The first issue of Game Urara featured a small blurb and screenshot of the game—which stands as the only known print advertisement for Hong Kong 97 . Because original copies of the magazine and the physical game cartridges are incredibly rare, that specific magazine page has taken on a mythic status among internet archivists and video game collectors. The Legacy of the "Worst Game Ever Made"
This title was a Cantonese-language adult men's magazine, featuring full-color pictorials of East Asian models. Its content was created to be provocative, offering "intimate and playful photo spreads" and using taglines like "Men can't take their eyes off her curves!" and "Celebrate the beauty of full and soft bodies!". Originally launched in 1983, its connection to the year 1997 is in its name, tying it to the handover for marketing purposes. As early as 1996, a article noted that among the souvenirs for the 1997 handover, one could find a "pornographic magazine called 'Hong Kong 97'".
: In Issue 1 of Game Urara (c. 1995), a small advertisement/blurb appeared offering the game for ¥3,000 via a "shady" Tokyo P.O. box. hong kong 97 magazine top
Into the Underground: How a "Dreadful" Game Found a Print Audience The Context: 1995 Counterculture Media
Scans from the mid-90s depicting the political climate of Deng Xiaoping (who appears as a boss in the game). The first issue of Game Urara featured a
"Is this the rarest magazine ad ever? Looking for the 'top' magazine clipping that proved Hong Kong 97 was actually a real product for sale, not just an internet myth."
The result was Hong Kong 97 , a 16-bit shooter for the Super Famicom. It featured a loop of the children's song "I Love Beijing Tiananmen," digitized imagery of Jackie Chan, and a plot centered on a mercenary named Chin sent to liquidate a "herd of fucking ugly reds" during the 1997 Hong Kong handover. Because of its highly offensive content, no traditional store would stock it. Kurosawa had to rely on independent mail-order advertisements printed in the back of tech and gaming magazines. Its content was created to be provocative, offering
| Magazine Name | Key Details | | :--- | :--- | | | The undisputed king of the genre, launched in 1984. It set the standard for content and production and became the most recognized adult title in Hong Kong. | | 《藏春閣》(Cang Chun Ge) | A major competitor, known for its focus on Asian models and glamour photography. | | 《男子漢》(Nan Zi Han) | Founded by one of Long Hu Pao 's original creators. It pioneered the 10-day publishing cycle (releasing on the 2nd, 12th, and 22nd of each month) and used the slogan: "A real man appreciating a woman is only natural." | | 《火麒麟》(Huo Qi Lin) | The fourth pillar of the early market, rounding out the quartet of dominant players. |
The digitized fighter often associated with these old magazine ads.
Or are you looking to buy/value from that exact year? HONG KONG 97 Adult Mens Magazine No. 148 - AbeBooks