The Coolest Video Game Print Ads of the Last 25 Years

Year: 1988

Even in 1988 Metal Gear was an innovator.

This ad was cool because, well...look at all the items at your disposal! A rocket launcher, grenade launcher, remote controlled missile, flashlight and over a dozen other items.

Rappers talk about being strapped but we're pretty sure they've never been as strapped as Snake. The game ended up being well-received, with creator Hideo Kojima building one of the most recognized and praised video game franchises in the world.

Year: 1989

The Power Glove. It's arguably one of the worst inventions for video games ever. But someone from Mattel and/or Pax obviously thought the Power Glove would be a great idea.

Unfortunately, do to frustrating/nearly non-existent controls, a lack of games specifically for the Power Glove, and the patience to figure the peripheral out, the accessory disappeared quicker than it appeared.

But it was bound to happen. Just look at the ad and ask yourself: "Would I have bought this?" Exactly.

Year: 1989

At its time, the Game Boy was an innovative creation. If you had four AA batteries and a game, you were an on switch away from portable, virtual bliss.

Don't want to listen to the pastor's sermon? Super Mario Land had you covered. Getting a haircut? Pop in Tetris. The amount of fun the Game Boy delivered both on and off the road made up for its bulky size. Whenever, wherever: The Game Boy was always by your side.

Year: 1991

It was a simple ad with a very big announcement: Ms. Pac-Man was coming to homes across the world.

And of course we welcomed her into our homes with open arms. Since then, Ms. Pac-Man has gone on to become one of the greatest games ever created, and is still enjoyable to play many years later. Sorry, Mr. Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man is where it's at.

Year: 1992

Not only is this one of the coolest video game ads to ever be created, but it's truly a classic. Also, if you're wondering why there's no ESRB rating, the answer is simple:

The ESRB wasn't created until 1994. Furthermore, Mortal Kombat was the first game to ever receive a mature rating. Mortal Kombat: breaking rules and setting trends since 1992.

Year: 1995

Although somewhat tasteless, this ad for the revolutionary fighting game Virtua Fighter, basically summed up the game's home invasion in the early to mid-90s.

With the game now available on the Sega Saturn and Sega 32X, kids were able to spend their quarters on other arcade games, and beat the crap out of their friends (and apparently parents) in the comfort of their own home. Virtua Fighter: assisting in family bonding time since 1995.

Year: 1995

Apparently, moms in the 90s were all about Street Fighter II on Game Boy.

Although we're pretty sure that wasn't actually the case, the ad did stick out. Its vibrant colors and picture of an angry mother was enough to have us begging our mothers for money, so that we could beat up M. Bison on the go. (But for real: if you had a mother who was about that Street Fighter life, then props to you.)

Year: 1996

Survival horror wasn't a thing until Resident Evil came along, and once it did, video games were no longer the same.

What's great about this ad is easy to overlook upon a quick glance. If you look at the upper part of the eye you'll notice that there's a zombie there, the undead's pupil-less gaze the catalyst for sleepless, bed-wetting nights. The ad also gives you three screenshots, two of which feature some of the monsters you'll encounter: mutated spiders and flesh-eating crows. And here we were afraid of the monsters from Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.

Year: 1996

Sometimes it's best to read ads with a movie announcer's voice in mind. This is one of those ads.

It's basically the definitive 90s video game ad: sheepishly witty and tastelessly hilarious. (Example: "Practicing his Lightning Hammer Head Crusher on his pet bear." Wait, what?) But it worked; the game sold very well and is considered a classic to this day. I guess it's a good thing that Heihachi's rivals didn't find a steeper cliff after all.

Year: 1996

Crash Bandicoot was in a league of his own.

He was a merry prankster, which is evident in this ad. From getting pictures with beautiful women to converting Nintendo devotees into Playstation lovers (and on Nintendo's own turf, we should add).

Crash embodied the characteristics of Playstation: cool, refreshing, and wildly entertaining. He became an icon in his own right, putting Naughty Dog and Playstation on the map.

Year: 1997

Epic. That's really the only word that properly defines this ad.

