Tag: Street Fighter II

I am having a lot of fun with Smash T.V. on my Xbox Series X

I am having a lot of fun with Smash T.V. on my Xbox Series X

carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming enthusiasts and other gamers!

I finally did it! I finally played the arcade version of the classic game Smash T.V. as I recently purchased Midway Arcade Origins (Xbox 360) on the Xbox store. Thanks to backward compatibility, Midway Arcade Origins operated smoothly on my Xbox Series X and it comes with more than thirty arcade games owned or published by Midway Games from the early 1980s to the early 1990s.

My history of playing Smash T.V. is awkward. The very first time I played the game was not in the arcade but with the Smash T.V. port released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

The classic game debuted in arcades in 1990 and during that precise point of time, I rarely visited arcades here in the Philippines. I started visiting arcades more starting in 1992 as the fighting game craze started luring new gamers driven by the popularity of Street Fighter II. To the best of my memory, I saw very few arcade machines of Smash T.V. and never got to play the game. In fact, there were very few arcade machines that had the dual joystick control set-up which was exactly required to play Smash T.V.

The 2D sprite activity and action can get pretty wild and intense on-screen during battle. Expect lots of waves of enemies coming in before you proceed to the next room.

To make things clear, arcade games were already popular here in the Philippines and there were lots of local arcades particularly in shopping malls. As for playing Smash T.V. on the SNES, it was fun but the SNES control pad was not ideal for the immense in-game shooting.

Going back to Midway Arcade Origins, I played Defender first and had some bouts of fun with it. After that, I went back to the main selection and scrolled through the many other games offered until I saw Smash T.V. and selected it. As soon as I started playing, I was immediately engaged as the fun kept growing as I played.

Apart from dealing with dangerous enemies, you will also encounter in-game hazards such as this room releasing snakes a lot.

Firstly, the game made fine use of the two analog sticks of the Xbox controller which was the closest thing to matching the dual joysticks set-up of the original arcade game. The left analog stick was for movement while the right analog stick allowed me to shoot in different directions. The severe limitations on shooting on the controller of the SNES were completely gone, and as I played the game more on Xbox, I found myself moving around enemies and obstacles while being able to fire at directions where shooting was needed.

Secondly, Smash T.V. on Midway Arcade Origins is the genuine arcade experience from the controls to the functionality, gameplay, the visual design and 2D sprites that dominated the screen. For those who don’t have the original arcade machine, this is the closest thing to enjoying the arcade fun of Smash T.V. in the comfort of home. I can also say that the game ran smoothly on my Xbox Series X and not a single case of slowdown nor any cases of visual distortions ever happened!

To really defeat an end-of-level boss like this one, you need to use whatever special weapons or power-ups that appeared during battle. Be mindful of the enemy’s powerful defense and attacks.
This face particular end-of-level boss deteriorates further as I kept on attacking him with special weapons.

More on the gameplay, it is undeniably challenging as many enemies enter and their different abilities to attack you ensures lots of intense moments of action and struggle to survive. The on-screen action is often intense and still the gameplay did not grow tiresome to me. More on the combat, there are always huge and powerful enemies (end-of-level boss) at the conclusion of each level and defeating them will push you to use special weapons as soon as they pop up.

Lastly, there is also the prize aspect of the game (which has a dystopian TV concept inspired by the 1987 film The Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) which allows you to collect prizes (in cash or prize items) while playing. The prizes can add a lot to your score and even your potential entry into the online leaderboards (see below).

There is nothing like collecting prizes in the game! It is as thrilling as the action.
Between the levels are the bonus segments in which the value of the prizes you collected will be added to your overall score (technically in-game money earned).

Thirdly, I really like the online leaderboards and score attack mode that came with Midway Arcade Origins. For Smash T.V., the score attack challenge is to score as many points as you could using only one turn (which comes with the initial six in-game lives). Score attack does not allow any continues (that is for free play mode) and this was enough to make me focus on my skills, moves and timing when it comes to fighting waves of several enemies that entered the in-game arenas.

I was able to make my presence felt online as the servers for the leaderboards are still functioning and recording in-real time the scores achieved.

Every time you encounter new enemies, you have to observe how they move, attack and behave.

Smash T.V. is a classic not only because of its immense fun gameplay, entertainment impact and timeless game design, but also because it was a creative wonder from significant game creators such as Eugene Jarvis (Defender, Robotron 2084), John Tobias (Mortal Kombat) and Mark Turmell to name a few. The game borrowed elements from The Running Man and the creators made their own concept that mixed well with the game design they came up with. The result is a highly playable, challenging and ultimately enjoyable video game. To learn more about the creation and history of Smash T.V., watch the in-depth videos of PatmanQC and Slope’s Game Room below.

“Big money! Big prizes! I love it!”

Smash T.V. is a lot of fun and its gameplay never gets old. It is currently my favorite of all the games in Midway Arcade Origins and it is an excellent addition to my retro gaming experience on my Xbox Series X.

