In case you missed the news, Team Xbox recently had a presence during Gamescom in Germany and they made several announcements and previews of upcoming video games there.
During the first day of Gamescom, Team Xbox announced at last the release date of the much-awaited Indiana Jones and The Great Circle which is December 9, 2024 (for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass). At the same time, they committed a blunder that the MachineGames-developed first-person adventure game is coming to Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) console sometime in 2025. That’s right, the Indiana Jones video game is no longer an Xbox-exclusive game. Watch the Gamescom trailer of the game below from start to finish…
As I mentioned earlier, Team Xbox committed a blunder by announcing a PS5 version of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle during Gamescom. It is a blunder in the sense that Team Xbox (which owns and controls Bethesda) could have delayed the PS5 version announcement and maximize efforts to sell as many copies of the game on Xbox and PC, sell as many Xbox consoles as possible, and convince many gamers out there to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass to play it.
Team Xbox could have waited until January or February 2025 to announce the Indiana Jones game for PS5. Instead, they shot themselves on the foot by blowing away the first-move advantage.
To put things in perspective, Microsoft/Xbox/Bethesda do not OWN the intellectual property of Indiana Jones which belongs to Disney-owned Lucasfilm. Considering the big financial problems Disney has as a corporation (note: the streaming service Disney+ continues to lose money since it first launched), I can speculate that they pushed Team Xbox and Bethesda to not only make a PS5 version of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle but also announce it very early to maximize sales potential and public awareness. Disney itself has a lot to benefit from collecting royalties if the game sells a lot on the two game consoles.
Going back to Xbox, we have to face the reality that we are witnessing the beginning of the end of Xbox as we know it. It is highly anticipated that in the near future, Xbox-exclusive games will no longer happen and the games of Xbox properties (examples: Halo, Forza Motorsport and Fable) will be released on Nintendo and PlayStation consoles. The Xbox brand itself will fade away and be replaced with something like “Microsoft Gaming” once Microsoft goes all-in as a multiplatform game publisher. It is also obvious that Microsoft wants a huge return for the combined $76 billion it spent on acquiring Bethesda and Activision.
I am still looking forward to playing the Indiana Jones game on my Xbox Series X console, but I can say that this latest development as well as the recent Game Pass adjustments brought my excitement down a bit.
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 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. Lufia & The Fortress of Doom for Sega Genesis print ad
Considering the eventual scrapping of the Sega Genesis port of Lufia & The Fortress of Doom, this old print ad might as well serve like a tomb stone.
I want to start with this mostly black print ad about the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Lufia & The Fortress of Doom coming to the Sega Genesis console. This game was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America and on the Super Famicom in Japan in 1993 and achieved commercial success for the Japan-based publisher Taito. In an attempt to keep on building up the success, a port of the game for the Sega Genesis (Sega Megadrive in other countries) was announced but ultimately it got canceled. It should be noted that Taito’s American division close down in 1995 and the sequel Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals was released in America by a different publisher. That being said, this particular print ad is a sad reminder of a broken promise for Sega Genesis gamers as well as Lufia and JRPG fans who wanted to play the 1993 RPG on a different console.
2. Cloak & Dagger arcade flyer
The front of the arcade flyer. There is even a mention of the Cloak & Dagger movie.
Details of the game explained with arcade operators in mind. I find it odd that there is a vacant amount of blank space on this side of the flyer.
Cloak & Dagger, the Atari arcade game that appeared in the 1984 movie of the same name (read my retro movie review by clicking here), has always been an arcade conversion kit as this arcade flyer showed. For the newcomers reading this, an arcade conversion kit allows the arcade operator to replace an old game without having to buy a brand-new arcade machine. Very cleverly, Atari targeted arcade machines of Robotron: 2084, Defender, Stargate and Joust (all were from the competitor Williams Electronics) with Cloak & Dagger. The Cloak & Dagger flyer’s front shows a picture of the pieces of hardware (for insertion into the arcade cabinet plus some physical adjustments) plus decorations for the exterior of the arcade cabinet. The other side of the flyer contains the technical details that make it convenient for arcade operators to understand on how to convert the older games (limited to the above-mentioned Williams games).
