pm NEQ.
o G A И пале он SAND
INS RWS
7) ‘GRAZ ү TAXIS у
THE FIRST;/MUST-BUY, DREAMCAST; GAME ЕОН 2000
ыш иннин нинин нинин нин иин н WIN! Peripherals
nx Round-Up
CADE We make choosing the AR AINE! best add-ons
h inf SEN Perfect Dark "ето тото Is Pinball Really Dead?
FindOut on page 166
EGM 127
кт ruary 2000 —
апаа;
0"714024'06960
THE WORLD'S #1 VIDEO GAMES MAGAZINE FOR 10 YEARS
"The Critics have Spoken on the
Action / Adventure Game of the Year!" .
nical achievement. Soul Кег delivers an epic f vampiric Шегатиге...93%"
— IGN.com Va à
"Soul Reaver is a р дате
possessed ith a riad of - impressive little t ез... -9/ о"
"08%" : — PS Extreme Magazi
T As Raziel, stalk Nosgoth feeding on the souls of your enemies
| Engage your creator, Kain, 4 in an epic struggle for dominance
| Dark gothic story
| РБ t No load ums
£8 Sega(9 Dreamcast.
У | end 2
EIDOS сео
IN T E п A сати E ~ =
p
eidos.com
6Fw5 HP 45/58
TS = MEET MONSTERS
24F w19 Fp 140110 487%
пу оїһег familiar characters.
e and battle in а variety of mysterious dungeons hich randomly change each time you hem.
Challenge dangerous monsters. over your companions secrets. over untold magical treasures.
may never see daylight again.
© 1998, 2000 Square Co., Ltd. Ali rights reserved, FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ‘SOFT, and the SQUARESOFT logos are registered trademarks of Square Co... Ltd. Chocobo's Dungeon is a trademark of Square Co., Ltd. U.S. Patent No. 5390937, 5649862. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the interactive Digital Software Association.
= ON ом = REC ge ai dn 5- у Ж OFF DEFEAT Ж
40
m "MARIO ‚ 000 PARTY2
VIDEO IN . L- AUDIO IN - R
| | | | || | | f | |
Mild Animated Violence| www.nintendo.com © 1999, 2000 Nintendo/HUDSON SOFT. ™, ® and the "N" Logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. 1999 Nintendo of America Inc. Game and System sold separately.
POWER TAPE EGUALIZER 248-2 $
€ [ [ [ [ [
-1- —-|1-, i وص -i- —- => i=
а - a= === === —2— 2- 7
= = - - - - - - = = 2 ». 5 ке 3 2 3 Ра } Le -4— 4- —4— 4— = 4- —4 4- 9 54 –5= -5- 54 5— B= =$ 5=
29 ~ 1 c
5 new adventure boards and
r- TUNING A AUX DOWN UP | | | VIDEO1/ 51CH/BAND
fun you'll have at a party without being grounded.
MEMORY A— COUNTER —В
en noon > > nnnrn
By John Davison • john. davisonGzd.com
ELECTRONIC Number 13.2
CAMINC february 2000
www.videogames.com EDITORIAL Group Publisher Editon al Director Funk * joe_funk@zd.com у L t Th Di EU In hief Arcades: Don't Let Them Die iy nero antag Ser * dean_hager@zd.com Ires. ed tor F Preview tai Зоуег • crispin_boyer@zd.com o...were the holidays good to you this games as Crazy Taxi—or even Soul Calibur or М а цео, сот year? How many of you took the plunge Tekken. We discuss this topic at some length in NE Д BUE OBERE | smithGzd.com and got a Dreamcast? We're eager to find this month's Final Word on page 196, but it's N бе mte ӨГ rM out what you think...but to help you feel something that we're keen to get everyone Б he Ls Mare made by: even better about your new machine мете talking, thinking about and acting upon. Let us ES ters Bob Sie ы CR pleased to be able to bring you a huge feature on know your thoughts by e-mailing us at feiss ice E Ы EN what is sure to be the first mega-hit of 2000 for ЕСМ@24.сот, mark your messages ‘Arcade’. News edio ИШ [24] derer б, fag Johnston • chris_johnston@zd.com i
“without them (arcades) we would never be treated to we Йи падао
E x a s = lataru Ке ата • wat_maruyama@zd.com such glorious games as Crazy Taxi-or even Soul Calibur. ет р.
зеп ЧА, Director
the system...Sega’s incredible Crazy Taxi. Due Elsewhere this month we have all sorts of * cyril_wochok@zd.com | out on Feb. 1, this could Бе one of the finest goodies for you. We have the latest shots of тарен burwell@zd.com arcade-to-home conversions we've ever seen. Perfect Dark for you to oogle at (only a couple of Oddly, Crazy Taxi is at the heart of something of months to go now!), plus coverage on another i meer amen д, a theme for this month's issue. Arcades have long superb Dreamcast game—Resident Evil Code: ойе lean кыа been in дес те, but with each passing month it Veronica. This is undoubtedly the best-looking yoke ЛА seems that another significant portion dies a new game in the series, and we feel it’s the ‘true’ Managing C any Editor. terrible death. Last month we reported on the sequel to RE2. соруш во death of Pinball—and this issue we bring you Elsewhere you'll find lots of post-Christmas Producion Director a more in-depth look at this disappointing buying advice, the core of which is our ‘Best Of Senior Pr e 5 Manager development. If such a long-standing bastion of Power Tools' peripherals feature. Regardless of s, Peter зве а gaming can be allowed to die...what does that what system you have, or what you invested in педа анан mean for the rest of the arcade business? There over the holiday period, we have the definitive Police jeden. poko ue can be no doubt that they have been the very list of peripherals that you should consider M eid | lifeblood of our industry for years—and without investing in. There’s lots of junk out there...so Vice President/ZD Game Group them we would never be treated to such glorious take heed. John Davison ‘Dale Strani
Business Directoy - E
Icinerney ска atl len От Uis tor
H H H Senior Nev [M Sales Manager Contributing Writers шо тш UMBER: 87 БРО поп. Service Wel We i
Advgrtisin Б e dung Contact:
59, кае treet, zat По, ап Francisco, CA 94105, со н опе: ite Publisher 8783 Fax: 415-547-877 ЊЕ 15 e-mail: suzie@zd.com Nati nal i ро Northwest е- ШЕ anton eorge@zd.com Ассорти К ЁТ HQ ФУ, 1 8782 pes) mani gray@zd.com с! ms Southwest Karen ca
а а aren landonQzd.com TUUM Duthwest, Midwest & East Coast
-8781 e-mail: linda. ا ed. com Manager, Midwest & East Coast
ЖОПЫ ЗО 630: 2 :9010
No longer a resident of the Big Apple, our intrepid hero James recently relocated to the West Coast to take up a position at our sister publication, www.videogames.com. Watch for his name there on everything from previews to news and (as ever) on the letters pages too. Write to him at letters@videogames.com.
Tell him we sent you.
Michael Price
Mike is our new resident ‘real life’ Notice the James Bond-like glint in Sen ҮШ ting Manager 0 Creative Director violence expert. A black belt in the eyes, the wry smile and those e-mail: rey_ledda@zd.com
more martial arts than we knew pouting lips. Young Andrew knows Ass E irector 7
actually existed—not to mention his stuff...and he's a looker too. E 93s e e-mail: sat sharmaQzd.com being the AIC light-heavyweight Come on ladies, if you're interested uu Ate
kickboxing champion and star of an in the youngest member of our 57-9 930 Е -mail: tipleri ubbelohde@zd.com | upcoming chop-socky flick—Mike team, make sure you catch him S s void Magen
landed his contributor gig after quick. E-mail us at EGM@zd.com SS um LITE
impressing us with his vast gaming knowledge and threatening to jam our noses into our brains.
and we'll guarantee that your proclamations of love and lust make it Andrew's way.
bo prod Coordinator Teka 5-357-5428 email: teresa_newson@zd.com
Founder Я teve Harris
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (ISSN #1058-918%) is published monthly by 20 Inc., P.O. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338. Periodicals Class Postage Paid at Lombard, IL and additional mailing offices. Single Issue rates: $4.99. The one year (12 issue) subscription Tate is $24.97 in the U.S. and $40.97 outside the U.S. Checks must be made payable in U.S. currency only to Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Electronic Gaming Monthly, P.O. Box 55722, Boulder, CO 80322-5722. For Subscription service questions, call (303) 665-8930 (U.S. Only) end (303) 604-7445 outside the U.S. or visit us at our subscription Web site at htp://service.egmmrag.com. We periodically make lists of our customers available to mailers of goods and services that may interest you. Ifyou do not wish to receive such mailings, please write о us and include a copy of your mailing label. Please include your subscription label when writing to us. It contains valuable Information about your subscription that will help us. Please allow 6-8 weeks before receiving your first issue as well as for any subscription change lace on any existing subscription. The editors and the publisher are not responsible for unsolicited materials. Without limiting the rights under copyrights reserved herein, na part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into а retrieval Y transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the the prior written notice of ZD Inc. To reuse any material in this publication, obtain a permission request form at www.icopyright.com/2d, or have a form faxed or mailed to you by calling (425)430-1663. © 1999 20 Inc. All Rights Reserved i and EGM are trademarks of 20 Inc. TM and © for ай other products ters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright owners. All materials listed in this magazine are subject to manufacturers’ change and the publisher assumes no responsibilty for such changes.
The Canadian GST Registration number is 140496720 RT.
Printed in the USA.
дой Bureau 5 Crcuatons
„бе year is 2012. You and the Psychic Warriors are
in rebellion against a ruthless renegade army: Defeat the enemy with brutal psychic attacks. Command magic, lightning and all of the earths’ — elements. Fight mind-to-mind and hand-to-hand ~ suspended high above city skylines in spectacular
360 degree-3-D anime combat. Unlock the power
Of your mindvas you wield PSYCHIC FORGE,2012¢
Д
| its i ООО
‘CONTENT RATED В\ ES
FEES Psychic Force” 2012 ©
АЕ 4 LI Fi г + 4 PlayStation | TA
к
TAZ
THE EVIL SWINE RETURN ©
TOMBA GOES COVERT WITH A PIG SUIT.
BEAT THE CLOCK. JUMP THE TROLLEY.
SORRY, TOUGH GUY. BUT THERE’S ONLY ONE TOMBA. AND HE’S ON HIS WILDEST ADVENTURE YET.
WWW.PLAYSTATION,COM
CONTENTS
16 132,185 m
4 Wheel Thunder AeroDancing F
All-Star Baseball 2001 Armada
Armorines
Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaio Bionic Commando: Elite Forces Brunswick Pro Circuit Cardfighters’ Clash: SNK vs. Capcom Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Chocobo's Dungeon 2
Chu Chu Rocket
Colin McRae Rally
Colony Wars: Red Sun Crystalis
Donkey Kong 64
Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm Dragon Valor
Drum Mania
Elemental Gimmick Gear ESPN NBA Tonight
Evergrace
F-1 World Grand Prix
Fighter Destiny 2
Fighting Force 2
Fun! Fun! Pingu
Game а Watch Gallery 3 Giga Wing
Grand Theft Auto 2
Gran Turismo 2
Gunbullet Fever
Incoming
International Superstar Soccer Jet de Go!
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Jumping Groove
Kamurai
Keyboard Mania
Legend of Zelda Gaiden, The Love & Destroy
Mario Party 2
Marvel vs. Capcom
Match of the Millennium: SNK vs. Capcom.
118 Меше 2
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel Namco Museum 64
NBA Courtside 2
NBA Showtime
NGAA March Madness 2000 Need For Speed: No Limits NFL Quarterback Club 2000 NHL 2K
Parasite Eve II
Perfect Dark
Plasma Sword
Pokémon Gold/Silver Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Trading Card Game Roadsters
Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI Resident Evil Code: Veronica Re-Volt Racing
Ridge Racer V
Ridge Racer 64
Ring, The
SaGa Frontier 2
Shadow Man
Silhouette Mirage
Sky Surfer
Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure
4 Soul Fighter
South Park: Chef's Luv Shack Supercross 2000
Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer Street Fighter Ш: Double Impact Street Fighter EX 2 Plus
Street Sk8ter
Swirl
Syphon Filter 2
Team Buddies
Tech Romancer
Tekken Tag Tournament Test Drive 6
Thrasher: Skate Destroy Tomba! 2
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Top Gear Rally 2 Undercover
Vigilante 8: Second Offense Virtua NBA
Virtua Striker 2
Warpath: Jurassic Park WWF SmackDown
Zombie Revenge
February 2000 Issue 127
Crazy Taxi Read every detail about the next big game
you're gonna buy for your Dreamcast. From the mini-games to the man behind this phenomenal arcade experience, it’s
all inside. pg 140
Gear Up! No matter which new system you got over the holidays, we'll show you the absolute best gadgets to deck out your new gear in this ultimate Power Tools wrap-up. pg 154
GT2 The best racing
game ever made. pg 182
Mario Party 2 More
multiplayer fun. pg 92
15 Pinball Really Dead? When Williams closed down its
pinball operations in November, it signaled the end of an era. But did it also mean the end of pinball? EGM investigates.
pg 166
12
Departments |
(& Editorial 8 @ Letters 18 QJ News 30
New book investigates controversial “murder simulators.”
© Gossip 40
The latest rumors on Dino Crisis 2, Virtua Fighter 4, Resident Evil Zero and Medal of Honor 2.
бом=— = 2 Е 5 Previews 57
ОС: ВЕ Code: Veronica. N64: Perfect Dark, The Legend of Zelda Gaiden. PS2: Tekken Tag Tournament,
Ridge Racer V. PS: SaGa Frontier 2, Syphon Filter 2. GBC: Pokémon Gold/Silver, Pokémon Trading Card Game. And Neo*Geo Pocket Color and Arcade previews.
Review Crew 112
Check out our scores of Zombie Revenge on DC, Tomb Raider 4 on PS, DK64 and NGPC games.
Review Archive 186 @ Tricks 188 @ The Final Word 196
Remember the days when you could spend a quarter on an arcade game and actually play through it? They're gone.
| HO Dreamcast
| № Nintendo 64
| В == PlayStation2
| Be PlayStation
| NB Game Boy Color
| БЕ NeoGeo Pocket Color | | ¥ Arcade
E Ф А Lx. i bh: po qu Р ў „аб 11ке а jackal begging to be cut loose. But | knew this Coy, ЎЎ МЕТКА HURRICANE. | CORRECTED AND NAILED IT DOW, „= ; s S ee 4t ao © У О 2- с 3 х & ә m CUM == doin де. Mp = SS Ж, 25 : a е2 ° o, 7 qu = c SS Ха ? ур -yan = 2 3 Sa as es i Sd a q <e 54 sz — = T N у DES and gasoline still scorching my no? S £ HE APEX, AN ANGRY CLOUD OF DIRS fs 252 * > } ‘ E 9, 1749 IHL LIH | NHL § [30 ЛУМ 0110$ V OLNI 0323018 QN
°1 ayy Ка "ш aure wd I| Aw рор pue piii ut } ат | og %
||
A
L
MPIONSHIp
SCREEN GRABS SUCK. SEE IT FOR REAL AT sega.com/games
GARA
BE
Sega@® Dreamcast
IT'S THINKING
ALL OF You.
А VER IN THIS NEW, ADRENALINE- “PU JOURNEY INTO SURVIVAL HORROR FROM THE — | CREATORS OF RESIDENT EVIL, YOUR COVERT MISSION TO | INFILTRATE AN ISOLATED ISLAND COMPOUND HAS GONE HAYWIRE. NOW, YOU FIND YOURSELF PURSUED BY A RELENTLESS PREHISTORIC TERROR...
SUDDENLY, YOUR MISSION BECOMES CAPCOM
A DESPERATE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL. WWW.CAPCOM.COM.
are trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos arè registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entértal of the Int m | _
BONUS! INCLUDES
RESIDENT EVIL3 NEMESIS" DEMO
* LIMITED OFFER
PlayStation) it
Z BRUTAL-SIDEKICKS
You are dropped in the
| swamp and end up in the sewer of Mishima's prison fortress. You will make one friend, Superfly, and a horde of enemies. You might even find the mighty Daikatana.
JAPAN 2455 С.Е.
}-25-WEAPONSOF- MASS-DESTRUCTION
Time travel is proving
to be hell. Lemnos Isle, The Catacombs of
Athens, The Acropolis, The Parthenon - all infested with hideous reminders of
Greece's mythical past. Lay history to rest.
GREECE 1700-В.С-
"Daikatana will depart from the typical lone-hero-versus-the- world paradigm of the current slew of 3D first-person games." "COMPUTER GAMING WORLD “Classic Romero - deliberately hyper, handsomely rendered, and perpetually hurtling forward" -avault.com —
SAN FRANCISCO. Pe С. =
It's cold. It's snowing. And, as if that was not enough, it's also the height
Alcatraz isn't what it used to be. It's much worse. You could make
of the European plague. it out alive. You could { E scour the fallen city and
find Kage Mishima. And you
You do not want to be here. Then again, no one wants
you to be here. could set history straight.
SN [7 TS ы S N اک 3 н " ; КА ; f ым “ E A o) a ~ 9 š " = = WE R50 #0000 1 THIRSTY ENEM = c “ALOOD=CURDLING DEATHMATCH
t daikatana.com Screenshots shown are from the PC version. M == ION STORM, DAIKATANA, HIRO MIYAMOTO, SUPERFLY JOHNSON and MIKIKO EBIHARA names and logos are trademarks of lon Storm, L.P. WT Copyright © 1999 lon Storm, L.P. All rights reserved. EIDOS, EIDOS INTERACTIVE and the EIDOS INTERACTIVE logo are registered trademarks of EIDOS INTERACTIVE. © 1999 EIDOS INTERACTIVE. АН rights reserved. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Licensed by Ь Nintendo. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the "N" logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. N64 Software ©1999 M € ^^" adf KEMCO. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
| COMING SOON ON
A у — ж муљ, | = E a E» [У Ф y "А y 6 AA > FROM JOHN ROMERO, THE LEGENDARY CO-CREATOR OF WOLFENSTEIN 30", THE DOOM" SERIES, HERETIC", HEXEN", QUAKE" AND NOW, DAIKATANA"... OS
Letters to the Editors
Congratulations. You win an InterAct controller. You will be receiving an Alloy Arcade Stick (DC) Barracuda (PS), or a SharkPad Pro 647 (N64).
See page 205 for official rules.
Multiplayer Games Coming Too Soon?
| must express my deep concern about the recent obsession with multi- player games in your magazine. This obsession has become a lot more apparent, especially now that the next- gen systems are all going to eventually offer networking capabilities. To be honest, I’m not overly fond of the current multiplayer games that are available on the N64. The main reason being, that all of my friends live in
NEN Е Ae player! With this networking thing looming on the horizon, I'm only getting more wary. What if, eventually, all games are made into online things like EverQuest? Where does that leave guys like me who don't have cable (therefore no cable modem), don't want a satellite dish, and buy more than one of the new systems? | already have Internet access. Why should I sign up for at least two more online services just to play games on the Dreamcast and PS2? Also, didn't Sega try the network thing with the Genesis? | seem to remember it being really bad, and not having much support from the company. If gamers
“What if, eventually, all games are made into online things like EverQuest? Where does that
leave guys like те..2"
dorms, or at least in town, and | live in the countryside. They have friends around them all the time. | see my friends about five times per year. See my problem? They play multiplayer games constantly, so they become great at them. | play games by myself, 50 | can't practice for multiplayer bouts. Therefore | SUCK at multi-
Network gaming is going to become more and more important— but it will develop alongside other technologies in the home. We're not going to suddenly get lots of multi- player games and no single-player experiences. Even if things do move more in that direction, we'll see Al improving sufficiently that you'll be able to practice against Bots when you're not online. Just check out Quake III: Arena on the PC...the Bots on Nightmare level are nearly impossible to beat. If you can crack them, you can beat anyone (just ask our Art Ed. Andrew Burwell).
Connectivity is something that is inevitable...but it's going to take a while before it becomes established as the norm for both playing and distributing games. The Internet is becoming more and more important in people's lives...and as it does so,
want connectivity with a network, they should buy a PC. Console gaming should be kept pure, and, like it always has been, an alternative to watching the crap on television that passes as entertaining.
Nelson Schneider
Ceresco, NE
gaming will follow suit. Maybe you'll have to invest in cable or some form of broad bandwidth connection at some point. Maybe you'll choose to go with a wireless option. Who knows? One thing's for sure though... eventually you'll only need one account in order to access the Net. It's a bit of a mess at the moment, but hopefully in a couple of years the infrastructure will be sufficiently developed so you can log on to your account from a PC, a game box, a cell phone, a PDA or a handheld like the Game Boy Advance.
The next few years will be very exciting...and the possibilities for multiplayer gaming and for *persistent environments' are boundless. Sit tight...it’s going to get cheaper and more readily available. Soon you won't have to worry where your buddies are.
18
LETTER FACTS
* Number of ‘Desert Island Games’
e-mails we get each week: 100
* Object of reader hatred: Poor ol’ Che...he gets some nasty stuff.
* Wrestling game character people want most: Elephant Sak—the people’s hero.
Hsu and Chan: Plagiarism?
I'm writing in to say that your new addition to the mag The Adventures of Hsu and Chan is not only pretty UNfunny, it's a BLATANT rip-off of Evan Dorkin's masterful Milk & Cheese comics. The writing and attitude of Hsu and Chan is an out-and-out swipe of Dorkin's style. | might think it was an OK strip if | had never read Milk & Cheese before as I’m sure most of your readers haven't, but in light of Dorkin's work, Hsu and Chan seems to be a pretty @!!* pathetic and plagiarized piece of pencilling.
| wouldn't mind at all if you dropped the strip...in fact, Ра appreciate it. | find it pretty insulting the way the guy 15 flaunting his lack of originality and creativity. You can also tell Mr. Scott that at least one person out there in your readership knows where he gets his “inspiration”...at the very least, he needs to give a nod to Evan. It’s just the ethical thing to do.
Brad Gallaway Comic Artist and Game Player
Who better to reply to such an onslaught than Norm himself? So we turned things over to him:
“Well, | must say | am thoroughly hurt. When you get mail like this, there’s only one thing for a right- thinking cartoonist to do: You go upstairs and suck your thumb for a couple hours. Once I’d finished that, | drank for seven days straight, got married and divorced in the same night, bought a house in lower L.A., then had a shower and a shave and boy, do | feel better. While my personal opinion is that some little fellow has a tad too much spare time on his hands, | thought it best to take it to a person of authority on the subject. My mom. Then | tried Evan Dorkin.” His reply:
Norm — Consider it a badge of honor, it's a hurdle anyone who sees print is going to have to deal with sooner or later. Unless, of course, a creator is so rotten that's all he or she receives (then they're either the worst thing going or an undiscovered genius
TUNT DOUBLE # 56
р SLOT MACHINES IN L with A RUSSIAN TERRORIST.
JOHN McCLANE 5 | - ARM BROKEN NEA | $HARP$HOOTERS DUE
UR
VIVA LAS VEGAS
TM
™
LETTERS
who won't receive any credit until after they die). 1 got a doozy of a rant re: Dork #7 about two weeks ago, and it was so personal and selfish and un- critical (as far as actual, honest criticism goes) that 1 took it as a positive sign that pissing off this particular reader was a very, very good thing. Unless you actually plagiarized my stuff, let it roll off your back. Of course, if | find out you've infringed on my God-given right to draw dairy products in ink and crack wise with said dairy products, my legion of lawyers will be on you like hobos into steaks. No one shall mess with my un- intellectual property. Ha ha ha!
"And those are words to live by. Evan's Web site is www.houseof fun.com. It is maintained by his sweetie, Sarah Dyer, who knows more about computers than he does. He does a bundle of comics in addition to the aforementioned Milk and Cheese, among them Kid Blastoff and an anthology title called Dork! (featuring such wonders as the Murder Family and The Eltingville Club) and he and Sarah also write for Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, which you've surely seen before. Be sure to check out all of their work, if you ever have the opportunity (although note that both Dork! and Milk and Cheese are recommended for older, if not particularly mature, readers)."
- Jeremy ‘Norm’ Scott
Five Games You Couldn't Do Without
EGMO7ü.com
Send us your thoughts, your wishes, your innermost weirtiness...or your pictures, crazy screenshots or photos of bizarre game-related
1. l'm dying to play Shenmue. Since its U.S. release date is nearly a year away, will Sega release a demo on these shores anytime soon?
2. | recently visited an ION storm Web site that claimed Daikatana was coming out in December. If this is true, what's the word on the release date of the Dreamcast version?
enman@worldnet.att.net
1. No word on a Shenmue demo yet...but it seems very likely that we'll see one in the next few months.
2. No word yet. Daikatana has been a troubled game for the past year...so don't expect any accurate announce- ments concerning its release. ‘This year’ is probably as good an answer as you'll get.
Whatever happened to Conker 64? | checked at videogames.com and it was last updated 1/20/99. I’ve been waiting for that game, but there seems to be no progress. mmff123@att.net
The last thing we heard was that Conker may not make it to the N64 at all. Rumor has it that he will be the star of Rare's first Dolphin project instead. We'll let you know soon.
a
| If you were stuck on a desert island and could only have five games with | you, which would they be? E-mail us your lists at EGM@zd.com. Mark the
subject line ‘Desert Island Games." | Zelda: Ocarina of Time GoldenEye Final Fantasy 111 | Grandia Metal Gear Solid Zelda: A Link to the Past | Final Fantasy Tactics FFVII Twisted Metal | FF VIII Zelda: Ocarina of Time Wonder Boy 3 | Dino Crisis Mario All-Stars Sonic the Hedgehog | otaku-san@webtv.net digital98@aol.com surge101@hotmail.com FIFA Soccer (3D0) Grand Theft Auto Gran Turismo Super Mario All-Stars NFL Blitz 2000 Rogue Squadron Zelda: Ocarina of Time DKC2 Castlevania: SOTN Tetris Herzog Zwei Tekken 3 | Tron (Arcade) DECAPITATO!! Metal Gear Solid | javis 73@aol.com your daddyGdork.com ifeelbad99@aol.com
SS
20
“If 1 find out you've infringed on my God-given right to draw dairy products... my legion of lawyers will be on you like hobos into steaks."
The very bottom of the EGM letters barrel. Can you send me or post a nude picture of that hot nurse chick that was in EGM #125 inthe “Gaming E.R.” feature? | would be eternally grateful. are1984@aol.com Yeah...sure.
Could you please send me some pics of Lara Weller wearing lingerie or swimwear? Also, if it is possible, can | get Some pics of the nurse from issue #125? segahavoc@worldnet. att.net Didn't we do that already? Lara Weller was in her swimwear in issue #125. | want Xenogears 2!!! miked5168@aol.com So do we. I'm gonna lick Lara Croft's theighs. hellboy666death @yahoo.com You should probably learn how to spell ‘thighs’ first. And licking your TV is probably not good. HAAAHAAAAA HAAAA HAAA HAAA X-Box. So funny. rjaquez@asbmail. ofarrell.sandi.net It'll be here soon. Why do you guys make such a big deal about the DC, and not PS2? You guys suck. Che Chou, don't try to act all bad-ass thinkin' you know what 'ghetto' is about. So don't be talkin' like you know stuff. shai_leonhart@ yahoo.com But Che is bad-ass.
What Dreamcast game are you most
excited about?
Ready 2 Rumble Wrestling game, that was mentioned last issue (just the name excites me), NHL 2K and Dead or Alive 2.
dicez255@aol.com Shenmue, it’s gotta be Shenmue. lovemyn64@aol.com No game because they all look crappy. bartman766@aol.com Code Veronica because RE KICKS @$$! grsoghoul@aol.com Definitely Eternal Arcadia! It’s gonna give Zelda a swift kick in the ass! m_comet@hotmail.com RE: Code Veronica. kjmontanaGworlnet.att.net Shenmue...it looks fantastic. chiquitag999@yahoo.com Definitely Crazy Taxi. | even had dreams about it already! juanati@icsi.com Sega GT. chnchlla88@aol.com Sega GT. The thought of Sega making a non-arcade, realistic racer makes me want to clean my carb! horseness@worldnet.att.net None of them because Dreamcast will fail just like the Saturn did skateboardinboy7@aol.com Virtual On. Big robots kicking each other's asses, what's better than that? vrtemjinvo@aol.com | am most excited about Phantasy Star Online. A 3D online world with multiple planets set in the future...yeah, | want some of that. thezeiram@hotmail.com
Next Month’s Question of the Moment:
Which sequel are you looking forward to most?
Send your short but sweet
responses to: EGM@zd.com with the subject heading: Sequel
JOHN McCLAWE STUNT DOUBLE #154 -STEPPED ON PROXIMITY мум NEA ROULETTE TABLE WHILE BATTLING TERRORISTS
LETTERS
За 1001001265
Some console gamers have negatively responded to recent advertisements in Electronic Gaming Monthly. The ads, which highlight the youth of console gamers, began running in October and were intended to attract the reader's attention—something that is becoming increasingly difficult with fast-paced, game-centric, marketing-savvy readers. For that purpose, the ads were highly successful and most people liked the humor. Unfortunately, a few console gamers took the ads personally which was not an intended outcome from the campaign. These ads were intended as a humorous attempt to educate consumers as they begin to migrate from console gaming to PC gaming, an evolution that multiple sources of industry research show as a leading trend. Gaming is a strong passion for us at 3dfx, as it clearly is for anyone reading this magazine, and
Che's Little N64 Problem
Che...could you please explain how in the world you could have given the Nintendo 64 a higher score than PlayStation in the 2000 Buyers Guide? | assume that score was created before the delays of Perfect Dark and Starcraft 64 and the onslaught of recent PlayStation games.
gkdynasty@hotmail.com
The 9.5 score for the N64 in this year’s buyer’s guide was a typo. Simple as that. If you read my accompanying text which included sentiments like, “...(after three years) there’s still only a handful of games Га care to own,” and “I’m waiting for Nintendo to ‘get it right’ with the Dolphin,” you could have deduced that a score of 9.5 must’ve been an error. My original score for the №64 Was à 7.0. - Che
* Last month we accidentally moved the section in Tricks where and fell. As you all know, they are in fact N64, games. Not PlayStation games.
You can write ЕСМ at:
EGM Letters P.0. Box 3338 Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
e-mail: EGM@zd.com
Please note: We reserve the right to edit any correspondence for space purposes. If you don't want your name, city/state or e-mail address printed, tell us 50 (but please include your phone number and mailing address for Letter of the Month consideration).
we would never intentionally create a campaign that would question anyone's desire for high-quality gaming. In fact, just the opposite, which is why we feel that the ads were important. Anyone who has a passion to play or even design games can, on the PC. This passion has led important companies such as id Software to create Wolfenstein 3D, the first true 3D game, which was initially released as a share- ware demonstration. The success of Wolfenstein on the PC made possible great games like Doom, and the Quake series, which were eventually ported to console systems. The same can be said for 3dfx on the hardware side, as we created the first compelling 3D graphics boards for the consumer market. Without the promise of uninhibited innovation on the PC, many ofthe greatest games and gaming hardware wouldn't exist today.
What we want gamers to know is that the PC offers gamers freedom to create as well as freedom to play the greatest games. Our 3D technology can be upgraded and enhanced every six to nine
Voeun M Ontario, CAN
Congratulations, your prize is on the way-an } ASCII Specialized i Control Pad for the PlayStation. It features rapid-fire controls for all buttons and slow motion for those intense moments.
Ё B Ё
The ASCII Control Pad
Put your creative skills to the test by decking out a #10 envelope (the long business type) with your own
unique touch. Send your letter art to:
EGM Letter Art
PO Box 3338 e ~
Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
(All entries become the property of 20 Inc. and will not be returned!)
22
Sy
months, and is capable of interacting with online games. And, although consoles are innovative when they are introduced, they can never match the rate of improvement made on PCs. For us, that is the ultimate gaming experience.
We would like to take this opportunity to apologize to any console gamers who were offended or hurt by our ads. For those gamers that found 3dfx’s ads to be funny and educational, we applaud your sense of humor.
Sincerely,
Michael Howse Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, 3dfx Interactive, Inc.
Samuel M. Lewis Memphis, TN
myh There'll probably be a game. But Rare isn't doing it.
he Januar
Not the witty and intelligent content?
Close, but no controller
Bad luck to these guys...better luck next time. Feel free to e-mail us artwork as well. More of our messages are e-mails these days-so don't miss out!
Chao Sen Cheneesain Brooklyn, NY
McCLANE IN EXTREME DRIVING MODE.
JOHN McCLANE Is BACK. AND LAS VEGAS WILL NEVER ВЕ THE SAME,
IN DIE HARD TRILOGY 2 you CAN PLAY YOUR FAVORITE GAME OR MX ALL THREE GAME STYLES INTO ONE INTENSE ADVENTURE,
Your ENEMIES HAVE ADVANCED AI, SO IT'LL TAKE BOTH STRATEGY AND Skit To SAVE HOSTAGES WHILE TRYING TO
SAVE your дил BUTT.
USE TWELVE DIFFERENT WEAPONS ТО BATTLE ENEMY TERRORISTS, WHOSE Five DAMAGE QUADRANTS MAKE THEM Тау©Н To DROP,
For mature audiences only.
www.foxinteractive.com
т HANDLE. BEING JOHN McCLANE. CAN You?
BU а а
600b LUCK. YOULL NEED IT.
Animated Violence Strong Language
PlayStation
ECW is а trademark of HHG, Corp. ECW Hardcore Revolution™ and Acclaim © 1999 Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Developed by Acclaim Studios Salf Lake Cty, AN Rights Reserved: ТАМО and the TNN logo are registered trademarks of Network Enterprises, Inc. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the "N° logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. Licensed by Nintenda,” PlayStation and the PlayStation lagos are regista trodemarks cf Sony Computer Entertainment ing Screen shots shown were taken from the PlayStation version ol the video game. 5 $ з 7
MATURE
Animated Violence
Strong Language с >
PlayStation
ECW is a trademark of HHG, Corp. ECW Hardcore Revolution™ and Acclaim® © 1999 Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Developed by Acclaim Studios Salt Lake City. AN Rights Reserved. TNN® and the TNN logo are registered trademarks of Network
Enterprises, Inc. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the "М" logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo о! America Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc... Screen shots shown were taken from the PlayStation version of the video game.
Animated Violence Strong Language
ба logo are registered Vradesnarks of Net
ECW is a уадем ol HG, Corp. ECH Нонат Fe voti ара rl © 1096 Ancian Еетион Wie. АВ Rights Reserved: Developed by Acciai Stushos San Lal Њу. АЙ ROMS. а Emerges, Inc. Nitenan, Манде b& ard the "N* logo аге зовет c! Nimende of Amica inc, G 1996 Nintendo oF Amare: - endo. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered Uademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. E is chow were taken frome the PlayStatice version of the video game.
By Chris Johnston chris_johnston@zd.com
Press Start The Hottest Gaming News on the Planet
By Steven L. Kent As first seen on MSNBC.com
top Teaching Our Children to Kill: A Politicians generally save this kind of - Youth crime is rising in America as is Call to Action Against TV, Movie & tackiness for when they run for office, but the amount of violence in video and computer Video Game Violence (published by Grossman is not running for public office. games. the Crown Publishing Group), a new He apparently makes his living by consulting There is plenty of evidence to suggest that book describing the dangers of video education and law enforcement agencies. And, watching violent movies and playing violent games by Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, of course, he has just released a book. games may lead to aggressive behavior. a former Army Ranger who taught classes at Lt. Col. Grossman's book seems to revolve One of the fundamental studies along these
West Point, and co-authored by Gloria DeGaetano, is the intellectual
lines was conducted by Len Eron, a professor at the University of Michigan, equivalent of the computer game who followed the media-watching Doom. Grossman spends most of habits of 875 subjects over a 22-year
the book running around wildly period. shooting accusations at video games Eron interviewed his subjects every 11
and the companies that make them, years from 1960 to 1982 and found "a never stopping to examine the full significant relation between the violence ramifications of what he is saying and of the programs that these kids watched completely ignoring the facts when at home and how aggressive they were they get in his way. in school." His results showed that
Let me pause to say that | do not aggressive behavior decreases when
entirely disagree with Grossman. Unlike people watch less violent television most members of the video game- | R || D S shows and increases when they covering press, | think Sens. Joseph watched more. According to Eron, there Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Herb Kohl is a causal relationship between (D-Wis.) were entirely correct when television-watching and aggressive
they called for a rating system. behavior. In fact, he says that his study | also think it is foolish and | O || | | irresponsible for parents to let young
showed that media-watching habits account for 10 percent of aggressive children play violent games or watch behavior. violent movies. Frankly, this is just common sense. A CALL TO ACTION DEPARTURE FROM REALITY Equally positive is the work of Dr. Eron is not alone. There have been David Walsh of the National Institute on AGAINST ТУ, MOVIE & many studies that have drawn a link Media and the Family, who has spent between watching violent movies and the last few years monitoring the way aggressive behavior. What there has not the interactive entertainment industry been, until recently, are studies looking implements the game rating system. | ы into violent games and aggressive even agree with Daphne White, who as и 5 behavior. the head of a parent advocacy group This year a few studies have been called the Lion and Lamb Project, has Lt. Col. DAVE GROSSMAN published drawing a link between pointed out that it is ludicrous to use games and aggression. This research is ratings to say that games and movies and GLORIA DEGAETANO fairly new, however. are for mature audiences, then make Grossman's second point, that games kids’ action figures based on them. are an effective way to teach people to kill, is where he begins to leave reality
VIDEO GAME VIOLENCE
OFF THE EXTREME END behind:
Grossman, on the other hand, ratchets these around a few basic themes: "|f you don't believe us, you should know efforts to their extreme. This is the guy, for - Exposure to violent entertainment that one of the most effective and widely used instance, who held a tasteless press event in desensitizes youth to acts of violence and simulators developed by the United States Littleton, Colo., (shortly after the Columbine leads to aggressive behavior. Army in recent years, MACS (Multipurpose High School shooting) in which he traded kids - Violent video and computer games are an Arcade Combat Simulator), is nothing more board games for video games. ultra-effective way of instructing murder. than a modified Super Nintendo game (in fact,
30
it closely resembles the popular game Duck Hunt, except with a plastic M16 firing at typical military targets on a TV screen).” (p. 74)
The poster boy for this assertion seems to be Michael Carneal, the 14-year-old Kentucky boy who walked into a Paducah school and opened fire on a prayer circle.
“If you are looking for a direct link between these types of games and increasing rates in violence among children, you need look no further than the events at a Paducah, Ky., school a few years ago. Fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal steals a gun from a neighbor's house, brings it to school, and fires eight shots into a student prayer meeting that is breaking up. Prior to stealing the gun, he had never shot a real handgun in his life. The FBI says that the average experienced law enforcement officer, in the average shootout, at an average range of seven yards, hits with approximately one bullet in five. So how many hits did Michael Carneal make? He fired eight shots; he got eight hits, on eight different kids. Five of them were head shots and the other three were upper torso." (p. 5)
The obvious and overlooked fact here is that Michael Carneal was not in the "average
“We have gone from the benign Pong video
Which company do you guess will do best in the holiday season NEXT year? |
Nintendo - 23%
Sony - 49%
Source: Videogames.com online poll, 9/17/99
students praying and shot them all. The sad facts are that he attacked a group of approximately 50 kids packed together tightly. Carneal told psychologists that he aimed “straight across [the] room at [the] wall on [the] other side of [the] crowd and not at individual people.”
VIOLENCE RISING?
This leads us to Grossman's last and most errant contention, that youth violence and video game violence are on the rise:
“It’s that simple. As the content of television becomes more violent, so do our children. Since 1982, television violence has increased by 780 percent and in that same time period teachers have reported a nearly 800 percent increase of aggressive acts on the playground.” (p.26)
Interestingly, Grossman does not cite where this information comes from in his book, and | do not see how anybody could ever quantify either statistic,
Grossman’s book includes two nifty little graphs—one showing the steep rise of violence among female youths and the other among males. Both show huge jumps,
game in the 1970s 10 games in the 1990s that act more as murder simulators...”
shootout.” He did not have to deal with the anxiety of these unarmed kids shooting back at him. They were not seven yards away, prepared for his attack and hiding behind cover; they were unaware of the danger as they emerged from a moment of prayer.
IGNORING FACTS
Grossman has played fast and loose with more than just logic, he’s also unaware of or ignoring important facts.
According to a police report filed on Sept. 21, 1998, Carneal received firearms training with rifles at a local 4-H facility. Not only had he had rifle training, he’d actually had previous experience shooting the very weapon he used in his crime. Toby Nace, the son of the neighbor from whom Carneal stole the gun, told police that Carneal fired two full clips from that gun the weekend before the attack.
But most video games teach you to fire at each target only once, hitting as many targets as you can as fast as you can in order to rack up a high score. And many video games give bonus effects...for head shots. It’s awful to note that of Michael Carneal’s eight shots he had eight hits, all head and upper torso, three dead and one paralyzed. (p. 76)
To read Grossman’s text, you might think that Carneal happened upon a group of eight
particularly between 1985 and 1995. In an act of honesty, they also show a drop between 1995 and today. He even addresses the positive drop:
“According to FBI reports, crime is down 7 percent. We are experiencing a slight downturn in murders and aggravated assaults, bringing us back to the crime rates of about 1990. But that is far from the full story. To gain a useful perspective on violent crime—among both youth and adults—the view must cover a long enough time period to clearly identify a trend." (p.11)
According to a recent report, issued too late for Grossman to reference it in his book, the number of violent crimes is still falling. | do not understand how he can nonchalantly dismiss a five-year drop because it is too short, then continue to speak as if crime is actually on the rise.
He later goes on to characterize violent movies and games as the heart of the problem:
“We have no problem letting our children go out and see—or stay home and watch— ‘slasher’ films, a genre of movie that is aimed at the youth market. We have gone from the benign Pong video game in the 19705 to games in the 1990s that act more as murder simulators and permit youth to
31
mimic the actual experience of killing." (p. 22)
Read this and you might think that every game on the market is a gory shooter. In fact, of the top 10 games of 1999, all 10 games were rated "E" by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, meaning they are suitable for players of all ages. The games on this list include five Pokémon games, one racing game, two adventure games, and one very cartoony fighting game.
In fact, only 7 percent of the games on the market today have an "M" rating, signifying that they are only suitable for mature players.
THE MILITARY CONNECTION
As a former teacher at West Point and a consultant to law-enforcement agencies across the country, Grossman should be in his element when he discusses the use of Simulators by police and the military, but even here his facts seem questionable.
| interviewed the Lt. Colonel earlier this year and we discussed the simulators used by law enforcement agencies and the military. He said that FATS (Fire Arms Training Simulation) and MACS were used to desensitize soldiers and policemen so that they would more readily fire their guns in combat.
When | asked retired Col. Ron Krisak, who ran the training and training technology battle labs at Fort Dix from 1995-1997 about this, he said that these simulations had nothing to do with desensitizing recruits.
“The main idea behind simulations, video games and modeling simulations in the military services is to hone battlefield skills. It has nothing to do with desensitizing soldiers. It trains them on how to be more effective."
Grossman makes a fine point when he states that it does not make sense to expose young children to ultra-violent entertainment. It's sad that he doesn't stop there, because the rest of his arguments detract from his message. www.msnbc.com
“чег! Тарт aurton (егт 1
Bonus effects for head shots? House of the Dead 2 gets singled out for its gore.
THE MORE YOU KNOW
Marigul Management was established in July 1996 as a joint venture between Recruit (6096) and Nintendo (4096). The name Marigul is a hybrid from MARIO a and seeGUL Marigul (Recruit's corporate mascot).
Marigul Management serves as an agent for the independent game developers. Once you sign a contract with Marigul, you don't have to worry about paying rent or electricity charge— just concentrate on developing the game. Marigul gathers the budget from investors for you. The only
Marigul's offices, located in Shibuya, look like a normal house from outside.
rule is that you must finish the game within five years.
Recruit (Marigul's parent company) has many faces. Their main business is publishing an employment information magazine for college/university graduates (where the name ‘Recruit’ comes from). One of Recruit's subsidiaries is Media Factory, a magazine publisher. They also publish video games, the Pokémon card game and Pokémon music CDs in Japan.
RandNet DD is also a joint-ventured company between Nintendo and Recruit. RandNet is selling 64DD and they are also hosting the network service for 64DD.
Marigul's catalog of games includes: Pikachu Genki Dechu (Umbrella, 12/98) Custom Robo (Noise, 12/99) Kyojin no Doshin (Param, 12/99) Echo Delta (Clever Trick) Derby Stallion GB/N64 (Parity Bit) Dobutsu Bancho (Saru Burunei)
They also have several unofficial titles like Teo, Toy, Racing, DT. All titles are for N64, 64DD and GB.
A name you'll be hearing a lot more from this year is Marigul and its lineup of Japanese game developers. One of those developers is Noise, whose first title, Custom Robo, was just released in Japan. EGM Japanese correspondent Yutaka Ohbuchi sat down with Kohji Suzuki, president of Noise, and Hisakazu Hirabayashi, Advisor to Marigul to talk about the game and the industry in Japan. Here's what they had to say:
EGM: How did you guys come up with the idea of Custom Robo?
Kohji Suzuki: During the meeting for our first video game, one of the programmers had an idea where two players would shoot each other in a 3D environment. From the beginning it was set in a third-person viewpoint. If it was first- person, it would've been too much like Virtual On, and we thought that game isn't easy enough to get into, while a first-person game has a more hands-on feel. At the time we started development, the N64 was the only console that had analog control standard. With that stick, we can control the character easily if the camera is moving quickly.
EGM: How about the idea of the Robo itself? KS: While battling in a third-person view was fun, it lacked the hands-on feel...some said that it looked small and tiny when compared to other multiplayer games. It looked like you were controlling an RC robot.
| Find yourself talking to your Pikachu in the
| Game Boy game? Pretty soon he'll be
| listening. Pikachu Genki Dechu (U.S. title TBA) | | is coming to the U.S. in 2000. Then you'll have
| your own on-screen Pika pal to cavort with.
EGM: And it also has an element of dice.
KS: That idea came from the producer of the game —Tsunekazu Ishihara. He suggested it to give it more appeal, probably inspired by Pokémon, (Tsunekazu Ishihara is also a pro- ducer of the Pokémon series) and the tumbling of the dice added a random factor to the game.
EGM: You guys definitely took a lot of time to balance the 9o parts you can customize your Robo with.
Hisakazu Hirabayashi: Sarugakucho is a division within Marigul of about до people who test out the games. Existing debugging/ assessment people, like Mario Club (an internal team at Nintendo which judges games, like NoA's Treehouse) look at mainly the finished product. We prefer to have people involved at a very early stage in development and let them play the game many times throughout the process so they can give us suggestions and ideas. They are very much a part of the development, working on the game with the programmers.
KS: When the game took some shape, we let them play down to the ground. We did most of the weapons' ideas but some of them came from test players at Sarugakucho.
EGM: Did any particular manga or anime you inspire you to develop this game?
KS: Definitely Puraresu Sanshiro (Puraresu = plastic wrestler), an animé series from the early '80s, although Custom Robo is a shooting game and Puraresu Sanshiro is a fighting game.
EGM: This is the first game from Noise. So what were you guys doing before Noise? KS: We formed this company three years ago—
In Custom Robo, you build your own Robo fighter, selecting from 10 different bodies and about 90 different parts. Then travel to Holotables to battle other Robo owners.
32
Hisakazu Hirabayashi (below) and Kohji Suzuki (above), president of Noise, with his very own Custom Robo.
September 1996. Before that, we were all at Namco except one guy. We mostly worked on arcade games there. We weren't all there as members of one team—we worked on different games. Tekken was one of the popular ones some of us worked on [over 100 people work on the Tekken team].
EGM: What's the origin of the name, Noise? KS: What was that...| think because it sounds good. Later on we cooked up the reason that it's because we are noisy guys or something... But I’m not sure we really are...(laugh)
EGM: Did you feel pressure from Marigul? KS: Definitely not. We felt that it’s not like developing a small puzzle game or something. We realized we were in the middle of a very intense situation and we had to develop a really good game. At the same time, we felt that what we were doing was worthwhile. This was what we were waiting for, this is why we became an independent developer. When we were at Namco, the situation was that we could only develop fighting games....We thought we could do many different things in the console game space. Most people in our company had been working on arcade games for a long time and lost interest in them.
HH: No matter how talented they are, arcade game divisions have to develop a game which
can be played for three minutes on a single coin (100 yen). But there are tons of possibilities in video games and that seems to irritate them. Perhaps that motivated them to develop the scenario mode in Custom Robo. l've seen the kids in Amarica playing Doom and Quake. I think Custom Robo is a lot like Quake. It has the same elements. | really hope that American players think Custom Robo is a well- thought-out, Japanese-crafted version of Quake. You don't need to use 10 keys, no need to regulate the clock speed, all you have to do is just plug in and play. Everybody can play it and even an experienced Quake player can find depth in its gameplay. I'd be happy if someone gave the game that kind of review. At the same time, l've been wondering why Japanese people don't play Doom or Quake (as much as American players do).
EGM: Is their any concrete plan to release Marigul's games overseas?
HH: I’ve been working on Marigul’s overseas plans for about a year. We've been working to establish a company in America who will act as an agent for all Marigul-related games. The company starts up on New Year's Day. It will handle things like who will publish our games in that market. If our games are accepted by the overseas market, we'll release them. I think Custom Robo will definitely be released in America, although I can't say who will publish or what the U.S. name will be.
EGM: Lastly, can you tell us about Marigul's future plans?
HH: | cannot speak for Marigul. This is my own personal thought. Take this to mean that | am not saying that Marigul = Nintendo = Dolphin for sure. The game is changing and developers have to think about the future. Five years from now, | don't think console machines will serve as just game machines like it's been in the past. It will probably be a *home server" like PlayStation2, or it could be the set-top box that Microsoft is working on. With all those consoles, developers are not going to choose between them, but there will be one JAVA- based console which will do lots of things, not just play games. Next year, the Game Boy will be connectable with cell phones, and you can download games with i-Mode. The time will come that you can't differentiate home appliances from game consoles. In short— communication, broadcasting, video games, interaction...all those things will be combined. When that happens, game developers won't survive if they operate in the old ways. Hopefully we, Marigul and developers will be successful in the future. If you think that the game will be the same, and still it's a war between Sega, Sony and Nintendo, which game to put which console.... You'll be dead in the future.
www.marigul.co.jp
REAGH OUT дмо
FRAG
SOMEONE
• QUAKE lI"
* KINGPIN™ -
°*BALDUR’
©1999 SegaSoft Networks, Inc. |
DEVELOPER PROFILE
Location: Pasadena, CA Web Site: www.kronosdigital.com # of employees: 32
Games team members worked on previously: Garfield Caught in the Act, Phantasmagoria, King's Quest, Bug!, Parasite Eve, Tom Cat Alley.
The most challenging aspect of
developing a game is: The most challenging aspect of developing a game besides the usual technical problems is to create an engrossing story that's led by interesting characters that the player can identify with, then translate all that into strong gameplay. Because at the end of the day when technology plateaus and all the consoles can move 5 billion polygons per second with real time this and that, the only thing that will separate a good game from a bad one is the experience. We believe that a strong story supported by fun gameplay is the key.
We got the inspiration for Fear Effect from: Many different films and novels. We wanted to deliver a lot of John Woo action mixed with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez's From Dusk Till Dawn experience. The visual inspiration for Fear Effect is mostly from films such as, Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell and Akira.
The person we most look up to in the industry: The Person we most look up to in this industry is the guy who sold the idea of PaRappa to the publisher and made the game.
Story behind our name: According to Greek mythology, the first god, Uranus (heaven) mated with Gaea (earth). From this union of heaven and earth, Kronos (kroh’-nohs), the youngest and most powerful of the Titans, was born. It is from this supreme union that Kronos Digital Entertainment, Inc. derived its name. Committed to our chosen epithet and its significance, it should be mentioned that, “We don't do cutsie, hoppy, jump bunny, rainbow collecting kinda crap." Obviously, our games are not meant for those of a delicate constitution or the faint of heart. What's in the future for us: Make more great games and a nice long vacation.
Electronic Arts and MGM Interactive have signed a multi- year deal to bring multiple Bond-themed video games to the market. The first will be based on The World Is Not Enough, for release in 2000 on multiple systems. EA recently published Tomorrow Never Dies for PlayStation.
712 аа5 oO ~ z135418 x 557 58
Nay to those who would make us ait for Pokémon Gold and Silver! Easily superior to the previous game, fall 2000 can’t come soon enough. Hurry it up!
This can’t come soon enough. A big Yea goes to Namco, whom sources say are developing a Soul Calibur sequel for release in arcades in the fall of 2000. Perhaps that'll replace the current Soul Calibur as the office's favorite game here at EGM.
A “that’s supposed to be funny?” Nay goes to the editors of the once-zany MAD Magazine, who
listed “Sega’s Introduction of the
Whole Lotta Yea, A Lil’ Bit of Nay
sk! ТЕбОМ
Steppin' out with Konami's Dance Dance Revolution 2nd ReMIX.
overpriced Dreamcast," as one of the 20 Dumbest People, Events and Things of 1999. Maybe it'd be overpriced if it was 1960 when MAD Magazine was still funny.
Konami is thinking of releasing some
of its Bemani music titles in the
U.S. They want to know if people
would be interested in seeing these titles in America. If you're hot on Beatmania, Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Freaks, etc., drop them a line at support@konami.com.
Everything You Need to Know That We Couldn’t Fit Elsewhere
A Pokémon card with a swastika? Well, not exactly...when kids in the U.S. discovered the card shown at right, parents immediately voiced their protest. The card, included ina Japanese Pokémon expansion set features the “manji” character—a symbol which means good fortune and can also represent a Buddhist temple. It closely resembles a swastika, the symbol most recognizable as a Nazi symbol. Since then, Media Factory, the company that produces the cards has agreed to stop making the card with the symbol.
