PS One – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 101

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025carlocarrasco

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 Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood Reaction Video – I have seen a lot of movie reaction videos of First Blood on YouTube, and almost all of them were by YouTubers who really never saw the said Rambo movie before. For the newcomers reading this, First Blood was released in 1982 starring Sylvester Stallone at a time when the Vietnam War was still fresh in the minds of many Americans. The film was a crucial success for the production company Carolco and its theme music from Jerry Goldsmith made waves in pop culture easily reminding people about Rambo. Recently I took time out to watch Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood reaction video which is entertaining to see as her reactions were really catchy. As First Blood is a classic among American action films and films related to the Vietnam War, I encourage you all to watch it entirely first if you have not seen it. Otherwise, enjoy Rhetorical Thrill’s reaction video below.

#2 Silent Hill (1999) Retrospective – I played Silent Hill a lot on PlayStation in 1999. I got far into the game’s story and through the many settings and challenges, but ultimately I never finished it. It was not just unique horror-themed video game. Silent Hill was very atmospheric and its approach on storytelling contributed a lot video gaming as a whole. If you want to discover who were the people responsible for Silent Hill and what the game had to offer, watch the two retrospective videos below.

#3 AI: Artificial Intelligence Revisited – AI (artificial intelligence) is wildly popular with people today for various purposes. Long before AI became a popular digital tool, the themes about artificial intelligence in general was explored by Steven Spielberg in a movie project that previously involved Stanley Kubrick (who died in 1999). That film was AI: Artificial Intelligence directed by Spielberg and released in 2001. I saw the movie on home video but it never engaged me. Of course, that did not stop AI: Artificial Intelligence from being featured in retrospective videos, review videos and movie reactions. To see what Spielberg’s movie is about, watch the selected videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Land Before Time – What can be said about the 1988 animated movie The Land Before Time? It was directed by American animation legend Don Bluth and it involved Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as executive producers. More notably, the movie was about a group of young, talking dinosaurs who go on a series of unexpected events and adventuring which touched a lot of moviegoers back in 1988. That being said, Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video is a must-see.

#5 Ramen In Osaka – It has been almost thirty years since my first and only visit to Osaka in Japan. I had a fun few days of touring Osaka and there was a series of new discoveries I enjoyed there. I just could not remember eating ramen there. As such, I found a video about a certain ramen shop that has been serving customers with delicious meals for at least forty years now. You can learn about how ramen is prepared and what it takes to make delicious ramen that will keep customers coming back for more.

#6 You, Me and the Movies React To Pee-wee’s Big Adventure – What was the directorial debut of Tim Burton? It was in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, a comedy adventure film starring the late Paul Reubens and released in 1984. Some fans of the film called it a classic of the comedy genre and one of the funniest Hollywood comedies of the 1980s. The film keeps on making viewers laugh or smile, and you can see why by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below.

#7 The Assassination of Charlie Kirk Exposes The Evil Of The Leftists – I have said it before and will say it again…the Left is so evil and so twisted, it is truly Satanic. I am referring to the woke, the Islamo-Leftists, the liberals, the socialists, the Communists and the more. To put things in perspective, a lot has happened since the assassination of Charlie Kirk who was an American patriot, a true family man, an ally of Israel and a faithful follower of Lord Jesus. His assassination drew cheers and celebration among the Leftists which exposed further the burning evil deep within them. The Leftists are so pathetic, they and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime are LYING to the people about the assassin Tyler Robinson and about the victim Kirk. Even Bethesda – the game publisher behind The Elder Scrolls video game franchise – shamelessly mocked Kirk via social media before deleting its Tweet. Watch and learn from the videos below.

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 100

September 15, 2025September 9, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Christine Grace Smith Reacts To A Video About Society Impacted When No Men Are Working – There is something new and engaging to learn about society whenever Christine Grace Smith posts a new video. Recently, she shared her own reaction to a video that explores what would happen to society if men stopped working. This is something that the woke and rabid modern-day feminists do not want you to see. I urge you all to watch her video now.

#2 Metal Gear Games Revisited – In connection with the recent release of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, it was not surprising that a lot of YouTube videos revisiting past Metal Gear games got published by different YouTubers. Some of those videos I found were entertaining to watch while others were reflective or even intriguing. For the newcomers reading this. The Metal Gear game franchise of Konami started in the late 1980s under Hideo Kojima when he was very young. That being said, I urge you all to take a look at the selected Metal Gear-related videos I shared below.

#3 How Alan Moore And Watchmen Spread The Wokeness Disease In Comics – YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance is back, and this time he strikes hard at author Alan Moore not personally but for sowing the seeds of wokeness in superhero comics with Watchmen as the turning point. By today’s standards, wokeness is the unfortunate new normal in superhero comics and it is a fact that Alan Moore is an anarchist and a Leftist as well. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Revisited – Long ago, there were several comedy films made by Mel Brooks which delivered bouts of humor to moviegoers and raked in varying amounts in ticket sales. In the 1990s, he directed Robin Hood: Men in Tights which my friends enjoyed watching inside the movie theater. While the film is not a classic by any means – not even within the comedy genre – it still managed to entertain YouTubers through their reaction videos. Watch the selected reaction videos below.

#5 The Traditional Types of Food of Japan – While you may have enjoy varied types of food of Japan served through the many Japanese restaurants around the world, are you aware that there certain meals or delicacies of the nation that were simply not made available through those places? That being said, it would be enlightening – and even tasty – for you to visit Japan and try out the more traditional types of food the nation has to offer. Indeed, there are the 100-year food declared in Japan and you can learn more about them by watching the video below.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 31

June 2, 2025May 27, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

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

1. Operation Wolf American and Japanese arcade flyers

In the late 1980s, Taito achieved massive success in arcades around the world with Operation Wolf. Released during the late stage of the Cold War and with many militaristic action movies already released by Hollywood, Operation Wolf attracted a lot of money from countless players as well as praise from game critics. For the American market, Taito came up with a colorful yet gritty looking arcade flyer that had nice hand-drawn artwork and enough details and screenshots to give readers a useful look at what to expect. The Japanese arcade flyer meanwhile has an even grittier looking original artwork that strongly emphasized war, guns and action. In retrospect, I look both arcade flyers a lot.

