Welcome back Xbox fans, anime fans and fellow geeks!
The recent Xbox Games Showcase generated a lot of buzz and already Xbox enthusiasts are delighted to see Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution as confirmed Xbox console-exclusives, the other first-party games with release dates (or release windows) and other upcoming video games from different publishers.
Under the new Team Xbox leadership, the return to exclusive games has been received positively and it is expected to intensify as the next-generation of consoles approaches. At this stage, the current generation of Xbox Series X|S is ending and the new Xbox leadership made it clear they are in for the long-term of gaming.
Going back to the upcoming games announced by different publishers, the game Vivarium (developed by Studio Meadowflower and published by Serenity Forge) caught my attention. For your curiosity, watch the official reveal trailer below.
Scheduled for release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox on PC, Steam, the Epic Games store and Xbox Game Pass (XGP) sometime in 2027, Vivarium is a life-sim adventure inspired by classic hand-drawn anime TV shows and films. As seen in the above trailer, it features a cozy slice-of-life game design, has a dynamic system and there are local residents (non-playable characters) players can interact with as they explore the world. In terms of visuals and art style, Vivarium looks like a Studio Ghibli production.
Gamers will play as Jenny, an 11-year-old girl who has a lot to discover and learn in Vivarium’s world. The local neighborhood has lots of characters that each has branching and dynamic storylines. Days in the game are synced to the player’s real-world calendar, allowing for daily new discoveries while unraveling its mysterious narrative. Confirmed in-game activities include cooking, tending to the garden, collecting items, crafting items, repairing equipment and decorating the home to name some.
Jenny (right) with her friend. This game offers gamers opportunities to make friends.
Taking care of the plants.
Does this look like a game or an anime sequence to you?
At of this writing, Vivarium looks like it has something fresh to offer to Xbox gamers, especially those who like animation, the cozy in-game settings, life simulations and in-depth interactions with NPCs. Hopefully a final release date in 2027 will be announced.
Welcome back Xbox fans, Resident Evil fans and fellow geeks!
This past weekend, Capcom unveiled Resident Evil Veronica which is a modern remake of Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. Already a lot of gamers and Resident Evil fans are talking about the remake which will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S some time in 2027.
For your excitement and curiosity, watch the official reveal trailer below.
Given Capcom’s record of making ambitious remakes of past Resident Evil games, Resident Evil Veronica has long been rumored to have been in development. Among the RE fans, Resident Evil – Code Veronica was memorable and yet it had certain elements that made it divisive (example: the annoying voice acting for Steve Burnside). As such, many viewed Code Veronica as the one game that really has to be remade and Capcom has only one chance to make a better and more definitive Code Veronica.
Originally released on the Sega Dreamcast way back in 2000, Resident Evil – Code Veronica was not just a follow-up to the popular Resident Evil 2…it was also a technological marvel as it had fully polygonal environments, more detailed polygonal characters and more immersive cinematic cutscenes. It was truly a next-generation RE experience for many gamers and I myself wanted a Dreamcast just to play it. The game also had Claire Redfield and her brother Chris as the playable major characters and both of them are still fan-favorites.
Going back to the trailer above, it is clear Capcom is making Resident Evil Veronica a darker, grittier and more horrific tale than the original game. The shots of Rockfort Island look very creepy, even nightmarish. While Claire Redfield has been revealed, Chris Redfield, Alfred Ashford, Steve Burnside and Alexa Ashford have not. Still, fans already pointed out that the masked man who grabbed Claire is Hunk (often identified with Resident Evil 2). Zombies were shown in a glimpse but the other monsters from the original game have yet to be shown.
Claire Redfield is back and she has gone to Europe to search for her brother Cris.
This facility on Rockfort Island looks terrifying and very difficult to escape from.
Remember the guns that Steve Burnside used in a key part of the story in Resident Evil – Code: Veronica?
A key location remade to be creepy and claustrophobic. Are you ready to discover more about the Ashford family?
Capcom describes Resident Evil Veronica as follows:
Resident Evil Veronica is a remake of 2000’s Resident Evil Code: Veronica. This new title preserves the essence of the original game, while introducing modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics.
In 2027, madness and intrigue, love and hate all combine to create a chilling new entry in survival horror.
3 months have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Claire Redfield, having survived along with Leon S. Kennedy and Sherry Birkin, travels to France in search of her brother, Chris Redfield.
However, what awaits her is not a reunion with her brother, but the Umbrella special forces unit responsible for the incident. They capture Claire and transport her to a mysterious island.
Now Claire must make a desperate attempt to escape the remote Rockfort Island, which due to another biological disaster, has transformed into a living hellscape of survival horror.
Resident Evil Veronica is set for release on game consoles and PC in 2027. Capcom has yet to show actual gameplay.
If you are a newcomer here who wants to discover what Resident Evil – Code Veronica was all about, I encourage you to watch the two retrospective videos below.
Are you gamers feeling excited for Resident Evil Veronica? Do you feel confident that Capcom will deliver a great remake like 2019’s Resident Evil 2? Have you ever played Resident Evil – Code: Veronica?
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 to the 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 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. Taito’s 4-in-1 Print Ad
I remember seeing this ad in some comic books I read back in the 1980s.
There is nothing like taking the clever approach of promoting multiple video games using only one single print ad in the size of a single page. Taito did exactly that in the 1980s when it promoted Elevator Action, The Legend of Kage, Arkanoid and Renegade for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) promising excitement as the mentioned games were making the jump from arcade to console. What is very notable in Taito’s single-page print ad was that it did not show any screenshots of the games. Instead, they used hand-drawn artwork to emphasize each game’s theme or setting, and leave it up to the viewers’ imagination as to how those games would look like on NES. This old ad is intriguing and amusing at the same time.
2. Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation Print Ad
Cars and high-speed action emphasized in this ad.
Following the huge success of the original Chase H.Q. on both arcade and consoles in the late-1980s, the sequel Special Crime Investigation was released in the arcades in 1989 and ported to game consoles and computers in the early 1990s under the title Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation. To promote Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation for home computers, game publisher Ocean came up with a colorful print ad showcasing a few cars, a city background and elements of gun-related action presented in nice art. The ad has an image of the original arcade machine to remind gamers that they are playing the sequel to Chase H.Q.
3. Dancing Eyes Japanese Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
Released by Namco in Japan in 1996, Dancing Eyes is a puzzle arcade game that became notorious due to its overtly sexual nature. With the way it was designed, players control a small monkey called Urusu-San and crawl along a 3D grid mapped over characters (mostly ladies) or various objects. If the 3D grid is mapped over a young lady, any tile of the grid destroyed by the player exposes the lady’s underwear or skin. Such sexuality is reflected in the arcade flyer of Dancing Eyes which has a suggestive hand-drawn art on the front while the game’s mechanics are explained in the rear. Even the rear of the flyer shows sexual nature of the game with screenshots. While the game was officially released only in Japan, Dancing Eyes actually was made available for gamers to play at the arcade of X-Site amusement center inside Festival Mall in Alabang during the early 2000s and it attracted a lot of guys. I bet Namco did not know about that.
4. Sega Saturn North American Print Ad
This print ad always caught people’s attention.
When the Sega launched the Saturn console in America roughly four months ahead of schedule in 1995, the company suffered as the sales were disappointing, ties with business partners were strained and the available Saturn games were very few. By the fourth quarter of that year, more games became available for the Saturn and this gave Sega the opportunity to aggressively market the console as the one that gamers should get for their enjoyment. To promote the Saturn, Sega came up with a two-page print ad that had a dominant image of a naked woman whose private parts were cleverly covered by screenshots of the available games. Since most gamers were predominantly male from teenagers to adults, it made sense for Sega to come up with an eye-catching sexy ad to promote their console and the video games (including those from other companies). This old ad is considered by the woke and rabid feminists as very offensive today.
5. Blockbuster Video Print Ad
If you won the grand prize and wanted a lot of entertainment, you would not want to leave your home.
Back in the late 20th century, Blockbuster Video was the dominant retailer that offered customers movies in home video format for sale and for rent. Along the way, the company offered video game rentals and attracted millions of gamers around the nation. Given the tremendous growth of video gaming in America in the 1990s, Blockbuster got itself more involved by launching the Games of Summer Sweepstakes in 1996. Utilizing print ads, the sweepstakes offered the Ultimate Game Rooms – composed of a 41-inch big-screen TV, Surround Sound speakers, hi-fi VCR, NBA Jame Extreme arcade game, the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, a gaming chair, Acclaim games for Saturn and PlayStation, and a 1-year free Blockbuster Video game rentals privilege – as the grand prizes. Do you know anyone who won in Blockbuster’s sweepstakes?
6. Independence Day (ID4) Print Ad
A nice looking ad for a game that was actually mediocre.
Remember how big a blockbuster Independence Day (ID4) was in cinemas in 1996? The film grossed over $800 million worldwide and it revived the disaster movie genre using modern filmmaking techniques and the latest technologies of the decade. Given the massive success of the movie, it was not surprising that an official video game adaptation was released in 1997. To promote the game, Fox Interactive (the video game company of the movie studio behind the film) came up with a 2-page print ad using official artwork from the movie showcasing the alien spaceship being attacked by a military fighter plane. The ad showed only 3 screenshots and the descriptive text was written to make gamers feel like they have the role to lead Earth’s fight against the aliens. While the art looks good, it can only go so far to hide the mediocrity of the game itself.
7. GoldenEye 007 Print Ad
Bond, James Bond.
When GoldenEye achieved both critical and financial success in movies, it revived the James Bond movie franchise big-time and Pierce Brosnan was easily accepted by the public as the newest Agent 007. Several months before the movie was even released, an official video game adaptation started development. After much revisions and hard adjustments, the project evolved into a first-person shooting game for the Nintendo 64 console titled GoldenEye 007. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with a 2-page print ad that cleverly showed Brosnan as James Bond on the left and displayed the screenshots and other details on the right. This ad was easily eye-catching and it made lots of gamers excited. As history showed, GoldenEye 007 got released in 1997 and became a huge critical and commercial success while also proving that first-person shooters on game consoles can be a lot of fun.
8. North American Sega Saturn Games Promo Print Ad
There definitely was something fun offered to gamers. Who could go wrong with titles like Tomb Raider, Nights into Dreams, Virtual On and Virtua Cop 2?
As mentioned earlier, the Sega Saturn had a bad launch in America in 1995 which caused a lot of problems for the company. In 1996, Sega of America went on the offensive to really capture gamers’ attention by launching their Saturn games promo. The message of this 2-page print ad was very clear…Sega offered one free first-party game (limited to four specific games including Nights into Dreams) to those who bought two games (from a lineup of twelve specific titles). It should be noted that the Christmas season of 1996 was the most successful sales period of the Sega Saturn in America as gamers really responded to the promo. Even though some called this promo an act of desperation, nothing changes the fact that Sega succeeded during the most critical sales season of 1996.
