4.95 CANADA GAME-OF-THE-MONTH ENERGIZES THE’ SEGA GENESIS i&S 1 i ■ ©JALECO: THE POWERS! HYPER MISSILE SUPER BOMB LIFE MAGICAL BEE ENERGY CAPSULE Why RoboWarrior is so exciting! LIFE VEST CANDLE When collected, six powers step up the effect of the weapons. Here are two of these powers. THE ARSENAL! 12 deadly and powerful weapons defeat fearsome enemies. RoboWarrior! Depth... challenge...mystery...electronic terror that pushes players to the limit. Here’s the game Jaleco created as the answer to what players have been asking us for. . . challenge. . .complexity. . .mystery. . .action. RoboWarrior delivers depth of play that takes the W ™ Nintendo player to his outmost limits. With 27 stages of play, 12 weapons, 14 enemies, 7 Lords, 6 extra powers, a room of idols, treasurers, golden keys. . . and more. RoboWarrior is set on a man-made planet where the human population has been driven underground by an evil, powerful army of marauders. RoboWarrior places heavy demands on the player’s memory and problem-solving ability, as well as his aptitude for dealing with complexity. Market Research tells us challenge and complexity are what players are now buying. RoboWarrior fills this promising new market niche. ©JttLECO RoboWarrior has to eliminate as many enemies as he can through¬ out the game. Here are some of the 14. WANE MECHA BIRD RoboWarrior’s 27 stages include 7 Lords of Evil. Some of these are: LIAN, 41 LORD OF AIR GLOBULA, LORD OF AMOBES RoboWarrior must find the secret way into the Room of Idols. Beneath some idols are hidden valuable objects necessary to con¬ tinue the game. In certain stages the Chalice appears, and unlocks the power of the key. Its magical powers help RoboWarrior toward his goal, so he must watch for the Chalice and carry it forward. GHOLEM, LORD OF STONE At the end of every game stage is the Key, necessary to exit to the next stage. THE CHALICE THE LORDS! ROOM OF IDOLS! THE CHALICE! CONTENTS The Review Crew takes on Rad Dudes and more! Find out how it and others did this month! Ninja (iaiden 2 for the NFS, Cheek out all the new soft in this regular column! International Outlook focuses on the P.C. Engine and the games that may one day play on the Turbo! Tips, Tricks, Maps and more! 4 COVER STCRy - GHOULS AND GHOSTS.30 Heralded by EGM as one of the best video games of all time, Ghouls and Ghosts is bound to sell Genesis machines just as well as Mario sells Ninten- dos! This fantastic 16-Bitter packs a full five meg of power to generate some of the slickest graphics, most brilliant sounds, and exciting game play we’ve ever seen! See if you agree in this special Ghouls and Ghosts Game of the Month spectacular - complete with reviews, tips, and maps! EEEIND TEE SCREENS ECCKS AT CAMEECV .20 Find out the future of this pocket powerhouse from the white shirts and other top-level executives that make the industry move! Get the first word on new soft and other exciting developments going on behind the scenes at the top game companies! A NEW ECCK AT TEE P.C. ENGINE-28 Although NEC has finally given the go-ahead to the P.C. Engine on these shores under a new name, Japan is still buzzing over the 8-Bit machine that does all the things the 16-Bitters do. Get sneak peeks at loads of new P.C. En¬ gine games that may be coming this way for the TurboGrafx, as well as the latest updates on the Super Famicom and the first look at a new 32-Bit system! TCP SECRET!.40 The Game Busters strike again with a whole new assortment of super secrets that will let you become video invincible! Great tips for the TurboGrafx and Genesis, combined with all new tricks for Nintendo and Sega, make this "For Your Eyes Only" info more valuable than a Super Mario 3 cart! Lots of new stuff from readers too! R.C.W. - TEE WAR RACES CN.40 EGM continues its "How to Master" photo maps of SNK’s latest battlefield epic! Get Bart out from behind enemy lines and take on the ruthless leader of the Government of Destruction! Also look for new maps on River City Ran¬ som, Scramble Spirits, Blazine Lazers, and more! Also ir ttiis Issje: Insert Coin 6 Nintendo Player 50 Interface - Letters 8 Sega Masters 58 Gaming Gossip 24 Atari Adventure 62 International Outlook 28 Turbo Champ 64 Contest - Win a GameBoy 30 Outpost: Genesis 70 At the Arcades 34 GameBoy Club 74 G E T S E T F 0 R Nintendo .inri Nintendo (ntcrtainmenf System are ri-qistnrd ti.idmi.iiks ol Nintendo ol Amriiia Im: Stand by, gamers! Capcom introduces two new thrilling games to its Nintendo series. And as always, the graphics are hot and the action intense. First, experience the ultimate character adventure game! As MegaMan, you must conquer and control the eight empires of the evil Dr. Wily. But beware of his sinister robots that rule each empire. Their special MegaMan2Screen Shot powers present a unique challenge at every level. Then, prepare for undercover action as the Suider. Your orders are to enter Russia and infiltrate the Red Army, returning enemy secrets to your superiors. But be extremely cautious. You know what the Russians do to spies! So get set for radical action in these exciting additions to the Nintendo Entertainment System. From Capcom, U S A. Strider Screen Shot CAPCOM Call or write Capcom U S A , Inc. 3303 Scott Blvd Santa Clara.XA 95054 (408)727 0400 Toll free (800) 843 4632 In California: (800) 222 0928 ELECTRONIC GAMING NUMBER 4 Editorial Offices: 1920 Highland Avenue, Suite 300, Lombard, Illinois 60148 A SENDAI PUBLICATION Publisher, Editor Steve Harris Associate Editors David White Edward J. Semrad Nintendo, Sega, Atari TurboGrafx, Genesis, GameBoy Game Reviewers Donn Nauert Jim Allee Ed Semrad Steve Harris Strategy Consultants U.S. National Video Game Team Subscription Manager Sherri Harris Newsstand Managers Harvey Wasserman Steve Keen Retail Sales Manager Steve Fineburg National Advertising Director David Siller 6828 Platt West Hills, CA 91307 (818) 716-0588 Electronic Gaming Monthlv is published 12 times a year by Sendai Publications, Inc. Electronic Gaming Monttfly sub¬ scription rates tor U.S.: $19,95 - Canada, Mexico: $29.95, and all others by air mail only: $80.00. No commies pTease. Single issue rate: $3.95. All subs go to 1920 Highland, Suite 300? Lombard, IL 60148. The editors and the publishers welcome, but are not responsible tor unsolicited material. No pari of this publication may be reproduced without he expressed written permission of Sendai Publications, I Copyright 1989, Sendai Publications. Inc. All not reserved. All materials listed in this magazine are sub|eZt manufacturer^ change and"publisher assumes no respon¬ sibility for such changes. Printed in the USA. Printed w‘ u pride! Nintendo is a Registered Trademark of Nintendo of America, Inc., Sega is a Registered Trademark of Sega of America, Inc., Atari is a Registered Trademark of Atari Corporation. Game titles and characters are the trademarks of the respec¬ tive game manufacturers. Now that the lawyers are happy - enjoy the mag! VOU ASKED FOR IT, YOU GOT IT. MORE SEGA!!! Out of all the mail we receive each month here at EGM, one topic is dis¬ cussed more by readers than any other. While there has been universal in¬ terest in the new 16-Bit game systems and developments in the hand-held field, the one theme that constantly appears in your letters is our coverage of the Sega systems. Many gamers accuse us of abandoning Sega by giving more play to the Nin¬ tendo, arguing that the majority of the editorial and advertising is geared towards the ’N’ machine. This is not the case. Despite our equal interest in both systems, there are simply more games available for play on the NES as well as more NES owners. That is the primary reason why we devote more attention to the Nintendo systems in our editorial space - not because we like the Nintendo better than the Sega - but because there is more to write about. Unfortunately, there are far fewer companies that have Sega-related pro¬ ducts and games to sell, thus reducing the number of Sega ads in our magazine. With the continuing success of the Master System and the recent release of the 16-Bit Genesis, we realize that you Sega fans out there want more, however, and we’re gonna give it to you! Beginning with this issue, EGM is pledged to devoting more pages for Sega reviews, previews, and game maps! Now you’ll find even more news and clues for your favorite Sega games! We’re commited to expanding our Sega coverage in the months to come and look forward to becoming the number-one resource for new Sega games and information. Don’t get us wrong, you’ll still probably see a few more pages on the NES then you do on Sega, but now you’ll also find super maps of great games like Ghouls and Ghosts for the Genesis, mini-maps on Scramble Spirits and Dead Angle for the Master System, previews of upcoming carts like Dynamite Dux and Captain Silver, and a slew of new game secrets. When you think of Sega, think EGM! Owners of other machines who look forward to the hottest info on all the new games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and GameBoy, the TurboGrafx-16, and the Atari 7800, XE, and Lynx don’t need to worry - we’re behind your machines 100%. We’ll also continue to report the latest releases in the arcade world to try and give you an advance peek at what the home games of tomorrow might be. Covering all of these great games may be dif¬ ficult, but it’s the only way to keep you up-to-date no matter which game sys¬ tem you own. Steve Harris Editor 6 The Power Glove™ You plug it in like any joystick. But the similarity stops there. Because now you don’t just guide the action. You are the action. 3-D sensors track the position of your hand, giving you free-flowing, instant response. It’s a complete connection. Intense. And powerful. Plus, the Power Glove has a unique programmable keypad that gives you amazing new ways to play almost every Nintendo® game. All your joystick games become different. More exciting. And with games specifically designed for the Power Glove, you’ll be blown into another dimension. So look for the Power Glove when it hits stores this Fall. Once you put it on, everything else becomes child’s play. 0 4 svsTem- © Mattel. Inc. 1989. All Rights Reserved. Nintendo and Nintendo Entertainment System are registered trademarks of Nintendo, Inc., used under license. Manufactured under license from Abrams/Gentile Entertainment, Inc. Lightning bolts not included. O Got a problem? Filled with praise? Open up your mind and be¬ come a star in the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly! If your letter impresses us enough we’ll put your name in lights (well, ac¬ tually in black ink) for thousands to see! Send your video gaming escapades to us at Sendai Publications, Interface-Letters to the Editor, 1920 Highland Avenue, Suite 300, Lombard, IL 60148. Interface Promblems Wow, what a great magazine! I’d like to shake the hand of everyone who works at EGM for all of the awesome coverage and previews you guys have shared with us. I first heard about the P.C. Engine from your mag last fall, and have since purchased one based on your review. I own a NES, SMS, C-64 and P.C. En¬ gine. I’ve been comparing your pic¬ tures of the TurboGrafx-16 to my NEC and the card slot sure looks familiar. I was just wondering if the P.C. Engine and the TurboGrafx games will be com¬ patible. Ed Malin Park Ridge, NJ (ed. Sorry Ed, but your P.C. Engine in¬ vestment won’t pay off on the Turbo. The pin configuration of both machines is different so Japanese software won't work on the new NEC system.) The TurboGrafx-J6 version of R-Type is the best that we've seen so far, with very few flicker problems. A Case of Mistaken Identity I thought your article on the 16-Bit systems was awesome! I have a question about the TurboGrafx-16 mach¬ ine. You said it used cards similar to the Sega Master System’s cards. Since they are close to being identi¬ cal, could you play Sega cards on the TurboGrafx, or vice versa? Keep up the good work! Joe Neikirk Montville, NJ (ed. While they appear the same, the Sega Master System and the TurboGrafx are about as different as Super Mario Bros. One and Two! The cards used in the P.C. Engine, TurboGrafx and the new Atari hand-held are essentially the same as the cartridges used in the NES and other popular game machines. In¬ stead of using the entire chip to hold the game, the cards use only the area of the chip that contains the memory. On Again, Off Again Since the NEC TurboGrafx has the same 6502 processor that the NES has, would a game as complex as R-Type cause problems like blinking and flick¬ ering like most Nintendo games do? Joe (Score Breaker) Negrete Lincolnwood, IL (ed. Although R-Type uses advanced graphics and animation routines there is very little flicker in the prototype Turbo card that we played. The NES processor can only handle a small number of ob¬ jects or characters on the screen, hence the distracting flicker that is found in some games. The 6502 used in the Tur¬ bo is an advanced version of the stand¬ ard 6502 that enables it to manipulate more screen information!) Disagrees with Donn You probably won’t print this, but I hope you do. In issue number two, I think that Reggie Jackson Baseball was misjudged. Not only does it deserve a "10", but it is very fun to play, the op¬ posite of what Donn said. I’ve played all the baseball games for the Nintendo and I feel RJB has better graphics, is more realistic and more exciting. Anonymous (ed. We appreciate your comments, Mr. Anonymous! The main reason for our multiple player review format is to give you the ability to read the opinions of several gamers who each have different likes and dislikes. There’s nothing wrong with the fact that you liked RJB more than Donn. Generally the entire review crew gave it shining ratings that are well above average. Your praise for the game shows that great gamers think alike! Seriously, when only one reviewer looks at a game, they might enjoy game play that has little appeal to anyone else or vice versa. By having four players who know games inside and out review each title, you know you're getting an honest, unbiased appraisal of the game that won't leave you burned after you've put down your forty or fifty bucks!) VIDEOGAMES 100’S OF TITLES AVAI LABLE ATARI A 5200 ESI ADAM' HM Amiga 2600 jijljjE COLECO VlSKjn' 520 ^ iNtEUiViSiON y 800 JOYSTICKS / ATARI XE/XL ( Nintendo ) FOR A COMPLETE CATALOG SEND YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND MACHINE TYPE PLUS SI FOR POSTAGE AND HANDLING TO: CHnaHuME33 BOX 901 • LANCASTER, TEXAS 75146 • (214) 227-7694 8 BAD DUDES MAKES DOUBIE DR AGON PALE BY COMPARISON C I98J DMA EAST USA, INC IBM s o ragnMrad tradtmorfi oflnHmo*ionol imrm Mahtm, Inc; Amigo ond Commodom ofi ragMnd rrodamorta of Commode* Bums Modinoi. Inc; Apple is o ragrimd tradomort of Appli CompuHa he; Atari ST n o ragiMnd tradomo* of Alori Corporation; Nrtondo ond thl Nmtondo EnNrtommort SyOim or® ragsltrad ttodimorta of Nintendo of Amohco; Inc Doubli Dragon Compel* rations C '9«8 Moswirant Inlwnobonal, lie Ueraed from tefnaJopon Double Dragon no |Ort pobkotran of ArtoAo and Tradewest. Double Dragon Nintendo: C 1968 ond TMiodevraPjnc bcented framfebn^ Double Dragon AttodeC 1967 TAITO AMERICAN CORPORATION Ask anyone who's played them both in the arcade. Bad Dudes is clearly the game of choice. Ifs no contest. BAD DUDES has better graphics. Better action. Better playability. From the arcade to the Nintendo to computer formats, you can count on a better game with BAD DUDES. And we're even available on more systems than they are. The joystick play is incredible-fast, smooth and responsive. And the game play and graphic of the home versions are amazingly true to the arcade original. Check it out for yourself. The martial arts excitement of BAD DUDES makes Double Dragon play like a dinosaur. One soon to be extinct. BAD DUDES. From Data East. Now available on Commo¬ dore, IBM, Tandy, Amiga, Atari ST and Apple II personal computers and the Nintendo Entertainment System. 1850 Little Orchard Drive, San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 286-7074 ELECTRONIC GAMING REVIEW CREW TMNT Type: Action/Adv. Release: Now Levels of Play: -- Difficulty: Easy The "heroes in a half-shell" make their video game appearance courtesy of Ultra! In this adaptation of the comic book cult figures, you control the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on a battle against an evil as¬ sortment of nasties. Power-up with pizza and map your progress in the overhead areas. TMNT combines side-scrolling ac¬ tion sequences with adventure overtones and even enables you to control all four of the fearless turtles in different ways. Bad Dudes Type: Action Release: Now Levels of Play: 7 Difficulty: Avg. Bad Dudes is a single-player version of the arcade bash-em-up of the same name. You control one of the Bad Dudes through multiple levels of horizontally-scrolling at¬ tacks on top of trains, through alleys, and on helicopters. Along the way you’ll face countless attacks from all types of deadly Ninjas equipped with throwing stars and killer kicks! Boss villains guard the end of each level, power-up items help expand your attacks, and some amusing vocal ef¬ fects round out this action cart. $ T E V E The head honcho at EGM has been concentrating on several new shoot-em-ups such as Thunder Force II for the Genesis and Twin Cobra from American Sammy. Several of the new Lynx shooters are also in the process of being mastered. E 0 Ed still loves the Sega Master System, although a lack of new titles has him somewhat dis¬ couraged. New favorites in¬ clude Dead Angle and Scramble Spirits. Oh yes, don’t listen to what other people say...he LOVES game maps! D 0 N N Donn enjoys all kinds of games ranging from the most action- packed shooters to the most dif¬ ficult RPG entries. He’s recently mastered Taito’s upcoming Demon Sword, a slew of P.C. En¬ gine games and all of the new Lynx software. A great all-around gamer, Jim has beaten over 200 games for J the Nintendo, Sega, and 16-Bit I systems. His recent accompli¬ shments include smashing his ti way through Strider, Legendary m Axe, and Keith Courage in Alpha Zone. Teenage Mutant Ni^^^urtles is a decent game that has sa^CTfcequate action se¬ quences that get BjbkI down by the ad¬ venture aspect ofWay»othing about the game is revolutioM^®it it does possess some nice qualitie^Wnamiliar characters. Bad Dudes has mo st of the elements found in the arcade versio^^there is something about the moves^Oie characters that is faulty. The graphicsaAdetailed, but ani¬ mated in a jerky fBiioBThe play remains decent (the two-ple^P^rombo option is mis¬ sed) and should please most action fans. The name says it ^Bfiapbine trendy char¬ acters with a fun-to-plj^ame and you get an instant hit! Witl^ie party wagon for wheels and pizza to « who needs anything more! One of the b® games this fall! Another Double Dr^^^Jone. While the game is challengin^^W hampered with a not-so-smooth jefc^Jayer movement which gets annoyinga* a while and de¬ tracts from the ovd^^®ne play. Nothing special, just anothe^Wrage action game. TMNT wasn't overly^^ressive -1 thought it would have been ^Wfcbetter considering all of the hype th MlK eived - The game play is there and M gfAhics are nice, but the whole cart didr^^j^l my expectations. It is good, but 1 wa^^ecting more. The graphics and animation in Bad Dudes are not very specta^MJid the game is far too easy for anyonBhulbeginning players. The sounds are vocal effects at the end of every le^l(a®demark of the ar¬ cade) is poor. Th^ipre play is intact, it’s just not intense enough to match the arcade. The controls in TMN^re too jerky and it quickly becomes difficult to control your characters. The saolflg also hinders the game by placingA^Jfia vulnerable posi¬ tions. The intermi^^^Bffe cool, but the rest of this cart is a disappointment. Not a true Konami game. Bad Dudes wasn’t a^apod as I thought it would be. The gr^Ws aren't overly im¬ pressive and the ^rn® play isn’t that dif¬ ficult. Fans of Dr^jApgon-style games might enjoy this on^j awhile, but it isn’t anything special. 10 Sky Shark Type: Shooter Release: 09/30 Levels of Play: -- Difficulty: Avg. Defender of the Crown Type: Strategy Release: Now Levels of Play: — Difficulty: Hard Strider Type: Action/Adv. Release: Now Levels of Play: -- Difficulty: Avg. After a short period of time with no new product, Taito introduces Sky Shark, a ver¬ tically-scrolling shooting game that com¬ bines fast-action with power-ups, Boss at¬ tackers, and other bonus items. You must fly your vintage warplane over enemy targets on the ground, and around other hostile forces in the air. Certain op¬ ponents release power-up capsules that can increase the available number of bombs (which have a large blast radius) and effectiveness of your gunfire! Detail¬ ed backgrounds support the action. Adapted from the classic Cinemaware computer game, this new entry from Ko- nami/Ultra introduces Nintendo fans to the type of strategy game that is the bread and butter on PCs. Cast as one of several regional leaders, it is up to you to unite a medival Great Britain. This is done by successfully com¬ peting in several different mini-games which require precise timing and quick reflexes. Defeating your opponents and making shrewd decisions involving troop movements are necessary to winning. One of the most eagerly awaited Ninten¬ do games to come along in a while! Strider is loosely based on the Capcom coin-op of the same name. The goal of the game is to defeat the Russian army and prevent total world-domination from the pinkos. Strider combines elements from scroll¬ ing action contests and adventures games as well. You must locate specific items to progress to higher levels of play. There is also a limited amount of energy and power that your hero possesses which must be monitored carefully. Sky Shark has some great scrolling back¬ grounds and impr^Mfi enemies. There’s not a lot that's ne«er^you get your com¬ mon assortmenMtf^|apon power-ups, bombs, and Boss), Sit IS a solid shoot¬ er with nice visual^jyRepetitive in higher rounds, but as a shooter fan, I loved it! DOTC was an interesting computer game that successfully pair|Abeginner-level war gaming with some most vivid graph¬ ics around. The N^Raion, however, lacks the sharp visuals S|Mjginal and what we end up with is a slowjoving cart that will appeal to die-hard war-gamers only. Strider offers plenty to interact with, lots of weapons and t0 find, and an expansive adventur^^Pwill keep you oc¬ cupied for some tin^P The graphics are above-average and^lp compliment the rest of the game. CjBcom's second hit of the season (behind Mega Man 2)! Sky Shark