Konami – Page 5 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 12

July 1, 2024December 12, 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 from the 1980s and 1990s. In addition, there will be a few flyers of arcade games.

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 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. Contra arcade flyer

*A clever visual concept by Konami towards gamers and arcade operators.*

*Details on the other side of the flyer.*

Before it established itself as a popular gaming franchise with console gamers, Contra truly started in the arcades in 1987. First released in Japan on February 1987, Konami went on to release the game in arcades in the United States a month later and the flyer you see here was the Americanized promotion they came up with. Instead of hiring male actors or models to play soldiers, they hired a slim lady to appear with a female Rambo look standing in front of a Contra arcade machine. On the other side of the flyer are details that players and arcade operators can learn from. By today’s standards, this arcade flyer of Contra is still eye-catching and even amusing to look at.

2. College Football’s National Championship print ad

*This ad has a strong visual appeal to gamers who like football.*

This is another one of those video game ads I saw while reading comic books in the 1990s. College Football’s National Championship was a Sega Genesis-exclusive American football video game published by Sega (with the Sega Sports brand) to capitalize on gamers who want college football to play with at home. This print ad has a nice visual presentation of the college teams’ logos, screenshots and details of what gamers could expect when they buy and play the game. College Football’s National Championship received mostly positive reviews and it must have sold well because Sega went on to release a sequel to this game.

3. Robotron X print ad

*This Robotron game was made at a time when 3D polygons became common for making video games.*

Having played the classic game Robotron: 2084 on PC back in the 1980s, I was very surprised to see this print ad in 1996 promoting a brand new Robotron game for PlayStation as well as Windows PC. For the newcomers reading this, Robotron: 2084 was a classic which heavily influenced game designers who went on make other fan-favorite games like Smash TV and Llamatron. What makes Robotron X notable apart from being an official follow-up to the classic game was the fact that it was made at a time when game developers did their stuff to modernize gaming with 3D polygons for visuals while trying to come up with gameplay inspired by the classics. While Robotron X did not make a major impact on gaming, the classic Robotron: 2084 went on to be released in several multi-platform compilations such as Williams Arcade’s Greatest Hits, Midway’s Greatest Arcade Hits, and Midway Arcade Treasures.

4. Space Jam game print ad

*If you saw the movie in 1996, were you able to play this video game adaptation?*

What makes 1996 a memorable year for basketball fans was the Michael Jordan’s return to prominence (having previously retired for less than two years before returning to the NBA in 1995) and leading a very powerful Chicago Bulls team to what was their 4^th NBA championship title. In that same year, Jordan starred in the live-action/animated movie Space Jam which grossed an impressive $250 million worldwide. On the same month the movie came out, the Space Jam video game adaptation was also released on PlayStation and Sega Saturn. This print ad was part of the multimedia hype of the movie and the game itself had a very similar design and visuals concept with NBA Jam but ultimately it failed to become a hit with critics and gamers. Not even the combined visual might of Jordan and Warner Bros. characters could achieve success.

5. Magic Johnson’s Fast Break print ad

Still on basketball video gaming, the side-scrolling Magic Johnson’s Fast Break game was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) for console gamers to enjoy. Unsurprisingly, this ad had nice black-and-white art work of Magic Johnson as the dominant figure while leaving little space left to show the game box and only one screenshot. The real meat of this print ad are the details laid down in text description.

6. Virtua Fighter 2 for Sega Genesis print ad

*Clearly a late effort by Sega to sell something to its many Genesis owners/fans in America at a time when PlayStation and Nintendo 64 started dominating 5th console generation sales.*

In the history of arcade gaming and fighting games, Virtua Fighter 2 was a worthy follow-up to its groundbreaking predecessor. VF2 also made its way on the Sega Saturn which essentially maintained the great gameplay and 60 frames-per-second animation even though the 3D polygonal graphics were noticeably lower in quality compared to its arcade version. With VF2 in the arcades and on Saturn selling well, I was surprised to see this print ad of Sega releasing a totally different version of the game on the aging Sega Genesis console. Virtua Fighter 2 on Genesis had 2D graphics, sprites for the characters and a side-scrolling visual design. In fairness, the game developers exerted effort to recapture some of the gameplay elements within the Genesis limitations and 2D graphics. This print ad is a reminder of Sega’s American division selling a product to the remaining active Genesis owners.

7. Ring King print ad

*Ring King itself clearly lacked promotional space in this ad.*

In 1987, Data East released their arcade hit game Ring King on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and prepared this print ad involving Ray Leonard, Jr. (on the foreground in boxing gear) and conveniently with the famous Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns (with the promo of their first fight together in the background). Also conveniently, the company inserted their other games on the lowest part of the ad. Ultimately, the presence of Ring King itself was minimized only showing the game cover and two screenshots. This is clearly an eye-catching ad but there was not enough emphasis on the game itself.

8. Super Spacefortress Macross arcade flyer

*The arcade flyer released only in Japan.*

Have you ever seen the classic anime movie Macross: Do You Remember Love? I really love watching that movie and I played and finished the video game adaptation on PlayStation in 1999. What I never got to play was the arcade game adaptation of it which was released by Banpresto in Japan in 1992. This flyer promoting the game has a strong visual presentation thanks to the artwork made for it. Only one screenshot was shown as well as a clip from 1984 the animated movie (note: the arcade game itself has some images directly from the film plus some newly created ones added) but this ad still had what it takes to capture the attention of the many Macross fans in Japan. This arcade game was eventually released with an English translation in America and Australia.

9. 2-in-1 print ad featuring Super C and Snake’s Revenge

*A memorable and intriguing print ad from Konami promoting sequels.*

This is one of the ads that Konami came up with to promote at least two games using a single-page ad format. I saw this ad in many comic books I read decades ago and its visual concept always caught my attention especially since I played the console game Contra a lot. At the high end of the ad were two fictional newspaper headlines highlighting the respective conflicts of Snake’s Revenge (with a nuclear danger concept) and Super C (with emphasis on alien invaders). These two games were sequels to the classics Metal Gear and Contra, and Konami clearly knew how to take advantage of the older games’ success and do their best to sell the sequels to gamers who love action-packed gaming as well as fantasized armed conflicts. Like the 2-in-1 ad showcasing Contra and Jackal, this was Konami’s aggressive move to sell war-inspired games to the NES userbase which was mostly composed of children and teenagers.

