The most important aspect of marketing, the video game commercial, was the make-or-break piece of communication between companies and the masses. A great ad campaign created discussion and a need to try the game at the very least. Emotional appeals, cutting-edge humor, trash talk, it can feel like nothing is off limits within a game ad. While many are certainly products of their time, some commercials stand out as perennial classics that will always be in style.
When Robin Williams and Zelda, the loveable Gears of War Mad World, Kevin Butler, or the BattleTanx Snuggle Bear can’t crack the list, you know the competition is fierce! There are an extremely large amount of legendary and timeless commercials, however, the test of time has not been kind in many cases. These are the commercials that still create massive energy, demand discussions, and stand out as the best examples of video games’ unique take on commercial advertising.
10 Super Mario Brothers 3
The anticipation for Super Mario Bros. 3 was a force of fevered media obsession unseen ever before. Nintendo was certainly aware of the incredible demand for their next entry in the Mario Brothers series, perfectly encapsulating it in this all-time great commercial. Every single person in the entire country was frothing for anything Mario 3 and this ad joyously recreated the wait perfectly.
While the entire last scene of the good-bad cult classic film “The Wizard” can be argued as the best ad for Super Mario Brothers 3 ever created, holding this entry back here, this commercial perfectly communicates the exciting release and divine reception of an all-time great game.
9 Halo 3
After Halo 2’s cinematic Keith David narrated “I need a weapon” commercial, Microsoft and Bungie were in need a big and unique spot to top their incredibly high self-set standard. Composed entirely of stop motion-like action figures, “Believe” paints the horrific and heartbreaking realities of war better than any other ad. The chaotic and intricate scene displayed urges the viewer to help out the suffering Marines, a fantastic and impactful ad to this day.
Halo 3’s “Believe” commercial was more than enough of a follow-up to Halo 2’s ad, setting itself apart from all game commercials before or since. While its absolute lack of any gameplay or context for outsiders holds it back on this list, the pure call to action created is among the best ever.
8 Sega Genesis
The lines were drawn in the sand, you were Nintendo or Sega and you had to pick. The great console wars produced some of the finest video game commercial work ever created and that is largely thanks to Sega’s bombastic and ultra-hip ads. Sega’s best ad campaign was the bane of Nintendo fans everywhere, “Genesis Does” stated that the Sega Genesis does what the Nintendo’nt, or is it Nintendon’t?
Michael Jackson, Pat Riley, Buster Douglas, and Joe Montana all appear in this over-saturated and fast-paced love letter to the early 90s, an absolute classic of an ad. While the bashing of Nintendo during maybe their best era of innovation just seems silly now, holding back the ad here, the ad is still impressively catchy and memorable to this day.
7 PlayStation 3
Unsettling, memorable, and still one of the most questionable choices Sony has ever made, the Crying Baby is a lesson in advertising. This ad fulfilled the purpose of all advertising, creating word-of-mouth discussions about the product, however, they were not always positive for Sony. The PS3 was off to a rocky reputation with its $599 price tag and strange E3 reveal and this commercial only added to that. But here we are still thinking and talking about it today, doing something right and creating a mystery of “huh?” to this day. What a weird launch.
The ad is scary, unforgettable, and downright weird. While other ads like David Lynch’s PS2 mini-movie or Luigi’s Mansion’s strange couch thing stand out as weird and memorable, nothing has ever matched the robotic and soul-less demon-like PS3 baby. Good work, I guess…?
6 Xbox 360
Video games are fun. This can be an idea forgotten often in-game advertising, see the #7 entry and most ads today, however, Xbox and Microsoft wanted to remind all of us just how fun it really is. Evoking childhood memories of playing with friends, the fingers as guns chaos within the commercial is ever heartwarming.
There really is something about everyone playing along and purposely overacting everything that always creates a smile, an excellent and beautiful piece of work. Though no game, or honestly even the specific system of Xbox, is featured here, holding it back on our list, the idea of reconnecting with childhood friends over online multiplayer is intoxicatingly and brilliantly communicated.
5 Nintendo Wii
Strangely inviting as well as educational, the Nintendo Wii’s initial commercial run “Wii would like to play” was an excellent window into the brand-new console’s innovative features. Different from Xbox or Sony’s mode of play, Nintendo’s motion controls set the world on fire and much of its diffusion is thanks to this brilliant piece of advertising.
Much of the Wii’s attitude and style were illustrated well within the ad, and while some feel Nintendo’s targeting of the mainstream and adolescent-focused audiences has held the company back, holding this back in our rankings as well, the brilliance of simplicity for both the Wii and this commercial can not be revoked.
4 Michael
A call to arms for anyone who has ever played any PlayStation, Sony’s “Michael” commercial created personal feelings and emotional resonance upon release. A sharply imaginative concept, the characters of our adventures hang out and discuss with us when the system is powered down, an almost Toy Story-like approach to video games.
This ad feels like a thank you from Sony and its creators, a thank you for playing all these years and devoting so much of our time and energy to their art. A classy and smart ad, this goes down as one of the best to ever grace a television screen.
3 Super Smash Brothers
With or without the knowledge of this ad’s parody, the Super Smash Brothers commercial is pure genius. The idea of Nintendo’s rather cute and very friendly cast of characters throwing down in a no holds barred brawl is communicated perfectly in just seconds, everything is fine and then, all of a sudden, it’s not.
A Clockwork Orange is an excellent film to parody when discussing cute Nintendo characters committing new to them violent acts given Orange’s often overly-stated, outrageous reputation. The choice to market this as Nintendo gone bad, or as bad as they really ever frankly should go, was an excellent choice that still feels fun and fresh today.
2 Crash Bandicoot
How do you place yourself, not alongside, but ahead of an industry-leading, cultural-defining juggernaut like Nintendo? With a megaphone and a bandicoot. Sony’s initial entry into the home video game console market was marked by one of the greatest commercials of all time. Crash Bandicoot’s irreverence and goofy likability were expertly captured within the ads while also providing a fascinating look at Nintendo’s mysterious headquarters.
Crash Bandicoot’s anti-hero, the pro-wrestling-like attitude remains one of Sony’s wisest choices, and the anti-authoritative stance within the ads still plays well today. The Crash ads are still perfect but just can’t match our number 1 entry’s nuclear-like energy and impact. Plumber boy!
1 Mortal Kombat
Prepare yourself. The most hype and exciting set of images put to celluloid that any gamer had ever seen, the Mortal Monday ad is the greatest video game commercial of all time. When the second and iconic “Mortal Kombat” scream occurs everyone knew the gaming landscape was permanently altered. And the music, oh the music! This commercial still sends those who view it into a fighting game fatality frenzy.
The extended 2-minute version is a slice of nostalgia that is unmatched for early 90s kids, the clothes, the attitude, the music, a perfect time capsule. There is no substitute when discussing the raw energy this commercial communicates, this is the pinnacle of hyping up a game’s release. The ultimate in hype and anticipation, a flawless victory.