#oldwest — Public Fediverse posts

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 42

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

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

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

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

1. Space Duel Arcade Flyer

When the 1979 arcade classic Asteroids achieved massive success for Atari, the company went on to make ports of it on different platforms as well as follow-ups in the arcades. The first follow-up Asteroids Deluxe had a positive reception but never reached the huge impact of its predecessor. Since Asteroids Deluxe was well regarded for improved visuals and higher level of challenge, Atari went on to make the 1982 follow-up Space Duel. To promote the game, Atari’s artists made fascinating original artworks for both the arcade cabinet and the arcade flyer itself. Apart from looking great, I noticed the spaceships of Space Duel’s art looks similar with those of Xevious (a Namco arcade game distributed by Atari in America) and I can only speculate that the same artist made those.

2. Midway Auxiliary Show Monitor Print Ad

As video arcades in America became massively popular with people and became a major economic sector, it was not surprising that crowding became a trend especially whenever a very popular game attracted both players (waiting in line) as well as onlookers. Midway, which was an arcade giant in the 1980s, came up with their own concept of a specialized secondary display called the Midway Auxiliary Show Monitor designed to let onlookers watch a video of ongoing gameplay without physically standing by the player. As the print ad above shows precisely the use of the monitors, those were used at trade shows or in arcades with a setup to make turn the single-player experience into a makeshift show for the people nearby. Back in the 1980s, there was indeed a spectator approach to the arcade experience but players had to deal with the disturbance of many onlookers standing near to see the on-screen action. At the very least, Midway’s concept and hardware was a bold attempt to solve overcrowding.

3. Sega Genesis North American Print Ad

While the Sega Genesis has always been identified with 1990s console gaming in America, the console was officially launched there in August 1989. At the time, Sega of America was not too creative nor aggressive when it comes to marketing the Genesis. The above 1989 print ad showed a lot of screenshots to promote the games, showed the console with a TV and a few peripherals and a text description that emphasized the Genesis as the so-called ultimate dimension in game play. Considering how dynamic and aggressive Sega’s marketing of the Genesis and games became a few years later when Tom Kalinske became the CEO, it is not surprising that this old ad has been forgotten.

4. The Punisher NES Print Ad

By the year 1990, The Punisher became one of Marvel Comics’ most popular figures and the character had two monthly series published. As such, an actual video game featuring the character was made for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and to promote it, three screenshots were shown, a brick wall with stylized short messages was shown and a hand-drawn art of the Punisher was displayed. As seen in the screenshots, elements from The Punisher comic books were displayed such as shooting and fighting the criminals. Considering how wholesome the NES audience was at the time, this print promotion of The Punisher game looks odd although it is a fact that entertainment products featuring violent entertainment properties or characters were made and marketed towards children less than 12-years-old. Remember the Rambo animated series and video games of the 1980s?

5. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters Arcade Flyer

After achieving both critical and big-time commercial arcade success with Lethal Enforcers in 1992, Konami proceeded with the sequel Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters which was released in arcades two years later. While the 1994 game used 2D sprites and digitized photographs like its predecessor, Konami used the 19th century Old West as the setting making it totally different from the 1992 original. To promote the game and emphasize the Old West setting, Konami came up with this arcade flyer that showed actors in cowboy costumes with a background that looks like a cowboy movie set. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters went on to become successful in the arcades and it later got ported to game consoles.

6. Wipeout XL Print Ad

1996 was a tremendous year for console gaming. As Nintendo launched their highly anticipated Nintendo 64 console (N64) that year, game publishers came up with new games that further utilized the features of both Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Wipeout XL was a sequel sci-fi racing game exclusive to the PlayStation and developer/publisher Psygnosis went all-in promoting the game with a lot of creativity and energy. They came up with this 2-page print ad to make gamers excited while creatively informing them what features, rave music and fun gameplay it has. On face value, this print ad looked more like a dazzling article.

7. Nights into Dreams Print Ad

If there is anything notable about the history of the Sega Saturn, it is the fact that there were no new dedicated platform games of Sonic The Hedgehog released for it which is very odd as the Sonic platform games on Sega Genesis were big sellers, critically acclaimed and even made their mark on pop culture. During the mid-1990s, Sonic Team (which had Sonic game creators like Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima) were laser-focused on making Nights into Dreams (stylized as NiGHTS into Dreams) which was an all-new intellectual property that allowed them to utilize the 3D capabilities of the Saturn while making room for their creativity. Sega knew Nights into Dreams was special so they came up with this 2-page print ad which had an eye-catching display of screenshots of the game on the left (with the Saturn in the middle) while using the other half for descriptive text and explanations (with the special Saturn controller in the middle) to grab people’s attention. This old ad from 1996 is a mixed bag for me as the left side was captivating to see while the description on the right side requires some effort to read properly due to the small size of the text.

