Looking back on a eight year old me in 1993 I can’t help but wonder the type of person I’d be today without the influence of video games. I remember the T2 arcade, X-Men, Area 51 and many more like it was yesterday.
Being 34 now and having a career in service design I cant help but breakdown the steps involved during my experiences with these now sacred artifacts of the 90s.
Before even thinking about beating up a coke dealing dread-locked Rick James look-a-like boss in Final Fight or picking your character from a world map of street fighters, the first step the eight year old me experienced was the intro screen.
It was the developers and artists 15–30 second window to showcase for one last time the ostentatiously crafted marketing of their creation and start the users journey— the already impatient eight year olds of the world bashing the start button to skip the screen had to endure a few more seconds before they could take total control.
Here’s a collection of my favorite intros from a time of neon, frizz, dunk-a-roos and Hot Pockets:
1. Earthworm Jim (1994)
Who remembers that weird period of the 90s where the hippie theme made a comeback? Is it just me or did this game have that kinda wacky, stoner vibe to it?
2. Final Fight (SNES 1990)
The NYC grunge, drugs, violence theme seemed to really make its mark in a lot of 90s concepts
3. Area 51 (Arcade 1995)
Aliens, lasers, molten metal… 1995 encapsulated.
4. X-MEN (Arcade 1992)
Up to four players!
5. Punisher (Arcade 1993)
90s action movies — epitome of thrill.
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Arcade 1989/1990)
Mutated teenage turtles named after Italian Renaissance Artists who fight crime… Regular or menthol?
7. Robocop (Arcade 1988)
Corporate greed, grunge, decay and of course cold hard steel to the rescue.
8. Alien vs Predator (Arcade 1994)
9. Jurassic World (Arcade 1997)
10. N.A.R.C (1988)
I know its from 88' but one of my personal favorite design concept of the time
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