Chasing Gold in the Maze: A Look Back at the Lock ’n’ Chase Intellivision Ad
The early 1980s were a golden age for arcade-inspired home games, and few titles illustrate that better than Lock ’n’ Chase. This vibrant ad for the Mattel Electronics Intellivision release perfectly captures the thrill of outsmarting the police while grabbing as much loot as possible.
The Artwork
The ad explodes with color, presented in a bold, almost comic-book style. The central figure is a sly thief in a top hat and tuxedo, leaping across the page with a bulging bag of money marked with a giant dollar sign. He’s surrounded by oversized gold coins that appear almost like stepping stones leading deeper into the maze.
The backdrop is a kaleidoscope of geometric walls and corridors, stylized to look like a digital labyrinth. Shadows of policemen chase in the distance, giving the whole piece a sense of motion and urgency. The tilted perspective draws your eyes forward, echoing the frantic pace of the gameplay itself.
At the bottom sits a small screenshot of the actual game, showing the maze, the police, and the player’s score. Like many games of its era, the design is simple but instantly recognizable—colorful pathways, pixelated characters, and a clear objective: escape with the gold.
The Tagline
“Lock out the police and grab the gold. Before the police grab you!”
This line perfectly sums up both the rules and the excitement. Unlike Pac-Man, where players avoid ghosts, Lock ’n’ Chase gave players the added twist of slamming doors behind them to trap pursuers. It was part strategy, part chase, and all adrenaline.
The Appeal
The ad was smartly designed to appeal to both kids and adults of the early ’80s. The comic-book styling gave it a larger-than-life quality, while the screenshot grounded the excitement in the actual game you’d play on your Intellivision. By combining familiar arcade-style action with a unique twist, Lock ’n’ Chase stood out as more than just another maze game.
Why It’s Memorable Today
Looking back, this ad is a perfect snapshot of video game marketing in 1982: bright, exaggerated, and full of energy. It highlights how games were sold less on realism and more on imagination—promising players that they weren’t just moving pixels on a screen, but stepping into a daring heist where every second counted.
For retro gaming fans, Lock ’n’ Chase remains a charming reminder of a time when arcade ideas were reimagined for the home console, and ads like this made sure the excitement started before you even picked up the controller.
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