Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1When Atari invaded Japan – Here in the Philippines, me and my friends played video games on the Atari 2600 consoles in our respective homes during the first half of the 1980s. What I did not know back then was the fact that Atari did its best to sell its console and video games in nearby Japan. It turns out, their console in Japan was the Atari 2800. Watch and learn about this particular part of video game history with the video of GTV Japan below.
#2 A look back at Superman: The Animated Series – When it comes to animated series of the 1990s related to superheroes, X-Men: The Animated Series, Batman: The Animated Series and Spider-Man: The Animated Series are often remembered by long-time fans and geeks. The animated series of Superman, however, does not get remembered as much even though it had good quality animation and presentation. Of course, it should be remembered that the 1990s was the same decade when DC Comics had Superman killed, introduced the Supermen, brought Superman back to life and even had the Clark Kent identity destroyed which probably overshadowed the animated series. To discover more of Superman: The Animated Series, watch the video below.
#3 Examining the original 2099 comics franchise of Marvel Comics – You might have heard about 2099 among the many comic books Marvel published through the decades. The futuristic of Marvel’s shared universe originally started in late 1992 when the comic book speculator boom was still intense. It started strongly with Spider-Man 2099 followed by Ravage 2099, Doom 2099 and Punisher 2099. In the 2nd half of 1993, X-Men 2099 followed and even more related comic books got released. Of course, the 2099 franchise of the 1990s eventually ended. How and why it all happened like that, you can learn by watching Owen likes Comics’ video below.
#4 You, Me and the Movies’ Excalibur reaction – Excalibur is an epic medieval fantasy movie about the legend of King Arthur and his knights released in 1981. I first saw the film on TV in 1988 and it was an intriguing viewing experience. I replayed it on physical disc format in 2003 and eventually recognized Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne looking much younger. If you want to discover more of Excalibur through the reaction of You, Me and the Movies, watch the video posted below. It’s a fun watch.
#5 Assorted videos about Planet of the Apes (1968) – Planet of the Apes of 1968 is considered by many as a great science fiction film as well as a philosophical and intelligent viewing experience. While it is an engaging viewing experience, I find the concept of human evolution and the so-called genetic links between humans and apes to be nothing more than fantasies. Considering its fame, it is no surprise that a lot of YouTubers made their own videos about it and you can watch the selected videos below.
#6 A look back at Robotron: 2084 – Robotron: 2084 is a 2D, multi-directional shooting game first released in arcades way back in 1982. I never played the arcade version but managed to play it on an IBM PC around the mid-1980s. The history behind the game is quite rich in details and you can enjoy learning about it by watching the video of PatmanQC below.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
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.
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. Galaxian for Atari print ad
A unique approach to the art done by the advertisers.
Developed by Namco, Galaxian was a 2D sci-fi shooter that debuted in arcades in 1979. It was so successful and widely acclaimed, it got ported to varied game consoles and home computers as the years passed by. For its release on the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200, this print ad was created to catch the attention of fans and gamers by utilizing artwork that resembled the look of 2D sprites from the game. That being said, no screenshots of Galaxian on the Atari consoles were shown because the artwork used looked detailed and were attention-grabbing already.
2. 1943: The Battle of Midway arcade flyer
This is a fine looking flyer.
In 1987, Capcom released in the arcades 1943: The Battle of Midway which was their follow-up to 1942. The arcade flyer itself was designed to strongly promote the game using a combination of screenshots, short-but-clear text descriptions and the great looking piece of artwork which really emphasized the World War II concept. Behind it all, this game was made by Japanese developers with the Western markets in mind and the irony is that the game has players control Americans fighting the Japanese fleet.
3. Top Gunner arcade conversion kit flyer
Show this nice looking image to the woke nut or modern day Communist near you. Watch and observe his or her reaction.
To make things clear, Top Gunner is actually the run-and-gun game Jackal and the alternative titles was mainly used in North American arcade distribution and also reflected Konami’s move of coming up with titles inspired by blockbuster movies of the time. To promote its 1986 arcade release in America as a conversion kit, the advertisers had three models playing soldiers on a military jeep to immerse gamers into the core concept of the game – moving armed military jeeps from one location to another while fighting bad guys. The approach used for the visual concept is indeed inspiring, especially during the Cold War. Top Gunner/Jackal became a hit in both arcades and consoles.
4. Joust for Atari print ad
While I played Joust on console, I don’t remember seeing this print ad before.
Made by Williams Electronics, Joust was one of those early 1980s arcade games that eventually made its way to the Atari 2600 console which was massively popular in North America. Strangely enough, the artistic approach Atari’s advertising came up with for the console version of Joust was similar with that of the ad of the Atari version of Galaxian (see item #1 above) in which artwork was used to resemble the 2D sprites of the game. Regardless, the images of this ad showed what a joust looked like – a martial game between two armed combatants going against each other while riding an animal.
5. Kid Chameleon print ad
Can you relate with Kid Chameleon’s identity crisis?
During the early years of the Sega Genesis, Sega of America exerted efforts to make new games that were not only exclusive to their console but also stand out among the many 2D side-scrolling adventure games by coming up with a protagonist with a unique personality that could somehow resonate with young kids and teenagers.
Developed by their internal experts (Sega Technical Institute), the company released Kid Chameleon in 1992 and they came up with the above print ad that had detailed hand-drawn art of the lead character as well as a wordy text description which was a clear attempt to help young gamers (including teenagers) get connected with both the game and the protagonist. The advertisers even had space to spare to accommodate two screenshots of the game.
