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Nostalgia Thread - 1996 Toys R Us Holiday Ad
- Thread starter grap3fruitman
- Start date
How did that turn out?
Those game prices are nearly $100 in today's dollars, lol.
Yeah, we do. Crysis Warhead looks dated to me, and it looks better than nearly every game right now. We'll look back at it in 5 years as we do Far Cry today.
Yeah, we do. Crysis Warhead looks dated to me, and it looks better than nearly every game right now. We'll look back at it in 5 years as we do Far Cry today.
This very well may be part of it. Information is all over the place, we're over saturated with content, and footage of games before we even play them, it's not surprising that nothing lives up to our expectations as much anymore. I still think part of it is the kind of games that were being produced though. Look at the N64 in this flyer...system only launched with 2 friggin games, but they were 2 of the best games you could ask for. Pilotwings maybe didn't stand the test of time as much, but it was still mindblowing, and played really well. Super Mario 64 is still one of the best 3D platformers ever made, and they were smart to have it their on launch day.
MrCunningham
Member
Please, in Canada they were $99.
I still remember paying $120.00 Canadian (tax included) for a copy of Final Fantasy III (FF6) on the SNES, and that was retail price and in store at a Zellers outlet.
Any game cartridge under $50.00 used to be considered a bargain back then.
terrisus
Member
I think its just that we didn't have instant info about consoles or games coming out during that time , our only info was EGM. Its one of the reasons also wrestling was ruined for me , since storylines and signings can also get spoiled since the internet is so fast.
NHL 97 - John Vanbiesbrouck
NHL Faceoff 97 - Can't tell the jersey number, looks like 77 which would be Paul Coffey
Please, in Canada they were $99.
Stuff like rogue squadron was up around 104.99 or 110
You were saying that because the cost the of the medium used has come down there is no reason ever to see game prices that high again. Which ignores the costs required to make the actual games. Which have steadily increased and while not likely to grow too much next generation will continue to rise etc... So it's certainly possible we could see those prices again.
Everything is so well organized and laid out.
Yeah this. The games industry has done an astounding job avoiding it. But the onslaught of dev closures and the advent of ios pricing schemes have clouded such a feat.
On topic: Fuck, good fucking times with all those color choices. Competition was fierce and exciting back then :'D.
Alligatorjandro
Banned
Holy shit $70 for Ultimate Mortal Kombat?
I'm actually surprised I still remember the Toy's R Us ad in the OP, none of the other ones in this thread, though.
I was 11 (years, not months like the other guy) when this ad came out, just when I was REAAAALLY starting to get into video games. The Nintendo 64 launch period was the first time where I really started trying to find as much info about games as possible and bought every issue of Nintendo Power I could find.
For my 11th birthday at the end of '96 my parents rented an N64 and SM64 from Blockbuster and allowed me to have a "sleep over" party. Needless to say that was my most popular birthday party as a kid.
My birthday is December 2nd, so no one had an N64 yet (all wrapped and under the tree), so it was something of a novelty to check it out before Christmas.
I was 11 (years, not months like the other guy) when this ad came out, just when I was REAAAALLY starting to get into video games. The Nintendo 64 launch period was the first time where I really started trying to find as much info about games as possible and bought every issue of Nintendo Power I could find.
For my 11th birthday at the end of '96 my parents rented an N64 and SM64 from Blockbuster and allowed me to have a "sleep over" party. Needless to say that was my most popular birthday party as a kid.
My birthday is December 2nd, so no one had an N64 yet (all wrapped and under the tree), so it was something of a novelty to check it out before Christmas.
Seeing the Game Boy Pocket for $60 makes me wonder if a budget-oriented Android handheld could ever survive in the same world as the 3DS, Vita, and iPod Touch. Maybe it wouldn't be 60, but a sub-$100 device with a 3.some inch touch screen, physical controls, WiFi, a modest amount of flash memory, and access to the Android Market would be interesting.
slick7rick
Member
i remember that exact toys r us ad my uncle bought me the vectorman genesis bundle. i played that system for years until i got my playstation in 1998.
my uncle bought me the vectorman genesis bundle. i played that system for years until i got my playstation in 1998.Diddy Kong
Banned
This made me smile
friskykillface
Banned
Yeah Mario RPG was expensive and I remember I got lucky winning a $50 toys r us gift certificate and my dad paying the rest for it, my parents spent a lot on games, I love them so much
But I really envy kids today, so much bomba prices and sales(buy 2 get 1 free) and price glitches in stores, lol smh
I want dat gold n64 controller
Technosteve
Banned
my parents had a pc these prices are cheap compare to what pc prices were
$60 game + $25 or more in DLC.It's about the same all right.
