Read-A-Rama: The Forgotten Maxis Game (thankfully.)

I'm not sure what part Maxis actually played in making this edutainment game happen, but Read-A-Rama is a bizarre sight to behold. Also looking at its twisted Selena Studios sibling, Spell-A-Rama from 1995!
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● Social links:
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/ lazygamereviews
● Download the game disc archives here:
archive.org/details/READRAMA
archive.org/details/SPELLRMA
● Music used in order of appearance:
Parkside Lane 1, Last Ride Home 2
www.epidemicsound.com

[@LGR]

On further investigation... Maxis absolutely advertised this crap for a short time. DISAPPOINTED. twitter.com/lazygamereviews/status/858115746701955074

[@FerintoshFarmsPhotography]

Well, okay then...

[@megahedgehog2039]

better get started on the other missing maxis games

[@TheHordeQ]

I feel conflicted about giving this a thumbs up.

[@fastbreak333]

This is probably why Maxis got swallowed by EA... to atone for their sins.

[@VermillionR3D]

Knowing his fanbase, I'm sure someone will be so cruel as to send him these.

[@KarlBaron]

Whoever was responsible for that empty shrink-wrapped box was clearly trying to do the purchaser a favor...

[@1Soniccool]

Karl Baron Yeah the seller is like don't play this shit it is not worth your time go and play Sim City or The Sims instead of this game

[@bloodyl_uk]

Life would have been very wrong if it was any other way.

[@TheOpponent]

It's like what Yahtzee said about Ride To Hell: Retribution except for real.

[@claudiolluberes111]

Why this comment says it was made a week ago? This video was released today...

[@minirwin]

Patreon folks get here early

[@zooeey]

6:41 thats not how i remember 9/11...

[@vinesauceobscurities]

Flies did 9/11.

[@idnyftw]

well it's a time when you can put out an "Arab-themed" piece of content and not have it associated with terrorism...

[@FinestCitizen]

Woowww, LMAO! Even before 9/11, you still had the bombing of the WTC in 1993. This came out in 1995. Poor choices made by the software creators.

[@idnyftw]

it was still way before the 9/11 shift, back then "ex-Soviets" were still the big deal

[@IsmailofeRegime]

I don't think it was a poor choice to highlight the WTC, one of the iconic sights of New York City, in 1995. It had been attacked two years earlier, but only the underground parking area was seriously damaged. Plenty of shows and movies continued to display the WTC right up to 9/11.

[@GentleHeretic]

6:45 Crashing. In front of the Twin Towers. As if this wasn't uncomfortable enough, random chance had to intervene.

[@swallowedinthesea11]

Final Destination!

[@straightpipediesel]

Not really random. The Twin Towers were the most prominent part of the NY skyline. There were a number of fiction books and movies which had planes crashing into the Twin Towers, including "The Lone Gunman" a TV series that aired 6 months before 9/11.

[@SwitchAndLever]

My favourite part was how the flies have seven legs!

[@lando8913]

7th one wasn't a leg. It's a boy fly...

[@LGR]

*For the morbidly curious,* I've uploaded the full intro logo "animation" for your pleasure. It is absurd. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWWXppiBqrKbp9U

[@adamthompson6669]

Lazy Game Reviews another awesome video mate hope you are well

[@shiron222]

...Nah you're the Nostalgia Critic of Retro PC games/hardware...You remember it so we don't have to...

[@TKMachine007]

More s***t games please. I dont know why but these "family friendly" channels are so fun when they swear.

[@korvasterindar9672]

Lazy Game Reviews Maxis must have got a HUGE ammount of hard street drugs to have agreed to publish this

[@querpmuerp]

I hope that one day Clint does a review on Klik & Play. It's pure LGR material.

[@MilitaryHistoryVisualized]

Pretty sure these games violate the Geneva Convention.

[@jonnyblade3234]

Well I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here

[@marius35mm]

It's pure torture

[@MilitaryHistoryVisualized]

@@jonnyblade3234 ;)

[@camotech1314]

Why 😭😭😭

[@LazerLord10]

I can count every frame in that opening animation.