If you are an Xbox fan who is interested in retro gaming and if you have already decided to play Smash T.V., buy Midway Arcade Origins by clicking https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/midway-arcade-origins/bs97kvxlt9lk

+++++

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

For burgers and arcade fun in BF Homes, visit Hackensack

For burgers and arcade fun in BF Homes, visit Hackensack

carlocarrasco

Along the stretch of Aguirre Avenue inside BF Homes subdivision, Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City is the 1950s-inspired diner Hackensack. To be clear, it is the BF Homes branch of the business whose other branch is located in Quezon City.

I had my first-ever visit there this past February for a lunch reunion and meeting with a dear friend of mine. We both had rice meals and drinks, and we had a nice chat while seating comfortably.

Daytime shot of a portion of the interior at Hackensack’s BF Homes branch. Comfortable seats and sufficient space for customers.
Through the window, customers can watch their food getting cooked.

I carefully examined Hackensack as it was my first time back then. I noticed they have sufficient parking spaces – spacious enough to allow double-parking – for motorists outside. Upon entering, the 1950s vibe was clearly present through the interior design and the carefully placed decorations. With the nice interiors, cool aircon system and sufficient walking space between the chairs and tables, Hackensack’s BF Homes branch is nice and comfortable to be in.

Recently, I had a 2nd visit at Hackensack in BF Homes and this time it was dinner with my family.

Food

This is the Deluxe “Smashed” Cheeseburger and Fries Combo. The cheeseburger had two Angus beef patties.

During my 2nd visit, I had the Deluxe “Smashed” Cheeseburger (double-patty) and Fries Combo and a Chocolate Milkshake. The cheeseburger itself came with two Angus beef patties, two wide tomato slices, lettuce and cheese, and it tasted really good. I’m glad I had the cheeseburger as I was getting tired of the cheeseburgers from the more popular burger-and-fries fast food restaurants. Meanwhile, the fries were well cooked and satisfying to eat.

As mentioned above, I had the Chocolate Milkshake although I ordered at least 30 minutes after I finished my cheeseburger and fries combo meal. Hackensack’s milkshake tasted mildly sweet (given the chocolate flavor) but more importantly, it also tasted freshly made.

The chocolate milkshake was tasty and satisfying.

Other food that my family enjoyed include the 1950s Onion-steamed Cheeseburger and Fries Combo, the Fried Onion Strings, Fries, the Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Wings, and the Classic BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato). I can clearly say that my family enjoyed the food and what was served exceeded expectations.

The Fried Onion Strings was a delicious appetizer and also ideal when eating with a group of companions.
A standalone service of Fries.
The 1950s Onion-steamed Cheeseburger and Fries Combo.

Hackensack’s menu offers lots of food and drink options that customers can choose from such as the Chicken Salad Sandwich with Chips combo meal, Clubhouse Sandwich with Chips combo meal, Waffle Fries, New York Frank and Fries combo meal, Mom’s Baked Spaghetti, Monty Brewster and Fries combo meal, Homemade Apple Pie, Steak and Eggs rice meal, Rootbeer Float and more.

Arcade games plus notable comic book artworks

While Hackensack has a strong 1950s vibe with its food, interiors and atmosphere, the place with the two arcade cabinets (where players can stand in front of and play games) is something else. If you know your entertainment history, you should be aware already that arcade games in America (electronic games played on machines) did not exist during the 1950s.

That being said, the two arcade cabinets allow users to pick games from a wide selection of titles from the 1970s to the 1990s. The beauty about have these arcade cabinets is that you can play games absolutely free! No need to insert coins or tokens at all!

The two arcade cabinets inside Hackensack. Each machine contains lots of classic arcade games and the great thing is that customers can play those games for free. Simply select the game, press the button and start enjoying retro gaming fun.
A few of the many retro games to choose from.

During my two visits at Hackensack in BF Homes, I had retro gaming fun with Galaga, Elevator Action, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Pac-Man, the X-Men arcade game from Konami, and Donkey Kong to name some. Other arcade classic available for gamers to choose from include Street Fighter II, Battle City, 1942, Contra, Rambo III and RoboCop to name a few.

In addition to the existing retro gaming vibe the arcade cabinets provided, there were these very notable comic book covers and artworks displayed on the walls near them. Having read and collected superhero comic books in the 1990s, I recognized a lot of notable artworks there such as WetWorks by Whilce Portacio, X-Men by Jim Lee, Youngblood by Rob Liefeld, Spider-Man by Todd McFarlane, and Superman by Dan Jurgens.

Are you a 1990s comic book enthusiast? Check out the selected comic book materials displayed as decorations.

With good food, a comfortable retro place and retro gaming fun, Hackensack really stands out nicely among the many food joints inside BF Homes. As of now, it is the one place in the entire South Metro Manila where you can enjoy meals and arcade games together.

To learn more about Hackensack, visit their Facebook page by clicking https://www.facebook.com/hackensack.ph. To visit their BF Homes branch right now, click the Google Maps location link at https://maps.app.goo.gl/EHAAteZTZXwgeggw9

+++++

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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 26

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 26

carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

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

1. Asteroids Deluxe arcade flyer

The arcade flyer for North America.