6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (AKA T2: The Arcade Game) for Sega Genesis print ad
This print ad appeared on the many comic books I read long ago.
Back in the early 1990s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a massive success in the global box office and this resulted in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity to soar very high while also establishing the Terminator as an essential pop culture figure. Apart from comic books and merchandise, video games based on the movie were made and the one that stood out the most was the arcade shooter game initially titled Terminator 2: Judgment Day (later retitled as T2: The Arcade Game).
The arcade mega hit eventually got ported to the Sega Genesis and this print ad really looked flashy with its visual presentation showing screenshots and a zoomed-in look at how the Terminator T-800 looked like in the Genesis version complete with a few explosions in the background. It should be noted that this flashy print ad cleverly concealed the visual downgrades and the redrawn images as the Genesis itself could never come close to matching the high quality visuals of the arcade version.
7. CYBERPad print ad
I never owned the CYBERPad, nor have I ever used one.
During the so-called 16-bit console generation (actually the 4th console generation), there were lots of licensed console peripherals made by independent companies in support of the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The company Suncom Technologies came up with the CYBERPad controller for the two consoles and they boasted in their print ad that the product had a programmable control pad that allowed users to create combinations for each game with convenience in mind. The CYBERPad also allowed the saving of the programmable moves and it had a rapid-fire feature and even a slow-motion function. The CYBERPad was made to make the gameplay experience more user-friendly.
If you look closely, this print announcement by GamePro technically advertised the game consoles, the arcade game and Lara Croft to its readers.
In 1999, GamePro magazine celebrated its 10th anniversary and to keep on resonating with gamers and maintaining the loyalty of their fans, they organized a reader sweepstakes with prizes worth over $25,000 to be won by the few winners. GamePro boasted a date with an unnamed model who played the iconic Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). Certain arcade machines plus the modern consoles of the time – including the brand-new Sega Dreamcast – were also at stake. The way it was presented, this GamePro print announcement was enticing to read.
9. Smash T.V. for SNES print ad
Smash T.V. was a lot of fun on both arcade and console.
The arcade hit Smash T.V. made its way to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1992 and the publisher came up with a print ad that had captivating artwork, six screenshots and a text description that emphasized that a lot of fun awaits gamers on the console version. In my view, this old ad is still amusing to look at.
10. David Robinson’s Supreme Court print ad
It was a smart move by Sega to get NBA superstar David Robinson as the endorser of this basketball video game exclusive on the Sega Genesis. This ad was published many years before Robinson finally won an NBA championship.
As part of its strategy in competing with Nintendo during the 4th console generation, Sega of America was focused on producing exclusive sports video games for the Genesis console backed by endorsements of sports professionals. In 1992, they released David Robinson’s Supreme Court on the Genesis and unsurprisingly their print ad used a large, stylized image of the NBA superstar dunking backed with an exciting text description plus screenshots showing the game’s use of the isometric view for gameplay. This is still worth looking at.
11. Taito’s “heat wave” print ad
An amusing and creative way to sell video games.
If your company lacks money to effectively market your video games individually, you can try making a single ad promoting them together. This is what Taito did in this print ad which showcases multiple games for different platforms and they used artwork of a player experiencing the so-called heat wave. This is a nice stroke of creativity on the part of Taito.
12. Jurassic Park Interactive print ad
This was a creepy print ad promoting the 3DO-exclusive Jurassic Park Interactive.
When it comes to video game consoles, having exclusive games is essential as long as they are of high quality, highly playable and enjoyable. The 3DO company acquired a license of the Jurassic Park movie and made the exclusive game Jurassic Park Interactive hoping it would sell a lot and lift up 3DO hardware sales.
This print ad, which features a zoomed-in image of the Raptor from the game, was more focused on selling the 3DO console than the video game as seen on the descriptive text. 3DO ran a promo selling the console which would entitle the buyer to get Jurassic Park Interactive and another game free. Nothing was done to describe the console’s multimedia capabilities of showing videos, images and graphics of the game (which was essentially a collection of mini-games). This print ad shows ignorance on the part of the 3DO company and the ad maker as it showed desperation happening really early in the console’s life. Notably, Jurassic Park Interactive was the only video game adaptation to use actual footage (note: the faces of the actors were edited out) and music from the film.
13. RoboCop 2 print ad
You want to become RoboCop to save the city of Detroit from criminals?
Way back in 1990, RoboCop 2 was a big hit in cinemas here in the Philippines and in some places around the world. As typical of the time, licenses to make video games based on the movie were released resulting in RoboCop 2 games for multiple platforms. The print ad featured two different images of RoboCop – one from the movie poster and the other from an official artwork. The descriptive text does a fine job to immerse readers into the story concept of the game but showing only two screenshots was a lackluster effort to sell the game.
14. Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past print ad
Space…the final frontier waiting for Sega Genesis gamers.
Released in 1994, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past delivered the Star Trek TNG adventure experience to Sega Genesis gamers. In fact, it is the exact same experience that SNES gamers got the same year. In reality, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past is actually a port of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Future’s Past on the SNES and the screenshots on the print ad are giveaways about it. In fairness to the ad makers, this print ad never attempted to deceive gamers that it promoted a totally different Star Trek TNG game.
15. Dinosaurs for Hire print ad
This print ad caught my attention and made me interested in the game and the comic book series. Even though it was small, Malibu Comics’ logo was still recognizable.