2. Centipede Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 print ad

*I played Centipede a lot on Atari 2600.*

While I completely missed out on the arcade version of Centipede, I managed to play its Atari 2600 version a lot. Ultimately, the simple game design and unique challenges resulted in lots of fun-filled bouts in my experience. To promote the game’s versions on Atari 2600 and Atari 5200, the game giant came up with this particular print ad that had two near-identical artworks that reflect the concept of Centipede. The ad also has some catchy expressions in the text description. This old ad is still fun to look at.

3. Atari RealSports print ad

*Long before EA sports video games, there was this.*

Way back in 1982, Atari launched its RealSports line of sports video games mainly to revitalize sports gaming for their consoles. In fact, RealSports was the result of a critical and aggressive ad campaign by competitor Intellivision which had its Sports Network series of games. In this RealSports print ad, a large image of Atari’s baseball game was used probably to emphasize the scope of the field. The ad had screenshots of the volleyball and football games, while the text description reflected Atari’s aggressive response to Intellivision. This ad is an early example of competition between rival game console makers focused on sports gaming.

4. Lethal Enforcers Sega CD print ad

*When was the last time you bought a video game with a hard copy and a peripheral bundled together?*

Porting light gun games from the arcade to the console is very difficult and tricky to do. This is what Konami did in the early 1990s when they released a version of the arcade hit Lethal Enforcers on the Sega CD console and the package had a light gun with the game on disc. To promote the Sega CD version, Konami came up with a 2-page print ad with the catchy line “You won’t find a toy like this in any Cracker Jack box.” In addition, their ad had a few paragraphs of descriptive text to not only excite gamers but also gently inform them that Lethal Enforcers was also available on the Sega Genesis (note: this console is required for the Sega CD add-on to work) and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Overall, this old ad has a strong visual approach and a clever marketing strategy.

5. Pitfall II: Lost Caverns Atari 2600 print ad

*A very stylish layout to promote the game.*

In 1982, Activision struck gold with the huge success of Pitfall! which became an influential model of designing platform games. Of course, the publisher (now owned by Microsoft) did not stop there as they went on to make the sequel Pitfall II: Lost Caverns to not only keep the success going but also to exceed the standard they set with the first game. Activision came up with a print ad that not only told gamers of Pitfall Harry’s next adventure but also express humor visually. In line with Activision’s policy of crediting its creators (note: Atari was notorious for refusing to credit its game makers during this era), game designer David Crane was acknowledged in the ad.

6. Team USA Basketball print ad

*See your favorite NBA player from the 1990s?*

In 1992, a lot of people were obsessed with the Dream Team Olympic basketball squad of the United States as its roster had NBA legends like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and David Robinson to name a few. In fact, the Dream Team became the most popular attraction among all teams in any sport of any country that participated in the summer Olympics in Barcelona. Knowing how popular the squad really was, Electronic Arts (EA) made the video game Team USA Basketball and released it on the Sega Genesis which was already a popular console for sports video games. EA came up with this eye-catching 2-page print ad that strongly emphasized the Dream Team, international basketball gaming, and the company’s tested design on 2D basketball video games. In retrospect, this print ad is still amusing and exciting to look at.

7. Jungle Hunt Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 print ad

*Do you fine the parallel artworks amusing or disturbing?*

Following the huge success of Jungle Hunt (previously titled as Jungle King), Atari saw potential Dollar signs and made a deal with Taito to publish ports under their own brand for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200 and 8-bit computers. As with the Atari console ads of Pitfall II: Lost Caverns and Phoenix, Atari came up with a print ad that featured two parallel artworks that look similar with each other as they promoted Jungle Hunt for Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. To their credit, the artworks used were detailed and eye-catching, and the descriptive line of words displayed carried a possible reference to 1975’s Jaws.

8. GameShark print ad

*A James Bond-inspired way of promoting GameShark.*

Remember GameShark? For the newcomers reading this, GameShark is the brand of a line of products released on different video game consoles and personal computers (Windows specifically) that gamers use to cheat in video games. GameShark was popular at a time when not too many people had access to the Internet nor did gamers had the means to search for cheats online, and codes were needed to enable cheating. GameShark became so popular, more ambitious and stylish print ads were realized such as this James Bond-inspired 2-page ad. On face value, this ad looked like it was a promoting a particular game but ultimately it was about promoting GameShark with style, cool and some sexiness.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 30 (Star Wars Special)

May 19, 2025May 26, 2025carlocarrasco

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 but with focus on Star Wars games that were released during the era of George Lucas. This is the Star Wars Special of RGAB.

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

1. 1983 Star Wars arcade game flyer

Just weeks before the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi was released in cinemas in 1983, Atari released the Star Wars arcade game which became a tremendous hit around the world. Both Star Wars fans and gamers of the time loved the game as it provided a very immersive and fun-filled arcade experience. The print ad Atari released has a nice artwork on the front (showing a portion of the Death Star, two TIE Fighters, a Rebel X-Wing Fighter and Darth Vader’s image) and the text description plus the pictures of two arcade machines on the back. While no screenshots were shown, the print ad still had strong visual impact to catch the attention of players and arcade operators. This arcade flyer still looks great!

2. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle Atari 2600 print ad

*Parker Brothers really stood out among publishers of games on the Atari 2600 and they even had the Star Wars license.*

Considering the massive success that Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back had in cinemas, merchandising and other entertainment media, it was not surprising that games based on Return of the Jedi were produced. For the Atari 2600, Parker Brothers produced Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle which my friends and I played a lot in 1983. The print ad Parker Brothers came up with has a very eye-catching design showing a Rebel pilot flying a space ship (supposedly the Millennium Falcon which is the only playable ship in the game) towards the Death Star. The visual design is a stroke of genius because it appeals strongly to Star Wars fans while highlighting a major battle in the film which influenced the core concept of the game. This is a classic Star Wars game ad.

3. Star Wars Arcade Japanese market flyer

*This arcade game was one of the first fully polygonal Star Wars games released.*

In the 1990s, Sega acquired the license to produce Star Wars games for the arcades and they had the hardware for polygonal graphics. In 1993, the released Star Wars Arcade which is a space shooter that offered gamers the freedom to fly their Rebel space ship in 3D space with environments and huge space ships rendered in polygons. As you can see in the arcade flyer for the Japanese market, Sega went hard with their presentation showing 3 carefully selected screenshots (amazing for the time) and a picture of the arcade machine which had an elaborate control set-up, seats and decorations. As Star Wars Arcade was released more than a year before the polygonal game consoles Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation hit the market, this arcade flyer was mind-blowing to gamers who were on the verge of playing video games with polygonal visuals.