10. True Lies game print ad

*There is nothing like taking advantage of the imagery of a Hollywood superstar to promote a video game based on the related movie.*

Here is a video game ad I saw in many comic books I read in 1994-1995. True Lies (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) was one of the big summer season movie hits of 1994 and the video game was part of the business tie-ins with the film. The people who made this print ad made the smart moves of showing not just one but three images of Schwarzenegger to promote the game while leaving some space to show what the game looked like. The True Lies game even had stills from the movie to emphasize the flow of the plot.

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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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 11

June 17, 2024May 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

1. M.I.A.: Missing in Action arcade flyer

*This is an effective way of catching the attention of both players and arcade operators. I can imagine the woke, the SJWs and rabid feminists getting easily offended by this.*

Konami was a very prominent producer of games back in the 1980s. Not only did the company produce high-quality and enjoyable military-themed games on consoles and computers, Konami also made its presence felt in the highly competitive sector of arcade games. In 1989, they released the arcade conversion kit of M.I.A.: Missing in Action and this flyer is the best know promotion of it. M.I.A.: Missing in Action is the follow-up to Konami’s hit game Rush’n Attack.

Visually, the flyer’s display of four screenshots combined with a dominating photographic image of prisoners of war (POWs) getting delightfully released by an attractive female Rambo-type rescuer were designed to catch the attention of young adult and adult gamers. The text descriptions (note: there were more details on the back of the flyer), however, were geared towards arcade operators who were looking for new games to acquire without the hassle of having to buy an entire arcade cabinet. That being said, this flyer was a clever way to appeal to arcade operators and the people who love playing arcade games.

2. Fonz arcade flyer

*Simplistic yet effective to look at. If you are an arcade operator, this flyer conveniently has key information displayed.*

Believe it or not, Sega was already active in arcade games way back in the 1970s. In this particular flyer, Sega’s arcade game Fonz (also called Moto-Cross, Man T.T.) offered players the unique experience of driving a digital vehicle using actual handlebars on the machine that were meant to create an immersive and realistic feel. If you look closely, the flyer has lots of details written with arcade operators and players in mind.

3. Haunted Castle arcade flyer

*Indeed, this game is part of the Castlevania game franchise. It was one of the first Castlevania games released for arcades.*

Arguably, Konami is best known for the Castlevania game series which covered handheld gaming devices, personal computers, video game consoles and even arcades. Haunted Castle (Japanese title: Akumajō Dracula) is the 2^nd arcade game of the Castlevania franchise and it is not a port of any console game. Like the arcade flyer of M.I.A.: Missing in Action, this one was crafted to lure the attention (and money) of arcade operators looking for conversion kits to replace their old games. The visual presentation is eye-catching and even though the Castlevania brand was nowhere to be seen, Castlevania fans could tell this this arcade offering was part of their favorite game franchise.

4. The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? flyer and poster

*The poster promoting the release of the game for Sega Saturn in Japan.*

*The flyer promoting the Sega Saturn game’s 1997 release as well as the 15th anniversary of Macross.*

In 1997, the 15^th anniversary of the Macross multimedia franchise was celebrated in Japan and among the highlights was the release of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? on the Sega Saturn. To promote the game and the franchise itself, lots of flyers and posters were released in Japan. If you look at the illustrated images on the promotional materials closely, you will realize that they are not from the original 1982-83 Macross anime TV series but rather from the The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? animated movie of 1984 (read my retro movie review by clicking here).

While it might be baffling to some as to why the original anime TV series was not used as the source material for the 15^th anniversary celebration through gaming, the 1984 anime feature film was actually more adaptable for a video game project (read my retro review by clicking here). It is so obvious, you just have to ask yourselves this question – how can the game developers compress the entire concepts of the 36-episode Macross anime series into one game while ensuring fun gameplay? Regardless, the game was a lot of fun to play and I enjoyed playing the PlayStation version in 1999.

5. Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety print ad

*A clear effort to sell the game to gamers as well as fans of Spider-Man and Venom.*

In 1994, Acclaim released Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (based on the 1993 comic book storyline Maximum Carnage) on Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis ultimately becoming popular with comic book fans and gamers who enjoyed sidescrolling beat-them-up games.

Subsequently, Acclaim and develop Software Creations reunited to release the sequel Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety a year later on the two leading 16-bit consoles as well as on personal computer (PC). If there is anything notable about this eye-catching print ad, it is the fact that its visual presentation (with graphics on-par with the previous year’s game) cleverly hides the fact that it did not have much new to offer gamers with regards to gameplay and story cutscenes (which the previous game prominently had). Eventually, this game attracted weaker reviews from game critics and has since been forgotten.

6. Tecmo Super Bowl SNES print ad

*From the time when Tecmo was still a strong producer of sports video games.*

In 1991, Tecmo Super Bowl was released on the aging Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and because its game design greatly entertained gamers, it became a tremendous commercial success. Not even the very high launch price of $54.99 stopped it from selling a lot.

To keep the commercial success and public interest going, Tecmo announced a new version of the game for the more powerful SNES console with the simple title of Tecmo Super Bowl. If you look closely at the print ad, you will notice that gameplay screenshots were not used at all. Instead, they showed images of the nicely illustrated art works they prepared as eye candy for the game with the intention of making it look cinematic. This is very curious because gameplay itself was the main selling factor of the NES version of Tecmo Super Bowl. I can only guess that Tecmo was not ready to show gameplay images by the time this print ad was made.

7. X-Men 2: Clone Wars print ad

*The art used is too alienating for promoting this game.*

During the age of the 16-bit consoles, there was a variety of X-Men video games released and produced by different companies. In 1993, an X-Men game published by Sega was released exclusively on the Genesis console which turned out to be fun for gamers and received mostly positive reviews from the critics. Sega went on to publish the sequel X-Men 2: Clone Wars and this print ad caught my attention because of how exaggerated the characters looked. It’s so strange, it’s as if the artist took visual reference from a somewhat blocky 3D polygonal portrait then tried to make them look hand-drawn. I wonder if anyone from Sega regretted this.

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Have you been playing Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes?

May 31, 2024May 31, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers! It has been over a month since Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was launched on multiple platforms worldwide and like many other gamers who are currently subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP), I downloaded it and played it a lot although there were a some technical setbacks that happened along the way.

For the newcomers reading this, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a brand new and stylized turn-based Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) developed by Rabbit & Bear studio which was led by the late Yoshitaka Murayama and involved the talents of notable creators who collectively worked on Konami’s Suikoden RPG series.

*In-game world exploration is done with a 3D polygonal environment and your character is a 2D sprite.*

*A battle against a very large monster.*

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a fantasy role-playing game that has a lot in common with the first two Suikoden RPGs in terms of fantasy concepts, gameplay, game design, mini-games, and the recruiting of many characters. Having finished Suikoden and Suikoden II on the PlayStation myself, I can clearly say that this new JRPG is technically a Suikoden game without the name.