[@Gojiro7]

so how many frames were there?

[@spammyv]

You know talking about the forgotten Maxis game never advertised, never promoted, with your first lead being a shrink-wrapped empty box really made me feel like this was going to be the start of a creepypasta.

[@vwestlife]

No fresh oats?

[@DamnableReverend]

For some reason, the game ultimately freezing (?) in a flurry of digital farty noises is one of the funniest things about this.

[@SpeedySPCFan]

This game feels like it shouldn't exist. It seems like one of those fake games, like Kekcroc or one of those many creepypasta things. I have a really hard time believing that I'm not just sleeping and dreaming this entire video :|

[@CptCPT-dl9lh]

definitely a fever dream that just...manifested. I don't think anyone made the game.

[@chosentonessournotes]

Like Petscop. Odd, it’s almost like inspiration for Petscop.

[@spiderjerusalem100]

This game is literally hard to look at.

[@sandakureva]

I've got a hypothesis about both of these games since I vaguely remember playing them as a kid either at school or at a library. Essentially, for a while back in the late 80s and 90s, state governments were handing out grants like candy to any company offering educational software to kids, and it resulted in a lot of lemons that everyone forgot, probably still sitting on 5-1/4" floppies in a file cabinet somewhere. Others resulted in companies like Davidson and Associates (of Blaster fame), The Learning Company, and Knowledge Adventure taking off. Also the voice of one of these flies is familiar. I think the lady went on to do more stuff.

[@YamiSatoshi]

Actually, she did. As far as I know, she's still active to this day -- in much, much better roles.

[@spongbros]

You did a great job of building the mystery and the creepiness. And thanks for uploading them; it's really interesting to browse the Internet Archive's software collection for oddities.

[@LGR]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed and have fun with the discs.

[@joonaasd1856]

Patreon rewards

[@knubbin1827]

Patreon patrons receive early access to video uploads. ;)

[@bushwickbillOG]

how is this comment a week old already?

[@joonaasd1856]

Dude.. Patreon. You just replied on a comment that already has an answer on it..

[@Toonrick12]

6:44 Well ain't THAT a picture!

[@DrForrester2001]

What an unfortunate coincidence...

[@Offsettttt]

Oh dang that is creepy..

[@MangH0]

:THINKING:

[@Dewotto]

the flies did 9/11

[@ezequielhermoso5954]

Maxis was behind 911 nothing like a picture of the twin towers with what looks like a missile in front of it

[@SmeddyTooBestChannel]

This is like one of those things you bury deep in the back of the mind from your childhood and like, have nightmares and flashbacks about it at random

[@Dragonfire511]

You know that a game is crap for real when Clint curses it by swearing.

[@BBHood217]

When LGR uses the s-word, you know that s-word's getting real.

[@ideitbawxproductions1880]

I think this is the first time I've heard him swear in a video that a) wasn't made like 12 years ago, or b) wasn't a collab on someone else's video (like Larry Bundy Jr's pissed off programmer rants - "We made Amiga. They fucked it up")

[@dhoffnun]

It's almost like this was made by aliens doing a poor job of convincing people they are human...

[@ChrisPoindexter98]

Delisted games are a treasure enough, but when they're *this* strange it's a treat, holy fuck this is weird

[@GeminiTasiri]

5:00 Rainbow Girl looks like somebody's first Deviantart OC

[@kris_0520]

You are partially right.

[@PCGamer77]

Rainbow Brite + Jem = the "hot" cartoon chick *nobody* wanted.

[@weirdotzero7065]

Did I just see two flying.....things crashing into the World Trade Towers? Oh dear.

[@win132001]

So IT wasn't because they were actually bad games... never forget, 9/11.

[@HaydenX]

Never forgetti...

[@Lim95]

You must admit the soundtrack is boppin’

[@FlamingSackOfPizza]

5:42 - "...well, have a nap, ZEN FIRE ZE MISSILES"

[@kirby28645]

Omg, I thought I was the only one who recognized that

[@Fakan]

@@kirby28645 And Australia was like "Wot the fuck, mate?"