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 to the 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 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. Space Duel Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
When the 1979 arcade classic Asteroids achieved massive success for Atari, the company went on to make ports of it on different platforms as well as follow-ups in the arcades. The first follow-up Asteroids Deluxe had a positive reception but never reached the huge impact of its predecessor. Since Asteroids Deluxe was well regarded for improved visuals and higher level of challenge, Atari went on to make the 1982 follow-up Space Duel. To promote the game, Atari’s artists made fascinating original artworks for both the arcade cabinet and the arcade flyer itself. Apart from looking great, I noticed the spaceships of Space Duel’s art looks similar with those of Xevious (a Namco arcade game distributed by Atari in America) and I can only speculate that the same artist made those.
2. Midway Auxiliary Show Monitor Print Ad
Did you experience watching arcade gameplay footage displayed on an overhead monitor?
As video arcades in America became massively popular with people and became a major economic sector, it was not surprising that crowding became a trend especially whenever a very popular game attracted both players (waiting in line) as well as onlookers. Midway, which was an arcade giant in the 1980s, came up with their own concept of a specialized secondary display called the Midway Auxiliary Show Monitor designed to let onlookers watch a video of ongoing gameplay without physically standing by the player. As the print ad above shows precisely the use of the monitors, those were used at trade shows or in arcades with a setup to make turn the single-player experience into a makeshift show for the people nearby. Back in the 1980s, there was indeed a spectator approach to the arcade experience but players had to deal with the disturbance of many onlookers standing near to see the on-screen action. At the very least, Midway’s concept and hardware was a bold attempt to solve overcrowding.
3. Sega Genesis North American Print Ad
Did this 1989 ad convince you to buy a Sega Genesis console?
While the Sega Genesis has always been identified with 1990s console gaming in America, the console was officially launched there in August 1989. At the time, Sega of America was not too creative nor aggressive when it comes to marketing the Genesis. The above 1989 print ad showed a lot of screenshots to promote the games, showed the console with a TV and a few peripherals and a text description that emphasized the Genesis as the so-called ultimate dimension in game play. Considering how dynamic and aggressive Sega’s marketing of the Genesis and games became a few years later when Tom Kalinske became the CEO, it is not surprising that this old ad has been forgotten.
4. The Punisher NES Print Ad
Fact: The Punisher started as an assassin in the comic books in 1974 before being turned into an anti-criminal killer.
By the year 1990, The Punisher became one of Marvel Comics’ most popular figures and the character had two monthly series published. As such, an actual video game featuring the character was made for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and to promote it, three screenshots were shown, a brick wall with stylized short messages was shown and a hand-drawn art of the Punisher was displayed. As seen in the screenshots, elements from The Punisher comic books were displayed such as shooting and fighting the criminals. Considering how wholesome the NES audience was at the time, this print promotion of The Punisher game looks odd although it is a fact that entertainment products featuring violent entertainment properties or characters were made and marketed towards children less than 12-years-old. Remember the Rambo animated series and video games of the 1980s?
5. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters Arcade Flyer
Did you enjoy this Lethal Enforcers sequel?
After achieving both critical and big-time commercial arcade success with Lethal Enforcers in 1992, Konami proceeded with the sequel Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters which was released in arcades two years later. While the 1994 game used 2D sprites and digitized photographs like its predecessor, Konami used the 19th century Old West as the setting making it totally different from the 1992 original. To promote the game and emphasize the Old West setting, Konami came up with this arcade flyer that showed actors in cowboy costumes with a background that looks like a cowboy movie set. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters went on to become successful in the arcades and it later got ported to game consoles.
6. Wipeout XL Print Ad
This is an ad and not an article.
1996 was a tremendous year for console gaming. As Nintendo launched their highly anticipated Nintendo 64 console (N64) that year, game publishers came up with new games that further utilized the features of both Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Wipeout XL was a sequel sci-fi racing game exclusive to the PlayStation and developer/publisher Psygnosis went all-in promoting the game with a lot of creativity and energy. They came up with this 2-page print ad to make gamers excited while creatively informing them what features, rave music and fun gameplay it has. On face value, this print ad looked more like a dazzling article.
7. Nights into Dreams Print Ad
The team behind the popular Sonic platform games on the Sega Genesis made Nights into Dreams.
If there is anything notable about the history of the Sega Saturn, it is the fact that there were no new dedicated platform games of Sonic The Hedgehog released for it which is very odd as the Sonic platform games on Sega Genesis were big sellers, critically acclaimed and even made their mark on pop culture. During the mid-1990s, Sonic Team (which had Sonic game creators like Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima) were laser-focused on making Nights into Dreams (stylized as NiGHTS into Dreams) which was an all-new intellectual property that allowed them to utilize the 3D capabilities of the Saturn while making room for their creativity. Sega knew Nights into Dreams was special so they came up with this 2-page print ad which had an eye-catching display of screenshots of the game on the left (with the Saturn in the middle) while using the other half for descriptive text and explanations (with the special Saturn controller in the middle) to grab people’s attention. This old ad from 1996 is a mixed bag for me as the left side was captivating to see while the description on the right side requires some effort to read properly due to the small size of the text.
8. Super Mario 64 Print Ad
This one was simple, clean and yet memorable.
