1991 Free Game Offer from NEC

16-bit · 02/09/2008, 09:11 PM

In late August/early September 1991 I saw an offer/ad from NEC in the Sunday paper for a free game with the purchase of a Turbo Grafx 16. You could pick any of the releases for the system up to that point and had to rank your top five choices. I picked R-Type first followed by Ordyne, but I don't remeber the last three I picked. I ended up getting R-Type.

I was 14 years old at the time and funds were very limited, so this offer is what pushed me to get a TG 16 over a Genesis.

I'm curious if any other members on the board took advantage of the offer and if so, what game they selected.

Keranu · 02/09/2008, 09:19 PM

I seem to recall Nightwolve having a similar story, but I think he just got his from some dude selling it in a newspaper ad.

nat · 02/09/2008, 09:34 PM

I think AirRaidX did that too and got R-Type.

I got my TG-16 as a gift in 1990, and I also got Space Harrier along with it. I guess it's possible my parents took advantage of the deal and got Space Harrier as the free game.

CrackTiger · 02/10/2008, 12:19 PM

I've seen various free game offer ads in magazines, but was never able to take advantage of any myself. Usually those kinds of deals only applied to the U.S. I did mail away for a free Sonic 2 when I bought my second Genesis though.

I also received a free game and t-shirt from TTI in response to one of the letters I wrote them.

NecroPhile · 02/11/2008, 12:22 AM

I didn't get a chance to take advantage of such a sweet deal, but I did cash in a few of the coupons included with Duos. If memory serves, I used 'em on Soldier Blade, Final Zone II, and Riot Zone.

Kitsunexus · 02/11/2008, 03:29 AM

Send them in today for a laugh.

Ceti Alpha · 02/11/2008, 09:18 AM

QuoteSend them in today for a laugh. Twisted Evil Laughing

I actually didn't fully realize that Radio Shack is still up and running.

Here in Canada Radio Shack was bought up a few years ago by a store called The Source. The Source is pretty much the same as Radio Shack, but they have seemed to clean the store up A LOT, and offer a wider range of products and product names. Not sure if they'd accept any TG-16 coupons.

I unfortunately didn't get to take advantage of that free game offer, though from what I can remember Radio Shack always treated their TG customers well. Not only did they accept pennies, but they would let you exchange the game for something else if it was teh suck. I think I did that a couple times - pretty sure I returned Silent Debuggers for something else, though I'm not sure what I exchanged it for.

Oh, and The Source doesn't carry 8 pin mini din cords. I wonder if the store was still Radio Shack if they would have carried those cords, or if they would be more inclined to order them in for you.

td741 · 02/11/2008, 09:29 AM

Quote from: ceti alpha on 02/11/2008, 09:18 AMI actually didn't fully realize that Radio Shack is still up and running. Here in Canada Radio Shack was bought up a few years ago by a store called The Source.

Actually, interTAN Canada Ltd (the people who licensed Radio Shack here in Canada) lost their license to the Radio Shack brand after they were bought out by Circuit City. Circuit City rebranded the stores as "The Source: from Circuit City"

http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/radio-shack-brand-to-disappear-from-canada

The fondest memories of buying TG stuff from Radio Shack was when they opened up a clearance center nearby. Every TG/Duo components where half-price. I bought a whack load of games, controllers. Many of there were traded long ago at the TG Mailing list. I still have something like 10 controllers (of mixed types), a few Duo and Turbo Taps, a couple of Duo cables (TG Controller to Duo Controller cables)...

Ceti Alpha · 02/11/2008, 09:34 AM

QuoteActually, interTAN Canada Ltd (the people who licensed Radio Shack here in Canada) lost their license to the Radio Shack brand after they were bought out by Circuit City. Circuit City rebranded the stores as "The Source: from Circuit City"

ahhh. See, it's nice to have other Canadians up here to verify and enhance TG-16 Canadian trivia. lol

QuoteThe fondest memories of buying TG stuff from Radio Shack was when they opened up a clearance center nearby. Every TG/Duo components where half-price. I bought a whack load of games, controllers. Many of there were traded long ago at the TG Mailing list. I still have something like 10 controllers (of mixed types), a few Duo and Turbo Taps, a couple of Duo cables (TG Controller to Duo Controller cables)...