As of this writing, I played Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes for over 80 hours on my Xbox Series X console. While I am at the point of moving the story forward leading the army (led by the playable protagonist Nowa) in the struggle against the empire led by Dux Aldric (who reminds me a lot of Suikoden II’s Luca Blight), I have decided to focus first on side quests, resource collecting, the mini-games and recruiting more characters. This RPG was designed to allow players to have sufficient freedom to take on side activities on the side and explore the world for recruits and resources.

*The cooking contest functions very much look those in Suikoden II.*

*Somehow General Elektra reminds me of Valeria in the first two Suikoden games.*

While this is not a game review, I can say that I am enjoying Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes with the way it was designed, how the story was written (lots of intrigue related to the in-game geopolitics which are balanced with fantasy quests), how the characters were presented and the assorted variety of gameplay content. It has been almost three years since this game (along with Rising) was first announced for Xbox Game Pass (click here and here) and considering the fun I had already, I can say the wait was worth it. The mini-games are, for the most part, fun to do and you can watch the short video clips from my progress in the game.

There were some technical setbacks along the way. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes did not run properly on my Xbox Series X resulting in the game crashing and even sudden console shutdowns. I got these console readings of “overheating” and “insufficient ventilation” with the game and these incidents happened only with it. As such, I had to open my Xbox, cleaned up the interior and removed as much dust as I could. Since then, the game developers patched the game but still it pushed my Xbox so hard, game crashing and sudden shutdowns still occurred from time to time. I also noticed there are certain locations within the game that resulted in the sudden acceleration of the Xbox Series X internal fan. Very clearly Rabbit & Bear’s technical support team still has a lot of work to do to meet customer satisfaction.

*Each time you successfully recruit a new character, you will see this quick and flashy visual presentation.*

Along the way, I observed that other games such as Resident Evil 4 remake, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, and the most recent release Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II respectively pushed my Xbox Series X to perform hard (with the internal fan run fast) but there were no game crashes and no sudden shutdowns at all. Only Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes resulted in “overheating” and “insufficient ventilation” readings and disruptions.

Considering the hassles, I managed to get the fun and discoveries with Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on my Xbox. Here is hoping that the game developer will soon release another patch for Xbox Series X to make the game run well while consuming less power somehow. Given the fantastic presentation of the game, technical disruptions on Xbox Series X should not have happened at all.

*There is so much to explore and discover in this game!*

So what are you waiting for? If you are already a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, you can download Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or the aging Xbox One. If you have extra money and want to support Rabbit & Bear studio, buying the digital copy of the game is the recommended option. For more information about the Suikoden-inspired JRPG, visit https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/eiyuden-chronicle

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 20

May 27, 2024May 23, 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 NHK World’s Game Planet Documentary – If you are very passionate about video games and you want to see gaming through the views of the Japanese and the Chinese, then you should see NHK World’s documentary here. This video documentary is also a must-see for those who love playing the Street Fighter video games. Lots of creative talents from Capcom and Tencent interviewed.

#2 Square Enix decides to drop PlayStation exclusivity and go multiplatform with their business – It was indeed bound to happen and I was not surprised about it. In case you missed the news, Square Enix announced it will drop PlayStation exclusivity in favor of going aggressive with a multiplatform strategy. This is because there was a massive 70% profit drop on the part of Square Enix and sales of the PlayStation 5-exclusive Final Fantasy VII Rebirth were undeniably disappointing. To understand the details better, posted below is one analytical video and one critical video.

#3 Nick Anderson’s notorious 4 missed free throws and disrespect towards Michael Jordan – If you are long-time basketball fan, you would at least be aware of significant events during the NBA Playoffs and the Finals in 1995. I am talking about Nick Anderson who is still remembered as the guy who missed four free throws as his team (Orlando Magic) was already leading by three points ahead of the Houston Rockets (defending champions) during Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. As history recorded, the Houston Rockets swept the Magic 4-0 to win their 2^nd straight NBA championship. Going back to Anderson, he is also the same guy who disrespected Michael Jordan during the Eastern Conference semifinals. Posted below are three videos for you to watch.

#4 Reggie Miller’s 8 points in 8.9 seconds – Still with the 1995 NBA Playoffs, here is a look back at the miraculous achievement of Reggie Miller scoring eight points in less than nine seconds during a game against the New York Knicks at the Madison Square Garden. For the newcomers reading this, the playoff rivalry between the Knicks and Indiana Pacers started in 1994 and by the time their rematch in 1995 was realized, collective fan anticipation was already high. There was no better way to raise the stakes in the rematch than Miller’s unexpected 8 points in 8.9 seconds. Watch the video below.

#5 Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video of Deep Impact – In 1998 here in the Philippines, I saw the sci-fi film Deep Impact in a cinema during its first week of release. It was entertaining to watch given the sci-fi spectacle, the concept and, of course, the wide cast of actors that includes the legendary Robert Duvall in a really solid supporting role. What is most notable about Deep Impact is the fact that it was made to spark emotion from viewers and that is most inevitable in the movie reaction video by Popcorn in Bed. With the current number of Deep Impact reaction videos available on YouTube as of this writing, the best one is viewable right below…

#6 HolyLandSite’s video of the tour of the Oaks of Mamre in Israel – Recently HolyLandSite released their newest Holy Land video focused on the Oaks of Mamre in Israel which is the historical and biblical site where the Abrahamic Covenant was given. Oaks of Mamre is filled with evidence that it is indeed the very place where Abraham met God. God’s covenant has always been with the Jewish people (read Genesis 17:15-21 in the Holy Bible). This video also has biblical lessons for those who follow Lord Jesus and the Word of God. May this also remind you that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.

#7 Retrospective video about Konami’s X-Men arcade game – Just a few years before Capcom and Marvel Comics teamed up for the production of arcade games featuring superheroes and the publisher’s own characters, Konami literally rocked the arcades with a lot of fun with the X-Men arcade game of 1992. Using the established character designs from the 1989 cartoon X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, the arcade game allowed players to choose one of six superheroes to play as (listed were Cyclops, Wolverine, Dazzler, Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler) and engage in side-scrolling beat-them-up action fighting the many minions of Magneto. The X-Men arcade game was undeniably successful and impacted the way people enjoyed multiplayer sessions in the arcades. You can learn more from this in-depth retro gaming video by PatmanQC.

