With the Super NES / SNES reaching its 25th Anniversary in North America on 23rd September, we've been reminiscing over the 16-bit powerhouse a lot, and let our minds drift to the advertising that Nintendo used for the system.
It was... quirky, though that is a comment admittedly made through a modern lens. After all, the '90s looks pretty goofy when viewed from 2016, even to the likes of this writer who grew up in the decade. Yet there was a fantastic mix of cockiness and weirdness that typified Nintendo's adverts / commercials from this period, regardless of region.
So let's look at some examples - one of the most famous commercials features Paul Rudd (who's aged well, to be fair) rocking it out with a SNES in an abandoned outdoor cinema, or something. Well, it impressed some kids watching from the fence.
Next up we have a compilation brought together by Jose Aleixo, which includes a mix of regions and game showcases - we particularly like the '24 Megs' obsession in Super Metroid ads; back then that was a big game, not a GIF file size.
Then we have a top 10 collection by Desthetic; a standout here is an impressive Super Mario Kart animated effort.
UK gamers in this era were treated to some particularly bonkers adverts courtesy of the late great Rik Mayall, who jokingly dubbed a house 'Nintendo Towers' as it was purchased with the extravagant fees he received for the work. It's anarchic British comedy with a bit of SNES or Game Boy thrown in; we dedicated a whole feature to these adverts, but one of our favourites is below.
Last but most definitely not least is a Japanese commercial for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, dug up by Zelda Dungeon. It is, in a word, amazing. A female Link (we're pretty sure, despite fuzzy video quality) busts out Michael Jackson's best moves to fight Ganon with the power of dance. That is actually what happens, check it out.
They don't make commercials like they used to, clearly. Let us know which one's your favourite in the comments!
Comments 29
It was a time to be alive!
Just goes to show that it doesn't matter how big your games are for them to be good.
Is Super Metroid really 24 Megabytes or Megabits? There is a difference, and companies back in the 90's used it to their advantage.
Paul Rudd grew up to take technology to a whole new level.
To be fair, Paul Rudd has got better with age. Much better...
@Samurai_Goroh
Mbits, Super Metroid is approx 2mbytes big.
some of the ads made me laugh lol
Ah, the 90's... yes children, we were all on drugs back then. Only way I can explain it... and don't even get me started on those clothes and hair styles. ¯(ツ)/¯
@Samurai_Goroh Megabits. The cartridge is 3 megabytes big. A 24 Megabyte cartridge for the SNES would be truly something to behold... and very expensive by 90's price tags.
I wish I could remember how to speak Japanese. I was fluent in the language until I fell off my bike while riding it down a flight of stairs.
Fast and too fast lol. Those were some bad commercials but at least Nintendo advertise more back then. So glad Link and Zelda didn't look Japanese.
All of these commercials make me wanna go grab a bowl of Cap'n Crunchberries! I miss Saturday Mornings...
Too bad near the end Nintendo of America got into those terrible "Play It Loud" ads (the worst marketing they've ever done).
Yes, memory size was a big thing then. Let's not forget Master System games with TWICE and even sometimes FOUR TIMES THE MEGA POWER!
ALSO!!! There one key commercial that's missing...
Super Mario RPG!!!
That one was awesome!!
Awesome brings back so many memories of playing this fantastic system the best console of all time.
Lucky for you, you featured Rik Mayall so you've escaped my wrath.....for now!
Nintendo needs to get back into marketing like this again. In 23 years we'll look back and say, "Hey you remember those great Wii U commercials?" And no one will because there weren't any.
Ya know, I rarely see Nintendo commercials on TV anymore, and the ones I do see don't really stick in my mind at all—other than that sweet retro one for the NES Classic Edition (and that still wasn't on TV). I'd like to see them getting back into cheesy but awesome stuff like this again. Have fun with it—although still do it right (cheesy but quality)—and make us have fun with it too.
And, it's not a SNES game commercial but this has to be one of the most awesome Nintendo commercials ever, at least imo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrATmeFoJPE
Mario! Mario! Mario!
I'm pretty sure Super Metroid is 3 MB, not 24.
@Samurai_Goroh My thoughts exactly. The second I read that, I had to laugh because I thought it was utter BS and suspected someone to not have done their homework, but then there was that video. Nintendo doing it's own version of "blast processing". Switching Mbits for Megabytes...
@AlexSora89 Although he did get a bit antsy in his old age...
It kills me that Japan and Europe's console is so much better-looking than what we got here in North America.
The Final Fantasy 3 commercial is hillarious
@ThanosReXXX
Yeah, but his first time wearing that suit made quite the splash, I'll say!
@AlexSora89 And subsequently went down the drain...
@ThanosReXXX
You oughta admit that the lower floor was groovy.
@AlexSora89 Mèh, you win. It's far too hot over here to invest the energy in coming up with yet another funny reply. And I wouldn't want to be the instigator for an entire wall of one-liners describing the complete movie in a quasi-funny way...
@ThanosReXXX
Thanos admitting a mere mortal's defeat? Blasphemous!
Wow awesome commercials there! Although I was just about born into 90's... 1998!
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