Wow! I would have killed for a clearance centre over here. Sounds like you cleared out the clearance.

td741 · 02/11/2008, 09:48 AM

Quote from: ceti alpha on 02/11/2008, 09:34 AMWow! I would have killed for a clearance centre over here. Sounds like you cleared out the clearance.

I spent many a pay cheques in that store. At the time, I didn't have the funds that would have allowed me to wipe out their whole inventory.

I think it was 50% off accessories (mostly cables and controllers) and buy 2 get one free for the games. Then eventually they went for 50% off everything. I don't remember seeing any systems for sale though. The sad part of the clearance center, was that I lost the only place to get new releases locally. I had bought my first Duo at Compucenter, but they tended to have older releases (Hu's and a few CD 2.0 games).

Ceti Alpha · 02/11/2008, 10:38 AM

QuoteI had bought my first Duo at Compucenter, but they tended to have older releases (Hu's and a few CD 2.0 games).

Here in Scotia Radio Shack was the only place to buy Turbo games. I don't believe Toys R Us was around at that time here...did Toys R Us actually sell the Duo? For some reason I'm remembering that they did.

nat · 02/11/2008, 11:08 AM

Speaking of Radio Shack, I read somewhere online recently (probably a VC TG-16 review or something) that the TG-16 was released "exclusively through Radio Shack" or something along those lines. What's up with that? When I had a Turbo back in the day, I never once visited a Radio Shack for games. It was always Toys 'R Us or a store called Software, Etc in a local mall.

NecroPhile · 02/11/2008, 11:24 AM

Quote from: nat on 02/11/2008, 11:08 AMSpeaking of Radio Shack, I read somewhere online recently (probably a VC TG-16 review or something) that the TG-16 was released "exclusively through Radio Shack" or something along those lines. What's up with that? When I had a Turbo back in the day, I never once visited a Radio Shack for games. It was always Toys 'R Us or a store called Software, Etc in a local mall.

I've never heard that, nat. I too never bought anything Turbo from Radio Shack; it was always Toys 'R Us, Babbages, a clown college known as Service Merchandise, or TZD (of course).

nat · 02/11/2008, 11:26 AM

I need to find the article online again and post it up here so we can rip it apart. I think the author used the Radio Shack angle to explain why the system failed.

"Well, it was a Radio Shack exclusive, so what do you expect?"

td741 · 02/11/2008, 11:32 AM

From a Canadian Perspective:
The original TurboGrafx-16 was being sold pretty much everywhere: Radio Shack, Toys R Us, Compucentre, Consumer's Distributing (I worked there, it was a catalogue shopping where most of the store was a warehouse, with a small display/store front.) I think Sears, Eatons and Zellers probably too... (I don't remember of K-Mart was still around back then?)

By the time the Duo came around, I think it was narrowed down to Compucentre (but I couldn't find the newes releases) and Radio Shack. I think Toys R Us might have had actual Duos now that I think of it; I'm having a faint memory of seeing pouches with the DUO sheets of paper in them... But I don't seem to remember TRU having any software titles (from the SuperCD era). I don't think "Electronic Boutique" had anything for TG-16's when they showed up here.

I can't forget about Microplay. But I think they only really carried a handful of used systems and games.

OceanBlueKirby · 02/11/2008, 12:03 PM

Quote from: 16-bit on 02/09/2008, 09:11 PMIn late August/early September 1991 I saw an offer/ad from NEC in the Sunday paper for a free game with the purchase of a Turbo Grafx 16. You could pick any of the releases for the system up to that point and had to rank your top five choices. I picked R-Type first followed by Ordyne, but I don't remeber the last three I picked. I ended up getting R-Type.
I was 14 years old at the time and funds were very limited, so this offer is what pushed me to get a TG 16 over a Genesis.

