The images on this page are from the "Electronics Boutique 1996 Spring CD".
This was a promotional CD catalog given out at Electronics Boutique & Waldensoftware stores in early 1996.
The images are only 256 color because that was the depth of the source files (keep in mind this was 1996).
Click on the thumbnails to see or download the full-size images (~488x480).
This site is in no way affiliated with Electronics Boutique/Waldensoftware (now EBGames/GameStop) or the publishers of these items.
These images are simply up for nostalgic value.
If you take video games way too seriously then I guess they even serve a historical purpose by documenting the state of gaming in
early 1996.
This page has items 21-41 from the catalog, a few memorable games are in
here along with a little game called "WarCraft". I guess there's
some online version of it today that's popular or something.
Decent II, like the original, always gave me motion sickness.
The Mac version of Decent came out around the same time as Decent
II for PC.
Decent: Levels of the World is your basic $10 collection of
fan-made levels downloaded from BBS' and usenet. There were about a
dozen collections like this for Doom.
If there's one thing the folks at Interplay mastered it was game
packaging. Unlike the dull, mostly uniform boxes out today these looked
like something you wanted to have on display. Whiplash had
packaging superior to the game itself.
Not surprisingly, the gang at Lucas Arts also produced some great game
packaging. Rebel Assault II was one of those games you just had
to feature in a high-profile spot because the box jumped out at
customers.
The Dig is "based on an idea by Stephen Spielberg".
I wish I could write down random ideas and have people produce games
and/or movies on them.
Tie Fighter was a huge seller at the time.
You Don't Know Jack was something of a sleeper title. People
would hear about it from a friend and come in to get a copy of their
own. There was no hype or advertising around it, just good old-fashioned
word of mouth.
Trivia question: what have Christopher Walken and Jimmie Walker appeared
in together? Answer: Ripper for the PC.
Speaking of packaging, Maximum Roadkill's was awful. Red on top
of red on top of red, almost blinding.
I'm not going to comment on what the title Wooden Ships and Iron Men sounds
like.
Darkseed II features "blood and gore, partial nudity,
expletive language", tame by modern standards.
Going back to the lame box art category brings us to I Have No Mouth,
And I Must Scream. This is another game that I believe sold
something around zero copies.
WarCraft II is probably related to some game that's popular now.
The WarCraft II shareware might have been one of the last cheap
shareware titles produced. Doom was the one that really introduced this
concept to the masses but over time it became more practical to include demos on CDs in game
magazines. Today of course we can just download the 500mb demo in a few
minutes instead. This little package may have marked the end of an era
in game distribution.
So here's that WarCraft game that spawned a global obsession over
a
decade later. Never played the original or whichever one all the nerds
are into today.
If I recall correctly. Pax Imperia 2 had a small cult following
but not great mainstream success.
NCAA Championship Basketball was another forgettable game.
Looking at the box for Pinball World makes me miss the MTV show
Liquid Television.
Wheel of Fortune features a digital Vanna White which sounds like
something out of Weird Science.
This is the first of several Jeopardy games for the PC.
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Legal Notes
Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyright (c) 2007 Hugues Johnson and may not be redistributed in any form without express permission.
This site is in no way affiliated with Electronics Boutique/Waldensoftware (now EBGames/GameStop) or the publishers of these items.