3. NBA Live 95 for Sega Genesis print ad
This print ad is still exciting to look at, especially when you are still passionate with basketball.
Back in late 1994, Electronic Arts (EA) revamped their NBA-licensed basketball game franchise with NBA Live 95 which came with a major game redesign that includes the isometric on-court perspective, T-meter for free throw shooting and more. NBA Live 95 was also the first entry of the NBA Live franchise and brand which lasted for decades. This print ad of the Sega Genesis version of NBA Live 95 has the clever display of several screenshots along with pics of the shot clock emphasizing suspense. The basketball action images themselves are not only eye-catching but strong enough to get gamers excited. This is still a solid print ad to look at.
4. X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse print ad
An X-Men game by Capcom.
If there is anything significant about X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, it is the fact that it was Capcom’s first-ever X-Men-based production that was also released a month before their own hit arcade game X-Men: Children of the Atom came out. Setting aside Capcom’s involvement, this game contains notable elements from the comic books that strongly resonated with dedicated X-Men fans. Apart from the two screenshots and the game box cover, this print ad has X-Men artwork by Andy Kubert who already was the regular artist of the X-Men monthly series.
5. Space Ace multi-platform print ad
Anyone who is a fan of Don Bluth’s works in animation should be able to recognize the art style of this ad.
First released in the mid-1980s, Space Ace was a LaserDisc video game that was designed and produced by the legendary animator Don Bluth (An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Anastasia). After achieving success in the arcades, new versions of Space Ace were subsequently released on many other platforms, including the consoles and computers that used disc drives in the mid-1990s which this print ad emphasized. By looking at the lower part of the print ad, you will see Sega CD, 3DO, Macintosh and PC as targeted platforms. The most notable visual feature of the ad was, unsurprisingly, official art of Space Ace.
6. BurgerTime arcade flyer
The front of this flyer could make you crave for burgers.
The technical and creative details on the rear of the flyer.
Bally/Midway came up with this arcade flyer of BurgerTime which itself went on to become a beloved classic game. The front showed a very enticing looking hamburger that looked like it could fill a person’s belly and tingle his or her taste buds. Then they showed the hand-drawn in-game characters looking like they really are interacting with the hamburger. The back of the flyer shows details that emphasize what the game is about, why it could be a fun arcade addition and what the specs are. This is an engaging arcade flyer.
7. NCAA Final Four Basketball print ad
Do you know anyone who played this college basketball video game?
If there is anything notable about video gaming in the 1990s that is missing today, that would be the presence of multiple basketball video games released by different game publishers. Along the way, there were some college basketball video games such as NCAA Final Four Basketball developed by Bitmasters and published by Mindscape. This print ad had enough screenshots to show what the game looked like and how it played. The ad also mentioned that the game had 64 real NCAA teams and logos as well. This 1994 video game did not have a strong reception from game critics although it received a very high rating by GamePro magazine. NCAA Final Four Basketball has long been forgotten.
8. Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures print ad
An eye-catching print ad from a more memorable time when the Indiana Jones franchise was still under the full control of George Lucas and his enterprise.
Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures was an ambitious 2D side-scrolling adventure game that also served as an adaptation of the first three Indiana Jones movies (1981-1989) of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Like the Super Star Wars trilogy of games that preceded, this one was a challenging and lengthy game filled with lots of action. This print ad only showed Indy’s whip and hat but the screenshots, the text description and the game box cover (which has a young Harrison Ford as the iconic Jones) were more than enough to convince viewers that this was an Indiana Jones game.
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. Japanese Contra arcade flyer
The front of the Japanese arcade flyer of Contra.
The other side of the flyer.
