sports – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 38

January 2, 2026January 1, 2026carlocarrasco

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 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. Starflight Sega Genesis Print Ad

*Sometimes the very detailed artwork made gamers imagine Starflight as a sci-fi movie waiting to happen.*

By the time it was released on the Sega Genesis in 1991, Starflight was already popular as it was released on varied computer systems and entertained a lot of gamers several years prior. To promote the Sega Genesis version, a 2-page print ad of Starflight was made with a grand-looking artwork of space, spaceships and planets dominating the space. The ad makers managed to utilize the remaining space below the artwork to show selected images, the descriptive text and the game’s box cover to make it clear to gamers that Starflight on Genesis is real and made to be playable. The artwork itself remains a powerful grabber of attention even to this day.

2. Defender Japanese Arcade Flyer

Defender is one of my favorites among the many games of Midway. In recent times, I’ve been playing the arcade version of Defender on my Xbox Series X using the Midway Arcade Origins digital copy I purchased online. As Defender became a massive hit in America, it was released in Japanese arcades with Taito handling the distribution. The arcade flyer Taito came up with used hand-drawn art for the background on the front along with pictures of the arcade cabinet and the arcade cocktail table versions of the game. While the rear of the flyer looks very simplistic, the front remains attractive to look at.

3. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse Print Ad

*Some people found the artwork looking creepy or even terrifying.*

By the year 1990, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was present in several millions of households all over America and there were lots of great games available. Among the NES gamers were fans of the Castlevania game series and Konami went on to release Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse in America. As part of the company’s aggressive promotion, a single-page ad featuring a detailed looking artwork of a gamer getting immersed with the game’s fantasy elements (look at the creepy looking characters, monsters and the game’s hero present) was done. While the artwork was a strong attention grabber, what stood out was the sweepstakes form for gamers to cut out, fill it with their information and mail it for the chance to win a trip to the hometown of Dracula. Do you personally know anyone who won in the sweepstakes?

4. Double Dragon Games Print Ad

*Print ad made with Double Dragon fans in mind.*

When it comes to the console and handheld presence of the Double Dragon games franchise, it was on Nintendo hardware – specifically the NES and the Game Boy – where gamers and the fans could find them. Acclaim Entertainment knew how popular Double Dragon games were with Nintendo gamers and they aggressively marketed Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones and Double Dragon II with a single-page print ad that had great looking painted artwork. Very clearly, this early 1990s ad was made to connect strongly with Double Dragon fans and its presentation still looks very solid even with today’s standards.

5. Konami 3-in-1 Game Boy Games Print Ad

*The excitement of sports is clearly shown in this old ad.*

From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, Konami published a lot of games on Nintendo’s wildly popular platform the NES and among them were classics like Contra, Castlevania and Metal Gear. Konami’s support also made it to Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld device (first released in 1989) which itself sold strongly and became the leading platform for portable gaming. As such, Konami made a 2-page print ad promoting NFL Football, Blades of Steel and Double Dribble: 5 on 5 for Game Boy. Cleverly, the ad makers used fancy artworks on the left (reflecting the different sports) side while using the space on the right side for descriptive text, screenshots and game box covers. This fine looking ad has a strong appeal towards Game Boy users and sports enthusiasts.

6. Tengen 6-in-1 Print Ad

*This old print ad is a delight for those who owned a Sega Genesis.*

Back in the 1980s, Atari formed the company Tengen to not only develop games but also publish game for computers and game consoles. During that decade, Tengen published games on the NES but they had trouble working within the strict licensing terms of Nintendo. The two companies would later get into court battles over a series of events within the gaming business. Eventually, Tengen started doing business with Sega and published games on the Genesis console. As part of their aggressive publishing of games on Sega’s console, Tengen came up with this 2-page print ad promoting six different games emphasizing that the fun arcade experiences are coming to gamers’ homes.

7. Dig Dug Print Ad

*Are you aware of the business relationship and trust between Atari and Namco?*

When Atari opened its branch in Japan – called Atari Japan – in the 1970s, they established a partnership with Namco to distribute arcade games there. As they experienced trouble penetrating the Japanese market, Atari eventually sold Atari Japan to Namco which paved the way for their Japanese partner to get into video games. Just a few years later, Namco developed its own original arcade game Dig Dug which became a massive hit in Japan. As a licensing deal was already in effect, Atari distributed Dig Dug in American arcades which the above magazine print ad clearly shows.

8. Sega Genesis Over SNES Print Ad

*Sega directly attacked Nintendo by emphasizing the larger quantity of games and* *varied game experiences that can only be found on the Genesis back then.*

By the time Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1991, the Sega Genesis console has been in the video game market for a few years already. In America, Tom Kalinske led Sega and his approach to marketing and resonating with gamers was essentially aggressive. The aggressive approach includes naming their competition and showing why Sega is superior. Given the lead time they had on the North American market, Sega came up with this print ad showing their Genesis consoles having a lot more games than the SNES. Competitive console gaming was very different back then.