I'm curious if any other members on the board took advantage of the offer and if so, what game they selected.

I'm reminded of this Bonk's Adventure commercial made in 1990 that offered "one of up to 38 games selected FREE" with the purchase of the TurboGrafx-16 system. Perhaps this deal is related to this somehow?

Quote from: nat on 02/09/2008, 09:34 PMI got my TG-16 as a gift in 1990, and I also got Space Harrier along with it. I guess it's possible my parents took advantage of the deal and got Space Harrier as the free game.

Thus, your love for Space Harrier had been extended to another plane

. Has it been introduced to you through the arcade? Now I know that it was released for the TurboGrafx-16. I wasn't quite sure if it had a US release, but I knew it was released for the PC Engine.

nat · 02/11/2008, 12:13 PM

Quote from: Game and Watch Kirby on 02/11/2008, 12:03 PMThus, your love for Space Harrier had been extended to another plane . Has it been introduced to you through the arcade? Now I know that it was released for the TurboGrafx-16. I wasn't quite sure if it had a US release, but I knew it was released for the PC Engine.

A local arcade here had the game way-back-when. I didn't really get good at it until I played the TG-16 version a lot though. Back in those days, the TG-16 version was just a phenomenal port. It wasn't bested until the 32x/Saturn version many years later. Even the console version of Space Harrier II released on the Genesis paled in comparison to the mighty TurboGrafx version of the original.

The TG-16 verison was the first version I was able to beat after many hours of play. After that I was able to beat the arcade.

I like Space Harrier II a lot too, but it's too easy and short, and it doesn't have the magic of the original.

Ceti Alpha · 02/11/2008, 12:18 PM

QuoteFrom a Canadian Perspective:
The original TurboGrafx-16 was being sold pretty much everywhere: Radio Shack, Toys R Us, Compucentre, Consumer's Distributing (I worked there, it was a catalogue shopping where most of the store was a warehouse, with a small display/store front.) I think Sears, Eatons and Zellers probably too... (I don't remember of K-Mart was still around back then?)

Yeah, my Canadian perspective is from here in Nova Scotia. Back then Nova Scotia really was limited in terms of retail stores. Though we did have one or two Consumer Distributing outlets - I forgot they carried the Turbo. If Sears or Zellers carried the Turbo their selection must have been very minimal. I don't think I ever bought a Turbo game outside of Radio Shack.

NightWolve · 04/02/2012, 08:23 PM

Quote from: Keranu on 02/09/2008, 09:19 PMI seem to recall Nightwolve having a similar story, but I think he just got his from some dude selling it in a newspaper ad.

Quite an interesting story I have, but not sure I told it here before. Apologies for resurrecting an old thread.

It was a contest I found in a Sunday Chicago Sun Times newspaper. NEC was "looking" for 750 "Turbo Titans..." Heh-heh. It basically asked you 5 questions about the endings of NES games. I rented NES games every weekend so I had pretty much played all the games they were asking about except for one if I recall correctly. I remember Castlevania II was asked about, like what happens at the ending or about how you crouch at a certain point in the game... Something like that... One of the games I had to play again to refresh myself in order to answer that particular question.

So yeah, I answered all the questions and mailed the form in, then forgot all about it... Christmas comes along and my mom curiously enough had a big box of a present for me that year. We were kinda poor and a big present like that from her was unusual so it seemed a little suspicious. Anyway, I open it up and lo and behold, it's a TurboGrafx-16 system with Keith Courage and Bloody Wolf!!! So I'm like WHAT THE FUCK?!?! Apparently it had arrived in November via UPS and she intercepted it! For some reason, her brain came up with "the plan" to hide and wrap it up to offer as a Christmas gift down the road (like I'd be fooled into thinking it came from her), so I got to enjoy the damn thing like a month and a half later after having successfully won it! Man, I yelled at her for a long time about that!!! WTF?? Who does that? Well, my mom did!!! Unbelievable! Child abuse, I say!