4. Super Star Wars print ad

*Yes, JVC was involved with the Super Star Wars trilogy starting with this one.*

In 1992, Star Wars fans who enjoyed playing 2D side-scrolling games saw their dream of the next great Star Wars console experience come true when Super Star Wars was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). With the SNES technology, more detailed visuals and improved audio brought the Star Wars universe to life and the addition of 3D-like playable sequences (made possible by Mode 7 effects) made Super Star Wars a very unique console experience. The print ad only showed three screenshots and three paragraphs of descriptive text but the use of images from the 1977 movie poster added a lot of punch to the visual presentation. This ad is both eye-catching to gamers and long-time Star Wars fans.

5. Star Wars: TIE Fighter print ad

*This game offered gamers the opportunities to be with the dark side.*

In 1994, LucasArts released Star Wars: TIE Fighter which offered gamers the opportunity to play an Imperial pilot serving Darth Vader on missions set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This print ad has a sharp visual design enhanced by Darth Vader’s iconic look in the background. The selected screenshots shown were good to look at but the artwork used to present the TIE Fighters really stood out. This solid looking print ad does come with a bit of disturbance as the Galactic Empire in Star Wars lore are evil.

6. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi print ads

*Nothing like seeing Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill as the Star Wars icons on a video game ad.*

*I never played the portable editions of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Have you?*

As far as gaming on the SNES was concerned, the Super Star Wars trilogy of games really kept fans and casual gamers busy. By the time Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was released in 1994 on the SNES, there was already immense speculation about the Star Wars prequel trilogy and George Lucas himself started writing them that same year. The 2-page print ad of the game on SNES had a creepy photo of Emperor Palpatine on one side, the other characters on the other side, and six selected screenshots displayed on the lower part. The way the print ad was design reflects that the game is the end of the trilogy like the 1983 film itself. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was also released on Game Gear and Game Boy and the ad makers made the right decision to use the Death Star and space battle image as the background so that the portable games would stand out.

7. Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi print ad

*I wonder if George Lucas ever regretted approving this Star Wars fighting game. It was so rough and unpolished with its quality.*

If there is any sub-par Star Wars game released in the 1990s, it is none other than Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi on the PlayStation. The 1997 game was LucasArts’ attempt to cash in on the booming fighting games genre and they took a huge risk of making it entirely polygonal. Instead of using photographs or hand-drawn art, the ad makers used a fully rendered 3D polygonal models of Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett which was alienating to look at. In fact, those polygonal models looked very different from the in-game polygonal models of Skywalker and Boba Fett presented during gameplay. This print ad is a sad reminder about an ill-conceived concept for Star Wars that materialized into an actual product.

8. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire print ad

*If you have read the novel, were you able to play this video game?*

LucasArts and Nintendo teamed up with something ambitious – a video game adaptation of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire that was released exclusively to the Nintendo 64 (N64). Released in late 1996, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire was part of the multimedia entertainment project of the same name and it is the result of LucasArts’ decision to be an early adopter of the N64 for business-related reasons. The 2-page print ad shown here has a dark, star-filled background which captivating screenshots on the left and the N64 controller standing out. This print ad strongly expresses that gamers would need the N64 in order to play Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire in the comfort of home.

9. Star Wars Trilogy arcade flyer

Before the Star Wars Prequel trilogy started with The Phantom Menace, Sega came out strongly by releasing Star Wars Trilogy Arcade in arcades around the world. Released in 1998, the game was arguably Sega’s most ambitious Star Wars-licensed game ever as it was made with the powerful Model 3 hardware, it came with unique controls and the game was designed as a polygonal rail shooter focused on key segments from the original trilogy of films. Sega wisely used dynamic artwork for the front of the flyer giving viewers the impression that the X-Wing fighter was approaching them closely. At the rear, three screenshots only showed space battles which was a wise decision by Sega to keep the surprise intact for gamers until they play the game. Having played this in the arcade myself, I can assure you that Star Wars Trilogy Arcade has more varied types of gameplay and challenges. It’s a lot more than flying and shooting in space, and it has a lot of stuff that Star Wars fans will love.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 29

April 9, 2025April 3, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

1. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero arcade flyers

*G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero arcade flyer for the Japanese market.*

*The North American arcade flyer of G.I. Joe.*

Back in the 1980s, my friends and I saw lots of episodes of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero on TV and there were lets of toys of it available. I also read some comic books of G.I. Joe. While there were G.I. Joe video games, I never got to play its early 1990s arcade game from Konami. By comparing the two arcade flyers of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, the American flyer excels visually showing the characters with a powerful war-themed background. The Japanese flyer had smaller space for the same artwork and displayed the arcade cabinet (take note of the controls laid out to accommodate up to four players). Between the two, I prefer the American arcade flyer.

2. Alien 3 Japanese arcade flyer

*With this arcade flyer, Sega clearly showed arcade operators what to expect when ordering machines of Alien 3: The Gun.*

Watching Alien 3 inside the cinema in 1992 was one of the worst moviegoing experiences I ever had. By the time video games based on the movie were released, I was surprised to see how action-packed and entertaining they looked. The one Alien 3 game that captivated me was Sega’s Alien 3: The Gun in the arcades as its design and concept contradicted the essence of the film. The Japanese arcade flyer has this aggressive approach on laying down the details, displaying the arcade machine and displaying carefully selected screenshots to excite both gamers and arcade operators. This arcade flyer still looks good today.

3. Super Cobra arcade flyer

*A great artwork emphasizing the concept of Super Cobra.*

First released in Japanese and America arcades in 1981, Super Cobra is a 2D side-scrolling shooter in which players pilot an armed helicopter through tight caverns while facing enemies capable of firing. The American arcade flyer has great artwork that almost perfectly captures the essence of the game. This is another old arcade flyer that has aged well.

4. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin print ad

*Back in 1993, animated sequences included in video games were still new and even exciting.*

Moving forward to the year 1993, gamers in America who owned a Sega Genesis console were being motivated by Sega to upgrade their gaming experience with the Sega CD add-on. Along the way, Sega really ramped up efforts to have more games supporting the Sega CD and one of them was The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin on Sega CD was actually an updated version of the original 1991 game and Sega’s team included several improvements to take advantage of the CD-ROM technology of the add-on. This print ad showed Sega’s hard work on selling the game.