[@suborbitalprocess]

On the (very marginal) other hand, the main tune was kinda catchy...

[@Bread-TM]

The only thing they kinda got right

[@desired397]

I think this is the first time I've heard LGR just straight up call something a piece of sh*t

[@MoonBeamLaser]

Take a nap then FIRE ZE MISSILES!

[@AgsmaJustAgsma]

AAAAH MOTHERLAND

[@Murrlin27]

F***in' kangaroos

[@TheHordeQ]

WHAT YOU!?

[@whoijacket]

But I am le tired.

[@moosemaimer]

WTF?^^ mate

[@darkroom0716]

You and Ross Scott are like Software/Game Archaeologists, digging up ancient (by digital standard) and forgotten items and putting it on exhibit. Just another reason why you guys are probably my favorite Gaming/Computer channels on KZbin.

[@BrenTenkage]

check out Mandaloregaming he does the same thing as Ross's game dungeon

[@paulnash9851]

So it was two mutant flies who crashed into the WTC ? Conspiracy solved !!!...

[@paulnash9851]

(Apologies for bad taste)

[@gyrfalcon16]

paul nash just what I was thinking!

[@GanjsmostPrime]

Fuck wrong universe. When I find rick I'm gonna kick his ass

[@emerald.n7852]

what a difference moddern context makes

[@mariopikaman1]

Mutant flies can't melt steel beams.

[@LARKXHIN]

"Talk about vaporware." I legitimately laughed out loud. Honestly the bit at 3:30 is a pretty kickin' tune.

[@chromasus9983]

The off-putting weird 3D graphics in Read-A-Rama made me think of Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong-Nou. ..Now I kinda want to see LGR review *that!*

[@camwoodstock]

The difference between this and Eastern Mind is that Eastern Mind is actually a good and well-crafted game, if a very surreal one that can be off-putting to some. This game is just awful on various accords.

[@camwoodstock]

Really? Once you get used to the setting, I'd say there's only one "confusing" puzzle in the game, with the rest being rather straightforward if you know what you're doing. It's also rather short; I've spent about 2 hours on one playthrough, and speedruns go as low as 13-minutes. It's obviously not for everyone, heavens no. But to call it "bad" and put it on par with *this* is to basically completely be ignorant of what Eastern Mind is even like.

[@snorp09]

At 5:58, that "Stop" Button blends in so much with the puzzle pieces, I would have clicked that so many times!

[@AmayirotAkago]

Jazz Jackrabbit's Poker Broker? Wat.

[@LGR]

Haha, yep! I also have Commander Keen's Trek from the same developers. They really liked ripping off shareware game titles.

[@1Soniccool]

Amayirot Akago Jazz Jackrabbit playing poker?! Someone needs to play that game and hear the music that is so horrible that you want to play the real Jazz Jackrabbit by Epic Games

[@LeonardGr]

I want see JJ's Poker Broker and Commander Keen's Trek gameplay.

[@seb24789]

This is the kind of animation Dingo Pictures makes fun of.

[@RdVortex]

Maybe the tired characters in the games are representing the state of the development team after making these? Completely tired of life.

[@minefilms1122]

at least the opening animation's music is cool

[@TylerTheDestroyer97]

...Is that boy fly in Spell-A-Rama voiced by the same chick who voiced the main character in Bubsy 3D?

[@TheRealLumpySpirit]

iHodor WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?!

[@Hawkfire360]

I'd know that voice anywhere. SO, YOU WANNA BE A VIDEO GAME STAR?

[@n00dl3gal]

Lani has some great roles to her name, Bubsy... is not one of them

[@KatKawa87]

Ahh, breakfast, an Ale-8, and a new LGR vid; today's starting out great.