#8 FilmComicsExplained’s Demolition Man video analysis – When I first saw Demolition Man (1993), I perceived it as a Sylvester Stallone action movie laced with futuristic science fiction (sci-fi) concepts. I noticed the film’s portrayal of what future society could become and what futuristic technologies could be used by people. By today’s standards, Demolition Man is perceived to be prophetic with its presentation and the video by FilmComicsExplained takes an in-depth look into it. It is a must-see!

#9 The death of wicked Iran’s president – Since 1979, Iran became wicked and its government has officially been sponsoring terrorists and terrorism activities in the Middle East for far too long. In case you missed the news, the president of Iran died in a helicopter crash recently and there were other fatalities with him. The president of Iran not only publicly called for the destruction of Israel, he is also responsible for harming minorities and political opponents, hurting protesters in Iran and more. There are reasons why the dead president has been called the Butcher of Tehran. For a clear view and analysis over the death of the president of Iran, watch the selected videos below. Do not trust Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media as they support terrorism.

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A Look Back at Contra (1988)

May 22, 2024May 21, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from playing the video game and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back retro gaming fans and readers!

Today, we will go back to the late 1980s to examine one of the most significant console games of the decade…Konami’s Contra. To put things in perspective, Contra started in the arcades in 1987 and went on to become a big hit. Konami went on to make a version of the game for Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the West and the Family Computer (Famicom) in Japan that resulted in different looking graphics (both artistically and technically), reworked stages, and different and extended level designs that were done within the consoles’ limitations. In short, the home version of Contra was pretty different from the arcade version but still was made to be fun and exciting on its own.

In my personal experience, my discovery of Contra has always been on the Famicom and some time later on the NES. For this retro review, I replayed Contra (both Famicom and NES versions) via the Contra Anniversary Collection on my Xbox Series X.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Contra, developed and published by Konami for the NES and Famicom in 1988. The NES version was released one week ahead of the Famicom version in February 1988.

*The start screen of the NES version of Contra. The commando with dark hair was deliberately made to resemble Sylvester Stallone somewhat.*

Game concept

In the far future, an alien army from space – Red Falcon – arrived on Earth inside a meteorite that landed on the Galuga archipelago. There, Red Falcon established an extensive high-tech base for their operations and eventually brainwashed a local human army to do what they want. Red Falcon plots to wipe out human civilization on the planet.

With the information about Red Falcon collected, the Earth Marine Corps send Contra unit members Bill Rizer and Lance Bean to the island to destroy the opposition and find out what Red Falcon has been doing…

Gameplay and quality

*Contra is an action-packed 2D side-scrolling game with strong sci-fi and military influences.*

To begin with, Contra of 1988 was made to be a nicely-paced, action-packed, side-scrolling adventure game that has some 3D-like levels in between. The game design and levels Konami came up with was done to immerse gamers into actual participation in the military campaign against the aliens and their brainwashed human soldiers. This campaign not only includes battles through the forest of the Galuga archipelago but also through the interiors of Red Falcon’s high-tech facilities, going up an elevated location with waterfalls, the snowy area and further deep into the rest of the enemy’s mechanical base.

For the most part, you play as a commando armed with a rifle with unlimited ammunition. As you shoot enemies and make your way through the 2D side-scrolling level, there will be the occasional flying capsules that you can shoot down to gain new weapons/ammunition (S for Spread Shot, M for Machine Gun, L for Laser) or some power-up (temporary invincibility or the rare ability to eliminate all enemies present on-screen) to help yourself as the wave of opposition from Red Falcon is relentless (which is reason enough to compel you to keep progressing and fighting). There are also times when the mentioned enhancements suddenly pop out after killing an enemy.

To prevent the game from getting too old with side-scrolling, Konami implemented these stages in which players face the front to attack enemies, overcome obstacles and move forward with 3D-like effects going into the next place.

By default, this game is brutally hard. Not only do the enemies keep appearing (with some of their teammates being strategically placed to fire at you), the obstacles will compel you to take your time overcoming them. In this game, one-hit death is the norm and there are many moments in which falling to your death becomes a huge risk. You get hit, you not only lose one life, you will lose whatever powerful weapons you gained.

There are also stage bosses (powerful enemies that await you at the end of a level) that will challenge you so much, you will have to adjust your strategy, pay attention to the movements and timing of the enemy, and then adjust your way fighting.

*Only the Famicom version of Contra has this sequence.*

*I really love the sci-fi elements the game developers came up with for this classic game. There are lots of high-tech stuff to see here and this robotic enemy is just one of them.*

Fortunately for us players, the controls are really tight and very responsive. You can move your characters to overcome obstacles, avoid getting hit by enemies and even move down from one platform if the space below is safer. I still remember how precise and responsive the controls were on the NES and Famicom versions, and I can say that all the responsiveness made it on the Xbox controller when I replayed Contra on Xbox Series X with the Contra Anniversary Collection I downloaded. In fact, the high precision of the controls added to the fun of shooting enemies or obstacles with the Spread Shot while moving to the right as it was meant to be.

Considering the intense difficulty of the game, players who do the famous Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, and Start) will be reward with 30 lives when they start playing Contra. For Xbox gamers reading this, there is a slight difference with the Konami Code when playing Contra on Xbox consoles.

*Apart from shooting, there are lots of platform gaming elements to experience here. The difficulty is very brutal and the famous Konami Code will grant you 30 lives when you do the code correctly.*

*This cut-scene is only available in the Famicom version.*

With regards to game design, the Konami developers did a really fine job creating the levels, placing the challenges and setting up memorable boss battles for action/adventure-hungry gamers to indulge in. The developers also cleverly implemented the fictional/fantasy concepts into the game design which resulted in me getting immersed in the Contra team’s mission against the Red Falcon at their secret base.

Another highlight with playing Contra is the 2-player option and the above-mentioned Konami Code added to the fun and accessibility of. I still remember the old days of playing in a 2-player session (cooperative play essentially) of Contra at a friend’s house on a Famicom. Since my friends and I were already enthusiasts of 1980s Hollywood action movies, playing Contra was enjoyable even though the difficulty was brutal.

*This is one of the touch stage bosses you will encounter in the game.*

If there are any notable differences between the two versions of Contra of 1988, it would be the fact that the Japanese (Famicom) version has storytelling emphasized through cutscenes (with Japanese text displayed), a technical overview of the Red Falcon base at Galuga with maps displayed before you start a new level, in-game art, an additional scene that spiced up the ending and, most notably, more background/environmental animation. The additional animation on the Famicom version made the adventuring look and feel more lively and this is most evident in the final stage (lair of the alien).