As mentioned before, Konami’s long-running Contra games franchise first started in the arcades in Japan. As seen in the Japanese arcade flyer, it was clear that the company not only had a clear vision of Contra’s visual concepts but also was pretty organized with explaining lots of details (examples: the 8-direction controls, types of weapons or ammunition available, level design differences) that both players and arcade operators can learn from. If you look closely at the rear of the flyer, you will see the two characters already identified as Lance and Bill which clearly showed the Japanese creators had the creative details really organized.
2. Virtual Bart print ad
Anyone who loved The Simpsons would easily recognize the characters of this print ad.
Decades ago, The Simpsons made big waves on television and quickly emerged as a fine addition to American pop culture. That being said, it was not surprising at all that video games based on the show got made and Virtual Bart was one of them. This Virtual Bart print ad appeared in some comic books I read in 1994 and the ad makers made efficient use of the single-page layout showing that the game was not a mere 2D side-scroller as its concept emphasized Bart Simpson’s virtual reality escapades. This game, which had mini-games and different gameplay styles, received review scores ranging from negative to positive.
3. Wild Arms 2 print ad
This is NOT an effective way to promote a video game.
Now this is one of the most weird and the most uninteresting game print ads of the 1990s. For the newcomers reading this, Wild Arms 2 was a sequel to the 1997 hit game Wild Arms released on the original PlayStation console. Due to the 1997 game’s success, a fan base of Wild Arms was established and the 1999 sequel was anticipated by the fans. In a very odd and illogical move, Sony Computer Entertainment came up with the Times Square setting for Wild Arms 2’s North American print ad and because they allowed so much other text and images (appearing as billboard ads) on the buildings in the background, details about the game itself got overshadowed. By simply looking at this print ad, it is simply too easy to overlook Wild Arms 2 as the featured game. Can you see the references to Wild Arms 2 here?
4. RollerGames arcade flyer
Pretty ladies posing on the front of the flyer.
Clearly the details were prepared with arcade operators in mind.
Based on the competition-oriented TV show, the RollerGames arcade game from Konami was both unique and fun to play. As with their other arcade flyers, Konami hired models to emphasize RollerGames’ core concept by appearing in full costume (as roller-skating participants), and then inserted screenshots of the game. The rear of the flyer had the technical details in simplistic fashion and they were clearly written with arcade operators in mind. The 3-paragraph text descriptions emphasized what players could expect, what options are available and how the game connects with the TV program it was based on.
5. The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates print ad
Anyone among you is a Jetsons fan?
Based on the animated series, The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America as well as on the Super Famicom in Japan in the mid-1990s. This game’s print ad had eye-catching artwork, carefully laid down key details (including the promise of cartoon quality graphics) and showed a few screenshots. The game attracted mixed reviews from critics and I don’t know any fellow gamer who played it.
6. Sega Saturn games print ad
An aggressive single-page ad promoting the exclusive games on Sega Saturn.
If you are a game console manufacturer that also owns several game development teams, you really have to promote your hardware and software aggressively. This is exactly what Sega did in the North American market sometime after the embarrassing launch of the Saturn console there. As seen in this print ad, Sega aggressively promoted their Saturn-exclusive games – including their juggernaut Virtua Fighter 2 – to make it clear to their fans (and Saturn console owners) that they are focused to entertain them. The ad also served as Sega’s effort to lure in new gamers and potential Saturn owners given the fact that Virtua Fighter 2, Virtua Cop and Sega Rally Championship were already big arcade hits. As history turned out, the Saturn ended up a commercial disappointment in America but still succeeded in Japan.
7. Galaxian arcade flyer
Have you ever played Galaxian in the arcades?
In September 1979, Namco released Galaxian in the arcades in Japan and it became a big hit there eventually finishing as the nation’s 2nd highest-earning arcade game of the year. Before the year even ended, Namco approached Midway of releasing Galaxian outside of Japan and this led to the game appearing in American arcades in November. Unsurprisingly, Galaxian drew lots of American players and their money which really helped Midway selling 50,000 arcade units in a few years’ time. This arcade flyer from Midway clearly showed what the Galaxian arcade unit looked like and how the controls were physically set up. I like the way the details and images were organized and how the limited page space was put to good use.