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

2. Missile Command arcade flyer

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

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

3. Gun.Smoke European arcade flyer

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

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

4. Sei Senshi Amatelass arcade flyer

Does the model look sexy or tough?

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

5. Sweet Gal arcade flyer

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

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

6. Moon Patrol print ad

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

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

7. Tron Atari 2600 games print ad

Calling all Tron fans to look at this.

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

8. Q*bert print ad

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

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

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

Calling all He-Man fans.

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

10. UFO Robo Dangar North American arcade flyer

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

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

11. Aliens Japanese arcade flyer

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

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

+++++

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 49

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 49

carlocarrasco

Happy New Year to all 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.

You, Me and the Movies react to The Tower (2012) – The Tower (2012) is a South Korean disaster film that drew huge audiences in its country and found some success overseas. Its concept will remind long-time movie buffs about 1974’s The Towering Inferno which itself was an inspiration for director Kim Ji-hoon. If you want to discover The Tower but you are not willing to spend time and money to see it, I encourage to watch You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video.

Alien versus Predator games history examined by Slope’s Game Room – I really enjoy watching the retro gaming videos of YouTuber Slope’s Game Room. This time around, Slope examines the history of video games featuring one of the most memorable sci-fi crossovers ever: Alien versus Predator. For the newcomers reading this, there was a time when Alien and Predator were separate sci-fi film franchises. How a crossover between them happened and what video games were made are explained in detail in the video below.

The rise of cold coffee in America – Do you like drinking coffee that is actually cold? Over the past several years in America, spending on cold coffee skyrocketed and outpaced hot coffee. To be clear, cold coffee includes iced coffee, cold brew and frozen coffee drinks. Already, cold coffee sales really grew for certain businesses that sell coffee. To find out why Americans are buying more cold coffee and what possibly started the trend, watch the video below.

Changing the Middle East – There is no denying the fact that Israel will be remembered for significant gains against Iran-sponsored terrorists in 2024. They did not have much support from Biden-led America but Israel still succeeded in eliminating Yahya Sinwar (Hamas) and Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah). Israel also succeeded in hitting military targets in terrorist state Iran which crippled them significantly. Also the collapse of the wicked Assad regime in Syria proved to be a huge loss for Iran which had a sinister alliance with Bashar al-Assad (who abandoned Syria).

With Donald Trump set to return as United States President on January 20, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence of changing the Middle East. Netanyahu talked with Trump recently and you can learn more by watching CBN News’ video.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to Him in support of Israel and the new Trump administration to change the Middle East in 2025. Pray to Him for the Christians in Syria who will soon be affected negatively by the new regime’s plan to impose Sharia Law. Pray to Him for the rescue or release of the hostages of the October 7, 2023 attacks.

Lefties losing it – In case you did not notice, the Democrats in America don’t just have wicked and dishonest leaders. They also have Hollywood celebrities as Democrat activists who are actually phony intellectuals who love to fool their fellow Americans. A lot of Democrat leaders and activists are actually out of touch with the people and reality in general, which is what this Lefties Losing It video from Sky News Australia emphasized clearly. Watch and learn from start to finish.

PatmanQC examines Gun.Smoke – Developed by Capcom, Gun.Smoke debuted in the arcades in 1985 and eventually got ported to different platforms. I never played the arcade version but I had fun with Gun.Smoke on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) Disk System. It was a run-and-gun shooter with an Old West setting and its designer was Yoshiki Okamoto (1942, Street Fighter II and Resident Evil). The production history of the game is quite interesting and you can find out more in PatmanQC’s video.

Ashleigh Burton reacts to The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear – I love watching Ashleigh Burton’s movie reaction videos, especially the ones that has her laughing a lot. She’s a jolly YouTuber and often entertaining. That being said, you have to watch her reaction to 1991’s The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear.

Popcorn in Bed reacts to Star Trek: Nemesis – Were you able to watch the entire Star Trek: The Next Generation (Star Trek: TNG) series from 1987 to 1994? I never had the privilege to watch all seven seasons but I managed to watch several random episodes of it and got to know the characters enough before proceeding to watch all four Star Trek: TNG movies from 1994 to 2002. Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) was released in American theaters right in the middle of intense box office competition with a Harry Potter movie, a James Bond movie and a Lord of the Rings movie. Apart from its box office failure, there was something wrong that happened behind the scenes during Star Trek: Nemesis’ production which explains its disappointing quality. If you want to discover the movie but you don’t want to spend too much time nor money on it, I encourage you to watch Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video.

+++++

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 45

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 45

carlocarrasco

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.

A look back at Tobal No. 1 – The 1990s will always be remembered as the decade when fighting games became wildly popular. While franchises like Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Street Fighter and The King of Fighters literally flooded the arcades and consoles, game developers at DreamFactory (a subsidiary of Square) were dissatisfied with the state of fighting games at the time and this eventually led to the creation of Tobal No. 1, one of the most unique games of its genre ever made. To learn more about it, watch the video below.  

