iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 27/09/2026

Dunno why I never thought of hitting @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social's digital archive for this project before, but now I did and it helped me find a whole bunch more early 2D video game forklifts (and some more recent 3D ones, but I haven't gotten around to adding those yet) samderboo.com/forklifts.php

A screenshot of the game 102 Dalmatians for the Game Boy Color. A dalmatian sits on a very short platform belonging to a very tall forklift.

A screenshot of the arcade game Nights Striker. A futuristic flying vehicle flies through a semi-abstract 3D space while dodging a grey forklift steered by what looks like a robot or a person in a kind of suit.

A screenshot of the monochrome Game Boy game The Punisher. A guy rides a forklift with a crate on it while crosshairs sit in his path. There's a big boat in the background also.

A screenshot of the arcade game Revolution X. Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford is jamming in a forklift.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 25/09/2026

I've made a large-ish update to my page samderboo.com/forklifts.php and now I've documented more than a hundred video game forklifts.

A screenshot of the game James Bond 007: Nightfire, showing a a large elaborate forklift in mostly black painting with some yellow accents lifting a bunch of crates.

A screenshot of the game Driv3r showing a regular forklift lifting a car in front of some picturesque houses.

A screenshot of the game Dynamite Cop showing the inside of a ship's storage space with some fighting dudes and a wee little forklift in the corner.

a screenshot of the game Yu Yu Hakusho 2: Kakutō no Sho, showing two pixel art anime character combatants in front of a warehouse background with a bunch of crates, large heavy metal gates and a forklift.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 12/07/2026

Added this one and a bunch more to my page now. samderboo.com/forklifts.php

Screenshot of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. Cloud standing in front of a forklift in a dark mako reactor hall.

Screenshot of Ghostbusters for the Sega Master System. A menu screen with a range of items on the left, a little forklift is standing under the middle one. On the right side is the Ghostbusters car in a much larger scale.

Screenshot of Pusu: Uyanış, a 3D action game from Turkey. A guy is standing in front of a forklift that's loaded with a wooden crate. There's a bunch more crates to the side.

A screenshot of Space Adventure Cobra: Awakening. The hero is running in front of a futuristic city skyline.There's a flying car. Closer to the foreground there's a tall forklift with a retro sci-fi design.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 19/04/2026

Here's an addendum to an older page. Aside from Michael Whelan, Clyde Caldwell and Frank Frazetta, turns out this cover also takes from Boris Vallejo and Larry Elmore, for a massive who's who of classic fantasy illustrators. samderboo.com/tracing.php?... #TracingTheInfluence

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 19/04/2026

Haven't gotten all elements yet, but I think it's enough for a comparison now. Lots of elements from a Frazetta b&w illustration for an Edgar Rice Burroughs book, plus a weight lifter by Vallejo. Kicking guy and kneeling guy are still at large. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 16/04/2026

There's a little bit of Boris Vallejo in this cover, too! #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 15/04/2026

Spear guy has been identified! Shouldn't have been so fixated on fantasy paintings... Not gonna make a new video, but it's updated on the page (might have to do a forced refresh if you've seen the first version.) #TracingTheInfluence

A scan of the cover of the PC Engine game Sindibad, overlaid with elements from several paintings by Boris Vallejo to show the influence.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 15/04/2026

I'd like to post these more regularly, but well, sometimes the day job grinds me down, sometimes I get absorbed in other projects... anyway, here's Sindibad. The boy with the Spear seems also familiar, but I couldn't find a matching reference yet. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 23/02/2026

Not sure if it's it, but aside from the left arm it reminds me of this Mad Max shot.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 02/01/2026

Neat discovery by @downchasm.bsky.social: Homage(?) to Crosby, Stills & Nash in Fatal Fury's Duck King Stage #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 01/01/2026

Here's a quick one cause I already had these guys lying around: Metal Morph for the SNES. Another one where the center figure is still a mystery. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 31/12/2025

There's this company called Domikey that makes exchangable keycaps and they have a design with a key labeled POOR GUY (no idea what the Chinese characters say)

Closeup of a keyboard with novelty designs on the special keys. The key where Alt would be reads POOR GUY (with Chinese characters in between that I don't know).

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 29/12/2025

Entry no. 50 in the (new) #TracingTheInfluence database comes from the same publisher as yesterday's Thunder Boy and unsurprisingly goes back to the Frank Frazetta well. This one seems like it's painted a bit more free-handy though, at least with the female character. samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 28/12/2025

Thunder Boy takes from a lot of different Frazetta paintings (and probably other sources) as well, but luckily for me a lot of them are repetitions of things I already cut out. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 27/12/2025

New images for my Video Game Forklift Museum: Pit-Fighter (taking the spot of the oldest game on the list - wonder if I'll ever find an '80s forklift) and Cyberpunk 2077. samderboo.com/forklifts.php

Screenshot from the game Pit-Fighter, showing the player character lifted on a pallet by a forklift, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

Screenshot from the game Cyberpunk 2077, showing a futuristic forklift.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 26/12/2025

This one took a while cause it combines so many Frazetta paintings across multiple screens, but my page for the fantasy strategy game Duel is up now: samderboo.com/tracing.php?... Only the guy in the center is from a Spanish mag called Cimoc - doubt that's the direct influence. #TracingTheInfluence

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 15/12/2025

Oh my, kinda major breakthrough on this: The guy getting hit, the kneeling woman and the guy getting lifted up on the Ikari III cover (two quotes down) are all from this black-and-white drawing by Frank Frazetta! Gonna make comparisons for #TracingTheInfluence when I have some time.

