We had to go way back in time to get this advertisement; this one came from a copy of Entertainment Weekly in 1990! That may explain why the kids are playing on an ancient looking TV, the Game Boy is so huge, and the dad is so excited about his 486 computer running Windows 3.11! However, this doesn't explain why that kid is playing the Sega Genesis with a computer controller! And why is it not hooked up to anything? This is 16 years ago, long before the days of wireless game controls!

BAnd boy, for it being 1990 that robot dog sure does look lifelike. Oh, my mistake, that's a real dog that kid is strangling. If you can't buy that poor pup at Babbages then what is it (or the kid) doing in the shot? The mom didn't care about the computer software and the kid's games, so she was nice enough to make us dinner in the other room ... far away from where this picture was being taken. Get out of here kid, if you're not going to let video games run your life then what good are you? And while you're helping your mom set the table, let that dog out, he's just getting fleas on all of these overpriced video games!

Of course, the advertisement states that there are "gift ideas for the whole family," assuming you're a single father who likes letting the TV baby sit the kids. Where are the gift ideas for mom? You can completely miss the boat and give her The Joy of Cooking on CD-ROM or you could give her that diamond necklace she's been hinting at for the last few months. And do you think young Becky wants you to buy her the newest Barbie game on the Game Boy? Of course not, she's too interested in herself and clothing! Babbages, you talk a big game, but at the end of the day you don't know what you're talking about!

FROM: Bad Advertising, Mindfreak