Sega will introduce a service in Japan in February where players can download older Mega Drive (the Japanese version of the Genesis) and PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) for between 100-300 yen a pop ($1-3). The game is saved for а week on your VMU. It’s unknown whether Sega will start a similar service in the U.S. (but we hope so!).
Tecmo will release Runabout 2 in the U.S. in the first
TOn- kisutu taD REET DITOR Жоосу A BURKE сФл-КаҺЭэУлт®.
BURDORCES. FIDE. TO D EROUICRUT ERIS I-DRRAGISIDA, MIEZ MEEARMA CEU.
(Oor рата лпнловсвса)
quarter of 2000. 3DO plans to make the first softball
sports game for PC and PlayStation in February 2000 called Softball Slam. Codemasters will begin producing Dreamcast games in 2000. No specific titles have been announced yet. Square's Front Mission 3 is headed to the U.S. (everybody cheer). The third Pokémon movie will hit Japan this summer. Jeff Minter's Tempest 3000 for NUON is nearing completion. NUON hardware and software are scheduled to be shown at the Winter CES in early January (full details on that and more from CES next issue). Sonymon? Sony President Nobuyuki Idei commented during his keynote address at the recent Comdex show that Sony will have its own equivalent to Nintendo's Pokémon in the future.
34
EXCLUSIVE NEW MUSIC AND CURRENT TRACKS FROM
CREED ORGY SEVENDUST FUEL
s STATIC-X See the
FINGER ELEVEN sent in by readers Wey FULL DEVIL JACKET
from | band h dtrack iun ower ыы ace ш | AMERICAN PEARL IN STORES JANUARY 25
MOVIE IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 4
© 2000 Wind-up Entertainment, Inc. Scream 3 logo artwork © 1999 Miramax Film Corp. Vae «A. "TI
Take a deep breath and read carefully:
THE MOST ANTICIPATED FIGHTING GAME OF THE
Ed Sega© Dreamcast
CONTENT RATED BY Dead or Alive 2” 2000 Tecmo Inc. Tecmo is a trademark of Tecmo Inc. Ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software ESRB Association. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
MILLENNIUM IS HERE.
You may now exhale.
® RECIEVED THE HIGHEST HONOR AT JAPAN'S 1999 AMUSEMENT MACHINE SHOW.
* "EXPECT IT TO VISUALLY OUTSHINE AYTHING ELSE AVAILABLE ON THE SYSTEM... IT SHOULD OFFER WHAT NO OTHER 3D FIGHTER HAS BEFORE." Next Gen 9/99
* THE MOST ADVANCED 3D POLYGON TECHNOLOGY EVER.
“DOA 2 IS CURRENTLY LOOKING AMAZING..." Official Sega Dreamcast 9/99
Purchase Dead or Alive 2 and receive a | 1500 posters will be sent monthly to randomly selected applicants while supplies last. Simply write "Send me the poster" on the product
limited edition holographic poster featuring reply card provided inside the game package and mail it to Tecmo. the amazing warriors from the game. | This offer may be terminated without prior notice
ТЕСТО
www.tecmoinc.com
[
Bio Hazard Gun Survivor
| Import Pick of the Month: Capcom's gun
version of Resident Evil is our pick this month. It is coming to the U.S., but
Capcom has said that the U.S. version will |
NOT be light gun-compatible, while the
| Japanese version is. So if you want to | shoot at zombies with a light gun instead | ofa control pad, you gotta import.
| Feb. | 3/16
PlayStation
1/20 Rescue Shot Bubibo, Namco (Gun) 1/27 Beatmania APPEND sth Mix, Konami (Misc.)
Chase the Express, SCEI (Action) Bio Hazard Gun Survivor, Capcom (Gun)
Pop'n Music 3, Konami (Misc.) Guitar Freaks APPEND 2nd Mix, Konami (Misc.)
Jet de Go!, Taito (Simulation) Popolocrois Story Il, SCEI (RPG) Vagrant Story, Square (RPG)
P.J.'s Groove, Syscom (Misc.)
1/27 Jan.
2/10 2/24
Feb. Feb. Mar. Mar.
Dreamcast
12/29 Shen Mue, Sega (RPG)
1/20 Rainbow Cotton, Success (Shooting)
Densha de Go! 3000, Taito (Simulation)
Crazy Taxi, Sega (Arcade) Roommania #203, Sega (Misc.) Bio Hazard: Code Veronica, Capcom (Action)
Pop'n Music 3, Konami (Misc.) Dance Dance Revolution 2nd Mix Dreamcast Edition, Konami (Misc.) Sega GT Homogolation Special, Sega (Racing)
Carrier, Jaleco (Action)
Puzzle Bobble 4, Cyberfront (Puzzle)
1/20 1/27 1/27 2/5
2/10 2/17
2/17
*Schedule subject to change without notice. Consult your local import game
| store for the latest release information.
|
$52.1 million
| The five-day opening
| weekend box-office take for | Pokémon The First Movie.
Newest Colors of the DC Rainbow
Dreamcast is only a little more than a year old in Japan and already it’s got more colored system casings than any other except the Game Boy.
Capcom and Sega are offering two special Bio Hazard: Code Veronica limited-edition systems. Only 2,000 of these will be offered, broken down between 200 of the special black S.T.A.R.S. edition and 1800 of the red Claire Redfield edition. Raffle entries for the machine will be taken in Japan beginning in January
2000, and the system will be available on Feb. 3, 2000. The pack includes the game, system, controller and VMU.
Sega of Japan is offering a special Model Seaman Christmas Package in December at НМУ stores. Only 850 of these systems will be available and includes a controller and VMU.
Each of these special-edition packages is available for 34,800 yen (about $340). And these aren’t available in the U.S....yet.
www.sega.co.jp
Available in designer colors-the special-edition S.T.A.R.S. Dreamcast (far left), Claire Redfield Dreamcast (middle) and the Model Seaman Christmas Package (far right).
Pokémon Gold and Silver
| № Nintendo | Tokimeki Memorial 2
| Konami
| Chrono Cross
Squaresoft
ГЛ Pachinko Slot Ae 2
| Аре
Atlus |
| ff. DOR APPEND Club Version Vol. 1
| Konami
—————
Jolo’ Bizarre Adventure | Сарсот
| Medarot R L |
Imagineer
| |
| | |4
| Growlanser р | | Atlus |
1 Beatmania 682 GOTTAMIX п |
Копатї
DIGITAL DIVA
Namco has created a new CG poster girl, Ai, for its PlayStation2 game Ridge Racer V. She replaces the previous Ridge Racer babe, Reiko, from Rage Racer and R4.
CESS
* e: à F че ~ “YOU FIGHT LIKE А WOMAN” . piss 4 ~ will forever be a statement of respect
3 29
Just like the show, each об] ¢
£ а" 10 characters possess their own > am. nique weapons, attitudes and fighting techniques =
есь к gp
r mode, plus team and single battles
4 gett 519 5 24 Wien, MESS + rs
~ Pit + fighter the revolutionary 4-pla
multaneously in
г mode
[999 - Titus. All rights reserved. Xena: Warrior Princess is a trademark and copyright of Studios USA Television Distribution LLC. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing. Inc. All 5 reserved. Titus and the Titus logo are registered trademarks of Titus Software Corporation. Nintendo. Nintendo 64 and the № logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America, Inc. (©1996 Nintendo of America Inc. Т5С-14385-РВРА-0899-07 05
NUTTIN’ BUT TOYS
On Level 11 of Toy Story 2 you meet this fella. Amidst protests from Hispanic Americans in the Los Angeles area who say the character enforces a stereotype, Activision has decided to change the Bandito toy in the game. This is the first instance we can think of where a video game has incited a protest.
|
ien
Quartermann - . Video Game Gossip & Speculation
as Capcom found another franchise to milk? Will the | Resident
Evil series move backward as well as forward? Virtua Fighter
4 any day now? Square working on X-Box? There’s all kinds of
rumors around at the moment—and the Q-Spies are always
soundtrack nd-even stars in the game as а (guess what?) rock star. The Dreamcast version could be with us in the first quarter.
RUMOR The sequel to the popular.Capcom fighter Power Stone has
the first to bring it to you. If you want to be the first with the gossip — been generating all kinds of gossip. Expect to see four-player fun in this
each month — check our preview line: 1-900 PRE VIEW for this information and more.
RUMOR Virtua Fighter 4 hàs finally been ийлей and is likely to hit a lot sooner than anyone imagined.
TRUTH In an interview with a Web sitevaffiliated with the Official U.S— — —
Dreamcast magazine, Virtua Fighter creator (among many other games) Yu Suzuki intimated that a fighting game ‘with a four in the title’ was in development and/would share graphics technology with the incredibly impressive Shenmue. What elsé could this be but VF4? He also hinted — that the game could be released much sooner {Кап anyone could fave anticipated. We'll bring you more on this next, month.
RUMOR The recently released PC adventuré game (starting Dávid
Bowie) Omikron: The Nomad Soul will be heading to the Dreamcast | a
5,
before the spring.
TRUTH Always intended d both a PC and a console; бат, this ambitious RPG hybrid went through a lot of changes during its | development. Recently canned in its PlayStation form, the original intention was to bring a huge living environment to the player which incorporated a full RPG engine and a fighting system\that\was intended - to rival Tekken. This was later watered down, and became a huge sprawling RPG with spiritual overtones. ne Bowie supplies the
Naomi-powered-arcade game.
TRUTH Set to hit realsoon in the arcades, we can expect a Dreamcast
version almost simultaneously. The four-player.rumor has been
‘unofficially’ confirmed— and we also hear that the new game will
feature vehicles and more powerful weaponry.
RUMOR Resident Evil: Zero is no longer coming to N64...maybe а
Dolphin version instead?
TRUTH Although excellent...it seems that Resident Evil 2 64 didn't make
—anawful lot of commercial sense for Capcom so the Zero project has been redéveloped as a ‘next-generation’ game. This is yet to be officially ^ Confirmed (Capcom people have been cautious even acknowledging the existence of RE:Zero) but given the limited information we до have...it
ems likely that the project has indeed been moved to Dolphin, or
ossibly PS2. We also know that\the next ‘official’ sequel in the series
wilthe RUE to\PS2 00 after launch.
_ RUMOR shuara may well be an еапу adopter for the Microsoft X-Box. TRUTH We've yet to get confirmation of this...but there are many rumors flying tha Squareis in/negotiations with Microsoft to develop new products (not just ports) for the PC-based wonderbox. FFX perhaps?
_ Given the rumored networked nature of the game...it seems likely. Maybe —- comments that Japanese development wouldn’ t adopt the syştem were a little nastya
- POR | | Q-SPY SPECIAL в EPORT -RUMOR Despite the fact that it was crap, Slaye Zero has próven to be so
RUMOR The success of Dino Crisis in both Japan and the U.S. has assured its future as another franchise for Capcom to milk. Originally thought to be an off-shoot of the whole ‘survival horror’ thing...it looks like we can now expect lots of cool new stuff with the Dino Crisis moniker attached —and on a variety of systems. The rumors are many and varied...but here's what we've heard from multiple sources so far (so they're most likely):
* Dino Crisis 2 — PlayStation and PlayStation2
* Dino Crisis X (name tba) — PlayStation2
* Dino Crisis — N64
* Dino Crisis — Dreamcast
* Dino Crisis — Game Boy
TRUTH The Q-Spies have been digging deep on this one...but things are tough to get a ‘real’ story on. Dino Crisis 2 on
| PlayStation and PS2 was recently confirmed by Capcom President Kenzo Tsujimoto, and it wouldn't surprise us at all if another Dino Crisis game also made its way to PlayStation2 within a year of launch. As for the DC version, we really have no idea. Capcom seems enamored with the system, but any specific information beyond informed speculation isn't available. The N64 rumor has come from a number of sources, including some of our spies in Japan. Capcom is very secretive about plans for Nintendo projects (see above)...so the best news we can confirm there is that it ‘may be' happening. Game Boy? Who knows? We never thought Resident Evil would come to the handheld so anything could happen with other franchises.
| | |
| |
40
. spectacülarly popular on Dreamcast that Infogrames i is planning a Dreamcast-specific seqdel. TRUTH There's no accounting for taste...but it seems that the Slave has proven to be a whopping success. Appatently the sequel will be
_ developed Тог DC only, and as a result won't inherit алу of the sloppy PC code that caused the atrocious frame-rate and glitchy graphics. Мо word on a date...but it could be with u$ by next Christmas.
3 | |
RUMOR The decidedly mediocre DC game Armada will see a somewhat more impressive sequel within the next year.
TRUTH Metro3D representatives were recently seen in Sega newsgroups defending their game from the onslaught of negative comments, and in doing so let slip that the sequelwill be much better. Let's hope so.
RUMOR Medal of Honor 2 is in development, and is likely to hit on PlayStation first. ____
TRUTH Dreamworks recently posted job ads for a new team to work on the sequel in the-gaming trade press. When probed by spies from the Q network, representatives from both EA and
| Dreamworks refused to-tomment on which system work would begin on. We'd love to see a version on Dreamcast,
but that seems highly unlikely. |
RUMOR Sega GT will feature vmu mini-games
developed in conjunction ҮЧ) саг
manufacturers. |
TRUTH Apparently so...and plying these mini-
|—games-willallow-you-to-open'up new features in the main game. Take that PocketStation and
-Gran Turismo:
27
|
| 2 [
Dreamcast.
games.com
Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises Ltd. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Associatior Konami Co., Ltd. ©1999 Konami of America, Inc. All rights reserved. ESPN, ESPN The Games and Baseball Tonight are trademarks of ESPN, Inc. and its affiliates. All rights reserved. Major Le: used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. www.majorleaguebaseball.com © MLBPA 2000. Official licensee of Major League Baseball Players Association. Visit the Players
PRESS START
The Top 20 Best-Selling Games of November, 1999
| B 8.0 6.0
1- Pokémon Yellow
The big thing this Christmas was Nintendo's Pokémon. Game Boy Color system shortages, frantic
d Chris | Crispin parents searching everywhere for = cartridges. Next holiday season Tw on the trai! | it'll be the same kind of madness 8.0 6.0 о
of TEAM ROCKET?
2 - Pokemon Red
Over a year old now, Nintendo’s Pokémon titles are still beating
for Gold and Silver.
out newer games for Dreamcast John R | Crispin and PlayStation. With a slew of . Ru new Pokémon games headed your
way in 2000, it doesn't look like 8.0 9.0
, : Sushi that trend will stop anytime soon. Я
3 - - Pokémon Blue
While kids across America are enjoying the first version of
Pokémon, Japanese gamers are John R | Crispin getting the real good stuff—Gold |-
and Silver. And Nintendo's cash
cow continues to graze on a 8.0 | 9.0
plentiful money field.
4- Pokémon Pinball
АГ = ад Midway may have ducked out of Bu ^ pinball, but that doesn't mean it's '| dead yet. It's just moved to a new format—video pinball. Nintendo's Pokémon Pinball uses its number- one monsters to create an
& addictive pinball game.
5 - майн Kong 64
Nintendo’s prime-time monkey is back for more action, this time on the N64. Hey—at least there’s one non-Pokémon title in the top five this month, eh? Released in the last half of the month, who knows where this one'll be next month?!
. Review Crew
. Chris
Shawn John
Pokémon Snap Nintendo
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Capcom
WWE Wrestlemania 2000
тно NBA Live 2000
Electronic Arts
6 1 8 9
Crash Team Racing SCEA
. Crispin
42
NBA 2k
Sega
1 12 13 14 15 16 1
Tony Hawks Pro Skater
Activision
Knockout Kings 2000
Electronic Arts
Spyro the Dragon
SCEA
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Nintendo
Spyro 1: Ripto’s Rage SCEA
Tomorrow Never Dies Electronic Arts
Gran Turi n!
18:577 DE. "
1 S tracti +, 6 Crash Bandicoot WARPED 5
2 „а andicoo р [ШЫ
Source: NPD TRSTS Video Games Service. Call Mary Ann Porreca at (516) 625-2345 for questions regarding this list. Top 5 game descriptions written by the EGM staff.
More! More! Моге! More!
Which kind of game would you like to see more of?
E [1
Shooter
Adventure
Source: Videogames.com main poll results for 11/9/99
RATING PENDING
-»-о-лло emezmo-r
PRODUC
NBA 2NIGHT
COMING UP NEXT
espnthegames
nba.com
used, in
Licensed by NAMCO LTD. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999 NAMCO LTD., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Converted by Nintendo Software Technology. New Game Elements ©1999 Nintendo. Nintendo and the “N” Logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. Ridge Racer is a registered Sas trademark of NAMCO LTD © 1999 Nintendo of America Inc. www.nintendo.com Game and System sold separately.
Game Bo 1942 - Сарсот All Star Tennis 99 - Ubi Soft Armada Secret Weapon - Metro 3D Army Men - The 3D0 Company Azure Dreams - Konami Battle Tanx - The 3D0 Company Bionic Commando: Elite Forces - Nintendo Blaster Master II - Electro Source Brunswick ProPool - Vatical Entertainment Bugs Bunny 4 - Vatical Entertainment Carnivale - Vatical Entertainment Dragon Warrior Monsters - Eidos Ghosts and Goblins - Capcom International Track & Field 2000 - Konami Lord Baniff's Deceit - Vatical Entertainment Magical Tetris Challenge - Capcom Micro Machines 1 & 2: Twin Turbo - THQ Muppets - Take 2 Interactive NBA Live 2000 - THQ NBA Showtime - Midway Oddworld Adventures 2 - GT Software Punchi Carat - Tommo Rainbow Six: Tom Clancy's - Redstorm Resident Evil - Capcom Shadow Man - Acclaim Thrasher Skate and Destroy - Take 2 Interactive Tiger Woods 2000 - THQ Toobin’ - Midway Vegas Games - The 3Do Company Worms Armageddon - Infogrames PlayStation All Star Tennis - Ubi Soft Army Men Sarge's Heroes - 300 Baldur's Gate - Interplay Bassmasters Classics: Tourn. Edition - THQ Blaster Master II - Electro Source Caesar's Palace 2000 - Interplay Chocobo's Dungeon 2 - Square EA Danger Girl - THQ Die Hard Trilogy 2 - Fox Interactive Elmo in Grouchland - Mindscape ESPN NBA Tonight - Konami Family Game Pack 2 - 300 Flintstones Bedrock Bowling - Southpeak Jeff Gordon XS Racing - ASC Games Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 - Acclaim К-1 Grand Prix - Jaleco LEGO Rock Raiders - Lego Media Macross VF-X2 - Bandai Marvel vs. Capcom - Capcom Panzer General Assault - Mindscape Railroad Tycoon 2 - Take 2 Interactive Road Rash Unchained - Electronic Arts Shao Lin - THQ Striker Pro 2000 - Infogrames Superbike 2000 - Electronic Arts Superman - Titus Tanktics - Interplay Tiger Woods & PGA Tour 2000 - Electronic Arts Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return - SCEA Urban Chaos - Eidos Nintendo 64 AirBoardin' USA - ASCII Battlezone - Activision Cyber Tiger Woods Golf - Electronic Arts Mario Party 2 - Nintendo NBA In the Zone 2000 - Konami NHL Blades of Steel 2000 - Konami Rally Challenge 2000 - South Peak South Park Rally - Acclaim Tarzan - Activision Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - Activision Top Gear Hyperbike - Kemco Vigilante 8: Second Offense - Activision Worms Armageddon - Infogrames
Caesar's Palace 2000 - Interplay Castlevania: Resurrection - Konami Elemental Gimmick Gear - Vatical
Action Sports Action Action RPG Action Action Action Sports Misc. Action RPG Action Sports Action Puzzle Racing Action Sports Sports Action Puzzle Action Action Action Sports Sports Action Strategy Action
Fighting. Sports Racing Action Action Sports Action Action
Sports Action Sports
Misc. Sports Sports Racing Action Action Sports Racing Action Action
Coming Soon - February 2000
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 - Acclaim
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - Eidos Microsoft Combat Flight Sim - Konami Resident Evil: Code Veronica - Capcom Sega Sports NHL 2000 - Sega
Star Trek New Worlds - Interplay Street Fighter Alpha 3 - Capcom Striker Pro 2000 - Infogrames
Time Stalkers - Sega
Viva Soccer - Interplay
Zombie Revenge - Sega
2000-1 Tunes - Infogrames Cage, The - Metro 3D Carmageddon - Titus Casper - Interplay Dark Angel Anna's Quest - Metro 3D ECW Hardcore Revolution - Acclaim Frisbee Golf - Vatical Entertainment Golf King - Crave Entertainment Jack Nicklaus Golf - Vatical Entertainment Konami Rally - Konami Mission: Impossible - Infogrames NHL Blades of Steel - Konami Quest RPG - Electro Source Rally Racing - Konami Rayman - Ubi Soft Street Fighter Alpha - Capcom Test Drive Cycles - Infogrames Wicked Surfing - Interpla
PlayStation Colin McRae Rally - SCEA Eagle One - Infogrames Earthworm Jim - Take 2 Interactive ECW: Hardcore Evolution - Acclaim Fear Effect - Eidos Gauntlet Legends - Midway Gekido - Interplay Iron Soldier 3 - Kemco Jackie Chan Stuntmaster - Midway JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Capcom Konami Rally - Konami LeMans Racing - Infogrames Lunar 2 Eternal Blue - Working Designs Misadventures of Tron Bonne - Capcom NASCAR Rumble - Electronic Arts Nickelodeon Cat Dog - Hasbro Interactive PGA European Tour - Infogrames Rayman 2 - Ubi Soft Reel Fishing Il - Natsume Roadsters - Titus Software Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI - Koei SaGa Frontier 2 - Square EA Silent Bomber - Bandai Sim Theme Park - Electronic Arts Spec Ops - Take 2 Interactive
Test Drive Cycles - Infogrames Urban Chaos - Eidos Wild Metal - Take 2 Interactive Wild Wild West - South Peak Interactive Nintendo 64 40 Winks - GT Software Caesar's Palace - Crave Entertainment Carmageddon - Titus Software ECW Hardcore Revolution - Acclaim Fighter Destiny 2 - South Peak Looney Tunes: Duck Dodgers - Infogrames Looney Tunes: Space Race - Infogrames Looney Tunes: Taz Express - Infogrames NHL Blades of Steel 2000 - Konami Rat Attack - Mindscape Ridge Racer 64 - Nintendo Tarzan - Activision Dreamcast Boarder Zone - Infogrames Carrier - Jaleco Deep Fighter - Ubi Soft ECW: Hardcore Revolution - Acclaim
46
Compiled By Chris Johnston chris johnstonGzd.com
Racing Action Simulation Action Sports Action Fighting Sports RPG Sports Action
Action Misc. RPG Sports Sports Sports Sports Racing Action Sports RPG Racing Action Fighting Racing Sports
Racing Adventure Action Sports Action Action Action Action Action Adventure Racing Racing RPG Action Racing Misc. Sports Action Sports Racing Strategy RPG Action Strategy Action Racing Action Racing. Action Action Action
Action Misc. Action Sports Fighting. Action Action Action Sports Puzzle Racing Action
Racing Action Fighting Sports
& Jennifer Whitesides Espionage Agent - Tommo Action МОК 2 - Interplay Fighting NHL 2K - Sega Sports Rayman 2 - Ubi Soft Action
Sega Sports NHL 2000 - Sega Space Invaders - Activision Misc.
UEFA Striker Pro 2000 - Infogrames Sports Wild Metal - Take 2 Interactive Racing Alice in Wonderland - Nintendo Adventure Blaster Master |! - Sunsoft Action Crystalis - Nintendo RPG Jimmy White's Cue Ball - Vatical Entertainment Misc. Rainbow Six - Southpeak Interactive Action Thrasher Skate and Destroy - Take 2 Interactive Sports Tomb Raider - Eidos Action WCW Mayhem - Electronic Arts Sports Carmageddon 2 - Interplay Action Colony Wars: Red Sun - Activision Shooting Countdown Vampires - Bandai Action Darkstone - Take 2 Interactive RPG Extreme Hockey Rock Rink - Electronic Arts Sports Formula One Championship - Electronic Arts Racing
Gauntlet 3D - Midway Action Hot Shots Golf 2 - SCEA
Major League Soccer - Konami Men In Black - SouthPeak Interactive Action
Messiah - Interplay Action MK Special Forces - Midway Fighting Motocross Madness - Activision Racing Need For Speed 5 - Electronic Arts Racing Paperboy - Midway Action Rollcage Extreme - Activision Racing Rugby 2000 - Electronic Arts Sports Saboteur - Eidos Action Sim Theme Park - Maxis Simulation Street Sk8ter 2 - Electronic Arts Sports Tripley Play 2000 - Electronic Arts Sports Ultimate Bass Challenge - Electronic Arts Sports WWF SmackDown - THQ Sports X-Men - Activision Fightin;
Hydro Thunder - Midway Racing MK Special Forces - Midway Fighting Pokémon Stadium - Nintendo Fighting Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - Activision Sports World League Soccer 2000 - South Peak Sports X-Men - Activision Action Crazy Taxi - Sega Racing Dark Angel: Vampire Apocalypse - Metro 3D Action Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm - Crave Ent. Adventure
Monster Breed - Tommo Misc.
ОН Road - Interplay Racing Renegade Racers - Interplay Racing Swords of Vengeance Action Star Trek New Worlds - Interplay Action Toy Story 2 - Activision Action Virtua Striker 2 - Sega Sports Viva Soccer - Interplay Sports Futsal Soccer Madness - Sunsoft Sports
Pokémon Trading Card Game - Nintendo Misc. VR Powerboat - Vatical Entertainment
Gekido - Interplay Star Wars Episode 1 Jedi Power Battle - LucasArts Action
Team Buddies - ius Misc.
All-Star Baseball 2001 - Acclaim Sports Perfect Dark - Nintendo Action
StarCraft $ - Nintendo кы
Grand Theft Auto 2 - Rockstar Racing Metropolis Street Racer - Sega Racing
A warrior isn’t measured by his kills... but by his heart.
ian.
d gins
ч = om. МЛ E224 624: C zl Fight 10 mega-bosses on land, sca and air. Solve hundreds of action- bated puzzles, (T так p From the producers of Wild Arms" and Legend of Тераја": PlayStation E ® Alundra 2 © 2000 Sony Computer Entertain Аата of Sony Compute enc l registered uademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Ine. Published and dsuibuted by Activision, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc. А ames are the properties of their respective owners
cu AH, HELLO, VIDEO GAMERS!
\ UALL LOSE FIVE NO Y Hsu T Y TANAKA, THIS 15 МУ POUNDS, EAT MORE A ' RETURN BROTHER, CHAN! WE'RE JUST ABOUT To RING IN THE NEW YEAR IN THE ANCIENT, TRADITIONAL MANNER:
\1 НАЗ BEEN EIGHTEEN YEARS, BROTHER HSU.
WELL, | WASNT GOING TO DO IT IN THE DAYLIGHT...
THEY WILL BE YOU CAN COME OUT, MR. VERY DIS APPOINTED, HENDERSON! THE WORLD HAS NOT WET BECOME AN
LUCKILY, THE DAMAGES OF ¥2K TURNED OUT хо BE MINOR FOR THE MOST PART, AND
ALTHOUGH THE 0.5. CURRENTLY TEETERS ONE STEP AWAY FROM COMPLETE
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, TECHNICALLY, OUR NEW d YEARS CELEBRATION 15 А Few ОАЧ5 САТЕ. CHAN THOUGHT IT WISER TO Hop OF FON ANY POTENTIAL HOOTENANNIES UNTIL WE WERE FAIRLY
ASHEN ONDER!
SACK OFF! We HAVE
CERTAIN THE WORLD WAS NOT ON THE BRINKS
OF A NEW DARK AGE, бо WE SPENT NEW Year's EVE HUDDLED IN THE BASEMENT, WEEPING AND CHANTING PRAYERS! IT WAS А UNIQUE EXPERIENCE!
WAIT, CHAN! WE HAVENT TOLD RACIOUS! THE HENDERSONS YD ALMOST NEXT DOOR, YET! FORGOTTEN,
MA. HENDERSON HOLIDAY 5 SAY : $ STRESS. SAY, CHAN, J Eo HMM... THATS A ў AGITATED а ear ie TOUGHIE... GIVEN / амо !D ALSO BRING А UNLIMITED LEISURE TWISTED SAME WAY. BOMB SHELTER TIME, LGUESS р coe GA wise eo ع FoR Two YEARS, FINALLY GET AROUND To NEED OF A COASTER WHAT WOULO To FINISHING METAL De SOMETHING, чес ЗАКЕ GEAR, BRAVE FENCER S MUSASHI, SILENT HILL,
ALONG 7
SKETCH. BARNEY'S HIDE-AND- AAAA GH! M meee SEEK ADVENTURE. THE T RUSSIANS! Wee OF THE DIAGONALS!
AND Чоо?
HERE, BROTHER HSU, THIS 15 WHAT
| TELL Чоо, CHAN -- WE CAME FOR! LATE GRAND-
2000 MARKS THE BIRTH
OF А NEW HSU TANAKA! FATHER OSAKA SAVED THIS WINE
NO LONGER WiLL | LWE THIRTY YEARS FOR THIS DAY!
BY THE ARBITRARY ANO || BRING ME А CORKSCREW!
55 RULES OF
48
IT'S THINKING
[= 101
К Е © A 9 D) Ф м
1
$иге SCREEN GRABS SUCK. S SEE IT FOR REAL AT we did crazytaxi.com
get a bit of air at the top. Could be that | punched it a little too hard. But my passenger, Holy Joe the preacher wigged out, man. Starts shouting and cussing like а teamster with Tourette's. Anyway, we land, and there's this damn cable car coming, so | jump that, and then we're in the other lane with oncoming traffic, so trying to be responsible, | go up on the sidewalk. But only for three or four blocks, and everyone got out of my way, even that bag lady. Next thing | know we're sitting in the frickin’ bay. Maybe it's my brakes... crazytaxi .com
“TANAKA
OF COURSE, JUST BECAUSE 175 BROTHERS
A NEW YEAR, DO NOT THINK FOR ONE
SECOND THAT TANAKA GROS, САМЕ DEVELOPMENT HAS TAKEN A Houpag! RIGHT, CHAN?
LIGHTS!
EXACTLY, Hsu! WHILE OTHER DEVELOPERS ARE CONTENT
INDEED! МЕ HAVE CREATED... HANG ни!
SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
"RESEARCH ANO HARD WORK! А “LOOKING To THE FUTURE! TRADITION OF FINE CRAFTMANSHIP BA EI cent:
AND INGENIOUS DESIGN,"
"BRINGING HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTS
чо SATISFIED CONSUMERS WORLDWIDE!” FoR A GRAVE NEW wJORLO!'"
UM, WELL, IT JUST GOES ON LIKE THAT.
MINE AS WELL, BROTHER Hsu! THEY HAVE BEEN A TRADITION IN OUR FAMILY FOR HUNDREDS
| TELL You, CHAN, FIREWORKS ARE МУ FAVORITE PART OF THE NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION:
ALSO NOT PARTICULARLY
LEGAL IN 1945
ч
очах "а €i
ОКА, READ ME OFF THE
INSTRUCTIONS © Lemme SEE..
"LIGHT FUSE, GET AWAY," AND THE REST APPEARS TO 86 A "HAL MARY" SCRIBBLED IN SPANISH:
© 1444 3.641 d МР: om .a¢e-law. com (users | смі mon Ke y
50
GAM DEVELOP MENT!
GLOBAL EXPANSION ! GOLD VISIONS
“A GUIDING FORCE IN INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMEN’
BRINGING
“TOTAL DOMINATION! EMPIRES TOPPUNG LIKE SO MUCH KINDONG г WOMEN ум ANIMAL” SKIN BIKINIS, TENDING To OUR EVERY... Е
UM... “DEVILS NIGHT..." ROMAN CANDLES.. WHISTLING SCREAMERS.” “THE TIJUANA BULL DOG!" ШЕ cot THATON | QU& VACATION TO TIJUANA, 450° REMEMBER?
Lor SA WHATS THAT BS ONE?
Guarantee your copy now with $10 down!
PlayStation
B B
— Guarantee your copy now with $10 down!
ебос
= Ele. =
]Jse»uueaJ1c]
vows |||
SEGA DREAMCAST CONSOLE = DREAMCAST ~ M Sega
woes ебәс
1$еошеәлс\
рролиоо
CONTROLLER А. b DREAMCAST >“ Sega b ros = JUMP PACK DREAMCAST Sega K S CHAMPIONSHip~ Б Y a oO D Q ^ SEGA SPORTS МНЕ 2K "1 DREAMCAST SEGA RALLY 2 a Sega DREAMCAST ~~
Sega
C$ CALL 1 TO PLACE youn c
VISUAL MEMORY UNIT DREAMCAST
Sega
ZOMBIE REVENGE DREAMCAST 1756 Зеба Ser
CRAZY TAXI 6 DREAMCAST ; 4 Sega b os 5 nud
PLAYSTATION DUAL SHOCK GAME CONSOLE PLAYSTATION S.CE.A.
Multi ta, Multi brar
MULTI ТАР
MEMORY CARDS 3 PLAYSTATION GRAN TURISMO 2 PLAYSTATION №: #113901- S.CE.A. PLAYSTATION S.CEA. (= о = fJ d un ~ as [c | ый TOMBA 2 Г p PLAYSTATI р S CEA. PLAYSTATION
S.CE.A.
SPYRO 2: RIPTO'S RAGE PLAYSTATION S.C.E.A.
CALL FOR THE NEAREST YOU:
GAME BOY COLOR HARDWARE GAME BOY COLOR Nintendo
POKEMON BLUE GAME BOY
С Nintendo а
NS
POKÉMON
ms 7 POKÉMON RED Nintendo GAME BOY Nintendo
POKÉMON PIKACHU HAND HELD
Nintendo NINTENDO UA CONTROLLERS
DO 64 Nintendo
POKÉMON TRADING CARD GAME GAME BOY
Nintendo
POKEMON SNAP p #1643840 NINTENDO 64 & TW Nintendo =
N64 ATOMIC PURPLE SYSTEM PO INTENDO ва" NINTENDO 64 Nintendo DONKEY KONG 64 Nintendo WITH EXPANSION PAK ki v NINTENDO 64 — STAR. WARS STAR WARS EPISODE 1: Nintendo А Proust к RACER BUNDLE - : 2 Г NINTENDO 64 у : E Nintendo
CALL | 1.80 00.80 0,0032 TO PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW!
ASTRO PAD STAR FIRE LIGHT BLASTER DREAMCAST DREAMCAST Performance InterAct
D e ©@
STANDARD VISUAL MEMORY CARD DREAMCAST
DEX DRIVE NINTENDO 64 InterAct
= Performance
DEX DRIVE PLAYSTATION InterAct
CONCEPT 4 WHEEL PLAYSTATION InterAct
VMEM VIRTUAL MEMORY PLAYSTATION
InterAct
INTERAGT “ч X m
GAMESHARK PRO ae
NINTENDO 64 InterAct GAMESHARK PRO PERFORMANCE" кл Чај пїегАс
GAMESHARK PRO PLAYSTATION InterAct
CALL FOR THE NEAREST YOU!
ТОҮ $ТОВҮ 2 PLAYSTATION
TONY HAWK’S Activison
PRO SKATER
PLAYSTATION Activision V8 2ND OFFENSE PLAYSTATION V8 2ND OFFENSE Activision DREAMCAST Activision
ELEMENTAL GIMMICK GEAR DREAMCAST
> _ Vatical
CHOCOBO'S DUNGEON 2 PLAYSTATION
Square/ Electronic Arts
Prices valid in U.S. only. Typographical errors are not the responsibility of Electronics Boutique. Not all items may appear at our outlet locations. Prices may vary in Puerto Rico and New York City locations. At time of printing, all products are expected to be available. Some packaging and special offers may differ in Canada. Prices and availability are subject to change. Manufacturers’ delays are not the responsibility of Electronics Boutique. © 2000 Electronics Boutique.
> CALL 1.806 TO PLACE YOUR NOW!
== > ЕШ 6
This Month in Previews
Dreamcast
62 Resident Evil Code: Veronica
66 Street Fighter III: Double Impact
68 Chu Chu Rocket
70 Elemental Gimmick Gear
T2 NHL 2K Giga Wing
14 4 Wheel Thunder Tech Romancer
76 Virtua Striker 2 Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm
T8 Swirl ESPN МВА Tonight Plasma Sword Grand Theft Auto 2
80 — AeroDancing F Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaio Undercover The Ring
92 Mario Party 2
94 Perfect Dark
96 The Legend of Zelda Gaiden Pokémon Stadium All-Star Baseball 2001 Fighter Destiny 2
ayStati
99 Tekken Tag Tournament Ridge Racer V
100 Емегдгасе International Superstar Soccer Sky Surfer Drum Mania
106 WWF SmackDown
108 Dragon Valor
10 Colony Wars: Red Sun
12 баба Frontier 2
14 Syphon Filter 2 Street Fighter EX 2 Plus
16 Street Sk8ter 2 Colin McRae Rally Marvel vs. Capcom Team Buddies
17 Need For Speed: No Limits JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
18 ^ Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI MediEvil 2 Kamurai
119 Fun! Fun! Pingu Parasite Eve ||
121 Jet de Go! Love & Destroy
126 Pokémon Gold & Silver
128 ^ Pokémon Trading Card Game
130 Metal Gear: Ghost Babel Tomb Raider Bionic Commando: Elite Forces Crystalis
[Neo-Geo Pocket Color
132 Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure Cardfighter's Clash: SNK vs. Capcom Match of the Millennium: SNK vs. Capcom
134 Gunbullet Fever
Keyboard Mania Virtua NBA Jumping Groove
TOP 5
1. Residen 2. Perfect
nce upon a time, there was this
little 8-Bit portable system. It
wasn't that great, but it had
Tetris. So the system sold. And it sold. And just when you thought that system reached the end of its lifespan, along came something called Pokémon to breathe new life into it. Oh joy.
Since you all clearly love the little monsters so much, we have lots to give you this month. Silver, Gold, Trading Card Game and Stadium...they're all here in this issue.
But wait! What's that new portable system that's causing quite a stir? Why, it's the Мео•бео Pocket Color! This month, we decided to add a NGPC Previews section, since quite a few cool games are coming out for it. Even though the three we're covering this month (Cardfighter's Clash: SNK vs. Capcom, Match of the Millennium: SNK vs. Capcom and Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure) will be out by the time you read this, we think they're such cool games, that they're worth looking at in EGM. We can't promise regular NGPC coverage (since there aren't a whole lot of games for that system), but we'll update you when we can. Do you want to see more NGPC previews? Fewer? Don't give a crap either way? Write us and let us know.
All right...we know you guys don't really care about GBC or NGPC when we have PlayStation2 and Dreamcast to discuss. Fear not. We brought back
t Evil Code: Veronica Dark
3. Chu Chu Rocket
4. Рокето 5. NHL 2K
n Gold and Silver
Move over GBC, there's a new portable in town. Check out our shiny new Neo*Geo Pocket Color Previews section in this issue...
the PS2 section (wait until you see the new Tekken Tag screens!), and this month, we have the largest Dreamcast Previews section yet. Don't skip by the Resident Evil Code: Veronica blowout. Mark our words. It's gonna be one of the hottest games of 2000.
Speaking of PlayStation2 and Dreamcast...a lot of magazines and Web sites out there are running any PC screenshots they can as PS2 and DC stuff. We will only run genuine PS2 and DC screenshots, and when they're not available, we'll use PC screens only if the developers can swear to us that they'll look identical to the console versions. Hey, we're not going to show you a Voodoo 8, 5124 x 4125 PC Screenshot and tell you that it's a Dreamcast game when it's not. If we use PC screenshots for a PS2 or DC game, we'll let you know (and rest assured, it'll represent what the real console product will look like).
Oh, by the way, the Grand Theft Auto 2 screens in this issue are from the PC version. But it will look exactly the same on the Dreamcast. :) #
Dreamcast, March 2000 Nintendo 64, April, 2000 Dreamcast, First Half, 2000 Game Boy Color, Fall 2000 Dreamcast, February 2000
c Gaming Monthly - 57 - www.videogam
(source: videogames.com online poll)
P A №, B Я TT ud ға I. AUI td ә, d ر t y To m У. ў ; o As 7 yo, ^
)
) +
1 d "АМУ -Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine ~ УТ $
val Tomb Ra
"Alter reaching legendary status on the PC, the Misht and Masic universe is ready to cast its spell on the PlayStation. "GamePro
Play le With `
a Vengeance.
Prepare for the ultimate battle of good and evil. As Drake, a lone mer- сепагу toughened by years of hardship, you re swept up into the midst of a Crusade in the incredible 3D fantasy-action lands of Ardon. Your only mission is to rid the land of the same vile evil that annihilated your family. Then, and only then, will you have your revenge!
А unique blend of action and role-playing
* Conquer 5 dark and hostile worlds, over 15 levels in all
ii Slay your enemies through scores of grueling quests
* Go to battle armed with a variety of wicked weapons & sizzling spells
PlayStation тм
Prima Strategy Guide Available A 71999 The о 0 ботралу АП Rights Reserved. 300, Crusaders of Might and-Magic, Might and Magic, and their respective logos, are trademarks and/or service *
таг oC The 2DO-Company in the U.S. and other countries. Рауапо ай the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. >: | АП other trademarks belong to their respective owners. The Prima Logo and Рита Publishing are Registered Trademarks of Prima Communications, Inc. www.mightandmagic.com
PREVIEW
Capcom
Capcom/Sega
1
Adventure
80%
March 2000
None
www.capcom.com
Nemesis who? THIS is the sequel Resident Evil fans have been waiting for!
If you don't yet own a DC, it's time to break out the credit card. (But is this really a bad thing?)
Steve Burnside's uncanny resemblance to Leo DiCaprio. Why, Capcom, why??
Code: Veronica's intro sequence rocks. While these pics make for a nice teaser, you've really gotta see the thing in motion!
Code: Veronica is packed with more cutscenes-both real-time and FMV- than any previous RE game.
As you can see by this close-up of
a Bander (one of the new mutated freaks in RE: CV), the level of graphical detail is simply astounding.
et’s face it. Even the most devoted Resident
Evil fanatic has to admit that RE 3 Nemesis
was a bit lacking in the story department.
More of a game for “hardcore” RE players, with its extreme difficulty and overabundance of combat, RE3’s overall plot (or lack thereof) made the game seem more like a side-story than an actual sequel to Resident Evil 2.
That’s where Code: Veronica comes in.
Taking place three months after the events of Resident Evils 2 and 3, Code: Veronica picks up where RE2 left off, with Claire heading off to Umbrella HQ in Europe to search for her missing brother, Chris. Not long after her arrival, she gets captured by Umbrella and taken to a remote prison
62
facility on a desolate island far, far away. After a mysterious attack on the prison base leaves the place in shambles, Claire manages to escape. While we don’t want to give away too much of the plot, we can reveal a few juicy tidbits: First, the prison island isn’t the only place that you’ll get to explore. About midway through the game, things will shift to an entirely different place—Antarctica. From there, who knows what happens. Also, if you were wondering why the game is called “Code: Veronica,” here’s the deal: Veronica is the original head of the Ashford family—the family that founded Umbrella, Inc. She’s long gone now, but you'd have to think that something's up with her if her name is in the game's title. Finally, the main adversaries in CV are Alfred Ashford, the current head of the Ashford family, and his sister Alexia. Both are descendants of Veronica. Thanks to the awesome power of the Dreamcast, Code: Veronica's visuals are absolutely stunning. The facial details on the characters and monsters rival those of the characters in Shenmue, and the dynamic lighting effects help to create an atmosphere that's chillingly realistic. Speaking of atmosphere, this is the first RE game to ditch the prerendered backgrounds in favor of a real-time environment. Similar to Dino Crisis (though much, much better-looking), RE: CV's world is entirely 3D. Now camera movements are more cinematic, and the game world doesn't feel as "detached" as it did
Like the original Resident Evil, you can inspect items on the sub-screen and view them in 3D form. This is essential to solving some of the puzzles in the game.
Continued on page 64
in past games. Best of all, there’s a new first-person view mode that allows you to play the game from your character’s perspective. This is truly awesome, though so far we haven’t found anyplace where it was actually necessary to switch to this mode—it seems like more of a novelty than anything else. Still, there’s nothing quite like shooting up zombies three feet away from you through the eyes of your character. It’s really quite fun. (Something worth noting: Capcom told us that there’s still a slight chance this mode will be dropped from the final version of the game, though it’s 95% likely to make it in. If it does get dropped, it'll most likely be because of technical issues. It was hyped back when the game was first announced in Japan, but since then, producer Shinji Mikami has kept quiet about the feature.)
Similar to Resident Evil 2’s Zapping System, Code: Veronica features an all-new gameplay element called the Real World System (R.W.S.). The game spans two GD- Е
ROMs, and like
RE2, the | According to actions of the Capcom, the two main first-person characters (this | view in RE: CV is time it’s Claire 95% certain to
be in the final
| game, pending some minor tweaking.
and, later, her brother Chris) will affect each
Code: Veronica is filled with all the spills, chills
Needless to say, this is a game that was meant to be played at night. In the dark. Alone. (Teddy Bear optional, though we might suggest a man- diaper for those among you who are easily "moved" by the kind of terrifying jump-out-of- your-chair antics the RE series is known for.)
other’s quests. This time, however, rather than seeing the same story unfold from two different viewpoints, the events are sequential. So the things you do as Claire—doors you open, items you pick up or leave behind, puzzles you solve—will be apparent later in the game when you follow her trail as Chris. Is this cool, or what?
There are a few other gameplay improvements worth noting, the coolest of which is the ability to wield two guns at once. That's right, there are a few weapons in the game (such as the Calico M-100P or the submachine gun) that come in pairs, and besides the fact that they look extremely cool, they come in especially handy when you've got hordes of zombies approaching from all sides. Best of all, they auto-aim independently! Also new is an enhanced map system that has color-coded doors to let you know if you've been through them or not, or if you have the key necessary to open them. It sounds minor, but it's a great help. The map also shows
63
and thrills that made its predecessors so popular.
Claire and Chris aren't the only main characters in CV. Here are some of the other faces you'll come across.
The current head of the Ashford clan, Alfred is a strange bird indeed. What's he trying to accomplish?
Alexia, a twin, is Alfred's sister. Some say that Alfred is just a puppet and that she's really in charge.
zn
Leo—err, Steve—turns up early on in the game. This hyperactive kid is also a prisoner on the island.
Claire escape from prison at the outset of the game. What are his true motives?
Continued from раде 63
save points, item boxes and any objects you may have left behind. Useful stuff. Finally, you can view your health at any time by simply looking at your VMU screen, which re-creates the life monitor that you'd otherwise have to switch to the sub-screen to view. This is quite handy as well.
Oddly enough, with all these gameplay improvements, the game takes a couple of minor steps back, too. Some of the cool stuff that was introduced in Nemesis (being able to blow up barrels, the ammo mixing feature, walking up stairs without having to press the action button) are missing in Code: Veronica. The decision-making element (“Fight the Nemesis or run like a puss?") is nowhere to be found. And the "sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't" dodge feature has been
| Thanks to the VMU, you'll no | longer have to switch to the sub- screen to view your health. Nice!
(Above) The beautiful 3D environments in Code: Veronica are some of the most impressive to date. The spectacular graphics only serve to add to the already chilling atmosphere that the RE games are well-known for. (Left) Chris Redfield, star of the original Resident Evil, is back as a playable character in Code: Veronica. You won't get to play as him, however, until disc 2.
removed as well. Disappointing for sure, but trust us—after playing for an hour or two, you'll be so caught up in Code: Veronica's atmosphere and engrossing story that you'll have forgotten all about these minor omissions. At least they kept the 180? quick-turn feature—a must for all future incarnations of the series.
One last bit of cool info—by fooling around with our preview version far too much (we spent hours upon hours with the game), we stumbled across a couple of “Extra” modes, that will likely be available after beating the game. We don't want to spoil it, but needless to say—once the main game is over, you won't have to shelve it right away...
In development for more than two years, Resident Evil Code: Veronica is an important game not only for Capcom, but for Sega as well. It's the kind of game that'll drive hardware sales (especially in Japan), and its exclusivity (for now, at least) means that a lot of PlayStation-owning Resident Evil fans are going to be making the jump to Dreamcast soon. This editor already went out and bought a DC just for this game...perhaps when it arrives in stores in March, you will too. $
Steve Burnside shows up early on and remains a major player throughout. In fact, it's rumored he may even “get it on” with Claire, though we can't confirm this. You'll get to play as him briefly on disc 1.
SHE'S GOT GUNS |
Code: Veronica is the first RE game to allow the use of two guns at once, John Woo- style. They even target independently!
"То Жы understand
A how decomposed these: 45. _ 1 "m zombies are you have У у | "UC to he in close personal E. S ES ae. contact,” Stick thought Ф EU о (a) Р as he smashed his fist p> Ф i um the braindead , = em e "n Е Lo Ку L3 A О =O m E $ == b > Су " до) 5 4
SCREEN GRABS SUCK SEE IT FOR REAL AT sega.com/games
ghoul. But this was no time for theory. Three new bonebags were moving in fast, and Stick had lost his gun. They charged. He wrecked the first one with a series of quick uppers, clocked the other one with an elbow pop, and dropped the third guy with a reverse rocket crotch kick. Then he spotted
'&31N3 VOSS э QI ‘ЗЗМАНЗАНа #935 4
ü x his gun. Unfortunately, it was stuck in EE + his face with a zombie behind it. "Yo, F voodoo child," said Stick "Your trigger finger’s missing..." sega.com/games we AR = E. H per
2 2. zi Fh = = = = = s 2 8
PREVIEW
Fighting CO 95%
April 2000 СГВ None www.capcom.com Fantastic animation
and parry system.
[SEE Mastering parries. CTI Some characters are
just lame.
pe TECHNIQUE | Party This
The newest and most significant addition to the Street Fighter combat system is parrying. Requiring much more skill than Alpha counters, you must press forward immediately before an attack makes contact in order to deflect it and escape undamaged. You can parry high or low attacks and even entire Super Art combinations. Double Impact has a special training mode that can help
you refine your timing.
Ss
Although it's not Elena's best Super Art, Spinning Beat looks cool and is useful against jumping opponents.
Double Impact contains both SF Ш: New Generation and Second Impact, but not the recent arcade release, Third Strike.
sually Capcom is very quick about porting hot arcade fighters to home consoles, but it seems like it took forever for any of the Street Fighter III’s to make the journey. From a technical standpoint, the game boasted insane amounts of character animations and ran on the CPS 11 arcade board. In comparison, Marvel vs Capcom (no slouch in the animation department itself) ran on the CPS ||. The memory capacity that SF III demanded made it impossible to port the game to anything less than the Dreamcast, so in that regard, the wait has paid off—now, we have a perfect conversion. Every animation frame is there with nearly invisible loading times. Capcom even took advantage of the DC's audio capabilities and
reproduced the Q-sound faithfully. Ah...delight for both the eyes and ears.
Double Impact packs in both SF IIl: New Generation and Second Impact, but there's really not much difference between the two aside from slight character tweaks, a challenge round and three new characters. It's a shame that Third Strike is not included, seeing that it has better character balance, a grading system and five new characters headed up by fan favorite, Chun-Li. For whatever reasons, none of the SF IIl games were very popular in the U.S., so the home version will be the first time many will seriously play the game.
For the uninitiated, the play mechanics are fundamentally the same as previous SF titles. Super combos are back, but now they are called "Super Arts," and you can choose one of three to suit a particular strategy for your character. The biggest addition is aggressive blocking which is referred to as parrying (see sidebar). This changes the dynamic of play considerably; you'll either love it or hate it. The only returning characters from previous installments are Ryu, Ken and Akuma.
Sega's last console may have been a 2D powerhouse, but Street Fighter III: Double Impact proves the Dreamcast can do everything 2D the Saturn could and much more. And with SF Alpha 3 making its way to this system a little later, Street Fighter fans may have found their dream machine. E
= — -
ence UH ME 1 Presents "= om
"Most Addictive" "This game has unbelievable eraphics" "One of the Hottest Racers of the Year"
"Better than any console racer to date...period"
60 FRAME-PER-SECOND Over 100 ACCESSORIES TO 4 GAME MODES, INCLUDING 27 BATTLE-READY HIGH-SPEED ACTION SPICE UP YOUR RIDE SPLIT-SCREEN VERSUS MODE CUSTOMIZABLE CARS
Sega@ Dreamcast.
Tokyo Xtreme Racer, Crave and their respective logos are trademarks of Crave Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Crave Entertainment is a registered trademark in the U.S. © 1999 Crave Entertainment, Inc. Genki is a registered trademark of Genki Со., Ltd. Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks ог trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CHOO CHOO SPACE SHUTTLE
Remember Astrotrain? It was an Autobot Transformer (classified as
a “Triple Changer”) that could transform from a steam locomotive into a space shuttle. Whose stupid idea was that?
ETTI sega
90%
Release: First Half, 2000
шо. None WWW.sega.com The Good: Fast-paced, great
party game, Internet multiplayer.
The graphics are
stylish but a bit utilitarian.
ГЕ You don't really need
another addiction in your life.
So what the heck does “Chu Chu” mean anyway? The word “chu” is the Japanese equivalent of a “squeak,” or the sound a mouse makes | (hence Pikachu, the lightning rat). In Japan, Chu Chu Rocket launched with the best commercial ever made (when the cat chomps down on the chu chus, there’s blood everywhere). Here are the lyrics, as transcribed by Peter Bartholow of videogames.com. “Chu Chu Rocket, let’s save the mice! Chu Chu Rocket, the cat is scary! Chu Chu Rocket, the rocket is awesome! TSUBABABABA!” The game rocketed to number one on the charts its first week of release.
