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Act quickly. Get to the The victim nearest may faint. hospital.

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Іп most Eidos-related emergencies, your first response will be to finish the victim's game, potentially resulting in the loss of a lot more than a friendship. So before playing games like Tomb Raider 2 or Deathtrap Dungeon, study the enclosed first aid instructions. Then mount them in an easily accesible location near your PlayStation: And rest assured that once you've assisted the injured, you can finish what their lame ass couldn't.

etes

You've been warned.

‘uoodung denineag `Z зәрем quor зор

PICK A

(HEY, IT'S CHRISTMAS.

“Tekken 2 is the best...no contest."

-Game Players August ‘96

b...

"Tekken 2 is THE can't-miss PlayStation game of the year!”- Game Players September ‘96

“This game is a must buy for anyone

PICK TWO.)

“Soul Blade heads the early list for best

fighting game of the year.” - GameFan February ‘97

spectacular fighting game ever to grace a console.” - GameFan March ‘97

“its simply the best 3D PlayStation.” -

The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.

Editorial

By Joe Funk ° joe_funk@zd.com

n last month’s editorial, we made some predictions about the future of gaming. Already, one of them has come true. Apparently, we jumped the gun a little bit— a golden gun if you will.

Vegas bookies will tell you hope doesn’t mix well with prognostication.

Emotion gets in the way. In this case, however, our dreams have become reality. We predicted, OK hoped, that someone, somewhere, was finally going to tap a great license, make a killer movie and then make a killer game. It’s amazing when you consider this has never happened before in our industry. Up until now, the characters in blockbuster video games have all been born there. With all of the great characters and settings and plots provided by Hollywood, not a single movie or movie character has ever enjoyed mega-star status in video games. Not Superman. Not Batman. Not Star Trek. Not Aliens. Not Indiana Jones. Not Terminator. Not Jurassic Park. Not Spawn.

Not even Mickey Mouse.

There are some tepid exceptions: Star Wars has consistently been the best so far with many excellent games based on Lucas’ universe, but except for the first level on Shadows of the Empire (see EGM #90 editorial), we have not seen a true milestone of a video game based on Star Wars. Alien Trilogy and Die Hard for the PlayStation were actually pretty good games and came close to mimicking the look and feel of their cinematic namesakes, but in both cases the games were just not integrated deeply enough into the film’s story line, and neither ever really achieved epic status.

While countless attempts have been made over the last decade to tap this deepest of veins, usually, unfortunately, something gets lost in the translation. Our industry simply has a poor track record of producing quality movie-to-game translations. Companies seem to spend more time and money chasing down and then marketing a big movie license than they do in producing the game. Well, history has taught us repeatedly that simply procuring a license and slapping it on a bad game does not trans- late into strong sales.

That’s where things have dismally stood, but now we're pleased, no ecstatic, to report that a new standard of excellence has been estab- lished in movie-to-game adaptations.

His name is Bond, James Bond, and the game is GoldenEye. Nintendo (who published) and Rare (who developed) deserve a 21-gun salute for their fabulous work on this landmark title for the N64. It is the translation we've been longing for at the EGM offices: a great property (James Bond); a great movie (GoldenEye); and a game that truly captures the essence of its namesake.

What makes this game so good? The answer can be summed up in one word: game- play. If GoldenEye was a generic spy game in white packaging with an olive stripe and stenciled letters and titled “Jerry’s Shootin’ Spy Game,” it would still be a great game, and Jerry would probably become a character icon like Duke Nukem or Lara Croft. It’s infinitely more important that Rare took the time to do this game right than it was to hit the release window of the film. The game is good enough to stand on its own, so the lag between the release of the game and the movie (about 18 months) is insignificant.

Yes, GoldenEye is a Doom-type game. Most of what you see in the game has been in other games. But it is the rock-solid feel, depth of gameplay and integration of so many quality programming components that elevate GoldenEye to elite status. Weave in the GoldenEye story line, steeped with more than three decades of rich Bond tradition; an unmistakable theme song; familiar supporting characters like Q and MoneyPenny; innovative gadgets and exotic settings; and you have a game that is an instant classic — not to mention a milestone for the industry.

Where do we go from here? Hopefully, programmers and developers will learn the lessons Mr. Bond has taught us. We just want to see more, better, movie-to-game translations. Perhaps the next step is an integrated DVD that will include the typical director’s cut of a movie, production notes, behind-the-scenes footage —and also include the game. In the meantime, thumbs up to Rare and Nintendo for setting a new standard in movie-to-game translations.

PICKEO UP SONE AMMO,

гоз | 28 РЫ ТЯ

With that said, we want to know who's going to step ир and come out with the Full Metal Jacket and It's Pat games?

Printed in the USA.

— Number 10.12 — MONTRE December 1997

www.videogames.com

Jonathan Lane

Joe Funk ° joe_funk@zd.com

Ken Williams • ken williams&zd.com

Crispin Boyer * crispin_boyer@zd.com

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Michael Stassus • m_stassus@zd.com

Cyril Wochok ° cyril wochok@zd.com

Andrew Burwell, Jason Hinman, Scott Parus, Tom DeMay

John Stockhausen * john_stockhausen@zd.com

Chris Johnston ° chris johnston@zd.com

Kelly Rickards • kelly rickards@zd.com

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Chris Johnston, Helen Lee • helen lee@zd.com

Ed Semrad • ed_semrad@zd.com

Stuart Levy, David Rider

Jennifer Whitesides

Jo-El Damen, Dan Peluso

Marc Camron

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Don Galen

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" *$0.85 per minute charge «51.15 per minute support from a game counselor «Touch-tone phone required «Minors must have parental permission before dialing. Hints are KONAMI. available 24 hours a day. Live support Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST only. Prices and availability, subject to change. U.S, accessibility only. Castlevania Symphony of the Night is a trademark of Konami Co., Ltd. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. PlayStation" and the PlayStation"

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ШЕ HET logos are trademarks of Tho Computer Entertainment Inc. FEAR HAS AN ADDRESS® is +

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Contents

Electronic Gaming Monthly, December 1997, Issue 101

__ Features _

You better not pout this holiday season. With our Holiday Buyer’s Guide, we review which games are the best for each of the systems.

Using our super-sleuth journalistic abilities, we go undercover to find the answer to the question: Is Nintendo’s Toad a he or a she?

Our hopes and dreams come true... Improving the classics doesn’t mean adding 3-D.

Which company will be earning your holiday dollars?

NEC will re-enter the hardware biz with the Dural.

44 — Previews

44 - Bomberman, N64

46 – Famista 64, N64

48 - Dracula 3D, N64

50 — Sonic R, Saturn

51- МВА Action ’98, Saturn

52- NHL All-Star Hockey ’98, Saturn 56 — Enemy Zero, Saturn

58 — Worldwide Soccer ’98, Saturn 62- Magic Knight Rayearth, Saturn 63 - X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Saturn 64 - Bust-A-Move 3, Saturn

See if Diddy Kong Racing drove the Crew bananas!

Cruise around in style with your own video game mobile.

Departments

We'll show you how to stop a “trippy” mad man in Fighting Force.

Access more options in Fantastic Four with the Cheat Mode code.

The British are coming...and they are brin- ing some really cool games with them. See what's in store for the U.S. from the U.K.

What do you get when you cross an ape with a Mario Kart-type game? You get a cool racing/adventure game "done right."

70 - Alundra, PlayStation

72 - Arena Tennis, PlayStation 80 - Auto Destruct, PlayStation 82 - Lode Runner, PlayStation 86 - Manhattan, PlayStation

88 - Power Soccer 2, PlayStation 89 - Diablo, PlayStation

90 - Shadow Master, PlayStation 92 — Reel Fishing, PlayStation 106 — FF7 International, PlayStation 114 – MK4-Version 2, Arcade

For EGM's holiday issue, the Review Crew decided to do something really original while reviewing

ith all the games

and game systems

screaming, “Buy me,” trying to buy something for the game lover in your life this holiday season can be confusing. However, EGM's mischievous elves can help you pick the ones to buy and the ones NOT to buy!!!

Game Directory

218 70 91

104 80

102

Abe's Oddysee Alundra

AGH: Midway Collect 2 Arkanoid Returns Auto Destruct

Beast Wars Bomberman 64 Bomberman World Bust-A-Move 3

Cart World Series Chocobo's MD

Crash Bandicoot 2 Crime Killers

Croc

Diablo

Diddy Kong Racing Dracula 3D

Dragon Ball GT

Duke Nukem

Elric

Enemy Zero

Excalibur 2555 AD Famista 64

Fantastic Four Fighting Cup

Fighting Force

FF7 International Front Mission 2 Gradius Gaiden 2 Lode Runner

Lost World: ЈР2

Mace 64

Magic Knight Rayearth Magic TG: Battlemage Manhattan Project Manx TT

Mass Destruction Mega Man X4

Metal Gear Solid Mischief Makers

MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero Mortal Kombat 4 Ver. 2 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Motor Racer GP

Multi Racing Champion NBA Action

NBA Fastbreakers '98 Need For Speed 2

NFL GameDay 98 NHL97

NHL98

NHL All-Star Hockey 98 NHL FaceOff 98

NHL Powerplay Pandemonium 2

PGA Tour 98

Power Soccer 2

Quake

Quarterback Club 98 Rampage

Red Asphalt

Reel Fishing

Resident Evil: DC

San Francisco Rush Saturn Bomberman Fight!! Shadow Master Shining Force III Shipwreckers Silhouette Mirage Skullmonkeys

Sonic R

Tennis Arena Tetrisphere

Top Gear

Triple Play 98 Warcraft Il: DS

WCW vs. NWO Worldwide Soccer X-Men vs. SF

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/ ' 4

ест letters

2-D or not 2-0

| would like to comment on something that was said at the end of the 100 Best Games feature. You said that you didn't want to send the wrong message to game developers to stop making polygonal 3-D games. Well | wish you would. Not to stop making them but to take a look at the crap they are Spewing out and perhaps make a return to more of the old- school, side-scrolling, butt-kicking fun. | mean come on, Super Mario 64 was fun, but it was also over in a few days. It had a meager challenge to it. | remember when | first got my hands on Super Mario World...| am not saying that the challenge was more or less than Mario 64's, but | remember Mario World having more content. | am truly afraid of game companies rushing to jump on the 3-D bandwagon. | am afraid that they have forgotten how to make genuinely good games. | would rather have Zelda 64 play like A Link to the Past rather than another Mario 64 game. I look at the PlayStation version of Castlevania and say to myself, “Why the heck would anyone want to play Castlevania 64 in 3-D?" Don't get me wrong— certain games should stay in the 3-D arena—1 wouldn't play Quake іп 2-D, and every time | play Tekken 3, I still gasp in amazement. Still, | would prefer the transition from say, Metroid to Super Metroid, than see Super Metroid get trans- formed into, well another Super Mario 64.

Nicholas Lipari —darkdeedGmindspring.com

EGM Letters gives you the chance to praise, gripe, ask, speculate or simply reflect. EGM will discuss some of today's top issues in the video game industry. If you have a subscription inquiry or problem, please contact our subscription department at (303) 665-8930 or by going to: http://www.zdnet.com/zdsubs/egm/service/ on the Web. Writing the editorial staff about your subscription concerns is futile! Note: EGM cannot and will not personally respond to any letters. We reserve the right to edit any correspondence for space purposes. You can reach EGM by writing to:

EGM Letters 1920 Highland Avenue, #222

(№ Lombard, IL 60148 e-mail: EGM_Mail@zd.com

Compiled by: Dan “Shoe” Hsu Resident Evil: Director's Cut, Starring..Michael Jordan???

My friend pointed out something to me in your Resident Evil: Director's Cut preview (August issue, #97, page 102). If you look at the picture of the half-eaten head on the floor, it looks a lot like Michael ordan. What do you think?

Victor Venturini— Houston, Texas

Pretty observant! We thought the head looked like MJ too (only after you pointed it out to us, though). We asked Capcom officials about the head, and they told us that the resemblance is pure coinci- dence. But who knows if a pro- grammer back at Capcom of apan (where the game was first made) "unofficially" put ordan's head in the game? It is quite possible, but we'll never know. Unfortunately for most U.S. gamers, our preview with the unedited screen shots is the If Michael Jordan doesn't return next only way you'll get to see season, might Capcom have something those scenes. Read this todo with it? By the way, this scene month's news story to see was cut out of the "unedited" what we're talking about... Resident Evil: Director's Cut.

Secret Admirer

| greatly enjoyed the letter from “Terra” in issue 100 and the accom- panying photo of Cloud’s ass. Being a gay male video game enthusiast, | sympathize with Terra’s feelings of being neglected. Nonetheless, | cer- tainly understand that the majority of game players (and also your read- ers) are young heterosexual males, so | applaud your efforts to appease those of us with different interests.

| would also like to say that Shawn Smith is absolutely adorable; he is by far the hottest video game reviewer | have ever seen. | love his new Review Crew photo, and the additional photos in the feature “A Day in the Life of EGM" were much appreciated.

In order to raise this letter above the level of purely prurient inter- ests, | want to compliment you on your first-rate magazine. When EGM took over my VideoGames subscription, | was uncertain what to expect from | your magazine. То my surprise and pleasure, | H found a publication that is well-written, articulate, | critical and intelligent. | look forward to continuing W to read EGM. Thanks for your time. | Richard Spoonts —spoonts@fas.harvard.edu Sorry girls [and guys), but Shawn's taken!

Wow, all those compliments from a Harvard student? We're flattered! Ain't many people say we articulate or anything like that.

Not All Doom Clones Are Clones

I'd really like to commend Dan Hsu for the way he rated GoldenEye 007. | know he generally doesn’t like first-person shooters (neither do I), and he always has the same complaints about them. But when GoldenEye didn’t have any of those problems, he gave it what it deserved—an excellent rating for an excellent game. | think it goes to show that the Review Crew stands by their beliefs. Good job!

Clarke Cousins—Lethbridge, AB, Canada

A Рге-100 Warning

Hey there, just me again, popping up like a glow-in-the-dark condom that falls out of your pocket at a very posh social gathering. | just wanted to make DARN sure that you guys did not let your brains turn to

To boldly die where no one has died before. This is Enemy Zero, and you аге Laura Lewis. You're on a space station and your crew members are being picked off one by one by an alien beast. No sweat, it's a shooting game and you can handle a gun. But you can't see the alien, only hear it. Scared? Thanks to the eerie soundtrack and intensely graphic cinematic effects you will be. Just be careful. In space no one can hear you wet your pants.

S) eA

*

The Nightmare,

ES

Don't let something as minor as a little severed limb stop you. Because it certainly won't stop them.

Use more than 28 different mutilating moves to divide and conquer the diabolical demons, bloodthirsty beasts and overzealous zombies.

Solve puzzles and battle marauding medieval $ monsters іп 16 disturbing 3-D environments Coming 4 0 s you search for the evil Adam Crowl Led as you search for the evil Adam Crowley. А Windows® 95 ent aient

PlayStation

Іп stores now!

aoe NIGHTMARE

Garand

A bloody good time in jolly old London.

тм

For more оп this tale of terror,

call 1-800-850-1682.

www.nightmare-creatures.com or www.kalisto.com

Activision is а registered trademark of Activision, Inc. Nightmare Creatures is a trademark of Kalisto Technologies. € 1997 Kalisto Technologies. Published and distributed by Activision, Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

noodles and make Mario 64 your choice for best game ever in your top 100 list. | can live with the inevitability that the REAL best game ever, COMBAT for the 2600, will not even be on your list, but if Mario sits atop it, | will personally ensure that you never have children. I’m a superhero, І сап do that. Also, | wanted to tell you that if, for some reason, the Mortal Kombat games get in there, | will be forced to fly down to Lombard and prance around your offices wearing nothing but a small sanitary napkin and a knowing grin. | think you have been warned. Captain Calzone — captcal@maine.rr.com z © Sorry fans, по Mortal Kombat game showed up in our 100 Best Games of All Time list.

All we have to say is, thank God our list came out the way it did.

And Мом. Үш Comments on the Top 100 List

The list brought back pretty cool memories, and thanks to you, I think lm gonna go buy me a Sega СОХ to play Lunar, Sonic CD and other Sega Genny games I’ve been missing!

Name and address withheld

Why is Myst not in the Best 100? Michael Chapman —barthandjanetGjuno.com

Because Myst sucks.

In your 100th issue, you said that the coolest part of Zelda 2 was find- ing Bagu's hidden cabin in the forest. You said the same thing about Chrono Trigger. | don't get it, was this just a mistake or does this hidden cabin exist in both games?

Steve Miles—CL8935@aol.com

Oops! Looks like we goofed on that one. Here's the correct "coolest part" for Chrono Trigger:

Coolest Part: Playing Chrono Trigger and thinking back to the time you found Bagu's hidden cabin in the forest in Zelda II! p

EJ

The colorful cast of Square's Chrono Trigger - spent hours looking for that damn cabin before they realized that they were in the wrong game.

| got into an argument with my friend because | said that Zelda for Super NES was probably one of the best games ever made, and he said that Chrono Trigger was better. We argued, and І ended up killing him, getting kicked out of college and joining the Canadian roller

egm letters

derby. It's very sad. Well, after reading your #3 best game ever, | now know | was right. I’ve been let back into college and am now majoring in nuclear engineering with a minor in art history.

Marc Dworkin—bf80532Gbinghamton.edu

Congrats and good luck in your studies!...psycho.

The top 100 list was great. | have practically no disagreements. The greatest part was that despite Sony's current dominance in the market- place, the Saturn had more entries than either the PlayStation (or Nintendo 64).

Mike Tobin—michaelt@sccsi.com

Wait a minute, that top 100 list must be all wrong. Aren't we supposed to be biased against Sega and the Saturn? Weird...

| loved your top 100 best games list. | was very sur- prised at Tetris being #1, but | couldn't agree more. Also, I would just like to say how pleased | was that you guys were fair in your distribution of titles by not having 22 mediocre titles on other systems just to please the 1 ° masses. My only gripe is a little game called “Donkey 77 Kong Country" is missing.

somprasad@juno.com

Sorry. We considered all the DKCs, but those installments in DK’s gaming heritage didn’t quite hack it.

Let me be the first, and maybe only one, to say that | liked your top 100. | find it very hard to rate games. | always end up with a paradox, like A should be better than B, В is better than C, but C is better than A. | think that there are too many factors that go into making a game fun to come up with a flawless list, and | am sure that you will spend the next month being chewed out by "Resident Evil" fans. 1 really enjoyed the list, even

y^ ) | AJ

though | don't fully agree with it. | especially liked the way you cov-

ered your tails at the end. Now, maybe by issue 200, you will realize that

Mario Kart 64 is better than the original.

Sol Smith—billbones@juno.com

Oh man, you described our selection process perfectly. That's why it took us so long to finish the top 100. Naturally, no one here at EGM agrees 100 percent with every pick in our list either, but it is definitely the best representation of our collective opinion.

The top 100 feature was excellent! Of course there are some games that didn't make it that | felt should (Legacy of Kain, Castlevania 11), but that's to be expected. Keep up the good work!

Patrick McIntosh—p.mcintosh@popmail.csuohio.edu

What have you guys been smoking? In case you don't remember, there is a kick-butt game called Resident Evil that you forgot to include in your little list! Please don't be offended, it's just honest criticism!

hellbringer666@juno.com

Oh man, we ticked off someone named “hellbringer666.” This is trouble. Seriously though, we didn’t forget Resident Evil at all (even Capcom called to see why RE was excluded). Frankly, a lot of people here at EGM thought the game was overrated. It just didn’t get enough votes to make the top 100. We knew it’d shock a lot of our readers (at least those who picked Resident Evil as their #1 favorite game of all time), but we weren’t going to throw the game in our top 100 list just to appease people. Sorry, that’s our honest opinion, and we stand by it.

Next month's Question of the Moment: Do you think Nintendo should be bringing out the 64DD add-on? Send in your comments via e-mail to: EGM_Mail@zd.com with the subject head-

ing: Q of the Moment: 64DD. Please use that subject heading!!!

“Winner! Best PlayStation Game at £3,"

-GAMEPEN

“...unique gameplay and killer graphics that will rocket it straight into the PlayStation" hall of fame.” -GAMEPRO “positively oozes high production values... This one's going to be big!” -GAMEFAN “...a rarity in today's sequel-studded market: a completely fresh idea." PSX. “опе of the coolest games I've ever seen..." -GAME INFORMER

“...0ne truly entertaining title." " -OFFICIAL U.S. PLAYSTATION MAGAZINE

“...my pick for game of the year.” -PSX NATION

ODDWORLD. ABE'S ODDYSEE

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Море, it wasn't а momentary lapse of reason. Most of us just weren't that crazy about Resident Evil. There must be some of you who agree with us, right?...right?...anybody?...hello?

Personally, | agree with all the games up on your list (and nice going, you're the first mag that ever said that Super Mario 64 is great but not the best). | also like your insight into Tetris; | never would have thought of it. You seemed to have forgotten Mario Tennis, Super Mario RPG and Pac-Man, but I realize that this must be due to typos or vote miscounts.

Morgan Stern — MtgifGaol.com

Mario RPG was #26. And no, those omissions were not mistakes.

tetris number 1 i dont believe it you suck you put it over final fantasy 3? i hate your mag i will never buy another copy i work in electronics boutique as assitant manager and from now on i will tell every customer that even looks at your mag that i would wipe my butt with it before i give it away. how dare you make а list like that you guys are so sold out to nintendo. i will make sure every customer that comes in my store will now how bad you are. [sic] jedi_75@hotmail.com

Ah, written like a true poet. Your words flow, how can we put it, like a backed-up septic

system. With your superior writ- ЖҰЗ ing skills, jedi 75, shouldn't WINNER дөл

you be а journalist ог ап author

rather than a retail manager? Aaron Picklesimer

Wheelersburg, OH

| thought your all-time list was great, but wouldn't you rather play Twisted Metal 2 or GoldenEye 007 instead of Tetris? Steven Scott— deborahr@flash.net

Congratulations, your prize is on the way—an ASCII Specialized Control Pad for the PlayStation. It features rapid-fire controls for all buttons and slow motion for those intense moments.

Maybe for the moment, but years from now, when we're sick and tired of Twisted Metal 2 or GoldenEye 007, we'll probably still be playing Tetris.

Tetris never crossed my mind as the number-one game of all time, but once | thought about it, it makes sense (even if | do think that Super Mario Bros. 3

should be #1!).

Keith Haun—Address (ЕсМ\ withheld 20

Letter Art

egm letters

It is quite obvious that your picking of Tetris as the number-one game of all time is politically motivated. The only reason you picked Tetris is because nearly every system has that game, so in essence, you would- n't give any one company any special treatment. I'm quite disappointed with your list.

Twisted2X@aol.com

Yeah, you're right. We really didn't stay up late for days working on this monstrous list. And we really didn’t give much thought to what EGM would award the #1 game of all time to. In fact, we threw together the whole thing in five minutes. Damnit! How did you see through our little ruse? There must be a spy inside our offices!

You guys hit the nail on the head...Tetris is by far the most addicting game ever! | would like to see any other magazine do a top 100 list with such intelligence. | didn’t think you could pull it off.

Andrew Theodorakis —krakoo7@aol.com

I hope you noticed that you made an error in your 100th issue. You had Zelda 64 and Mace: The Dark Age pages switched around on your table of contents. | can't believe you made an error in your 100th issue.

guessjeans@juno.com

Ummm...you may just want to skip the rest of this letters section.

ООР5 It doesn't happen very often (yeah, right), but ме made а few boo-boos in last month's (majorly redesigned, mind you) issue. On page 28, Japanese readers may have been wonder- ing what "International Кепіооѕиѕопепике" was. Тһе Japanese text was supposed to say “International News," but we messed up. Also, we forgot to recognize both Saturn Bomberman and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as Games of the Month (it was a tie). Finally, we messed up the supplemental review scores for two games. Marvel Super Heroes (PS, pg. 197) should've had the scores: Visuals 6, Sound T, Ingenuity 6 and Replay 8. NASCAR 98 (PS, pg. 197) should've had the scores: Visuals 7, Sound 4, Ingenuity 6 and Replay 8. Sorry about that. We'll try not to screw up again. Try.

Where creativity, your favorite video game and a stamp can make you immortal!*

~@— Ed Semradical? Is that you?

Close, but no controller

m Lori : Ricky Montoya Kevin Kelly Justin Reed Roswell, NM Sasebo, Japan Cherokee, NC

“Or at least get your name and work in the magazine and win yourself a great prize (FIRST PLACE ONLY.

с 2 57 5 > š

PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of $

تت

PlayStation

тм

+ The fastest killing machines in the world. + 45 lethal missions.

+ Huge 3-D worlds.

+ Customizable weapons and armor.

+ One- or two-player combat.

+ |15 enough to excite any would-be assassin.

Ву Chris Johnston chris_johnston@zd.com

Video Game News

The hottest gaming news on the planet

Sega, Sony, Nintendo lower game prices

he time when the video game industry is at | its most competitive is during the holidays.

ü This year is no different, with the big three console manufacturers placing their bids for the hard- earned cash of gamers and their parents.

This year marks another boom time for the industry, with next-generation console systems gaining more and more momentum. Each system has now established a healthy library of quality games with the Saturn and PlayStation both having been around for more than two years. While it is the new kid on the next-generation system block, the Nintendo 64 has gotten a majority of the attention with a great library of first-party titles and a strong showing from third-party publishers.

Instead of a price war on hardware, the three compa- nies are lowering the prices on their games—a complete reversal of what the video game industry historically does to move hardware during the holidays. The industry has also gone more mainstream, with games that appeal not only to the hardcore gamers, but to the general public as well.

Sony announced a “Power Price" structure where five of their big-name holiday titles will clock in at an MSRP at or under $39.95. Crash Bandicoot 2, PaRappa the Rapper, NFL GameDay 98, Bushido Blade and Intelligent Qube will all benefit from their low-price points. Several older titles have been given "Greatest Hits" status, ranging from the original Crash to third- party games like WipeOut and Rayman.

Sega has also entered the software pricing battle, with new titles priced at an MSRP of between $39.95 and $49.95. Plus, Sega recently lowered prices on some of their older titles to $19.95.

Days after Sony introduced the Power Price, Nintendo entered the battle announcing a new software pricing structure of their own. All-new Nintendo 64

titles will have an MSRP of

between $49.95-59.95, (GMN making the М64 more

24 Continued on page 26

“SCORE $0000

Kinda like reruns. Even more fun the second time around.

Tidbits...

Sony Ships 20 Million

Sony Computer Entertainment announced that worldwide ship- ments of their PlayStation game console have exceeded 20 million units as of Aug. 20.

The breakdown is as follows: In Japan, Sony has sold 8.5 million units; in North America, 6.4 million units and in Europe 5.1 million.

Additionally, SCEA announced that they are increasing monthly production output to 2 million sys- tems a month, from the 1.5 that they produce a month currently.

Acclaim says YEEESSS!

Acclaim's N64 title NFL Quarterback Club '98 is shipping with the play-by-play voice-over of Marv Albert. Should the game prove to be a popular success and merit an additional manufacturing run, the company will re-evaluate its position regarding the use of Albert's voice on the game.

“Іп order to meet our commit- ments, NFL Quarterback Club '98 went into production prior to the start of the trial and does include play-by-play by Mr. Albert."

According to Acclaim, the car- tridge was in the final stage of manufacturing in Japan while Albert entered a guilty plea to the charges against him and there was absolutely no alternative to seeing that process through.

Acclaim says that a morals clause in Albert's multigame con- tract with it would trigger an option to dissolve the Albert-Acclaim rela- tionship if he were ever convicted ofa crime.

EA Bids For Virgin According to U.K. trade publica- tion CTW, Electronic Arts has put in a bid to buy Virgin Interactive. Virgin has been on the selling block for some time, and according to the paper, EA's bid came during the second day of ECTS in September. The official bid from EA, which is lower than Viacom's $250 million asking price, is joined by speculation that Spectrum Holobyte and Hasbro may have also entered the bidding. The European Monopolies and Mergers Commission could try to block the bid. Because of Virgin and EA's combined control of the U.K./European games market, a EA buyout of Virgin would only strengthen an EA hold on the marketplace.

competitive with the prices of PS and Saturn software.

Price wars aren't the only front the holiday gaming wars will be fought on.

Sony has paired with Pepsi for a big holiday promotion featuring Final Fantasy VII, NCAA Game Breaker '98 and Jet Moto 2 on Pepsi and Mountain Dew products. Crash Bandicoot will also appear on Post cereals pro- moting his sequel, with a $5- off coupon for the original Crash. A majority of the com- pany's 1997 $100 million mar- keting budget will be spent in the fourth quarter, showing off their varied game library.

Nintendo's holiday promo- tions have been thrown into disarray because of the Scheduling changes with most of their planned '97 hol- iday lineup being pushed into early 1998. A majority of their $200 million advertising bud- get this year (announced at June's E?) will be spent pro- moting Diddy Kong Racing, their main N64 release for the rest of 1997.

The N64 has garnered atten-

tion from industry analysts as well. James L. Lin of Wedbush Morgan says that while 1997 was domi- nated by Sony's PlayStation, 1998 could be the N64’s year.

While Sony and Nintendo grapple with the first and sec- ond position, Sega sits in the wings. Their newly announced “Нага Stuff" advertising cam- paign focuses on existing Saturn owners, showing that there's still life in the system's Software. Sega has supported their system longer than any other company would have under the same circumstances (Atari or 3DO, anyone?).

Spending $25 million to promote Saturn and their PC line, Sega hopes to target gamers who will buy "A" qual- ity software no matter what console its on. Sega is contin- uing to offer rebates on soft- ware inside its games. Third- party Saturn support has also been strong from Capcom, Fox Interactive and Working Designs this year.

Whether you've just entered the console gaming market this year or been a long-time supporter of the industry, this year will be one where software is the proving ground. With the industry growing at a fast pace, it's get-

ting harder to make a bad sys- tem decision. When the final day of '97 comes, you can bet that it's going to be a strong finish for everyone. Stay tuned to EGM and GameSpot News (headline.gamespot.com) for developing news.

A Cut Above The Rest

Scenes from Resident Evil: Director's [ut get left on the cutting room floor

sually, when a "Director's Cut" of a movie

is released, it includes scenes not in the

original edit of the film. That concept was

the main idea of Resident Evil: Director's Cut, Capcom's remix of their macabre mega-hit PlayStation title.

However, instead of releasing an uncut and unedited version of the game, Capcom ended up releasing one that was missing the gory scenes that were nixed from the original U.S. release of Resident Evil, even though it was intended to have them. This has infuriated Resident Evil fans and Capcom support- ers alike, who were instantly up in arms over the edits.

Capcom Japan did the game's translation and submit- ted it to SCEA themselves, instead of Capcom USA. The game was intended all along to have the extra gory scenes from the intro and other cinematics. Sony at first rejected the game, because of one line of copyright text for the Japanese version of the game, and it was sent back to Capcom Japan to be fixed. Instead of merely removing the copyright line, Capcom Japan decided to just swap the cinematics from the original U.S. release of Resident Evil into the Director's Cut and resubmit the game to Sony

Computer Entertainment America for approval.

As one could imagine, the game was approved, and sent off to be manufactured without Capcom USA realizing that anything had gone wrong. By the time the company realized the game had been cut, CDs had been made and the game was ready to go. The game's packaging lists the game as having "the complete uncut and uncensored

Resident Evil cinemas."

Unfortunately, the intro wasn't the only thing to get hacked. In the uncut version,

f you run into a zombie, part of the scene shows the victim's head being bitten off and rolling to the floor. Since all of the game's cinema files were replaced with the originals, this part was also removed.

Three days after the game's release, Capcom USA posted the complete, uncut intro to their Web site for people to download and view, but hundreds of fans have been left unsatis- fied. Reaction on the Internet to the cuts has been that of disbelief that such a mistake could happen, and are hoping Capcom will remedy it.

At press time, Capcom said they have no plans to recall the game or offer a replacement disc to disgruntled buyers for 5-10 seconds of missing full-motion video. www.capcom.com

If your team has а good tight end (the faster, the better), the Quickouts play is one of the most versatile passing plays in the game. Your primary receiver here is that tight end, lined up as the “X” receiver on the right. After the play is snapped, fall back with your QB, giving your tight end time to break free from the line. If any linebackers are close to the line, or blitzing, it may take more time.

Once the TE is free, he runs straight up, then slants to the

3 WR / Far / Weak Flood

This is a very safe play that will get the ball to your running back. It can go for big gains if you have a runner that can break the first tackle, or just juke someone.

At the beginning of the play, move the motion WR to the left to provide more blocking. If some- one follows to cover him, move him back to the right. You want as few defenders to the side that your RB will be catching the ball.

After hiking, keep your eye on the “L” receiver, which is your RB. At the same time, roll your QB right a little to draw some of the defenders away from the side you're throwing to. The longer you wait to throw to the RB, the further he seems to be able to get

Wait for the tight end (receiver X) to breakthrough the line, then pass it to him as he breaks to make his slant.

A pretty safe passing play to your running back (receiver L), assuming you don't use it too much. Roll right, pass left.

эз абз; 71

middle. Тһе second һе makes his slant, rifle the ball to him. This usually works for at least nine yards, assuming he catches it. If for some reason he is covered, check your receiver's running out patterns to the sidelines. If you have a good

This is a risky and tricky play that can blow up on you if your team's offensive line is bad. Take your motion receiver and hike the ball when he's roughly lined up with the running back (receiver X) that streaks through the line. If both receivers

receiver, he will break through break open the defen- often. 8 sive line,

at least

Look for more in

Sports бап соті this November.

open. 1 | Most of This the time a % [: running defender will play defi-

nitely isn't for every running back. In fact, only use it if the running back on your team is very fast, or you're liable to get dropped for two to three yard losses. If you pick the correct time to use it, it can be executed for very big gains.

Before the snap, move the

be chasing him, so you will usually need to lob the ball to him. This play works well against zone defenses and even better against deep zone defenses like the Dime formation. You might consider using this play in two-minute drills, as you can get good yards, then step out of bounds, 8

With this play you can flood the middle zone of a defense with a couple of quality receivers-if your offensive line holds.

by: Kraig Kujawa Associate Editor

one of them is usually open because they flood the middle zone. Find the one that is open (sometimes both) and pass it to him. Rifle the ball if the defender is in front, and lob it if the defender is behind the WR. This play works wonderfully if you have a fast running back who can get through the line quickly. If a team blitzes, it can blow up this play, as it takes awhile to devel- op. In this case, just throw the ball away to avoid the sack. ІШ

Normal / Pro Form / Quick Toss

motion man (the tight end) to the Side you're running to. Once he's in position, hike the ball, and he should serve well as an extra blocker. Be aware that this may not the best thing to do against a human opponent, as it may give away that you're running to that side. Simply run outside as the play is designed. Repeatedly pressing the speed burst (X but- ton) may help you get around the line even faster, in addition to breaking tackles.

This play will work well against teams with slow linebackers, or against pure-pass defenses. It's a good play you should know, but be aware that it isn't great for all teams and matchups. BM

Running is tough in Madden 98. Try this play to make good use of a running back's outside speed.

SUSHI-X Pork Roast John Madden: E uu Football Style

say “Recipe of the Month." Since it's the Sushi-X

Files' first attempt at presenting you some delicious food, Like everyone, John Madden has changed his look to go with the they asked me to tell you about my favorite pork roast times, but.he.has.always.maintained.his.edge.(in.look.and.delivery).. = recipe. If you’re like me, pork roast is a tasty treat from As seen below, the 1970’s Madden sported a rough look, complete

beginning to end, and it’s one of the few foods that taste with mutton-chops. EGM guesses that Mr. Madden was ahead of the good a week after it was originally cooked (perfect for a times, considering sideburns аге all the rage these days. The 10905 quick snack or a sandwich in your bagged lunch). So Madden (below) has hair that’s styled and trimmed around the ears here’s my favorite pork roast: with little or no sideburn-esque hair (also see the first page and the

“recipe” pic to the left). Whatever styles he may have in the future, ° 4 lb. piece of pork rump now or ones from the past, John Madden's knowledge of the game * 2 tbs. flour has and always will be top of the line.

e 1 tbs. salt A styled and ° 2 tbs. fat (ог lard...both are tasty) Shaggy, but /, to 1 cup of water fashionable mutton-chops

more mature look (no chops)

e 1 onion, sliced * 1 tbs. your choice of Worcestershire sauce

Wipe meat and cover with a mixture of flour and salt.

Next, heat the fat in a kettle, brown the pork, but remem-

ber to turn frequently. Add the carrots, onion and enough

water to cover the bottom of the kettle. Now add the

sauce, cover and let cook for 3 hours. Serve with boiled

potatoes and carrots. Yum.

NOTE: This recipe should yield 6-8 servings, or one if you're feel

* It's not actually John Madden's recipe, it's the pork roast EGM thinks Madden would like to ma

What can I say?

I really like pork roast! Photo credit: ALLSPORT USA /Allsport

What do you think?

We're trying something a little new with the Sushi-X Files this time around. So what do you think? We still want your feedback, so don't stop those letters. The idea here is to not only give you something to laugh at or enjoy, but also present some useful information—be it strategy for a game, a move list for a new fight- ing game, or other info to help take your gaming further. So keep

your ideas coming to: Sushi-X Files 1920 Highland Ave. Ste. 222 Lombard, IL 60148 (or) e-mail: sushi x@zd.com

A

Photo Credit: Steve Dunn/Allsport

Тһе History of Madden games

| Неге” a list of all of the Madden NFL * John Madden Football Champ. Edition (rental only) TurboGrafx-CD: ` games made for the console systems. Super NES: =i * John Madden Duo Football Note: There were some computer versions өн мазза FOSEN 53 Nintendo 64: a long time ago, but let's just pretend * Madden NFL 94, 95, 96 | SUL those don't exist for right now! Starting * Madden NFL 97 Š е n I * Madden NFL 98 (still due for release) Madden NFL 97 with the first Madden on the consoles... 3D0: • Madden NFL 98 (still due for release) Pond hg 2 John Madden Football PlayStation: * John еп Footba "i * Madden NFL97 * John Madden Football 92, 93 Game Gear: * Madden NFL 98 (still due for release) * Madden NFL 94, 95, 96 * Madden 95, 96 * Madden NFL 97 Game Boy: (Thanks to everyone who contributed to the list.)

* Madden NFL 98 (due for release at press time) * Madden 95, 96, 97, 98 (still due for release)

Sony Kidnaps Lara Croft

Eidos star adventurer signs up for PlayStation exclusivity

- fter speculation and rumor у А that Tomb Raider || would be coming to the PlayStation exclusively, Sony and Eidos made it official. The two companies have come to an agreement in which the Tomb Raider series cannot appear in any form on any other console platform. This is certainly a blow to % Nintendo 64 owners, who һауе remained hopeful that the Series would be appear on their system in the future. At E? Core Design was fea- tured in Nintendo's develop- ers

showcase Video, with images of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft suspi- ciously placed during the presentation. While this doesn’t rule out the possibil- ity of a 3-0

Nintendo Gets Beaned

Nintendo characters jump on the beanie bandwagon

The first series of Nintendo

toys, you know the kind of bean bag characters includes

adventure game from Core for the N64, it won't have anything to do with the current Tomb Raider series or star Lara Croft.

Since its introduction in November 1996, Tomb Raider has sold more than 1.5 million units.

“We want our best-selling franchise to reach the greatest number of con- sumers and the PlayStation and its powerful CD-ROM software format satisfies this demand," Eidos Interactive COO Mike McGarvey said in a statement "The fact that the PlayStation will be the only game con- sole on which you can enjoy the Tomb Raider franchise is a great statement for the platform."

www.eidosinteractive.com

| If you shop for ог collect

demand that surround bean bag character collectibles. From Beanie Babies and Beanie Boppers to licensed characters like Bugs Bunny, the craze has continued and doesn't show any Signs of slowing. Now, Seattle- based Bensussen Deutsch and Associates have created bean bag characters that Nintendo and video game fans can enjoy. The characters also mark the compa- ny's first venture into retail outlets.

N.

four of Nintendo's beloved char- acters from the Mario series: Mario, Bowser, Donkey Kong and Yoshi. Available at retailers like 7-11,Тоуѕ R Us, Best Buy, Babbage's, and the JC Penney catalog, the bean bag characters retail for under $6.oo.

Already sold out at 7-11 stores, it's expected that these charac- ters will be hard to find as the holiday season approaches. А second edition is already planned for release in the first quarter of next year, which includes four more Nintendo characters (also from the Mario series): Luigi,

Toad, Wario and possibly the

Princess and Diddy Kong. The

y ¥ company also has plans for \ t

merchandise starring Link when Zelda 64 hits store shelves in 1998. Bensussen Deutsch and Associates has created merchan- dise for

Nintendo in the past, such as the Star Fox 64 sound- track CD, GoldenEye 007 Hologram watch, Mario Kart trad- ing cards and products featured in Nintendo's "Power Supplies Catalog." They got their start cre- ating giveaway merchandise for sporting events..

Mario, Bowser, Yoshi and Donkey Kong become bean bag collectibles for video game fans and toy addicts everywhere to enjoy and love.

49

Tidbits...

Sega Gets Visual

Sega of America has pur- chased a minority share of San Rafael, Calif.-based Visual Concepts. The company will begin creating Sega brand titles for the Saturn and PC exclusively begin- ning in 1998. Founded in 1988, Visual Concepts has developed games for Electronic Arts, Konami, Interplay, Namco and Sunsoft for all major console sys- tems. The company recently com- pleted NBA Action ’98 for Sega.

Game Boy Boosts NCL

Nintendo Co. Ltd. said that sales for the first six months of the year would be higher than its earlier estimate of 180 billion yen. The company attributed this to solid sales of the Game Boy, which continues to be strong in Japan. The popularity of the Pocket Monster game in Japan

- has buoyed Nintendo's black-and- white portable when, in terms of the historical lifespan of game sys- tems, it should be all but dead.

Sega Responds to 3Dfx

Remaining silent on any moves with their new system, Sega has responded to 3Dfx's allegations that they intentionally deceived 3Dfx into thinking their technolo- gy would be used in Sega's next system, instead going with NEC's.

Sega reaffirmed that being an investor in 3Dfx, it wouldn't be involved in disclosing 3Dfx's pro- prietary information. Stating their defense against the allegations, Sega says they have "strategic partnerships with numerous enti- ties and, in the course of the rela- tionships, receives proprietary information. Sega has always respected the proprietary rights of its partners, and expects the same treatment in return."

Sega plans to aggressively defend itself against the complaints and refused further comment.

Sony Goes to Hong Kong

In September, Sony formed a Hong Kong subsidiary that will handle the official launch of the PlayStation into Asia. Backed by HK $4 million, they'll be test marketing the system officially by the end of the year.

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inal Fantasy | VII marked а Sony's biggest PlayStation

software launch in the system's two year history. It also turned the once niche market for role-playing games into a mainstream title. No other console RPG has been promoted as much as Final Fantasy VII. In its first week of sale, Sony reported they had sold 330,000 copies of the game, selling 30,000 more than Nintendo's Star Fox 64 did in its first week of sales.