has great background detail with little screen flicker^Jawith these positive features it’s just and shooting gai but a solid, well- t MotPIBV pij ; 1943-type flying ling extraordinary, |ame nonetheless. A new type of game that combines the board-style war g^fl^uth a few action se¬ quences. It's slov^fuHnd boring and will appeal only to the (Cumulation crowd. Not nearly as dq^le®both in terms of graphics and play^Pre original versions. Not for the average NES player. Capcom’s games follow a similar pattern, whether it's Bionia^fcmriando or Mega Man II, the game'CrSimilar. Strider is good, and like BiSiKDmmando, has a variety of stages tMonCer. Definitely not the average actioi^^re, Strider is a cut above the rest. Sky Shark has very good game play that is too short and haspB^I flaws. Some of the rounds are esAcially difficult due to the fact that the col^R^binations that are used make ener^slBs difficult to see. The collision is al^fcpfh - more like you're flying a Winnebago than a sleek fighter.. DOTC is very tough. In fact it may be too difficult for the a^gMglayer. The game play holds up, howev^Respite the lack of sharp graphics. ThaRw Morning Star se¬ quence is a nice adMion also. If you want a war game that jResn’t require tons of documentation, DOTC is for you! If you like games like Bionic Commando, you'll like Strider. good game that has all the option^m^Pay features you'd expect to find in this hR of game. The one thing 1 didn’t like vM having to traverse each level and thqPtransfer back to the main screen over and over again. Sky Shark is a good arcade translation that holds true to the in most respects. The game play isfci^asier than the coin¬ op and there is nR^feig - you just keep flying through th^^mBve levels over and over again withc^^^Rh change. As a shooter it’s O.K., but it could be better. 1 liked DOTC a lot - the game play is addict¬ ing and had me gaj|Af||j'iours! The graph¬ ics aren’t as good afi^Rmiga version, and are only average for^p Nintendo, but the picture scenes ARE^py well done. The ac¬ tual game play is w^re DOTC excels, how¬ ever, with many options and difficulty levels. The NES version of Strider is not as good as the arcade, adop|i|^g^ifferent storyline and look. The grapm^Rid play are good, the maze is very com o^Rc, and many hidden items to find. TheRiss-word isn't really needed because tf^game isn’t too hard, but the last Boss is very challenging. 11 Type: Adv./RPG Levels of Play: — Spell Caster Release: 09/30 Difficulty: Avg. Spell Caster is not your typical action/ad¬ venture nor your common RPG. Spell Caster blends elements from all of these gaming genres together for a four-meg tour-de-force that may be hard to label, but is never short on play. You assume the role of a lowly warrior out to prove his good on a quest of utmost importance. To reach your goals you must interact within text screens, side-scrolling action scenes, and do battle with enor¬ mous Boss opponents! Victory Run Type: Driver Release: 10/15 Levels of Play: 8 Difficulty: Easy The first driving game available for the TurboGrafx-16 incorporates many inter¬ esting features that have never been seen in a video driver before. Besides the en¬ hanced graphics and animation that the Turbo offers, Victory Run actually repro¬ duces the feel of real racing by requiring constant gear changes and frequent brak¬ ing. As your car parts wear down, you can repair broken items like the brakes and gears with power-ups that are selected before the race - a very original touch! Dungeon Explorer Type: Act./Adv. Release: 11/15 Levels of Play: — Difficulty: Hard Welcome brave one.' I’ve vaited a long time -for you Your mission avaits you A little bit Gauntlet, and a little bit RPG, Dungeon Explorer cleverly mixes high-ac- tion shooting, with the spells and secrets that are commonplace in most adventure titles. You must restore order to a war-torn land by retrieving a sacred stone and return with it to the king. Along the way, you’ll en¬ counter vicious alien attackers who are also out to steal the stone! Conversation screens, big Boss aliens, and hidden surprises help round out Dun¬ geon Explorer completely. Spell Caster is Sega’s Simon’s Quest. It’s not a conventiongMfite but it does have some of the best acti3mdventure features to appear in a Mas^System game. Full screen text-screen«-e also incorporated into the play to mfle the game along. A good addition to the Sega library! Victory Run is not overly impressive in terms of graphics reali^^U it does introduce some nice featur^m^fhe standard racing theme. Wearing fcui^pur car and fixing it up helps to brirMstrBgic elements into play. The car hai^pllow in some areas, but this is a good driver regardless. Dungeon Explorer is the perfect hybrid of action and advermm^|e game essential¬ ly plays like Gauntie^Rt text and adven¬ ture screens are thrqjy in and fit the theme perfectly. Outstandflg graphics help com¬ pliment this card J&t guarantees a long quest and plenty oHnrills! Spell Caster is a disappointment. The name implies a RBGE*j[jd it isn’t. It definite¬ ly is not a Phanta^^t^equel. Except for the pyramid maze, Spell Caster is just a stra¬ ightforward adveBreBme with great gra¬ phics and a long^pr. Spell Caster will have to do, however, until Ultima 4 comes. NEC’s version of Out Ru n. While graphical¬ ly inferior to Out Jpfee game play is su¬ perior. The car^raofljbs like a race car should and the p^P^nfts are better than any racing gam^fcdM. A difficult game to beat, but one ^llms hard to put down. Very addicting! Dungeon Explorer is filled with mazes that seem to go on fcM^MkAflatch the best fea¬ tures of the classi^^^ntlet with the ad¬ vanced graphics of TurboGrafx-16, and you get a better-tha«iverage action/adven¬ ture title. Some j£ct and sub-plots help elevate the attraction of DE even more. Your standard scrolling action/adventure that has been woe^yacking on the Sega 8-Bit. Spell Cas^nmk good game that shares the sameAfi^tiure overtones and action scenes thAireAund in Strider and Simon's Quest. Wlot fantastic, but some¬ thing that’s nice to sieon the Sega. A four-meg disappointment. Spell Caster doesn't take advaMppf its high power, in¬ stead you get aifcction/adventure with a quest that's too sflflfcd doesn’t offer a lot of options. Ther^g veBittle action and the Bosses aren't aslfitticu 1 : as Bosses should be. Victory Run is a good driver that has decent difficulty and ler^bg^e shifting of gears accidentally becomHpnnoying early on, but after several pla#it gets easier to con¬ trol. Overall this c M is pretty good, how¬ ever, boasting scjp nice enhanced gra¬ phics. Probably one of the best driving games to come along for ajM|em. Victory Run has true 3-D effects, HAg hills and curves, and enough var^Bl^uhe courses to keep you occupied fo^Cn^Hme. If you like driv¬ ing games then^g^ie one for you. This game has good play that remains chal¬ lenging after mor^hanjust an hour. The text screens helpAPJp the action by sup¬ plying hints on how tgpscape each maze or fight the Bosses must be confronted between levels, "^p continue and multi¬ player options are^o nice. A Gauntlet-type game with exceptional graphics and game play is complimented byTjr scenes that help steer you in the rigJ*Birection. This game is big enough andAiallenging enough to hold your interest A some time. The pass¬ word feature is also nice. 12 Last Battle Type: Action Release: 10/15 Levels of Play: - Difficulty: Avg. Last Battle for the Sega Genesis moves and plays in a manner that is very similar to Altered Beast, but revolves around kung-fu action instead. You are on a quest to defeat an army of marauders who have taken control of sev¬ eral cities. On your way to the arenas and confrontations with Boss opponents, you must fight your way through several types of guards - some who are also equipped with deadly weapons. Highly detailed scrolling backgrounds help bring the battles to life. T. Lasorda Baseball Type: Sports Release: 10/15 Levels of Play: — Difficulty: Easy The first of what appears to be many sports-oriented games for the Sega Gene¬ sis, Tommy Lasorda Baseball not only in¬ jects powerful 16-Bit graphics and sounds, but also increases the number of available options and modes open to the player. You can control the on-screen fielders, as in most games, but in TL Baseball you can also play a full season, against other teams that are competing against you. Other options are also included and help expand the scope of this cartridge. Thunder Force II Type: Shooter Release: 10/15 Levels of Play: 9 Difficulty: Hard Thunder Force II is the Genesis’ answer to R-Type and countless other horizontal¬ lyscrolling shoot-em-ups. Thunder Force, however, also includes a completely sep¬ arate battle perspective with overhead rounds that play in a similar fashion to the classic Konami shooter, Time Pilot. Thunder Force II is loaded with a dozen power-ups that affect your fire power in all kinds of radical ways. The overhead con¬ flicts require good maneuvering skills, while the side-scrolling scenes always end with high-powered Boss attacks! Last Battle reminds me of a souped-up ver¬ sion of Altered Batf^The characters are the same size an ^ho^f at the same speed (at a crawl). TheHH^ounds also scroll in the same fashiorK AMsd. There are Boss characters, maps^^Fore detailed graph¬ ics, but the game wasn't that exciting. TL Baseball is wit hout a doubt, the best video baseball ga^^| ever played! The graphics are excKnBthe sound effects first-class, and the whole game very enjoy¬ able to play. The AscAlay and password features are welc help add life to a game that is nearly perfect already! Thunder II is one of the better shooters to come along in some time. The benefits of the 16-Bit graphicKnBound are obvious, and the round structure gives you two games in one. "®o®head sequence is not as strong asl^pne scenes, but the whole package is definitely top-notch I Take an average kun^u game but change the player’s sizJHHHi three inch stick figure to half the heigjflof the TV screen and you have a whole n jKype of game. Throw in 16-Bit graphics Ma multi-layered back¬ grounds and you Wive a game that goes from average to excellent! With the new capabilities of the 16-Bit mach¬ ines, baseball has come one step closer to reality. TLB is i^ySt on the market: Players have strarama^and weaknesses and the player/tKe^Breen is the best around. The new WWfard to which all fu¬ ture baseball games will be compared. You haven't seen great g raphics until you’ve seen Thunder Fo^^Easily the best vis¬ uals in a shoot-er&Jmh both horizontal and vertical fighting 'sequences, the game has more than eBjqlWariety. The action is intense and noW^! Another example of how much better a 16-Bit cart can be! There’s a lot to do in Last Battle, with separ¬ ate screens for tl^fl^lling action scenes and an underlyin^^^mat expands as you progress. The graphics are well done, and the cart has a KerAlay time, but the gameisnotorigii^pFnpressive. LB is an average kung-fu kicker with a nice suit on. The graphics in TL Baseball are 16-Bit qual¬ ity and really brirwglgMports 9 ame t0 life - The game itself with most of the features found in the£il Baseball. The way it tracks the leagued cool, but other than that TL Baseball i^bout the same as the other video baseballs - but with 16-Bit looks. Avery good game! Thunder Force II has a lot of action with enemies to inter¬ act with and powl^BI to retrieve. The graphics are exceptiMal - with two scenes and plenty of weacMs. This is one shoot¬ ing game that has^pth! Stunning graphics just can’t save this karate game. The chara the backgrounds! game play itself i| Master spin-off. _ scenes, but they a game itself. ■ ook awesome and B_very detailed, but the tour normal Kung-Fu ■are text and map lad a whole lot to the This is your standard baseball, with all the normal window^dM|jjng and fielding modes intact. Tn^^pne looks incredible thanks to the GeneyJl 6-Bit graphics. Pro¬ bably the best bffeball game on the market. ■ Thunder Force II has graphics and sounds that blow me awa; as well, with a to| your weaponry ti scrolling scenes ( the overhead sen ^ tegy - missing from game is impressive k wer-ups that boost leights. The side- lily impressive, but ^.Jire additional stra- lost shooters. 