Assorted videos of Air Force One (1997) – Watching Air Force One (starring Harrison Ford) on the big screen in 1997 was a fun experience for me. It was one of the many so-called Die Hard clones of the 1990s which featured one brave, vulnerable hero fighting terrorists while confined in a place where escape is not option. For your enjoyment, I selected one trivia video and a few reaction videos of Air Force One. As it is a great film, I encourage you to watch it first in case you have not seen it. Otherwise, go watch the selected videos below.

Slope’s Game Room’s look back at the Choplifter series – I first played Choplifter on the Family Computer back in the late-1980s and it really was both unique and fun to play. It was a side-scrolling adventure game with military action but it was not an all-offense experience. In fact, the game gives you opportunities to rescue hostages and the game development history is pretty interesting to discover. As such, I encourage you to watch Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective of Choplifter.

The games of Square in the 1990s remembered  – If you know your video game history, Square Enix was established in 2003 as a result of a merger between Square (AKA SquareSoft) and Enix. When Square was still an independent, standalone company it released a lot of memorable games on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the PlayStation in the 1990s. If you love retro gaming and if you are interested to discover (or rediscover) what Square released back in the 1990s, then this video is for you.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau receives response from returning US President Donald Trump regarding new tariffs – Justin Trudeau – the super woke and out-of-touch Canadian Prime Minister – told the returning US President Donald Trump that new tariffs would kill the economy of Canada. The result is a memorable response from Trump. To see what happened and how the public reacted, watch this Sky News Australia video. Lastly, never ever trust Trudeau. You will regret it believing in him as he is a very bad leader.

Kamala Harris being hit by her donors and her fellow Democrats for reckless campaign spending – The defeated Commie Kamala Harris is now the target of her US presidential campaign donors and even her fellow Democrats. You see, her campaign team raised at least $1.5 billion and ended up with a debt of at least $20 million due to reckless spending and irresponsible handling of money. Apart from literally BUYING the support of celebrities and Hollywood Communists, the Harris campaign spent excessively on online ads, private jets and others. The donors are very furious and a lot of Democrats realized that the laughing hyena Kamala Harris severely damaged the political party. That being said, Kamala Harris would be delusional enough to actually run for US President again in 2028. Watch and learn from Sky News Australia’s video.

You, Me and the Movies react to Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan – Years I ago, I posted my retro review of Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. The 1989 Friday The 13th sequel was so sloppy and bad with its presentation, it sometimes could be funny to see and it’s okay to ridicule it. If you want to discover Jason Takes Manhattan without spending too much time, you should watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies.

8. The collapse of the Assad dictatorship in Syria – In case you missed the news, a new chapter in the history of Syria has officially started as the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad officially ended with the Islamist rebels taking over the country. Assad and his family are now in Russia. While there is euphoria going on in Syria, you should not allow yourselves to be deceived because the civil war in Syria was never a case of “good versus evil”. Assad was allied with Russia and terrorist state Iran. Meanwhile, the Syrian rebels are allied with the Islamist Turkish forces, Jihadists, terrorists and they have Al-Qaeda members in their ranks. Syria now has a new beginning but where will it go? Watch the videos I selected for your viewing and learning.

+++++

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 44

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 44

carlocarrasco

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.

Konami’s failed fighting games of the 1990s – Remember back in the 1990s when a lot of fighting games were released on the arcades and game consoles? Japanese game companies Namco and Capcom released a lot of memorable fighting games of different styles such as Street Fighter II, Tekken, Marvel vs. Capcom, Tekken 3, Soulcalibur, X-Men: Children of the Atom, X-Men vs. Street Fighter and so on. Sega released Virtua Fighter games while Midway released Mortal Kombat games, and SNK had Fatal Fury, King of Fighters and Art of Fighting games. Looking back at the fighting game craze of the 1990s, I noticed that Konami – best known for Metal Gear, Contra, Gradius and Suikoden – released their own fighting games but never achieved the tremendous success that its competitors had. The retro gaming video is a must-see.

Calvin Dyson’s lengthy review of The World is Not Enough – I can hardly believe that it has been twenty-five years since the James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough was released in cinemas as the 20th century was ending. The 3rd film of Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007 received mixed reviews from the critics and some fans found it to be really brainless and excessive with action which negatively affected the cinematic narrative. To find out if the 1999 Bond movie aged well or not, YouTuber Calvin Dyson recently posted his lengthy retro review and you can watch it now.

In-depth documentary of Smash TV – Remember way back in 1990 when Smash T.V. (also referred to as Smash TV) was released in the arcades and attracted a lot of players with its enjoyable game design and concept? The game was a hit and went on to be ported to many platforms afterwards, and I played its Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version a lot. To find out how hit game started and who were the key people behind its production, watch the video documentary of PatmanQC now.

Defeated Kamala Harris, Sharon Stone, Alec Baldwin and others highlighted in Lefties Losing It episode – It has been a few weeks since Donald Trump pulled off the greatest American comeback by winning again the US presidential election. Even until now, the Leftists are still agonizing over Trump’s victory and many of them cannot accept the reality of what happened. In the latest Lefties Losing It episode below, you will see a drunk-like Kamala Harris talking to her supporters, Sharon Stone bashing others and more. Watch it!