The game sold so well that Sony likened its sales to Labor Day week- end's top-grossing film, G./. Jane. In its first weekend, Final Fantasy VII grossed $16.5 million, more than that of Demi Moore's latest film, which grossed 11.1 million. The fact that most stores began selling the game about five days before its real street date of Sept. 7, the game had a little more time to gain an edge, but performed very well.

Less than three weeks after its launch, Sony reported the game had broken sales of more than 500,000 —obliterating Sony's own sales records as the fastest-selling PlayStation game ever, and the fastest-selling console RPG ever.

To boot, FFVII broke into the VSDA's Top 5 Video Game Rental chart at number three, breaking a chart that Nintendo 64 games have dominated for at least six months. Within its second week of rental availability, it had edged out Star Fox for the number-two slot and was closing the gap between it and Nintendo's hit GoldenEye 007.

Sony is continuing to promote the game throughout the holiday sea- son, with radio promotions and as a featured game in their Pepsi promo- tion. Final Fantasy VII will appear on Pepsi and Diet Pepsi through the hol- iday season. Backed by a $10 million ad campaign, Sony has created three different TV spots, four print ads and numerous point-of-purchase displays

Patent Pending

Sega patents the third dimension

tari proved in the late '80s, there's money to be made in patenting the technology that goes into video game graphics. Sega Enterprises has now moved into a lucrative position, receiving a patent on the 3-D technology that allows players to change camera angles in racing games or for fighting games to use a dynamically mov- ing camera during gameplay.

A Sega spokesman told Reuters that the company would soon begin talks with other game developers like Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Namco (among others) over fees the company will charge to use their newly gained patents, which they

ж 10 G= 1 == ENNIUS) MICHELLE | во > @ oz

applied for in 1992. The Japanese

business daily Nihon Keizai

Shimbun reported that Sega's fee

to other game developers would equal "several percent" of the price of coin-op machines. Presumably, home conversions o games the infringe the patent will also be affected.

Since Sega received the patent in Japan, the U.S. market will remain unaffected, at least for now. Companies who may find themselves infringing on Sega's patent can always devel- op different, uninfringing tech- niques to produce the same kind of graphical effects.

www.sega.com

Ë ainframe IV

B

animated series ReBoot are

f turning their talent for high-

Shiny's MDK. Playmates Interactive

with Mainframe to create the series, although production

character and his adventures through the game's plot.

one of Shiny Entertainment's

"Toon In

for the game. Pre-sells on FFVII totalled over 200,000, breaking most software chain records for number of pre-sells.

Compared to the Japanese debut, the game's sales in the U.S. during the first weekend pales in compari- son. Japanese gamers clamored for the game, making it sell 2.5 million copies in its first three days of avail- ability. On Oct. 2, Square released a new version of Final Fantasy VII into the Japanese market, called Final Fantasy VII International. The International version includes all the improvements made to the U.S. release and includes a fourth disc full of extra goodies, including a complete map of every area in the game, monster guide and more.

www.playstation.com

МІК comes to life as an animated series

Entertainment, creators Ё V Ш of the popular computer-

quality rendered animation to Entertainment signed the deal

work on the show has not yet begun. The series will follow the exploits of Kurt, the game’s main

This is not the first time that

games has been turned into an ani- mated form. Earthworm Jim, the compa- ny’s first Genesis title, was also given an animated series. Voiced by Dan Castellaneta, who is also the voice of Homer Simpson, the show based on Jim enjoyed widespread expo- sure as part of the Kids WB lineup on Saturday morn- ings. Meanwhile, Mainframe’s main attraction, ReBoot is being turned into a game by Electronic Arts for release early in 1998. The compa- ny is currently trying to get the show back on U.S. TV; it is currently air- ing on YTV in Canada and is also popular in Europe. Mainframe is also behind the new Beast Wars Transformers series. www.mainframe.bc.ca

Association, МЇ other brand and produ

It's one thing to take a bullet ке man but how does one take 3-foot long, razor sharp scissors? How will you avert decapitation and keep your entrails from spilling out over the kitchen floor? This will surely be your fate unless you can outwit Norway's most lethal killer-Scissorman. You'll have to become a master of stealth and deception to avoid being cut to ribbons in this blood-soaked horror adventure.

Five playable characters and ten different endings for super-extended replay value.

Amazingly detailed, horrific graphics and special effects.

Bone-chilling sound effects.

So grab your copy of Clock Tower", » turn out the lights, and pray.

à

ation and the Playstation logo demarks of Sony Compute Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of ih

e trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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R

uring the late '8os, going up against Nintendo was completely unheard of, and not adhering to their strict exclu- sivity policies meant certain death for a soft- ware publisher. There's one company that landed in video game history for not only ч defying Nintendo's licensing struc- ture, but creating some ofthe worst 8-Bit games ever. That company is Brea, Calif.-based Color Dreams. Started around the peak of the 8-Bit era by Daniel Lawton, a self-edu- cated computer wizard and a vocal opponent of ~ Nintendo's practices. — Тһе 20 ог so games that “—— Color Dreams (and their Bunch Games label) created were not only unlicensed, but you had to trick the NES into playing many of them. The robin-egg blue cartridges would fit into the NES, but had to

els of the NES wouldn't always work with the

lem," says Vance Kozik, who programmed Menace Beach for Color Dreams and still works there today. “We would have people read off the serial numbers of their NES and then send them a cartridge that would work." Not stopping with the NES, Color Dreams also went on to do one Atari Lynx game Crystal Mines II, a sequel to the company's better—and now,

be pressed down a certain way, and later mod-

games. "Technical support was always a prob-

What Ever Happened to:

FGMtakes a look back at a renegade Nintendo 8-Bit publisher

rarest— NES title. The company's pamphlets touted the company's Genesis titles (all of which were ports of Amiga games), but those never got off the ground.

The reverse engineering that made Color

Dreams' NES games possible was very limited,

which in turn showed in the quality of the

titles they released. Programmers were limited

as to how many sprites could be displayed on- screen. Their pinnacle game, Hellraiser, was supposed to use a special graphics chipset

which would allegedly result in a game that looked as good as 16-Bit.

“There was a very crude version [of Hellraiser] for the Nintendo, but it was just a barely up-and-running demo. There was a more complete version for the PC, which was a conversion of Wolfenstein 3-D. The company had bought the engine from id Software and by the time they had gotten graphics in and did some coding changes to update it, Doom was released. So it was foolish to release it."

Poor sales of their games made them turn to a higher power. "Someone came up with

the idea of doing a Bible-based game and peo-

ple didn't really take it seriously," Kozik says. "About six months later, work actually started on one. No one knew it was going to take off, but it took off like crazy."

There were also a few NES games that went unreleased. Kozik recalled one of them called Maggots. "You were trapped in someone's body, I think it started in the intestines, and you had to make your way out of there and

avoid the maggots." Under the Wisdom Tree label,

Some Wisdom Tree games are reworked Color Dreams titles. Menace Beach, which turned into the ultratame Sunday Funday, has a decidedly tamer theme (getting to Sunday School).

Of Noah апа Hitler...

he only unlicensed Super NES game ever made was made by Wisdom Tree in 1995. Super 3D Noah's Ark is actually a revamped, and much tamer ver- sion of Wolfenstein 3-D, licensed from id Software. It was rumored that id licensed the Wolfenstein engine to Wisdom Tree as retali- ation against Nintendo for the shoddy Super NES port of the game. id told EGM while researching this article that they had no problems with Nintendo in the past. The odd thing about the Noah's Ark cartridge is that it's shaped like a

34

game enhancer, needing to have a licensed Super NES cart attached to it to defeat the system's lock out. The animals on the Ark are getting rowdy. As Noah, put them to sleep so they don't do any damage. To do this, you "launch" food at them, which puts them to Sleep. At the end of each level there are “unclean” animals. They act as Bosses and are bigger than the other animals.

Dreams creat- ed several Christian game titles for the NES, many of which were the compa- ny's previous NES games with reworked graphics. Wisdom Tree games soon took over the company's video game business, and in 1996, StarDot Technologies, a division of Color Dreams, started selling their first digital cameras. They're still at it today, and you can even take a look at the offices of Color Dreams through nine different live cameras through their Web site (www.wincam.com).

Wisdom Tree (www.christianlink.

com/media/wisdom/) exists as a separate entity now, and still sells BE their Christian game titles for the PC

| and NES, which can be found through specialty Christian bookstores. The company is actually looking for pro- grammers to create games for newer systems and computers. For more information on classic and strange NES items, visit tsr's NES Archive (www.komkon.org/~tsr/).

The tamest first-person action game ever created: Super 3D Noah's Ark.

"An Fl simulation with no equal:

п exceptional frames of animation...

in.

ENTERTAINMENT

| nte r n at i о П а | М ews By John Ricciardi john_ricciardi@zd.com

| |УУ FP a 9» Konami Shows Off Key Titles

Exclusive Press Tour In Japan Highlights Company's Upcoming PS And N64 Games America invited select members of the U.S. gaming press to visit

Е ollowing (һе recent Tokyo Game Show іп September, Копаті of three of their major development offices in Japan—Konami

it was indeed a possibility, due to the game's strong identity amongst gamers in Japan and in the U.S. Kinoshita-san has played a major part in

many of Konami's most significant titles, including the Contra games on

Computer Entertainment Japan, Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo the N and Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka. The tour consisted of in- depth interviews with key developers and hands-on demonstrations of many of Konami's big PlayStation and Nintendo 64 games for 1998, including the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid.

Besides getting a glimpse at the first-ever playable version of Metal Gear Solid for the PlayStation, editors took home plenty of new informa- tion on Castlevania 3D (N64), Hybrid Heaven (N64), G.A.S.P.!! Fighters’ NEXTream (N64), Nagano Winter Olympics '98 (PS/N64) and МВА In the Zone '98 (PS/N64). While there were no surprise titles unveiled during the tour, at least some of EGM's most burning questions were addressed. For example, when questioned on the possibility of a new Contra game for the Nintendo 64, KCE Osaka's president, Kuniaki Kinoshita replied that

keep

. 9 . Nintendo's Saving Grace? “| L . . .

Pokemon" Phenomenon Set To Revitalize Slumping 64 Sales

| the machine's overwhelming success їп the U.S., sales in Japan аге practically

non-existent, due largely in part to the absence of any decent RPGs and fight-

ing games. However, Nintendo recently announced part one of their plan to revi- talize the М64 market in Japan: Pikachu Genki Dechu. Pikachu is one of the most popular monsters in Nintendo's alarmingly successful Game Boy RPG, Pocket Monsters (or “Pokemon” for short), and the company now has him set to star in his very own М64 game set for release in early 1098. The Pokemon games (there are three different versions of the same game, each with different monsters that gamers collect, trade and do battle with) have sold over 3 million copies in Japan and are still appearing on weekly best-seller lists, despite being available for well over a year now. Pikachu Genki Dechu is more of a Tamagotchi-style simulation than an RPG, but the like- ness alone should be enough to set things moving once again in the dry, desperate N64 market in Japan. In addition, Nintendo announced three other Pokemon-related games for the

N64 in the future, which should further help the system get back into the race.

Tekken Anime

t’s no secret that the N64 isn't selling very well in Japan right now. Despite

, . . .`

Namco’ Fighting Game Hits The Small Screen

f you're a hardcore video game fanatic, then you've probably seen the ani-

mated versions of Fatal Fury, Toshinden, Street Fighter 11, Art of Fighting and DarkStalkers. Of course, all of those were released first in Japan, as OAVs (Original Animation Videos). Now, Namco’s Tekken series joins the list of games previously animated in Japan. The first Tekken OAV will be released in Japan on Jan. 21, with a second part on Feb. 21. The almost 30-minute long OAVs will follow the game’s characters through the battles and story that has

made ир the game's plot. There аге no plans for a U.S. release thus far, but as

is the case with most game-related animes, the chances are good.

and is one of the most influential people in video gaming today.

For more information on the games showcased on the tour, be sure to

Previews section, kicking off this month with detailed previews of Metal Gear Solid and Dracula (Castlevania) 3D.

ES and Super NES,

an eye on EGM's

Producer Hideo Kojima (right) explains his vision for Metal Gear Solid while Art Designer Yoji Shinkawa (left) looks on.

Takeo Yakushiji, director of Castlevania 3D, shows off initial concept designs and artwork for the game.

The Ten Best-Selling Games As of Sept. 14

°

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Derby Stallion (ASCII)-PS

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PlayStation.

40

* МЕС to enter hardware forum?

* Final Fight on the N64?

* Time Crisis 2 almost here!

* Model 4 on the way * Madden, QBC '98 saga continues

Video Game Gossip 6 Speculation

е PlayStation 64 delayed?

ello Quarterfans, tis |, the great Q-mister. The Q-crew and | dug really, really deep this month to bring you all the juicy gaming gossip and sleazy industry news you demand. With the holiday season in full swing, it’s only natural that most game firms have an info embargo on their 1998 titles as they still have games to sell during Christmas/Hanukkah. Thanks to the Q-crew and I, secret game info is now in reach. Read on...

e NEC to re-enter the video game console biz?

(Redwood City, Calif.) This news is pretty off-the-wall stuff, but our source claims that this is true. Supposedly, NEC is going to re-enter the video game hardware business with the Dural. NEC will market the Dural as а their own video game system and Sega will develop software for the 64- Bit console (as well as PCs and PlayStation). The Dural is still on schedule for a fourth quarter 1998 release. Now, although this-information seems sketchy, it comes from a source that has proven to be reliable in the past. We'll just have to wait and see...

New coin-op games from SNK and Namco

(Tokyo, Japan) А usual, Terry-Aki, JSF agent (Japanese Super-Fly), has uncovered news on some of the more relevant Japanese games. Slowly, details concerning SNK's new racing game are surfacing. Road's Edge (as the game is called) is nearing completion for the “Hyper Neo*Geo/64." Billed as SNK's answer to Sega Rally/Daytona, RE is the first Neo 64 coiny op game that runs on a dedicated driving cabinet (unlike Samurai 64, which was housed in a standard SNK cabinet). What makes this informa- tion so interesting is that if SNK develops a home version of the Neo 64. (which they have been considering), a standard steering wheel peripheral may become necessary. In other coin-op news, Namco is busy finishing up Time Crisis 2. Running оп Namco's Super System 22, Time Crisis 2 is due to hit Japanese arcades this Christmas and February in the U.S. We haven't heard if Namco has plans to introduced a home version of TC2, but as soon as we find out, we'll let you know. Namco is also working on a new System 22 Soccer Game. Right now, the game is called “Libro Grande" but that name is subject to change. There's also a chance that Libro Grand will make it to the PS in 1998.

@ capcom developments

(Osaka, Japan) As usual, there are a few interesting developments over at Capcom, Japan. Beyond.the announcement of the sequel to Street Fighter EX plus Alpha, the big “C” has some interesting games for us. Capcom coin-op is looking to introduce Star Gladiator 2 in December. Although there is no mention of a home version of SG2, Terry-Aki says the game will be an easy port to the PlayStation (this makes sense considering both SFEX and the original Star Gladiator гап оп PlayStation hardware in the arcade). In other Capcom news, Street Fighter Alpha 3 is due to hit arcades in November, and although the game hasn’t been sighted yet, we hear that three or more SF2 characters will show up in Alpha 3. Although nothing is set in stone as of yet, the names “Guile,” “Honda” and “Blanka” (yes!) keep getting mentioned as candidates...bring 'em on...Capcom is working on a new revision of Street Fighter III. At this time, it's not known if the revision will be incorporated in the final version of SFIII: Second Impact or if it will be a separate game (SFIII: Third Impact?), but one of the revi- sions include a new character: Chun-Li...

Although Capcom is known to be working on several Nintendo 64 titles (which will be officially announced at the Nintendo World exhibition in November), one of Terry-Aki's Japanese sources has learned that Capcom is working on a Final Fight game for the N64. It's not known whether or not the game is 2-D or 3-D or even when they are going to release it, but the game is supposedly well along in its development. Terry-Aki is digging into his famous bag of tricks and he's convinced he'll get the full scoop...we'll just have to wait and see on this one...

NE

Quartermann

@ More new Shiny games!

eThe uo"

(Laguna Beach, Calif.) Shiny Entertainment has a slew of new titles in development. Wild 95 is about to become available for the PlayStation; Messiah is due for a simultaneous release for the PC and PlayStation next Christmas. Now we have word of two new Shiny games due out in 1998. First on the list is Fly-by-Wire—a flying game where the player can control a remote-control helicopter in a full 3-D environment. Fly-by-Wire will be compatible with Sony’s Dual Analog Pad and is rumored to be published by Playmates. The other title is a top-secret game called "Sacrifice." Due out for the PC and possibly the Dural in early 1999, Sacrifice is a 3-D action game using an enhanced version of the МОК engine. According to sources close to Shiny, Sacrifice's engine can render polygons extremely far in the distance (reportedly, objects can be seen over a mile in the distance). Sacrifice will'also incorporate highly detailed animated textures. For exam- ple, when an enemy gets shot, you can see subtle detail on their face as they grimace in pain.

EA happenings

(San Mateo, Calif.) More news concerning Electronic Arts' recent bid to purchase Virgin Interactive have surfaced. From what we hear, EA put in a bid of $150 million to acquire Virgin from Spelling Entertainment, Apparently, a bid of $150 million was a bit on the low side, so the chairman of Virgin Interactive, Martin Alper, is trying to buy the thing himself. Believe it or not, several lenders and banks are lining up to help Mr. Alper do just that. The Q feels that a better choice might be for Alper's group to trade the TV rights of this whole soap opera to Spelling Entertainment (who just hap- pens to specialize in nighttime soaps) for the shares of Virgin which Spelling 15 trying to get rid of... Hey, it could happen...In other EA-related news; rumors are spreading like wildfire that Madden 64 is facing a slight delay. Here's the deal: According to high-place sources, the N64 game is fully complete but EA's programmers may have to go back into the game and make a few detail changes. It seems the NFL isn't very pleased with the fact that Madden 64 has all the NFL’s official team colors. Since EA Sports understandably values their relationship with the NFL, they are implement- ing changes in the gamé to accommodate thém...On a similar note, 0В Club 98 (Madden 64's main rival) may ship before EA's game because of this delay. All Acclaim has to worry about is getting the game to pass Nintendo's approval process which is one of the most stringent in the industry...will this soap opera ever stop.

Quickies

The latest news concerning the 64-Bit PlayStation is beginning to circu- late again. Rumor has it that Sony is still planning to use the DVD format (Digital Versatile Disc) for the PlayStation 64. The console is said to incor- porate at least 8 Megabytes of main RAM. As far as a release date is con- cerned, we now hear the PS64 may be pushed back to X-mas of 2000.

News is circulating that the reason Namco's Pac-Man: Ghost Zone has been delayed to the fourth quarter of 1998 is that two of their main pro- grammers have left the company. Our sources state that the game is in danger of being canceled all together.

Rare is knee deep inthe development of Killer Instinct 3. There's no word whether KI3 will be an arcade game or N64 game (or perhaps both), but it is due to таке-ап appearance next year.

Iguana is working on a top-secret four-player game for the N64. It's not known what kind of game it is, but keep your eyes peeled for some more details in next month's EGM.

Sega is starting work on Model 4. According to Yu Suzuki, he is planning to develop for the system. Although Virtua Fighter 4 is the first title planned for Model 4, Yu Suzuki is not working on the game for some reason. We also hear that this coin-op board will use a Microsoft Operating System.

Well kiddies, that's it for this month's issue of Quartermann. Until next month, auf Wiedersehen...

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+h V X = — | == سج‎ Я == = A OE IM ELECTRONIC ARTS”

logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts in the United States and/or other countries. The ratings iconis a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Ass

PlayStation logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment. Windows is a trademark or registered trademark of Microsoftin the United States and/or other countries.

PlayStation deren] ESRB

s andthe Етті: Arts i PlayStation and the

\тпе Directory

* Bomberman 64 • Quake 64

• Dracula 3D

* Famista 64

e Fighting Сир

Despite recent delays to many of their big-name games (Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Quest and MLB Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. to name a few), Nintendo is still gearing up for a strong holiday season. First-party support is rather weak, with only three Nintendo-released games, two of which are licensed from other companies (Bomberman 64 and Mischief Makers), but third-party sup- port is going strong, with many big-name titles on the way.

The first 64DD games will be shown this November in Japan.

In late November, all eyes will be focused on the "Nintendo World" show in Japan, where Nintendo is expected to show off three huge titles in playable form for the first time-Zelda 64, F-Zero 64 and Yoshi's Story. In addition, the 64DD is expected to be unveiled in a major way, showing off the first batch of titles (Mario Artist, Mother 3 and SimCity 2000

among others). We expect to See some surprises as well-like the rumored announcement of Capcom's N64 development.

(EGMY 44

Can Bomberman Fare Well іп 3-D?

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre %Done | Release Nintendo of America 104 85 December Hudson Soft Action 1997

Web Address: www.nintendo.com

Bomberman 64

n this age of advanced tech- nology, it's inevitable that all classic games get a 3-D treatment for their sequels апа updates. Bomberman is no exception.

Bomberman 64 takes bold steps in new directions. First, everything is in full 3-D with full freedom of movement. You view every- thing from an overhead perspective. The one- player game takes advantage of this new, open feel by creating a big adventure game out of it. The worlds aren't huge, but you'll get to explore several landscapes as you progress toward the formidable Bosses. Along the way, you'll learn all the new moves available to a Bomberman in a new and strange 3-D world.

Anyone can tell you, Bomberman isn't famous for its one-player games. It's the Multiplayer Mode that puts every version of Bomberman (from the NES to the Saturn) on the map of success. The gameplay of B64, however, deviates from the past 2-D Bombermans. Battles take place in more open arenas. You won't find any rigid stages laid out in a grid pattern any more. Since every- thing isn't 2-D and in squares, the explosions are now round (instead of plus-sign shaped).

If that wasn't enough, Hudson has introduced a few new moves that adds a new level of strategy to the series. For example, you can

| The One-player

| Mario 64 than | Bomberman.

You're going to need skillz to beat the tough and intimidating Bomberman 64 Bosses.

pick up dizzy enemies and toss them into pre- carious situations (if you've ever played Konami's Poy Poy for the PlayStation, you'd have a good idea how Bomberman 64 plays). When you die, B64 resurrects you as a ghost, to annoy and retaliate. Ghosts can knock bombs around and jump on other living players, messing up their controls for a short period of time.

Perhaps it's long overdue that Hudson changed the look and gameplay of a series that has basically stayed the same for years. But as the saying goes, "If it p ain't broke, don't fix it." Was it wise for Hudson to change such a traditional and successful for- mula? Watch for the full review in an upcoming issue of EGM.

Adventure Mode looks more Super

HOW DID € ROC FIND HI$ COMPETITION?

4

ЅМӘІЛӘЈ

Namco Makes Their N64 Debut

Famista 64's exciting Home Run animations begin the minute a well-hit pitch flies.

Midway Midway

NINTENDO 64

amco's first Nintendo 64 game is just about done and will be making its way to Japanese store shelves soon. The game? None other than the latest ver- sion of their popular Family Stadium series (which has been around since the early days of the Famicom), Famista 64.

As is the case with most Japanese baseball games, Famista 64 features short, stout, super-deformed char- acters and colorful graphics. Behind the cutesy visu- als, however, lies as deep a baseball game as any, and one that will likely take the crown as Japan's best N64 baseball game yet.

The main advantage of having smaller characters is better animation, and Famista 64 was looking smooth as silk last we saw it at the Tokyo Game Show in September. The players are motion-cap- tured and feature lifelike 60 fps animation (err, for SD guys that is), and фр polveo: nal stadiums look great. Unfórsimnately, the view still switches to a zoomed-out overhead view when the ball is hit, but to its credit, it moves quickly and retains the fun. For the hardcore fans, Famista 64 features loads of options, including player creation, Full and

102 First-person

March 1998

N/A

www.midway.com

Quake 64

Here, you can see a flying Scrag up close and personal.

As you can see in this hall filled with zombies, Quake is a

very dark game.

Like Doom, Quake is now find- ing its way onto every gaming console (it's going to arrive on the Saturn, too). If any system is going to do it justice, the N64 certainly is the best suited.

Quake was originally slated to come out sometime this year, but to Midway's credit, they've decided to delay the game until 1998 in order to implement its "Quakematch" Multiplayer Modes. As any person who has PC Quake knows, the strength of this title is in its multiplayer combat. As far as its Single- player Mode, you can expect the normal N64 hardware enhance- ments such as smoothed tex- tures and new weapon effects. The end product will probably look very much like GL Quake on the PC (but not hi-res).

Look for more on N64 Quake as we get closer to next year.

Despite the "cute" graphics,

Players/Genre

1404 Sports

Publisher/Developer

Namco of Japan Namco of Japan

Web Address: www.namco.co.jp

Partial Season Modes, a home run derby and even mini-games to break up the action.

Famista 64 probably won't make it to the U.S., but if you're a baseball fan апа you're starved for some good four-player action, this is the one to import. @

Famista is well-known for excellent gameplay.

de2

Imagineer of Japan Imagineer of Japan Fighting Nil A www.imagineer.co.jp

А? 2 А l

Imagineer unveiled a new

polygonal fighting game

at the Tokyo Game Show

called Flghting Cup (for-

merly known as Struggle

Hard). The game uses

a unique point system

that determines who wins

(certain types of moves

give point rewards-the

better the move the more

points earned), and there are a variety of customization features to spice up play. The graphics are quite nice and the animation isn't bad at all. With all of the weak N64 fighters out there, Fighting Cup is going to be one to watch.

белт oy 8

ре

езе title that may in on modified

U.S. consoles. Import at your own risk.

% Done

95

Release

November 1997 (JP)

After a hit, the view changes to a zoomed-out overhead view of the field.

Ath Qtr. 1997 (JP)

CHALLENGER:

=

14584.

“Like Lara Croft, (ROC has more moves than you can shake a stick at.” -PSM-PlayStation Magazine

"Move over Mario. . .and cruise by Crash. . ROC rocks!” - GAMEPRO

“CROC is looking to be one of the best 3D platform games for the year!” -PSExtreme

™ TM

CROC © Argonaut Software Ltd, 1997. АП rights reserved. CROC and CROC: Legend of the Gobbos are trademarks of Argonaut Software Ltd, 1997. © 1997 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Ай rights reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Sega and Sega Satum are trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Windows and the Windows® 95 logo are the trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NINTENDO 64

Dracula 3D

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release Konami of Japan 1 10 2nd Qtr. KCE Kobe Action 1998 (JP)

Web Address: www.konami.co.jp

ot off the heels of the successful PlayStation Castlevania (Symphony of | the Night), Konami is already hard at work on the next installment of the series—tentatively titled Dracula 3D (Castlevania 3D here)—for the N64. Until recently, not much was known about the game other than it takes place in an entirely 3-D environment, but in September, the game's direc- tor, Takeo Yakushiji, revealed lots of new info at Konami's press tour in Japan.

Not much is known yet about the story, but it takes place around the time of the Genesis Castlevania (early 1800s) — purposely set around that period so that more modern technology could be implement- ed (like traps, for example). Once again Dracula has risen after a 100-year rest, and this time there will be four selectable characters that want to put the blood- thirsty vampire away for good—Schneider Belmont

Vampire Hunting Enters The 3-0 Realm

Familiar weapons like the cross (boomerang) will be back.

Each character has his/her own unique abilities—Cornell can transform into a wolf, for one.

Apparently players will be able to leap off of walls, a la Super Metroid.

(whip-totin' vampire hunter), Cornell Reinhart (agile warrior with ability to trans- form into a werewolf), Carrie Eastfield (a 12-year old girl with magic powers) and a fourth, as-of-yet unnamed character who hasn’t been revealed. By play- ing each character according to HIS/HER personality (not yours), you'll get a more appropriate—and possi- bly better ending. So for instance, if you play as Schneider, you’d want to do things only a hero would do, while playing as one of the others might mean making different decisions at key points in the game. Besides the obvious (3-D play), C3D will feature a lot of elements that are

There'll be many familiar faces from past Castlevania games

entirely new to the Castlevania universe. + There will бе day and night play ә (during the day there will be less of a threat, obviously, but at night the real explo- ration will begin), and there will be a lot of puzzle solving in addition to the action. Vampires play a heavy influence this time as well, and if your character gets bit, they'll turn into one and require a healing of some sort to revert back to normal. Gone are the candles and hearts, replaced by more realis- tic means of acquiring items (from fallen foes, by bartering, etc), and the game will not take place entirely indoors— the starting point is in a near- by forest outside the castle. Dracula 3D is still very early (these screens are from N64 development units), but already it's looking extremely promising. Stay tuned to EGM for more info on the game as it develops. “sag

The game will take place in and around the castle—begin- ning outside in the forest.

s a preview of a Japanese title that тау

U.S. consoles. Import at your own ris

ре THE drivir

Get a grip on a 42-cylinder tornado for the redline racing experience that's gonna shred your N64! 6 tortuous, high-resolution tracks. 4 modes of turbocharged racing perfection. A stable of ultimate racing machines. And the Lamborghini Diablo. Welcome to the velocity convention. Your bull is waiting.

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Visionary lighting effects and à à Compatible with Nó4 Rumble Pak- revolutionary graphics! 2 2

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ені sars = MER Strategic camera angles that 1to 4 player racing with horizontal catch every hair-raising turn! and split screen options

The trademark Automobili Lamborghin: is owned by, and used under license from Automobili Lamborghini" S.P.A., Italy. Ni and th N” logo are tra s of Nintendo of America Inc.* 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. Titus, Titus The Fox and the go are re red trademarks of Titus. All rights reserved

4 6/9

* Sonic R * NBA Action '98

* Enemy Zero

* World Wide Soccer '98 * Magic Knight RayEarth * Bust A Move 3

* X-Men vs. Street Fighter • Silhouette Mirage

* Shining Force III

ЅМӘІЛӘЈ

In Sega News...

It's no secret that the Saturn is experiencing some tough times here in the States right now, with dwindling third-party support and poor sales all- around. Still, with their upcom- ing mega-system on the hori- zon (Dural), the company's new approach to Saturn games Seems to be one of "quality over quantity" (novel idea, huh?), and their fourth quarter lineup is pretty impressive.

Warp's En ro is one of Sega's biggest games this holiday season.

Some of their big-name games this Christmas include Touring Car Championship, Sonic R, Quake, Duke Nukem, their sports titles (NHL All- Star Hockey '98 and NBA Action '98) and of course Enemy Zero. Again, third-party support is weak, but what's left is still impressive-Capcom has Resident Evil, Mega Man X4, Marvel Super Heroes and Street Fighter Collection; EA Sports has Madden NFL 98 and NHL 98; Fox has Croc and Working Designs has Magic Knight Ray Earth.

Will this be the Saturn's last big Christmas? Probably. But still, it should be a strong one and hardcore gamers who are

sticking with the system

to the very end will not

be disappointed. 50

* NHL All-Star Hockey '98

* Saturn Bomberman Fight!!

The "Blue Dude" Races into 3-0

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release

Sega of America lor2 6 5 November Travelers Tales Racing

1997

Web Address: www.sega.com

1 D 914 А опіс the Hedgehog has finally decided to jump on the band- wagon with Sega's upcoming Sonic R, but Saturn owners shouldn't mind too much. He's on the bandwagon because Sonic is not only starring in his first full-fledged racing game, a popular genre for mascots—he's also made it to a 3-D world —another "in" mascot pastime.

Traveler's Tales, a European-based develop- ment team and the makers of Sonic 3D Blast, are developing Sonic R for Sega. Originally the title was being done in the States when it was called Sonic Xtreme (remember this one?). But then it went to Sega of Japan before final- ly making it to Traveler's Tales, where they are now finishing the project with input from Sega of Japan.

Sonic may have dabbled in 3-D before with Sonic Jam, the olden day carts or with the Sega-CD, but were those really full-on 3-D games? Whatever past games Sonic has been in, Sonic R is quite a departure from anything before. The game features Sonic and around eight of his friends and enemies (normal and hidden characters included), racing against one another on several different tracks.

The five courses (that's including the bonus areas) are set up and have the look of levels in the old Sonic games. Look for the tracks

wrapping around themselves, tak- ing you on a dif- ferent pathway every time you play (or at least the first few times anyway). The graphics in Sonic R are really nice, com- plete with a cool effect that elimi- nates pop-up— or at least lessens the ugli- ness of it. When you're coming around a turn and in the dis- tance there's a large hill,

instead of just The levels һауе the look popping E

of the old Sonic games, but now in 3-D.

Taking shortcuts can reduce your lap time and may even reveal secrets, like this power-up.

of nowhere, it slowly fades with software- generated trans- parency effects. Players have at least three differ-

Sonic R.

says there will be

the standard Grand Prix Mode, Two-player Versus, Time Attack, Relay and Tag.

In addition,

all modes of

racing support

Sega's Analog

Рад. @

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Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release

SATURN

Sega 110 Now Visual Concepts Sports 70

Web Address: www.sega.com

NBA Action '98

hile the Saturn may not have the brightest future ahead, there are still a fair amount of sports games coming out for it this holiday sea- боп. The die-hard Saturn sports gamer will be pleased to know NBA Action '98 aspires to please with solid gameplay, and decent polygon graphics.

It should be noted that NBA Action '98 for the Saturn and МВА Fastbreak 98 for the PlayStation are essen- tially one and the same game. It seems that Visual Concepts (the creators/developers) scored a double hit by developing the PlayStation version of the game for Midway and the Saturn one for Sega. It's some- thing to be aware of if you happen to own both sys- tems and buy a lot of basketball games.

МВА Action '98 has some flash to it—there are While not as clean looking as its PlayStation some pretty cool dunk animations including behind- ^ counterpart, the gameplay is almost identical.

Wow, a view from the blimp! the-head and tomahawk jams. Also look for signature Not quite but about as use- moves consisting of ful for actual gameplay. Malone's fade-away jump =

shot and Rodman's fierce rebound cover-up.

For the strategy- minded player an in-game playbook provides tons of offensive and defensive plays specific to individ- ual teams. Once the plays have been selected, they can be assigned to specif- ic buttons and called up during gameplay. This technique may be awk- ward at first, but switch- ing up defenses while playing can give you an edge over your opponents. If you aren't in the mood for all those strategic options, NBA Action has a Arcade Mode that will let you play some mind-free twitch basketball.

Twenty-nine teams and 340 NBA players are rated by 20 different categories and statistics that cover the "96-97 season. User records are also tabulated сп Бу the same methods. Тһе Create-a-Player feature

Ia ғ also lets уои build (һе perfect basketball monster. Іп

қ this option lots of variables including aggressiveness ^ and dunking ability can be set as well as about 20 different appearances. There's even one fellow that kind of resembles Lemmy from Motorhead (scary).

To complete the NBA Action '98 package, that lovable L.A. Laker big shot Chick Hearn handles all (һе % commentary duties in that special | way that only a guy named Chick

can do.

the intricacies basketball has to offer, NBA Action

'98 caters to the strategy minded. =

~ As a sim committed to all

Attention to each player's true abilities was evident when Rodman missed an easy two.

Brian Bahr / Allsport

p.

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release

SATURN

Sega 1-6 November Radical Ent. Hockey 70

NHL All-Star ерл сс: НосКеу "98 |

hen Virgin's Powerplay hockey came out for the Saturn over a year ago, it quickly established itself as arguably the best hockey game on a 32-Bit system by having

Sega Hits The Ice And competent Al and entertaining gameplay. This year, however, to the

Starts dismay of Saturn owners everywhere, Virgin released Powerplay ’98 exclusively for the PlayStation, while bypassing the Saturn altogether. Yet, as all hope Th H Ü) seemed lost for downtrodden Saturn hockey fans, eir wn Radical announced the release of NHL All-Star Hockey "98. This, of course, is basically the unofficial sequel to

Powerplay, only under Sega's name. Powerplay Taking the successful game engine and Al used in Powerplay and making it even better has allowed several new options and variables in All-Star. For example, forwards are now able to execute 2- on-i and 3-0n-2's as needed throughout a game, creating a whole lot of new scoring opportuni- ties. Further instances include defense men who aggressively

Hockey teams across the globe fear the ominous French team, mostly

body-check greedy for- " due to wards that attempt to their curious fighting style.

camp out in front of the net. And finally, a little thing that seems to mean a lot: the addition of left-handed players. Surprisingly, the inclu- Sion of "lefties" change a lot of strategies by opening up different angles of attack and defense. Goalies have also undergone a transformation. In addition to skating around the back of the net to chase pucks, they can now break away and challenge shoot- ers well in front of the goal. Doing the splits to catch a shot is new and one of the better examples of the motion-capture animation used in the game. Twenty-six NHL teams and 650 players including

Celebrations after the goal are as entertaining as the game.

Radical paid special attention to player Al. Here an exhausted player takes a nap on the ice.

As far as polygonal sports games go, Radical has done a very good job of creating realistic-looking players.

their '96-'97 stats аге used in the game as well as all

(ES пи А, the official logos, stadiums апа the like. International

WM 1:43 S E. teams are in there as well: Japan, Austria, Australia, а J France and Finland to name a few.

With so few hockey games slated for the Saturn in the upcoming NHL season, it would be great if NHL All-Star Hockey '98 becomes a worthy successor to the great hockey game whose footsteps it follows. @

Close camera angles reveal the nicely detailed players.

e

If you're playing games on а ТУ, you haven't played them yet.

Connect your game console to Scuba™ instead of a TV. / ake your games to а whole new level of intensity. Incredible visuals. Dynamic stereo sound. Zero distractions. Now you dont just play the game, уоште in the game. Scuba lets

you pl. y whenever

1 wherever you want. Its compatible with Sega Saturn?"

Nintendo 647" Sony PlayStation" and all other NTSC consoles. To get totally

immersed call 1-888-SCUBA-FX or visit us at www.scubafx.com

Presenting Masters of Teras Kasi, an all-out fighting frenzy featuring 9 Star Wars characters and introducing a new villain masterfully trained in the ancient martial art of terás kási. Battle through 9 action-packed arenas. Engage in weapon-to-

weapon or hand-to-hand combat. Wield lightsabers, blasters, flame throwers and

battle axes to engage іп the ultimate conflict. Heck, even the | |: => Playstation |.

Empire never struck back this hard. www.lucasarts.com

8,986 1997 Lucasfim Ltd. and Lucists Entertainment Company. AL Rights Reserved. Star Wars and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks, and Masters of Teris Käsi is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd, used under authorization. уза and the Рајбаво logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

| |

TERÄS Sv

OF

А T >

2-1

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Попе Release

Sega 1 6 5 November Warp Action/Adv. 1997

Web Address: www.sega.com

Enemy Zero

Li hink of the horror of being stalked by an invisible |: alien on a ship trapped 1 My 2 Cents in the middle of space. мә All you сап do is listen I'm not a big fan of FMV games, but for the alien moving Enemy Zero is pretty damn cool. It has 5. around the ship and enough variety to make it different from hope it isn’t right brima due others I've seen. I'm really impressed by a MS t PR t Е the video, апа the story had те а little RE STI Sapallu ou os scared...well, actually a lot scared, but don't 55 tell anyone. I'm surprised the game is this Sound fun? Fans of FMV adventure neat especially considering games in this games should get ready for a story line like FMV genre aren't usually that good, no mat- this in Enemy Zero. The game stars Laura Lewis ter what system they're on. Right HOW. my

(the same girl from the game “D”) as she comes to арғы ñ ; 5 realize that ће crew апа herself are not alone оп their gripe is that it qets kind of lonely walking around all Бу yourself...but 1 guess that's

vessel. Unfortunately for them, there isn't much you th f th can do when you're smack-dab in the middle of e nature of the game. nowhere.

-Shawn Smith

A revealing Laura readies

herself for a long nap. Yummy. seat treatment like a good alien flic.

A device that will hopefully help take away some of those tense moments is the VPS. This item allows her to detect living organisms without seeing them by emitting a series of beeps. As an organism gets closer, the beep's frequency increases.

Don't be worried that there won't be enough visuals to keep your attention. Even though you may not be able to see the enemies all the time, it's easy to see what the enemies leave behind. No, we're not talking about alien doo-doo— we're talk- ing about exploded heads and gutted tor- 505. On top of r= this, there’s the great-looking

FMV. @

Laura Lewis’ future is so

bright, she’s gotta’ wear

shades. You go, girl.

The least this guy could’ve done was clean up after himself. | mean come on...

Laura isn’t alone no the ship—at least before the alien starts getting funky.

The game mostly consists mostly of FMV sequences, but there’s also areas where the game is from a first-person perspective where you actually control Laura (kind of like Doom in a sense, except you don’t have a BFG, only a small gun). While N you wander around the ship finding clues on what or who's killing your crewmates one by one, you'll have to rely on your ears instead of your eyes. The intro on the first disc is awesome and filled with action, but then the story slowly develops. Laura wakes up in her room from a long, cryogenic % Sleep. As you search around for necessary items and info, you may begin to wonder where the action is. Although the game does have some thrilling moments, you shouldn't expect any- thing too action-packed with Enemy Zero— it's not the nature of this game. Look at it as more of an adventure title, but with the edge-of-your-

The crew of the ship isn't unarmed, but that doesn't make that much difference

for them.

