09/28/2019

“Congratulations! We Hope You Have Enjoyed Playing This Game” (From The Attract Mode Archive: #118)

by Matthew Edward Hawkins

The following post originally appeared on attractmo.de, on September 5, 2014.
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The dust has settled, and Fangamer ? Attract Mode can be considered a bona fide success. In fact, according to word on the street, this year’s FG/AM shindig might have been the best one yet! Or so I’ve been told. Anyhow, can’t wait to share the full rundown once the photographer passes along her handiwork. Till then, myself and everyone else who was involved, i.e. all the artists, game makers, musicians, and everyone at Fangamer, will continue to bask in the afterglow of a job well done.

As silly as it might sound, it kinda feels like being part of the winning team, who won the big game at PAX Prime. Which is why I have to wonder if it’s similar to the euphoria that the victors experience after the Super Bowl. Hence the video above. That and how I just love it whenever something legitimately obscure from the 8/16-bit daze finally comes to light, in this case the ending credits to john Madden Duo CD Football for the TurboGraphix CD add on.

The story I’ve made up in my head goes like this: the game was made in Japan, and when the programmers asked the American marketing firm or whomever for footage to accompany the title sequence, presumably of actual NFL players in action, someone seriously dropped the ball and at the last minute decided to film themselves acting like total goofballs in their backyard one afternoon. Something like that.

I also love how it resembles the nonsensical title sequences and credits of assorted Film Ventures International releases from the early 90s, which were often the highlight of the early Joel seasons of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (you know, stuff like Cave Dwellers and Pod People).

Via @ferricide.

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