Electric vehicles sparked into fire disasters as a result of salt water caused by Hurricane Helene – This news video should convince you not to buy and drive an electric car or any type of electric vehicle for that matter. Salt water touching the ion batteries of electric vehicles spark flame and this leads into fire incidents that simply could not be solved quickly. Hurricane Helene’s powerful wind brought salt water into affected communities and not even electric vehicles parked inside the garage were spared. Avoid electric vehicles and stick with vehicles that run on fossil fuel. 

Ashleigh Burton’s Fantastic Four (2005) reaction video – Back in 2005, I never saw Fantastic Four in the local cinema. I was never a Fantastic Four fan nor did the team-up of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby starting the said superhero team interested me. Believe it or not, I finally saw the movie on home video in 2009. In recent times, YouTuber Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video of Fantastic Four and it is fun to watch.

Phantasy Star IV retrospective – Thanks to my physical copy of Sega Genesis Classics, I was able to play Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium on my Xbox Series X console. For the newcomers reading this, Phantasy Star IV was a sci-fi Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) released on the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in other markets) in Japan in 1993 followed by released in America and Europe in 1995. The production side of the game has very interesting details and you can learn all about it in GTV Japan’s retrospective video below.

A look at Disney’s The Black Hole – Long before the Walt Disney Company became the super woke entity of modern times, they released the expensive sci-fi film The Black Hole. As far as the Disney legacy is concerned, the 1979 movie is significant as it marked a serious change of direction the company took with its movies. Disney was already known for wholesome and family oriented movies and TV shows and eventually entered a period of uncertainty. The Black Hole was both Disney’s attempt to cash-in on the sci-fi and disaster film craze of the 1970s and attract more adult moviegoers. You can learn more about this forgotten movie by watching the videos below.

#9 Popcorn in Bed’s What Lies Beneath reaction video – I saw What Lies Beneath inside a crowded cinema here in the Philippines way back in 2000. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film was an inspired work of suspense and horror mainly told through Michelle Pfeiffer’s character. I still remember some comments of disappointment over Harrison Ford’s lack of screen time compared with Pfeiffer’s. Regardless, you have to see Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video right here.

+++++

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 42

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 42

carlocarrasco

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.

Ashleigh Burton’s Logan reaction video – Finally, after posting several X-Men-related reaction videos on her YouTube channel, YouTuber Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction to the great movie Logan. As it is a great film, you must watch it entirely first. If you have seen it already, then I urge you to watch Burton’s reaction video below.

Woke Hollywood continues to freak out over Donald Trump’s comeback as US President – Remember all those many Hollywood elitists who went all out to fool Americans to vote for Commie Kamala Harris for US President? A lot of them plus Hollywood media are still freaking out over Harris’ loss to Donald Trump (who pulled off the greatest American comeback ever). Watch the videos from Midnight’s Edge and RK Outpost below. Pay close attention to the details.

1990s explanatory video about the Fighter’s History – Street Fighter II case – Back in the 1990s, Capcom USA sued Data East over the video game Fighter’s History for infringing on Street Fighter II. As part of its efforts defending Fighter’s History, Data East released to the media an explanatory video (lawsuit exhibit video) which was recently posted on YouTube for millions of people to watch for the first time ever. Watch it now.

Examining Final Exam – Have you ever seen the 1981 movie Final Exam? It was a low-budget, independently made slasher horror movie that looks inspired by Halloween (1978), Friday The 13th (1980) and even National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978). While it is a fact that the movie faded away into obscurity for decades, it suddenly gained attention among film buffs arguably because of its 2023 release on 4K Blu-ray format. Apart from that, Final Exam has a very interesting story of production and execution, and you can learn more about it in the two videos below.

Spotlight on Predator 2 – While it is clear that the 1990 sci-fi action movie Predator 2 does not match the greatness of its predecessor, it still aged well and clearly succeeded in expanding the lore of the Predator entertainment franchise. It also established very creatively the link between Predator and the Alien film franchise. That being said, it is not surprising that the movie became the subject of several YouTubers’ retro movie review videos and movie reaction videos. Before you watch the selected videos below, I encourage you to watch the film first in case you have not seen it. Otherwise, enjoy the selected videos below.

Halo 2 remembered – Twenty years ago this month, Microsoft launched Halo 2 on the original Xbox console with massive hype and success. I could never forget the excitement leading towards its launch followed by the fun I had playing the single-player campaign. The only problem I had with Halo 2 was the abrupt ending. Regardless, Halo 2 is still memorable and if you feel nostalgic about it, watch the video below. Remember, this is a look back at the time when Team Xbox invested a lot not only on Halo 2 but also on making Xbox fans happy with exclusive content.

+++++

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 38

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 38

carlocarrasco

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.

Donald Trump’s decades-long journey to becoming US President  – No matter what your political views are, there is no denying that Donald Trump’s incredible 2016 election victory as President of the United States was the culmination of a very long journey that started since 1980s. As Trump kept doing lots of business, he observed what went wrong in America, what the nation lost to other countries with regards to trade or diplomacy, why many ordinary Americans became forgotten, and more. Watch Trump’s journey in the video below.