13 Romstar’s TWIN EAGLE Based on the Taito coin-op, Twin Eagle offers two-player coopera¬ tive helicoptor warfare against a nation filled with tanks, guns, planes, and more. Track your progress on the map, survey your destruction, and then move ahead and lay waste to the ruthless dictator! Capcom’s WILECW Relive the movie in this intricate action/adventure game! An enor¬ mous environment stands before you, with puzzles to solve, items to locate, and power-ups to uncover. Confront the black witch Queen with magic and might and bring peace to the land once again! American Sammy’s SILTWCEM This Tecmo arcade smash in¬ troduces an interesting twist on the normal side-shooter theme. Not only do you have the option of two-player simultaneous com¬ bat, but you can choose between the command of an airborne helicoptor loaded with rockets, or a land-based jeep outfitted with a machine gun. Add multiple levels of play and detailed Bosses and Silkworm becomes a hot con¬ tender in the shooter wars. NINJA < 41 DEN 2 This blockbuster sequel to the current number one Nintendo game of 1989 continues the adventures of the master Ninja, Ryu. All new levels of play, power-ups, and an explosive story that’s loaded with twists and turns guarantee a fun-filled 1990 from Tecmo! Expected to be released sometime next year, Ninja Gai Den 2 promises to sustain the Ninja Gai Den excitement well into the next decade! Look to EGM,to keep you updated! 14 FOR MORE EXCITING FUN SEE NEXT PAGE! DARK AVEHGER WAU HANGING AC-BAT-DKAR $ batman foQU THE DARK STREE1S UNDER- 3t»BI ODWBSgJjgJgSiwriE WORLO.THECAPEDCRUS* 0 kRM E0 WITH NEVER SEEN HU* *E?°f CUNNING DEFENSES. tCROBATK STR&C|H i CUN o K S AND DESTROV MISSION TO END THE *no ;T r. net-bat SAV-RV •sssrjsr 30" X 44 ssSSsS ^agfigssasK fg 5 g Bssg~ S®® 8 "" lllliillll ■wassaSt. sbsSSs^ESS assess—- order FORM ON PAGE <0/ BALTIMORE. nmlford OAMEMANIA/43TR SECA Sega’s CAPTAIN SILVEP Aye, maties! Captain Silver is here to save the day with his run¬ ning and jumping skills, as well as his trusty broadsword! Can you guide the Cap’n through the mul¬ tiple dangers and collect the let¬ ters that spell his name? Captain Silver is Sega’s latest at¬ tempt at a horizontally-scrolling action/adventure title. Unlike similar Sega games such as Alex Kidd, Captain Silver concen¬ trates more on the action style found in the popular Nintendo carts like Castlevania. Silver uses smoothly scrolling pat¬ terns and throws in some dandy bad guys that keep your broad¬ sword swinging and all of the game action moving along at a brisk pace. One of the more ambitious Sega games recently. Swashbucklin’fun! Captain Silver has multiple levels of scrolling action and adventure as you control the lead char¬ acter on a quest to spell his name! Sega’s NIGHT MAPE BASKETBALL You may have seen dozens of video basketball games that use real-life and arcade approaches, but you’ve never seen anything like Sega’s latest sports title, Nightmare Basketball. Taking an existing play concept and twisting it around a bit, Night¬ mare Basketball takes some liber¬ ties with the sport of basketball, throws in new features, and ties everything together with a fast- moving arcade style. The num¬ ber-one difference between Nightmare and the other video basketballs you may have seen, is the bizarre group of monsters and ghouls that take the court against you. It’s a clever feature that supports a unique game! Monstrous close-ups like this bring Nightmare Basketball’s slammin ’ and jammin’full court action to life! Sega’s DYNAMITE DUX Although it’s touted as a coin¬ op hit, Dynamite Dux was given only brief arcade play thanks to the Sun Corporation. Regard¬ less, this horizontally-scrolling action shoot-em-up uses several interesing styles of animation to make it look and play unlike simi¬ lar types of games. Your main character is a punked out duck forced to roam streets of a pastel world. As you saunter down the roads, brightly colored backgrounds slowly move by and enemy nas¬ ties enter the picture. Most of these bad guys are rendered in an overblown manner (with huge heads and small bodies). The game moves slowly, but should offer plenty of chal¬ lenge to the younger set. Become a punky blue-haired Duck on a lonely quest to blast everything in sight in Sega’s upcoming Dynamite Dux. 16 NE 1-DRJ NET-GOLF [qahp^ net-sho » 3,t ^hokatohs NET-V»NO 5 SUP***** 1 * NET-SUPR ^ «a "0 N ET-ROl S 44 ^ .XYBOTS "IjJ^TENE*^ gauhtlh NET-GAU RBlBMWftU- NET-RBI $OT fcCADEItf FOR MORE EXCITING FUN SEE NEXT PAGE! castuqu |ST fe-SSSTr ULTIMA _ et * SWM raw* OM. evi »< sra^MsasssF Of SsssgsssSs net-dr s 4499 nst-uitima >5. MUW |D «®^^o 6 ‘ss^as NfT-OOU S 4 " 9 Sffi^SiSSSSi iSSSx*"” 1 NP-JOH *"« TABOO ssSSSSss =£ 3 bs 8 k® asSrss NET-TABOO HUOSOttSOnCOKTROUW *,55f ★ PRECISE RESPONSE NET-CON-SSS $34.9 —JKfflRiSS-. SSs§^S&% gSS 53 &— NET-NIN * 49 " TtCMO BASIBALL sssSfflSSss® league t^'^^bSauhg slides. GW*£! OWING CMOB.4 gy^s FAST SKSST*'" 0 '® 1 ss «•« your owm n« s^^SSfessr s^rfcssssffs ORDER form on •"/BALTIMORE, MILFORD ^Jmemania/^.9 ® TRADEWEST TABOO SIXTH SE^«E 2 <0^- \fr# . *»** 0 ^f>^ s.* SAl vjy\ttv ^ssfe?si&s& VgSS^ Z3&&&3& Wte~' r^- ^HgS 1 ^ 'SK?*- Moke checks and money orders payable tc GAMEMANIA 4319 OLD MILFORD MILL ROAD BALTIMORE, MD 21208 NAME _ ADDRESS . CITY _ ZIP_ _ DAYTIME PHONE ( ) AREA CODE SUPPING / HAMXING, NSURANCE & GUARANTEED DELIVERY CHART sm total $00.00 Up to $24.00.$2.7$ Out*. Confine*at OS. indude appropriate $2*01 Up to $39.99.$3.75 shipping & hondling plus $7.50 $40.00 Up to $49.99.$4,75 Oveneos orders indude appropriate $50.00 Up to $74.99.$5.75 shippingyhondfeg plus $25.00 $75.00 or more.$675 PtEASE INDICATE METHOD OF PAYMENT □ Check □ MasterCard (16 tSgils) bpr*™0*o □ MoneyOrder □ VISA (13 or 16 digits) Mill YOUR CARD NUMBER M0/YR MBRESOENI5 ADD 5% SALES TAX WMG/HAIOUNG (FOR WECT0NS SEE CHART AT IBFT) .1 II 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (Hov* you Bed out yo«x credit cod no. complete*/?) TOTAL UiDoRorsOnty (Sony No C.0J).'s) Thank you for ordering from GAMEMANIA. Prices are subject to change without notice. Quantities are limited. All merchandise is shipped out of our warehouse within 48 hours. Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery. All merchandise is shipped U.P.S. ground. Nextdayond second doy delivery are available, please call for air shipping charges. jllUni _ mav return it w.m . GENESIS Sega’s EAMEC 3 The ultimate fighting machine, Rambo, makes his latest video game debut in 16-Bits! Rambo 3, the Genesis’ answer to Comman¬ do, Ikari, and other vertically scrolling combat shooters, dishes up plenty of new thrills in a pack¬ age that looks great! In addition to first-person per¬ spectives, underground tunnels, and full-screen digitized photos of Stallone, Rambo 3 features scrolling scenery that is painted across the screen in vivid detail. Combined with the exception¬ al animation of our hero going through his paces, Rambo 3 is one of the best looking games in recent memory. Super-powered graphics and game play promise to make Rambo 3 a winner! The Genesis’souped-up graphics bring new life to an old theme. Rambo 3 takes combat shooters to a new high with 16-Bit assistance! Sega’s FCPGCTTEN WCPLPS Hot on the heels of the truly in¬ credible Ghouls and Ghosts, Sega brings us another Capcom favorite that mirrors the arcade version practically dot for dot! In a far off galaxy you and a friend set out to take on an entire alien army above and below a variety of high-res landscapes. Collect the Zenny (the intergalac- tic currency) that’s left behind when the bad guys bite the dust and buy your way to higher firepower! Forgotten Worlds sets out to duplicate the coin-op original with dual scrolling, end Bosses that fill the entire screen, and a relentless enemy invasion that introduces one of the deadliest alien armadas you’ll ever have to face! Take on the leader of the alien war machine during this climactic confron¬ tation! Forgotten Worlds has graphics and game play that are straight from the arcade! Sega’s SUPER FUIHL Phantasy Star was undoubtedly the best selling Sega Master Sys¬ tem cart of all time. While Phan¬ tasy Star II is set to debut for the Genesis sometime next year, Sega is determined to make sure RPG fans don’t despair with Super Hydlide, a fantasy action/adven¬ ture that couples a grand storyline with some spectacular 16-Bit gra¬ phics! To complete your quest you must roam throughout the land, exploring castle mazes, speaking with locals, and fight¬ ing large Boss creatures. The Genesis takes this involv¬ ing adventure and throws in colorful landscapes, castles fill¬ ed with hideous monsters, and loads to discover, uncover, and experience! Super Hydlide introduces 16-Bit tech¬ nology into the world of Role Playing Games! 20 Terrorism has reached new heights. AATOM (Atomic Age Terrorist Organization of Miracali) has constructed its own nuclear power plant, and threat¬ ens the world with atomic terror. The world powers have decided to initiate operation THUNDERCADE to stop AATOM. Equipped with a high-performance combat motorcycle, sidecar can¬ nons, and backed by a precision B-7 bomber, you set out on your dangerous mission. Start in the city streets and continue through bases, woodlands and the fortress before reaching the heavily guarded nuclear power plant. With a hit-miss ratio display at the end of each stage, you can improve your attack efficiency. Have a friend join in and save the world together! Go for the challenge!!! Simultaneous two-player game! Arcade Megahit! Sammy LICENSED BY NINTENDO® FOR PLAY ON THE r '-^ ; 'Y' , w r > | _ v 'V'r i . I - i r - Sr' 1^ i Sammy •r # /CTt P.C. ENGINE AND TURBO DIFFERENCES? While the Japanese P.C. Engine and American TurboGrafx-16 come in different looking boxes, the games they play are basically dot for dot carbons. Some of the titles screens (like Keith Courage, above) have been changed, but the game play remains intact and identical. TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT JAPAN'S P.C. ENGINE AND GET A SNEAK PEEK AT THE POTENTIAL TURBOGRAFX GAMES OF TOMORROW!! Now that war is about to erupt be¬ tween Sega and NEC for control of the 16-Bit landscape, both sides are load¬ ing their guns with great games like Ghouls and Ghosts and Thunder Force for Genesis, as well as Legendary Axe and Vigilante for the TurboGrafx. While everyone is eagerly awaiting the arrival of these new machines, many are asking "Which one is better?" It’s a hard question to answer this early, be¬ cause each system has its own strong points. The one machine that stands out when it comes to potential software support, however, is the Turbo. Based around the red-hot P.C. Engine hardware in Japan, the TurboGrafx en¬ joys one important feature that the Genesis does not: hundreds of high- quality titles. Since the Genesis (or Mega Drive as its called across the Pacific) is basical¬ ly a new system both here and in Japan, there is not the same level of support as there is for the P.C. Engine, which has been sold for over two years now to the tune of nearly two million units. Due to this, an overwhelm¬ ing number of new game cards are re¬ leased each week. There will be some original develop¬ ment on the TurboGrafx from this side of the pond, but the majority of the in¬ itial games are simply Americanized versions of Japanese favorites. Import¬ ing the winners is a safe strategy that Nintendo has used to elevate their NES into the dominate game machine the world over. Sega is also doing this, but since their system is still in its infancy, there aren’t as many carts to choose from. Now that NEC has cut deals to bring over two dozen games to the U.S. mar¬ ket (sec this month’s Turbo-Champ for more details), all eyes are turning back to Japan, where a wealth of new softs arc just now making their debut. In the months to come, you may see many of these P.C. Engine cards finding their way into Turbo boxes. 