gaming consoles – Page 3 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 23

December 2, 2024November 13, 2024carlocarrasco

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. Raiders of the Lost Ark game print ads

*The print ad with strong Indiana Jones imagery.*

*The print ad with the movie theater exterior image and the small image of the Atari 2600 console.*

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark was one of the best adventure movies ever made as well as the start of the iconic character Indiana Jones. Given its huge commercial success, an official video game adaptation for the Atari 2600 was released in 1982 and game designer Howard Scott Warshaw even met with Spielberg during the game’s development.

To promote the game, Atari released two print ads – one ad had a movie theater exterior visual concept to emphasize they have the official video game adaptation based on the movie while the other ad showed the game’s official artwork and game box cover while emphasizing a savings offer. Atari really did what they could to sell a game while riding on the success of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

2. Phoenix print ad

*Even without any screenshots, this print ad’s art still gives viewers a clear idea of what to expect.*

Similar to what they did with Galaxian and Joust, Atari made this print ad promoting Phoenix which was a 2D sci-fi shooting game that was similar with Space Invaders in design. Colorized, hand-drawn artwork resembling the 2D sprites of the game was done to capture the attention of people. The art is so good, it made up for the lack screenshots of the game.

3. Moon Patrol arcade flyer

Moon Patrol was a 2D sci-fi side-scrolling adventure game first released in the arcades in 1982. To sell the game to arcade operators, publisher Williams created the North American arcade flyer that heavily used hand-drawn comic book-style artworks on both sides while using available space on the other side for the descriptive text, contact details and the image of an arcade machine. What is very clear is that no screenshots of the game were shown to stand out which explains why a lot of hand-drawn art was used. The picture of the machine showing a screen of Moon Patrol was the closest thing to see a screenshot on this flyer. Personally, I really like the style and quality of the hand-drawn artwork as it made the flyer look lively.

4. Paperboy arcade flyers

*The arcade flyer showing the Paperboy machine and screenshots. The hand-drawn art is nice.*

*This one uses comedy showing a grown man riding a bike as a paper delivery “boy”.*

*I really like the stronger emphasis on the in-game graphics of Paperboy which dominates the space. What you see is what you get in the arcade.*

The first time I ever played the classic Paperboy was in the arcade inside a Las Vegas hotel way back in 1989, and it sure was a challenging yet fun experience. Before its arcade debut in 1985, the developers took a lot of risks making the game which includes coming up with a bicycle handle bar for each machine to have. To promote the game, Atari made at least three arcade flyers that creatively emphasized what the game’s concept was about, how did it play, why does the machine have bicycle handlebars and why players can expect fun. Atari’s promotional efforts paid off as Paperboy became a huge hit in the arcades not only in America but also in Japan.

5. Frogger multi-platform print ad

*This print ad is still amusing to look at.*

After Frogger became a hit in the arcades, Parker Brothers secured the rights to port the game on Atari consoles, the Intellivision, TI-99/4A, vic-20, the Commodore computers and ColecoVision. To promote their Frogger ports, the single-page print ad was made showing a player in the foreground playing in front of screens that each showed what the game looked like on each platform. Parker Brothers found tremendous success selling 4 million copies of Atari 2600 version of Frogger at a time when there were only 13 million units of Atari 2600 in existence. By the year 2005, video game sales of Frogger reached 20 million worldwide across different platforms.

6. Predator 2 print ad

*This is one very edgy print ad as used an official image from the movie.*

If there is anything memorable about the 1990 film Predator 2, it is the fact that it had the story and the alien hunter itself within a metropolitan setting. That being said, the Sega Genesis Predator 2 video game had a suitable design of shooting and adventuring within the urban settings. This video game ad really captured the vibe of the movie (even showing the reddish human skull with spine on the Predator’s left hand) and clearly showed what gamers could expect. This old ad is still captivating to look at and its edgy approach is still intact.

7. Atari Jaguar print ad

*Did you ever own an Atari Jaguar console?*

When I was reading video game magazines back in the 1990s, I always found print ads of the Atari Jaguar intriguing to look at. I was very young when I first played the Atari 2600 and its games at home, and later played some Atari games in the arcade. To me, seeing Atari Jaguar print ads like this one gave me moments of nostalgia and it made me wonder if Atari knew what it was doing with their so-called 64-bit game console. They did what they could to promote their console and the games within this 2-page print ad.