8. Heavy Barrel print ad
A really eye-catching and amusing print ad to look at.
Originally released in the arcades by Data East, Heavy Barrel was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1990. Similar with Contra and Jackal, this game had a strong military theme and shooting-oriented gameplay complete with missions that instantly reminded players about war. The military aesthetic and the showing of guns are easily the most eye-catching part of this print ad geared towards the NES userbase which had lots of young children among the players. To say the least, Heavy Barrel’s print ad was entertaining to look at.
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 or informative 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.
#1Germany is suffering from the acceptance of so many so-called refugees – I want to make clear to all of you that I personally reject illegal immigration and mass migration as I truly believe that nations should always secure their borders, prioritize their citizens, protect their national sovereignty and deport all foreigners who committed crime in their country. That being said, there are lots of YouTube videos about Germany’s suffering which is the result of the huge acceptance (open-borders approach) of so many foreigners in 2015 perceived by the administration of then Chancellor Angela Merkel as so-called refugees. Merkel eventually expressed regret about the big move.
To be clear, allowing so many foreigners to enter your country as migrants or asylum seekers often leads to new waves of crime, cultural tensions and a tremendous drain of taxpayer-funded resources. Also, think carefully about how many asylum seekers lied to German immigration officials about their backgrounds and situations just to enter? Is each and every asylum seeker a genuine victim of war, poverty and crime in their home country? How many people among the asylum seekers are actually terrorists and crooks? Do these asylum seekers seriously believe in reshaping Germany based on their selfish interests and impulses? How many of these migrants are willing to integrate themselves into German society and norms? For your enlightenment, posted below is a video from The Journeyman Pictures about what happened in Germany when the specially treated migrants were already in.
#2 Sega Saturn vs. Arcade videos by Sega Lord X – I never owned a Sega Saturn console. There were times when I wish I owned one as I was fond of arcade games and wanted to play them in the comfort of home. For your retro gaming interest, the Sega Saturn had ports of arcade games and there were some that were released only in Japan. Watch the selected videos of Sega Lord X below.
#3 Ashleigh Burton’s Sean Connery James Bond videos – If you are a fan of Sean Connery and his James Bond movies, then you would be interested to see Asheigh Burton’s movie reaction videos of Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, and Diamonds Are Forever. Each of her videos are entertaining to watch.
#4 A look back at Asteroids – Way back in the early 1980s, I played the classic video game Asteroids on the Atari 2600 a lot. I never got to play it in the arcades but I played the arcade version on my Xbox Series X using the Atari 50 Collection software. If you want to know the history and impact of Asteroids, watch this video by PatmanQC.
#5 A look back at Konami Wai Wai World – Way back in 1988, my friends and I played Konami Wai Wai World (called Konami World for short) on the Family Computer (Famicom) and no matter how challenging it was to write down and input Japanese text for the passwords, we persevered to play and complete it. Konami Wai Wai World was a 2D, side-scrolling adventure game that had this ambitious concept of a crossover gathering of playable original Konami characters plus the characters from licensed games – Mikey Walsh (The Goonies and The Goonies II) and the iconic King Kong (King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch). The video by RetroGamingKnight is a must-watch for those who intend to really learn a lot about Konami Wai Wai World.
#6 You, Me and the Movies’ Creepshow reaction video – The 1982 film Creepshow is one of those horror movies made to provide viewers horror and fun. It was a film that featured the combined talents of author Stephen King and director George A. Romero. This reaction video by You, Me and the Movies is a must-watch.
#7 Minty Comedic Arts’ X2: X-Men United trivia video – I saw X2: X-Men United in the cinema here in the Philippines on its opening day on April 30, 2003. Sometimes referred to as X-Men 2, the movie was clearly an improvement over its predecessor and the filmmakers took inspiration from a very notable sci-fi movie for its storytelling and character development. This and a lot more await you all in Minty Comedic Arts’ trivia video of X2: X-Men United.
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 4th 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.
