Nobody was ready for this commercial. We didn't even know a console war was really going on outside of our suburbs. Then on primetime TV, Sega urinated on Mario's face with a simple catchy tune everybody was singing to the chagrin of Nintendo Fanboys.... "GENESIS DOES!!!". So simple, yet such a powerful kick to the nuts. And Nintendo just took it without response (See Nintendo?!! We warned that you'd grow up to be a pussy!). But I digress. Could you remember how simultaneously excited and completely pissed off this commercial made you feel? For me, looking at this poster and not being able to do anything about it was a life crisis which consumed me. You see, I grew up in Hialeah, Florida which in Cherokee Indian originally means "Surprise! Your parents are poor." so there was no way in hell a $200 console + pricier games was going to fly with my dad. I actually had to resort to (gasp) *theft* to get my hands on one. My confession and an alternate version of the video lie behind the green button >> Bonus video: The Strider and Shadow Dancer version My mission was clear: I had to sell all the shit I owned as fast possible to get this ridiculously expensive " true home arcade machine" into my house. I campaigned to my grandmother but it was useless. There were only so many GI Joes and Garbage Pail Stickers I hadn't already stuck on something. This was around the time that you had to own a Bugle Boys shirt to be a relevant male in society, so I was pretty broke usually. I only had about $60 saved I believe, and there was no way I was buying another NES cart. What could I do? I even tried calling Nintendo Power for a refund on my 2 year subscription. They said no. Facists. It was then I decided to betray my faith. Screw Nintendo! And I sold a few carts. But I was still 3/4 short until a stroke of luck and tyranny hit me..... I was invited to my cousin's huge wedding. They had decorated the table with these shitty little plastic faux golden wedding rings on each table, and with the permission of my (liberal? drunk?) parents and my cousin's permission (unknown to his spouse to this day) I fucking STOLE ALL OF THEM except for three tables (because the old guy was watching me like a hawk and didn't wanna dance "Caballo Viejo"). I put them in my mom's purse and the very next day I was at school bright and early - selling them for 25 cents each at school. I told guys they should get one for the girls they liked, not just their girlfriends (why limit the market?) or for their moms, their aunts, and their grandmothers. A gold plated ring for a quarter, what kid could resist? If you bought four I gave you one free, that was my schtick. I only had one kid ask me for a refund - and it was on a big order! Fuck you Dennis, 20 years later I still think that was a dirty request - hope you enjoyed your "Extra Cafeteria Milks" you bastard!!! Anyway, this took me a frickin month - I worked the box ball lines (if you can see grass outside your window, you know this game as 4square), teather ball courts, the kids who sat on the floor with bookbags eternally - it was rough! But I got one. And on the way home from Toys R Us we sang it all the way home. YOU CAN'T DO THIS ON NINTENDOOOO!!! To this day, still I love singing that commercial. It reminds me of old times, being excited about video games, the console wars I loved so much, and it's just awesome fun advertising that I never get tired of reminiscing about. I really wish Nintendo would have countered it. But hey, at least they are still in the console business. Ouch! -Niero