28 KONIX UPDATE...16-BIT SYSTEM DELAYS The new console on the block, first previewed to American game players in EGM # 1 (as the Slipstream) as well as in the last issue, the Konix 16-Bit Multisystem has appearantly gotten off to a shakey start in the U.K. Al¬ though it was originally promised for delivery in September of this year, it now appears that the disk-driven system will not debut until late 1989 or even early 1990. While the hardware is essentially finished, and development boards are rumored to have been issued to several large programming houses in the Europe, sources indicate that the machine is plaugcd with minor bugs and that the whole project has been rushed to compete with the impending 16-Bit invasion in Europe. Rumors are also circulating that Konix is hav¬ ing difficulty shouldering the expenses of such an enormous project and that outside financ¬ ing is being explored. This doesn’t seem to be tempering American interests, however, and several U.S. game manufacturers are explor¬ ing a possible stateside launch next year! SUPER FAMICOM UPDATE - FINAL SYSTEM IS SHOWN! Nintendo unveils a retooled Super Fomicom os well as the first games for the system during July press conference! Super Mario World was just one of the games that was shown during the Super Famicom debut. This fourth in¬ stallment introduces Mario to all-new adventures and special powers like walking up walls! -~L £ V N V ^ During a press conference in July, Nintendo displayed the final version of their long-awaited and much talked-about 16-Bit super system, the Super Famicom. Unveiled to the American gaming public in EGM # 2, the Super Famicom has been slightly altered in appearance, but it still has incredible power and fantastic abilities. Look for more info in the next issue, including reviews of the first Super Famicom games! 29 WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! ENTER AND WIN A GAMEECA Now you can have the latest in video game technology! Nintendo’s new GamcBoy Compact Game System of¬ fers the kind of exciting game play and quality you’ve come to expect from Nin¬ tendo. With the GameBoy, you can play great games like Super Mario Land, Alley- way, and Tetris practically anywhere you want! The system uses a small, self- contained screen, and cartridges that can easily be changed to whatever game you want to play! One lucky winner will be chosen at random and receive a complete Game- Boy system (which includes the Game- Boy, VidcoLink cable, earphones, and Tetris). Be sure to read the contest rules and enter today! USE THE ENTRY CARD IN THIS ISSUE!!! Rules: All entries must Monthly assume i your submi t be received by November 1,1989. Sendai Publications Inc., and the staff of Electronic Gaming jission from Teach ng our onices No relai.ves of thi IGM "staff mav 'participate in this contest You rrfayenter as is final. Void where prohibited by law. 30 GET THE POWER TO MOVE with the ACCLAIM REMOTE! Masters of the Game . 4«laim Acclaim’s Wireless Remote Controller gives you the power to really get into the action ot your tavorite Nintendo 1 ' games. With no wires to tie you down, you can roll and tumble through your greatest adventures. Inaccurate trom up to 30 teet away and teatures a Rapid-Fire mode that gives you a shot at super high scores. It even looks and teels like the Nintendo 1 ' controller you already know. And the Acclaim Remote carries the Nintendo 1 ' Quality Assurance Seal. Now nothing gets between you and the action! * f Acclaim, * Masters of the Game v and Wireless-Infrared Remote Controller * are trademarks of Acclaim Entertainment. Inc Nintendo" and Nintendo Entertainment System" are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc c 1989 Acclaim Entertainment. Inc. stleMania ^fou've always dreame d of be ing hTulti Hogan.” Or one ofthe»erWWF /■.■♦.T’v.UM 1 Superstars. Agd now I here's your chance' \ Challenge your oppo-— nent to a wild match ^j.dropkicks, headlocks, bodyslams and more! Or create your own I* {Y tournament and ■! j l competp against *J\ your triends or the \i > ****jk *j/ com p U fer. Up to six can play. So step into the ring and experience WWF WrestleMania?.. trom the inside! ‘A'^’LC^ANI.V ‘■rrs*. Look for our Wrestlemania Nintendo and Hand-Held games. 4«laim fiilf'rtMiEP Masters of the Game There’s no match A Minute to Leam...A Lifetime to Master < It’s a never-ending challenge, Whether yog pit your " — wits^gqlnst the com- put^Or a friend. In a | »»s^3cs I ol split second one move \ 55555555 If — 7 War) winlhe'gamj Youfppponent tr< YouiSjPpopent traps your discs and fllp^them to h(s side. Unless you beat him IEHI • . I b | tojjt. The advantage l ^lfliH ggf shifts from Black to White and BSck-be- fore you can say Othello. With four skill levels to boggle your mind, no matter which you play, you’ll flip! r#i L Seal of Quality ( DO YOU PLAY VIDEO GAMES?? v -'V # ¥' ♦ $/ Each big issue of ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY is loaded with behind- the-scenes info, previews of un¬ released games, and cart reviews that you can trust! Also get exclusive U.S. National Video Game Team endorse¬ ments, contests, high scores, secret code trading cards, and tip booklets that have all the tricks and strategies you need to amaze your friends and play like a pro on all the newest games! You get all this and more in each full color issue of ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY... THE video game resource! THEN YOU MUST SUBSCRIBE TO ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY iri: * FULL COLOR! * TIP BOOKLETS! * PREVIEWS! * HIGH SCORES! * CODE CARDS! * CONTESTS! * PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE! I WANT TO PLAY LIKE A PRO! YP01 I want to subscribe to ELECTRONIC ■GAMING MONTHLY for the low price of $19.95 for a full year (that’s 12 incredible issues for 50% off the cover price). STATE BIRTHDATE To order, send the above form, with a check or money order for $19.95 to: SENDAI PUBLICATIONS, INC. 1920 Highland Ave Suite 300 - Dept. A Lombard, IL 60148 lea 111 HSU is on its way to a Morelia success story in ttie Super Dodge Ball World Cup Championships, from out of nowhere, this scrappy hunch of rookies is advancing to the final round of com¬ petition. But, seven powerful teams still stand between foam DSA and their ulti¬ mate challenge; the long awaited grudge match with the undefeated, defending world champions, team Bussia. Bnly you can lead the B.S. to victory over the highly-favored competition, and give them the chance to crush the mighty Soviets. Watch fur details on the Super Dodge Ball World Cup. It 's coming soon to a city near you. Co-sponsored by CSC Imagesoft Inc and Sony Corporation of America. tor 2 players Multi-dimensional, high-resolution (ittisii i/ mum fir pin n in 3 increasing levels el challenge BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE IN THE HAUNTED RUINS! FACT-FILE: Manufacturer: Sega Machine: Genesis Cart Size: 5 Meg Number of Levels: 5 Theme: Action Difficulty: Hard Number of Players: 1 Available: October 1989 Steve Harris AWARD WINNER! cm Plover's Seal or Approval RAINSTORMS! As you enter the second half of level one (after the log bridge), you will run into a torrential storm, with heavy winds and rain. You’ll make slow progress if you try to run against the winds. Jump re¬ peatedly to escape the area fast. r v. TREE OF DEATH Before you pass through the guillotine that leads to the second half of the first quest, you must contend with the 'Tree of Death" A flock of killer vultures rest upon the old and twisted limbs of the tree and attack when you approach! To meet this challenge, walk past the tree in short increments and wait for the birds to attack in small groups. If you try to run past the tree, all the vultures will swoop down on you at once, and make survival very difficult! LEVEL ONE BOSS Begin your attack on the armored unicorn by creeping up on him until he first ap¬ pears. Jump and fire (use the spear, dag¬ ger, or shield) to taunt him into attacking. When he begins walking toward the left, jump and fire (you should return to the wall at the extreme left). Duck to avoid his head, and fire straight up when the green monster is overhead. Remember to aim at the head! n ms Ghouls and Ghosts follows the fur¬ ther adventures of a brave knight who must conquer lands filled with monsters and magic. Continuing the theme made popular in Ghosts and Goblins, this high-powered sequel (which was released by Capcom in the arcades) is done complete justice on the Sega Genesis. The graphics are arcade-quality, the sound is rich and varied, and the game play is nothing less than extraordinary! In fact, Ghouls and Ghosts is so good, it very well may be the most advanced home video game of all time! With lance in hand, you set out once again into five new worlds loaded with beautifully drawn scrolling back¬ grounds and a highly-detailed cast of demons and creatures! In addition to the great graphics, sound effects, and music, Ghouls and Ghosts also introduces the same power-up enhancements that were used in Goblins. The weapons can be used in conjunction with a special suit of armor, however, for a whole new set of offensive and defensive functions! When you have the spe¬ cial golden armor, which is found in certain treasure chests like the other weapons, you can hold the fire button to store up energy and release a blast weapon. This play mechanic is simi¬ lar to the Beam Laser in R-Type and adds a whole new dimension to play by upgrading your powers to all new heights! Throughout the game, Ghouls and Ghosts remains challenging to even the most seasoned players, with a The Village of the Damned At the beginning of level two, you will encounter a number of bouncing turtle shells approaching from the right. Push ahead and pause only when the trajec¬ tory of a turtle gets in your