[grap3fruitman]

Courtesy of pwnpocalypse on Imgur.











This page is from '97:


The nerd in me is just wishing I had all of those proto N64 controllers in all of those colors.

I'm not sure if I should quote the images to make them smaller because they don't seem ridiculously large to the point that I would need to but I can edit my post easily if it bothers enough people.

[Big Papa Husker]

And people are bitching about this generation's prices.

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

$59.99 for a game? Ridiculous.

[Dr. Feel Good]

$70 for SNES NBA Hang Time? Robbery.

[AniHawk]

And people are bitching about this generation's prices.

that's because during that generation, prices went down to $40 for console games, and during the ps2/xbox/dc/gc era, the highest price was $50. we went back to a higher price point for no real good reason.

[darkside31337]

Man I suddenly feel really old.

Tamagotchis. Can't believe I used to obsess over those as a kid x_x

Also seeing Dualshock controllers without sticks is still really weird.

[Wiggler]

Those cartridge manufacturing costs.

[Big Papa Husker]

that's because during that generation, prices went down to $40 for console games, and during the ps2/xbox/dc/gc era, the highest price was $50. we went back to a higher price point for no real good reason.

Yeah... good point.

[-Cade]

Scans are banned.

lol

[bigtroyjon]

we went back to a higher price point for no real good reason.

Bastard companies thinking that video games shouldn't be the only industry not impacted by inflation.

[SailorDaravon]

that's because during that generation, prices went down to $40 for console games, and during the ps2/xbox/dc/gc era, the highest price was $50. we went back to a higher price point for no real good reason.

Inflation?

[Kagari]

Scans are banned. lol

Not scans of ads.

[i-Lo]

And people are bitching about this generation's prices.

Beaten like cheap drunk asshole troll at a gay bar.

Yea, the inflation has gone up but the prices of games haven't. Then again, proliferation rates were much lower than what they are now for home consoles.

Also, I have never seen so many gaming consoles be featured concurrently in a flyer... ever.

[Rikkun]

Wait are those dollars?

N64 in Italy was 600.000 lire, the official exchange rate makes it ~300€ without counting it was 16 years ago. And a cart was 150.000 lire.

Damn you


But yeah, I remember spending hours watching ads. Good times.

[Aquamarine]

$59.99 for a game? Ridiculous.

$60 for Super Mario 64 back in '96, is $85 today.

[SixStringPsycho]

And people are bitching about this generation's prices.

Came here to say this.

[Sandfox]

Sega Saturn bomba. There are seriously giving away three games with it a year after release.

[SixStringPsycho]

$60 for Super Mario 64 back in '96, is $85 today.

Then $60 now was $45 back then?

[djplaeskool]

Totally didn't register to me that Game Gear games were almost $40 a pop.

[-Cade]

Not scans of ads.

I know, heh.


I think the thing that sticks out to me here the most is how damn colorful everything is in this ad. All the cases are bright and uniquely colored. Look at an ad today for video games and it's all browns, dark blues, and black. (orange, etc).

Also, "Ultimate Mortal Combat".

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

some of those genesis games cost almost as much as the console

[alr1ght]

I remember looking at that big ass christmas catalog they'd send in the mail many many times.

[Aquamarine]

Then $60 now was $45 back then?

Pretty much. $60 today was about ~$42 back in '96. The dollar's a lot weaker now.

[SatelliteOfLove]

Lookit all dose Nintendo colors! We've regressed!

[Shig]

I didn't realize Game Boys were ever so cheap. Damn, wish I would have asked for one, that gold Pocket is a steal.

[Tagg9]

Why would you buy an N64 for $199 when you can get it with a gold controller for $149?

[Derrick01]

$70 for last gen games at the time. Highway robbery.

[oneils]

I'd love to see the Canadian version of that ad. Exchange rates were pretty terrible back then. I bet the games would be about 69.99 or even 79.99.

I remember paying 89.99 for Romance of the Three Kingdoms III on Sega Genesis in 1993/94 or thereabouts.