Dinosaurs for Hire (sometimes referred to as Tom Mason’s Dinosaurs for Hire) was a 2D side-scrolling platform adventure game based on the comic book series of Tom Mason. Published by Sega, it was a Genesis-exclusive game and this print ad had a catchy text description, a few screenshots and the eye-catching artwork of a triceratops facing the viewer. This print ad is still good to look at. If you’re thinking about searching for existing copies of the game, I encourage you to also read some Dinosaurs for Hire comic books before playing. By the way, Tom Mason also wrote several comic books of the Ultraverse.
Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1In-depth look at the making of Silent Hill – It has been over twenty-five years since Konami released Silent Hill on PlayStation. That horror-themed adventure game added to the evolution of horror gaming and it stood out differently from Capcom’s Resident Evil series of survival horror games. I recently viewed a very in-depth video by thegamingmuse who spent a lot of effort researching the game development history of Silent Hill, who the creators were and what challenges came along the way leading to the game’s eventual release. The video is over a hundred minutes long but I assure you it is full of details that will give you insight about how the game materialized.
#2 Electric cars are still very dangerous and deadly – I mentioned before that no matter how nice the promotions are, electric cars are still dangerous to have as they can spark fire randomly, damage properties nearby and even kill you. In recent times, there were these two electric cars in different locations that sparked into flames randomly. One of them was not even charging at all while being parked in a residential community’s parking area. That electric car suddenly caused a huge fire that destroyed many cars parked nearby while also forcing many residents to leave their units. The fact is electric vehicles are not safe and are not reliable. The future of the automobile is absolutely NOT electric. Watch and learn from the videos below.
#3 Star Trek: Generations reaction video by Popcorn in Bed (PIB) – Before I first saw Star Trek: Generations in the cinema in 1995, I was excited over the promised cinematic crossover between the iconic captain James T. Kirk and captain Jean Luc Picard. Having seen a mix of movies of the original Star Trek crew plus episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the concept of a crossover was really intriguing. After watching Star Trek: Generations, I left the cinema disappointed not only because the Kirk-Picard crossover (William Shatner and Patrick Stewart together on-screen) was not so great but also because the pacing and direction were not cinematic in execution. In fact, I find Star Trek: Generations’ concept more suitable in comic book format.
Of course, the flawed movie has its fans and slowly it is being discovered by YouTubers for the first time in their lives. Popcorn in Bed (PIB) recently posted the reaction video of Star Trek: Generations and she previously spent months watching all the seven TV seasons of Star Trek TNG. How would she react to the movie and how it impacted her, you have to watch it below.
#4 Terrorist state Iran’s hatred towards Israel explained – With its evil regime that started in 1979, Iran is both a terrorist state as well as the center of evil in the entire Middle East. No matter how many times a Democrat-led United States bowed to them and made desperate deals with them, Iran’s top leaders kept cheering (in their local language) death to America, England and Israel. In other words, Western ideals and democracy are completely unacceptable to Iran’s evil regime. The Ayatollah regime of Iran is so wicked, their government even brutalizes Iranians who do not follow their ways.
For Iran, the existence of Israel (the land that God designated to the Jewish people) unacceptable and their hatred towards them is so powerful, they sponsored terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah to launch waves of attacks to destroy the Jewish state. Terrorist state Iran is doing what Satan always wanted and the evil regime is still obsessing with dominating the Middle East with destruction and the imposition of their religious beliefs on others. Iran is also obsessed with world domination and they will also attack Europe and America. To find out more, watch TBN Israel’s compelling video explaining Iran’s hatred towards Israel.
#5 The high number of deaths caused by electric cars that went wrong – Going back to electric cars, I posted a video that discusses in detail a hot issue that electric vehicle fanatics and the mainstream news media do not want to talk about – the high number of deaths caused by electric cars that went wrong. Watch it now.
#6. Kamala Harris simply cannot be trusted – In recent times, Kamala Harris appeared in several TV shows to reach out to as many voters as she could as the US Presidential Election gets closer. Harris has huge problems: dishonesty, inconsistency and a distorted view of reality. In other words, the Democrats’ presidential nominee is very out of touch with reality and she does not seem to care much about the American people who have been suffering from rising crime, the higher costs of living, the deterioration of public order in connection with the rising number of illegal aliens in America, and much more.
In short, Harris is so woke, she has no real solutions for the American people. She cannot even define herself clearly as she is obsessed with identity politics, vibes and wokeness. She cannot even focus on policy and governance. Kamala Harris is clearly unfit to become President of the United States (the Democrats will have to CHEAT AGAIN to elect her). Watch and learn from the selected videos below.
#7. Understanding America’s Electoral College – In light of the US Presidential Election happening on November 5, 2024, now is a good time to learn about the Electoral College and how it works on electing the next President. Contrary to popular belief, the popular vote does not determine the winner of the election as there is a state-by-state mechanism and the ones who actually determine the winner are the electors. Confused? Watch the two PragerU videos below.
#8 Dragonslayer reaction video by You, Me and the Movies – I was a very young boy when I first saw Dragonslayer inside the cinema back in 1981 here in the Philippines. Being so young, I was not yet aware that the fantasy movie was a Disney-Paramount joint effort. The public word of mouth back then was that the movie was a visual spectacle as it had Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) work on the special effects while the Go Motion effects were handled by Phil Tippett. To make things clear, I am NOT a fan of Dragonslayer but I should say that YouTuber You, Me and the Movies recently posted their movie reaction of it which is entertaining to watch.