way. Don’t wait too long or the turtles themselves will appear and start a slow slumbering walk toward your hero! FIREWHEEL Timing is critical to escape the flames of the fire wheel. Run ahead just Beware of the pillars of fire which ap- when the arm of the wheel goes by. pear from the top and bottom of the playfield. Attack them-but watch out for the Firebats which appear in their wake! ✓ constant supply of danger always lurking ahead. While some may have trouble just getting through the first level, this type of respect to today’s game players is much-welcomed! Ghouls and Ghosts is a fantastic game and an absolute "must-have" for all new Genesis owners. It is near¬ ly flawless in every detail! f - \ BEWARE 01 When certain trea¬ sure chests are op¬ ened, they reveal a mad sorcerer who casts an evil spell to turn you into... LOOK FOR TRAPS! As you make your way across the wooden bridges, some of the steps will break open and drop you into the pits below. Jump over the traps! ■> TAKE ON BOSS TWO At the end of the second level you will face the Fire Dog. This Boss creature attacks by charg¬ ing at your hero. Rapidly fire at the hell hound when it is to your left or right and duck when it leaps overhead. Multiple hits will destroy it! POWER-UP!!! During your quest you will encounter treasure chests. I nside some of these chests you will find new weapons which can greatly enhance your fighting abilities. Some of most beneficial pow¬ er-ups are shown at the right. Tricks- of the -Trade SPECIAL TIPS, PLAYING TECHNIQUES, STRATEGIES, HIDDEN POWER-UPS, LEVEL SELECTS, AND CONTINUES... HYDLIDE Ending Codi This code will take you to the chamber were the evil Boralis waits. This password will also start you off on your quest with 90% Life, 100% Strength, and 90% Magic! XBNMXMPNWQMNQHB7 Eugene Crowder Whg., West Virginia MUON'S SECRET CASTLE Hidden Continue To resume your adventure after you have lost your life in Secret Castle, use this helpful tip. Defeat the first level Boss, grab the crys¬ tal and you will be able to continue once you die by pushing the pad left and then pressing ’Start’. Matt Dellinger CYBORG HUNTER Weapon Powir-Up* Keeping your guns and bomb reserves full is an essential to suc¬ cess in Cyborg Hunter. All you have to do is find a location where a power-up is located, retrieve the item, enter a nearby elevator, and then exit on the same floor. It can then be picked up again. STRIDER Paueodi, Wm pen tnd End Bolt Tipi Weapon: It is easier to kill enemies with the plasma arrow. In order to get it, trans¬ fer to Japan (when you get to that level). Go down the tube and move to the left. Kill the enemies flying above. Keep moving left. There is a man who fixes your cipher with the plasma arrow. Passcode: To get to the Red Dragon (last stage) enter the following code: DMCC BCCP KPCD Defeat End Boss: To eliminate FanBlade, you must wait until he jumps up, then go under him with your cipher pointing upward and jump. He will transform into a whirlwind. Don’t get hit by the whirl! Continue this technique until he is de¬ stroyed! Ernest Agustin Goose Creek, SC 40 i 11 a iu ft u _ j TECMO BOWL Special Codas Imagine going up against the same team that you coach in the Tecmo Bowl! This code gets you Chicago vs. Chicago: 697BFFA5 The letter part of the code (BFFA) is the team that you are up against, in this case, it would be Chicago. The number part of the code (6975) stands for your team - Chicago! Another code lets you play a game between Chicago and no one! Enter this code for solo play: 597BFFA5 One more code that will let you pit your skills against the same team is: 997BFFA5 You’ll play Washington vs. Washington for some no-lose prac¬ tice! David Tam FIST OF THE NORTH STAR Hidden Continue When your last man dies and "Game Over" appears, press the pad Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, and then ’B’ and ’A’. It will ask if you want to Continue or play a new game. When you select continue the title screen will appear and Contin¬ ue as you normally would! Joe Wolfe SUPER MARIO BROS. 2 Swot Warps All of the warps in Super Mario Bros. 2 are listed below. You can easily warp to the end of the game with these tips: WARP ONE: In World 1-3, go to the vase that is lo¬ cated just past the door with a potion in your hands and you’ll be able to pull down into it and warp to level 4-1. WARP TWO: Don’t climb into the clouds in world 3-1. Instead, fall into the waterfall and go into the door. Place the potion on top of the vase, go into sub-space, and down the vase to 5-1. WARP THREE: There is a potion on the second part of world 4-2 near the whales. Take the potion to the end of the stage. Jump on the whale’s tail and go backwards until you get to the vase on the island. Place the potion on top and, in sub¬ space, go into the vase to warp to 6-1! FANTASY ZONE *1,000 Bonus Ship and Extra Weapons During the message screen in the demo mode, press the control pad up or down more than fifty times, and start the game. You can buy your first extra ship with $1,000 (usually it will cost $2,500) You can also get unlimited wea¬ pons by buying and keeping all four of the engines. It costs some dough, but it’s worth it! Kenny Haner Pasadena, Texas In Metal Gear you can actually use the cigarettes as a helpful item but not before you beat the Super Computer. After you have beaten the computer, a timing device is set for the build¬ ing to destroy. Once this has happened, run in the right direction and go through the door. You will meet the Boss of the enemy. When you have successfully destroyed this opponent, check your time to make sure you can escape. If the end Boss took too much time to eliminate you may find yourself in a critical position with very little time remaining. If you are dangerously low on time, then select the cigaret¬ tes and use them. This will reset the timing device to 2000 and give you the extra time you need to leave. While in the last room you can con¬ tact Diane on the transceiver for in¬ structions on how to use cigarettes. To remove the pitfalls, press ’Select’ when the trap starts to open up. The pitfall will stop. To remove it just hit the button for the weapon select mode and press select again. Chistopher Cocura Asbury Park, NJ Cigarettes, Tine, and Ne Traps 41 ★ Are You Tired Of Playing The Same Old NINTENDO ® Games Or Buy One You Didn’t Like? ★ Tired Of Your Local Toy Store Always Sold Out Of Your Favorite Games ? ★ Tired Of Just Paying Too Much For Games & Accessories ? THEN JOIN THE ULTIMATE GAME CLUB & SAVE UP TO 20% OFF EVERY NINTENDO® GAME & ACCESSORY! We Buy, Sell & Trade New & Used NINTENDO® Games, Sega & Atari. As A Member You Are Entitled To The Following: 1. We sell new & used Nintendo games at the lowest prices possible! 2. We buy your used Nintendo games at the highest price possible! 3. We provide prompt efficient service with a 100% satisfaction guarantee! 4. We test & clean all used games for maximum efficiency! 5. We provide the largest stock of any other mail order firm! 6. If we do not have the game you want in stock, we’ll reserve it for you & ship it to you as soon as we get it. We ll even reserve new titles before they're available! 7. For every 10 friends you get to join the club we’ll give you a Nintendo game of your choice Free! That’s right FREE! _ 8. We offer Discount Prices on practically everything PLUS monthly specials on top of that! 9. We have a toll free hotline for all new memberships & orders 1-800-TOY-CLUB (1-800-869-2582) 9 AM-9PM EST! For people in CT or Canada and any questions you may have dial 1- 203-388-6366! 10. We accept MC, Visa, check or money order! 11. We’ll also give you a free Club Membership Diploma & subscrip¬ tion to our quarterly Newsletter, Hot New Catalog plus details on up & coming games. 12. You get all this for the low cost of $10! So Hurry! Membership is limited!_ Docking Bay 10'* List Price 16.99 Club Prica 14 99 Nintendo T-Shirts A Sweatshirts Zeida II. Super Mario II. Nintendo Logo, Super Mario Club & other de¬ signs Youth sizes 6-16 Adult sizes S-M-L Tees List Pnce 8 99 Club Price 7.99 Sweats 19 99 Nintendo List Club Baseball Caps Poce Price Mesh 499 3.99 Cotton 599 499 Corduroy 699 5.99 The First 500 Members Get A Free Prize With Membership Worth Up To $100! TO JOIN OR ORDER ANYTHING IN THIS AD DIAL 1 -800-TOY-CLUB Or Send Check or Money Order To: ULTIMATE GAME CLUB, 1491 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook, CT 06475 Suncom Docking Bay 20" Holds 20 Nintendo games Curtis Game Caddy List Price 5.99 Club Price 4.99 Super Extendo Cables 6' extension lor controllers & light gun List Price 9 99 Club Price 8.99 Nintendo Cartridge Organiser List Pnce 5 99 Club Price 4 99 Also holds 18 Sega cartridges Nintendo Entertainment Center Holds control deck, zapper, 2 con¬ trollers 12 game cartridges Also holds complete Sega System Ust Price 27 99 Club Price 22.99 Nintendo Cartridge Cabinet List Price 14 99 Club Price 10 99 Happ Competitive Pro Joystick MOON Ust Price 1499 Club Price 12.99 Kraft Deluxe Starmaster Joystick Ust Price 14 99 Club Price 12.99 NINTENDO ACCESSORIES LIST CLUB PRICE PRICE Bandai Super Controller 6.99 5. Bandai Mega Controller 59.99 54. Camerica Gift Pax |2 Freedom sticks) 129 99 119. Camerica Freedom Pad 39.99 34. Camerica Freedom Stick 69 99 62. Camerica Supersonic Joystick 59.99 54. Camerica Video Blaster 29.99 25. Eclectic s Pro Play Home Arcade 249 99 229. Doc s Fix A Game (cleans all video game cartridges) 9.99 8. Nintendo Beach Towels; Mano s Party Mano s Beacn Mario & Luigi. Mario 4 Zeida 19.99 16. Nintendo Slumberbag 36.99 32. Nintendo Underwear 3/6.99 3/5. Nintendo Suspenders 6.99 5. Nintendo Belts 4.99 3. LJN Roll & Rocker 59.99 49.99 Tara Deluxe Game Pack 15 Game Carrycase 11 99 9.99 Nintendo Rain Slicker 3 designs 4 assorted colors Ust Price 1499 Club Price 11.99 WE ALSO CARRY A WIDE SELECTION OF SEGA & ATARI GAMES & ACCESSORIES. CALL FOR DETAILS TO GET OUR FREECATALOG! IF YOU DON T SEE WHAT YOU WANT. THERE'S MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE. IF YOU DON'T SEE IT THERE CALL US & WE LL GET IT FOR YOU! ACC LAM REMOTE CONTROLLER Complete Freedom* No wiree, no oordel LM Price *30 96 dub Price 934 TO ORDER SEGA’S 16 BIT GENESIS — 1-800-TQY-CLUB SEGA GENESIS 10 BIT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH ALTERED BEAST GAME INCLUDED. AVAILABLE NOW 1 LIST PRICE $199.00 CLUB PRICE $ 189.99 Geneea Power Base Converter 49 99 39.99 NOW »SSSK? , '“ ,Sws ~S.a ,s T!S! now Gwawwsa . IMS 1499 NOW Space Harrier II Super Hang On Super Thunder Blade Thunder Fore* Tommy Laaorda Base ban Phantasy Star l« Hydlide Special TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 8EOA GAMES 19.99 32.99 15.00 29.99 4999 10.00 2499 34.99 w nr war 19.99 32.99 19.99 32.99 19.99 3299 24.99 32.99 1999 32.99 19.99 32.99 19.99 32.99 Don't Buy 24.99 39.99 2499 3799 King s Quest KungFuKld - - Lord 01 The Sword 10.00 24.99 3999 Marireman/Trap Shoot 8.00 17.99 32.99 Maze Hunter 30 10.00 24.99 29.99 Maze Hunter 3D I 10.00 24.99 2999 ss 35 34.99 49 99 Monopoly (Battery) Montezuma's Revenge My Hero Out Run Out Run 30 Parlour Games Penguin Land (Battery) Phantasy Star (Battery) Poesidon Wars 30 Power Strike 24.99 _ 1&99 27.99 24.99 37.99 24 99 39.99 24.99 3499 24.99 34.99 3499 89.99 24 99 39 99 1999 29.99 14 99 32.99 1999 32.99 1999 32.99 19.99 32.99 IE LOCK Chib Pile