Mortal Kombat®Mythologies: The Adventures of Sub-Zero (кау Games Inc. All rights reserved. MIDWAY, MORTAL KOMBAT, the DRAGON DESIGN, SUB-ZERO and all character nam: jemarks of Midway Games Inc. Distributed by Midway Home Entertainment Inc. f icense. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the 34 ге trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. ©1996 Nintendo of America Inc. do. PlayStation and the Рау: are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

%

SATURN

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release

Sega 14 November Sega Sports 10 1997

Web Address: www.sega.com

World Wide Soccer '98

ega's World Wide Soccer franchise has always been one of the best and most underrated series in console sports gaming. In fact, this was the best soccer Series for a couple of years until Konami's 155 64 arrived only a few months ago. Like most companies that have a successful sports franchise, Sega is more or less adding a few, new fea- tures and improvements to the last game in the series (WWS '97). The already impressive 3-D polygonal player graphics are being improved by adding more detail, smoother animations and a few, new motion-cap- tured moves. The reper- toire at your player's dis- posal includes name- brand moves such as headers, back-heel passes and banana kicks. Color co-commentary will also be provided by the Plenty of different player animations make WWS '98 broadcast team of Gary a believable and realistic soccer match.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION PUBLICATION TITLE: Electronic Gaming Monthly. PUBLICATION NUMBER: 1058-918X. FILING DATE: 10/01/97. ISSUE FREQUENCY: Monthly. NO. OF ISSUES PUBLISHED ANNUALLY: 12. ANNUAL SUB- SCRIPTION PRICE: $24.97. COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF KNOWN OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 1920 Highland Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. CONTACT PERSON: Joan Mclnerney. TELEPHONE NUMBER: (630) 916-72 'OMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF HEADQUARTERS OR GENERAL BUSINESS OFFICE OF PUBLISHER: 1920 Highland Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. FULL NAMES AND COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESSES OF PUBLISHER, EDITOR, AND MANAGING EDITOR. PUBLISHER: Jonathan Lane, 1920 Highland Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. EDITOR: Joe Funk, 1920 Highland Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. MANAG: ING EDITOR: Ken Williams, 1920 Highland Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. OWNER: Ziff-Davis Inc., One Park Ave., New York, NY 10016 and SOFTBANK Holdings Inc. 10 Langley Road, Suite 403, Newton Center, MA 02159. KNOWN BONDHOLDERS, MORTGAGEES, AND OTHER SECURITY HOLDERS OWNING OR HOLDING 1 PERCENT OR MORE OF TOTAL AMOUNT OF BONDS, MORTGAGES, OR OTHER SECURITIES: None. PUBLICATION NAME: Electronic Gaming Monthly. ISSUE DATE FOR CIRCULATION DATA BELOW: October 1997. TOTAL NO. COPIES (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 613,463; (ACTUAL МО. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 575,531. PAID AND/OR REQUESTED CIRCULATION - SALES THROUGH DEALERS AND CARRIERS, STREET VENDORS, AND COUNTER SALES (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 152,582; (ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 166,100. PAID AND/OR REQUESTED CIRCULATION - PAID OR REQUESTED MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 193,449; (ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 173,400. TOTAL PAID AND/OR REQUESTED. CIRCULATION (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 346,031; (ACTU. AL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 339,500. FREE DISTRIBU- TION BY MAIL (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 9,891; (ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 3,941. FREE DISTRIBUTION OUT. SIDE THE MAIL (AVERAGE NO. COPES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 0; ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) о. TOTAL FREE DISTRIBUTION (AVER: AGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 9,891; (ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SIN GLE ISSUES PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 3,941. TOTAL DISTRIBUTION (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS 355,922; (ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 343,441. COPIES NOT DISTRIBUTED - OFFICE USE, LEFT OVERS, SPOILED (AVERAGE МО. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 5,163; (АСТИ- AL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 1,890. COPIES NOT DISTRIB: UTED - RETURN FROM NEWS AGENTS (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12

This goalie is about

As you can see in this shot, the 3-D player models

are very detailed.

Bloom and Jackie Charlton.

Even with only a few new improvements and features, it is very likely that WWS '98 will still be one of the top next- W generation soccer games. The only big question that remains is why it 2 took so long for Sega to bring this game over from Japan. @

MONTHS) 252,378; ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) to be burned for a 230,200. TOTAL (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS) 613,463; oal. As a goalie (ACTUAL NO. COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 575,531. PERCENT 8 A 8 2 PAID AND/OR REQUESTED CIRCULATION (AVERAGE NO. COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 that's not good for MONTHS) 97.22%; (ACTUAL NO OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE) 98.85%. your career. THIS STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP WILL BE PRINTED IN THE December 1997 ISSUE OF THIS PUBLICA- TION. | CERTIFY THAT ALL INFORMATION FURNISHED ON THIS FORM IS TRUE AND COMPLETE. | UNDERSTAND THAT ANYONE WHO FURNISHES FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION ON THIS FORM ` OR WHO OMITS MATERIAL OR INFORMATION REQUESTED ON THE FORM MAY BE SUB L3 JECT TO CRIMINAL SANCTIONS. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF EDITOR, PUBLISHER, BUSI . NESS MANAGER OR OWNER: BAIRD DAVIS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT DATE:10-6-97 1 га

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SATURN

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release Working Designs

November Working Designs 60

1 Action/RPG 1997

Web Address: www.workingdesigns.com

fter being delayed for what seems like an eternity, Magic Knight Rayearth is finally nearing completion, and we've just received a mostly-English version of the long-awaited action/RPG from Working Designs.

Magic Knight Rayearth is based on the anime and manga series of the same name that has gained quite a bit of popularity since it first hit Japan back in 1994. Written by CLAMP, the game tells the story of three teenage girls who bump into each other in Japan's famous Tokyo Tower and get sucked into a magical, mystical world by an unseen force who begs them to become “Magic Knights” and free their imprisoned princess from the clutches of an ex-aide gone wretched.

The three girls—Hikaru, Umi and Fuu (for the few of you who expressed concern about pos- sible name changes —fear not, all of the original Japanese names will remain intact in the U.S. release)—are the main characters of the game, and each has her own weapons and eventually can wield a variety of powerful (and helpful) magic spells to aid her in their quest. Similar to Secret of Mana or even Zelda, MKR features realtime action (nothing is turn-based— your attacks depend only on how quick you can smack that attack button), and there are several towns and dungeons that you'll have to visit on your journey. Along the way, you'll acquire items and information, and you'll need to make use of the spells you've learned to overcome physical obstacles that stand in your way.

One of the most appealing aspects of Magic Knight Rayearth, and one that makes it stand out against so many other action-RPGs of this type, is Ñ the fact that throughout the game there are several ! full-screen animated cut scenes that unfold the story in dramatic fashion. The animation is gorgeous, and contains full voice, as do many of the game's impor- tant NPCs in the various towns and villages. And yes, the trademark Working Designs humor that has

You can switch between any of the three girls at anytime during play.

Rayearth features a ton of full-screen animated cut scenes.

Many of the characters in Rayearth come straight from the popular anime in Japan.

(Есм) 62

The game begins оп a school trip in Japan's popular Tokyo Tower, before any of the girls have met.

Magic Knight Rayearth

Despite being released over two years ago in Japan, MKR has some of the nicest Saturn graphics yet.

graced so many of their past games is once again рге- sent in Magic Knight Rayearth —although not nearly to as brash a degree as was found in their last release, Albert Odyssey (which is a good thing, since Rayearth is a rather well-known licensed property).

Magic Knight Rayearth is due for release in November (barring anymore unforeseen delays), and will be the second-to-last Saturn release for Working Designs (the last one is LUNAR: Silver Star Story, due out in the first quarter of '98). It may have been a long time in coming, but as one of the few big third-party games still on the way for Saturn, and one of the most charming action-RPGs ever created, RPG-starved

Saturn owners won't want to

miss it. @

lor2 Fighting

Capcom Co., Ltd. Capcom Co., Ltd.

wW.capcom.co.jp

Prepare 10 Collide

Each player now chooses two characters before each fight.

Warning: This

November 1997 (JP)

everal months after announcing that X-Men Vs. Street Fighter would be com- ing home to the Saturn, Capcom finally unveiled a playable version of the game (at TGS in September). The game,

š 4 Megabyte RAM cartridge, is nearly finished and looks spectacular. The animation is smooth and fast, and there's hardly any load times during play (thank the RAM cart for that).

In case you've never played XMVSF, it's basically an upgraded X-Men: CotA with both X-Men and Street Fighter characters and a new system where each play- er picks two fighters and can freely switch between the two during play (they each have their own life bars). Gameplay, like in X-Men, is fast and furious, and super moves are greatly exaggerated (moreso than in Marvel Super Heroes), making for some cool visual effects.

Unfortunately, unlike Marvel Super Heroes, which doesn't require the older 2 Megabyte RAM cart to play (it's a nice option, but not necessary), XMVSF requires the new 4 Meg cart, which means it's unlikely that the game will be released anywhere outside of Japan (bundling it in would mean raising the price to about $75—something Capcom U.S.A. is probably not too

"y ШЇ

TP

All characters stem from either the X-Men or Street Fighter universes.

Thanks to the 4 Megabyte RAM cartridge, XMVSF runs smooth as silk on the Saturn. But will it reach the U.S.?

excited about). Still, Capcom says the game will reach the U.S., so we'll just have to wait and see if they can keep the price down or release it without the cart. @

SATURN

The Bubble Popping legacy Lives Ün

Bust -A-Move 3's Two- player Competitive Mode is most entertaining.

Publisher/Developer — Players/Genre % Done Release |

lor2 Puzzle Action

November 1997

Natsume Taito

Web Address: none

Bust-A-Move 3

ust-A-Move (known as Puzzle Bobble overseas) has always been a very simple, yet enjoyable action puzzle game. Fans of the series will be pleased to know that Natsume has decided to bring over the Saturn ver- sion of the latest sequel, Bust-A-Move 3, from overseas. The basic premise of the game is very simple—match three colored bubbles of the same shape in order to pop all of them. Each level is cleared when every bub- ble has been popped. This is done by launching your own bubbles from the bottom of the screen. Every bub- ble attached below the popping bubbles will also pop and drop, allowing for large groups of them to be dis- posed of in one shot. There is a lot of strategy and precision in Bust-A- Move, especially when the puzzles become more complex, and the time limit grows shorter. Adding to

the stress is knowing that E^ Š NN WH 75, ЖТ Ч

shooting (һе wrong color bubble into the wrong place could ruin the entire level. Special types of bubbles that do different things must be used effi- ciently in order to finish some levels, and some- times undestructible obstacles will make your job much tougher.

Casual players probably won't notice many of the new additions to this sequel, but fans of the series will. The ceilings can now be used to ricochet shots, instead of your misguided bubbles accumulating on the top of the screen—this makes for wilder shots. Bust-A- Move 3 has more types of “special” bubbles and objects that add even more variety to the game. For example, a new bowling ball can be launched that crushes every bubble in its path, regardless of color

(an equal opportunity crusher. There are also seven new characters, in addition to the requi- site dragon that animates differently depending on the situation (there's also one really annoying

You can choose different routes after completing a set

of levels.

Special bub- bles such as the ones shown here liven up the gameplay.

Busting bubbles and making more fall is still the name of the game.

Bust-A-Move 3 has seven new charac- ters, in addition to the dragon that has been featured throughout the series.

cries bad

girl that whenever things happen.)

Plenty of different game modes were designed to make Bust-A-Move 3 high in replay value. Arcade, Challenge and an incredibly huge “Collection” Mode (which allows you to browse a directory of thousands of levels) are offered, in addition to the two-player ver- sus mode. The Challenge Mode will even go so far as to rate your speed, accuracy and strategy.

The Bust-A-Move franchise has consistently provided a solid series of action puzzle games. The biggest question concerning Bust-A-Move 3 is whether or not the new additions justify a purchase from those who already have the previous games.

My 2 Cents

I've always liked the Bust-A-Move series, and the latest edition of the game is basically more of the same with a few, new twists-and an incredible amount of levels. Fans of Bust-A-Move (such as my mom who lives and breathes it) will still undoubtedly love the game, but I have the feeling that this may be the last of the series. That is, unless they find a way to liven it up before it becomes stale.

-Kraig Kujawa

le in the U.S. It is designed to run

% Done Relea Now 100 Japan

: www.butaman.or.jp:8000/"treasure/index.html

Publisher;

ESP 1 Treasure Action

Web Ad

reasure, the masters of 2-D side- scrolling action, are back with their sophomore Saturn title, Silhouette Mirage (the first was the highly success-

ful beat-'em-up, Guardian Heroes). The main character is a girl with two sides—one is blue, and the other red; her enemies are (for the most part) either blue (Silhouette) or red (Mirage), and can only be hurt by the opposite colored-side of the main character. Confused yet? Well don't worry—there's a tutorial at the beginning of the game that explains everything you need to know about your character, and

Treasures Latest 2-D Masterpiece

once you get going you won’t want

to stop. The gameplay is loaded with technique (typical Treasure-style), and the graphics are gorgeous. Each Boss has its own innovative attack styles, and some of them are just

| HUGE (more classic Treasure). - By defeating enemies you earn | coins that you can use to buy sever- al different types of weapons (of varying strengths) that are available

M

&

Remember these guys? They remember yov. This game packs punch. 27 Street Fighters in 3 different games. Super Street Fighter ІІ, Super Street Fighter ІІ Turbo, and Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, all in their true arcade form. Own the Street Fighter legacy. At around $1.50 a fighter, that's a fair fight, dentcha think?

нв =

© Сорсот Со, Ud. 1997. © Copcom USA, Inc. 1997. All rights reserved. безі Fighter Il, Super Siret Fighter l|, Super Street Fighter 1l Turbo cand Stroot Fighter Alpha 2 ore trademarks of Capcom Co., Ud. Capcom is a registered trademark of Capcom Co. кі. PlayStation and ће PlayStation logos oro trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega ond Sega Sotum ore trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ld.

7, | £ ы,

import at your own risk.

The intro scene is a visual treat, with classic Treasure- style art.

at stands throughout the stages. These weapons can make your job a whole lot easier when things begin to get rough (boomerangs, lasers, bombs and gas are just a few of the tools of your trade), and you can also buy back health if your HP becomes dangerously low. There are no plans to bring Silhouette Mirage to the U.S. just yet, but hopefully someone will take notice of it and port it—it looks like Treasure's done it again. e

Silhouette TUNU Mirage has some of the nicest 2-D Saturn graphics yet seen on the system.

а FL

E PlayStationi

www.capcom.com

SATURN

Saturn

Bomberman Fight!!

SB Fight! is fully polygonal. It may look blocky, but you can bet that it’ll be fun!

Publisher/Developer

Sega of Japan Sonic Software

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release Hudson Soft 1-4 70 December Hudson Soft Action 1997 (JP)

Web Address: www.hudson.co.jp

udson has announced a sequel to their recently released (in the U.S., anyway) Saturn Bomberman game called Saturn Bomberman Fight!!. Due out in Japan in December, SB Fight! is now completely polygonal and puts a heavy emphasis on battle (thus the name “Fight!!”). Not much information is available on the game yet, but we do know that there are 14 playable characters, each with differing characteristics that affect play. The game takes place from an overhead quarter-view, and there are some new gameplay aspects that haven't been in previous Bomberman games. For example, each player now has a life bar that will slowly deplete as he or she gets hit (instead of the old-school one-hit kills). There's also a Bomb Gauge that slowly builds up, and when it's full the player can unleash a giant bomb that does massive damage. In addition, bombs can now explode in midair (when thrown), and the flames that pour down will cause damage to anyone they hit. There are new items and power-ups as well, but the old-school play mechanics are still around (like the Bomb Throw and the Bomb Kick). Currently it doesn't look like there are any dinos or kangaroos like in previ- ous Bombermans, but the game isn't done yet. Hopefully we'll see a U.S. release sometime in 1998, but don't bet your bombs on it. @

Players/Genre % Done Release

December

1 Simulation/RPG 65 1997 (JP)

Web Address: www.sega.co.jp

As reported last month in EGM, Sega of Japan is putting the finishing touches on the latest installment of the popular Shining Force series- Shining Force 111 for the Saturn.

Shining Force 111, like its predecessors, is a simulation-RPG. This time, however, the entire game takes place in a gorgeous 3-D world with incredibly animated polygonal battles. The basic style of play remains the same though- battles play out on gridded battlefields (similar to Vandal Hearts or Tactics Ogre), while an epic story unfolds as you journey from area to area. The most exciting part of Shining Force 111 how- ever, is that the game is split up into three sce- narios that will be separately released in Japan.

Scenario 1 (shown here) is due out in December, while Scenarios 2 and 3 are slated for release sometime next year. Each scenario is expected to have gameplay that lasts up to 30 hours or more, and will provide three separate

Warning: This is a preview of

anese title that may

If your Bomb Gauge fills up, you can let loose a super bomb that really rocks!

Since battle stages are multilevel, the threat of fire from above is now present. Bombs explode in the air, too!

Ф-ҒРуа?”л. IES

Shining Force || features a fully polygonal 3-D world with a rotating camera and gorgeous textured graphics.

perspectives on one huge story, allowing the gamer to see things from every side before ulti- mately reaching the conclusion.

SIREET FIGHIER S IN

4 АЙ

Been missin” Street Fighter дате- play? The world's premiere fighter goes КісКіп” and screamin' into 3-D. This beast pits the original 8 Street Fighter vets — Cuile, Zangief, Ryu, Ken, Bison, Chun-Li, Dhalsim and Sakura in an amazing arcade hit. What else is the same? Signature Street Fighter gameplay. New? Lots! Crack your knuckles and welcome 12 all-new fighters in the biggest Street Fighter ever! Playable bosses, 7 different play modes, a total of 23 characters, this is the 3-D game worth fighting Юг...

E c o = a [=] л >- 15 a

ja) H H =

ТЕЕМ { PlayStation

cs]

=

Ryu got your number? New Training Mode adds moves, reduces bruises.

New Multi-Hit combos bring ‘em to their knees.

Slow Mo Replay makes victory even sweeter.

CAPCOM

www.capcom.com

© ARIKA CO., LTD. 1997 © CAPCOM CO., LTD. 1997 € CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 1997 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. STREET FIGHTER is o trademark of CAPCOM CO., LTD. CAPCOM is а registered trademark of CAPCOM CO., LTD. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Game Directory

* Alundra

* Arena Tennis

* Auto Destruct

* Lode Runner

* Manhattan Project * Power Soccer 2

* Diablo

* Shadow Master

* Arcade Greatest Hits 2 * Reel Fishing

• Elric

* NBA Fastbreak 98 * Ship Wreckers

* Skull Monkeys

* Crime Killer

* Beast Wars

* Arkanoid Returns

• Einhánder

* Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon

* FFVII International

• Front Mission 2

• Gradius Gaiden

* Bomberman World

* Metal Gear Solid

In Sony News...

Despite Nintendo's amazing onslaught in the U.S., Sony is going to have their most suc- cessful holiday season yet, with numerous high-quality titles on store shelves and great low prices on new titles. Final Fantasy VII should sell well through the holidays, and retail- ers will be having a hard time keeping games like Crash 2, PaRappa the Rapper, Intelligent Qube, Cart World Series, Cool Boarders 2 and all of Sony's major sports titles in stock. Third-party support is at an all- time high, and while there are still a lot of low-quality games being released from third par- ties, a lot of the big-name games that were so popular in the days of the Super NES are finding sequels on the PlayStation-a sure sign of a system that's going to be around for quite a while. What about the PlayStation 2, you ask? Ask us again sometime in 1999. The PlayStation is doing too well right now, and it would be ridiculous to cut that suc- cess short prematurely.

December

Working Designs 1 Action/RPG 15 1997

Sony CE/Matrix

www.workingdesigns.com

Alundra

fter a long standoff, Working Designs is finally bringing their translation talents to the PlayStation with their first PS game, Sony’s deep action- RPG, Alundra.

Developed by some of the folks who brought us the classic Genesis action-RPG Landstalker, Alundra stars a young boy (named Alundra) who has the abil- ity to enter into people’s dreams and explore their minds. This ability comes in quite handy, as Alundra will have to solve numerous puz- zles and defeat many enemies that dwell in the minds of the people of his troubled land.

Gameplay in Alundra is similar to that of Zelda, but with much more of an emphasis on puzzle solving. There are numerous items and Alundra’s deep gameplay is a welcome change of other pieces of equipment that will help you расе and should delight fans of good, solid RPGs. on your way, and magic is crucial as well. Like Zelda, you can slash at shrubs with your sword to try to find hidden items, you can pick gs дап w (02886 up and destroy crates and jars to search for ; things, and like Landstalker— if it's got mass, chances—are good you can stand on it.

The graphics in Alundra are reminiscent of Konami's Suikoden (overhead view, realistic- looking characters and environments, etc.), but there's a lot more animation and the game is a lot larger. Dungeons are huge (the first main dungeon alone is larger than most games' end dungeons), and the amount of puzzles that need to be solved will surely delight any fan of the more difficult, old- school action-RPGs of the 16-Bit days.

Despite our preview version being way early, we're already impressed and looking forward to reviewing the final version. @

In order to get from Point A to B, you'll have to accomplish certain tasks during the game.

У Ñ Жа 1 ЈЕ alien tree is block ing the

As is usual from WD, the writing in Alundra is of the highest quality around.

| Ihe future Је huu! In Become History

Journey to the far future to save the distant past. Battle. Hand-tochand. Solve intriguing puzzles. Wield powerffl magic. Explore а huge 3D world.

- Yo as legendary sword _

ibur..

. Featuring over 200 locations, 60 different . characters, full Speech, and incredible real light-sourcing, Excaliliur 2555 is an absol

“ Could well do for.3D action adventures; Tomb Raider did for 3D platformers" — Edge 4

“Excalibur 2555 is one of the most логоре 30 games ever... а really, really cool game: — Diehard Gamefan .

Tel.: (315) 393-6633 Fax: (3J5) 393-1525 To order, visit your retailer ог call:J1-800-447-1230

www-.sir-techkcom

PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony СотршемЕп

«с => (| PlayStation

m

| Теппіс Агепа

белі ТҮГІ USCA

10

Despite the game's attempt to Бе “extreme,” it really looks good.

Complete with ball-girl and enthusiastic crowd, the bases are covered.

Ubi Soft Smart Dog

lor2 November Tennis 85 1997

www.ubisoft.com

t’s being billed as “tennis with an attitude.” Tennis Arena hopes to break down the vanilla fla- vor of the sport and push it into the extreme genre with its combination of unique players, locations and exaggerated moves. Before Tennis Arena can lay out all the extreme stuff, it has to prove itself as a solid playing ten- nis sim with functional graphics and adequate chal- lenge, especially since tennis on the 32-Bit platform hasn’t been done all that well (or often) in the past. To accomplish this, 3-D polygonal players and back- grounds are in full effect. Surprisingly fluid, the players also received the motion-capture treatment so that they could mimic the moves of real tennis players quite nicely. The overhead smash, backhand, lob and top-spin forehand are some of the standard returns with lots of special returns hidden within the game. Like a fighting game, the players in Arena Tennis have their own special hits and maneuvers. For

84704 КИШТЕ : ا‎ 777

The wilder venues include this clay court in an ancient Greek coliseum.

example, Zoe Taylor from England does a spinning smash in which she lets go of the racquet in its horizontal position, does a spin, grabs the racket as it floats in midair and delivers a hearty blast to the ball. Not quite realistic but we're talkin' about extreme tennis here. Another character, Chan

| from China, lets his freak flag fly, not to mention his

saggin' belly and gold chains. He's basically a sumo- looking guy that plays tennis well.

Four-player multiplay shows promise as the game's main draw.

Chan moves very well for a heavyset guy wearing five pounds of gold.

To go along with the not-so-average players the venues they play in are also "exotic." Our favorite was the suspended court in the pit of an ancient Greek col- iseum. Grass, clay, astro-turf and even wooden courts are among the surfaces available for play. The game offers tournament as well as doubles play, Two-player and Four-player Mode for multiplayer competition.

With the right combination of good game- play and interesting characters, Tennis Arena could fill a need in the sports gaming genre. @

Courts come in many colors and flavors. Blueberry

is delicious!

> E PlayStation тм тм

SEGA SATURN m

Windows” 95

PCCO-ROM IE G3 А

INTERACTIVE

Corporation. ©1997 American Softworks Corporation. Mass Destruction" is developed by NMS Software, Ltd. The NMS logo is used under license from BMG. BMG is a trademark of BMG Music. Play Station” and the Playstation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Windows® 95 is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. Sega" and the Sega Saturn"

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www.sega.com

Auto Destruct

EA

EA-U.K.

1 Decemher Action/Racing 60 1997

www.ea.com

champion motor racing

driver witnesses the

brutal deaths of

his family at the

hands of a fanatical

cult called the

“Disciples of

Lazarus.” Really ticked off, the

player is driven to join a mysterious

organization with the hopes of

exacting a measure of revenge on the cult. It sounds like the plot

to a cheesy '7os movie, but instead is the story line

behind Auto Destruct, a

futuristic racing game

by Electronic Arts.

pu Auto Destruct Mas implements ele-

ments from many of the popular 3-D

racing action games on the PlayStation—

Targeting your enemies is accomplished through locking on to them. vation of resources, explo- ration and racing— and combines them

intense vehicular combat, conser-

in опе package. Through its mission- based gameplay, a vari- ety of different tasks must be completed within the con- fines of your heavily armed futur- istic cars. These assignments include seek-and-destroy missions, escorting tar-

gets, picking up people and dropping them off some- where within a time limit (in a taxi cab, no less) and racing enemies in different courses. As each mission progresses, a messenger discloses the next objective, in addition to a city map that shows its location (in addition to an arrow pointing to it on your Heads-Up Display.) For example, a mis- sion may begin with you following a helicopter to a target. After killing that target, the next task could be to dismiss a roadblock of tanks in a shower of missiles and lasers. Sometimes more noble missions

Many useful camera views are available in Auto Destruct.

There's a lot to

like In Auto Destruct,

especially the huge city

environments and variety of

missions. This game reminds

me of Auto Duel from years

past, except іп an action епуігоп-

ment. With so much to do, and real-

ly good 3-D graphics, | think that

Auto Destruct will inevitably be a good

game when it is finally completed.

Besides, how can you not like a game

that lets you drive around in a futuristic

cab to pick up and drop off passengers?!

That's good game designin', wouldn't you agree?

It's fun to run over pedestrians, then make art of their remains.

80 -Kraig Kujawa

will require you to foil a kidnapping. As you can see, it's safe to say that there are lots of things to do in the game.

Destruct's gameplay exists within vast cities that include London, San Francisco and New York. The 3-D environments in Auto Destruct are huge to say the least, and they come complete with many things to interact with and (more impor-

tantly) destroy. People walk along the detailed city blocks, and there's plenty of traffic (enemy and friendly) to contend with on the streets.

There usually isn’t

any problem that a

few rockets don’t take care of, and the pedestrians make a nice splat when run over. Suffice to say, Auto Destruct is a very interesting action game. If the game accomplishes putting more depth and variety behind some of the games it borrows from, it could be avery solid title. @

An intense missile firefight lights up the dirty streets of New York.

it title - now impossible he Plack e. 3 features

"Along the way, recruit additional us acters to join your | ce in control, will you hand over power to the rightful ruler ог keep the continent for yourself?

Only you can decide! A proven hit! The name says it all!

COMMAND 75 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHARACTERS!

13 POSSIBLE ENDINGS ENHANCE REPLAY VALUE.

NON-LINEAR GAMEPLAY.

HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE EITHER GOOD. NEUTRAL OR EVIL! THIS LIMITED EDITION TAKES OGRE BATTLE TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF 32 BIT GAMEPLAY!

tegy/RP G's”

5 at Sta All-time great " (PSExtreme)

“One of the /

7..Обге Battle has Solid Seller emblazoned on it." (Video Game Advisor—April, 1997)

M | | <>

| PlayStation

Come visit us on the world wide web at www.atlus.com

© Atlus Corp., LTD. Ogre Вашетм Episode 5 March of the Black Queen is a Trademark of Quest © 1993, Artdink © 1996, Published by Atlus? Corp., LTD. 1997; PlayStation E tion logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment. Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Call 1-800-771-3772 for Game Rating Information.

Lode Runner

Natsume

lor2 30 December Presage Soft Action 1997

oing deep beneath the Earth to find piles and piles of gold may sound excit- ing (and even profitable), but when you throw in a bunch of crazy monks chas- ing after you trying to protect those same riches, the scenario changes. Lode Runner, brought to us by Natsume, dates way back to the '805 and has graced plenty of computer and console systems since. Interestingly enough, this new PlayStation version resembles a fairly recent remake called “Lode Runner: The Legend Returns," a game that appeared on the PC a few years back.

The game puts players in control of an adven- turous chap named Jake Peril who tries his darnedest to take back the gold that the keep- ers of the underground stole from above. But to do so, he must avoid dozens of traps, deadly gaping holes and, of course, those wacky monks. But Jake is able to set some traps of his own and use various items like the jackhammer to get away from the hooded evil-doers.

The graphics look totally old-school, but that's alright—this game kind of has that feel. Jake is really tiny on screen (about the same Size as the little army men from Command & Conquer), but it's no problem. The thing to remember is that Lode Runner is a puzzle game at its core.

Like many puzzle games, Lode Runner has well over 50 levels to make your way through (set up like Mario with sets of levels inside *worlds"). And as you тау have guessed, the further along you get, the harder the levels become. The first level is nothing more than a quick gathering of some coin, but the next intro- duces monks, and then more monks, and then hordes o’ monks, etc. Toward the end of the game, most mor- tal gamers want to pull their hair out from how hectic it is. But for puzzle games, this is a good thing.

Lode Runner also features a level editor that eases some of that pent-up anger from not being able to get past a certain level. You can fill your levels with what- ever you want and make them as easy or as impossi- ble (or as shameless) as you like. When you're done

After getting all of the gold in a level, the portal opens to the next one for more riches.

The levels may vary in look, but the idea stays the same.

Although one would think falling over 50 feet would kill you, Lode Runner defies gravity.

Lode Runner features items as well as gold. Some allow you to dig, while others trap monks.

When your laser-digging tool doesn't work, lay a bomb down and destroy some earth—it'll rebuild soon after.

with a level, a quick save to a memory card immortal- izes your creation.

It may look dated, but Lode Runner should give gamers plenty of good times with its classic 2-D feel. Hopefully, this old-school game will fair well against all of the 3-D games out there. e

Just in case you didn't know or were curious, here's Funk & Wagnalls' definition of a person who is called a Lode Runner: “One who or that which runs [with] metallic ore embedded in associated rock."

NOW, WAYNE GRETZKY GAN FACE WHAT OVER 600 NHL PLAYERS FEAR MOST.

The NHL & NHLPA Present

I БА ЛИ о! шг

He holds more career records than any player in INHL history. And we took his speed,

8

moves and cunning and put them right into Gretzky's 98 3D Hockey. It's not just a game. It's an NHL war zone, with active trading, player stat cards and a new, advanced simulation mode that even

the real Gretzky cou

Enterprises,

is a trademark of Wayne D. Gretzky and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, excluding the word NHL NHL is a registered trademark of the National Hockey League. All NHL

logos and marks and team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior, written consent of NHL P.©1997 NHL Ál rights reserved, Used under license by Atari Games Corporation. Oficial licensed by the National Hockey League. National Hockey League Payers’ Association,

NHLPA and NHLPA logo are-wademarks of the NHLPA and are used under cene by Atari Games Corporation. © NHLPA Offical licensed p

Logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. MIDWAY® is a registered trademark of Midway Games Inc. Used by permission. Distributed by Midway Home Entertainment Inc.

d have a hard time beating. Wanna piece of it? Get in line. It's hittin’ the ice in November.

NINTENDO:

LJ

PlayStation |

product of the National Hockey League Players’

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Radical Ent. 1-4 3rd Qtr. Radical Ent Action N/ А

Manhattan Project

adical Entertainment is putting together a unique new action game featuring one to four players in a futur- istic hybrid contest similar to capture the flag or even your basic game

of tag. With a working title of Manhattan Project (still very tentative) players are set loose in multilevel 3-D environments where light sources illuminate from various sights. The object is to pass through more of these light sources than your oppo- nents, essentially changing the color of the beams and claiming them as your own. Sounds easy right? The problem is you must also stop your opponents from passing through the lights. In fact, only one play- er at a time can gather while the others pursue like a pack of hungry wolves fighting for their turn. Each

character has This particular player shoots a seeking energy pulse in special ways addition to knowing some nasty fighting moves. Each Examples of the fighting ТЕ АЦА level will open ир new characters to use if needed. along with a tile blast. eraSomê SOSH the atmosphere with each world possessing a cultural wile неге theme including Japanese, Polynesian and even Aztec. use hand-to- Within the levels special tools help players in their hand combat. quest. Blast tiles provide a sudden thrust like a cannon Thirty, levels when walked over while Conveyor belts carry players based in 10 horizontally to their targets. E қ worlds provide _ We'll post more on this interesting title as informa- tion becomes available. @

www.radical.ca

Upon reaching the final light eee — source, victorious players do a Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release little victory dance. P

ҒА November 1997

Hold onto your hats cuz EA has yet another racing game ready for launch. But don't be fooled by the name, this speedster does- n't resemble EA's disap- pointing NFS Il in any way. In fact if you wanted to compare V-Rally to any- thing look to Sega's Rally along with Sony's Rally Cross as a couple of the pri- mary influencers on V-Rally. What's unique about this sim? For starters it offers a ton of tracks, 42 in all, spread over eight international locales. Additionally, 11 official cars Including the Toyota Corolla WRC, Ford Escort Cosworth, Subaru Impreza SS and Nissan Almera are ready for action in At 30 frames per second the this simple but extensive racing sim. | game speed оп this early уег- Gameplay is similar to Sega Rally only much more 2 3 sion was pretty decent. Two- unforgiving as far as driving accuracy is concerned. * p ш player Mode was just as fast. Spectacular high speed roll-overs result from sloppy % driving апа over contact with other cars. Vehicles can be adjusted to suit the needs of each track | What would а Rally Cross through tighter suspensions, quicker gear ratios and m, de game be without at least a choice of automatic or manuel transmission. one snow course. Several of the worlds will feature varying weather ; ' у conditions along with night апа day racing options. At this point it looks as though V-Rally could be the saving grace for the Need For Speed name.

For better of worse, only four cars can race on a track at a time.

TIONAL. SEGA? SATURN”

e.

E “л

PLINI Bundle

= E СЕПТЕ

I International Professional Video Game Accessories for all the major Platforms. P.O.Box 399, Sun Valley, California 91353-0399, U.S.A.

WEB PAGE: hitp://www.nakiusa.com

e-mail: nakiusa 9 nakiusa.com

phone: (818)252-0722 / (800)626-6254 (NAKI)

fax: (818)252-0723

of SEGA Enterprises Ltd. PLAYSTATION" ! SONY® Computer Entertainment. This is a NAKI p

Psygnosis 102 80 f. Ist Qtr. ч Psygnosis-France Soccer 1998 www.psygnosis.com

Power Soccer 2

ast year Adidas Power Soccer made its

debut as one of the PlayStation's first

soccer games. Eclipsed by more popular

games such as EA's FIFA, it may not have

received as much attention as

Psygnosis would have liked. But then

again maybe it didn't deserve as much

due to its mediocre gameplay. This year, however, Power Soccer has left the Adidas endorsement behind as they prepare to launch Power Soccer 2 as a new- and-improved entity fueled by faster gameplay, sleek- er-looking characters and more teams to choose from. First of all, the game engine has been improved, as the frame rate is up to a silky-smooth 30 per second. À This allows the polygonal players to speed across the field briskly. The exaggerated speed may not be as realistic as other soccer sims, but does

Gameplay has gotten rough this year with a lot of unnecessary tackles. Brutes they all are!

should be noted larger sprites have been implement- ed, making the players a little larger as well. But per- haps the most innovative new feature is the ability to link special moves together, kind of like a combo in a fighting game. Of the 40 special moves, 12 have the ability to be linked to create some interesting maneu- vers. For example, you can stutter-step into a rainbow kick to really throw off your opponent.

Also new-and-improved are the new Menu Screens which lay things out in a unique and efficient manner This is rather nice considering how many options and teams (189) a soccer sim can have.

We'll keep an eye on this one and hope the feared lame sequel syndrome doesn't claim another victim. @

add arcade elements to the game. To make the play more believable motion-capture technology has estab- lished more natural-looking movements when charac- Y ters cut, dive and slide to the ball. Instead of last year's choppy animations, this year's Power Soccer will have more animation frames to make the players move bet- 5 a ter. And except for the goalie’s hunched back, they did ES a pretty good job cleaning up the boys overall. It

The arm muscles on those goalies must get huge from throwin’ all them balls around.

BERE -

sul

Here's what the stadium would look like if you were, say, a bird flying overhead.

Cinematics display this curious scene of a tense pre-game

prayer session. 88

EA 102 March Climax Enterprises Action/Adv. М А 1998

Diablo

iablo has sold over 750,000 copies оп

: Exploring the PC worldwide. And that’s a number dungeons and from a few months ago. With incredible killing waves numbers like that, it was only a matter of enemies is of time until Blizzard’s action-RPG the bulk of found its way onto the PlayStation. the gameplay.

Diablo became popular partly because of its simple gameplay and excellent multiplayer capabil- ities. Obviously, Diablo’s Multiplayer Mode was accom- plished over the Internet on the PC, but on the PlayStation, only two will be able to play simultaneously.

Exploring dungeons, and hacking thousands of crea- кш s tures to death describes Diablo perfectly. Three different the town. Classes of characters are available (Wizard, Warrior,

Archer), and each builds up his powers by accumulating

hit points, objects and new weapons. The game could loosely be called an RPG, but the emphasis here is action, not role playing. It will be interesting to see if Diablo on the PS can capture the magic that made the PC one so popular. @

As you upgrade your armor and weapons, the look of your character changes to fit his new duds.

Tene. udp s “idee:

WENCHES.

The downside:

| THE PHAS

: T salt spray hits your lips as you look into the deep blue. The frigate creaks and the plank bobs. Will this be the end? Welcome to Shipwreckers! Life on the high seas at its swashbuckling best. Wield flame throwers and hurl lightning bolts as you man cannons and command great vessels under the Jolly Roger. Battle one to five other players.

The rewards аге great, the puzzles daunting

and the excitement high —just watch your step.

The plank is a cruel mistress.

Shipwreckers! and the Psygnosis logo are trademarks of Psygnosis Ltd. ©1997 Psygnosis Ltd. All rights reserved. The PlayStation logo and PlayStation" are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.

Тһе Bosses іп Shadow Master are monstrous and deadly.

Take good aim, and take enemies out from a distance.

Factoid

The art style used in Shadow Master is inspired by artist Rodney Matthews. Most of his work is out-of-this-world...lit- erally. He's best known for his book covers and album sleeves- specifically albums by Thin Lizzy, Scorpions and Asia, among oth- ers. Book-wise, he's done work for Michael Moorcock and his Elric series. There's no mis- taking Matthews' style when you see it. On a side note, the game Elric (inspired by Michael Moorcock) is done by Psygnosis and

is previewed in this issue...weird.

(EGMY 90

January

Psygnosis 1 75 1998

Hammerhead Action

www.psygnosis.com

Shadow Master

t's probably safe to say that most gamers are fed up with powerful overlords that come into power, strip the land of its natural resources, and turn all creatures into mechanized beasts. Yes, we've all seen it before—now it's time to put a stop to it! That's exactly what you have to do in Shadow Master, a game published by Psygnosis (devel- oped by Hammerhead). The main *bad dude" in this one, the Shadow Master, plans on taking the entire solar system and doing whatever evil things he wants to do to it. Thanks to you and your armored vehicle, that task won't be so easy.

Shadow Master features over 15 levels of play in seven different worlds. The mission in each is easy: Destroy all creatures without dying in the process. Like Doom and other first-person shooters, Shadow Master features a starting point, an ending point and lots of enemies in between.

The graphics are fully 3-D—even the enemies. With

Every time you blow up a bad guy, they shatter into a bunch of tiny pieces.

graphics like this, you might think they'd get real blocky up close. Surprisingly enough, they don't. They may not be anti-aliased or anything real fancy like that, but we've easily seen much worse. The enemies in Shadow Master vary from little insect-looking things to hulking bots with giant can- nons mounted on their shoulders. All of the baddies in the game are steel-plated—in other words, mecha- nized. But their armor isn't strong enough to stop a couple missiles from blowing them to smithereens. As might be expected from a game published by Psygnosis, the lighting effects are way-cool. Explosions fill the screen with yellow light, whereas plasma blasts fly by your head while emitting a

Did You Know?

Hammerhead, the developer for Shadow Master, is an independent off- shoot of Traveler's Tales. This is Hammerhead's first PlayStation title, and so far it looks like they've done their homework. Traveler's Tales is famous for their platform titles-most recently Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic R.

blue tint. Not only do the explosions create neat-o effects, the environments feature colored light sourc- ing. All of the effects in Shadow Master make for a great visual joyride.

The graphics in the game are only part of the fun. Shadow Master presents challenge after challenge, and does it with style. The level layouts have you going up or down elevators and finding door switches while avoiding enemy fire. While you make your way through the level, though, you'll have plenty of weapons to return fire with. @

Even up close, the graphics in Shadow Master continue to stay sharp. Pretty cool for the PS.

Теа be best in this situation to either use your mortar and blow these guys away, or run like hell.

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre — 9o Done Release Midway 1 15 January Digital Eclipse Compilation 1998

Web Address: WWW.midway.com

Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Midway Collection 2

дузы "m two versions!

ompilation packs are all the rage, and Arcade's REGULAR Greatest Hits: The Midway Collection 2 packs one of the best varieties of those old and (sy 23 New Calls

clunky classic games that many of us remem- ber so dearly.

Seven games are on this CD, with the most popular being Spy Hunter, the racing game hie Peter Gunn theme punctuated its attitude. Other well- known titles include Burgertime, which involves a chef tram- pling burgers to get them to fall into catchers while evading

(® 7 Pre-Bootleg Calls бау “Jerk Baby Jerk (Bass Mix)"

ENHANCED/INTERACTIVE Same as regular plus: SEE and HEAR the characters COME TO LIFE: 3) Shoot potatoes up Jack Tor 5' Бон! бау Blow Sol Rosenberg's hand off!!

бу Access loads of exclusive system sounds

Ey Access exclusive screen saver

Tapper was a little tame, since it used Root Beer instead of Beer.

One lucky customer will have this crushed egg in their burger.

deadly eggs and hotdogs; Moon Patrol, a side-scrolling shooter; | Tapper, a game where you must frantically serve Root Beer to | your rowdy customers; and Joust 2, the sequel to everyone's favorite Ostrich battle. The last | two titles are less known, and they include Splat, a weird game akin to Food Fight, and Blaster, a

first-person space shooter that takes place after Robotron. Accompanying these games are

Its surprising that WES Patrol was so popular when you see its ugly

fluorescent graphics. HEAR NEW

STUFF FROM THE ALBUM (FREE!) BY CALLING 1-888-5-JERKY-5

AND ENTERING

Splat is one of the strangest, least enjoyable games.

Joust 2 is much more complex than the simple original.

CODE #0975

k a variety of features. Each game has its own set of options that allow you to | adjust the difficulty, number of lives, in | addition to even seeing the arcade | game's “Test Mode." There will also be a trivia game, and some sort of histori- | cal information on the games provided | (our preview version did not have these | implemented yet).

Suffice to say that with this wide vari- ety of popular classic games and accompanying goodies, this compila- tion CD could be one of the best.

Spy Hunter, the most popular game in this arcade compilation, is back in all of its rubber-burnin' glory.

Natsume 1 Now Pack-in Video Fishing 100

none

Reel Fishing atsume's Reel Fishing takes a new approach to the fishing game by emphasizing the whole experience, rather than competition elements of tournaments and contests.

Streams, ponds, waterfalls and

rivers comprised of FMV provide a cool, relaxing atmosphere to master your craft. While you fish, slow mood music lulls you into a sedate state, thus dropping your blood pressure to an all- time low. Just as you're nodding off, your bobber dips and the underwater FMV sequences kick in. As your baited hook sinks to the bottom, a large river trout eyes it and goes for the strike. The fun begins as you fight to land the fish by carefully combining the right amount of line tension while reeling to tire the fightin’ fish enough to pull it to shore.

That’s the main draw of the game, but other ele- ments spice it up such as the Aqua Room and all it has to offer.

In this room you can

release your two

best catches into a

large tank, but not before you name them (mine was Sparky) and check on their mental well- being. It’s a weird element thrown into the game, but it seems to work as it’s fun to view your fish, feed them and watch them grow. Also in the room are records of all your catches listing size, amount and success rate. When you haul in fish that reach a certain size and number, you then progress to fish at different sites No it’s not Charlie the Tuna, until you reach the newly set quotas. At the end of just one of the nicely rendered the whole process, the Master Fisherman (a Grizzly fish іп the game. Adams lookalike) relinquishes his crown to you as he

offers some pearls of wisdom. One such includes a

plea to love with your heart and live in harmony with

nature, among other things. Thank you oh wise one— now shove it, fish boy. @

Upon successfully landing your fish, уои тау save it in the livewell or throw it back.