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
Decades ago, I saw on home video Cloak & Dagger (1984) which turned out to be an entertaining film to watch as I was already playing games on Atari 2600 and the arcades. After replaying by chance on cable TV years later, I finally bought myself the 4K Blu-ray and it sure was fun to watch it all over again. Check out my retro movie review of it by clicking here.
The front of my copy of Cloak & Dagger (1984) 4K Blu-ray.
The rear with the details that can be read.
For the newcomers reading this, Cloak & Dagger (1984) is a movie that involved then video game giant Atari in the creative process. The movie’s plot is not based on Atari’s arcade game of the same name (previously titled as Agent X).
Cloak & Dagger (1984) its own original plot of espionage about a young boy Davey (played by Henry Thomas, the star of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) who witnesses a murder and receives an Atari 5200 cartridge of the game Cloak & Dagger that contains something very important. This in turn makes him a target of armed henchmen who won’t stop until they get him. Due to his reputation of being too playful and living with his wild imagination as a spy, people don’t believe Davey’s claim of witnessing a murder. This film happens to be inspired by the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” written by Cornell Woolrich.
Cloak & Dagger in arcade form. Atari released it in the form of an arcade conversion kit aimed at arcade machines of certain games of its competitors.
The Cloak & Dagger arcade game can be played on your game console with the Atari 50 collection software (over 100 games). This screenshot I captured while playing it on my Xbox Series X console running Atari 50.
A few weeks ago, my copy of the Cloak & Dagger 4K Blu-ray arrived and it came with two discs: One 4K Blu-ray disc which contained the movie in native 4K (scanned in UHD from the 35mm film) resolution of 3840 x 2160p. The other disc has the same movie in HD (1920 x 1080p) plus the extra stuff which can provide viewers and Cloak & Dagger fans a good amount of important content which will help them learn what the video game elements in the film are, what inspired its creative process and why the film is very unique by today’s standards. There is also an informative new interview with Henry Thomas.
Since then, I saw Cloak & Dagger in 4K twice on my Xbox Series X and its 1080p version on a standalone Blu-ray disc player. Cloak & Dagger in 4K looks better than ever as the picture quality is better, images look sharper and clearer, the colors are vibrant, the small visual details (which were not visible in lower resolution before) are more noticeable now, and film grain structure has been preserved intact!
The two discs. The one on the right is Cloak & Dagger in 4K.
As for the story itself, I still find it engaging and enjoyable to watch from start to finish. Cloak & Dagger is clearly a production of its time as it carries clear Cold War references – the Soviet Union and Iran are the evil forces told in very subtle fashion – as well as video game elements and brands (note: ColecoVision even appeared in this Atari-influenced movie) that dominated America’s console gaming market long before PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox arrived. For a movie aimed at parents and children, this one has really intense violence as it involves shooting and even some elements of terrorism.
Ultimately, I got a lot of enjoyment from my Cloak & Dagger (1984) 4K Blu-ray and I highly recommend it to Cloak & Dagger fans, gamers, physical media collectors and anyone who loves watching movies in the comfort of home. Cloak & Dagger (1984) is a very unique and fun movie that Hollywood does not make anymore. You really should see it.
In case you are interested or if you have made up your mind, you can order a copy of Cloak & Dagger (1984) 4K Blu-ray by clicking here.
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 as well as promotional posters of a notable console game that was released only in Japan.
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. 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 2nd 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 15th 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 15th 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.
Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers! As I posted before, I enjoyed playing Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on my Xbox Series X and eventually I managed finish it. It was indeed a short game (less than ten hours was my play time) and to my surprise, the levels were really linear (which made exploration very limited) and the puzzle-oriented challenges were less challenging compared to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
What really impressed the most about Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II were the visuals which had high levels of photo-realism, really detailed facial expressions and astounding cinematic look. Developer Ninja Theory proved itself to be great in using Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) technology and fusing their artistry and all motion-captured performances onto their work.
Apart from solid game designers, Ninja Theory has great digital artists, technicians and very talented performers.
It would be a big shame for Microsoft to close down Ninja Theory. Such a move will destroy the credibility of Xbox.