[@streled5361]

I'm going to guess that Selena Studios's logo took over half the CD-ROM space by itself

[@gymnasiast90]

It's 11.6 MB. What's interesting, though, is that it's a video file. Nope, the 3 FPS intro is not rendered by your computer (which would normally explain sluggishness), it's a video that has this abysmal framerate baked in. To top it off, the audio even skips right at the start.

[@rommix0]

@@gymnasiast90 Now that's a level of incompetence that has to be seen to be believed.

[@darkmage07070777]

I'm willing to bet that the box actually *was* in the original shrink wrap. You're likely supposed to send that registration card to the developer and they would send back the "game". This was probably an attempt to avoid wasting money from burning excess copies of the "game", since they can just make an individual copy for each registration card they get, a sign that they very well knew what they were making and how likely it was to actually sell. The pretense for this was, of course, to combat piracy (though in this case, my reaction after playing would've been to make the discs walk the plank). And since it's an edutainment "game" designed for really little kids, they're probably also hoping that clueless parents would pick it up for, say, Christmas or birthdays or whatever, and would then be pressured into sending the card off instead of getting a refund when their disappointed toddler bursts into tears over their new "game" being taken away by Mommy. Of course, they had to actually have a "game" of some kind or they'd be thrown in jail, so they slapped together whatever they could using the cheapest methods humanly possible and called it a day. Never before have I seen a "game" this old scream "sham" so loudly.

[@LGR]

Neither the registration card or the box make a single mention of anything like this so I doubt it's the case here. At the same time, that still wouldn't surprise me from Selena Studios, haha.

[@chuploops9973]

I guess you could say that intro cinematic really did "Chugalong"

[@inailboards]

Fresh Oats.... Fresh Oats....

[@ScampiTheSighted]

I think that genie was so delightfully unpleasant, almost to a superhuman level. Something we should all no doubt aspire to be.

[@alexthewongbat]

Dude, I love all your reviews good or bad - no matter what it is, your epic voice and snarky sense of humor makes these a joy to watch!

[@synthraofficial5366]

Another wonderful video! On a side note, I didn't know you were a curator on steam. You were on their main page yesterday while I was game shopping, and I was like "Hey, news I actually care about!"

[@LGR]

Oh, cool!

[@synthraofficial5366]

Yea It was pretty awesome. I actually managed to get a screenshot. It's still up their today. Pretty cool!twitter.com/ZhiteraWiggins/status/857979726404755458

[@kallemick]

"Great thank you so much would you like to play agai..." "NO!!!" God that made me laugh

[@alecjahn]

Super entertaining review, thanks for all the little fine touches that made it great.

[@SlavestoArmok]

LGR I just want you to know you make such awesome videos and you got me more into Maxis then I ever was LOL funny you posted this video today, because I just got a big box copy of Sim Copter off ebay with all the goodies plus the catalog! got it installing right now and so stoked to play!

[@schalkespringer]

H-how is this real? My god that art. That voice acting. This is unbelievable. I'm weeping and laughing.

[@srcheddar]

That wheeze after opening the empty box was sublime.

[@LGR]

Glad it was appreciated ;)

[@CornishCarper]

The way those two flies just crashed in front of the image...... wow :(

[@Tricob1974]

Bless you for playing through this, LGR. This was an excellent upload. B-)

[@Latelier240]

6:43 If they had known what was coming 5 years later after having released this.

Oh, I had forgotten about Ninja Nannys... This one is right up there with it in the crappy "educational" games list.

[@plurp7]

Ahhhhh, my day can commence and be awesome now- now that I have seen a brand new LGR video. i Love this channel:) Thanks for being awesome Clint!

[@andiquoteable]

Amazing work as always, LGR! Love you

[@Dewotto]

I could of sworn I've seen read a Rama in a maxis catalog before

[@LGR]

If you can find out which one, lemme know! Haven't seen it in mine.

[@Dewotto]

I'm currently away from home until Sunday but when I get back I'll look through my catalogs and send you a tweet.

[@Thomas__Blue]

Did those two flys who fly just crash in front of the Twin Tower? I think we all know who the real menace was on 9/11 now.