Anyway, luckily, I saved the top portion of the contest. The bottom part was the form with the questions, but that was obviously cut out and mailed... Too bad, I'm kinda curious about what the questions were. I tried googling for information about this contest once, but you can't find anything about it. Well, here it is:

ysutopia.net/special/BloodyWolf.jpg

EDIT: This is of course the source of the "Turbo Titan" tag on my account profile. ;) If anybody knows how to get into newspaper archives like at the library, maybe the whole form can be found someday. I tried once, but no luck.

CrackTiger · 04/02/2012, 08:46 PM

Quote from: ceti alpha on 02/11/2008, 12:18 PM
QuoteFrom a Canadian Perspective:
The original TurboGrafx-16 was being sold pretty much everywhere: Radio Shack, Toys R Us, Compucentre, Consumer's Distributing (I worked there, it was a catalogue shopping where most of the store was a warehouse, with a small display/store front.) I think Sears, Eatons and Zellers probably too... (I don't remember of K-Mart was still around back then?)
Yeah, my Canadian perspective is from here in Nova Scotia. Back then Nova Scotia really was limited in terms of retail stores. Though we did have one or two Consumer Distributing outlets - I forgot they carried the Turbo. If Sears or Zellers carried the Turbo their selection must have been very minimal. I don't think I ever bought a Turbo game outside of Radio Shack.

I found a decent selection of Turbo software and accessories at The Bay bitd.

Tatsujin · 04/02/2012, 08:51 PM

Oh my gosh, that mom

esteban · 04/02/2012, 09:52 PM

Quote from: NightWolve on 04/02/2012, 08:23 PM
Quote from: Keranu on 02/09/2008, 09:19 PMI seem to recall Nightwolve having a similar story, but I think he just got his from some dude selling it in a newspaper ad.
Quite an interesting story I have, but I think I told it here before, not sure. Apologies for resurrecting an old thread.

It was a contest I found in a Sunday Chicago Sun Times newspaper. NEC was "looking" for 750 "Turbo Titans..." Heh-heh.

Awesome! I love TG-16 anecdotes!

MrFlutterPie · 04/02/2012, 09:55 PM

I'm in Ontario and I only remember TG-16 stuff sold from Radio Shack. I had one really close to my house in this little mall and thy had a demo unit right at the front of the store so you could try it out. Unfortunately the T.V was designed to reset every 5 minutes so it became a challenge to see how far you could get before the T.V reset.

My mom used to leave there in front of that thing while she shopped. I really thought Bonk was really cool (still do today

)

NightWolve · 04/02/2012, 10:09 PM

Quote from: esteban on 04/02/2012, 09:52 PMAwesome! I love TG-16 anecdotes!

Hey, I guess since I won the contest and eventually spearheaded the Ys IV:DOY translation project, I am both officially and unofficially a "Turbo Titan," right ?? ;) A little cheesy, but it's got a nice ring to it if I do say so myself! Hehe! It's profile/signature material, too, I think!

esteban · 04/03/2012, 05:14 AM

Quote from: NightWolve on 04/02/2012, 10:09 PM
Quote from: esteban on 04/02/2012, 09:52 PMAwesome! I love TG-16 anecdotes!
Hey, I guess since I won the contest and eventually spearheaded the Ys IV:DOY translation project, I am both officially and unofficially a "Turbo Titan," right ?? ;) A little cheesy, but it's got a nice ring to it if I do say so myself! Hehe! It's profile/signature material, too, I think!

...our story begins on a balmy August afternoon in Chicago

.

Seriously, though, your story is somewhat similar to my own experiences. My brother and I were lucky enough to win some TG-16 games in a TurboPlay contest. After submitting our entries (TG-16 artwork), months pass and we totally forget about the contest. Well, someone at the magazine remembered what it was like to be a poor kid during Christmas/Winter Break (lots of time, but only old games available) and FedEx'ed our prizes so that they arrived immediately after Christmas. It was insane. It was truly the best Xmas gift, ever.