Like the old action puzzle game Lode Runner, many of the stages resemble pictures, messages and other bits of humor from Sonic Team.
Sure, the graphics aren't much to look at, but they're cute, clean and stylish as hell.
hen Sega announced three new titles
from Sonic Team last August, nobody
expected Chu Chu Rocket to be among
the hit list. Despite the glaring lack of a Dreamcast NiGHTS or Burning Rangers sequel anytime soon, Sega fans knew that Chu Chu Rocket would be special, just by virtue of hailing from Sonic Team. After spending all month with the import version of Chu Chu Rocket, we were ecstatic to learn that Sega of America is set to localize this bizarre little gem for the U.S. market.
The object of Chu Chu Rocket is very simple: Guide as many rodents to your rocket as possible within the given time and watch the mice blast off into the great abyss. Each stage is comprised of six different objects: walls, mice, cats, pits, arrows and the player's rocket. Because it's a puzzle game, each item dictates one aspect of behavior on the playing field. Chus will run along until they hit a wall; if
Chu Chu Rocket comes with its own level editor, so you too can design nasty hard levels to use in puzzle or versus modes.
- www.videogam
^ BESS Bes
094 IERI 045 050)
there’s nowhere to go, they will either гип їп ап infinite loop, or run along the wall until the next obstacle presents itself. Just like in real life, cats will traverse a pattern that’s occasionally altered by walls and arrows...oh and they'll kill mice too.
Players move a colored cursor around and can place up to three arrows on screen to control the trajectory of mice and cats. Is player one getting too greedy with the little chu chus? Send a cat over to his rocket and watch his numbers dwindle. Or you can place arrows to syphon off your competition’s flow of mice and redirect them to your own rocket. When a pink mouse runs into your rocket, it triggers a random event. Events like speed-up, slowdown, chu chu fever (sends out an endless flow of mice for a limited time), and neko fever (neko means cat) provide plenty of opportunities for players to even out the score late in the game. It all amounts to one of the most hectic and well-balanced head-to-head puzzle games we've ever played.
The game is presented with a wide variety of modes. Among them are the one- through four- player versus modes, puzzle mode (which can be played co-op!) and even a Lode Runner-esque level builder. In Japan, Chu Chu Rocket sold for 2800 yen (about 25 bucks), or with a limited-edition Chu Chu Dreamcast controller for 4800 yen (45 bucks or so). It's still unknown at this point whether Sega will sell the game at a discounted price stateside. Ф
Play solo, or connect tw and breed with your friends a A spin-off of Japan's best selling RPG game, Enix s Dragon Quest
EIDOS 2
ОН КЫ A ое
Www. eidos. com ENIX.
PREVIEW
Vatical —— Hudson Soft i |] RPG | 85% ‚ January 2000 None
www.vatical.com
| Old-school role- playing coming to the Dreamcast.
L E.G.G. was originally developed for the Sega Saturn. И Highest cholesterol count of any Dreamcast game yet.
Did you ever go to the playground as a child and spin yourself long enough to make you wanna puke? Everyone has done this at least once, and you'll get to do it again if you want to play Elemental Gimmick Gear.
One of E.G.G.'s most powerful attacks is his spin- attack. Not only will you be required to use it to open doors and solve some puzzles, but also you'll need to do it in various battles where the enemy is tougher than your average bear. Just like a regular egg is versatile enough to come scrambled, over-easy and fried, so too is E.G.G. a multi-talented egg.
By the time you read this, E.G.G. should be out on Store shelves, so go check it out!
The graphics in E.G.G. are gorgeous for a primarily 2D game. It was originally developed for the Saturn. Go figure.
Like Evolution and Time Stalkers, E.G.G. is basically a one-town game.
n а surprise move, Vatical Entertainment recently
announced that they would be bringing Hudson
Soft's Japanese role-playing game, Elemental
Gimmick Gear (or E.G.G. for short) to the U.S. Perhaps even more surprising is the game's level of completion, and the fact that it's being readied for a January 2000 release. What is Elemental Gimmick Gear, you ask?
E.G.G.'s story revolves around a strange, egg- shaped mech found during an excavation in the ancient city of Fogna. Apparently the E.G.G. functions as some sort of suspended-animation device, for inside the E.G.G. lies a person referred to as the Sleeping Man. While the Sleeping Man is carted off somewhere else to continue his extended
285 7 aun
10
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 154 “million dozen” egg shells were broken during October 1999, up nine percent from October a year ago.
nap, the city’s engineers attempt to emulate the E.G.G.'s bio-structure in their own robots, designed for use by consumers and military alike. Naturally, everything goes berserk, and it's up to the recently awakened Sleeping Man and his E.G.G. to put an end to the chaos that ensues.
In the tradition of old-school RPGs like Square's Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy, E.G.G. features overhead 2D graphics that take advantage of the Dreamcast's superior color palette. The graphics are lush, and the characters are well-animated. Enemies and locales are all beautifully rendered in 2D, but, during significant boss-battles, things take on a decidedly 3D appearance. All of the fights are executed in an action-RPG fashion and are fully polygonal and 3D. Perhaps E.G.G.'s most significant attack is the move where he pulls in his arms and legs (like Gamera) and begins a deadly top-spin that usually does a good job of clearing out a room. Unless you have a special item, though, this move takes way HP from your E.G.G., and so, must be used sparingly. Of course, with a name like Elemental Gimmick Gear, you can expect various elemental powers to be featured prominently in E.G.G.'s attacks.
It's good to see yet another quality, niche title make its way into the hands of the large U.S. market. Now let's hope some publisher picks up Frame Gride and Berserk. gy
IVERSON LEARNS FROM YOUR MISTAKES.
THAT'S A FULL TIME JOB. беда О Dreamcast. »,,/ SEGA SPORTS”
›//07.
IT'S THINKING uu MN BA 2K
— Twenty-nine teams throw down in 28 arenas with 1300 motion-captured moves. actual NBA coaches' playbooks and jawdropping action down to hand signals, tattoos and sneaker squeaks. Microwaves don't get this hot, son.
APPARENTLY,
vts ¥
sega.com
| Wr | - M "ar
..polygons per player model in Sega's NHL 2K. The more polys, the more lifelike the characters look.
PREVIEW GALLERY
Naturally, due to the name, you probably think NHL 2K is another Visual Concepts product right? Nope, it's being developed by Black Box for Sega, a team comprised mainly of former Radical Entertainment programmers (remember NHL Powerplay?). Needless to say these guys know their hockey. NHL 2K features all the NHL licenses, players and stadiums you could hope for, not to mention great graphic detail. The player models alone feature some 1,400 polygons per character. Facial detail is as close to the real thing as we’ve seen (outside of NBA 2K). For animation, more than 1000 motion-captured moves are used. Even the fighting looks ultra-realistic. With any luck at all, NHL 2K will continue the high standards that NFL and NBA 2K established. Look for the game in February.
We've been updating for you Giga Wing's journey from the arcades to the Dreamcast for the past six months...now we're happy to report that Capcom's latest 2D shooter will make its way stateside on Sega's machine. This game is, by far, the most 2D-intensive vertical shooter we've ever played. For the love of god, just look at these screenshots! Giga Wing is set for release in April.
гл
E NEOGEO C OCKET соок
GET POCKET POWER!
= Tons of games for tons of fun!
Бог more information call: (877) 341-3288 or visit www.snkusa.com
| For Midway’s sake, hopefully | no one will associate 4
| Wheel Thunder with their previously released super-
| stinker— Off-Road Challenge.
PREVIEW GALLERY
Thunder
Midway’s 4 Wheel Thunder is gorgeous, rivaled only by Sega Rally 2 for creative use of lighting, lens flare effects and detail. The guts of the game include 12 indoor and outdoor tracks in six different environments. The courses are extremely long and wrought with rolling hills, jumps, narrow passes and much more. At this point, the game looks great but needs a bit more speed. Look for 4WT in May.
11 S" s
Right alongside Street Fighter || in Capcom's impressive list of games to bring stateside is Tech Romancer, a 3D fighting game inspired by giant robot anime of the last three decades. The game- play in Tech Romancer is highly reminiscent of Bandai's Gundam: Battle Masters series. Each player has "damage meters" which slowly fill up as you pummel each other silly with a wide array of weapons. Heavy hits will knock a “power-up” from your opponent, which then can be picked up and exploited to your advantage.
Graphically, the game is sweet. E — The level of articulation in each 4 mech’s animation is detailed to the N : extreme. So far, we've spotted the jem following parodies: Mazinger Z, Getter Robo, Macross, Evangelion, Gundam and many others. Tech Romancer is set for release here sometime this spring.
'CRAEAGR
n
F FOOTWEAR WILL NEVER BE THE SAME...
THE
PRESSURE
ее Rd
д MARCECKÜ -— '
С» | к
| In addition to being the mystical beings you grab | in Draconus, a Wisp is a term for an experiment
| with a зе -сотр пе compiler for a simple list-
| processing language. Whatever. Wisp is also the
PREVIEW | name of a popular ski resort in Maryland. |
GALLERY БЕСЕ:
Striker 2
There’s been a decided shortage of soccer games in the U.S. since the Dreamcast launched. In Europe, developers are falling over themselves to bring the most : 4 + -—- i popular sport in the world to the re | | i ERE nen Sega system. Virtua Striker 2 has E been waiting in the wings for some time, and after wowing players in the arcade, it's now just about ready for release. Developed in- house by Sega and set for release in March, it features some of the best graphics you're likely to have ever seen in a soccer game. Because of its pedigree, the gameplay itself is very arcade-like, but it delivers enough thrills to keep casual fans of the sport occupied. You play with 32 international teams, and you get to have a kickabout in six different stadiums. Show-offs will love the fact that you can save cool goals to the VMU.
| dz сц
Draconus: CotW (formerly Blades of Vengeance) from Treyarch and Crave has a definite Gauntlet feel with a healthy dose of Golden Axe thrown in for good measure. And since it's on the Dreamcast, it's 3D and quite pretty. You control one of two types of characters: A hulking warrior man with a take-no-crap attitude, or a deadly female sorceress. You have to search for mystical wisps (which allow you to upgrade offensive, defensive and magical attributes), and eventually make your way to the evil Dragon Lord (note: Dragons are also known as wyrms) who is terrorizing the land. — ~ Although there are various tasks to complete and NPC characters to interact with in each level, you'll encounter plenty of hacking and slashing while playing through the game's 15 levels. After all, Draconus /5 an action game. When you butt heads with one of the game's 30 types of enemies, you can go to work on it with a series of offensive combos or magic, along with timed use of your shield. There are multiple weapons and spells to upgrade as well. Look for it to hit store shelves in March.
тыт уй
eidos.com
LE oom
в tN TE RAC
hs MISs!on,
= 5 Я = ё
їа1
etraction
| |
R
ves Deployment ument Extract
Beam Laser ntal Industri
auncher le
so credentials are all
Hawk Manson niper Rifle
You're alone on t
Grenade L Knife
Shotgun
5
TY CLEARANCE:
rf?
"em ==» کم
pem ij
j
жт
м» ушж puom аш "об јад n его "peau anok ayeyu ецца шор ла ‘suOdeaM Mau "1953! эле$ ], 1 !
Е * 0 д е ue uo suonejjeysut 039 }0 110 рие ШІ ЈӘЛПӘ РШ 015! 640 )-IS $4109 абецој 59 йәшшәлоВ əy} 10 3۸ E uosueW УМЕ se $ 0 UOI. do Ue 100 sje 9 116} nok у аше 90 nagao 106 Ado Әл По, 05 ul }. 1 р 1 у M ' qof од uoissiul n и 1 y 1 | A А 910 SIY} U usul JnoÁ ue nok snis
T a
ў
*
=
5g — |
ia: чё Жугер, 2 | According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the FBI, the
Honda Accord LX is the car stolen most often in the U.S. Car thieves can score up to $1435 for one of its back seats!
PREVIEW GALLERY
It's FREE! There...did that get your attention? By the time you read this, new Dreamcasts should be bundled with this Columns-like puzzle game. Sega will be distributing Swirl with the next AT&T Web browser update (scheduled for February or March), so existing DC owners will be getting it for free as well.
Swirl's concept is simple:
Match up the purdy swirls of color. But the fun is in the multiplayer execution. Since you can play Swirl either real-time or turn-based, you can do it four-player split-screen style, or send turns over Dreamcast e-mail. You can even use the e-mail thing to play against PC opponents (who can download the game for free). Sega will also have a place for show-offs to post high scores on the Internet.
Swirl is a Sega PC-developed puzzle game.
Tonight
Konami will release their very own DC basketball game sometime in early 2000. Beyond full NBA licenses, the title features play-by- play by Brent Musburger, extensive animation (including loads of facial expressions) and a heapin’ helpin’ of ESPN, TV-style atmosphere. Check out the Chris Mills interview (top right picture) —outstanding. We can’t wait to get our hands on this pup for an NBA 2K compari- son. Competition is a good thing.
Plasma
The sequel to one of the PlayStation’s most underrated three-dimensional fighters, Star Gladiators, is coming to the Dreamcast courtesy of Capcom. Originally done on the PlayStation arcade hardware, the DC version will sport slightly improved graphics (it’s definitely not a Soul Calibur arcade to DC level of improvement) and special effects galore. Choose from 22 different characters who each has his or her
own special weapon. Look for Plasma Sword this February.
Grand Theft
If mowing people down with your ride, delivering drugs to street- corner pushers and other such criminal behavior tickles your fancy—but you hate the idea of doing hard time—GTA2, coming from Rockstar and DMA Design in April, is the perfect way to get your fix. Align yourself with a particular gang, work your way up the ranks and gain respect by completing naughty jobs around town. But watch out for po po.
18
же
DREAMS LITTLE
Playstation and the Playstation logos ate registered I ECMO
of the Interactive Digital Software Association www.tecmoinc.com
Pl layStation R
PREVIEW GALLERY
CRI’s AeroDancing F is the follow-up effort to Aerowings here in the U.S. Many Dreamcast owners complained about the first AeroDancing’s difficulty and lack of combat. In response, CRI has catered AeroDancing F heavily toward modern jet warfare. Players will be able to pilot a wide variety of fighters, including the F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18 and F-4 Phantom. CRI's also added a split-screen two- player deathmatch mode. AeroDancing F is due out spring of 2000 in Japan.
Pulse Interactive's 3D action adventure set in the year 2025 is shaping up nicely. You play as Kei, a tough special forces superfuzz out to kick some criminal booty. It’s set for release in Japan January 2000.
| | | Whether it’s a cliché or not, survival horroris | | here to stay. If you're a fan of the genre, check | | out www.survivorhorror.gamepost.com and | | confront your worst fears. |
Treasure recently released the Dreamcast version of their N64 shooter Bangaio. We got our hands on the import, and while the game looks better (translucent explosions, more detailed sprites, higher resolution), it's still plagued with slowdown during intense sprite storms. Regardless, it's still а brilliant game and you should still import it. We hope Treasure takes the time and develops a DC game from scratch next time!
Ring Asmik Ace's entry into survival horror is called simply, The Ring. You're a special agent sent to squelch a certain alien crisis within a full 3D environment. The Ring comes out February 2000 in Japan.
Iragon
ү
^ New. & SE edt units inc 1 ЕР" көт
NN
+ New diei contro! ae ч * \
/ ° бш 500 characters: Ue Nen personal кото ра
same
= 24 К
Lamp s \ esas | \ \ f / 7 / у | l 0 | | \ / / / ji , | | | || | \ ©1949 КОЕ! Corpofátion and KOE/Co., Lid. А! fights reserved! PlayStation nd the PlaySfation logos afe registered tfademarks of Sony Compuler Enterainnlent Inc. The ote isla trademark ol the Interactivà Digital Software Association." || || || |
/ Я f / f ] || | | | | || || \
yupum | | |
ы с 5 Е < >
Start sleeping with your eyes open...evil's moving in, on N64*. The most intense survival game
in history is here!
EM dag
Fear. Horror. Terror. And, of course, evil. It's everywhere. Enter the most terrifying game experience ever crafted. Fight through hordes of flesh-starved zombies, blood-thirsty
beasts and other mutant creatures.
Welcome to the nightmare...
Resident Evil 2.
If the suspense doesn't kill you,
something else will.
www.capcom.com
© CAPCOM CO., LTD. 1999 © CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. RESIDENT EVIL 2 AND CAPCOM EDGE are trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the "М" logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. The ratings icon is a trademark of the interactive Digital Software Association,
=>
PlayStation
You barrel out of the fourth turn doing 240 or
d demons tot
you test the wall. Either way, it's heaven.
ALFA ROMEO ASTON MARTIN AUDI
BMW CHEVROLET CITROEN DAIHATSU DODGE
FIAT
FORD HONDA JAGUAR LANCIA LISTER LOTUS MAZDA MERCEDES-BENZ MG
MINI MITSUBISHI NISSAN OPEL PEUGEOT PLYMOUTH RENAULT RUF SHELBY SUBARU SUZUKI
TOYOTA
VENTURI
VOLKSWAGEN
PlayStation
www. playstation.com
mo.
UNIVERSAL Z
Ра UNIVERSAL
Spyro's back
Ру. ~ О t
nel
~
у ">__
He toasts his enemies one by one. And this time, he’s not taking any prisoners. Spyro 15 on a rampage in the air, land and sea. This is one fire-breathing dragon ready to take on the world. Spyro 2: Riptos Rage! It’s fast. It's fierce. It's where second-degree burns are just part of the job.
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! ™ & © 1999 Universal Interactive Stlidios, Inc. Allfights reserved. Developed by InsomniacGames, Ine. All rights reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
p» PlayStation
It's ape anarchy and it's up to you to stop their banana-fueled mayhem. You'll hunt down over 200 unruly apes, you'll drive a Tank, steer a Remote Control Car, you'll even launch an aerial attack in a propeller-powered Skyflyer. You'll use plenty of anti-ape devices, like a primate-pun- ishing Stun Club, a simian Slingshot and Monkey Radar. Plus, it's the first and only 3D game that fully utilizes the Dual Shock’ analog controller. m uw Prepare yourself, things are about to get hairy.
*Or other official PlayStation brand or licensed controllers featuring the "Analog Control" icon. Analog mode only. May not function or performance may Entertainment America Inc. ©1999 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. No apes were harmed in the making of this advertisement. Аз for the truck driver, that's a different story
You better get them before they get you.
vary with other controllers. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Ape Escape is a trademark of Sony Computer
EVERYONE
CTR (Crash Team Racing) Game ©1999 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Developed by Naughty Dog, Inc. СТВ (Crash Team Racing) and related characters TM logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
PlayStation
HEG
It’s not driving. It’s a motorized beat-down. Leave skid marks on 25 different tracks. Reduce your fellow drivers to roadkill. And if youre man enough to survive the hair- pin turns, you'll score a TURBO boost. Unless, of course, you get 86'ed by a TNT crate. Plug in the Multi Tap adaptor and up to four players can race to the ugly fin- ish. With over 12 playable characters in all. Basically, it’s a full-blown war on wheels.
www.playstation.com
eig | e
CRASH TEAM RACING: ——
Once ће gets behind the wheel, things get ugly.
CHOCOPYCAT
Chocobo, never one to be original, is getting his own board game in Japan this winter (it should be out by the time you read this). Dice De Chocobo is to Mario Party what Chocobo Racing was to
Mario Kart. What's next? Chocobo Platform Side-Scroller?
[рше Nintendo Hudson Soft Pavers: 4 [И Miscellaneous
% Done: 100%
January 2000 [ооь None www.nintendo.com KET А few new ideas, like
dueling and in-game item gathering.
One-third of the mini-
games are rehashes.
Shawn Smith winning
the crane game, even though he was watching the wrong character on the TV screen.
Oldies But
Twenty of Mario Party 2's 64 mini-games are remakes of popular ones from Mario Party 1. The differences are mostly cosmetic (different backgrounds, etc.), but some gameplay has changed as well. The mine cart race, for example, now takes place on a whole new course, while the Hot Bob- omb game requires a button press to actually catch the Bob-omb this time around. Shown above is a team (2- оп-2) version of the Balloon Burst competition.
Oh—by the way—gone are the spinning analog stick games. Nintendo hinted at broken controllers and/or blisters as the reasons for the exclusion.
his January, Nintendo will be bringing out the
sequel you've all been dying for. Who cares
about a new Metroid or Super Mario 64?
Mario Party 2 is just the thing to keep us N64 owners happy (Yes, that’s sarcasm you hear). It’s not that we don’t like the party cart, mind you. It’s just a “kinda, sorta want” type of game we've been seeing a lot of lately from Nintendo (like DK64 or Jet Force Gemini), not a “really, really want” (when is Perfect Dark coming out again?).
If you never played the original, you missed out on a fun, multiplayer board game that was chock-full of imaginative mini-games. Now the sequel is here, complete with gameplay tweaks and new four-player competitions.
A few things have changed from the first outing. The biggest difference is the way items are handled. Instead of saving up coins to buy magical blocks or whatever after the game’s over, everything is now located right on the board. You can find things like a bell that summons the mischievous Boo (to steal coins or stars from helpless opponents), mushrooms that let you advance up to three dice rolls’ worth of spaces, or a mask to temporarily turn you into a coin-stealing Bowser. You can find these things in item shops (for a fee) or for free on item spaces, but they’re only one-use items that don’t carry over into your next game of Mario Party 2. In fact, the only permanent things you can buy with the coins earned
Nintendo and Hudson Soft spiced up the left, you can see: 1. New special spaces, like this slightly
you free items. Items like the Golden Mushrooms which...
spaces instead of one. Or, you may receive the key that allows you to...
3. ...pass certain locked gates to access new areas of the board. You can only carry one of these special items at a i They're represented by...
4. ..Аһіѕ little icon right here.
in a game are the mini-games themselves. Gone are the purchasable Casino Banks, Random Blocks, etc.
Also new is the Koopa Bank. It collects five coins every time you pass it, then gives the pot to any lucky player who lands on one (it's sort of like the unofficial “Free Parking" rules of Monopoly). If you're playing on the hidden Bowser stage (which you have to open up by beating the other five game boards), however, the reverse happens.
This time around, the party is host to 64 mini- games—a few more than last time. Forty-four of them are brand-spankin’ new, while 20 come from the original game (most are modified a bit). One of the new types is the Battle Mini-Game, which you get if you end up ona lightning space. Land on this baby and all players must donate an equal amount of coins, with the winner of the battle getting two- thirds of the pot and Mr. Second Place getting the rest. You can also have one-on-one face-offs. You’re thrown into these special duels if you land on the same spot as another character during the last five rounds of play. The challenger posts the amount he or she wants to wager, and both players bet this amount. Winner takes all, of course.
Mario Party 2 has lots of new stuff and lots of old stuff, too. If you couldn’t get enough of the original, then Mario Party 2 is just right for you. Read the reviews in this issue to see what the Crew (almost
all fans of the original) have to say about the sequel.
ronic Gaming Monthly - 92 - www.videogames.com
playing board a bit for the sequel. On the
obscured treasure chest spot which gives
2. ...let you move three die rolls’ worth of
THE FATE Tue WORLD 15
nYOUR HANDS.
LITERALLY.
TERRORISM CAN STRIKE ANYWHERE. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE REAL-LIFE INTENSITY OF TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX IS AVAILABLE ON THE GAME BoY" COLOR VIDEO GAME SYSTEM. TAKE COMMAND OF AN ELITE MULTI-NATIONAL STRIKE FORCE AND PROTECT THE WORLD AGAINST THE SCOURGE OF TERRORISM. CAREFULLY CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS AND STRATEGY. THEN BOLDLY EXECUTE YOUR MISSION—AND YOUR FOES—IN REAL TIME. WITH RAINBOW SIX AND
YOUR GAME BOY COLOR YOU CAN FINALLY
сит TERRORISM DOWN TO SIZE.
* BREAKTHROUGH COMBINATION OF ACTION AND STRATEGY NEVER BEFORE SEEN ON THE GAME BOY COLOR.
* TWO GAME MODES: TOP-DOWN OR FIRST PERSON WHEN THE ACTION HEATS UP.
* EXECUTE ASSAULTS GN TERRORIST INSTALLATIONS WITH UP TO EIGHT OPERATIVES.
• NIGHT VISION GOGGLES TO IMPROVE STEALTH IN NIGHT TIME MISSIONS.
* SNIPER MODE TO PICK OFF ENEMIES AT A SAFE DISTANCE.
4 >
4 >
ALSO Arnavisca, S t ом « UNIFORM +| A МЕЯРОНТ | *SITI» Commander of the RRINBON
counter-terrorism teon, Внеғісоп. Mo information available on data or place of birth. | education, or military experience. Recruited bu fnericon Central
Intelligence Agency (ноге i
ММТЕМОО54 ^ ; А 8 Л
i
< MERPÜN2 >) 145172» Г 7WEMPS-RB TT a) д
VN
ТЕТ
ONE „и ЕАУ — =
| Perfect Dark will have: 60 minutes of cinemas, 10 deathmatch-specific arenas, | д available bots (to go with four-player games, for a total of eight combatants),
3 | 3 difficulty settings and o EGM editors not playing the damn thing. PREVIEW ي GALLERY
Perfect Dark
Nintendo just released these new screens of Rare’s Perfect Dark. You should know by now that the game’s been delayed until April. Peter Main, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing explains, “Nintendo and Rare have done a thorough review [of Perfect Dark]. With more development time, мете all convinced it will produce a considerably better product....With more time, it will look and play even better. We're sure when it does launch, that you'll say it was worth the wait."
94
| Which is your favorite Pokémon? (Source: videogames.com online poll)
| Мем - 12%
PREVIEW GALLERY
The Legend of Zelda Gaiden
Although there’s not much new to report on Nintendo’s upcoming sequel to Ocarina of Time, the company did recently reveal at a toy conference in New York that the game will be their big holiday title for 2000. So, now we know when the U.S. version will be arriving...most likely November. As for the Japanese release, it’s still on for March. Meanwhile, here are some new screens from Nintendo Power Source.
Pokemon Stadium Nintendo will release Pokémon Stadium in March. It’s co-developed by HAL Laboratory, and stars all 151 Pokémon (see preview in EGM #120). New to the game is a mode where you take photos of your favorite Pokémon to print out, much like in Pokémon Snap—only they
stay still. Also, as you beat cups you get bonuses like the Doduo, allowing you to play the GB game twice as fast, or, after getting Dotrio,
All-Star Baseball 2001
What could Acclaim do to make this game any better? For starters they've added a Hall of Fame team with yet-to-be-named superstars from the past and present. The other biggie is an improved Arcade Mode. No doubt this was done to go head-to-head with its biggest rival on the N64—Nintendo’s Griffey Baseball. Look for this, the prettiest baseball game ever, in April.
Fighter Destiny 2
Imagineer's sequel to one of the few decent N64 fighting games has 16 characters, a customizable fighting ring and several modes of play. These modes include a board game where you advance by defeating CPU opponents (earning new moves and skills along the way) and a rodeo- style game where you have to see how long you can last in the ring against an angry cow. SouthPeak is bringing out FD2 in February.
Aloha.. Hawaii i is Under siege from terrorist fanatics. As Eagle One, command the searing action and fly 5 different attack planes, including the Harrier Jumpjet, into the
latest hot spot. Turn'n burn, baby...it doesn't get much Harrier than this. |
e 2
AMEAGLE:;, I {
n == РЈ НАРВА ТЕ В А РА СИК" 9"
Фу
Pilot your fully loaded Harrier Jumpjet through 25 adrenaline- pumping.missions.
Attack enemy. planes, ships and ground forces in frenzied anti-terrorist action. 1516 3rd person views capture the non-stop heat.
Choose Action or Sim Modes to experience the battles in 2 different ways. s Split:sere8mo- player action puts you in the middle of head-to-head dogfights;
dî gab û wingimanto take out the enemy in cooperative mode.
Eagle One Harrier Attack ond Infogrames are the trademarks of Infogrames. Eagle ‘One Harrier Attack ©1999 Infogrames. All Rights Reserved. Developed by Gloss Ghost, All other trademarks and trade nomes are the properties of their ге pe owners. PlayStation ond the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks Computer Entertainment tc. The ratings icon s a trademark ofthe Interactive Digital Software Association,
DREAMCAST
Crazy Tax!
Simple is effective, the star of the lat- est EGM is one of the best arcade to home translations you could hope for. Good, old school fun.
ни?
With all of the cool features we've come to expect from the Sega Sports brand. Unparalleled realism and drop dead gorgeous visuals.
Zombie Revenge
Imagine a cross between old school scrolling fighting games and Resident Evil. Another perfect conversion of a Naomi arcade game from Sega.
Time Stalkers
From the people that brought us the classic Genesis RPG, Landstalkers. Gorgeous visuals...and the added bonus of lots of VMU games.
Dead or Alive 2
The girls of Dead or Alive have
M always turned heads...but on the
| Dreamcast they look better than ever. Another great fighting game.
Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver
Crystal Dynamics’ impressive gothic 3D adventure comes to Dreamcast with amazing visuals. Think Tomb Raider with vampires.
Grand Theft Auto 2
The insanely popular 2D gangster game gets updated, improved and enhanced for Sega’s box. Not for chil- dren...or the feint hearted.
Fighting force 2
The original may have been distinctly mediocre on PlayStation and N64, but the sequel has more of a Metal Gear look and some great visuals.
* Street Fighter Alpha 3
The Street Fighter still seems to have what it takes. The Dreamcast version is the most perfect conversion to date. Invest in an Arcade Stick too.
ECW Hardcore Revolution
Acclaim’s WWF Attitude engine gets overhauled and packed with up and coming ECW fighters. More extreme, more violent...more, more, more.
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 Motorcycle racing doesn’t get a look in very often with video games, so if you're a fan of the sport it’s worth checking out.
Toy Story 2
Activision and Disney Interactive’s charming 3D platform game gets as close to the graphics in the movie as 2 you could hope for in the DC version.
NINTENDO 64
Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense
Activision’s popular car combat game gets updated with new cars, weapons and arenas. Bound to be popular with №64 owners.
Carmageddon 64
Another violent car game...this time in a translation of the worldwide hit PC game. Perform cunning stunts, and run over pedestrians.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Phenomenally popular when it arrived on the PlayStation a couple of months ago, this is undoubtedly the finest skateboarding game around.
Pokémon Stadium
Train your Pokémon and load them up into your N64 withthe Transfer Pak so you can battle it out in glori- ous 3D.
Perfect Dark
The one everyone is waiting for. Due for an April release...the follow up to GoldenEye could well be one of the most successful games ever.
StarCraft 64
The conversion of the top selling PC real-time strategy game has been on the way for some time. Make sure you get yours first.
GAME BOY COLOR
EKÎ Mission Impossible
One of the coolest products for the Game Boy ever. It’s not just a game...turn your handheld into а mini PDA and remote control.
1942
Another old-school arcade game gets brought back to life on the Game Boy. The classic WWII scrolling shooter— just as you remember it.
Resident Evil
No-one believed it could be done...but the Game Boy version is incredible. The whole story...and even with speech.
Monster Rancher Battie Cards
Following the trend of monster-rais- ing games making good card battle games, this aging franchise gets rein- vented for Game Boy.
Battletanx
30075 popular tank battling game comes to the handheld world with a distinctly old-school feel. Cruise around and blow stuff up.
‚ auge e BOOKA’ MORE GAMES FOR LESS
The Hottest Pre-Orders
PLAYSTATION
Fear Effect
“Eidos launches a new franchise with a cool Resident Evil like adventure featuring groovy anime style charac- ter art and Bladerunner like story.
Urban Chaos
Developed by ex-Bullfrog guys Mucky Foot, this 3D action adventure fea- tures huge levels and kick ass action. It's been a long wait...
Spec 005
The ‘sneak 'ет up’ genre expands still further with this military simula- tor ported from the PC. Plays a little bit like Rainbow Six.
WWF Smackdown
THQ picks up the WWF license where Acclaim left off and brings us one of the most impressive looking wrestling games yet.
Deception iii
Tecmo's long lasting series continues. If you were a fan of the first two, уоште going to want to get hold of this.
Gran Turismo 2
After numerous delays, it’s finally here. The finest racing game of all time? With over 500 cars it’s got lots more to choose from than the first.
Tomba! 2
The follow-up to the popular platform adventure is now in 3D and features vast and complex levels. Something a little different for platform game fans.
Die Hard Trilogy 2
Follows the same format as the origi- nal...driving, shooting and 3D action. Completely new story though...noth- ing to do with the movies. Weird.
Macross VE-K 2
Big robots with big guns in this fast paced 3D action shooter from Bandai. Fans of the Robotech fran- chise will love it.
NBA Shootout 2000
989 Studios returns to basketball after a hiatus with a latecomer to the basketball scene. Look out for a new engine and new features.
lunar 2
"The success and level of interest in the first Lunar assures that we get the sequel. RPG fans should set some time aside for this.
Gauntlet Legends
Midway's popular update of the ancient arcade game brings the whole thing into 3D. Best played with three friends (or enemies.)
$10 Off your order of $30 or more $20 Off your order of $100 or more* Use VIP EGMF2 code in the shopping cart
Earn points toward free games with every purchase you make at UGOdirect.com. Greate an account and track your point total on our site using your Етан address and by creating your own password. Then fill ‘em in on this card 50 you won't forget 'em! What could ве easier!
“(otter expires March 15, 2000 and is Hated 10 one per customer)
The Coolest Recent Releases
Possible the coolest looking sports game ever made, Sega's first new sports game marks the start of a great looking franchise
NBA2K
“Another gorgeous looking sports game from Sega Sports, and pro- claimed a ‘must buy’ game in the pages of EGM.
Sega Rally 2
“Without shadow of a doubt the best racing game you'll see on Dreamcast for a while.” EGM loved Rally 2 so much they gave it a Gold Award.
Tomorrow Never Dies
James Bond finally makes it to the PlayStation. Take some of the Bond attitude and mix it in with a healthy dose of Syphon Filter like gameplay.
7 Tony Hawk Pro Skater
Skateboarding games are the new
| fad..but few even come close to the - quality of Neversoft/Activision's Tony Hawk. Looks great...plays great.
Medal of Honor
“This one’s a classic.” The finest 3D shooter on PlayStation more than deserves its ЕСМ Gold Award...a great story and thrilling gameplay.
WWF Wrestlemania 2000
THQ's latest wrestler offers some fine features...and received a Silver Award from the Review Crew at EGM. WWF fans should check it out.
Donkey Kong 64
Nintendo’s big hit for Christmas has been eagerly awaited for months. See what all the fuss is about...and get an expansion pak with it.
WWF Wrestlemania 2000
If you love wrestling so much that you have to take it with you, the lat- est portable brawler is here for you to get your hands оп.
f Toy Story 2
All the fun of the hit Disney movie crammed down and packed into a portable sized package. Sure to be a big hit with the kids (of all ages).
You Got The Descriptions... Now Get The Games!
Fill-in this handy CHECKLIST
and use it as a guide when you:
* shop online at UGOdirect.com,
* call in your order to 1-800-335-0046, or
* place your order through the mail by sending us your checklist.
Frequent Buyer Program Membership Card
aga = accom
WORE GAMES FOR LESS
DREAMCAST PRICE о Crazy Taxi $49.95 15 мк $49.95 — Zombie Revenge ms о Time Stalkers $49.95 J Dead or Alive 2 $42.95 —) Legacy of Kain Sou! Reaver $42.95 .) Grand Theft Auto 2 * -) Fighting Force 2 $42.95 0 Street Fighter попа 2 $44.95 0 EGW Hardcore Revolution * I Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 —saa.95 Toy Story 2 $39.95 NINTENDO 64 Q Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense $48.95 Û Carmageddon 64 $54.95 Q Tony Hawk's Pro Skater $46.95 iJ Pokemon Stadium $48.95 Q Perfect Dark $56.95 Q StarCraft 64 $47.95 GAMEBOY COLOR Q Mission Impossible $28.95 О 1942 $21.95 Q Resident Evil $26.95 О Monster Rancher ваше Cards * о Battletanx $26.95 PLAYSTATION 2 Fear Effect $37.95 J Urban Chaos $36.95 О Spec Ons $36.95 J WWF Smackdown $39.95 О Deception Ш $38.95 Q Gran Turismo 2 $38.95 О Tomba!2 $31.95 Q Die Hard Trilogy 2 $36.95 О Macross VE-K 2 $36.95 Q МВА Shootout 2000 $3195 Q Lunar 2 $42.95 Q Gauntlet Legends $9195 RECENT RELEASES о NH2k $49.95 О NBA2K $49.95 Q Sega Rally 2 $49.95 J Tomorrow Never Dies $59.95 Q Tony Hawk Pro Skater $56.95 J Medal of Honor $31.95 J WWF Wrestlemania 2000 $34.95 Q Donkey Kong 64 $38.95 о WWF Wreslemania 2000 $26.95 Q Toy Story 2 $21.95 TOTAL
В POINTS
#88
B28 & Е
“BRB
8
$582525828285799"8
93588828288
+ Check UGOdirect.com for current prices
USOoiPres acon MORE GAMES FOR LESS
My E-mail
My Password
Check your Frequent Buyer Points account any time through the Member Services section at UGOdirect.com
Ordering Information
FIRST NAME TAST NAME
ADDRESS
em STATE ТЇР CODE TELEPHONE
E-MAIL ADDRESS
YOUR TOTAL (FROM OTHER SIDE):
SHIPPING INFORMATION: US Postal Service: Priority Mail, 2-5 business days, $4.00 Federal Express*: -Express Saver, 2 business days, $4.75 -Economy, 2 business days, $6.75 -Standard Overnight, Next business morning, $9.75 *FedEx delivery within continental US only. Delivery to PO Boxes not available.
ADD SHIPPING: ADD TAX IF APPLICABLE:
(NY and CA state residents are required to pay applicable sales tax on shipments.)
TOTAL: PAYMENT C) CHECK ENCLOSED C) PLEASE CHARGE TO MY CREDIT CARD т?к омда OMe C) AMEX — C) DISCOVER
EXPIRATION DATE
PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINE AT: http://www.ugodirect.com ORDER BY PHONE:
1-800-335-0046 (INTERNATIONAL ORDERS CALL 1-212-358-9100)
OR MAIL THIS CARD TO: UGOdirect.com
395 Hudson Street New York, NY 10014
Copyright © 2000 UGO Networks, Inc. All prices, product specifications, and release dates are subject to change without notice. Product descriptions, specifications, and performance are the responsibility of the supplier and UGO Networks Inc. has no liability ог responsibility in connection therewith, Pre-orders will ship when they are released. Check the product listings on our website for the most current release dates. UGO, the UGO logo, UGOdirect.com, and More Games For Less are registered trademarks or service marks of UGO Networks, Inc. Other product names or logos used herein may be registered or trademarks of their respective publisher or manufacturer.
[ 0 à ©) | E
MORE GAMES FOR LESS
Including Р52, the number of U.S. consoles called = | —— “something two.” The others are the Sega Master System Il, Intellivision Il and the Odyssey 2. This proves it’s really
difficult to come up with names for video game systems. PREVIEW GALLERY
Tekken Tag Tournament
Here are the newest screens from Namco's blockbuster beat- 'em-up, Tekken Tag Tournament. In these screens you can really see the detail put into the characters— an attention to detail that rivals even the amazing job the company did on the Dreamcast version of Soul Calibur (which is still heavily played in the EGM offices daily). This is going to be the PS2's killer app, available on the day it launches in Japan, March 4, 2000.
Namco's Ridge Racer V (formerly Shin Ridge Racer) is set for the green light in March when the PS2 launches. Added to the usual mix of daylight courses are а few night ones, as well.
чыка BE ==
PREVIEW GALLERY
Originally planned for release on PlayStation 1, From Software’s Evergrace has found a new home on PS2. Several games have already made this jump— another being Capcom's feudal action title Oni Musha. Evergrace is considered a 3D real-time RPG, and is currently set for a spring release in Japan. You star as Yuterald, a grown-up Cloud-looking character who carries a big-arse sword on his back. A “dress-up” mode allows you to change what clothes the characters wear.
Sky Surfer We've seen snowboarding and hoverboarding on video game systems, so what's next? How about the mix of sky diving and snowboarding called Air Boardin', featured in Idea Factory's PS2 launch title Sky Surfer? You jump out of a plane and ride your board, performing tricks
and rackin' up mad points as you fall. Just don't forget to release your parachute. Sky Surfer makes a crash-landing in Japan in March.
Konami's soccer titles have been around since the 16-Bit days—the PlayStation and N64 versions being the most popular. Now, Konami is taking the good ol’ game of football to the next level on PlayStation2. Judging from what we've seen so far, this game will be the most realistic-looking ISS ever and will out eye-candy Sega's Virtua Striker 2. It's so detailed that you can see the individual laces on each player's shoes. As with Konami's previous versions of the game, it will feature all the requisite team and league licenses and stadiums. International Superstar Soccer is set for release around the PS2's Japanese launch in March.
If you're an armchair drummer or wish you could turn that finger tapping into real musical skill, Konami's Drum Mania might be for you. A new feature has been added to the game so that three players can play at the same time—one on the drums and two on guitar (like the hook-up the arcade machine has with Guitar Freaks) on the same screen. This is one of the PS2's launch titles for March.
100
E 1 1 1 Combinesk Ks Kenpo, Kickboxing — o p na КЧ ЕШ Single OS (оро.
cL PlayStation
<a |
374
Ss:
eet erm Tw VENIS) IS متیر نچ به د
Hahn Establishment Expansion of the Empire
Tre story of the GUSTAVE Empire
belongs to a time when the people used the magical power called “Anima” to conjure mighty spells.
The Kingdom of Finney was ruled by tave ХИ
Gustave XII was attacking the Marquis of Otto when (Gustave XIII was born to himself and his wife,
SOPHIE DE NOHL. Gustave XIII was destined to be
the heir of the throne. He would later have a brother named PHILIPPE and a sister named MARIE.
М
————M———
а
fig. 14: The Royal Family Gustave 27 When Gustave XIII turned seven, he participated in the FIREBRAND CEREMONY in which he was to prove his worth to become the heir of the throne.
During that ceremony, Gustave XIII found that he had jé i
not the power "Anima." Because of his inability to use Anima, Gustave XIII, along with his mothe іе, were exiled from the Kingdom by th King Pri ppe
and Marie would never see their mother again. Philippe was terribly saddened by the loss of his mother and blamed Gustave XIII for this. While he | still had the pride of Royalty, Gustave XIII became a target of contempt resulting in his twisted personality.
Rebellion Fall of the of Nika
~400 0 400 Migration to the Southern Continent
History of the GUSTAVE Empire
465 1000 “Tool” Introduced to Empire Eastern Continent
Sophie, Marquise of Nohi
CO) mother Sophie
When Gustave XIII turn passed away. Gustave XIII attacked and seized the DUKEDOM OF WIDE upon turning 20. e» ns : >
NUR
и. Рош
fig. 15: Gustave ХШ (the younger) age 15
After he exiled his wife and child, Gustave XII 1 another son. He named the newborn GUSTAVE XIV-who would eventually become the $ innéy after Gustave XII died. сл op aut?
Philippe became the Marquis of Nohl after Sophie passed away. Marie was forced to marry CANTAL, the new Marquis of Otto, for political reasons. Gustave XIT seized one-half of the Otto territory in return.
Gustave XIII became the hero of those who did not have Anima. Instead of relying on the power of magic, he and his partners developed skills to use machines
we"
~ те b eguet > save 1227 Pod Exile of Gustave XIII 1243 and Sophie de Nohl Finney Kingdom
unites Merchmin
orate 0 Gust Avie KU
1270 Cantal gains control of Merchmin Territory
(АТОМ
ОАЗА 1255 А ван of
ave T Philippe И
7
1269 * 1271 Death of Destruction 0) we XIII Hahn Nova
1220 Birth ој +K Gustave XH) ЛАМ
док
Battleof тусту! * Buckethill ^ — eC KO,
a
esolirces such as ше... ~- 2 XIII became known as GUSTAVE THE d Р nim He planned to expand his territory, but was Dukedom of Wide when he and a «mall regiment were assaulted OF JA ша ked the Kingdom of Finney | auring an expedition. He was ars old.
le of Buekethill. Cantal and Philippe promise
with Gustave XIV for this battle, but backed After the Battle of Buckethill, Philippe requested to he last moment, leaving Gustave XIV to suffer rule the Kingdom of Finney. He failed in the ecause he used metal to improve his military, Virebrand Ceremony forcing him to name his son 17402. АПЛРТЕ П, th throne, At his Firebrand Дим WITH — COUNT OF ЈАРЕ
Philippe vord used
SHAPE HISTORI „.
1 in the y. In the
бе. | Be HISTORY =
Gustave
STAVE
| DE tiec by his | Кы !
shat has
amount fig. 16: GUSTAVE THE STEEL
Own as
و
— ii
MILD ANIMATED VIOLENCE
SUGGESTIVE THEMES їчї ww esr org orca 1-800- -3T77 fr rating information.
SQUARESOFT © 1999, 2000 Square Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. SQUARE SOFT and the SQUARESOFT logos are
registered trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. SaGa Frontier is a trademark of Square Co., Ltd. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment www.squaresoft -com Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.
d = ‚2 iL > £ = = •
• You're in the Kill Zone.
ery hunter nerds a nir
AEE EOMBA М Е) eleStrosphere
• Lock and Load. FROM THE MAKERS OF AIR COMBAT
‘ffi PlayStation] >
PREVIEW
THO
Yuke's [Piavers: 1-4 [се ction m
March 2000 ШЕ None
СИТА www.thg.com
The story line stuff is
gonna make you feel like part of the
wonderful world of wrestling.
Create-a-player 15
still sub-par.
СТВ These аге WWF
wrestlers. They're all fugly.
Choose | Your Own Adventure
SmackDown's one-player | game is a notch above the | rest. All sorts of stuff can | happen during a season:
* Wrestlers can approach you to join their groups.
| Your decisions will determine whether you're a "good" or *bad" guy.
* You may get attacked in the backstage areas, before you even enter the ring.
* Vince McMahon might come out and assign a special referee to one of your matches. This may bea friend or foe, depending on
| your relationship with McMahon!
layStation folks always got the crappy end of
the stick when it came to THQ wrestling
games. Nitro? Thunder? No thanks. Give us
Revenge or Wrestlemania any day. But now, with Yuke's (they're famous for their Touken Retsuden wrestling series in Japan) on PS development duties for THQ, you may forget all about the word “Acclaim.”
First, let's talk about how the game looks.
The venues look great and are incredibly detailed. You can almost see into the far, beer-drenched corners of the stadiums. You'll notice other nice little touches, like the multiple shadows from the arena lights to how realistically the ropes react as 260-pound men bounce around the mat. The character models themselves are pretty decent; they’re smoothly animated. The collision detection, one of the biggest problems with today’s wrestling games, also seems to be fairly accurate at this point of development.
SmackDown belongs to the “simple gameplay” school of thought. In other words, you won’t have to memorize any joystick combinations like you have to for Nitro, Thunder, War Zone or Attitude. It’s just a simple button press and an up, down, right or left for most of your moves. In those regards, SmackDown plays more like Mayhem or Wrestlemania than anything, which is a good thing if you just want to jump right into the ring and start
‘APPEARANCE. COM FIGURE
106
| Fitness buff Trish Stratus just signed a multi-year contract to be WWF's newest “sports entertainer.” Wrestling just got a whole lot more entertaining. (www.trishstratus.com)
areas (five of 'em, see above and left) aren't random like they are in Mayhem. You can decide where to go.
piledriving with any of the game's 35 characters.
THQ and Yuke's made extra sure to not only deliver a solid game engine, but a truly satisfying wrestling experience as well. Story line (the only reason why this "sport" is so damn popular) plays a big part in SmackDown (see sidebar for more details). You can also play in special referee matches (as seen on television). These guest officials may help or hinder you. If you have an extra controller, you can even play as the ref!
From what we've seen so far, SmackDown is better than all competing products on the PlayStation, except in a couple of areas. First, the game doesn't move as fast as Mayhem does (perhaps that title's best quality). Second, the create-a-wrestler bit still isn't up to Acclaim's standards. "This create-a- wrestler mode will be deeper than Wrestlemania’s,” says Sanders Keel, producer on WWF SmackDown. "But we wanted to concentrate on the one-player game, the moves and the realism, not a create-a- wrestler mode that will let you make big and goofy clowns." Wait a minute. Aren't all pro wrestlers, in essence, big and goofy clowns?
If you still like wrestling games, you will not be disappointed when SmackDown arrives this March. It plays very well and has raised the bar for the genre with a very involving one-player experience. From what we've seen so far, this will be the ultimate wrestling title for the PlayStation. E
Mummies.
The Undead. Ancient Curses. What's a пісе girl to do?
-
елж & Meet Lara Croft. B Beauty, brains and brawn of Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. Out to save the world froma deadly curse, you can bet it won't be
with her good looks.
PREVIEW
Namco
Namco
1
Action/RPG
65%
May 2000
None
www.namco.com
A wide variety of physical and magic attacks.
The dungeon's monster population is lacking.
It won't take long for the music to get on your nerves.
dis 10 | Magic Man There are oodles of spells at your disposal.
Which of the following future Namco titles are you most excited about? № Ace combat 3 (Ps) | | Soul Calibur 2 (Arcade)
Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2) Ridge Racer V (PS2) Dragon Valor (PS)
In order to make it through the dungeons, you'll have to solve these mind-bending “push block over switch” puzzles.
Yes, Dragon Valor does indeed have giant, fearsome dragons.
ith all the attention Namco’s fighting
games have been getting recently, one
might forget the fact that they actually
make games other than fighters and racers. A far cry from Soul Calibur, the upcoming Dragon Valor is reminiscent of Square’s 1998 action- RPG Brave Fencer Musashiden.
The branching story line tells the tale of Clovis, a man on a quest to avenge the loss of his sister and hometown to Rage, the dragon. For the duration of the first chapter, you assume the role of Clovis. Depending on your actions here, you’ll meet up with one of two women. After this chapter, you control your son (whose name depends on who you marry), who was the result of the aforementioned meeting. The abilities of your son as well as the dragons you
Crisis Zone (Arcade)
encounter during the game depend on how well you performed as Clovis.
The basic gameplay can be best described as a combination of Brave Fencer Musashiden and Zelda 64. Within the many dungeons are puzzles that must be solved in order to progress. Most of these puzzles are fairly simple and involve moving large blocks over switches to open gates. Clovis and Clovis, Jr. have a variety of physical sword attacks, including a three-hit combo, a dashing thrust and a Zelda-esque charged swirl attack.
Upon defeating boss characters, you acquire colored books granting you eight different forms of magic: heal, fire, thunder, ice, defense, stealth, vortex and mine. When enemies expire, they leave behind money called Val. You can use the Val you collect to purchase and sell items, MP or HP in various shops throughout the game.
The biggest difficulty gamers will have to overcome is the camera system. While not a completely static camera, you can't control the angle at which you view the action. This could lead to missing important power-ups and Val or being unable to see an incoming enemy attack (missing platforms and plunging into the lava below is also a bit frustrating). Dragon Valor has already been released in Japan, and is set for a May release in the U.S. If you've been looking for a Zelda-type game on the PS and weren't satisfied with Legacy of Kain, Dragon Valor may be worth checking out. Sh
dteailens have taken over the Earth. Boombotsjare пеге LO stop тета соттап з 3020985.
trough 15 far-out arenas of real time s Оне ИП action!
DREAMWORKS of = MWORKS Misa E
см матете SouthPeak interactive anc of ей гем c tadettarks of Sony
зона interactive toi
ще
ТЕЕМ
dicatis USA ноу. Other brand ir рис! оско iterative LL C. Diigo by the еее
SOUTHPEAK™
INTERACTIVE
PREVIEW
Psygnosis Psygnosis - Leeds
'
Action
% Done: 70%
Магсһ 2000 WWW.psygnosis.com Finally, you can save
after every mission.
LT Graphics during
planetside levels are a wee sluggish.
The pile of busted PlayStation joypads left behind after Crispin finished reviewing the frustratingly tough Colony Wars: Vengeance last year.
Your Choice
Unlike in previous games, your character in Red Sun works for nobody but himself. And the nice thing about self employment is you can pick which missions you want to fly. The game is divided into five solar systems, each of which offers a variety of contract missions. Choose the ones you want, complete them and you'll earn money you can spend on new ships, weapons or performance- boosting gadgets. Note that some missions have the letter P next to them. These stages must be completed to advance the story and trigger new FMVs. Every world has a certain number of P missions you'll need to clear to move on to the next planet and its new levels.
Number of missions: 41 50
Number of fighters: 5 8 Number of weapons: 20 32 Number of FMV scenes: 26 28 Number of bosses: 4
Colony Wars: Red Sun
OFX
Although most of the missions are still set in space, the new team at Leeds sped up the terrain engine.
So, Red Sun packs more planetside sorties than Vengeance-about 14 in all. Of course, things blow up real nice in both environments.
on't feel like a wuss if you thought Colony
Wars: Vengeance was a little too hard and a
lot too frustrating. Even the Psygnosis team
working on its sequel, Colony Wars: Red Sun, found the game a tad trying. Good news, though: They're fixing the one thing that made the first two games such a pain in the pants. "A lot of people complained that you couldn't save after every mission in Vengeance," Psygnosis game designer Mark Green told us. “50 we've changed that in Red Sun. And if you fail a mission now, no problem, because most missions are just contracts you choose, and failing them has no effect on the overall story line. You just don't get paid."
But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Red Sun is set during the same war-torn time frame as Vengeance. You play a pilot named Valdemar, who lives on the ass-end of the galaxy, far from the fracas between the Navy and the League. Valdemar is a mercenary and scoundrel; he'd probably make a good bowling buddy for Han Solo. But ominous dreams plague your character. He feels driven to investigate a silverfish-shaped ship called the Red Sun—a craft somehow tied to the fate of the galaxy.