8. Vs. print ad

*This print ad easily reminds me of the 1990s.*

By 1997, both the arcades and the video game console market were filled with lots of 2D and 3D polygonal fighting games. Japan was the hot spot of the production of 3D polygon fighting games and the developer Polygon Magic (based in Japan) made Fighters’ Impact which Taito released in Japanese arcades and the PlayStation. The said game was picked up by THQ for a late-1997 release on the PlayStation in America under the title Vs. I never played this game but I heard that the game’s development included gang-oriented characters designed by Marvel Comics artist Kurtis Fujita. This Vs. ad is a lively reminder about the hip-hop fashion that made its way into video games.

9. GoldStar/LG Electronics 3DO print ad

*This is a very weird way to market a video game machine.*

Back in the 1990s, the South Korean electronics company GoldStar (which was part of the umbrella of LG Electronics) had the license to produce 3DO game consoles with its own style. In some ways, the GoldStar 3DO console looked like a premium console on the outside. Unfortunately, the GoldStar 3DO print ad here had a very sloppy presentation as the ad makers used very weird art of a brain-with-eyes holding a 3DO controller leaving little space left to promote the console and games (without any screenshots). The text description was sloppily done. This is a bad example of promoting video game hardware and games.

10. Pandemonium 2 print ad

*I saw this ad but never played the game.*

Looking back at 1997, I find it strange that I never got to play Pandemonium 2 on the PlayStation even though I saw its print ad in magazines. I had a lot of fun playing Pandemonium! on the console in 1996 but somehow missed out on its sequel. Looking back at the Pandemonium 2 print ad, I was surprised with how the game developers redesigned the two playable protagonists, especially Nikki who was clearly made to look very sexy. The word “libido” (meaning sexual drive) was deliberately placed above Nikki. The ad also had a hypnotizing mix of colors which I believe was also deliberately done by the ad makers. I can only wonder how the game played.

11. Mission: Impossible print ad

In 1990, Ultra Games (a label of Konami) released the Mission: Impossible video game on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in America. Developed by Konami, the game was an adaptation of the 1988 TV series and it had an ambitious design with regards to level design and gameplay. To promote the game, the ad makers came up with a visual design showing the game’s box (which had a nice painted art on the cover) on the foreground and several screenshots resembling TV monitors on the background. Even by today’s standards, this print ad still looks good and captivating even if you are not too familiar with Mission: Impossible on TV.

12. The Lawnmower Man Sega CD and Genesis print ad

*Are you fan of The Lawnmower Man movie?*

Back in 1992, there was a lot of buzz generated by the movie The Lawnmower Man as it had a disturbing concept that involved virtual reality and, more notably, author Stephen King sued the filmmakers to remove his name from the title because the film differed so much from the source material. Of course, those developments did not stop the production of video game adaptations of the movie. This print ad promoting the Sega CD and Sega Genesis versions of the game heavily used the images of CyberJobe which were among the most memorable images from the film. Looking at the ad, the ad makers could have made the screenshots look a little larger to really sell the games.

13. Ground Zero: Texas print ad

*The shotguns really made this ad eye-catching.*

I never played the Sega CD video game Ground Zero: Texas but I knew that it was one of those games that heavily relied on video footage while giving players moments to interact. Back in 1993, there was an increase in the number of video games that carried lots of live action footage to drive the narrative and players were given options in order to progress. What is very notable about the game is not the game design but the very 2-page ad used to promote it. The image showing four people pointing their shotguns towards the viewer was easily the most captivating part of the ad. Even though there was vacant space in between, the screenshots of the game were displayed to be really small.

14. Alien vs. Predator for SNES and Game Boy print ad

*This ad caught the attention of a lot of people back then.*

Back in 1990, Dark Horse Comics launched the 4-issue mini-series of Aliens vs. Predator which turned out to be a very intriguing and engaging crossover comic book tale featuring two iconic sci-fi species of monsters. The success of the comic books led to the production of many video games which delighted both fans of Predator and Aliens. In 1993, Activision released Alien vs. Predator on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the single-page print ad they came up with was engaging to look at. The SNES game box with the fine looking painted art was the main visual highlight leaving just enough space for the descriptive text, the Game Boy cover and two screenshots. Believe it or not, this video game was not related at all with the Alien vs. Predator arcade game and Atari Jaguar console game.

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 43

November 27, 2024November 19, 2024carlocarrasco

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

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

#1 When 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 2^nd 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.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 22

November 18, 2024October 21, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.

