#taito — Public Fediverse posts

Happy Monday from Tokyo, and wishing you all a good start into the new week!
On my photography website, the week begins with this moment from a backstreet in Taito Ward. Loved the variety of textures on the dated building in the back.

URL: https://www.norbertwoehnl.com/3msou3tavwc2v

#photography #streetphotography #fotografie #shotoniphone #japan #tokyo #taito #japanlife #tokyolife #photographersofmastodon #photoblog #website #atprotocol

Happy Monday from Tokyo, and wishing you all a good start into the new week!
On my photography website, the week begins with this moment from a backstreet in Taito Ward. Loved the variety of textures on the dated building in the back.

URL: https://www.norbertwoehnl.com/3msou3tavwc2v

#photography #streetphotography #fotografie #shotoniphone #japan #tokyo #taito #japanlife #tokyolife #photographersofmastodon #photoblog #website #atprotocol

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

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. Tron Arcade Flyer

Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.

2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer

Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.

3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers

Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?

4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad

There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.

5. Blasteroids European Print Ad

Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.

6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad

Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.

7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad

Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.

8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad

Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.

9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad

If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.

10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad

There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.

+++++

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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

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. Tron Arcade Flyer

Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.

2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer

Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.

3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers

Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?

4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad

There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.

5. Blasteroids European Print Ad

Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.

6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad

Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.

7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad

Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.

8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad

Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.

9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad

If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.

10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad

There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.

+++++

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

[RETRO V.G. ADS] (JP) Saint Sword (1991) (Mega Drive)

#advertising #SaintSword #MD #MegaDrive #videogame #retrogaming #adstv #ads #cm #games #gaming #Taito #CycloneSystem #JP #1991

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DLjYQiXBStY

[RETRO V.G. ADS] (JP) Saint Sword (1991) (Mega Drive)

#advertising #SaintSword #MD #MegaDrive #videogame #retrogaming #adstv #ads #cm #games #gaming #Taito #CycloneSystem #JP #1991

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DLjYQiXBStY

Taito's strange and lovely 1988 shooter Syvalion, designed by Bubble Bobble's Fukio Mitsuji, is back via Hamster's Arcade Archives. First re-release in ~20 years, out July 16. A mechanical dragon, branching maps, 100+ endings, and originally a trackball game that never left the cab. Now on Switch, PS5/4, Xbox Series with save states and leaderboards. https://pocg.net/news/syvalion-arcade-archives-2026/ #RetroGaming #ArcadeArchives #Taito #Syvalion

[INSERT COIN] Pochi and Nyaa (2003) (Puzzle) (Neo Geo MVS) [JP] [HD]

#retrogaming #PochiandNyaa #Arcade #NeoGeo #MVS #puzzle #2003 #jgo #johnnygameover #videogame #demo #intro #gameplay #games #gaming #HowToPlay #InsertCoin #Aiky #Taito

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS-uMauK6hY

[INSERT COIN] Pochi and Nyaa (2003) (Puzzle) (Neo Geo MVS) [JP] [HD]

#retrogaming #PochiandNyaa #Arcade #NeoGeo #MVS #puzzle #2003 #jgo #johnnygameover #videogame #demo #intro #gameplay #games #gaming #HowToPlay #InsertCoin #Aiky #Taito

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS-uMauK6hY

Nicole Express on Throwaway Arcade Games
Now here's something fascinating I had not heard of before Nicole Express recently wrote about it. Because of a law in Japan it was (maybe still is?) illegal to sell an arcade cabinet without a game in it.

When the market for replacement cabinets opene
https://setsideb.com/nicole-express-on-throwaway-arcade-games/
#arcade #niche #retro #arcade #DottoriKun #konami #MiniVaders #niche #nicoleexpress #retro #sega #taito #TargetPanic #ThrowawayGames

【プライズフィギュア情報】2026年6月3週登場予定！今月もいよいよ本格導入が開始！激熱ラインナップがヤバイ！ https://www.yayafa.com/2823042/ #2026年6月 #6月3週 #CraneGame #Game #gaming #PrizeFigure #taito #UFOキャッチャー #アニメフィギュア #クレーンゲーム #ゲーム #ゲーム最新情報 #セガプライズ #バンプレスト #ファルコンTV #フィギュア情報 #プライズ #プライズフィギュア #フリュープライズ #人気作品 #導入情報 #新作フィギュア #最新プライズ #登場予定

