# Nintendo Game Design Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 21, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nintendo-game-design-contest/632128 "2012-08-21T03:21:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![feintsleft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d6d6ee/32.png) [@feintsleft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feintsleft)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nintendo-game-design-contest/632128/1 "2012-08-21T03:21:46Z")
I recall that way back when there was a contest to pitch a game to be created for the NES. The sponsor was most likely Nintendo Power, or perhaps a third party via an insert from a game, based on what I remember to be the sources of information available to a young gamer. Timing-wise, it would have been before 1991 because my first plan was to make Star Wars, the fact that it wasn’t original initially glossed over by my desperate need for it to exist. The winner would have been chosen based on quality of the submission, not just mailing an entry for a chance to visit a studio - which is the closest thing I’ve found record of. Does anyone else remember this and, more to the point, know what game may have come from it? Or many games, assuming the sponsors just used it as market research and didn’t credit anyone… ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nintendo-game-design-contest/632128/2 "2012-08-22T19:45:04Z")
I totally remember this. This was in Nintendo Power, and the winner was J. Scott Campbell, who went on to be a comic book artist. They showed some pictures of the game he drew, with bad guys like this flying guy in an Egyptian Pharoah Mask, and a hand coming out of the ground called Grip of Doom. I don’t know if that was ever made into a game though Found a link: [IDIOTHEAD.com -- OFFICIAL SITE OF ADAM TALLEY: NINTENDO POWER!](http://phymns.blogspot.com/2010/11/nintendo-power.html) ---
**Author:** ![yevgeny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/839c29/32.png) [@yevgeny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yevgeny)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nintendo-game-design-contest/632128/3 "2012-08-22T20:31:14Z")
How amazingly weird. Earlier today I was looking at a “Nintendo Power Memories” thread on another board, and this guy’s winning contest entry was the first thing I thought of. I remember thinking the artwork was so awesome, and what a travesty that they weren’t actually going to make the game! Glad to know he’s gone on to a successful career in comics. Thanks for finding this! ---
**Author:** ![feintsleft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d6d6ee/32.png) [@feintsleft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feintsleft)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nintendo-game-design-contest/632128/4 "2012-08-25T01:54:36Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I totally remember this. This was in Nintendo Power, and the winner was J. Scott Campbell, who went on to be a comic book artist. They showed some pictures of the game he drew, with bad guys like this flying guy in an Egyptian Pharoah Mask, and a hand coming out of the ground called Grip of Doom. I don’t know if that was ever made into a game though > > Found a link: [IDIOTHEAD.com -- OFFICIAL SITE OF ADAM TALLEY: NINTENDO POWER!](http://phymns.blogspot.com/2010/11/nintendo-power.html) Awesome, thanks! Long-time brain tickler solved, and with a cool story behind it too.