TurboGrafx-16 Newspaper Giveaway Contest

Pat the NES Punk · 11/30/2010, 02:55 AM

It was early fall of 1990, I believe. The syndicated NJ newspaper, The Star Ledger, had a contest I believe being held by NEC themselves. They took out an ad in the comics section (I believe it was the bottom of the 3rd page), where they asked gamers several questions related to both NES and Turbografx games. Children/adults were asked to fill in answers to the multiple-choice questions, clip out the ad, and then mail it in to potentially win a prize... the biggest prize being a Turbografx 16 system and a copy of Bloody Wolf.

Some of the questions included:

1) What is Bonk?
2) At the end of Double Dragon, where is the plant located in the room?
3) A random Super Mario question
4) There were a few others (trying to remember)

I filled out the questionnaire, filled in my contact information, and had my parents mail it out. Unbeknown to me, a couple of months later, it turns out that whomever was holding the contest mailed them back a notice indicating that I had won something, and was asking for a notarized response. My parents sent it back. A couple of weeks before Christmas: BAM, in the mail arrived the boxed system and Bloody Wolf game. My parents debated whether or not to give it to me before Christmas, but finally decided that it would be better as an early Christmas present. I was happy, to say the least upon seeing it in its beat up box.

So that's my strange story of how I acquired the Turbografx 16 as a kid. Does anyone else remember this specific contest or something similar in their own area? It would be nice to track down information or even somehow get an image of the original ad for the contest.

NecroPhile · 11/30/2010, 09:49 AM

Neato story, though your parents would've been giant tools had they withheld a prize that you earned yourself. I don't remember any similar giveaways here, but then again, I live in Nebraska where there's nothing but cows, corn, and Conestoga wagons. The closest I can come was when a mall ran a promotion in '90 where you could turn in your receipts from the day and they'd draw out a few winners that would get a check back to cover the cost of everything they bought that day; lucky me - free Cosmo Tank!

finerion · 11/30/2010, 11:23 AM

Really cool story. I don't recall anyone running an ad like that growing up, but then again there was not a lot of TG penetration in rural areas.

Arkhan Asylum · 11/30/2010, 01:13 PM

Quote from: finerion on 11/30/2010, 11:23 AMReally cool story. I don't recall anyone running an ad like that growing up, but then again there was not a lot of TG penetration in rural areas.

Turbo Penetration.

Sounds intense.

TheClash603 · 11/30/2010, 07:19 PM

I won a Street Fighter IV competition and got a headband.

You kick my ass.

Lilgrafx · 11/30/2010, 07:44 PM

I was pretty young when the TG16 was out so I never saw anything like this.

PS:Pat the nes punk is a great show

turbogrfxfan · 11/30/2010, 08:33 PM

yeah Im from beautiful central jersey myself but I never seen that in the star ledger. I think my dad was reading USA TODAY.
I did have a tg16 promo vcr tape though

I like ur show man. where in Jersey u from?

Pat the NES Punk · 12/03/2010, 04:15 AM

Quote from: turbogrfxfan on 11/30/2010, 08:33 PMyeah Im from beautiful central jersey myself but I never seen that in the star ledger. I think my dad was reading USA TODAY.
I did have a tg16 promo vcr tape though

I like ur show man. where in Jersey u from?

Thanks.

I was from Woodbridge Township.

chany60126 · 12/03/2010, 09:53 AM

Hey Pat, I know you like to review mostly NES games on your channel. Is there any chance you could a review of some turbob/pce games in the future?

Your review style is so unique and entertaining. The skits you do mid-review are great, especially the one you did for the Panic Restaurant review. Keep up the good work.

DragonmasterDan · 12/03/2010, 12:27 PM

I remember the "Name the new Bonk" contest that was national and advertised in various magazines. The winning name was Air Zonk which is how the game got its title.

Added in edit: The prize was a US Duo and some games if I recall correctly.

Mathius · 12/03/2010, 01:44 PM

Hey Pat! Great to see you here! I am Matt Turner from your Facebook friends list, and mathius78 on You-Tube. We've chatted a few times here and there. Welcome aboard my friend!

bartre · 12/04/2010, 03:31 AM

Quote from: guest on 11/30/2010, 09:49 AMNeato story, though your parents would've been giant tools had they withheld a prize that you earned yourself. I don't remember any similar giveaways here, but then again, I live in Nebraska where there's nothing but cows, corn, and Conestoga wagons. The closest I can come was when a mall ran a promotion in '90 where you could turn in your receipts from the day and they'd draw out a few winners that would get a check back to cover the cost of everything they bought that day; lucky me - free Cosmo Tank!

no way, I'm here in the NE as well!
whereabouts you at? I'm right on the border between NE and IA.

Pat the NES Punk · 12/04/2010, 11:57 AM

Quote from: Mathius on 12/03/2010, 01:44 PMHey Pat! Great to see you here! I am Matt Turner from your Facebook friends list, and mathius78 on You-Tube. We've chatted a few times here and there. Welcome aboard my friend!

Cool, Matt. Great to see you here!

Pat the NES Punk · 12/04/2010, 11:58 AM

Quote from: chany60126 on 12/03/2010, 09:53 AMHey Pat, I know you like to review mostly NES games on your channel. Is there any chance you could a review of some turbob/pce games in the future?

Your review style is so unique and entertaining. The skits you do mid-review are great, especially the one you did for the Panic Restaurant review. Keep up the good work.

