10 Video Games With Shameless Product Placement

3. Micro Machines - Micro Machines

92029 Zool 2 (World) 4
Codemasters

Micro Machines ostensibly existed to advertise the toy cars of the same name, though turned out to be far, far more fun than brumming miniatures around the kitchen table could ever be.

It's not clear how many kids were compelled to waste their pocket money on the die-cast equivalents after playing Micro Machines, but what is certain is that they had no mates left to race them with. Is there a multiplayer game as efficient at dismantling friendships as Codemasters' magnum opus? It's clearly designed with maximum controller-flinging in mind; the second game even introduced the concept of the J-Cart so four buddies could fall out all at once. That's the sort of commitment to bastardry that deserves respect.

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.