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What's the most impressed/excited you've been by an in-store game demo kiosk?
- Thread starter ScOULaris
- Start date
Playing NHL Hitz for the OG Xbox Demo Kiosk and making a score with my goalie as I went all the way up the other side and slapped it in.
It wasn't graphics or anything, but I sure was impressed with myself for pulling it off.
It wasn't graphics or anything, but I sure was impressed with myself for pulling it off.
Hell yeah! What a time that was.Back in early 1999, Sega Dreamcast kiosk showed up in my Best Buy months before launch and it had sonic adventure as the demo.
My jaw hit the floor when I saw it and started running around as sonic. I pre ordered the console and game there in store immediately after.
Was at a Best Buy or maybe a Sears? It was in 2005 or so and they had a demo of Halo 2 up and they were selling a chair which had built in speakers and a rumble mechanic. So as a kid sitting in this chair that had surround sound speakers and rumbled every time something major happened was the coolest thing ever and made me want to get the game.
It was magical dude. I was 17 when Dreamcast launched here in America. I'd do anything to go back to that time.
It's Super Mario 64.
Unlike all other examples, it wasn't just the graphics that wowed, even though they looked more like a controllable cartoon that anything before it. It was the controller and unbelievable free movement and camera control. The entire thing was revolutionary, a 3D play space with extremely powerful tools to navigate it with and natural response of Mario and the environment.
Unlike all other examples, it wasn't just the graphics that wowed, even though they looked more like a controllable cartoon that anything before it. It was the controller and unbelievable free movement and camera control. The entire thing was revolutionary, a 3D play space with extremely powerful tools to navigate it with and natural response of Mario and the environment.
Seeing WipEout on PS1. I assumed the graphics were prerendered FMV. Nope.
Thinking back, I've seen a lot of store kiosks... Sonic 1, Mario World, gameboy kiosks, beforementioned PS1... I remember the summer Mario64, Crash, and Nights kiosks were lined up side by side pre release...
Thinking back, I've seen a lot of store kiosks... Sonic 1, Mario World, gameboy kiosks, beforementioned PS1... I remember the summer Mario64, Crash, and Nights kiosks were lined up side by side pre release...
Since everyone already said Mario 64...
Wii Sports.
It was while I was literally in line waiting to buy a wii, but I still couldn't believe it.
Wii Sports.
It was while I was literally in line waiting to buy a wii, but I still couldn't believe it.
Ocarina of Time. I played the entire thing while other kids were waiting. I remember being floored.
Not strictly a kiosk but the local indie retailer on Sunday 29 November 1998, staying open late and packed with regulars for when the owner got back from his supplier with Japanese Dreamcasts, fresh off the plane. The Japanese launch games weren't that impressive (alongside Virtua Fighter 3tb you had Pen Pen TriIcelon, Godzilla Generations and July) but seeing a decent port of a Model 3 arcade game sold a few of them.
I held out until Soul Calibur came out in Japan, then that became my first import console.
That place was basically my demo kiosk because back then we'd get games months and months late in this country, and they'd usually had it since it came out in Japan/US. You'd just walk in and see something that wouldn't be out here for up to a year, and be able to play it.
I held out until Soul Calibur came out in Japan, then that became my first import console.
That place was basically my demo kiosk because back then we'd get games months and months late in this country, and they'd usually had it since it came out in Japan/US. You'd just walk in and see something that wouldn't be out here for up to a year, and be able to play it.
Definitely Mario 64 here too. I played for as long as I could but was always scared someone would shout at me to get off the machine. Best thing about going to Toys R Us.
Had a good time with Lylat Wars/Starfox 64 too, I feel like I got a decent way in too (I mean the game isn't exactly long).
Had a good time with Lylat Wars/Starfox 64 too, I feel like I got a decent way in too (I mean the game isn't exactly long).
Same. It was so incredible at the time. 100% would go there to just play it.
A couple of occasions stand out for me. The first was playing Super Mario Bros. with my brother in Debenhams way back in the day. We had a Sinclair Spectrum at the time and nothing on that system controlled like Mario, such brilliant gameplay, it's no surprise that it has stood the test of time. We got rid of the Spectrum and upgraded to a NES not long after.
The second was Wipeout on Playstation in Toys R Us not long after the sytem launched. Christmas was coming up and I was planning on asking for an Atari Jaguar, mainly for Alien vs Predator, while my brothers were more set on the PS. The graphics, music and handling on Wipeout blew me away and I was well onboard with the PS from that point on (bullet well and truly dodged there).
The second was Wipeout on Playstation in Toys R Us not long after the sytem launched. Christmas was coming up and I was planning on asking for an Atari Jaguar, mainly for Alien vs Predator, while my brothers were more set on the PS. The graphics, music and handling on Wipeout blew me away and I was well onboard with the PS from that point on (bullet well and truly dodged there).
Mario 64 is a great choice... but on a personal level, I remember playing Final Fantasy VII on a demo kiosk at Funcoland (just saying it really brings me back!) and was so in awe of what a marvel it was to my young brain used to nothing but 2d pixel RPGs.
That first generation where we were leaping from 2D to true 3D games were full of moments like this where I was so enthralled at the new possibilities. Everything since then has felt very iterative... though I haven't really tried nice 3D headsets yet so I'm sure there's more experiences like that to come in my lifetime
That first generation where we were leaping from 2D to true 3D games were full of moments like this where I was so enthralled at the new possibilities. Everything since then has felt very iterative... though I haven't really tried nice 3D headsets yet so I'm sure there's more experiences like that to come in my lifetime
For me it was the first Formula 1 game on PS1, previously the best representation of F1 had been Grand Prix on the Amiga for me but this just blew it away, the framerate was great in comparison, everything looked right, it had Murray Walker! Was amazing.
Sonic Adventure. It showed the Dreamcast perfectly in the games store. My jaw dropped to the floor when I later played that at home.
Toss-up between Sonic Adventure's CGI opening running in the window of Beattie's in Lakeside, Thurrock, or Burnout 3 running on the display PS2 in Choices Video, Cambridge.