What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 30

Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

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

Dance Away behind-the-scenes video  – Way back in 1994, I saw the Japanese anime feature film Project A-ko (1986) on Laserdisc format (dubbed in Japanese with English subtitles). As I viewed it, I noticed there were three English language songs that played in the background and the one I enjoyed most was the song Dance Away which was performed by Annie Livingstone (with supporting vocals by Samantha Newark and the late Valerie Stevenson). Project A-ko’s behind-the-scenes information revealed the three singers working together on Dance Away which you can watch in the video below. These singers have beautiful voices and were really talented to watch.

AI and automation are taking over grocery stores and drive-thru lanes  – In America, inflation spiked so much under the Biden administration which contributed a lot to higher prices of food and the suffering of consumers who need food. That being said, the food industry has invested a lot on artificial intelligence (AI) and automation so that they can lower labors costs and somehow improve sales to keep the businesses alive. In fact, technology is becoming much more integrated in places where people buy food and that also means making orders not in front of a human worker but in front of a computer (example: a touch-screen monitor where you choose what to order). Watch and learn from the video below.

Assorted videos about The Last Starfighter – Released way back in 1984, The Last Starfighter was a memorable movie that carefully blended science fiction concepts, adventure, fine performances and video game elements together. It was also one of the early movies Hollywood made that extensively used computer-generated imagery (CGI) which defied the era’s standard of using practical and optical effects. Now available on 4K Blu-ray format, The Last Starfighter is a popular subject of varied YouTube videos and I selected some for your enjoyment below. However, if you have not seen The Last Starfighter yet, I urge you watch it first before seeing any of the movie reaction videos featuring it. You make the decision.

HolyLandSite’s Capernaum to Bethsaida walking tour video – I love Israel and I will always stand with it. For the newcomers reading this, Israel is where the Holy Land is and it has always been the land that the Lord God designated to the Jewish people. Recently HolyLandSite released another video showcasing a walking tour in the Galilee region specifically from Capernaum to Bethsaida. If you have not read the Holy Bible extensively, Lord Jesus spent a great deal of his ministry in Galilee. I myself had been to the Galilee region and many times during the pilgrimage tour there and in other parts of Israel, I witnessed the Holy Bible come to life on-location. Watch the video below.

More people in Iran coming to Lord Jesus– It is not a fantasy to say that the current regime of Iran (in power since 1979) made their nation a terrorist state. Iran is truly sponsoring terrorist groups in the Middle East and they have Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorists doing their work to destroy Israel. While the Iranian regime is clearly evil and murderous (note: their leaders declared in their own language death towards America, Israel and England), there are many Iranians who do not follow their government. In fact, there are Iranians who even left Islam behind to come to Jesus whom they accepted as their Lord and savior. Be aware that the Iranian government had harmed their fellow Iranians many times and this includes human rights violations. That being said, the people in Iran who desired Lord Jesus and freedom from their oppressive government need our prayers of support. Watch and learn from the video below.

Rocky II (1978) reaction/review videos – If you have been watching movies for decades and if you have been following the career of Sylvester Stallone, then you would be already aware of the significance of the 1976 film Rocky. Considering its success, Rocky spawned several sequels and a few spin-off movies through the decades. Going back to the late 1970s, Sylvester Stallone came up with the effort to make the sequel Rocky II (1979) which itself became featured in several movie reaction/review videos and retrospectives. Watch the videos I selected for you all 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 29

Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

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

Darlene Zschech’s newest worship music videos  – In recent times, pastor Darlene Zschech released through her official YouTube channel the latest worship music videos of the songs Testament, Shout to the Lord and Cry of the Broken. For the newcomers reading this, Darlene Zschech is a Christian worship leader as well as an accomplished worship musician. She is based in Australia and she and her husband are with Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC). She is a truly anointed woman of the Lord God and you can learn more about her by visiting her official website. Enjoy the worship music videos below.