8. Super Mario 64 Print Ad

What is arguably the most memorable video game released in 1996 was Super Mario 64 which was not only a fully featured launch game of the Nintendo 64 console, but also the first-ever Super Mario platform game made with 3D polygons complete with a large 3D environment that can be explored a lot. There was a huge anticipation for this game by both gamers and the media, and whenever it was previewed before release, it drew lots of crowds and many ended up being very impressed and wanting more. Nintendo knew they had some very special under the production and direction of Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. As such, Nintendo had an ambitious marketing campaign that includes print media, video advertising on MTV, Fox and Nickelodeon and even sending video tapes to thousands of Nintendo Power magazine subscribers. This 2-page print ad was part of the campaign and it had a fine visual design that strongly emphasized the iconic Mario in polygonal form in most spaces, leaving the screenshots in the bottom. This old ad from 1996 never looks outdated and its clean approach is really effective in helping people understand that something great would be launched along with the N64. Both the console and this game sold a lot of copies ultimately and it remains one of Nintendo’s biggest achievements ever.

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

In spring, you might find yourself alone in this ghost town, the wind your only companion. In that silence, you can feel the harshness of life in such a remote and high place.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #FrontierHistory #weatheredwood

In spring, you might find yourself alone in this ghost town, the wind your only companion. In that silence, you can feel the harshness of life in such a remote and high place.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #FrontierHistory #weatheredwood

In spring, you might find yourself alone in this ghost town, the wind your only companion. In that silence, you can feel the harshness of life in such a remote and high place.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #FrontierHistory #weatheredwood

In spring, you might find yourself alone in this ghost town, the wind your only companion. In that silence, you can feel the harshness of life in such a remote and high place.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #FrontierHistory #weatheredwood

In spring, you might find yourself alone in this ghost town, the wind your only companion. In that silence, you can feel the harshness of life in such a remote and high place.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #FrontierHistory #weatheredwood

Legendary Stories of Fort Totten, North Dakota Historic Site

Fort Totten, North Dakota, is an historic site with a diverse history. Its well-preserved buildings, authentic artifacts, and documented stories make it one of the state’s must-see historic sites. Indeed, Fort Totten is a lot more than a quick stop on a holiday itinerary!

Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits

My favorite exhibit at Fort Totten was the gardening section. Perhaps it was the season or my return to gardening myself!

At any rate, according to Mandan history, one of the tribe’s founders was Yellow Corn Maiden. The legend goes that she saved the first corn crop from Sun Man’s burning rays and taught him that the corn should be forever safe from his attacks.

Interestingly, the Hidatsa people had a very precise method of planting their gardens. First, in early April, they planted the perimeter of the garden with sunflowers. Next came the most important crop–the corn. If the plants were touched by frost or bugs, the corn was replanted until the middle of May. Finally, they planted beans, squash, and pumpkins.

The Carrying the Corn dance was performed in the early spring. Its purpose? To sanctify the planting season and find blessing from the Great One Above to make the fields thrive.

Gardens were also important to the inhabitants of the Fort!

Fast Fact: During the fall of 1868 and the winter of 1868-69, after the supply of vegetables from the garden was exhausted, the following articles of food...were found effectual in preventing scurvy...Per 100 rations, ten pounds of dried fruit and five gallons of krout or curried cabbage twice a week; one gallon of molasses, twenty-five pounds of corn meal, and two and one-half gallons of pickles once a week.
~ Assistant Surgeon J.P. Kimball, Fort Buford, 1870 [Fort Totten display quote]

What’s at Fort Totten Historical Site?

The Fort Totten Historical Site consists of around 10 acres of land located within the boundaries of the Fort Totten Indian Reservation. It’s on the southeastern edge of the town of Fort Totten.

So, where does the site’s name come from? It’s from the Totten Trail, which was an overland route from southern Minnesota to the goldfields of Western Montana.

Fast Fact: Fort Totten became a state historic site in 1960. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. 

Fort Totten had three distinct periods of usage before becoming an historic site. My favorite was the first, its frontier history. It’s one of the best preserved of the nearly 150 forts constructed on the western frontier.

The three time periods include:

• Frontier Military Post – 1867 to 1890
• Decommissioned and transferred to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in January of 1891 for use as an Indian school
• The Industrial boarding school operated until 1935. Between 1935 and 1939, the site was a tuberculosis preventorium run by the Federal Government. The preventorium provided a boarding school for children at high risk of contracting TB. It returned to being a day and boarding school until 1959.

Established in 1867, the post’s main function was to serve American Indian Policy. Soldiers enforced the peace among settlers near Devils Lake and the Dakota people living on the reservation around it.