5. Soulstar print ad

*The artwork of this print ad has very strong sci-fi vibes.*

Released in 1994 for the Sega CD (Mega CD in other markets), Soulstar was sci-fi 3^rd-person shooter that delivered amazing visuals, fun gameplay and an immersive experience of space travel to gamers. This European market print ad is a very effective way to promote the game using carefully selected screenshots, amazing artwork and a cleverly written text description. Still a fine print ad to look at.

6. Batman Returns print ad

This print ad effectively promoted both the game and the movie. In retrospect, the line “Our new Batman game is anything but tame” turned out to be true as lot of parents who brought their kids to the cinemas for Batman Returns were turned off by the adulterated elements.

In 1992, Batman Returns played in a lot of cinemas but its very dark tone and adulterated elements prevented it from matching the huge box office success of its 1989 predecessor. Regardless, a lot of licensed video games based on the movie were released and in early 1993, Konami released a Batman Returns video game on the aging Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This print ad used a photograph from the filming of an scene that actually had Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, dominating over the iconic Batman. Also displayed were screenshots, the game’s box cover (showing Pfeiffer, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito as their respective characters) and the text description. Even if you did not like the movie, this old print ad is a solid way of promoting both the game and the movie. The line “Our new Batman game is anything but tame” strangely turned out very true.

7. The Terminator games print ads

Released in cinemas in 1984, The Terminator was a surprise hit as well as a career-booster for Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron. What is very notable is the fact that several video game adaptations of The Terminator were released on consoles in the early 1990s. I can only guess this was done to capitalize on the resurgence of the Terminator franchise in connection with Terminator 2: Judgement Day’s much-anticipated release in cinemas. The Sega Genesis version print ad features a digitized close-up of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator while the 2-page Sega CD version print ad used a lot of the space for large text (with an incomplete shot of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator on the edge of the 2^nd page) emphasizing “He’s Back” and “The Terminator” while leaving little space for text descriptions and screenshots. Between the two, I find the Sega Genesis ad more effective with its promotion of the game.

8. Defender arcade flyer

*More choices of a very successful game for arcade operators also means more ways for players to play it.*

Even though it had a soft start in the early 1980s, the classic game Defender went on to become a massive commercial success in the arcades. Being a major attraction in America’s video game industry, Williams unsurprisingly went on to release this particular arcade flyer to sell to operators different types of Defender arcade machines that could fit into their respective joints while providing gamers choices on how to play the game. Some players preferred to stand in-front of a tall arcade cabinet while others prefer to play the game looking down on the screen. This flyer is an example as to how a company can keep their biggest success moving on while offering business clients more choices.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 28

March 19, 2025March 12, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

1. Japanese Macross video games print ads

*This 2-page ad had Minmay, Misa and Hikaru.*

*Computer-generated image of the Skull Leader Battroid was used here.*

Looking at the history of Macross video games released only in Japan, there were these notable games that catered to the fans with different tastes during the period of 1997 to 1999. The two Japanese print ads here promoted the PlayStation version of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (read my retro review by clicking here) and Macross: VF-X2 (only on PlayStation). 1997 marked the 15^th anniversary of the entire Macross franchise and game publisher Bandai Visual kept the excitement for fans on high gear by aggressively promoting the two advertised games for their respective releases in 1999. These two print ads still resonate with long-time fans as each were clearly made to emphasize the games (with details, screenshots and original artworks) while using the right images of the Macross franchise for relevance.

2. Star Raiders print ad

*This Star Raiders print ad made me interested enough to play the game on Atari 2600.*

I remember the old days of play Star Raiders on the Atari 2600 back in the early 1980s. Strangely enough, I don’t remember seeing this old print ad. Regardless, I really like the way the ad makers used hand-drawn art work to dominate the space while leaving enough space for text description, a screenshot and the picture of the Atari console with the TV set. In my view, this old ad is both amusing and attention-grabbing.

3. The Empire Strikes Back arcade flyer

*This is still a great looking arcade flyer.*

Here is a Star Wars game I never played but managed to play it on a home computer. Released by Atari in 1985, The Empire Strikes Back (full title: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) arcade game was the follow-up to the very popular Star Wars arcade game. Like its predecessor, it used vector graphics and certain sounds from the 1980 film for immersion. This arcade flyer is well designed showing three selected screenshots, a picture of the arcade cabinet and a portion of the AT-AT walker from the movie. The flyer truly showed gamers and arcade operators what they would get by selecting The Empire Strikes Back.

4. Steve Meretzky’s Spellcasting 301: Spring Break print ad

*Clearly the promoted game is for adult players only.*

In the realm of computer gaming, there were certain games that catered to the more mature players. One example is Steve Meretzky’s Spellcasting 301: Spring Break which was released on for personal computers running on DOS (Disk Operating System) in 1992. This print ad clearly shows the adulterated nature of the game emphasizing sexy women with a paradise setting. This is the kind of print ad that you only in computer gaming magazines which had predominantly adult readers.

5. Pitfall! print ad

Back in 1982, 2D adventuring on the Atari 2600 reached new heights when Pitfall! was released. The game garnered wide praise for its gameplay and graphics, and because it was so enjoyable, it sold millions of copies and its success spread across other platforms. A key factor to its commercial success and strong identity with the Atari 2600 was this colorful print ad. The ad makers daringly used original artwork to emphasize the jungle, wilderness and adventure concept while leaving some space left to show a screenshot and the Atari 2600 game cover. Pitfall! is a video game classic.

6. Mario Bros. print ad

*I saw this comic-style print ad while reading a comic book.*

A few years before Nintendo skyrocketed with the massive success of Super Mario Bros., there was Mario Bros. on the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. Published by Atari on their consoles, Mario Bros. was already a hit in the arcades. To capitalize on the popularity of the game, Atari came up with this comic-style print ad to capture people’s attention with the hope that the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 ports will sell a lot. I first saw this ad while reading a comic book and it remains entertaining to see.

7. Ghoul Patrol print ad

*Too bad the screenshots, the game box cover and white descriptive text were too small to look at.*

Released in 1994 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Ghoul Patrol is the accidental sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors. This was because the game did not start as a sequel but rather as an unrelated project that used the same gameplay engine of its predecessor. Since Zombies Ate My Neighbors already had a dedicated fanbase, a decision to turn the game into a sequel followed. Ghoul Patrol’s print ad took a different creative approach on its presentation by trying to look cool and catchy with a dominating pink background and slightly adulterated descriptions in green leaving little space left for screenshots and the white descriptive text. The print ad of Zombies Ate My Neighbors remains more engaging and more eye-catching than this one.