Normally, to buy TG-16 games, my brothers and I would pool our money together from birthday and Xmas presents. It took a long time to slowly build a library of titles, so winning a bunch of games in one fell swoop made us feel like veritable millionaires.

My parents did not intercept the package, though

.

NightWolve · 04/03/2012, 05:37 AM

Quote from: esteban on 04/03/2012, 05:14 AMSeriously, though, your story is somewhat similar to my own experiences. My brother and I were lucky enough to win some TG-16 games in a TurboPlay contest.

Oh awesome! What games though?

QuoteNormally, to buy TG-16 games, my brothers and I would pool our money together from birthday and Xmas presents. It took a long time to slowly build a library of titles

Yup, that's how I did it too! It helped to have wealthy God-parents to send cards with cash, but of course I sometimes had to "pay the tax" to the mom, so I didn't always get to keep all of it.....

esteban · 04/03/2012, 06:36 AM

Quote from: NightWolve on 04/03/2012, 05:37 AM
Quote from: esteban on 04/03/2012, 05:14 AMSeriously, though, your story is somewhat similar to my own experiences. My brother and I were lucky enough to win some TG-16 games in a TurboPlay contest.
Oh awesome! What games though?

QuoteNormally, to buy TG-16 games, my brothers and I would pool our money together from birthday and Xmas presents. It took a long time to slowly build a library of titles
Yup, that's how I did it too! It helped to have wealthy God-parents to send cards with cash, but of course I sometimes had to "pay the tax" to the mom, so I didn't always get to keep all of it.....

Yes, I'm pretty certain my parents charged us 20% when they thought we were making an impulsive purchase (they were trying to encourage us to make informed decisions--they didn't understand the urgency of getting Splatterhouse *before* Halloween).

As for the games we won... I don't want to make you (and others) jealous. My brother and I were very, very lucky!

IIRC, we each one First Prize (two separate art contests...I made a Space Harrier "pop-up" display, he made a portrait of Emperor Megas (Valis II) out of macaroni): Raiden, Yo Bro', Military Madness, Davis Cup Tennis, Andre Panza Kickboxing, Parasol Stars, Impossamole, Devil's Crush, Veigues Tactical Gladiator, Samurai Ghost... & a TurboStick.

I am 95% certain about those games...it's been a long time. Andre Panza was the only dud, as far as I was concerned (I played all the other games a lot, even Impossamole and Yo' Bro...I would have been upset if I had spent good money on Andre Panza/Impossamole/Yo' Bro, so I was grateful that I was "spared" the anguish of buying them retail).

soop · 04/03/2012, 06:54 AM

I love these stories

roflmao · 04/03/2012, 09:31 AM

Quote from: esteban on 04/03/2012, 06:36 AMYes, I'm pretty certain my parents charged us 20% when they thought we were making an impulsive purchase (they were trying to encourage us to make informed decisions--they didn't understand the urgency of getting Splatterhouse *before* Halloween).

What a great idea! I'll have to remember that for when my son is old enough to want to buy his own stuff.

Quote from: esteban on 04/03/2012, 06:36 AMIIRC, we each one First Prize (two separate art contests...I made a Space Harrier "pop-up" display, he made a portrait of Emperor Megas (Valis II) out of macaroni): Raiden, Yo Bro', Military Madness, Davis Cup Tennis, Andre Panza Kickboxing, Parasol Stars, Impossamole, Devil's Crush, Veigues Tactical Gladiator, Samurai Ghost... & a TurboStick.

Wow, that's awesome!

GohanX · 04/04/2012, 09:24 AM

If my daughter is interested in video games, I'm still trying to figure out how not to spoil her. I mean, she might want the new Kirby game, and I don't want to spoil her by giving her anything she wants, but daddy wants the new Kirby game too...

NecroPhile · 04/04/2012, 09:49 AM

Man, I love these stories of winning games. I've not been quite as lucky as you two, but I did win a free copy of Cosmo Tank for the ol' Gameboy.

GohanX · 04/04/2012, 04:23 PM

Quote from: guest on 04/04/2012, 09:49 AMMan, I love these stories of winning games.