Psygnosis, wanting to give the series a fresh spin,
110
assigned development of the game to a new team at its Leeds Studio. Now, Red Sun features an impressive score performed by a live orchestra. The developers have also taken Vengeance's code and tweaked it— especially the ground-based missions, which look better despite some choppiness. Overall, Red Sun still pretty much looks the same as Vengeance, but that's OK, because it's the gameplay that's been overhauled. "This game maintains the same speed and frame-rate as Vengeance," Green said, "but the ships are slightly slower, so you get more shots on enemies and feel more like you're in a dogfight. Plus we've added more turrets on the big ships and they all animate and track you rather quickly, so you have to make proper strafing runs now." Many weapons now damage both the shields and hull of enemy ships, so you're not forced to switch between guns if you've equipped the right hardware.
The big improvement to Red Sun is its new mission structure. Instead of dumping you down a branching path of missions like in the previous games, Red Sun lets you choose your sorties (see sidebar). And mission variety looks once again to be the best thing here. One level has you blasting weaponry off dinosaurs (although you can't shoot the creatures themselves, since they're a protected species). You'll even go on missions through subspace, a region similar to hyperspace in Babylon 5. Sounds to us like a wild ride. th
Like its predecessors, Red Sun packs clever missions. The stage seen at left has you tailgating cargo to fool enemy security scans.
"uoneroossy әлел\0$ mna PNE эщ jo жешеред е Sı uoo) Sunes ayy ‘ош шәшшерәциз әпйшод Auos jo орешарелу paxajsi6e1 але зобој uoneig/eld әш pue поза ‘раллазал зуби им "penu uorensiunupy auo ёрш ха, 8).40.10npoJd јајоцјо Ai PI 5) б/5а 6-066 1:G) Re зониџезе"обо) 5воиблеа SUT рй sisoub/sq *pr1 EE oipms ла padoja^eq "M sısoub/sd 66619
аиномоламун> ©
атом Lvinwauo4
4ijuone1sAetd i
9161-эшел} UNIJE
Mou SIUBIEIIS Guo; uo uana
sau pue dn-dod зојешшце о | бшэвл Mau pueig
{; ЕУ; A. RINE
59169118 wd pue зриповшоз 910 Jo 92109 „819/611 ӘЗШӘП _ ..
им тадам опоцез:-елић | A
3901937416
Square EA
Square
1
RPG
90%
February 2000 None www.squaresoft.com The hand-drawn
graphics are simply beautiful.
It'll take you months
to fully explore every possible scenario path. Got some free time?
If you want ugly, go play the original SaGa Frontier. Bleah! What a disaster...
FIGHT STYLES
Pick A Fight
From top to bottom, the three different styles of battle you can choose from in SaGa Frontier 2: Team, Duel and Strategic. Each has its own unique style.
SaGa Frontier 2
hose of you who were disappointed by the original SaGa Frontier, with its confusing story lines, drab graphics and boring gameplay will be happy to know that Square has gone back to the drawing board for its sequel. The result is an entirely new game that bares almost no similarities to its predecessor other than its battle system and the fact that it shares the SaGa Frontier name. SaGa Frontier 2 is definitely one of the more original RPGs we've seen. For starters, the entire game is hand-drawn, providing a distinct look and feel unlike any other game before it. The graphics are absolutely beautiful. The way the game progresses is unique as well; you advance through the story via dozens of “Events,” or chapters in one huge history book. These Events vary in size and scope (some are merely story-based and last two minutes, while others involve lots of gameplay and last over a half hour), and as you progress through
The various Events that you can choose from are selected from regional maps that
make up the world of SaGa
Gustave frequently visite the Marquis of Mide. j Frontier 2.
12- wy deoga
POCKET SAGA
SaGa Frontier 2 features two PocketStation mini- | | games, COMBO Pocket and Go! Go! Digger. Мом | | if only Sony would release the darned thing... | L— J
A Aight 1 understand what you're all Ц trying to say. But | don't have any
The most noticeable improvement in SaGa Frontier 2 over the previous SF game is in the graphics department. SaGa 2's beautiful hand- drawn graphics make the ugly prerendered backgrounds of the original look archaic by comparison. Fortunately, that's not the only area that has been improved. The gameplay is much tighter and more enjoyable this time as well.
the game, the paths that you choose will determine which characters you meet up with and ultimately, how the story ends.
SaGa Frontier 2 offers three different types of battles— Team (your typical RPG party vs. party battle), Duel (a one-on-one fight with more specific attack commands and combos) and Strategic (a very cool army vs. army battle that plays out like a cross between Final Fantasy Tactics and Ogre Battle). Before most battles you can choose between Team and Duel; the Strategic battles come at set points in the game. Building your characters through battle is a bit different than in most RPGs. Rather than gaining experience, stats go up individually after each battle. Special attacks are learned through repeated weapon use, and weapons will expire over time. By combining Weapon Arts (weapon-based skills) with Spell Arts (magic-based skills), up to four party members can participate in combo attacks that do devastating damage. Needless to say, the battle system is pretty in-depth. More importantly, it’s a lot of fun.
RPG fans will no doubt want to keep a close eye on SaGa Frontier 2. While it may not leave you awestruck the way Final Fantasy VIII did, its vivid graphics, interesting story and solid gameplay should provide enough satisfaction for even the most jaded RPGer. Look for it in stores this February, and check back next issue for our reviews. $
є © out of the house...
into the el і
| Which Street Fighter series is the best? и —» | The Alpha line - 4228 The Ill games - 550 PREVIEW | The EX games - 585 GALLERY | The И games - 2465
Filter 2
No one expected the original Syphon Filter to be as spectacularly popular as it turned out to be, but 989 Studios was so pleased with selling more than a million copies, that they've been rushing to bring a new game out as Soon as possible. Currently scheduled for a March release, this could well be the first mega-hit for PlayStation in 2000.
So what's different this time? Well, Gabe's been given a huge new arsenal of goodies to play around with— plus he can jump now, an ability that was oddly missing from the original game. Two-player support has been added, and there are 15 different arenas that you can run around and blow up a buddy in. Gabe's partner, Lian Xiang, is now a playable character, and you get to play as her in eight of the 20 levels that come on this two-disc set.
It took awhile, but Capcom is finally bringing the sequel to one of 1997's best fighting games home. Street Fighter EX 2 Plus is not only a ridiculously long title, but a product of Street Fighter alumni and former programmer, Arika. The sequel introduces characters like Blanka to the world of 3D for the first time. Already released in Japan, SF EX 2 Plus is being readied to ship in the first quarter of 2000 in the U.S.
114
Е 3493 ©
Borowa ais
"m
p
=> PlayStation
®
|
Florence
am AGEN)
Bulldoze the competition and increase your holdings! Construct an intricate network one tion a 1
асаа секас
2 Ё > РФ ; 4 5
жуы 908 ENTERTAINMENT
‘CONTENT RATED BY ESRB
Railroad Tycoon Il, the Railroad Tycoon I logo, PopTop Software and the PopTop logo are trademarks of PopTop Software, Inc. Gathering of Developers and godgames are trademarks of Gathering of Developers, Inc. Gearhead and the Gearhead logo are trademarks of Gearhead Entertainment, a division of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Tremor and the Tremor logo are trademarks of Tremor Entertainment, Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. © 2000 Take Two Interactive Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4 —» PREVIEW GALLERY
$ 2
Forget snow— we want land-based extreme sports! The sequel to the entertaining skateboarding original is coming from Electronic Arts and Micro Cabin. While this installment in the series provides a number of impressive new skaters, boards, tricks, tracks and modes (including a four-player turn-by-turn mode), the create-a-skatepark mode will most likely be the game's most winning feature. Look for it in March.
Capcom's third Versus game is due to arrive on the PlayStation in January. Like with the previous two chapters, you won't have full tag-team capabilities here. But for this installment, you will have a choice of Partner Heroes Mode (you pick a normal partner for nothing but tag-team attacks and counters, without the actual "tag teaming") or Special Heroes Mode (you get a run-in, “guest” partner only). Only the Crossover Mode will allow tag teaming AND run-in partners, but both players must have the same two primary characters. Oh, and the neato super cancels are back as well (where you can cancel one combo to link in another).
Needless to say, pick up the DC version if you want the full, unhacked MvC experience.
Ec м he e
Want to build a skateboard ramp? Then check out Heckler on the Web for info on what sorts of tools you'll need, colorful safety tips, suggestions on ramp types and much more: www.bayinsider.com/partners /heckler/
It was an odd choice for SCEA to release this one. Codemasters' rally game has been around for some considerable time in Europe—so long in fact that young Colin has switched teams from Subaru (as featured here) to the new Ford Focus team— making this game out of date. Still, it's an excellent rally sim, and has received rave reviews around the world. Watch out for this one in February.
Buddies
Here’s an odd little game in which you lead an army of weeble- shaped “buddies” on an attack mission against other unfriendly buddies. You build up your forces by arranging blocks on a grid. Yeah, it's really weird but it's one of those unique niche games that might just work. Think Bomberman meets Lemmings spiced up with a little combat action as well. Two- player is the best way to play this cartoon-inspired game. Psygnosis will release Team Buddies in March 2000.
116
Но
Limits
Wow, lots of new stuff in this one: Over 50 vehicles, 4-player multi-tap compatibility, five countries with around до tracks, ORDER есчо) and more. Play Modes include a ах pie mission-based challenge in which points are awarded for achieving a lengthy set of driving skills. An in depth Career Mode is on tap as well. Look for this Eden-developed, EA title come spring.
Old flames die out, but I can always make new ones.
Adventure
Capcom's CPS ||| 2D fighter, based on the popular Japanese anime and manga series, comes home to the PlayStation this winter in top- notch form. While not as loaded as the Dreamcast version, JoJo for the PlayStation is a better port than anyone thought it could be—it also includes a new story mode and characters from the two JoJo arcade games. This is set for a February release.
ARMY MEN
2 3DO
PlayStation
www.armymen.com
ved. 300, Army Men, Real Combat. Plastic Men., and their respective logos, 0 Company in the U.S. and other countries. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos red trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
=> PREVIEW GALLERY
چم Three Kingdoms 1/1
Open your Koei Chinese history books to chapter VI of the RTK series, subtitled Awakening of the Dragon. This one- to eight-player PlayStation-exclusive historical war sim has new military units, an improved battle system and a mix of full-length and short missions. Koei also promises some sweet PS2 Kessen video footage on the final RTK VI disc, due out in February.
‘After setting Liu Bel 's son, Chan, on the Seat, Zhuge Liang used everything he Клея to stre:
an.
Namco follows the release of Dragon Valor with Kamurai, a 3D turn-based RPG. There are six gods who live in the realm of the sky, and like the immortal myths of the Greeks, they protect and meddle in human affairs. New RPG aspects include the Mind and Will and script-zapping systems. The Mind and Will system affects how efficient your characters follow instructions in combat; a weak will may turn the tide of battle. The zapping allows players to uncover two simultaneous plots—one as a human, the other as a god. Namco has already dubbed Kamurai their “God RPG,” and it'll be interesting see how this may influence other games. Character designs in the game were done by Haruhiko Mikimoto, best known for his work on Macross, Gunbusters and Gundam оо8о. Kamurai will be out sometime in 2000.
The Medieval period in Western Europe (knights in shining armor, people hitting each other with | swords and going on quests) began in the fifth | century and lasted until the end of the 15th | century. That's a long time in a metal suit.
Evil 2
SCEE's (Sony Computer Entertainment Europe) surprise hit MediEvil was tremendously well- received when it was released over a year ago, So it’s little surprise that a sequel has been in the works ever since. Again using a unique visual style somewhat similar to Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas this vast 3D platform/ adventure hybrid should be with us in American stores sometime in the first quarter 2000. If you've not played the original, think Ghosts & Goblins in 3D.
118
Always preferred my weapon to my
Fun! Fun! Pingu woman anyway. Fun! Fun! Pingu, from Sony Music Entertainment, is our official cute game of the month. You play as a penguin who has to cope with life in the Antarctic. The game is divided into chapters, each with a handful of daily tasks that Pingu must complete. These tasks range from the mundane (fishing for food, going to class) to the absurd and silly Gump up and down оп а couch). PocketStation support that allows you to take your penguin on the road. Fun! Fun! Pingu is out new in Japan.
Parasite Eve Il
Here are more screenshots from Parasite Eve Il, Square's sequel to their popular “cinematic RPG." Aya, having been deemed the biohazard whiz kid, has been assigned to М..5.7. (Mitochondria Investigation and Suppression Team). Enemies in Parasite Eve || will be smarter, and use environments to their advantage during combat. Square plans to release Parasite Eve || on Dec. 16 in Japan. God bless the ring.
RMY MEN Фр! n wen пони WAN
Lo
rye 3
3DO
PlayStation Wwww.armymen.com
© 2000 The 300 Company. All Rights Reserved. 300, Army Men, Real Combat. Plastic Men., and their respective logos, are trademarks and/or service marks of The 300 Company in the U.S. and other countries. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Correctly Answer а Series of Video Game Questions &Win! GAME BOY ACTION PACK
SNIPER FOR PS BOOMERANG 64 Ў, j
E-VIE,
ONLY ONE WINNER PER HOUSEHOLD PER MONTH! ROTARY CALLS ACCEPTED
PRIZES PROVIDED BY NUBY www.nubyonline.com
RECENT WINNERS!!!
|| Howard Olsen Wanaque, NU, Ricky Howell, Milwaukee, WI, Jacob Miller, Grand Island, NE, Brandon Davision, Mount Olive, NC, Tom Garbarini, Patchogue, NY, Eric Schicker, Highland, MI, Maria Woods, Marion, LA Jason Simmons, Rome, OH, Ameen Belbarhn, San Francisco, CA, Michael Doffing, St.Paul, MN, { Gary Sabby, St. Paul, MN, Eugene Ochano, Farmington, MN, Curt immerfall, Marshfield, WI, Will Butner, Chapel Hill, NC, Thomas Valdez, Midway Park, NC, Сап Cochran, Winston, GA, Timothy Curran, Philadelphia, PA, Edgar Figuero, Whittier, CA, Louis Reveles, Santa Fe Springs, СА Daniel McDonald, Angier, NC, Daniel Step, Huntersville, NC, David Chan, Cypress, TX, Robert Jordan, Buffalo, NY, Naquan Rose, Brooklyn, NY Alex Cruz, Central Falls, RI,
Shane Lewis, Kenmore, WA, Brian Looper, Cassel, CA, Harry Harris, Fort Pierce, FL, Î Erik Jensen, Torrance, CA, Erin Schiffler, Las Vegas, NV, Martin Gallagher, Chicago, B. IL. Crono Lee, New Orleans, LA, Kevin Lee, Garden Grove, CA, Andrew Jones, M. Northridge, CA, Carol Redman, Chicago, IL, Dale Schaaf, Orlando, FL, Jason Knight, Reidsville, NC, Gabriel Zaragoa, Chula Vista, CA, Bemard Ozarowski, Beach Haven, NJ, Betty Ruth, Fall River, MA.
1. Entry. To enter, correctly answer six consecutive trivia questions and leave your name, add
and phone number as instructed. Winners will be determined by judges whose decisions are final
One winner per household per month. Ziff-Davis assumes no responsibility for unintel
реге, or misdirected responses. 2. Prizes: Winners will receive one (1) of the followi
discretion: Boomerang 64 controller, PS Sniper Gun, ог Game Boy Color Action Ра approximate retail value of at least $25.00. All prize winners will be notified by mall. Prize(s) transferable. No substitutions of prize(s) are allowed, except at the option of Ziff-Davis should ti
tured prize(s) become unavailable. 3. Eligibility: Contest open to residents of United States and Canada, Void in Maryland, Non-compliance with the time parameters contained herein ог retum of any prize/prize Notification as undeliver will result in disqualification. Winners or their legal guardians shall return a signed affidavit of eligibilty/release of liability/prize acceptance within 5 days of receipt or forfeit prize Employees of 20 Inc., Nuby Interactive, and their respective affiliates are not eligible. Neither ZD Inc., Nub
Interactive, nor their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, or related companies are responsible for a
у damages, taxes, ог expenses resulting from this contest. Winners acknowledge that 20 Inc. has neither ‘made nor is in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied
in fact or in law, relative to any prize including but not limited to its quality, mechanical —Ó EB ~ ness. Winners accepting prizes agree that all prizes аге awarded on the condition that Ziff- agents, representatives, and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, los: e Get the Latest Expert Gamer = & Tricks ge : ао oleae ү n —————— 1 List: For a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Contest, PO Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60!
* Hear Review Crew Members' Game Ratings! | E EA “сс сс ne viners ist Alow $2 necks к dele
а се мана И А у eh I ce [шч => X prohibited or restricted by law. А! federal, state and local reaulat
077 ата! УУЛАЙ 1900773-8439
мопузоаноз SONIGIOH ASNN JO оуџешарел 091915189. эле ѕәшеи роја
س
SCORE BIG
NAN ЈА АБУ 227“
NME GOUT.
WIN EXCITING NFL PRIZES!
EACH STORE CHAMPION WINS * Ап NFL Super Bowl™ XXXIV Сар * A Midway NFL Blitz 2000™ Game • А Free Subscription to Electronic Gaming Monthly ™ Magazine
30 LUCKY WINNERS* Nationwide Get Authentic NFL Team Helmets!
ONE NATIONAL WINNER? will receive а Home Arcade Adventure Center!
SIGN Up TODAY!
Sponsored by:
*Randomly drawn in — and national sweepstakes. See store displays ог go to www.funcrafters.com for details and rules. | ©/™ 1999 NFL, МАР, & identified teams. NFL Blitz © 1998, 1999 Midway Games Inc.
NINTENDO ^
© 1999 The S) Company, All Rights Reserved. 300, Army Men, Sarge's Heroes, Real Combat. Plastic Men., and their respective logos, are trademarks and/or service marks of The 300 Company in the U.S. and other countries. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the e trademarks of ‘Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
“START YOUR DAY FORTIFIED WITH IR- TROOPS, GROUND TROOPS, AND 8 ESSENTIAL V VITAMINS." и:
yer едо ip ^ JJARMY MEN >. C та TSARGE'S HEROES]
REAL COMBAT. PLASTIC MEN
w^
2 E Q a B un >i ло 8 =
~ T! zu
5 эш C тыщ СА
Rec ELE Q | ) / y me WWW.armymen.com
PREVIEW
Pokemon Gold/Silver
СТН Nintendo (EE сате Freak Powe. > RPG 100% (Japan) Available now (Japan) Fall 2000 (U.S.) ЕШ Non: www.nintendo.co.jp www.pokemon.com One hundred new Pokémon, new art, better battle system, real-time, more strategy!
Waiting almost a year
for the U.S. versions to be released. CEAN The frenzy for Pokémon games will never stop. At least not until after this game.
Dr. Utsugi gives you a
| choice between three new
| Pokémon at the start of the
| game. Here they are:
| Hinoarashi #155 Fire type Height: .5m Weight: 7.9kg
| | | | | | | With a flame mohawk | shooting from his back, this lil’ guy is one tough Poké! | Waninoko #158 Water type Height: .6m | Weight: 9.5kg | | | | | | |
| Asmall alligator who evolves into a mighty, | Godzilla-like monster.
Chikorita #152
Plant type Height: .9m Weight: 6.4kg
"d
A plant-type Pokémon with | a leaf growing from his | | forehead.
NS – а 55
Е
olor? Yes, but there’s а lot more new in Pokémon Gold and Silver. This is the true
sequel to the original Pocket Monsters game
which debuted in Japan five years ago. Note: Names and places used in this preview are from the Japanese version of the game and will likely change when it is released in the U.S.
You begin your journey in Wakaba Town, where you say goodbye to your mother and grab one of three Pokémon from Dr. Utsugi (see sidebar for the descriptions of the three).
There are a total of 251 Pokémon in the new games—151 from the first, and 100 new. Some of these are pre-evolved forms of popular monsters like
Еюшш | == САВА ТОБ J оба cs short
saming Mont 126 - ww ео
"um Ё P
The evolved form of Onix versus Waninoko's third form (far left). Entering a gym (top), Pikachu fans (bottom left), and Mereep vs. Ladyba (right).
pee £3
Козаса3а 29928 lease Lniane
ER [ios t -
Pikachu, Electabuzz and Clefairy. Get a male and a female of those and take them to a farming couple which breeds Pokémon and you'll get an egg about a half hour later (see sidebar). Eevee can evolve into two additional forms—a psychic Eevee and a dark Eevee. Gold and Silver have two new types of Pokémon Dark and Steel, in addition to later evolutions of some monsters like Onix and Slowbro. Special versions of different monsters will turn up during the game too, and you'll only have one chance to catch them (for instance, the Gyarados who's terrorizing a lake area is gold-colored, different from normal). There are artwork differences between Gold and Silver—some Pokémon have different poses depending on which version you're playing. Like the previous versions there are monsters only available in one cart or the other.
The Pokégear is possibly the handiest gadget in the game next to the backpack. With the Pokégear you can check the time, look at an overworld map, make and receive cellular phone calls and listen to the radio, among other things. Keeping track of time
B И ip 24 54 p E H $i E я ipi H
ште GEE هر 242228334 о | џрЕаваза БЕ ва. 77/105 à. 167 =)
is important as some monsters only appear during certain times of the day. Radio stations vary from Professor Oak's Pokémon Channel (which gives you locations of the monsters in the game), a music channel and the Lucky Channel. The Lucky Channel gives out lucky numbers each day and if yours match the ones at the radio tower you can win prizes (what they are you'll have to find out for yourself). If you exchange phone numbers with other trainers you fought in the game, they'll call you for rematches. Remember in the first game that if you wanted to use Cut or Surf you'd have to go into the Pokémon menu and select it? Now all you have to do is move toward the area where you'd use it and press A. It automatically chooses the correct move from whichever Pokémon has learned it. You can equip monsters with items, too, like various kinds of fruit (which will heal your Pokémon during battle). When its health is low or its status changes, it will use the
| New to Gold and Silver are male
| and female types of each Pokémon.
| Some of these can breed and
| produce an egg which will hatch into their pre-evolved form. For
| instance, get two Pikachu together,
| leave them at the farm, and in
| about а half hour you'll have an egg
| which hatches into Pichu. Isn't he just the cutest thing?
BARS BEX џи. |
(оссе...
P UY
сз» HÉAUAO Lito ids
ae 74449 22
45355434 108/117
Lazit Lotter?
item and regain its health automatically.
If you are an owner of the Game Boy Printer, you can print out your Pokémon data. There's also a Pokémon photographer who'll ask you if you want a special picture of one of your monsters (remember Todd from the Pokémon TV show—he’s in here, too). You can print out the picture of your Pokémon and Stick it anywhere you like.
Trading Pokémon with the previous versions of the game is a bit tough, but you can do it. You need to have only Pokémon from the first game in your active party when you activate the Time Capsule —which is under repair at first until about halfway through the game. The Time Capsule, Vs. Room and Trade Center are located on a new second floor of each Pokémon Center.
Nintendo's sequel is every bit as good as the first game and better in many ways. So Pokéfanatics have а reason to be excited for fall 2000. It just can't come Soon enough. *
ffo29417
E 121,
ЊЕ - ва 255542 5 42/ = 48/ 77
| Time passes in the game just as it does in real life. Different Pokémon appear in the morning, day and night. Catch ’em all 24 hours a day!
Game Freak has added a lot of things which make the Pokémon experience better. Here are just a few examples of what you'll find along the way:
+5 abu BEV ss?
The slot machines in Kogane provide a worthy distraction for the would-be Pokémon master.
Bao
An overworld map is right on your Pokégear so you don’t have to carry it as an item.
BUNÊ ZL Маша pula CSU ed
X X XX [E
A backpack makes carrying and sorting items a breeze. There's a pocket for Pokéballs, HMs and TMs, Misc. Items, and Important Items. Makes finding things very, very simple.
2 million
Nintendo Nintendo N Ш
Card Battle 90%
Арг! 2000 СТ None
Т | www.nintendo.com www.pokemon.com
The Good: Need a new Pokémon
game? Here's your fix.
ELTERN If you don't know much about the card game, you'll have to learn it.
Get me a real Pikachu
and blast these cards outta here!
JENMIFER I5 ТНТИНТКС.
hile most gamers are already familiar
with the Game Boy titles, there's another
Pokémon game doing big business.
It's the Pokémon Collectible Card Game created as an off-shoot of the original RPG. Wizards ofthe Coast produces the U.S. version and the card game is almost as popular as the video game!
But if you're a gamer at heart and would rather deal with a pixelized version of your favorite monsters, then this is for you. Like the Game Boy game, you travel around to different Gyms, challenging the leaders for badges to get into the Pokémon League. Along the way you battle other trainers and gain new monsters and other items
BENE H бооооо
Just like in the real Pokémon trading card game, you can get special expansion decks which add | to your starter deck and | contain special monsters | апа items that you can use | during battle. Of course, it pays to arrange your deck the way you like it.
| PLEASE SELECT
YOU UON THE DUEL LITH AMAWDAI
кыбы:
| The number of Pokémon
| Collectible Card Game Starter Decks sold since they were
| introduced in January 1999.
POKEMON Trading Card Game
Pokémon that aren't in the Game Boy game are present in the TCG, like the Flyin' Pikachu or Surfing Pikachu (far left). Can you catch them all? Where's the Pikablue?
ИНИТ? 275 у WHAT ABE "ul
which will be useful in your quest. And in true Pokémon style, you have a rival who pops up every so often to tell you how much you stink.
Rules are exactly the same as the trading card game played on card tables regularly across America. You begin by shuffling your deck and drawing seven cards. From that, you pick the Pokémon you're going to battle with (or, if you don’t have any Pokémon in your hand, re-shuffle) and equip them with energy. Attacks require different types and amounts of energy (you'll need energy cards in your deck). During battle you can level up your monster, but then you will have to equip even more energy before you can attack. After defeating an opponent's monster, you pick up prizes, which were laid down before battle began. Depending on how difficult a battle is, there can be multiple prizes— special cards or expansion packs. Using the link cable you can battle a friend and trade cards. This is a lot more focused on battle and strategy— without some of the RPG style play of the regular вате — which some fans might not enjoy as much. EL
| я sam ТИ THE pool!
ar € 128
LOR
4!
GAME BOY
• The on Game Boy Color
• Includes „апа features
• апа collisions never before seen on Game Boy Color • (Heads Up Display) for the Game Boy Color version
• Includes unique characters and weapons to choose from
and game play modes Аа ү ISION. Copyright ©1999 Vatical Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. Vatical and the Vatical V are registered trademarks of Vatical Entertainment LLC. Vigilante 8 Is A Trademark Of Activision, Inc. ©1998 Activision, Inc.
Software Licensed To Vicarious Visions ©1999
Licensed By Nintendo. Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Boy Color And The Official Seal Are Trademarks Of Nintendo Of America Inc. E ENTERTAINMENT © 1989, 1998 Nintendo 0! America Inc www.vatical.com
The number of pixels tall Lara Croft’s
sprite will be in her new Game Boy
Color adventure (most GBC titles have a * °* 16- to 32-pixel-tall character).
PREVIEW GALLERY
заг: Ghost Babel
Everyone's favorite black ops badass is back, exclusively for the GBC. While it shouldn’t be considered a true sequel to Metal Gear Solid, it does take place three years after Solid Snake’s last encounter with FoxHound; think of it as a side story to MGS. This time around, Snake, with the help of Chris Jenna (a support character, like Meryl from MGS), must venture into the jungle to infiltrate an installation occupied by the Black Chamber. Konami has not stated a release date yet for Ghost Babel.
Core Design is using every trick in the book to cram Ms. Croft into this 2D side-scrolling title. The game will supposedly pack parallax scrolling, speech and even some FMV. Lara's character will be twice the size of normal GBC sprites. Core also claims Lara will have 2,000 frames of animation. Otherwise, the game promises to deliver the huge levels and rigid control setup of the 3D incarnations. Lara will still slide down steep inclines. She'll still have to dodge spikes, swinging blades and other traps. She’ll encounter the same types of push-block and lever-based puzzles (expect the game to play much like Prince of Persia or Flashback). The quest this time takes Lara to South America in search of an artifact called the Dream Stone, which supposedly grants god-like powers. Publisher Eidos will release the game in March.
Elite Forces BC: Elite Forces, from Nintendo and NST, is a remake of the NES classic with all-new levels (22 in
all), enhanced graphics (superb animation!) and the ability to play as a guy or a girl. Watch for it in January.
This March, Nintendo will be releasing a Game Boy Color remake of SNK’s classic NES RPG, Crystalis. In addition to enhanced graphics and better control, the GBC version (developed by NST) will sport some new gameplay elements (such as the ability to wield the Crystalis after assembling it).
130
3
| эко. М үр ауу ү РРА РРА >» "Га О S UN M. T
САМЕ
Serious games for serious gamers = ' TY Vs "(РА re "у
(pie Free! . ш 4 y,
ө Тор Game Downloads | Huge Selection! ө Reviews and Previews • Interviews and Game News Great Prices!
NINTENDO:
Sega LU 2 Mac Dreamcast. b А Playstation Ж
GAME: E/E con) www.GameFever.com
All Rights
PREVIEW GALLERY
Sonic Pocket Adventure
Sonic’s back in rare two-dimensional form on the NeoeGeo Pocket Color. Pocket Adventure (available now) is loosely based on Sonic 2 for the Genesis. Developed by Sega/Sonic Team and published by SNK, this is as close as you're going to get to playing a new Sonic on the go. It contains levels that look much like those in Sonic 2; only the design itself is different. For instance, there are new loops which take you straight up and around instead of the usual circle and corkscrew (trust us—it’s cool). And it’s every bit as fast as its 16-Bit parents.
There are a total of six areas—Neo South Island (based on the Green Hill Zone), Secret Plant, Cosmic Casino, Aquatic Relix, Sky Chase and Aero Base. You can go back to levels you’ve completed from the beginning of the game. Along the way you'll face bosses like Robotnik, Knuckles (who didn’t appear in the series until number three) and Mecha Sonic.
In addition to the regular game, you can link up with a friend and race for time, go through each course for the fastest time by yourself, or assemble photos of the characters from the series in a puzzle mode (collect puzzle pieces throughout the game’s Story Mode to use here). It’s great to see Sonic back on a portable, and on one like the NGPC.
Cartfighter's Clash: SNK vs. Capcom
Besides the various fighting games on various platforms, the SNK vs. Capcom war is also being fought on the card- playing table. Cardfighter’s Clash is a trading-card game that comes in two flavors: an SNK version which comes with a starter deck of 50 cards starring popular (and unpopular) SNK characters, like King or the Bogard brothers. The Capcom game contains a starter deck full of several Capcom personalities, from RE’s Leon to Blanka. Each cart, however, contains computer opponents that can give you (if you win trading card battles) cards from either faction. Your goal is to eventually collect an album of all 300 cards, Pokémon- style. Naturally, you can fight or trade with other players via the link cable.
SNK is publishing the two carts, and they should be out in stores now.
SNK vs. Capcom: The Match Of The Millennium
This is possibly the best fighter on any handheld system ever. MOTM pits some of the most popular characters from both sides of the 2D fight club. Highlights of the game include an amazing amount of animation per character, as well as accurate music themes reproduced from each of the game's stages. When you play through MOTM in single-player mode, certain characters will react to one another if they’re lineated within their story lines. The game features a special “tag” feature that allows you to tag in your partners during the fight. So if the Card Fighter’s Clash version of SNK vs. Capcom isn’t your cup of tea, definitely check out MOTM. Besides, it’s all you’ve got until the Naomi version comes out from Capcom sometime this year. MOTM from SNK is out now.
132
A
SOUTHPEAK™
INTERACTIVE
There goes the General Lee, playin’ another cat and mouse game with the law. See, things in Hazzard are pretty much the way y'all might recall ‘em. Daisy’s still workin’
at the Boar's Nest, Boss Hogg’s still eatin’, and Rosco's still chasin’
the Duke Boys through the dirt roads of Hazzard County.
Go on and take a turn at the wheel in The Dukes of Hazzard™: Racing For Home game and tell me life ain't a whole lot better as a Duke boy.
© 1999 SouthPeak Interactive LLC. All rights reserved. SouthPeak Interactive and the SouthPeak Interactive logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of SouthPeak Interactive LLC. ® indicates a U.S.A. registration. Other brand or product names аге trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
| | =
| PlayStation CONTENT RATED BY db ESRB
EVERYONE
DUKES OF HAZZARD, characters, names and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros. © 1999.
Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use with the PlayStation game console, PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Manufactured and printed in the U.S.A THIS SOFTWARE IS COMPATIBLE WITH PLAYSTATION GAME CONSOLES WITH THE NTSC U/C DESIGNATION U.S. AND FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING
PREVIEW GALLERY
Crisis Zone is ultra-hardcore and viscerally realistic. On the other end of the spectrum is Namco's Gunbullet series, now running into its third installation. Better known in America as Point Blank, these shooting gallery titles tend to emphasize gameplay (i.e., fast reflexes and puzzle-solving logic) over flashy graphics. With Gunbullet Fever, Namco’s Bert and Ernie wannabes return in more of the same twitchy mini-shooters. No word ona U.S. or PlayStation release as of yet.
Virtua NBA
Sega’s latest Naomi sports title, Virtua NBA, looks suspiciously like Visual Сопсер 5 recently released NBA 2K on the Dreamcast. While the game is dripping with NBA licensing, it only features five prominent players per team. During gameplay, the action locks into one perspective; this gives the game a very Showtime-esque look, albeit with much more detail. Virtua NBA is out in arcades now.
Keyboard Mania
Can't play the keyboard? That's OK, because with Konami's Keyboard Mania you'll be playin’ like a regular Mozart. All you have to do is hit the right keys on the 24-key Casio keyboard as the on-screen commands fall from the top of the screen to the bottom. The game features songs in several different musical styles, from Pop to Classical, and it hits Japanese arcades in January. | probably won't be long before it comes to PlayStation, too.
| acos а 01113281
Jumping Groove
Namco's Jumping Groove seems to take a more minimalist approach to dance games, concentrating more on a physical rather than cerebral workout. You hold on to the bars and jump over the lights which scroll down to the beat of the music. Light sensors on the floor pads will let the game know if you've screwed up. Though the game tested at Wonder Park, Namco has no plans to bring Jumping Groove over to the U.S.
134
рс
M |
А 4
Q -
ој a мы
ГҮҮ
y «бв ATA
dh ND ВСЕМ 2 |-_тоога ||
ENTERTAINMENT
ound your deer call, get out the binoculars, and slowly draw your rifle
as deer silently approach from the woods in one of four scenic
locations. Strategically using tools of the trade, learning to master three weapons, and tracking deer like a real hunter makes Deer Hunter unique among target action games.
Learn to master three weapons: rifle, shotgun and bow.
Test your skills in one of four scenic locations: the Arkansas Autumn Woodlands, Colorado Alpine Forests, Indiana Winter and the Target Range
Stalk deer from the brush or hunt from a tree stand. Great natural sound effects make you feel like you're really there ! A variety of tools like Deer Call, Rattle, Binoculars, Cover Scent, and
Attract Scent provide added gaming strategy and make you feel like a real hunter!
WIZARD ; il
COPYRIGHT ©1999 VATICAL ENTERTAINMENT AND ITS LICENSORS. VATICAL AND THE VATICAL V ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF VATICAL ENTERTAINMENT LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. „ DEER HUNTER™ © 1997 SUNSTORM INTERACTIVE, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DEER HUNTER IS A TRADEMARK АМО VA | iC A | WIZARDWORKS IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE WIZARDWORKS GROUP INC.
ENTERTAINMENT
LICENSED BY NINTENDO. NINTENDO, GAME BOY, GAME BOY COLOR AND THE OFFICIAL SEAL ARE TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC. © 1989, 1998 NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC. www.vatical.com
ANK COMMANDOS - THE BLACK т WANT YOU! USE AL TECHNOLOGY TO BEAT THE SOVIETS AND AMERICANS AT THEIR OWN GAME WITH ‘CUSTOMIZABLE TANKS, SNIPER CAPABILITY AND DEATH-
= MATCH INTENSITY! CR.
* ххх
Play as an American, ie ‘or XEM. “Black Бод: renegade. = T
ga * Commandeer and ега tanks р T right in GA GET of battle! |
er, d gs QN. 1 id lover: 14 "different tanks ="
VSS ка 9S modes of play, тенеу г «саде "Mode, mission-based Pilot
: x
ONSE Wow. i: , " 8 в ы 3 “A backstory that sounds like “The tension and excitement... is enhanced with “Think of it like oom the X-Files meets Tom Clancy” superior Al that will have the enemy breathing Command and Conquer! os Nintendo Power down your neck..." - N64.IGN.com 4 ~ , us - GameFan.com
1 |
—
In Stores March 2000
(liners CRAVE
Е сот
Published and fa а ым Entertainment, Inc.
И (еј m Mp AS ЕС |
а LUE pes Не рый с АЕ A other trademarks and. Ther respective ~ Nintendo. Nintendo, the per skeen ose
а ©1996 Nintendo of America; Inc.
| Jaromir Jagr. Humbling goalies since 1890.
Blades of Stee! and Konami" are registered trademarks of Konami Со, Ltd. NHL а and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written
used, under license, by Konami of America, (пс. © NHLPA PlayStation and t America, Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software
logos are regi rad 999 Konami of Ат
-
Textbook Hockey Al ` NEW Player Graphics
hances are, the new video-gaming love in your life is the Dreamcast. After smashing expectations way before Christmas, Sega's
m went on to have an impressive
new syste. holiday season. Well over a million of you аге ccess...but what
now enjoying зеда 5 SU game should you watch for next? Sega's
impressive Naomi-hased arcade game Crazy
Taxi has been high on many people's wish list for some time, and in early February you'll be able to have an arcade-perfect conversion—
with lots of extras—in your living room for
several thousand dollars less than investing in
an arcade unit. If you те really into the idea of the game, though, you could enter our competition on раде 150 and try to win an
arcade machine all of your own.
By John Davison Photography by Michael Sexton
140
сот
P | Е 9 op о Ф S Е = = = = = T = = 5 = o A= Е © о > = 5 S a ui
Simple is effective. | there's one thing that all the most successful arcade games have in common, then this is probably it. Keep the premise light, the action high and make it all look as pretty as possible. And if you can, throw in a suitable soundtrack to get people's toes a tappin'.
Crazy Taxi is one of those games that makes you wonder, *Why didn't anyone do something like this before?" Originally released in Japan about 18 months ago and then over here about six months later, the game has been a solid, steady success story. While never a “fad” or something that was acknowledged as being the latest, greatest thing, Crazy Taxi has proved to be an ongoing success for Sega, and its creators at Sega Software R&D Dept. #3. The producer on the project, Kenji Kanno, tells us “it was never a huge hit for Sega, but it has been responsible for getting a different kind of player into the arcades. It’s proven very popular with people who maybe wouldn’t usually try something like this.”
Bas e,
game tim Г 1
7
“It was a hit with gamers too,” Kanno continues, “but it was people who wanted to try something different who really went for it.”
So what’s it about then? Chances аге there are а lot of you who haven't had the opportunity to try it out, and from the screenshots that have been popping up in magazines and on the Web you could be fooled into thinking that it was just
"И was never a huge h
Choosing one of four characters, you begin the game with nothing but a cool- looking convertible cab and a clock ticking away valuable time. The goal? Find people to give rides to so you can earn more time, and more importantly — money. Set in San Francisco, the original arcade game is only loosely based on the real place. It's full of hills, cable cars and the occasional landmark, but it's far from accurate in the way that something like, say, Metropolis Street Racer will be. “We didn’t want to waste time and effort being accurate with maps and things,” Kanno explains. “1 was more interested in capturing the fun feel ofthe city and the West Coast in general. If we'd have gone for accuracy, we would have had to sacrifice gameplay, which wouldn't have been appropriate for a game like this."
As soon as the game begins, you accelerate away and look for a potential
for Sega, but it has
been responsible for getting a different kind of player into the arcades.” - Kenji Kanno
another racing game—not exactly what the Dreamcast really needs. “Originally | didn’t intend this to be a game about taxis,” Kanno tells us. “Ра been working on the idea for some kind of chase game for a while, and | wanted to have people racing around a big city...but not in a race. The idea for the taxi cabs came much later.”
142
customer. Pull up next to them, let them jump in the cab and tell you where they want to go...and you're off. You have a limited time to get them to their destination, and you are rated in how quickly you get them there. Fortunately you don’t have to follow the rules of the road, and smashing through parks, street cafés, around the inside of shopping malls
MY 2 CENTS
When you first start playing you’re obviously blown away by the graphics and the level of detail. Then you start to appreciate just how exciting it is...and then after a while it dawns on you just how simple a game it is...but that’s the thing. We played the early version Sega gave us for hours and hours and found that trying to make as much money as possible was just as exciting as anything that the more convoluted racing games provide. This is real old-school pass the joypad back and forth competitive stuff. It doesn’t matter that there isn’t a multiplayer mode, and it doesn’t matter that there’s nothing much to open up...the experience of playing the thing is rewarding enough. People are going to want to buy this the second they see it in stores; it’ll be a huge hit for Sega. —John Davison
Pctronic Gaming Monthly - 143 - www.videogames.com
and anything else that constitutes as a shortcut is perfectly acceptable. Driving like a maniac is perfectly fine—in fact, it’s encouraged—and if you get really good at it (by narrowly missing collisions) your customer will increase his or her tip based on how exciting the ride was. Imagine the best chase scene you can think of in a movie, with as many flying boxes and Scared pedestrians as possible, and you're pretty much there. Throw in the cool scenes from Bullit where the cars leap down the hills in San Francisco, and you'll have a good idea of the kind of feel that Kanno and his team are going for. Once
MY 2 CENTS
The perfect arcade experience at home. For those of us who don’t have time to get muddled down in long FMV intros and complicated plots, this game gives you immediate gratification. The “shortest distance
between two points” axiom definitely applies here as you can furiously blast through parks, cafés, shopping malls in a huge, ultra-realistic environment with plenty of recognizable landmarks. Next stop, the fountain in front of Pizza Hut.
— Cyril Wochok
you've got all that in your head, just add in the fact that in this game you're getting paid too.
Once you've delivered your customer to the desired destination, you need to speed away and find someone else so that you don't run out of time. And that's it. It's really simple and open- ended. It's almost an old-fashioned game where you're compet- ing for time and points. There's no convoluted “goal” to the thing, there's no final boss ог showdown, and there's no location that you ultimately need to reach. You just need to get as much money as possible by being as quick and efficient as you can.
The city map itself is absolutely huge, and as you work your way through the game you'll soon learn the location of many of the key destinations. Fortunately things are made easier by the fact that there are lots of licensed real-world places for you to go, so it's easier to remember. Customers will demand rides to The Original Levi's Store, KFC, Pizza Hut, Tower Records and the Fila Store as well as landmarks such as the Millennium Tower, various train stations, a heliport, a Chinese restaurant, the baseball stadium, a church and a long list of others. When you first play you'll spend all your time following the arrow at the top of the screen that helpfully points you in the direction you need to go. As you become more proficient though, you'll be busting your way through parking lots, side streets and train tunnels because you know the quickest route to where you need to go.
As we said, it's very old-fashioned in concept and as such, the driving force behind playing the thing is just being better than you were the last time you played. These days it's not often that this old-school feeling of competitive spirit is dished up with a video game, and as we played the early version we have in the EGM offices, people became hooked,
144
desperately trying to make more and more money.
To make sure things don’t get old too quick Kanno and his team have added some extra features to the basic arcade game code. Most significant is the new city map that appears in the options as the “Original” mode. “It’s not really a whole new city,” he tells us, “but we took all of the graphics code and textures and applied them to a completely different map.” This in effect doubles the size of the game and gives you a whole new layout to
Bad Religion & The Offspring
Crazy Taxi features music from both Bad Religion and The Offspring throughout, and it has to be said that it fits the style and the mood of the game perfectly. If you want more information on the bands you can check out the following Web sites: www.badreligion.com www.offspringdirect.com
Bad Religion Tracks * Ten In 2010
• Them And 05
• Inner Logic
* Hear It
The Offspring Tracks All| Want
* Way Down The Line
* Change The World
ADVANCED SNOWMOBILE PHYSICS SYSTEM incorporating extreme slopes, banked turns, radical jumps, and even full blown half pipes.
RUMBLE FEATURE lets you to feel the excitement on varying terrain such as mud pits, ice patches, and mogul fields.
RACE on bumping and jumping SnoCross tracks, tight and winding cross country tracks, and even a speed demon oval.
FULLY CUSTOMIZE YOUR SLED attributes before each race for optimal performance.
Advance through three leagues and TEN INTENSE TRACKS in tournament mode.
BATTLE HEAD-TO-HEAD viathelink cable.
HARDCORE TECHNO SOUNDTRACK along with real voice playback.
¥
¥
M
у
У
v
© 1999 PUBLISHED UNDER LICENSE BY VATICAL ENTERTAINMENT. VATICAL ENTERTAINMENT VATICAL AND THE VATICAL V ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF VATICAL ENTERTAINMENT LLC.
POLARIS IS A TRADEMARK OF POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
SOFTWARE ©1999 VICARIOUS VISIONS, INC.
LICENSED BY NINTENDO. NINTENDO, GAME BOY, GAME BOY COLOR AND THE SEAL OF QUALITY ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC. © 1989, 1999 NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC.
VATICAL
ENTERTAINMENT www.vatical.com
Crazy Taxi: A Day in the Life of Gus...
an
“It’s the start of the day, and my first ride is some schoolgirl chick who wants to go to the cable car stop...
Was it Saxon who sang “I got wheels, wheels, wheels of steel”? This phone booth gets to feel mine...
..get a load of this! Yeah baby. Fortunately she seems to like the rough stuff, and tips me admirably.
ии
continued on раде 148
learn once you’ve mastered the arcade game. Second, a bunch of new modes
have been added to the game. You can go
for the standard arcade rules where you boost your time with each customer, and
then there are other modes where you can
try to make as much money as you can within a set time limit. This requires a lot of strategy for the more experienced
player, as you have to waste as little time as possible and carry the rides that stand
to make you the most money in the shortest possible time. Finally, there are
mini-games that can be played to help you
build some of the specific skills required
to be a really good player. “We added this
..why she can't walk, | have по idea. So | let her in and pull away before she’s even had time to sit down...
A happy customer. Although my meter seems to be f****d. That'll be $123 grand darlin’. No? Oh well...
Oops. Hope the guy in the blue Lincoln’s got insurance coz 1 think I'm going to hit him.
to help people out,” Kanno explains. “For example, we have a mini-game that looks like a giant ski jump that is designed to help people master the Crazy Dash [a kind of turbo boost], while other games have you chasing around an arena trying to burst balloons. This is something that teaches you to turn around quickly and navigate tricky areas." As far as more Dreamcast-specific modes go though, that's it. We quizzed Kanno on extra stuff like multiplayer modes and secret drivers, but the answer came back the same for everything. "Basically we wanted to bring the arcade experience home as accurately as possible,” he told us, “plus, we want to
146
$4
gamê time.
...Frickin' pedestrians! Get outta my way, ya bum. When people get on my nerves, | just drive into them.
Look at Ms. Hoity Toity. She’d like to à go to the yacht harbor. Oh la-di-da-di spiffy-da m'lady.
ок, we're here. And more cash for me. Who's next? I’m cheap, I’m available and | wear a medallion.
MY 2 CENTS
Crazy Taxi is exactly the type of big, showy, overblown arcade game | want to play at home. Everything about this game-—from its screaming speeds to its eardrum-pounding soundtrack— will get your blood pumping. | can see myself popping this game into ту Dreamcast years from now, anytime | need a quick adrenaline rush. Sure, Crazy Taxi isn't a particularly deep game, and | wish they had stuck in more extras for the home version, but this is definitely the next big game you gotta buy for your Dreamcast. —Crispin Boyer
@ H-- cr ТУЛА aSinister World BE Shadow
а Dangerous Dimension of ташаа
ЕЕ Ваш for
ет "AG MX ~ FA "ME 4
Penal “Satine ка he
~
Ио ME
Му же / N № ا
EN
€9.1998 Tre: Кай, a perd dia Ере ГАТ $e Ass a pu UE des ve
р "RS
Kids today, eh? Mohawk Boy here wants to go to Tower Records to waste money on rock *n' roll.
The punk kid wants to get there quicker and keeps bitching at me. Sounds like my wife. Shut up!
ош и
С йу, мтр сомго
A slight altercation with a wall doesn't seem to upset my customer. Scared the crap outta me though.
Oops. Wasn't watching where | was going there. Rich toffs in limos...feel my wrath and eat my dust.
Cheeky little bastard. Just because | don't get there quick enough he bails without paying. You little s***!
Шз
IM
: F p у
Why is he standing up? I’m losing control and he seems to think it’s a roller coaster or something.
make sure that we get this game to Dreamcast owners as quickly as we can. We could spend a long time in development building extra stuff, but in the end we decided against it.” You may have read elsewhere the Dreamcast version will include extra features and VMU mini-games. This is not the case, as (again) Kanno and his team want to finish the project as quickly as they can.
Those of you familiar with the original game will be pleased to hear that all of the licensed properties are intact. The stores and locations we mentioned earlier have all been pulled across from the original, and you'll also be pleased to hear that the cool punk soundtrack is present too.
148
> 2 — SY 2. No one will notice if | cut through the
park. I wish pinky-top in the back would stop complaining.
Better get this guy to the bus terminal quick or Рт going to be completely screwed.
Well...I'm in a hurry, so I might as well go “а5 the crow flies' as it were. And this pond's in the way."
Tracks from both Bad Religion and The Offspring pump out constantly, and there really couldn't be any music more suited
to the fast-paced feel of the game.
As we go to press, the Dreamcast code is well on the way to being finished and should make its February release date with considerable ease. All of the basic modes are finished and Kanno and his team are working on making the graphics engine as efficient as possible. The final game will allow you to change the difficulty by increasing the amount of traffic on the roads, and in the version we played this still needed some optimizing to keep the frame-rate up. Otherwise, Crazy Taxi is ready to roll. +
er their world at eidos.com
\ Ел Raider- А he Last Revelation’
m v & 8 à 6 T ! v E GAMES WITH CHARACTER
registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Titles in this advertisement are rated Teen through
~~ ES Eidos Interactive and the Eidos Interactive logo are registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive, Inc. Fighting Force 2, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Core and the Core logo are all trade- = Ж marks of Core Design Limited. Fear Effect is a trademark of Eidos Interactive. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is a trademark of Crystal Dynamics, Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are POSU Mature by the ESRB.
М
When you first load up Crazy Taxi there are nine mini-games available to you in the Crazy Box section on the Options Screen. These are divided into different sections and are designed to teach you all of the necessary skills to get through the main game as efficiently as possible. Once you've completed all of these nine games, Crazy Taxi Producer Kenji Kanno hinted to us that three more games would open up. *| can only tell you about the first nine," he told us. We spent some considerable time with the game though, and can tell you that completing these nine opens up seven more — giving 16 in total.
The skills that the mini-games teach you are all centered on making you a more proficient driver. The first game (bottom left) is built like a huge ski jump and is designed to teach you to do the Crazy Dash: a quick jiggle of the joypad buttons that boosts you forward briefly and allows you to accelerate out of trouble, or in this
erform a huge jump. ater (bottom middle) you'll be thrown into an arena with a specific task set \ within а limited time period. First you | have to race around and burst 20 balloons before the clock runs out. In the later games you have to pick up passengers and take them to their destination before
mi-Games...learn To Drive Like A Pro
the clock runs out—just as you would in ame. EE other skills taught deal with the orientation of your car at key points 50 you can operate at speed in confined р spaces. The mini-game (bottom right) is set on a series of islands and you have to jump from island to island, turning just before you leap so that you land facing the necessary direction without falling into the ocean. It’s all tough stuff, but once you've got these things licked, it makes racing through shopping malls and subway stations much easier! Jumping and hitting things wastes valuable time...and this can really help you out.
Grazy Taxi Sweepstakes Nes
Grand Prize - Crazy Taxi Sit-down Arcade Unit
First Prize - Sega Dreamcast, with Crazy Taxi for the Dreamcast and Concept 4 Racing Wheel from InterAct 3 Second Prizes - Crazy Taxi for the Dreamcast and
Limited-edition Crazy Taxi Bowling Shirt
Official Sweepstakes Rules:
1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send a standard size postcard containing your пате, address, and phone number to EGM Crazy Taxi Sweepstakes, PO Box 3338 Oak Brook, Illinois 60522-3338. No purchase or payment of any money is necessary to enter. One entry per household. Entries must be handwritten and must be received by the Feb. 20, 2000. Mechanically reproduced entries will be void. All entries become exclusive property of Ziff-Davis and will not be acknowledged ог returned. Ziff-Davis assumes no responsibility for lost, mutilated, late, illegible, incomplete, postage-due, ог misdirected entries. Zitf-Davis reserves the right to cancel this sweepstakes at any time with appropriate notice. 2 1. Prizes: One (1) Grand Prize. Grand Prize winner will receive one (1) Crazy Taxi Sit-down arcade unit. Grand Prize has an approximate retail value of $6,500. One (1) First Prize Winner. First Prize winner will receive one (1) Sega Dreamcast, and one (1) copy of Crazy Taxi for the Dreamcast as well as one (1) Concept 4 Racing Wheel from Interact. First Prize package has an approximate retail value of $310. Three (3) Second Prize winners will each receive (1) Copy of Crazy Taxi for the Dreamcast ($49.95) and (1) limited edition Crazy Taxi Bowling Shirt ($40). Second prize packages have an approximate retail value of $90.00. Winners shall be determined by a random drawing from all valid entries by EGM editors whose decisions are final. Drawing to be held on or about Feb. 25, 2000. 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 Ziff-Davis should the featured prizes become unavailable. 3. Odds of Winning: The number of winners and the odds of winning will be determined by number of valid entries received. 4. Eligibility: Sweepstakes open to residents of United States except employees and their immediate families of ZD Inc., its affiliates, subsidiaries, and its advertising and promotion agencies. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. A 1099 form will be filed with the IRS for major prize winners. (Void in Florida, New York and Rhode Island). Non-compliance with the time parameters contained herein or return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification. Winners or their legal guardians shall sign and return an affidavit of eligibility/release of liability/prize acceptance within 10 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. Winners accepting prizes agree that all prizes are awarded on the condition that ZD Inc. and its agents, representatives, affiliates and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, damages, taxes, or expenses of any kind resulting from acceptance, possession, ог use of the prizes. 5. Winners List: For a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to be received by Feb. 29, 2000 to: EGM Crazy Taxi Sweepstakes Winners List, PO Box 3338, Oak Brook, Illinois 60522-3338. Allow 4 weeks for delivery of winners list. 6. Restrictions: Void in Florida, New York and Rhode Island and wherever prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
7. Sponsor: This sweepstakes is sponsored by ZD Inc. Copyright ©1999 ZD Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
150
To enter, send a standard size postcard containing your name, address and phone number to:
EGM Crazy Taxi Sweepstakes PO Box 3338
Oak Brook, Illinois 60522-3338
“AN EXCELLENT TITLE TO ADD TO THE [SEGA] DREAMCAST™...” ER -Game Informer
ON YOUR SEGA DREAMCAST"
' Conquer the world’s best eourses to
Таке ntl of yourswing — topspin, ' unlock hidden characters. g” *
backspin, even hooks and slices! и
6 great game modes — like Match Play and the futuristic GATE BALL!
