The very best marketing slogans, jingles, and catchphrases have this eerie way of burrowing into your skull and staying there forever. Here's a test: see if you can read the following sentences without your brain - and possibly mouth - automatically filling in the blanks. Once you pop, ___ ___ ____ ____! Every kiss begins with ___! Like a good neighbor, _____ ____ __ _____! Freaky, right? That kind of frighteningly effective messaging holds true for video game marketing blitzes as well, and over the years we've been bombarded with quite a few gaming slogans we're likely to still remember when we're in our 70s. See if these catchy console- and game-promoting quips don't instantly pop into your head on sight - and if you're experiencing them for the first time, we're so sorry to have to do this to you.
EA Sports: It's in the game
Given how sassy the last bit is, I wouldn't be surprised if this unforgettable sound bite was snipped down from "It's in the game, you stupid idiot." Andrew Anthony, the voice actor who delivered EA's most timeless slogan, actually made a goofy tutorial about how to properly cite EA Sports (which, for some strange reason, gets oddly racist halfway through).
EA Games: Challenge everything
Having a child whisper the second half of this mostly meaningless slogan was a stroke of genius on EA's part. It's like some clandestine secret is being shared with us, even though "Challenge everything" sounds like a philosophy major's dissertation and not EA's current or former stance on designing games.
Gotta catch 'em all!
Nowhere in the original Pokemon games does anyone actually exclaim "Gotta catch 'em all!" Nope - this is just a marketing catchphrase engineered to stick in your mind and fuel your quest for pocket monsters (and the endless wave of merchandise they inspire). With this one line slapped underneath the title on the box art of the original Game Boy games, along with the anime theme song that chanted it in its chorus, Nintendo birthed a catchphrase that we'll probably still remember on our deathbeds.
Wii would like to play
Besides showcasing Nintendo's oh-so-clever wordplay on the word "we," this phrase also has the power to instantly trigger the sound of an upbeat drums-and-koto rhythm playing in my mind. The commercials featuring this slogan also indicate that if two Japanese businessmen show up to your door with a briefcase containing a video game console, you are required by law to let them in, play their games, and enjoy yourself immensely.
Now you're playing with power
This slogan from an NES ad is legitimately more memorable than the existence of R.O.B. the robot. It also inspired two less memorable slogans: "Now you're playing with power; SUPER POWER!" for the SNES and "Now you're playing with power; PORTABLE POWER!" for the Game Boy. Neither slogan comes close to topping the snappiness of the original.
Power to the players
Or, more accurately, "Exploiting players to make insane profits off the ever-dwindling second-hand market." Funnily enough, this same slogan was recently co-opted by the popular free-to-play MMO Runescape, of all things.
The way it's meant to be played (NVIDIA)
Even if you have no idea that you've read this sentence hundreds of times, one look at the above logo should jog your memory. Also, the same loud whispering that worked for EA Games does wonders for Nvidia, easily making up for the fact that the meat of this slogan is never spoken aloud (in ads or daily life).
Play beyond
One of Sony's many taglines for promoting the PlayStation 3 was also what David Cage begged people to do when he released his latest movie-game. ZING!
Genesis does what NintenDON'T
Sick burn, Sega. Like smear campaigns between politicians, '90s console advertisers seemed obsessed with one-upping each other with snippy remarks aimed at undermining their rivals. Nevermind the fact that this is grammatically erroneous; the correct phrasing should be "Nintendoesn't."
