Mountain Dew Game Fuel 2011 – Tropical

This being the 3rd iteration of Game Fuel, we find that this is only the 2nd time we've been provided with an alternate flavor outside of the flagship Citrus Cherry. It 2009, as part of a World of Warcraft promotion, the standard Horde Red was joined by a "wild fruit" flavor, Alliance Blue. For 2011, this new "green" flavor isn't given a specific name, but we'll refer to by the subtitled description on the bottle, Tropical.

Get "Double XP"!

The green drink is colored a darker hue than standard Mountain Dew, though not as neon in tone as the limited edition Mountain Dew Distortion from 2010. Pop the cap off and what you smell is pretty much the standard Mountain Dew scent.

Now, how does Tropical taste? In short, not very good. Close your eyes as you drink this and you'll find that the flavor is rather… empty. I'm not sure what "Tropical" was supposed to infer here, but I'm not really feelin' it. Don't let the color of the drink fool you into thinking that it's a deeper lime or some other green fruit. When I asked folks via BevReview's Facebook and Twitter accounts, the responses on flavor were quite varied, indicating a drink that really doesn't know what it's supposed to be.

For me, it tasted a bit like Green River, but with more syrup and perhaps a tad bit of pineapple thrown in there, reminiscent of Shasta Tiki Punch or some other tropical taste. The flavor is partially there, then dissolves into nothing, leaving you with a film on your tongue as part of the aftertaste. It's not very memorable at all and hard to see why this should be considered anything special.

Description of flavor

Here's what's inside:

Mountain Dew Game Fuel Tropical
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), caffeine, sodium citrate, gum arabic, Yellow 5, calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor), brominated vegetable oil, Blue 1

A 20 oz. bottle of Mountain Dew Game Fuel Tropical will cost you 290 calories, and give you 110 mg of sodium, and 77 g of carbs (77 g sugars). Interestingly, this bottle doesn't have the little callout of the calorie count that you see on beverages these days due to recent changes in FDA labeling rules.

One of the main features of the Game Fuel series in the increase in caffeine content. Mountain Dew Game Fuel Tropical breaks down to 6.0 mg/oz of caffeine. In contrast, original Mountain Dew contains 4.5 mg/oz.

The label is primarily green and black, with a "Call of Duty MW3" branded band sitting at the top of the design. The logo is anchored by the goofy "Mtn Dew" spelling, with a subbrand of "Game Fuel" sitting below it. Official description of this drink is "Dew with a Charge of Tropical." You'll find a mention of "Double XP under the cap" on the rear side of the label, as well as a URL pointing you to DewXP.com. Wrap it all up with a headshot of a character associated with the game itself.

Both Tropical and the Citrus Cherry flavors are slated as LTOs (limited time offerings), in a 8-10 week release window. Thus, if you really need to try a new Mountain Dew, track them down and move quick! Of the two flavors for 2011, the original Citrus Cherry is better, with Tropical being a perfect candidate for the "why did you even bother" category.

Mountain Dew Game Fuel 2011 – Citrus Cherry

This is the third release of Game Fuel flavors, which debuted with a single flavor, then returned 2 years later as a duo (Horde Red, Alliance Blue). For 2011, we again are given a pair of flavors, the original "red" flavor, which isn't branded, but we'll refer to by the subtitled description, Citrus Cherry. A new "green" flavor also debuts, which we're calling Game Fuel Tropical.

The big gaming hook for this year's release of Game Fuel is the chance to earn "Double XP", or basically more playing time by redeeming codes from Dew and various Doritos products.

Get "Double XP"!

If you're read our reviews on the original red Game Fuel flavor in previous years, then there's really nothing new to report here. The taste is the same.

The drink is colored orange-red, not as bold in color Mountain Dew Code Red. Upon opening, the scent resembles that of a Tropical Punch-type of Dew, somewhat like the limited run Mountain Dew Typhoon.

Citrus Cherry is tangy, but mild. While the color is red, the flavor isn't exactly cherry as you would expect with Mountain Dew Code Red. It's more "punch" like and unique in that sense. I guess that's what "citrus cherry" means. It's slightly different from standard cherry, but probably not enough to really sustain itself as a full-time flavor (not to mention the color confusion it causes).

Description of flavor

You still get a nice dose of high fructose corn syrup and the associated syrupy Dew aftertaste. It's not really an outstanding flavor, but then again, look at the recent line extensions added to the Dew lineup (Voltage, White Out) and you can see that quality flavor isn't exactly high on Pepsi's checklist. Let's face it, the entire reason that Game Fuel exists is to create video game promotional tie-ins and boost the overall sales of the brand.

