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The Misleading World of Atari 2600 Box Art

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the all-hail-marketing dept.

Buffalo55 writes "These days, you don't have to worry about misleading box art, thanks to sophisticated video game graphics. In the 70s and 80s, though, companies tried to grab a consumer's attention with fancy artwork that bore no resemblance to the actual game. Atari, in particular, was one of the biggest offenders, particularly with its 2600 console."

6 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. Missing Contents by eldavojohn · · Score: 4, Funny

    In the 70s and 80s, though, companies tried to grab a consumer's attention with fancy artwork that bore no resemblance to the actual game.

    You mean your box didn't have pages of perforated LSD blotters in the back of the manual? You got fleeced.

    --
    My work here is dung.
  2. Not As Bad as Kool-Aid by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know how many sugar laden pitchers of Kool-Aid I drank waiting for a massive jolly anthropomorphic red pitcher to burst through the side of my house?

    And all I ever got was diabetes. Misleading advertising indeed.

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Not As Bad as Kool-Aid by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

      It could have been much worse. That giant anthropomorphic pitcher actually did burst through my wall. The entire side of our house caved in. The dog sustained a massive head injury from a flying brick and hasn't been the same since. My left arm was shattered, and my sister suffered compound fractures to both legs that prematurely ended her dancing career. That fat bastard pitcher just stood there with that self-righteous grin on his face while everyone was screaming and crying.

      We tried to get some kind of legal remedy, but let's just say you'd be amazed at how many lawyers can be bought with the proceeds from selling sugar water. Please, if you must drink Kool Aid do so outside and away from any structures. To this day I shake uncontrollably every time I see some kid drinking Kool Aid near a brick wall.

    2. Re:Not As Bad as Kool-Aid by Sandor+at+the+Zoo · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Insightful"? Who was drinking Kool-Aid when they...

      This is the only failblog post I've every bookmarked: Graffiti Win I'm compelled to visit it every few months, and it never fails to make me chuckle.

  3. Re:Video card speed metaphors by nomadic · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is that any different than the buxom chick in a skin tight body suit and carrying a sword that is so common these days?

    Hey, let's be fair, now. She sometimes has a gun.

  4. Re:We used to call it "imagination" by Sancho · · Score: 5, Funny

    Honestly, I pictured it like this: &