Conclusion

*The Japanese cover art of Contra on Famicom. The Rambo-like character and the alien egg are obvious inspirations from Hollywood action movies of the 1980s.*

There is no doubt in my view that after all the decades that passed since I first played it, Contra (1988) is still very engaging and a lot of fun to play whether you choose the Famicom version or the NES version. The developers who made this game succeeding in making something very enjoyable for millions of gamers and it is very clear that the makers were inspired by Hollywood action movies of the decade. In my view, the most obvious military inspirations are Aliens (1986), Commando (1985) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).

Historically speaking, Contra (1988) was released at a time when militarism inspired many other game designers to come up with enjoyable games in different forms such as Cabal, Jackal, Rush’n Attack, Operation Wolf, Operation Thunderbolt to name some. Considering the overall quality and high fun factor Konami established, it is safe to say that this game is one of the finest among its militaristic gaming counterparts of its decade.

I had a grand time replaying Contra (1988) on my Xbox Series X in preparation for this review. Having played both NES and Famicom versions, I can say that the latter is the more complete and more immersive version to play. That does not necessarily mean the NES version is totally inferior. In fact, the NES version is more straightforward with the pick-up-and-play approach, and the gameplay itself is nearly identical (note: Famicom version is slightly more challenging) and very much fun to experience. If you are the player who really wants to be more immersed into the lore of Contra and absorb the military sci-fi concept Konami prepared, then the Famicom version is the one to play. That being said, now is a good time to purchase and download Contra Anniversary Collection.

Overall, Contra (1988) is highly recommended! It truly is a retro gaming gem!

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 9

May 20, 2024May 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 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. Konami’s 3-in-1 sports games print ad

*Long before the advent of major league sports video games, Konami was prolific with sports video games.*

Back in the 1980s, Konami was a prominent gaming company as they released a lot of games that became hits in the arcades, on home computers and gaming consoles. Considering the limited amount of games publishers were allowed to release on the Nintendo Entertainment System in America, what Konami released were really fun games to play and their contributions of sports-based video games on the NES were significant. Possibly due to a lack of marketing budget at the time, they promoted Blades of Steel, Double Dribble and Track & Field II with this single-page ad showing the game box covers and screenshots. Ultimately, this print ad was sufficient in giving gamers a clear idea of what to expect with the three games.

2. The Adventures of Bayou Billy print ad

*Bayou Billy looks inspired by the cinematic hero Crocodile Dundee. This video game even had a comic book adaptation published by Archie Comics.*

Still with Konami, the Japanese publisher released in America the non-military adventure game The Adventures of Bayou Billy for the NES which was a revised version of their 1988 Family Computer game titled Mad City (see the differences by clicking here). This game really looked like it was influenced by Hollywood action/adventure movies of the era and it provided gamers gameplay styles of light gun shooting, beat-them-up action and racing. The titular hero looks very inspired by the cinematic hero Crocodile Dundee. This print ad is very stylish and also eye-catching. I think it has done a good job to make viewers interested in the video game.

3. Krull Atari video game print ad

*I never got to play this Krull video game on Atari 2600, nor its arcade game.*

Way back in 1983, I was fortunate to see the science fantasy movie Krull inside the movie theater here in the Philippines. When I saw this print ad, I easily got excited for the Atari 2600 video game adaptation but never got to play it. This print ad does its job showing what Krull’s game looked like and the ad makers cleverly used painted art reflecting the movie’s characters and the armored enemies from space. I should add that between the time I saw the movie and the time I first saw this print ad, I became aware of the existence of the Krull arcade game by watching an episode of Starcade on TV.

4. Rocket Ranger NES print ad

*Really great and detailed painted artwork in this print ad.*

When Rocket Ranger on the Amiga in 1988, it had fancy visuals and a strong cinematic vibe that worked smoothly with the game design. This game was developed by Cinemaware which developed a reputation of releasing games based on classic film genres. In 1990, a version of Rocket Ranger for the NES was published by Kemco/Seika and print ads using painted art were made to promote the game. This particular print ad made heavy use of painted art which was captivating to look at while conveniently keeping people’s minds off the downgraded visuals of the NES version.

5. Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City print ad with contest entry

*Some gamers thought this was a basketball video game.*

Yes, it was all true. There definitely was a video game that NBA legend Michael Jordan endorsed. First released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America in 1994, Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City was a side-scrolling action game in which gamers play a digital version of Jordan who has to save his friends, fight enemies and move from one location to the next in order to progress. The fact that an image of Michael Jordan holding two balls was used in this print ad (as well as on the game cover) in a dominating fashion made some gamers think this was a basketball game. The display of screenshots was so small, it did not help the situation. Lastly, the available of a contest entry form in this print ad was meant to promote not only the game but also GamePro magazine.

6. Gun.Smoke print ad

*Gun.Smoke was indeed a fun game to play on NES. Therefore, the promotion is justified.*

This print ad of the NES port of Gun.Smoke has strong imagery and literary descriptions the strongly emphasize the Old West concept and setting. The screenshots displayed are too small but the descriptions more than made up for it. Ultimately, what this print ad emphasized was realized as the NES version of Gun.Smoke itself captured the continuous action and excitement of the arcade version and the graphical limitations of the console did not matter much. I myself played this game and it was a lot of fun.

7. Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage print ad

*This add appeared in my comic books and magazines I read in 1994.*

Back in 1993, Marvel Comics published the huge Maximum Carnage crossover storyline which covered many issues of the four monthly Spider-Man comic books and two issues of the quarterly Spider-Man Unlimited series. Considering the high popularities of Venom and Carnage at the time, it was not surprising that Marvel took advantage by having Maximum Carnage licensed to Acclaim to create a video game adaptation in the form of a beat-them-up.

Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage was released for SNES and Sega Genesis in 1994, and game developer Software Creations really adapted story to fit with their side-scrolling game design. Between playable stages are cutscenes that actually were digitized versions of actual comic book panels. This red-colored print ad had a dominating image of Carnage and screenshots with text descriptions. The ad makers even went the extra mile by inserting screenshot cut-outs showing individual characters such as Firestar, Venom, Spider-Man, Carnage, Cloak and Dagger, Iron Fist, Captain America and more. Whatever your opinion is about the Maximum Carnage storyline or the video game adaptation, there is no denying that this was a very eye-catching print ad.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 17

April 19, 2024April 19, 2024carlocarrasco

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

#1 The Garden of Eden location video – Let me start first by stating that everything in the Holy Bible (the Word of God) is absolutely true. I truly believe in the Bible and the ancient record of the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden existed and there is nothing that science could do to refute them. Recently, YouTube channel HolyLandSite posted a video about the most likely location of the Garden of Eden, explaining in detail how it came to be, where it existed and how to properly understand what is written in the Holy Bible which truly describes it as a genuine place created by God.

