The 'Wii Would Like to Play' campaign chose not to embrace an obvious strategy, namely fawning over the prized teenage male gamer. Instead, Wii targeted his mom, dad and grandmother. While the competition catered to a narrow audience, Wii invited everyone to play. As a result, the Wii has been sold out nationwide since the launch and ignited a cultural phenomenon in how people experience video games.

They can thank targeting all they want, I'm sticking to my theory that it was commercial's music that got inside your head more than those two Japanese blokes turning up on your doorstep.

'Wii Would Like to Play' Wins Grand Effie Marketing Award [GameDaily.biz]

Strong female role-models America and Carrie will surely inspire many young women to pick up one of Nintendo's handhelds, while the Liv Tyler ad will have men who are subconsciously attracted to Steven Tyler to the stores in droves.

Here they are! The first Super Smash Bros. Brawl commercials straight from Japan. There are three in total so be sure make the jump to check out all three. This one just keeps getting better and better.

And then we get competitive. And someone dies."

This is one of the worst commercials I have ever "scene." The worst part about video games going mainstream is that they try to appeal to *gulp* the general public.

Stewart has a history of video game voiceover work, voicing Captain Picard and Professor Xavier as well as original characters like Oblivion's Emperor Uriel Septim VII and his first game role as King Richard in Lands of Lore for the PC way back in 1994. I'm pretty sure involvement with Final Fantasy, even in commercial voiceover form, completes some sort of holy geek trinity. Michael Fahey

Patrick Stewart Records Voiceover For UK and Australian Final Fantasy XII TV Campaign

London (15th February 2007) - Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces that legendary actor Patrick Stewart will provide the voiceover for the UK and Australian TV commercials for the forthcoming epic FINAL FANTASY XII.

The latest title in one of Square Enix's most beloved franchises will be released across all PAL territories exclusively on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system on 23rd February, with TV commercials set to begin airing from 19th February.

David Dyett, European Marketing Director of Square Enix Ltd. comments, "When we first saw the incredible visuals for FINAL FANTASY XII, we knew we wanted an incredible voice that would match them. As our first and only choice, we're thrilled that Patrick Stewart has provided the voiceover for the FINAL FANTASY XII television campaign in the UK and Australia."

Since its debut in 1987, the FINAL FANTASY series has sold over 70 million units worldwide. With its cutting-edge visuals, unique worlds and intricate narrative, FINAL FANTASY has defined the role-playing genre and continues to be adored by fans around the globe.

Zelda: Link to the Past Original Japanese TV Commercial [GameBrink]

The PlayStation 3's Power = British Women Stacking Plastic Cups [Destructoid - Thanks Jane!]

To put the PS3 price in perspective, it costs just as much as a Commodore 64 did almost two decades ago. And that's not even taking inflation into account. But a PS3 doesn't include four swell programs, including Teach Yourself Basic, nor — I guess — two luscious blonde twins sliding down a water slide in their pink bikini tube tops. So I think the Commodore 64 was still probably a better value. Florian Eckhardt

Look, I don't want to hear any complaints about how this ad doesnt show any game footage. Or how it doesn't even show the PlayStation 3. Or that if you didn't know better, and somehow missed the final 3 seconds of footage, you'd have zero inclination this was PS3 related at all. Why? 'Cause I like it. Let me just enjoy the serenity of the black and red hued marketing chill out that is "The Wait", now showing at theatres and Web sites nationwide. If you really need to, make some cracks in the comments about how "The Wait" should really only be shown in Europe. Michael McWhertor

Eds Note: Sony just contacted us to say this ad is running in Canada and not the US.

I love these Japanese Metroid commercials. In the first, Samus Aran surfs a 3.5" floppy through the universe to battle gelatinous, brain-sucking slugs. I also love how Japanese pronounce every letter in the English language like a separate syllable. "Muh-eh-tuh-ruh-oid-u!"

In the second, a sexy bikini Samus morphs into full battle armor, but only after we discover that all Anglo-Saxon scientists of the future speak perfect Japanese. Florian Eckhardt

Because there just haven't been enough videos posted lately, here're some classic Japanese commercials for Mariopaint. The first is all about claymation Mario riding a SNES mouse to ultimate victory, while the second features more of the music composition feature and 2d Yoshi.Eliza Gauger

[from Siliconera, by way of Aeropause]

Can you help Journey escape from the arena of rock through hordes of love-crazed groupies? Affirmative. I like to think that the life system works on the principle that you can only collide with so many groupies until you are so drained that you ejaculate the spools of your intestines. Although I hope the health system works different when you collide with those "shifty-eyed promoters." Florian Eckhardt

These British ads for Reservoir Dogs are f-ing brilliant. One is a granny and two kids reenacting the dick-dick-dick conversation from the diner and the other is that great final gun scene staring two kids and their bound and gagged dad. If the game is anywhere near as good as these commercials It's going to rock.

