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The Albatross · Jul 16, 2014

With the near death of the videogame magazine, I feel like we've lost a mainstay in the videogame industry... those full-page ads that nearly every game magazine had that were "ULTIMATE GIVE AWAYS!" where you'd have some big 50" CRT TV surrounded by giant speakers and every game console under the earth, over $65,000 in prizes!

There were probably 2 times in my life where I filled out the forms and sent my name in, just like Publisher's Clearinghouse, thinking that I had a chance to get this enormous entertainment set. Of course, it was definitely all a marketing scam that would sign you up for magazines or sell your address to some multi-level marketing scheme... but...

What ever happened to those? Did you ever send away for it? Do you know anybody that ever actually won the grand prize?

Can you find a picture of one of those ads for gamers who are too young to remember those glory days in videogame print journalism.

Wario64 · Jul 16, 2014

I did the ones for Nintendo Power. It looked like at least people were getting those prizes there

TheJerit · Jul 16, 2014

I remember when I was a kid and daydreaming about winning one of those contests. The amount of stuff in the pictures was always ridiculous, but fucking awesome at the same time. Fuckin' 90s man...... Dem feels...

DrFunk · Jul 16, 2014

did anyone win those?

IrishNinja · Jul 16, 2014

i still have holes in my old magazines where i'd cut these things out & try to enter sometimes

never heard of anyone winning

soul creator · Jul 16, 2014

I remember getting like 3-4 rounds into the one with the word puzzle thing. Pandemonium, I think it was called?

I also remember having to pay like $5 per puzzle as an entry fee or something for each round. In retrospect, they really got over on me, lol.

fake edit: found a pic

J-P · Jul 16, 2014

Was just thinking about this the other day. I tried at least once. Fucking neo geo too!

sixteen-bit · Jul 16, 2014

I know what you're talking about, but I never entered. Sounded like some kind of scheme.

The Albatross · Jul 16, 2014

soul creator said:
I remember getting like 3-4 rounds into the one with the word puzzle thing. Pandemonium, I think it was called?

I also remember having to pay like $5 per puzzle as an entry fee or something for each round. In retrospect, they really got over on me, lol.

fake edit: found a pic

Brilliant that's it, haha! I used to dream about this

What is that console on the right, on top of the sub

Recall · Jul 16, 2014

DrFunk said:
did anyone win those?

I don't think anyone has ever come forward on the Internet as winning any of these big contests unless I've just not looked hard enough :/

mrklaw · Jul 16, 2014

sixteen-bit said:
I know what you're talking about, but I never entered. Sounded like some kind of scheme.

the scheme is the entry fee. Probably calculated to cover the cost of prizes.

Channel 5 does this a lot with The Gadget Show. Gives away £25k of gadgets every week. But they name all the gadgets (so presumably the manufacturers donate them or at least provide a discount), and you pay a premium SMS to enter. So they most likely make a decent profit off the 'competition'

puffyshirt · Jul 16, 2014

wooooah, i just got super nostalgic. I totally forgot about these!

The Elite · Jul 16, 2014

soul creator said:
I remember getting like 3-4 rounds into the one with the word puzzle thing. Pandemonium, I think it was called?

I also remember having to pay like $5 per puzzle as an entry fee or something for each round. In retrospect, they really got over on me, lol.

fake edit: found a pic

I couldn't recall what everyone was talking about until I saw this pic.

Definitely remember these.

Magnus · Jul 16, 2014

soul creator said:
I remember getting like 3-4 rounds into the one with the word puzzle thing. Pandemonium, I think it was called?

I also remember having to pay like $5 per puzzle as an entry fee or something for each round. In retrospect, they really got over on me, lol.

fake edit: found a pic

"PANDEMONIUM INCORPORATED"

lol

FrankCaron · Jul 16, 2014

puffyshirt said:
wooooah, i just got super nostalgic. I totally forgot about these!

Seconded. I shed manly, nostalgic tears for our collective, lost childhood dreams. This thread... so many feels.

djplaeskool · Jul 16, 2014

The Albatross said:
Brilliant that's it, haha! I used to dream about this

What is that console on the right, on top of the sub

NEC Turbo Grafx 16

Dicer · Jul 16, 2014

Now who can name the game on the screen?

soul creator · Jul 16, 2014

The Albatross said:
Brilliant that's it, haha! I used to dream about this

What is that console on the right, on top of the sub

Turbografx-16

Neuromancer · Jul 16, 2014

I do remember those. Using my Google-fu I found a Game Set Watch piece about it with 21 scans of various ads.

According to the author, it was real, but:

However, two important little niggles prevent the great majority of people from winning. One, Baindramage can't take responsibility if you receive a round of puzzles after the entry deadline's already passed, and if the Internet is any indication, this happens all the time with this contest (though Lund offers refunds in this case). Second, the final tiebreaker puzzle is much harder than the previous rounds, requiring you to use your own words and fit them into a much larger grid of clues.

They didn't change much over the years.