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

1. 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

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

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.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 21

November 4, 2024October 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.

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

1. 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

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 4^th 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.

8. GamePro magazine sweepstakes print announcement

*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 10^th 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 4^th 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.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 37

October 23, 2024October 27, 2024carlocarrasco

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

#1 In-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.

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Do you have Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration for Xbox?

October 16, 2024October 9, 2024carlocarrasco

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.

In this modern age of gaming, the gaming experience on Xbox this year soured somewhat and there were changes made on Xbox Game Pass (XGP) that I did not like. This year, it is retro gaming that I am enjoying on my Xbox Series X and the best 2024 experience I had was replaying and completing Grandia 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.*

*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.*

If you are an Xbox Series X owner and you are passionate about retro gaming, I encourage you to go after Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration while it is still available and you can order a physical copy by clicking https://www.amazon.com/Atari-50-Anniversary-Celebration-Xbox-X/dp/B0BB81M854/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NGKBZ5ELWEMR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OaxQ6LwrFw8ugeckn5tgrkRkXnRxdqTsibdJxcSrPmD2KjKDq_bR4FE-ADmLqZX905jbSpfkzhRn1UgC-V2yOGYAGlZpzU6euxh2_FNFRYO2ZPfhhwTgMJTJq9qjrMNVwy2_jhwlxf4S9R0GQiGJe_dk0U9o-w1xKXKQ_bNbHN-QGyFXq8KBbwYDluM_pUGjkC-TFth7PX-IltiofdvAK0mSQ3rt9EQ5pa3mYjgWZjE.TAmL4QRUQgmoBpOLyGJYZN-LKOf47qyO3MwplApdC50&dib_tag=se&keywords=atari+50+xbox&qid=1728442894&sprefix=Atari+50+x%2Caps%2C420&sr=8-1

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 19

October 7, 2024September 19, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.

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

1. Vendetta UK and North American arcade flyers

*Vendetta arcade flyer for North America*

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 171^st best game in its Top 200 Games chart published in 2006.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 35

October 2, 2024October 1, 2024carlocarrasco

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

#1 The disappointing 9^th 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 9^th 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 9^th 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 9^th 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.

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Xbox Game Pass (XGP) keeps on changing for the worse

September 22, 2024September 16, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers!

Let’s be honest here. There are changes regarding Xbox Game Pass (XGP) that are disadvantageous to both Xbox fans and the gamers who subscribe for the best value in gaming. In fact, the said subscriber service is getting is getting worse as reported by Windows Central Gaming. You heard about the Standard tier of XGP? Are you aware that certain first-party games are not even part of the services below the Ultimate tier of XGP?

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from Windows Central Gaming’s news report. Some parts in boldface…

Xbox Game Pass has long been the key differentiator for Microsoft’s gaming business, offering an alternative subscription-based store against Steam on PC, and offering heaps of value on console against PlayStation with its day-one games pledge. That covenant has been undone now, though.

Now, only users on the $19.99 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier will get day one games on console, with PC users retaining them at $11.99. The big change is to the basic “Console” tier, which has now essentially been removed for new users. The new Standard tier will start at $14.99 for new customers, and will include the Xbox Live Gold (Game Pass Core) multiplayer paywall specifically for premium games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6. Crucially, though, it won’t actually include Call of Duty Black Ops 6.

Previously, Xbox Game Pass’ promise was to offer day-one Microsoft-owned titles into the service. Games like Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Flight Simulator, and many other heavy hitters dropped straight into Xbox Game Pass Console, PC Game Pass, and Ultimate, granting the service far better value on paper than competing options. Xbox Game Pass Standard no longer guarantees day-one access to Xbox games, meaning the hotly anticipated Call of Duty Black Ops 6 will be available only to PC Game Pass users, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Despite paying more than PC Game Pass users, Xbox Game Pass “Standard” members will not get access to said games.

To compound matters, it was discovered recently (via Forbes) that Xbox Game Pass Standard has removed access to a wide variety of games that are currently active on the deprecated Xbox Game Pass “Console” tier, which is only available for users who maintain a subscription. If you swap out your subscription to gain access to Xbox Live Gold, which isn’t available on Xbox Game Pass “Console,” then you’ll lose access to a huge list of titles.