[@naddydatty]

That was the most expertly performed slow clap I've ever heard. I'm dead.

[@francisacemaglalang1701]

Your uploads are crazy fast this week! Thank you!

[@Viehzerrer]

That reminds me a lot of Dingo Pictures' mockbuster movies, that, after just seeing one or two clips, made me hate the fact that I'm German and actually understand them (not that I know if the English dubs are any better, I'm too scared to look them up. Or look at anything Dingo Pictures-related ever again.) Seeing something like that as a game is... not pleasant. I honor your sacrifice.

[@uubrmanx]

Myro Kratios Don't worry, the English dubs are even worse than you could imagine. :D

[@xan1242]

7:33 Damn man, this is AVGN level of articulation.

[@PizzaProblems]

YOU sure weren't sleepy when you made this video. Love your energy, keep it up!

[@SparkIeMotion]

That music that played in the beginning when the carpet comes flying in was awesome!

[@HopeOrDoom]

Looks like great source material for some KZbin poops.

[@CrimsonSanX]

Time for someone to interview someone at Maxis to figure out how this got the Maxis logo on it.

[@1Soniccool]

ItinerantSoldier Well some of the people who work for Maxis are retired or working on other things

[@karlpfeiffer4815]

I didn’t remember this game until I saw this... remember having it on a few school computers growing up!

[@jamiemarchant]

Jazz Jackrabbit's poker something LOL. I'm glad you have the patience to play games like this.

[@JcGross93]

Hey, Clint, or anyone here that may be able to help. A long time ago I played a point and click adventure game that I have been trying to find for, years. I only have vague memories. I remember that you were playing a psychologist or psychiatrist. You had a pendulum that you were hypnotizing people with. The story revolved around these kids that have seen something traumatic, and there was a big mystery, and a millitary base, some kind of rocket. That is pretty much all I remember, my last hope is that someone from this community knows this game. It is the first adventure game that really excited me to the point that I wanted to finish it. Please, if anyone has an idea of what this game might be called tell me!

[@Todd_Coward]

any idea what year it came out?

[@CowboyPete]

"Overclocked: A history of violence" Seems to fit the bill Check this out: www.unigamesity.com/overclocked-a-history-of-violence-pc-review/

[@JcGross93]

Yes! I think that's it! Overclocked, now that I saw the name I remember it. :D Thank you very much, sir!

[@CowboyPete]

Hey, no problem, I know how it feels to remember a game you played and not being able find it.

[@DeloreandudeTommy]

I like how 6:07 sounds like lawyer-unfriendly knock-off of Jabdah by Kato.

[@romajimamulo]

Hey, the catalog I got with my copy of SimTunes did have these in the listing. The spring 1996 catalog, page 18 These people also made: Kinderama and Math Wizard Plus I can give pictures if you want

[@deadkenndys]

Oh just look at those lovely jagged white borders around the characters. It really adds some much needed flair to the design. Now the smoothed pillow shading and anatomy on Thunder Drummer is flawless.

[@eduardoabarca6021]

I read Bread-A-Rama. I'm so disappointed

[@camwoodstock]

I have done nothing but teleport Bread-A-Rama for three days.

[@camwoodstock]

Whoa! Didn't expect you either, Solar.

[@bunnyboyking5215]

Eduardo Abarca That sounds the name of a bootleg BreadWinners game.

[@spitfire184]

6:44 Too soon, but backwards in time.

[@DaVince21]

These are my absolute favorite kinds of videos. Where do you even find such insanely weird titles?!

[@jonowee]

Your outro perfectly summarises my mindspace throughout this video, what am I?

[@bullseyestrat]

Can't believe that piece of crap came out in 1995. It would have looked dated in 1990 lol

[@EposVox]

My god, potentially the worst game you've covered.

[@silpheedTandy]

lol, i lost it when he opened the shrinkwrap and looked inside. i was not expecting that! (even funnier with the under-stated narration!)