Adjustable difficulty levels & easy-to-use controls — duffers and pros alike can have fun!
Р m Аст
ммм. асс!а! т. сот Корт EO and ciim © 1999 Лоза Entertainment, Ик. Al Rights Reserved. Developed By Bottom Up © 1989. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Li. © SEGA ENTERPRISES, LD. A Rights Reserved.
EVERYONE
М =”
. The amazing Sniper Helmet that lets % you shoot an alien in the eye from a mile away is coming to the most _ powerful entertainment system, the Sega Dreamcast. ^
Kurt Hectic, the original hero of stealth and subterfuge returns to reclaim Earth along with the help of the dangerouSly brilliant Dr. Hawkins, and the 6-leggedl Qun-tpting robotic dog, Max.
COMING SOON!
Li ppt | Develo rap | www.interplay.com BE Bioware $ega©Dreamcast.
BY GAMERS. FOR GAMERS.™
©1999 Interplay Entertainment Corp. Omen Engine ©1999 Bioware Corp. LUA ©1994-1998 TeCGraf. PUC-Rio. Written by Waldemar Celes. Rotbrt lerusalimschy and Luiz Henrique de Figueirido. Developed by Bioware Corp. The Bioware Omen Engine and the Bioware Logo are trademarks of Bioware Corp. MDK, MDK2 and related marks alle trademarks of Shiny Entertainment, Inc. and certain characters are ©Shiny Entertainment. Inc. Interplay, the Interplay logo. and "By Gamers. For Gamers." are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment гр. Sega, Dreamcast. and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. АН other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
КИ: as 9 argas, EACH зї] ага Hameplay а је ОХ Зе ај ага weapons simultaneotsiy,
Г HAWKINS solve puzzles to create deadly weaponry,
ЇЇ = Sneak, snipe and shoot in a new suit equipped with a cloaking device. • Unique weapons like the Black Hole Bomb, the - Atomic Toaster, and Bouncing Sniper Shots that hit enemies around corners.
ааа اة
e MDK2 pushes the Sega Dreamcast™ to its limits and beyond with massive animated environments, 9 _ wrapping shadows, and characters so detailed | you can see them blink. |
кы a
Game Boy Camera
Nintendo
539.95
Nintendo’s digi-cam contraption is quickly turning from a clever toy to a must-own peripheral. Forget for a sec that it packs a brilliant animation editor that’s perfect for Spielberg wannabes. The big deal here is that the GB Camera also interfaces with Rare’s upcoming Perfect Dark, via the Transfer Pak, letting you map your noggin onto in-game deathmatchers. Finally, you'll be in the game.
Worm light
Nyko $9.99
We've never seen a Game Boy light this good. Perfect for late- night road trips or playing Pokémon under the covers, Nyko's elegant Worm Light taps power straight from your GBC with minimal drain on its batteries. Just be sure to adjust its flexible stalk to avoid glare.
The Best of
Power Tools
ere's hoping you got a pile of really good game stuff this Christmas — maybe a Dreamcast, maybe a Game Boy Color, maybe a spiffy new PlayStation to replace the battered one Santa stuffed down your smoke hole two years ago. Of course, the only problem with getting really good game stuff is you'll want even more really good game stuff to go with it. In our business, we call this stuff “peripherals,” and you'll find racks of these gizmos up and down the aisles of your favorite vid-game megastore.
But any sap who's blown 20 bucks on a cheapie, squeeze-too-hard-and- it'll-bust joypad knows that a lot of this really good game stuff is neither "really good" nor even just plain “good.”
So we've emptied our cabinets of every peripheral we've reviewed in our Power Tools section and sorted the best stuff from the junk. Don't blister your paws playing with the dozen available PlayStation racing wheels or mountain of Game Boy screen lamps yourself — our consumer-hardware experts have done all the playtesting for you. Check the following pages to find the only
154
gear worth getting.
Just keep in mind that when it comes to controllers, memory cards and rumble paks, you'll rarely find anything better than the first-party stuff from the console manufacturers themselves. Heck, some of the worst third-party gear will barely snap into your system’s controller ports. But if you’re looking for a cheap joypad or memory card with a few extra bells and whistles (rapid fire, extra memory, whatever), third party is really the only way to go. And we’re here to help you steer clear of the crap. But first, let’s spiff up that Game Boy Color of yours...
The best peripherals for the
Sure, the “shock” function on this gizmo is mighty lame (the louder the volume, the more it shakes). But turn vibration off and Nyko's Rock ‘N’ Shock becomes an invaluable GBC gadget. Once plugged into the GB’s battery slot, this rechargeable dynamo pumps about 10 hours of power—even when you crank up its twin speakers. Plus, the Rock “№ Shock's rubber grips make the GBC easier to handle for big- handed gamers.
- à х a у L ock ‘№ Shock. w=
Color Protector
It may not stop stray bullets or charging rhinos, but InterAct's hard-rubber cover is tough enough to guard your Game Boy from most real-world injuries. Trust us—our office GBC takes heavy abuse, and the Color Protector has kept it scratch-free. A Nintendo-licensed product, the Protector fits the GBC perfectly. You even get a carrying strap. Best of all, this thing is cheap.
155
Look for the license
It may seem like a clever marketing ploy. Third-party peripheral companies pay the console manufacturers a hefty licensing fee. In turn, Sony, Sega and Nintendo grant the third parties an official license for their peripherals. The peripheral companies then sell their licensed gadgets—which go through a rigorous testing process and must meet numerous technical specifications— while at the same time they warn us gamers to avoid any unlicensed gear from the competition. They say unlicensed peripherals may damage our consoles. They want to scare us into buying their own licensed gear.
And you know what? They're right, for the most part. Console repair folks we talked to said a lot of the cheaper, unlicensed peripherals don’t always follow the system manufacturers’ electrical specifications. Shoddy joypads or racing wheels may draw too much current from the controller port, for instance, and blow a fuse in your system. Memory cards may lose or corrupt saves. N64 Expansion Paks may cause lock- ups in certain games.
So, if you’re gonna buy third-party gear, do yourself a favor and make sure it’s licensed. Identifying licensed peripherals is easy: Just look for an official system logo on the box. The logo will usually be printed on
the peripheral itself, too. Sure, you could save a few bucks and go with an unlicensed joypad, steering wheel or whatever, but it may cost you in the long run if that cheapie peripheral screws up your console.
The hest peripherals for the
Arcade Stick (ale a
It's simple: If you play fighting games, you should have this arcade fighting stick. It’s basically
the first-party version from Japan | brought over from Agetec. It’s durable, looks cool and is the | perfect complement to any fighter on the system — especially Soul Calibur!
Dream Pad
ner а
As far as third-party controllers go, the Dream Pad is a keeper. Its rubberized bits make the thing feel good in your hand, and the fighting-game-style layout of the buttons is a nice plus. It's a high- quality replacement pad.
07 рт соии '
Dreamcast? < ^ light Guns ; ~
Force Pak
For every 10 peripherals worth buying, you'll find a hundred shoddy gadgets that add absolutely nada to your game- playing experience. We've picked a few culprits for each system. Avoid these at all costs.
Fishing Red In the cards...
It may have taken some painful trial and error—saves were lost, tears were shed— but in the end we learned one valuable lesson about memory cards, paks and VMUS: Stick with the first- party stuff. Sure, you'll find a lot of fancy third-party gear out there, cards and packs that can store as much as 48 times more data than conventional first-party cards. Heck, you'll even find memory cards shaped like everything from basketballs to Duke Nukem. And many of these super savers are even cheaper than Sony's cards, Nintendo's paks and Sega's VMUs. But avoid the temptation. It's our experience that a rare few of these units can be a little flaky. We've had saves lost or corrupted by cheap third-party save devices. So you're really best off buying first-party cards, paks and VMUs from Sony, Nintendo and Sega. It's not like they're
a Жашыды.
OK, so there's only one game out at this point to use this controller with. But if you're going to play some Sega Bass Fishing, you really should do so with this genre-specific device. It has a Jump Pak built in.
TremorPak
If you're having trouble finding n outrageously priced, and the first-party Jump Pak, and E YP
desperately need to feel your DC мше WON t have to worry about. pad rümblejarundiinvounhapdd losing your save for that last level of considenthanremorpal vit works Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation or well, and does just about the Shadow Man. same thing Sega’s add-on does. © 5 you’re determined to invest in a third-party save peripheral—and you j own a PC—go with InterAct's DexDrive (available for the PlayStation and N64) or Mad Catz' Data Deck (available only for the PS). Both let you transfer your saves to a PC, thus giving you nearly unlimited storage—not to mention the abi mail saves to pals. The Data Deck will even recover some types of corrupted saves. You'll also find numerous Web sites with saves and cheats you can Like the Arcade Fighting Stick download to your card or pak. from Agetec, the Rally Wheel is As far as which one is the better buy, more or less a first-party well, the DexDrive and Data Deck are very peripheral (at least it was in similar, right down to their software Japan). Although it slips around a interfaces. But since the Data Deck came little bit on some surfaces, the out later, it has the advantage of being thing won't do you wrong in any able to read the DexDrive's save format, Dreamcast racer. Also consider " А Pelican’s DC racing wheel, while the DexDrive currently cannot read the Data Deck’s proprietary file format. So, if you have a Data Deck, you can download save files from InterAct’s Web site, but not vice versa. It’s that bonus versatility that —
although hardlyfairto ®
InterAct—forces us to favor the Data Deck.
157
The hest peripherals for the | /
Guncon Me гли
If you’ve ever played a gun game on the PlayStation, then you've probably handled one of these. But if you're thinking about using those holiday gift certificates for something different, look into the Guncon for any Guncon-compati- ble shooting games you pick up (it’ll be packed with a game).
- Fishing Stick pr meme
Here's the thing about this incredible fishing controller from Agetec: In order to get it, you have to buy Bass Landing. But if you want the controller, you like fishing games. And since Bass Landing is a fun, moderately technical and nice-looking fishing game, everything works out just fine. You get a game and the controller in one handy package.
@Т2 Wheel n i--—ÀÀÀ
It was a toss-up between the officially-licensed Ascii Aftershock Wheel and the unlicensed GT2 Wheel. When it was all said and done, the GT2 Wheel—even though it doesn't have external pedals—is a better package. Granted, either way 4 /
you'll go you'll be happy as both ^ ~ set-ups аге top-notch. But the S GT2 Wheel is compact and cool- 4
looking, is designed incredibly well and most importantly works like a charm in all racing games.
Infrared PS Cooling Controllers T Devices
SOMETHING
SPECIAL
FOR LOYAL
M PEEL (D A
SUBSCRIBERS
EGM 127
ONLY!
Comments? FORCED FEEDBACK •
We're Giving You Free Stuff
Take a look at what we're passing on to you this month:
• GameShark Pro for the GBC courtesy of InterAct
• Limited-Edition Metal Gear Solid Press Kit
• Capcom T-shirt
* Ryu Street Fighter action figure from Resaurus
Twisted Metal 4 fuzzy dice
• Die Hard Trilogy 2 first-aid kit with white tanktop
* Cool Boarders 4 ski hat
* Bass Landing fishing hat
* Camera Link by Mad Catz
* Blasto pullover jacket
* Vans snowboard wax
* And more!!!
Р.0. Box 3338 •
As you may or may not know, we get a lot of cool items from game companies. And yes, we do appreciate them, but all too offen after looking at them for a while they end up sitting in somebody's cubicle or getting stored in a cabinet. So we thought, “Let's pass some of these things on to our readers, instead of just having them lay around.” After all, better you enjoy this stuff than us. Like last month, read the instructions below, send in a postcard and you might just be picked as the winner! This doesn't cost you anything—it’s as sim- ple as sending in a postcard with your name, address and phone number on it to the address below. We'll then pick one win- ner in a few weeks, and send out the goods.
ЕСМ” Box о’ Stuff Sweepstakes #127 c/o Electronic Gaming Monthly
P.O. Box 3338
Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
Congrats to EGM #125 Winner: Eliud Cabrera of Brooklyn, NY
Жуу. КУР
All о this and more can be yours by simply sending in a little card with your name, address and telephone number on it. See above and below for further details.
OAK BROOK, IL 60522-3338 °
E-MAIL: SHAWN_SMITH@ZD.COM
What do you think of Sega releasing an add- on DVD-ROM for the DC?
Sega should just stick with the GD-RO
о Sweet! It'll be 1 0%
an ideal upgrade
247 "Ex eddie.
right price
videogames.com poll 11/11/99
DID YOU KNOW...
Soul Calibur is still played daily by one or more staff members (from EGM and/or one of the other magazines).
EGM is often referred to as the Flagship magazine.
Many EGM staffers have been watching the movie Gummo from Harmony Korine (the director of the controversial movie Kids). If you have a chance,
you should really watch this film. It's very strange.
Che recently shaved his head. He looks like an Asian version of one of the Beastie Boys.
Tugboats often help push big ships out of a harbor or aid them in docking.
Shoe recently spent $60 on a toilet paper roll holder for the bathroom in his new house.
Staff Profile Eugene Sakarelli
Real Name: Eugene "Gino" Sakarelli
Alias: Elephant Sak, E-Sak
Country of o Turkey (born in Italy)
Age: 28
Weight: 376 Ibs.
Blood type: AB+
Skin type: Slightly oily
Occupation: EGM Mascot, Professional Wrestler
Hobbies outside of gaming: Performance Art, hanging out with friends, talking on the phone.
How | got into professional wrestling: When | was just a teenage boy, | met this man named Mahir who was running a circus in my village in Turkey. A giant bear escaped from its cage and started attacking the audience. | did the only thing that made sense to те...! wrestled that bear to ће ground and destroyed it. Mahir must have seen potential in my skills. | joined his traveling circus,
and he taught me the ways of wrestling...and life and love. Slowly | made my way up the ranks of the Extended Turkish Circuit and became champi- on of Europe. God bless the ring.
How you make me: Go into the Create Wrestler Mode in WWF Attitude (any system). Now select Create. Next select Body. For Body Type select Male Obese (I am not ashamed of this option). Go to the previous menu and select Skin Type. Click on Plain. Go to the previous menu. Skin Color is left as the default color, so no need to go into here. Go back to the Create Menu and select Head. Select Eyes and pick Standard (this doesn't matter much since I'm often wearing goggles or my shades). Now go back to the previous menu and select Nose. Pick Average Nose 4. Go back and select Mouth. Pick Standard Mouth. Go back and select Hair. Pick Long Bangs 1, and change the color to a darkish brown. Go back and select Beard. Pick Goatee 4, and change the color to the same darkish brown color as my hair. Go back and select Accessories (skip Mask since | don't wear one). Under the Accessories menu, select Sunglasses. Pick Sunglasses 1. You can skip the rest of the stuff under the Accessories menu.
Now go into the Upper Body
menu. Select Shirt, then
Tanktop and pick Plain. The
color of the tank top has to
be very dark...almost black.
Now go back and select
Elbow Pads. Pick Generic, and
change the color to a dark
grey...nearly as dark as my
tanktop. Now go back and
select Gloves. Pick Cut Off
Gloves, and change the color
to a dark red. That's it for the
WEB SITES
AS COOL AS ICE
members.tripod.com/^HatPerson/weirdweb.htmL
Thank you to all who continue to send us sites. We love checking them out more than we love cheese. As usual, here's all kinds of sites: Weird, gaming-related, zany, funny, cool, stupid and so on and so forth. Send website submissions to shawn_smith@zd.com
e members.xoom.com/ X0OM/primall/mahir/index.html
e 216.169.122 .124/rayn/turkstud.swf
* babelfish.altavista.com/cgi-bin/translate? e www.easttexas.com/pdlg/theball.htm
* www.mulletsgalore.com
* www.dogdoo.com
* www.geonerd.com
* y2ksurvival.com/s60p648.htm * www.lod.org
* www.mpog.com/pvp/
* jaxer.simplenet.com
* www.ultravoice.com
* www.girlephant.com
* We cannot be held responsible for any of the material presented on the sites listed above. Parents or guardians may want to verify the content of the site(s) before allowing their children to venture forth. Midnight Vultures in da’ house.
Nitro RC cars
• Unusually warm weather
• Rumors about EA signing on to make Dreaincast games
* The new Quake 3 demo
Red Hots • Whirly Ball
* Cubicles used specifically for Soul Calibur tournaments
• Dogma
Jay and Silent Bob
* Being John Malkovich
* Soul Calibur ranking system
That one scene from Cruel Intentions (hint: girls kissing)
• Memory Stick technology
• Chronic 2001
Criterion DVDs
* Tokyo Street Tribe * Yojimbo and Sanjuro
Upper Body menu.
Now go back and select the Lower Body menu. Select Shorts, Men and pick the Long Denim shorts. Change the color to the same color as my tanktop. Now go back and select Kneepads, and pick Generic. Make these the same dark red color as my gloves. Then go back and select Shoes, and pick the Sneaker type. Make these the same color as my shorts and tanktop, but more blue.
Next go back a couple of menus to Name. Obviously you'll want to enter all of the important information in here such as my real name and my alias (I prefer E Sak). Now go into Attributes, and slice up the points as such:
Strength: Toughness: 4 Speed: Recovery: 5 Charisma: 6 Mat Skills: 4 Now it's time for my moves. Generally speak- ing, | prefer to use my own special brew of moves. But since those are very secret, | can't give them to you. Think of my array of offensive and defensive tactics as my secret recipe—much like my mother's secret beef tripe stew pie recipe back in my homeland. So go ahead and use Kane's moves for now. Perhaps someday | will tell you my moves...or not. Next, select Personality. Here’s how this menu breaks down: Crowd: Cheer Fighting Style: Kane Theme Song: Slugachugalug Entrance: Sable (do not question) Run-in Partner: Stone Cold Voice/Grunts: Fatboy Now add red text to (both front and back). Skip the first line, put an “E” on the second line and “SAK” on the third.
HOT & NOT
mm eee ees û) ЕСМ
The ЕСМ Hot & Not list—a place where you can get an inside look at what the staff of EGM likes and dislikes. The list contains general and specific items, concepts, games, people and other such things. Once in awhile we even throw in an inside joke. Enjoy.
* Game companies buying into certain video game mags
* The N64 (where are all of the games for pete's sake?!)
* Macs (A. Вигме $ addition)
* Spiders in seafood dishes
PA piercings
• Hitting on a lesbian (and not knowing you're hitting on a lesbian)
* Sleepy sickness
* Parties at the Playboy mansion with no nudity
* Crappy МРЗ players with only 32MB (roughly 30 minutes) of storage on-board
* The way Cameron Diaz looks in Being John
Malkovich
* Adultdex '99
* Silver on silver
Pro Shock Stick n
Play fighting games much? Then you really should get yourself some sort of arcade stick. There are a few of them out there, but none quite like the Pro Shock arcade Stick. It has that sweet iMac look, a heavy-duty feel and should last round after round. Plus, it rumbles.
Multi-tap
Now more than ever, owning a Multi Tap for your PlayStation is worth it. New games like Worms Armageddon, You Don’t Know Jack and Quake II are all about / four-player fun, and the Multi Тар 4 makes this sort of experience possible (or easier in some cases). Besides, it’s a first-party product уоште bound to use at some point in the future.
ShockHammer
Se ale эя SS
5 As far as third-party controllers [8] go, the ShockHammer is the one to go with. We have some issues with the placement of the shoulder buttons, but overall it's a good-looking, quality product.
U.S. Flag Pads
Ше hest peripherals for the
TruSteer 64 Company InventTech $11.99
Of all of the gadgets that have come along, this is the strangest. It's a foam wheel that snaps snug onto your N64 pad, and allows you to steer the analog stick around (there’s a notch in the foam wheel the analog fits into). Great for those who don’t want to deal with a big steering wheel and pedals. Also consider the Ultra Racer 64 by InterAct.
hrustmas
Like the Shock Hammer for the PlayStation, the Thrustmaster- made StingRay is a great choice as far as third-party peripherals go. It has an interesting and completely functional design, and the metallic shine really adds to the overall feel of the thing.
NASCAR RacePro ру NN
Thrustmaster $79.95
If you're going to buy a setup like this, chances are cost isn’t a major concern. After all, you want a realistic and high-quality feel. This wheel and pedals have what you need—at a price. The main
Rumble Rod
Mad Catz $29.99
Obviously you'll need a fishing controller if you like playing
Boneyard Accessories • PS, N64 Maybe this sort of thing works
with Palm Pilots and cell phones, but not with controllers. Do you really need leather on your PS and N64 pads? We didn't think so. Spend the money elsewhere.
unit sits nicely on your lap, and the pedals go on the floor. The pedals could've been more substantial in size, but overall, the RacePro is solid.
Innovation * PS, №64
Sure, it sounds like a good idea. If something's gold or silver it must be worth something, right? Not in the case of these pads. All they have is an interesting look— quality-wise, they're just average.
fishing games. And although we had some minor issues with the Rumble Rod, all in all it's good for you armchair fishermen out there. Note: It requires batteries.
МАК! * N64
Now here's something riovel: A memory pak and batteryless rumble pak built in one handy unit. Of course,
it has 4x memory so $ don’t trust your 4 saves to the thing.
Besides, the
unpowered rumble
feature isn’t very impressive.
The best peripherals f
ҮЅТ-М550 System
ша и ли
When it comes to speakers and what not, a higher pricetag generally means higher quality. Which is the case with this Yamaha satellite and subwoofer system. It sounds incredible, and it’s black—which is always cool.
Xplorer FX and GameShark Pro
If you have discs (games, music, DVDs, etc.) with scratches in them, you need the Game Doctor. The thing will fix most any surface scratches in a matter of minutes. Now you don’t have to toss skippy discs in the trash, or take them back to Funco Land!
Home Arcade System
A must for any college dorm student, or those who are low on space. Throw a modestly sized TV on top, a system in the recessed shelf underneath and load this durable product ир with peripherals, games and more. It comes together in no time flat, and the price is right on target. Note: The Dreamcast does fit, but not as well as the PS and N64 do.
mmm
Ecc
This more affordable satellite and subwoofer set—designed specifically with console gamers in mind—will more than do the
Cheat devices—some say they ruin the fun of games, others swear by them. If you're in the market for one, there are only two you should consider: The Xplorer FX from Blaze and the GameShark Pro from InterAct. Why recommend both? Simply put, they both do the same thing, in about the same way. Plus, the extra stuff each does (movie and image viewing, virtual memory, etc.) is also very similar. You'll be happy with either one you buy.
trick if you're looking for better sound from your games. It pumps bass like there's no tomorrow, and has multiple jacks in the front of the woofer. Plus, it's really damned hip-looking.
i m = Universal Rocker Pad
Imagine the battle: Spider-Man vs. Mega Man... . Incredible! Or, who would stand victorious in Strider vs. Captain America? Amazing! Now, Capcom brings this #1 smash arcade fantasy fighter to the PlayStation" game console and Sega Dreamcast’. Experience the world's most insane battles between your favorite legendary Capcom characters and Super Heroes of the Marvel Universe.
Sega =. Dreamcast.
Symptoms of Fear:
Perspiration
Trembling
Nansea
Loss of Appetite Ary Month
Remember, the only thing to fear is fear itself. Especially in this deadly mercenary mission where your own emotional responses determine what happens next. So go ahead, make your move. Just be
sure to keep your fear in check.
INTERACTIVE, and the EIDOS INTERACTIVE LOC
EIDOS.
Y 8 TER AS T мн
eidos.com
PlayStation
NON-INTERRUPTED GAMEPLAY for more debilitating action and power. Comes in handy for the THREE RUTHLESS MERCENARIES whose destinies you control.
MOTION FX TECHNOLOGY. Pre-rendered, fully animated backgrounds creating a frighteningly real world.
Breakthrough SUSPENSE/ACTION ADVENTURE game. Beyond your realm of fear. Beyond any
3rd person
game created.
It can recognize your fear. Can you?
Photography by Bob Stefko _
_ Williams’ Star 1 The Next Genera
В y the time Roger Sharpe stood before the New York City Council in 1976, pinball had been banned in the Big Apple for 34 years, ever since Mayor Fiorello Henry LaGuardia declared it a game of luck, as evil as gambling, and smashed dozens of machines in front of a crowd of cheering onlookers.
It was all up to Sharpe to make America’s most celebrated coin-op legit again.
Then a 27-year-old editor for GQ magazine who was writing a book on pinball, Sharpe had been drafted by the New York State Association to prove to the council that pinball was a game of skill, not luck, and thus not a form of gambling. Los Angeles and Chicago had already overturned similar bans on pinball, and the State Association wanted the game, and the big bucks it made, back in New York City, too.
After delivering an hour of expert testimony to the six council members, Sharpe stepped up to a Gottleib pinball table called Bank Shot, yanked back the plunger in front of the TV cameras gathered to capture the occasion and commenced to demonstrate the skills needed for this so-called “game of luck.” Despite the cameras and the council’s scrutiny, he was- n’t nervous. Sharpe had honed his skills in the city’s peep- show parlors and other shady hangouts—the only places he could find outlawed pinball tables. His first ball bounced between bumpers, shot up ramps, doing everything he wanted it to do.
Then Sharpe got cocky. “I don’t know what | was thinking. | was foolhardy and probably too young to know better, but like Babe Ruth | actually called my next shot,” says Sharpe, who today is Williams’ director of licensing. “I told the council members that if | pull the plunger back just right, | can make
the ball fall down the center lane at the top of the playfield, because | wanted to show the skill involved right down to the plunger."
Sharpe launched the ball. It arced up and over the center lane, missing it. Then it bounced back, arcing over the lane again. It bounced a third time, its momentum waning, its arc tightening. It dropped straight down the middle lane, exactly where Sharpe predicted.
The council didn't need to see any more. It voted unani- mously to drop the ban on pinball. Mayor A. Beam signed the law allowing the game's return on Aug. 1, 1976, which also happened to be Sharpe's birthday.
The history of pinball is riddled with similar tales of victories and setbacks. It's the kind of thing that makes fans of this wholly American and mostly family-run industry wistful. But no news struck with more force than when Williams— which had been making pinball machines since 1946— announced it was leaving the amusement business and would concentrate solely on manufacturing gambling equipment and the occasional video game contracted by sister company Midway. That leaves only one pinball manufacturer, Stern Pinball Inc., located near Chicago, to build machines for this once-booming business.
Williams' pinball-assembly operations shut down Nov. 19, 1999. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was the last game to roll off the line. It was the second of Williams’ vaunted "Pinball 2000" titles, which blended video-game computer power with traditional mechanical pinball components. Williams had hoped Pinball 2000 would revitalize the sagging pinball market, and the company called the program a success last summer. Unfortunately, with losses from its pinball division
assembly line, everyone's asking the
big question...
by Crispin Boyer
dead?
167
“Pinball is a very romantic product...but that’s not what puts money in stock-
holders’ pockets.”
nearing $18 million over the last few years, Williams just was- n't seeing the mega profits it wanted from the Pinball 2000 line. The company had gone public in ’96. It had stockholders to answer to. “It wasn’t that Pinball 2000 wasn’t successful,” Sharpe says. “It’s it wasn’t successful enough for a publically held company that needs different profit margins. It’s like say- ing The Phantom Menace was a failure because it didn’t do the type of box office Titanic did.”
Peter Gustafson, director of sales and marketing at Sega Enterprises Inc, wasn’t surprised at Williams’ decision. “Pinball is a very romantic product,” he says. “It’s a historical product, rich with history and stories. But that’s not what puts money in stockholders’ pockets. It’s positive return on an investment that does that, and Williams wasn’t seeing that out of the product, although they were trying.”
Gustafson is a nearly 20-year veteran of the pinball industry. He's seen it at its lowest points, when fans feared the pinball era was finally at its end. In fact, Gustafson's first job in the industry was as a field service representative with Bally Pinball in 1980— right when video games started swiping pinball's
168
-Sega's Peter Gustafson
business. "From the day | walked in there until the day I left, more people lost their jobs every single week," he says. "Bally Pinball was a 220,000-square-foot facility in 1980, with 1,400 employees producing 500 to 600 games a day. When I left in late '82 to go over to Bally-Midway, there were до employees who made the transfer to the Midway facility. | was the last guy at pinball."
So, just like any other industry, pinball has taken its knocks. During World War |, all the major companies, including D. Gottleib and Bally, ceased pinball production completely and switched over to bomb-site manufacturing and other precision engineering needed for the military. Of course, they switched right back after the war, and the introduction of the flipper in 1947 kicked demand for the game into overdrive (not to men- tion that pinball gradually became a hit overseas, where American С.1.5 had left their machines behind for the French and British to play with).
Suburban sprawl and shopping malls nurtured further demand for pinball through the '505, '605 and '70s. By the mid-’70s, coin-op was a $4 billion-a-year industry, and pinball
created 85 percent of that revenue. Ву 1981, with the rise of arcade video games, coin-op swelled to a $9 billion industry, but pinball’s share had shrunk to 20 percent. Just a few years later, by 1983, the industry had constricted back to $4 billion, and pinball nearly fell off the gaming landscape.
But, slowly and steadily, pinball crawled back from the brink again. By the early '905, thanks to amazing titles like Addams Family, Star Trek: Next Generation and Terminator 2, pinball revenues had grown to about 40 percent of the coin-op indus- try’s $8 billion yearly take.
“You almost wonder how and why it has managed to endure through all of it,” Sharpe says, “through the legal restrictions, the changes in public mores, the accessibility through loca- tions, the new technology coming in. But somehow, someway, there’s always been pinball machines. When everybody has said it’s over and it’s done, pinball has managed to resurrect itself, reinvent itself and say, ‘Oh no— we're still around for a while.”
Which brings us to today. Pinball revenues are once again in the nether regions of the industry’s boom-bust cycle. Experts say only about 15,000 machines will be sold this year world- wide—compared to the hundred thousand that sold in 1992. And with Williams closing up shop, many claim that pinball
really is dead, that it has finally run out of innovations to hook a new generation of fans.
Just don’t tell that to Gary Stern. “We used to talk about us being the last man standing,” says the 54-year-old president of Chicago-area-based Stern Pinball Inc., the only pinball man- ufacturer left, “but saying that makes it sound like we are going to leave pinball, and we are committed and dedicated to pinball.”
Stern’s company and family background are so intertwined with pinball that he jokes he’s been in the business for 54 years. His father, Sam, bought half of Williams in 1948 and eventually ran the entire company. In 1986, Gary Stern put together a business plan for a new company. Data East invest- ed in it. Data East Pinball was born.
It was a small company. Employees hid the initials of their children on cabinet art. But blockbuster machines such as Secret Service and Torpedo War led to bigger licensed hits like Back to the Future. The company grew.
Sega, which partially owned Data East, bought Data East Pinball in 1994, renaming it Sega Pinball Inc. Its design teams led by legendary pinball creator Joe Kaminkow, Sega Pinball turned out hit after licensed hit, hyperactive tables like The X-Files, Jurassic Park and South Park. Stern remained in charge
“Wwe are committed and dedicated to Pinball.”
Crammed with about 3,000 moving parts, pinball tables are far more complex than coin-op video games. And Sharpe says the country’s lack of technicians skilled in maintaining and repairing these machines is one reason behind pinball's waning populari- ty. “With a pinball machine, it's like going to a bowling alley," he told us. "You have to oil the lanes sooner or later. Otherwise, it
won't be fun for anybody."
Stern Pinball President Gary Stern
of the company throughout, and in October '99 he bought it from Sega—was paring away divisions to focus on the Dreamcast— and renamed it Stern Pinball Inc.
Stern's design theory takes a simpler approach than Williams' heavily computerized Pinball 2000 gimmick. Plenty of pop bumpers, heavy bouts of multiball—that’s the type of mostly mechanical action you'll find in a Stern pinball game.
It's pinball targeted at the casual gamer who dumps quar- ters in the thing between beers at a bar. It's pinball you're more likely to find in cafes and pubs, not glitzy arcades. And it's the type of pinball Stern thinks will stick around for a long time. "We haven't had a lot of new machines made in some time," he says. "There's a demand for us now. There's room in the pinball market for one low-budget, economically run pin- ball company that's making mechanical-action pinball. That means there's not room for two of us, and it also means
there's not room for a public company and all the entrapments that come with that. This is a grind business, and we're gonna grind with it.”
So like Sharpe, whose lucky shot brought pinball back to New York City in 1976, Stern is doing his part to preserve this coin-operated American icon. He may be the last man stand- ing, whether he likes the phrase or not, but he's also the last man making a machine that many feel is too tied in with our culture, with our history, with our youth, with our country to die. "It's not just set dressing on Happy Days," Sharpe says. "There's something much more to it than that. It's a fully tac- tile experience, and as long as there is not a way to easily replicate that experience in any other means, there's going to be a place for it. That's why | find it difficult to believe that now, out of any other time in history, we should fear that pin- ball's gone forever." th
Special thanks to LM Amusements for access to the machines shown in this feature. Check 'em out at www.Imamusements.com.
Then brace yourself—it’s a more involved undertak- ing than buying a regular coin-op. Kick off your quest in the Yellow Pages, under "Amusement," and dig up numbers of local coin-op distributors and specialty shops (trust us—you wanna buy your pinball machine locally, since you'll likely get on-site service and а war- гату). If you lack techie know-how, you're best off browsing at specialty shops, which often sell recondi- tioned machines guaranteed to be trouble-free.
Distributors and arcades may sell so-called “recon- ditioned” wares, too, but don't expect the better- than-new overhaul you'll find on a pinball machine sold at a specialty shop. “Typically, distributors'll clean it up so it looks good cosmetically, but if it’s working, they won't bother to go further than that,” Larry McGilvery, owner of LM Amusements in Lisle, Ill., tells us. "That's not exactly what | call a full reconditioning. When | do it, | reassemble everything. All the posts are tightened, all the plastics are cleaned, | adjust the guide rails and | completely replace any wearable part on the flipper mechanisms.”
The more like-new your machine, the less cash you'll blow on day-to-day maintenance. “You won't have to do a lot in the first year if the machine's reconditioned properly," McGilvery says, "other than to change the batteries. And waxing the playfield is a key thing, to keep the dirt off, because that's where the wear comes in. After a couple years you'll want to tighten some posts, because they'll get loosened up after things have been battered around." It won't hurt your pinball machine to leave it on all the time—it was designed to operate 24 hours a day — but you should Switch it off to save electricity if you won't be playing it for a while.
170
Want your own pinball |. machine?
Now the big question: How much will your pinball machine cost? Expect to spend anywhere from $800 for an old reconditioned unit (Williams Flash, released in '78, will run you $795 at McGilvery's shop) to $5,000 for a brand-new table. Yet surprising as it may sound, older is better. “I suggest that most people don't buy a new pinball machine for the home," McGilvery says, “because it is a large sum of money to spend on something you may get tired of in a couple of years, and it depreciates fast. If you wait two to four years, as a game gets older, it becomes more reason- able. Wait three or four years and what would normally be a $4,500 to $5,000 game could typically go for a little bit more than half of that reconditioned." As an added bonus, older machines will also be loaded with the newest software and mechanical fixes, since new pinball machines often ship with bugs.
Before handing over money for your pinball machine, open the playfield and eyeball it for obvious signs of wear. Look for cracked ramps, worn rubber, dirty nylon rings or signs of obvious rewiring and jury rigging. While none of these problems may interfere with the machine's operation now, they may develop into major snafus months after you've lugged the table home. Our best advice, though, is to take a crash course on pinball tables and their inner workings. Head to www.pinball.com (Williams' extremely com- prehensive pinball site) or check the newsgroups for pinball FAQs. These machines are complicated beasts. They come in an enormous variety of mechanical and solid-state setups, depending on their age. But the more you know about their workings, the more chance you'll have of dodging a lemon and preserving pinball in your living room forever.
The first blast wiped out your Space Center. Injust 3 hours, the high-tech weapons satellite will strike адат... your job to makesure thatit doesn't.
+> Intense 3rd Person Action/Shooter
<> Precision laser- sighting aiming
"Ex losive mechanism Nea
adventure" $ 5 % №
> Immense 3D Nintendo Power ч
Environments
<> Battle heavily- 3 - armed Boss > Ghracters and "smart" enemies
4- Player Deathmatch,
along with Lethal Tag; <> Rumble Pak Cube Hunt; And Quick Su ort Draw; РР,
РОНЕ and KOEI Co, Lid. All rights reserved. Nintendo 64 and the 3-0 “N” logo are trademarks of Nintendo ој America Inc. The ratings icon is o trademark of the Interactive Ро ваге Association.
ОИ E E i
Now that мете living in a spankin’ new millennium, Cris can’t help but reflect on the past thousand years of amazing discoveries. Dinosaur fossils. Smallpox vaccinations. The George Foreman Grill. Performance Fleece. Nad’s Hair-removal Cream. Oh and are you lis- tening to Freedom Rock? Well turn it up, man!
Current Favorites DK64, Mario Party 2
Favorite Genres Action, Adventure
Shoe's been having a terri- ble month. He lost money in Vegas. Then he caught a cold, which stayed with him
through a very bad deadline.
He's dropped in the Soul Calibur rankings (currently, 34). We think you should all write him and make him feel better by telling him what a big baby he is.
Current Favorites Soul Calibur, Chu Chu Rocket, Cardfighters’ Clash
Favorite Genres Action, Strategy, Puzzle
Che's been so busy this month playing games (ahem, GT2), he hardly spent any time in his new bourgeois corner of Chi- town. He managed to climb back up to #1 in the Soul Calibur ladder, and can now be seen playing his NGPC nonstop around here.
Current Favorites Gran Turismo 2, SNK vs. Capcom, Zombie Revenge
Favorite Genres Fighting, Racing, RPG
After spending 40 hours on DK64 this month, Chris started out on Pokémon Gold & Silver. He could be found in his cube mumbling something about breeding the perfect Pichu as he tried to get as far in the game as possible before the preview
in this issue had to be done.
Now to catch up on DVDs...
Current Favorites Mario Party 2, Q*Bert, Pokémon Gold & Silver
Favorite Genres Adventure, Puzzle
With six racing games to review this month, it's a good job John's a fan of cars. He was heard loudly and abusively questioning why so many of them had to be crap though. Against GT2...all racing games seem to pale into insignificance. John is in car-geek heaven right now.
Current Favorites. Crazy Taxi, Gran Turismo 2, Sonic Pocket
Favorite Genres Action, Racing
Shiny New Review
(still) coming soon!
Who Will It Be? Our search for the last RC member is nearly over. But who will it be? The 'real' Elephant Sak? The return of Sushi-X? Find out soon. Really. We promise. We're not kidding this time. You'll see.
112
Team EGM
Dean had Gran Turismo 2 running almost nonstop this month. What more can we say, the game is just incredible. When he wasn’t souping up his CRX in the game, Dean was playing Courtside 2 and March Madness 2000 with the Team EGM guys.
Current Favorites Gran Turismo 2, Courtside 2, March Madness 2000
Favorite Genres Sports, Racing
Now that the holiday sea- son is finally winding down, Shawn can get back to enjoying the local malls without having to elbow slow-walkers and check- book-balancers out of the damn way. Because Shawn ain't got no time for suckas like that. Now step.
Current Favorites
Zombie Revenge, Mario Party 2, V8: Second Offense, Tomba! 2
Favorite Genres Action, Adventure
ourtside 2 and March Madness
2000 took center stage this
month. The boys were especial- ly impressed with Courtside 2's Create-a-Rookie feature. It didn't take long for Dean to catapult his rookie to superstar status. On the other side, March Madness 2000 was the favorite for multiplayer match- ups. You just can't beat college hoops this time of year. On a differ- ent note, Team EGM is still waiting to get their hands on 989's NBA ShootOut 2000.
Dan Leahy
Current Favorites Favorites: March Madness 2000, Soul Calibur, NBA 2K.
Dan's been getting his nightly dose of March Madness 2000. Super Bowl hype has Madden back on the brain, but it's hard to play without getting the itch for Madden 2001 on PlayStation 2. It’s gonna be tougher than coach Ditka, meaner than Dick Butkus, and faster than Neon Deion.
Current Favorites RE Code: Veronica, Pokémon G/S, Tomba! 2, NBA 2K
After spending three days (and nights) playing through the first disc of Code: Veronica, Ricciardi’s anticipation for the final game has grown to dangerously high levels. On a more sporty note, he'd like to express his sorrow regarding the loss of Sir Charles. The NBA just won't be the same...
Todd Zuniga
Current Favorites March Madness 2000, NBA 2K, FIFA 2000, Tomba! 2
Todd has been sitting by eagerly awaiting the arrival of NHL 2K, and hopes the suc- cess of his beloved St. Louis Blues will translate to high ratings on the game. In the meantime he’s been walled up trying to get his alma mater, the DePaul Blue Demons, into the Big Dance in MM 2000.
This Month...
f you're sick of game companies
releasing crap games, then please
quit buying them! The Review Crew of EGM implore you to exercise your right as an able consumer, and dis- courage companies from producing mediocre drivel. Do we really need yearly updates on a vehicular combat game? Is there a reason why Tomb Raider 4 hasn't evolved in four years? And more importantly, why are you, the gaming public, buying this stuff? Put your money where your mouth is and show some consumer solidari- ty...Speaking of money and mouths, we hope you've had a great holiday season. This month, we present to you Neo*Geo Pocket Color game reviews. Check them out, we think you'll be surprised with the results! %
Our Philosophy
Dm 0 |
EGM rates games based on how they compare with other titles on the same system. The highest score we'll give a game is a 10. When a game receives a 10, you can rest assured it's one of the best games ever made—a revolutionary title that truly stands above everything else in its genre for its time. At the other end of the spec- trum sits the lowest score a game can receive: a o.o. This is the kind of game you want to avoid at all costs. It's pure crap, as our scale (above) explains. In the middle lies the aver- age grade, 5.0. We repeat: 5.0 IS AN AVERAGE GRADE. Simple, ain't it?
Our Awards
Platinum Awards go to games that get four 1075, the best and rarest review a game can get.
Gold Awards go to games whose average score equals 9.0 or higher.
Games that average at least an 8.0 receive Silver Awards.
EVERYONE
Publisher: Metro3D Developer: Metro3D Featured In: EGM #124 Players: 1-4
Supports: None
Best Feature: Plays like an action-RPG Worst Feature: Gameplay gets repetitive Web Site: www.metro3D.com
Funny thing about Armada: I'm not so excited about this game, but | can’t wait for its sequel. That’s ‘cause this thing is crammed with unmet potential. Like Gauntlet Legends in space, Armada lets you and three pals battle legions of enemies while building your character with experience points. It’s a novel idea made better when you factor in the vast assort- ment of enhancements you can buy with the money earned from successful missions. You can only equip four power-ups at a time, so you’ll need to think hard about the gadgets you invest in (some items rein- force others, adding more strategy). Advance enough levels and you'll gain access to super weapons, which you'll need to battle the big baddies found far from your homeworld in the game’s nearly limitless galaxy, which is filled with curiosities you'll discover on mini-quests. Still, it wasn’t long after | started the game that | settled into this dull pattern of a) fly toa patch of space where | can get the most experience and cash then b) complete current mission. | can only repeat those two steps so long before things get kinda boring. Armada’s open-ended gameplay means you run out of things to do after the 30th mis- sion or so. The game is best played with no more than three players, since things get chaotic with four players and a screen filled with enemies. Cri pin
I'm not blaming the developers, but | do believe Armada could've been more enjoyable in an expan- sive online universe filled with hundreds of online players. I just think this type of game lends itself to that sort of thing. Flying around in space killing aliens, visiting space stations and completing mis- sions by yourself gets lonely—and boring. Luckily the four-player stuff made for a good time, and added to the replay. It just needs more. Shawn
I'm in love with the graphics and the so-much-more- than-just-a-shooter premise. This is a fantastic idea for a sci-fi game. But the gameplay is fairly blah. It's just a lot of straightforward shooting— it's not even as challenging or addicting as Astrod. The four- player game isn't that great either (it's too chaotic). Armada is definitely worth checking out...just don't get your hopes up too high. | really hope the sequel takes Ше RPG thing up a notch. Shoe
The idea "m mixing action and roles "mm is very admirable, but the repetitive nature of the gameplay means that the yawns creep in after only a few hours. It’s probably best played multiplayer—but be sure to play with a group with similar stats. If you jump into the fray with more experienced players, the whole thing can get a bit dull because you get left behind, and can't get in on the action. The inevitable sequel will need better play balancing. John
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
1 1 8 6
113
Incoming
Publisher:
Interplay Developer: Rage Software Featured In: EGM #125 Players: 1-2 Supports: Jump Pack
Best Feature: Yummy graphics Worst Feature: Everything but the yummy graphics Web Site: www.interplay.com
Dear video game developers. While we certainly appreciate your efforts in bringing us the highest quality graphics that processors can process, we do politely request that you throw in some gameplay as well. Yes, blowing stuff up real good is fine and dandy...and even a little fun now and then. But a suc- cessful recipe for a game requires more than just the two ingredients of "pretty" and "ka-boom." It was thoughtful to include the use of multiple vehicles— we have to admit, the manned turret stages are cool. But when the choice of other rides includes slow-as- molasses tanks, hard-to-control helicopters and jets whose cannons are as useful as BB guns, it's difficult to get too excited. Oh, thanks for the two-player mode, but no thanks. The excitement level there did- n't raise our heartbeats one bit, and after five min- utes, we desperately wanted to turn it off. No offense. Anyway, it’s fairly obvious this game is nothing more than a technology demo, so in those regards, you have a runaway success. Personally, I'd give the game a “10” for visuals. Anyone who wants to show off what their DC can do should, without a doubt, use your product. But we're sorry to say, the overall, repetitive experience of going through unimaginative mission after unimaginative mission has left a bad taste in our mouths. Sorry. Shoe
Incoming reminds me of all those ho-hum games that hit the PC at the dawn of 3D acceleration. It's a nice- looking shooter with dull, supremely simple game- play. Sure, | like to blow stuff up as much as the next twitch gamer—and Incoming gives you plenty of tar- gets. Its turret stages are satisfying in a primal kinda way. But you'll find much better action games for the Dreamcast (Expendable, anyone?). Rent this for really cheap, really short-lived thrills. Crispin
You can really tell that this was developed when 3D cards were first emerging on the PC games scene— because Incoming is quite literally all style and no substance. Using every graphical trick the team at Rage could think of, the whole thing is just a mess of colored lighting and fancy effects. Underneath all this though is a repetitive old-school shooter that will keep you interested for about 30 seconds. Don't waste your money. John
incoming is in desperate need of an interesting plot or story line; It has everything but that. The graphics are beautiful, the frame-rate is fast and smooth, the explosions are incredible..It just has nothing to bring it together. It's a shame, it could've been great. On the other hand, as a mindless shooter it's not bad. Unfortunately even that gets boring. Like Shoe said, if nothing else, Incoming is a fine show- case of the Dreamcast's graphic power. Dean
VISUALS REPLAY
SOUND INGENUITY
9 1 2 2
F-1 World Grand Prix
CCN A LT CEO
7/2
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Video System Featured In: EGM #126 Players: 1-2 Supports: Jump Pack
Best Feature: Gorgeous graphics Worst Feature: Over-sensitive controls Web Site: www.sega.com
Before you notice anything else about this, it has to be said that the graphics are really quite wonderful. They're certainly a step up from any F1 games that you might have seen before—and they whiz by so smoothly that you really get a keen impression of speed. As far as features go, it has everything you'd expect, although | was surprised to see the '98 sea- son as the game's focus rather than the '99. If you follow the sport though, it'll seem a bit odd racing with all the *wrong' drivers in the wrong teams. Speaking of drivers, they're all present and correct— with the exception of Jacques Villeneuve, who's obvi- ously such hot-sh*t that his license comes with a higher price tag for Sega. Oh well, we can live with- out him. It's nice to see that you can turn all of the'98 season events on too...if you crank all the settings up and race for long enough, drivers will wipe out where they really did during the season, and pit events will occur just as we saw on TV. It's all very impressive stuff...but it's not without some problems. My biggest worry is the fact that the controls are so damn sensitive. You have to be super gentle with the analog stick...almost tweaking and caressing it rather than yanking it back and forth. It takes some getting used to. Look at it this way, it’ll make you a more con- siderate lover as a bonus side effect. John
I'm а bit disappointed їп the way Р-1 WGP turned out. | thought we were in store for not only the prettiest F- 1sim ever, but the most accurate as well. Two things are holding it back, overly sensitive steering and imprecise handling. As John said, the analog control is way too touchy to work well, | agree with that. | also think these cars handle like they’re on a swindle rather than on rails like they should be. Certainly not abad game PU it couta be Been Dean
There's a lot to like mm F-1 World GP: the graphics are among some of the best for a Formula One racer, the frame-rate is good even when you're nestled in the pack, the controls (despite what ће others think) are tight and responsive, and the breakbeat sound- track is interesting enough to warrant independent listening. Too bad the А! likes to ram you from behind, or that the two-player mode strikes me as an alcerthouent i to an otherwise decent racer. ‘Che
т а тет novice НЕП i comes to ИЕ Опе таста. Never seen it on TV and never played any of the previous games. So when it came down to play- ing this, I quickly found that F-1 is not about only holding down accelerate. After getting used to the style of racing, | could sit back and enjoy the speed afforded by some of the straightaways. The music, an ambient overture of techno beats, fits the racing action well. Another decent DC racer. Chris INGENUITY REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND
9 8 6 1
NFL Quarterback Club
~“
ЕС он
EVERYONE
af
Publisher:
Acclaim Developer: Acclaim Studios-Austin Featured In: EGM #124 Players: 14
Supports: VMU
Best Feature: Graphics
Worst Feature: Uh, where do we begin... Web Site: www.acclaim.com
If it wasn’t for NFL 2K, this game would have set back video game football on the DC about 1,000 years. Not much has changed from the ill-conceived N64 ver- sion released a couple months ago. Sure, the visuals and frame-rate have been ramped up, but that's about it. Player response is still painfully poor. Just tap the analog stick and watch your player take six strides before coming to rest. It sucks. As a wise Canadian once said, "Doesn't Acclaim have anybody play-test this stuff?" Apparently not, because the camera selections are all unusable, the passing game is atrocious, and playing defense is a detached, meaningless experience. Menus, play- calling screens and presentation also fail to live up to basic expectations. | can't stand calling a play which doesn't show me what personnel will be on the field. | don't want to guess who my slot receiver is, or if my halfback or fullback is in the game. Once the play begins, frustration is taken to a whole new level. | can cite a ton of cases where my receiver was right on the target to catch the ball only to see it carom off his back. | don't think I’ve ever yelled so much at а game. The running game is mediocre at best, with a few cool tackle animations thrown in. Take it from a non-smoker...l'd get more enjoyment from a pack of Camel filterless cigarettes. Dan L
This game is really entertaining.. -but for all the wrong reasons. Each play is potentially more hideous than the last. It’s like watching the Three Stooges play football. Quarterbacks will throw in one direction while the ball goes the other. Receivers run away from easy catches. Players will abandon their pass routes and run directly out of bounds? The list goes on and on. I'm surprised Acclaim is releasing this fatally flawed title...it's just plain awuk · Dean
Му accuracy at TH WIE this game in the trashi is bet- terthan any of the quarterbacks were at throwing the ball. 1 don't care how good this game may first appear, | hated it. Catching the Ба is equally as chal- lenging and fun as amputating your own hand. Any fun | have associated with video games and football has taken a heinous blow since this nightmare. It's the kind of effort that makes unsuspecting fans hats, america) 's Sunday pastime; Todd
Is it me, or is Acclaim starting to go back to the way they used to be? Not only are they milking the crap out of their licenses again (poor South Park), but they’re rushing unfinished games to market, like the last two Turoks and now this mess of a game. NFL QB Club 2000 is inferior to NFL 2K in every which way. The graphics and animation are weak, the controls are awful and overall the game just lacks polish. This needed six more months in development. John R
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
6 3 3 2
па
Soul Fighter
Publisher: Red Orb Developer: Toka Featured In: EGM #124 Players: 1
Supports: Arcade Stick
Best Feature: Gorgeous environments Worst Feature: Too many to list here! See below. Web Site: www.redorb.com
Let's jump right into it: The intro is terribly lame. The cutscenes are just as bad (wait until you see the shark pirate boss scene). The game doesn't support things the way it should (no Jump Pack, and arcade stick controls suck). The stupid computer-controlled units have trouble tracking you around corners and can have some ridiculously cheap combo attacks (and when they knock you down, it takes forever to get back up, allowing all the baddies to regroup at their leisure). Even though the designers did a nice job mixing in short levels with the long, the long stages can drive you absolutely insane. A couple of them are psychotic in length, with no check or save points (If you die...guess what? Start all over). Clear out attacks (you know the kind, you spin around, lose a little health and knock everyone on their asses) work like crap with their practically zero range of effect. The environments, although beautiful, have clipping problems (you know it's bad if enemies can hit you through walls). Most of the time, it's impossi- ble to win without exploiting the retarded А! (by tak- ing advantage of enemies' near-sightedness and drawing them out of a crowd from a distance, one at a time). There's no two-player mode, even though it's a party of three traveling around everywhere. And the camera! Ugh! It's nauseating! Shoe
The idea of Soul Fighter is great. A Golden Axe-type game with good-sized levels and plenty to beat up. 105 hindered by a few glaring problems. First, по multiplayer. Second, the camera is too tight on your character and likes to swing around when you turn— often with dizzying results. If you can’t immediately see a radius of 10 feet around you how do you know where to attack? Graphics are pretty but there’s not enough substance here. Chris
Does this game ever stop sucking? Er, no. Soul Fighter is an appalling excuse for a ‘next-gen’ fighter. Obviously borrowing heavily from the Golden Axe school of mindless running and hitting stuff, it’s pre- vented from being fun by a boring premise and a camera system that appears to be on crack. You constantly fight with the stupid thing while trying to remain interested in the godawful repetitive game- play. Do not buy this game. You'll regret it. John
I'm sure we saw plenty of games like Soul Fighter when the PlayStation first came out—you know the kind, lots of “wow!” and very little of anything else. The controls in this game almost cost me a new Dreamcast pad, and let us not speak of long-leveled adventure games with no save points...| just about lost it playing Fighting Force 2 this month. Don't be enticed by Soul Fighter's delectable visuals, it's a real piece of crap in disguise. Che
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
1 5 4 3
While getting gay in the у rainforest, the kids get caught in...