Grandia retrospective videos  – I had a lot of fun playing and completing the Japanese role-playing game Grandia on PlayStation way back in 1999. I recently bought Grandia HD Collection which has Grandia and the sequel Grandia II (this I have yet to play) with enhanced visuals. That said, I have been replaying Grandia on my Xbox Series X and I can say that I am enjoying it. The gameplay features, the game design, the writing and visual presentation of Grandia have aged well. To get to know more about Grandia, watch the selected videos below.

HolyLandSite’s newest Mount of Olives tour video – HolyLandSite published their latest video about their Mount of Olives tour in Israel. This time around, the video includes Mary Magdalene Church, Tomb of Prophets, the Chapel of Ascension and other sites. To truly grasp the relevance of this video of HolyLandSite, you must have strong faith in the Lord and in His Word. Be aware that as the world turns chaotic and more people turn to evil, Rapture could happen anytime and that means the return of Lord Jesus will follow. I encourage you to watch the video with faith and you will realize it is more than a tourism video. Pay close attention to the bible teachings.   

Popcorn in Bed’s sports-related movie reaction videos – Recently, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed published two movie reaction videos that happened to be sports-related. One was about ice hockey and the other was about running and the 1924 Olympic Games. While the films Miracle and Chariots of Fire are inspiring, be mindful that creative liberties were taken at the expense of historical accuracy which is often the case with movies. Still, Popcorn in Bed’s reactions are amusing to watch and II encourage you watch the videos below.

Rocky (1976) movie reaction/review videos – Still on the topic of sports-related movies, Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky is arguably the most iconic of them all. Not only did it bring fame to Stallone, it also won the Academy Award for Best Picture and was selected by the Library Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. Naturally, Rocky has been featured in a lot of movie reaction/review videos and you can watch some of them below.

Israel’s Prime Minister points to terrorist state Iran and its useful idiots – During his speech to the United States Congress (both lower and upper houses of Congress) in Washington, D.C., Israeli Prime Minister mentioned the truth about terrorist state Iran which has terrorist proxies around the Middle East as well as many brainwashed supportive protesters (the useful idiots) composed of Islamists, Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberals, the woke and other Islamo-Leftist elements. Netanyahu is correct that Iran’s axis of evil exists and there is a clash between civilization and barbarism (this points to Iran, the terrorists and woke extremists who support terrorism). It is also clear that all the people who hate Israel and sided with Islamic terrorists are on the wrong side and God is watching. Watch and learn from the video 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 28

Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

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

Mosab Hassan Yousef: My Father Founded Hamas video  – In America, there are lots of young people who are protesting in public supporting Palestinian terrorists while condemning Israel. These pro-Palestine have shown ignorance about the facts and none of them knows exactly what Palestinian culture is like when compared to Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of a founder of Palestinian terrorist group Hamas).

In an interview with PragerU, Yousef talks comprehensively about his past with the Palestinians (Arabs who adopted the Palestinian identity which only started in the 20th century), the time he was active as a Hamas member, his relationship with his father who founded Hamas, and why he left the terrorist group to cooperate with Israel and migrated overseas. Yousef confirms that Hamas is pure evil and the Palestinian culture has hatred and violence deeply rooted within. Watch this video now.

Jaws 3 4K Blu-ray has footage that involved the use of AI  – I am a collector movies on physical media. I don’t just buy any movies on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray format because I am selective with regards to quality, enjoyment and replay value. When it comes to new releases on 4K Blu-ray format, I cannot ignore the observations pointing out that the footage of Jaws 3 (AKA Jaws 3D) on 4K Blu-ray involved the use of AI (artificial intelligence) which resulted in bad visual results. It seems that more people in Hollywood are getting obsessed with remastering old movies using AI, removing the film grain and other digital methods that ruin the visuals. For insight, watch the videos below.

