A history of video game advertising and copywriting.Tumblr (3.0; @old-video-game-ads)http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/eba303c8202705e4e1c3663f75ea6560/tumblr_mnkgxzQk8I1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>What’s Skeletor doing in Castle Greyskull and why is it mysterious to He-Man? Surely the battle should happen at Snake Mountain?!</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/51647346030http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/51647346030Wed, 29 May 2013 11:41:59 -0400he-man2nd generationvideo game advertisingatari 2600intellivision<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/53219305f038ba3b738e169548c5ef80/tumblr_mnkgo02yrw1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>No headline, lame artwork and long copy that I can’t be bothered to read. I wonder how this one sold.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/51647045700http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/51647045700Wed, 29 May 2013 11:35:57 -0400atari 2600snoopy2nd generationvideo game advertising<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr4b9lwSDN1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Nintendo once made games for other people’s systems. Like the Atari 2600.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9963852734http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9963852734Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:06:05 -0400atari 2600video gamesmario2nd Generation<iframe width="400" height="299" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6quqAff5fO8?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>TV ad for the Radio Shack TV Scoreboard, a 1976 pong-type game system.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9925455572http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9925455572Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:05:05 -0400Radio Shack TV Scoreboard1970svideo games1st generation<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqcr9afadn1qd4q8ao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9887711092http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9887711092Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:34:32 -0400advertarcadeatarigauntlet1980s<iframe width="400" height="299" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SJoZ7-eCpwY?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>“The number one video game!”</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9887509283http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9887509283Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:29:13 -04002nd generationatari 2600video games<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr4ajpU7By1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Not really an ad, but it’s all I could find for the RCA Studio II. The article text is just about readable with good eyes.</p> <p>The Studio II is often called the worst game console ever released. It was supported by RCA for only a year before being withdrawn.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9886682803http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/9886682803Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:07:00 -04001970s2nd Generationvideo gamesRCA Studio II<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpvxwhSjv21r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>An ad for the Atari VCS, later renamed 2600.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8878622669http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8878622669Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:19:00 -0400atari 2600video game advertising1980s2nd generation<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhg9fg936g1qd4q8ao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://vgjunk.tumblr.com/post/3606287216">vgjunk</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Atari advert.</p> </blockquote>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8878510398http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8878510398Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:16:19 -0400atari 2600video game advertising1980s2nd generation<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpvx5yZed41r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Pretty cool this one, apart from the creepy people surrounded by blackness at the top.</p> <p>(Found at <a href="http://www.retroist.com/2009/04/15/magnavox-odyssey-2-ad-from-1980/">Retroist.com</a>)</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8878062138http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8878062138Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:03:34 -0400magnavox odyssey2video game advertising1970s2nd generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpvwm1PM3K1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“The keyboard is the key to greater challenge”, apparently.</p> <p>Wikipedia page for the Odyssey2: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey%C2%B2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey%C2%B2">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey%C2%B2</a></a></p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8877649836http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8877649836Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:51:37 -0400magnavox odyssey2video game advertising1970s2nd generation<iframe width="400" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a8SUMPPVKcQ?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Nintendo’s first home consoles were a series of systems called ‘Nintendo Color TV Game’. This is an ad for the second in the series, the Color TV Game 15.</p> <p>Lots more interesting Japanese video game commercials on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TurboDuo">TurboDuo’s YouTube channel</a>.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8876156944http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8876156944Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:09:08 -0400nintendocolor tv gamevideo game advertising1970s1st generation<iframe width="400" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5lShU4eM8VI?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>An ad for the Coleco Telstar, showing its four Pong variations.</p> <p>Check <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/classicvgcommercials">classicvgcommercials’ YouTube channel</a> for lots more old video game ads.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8875729219http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8875729219Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:56:00 -0400coleco telstartv commercialvideo game advertising1970s1st generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpvtuj0qPo1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>c.1978</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8875567612http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8875567612Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:51:00 -0400coleco telstar colortronvideo game advertising1970s1st generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpu975zv5F1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Magazine ad for the Bally Astrocade, which released in 1977 through mail order.</p> <p>Wikipedia page: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Astrocade"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Astrocade">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Astrocade</a></a></p> <p>Note the Atari comparison - things were getting competitive.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8840950266http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8840950266Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:28:17 -0400bally astrocadevideo game advertising1970s2nd generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpu8q3KDK51r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Flyer for the Fairchild Channel F</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8840542987http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8840542987Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:18:00 -0400fairchild channel fvideo game advertising1970s2nd generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpu8kwJmUw1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Brochure for the Fairchild Channel F Video Entertainment System, c.1977</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8840420329http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8840420329Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:14:00 -0400fairchild channel fvideo game advertising1970s2nd generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpu7y4DYRw1r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Catalog ad for the Atari’s 1975 Pong system, sold exclusively through Sears.</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8839877446http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8839877446Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:01:16 -0400ataripongsearsvideo game advertising1970s1st generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpu7jrM6LJ1r1yctyo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Another Odyssey ad</p>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8839536057http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8839536057Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:52:00 -0400magnavox odysseyvideo game advertising1970s1st generation<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpu7cvoYq91r1yctyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8839376143http://old-video-game-ads.tumblr.com/post/8839376143Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:48:00 -0400magnavox odysseyvideo game advertising1970s1st generation