【プライズフィギュア情報】2026年6月3週登場予定！今月もいよいよ本格導入が開始！激熱ラインナップがヤバイ！ https://www.yayafa.com/2823042/ #2026年6月 #6月3週 #CraneGame #Game #gaming #PrizeFigure #taito #UFOキャッチャー #アニメフィギュア #クレーンゲーム #ゲーム #ゲーム最新情報 #セガプライズ #バンプレスト #ファルコンTV #フィギュア情報 #プライズ #プライズフィギュア #フリュープライズ #人気作品 #導入情報 #新作フィギュア #最新プライズ #登場予定

https://www.wacoca.com/games/1399425/ 【プライズフィギュア情報】2026年6月3週登場予定！今月もいよいよ本格導入が開始！激熱ラインナップがヤバイ！ ##GAMING ##プライズ #2026年6月 #6月3週 #CraneGame #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #PrizeFigure #Taito #UFOキャッチャー #アニメフィギュア #クレーンゲーム #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #セガプライズ #パンプレスト #ファルコンTV #フィギュア情報 #プライズフィギュア #フリュープライズ #人気作品 #導入情報 #新作フィギュア #最新プライズ #登場予定

【プライズフィギュア情報】2026年6月3週登場予定！今月もいよいよ本格導入が開始！激熱ラインナップがヤバイ！ https://www.playing-games.com/1040527/ #2026年6月 #6月3週 #CraneGame #games #gaming #GamingNews #PrizeFigure #TAITO #UFOキャッチャー #アニメフィギュア #クレーンゲーム #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #セガプライズ #バンプレスト #ファルコンTV #フィギュア情報 #プライズ #プライズフィギュア #フリュープライズ #人気作品 #導入情報 #新作フィギュア #最新プライズ #登場予定

【プライズフィギュア情報】2026年6月3週登場予定！今月もいよいよ本格導入が開始！激熱ラインナップがヤバイ！ https://www.playing-games.com/1040527/ #2026年6月 #6月3週 #CraneGame #games #gaming #GamingNews #PrizeFigure #TAITO #UFOキャッチャー #アニメフィギュア #クレーンゲーム #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #セガプライズ #バンプレスト #ファルコンTV #フィギュア情報 #プライズ #プライズフィギュア #フリュープライズ #人気作品 #導入情報 #新作フィギュア #最新プライズ #登場予定

What's that menacingly shambling toward us from the distance? Ah, it's just my latest video, a look at some cancelled and rumored game systems from the mid 1990s! Learn about the Konami and Taito systems we never got!

Link: https://youtu.be/pFaZyW-nDuU
#retrogaming #konami #taito

What's that menacingly shambling toward us from the distance? Ah, it's just my latest video, a look at some cancelled and rumored game systems from the mid 1990s! Learn about the Konami and Taito systems we never got!

Link: https://youtu.be/pFaZyW-nDuU
#retrogaming #konami #taito

https://www.wacoca.com/games/1389623/ 【プライズフィギュア情報】セガ・タイトー･フリュー・その他2026年6月登場予定！人気作品が続々登場！？ ##GAMING #2026年6月 #6月ラインナップ #AnimeFigure #ClawMachine #CraneGame #FuRyu #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #PrizeFigure #SEGA #Taito #UFOキャッチャー #クレーンゲーム #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #セガプライズ #タイトープライズ #フィギュア #フィギュア情報 #プライズフィギュア #フリュープライズ #人気作品 #新作フィギュア #最新プライズ

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 43

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. Taito’s 4-in-1 Print Ad

There is nothing like taking the clever approach of promoting multiple video games using only one single print ad in the size of a single page. Taito did exactly that in the 1980s when it promoted Elevator Action, The Legend of Kage, Arkanoid and Renegade for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) promising excitement as the mentioned games were making the jump from arcade to console. What is very notable in Taito’s single-page print ad was that it did not show any screenshots of the games. Instead, they used hand-drawn artwork to emphasize each game’s theme or setting, and leave it up to the viewers’ imagination as to how those games would look like on NES. This old ad is intriguing and amusing at the same time.  

2. Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation Print Ad

Following the huge success of the original Chase H.Q. on both arcade and consoles in the late-1980s, the sequel Special Crime Investigation was released in the arcades in 1989 and ported to game consoles and computers in the early 1990s under the title Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation. To promote Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation for home computers, game publisher Ocean came up with a colorful print ad showcasing a few cars, a city background and elements of gun-related action presented in nice art. The ad has an image of the original arcade machine to remind gamers that they are playing the sequel to Chase H.Q.