The Briar Patch
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Acclaim Studios
Featured In: EGM #125 J Players: 14 == Supports: None
Best Feature: Crisp graphics Worst Feature: Terrible disc access problems Web Site: www.acclaim.com
The premise for this is excellent...a game show set in South Park with all of the usual shenanigans that you'd expect to be associated with that. Trivia ques- tions loosely based on the series and the surround- ing culture are the focus of the game, with a variety of mini-games that borrow heavily from lots of retro ideas. How could it possibly go wrong? Well, for starters this kind of thing has to rely heavily on humor and throughout Chef's Luv Shack you get the feeling that the development team had some great ideas, and then wimped out at the last minute. Everything seems so diluted and lame that in places it's almost embarrassing. The questions are far from inspired, and in terms of scope they're not a patch on those that you'd find in You Don't Know Jack. The gameplay mechanics are pretty similar to the classic quiz game...but there is some oddness that doesn't seem right. For example, if contestants don't get a question right—you never actually find out what the right answer is, you just move on to the next category. It's very offputting and goes against the whole 'feel' of a trivia game. The mini-games are cool though, and they introduce and element of com- petition that you don't get in the quiz show parts. If you do buy this...make sure you play with four peo- ple. That way you can make your own fun. John
Ugh. How could Acclaim release this game with such pathetic load times? The between-question hiccups ruin the rhythm of what should be a solid You Don't Know Jack rip-off. Luv Shack's problems don't end there. Many jokes fall flat, and the charac- ters' one liners aren't enough to keep the laughs coming. Still, there are worse ways for four friends to pass the time. | just wish the rest of Luv Shack was as good as its clever mini-games. Crispin
This game has everything a hardcore South Park fan wants. It has the art style, the real character voices and the raunchy, witty humor (for the most part). Nearly all of the mini-games are hilarious and quite fun, and the questions —though not quite what | was expecting—are enjoyable. The main thing is the terribly frequent loading, which breaks up the action something fierce. Heck, the sound even cuts out sometimes. It's fun but unpolished. Shawn
Luv Shack tries to do You Don't Know Jack, and it tries to do Mario Party. But it does neither well. The con- cept is just fine...interspersing trivia questions with mini-games (so you don't have to know trivia to score) is a great idea. But the erratic, stuttering flow of the game ruins all the fun. The PS version had understandably poor load times, but there's no excuse with the DC's memory. Luv Shack feels rushed and slapped together. Shoe REPLAY
VISUALS
SOUND INGENUITY
Publisher: Infogrames „=“ Developer: Pitbull Syndicate И Featured In: EGM #126 ((5)' Players: 12 М7 Supports: Jump Pack
Best Feature: The soundtrack Worst Feature: The cars, the tracks, the gameplay Web Site: www.infogrames.com
This looks and feels like a rushed conversion of a crappy-looking PlayStation game. This isn’t surpris- ing though, because that's exactly what it is. If you're looking for the definitive GT racing game this isn't it. The environments look awful, the frame-rate is up and down like a yo-yo, the cars look like they were turned out of Jello moulds, and they're modeled so badly you can hardly tell what they are. Quite why Infogrames invested so much in lots of cool car licenses is beyond me—why bother if the cars are unrecognizable? They don't even behave the way you'd expect them to. The tournament mode is divid- ed into different classes— but since when would you pit an F150 pickup against an '82 Lotus Esprit? And since when would you see said pickup outperform the Lotus on the track? The whole franchise is falling apart if you ask me. It looks, feels and plays like a game that's been rushed out. Maybe Infogrames should stop wasting money licensing cars and pay- ing for bands like Fear Factory, Eve 6 and Lunatic Calm to do the soundtrack, and invest some time and money in letting Pitbull Syndicate produce a decent game. We don't need a Test Drive every year. I'm sure if Pitbull were allowed to invest the time in the series they could bring it back on track. As it stands though, this sucks...avoid it. John
I'm extremely disappointed in the direction this series has gone. It’s lost all its unique personality and style and soiled its name with simplistic, seen-it-before arcade gameplay. The original idea of Test Drive was to experience exotic sport and muscle cars as they are in real life. It’s strayed so far from that premise it’s nearly on par with Cruis'n’ World and other such “blockbusters.” Unfortunately fans of this series are in for a real surprise. Dean
Knowing what Pitbull Syndicate is capable of, TD6 is a real letdown. The Al is on the screwy side, the graphics aren't quite on par with what's expected from the system and the frame-rate is poor. Certainly, a better game could've been made on the DC. TD6 has some interesting ideas, but even those aren't particularly innovative (the basic con- cept for the gambling and cop stuff was in NFS: High Stakes on the PS). Perhaps it was rushed. Shawn
Test Drive 6 is back in all its mediocrity this month on the Dreamcast. Despite all its good looks and a trea- sure trove of ill-licensed alterna-rock, playing through this game again was a real downer. The Dreamcast TD 6 doesn't offer anything new over the PlayStation's version. Sure, it's got a higher resolution and better frame-rates, but the gameplay and physics are still an insult to racing fans every- where. TD 6 is not worth your time. Che
REPLAY
Aa
INGENUITY
SOUND
Publisher: Activision Developer: Luxoflux Featured In: EGM #122 Players: 14 Supports: Jump Pack
Best Feature: Awesome frame-rate Worst Feature: Collision detection w/objects Web Site: www.activision.com
Car combat games are rapidly getting old, joining the ranks of the overused and tiresome subgenres (no thanks to the one-too-many-editions of the Twisted Metal franchise). Although | was a fan of the original V8, | wasn't really looking forward to part deux. After all, | only need so much guns-on-cars action in my life. V8:SO, as a sequel, is fair. The new stage designs are still clever, and they're full of very creative objec- tives (like participating in Winter Olympic-style events in Utah). Besides that, the rest of the new stuff isn't really all that thrilling (the new cars, some different weapons, hovering ability, the ability to upgrade your car, etc.). It really isn't the fault of the developers. Like | said...it's а subgenre that's getting stale. Since this is the only game of its kind on the Dreamcast, however, Г have to give it high recom- mendations. It looks fantastic. It does have some glaring texture draw-in, but that's more than OK since the frame-rate is so incredible (even in multi- player...this is probably the smoothest frame-rate I’ve ever seen іп a four-player split-screen game). The game does have some control issues (especially in 4p) and collision detection problems (clipping through walls and objects is common). It also could've used some more creative deathmatch modes. Still, the game kicks ass on the DC. Shoe
The Dreamcast's first car-combat game may be rough around the edges. Control takes getting used to, and it suffers draw-in problems. Still, this thing delivers exactly the kind of four-player thrills the Dreamcast needs. The visuals are nice, but the important thing is the frame-rate stays smooth with four players. This is a robust game throughout, with highly interactive arenas, car upgrades and excellent two-player cooperative modes. Crispin
For the most part V8: Second Offense is a decent if not a slightly buggy game. Collision detection is loose in places. Several times | passed directly through an enemy vehicle at close range. It'd be nice if the handling was a bit tighter as well. It's tough to keep some of the cars in a straight line. Yet even with the drawbacks, it's still really fun. Because ofthe fast frame-rate, four-player is the most functional I've played of any car combat game to date. Dean
Car combat games have been lacking in the multi- player area up to this point. Not because of a lack of modes or anything, but because the frame-rate in these graphic-heavy modes often suffers—which hurts the overall intensity of group battles. Now we have a system more than capable of handling what- ever is thrown at it, and it shows (minus some clip- ping problems). Multiplayer and co-op is a joy in this one. And the quest stuff is a blast. Shawn
Sega Developer: Sega
Publisher:
Featured In: Players: Supports: Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site:
EGM #126
1-2
Jump Раск, Arcade Stick, VMU Limited continues, great visuals Fighting mode
www.sega.com
When Sega does a game like Zombie Revenge on the Dreamcast, it makes you wonder why other compa- nies can’t do DC games that look and play this good. It’s a perfect conversion of the arcade game, and Sega has made sure it’s not a cakewalk by limiting the number of continues and adding new modes to make it more challenging and add replay value. The addition of the Bare Knuckle and Gun modes are wel- come, and they play differently than the normal game. Bare Knuckle mode's got a strange addition of weird items like gum and apples to make the retro style complete (Streets of Rage had apples and meat you collected for health). This game makes me long all the more for a 3D Streets of Rage. Fighting Mode has got to be one of the lamest fighting modes ever, 50 it’s a good thing it’s just an extra. Whoever gets in the first punch can keep tapping punch and will likely win. The VMU game takes ир an-entire VMU worth of space and isn't worth it (it unlocks some cheats and builds up your power in the Fighting Mode but that’s about it). Environments are super-detailed, and there’s barely a hint of slowdown eveniwhen:there's а lot happening on screen. Sega's got a good thing going making their arcade games into excellent home games. Now all we need is Super
this in your library for a particular system. And ZR fits the bill perfectly. Not only does the thing look amazing, itsa lot of fun to play with a friend. Sure, it’s onthe mindless side a lot of the time (it is about zombie-killing after all) but as long as your library isn’t inundated with games.in this genre, everything is chill. And what's this—one of the later levels is the
house from The House of the Dead. Cool.
=: wn People are going to think I'm weird for saying this, but | found Dynamite Cop's over-the-top approach to the 3D beat-'em-up to be more appealing. Even so, Zombie Revenge is a decent brawler that's best played with a pal. The action, as you'd expect, is mindless (made even more so because of the char- acters' overly useful handguns), but that's how this game is supposed to be. The replay valüe isn't here though, even with all the new modes. Shoe Zombie Revenge is 3D beat-'em-ups done right. The fine line it walks between camp and chic is ever- shifting. On the one hand, it's got guns, buns, cleav- age and gore galore. But then yóu look closely at all the little details that Sega threw into it and you come to appreciate just how dynamic ZR really is. There's a lot of sweet “design” work.taking place just under the twitch gameplay. A bunch of badasses trapped in a Lovecraftian nightmare. Totally cool. Che
REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY
Publisher: Midway Developer: Midway Featured In: EGM #122 Players: 14 Supports: Arcade Stick
Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site:
This is the best console version No extras! It's a straight port www.midway.com
If any of us here would be stuck on an island with one version of NBA Showtime, we'd pick the arcade machine. If we had to take a console edition, we'd pick the DC one. It looks the best, and it plays the best. It's practically arcade-perfect, which is saying a lot (Showtime is a very impressive 3D game... you'll never go back to NBA Jam after this). Naturally, Midway didn't add anything new here...it's a straight port, which is a bit disappointing. But this, like NFL Blitz 2000, is a great multiplayer game that's fast, frantic and a hell of a lot of fun.
VISUALS SOUND
INGENUITY — REPLAY
20:00:38! 00:02:166
EVERYONE
DUST MITE
(01. MOSS Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Acclaim Studios-London Featured In: EGM #126 Players: 1-4 Supports: VMU BestFeature: Decent frame-rate Worst Feature: Confusing track layouts Web Site: www.Acclaim.com
Fact is, Re-Volt was mediocre on the PS and N64. A pokey frame-rate and uninspired graphics didn't do much for a game already hindered:by a weak premise (there's only so much you can do with an RC car). But for the Dreamcast a lot of the problems have been cleared up. Since the graphics are improved, the realistic feel of the worlds you race in is much more potent. What's more, since the frame-rate stays high, there's no weird choppiness-related control prob- lems. While not our favorite racing game, Re-Volt for the Dreamcast is worth a look.
VISUALS SOUND
INGENUITY REPLAY
| | |
MATURE
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Acclaim Studios-Teeside Featured In: ЕСМ #126
Players: 1
Supports: Jump Pack
Best Feature: Graphical additions
Worst Feature: Hard-to-follow game progression Web Site: www.acclaim.com
By now, you've probably played Shadow Man on the PS or N64. Well, to truly experience it, you should play iton the DC—the other systems just don't have the power to back up the gameplay with the same style of visuals. Granted, the game itself is essentially the same as any other version out there (it’s a dark, horrific action/adventure), but the graphical additions mean a lot. Flies buzz around dead bodies, textures are super hi-res, and the flame and lighting effects look stunning. Unfortunately, there's minor jerkiness and slowdown in certain areas while loading.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
Brunswick Pro Circuit
THQ
Publisher:
Developer: Point of View Featured In: ЕСМ #126
Players: 16
Supports: Controller Pak
Best Feature: Bowling physics Worst Feature: Very dull aesthetics Web Site: www.THQ.com
Ladies and gentlemen, the world’s most boring bowl- ing game! Actually only the presentation is boring. The important thing, the physics and gameplay, are pretty good. That's all that matters anyway. If you hadn't noticed, this game came out for the PlayStation over a year ago. It's completely the same but it seems like the А! has been tweaked to thwart cheating. In the PS version you could line up your shot once and bowl strikes all day. Currently the А! prevents this maneuver. BPC has absolutely no flash whatsoever but still manages to be fairly fun.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
4 4 5 Џ
Armorines Project S.W.A.R.M.
Publisher:
Acclaim Developer: Acclaim Studios U.K. Featured In: ЕСМ #123 Players: 14 Supports: Rumble Pak, Controller Pak Best Feature: Blastin' hordes of bugs Worst Feature: No checkpoints, poor frame-rate Web Site: www.acclaim.com
If Turok shot at bugs instead of dinosaurs this would be a new Turok game. While the first few levels are short, they get long real quick. | cannot understand why developers do not put checkpoints in games with big levels. It would've cut down on a lot of my frustration with this game if | didn't have to redo every single thing again just to get to the point | had trouble with. | don't understand why, when you're near a two-foot-tall fence or ramp, you can't jump over it. At least after you kill them, enemies don't respawn. There are some cool scenes where bugs pop out of nowhere over a ridge and then climb down to get you or are holding human corpses in their pin- cers. In a few bits you're on a monorail or other vehi- cle on a track shooting bugs that threaten your progress that are done nicely and mix up the action. There's no real story here, and a lot of times mes- sages from your commander are gone before you get a chance to read them through. Graphics go from bland, repetitive N64 textures to cool-looking tex- tured buildings and areas. Unfortunately, exits aren't marked. well so if you're not careful, you'll leave a level before you've completed all your objectives and have to start again from the beginning. If it had some checkpoints, this would be more fun (and less frus- trating) to play. Rental at most. Chris We don’t need another ЕЕ first-person shooter like Armorines. The story is nothing spe- cial, and cinemas are too choppy to enjoy. The frame- rate is chunky in the low-res mode at times, mostly choppy in the hi-res mode and downright unaccept- able in the multiplayer modes (which ruins them). And certain levels are terribly dark—like the devel- opers decided to make things dark instead of foggy to cover up gawi in. ШЕ 5 ШЕ: not jg. fun. Shawn
ifthe Turok games are your thing, they you'll probably really like Armorines. It's littered with surprise attacks and edge-of-your seat action. It's also full of nagging issues. Frame-rate— man this gets choppy in places. Check points—where the hell are they? Multi-play- er—not really fun at all. Armorines is still worth checking out though, since it does a very good job of capturing the feel of an exciting sci-fi action flick (like that crap-tastic Starship ЕАО Shoe
| got xo Han | first Hea Armorines was a Starship Troopers-inspired shooter with cooperative play. Then | played it. This thing is dull and unimagi- native at worst and only competent at best. Forget about the two-player cooperative mode—it's too choppy and you face too few enemies. Armorines just feels like another rushed Acclaim game. At least Turok 2 had a cool story and slick interface. You'll find none of that here. Crispin
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
6 4 3 4
Castlevania Legacy of Darkness
Publisher: Konami
Developer: KCE Kobe
Featured In: ЕСМ #125
Players: 1
Supports: Controller Pak, Expansion Pak Best Feature: The few new areas
Worst Feature: All the old areas
Web Site: www.konami.com
Don’t be fooled by the screenshots or the first few minutes of play showing the new worlds to explore and new monsters to fight. This is a Director’s Cut, and nothing more. It’s not a true sequel, and it’s not a new game. Just about everything different that’s in this cart (the extra scenarios, two more characters, etc.) was intended to be in the first Castlevania but was dropped during the last cycles of development. Now we have it all, but it’s not a real improvement over the original. That’s not to say this game is bad. In fact, if you can see yourself playing through Castlevania (N64) again, but wouldn’t mind alittle bit more, then Legacy of Darkness would be a fine pur- chase. It’s just unfortunate the improvements are minor. Not only that, but one of the biggest reason to get this cart (to play as four different characters) requires you to beat the game as Cornell first...a fair- ly long task. If you’ve never played the first game, make sure to get this one instead. Even though most Castlevania purists scoff at the 3D-ness (the game certainly isn’t as good as the 2D side-scrollers), | still think it has enough classic gameplay (only in 3D, of course) and gothic flavor to make it worth playing through, Оп а side note, the graphics are slightly bet- ter, but the Expansion Pak-induced hi-res mode is crappy. It'll make the frame- rate take a di a dive. - Shoe
| never played the first one, but this is e is exactly how a 3D Castlevania should play. Granted, the graphics aren't fantastic and the use of the Expansion Pak makes it look worse rather than better (choppy in hi- res, smoother in low-res). The control and camera can be a little jerky, but it's got the same feel as the classic Castlevania games. Put this same kind of gameplay and depth into a prettier shell and clean up the control, and you've Ges a classic. Chris
If you played N64 Castlevania six НИЕ ago, you'll suffer heavy-duty dejá-vu from this pseudo sequel. Most of it is only slightly improved and different. You get a cool new character, but you'll encounter many ofthe same clever platform-based puzzles, the same Bosses and the same washed-out graphics. Still, the new-and-improved stuff here makes it worth a sec- ond jaunt through Castlevania. Jump on this now if you avoided the original. Crispin
Since I’m not going to get a new 2D Castlevania any- time soon, I'll have to settle with this new 3D install- ment. Thankfully, it’s pretty good. Even more so than the last N64 Castlevania, Legacy of Darkness cap- tures the basic feel of the old-school games (except in 3D), and offers a slightly more robust play- ing experience (with four different characters to play as...once you open them up). Note: The animation, and hi-res mode need some work. Shawn
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
1 Џ 6 6
m
Mario Party 2
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Hudson Soft
Featured In: EGM #127
Players: 1-4
Supports: Rumble Pak
Best Feature: New styles of games
Worst Feature: Too many returning mini-games Web Site: www.nintendo.com
I'm probably as big a Mario Party fan as they come. Even when the rest of the staff grew up and moved on, | was still playing it one-player. Now that the sequel's here, l'm both happy and disappointed. On one hand, the game has been improved. All of the boards are more interesting with the addition of Koopa Banks, Item Shops and events that can steal your coinage or toss you around the map like a rag doll. One-on-one duels and battle mini-games add spice to the mix as well (see this issue's MP2 preview for more details). And with 44 new mini-games, you have what seems like the perfect recipe for a worthy sequel. Problem is, all of these improvements are minor, at best. It also doesn't help that 20 of the 64 competitions come from Mario Party 1 (that's almost a third...you'll feel like you're playing the original game a lot of the time). I’m also bummed the longer- term goals are gone (saving coins to buy new boards, trying to earn 100 stars, etc.)—they provided some fun, extra incentives to keep playing new games. Even though Mario Party 2 should probably be called Mario Party 1.5, or Mario Party: Director’s Cut, it still provides a decent time. If you don’t mind that this cart isn’t full of new surprises, and you’re looking for more four-player party game goodness, then by all means, get it. Shoe
Mario Party 2 packs just as much goofball un as the first game—but I’m not so sure this sequel’s worth grabbing if you’ve already played the original to death. Too many of the mini-games here feel like refurbished versions of the old ones, and you'll find few enhancements to the rules. Still, only the most jaded Mario-bashers among you would snub this expertly crafted multiplayer experience. It'll keep you and three pas pari for months. Crispin Party games slike Mario Party 2 are the E It makes kicking back with а group of your favorite chums for a night of tainted beverages and gut-splitting laughs all the easier. Sure, the game is a little childish and silly in spots, but it'll entertain you again and again. Even with all of the rounds of MP 2 we played, the variety of boards and kick-ass mini-games had us coming back for more. If you entertain guests who game, this title is a sound investment. Shawn
| didn’t think Nintendo and Hudson could improve on the original Mario Party, but they've done it. Ап excel- lent follow-up with enough new mini-games and twists on some from the first kept me coming back. Each board has its own personality, but it’s not quite as easy to screw other players over in the star department. Do not play.this game alone. All that’s missing are Nintendo's other characters, but | guess it wouldn’t be a Mario party then, eh? Chris
VISUALS REPLAY
SOUND INGENUITY
1 1 1 9
Donkey Kong 64
a we
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Rare
Featured In: EGM #125
Players: 1-4
Supports: Rumble Pak, Expansion Pak
Best Feature: Fun mini-games, puzzles Worst Feature: Long stretches of monotony Web Site: www.nintendo.com
here are few video game characters
that have been around as long as
Donkey Kong. Rare worked magic on the Super NES by reviving him for Donkey Kong Country, and now Nintendo and Rare try to bring that same magic to the Nintendo 64.
Only problem is that DK64 isn’t as revolu- tionary a game to the N64 as DKC was to the Super NES. Graphically DK64 isn’t a huge step up from games like Rayman 2 or Banjo- Kazooie. The game itself walks the now- well-trodden path that BK did a few years back, making it seem that Rare has fallen into a predictable formula of games—collect multi- ple types of items (this time using multiple characters). Collect everything and be treated to a “special” ending. 15 it really worth it for the payoff? It’s not that DK64 is uninspired— its mini-games will be a lot of fun the first
Races pop up every now and then where you'll have to race a character to win a coveted golden banana.
time you play them. But you play them over and over again through the course of the game —with shorter times limit and higher requirements making them harder.
Control does not seem quite as tight as it should be in a 3D platform game of this type and takes some getting used to. If you stand still and perform an attack you won't be able to start moving again until it’s done —leading to situations where you're surrounded by ene- mies unable to escape unscathed. The camera gets in the way or adjusts itself at some of the most inopportune times in levels like Frantic Factory where you have to make pinpoint jumps. Mine cart levels are back, but they're fewer in number than DKC (thank god!) and are just races/challenges.
Rare's got a fine game in DK64. Better than most. Revolutionary? No. Fun? Yes. It'll take you many hours to complete the game, and if you want to collect everything— better set aside at least до hours if you're not using a hint book.
178
DK64 is filled with mini-games, including the original arcade version of Donkey Kong and Jet Pac (shown below). For those unfa- miliar with it, Jet Pac is one of Rare's first games in the '80s for Sinclair computers.
906419
UP e00000
LANN A ADANAN AN A v^
| have a love/hate relationship with DK64. There are moments during the game where this is the best Rare has ever done— bits that tip their hat to Metal Gear Solid, boss battles, ingenious puzzles and mini- games, the variety of multiplayer games, the inclu- Sion of Jet Pac and the original arcade DK. | especial- ly enjoyed all of the boss battles and multiplayer games. The very last boss battle is quite possibly the most ingenious ever. There's little difference between each of the screens in four-player mode and the one-player game. But all that enjoyment is spaced out by nothing but collecting items and bananas. It's basically, get something, switch characters, repeat—that's the game. When enter- ing a new level | thought, "here we go again" and had to stop playing a few times because | grew tired of it. At other points | had no idea where to go next, and did a few levels out of the order you're supposed to. Instead of fog, enemies and items simply fade into view as you approach them, making it difficult to stand at one end of an area and look around and tell where anything else is. | didn't feel satisfied after fin- ishing the game, because the ending does absolute- ly nothing to wrap up/further the story (even after the last boss). It just doesn't seem polished. That said, this is still one of the top N64 games. Gris
Rare has created a monster. Beautiful, vast and often a raging pain in the ass, DK64 is a blissful expe- rience half the time and a chore the rest. The multi- Kong gameplay forces you to backtrack—a lot. New areas are always branching off old ones. Keeping track of where you've been, where you're going and what you need to collect will spin your noggin. Banjo was better put together, but this is really allthe game you'll need this Christmas. Crispin
For the very life of те | just can't get myself whipped up into a Rare-induced frenzy over this. Maybe it's because most of the gameplay ideas have been seen before (in Banjo-Kazooie), maybe this cutie style of game is getting old...or maybe it just seems that Rare is just out of good ideas. There's little wrong with DK64, and it certainly doesn't suck—but it's anoth- er one of ‘these’ games. It's exactly what you expect it to be..but nothing more. John
Five characters to choose from, sprawling levels to make. your way through, puzzles to figure out, a ridiculous amount of stuff to collect and more— Donkey Kong 64 is truly the adventurer's dream come true. Even if the graphics aren't the next big thing and the gameplay isn't terribly revolutionary, DK 64 is a fun game. A fun Rare game to be more spe- cific. So if you have the desire and the stamina to take on another game like this, go for it. Shawn SOUND INGENUITY
VISUALS REPLAY
Namco Museum 64
СС
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco/Mass Media Featured In: EGM #125
Players: 1-2
Supports: Controller Pak
Best Feature: Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga...for cheap! Worst Feature: Games still aren't arcade perfect Web Site: Www.namco.com
If | were to ask you what some of the best video games in history are, and you replied with anything that had "Pokémon" in the title, then you're probably not in the target audience for Namco Museum 64. But if you have any "old school" in you, then you know what we have here is one of the best compila- tions you could ever pick up. | mean, this cart has Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga, for crying out loud! They are two of the best (unless you can get either of the 16- bit Ms. Pac-Mans, which are actually better because they have new modes of play). This cart is practi- cally a must-buy (especially for the $29.99 MSRP). | say "practically" because a few things do bug me, and they may bug you as well. My biggest complaint is that these games aren't arcade-perfect. In fact, you'd be better off playing PC/Mac-emulated ver- sions of these classics. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man stutter a bit, and Galaga gets slight “hiccups” in the animation once in a while, which may slow down the action and save your ass on more than one occasion (yeah, that doesn’t sound like a bad thing, but you’re not supposed to have Shooter Slowdown Assistance in Galaga). Even the music in the Challenging Stage is wrong. But the low price and absence of load times may make it all worth it. If you don’t have these games somewhere already, get them now. Shoe
If nothing else, Namco Museum 64'! help you appre- ciate the N64's lack of load time. Just рор in this cart and boom—you got instant access to six classic coin-ops (without all the FMV crap and loading of the PS version). Trouble is, I've had my fill of these old games. Even the best stuff here—Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig-Dug—is barely worth the low price of admission. | wish they had stuck in a newer classic like Gaplus instead of dull ol’ Galaxian. Crispin
Instead of five volumes of Museum games, N64 own- ers get one cartridge filled with six of the best games from the ‘805. Classic gameplay like this never gets old. Missing are the museum features of the PlayStation version, which featured viewable pro- duction art and promotional materials and sound tests so you can listen to the sound effects of each title. Still, for this price, it’s a great package deal with some of the best arcade games of all time. Chris
| truly loved these games back in the ‘ol arcade days but trying to play them now using the Nintendo digi- tal pad really hurts. For example, in Dig Dug, if you don’t hit the pad precisely at the right moment, there's a good chance you'll miss your turns. It’s the same story with Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man—it's highly annoying. Galaxian and Galaga work OK. Pole Position is so archaic you probably won't play it at all. Give Namco Museum a rent. Dean INGENUITY REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND
3 4 4 1
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Left Field
Featured In: EGM #121
Players: 14
Supports: Controller Pak, Rumble Pak
Best Feature: Extensive amount of special moves Worst Feature: Could be a touch faster Web Site: www.nintendo.com
It’s funny, when it comes to basketball sims, nothing has changed on the N64. Live 2000 and Courtside 2 are still the best the system has to offer. The ques- tion remains however, which is better? For starters if you're a Courtside fan, you'll be happy to hear they've fixed the annoying dribble problem. You can drive aggressively without unwillingly picking up your dribble at the slightest contact. Now that the lane is open you're free to take advantage of the excellent special moves. Cross-over dribbles back- ins, spin combos, etc... They all work quite well, especially when used in the correct way. Unfortunately the momentum of the move will occa- sionally carry you out of bounds. Still, when all is said and done, | actually like Courtside 2 more than Live 2000. What really sold me is the Create-a- Rookie/Career Mode. | had a blast taking my rookie through a season building up his skills and abilities while keeping the team hot. Courtside 2 has more graphic appeal than Live 2000 as well. The charac- ters are well proportioned, fluid and easy to follow on the court. If anything the atmosphere and play- by-play could be more exciting. The crowd noise is muted and the color commentary repeats the same phrases too much. That’s one area where Live 2000 is better but overall, Courtside 2 is great. Dean
Fans of the original will not be disappointed with the second installment of this hoops sim. Gameplay is smooth and presentation is topnotch. Create-A- Player is awesome, as your new player will beef up his stats according to your gameplay. Drop some sweet passes and watch your passing attribute improve. Bury a couple treys and shooting gets a boost. A small quibble is the length of some of the motion-capture sequences. Dan L
There are hip things going down in NBA Courtside 2. The players move really smoothly and | got the sense that Kevin Garnett and his gangly limbs were actually out there on the court. The special moves are a nice touch, but they simply take too long to happen. The rims are way too tight and rebounds really jump off. The Create-A-Player is the real catch but why can’t | put white skin on my created player? An all right game, but | like NBA Live 2000 a bit more. Todd
The first NBA Courtside was an extremely solid game, and the sequel is even better. They fixed the main gameplay problem (the inability to drive the lane effectively), and they've made improvements in just about every other area as well. Personally, | love the Practice Mode— it's a great feature that every b- ball game should have. Even the Arcade Mode— which is usually an afterthought in a game like this — is great fun. The best N64 hoops game. John R
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
8 1 8 8
19
ou2"266
Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Featured In: EGM #125 Players: 14
Supports: None
Best Feature: It's Ridge Racer on the N64 Worst Feature: Jittery graphics
Web Site: www.nintendo.com
RR6q falls victim to N64's texture RAM limitation and, as a result, ends up looking a bit like every other N64 racer out there. The exotic cars of RR get put through the ugly filter so each of them look flat, simple and uninspired. But once you get over the drop in graph- ics quality, you'll soon realize that RR64 is one of the best racing titles for the N64. Included in the single-player mode are all the tracks from the origi- nal RR and Revolution, as well as a handful of exclu- sive bonus tracks. For fans of RR before the series hit number four, RR64 will be a sweet homecoming. Car physics in the game are decidedly old-school; you'll be slipping sideways at 100 mph with the slightest tap of your brakes. The one difference is that the col- lisions in RR64 are modeled more like the system in Rage Racer, so crashes only slow you down but won't put you at a dead stop. It's too bad the glitches we saw in the beta seems to have carried over to the final ROM. In the exterior view, you'll notice your car getting jiggy on the road and sometimes twitch across the bends. Four-player split-screen is pretty jerky, but if you keep it to three players, it's very playable. If you enjoyed R4 and are expecting more of the same here, skip RR64 and go straight to RRV on PS2. But N64 owners curious about the RR phe- nomenon should definitely pick this up. Che
| love the Ridge Racer series, and RR64 does the series justice. Granted, some of the graphics have that very bland N64 look to them, but on the whole it's pretty good. It holds a smooth, 30 fps frame-rate, something that most N64 racers that look this good can't do. Its music leaves a little to be desired— it just doesn't have the right energy. Two-player racing is fine, but four-player makes the screen too small so you can't enjoy the game's visuals. Chris
For the most part Nintendo did a good job of con- densing Revolution, Ridge Racer and several new features into a neat N64 package. Personally I'm not a fan of the trademark Ridge Racer handling. The drifting is so unnatural and forced it ruins the game for me. But if you're a fan, you'll like what RR64 has to offer. Don't count on four-player being too fun though, it's slow. Also, when using the chase cam the cars appear to vibrate on the road...weird. Dean
It took me a long time to get back into the Ridge Racer ‘wafty’ control style, but after a day or so of adjustment, | really got into this. I'm in two minds as to whether it's actually the *best' racer for Nó4...but it's pretty damn close. It doesn't look quite as nice as the PlayStation games, but it's fast, it offers a huge variety of cars and tracks—and it'll keep you going a lot longer than most similar titles
on the system. John
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
Roadsters
Publisher: Titus Developer: Titus
Featured In: EGM #122
Players: 1-2
Supports: Controller Pak, Rumble Pak Best Feature: Decent graphics and frame-rate Worst Feature: This game is painfully generic Web Site: www.titusgames.com
In a sea of racing games out for the N64, Roadsters is barely keeping its neck above the water. On the surface, it’s a very capable racer; the main problem is, there’s nothing extraordinary about this game. There are a handful of real manufacturers, such as TVR, Toyota, Renault, Mitsubishi and Alfa Romeo, but these brand names seem almost obtrusive among all the fictional car makers Titus couldn’t get licenses for. What's more, this hint at "realism" only serves to tease us for something the game wasn't meant to deliver. Roadsters is divided into three main categories of cars: A class, B class and C class. | managed to complete all three classes my first time playing...and | wasn't even trying all that hard. The competition's Al was also completely brain- dead. They often pit for no particular reason, and once | knocked one of them into a cul-de-sac, only to see him stuck in a corner on my second lap. Although each car handled differently, you didn't get a sense that the cars were truly all that unique (except that better cars had higher top speeds). To its credit, Roadsters has lush backgrounds and a pretty snappy frame-rate to boot, especially in two- player split-screen mode, where you race against a buddy, and four other CPU players. Nice try, Titus...but Roadsters needed more. Che
If graphics were the only consideration, Roadsters would be a hit because the tracks look good. The only downside is that the gameplay is super weak (no shortcuts?). There's a pit but you never seem to actually need it. Five lap races, which you're usually winning by obscene amounts. They should stop making racing games where the racers yell out taunts or phrases, because they sound stupid. There are a lot better racing games on the N64. Chris
Roadsters reminds me of Cruis'n USA, only not as good if you can believe that. Goofy characters, unre- alistic physics, convertibles...it’s deja vu all over again. If this uninspired racer had come out two years ago it would've gotten a few props. But with games like Beetle Adventure Racing, Ridge Racer 64 and NASCAR out there, Roadsters doesn't stand a chance. This sort of thing happens when a developer takes too long to make a game. Dean
Well..it has some interesting cars in it. | guess. And, um..er—nope that's just about it. Just what the world needs, another middle of the road, mediocre sports car racing game with so-so handling, unin- spired tracks and choppy graphics. Play Roadsters once, and you'll certainly be able to live with your- self if you never touch it again. It’s not bad...and it's better than some of the other racing junk we've had this month — but it's not a patch on RR64. John
VISUALS SOUND REPLAY
INGENUITY
1 5 3 3
Top Gear Rally 2
Publisher: Kemco
Developer: Saffire
Featured In: EGM #120
Players: 1-4
Supports: Controller Pak, Rumble Pak
Best Feature: Unique upgrade options Worst Feature: Frequent breakdowns Web Site: www.Kemco.com
TGR 2 is a mixed bag of tricks. On one hand it's clear- ly arcade-fortified, loose and wild stuff. On the other it inspires to be sim-like by imposing lots of micro- management of the vehicles and parts. The graphics are cartoony, the physics unrealistic and the cars non-licensed, but oddly the nature of the game dic- tates that you drive very carefully so as not to break anything. Each car has about 14 failure-prone sys- tems. The problem is, some of the breakdowns seem completely random. It's damned annoying to lose a time trial to a mysterious and unavoidable tire blowout. So essentially you're playing an arcade racer with sim rules. It'd be nice if it went one way or the other, be it full sim or fully arcade like its distant cousin Top Gear Overdrive. If you can overlook the schizophrenic nature of the title, it has several good points. The cars are extremely maneuverable and are easily thrown around corners in full power-slide glory...that’s fun. Also, the difficulty is balanced nice- ly. Since each race consists of three legs, you don't actually need to beat the other cars, just their times from checkpoint to checkpoint. Multiplayer, especial- ly four-player, suffers from some slowdown but it's still playable. Overall, Saffire (the game's new devel- oper) did a pretty good job with Kemco's baby, still, it's nothing to get too excited about. Dean
It's a weird one this...it’s like they wanted to do an arcade racer, but also wanted to make it a bit of a ‘sim’ hybrid. The result isn’t particularly effective as the sim elements actually drag down what could be a reasonably playable arcade-style game. The graphics are a bit odd—all of the cars look a bit too Чоу like" for my liking and in places the environments leave a little to be desired. The whole thing handles OK...but it’s certainly not the best racer on N64. John The N64 needs some serious racing sims, and | mean right now! Each month, we get a handful of N64 rac- ers that: 1) all look alike 2) all play alike 3) all suck. Top Gear Overdrive was a decent racer last year, but | hardly recognize it for what it was. It's like Saffire wanted TGR2 to be a sim, but didn't take the time to do the homework. So what we have is a game that controls like an arcade racer, with all the dressings of a sim. Not fun, not pretty, not for me. Che
Arcade-style gameplay in driving games is what | like. Top Gear Rally 2 plays very much like an arcade racing game. Everything about the control is arcade- style. But unlike a true arcade racer, damage is counted sim-style, and it’s way too easy to damage your-car. Running through license tests are pretty fun, but the mix of sim and arcade styles just does not feel right in races against the CPU. An average racer in a crowded genre. Chris
VISUALS SOUND REPLAY
INGENUITY
6 5 4 4
180
Chocobo’s Dungeon 2
EVERYONE
Publisher: Square Electronic Arts Developer: Square
Featured In: EGM #126
Players: 1-2
Supports: None
Best Feature: Item combination system Worst Feature: Lack of story, mediocre graphics Web Site: www.squaresoft.com
Like Evolution (on the Dreamcast), CD2 is a dungeon crawl in every sense of the word. Square's chubby lit- tle mascot teams up with a number of sidekicks to explore a series of randomized dungeons, while plot and character development falls to the wayside. Mind you, that's not necessarily a bad thing. CD2 definitely cuts straight to the chase; it focuses on combat and gameplay, the meat of any real RPG...and to that end, CD2 does rather well. Each square you move, each attack you make, gives your enemies a "phase" to react. All of this is seamless so that combat is quick, but you never feel like it's out of your tactical control. It takes a little getting used to because you'll want to run up to a group of mon- sters and whack them like an action game. Another important component of CD2 is the ability to com- bine things in "recycle boxes" and cauldrons to forge new and better items. You could say this feature is the game's Materia/Junction system, as it provides you with a lot of flexibility. CD2 also allows for two- player simultaneous play, with your friend control- ling the sidekick character. It's cool, but it could have been better implemented. If the cutesy Sanrio aes- thetics coupled with lots of combat isn't your thing, CD 2 may be a rental. But do give it a try because after a while, | found it to be pretty addictive. Che
Two things about Chocobo’s Dungeon 2: First and foremost it's just too cutesy for me, and I’ve always enjoyed the story and the progression of characters in RPGs rather than the action and battle elements. Sure, CD2 has enough meat to it to satisfy most any gamer. But overall, even though CD2 has some nice ideas and a playful tone, it just doesn’t do much for me. If you’re looking for something different in the RPG area, perhaps you'll feel different. Shawn
Square's mascot-with-feathers is back (yet the first game was never released in the U.S.). This is more structured than the first game, and while it's an action RPG, it's not going to appeal to the same audi- ence as Zelda or Alundra, etc. It's cutesy, but don't let that fool you—this isn't a kid's game. There's a lot of depth here, and it'll take you forever to play all the way through. And since it's got random dungeons— you might play through twice. Chris
Boring. | can't find a better word to describe this RPG. Sure, the item mixing is slightly interesting, but that's just a drop in an ocean of repetitive and flat gameplay. The random dungeon thing isn't the prob- lem either—it's the lack of a strong story line orgame structure. 1 felt like there was no real point in going through dungeon after dungeon, except to find stuff and level up my Chocobo. The weak two-player co-op mode doesn't add much either. Shoe
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
5 5620
Publisher: Eidos Developer: Core
Featured In: EGM #123 “> Players: 1 Supports: Analog
Best Feature: Decent graphics and frame-rate Worst Feature: No save points during long levels Web Site: www.eidos.com
Let's not beat around the bush here, Fighting Force 2, like its older sibling Fighting Force, sucks. If the first FF was a mediocre venture into Die Hard Arcade ter- ritory, then FF2 is an attempt to cash in on Syphon Filter's gameplay and success. FF2 fails on so many levels it's embarrassing — Гог both Eidos/Core, and the franchise they're trying to establish. | know it's only a "blow stuff up" kinda game, but FF2 is so ridiculous it's constantly threatening to obliterate my suspension of disbelief. | mean, what's up with the main character being able to smash open a security safe with a karate kick? And what's the deal with the enemy Al that's nearly nonexistent? Guards will liter- ally stand in a cluster and wait for you to painstak- ingly scroll through your bag of goodies, whip out a grenade and frag their dumb asses. The gameplay in FF2 has taken a turn for the 3D platform-esque feel. But somewhere along the line, Core chickened out. As a result, what began as a shallow 3D beat-'em-up is bogged down with these pseudo-adventure con- trivances. The first level itself takes nearly an hour to play through, and to make matters worse, you can’t save during levels...and there are areas throughout each of the nine (fairly large) levels that instantly kill you. After playing FF2, you'll want to karate kick your PlayStation too. Argh! Che
When | first dove into this game, it felt like Core had taken the original Fighting Force and added Tomb Raider-style story and depth to it. Turns out | just wasn’t that lucky. Most of the massive levels seem to lead nowhere and get dull quickly. Sure, it’s fun to destroy nearly everything you see, and some weapons are pretty cool. But the novelty wears thin when you blast your hundredth stone-dumb enemy or blow apart your soth desk chair. Crispin
I'm not sure who would enjoy this title? The combat is so unbelievable and contrived that even hardcore violence fans may think it’s too stupid. Kick an office chair and it explodes? Destroy almost everything you come upon with your boot? It’s like they added destruction just for destruction’s sake. The enemies have no brains either. They basically stand around waiting to be shot or kicked with your all-powerful boot. I'll pass on this one. Dean
Hearing what sounded like cries of pain coming from Che's cubicle while he played FF2, | wondered what the big deal was. Frankly, | don't understand his utter disgust with the game. Granted, FF2 is far from being the year's most innovative title, but it's much better than the first Fighting Force (which isn't saying much quite honestly). Maybe I'm a little strange but | found the game to be fun at times. | still suggest renting rather than buying thoush. Shawn
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY
REPLAY
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: Black Ops
Featured In: EGM #125 > Players: 1-8 > Supports: Dual Shock, Multi-tap
Best Feature: Dicky V, baby! Worst Feature: No analog control Web Site: www.easports.com
Of all the sports games on the market, none gives off the same kind of energy as March Madness 2000. | attribute that partially to Dick Vitale, who chimes in with his usual array of classic comments. The energy is definitely enhanced by the crowd, whose volume level rises and falls depending on your play. And it’s pretty cool when you can use a timeout to quiet a hostile crowd. Overall, this game epitomizes atten- tion to detail. When you take a shot it may hit the rim and bounce in, you may get one of those horrid air- balls, or you may even bank it off the glass. But the rim physics regard the distance of the shot taken. Brick a long three and the rebound won't just fall off the rim, it'll really fly off with some energy. The Dynasty Mode steals the show. When I started play- ing with my beloved DePaul Blue Demons, | was overjoyed by the fact that they were ranked 25 in the nation. | knew they were ranked so high because of the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen that listed the top 25 teams. Now that's cool. There are some flaws. Special moves seem way too effective, and shot blocking may be a bit too easy. Also, switching to the closest defender is sometimes delayed. My biggest problem with March Madness 2000 is that my Dick Vitale impersonation is awful. When it comes down, ММ2К is better than NBA Live. Todd
The college atmosphere is re-created in excellent fashion here, with all the requisite features intact. Gameplay is solid, and EA continues to provide gamers with the ultimate tool...customization. Don’t like the frequency of blocked shots? Dial up the diffi- culty to your taste. Dynasty Mode is deep and realis- tic. One minor drawback is that the court seems a lit- tle small. Otherwise, “it’s a PTP, baybee!” Yes, Dickie V. calls the play-by-play. Dan L
March Madness 2000 is much improved over last year's decent but slow-as-molasses effort. Now it's very fast, better-looking and very adjustable. They nailed the college atmosphere, especially with Dick Vitale doing color. One-player games are great but in Versus Mode the Al tends to break down a bit, leaving holes in the defense. Also, why doesn’t the game support analog? That’s a big no-no. Problems aside, MM 2000 is still really good. Dean
If you took my advice from my Final Four 2000 review last month and waited to see how March Madness turned out, you made the right choice. March Madness 2000 is an overall much better game than Final Four, with better atmosphere, more options and a fast, fluid game engine. As a sequel, it’s a big improvement over March Madness 99, too, though | do have one gripe—why no analog control?! On the whole though, | really dig MM 2000. John R
REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND
INGENUITY
181
EVERYONE
Publisher: Working Designs
Developer: Treasure
Featured In: EGM #122 be > Players: 1
Supports: Analog, Dual Shock
: Gameplay, added analog support Repetitive, obnoxious voices www.workingdesigns.com
Web Site:
Silhouette Mirage is the thinking man’s shooter, to be sure. It’s one of those old school-looking side- scrollers that was way ahead of its time when it first came out on the Saturn. Even now, the game’s duo- color shooting system stands up well in the game- play department. Since you can only destroy ene- mies based on their color and yours, you'll find that the game constantly keeps you on your toes. A red shot will kill a blue enemy, while a blue shot will only drain it of its "spirit power." Your own color is deter- mined by which direction you're facing...confused yet? Ту keeping track of all this during heated moments of 2D mayhem. On top of that, Shyna (the game's unlikely heroine) has tons of moves she can pull out to help her exploit the game's main motif. There's no questioning SM's originality and depth, but sometimes, it's difficult to keep from feeling overwhelmed. Like all Working Designs localiza- tions, SM is a labor of love—and this is especially noticeable if you've spent any time with the import. It's significantly harder, and parts of the game have been modified (dwindling spirit bar, more expensive power-ups) to provide longer play times. Despite all of its charm and originality, however, the game does reach a point of tedium. If you're a Treasure fan though, what the heck are you waiting for? Ghe
Calling Silhouette Mirage an old-school shooter would be doing it a disservice, because you've never played anything like this before. The clever, down- right wild gameplay takes getting used to. Still, the first few levels baby step you into the game nicely, and you'll get the hang of your enormous arsenal of moves in no time. Despite its grating digitized voices, SM delivers all the killer Bosses and solid gameplay I'd expect from a Treasure title. Crispin
I'm all for surreal games, so Mirage gets my vote in that department. But all of that weirdness aside, the game is extremely original and provides tons of depth. And when you couple that with the Treasure name you get something truly special and fun. Now, | have to take issue with the sound effects and voice. My God, that stuff truly tested the limits of my sanity. If you're into anime or the Japanese scene, though you may be able to stomach the noise. Shawn
Like Mischief Makers (N64), Silhouette Mirage is a unique game with fresh ideas, all grounded in a tra- ditional side-scrolling foundation. The whole red/blue duality bit gives this shooter a nice hint of strategy. The presentation and design are great. You know you're in for a Japanese-flavored treat when a boss gets killed by nearby apartment tenants because he's making too much noise. It's solid, refreshing and interesting. Give it a shot. Shoe
REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Featured In: EGM #126 = > Players: 12
Supports: Analog, Dual Shock, NegCon, JogCon
Best Feature: Incredible realism Worst Feature: Not enough hours in the day Web Site: www.playstation.com
t’s 3:50 a.m. on a very cold December
morning and five EGM editors are sitting in
Dean’s cube playing Gran Turismo 2. They've been playing it for days...but this par- ticular session started around 9:30 p.m.-ish when Dean decided he was going to purchase a car like the one he drives in ‘real life’ (a Honda CRX) and see what he could do with it. As the CRX is taken through the first batch of races, the joypad is passed around the group as each event is raced and the money accu- mulates. Between races frantic debates are held as to which upgrade should be bought next...Suspension? Maybe we should try to reduce the weight? What kind of new wheels should we get? By 2 a.m. the tiny little '91 sports hatch is a fearsome brute kicking some 205hp. Not only does it look different, and behave differently...even its engine sound has altered somewhat due to the mods we've
Lap
1
Lap Time 1:30.838
Graphically, GT2 isn't dramatically differ- ent from the original, but it's still one of the best-looking games on the system. applied. That's how damn fine this game is. Not only does it have 594 cars on offer. Not only does it have different racing mode oozing out of every pore. Not only does it have enough depth to keep you playing forever... but it also has such attention to detail that everything you do in the game has a tangible and apparent effect on the overall experience. It's a game that will bring guys together. Just like we came together in Dean's cube. The only reason we stopped playing, just after
4 a.m. was because we all had to go home, get a few hours sleep and then come back to work to finish our deadline. If a tiny matter like getting the magazine finished hadn't have interrupted us...we'd have been playing for longer. This is a game that will be bought this Christmas and enjoyed all year. You'll be able to play this thing until GT2000 comes out...and you still probably won't have opened everything up. If you're a fan of cars and dri- ving—this is just about the most perfect game you could imagine. Buy it.