#9 The elimination of Hamas terrorist leader Sinwar plus the attempted attack against Israel’s PM Netanyahu – In recent times, I posted about the unexpected elimination of Yahya Sinwar who was the leader of the Iran-sponsored Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and the mastermind of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel. Sinwar was a mass murderer and a real-life demon who always hated Israel and the Jewish people. He was also one of the favorite terrorist allies of Iran. Apart from Sinwar, Iran had its Lebanon proxies Hezbollah attempt to assassinate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu only to fail. The war against Islamic terrorism continues and the TBN Israel news video explains the details for you all.
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. River Raid print ad
This River Raid print ad appeared on comic books and magazines long ago.
Decades before it became an industry giant with the best-selling Call of Duty games, Activision became a standout publisher in the early 1980s with River Raid on the Atari 2600. Designed by Carol Shaw, River Raid was a huge success ending up as the 2nd best-seller on the Atari 2600 as well as Activision’s best-selling game for the year 1983. Apart from showing one screenshot and the box cover of the game, the print ad of River Raid had this mesmerizing 3D image that caught many gamers’ attention and helped them feel like they will pilot on dangerous missions. The 3D image was futuristic in its own style became forward-moving 3D sequences in video games became reality many years later.
2. Galaga North American arcade flyer
The front of the flyer showing three Galaga machines that arcade operators can choose from.
Key details about Galaga were nicely presented on the rear of the flyer.
In the history of gaming, Namco’s Galaga was played by countless millions of gamers and it is still highly regarded as an arcade classic as well as one of the most enjoyable arcade games ever made. In preparation for the North American launch (October 1981), Midway prepared the arcade flyer showing the three types of machine on the front that arcade operators can choose from. On the rear is the really neat approach of explaining the details of the game, what kind of gameplay is to be expected, and how to play. Whether you are an individual player or the manager of an arcade joint, this flyer suits your needs.
3. Area 51 arcade flyer and conversion kit flyer
The front of this Area 51 flyer had an enticing message for arcade operators as well as other business owners/managers who are interested in having a machine to add value to their business joints. Atari was already in deep money problems by the time they started making this game.
The Area 51 arcade conversion kit is a cheaper alternative for businesses who want the game.
Moving on to the 1990s, Atari was already struggling financially and desperately needed a hit to lift them up fast. A light gun shooter project was approved as arcade shooters were in good demand and after overcoming serious hurdles during production internally, Atari hired independent team Mesa Logic to take charge of development. After being granted extra time and more creative freedom, the project under Mesa Logic’s handling became a sci-fi shooter titled Area 51. The game became a huge hit in the arcades for Atari resulting in sales of more than 20,000 arcade cabinets as well as a major financial boost for the company (note: Atari still exists today). Atari went on to release Atari 51 versions for PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC in America in 1996. The Atari 51 flyers you see here are still captivating to look at and were crucial in generating buzz among arcade operators, business joints that had space for arcade cabinets and gamers.
4. Panasonic 3DO print ad
The makers of this print ad forgot to mention the 3DO is also a game machine.
Back in 1993, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer console manufactured by Panasonic (a licensee of the 3DO Company) was launched with a CD-ROM drive, multimedia features and gaming capabilities (with a 3-button control pad). This print ad strongly emphasized the 3DO’s ability to play high-quality sound and full-motion videos using the Sea of Cortez software which functioned as an interactive movie. Obviously, this did not resonate well with people who loved to play games and by the time the 3DO Company and its partners started marketing games, they could not save the 3DO console from fading to obscurity. The console shown in the ad is specifically model Panasonic FZ-1 R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. Panasonic was one of five companies that were licensed by the 3DO Company.
5. MechWarrior 3050 SNES print ad
If you were unaware of the 1994 game BattleTech, then this ad would have fooled you into thinking it is promoting a brand new game.
In 1995, the popular BattleTech entertainment franchise arrived on the Super Nintendo Entertainment (SNES) system with MechWarrior 3050 and its print ad had a really blazing artwork of an armed mech in fire which gave readers the illusion of a new and original game. In reality, MechWarrior 3050 was actually a port of BattleTech which was released on the Sega Genesis in 1994. The Genesis game was published by Extreme Entertainment Group while the SNES game was published by the more famous Activision. If you look closely at the MechWarrior print ad, you can tell how hard they tried to sell the game like it was brand new and all-original.
6. Cliffhanger video game print ad
This print ad had Sylvester Stallone hanging on a cliff to be relevant with the title of both the film and the game. They could not show images of Stallone in hard action scenes.
For fans of Sylvester Stallone, 1993 was a big and exciting year as the Hollywood icon appeared in two major action films – Cliffhanger and Demolition Man. Cliffhanger was released first and there were video game adaptations of it released on game consoles, handhelds and computers. This print ad of the Cliffhanger video game had an image of Stallone hanging on a cliff to emphasize the title. The ad makers cleverly posted selected gameplay screenshots and quoted GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) to make the game look credible and worthy of purchasing. The marketing led to nowhere as the game received mostly negative reviews from critics and it faded to obscurity. Lastly, the Cliffhanger game ad had a noticeable amount of space wasted. They could have made the screenshots and text look somewhat bigger to sell the game.
7. Ballz: The Director’s Cut print ad
I never got to play this game on the 3DO.
