It’s hard to tell, but this has to be from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, the only SNES Super Famicom Zelda release.  Japanese commercials are… weird.  No gameplay, no information, just lots of costumes, pumpin’ music, and choreographed dancing.  Oh, and a giant Ganon puppet that bears a passing resemblance to Jabba the Hutt.

But that’s what makes it just so incredibly awesome.  It reminds me a bit of the Men In Black theme song, but taken to the next level.  The level of… Zelda.  Check it out after the jump!

Read more… »

This week on Retro Reunion we have a very special commercial for you. This little gem isn’t pimping the Sega Mega Drive or SNES – oh no! This 30-second clip is dedicated to what is obviously one of the most incredible handheld gaming devices in the history of games.

The ad starts out like a steamy night with Russell Brand: hot. Arnie is doing his thing, donned in his classic Mr. Freeze outfit. But then something happens; all of a sudden it switches gears and becomes even more radically bodacious. You’ll definitely have to pick your jaw up off the floor when you see how insanely insane the insane graphics are!

Read more… »

With all the latest hype surrounding Project Needlemouse, it’s only fitting that we add a little retro flavor to the mix. Video game ads just aren’t what they used to be; back in the day, it was perfectly logical (and hilarious) to blend one of the biggest sequels with an infomercial.

The end result is a great marketing piece that doesn’t take itself seriously. Not that Sega really needed to make a big push for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 thanks to the success of its predecessor.

Read more… »

Here we go again. I always get a bit teary when it comes to Retro Day, especially on a week when it’s my birthday and I realize that we’ve seen out yet another year of spectacular titles.

But enough of that soppy crap, let’s get stuck into some juicy retro morsels. This week I’ll be taking you back in time to the good old days of FMV, with a game that was – at the time – the most expensive video game ever produced.

So strap yourself in, keep those fidgeting digits away from the eject button, and prepare yourself for a trip back to Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

Bringing awkwardness to another level is this week’s Retro Ad. Who would have thought that combining the annoying kid from E.T. with your friendly local pervert could produce such an uncomfortable 30 seconds?

Hit the jump to see how Intellivision marketers dropped the ball on this one.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

Simply by visiting this website, I’m going to take the liberty of assuming that the majority of you have dealt with bullies at some point in your lives. Sega recognized this, and started to market ads that appealed to the underdog, the lesser-man… the nerd.

This week’s Retro Ad is a hilarious trip back to what Sega marketers thought us “nerds” fantasized about doing to our tormentors.

Hit the jump to check out the results.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

After Simon Jones’s The Neverhood piece last Thursday, the logical follow-up is its sequel: the overlooked PlayStation gem, Skullmonkeys.

While set in the same universe as its predecessor, Skullmonkeys is a completely different beast.  It’s a platformer in the purest sense of the word – that is, there are platforms EVERYWHERE, and one false step means a quick death.

Luckily, the claymation charm stayed intact through the genre shift, and Klaymen remained as lovable a protagonist as ever.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

If you are one of the lucky kids who remembers gaming in the 80s, you may recall the hilarious marketing ploys Atari utilized in an attempt to compete with the NES. If you haven’t heard, then I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you that they didn’t succeed.

Hit the jump to check out this week’s retro commercial, which truly shows the respect, ingenuity, and humility of Atari.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

After reviewing Amanita’s flawed masterpiece, Machinarium, not too long ago, I found myself hearkening back to my childhood days, where I constantly immersed myself in point-and-click adventures. Day of the Tentacle is still one of my favorite games of all time, and it will always hold a place as one of the integral titles that moulded me into the gamer that I am today.

The Neverhood may not have had such an immense impact on my younger years, but it certainly struck a chord visually and creatively. Rarely do I come across a point-and-click nowadays where I don’t compare it to Doug TenNapel’s 1996 classic.

If you have never experienced The Neverhood, read on to discover just how much you are missing out on.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day here at Gamer Limit. We seek out the greatest moments of yesteryear simply for your pleasure, so be sure to check back each week to relive the glorious days. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

I have a confession to make: I am not the biggest fan of Super Mario RPG. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike the game by any stretch; it was beautiful, a neat concept for combat, and was an excellent game for a younger crowd. However, I don’t personally see the draw to it that other people do.

On the other hand, we have the Paper Mario series, which does a lot more to make an experience that’s truly memorable. It also has a unique aesthetic, while taking the combat of SMRPG to new heights. On top of that, the story and dialogue, while not epic, is at least fun, humorous, and entertaining – even if you’re an adult.

Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

After last week’s reminder of that ghastly creation known only as the Sega Activator, we here at Gamer Limit feel that it is only fair to offer you a more elegant advertisement this week.

Hit the jump, and step back in time with one of the original (and apparently banned) TV spots for The Legend of Zelda.

And who said gamers weren’t cool? Read more… »

[Every Thursday is Retro Day at Gamer Limit, so kick back and enjoy the classics. Feel free to check out our full schedule right here!]

YOU ARE THE CONTROLLER!

Microsoft’s upcoming Project Natal isn’t the first product to offer the capability of using your entire body as the game controller.  Believe it or not, Sega attempted this way back in the Genesis/Mega Drive days… with the Sega Activator.

Read more… »