A year ago, I shipped off to various video game museums my collection of Nintendo Power magazines, consisting of most of the first 46 issues. But before I did, one last silly project I wanted to undertake was to list all of the prizes from various Players Polls.
NP used the Players Poll to determine the most popular games amongst players, and used the prizes as a means of incentivizing response. Some of the prizes struck me as a little strange, even when I was reading the magazine as a child. One that stuck out in my mind was the tie-in with the Total Recall NES title, dreadful game that it was — The grand prize was an authentic martian police force uniform from the movie. 2nd prizes included costume badges from the movie. 3rd prize was the game. It’s hard to tell which prize would have been worse. Similarly, the 1990 Jan/Feb issue had a contest themed around movies. One of the prizes involved a random game from a pool of 15 notoriously awful, movie-themed NES games.
On the other hand, some of the more notable grand prizes included a trip for 4 to Disneyland (1988 Nov/Dec); trip for 4 to Super Bowl XXV (volume 18); and a trip to New Orleans for NCAA Final Four (volume 43).
Some of the weirder ones included becoming a character in a Valiant comic book (volume 20); Hudson Hawk scavenger hunt organized in your home town (volume 24); Bill & Ted’s telehone booth, installed with phone bill paid for 1 whole year (volume 27); Robocop’s Ford Taurus (volume 35); and hanging with Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (volume 40). Further, there were at least 2 contests in which the grand prize involved doing work for Nintendo or its affiliates (1989 July/August offered the opportunity to do game testing for Nintendo; volume 32 was a trip to visit Rare and brainstorm ideas for a game). Another odd thing was that, while this magazine was aimed at kids (probably), a number of the contests revolved around R-rated movies (Robocop 2, Total Recall, and Hudson Hawk).
I thought I scanned a bunch of the more interesting examples before shipping off the magazines, but I can’t find them now. I found the scans and have updated the post.
1988 July/Aug – Super Mario Bros II cover
- 1st prize (1): 10 games of your choice
- 2nd prize (10): Super Mario Bros II
- 3rd prize (50): Nintendo Power jersey
- Notes: The contest page boasts OVER 60 BIG WINNERS; indeed, mathematically, there will be 61 winners. Also, according to the poll, it looks like the licensed library was roughly 87 games large at the time.
1988 Sep/Oct – Castlevania II cover
Theme: R.C. Pro-Am
- 1st prize (1): 10 games of your choice (presumably of the entire licensed library)
- 2nd prize (5): 14-inch scale model quick drive RC model car
- 3rd prize (10): R.C. Pro-Am game
- 4th prize (50): Nintendo Power jersey
- Notes: Again, “OVER 65 BIG WINNERS” when there will be exactly 66 winners.
1988 Nov/Dec – Track and Field II cover
- 1st prize (1): trip for 4 to Disneyland (4 days/3 nights)
- 2nd prize (600+): various NES games and accessories
- Notes: Trip to Disneyland; now we’re talkin’. I’m not sure if I mistyped that 600+ figure for 2nd prize winners. Seems off. 60 2nd place winners would be more in keeping with the contests up to this point.
1989 Jan/Feb – Zelda II cover
- 1st prize (1): A set of NES accessories
- 2nd prize (10): Zelda II game
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Note: This one claims over 150 winners when the prizes only seem to add up to 61.
Click for larger image
1989 May/Jun – TMNT cover
- 1st prize (1): mountain bicycle with helmet
- 2nd prize (15): WWF Wrestlemania game
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
1989 Mar/Apr – Ninja Gaiden cover
Theme: Selecting games for the 1988 Nintendo Power Awards
- 1st prize (25): 8 of the best games of 1988, presumably as voted in this poll
1989 Jul/Aug – Mega Man 2 cover
- 1st prize (5): trip to Nintendo of America
- 2nd prize (10): Game Boy
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Notes: Win the opportunity to do work for Nintendo (test unreleased game programs)
1989 Sep/Oct – Duck Tales cover
Theme: Robocop
- 1st prize (1): A trip for 4 to the movie set of Robocop 2
- 2nd prize (1): A Robocop arcade unit
- 3rd prize (10): Autographed Robocop game paks.
- Notes: The grand prize of a magazine ostensibly aimed at kids is to win a trip to the set of an R-rated movie.
1989 Nov/Dec – Tetris cover
- 1st prize (1): $1000 worth of presents
- 2nd prize (10): $50 toy store gift certificates
- 3rd prize (10): NES Satellite
- 4th prize (50): NP jersey
1990 Jan/Feb – Batman cover
Theme: Movie games
- 1st prize (1): A private showing of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie
- 2nd prize (15): random movie-based NES game
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Notes: I can think of few worse NES-related prizes than the notoriously awful movie-based titles. There is a 2 in 15 chance of getting a good game from that set (Batman or Willow). The specific titles are listed in the scan.
