Sear Catalog featuring NES games and sytem

What's the ad for?
NES games from the Sears Catalog
Year
1989
Spotted in

The scoop

I like this ad as it shows the prices of video games from 22 years ago. By this time the NES had already peaked. In two years time the Super Nintendo would be released in North America (1990 in Japan). The prices don't seem that bad but  then again this ad was later on in the life of the NES.

Bubble Yum Maze

What's the ad for?

Bubble Yum
Year
1982

Spotted in

The scoop

Another maze and another contest from Bubble Yum. You could win some cool prizes like a Panasonic Reggie Vision with video cassette recorder and sound camera. I'm not even sure what that is. Looks like a VCR to me.

Comics form the 70's and 80's always had advertisements for gum. I don't recall seeing many ads for gum in comics today. Maybe I'm just not reading the right comics.

Captain Power

What's the ad for?

Captain Power
Year
1987

Spotted in

The scoop

Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future had an interesting concept. Every episode would feature a section that would interact with a line of toys marketed with the show. I never saw the show or had the toys. One of the criticisms of the show was that the series focused on selling children expensive toys to fully participate. The series was cancelled after 22 episodes.

Morning Funnies Cereal

What's the ad for?

Morning Funnies Cereal
Year
1989

Spotted in

The scoop

I have never heard of this short lived cereal before I ran into it in a comic. I like the idea of a box you can open up and read. When I was a kid I would read anything that was placed in front of me. In Canada every thing is written in both French and English. Now all the French I know is from the reverse side of cereal boxes and stuff. They released only 9 different boxes meaning that if you bought the cereal a lot, chances were you were reading the same comics...and had serious tooth decay.

Check out the commercial here.

Double Dragon for the NES

What's the ad for?

Double Dragon for the NES
Year
1988

Spotted in

The scoop

I remember the summer that Double Dragon was released into arcades. Two of the reasons it was so cool was that you could play co-operative and you could pick up random weapons. The opening scene were the bad ass dude walks slowly up to the woman and punched here in the stomach kind of upset me. It was just weird to see violence against a woman in a video game. Now we have Grand Theft Auto.

Indiana Jones Telephone adventure

What's the ad for?

Indiana Jones Telephone adventure
Year
1989

Spotted in

The scoop

Another telephone adventure game. This one coincided with the release of The Last Crusade. At $2.50 a call it's a much cheaper alternative to Steve Jackson's FIST telephone adventure.

Airwolf model helicopter

What's the ad for?

Airwolf model helicopter
Year
1988

Spotted in

The scoop

Do you remember Airwolf? I sure do. Not because I was a fan of the show but because my dad was an extra in the final season (season 4). He played a villain. "Nuff said...

My dad (far left) on the set of Airwolf.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Dream Package

What's the ad for?

A Nightmare on Elm Street Dream Package
Year
1988

Spotted in

The scoop

To commemorate Friday the 13th I thought this ad was most appropriate. For only $98 or four equal payments of $26.50 you can get the A Nightmare on Elm Street Dream Package. The package included Freddy's glove and hat; a mask; book; poster; game and a VHS tape of the first film. Speaking of VHS, Mondo has launched a label to release genre films on VHS. The first film to be released will be the 1980's horror film Sledgehammer. Just like vinyl records, the VHS format might have a resurgence coming...

Metal Gear for the NES

What's the ad for?

Metal Gear for the NES
Year
1989

Spotted in

The scoop

This has got to be the coolest ad for a video game. Who among you in their youth upon seeing this game didn't rush out and rent Metal Gear. This is the game that started a franchise. Look at all those items...

FCI games for the NES

What's the ad for?

FCI games for the NES. Ultima, Dr. Chaos, Lunar Pool and Zanac
Year
1988

Spotted in

The scoop
The tag line of the ad is "Games with memories you won't forget". I don't remember three of these games very well but Ultima sure left some memories with me.

Buck Rogers: Battle for the 25th Century Game

What's the ad for?

Buck Rogers: Battle for the 25th Century Game
Year
1988

Spotted in

The scoop
Wow. Look at all those bits. If this game came out today it would most definitely be put out by Fantasy Flight. I'm a big board game fan but sadly I have never played this one. From what I read over at boardgamegeek.com it plays close to Axis and Allies. Gotta love the theme. Which would you rather play? A World War II game or a Sci-Fi game?

1981- International year of the disabled person

What's the ad for?

1981- International year of the disabled person
Year
1981

Spotted in

The scoop
In 1981 the United Nations proclaimed it to be the International Year of the Disabled Persons. Since 1998, December 3 has been identified by the UN as the International Day of Disabled Persons. The theme of the year was "Full Participation and Equality". It has now been 30 years since. Are we closer to the goal echoed in the theme?

The Atari Lynx

What's the ad for?

Lynx
Year
1991

Spotted in

The scoop
The Lynx was Atari's second attempt at a handheld gaming console. Granted the first was Touch Me, a Simon Says style game released in 1978 but can you really compare the two? The Lynx was also the first color portable gaming system. The system didn't last too long...maybe it was the cost, maybe it was the size. You're not going to fit this one in your pocket. Some cool game though and the color screen looked pretty good.