Michael Jordan’s “The Shot” of 1989 – When it comes to those game-winning basketball shots, Michael Jordan had lots of those during his years with the Chicago Bulls. Before he won his first NBA championship, Jordan successfully scored the winning jump shot over Craig Ehlo to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-100 in the 5th game of the 1989 NBA playoffs’ first round. That shot became iconic and there is a lot more behind the scenes that preceded. Watch the selected video below.  

Virtua Fighter 3 retrospective video – When Sega released Virtua Arcade 3 in the arcades in 1996, it was the best-looking 3D polygonal fighting game at the time and it often drew players leaving them really satisfied. Virtua Fighter 3 was the product of the most cutting edge arcade technology of the time (with the Model 3 arcade hardware) as well as the hard-work and in-depth craftmanship by developer AM2 led by the legendary designer Yu Suzuki. To know more about Virtua Fighter 3, watch the video below.

Popcorn in Bed’s James Bond reaction videos – On August 2023, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed started posting reaction videos of James Bond movies. With the exception of the films of Daniel Craig and George Lazenby as Agent 007, Popcorn in Bed posted two selected movie reaction per James Bond actor (example: 2 Bond films of Sean Connery, 2 Bond films of Roger Moore). To give you a taste of what Popcorn in Bed did, watch the selected videos below. To watch more, click here.

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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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 14

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

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

1. Lufia & The Fortress of Doom for Sega Genesis print ad

Considering the eventual scrapping of the Sega Genesis port of Lufia & The Fortress of Doom, this old print ad might as well serve like a tomb stone.

I want to start with this mostly black print ad about the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Lufia & The Fortress of Doom coming to the Sega Genesis console. This game was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America and on the Super Famicom in Japan in 1993 and achieved commercial success for the Japan-based publisher Taito. In an attempt to keep on building up the success, a port of the game for the Sega Genesis (Sega Megadrive in other countries) was announced but ultimately it got canceled. It should be noted that Taito’s American division close down in 1995 and the sequel  Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals was released in America by a different publisher. That being said, this particular print ad is a sad reminder of a broken promise for Sega Genesis gamers as well as Lufia and JRPG fans who wanted to play the 1993 RPG on a different console.

2. Cloak & Dagger arcade flyer

The front of the arcade flyer. There is even a mention of the Cloak & Dagger movie.
Details of the game explained with arcade operators in mind. I find it odd that there is a vacant amount of blank space on this side of the flyer.

Cloak & Dagger, the Atari arcade game that appeared in the 1984 movie of the same name (read my retro movie review by clicking here), has always been an arcade conversion kit as this arcade flyer showed. For the newcomers reading this, an arcade conversion kit allows the arcade operator to replace an old game without having to buy a brand-new arcade machine. Very cleverly, Atari targeted arcade machines of Robotron: 2084, Defender, Stargate and Joust (all were from the competitor Williams Electronics) with Cloak & Dagger. The Cloak & Dagger flyer’s front shows a picture of the pieces of hardware (for insertion into the arcade cabinet plus some physical adjustments) plus decorations for the exterior of the arcade cabinet. The other side of the flyer contains the technical details that make it convenient for arcade operators to understand on how to convert the older games (limited to the above-mentioned Williams games).

3. NBA Live 95 for Sega Genesis print ad

This print ad is still exciting to look at, especially when you are still passionate with basketball.

Back in late 1994, Electronic Arts (EA) revamped their NBA-licensed basketball game franchise with NBA Live 95 which came with a major game redesign that includes the isometric on-court perspective, T-meter for free throw shooting and more. NBA Live 95 was also the first entry of the NBA Live franchise and brand which lasted for decades. This print ad of the Sega Genesis version of NBA Live 95 has the clever display of several screenshots along with pics of the shot clock emphasizing suspense. The basketball action images themselves are not only eye-catching but strong enough to get gamers excited. This is still a solid print ad to look at.

4. X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse print ad

An X-Men game by Capcom.

