Memorable Video Game Commercials

I don't know why, but when I see a commercial for a video game, I shrug it off. Don't games get enough hype pre-release from other sources? The internet gives us gamers information about games months before these advertisements kick in.

But some ads are memorable. They may be for their humor, use of music, awesome action sequences, or vivid imagery. With that said, there are a bunch of television commercials that I do remember well, even if I didn't play that particular game.

While I was going through a stack of VHS tapes I found in my house, one had a taping of a movie from cable television. The tape was from 1993, and had many kid related ads. One of them was an ad for Super Ghouls N' Ghosts. If I was a 10 year old kid, this would probably freak me out.

Best use of music - Assassin's Creed (PS3)

With Massive Attack's 'Teardrop' playing in the background, we see the protagonist scaling buildings and traversing his world, ready for the next target. Very nicely done, but it is definetly the music that has made me remember this ad from earlier this year.


Best Imagery - Gears of War (Xbox360)

Yeah, it's the song from Donnie Darko. But 'Mad World' fits perfectly with the visual imagery we're presented in the GoW world. Awesome graphics are highlighted in the scenes, as Marcus runs around looking for a break amidst the chaos.


Best use of humor - Super Smash Bros. (N64)

It starts out innocently. A few of Nintendo's most memorable franchise characters are skipping happily through a meadow, to the the tune of 'Happy Together'. Then the records skips and they start beating on each other! How is that not memorable enough?


Best use of humor (2) - Evil Dead: Hail to the King (Dreamcast)

How many of us have wished they had a chainsaw arm just like our favorite demon butt-kicker, Ash? This guy took it to the next level. Bruce Campbell himself appears in this ad. Sure, you may not remember the game, but the commercial is classic.


Best bashing of competitor - Sega Genesis

Blast prcessing, dude! The Genesis has it! Not the SNES! Wait...what is blast processing? These were the good old days, when Sega And Nintendo had the Genesis and Super NES pitted against eachother head to head. I still play both....


Best acting and special effects (not really) - Nintendo Power Glove (NES)

This guy wears the Power Glove like a champ. He knocked out Tyson with ease. This thing never worked well when I used it. But it was fun to wear around the neighborhood and pretend to be Captain N and take out the other kids!

Best In Show - The Legend of Zelda (NES)

Wow. Doesn't it look like the one kid would rather beat up the kid with glasses than play Zelda with him? No way, not when you rap and play at the same time! When I hear the kid beatboxing I pretty much lose it!

So there you go. I know there are other game commercials out there that I have forgotten about that you may remember well. So please send me a link so I can relive these beauties.

Sidebar - Maybe it's just me, but there was a period from 1988-1994 when 70% of television commercials targeted at kids had kids rapping in them. I reference the tape I found. Honeycombs, Golden Crisp, Toys R Us, all with kids rapping about 'The taste is in the shape' and what not.