A look back at Street Fighter II V (anime) – If you are a long-time gamer like me, chance are, you must have played one of the many games of Street Fighter II. If you have played the games, were you able to watch the short-lived anime series titled Street Fighter II V? Loosely based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo, the anime series started in 1995 and was directed by Gisaburō Sugii who was responsible for the anime movie of 1994. I found two YouTube videos revisiting Street Fighter II V posted below for your enjoyment.

Fox News interview shows Kamala Fit is too dishonest and too out-of-touch to be US President  – If there is anything notable with the incumbent United States Vice President Kamala Harris – the one woke candidate the Democrats nominated after pushing Joe Biden out of the way – is that she has a very distorted view of reality and she is very unfit to become US President. Her recent interview with Fox News is the worst yet and the consequences are still being felt as I write this down. Watch the selected videos below to find out.

A look back at Koudelka – During the late stage of the first PlayStation console’s life, Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) became really popular with gamers in Europe and America. Back in 1999, the role-playing game Koudelka was released on PlayStation in Japan and an international release followed in 2000. That game did not achieve critical acclaim and was never a big seller. As many old-time gamers have forgotten about its existence, Koudelka’s production history is rather intriguing and surprising to discover.

Koudelka was developed by Sacnoth which was founded by former Squaresoft employee Hiroki Kikuta (Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, and Soukaigi). To find out why Koudelka had an unusual RPG concept and style of gameplay, I encourage you to watch the retro gaming video below.   

More Iranians need Israel’s help – It is a fact that the Islamic regime of Iran has a long record of brutalizing Iranians who do not follow their evil moves. In short, the people of Iran are not their wicked government. That being said, the dissenting Iranians are reaching out to Israel for help in the form of military action against the evil regime. Watch the video of The 700 Club below. It includes statements from Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.

. George Romero was hired to make a Resident Evil motion picture – Back in the late 1990s when the Resident Evil game franchise really soared in popularity and became bankable for Capcom, a movie project was approved and the late George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow) was hired to write and direct it. It should be noted that Capcom hired Romero to make the Resident Evil 2 commercial which became very popular and contributed to the game’s big success. Eventually, Romero’s drafts of the script got rejected and Constantin Film replaced him with Paul W. S. Anderson resulting in the 2002 Resident Evil movie.  

If you are fascinated with Romero’s short-lived involvement with the Resident Evil movie project, you should watch the related videos posted below…

. China’s Bonnie and Clyde – Have you been following the YouTube channel Dark Asia with Megan? Every week, there is always a new episode about true crime stories that took place within Asia and the host Megan is often great with her presentation and she clearly does a lot of research. Recently an episode about China’s very own Bonnie and Clyde was released. I saw it and it is very intriguing to watch. For the newcomers reading this, Bonnie and Clyde refers to real-life American bandits and serial killers who caused a lot of trouble from 1931 to 1934. Hollywood even released a movie in 1967 glorifying them. As for who exactly were China’s Bonnie and Clyde, and what had they done, I encourage you to watch Dark Asia with Megan’s episode below.

. Kamala Harris supporter shouts at toddler – Going back to the 2024 US Presidential campaign, a supporter of Communist Kamala Harris (the US Vice President since 2021) was caught on camera yelling at and traumatizing a toddler. I know for a fact that liberals, Leftists, Marxists, socialists and woke Americans can be quite wild but the die-hard Kamala supporter who screamed at the toddler clearly has crossed the line. It makes me wonder if the Democrats ever oriented their supporters to be civil and in control. Watch the Sky News Australia Lefties Losing It video below.

. Kamala Harris got booed at her own campaign rally! – The presidential campaign of Commie Kamala Harris is clearly failing not only because the opinion polls – most of which are Left-leaning and oversampling Democrat voters – are showing her falling further behind Donald Trump but also because unfortunate events have been happening at her campaign rallies. The new embarrassment this time is Harris getting booed at her own campaign rally! Watch the videos below.

+++++

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 27

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 27

carlocarrasco

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.

John List true crime documentaries – In America, the late John List is one of the most notorious criminals ever in their history. At a very desperate point in his life, List murdered his own family members in 1971 and it took some time for the local authorities to find out what he left behind in their huge home. Having left his home and investigators behind, List traveled across the nation, came up with a fake identity and lived away from the law for almost twenty years. How the law enforcers tracked him down (involving America’s Most Wanted TV show) and arrested him is a great story to follow. All of these are documented in the two videos below.

The Stepfather explanatory video by GoodBadFlicks  – Believe it or not, the story of John List inspired the creation of the 1987 psychological horror film The Stepfather. This video by YouTuber GoodBadFlicks is a must-see.

The assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump – I really cannot ignore the assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump which resulted in the injury on his right ear, the death of a campaign rally attendee and one other person getting injured. Whatever your political views are, this is a tragedy and it clearly was not staged. It was indeed an attempt to kill and already the Satanic Leftist mainstream news media are distorting the facts and lying to you. To get clear insight on what happened and who the suspect (a very young guy who was a registered Republican voter who also donated money to support Democrats and far-left movement), watch the selected videos below.  