1990 Mar/Apr – Super Mario Bros. 3 cover
Theme: 1989 Nintendo Power Awards
- 1st prize (25): pick 10 games from a library of 20 selected by Howard Philips
1990 May/Jun – Super C cover
Theme: Oh no, it’s Total Recall
- 1st prize (1): See the filming of Total Recall and meet Arnold himself; also, a copy of the Total Recall game as well as a Martian police uniform used in the movie.
- 2nd prize (5): Ultimate collector’s set of Total Recall badges
- 3rd prize (25): Total Recall game
- Notes: Remember that Total Recall is one of the most notoriously awful NES titles of all time.
Volume 16 – Maniac Mansion cover
Theme: Ultima: Quest of the Avater tie-in
- 1st prize (1): trip to Britannia Mansion and Origin Systems
- 2nd prize (15): set of 3 FCI RPG games
- 3rd prize (50): NP T-shirt
Click for larger images
Volume 18 – Dr. Mario cover
Theme: (American) Football
- 1st prize (1): trip for 4 to Super Bowl XXV
- 2nd prize (25): NES Satellite, NES Play Action Football, Superspike V’Ball
- Notes: This would have been the 1991 Super Bowl, New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills, 20-19, Tampa, FL
Volume 20 – Mega Man III cover
Theme: Valiant comic books
- 1st prize (1): become a character in a Valiant comic book
- 2nd prize (10): set of Valiant’s Nintendo-related titles
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 21 – Startropics cover
Theme: Battletech
- 1st prize (1): Battletech trip
- 2nd prize (10): Battletech game kits
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Notes: This seems to have no evident Nintendo relation beyond Battletech being a video game.
Volume 22 – Metal Storm cover
Theme: 1990 Nintendo Power Awards
- 1st prize (25): pick 10 games from a library of 20 selected by Howard Philips
Volume 23 – Power Blade cover
Theme: NASCAR
- 1st prize (1): trip for 4 to NASCAR race
- 2nd prize (10): Bill Elliott’s NASCAR game and pit crew jacket
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 24 – Vice: Project Doom cover
Theme: Hudson Hawk
- 1st prize (1): Hudson Hawk scavenger hunt organized in your home town, plus a big-screen TV
- 2nd prize (5): Hudson Hawk movie party and game
- 3rd prize (25): NP jersey
- Notes: Another tie-in to an infamously bad movie. I also wonder what qualified as a big-screen TV in 1991 when this was published. And once more, R-rated movie.
Volume 25 – Battletoads cover
Theme: Fathers Day
- 1st prize (1): golf cart and 2 sets of golf clubs
- 2nd prize (25): golf visors and balls, and NES Open games
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 26 – Robin Hood cover
- 1st prize (3): trip to Nintendo of America to pick up the first SNES consoles to hit America
- 2nd prize (6): Game Boy + Tetris
- 3rd prize (9): NES Advantage
- 4th prize (30): NP jersey
Volume 27 – Mega Man In Dr. Wily’s Revenge cover
Theme: Bill & Ted
- 1st prize (1): Bill & Ted’s telehone booth, installed; phone bill for 1 whole year
- 2nd prize (25): Bill & Ted’s Excellent movie and game combo
- 3rd prize (50): (new!) NP jersey
- Notes: Just… odd. Install a phone booth in your house? Stand and make calls?
Volume 28 – Super Mario World cover
Theme: American Gladiators
- 1st prize (1): See the American Gladiators live
- 2nd prize (15); American Gladiators game
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 29 – Star Trek cover
Theme: Paper Boy 2
- 1st prize (1): Mountain bike trip for family and new bikes
- 2nd prize (5): Power Boy 2 for Game Boy
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 31 – Metroid (Game Boy) cover
Theme: Star Wars
- 1st prize (1): Star Wars Extravanganza
- 2nd prize (10): Star Wars masks and game pak
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Notes: there was a special Star Wars screening in select cities to commemorate the game release
Volume 32 – Super Castlevania IV cover
Theme: Battletoads
- 1st prize (1): trip to Rare (“toadally cool”)
- 2nd prize (10): Battletoads for NES and Game Boy, Battletoads sweatshirt
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Note: another labor trip: “Give them your ideas for the SNES version of Battletoads”
Volume 35 – WWF Super Wrestlemania cover
Theme: Another Robocop tie-in
- 1st prize (1): Robocop’s Ford Taurus
- 2nd prize (10): Robocop II movie + game pak
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
- Notes: Again, an R-rated movie as prize in contest aimed at kids? Then again, first prize is a car.