3. Dancing Eyes Japanese Arcade Flyer

Released by Namco in Japan in 1996, Dancing Eyes is a puzzle arcade game that became notorious due to its overtly sexual nature. With the way it was designed, players control a small monkey called Urusu-San and crawl along a 3D grid mapped over characters (mostly ladies) or various objects. If the 3D grid is mapped over a young lady, any tile of the grid destroyed by the player exposes the lady’s underwear or skin. Such sexuality is reflected in the arcade flyer of Dancing Eyes which has a suggestive hand-drawn art on the front while the game’s mechanics are explained in the rear. Even the rear of the flyer shows sexual nature of the game with screenshots. While the game was officially released only in Japan, Dancing Eyes actually was made available for gamers to play at the arcade of X-Site amusement center inside Festival Mall in Alabang during the early 2000s and it attracted a lot of guys. I bet Namco did not know about that.

4. Sega Saturn North American Print Ad

When the Sega launched the Saturn console in America roughly four months ahead of schedule in 1995, the company suffered as the sales were disappointing, ties with business partners were strained and the available Saturn games were very few. By the fourth quarter of that year, more games became available for the Saturn and this gave Sega the opportunity to aggressively market the console as the one that gamers should get for their enjoyment. To promote the Saturn, Sega came up with a two-page print ad that had a dominant image of a naked woman whose private parts were cleverly covered by screenshots of the available games. Since most gamers were predominantly male from teenagers to adults, it made sense for Sega to come up with an eye-catching sexy ad to promote their console and the video games (including those from other companies). This old ad is considered by the woke and rabid feminists as very offensive today.

5. Blockbuster Video Print Ad

Back in the late 20th century, Blockbuster Video was the dominant retailer that offered customers movies in home video format for sale and for rent. Along the way, the company offered video game rentals and attracted millions of gamers around the nation. Given the tremendous growth of video gaming in America in the 1990s, Blockbuster got itself more involved by launching the Games of Summer Sweepstakes in 1996. Utilizing print ads, the sweepstakes offered the Ultimate Game Rooms – composed of a 41-inch big-screen TV, Surround Sound speakers, hi-fi VCR, NBA Jame Extreme arcade game, the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, a gaming chair, Acclaim games for Saturn and PlayStation, and a 1-year free Blockbuster Video game rentals privilege – as the grand prizes. Do you know anyone who won in Blockbuster’s sweepstakes?

6. Independence Day (ID4) Print Ad

Remember how big a blockbuster Independence Day (ID4) was in cinemas in 1996? The film grossed over $800 million worldwide and it revived the disaster movie genre using modern filmmaking techniques and the latest technologies of the decade. Given the massive success of the movie, it was not surprising that an official video game adaptation was released in 1997. To promote the game, Fox Interactive (the video game company of the movie studio behind the film) came up with a 2-page print ad using official artwork from the movie showcasing the alien spaceship being attacked by a military fighter plane. The ad showed only 3 screenshots and the descriptive text was written to make gamers feel like they have the role to lead Earth’s fight against the aliens. While the art looks good, it can only go so far to hide the mediocrity of the game itself.

7. GoldenEye 007 Print Ad

When GoldenEye achieved both critical and financial success in movies, it revived the James Bond movie franchise big-time and Pierce Brosnan was easily accepted by the public as the newest Agent 007. Several months before the movie was even released, an official video game adaptation started development. After much revisions and hard adjustments, the project evolved into a first-person shooting game for the Nintendo 64 console titled GoldenEye 007. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with a 2-page print ad that cleverly showed Brosnan as James Bond on the left and displayed the screenshots and other details on the right. This ad was easily eye-catching and it made lots of gamers excited. As history showed, GoldenEye 007 got released in 1997 and became a huge critical and commercial success while also proving that first-person shooters on game consoles can be a lot of fun.

8. North American Sega Saturn Games Promo Print Ad

As mentioned earlier, the Sega Saturn had a bad launch in America in 1995 which caused a lot of problems for the company. In 1996, Sega of America went on the offensive to really capture gamers’ attention by launching their Saturn games promo. The message of this 2-page print ad was very clear…Sega offered one free first-party game (limited to four specific games including Nights into Dreams) to those who bought two games (from a lineup of twelve specific titles). It should be noted that the Christmas season of 1996 was the most successful sales period of the Sega Saturn in America as gamers really responded to the promo. Even though some called this promo an act of desperation, nothing changes the fact that Sega succeeded during the most critical sales season of 1996.