8. Silpheed print ad

*This ad caught my attention and even made me interested on the Sega CD.*

Released in 1993, Silpheed on Sega CD was a remake of the original game of 1986. Like its predecessor, the Sega CD had 3D effects but used pre-rendered computer animation for a background that actually was full motion video. The print ad of this game had this fantastic looking computer-generated artwork and displayed four screenshots that looked really exciting back in 1993. If you look closely at the captions, the ad emphasized the CD-quality look and the cinematic graphics the game had. This old ad has aged well.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 27

February 17, 2025February 10, 2025carlocarrasco

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 to the year 2000.

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

1. Tutankham print ad

*This print ad appeared in several comic books in 1983.*

First released in the arcades in 1982, Tutankham is a 2D adventure game that had a mix of shooting, maze exploration and puzzle-solving with Egyptian settings and concepts. It made its way to the Atari 2600 published by Parker Brother, and it was this specific version I played. This game print ad appeared in comic books I read in 1983, and the people who made it implemented a hand-drawn art of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun dominating the space to emphasize the Egyptian setting. In fact, this ad made me think more of Egypt and left little to give me an idea of the game design.

2. Star Trek arcade flyer

*The clever use of classic Star Trek imagery was used in this initial flyer by Sega.*

*Back in the 1980s, a futuristic design for an arcade machine like this one was mind-blowing.*

I never played the Star Trek arcade game (full title: Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator) Sega released in 1983. I only saw its graphics and gameplay during an episode of Starcade. With its game design and visual presentation, Star Trek was a very ambitious arcade project for its time and Sega really went in to promote it. The initial arcade flyer (first one above) was meant to grab the attention of both gamers and arcade operators. The next arcade flyer (2^nd one above) showed the ambitious design of the arcade machine made with player immersion in mind.

3. Battlezone arcade flyer

*While the hand-drawn artwork was too detailed for the arcade game’s graphics, it still emphasized strongly the concept of the game.*

In the history of video games, Battlezone was a groundbreaking game both visually and with game design. It was designed to give gamers an immersive experience of driving a tank with 3D graphics, fun gameplay and a first-person view. Its own history is worth researching. Atari knew it had to heavily promote their ambitious game and the arcade flyer above featured nice hand-drawn artwork while also showing the two types of Battlezone machines that arcade operators can choose from. Battlezone went on to become a highly influential arcade game.

4. Chrono Cross North American print ad

*Arguably, this print ad was aimed at RPG enthusiasts, Chrono Trigger fans and gamers looking for something adventurous to play.*

First released on PlayStation in Japan, Chrono Cross made its way to the said console in America just a few months before the PlayStation 2 launched there. While there was a risk that came with releasing the ambitious follow-up to the classic Chrono Trigger so late in the PlayStation’s life, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) still went on to aggressively promote Chrono Cross in America. This 2-page print ad that appeared in many gaming magazines remains captivating to look at. As typical of the time, 3D polygonal models and the epic-looking art were used in dominating fashion leaving the small space (lower-left corner) to display a few gameplay screenshots and other 3D art. Still it a fun game to play and this should remind you that Chrono Cross was recently remastered for modern consoles.

5. Ms. Pac-Man arcade flyer

Given the fact that Pac-Man was so massively successful, it was not surprising that a sequel had to be made and released on as many arcades as possible. Ms. Pac-Man was the sequel and it was released in arcades in 1982 eventually achieving huge commercial and critical success. To promote the game, Midway’s ad makers came up with an ad showing unique art of Pac-Man’s wife looking glamorous (with a driver and a vehicle in the background) and a photograph of the arcade machine on the right. This also was one of the early arcade flyers to use the words “femme fatale”.

6. Centipede arcade flyer

*Three machines of Centipede for arcade operators to choose from.*

Centipede is another arcade classic from Atari. Released in 1981, a lot of players enjoyed the game’s simplistic and yet addicting design of shooting an incoming centipede and its remaining portions that move down the field. Similar to the Battlezone arcade flyer, this game’s flyer had nice art of a centipede on the top and images arcade machines. Even by today’s standards, this flyer remains eye-catching.

7. Tempest 2000 print ad

*This 2-page print ad of Tempest 2000 is still captivating to look at.*

Back in the 1990s, Atari went on to release their Jaguar console which was promoted as a 64-bit machine. At a gaming convention, the company met with prospective game developers over Jaguar projects and one of the developers volunteered to do Tempest (a memorable Atari arcade game). This resulted in the development of Tempest 2000 which was a remake of the classic.

As a Jaguar-exclusive game, Atari came up with an eye-catching 2-page ad showing off the 3D visual presentation (6 gameplay screenshots and one original artwork) while boasting in the text description that Tempest 2000 was named the “Best of Show” at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The game was released in 1994 attracting mostly positive reviews from game critics and was one of the best-selling Jaguar games (note: Tempest 2000 can now be played in the Atari 50 collection). With the Atari legacy and presentation combined, this print ad remains captivating to look at.

8. Alien vs Predator print ad

*Arguably the most defining and most entertaining game on the Atari Jaguar.*

If there is any game that truly defined enjoyment and the technological features of the Atari Jaguar, it is the 1994 first-person shooter Alien vs Predator. At the time of its release, it was one of the most immersive games of the Alien vs. Predator crossover franchise and it allowed players to experience what fighting the Predator or the Xenomorph was like. The game also allowed gamers to play as a Colonial Marine (human soldier).

To sell the game, Atari came up with a 2-page ad highlighting the Aliens on one page and the Predator on the other. As the Predator was shown with a grotesque human skull, the use of photographs (most likely sourced from the movies) strongly emphasize the game was aimed at the mature audience among gamers. Six screenshots of gameplay were displayed by the ad makers who were clearly aware of the high popularity of first-person shooting games. Alien vs Predator was a critical and commercial success, and its print ad is arguably the most memorable one of any Atari Jaguar game ever made.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 26

January 13, 2025March 16, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

1. Asteroids Deluxe arcade flyer

Given the fact that Asteroids was a massive hit for Atari in the arcades, it was not surprising that a sequel was made called Asteroids Deluxe. In preparation for its 1981 release, Atari made this Asteroids Deluxe arcade flyer showing three machine that arcade operators can choose from complete with technical details displayed. They even emphasized the QuadraScan video graphics as a technological advancement with regards to graphics. By today’s standards, this arcade flyer is still sensible with regards to promoting the game to both arcade operators and players.