[eternaLightness]

Look at that beautiful SNES. I wish I could get a new one at that price right now.

[Kyou]

gameboys were only 60 bucks?

It's a good thing I wasnt an adult back then because I would probably have all the gameboy pocket colors

[B.K.]

Also seeing Dualshock controllers without sticks is still really weird.

That's not a Dualshock.

[ohlawd]

$60 for Super Mario 64 back in '96, is $85 today.

SM64 for $85 today is worth it I'd say.

Why would you buy an N64 for $199 when you can get it with a gold controller for $149?

Maybe the $199 version comes with a game but it's not stated?

[oneils]

Look at that beautiful SNES. I wish I could get a new one at that price right now.

I'm with you. If I could buy a brand-new-in-the-box SNES/Saturn/Genesis/ for those prices I'd probably snatch em pretty quick.

[demosthenes]

that's because during that generation, prices went down to $40 for console games, and during the ps2/xbox/dc/gc era, the highest price was $50. we went back to a higher price point for no real good reason.

I don't buy many games anymore @ $60, b/c I game less. But to say that costs to make games hasn't gone up is wrong. Yea we can argue if games were cheaper they would sell more and so on, but the industry doesn't think so.

[Gooster]

I don't even remember what I got for Christmas in 1996. Didn't get an N64 until March '97 (12th birthday gift), PS1 summer of '98 and Game Boy Pocket Christmas '98 w/ Pokémon Blue.

I'd love to know WTF I did with my GBP. I loved that thing. :(

[djplaeskool]

Oh man, Sega NetLink.
lol
Ahead of its time.
Too far ahead.

[Dreams-Visions]

wow, games were much more expensive than they are now (relative to inflation).

[i-Lo]

Look at the bullshots nintendo used for their Mario on the first page :P

And let's have some name drops here for the informed (and I am uninformed). Can anyone name the athletes featured on the cover of:

• NHL 97
• NHL Faceoff 97
• NBA 97
• Sega World Series Baseball 96
• NFL Gameday 97
• College Football 97
  And Finally
  
• The madden 97 announcer

[Router]

I remember all those gold edition things lol.

Oh man, I wanted a Saturn so bad.

[earvcunanan]

Look at those game prices @_@

[Josh7289]

You can see why the Game Boy was so popular, with those prices.

[SixStringPsycho]

Are any of those game YOPO?

[Yuripaw]

You know what I notice about this ad, compared to almost anything you see now. With the exception of Super Mario 64, and the N64 (it was the year of it's release, so it's no surprise they would want to highlight it...) but everything seems to have equal space in the ad. They're showing all kinds of games, different genres, different systems. This is such a great ad, and it reminds me of a time when gaming was so much more fun and diverse.

Now...you look in an ad with video games, and a handful of select games are pushed up front and center. "Get the latest Call of Duty!" or "Madden!" and everything else is just bunched together, and put into a small picture in the corner.

[lordfroakie]

SNES got SF2Alpha? Did not know that lol

[Seven Force]

Haha, those game prices. I remember my parents giving me grief for years after begging for a copy of Chrono Trigger (which was about $70) one year.

I completely forgot online Saturn games were a thing, too.

[AniHawk]

I don't buy many games anymore @ $60, b/c I game less. But to say that costs to make games hasn't gone up is wrong. Yea we can argue if games were cheaper they would sell more and so on, but the industry doesn't think so.

costs went up from the n64/psx/saturn era to the next, but prices stayed the same or went down. costs are going up next gen too. planning on paying $69.99 for a game?

[Femmeworth]

Prices were all over the place back then.

[jello44]

Jesus Christ, I vividly remember this catalog.

[Grayman]

I am not sure about launch period but N64 games started touching and exceeding 100 Canadian dollars in that generation.

I found my old game gear last week but the screen was dead.

[MikeE21286]

Thanks from posting this!!

Man they had some balls charging $59.99 for a Genseis game when the system was $99.99 lol