#2 Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of a Hamas co-founder) proves the North American pro-Palestine believers to be very wrong, ignorant, foolish and delusional on Dr. Phil show – Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of a Hamas co-founder, was raised with hateful teachings against Jewish people, was a Hamas member who fought against Israel, stopped being evil, repented and submitted to Lord Jesus, is now a strong supporter of Israel and has been working against the terrorists. Considering his upbringing and background, it is not surprising that he proved the pro-Palestine believers/activists to be wrong, ignorant, brainwashed and foolish! The pro-Palestine believers here are so brainwashed by Islamo-Leftists superiors, they failed to see the evil of their movement, and they do not care about the victims of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel committed by Hamas. Watch the videos below…

To all the pro-Palestine believers, Bill and Hillary Clinton idolaters, the woke zealots, the Satanic Democrats, the LGBTQ people, the illegal aliens, the Islamo-Leftists and those who love terrorist Yasser Arafat reading this…you are all on the wrong side of history!

If you want to truly change yourselves for good, stop being evil, repent to Lord Jesus and submit to Him with all your heart. You still have time.

#3 Contra games comparison videos plus an explanatory video – Recently, I took advantage of the Xbox online store sale to purchase the digital copy of Contra Anniversary Collection for roughly $4 and I started playing the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Family Computer (Famicom) versions of the classic game Contra on my Xbox Series X console. Indeed, there were notable differences between the two versions with regards to graphics and storytelling presentations. Not only that, Contra Anniversary Collection also contains the original arcade version of Contra (meant to be compared to the NES/Famicom ports) as well as the European version of Contra called Probotector. Even Contra III: The Alien Wars also had a different version in Europe. I also added one explanatory video titled Contra: From Arcade to NES & Beyond. Watch the videos below…

#4 Poltergeist movie reaction videos plus another two other related videos – Let me make it clear to all of you that I am not a fan of the 1982 supernatural horror movie Poltergeist. As a film buff, I do give Steven Spielberg, director Tobe Hooper and their production team for the creative stuff they came up with (including the visual effects) to making it stand out among the many horror movies Hollywood made over the past 40+ years. That being said, it is not surprising that Poltergeist became a popular film featured in multiple movie reaction videos by different YouTubers. Watch their reaction videos plus two related others (from Minty Comedic Arts) below…

#5 A close look at the classic game Paperboy – Way back in 1989, I visited the United States of America for the first time and I could not forget the time I spent playing in a huge video arcade in one of the fancy hotels of Las Vegas. One of the first arcade games I played back then was Paperboy which I quickly found to be a lot of fun. I liked the game so much, I kept playing it in that same arcade and years later, I played versions of it on PC and the Nintendo Entertainment System. That being said, if you have not played or discovered the classic game, you can learn all about it in this video by YouTuber PatmanQC.

#6 Caught on camera: Electric bike (e-bike) hits elderly woman who later died – Recently here in the Philippines, a major TV network reported an accident in which an elderly woman got hit hard by a moving electric bike (e-bike) driven by a man who was distracted (as caught on video and witnessed by bystanders). The elderly woman eventually died while the suspect has since been apprehended facing a charge of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. For the newcomers reading this, there are already many cases of careless or reckless driving committed by people who drove electric bikes (e-bikes) or electric tricycles (e-trikes) on public roads along with cars, vans, buses and trucks. This latest incident does not help the case of e-bike/e-trike drivers and owners at all. Posted below is the news video about the e-bike that hit the elderly woman.

#7 Wicked Iran’s assault against Israel – I cannot stay silent about this. Iran and its terrorist proxies launched missiles and drones against Israel (which had the support of America, Jordan and others for defense). Almost 100% of the enemy projectiles were shot down. For the newcomers reading this, the conflict between Israel and Iran (the chief sponsor and source of terrorists in the Middle East) goes a long way back. The wicked regime of Iran (in power since 1979) made clear its intentions to not only destroy Israel but also other Western democracies/societies. Iran’s terrorist network also reached South America. In light of all of these, if you want truthful and accurate reports about Israel’s fight against the terrorists, rely on the content and updates of TBN Israel, CBN News, TravelingIsrael and the official Israel Defense Forces (IDF) channel. Watch the videos below and do not forget to pray to the Lord in support of Israel, the fall of their enemies, the rescue of the hostages and the peace of Jerusalem.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 5

March 22, 2024March 3, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will examine print ads from the 1980s and the 1990s that caught my attention and I will explain why they are worth look back at.

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

1. Star Wars: Rebel Assault print ad

*This print ad was strong enough to capture Star Wars fans’ attention and make them interested with the Sega CD.*

If there is anything notable about the Sega CD (Mega CD in other parts of the world) platform, it is the fact that the machine was an add-on to be connected with the Sega Genesis (Sega Mega Drive elsewhere) console. That being said, LucasArts included the Sega CD as one of several platforms for the multiplatform release of their 1993 game Star Wars: Rebel Assault. The above print ad caught my attention with its use of 9 screenshots (emphasizing a wide look at the game’s Star Wars concept) and text description (emphasizing multi-media features connected with gameplay), and for a time it made me interested in the Sega CD. Looking back at the game’s marketing, Star Wars: Rebel Assault was designed to not only give gamers sessions of play to enjoy but also opportunities to immerse themselves deeper into the realm of Star Wars. The game even had selected video clips from the original Star Wars trilogy movies.

2. Cloak & Dagger print ad

*This print ad could have used at least two screenshots from the arcade game…*

In 1984, there was a movie titled Cloak & Dagger (read my retro movie review by clicking here) which was not only the 4th cinematic adaptation of the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” (written by Cornell Woolrich) but also had the real-life electronic game Cloak & Dagger as a crucial plot element. To make things clear, there was a Cloak & Dagger game released in the arcades (as emphasized in the above print ad) from Atari. Behind the scenes, the filmmakers and Atari worked together which explains the video game tie-in with the movie. While the above arcade conversion kit print ad does not show screenshots of gameplay, the four images of the playable protagonist Agent X shown were from the game’s short transition sequences (moving from one level to another) which were also displayed in the 1984 movie. Those images were enough to remind me about the movie I enjoyed.

More on the Atari connection, the movie had a cleverly presented short scene showing the young protagonist Davey (played by Henry Thomas) playing Cloak & Dagger on his Atari 5200 console with spliced gameplay footage of the arcade version shown within cuts. In real life, however, Atari never released a version of Cloak & Dagger for any console nor computer in the 1980s. Today, you can play the game on the Atari 50 collection on consoles.