9. Atari Jaguar Print Ad

*Did you spend $159.99 on an Atari Jaguar console back in the 1990s?*

In the 1990s, Atari attempted a comeback in console gaming with the Atari Jaguar console. Early on, their marketing emphasized the so-called 64-bit capabilities of the Jaguar to convince gamers theirs is the most powerful console on the market. Sadly, the console failed to achieve strong sales and a huge price cut was executed. To attract customers, Atari came up with this 2-page print ad to inform them of the cheaper $159.99 price while reminding them of the “most mind-blowing, head-exploding games” they can have with the Jaguar. Obviously this ad campaign failed as the Atari Jaguar never achieved commercial success.

10. Side Pocket Print Ad

*The Side Pocket print ad with a subtle touch of sexiness.*

After its original release in the arcades in 1986, Side Pocket was ported by Data East to many consoles and handheld devices in the 1990s. When it comes to promoting the Sega Genesis version, Data East came up with this print ad showing a lady in a sexy dress in the background (head hidden) which instantly created a sexy aesthetic. The large text displayed emphasized the game of billiards supported by the screenshots shown. The screenshot at the upper-left corner shows artwork of a pretty lady smiling at the viewer which added to the sexy aesthetic of the ad.

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

Muntinlupa City Government Congratulates Local Athletes Who Won 2025 SEA Games Medals

December 24, 2025December 19, 2025carlocarrasco

Local residents of Muntinlupa City who won medals in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand were congratulated by the City Government, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government congratulated residents who won medals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

They are Daryl John Mercado, Mark Jesus San Jose and Kaila Napolis who won a bronze medal each in different sports in the SEA Games.

Mercado, a resident of Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa, won a bronze medal in the Men’s 55kg Judo Shiai.

“Isa na namang Muntinlupeño ang nagbigay karangalan sa ating lungsod matapos makasungkit ng medalya sa 33rd Southeast Asian Games sa Thailand! (Another Muntinlupa man brought honor to our city after winning a medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand!” the city government posted on Facebook.

It added that Mercado is a project of the city government’s grassroots sports program. He is the current coach of the Muntinlupa Judo Club.

San Jose, a resident of Barangay Putatan, won a bronze medal in Men’s Bowling while Napolis of Barangay Poblacion won the same medal in the Women’s 57kg Jiu-jitsu Ne-waza.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted to know that local residents won medals for the Philippines at this year’s SEA Games? Do you think Muntinlupa can produce more athletes who can be really competitive in international events?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Philippines Wins Two Silvers And A Bronze In 2025 SEA Games Individual Triathlon Contests

December 20, 2025December 19, 2025carlocarrasco

The Philippines won the two silver medals and a bronze in the individual triathlon contests of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held yesterday in Thailand. The two silver medalists Kira Ellis (women’s triathlon) and Andrew Kim Remolino (men’s triathlon) delivered their best as they encountered strong competitors in their respective races while also struggling with health problems.

To put things in perspective about the Philippines’ gold medal victories in the all-men relay and all-women relay contests, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of One Sports. Some parts in boldface…

Despite battling food poisoning, Philippine triathletes Kira Ellis and Kim Remolino pushed through to claim silver in their individual events, with Fernando Jose Casares bagged bronze at the 2025 SEA Games.

Kira Ellis didn’t just race against the field in the women’s individual triathlon at the 33rd SEA Games—she also raced against her own body.

The 19-year-old Filipino triathlete revealed she was hospitalized after falling ill following the team relay events, leaving her with limited time to recover ahead of the individual race. Yet when it mattered most, she still found a way to stand on the podium.

Despite the health scare, Ellis bagged silver to add another chapter to what has been a breakout 2025 SEA Games campaign in Thailand.

She finished with a time of 01:01:03, while Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi claimed gold in 01:00:11. Singapore’s Herlene Natasha Yu Zhihui rounded out the podium with 01:02:41.

Ellis and Ayu were virtually even through the swim, bike and even on both T1 and T2 transitions, but Ayu edged ahead during the run, covering the final leg 45 seconds faster than the Philippine triathlete.

“It was a crazy lead-up to the individual race,” Ellis shared in a post-race interview. “I got food poisoned after the triathlon relays and I was at the hospital that night. We were supposed to be resting in between the days before this.“

The illness also struck close to home, as teammate Raven Alcoseba was forced to miss the individual event after suffering the same fate.

“I was lucky I got it earlier and had a day to rest,” Ellis said. “She got it the night before, and it was really unfortunate. She should be here more than me—she’s our strongest athlete. I’m really heartbroken that we couldn’t race together because I know we could’ve done it side by side.”

Already proven on the international stage—most recently winning the Europe Triathlon Junior Cup in Riga, Latvia—Ellis admitted the illness took a physical toll, but it never broke her focus.