Here is another ad of the video game released on the failed 3DO console. As its title made obvious, Ballz: The Director’s Cut is an enhanced version of the original Ballz game of 1994 that was released on other consoles. The print ad had an eye-catching piece of artwork and posted beside it were selected shots of the gameplay. Strangely enough, the creative writing on the lower part of the ad does not make any sense and did nothing to convince gamers to play the game. As Ballz: The Director’s Cut was released in 1995, this ad shows the revised 3DO console from Panasonic (model: Panasonic FZ-10 R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer).
8. NFL GameDay 2000 print ad
Did you find this ad funny to look at in 1999?
To promote the PlayStation-exclusive NFL GameDay 2000, Sony publisher 989 Sports and the ad makers decided to implement a humorous look at football TV coverage by having two sportscasters wearing shorts in front of a TV camera that was only showing their heads and upper bodies. The TV sets on the side show screenshots from the game to emphasize the sports gaming experience. Ultimately the game scored mostly positive review from the critics.
9. WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams print ad
WildC.A.T.S. art by Jim Lee was used to promote the SNES video game.
When Image Comics launched in 1992, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams was Jim Lee’s creator-owned comic book franchise and its launch issue was a big seller. Years later, WildC.A.T.S. grew in popularity with comic book fans and the franchise achieved multi-media status by venturing into TV (with an animated series) and video games. This print ad promoting the video game adaptation had no screenshots to show which kept fans and gamers guessing how the game will turn out in terms of gameplay and game design. It was obvious that the people who made this print ad had to rely on the best WildC.A.T.S. artwork they could find drawn by Jim Lee. This ad made me laugh back in the old days because if you did not look closely, it might fool you into thinking it was more about comic books than the game on the SNES.
10. Cutthroat Island print ad
Exciting imagery without Geena Davis and Matthew Modine was used to promote the video game adaptation.
I never saw the Hollywood mega-flop Cutthroat Island nor have I ever played any of its multiple video game adaptations (released on SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear and Game Boy). The video game print ad, however, caught my attention back in 1995 because the ad makers cleverly used a photograph from one the many expensive movie sequences filmed and the hard, physical work by the filmmakers was clearly visible. Then the ad makers had four screenshots placed on the lower-left part and inserted descriptive text that sounded exciting. Lastly, the ad mentioned a sweepstakes promo.
Without using any images of stars Geena Davis and Matthew Modine, this ad was a strong attempt to get gamers excited for the video game adaptation. Like the movie itself, this game flopped and has faded away to the land of the forgotten.
11. AH-3 Thunderstrike print ad
Captivating artwork, vibrant colors and orderly text descriptions made this an effective ad.
AH-3 Thunderstrike is one of the better games that was released on the Sega CD add-on (requires the Sega Genesis console) in 1993. Similar with MechWarrior 3050, the game was actually a port of Thunderhawk which itself was released on the Amiga and MS-DOS PC in 1992. The print ad showcased a captivating artwork (which was also used on the game’s box cover), a few screenshots and strategically placed text descriptions to sell the game. This ad still looks good.
12. James Bond 007 print ad
This print ad appeared in many comic books in 1984.
This is a print ad I saw many times while reading comic books in 1984. James Bond 007 for Atari 2600 was an ambitious licensed video game as it featured levels that were inspired by missions in the James Bond movies Diamonds are Forever, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only. Keep in mind that programmers back then had to deal with memory limitations and primitive tools to make games.
To promote the game, original art of Agent 007 was used which did not resemble the James Bond star of the time – Roger Moore. Strangely enough, the illustrated James Bond slightly resembled Timothy Dalton whose debut as 007 happened in 1987. Adding further zest to the add was the use of fictionalized quotes pointing to fantasized critics as sources (example: Vincent Can’tbe is a reference to real life critic Vincent Canby). The use of a pink background made this catchy ad look really odd.
13. Choplifter III: Rescue Survive print ad
A captivating print ad that brought gamers’ attention to the Choplifter series again.
This print ad of Choplifter III: Rescue Survive has a striking look showing a military officer who needs your help as he has been stranded behind enemy lines. The presentation reflects the long-time tradition of the Choplifter game franchise which has been about piloting an armed helicopter to the opposition’s territory, shooting at bad guys and then rescuing the hostages or prisoners-of-war (POWs). The game eventually gathered mostly positive feedback from video game critics.
14. Defender of the Crown print ad
Cinemaware took a gamble with the visual concept of this print ad.
Released in 1986 for home computers, Defender of the Crown was made with a high level of quality backed with solid artistry. To capture gamers’ attention, Cinemaware came up with this print ad showcasing a pretty model looking somewhat seductive which reflects what happens in the game when players rescue a damsel in distress. The selected screenshots showed what the game looked like on different platforms, and the lower part of the ad made the game feel like it was a historical epic waiting to be discovered. Defender of the Crown eventually became a big hit with computer gamers.
Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming enthusiasts and all gamers from around the world!
I was born in the mid-1970s. My video gaming experience started with the arcade games. A few years later, my console gaming experience started with the Atari 2600 console (which was our first console at home) and for about five years my friends (who also had the same console in their respective homes) and I enjoyed playing games on it.
Also this year, I bought myself a physical copy of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration to add even more retro gaming fun on my Xbox Series X and it has been an enjoyable experience so far. There is absolutely nothing like replaying the Atari 2600 games I enjoyed plus being able to play other games released on other Atari consoles I never had. I also love the fact that the collection (you can by the physical Xbox copy by clicking here) also has Atari’s own arcade games. This is truly a blast of retro gaming fun!
