Star Wars for NES (1992)

Original ad published in the April 1992 edition of EGM (no. 31)

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The force is strong with this ad

Black on black. There’s little else to say about the aesthetic decision made to promote the mediocre Star Wars game for the original Nintendo home console other that it is uber cool.

Current gamers forget that during the early 90s, the Star Wars franchise was basically dormant. It was past its glory years of the 80s, so a video game based on the original film of the trilogy was basically just an easy cash¡-in for JVC/ Lucasfilm.



The released all three games on Nintendo’s 8-bit machine. Just as with The Empire Strikes Back video game, the best part of Star Wars is the promotional material. Not coincidentally, Empire was also released for the NES in 1992.

Check out the simplicity of the advertisement. Practically everything is black with a few highlights in red and the accompanying text in white. Darth Vader is placed in the exact center of the page with light rays comping from the background, giving the printed page a nice 3-D effect.

I rarely like marketing material where the main subject is placed in the middle of the page, but this is a nice exception. If your’e going to make that editorial decision, you should copy this ad.

Star Wars for NES print ad copy

A force stronger than your parent doesn’t want you playing this game

Okay, Jedi knight. Here’s your chance to rescue Princess Leia from certain death.

Man the gunnery of the Millennium Falcon. And pilot your very own X-wing down the trench of the Death Star–home base to a few hundred thousand fully-armed stormtroopers, and the Lord of the Imperial Fleet himself, Darth Vader.

He’s armed and ready. The question is, are you?

• Dodge speeding TIE fighters from the comfort of your 3-D cockpit.
• Take the Millennium Falcon out for a little spin around the galaxy.

Star Wars
JVC/ Lucasfilm Games