@ Put inthe livewell +

Тһе Aqua Room provides а place to deposit your fish and view your day's tallies.

(у 9)

Underwater scenes аге very realistic, emulating currents quite well and fish fighting for their lives.

One of the looping FMV scenes of a fully stocked, pounding mountain stream.

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done Release

Psygnosis 1 February Psygnosis-France Action N/A 1998 T H | S

Web Address: WWW.psygnosis.com

IS NO GAME!

Looking for some intense 2 SCOOTER . KMFDM action in a fantasy setting? : c : look no» feu oh Ж, MEGADETH . MANBREAK - RAMMSTEIN Psygnosis' upcoming game, ¿ 4 ч 5 - Егіс. Including а plot inspired ñ PSYKOSONIK. JU NO REACTOR by Michael Moorcock's book 1 š > P series by the same name, the 3 2 4 CIRRUS.‘ FACE TO FACE game tells the story of Elric, ру 5 5 the Emperor of Melniboné as Ww; Уз une THE FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON he tries to save his love, Cymoril. The game features Жақ. AND MORE! over 4o different monsters, lots of spells and a Two-player Mode. So far, Although the char- the graphics look incredible and the story acters in Elric are seems pretty cool. made of polygons, they maintain a æ Cool, cartoony look.

йы

As might Бе expected, the game has fancy effects and lighting.

Midway 18 15 November Visual Concepts Basketball 1997 www.midway.com

МВА Fastbreak '98

Midway is very close to releasing NBA Fastbreak '98 (the game formerly known as Hardwood Heroes).

The game, developed by Visual Concepts, will feature bigtime wwe MORTAL KOMBAT ball and all the licenses and players that go along with it in A N N 1 Н I L A T І О М а fully polygonal 3-D basket- ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK ball shootout.

While the game seems very straightforward, there will be some interesting moves mak- ing their debut in this title. Namely the side-step maneu- ver which gives players a new move to cut into the lane with. Also noteworthy is the ability to call up defensive and offen- sive formations as the ball is in 4 play. Тһе extensive playbook 1

pu

will layout the plays before- hand, while certain favorites are assigned to buttons.

ЕТ

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*£66T uoneJodio) 21564) > “ә5шәзі) зәрип pasn әле pue "uone10d10) sa}shiy Jo Sy1etuəpen paiaysi6ai aie X19 uino “u1 ‘3N JO Mietuəpen e st YA 1ӘМО4 “IUJ Х)06 jO xjeuraper e 51 xjge. ‘ѕәшейшоә ƏA1)2ƏdsƏ1 əy} JO әле оџешаред 19430 11V `əle3ipuÁs упаиа Aq рәйојәләд "рәлїә$әл 51

TO ORDER DIRECT CALL 1.800.245.7744

еМ VT PUY UL

ilable November ‘97 For Sony PlayStation and PC CD-ROM!

Psygnosis 15 90 November Psygnosis Action Strategy 1997 www.psygnosis.com

Shipwreckers

n the family of micro machine-type action games dominated by cars, tanks and helicopters, Shipwrecker's pirate clipper ships are an original twist on the micros genre and a cool change of pace for the PlayStation. This lighthearted game gives you command of a pirate vessel to explore several water covered regions in search of treasure, new weapons and mes- sage bottles. A variety of enemies threaten your boat including: land-based gun turrets, airborne balloons, airships and dragons. There are also underwater ene- mies such as clams, exploding fish and submarines that glide about in the shallow clear water. Minor threats aside, the main enemy is comprised of clipper ships that carry flame throwers, cannons and (perhaps the coolest weapon of all) a directed flow of ship-char- ing lightning.

Five areas containing three levels each take you to the Arctic, Caribbean and an industrial zone. Each one is quite long and has an interesting level Boss to be defeated such as a lob- ster, a Genie or an Inca statue, to name a few.

Gameplay is similar to Return Fire, only on water. The overhead perspective combined with the pitch- and-roll physics seek to create the effect of a ship at sea (although it looks and feels more like a toy boat in a sink). Light pro- gression-dawn to dusk along with fog and cloud effects also add to the sea-faring atmosphere.

Shipwreckers also has an entertaining Multiplayer Mode. It consists of an auto-zooming overhead view of the action, in which players battle it out in a maze-like territory. Up to four heavily armed ships can engage in a contest of cat-and-mouse similar to Bomberman but with more weapons. As you master the art of land mining, blow torching and cannon

blasting your human enemies, you'll probably want to play multiplayer more

Balloon power-ups provide a few seconds of lift from the water.

Some mainstay weapons in the game are these flame- throwing towers.

Multiplayer is a lot of fun with so many different unique weapons at your disposal.

often than Normal Mode. Suffice to say, it's highly addictive and fun. As the onslaught of 3-D polygonal games continue to populate the PlayStation, it's nice to see an original sprite-based game like this come

along. @

The "bolt" is the best weapon to use due to its ability to seek out and connect to its target.

CAUTION: ber-Monster

onspirac

Uncoszere

Tecmo R&D, the research arm of a leading game manufacturer, recently stumbled upon an astounding discovery: the presence

of cyber monsters in all CDs.

According to a source at Tecmo, “We were analyzing CD technology when we came across some interesting coding imbedded in the inactive segment of a CD. Initially we believed this to be an isolated case, but further investigation proved this to be common among all CDs, regardless of their purpose. Even music and PC CDs contain this ‘genetic’ coding.” Tecmo is uncertain of the original intention of these codes, but does confirm that they mirror human genetic coding, and that every CD produced contains a unique set. It is rumored that CD manufacturers [be conspired to imbed these hidden codes. An investigation is currently underway.

In order to facilitate further testing of the cyber creatures, Tecmo has developed a safe environment that can be reconstructed with the PlayStation” console. The virtual environment allows the user to release these dormant ‘cyber-monsters’ into a controlled environment for testing. Insiders at Tecmo jokingly refer to the environment as the “Monster Ranch,’ and to themselves as ‘Monster Ranchers.’ The virtual environment has recently passed federal saftey guidelines, and will be available over-the-counter this fall.

"We don't want to alarm the public, but we do recommend caution when using any CD," a Tecmo spokesperson warned.

Monster Rancher" ©1997 Tecmo Ltd TECMO is a registered trademark of Тесто, Inc. For additional information => duct, call 1-80 3772 for game rating information. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are s of Sony Computer Enterta пс. TECMO 19260 5. Van Ness Avenue, Torrance, СА 90501

Phone (310)787-2900 Fax (310) 787-3131. Visit Tecmo at www.tecmo.co.jp.

Playstation

EA 1 10 January Dreamworks Intr. Action 1998

WWW.ea.com

| Skullmonkeys

kullmonkeys doesn't stray too far from its Earthworm Jim roots. In fact, Klayman (our hero) looks quite similar to Jim. It’s also worth mentioning that the Klayman character comes directly from the PC game The Neverhood. His adventures are entirely different on the PlayStation, however.

Klayman's primary mission in Skullmonkeys is to prevent a dirty, bad man named Klogg from destroy- ing Klayman's world. It seems Klayman kicked Klogg's ass in the past, leaving Klogg to regroup and enlist the Skullmonkeys of the planet Idznak for a revenge attack. These curious-looking skull-headed monkeys

1 prance around aimlessly waiting to be knocked out or 4 shot by Klayman.

This old-school, tongue-in-cheek platform scroller brings the Neverhood to the PlayStation along with 20 worlds and more than 120 levels of gameplay. The standard gameplay control of running, jumping and shooting are accompa- nied by some wacky weapons which include the Universe Enema, Hamster-shield and

the Fart-head?! The Neverhood crew: front row left to right: Joseph What more could you Sanabria, Brian Belfield, Tim Lorenzen, Douglas

ask for? How about eight TenNapel, Mike Dietz, Vanessa Jones, Edward

different claymation Schofield, Mark Lorenzen and Luis Gigliotti. 2nd

movies that total 15 min- row: left to right: Kenton Leach, Steve Crow, Ellis

utes of stop-frame anima- Goodson, Eric Ciccone,

tion. The short clips fea- ture Klayman and Klogg in several different situa- tions. They all usually end with Klayman narrowly escaping Klogg’s guns,

Belching boilers scissors or other butchering tools. For those unfamil- provide the obstacle. iar, the scenes have that Nightmare Before Christmas Luckily Klayman can look and feel to them. really jump. On the whole, the levels we were able to preview displayed cool “dream-like” atmospheres featuring К

oozing waterfalls, giant skulls апа snow-capped

mountains. Creative use of light sourcing and shadows contribute a lot to the unusual sur- roundings. Skullmonkeys, giant flies or psy- chotic, lederhosen-wearin' “alpsmen” are just a few examples of the creative mix of enemies.

These shots are from one of the short movies chronicling the rise of bad boy Klogg.

the classic side-scrolling platform Ж game, keep ап eye out for this lh 4 twisted tale of a brave clay hero and his mutant enemies. @

If you're a fan of claymation or mg. y» | vi

This fly-invested level shows off the intricate

lighting effects.

-

ey, пагпсо., 2 79, n ci m c с” | E

wee

Interplay Pixelogic Ltd.

lor2

www.interplay.com

Crime Killers

Driving/Action

February 15 1998

A quick turn-around could mean the difference between life and death.

Being a cop has never been so fun...except in G Police maybe.

cop’s main task is to protect

and serve, and if you believe

what most movies, games and books have told us, in the future that'll be done by any

means necessary. One of the aforementioned vehicles of

entertainment gives us that portrayal all over again: Crime Killer from Interplay (developed by

U.K.-based Pixel Logic) for the PlayStation.

In Crime Killer you're the police going up against a band of criminals hellbent on making the city their own turf. But that'll be easier said than done for one reason: you. That may be making it a bit dramatic, but there's no doubt that the action will end up being intense. Mind you, the preview version we've played here is far from completion (around 20 percent or 30 percent), but it still looks very promising. ight now, the game is running at an incredibly fast бо frames per sec- ond. Interplay hopes the same rate will be intact come production time. The rate does drop to 30 fps during the Two-player Mode, but that's to be expected since there's twice the polygons on screen at once.

The One-player Mode will have at least 20 levels, which vary from racing against (and destroying) some 30 odd bad guys while on your futuristic motorcycle, to protecting a van with an important executive inside— the trick here is not to blow up the van while destroy- ing the circling hoodlums.

So far, the game reminds us somewhat of a cross between Tunnel B-1 and G Police, but since it's so early there's plenty of time for that to change. Already, you're able to control a souped-up police car, a bike that looks like something out of Akira and a flying wing (which wasn't available in this version of the game). Each of the vehicles is mission specific, but are fully selectable in the Deathmatch Mode.

On top of the different vehicles, each level may change depending on what part of the futuristic city it takes place in. The wealthier areas are safer, whereas the slums are more or less a fit- throwing hellride (i.e., less enemies in the rich areas opposed to tons of ene- mies in the bad parts of town).

z

Crime Killer has some aptly named "killer" light- ing effects

in tunnels.

No matter what side of town you may venture to in Crime Killer, the vehicles you commander have a large array of weapons to blast your enemies with. The car, bike and flying wing each has a standard weapon (like machine guns), but they also feature upgraded weapons in later levels that come in the form of power- ups found on the streets. Keep an eye in EGM for infor- mation as this one comes closer to completion. e

When justice needs to be done, don't bother taking the filth of the street to court. Introduce them to your friendly Rocket Launcher.

OBSERVATION |

|

ЕХ C pr duct: and | contest info, visit ou websil e at www.cry tald.co

Beast Wars

Hasbro Interactive Hudson

Тог2 December Fighting 80 1997

www.hasbro.co.jp

east Wars comes to the video game arena already heavily fortified with cross-market tie-ins. If you haven't Seen the television show or the comic book, you certainly must have noticed the action figures at your local toy store. If you haven't seen those or the commercials for them, then you must be living in а grass hut somewhere in South America.

Morphing a robot into some other entity, be it a dinosaur, insect or other like creature is what a Transformer is all about. Beast Wars brings the trans- formin' to the PlayStation with animated 3-D polygonal robots and their animal alter-images. Of course, to make things interesting, they are engaged in a fight for control of the universe (ah, that old struggle again...).

Whether playing as one of the evil Predicons or the more peace-loving Maximals, you will need to pilot your robot/beast through six eerie environments

Robot selection is vital to win- ning certain levels. Speed is sometimes better than power.

«© 72

From the opening cinematic, the robots as their beast coun- terparts are ready for rumblin'.

While in Beast Mode the only option is to run and look for power-ups.

and 32 missions. The rugged 3-D terrain (which has become commonplace on the PlayStation) fea- tures your standard jungle, desert, forest and suburban environments. All the areas have clear-cut paths to traverse where enemies rang- ing from snakes to UFOs threaten you constant- ly. To help guide you through the territory, an omnipotent voice will inform you of the status of your robot and warn you of approaching enemies. The voice will also suggest when it's time to change into a beast as well. Also along the way are energy, armor and ammo power-ups that are suspended in various

Ambush in the valley of death, a furious firefight greets your bot around every corner.

locations on the path. The robots' weapons consist of lasers, pulse blasts and wild electric bolts that vary from beast to beast (but usually end up being fired constantly due to their seemingly minimal effect on many of the bad dudes).

Fans of the show and the action figures will recognize some of the more popular characters including: Inferno, Terrorsaur and Tarantulas. Even if you haven't seen the show, Beast Wars is intuitive enough to be played. @

Terrorsaur runs

like a little c girlyman when the snakes come out to play.

a d

Between the Worlds of Tigi

PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "АСЫМОВА" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., licensed by Working Designs. Original Game © SERPEN Computer Entertainment Inc./Matrix 1997. English Translation © Working Designs 1997. "Working Designs" is a registered trademark of Working Designs. Inc. All rights reserved. Landstalker is a trademark of SEGA Enterprises, LTD. Combatting wetness, one dream at а time! For a dealer near you, call (916) 243-3417. Call 1-800-771-3772 for Game Rating Information.

Taito Corp. 1or2 Now Taito Corp. Action 100 Japan

www.taito.co.jp

Arkanoid Returns

t's been over 10 years since U.S. gamers һауе gotten a new home version of Arkanoid, but in Japan the series has lived on, and the latest incarnation, Arkanoid Returns, is now available for the PlayStation in Japan. Aside from a new Two-player Cooperative Mode and some really flashy 2-D graphics, there’s nothing mind-numbingly groundbreaking about Arkanoid Returns. But does there need to be? Not at all. As anyone who's played Breakout, Alleyway or any of the other brick-breaking franchises will tell you, this type of game is HIGHLY addictive and will keep you occupied for hours on end. Arkanoid Returns features 100 stages of play in the Arcade Mode and another 100 in the Extra Mode (which is harder and has some new obstacles not found in the original mode). There's also an Edit Mode (to make your own stages), and a game called Squash which is a modified version of the Two- player Mode where each time the ball is hit, one of the two players' drones will disappear, forcing the other guy to make the move. It may sound simple, but it real- ly is a lot of fun. The game supports the PS Mouse for more accurate control, and if you've got it —Namco's Volume Controller will work too (it's a small knob con- troller like the one released with Arkanoid for the NES many years ago, and it's only available in Japan).

Warning: This is a preview of a Japanese title that may or may not be released in the U.S. It is designed to run оп a Japanese system. Import at your own risk.

Like the upcoming Super NES version (Arkanoid: Doh It Again), Arkanoid Returns features a Two-player co-op Mode.

With the Edit Mode, you can make your own stages. This one seemed fitting.

There are quite

Currently there are no plans to bring this one to the а few power- U.S., but with any luck that'll change soon. e ups, both old and new, in

Arkanoid

Returns.

In Einhánder, you can choose from one of three ships, each with different features and abilities. From there, the main aspect of gameplay (and the one that makes it so unique) involves you destroying enemies and picking up their weaponry for your own use. Background graphics are simply gorgeous (similar to Philosoma), and the gameplay is

Mta CT—3v—5—.

изинонниљ; БЕТЕОШОБЛУ/Жәкежві,. RETE.

104

One of (ће biggest surprises at the Tokyo Game Show in September was а near-finished version of Square's graphically intense new polygonal shooter for the PlayStation, Einhánder. Had it not been sitting in the same booth as the incredible videos of Parasite Eve, Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon, Soukaigi and more, it may have easily been given recog- nition as game of the show from otherwise distracted showgoers.

just super tight, with action- packed shooting and intense enemy animation. The viewpoint changes during play many times, and the transition is so smooth, you'll be amazed to realize you're not watching a movie. Einhánder looks hot, and we'll be sure to keep you updated on its status in the U.S.

or may not

Did someone say intense? Einhánder is packed with loads of non-stop action.

ese title that may designed to run оп a Japanese system. Import at your own risk.

Gameplay will sometimes change to an angled viewpoint during major scenes and Boss battles. Nice!

= => PlayStation

Warning:

This is a preview of a Japanese title that may 3 in the U.S. It is designed to run anese system. Import at your own risk.

Square Co., Ltd. 1 Square Co., Ltd. Action-RPG N/A www.square.co.jp

4th Qtr. 1997 (JP)

Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeo

13F tv. 8 HP 35/ 79- 9%

га * k

=

Magic spells from the ҒҒ series will be commonly found in CMD.

Publisher/Developer

Square Co., Ltd. 1 Square Co., Ltd. RPG

Web Addre:

t had to happen sooner or later. After successful roles in several of Square's world-famous Final Fantasy games, the series mascot, Chocobo, is about to star in his very own dungeon RPG. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon is actually the third game in the "Mysterious Dungeon" series that was, ironically, originally a spin-off of Enix's mega-popular Dragon Quest games. While the first two games starred different main characters and story lines, the basic premise was the same—you explore deep dungeons in search of treasure and whatever else lies within, while building up your character and fighting enemies. This time, the game will have more of a Final Fantasy feel to it (with call spells, characters and magic spells from the series, etc.), but the core gameplay will remain the same. In addition, Chocobo will be joined by his loyal sidekick Atra—a moogle. One unique aspect of previous Mysterious Dungeon games is that each time you entered a dungeon, the layout would be completely different from the previous entry. Whether or not this trait (which adds to replay value tremendously) will remain in Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon or not remains to be seen, but you can be sure that the quest will be huge and the gameplay deep nonetheless. There are no plans for a U.S. release just yet, but you can bet that Sony won't let as hot a property as this one slip through their grasp. @

% Done

Now 100 Japan

Players/Genre Release

www.square.co.jp

International

To celebrate sales of over 3 million units of Final Fantasy VII in Japan, Square released a new version of FF7— FF7 International. Basically, it's а Japanese version of the U.S. version of FF7 (which had some added Bosses and scenes not found in the Japanese original). However, they've added a fourth CD that features a special guide to the game on CD-ROM, with complete Item, Spell and Monster

listings and stats, maps to all of the key areas of the game, special FMV sequences and artwork from the making of the game, plus more. The new International version

went on sale in October in Japan, but a U.S. release is not likely. Still, if you're a collector, this would make the perfect collector's item, so stop wait- ing-go import it!

The adorable E character mod- 4

els in CMD were done by Bandai.

Our hero doesn't have any arms, so he has to do the attacking with his feet. Magic is essential too.

14F Lv 4 HP 21/ 51

Кш 100 pas

www.square.co.jp.

REINFORCE." ARRIVEE

COMMAND £ CONQUER RED ALERT 2/ FOR THE +

мс л тм қ ҮЗ. Р =- PLAYSTATION Т ~ GAME CONSOLE. ~“ ER

Over two dozen Allied and Soviet missions оп _ two action-packed CDs.

Fight over land, sea and air with MiGs, spies, | destroyers, submarines and more!

Take the ultimate — challenge by fighting up to 3 Al opponents in SKIRMISH mode.

Battle maps are up to 2 times larger than those in Command & Conquer.

Three game difficulty 5.

Dozens of close-ups and action movies.

* Specially-designed interface with completely 7 reworked graphics for your PlayStation?" Game Console. 2

ee шы‏ ا LOCK ‘N LOAD‏

БЫ сз ной 6

www.westwood.com

) R ETAILERS EVERY WHERE

Konami Co., Ltd. lor2 Now KCE Tokyo Shooting 100 Japan

www.konami.co.jp/kcet

Gradius Gaiden жии

early anyone who's owned ап NES ай one point or another in their life (or a Super NES, for that matter) has heard of Konami's classic shooter Gradius. Well now, six years since the last edi- tion (Gradius Ill for the Super NES), the company is back with an all-new version for the PlayStation—Gradius Gaiden.

Gradius Gaiden is the first game in the series to fea- ture two-player simultaneous play. There are four ships to choose from (Vic Viper, Lord British, Jade Knight and Falchion Beta), each with its own unique special

розй, E С ДЕ weapons and missiles. After choosing your ship, you qu choose from one of four different Barrier units (Shield, Guard, Force Field or Limit), and then it's off to battle through the game's nine absolutely gorgeous stages. Each weapon can now be powered up twice, for Gradius Gaiden is a fantastic update to a classic series, extra power, and you can even edit your Gauge if you апа fortunately, also like Castlevania, the chances of it want to rearrange the order in which your ship’s power- reaching the U.S. are very good. In fact, just before we ups become went to press, Konami announced that both Gradius

Warning: This or may not anese system. Import at your own risk.

As has always been the case with the Gradius series, the Bosses are huge and can be quite difficult to defeat.

available. Gaiden and the recently released Salamander Deluxe Pea “К we Pack would be coming to the States in one package Castlevania: this December. Woo-hoo! @ Symphony of the Night, Gradius Gaiden Publisher/Developer Players/Genre %Done — Release sports gorgeous graphics and Беде ей Web Address: Warning: This is a preview of a Japanese title that may or may not be released in the U.S. It is designed to run This guy sure gets around! That's right, Hudson is developing yet © x2 SCORE: Q 3007 03:26 There are now four avail- another new version of the classic Bomberman series, this time for Ë able ships, each with the PlayStation. different weapons. Bomberman World (shown at TGS as “PlayStation Bomberman”)

takes the classic Bomberman style and introduces a CG-rendered look to it, as well as an angled isometric viewpoint that offers a nice change from the classic overhead view from past Bombermans. This time, four magical crystals that were being used to contain evil demons have suddenly weakened, allowing the demons to escape and wreak havoc in outer space. As usual, it's up to Bomberman to

save the day. Bomberman World is more There are five worlds with five areas in traditional than the new

each. After defeating the demon Bosses on Saturn and Nó4 versions.

each of the first four worlds, you'll gain

access to the fifth and final world where the NY У

Darkforce Bomber awaits. Meanwhile, you'll have to collect Crystal Pieces that are neces- sary to seal the demons back where they escaped from. And as is the case with all the Bomberman games, there's a Battle Mode where up to five players can go at it with each other. Like Saturn Bomberman, each of the battle stages is themed—one of them even has a UFO catcher that will try to grab you and move you to a different area of the

Ж 9^

screen! Sounds pretty cool... The Earth Bomber—one of Bomberman World will be out in Japan in four elemental demons out

December. With luck, a U.S. version won't be to take over the galaxy.

far behind.

(GMN New to the PS version of Bomberman is a three-fourths 108 overhead view and CG-rendered characters and backgrounds.

IMPRESSI ve. 1 YE -LOKING Е cy GANES OF THE wart id

г the Ghost іп the Shell: Special Edition — vie, now available on DVD!

Іп addition to the all-polygon 3-D gameplay, there will be CG-rendered

cinemas as well.

What would any spy action thriller be without night vision?

If you thought GoldenEye's Sniper Rifle was cool, just wait until you see the gear in MGS.

or may not

Konami Co., Ltd. 1 KCE Japan Action

2nd Qtr. 1998 (JP)

N/A

www.konami.co.jp/kcej

fter the six-minute video tape of new Metal

Gear Solid footage was unveiled on the

second day of this year's Е? show, the

hysteria began. People camped out in

front of Konami's TV monitors and

gazed at what they saw in total awe.

It's been quite a while since апу one

game could stir up so much commotion, but somehow

Konami's managed to pull it off with the amazing Metal Gear Solid.

The game, part three in the Metal Gear series (behind Metal Gear and Solid Snake, both released for the MSX2 years ago and subsequently ported to the NES), takes place in the early part of the 21st cen- tury in Alaska. The terror- ist group Fox Hound has taken over a U.S. nuclear weapons storehouse, and it’s up to Solid Snake to infiltrate it and disarm the nuclear threat.

On our recent trip to Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, we were able to witness a playable version of the game for the first time anywhere in the world. Needless to say, it looks absolutely incredible. Like in past Metal Gear games, the main emphasis is on strategic infiltration, and not fast action. You are rewarded more for sneaking around and not being seen than you are for walking up to and blowing away your enemies. You begin with only a pack of cigarettes and some binoculars, but along the way you'll pick up a wide variety of items and weapons, including many old favorites like Remote Control Missiles, Plastic Explosives and more.

The game takes place from а top- down perspec- tive, but you can switch to a first-person viewpoint at any time to sur- vey the action up close. You

The main gameplay takes place from an overhead view, but a first- person view is available too.

Warning: This is a preview of a Japanese title that may released in the U.S. Itis designed to run

110 a Japa stem. Import at your own risk.

Metal Gear Solid

Even in its current early state, Metal Gear Solid is the most graphically intense PlayStation game to date.

can crawl on the ground, hide underwater and even use downed enemies as human shields — obviously, there's a lot of gameplay here. Still, the most amazing aspect of MGS is the attention to detail evident throughout the game. Outside in the snow, you'll actu- ally see the cold breath coming from a guard's face as he breathes. When firing automatic weapons, you'll see shells flying all about, and characters will stop and reload with each new round. If you hide behind a wall and just observe a guard for a while, you'll see him yawn or stretch his arms—he might even crack his neck. The realism is just astonishing.

Metal Gear Solid is already being hyped as 1998's Game of the Year, and while we'll reserve that honor until we play the final version, we won't deny that right now it's looking like one of the best games ever made. Unfortunately it's not due for release in Japan until the summer of 1998, so a U.S. release isn't likely until the third or fourth quarter of 1998. We'll be back with more on the game as development

progresses.

pull ott ratical RS

NULLO

ont psyot cyclist. 250 extreme errands. a whole city of hurt 4

"А

= cash. үй big alr. Ea 2, Buy Qe nikes.

EXCLUSIVELY FEATURING

@ Bicycles

Š PlayStation

2 ac | ШШ Тіс 00 is a trademark of BMG Music, All rights reserved. Distributed by GT Interactive Software Corp. GT is a trademark and'tle: 4 m Logo are trademarks. of Sony Computer Entertainment; Inc, Sega Saturn.and the Sega Saturn Logo аге trademarks of Sega E E

#

DON'T SHOOT

Actual PlayStation Screen Shots.

From 3rd person view, span Snap into sniper mode Start zooming in. the horizon for your target. with the flip of a button.

With hundreds of enemy alien grunts and bosses waiting in ambush, saving the earth is an almost impossible task. Fortunately the revo- lutionary sniper mode evens the odds. Zoom in and target your prey from over two miles away. What was once just a speck on the horizon is now an enemy close enough to see the fear in its eyes. Whether or not it deserves to keep its head is your call.

* Six new arenas designed exclusively for the Sony PlayStation™ game console.

* An arsenal of unique and twisted weapons including bombs, grenades, homing missiles, parachutes, and much more.

* 60 arenas spread out over 6 massive mining cities.

* Full 3-D environment allowing 360 degree freedom of movement.

Created by Shiny Entertainment, Inc. © 1997 Shiny Entertainment, Inc. МОК is a trademark of Shiny Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. PlayStation software developed by Neversoft Entertainment. Artwork and design @ 1997 Playmates Interactive Entertainment Inc.

PlayStation з

„UNTIL YOU SEE THE GREENS OF THEIR EYES.

Keep going. Ahh. Bullets or homing grenades?

IT THINKS, THEREFORE IT KILLS. AVAILABLE NOW FOR THE PLAYSTATION" GAME CONSOLE,

РД E чын http://www.playmatestoys.com 2 = % www.shiny.com “му

Чгсайе

Game Directory * Mortal Kombat 4

JAMMA & AM0A report

Well, it's that time again, when all arcade addicts' eyes are focused on the AMOA Show. As of press time, the JAMMA show in Japan has just concluded. What was shown there is usually a good indication of what will be Shown in the States. The games that looked the best were Capcom's Legion of Heroes (a new game in the style of SFEX with a higher

polygon count) and, of course, Konami's long-awaited Cobra hardware-driven Fighting Wu- shu and Racing Jam. FW looks to be the best graphic game of the past shows ever since a tape surfaced a year ago, however it is unknown just how it will play. Racing Jam surpasses the graphics of even Sega's Super GT. As previous tapes showed, the blades of grass, as well as the notches in the pavement are all in striking detail and both games will raise everyone's expectations of future titles. There were no Alpha 3, Tekken 3% or Virtua updates, though they are all on the way. Expect the AMOA show to have a wide variety of game genres: driving, fighting, shooting...again with the exception of the occasional large simulation. We might

even see-GASP-

a shooter!

An MM Update... Already?

Publisher/Developer Players/Genre % Done

Midway Entertainment — 1or2 90 Now Midway Entertainment

Release

Fighting

Web Address: www.mk4.com

Mortal Kombat 4-Ver. 2

ortal Kombat 4 has an update already? Yes, the game һай barely hit arcades when we learned Version 2 is already on the way. This installment fea- tures the return of two much-needed old schoolers—Johnny Cage and Jax—along with new moves, changes to old moves and new secret characters. As you know by now, Noob is no longer a selectable character. He and Ermac will probably appear in the game as special characters. As it stands, the Select Screen is the same, except in the middle you have (left to right) a strange, almost Jarek-looking character (name unknown); Jax, with cybernetic arms and all; and Johnny Cage, complete with his world-famous crotch punch.

In the version we played, the moves for most of the characters are different, but it is unknown if that will change. Jax has a Dashing Punch move instead of the Dash Kick. Johnny Cage has all the same moves, but no fireball has been added yet.

Ni

This is the Select Screen for the new revision. Note that Noob has been replaced by a yet unnamed character.

Furthermore, the weapons are now all differ- ent, and some of them have special attributes (For example, Sub-Zero's weapon can freeze you). The game also lacked endings and Bosses.

The gameplay mechanics for MK4 have been fully implemented. One of the complaints of MK3 concerned the button tap combos.

н т...

ОГ, TI _

LL LM —

Jax had hardly any moves in the version we played, except a new Dash Punch.

These have been removed for the most part. You must now rely on skill and use of juggles. Each character has his/her own “pop-up” move that you MUST master to acquire more than five consecutive hits. Unfortunately, not all combinations that worked in the previous MKs work on the newest installment.

Last of all, fatalities are in full force. Most of the returning kombatants have revised ver- sions of classic fatalities (Liu Kang's dragon looks incredible in 3-D). @

the same moves—except they look much cooler.

Our programmers found а шау 10 create the most

Bonus inside! The official NBA

МВА Fastbreak '98. The most realistic, full-motion 5-on-5 sim you'll ever play. We've duplicated the Fastbreak '98 playbook. A Midway

NBA's hottest players and their moves. You call the shots: use Rodman's rebound or O'Neal's power Ë ананы ] | 1 И | | exclusive! Authentic inside tips оп

dunk; make Stockton shut down Kerr; have Hill take it to the hole and Hardaway shoot the three! | NBA team plays and individual player

There's only one way to play a more realistic game of basketball — get drafted into the NBA. moves. And they're yours to call.

The fastest way into the МВА"

RODUC www.midway.com

|

With ten treacherous new tracks, Jet Moto`2 isn't just a more intense, all-terrain racing game, it's a virtual graveyard. This time, you'll racethrough molten lava, splash down a waterfall and even maneuver your way over a broken-down roller coaster. You'll feel every bump,

The Sony Computer Е. tra of poration. Play

= = 9 в в = 28 8 =o

PlayStation

you'll catch more air, you'll even nail 360-degree corkscrews. Plus, you can challenge a friend on the two-player split screen. All you need is a PlayStation" and a death wish. Because if you're lucky, you'll reach the checkered flag. Or you'll die trying.

December 1997

am 6

Compiled by: John Stockhausen

PLAYSTATION

Alundra Working Designs Dec. RPG

Auto Destruct EA Dec. Driving/Com Grand Theft Auto. BMG Interactive Dec. Driving/Action Gretzky 98 Midway Dec. Sports Lode Runner Natsume Dec. Action

Men in Black Design League Dec. Action

NBA Shoot Out 98 Sony Computer Entertainment Dec. Sports Salamander Deluxe Pak Konami Dec. Shooter Spawn Sony Computer Entertainment Dec. Action Tactics Ogre Battle Atlus Dec. Strategy Theme Hospital EA - Origin Dec. Simulation Agent Gex Crystal Dynamics. Jan. Action AGH: Midway Collection 2 Midway Jan. Compilation Batman & Robin Acclaim Jan, Action Blasto Sony Computer Entertainment Jan. Action Cardinal Syn Sony Computer Entertainment Jan. Fighting Constructor Acclaim Jan. Simulation Deathtrap Dungeon Eidos Jan. Adventure Nagano Winter Sports Konami Jan. Sports

NBA In the Zone 98 Konami Jan. Sports Point Blank Namco Jan. Shooter Powerboat Interplay Jan. Racing

Ray Tracers T*HQ Jan. Racing ReBoot EA Jan. Action Resident Evil 2 Capcom Jan. Adventure Risk Hasbro Interactive Jan. Strategy Shadow Master Psygnosis Jan. Action Skullmonkeys ҒА Jan. Action Wreckin' Crew Sir Tech Jan. Racing Crime Killer Interplay Feb. Driving/Com Dead or Alive Tecmo Feb. Fighting Forsaken Acclaim Feb. Action

Gran Turismo Sony Computer Entertainment Feb. Racing Klonoa Namco Feb. Action

Kuri Skunk Jaleco Feb. Action NCAA March Madness 98 ҒА feb. Sports NHLPA Olympic Hockey Midway Feb. Sports Road Rash 3 EA Feb. — Act/Sports VR Hockey Interplay Feb. Sports

NES Formerly lacking in the

RU RPG department, the

PlayStation is graced

with a new challenge

х j for the adventurous.

> 1 E- Those of you who jumped on Final Fantasy

VII may want to take

this one for a spin.

{а fallen tree іс blocking the bribge et aul aver, anb the it

From the PC to the NES and now on the PlayStation, many

will recognize this hot blast from the past. Loderunner will dazzle you with its old-school gameplay and modern graphics wizardry.

NINTENDO 64

Bomberman 64 Nintendo Dec. Puzzle Jeopardy Gametek Dec. Simulation Mission: Impossible Ocean Dec. Action Nagano Winter Sports Konami Jan. Sports NBA In the Zone 98 Konami Jan. Sports Mystical Ninja Konami Feb. Action NHLPA Olympic Hockey Midway Feb. Sports Yoshi's Story Nintendo Feb. Action

For those of you who haven't seen enough of the lovable Bomberman, blow away the competi- tion with your very own Bomberman 64. Be sure to put this hot title on your М64 Christmas list.

It might not be called Yoshi's Island 64, but Yoshi's Story features the same great game- play you'll recognize from Nintendo. Yoshi and pals will prance along in February to warm your winter blues.

SATURN

Bust-A-Move 3 Natsume бес. Puzzle

Sega Touring Car Championship Sega Dec. Racing

Magic Knight Ray Earth Working Designs Jan. RPG

Dead or Alive Tecmo Feb. Fighting The amazingly popular

Bust-A-Move series starring Bub and Bob gets a new entry on the Saturn. Look for the bubblegum-chewing dinos to make their encore appearance during the Christmas holidays. Bust-A-Move 3 is slated for a December release.

OPEN

A-NIGHT.

No QUARTERS NEEDED.

“yoneIsseld |

ЖУУ Т ESTES

TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME! Blaster; BurgerTime; Joust^ 2, Moon Patrol; Root Beer Tapper; Splat" and Spy Hunter."

Æ СП МИК

www.midway.com

‘TAPPER ARE TRADEMARKS OF MIDWAY GAMES ІМС. BURGERTIME™E1982 DATA EAST USA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USED UNDER LICENSE. MOON PATROL@1982 IREM CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USED UNDER LICENSE. COMPILATION 61997 MIDWAY HOME ENTERTAINMENT INC. CONVERTED BY DIGITAL ECLIPSE SOFTWARE, INC. DISTRIBUTED BY MIDWAY HOME ENTERTAINMENT INC. UNDER LICENSE. PLAYSTATION AND THE PLAYSTATION LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS OF SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Y0U KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO BO |

TM, @ and the “М” logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. ©1997 Nintendo of America Inc. www.nintendo.com. Call 1-800-771-3772 for Game Rating Information. Diddy Kong Racing: Trademark of Nintendo. ©1997 Rare. Diddy Kong, Banjo and Krunch characters licensed by Nintendo. GoldenEye 007: ©1997 Nintendo/Rare. Game by Rare. ©1962, 1995 Danjaq, LLC. & U.A.C. All Rights Reserved. 01997 EON Productions Ltd & Mac B. Inc. James Bond Theme by Monty Norman. Used by permission of EMI Unart Catalog Inc. Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire: ™ and ©1996 Lucasfilm Ltd. Licensed exclusively to Nintendo. Tetrisphere: Tetrisphere™ licensed to Nintendo by The Tetris Company, LLC. NFL Quarterback Club 98: The NFL Quarterback Club is a trademark of the National Football League. Team names, nicknames, logos and other indicia are trademarks of the teams indicated, ™/© 1997 NFLP. The Players Inc. logo is an official trademark of the National Football League Players. All rights reserved.™, € & ©1997 Acclaim Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. International Superstar Soccer 64: International Superstar Soccer ™ and Konami are trademarks of Konami Co., Ltd. ©1997 Konami co., Ltd. All rights reserved. Madden Football 64: John Madden Football, EA Sports and the EA SPORTS logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronics Arts. Officially Licensed Products of the National Football League Players. The PLAYERS INC. logo is.a trademark of the NFL Players.

Madden -©

Footbal 522.

This product is not licensed or endorsed by NFL Properties or any NFL team. Top Gear Rally: ©1997 Boss Game Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. Top Gear Rally is a trademark of Kemco. Distributed by Midway Home Entertainment Inc. under license. Midway is a trademark of Midway Games Inc. Used by permission. The NHLP & NHL Present Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey '98: ©1997 Atari Games Corporation. All rights reserved. THE NHLPA & NHL PRESENT WAYNE GRETZKY'S 3D HOCKEY ‘98 is a trademark of Wayne D. Gretzky and the National Hockey League. Players' Association, excluding the word NHL. NHL is a registered trademark of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior, written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. 61997 NHL Used under license by Atari Game Corporation. Officially licensed by the National Hockey League, NHLPA is a trademark of the National Hockey League Players' Association and is used, under license, by Atari Game Corporation. Officially licensed product of the National Hockey League Players’ Association. MIDWAY@ is a registered trademark of Midway Games Inc. Used by permission. Distributed by Midway Home Entertainment Inc. Mischief Makers™: ©1997 Treasure/Enix. Licensed to Nintendo.

/ һурег StereoSurround sound-

| amplified built-in 15 watt’sub-woofer

sound precision-adjustableStereo >; | speaker deor,

Video дате sound din i

| 13” tolor TV with | m -channel tuning

вето | kore with n dli vileo | game Systems ЕЗ power: |

multiple game system \ | hook-ups | 3

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si * estimated selling ptice is $229 before . actual dealer price may vary. i t. 1, 1997 and Jan. 15, 1998.

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“Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except Santas hot spouse. And with her she brought three

Nintendo” —

Things Are Looking Up For Nintendo's Capable Console

intendo's main machine may not have a heck of a lot better (we can't wait to see had the super year we hoped for, but what Konami has in store for the N64). that doesn't mean you should strike it Oh, and we can't forget about the DD. from your Christmas wish list. Next Will Nintendo's disk drive be the first year looks a bit brighter for the system. pricey add-on in gaming history to

Yet another crop of way-cool first-party titles succeed? Or will it go the way of the

are on the way, not the least of which is Zelda 32X? Either way, the N64 makes a

64. And like third-party games are going to get much better gift this year than last.

The N64 at a glance

System's Strengths: Powerful hardware, a library that includes some of the best games available. System's Weaknesses: Not enough games. Third-party titles are often mediocre and too expensive. Some games are too foggy and blurry.

You need this system if you're into: Action games, multiplayer titles, driving games and updated Super NES classics.

Avoid this system if you're into: RPGs and fighting games.

Sure, we were a little skeptical when we saw early screen shots of GoldenEye. *Oh boy," we thought, “another Doom clone." Then we played it. We saw how original and realistic it was. We loved the mission objectives and the huge arsenal of guns and gadgets.

Then someone had the bright idea of trying out the Multiplayer Mode. We've hardly put the game down since. Only Mario Kart 64 comes close to delivering the same level of four-player thrills. Don't hesitate to nab this game if you get an N64 for Christmas. And don't forget to buy three more joypads for your pals.

Another must-buy action game is Blast Corps, from the same developer, Rare. Part puzzle, part action, Blast Corps packs more than 50 levels, enough to keep you bashing buildings well into the new year. Just as innovative is Treasure's Mischief Makers, a dazzling side-scrolling platformer that's loaded with the wildest Bosses on the N64. Fans of Doom clones shouldn't pass up Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Duke Nukem 64, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and—of course — Doom 64.

Nintendo Controller E Bulky Drive There are plenty of third-party This add-on's still a long way off, but it's controllers to choose from, but definitely the next big thing for the N64. Due you're still best off buying Nintendo's to hit Japan in March and late summer/fall own pad, which so far seems the most in the U.S., we expect the Nintendo disk drive comfortable and durable. Extra con- not to cost any more than the system itself. The trollers are a must, too. How else are first disk games include Earthbound 64, Mario

you going to play four-player Artist (a Mario Paint-type title) and a version of GoldenEye 007, Mario Kart 64 and 1 Diddy Kong Racing?

SimCity. Nintendo has also confirmed that the DD will have a built-in modem, which could allow players to download game updates and other goodies.

Clip this coupon and take it to any Sears Funtronics department for $10 off Test Drive 4. Valid 10/1/97 - 12/24/97

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1997 Accolade, Inc. All rights reserved, developed by Pitbull Syndicate. АЦ other trademarks are of their respective companies. 3Dfx Power VR is a trademark of NEC, Inc. Rendition is a trademark of Rendition, Inc. Dodge Viper, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Plymouth Cuda and the Plymouth GTX are registered trademarks of Chrysler Corporation, U.S.A. and are used under license.