RobbieNick
Junior Member
....Inflation? That's still occurring y'know.
I still remember paying $120.00 Canadian (tax included) for a copy of Final Fantasy III (FF6) on the SNES, and that was retail price and in store at a Zellers outlet.
Any game cartridge under $50.00 used to be considered a bargain back then.
Damn! When I came to Canada back in 2004, I remember the prices being $70 plus 13% tax. I used to pay that much for PS3 games when I first bought it. Drove me mad when south of border prices were much lower overall. Thank the parity between the two countries' dollars for same in game prices.
teehheehhe actually sometimes much more than that.
CosmicQueso
Member
Nostalgia for this? WHAT-EVAH.
Give me that 1982 Sears Catalog for the Atari 2600. That's nostalgia. This stuff, it's so recent.
And guess what? You'll be bitching about prices still in 2024 and 2055 and 2142. Just stop caring you'll feel better. Because no matter what, you'll always think the price is too high.
Give me that 1982 Sears Catalog for the Atari 2600. That's nostalgia. This stuff, it's so recent.
And guess what? You'll be bitching about prices still in 2024 and 2055 and 2142. Just stop caring you'll feel better. Because no matter what, you'll always think the price is too high.
Ninja Scooter
Member
first party N64 games like Mario and Pilotwings were $59.99 but third party stuff was $69.99+ IIRC. Also back then didn't EB/Babbages/Software Ect. randomly charge an extra $5 on top of MSRP?
Aquamarine
Member
In a few years...1996 will be TWO DECADES ago. Oh god...20 years...
Big Chungus
Member
wow $199 for a new console...
sounded very affordable back then
sounded very affordable back then
But what about $50 6 years ago?
Google search "Inflation calculator".
That's where everyone is getting the numbers in this thread from, anyway.
cj_iwakura
Member
Wow, that was when I bought my Saturn too.
(Three free games)
(Three free games)
Aaron Strife
Banned
All those armchair analysts encouraging Nintendo to beef up the prices of Wii U and 3DS to appear more high-tech didn't know what the hell they were talking about. Golden age of gaming was consoles launching for 300 at most.
Hell the Saturn stumbled out the gate because Sega launched it at 399, PS4 and 720 will probably be 700 dollar behemoths that nerds will line up out the door for.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I'm getting old because this doesn't strike me as old looking... I bet it would to someone under 20.
Yeah it's a bit nostalgic
Yeah it's a bit nostalgic
evilromero
Member
Man I want a fucking N64 after looking at that ad even though I already have three. That feel when Mario 64/Pilotwings came out. Nothing like it since.
MrCunningham
Member
I was 15 in 1996... 1996 didn't seem like it was that long ago in my mind...
I'm getting old because this doesn't strike me as old looking... I bet it would to someone under 20.
Yeah it's a bit nostalgic
I know exactly what you mean.
Megadragon15
Member
I wonder if the people who spent $199.99 for any of those terrible early Neo Geo games, pictured in this ad, feel any regret today.
PastorOfMuppets
Banned
I had that Sega Saturn controller, it was pure shit. The shoulder buttons were the worst shoulder buttons of all time.
I remember getting NHL Powerplay '96 for $84 Canadian dollars plus tax in 1996-97 dollars.
I remember getting NHL Powerplay '96 for $84 Canadian dollars plus tax in 1996-97 dollars.
Why does Riding Hero have Riding Hero written on top of Riding Hero? Is the game Riding Hero: Riding Hero?
vatstep
This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
Back then, weekly ads for stores like Toys R Us, KB Toys, etc. were the next best thing to magazines. I would wait for the Sunday morning paper to be delivered every weekend just so I could ogle them. I've always been such a consumer whore.
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