If there is anything significant about X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, it is the fact that it was Capcom’s first-ever X-Men-based production that was also released a month before their own hit arcade game X-Men: Children of the Atom came out. Setting aside Capcom’s involvement, this game contains notable elements from the comic books that strongly resonated with dedicated X-Men fans. Apart from the two screenshots and the game box cover, this print ad has X-Men artwork by Andy Kubert who already was the regular artist of the X-Men monthly series.

5. Space Ace multi-platform print ad

Anyone who is a fan of Don Bluth’s works in animation should be able to recognize the art style of this ad.

First released in the mid-1980s, Space Ace was a LaserDisc video game that was designed and produced by the legendary animator Don Bluth (An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Anastasia). After achieving success in the arcades, new versions of Space Ace were subsequently released on many other platforms, including the consoles and computers that used disc drives in the mid-1990s which this print ad emphasized. By looking at the lower part of the print ad, you will see Sega CD, 3DO, Macintosh and PC as targeted platforms. The most notable visual feature of the ad was, unsurprisingly, official art of Space Ace.

6. BurgerTime arcade flyer

The front of this flyer could make you crave for burgers.
The technical and creative details on the rear of the flyer.

Bally/Midway came up with this arcade flyer of BurgerTime which itself went on to become a beloved classic game. The front showed a very enticing looking hamburger that looked like it could fill a person’s belly and tingle his or her taste buds. Then they showed the hand-drawn in-game characters looking like they really are interacting with the hamburger. The back of the flyer shows details that emphasize what the game is about, why it could be a fun arcade addition and what the specs are. This is an engaging arcade flyer.  

7. NCAA Final Four Basketball print ad

Do you know anyone who played this college basketball video game?

If there is anything notable about video gaming in the 1990s that is missing today, that would be the presence of multiple basketball video games released by different game publishers. Along the way, there were some college basketball video games such as NCAA Final Four Basketball developed by Bitmasters and published by Mindscape. This print ad had enough screenshots to show what the game looked like and how it played. The ad also mentioned that the game had 64 real NCAA teams and logos as well. This 1994 video game did not have a strong reception from game critics although it received a very high rating by GamePro magazine. NCAA Final Four Basketball has long been forgotten.

8. Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures print ad

An eye-catching print ad from a more memorable time when the Indiana Jones franchise was still under the full control of George Lucas and his enterprise.

Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures was an ambitious 2D side-scrolling adventure game that also served as an adaptation of the first three Indiana Jones movies (1981-1989) of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Like the Super Star Wars trilogy of games that preceded, this one was a challenging and lengthy game filled with lots of action. This print ad only showed Indy’s whip and hat but the screenshots, the text description and the game box cover (which has a young Harrison Ford as the iconic Jones) were more than enough to convince viewers that this was an Indiana Jones game.

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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

National Age Group Aquathlon 2024 set for September 29 at Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub, registration ongoing

Calling all the multisport enthusiasts, the triathletes, swimmers and other active lifestyle enthusiasts! The National Age Group Aquathlon 2024 event is all set to happen on September 29 at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Cavite. Registration for the event is ongoing and you can get yourself registered by clicking here (note: RaceYa account and log-in required).

Race distances are as follows:

STK-Aqua:

6 yrs. old & under 50m swim – 100m run

7- 8 yrs. old 100m swim – 200m run

9-10 yrs. old 200m swim – 400m run

11-12 yrs. old 300m swim – 1.5k run

Youth Category: 300m swim – 2.5k run

Elite Category: 500m swim – 2.5k run

Age Group: 500m swim – 2.5k run

Race categories are as follows:

Elite Level

Elite Men and Women: 18 years old and over

Jr. Elite Men and Women: 16-19 years old

Youth

Youth Men and Women :13-15 years old

Age Group

Age Group Men: 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 & Above

Age Group Women: 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50 & Above

STK-Aqua

6 yrs. old & under, 7-8 yrs. old, 9-10 yrs. old, and 11-12 yrs. old

Team Competition

Top 3 teams in the Age Group category. Each team must have a minimum of 5 members. Cumulative time of the first 5 members to cross will be considered the total team time. Team Names will be submitted upon registration. Minimum of 1 female in each team.

