NEC Takes a Play Tour

[PC Gaijin]

Does anyone remember the tour that NEC undertook as part of their initial marketing for the Turbografx-16? In trying to find the article on the Turbo arcade board I ran across this piece in the same January 1990 issue of VG&CE:

In hopes of pumping up the public for their TurboGrafx-16 video-game system, NEC launched their Play Tour Challenge. This six-city series of events -- featuring over 250 TurboGrafx-16s for playing, as well as music, video and sports exhibitions -- gives the audience a chance to what the TurboGrafx-16 and its new games look like. Through the months of October, November, and December, NEC brought the Play Tour to Los Angeles, California, Trumbull, Connecticut, Villa Park, Illinois, Wayne, New Jersey, Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Atlanta, Georgia.

The Los Angeles Play Tour saw over 5,000 people compete in the Challenge, with winners receiving TurboGrafx-16 systems, Murray bikes and Vision Street Wear skateboards and T-shirts.

"We want everyone to have fun," said Ken Wirt, NEC's vice-president of Home Entertainment, "as well as see what the revolution in video games is all about. It's clear there's lots of excitement about the TurboGrafx-16 system."

NEC is using the Play Tour to not only publicize their game system, but also to "audition" potential members for their TurboTeam. The first winner, 17-year-old Jim Hakola (shown in the picture above left) of Lakewood, California, scored 220,080 points on Blazing Lazers. Hakola's grand prize consisted of a TurboGrafx-CD player, a 19-inch NEC monitor and a Vision Wear skateboard, in addition to the TurboGrafx-16 system he won by making it to the finals.

So does anyone remember going to one of these? I wasn't able to go because none were even remotely close to where I lived. Wonder what ever happened to Jim Hakola? For that matter, what happened to the "TurboTeam"? I can't recall ever hearing about that again, although I think NEC intended for the TurboTeam to be like the Nintendo game counselors.

I thought this article might be interesting to some as another view of how NEC marketed the Turbo, especially early on. Many of the things NEC did basically aped Nintendo's approach (the TurboTeam, the phone tip line, funding TurboPlay like Nintendo Power, etc.) Even the Play Tour was somewhat like the Nintendo World Championships, although it's interesting to note that NEC's Play Tour actually predates the NWC.

[Keranu]

That sounds like a fun article.

[doomfarer75]

hey..steve's from Lakewood..maybe he could find him and do an interview:)

[Keranu]

Oh man that's right, great point!

[esteban]

first, I don't remember ANY promotions for TG-16. Sad, but true. But...

Dude, I've emailed Jim Hakola -- it was... 1-2 years ago! Before the TurboPlay Archives existed, if you searched for "TurboPlay Magazine" or "TurboGrafx Magazine" in google, guess who's website would pop up?

JIM HAKOLA's!

He makes (made) small plastic / vinyl figurines (his own original designs) and he fashioned metal jewelry as well (video game inspired trinkets, of course!)

Anyway, he had a random page (non-business) that documented his high-scores!!!

We exchanged 1-2 emails, but I don't think I got a chance to tell him where I live now

I sent him scans of the TurboPlay Contests he won, of course.

[Keranu]

Awesome stories. I can't get enough of Turbo related to real life stories.

[esteban]

http://www.graphic-violence.com/gv1/competition.htm

I can't believe I forgot to look for this dude's page. I had to go to my old PC, I had it bookmarked.  See where it says "Missing!" -- that's what I sent him, but he never got around to updating.

Here's the TurbPlay Contest Announcement:
http://home.comcast.net/~archive-two/TP-06-27.jpg

Here's the "Winners" page, two issues later:
http://home.comcast.net/~archive-two/TP-08-32.jpg

[TR0N]

Does anyone remember the tour that NEC undertook as part of their initial marketing for the Turbografx-16? In trying to find the article on the Turbo arcade board I ran across this piece in the same January 1990 issue of VG&CE:

In hopes of pumping up the public for their TurboGrafx-16 video-game system, NEC launched their Play Tour Challenge. This six-city series of events -- featuring over 250 TurboGrafx-16s for playing, as well as music, video and sports exhibitions -- gives the audience a chance to what the TurboGrafx-16 and its new games look like. Through the months of October, November, and December, NEC brought the Play Tour to Los Angeles, California, Trumbull, Connecticut, Villa Park, Illinois, Wayne, New Jersey, Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Atlanta, Georgia.

The Los Angeles Play Tour saw over 5,000 people compete in the Challenge, with winners receiving TurboGrafx-16 systems, Murray bikes and Vision Street Wear skateboards and T-shirts.

"We want everyone to have fun," said Ken Wirt, NEC's vice-president of Home Entertainment, "as well as see what the revolution in video games is all about. It's clear there's lots of excitement about the TurboGrafx-16 system."

NEC is using the Play Tour to not only publicize their game system, but also to "audition" potential members for their TurboTeam. The first winner, 17-year-old Jim Hakola (shown in the picture above left) of Lakewood, California, scored 220,080 points on Blazing Lazers. Hakola's grand prize consisted of a TurboGrafx-CD player, a 19-inch NEC monitor and a Vision Wear skateboard, in addition to the TurboGrafx-16 system he won by making it to the finals.

So does anyone remember going to one of these? I wasn't able to go because none were even remotely close to where I lived. Wonder what ever happened to Jim Hakola? For that matter, what happened to the "TurboTeam"? I can't recall ever hearing about that again, although I think NEC intended for the TurboTeam to be like the Nintendo game counselors.

I thought this article might be interesting to some as another view of how NEC marketed the Turbo, especially early on. Many of the things NEC did basically aped Nintendo's approach (the TurboTeam, the phone tip line, funding TurboPlay like Nintendo Power, etc.) Even the Play Tour was somewhat like the Nintendo World Championships, although it's interesting to note that NEC's Play Tour actually predates the NWC.

Nope can't say i have sorry man.

[Keranu]

http://www.graphic-violence.com/gv1/competition.htm

I can't believe I forgot to look for this dude's page. I had to go to my old PC, I had it bookmarked.  See where it says "Missing!" -- that's what I sent him, but he never got around to updating.

Here's the TurbPlay Contest Announcement:
http://home.comcast.net/~archive-two/TP-06-27.jpg

Here's the "Winners" page, two issues later:
http://home.comcast.net/~archive-two/TP-08-32.jpg

Oh I forgot to post. I visted that guy's site when you posted it and thought his site was pretty rad!

[theoakwoody]

Yeah, they came by the mall near my house and they had some huge screens set up like out of the movie "the wizard".  Anyways, I'm not positive which game I played but it was a horizontal shooter, maybe Blazing Lazers.  Surprise, surprise I didn't get a very high score but I did get a pretty sweet t shirt for participating.  I remember being pretty impressed but I was only 10 so for some reason I wasn't won over.  I loved my nes back then and was big time into sports games so I missed out on the TG16.  My buddy had one and then my other friend got a Genesis and I remember always hearing them argue about which system was better.  Man, those were the days!