HolyLandSite’s Mount of Olives video – Recently, the YouTube channel HolyLandSite published their newest video featuring the Mount of Olives in Israel. I personally visited some of the sites at the Mount of Olives featured in this video and in my experience, I witnessed the Holy Bible come to life and gained insight on what the place was like during the time of Lord Jesus. Mount of Olives was where Lord Jesus last stepped on before ascending into Heaven and He will arrive there sometime in the future. Watch the video below.

Capcom’s failed case against Data East over Fighter’s History – Remember how popular Street Fighter II was in the arcades in the 1990s? Capcom made tons of profit from SFII which led to the production of sequels, spin-offs and other 2D fighting games that followed. Of course, as the fighting game genre became tremendously popular, there were other fighting games that competed with Capcom’s creations. Believe it or not, Capcom sued Data East alleging that their competitor’s game Fighter’s History infringed the copyright of Street Fighter II. To find out what happened, watch the video from Top Hat Gaming Man below.

6. Donald Trump nominated again by Republicans for President of the United States – By the time you are reading this, the 2024 Republican National Convention has concluded a few days ago. Donald Trump has been nominated again for US President by the party, only this time the Republicans are very united and they were reinvigorated arguably because of the failed assassination attempt on their candidate. The Democrats meanwhile are divided and already their powerful members stopped supporting the re-election campaign of Joe Biden. The contrasts between the two parties are so great during the last week. If you want to see all the Republican speeches and the nomination acceptance speech of Trump (whose running mate is US Senator J.D. Vance), watch the Republican National Convention (night 4) below.

+++++

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 7 (Sega Special)

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 7 (Sega Special)

carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will examine print ads of Sega from the 1990s which was a notable period of time when they went from being a prominent video game company into a desperate, struggling entity by the end of the decade. All the Sega ads in this edition are promotions of their own video games that were exclusive to their consoles during 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 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 hardware.

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

1. Phantasy Star IV print ad

This was the last single-player Phantasy Star game released. There is no sign of Sega revisiting the franchise for another single-player experience.

Long before the emergence of online console gaming that involved a high number of players, Sega released Phantasy Star IV for the Genesis console in America in 1994 which was praised by gamers and critics. This one also turned out to be the last single-player role-playing game (RPG) of the Phantasy Star series as Sega eventually turned it into a series of online RPGs since the year 2000.

This print ad is significant because a lot of gamers today are not aware that Phantasy Star started as a series of single-player RPGs the same year Final Fantasy debuted in Japan. Anyone interested to play Phantasy Star IV on a modern console should buy the Sega Genesis Classics collection. 

2.  Eternal Champions print ad

This 2-page print ad appeared in many comic books and some magazines that I read long ago.

Back in the 1990s, the fighting game genre became wildly popular with gamers at the arcades and on consoles at home. Capcom literally sparked a wild fire with the Street Fighter II game and its upgraded editions, and other companies went on to make their own 2D fighting games to cash in. Sega was one of them and they released their own 2D fighting game Eternal Champions for the Sega Genesis console.

Unsurprisingly, the game was marketed aggressively and this 2-page print ad really stood out as it had the great looking painted art on the right, screenshots and details of the game, and most notably made a sarcastic reference to Street Fighter II. Eternal Champions sold enough copies, it led to the release of the sequel Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side and two spin-off games. I can only guess that referencing Street Fighter II was helpful in achieving commercial success.

3. Streets of Rage 3 print ad

This ad caught my attention easily when I saw it in comic books I read.

Streets of Rage (Japanese title: Bare Knuckle) was one of the most defining game franchises Sega came up with and it started on the Sega Genesis console. It was a series of side-scrolling, 2D beat-them-up games that ensured action and excitement for gamers. As the first two games were critically and commercially successful, Sega was confident in aggressively marketing Streets of Rage 3 and the print ad seen had a very attention-grabbing artwork.

The artistic style emphasized power and intensity as it shows a damaged wall with the shape of a human body (symbolizing that someone was thrown through it) and then there were images of people on the other side. The game went on to attract mostly positive reviews although it paled in comparison to its predecessors in terms of sales.

4. Shining Force II print ad

The first time I saw this ad, it made me interested to buy a Sega Genesis console to play it.

As Sega was so prolific with making and releasing games across different genres, they had their own tactical role-playing game series with Shining Force and the first game released on the Sega Genesis was a critical and commercial success. That being said, the company was confident with releasing Shining Force II on the same console more than a year later achieving critical and commercial success.

The North American print ad of the game had a visual presentation that closely captured the foreground-background style (characters facing the distance) used in-game, and the advertising team use photographic imagery to achieve a fantasy look. Very cleverly, Sega inserted the Sega Game Gear title Shining Force Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya into the ad. This print ad made me interested in acquiring a Sega Genesis for Shining Force II.

5. Genesis does what Nintendon’t print ad

With the famous line heavily emphasized, this print ad showed how bullish Sega really was in competing with Nintendo.