What is arguably the most memorable video game released in 1996 was Super Mario 64 which was not only a fully featured launch game of the Nintendo 64 console, but also the first-ever Super Mario platform game made with 3D polygons complete with a large 3D environment that can be explored a lot. There was a huge anticipation for this game by both gamers and the media, and whenever it was previewed before release, it drew lots of crowds and many ended up being very impressed and wanting more. Nintendo knew they had some very special under the production and direction of Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. As such, Nintendo had an ambitious marketing campaign that includes print media, video advertising on MTV, Fox and Nickelodeon and even sending video tapes to thousands of Nintendo Power magazine subscribers. This 2-page print ad was part of the campaign and it had a fine visual design that strongly emphasized the iconic Mario in polygonal form in most spaces, leaving the screenshots in the bottom. This old ad from 1996 never looks outdated and its clean approach is really effective in helping people understand that something great would be launched along with the N64. Both the console and this game sold a lot of copies ultimately and it remains one of Nintendo’s biggest achievements ever.
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 related to the 1993 blockbuster film Jurassic Park. As part of the business strategy of the film directed by Steven Spielberg, several video games were licensed to make movies based on the movie. Unsurprisingly, the sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park was released in 1997 and it also had its own video games. This is the Jurassic Park Special.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 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. Jurassic Park SNES Game Print Ad
I saw this 2-page print ad in video game magazines in 1993.
Just a few months after the release of the movie, the official Jurassic Park video game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was released by Ocean and the company came up with a 2-page print ad to showcase a few screenshots and creative text emphasizing an adventure experience with a touch of “3-D”. The ad makers cleverly showed two first-person view sequence screenshots that showed the SNES was strong enough to deliver the so-called 3D experience. I remember seeing this ad while reading a video game magazine in 1993 and it easily caught my attention.
2. Jurassic Park PC Game Print Ad
This Jurassic Park game I never had a chance to play.
For the Jurassic Park personal computer (PC) game, Ocean came up with a single-page print ad that uses a live-action image from the film’s production. Not only was the image of Tyrannosaurus Rex head (with its sharp teeth visible) touching the vehicle very engaging to see, it is also a reminder that practical effects and other physical stuff were heavily used to do it resulting in a high level of realism that computer-generated imagery (CGI) cannot match.
3. Jurassic Park Sega Genesis North American Print Ad
The most visually striking 2-page print ad of the JP game for Sega Genesis.
Sega acquired licenses to make Jurassic Park games for its existing consoles plus the arcade game. To promote the Sega Genesis JP game, Sega came up with this 2-page print ad with a great visual design. While there were only few screenshots from the video game, the rest of the ad was filled with lots of eye candy such as dinosaur fossils, illustrations, science-based details and more. Very clearly, this print ad strongly emphasized the dinosaurs, adventure and intrigue. The game eventually sold a lot of copies and added to the overall commercial success Sega had in North America in 1993.
4. Jurassic Park Japanese Arcade Flyer
I played this Jurassic Park game in arcades here in the Philippines.
In 1994, Sega released the ambitious Jurassic Park arcade game which was a rail shooter game that had a sophisticated physical design that includes seats for two people. Developed by Sega’s AM3 team, the player(s) equipped with the joystick(s) has to shoot the dinosaurs that appeared on-screen from start to finish. To immerse gamers into the Jurassic Park environment, the game has a fine blend of 2D sprits and 3D polygons which resulted in the feel of 3D surroundings. For its part, Sega had to excite players and arcade operators while also explaining the technical details using the arcade flyer. The arcade game was a commercial success.
5. Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues Print Ad
This surprise sequel excited many gamers who were into the 1993 movie and 2D side-scrolling adventure games.
While it is a fact that the sequel to Jurassic Park did not come out in book format (1995) and in the cinemas (1997), Ocean went ahead with its very own sequel titles Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues. They even had an original tale about the established character Dr. Alan Grant returning to Jurassic Park to stop a rival corporation from taking over the place. To promote the SNES version of the game, the company came up with a single-page print ad that had an “under new management” sign above while showing a Velociraptor and a few screenshots from the game. As it was released in 1994, the game strongly appealed to the fans as well as gamers who enjoyed 2D side-scrolling adventure games on the SNES.
6. The Lost World: Jurassic Park Print Ad
DreamWorks Interactive made the official console games of The Lost World: Jurassic Park and they had EA and Sega publish it.
Like its blockbuster predecessor, The Lost World: Jurassic Park had its own video game adaptations. The Lost World: Jurassic Park games for PlayStation and Sega Saturn were developed by a video game company which was under DreamWorks SKG (note: Steven Spielberg was one of the founders), and they had Electronic Arts (EA) and Sega publishing each game per specific console. To market the game, a 2-page print ad was made which featured a dinosaur skull dominating the image leaving some space for screenshots and the descriptive text. Having seen the movie and having played the game, I can say that the dark aesthetic of this print ad reflected the dark and gritty tone of the Spielberg-directed movie.
7. The Lost World: Jurassic Park North American Sega GameWorks Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
For me, the best game based on The Lost World: Jurassic Park has always been the official arcade game developed and distributed by Sega. It was a sophisticated rail shooter made by the same team behind the 1994 Jurassic Park arcade game. The arcade flyer clearly mentions the Model 3 which was a highly advanced arcade hardware of Sega that made highly detailed 3D polygonal graphics and smooth animation possible. The flyer also boasted the use of a 50-inch medium resolution Mitsubishi monitor and the 4-speaker Surround Sound system that made the arcade experience intense. Even by today’s standards, this 1997 arcade game still looks great and remains enjoyable to play. This arcade flyer really promoted what was real for gamers to experience in the arcade. Are you aware that Steven Spielberg himself received The Lost World: Jurassic Park arcade cabinet as a gift from Sega?
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 to the 1990s focused mainly on role-playing games (RPGs) from the East and the West. This is the RPG Special!
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 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. Dragon Warrior II Print Ad
The art style used made this one looked similar with Dungeons & Dragons.