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NINTENDI

Есе

scruffy little elves. “Terrific,” she said. “They'll do all the work themselves.” But the tiny helpers had ideas of their own. They wanted to haul all that

Puzzle: Tetrisphere |

The N64's only puzzle game to date is both cool and complicated. But once you invest the few hours it takes to learn its nuances, Tetrisphere is as addictive as the best puzzlers on the competing system (well, except maybe the Super NES Tetris Attack). What makes the game really stand out are its loads of play. variations; you get everything from the stan- dard puzzles to a funky Rescue Mode. And, of course, it's a blast for two players.

Another game worth getting (although, to be honest, it's not really a puzzle title) is Bomberman 64, which packs just enough puzzle elements to satisfy fans of the genre. This, the most unusual Bomberman game to date, offers a huge Exploration Mode as well as the traditional multiplayer madness.

Although the N64 has yet to see a stand-out fighting game along the lines of Tekken 2, Fighters Megamix or Street Fighter Ex Plus Alpha, there are a few halfway-decent brawlers. Despite the fancy 3-D graphics in Mace: The Dark Age and Dark Rift, the best of the bunch remains Killer Instinct Gold, which delivers a better-than-perfect port of the arcade's Кі2. Mortal Kombat Trilogy is worth a look, too. We're hoping next year will bring a better batch, although the outlook so far isn't promising.

Rumble Pak

We were a little skeptical about this humming gizmo until the first time we plugged it into Star Fox 64 and felt it

buzz in tune with the afterburner. Yes, a vibrating

joypad really does add something to a game. And

for titles like GoldenEye —in which your pad rocks with each blast from your shotgun —the

Pak helps complete the experience. Nintendo's Rumble Pak is definitely 1 worth picking up as a pack-in with

Star Fox 64 or by itself for less than $20.

GameShark

Chances are you've beaten all your N64 games several times. Breathe new life into them with the InterAct's GameShark. It lets you access hidden characters and weapons as well as max out your health and ammo. In other words, the GameShark lets you cheat like crazy. It also packs a user-friendly interface with plenty of built-in codes. Just choose the one you want to play, or program your own. It can hold thousands of codes.

the door we have opened swings both ways. The peaceful city you

have grown up in has become a haven for dark creatures from another world— Demons! Now it's up to you and your friends to harness the hidden power within you by entering the fantasy | game known as Persona. |

Ё

You awaken with incredible abilities that you will need to defeat the scores of Demon invaders and cleanse the land of their forces. Converse with them before doing battle to determine your best course of action. Fight them or enlist their aid in your mission. Either way, you are set for the fantasy adventure of a lifetime!

SPECIAL FEATURES iif’

* Based on the ultra-popular, mega-hit, Megami Tensi seris in Japan: first time to hit US shores

* 100+ hours-ofpulse pounding gameplay

A * Over 300 different monsters to do battle with

Morph any member of your party into a < тоге powerful “Persona”

Fight your way to one of many ending

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gaming gear home. Mrs. Claus wasn't about to take any crap. “Now, now boys,” she said, “put the N64 back!” Elf Crispin shouted, "No way, boss,

Nintendo”

No matter what sport you’re into—or even if you don’t like sports at all—ISS 64 is an insanely fun game that offers the right mix of arcade action and realism. The graphics are incredible, especially the player

Е a animations (some post-goal celebrations are downright hilarious). It supports up to four players, as well.

If realism is more your thing, you can’t go wrong with Madden 64. It may not have the NFL licenses, but it does have well-animated 3-D players and the smartest Al jocks around.

The pickins might be pretty slim for N64 owners who crave shooters, but what’s there is phenomenal. Star Fox 64 is the best 3-D shooter to hit the consoles (although Ace Combat 2 for the PlayStation comes close).

It doles out relentless action (some levels

are crammed with so many enemies they look like the climactic battle Best of Independence Day), and the branching mission paths and secret areas pump

up the game’s replay value. Best of all, Star Fox 64 drops you into three vehicles—the standard Arwing, a jump jet-equipped tank and a submarine armed with unlimited torpedoes. Few shooters are this intense.

Controller Pak V3 Racing Wheel

Sure, you can get by without a memo- | Now that the N64 is getting some ry cartridge with most N64 games. But— | racing games based in the real world as we learned with Turok—you're gonna || (instead of in (һе fantasy lands of need one to save games sooner or later. a | Mario and Diddy Kong characters),

| уои might want to get а steering | wheel that's more at home іп the real which are loaded with extra mem- 4 | world, too. InterAct's Уз Racing Wheel @ ory) Nintendo's own Controller 1 " l features 3oo degrees of wheel rotation, Paks are the most reliable. adjustable tilt and analog foot pedals. It's also built with

flaps that you can sit on to keep the rig from sliding off your lap.

Although you can nab lots of dirt-cheap carts from third parties (some of

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Mario Kart 64 used to be the reigning racing champ on the N64, at least until Nintendo unveiled the surprise title Diddy Kong Racing. Its mix of racing action and Super Mario 64 exploration— not to mention its air, sea and land vehicles — make it the most innovative racer ever, while its more than 20 tracks and huge assortment of race variations make it endlessly playable.

Besides Mario Kart 64, other must-buy racers include Nintendo's

Wave Race 64, and Acclaim's decidedly WipeOut-like Extreme G. Top Gear

Rally is definitely worth a look, too. But you already knew that if you've read this month's reviews. 4

A look ahead...

It's a given that you'll grab Zelda 64 when it hits in the spring апа Yoshi's Story in February, but don't forget about F-Zero 64, also due in the spring. This update to the Super NES classic lets you race on nearly 2o courses against до opponents, and it reportedly displays all these racers on screen without dropping below 6о frames per second!

Third-party М64 developers are kicking into high gear, too. Konami will release Mystical Ninja 64 and Castlevania 3D (working title), and rumor has

Arcade Shark Let's face it—for most N64

fighting games, the regular joypad sucks. The camera buttons are just too small and too close together for your fat fingers to pull off massive combos.

InterAct's Arcade Shark

solves these problems with its [ШЫЙ conventional button layout and

removable arcade-style ball joystick.

that sucks. An N64 costs 150 bucks!” Then Elf Shoe and Elf Shawn joined in the fight. “Hooh boy,” thought Mrs. Claus, “Its gonna be a long night."

E

it they're also working on an N64 Metal Gear game. Expect to see a Tomb Raider title from Eidos next year, as well as Turok 2 from Acclaim and Quake from Midway.

Then there are the DD games, among them Earthbound 64, the first RPG for the system. And it has been rumored that Super Mario 64 2 will be ready for the DD's U.S. launch in late summer, but that release date is not in stone. 5М64 2 is one game Nintendo won't release until they're good and ready.

For the gamer who has everything... The Gold N64 Controller

OK, so it's not really made of solid gold, but this fancy joypad will still make you look like Mr. Bigshot to fellow gamers. Until recently, there was only one way to get your hands on this rare peripheral—you had to win one in the Star Fox tournament at E*. But now it comes as a расК-іп in specially marked N64 system boxes at Toys 'R' Us.

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ғ PlayStation

Its The Perfect Gift-lf Everyone Didn't Already Own Опе

he dazzling performance the PlayStation gave us throughout the year will

surely make it a hot item this Christmas. Besides the fact that most companies

are taking full advantage of the system’s capabilities

with dozens of awesome games, the PlayStation has

easily stood its ground and proven that it’ll be around for through at least this year and the next. With upcoming titles like Crash 2 and Colony Wars, games on the PlayStation are starting to look just a hare below the N64 graphics-wise, and have gameplay that’s easily just as good. This is just the beginning for Sony’s baby—the future should fare well for the PlayStation.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night came to the PlayStation just a short time ago and showed gamers what the power of the PlayStation can do. % No, it wasn't 3-D, but it packed plenty of awesome effects and the most solid gameplay since 16-Bit's heyday. It's everything the old Castlevania's were, but this time with more of a Metroid-type feel.

But this isn't necessarily what the PlayStation was made for (as far as graphics go). There are plenty of other great action games out there if you want some- thing a little more flashy and 3-D. Keep an eye out for Crash Bandicoot 2, which has Crash up against Cortex again. Leave it to Naughty Dog to come up with special effects never thought possible on the PlayStation —all in one game no less! Also look for One, featuring John Cain and his Rage Meter, from American Softworks and the futuristic- looking G Police from Psygnosis (another one with awesome lighting effects and solid gameplay).

System's Strengths: A huge library of games, with recent ones that are looking and playing better than ever.

System's Weaknesses: The system does 3-D graphics like nobody's business, although it's not quite the champ of 2-D.

You need this system if you're into: A good variety of games from practically every genre.

Avoid this system if you're into: 2-D games...or at least a lot of 2-D games. Sony had earned a reputation for not being too keen on 2-D games, since they're not really what the system was designed for. But with the success of Castlevania: SotN and the Mega Man games, this attitude is changing.

Guncon PlayStick Arcade Stick At press time the Guncon was only available Admittedly, this $7 “peripheral for a peripher- Although this stick from ASCIIware looks with Time Crisis (which isn't a bad deal by any al" looks a little silly, but you'd be surprised pretty standard —with no fancy autofire or turbo means). This Namco light gun promises to have at how much Z-Products' PlayStick can enhance buttons—it does offer a straight-from-the- the best accuracy around, due to its special action, driving and flying games. Wrap it around arcade feel. As expected, this stick features video jack that plugs right into your standard PlayStation sturdy construction with your PlayStation. Problem - B joypad, and you can quality switches and but- is, it's supposed to only j choose from four D-pad tons. And the Arcade Stick's (GMN work with Namco extenders that make button layout is obviously 136 games and vice-versa. for tighter, more designed for gamers with a

comfortable control. = à large library of fighting games.

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Fighting: Tekken 2 ZW 77 )

Tekken 2 is easily the one to get in this category. In the EGM offices / Tekken 2 tournaments went on for months following the game's release. Besides the Two-player Mode, the one-player game offered plenty in itself. With all of the secret characters, spine-breaking combos and throws and great graphics, Tekken 2 showed us what 3-D fighting is all about. And the game's still a winner even a year after it hit the stores. Now, where's Tekken 3? As great as Tekken 2 is, there are many other fighting games out for the PlayStation. Fans of the Street Fighter series should pick up Street Fighter Alpha 2. But if your style is more 3-D, then look for Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha and another Namco fighter, Soul Blade. This one is also incredible, but unlike Tekken 2 you're able to use weapons (and the combos are a little easier to pull off). Coming soon is Masters of Téras Kasi, a fighting game made by LucasArts starring Luke, Leia, Chewie and others (check issues #96 and #97 for special features on this unique fighter).

In the office, Madden NFL 98 is the football game to get for its incredible realism. But a close second is GameDay 98 from Sony. Both give players solid gameplay. The difference is that Madden is a little more of an armchair quarterback's football game — more true to life—whereas GameDay 98 is a little more for the arcade player. The graphics in GameDay 98 look better than Madden's though. You make the call...

RPG: Final Fantasy VII

The king of the RPG hill, of course, is Final Fantasy VII, which has nearly everything gamers wanted in an RPG. This installment in the long-running series has some of the best graphics on the PlayStation, a killer soundtrack, and it still keeps up the classic Final Fantasy feel.

Of course, FFVII isn't the only good RPG out for the PlayStation. Both Vandal Hearts and Suikoden (by Konami) received respectable numbers from our Review Crew, while Persona and Ogre Battle are considered sleeper hits by some. Finally, the system's library of RPGs is growing.

ASCII Grip Sony Analog Pad Em. Ever wanted to play an RPG with one hand free «^ 22 ap Sony's analog pad has been long-awaited you're able to scoop up some Chee-tos or ® and the wait has been worth it. At one

scratch your rear? If so, this controller from

ASCIIware —which was designed with RPGs in i

is the one for you. The ASCII Grip allows you to everything you need in an RPG with one har

It may take some getting used to (it's sort of like playing a game with a TV 140 remote control), but it's worth it.

point, the pad was supposed to have a rumble feature, but due to patent prob- lems, among other reasons, that feature was dropped. What's nice is that it feels just like the old PlayStation controller (looks like it, too), so you don't have to get used to anything new...well, except for the analog control that is.

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Sony Computer Entertainment logo is a trademark of Sony Corporation. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back" TM & © 1997 Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. Developed by Naughty Dog, Inc. All rights reserved. Call 1-800-771-3772 for game ratings information.

Attack—marks Working Designs' first game published оп (һе PlayStation. So did they pick and publish a winner? We think so. Some argued that there were just too many enemies coming at you at once, but if you want the hectic feel of olden-day shooters, this is the one to check out. Other shooters include Xevious 3D, the fancy-looking update to the arcade classic, and a different style of “shooter,” Colony Wars from Psygnosis. It puts players in the cockpit of a ship in a futuristic outer- space landscape. The graphics in Colony Wars are unmatched, and the control of the ship actually makes you feel like you're floating (and thrusting) through space. And don't be fooled, this one's a lot different than any Wing Commander game.

A rockin' good game with a rockin' good sound- track, Psygnosis' WipeOut XL is solid in both game- play and design. Its speed and weaponry are nearly unmatched. If you're look- ing for a good racer with an edge, this is the one to buy. But don't expect it to be like NASCAR 98 or anything like that. It's more futuristic than realistic.

Of course, WipeOut XL isn't the only racer around. Some other more realistic greats are Ridge Racer and Rage Racer from Namco, Test Drive 4 from Accolade, NASCAR 98 from Electronic Arts and GTR from Activision. One that's a little different from the rest is ASCII's Felony 11-79. Instead of just racing, the object of the game is to steal items and then beat the clock. There are plenty of secrets to make the game last a long, long time.

Barracuda Lunar Gun with Red Sight Eagle Max

InterAct is following Sony's footsteps with Have you ever wanted to burn a hole through The Eagle Max from ACT Labs is great for their own $30 version of an analog joypad. This your TV? Actually, this laser-scope and light-gun flight games, but it also doubles as a decent one packs features —namely, turbo- combination isn't that powerful, but it steering wheel for driving titles. The fire switches—that you won't find e Vi, does make for some 9, Stick features a switch that changes

on Sony's gizmo. Still, the б straight shooting. At Barracuda's design follows 9 @ $6o for the entire pack- the same dual-analog Ti age, the combo is a bit architecture. If you pricey. You can buy the haven’t already bought Sony’s pad, gun and sight separate:

this one’s worth a look. ly for $30 a piece.

it from analog to digital and then to the “wheel” function. When using the stick with flight games, the Analog Mode lets players use a nice throttle control and hat switch, among other buttons.

Distributed by

© 1997 Video System Co., Ltd /Paradigm Entertainment, Inc. AeroFighters is a trademark of MeORIVER, Inc. (Video System U.S.A., Inc.) Licensed by Nintendo. Nintendo, the Official Seal, Nintendo 64, the 3-D “N” logo, and the Rumble Pak are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. (01996 Nintendo of America Inc.

YOU WANT TO BE А HERO?

DOGFIGHT BOGIES AND BOSSES OR GO HEAD-TO- HEAD IN TWO-PLAYER COM- BAT IN STUNNING GRAPHIC ENVIRONMENTS TO SAVE THE EARTH YET AGAIN. THERE ARE 10 LEVELS OF FAST ACTION THAT DEMAND FAST REACTION. JOIN THE BATTLE IN THE ONLY GAME

THAT MATTERS.

IMPLOSIVE REAL-TIME 3D GRAPHICS. DEEP SEA MULTI-PLAYER 10 TOTALLY DIFFERENT 7% ^ у ШИ) SWARMS; MAGNETIC SUCKERS. GAME MODES, HULL-CRUSHING ENVIRONMENTS. DEPTH CHARGES AND MORE!

A Ў This із what they really mean when they talk ku; lij: ~ "P about totally immersive gameplay. Take a dip in " | (a : these sub-infested waters for a spot of nuclear ғ " 4 à fishin’. 12 subaquatic psychos want to send you UN ' ' > down and they've got the torpetióes-4oYifoye it. IN if ^ Monit worry, You'll know you're imtoo еер Е 4 ( " when the Watenipressiire Caves yonrfeait th, =. қ жж i 3 х "а < > јао Ке уво еп dee

+ | ‘> FROM THE DEVELOPERS OF ТИЛУТЕО METAL” à ЧЕГИП SAND ARTAK

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Г | — €) f stl (4 ЖАУ P а " ç Е GT Interactive 1% 3 вімекктнас + Software Playstation . www.singletrac.com ET www.gtinteractive.com

SINGLETRAC wk and Jet Moto are trademarks of Sony Interactive by Sony Computer Entertainment America), Critical SINGLETRAC logo are trademarks of 51 AC Entertainment Technologies. Inc. PlayStation and o are trademarks oF Sony Compiler Entertainment Inc. Published and distributed by GT Interactive Software e GTGames logos are and the GT looo is а registered trademark of GT Interactive Software Corp.

are the property of their respective compar ^

tertainment Technologies, Inc. Twisted

Strategy/Sim: Command 5 Conquer

This hit PC strategy game came to the PlayStation a little while ago, but it's still one to pick up. The graphics are decent and the soundtrack may get a little repetitious, but what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in gameplay. Command & Conquer puts you in control of a futuristic anti-terrorist task force that hopes to put a stop to the terrorist organization, the Brotherhood of Nod. Of course, the game offers an option where players can turn the tables and control the Brotherhood and try to put “the man" down. This mode offers all new missions —ones completely different from the “Good Guy" Mode. Other strategy titles include X-Com, C&C: Red Alert (the sequel to Command & Conquer). Some could argue that Vandal Hearts (also in the RPG section) is a strategy game of sorts. Look for Theme Hospital on the PS, which did well on the PC side and Risk from Hasbro Interactive.

Puzzle:

The praise Street Fighter and other Capcom fighters received as fighting games filtered over to a whole new genre—a puzzle game. The super- deformed versions of their fighter cousins still have their special attacks, but this time they use them to unleash gems on the opponent rather than broken ribs. Plus, players get little animations of their favorite character doing various things while they stand there kicking the crap out of the opponent or cringing in pain after an "attack."

Even though Sony may not have the rights to games like Tetris Attack and Kirby's Avalanche, they still leave us with plenty of puzzle games to choose from. One to consider is Tetris Plus from Jaleco. This version of the classic has funny character animation and an "Adventure" Mode. Another great title is Bust-A-Move 2 from Taito. This one features the same little dinos doing their best at shooting colored balls at other balls of the same color...what a weird job that would be.

A look ahead...

If you're looking for a system that will undoubtedly be sticking around for the long haul, this is the one to put on your holiday wish list. The games are usually no more than $50, the graphics in a lot of the titles are looking incredible (even better than some games on the N64) and the lineup for the coming months only seems to be getting better and better (as you probably know, we cannot wait for Konami's Metal Gear Solid!).

Sony has showed that they mean business with the system's competitive $149 price tag. Of course, they have little to fear from the other systems right now. None of them can match the sheer size and quality of the PlayStation's library, which will only get better since developers have been coding for the system for years. S

But what about the PlayStation 2? Don't worry —Sony won't unleash a new system for a while. After all, they're making plenty of money with the PlayStation. Why throw away your meal ticket?

For the gamer who has everything... The Glove If you have lots of extra dough laying around after buying all of the best games for the PlayStation, con- sider buying (and eventually mastering) The Glove by Reality Quest. Sure, we didn't give it incredible scores last issue, but then if you feel you must have everything, The Glove may be something for you. Just make sure you're open to something 146 new-—this thing takes some getting used to.

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Meanwhile Elf Shoe had his eye on a Saturn. “Those guys got their stuff,” he said. "Now its my turn." But within two seconds he switched from. happy

Saturn

Sega's System Isn't Quite The Cool Gift It Used To Be

t’s going to be a cold winter for Sega. Many industry experts predict that 1997’s Christmas shopping season will be the Saturn’s last hurrah, as more developers jump ship and future software releases become more scarce. Even Bernie Stolar, Sega of America’s COO, has already conceded that the Saturn is not Sega’s future. Still, you cannot deny the existence of numerous awesome titles on the system. A few upcoming grade AAA games could also keep the Saturn in the running. If Sega drops the price this winter (or packs in a killer app or two), then the Saturn could be one of the best buys for the

holiday season. Let’s hope Sega plays it smart.

The action genre is such a broad category, but picking the best Saturn action game is a breeze. Saturn Bomberman is, no doubt, one of the best, most frantic, multiplayer games ever made. Part of the fun comes from the already proven addictive Bomberman formula. The other part comes from the Saturn’s capacity to handle up to 10 human competitors at once. If you have any game-playing friends, then this must top your must-have list.

NiGHTS and Guardian Heroes are two

other Sega titles we’d recommend to any Saturn owner. NiGHTS is a demonstration of 32-Bit power—it is one of the best-looking games ever. The fast and smooth animation com- bined with beautiful worlds makes playing NiGHTS a breathtaking experience. Guardian Heroes, on the other hand, is a more traditional-looking game. But what makes this side- scrolling fighter stand out is its tons (and we mean tons) of special moves, spells, juggles and combos. It’s Final Fight gameplay at its finest.

If you are a Capcom fan, then the Saturn is the best system for you. Every popu- lar Capcom 2-D fighter is near perfect on this system. Our favorite is Street Fighter Alpha 2. All of the moves, combos and specials are included, as well as the elusive Evil Ryu. And the Saturn’s controller is the best in the biz for these types of games.

Alpha 2 isn’t the only thing Sega’s machine has going for it. Other Capcom hits on (or coming to) the Saturn include Marvel Super Heroes, Street Fighter 2 Collection and X-Men vs. Street Fighter. And if you want 3-D fighting, you got it. Sega’s own polygonal fighting games are top-notch, including the popular Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers and Fighters MegaMix.

The Saturn at a glance

System's Strengths: Reliable CD-based hardware. A great standard and

analog controller. A small, but fanatical following. Sega as a first-party developer.

System's Weaknesses: Not much third-party support. Difficult machine to program for (thus often

getting second-rate ports rather than original material). No more Working Designs games in the far future.

You need this system if you're into: Sega arcade hits, RPGs, 2-D fighters and Virtua Fighter-type 3-D fighters. Avoid this system if you're into: A lot of games in the future.

Game Shark

This baby has a little secret. Not only will it let you cheat, but it'll let you play Japanese games on your U.S. Saturn! To do so, plug it in and select "Start Game." At the next menu, select "Start Game" while holding down X, Y and Z. That's all there is to it!

Lunar Light Gun with Red Sight

The gun by itself is fairly good, but combine it with a red laser sight and you have the coolest peripheral on the planet. Imagine aiming a pinpoint lase” dot at your targets on screen for amazing accuracy. It's a fun device to play with an show off to your videt

e ums

Analog Pad

When we first saw NiGHTS, we were just as interested in the funky, UFO-shaped analog controller that came with it as we were with the actual game. This thing simply feels right. It's comfortable and works great with NiGHTS, as well as a few rac- ing titles (and even the RPG Dark Savior). Too bad more games don't make use of it.

to sad; that greedy elf Shawn had swiped his joypad. "Ill show you,” said Shoe, taking Shawn for a twirl. “Stop,” Shawn cried, "or l'm gonna hurl!”

| Sports: Madden WFL9B |

No contest here. Madden 98 is the culmination of years of football game programming. Since the Madden series has always paved the way for other pigskin titles, it only makes sense that the latest incarnation is the best around. You just can’t beat

Madden 98’s advanced play mechan- ics and artificial intelligence. For racing action, the hands-down

RPGs are the Saturn’s specialty. The best one so far is a little gem winner is Sega Rally Championship, from Working Designs called Albert Odyssey, which packs colorful the most authentic rally racer on the graphics and a long and involving story. The dialogue is perhaps the consoles. It may only have four cours- game’s best feature. It’s so witty, you may end up looking forward to es, but each is challenging enough to talking with every character, which is often a chore in other RPGs. keep you powersliding for months. Perhaps even more exciting than Other sports greats include Sega the system’s already excellent library Sports’ World Series Baseball ’98 ог of RPGs (including hits like Shining Worldwide Soccer ’98. Hoops an the Holy Ark and Legend of Oasis) is hockey fans need not worry either. the future of Saturn RPGs. Many Sega is keeping on top of things with Japanese games are still slated for their '98 seasons of All-Star Hockey U.S. release, like Lunar Silver Star and NBA Action (which supports up to Story (a 32-Bit update of the Sega CD 10 players). Finally, for a sports game of a different ilk, there's Sega's classic), Magic Knight Rayearth and, DecAthlete. This modern-day Track and Field packs fun perhaps best of all, the epic Grandia. = events and excellent control.

When we first played Dragon Force as a Japanese beta, we didn’t really know what

we were doing, but we knew this game was going to be awesome. Months later,

Zx Working Designs proved us right when they sent us the U.S. version. Dragon Force was a cool strategy game on so many levels. It’s simple to get into. It’s unique. Its battles аге epic. If you're at all interested in strategy games, then check out

Dragon Force; it’s simply a mind-blowing experience.

EGM’s second favorite Saturn strategy game just happens to be published by

Working Designs too. Iron Storm received kudos for both comprehensive and fun to play.

Some people call it the best Saturn shooter. Some call it the best 32-Bit shooter period. Galactic Attack (known as Layer Section in Japan) is a top-down 2-D shooter that impressed us all. This game by Acclaim not only shows off great visuals, it also added new twists to a traditional genre. The stages all have two layers, giving you a chance to shoot targets in front of you, or lock on to (and kill) enemies below you.

If you're looking for a more high-profile shooter, then check out Sega's own Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon Zwei. These two 3-D games have fantastic story lines, intimidating Bosses and gorgeous worlds to explore. The Panzer games may be a different style of shooter than you're used to, but believe us, they're definitely two of the system's most incredible games.

Hot Wheels Per4mer Racing Wheel Saturn Stick Net Link At $70, this multiplatform steering wheel ASCllware’s Saturn Stick is the This is perhaps Sega’s best peripheral and isn’t cheap, but it does have a heavy-duty feel closest thing you'll get to a true most underrated (and underused) weapon in that should satisfy serious fans of arcade joystick. It’s durable the systems war. Besides offering Internet Sega Rally and Daytona USA. If and sturdy. More impor- access, it lets you play certain Saturn you want to get really tantly, it lets you play games with anyone else yo! = serious, you can Street Fighter Alpha afford to call. Now, you don spend a few 2 without a hitch. need a friend next to you fo bucks to The button layout, head-to-head Sega Rally, 148 upgrade the however, isn’t the Virtual On, Duke Nukem or foot pedals. best in the world. Saturn Bomberman.

"Did you Call For ә Телес m

Hardcore 2™ and ASC Games™ are trademarks of American Softworks Corporation. N and the TNN logos are registered service marks and TNN Motor Sports™ is a trademark of Hospitality Leisure Managment Co., Inc. ©1994 AVC Limited Partnership. 01997 American Softworks Corporation. PlayStation™ and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Windows® 95 is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved.

Now Mrs. Claus had finally had enough. "When you elves get violent,” she said, “I have to get tough." So she put em in choke holds until they passed

When we first saw Baku Baku, we passed it off as a child’s game, nothing else. But upon closer inspection, we found a very enjoyable, very addicting puzzle game that kept us busy for days. This cute title has you matching up animals with their favorite snacks—mice to cheese, dogs to bones, rabbits to carrots, etc. The more you eat, the better your score. You can also create simple combos by having disap- pearing pieces cause other animals to eat their respective foods. Two- player Competitive Mode is Baku Baku's

best feature. There’s nothing better than creating huge Chain Combos and drowning out your hapless opponent. If cute animal puzzle games aren’t your forté, then may we suggest a cute Capcom puzzle game? Super Puzzle Fighter || Turbo is another addicting title that’s certainly unique. And for

e traditional puzzle gamer, you can always depend on Jaleco’s Tetris Plus. It’s a fun update (with new features) on the one that started it all.

A look ahead...

The Saturn is an awesome console with awesome software, і по doubt, but unfortunately, уои won't find a flood of new ¿ games coming out in 1998. If you're looking for a solid, reliable system, then by all means, get one. The library is already full of great games, like those mentioned in this feature. You can't go wrong.

The few games that are coming out for the Saturn are plenty exciting. Sega's Enemy Zero is a graphical horror-adventure game that looks like it could put Resident Evil or D to shame. Sonic R is Sega's answer to Mario Kart...how could you go wrong with a racing game made up of the cast of Sonic games? Also keep an eye out for other big titles like Panzer Dragoon Saga (an RPG based in the Panzer Dragoon universe), Dead or Alive ` (Tecmo's 3-D arcade fighting game) and a great- looking translation of the PC mega-hit, Quake. The Saturn's future might be up in the air right 1 now, but one thing's for certain, the quality games | аге still trickling іп.

4

For the gamer who has everything... Twin Stick Controller Sega released a special Twin Stick controller in Japan specifically for Virtual On. It has two joysticks, so you can play Virtual On just as you would in the arcades. The stick doesn't work with much else, and you can only get it via mail order from import companies. Is it worth it? Well, just how badly do you 150 need to play Virtual On with true arcade controls?

Windows@ 95 РС-Ср-ком

p Р PlayStation “Ж INTERACTIVE BH <>

Hardcore 274 and ASC Games™ are trademarks of American Softworks Corporation. J and the TNN logos are registered service marks and TNN Motor Sports™ is a trademark of Hospitality Leisure Managment Co., Inc. ©1994 AVC Limited Partnership. ©1997 American Softworks Corporation. PlayStation" and the PlayStation logos аге trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Windows® 95 is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved.

out, then packed ‘em away, saying, “Come on, don't pout. You get a year of vacation after tonight, so Merry Christmas to all, and to all. well, you know."

Handhelds

Small, Cheap and Fun, Theyre The Ultimate Stoc

Thanks to a slick redesign of the system (and the best-selling Japanese game Pocket Monsters) Nintendo's ancient portable has not only clawed its way back from the dead, it's thriving.

And deservedly so. Despite its annoying technical deficiencies— namely the slight screen blur, black-and-white graphics and slow, 8-Bit CPU—the Game Boy Pocket is still the best of the portables. Its library of more than доо games offers something for everybody, and Nintendo is still cranking out titles for the system (most recently Ken

Griffey Baseball and Donkey Kong Land 3).

^" If you're into action games, you can hunt down the Game

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Boy installments in the Castlevania and Contra series, as well

as the incredible Game Boy Donkey Kong. Shooter fans can play an amazingly good port of R-Type.

k. Classic puzzle games include the origi-

nal Tetris and Tetris Attack. And you can play a surprising num- ber of RPGs— including Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and š 96 several in the Final Fantasy series.

If it wasn't black-and-white, this—the year's only new sys- tem—would be the most ambi- tious little handheld in gaming history. It features a Touch Screen, a few functions of an orga- nizer, and soon the ability to connect to the Net. Unfortunately, both the system and its games are disappointing. The Game.Com suffers from even worse blurring than the original Game Boy, making scrolling games unplayable. And the one channel of audio makes for simpli- fied soundtracks (namely the music in Batman & Robin).

So why are we talking about the system in the gift guide? Well, it's still new and unproven. The forthcom- ing Internet modem cartridge is intriguing. Plus, the Game.Com is fairly reasonable at $70, especially since the tiny cartridges cost between $20 and $30. And Tiger is unleashing a dozen carts by the end of the year, including Duke Nukem and Jeopardy.

king Stuffers

This lethal weapon Just slipped through customs.

Just off the jet with a fighting style as dangerous as his haircut. It's Goku. And Dragon Ball GT: The Final Bout. The first American invasion of its kind. With ап all new fighting style, this game features ten of the fiercest warriors from the animated series. Battle it out in a tournament to the death. Each player has a devastating finishing super move that can be blocked or countered. It's the most incredible power struggle you'll ever witness. Accept the challenge of Dragon Ball GT: The Final Bout. One question... How'd this guy get through customs, anyway?

DRAGON BALL GT,

5551 Katella Avenue, Cypress, СА 80630. PlaySt:

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Toad's gender wasn't an issue in the original Super Mario Bros. And up until Mario 64, we didn't give it much thought. But it only took one girly “Yahoo!” in Mario Kart 64 to raise eyebrows everywhere.

Super Mario Bros. 2, players for the first time were able to slip into the diminutive hero’s red shoes and control him as a game charac- ter (along with Mario, Luigi and Princess Toadstool). Each character had a distinct char- acteristic, Toad's being the ability to carry heavy objects without slowing down or losing maneuverability. So despite Toad's lack of sexual characteristics and his trademark hys- teria, his extreme strength and dexterity in this game led most to conclude Toad was in fact a man. Even with Toad sporting a hairdo that most men— save Dennis Rodman or funky performance artist Jamiroquai —would- n't be caught dead in, most gamers were sat- isfied with the answer and were once again able to sleep at night.

With the meteoric rise of the Mario

as a "he" in official Nintendo materials. He was voiced by John Stocker in both cartoon series (it should be noted that the actor who voices Bart Simpson is a woman). Toad was portrayed by alternative rocker Mojo Nixon in the movie. With all the empirical evidence, the question of Toad's sex faded as attention shifted to other gender enigmas like Saturday Night Live's Pat and The Crying Game's Dil. But we hadn't heard the last from Toad.

In fact, we hadn't heard the first from Toad. It wasn't until last year's Nintendo 64 version of Mario Kart that Toad spoke. And when he finally uttered his first words—a characteristi- cally enthusiastic squeal of “Yahoo!” —it ignit- ed anew the controversy over Toad's gender. No one expected Toad to a have a burly, husky voice, but few expected him to have

“..when he finally uttered his first words—a characteristically enthusiastic squeal of “Yahoo!”—it ignited anew the controversy over Toad's gender.”

franchise —including Saturday-morning car- toons, comic books and of course the 1993 movie classic—people gradually accepted Toad as a male. After all, Toad was referred to

Could Toad and Strawberry Shortcake be one in the same? The truth is out there...

EGN) 158

such a squeaky little cry. To compound mat- ters, in the Japanese version of the game, Toad's voice is even more girlish.

The voice of Toad was precept-shattering for the video game faithful. Whether he was squealing “Ow wo, wo, wo, wo!” as he rev- eled in delight when a rival racer suffers a misfortune or seeking affirmation from others with his triumphant “I'm the best!” there's no escaping that distinctly feminine voice. Suddenly, all that had been assumed about Toad had to be tossed out the window.

In the past year, everyone from esteemed scientists to amateur conspiracy theorists have examined the evidence on Toad. Several hypotheses have emerged. Here's a break- down of the more popular Toad theories:

* The Elvis Theory: Word around the under- ground is that Toad is indeed a girl; specifical- ly, Toad is Strawberry Shortcake in disguise. The speculation is that Strawberry —dis- traught over losing her hordes of preteen fans to the likes of My Little Pony and the Care Bears —faked her own death. She then secret- ly moved to the Mushroom Kingdom and underwent extensive plastic surgery.

Toad does bear a striking resemblance to Strawberry. Both characters sport trademark poofy headware, have pear-shaped, squat bodies and oversized red shoes. And most compelling of all—Toad and Strawberry have never been photographed together.

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* The Thumb Theory: Scientists still believe Toad is male because he, like all real male toads, has a specially adapted thumb. For male toads in the wild, this thumb is used to hang on to the female's back during the mating season. While Toad seems innocent of such hanky panky, he does indeed have a thumb that is pri- marily used to hang onto his steering wheel.

* The Jurassic Theory: You may remember that in Jurassic Park, the scientists created only female dinosaurs in order to dissuade any breeding in the wild. Yet some of the dinosaurs, because of the amphibian DNA used to fill in missing parts of the helix, were able to sponta- neously change their sex to ensure the survival of their species. Many believe that the Toad from the early Super Mario Bros. games was indeed—as the discernible evidence sup-

ports —male. But Toad lives іп a universe where most of the characters are male and thus, just like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, he may be spontaneously changing into a female.

* The Mushroom Theory: A small minority believe that Toad is just an anthropomorphic mushroom, meaning Toad's not really male or female but rather a fungus. Further legitimizing this theory is the fact that Toad recently revealed to this reporter that he is indeed a mushroom come to life (see interview).

So where do we go from here? Do we take Toad's word for it that he's just a mushroom? Does it really matter what Toad is? It's more important what Toad does. Guy, girl or mush- room, maybe it's time we just stop prying into Toad's private life and appreciate all the joy and excitement he's provided us over the years.

Still, that is an awfully goofy hairdo.

—

Straight From The Mushrooms Mouth...

In our efforts to uncover Toad's secret, we had Nintendo set up an interview with the androgynous hero. He is Toad. Hear him roar...

Toad graciously took time out of his busy schedule of driving go-carts and jumping over turtles to sit down and have a conversa- tion about hairdos, video games and Monday night TV.

EGM: Toad's an unusual name. Tell us how you got that name? Were you named for the nerd in American Graffiti?

Toad: What's American Graffiti? Toad is actu- ally short for Toadstool, and like everyone else, | got my name from my parents.

EGM: Are you indeed a mushroom come to life, or is that just a mushroom cap you're wearing?

Toad: No, this is my real hair. Like all of the townspeople in the Mushroom Kingdom, 1 truly am a mushroom come to life. Are you a humanoid come to life or is that an epidermis hair cap you are wearing?

EGM: Of all the games you've appeared in, what was your favorite and why?

Toad: It's a toss-up between Super Mario 64 and Wario's Woods. Super Mario 64 because it was fun helping my friend Mario in the greatest video game adventure ever created. And Wario's Woods because l was the star even though it was named for Wario. | was the one doing all the work.

EGM: It's Monday night and you're settling down to a night of TV. Are you watching Monday Night Football or Caroline in the City and Suddenly Susan? Toad: I don't watch television, but if I did l think Га watch PBS or the Discovery Channel. A friend of mine told me that the Discovery Channel did a special on fungi where they showed that someone recently dis- covered a huge fungus colony that is recognized as the world's largest organism. Right on!

EGM: What did you think of Mojo Nixon's poignant portrayal of you in the Mario movie? Toad: No comment. Talk to my lawyers.

EGM: Who's your best friend in the Mario universe? Your biggest adversary?

Toad: Obviously like everyone else in the Mushroom Kingdom, my worst adversary is Bowser. My best friend? Hmmm, that's a toss up between Mario and Princess Toadstool. The Princess because, well, after all she does oversee the safety of the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario because he's just fun

to play with.

EGM: How about telling us some of your

favorites? Movie? Musical group? Book? Mushroom? TV show? Video game? President?

Toad: We don't have movie theaters in the Mushroom Kingdom. My favorite musical group is the Runaway Five from the Super NES game Earthbound. They jam. My favorite book is The Hobbit. My favorite mushroom would be me. Like | said, | don't watch TV. My favorite video game is Wave Race 64. What's a president?

EGM: In Mario Kart 64, you seem very excitable, what is the secret to your

happy demeanor? Does anything ever

get you down?

Toad: I’m glad you asked. As a representative from the wondrous Mushroom Kingdom, where every day is like Saturday, | strive for constant happiness because it makes everyone around me happy. The only thing that gets me down is a frown so 1 turn it upside down.

EGM: How old are you? Toad: No comment

EGM: How do you stay in such good shape? Toad: I’m a fungi, I'm always in shape.

EGM: What is something about you that no one else knows?

Toad: I'm a pretty open person and have nothing to hide... well, except my fetish for red jelly beans.

EGM: If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

Toad: If you don't mind га like to answer this with a poem:

If | could be a tree

for the whole world to see.

I would be a tree

that best looked like me.

EGM: Anything else we should know?

Toad: Well, let's see...In Japan I’m called Kinopio. 1 have the fastest time possible in Mario Kart 64. І have the freshest hairstyle in the video game industry. І pledge my undying allegiance to Princess Toadstool. 1 enjoy life everyday to the fullest. And finally I’m a lot of fun to be with.

Analysis: Hmmm. We were hoping Toad's answers would clue us in on his gender. (We didn't want to just come out and ask if he was a dude. After all, that would be rude.) Alas, nothing he said cleared up the matter, and Nintendo's mushroom remains as enigmatic as ever.

hua is not going to work. PE Besides, what good is it to

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100 plus Пошто gameplay. 8 different possibfe‘endings. —. АФ Non-linear storyline, = % 3.) isometric battlefields я

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БЇ In аот

+ ~ - 2 же? By David Rider and Ed Semrad

Just as their musician

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counterparts һауе indelibly influenced American music, British developers are revolu- tionizing gaming here. EGMtakes a look at the U.K.’s 10 hottest development groups.

Jerby

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PRODUCTIONS LTD

PlayStation

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"entertainment inc.

Probe

Now part of the huge Acclaim group, Probe is still run by co-founder Fergus McGovern. With a pedigree that dates all the way back to 8-Bit consoles, Probe has earned their stripes with a series of movie conversions like Terminator 2 and Aliens 3 on the Genesis. They've embraced the next-gen consoles with ease, bringing the Alien and Die Hard Trilogies to the PlayStation and Extreme G and shortly Forsaken to the N64. Probe have always been at the cutting edge of programming and while they still tackle large licenses, their new free- dom within Acclaim is allowing them to explore other coding projects.

ast year in Britain, the buzz was for

Britpop, which saw bands like

Radiohead, Oasis, Blur, The Prodigy

and the like storm up the record charts

here in America and in Europe. This

year, the buzz is over Britsoft, the new wave of software that's knocking the spots off games from America and even Japan.

Britain has always had a fine tradition of games programming. In fact, some of the earli- est and best-loved PC games were dreamt up in the fevered minds of English kids sitting in bed- rooms, bashing away on ancient Amigas—and this trend continues on a console near you.

Need an example? Just as Sega has AM2, Nintendo has a building full of top-notch coders, Sony has access not only to their own team of in-house programmers in London, they also have a direct line into Psygnosis, arguably the one company who was the first to show exactly how cool the PlayStation could be (do Destruction Derby and WipeOut ring a bell?).

Founded and run by Richard and David Darling, Codemasters began its life in 1986 and has constantly come up with surprises, from winning a massive lawsuit over the Game Genie in the early '9os to expanding their highly successful Micro Machines series on the PlayStation, the company has become one of the most respected in the business, thanks to its insistence that

gameplay should never take a back seat to graphics.

Probe hopes that their futuristic racing game Extreme G will be one of Acclaim's flagship titles this winter.

The days of doing conversions of every Acclaim title for every system are over. Fergus McGovern now picks his titles very carefully and then makes sure that there is enough time, manpower and money available to produce only AAA-rated titles. Such is the case for Forsaken and Constructor, both of which have been in the development phase for some time. Fergus sums it up when he states: "We're a lot

more flexible now and a title isn't

finished unt

it's perfect. In the end it's how the game plays and not that it

made it's deadline.”

And the business of game development in the U.K. has gone ballistic, with people defecting from companies to set up their own, some of them backed by the big publishers (witness Eighth Wonder, the guys who jumped the Nintendo 64 ship at Rare to set up their own firm with Sony's blessing).

Want proof that the Brits know their stuff when it comes to making games? OK, think back to your 16-Bit console. Right, what was your favorite game? Star Fox on the Super NES? Ah, that'll be Jez San and the guys at Argonaut Software in London, then. Alien 3 on the Genesis? OK, that was Probe Entertainment, located just outside London in commuter belt Croydon. Now you're getting the picture.

Of course, not all British software is for every- body. It has gone from being weird and only playable in the U.K. (those soccer management games really don't translate to big sales in the U.S.) to being so far out on the cutting edge, it's liable to slice itself.