3. BurgerTime print ad

*This BurgerTime print ad was entertaining to look at and easily reminded viewers about food and the popular game coming home.*

Back in 1982, BurgerTime (Japanese title: Hamburger) was released in the video arcades and turned out to be a big hit in both Japan and America. Seeking to capitalize on the game’s success, Mattel Electronics acquired the rights of the game from Data East and went on to release versions of it for the Intellivision, Atari 2600, Apple II and the IBM personal computer. Mattel went on to market the game for consoles and computers by coming up with a print ad (the one above) that had comic book-style hand drawn art of the playable protagonist chef Peter Pepper running away from walking versions (anthropomorphic figures) a hotdog, an egg, and a pickle. The ad showed a single screenshot which was sufficient enough to show readers the concept of the game clearly. In my experience, I never got to play BurgerTime in the arcades but I first learned about its existence thanks to the eye-catching print ad above which appeared in comic books I read. In addition, the print ad also does an effective job to remind readers about food.

4. SOS print ad

*This print ad made me interested in the game as I was already aware of the historical sinking of the Titanic, and I already saw the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure.*

Moving back to the 1990s, I saw the above print ad of the video game SOS for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) while reading a comic book. The nice artwork caught my attention as it easily reminded me of the disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure (1972) as well as the real-life tragedy of the Titanic. Then I saw the screenshots on the print ad and they made me interested on the game which I later played on a rent-by-the-hour game joint. Looking back at the text description of the print ad, it did not describe what the technical and graphical features of SOS were. That being said, I was surprised to experience the game’s use of the SNES Mode 7 effects which enabled the scaling and rotating of the in-game environment which affected gameplay in many ways. Read my retro review of SOS by clicking here.

5. Star Trek: The Next Generation – Future’s Past print ad

This 2-page print ad was strong enough to invite readers to literally join the Star Trek: TNG crew and go where no man has gone before. By the way, when was the last time you saw Marina Sirtis or Gates McFadden on a video game ad?

Long before wokeness ruined Star Trek in this modern age, the sci-fi franchise reached a tremendous high in popularity and projects in the 1990s as that decade had Star Trek: The Next Generation (most of its TV seasons and three movies were released within the decade), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager that kept fans entertained.

Considering its high popularity, it was not surprising that a video game adaptation of Star Trek: TNG was released in 1994 titled Star Trek: The Next Generation – Future’s Past (the version for Super Nintendo Entertainment System) and I saw the above print ad while reading a gaming magazine. Using a slightly altered version of the TNG group photo, the print ad emphasized its concept that the player will be able to lead the crew of the Starship Enterprise and take part in a series of missions in different parts of space with the likes of Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Data, Worf, Dr. Crusher, Deanna Troi and La Forge. While I was never a Star Trek fan, the above print ad caught my attention with its concept, the group photo and the screenshots gave me an idea of what the game has to offer. It should be noted that Star Trek: The Next Generation – Future’s Past was released between the end of Star Trek: TNG’s final season and the theatrical release of Star Trek: Generations.

6. Super Castlevania IV print ad

*This was one of the most eye-catching print ads I’ve seen about a Konami video game.*

The jump in technology from one console generation to the next can be beneficial for gamers if game developers harnessed the advantages of new technologies to make new games that turned out to be more engaging and more enjoyable. Such was the case with Super Castlevania IV for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1991. The above print showed Konami highlighting the positive feedback their game received from different gaming media outlets and used screenshots to give gamers and long-time Castlevania fans exciting stuff to see. I got to play the game on the mini SNES console and I can say that in terms of visuals, controls and gameplay, Super Castlevania IV truly lived up to its title and it remains fun to play to this day.

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Eiyuden Chronicle and Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama passed away

February 16, 2024February 15, 2024carlocarrasco

Once the anticipated Japanese role-playing game (Japanese RPG) Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes finally comes out on April 23, 2024, the absence of the main creator will be felt by many players as the Japan-based Rabbit & Bear Studio announced very recently that its head Yoshitaka Murayama passed away on February 6. For the newcomers reading this, Murayama is also the creator of the Suikoden RPG series of Konami where he used to work at. For my previous blog posts of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, click here, here, here and here).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the official announcement by Rabbit & Bear Studios. Some parts in boldface…

Hello everyone,

It’s with a heavy heart and deep sadness we must inform you that the scenario writer and head of Rabbit& Bear Studios, Yoshitaka Murayama, has passed away on February 6^th due to complications with an ongoing illness.

Murayama first began this journey of the creation of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes in 2020

through the support of his very loving fans on Kickstarter. Throughout the three-plus-year-development of the game, it was always the passion from his fans that continued to drive his creative vision and motivate him to put his all into the project.

His hard work on Eiyuden Chronicle as scenario writer was finished but as his co-workers and friends, it saddens us to know that he won’t get to see the reactions from his fans.

However, even with those feelings we need to accept the reality that he is no longer with us and continue to push his dream forward by releasing Eiyuden Chronicle to the world.

We want to maintain his legacy and vision with this game and know that he would have wanted the rich world he has created with Eiyuden Chronicle to live on.

His family sincerely appreciates your prayers and support but asks for privacy and that no flowers, mail, or other offerings be sent.

We will have more information on organizational changes to Rabbit & Bear as well as changes to some of the Kickstarter rewards in the near future.

So there you have it. The developer behind Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes made it clear that they will not give up with fulfilling the dream of the late Murayama and there is no stopping the launch of the game (which was supposed to have been released in 2023).

More on the previous works of the late Murayama, I played Suikoden and Suikoden II (read my retro review by clicking here) on the PlayStation console in the 1990s and I had enjoyable times with them. For me, Suikoden II was the not only the best Suikoden RPG of the 1990s but also one of the best RPGs on any platform during the decade. It’s just too bad that the 1999 North American launch of Suikoden II was overshadowed by another company’s JRPG on PlayStation that same year. Considering the many Japanese RPGs that were released on PlayStation in 1999, Suikoden II was the most enjoyable one I played.

Even during his days as a young man working for Konami in the 1990s, Murayama had a very unique vision for digital role-playing and adventuring, as well as fantasy storytelling.

“Eiyuden Chronicle is really (an) evolution of my many design experiences. The many games I’ve made have helped create the foundation for this title. Since I draw my experience from previous games I’ve worked on, of course you will see a little bit of those elements in Eiyuden Chronicle,” Murayama said in response to a question that mentioned Eiyuden Chronicle and Suikoden titles.