When Dragon Quest was released in America titled as Dragon Warrior, its sales there came nowhere close to what it sold in Japan. The game, however, sold enough copies to convince Enix to bring the sequel Dragon Warrior II (Japanese title: Dragon Quest II) to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in America and they came up with an ad that had obvious Western-style artwork to emphasize the fantasy elements. By comparison, the Japanese version of the game used the distinct art of Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z). Back in those days, there was this belief that Toriyama’s art style would not be effective in promoting the game in America.
2. Breath Of Fire Japanese Print Ad
This is how Breath of Fire looked like in Japanese print media.
In 1993, Capcom officially broke into the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) genre with Breath of Fire on the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom). The print ad they came up with for the Japanese market showed several characters – including Ryu and Nina who would later become recurring characters as sequels were released – with designs that had elements of anime and manga styles blended which contrasted the gritty and realistic approach of Western fantasy art. The ad made it clear to readers that new adventures in a fantastic world await them. The game achieved enough commercial success in Japan which convinced Capcom to make a sequel (plus more in the years that followed).
3. Phantasy Star II North American Print Ad
The 3-page ad showcasing Phantasy Star II and many other games.
After selling a good amount of copies of the original Phantasy Star worldwide on the Sega Master System, Sega knew they were on to something. They confidently produced the sequel Phantasy Star II for their brand-new Sega Genesis console in 1989 and aggressively promoted it in America with a daring 3-page print ad. If you look closely, majority of two of the pages were used to promote Phantasy Star II with screenshots (including a big one with a TV), the text description and the console. The spaces below allowed Sega to promote their many other games in convenient fashion. The result is huge success for Sega as more than 1.6 million copies of Phantasy Star II were sold worldwide. Sega would go on to make even more Phantasy Star games.
4. Estopolis Denki II Japanese Print Ad
Estopolis Denki II print ad in Japan.
When Estopolis Denki was released on the Super Famicom in Japan, sold enough copies to justify not only bringing the game to Western markets as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom but also the production of a follow-up titled Estopolis Denki II. To promote it, Taito made a Japanese print ad that had a captivating art style (with the characters looking more realistic and a floating land that had a gritty touch), some screenshots and the promise of fantastic adventures. While the game’s title sounded like a sequel, its story was actually set in the past. Estopolis Denki II would be released in the West as Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals.
5. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals North American Print Ad
Clearly Natsume did not have any game critics quotes to use to promote Lufia II.
When the first Lufia RPG was released in America on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), it became a commercial hit finishing as the top SNES game in the February 1994 sales chart. The sequel Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals was published by Natsume in America in 1996 and they daringly called it “The Ultimate Role Playing Game!” in its print ad utilizing the official artwork of a major character, two screenshots and descriptive text giving readers an idea on what to expect. This ad strongly relied on the visual elements while the first game’s American print ad (made by Taito) emphasized the critical acclaim received.
6. Chrono Trigger North American Print Ad
A lot of Dragon Ball Z fans recognized the art style of Akira Toriyama here.
Chrono Trigger, the JRPG that had the dream team creators of Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy creator), Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest creator) and Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z creator) behind the production, was easily the most ambitious game SquareSoft released in 1995. As part of the marketing strategy for the North American market, Square came up with a 2-page ad that had Toriyama’s art as the dominant image while using the remaining space for screenshots, the description and the SNES box cover placed strategically. Such a creative visual design was eye-catching and even memorable. Chrono Trigger became a huge commercial and critical hit in the West and it has long been regarded as a classic JRPG.
7. Secret of Evermore North American Print Ad
The creepy red images overshadowed the promotion of Secret of Evermore in America. Some readers might have been scared away by this ad.
Still in 1995, Square released Secret of Evermore for the SNES. Unlike most of Square’s RPGs, Secret of Evermore was developed by an American team in Washington state which explains why the game has a very distinct tone and strongly Western art style (note: the gameplay was patterned after that of Secret of Mana). To promote the game, Square came up with a very odd-looking 2-page print ad that had two dominating red images – eyes of a man on top and the front of a dog below) that felt like a forced approach to emphasize the game’s concept of the hero (a teenager boy) and his loyal dog (a very capable fighter). They used the remaining space for screenshots (which made gamers believe it was a sequel to Secret of Mana), the game box cover and a not so helpful text description. In my view, this print ad was a marketing misfire and Square could have produced hand-drawn art of the hero and his dog instead of the creepy red pictures.
8. Star Ocean: The Second Story North American Print Ad
A really odd-looking print ad.
The Star Ocean JRPG franchise of Enix had its first game released in Japan only. That first game on Super Famicom sold a lot of copies which led to the production of the sequel Star Ocean: The Second Story. By the late 1990s, Enix itself had a partnership with developer tri-Ace on the Star Ocean games. Somewhere along the way, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) secured the publishing rights of Star Ocean: The Second Story for not only America but also in other parts of the world. For the American market, Sony came up with a very odd-looking 2-page print ad that had a mail service form on the left. The form emphasized the concept of being away for a long time (reflecting the science fiction and extensive fantasy adventuring of the game itself) which incidentally was the eye-catcher of the ad. The other half of the page showing the game’s title, screenshots and detailed text description got overshadowed. This is another marketing misfire.
9. The Legend of Dragoon North American Print Ad
The movie poster-inspired print ad is memorable to look at.