Scalpel Knight · Jul 16, 2014

Knew what this was instantly before clicking. I was always tempted to enter one of these, but I don't live in the US, and also that episode of Doug where he entered some Ponzi puzzle scheme made me think these were scams.

Ban Puncher · Jul 16, 2014

DrFunk said:
did anyone win those?

If you were the editors kid?

Then totally!

BouncyFrag · Jul 16, 2014

Lol at the ps3 boomerang controller.

SlipperyMoose · Jul 16, 2014

Reminds me of free xbox and smilies in my e-mail

BouncyFrag · Jul 16, 2014

These contests should have gotten the Ultimate Warrior in these ads.

soul creator · Jul 16, 2014

I love the two different addresses on each of those pic. I'm just picturing Lyle Lanley or something updating his PO Box info every time the Feds gets a little too nosy

SlipperyMoose · Jul 16, 2014

Ban Puncher · Jul 16, 2014

Dicer said:
Now who can name the game on the screen?

Violent Soldier on the PC Engine, aka Sinistron for the TG-16.

Where's my Ultimate Gaming Rig?

See You Next Wednesday · Jul 16, 2014

Neuromancer said:
I do remember those. Using my Google-fu I found a Game Set Watch piece about it with 21 scans of various ads.

According to the author, it was real, but:

They didn't change much over the years.

. Note how the introductory Mystery Word Grid hasn't changed in eight years.

LOL
Also the author doesn't know anything. There has never been any confirmation anyone won.

Takao · Jul 16, 2014

SlipperyMoose said:

Is that a Super Famicom on the top left? Weird.

jaypah · Jul 16, 2014

I used to want to win these so hard! Man, I used to just imagine how dope all that shit would be in my bedroom. I would like to see someone who actually won. With the internet and all it should be easy to find a person who won.

Takao said:
Is that a Super Famicom on the top left? Weird.

I thought it was just a Euro SNES but that does look like it could be a Japanese cart.

whiteninja · Jul 16, 2014

I remember entering once for the one with the "blazing fast" PC but never heard anything back. Wasted my allowance.

Ban Puncher · Jul 16, 2014

Wait, you had to pay money to enter the competition?

I need to get in on that hustle.

sixteen-bit · Jul 16, 2014

Takao said:
Is that a Super Famicom on the top left? Weird.

Not weird. Contextually everything else in that picture came out in 1989 or 1990, so you can infer it was photographed before SNES came out in North America (late Summer '91).

dadozer · Jul 16, 2014

IIRC in the fine print it said that at the conclusion of the contest, if there were multiple winners the cash value would be split between all of them.

So I assume 500 people won 40 bucks or something, and they never actually gave anything away.

Krejlooc · Jul 16, 2014

As I said in the other topic, this was 100% a scam. People would win and the company would go bankrupt and never pay out.

One dude won this contest multiple times and wrote about it.

Krejlooc · Jul 16, 2014

Here is a topic where past winners are talking about being scammed: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/topic/3337-rattlebrain-inc-contestanyone-ever-signed-up-for-this/

Het_Nkik · Jul 16, 2014

Krejlooc said:
As I said in the other topic, this was 100% a scam. People would win and the company would go bankrupt and never pay out.

One dude won this contest multiple times and wrote about it.

Your two statements completely contradict each other.

EDIT: Nvm, you changed your post to be more clear.

Krejlooc · Jul 16, 2014

Het_Nkik said:
Your two statements completely contradict each other.

EDIT: Nvm, you changed your post to be more clear.

"Won" as in, was declared the winner, but never got his prize.

In case anyone else isn't clear.

Neuromancer · Jul 16, 2014

Krejlooc said:
Here is a topic where past winners are talking about being scammed: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/topic/3337-rattlebrain-inc-contestanyone-ever-signed-up-for-this/

Yeah ok it sounds like a complete scam. It's amazing it went on for so long.

I enjoyed reading all the posts on this page, and decided to post my own story in case anyone else is trying to research this "company." Another page you need to read is: http://www.gamesetwa...006/11/12-week/, which shows many if not all of the advertisements for this contest. It is hard to find real information about the "company" that offers this contest. That is your first clue.

I entered the contest about 10 years (and countless incarnations of the "company") ago. I worked really hard on the final puzzle, which is difficult and variable enough that only one person is likely to get the high score. It requires you to use the Oxford English Dictionary and other dictionaries to find really obscure (and small) words, and fit them into a grid in such a way as to obtain the highest possible score. Long story short, I won. Imagine my pride at having beat all the thousands of people who entered the contest, and my anticipation of winning all this awesome stuff. Guess what?

That's right. I got nothing. What I did get was a series of what I believed to be official courtroom proceedings of the bankruptcy of what was "Pandemonium." I could not make a claim on what was due to me because the amount was too small. I went so far as to obtain a consultation from a lawyer, who directed me toward the Better Business Bureau. I was in college, and decided not to try to pursue legal action, because who has the time and money for that when what you're owed is relatively small (c. $20000), and you're trying to get it from a bankrupt company? And you're a broke college student?