Organized by Triathlon Philippines and sponsored by Philippine Sports Commission, Asian Center for Insulation Philippines, Gatorade-the official hydration partner, LeGarde L-Carnitine, Standard Insurance and Fitbar, the National Age Group Aquathlon 2024 offers the perfect platform for athletes to push their limits and experience the thrill of multisport racing.

Media partners for this event are Radyo Pilipinas 2 and PTV Sports. Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub is the official venue partner.

To get registered online, click https://register.raceya.fit/event/naga2024

For Philippine triathlon and multisport updates, click https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil

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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

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

Muntinlupa City government congratulates its 2024 Palarong Pambansa medalists

Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government congratulated via social media their local athletes who won medals in the recent 2024 Palarong Pambansa which was held in Cebu with the National Capital Region (NCR) as the overall champion with 98 gold medals, 66 silver medals and 74 bronze medals.

The recognized gold medalists of Muntinlupa at the Palarong Pambansa were Maxine Amira Filiciano Bondoc and Avielle Paduit Caballes in the Gymnastics Elementary Girls category, Alessandra Therese A. Martin in the Swimming Elementary Girls category, and the team of De La Salle Santiago Zobel School in the Baseball Secondary Boys category.

The Muntinlupa silver medalists recognized were Jobelle Mitch De Sisto Villanueva and Krista Joy Chavez Tabios in the Arnis Secondary Girls category, and Avielle Paduit Caballes and Maxine Amira Filiciano Bondoc in the Gymnastics Elementary Girls category.

The bronze medalists were Hernalou E. Lumandao and Pi Durden Forward Wangkay in the Athletics Secondary Boys category, Avielle Paduit Caballes in the Gymnastics Elementary Girls category and Ma. Ana Therese V. Gomobao in the Table Tennis Secondary Girls category.

To see the entire social media post of the City Government of Muntinlupa, click https://www.facebook.com/share/j8qGm73vZVWjfwXG/

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 with the medals won by local athletes at the 2024 Palarong Pambansa?

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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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

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 26

Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

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

More Unsolved Mysteries Season 1 episodes – I have always been a fan of the Unsolved Mysteries TV series since the early 1990s. Apart from the great hosting and narration by the late Robert Stack, Unsolved Mysteries’ creative team was consistent in producing live-action interpretations of true crime stories, UFO stories, missing persons stories, ghost stories and other tales with a high level of quality. I also love their attention to details sourced from police reports, law enforcers and interviews of eye witnesses. Not only that, Unsolved Mysteries also helped in capturing wanted criminals and reunited family members who were separated for a long time. This was evident from their first season and posted below are further Season 1 episodes for you to enjoy.

Videodrome reaction video by You, Me and the Movies – Recently, YouTuber team You, Me and the Movies published their movie reaction video of Videodrome which was a very intriguing and shocking movie directed by David Cronenberg. If you don’t mind the spoilers, this is an entertaining reaction video to watch.

RollerGames episodes in high-definition – When I was very young, I was able to watch on local TV here in the Philippines the episodes of RollerGames which showcased a series of action-packed and intriguing roller derby rounds. This was one of those alternative sports competitions that was entertaining to watch and it even shared certain elements with professional wrestling shows with regards to tension between competitors and the show’s notable personalities. The good news here is that the RollerGames episodes have been restored in high-definition and posted below are the first four episodes for your enjoyment.