Given how success Sony was with selling PlayStation consoles worldwide and how massively successful the Final Fantasy RPG franchise of SquareSoft was, it was not surprising that they decided to make their very own big-budget and exclusive JRPG with the intention to succeed and possibly establish a franchise. The result was the PlayStation-exclusive game The Legend of Dragoon which was made with a budget of $16 million and lasted three years in development. The game was released in Japan in late-1999 and sold at least 280,000 copies (note: majority of that in its first week of sales). In preparation for the June 2000 launch in America, Sony produced a print ad that had a very strong movie poster vibe showing what looked like painted art of the characters with vivid colors in the background and the title on the lower part. If you look closely, the credits were deliberately stylized over the way movie posters showed credits. While the game was not the massive hit Sony hoped for, it went on to become a million-seller and a great majority of its sales were from America. By today’s standards, the movie poster-like ad used to promote The Legend of Dragoon is memorable and an inspired piece of marketing work.
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 to the 1990s, particularly on role-playing games (RPGs) from the East and the West. This is the RPG Special!
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 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. Phantasie North American and Japanese Print Ads
The North American print ad.
The Japanese print ad.
Released by Strategic Simulations in the mid-1980s, Phantasie was a fantasy role-playing game that became a huge commercial success paving the way for not only ports on other computer systems of the time but also sequels later. The ad they came up with for the North American market had strong fantasy vibes and the screenshots gave readers the impression that it looked playable or user friendly. For the Japanese market, Phantasie was ported to the MSX system and they came up with an ad using radically different art work that had a horror vibe.
2. Phantasy Star Japanese Print Ad
Phantasy Star in the Japanese print ad sharing the spotlight with After Burner.
In the 1980s, role-playing games started gaining popularity with Japanese console gamers and there were game developers who were inspired by established RPGs from the West. Enix released two Dragon Quest games and each of them sold a lot of copies on Nintendo’s Family Computer (Famicom). At the time, Sega already had the Master System (called the SG-1000 and its variants with revisions) in the console market and they were way behind Nintendo on hardware sales. Knowing there is a market for console RPGs, Sega went on to make their exclusive RPG Phantasy Star. In 1987, a print ad was released showing Phantasy Star sharing the spotlight with Sega’s blockbuster game After Burner in the background. While the ad felt a bit disorienting to see, the game achieved much-needed success for Sega which in turn brought the game to the Master System in America in 1988. The game sold more and eventually led to sequels in the years that followed.
3. Ultima III Japanese Print Ad
Remember the old days when anime or comic book-style artwork was used to promote games in the Japanese print media?
Released in Japan under the title Ultima: Kyoufu no Exodus, Ultima III: Exodus was a breakthrough for the series as the Famicom version marked the first console release for Japanese gamers (note: the game was also offered for MSX and other computer systems in the country). The anime-style artwork used for the print ad is the same virtually the same with the front cover of Famicom version. Very notably, the art on the covers of the PC-88 and PC-98 versions were different.
4. Lunar: The Silver Star Japanese Print Ad
Game Arts’ Lunar: The Silver Star as advertized in Japanese magazines.
By the 1990s, console RPGs were very popular as franchises like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy each released sequels that sold a lot of copies. The company Game Arts decided to make a role-playing game which can tell stories better using animation with voiceovers and music while being very playable and enjoyable. They came up with Lunar: The Silver Star and released it on the Mega-CD add-on (connected with the Mega Drive console of Sega) in 1992. As such, it was not surprising to see the print ad having anime-style artwork as the game itself had several minutes of anime cutscenes complete with audio. As most Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) did not have playable anime cutscenes for storytelling, Lunar: The Silver Star really stood out. Sometime later, the small American company Working Designs would handle the game’s English version and start a healthy business relationship with Game Arts.
5. Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun North American Print Ad
A print ad that strongly appealed to both Sega Genesis gamers as well as fans of Dungeons & Dragons.
By the year 1992, the fantasy games franchise Dungeons & Dragons was wildly popular as players around the world kept enjoying the tabletop RPG modules (using dice, pen paper) as well as many computer and video games already available. Sega acquired a D&D license and eventually released Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun exclusively on their Genesis console in 1992. To promote it, Sega produced a 2-page print ad that had one half showing the game’s box placed with jewelry while using the other half to show the screenshots, descriptive text and other details. The way it was presented, the print ad was cleverly structured to attract the attention of Sega Genesis gamers as well as Dungeons & Dragons fans. The game ended up as the first and only official D&D product for the console.
6. Shadow Sorcerer North American Print Ad
This is one of many Dungeons & Dragons computer games released. The use of painted art for marketing was done many times.
In the history of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise and electronic gaming, it was on computers where the more ambitious and more intricate licensed games were played by many fans. In 1991, the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) electronic game Shadow Sorcerer was released on MS-DOS PC, Amiga and the Atari ST. The painted artwork used on the print ad was virtually the same as that on the box covers of the MS-DOS and Amiga versions. I can only guess that the ad markers must have paid a lot of money on the painted art and decided to use it for both marketing and packaging since it looked so detailed.
7. Estopolis Denki Japanese Print Ad
The 2-page Japanese print ad of Estopolis Denki.
In 1993, a brand-new Japanese developer called Neverland was established and its first project was the fantasy role-playing game Estopolis Denki for the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom). That same year, publisher Taito released the game and they promoted it with a 2-page print ad that featured a whimsical looking hand-drawn art work on one half and utilized the other half with details, screenshots and part of the art that was used on the game’s Super Famicom box cover. While Japanese game sales are not available, it seems Estopolis Denki sold enough to convince the publisher to release the game in North America as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom.
8. Lufia & The Fortress of Doom North American Print Ad
If you were able to play Lufia & The Fortress of Doom on the SNES, were you able to see this ad in a comic book or in a magazine?