While I enjoyed Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and I can say it was worth the long wait, I don’t find the game replay-worthy at all. I don’t feel like wanting to repeat an entire playthrough with it right now. Perhaps in the next six months, I just might consider playing it all over again.
That being said, I really want Ninja Theory to prosper and keep on making more great games that will keep gamers entertained. I think it is also time for the Xbox studio to pause from the Senua franchise of games and start making something new that is also enjoyable to play.
What I’d like to see Ninja Theory make under the Xbox banner is a new action-adventure game that is less cinematic but more focused on large environments, platforming, deep exploration and having a new approach to action.
To understand what I’m saying, check out Ninja Theory’s past works on Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Watch the videos below…
Of course, there are other genres that Ninja Theory could daringly work on such as role-playing games (RPGs) much in the style of BioWare’s works specifically like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Star Wars KOTOR) and Jade Empire. They can also add their cinematic approach when making RPGs.
When it comes to zombie-oriented video games, the team behind the Senua games could make a Dead Rising-like game featuring open-world environments, varied missions and objectives, and emphasis on shooting and explosions with regards to action.
Another genre that I think Ninja Theory can challenge themselves with is turn-based tactics gaming. I believe that the Xbox first-party lineup of games is sorely lacking in this type of game. While XCOM already cornered the sci-fi realm of turn-based tactics, perhaps Ninja Theory could do a fantasy oriented game that plays well and carry the team’s cinematic touch.
The way things are right now, it remains to be seen what Ninja Theory could make next under Team Xbox and Microsoft. There is that thing called Project: Mara but there are no details as to what kind of game will turn out from that. I really want Ninja Theory to keep on making more fun-oriented games which would also feature their artistic approach that would really stand out.
Whether you like it or not, the future looks uncertain for Ninja Theory when it comes to what kind of games they will make next, and what creative direction they will take under the banners of Xbox and Microsoft.
Here is hoping Microsoft would not commit the error of closing down the team behind Senua games. I am watching your moves, Team Xbox and Microsoft.
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.
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. Double Dragon II: The Revenge print ad
Nice looking art used to promote the game.
The beat-them-up sub-genre of gaming was already popular in the 1980s and one of the most defining game franchises of this type of game was the Double Dragon series which proved to be popular with Nintendo Entertainment System (NES in America) and Family Computer (Famicom in Japan) gamers. As the first game was a very big hit on Nintendo’s consoles, the sequel Double Dragon II: The Revenge was promoted in America with strong confidence on the part of publisher Acclaim that it would become another massive hit. This print ad had a very nice looking comic books-style art that not only captured the concept of the game but also visualized the heroes Billy and Jimmy with enough details to focus on. I can say this was an eye-catching ad.
2. X-Men: Children of the Atom print ad
Great looking ad but the line “100% direct conversion” is not true at all.
Developed by Capcom in cooperation with Marvel, X-Men: Children of the Atom was a huge hit in the video arcades and it was not surprising that it got released on the Sega Saturn by Acclaim. Acclaim organized an aggressive promotional campaign by pouncing on the fans’ love and knowledge of the X-Men and the high fun factor of Capcom’s game. What this print ad got wrong, however, was the line “100% direct conversion of the #1 arcade smash!” which was wrong and misleading. In reality, the Sega Saturn version of the game had about one-third of the animation frames cut due to the console’s smaller RAM capacity.
As the years passed by, the Sega Saturn became the more suitable console for home ports of Capcom’s further 2D fighting games as Sony’s PlayStation had even more severe limitations and a graphics processor that was not suitable for 2D graphics. By the end of 2000, Capcom’s 2D fighting games on PlayStation all were inferior to the Sega Saturn versions.
3. Sky Shark NES print ad
This is an effective looking ad.
Released in Japan as Flying Shark, Sky Shark was released on multiple platforms in 1988 and there was an NES version of it which this particular print ad promoted. The American branch of Taito wisely used positive quotes from media outlets to promote the game while coming up with an engaging text description and displayed NES screenshots. And then there was that very engaging painted cover art that gave this print ad a lot of punch. An effective ad overall.