Codemasters @

purelgameplay,

But there are dozens of reasons why this should be so. Top of the list has to be that tradi- tionally, British games players started off their hobby on rickety old BBC PCs, Spectrums and Amigas, machines that were relatively easy to code for. That meant a generation of British kids who grew up trying their hands at programming in machine code long before anyone had thought to write a book called How To Program Video Games In C++ and when a “top-of-the- range computer” was the latest piece of equip- ment from Commodore. And forget consoles: Remember, we're talking about a time when the Atari VCS was king. Added to that fact was that, as well as being best-sellers in the U.K. and Europe, machines like the Commodore 64 pushed programmers to their very limit, thanks to limited memory and antiquated storage devices like cassette tape drives. If you wanted to code a game on a C64 or an Amiga, you had to master every nuance of your respective machine's language, and some British coders

| EE — a 1 SEER,

Continuing their best-known series of Micro Machines games, Codemasters’ latest update moves up to the 32-Bit platforms.

Каге

Set up by another team of brothers—Tim and Chris Stamper—Rare was previously known as “Ultimate” back in the NES and Master System days. Now one of Nintendo's most trusted and reli- able developers, the company has a string of hits such as Donkey Kong Country on the Super NES and GoldenEye on the N64 to their name, wi titles like Didd Kong Country and Banjo:

Kazooie waiting to take the N64 by storm.

4:74.,74 Pes Vi

thrived on the challenge, learning everything they could about their chosen hardware so that they could squeeze every last pixel out of it. This attitude continues even today. And if any evidence is needed, just think back to Donkey Kong Country on the Super NES. The machine was entering its twilight zone, with the games press raving about upcoming new hardware from Sony, Sega and the Big N themselves, yet Rare— yes, a British software company—created a space at the head of Nintendo's table by doing things on the Super NES that nobody else had thought possible. It may have taken a few years, but in the end, a British company pushed the Super NES to heights that even Nintendo hadn't taken it. That fact wasn't lost on the big N, and last year, they took a 25 percent stake in the U.K. coders, hoping—and rightly so—that any- one who could do that to the Super NES could do even better on the N64. Now with Blast Corps and GoldenEye already on the shelves and Diddy Kong Racing, Conker's Quest and Banjo-Kazooie on the way, Nintendo's faith in Rare is justified.

D»

5

Originators of the Lemmings series and long- time Psygnosis ally, DMA were recently bought by Gremlin. Run by David Jones and based in Dundee, Scotland, the company quickly become a member of Nintendo's Dream Team and will shortly see Body Harvest published by Nintendo. In the U.K. and Europe, BMG will release Grand Theft Auto on the PlayStation. After that, titles will be released via Gremlin.

DMA Designs’ days with Psygnosis may be over, but their knack

When you work for Nintendo you get to do your programming in absolute secrecy. At E Nintendo unveiled both Banjo-Kazooie and СопКег5 Quest for the first time to the amazement and praises from everybody who got to play the games.

But Rare wasn’t the make Nintendo drop their Game Boys and take notice. That honor goes to Jez San and Argonaut, the people who not only brought you Star Fox, but also created the technology—the Super FX

irst British company to

chip—that made it work. And once again, Nintendo hasn’t forgotten how valuable the British company is, since Argonaut has two N64 games slated for release next year.

The abundance of top-notch British develop- ers has made more than just Nintendo scout for talent in the U.K. Based in Dundee, Scotland, DMA-the original creators of Lemmings—has just been taken over by U.K.-based publishers and developers Gremlin. Cambridge-based outfit Millennium was acquired by Sony, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare on the 32-Bit platform, given their graphics expertise. The recent Electronic Arts acquisition of Bullfrog was the brainchild of Peter Molyneux who earlier this summer left the company he created to start LionHead.

The recent merger between British publisher

Just when we thought we had seen everything Rare was working on, Nintendo unleashes screens of Diddy Kong Racing. Not just a Mario Kart remake, Diddy promises to be

all that and much, much more.

+. +. +

and developer Ocean апа French code house Infogrames has already borne fruit for the U.K. outfit. Infogrames' V Rally stormed to the top of the sales charts in Europe, thanks to its mix of incredible speed, minimal polygon pop-up and gripping race action. The merger hasn't been without casualties however, with Ocean reduc- ing the size of its in-house code team known as Tribe considerably. To counter this, they have formed an alliance with relative new boys, Red Lemon, a codeshop based in Glasgow, Scotland. Their first title will be an air combat game for the N64, a sort of PilotWings-with-attitude, and so far, it's looking good.

So it seems as if British software is so good, that European, Japanese and U.S. firms can't wait to buy into it. But why? There aren't many people better placed to answer that question than Argonaut’s Jez San, so that’s exactly what we did. We wanted to know if he was surprised at the amount of interest being shown in U.K.- Sourced games. “Мо...и5 Brits have always arro- gantly believed that we do more than our fair

for designing unusual games is as full-blown as ever.

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Соге

Managing Director Jeremy Smith must be amazed at the way his company has sudden- ly leapt to the forefront of the industry. Best known for their work on Mega-CD games, one PlayStation release changed their fortunes and put publisher Eidos (who bought them in 1996) on the map for good. The game, of course, was Tomb Raider. The sequel can't fail, and with titles like Fighting Force and Ninja backing it up, Core Design looks certain to continue their success on 32-Bit systems.

share of the world's best games!" San said.

San agrees that there are often obvious differ- ences in the way U.S. and British games look and play. *U.S. games are often laced with long FMV sequences," he said. *The U.S. games are quite often financed by movie or TV production companies who try to pretend that the game medium is closer to linear film and TV media than it really is. Of course, there are notable exceptions, and don't get me wrong; there are some excellent U.S. games companies. But there are also some over-hyped ones. British compa- nies tend to be stronger on the technical ele- ments (like 3-D graphics), and Americans tend to be stronger on the front-end visuals. Both coun- try's developers are good at the creative ele- ments involved in game and character design."

Psygnosis PR Manager Mark Day (one of Scotland's most successful exports who went from Psygnosis' Liverpool headquarters to their offices in California) agrees, but he has a slightly different take on the situation.

“There are cultural differences both in terms

8

Originally set ир іп 1987 Бу coding legend Peter Molyneux, Bullfrog quickly earned an enormous reputation for their god games. Molyneux left the company (now under the wing of Electronic Arts), once work on his last baby, Dungeon Keeper, was completed, but his new company, LionHead Studios, will

release its first game in 1999.

ж + +:

of living іп the U.K. and іп terms of how the games company functions,” Day explains. “U.K. companies аге a little less ‘corporate’; they may be willing to give developers a little more creative license, and good talent will always take advantage of that. As for living in the U.K., British people have easy access to a lot of U.S. culture—TV, movies and music —while the oppo- Site isn't always true. So the U.K. has the best of both worlds. A game like G Police is heavily influenced by Hollywood action movies —the explosions, the dynamics, the energy— but it's created by British developers who can also bring their British coding experience into the mix." Perhaps one thing that has surprised a lot of publishers and developers alike in both the U.S. and Japan is the speed with which British coders have learned to maximize the new 32- and 64- Bit platforms. While there are still developers out there who promise the Earth with fancy CGI screen shots and completed games that don't actually deliver the goods, there can be little doubt that British developers have been among

Where would Eidos be without the development team at Core? Without a doubt, the megahit Tomb Raider has skyrocketed Eidos from obscurity to top

10 developer in less than one year and with Tomb 2, Ninja and more soon to come,

Eidos can do no wrong.

ea Fee 4

the first to really understand the inner workings of the next-generation consoles.

“British developers are technically very good at getting their grip on new machines,” San said. “They're ambitious and hungry for new challenges and are quick off the mark at mastering the learning curve of next- generation consoles.”

San believes the dominance shown by U.K. developers on the new consoles is down to certain key skills: “3-D and technology are key factors. The U.K. has always been a hotbed for those two assets, as well as a strong ‘assembler’ programming mentality have helped to keep Success in the next-generation console space."

From the Psygnosis camp, Mark Day is partic- ularly happy with the way his company has attacked the PlayStation. “I think the results speak for themselves," he said. “This year we're particularly proud of Colony Wars for finally nail- ing the space combat genre on console. It's been attempted plenty of times before, but no one's ever quite mastered the feel of dogfighting in

Bullfrog's reputation for making revolutionary games is well known in the industry and dates back to the 19805. That is probably why Electronic Arts quickly took them under their wing to produce the sim-type games for the video game consoles. Sim Hospital and Dungeon Keeper were the latest games that EA

was showing at ECTS in London.

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Travellers Tales із опе of those developers who has remained independent and out of the video game spotlight. Having very quietly programmed well-known platform games like Mickey Mania and Sonic Blast, Travellers Tales is now going public with Sega's new Sonic racing game Sonic R and Psygnosis' Rascal.

Travellers Tales

Aligned to Psygnosis and currently completing work оп Psygnosis' Mario-beater, Rascal, Travellers Tales deserves mention here since they have also coded several titles for Sega of Japan, includi Sonic Blast, Toy Story and then 32-Bitters like Mickey Mania and Sega's upcoming Sonic title— Sonic R. This makes them unique in coding history as this is the first outside, non-Japanese company

that Sega has allowed to program a game involving their figurehead Sonic. Once Rascal is completed, expect to

hear more about this small, talented team.

4.

deep space so well. That's а game that's as groundbreaking in its own way as the first WipeOut game or Destruction Derby was. Мете pleased to say that every year we

have a few games in the “benchmark achieve- ment' category.”

Psygnosis, of course, was the first of the big guns to be picked up by a publisher/manufactur- er who wanted to take advantage of their new hardware, and the logic behind the move is clear.

“As part of Sony,” Day said, “Psygnosis enjoyed early access to PlayStation development tools. Our developers have always been ambi- tious in terms of creating “hot technology' titles, and PlayStation was a platform that would finally allow them to create the games they really want- ed to. Additionally, being part of Sony allowed for the kind of global investment that's required to be truly competitive on a worldwide scale.”

But not everything is about the economies of scale. While Probe joined Acclaim and Psygnosis were bought by Sony, Argonaut has been more cautious. While many would love to get their

Psygnosis

Almost too many titles to mention in their

portfolio, and a similar number of smaller devel-

opers like Bizarre Creations, Hammerhead and Wheelhaus working for them. Although the company was bought by Sony in 1993, few would disagree that without the vision of Psygnosis and its MD, lan Hetherington, the

PlayStation would have had a far quieter launch.

So far, Psygnosis has been responsible

for some of the most groundbreaking

software seen in the home, with titles

like WipeOut and WipeOut XL, the two

Destruction Derby titles and shortly,

G Police and Colony Wars. In the 16-

Bit days, Psygnosis was best known

for attractive titles lacking in game-

play, but that all changed with the launch

of the PlayStation. Although Sony (GMN tried to sell Psygnosis last year, they called it off again and wisely so.

170 If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

hands on their coding experience, Argonaut has clung to their independence fiercely. “We're independent because we wanted to be,” San said. “Being ‘bought’ wasn't high on our list of wants, so we did our best to spread our eggs (never developing too many games for any one publisher), and also turned down several offers to buy us out. We're in it for the long haul. We want to go public one day; we want to keep con- trol of our own destiny for as long as possible. We do have outside investors, but these are largely from the financial community where they have no platform or company bias. They just want to see the company do well and they profit when we are successful."

Over the last two years, Probe Entertainment has shrugged off their reputation for arcade con- versions and licenses and become one of the top development houses in the world, although the company began, like many others in Britain, in a tiny bedroom. As traditional coding platforms like the Amiga, a few in the U.K. coding industry have expressed concern that the business will shortly

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experience a lack of “new blood.”

Probe Entertainment boss Fergus McGovern is more upbeat. “There was a time when you had individual programmers who, because they had been at home, they'd trained themselves,” McGovern said, “and suddenly you thought, *Where the hell has this guy come from? He knows the Spectrum like the back of his hand,’ or *He knows the Amiga like the back of his hand," because they'd spent time in their back bed- rooms learning the hardware, coding in machine code and really analyzing how the machine worked. So that at the end of the day what happened was that you'd have one or perhaps two programmers who really controlled 100 per- cent of the whole product, and you would be reliant on them.

“As the machines have grown in power, they've grown in chipsets, the style of program- ming has changed over to things like C++ and you can now break up the game into a number of segments that will allow more structured programming to occur. What | mean by that is if

With the necessary backing of Sony, Psygnosis is the one British developer who has been able to make it on their own in the U.S. Great games like G Police, Colony Wars and Rascal help too.

Ө xm wo uz y=

Ш.

АТЕЙ (SSE HAYOC CocKPIT-

LATER

You are Jeff Slater, 21st Century cop. Member of the elite 6 Police. You buried your sister in a matchbox. Somebody out there killed her. Now you pilot your Havoc gun ship on 35 missions through 51 of Callisto's domed environments. Whether you call it justice or revenge, you've got the firepower and the will to do things right. Sometimes you

don't think, you simply do. It's that type of job.

Watch out for 6 Police, the ТУ commercial, by award-winning animator Peter Chung, creator of MIV's "Aeon Flux." Now appearing on ESPN, MTV and cooler stations everywhere.

Look for hidden G Police game hints in this poster and on TV.

БДЫ СӘ "

“jaw-dropping explosions and destruction"

— Ultra Game Players

ә = © = [ci 5 un > = =

АГ rights reserve

Psyonosis. Ltd

1997

are trademarks of Psvgnosis. Lt

the Psygnoasis lage

Police Psyanosis an

[9]

www.gpolice.com

бгетһіп

Steadfast 16-Bit developers who moved over to 32-Bit with ease, launching Loaded and the Actua sports series onto the PlayStation. Gremlin's recent acquisition of DMA Design should reinforce their position as a top U.K. developer and publisher, as will forthcoming titles N20 and Buggy.

р Pa (9 OE +

you've got a bike-racing game, you might һауе someone who does the bikes, someone who does the track mechanics, someone who does the special effects, and because you're not train- ing someone to develop the whole game, you can train people to develop part of the game. We've found that if you're very selective when you process your crews, then you can find very clever guys who, given the opportunity, are just as good as the seasoned game programmers." This in effect brings the U.K. and United States closer together in terms of programming ill, although McGovern still thinks that the U.K. an pull gems out of the hat. “1 certainly believe at the U.K. is a fertile breeding ground of pro- gramming and game creation skill," he said, “апа we have our own unique style in the way we do things, right down from the Rares who surprise everyone with Donkey Kong, the DMAs who suddenly create Lemmings, to someone like Peter Molyneux and even a place like Probe. We were recognized once as very much producing conversions and licensed product. And then, in

Legends in the business, Argonaut doesn't only earn respect for the programming skills on titles like Star Fox, they also design hardware (like the Super FX chip for Nintendo) as well as development software like Brender. Now working closely with Fox Interactive (Croc),

Jez San and his team are also putting the final touches on Alien Resurrection for the

PlayStation and Saturn, while the possibility of a Nintendo Alien title has not been discounted.

Gremlin is a company that deserves further observation. At the last ECTS show in London they were demonstrating a few AAA games including an off-road racing game, a two-player Judge Dredd light-gun game, a filled-polygon ‘Tempest’-type twitch game and an outstanding version of the Men In Black movie. With solid backing, Gremlin could easily be the next ‘Core’ that could propel a U.S. company into instant top 10 status.

+ + + NUN: 4 +

опе fell swoop, because ме didn't need to do that anymore, we transferred to selecting our own properties and developing original games, which are to my mind getting very good press. So | think we're a lot more flexible, and | do believe that U.K. programmers and developers are a lot faster in development."

Probe Entertainment isn't the only outfit to be swallowed up by a large corporate. Last year, Core Design in Derby joined Eidos, and Core boss Jeremy Smith is in no doubt how the future would have been on their own. “Tough,” Smith said. “Тһе funding of development is so expen- sive that | doubt we could have continued to fund ourselves as an independent company."

The trouble is that with Tomb Raider, Core Design has created a rod for their own back. "Obviously, everyone is waiting to see what we do next," Smith said, *which puts a certain amount of pressure on us. However, we know the potential of what we are working on and feel confident we will not disappoint anybody."

Like most developers we spoke to, Smith

feels that British coders have come to grips with the new technology. “U.K. companies had to write games on ridiculously under-powered machines for a long time," Smith said. *Now that we have the new platforms, we are showing how good we are as a development community."

The proof, of course, is in the games, many of which are considered the best in the industry. And the flow of hot titles from the other side of the Atlantic shows no sign of slowing. By this Christmas, there will be more than 50 new games in the stores that are the products of British development teams.

And here's one final surprise: Not all of these games were made in the U.K. British program- mers, designers and artists have infiltrated virtu- ally all of the U.S. development houses. Companies like Shiny, Iguana, Acclaim and GT have hired talented support staff from Britain for their behind-the-scenes work in the United States. Yes, the British have arrived, and their coding genius will continue to have a profound effect on gaming's future.

Fox outscooped the other American publishing houses when they licensed Croc from Argonaut earlier

this year. This fun-to-play

and extremely well-

designed platform game

has all the m.

gs of an

instant hit this Christmas.

With Alien Resurrection not

far behind, Fox has found a long- term partner for success.

“A+”

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

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Is It Really Је э Four оп the Floor: Mario Kart ‚ЧАМ ? > The Multiplayer Modes

64Done ^ Right?

are's Diddy Kong Racing zoomed out of nowhere, surprising everyone in the

One complaint about Mario Kart 64 was that it only offered four Battle Courses—only two of which were insanely fun. Well, here's the bad news: Diddy Kong Racing only has four battle zones, too. But unlike those in Kart 64, half of

n

= antes amongst trees, behind ч these tracks һауе you industry but also Inspiring waterfalls and in other — doing more than just

the same comment: “Hey, nooks. Fortunately, you can Š а SF blasting your pals. that game sure looks like use any of the three vehicles to , - Two of the courses Mario Kart 64.” Ды explore the great outdoors—and Š require you to meet cer- And at first glance, it is mighty similar you'll need 'em, since some balloons tain objectives. In Fire to Nintendo's racer, although the two are hidden in the sky or on water, ! Fromm Mountain, the first battle games were developed independently places the car just can't take you. А } zone, гасегѕ must use at roughly the same time. DKR stars fran- You'll also run into a genie who planes to gather dinosaur chise characters. It lets you powerslide lives in the center of the overworld. eggs from a volcanic pit through winding courses and collect He'll let you switch vehicles and and carry them to their power-ups. And it packs battle courses occasionally impart words of wis- nests. After 10 seconds in

for four-player offensive driving.

But that's where the similarities end.

This 128 Megabit cart (the N64's biggest yet) is actually a hybrid of several game engines. *DKR has racing elements, but Off to the races it also has adventure elements," said Lee

dom. He'll even challenge you to a г TU 2 the nest, the eggs hatch race every now and then and present е > out baby dinosaurs. The you with a balloon if you win. "же first гасег with three dinos wins. But here's the catch: Other racers

= ВЕНЕ: Ав пісе as the overworld is, ће а сап raid your nest and Schuneman, the game's director. “It’s in game's main draw is its collection of : е steal your eggs before a category all its own. s tracks, which you end up racing Шай. they hatch!

Sounds like a mix of Mario 64 and through several times before pro- The final battle course, Mario Kart 64, right? And with its collec- gressing to the next series of cours- Smokey Castle, is similar, tion of vehicles, namely a car, a hovercraft ¿s The first time you race on each except this time everyone and a plane, DKR gives new meaning to track, you can't choose your vehicle races around a castle and off-road racing. But we're getting ahead of апа you must come in first place. collects bananas. The ourselves. Let's start from the beginning... Meet that challenge іп all of the mini- first to take 10 bananas to

у world's courses апа you гасе that У his ог her регсһ wins. Тһе

Gentlemen, start your exploring world's enormous Boss. 1 other two battle zones— he game opens in a massive оуег- But that ain't all. Beat the Boss А Darkwater Beach апа world, which is linked via tunnels to four 4nd you gain access to the world's | Icicle Pyramid—are of the other mini-worlds and a fifth, secret world. silver Coin Challenge, in which you more traditional collect-

Each of the mini-worlds contains at least four courses, giving the game almost 25 tracks

must collect the coins 5 power-ups-and-kill-your- scattered through each buddies variety. track and finish in first | These courses aren't

E place. Accomplish that immediately selectable in all. The key to get- feat and you race the when you first switch on ting anywhere is to Boss again, who’s even the game. Rather, you collect balloons, which more difficult this must first discover the serve the same pur- time. If you win, you’re four keys hidden in each pose as the stars in given a chunk of the of the mini-worlds.

Super Mario 64. You

А Wizpig Amulet, of Of course, if multi- need a certain amount which you need all four player combat isn't your of balloons to open pieces to race the ч thing, you сап race with each mini-world—and game's final Boss. “nal saa | up to three other friends the tracks inside. You're also invited to on any of the tracks

You can start col- race in the Trophy 2 you've opened іп the lecting balloons the Challenge, which has Ë game's Adventure Mode. second you start the you competing once Š Even better, everyone can game. The overworld again on all the world’s 1 y select his or her own has at least five of tracks and accumulat- 5 | vehicle in about 70 per- them scattered

ing points. Just as in A cent of the courses, let- ting you pit cars against hovercraft against planes in true all-terrain tourna- ments. Like іп Mario Kart 64, you only race against each other and not with the entire pack

of Al opponents.

‘CONTENT RATED BY ESRB

PlayStatio Station n | ment Inc. The “Officially Licensed Collegiate Products" label is the excl. Q he Colle e Licensing; any, The "Collegia bsed Product" labelis the property of the Independent Labeling Group; All nar team icons, UN. rs ated with the NCAASMiiversities, bowls, and conferer re the exclusive property

of the stiveiinstitutions. The Heisman Memorial Trophy, its image and геіа 8 name are all registered federal trademarks/service marks

Which are owned bythe Heisman Trophy Memorial Trust. GameBreaker and Total Control Passing are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment

<>

PlayStation

ЕМГЕН THAN 4% OF ALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE DRAFTED BY THE NFL. SO WHAT DRIVES THE OTHER 96%?

иш AME BREAKER 88

PROPERTY OF PLAYSTATION ATHLETIC DEPT.

Diddy Копр5 Toy Box

Power-ups come in the form of five multicolored balloons, which grant different weapons according to their color. You can build up your weapon by running over the same color three

times in a row. Run over a different color, however, and your new power-up starts at level one.

The most lethal

of the power-ups, red balloons equip you with missiles, which —like Mario Kart 64's shells— can be launched at opponents. Ride over a red ballon once and you get a single, unguided missile. Collect a second red balloon for a guided pro- jectile. Hit a balloon a third time for a pack of 10 unguided missiles.

TH TRF il 8 273 & "CU 06:

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These power-ups provide the ultimate defense. Level one gives you a force field that protects you from enemy missiles. The second level works just like the first, except it lasts a little longer. Nab a third balloon and you can go on a ramming rampage with a super-powerful force field.

я ы =" " / 8 Inr «dg a S 278 05:26:60 Z= ERU rage 3

| Blue Balloon |

Mario Kart 64.

You won’t find апу- thing like this in

Rainbow Balloons give you the magnet, which when acti- vated pulls you toward the nearest racer. Level two yanks you forward a little faster, while level three actually pulls racers backward toward you. These are best saved until the final lap for come-from-behind victories.

š These grant drop- Ф behind меаропѕ аге best used when you're at the head of the pack. The first level dumps oil slicks, while level two drops mines

that blast unlucky pursuers. Collect a third green ballon and you can drop a bubble, which not only stops oppo- nents but holds "ет for a few seconds.

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TH iAP. TIME, ^ 8 qa, % Х0 РЫ seams $

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Тһе speed-enhancing blue balloons are the most use-

ful power-ups in the game. Each gives you a brief turbo boost, with level three being the most powerful. But if you know

how to use them in conjunc-

tion with the speed-boost- ing Zippers that are scat- tered throughout the cours- es, your vehicle can reach blurring speeds. Simply kick on your turbo just before you hit the Zipper and you'll get nearly double the extra speed. A level- three boost pushes your speedometer off the scale!

Mario Kart 64, the racer with the most points at the end of the circuit wins the gold trophy (collecting these trophies is one key to opening the fifth world).

Are you starting to get the picture? DKR is a huge game that packs more objectives than any other racer. You're actually forced to explore each track for shortcuts, silver coins and the keys that open the battle courses. Fortunately, you're given the option to select different vehicles for a particular course when you beat the Silver Cup Challenge and use them to explore otherwise inaccessible areas. Unlike in Mario Kart 64, no friendly Latiku will come fish you from the abyss if you accidentally fly off the track. Since each course is its own self-contained environment, you have to drive yourself back to the beaten path.

Each course fits the theme of its world. You'll race through prehistoric deserts and snow-covered straightaways, bounce across the waves in the water world and zoom between skyscrapers and castles. But the secret world's courses— which are set in flashy futuristic locales—are the most visually spectacular (especially the stretch of track that mimics the Death Star trench!). All the tracks are littered with bananas, which (like original Mario Kart's stars) build up your top speed.

And as if the game weren't big enou Rare has packed it with their trademark secrets. You'll uncover hidden characters, as well as, rumor has it, the ability to explore the overworld with a second play- er in split screen. There's even an entire second adventure (the same tracks but with tougher opponents) if you accomplish several ultra-secret objectives.

We couldn't resist asking Rare if James Bond— who, after all, is a character from one of their games— makes a cameo іп DKR as a hidden racer. *No," Schuneman said, "James is busy meeting his objec- tives in GoldenEye."

Rare's roster

Like in the original

Mario Kart and its

N64 sequel, your vehicle's stats— top speed, han-

dling, etc.—

are deter-

mined by

Take $10.00 Off The Ultimate 3D Racing Experience,

TYT ME

CONTENT PATIO B | ESRB)

Sony Computer Entertainment logo is a trademark of Sony Corporation. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Jet Moto is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. © 1997 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

which character you pick at the game's outset. Besides Diddy Kong, you get Tip Tup the Turtle, Bumper the Badger, Pipsy the Mouse, Timber the Tiger, Krunch the Alligator, Conker the Squirrel and Banjo the Bear, most of whom appear іп Rare's forthcoming Banjo-Kazooie and Conker's Quest. Just as there are advantages to picking cer- tain characters, each vehicle packs its own plus- es and minuses. The car, for example, lets you pull powerslides to stick tight in turns. By hold- ing the break and right shift button, you can even do a super powerslide that pops you up on two wheels and turns you in a much tighter arc. The hovercraft —which dashes across both sea and land—is the fastest of the three, although it has lousy acceleration and handling. But for sheer versatility, you can't beat the plane. Since it can go anywhere, it's the one vehicle that can find every shortcut and power-up.

Turbo graphics

Another clear edge DKR has over Mario Kart 64 is its graphics. The coders at Rare, who've been working on the game for two years, have developed a new propriety technology, dubbed Real-Time Dynamic Animation. RDA allows for a higher number of polygonal characters who are both larger and more realistically shaded than in past N64 titles. The bottom line: Every char- acter in DKR is a 3-D polygonal model that animates much more smoothly than the preren- dered sprites of Mario Kart 64.

Diddy Kong's greatest technical advantage, however, is the Al of its characters. “Тһе other racers...are smart," Schuneman said. “Тһеу want to win, too, and will take shortcuts and pick up weapons even though you may not see them on screen." In fact, your opponents will even battle each other.

And one of the biggest gripes about Mario Kart 64 does not apply to this game: The com- puter-controlled racers never cheat. Leave 'em in the dust, and you don't have to worry about them breathing down your neck 10 seconds later thanks to some seemingly magical boost in their speed. If you get edged out at the finish line by Krunch, the speediest of the bunch, you have no one to blame but yourself.

RAREWARE |

* More than 20 race courses

* Four battle courses

e Three vehicles to choose from

ht characters, plus several dden ones

e Six Bosses

• Rumble Pak compatible

* Five power-ups, each of which can be charged up three times

• 16 race courses

Four battle courses

* Опе vehicle to choose from

* Eight characters, none of them hidden

• Мо Bosses

e Rumble Pak incompatible

*10 power-ups

Rarein' To Go

DKR is Rare's first racing game since the NES classics RC Pro Am and Pro Am II. The U.K.-based developer's list of Nintendo-exclusive hits has only grown since then and includes such mas- terpieces as the Donkey Kong Country games and the more recent Blast Corps and GoldenEye 007. We talked to Lee Schuneman, DKR's director, about the game and its similari- ties to Mario's own kart fest.

EGM: You've been working on ОКЕ for two years, so why all the hush-hush? Why wasn't it unveiled at E? along with the Banjo and Conker games?

Lee Schuneman: DKR is one of several titles we're working on for the Nintendo 64. We decided not to show it at E? because of the proprietary technology, Real-Time Dynamic Animation, we're using in the game.

EGM: DKR draws obvious comparisons to Mario Kart 64, just as Banjo-Kazooie and Conker's Quest are being labeled Mario 64 clones. What's your response to critics who say your games are look- ing too much like Nintendo's?

LS: Games like Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 were the first of their kind on a new system that incorporated complete 3-D environments. To say DKR or Banjo are clones is like looking at the first platform or racing game and saying the thousands that have been produced since then are exactly the same. It's really not a fair comparison.

EGM: Were there certain things in Mario Kart 64 that worked and you felt had to be included in this game, as well as flaws you wanted to avoid?

LS: We started working on DKR two years ago—long before we saw Nintendo's

Mario Kart 64. We're not privy to Nintendo's game development process. Our development team relied on their own creative genius and programming expertise to create DKR. They had a unique concept for a game and knew what they wanted to achieve. The more time they spent programming on the N64, the more they realized what they could do. Real-Time Dynamic Animation and the dramatic use of Al are the results of this experimentation and practice.

EGM: We heard that Tim and Chris Stamper (the brothers who founded Rare) did some of the game's voices. If so, which characters, and will they be starring in future games?

LS: A few Stamper family members lent their voices to the game and may make appearances in future games.

EGM: A lot of N64 games (at least a lot of third-party titles, anyway) are filled with fog and aren't nearly as crystal clear as the environments in your titles. How do you avoid using fog as a crutch to hide the system's limitations?

LS: Developing for the Nintendo 64 is a learning process. With each game we discover new ways to capitalize on the system's power. Each developer has a certain look they want for their game. We've experimented with the system and developed proprietary tools to create the look we want. Again, Real-Time Dynamic Animation is an example of those results.

EGM: Have you guys mastered all of the N64's tricks yet? How much of the machine's potential have you tapped? LS: | don't think anyone has tapped the N64's full potential yet —not even Nintendo. It's a very powerful hardware system. We're experimenting with tools and learning new techniques with each game we develop. The games will keep getting better as we discover just how far we can push the system.

Send Ballots To: Readers Choice Awards

1920 Highland Avenue, Suite 222 Lombard, IL 60148

1997 Readers’ Choice Awards

CHED SD C ©)

О Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS) О Albert Odyssey

О Diddy Kong Racing (N64) О Fighters Megamix

О Final Fantasy VII (PS) О Madden NFL 98

О GoldenEye 007 (N64) О Mega Man X4

О International Superstar Soccer 64 (N64) О Saturn Bomberman

О Madden NFL 98/64 (PS/SAT/N64) О Sega Touring Car Championship Q Saturn Bomberman (SAT) О Shining the Holy Ark

О Star Fox 64 (N64) Q Sonic Jam

О Street Fighter ІІ Collection (PS/SAT) О Street Fighter II Collection

Q Tomb Raider 2 (PS) Q Worldwide Soccer '98

write-in: write-in:

О Goal Storm '97 (PS)

О International Superstar Soccer 64 (N64) О Madden NFL 98/64 (PS/SAT/N64)

O MLB ’98 (PS)

О NBA Live 98 (PS/SAT)

О NFL GameDay '98 (PS)

О NHL Faceoff '98 (PS)

О NHL 98 (PS/SAT)

Q World Series Baseball '98 (SAT)

Q Worldwide Soccer '98 (SAT)

write-in:

SD aD =D

О Blast Corps О House of the Dead О Bomberman 64 О The Lost World: Jurassic Park Û Diddy Kong Racing О Mortal Kombat 4 О GoldenEye 007 Û NFL Blitz

Û International Superstar Soccer 64 Û Pocket Fighter

Û Madden 64 Û Street Fighter III Û Mario Kart 64 Û Super GT

Û Mischief Makers Û Tekken 3

Û Star Fox 64

О Tetrisphere write-in:

write-in:

О Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

Û Extreme G (N64)

О FA Championship (PS)

О NASCAR 98 (PS)

О Sega Touring Car Championship (SAT)

write-in:

SD G] I> CT)

О Castlevania: Symphony of the Night О Blast Corps (N64)

Q Colony Wars О Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS) О Crash Bandicoot 2 О Colony Wars (PS)

Q Final Fantasy VII О Crash Bandicoot 2 (PS)

Q Madden NFL 98 О б Police (PS)

О NFL GameDay '98 О GoldenEye 007 (N64)

О Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee О One (PS)

Q PaRappa the Rapper О Nuclear Strike (PS)

О Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha Q Saturn Bomberman (SAT)

Q Tomb Raider 2 О Treasures of the Deep (PS)

write-in: write-in:

О Fighters Megamix (SAT)

Q Last Bronx (SAT)

Q Soul Blade (PS)

О Street Fighter ІІ Collection (PS/SAT) О Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha (PS)

write-in:

Role-Playing Game of the Year

О Albert Odyssey (SAT)

О Final Fantasy VII (PS)

А Magic Knight Rayearth (SAT) О Shining the Holy Ark (SAT) Q Wild Arms (PS)

write-in:

Adventure Game of the Year

О Enemy Zero (SAT)

П Resident Evil: Director's Cut (PS) П Riven (PS)

О Sentient (PS)

О Tomb Raider 2 (PS)

write-in:

Side-Scrolling Game of the Year

О Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS) А Mega Man 8 (PS/SAT)

О Mega Man Хд (PS/SAT)

А Mischief Makers (N64)

О Pandemonium 2 (PS)

write-in:

Strategy Game of the Year

О Command & Conquer: Red Alert (PS) О Ogre Battle (PS)

О Tactics Ogre Battle (PS)

О Vandal Hearts (PS)

О Warcraft II (PS/SAT)

write-in:

Shooter Game of the Year

О Nanotek Warrior (PS)

А RayStorm (PS)

О Salamander Deluxe Pack (PS) Q Star Fox 64 (N64)

О Xevious 3D (PS)

write-in:

Light Gun Game of the Year

Q Crypt Killer (PS/SAT)

Q Lethal Enforcers I & II (PS) Ч Maximum Force (PS/SAT) Q Scud (SAT)

О Time Crisis (PS)

write-in:

First-Person Shooter of the Year

А Duke Nukem (N64/PS/SAT) О GoldenEye 007 (N64)

О Quake (SAT)

Q Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (N64)

write-in:

Puzzle Game of the Year

О Bust-A-Move 3 (PS/SAT)

Intelligent Qube (PS)

Û Norse by Norsewest (PS/SAT)

О Super Puzzle Fighter | Turbo (PS/SAT) Û Tetrisphere (N64)

write-in:

Multiplayer Game of the Year

Û Diddy Kong Racing (N64) О GoldenEye 007 (N64)

О Mario Kart 64 (N64)

Û Poy Poy (PS)

Q Saturn Bomberman (SAT)

write-in:

Most Original Game of the Year

О Blast Corps (N64)

О Enemy Zero (SAT)

О Harvest Moon (SNES)

Q Monster Rancher (PS)

О PaRappa the Rapper (PS)

write-in:

Best Compilation

О Arcade's Greatest Hits 2 (PS)

А Namco Museum Vol. 3 (PS)

О Sega Ages (SAT)

О Sonic Jam (SAT)

О Street Fighter II Collection (PS/SAT)

write-in:

Best Graphics

О Colony Wars (PS)

О Final Fantasy VII (PS)

О GoldenEye 007 (N64)

О Oddworld: Абе? Oddysee (PS) О Soul Blade (PS)

write-in:

О Albert Odyssey (SAT)

А Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS) О Final Fantasy VII (PS)

О PaRappa the Rapper (PS)

О Soul Blade (PS)

write-in:

Best Sound

О Colony Wars (PS)

О GoldenEye ооу (N64)

О NBA Live 98 (PS/SAT)

0 Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee (PS) О Star Fox 64 (N64)

write-in:

Favorite Mascot

О Crash Bandicoot О Lara Croft

О Mario

Ч PaRappa

О Sonic

write-in:

Best Peripheral

Q InterAct GameShark (N64)

Û Namco Guncon Light Gun (PS)

А Naki Lunar Gun w/Red Sight (PS/SAT) Û Nintendo Rumble Pak (N64)

О Sony Dual Analog Joypad (PS)

write-in:

NINTENDO:

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е ii т d Visit your local retailer or call Tag Team and simultaneous four-player action 4-818-225-5167 for orders ofl

Pit yourself against 12 napalm-wielding speedfreaks across 12 looping, coiling, corkscrewing rollercoaster racetracks. If you've never seen a cyber-cycle take a stinger missile up the tailpipe during a blistering halfpipe, you're about to OD on adrenaline. Racing to the Nth degree through gravitational extremes. Freestyling off the shockwave of enemy shrapnel. Surfing the knife-edge between G-force and burning wreckage! If gravity's a law, then this is a felony.

MULTIPLE PATHS, JUMPS, YOU'RE CORKSCREWED! STATIC PULSE WAVE, TRACTOR BATTLE MODES! BRIDGE-OUTS AND LAVA. BEAMS AND MORE!

4-PLAYER RACING AND

“Тһе Graphics апа speed of Extreme-G are out of this world” к . -Q64-

e of the most interesting 2 track layouts ever

асе

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SPIRALLING RACETRACKS.

B Our Philosophy

Welcome to the new Crew, which is packed with more reviewers, games and-for the first time-peripherals. Each reviewer gives a game an overall score, which is

С displayed behind the review and based оп how the game compares to other titles for the same system. In addition, the reviewers rate each game's graphics, sound, ingenuity and replay value. The averages of these scores are listed at the bottom.

Current Favorites Diddy Kong Racing

These days Shawn is anxiously awaiting the holidays. Crash Bandicoot 2

That's when he'll be able to spend time with his family and ШЭ

girlfriend plus enjoy the warm glow called Christmas. Of MTG: Battlemage

course, the thing he likes most about this time of year is у

the numerous gifts һе receives (due to his birthday being events Gone A Аде

Editors’ Choice

КЛЁШ, Gold Awards go to games around the same time). Oh well, he's not so nice after all. ({EGM whose average score Ж equals 9.0 or higher.

, Games that average Current Favorites at least an 8.0 receive GoldenEye 007

Silver Awards. Diddy Kong Racing "Shoe" didn't write as many reviews this month as he Worldwide Soccer '98 normally does. That's because he was swamped with two NHL 98. other projects: the awesome /998 Video Game Buyer's

% Guide (yes, that was а shameless plug) and reading all of Favorite Genre: Puzzle your letters and e-mails on our 100th issue. We'll let him

Sleep now that he's done with this issue.

Rating Scale 10-Perfection 5-Average

An absolutely flawless experi- Not great, not crap. А ho-hum ence. It doesn't get any better title that isn't for everybody

Crispin Boye Current Favorites

Diddy Kong Racing 9-Virtually Flawless | 4-Rent First Cris got a little carried away after reviewing all of this Mischief Makers Drop what you're doing and We have problems here. month's racing games. He kept challenging coworkers to Magic Knight Rayearth

buy this nearly perfect game Definitely try before you buy

8-Splendid 3-Time Waster

Delivers everything you'd want Playing it for more than 10 in a game, despite minor flaws minutes gives you a migraine

T-Worthy 2-Don't Even Rent

A solid title that you won't The only point in playing this regret buying garbage is to make fun of it

6-Good, Not Great +Flush It Sure, it has its problems, but it's still fun to play

drag races around the parking lot, and he seemed deter- Mega Man X4

mined to launch his Subaru onto the roof of our offices, Favorite Genre: RPG just like in San Francisco Rush. We decided to hide his keys

before he could powerslide his way to an early grave.

Current Favorites Kraig Kujawa

МК 98 This is а hectic time of the year for Kraig. Іп addition to

working on this month's EGM, he's been hacking away Neid (ШІ at the next EGM Guide to Sports Games, the third FGM

Nintendo Book and this year's Buyer's Guide. He says Favorite Genre: Sports he's found the time to take an occasional shower but we

hose him down with the firehose once a week just in case.

Run for your life if you see it, ог use it for a coaster

John Ricciardi Current Favorites NHL 98

It's been a rough month for John, who barely managed to Mischief Makers

recover from the jet lag after last month's trip to Japan. Crash Bandicoot 2

He still hasn't gotten over the fact that his Yankees were Alundra

eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, and his PC Favorite Genre: RPGs bombed just three days after he got his new cable modem. Could things get any worse? Wait until Santa arrives...

Guest Reviewer David Siller Capcom R&D Director

Current Favorites Kelly Rickards Golden Eye 007 а — Castlevania: SotN Kelly's head is still spinning after the 100th issue and the

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee jet lag. Sushi-X's interest in PC gaming seems to have

SSF2 Collection influenced our West Coast editor as Kelly is preparing for Quake Il. We wonder why these two long-time game con- sole players have suddenly opened their minds to the PC. Perhaps it's some weird SF brotherhood connection thing.

David Siller is a 20-year veteran of the video game industry. He started out operating coin-op games and quickly moving into design and development due to his overwhelming passion for this addictive form of entertainment. (He also worked on early issues of EGM.) Having been involved in the devel- opment of over 70 video games, David has vast experience in all types and genres. He is a fanatic gamer, and credits a childlike imagination for his continuing success in this field. He is currently the director of R&D at Capcom Digital Studios where he has many exciting new titles in development.

Current Favorites Street Fighter EX a * This is Sushi's favorite, yet most hated time of year. Not Bust-A-Move 3 only do we get the coolest games for the holidays before Mega Man X4 — anyone else, but we get to work 24/7 on the best mag in Diddy Kong Racing the industry. Unfortunately, this also means Sushi is unable Favorite Genre: Fighting to play as many games as he'd like. He's so busy working, he didn't even get in the shoot for our Holiday Guide!

Current Favorites Resident Evil 2

Gradius Gaiden

Private School Justice

Ayrton Senna Kart Duel Favorite Genre: Side-Scroller

Don't dismiss this out-of-the-blue racer as а Mario Kart 64 clone (although that's certainly not a bad thing). Diddy Kong Racing actually delivers a different —and in some ways more rewarding — gaming experience. For starters, the game packs plenty of Mario 64-esque exploration elements. The overworld, where you travel from one course-filled miniworld to another, is filled with hidden areas, balloons that grant access to later levels and its own racing challenges. And this emphasis on explo- ration carries over to the tracks themselves. The courses— of which there are more than 25—are filled with side roads and hidden, power-up-rich niches. Plus, you get Boss lev- els, multiple tasks to accomplish on each

|| track, four-player racing and Battle Modes—

|| there's just too much cool stuff in Diddy Kong Racing. But best of all are the three vehicles: the go-kart, the hovercraft and the airplane. After you meet certain objectives on each track; you can revisit them withany of the vehicles and discover new shortcuts only those machines can reach. Diddy Kong Racing is also loaded with Rare's now-trademark secret codes and bonus levels, such as an extra miniworld and an entire second quest. To top it ао, the fog-free graphics are the best

|| yet ол ће Nintendo:62-:My only gripe: Like all

! Rare games, this опе ain't easy. Cris pin

[кокк would've come out a year ago, it would almost certainly be my favorite N64 game. It's truly a work of art. This game beats Mario Kart 64 in every department. The gameplay is more balanced and requires more strategy. Тһе) levels are way more interesting. The Adventure Mode is a lot of fun. The only thing it's missing is more battle stages. Four 15 јиз то! enough!