How did Devils Lake get its name? It comes from the Dakota phrase Mni Wakan, which means Spirit Water or sacred water. Early Europeans to the area, however, didn’t get the translation quite right. They interpreted the name to be something like a bad spirit. Eventually, that turned into the name Devils Lake.

Of course, the main feature of the Fort’s frontier era is the 16 original buildings. They’ve all been well preserved and maintained, initially by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Then, in 1959, the school was gifted to the state.

The original buildings, of course, served different purposes over the 93 years before Fort Totten became a state historic site.

My favorite buildings? The Captain/1st Lieutenant Quarters with their historical furnishings.

Some of the artifacts I found interesting included:

• Officer’s dress sabre belt (circa 1860s)
• 7th Cavalry horse blanket and saddle (circa 1880s)
• Wood canteen (circa 1860s)
• 7th Cavalry helmet with horse hair plume (circa 1880s)

A self-guided tour takes visitors through the site with access to many of the buildings and window exhibit panels in others. Historic photos are used to bring the stories, especially of the lives of children who lived in the Industrial schools, to life.

On the tour, visitors can choose to follow a soldier, a young female Chippewa student, a teacher, or a teenage male Dakota student. The stories are based on oral histories collected from Spirit Lake tribal members and other accounts.

Student Life at Fort Totten

The reservation had been assigned to the Catholic Church by the Board of Commissioners of Indian Affairs. So religious education was part of daily life.

Life, as shown in the exhibits, was militant. Children wore uniforms to ensure uniformity and were required to speak English. To accomplish this, children from various tribes were often grouped together to restrict their use of their first language and birth customs.

Punishments for speaking their own language could be severe, as assimilation into the greater population was a main educational goal.

Many of the artifacts on display are from local Indigenous people.

They include such fascinating items as a deer hoof ceremonial necklace (circa 1920) and a Sioux quilled horse hair ornament.

Fast Fact: After Fort Totten became a school, the powder magazine floor was lowered and used for storing flour. Why? About 400 pounds of flour were used daily! That's a lot of flour -- roughly 1 pound of flour daily for the 400 residents.

Pioneer Daughters of the Lake Region Museum

Fort Totten is also home to the Lake Region Pioneer Daughters Museum. It’s situated in the fort’s old hospital/school cafeteria building (Building 7). While the museum isn’t very large, it’s packed with interesting artifacts.

The Pioneer Daughters museum does an excellent job of displaying the collection. All of the pioneer-era household objects are identified and labelled with the names of the people who donated them. Artifacts range from the Minnie H steamboat’s anchor to silver dinnerware service to children’s toys.

There’s also an on-site Totten Trail Historic Inn. Each room has a distinctive personality and historic furnishings that let you immerse yourself in history.

Linda’s Road Trip Tips

We visited Fort Totten on a weekend getaway in Devils Lake, North Dakota. While we’d passed through the small city on many trips, we’d always been interested in learning more about both the city and the lake.

Devils Lake deserves a quick stop, even if you’re just driving through North Dakota on U.S. Highway 2.

Its Downtown Devils Lake Commercial District has 47 properties built between 1885 and 1937.

Most are brick, but there are a wide variety of architectural styles.

We enjoyed the Lake Region Heritage Center, which is housed in the historic U.S. Post Office building.

The regional history was very interesting. As well, the Sheriff’s House Museum was a great stop!

Our favorite dining spot? The Old Main Street Cafe. Prices were good and the taste was great. David enjoyed a steak dinner while I ordered the Rolette chicken fillet served on wild rice. If you don’t have time for a full meal, take a coffee break to get a peek at the pictures on the wall illustrating area history.

Who Should Visit the Fort Totten Historic Site?

Fort Totten is a great family destination for travelers. There’s lots of space for the kids to run around the lawn in the shade of aged trees.

From an historical perspective, the glance into American Indian boarding schools is particularly interesting for the whole family.

The experience can provide an opportunity for families to consider what it was like for children to grow up in an institution focused on making them forget the culture they were born into.

Since the exhibits are in various historic buildings, seeing everything may be challenging for visitors who have mobility issues.

The grounds are generally flat and walkable, with more accessible options at the on-site Pioneer Daughters Museum area.

Restrooms are generally accessible.

We spent about an hour and a half going through the displays and enjoying the grounds.

How Do You Visit Fort Totten?

Fort Totten is located on a peninsula on the southeastern edge of Devils Lake, about 12 miles south of the city of Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Parking: There's lots of free parking available at the site. 

Street Address: 417 Cavalry Circle, Fort Totten, North Dakota

The museum is open seasonally to the general public, with the option to arrange a visit at other times of the year. Check the website for details.

Keep up to date with what’s happening on the Fort Totten State Historic Facebook page.

Learn more with this YouTube video, Forgotten Fort Totten, North Dakota -[Old West Forts] from American Old West Tales.

