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A time capsule of ridiculous video game box art

Nostalgia is a weird, powerful thing. It's the force of nature that resurrected Captain EO at Walt Disney World and turned a children's cartoon about living robot cars into a blockbuster movie franchise. For me, it's also the reason I collect video game packaging from the 1980s and '90s. It feels silly, coveting a glorified advertisement designed to sell Nintendo games, but I can't help myself: A lot of these boxes are minor works of art. Don't believe me? Check it out: a full gallery of NES-era game boxes with deliciously over-the top plot descriptions, fantastic pulp artwork and even the occasional free-pizza coupon. Have a favorite retro game box of your own? Tell me all about it in the comments section below.