As you'll know if you've read the recent Console Wars, back in the early '90s Nintendo was still very much the king of the hill when it came to video games. Sega's time in the sun was yet to come, but the 16-bit Genesis (Mega Drive if you're outside of the US) was already making some waves and by the time Sonic turned up, the tables had turned — Nintendo was on the back foot and Sega was in control.
Before all that occurred however, Tyler Esposito and his father created a home video promo which was intended to convince his relations in New York that they should ditch their NES and pick up the Genesis. Never seen before now, the video is a light-hearted slice of retro-gaming brilliance which is made all the more poignant by the fact that Tyler's father has sadly passed away since its recording in September, 1991.
It's almost impossible not to melt a little inside when you see the five-year-old youth watch in admiration as his energetic father tries to whip up some enthusiasm for the likes of Altered Beast and Last Battle — clearly for the benefit of his offspring. It's also clear that Tyler's dad is the main reason he's still a gamer today — in the footage he describes Alien Storm as one of the best arcade games ever made, something we personally agree with here at Nintendo Life. There's also some amazing dancing at the end, which we highly recommend you stay tuned for.
On a serious note, it's refreshing to watch something about video games which is so disarmingly innocent and free of baggage — something which could prove to be the perfect tonic given the recent issues surrounding our beloved hobby right now.
Give it a watch and let us know if your heart strings were adequately tugged, and also share your own memories of this period of upheaval in the video game industry, when Sega took the fight to the mighty Nintendo — and succeeded against all odds.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 35
So pure, so raw. Love it.
That dancing part though.
<i>As you'll know if you've read the recent Console Wars...</i>
Did anyone not know this before reading a book about it???
@ECMIM: Yes, I lived it.
Cool video, I was 10 when this video was taken and the late 80's/early 90's was the best time period ever!
@ECMIM According to some people the UK always hated Nintendo. (But my experience in the 8bit and 16bit era's doesn't really mirror that).
That was really cool for a 90's video! If I had watched it back when I was a kid, I would've been convinced!
Daww.. I was about 4 or 5 in 1991 too. I got a Mega Drive when I was 6 - I think I asked for something like a v-tech computer and my parents got me a mega drive with Aladdin. I was blown away.
Sega in my opinion have made some of the best consoles, the Genesis, and Dreamcast were so amazing, it is a shame they don't make consoles anymore. Whatever though next year at E3 just you wait they will announce the Dreamcast 2
...Well, it wasn't any less shallow and uninformative than the actual Sega ads, but on the other hand, it wasn't exactly more either. Sweet to see a kid and his dad enjoying video games together though, dude must have had a pretty sweet childhood. RIP dad of whoever this guy is.
I'll never take back my Genesis childhood, never! Great vid, great moment from life
He didnt even show any of Genesis good games. Wasn't really a good video. .02
@Subie98 I think it was meant for his family. So it doesnt matter too much.
@noctowl the Sega Genesis actually outsold the Super Nintendo at the beginning (from like 1991-1994) then the Sega Genesis started to die down due to Sega releasing stupid crap to prolong the Genesis' life (Sega CD, 32X, Sega Genesis Nomad) and the unexpected and expensive Sega Saturn launch didn't help Sega any. But Super Nintendo started selling more then the Genesis around 1994/95 when Nintendo was showing games like DKC and Mario RPG on just the SNES system hardware alone. The Genesis sold around 40 million, SNES 49 million, so Nintendo definitely won overall, and got tons of sales, especially near the end.
Me personally, I love classic Nintendo and I had a NES, but when I got my Genesis I was instantly hooked! I think the game that really made me love the Sega was Streets of Rage. The Sega Genesis will always be a system that I will remember very fondly, but honestly, the SNES definitely got way better games later on when the Genesis was showing it's age badly.
Wow he said 3D sound and stereo color. I had that same exact Sega Genesis and never seen or heard what he just mentioned.
genesis rules
I love stuff like this. Every year I get more and more nostalgic about those early 90's console wars days. I wish I still had my old NES, Master System, and SNES.
But I do have to ask: who is Tyler Esposito?
Ah, my heart just melted into a big puddle. What a great Dad!
Awsome video.
I was 13 back when this video was made. Had some great times with the Sega Megadrive. I borrowed a friend's Megadrive and was instantly hooked. Coming from the NES at the time, my jaw was on the floor when I saw the graphics.
My heart sank when he said his father wasn't around anymore... Great video by the two of them!
A lovely little moment from the classic era of the video game console wars. It would be awesome to see the playing of the actual games too though lol
That was great! Man...I have fond memories playing Mickey's castle of Illusion. It's so weird that I am now a young dad playing games like Mario Kart 8 with my 4 year old. Time sure changes things doesn't it?
Nintendo still rules, but awesome video
I guess I wasn't aware at the time that my precious Mega Drive II was called Genesis somewhere else. Loved that console so much. I still remember the day I got it in '93 I think. And that song in the end of the video was one of my favorites. From Sonic & Knuckles if I'm right?
That... was as weird of an idea as it was awesome. I was 11 or so when I got my Genesis and loved the crap out of it, as well as about half the games in this video. Also... that 5-year old kid beat DJ Boy three times??? Holy crap, he must be amazing at video games.
I'll tell you who won in the nineties... me! I had a Sega MasterSystem, a SNES with the likes of DKC, Killer Instinct, Yoshi's Island, I had friends with a MegaDrive and Golden Axe, Shinobi, Streets Of Rage, Sonic.... ah good times!
@invictus4000 I'm exactly the same, I remember playing Centipede with my Dad and his brother, my uncle, my Dad passed away last year. Now I have a six year old daughter who adores her 2DS and a 3 year old son, and we all play the likes of SM3DW and the mighty MK8!
I was always a Nintendo kid. I played a fair bit of my friends Sega's but didn't actually pick up a megadrive til about the year 2000 when i was 16 just 'cos they were dirt cheap and i went through a collecting phase.
I had both Genesis and Snes then. I was more of a Genesis kid until n64 stole my heart
"THREE DIMENSIONAL SOUND, STEREO COLOUR."
Omg I'm dead XD XD XD
This was indeed quite a heart-warming video
I went with the Genesis when I was a kid. I had to sell off my entire NES collection of games to be able to afford it.....and even then, I was prepared to buy it without a game to play. My parents talked me into saving until I could afford the system and a game. Did I listen? No. I bought the cheaper, struggling TurboGrafx 16 instead. I ended up getting the Genesis for Christmas a couple months later with Sonic 2 and Shining in the Darkness.
80-90s influence, "Dancing With Myself", beginning years of the Nintendo x SEGA console wars, Ghostbusters, and a dad and son gamer duo. You can't write this stuff.
ALIEN STORM, STRIDER, SHADOW DANCER, CASTLE OF ILLUSION.... Great stuff. I sold my NES and games to upgrade to a Genesis because I loved SPIDER-MAN VS. THE KINGPIN so much. I still have most of my games. I was 10 at that time and still feel that it was the Golden Age of Gaming.
I prefer the NES and SNES library over Mega Drive's.
over 20 years later, the 16 bit wars rage on!!
GENESIS DOES WHAT NINTENDON'T
Genesis does what Nintendon't on Shining Force... Best RPG played so far - I still cannot stimulate any interests on Fire Emblem now after playing the last Shining Force game over 10 years ago.
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