Final Fantasy VII would become one of the greatest games to have ever existed, but prior to its release not much was known about it. However, this ad, although it may seem to not offer much, told us everything we needed to know. "You can actually hear your pupils dilate," was basically a semi-cryptic way of saying, "the cutscenes in this game will change your life." And they did; the game utilized the Playstation's capabilities to its fullest. 

Year: 1998

Just let it settle in for a few seconds. In retrospect, most video game print ads had sexual undertones, and this one was no different.

Deathtrap Dungeon wasn't well-received in America. It was criticized for its mediocre graphics and sluggish control. No one missess the title and we know that this print ad didn't help.

Year: 1998

This is what Pokemon Red & Blue were all about: catching all 150 Pokemon and battling your friends.

Simple and sweet, this ad worked; Red & Blue would go on to sell a combination of 98.5 million units in America, and serve as the blueprints for future Pokemon games. Thanks for helping us live out our Ash Ketchum dreams, Nintendo.

Year: 1999

What's not to love about this one?

Bloody Roar became popular for running with one of the most insanely genius video game concepts ever: having characters transform into animals and claw, bite and maul their opponents.

It was essentially Animorphs on crack, or an extended play on Mortal Kombat's "Animality." However you want to look at it, this ad put a humorous spin on a fun and surprisingly good game. (And made us fear little rabbits for quite some time.)

Year: 1999

Ok, so Resident Evil's print ad wasn't that scary.

But this one right here? Instant nightmares. Tyrants were one thing; Nemesis was another, and as this ad foreshadowed, he would induce fear upon us throughout the entire game. But it was worth it; the weapons, cutscenes and "Live Selection Mode," were enough to make us revisit Racoon City one more time. We thought we knew fear. But Resident Evil 3 proved us wrong.

Year: 2000

This ad was simultaneously cool and horrifying.

Seriously, imagine harboring a baby alien and being absolutely unaware of its presence in your stomach. There's so many questions: How did this happen? Was I really that drunk that night? And, obviously...HOW DID AN ALIEN GET INTO MY BODY? Thirteen years later and this ad still captures our attention. (Too bad we can't say the same for the game, though.)

Year: 2000

So you couldn't actually graffiti on old women in Jet Grind Radio. But, you could tag buses, corrupt cops, rivals, buildings, and other animate and inanimate objects, alike.

The Sega Dreamcast was all about being "hip." So it shouldn't be surprising that the print ads for its games appealed to that notion. Plus, if you look closely at the bottom right corner, you'll see that artists Rob Zombie, Jurassic 5, and Mix Master Five, were all a part of the game's soundtrack. This ad was too cool for school.

Year: 2001

Looking back on this ad we realized that whoever came up with it deserved a raise. (Or a lifetime supply of Nintendo games.) Don't try to act like you didn't cut out every Paper Mario "free demo" you found.

We know we did, which kept us entertained until the actual game came out. Clever and crafty (no pun intended) this video game print ad was the result of many cut up magazines. But it was worth it. (Pulls out 13 year-old paper Mario and begins playing with it.)

Year: 2001

When we were first introduced to Conker the Squirrel he was reserved and well-mannered, assisting Diddy Kong and friends with defeating Wizpig in Diddy Kong Racing.

Then, four years later, a major change occurred. Video game print ads portrayed Conker doing some not-so-Conker stuff: peeing on flames, throwing up in a toilet and, as you can see above, placing his face in between a woman's breasts. Conker's Bad Fur Day redefined our image of Conker, and although it wasn't the best game to appear on the N64, it had a great ad campaign.

Year: 2008

Final Fantasy VII's ad isn't the only one to get the highly-coveted "epic." Just look at everything occurring in this ad for Chains of Olympus. Kratos is, as usual, killing a bunch of guys; a bunch of guys, as usual, are trying to kill Kratos; and there's some big hand in the sky holding what looks like a spirit bomb enveloped in flames.

Most of the ads for the God of War series have been over the top in the best ways possible. And this one for Chains of Olympus is no different.