From my play session of the arcade version of the classic Missile Command.
Thanks to the Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, I finally got to play the Cloak & Dagger arcade game that was featured in the 1984 movie.
Historical insight about the classic game Centipede.
Atari’s arcade game Liberator.
Content from the arcade flyer of Missile Command now viewable in high-definition!
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is not just a collection of video games from the past. It has a stylish presentation that makes it an interactive museum which allows you to look at the arcade flyers, the print ads, the official artworks of games, historical highlights and most notably lots of videos showing interviews of surviving Atari creators/producers who reveal very important details about what they went through, what the company culture was like, and more.
Those who were interviewed include Nolan Bushnell (who established Atari, Inc.), David Crane, Jerry Jessop, Bill Rehbock, Owen Rubin, Allan Alcorn, Tod Frye, Wade Rosen, Eugene Jarvis, and Howard Scott Warshaw. These are the guys who not only established Atari as a major gaming industry leader but also laid the foundations of console gaming as a crucial part of home entertainment in general. Also discussed was Atari’s efforts of bringing their arcade games to the consoles at home.
Adding further insight to Atari’s history were video interviews of Ed Fries (a key figure behind the establishment of Xbox), Cliff Bleszinski (Gears of War trilogy) and Tim Schafer (Psychonauts games).
My physical copy of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration which I enjoyed a lot on my Xbox Series X.
Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming enthusiasts, RPG enthusiasts and gamers!
In case you missed the news, GungHo America announced that the remastered editions of the classic Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) Lunar: The Silver Star and Lunar: Eternal Bluewill be released together in a single package titled Lunar Remastered Collection which is set for a Sprint 2025 release window (release date to follow) for multiple platforms, including Xbox Series X|S and the aging Xbox One!
Feeling excited or curious? Watch and learn from the official trailer of Lunar Remastered Collection released by GungHo (which is the same publisher behind the Grandia HD Collection).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official press release of GungHo. Some parts in boldface…
The LUNAR Remastered Collection breathes new life into the beloved classics LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete (PlayStation 1 version), both originally developed by GAME ARTS. This revamped collection retains the charm of both titles while introducing exciting new enhancements and quality-of-life improvements!
Fans of the LUNAR series can wax nostalgic with 90s-esque animated cutscenes, iconic characters with the classic JRPG charm, and old-school turn-based combat with a twist. JRPG enthusiasts and long-time supporters of the series alike will undeniably be captivated by the game’s romantic storytelling and stunning soundtrack, and witness firsthand how LUNAR paved the way for generations of JRPGs to come.
Gameplay shot from Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete which was supposedly remastered with high-definition in mind (which could explain the blurry upper and lower portions of the screen).
The trailer of Lunar Remastered Collection showed this sharp and lively looking image of an anime sequence. Here is hoping all the anime cutscenes in the two games will be of the highest quality possible with high-definition in mind.
The key features announced are as follows:
Strategic Turn-Based Action: Play through two magical worlds in LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete as you fight it out in turn-based battle style, where each character’s speed, distance, position, and attack reach must all be accounted for.
Powerful Voices and Captivating Animated Sequences: Immerse yourself in battles with fully-voiced attacks and incantations in either Japanese or an all-new English voiceover by playable characters and enemies. Not to mention, the timeless and stylistic animated sequences that will still capture the hearts of players today.
Relive the Classic or Go Remastered: Choose between classic or remastered mode — an option that allows fans to travel back in time to the games’ PS1 releases, or see them in a new light with wide-screen support, revamped PS1 pixel art, and high-definition animated cutscenes.
Two New Language Options: LUNAR Remastered Collection not only includes Japanese and English subtitles and sound, but also two new subtitle language options, French and German.
Speed up Battle + Improved Strategy Settings: Save time and speed through battles with the flip of a switch! Additionally, new options have been added to the original strategy settings for streamlined combat.
For the newcomers reading this, Lunar: The Silver Star was developed by Game Arts (also the same team behind Grandia and Grandia II) and released on the Sega CD (Mega CD in other countries) add-on for the Genesis (Mega Drive) console in 1992. Years later, that game had a huge remake as Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete on Sega Saturn (1996), PlayStation (1998) and Windows PC (1999).
A similar approach of releases happened too with the sequel Lunar: Eternal Blue which started on Sega CD. Its remake was titled Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete which was released on Sega Saturn (1998) and PlayStation (1999).
Historically, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete were published in America by Working Designs (closed down since 2005) with its very own stylized way of translating the Japanese content into English (note: localized as opposed to straightforward translation), in-depth approach to English dubbing, and elaborate packaging (with unique stuff) done with the fans and collectors in mind. Working Designs was also responsible for releasing the two Lunar RPGs’ original versions on Sega CD and the company established close ties not only with Sega of America but also Game Arts itself.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete for PlayStation print ad.
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete for PlayStation print ad.
With regards to story concepts and characters, Lunar: The Silver Star tells the tale of Alex Noa – a young and resilient fighter who recently passed the White Dragon’s trial–as he embarks on his journey to become a Dragonmaster. As Alex revels in his success in passing the trial, a mysterious Magic Emperor unexpectedly enters the fold, aiming for world domination.