{ OKR could've rated higher, had Mario Kart 64

А not stolen most of its thunder. Dan

If This game is everything Mario Kart 64 shotild’ve been but wasn't. Diddy has lots of hilarious regular and secret characters, loads of levels and some of the best graphics.on the system to date. Leave it to Rare to take full advantage of everything under the N64’s hood (with extra cartridge space to help). | loved the adventure aspect, but | thought:the Bosses were'ünfair borderifig on'impossible-at times (but atleast it has Bosses). Shawn

Some may call this a sequel to Mario Kart 64, and'they will be partially correct; Only a small tidbit of DKR is reminiscent of Mario Kart 64, while the rest remains unique and fresh. The multiple Battle Modes are nice, but the power- ups are sparse. Diddy Kong Racing is far tougher than Mario Kart 64, because of the lack of many items, so some levels require a perfect run to win. This is definitelya game of skill, not flash.

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Ву order of default, Масе: Тһе Dark Age is the best fighting game on the N64. | thought the arcade game was OK and this N64 port serves up a similar experience. The cool polygonal graphics are Mace's strongest feature. Compared to N64 fighting games in the past, Mace's graphics are vibrant and complex. That said, the overall look still isn't as impressive as Soul Blade, a PlayStation game. The players can also pick up, destroy or affect objects in the ring which is sorta neat at first. | did like the way the levels were designed. The danger zones are a cool idea and they certainly look impressive. Peering past the graphics, things started to go downhill fast in Mace. Game con- trol is the most important piece of the puzzle with fighting games and Mace just doesn't deliver the goods the way it should. The com- bos, while cool to look at (like everything else in this game), don't flow smoothly and only seem to work when much flail action is being performed; Тһе whole feel of the control interface seemed to be locked in a yesteryear- zone, back when the 3-D fighting game pio- neers were;still perfecting their art As it stands, Mace does little to convince me that ту beloved N64 is a contender for fighting game bragging rights. Three years.ago Mace would have been a.revolutionary game but today itis merely average. Next. Kell

The arcade version of Mace wasn't a block- büster, so it stands to reason that the N64 ver- sion isn't exactly awe-inspiring. It is, however, a pretty solid fighting game with excellent polygonal graphics. | love the level of difficul- ty, even on easy. The toughest gamers will have а hard time beating Mace their first few games. The Practice Mode, awelcome new feature, will help you overcome thischallenge. Better than the arcade. Sushi

f Don't be fooled by screen shots. This game

looks good standing still but not in motion. The frame rate stinks...| know the Мед сап do better in that department; look at Dark.Rift. But in the gameplay department, Mace beats out anything on the N64...so far. It takes tech- nique to perfect Mace (not just blind button tapping). Since Масе” style is»flashy, it needs a few flashy features, like super combos. Final

note: The Alis way too cheap. Dan

When | first saw Mace | was impressed, but with further play, my impression changed. The frame rate was sluggish a lot of the time, and the moves just didn’t impress me all that much, save the cool fatalities! Mace did fea- ture some nice graphics effects (like the trans- parent foreground so it wouldn’t get in the мау) oí fighting). Other good points-include the funny, but useful Practice Mode and the are- nas. But that’s just not enough.

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Some people might wonder why Mischief Makers rates only a 7.5 with me. Well, a 7.5 is still a good score, so don't worry. The graphics of Mischief Makers are impressive, but not overly interesting. | can only handle so many smiley faces onscreen at once. The Bosses are completely awesome, and comprise the major- ity of the score it received. | could play a game with nothing but the Bosses of Mischief Makers, that's how cool they are. There's noth- ing more exciting than studying a Boss looking for a weakness to exploit, and Mischief Makers does this in a style reminiscent of Metroid. Unfortunately, many of the levels are short and frustrating. This is the biggest problem. The main character has beautiful techniques, from grabbing weapons out of the air, to using the magic jar to make all-new items. Of course, everyone loves the *Shake- Shake" technique. It's a shame a decent play- er can finish the game in under three hours. If allittle more thoüght and preparation went into the level layouts, Mischief Makers would be a top-notch game. As it is, it feels incom- plete—but it's pretty darn good for feeling this way. I'd love to play a sequel with better level designs and hopefully more techniques. The animated story line is OK, but.ittoo could have been improyedShwould rent this for а couple of days.

Once again, Treasure proves they not only

make the weirdest platform games on the planet— but also some of the best. Mischief Makers offers an amazing variety of imagina- tive levels. Some have you solving puzzles) others send you exploring in all directions— One even has you competing in track-and-field events! The Bosses (Treasure's.specialty) rival those in Castlevania: SotN, although the mid- Bosses are often disappointing.

Mischief Makers is a bizarre, well-done plat- form game that won't appeal (огеуегуопе: Its cute gameplay heavily relies/on puzzle solv- ing and mechanics, in addition to the normal reflexes needed for platform games. It took me awhile to get into the game, but once | learned many of its nuances (there are a lot of different moves), it grew on me the more | played it. If you're looking for a-challenging, unique plat- former, Mischief Makers fits the bill Kraig

Wow, Treasure really put a lot of thought into, “How сап we take the side-scrolling platform genre to new heights?” Mischief Makers is one big roller-coaster ride. It keeps introducing new, neVer-before-seen gameplay elements, alWays keeping you on your toes. The game is very challenging, sometimes to the point of frustration. If you're looking for a truly ori;

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MULTI-RACING CHAMP.. 272

POSITION

Publisher: Ocean

Developer: Genki

Featured In: EGM #97

After a long drought, the N64 is finally the recipient of some racing games. Though it's not a bad game, Multi-Racing Championship does have a few problems. First of all, although MRC is riddled with off-road short cuts, Imagineer neutered all the fun out of finding them by placing big ol' signs pointing the way. What's worse, the announcer points out the shortcuts too (his voice can be turned off) and he does this every lap my friends. Call me picky, but what I’m trying to say is this: When I play a racing game with shortcuts, | don't want my hand held through what should be a discovery process. | don't like to compare, but similar to Madden 64, the graphics in MRC are almost PlayStation-ish in their appear- ance. Sure, there's some nifty weather effects like fog and rain (fog on the N64?...surely you jest!) and the polygons lack jagged edges, but the whole experience reminds me of what an Nintendo 64 port of a PlayStation racing game

If you have to own e 6 Champion: hip.

great consid here aren't enough со

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NFL 0B CLUB "98

$ s з un E Publisher: Acclaim

Developer: Iguana

Featured In: EGM #96

QB Club 98 is the first N64 game with hi-res graphics and the results are groundbreaking. You can see more of the field, and everything looks very sharp. Despite this beautiful look, QBC's graphics do have problems. The player models and animation are very awkward as their arms stick too far from their often dispro- portionate bodies. The front-end menus, play- call screen and information windows lack a polished look to them. QB Club's gameplay may be fun for the casual sports gamer, but its weaknesses will be very apparent to football fans. There are a lot of Al and gameplay prob- lems, with the most annoying being that the passing is way too slow. The ball seems to hang in the air forever during a pass, even when you "rifle" it by holding down the but- ton. This sluggish passing gives defenders too much time to close on the ball, resulting in a clutter of players jumping up to catch it while standing in a Stationary, position. That just

I'm not £5 fan aba es аз) оп newbies. It seem:

some of ed out Но:

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REPLAY

NN

SAN FRANCISCO RUSH

Publisher: Midway Developer: Atari Featured In: EGM #100

Atari Games' arcade racer comes home to the Nintendo 64. Not only does this port of San Francisco Rush emulate its big brother well, it includes three additional tracks that the arcade game didn't have (for a total of six in all). My favorite part of the coin-op Rush is the flying jumps, and I’m happy to see the Dukes of Hazzard-action has been left intact. | really enjoy how this game is full of shortcuts off the beaten track, just waiting to be found. It adds realism and gives Rush extra replay value. The graphics are clean and although some fog found its way into this game, it's pretty far away and isn't noticeable in the heat of racing.

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Тһе control is similar to the соіп-ор апа takes some getting used to but once you do, Rush is a blast. Though Rush has a lot of things going} for it, not all is rosy in San Francisco. Aww shucks, there's no delicate way of putting it — the music in Rush bites harder than an attack- ing pit bull. Some of the soundtracks in Rush

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li

Developer: Boss Game Studios

Featured In: EGM #97

Now this is more like it! I've been waiting about a year to play this game, and | am not disappointed. The verdict on Top Gear Rally seems to be kinda split (some EGM editors

|| liked it, while others feel it blows harder than

|| Ol’ Faithful) and | can accept the fact that Top Gear Rally isn’t for everybody. Regardless though, | am one of the guys who truly does

|| enjoy Top Gear Rally. | enjoy the crisp ren- dered texture maps. | enjoy the syrupy-smooth scaling. | especially enjoy the tight control and the way lurid tail slides can be executed at will (Porsche 911-style). Top Gear Rally does have some bugs which freeze the game at times (grrrr) but it's no big deal— тоге playtesters

would've been nice though. At first, the cars in Top Gear Rally are rather slow (indeed, this was what turned off the naysayers most), but with a little patience, persistence, practice and perspiration, you can race the better cars in the later tracks; voila, instant speed. Some of the:weather effects like snow and rain are the best I’ve seen on the Nintendo 64, and while the draw-in seen in the two-player game is a bummer the One-player Mode has no such problems. | don’t usually recommend readers fo rent a game | rate so highly, but it might be a good idea with Top Gear Rally considering

|| the polar differencesiofieditorial opinions.

А Bottom line: This game is shweet! Kell

Top Gear Rally was the top racer for me this month for several reasons, but mainly for its bonus cars and tracks. Here’s another fine example of a game that keeps on being inter- esting, even after you’ve beaten it. The extra cars, like the milk truck, add the fine detail that push it in front of the other racing games I've played so far. If you own:an:N64, and think racers like Mario Kart 64 are too tame for your taste, pick this one up. Sushi

If it weren’t for Diddy Kong Racing, TGR would be the prettiest of this month’s racers. Yet the

|| graphics are so demanding that you're (иску

|| to see more than three cars on screen, so some races сап get a little boring. No big deal, though, cause control is perfect. Five tracks may not seem like much, but they’re super long, and the seasonal weatheneffects add а lot of variety. Plus; ІРІ take you weeks to get to the awesome Strip Mine course. Cris in

| was pleasantly surprised with Top Gear Rally. For a slip-sliding racer (my term for Rally-type games), it's not bad at all. The numerous. options, tracks, cars (normal and secret), shortcuts (that aren’t cheap and help just

|| enough) and weather conditions all put this

|| racer way above the others. It looks and con-

|| trols great. Some of the longer stages drag on quite a bit (the longer the track, the quieter the action) but that’s а small quibble. Dan

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A гате is no more than average.

A overall it’s just not enough for me.

IM where this game is at its best.

WCW vs. NWO is a very slick wrestling game that is loaded with pro wrestling licenses and good 3-D graphics. There is a wealth of differ- ent wrestlers from the WCW and NWO (such as Hulk Hogan, Rick Flair, etc.), in addition to a few extra leagues, and even some boxers that you can toss into the ring. All of these potential combatants have plenty to do in the ring, as many styles of gameplay are offered. They include elimination, league, exhibition, double title and a four-player Battle Royal. Complementing these modes are plenty of dif- ferent customization features that can drasti-

|| cally change the battle. Unfortunately, even

with all of these options and wrestlers, the One-player Modes of this game are all a little slow and boring. There's plenty of moves,

|| counters, special attacks and other things to

do, but the gameplay just isn't all that fun. Interestingly enough, when you get three or four human opponents in the ring at the same

|| time, W€W vs. NWO becomes/an entirely new

game. It suddenly becomes hectic, entertain- ing and funny, like the one-player game should have Бееп п conclusion, there aren't many

|| wrestling games out there, and there's even

fewer good ones. As a multiplayer game, WCW vs. NWO shines brightest, but when it comes down to single-playeraction, this wrestling

Kraig

| This game's а mixed bag. On the down side, it

delivers sluggish action, shoddy graphics (especially the backgrounds) and less-than- exciting one-player gameplay. On the bright side, you get hundreds of moves and dozens of wrestlers (including several from the origi- nal Japanese version, as well as the WCW and NWO:guys). Easily the best feature is the four- player Battle Royale and Tag Team Modes, both of which can ds. pretty crazy. Cris 1

WCW vs. NWO has а ton of options and

|| wrestlers to choose from, but Lgot tired of the

One-player Mode very quickly. The control is tough (why no analog?) and it's hard to pull off the moves you want (randomly pressing the same buttons over and over again will net you different results almost every time). On the plus side, the graphics are excellent and the: Four-player Battle Royale Mode is a blast, but

John

f I've never been а fan of wrestling games, but

this one was fun. | think it was the graphics thatdid it for me. The play was average with only a few things that impressed me. The moves were'mostly standard, although a few times | found myself cringing to ап over-the- head throw! | liked the variety of wrestlers to choose from (with lots of ош ог each on top of that). The four-player battle royale is

Shawn

шоу buy MMM

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Lobotomy

Featured In: EGM #95

OK, here's the standard formula for making most first-person shooters today: make some cool 3-D levels, insert mindless enemies, and let the player go at it. The ONLY things differ- entiating most of these games are the levels and weapons. Duke is no exception. But the good thing is, Duke's levels and weapons are awesome. For two of the episodes, the stages are comprised of all modern-day locations (book stores, office buildings, clubs, etc.), which is very cool. It's the first game to give youa “real life" world you can actually visual- ize. The weapons are also well-designed. They are all very different from one another, which keeps the game interesting (although most of the weapons' uses are better suited for Net Link play— it's way more fun setting a laser trip| mine trap for a friend than an alien). Add ultra- smooth animation to the formula, and you have a perfect game, right? Wrong. Duke 3D's enemy Al is the same as it is in most other

weapons w elivers it all

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a ж — Ther Токо Deimos, / HES GOT LOOKS THAT KİLL, HANDS OF STEEL,

x (A ROTTEN DISPOSITION,

^ (ADD HES ABOUT TO GET MEDIEVAL UPSIDE YOUR HEAD.)

Lord Deimos is just one of the vicious warriors you'll go against in Mace - The Dark Age. Each fighter comes with his or her own deadly weapon and so many different moves and combos that inflicting pain will be easier than ever before. And thanks to the arcade

development of the “ Voodoo Graphics”

chipset, you'll get 3-D fighting as you've never seen before. So pick up Mace - The Dark Age today, But watch out for Lord Deimos - he’s looking for his next victim.

MACE

| Еж t — p- 299

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The Saturn version of Mass Destruction is essentially the same game as the PlayStation one, but with a few added bonuses to make this one better. First and foremost the graph- || ics аге way better on the Saturn. They must be in Hi-res Mode because they look outstand- ing. The interface and mission briefing looked better, too —overall, the Saturn Mass D. was just sharper, cleaner and more colorful. Another big-time plus were the load times on the Saturn—there were next to none com- pared to the slightly annoying ones on the PlayStation. | also noticed that the Saturn one was a tad faster...even in the higher resolution mode! Other than that stuff, | really enjoyed playing through the game. The missions were @ simple most of the time, but hard enough to be a challenge. like the three-step destruc- tion on some of the buildings: A few rockets would blow it up, another few would knock it askew and the final few would topple the roof. | couid'définitely see this onelbecomingia gaming franchise — more sequels with new enhancements. But who knows What ASC has planned? One thing on the Saturn vérsionithat wasn't bettemthan the PS was the intro FMV: It Wasn't good on the PS to begin with and ће Saturn version was even worse (but who Cares —it/only lasts.a minute or two). Overall, a must-have for Saturn fanatics. Shawn

Originally designed for the Saturn, this version of Mass Destruction is bettersthan its Pla Station counterpart. The graphics аге much sharper (due to it being in a higher resolution) and some of һе 3-D textures in the game are better/drawm. Still, there's plenty of room for improvement. Overall, Ма55 Destruction is а fun, mindless shooter. Just don’t expect a lot of gameplay дерип this simplistieromp on tank reads. і

There's something rather appealing about destroyifig everything in sight. Mass Destfuction serves that up in4 Well, masses;

{| Тһе controls are very nice, although | found it eásierto'shoot things straight on (and take several hits) than to turn the turret, Aftera While, as you might have guessed, the action gets real redundant. The different missions

|| offer Some variety, bULitdoest’t detract from the games main id@az mindless action. Dan

Mass Destruction is a mindless game that just doesn’t live up to its potential. With plenty of stuff to blow up and large, colorful Теме, Mass Destruction coulda been а contenda, but the end result is a game that’s in over its head. This may be my anal géne-kicking in again, but feelthat Mass Destruction MIS sionsyare too repetitive and bering/for their own good. I'm sorry but | can't recommend this A same and keep a clear conscience. Kell

MASS DESTRUCTION | > | pu ES Un ,

Ulo»'saure85se'MMM

` MEGAMAN X4 -

: Са d Developer: Capcom

In: EGM #95

Mega Man X4 is the best Mega Man game for the Saturn, hands down. A virtual duplicate of the PlayStation version, Mega Man X4 struts its stuff with Sega style. The option to follow two separate, yet merging story lines using either Mega Man X or Zero is by far the most innovative new feature of the game. Since X and Zero play completely differently, it's like two games in one! Not a bad deal in my book. Once again, the voice acting is not exactly what I'd have liked, but it'll do. Mega Man X still sounds like a wuss. Otherwise, it's perfect for adding the required personality of the Mega Man franchise. Either way, the game is great. You've got a killer story line that has worked for over 15 games, a main character who is cute and rugged at the same time, the coolest power-up interface seen since Gaiares, and HUGE levels. What more could an avid gamer want? Perhaps better level layouts.

vious'gdifiés;. with less level interactions but they are quite large. Luckily, the lively anima- tion distracts from much of X45 shortcomings. Pm eternally glad that the X Series hasn't becomercartoony! As a big fan of this Series,

|| and not so much of the standard set, this new Й title pleases me to no end, even Sans.

Hurricane Kick. Wellgwho wouldn't like some-

Isn't it refreshing to see an old-fashioned side- scrolling вате, once in a while 245 almosta lost art with today’s technology. X4 plays and controls well, is challenging and finally, looks great. Méga Man games, however, do need а change of pace, X4 is the best in the series, but the series is getting old. Perhaps MM is ready to go 3-D (or better yet, 2.5-D, like Pandemonium). Either Way, | hope the next game takes MM to another level:

You сар always count оп a Mega Man game (well, most оет, anyway) to déliver super gameplay and great graphics іп а polished

Package. And Mega Man XA delivers all that,

| except with more variety. You get the option to

play as Zero, по! to mention Way-cool cinemas and an awesome story line. The levels may be Standard stuff for а Mega Man game (except with the best graphics of the series); but | wouldn’t have it any other way. ji

Mega Man Хд offers a nice change of pace (от past games in the X seriesgwith thi ability to play as either X ог его being a huge factor in the вате” replayability The graphics аге some of the best 2-D (һе Saturn has yet seen, and the eut scenes adda lotto the game's overall feel (good voice acting, tool). Admittedly, K4 15 a bit on the easy Side, but it doesn’tdetract from the game too much. X fans will not be disappointed.

CART WORLD SERIES A

Publisher: SCEA

Developer: Sony Interactive Studios

Featured In: EGM #98

| admit, I'm not too familiar with the CART World Series, but | know a good racing game when l play one. Fully licensed, and well рге- sented (officially named tracks, drivers and cars), Sony's new racing game made me inter- ested in this brand of racing that I’ve never paid much attention to. CART strikes a careful balance between realism and fun, which is one of the hardest things to tweak. Some tracks are of standard oval fare, offering racing at breakneck speeds. Others (such as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach), are comprised of tight turns and narrow roads, drastically changing the style of gameplay. If you want to make some alterations to your car to make it better handle a specific track, a car setup screen allows the alterations of your car's wings, tires, fuel and gears. Monkey wrenching| around with the car isn't needed much, since CART's gameplay is easy to jump into (but a little too easy on the forgiving tracks.)

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DRIVING TECHNIQUES _— БА

WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP

Driving a Formula 1 car is like trying to steer a rocket on the earth; it’s easy to simply make it go fast, but it R ING Y requires talent, cleverness and great courage іп become a truly skillful driver. With as much as 700 horsepower ACING STYLES

pushing you from behind, even the simplest maneuver requires all of your concentration and stamina. Even the smallest error can put you in a spin or throw you off the track, causing incalculable damage to your car. Mast

successful Formula 1 drivers have ten years of racing experience under their belts before they reach the top of their field. Mastery of the basics - things that seem insignificant to us lik B hand position, footwork and braking

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Chicanes are kinks in the road that

were usually put in place to force drivers to Many drivers prefer a relatively upright reduce their speed in straight-aways. As always, position that will help them run lines that the goal for the driver is to handle the chicane are very smooth and precise. This is safely, but with minimal reduction in momentum. commonly known as not ‘fighting the car."

To do so, keep the straightest line possible and try not to oversteer the turn.

Other drivers will sit hunched forward in their seat so they can brake at the last possible time in each turn. By attacking

Drivers will try to minimize

how much speed they lose through

a series of fast corners. To stay

as fast as possible, look for the straightest line between two corners,

trying to take the smallest possible turns and reaccelerate as soon

Spins can occur at any speed, whether 30 or 150 miles per hour. This is because it is actually the driver’s actions that cause a spin. Some possible reasons for a spin are a sudden loss of grip of the the curves this way, they can accelerate rear wheels due to a poor racing line, excessive speed, or because earlier, but at the risk of easier sliding

a driver has accelerated too hard out of a turn. and more tire damage.

as you can.

Driver Team Country championship, Paints in 1996 Usually drivers will brake into a turn and not start Ferrari Germany 59 swinging the car around until they reach the far outside of Ferrari England п the corner. This is done өп that the car will be moving in as straight Benetton Erantg 47 a line as possible as the car exits the hairpin, which has the Benetton "AnstHa 21 benefit of allowing the car to quickly reaccelerate out of the turn. Williams England 97 Some of Formula 1'5 mast successful drivers McLaren Finland ЕЈ concentrate sirnplu ап keeping the car as McLaren England 18 balanced as possible in each turn, especiallu Ligier France 13 around fast corners. With perfect balance, Ligier Brazil е these drivers can keep their momentum through Jordan Brazil 14 twistu areas and pick up time on their attacking Jordan England 8 rivals. This technique usually requires drivers Sauber England 4 to keep permanent control of the car's throttle Sauber Germany 7 during the race. Arrows Holland 1 Arrows Brazil Tyrrell Japan Tyrrell Finland 5 Е SAIS i Portugal In this 5-Вепа, the first corner is tighter than the second. Mirari Italy A driver will brake before the first turn and take it wide. Ford Italy As soon as he turns in, he will aim for the apex of the second Ford Italy turn to accelerate out of the next corner. He can reaccelerate immediately after he is done braking into the first corner. 4 NINTENDO:

УМ НОМАН ENTERTAINMENT

Фао product o FIA Formula One Word Championship кене by Formula One да тепаат Inc AL igh reserved. A oer trademarks

= “м. Llbi Soft °

Sweepstakes Rules: 1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, mail the correct answers to the five questions listed above on the entry form, or on а standard-size postcard, containing your name, address and phone number to "F1 Pole Position Sweepstakes", 625 Third Street, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94107. No purchase or payment of any money is necessary to enter. One entry per household. All entries must be handwritten, Mechanically reproduced entries will not be accepted. Entries must be received by January 15, 1998. All entries become exclusive property of Ziff-Davis Inc. and will not be acknowledged or returned. Ziff-Davis assumes no responsibility for lost, mutilated, late, illegible, incomplete, postage-due or misdirected entries. Only one prize per family, organization or household. The answers to the five questions can be found on the F1 Pole Position Poster from Ubi Soft included within this issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. 2. Prizes: 1 Grand Prize: Grand Prize winner receive airfare for 2 to Milan, Italy, from the nearest gateway airport; hotel accommodations for two for 4 days and 3 nights; and admission to the Italian Grand Prix. Grand Prize has an approximate retail value of $7,500. 3 First Prizes: First Prize winners will receive one (1) F1 Pole Position video game. First Prize has an approximate retail value of $69.95. 10 Second Prizes: Second Prize winners will receive one (1) F1 Pole Position T-shirt. Second Prize has an approximate retail value of $95. 15 Third Prizes: Third Prize winners will receive one (1) EGM hat. Third Prize has an approximate retail value of $12.95. 20 Fourth Prizes: Fourth prize winners will receive one (1) EGM mousepad. Fourth Prize has an approximate retail value of $8.95. Winners are responsible for any and all international, federal, state any local taxes. Winners will be determined by a random drawing from all valid entries received by Ziff-Davis whose decisions are final. Drawing to be held on or about January 30, 1998. All prizes will be awarded. All prize winners will be notified by mail. Prize(s) are non-transferable. No substitutions of prize(s) are allowed, except at the option of Sponsor should the featured prize(s) become unavailable. 3. Odds of Winning: The odds of winning will be determined by number of valid entries received. 4. Eligibility: Contest open to residents of United States and Canada. Void іп Rhode Island and Quebec. Non-compliance with the time parameters contained herein or return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. Winners or their legal guardians shall sign an affidavit of eligibility/release of liability /prize accep: tance within 30 days of receipt or forfeit prize. By acceptance of prize, winner(s) agree to the use of their name and/or likeness for purposes of advertising, trade or promotion without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. If a minor wins a travel prize, winner must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian on said travel. Travel companions must sign a liability release. Employees of Ubi Soft Entertainment, Ziff-Davis and their respective affiliates are not eligible. Neither Ubi Soft Entertainment, Ziff-Davis nor their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions or related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes or expenses that consumers might incur as a result of this contest or receipt of prize. Winners accepting prizes agree that all prizes are awarded on the condition that Ubi Soft Entertainment, Ziff-Davis and their agents, representatives and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind result- ing from acceptance, possession or use of the prizes. 5. Winners List: For a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to "F1 Pole Position Sweepstakes Winners List”, 625 Third Street, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94107. Requests for winners lists must be received by February 1, 1998. Allow 4 weeks for delivery of winners list. 6. Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply. 7. Sponsors: This sweepstakes is spon sored solely by Ubi Soft Entertainment. Electronic Gaming Monthly is a trademark and EGM is a registered trademark of Ziff-Davis Inc. F1 Pole Position is an official product of FIA Formula One World Championship licensed by Formula One Administration Limited. 1997 Ubi Soft Entertainment. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holder.

GO TO THE F1 POLE POSITION POSTER FOUND INSIDE THIS DECEMBER ISSUE OF EGM TO FIND THE ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS! To Enter: Send in your answers (or go to www.ubisoft.com), cut along the dotted line and mail to the address below, and you could find yourself at the Italian Grand Prix.

Spin-outs can occur when a driver has too hard out of a turn. For those hairpin turns, drivers will usually into a turn. Which 1996 Formula One driver is from Germany and drives a Sauber?

š - | Which driver only had one championship point for the 1996 season? Ubi Soft ‚ What is the Ubi Soft Web site address?

Include your name, address and telephone number and send to F1 Pole Position 64 Ubi Soft 625 Third St. Third Floor San Francisco, CA 94107

CRASH BANDICOOT 2 — >-

Publisher: SCEA

leveloper: Naughty Dog

Featured In: EGM#98

As you might expect, Crash 2 is incredible. The list of positives outweighs the negatives by leaps and bounds. First you have the graph- ics. They’re easily in the top 10 best on the PlayStation. They're super sharp, colorful and have no awkward break-up. The animation is flawless in both the game and the cinemas. The cinemas are probably some of the best in-game cutscenes I’ve seen (by in-game cutscenes | mean cinemas that use regular game graphics and not FMV). Not only do they look good, they sound good. Naughty Dog got Clancy “Kurgan” Brown from Highlander to do the voices for Neo Cortex. Needless to say, the voice booms...let's be thankful they didn't get Christopher Lambert! The graphic effects Naughty Dog put together are awesome. The reflections, lighting effects and realtime bump that forms on the ground texture when Crash burrows underground are awesome. I like the Warp Room concept that they Huet

me. Some of 5, the game

dware (great graphics! allenging and а

VISUALS. SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY

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Publisher: Fox Interactive

Developer: Argonaut

Featured In: EGM #99

Argonaut has done an impressive job with Croc. The game is basically a 3-D action-plat- former in the vein of Mario 64, but with more action/puzzle elements (and less all-out adventure). For a PlayStation game, it looks excellent. The graphics are completely com- prised of textured polygons, and the game has a strikingly polished look and feel to it. | really like the music too. It's sort of surreal, and reminds me a lot of Ubi Soft's Rayman (anoth- er game with excellent music). | like the level design a lot, and I really like how you have to accomplish certain goals before moving into the secret areas (like finding all of the Crystals and Gobbos on each stage). What I don't like is how most of the game (not all—most) is more or less the same in terms of gameplay. Other than the swimming stages and one or two other areas, there's not much in the way о innovation, which was a little disappointing (I was hoping: for more variety | guess). Also, it's

VISUALS

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INGENUITY REPLAY

Developer: Bandai

Publisher: Bandai

Featured In: EGM #98

Once іп a while, we are graced with a “guru game,” a game that stretches our abilities with a game engine so complex to master, yet simple enough for a beginner, and Dragon Ball GT is one such game. Anyone can pick up the controller and play a few rounds into the game. It will take true fighting masters to unlock the hidden characters, discover the super techniques, and truly beat the game. Modeled after the Dragon Ball anime series, it's no wonder that the programmers put such great detail into the character personalities. Every character has signature moves and hilar- ious taunts based on how bad you trounced your foe. Some may turn from the straightfor- ward game, which is essentially, punch, kick, fireball for every character. Dragon Ball GT really gets fun when you learn the various tricks and techniques. To help you along, you can play the Build-up Mode. In this mode, you getto build your fighter's strength. slowly,

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Developer: NMS Software

Developer: Core Developer: Real Time

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Early versions of Fighting Force didn't have me Just to let you know, I’ve never played the card This one seems like it has been coming out excited at all. | thought a lot of the camera game, but luckily that didn't make much of a forever, but it's here now and that's what views were awkward, the 3-D unnecessary and difference. They've added enough to it to make| counts. | would go as far as to say Mass

the idea played out. Boy, was 1 wrong! This is it completely separate from the card game. Destruction is on the same level as Return Fire.| definitely one of my current favorites. | was Magic: Battlemage really impressed me. | What makes it a bit more fun than Return Fire surprised to find that you only get one life, but admit my initial reaction was a bad one due to is that there's more than capture the flag, but with power-ups, you get used to it. | liked that the stereotypical idea of what | thought Magic then again Mass Destruction doesn't have a the special moves took away energy. It's not a was all about in any form (thanks to Andy Two-player Mode. І had a lot of fun playing new concept, but it certainly added to the Baran of EGM’ fame). After playing the game through this one (although | liked the Saturn challenge level. What's cool about Fighting awhile though, my reaction was proved wrong. one even better). The thing about Mass

Force is that it plays like the old side- The intro FMV looked great, even though the Destruction that's weird is that even though scrolling games of the same nature. Then you wizards look like they're dancing or doing yoga the graphics are more or less untextured poly- might ask, why not just make a 2-D one. Well, or something. The interface and territory gons, it's alright—it works. Other enhance- when the 3-D works, why not go with it? | did description screens are really nice-looking, but ments were added to the game from the earli- notice some slowdown on certain occasions, the duel screens were average —maybe even er versions like transparency to objects

but nothing to worry about. Another thing | below average. Imagine Machine Hunter or obstructing view of your tank. Other effects. noticed is that there really isn't anything in the Loaded on the PlayStation. Now take away any that have been there from the beginning are game that made me say “Wow,” but that's 3-D elements and any lighting effects. That's the cool reflections on water and the intense alright. Thinking back to Final Fight or Streets what the Duel Mode looks like in Magic: The flames from the flamethrower (plus you can of Rage, | don't remember ever really being Gathering. The control took me awhile to get set the enemies on fire). The game featured wowed by them—1 just remember having fun used to, and that was after many hours of just enough levels, and there are undisclosed playing thém. Fighting Force staysitrüe'to'the readiiig'thiemanual! | ended uparéally getting bomüs'objectiyesito add to thexeplaysmweuld- genre With enemy names like Slasherand into the Spell dnd mana system, but admit! ntthave minded seeing a little тоге variety in Snakey —hilarigus! Of course there's a two- һауе а long Way to go beforg | Know all of the landséapes: A couple ofhersmall gripes player option Which adds to the replay a bit. them. Besides the Campaign Mode (which! are thedack of really cool-lgoking Weapons Simple musiethat sits in the background, but prefer), there's the straight Duel Mode. 105 а (only the flamethrower was teally cool-looking) fat Works since the sound effects аге What good Way to Start practicing and learning: АЦ and the lack of other vehicles to choose fram, you Want to hear. Anybody who has been look- about the effect of various spells. recommend | Я but them maybe it would be too.much like

ing Гога solid but simple.game with, old-school| this опе 10 anyone witan open mind to a dif- А Return Fire. As mentioned, а TWo-player Mode

flavor, look no further than this one. Shawn ferent but good “type of game. Shawn T would’Ve been icing on ће cake. Shawn

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Let's face it. Magic the Gathering fans don’t һауе mach Gut there in terms ofVideo games. If you?re а Magic fan, you're gding to Want to. СЕСК this game out regardless of What | say (dd | thiñkiyou should). Battlemage isa very complicated Strategy game that incorporates the card game's flavor well. ВИ if you’ve never played the card game before, you probably would want to skip this опе. The intention is good, but the execution falls short. Dan

| enjoy destroying buildings and pyrotechnic- action іп games as much as the next guy, but something ts missing in MD. Playing the same further, Lfigured out what the missing.ingre- dient is: fun. Although | was intrigued by the concept of MD, the execution Wasa little less г!атогоиз тиеа у. The sad part is that айу elements Of MD (graphics, sowndyeffects, con- trol) аге асшаћу decent but the entire experi- епсе'Богез тє to (ваго, Kell

Much hype has been surrounding Fighting Force for months how, but I’mifiot sure Why. Sure, it's а decent game, complete with 3-D Final Fight action. So whatif there are secrets on eachlarea, like the bars YOU сап rip off doors (0 Use as a weapon. When it comes down/toit, the gameplay becomes repetitive іп about one minute. | was disappointed with the overall numbefof attacks available for

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Fighting Force is the 3-D Streets of Rage-style Even if you're a pro at the Magic phenomenon | ___ This is a lot like Return Fire, with more empha- game I've been Waiting for. It's fun to run (апа | am not) this video game version will f sis on afeade.action. It's fun, but the action around, smashing the skulls of men in black take you a while to learn and master. It's a becomes alittle repetitive as fhe same tech- and throwing them into oncoming traffic. The safe Бе! р appeal to Magic the Gathering’s nigues ate needed to kill each enemy. (swivel peripheral objects in FF are much more interac- avid fans: At the same time, if ll probably turn yOUr tumétiand dodge back afd forth). There's tive than they are in other games in this genre offother gamers, who may find’ Battlemage’s, а lot of Weapons, and some Have very cool (mostithings can be hit or picked up)? bulky іпіеҝ асе and slow-paced gameplay too effects. Unfortunately, the drab 3-D graphics Although FF has cool moves;and:combos the tuyingyon their patience. Suregstinevability to and musi¢ aren't as ітргеѕѕімедівуоц loved controlis a little fl@atyand the 3-Dscamera collect and wield all the game's cards i: | Return Fire, this might be (һе game for you— occasionally blocks the view. Kell inthigdings It’s just Not my thing: Cris Din just'don't'expect it ta Бе as good: Kraig

The name of the game says it all, Think of Mass Destruction as а Loaded-typë shooter withless personality but morê Variety, barely more Variety. The visuals are Sharp, but hon- estly, this game would be nothing without them (especially the excellen explosions ІР Having four different characters and Several graphics !@ауё much to be desired. As faras you're looking for some absolutely mindless special moves for each spicessupithe/game sig- this game |5 concerned, Magigfans\may digit, button mashing fun, then MassePestruction: nificantly. To put икру, if you liked Final but | don’t. It's too confusing of a strategy Ç could be right up your alley. Otherwise, it's Fight, you'll love Fighting Force. Kraig game for my tastes: Kell just BANE above average Dan

Fighting Force is a good 3-D take on the Final Fight series. If you're into those beat-"em-Ups where hordes of seemingly cloned enemies come after you, then this is about as.good as it gets. ТП amount of weapons and thingsiyou сап thfow at the enemies is мету impressive.