Here's what's inside:

Mountain Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), gum arabic, caffeine, sodium citrate, Yellow 5, glycerol ester of wood rosin, calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor), Yellow 6, Red 40, brominated vegetable oil

A 20 oz. bottle of Mountain Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry will cost you 290 calories, and give you 110 mg of sodium, and 77 g of carbs (77 g sugars). Interestingly, this bottle doesn't have the little callout of the calorie count that you see on beverages these days due to recent changes in FDA labeling rules.

One of the main features of the Game Fuel series in the increase in caffeine content. Mountain Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry breaks down to 6.0 mg/oz of caffeine. In contrast, original Mountain Dew contains 4.5 mg/oz.

The label is primarily red and black, with a "Call of Duty MW3" branded band sitting at the top of the design. The continuously annoying "Mtn Dew" spelling anchors the logo, with a subbrand of "Game Fuel" sitting below it. Once again, this drink is described as "Dew with a Blast of Citrus Cherry." You'll find a call out for "Double XP under the cap" on the rear side of the label, as well as a URL pointing you to DewXP.com. Oh, and a headshot of a character associated with the game itself.

Once again, this is a limited time offering, slated for a 8-10 week release window, in classic Pepsi short-term product strategy, which tends to work pretty well for them. If you are a fan of the original Citrus Cherry flavor of Game Fuel, now is the time to track it down and enjoy!

One of the many characters that fans look forward to seeing in The Phantom Menace was Obi-Wan Kenobi, given that we had gotten to know him curing the classic trilogy of films. The casting of Ewan McGregor seemed smart at the time… if only he'd been allowed to actually act, rather than follow George Lucas' cardboard directives. Still, you have to smile when he first appears in Episode 1. And hey, how can you not love a guy who anchors the #12 Obi-Wan Kenobi Mountain Dew can!

During the 1999 Pepsi/Star Wars promotion, there were 8 different Mountain Dew cans represented (not including bonus versions). We've already taken a look at the first three, #9 Darth Maul, #10 Jar Jar Binks, and #11 Mace Windu.

Here's the official bio on this can:

Obi-Wan Kenobi

As an apprentice, he is loyal and resourceful. Youthful courage, however, doesn't always bring intuitive wisdom for this headstrong Jedi.

The secret word found on the can was Another.

Like other Mountain Dew cans in this series, the background color is green with silver starts dotted throughout, standing behind the character image superimposed in black/white. The artwork for Obi-Wan showcases his long braid very clearly.

"The council has granted me permission to train you. You will be a can of Mountain Dew, I promise."

The folks at FoodProcessing.com provided this description of the bottle during their coverage of the Institute of Packaging Professionals 2011 AmeriStar Package Awards competition, at which the "Sidekick" was honored:

(Source: Dylan Bannister. Used by Permission.)

In the summer of 2010, PepsiCo launched a new 20-oz. bottle specifically designed for Mountain Dew with the goals of enhancing brand image, improving functionality and gaining better shelf impact. This unique bottle was designed to work within the existing manufacturing and distribution infrastructure while using the same amount of resin as the previous bottle, and achieving material reduction by reducing the size of the label.

Like the "Legacy" bottle, "Sidekick" also uses a very narrow band for the
label, which as noted reduces material cost. Additionally, it puts the brand above any sort of rack/holder that might be found in a convenience store, making it more visible.

DPSG's "Legacy" Bottle vs. PepsiCo's "Sidekick" Bottle

In the case of Mountain Dew, I think this actually works quite well, since the brand's logo can be easily condensed for that space. In the case of DPSG's implementation with "Legacy", some of the brands don't translate as well. Long time Dew fans might remember Mountain Dew MDX which had a smaller, 14 oz bottle shape that looked a lot like the Legacy/Sidekick design.

(Source: Dylan Bannister. Used by Permission.)

The "Sidekick" seems to be currently implemented in just a few markets at the moment. Thanks to Dylan, we have a look at all the Mountain Dew flavors in this new bottle design. Note that only the flagship flavor uses a green-tinted bottle, while the other flavors are clear.

(Source: PepsiCo)

If you look closely at the bottle itself, you'll note that there is a grip design in use, with triple ridges implemented on opposite sides below the label band. An embossed "MD" logo also appears on sides that don't feature the ridges.

It will be interesting to see if this bottle shows up on a broader basis. It seems like all the big players are reshaping their plastic bottles beyond what we've become accustomed to, all for the sake of being distinctive and more visible. Do you think this strategy will work? Post your thoughts in the comments!

Samuel L. Jackson in Star Wars. Yup, that's what Episode 1 brought us. Whether it was good or bad is up for you to decide. Nevertheless, it also earned Mr. Jackson a place on a Mountain Dew can, #11 Mace Windu. Hey, he's got a purple lightsaber, how bad could it be?