With Murayama gone, the spotlight on the April 2024 launch of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be more crucial than before. I myself will be playing the RPG on my Xbox Series X console as soon as it launches. To get yourselves oriented with the said JRPG, watch the videos below (the last one shows Murayama and his fellow creators as special guests at an event in Taipei)…

Watch out for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass (XGP) on April 23, 2024. For more about the JRPG, visit https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/eiyuden-chronicle

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 2

February 9, 2024January 31, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will examine print ads from the 1980s and 1990s that caught my attention and I will explain why these are worth look back at.

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 and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. Back in the old days, many gamers trusted the print media a lot for information and images about games.

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

1. Popeye multiplatform print ad

*A fine example of promoting the Popeye video game on multiple platforms visually.*

During the early 1980s, an arcade game based on Popeye was released and it became a hit with gamers who lined up and inserted coins to play. That game, which had three stages, was eventually ported by Parker Brothers to multiple platforms of Atari, ColecoVision, Intellivision, T.I. and Commodore.

The print ad you see above is a classic display of how one particular game appeared as a multiplatform release. The screenshots showed different versions of the Popeye game on multiple Atari platforms plus the others. See how different the game looks on each platform? The level of visual details and elements varied from one another as each machine had different specs that Parker Brothers had to adjust to. This is a fine example of promoting one game for different machines for those who love video games.

2. Kool-Aid Man Video Game print ad

*I never got to play this Kool-Aid Man video game.*

Remember Kool-Aid? For the newcomers reading this, Kool-Aid was a very popular product line of flavored juice drinks sold in powdered form. I myself used to mix Kool-Aid with ice-cold water and enjoyed drinking it. In 1954, a promotion of Kool-Aid with a touch of entertainment happened by highlighting the character Kool-Aid Man (famously known as the walking and talking pitcher filled with Kool-Aid juice). In later years, the Kool-Aid Man was often shown breaking through walls saying the line “Oh yeah!”.

The Kool-Aid Man gained tremendous attention as a pop culture figure in the 1980s when a new series of advertisements and promotions happened branching into video games and even comic books. The above print ad was a clever move to promote Kool-Aid as a drink as well as a video game for the Intellivision and the Atari 2600 consoles. Even if you were not too fond of video games in the 1980s, the Kool-Aid game ad would still make you think about the drink. Clever and entertaining!

3. Zombies Ate My Neighbors game print ad

*I saw the 2-page ad many times in comic books and video game magazines.*

Going into the 1990s, Konami’s print ad of the video game Zombies Ate My Neighbors (for Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis) appeared a lot in the comic books I read when I was much younger. Having seen lots of horror movies – including zombie flicks – the ad easily caught my attention not because of the screenshots but because of the visual style used. For one thing, there was this 1950s America-inspired imagery on the photo of the scared woman with three zombies slowly approaching her. As for the game itself, there were plenty of small-sized screenshots that had lots of interesting details and pixel art (note: 3D polygons in video games were not yet common back then) which gave me a clear idea that it was a humor and horror-laced 2D adventure. Not only that, the text descriptions combined with the fake quotes added zest into the presentation. After having examined all the details carefully, I really felt like Zombies Ate My Neighbors would be a fun-filled game to play on the SNES.

4. Lunar: The Silver Star print ad

*With anime artwork used, it was easy to have the impression that the original Lunar game was based on an existing anime series or movie.*

In the early 1990s, Game Arts developed and released the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Lunar: The Silver Star on the Mega CD platform in Japan which in some ways was also a technological breakthrough – the game came with full motion video (for short videos), animated images, and CD-quality sound (that really made the soundtrack lively to listen to). After achieving critical and commercial success in Japan, the game was picked-up by Working Designs to be localized and released in the North American market for the Sega CD (the American counterpart of the Mega CD) platform. In promoting the game for American Sega CD owners as well as American gamers in general, a print ad highlighting anime images with five screenshots and only a few words was published on both comic books and magazines.

Even though Lunar: The Silver Star’s core concept was never described in the ad, the anime imagery was still eye-catching and the chosen screenshots gave viewers a preview of the gameplay and the animated images. That being said, it was no surprise that gamers who happened to be a bit interested in anime noticed the print ad. At the same time, the ad gave some gamers the impression that Lunar was a game based on an existing anime franchise. This approach on game advertising was daring and it happened at a time when Japanese RPGs had a limited audience among gamers in North America.

5. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete print ad

In the 2^nd half of the 1990s, a remake of Lunar: The Silver Star was released in Japan titled Lunar: Silver Star Story for Sega Saturn (1996), Sony PlayStation (1998) and Windows PC (1998). While it still maintained the 2D visuals for presentation, gameplay and exploration, the remake had smooth anime sequences, new artworks, better sound effects and music. Working Designs pounced on the opportunity to localize the game in America for PlayStation and released it in 1999 with the title Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete. Not only did Working Designs work hard on localizing the game (the English dubbing and singing of the game’s songs were meticulously done), they released it with a very lavish packaging with the dedicated fans and collectors in mind.

By looking at the above print ad that magazines published, Working Designs highlighted the positive feedback quotes from EGM, Gamers’ Republic, PSM and Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine to convince gamers Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete is a great game. While the screenshots showed what kind of eye candy gamers could expect, Working Designs made sure that they would know that the lavish package includes 4 discs (2 game discs, 1 music CD and 1 CD that had video documentary of the making of Lunar), a full-color map in the form of a cloth, and a hardbound art book and instruction manual.

Considering the dynamism of the Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete print ad and the game’s packaging, I can only speculate that Working Designs had to do it aggressively because the gaming landscape changed dramatically as 3D polygonal graphics became the standard while lots of other Japanese RPGs from different publishers were released in 1999 (including the sequels Suikoden II and Final Fantasy VIII) and many of them had more elaborate game designs and visual presentations. Eventually market forces and unfortunate business events led Working Designs to closing down permanently in 2005.

6. Star Wars: Jedi Arena print ad

*Remember when Luke Skywalker tested his lightsaber skills with the floating Seeker in the 1977 movie?*

Back in the early 1980s, Parker Brothers was very active releasing games on the Atari 2600 console which my family had. At that same time, Star Wars was very popular (and without the wokeness and identity politics garbage of Kathleen Kennedy and woke Disney) and any new game based on the sci-fi franchise was something to be excited for. In the above print ad of Star Wars: Jedi Arena, an artwork showing the iconic her Luke Skywalker testing his lightsaber skills with the floating Seeker ball was displayed and located between Luke’s legs is a monitor showing the screenshot of the game. Looking at the text description, Parker Brothers creatively focused on the aspect of the Jedi way of using the lightsaber interacting with the Seeker ball. Having played the game myself, I can say the ad was creative and pretty much captured the core concept of the game.

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