2. Missile Command arcade flyer

*Engaging art work on display at the front of the arcade flyer.*

Released in the arcades in 1980, Missile Command is a classic game from Atari and its concept of defending cities from incoming enemy missiles proved to be relevant with people living with the fear of a nuclear missile attack during the days of the Cold War. In my experience, I mainly played the Atari 2600 version and it was only recently I finally started playing the arcade classic on my Xbox Series X using the Atari 50 Collection software. As for the arcade flyer itself, Atari simply used highly detailed painted art for the front which clearly emphasized the science fiction portrayal of a military officer using a console inside a base to come up with defensive response to incoming ballistic missiles. The game was a massive hit in the arcades and in my view, Atari’s simply yet direct way of promoting the concept of Missile Command with the arcade flyer remains compelling to look at.

3. Gun.Smoke European arcade flyer

*Nice art on the front of this arcade flyer for the European market.*

Long before they struck gold with Street Fighter II, Japanese company Capcom scored a hit with gamers in the arcades with 1985’s Gun.Smoke. It was a vertically scrolling run-and-gun game with an Old West setting and it was designed by Yoshiko Okamoto (Final Fight and Street Fighter II). To promote the game for European arcades, Capcom simply used hand-drawn artwork for the arcade flyer’s front which emphasized the Wild West setting, and an American Cowboy and bounty hunter named Billie Bob who is the playable character gamers got to play. In my view, the artwork gave the game a strong Wild West image that is also memorable.

4. Sei Senshi Amatelass arcade flyer

Released in Japanese arcades in 1986 by Nichibutsu, Sei Senshi Amatelass is a vertical scrolling run-and-gun game with a science fantasy concept. To promote the game and really sell its concept, Nichibutsu hired a model posing with a sword and a shield in fantasy inspired costume. Using the remaining spaces of the flyer, some screenshots and an image of the arcade machine were displayed. This flyer showed the company exerting effort to sell Sei Senshi Amatelass with a touch of beauty and subtle sexiness.

5. Sweet Gal arcade flyer

*Seriously, are you interested in playing mahjong in digital form?*

Here is another digital mahjong arcade game from Nichibutsu…Sweet Gal. As typical of the company, a model was hired to add subtle sexiness into the promotion of the game and they even added a digital image of a sexy girl. Sweet Gal clearly was promoted to attract men who enjoy playing mahjong in electronic format and there were some arcade spots in Japan that catered to such mahjong enthusiasts.

6. Moon Patrol print ad

*This is a fun-looking, comic book style way of promoting a video game.*

Here is one of those video game print ads I saw while reading comic books back in the early 1980s. Moon Patrol is a sci-fi, side-scrolling game by Atari known for introducing full parallax scrolling in side-scrolling games. Instead of showing screenshots of the console versions of the game, this print ad used nice looking hand-drawn artworks presented with a comic book-inspired style to emphasize the concept. I still remember how captivating this ad and its super short story was the first time I saw it. It was enough to make me interested in the game.

7. Tron Atari 2600 games print ad

*Calling all Tron fans to look at this.*

I was very captivated by the 1982 sci-fi movie Tron which I saw on home video. It had very flashy computer-generated visuals, a very memorable story and the fine performance by Jeff Bridges. Tron was also very reflective about the video game culture of its time. When I first saw this print ad while reading a comic book, I was really excited. If you look closely, it had nice artwork dominating the space and screenshots that each promoted the games Tron: Deadly Discs and Adventures of Tron. Even though the graphics were primitive, I still recognized the Tron-related images which added to my excitement.

8. Q*bert print ad

*This print ad by Parker Brothers really captured the essence of the game.*

The puzzle-oriented 2D action game Q*bert became an arcade hit in America shortly after its 1982 release and even went on to become one of the highest grossing arcade games in 1983. Q*bert is one of those 2D games that cleverly blended puzzle play with 3D-like movement and avoidance of both obstacles and enemies. As expected, the game made its way into gaming console and this particular print ad had artwork that strongly captured the very essence of the game complete with the very catchy line “It’s not easy being Q*bert, but it’s fun.”

9. Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man print ad

I saw this print ad of Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man (for Atari 2600 and Intellivision) while reading a comic book long ago. Like the Tron games ad, this made me excited as I was fond of watching the He-Man cartoon series of the 1980s. While the selected screenshots caught my attention, it was the hand-drawn art of He-Man facing off with Skeletor and his minions that captivated me simply because it reminded me of the animated series. This is a fine example of promoting a video game that would instantly resonate with fans of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise.

10. UFO Robo Dangar North American arcade flyer

*The giant robot concept of this game gave some viewers the impression that it was based on some giant robot anime series from Japan even though the art work used does not suggest it.*

Here is another arcade game from Nichibutsu but for the North American market and without the use of a model and without the subtle sexiness. UFO Robo Dangar is a 2D vertically scrolling science fiction shooting game and players get to control a giant robot (composed of flying vehicles that merged into one mechanical body) that has to go through countless waves of enemies in order to advance from one level to another. The arcade flyer used nice looking sci-fi art of ships with the game’s title having a robot and several screenshots of the game. The flyer even made a hard pitch towards arcade operators that UFO Robo Danger will transform their games into profits with proven longevity.

11. Aliens Japanese arcade flyer

*The other side of the flyer of the 1990 arcade hit Aliens.*

Quite arguably, Konami’s 1990 arcade hit Aliens is the best video game of any game design to be based on the 1986 film directed by James Cameron. Not only was Aliens a big hit in the arcades, it also won an award from the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA). Aliens was released in Japanese arcades in February of 1990 and Konami released an arcade flyer that was much more visually striking than its North American arcade flyer. The front had detailed artwork of the Xenomorph while the rear had the instructions and screenshots presented in an orderly manner. The photograph of the Xenomorph alien was added intensity on selling the game. This is still a great looking arcade flyer.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 25

December 30, 2024June 7, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

1. Defender arcade flyer

*Perhaps Atari did not have enough original artwork of Defender to be used in this arcade flyer. So they ended up using footage of an astronaut on the moon.*

Very long ago, I played the classic game Defender a lot on the Atari 2600. Strangely enough, I never played its arcade version as my visits to arcades were quite limited as I was so young back then. When it comes to the arcade flyer of Defender, I find the use of stock footage of an astronaut on the moon as the artistic backdrop baffling because the game’s concept was all about fighting back alien invaders and protecting the citizens. Ironically, the image blended well with the photos of two arcade machines showcased.