“It did affect my energy, but the training was there,” she bared. “Despite everything, you just have to block it out and give your best.”

The silver medal capped a demanding schedule that saw Ellis compete in five events at the Games, walking away with an impressive haul: two golds in the women’s and mixed team triathlon, plus silvers in the mixed team aquathlon, the all-women relay, and the individual race.

By the time she crossed the finish line, the result felt bigger than any medal.

“I’m happy. I raced in five events, and I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates. Everyone came here and gave their best,” Ellis said.

In the men’s individual event, the Philippines celebrated a strong showing as Kim Remolino and Fernando Jose Casares claimed silver and bronze, respectively.

But it was Rashif Amila Yaqin of Indonesia who stole the spotlight, clocking a winning time of 54:37 to dethrone Casares, who had taken gold in the same event at the 2023 edition in Cambodia.

Remolino — much like Ellis — had to battle through the lingering effects of food poisoning and went head-to-head with Yaqin throughout the race.

The Filipino triathlete matched Yaqin with a 28:31 bike split, but the Indonesian pulled ahead in the swim and run to keep the gold out of reach. In the end, he crossed the finish line at 55:03, while teammate Fernando Jose Casares settled for 56:56.

Silver medal of SEA Games mixed relay captured

The other day (December 18), the Philippines won the silver medal of the mixed relay duathlon contest thanks to the combined efforts of Erika Burgos, Maynard Pecson, Merry Joy Trupa, and Franklin Ferdie Yee. Posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of ABS-CBN.

The mixed team relay of Erika Burgos, Maynard Pecson, Merry Joy Trupa, and Franklin Ferdie Yee copped a silver for the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games duathlon competitions at the Laem Mae Phim Beach in Rayong, Thailand.

The squad clocked one hour, 35 minutes, and 35 seconds to secure a podium finish on Thursday, sneaking in to grab a medal after running fourth at one point in the race.

Trupa helped the Philippines move in contention for a medal when she clocked the best time of 24:26 among the participants in the third leg.

The anchor Yee closed the race with the second-best time with 23:18 to finish the race that featured a 2km run, 8km bike, and 1km run course.

The Indonesia team of Martina Ayu Pratiwi, Azizah Khunsul Qotimah, Ronald Bintang Setiawan, and Alias Praji took the gold in 1:33:58. Singapore clinched the bronze with a time of 1:36:47.

The women’s and men’s team relay both finished fourth, the day after the Philippines swept all three events in the triathlon relay events.

Praise and thank the Lord for the victories the multisports team of the Philippines achieved in the 2025 SEA Games.

To receive more triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.

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Philippines Wins Three Triathlon Relay Gold Medals At The 2025 SEA Games

December 18, 2025December 18, 2025carlocarrasco

The Philippines won the gold medals in the all-women triathlon relay, the all-men triathlon relay and the mixed triathlon events of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held yesterday in Thailand which has since been reported by GMA News (click here) and the Philippine Daily Inquirer (click here and here) and revealed via social media by Triathlon Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission (click here, here, here and here). The Daily Tribune and the Manila Standard also published their respective stories (click here and here).

The Philippines continued its golden surge in the 2025 SEA Games after its triathlon teams delivered a pair of gold medals on Wednesday in Thailand.

The men’s and women’s squads both ruled the team relay competitions, adding two more gold medals to the country’s tally with three days left in the biennial event.

The women’s team, composed of Kira Ellis, Kim Mangrobang, and Raven Alcoseba, reigned supreme after clocking in one hour, 10 minutes, and 14 seconds.

Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi, Kayla Nadia Shafa, and Renata Berliana Aditya copped the silver with 1:10:48 while Singapore’s Yen Ling Kathlyn Yeo, Louisa Marie Middleditch, and Herlene Natasha Yu settled for bronze with 1:12:00.

The Philippine men’s team also shone with Aki Lorbes, Matthew Hermosa, and Fernando Casares by finishing the relay in one hour, four minutes, and five seconds.

GMA News eventually posted another sports news report which includes the Philippines’ gold medal victory in the triathlon mixed relay contest. Posted below is the excerpt from their report.

The Philippines proved its dominance in triathlon after ruling the mixed team relay in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday in Thailand.

The quartet of Kira Ellis, Fernando Casares, Kim Remolino, and Raven Alcoseba dominated the event to clinch the country’s third triathlon gold medal.

Earlier, Ellis and Alcoseba teamed up with Kim Mangrobang to reign supreme in the women’s team relay while Cesares connived with Aki Lorbes and Matthew Hermosa to emerge victorious in the men’s team relay event.

The Philippines first stamped its authority in the mixed relay back in 2019, with former triathlon stars John Chicano, Maria Claire Adorna, along with Mangrobang and Casares, leading the charge to gold.

In the sports story of the Manila Standard, a tactical move was done which turned out to be crucial in achieving the gold medal victories.