The Aliens arcade game from Konami – I remember back in the early 1990s – before the debut of Street Fighter II and all those other fighting games that followed – Aliens (by Konami) was a big attraction in local arcades. Loosely based on the 1986 sci-fi action movie directed by James Cameron, Aliens the arcade game was an action-packed 2D scrolling game in which players have to move to their destination while firing their guns against multiple waves of Xenomorphs, Facehuggers and other variants of monsters. This was a highly entertaining game that never got ported into any console, and you can learn more about Konami’s Aliens by watching PatmanQC’s video below.

Xbox Game Pass adjustments – Recently, Microsoft announced big changes to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) which has divided both subscribers and gamers in general. Apart from the price increases, there are also changes on the policies and what subscribers get in return for paying more or less. Personally, I don’t like what Team Xbox came up with. Watch 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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 13

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

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

1. Japanese Contra arcade flyer

The front of the Japanese arcade flyer of Contra.
The other side of the flyer.

As mentioned before, Konami’s long-running Contra games franchise first started in the arcades in Japan. As seen in the Japanese arcade flyer, it was clear that the company not only had a clear vision of Contra’s visual concepts but also was pretty organized with explaining lots of details (examples: the 8-direction controls, types of weapons or ammunition available, level design differences) that both players and arcade operators can learn from. If you look closely at the rear of the flyer, you will see the two characters already identified as Lance and Bill which clearly showed the Japanese creators had the creative details really organized.

2. Virtual Bart print ad

Anyone who loved The Simpsons would easily recognize the characters of this print ad.

Decades ago, The Simpsons made big waves on television and quickly emerged as a fine addition to American pop culture. That being said, it was not surprising at all that video games based on the show got made and Virtual Bart was one of them. This Virtual Bart print ad appeared in some comic books I read in 1994 and the ad makers made efficient use of the single-page layout showing that the game was not a mere 2D side-scroller as its concept emphasized Bart Simpson’s virtual reality escapades. This game, which had mini-games and different gameplay styles, received review scores ranging from negative to positive.

3. Wild Arms 2 print ad

This is NOT an effective way to promote a video game.

Now this is one of the most weird and the most uninteresting game print ads of the 1990s. For the newcomers reading this, Wild Arms 2 was a sequel to the 1997 hit game Wild Arms released on the original PlayStation console. Due to the 1997 game’s success, a fan base of Wild Arms was established and the 1999 sequel was anticipated by the fans. In a very odd and illogical move, Sony Computer Entertainment came up with the Times Square setting for Wild Arms 2’s North American print ad and because they allowed so much other text and images (appearing as billboard ads) on the buildings in the background, details about the game itself got overshadowed. By simply looking at this print ad, it is simply too easy to overlook Wild Arms 2 as the featured game. Can you see the references to Wild Arms 2 here?

4. RollerGames arcade flyer

Pretty ladies posing on the front of the flyer.
Clearly the details were prepared with arcade operators in mind.

Based on the competition-oriented TV show, the RollerGames arcade game from Konami was both unique and fun to play. As with their other arcade flyers, Konami hired models to emphasize RollerGames’ core concept by appearing in full costume (as roller-skating participants), and then inserted screenshots of the game. The rear of the flyer had the technical details in simplistic fashion and they were clearly written with arcade operators in mind. The 3-paragraph text descriptions emphasized what players could expect, what options are available and how the game connects with the TV program it was based on.

5. The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates print ad

Anyone among you is a Jetsons fan?

Based on the animated series, The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America as well as on the Super Famicom in Japan in the mid-1990s. This game’s print ad had eye-catching artwork, carefully laid down key details (including the promise of cartoon quality graphics) and showed a few screenshots. The game attracted mixed reviews from critics and I don’t know any fellow gamer who played it.

6. Sega Saturn games print ad

An aggressive single-page ad promoting the exclusive games on Sega Saturn.

