and wellness. She was joined by City Councilor Mark Anthony Santos and City Council District 1 candidates Alelee Aguilar, Atty. Zardi Abellera, Mac Mac Santos, Robert Cristobal, and Marlon Rosales. Their presence underlined the unified efforts of city leaders to prioritize public health initiatives. City Health Office head Dr. Juliana Gonzalez was also present, ensuring the smooth facilitation of services.
Dr. Juliana Gonzalez highlighted the continuous positive impact of the caravan in reaching numerous residents and addressing health concerns. She noted the program’s role in providing early detection and preventive care to the community.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? When was the last time the City Government’s Health and Wellness Caravan was held in your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back science fiction enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, movie fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1989 to take a look at a significant event of the Predator entertainment franchise – the comic book launch of Predator.
For the newcomers reading this, Predator started as a sci-fi action movie in 1987 directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard) and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura to name some. The writers and creators were Jim Thomas and John Thomas. As the movie became a huge commercial success, it led to the start of its own multi-media entertainment franchise covering video games, toys, novels and comic books. It also led to the release of more movies including a crossover film with the Alien franchise.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Predator #1, published in 1989 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Mark Verheiden and drawn by Chris Warner. The is the first chapter of a 4-issue mini-series and it would later be referred to as Predator: Concrete Jungle.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins during a very hot summer day in 1991 New York City. A man killed his own wife using a shotgun which eventually leads to the arrival of cops, medics and his arrest. The two detectives Errol Rasche and John Schaefer (brother of Dutch) have been working together in the local war against crime and they have a tendency to do things that violate their superiors’ orders.
In one of the rundown buildings of New York, a secret meeting between two gangs got terribly disrupted by a Predator who attacked from the outside. Chaos and destruction followed.
Shortly after, Rasche and Schaefer arrive outside the same building which has been surrounded and isolated by the local police. When a man suddenly fell out of the building and crashed on top of a police car, the two detectives decide to enter willfully violating the order to stay out.
Once they enter the room where the secret gang meeting was held, Rasche and Schaefer are shocked to see many skinned and dead bodies inside. Schaefer is convinced that what happened was not the result of a gang war…
Quality
A gang meeting about to be disrupted by the unseen Predator.
This comic book – written as a not-too-obvious sequel to the 1987 movie – is absolutely very intriguing to read from start to finish. Mark Verheiden clearly wrote a crime story that happens to involve the species of deadly hunters from outer space. In fact, this comic book has very notable elements that also made it into the core concept of the 1990 movie Predator 2.
Story is set within a massive city that happens to be suffering from a heat wave – check! There is rampant crime and conflicts between gangs – check! The Predator causes huge disruptions on the criminals – check! The detectives willingly violate protocol to solve cases – check! One of the detectives is gradually getting closer to retiring and his pension – check. It’s almost as if this comic book was a huge influence on the people who made Predator 2.
Going back to the story, this is a strong tale of crime and urban war told through the exploits of detectives Schaefer and Rasche who have worked many years together, they treat each other like brothers (similar to Predator 2’s Mike Harrigan and Danny Archuleta).
With their record of disobeying orders, Schaefer and Rasche simply involve themselves in cases believing they have the right know the details on the spot and to solve problems their way even though their superiors don’t need them. This is the anti-authoritarian portrayal of law enforcers that easily reminded me of certain TV shows and movies of the 1980s.
All throughout, the story by Verheiden is nicely structured, has lots of engaging details to follow and carefully blends sci-fi elements with detective storytelling. Verheiden clearly knows how to build up tension, keep the narrative progressing and use action or spectacle with precise timing.
When it comes to the visuals, Chris Warner’s style is very good. His approach on drawing the characters made them look exquisite and visceral at the same time. In fact, there were some shots of people in this comic book which reminded me of Todd McFarlane’s way of drawing people during his early works in comics. Lastly, I should say that Warner’s approach on hard action and his way of drawing of the Predator must be seen.
Conclusion
Rasche and Schaefer defy orders. Schaefer (holding the gun) is the brother of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in the Predator movie of 1987.
I really enjoyed reading Predator #1 (1989). This is indeed really fine work by the Verheiden-Warner team and as far as building up the lore of the Predator goes, they clearly succeeded and their contributions here strongly influenced the creation of Predator 2 which opened in cinemas in late 1990. This comic book has the visceral touch and violence that make it comparable with both the 1987 and 1990 movies.