Lunar: Eternal Blue follows the story of Hiro, an inquisitive archaeologist, and friends as they journey to help a mysterious girl from the Blue Star, Lucia, to seek out the Goddess Althena and stop Zophar – a relentless and evil God of Destruction who plots the demise of Lunar – from wiping out their existence.
Watch out for the official 2025 release date of Lunar Remastered Collection.
As of this writing, Lunar Remastered Collection for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One has yet to appear on the Xbox online store. For updates about the upcoming retro gaming collection of RPGs, visit https://www.lunarremastered.com/
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. Vendetta UK and North American arcade flyers
Vendetta arcade flyer for North America
Vendetta arcade flyer for the UK.
In 1991, Konami released the 2D side-scrolling beat-them-up game Vendetta in arcades around the world achieving commercial success. While it is hard to tell if the promotions helped the game commercially, there is no doubt that the arcade flyers for the North American and United Kingdom (UK) markets were indeed very eye-catching.
The North American Vendetta arcade flyer had a photographic approach showing models playing characters supposedly representing the Cobras gang and the Dead End gang. The display of wooden boxes and the rope was done to symbolize the rough city environments of the game. On the other hand, the UK arcade flyer has illustrated artwork that captured the look of the Cobras gang from the game.
2. Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters print ad
This ad has great art that strongly emphasizes its science fiction concept.
This print ad of Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters (PC version) really caught my attention when I read gaming magazines in the early 1990s. The painted artwork showing a human and a hideous alien in the background with a planet, space ships and space stations filling the rest of the space was very captivating to look at. So captivating, it enticed me to search for the game but our PC at home had really low specs. Strangely enough, I played another version of Star Control II on a rented 3DO Interactive Multiplayer console in 1995. For the newcomers reading this, the game was critically acclaimed and was declared as one of the very best PC games ever made. Enjoy looking at the print ad above.
3. Space Channel 5 print ad
The visual style and character designs are the result of the game designer’s research that includes interviews with lots of young girls over their interests and tastes in video games.
When Sega launched their Dreamcast console in Japan in late-1998, their financial health was already in a very bad state and the future looked grim. Even as they faced tremendous odds, Sega still went on to aggressively sell Dreamcast consoles with exclusive games and Space Channel 5 was one of them.
First released in Japan in 1999, Space Channel 5 was a musical, puzzle-oriented game that was the result of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s work backed with research he did that included interviewing young girls to find out what their tastes in gaming are. The print ad showing the highly stylized protagonist Ulala and a few screenshots really caught the attention of gamers and kept the Dreamcast in their minds. While the game did not achieve commercial success as a Dreamcast-exclusive, Sega went on to release a version of Space Channel 5 on the PlayStation 2 console, plus sequels.
4. Cybernator print ad
The mention of Terminator and RoboCop rivaled the artwork when it comes to grabbing people’s attention.
I remember seeing the print ad of Konami’s Cybernator (Japanese title: Assault Suits Valken) in several comic books I read back in 1992. I never got to play it but the print ad’s artwork was memorable as I was fond of robots in anime, movies and video games back then. What was arguably the most memorable aspect of the print ad was the line that mentioned RoboCop and the Terminator in a comedic way. This is a creative way to market the game.
5. NBA Basketball 2000 print ad
There were a lot more NBA video games back in the 1990s.
NBA Basketball 2000 was one of those basketball videos games of the 1990s that was not published by EA Sports nor published by the other established game publishers like Sega, PlayStation and Konami. In fact, the one thing on the ad that caught my attention was Fox Sports Interactive which published some sports videos games during the decade. The print ad also served as a reminder that there were a lot more NBA video games for gamers to choose from during the 1990s.
6. Food Fight arcade flyers
Food Fighter arcade flyer with illustrated artworks.
Food Fight arcade flyer with a photographic touch and actors.
I never got to play the 1980s game Food Fight in the arcades nor did I ever had the opportunity to play it on Atari consoles and Xbox 360. Released in 1983 in the arcades by Atari, Food Fight was designed to allow players to control a character moving through a 2D field to consume an ice cream on a cone (placed on the opposite end of the field) before it melts while avoiding the chefs who are out to chase and block the player.
The arcade flyer with illustrated artwork on the characters interacting with the arcade machine is really amusing to look at. Equally amusing is the other arcade flyer that had a photographic approach showing two kids (one playing the arcade machine and the other about to throw a pie) and four chefs. Considering the nice visual concepts Atari came up with for the arcade flyers, Food Fight actually never became a commercial hit selling only a few thousand arcade units.
7. X-Kaliber 2097 print ad
This print ad from the 1990s had a nice visual style.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) had plenty of 2D side-scrolling adventure games and among them was X-Kaliber 2097 released by Activision (now a Microsoft-owned company and integral part of Xbox) in America in 1994. The game had a really interesting story concept about a chaotic far future society plagued by overwhelming crime and violence. The print ad showed a mild taste about the game’s concept and gameplay, but it was more effective when it comes to showing the formidable foes that await the playable protagonist Slash. This print appeared in several comic books I read and was eye-catching.
8. Jet Moto 3 print ad
When was the last time the police caught you for over-speeding?
This print ad for Jet Moto 3 had a clever concept of showing a police officer apprehending a jet biker for over-speeding. The visual presentation was done in photo-realistic fashion to make the sci-fi aspect of the video game look real. The ad made me interested enough to do some research of Jet Moto 3 a few months before finally buying it for my PlayStation console.