During the 1999 promotion, there were 8 different Mountain Dew cans represented (not including bonus versions). We've already taken a look at the first two, #9 Darth Maul and #10 Jar Jar Binks. Hmm, what sort of pattern are we seeing with these Dew cans? "Characters who turn out to be really stupid?"

Here's the official bio on this can:

Mace Windu

A member of the powerful Jedi Council, he is deeply concerned about a new disturbance in the Force. He senses darkness where others see only light.

The secret word found on the can was May.

It's just funny to look at the green can and see Mace Windu's pensive stare… just sitting there. It just seems like such an odd juxtaposition!

"You're referring to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force. You believe it's this can of Mountain Dew?"

Jar Jar Binks. The very mention of the name brings horror to one's soul.

Unfortunately, he's also found on a can labeled #10 Jar Jar, forever destroying any previous enjoyment you might have associated with the Mountain Dew brand. "That's why you no liking us meesa thinks." George Lucas has done a lot of stupid things with the Star Wars empire. Jar Jar Binks is probably towards the top of that list.

During the 1999 promotion, there were 8 different Mountain Dew cans represented (not including bonus versions). We've already looked at the first one, #9 Darth Maul.

Here's the official bio on this can:

Jar Jar Binks

An outcast from his society, this naive Gungan's curiosity and roving tongue get him into constant trouble and lead him into many misadventures

The secret word found on the can was Future.

Once again, this can is primarily green, showcased in the Mountain Dew colors, with the artwork shown in black/white. The Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace logo is situated directly under the Mountain Dew logo (and thankfully, this predates the change to "Mtn Dew".

"Mesa called Mountain Dew. Mesa your humble servant."

Today we journey to the Dark Side of the Force by exploring the first of the Mountain Dew cans in the numerical sequence of 24. You see, back then, PepsiCo made this unique beverage called "Mountain Dew." It has since been replaced with some ridiculous impostor named "Mtn Dew," but alas we'll just mourn what used to be. There were 8 different Dew cans used in the Pepsi Star Wars promotion (not including bonus versions).

This can is #9 Darth Maul, a character that was one of the few positive things to come out of the Prequels. I remember the scary look his monochrome image portrayed on cans at the time, and Lucasfilm used Maul heavily in their promotion of Episode 1. This can featured the following bio:

Darth Maul

A faithful apprentice to Sith Lord Darth Sidious, he serves the dark side of the Force and is unrelenting in his blood quest against the Jedi.

Why was Mr. Maul so angry? Well, if you were a Star Wars geek like myself, you probably read a bunch of Expanded Universe novels to find out!

The secret word found on the can was Destroyed.

Unlike the Pepsi cans, which had a blue background combined with stars, the Mountain Dew "green + stars" background seemed a bit surreal and odd in portraying a space universe. At the same time, the black/white image of a Star Wars character didn't stand out as oddly on the Dew cans because of a lesser degree of contrast.

At last we will reveal ourselves to the Mountain Dew. At last we will have revenge!

Supernova was one of the three candidates in 2008's original DEWmocracy marketing campaign, which along with Revolution, lost out to Voltage for a place to become a permanent product extension of the Mountain Dew line. A sugar free version of the flavor, Diet Mountain Dew Supernova, recently beat out Diet Mountain Dew Voltage to become a new addition to the Diet Dew lineup, so it's not a surprise to see the full calorie version return for a limited run.

Here's an excerpt from our 2008 review:

This flavor is described on the packaging as "Dew with a blast of Strawberry Melon Flavor and Ginseng". The beverage color itself is of the pinkish/purplish variety. Mountain Dew Supernova tastes like a syrupy, fake-flavor strawberry soda… Despite the claim that it has a "strawberry melon" flavor, I really didn't detect a melon influence at all. It's just a lame soft drink that hardly has anything in common with Mountain Dew. I'd put it in the class of LiveWire.

Like all 3 of the DEWmocracy flavors, Supernova was a marketing manufactured concept with very little to distinctively separate it from its competitors. They all had the same berry-oriented base, with only slight derivatives in color, scent, and flavor. We argued back then, and I'd still argue now, that Supernova does not have a strong enough flavor to succeed on its own when competing with stronger flavors found on the same store shelves. If you close your eyes while you drink Supernova, you'd be hard-pressed to actually note a distinctive strawberry flavor, not to mention any melon. It's just another syrupy, sweet, lackluster drink with the Dew brand slapped on it. One of the strongest things it has going for it is the inclusion of ginseng, which could be a nice differentiator, but alas is downplayed (and missing from the diet version).