Overall, Predator #1 (1989) is highly recommended!
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Atari print ads
I could not forget the first time I saw this print ad while reading a comic book.
This ad showed the Atari 2600 controller.
Even during its early years under George Lucas, the Star Wars entertainment franchise made its way into video games due to its massive popularity and Parker Brothers really made moves to cash in. This resulted in the Atari 2600 video game adaptation (1982) of The Empire Strikes Back which focused mainly on the memorable Hoth battles between Rebel fighters and the Empire’s AT-AT walkers. Parker Brothers came up with two print ads and each had a different visual concept: one had nicely drawn art along with two screenshots shown while the other had painted art of the AT-AT while showing the Atari joystick. These old print ads still look great and exciting.
2. Double Dragon Japanese and North American arcade flyers
If you read manga (Japanese comics) in Japan, then the art style of this arcade flyer should look familiar to you.
The character designs seem inspired by 1980s Hollywood action cinema.
Released in 1987, Double Dragon became a huge hit in the arcades of Japan, America and Europe resulting in financial gains for developer Technōs Japan and publisher Taito. What I find intriguing was the fact that the Double Dragon arcade flyers for Japan and North America had drastically different art styles used to promote it. The Japanese flyer had art style that is more common with manga while the North American had artwork that seemed inspired by Hollywood action movies (as well as the rise of martial arts films in America during the 1980s). The American flyer even had the two characters identified as Hammer and Spike and they both looked American. This is a classic example of using different approaches to promote a game in each market.
3. Universal Soldier print ad
The people who made this print ad made sure to use the names of the stars to help sell the game.
Even though its worldwide ticket sales did not reach $100 million, the 1992 movie Universal Soldier still caught a lot of attention from moviegoers simply because it had Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as the stars. Unsurprisingly, the movie had a video game adaptation and because publisher Accolade wanted to cash-in on the film’s hype, they made some deceptive moves by rebranding one of its games (already development) as a tie-in. Advertised as an official adaptation, Universal Soldier was actually a rushed conversion of Turrican II: The Final Fight. This print ad – which even showed the stars’ names – is a reminder of the deception Accolade pulled off.
4. Sega CD print ad
Do you find this Sega CD print ad hilarious?
When Sega was making waves with its Sega Genesis (Sega Mega Drive in Japan), the company was quick to react to the growing use of the compact disc (CD) format as a useful storage medium for video games. The Sega CD (Mega CD in Japan) was released as an add-on device to work with the Genesis console and Sega’s American team came up with a series of promotions. This print ad is just one of the promotions and ad makers came up with a “crazed” or “electrified” gamer dominating one page while showing the Genesis, the Sega CD and screenshots of games (running on CD) on the other page. By today’s standards, the Sega CD print ad is funny and catchy to look at.
5. Snatcher for Sega CD print ad
I find this Snatch print ad looking odd. The ad makers could have done more to focus on the game itself.
First released in Japan in 1988, Snatcher was a cyberpunk visual adventure game that was one of the early works of the famous Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear series). Due to its design and approach on visuals to tell a story, it was not surprising that a Sega CD version of it got released in 1994. To promote the game to the growing number of North American Sega CD gamers at the time, Konami came up with this rather unusual print ad showing the face of a smiling lady dominating the space leaving little room to show the screenshots and the game’s cover. The visual concept is engaging but it takes effort to notice it was promoting the Sega CD version of the video game. This old ad would have worked better had the ad makers increased the sizes of the screenshots and the game cover.
6. Jurassic Park for Sega CD print ad
Does the T. Rex look scary to you?
As part of its drive to add more games to the Sega CD add-on and help it sell more units, Sega acquired the Jurassic Park license and went on to produce an adaptation utilizing the technological features of the Sega CD. To aggressively promote the game, Sega came up with this print ad that had a Tyrannosaurs Rex (looking through spaces) on one page and then several screenshots plus text descriptions on the other. For a click-and-point Jurassic Park game, this ad was really exciting and intriguing to look at.
7. Atari Jaguar print ad
This was indeed an eye-catching ad.