Calf us to order from our stock of 1000‘s of Nintendo i Atari Games S Accessories SEGA OAME8 W &r 24.99 44 99 w 10.00 Broderbund'a U-Force Quantity limited----- LM Price 89 99 Oub Price 7* 99 UN's ROM N Rocker Quantity llmllsd-order yours today* LM Price 49.99 C LEBO Video Game Carry Case Holds complete Nintendo. Sega or List Price 27.99 Hamel Video Game Organizer Holds complete Nintendo. Sega, a LM Price 27.99 Club Price 23.99 ik it it it Aft* Hepp Competition Pro Joystick* Model •'» Clockwt*« List wtee Club Price 300X for Atari 300XS for Sega 5000 for Atari 5000S for Sega 5000N for Nintendo 1000 for Atari List Price 9 99 10.99 12.99 17.99 19 99 17 99 24 99 22 99 6.99 5.99 Oub Price S 99 Leem M SiesScreta ystrafigles to wn stage by stage of 10 of the hottest new games available! Call lor game list LM Price 999 Club Price 8.99 © 1989 Ultimate Game Club. Nintendo® , Sega®, & Atari ®, are trademarks of Nintendo, Sega & Atari. Prices subject to change, we are not responsible for typographical errors. Call us if you are looking for other Sega games or accessories not found on this list. RAMPAGE $u|w Polfft Trick On certain levels in Ram¬ page there are screens that have rivers. Sometimes a tank will also appear and dive straight into the river! When the tank is submerg¬ ed and is crossing the river underwater, move your cre¬ ature to the opposite side and punch very quickly. When the tank tries to come Jeremy Romer Denver, Colorado up, you will score numerous hits and get unlimited points until your player accidentally eats a person or if you fail to punch fast enough. You can score as many as 400,000 points per board this way and it can be repeated. TECMO BOWL Invisibility Cads To play Tecmo Bowl with charac¬ ters who are completely invisible, enter this super secret passcode: 397FBFA5 Jeff Schnoor Milton, Florida SUPER TRICK COBRA TRIANGLE 1,000 Point Spint In Cobra Triangle, when you cross the Finish line at the end of each race, you can rack up some bonus points by putting your boat into a spin. You’ll get 1,000 points for each spin you execute! Mark Malek Atlanta, GA mn u subB isi b» A WONDER BOV IN M0NSTERIAND Freo Money If you press the ’Pause’ button 73 times, after you get your first sword, you’ll receive 45 gold pie¬ ces absolutely free! This process can also be repeated! Ben Roewe Urbandale, IA RAMB0 $tren§o Code When the Start/Continue screen comes on, select "Continue" and input all zeroes for all the blanks and put the prompt on "End" to enter the code. Rambo will be invisible and the screen will be full of numbers and letters and other computer jibberish. Keep mov¬ ing to the right and you will be in a vil¬ lage but Rambo will remain invisible. When a man appears, keep pushing up until you talk to him. Switch to the screen with the codes on it and write down that code. Reset the game and put in that code. This time Rambo is visible, but the screen is still Filled with numbers and letters. Keep going right and after a while you will come to some rocks but keep on going. Soon you will be in the village. Talk to the man in the village and see what items you have - you will be very surprised, especially at how long it took! Walter Garey Phoenix, MD 44 *T-L NO fit* KEITH COURAGE IN ALPHA ZONE Sunt Debug Mode This special trick will allow you to not only select the Overworld or Underworld of each level, it will also enable you to increase the strength of your sword, and your avail¬ able heart containers, money, and Power Shots! Here’s all you do: 1) Turn on the TurboGrafx-16 console and immediately press and hold the ’Run’ but¬ ton followed by the ’Select’ button to reset the game. 2) Press and hold the buttons in the follow¬ ing order: Button One, Button Two, ’Run’, and then ’Select’. 3) Let the demo mode continue to go through its paces. When the word ’Start’ appears on the screen after a few moments, press ’Up’ on the control pad eight times. If you do all of these things correctly, you will automatically enter the Debug Mode. Since the screen is in Japanese, you may need a little help deciphering just what everything means. You can select between the Overworld and Underworld by pressing ’Select’. By pushing the pad up and down you can highlight the other features. The level is chosen with the first line, the sword with the next, the Heart Containers with the third, and the Money and Power Shots with the final two. Press ’Start’ to store these changes and begin play! WIN A FREE GAME FROM EGM! We want you to play like a winner, and we’re ready to pay! Give us your tips and clues, your secret continues, level selects, power- ups and codes! If we print your tip, we’ll give you credit in these pages as well as a free game! Get the best tips anywhere and get a great game as well! Sendai Publications, Inc. is not responsible for the submission of i±3Sff,ASs aftssssaa gyre- F ' na Invasion Of The Nintendoids They’re here! The official clothing and equipment for serious Nintendo players. Order yours today! Show your allegiance with Nintendo Power Patches. Collect all six. Arm yourself with a Camerica CAC280 Supersonic Joystick with wireless remote. Take cover under this Ninetendo Cap. 5 Designs in Men's/ Children's sizes. Gear up for the games in this Nintendo Sweatshirt. fcAMERI^AX Honor your victories with Nintendo Pins. Collect all eighteen. * 3.99 Go where the action is with the Z-Bag HD28Q Nintendo Custom Carrving Case. * 29.95 45 Level THE STORY CONTINUES... In the last issue of EGM we walked you through the first two levels of battle in SNK’s latest powerhouse, P.O.W.! With the second part in this special strategy guide you’ll be able to continue your mission through the last two rounds, and bring the fight to the Big Boss waiting at the conclus¬ ion of the game! Do you have what it takes to blast out of the enemy camp and make it to safety? Armed with this super EGM strategy guide, you’ll have everything you need to escape their tor¬ turous prisons, and overthrow the government! POWER-UP TIPS Remember, the most valuable power-up item is the Armor, which deflects enemy knife and gun attacks. Also, go for the Life power-up when your energy is low. STRATEGY GUIDE ENTER THE ENEMV WATERS FOR AU-NEW CONFRONTATIONS! In your second mission you entered an enemy waterway only to be met by knife-wielding scuba divers! Even more frogmen guard the third level of play, supported by addi¬ tional troops that can sustain multiple attacks. Use the same 'turn and attack when they surface" technique for the scuba divers, and go after the other soldiers one at a time to wear them down. ■a • 2 a> 3 a> c o O ' 11 r • r *! r rfifXm rrrrr r ' ' r i* f ' ‘ • trlrrrrr. rrrr rMsrr LEVEL ONE LEVEL TWO LEVEL THREE LEVEL FOUR LEVEL FIVE Resume the Fight on Level Three START THE FIGHT WITH LEVEL THREE BOSS When you get near the end of the third level, as illustrated in the Game Map below, you will auto¬ matically enter the elevator. The scene will then shift to the interior of the elevator when the third Boss waits. To dispatch this heavyweight, start punching when the Boss approaches. Once you connect with a punch, don’t stop until he plows by. When you have little stamina left, you can also go af¬ ter the Boss with jumpkicks. The third Boss occupies a rushing elevator which Bart automatically en¬ ters at the conclusion of the level. MOVE ON - BUT BEWARE! You may be tempted to run as quickly as pos¬ sible to the goal at the right. This, however, is not always a prudent move. Since the game does not scroll as quickly as you move, it often places you at the extreme edge of the screen where you are more vulnerable. You can also keep multiple ene¬ mies from appearing by taking things slower. 20 FREE MEN! Use this Super-Secret Power-Up and attack the enemy head-on with 20 free men! To accomplish this fantastic feat, enter the following combination of moves during the title screen: Dress ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘B\ UP, UP, DOWN. LEFT THEN START! THE FINAL BATTLE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! After defeating the third Boss, you must set out on the deadliest part of your journey! Throughout this level the enemy is more aggressive and more difficult to dispatch! You’ll encounter obstacles that will put you in the line of fire! Motorcycle man¬ iacs that are even tough¬ er than before! The bon¬ us rooms are also filled with more difficult ene¬ mies, including some of the Boss villains you’ve dispatched in earlier lev¬ els of play! Knuckles Armor Your Lost Mission Begins! Explore the alleys for more power-up rooms Sneak past the turret guards by slow¬ ly inching forward and keeping their line of fire away from your position. Since the guns can only shoot in three directions (left-diagonal, right-dia¬ gonal, and down) they’re not too dif¬ ficult to avoid. ENEMY SUPER TANK After you complete the fourth area, you will face the enemy’s super tank. This metal monstrosity fires guns and deploys troops while moving back and forth. Kill the explosives troops and throw the dynamite they leave behind back at the tank to de¬ stroy it. Remember to stay low on the screen and avoid enemy fire! BIG BOSS After fighting several troops off in a short "mini-round", you will finally come face to face with the miltary strongman who holds an iron grip on the country. This giant warrior will use his advanced martial arts skills to knock you out. Look out for his super jumps overhead, and use this vulnerability to score hits on the Big Boss when he lands. Victory is now yours! Steve Harris NINTENDO IGNORES 16-BIT IN ’89 Although the hardware is completed, Nintendo has put off the release of their 16-Bit Super Famicom until the second quarter of next year in Japan. This means that the earliest that gamers are like to see "The Ultimate Game Machine" maybe Christmas-time 1990. During the recent CES exhibition in Chicago, Nintendo clearly showed, through the use of a propaganda film hosted by Mario, that their intentions are to continue support for the 8-Bit Nintendo Entertainment System and focus new marketing dollars towards the portable GameBoy and not a 16- Bitter. After all, they reason, the NES is still a viable machine with enough power to play the games we want to see. In a way, Nintendo is right. The base for the NES is approaching 20 million units, which gives the machine a more than substantial foothold on the American market. And there are some very good games coming out soon on the NES like Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Silkworm and Willow. Even though these games don’t possess the highly-detailed graphics and sound ef¬ fects found on the new machines, they still play every bit as good as some of the best titles available for the Turbo or Genesis. The extra power afforded by the Super Fami, however, has to be seen to be believed. Now programmers can 50 A TALE OF TWO TETRISES Now that Nintendo has scored the first punch in the battle for the rights to the Soviet-designed puzzle game Tetris, it appears that the more playable and in-depth Tengen version (right) will be removed from stores shelves. produce games that take advantage of new high-powered features like hardware scrolling and rotation to add even greater dimensions to new titles. Despite a release date that’s been pushed back into the next decade, many companies are al¬ ready looking at devel¬ oping for Nintendo’s latest super system. While all eyes are now on the Japanese market (where the Super Fami will make its debut) (Continued on page 78) You won’t see the Nintendo 16-Bit Super Famicom, which plays highly detailed carts like Super Mario World and Zelda 3, until around this time next year - or maybe even later! Get all fired up... for the Adventure Action-adventure r - & -m 1 - ’.T*-- fit k£l ■ ^ MVtrLIOt 9rtUAl Vt t I ,J Nintendo and Nintendo Entertainment System* ate trademarks o* Nintendo ot Amenta Inc fO' v is a t*ademark ol Futtsankei Commumcattons International. Inc Hydede" rs a trademark of T&Ewft and kctosed by FO for ptay on the Nintendo Entertainment System* fuasar*p Commumcations International inc 150 East 5? Sheet New Vo*. NY 10Q?2 lei (MO) ?55 1431 In NY State (2t2> 753 8100 Phone Coonsekng Hotline (3»?) 