Classic Video Game Ads
August 16, 2012 5:47 PM Subscribe
This great Flickr album of classic video game advertisements is a nostalgia overdose for those of us who read video-game magazines in the 80s and 90s. From classic ads like the "Genesis Does What Nintendon't" ad to ads for Pac Man, The Simpsons, Super Mario Brothers 2 and ye olde Atari Lynx, this helps you relive the glory days of the medium, when even the ads were entertaining. And for those of you who never got to experience gaming magazines in their heyday, check out this entire copy of the first issue on Nintendo Power (PDF) from way back in 1988. And then get off my lawn.
Many more retro videogame magazine scans. Nintendo Power? Amateurs! Electronic Games Issue #1 purchased by my very own allowance!
posted by pashdown at 5:54 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by pashdown at 5:54 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
I know I'm old, because when people talk about the Nintendo system as a classic system it makes me feel the same way as when I hear U2 on the classic rock stations.
Atari and Led Zepplin are classics. Nintendo and U2 are still... new. Aren't they? Aren't they?
I'm frightened and there are wolves chasing me.
posted by bondcliff at 5:55 PM on August 16, 2012 [5 favorites]
Atari and Led Zepplin are classics. Nintendo and U2 are still... new. Aren't they? Aren't they?
I'm frightened and there are wolves chasing me.
posted by bondcliff at 5:55 PM on August 16, 2012 [5 favorites]
It's all the the blast processing, man.
posted by IAmUnaware at 5:55 PM on August 16, 2012
posted by IAmUnaware at 5:55 PM on August 16, 2012
Take Hold of the Sega Adventure
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:12 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:12 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, Kirk Cameron. (p. 95 of the magazine) I remember when you were a normal teen.
(where's my hair crimper?)
posted by ladygypsy at 6:41 PM on August 16, 2012
(where's my hair crimper?)
posted by ladygypsy at 6:41 PM on August 16, 2012
"Way back in 1988?" YOU GET OFF MY LAWN!
posted by entropicamericana at 7:19 PM on August 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 7:19 PM on August 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
Nintendo Fun Club News! From the era before Mario became Super.
posted by steveminutillo at 7:33 PM on August 16, 2012
posted by steveminutillo at 7:33 PM on August 16, 2012
Is it just me or does Flickr suck on a phone?
posted by newdaddy at 7:34 PM on August 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by newdaddy at 7:34 PM on August 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh crap I was supposed to QA that link on a mobile device before posting it, huh.
posted by steveminutillo at 7:35 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by steveminutillo at 7:35 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Is that a sword in your pocket, or are you really excited?"
I'm pretty sure the readership of these magazines was mostly pre-teen and teen kids, which makes this ad copy seriously disturbing. On the other hand, puberty is a strange and confusing time, and, well, sometimes you just get special feelings for Final Fantasy Legend.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:47 PM on August 16, 2012
I'm pretty sure the readership of these magazines was mostly pre-teen and teen kids, which makes this ad copy seriously disturbing. On the other hand, puberty is a strange and confusing time, and, well, sometimes you just get special feelings for Final Fantasy Legend.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:47 PM on August 16, 2012
"I'm pretty sure the readership of these magazines was mostly pre-teen and teen kids, which makes this ad copy seriously disturbing. perfectly targeted.
That is pretty much the prime age range for jokes about dongs.
posted by idiopath at 8:37 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
That is pretty much the prime age range for jokes about dongs.
posted by idiopath at 8:37 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
One of the clues at trivia last night was (paraphrased): name the hero whose foil / chief enemy was Dr Wily.
I still have no idea how I got it right -- it was a "hey, how about xxxxxxx" as we were about to hand in our answer sheet -- but in retrospect I probably credit a childhood of Nintendo Powers more than anything.
posted by inigo2 at 8:42 PM on August 16, 2012
I still have no idea how I got it right -- it was a "hey, how about xxxxxxx" as we were about to hand in our answer sheet -- but in retrospect I probably credit a childhood of Nintendo Powers more than anything.
posted by inigo2 at 8:42 PM on August 16, 2012
I can't see an ad for Attack of the Zombie Flesh Eating Chickens From Mars, Starring Zappo the Dog there and that saddens me.
posted by meehawl at 8:49 PM on August 16, 2012
posted by meehawl at 8:49 PM on August 16, 2012
Final Fantasy Legend! Ack! Is there a game boy emulator for android?
posted by 256 at 9:18 PM on August 16, 2012
posted by 256 at 9:18 PM on August 16, 2012
Is it just me or does Flickr suck on a phone?
It's owned by Yahoo! Give it 5 years and they'll catch on to this mobile web thing.
posted by TrialByMedia at 11:24 PM on August 16, 2012
It's owned by Yahoo! Give it 5 years and they'll catch on to this mobile web thing.
posted by TrialByMedia at 11:24 PM on August 16, 2012
There's a few GB emulators, but none of the ones rated above 4 stars are, fwiw. But I'm sure FFL lends itself to playing with flat controls much better than, say... Super Mario Kart.
As for sex and masturbation jokes, they became really popular with video game writers some time in the mid-90s, EGM in particular. And that eventually paved the way for what's left of G4TV...
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 2:05 AM on August 17, 2012
As for sex and masturbation jokes, they became really popular with video game writers some time in the mid-90s, EGM in particular. And that eventually paved the way for what's left of G4TV...
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 2:05 AM on August 17, 2012
I was playing Super Onion On My Belt 2 on my NES, because that was the style at the time...
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:44 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:44 AM on August 17, 2012
A little less retro, but this ad really reflected my experience of playing wipEout. It was like so much of your consdious mind was obliterated just to play well. Few other games equalled that, and hemorrhaging seemed as good a response as any.
posted by poe at 4:53 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by poe at 4:53 AM on August 17, 2012
What about those ads for video game stores that would list games that hadn't been released yet with a "$CALL" listed as its price leading child-me to think that someone, somewhere had the unreleased game and my local Electronics Boutique sucked for not having Final Fantasy III.
EB sucked, sure, but not for that reason.
posted by inturnaround at 6:36 AM on August 17, 2012
EB sucked, sure, but not for that reason.
posted by inturnaround at 6:36 AM on August 17, 2012
way back in 1988
Fourteen years ago is 'way back'?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 6:41 AM on August 17, 2012
Fourteen years ago is 'way back'?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 6:41 AM on August 17, 2012
Maybe it's because I found my dad's hidden stash of magazines at a young age, but I always felt that Gamepro was the Hustler to Nintendo Power's Playboy.
posted by wcfields at 9:28 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by wcfields at 9:28 AM on August 17, 2012
>way back in 1988
Fourteen years ago is 'way back'?
Give or take a decade.
posted by anazgnos at 10:02 AM on August 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
Fourteen years ago is 'way back'?
Give or take a decade.
posted by anazgnos at 10:02 AM on August 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
i am not in my late thirties shut up SHUT UP SHUT UP
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:10 PM on August 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:10 PM on August 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
« Older The Juris Doctor is 'Versatile' Thanks Mainly to... | The butterflies of Fukushima Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 5:50 PM on August 16, 2012 [1 favorite]