This Vintage Commodore 64 Ad Is Scaring The Crap Out Of Me


In 1987, Domark released a new edition of its popular Trivial Pursuit computer game adaptation: Trivial Pursuit – Young Player Edition. As was the done thing at the time, it promoted the Commodore version in Zzap!64 magazine… and I’ve never been able to shake the image.

I beseech you to run your eyes over the advert below. Now explain to me what the fuck is going on:

“The best selling Computer Game is now available for the Next Generation,” the tagline crows. “Don’t Get Mad – Get Even!”

This is accompanied by what appears to be two grieving parents, their smug gaming daughter… and the apparition of their deceased son.

There is no explanation for the son’s ghostly appearance. Why is he transparent? Why is everyone ignoring him? Is he supposed to be jumping with glee or levitating whilst screaming?

I like to think there was a high concept behind this advert that was lost in the translation to print. Perhaps the parents murdered their son during a heated board game rally, and his sister is avenging his ghost by besting them at their favourite game?

Or maybe there was an error in the photography that nobody noticed. Either way, it’s a batshit crazy ad and I hope everyone at Domark went straight to hell without collecting $200.

Incidentally, the same magazine also contained this advert for the Commodore 64 game Future Knight:

That robot horse is clearly firing lasers out of his anus.

Video games, eh?

[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2015/12/galaxy-babes-the-gaudy-brazen-art-of-planet-stories/” thumb=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/12/PlanetStories-410×231.jpg” title=”Galaxy Babes: The Gaudy, Brazen Cover Art Of Planet Stories” excerpt=”In the 1930s, there were no video games, no pen-and-paper RPGs and no Star Wars. If you wanted to experience interplanetary adventure and romance, your only option was pulp sci-fi. For libidinous gentleman, the magazine of choice was Planet Stories; a salaciously illustrated anthology filled with strange worlds, gung-ho heroes and scantily-clad alien babes. It was prurient space trash from a more innocent era, and it was awesome.”]


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