Showing posts with label Robocop versus The Terminator print ad (1993). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robocop versus The Terminator print ad (1993). Show all posts

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Robocop versus The Terminator (1993)

Robocop versus The Terminator (1993) advertisement
Original ad published in EGM's 1994 Video Game Buyer's Guide (late 1993).
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Read below for the full HD version of the file.

Historical Background and Graphical Analysis


For decades, nerds fantasised about a Predator vs. Alien franchise until Hollywood, cheap special effects and the 2000’s gave us a disposable franchise that made the original franchises seem like modern masterpieces. Robocop versus The Terminator was born from that same nerdy yeast and gave us a very short comic-book  run in 1992 that saw the advent of this video game in 1993.

But whilst the Robo vs Terminator comic-book featured some interesting turns to the paper-thin storyline of both franchises, the video game was completely generic. Frank Miller had little input on this product by Virgin that was made, like most video game movie adaptations, for the sole purpose of making money. 

Both the SNES and Genesis received a version of the game and both were mediocre, with bland gameplay and sound that made no justice to the above-average graphics. Hundreds of side-scrollers were produced during the 90’s, and Robocop versus The Terminator had no particular saving-grace, except for the Hollywood name on the box. Both were the hot franchises of the period, but produced little quality on various console gaming products (check out Robocop’s 2 video game art).


Robocop vs terminator video game



Still, the crossover promised high value. It’s a winning formula if done correctly, but to this day has not been fully realised in any medium. Both Robocop and The Terminator exude coolness and, I believe, there lies the problem. Which one should get more screen time? Since both are enormously popular, you will always have fanatics of one franchise bitching about how said movie or video game did not give their character enough importance. So a fool-proof idea suddenly becomes a marketing nightmare. 


At least the print ad for the game got it right. You see a two-page spread that splits each character in one page each. The cool red background gives great contrast to both of the metal monsters. And while the copy is weak, the overall impact of the ad in strong. A titan against a titan. At least in commercial value. 



Robocop versus The Terminator (1993) print ad copy


A match made in hell

Robocop
versus
The Terminator

The video game

Available for your favourite game system.