[@StephenStaver]

Oh wow, you even shared the disk archives? You are LEGEND

[@TheGreatDicktater]

This stuff always fascinates me, obscure software, specifically video-games. Clint, I know you have Oddware, which I might add is one of my favorite KZbin segments; but would you also consider taking a look at more forgotten video-games, especially ones from the 90s and early 2000s? I know that around the turn of the century all matter of "100, 250, 500, great/classic/action" games discs sporting all kinds of varied shareware were all over the place. Many of these games were very samey (mahjong, puzzles, etc), but there were also all matter of unique, if not hidden gems on the discs. For example, as a child, I can recall booting up an old "100 Great Games" disc and being absolutely enthralled by the somewhat obscure Exile series of RPG (the grand-dad of today's Avernum series). Anywho, I'm rambling, but just something to consider, always love your uploads!

[@Yusuke_Denton]

The Exile games were great. I didn't know they were on CD collections though, I just remember downloading them from the Spiderweb Software website.

[@SchaufelPKT]

You have to review Jazz Jackrabbit Poker Broker! :-)

[@MJTRadio]

Even now, the most notable thing about this game is that this is the video that brought Ninja Nanny to my attention

[@benthomason3307]

If you had told me that Dingo Pictures made these I would've believed you wholeheartedly.

[@An_Actual_Ditto]

I made the mistake of eating breakfast while watching this video

[@staticfanatic]

man, maybe if I ask really nicely in the comments he'll upload it to the internet arcOH MY GOD HE DID IT THE ABSOLUTE MADMAN

[@dethdust]

Thank you for sharing the files! :)

[@KokoRicky]

Bless you, Lazy Game Reviewer, for playing the games we never had the patience to endure. Or even knew existed.

[@lonivanbuni6793]

Holy crap, that 9/11 imagery

[@Zach_2026]

The bugs literally smashed into each other in front of the twin towers. o_o

[@naranciaisbestboi125]

Selena Studios did 9/11.

[@oDTRT]

404 The Errorbot That's why they hid all their names from the public

[@jabrockobiden9434]

Best maxis game ever

[@SoleaGalilei]

When you made the comparison to Ninja Nanny I was just thinking the same thing! Really shows the difference between so-bad-it's-good, and so incompetent it's just depressing.

[@NeonSonOfXenon]

This is the type of game that would have given me nightmares as a child, and I'm not joking when I say that. Like, seeing the art style and coloring, and especially that giant, brought back memories of a sort of flight or fight response that I got as a child whenever I saw similarly off putting character designs

[@WrathOfNolla]

Flashbacks to the Tunak Tunak video........

[@ebbiesoup1862]

CGI was horrible in that music video lol

[@dykodesigns]

Wow, that looks like a real low budget game. No wonder it's obscure. That Maxis logo seems fishy though, I'll bet it's bogus. I doubt this game would not have past their quality control. It's amost as if the developers of the game "borrowed" the maxis logo to make them look like a credible developer.

[@Newsted]

That desktop brings me straight back to my childhood. 'Tis a thing of beauty!

[@KleinMeme]

I loved this game so much! The music has blown me away and this huuuuge open world with all this caves and secrets to discover. And after the modding scene was growing up it build up better and better. :3 Boosting the graphics to levels you couldn't imagine in this times, it was so great. *_*

[@TophatwithTeeth]

0:46 "It's Not About Sex" ...ok good to know, I guess?

[@maxmetalknight]

Even funnier, considering that this is Lani Minella's resume :D

[@devilfox5310]

can you review the secret of monkey island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge

[@steveasat2]

If you want a real challenge, try to locate any evidence that "Virtual Valerie 1" ever existed. The sequel surely did, but although VV1 got a cameo on HBO's RealSex in a segment about adult videogames, it's hard to be sure Mike Saenz came up with anything except the earworm theme music. I love that Selena makes Reactor sound like the LESS sketchy alternative between two game companies.

[@zdibs]

Damn, I sadly recognize this game. My local library used to have it. Though they also had some better game compilation thingie with a Dig Dug clone on it... so that's what I spent all my time with. :P