Volume 36 – Darkwing Duck cover
- 1st prize (1): trip to Nintendo of America, meet George and Rob (NP reviewers); pick up new Super Scope
- 2nd prize (10): Super Scope 6 accessory and game pak
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 37 – Lemmings cover
- 1st prize (1): Street Fighter II CE arcade game (estimated value is $3500)
- 2nd prize (10): Street Fighter II for SNES
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 38 – Street Fighter II cover
- 1st prize (1): Super Mario Bros. Pinball
- 2nd prize (5): Custom-made Super Mario World jackets
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 39 – Mario Paint cover
Theme: The Simpsons
- 1st prize (1): Simpsons tie-in
- 2nd prize (10): either Krusty’s Fun House for NES or Krusty’s Super Fun House for SNES
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 40 – Felix The Cat cover
Theme: D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
- 1st prize (1): Hang out with Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince; Miracle keyboard tie-in
- 2nd prize (5): complete Fresh Prince music library
- 3rd prize (50): NP T-shirt
- Notes: This seems a bit tenuous as far as Nintendo connections goes. But at least they had Mike Tyson in common (Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! and “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson” rap song)
Volume 41 – Super Mario Kart cover
Theme: Clue board game
- 1st prize (1): Clue trip
- 2nd prize (15): Clue game pak and Clue board game (Clue: The Great Museum Caper)
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 42 – Super Star Wars cover
Theme: (American) football
- 1st prize (1): NFL Pro Bowl
- 2nd prize (15): Super Play Action Football
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
Volume 43 – Road Runner’s Death Valley Rally cover
Theme: College basketball
- 1st prize (1): March Madness tie-in; trip to New Orleans for Final Four; NCAA Basketball for SNES
- 2nd prize (10): Official NCAA basketall + NCAA game pak
- 3rd prize (50): NP T-shirt
Volume 44 – The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse cover
Theme: NHL Hockey
- 1st prize (1): Take A Slap with the San Jose Sharks
- 2nd prize (5): NHLPA Hockey ’93 and Sharks jersey
- 3rd prize (50): NP T-shirt
Volume 45 – Pugsley’s Scavenger Hunt cover
Theme: Wayne’s World
- 1st prize (1): Wayne’s World tie-in
- 2nd prize (unknown quantity): Wayne’s World SNES game + movie
- 3rd prize (unknown quantity): NP jersey
Volume 46 – Tiny Toon Adventures cover
Theme: Nintendo Power Awards ’92
- 1st prize (1): 25 games of your choice, any of the 3 systems (NES, SNES, or Gameboy)
- 2nd prize (100): a game selected by staff
- 3rd prize (50): NP jersey
And that’s about the point when I stopped subscribing.
Nintendo Power RIP, 1988-2012 | Arcade Classics says:
[…] Gaming Pathology’s rundown of Nintendo Power’s absurd contests […]
Josh C says:
Found this after wondering when it was that I won a Super Mario 3 game in a Nintendo Power Sweepstakes when I was a kid (I’m 33 now), but alas, I didn’t see it listed. Very impressed with the list you do have however.
Nintendo Power RIP, 1988-2012 | Edmonton Journal says:
[…] Gaming Pathology’s rundown of Nintendo Power’s absurd contests […]
Rumdum says:
Nintendo Power later admitted that their Total Recall contest was the worst, as their winner did not get to meet Arnold until over one year after the contest was over, and even then for a quick handshake. In fairness, that was stated before they had a contest themed on “The Mask” where the winner would get a part in the sequel. I wonder if whoever won it was still around to be in that godawful “Son of the Mask”? Check out Angry Video Game Nerd on Youtube for more about these contests, where he has an episode devoted to Nintendo Power, which was help for gaming in the pre-internet era.
Chris says:
Can anyone please tell me anything about a Donkey Kong plush that was given away and only 50 of them were given out? I have this but do not know a ton about it.
Jessie says:
I don’t see any info on the Mario Paint contest I’ve been looking for. The grand prize was a whole bunch of games. I was one of the winners and had a picture of a spaceship I painted in Mario Paint published. I won one game, Sim City, which wasn’t bad. I’ve been trying to find the issue with the results of this contest for ages now but can’t seem to find it anywhere!
Multimedia Mike says:
@Jessie: I did a little research on this. It looks like the Mario Paint contest was not the same as the Player’s Poll contests, which is the only category I covered in this post.
Jessie says:
Wow, thanks for the quick reply. That helps! If you ever run across it, the issue with the winners for that contest, please let me know! I’ll keep looking! I think the one with the initial contest info may be volume 42.
Eddy says:
Jessie,
I know this is a long shot, bit if you find it could you email me, my buddy was a winner too (the Batman poster) and I would like to know the volume number so I could get him a copy. you can contact me on the goog mail service… eddyarnold
Thanks!
Multimedia Mike says:
@eddyarnold: Thanks for offering to help. We did eventually solve this privately via email. Volume #47 has the impressive pictures made by the Mario Paint contest winners.
Dan Marchuk says:
Awesome page. Thanks google and the writer of this post for connecting this stuff. I spent hours (days) perfecting RC Pro Am and I vaguely remember sending in my best time as it was lower than the best times they had listed in the magazine. I subsequently received a package in the mail with a bunch of Nintendo games but I never did see my name in the magazine, partly because I think my subscription ended and the prizes came many months after I sent in my times.
Multimedia Mike says:
Hey, thanks for the story, Dan. You should track down a bundle of issues online in digital format (if you know where to look, wink) and see if your name ever came up.