For the newcomers reading this, yesterday was the 2^nd day of SEA Games action for the Philippine’s multisport team. There are still other multisport contests pending as of this writing.

As the Philippines won the gold medals of the SEA Games all-women relay, the all-men relay and the mixed relay, December 17, 2025 is a day that will be remembered for a long time. For visual reference, posted below are the social media posts from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

2 silvers and a bronze in SEA Games aquathlon events

During their first day of SEA Games competition in Thailand, the same multisport team won two silver medals and one bronze medal in the aquathlon relay contests (all-women, all-men and mixed). For insight, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer sports report. Some parts in boldface…

Team Philippines nabbed two silver medals and a bronze in the aquathlon in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Tuesday at Leam Mae Phim, Klaeng Distic in Rayong.

Kira Ellis, Matthew Hermosa, Raven Faith Alcoseba, and Andrew Remolino clocked 1:04:58 to finish with a silver medal in the mixed team relay final.

The group fell short of surpassing Indonesia’s 1:04:14 as the latter won gold in the event. Malaysia finished with a bronze medal, finishing the race at 1:08:37.

Ellis, with Erika Nicole Burgos and Kim Mangrobang, also had a runner-up finish in the women’s relay final, with a time of 51:46.

Indonesia escaped the Philippines anew, winning the gold with a time of 51:23. Singapore won bronze with a 53:58 finish.

Remolino, Inaki Emil Lorbes, and Joshua Alexander Ramos earned a bronze medal from the men’s relay event, clocking 47:52.

Praise and thank the Lord for the victories and the opportunities for the Philippines’ multisports team to win more gold medals in the contests ahead of them.

To receive more triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 37

December 1, 2025December 29, 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 1970s 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 1970s 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. Cabal Japanese arcade flyer/poster

*Can you feel the action and intensity here?*

When it was first released in video arcades in Japan in late 1988, Cabal was another game inspired by military action movies of Hollywood which explains the art work done for the arcade flyer and poster shown above. The Vietnam War was still fresh in people’s minds and the concept of having one or two players firing their weapons against enemy soldiers resonated with gamers who saw Hollywood’s military action flicks. That said, it is not surprising that Cabal became a huge hit in Japan before getting released in arcades around the world.

2. Willows Japanese arcade flyer

Remember the 1988 high fantasy adventure film Willow? That film was produced by George Lucas and was a bold new production of Lucasfilm shifting away from Star Wars. Believe it or not, an official arcade game adaptation of Willow was made by Capcom and they promoted it by having images of Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis on the front of the arcade flyer (opposite the illustrated versions of their characters). The game, which was a side-scrolling platform game with run-and-gun elements, went on to be an arcade hit in Japan and eventually pleased gamers worldwide.

3. Super Punch-Out!! North American print ad

Historically, Nintendo’s Punch-Out!! series started in the arcade in 1984 and the first game was the result of the company’s effort to make a new game using arcade cabinets with two screens. The 2^nd game – Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! – became a huge critical and commercial hit (over 2 million copies sold in 1988) on console and it made great business sense for Nintendo for release another Punch-Out!! for its console gamers to enjoy in the comfort of home. In 1994, Super Punch-Out!! was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America and to promote it, the company came up with a hilarious 2-page ad that showed fictional high school graduates with boxing-related injuries. The imagery creatively connected with the words “biggest Punch-Out ever” and “Graduating Class of ‘94”.

4. EA Sports 3-in-1 SNES games print ad

In 1994, Electronic Arts (EA) released their sports games NBA Live 95, NHL 95 and Madden NFL 95 for consoles at the time. Even though the Sega Genesis sold better than Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America at the time, EA went on to aggressively market their 3 sports video games on Nintendo’s console using a 3-in-1 games print ad. In retrospect, the SNES for the most part had better graphics and sounds than the Genesis which is reflected clearly on EA Sports games of the time. This print ad still looks fun and exciting.

5. Atari Jaguar CD print ad

*Were you able to play any game on the Atari Jaguar with the CD add-on included?*

Apart from the obvious advances of technology that impacted video games, the 1990s is also known for the rise of CD-ROM as a medium for gaming. In an effort to boost sales of the Atari Jaguar console (launched in America in 1993 for around $250) and capitalize on the trust of the fans and console owners, Atari launched a CD-ROM add-on device for about $150 in 1995. To promote it, the company went aggressive with the 2-page ad showing the add-on fully connected on top of the main console, showing off some games and posting a text description emphasizing hardware power and the advantages that come with the CD technology. Even in the captured image, the Atari Jaguar CD still resembled a toilet. This is an aggressive ad campaign that failed as less than 20,000 Atari Jaguar CD units were sold by the time it was discontinued in 1996.

