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Video Game Commercials.

ZephosZephos Climbin in yo ski lifts, snatchin your people up.MichiganRegistered User regular
edited September 2007 in Games and Technology
Some posting in an earlier thread today got me thinking about video game commercials or ads that were good or bad.

Take for example the wonderful Super Smash Bros. 64 trailer. which brings back far too many good memories. good ol fashioned people in costumes.


Here is the overrated gears commercial.
i mean, Mad world is a GREAT song, but the pacing in that commercial was horrible past the first 30 seconds in the longer version, in the shorter version its even worse. the horrible literal lyrics of "familiar faces" as he looks into the reflection in the puddle, and then "worn out faces" as he turns the face of the broken statue. Right at the end, the piano in the dark with only the orange eyes illuminating the scene start to work, but as soon as the creature is revealed the pace of the song is too slow for what you are seeing on screen. Artistically, the gears commercial was nothing more than a fan trailer with dubbed music. it just looked so amatuer.



People write off the ps3 launch commercial with the baby far to often. thematically, the baby doll one is incredible. Very 2001 monolith style. The young, blank slate of a child is completely awed and blown away by the knowledge that the ps3 imbues into it. It only works with the doll too, a real child would have been not good enough. there is impact there, the reflection of all the images in the eyes as the tears flow, then retract.


I'm a really big fan of the Wii for all commercials. They are pretty straight forward, but really make the Wii look fun. I also dig the asian music going on.

The console wars at its finest. Sega does, no you cant do this on nintendo. It really speaks for
itself.


OCTOROCS!!! Creepy man in basement knows names of zelea monsters.

The classic japanese Zelda ad.


There are some good print ads out there too. My favorite game print ad ever was the Aliens Vs. Predator 2 ones, the 3 page ads, that had the xray's of the skull of each the human, alien, and predator.

any other gems out there?

Xbox One/360: Penguin McCool
Zephos on
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Posts

  • corcorigancorcorigan Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Genesis does, Nintendon't!

    How did they ever get away with that?

    corcorigan on
    Ad Astra Per Aspera
  • SirUltimosSirUltimos Don't talk, Rusty. Just paint. Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I'll try to find a link to it, but the Majora's Mask commercial was awesome. Very, very depressing.

    SirUltimos on
  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited March 2007
    I don't recall Mog being quite so much like Mr Spacely.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeYu8CvKW-g

    Aroduc on
  • AtomicBananaAtomicBanana Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I must respectfully disagree. Gears Ad > PS3 Doll Ad. Though I can see your point of view, I don't think the gears one is nearly as bad as you seem to think - but oh well that's what opinions are for :)

    AtomicBanana on
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  • SamuelSamuel Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    2 speeds: Fast and WAY TOO FAST

    Samuel on
  • SimBenSimBen Hodor? Hodor Hodor.Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I distinctly remember the Perfect Dark commercial as being pretty cool back in 2000. I watched it over and over online and pretty much memorized it. That and the model they used to play Joanna was pretty hot to my 15-year-old self.

    For that matter, the Metroid Prime/Fusion commercials were really cool because they had live-action Samus... action. For a few fleeting weeks it seemed like a live-action Metroid movie would be a good idea.

    SimBen on
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  • StriferStrifer Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    The Sega Genesis is awesome. In a way.

    And I saw the Majora's Mask ad a year ago. The ad blew me away and I've already played this game. Damn, I wish I could see something like that on the TV.

    Strifer on
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  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    both the Halo 3 E3 trailer, and the CGI tv spot give me goosebumps watching them. I guess not everyone will agree, but the E3 trailer is such an awesome, epic buildup (assisted by the music which throws in signatures from all the previous Halo trailers, but mixed into one outstanding composition) and chilling conclusion. The tv spot just portrays everything i'm feeling while kicking ass and taking names as Mr Chief.

    darleysam on
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  • SirUltimosSirUltimos Don't talk, Rusty. Just paint. Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Mf2mp6fms

    Aha! Found it!

    I love this commercial. It's so well made.

    SirUltimos on
  • tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    The gears of war commercial is the single greatest video game commercial ever made. Ive seen people in cinemas just blown away by it, sitting there in silent awe of how astounding it makes the game look.

    I know multiple people who went out, bought a 360 and the game based on that trailer alone. Ive seen people talk about it at work, sales of Mad World went up. Everything about that commercial is beautiful.