Me too! Not Turbo related, but I'll share a story.

I was a huge fan of the Saturn, and I was eagerly anticipating the release of the Dreamcast. At the time I was 19 or so, working a low paying job but still living at home, so one day I just decided I wanted to play Virtua Fighter 3 so I drove to Raleigh which had the nearest import shop, asked them how much a Japanese DC was, and bought it and Virtua Fighter. A week later Sonic Adventure came out, so I also got it and a few other games.

Fast forward to 9/9/99, I was working at Best Buy now in the PC department, but was excited to see the US DC launch first hand. I lent my first hand knowledge to staff and customers since I had been playing it all along. I thought about buying a US system, but I was only part time now so I didn't want to waste $200 on a duplicate system, and I figured it was a matter of time before someone figured out how to bypass the region lock.

In December, someone had figured out a really ghetto method that worked, so I was having my system modded, I dropped it off on a Friday. On Sunday, there was a special friends and family thing for Christmas at BB where employees got all kinds of specials, there was a party, it was cool. One of the things they did was have a raffle for a Dreamcast and Sonic Adventure, $1.00 per ticket with the proceeds going to charity. I wasn't going to participate, since I didn't need one, but a coworker friend was really excited and wanted one, and convinced me to buy two tickets 10 minutes before the drawing.

Now here we were, standing in a circle as the store manager drew a name. Lots of the young guys wanted the system the couldn't afford. A lot of the older people wanted it for their children for Christmas. Me, I'm just happy to see excitement over Sega's latest console.

Naturally, the name that was drawn was my own.

I was the most hated person in Best Buy that night. I did enjoy playing Sonic Adventure in English, finally! A few months later I was strapped for cash and needing to pay a bill, so I sold the DC to that excited friend for $70 since that was all he could afford, but was enough to pay my bill.

NightWolve · 04/04/2012, 08:18 PM

Ah, nice! But where as you eventually sold your won system, I actually broke my TG-16 down the road; that's kinda why I needed to buy the TurboDuo and as for the Bloody Wolf HuCard?? Well, wouldn't you know, I also bought a TurboExpress for $99 bucks during that TTi going-out-of-business sale and the contact pins were so damn strong/tight that it broke my Bloody Wolf HuCard because it was the first game I wanted to play on it... I pushed it in and could feel how friggin' tight it locked into place, then I turn it on and I get a blank screen, etc. So I tried removing and inserting it a few times, still no luck, then I tried another HuCard and it worked, which led to the 'uh-oh' realization that there's now something wrong with that particular HuCard... So I go back and try it on the TG-16 itself, and of course, it didn't work at all! It went buh-bye... So, really, all I got out of that win was Keith Courage (and loyalty to NEC) by the end of it!! Hahaha!! (Of course the system got plenty of mileage on it before it broke with all the rentals I played on it, but yeah, I had to give it a burial...)

Speaking of Best Buy, I used to like that store, but they've gotten pricey over the years; it's definitely not like it used to be and I, for one, kinda hate the pushiness that employees are forced to engage in. If I need help, I'll ask for it; I don't need to have a guy popping up every time I go from one section of the store to another asking me if I need help or not.

Vecanti · 04/05/2012, 09:52 PM

Quote from: 16-bit on 02/09/2008, 09:11 PMI'm curious if any other members on the board took advantage of the offer and if so, what game they selected.

YES! This was one of the reasons I choose TurboGrafx over a Genesis. Glad I did too!

Funny thing is both my friend and I each got TWO games with this offer. We bought our Turbo's at the same time and sent off for the free games. About 8 weeks later our games never arrived. So his parents called and they said they would send another game out as it should have arrived and then he gave me the phone # and I called. And they said, "Yeah, you should have gotten it buy now, we'll send out a game right away."