In the early 1990s, Atari made an aggressive move to compete in the arena of video game consoles which they used to dominate from the late 1970s until 1983. This time around, they came up with the Jaguar console which had some pretty advanced technologies for the time. As part of their North American marketing campaign, Atari unleashed an ad showing game screenshots on the first page and huge artwork of a jaguar coming after Sonic, Mario and Yoshi (mascots of Sega and Nintendo respectively) symbolizing that the Atari Jaguar had more power and better technology than the Genesis and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNS). While it was engaging to look at early on, this print ad is now an embarrassment as the Jaguar console failed terribly. Lastly, the marketing of the Jaguar as a 64-bit machine was never real.
8. George Foreman, The Simpsons and Spider-Man Game Gear print ad
This ad appeared in a lot of comic books in the 1990s.
In the early 1990s, Sega released the Game Gear handheld gaming device which instantly placed them in competition with Nintendo’s Game Boy. Through its Flying Edge label, Acclaim Entertainment promoted George Foreman’s KO Boxing, The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants, and Spider-Man for the Game Gear hoping to sell well. This 3-game print ad highlighted the popular figures who had a lot of space for attracting attention. The ad maker managed to insert two screenshots per game, the game covers and a text description to inform consumers what they were being offered. A good ad to look at.
9. Time Gal for Sega CD print ad
The presentation here looks nice but Time Gal herself looked like she was drawn by a different artist.
Originally released in the arcades in Japan in 1985, Time Gal made its way to the Sega CD add-on in the early 1990s. It was a highly unusual video game as it was an interactive movie (with lots of anime footage) made with the use of Laserdisc technology for its arcade version. It played lots of anime scenes and players must choose the on-screen options to execute the character’s next action in order to progress. For the Sega CD version for North America, this print was made to capture the attention of consumers using the protagonist’s sex appeal on the cover art with four screenshots placed on the sides to show what to expect. I noticed that Time Gal on the cover art looked different from how she appeared in the anime sequences. At least the ad makers tried hard to sell the game.
10. Mortal Kombat print ad
Still an effective ad to promote a blockbuster game and make people informed it was coming to multiple platforms.
Considering how successful it was in the arcades, the 1993 release of Mortal Kombat for game consoles and handhelds was unsurprisingly highly anticipated and publisher acclaim came up with this single-page ad. The presentation involved the use of a photographic background of many spectators (to emphasize excitement and popularity), media quotes and screenshots to effectively promote the game.
11. Equinox print ad
Take a close look. Tell me if you find it funny.
I never played Equinox but I heard the loud buzz about its design as a 3D isometric game that had elements of exploration, platform play and puzzle solving. The people responsible for this print ad emphasized the concept that the game is so addicting to play, players will still play it as they get older. This ad has a subtle yet effective approach with humor.
12. James Bond 007: The Duel print ad
Timothy Dalton’s image as James Bond was sourced from Licence to Kill for this game’s ad.
Here is another decades-old James Bond video game print ad I found. Released a few years after Licence to Kill, James Bond 007: The Duel was notable not for its gameplay nor game design but for the fact that it used the image of Timothy Dalton as 007 for its print ad and the opening scenes in the game itself. Dalton’s Bond image here was never new nor originally taken for the game as it came directly from Licence to Kill’s publicity library. Each time I saw this ad, I was only reminded of the 1989 movie which I still enjoy watching.
13. Neo Geo AES console print ad
Do you find this ad both sexy and funny?
Decades ago, SNK made a huge splash in the arcades with lots of really fun games released with their Neo Geo (stylized as NEO GEO) hardware. In 1990, they released the cartridge-based Neo Geo AES console in Japan and America and it carried the same technology as the arcade hardware. To promote the console in North America (note: the Neo Geo console and its games were very expensive), SNK came up with this catchy and funny print ad showing a sexy woman feeling annoyed that her man spends more time with Neo Geo gaming than with her. This was a clever way of emphasizing the arcade-perfect experience in the comfort of home, and it was funny to look at.
14. Gradius II Japanese arcade flyer
Great looking painted art was used for this 1988 arcade game.
Since the original Gradius was a big hit in arcades in Japan in 1985, it was not surprising that Konami released Gradius II three years later. With regards to the use of painted art, the artist showed the game’s spaceship in a dominating position emphasizing high-speed travel and excitement. The image, which also looks more colorful, is a complete reversal of the painted art used in the flyer of the previous which showed the rear of the spaceship as it moves towards a larger spaceship (the opposition). This arcade flyer art still looks great as it has a timeless charm.