+++++

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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 43

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. Taito’s 4-in-1 Print Ad

There is nothing like taking the clever approach of promoting multiple video games using only one single print ad in the size of a single page. Taito did exactly that in the 1980s when it promoted Elevator Action, The Legend of Kage, Arkanoid and Renegade for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) promising excitement as the mentioned games were making the jump from arcade to console. What is very notable in Taito’s single-page print ad was that it did not show any screenshots of the games. Instead, they used hand-drawn artwork to emphasize each game’s theme or setting, and leave it up to the viewers’ imagination as to how those games would look like on NES. This old ad is intriguing and amusing at the same time.  

2. Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation Print Ad

Following the huge success of the original Chase H.Q. on both arcade and consoles in the late-1980s, the sequel Special Crime Investigation was released in the arcades in 1989 and ported to game consoles and computers in the early 1990s under the title Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation. To promote Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation for home computers, game publisher Ocean came up with a colorful print ad showcasing a few cars, a city background and elements of gun-related action presented in nice art. The ad has an image of the original arcade machine to remind gamers that they are playing the sequel to Chase H.Q.

3. Dancing Eyes Japanese Arcade Flyer

Released by Namco in Japan in 1996, Dancing Eyes is a puzzle arcade game that became notorious due to its overtly sexual nature. With the way it was designed, players control a small monkey called Urusu-San and crawl along a 3D grid mapped over characters (mostly ladies) or various objects. If the 3D grid is mapped over a young lady, any tile of the grid destroyed by the player exposes the lady’s underwear or skin. Such sexuality is reflected in the arcade flyer of Dancing Eyes which has a suggestive hand-drawn art on the front while the game’s mechanics are explained in the rear. Even the rear of the flyer shows sexual nature of the game with screenshots. While the game was officially released only in Japan, Dancing Eyes actually was made available for gamers to play at the arcade of X-Site amusement center inside Festival Mall in Alabang during the early 2000s and it attracted a lot of guys. I bet Namco did not know about that.

4. Sega Saturn North American Print Ad

When the Sega launched the Saturn console in America roughly four months ahead of schedule in 1995, the company suffered as the sales were disappointing, ties with business partners were strained and the available Saturn games were very few. By the fourth quarter of that year, more games became available for the Saturn and this gave Sega the opportunity to aggressively market the console as the one that gamers should get for their enjoyment. To promote the Saturn, Sega came up with a two-page print ad that had a dominant image of a naked woman whose private parts were cleverly covered by screenshots of the available games. Since most gamers were predominantly male from teenagers to adults, it made sense for Sega to come up with an eye-catching sexy ad to promote their console and the video games (including those from other companies). This old ad is considered by the woke and rabid feminists as very offensive today.

5. Blockbuster Video Print Ad

Back in the late 20th century, Blockbuster Video was the dominant retailer that offered customers movies in home video format for sale and for rent. Along the way, the company offered video game rentals and attracted millions of gamers around the nation. Given the tremendous growth of video gaming in America in the 1990s, Blockbuster got itself more involved by launching the Games of Summer Sweepstakes in 1996. Utilizing print ads, the sweepstakes offered the Ultimate Game Rooms – composed of a 41-inch big-screen TV, Surround Sound speakers, hi-fi VCR, NBA Jame Extreme arcade game, the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, a gaming chair, Acclaim games for Saturn and PlayStation, and a 1-year free Blockbuster Video game rentals privilege – as the grand prizes. Do you know anyone who won in Blockbuster’s sweepstakes?

6. Independence Day (ID4) Print Ad

Remember how big a blockbuster Independence Day (ID4) was in cinemas in 1996? The film grossed over $800 million worldwide and it revived the disaster movie genre using modern filmmaking techniques and the latest technologies of the decade. Given the massive success of the movie, it was not surprising that an official video game adaptation was released in 1997. To promote the game, Fox Interactive (the video game company of the movie studio behind the film) came up with a 2-page print ad using official artwork from the movie showcasing the alien spaceship being attacked by a military fighter plane. The ad showed only 3 screenshots and the descriptive text was written to make gamers feel like they have the role to lead Earth’s fight against the aliens. While the art looks good, it can only go so far to hide the mediocrity of the game itself.