6. 3DO print ad

*While it lacks intensity, this 3DO ad emphasized the games.*

Without showing any hardware, the 3DO Company came up with this 2-page print ad that had a slightly adulterated tone (look at the left page) and aggressively marketed the 3DO console games available at the time. Games like Demolition Man, Shock Wave, Road Rash and Super Street Fighter II Turbo were the standout titles which clearly showed the company made the effort to emphasize gaming more than multimedia features. This 1990s ad tackled the generations with a touch of humor.

7. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters Sega Genesis print ad

When Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters was released in the arcades in 1994, it became a commercial success for Konami which went on to announce it would port the game to consoles of Nintendo and Sega at the time. While the port for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was never released, Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters made its way to the Sega Genesis and Sega CD. The print ad of the Sega Genesis version (Sega CD mentioned in small text) had an inspired design emphasizing the Old West, shooting and the conflict between cowboys and Indians. The screenshots gave people the clear idea that Old West was the setting (versus modern day in the previous game). This is still fun to look at.

8. Syphon Filter

*Syphon Filter went on to become a surprise hit game in 1999.*

In 1999, Sony’s 989 Studios released Syphon Filter exclusively on the PlayStation console. This single-page print ad showed a few screenshots on the bottom and several action snippets with a night vision touch ultimately emphasizing the stealth aspect within the gameplay. The marketing proved to be effective as the game sold a lot at retail and went on to establish a new game franchise exclusive to PlayStation consoles.

9. Parasite Eve II Japanese print ad

*Were you a big fan of Aya Brea and the Parasite Eve franchise in the late 1990s?*

Following the critical and commercial success of Parasite Eve in 1998, SquareSoft proceeded with Parasite Eve II and the production (note: initially for a spin-off game before becoming a sequel) did not even involve the main creators of the first game. Instead the company had a different team of developers – including those who previously worked on Resident Evil games for Capcom – in Osaka to make the sequel. This explains why Parasite Eve II had stronger survival horror gameplay resembling a Resident Evil game. As major changes were made during the production, it was decided that Aya Brea would become the main protagonist and already the character was already popular with gamers. That being said, the marketing of Parasite Eve II for the Japanese market heavily featured Aya Brea with subtle sexiness, beauty and action in mind. The marketing intensified leading to its eventual December 16, 1999 release in Japan.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 36

November 3, 2025October 29, 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 1970s 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 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. Super Contra North American arcade flyer

*Have you seen many Hollywood action movies of the 1980s? Does this arcade flyer remind you of something?*

After Konami struck gold with Contra in 1987, it was inevitable that sequels and spin-offs will be made. In 1988, they released the follow-up Super Contra in the arcades and to promote it in America, the company came up with artwork that easily gave gamers the impression they are seeing Sylvester Stallone as a fantasized Rambo and another armed guy who might remind them of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in Commando or Dutch in Predator. To capitalize on the movie references even more, the American arcade flyer had the line “He’s not human. He’s not alien. He’s the predator!!” As it was the 1980s, this creative approach to promotion was not surprising as Konami and its game makers were influenced by Hollywood movies.

2. Double Dragon II: The Revenge North American arcade flyer

*The artwork used in this arcade flyer remains intriguing to look at.*

I never played Double Dragon II: The Revenge in the arcade, but I played it on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). That being said, I was surprised to see how this old North American arcade flyer has the same hand-drawn artwork used on the cover of the NES version. Take note that the arcade game was released in 1988 while the NES port was released in early 1990. I can only guess that Technos decided to use the same artwork not only for convenience but to have a definitive image emphasizing Double Dragon II to gamers wherever they are.

3. Devastators North American arcade flyer

Devastators is another Konami arcade game that had a strong war theme and it was influenced by Hollywood action films of the 1980s. This particular arcade flyer for the North American market is almost identical with the Japanese arcade flyer as both have the same artwork on the front and almost the same visual layout on the rear. The most obvious difference is the use of English text for the North American flyer.

4. Assault North American arcade flyer

Released in American arcades by Atari, Assault is a multi-directional shooter that had a twin-stick control layout (similar with the classic Battlezone) and players experienced intense battles as well as immersive visual effects such as sprite scaling and environment rotation of up to 360 degrees. To promote the game (this originated in Japan by Namco), Atari came up with this arcade flyer that had selected screenshots and descriptive text on both the front and the rear (which showed the arcade cabinet). Assault was a hit with gamers at the arcades and it was not released on consoles until 2009.

5. Sega CD print ad

*Having a socially relevant message can be catchy but it leaves little room for excitement.*

As the Sega Genesis console became a huge commercial success in North America, Sega itself became ambitious about what CD-ROM technology would do for video games. Sega in Japan tasked its Consumer Products Research and Development Labs to create a CD-ROM add-on which resulted in the Sega CD (Mega-CD in other parts of the world) which launched in America in 1992. To promote the add-on towards existing Genesis console owners as well as potential new customers, Sega of America came up with the above 2-page print ad that had a social message on the right and an image of a man standing in front of large monitors (showing Sega CD game footage) on the left. While it looked like an odd way of promoting video game hardware, it still remains catchy to see.