A black-and-white drawing by Frank Frazetta. A nearly naked muscle dude leaps forward and uses a curved blade to lift a helmet off the head of another nearly naked muscle dude, who's keeling backwards. Behind them is a nearly naked woman kneeling on the floor, looking at them with a worried expression.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 12/12/2025

Dunno about the main poses here, but the guy getting his head kicked in to the left is a frequently imitated pose (pictured: Duel, center panel) and the kneeling woman at least also appears on the cover of Thunder Boy. Both are heavily associated with Frazetta, but I haven't found either original.

Image from the Japanese PC game Duel, showing five panels of fantasy illustrations, most copied from paintings by Frank Frazetta.

Cover of the Amiga game Thunder Boy, showing a fantasy illustrations with many elements copied from paintings by Frank Frazetta.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 11/10/2025

One more for the #TracingTheInfluence album cover collection. Rainbow's Straight Between the Eyes in arcade shoot-'em-up X-Multiply, discovered by @nullspace0x00.bsky.social samderboo.com/tracing.php

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 10/10/2025

Never would have guessed that the murderous driver on the Carmageddon cover comes from this old Clive Barker comic. I think it's also my first comic book reference that isn't a Marvel one. @hg101.bsky.social told me about this one. samderboo.com/tracing.php?... #TracingTheInfluence

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 06/10/2025

I also have an update for Jim Power, cause someone from the Insert Credit forums was able to identify the pretty face in the background. (It's from An American Werewolf in London) samderboo.com/tracing.php?... #TracingTheInfluence

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 06/10/2025

Back with more #TracingTheInfluence uploads! This week I'll focus on adding more things people have shown me in the months since I've relaunched it. I'm not so strong on comic book references myself, so this discovery comes courtesy of @rustyshackles.bsky.social samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 31/07/2025

Since I did the Jim Power PC Engine cover, I might as well follow it up with the Amiga one. Probably all the elements are stolen, but here's what I got so far. (thanks to @dioerasabbath.bsky.social for the rocket guy source) #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 30/07/2025

No idea where that little rocket man is from, but he's also on the cover of Jim Power for the Amiga, as well as on the title screen of the C64 game Retrograde.

A little rocket man from the cover of Jim Power for Amiga

A little rocket man from the cover of Jim Power for PC Engine CD

A little rocket man from the title screen of Retrograde for C64

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 30/07/2025

Happy birthday, Arnie! For the last piece of Stallone/Schwarzenegger month on #TracingTheInfluence, here he is almost 40 years younger on the cover of Jim Power, alongside Lesa Ann Pedriana, Playboy's Miss April 1984. samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 26/07/2025

This is an odd one: In the US this was actually the official Rambo game for the Sega Master System but the rights apparently didn't extend to other regions. Didn't stop them from still using John Rambo for the title. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?... (the JPN cover is also featured)

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 19/07/2025

I think Arnie is more interesting for these comparisons than Stallone, cause a wider range of his movies were imitated by games. Here's some Golden Axe art featuring his second Conan appearance, together with co-star Sandahl Bergman from the first. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 14/07/2025

Here's an easy one (for me to make cause I already had the pose from another comparison): Atari 8-bit platformer from Poland whose cover is oh so close to the Rambo poster (which is funny cause in the game you mostly just punch and kick enemies.) #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 13/07/2025

Forklift update! Now more than 70 video game forklifts on one page: samderboo.com/forklifts.php (@lanceboyle94.bsky.social‬ told me about two of these new ones) Someone also made a wiki now (linked in the article) featuring a bunch I don't have because I only use my own screenshots for this list.

A screenshot of Black Mesa featuring the environmental forklift model.

A screenshot of California Speed for the N64 featuring the forklift race car.

A screenshot of Metal Slug 4 featuring the forklift Slug.

A screenshot of Spider-Man vs the Kingpin for Sega Mega Drive featuring the forklift boss.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 13/07/2025

Two not-Schwarzeneggers from Capcom's Mercs, sequel to the precariously named Commando (which actually came out before the movie). There's a third guy in the game that also obviously has the Arnie body, but I haven't found a matching pose for that. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 07/07/2025

Today's Stallone/Schwarzenegger double feature: Sega's PAL-only shooting gallery Double Hawk. The poses are actually both from Rambo (and the exact same poses as yesterday's Ikari comparison). Faces might not be 100% accurate. samderboo.com/tracing.php?... #TracingTheInfluence

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 06/07/2025

It's Sylvester Stallone's birthday, so from today until Arnold Schwarzenegger's birthday on July 30, I'll try to post as many game artworks ripping them off as I can. Starting of course with today's birthday boy samderboo.com/tracing.php?... #TracingTheInfluence (typo was too bad so I had to repost)

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 30/06/2025

I'll eat the rich, but not their weird ass food.