If you are a game console manufacturer that also owns several game development teams, you really have to promote your hardware and software aggressively. This is exactly what Sega did in the North American market sometime after the embarrassing launch of the Saturn console there. As seen in this print ad, Sega aggressively promoted their Saturn-exclusive games – including their juggernaut Virtua Fighter 2 – to make it clear to their fans (and Saturn console owners) that they are focused to entertain them. The ad also served as Sega’s effort to lure in new gamers and potential Saturn owners given the fact that Virtua Fighter 2, Virtua Cop and Sega Rally Championship were already big arcade hits. As history turned out, the Saturn ended up a commercial disappointment in America but still succeeded in Japan.

7. Galaxian arcade flyer

Have you ever played Galaxian in the arcades?

In September 1979, Namco released Galaxian in the arcades in Japan and it became a big hit there eventually finishing as the nation’s 2nd highest-earning arcade game of the year. Before the year even ended, Namco approached Midway of releasing Galaxian outside of Japan and this led to the game appearing in American arcades in November. Unsurprisingly, Galaxian drew lots of American players and their money which really helped Midway selling 50,000 arcade units in a few years’ time. This arcade flyer from Midway clearly showed what the Galaxian arcade unit looked like and how the controls were physically set up. I like the way the details and images were organized and how the limited page space was put to good use.

8. Heavy Barrel print ad

A really eye-catching and amusing print ad to look at.

Originally released in the arcades by Data East, Heavy Barrel was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1990. Similar with Contra and Jackal, this game had a strong military theme and shooting-oriented gameplay complete with missions that instantly reminded players about war. The military aesthetic and the showing of guns are easily the most eye-catching part of this print ad geared towards the NES userbase which had lots of young children among the players. To say the least, Heavy Barrel’s print ad was entertaining to look at.

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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

Philippines wins Mixed Junior Relay gold medal in the 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup Kampar

The Philippines won another gold medal of the Mixed Junior Relay competition of the 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup which was held at Kampar, Malaysia, yesterday.

The Philippines – composed of Matthew Hermosa, Kira Ellis, Samantha Corpuz, and Dayshaun Ramos – topped the contest (distances of 375m swimming – 5 Km biking – 1.5 Km running) with a collective time of 1 hour, 27 minutes and 51 seconds (1:27:51). Ellis and Hermosa were members of the same Philippine squad that won the Mixed Aquathlon 4X Team Relay event of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. Ellis won the gold of the Junior Women contest on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong clocked in 1:29:33 for the silver medal while Uzbekistan finished in 1:32:45 for the bronze medal of the Mixed Junior Relay contest. To see the complete results of the race, click here.

In other contests of the 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup, Eleora Avanzado and Cristy Perez of the Philippines finished 4th and 5th place respectively in the U15 Women contest. Avanzado was behind bronze medalist Alexandra Sharayeva of Uzbekistan by less than 10 seconds.

For Philippine triathlon updates, click https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil

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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

Kira Ellis wins Junior Women gold medal in 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup Kampar

Kira Ellis of the Philippines won the gold medal of the Junior Women triathlon contest of the 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup held at Kampar, Malaysia.

Ellis won the sprint distance (750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run) Junior Women race in one hour, five minutes and thirty-two seconds (1:05:32). Her opponents Seoeun Park (South Korea) and Diana Biktimrova (Uzbekistan) followed at 2nd and 3rd place with times of 1:07:42 and 1:07:45 respectively.

Meanwhile, Ellis’ teammate Samantha Corpuz finished at 4th place clocking in 1:08:02. For the complete results of the Junior Women contest, click here.

Junior Women triathlon gold medalist Kira Ellis (center) and teammate Samantha Corpuz (3rd from left) during the awarding ceremony. (photo source – Triathlon Philippines)

According to a news release from Triathlon Philippines, Kira Ellis showed tremendous improvements after a Philippine Sports Commission-funded five-week training camp in Portugal under coach Sergio Santos. She competed in the tough European Junior Cup in Hungary last Sunday where she qualified to the finals and placed 16th among 30 competitors.

For Philippine triathlon updates, click https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil

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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