Two important facts: I'm not а big fan of card games@nd lixe never played Magic: The Gathering (пог do | plan to in е future) With that oubof the way, let me just ау! had diffi- culty understanding the point of this game, The role-playing overtones aré-cool but the

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MOTO RACER

Developer: Delphine

This slick-looking racer has a lot going for it. Its бо/5о mix of street racing and motocross action gives the game plenty of variety. And— despite minor draw-in problems —the graphics are killer. Few PlayStation racing games deliv-| er such an incredible sense of speed. Still, Moto Racer isn't perfect. Its difficulty curve is a| little off, with the Medium setting seeming nigh impossible the first time you play the game (crash your bike once and you'll be lucky to ever catch up with the pack). The Easy diffi- culty is a little too easy, especially on the dirt tracks. But this flaw doesn't detract much from the game. Your bike controls fairly well with the standard joypad, although | recommend the analog controller. You can choose from eight bikes before each race, even in the mid- dle of a championship season, and each is modeled after a high-performance 'cycle. You can even pull off wheelies and simple show-off tricks by hitting one of the Shoulder Buttons. МоюКасегеопігіп5 the eight tracks from, the РС Version, as well as two PlayStation-only Ones (all Of Which mirror latef On). The tracks take уош ћтоџећ cities, deserts, the country- side even aeross the Great Wall of China! The Split-screen, Two-player Моде 15 also well done (you сап split it vertically or horizontally). i manages to maintaitia,high frame rate with- out losing much detail. i

Crispi

Wow, talk about a surprise! | didn't expect Мо Racer tbe nearly as good as it ended up being. The graphics are awesome, the gameplay is super smooth, and most impor- tantly— it’s fun. Track variety is superb (there are road tracks and motocrass tracks), and controf with Sony's analog pad is just perfect. Heck, even the music is really good. Having CPUpponents in 2Р Mode would’ve been nice, BUF otherwise this game rocks. John

If Moto Racer were the only motorcycle racing game in the world, | would hang Ир my het, met! Sorry, but 1 would rather inhale the fumes of a powerful real-life GP racing machine than play this game! The control was decent, but bad track design and poor plan: ning lead më to believe that real gameplay wasiall anjafterthought. The idea Was good, but the execution falls short of working as well a5 it was originally planned: David

l actually enjoyed playing Moto Racer, Many times, when а racing game (85 to combine different soles of motoring Ait Waters dowh the overall experience. This is dot ће case in Moto Racer. ВО the Motocross aNd Grand Prix motor¢yele racing had its own, distinct look and feel and they both play great, Even better, the gfaphics are good with'smooth textures. Moto Racer isn’t d landmark racer; but itis a good game. Check it out. Kell

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Ко: Developer: ҒА Canada

Just when | thought EA's NHL franchise was оп the decline after last year's "average" NHL 97, they come bouncing back and unleash the greatest hockey game ever made. Bold state- ment, you say? Not really. NHL 98 easily eclipses all competition in every way possible. The polygonal characters move fast and fluid, the interface is sleek and user-friendly (offen- sive and defensive strategies and camera angles can be changed on the fly with the L and R buttons), and more important than any- thing else —this feels like hockey. They've finally got the Al to a respectable level (it's a little easy in Rookie Mode, but true hockey fans will be in love with the Pro and especially All-Star Modes), and the amount of detail that went into making this game realistic is just amazing. Finally (l've waited a LONG time for this), the crowd reacts as they would in real- life—anyone who's been to (or played in) а hockey game knows how much the crowd can contribüte'to.the excitement Onptheyeeyand EA's re-created that perfectly, The play-by-play, while Sometimes a bit lagged, is fantastic—the announcers will talk about specific players: lifetimesfeats, team rivalries and more, This kird Of realism has never before been Терге- sented ій а hockey game, and Цоме „АШ needwiext year is analog.control and classic teams, and I'll be in Hockey Heaven. John

Hoo boy, did EA work some magic on this ћоскеу title: The NHL series isdack with’ vengeance. This stellar gamé is loaded with features, but more importantly it has the fast, fun and furious gameplay that made the Genesis NHL titles popular. Hockey fans will be pleased to experience the great job EA has done in@e-ereating the sights and Sounds of pro hóckey- If you Want to buy а 32°Bit hockey game; look no furtherthen NHS. Kraig

This hockey game is almost perfect, so the few flaws I've noticed really drive me crazy (I hope 99 will Tix these problems). The announcing is ineredible. ІРІ make you feel like you're watch- ing a Ше broadcast. Once іп a while, the Voic- egare late, making the play-by-play a bit out Of sync. It would be nice to consistently hear, УНЕ SCORES!” right when "he":scores; The control is too looses but other than that, | can’t recommend this опеепойећ. Dan

EA's NHLis one of my favorite sports series evet, only tarnished by the NHL96 Пазсо уе пад a hard time getting into ап NHU game Since then. But now, with NHL98; I can finally get drawn into the hockey experience, with bohe-crunching body-checks, fighting, and awesome camera angles that actually tailor the gameplay to your own style! The computer is no slouch, either, Diehard hockey fans like me are challenged for once. Sushi

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NHL FACE OFF 98

Developer: Sony Interactive Studios

Without a doubt, Sony's NHL Face Off 98 is the fastest 32-Bit hockey game thus far. This 3-D game contains all of the speed you'd expect from a NHL game—and more. The polygonal players are very lifelike, comprised of many motion-captured moves. They are also detailed, including player numbers and names on their jerseys. All of this is accomplished while keeping the control tight and responsive (this has been a issue with many recent hock- ey games.) Obviously, Sony has an awesome engine at work here. Face Off has pretty good computer intelligence, but unfortunately a few obvious holes blemish it. The biggest problem lies with the goalies, who let too many pucks into the net. Just be prepared for a few cheap and amazing goals (this was a complaint with last year's Face Off, too.) Despite its problems, the gameplay is still fun and feels like a furi- ous hockey match. The biggest shortcoming of Face Off 98, however, is its subpar atmos- рћете Апу тоскеу fan will tellyotithatthis part'of a game is very important, and here, Face Off fails: Тһе PR announceris annoying, the crowd 15 Very lukewarm and the олсе soundgare boringly average. There justisn’t the feelOfexcitement on the ice that there should be: Otherwise, NHL Басе. ОН 9815 а great hockey gamewibut, only good enough to гапкзесопа best to EAS NHU08: Krai |

I had high,hopes for NHL Face Off 98, but again like fast year, they should've just named the game “NHL AI Off" because that's what it fe ls like. It's far too easy to Win, €Ven.on the hatdesiss@tting, and the game just doesn’t seem anywhere\near as realistic or exciting as EA's far, fal ѕ@регіог NHL 98. I'd like to be'alit- Че more пісе to the game begausesit’s hot bad by any means, but I'm getting tired of the poor Al талу of today’s hockey games. John

Wow, talk about cheap Al. Now | don’t pretend td be the sports game ехрегіо the universe, bût ve Played my fair 5һаге of hockey games. Playing against the CPU skaters in NHL Face Off was/an exercise in frustration. Sure the graphi€s аге great and skating action iS fast and all, Бик ће computer opponent jumped on me with both blades, scoring goals at willand knocking те to (неісе at lighthingsspeed) га recommend NHL 98 instead. Kell

NHL Face Off 98% action is fast and furious. Just аро every sports game gives you loads of options, but | always use the games” default settings for the spirit of competition. Since hockey.arenas, are relatively small, the speed Of Face Өй action is a little foofast for thein size. Between that, and the camera that Views the playfield іп ап semi-overheadsviewpoint, | continually had trouble controlling any kind of offense. What the puck! David

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PGA TOUR 98

Pig

Developer: NuFX

Га sooner lie іп bed and watch Caddyshack than play real golf, but—ironically—I’ve always been a fan of video game versions of this snobby sport. And PGA Tour 98, EA's sec- ond PlayStation installment in the series, doesn't disappoint. It packs pretty much the same sharp graphics as the last game, as well as the same PGA pros (if you care about that sort of thing). But more importantly, it lets you play on more courses, a total of five in all. PGA Tour 98 offers the same game modes as the previous game, including the PGA Tournament, regular stroke play and the Skins Game (sort of a rich man's Bowling for Dollars). New modes include four-player games and a skills challenge, which has you competing to see who can make the longest drive, etc. The main reason l like this series, though, is that it lets you make golf as simple or as complicated as you like. You can switch on a variety of aids to help you improve your swing — while still keep- ingsti&game.challenging. Golf лебјевсал simply wail оп the ball and have fun'(youdbe Surprised) at how relaxing and addicting such a seemingly dull'task can be), while fanatics can tinker with club selection and the degree of draw, fade апа spin they put on their shot. My Main gripe is the load time. Тһе game Stalls {ог asecond/before eaghiswing, making this slow- paced game even slower, i

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After reading the vast list of features in PGA Tour 98,4) Was psyched to givé і game a swing “After all, there are few good 32-Bit golf games. Unfortunately, ІІ be waiting awhile longen aš PGA Tour is a technically flawed title. Golf is а slow enough game, without the long load times.throughout this game (after the swing meter, between eaghyhole, etc): Тһе graphics аге also sdbpammaking. РБА 98 а very disappointing golf game. Кг

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| don't play golf. I'm a gamer, not a.golfer! Nice television-like commentary and loads of options made it easy to гето the ‘action, Maybe {06 easy. It’s more “management” than gameplay! Determine the direction and distané@ of Your shot, then it’s only up to tim- ing the power required. Also annoying are the long load times between the time that you select your swingaind When you асшаШу see it. No birdies, just bogeys. David

Again, I’ve been a fan of PGA Tour series since the original game, but it’s taken until PGA Tour 98710 50 me how far this golfengine has pro- gressed. һе high course detailis spectacular, and the/color commentary is incredibly fielp- ful for/beginners and intermediate players, The only thing that strongly damages PGA TOUT 98 is the constant load times. fomome example, the PlayStation Һа to Pause for мо seconds to calculate your Swing! Sus i

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Developer: Midway

When l selected this game to review, Dan Hsu said he didn't understand what the appeal of this game was. After thinking about it, | replied, "You get to be the bad guy." Now, whether or not that's a psychotic condition of mine or not isn't important, but it holds true for many of us. Rampage is a good deal of fun, and most of it comes from the fact that you're the monster, and you've got a bunch of inno- cent cities to wreck. The PlayStation port of this game is just about arcade perfect, and for those who haven't played the arcade, World Tour is quite an improvement over the original. Within each city there are plenty of things you can do, including finding power- ups, bonuses and country symbols that will alter your path of destruction. There's an incredible amount of levels and secret levels, each reflecting the location they re-create іп one way or another (sometimes humorously). The problem with Rampage: World Tour is that yourprobablyWoh't want to рјау тошећ all of them^The'game'is very entertaining fora few hours, bufafter the novelty Of Being а baddie has мош Off, апа you're 51 Of Seeing another skyscraper blowing up its redundancy makes the гате sour. Thankfully, World Tour does allow for üp to three playetS simultaneously, which breathes someneeded life into it It’s a good game, but 60 repetitive: Krai

| love bash and crash! Although I stilLdon't са for the default control configurationfience you get the hang of it thoughyit’s all уошсаћ ва Why аге these monsters on World Tour? Who cafés! Just smash buildings and keep on ciébbering everything in sight The art style is Strictly mid*80s) Midway, and won't appeal о @veryone,/but the game is fun to play and easy enough to enjoy for minutes or hours. Don't

forget the hard-hat! David

There’s nothing like sitting down and playing a godd old-timegame. It's even better to do it when it has been enhanced, ЫШ has the same feel/as the original. Катраве is.a.lot of тип. Thelgraphics as sprites work, and it has, а lof of little extras like being able-to’ go around fhe world апа becoming other “mutated mon- Sters. On aside note, | bet thatseientist lady would be pretty ho if shèwould justeget rid of

those dorky glasses. Shawn

So many good games this month, and why should Rampage: World Tour be any different? | loved е arcade version, and this transtation does a 2900 job remaining faithfüLto.the series. Шай into a couple of gameplay issues, like the @Verabundance of flyineWwarimachines.| I spent more time eating than destroying the buildings, and | still lost healthyon each level too rapidly to havé ипо Rampage 15 destruction at its best! Sushi

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Developer: Interplay

| remember when Red Asphalt was called Rock and Roll Racing 2. However, this title has lost just about all the spirit and distinction of the SNES game. Where's the cool licensed music? Where's the over-the-top-announcer (com- plete, with an echoing voice). Ill tell you where it all is...gone!... Thats where. RA is basi- cally your run-of-the-mill, futuristic, 3-D, shoot-’em-before-they-shoot-you racer. In truth, I’ve seen this game a million times before and so have you. Keep in mind, I’m not saying Red Asphalt is а bad game, but it is spectacularly average. First of all, the control takes a while to get used to. The steering on the cars has a slight (but noticeable) delay, plus the power-ups seem to engage a hair after each button press. The whole control setup threw off my timing. What’s worse, the later tracks have smarter foes and twistier lay- outs, which only exacerbates the delay prob- lem. Although the game's graphics ran smoothiyiwith one or two cars imffóñtiófiyou (агомЙ@ 25°30 fps is my guess) (неге |5 Some slowdown at times, plus the а design and texture maps aren't that interesting (о look at. AS I said before, the music айй sound effects are nondeseriptas well. Maybe Shoe is right апа Ih just a spoiled, jaded gamer, but | still think this game wouldibe.a great уго sup- plement: Deja vu, revisited. Kell

Red Asphalt is not a good game. | just wanted to get that'intó the clear from the get gohe controls really bad, and whefi you try fo powef slide even the slightest bit, you end up spigning all the way around facing the other way. The interface screen was confusing and super-ktunky, | did like the invincibility you got right after dying, and the art'style of the char- acters wag аМесогие. It Could’Ve been a coo!

game, bubitjust wad fin. Shawn

Here we go with another game that looks great and plays awful. The game's main flaw is its control, No matter which мећјеје | Bought or how many upgrades | slapped onto it, the darn thing Kept spinning out at all (һе wrong times. And While the tracks look соо especially all the animated Scenery in the background), they need more power-ups. | do likesbeing able to upgrade my driver With experience points. But it’s not enough to Held my interest. Cris Di

This reminds me of the first 3DO game, Crash УМ Burn Тћеге are two big problems | have withiRed Asphalt. The first is Же месе con- trgl Which does annoying spifloUtS when you take а шт тасу. The next, is that it’s very ага to See that you're being hit until your car iS Up in flames. Together, they really hurt the gameplay, which is otherwisessolida Тһе graph- ics and music are both cool, but you'ii be bet- ter off With Wipe Out XL: Kraig

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Developer: Сарсот

Come on now. | went out and bought this sup- posed “Director's Cut” of Resident Evil, and when | got home and played it, | found a few slight gameplay enhancements (three difficulty levels, different camera perspectives in certain areas and some new item locations) and a sweet demo of Resident Evil 2. What | didn't find, however, were any "complete uncut and uncensored" cinemas, which were the main reason | wanted to get this new version in the first place. In other words, 1 got pretty much the same game 1 bought last year, but with a free demo. I'm sorry, but that's just not gonna cut it. New games don't come cheap, and when something is advertised as one thing but then sold as another, that raises a serious problem in the eyes of the consumer. Capcom has told us that the reason the game was released in edited form is because of a screw- up that occurred in Japan, but the end result is that the game still got released this way, and many thousands of people Боце With, raised expectations (only to experience certain letdown when they played и Pm sure). Тһе bottom lime? It's our job to review games as is, and іп this case — RE: DC is completely worthy gf the scores it received. Should Capcom re- release the game in the way it was intended; we will review the pewaversion as such. Until then, we Stand firm with our scores: John

Considering | feel RE is a glorified version of Alone in the Dark, this title didn'texactly over- whelm me. Гтпеап, is there adother PS action game thatis slower paced and has worse load- ing times thanResident Evil? Fortunately, the enclosed demo of Resident ЕМІ 2 made it quickly apparent to me that RE2 is gonna rocktStill, all you RE fans who think I’m nuts: сап calm down. It's a good game, just not a great games РЇЇ wait Or the sequel Kell

When І heard about the Director’s Cut | was pretty excited. I'm not a huge fan of the series, but extfa gore is never а bad пе. But then | loaded it üp and found that the original.cine- mas меге Stillintact, and not MUG had changed at all. There are new camera angles and other added,twists, but unless уоште а hardcore fan of Resident Eviljthissone May not be worth the топе Of Course, there's the RE2 demo whiehisinclided.chmmm Shawn

The best thing about Resident Evil; Director's Cut is thé Resident Evil 2 Demo/included'on the additional CD. Otherwise this is the same old Résident Evil with slightly enhanced graph- ics ina really bad move, Directors Cut ISNT ugéensored, Which makes this а Waste of топеу-тне Onlypeople who Should consider buying this are those who don’t own Resident Evil yet. Current owners Of R.E: are basically buying a short demo, Sushi

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MK MYTH. SUB-ZERO

Developer: Midway

When | first heard about Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (MKM:SZ from here on), | was intrigued at the idea of playing through a side-scroller that starred a character from a fighting game. | mean, what better way to develop a character's back story than to let the player live it? Well, as is fairly obvious by my score, | was more than disappointed when | finally got my hands on the final version of the game. Do you remember the old days of the NES when some games were entirely frus- trating because of their horrible control? Well take the worst of the bunch, multiply it by 10, and you һауе MKM:SZ. The control is really that bad. Trying to make important timed jumps is a true test of one's patience, and hav- ing to press a button to turn around is just a royal pain, even though I realize it was neces- sary in order to preserve the fighting-game feel of Mortal Kombat. The graphics are pretty nice, and I really like how you gain experience from fightifiggwhich in turn letssyoliileam.new moves, but the control is terrible and the com- putenAl is pathetic. You can Walk up to stan: dard enemies and stand right in front of them fof several seconds before they even attack, Hello? Are you blind? Ahh, anyway, I'm really let down by this one. Hopefully if they decide to make another gamezin, the MKMiseries, they'll work on the control a bit John

When | heard about this fighting/side-scroller entering development, | was highly skeptical to the point of laughter. To my surprise, MK Mythologies has turned ош to Ве оде. (ће best attempts at mixing fighting, side-serollingsand adventure elements I've ever’seen. The Worst part ig getting used to the awkward controls for tuming around. You needsnimble fingers to play MK Mythologies! The FMV sequences really add à nice touch. Sushi

First let me say that | thought the idea behind this gamê Was really cool. І"п/поГа fan of the MK series, but | thought an MK adventure might just work. | was wrong. The graphics меге Unimpressive and the control was hors па what's up with that turnaround button? Geherally,the enemies were either cheap as all hell, or just plain dumb (theydgiust stand there and not hit you). Тре game is'a теа у го0а concept, but the execution failed. Shawn

As a loyal Street Fighter fan (a franchise | feel is the antithesis of MK) | approached MK Mythologies with curiosity and excitement. 1 figured (selfishly) that even іе game. sucked, Capcom might wise up and do а Ryu- based competitor. Sure enough, the game sucks. True to the Mortal franchise, MKM:SZ features jerky animation, lamesmoyes and dorky characters. Even if you're an MK fan, steer clear of this one: Kell

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Developer: Crystal Dynamics

First things first. Why in the hell did Crystal Dynamics change the characters so much? | mean sure, some time has passed so maybe they grew up, but | don't like the changes at all...| mean why is the main female character So “hot” all of a sudden? Anyway, let's get on to the good stuff —namely, the game. Pandemonium 2 (called Pandy 2 by some) is pretty damn cool. It may be more of the same thing more or less, but it's still good. The graphics are stepped up from the old one, complete with neat-o lighting effects and more crazy panning camera angles. Just like the first one, the views had me wowing again and again. | will say that the sprite graphics in Pandemonium 2 aren't really that impressive. But on top of all the cool 3-D graphics effects in the game, it is a lot of fun to play. When a platform game is done well, regardless of any fancy graphics, it's a joy to play. That's how I felt about Pandemonium 2—the graphics were justxi'BoRiüs; The control was теку оте те when the camera changed, but almost all games that аге in a pseudo 3-D world like Pandemonium 2 is, have this problem! One minute you're.pushing “right,” but then the camera angle changes and “right” |5 now “ир.” Nothing a few plays can’t remedy, but it's still annoying. Pandemonium 2 is а solid

buy for PS owners: Shawn

| loved the first Pandemonium!, and to my complete surprise, the sequel surpasses the original in every way. | don’t like the character design changes (not very important, but һаа tO get о my chest), but the gameplay is tofally innovative and the graphies'are out standing. The stages are long and have some amazing layouts, the Bosses аге-соо!, and the difficulty is just right. Тһе cinemas are a little cheesy, but who cares. Great game. John

Pandemonium 2 improves on the original, whith was а good game іп its own right. Although the FMV cinemas had some cheese factor, the game itself is as solid as a rock. If anything; the pinpoint control of the first game has been improved for Pandemonium 2. The music, while not bad, isn’t as good in Р2 as its predecessor. Attimes, the graphics аге just amazing.and the flamboyant camera angles in P2 ‘impresses me even further. Kell

Despite the obviously overly masculine nature of the video game industry, and even this mag- azine, по game has actually made me cringe like Pandémontum 2. The opening cinema is fairly tasteless, if you know what | теап Ас for the game itself, it's basicallya much larger, more €olofful version of its ancestor. The graphics quality seems to havestaken а turn for] the worse, however, with blockier characters,

and less detail. Sushi

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GAME SHARK

Publisher: InterAct

Developer: Datel

Available For: Nintendo 64

Considering that the Nintendo 64 is still run- ning short on software, the GameShark could be just what you need to renew interest in games you've already beaten a dozen times. Unfortunately, InterAct's $50 peripheral is too lean on codes right now to be of much use. Out of the box, the Game Shark offers a hand- ful of cheats and Easter egg codes— such as infinite health, level skips and special graphic glitches—for an equally small handful of games, the newest being Star Fox 64. So, no, don't expect this thing to open all the secrets in GoldenEye 007 for you. At least not yet. If the N64 Game Shark fares as well as InterAct's PlayStation and Saturn versions, you'll soon have access to hundreds of codes—which you enter and store in the unit's memory—for every game on the system. And that's why I'm giving the peripheral such a decent score. This peripheral has potential. Acquiring new codes is fairly easy. You can find them on InterAct's Gameshark Website (www.gamestiarecom). Those Without Internet access can'subscribe to InterAct'sibismonthly code sheet for $12 a year or call Agoo number that's Updatéd weekly. Oh, and опе more thing. Don’t lef Nintendo КпоуД fold you this, but the GameShark lets you play Japanese games on your American system, Since it extends the cartridge port above the console’s casing.

The GameShark 64 is a pointless thing to review (but | still got а job tó do). А Game- 5ћатк a GameShark. You either want to cheat or you don’t, simple as that. I£ you want to cheat OM the N64, then you have here the ultimafé and most comprehensive tool to help you dê 50. | you don't want to cheat (ке те), then you have no need for thisyperipheral, Other than that, ш а quality product whose support'Wan't go‘aWwaydnytimesoon: Dan

The Game Shark is a great peripheral to own if уоште either A) not very goodsat gamesiin gen- eral, or B) you like to use cheat codes to expand the Ше of your games. Personally, l like it for B but in all honesty, there arent many codes available for the N6g version yet. | emphasize the “yet” because а year from now, that'll all Bê changed, I'm sre. ІП (һе mean- time, its езреста у Worth it if you play import gamê§, û6 it works@s ап асар оо John

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Kinf with aleapital K. Now thatfdinoSaur needs ѓо pass its crown to thé GameShark for the Мб. Тһе GameShark is the one peripheral that canitake your old, boring N64 games that you've beatenla hundred times, and turn them into whole new experiences, You haven't lived Until you’ve made Mario fly forever, jump 10 stories high, or defeat Bowser in one measly hit. A MUSE Rave item: Sushi

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Publisher: Chequemate Tech

Developer: Advanced Tech

Available For: Multiplatform

Unless you just won the state lottery or Mom and Dad are feeling REALLY generous, this device is a waste of your gaming dollar. For $soo think of what you could buy! A new and Ғапсу TV. А new stereo system to make your games rock. Who knows what else. With that said, the real function of the C-3D imaging System may not necessarily be for games. Тһе setup allows you to hook up a standard video device (be it a VCR or game system) and then view it in 3-D. Of course, for optimal perfor- mance, the source should be made for the C- 3D. If not, the 3-D isn't so real. The devices that hook up to the gear pass-through, allow- ing you to still use your TV as you normally would. After you hook up your stuff to it, then plug in the accompanying glasses (that make you look like you're from the future) and you're ready to go. So what about games on this thing? There still aren't any that have been announced so it may be a fruitless venture if that's wWatlyoü have in mind BWhemnmlaying зате Пе €-3D pseudo 3-D Mode, (песо ог got all Screwed up. Blues wefé green, and when adjusted still weren't Бше, PIS, the 8185569 made my eye go screwy after 20 mih- dites; and ê glasses didn't fit quite right Ghd {they weren't adjustable). For the hefty price, whether the technologypis advanced or not, it’s just nota device for gamers, Shawn

For a device this expensive and complex, the 3-D effegt is too subtle. The C-3D Imaging System does work, but don't expect any mira- cles from this box (the 3-D effect is similar to what you've Seen with cardboard glasses Оп television). What’s worse, onê the C-3D was connected to the TV, the colors were never totally right. Using the C-3D wassone big, blur- ry, һеадафе їла исте, templ&sthrobbihg expe- rience. Stay aWay (код во thing! Kell

This $600 unit produces the most incredible 3;D'Visuals [ue ever seen—but only in movies and gamas thatiare designed ќо work With it (namely, е demo tape that dame withthe system)? The fake 3-D effects if produces in. regular gamésjjust aren't consistently con- vincing епошећ. Some games, like Moto Racer, looksfairly 3 D, but most otherssstill look flat, One bonus is that the system boosts your sis- па ава clearer game screen. 1

| just can't see this heavy piece of machinery as a viale peripheral for the avérage gamer. It's јиѕ does do enough toffüstify its very, hefty/price tag (couldn't уои think of several othér things you'd rather spend $600 оп, like sa. Video games? Lots of them): The 3:D effect is.cool, аат. But for most games today, it simply looks like уо@ TV image is sunk into the ТУ се Ой any real games directly support C-30, И ра55. Dan

MSRP

$599.99

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Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo

Available For: Nintendo 64

Nintendo's Rumble Pak brings some much- needed force-feedback action to the home. Used in PCs and arcade machines for quite some time, force-feedback control interfaces (at least the well designed ones) bring a more immersive feel to games and the Rumble Pak is no exception. Although Nintendo's device is very simple compared to, say, Microsoft's new force feedback joystick for the PC (which rocks, literally) or the costly, high-zoot coin-op Systems, the Rumble Pak is relatively cheap. Nintendo claims the Rumble Pak offers nearly an infinite variety of vibration levels. Be that as| it may, the palms of my hand only transferred about three levels of shaky-shaky to my crani- um. The vibration effect in games like Star Fox (used for explosions, turbo boosts and the like) is subtle but noticeable. The high fre- quency shaking was smooth and drawn out like a pager. In GoldenEye, the vibrations ranged from short and precise (when firing pis- (ој) нешу and sharp (мевот! Becomes engulfed in an explosion), While: playing Diddy Kong Racing, | сош feel the vibration trail отг as | drove my kartithrotigh a door Although | wish the unit had more power, | (like the fact that the Rumble Pak is flexible enough to give each game its own feel. A Short battery life andmsiishtiy cheesy look аге my only complaintS with this add-on. Kell

I'm one of the few that isn’t so enamored with the Rumble Pak. | think that’s Because it hasn't realty been USed în a great way yet. Mostly it’s used to Ь@22 you when you fe hit—whoopee! This, however, will probably ¢hange: For éxam- ple, it Йаз been hinted that Zelda 64 will Use it to help you find hidden objects (a caol'idea). For $49.95 you really can't goswrong With this inexpensive peripti@ralibut ‘aside from the’ novelty Î don't gêf MUCH out OF it. Krai 1

| think the Rumble Pak is one of the coolest perípherals'tó.come about in adê теь | Wish Nintendo Would've thought of ft from the beginning and implemented itinto the Né% controller 50 We wouldn't һауе ће added bulk spieking Out ofthe back. Still, iPS got alot oF potential, and I can’t wait to See how 5 used іп Zelda (and other adventure-typegames) | where it might actually benefit the user from having one if while‘playing. John

This completely required peripheral should јиѕ 6 бімеп ау/ау with every Nintendo 6a. Everyone should have опе. [he Rumble Pack takes great games like Goldénkye 007, and transforms them into awesome, immersive experiences. It's а shame that Nintendo didn't think of this 600 пег, so they could channel power through the controller cable, rather than usegbatteries. Still „ће @hhanced game feed- Басі Worth the money. Sushi

MSRP. 51999

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“Тһе only NFL game good enough to put my name on it."

— Jimmy Johnson, Miami Dolphins

Ask Jimmy.

Motivation, game tips, personnel assessment and post-game analysis from Jimmy Johnson.

Coach's Clipboard.”

Create your own custom plays and save them on memory card.

One-Step" Play Calling.

Choosing your play is as simple as pressing a button.

3-D Passing Interface.

An innovative interface provides precise control of passes and kicks.

Fully Licensed.

Real NFL teams, logos and players with authentic play books and formations.

Plus Customize Players and Teams, General Manager Mode, and Adjustable Real-Time Camera Movement Before the Snap.

"There is so much more in my game...so get a move-on and |»

check it ош for yourself! — Jimmy Johnson

KIDS TO ADULTS

“қ \ KN iene

PlayStation

© 1997 Interplay Productions. All rights reserved. VR Sports, VR Football and The Difference Is Real are trademarks of Interplay Productions. All rights reserved. Exclusively licensed and distributed by Interplay Productions. Developed by Padded Cell Studios, a subdivision of Game Tek, Inc. Jimmy Johnson is a trademark of Golden Cane Enterprises. The NFL shield design is a registered trademark of the National Football League. TM/O 1997 NFL!

Back-to-Back Super Bowl Championships Four-Time NFL *Coach of the Year" 36 Consecutive NCAA Victories

FOOTBALL OE’

Start Taking Notes.

EDITORS’ PICKS OF THE MONTH GAMING

5 Ө 10 @

БУ, Editors' Choice Award con) Editors choice award | 7 (се) % Consecutive Months Оп Тһе Chart п е Rank Number

por ucc w c ww (= | X x Ww wow

camine and EGM? _ NUS masinas x ІШ

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COM IMS VOUT Waly UNIS Га

Hey Gamers! This time of year there аге so many cool games coming our way it's hard to find enough space to tell you about 'em all. That's why we һауе EGM апа EGM? special issues like the 1998 Video Game Buyer’s Guide, Guide to Sports Video Games and Video Games for the Nintendo 64. Although these mags are created by your favorite EGM and EGM? editors, they contain lots of information not found in the pages of EGM and EGM?. Let me tell you a little about each...

BUYE

On Sale Nov. 11, 1997

VIDEO GAMES

FOR THE NINTENDO 64

On Sale Nov. 25, 1997

1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide Put together by Dan Hsu and the rest of the Review Crew, this mag tells you our pick for this year's best system and which games you should buy! We also have our Good, Bad and Silly look back on the gaming industry, along with a massive trick index and game review chart with over 1,300 games listed and rated! Plus, go behind the scenes with Shigeru Miyamoto on

the future of Nintendo, and take a top-secret look at the world of video game-controller design.

Video Games for Nintendo 64 Written by brand-spankin' new Review Crew guy (and Nintendo-book veteran) John Ricciardi, this mag has everything you've ever wanted to know about the N64. It's packed with reviews of all the new N64 games, previews of more than 20 hot new titles, a huge tips-and-tricks section and— best of all—strategy guides for all of your favorite games. John just got back from Japan with the latest Nintendo news, and he's itchin' to unload it all in this special issue.

Sports Video Games Tired of watching the other team make all the big plays? Want to know which sports games you should even bother playing? EGM's guide will satisfy all of your sports-gaming needs with comprehensive strategies, interviews, in-depth previews and a hard-hitting review lineup of the ultimate sports titles. Watch for the huge Madden 64 behind-the-scenes blowout and an interview with legendary Q-back Brett Favre. EGM's armchair jock Kraig Kujawa is writing

this sucker, which focuses mainly on football, basketball and hockey titles. Watch for it!

On Sale Dec. 2, 1997

Crispin Boyer EGM Review Crew Features Editor

Don't forget to look for our newest title... Official

PlayStation

Magazine

Available Today!

ж. 2 желет RE А

Ми

0fficially licensed by PlayStation! | Complete steering wheel, accelerator, brake and stick shift system! 4-way D-pad plus 8 programmable digital action buttons. Incredible 270? wheel rotation.

© 1997 Mad Catz Inc. Mad Catz™ and the Mad Catz logo are trademarks of Mad Catz Inc. All other trademarks and/or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. PlayStation™ and the PlayStation logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment America. Nintendo 64% is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America, Inc.

Sometimes, to achieve perfect control, you've got to get a little out of control. We at Team Mad Catz take pride in going the distance for you and your game. You want perfect replication of the high-speed e experience. We did it. The real wheel — for PlayStation and Nintendo 64. ! neans

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To call it a driving game Is flight

SONY KDS TO ADULTS

PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. © 1997 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche and the Porsche Crest are registered әле EERE trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG. © 1997 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Not long ago, Porsche came to us to develop a driving game featuring their new Boxster’ automobile. Needless to say, we accepted. So what do you get when you puta bunch of PlayStation" guys and Porsche guys іп a room together? This: the opportunity to take a Porsche Boxster through open-road environ- ments and onto tracks like Stuttgart and stomp on the accelerator until your heart begins to Еби аге, Just try to remember, its only a game.

тутт

=

PlayStation ™

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PLAYSTATION™

Yes, the Trickman is up to his antics once more. Now that Terry is

This on his own again, he has a lot of time on his hands. His cooking Win Games and

Christmas, experiments just leave the kitchen a mess, and when he tries to Accessories for 4 ! get his cat, Oscar, to taste his creations, the furball just runs away Tricks! Trickman and hides under the bed! Terry’s pad is a major disaster and it’s your Iricks:

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[d

Terry also no surprise that the Trickmeister is If your trick is select- in financial hot water again by purchas- š il ed as the Trick of the

needs the ing another computer. Staying up most Р J Month, you will win ift of a nights and playing online games does- н 3 free Caesar

^ n't do his limited brain any good. 5 > БЕДЕ ES MEET real life! Will the insanity never end? Trickman Î if you are given credit

Christmas. You can help him meet

trick in this section, you will win a free game. Gaze at the

his goals by sending in your gift tiny text below, so you can get all the of awesome tricks to: details on the free stuff.

(9 Terry is asking for а new life this : for submitting а hot

1920 Highland Avenue, #222

Trick of

he Month

Fantastic Four SECRET CHEAT MENU

This trick will get you a Cheat Menu that gives you four more options in the Options Screen. Just go to the Main Menu with The Thing's face, and access the Options Menu. Inside this screen, highlight “Training” and then press all four Shift buttons at once (Li+L2+Ri+R2). The new options will appear underneath the Training Option. These include Invincible, Level Skip, Big Boy and Free Play. All of them have meters with Off and On switches, with the exception of Big Boy, which has a meter where you can grow. or shrink your character.

Aaron Price

-via the

tr v all Internet TRAINING = =

INVINCIBLE ê

LEVEL skip f TE BIG Boy —

ЕВЕЕ PLAY — The four new options will appear. Turn them on or off.

Put the Big Boy option on 3. The characters will be huge!

(Есм\ 218

NOTE: If you send your trick by Tricks of the Trade e-mail you must include your real name, address, city, state and zip code. Lombard, IL 60148 Contest Rules: or send e-mail to: tricks@zd.com

ў GENE | “е PLAY MODE E5

229) ай TRAINING ج‎

From the Main Menu, highlight | Go down, highlight the Training and choose the “Options.” Option, then do the trick.

DARANOMIAN TEMPLE

аушы

5 From this menu, highlight the As à o mme o dd youto

Oddworld: Abe' s 0 ду: CHEAT BUTTON COMBINATIONS pen I

The first two of these are accessed by hig ing the Option at the Main Menu. After done, do these tricks: Movie: While holding R1, press Up, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Triangle, Square, Right, Up, Right. While holding R1, press

—— MON THE [m

Acdaim ....... оа DD СЫС ss 7, 188-89 www.acclaimnation.com

Accolade ‚..............;.........> 94-95, 127 www.accolade.com

KALE еее a a ene st... an [o 167 www.actlab.com

Actvision . . www.activision.com Alps Electric. . . www.interactive.alp: ASC Games Www.ascgames.com

АБСЕ Е о [en 31, 169, 226-27

.atlus.com

Bandai .

www.bandai.com

IBRESSOMWaL@ LI е о УШКА, 237

www.bresoftware.com

Py am Inc. Сарсот

www.capcom.com

О ОСЫ Га нерава на s a ОУ ОД 233

www.cdmag.com/chips.html

Crystal Dynamics. . 100-01 www.crystald.com

БОН eee en d DT UD DENS (2-3, 32-33, 38-39 www.eidosinteractive.com

Electronic Аг5............................ 41-43 WWW.EA.com

Filio ll. s... a m Sie А 241 www.funcoland.com

Game Сауе....-.-......................... 244 www.gamecave.com

Game Express ......................›ь--„» 245 www.gexpress.com

GT Interactive ЕМ.................. 19, 111, 144-45 www.gtinteractive.com

КОЙШ E 242

www.innovation1.com Interact Accessories . . WWW. Шаты com

Interplay Productions............... 138-39, 206-07 МЕЗІ im erpla .com Japan Video Games .

. . 84-85, 246-47

. 240 ..8-9

MGN/UA ЈЕ 60-61

www.midway.com Naki Ітегпайопа|........................... 87 www.nakiusa.com Namco .. 2

www.nintendo.com Pandemonium . Pepsi-Cola. www.pepsi.com Philips Immersive Products . Playmates

WWW. playmatestoys.com

Polygram РЕСЕ ЕЕ 91 АНЫ у polygrán: us.com

Реувповб ы tian inane 89, 130-31, 133, 171-74, 220-21 WWW.psygnosis.com

Reality КАП ДУК РЕД ЕДИ рал дА БАЙЫШЫ 196-97 www.theglove.com

Samsung .. 122-23

71 . 22-23,116-17,141,154-55,180-81,183,216-17 Www.sony.com Tecmo www.tecmo.co.jp T*HQ,|nc.......................... 109, 137, 187

(ШТ АРАН ЫЫЫ ае чи vos sa Qa Xa e asla a RE E 49 www.titusgames.com

TVT Records. . d . n erst 20th Century Fo; 115, 47 www.foxinteractive.com

ОВОС иеа», awa сы 35, 176-77 www.ubisoft.com

Video Systems. . ..M3 Virgin Interactive . 107 www.vie.com

g Designs. . 103, 105

www.workingdesig:

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stitched on back, adjustable plastic snap-strap:

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“G Police. one ot ше most amazing-looking titles ever seen on the PlayStation.”

~ Electronic Gaming Monthly You are Jeff Slater, 21st Century cop. Fly your Havoc gun ship on 35 missions through 51 of Callisto's domed environments. You have Пу-апумћеге 360° maneuverability and tons of firepower. Serve & protect.

staTeR [NV ФЕЈ ~ tere, on Ë RETURN TO > THE HORIZON!

FORMATION!!

A SQUEEZING, SQUEEZING, SQUEEZING...

NFL Gameday 98

At the Main Menu Screen, access the Options, then choose Easter eggs. Now pick the “Add Entry" Option and enter one of these cheats: credits — Shows credits

equal teams — All players equal quiet crowd — Crowd quieter

busy ref— Lots of unfair penalties loud mouth — Loud PA announcer blind ref—Ref doesn't call Pl or personal fouls

crunch time — Louder hit noises big foot— Long field goals

gloves —Great hands for receivers toast— Bad pass coverage

leech — Great pass coverage hatchet— Forearm shiver is juiced bettis — Shoulder charge is juiced juice — Hyper speed burst

jack hammer — Super stiff arm

rejection — Defensive jump is higher a

flea circus — Players are tiny and quick

| POWERPLAY.98 |

START САМЕ CONTINÜE,GAME QUICK

‘CHOOSE LANGUAGI LOAD PREFERENCES:

e

At the Main Menu, select "Start Game" and enter it.

Choose an Exhibition game and hold the main buttons.

EXHIBITION SEASON

After the screens load in, you will see the two new teams!

NHL Powerplay 98

trick will give you two hidden teams normal- ly not available in the game. On the Main Menu Screen, choose the “Start Game” Option. On the next screen, choose “Exhibition” and then hold the X, Triangle, Square and Circle buttons until the next screen loads in. Once the Team Select Screen appears, let go

watery ai— Catch-up speed high; pursuit angles

are wrong virtual polygons — Flat players humongous —All players are huge thin air—Special stadium and teams

of the buttons and scroll through the teams on the first or second controller, and you'll find that you can choose two new teams; the Virgin Blasters and the Rad Army. Both of these teams have a high rating, so you will be sure to do well with either one of them.

Norma Velvikis -via the Internet

look ma— Players have stumps for arms | horsemen—Players һауе no heads ису с": show off —CPU does only High Steps B Бери қ.

gd challenge— Hidden difficulty level | (

deep gray — CPU remembers 30 plays cpu offense— CPU offense gets a speed juice | cpu defense —CPU defense gets a speed juice | psychic— CPU cheats on every play call

fire drill — Player and ball speed are very high

nyse—Swim moves are juiced

pur " ға " и. POWER ensen coos 7 + = с ~ а py ro Өмен ' СЛ? UR

| c Сто = CES. contre atom oastor ads 1998 sched кл з ó

In the Options Screen, goto the Add up to 10 codes at a time

"Easter eggs" at the bottom. to combine the best cheats!

All of your players will turn into nets once you enter the code!

Q

Screen and then select your teams of choice. At the Name Entry Screen, put in the password: NETHOCKEY. Now when you begin your game, all of the players on both teams will look like hockey goals! Wiktor Jozwik Philadelphia, PA

Excalibur 2555 A.D. |

Апу time during the game, press Start to pause. Now press Square, Circle, Square, Triangle, Circle, Triangle, Triangle, Triangle. Now unpause the game and the Screen will change to the Level Complete | animation. You will then be awarded with I the password for that level, and be trans- ported to the next.

—via the Internet

(Note: This trick works on the preproduction, version of the game and is subject to change.)

Pause the game and do the trick. The “Level Complete” animation will play.

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Trickman' 5 Reference Guide

Scud: The Disposable Assassin SAT

Soviet Strike

Street Fighter Alpha 2 Test Drive: Off-Road TNN MS. Hardcore

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Independence Day

Int. Superstar Soccer Mario Kart 64 MechWarrior ЇЇ

Mega Man 8

PS. Underground No. 1

Test Drive: Off-Road Thunder Truck Rally TNN Hardcore 4X4 Tobal 2

Twisted Metal 2 War Gods

Wild Arms

Codename: Tenka Daytona USA: CCE

Die Hard Trilogy Hexen

Machine Head

Magic Carpet

PS. Underground No. 2 Robotron X

Star Wars: Sot

Ten Pin Alley

Lost World: Jurassic Park 2 A

Just go to the Password Screen where it says, “Input DNA Sequence” and enter the fol- lowing to enable the codes.

Use this key to decipher the cheats.

S=Square, X=X, C=Circle and T=Triangle.

To Activate Level Select enter: S, X, GT, T, X, S, С, T, C, X, S. This must be done three times to work. These level codes will start your game out with 99 lives and all DNA.

SAT Star Fox 64

PS Tigershark

P5 Tobal 2

PS War Gods

PS WCW vs. the World

Ball Blazer Champions Command & Conquer Fade to Black Independence Day MechWarrior ||

Mega Man 8

Nanotek Warrior Need for Speed 2 Soviet Strike

PS/SAT

PS NHL97 PS Peak Performance PS Pitball PS Star Wars: SotE N64 Е EX«Alpha Three Dirty Dwarves Triple Play 78 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Xevious 30/6+

Darklight Conflict

Dark Rift

Dynasty Warriors

Jet Moto

K-1: The Arena Fighters Namco Museum Vol. 4 NBA Hangtime

б

Select апу male ninja from the Character Select Screen.

This guide is a reference to all

) ofthe game codes printed within the last six months of EGM. Note: This does not include GameShark codes or any other codes that use a peripheral attachment. Look for the update in next month's Tricks of the Trade.

64 Independence Day Mega Man 8

Need for Speed 2 Norse by Norsewest Peak Performance Triple Play 98

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter War Gods

Wing Commander IV

#100

NBA Hangtime

NCAA Football 98

NFL GameDay 98

Ogre Battle Pandemonium!

Street Fighter EX+Alpha Tetrisphere

Warcraft Il: The Dark Saga

Brahma Force

Bug Too!

Buster Bros. Collection Descent Maximum Die Hard Arcade

Die Hard Trilogy Disruptor

Doom

FIFA Soccer 64

Battle Monsters Carnage Heart

The Crow

Excalibur 2555 A.D. GoldenEye 007

Hercs Adventures

КЕ The Arena Fighters Machine Hunter Marvel Super Heroes Mortal Kombat Trilogy

7 Т cnoose roon DESIT [371 | 5 1080 (ңа | Ñ ‘a 4 : E T A шаш = to + #2 EE A6

When this screen says “Loading,” do the trick.

This will give you Chameleon; the multininja!

Mortal Kombat Trilogy

To play as Chameleon in the game, choose any male ninja from the Character Select Screen.

When asked to choose your destiny, pick any dif-

ficulty level and when “Loading” appears on the screen, press and hold High Punch+ High Kick+Run+Block+Left (for player one) or +Right (for player two).

Compsognathus: X, X, C, T, S, X, S, X, C, S,

Т, 5. Human Hunter: S, Velociraptor: X, X, Human Prey: S, S, T, C, X, X, Tyrannosaurus Rex: X, X, C, LS To access the Gallery Levels ent Compsognathus Gallery: S, S, Human Hunter Gallery: Х, X, С, Velociraptor Gallery: S, S, T, Tyrannosaurus Rex: T, T,

(GMN Human Prey Gallery: T,

S,T, Ç, X, C,T, 5, X, Т, С, X, X,

At the Password Screen, enter the correct button combinations.

You

Once the game level loads, your ninja will turn into Chameleon. He will switch between the different male ninja characters at random, giving you a variety of moves for the entire set of matches. Wiktor Jozwik Philadelphia, PA

RAPTOR GALLERY

You can also access the galleries with the codes shown,

can start the game with 99 lives and all DNA with the code.

Warcraft Il: The Dark Saga

MANY INCREDIBLE CHEATS A

Last month there were some

incredible cheats for this game. Now, here are even more codes to enhance its play value. Just go to the Password Screen specified by the set of cheats and enter them at the Password Screen for the results shown below:

Gameplay Cheats: (Enter these while paused in the middle of play at the Password Screen)

Game Victory - NTTCLNS

Game Loss - YPTFLWRM

Don’t End Game - NVRWNNR

Easier Lumber - HTCHTXNS

FMVs: (Enter these at the Main Menu Password Screen)

New Opening - CLMX

TOD Opening - TDPNNG Human TOD Act II - HKHZMD Human TOD Act Ill - NRTHLN Human TOD Act IV - RTNTZR Human TOD Victory - HTDVCT Orc TOD Act Il - RCKHZM

Orc TOD Act III - QLTHLS

Orc TOD Act IV - TDSFDR

Orc TOD Victory - RCTDVC DP Opening - DPPNNG Human DP Act 11 - DRNRTH Human DP Act IIl - HWRNTH Human DP Act IV - HMSRFV Human DP Victory - HDPVCT Orc DP Act I| - BRNNGF

Orc DP Act Ill - RCGRTS

Orc DP Act IV - PRLDTN

Orc DP Victory - RCDPVC

Missions: (Enter these on the Main Menu or Pause Screen Password Options)

Human TOD 1 - HLLBRD Human TOD 2 - MBSHTM Human TOD 3 - HSTHSH Human TOD 4 - TTCKNZ Human TOD 5 - HTLBRD Human TOD 6 - DNLGZ Human TOD 7 - GRMBTL Human TOD 8 - TYRHND Human TOD 9 - BTTLTD Human TOD 10 - PRSNRS Human TOD 11 - BTRYLN Human TOD 12 - BTTLTC Human TOD 13 - SSLTNB Human TOD 14 - GRTPRT Orc TOD 1 - ZLDR

Orc TOD 2 - RDTHLL

Orc TOD 3 - RCSTHS

Orc TOD 4 - SSLTNH

Orc TOD 5 - RCTLBR

Orc TOD 6 - BDLNDS

Orc TOD 7 - FLLFST

Orc TOD 8 - RNSTNT

Orc TOD 9 - RZNGFT

Orc TOD 10 - DSTRCT

Orc TOD 11 - DDRSSQ Orc TOD 12 - TMBFSR Orc TOD 13 -SGFDLR

Orc TOD 14 - FLLFLR

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