I still have all the paperwork from everything I did for the contest, all my countless words that I found and the myriad grids I filled in trying to achieve the best score that I could, and let's not forget the documents of the bankruptcy proceedings. It all serves as a reminder of the hard work I did, which I am proud of, and the fact that there are people out there in this world like Rick Lund who are failed, worthless human beings who make a living preying on the dreams of innocent young people, stooping to the lowest depths and using the loopholes in the court system to continue to perpetuate a business scam, calling kids "sore losers" when they justifiably complain and critisize the operations of this puzzle contest. Just look at the number of times this "business" has changed names and addresses over the years, folks. Legitamate businesses change locations maybe once in 10 or 20 years, when they outgrow their location, want a bigger demographic, buy out another company, etc. But rarely do they change names frequently. Caveat Emptor. Yes, I probably should have known better, but like the others on this page I had seen the ad for a long time and was curious to see if it really was legit, and if so whether I could actually do what it took to win. What I got was a lesson in the dark side. Do not enter this contest. Put your money and energy to work in other endeavors that are likely to pay off.

As for Rick Lund, if I ever find him, I'm going to chop off his you-know-what and feed it to him. If someone hasn't already beaten me to the punch.

Hello everyone...

It has been a long time since I entered Pandemonium and Puzzle Me contests. I have been a winner 3 times while under the name Pandemonium and 3 time winner under Puzzle Me. So a total of 6 times I have won.

As of this day though, I have only recieved enough money to pay just one out of the 6 times that I won. I have called Rick Lund so many times , and been so patient with him, and always when I talk to him on the phone I was giving a story of why he cant pay me, but always kept my hopes up that in the future he was going to be able to pay (example, after he runs another contest he would have money to pay me then)... So yeah I kept my hopes up, and yeah I got paid only $500 a month, and that $500 a month only lasted a few months because the company filed bankruptcy, and started up again under the name Puzzle Me.

I enter puzzle me contests and won 3 , but it didnt matter because the same thing happened again, although I got a little more this time then before, but still, I nearly won $50,000 total between the 6 contests, and maybe recieved a total of $6,000.. The figures are vague as its been so long ago and I can only base it on memory, although I do have all my records of my winnings.

So to anyone that enter this contest, its impossible to win if you dont know what you are doing, and if you do know what you are doing its still a slim chance on winning.. And finally , if you do win, I wouldnt expect to actually recieve what you won, based on my past experience with Pandemonium, Puzzle Me, and Rick Lund.

I am in total shock to find out that he has yet another contest going again under another name??? It is unbelievable how this can keep on going for all these years, but I guess its people like me that won, and just sit back and accept what he pays us and don't push it any further or take legal action, and that is why I am guessing he can still keep on running these contests!

If anyone on this forum wins the recent contests, I like to know how it turns out, with actually getting your prizes/money.

Good luck to anyone doing these contests!

See You Next Wednesday · Jul 16, 2014

Neuromancer said:
Yeah ok it sounds like a complete scam. It's amazing it went on for so long.

Well that explains the company name changing so frequently.
If there are any winners, they just declare bankruptcy & start anew.
The scam starts all over again.

Rick Lund, who seems to be running this scam, is completely untouchable if people try to sue him.
People will sue his bankrupt company, for which he no longer works for.
Even if those people win, they won't get a dime, because the company is broke & the prize money is considered too small get any legal action levied against them.

This is a common business practice that crooked businesses use to screw people over.

frankie_baby · Jul 16, 2014

See You Next Wednesday said:
Well that explains the company name changing so frequently.
If there are any winners, they just declare bankruptcy & start anew.
The scam starts all over again.

Rick Lund, who seems to be running this scam, is completely untouchable if people try to sue him.
People will sue his bankrupt company, for which he no longer works for.
Even if those people win, they won't get a dime, because the company is broke & the prize money is considered too small get any legal action levied against them.

This is a common business practice that crooked businesses use to screw people over.

Can he not be done for fraud and banned from running a company?

See You Next Wednesday · Jul 17, 2014

frankie_baby said:
Can he not be done for fraud and banned from running a company?

The CAG posts pretty much states, no lawyer will go after someone over a measly just $20,000.
Just suing & accusing in small claims court probably isn't enough either.

Horseticuffs · Jul 17, 2014

You're hittin' me with them ads. Reminds me of when I was a wee lad and subscribed to the Masters of the Universe magazine and they ran a contest to design a hero that would get made into an actual figure.

That hero, ladies and gentlemen?

Fearless Photog, bitches.

Dicer · Jul 17, 2014

Man Puncher said:
Violent Soldier on the PC Engine, aka Sinistron for the TG-16.

Where's my Ultimate Gaming Rig?

Good job....it's in Lund's storage space

smurfx · Jul 17, 2014

See You Next Wednesday said:
The CAG posts pretty much states, no lawyer will go after someone over a measly just $20,000.
Just suing & accusing in small claims court probably isn't enough either.

people should just write angry letters to the companies accepting this frauds ad dollars.

Wolf Akela · Jul 17, 2014

Neuromancer said:
They didn't change much over the years.

CRT monitor with side speakers?

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