6. Panasonic 3DO print ad

*Panasonic knows how to promote entertainment hardware for people’s homes.*

Still in the field of CD-ROM gaming, Panasonic had competitive presence in video gaming when its Panasonic FZ-1 R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (with technology licensed by The 3DO Company) was launched in America in 1993. If you look at the print ad closely, you will notice that the descriptive text emphasized the multimedia entertainment aspect more than video gaming. The dominating artwork used does not come from a particular video game as it was made to emphasize home entertainment in general. It’s not surprising that the Panasonic 3DO and other 3DO machines from other manufacturers failed commercially.

7. Shaq Fu print ad

*The close-up of Shaquille O’Neal’s face on the left made him looked less recognizable.*

Yes, it is true! There was indeed a video game endorsed by Shaquille O’Neal and it was not a basketball game. Shaq Fu is a 1994 2D fighting game with adventure elements and a story in which gamers play O’Neal as martial artist (note: O’Neal himself participated in the game’s production). To promote the game, Electronic Arts came up with a 2-page print ad that had a very odd black-and-white close-up image of O’Neal’s face on the left leaving small screenshots and hard-to-read text on the right (even though there was some vacant space remaining. I remember seeing this ad while reading a video game magazine and the ad ended up looking more like a promotion of O’Neal (already an NBA superstar) than the game itself. By today’s standards, this print ad is an example of a marketing misfire.

8. Kasumi Ninja print ad

*Do you even remember seeing this print ad in magazines?*

Remember the 1990s video game trends of digitized human images and disturbingly violent 2D fighting games sparked by Mortal Kombat? The Atari Jaguar-exclusive game Kasumi Ninja was made to capitalize on those trends and it failed badly. Apart from the low sales of the Jaguar console, Atari as publisher came up with the above 2-page print ad that was not appealing to gamers’ eyes and it had almost no excitement overall. This is another marketing misfire.

9. Parasite Eve North American and Japanese print ads

*Following the successful release of Final Fantasy VII, this ad excited PlayStation gamers and JRPG enthusiasts for Parasite Eve’s 1998 release in America.*

*A stronger horror presentation in this print ad for the Japanese market. There were already a lot of people in Japan who enjoyed horror.*

Starting in the mid-1990s, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) really became aggressive with video game creativity and experimentation as they launched several new projects that eventually got released on PlayStation in the late 1990s until 2000. One of those daring new projects was Parasite Eve which was a role-playing game (RPG) that had visual elements – particularly pre-rendered backgrounds – and a style of exploration that reminded gamers of Resident Evil. The game was a sequel to the Japanese science fiction horror novel of the same name and it involved the creativity of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi (credited as producer). To promote the game, the 2-page North American print ad had protagonist Aya Brea on the right and the enemy on the left with a cryptic line placed strategically between them. The North American ad clearly stated that the game is a cinematic RPG. By comparison, the Japanese print ad of Parasite Eve has a strong horror vibe which is not surprising because of the novel’s horror elements and the fact that Squaresoft was capitalizing on the popularity of horror-related entertainment in Japan. By today’s standards, Parasite Eve is truly a product of the late-1990s and it has a dedicated fanbase.

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Aliligay and Salazar Triumph In National Duathlon Championships 2025

October 20, 2025October 21, 2025carlocarrasco

Lowegene Aliligay and Katrina Salazar emerged as the champions of the National Duathlon Championships (NDC) 2025 held yesterday at Villar City, Bacoor, Cavite.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the sports press release of Triathlon Philippines. Some parts in boldface…

Lowegene Aliligay of Isabela ruled the men’s elite division Sunday in the National Duathlon Championships at the Villar City in Bacoor, Cavite.

The 26-year-old registered 58:51 to claim his first National title.

“I trained for two months to prepare for this tournament and I am so happy and proud of my achievement here,” said Aliligay, who hails from Barangay San Fabian in Echague town.

Daniel Cadavos (58:56) placed second followed by Mark Ryan Lago of Trece Martires, Cavite (1:01:57).

Katrina Salazar shared the limelight with Aliligay, dominating the women’s division with a time 1:07:25. Jena Valdez (1:08:30) got the silver medal.

Salazar, a third-year dentistry student from University of the East, secured her second gold medal this year after her victory in the National Aquathlon Championships last month.

Meanwhile, Eric Joachim Hechanova of Go-for-Gold clocked 58:38 to win the gold medal in the men’s junior elite division of the event organized by Triathlon Philippines headed by Tom Carrasco.

His teammate Justhene Navaluna took the silver with a time of 58:59 while Darell Johnson Bada (1:00:53) got the bronze.