9. Wipeout 3 print ad
Were you fond of futuristic racing and techno music back in 1999?
Released in 1999, Wipeout 3 was one of those video games that showcased what the PlayStation (originally launched in Japan in 1994) could do in terms of visual fidelity, special effects and frame rates. The print ad, which had a radical visual concept emphasizing intensity and energy, had style listing down vertically the technical details of the game which required a close look in order to be read. With only two screenshots displayed, the ad makers smartly included the E3 acclaim of “Best Racing Game of E3” as well as the names of artists behind the game soundtrack on the lower-right corner. This print ad was cool and intriguing to look at.
10. Breath of Fire II print ad
This was a good effort to lure American gamers to buy and play Breath of Fire II.
When Breath of Fire II was released on the SNES in America in late 1995, Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) were not yet wildly popular among American gamers. To grab the attention of gamers, Capcom and the ad makers came up with the eye-catching image of a sword and posted key questions to emphasize the fantasy aspect of Breath of Fire II. While the game received mixed reviews upon its North American release, Nintendo Power listed it as 171st best game in its Top 200 Games chart published in 2006.
In case you missed the official Xbox presentation of the 2024 Tokyo Game Show (click here to watch), Square Enix formally announced that Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster has officially been released for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S plus Windows PC. Watch the announcement video below.
This is what Final Fantasy IV looks like in remastered form.
Each classic Final Fantasy game has its 2D pixel graphics and artworks updated with high-definition gaming in mind, and their soundtracks have been re-arranged. In what is a clear attempt by Square Enix to enhance the gameplay experience and user-friendliness, there were tweaks made to the user interface. Also added were extra stuff such as bestiary, illustration gallery and music player.
The Xbox and Windows PC releases of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is indeed a move towards the right direction by Square Enix and it is clearly the result of that company’s renewal of ties with Team Xbox. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster was launched on other platforms previously and the Xbox ecosystem ended up being the last to have it for millions of gamers to enjoy.
For the Xbox gamers who are Final Fantasy fans as well as those who are fond of classic Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) and those who simply love retro gaming, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a very welcome addition that should not be missed. It is available now for digital purchase as a bundle but gamers are free to choose to buy the games individually based on their current taste or based on how much they could afford right now. It is clear that buying the bundle of six Final Fantasy classic games is still the best value for money.
Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1The disappointing 9th console generation – If you are a long-time gamer who owns a PlayStation 5 (PS5) and/or an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console, you might have noticed how disappointing the 9th console generation (started in late 2020) has been when compared to the previous four generations.
Apart from the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic deeply altered the games industry on the sides of gamers and game developers, the 9th console generation has seen lots of unfulfilled promises from the console makers, Xbox Game Pass (XGP) changing for the worse, great gaming experiences not being realized, consumers getting screwed, the lack of focus towards the fans, woke garbage involved in game productions and a lot more. To understand what is going on in the 9th console generation, I urge you to watch the selected videos below.
#2 Illegal immigration in America is the new slave trade – More than ten million people illegally entered the United States through the US-Mexico border since 2021, resulting in rising crime, increased taxpayers’ money spending on illegal aliens, and more hardship for America’s own citizens. That’s not all. There are cartels taking advantage of the open border in the south that kept thousands of people – including children – flowing into America and those illegal aliens themselves are forced to repay the debts to the cartels. These should remind you how bad immigration became in America under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (border czar who loves criminals and terrorists). This PrageU video is a must-watch.
#3 Retro gaming reported by KTLA 5 – It is not every day you get see retro gaming reported on mainstream news outlets. In America, KTLA 5 made a video news report about the resurgence of retro gaming and it’s not limited to gamers buying collected editions of decades-old games for their modern game consoles. In fact, the video game store in KTLA 5’s report is selling old games in physical copies as well as old game consoles at affordable rates. Watch the video below.
#4 The history and American origin of the Lawson convenience store enterprise – Here in the Philippines, the convenience store chain Lawson has been gradually growing and becoming more competitive with the likes of 7-Eleven and Uncle John’s. Not only that, Lawson is gaining a following of customers who keep on returning because of the variety of food and beverage items offered plus convenient ways of doing financial transactions. While it is common knowledge that Lawson is from Japan and is a Japanese enterprise, not too many people are aware of its American origin. To learn about the history of Lawson, watch the video below.
#5 Israel’s intensified campaign against Hezbollah – After the recent attacks against several members of the Iranian-sponsored terrorist group Hezbollah through their pagers, Israel’s military campaign against the terrorists intensified. This happened even as Hezbollah kept on firing at Israel (in response to the pagers attacks) and even hitting Nazareth which itself has many Arabs and Muslims in its local population. Don’t let the pro-terrorist, pro-Islamist mainstream news media fool you with their persistent lying. Watch the videos from credible news sources below to realize the truth. Lastly, keep praying to the Lord to support Israel and bring down the forces of evil.
6. Kamala Harris’ dishonesty and pathetic acting about border security explained
In recent times, the Communist Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris visited the US-Mexico border to check on the situation there as illegal immigration added so much to crime. The problem here is that Kamala was simply acting to be responsible and working, and it is not a secret that the Democrats hired Communist Hollywood people to stage it behind the scenes. Sky News Australia’s video below is a must-see and remember that Democrats always love illegal aliens, criminals, abortion and terrorists. Kamala herself publicly declared her support for illegal aliens and defended them.
Author Carlo Carrasco 