Upon release in America in late 1993, Taito scored gold as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES or Super NES) became a critical and commercial success. In fact, it literally gained steam during the early months of availability and ended up as the top-selling SNES game in America for the month of February of 1994. Take note that at this particular point of time, RPGs on game consoles in America were not yet in high demand as gamers’ tastes were different. When it comes to the marketing, Taito came up with a single-page print ad showing fantasy artwork, the game’s box cover and the published quotes from game critics who gave the game positive reviews. This is smart marketing on the part of Taito.
9. Record of Lodoss War Japanese Print Ad
The Japanese print ad of Record of Lodoss War for Super Famicom.
Have you ever heard of the Record of Lodoss War fantasy franchise? That one started as a series of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno who previously worked on an RPG project. Record of Lodoss War was eventually adapted into comics, anime and video games. One of those games was released on the Super Famicom in December 1995 published by Kadokawa Shoten which in turn made the one-page print ad for the Japanese market. Using established art from the anime OVA (original video animation) series was a strategic move by the publisher as millions of Japanese people viewed it. Unsurprisingly, the art on the ad is almost the same as the one displayed on the game box cover.
10. Fallout North American Print Ad
A gritty looking print ad of the original Fallout PC game.
In my gaming life, I played Fallout 3, Fallout 4 and Fallout: New Vegas on Xbox consoles. When the first-ever Fallout game was released in 1997, I did not notice it as I was more into console gaming than PC gaming. The above print ad appeared is several PC gaming magazines and it clearly shows what it offered which gamers eventually ended up enjoying a lot. The mechanical helmet – protection for the user during battles and from radiation in the nuclear wasteland – on the left side of the ad became a key symbol of the Fallout franchise as further games also featured mechanical helmets. Fallout was highly acclaimed for featuring open-ended gameplay and its immersive post-apocalyptic setting. It sold enough copies to convince publisher Interplay to proceed with a sequel and the rest was history.
11. Xenogears Japanese and North American Print Ad
Japanese advertisement of Xenogears.
This North American print ad of Xenogears clearly showed the main character, a robot, the sci-fi setting and the visual style of the game.
Xenogears was a sci-fi JRPG I played on the PlayStation in 1998 but I was unable to finish it. Before it was released in America, there was speculation that Squaresoft would not be able to produce an English version for international release due to its religious content. The game was highly challenging to translate into English due to religious themes and psychological elements. Regardless, the game achieved successes commercially and critically in both Japan and America. Xenogears has since been considered by many as a classic JRPG and to play it today is pretty challenging as an existing PlayStation One, PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita is required as well as the physical PlayStation disc itself (note: digital copy of Xenogears for PS Vita). Square Enix – which previously remastered Chrono Cross and several Final Fantasy games for modern gaming platforms – has yet to remaster Xenogears for those with modern game consoles, mobile devices and the PC.
12. Final Fantasy Anthology Print Ad
I remember seeing this 2-page print ad in many gaming magazines I read.
By the year 1999, Squaresoft established itself as the best role-playing game company as they achieved critical and commercial success with Final Fantasy VII in 1997, Brave Fencer Musashi, Parasite Eve and Xenogears in 1998. For 1999, Squaresoft decided to bring ports Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI – both games were released in cartridge format on Super Famicom/Super NES some years prior – to their fans who owned PlayStation consoles by releasing the collection called Final Fantasy Anthology. For the North American market, Squaresoft aggressively promoted the 2-game collection with the above 2-page print ad on several video game publications. One half featured exquisite artwork by Yoshitaka Amano and the other half showed the screenshots, descriptions and details. Clearly the ad was made with Final Fantasy fans in mind and it was also clever with the use of nostalgia.
13. Final Fantasy VII North American Print Ad
While it did not show any of the characters, this 2-page print ad of Final Fantasy VII appeared in many gaming magazines and ultimately made the public aware of the game which went on to sell millions.
There is no denying that Final Fantasy VII is the most defining Japanese RPG of the 1990s. Given its huge pre-release promotions, the critical acclaim and the tremendous sales achieved in North America and Europe, the game arguably made the JRPG sub-genre more popular among gamers and game publishers while also making the original PlayStation console the must-have machine for video gaming. The above print ad is one of several released through print media and even though it did not show any characters, the image of a futuristic looking city caught the attention of not just gamers but also others who loved entertainment.
Welcome back Xbox fans, Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) enthusiasts, Final Fantasy fans and fellow geeks!
Over a week ago, Square Enix officially releasedFinal Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S plus Windows PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming. For Xbox gamers who love JRPGs and the Final Fantasy games franchise, this development marked the end of a years-long wait for the big budget remake of Final Fantasy VII to be released on their consoles.
This is Aerith Gainsborough in the big-budget remake?
There are multiple reasons why FF7 Remake will have sold well on Xbox, even beyond the fact that it’s one of the most requested Xbox releases of the past few years. For one, it’s available at the pretty low launch price of just £39.99 / $39.99, and as a “limited early” bonus, it even comes with the original version of Final Fantasy 7 as well. Don’t forget it’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title too, which means you get a free PC version when buying it on console.
Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade co-director Naoki Hamaguchi expressed his happiness that Xbox gamers are enjoying the game and he already confirmed that the remaining chapters of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy will be released on Xbox. Read his Twitter post below.
Final Fantasy VII Legacy and Cultural Significance
Historically, the original Final Fantasy VII was released on PlayStation in 1997 and it became a massive commercial juggernaut which arguably made the JRPG more popular among Western gamers. Characters like Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, and Yuffie Kisaragi became wildly popular not only among Final Fantasy fans but with JRPG enthusiasts. Sephiroth meanwhile became one of the most defining villains of video gaming.