4. Conflict print ad
This is a very captivating artwork for advertising.
There is no denying the fact that the Cold War was a strong influence on arcade games and video games. Titles like Contra, Jackal, Metal Gear, Operation Wolf, Cabal and Rush’n Attack were militaristic games that entertained millions of gamers from the young adults to the little children. In 1990, Vic Tokai released the game Conflict on the NES which had a military theme but an unusual game design composed of digital maps with hexagons in which gamers will play with strategy to win battles. That being said, this print ad’s visual concept was very captivating yet also misleading. If you see how the game is played, you will know what I mean.
5. College Slam print ad
Were you ever interested in college basketball video games?
This is one of the more eye-catching print ads I’ve seen due to the artist’s illustration of a basketball with a mouth biting the basketball rim which dominates the space. For the newcomers reading this, College Slam was a basketball video game that was actually a repacked version of the popular NBA Jam with focus on NCAA basketball players. With the biting basketball at the center, it was easily an attraction and the screenshots implemented were larger than usual which easily gave gamers a clear look at what the game looked like. While this print ad is eye-catching, it did not help sell College Slam and there never was a follow-up.
6. Tecmo Super Baseball print ad
From the time when Tecmo was prolific with video games about sports.
Long before it started the Dead or Alive game franchise, Tecmo was once heavily invested in making sports video games. Tecmo Super Baseball was their first American pro baseball video game released for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis, and it was notable that the publisher secured only the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) which resulted in the game featuring real-life players but the teams had no names and no logos. Regardless, this print ad showed how aggressive Tecmo was in trying to attract consumers’ attention by showing ten screenshots with short text descriptions each. The ad’s write-up boasted realism as well as the promise of gaming quality.
7. The Punisher print ad
Marvel’s vigilante firing at someone.
In the early 1990s, Capcom and Marvel Comics started their partnership resulting in the releasing of the arcade game The Punisher. Developed by Capcom, the said arcade game became a big hit with gamers as it featured fun gameplay, multiple enemies appearing on screen simultaneously and other fun elements. Unsurprisingly, the game was ported (note: Sculptured Software was the lead developer) to the Sega Genesis with significant downgrades in terms of graphics, sound, enemy variety and other related elements due to technical limitations. That being said, this print ad used detailed art of the Punisher (with Col. Fury in the background) in a clever way to promote the Sega Genesis version while keeping their attention away from the obvious visual downgrades of the two screenshots displayed. The Punisher on Genesis was poorly received.
8. Stargate print ad
If you did not enjoy the movie, were you able to play the video game adaptation on Sega Genesis or Super NES?
Remember the sci-fi movie Stargate (1994)? The film was a surprise box office hit and eventually video game adaptations of it were made for the SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Gear and the GameBoy. This particular print ad, however, showed screenshots of the SNES and Genesis versions which is made obvious with the side-scrolling adventure plus 3D flying sequence (one screenshot showed it). Combined with images sourced from the movie poster plus an insert of the movie in home video format (lower-right corner), this print ad was obviously an aggressive way to promote the film with the post-theatrical business in mind. In case you are wondering, the cinematic Stargate is not related at all with the early 1980s video game (a follow-up to the classic game Defender) of the same name.
9. Aerobiz Supersonic print ad
For a simulation game released on consoles, Aerobiz Supersonic is pretty deep and a lot of fun to play.
The airline simulation game Aerobiz Supersonic is a highly addictive and surprisingly fun game that I enjoyed playing on the SNES (read my retro review by clicking here) and strangely enough I first learned about not through its print ad but by reading a preview published by Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) magazine. As for this print ad made by Koei’s American team, this is really odd to look at due to the ad makers’ choice of showing a not-so-attractive flight meal. In contrast to that, the ad makers did a good job describing the game creatively and showed three screenshots that were strategically selected in my view. Having played the game many times, I can say that this print ad is very truthful.
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!
Author Carlo Carrasco 