182
Is GT2 the finest racing game on the PlayStation? For that matter...is it the finest racing game ever made? If the behavior of the Review Crew is anything to go by this month, you'd have to say it is.
| pondered what | was going to say in this review for a long time. Originally | was toying with the idea of just saying *wow' and leaving the rest of the space blank. I'd also toyed with posing the question “сап we give a game an 11?" You see, GT2 is that good. Every time you play it and try something new, it amazes you even more with its intricate attention to detail and the fact that it's so accessible. It's by far the 'deepest' racing game you could ever imagine — and this depth is matched admirably by a superb feel, an amazing graphics engine and incredible sound. The license tests alone offer more gameplay than a lot of the crappy racing games we've seen this month. And they really teach you how to drive a car at high speeds with authority. Once you've played this, you'll really notice the limitations of other rac- ers. The rally mode is probably better than any PS rally game around—the feeling of reckless speed that it conveys is truly unsurpassed. Throw in the uphill racing, the acres of car information, the special events, the grand prix mode—and then the fact that there's a ‘pick up and play’ arcade disc thrown into the package too, and you've got a bona-fide 'must buy’ game. It's just...it’s...aww. Jeez. Look, just go and buy it and see for yourself. Believe me, you won't be
disappointed. John
Gran Turismo 2 delivers everything | wanted from the sequel to the best racing game ever. This thing doesn't skimp. You get a ridiculous amount of cars. The rally mode beats anything you'll find in games devoted to just that style of racing. Even if you're not crazy about the license tests, you can pop in the arcade disc and go nuts. Heck, you'll still get a lot out ofthe game if you only earn the A and B licenses. Buy GT2 and you'll still be playing it in a year. Crispin
It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that GT 2 is awesome. Even if it had problems (which it doesn't) itd still be head and shoulders above the rest. Basically they kept the same game engine and added a ton more cars (close to 600 total) and modes. I'm especially psyched about the Rally and other off- road events. It adds yet another dimension to a game already packed to the hilt. No other racing game can touch it. | can't wait for the PS2 version. Dean
Polyphony Digital never cease to amaze me. After churning out Gran Turismo (my favorite game of all time), they released Omega Boost, one of my favorites of 1999. GT2 is perfection all over again and | don’t know how to thank them enough. Unfortunately, GT2 has a couple bugs that slipped out the door, but the realism and sheer joy of driving (and modding) your own car remains unsurpassed. | shudder at the thought of GT2000 in March. Che
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
Electronic Arts
Publisher:
Developer: MBL Research
Featured In: EGM #126 2 > Players: 1-2
Supports: Dual Shock
Real bikes and riders Overly realistic handling www.EA.com
Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site:
True to EA form, Supercross 2000 is more of a sim than any moto-x game on the market. At first | absolutely hated the cornering. It seemed complete- ly forced and wrong. | would enter a bend and turn the wheel but nothing would happen. Needless to say that isn’t exactly how it’s done in real life and nor is it in the game. The fact is, It takes a lot of patience and practice to master the corners. Careful use of the clutch, brake and where you position your rider's weight are key. Even then it’s not super exciting, in fact it’s rather dull. | applaud EA for trying to make it real but there comes a point where it has to be fun as well. In addition, | can’t figure out what they had in mind with the acceleration and power-band? If you've ever ridden or raced these bikes you know about the power-band. Essentially once the motor reaches a certain RPM it takes off like a rocket. There’s nothing like that here. To the contrary, at times the bikes stay stationary when they should be spinning-out. On a positive note, the graphics are decent, there’s loads of real riders and bikes and the Freestyle option is something we haven’t seen before. | just wish the developers could’ve thrown caution to the wind and made it more arcade-like. I'm going to stick with 989’s SuperCross Circuit for my
moto fun. Dean
Why can't 1 Рр ту y stupid bike t togo Е the stu- pid corners properly? it's not exactly a foreign con- cept in a racing game is it? It’s actually pretty frickin’ fundamental—makes getting around the tracks, y'know, like ‘possible’. Why this thing has such a stu- pid control system is beyond me. Maybe it was thought to be ‘innovative’ or ‘sim like’ while in devel- opment. It’s not though. It’s frustrating and irritating and it spoils what could be an OK racer. John
If you're looking for a Supercross game that's fast- paced and exciting, then look further. Supercross 2000 really doesn’t cut it. The graphics are decent, and the freestyle mode is actually quite cool. But rac- ing on these tracks is more frustrating than it is fun to play. The bikes are hard to control and get stuck in walls all the time. Combine that with all the hairpin turns, and you have a racing game that has too much stop and not Secun go. Shoe
! may not be some sort of real-life BMX bandit, but I've played plenty of motocross games that were more fun than Supercross 2000. This game has everything you could wish for in a dirt bike racer— everything that is, except controls. It's way too easy to get stuck in a corner because you're trying to turn...plus, you never really slide around corners, you just slow down and gas up again. The riders* models all look like deformed robots too. Che
SOUND REPLAY
VISUALS
INGENUITY
аира: Whoopee Camp
Featured In: EGM #126 “> Players: 1
Supports: Dual Shock
Best Feature: Tons of stuff to do
Worst Feature: Bosses are way too easy
Web Site: www.playstation.com
If you can get past the silliness of Tomba! 2 (you know, the pink hair, strange mini-quests and whacked-out characters), then you'll have yourself a great time. Because underneath its typical save- your-girlfriend-type story line and some ridiculously lame voice-overs, lies some serious—though tedious in some respects and not particularly challenging— pseudo 3D gameplay. But what Tomba! 2 lacks in dif- ficulty in many of the tasks, it makes up in quantity. There are more than 150 tasks to complete (appar- ently some later tasks must be opened up through secret means), several mini-games to play and an array of items to acquire. You'll get wings, become mouse-sized, turn invisible, wash dirty birds, eat some fruit and grapple from acorns, among a slew of other activities. Yeah, that's Tomba. Strange thing is, there's only four main areas to explore, each of which is broken up into a couple of smaller sections. But the areas are absolutely jam-packed with stuff to do and collect—and you'll have to work your way back to earlier areas to finish tasks. Unfortunately, the main bosses provided no challenge whatsoever. It was almost like they should've been more difficult, since they give you powerful magic. Oh well. Luckily, the main part of the game is extremely entertaining, and looks and Sounds goodt to boot. Shawn
Tomba! 2 is the kind of game you'll keep wanting to play, because you want to see what neato gameplay ideas will pop up in the next stage. This game is bright, colorful, solid, entertaining, unique and addicting. The multi-branching paths may drive some of you a little nuts, especially if you're looking for a more traditional 2.5D game (if there's such a thing). Still, there's so much to see and do in Tomba! 2, it’s well worth the bucks. _Shoe
шем very little ofTombal 2 avales Tomba running around in full 3D. Nothing wrong with 3D games, but I'll take my platformers in pseudo-3D if possible, thanks. Even though developers Whoopee Camp have added lots more to the sub-quests this time around, some of them still suffer from the same sort of tedium from the first game. However, the game is full of charm and has more than enough challenges to Keep both young and mature gamers busy, Che
Whoopee Camp has the strangest sense of | humor of any game developer out there. But they sure know how to crank out a good platform game. | much pre- fer a smaller area with lots of things to do (and differ- ent things) than a huge overworld with lots of wan- dering around wondering where to go next. It feels like an old-school 2D game trapped in a three- dimensional world. A tad bit on the easy side, but is an enjoyable adventure for platform fans. Chris
REPLAY
VISUALS
INGENUITY
SOUND
183
БЕ HA
Publisher: Eidos
Developer: Core
Featured In: EGM #122 = > Players: 1
Supports: Dual Shock
Best Feature: More exploration; less combat Worst Feature: Boring backtracking in many levels Web Site: www.eidos.com
What can | say about The Last Revelation that | haven't said before, or a year before that, or a year before that, all the way back to my review of the first Tomb Raider? As we've come to expect, this latest sequel doesn't try hard to break new ground. The gal has learned some new moves— namely, the ability to shimmy around corners and swing on ropes. You even glimpse Teen Jailbait Lara in the training level. But control is as clunky as ever. Fortunately, ТЕД doesn't force you to fight your joypad as much as the previous two sequels. As in the original, you face fewer enemies and not nearly as many swinging blades and other lethal obstacle courses that would otherwise put blisters on top of the calluses you got playing TR3. This game's more about exploration and puzzle solving. Trouble is, you're forced into frequent backtracking during several levels, which act as hubs to nearby stages. Later puzzles are ruthless; you'll do a lot of croaking and reloading before you figure 'em out. The game is riddled with glitches and feels rushed. And don't even get me started on those frig- gin’ scarab beetles. TR4 isn't without its great moments; the train level and a puzzle that works like a stone-age version of the boardgame Sorry! are just a couple. But—and this is just a fact of life—too much of the same 'ol thing gets ho- hum. Crispin Tomb Raider bas never been a game that I’ve been able to get into. What hurts TR most is its clunky, overly complex control scheme. | had to stop and ask myself, “Why does this control this way? Why am 1 fighting the controls this much?" That kind of thing has plagued a lot of 3D games in the past, but while others have adopted tighter control and better cam- eras, TR hasn't. Get around the control and this is an OK game, but it needs a serious overhaul. Chris Well...it's better ian the. last one, but this is yet another example that just goes to show that we don't need to see these franchise games every year. It's more than apparent that the old idea well is running à bit dry at Core, and while the graphics are improved and the story more focused than last time—you can't help but feel that this was rushed out. Some of the puzzles don't seem thought through properly, and there are still control issues. John
Brian Wilson once sang, “...it’s so sad to see a sweet thing die..." and that's exactly what's happened to Lara Croft. True, TR4 is better than TR3, but the game still has major problems. Controls have not evolved; Lara's still a pain to move around, and this becomes especially obvious in certain areas of TR4 where bad controls make you want to snap the disc in half. If TR4 hadn't been rushed out the door, Eidos could have salvaged a game out of this mess. Che
VISUALS SOUND REPLAY
INGENUITY
Thrasher: Skate and Destroy
select te start Publisher: Rockstar Games Developer: Z-Axis Featured In: EGM #122 BU Players: 12 Supports: Analog
Best Feature: Realism, soundtrack Worst Feature: Unintuitive controls, bland graphics Web Site: www.rockstargames.com
If you take a step back and play Thrasher for what it is, you'll find that there's a decent and rewarding game underneath your desire to see another Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Thrasher features the “combo” sys- tem that was so popular in THPS, with a touch more realism. As with most action games, there's a degree of intuition involved, but Thrasher requires you to think about the sequence of tricks before you ollie up onto а rail, or combo out of a nollie збо. Unlike THPS, you don't need to hunt for hidden videotapes, break boxes or grab letters; however, you will be required to get a certain number of points before advancing to the later levels. And as an obligatory nod to skate cul- ture, the fuzz will chase you around with a taser if you run out of time. Other nice features include real- life sponsorships (DC Shoes, Converse, etc.) and the abil- ity to customize your clothes. But Thrasher isn't with- out its problems. The biggest hurdle for fans of THPS will be readjusting to Thrasher's cumbersome trick system. And graphically, the game just doesn't look as good as THPS. The character models are bulbous and cartoony, and of course, fictional clichés of the real thing. The two-player modes also lack any split- screen action so it's less of a party game for your friends. Thrasher's not a bad game, but you may want to rent first if you already own THPS. Che
Since I'm too clumsy to be good at skateboarding in real life, it's good that there are games like this and Tony Hawk. Thrasher's easy to get into and all of a sudden you lose track of time as you break laws and ride up the walls (and get tazed in the arse...OUCH!). | like that to progress in the game you have to get a certain amount of points in each level, bringing you to think about certain lineups of tricks. A solid title, but second to the TH. Chris
If it weren't for Tony Hawk, Thrasher would be one of the better skate games out there. And for a title that doesn't strive to do too much, it's actually not bad. Basically you're set loose on several levels to achieve as many trick points as possible before time runs out and the cops come. The trick system, while exten- sive, isn't too friendly. You have to memorize lots of combos to rake in the big points. I'll give it points for its old-school hip-hop soundtrack though. Dean
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater set a standard in what ulti- mately can only be a small niche genre of video games. Thrasher suffers somewhat from being late to the party, because it fails to match some of the qualities offered up by its well-received competi- tor. | found the trick system to be way too cumber- some (my character spent a lot time flat on his face), and while cute, I thought the clothes customization a bit too twee and ‘Barbie’ for my liking. John VISUALS REPLAY
SOUND INGENUITY
1 8 6 6
Warpath: Jurassic Park
Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Dreamworks/Black Ops Featured In: EGM #119
Players: 1-2
Supports: Dual Shock
Best Feature: Graphics Worst Feature: It gets boring fast Web Site: www.ea.com
The idea of hulking dinosaurs ripping and clawing at each other's throats is pretty exciting. It's great as a theme park ride. Even better as a movie. It's pretty good as a game, too. But as a fighting game? Well that depends on what angle you take. Primal Rage had those crazy pseudo-prehistoric beasts, and sim- ilar environments, so the fighting dino thing worked fairly well. The beasts in Warpath: JP, however, are simply dinosaurs, and the environments are jungle compounds and a gas station. It's just not very excit- ing really. The gameplay mechanics and overall feel of the game should've been reworked. Many of the dinosaurs' moves are very similar (like jump kicks, bites, tail whips, head lunges, etc.), and the overall fighting system simply lacks depth and detail. | like the edibles (humans and animals running around each arena, just waiting to be munched on by a dino for some health), and the impressive taunts (which look like displays of dominance). But when it's all said and done, | just have trouble identifying with regular old dinosaurs as fighters. Why are they fighting? As ridiculous as it sounds, l'd have an easi- er time identifying with Jeff Goldblum or one of the other characters from the film if they were in a fight- ing game. The visuals and sound are well in place— the other areas of the game need work. Shawn
Fighting game...Jurassic Park...seems like it would make a good combo, right? As good as the license is, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a good game. The fighting engine is weak, and battles amount to con- stant button mashing and jumping around. What is cool are its interactive environments (you can crash through objects, people/dinosaurs run through the ring). But there’s not enough challenge or technique here to keep most players occupied. Chris
Well, it looks nice—and the sound effects are even better—but Warpath isn’t a fighting game I'd wanna play for more than 15 minutes. That's how long it takes until the novelty of clawing, screeching, battling dinos wears thin. Dreamworks may claim this thing packs a deep fighting engine, but | just don’t see it. Control seems sluggish. The tap-tap-tap gameplay is too shallow. | rarely used more than a few moves to zoom through the game. Crispin
According to Dreamworks, Warpath is pretty compa- rable to Tekken 3, gameplay-wise. Hmm...am I really supposed to believe Warpath is Tekken 3’s equal? This game doesn’t have what great fighting games have: interesting characters, a complex yet enjoyable fighting system and that certain natural feel. The game engine just isn’t precise enough. There are clipping problems, and it’s hard to tell where exactly the dinos are hitting. Shoe
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
1 1 3 5
184
Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer
Nintendo
Publisher:
Developer: LucasArts Featured In: EGM #126 Players: 1-2
Supports: Rumble feature
Best Feature: Lots of tracks Worst Feature: Only face one opponent at a time Web Site: www.nintendo.com
Chris Johnston says this game reminds him a bit of Spy Hunter, although he wished he could see more of the terrain around his pod. Che disagreed, saying Racer is way better than Spy Hunter. He liked its tight controls and sheer sense of speed. In fact, this is the fastest Game Boy racing game we've ever seen. It's just too bad you only face one opponent at a time. Still, enemy Al keeps the action tight; you usually get lots of chances to bump thrusters with your oppo- nent. Like the N64 game, you get plenty of tracks on a variety of worlds. There's even a brief FMV intro.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
1 6 6
Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Featured In: EGM #124 Players: ei
Supports: None BestFeature: Mindless fun Worst Feature: It gets repetitive Web Site: www.nintendo.com
Simply put, this Game & Watch compilation is the same old, same old. And that's OK. Like the previous installments, the titles included are very simple but addictively fun. Crispin likes to play mindless stuff like this when he's sitting on the crapper. And like the other titles, the more games you play and the higher your score is in those games, the more stuff you open up. Each mini-game on the cart features a modern and classic version (the classic being in all of its original watch-face glory), in addition to the little extra features. It's perfect for the Game Boy Color.
VISUALS SOUND
INGENUITY REPLAY
6 5 4 8
Publisher: SNK Developer: SNK
Featured In: EGM #127
Players: 1-2
Supports: Link Cable
Best Feature: Addicting gameplay Worst Feature: Deck management Web Site: www.snkusa.com
My score may be a little misleading. Cardfighters’ Clash really isn't that great of a game. It's not com- plex, the cards and powers aren't very creative and the RPG side is simplistic and too kid-friendly. | actu- ally didn't like the game the first time | tried it. But | got past that first battle. Then | played some more. Then | fought some bosses. Then | lost a head-to- head match with Che (I was severely handicapped!). Then | won one. And | kept playing and playing and playing—on the plane, before going to bed, any time during the day...you get the idea. This game is, in one word, addicting. | can't get enough of it, and | can’t even come up with many solid reasons why. It does have that collectibility thing going for it—I’m having much more fun with this than | am with Pokémon. | also like the entire Capcom and SNK uni- verses mixing up thing. It’s cool to hear a CPU-con- trolled character asking to trade a “Terry [Bogard]" for a “Chun-Li.” Even cooler, the game is full of insid- er goodies and jokes. You can visit the Resident Evil mansion, for example, and you can even do card bat- tle against a character named “Mikami” (Shinji Mikami is the producer on the RE series for Capcom.) The two different carts (with separate starter decks) and a great handicapping system make this a very two: player friendly game. Check it ош Shoe
I'm not too wild on this game. The card fighting gets a bit tedious after a while. Why? Most of the cards “behave” the same, so there’s really not a lot of variety here. Also, micro-managing your deck(s) can be a pain in the butt. After a while, | didn’t even bother reorga- nizing my main deck unless | got a really sweet card worth putting in. Two-player is all right, but a battle can take а ridiculously long time. This isn’t a bad game by eny means—it’s ee not for me. Shawn
It may rip off ideas left ae Tight from Magic: The Gathering and especially Pokémon, but Cardfighters’ Clash still comes across as a novel experience. Although it's not as addicting or cutesy (thank God) or easy to get into as Pokémon, this thing packs deep gameplay that'll keep you glued to your handheld for weeks. The card game's rules are sim- ple; the real strategy comes when you organize your deck and wield your specialia cards. | never paid much attention to Cardfighters' Clash because I'm not much of a card player/collector, you see. The whole thing just stinks too much of Magic The Gathering, etc. Shoe got a head start on CFC while | was busy with MOTM, but for the past week of deadline or so, we've been playing this game non- stop. If you're into card battles, collectibles, Pokémon, really addictive two-player link games, do yourself a favor and pick up CFC. It's great. Che
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
6 6 1 9
Publisher: SNK Developer: SNK
Featured In: EGM #127
Players: 1-2
Supports: Link cable
Best Feature: Graphics, gameplay Worst Feature: Only two buttons Web Site: www.snkusa.com
With Match Of The Millennium, | thought | knew what to expect; after all, | had already played both KOF R- 1 апа R-2, as well as Fatal Fury and Samurai Shodown 2. MOTM turned out to be far better than any of SNK's previous efforts on the NGPC. Don't let the size or the graphics fool you here, MOTM is a real fight- ing game that offers plenty of depth for fans of the 2D genre. Techniques like counter hits, tech rolls, 2-in-1 combo's, juggles, and supers are all pre- sent and accounted for. The NGPC's “click stick" has always been easy to use for fighting games, and it's no exception here. | still find it easier to whip out cir- cular-type moves (fireballs) as opposed to charge-up moves (sonic booms)...it could be just me. Selection wise, the character roster from both SNK and Capcom are pretty evenly matched, except | wanted more characters from the Alpha series. The best part about MOTM is the built-in "tag" mode where you can tag between two fighters іп real time...| never even dreamt this was possible on a handheld sys- tem. Other cool features include the ability to link up with KOF Dream Match 99, MOTM on the DC, and Cardfighters' Clash on the NGPC. There's even an “Olympics” mode where you play mini-games to unlock secrets and master abilities. This is by far the Best fighting game on any! handheld system. Che Fighting games with only two Benne are usually a joke. SNK Vs. Capcom is different. Not only does it look great, but it plays just as well as its arcade cousins. It's also got mini-games which have less to do with the rivalry between the two companies than having fun with each other's characters. There are Bemani-style music challenges and shooting gallery- type games. Whether you're a Capcom fan or SNK fan you're going to uke ШЕ game. Chris | was actually pretty Я RW this. It does a more than passable attempt at scaling down the fighting engines of a host of classics, while offering some of the nicest and smoothest graphics for a game of this type on a handheld. Experienced fight- ing game fans my find the early bouts a touch on the easy side...but as you work through the story it gets quite challenging. | can't wait to see the Dreamcast version now! John
Hey, I’m as CE as She. next guy to summarily dis- miss handheld fighting games. But to say SNK vs. Capcom really surprised and impressed me is an understatement. Not only does the game go beyond your expectations about what should be packed in the cart (extra modes, a relatively deep fighting engine, tons of characters, tag-team play, mini- games), it plays well too. Try this cart out. It's much better than you'd ever expect. Shoe
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
185
Publisher: SNK Developer: Sega
Featured In: ЕСМ #127
Players: 1-2
Supports: Link cable
Best Feature: Sonic speed
Worst Feature: Rings go through walls when hit Web Site: www.snkusa.com
Sonic’s one of those games that lends itself so well to 2D, you wonder why Sega ever changed it. I’m a big fan of the early Sonic games and this is a welcome throwback to those games. | haven’t seen a Game Boy game—definitely not a side-scroller—move this fast. Graphics and sound are crisp-yet-simplified ver- sions of Sonic 2’s. In true Sonic nature, the levels are huge and take multiple playings to fully explore, but that’s always been the beauty of the series. Bonus stages look great and scale smoothly. Now for the bad news: When уоште hit, your rings get away and if there are walls, they go through them without stopping. This leads to many a boss battle where you're scrambling to recover at least one ring, and you're left high n' dry. There are very minor control differences between this and Sonics 1-3, but it still captures the right flavor. A minor disappointment for me is that the Casino level has become a hodge- podge "let's throw everything we can in here" level and is less enjoyable to play. There aren't as many huge, pinball-like pits that aren't blocked by some- thing to speed up and down, and some of the ene- mies of the old Sonics are sadly missing. In fact, the Casino Zone has no enemies except for the boss(!). А strong, yet somewhat lacking first showing for Sega and Sonic on the NGPC. Chris
At the very mm Sonic Pocket REE proves that SNK’s portable is more than capable of “blast pro- cessing.” And the sharp visuals will make Game Boy Color owners a little jealous, too. This game instantly resurrects Sonic’s 2D glory days. The classic look, speed and gameplay will hook you immediate- ly. SPA does suffer odd bouts of slowdown, but these events are rare. If you got a Neo*Geo Pocket Color lax Christmas, buy this gamen mer _Grispin
т mm stoked to be able to play another handheld Sonic—especially one that so accurately conveys the familiar speedy, coin-scattering Hedgehog feel. Sure, some of the levels are missing a little bit here and there, and the enemies tend to be scarce throughout the game, but the feel is there and that’s what counts. The Мео•бео Pocket is shaping up to be quite a little system, and impressive titles like Sonic Pocket are just what it needs to take off. 5! awn
A shockingly me handheld version of Sonic that brings back fond memories of the old Game Gear games..only without the battery problems. The gameplay mating of Sonic 2 and Adventure works exceptionally well with only a few problems..the biggest of which is when Sonic dies and drops his rings—even if there are loads, you can only pick up one or two. It's a pain, but not enjoyment-ruining. One of the best handheld games of '99. John
REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY
8 1 4 1
^. Platinum © бош E Silver
© m
Review Archive —
EGM’s Last 102 Reviews From EGM #124 - 126 _
Game Publisher Best Feature Worst Feature Scores Issue # Dreamcast Centipede Hasbro Interactive Graphics Look Really Good Gameplay Still Sucks 40 45 60 40 126 Evolution: The World of Sacred Device Ubi Soft Nice Graphics, Decent Combat Engine — Little Story, Randomized Dungeons 6.5 50 50 45 126 House of the Dead 2, The Sega Graphics, Extra Modes Cheesy Dialogue, Gun Calibrating 15 15 T5 80 125 King of Fighters DM 1999, The SNK Gameplay, Load Times CD Music That Needs To Reload 80 65 60 65 126 ШО NBA2K Sega Rebounding Defense 80 80 85 95 126 E NFL Blitz 2000 Midway Incredibly Fun А! Can Be Dumb Sometimes 90 80 90 85 124 Psychic Force 2012 Taito Innovative Gameplay Frustrating Al 15 10 60 50 126 Rippin’ Riders Sega Multiplayer Modes, Frame-Rate Track Designs, Clipping ТО OS 55160 125 © Sega Rally 2 Sega Better Than The Arcade Game Only Two-Player Multiplay 95 90 90 90 126 Slave Zero Infogrames Mechanized Robot Combat Frame-Rate Takes Frequent Dumps 60 40 55 20 126 Suzuki Alstare-Ext. Racing Ubi Soft Smooth And Fast Rigid Handling 60 50 60 65 125 W Toy Commander Sega Beautifully Implemented Idea Some Control Issues 90 75 80 90 125 TrickStyle Acclaim Graphics Short Courses 80 65 60 60 124 © Virtua Fighter 3tb Sega VF3 Gameplay Fully Intact Graphics Are Sub-Model 3 Quality 8.0) 75 85 80 124 WWF Attitude Acclaim Unlimited Customization Shoddy Collision Detection 65 75 80 Т0 126 Nintendo 64 Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes 300 Соо! $їогу Terrible Controls And Camera 50 60 45 3.0 125 Earthworm Jim 3D Rockstar Cow Humor! Bad Camera, Monotonous Gameplay 3:01 5:5 "Y 55 "60 126 Harvest Moon 64 Natsume Open-Ended, Non-Linear Gameplay Monotonous Farming Chores 80 70 80 7.5 126 Knockout Kings 2000 Electronic Arts Graphic Detail Very Tough 6.5 125 Lego Racers Lego Media Slap Together Your Own Lego Cars Needs More Multiplayer Stuff 65 70 40 7.5 126 NBA: In the Zone 2000 Konami Dunk Contest Sloppy Frame-Rate 5.0 126 NBA Jam 2000 Acclaim Sports Jam And Sim All In One Too Easy To Get Dunkadelic 70 50 20 60 126 @ NBA Live 2000 Electronic Arts Michael Jordan The New Nork Knicks 9.0 125 NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Midway Fun NBA Jam Gameplay Glitchy Animation T5. 80. 83 75 125 Rainbow Six Red Storm Entertainment Two-Player Cooperative Mode Blah Visuals 80 BOL LO BS 125 ^'^ Rayman 2 The Great Escape Ubi Soft Lush Graphics, Tight Control Music Could Be Better 90 90 90 90 124 Ready 2 Rumble Midway All Of The Boxers. Repetitive Gameplay 7.0 125 88 Resident Evil 2 Capcom Two CDs Jammed Onto One Cart No Extreme Battle Mode 90 90 90 75 125 Rocket: Robot on Wheels Infogrames Grabby Thing Shifty Camera 65: 905 10...60 125 Top Gear Hyperbikes Kemco Nice Speed, Graphics Not Much Beyond Visuals 6.0 75 50 70 126 Turok: Rage Wars Acclaim Multiplayer Fragging! Tedious Way Of Opening Up Extras 60 O". 65 09 126 V-Rally Edition 99 Infogrames Fast Frame-Rate Squishy Control 5.5 126 WCW Mayhem Electronic Arts It Looks Nice Too Few Modes Of Play 55 125 № WWF Wrestlemania 2000 THO Previewing Moves In Edit Mode Not A Big Step Over Revenge 85 80 85 8.0 125 PlayStation Arcade Party Pak Midway Plenty Of Newer Classic Games Unlimited Continues T5 л TS 90 126 Army Men: Air Attack 300 Strike-Like Gameplay Infuriating Difficulty Curve 60 60 70 65 126 Ballistic Infogrames Simple, Novel Gameplay Not Enough Modes Of Play 60 55 40 55 125 Bass Landing Agetec Like Real Fishing Boring, Like Real Fishing 5) 125 Bass Rise Bandai Easy To Get Into Low Variety Of Fish 6.0 125 Ш Big 01' Bass Konami Graphics, Controls Absolutely Needs Dual Shock 8.0 125 Broken Sword || Crave Story, Graphics, Voicework Replay T5. 15 15 45 126 ^- Crash Team Racing SCEA Incredibly Fun To Play Major Mario Kart Influences 10 18:5 795: 95 125 CyberTiger Electronic Arts Graphics Choppy Frame-Rate 55 50 60 55 125 Dune 2000 Westwood Studios Three Sides To Play, Link Games It's Not That Innovative 7.0 125 © FIFA 2000 EA Sports Intuitive Control No Women's Teams 90 90 95 90 125 ^ Final Fantasy Anthology Square Electronic Arts Finally...Final Fantasy V!!! No Final Fantasy IV (U.S. II) ӨБӨ 51915 09.5 124 Formula One '99 Psygnosis Car Control Two-Player Mode 15 10 80 75 126 Gallop Racer Tecmo Pleasant Graphics Stupendously Niche Subject Matter 70 125 ^' Grandia $СЕА Combat And Character Growth Bad Voice Acting, Slowdown 90 90 90 9.0 125 СТА 2 Rockstar Incredible Depth Graphics Are Pretty Rough DORE "О SEO! 126
186
Сате Intellivision Classic Games International Track & Field 2000
Juggernaut Knockout Kings 2000 ^. Medal of Honor Monster Rancher 2 88 MTV Music Generator MTV Sports: Snowboarding 88 NASCAR 2000 NBA Basketball 2000 NBA: In the Zone 2000 JW МВА Live 2000 NCAA Final Four 2000 Need For Speed Presents V-Rally 2 NHL 2000 NHL Championship 2000 No Fear Downhill Mountain Bike Racing Pong Q-bert Quake 2 Rainbow Six Rat Attack Ready 2 Rumble © Resident Evil 3 Nemesis Shadow Tower Space Invaders М Spyro2 SuperCross Circuit Test Drive 6 Tomorrow Never Dies Touring Car Challenge: TOCA 2 Toy Story 2 Twisted Metal 4 Vandal Hearts || Vegas Games 2000 © Worms Armageddon Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style © You Don't Know Jack Game Boy/Game Boy Color Antz IW steroids Ballistic Beauty and the Beast: Bard Game Adv. Billy Bob's Huntin’ and Fishin’ Chase Н.0. Duke Nukem Madden 2000 Mario Golf Ms. Pac-Man Special Pokémon Yellow Rampage: Universal Tour Rampart Test Drive 6
Publisher Activision
Konami
Jaleco
Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Tecmo Codemasters
THO
Electronic Arts Fox Interactive Konami
EA Sports
989 Sports Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Fox Interactive Codemasters Hasbro Interactive Hasbro Interactive Activision
Red Storm Entertainment Mindscape Midway
Capcom
Agetec
Activision
SCEA
989 Sports Infogrames EA/MGM Interactive Codemasters Activision
989 Studios Konami
300
Hasbro Interactive Activision
Sierra
Infogrames/Dreamworks Activision Infogrames Nintendo Midway
Metro 3D
GT Interactive THO
Nintendo Namco Nintendo Midway Midway Infogrames
Best Feature
Better Than Atari 2600 Games Motion-Captured Graphics Atmosphere, Story, Puzzles Speedy
Killing Nazis
Improved Combat System
You Can Make Music!
Easy To Pick Up, Smooth Frame-Rate Create-A-Driver
Rim Physics
Nice Animations
Great Al
Bubble Watch
Frame-Rate And Controls
Big Hit Button
Excellent Al, Realism Upgradeable Bikes
Classic Gameplay
Classic Gameplay, Updated! Mouse Support
Very Cool Music
Old-School Gameplay
Cool Cast Of Fighters
Just As Creepy AS REI And 2 Two-Player Deathmatch
Plays Like The Original, But Better So Much Stuff To Do And Find Two-Player
Big Selection Of Cars
Varied Gameplay
It's A Sim Lover's Delight Sweet Graphics
Better Than TM III
Story Line, Music
Five Types Of Poker
Tons Of Options, Multiplayer Four-Player Fighting
The Host, The Sarcasm, The Humor
Large Levels
Classic Old-School Gameplay It's A Simple Little Game It's Mario Party, Jr.
The Southern Stereotypes Combines Driving And Shooting Interesting Level Design
Full Season Mode
Golf Physics
A Complete Bonus Game... It's Pokémon
Lots Of Levels...
Linkable Warfare
Tight Control
187
Worst Feature
Some Of Our Personal Faves Not Here Boring Button'-Mashin' Gameplay Moving Around Can Feel Clunky Sloppy Collision Detection
It's Too Short
A Lil' Too Repetitive
Fiddly Controls With A Joypad Polygon Clipping
Very Tough At Times
Free-Throw Meter
Sloppy А!
The New York Knicks
Ball Always Hits Rim
Can't Configure Control Scheme Fighting
Sluggish Gameplay
Sluggish Control
Needless Frills
No Construction/Random Mode Some Tedious Levels Disappointing In Every Respect Odd Perspective And Camera Crappy Al
The Story's Kinda Weak
Loading Times...For Menus?
Long Load Times, Not Enough Variety It's A Bit On The Easy Side
Speed Burst 15 Weak
Loose Control
Sluggish Control And Graphics Frame-Rate When The Action Heats Up Nothing
The Concept's Getting Real Old Long, Boring Cutscenes
No Kino?!
Painfully Slow CPU А! Gratuitously Violent Content Repeat Questions
Loose Control
Grating Sound
А Little Too Simple, Perhaps? Beauty And The Beast Theme Very Little Skill Required Repetitive
A Little Too Easy
Receiving The Ball
Tall Grass
...(Not-So) Super Pac-Man It's Pokémon...Again
„Ви! It's Extremely Repetitive Somewhat Plain
Cheap А!
Scores 15
55 60 15
70 60 90 90 55 65 95 80 70 65 8.0
15 50 50 55 85 90 то 70 80 85 90 90 15 60 40
65
85
90 90 30 50 50
65
85 90 20
55 65 90 85 70
55 55 50 60 85 85 80 75 70 65 85 70 50
95 95 40 60 95 85 55
80
70
70
3.5
5.5
6.5
8.0
8.0
6.0
80 60 3.5
55
65
6.5
10 85 7.0 85 5.5
40 60 90 6.0 8.5 9.0 6.0
8.5 35
8.5
15 8.5
6.5 55 15 10 50 80
9.0
40 10
8.0
124
126
Tricks of the Trade —
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation es Incredible Codes
In the game, face north (use your compass as a guide). The best way to do this is to hang from a ledge that is facing north, otherwise it will be nearly impossible to do this trick. Now press the Select button to go into your Inventory Screen. From this point, do one of these meth- ods for the results as shown: All Items
While the compass faces North, highlight the Large Medipack and hold L1+L2+R1+R2+Down on the D-pad. While holding these, press the Triangle button. This will exit the Inventory Screen. Go back to the Inventory Screen and you will see that you have all the items from the game.
All Weapons, Infinite Ammo, Unlimited Small and Large Medipack
While the compass faces north, highlight the Small Medipack and hold L1+L2+R1+R2+Up. While hold- ing these, press the Triangle button. This will exit the Inventory Screen. Go back to the Inventory Screen and you will have all the weapons, unlimited ammo, etc.
Skip Current Level While the compass faces North, highlight the Load Game option and hold L1+L2+R1+R2+Up. While hold- ing these, press the Triangle button. This will exit the Inventory Screen. You will now be taken to the next level of the game! Eric-Glen A. Mariano Address withheld by request
Hey, send us your cool new
you will win a free GameShark provided by the kind people at InterAct, and a Pro Shock controller or a Hyper 64 controller or VIPER controller from Fire International. If you are given credit for submitting a hot trick in this section, you will win a free game. See
page 205 for rules.
tricks and win cool prizes! _. If your trick is selected as the Trick of the Month,
NOTE: IF you send your trick by e-mail you must include your real name, address, city, state and zip code.
Send your best tricks, codes, Web sites and anything else that can help make games more fun and interesting to:
Tricks of the Trade
РО. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
or send e-mail to: tricks@zd.com
By Trickman Terry • tricks@zd.com
НВА 2К
Cool Codes
From the Main Menu, go into the Options Screen and pick the Codes option. At the Cheat Codes Screen, enter one of the passwords below for the results as shown. Make sure you enter the codes in all capital letters. Secret Teams
Enter DEVDUDES as the pass- word to open up the three Insomniacs teams, which include the Sega Sports, Sega and NBA 2K teams.
Huge Ball
Enter BEACHBOYS as password. Crowd Message
Enter HIMOM as the password. Giant Heads
Enter FATHEAD as the password. Micro Players
Enter LITTLEGUY as the pass- word.
Large Players
Enter MONSTER as the pass- word.
Squished Players
Enter SQUISHY as the password. Obese Players
Enter DOUGHBOY as the pass- word.
Huge Feet
Enter BIGFOOT as the password. Hurt Coaches
Enter COACHOUCH as the pass- word.
NFL 2K
More Attribute Points
In the Create-A-Player Mode, highlight an attribute and move the points all the way down to o.
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 188 - www.videogames.com
Then move it all the way back up to the original number. Now look at the available points at the top of the screen and you will have gained a point. Do this for each attribute and you will gain a point for each one.
[17] ү]
Куап Напе Carpentersville, IL
Ready 2 fumble Boxing Easy Training
ТАЗА fo Песме von, BERTS STATS: В 088
From the Main Menu, choose Championship Mode. After start- ing a new game, naming your gym and choosing a boxer, pick the Train Boxer option. Now highlight the Rumble Aerobics Training and press Left and then quickly press A. If you did it fast enough, you will purchase the Rumble Mass Nutrition Regime (which costs $25,000) for $500! This will boost your strength and experience very quickly. You can also purchase the Sway Bag for $500 instead of $1000 by press- ing Right instead of Left.
Cool Codes
Enter these codes while in the middle of a race (don’t pause the game)!
All Tracks and Cars
B, Right, B, Right, Up, B, Up. Unlimited Nitros
Down, Up, Down, Up, A, X, A. Skip Current Class
Down, Right, Down, Right, A, X, A.
More Money
A, Right, A, Right, Up, B, A. Note: This code works in Championship Mode only.
Santa’s Little Helpers
A lot of you may have received them as presents, or bought them for yourselves after returning that ugly sweater: games that are past or present smash hits. This month the sidebars have the codes and tricks for the best of these titles.
Turok:
(N64) The Ultimate Cheat List! The Big Cheat This incredible code is the mother of all cheats for this game! Many people have been wondering how to access warps easily. Access the “Enter Cheat” option from the Title Screen. On the Cheat Code Screen, enter the password for the Big Cheat. The code is as follows: NTHGTHDGDCRTDTRK. Now you will have everything you need for this game including invincibility, weapons, ammo, big heads, warps
Toy
Many Cheats
For all the tricks shown below, you must first press Start to pause at some point during the game. After each code is entered, you will hear a sound confirming that it worked.
Every Map Available
Hold the L Shift button and enter A, Y, X, B, Y, X.
Heavy Weapon
Hold the L Shift button and enter X, A, Y, B, A, X.
99 Heavy Ammo
Hold the L Shift button and enter A, B, X, Y, B, A.
New Machine Gun
Hold the L Shift button and enter
to levels one through eight and automatic warps to the Bosses of the game!
Many Cheat Codes
On the Title Screen with the menu, either choose Start Game or Enter Cheat. If you begin playing your game, press Start to pause it. A Pause Menu will appear with an option to enter your cheats here as well as the Title Screen. Highlight the “Enter Cheat” option and access it. On the Cheat Code Screen, put in any of the following codes to get the results shown here:
CMGTSMMGGTS: This code gives you all of the weapons. BLLTSRRFRND: The code gives you unlimited ammunition. FRTHSTHTTRLSCK: Unlimited lives are at your disposal.
Robin’s Cheat
Begin playing your game and press Start. The Pause Menu will
189
Also, read
В, А, У, X, А, В.
Toy Fixed
Hold L Shift button and press A, X, B, Y, A, Y.
Donkey Kong 64
Cool Codes
Get the Jetpac
After acquiring 15 Banana Medals, go to Cranky and play the Jetpac game. To obtain the Rareware Coin, you must get 5,000 pts. in the game. After you do this, take pictures of six fairies with your camera and you will be able to play the Jetpac game any time. Just go to the Mystery Menu to find this option!
Arcade Donkey Kong
You must first complete DK's Barrel Blast inside Frantic Factory and then a lever will appear. Grab the lever in front of the Donkey Kong Arcade game to play it. Now you must win the game by beating all of the
appear w nany options includ- ing one to enter your cheats. Highlight the “Enter Cheat” option and access it. On the Cheat Code Screen, enter RBNSMTH. This will give you “Robins Cheat” which t on multiple cheats including ility, unlimited ammo, all weapons and even a new Big Head Mode, where many of the enemies in the game have huge heads and lower voices!
Turok 2: (N64)
Awesome Codes
Enter any of these codes at the Enter Cheat Option on the Main Menu Screen, or when paused, access the Enter Cheat Option and enter a code.
Access the Cheats Option to turn on the cheats of your choice.
To get Big Head Mode enter:
The ultimate online
every month
TOP 10 TRICKS
The top 10 games of the last month given the full-on Trickman treatment:
1. : (Yellow) (GB
Easy Level Gain
To gain experience, switch the Pokémon you want to train with the top Pokémon on your list. When you go into battle, this Pokémon will appear. Switch to another Pokémon. Win the battle, and the begin- ning Pokémon and the fight- ing Pokémon both gain expe- rience points.
2. (Red) (GB)
Fight Safari Zone Pokémon
This allows you to fight and catch the Safari Zone Pokémon outside the Safari Zone. You must have a Pokémon with the Surf Ability. Go to the Safari Zone and enter the area where the Pokémon you are trying to catch is found. Stay in the section until time runs out. Go to the Seafoam Islands by surfing south of Fuchsia City. Don’t encounter any enemies on the way (not including the Pokémon in the water). On the edge of the islands, there is a strip that is half land, and half water. Surf on this sec- tion, keep going up and down until you run into an enemy, it will be the Pokémon from the Safari Zone. Now you can fight it, and use any Pokéball.
3. (Blue) (68) Find Codes
Send in the codes. If we print yours, you'll get a free game!
4. Pokémon (GB)
Animate Unevolved Pokémon
Go to the Pokédex , highlight an unevolved Pokémon. Press and hold the Start button to see the character move!
cont. on pg. 191
TRICKS
TOP 10 TRICKS
5. Pokémon Snap (N64)
Get Level 7
There is a special rainbow level that will send you to Space and let you capture a picture of the infamous Mew! First, get all of the Pokémon signs in each of the levels. Then Prof. Oak will open up a new level for you where you'll find Mew in a bubble. Stay in the middle and hit him with a pester ball three times as he passes. Then he will appear in the distance, throw the pester ball ahead of him so he runs into it as he passes. Do this three times. After Mew is out of his bubble, he will be chasing it. Hit him one more time and he'll be stunned. Move in close for a great picture that will get you a huge amount of points!
6. Driver (PS)
Awesome Codes Invincibility
At the Main Menu rapidly press L2, L2, R2, R2, L2, R2, L2, La, R2, R1, L2, La, L1. This option will now be unlocked in the Cheats Screen.
Get Rid Of Police
At the Main Menu rapidly press L1, L2, R1, R1, R1, R1, La, L2, Ra, Ка, La, La, R2. This option will now be unlocked in the Cheats Screen.
1. Final Fantasy VIII (Р5)
Producer Extraordinaire Here's a cool tidbit: With Selphie Tilmitt, each instru- ment has a preset “part,” and not all the instruments go with each other. Choose matching instruments for a more pleasant sonic experi- ence! Sax, Electric Guitar, Piano and Bass Guitar form a jazzy version of *Eyes on Ме,” while Guitar, Violin, Flute and Tap form a snazzy folk tune. The folk tune dia- logue is recommended.
cont. on pg. 92
stages (four in all). After you do this, beat the game once more to obtain the Nintendo Coin. Now, take pictures of six fairies with your camera. After returning to the Main Menu, go to the Mystery Menu and you will see an option to play the Arcade Donkey Kong game at any time!
NBA Courtside 2: Featuring Kobe Bryant
Three New Teams
At the Main Menu Screen, high- light either Quick Play or Arcade Play. Now press and hold C- Right+A buttons simultaneously. You will hear a swish sound two times if the code was done cor- rectly. Now at the Team Select Screen, scroll over until you see three Special Teams; The Nintendo Plumbers, Left Field Lefties and the Nintendo Gamers.
190
UBERNOODLE
[9
HEEERESJUAN Zacl
Reatly 2 Rumble Boxing
Many Cheats
More Classes
Select Championship Mode from the Main Menu. Then, choose New Game and enter your gym name as one of the passwords shown below.
Bronze Class Boxers
Put in BRONZE as the name of your gym. This also opens up Kemo Claw in Arcade.
Silver Class Boxers
Put in SILVER as the name of your gym. This also opens up Bruce Blade in Arcade.
Gold Class Boxers
Put in GOLD as the name of your gym. This also opens up Nat Daddy in Arcade.
cheat enter:
Champ Class Boxers
Put in CHAMP as the name of your gym. This also opens up Damien Black in Arcade.
New Costumes
In Arcade Mode, go to the Boxer Selection Screen and press C-Left+C-Up at the same time.
your c ters wear ipes enter: FROOTSTRIPE Unlock All Cheats To unlock every cheat in the game, go to the Main Menu, and access the "Enter Cheat" Option. Now enter the following cod BEWAREOBLIVIONISATHAN ll unlock all the cheats! tivate any of them, go to "CHEATS" section from the Main Menu to turn them on or off.
Easy Training
From the Main Menu, choose Championship Mode. After start- ing a new game, naming your gym and choosing a boxer, pick the Train Boxer option. Now highlight the Rumble Aerobics Training and press Left and then quickly press A. If you did it fast enough, you will purchase the Rumble Mass Nutrition Regime (which costs $25,000) for $500! This will boost your strength and experience very quickly. You can also purchase the Sway Bag for $500 instead of $1000 by press- ing Right instead of Left.
Roadsters Trophy Many Cheats
Enter any of these passwords as the driver's name on the Driver Select Screen to active the trick. Make sure you keep the upper and lower case letters intact as well as the spaces to make the code work. If you want to enter another trick, press Z and rename the driver again. АП codes will stay active until you enter CheatsOff as the driver's name:
Anyway - Race the circuits back- ward without winning the sec- ond and first division champi- onships.
Gimme ALL - Access to all
the cars from any division
and circuits.
fastBUCKS - You get $250,000
instead of $40,000 after you begin the Roadsters Trophy. EasyMoney - You get $1,000,000 instead of $40,000 after you begin the Roadsters Trophy. _Trophies - This gives you sec- ond and third division champi- onship wins after you begin the Roadsters Trophy. Now you can race in any division! (Note: There is a space before the T)! Smurfing - All the voices in the game are high-pitched. BigWheels-
Every car now has huge wheels. Skywalker - The cars will look
GoldenEye 007
Tons of Codes
Time Codes
Codes will be revealed by com- pleting each level under a certain time, at a certain difficulty level. Here are the levels and times you need:
Level 1: Dam-Paintball Mode- Secret Agent-2:40
Level 2: Facility-Invincibility-oo Agent-2:05
Level 3: Runway-DK Mode-Agent- 5:00 Level 4: Surface-2x Grenade Launcher-Secret Agent-3:30 Level 5: Bunker-2x Rocket Launcher-oo Agent-4:00
Level 6: Silo-Turbo Mode-Agent- 3:00 Level 7: Frigate-No Radar (Multi)- Secret Agent-4:30
Level 8: Surface2-Tiny Bond-oo Agent-4:15
Level 9: Bunker2-2x Throwing Knives-Agent-1:30
Level 10: Statue-Fast Animation- Secret Agent-3:15
Level 11: Archives-Invisibility-oo. Agent-1:20
like “Star Wars"-styled hover vehicles.
Car Radio - The cars will become small, like radio-controlled cars. There are no drivers and the action will be seen from the angles of the replay camera. Chopper - Top-down view as if filmed from a helicopter.
Extra Rez - You can change the resolution in the Options Menu (Note: This only works with a RAM Expansion Pak). CheatsOff - Turns off all of the active cheat codes.
NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC
Tonight's Matchup Codes At Tonight's Match-Up Screen, enter codes with the Turbo, Shoot and Pass buttons the number of times shown and press the pad or stick in the
Level 12: Streets-Enemy Rockets- Agent-1:45
Level 13: Depot-Slow Animation- Secret Agent-1:30
Level 14: Train-Silver PP7-00 Agent-5:25
Level 15: Jungle-2x Hunting Knives-Agent-3:45,
Level 16: Control-Infinite Ammo- Secret Agent-10:00
Level 17: Caverns-2x RC-P90s-00 Agent-9:30
Level 18: Cradle-Gold PP7-Agent- 2:15 Level 19: Aztec-2x Lasers-Secret Agent-9:00
Level 20: Egyptian-All Guns-oo Agent-6:00
Bond Photos (GameShark)
This code reveals pictures on the Selection Screen, of three James Bond actors from the movies. Using a GameShark, create a code called All Bonds (or any name).
Then enter: Aoo2B19B oo_ asa password. For the two spaces, enter 01 to see Roger Moore, 02 to see Timothy Dalton, or 03 to see Sean Connery. Begin game with one of the codes on, and
1-900-PRE VIEW
$1.49 per minute. Must be 18 years or older, Under 18 must have parents’ permission.
113 6439
The number to call for the latest cheats & gaming info
direction indicated (Ex. For 4-3-2 Up, you would press Turbo four times, Shoot three times and Pass two times and press Up). Tournament Mode
1-1-1 Down
Show Shot Percentage
0-0-1 Down
Show Hotspot
1-0-0 Down
No Hotspots (2p must agree) 2-0-1 Up
Big Head Mode
2-0-0 Right
Team Uniform (2p must agree) 4-0-0 Right
Alternate Uniform
4-3-0 Right
Midway Uniform
4-0-1 Right
Home Uniform
4-1-0 Right
Away Uniform
4-2-0 Right
then begin a multiplayer game. Sadly, you can’t play the Bond actors; the programming was removed from the game.
Secret Level Editor
Once you finish every level on the оо Agent difficulty setting (plus bonus levels 19 and 20), a special 007 Mode will open. This is an “Editor” screen, in which you can configure options such as Enemy Health, Enemy Damage, Enemy Accuracy and Enemy Reaction Speed!
Same Player in Multiplayer Plug in four controllers. Enter Multiplayer Mode and select four characters with each controller, having players three and four be the duplicates. Go back to the Multiplayer Screen and unplug controllers three and four.
Players one and two choose the players where three and four were. Go back to the Multiplayer Screen again and plug players three and four back in. Be sure to change the “Player” option back to four. Now when you begin your match, there should be two of the same character!
191
GameShark Codes NINTENDO 64
NBA Showtime: NBA On NBC
Infinite Creation Points 80165c52000a
Max Height 80165c410014
Max Power 80165c430014
Max Speed 80165c440014
Max 3 Ptrs 80165c460014
Max Steal 80165c470014
Max Block 80165c480014
Max Dunks 80165c490014 Choose АП Privileges 80165c530002
Resident Evil 2
Enable Code (Must Be On) f10004f02400, f10004f42400 Infinite Health 810e132200c8
Rapid Fire Press [В] + [A] d1014fa48010, 810e13180boo Enable 4th Survivor Mode 800e10efoo48
Enable Tofu Survivor Mode 800e10efoo49
Biohazard 2 Mode dooe10efoo40, 800e10efoooo Start on 2nd Scenario From New Game
800e110c0040
Toy Story 2
Infinite Lives
810bb10a0005
Infinite Battery 810bb106000d
WinBack
Infinite Health 8017aabboo64
No Reload Pistol 8017aab70009
No Reload Silenced Pistol 801587c40009
No Reload Shotgun 8017aab30008
No Reload Machinegun 8017aa9foo1e
Enable Max Power Mode 8015d4170001
TRICKS
Winback: Covert Operations
Max Power
This trick will give you all the game’s weapons with unlimited ammunition. On the main Title Screen that says, “Press Start,” quickly press C-Right, C-Left, C- Right, C-Left, C-Down, C-Up, C- Down, C-Up, hold the L button and press Start. You will hear a gunshot if entered correctly.
PLAYSTATION
Grand Theft Auto 2
Many Codes From the Main Menu, access “Play” and then “Player Name.”
Enter your name as one of these
codes for the results shown.
Hey Crash fans: Here’s a list of the best tricks from all the Crash games, old and new.
Crash Bandicoot (PS)
Ultimate Password
Enter this code at the Password Screen to access every level in the game: Triangle, Triangle, Triangle, Triangle, X, Square, Triangle, Triangle, Triangle, Triangle, Square, X, Triangle, Circle, Triangle, Triangle, Triangle, Circle, Square, Triangle, X, X, X, X.
LOSEFEDS - All Police gone. BIGSCORE - This gives you 10,000,000 points.
HIGHFIVE - You'll get the Multiplier x5
NAVARONE - All the weapons in the game are now available. LIVELONG - Unlimited energy. DESIRES -Max “wanted” level.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Many Codes
While the game is paused, enter any one of these codes for the results as shown:
Refill Health
Hold L1 and press Down, Circle, Up, Left, Up, Left.
Next Level Health
Hold L1 and press Right, X, Left, Triangle, Up, Down.
Maximum Health
Hold L1 and press Right, Circle,
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
(PS)
Extra Lives
Inside the second warp room, move up to the bear that’s bark- ing and jump on top of him con- stantly. This way, you will gain 10 extra lives (Note: This can only be done one time).
Crash Bandicoot: Warned (PS)
Free Apples
When you are playing a level that has the rock-throwing monkeys, after you have destroyed the vases that they occupy you can jump on the monkeys and get free apples.
Down, Up, Down, Up.
Refill Magic
Hold L1 and press Right, Right, Left, Triangle, Right, Down. Maximum Magic
Hold L1 and press Triangle, Right, Down, Right, Up, Triangle, Left. Pass Through Barriers
Hold L1 and press Down, Circle, Circle, Left, Right, Triangle, Up. Wall Climbing
Hold L1 and press Triangle, Down, L2, Right, Up, Down. Hurt Raziel
Hold 11 and press Left, Circle, Up, Up, Down.
Force
Hold L1 and press Left, Right, Circle, Left, Right, Left. Constrict
Hold L1 and press Down, Up, Right, Right, Circle, Up, Up, Down.
Force Glyph
Hold L1 and press Down, Left, Triangle, Down, Up.
Stone Glyph
Hold 11 and press Down, Circle, Up, Left, Down, Right, Right. Sound Glyph
Hold L1 and press Right, Right, Down, Circle, Up, Up, Down. Water Glyph
Hold L1 and press Down, Circle, Up, Down, Right.
Fire Glyph
Hold L1 and press Up, Up, Right, Up, Triangle, L2, Right. Sunlight Glyph
Hold L1 and press Left, Circle, Left, Right, Right, Up, Up, Left. Shift at Any Time
Hold L1 and press Up, Up, Down, Right, Right, Left, Circle, Right, Left, Down.
Many Codes
From the Options, choose “Password” and enter any of these codes into the Enigma Machine:
Unlimited Ammo
Enter your code as BADCOPSHOW.
4x Firing Rate
Enter your code as
192
ICOSIDODEC.
Reflecting Shots
Enter your code as
GOBLUE.
Unlock William Shakespeare Enter your code as
PAYBACK to play as this charac-
ми | |
ter in Multiplayer Mode.
Unlock Winston Churchill Enter your code as
FINESTHOUR to play as this character in Multiplayer Mode. Unlock the Raptor
Enter your code as
SSPIELBERG to play as this char- acter in Multiplayer Mode.
Cool Cheats
From the Main Menu, Choose the “Load Game” option. Then pick “Password.” Now enter one of these codes as shown. Don’t worry about the Bad Password warning. The codes will work: Turbo Ethan
Enter GOOUTTAMYWAY as your password.
Stiff as a Board
Enter SCAREDSTIFFF as your password.
PLAYER E
i
Longer Jumps
Enter BIONICJUMPER as your password.
Slow Motion Mode
Enter IMTIREDTODAY as your password.
See FMVs
Enter SEECOOLMOVIE as your password.
Developer’s Message
Enter TTOPFSECRETT as your password.
Level Select and
Classic Mode
This rather simple code will give you the ability to choose your starting level. At the Main Menu
Screen, press Circle and a Level Select Menu will appear. Now you can choose your starting level. If you pick level оо, you will be taken to the final level and after defeating the “retro” space invader boss, you will be granted with a new option called
SCOPE THESE OUT
Just in case you just got one of these two awesome titles for the holidays.