“The course was good and I’m happy to win,” said the 17-year-old Hechanova, who hails from Lingayen, Pangasinan. He won the 5,000 meters event at the 2024 Batang Pinoy National Championships in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Anisha Eunice Caluya clocked 1:13:08 followed by Dhana Victoria Seda-Lomboy (1:13:28) in the women’s junior division of the event supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The National Duathlon Championships 2025 is special event by Triathlon Philippines (TriPhil) supported by venue partner Villar City, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Gatorade, Western Guaranty Corporation and RaceYa.

To receive more local triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 105

October 17, 2025October 13, 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 Tour of Tokyo Game Show 2025 – When I was very young, I used to be obsessed with visiting the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) in direct connection with my love for playing video games and arcade games. The obsession is now gone now that I am much older and console gaming has changed drastically over the past thirty years. From time to time, I watch videos on YouTube that explored the TGS and found two videos of this year’s TGS that are amusing to watch. Watch the videos below.

#2 Pasta in Japan and more – Moving from steak, I found another video about pasta – spaghetti specifically – prepared by Japanese cooks in a local food joint (referred to as a pasta shop) to a lot of people who clearly enjoyed what they ate. You might learn something new about how to prepare a spaghetti for others. Watch the video below.

#3 Learn to Reject Radical Islam – Asmongold TV posted recently a video in which he reacted to another video that specifically focused on how a certain country rejected radical Islam. It is indeed a very sensitive matter but it still is significant because there are so many Islamists – both people from Muslim-majority nations and people in the West who declared themselves strong believers of Islam – worldwide and they are always destructive and extreme. There are these Westerner Islamists who arrogantly declared they want to destroy Western civilization and replace it entirely with Islam. Go watch Asmongold TV’s video now.

#4 Rocky V revisited – Way back in January 1991, I saw Rocky V inside the local cinema with my father and brother. Having enjoyed the first four Rocky movies a lot, we were excited to see Sylvester Stallone reprise his iconic role in the fifth movie even as we wondered where the story will go following Rocky’s victory over Ivan Drago. Ultimately, we, along with many others, left the cinema feeling disappointed with Rocky V’s story and direction. Even though the 1990 film – which had Tommy Morrison and Sage Stallone as new additions plus the short return of Burgess Meredith – was disliked by a lot of Rocky fans, Rocky V still went on to become a popular feature in many movie reaction videos as well as retro video reviews. For your viewing pleasure, posted below are the selected videos.

#5 Ashleigh Burton reacts to The Birds – If you are fond of Ashleigh Burton doing reaction videos and if you are an Alfred Hitchcock enthusiast, then you will be very interested in the YouTuber’s reaction video of 1963’s The Birds. Posted below is Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video and I encourage you to watch it.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 35

October 1, 2025September 24, 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 1970s 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 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. Intellivision print ad

*Were you able to play a game on the Intellivision long ago?*

In 1979, Mattel launched their Intellivision game console in America which instantly placed them in competition with Atari’s 2600 console. In a bid to convince gain market share, Mattel daringly came up with a competitive print ad like the one above showing two TV sets (with an Atari 2600 baseball game and a similar game on Intellivision), descriptive text that explained why the intellivision and its games are better, and even mentioned Atari by name several times. Obviously the tactic did not lead Mattel to ultimate market victory but the above print ad showed it was okay for a newcomer to mention their competitor and aggressively attack it to gain customers (both newcomers and active gamers).

2. Popeye Japanese arcade flyer

In 1982, Nintendo released the Popeye arcade game which was incidentally the result of the success of their original Donkey Kong arcade game. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with an arcade flyer that had a very lively front (note: the characters were instantly recognizable thanks to the great art used) and the rear having easy-to-read instructions on how to play the game, what levels to expect and what must be done when playing. Popeye was an arcade hit in Japan, but an even bigger hit in America. This old arcade flyer still looks nice.

3. Time Gal arcade flyer

*On face value, this one looks more like an anime promo since gameplay elements were missing.*

Released in Japanese arcades in 1985, Time Gal is one of those games that used the expensive LaserDisc technology to stream pre-recorded animation (made by Toei) and challenged gamers to react quickly (using the joystick and button for commands) in order to progress in real-time. The arcade flyer has a very lively visual design making it clear to players and arcade operators that a lot of anime awaits those who play Time Gal. Technically, players watch anime cutscenes happen and react using the controls. Time Gal was an arcade hit and it made its way outside of Japan by getting ported for the Sega CD.

4. 3DO print ad

*If you bought a 3DO long ago, was it for gaming or for home entertainment purposes?*

Remember the 3DO? Developed by the 3DO Company and launched in 1993, the 3DO was designed to not only play video games but also function with multimedia features. In fact, the 3DO was initially marketed as a machine that allows users to watch videos, play music, browse digital photographs, and even immerse themselves with software focused on different topics. This is exactly what the above 3DO print ad emphasized. In retrospect, it was so odd for me to see the print ad inside video gaming magazines I read.

