The VIDEO GAME COMMERCIALS were TERRIBLE!

MissaSinfonia

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The video takes a humorous tour through the strangest, most awkward or downright unpleasant videogame commercials of the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, noting how brands aimed to shock viewers before the internet and social media imposed new rules. The narrator begins by explaining that, because there was no established advertising language for interactive entertainment, companies went for extravagant ideas: raps that name-dropped characters at random, hysterical screams to sell consoles, and aggressive slogans meant to stand out from the competition.

In the Nintendo segment, the video highlights emblematic ads like the Legend of Zelda rap, the “Play It Loud!” campaign and EarthBound’s odd scratch-and-sniff strategy—complete with garbage smell to underscore that “this game stinks.” It also revisits the legendary Crash Bandicoot costume showing up outside Nintendo’s headquarters with a megaphone, symbolizing the ’90s console war and Sony’s bid to look irreverent.

Next comes Sega, featuring the aggressive “SEGA scream,” Sonic spots full of rapid cuts and distortion, and the catchphrase “Genesis does what Nintendon’t,” all designed to mock the competition in a taunting tone. The video notes that this style set a trend: the louder and flashier, the better. Some ads, however, went too far—such as the Sega CD commercial in which people, sweating and tied to chairs, are “bombarded” with images.

PlayStation gets its own analysis with the unsettling PS3 robot-baby campaign and the floating orb “Third Place” spot for PS2 directed by David Lynch, both remembered for their surrealism. Although many of these ads were disturbing, the presenter points out that they succeeded in getting everyone talking about the brand, a key objective when gaming was still viewed as a youth niche.

Finally, the video reflects on how videogame advertising has evolved: the rise of the internet, gameplay videos and influencers has replaced the need to shout at consumers in a 30-second TV spot. Even so, those “horrible” commercials have become an indispensable part of pop culture, shared as cult artifacts and proof that the industry once tried anything to stand out in an emerging market

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