A few days later we both got a game. I received Legendary Axe. ( I don't remember what he got) Then about a week later we both got a 2nd game! I think mine was World Class Baseball. He got another different game. We weren't trying to scam them or anything. But we didn't send the 2nd games back either. We figured the 1st ones must have finally arrived after 9 weeks. Then the 2nd ones came from the call we made shortly after.

Worked out great for us.

esteban · 04/07/2012, 03:43 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/04/2012, 09:49 AMMan, I love these stories of winning games. I've not been quite as lucky as you two, but I did win a free copy of Cosmo Tank for the ol' Gameboy.

Cook has never had the pleasure of playing Cosmo Tank.

ccovell · 04/07/2012, 09:43 AM

You should give Cosmo Tank a try. Same musician as Dungeon Explorer, at least...

https://www.chrismcovell.com/cosmoproto/

esteban · 04/08/2012, 08:39 AM

Quote from: ccovell on 04/07/2012, 09:43 AMYou should give Cosmo Tank a try. Same musician as Dungeon Explorer, at least...

https://www.chrismcovell.com/cosmoproto/

You had me at "same musician"

!

No, of course I'm not kidding.

UPDATE: That's a great page you made there. It was fun to read through.

SuperGrafx16 · 04/11/2012, 04:29 AM

Quote from: 16-bit on 02/09/2008, 09:11 PMIn late August/early September 1991 I saw an offer/ad from NEC in the Sunday paper for a free game with the purchase of a Turbo Grafx 16. You could pick any of the releases for the system up to that point and had to rank your top five choices. I picked R-Type first followed by Ordyne, but I don't remeber the last three I picked. I ended up getting R-Type.
I was 14 years old at the time and funds were very limited, so this offer is what pushed me to get a TG 16 over a Genesis.

I'm curious if any other members on the board took advantage of the offer and if so, what game they selected.

Oh man, you'll love this. I remember getting an offer with my TurboGrafx-16 in September or October of 1990 for a free game. R-Type was one of the games! Mind you, it cost $69.99 at TRU, making it probably the most expensive TG16 game sold in the U.S. Well I selected R-Type of course, but you know when I got it? The UPS guy knocked on the door on CHRISTMAS EVE 1990!!!! I was so...freaking...happy ^__^

Tatsujin · 04/11/2012, 05:10 AM

I never won any games, on the other hand I also never tried to win any games. May be that was the problem

NightWolve · 04/11/2012, 05:21 AM

Hehe! Could be...

Keranu · 04/11/2012, 05:35 AM

I won a Bomberman foam bomb.

NecroPhile · 04/11/2012, 11:28 AM

Quote from: Tatsujin on 04/11/2012, 05:10 AMI never won any games, on the other hand I also never tried to win any games. May be that was the problem

You "won" a boxed Super Fami from the trash heap. That's something.

Tatsujin · 04/11/2012, 11:41 AM

no, it was "only" a super fami. i should have left it on the streets, but dumb as i was.

NecroPhile · 04/11/2012, 01:30 PM

Quote from: Tatsujin on 04/11/2012, 11:41 AMno, it was "only" a super fami. i should have left it on the streets, but dumb as i was.

Leave it in the trash where it belongs!

CrackTiger · 04/11/2012, 09:11 PM

I was sent Dungeon Master TM and a LoT t-shirt in response to one of my many "If I worked at NEC/Hudson or T.T.I..." letters. Considering that the game selection and personalized response both reflected someone actually reading and acknowledging what I wrote, it felt at least as satisfying as winning a contest.

I sent EGM a Bloody Wolf high score which was higher than the winner's, but they never published it.

soop · 04/12/2012, 05:17 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/11/2012, 09:11 PMI was sent Dungeon Master TM and a LoT t-shirt in response to one of my many "If I worked at NEC/Hudson or T.T.I..." letters. Considering that the game selection and personalized response both reflected someone actually reading and acknowledging what I wrote, it felt at least as satisfying as winning a contest.

I sent EGM a Bloody Wolf high score which was higher than the winner's, but they never published it.

The high scores in most magazines were a joke. I used to look through the games I had and could beat most of them without effort. I imagine it was mostly kids.