    Message = "This game is beautiful, you need to see it to believe it"

    Conversely the PS3 doll trailer is just stock horror footage, it actually puts people off the PS3. Sony has fallen int the key trap of thinking "people like fear, lets assosciate ourselves with fear and shock as an emotion". This can work, but by tying the fear to something semi-human (a baby) and vaguely annoying they produce the wrong emotions. You see that advert and think, err, thats weird, that baby doll was disgusting. Again this could work, but the PS3 didn't do anything about the baby doll being disgusting. It just sat there.

    Message = "PS3, it just sits there while the disgusting baby wanders about"

    tbloxham on
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  • emnmnmeemnmnme Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    This thread needs more Segata Sanchiro commercials!

    emnmnme on
  • KuratosuKuratosu Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    emnmnme wrote: »
    This thread needs more Segata Sanchiro commercials!
    I was just gonna say...

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=5V65dtKOk2Y&mode=related&search=

    Kuratosu on
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  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Oh, here is the Perfect Dark commercial. That chick was indeed hot.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2WoP51iXHw

    Axen on
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  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited March 2007
    Kuratosu wrote: »
    emnmnme wrote: »
    This thread needs more Segata Sanchiro commercials!
    I was just gonna say...

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=5V65dtKOk2Y&mode=related&search=

    The Sakura Taisen one is especially strange, even for Segata Sanshiro.

    Aroduc on
  • KuratosuKuratosu Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Aroduc wrote: »
    The Sakura Taisen one is especially strange, even for Segata Sanshiro.
    Probably would've worked out better if he suplexed her or something.

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  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Kuratosu wrote: »
    Aroduc wrote: »
    The Sakura Taisen one is especially strange, even for Segata Sanshiro.
    Probably would've worked out better if he suplexed her or something.

    The best ones are the ones where he just starts slaying people for no apparent reason.

    Those are ads that make me want the product.

    More companies should have their mascots slaughter innocents at random.

    Taramoor on
  • SirUltimosSirUltimos Don't talk, Rusty. Just paint. Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Those Segata Sanshiro ads were made of win.

    SirUltimos on
  • ChopperDaveChopperDave Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    This one is a personal favorite:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvljN9ycqLg

    Nintendo knows how to make some pretty great commercials. This is probably the best use of music I've seen in one, haha.

    ChopperDave on
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  • GoombaGoomba __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2007
    The older the commercials always seem to be better than the newer ones.

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  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Goomba wrote: »
    The older the commercials always seem to be better than the newer ones.

    To true. Most video game commercials nowadays seem to be nothing more than some music, some shots of the game, and a voice over guy.

    Now the Ratchet & Clank commercials almost always make me laugh.

    Axen on
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  • CarnivoreCarnivore Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    That Gears one is not overrated. Its pretty good.

    They could have really easily gone with just a commecial full of action, fast cuts and hair metal riffs, but they didnt. It had a little bit more quality which is indicative of the game. How many game commercials have we seen where it's just FAST CARS BIG GUNS LOOSE WOMEN, I thought th Gears commercial set it apart from the pack. Sure it was cheesy, but it was different. You were being to unfair on it and didnt understand its purpose.

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  • AtomicBananaAtomicBanana Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Indeed, I agree. Look at every single other trailer epic has ever done. This was a really nice departure from their standard 'zomg explosions and loud music!' and I enjoyed the freshness that alone brought.

    AtomicBanana on
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  • plufimplufim Dr Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    The mario kart DS commercials were pretty awesome. Especially the japenese one:
    US: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxSuKNIMcrk
    jap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Jc757Xg14

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  • Wonder_HippieWonder_Hippie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2007
    Please don't tell me I'm the only other person that felt they needed to resurrect their Genesis and stab in the old Moonwalker cart. MJ pwns you.

    Wonder_Hippie on
  • Target PracticeTarget Practice Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I liked the Advance Wars DS commercial:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=0SPoupVuAlw

    Target Practice on
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  • Target PracticeTarget Practice Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Please don't tell me I'm the only other person that felt they needed to resurrect their Genesis and stab in the old Moonwalker cart. MJ pwns you.

    Especially if you're a kid at his ranch.

    Target Practice on
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  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    SirUltimos wrote: »
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Mf2mp6fms

    Aha! Found it!