2. Amidar Atari 2600 print ad

*Does this ad make you think about King Kong or animals?*

When I was a young boy, I saw this Parker Brothers print ad of Amidar appear in many superhero comic books I read. I never played the game on the Atari 2600 nor in the arcades. Each time I saw this ad, I always wondered how the game played and what its creative concept was all about. The constant showing of a giant gorilla on the game box cover reminded me of King Kong.

3. Reactor Atari 2600 print ad

*Parker Brothers made this ad imagining gamers getting very engaged with reactor once they start playing it.*

Reactor was one of those video games that was somewhat influenced by the subject of nuclear technology, particularly about the nuclear reactors. This is another game I never played on console nor in the arcades. This Reactor print ad by Parker Brothers for the Atari 2600 has a visual style and creative concept that I still find fascinating to look at.

4. Punch-Out!! arcade flyer

*This was years before Nintendo hired Mike Tyson to endorse the console version of Punch-Out!!*

In 1984, Nintendo released the original Punch-Out!! game in the arcades and literally punched its way through to the top of American arcades that year while also scoring big in other arcades around the world. While the game proved to be very playable and a lot of fun, it could be argued that the intriguing image Nintendo used for the North American arcade flyer – a boxer down after literally getting beaten by the Punch-Out!! machine – made an impact on both gamers and arcade operators.

5. Arumana no Kiseki flyer

*Is the famous Indiana Jones theme music playing inside your mind right now as you look at this art?*

Released in 1987 on the Disk System of the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) in Japan, Arumana no Kiseki was one of the many 2D adventure games Konami released that entertained gamers. When compared to Castlevania – strongly influenced by American horror movies – this game was very influenced by the Indiana Jones movies of Steven Spielberg which is very evident in this promotional flyer.

In fact, some gamers who could not read the Japanese title actually thought this was an official Indiana Jones video game because the artwork was so suggestive. Having played and finished the game myself, I can say that Arumana no Kiseki was simply an Indiana Jones-inspired adventure game that had its own creative concept and unique settings and characters.

6. Devastators arcade flyer

*The 1980s female Rambo smiling towards you.*

By looking at the track record of Konami closely, you will notice that many of their games in the 1980s were influenced by Hollywood movies and they hired pretty or sexy models for their arcade flyers. This arcade flyer of Devastators is no exception and you can clearly see the Rambo-inspired lady smiling while carrying a weapon. Devastators itself had strong Rambo vibes for its concept.

7. S.P.Y. Special Project Y arcade flyer

*Somehow the picture of this flyer reminds me of Miami Vice.*

Still with Konami, S.P.Y. Special Project Y is 1989 arcade game that featured action sequences in which players fight against countless enemies in order to progress with the minimal story. This game had certain spy movie elements and to promote it, Konami came up with this arcade flyer showcasing three sexy women wearing swimwear accompanied by two men who looked more like operators or schemers. Can you imagine yourself as an arcade operator looking at this flyer trying to decide to buy the game?

8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade flyer/poster

*This arcade flyer is still great and exciting to look at, even if your not a TMNT fan.*

Now this is one of the most definitive arcade games Konami ever made. Released in late 1989, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a massive arcade hit in North America constantly attracting lots of fans and casual gamers to play at each machine. The demand was so great, Konami had no choice but to hire a company to manufacture more machines. When it comes to promoting the game, Konami cleverly used a mix of artworks for the TMNT characters and fantasy environment while having a hired model playing April O’Neil blending in smoothly.

Having seen the 1980s animated series myself, I can say that the ad makers struck gold when it came to making a promotional image that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans can easily recognize and go to the arcade to play the game.

9. Batman arcade flyer

*If you saw the 1989 movie, did you play this in the arcade?*

The live-action Batman movie of 1989 was simply inescapable as there was so much hype, merchandising and promos connected with it. When it came to video games, it was not surprising that a lot of companies talked with Warner Bros. and eventually Atari made the official arcade game based on the movie (for insight on the production, watch PatmanQC’s video by clicking here). This early-1990s arcade flyer had a simplistic approach showing a few screenshots and descriptive text while having the live-action Batman (note: Michael Keaton in costume) dominating in the middle. Simplistic yet effective in telling gamers and arcade operators what to expect.

10. Xevious arcade flyer

*This arcade flyer is exciting and creative to focus on.*

Xevious is a long-running series of video games owned by Namco. Since the early 1980s, several Xevious video games were released on arcades, consoles and mobile devices. Believe it or not, the original Xevious game was published by Atari for North American arcades and the company came up with this dynamic looking flyer to promote it. The arcade flyer really looks dynamic due to the hand-drawn art surrounding the photo of the machine. Even by today standards, this flyer still looks modern and energetic.

11. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves print ads

*Tell me if this ad makes you want to play the game.*

*Original artwork here was meant to immerse viewers into the fantasy setting of the game based on the movie.*

If you saw the 1991 movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, were you able to play the video game adaptation? Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was notable for being specially featured in the Nintendo Power magazine and its game design was truly ambitious at the time. To promote the game and take advantage of the movie’s popularity, Virgin Games came out with two print ads targeting movie fans and NES gamers.

The first print ad above had lots of selected screenshots surrounding the game’s box and crammed the descriptive text. The 2^nd print ad had original artwork to emphasize the fictional setting and used only three screenshots. Looking at both print ads, it was clear that the ad makers had no permission to use the likeness of Kevin Costner as Robin Hood. The same with other actors and their characters. Regardless, the ads still reminded me enough of the movie while keeping me informed about the video game.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 24

December 16, 2024December 16, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

1. Jangou Lady arcade flyer

*If you were to play Mahjong digitally, does sex appeal motivate you to do so?*

Are you fond of playing the tile-based game Mahjong? Believe it or not, there were indeed ways to play Mahjong in digital form inside the arcade or in gambling joints in Japan. The game Jangou Lady allows users to play rounds of Mahjong but with a notable additive – the digital art of women which serves as an attraction. In the sex appeal is clearly evident on this arcade flyer from the 1980s.

2. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi arcade flyer

Way back in 1983, Return of the Jedi delighted moviegoers in the cinemas throughout America. Behind the scenes, video game giant Atari acquired the movie license to make the 1984 arcade game Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The arcade flyer’s front featured a highly detailed hand-drawn art of Darth Vader, the Death Star, Luke Skywalker and Storm Troopers on hover bikes, and the Millennium Falcon which reflect the selected elements of the movie that were turned into playable sections. The image of the arcade machine was understandably inserted as it came with an unusual controller. This flyer is still captivating to look at.

3. Over Drive arcade flyer

*This arcade flyer is a reminder that Konami was notable for hiring pretty and sexy women for their print ads.*

In 1990, Konami produced a racing game for the arcades with a unique style of presentation. That game was Over Drive and it stood out among the many racing games in the arcade mainly because of its first-person view (with a digital version of the steering wheel and driver’s hands at the bottom of the screen) and unique approach on sprite-scaling. To promote the game, Konami hired sexy models for photography for use in both the arcade flyer and the exterior images on the machine. Having sexy models posing with a winning driver added to the motorsport racing vibe needed to promote the game.

4. American Gladiators for NES print ad

*I saw American Gladiators on TV but never played this game.*

American Gladiators was a syndicated TV show that featured a variety of games in which amateur athletes compete with the established gladiators to succeed and become the next American Gladiator. Due to its success, it was not surprising that video game adaptations of the show were realized just a few years after its debut. In 1991, GameTek released the American Gladiators game on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and promoted it with this print ad that showcased their established gladiators of the time. This ad’s design was made to catch the attention of the fans.

5. Arch Rivals for NES print ad

*I remember seeing a lot of people crowding in front of an Arch Rivals machine in the local arcade long ago.*

Years before NBA Jam, there was Arch Rivals. Arch Rivals was a full court basketball video game in which players are allowed to punch players from the opposition in order to steal the ball and score. Over a year after the game’s 1989 arcade debut, the NES version was released and the publisher came up with a print ad showcasing a hilarious and cartoony artwork (the same art used for the game’s box cover) which gave readers a clear idea of what to expect. The art used is timeless and it still is funny to see.

6. Sega Sports print ad

*See any Sega Sports video game you like?*

Back in the 1990s, Sega excelled with sports video games. They were so aggressive, they established their sub-brand Sega Sports and this particular print ad showed one page promoting assorted sports video games (basketball, golf, baseball, tennis, boxing and American football) for the Sega Genesis and the other page with an exaggerated image of a guy with the line “Relive your jock itch” posted. Historically, a lot of American players and owners of the Genesis are slightly older than those on NES and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) during the 1990s and the strong sports games approach is a key factor.

7. Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties print ad

*When I first saw this print ad, it did not interest me as the presentation is lousy.*

The 3DO console is remembered for having a lot of games that used full-motion videos and photo slides regardless of what game designs came with them. Back in the 1990s, games designed as visual novels or dating simulations were still new in console gaming in the West. Following the PC version’s release, a 3DO port of Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties came out in 1994 and it received overwhelmingly negative reviews. The print ad here promoted the game as “an interactive romantic comedy” and fake quotes were displayed to fool ignorant readers that the game was entertaining. The print ad’s visual design had a mess of poorly implemented images. Ironically, this ad accidentally gave readers the idea that it was a slideshow game.

8. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and Demolition Man games print ad

*If you saw the movies, did you play their respective video game adaptations?*

The 1990s is remembered for the many movie-based video games that got released. Back in those days, a lot of Hollywood movie productions had video game adaptations as part of the business process and this is evident with the Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and Demolition Man games released by Acclaim. For this particular print ad, the marketing team came up with a single-page ad to promote the two games with heavy emphasis on movie imagery leaving little room left for screenshots and other details. The way I look at this old print ad, it seems that Acclaim was aiming for not just movie fans but also gamers who like 2D fighting games and 2D action-adventure games.

9. Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes print ad

*This print ad by 3DO is still funny to see.*

In the late 1990s, The 3DO Company focused mainly on producing video games on multiple platforms and they had their own video game franchise based on the green plastic figures with a military theme. In 1999, they released Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes for PlayStation and Nintendo 64 (N64). To market the game, they had a hilarious visual concept of several solders freezing on an ice tray as a long green soldier marching on. This print ad always caught my attention while reading game magazines and it still is funny to stare at.

10. Sega Ages print ad

*I can only speculate that Sega accepted Working Design’s financial offer for the publishing rights in North America.*

Sega Ages is a series of ports and remakes of Sega’s own games (arcade and console) bundled together as compilations released on the modern consoles of the time. While Sega itself published Sega Ages on their Saturn console and Europe, the North American compilation was published by Working Designs under their separate brand Spaz which this particular print ad showed. While the classic Sega games of After Burner II, OutRun and Space Harrier often caught my attention, this ad made me wonder why did not Sega publish this compilation on the Saturn in North America themselves. Looking at this ad now remains awkward.

11. Sega Saturn North American print ad

*Did you ever own a Sega Saturn in 1995?*

While a lot of gamers and retailers were caught off-guard by Sega’s surprise early launch of the Saturn console in America, they still went ahead aggressively marketing the machine knowing they have a few months’ head start before the American launch of PlayStation. This print ad was designed to intrigue readers showing a bald lady whose head was made to look like the planet Saturn and next to her were images of Sega’s hottest games of the time – Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop. Sega relied strongly on imagery to promote their console with this print ad. It was somewhat weird yet eye-catching.

12. NBA Action ’95: Starring David Robinson print ad

*David Robinson was the MVP of the NBA in 1995 but he failed to lead his team to the NBA championship back then. He would late win the NBA championship in the shortened 1999 season.*

As mentioned early, Sega was aggressive the sports videos games and almost all of them were their own console exclusives. Their tradition of hiring professional athletes as endorsers continued during the age of the Genesis and Game Gear when they hired an NBA superstar as an endorser resulting in the Sega Sports basketball game titled as NBA Action ’95: Starring David Robinson. By the time the video game was released, Robinson was already the reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA. This print ad of Robinson in action still looks impressive but with a big catch – the superstar’s 1995 MVP achievement was arguably forgotten as he and his team (San Antonio Spurs) got eliminated by the Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. It did not help that Olajuwon outplayed Robinson a lot in that very playoff series. That is a sad reminder that also came with this Sega Sports print ad.

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