7. GoldenEye 007 Print Ad

When GoldenEye achieved both critical and financial success in movies, it revived the James Bond movie franchise big-time and Pierce Brosnan was easily accepted by the public as the newest Agent 007. Several months before the movie was even released, an official video game adaptation started development. After much revisions and hard adjustments, the project evolved into a first-person shooting game for the Nintendo 64 console titled GoldenEye 007. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with a 2-page print ad that cleverly showed Brosnan as James Bond on the left and displayed the screenshots and other details on the right. This ad was easily eye-catching and it made lots of gamers excited. As history showed, GoldenEye 007 got released in 1997 and became a huge critical and commercial success while also proving that first-person shooters on game consoles can be a lot of fun.

8. North American Sega Saturn Games Promo Print Ad

As mentioned earlier, the Sega Saturn had a bad launch in America in 1995 which caused a lot of problems for the company. In 1996, Sega of America went on the offensive to really capture gamers’ attention by launching their Saturn games promo. The message of this 2-page print ad was very clear…Sega offered one free first-party game (limited to four specific games including Nights into Dreams) to those who bought two games (from a lineup of twelve specific titles). It should be noted that the Christmas season of 1996 was the most successful sales period of the Sega Saturn in America as gamers really responded to the promo. Even though some called this promo an act of desperation, nothing changes the fact that Sega succeeded during the most critical sales season of 1996.

+++++

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

CONTINENTAL CIRCUS ( PARTIDA @bzhgames6161 AMSTRAD CPC) SHOWGIRLS, 2001 https://youtu.be/-WX5D2HmKXk?si=piROBgON06rY3J7N #resumenDIRECTOS #CONTINENTALCIRCUS #TAITO
@Tetris_Mickael
#CONVESACIONESAMSTRANITAS #partidAmstrad #matamarcianoshorizontal #retoamstrad #videodrome #2001ODISEA #TOMCRUISE

CONTINENTAL CIRCUS ( PARTIDA @bzhgames6161 AMSTRAD CPC) SHOWGIRLS, 2001 https://youtu.be/-WX5D2HmKXk?si=piROBgON06rY3J7N #resumenDIRECTOS #CONTINENTALCIRCUS #TAITO
@Tetris_Mickael
#CONVESACIONESAMSTRANITAS #partidAmstrad #matamarcianoshorizontal #retoamstrad #videodrome #2001ODISEA #TOMCRUISE

Rastan Amiga Port Brings Taito’s Arcade Barbarian to the Amiga 500
#Rastan #Amiga #Amiga500 #CommodoreAmiga #RetroGaming #Taito #BasementApe #JustJamie #ArcadeGames #IndieRetro
https://theoasisbbs.com/rastan-amiga-port-brings-taitos-arcade-barbarian-to-the-amiga-500/?fsp_sid=7205

The ominous Castle #Cadash from the game of the same name - the lair of the evil Archmage, guarded by his grim henchmen - is designed in a classic fantasy style. Yet, publisher #Taito couldn't resist presenting the princess in a distinct Anime/Manga look at the journey's end. Beneath this Japanese flair lies a tough nut to crack: a rock-hard RPG-#Metroidvania that will leave even the most seasoned heroes breaking a sweat.

https://www.goodolddays.net/en/game/Cadash/

#MegaDrive

Happy Friday from Japan! Today is the last part of my small topical focus this week, with iPhone photos of street scenes and observations from Taito ward in Tokyo. Thank you all for having followed along! 🙌

#photography #streetphotography #fotografie #candidphoto #スナップ写真 #shotoniphone #photographersofmastodon #taito #tokyo #japan #tokyolife #japanlife

Good morning from Japan! I still haven't run out of photos from Taito ward in Tokyo, so I gladly present another set of images. One of Tokyo's smallest wards in size and population, but infinitely interesting.

#photography #streetphotography #fotografie #tokyo #taito #japan #japanlife #tokyolife #スナップ写真 #shotoniphone #photographersofmastodon

Good morning from Japan! On my way to the office now, so I have some time for another Taito ward post during my commute. A couple more observations from this interesting part of Tokyo.

#photography #streetphotography #fotografie #UrbanGaze #candidphoto #スナップ写真 #tokyo #taito #japan #japanlife #tokyolife #shotoniphone #photographersofmastodon

- BADASS COVERS VERSUS - Heavy Unit (1988) (Shmup) (Arcade, PC Engine, Mega Drive) #BadassCovers #Versus #gaming

#retrogaming #jgo #johnnygameover #videogame #games #gaming #BadassCovers #Covers #Versus #HeavyUnit #Kaneko #Taito #Arcade #PCEngine #Megadrive #1988

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TU3lT-MTZNM