Battles in the game are often fast, intense and filled with visual spectacle.
The road to the big budget remake was a long one and it eventually Final Fantasy VII Remake was released as an exclusive game on PlayStation 4 in 2020. A year later, the upgraded version called Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released on PlayStation 5.
Xbox gamers who purchase Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade can expect the following: Quests, mini-games, and missions set in expanded areas of Midgar. There are also some new characters and content that adds even more depth to the story.
The main cast in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.
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 videos I found.
#1 The Fly Revisited – In 1986, The Fly was released in cinemas and it impacted the science fiction genre, the horror genre and pop culture with body horror presentation under the direction of David Cronenberg. The film, which was a remake of the 1958 original, established Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum as cinematic artists. The movie even became an allegory about AIDS and how people care about those who are living with diseases. That being said, it is not surprising that The Fly became the subject of many YouTube videos in the form of retro reviews, reaction videos and trivia videos. To enjoy The Fly, watch the selected videos below…
#2 Steve Ditko Remembered – Are you familiar with the late illustrator Steve Ditko? He was the co-creator of Spider-Man and he illustrated the first 38 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series. Unlike the other Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee (who went on to be famous and celebrated a lot), Ditko had a low-key profile and did not want to be interviewed. If you want to learn more about the late illustrator, watch the video below.
#3 Pro-Palestine Activist Riddhi Patel Bashes City Officials And Threatens Them With Violence – I have seen a lot of Islamo-Leftist activists and zealots. Most of the time, they hate Israel and took sides with Palestinians and the Islamic terrorists. Also many of them activists are so extreme, they became entitled, arrogant and disrespectful to higher authorities. In the Communist state of California, the pro-Palestine activist Riddhi Patel spoke to city officials of Bakersfield and went as far as threatening them with violence. She even misused the name of Jesus. In her own words, Patel said “We’ll murder you.” To find out more, watch the video from SaharTV below.
#4 Wood-Fired Rice Balls Served By Store in Japan – Have you eaten any freshly cooked onigiri (Japanese rice ball) lately? I live here in the Philippines and because onigiri is not a common food, my only options are to buy them from the convenience store or from a foreign food vendor. In Japan, onigiri is widely available and customers can avail of them freshly cooked. There is this store in Japan that sells onigiri which are prepared with rice (cooked by wood fire) and fresh ingredients. Watch and learn from the video below.
#5 Meet The Programmer Behind The Classic Game Centipede – While I never had the chance to play the classic Atari game Centipede in the arcades in the 1980s, I played the Atari 2600 port a lot and enjoy it. Because I have a copy of the Atari 50 collection on my Xbox Series X, I am able to play the Centipede arcade version in the comfort of home. For the newcomers reading this, Centipede is a tremendous success in the arcades ending up as one of the Top 4 arcade games of 1982 in America. It was also ported to many consoles and home computers years later. Recently, I found a YouTube video featuring Dona Bailey, one of the programmers behind Centipede.
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 videos I found.
#1 Very In-Depth Retrospective about Saints Row (2006) – Back in 2006, I bought my Xbox 360 console and one of the very first games I bought for it was the original Saints Row. The game exceeded my expectations for a fun-filled open-world experience and in some creative ways, it was more entertaining than the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) games available at the time. Recently, I found what is very clearly the most in-depth and most analytical retrospective video about the game which you must watch now.
#2 The Night Donald Trump Destroyed Hillary Clinton With His Al Smith Dinner Speech – Remember the Al Smith Dinner event of 2016? Al Smith Dinner is the annual white tie dinner held in New York City to raise funds for Catholic charities and it has the notable tradition of having US Presidential candidates as guests every four years. The 2016 edition of the dinner was very memorable because of what Donald Trump said about the wicked Hillary Clinton. Trump’s line of Clinton “pretending not to hate Catholics” drew a lot of reactions and was magnified by the mainstream news media. There is a lot more to be discovered in the video from MAGAMark below.
#3 The Sixth Sense Revisited – When it was first released in cinemas in 1999, The Sixth Sense generated a tremendous amount of word-of-mouth reactions and discussions among local moviegoers. This was because of the twist ending, M. Night Shyamalan’s directing, the intense combination of suspense and fright, and the memorable acting between Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment. It’s not surprising that The Sixth Sense became a popular choice of film for YouTubers to make videos of and you can enjoy watching the selected videos below.
#4 Gradius III Revisited – While I played a lot of video games released by Konami, I never ever got to play Gradius III in the arcade nor on game console. Back in the early 1990s, I remember seeing boxes of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version of Gradius III displayed in local game stores but I did not have the money to purchase it. None of my neighbors (with SNES consoles in their respective homes) had it. Eventually, I saw some YouTube videos focused on the old game and you can enjoy watching them below.
#5 Okonomiyaki in Japan – I enjoy eating Okonomiyaki which is a Japanese teppanyaki savory pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients. In my experience, I have not toured Japan for a very long time and there are lots of places there that cook and serve Okonomiyaki to customers. If you want to see what Okonomiyaki looks like and hot it is cooked, watch the selected videos below.
#6 Entitled Illegal Immigrants – Is your local community still literally flooded with illegal immigrants? There is no doubt that crime is connected with illegal immigration and there are even illegal immigrants who believe they are entitled and cannot be held accountable for wrongdoing. You can see why and learn more by watching the video below.
Author Carlo Carrasco 