Plan your visit with Google maps.

Find More Museum Reviews for North Dakota

Check out more reviews of museum attractions in North Dakota on guide2museums.com.

Discover More Historic Sites

• Legendary Stories of Fort Totten, North Dakota Historic Site
• Chinatown in Montreal: A Fascinating Historic Site
• Canada’s Little-Known Cold War Museum: the Diefenbunker
• Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
• Historic Home of 1800s Governor in Lafayette, LA: Alexandre Mouton
• See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
• Bishop’s Palace in Galveston, Texas: Victorian Era Castle
• Rip Van Winkle Gardens & Historic Mansion: Jefferson Island, Louisiana
• Robinson Roadhouse & Robinson Flag Station: Yukon Ghost Town
• USS Lexington Museum: WWII Aircraft Carrier in Corpus Christi, Texas
• Watson Lake Sign Post Forest Historic Site: Watson Lake, Yukon
• Medalta Museum: Ceramic Arts in Medicine Hat, Alberta
• Claybank Brick Plant National Historic Site: Claybank, Saskatchewan
• The Sheriff’s House Museum & Historic Site: A Hidden Gem in Devils Lake, North Dakota
• Soo Line Historical Museum & Historic Site: Weyburn, Saskatchewan
• Texas Seaport Museum: Gulf Coast History in Galveston, Texas
• Fred Light Museum: Battleford, Saskatchewan
• Frontier Prison Museum: Rawlins, Wyoming
• Toronto’s First Post Office Museum & National Historic Site: Ontario
• The Bastion: Designated Historic Place, Nanaimo, British Columbia
• Hearst Castle: National Historic Landmark in San Simeon, California
• Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site: Agricultural History in Inglis, Manitoba
• Evergreen Plantation: National Landmark Site in Edgard, Louisiana
• Cannington Manor Provincial Historic Park: Rich Lifestyles in 1880s Saskatchewan
• Mystic Seaport Museum: Historic Seafaring Village in Mystic, Connecticut
• National Doukhobor Heritage Village: Veregin, Saskatchewan
• Manhattan Project National Historical Park: WWII History in Hanford, Washington

Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

#Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

1960s Boraxo: Gritty Western Commercial Comes to Life!

Step back onto a bustling 1960s film set, where the grit of the Old West meets the magic of commercial production for Boraxo. Cameras roll and crew scurries, capturing the perfect rugged scene for America's trusted hand cleaner. 🎬🌵

#boraxo #classiccommercial #1960s #retroads #behindthescenes #westernset #filmmaking #vintagecommercial #oldwest #handcleaner #vintagebrands #commercialshoot #nostalgia #tvads #borax #filmcrew #advertisinghistor

Environmental Scientists In The Old West
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#environmentalScience #WildWest #OldWest #cowboys #lead #toxic #toxicity #metal #humour #environment

Billy the Kid Like You’ve Never Seen Him: Photo Restorer Revives Rare Portrait of the Wild West Outlaw https://petapixel.com/2025/11/15/billy-the-kid-like-youve-never-seen-him-photo-restorer-revives-rare-portrait-of-the-wild-west-outlaw/ #photorestoration #Post-Processing #colorization #billythekid #Spotlight #Features #wildwest #oldwest #tintype #Analog #outlaw

Thomas Fitzpatrick, Railroadman (Western Yesterdays, Vol. VI) by Forest Crossen https://hokkaidomarket.net/books-info.php?item=1481 #BIOGRAPHY #BOOKS #BOOKSHOP #WESTERN #HISTORY #CODY #OLDWEST #RARE #bookstodon

Something seemingly obvious I was missing for years, and now I am looking for explanation.

An archetypical scene from a #WesternMovie is, when a #BountyHunter delivers a heap of (ususally dead) villains to a local #sheriff, claiming huge amount of money as promised by publicly distributed wanted posters.

Now, I am curious about the economics behind that system. The #OldWest was running rather slow #money #circulation, and local reserves of cash were small. A public bounty posters, accumulated in any given sheriff's office, if cashed en masse, would easily kill local bank liquidity. On the other hand, waiting for a train or wagon to bring more money was probably not practical for a hunter who just killed someone with friends in the heigbourhood.
So, any of you #history buffs can explain how it worked in reality?

Scratching that Western itch again

(Nothing is solidified. I'm just mindlessly doodling over here ✋🏽)

#furryart #sketchbook #sketch #drawing #western #oldwest #westernriding #horsebackriding #rider #anthroart #dog #fediart #mastoart #art

Scratching that Western itch again

(Nothing is solidified. I'm just mindlessly doodling over here ✋🏽)

#furryart #sketchbook #sketch #drawing #western #oldwest #westernriding #horsebackriding #rider #anthroart #dog #fediart #mastoart #art