Now this print ad of Sega’s has the most definitive and best-known advertising line in the so-called 16-bit console generation: Genesis does what Nintendon’t. This was Sega’s aggressive marketing push to convince gamers to buy the Genesis console to play games and experience thrills of fun that they would not find on a Nintendo console at the time. Genesis was launched in America in 1989 with “16-bit” emphasized a lot, and the technological rival Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was released in the same market more than two years later.

The 2-year advantage helped Sega establish the Genesis as the next-gen machine for gaming at home and there were years in the 1990s when Sega’s console outsold Nintendo’s in America during the so-called 16-bit war. The Genesis also had lots of exclusive games plus strong software support from third-parties. While the SNES would eventually outsell the Genesis in other parts of the world, it was in America where Sega proved to be very competitive and successful. 

6. Knuckles’ Chaotix print ad

Sega was aggressive with marketing this game for the 32X.

In late 1994, Sega released in America and in Japan the 32X which was an add-on device for the Sega Genesis designed enhance its power while serving as a transition (a warm-up) into the so-called 32-bit era of console gaming. The 32X was the result of corporate decisions involving the American and Japanese executives of the company.

To keep 32X customers happy and boost hardware sales, Sega adjusted the development of Knuckles’ Chaotix (a Sonic spin-off) from being a Sonic project 32-bit console Sega Saturn into a standalone game for the add-on device. Even though Sega knew the game’s development was rushed, they went on to strongly promote the game and the print ad shown here was quite eye-catching.

The image of a fist with a ring showing the character Knuckles (a character from the Sonic games) emphasizes power and the colors used seem to express intensity. Then there were the selected screenshots shown without descriptive text. Although Sega tried hard, Knuckles’ Chaotix (launched in 1995) received mixed-to-positive reviews and sadly sold poorly. Unsurprisingly, the sales of the 32X dropped further and by then a lot of consumers knew that the Sega Saturn (the true successor to the Genesis) was all set to launch in America and Europe within 1995.

7. Sonic 3D Blast for Sega Saturn print ad

Too bad Sega and its teams failed to make the true Saturn Sonic game.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, having a high-quality, console-exclusive game featuring a company mascot was crucial to sell game consoles while keeping dedicated fans happy. Like what Nintendo did with their icon Mario, Sega achieved great commercial success with the three Sonic the Hedgehog games they released exclusively on the Sega Genesis console and this naturally created expectations they would make new Sonic games on the Saturn console. Unfortunately, Sega and its teams failed to complete development of the Saturn-exclusive game Sonic X-treme and the company cancelled it which sent shockwaves through the games industry news.

With the 1996 holiday shopping season too crucial to ignore, Sega commissioned a Saturn version of the game Sonic 3D Blast which was originally made for the Genesis console. Sonic 3D Blast on the Saturn took seven weeks to make and there were some graphical enhancements implemented. While Sonic 3D Blast’s Genesis version attracted a positive reception from critics (and sold 700,000 copies), the reception for the Saturn version was mixed. This print ad of Sonic 3D Blast on Sega Saturn is a reminder of the company’s failed attempt to take their icon to the next-generation. They never replicated the big success they had with Sonic on the Genesis.

8. Die Hard Arcade print ad

Each time I saw this print ad, it easily reminded me of the classic action film of 1988.

Like many other movie franchises, Die Hard has many video game adaptations released through the decades. In 1997, Sega released Die Hard Arcade (Japanese title: Dynamite Deka) on the Sega Saturn and the game critics praised it for its fun gameplay as well as its flawless conversion of the arcade version (released in 1996). To say the least, the development history of Die Hard Arcade is not as straightforward as many would think. To get the details and explanations of the development of the game, click here.

As for the print ad itself, this one cleverly used official game art as the background with imagery which instantly reminded me of what I saw in the classic 1988 movie that starred Bruce Willis. This ad made me interested to buy a Sega Saturn or find a place to rent it to play the game.

9. Shenmue Japanese print ad

Simplistic with presentation and yet engaging to look at. The Dreamcast-exclusive Shenmue sold over a million copies in Japan alone.

When Shenmue was released exclusively on the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on December 29, 1999, it turned out to be a very mind-blowing experience for many gamers due to its ambitious game design, the intense attention to detail implemented, very high production values, in-depth exploration and very immersive gameplay.

It was the open-world game released at a time when “open-world” was not even a standard gaming term. Often called the masterpiece of the legendary game designer Yu Suzuki, Shenmue sold over 1.2 million copies in Japan and went on to be released worldwide in the months that followed. Sadly, the game failed to make a profit due to its very high budget of $70 million (which Suzuki himself said in English during an interview) and the fact that the number of Dreamcast units already sold to gamers was not massively high.

The Japanese print ad of Shenmue had a simplistic looking visual concept and yet it was engaging to look at because the way the characters appeared was how they appeared in the game during gameplay which was astounding. Take note that back in the 1990s, it was common for video game marketing materials to show human characters in high detail but in reality the polygonal models of those characters appeared looking blocky and much less detailed during gameplay.

+++++

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