    I love this commercial. It's so well made.

    I should really finish that game. I bought it back in 2000 but never got past the first dungeon.

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  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited March 2007
    I liked the Advance Wars DS commercial:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=0SPoupVuAlw

    The Japanese one is pretty quality too.

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=RjWSt7CJjRo

    Aroduc on
  • RustRust __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2007
    SirUltimos wrote: »
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Mf2mp6fms

    Aha! Found it!

    I love this commercial. It's so well made.

    I should really finish that game. I bought it back in 2000 but never got past the first dungeon.

    Watching that girl hopscotch to the moon freaked me out the first time I watched this and it freaks me out now.

    Rust on
  • SirUltimosSirUltimos Don't talk, Rusty. Just paint. Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Rust wrote: »
    SirUltimos wrote: »
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Mf2mp6fms

    Aha! Found it!

    I love this commercial. It's so well made.

    I should really finish that game. I bought it back in 2000 but never got past the first dungeon.

    Watching that girl hopscotch to the moon freaked me out the first time I watched this and it freaks me out now.


    Yeah, that part gets me, too.

    SirUltimos on
  • thorgotthorgot there is special providence in the fall of a sparrowRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    The gears of war commercial blew me away. The PS3 baby ad made me laugh.

    Seriously, I just watched it again, and the song and movie combined gave me the shivers.

    thorgot on
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  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Zephos wrote: »
    OCTOROCS!!! Creepy man in basement knows names of zelea monsters.

    I remember this commercial actually turning me off to The Legend of Zelda when it came out. Of course, back then I was still clinging on to my Atari 7800. I eventually saw the light.

    I still find myself muttering that "WHICH WAY TO GO?" phrase from time to time. It always amused me for some reason.

    SteevL on
  • LunkerLunker Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Segata Sanshiro was posted in spades on the first page, so this thread is on the right track.

    I always liked this Double Dash commercial with the airport carts. It's always hilarious when you take regular gaming logic and apply that to real-life situations, and I think it's the fact that they're going about 10 mph that makes it funnier.

    Lunker on
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  • PillsAreNicePillsAreNice Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I always liked this one for Shinobi, which has the added bonus of having Masi Oka (the actor that plays Hiro on heroes).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoVmBcR1EsY

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  • DewtheKingAJDDewtheKingAJD Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I personally like this one better than the baby:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVKbbocrUKQ

    Edit: And/or this one:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyFrekxy7wg

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  • StriferStrifer Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Yes, the Gears commercial was great. It wasn't as awesome as the Zelda one or Segata Sanchiro, but it sure as hell wasn't bad. The guys at marketing need to figure it out that throwing an ad consisting of half-a-second gameplay excerpts isn't going to cut it, since you just can't gauge what the game has that would interest you.

    I liked the Japanese God Hand ad. It's hilarious and was really helpful in my decision to buy the game (and it's fucking amazing). It has a bit of that Segata feel to it.

    Lest I forget - The Ad.

    By the way, do you remember the 3dfx ads? Not strictly videogames, but you should definitely see them.

    Strifer on
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  • CarnivoreCarnivore Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I always liked this one for Shinobi, which has the added bonus of having Masi Oka (the actor that plays Hiro on heroes).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoVmBcR1EsY

    I dont think it is. For quite a while he has been a digital artist working for ILM and only recently got into acting.

    IMDB doesnt show the ad either, though Im not sure if they list ads, I dont think they do. I mean it looks like him.

    Carnivore on
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  • Smacky The FrogSmacky The Frog Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=u64cXrv_h7g

    The ocarina of time commercial is really special to me. In 1998, OoT was my most anticipated game ever. I didn't have access to the internet then, so I got all of my information from magazines. When I saw this commercial, it was the first time I had seen the game in motion. It was overwhelming.

    I also really like the Super Mario RPG commercial and the Super Mario World 2 commercial, but I can never find them.

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  • Blitz RawketBlitz Rawket Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    On the OP's mention of the Gear's of War commercial: The original Mad World is so much better than the Gary Jules version. It's so groovy.

    Anyway, you people are using YouTube for this poo? Pfft. http://gameads.gamepressure.com/ I think that's the right URL (if it isn't, Google for something similar). Huge database of game commercials from around the world.

    Blitz Rawket on
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