5. Atari Jaguar print ad

*The strong focus on gaming was clear with Atari for the Jaguar.*

Over a month after the launch of the 3DO, Atari launched its Jaguar console with a strong focus on video gaming. As console sales slowly grew in 1994, Atari came up with the above print ad – showing lots of games for the Jaguar – to lure in customers aggressively. If you look closely at the descriptive text of the ad, it mentions the Atari Jaguar as 64-bit system emphasizing that it is more powerful than other video game machines of the time. The bit count controversy harmed Atari and eventually the Jaguar failed.

6. NBA Action ’94 print ad

*Remember when Sega made NBA basketball video games that were exclusive to the Genesis console?*

Remember when there were a lot of basketball video games licensed by the NBA in the 1990s? Through its own sports games brand – Sega Sports – Sega was dedicated to making exclusive sports video games for its customers and their NBA games were under the NBA Action brand. In 1994, they released NBA Action ’94 for the Genesis console and this two-page print ad they came up with had a catchy visual design (a supposed basketball player showing his palm and message to the camera on one side of the ad). Looking closely at the descriptive text, the ad mentions “most realistic 16-bit pro basketball”, “digitized players” and having all 27 NBA teams and star players. Sega Sports is no more but it’s legacy still lives on among Sega fans.

7. X-Men Sega Game Gear print ad

Similar to its approach with the Sega Sports brand, Sega developed exclusive games for the Game Gear. The company secured from Marvel the license to make an original X-Men game and to promote it, this 2-page print ad showcased original art of the established X-Men characters of the time while using the remaining spaces for the screenshots and descriptive text. This old print ad still looks attractive and will easily resonate with X-Men fans as well as 1990s superhero comics enthusiasts.

8. Liberty or Death print ad

*American history is the core concept of this strategy game by Koei.*

If there is anything notable about the Japanese company Koei, it is the fact that it released strategy and simulation games that tackled varied topics while making each game distinct and playable regardless of platform. In my experience, I had a lot of fun playing their business simulation Aerobiz Supersonic on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). In 1993, Koei released their turn-based strategy game Liberty or Death which tackled American history for its setting (note: Koei already established itself with historical simulations). To sell the game, Koei came up with a print ad that had a very eye-catching historical art (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin among the figures), a few selected screenshots and descriptive text that emphasized the essence of the game. This print ad is a reminder that no video game company today would make a historical simulation due to geopolitics (note: there are a lot of woke activists among video game employees today) and for business reasons.

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Reig and Salazar Top Sprint Elite in 2025 National Aquathlon Championships

September 30, 2025September 29, 2025carlocarrasco

This past weekend, Philippine team members Irienold Reig, Jr., and Katrina Almuete Salazar won the Sprint Elite titles of the 2025 National Aquathlon Championships in Quezon City. The official race results have been released online by Triathlon Philippines (click here).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the sports press release of Triathlon Philippines. Some parts in boldface…

Irienold Reig hugged the limelight in the National Aquathlon Championships 2025 after dominating the sprint men’s elite division Sunday at the Amoranto Sports Center in Quezon City.

The Quezon City resident clocked 17 minutes and 11 seconds.

Juan Miguel Tayag of Angeles City, Pampanga bagged the silver medal with a time of 17:20 while Daniel Cadavos of Bukidnon settled for the bronze medal in 17:41.

“The goal is to win and I’m glad that I accomplished it today,” said Reig, who placed third behind Joshua Alexander Ramos and Iñaki Emil Lorbes in the Standard Elite category of the National Age Group Aquathlon at the Ayala-Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite last March.

Reig (7:20) was behind Tayag (7:17) in the swim stage, but came back strong in the running stage with a time of 9:18 against Tayag’s 9:30.

“I’ll keep on training and hope to win more titles,” said Reig, runner-up to Matthew Hermosa in the Sun Life 5150 Bohol triathlon last July.

Katrina Almuete Salazar, a fourth year dentistry student from University of the East, topped the women’s Elite division in 19 minutes and 23 seconds.

“I’m happy with my performance, this is a training race just to chck my condition,” said Salazar, who competed in the Asian Triathlon Cup in Gamagori, Japan last week.

In the junior category, Darell Johnson Bada was crowned champion in the men’s division after crossing the finish line with a time 0f 16 minutes and 51 second. Giro Don Rafael Gito (17:13) was second followed by John Micheal Lalimos (17:16).

The women’s title went to Anisha Eunice Caluya, who clocked 18:53. Dhana Victoria Seda-Lomboy (19:57) took the silver medal while Qaantreulle Light Wangkay (21:22) bagged the bronze medal.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Sotto awarded the medals to the podium finishers.

“Thank you for the Triathlon Philippines for giving us the opportunity, thank you for partnering with us in the government to make everything possible,” said Sotto, who was accompanied by Amoranto Sports Complex head Martin Julian Vicente Manese.

For more local triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.

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