In case you couldn't figure it out from my use of the word dick three times, the video may be unsuitable for workplace viewing. Brian Crecente

Granny and kids and Fbomb kids [Loki Ltd,via Gawker]

A commercial for Mario Hoops 3-on-3 that emphasizes the rhythmic tapping and slashing of the game. For some reason, as I hear the stylus scratch across the touch screen, I clearly envision a piece of grit trapped under the point, irrevocably marring the resplendent screen with a jagged, inch long wound. I'm actually cringing — I'm not buying any game that makes me treat my DS Lite so savagely. Florian Eckhardt

Isn't it remarkable, then, that we've reached a point where a long-established insurance company can reasonably expect to gain customers by saying, effectively, "You shouldn't worry if you've got Farmers insurance, because gamers are standing by"?

Remarkable, and hugely beneficial. Because if no one sees it coming, we can shotgun a lot more of our classmates before we hit three stars and the fuzz shows up. Go forth and conquer! Eliza gauger

UPDATE! The stupid thing auto-plays. It is now behind the jump for your pleasure.

Gamers Are Standing By [Terra Nova]

Dale's old VHS collection was in need of some attention. He could have sworn he had a full tape of the Red Shoe Diaries just waiting for some special care. Halfway through a cardboard box marked "KTCHN CLOSET" he stumbled on what will, in time, be recognized as the greatest archaeological find of the 21st century.

Thanks Dale!Eliza gauger

Dear Gamebrink — we love your constant stream of tips, since it allows us to get paid without actually doing any real sleuthing. But when you post a video, could you please embed it as something besides a postage stamp sized proprietary flash player? Better yet — if you You Tube all your cool videos, we can just shamelessly steal them directly!

That said, our friends over at Gamebrink have posted a video of a great Famicom commercial from the early 80's. The best part about the original Nintendo lightgun? If you pulled it out in a schoolyard somewhere, you'd suddenly find all the SWAT team members in the world barreling down on you. It looks like a real Colt .45! FLORIAN ECKHARDT

Nintendo Lightgun Was Originally A Six Shooter [Gamebrink]

Do American gamers still drink Jolt to get through those epic gaming sessions, or has some new fizzy elixir taken its place since I was last in the country? There should be more soft drinks that market to gamers, desperate for another surge of energy to get through the last leg of that WoW leg. In that regard, the Koreans have the right idea, as evidenced by this ad for Enerzen (pronounced Energen, apparently) that is specifically marketed to the racing fanatics who play the Korean MMOG Kart Rider.

The translated pitch? All of Youth, It is time for taking Enerzen. While your competitors are sleeping, You, brave new worker(!), should recharge your energy for the win. *nod* Makes sense! - Florian Eckhardt

Recharge yourself for the win! [Gamestudy]

Because game designers code entirely through two button input controllers. Plus design two games a day!

Become A Game Designer [Google Video]

Now, emulation is something so shameful that companies like Sony constantly update their console OSes regularly so programmers can't figure out how to play their crappy twenty year old NES games on them. But back in the good old days, companies brazenly advertised that their system could emulate competitors' games. Sure, those Colecos would rust up on you in a second, but hey! It's all worth it when for the price of a single expansion module even a Colecovision owner can experience the sadomasochistic glory of E.T. first hand.

The Nintendo Cereal song has to be the catchiest tune ever dreamed up by an 80's jingleer. Although the shapes of the cereal pieces themselves resemble the 8-bit pixellated forms of Mario and Link not a bit, it's that "NIN-TEN-DO! IT'S FOR BREAKFAST NOW" chant that caused us to hold our breath in the cereal aisle at the local supermarket until we began having a series of spastic asphyxiation seizures and our Mom caved and bought us a box.

Nintendo Cereal Commercial [You Tube]

I'm looking for a new DS game, but its just so freakin' pink! And you have to cry! There's no crying in video games!

Super Princess Peach [YouTube]