Thanks, Chany. Hmmm... Turbografx reviews? ;)

turbogrfxfan · 12/04/2010, 12:18 PM

Quote from: Pat the NES Punk on 12/03/2010, 04:15 AM
Quote from: turbogrfxfan on 11/30/2010, 08:33 PMyeah Im from beautiful central jersey myself but I never seen that in the star ledger. I think my dad was reading USA TODAY.
I did have a tg16 promo vcr tape though

I like ur show man. where in Jersey u from?
Thanks.

I was from Woodbridge Township.

thats funny. Im in Perth Amboy.

yeah ya gotta do turbo reviews

NecroPhile · 12/06/2010, 09:22 AM

Quote from: bartre on 12/04/2010, 03:31 AMno way, I'm here in the NE as well!
whereabouts you at? I'm right on the border between NE and IA.

I'm a dozen or so miles to the west of you, just north of Wehrspann lake.

NightWolve · 10/14/2016, 08:31 PM

Necro bump!

Quote from: Pat the NES Punk on 11/30/2010, 02:55 AMIt was early fall of 1990, I believe. The syndicated NJ newspaper, The Star Ledger, had a contest I believe being held by NEC themselves. They took out an ad in the comics section (I believe it was the bottom of the 3rd page), where they asked gamers several questions related to both NES and Turbografx games. Children/adults were asked to fill in answers to the multiple-choice questions, clip out the ad, and then mail it in to potentially win a prize... the biggest prize being a Turbografx 16 system and a copy of Bloody Wolf.

Some of the questions included:

1) What is Bonk?
2) At the end of Double Dragon, where is the plant located in the room?
3) A random Super Mario question
4) There were a few others (trying to remember)

I filled out the questionnaire, filled in my contact information, and had my parents mail it out. Unbeknown to me, a couple of months later, it turns out that whomever was holding the contest mailed them back a notice indicating that I had won something, and was asking for a notarized response. My parents sent it back. A couple of weeks before Christmas: BAM, in the mail arrived the boxed system and Bloody Wolf game. My parents debated whether or not to give it to me before Christmas, but finally decided that it would be better as an early Christmas present. I was happy, to say the least upon seeing it in its beat up box.

So that's my strange story of how I acquired the Turbografx 16 as a kid. Does anyone else remember this specific contest or something similar in their own area? It would be nice to track down information or even somehow get an image of the original ad for the contest.

Yep, I sure remember it, that's also how I won a TurboGrafx-16 as a kid and became a lifelong fan, else otherwise I never would've had anything to do with the system!

I wrote about it here, and my mom actually did the same thing, got the UPS box first, wrapped and hid it till Christmas to present as a gift by her... Strangest of things... :/

https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=4625.msg218974#msg218974

https://www.ysutopia.net/special/BloodyWolf.jpg

In Chicago, the contest's theme was around finding "750 Turbo Titans." I can recall at least one of the questions was about "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest," how you had to crouch down at that dead end to cause a tornado to appear that takes you away to progress in the game... For one of the NES games though, I had to beat it again to answer the question as I didn't quite remember, but I answered all the others correctly from memory. Only NES questions from what I remember, as asking a TG-16 one would be unfair as that's what you're trying to win!

Quote from: finerion on 11/30/2010, 11:23 AMReally cool story. I don't recall anyone running an ad like that growing up, but then again there was not a lot of TG penetration in rural areas.

Yep, lack of [Turbo] penetration was a big problem unfortunately...

esteban · 10/14/2016, 09:25 PM

I know the Star Ledger, but my family never subscribed to it.

THUS, I missed yet another opportunity for FREE TURBOB.

BUT... we should be able (hopefully) to find this contest in the archives! I hope...

NightWolve · 10/14/2016, 09:31 PM

Yeah, that's partly why I cared to necro-bumb this, I've hoped someone will eventually dig up the whole contest page from newspaper archives with all questions included. I only have the top half as shown in the past.

esteban · 10/14/2016, 10:13 PM

Quote from: NightWolve on 10/14/2016, 09:31 PMYeah, that's partly why I cared to necro-bumb this, I've hoped someone will eventually dig up the whole contest page from newspaper archives with all questions included. I only have the top half as shown in the past.

I am looking... I am finding lots of wacky stuff... I had compiled a lot of things years ago... but lost it all when harddrive was in a flood....

FOR EXAMPLE... WTF is this about...

Quote...

From the Haunted Houses and/ or Nightclubs file, the best bet is always the Hades Haunted House, the Midwest's largest haunted abode, which has set up shop and chop in the Odeum Sport and Expo Center, 1033 Villa Ave. in Villa Park (854-5900). Featuring 25 rooms, 50 actors and a 5,000-square-foot black maze, the Haunted House will be open from 6 to 11 tonight. Besides a "Halloween Headquarters," where you can purchase last-minute masks, makeup and pumpkins, the house also includes TurboGrafx video games, which cover an extra 20,000 square feet. Admission is $6. Promoters warn that the house may be too intense for younger or more sensitive viewers.

...

SOURCE: Adults scare up Halloween haunts
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) (Published as Chicago Sun-Times) - October 31, 1989
Author/Byline: Dave Hoekstra
Edition: FIVE STAR SPORTS FINAL
Section: SECTION 2 FEATURES
Page: 27

Is that a typo? 20,000 square feet of *only* TG-16? I'm sure it was TG-16 + arcade + consoles + _______.

Regardless, I would have loved to go there for HALLOWEEN. $6 = awesome, even in 1989.

NightWolve · 10/14/2016, 11:17 PM

Ah, my dad lived a few blocks from the Odeum convention center actually, I had been to one of the Halloween events there as a kid. It has 2 halls, north/south, both of which are about 20,000 square feet, so 40k in total. Yeah, they probably just mean one of the halls was solely dedicated to selling TG-16 products/material at the time, etc.