I encourage you to read the rest of Windows Central Gaming’s article by clicking https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-game-pass-standard-is-sub-standard-games-like-starfield-diablo-4-go-retroactively-missing-from-the-consoles-game-pass-mid-tier

I hope understand what was reported. Specifically for those who own Xbox consoles, the three Xbox Game Pass services available for your choosing are Core at $9.99/month, Standard for $14.99/month and Ultimate for $19.99/month (note: only $1 will be charged for the first 14 days before the regular rate gets implemented).

If you will subscribe to Core or Standard, you will NOT be able to play Avowed and Indiana Jones and The Great Circle once they launch on XGP. Avowed will launch on February 18, 2025 while the Indiana Jones game will be released on December 9, 2024. At the same time, you won’t be able to play the other Xbox heavy hitters like Forza Motorsport (2023), Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Halo Infinite and Starfield while subscribing with Core or Standard services.

It is clear that Microsoft is trying to lure gamers to take the most expensive XGP service – Ultimate. This can be disadvantageous to not only Xbox fans but the many millions of gamers out there who have yet to discover and subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.

As for those who have been XGP subscribers since at least a year ago, they are still enjoying the access to the above-mentioned heavy hitters while paying the same old monthly rate as before. If they stop subscribing now, they will lose their privileges and if they decide to return to the service with the same experience as before, they will have to subscribe to XGP Ultimate at $19.99 a month for the Day One access as well as the access to premium games.

Indeed, Xbox Game Pass is changing for the worse. In fact, it could be the first sign of things to come. I’m talking about the future of gaming under Microsoft that could mean the end of Xbox as we know it and Team Xbox becoming a multiplatform game publisher. Microsoft’s love and care for Xbox fans is fading away, and what they’re doing could turn off potential new gamers related to the changing demographics of the world.

This screenshot from Red Dead Redemption II should remind you that Microsoft is aiming at the wrong direction with regards to its video gaming strategy. Imagine being part of Team Xbox receiving orders from Microsoft’s top management that don’t make much sense with regards to gaming and the interests of the players.

If you plan to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass at all, start doing your research carefully before deciding to subscribe. Click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass

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Note: Cover photo sourced from Xbox.com

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars coming to Xbox consoles on March 6, 2025

September 18, 2024August 28, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers!

If you love classic Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) or if you are passionate about retro gaming, then be aware that Konami finally confirmed that Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars will be released for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on March 6, 2025.

The good news is here is that customers who proceed with their pre-orders of the game will get the following from Konami in digital form: Prosperity Orb, Fortune Orb and 57,300 potch (in-game currency to purchase in-game items).

In the remastered collection, Suikoden and Suikoden II (read my retro review) will be released with enhancements to look more presentable in high-definition with modern game consoles in mind. According to Konami, the graphical enhancements include: Pixel sprites and environment art enhanced with new screen effects including lighting, clouds, and shadow animations Flickering flames, smoldering smoke, the movement of leaves and insects, all add up to a lively in-game atmosphere!

There are also new character drawings updated in high-definition particularly with the first Suikoden RPG with the involvement of none other than Junko Kawano (the character designer of the said game’s original version from the mid-1990s).

Konami also confirmed that there are game system improvements which are as follows: dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles and more.

For the newcomers reading this, Suikoden and Suikoden II were original released on the first PlayStation console in the mid and late-1990s respectively. Those games were nicely received by gamers and video game critics which resulted in a long-lasting following. I myself played both games on the PlayStation and had a lot of fun collectively. While its predecessor was good, Suikoden II turned out to be bigger, better and more enjoyable. I should state that the sequel was clearly a direct follow-up to the first Suikoden and it was special to see memorable characters from the first game return such as Flik and Viktor. In my honest opinion, Suikoden II is one of the very best JRPGs ever released in the 1990s.

As for Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars itself, the said collection was supposed to be released in 2023 but Konami ended up delaying it. The collection is coming out on March 6, 2025 and I can only hope that Konami’s team did a good job with the enhancements and other technical stuff to justify the delay. I know for a fact that there are gamers out there who are disappointed with Konami’s handling of re-releases or enhanced versions of their classic games. For Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, I’m willing to give Konami a chance to prove that it took good care of the product with fans and JRPG enthusiasts in mind.

When it comes to RPGs on Xbox, the collection will be released over a month after that of the Xbox-exclusive RPG Avowed. Xbox fans have two promising RPG releases to look forward to in the 1^st quarter of 2025.

For more details and updates about Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars for Xbox consoles, click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/Suikoden-I-II-HD-Remaster-Pre-order/9P9FM62WZXR2

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