The food circle by social class thing. Upper classes low score, middle~lower classes high score

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 29/06/2025

Tired: "The Legend of Zelda was an RPG, actually." Wired: "Metal Gear was an RPG, actually."

A Japanese advertisement for Metal Gear for the Famicom/NES printed in Famitsu, showing a presumably naked dude from the shoulder up, with bright blue eyes and his skin painted in pitch black camouflage. On the right there's a big font that reads "strategy RPG." (戦略RPG.)

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 19/06/2025

Bruce Lee poses on cover and title screen of The Kung-Fu / China Warrior are kind of a "well, duh" connection, but it's curious they kept using Game of Death stills with the jumpsuit as reference vs the (outfit-wise) more similar Way of the Dragon #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

The protagonist from China Warrior doing a Bruce Lee style flying kick shirtless with typical kung-fu pants and shoes, opposite to Bruce Lee from game of death doing his flying kick in the yellow jumpsuit from Game of Death, in front of a black background.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 15/06/2025

Turns out this was ALL from Boris Vallejo, only pieced together from NINE(!) different paintings. (The hair and possibly the face from the woman in the center might have a different source.) #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 11/06/2025

Inspired by the cover of Moulin Rouge Senki.

The cartridge of the Famicom game Moulin Rouge Senki: Melville no Honoo

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 11/06/2025

Me when I discover another piece of gaming art obviously cobbled together from several different lifted elements.

The GTA San Andreas Ah shit, here we go again meme, with the text extended to "Ah shit, here we go through the entire history of fantasy illustrations again."

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 09/06/2025

Oops, took a bit of a (long) break with #TracingTheInfluence, but I'm back adding not one, but all the album cover rip-offs I know of: samderboo.com/tracing.php?... Featuring covers of Manowar, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Praying Mantis, and Greenslade. (Posted while listening to Greenslade.)

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 02/06/2025

Extremely goated box art on this early Jeff Minter game.

Box art of Ancipital for the Commodore 64. In front of a black background, a bipedal goat outlined by a red glow casually strolls to the left.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 10/04/2025

The Last Sup(p)er Mario Bros.

The Last Supper but all the heads are replaced with Mario characters.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 10/04/2025

The same dude is on the Jim Power cover!

Part of the cover of Jim Power in Mutant Planet for Amiga. Some dude with a space suit and jet pack firing a rifle.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 03/04/2025

Turns out it has even more images that are not in the other versions! I think this one is also from a Punisher cover that Ocean copied multiple times, dunno about the others.

Screenshot from the Game Boy version of Navy Seals, showing an angry guy with a gun. the text reads "Congratulations - you have found the terrorist hideout".

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 03/04/2025

There's a bunch of similar cutscenes in the game, but I'm not so knowledgeable about comic books, so no idea if there's more with similar sources.

Screenshot of the game Navy Seals, showing a man sitting in what looks like a dark prison cell.

Screenshot of the game Navy Seals, showing a muscular guy storming through a door guns blazing, clouds of smoke behind him.

Screenshot of the game Navy Seals, showing a man with a Middle Eastern coded headwear getting pierced by bullets.

Screenshot of the game Navy Seals, showing a muscular soldier supporting a seemingly wounded comrade, who's wearing nothing but a pair of green pants, moving away from the camera while aiming an automatic pistol behind himself.

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 03/04/2025

Navy Seals by Ocean was officially licensed from the movie, but maybe the studio didn't provide any good materials to them, cause they scraped the pose and composition for this still image cutscene from a The Punisher cover instead. #TracingTheInfuence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 31/03/2025

The same painting in a very different game. You might be forgiven for thinking they turned poor Marat into a pig, but it's supposed to be an armadillo. A Cyberdillo, to be precise. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 31/03/2025

Storm Master by French developer Silmarils does an almost exact replica of The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David. But in this case, they actually included the artist's name in the credits (and also the painting's 200 years old). #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 29/03/2025

Hmm, I might have to search some more for obscure stills from that scene. There's this one, but it doesn't seem to be quite the right angle...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 29/03/2025

Same Boris Becker jump as yesterday, but Tie Break adds to that a tracing of a photo where he's holding his winner's trophy from the same tournament at Wimbledon. The serve is probably him too, but I couldn't find the right photo. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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Sam Derboo @samderboo.com · 28/03/2025

Boris Becker at Wimbledon 1985, where he wins the tournament at 17 years old: The most famous jump in tennis history? Heck if I know! Probably the most famous among Amiga tennis game artists though. (Yes, this is not the only one to copy it.) #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...

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