Rafomac News, Tech & Trends That MatterPromoting a video game might seem straightforward, but some adverts missed the mark spectacularly. From an ostrich running on a beach to a banned controversial clip, these are the 10 worst video game adverts you’ll ever see.
Why Final Fantasy IV’s Ostrich Spot Baffled Gamers
Final Fantasy’s reputation for epic storylines and jaw-dropping visuals made it a marketing dream—for most of the franchise, anyway. The sequel, Final Fantasy IV, promised magical crystals, secret worlds, and battles with lunar wizards. Yet, its commercial featured a laughing ostrich sprinting across a beach. No crystals, no airships—just an ostrich doing its thing. Even more puzzling, Square released a second ostrich-themed advert shortly after, doubling down on this bizarre choice. Fans couldn’t help but wonder—why not just show the iconic chocobo, the bird everyone associates with the series? Instead, they got an animal that doesn’t even appear in the game.
Moving down the list, some adverts not only confused but crossed lines.
Juiced’s Controversial Controller Ad That Got Banned
Sex sells, but Juiced took it way too far. In a British commercial, two guys race their cars as they customize the vehicles on screen. Meanwhile, a woman walks by—and magically, her clothes change color and style in sync with the car modifications. Then, things get wildly inappropriate; they strip her wardrobe completely, exposing nudity, and even brand a logo on her like livestock. The shock factor caused the advert to be banned, and the game itself couldn’t recover from the controversy.
Then there’s the mystery that is the PS2 mountain commercial.
When PS2’s Ads Left Everyone Puzzled
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console ever, with 155 million units sold, yet one of its commercials was so cryptic that most viewers had no clue what product was being promoted until the very last second. The clip shows a chaotic crowd battling on a mountain with no hint of the PS2 or what the ad was about, ending with the tagline “fun for anyone,” which felt more ironic than true. It’s a strange chapter in advertising, illustrating that even the most successful brands can stumble in marketing.
Game Boy Micro’s Uncomfortable Mouse Moment
Nintendo is usually the king of family-friendly ads, but the Game Boy Micro commercial raised eyebrows. Instead of focusing on the device’s portable size or sleek design, viewers got a mouse humping the console in a maze. The bizarre imagery distracted from the product and made people question the psychology behind such a choice. Not exactly the pitch that screams, “Buy me!”
Sega’s Bold—and Overconfident—Genesis Campaign
Sega’s advertisements for the Genesis (Mega Drive) proudly claimed, “Genesis does what Nintendo don’t.” The campaign hammered in the console’s unique blast processing chip, which supposedly made gaming faster. But beneath that boast, the Super Nintendo had superior graphics, color palettes, and audio. Sega’s adverts were professionally made but came across as overbearing posturing for a brand that couldn’t maintain the momentum long-term in the console wars.
An Unsettling Zombie Breastfeeding in Resident Evil 4
France got a rather unsettling treat with a Resident Evil 4 trailer featuring a zombie mother breastfeeding her newborn. The twist aimed for shock value but landed somewhere uncomfortable, cementing its place as an obscure and cringe-worthy promotional choice rather than a memorable one.
Hey You, Pikachu: The Commercial That Was Too Long
The N64 game Hey You, Pikachu used a microphone peripheral, and the advert clearly explained this within 20 seconds. Unfortunately, the commercial dragged on for over two and a half minutes, repeating Pikachu’s voice interactions over and over. Rather than building excitement, it made the game seem boring, which is ironic for what should have been a charming, innovative pitch.
Jam Sessions’ Inappropriate Australia Ads
Jam Sessions, a Nintendo DS exclusive, was marketed as a musical game to make players feel like rockstars. While the US ads were tame, Australia got a shocker. One commercial showed a kid swearing at a birthday cake, which was edgy but not extreme. A second ad crossed a serious line with a child receiving the game from a scantily dressed aunt, then kissing her deeply and inappropriate touching implied. For a game aimed at players as young as three, this was widely criticized and baffled audiences.
Mighty No. 9’s Insulting Narrator
The Kickstarter darling Mighty No. 9 impressed fans with gameplay but faltered instantly with its trailer’s narrator, unleashing cringe-worthy jokes and taunting anime fans. The narrator’s remark that the hero would “make the bad guys cry like an anime fan on prom night” offended part of its core audience, especially since the game drew inspiration from the beloved anime character Astro Boy. It was a misstep in tone that overshadowed the game’s promise.
Kirby Canvas Curse’s Phallic Finger Problem
Nintendo’s Kirby Canvas Curse advert earned the dubious honour of top spot on this list. The commercial features Kirby and an oversized disembodied finger used to guide him via touchscreen. Unfortunately, unless the finger is shown from a very specific angle, it looks like an entirely different body part, making the ad awkward and unintentionally suggestive. Calling attention to the need for stylus control with a giant finger was meant to be clever but ended up being wildly inappropriate, especially given Nintendo’s family-friendly brand. The game even had a different title in Japan—Touch Kirby—but the ad’s visuals eclipsed the message.
These adverts show how video game marketing can veer from eccentric to outright baffling or inappropriate, sometimes overshadowing the games themselves. It raises the question: how do you sell fantasy and fun without losing your audience—and their trust?