Compare: 2008 vs. 2011 Mountain Dew Supernova

Speaking of the brand, when compared to the original 2008 package design, Supernova had gone under some changes. Gone are the bring pink hues in 2008, replaced largely with redish-pink colors that better match the gag-tastic "Mtn Dew" branding. It's interesting that Diet Dew Supernova shifted away from this pink scheme in favor or something more purple in nature.

Other changes are more regulatory in nature, such as the prominent "290 calories per bottle" badge that reflects new FDA rules, as well as the clear labeling of caffeine content (91 mg/20 oz, which breaks down to 4.55 mg/oz, roughly the same as standard Mountain Dew).

So what's in Supernova? Here's the ingredient list:

Mountain Dew Supernova (2011)
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), caffeine, sodium citrate, gum arabic, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor), brominated vegetable oil, panax ginseng root extract, Red 40, Blue 1

A 20 oz. bottle contains 290 calories, 105 mg of sodium, 76 g carbs, and 76 g sugars.

Mountain Dew Supernova is an adequate drink with little purpose other than to serve as a marketing exercise. It's got a weak strawberry flavor that has nothing to do with Mountain Dew. But for some reason, it's back for a limited time. So drink up if you enjoy mediocre carbonated beverages… or do yourself a favor and find a bottle of Mountain Dew Pitch Black instead!

Editorializing, we don't know what took PepsiCo so long. Over the past few years we've been riddled with ridiculous excuses for line extensions by way of DEWmocracy votes, but most of those drinks aren't worth the shelf space they've been given, not to speak about how they can't stand up to Pitch Black.

Here's an excerpt from our 2004 review, all of which is still relevant today:

The design on the bottle is rather striking, using colors usually associated with [Halloween] (black, purple, neon green, red). The drink itself looks rather dark, which may turn off some buyers…

So, how does it taste? Surprisingly good! …There is a certain "berry-ness" to the drink. Obviously, there is grape flavoring, though it is not what I was expecting. I initially envisioned Pitch Black tasting much like store-brand grape soda, but instead the grapeness is somewhat muted. It's subtle, but you know it's there. The aftertaste does have a hint of Dew-ness to it, more so than Baja Blast or LiveWire. This drink feels more like a Dew than many of the other product line extensions.

Would I drink it again? Yes, I'd actually seek out this product at the store. Grape is a refreshing flavor in general, and the Dew-version is something unique to have on occasion.

As far as packaging is concerned, the 2011 return of Pitch Black is very similar to the original 2004 version, with the exception of the increasingly-stupid use of "Mtn Dew" branding on the current edition.

Compare: 2004 vs. 2011 Mountain Dew Pitch Black

Other changes are more regulatory in nature, such as the prominent "290 calories per bottle" badge that reflects new FDA rules, as well as the clear labeling of caffeine content (91 mg/20 oz, which breaks down to 4.55 mg/oz, roughly the same as standard Mountain Dew).

Since it has been so long since we've tasted the original Pitch Black, it's hard to tell if there have been any formula changes, but our gut feeling is no. It's still got that grape-infused, citrus flavor and is very sweet. The drink starts out with very little grape flavor, but that quickly shows up as it moves across your tongue, disappearing once again in the aftertaste. It's just enough of a light grape flavor to create an interesting combination, almost as if you took Mountain Dew and combined it with watered-down grape Kool-Aid. I still contend that Pitch Black shares a lot of flavor similarities with Amy Energy Traction. On a side note, my wife was slightly disappointed by the taste, as she was more of a fan of the sour-flavor found in Pitch Black II.

So what's in Pitch Black? Here's the ingredient list:

Mountain Dew Pitch Black (2011)
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), caffeine, sodium citrate, gum arabic, ascorbic acid (to protect flavor), Red 40, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor), brominated vegetable oil, Blue 1

A 20 oz. bottle contains 290 calories, 105 mg of sodium, 77 g carbs, and 77 g sugars.

There are quite a few Mountain Dew flavor extensions that don't deserve to carry the Dew name (LiveWire, seriously?). Thankfully, Mountain Dew Pitch Black proves that a flavor extension can still pay tribute to the classic citrus Dew taste, while carefully weaving a grape taste profile into something already strong. It's great to see this drink return after a 7-year absence; we just wish it was on a permanent basis. We hope that customers will help Pepsi pay attention this time around.

Dew Labs notes that Typhoon will only be available in 2-liter bottles from Walmart. You may recall that Typhoon was one of the three flavors featured as part of the DEWmocracy 2 campaign, which along with Mountain Dew Distortion, lost to Mountain Dew White Out.

This is the third release as part of the "Back By Popular DEW-mand" program. We have previously reported on the return of both Mountain Dew Pitch Black (2004) and Mountain Dew Supernova (2008).