968 04?5 FACT-FILE: Manufacturer: Data East Machine: NES Cart Size: 2 Meg Number of Levels: 7 Theme: Action Difficulty: Easy-Average Number of Players: lor 2 Available: Now v_ _y Steve Harris ARE YOU BAD ENOUGH FOR BAD DUDES? Although it may look like a clone of Double Dra¬ gon at firse glance, Data East’s new arcade adaptation, Bad Dudes, is much, much more! While it shares the same type of horizontally-scrolling beat-em-up action, Bad Dudes intro¬ duces a wide variety of additional fea¬ tures that includes Boss attackers at the end of every area, multiple levels to bat¬ tle on within each playfield, and an as¬ sortment of power-up weapons that would make Billy Lee run for cover! Your goal in Bad Dudes is to rescue the President from a band of nasty Ninjas who specialize in terrorist tactics. It’s up to you to infiltrate their stronghold and overcome the Boss Ninja who’s planning to send the President away. Before you can reach the Commander in Chief, however, you must traverse six levels filled with all kinds of ninja warriors. Make it past these guardians and it’s one on one with the ultimate Boss, the Dragon Ninja, on top of a flying helicop- tor! Battle On Bad Dudes - Always grab up the cola drinks that are left behind by certain Red Ninjas. This power- up item will replenish lost stamina and allow you to con¬ tinue your mission in a much healthier condition! POWER-UP! Clock - Extends time! When you get the clock extra time is added to the counter. Immediately attack whenever a Red Ninja appears! These martial arts masters will release one of four different power-up items when dispatched, including a Clock, Dagger, and Nunchucks! Get them whenever you can! Dagger - Provides the Bad Dudes with Nunchucks - The most valuable pow- a deadly form of attack at close range. er-ups - especially useful on Bosses. 52 The graphics in Bad Dudes are first- rate, with highly-detailed scrolling backgrounds presenting a different set of challenges for each round. All of the background scenery is colorfully drawn and animated. The giant helicopter that carries the last Boss in level seven fills the screen with roaring rotor blades while you battle for control of the President’s future. The character animation, however, is not quite as sterling as the back¬ grounds. The enemy is dipicted in solid shades of blue and red, with very few surface details. Both Blade and Strik¬ er, your on-screen heroes, appear faithful to their coin-op cousins, but the animation and movement of these characters is slightly choppy. Despite this minor shortcoming, Bad Dudes remains a solid entry into the kick-and-punch-your-way-out-of-any - thing brand of gaming. The entire package delivers a constant stream of challenges and options that remains ex¬ tremely close to the arcade title on which it’s based. The background gra¬ phics and sound effects are top-notch for the NES and help support the en¬ tire game even more. If you’re a fan of side-scrolling punch- outs, then Bad Dudes won’t disappoint. It captures the same elements found in the arcade and wraps them up into a fine looking and well-executed NES cartridge. LEVEL ONE The first Boss is Kamov, the fire-brea¬ thing Russian! Kamov will jump over you and blow long streams of fire when he lands. When he lands on the lower level, jump to the higher area, and use foot sweeps to wear him down and keep him from getting to your position. LEVEL TWO A Ninja warrior attacks with razor- sharp claws at the end of the second level. Use the nunchucks aggressively, and only back up when the Boss starts closing in with his long claws. Use jump kicks if you don’t have the nun- chucks. LEVEL THREE The level four Boss uses "Ninja Magic". After a few moments, the ninja will split into several "shadows". Position your self so that when they split, none of the shadows will be on top of you. Kill the shadows, and run in close for three quick hits on the Boss and then retreat. LEVEL FOUR The third Boss will lean on one arm and then use a powerful side-kick. Use the nunchucks repeatedly until he gets ready to jump and then retreat. If you don’t have nunchucks, jump on the higher hill and the tough guy will jump off the screen. Turn and kick him! LEVEL FIVE The fifth Boss is similar to the third, but is bigger and has a chain in addition to the claw. Use the same method of get¬ ting in close with the nunchucks and hitting the Boss repeatedly, or use a jump-kick. This Boss is very aggres¬ sive, so watch out! level six Your next Boss encounter will be against a pole-wielding tough guy. Since the pole gives this Boss an extra distance advantage, go to the top level and stay there to avoid his attacks. To defeat the Boss, use punches and kicks whenever he closes in. 53 FACT-FILE Manufacturer: Technos Machine: NES Cart Size: 2 Meg Number of Levels: 14 Theme: Action/Adventure Difficulty: Average Number of Players: 1 or 2 Available: Fall, 1989 V___/ Steve Harris SAVE YOUR GIRL AND MAKE THE BAD GUYS PAY IN RIVER CITY RANSOM! American Technos is probably one of the most famous video game compan¬ ies in the world. Don’t worry if their name doesn’t sound immediately fam¬ iliar, because this blockbuster company has yet to release a game of their own. American Technos, you see, is the U.S. arm of Technos Japan, a development company responsible for some of the most popular video games of all time, including all-time fav- orties such as Double Dragon, Double Dra¬ gon II: The Revenge, Renegade, Mat Man¬ ia, V’Ball, and more! While most of these gaming mega-hits were originally pro¬ duced as arcade titles, Technos is now setting their sights for the home market with a brand new action/adventure that car¬ ries all of the fantastic sights and sounds that have become Technos trademarks! Their first entry into the NES sweep- stakes expands upon play themes that have proven successful in the past. Combine Double Dragon with two- player features and adventure over¬ tones and you have River City Ransom! POWER-UP AND BATTLE ON! You can increase your fighting power by picking up any one of eight special weapons like these... Tire - When you throw the tire it will bounce across the screen and take out anyJjad guys it hits! Brass Knuckles - This powerful weapon increases the damage inflicted by your punches! --?-;- i - ja ^ ^ a? Stick - Use this item to knock the gangs out! It in¬ creases the range of your at¬ tack as well as the power! Chains - This power-up acts like a whip! When used rapidly you can stop your opponent in no time! 54 THE MEAN STREETS... In River City Ransom you will face nine different gangs, including such low-lifes as the Frat Guys, Home Boys, and Cowboys. There are fourteen different locations to explore and plenty of gang turf to overcome. You must also face a multitude of Bos¬ ses who have even more powerful abilities! _:---' River City Ransom is filled with plen¬ ty of punch and kick action, as well as the standard assortment of power-up implements that enhance your charac¬ ter’s fight skills. In addition to these conventional features, however, River City introduces you to a variety of shops where you can buy food, medicines, and even books! These items increase your stamina, attack abilities, and even the types of attacks you can perform! Before you can purchase anything, you must first collect the money that appears each time one of the rival gang members is beaten into submission (us¬ ually accompanied by colorful text on the bottom of the screen). Pick up these coins and cash them in for big rewards! River City Ransom has good graphics and sound effects, but the game really excels in the number of options that are provided. The game also talks you through with cleverly worded senten¬ ces that help explain the story. River City Ransom is filled with options (you can buy dozens of items) and packed with action! Great fun throughout! ALEX mirtlt Cro iMOht • Noth i In9 » My.+ie SOCr EXIT THROW AWRY TAKE OUT ORDERS - Some of the items that you buy in the shops are "to go" and can be used at a later time by entering this sub-screen. 55 FACT-FILE: Manufacturer: Sammy Machine: NES Cart Size: 2 Meg Number of Levels: 15 Theme: Shooter Difficulty: Average Number of Players: 1 Available: Dece mber 1989 Steve Harris TAKE COMMAND OF THE TWIN COBRA! An all-time arcade favorite comes home courtesy of American Sammy. Twin Cobra, labeled by many coin-op players as one of the most intense shooters of all time, has captured most of the good looks of the original in the NES version, as well as the pulse¬ pounding feeling of all-out war gen¬ erated over a dozen waves of non-stop action and mega-wcapon exchanges! The basic theme of the game (shoot everything in sight, pick up bonus stars, and collect weapon power-ups to en¬ hance your firepower to staggering proportions) remains intact, along with the different options available to build the abilities of your Twin C obra attack chopper. A diversified cast of enemy war machines, ranging from tanks and transports to helicopters and bat¬ tleships, helps turn up the heat, and all- new features, like the special invin¬ cibility stars, add even more to a shoot- em-up that has it all! RED ROCKETS YELLOW-PULSE GREEN-RAPID BLUE - SPREAD There are six different power-up items that can be collected in Twin Co¬ bra as well as two dif¬ ferent types of Power Stars. In addition to the weapon enhancement (which can be upgraded a maximum of five times) and extra bombs that are left by downed transports, you can change your weaponry into any one of the four types of firepower shown to the left. V. 56 GET THE HINT! ULTIMA EXODUS HINT BOOK Yes, you can save Brittania! All you need is the Ultima Hint Book! This 64 page handbook of hidden secrets lets you in on some of the tips and tricks that can help you complete your quest. Look for the official Ultima Hint Book wherever you buy Or call the number below to order direct. Books by phone, have your credit and call toll-free (800) 422-9001 ext. 576 Ultima® is a registered trademark of Richard Garriott; MagMax' u is a trademark of Nihon Bussan Co., Ltd., and both are licensed by FCI for play on the Nintendo Entertainment System ® Nintendo and Nintendo Entertainment System® are registered trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. FCI© • Mail or phone orders only. Not Just Kid Stuff Fujisankei C&nmunicakons International. Inc. ISO East 52 Street. New York. NY 10022 Tel. (BOO) 2551*31 In NY State (212) 753 8100 Phone Counselled Hotline (312) 968 0425 Ed Semrad SPOTLIGHTING THE NEW SEGA RPGs 1 1 ►