Content and Themes

In the annals of video game history, there are masterpieces, there are cult classics, and then there is Hong Kong 97 . Released in 1995 for the Super Famicom (SNES) exclusively in Japan, this unlicensed shoot-em-up is widely regarded by critics today as one of the worst games ever made. However, for collectors and historians, the phrase triggers a frantic search. Which magazines ranked it? Where did it land on their charts? And why does a "terrible" game command prices upwards of $1,000 on eBay?

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.

The Hong Kong 97 Magazine exists within the broader discussion of Hong Kong's cultural identity. As 1 July 1997 approached, the tension between Hong Kong as a unique entity apart from China and Hong Kong as an integral part of China was palpable.

Below is a draft feature focusing on the game's actual magazine presence and its paradoxical "top" status in cult circles. Magazine Presence (Advertisements): The game was primarily marketed through Game Urara