Snake’s Tuxedo
To play as Solid Snake in a tuxe- do, you’ll have to beat the game twice using your old save data to
reload new games. Then, on the third game, Snake will change into his tuxedo when he is on the elevator coming out of the dock.
Syphon Filter
Many Codes
Level Select
Pause the game, go into the Options Menu. Highlight the “Select Mission” option, then
“Classic.” Go back to the Main Menu and highlight the 1 Player Mode and press Left to reveal the Classic Mode. Press X and you will be playing the original arcade Space Invaders!
SUORECID HI SCORE SCORE<2> nasa quon
tarra tft A n "A 9 9 m ب بی بب эе n эө t э P de э Pt Hs ج Фк dts P v ит mmm этот зеље
~ ФА Pl mM -
~ У TREOTT OG
Test
Cash and Tracks
From the Main Menu Screen, move down to “Race Menu,” highlight it and press X. Now at the “Enter Your Name” Screen, put in any of these codes for the results as shown:
AKJGQ - This will give you $5,000,000 cash (buy any car you want)!
ERERTH - All the tracks are now available in the Single Race.
press and hold Left+L1+R1+ SELECT +Square+X.
All Weapons and Ammunition Pause gameplay and highlight the “Weapons” option. Hold Right+L2+R2+Circle+Square+X (in order). Note: Only the weapons normally available during the current level will become selec- table.
Hard Mode
While on “New Game” on
the Title Screen, press Left+L1+R2+Select+Square+Circle +X. You will hear Gabe say, “Damn it!”. When you start the fist level, the screen will say “Hard Difficulty” under the
area name.
Cinema Mode
When you begin the first level, go into the bar. When you get to the guy shooting at you from
tricksczd.com
We want your tricks! Plus, next month, we want to feature as many games as possible. Send us anything you have.
Metal 4
Sweet Codes
From the Options Screen, access the Password option. Now enter the button codes shown below for various results. You will hear an evil laugh if entered correctly. Unlimited Specials
Put in Triangle, L1, Down, Triangle, Up as your password. Now your special weapon will regenerate quickly, giving you the advantage!
Only Pick Up Napalms
Put in Right, Left, R1, Right, Circle as your password.
CPU Shoots Only You
Put in Right, Triangle, Right, Triangle, L1 as your password. You will be the prime target of all the vehicles!
behind some crates, shoot him, then go into that room and out the window. On the right is a fence and an elevator, on the left is an alley. Go down the alley and you should be in a street with flaming squadcars at the end. On the left side are three doors. Use the Sniping Mode to look up, and it should say “Theater” above the right door. Go up to the door and pause the game. Keep "MAP" highlighted, then press and hold in this order: Right+L2+R1+X. Gabe should say "Got it" after you enter the code. When you press START again, you should be in the theater. Enter either curtain and all the movies should appear. Press X to skip any of the movies and press START to go back to the theater.
193
TOP 10 TRICKS (CONTINUED)
8. Pro Skater (PS)
Awesome Codes
Enter cheats while paused. If entered correctly, the screen will shake.
Big Head Mode
Hold L1 and press Left, Up, X, Down, Up, X.
Special Available Anytime Hold L1 and press Square, Up, Left, Up, Circle, Triangle.
Get 10X Multiplier
Hold L1 and press Triangle, X, Triangle.
Get 13X Multiplier
Hold L1 and press X, Square, Square, Triangle, Up, Down. Slow Mo
Hold Lı and press Left, Square, Left, Square, Left, Square, Left. Get All Practice Mode Levels Hold [1 and press Square, Up, Left, Up, Circle, Triangle. Quit the level you are playing and go to the menu. You will have all Practice Mode levels.
9. Madden (Р5)
Tons of Codes
Enter code at the Code Entry Screen to activate cheat.
20 Yard First downs: FIRSTIS20 Super Stiff Arm: SMACKDOWN Super Jump: SPRONG
More Sacks: QBINTHECLUB Easier Interceptions: PICKEDOFF No Interceptions: EXPRESSBALL Less Penalties: REFISBLIND
Big Versus Small Players: MINIME
Camera Follows Football: VERTIGO
Antarctica Stadium: XMASGIFT Dodge City Stadium: WILDWEST All-Madden Team: TEAMMADDEN
10. 2000 (PS)
Find Codes
Hey race fans, we know you're out there! And we know you love this game. So why not send in some of your cool codes for this game? If yours makes it in the mag, you'll Score a free game!
TRICKS
More Holiday Gifts
Cool codes for the popular Tomb Raider series.
Tomb (PS) Access To All Weapons Go to the Inventory Screen by pressing Select. Now press the following: L1, Triangle, R2, L2, L2, R2, Circle, L1. You will hear Lara make a sound. Now press X. Go back into the Inventory Screen with Select.
Raider Il (PS)
Game Cheats
Level Skip: Sidestep left, side- step right, sidestep left, walk one step back, walk one step
More GameShark Codes
PLAYSTATION
Final Fantasy VIII
Infinite Amount All Items
5000c6020001
80077ebcffo1
Infinite HP Alexander
80078da4270f
80078da6270f
300776810001
Infinite HP Squall
8007780a270f
80077808270f
Level 99 Alexander
80078dacoo63
Level 99 Bahamut
80078dc40063
Level 99 Brothers
80078d700063
Level 99 Cactuar 07844900063
Level 99 Carbuncle
80078d7c0063
Level 99 Cerberus
80078da00063
Level 99 Diablos
80078d7c0063
Level 99 Doomtrain
80078db80063
Level 99 Eden
80078de80063
Level 99 Irit
80078d5800
Level 99 Leviathan
8007801880063
Level 99 Рапдетопа
80078d940063
forward, turn around three times, then do a front jump and turn around in midair (Up+Square, then Circle).
All Weapons: This trick is the same as the level skip except at the end do a backflip and turn instead of a front jump. You should hear a click if you did the
trick right. Tomb (PS)
Incredible Cheats
Level Skip
In the middle of the game with- out pausing, enter any of these cheats as shown:
All Weapons: L2, R2, R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, R2, R2, L2, R2,
Level 99 Quezacotl 80078d400063 Level 99 Shiva 80078d4c0063 Level 99 Siren 80078d640063 Level 99 Tonberry 80078ddcoo63
Medal of Honor Enable АП Cheats 800386aoffff Infinite Ammo doo461aaa462 800461aa2400 doo7dc26a462 8007dc262400
NBA Live 2000 Unlock All Legends 500400020000 8008267cffff
NBA Showtime: NBA On NBC Infinite Creation Points 300b4e16000a Choose All Privileges 300b4e170002
Max Height 8015abacoo14
Max Power 8015abb40014
Max Speed 8015abb80014
Max 3 Ptrs 8015abcooo14
R2, L2, L2, R2, L2, L2, R2. You'll hear a scream.
Fill Energy: R2, R2, L2, R2, L2, KZ LZ E252; E27 R2; Layla; 12; R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, L2. You will hear her grunt.
Level Skip: L2, R2, L2, L2, R2, L2, R2, L2, R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, R2, R2, R2, R2, L2. Lara says, “No.”
All Secrets (access All Hallows): L2, L2, L2, L2, L2, R2, La, РА рова 12; R2; о L2; R2; L2, L2, R2, L2, L2. Lara will sigh. Gives You Race Key at Lara's House: R2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, EEO 12, Ё2, 2, R2; L2, E2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, L2. Lara says, “No.”
Max Steal 8015abc40014 Max Block 8015abc60014 Max Dunks 8015abccoo14 Max Dribble 8015abdooo14 Max Stats 500а00040000 8015abacoo14
Quake И
Infinite Health P1 800cbda00064
Infinite Armor Р1 Воосућеообд
Infinite Shotgun & Super Shotgun Ammo Ра 800c7f3coo64
Infinite Machine Gun & Chaingun Ammo P4 800c7f3e0064
Infinite Grenades + Grenade Launcher Ammo Ра 800c7f400064
Infinite Rocket Launcher Ammo P1
800c7f420064
Infinite Hyper Blaster + BFG Ammo Ра
800c7f440064
Infinite RailGun Ammo P4 800c7f460064
Super Jump (Press Square) P1 dooczddo8000 80o0cbd86fec7
194
Top 5
Slots held by Pokémon titles in last month's top 20 sellers list.
Cool Stuff
Cheat Menu
At the Password 5 ‚ enter CHEATONX for the Cheat Menu. While playing, press Select to access the menu. Press Up or Down to choose a level and Right or Left to choose a zone Press A for invulnerability.
New Ship
At the Password Screen, enter PROJECTX to get the best ship in the game, the Excalibur Ship. Classic Mode
At the Password Screen, enter QRTREATR to unlock Classic Asteroids on the Main Menu.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis All Weapons In Chest 800d215c0001, 800021600002 800421640003, 800021680004 800d216c0005, 800d21700006, 800d2174000a, 800d2178000b 800d217coooc, 800d2180000d 800d2184000e, 800d2188000f 800d218c0010, 800d21900011 800d21940012, 800d21980013 800d219c0014
Infinite Ammo All Weapons 800d215e0003, 800d21620003 800d21660003, 800d216a0003 800d216e0003, 800d21720003 800d21760003, 800d217a0003 800d217e0003, 800d21820003 800d21860003, 800d218a0003 800d218e0003, 800d21920003 800d21960003, 800d219a0003 800d219e0003
Toy Story 2 99 Coins 800622260063 Have All Pizza Planet Tokens 800c16181f1f 800c161a1f1f 800c161c1f1f 800c161e1f1f 800c16201f1f 800c16221fif 800c16241f1f
1999 Readers’ Choice Awards Ballot
Send your ballots to:
EGM Readers’ Choice Awards liff-Davis Video Game Group РО. Box 3338
@ак Brook, IL 60522-3338
You know what to do. Complete the ballot below and zip it back to us by Jan. 15 (photocopies not accepted). Or screw the post office and vote online at www.videogames.com. Don't like our nominees? Write in your own picks in the space provided. Just make sure to choose games released in the U.S. between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1999. Check the March issue of EGM for the winners, as well as the editors' picks for the best of 1999.
Game of the Year: All Systems О Ape Escape (PS)
О Crash Team Racing (PS)
О Donkey Kong 64 (N64)
О Final Fantasy VIII (PS)
(О Medal of Honor (PS)
О Pokémon Yellow (Game Boy Color) О Rayman 2 (N64)
Û Super Smash Bros. (N64)
Û Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast)
О Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)
a
Game of the Year: Dreamcast О NFL 2K
О Sega Rally 2
О Sonic Adventure
С Soul Calibur
(О Toy Commander
о
Game of the Year: PlayStation (О Ape Escape
О Crash Team Racing
Û Final Fantasy VIII
О Grandia
(0 Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
a
Game of the Year: Nintendo 64 (О Donkey Kong 64
(О Jet Force Gemini
(О Mario Party
(О Rayman 2
ÛJ Super Smash Bros.
a
Game of the Year: Handhelds
О Card Fighter's Clash (Мео•бео Pocket Color)
О Mario Golf (Game Boy Color) (О Pokémon Yellow (Game Boy Color) О Sonic Pocket Adventure (Neo*Geo Pocket Color) О Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (Game Boy Color) О
Action Game of the Year: О Ape Escape (PS)
(О Driver (PS)
С Medal of Honor (PS)
Û Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (PS) О Winback: Covert Operations (N64) о
Shooter of the Year:
(О Armada (Dreamcast)
О Missile Command (PS)
С Omega Boost (PS)
О R-Type Delta (PS)
О R-Type DX (Game Boy Color) c
Adventure Game of the Year: О Donkey Kong 64 (N64)
О Dino Crisis (PS)
О Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (PS) О Rayman 2 (N64)
Û Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS)
Q
Strategy Game of the Year:
О Command & Conquer (№64)
О Civilization II (PS)
О Dune 2000 (PS)
О Vandal Hearts II (PS)
О Worms Armageddon (PS/Dreamcast) О
Multiplayer Game of the Year:
О Mario Golf (N64)
О Mario Party (N64)
C] Worms Armageddon (Dreamcast/PS) О Wrestlemania 2000 (N64)
Я You Don't Know Jack (PS)
ü
Sports Game of the Year:
О FIFA 2000 (PS)
О Madden NFL 2000 (PlayStation/N64) О МВА 2K (Dreamcast)
О NBA Live 2000 (PS/N64)
О NFL 2K (Dreamcast)
О
Fighting Game of the Year: О Bloody Roar 2 (PS)
Ч Power Stone (Dreamcast)
С Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)
О Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS)
О Virtua Fighter 3tb (Dreamcast) Q
195
Racing Game of the Year:
О Beetle Adventure Racing (N64) Crash Team Racing (PS)
О Gran Turismo 2 (PS)
О Sega Rally 2 (Dreamcast)
О Star Wars: Episode I Racer (N64) Q
RPG of the Year:
О Final Fantasy VIII (PS)
О Final Fantasy Anthology (PS)
О Grandia (PS)
О Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS) С Star Ocean: The Second Story (PS)
ü
Puzzle Game of the Year: О Ballistic (PS)
О Lode Runner 3D (PS)
О Q*Bert (PS)
О The New Tetris (N64)
О The Next Tetris (PS)
ü
Best Graphics:
О Donkey Kong 64 (N64)
О NFL 2K (Dreamcast)
Û Rayman 2 (N64)
О Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast) Û Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)
О
Best Music:
О Final Fantasy МИ (PS) О Jet Force Gemini (N64) О Medal of Honor (N64) О Umjammer Lammy (PS) О Vandal Hearts |! (PS) Q
Best Sound Effects:
О Final Fantasy VIII (PS)
О Medal of Honor (PS)
О NHL гооо (PS)
О Silent Hill (PS)
О Star Wars: Episode | Racer (PS) Q
ELECTRONIC) LV b
E—E MONTHLY,
@
FINAL WORD
Imagine a bunch of guys sitting around
discussing something seemingly important in the World of video games. That's what Final Word is
The Decline Of Arcades
Chris Johnston
Crispin Boyer
What do you think? If you have any comments on our Final Word tonic each month, send us your thoughts to EGM@zd.com Mark your e- mails Final Word
chris_johnston@zd.com Crispin_hoyer@zd.com john_davison@zd.com shawn smithGzd.com Che chouGzd..com
Chris | remember back in the day where I could walk into an arcade and play games like Altered Beast, Rampart, Q-Bert, Pac- Man, etc. There was a lot of variety in the kinds of games being made. Now | walk into an arcade and get to decide between four different racing games, two different sports games (Blitz and Showtime), and whatever fighting game is the flavor of the month. That's about it. Or there's those deluxe machines where it's a dollar to play and you don't get more than a minute of game time. I'm not saying that
arcades.” current arcade games aren’t good...but it’s the same old thing. The same thing is happening in Japan with music games, but at least they have something different, something new. The decline of arcades is really the industry’s own fault—by churning out cookie-cutter games and making deluxe machines that are too expensive to play, they are killing off arcades.
Crispin | blame it all on Street Fighter ||. Look at it this way—that thing came out in 1992 and people were lining up to play it. The arcades almost took on a Fight Club mentality, 'cause everyone was challenging each other. The SFII coin-op cost the arcade guy $1,600 or so to buy, and it's making $900 a week because everyone's ga-ga over it. Then Mortal Kombat came out and split gamers into two camps: MK fanatics and Street Fighter purists. Arcade operators were buying nothing but clones of those games, because that's what they thought gamers wanted, but they were really just shrinking their audience. No average Joe gamer wanted to walk into an arcade and get trounced by a gang of experts on the newest Street Fighter clone.
John They're not so much 'games' now as they are novelty items. | think the home game market has had a big effect...people don't need to go to an arcade to see something really impressive any more. | can remember when arcade technology was always leagues away from what the home systems could do. Virtua Racing came out in the Genesis heyday—and even though the game was ported,
nff
1g out cookie-cutter games 2 hines that are too expensive to pi
nothing except a real high-end PC could match the graphics. Now we have a console that's the same hardware as a top-of-the-line arcade unit. People need more than graphics now...they need ridiculous force-feedback things, stuff like that stupid Prop Cycle game, skateboards you can jump on, units that move and vibrate. | don’t think arcades are necessarily just racing and shooting...it's almost like the ‘savvy’ arcade operators are trying to give complete fantasy ‘thrill ride’ situations...like that mine car thing.
©
naking
ü n
Shawn Yeah, arcades and especially LBE facilities are completely about amusement these days. The idea of an arcade 'game' is all but gone—they're more like interactive arcade experiences, and you can't really play them from beginning to end on one token. Is this a bad thing? | don't think so. Home games are so different than their arcade counterparts as far as depth is concerned. It makes sense over-the-top arcade units like the ones around now are the standard. You want something memorable if you're going out on the town for a night of gaming. You want entertainment; not something you can experience at home. Che | think the home market has everything to do with the decline of the arcade scene. Remember when home ports always meant some sort of sacrifice? Bionic Commando, Ikari Warriors 2 and Renegade for the NES all turned out to play nothing like their arcade counterparts. Nowadays with games like Soul Calibur, people expect nothing less than perfection...and as a result, the future of gaming has been handed down to the consumer market. For me, this is a real shame. | miss the days when you looked to arcades for early forecasts of things to come. | miss marveling at the latest arcade boards.
| miss arcade cabinets that only had a joystick and three buttons. | miss the community you felt with other fighting game freaks when you waited in line to beat somebody's ass in King of Fighters '95. Screw the Bemani generation, | want my 2D vertical shooter clones!
| |
| Vice President, Тах .. | Vice President, Treasurer | Vice President, Human Resource:
| Director .
| | | | | |
| Publisher, PC Week
1D INC. CHAIRMAN AND CEO Eric Hippeau
Timothy С. O'Brien lason E. Chudnofsky
Chief Financial Officer ... President, 20 Events . President, SmartPlanet .. President, 20 Corporate Operations President, ZD Publishing . President, ZDNet ... President, ZD Education .
Dan Rosensweig
Chris Dobbrow | ті Holbrooke | Michael S. Perlis |
„.. Лету Nulty |
President, 2077... „Larry W. Wangberg | Senior Vice President, „J. Malcolm Morris General Counsel and Secretary | Senior Vice President, ........................ Daryl R. Otte Development and Planning
Senior Vice President, ...................... 1 Charlotte Rush Corporate Marketing |
Vice President, Controller ..
Vice President, Information Technology. Vice President, Corporate Programs . .
е President, Business Development Vice President, Corporate Research . . . Vice President, Marketing Communications
Integrated Client Sales Executive Vice President
Executive Vice President
„Мапсу Newman ‘Aaron Goldberg
Executive Vice President/Publishing .............. Лот McGrade
| 20 Publishing, General Manager
| Senior Vice President .... . Rita Burke Vice President, Corporate Sales . cott Murphy ZD PUBLISHING President СЕО Michael 5. Perlis Executive Vice President/Publishing ................ Jack Dolce | The Enterprise Group.
Executive Vice President/Publishing ............ Michael J, Miller PC Magazine
Executive Vice President/Publishing ............. Jim Spanfeller Consumer Publications
Senior Vice President/Publishing .................. Peter Longo |
Publisher, PC Magazine
Senior Vice President/Publishing Publisher, interactive Week
Vice Present Publishing 3 Editor, PC Weel
Vice President/Publishing .. Editor in Chief, Yahoo! Internet
Vice President/Publishing, Production
Sis £o en xen a acie Alan Periman
„John Dodge | eM б. Barry Golson |
Roger Herrmann |
Vice President/Publishing +++ Тот Jones Publisher, Computer Shopper | Vice President/Publishing .................... 1 Eric Lundquist |
Editor in Chief, PC Week
Vice President/Publishin Editor in Chief, ZD Publi
Vice President/Publishing . . . International & Integrated Sal
EDS Bill Machrone
„Jim Manning
Vice President/Publishing ...................... Charles Mast | Circulation
Vice President/Publishing ен. Robin Raskin Editor in Chief, Fami
Vice President/Publishing ..................... Sloan Seymour
Vic President Publishing
Editor in Chief, PC Computing Vice President/Publishing, Game Group ............. Dale Strang Vice President/Publishing ..................... 1 Paul Turcotte
Publisher, Yahoo! Internet Life
ZD Labs Vice President and General Manager Chief Technology Officer, 20 Labs . .
Director .
к oe eS ee
m Paul Somerson |
ШЧ
Win the new Sega . Dreamcast system!
В ба
(6. #2
|| The Ultimate over 52000001 paves ming Rig}!
Puzzle Me, Inc. “We Make You Think...”
Я + S | == 5$ + "c - i ^ Ы Күрс: “ LL To 97 EI | е - . 4 E [7] E: 4 Lo
You have the POWER. In this contest you don't rely on the luck-of-the draw. You determine if you win or not. You win by outscoring others in a game of skill. Can you solve the puzzle below? It looks simple, but its only the start. Each of five more puzzles will get harder. But this time its all up to you. Stay in to the end with the highest score and the gear is yours. With whatever options you want. Do you have what it takes? Then play to win!
Computer Contest. Win a blazing fast computer with 500 Mhz MMX Pentium Il, 128 meg. RAM, 14 Gig. HD, DVD, Windows 98, modem and more!
Video Game Contest. Play on the hi-tech cutting edge with this line-up: Sony Playstation w/ ASCII control pads; Sega Dreamcast!; Game Boy Pocket; and Nintendo 64! Get all four or trade the ones you don't want for CASH! Bonus options include: 33" monitor, $1,000 in games you choose, cash, accessories and more!
Yes!
Media Rig Contest. The Ultimate Gaming Environment, 60 inch monitor, 130 watt receiver w/ Dolby Digital Surround, DVD and all components shown. Win DSS Satellite Receiver as а BONUS OPTION! This rig will blow you away!! We're talkin’ GAMING HEAVEN! Directions. Fill in the Mystery Word Grid with words oing across that spell out the Mystery Word down the side. Hint: use the Mystery Word Clue. In the future. For each contest there will be four more puzzles at $2.00 each and one much tougher final at $1.00 which will be sent о you by mail. You will have 3 weeks to solve each puzzle. We don't know how many will } ay but Don 55% will have the highest score possible score to Phase І, 43% to Phase Il, 36% to Phase Ill, and 32% to Phase IV. Highest score in the final determines the winner. If players are still tied they will split the value of the grand prize they are playing for.
ENTER ME TODAY, HERE'S MY ENTRY FEE: [0 ($3.00) Video Game Contest
[0 ($3.00) Media Rig Contest
[0 ($3.00) Computer Contest
[0 ($5.00) SPECIAL! Enter them all (SAVE $4.00)
Age
TVW ОМУ ало
Address
Ci
А WRECK .C TURBO
„К PRESS
Н SLANT У WORD CLUE: WORLD RULERS HAVE IT AND IN THIS CONTEST YOU HAVE IT
ДЕ CHASE..
ity
[=> ЗЕМО
State Zip
CASH, CHECK, MONEY ORDER TO: A PUZZLE ME, P.O. BOX 9315 PORTLAND, OR 97207-9315
ENTRY FEE MUST BE INCLUDED li ineligible. Winners 511 SW Park
Verifiable retail value of the prize packages as follows: Media Rig Contest package $7,012.00 core components shown, bonus options $3,449.00, cash options $1,250.00. Computer Contest package $2,500.00 for computer, bonus options $2,337.00, cash options $1,250.00. Video Game Contest $1,000.00 for systems shown, $3,549.00 bonus options, $1,250.00 cash options.
PLAYSTATION DREAMCAST Тиме Release Pact — Тт Rast Рак Тт Ваз: Price Tme Виш Price Hot Wheels 09/99 $39.99 Paper Boy 02/00 $42.99 Аде of Empires 02/00 $49.99 Alien Resurrection 01/00 $44.99 — Jet Moto 3 09/99 $39.99 Pong 11/99 $3299 Armada 11/99 $48.99 Alundra 2 03/00 $48.99 Juggernaut 10/99 $44.99 Quake 2 10/99 $42.99 Baldur's Gate 1199 $52.99 Army Меп Air Attack 11/99 $39.99 Jurassic ParkWarpath 11/99 $39.99 Rainbow Six 11/99 $42.99 Castlevania Resurrectn 01/00 $49.99 Baldur's Gate 12/99 $49.99 Killer Loop 10/99 $46.99 Renegade Racers 12/99 $42.99 Dark Angel Vamp Apoc 02/00 $48.99 Black Bass/Blue Marlin — 11/99 $44.99 — Knights of Carnage 10/99 $39.99 Resident Evil 3:Nemesis 11/99 $51.99 Dreamcast Controller 09/99 $29.99 Broken Sword 2 12/99 $44.99 Knockout Kings 2000 11/99 $39.99 Romance 3 Kingdoms 6 02/00 $49.99 CTR:Crash Team Racing 10/99 $39.99 Last Defense Armada 02/00 $46.99 Dreamcast Visual Memory09/99 $29.99 Caesars Palace 2000 12/99 $39.99 Legacy Kain Soul Reavr 08/99 $42.99 Scrabble 11/99 $42.99 — Dynamite Cop 11/99 $49.99 Carmageddon 2 12/99 $42.99 Legend of Legaia 03/99 $42.99 Sledstorm 08/99 $39.99 ECW Hardcore Revoltn 03/00 $49.99 Chessmaster Millenium 10/99 $42.99 Looney Tunes Space Race 11/99 $46.99 So. Prk Chefs Luv Shack 12/99 $44.99 Evolution 11/99 $49.99 Chocobo Racing 08/99 $39.99 Space Invaders 10/99 $39.99 Fighting Force 2 12/99 $49.99 Macross VFX 12/99 $42.99 Spyro the Dragon 2 11/99 $42.99 House of the Dead2 09/99 $49.99 Clock Tower 2 11/99 $39.99 Madden Football 2000 08/99 $39.99 Star Ocean Second Story 06/99 $42.99 Incoming 11/99 $46.99 Colony Wars 3 Red Sun 03/00 $42.99 March Madness 2000 12/99 $42.99 Suikoden 2 09/99 $39.99 Int'l Superstar Soccer 01/00 $48.99 Cool Boarders 4 10/99 $42.99 Mayhem 02/00 $44.99 Supercross 2000 11/99 $4299 МОК2 03/00 $46.99 Countdown Vampires 03/00 $46.99 Medal of Honor 11/99 $39.99 ТОСА Tour Car Champ 2 12/99 $42.99 Marvel Vs. Capcom 10/99 $48.99 Crusaders Might Magic 01/00 $42.99 Messiah 03/00 $39.99 Tenchu 2 03/00 $44.99 Мах Payne 11/99 $48.99 Destruction Derby 3 04/00 $44.99 Meti Gear Solid VR Miss 10/99 $39.99 Test Drive 6 11/99 $42.99 Missile Command 11/99 $46.99 Die Hard Trilogy 2 11/99 $42.99 Mission Impossible 11/99 $42.99 Test Drive Off Road 3 10/99 $42.99 МВА Showtime NBA/NBC 11/99 $49.99 Dino Crisis 09/99 $49.99 — Monster Rancher 2 09/99 $39.99 Thousand Arms 10/99 $48.99 NFL QB Club 2000 12/99 $49.99 Duke Nukem Planet Babes03/00 $44.99 — NASCAR Rumble 03/00 $42.99 Thrasher-Skate & Destroy 11/99 $44.99 Dune 2000 11/99 $39.99 МВА Live 2000 10/99 $39.99 Tiger Woods 2000 02/00 $39.99 Red Line Racer 12/99 $48.99 FIFA Soccer 2000 10/99 $44.99 МВА Showtime NBA/NBC 11/99 $44.99 Tomb Raider Lst Вет 11/99 $4299 NCAA Final Four 2000 11/99 $42.99 Sega Rally Champion 11/99 $49.99 Fighter Maker 06/99 $42.99 NCAA Game Breaker 200008/99 $39.99 Tony Hawks Pro Skater 10/99 $42.99 Soul Fighter 01/00 $49.99 Fighting Force 2 12/99 $42.99 NFL бате Day 2000 08/99 $39.99 Toy Story 2 11/99 $42.99 — Speed Devils 11/99 $46.99 Final Fantasy VIII 09/99 $49.99 NHL Face Off 2000 10/99 $39.99 Twisted Metal 4 11/99 $39.99 Streetfighter Alpha 3 12/99 $49.99 Frogger 2 12/99 $42.99 Need Speed V Rally2 11/99 $39.99 Vandal Hearts 2 02/00 $44.99 Supreme Snowboarding 12/99 $49.99 Galerians 02/00 $44.99 PSX Dual Shock 05/98 $29.99 Vigilante 8 2 Offense 12/99 $39.99 Suzuki Extreme Racing 11/99 $49.99 Gallop Racer 09/99 $48.99 PSX Memory Card 09/95 $14.99 WWF Smackdown 03/00 $42.99 Test Drive 6 12/99 $49.99 Gran Turismo 2 12/99 $44.99 Wild Water Champion 11/99 $44.99 Virtua Fighter 3 10/99 $49.99 Grand Theft Auto 2 10/99 $39.99 Pac Man 3D World 10/99 $44.99 Х Men 30 03/00 $42.99 — Wild Metal Country 01/00 $48.99 Grandia 10/99 $39.99 Panzer General Assault 02/00 $42.99 Xena Warrior Princess 10/99 $42.99 Zombie Revenge 02/00 $48.99 NINTENDO 64 USED GAMES GAMEBOY COLOR Armorines 12/99 $54.99 Rainbow Six 11/99 $59.99 PSX Bugs Bunny 4 02/00 $28.99 Asteroids Hyper 64 11/99 $52.99 Beyond the Beyond 09/99 $29.99 Dark Angel Anas Quest 02/00 $28.99 Bass Masters 2000 12/99 $54.99 South Park Rally 11/99 $59.99 Breath of Fire 3 09/99 $29.99 Deer Hunter 11/99 $28.99 Blades of Steel 2000 12/99 $56.99 расе Invaders 12/99 $5299 Disruptor X 09/99 $24.99 Game & Watch Gallery 3 12/99 $28.99 Carmageddon 64 11/99 $54.99 Star Soldier 01/00 $54.99 Legend of Legaia 08/99 $32.99 Castlevania Spec. Ed. 12/99 $54.99 Starcraft 01/00 $54.99 Magic Carpet 09/99 $22.99 Knockout Kings 11/99 $28.99 ‘Super Mario Adventure 04/00 $59.99 Off World Interceptor 08/99 $24.99 Light Magnifier Asstd Colr06/99 $7.99 ECW Hardcore Revoltn 03/00 $54.99 Thrasher:Skate & Destroy 11/99 $59.99 Powerboat Racing 09/99 $24.99 Link Cable Asstd Colors 06/99 $7.98 Gauntlet Legends 09/99 $54.99 Tiger Woods 2000 02/00 $54.99 Silent Hill 08/99 $34.99 МВА Courtside 3-on-3 12/99 $28.99 Harrier 2000 12/99 $66.99 Топу Hawks Pro Skater 12/99 $54.99 Spot Goes to Hollywood 09/99 $24.99 ^ Pokemon Yellow 10/99 $34.99 Jet Force Gemini 10/99 $52.99 Top Gear Rally 2 11/99 $59.99 Wing Commander 4 08/99 $3299 Rally Racing 02/00 $28.99 Toy Story 2 11/99 $54.99 N64 Madden Football 2000 09/99 $54.99 Chameleon Twist 08/99 $29.99 — Space Invaders 11/99 $34.99 Mini Racers. 02/00 $59.99 Vigilante 8 2 Offense 12/99 $5499 Cruisin’ USA 09/99 $29.99 ТММ Outdoors Fishing 11/99 $28.99 N64 Controller Asstd Color10/96 $26.99 Virtual Chess 64 06/98 $49.99 GT 64 Racing 08/99 $29.99 Towers Lord Baniff 11/99 $32.99 N64 Expansion Pak 12/98 $28.99 WCW Mayhem 09/99 $5499 Killer Instinct 09/89 $39.99 МЛМ Wrestlemania 2000 11/99 $29.99 N64 Memory Cart 11/96 $11.99 WWF Attitude 09/99 $66.99 Mario Party 08/99 $39.99 WWF Wrestlemania 2000 11/99 $62.99 PilotWings 64 09/99 $39.99 BOARD GAMES | NAMCO Museum 64 11/99 $3699 War:Final Assault 10/99 $64.99 Super Mario Kart 64 09/99 $32.99 Axis & Allies 11/04 $49.99 NASCAR 2000 09/99 $54.99 Wild Water Champion 11/99 $59.99 Dreamcast Battletech 4th Ed. 12/94 $21.99 NBA Courtside 2:30n3 11/99 $5299 — WinBack 10/99 $54.99 Blue Stinger 11/99 $39.99 Car Wars Deluxe 07/96 $21.99 МВА Јат 2000 12/99 $59.99 Worms Armageddon 11/99 $56.99 Hydro Thunder 11/99 $39.99 NFL ОВ Club 2000 09/99 $59.99 Power Stone. 11/99 $39.99 Diskwars Asstd Armies 07/99 $8.99 Nightmare Creatures 2 03/00 $56.99 Xena Warrior Princess 12/99 $59.99 Sega Sports NBA 2K 11/99 $39.99 El Grande 11/98 $34.99 Paper Boy 64 11/99 $56.99 — Yoshi's Story 64 03/98 $39.99 Sonic Adventure 11/99 $39.99 Guild Wars 12/98 $34.99 Perfect Dark 04/00 $59.99 — Young Olympians 06/00 $56.99 Tokyo Extreme Racer 11/99 $39.99 Lionheart 10/97 $34.99 Quest 64 Part 2 12/99 $62.99 — Zelda Gaiden 11/00 $6699 WWF Attitude. 11/99 $3999 1051 Cities 06/99 $17.99 COMPUTER GAMES & HARDWARE Robo Pally а На Abomination 10/99 $34.99 Half Life 11/98 $29.99 Railroad Tycoon 2 Gld 09/99 $39.99 — Sushi-Jalapeno War 01/99 $39.99 Age of Empires 2 09/99 $48.99 Rainbow Six Gold 06/99 $27.99 Ultimate Stratego 08/99 $25.99 Asheron's Call 12/99 $44.99 Half Life:Game of Year Ed 07/99 $39.99 Revenant 10/99 $34.99 Warhammer 40K 11/94 $69.99 Baldur Gate w/EP 1 12/99 $39.99 Homeworld 09/99 $34.99 Rogue Spear 1099 $36.99 Пит ТЕКТҮҮ Battlezone 2 11/99 $39.99 Indy Jones Infrnl Mchne 11/99 $48.99 — Septerra Core 11/99 $39.99 HINT BOOKS Bugs Bunny Lost Time 09/99 $39.99 Interstate 82 11/99 $3999 50-27 Flanker 2 11/99 $45.99 Blue Stinger OSG 10/99 $11.99 C&C 2: Tiberian Sun 08/99 $39.99 Jane's USAF 10/99 $38.99 Thief Gold: Dark Projet 11/99 $24.99 Castlevania Resurrectn 01/00 $17.99 Cutthroats 09/99 $34.99 Madden NFL 2000 09/99 $37.99 Tomb Raider 4 11/99 $33.99 ClockTower2 Off Srv Gde10/99 $11.99 Daikatana 12/99 $38.99 Master of Orion 2 11/96 $9.99 Dino Crisis 09/99 $10.99 Delta Force 2 11/99 $38.99 Messiah 12/99 $39.99 WarCraft 2 Battle.net Ed 10/99 $19.99 Descent 3 06/99 $29.99 MS Flight Sim 2000 10/99 $59.99 Hardware. Final Fantasy VIII 09/99 $12.99 Descent 3 06/99 $29.99 MS Flight Sim 2000 PE 10/99 $75.99 — 3Dfx Voodoo3 3500 08/99 $249.99 — Gran Turismo 2 11/99 $12.99 Descent 3 Mercenary 11/99 $27.99 Myth: Total Codex 11/99 $19.99 Diamond Monster MX300 01/99 $89.99 House of the Dead 2 10/99 $10.99 Nations Fighter Command 10/99 $35.99 Legacy Kain Soul Reaver 09/99 $10.99 Diplomacy 11/99 $45.99 Odium 11/99 $37.99 Everglide Mouse Surf 11/99 $12.95 Perfect Dark 04/00 $10.99 Disciples of Stee! 09/96 $5.99 Omikron: Nomad Sou! 11/99 $39.99 Fortissimo Sound Card 10/99 $49.99 Pokemon Trdng Crd бте 10/99 $10.99 EverQuest 03/99 $44.99 Pharoah 11/99 $39.99 Махег Gamer 3D Prophet 10/99$289.99 Resident Evil 3 1199 $12.99 Forgttn Rims Silver Ed 08/99 $29.99 Planescape Torment 11/99 $39.99 Maxi Gamer Cougar TNT2 10/99 $119.99 Saitek X-36 Cont Sys 05/98 $107.99 Tomorrow Never Dies 11/99 $12.99 Grand Theft Auto 2 10/99 $44.99 Раде of Mages 2 10/99 $27.99 Ѕайек X-36F Joystick 04/98 $69.99 — Vandal Hearts 2 01/00_$12.99
Visa, MC & Discover accepted. Checks held 4 weeks. Money Orders under $200 same as cash. COD $8. Price, release, availability, shipping times & offer not guaranteed & are subject to change at any time. Hardware may require added S&H. Within 10 days defectives repaired or replaced at| lour discretion. After 10 days the manufacturer's warrantee applies. All sales final. S&H calculated on a per order, per shipment, and per item basis. The "рег order" charge is charged once per order placed, the "рег item" charge г
a àced, the ‘per ite га Prony Express Expr To М is charged once for each item ordered and the eu shipment ыо is | ШАШ] ET EC AQ. UNE Um charged once for each shipment we make to you. For еасі order $10.00 Las 2308 — 2 Day D ilias DM Das will be allocated to а 12 issue subscription to Computer Games Strategy Plus. | Shemen 510 5200 ш 58 рш > Call for details. Per пет. $075 S100 $100 $200 $200 _ $600
00 CHIPS & BITS, INC.
STARCRAFT:
‘STARCRAFT 64’ 24th century A.D. Terrans are at war. But the invasion by 2 suprahuman species forces them to join in a fight for survival. 60 missions include multiplayer, original & all new. Play as the Terrans, the Zerg or the Protoss. Erect & defend structures, build & deploy weapons & vehicles, train troops, repair buildings, & launch attacks.
Nintendo (Strategy)
Release: 1/00 N64
‘VIGILANTE 8: SECOND OFFENSE’ features destructible environ- TE, ments, morphing vehicles, special «| attack moves & multiplayer options. Blast your way through 12 arenas across the U.S. & hidden areas. Pilot your arsenal loaded vehicle through curves, high 44] speed highways & more.
PSX N64
Activision (Simulation) Release:12/99
“ALIEN RESURRECTION’ A fast paced adventure. Aliens are invading the vessel Auriga to wipe out the human race. Use your wits & a fast trigger finger jon loads of hi-tech weaponry to stave off the attack. Real time 3D envi- ronment & plenty of aliens
to blast away! Fox Interactive (Shooter) Release: 1/00 PSX
“CASTLEVANIA: RESUR- RECTION’ Summoning the powers of Hell, the dark Countess of Castlevania has created a portal for Dracula to re-enter our world, along with a raft of Suck-ups anxious to do his E bidding. But remember:
» while you сап dress to kill
if you lack the skill, your night is really gonna suck! Konami (Roleplaying) Release: 1/00 Dreamcast
“VANDAL HEARTS II" In а М | medieval world where Же = knights & magic are very "NV | much alive, a story unfolds \ in a mix of drama & struggle for honor. This turn-based Strategy game has over 120 weapons & armor to choose | from, each with their own ® imbedded secret moves, mind-blowing spell and spe-
| cialized attack animations Konami (Roleplaying) Release: 12/99 PSX
ion
PlayStat
3i
HARVEST MOON 64' is a >” т unique blend of a role playing game with that of a farming simulation game. Harvest Moon 64 offers all the charm of the original Super Nintendo classic with lots of new surprises and game play features. Tons of vegetables & ani- mals. Customize your home with a variety of add-ons. Over 50 charac- ters to interact with.Marry the girl of your dreams.
Crave (Roleplaying) Release: 12/99 БЕ A04
BRESoftware.Com
1000s of New & Used Dreamcast, PlayStation & Nintendo 64 Games Cheats, Codes, Reviews - FREE Newsletter & Catalog - Updated Daily
All Used Games CW БЕ EI ARMY VEN SAGES HER 39451800 RUGRATS Include Original Е 4 А жы ird Boxes, Original 0 A 219100 Instructions апа т
а 90 Day Warranty.
ПЕ? ше $548 RORIS p Pop тов OEE ; E SORE E села Н $ E Dreamcast. & Er pun $ SA SUPET SMS Deos We Sell Used /We Buy Сет Used y
ONKEY KONG WEXPAASION
24951200 RESIDENT EVIL RESIDENT
100 ROAD RASH 30, OAD RASH LAREN WHE ATU 5 ۸ WWE WARZONE 2 WWE WRESTLEMANIA К 47 S808 0,
of call for tiles not listed
CASH fo systems
The following are buyback prices only
NASCAR 2000
7001 7501 9001 wih Dual hock Nintendo 64 Dreancast 5 (DO CONTROL PAK 12954
TNNHARDCO XTREME RAC PLOTWINGS 64 POKEMON SNAP QUA
Dreamcast ties, see
htt. buyback bresofivare.com or call fortes not ist
CALL FOR NEW DREAMCAST
GAMES
24951000 TINY TANK.
оп ONLINE ORDERS placed at BRESoftware.Com - Enter 'EM2FR' in the comments section for FREE
- standard shipping. See website for Online Price: Len Е а А А alid thru 2/28/2000. Not valid on previous orders.
PlayStation" 2 or with any other offers. We Sell Used / We Buy р Ц То Buy Games
мт s Ол a tul sized ресе of pap, write your пате, complete
phone number and a ist o al he tems you wouid ik to order xr order, ist an atemabve for each е у: lor he tem you wish ing charges ($8.00 for he frs! ‘Alaska, Нама, PR, VI, Guam. APO,
money orders and 60 days o rece A. Send your order to the address below.
To Sell Games
1. On a tul szed ресе of paper, write your гате, 0 phone number and a ist ol al ре gamesjsysiems Кө you are sling, (or use te fom at hp 2 H you would ike to purchase games wth te money or credit received, е боб you would ike to order on te same piece c paper хх your çames, а paperwork ала алу coupons г а бок. Ser box tome address below by UPS or re the Фер ғ onthe outside d 0 he Dept ересногтесенва dart curent catalog prices, 4. You wil nomaly receive your check within 7-12 busin we receive your package
We Buy & Sel al _ Send your Games/Systems/Orders to: Play Staton Wes, see
"mw" BRE Software ‘i Dept. EM2 352 W. Bedford Ave, Suite 104 Fresno, CA 93711 E-Mail: info @ bresoftware.com EE soo NE NER Credit Card Orders (559) 432-2684 MESA Cheats & Codes
Senn mew мени http;/cheats.bresoftware.com
Ttes ITALICS we nere and may ronal dsp asas box петим andan teo maps Ры were res wt gare, Fo Dreamcast aes o йл ê NA дате we wl ced $0 reach тазлу damaged bor, S40 each misselcaraged nsructon too. Games nen тнеш co Agnes are ей га,
я ЕЕ
we тула тез. No пілы
78754 tx We ёт snp ste те
raks Par тиресе
маале іс. бден
Get Paid to Surf the Web!
Earn $.50/hour - www.GetPaidAlot.com - Earn Money when your friends Surf!
RS |. The
DIE TO PLAYING YOUR BEST! of tricks Playing and codes for all and DIE console systems! from the experts! High-detailed Special Features reveal all on secrets and items! & у к, СО ТО ТНЕ Codes Tips Stellt ^. NEXT LEVEL Ad UN
Ne tand 2257 EXPER KG AMER 2 bere Wizy com.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU МОЈ 87
Е m к=
Master Ай 10 Years!
Mailt o = Westen ==
You're the Hero Мом!" www.whizgig.com
Azure Dreams
Dukes of Hazzard Game&watch 3 Ghost'n' Goblins Knockout Kings 2000 Mission Impossible NBA Live 2000 WCW Mayhem Bionic Commando Dragon Warrior Monster Shadow Man
Casper
Quest RPG
Bugs Bunny 4
Star Wars Racer Resident Evil
Armada
cBy Gameboy
Evolution Rainbow 6
| Street Fighter Alpha 3
Test Drive 6 Castlevania Resurrection Resident Evil CV
| NHL 2000 | Star Trek New Worlds
Space Invaders MSR
Toy Story 2
Super Cross 2000
| UEFA 2000
Sega® Dreamcast ll
Chocobo's Dungeon Die Hard Trilogy 2 Fear Effect
Tomba 2
Gran Turismo 2 Macross VF-X 2 Fighting Force 2 Fatal Fury WA
NBA Shootout 2000 Saga Frontier 2 Jackie Chan
Lunar 2
Rayman 2
Spec Ops
Silent Bomber
Lego Rock Raiders Smurfs
Detonator Superman
PHONE ORDER 212-290-0031
www.gexpress.com
4> Playstation
|| M Nintendo64
Gamos Still Available
Asteroids Hyper Castlevania Legacy Harvest Moon 64 Star Craft 64 Ridge Racer 64 Caesar's Palace Looney Tunes Tarzan
Battle zone
Airboardin’ USA
40 Winks Bassmasters 2000 Excite Bike 64 Harrier 2001
South Park Rally Worms Armageddon
Fights: Posters, Keychains, Wallscrolls, Models, Plush Toys, Аз] Electronic Toys, Mini Figures, Videos, Import Books, Candy, О • 300 • Game Gear Mini-Coin Bank, DVD and more. ini ө Game Boy • Virtual Boy 4 4 = • Genesis © SuperNintendo К x Ad 0 x = o 32X • 32X ср • Зеда СО • Јадџаг • Јадџаг СО
i Y 7 E. Xo UN ^ A ET мш тї тю? LE тї м Wb м’
"Fr" LY ћ ш:
m ыы мо ми мо мо ми WS nS юп ма ма
на ps
тл жили? VOL 23 VOL 24 YOL 25 VOL 26 YOL 27 "a VOL 28 VOL 30 VOL 31
FINAL FANTASY @
ACTION FIGURES FOR FINAL FANBTASY 7 AND 8 ARE AVAILABLE
FINAL FANTASY 8 KEYCHAIN SET
FINAL FANTASY 8 INTERNATIONAL MEMORIAL ALBUM FINAL FANTASY 8 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
FINAL FANTASY 8 POST CARD BOOK
N м e А y n TIU Pu tA
жо тп ши шз OaS v mu е un
FINAL FANTASY 8 SEAL BOOK ACTION FIGURES \ FINAL FANTASY 8 WALLSCROLLS AND POSTERS DBZ Super Battle Collection VN : DBGT Super Battle Collection v.28-42 : ALSO:
Xenogears Memorial Album Xenogerars Perfect Works Saga Frontier 2 Perfect Work; Parasigte Eve Illustraitons
NEW! v.37, v.38, v39 & v.42 DVD Movies Are Available!!!
DRAGONBALL 4
Toll Free Order Line: (888) GAME-CAVE
Info Line: (626) 930-1300
Specials are limited to stock on hand and in most cases quantities are limited, Prices are subject to change without notice. Shipping and handling are extra. Retums subject to evaluation and re-stock fee. import PlayStation games аге not compatible with newer systems. Call for details. Artwork copyright their respective companies. All rights reserved.
Video Games
wi PEPTECT ^| wu" "рај
GoldenEye engine and undergoing devel- opment at the hands of
the very same team responsible for that high- tension classic, Perfect Dark ups the ante on its predeces- sor in virtually every depart- ment. The story is far more Soul Reaver for Dreamcast now runs D г ambitious, the objectives faster and smoother than ever! z3 | e more rigorous, the gadgetry Running at a blazing 60 FPS, and k more ingenious and the sporting all new beefed up textures 3 . enemies more vicious.
and models, Soul Reaver will swallow US == те => 7 „25
your soul!!!
VÀ Lay down the smack in kh \ MF's latest wrestling game WWF Smack Down!... Features all of "© your favorite characters with their signature moves and more!
Armada $44.99 ien Resurrection March Madness 2000 $36.99] [40 Winks $45.99 | NHL Blades of Stee! 2000 $43.99 Caesars Palace 2000 $42.99 Psychic Force 2012 5 [Army Men Sarge's Heroes $35.99 | Mulan $34.99| |Airboardin USA $43.99 | Nuclear Strike 64 $44.99 Carrier $49.99 | Rainbow Six 5 Caesar's Palace 2000 $32.99 | NASCAR Rumble $36.99) | Army Men Sarge's Heroes $45.99 | Paper Boy $43.99 Castlevania Ressurrection $47.99 | Rayman 2 Carmageddon $32.99 | NBA іп the Zone 2000 — $34.99| — |Battetanx Global Assault $45.99 | Perfect Dark $57.99 Dark Angel: Vampire Apocalypse $49.99 | Resident Evil Code Veronica $42.99] ^ |Chocobo's Dungeon 2 $34.99 | NCAA March Madness 2000 $36.99 | Battlezone 2 $48.99 | Rat Attack $32.99 Deep Fighter $43.99 | Re-Volt y Crusaders of Might & Magic $35.99 | NHL Blades of Steel 2000 $34.99| | Big Mountain $45.99 | Rayman 2 $53.99 Draconous: Cult of the Wyrm $40.99 | Sega Rally 2 5 Die Hard Trilogy 2 $34.99 | Official Formula 1 Racing $34.99 | — | Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling $44.99 | Ready 2 Rumble $45.99 Dynamite Cop $45.99 | Shadow Man t Elmo in Grouchland $34.99 | Reel Fishing 2 $38.99, | Caesar's Palace $48.99 | Resident Evil 2 $53.99 EGG $49.99 | Soul Fighter I ESPN NBA 2000 $34.99 | Renegade Racers. $32.99 | Carmageddon $45.99 | Re-Volt $45.99 Evolution $49.99 | Speed Devils y |Ееаг Effect $34.99 | Road Rash Jailbreak — $37.99| |Carnivale64 Call | Rocket Robot on Wheels $44.99 Fighting Force 2 $37.99 | Street Fighter Alpha 3 i Fighting Force 2 $34.99 | Sim Theme Park $33.99| | Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness $45.99 | South Park Rally $45.99 Grand Theft Auto 2 $44.99 | Tee Off Я Intellevision Classics $24.89 South Park Rally $36.99 | | Destruction Derby $44.99 | Space Invaders $43.99 Hidden & Dangerous $44.99 | Test Drive 6 x Iron Soldier 3 $34.99 | Special Ops $34.99 | Donkey Kong 64 $57.99 | Starcraft 64 $47.99 Incoming $44.99 | Toy Commander 5 | Jackie Chan $34.99 | Superbike 2000 $36.99) | Fighter's Destiny 2 $45.99 | Supercross 2000 $46.99 Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 $43.99 | Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense 544. | Jeff Gordon XS Racing $35.99 | Teletubbies $30.99) | Harvest Moon $48.99 | Tony Hawks Pro Skater $45.99
VIE CE
Jimmy White's Cue Ва! $42.99 | Wetrix A | Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 $36.99 | Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2000 $37.99) | Jer Grath Super 45.99 Vigilante 2nd Offense — $45.99 Microsof Combat Fight Smuaton $49.99 | Wild Metal Country ү Knights of Carnage $30.99 | Tomb Rader The Last Revelation $34.99 | | Lego Racers $46.99 | V-Rally $43.99 NBA 2000 $45.99 | Worms Armageddon t Lego Racers $35.99 | Vermin $34.99| |МК Special Forces $43.99 | World League Soccer 2000 $45.99 NBA Showtime. $42.99 | WWF Attitude. Ў [Lego Rock Raiders $35.99 | Wild Wild West $34.99| |МВА in the Zone 2000 $43.99|Worms Armageddon $40.99
que
Street Fighter EX 2 Plus OyberTiger Hydro Thunder Import PSX U.S. №4 U.S. №64
$59.99 $46.99 $53.99
Crazy Taxi Import DC
$59.99
be a Aero Dancing Todorokis HD $54.99 | Langrisser Millenium $54.99] | Beast Wars Metals
— $54.99) Gran Turismo 2
100 Years of Field & Stream $77.99 | Mission Impossible $24.99 All Japan Pro Wrestling 2 $54.99 | Lune Caster $54.99 | |Во Hazard Gun Survivor $58.99 | Grandia 1602 AD $31.99 | MLB ESPN: Sports Center $15.99 Baldur's Gate $54.99 | Mercurius Pretty $54.99] |Brightis $58.99 | Harlem Beat Anachronox $33.99 | MTV Music Generator — $26.99
$54.99 | Metal Max 3 $54.99 | | Chocobo Stallion 558.99 | Jo Jo Adventure.
Blaze and Blade $24.99 | No Fear Mountain Biking $26.99 $54.99 | New Japan Pro Wresting 4 $54.89] | Countdown Vampires $58.99 | Koudelka Be
der Zone $25.99 | Official For cing '99 $22.99
Black Matrix AD $54.99 | Panzer Front $54.99] | Dark Tales from the Lost Soul $58.99 | Legend of Mana $58.99 | с Game Hunter 3 Exp. Pack $17.99 | Operational А $38.99 Carrier $54.99 | Rainbow Cotton $54.99| | DDRevo Append Club Ver. 1 $38.99 | Macross Remember Love$58.99| | Dark Reign 2 $38.99 | ¢ КЫА, $26.99 Dancing Blade Complete $48.99 | Revive $54.99 | |Оеуітап $58.99 | Macross VFX $38.99 | | Dawn of War $21.99 | Pro 18: World Tour Golf $35.99 Death Crimson 2 $54.99 | Space Channel 5 $54.99 | | Dewprism $58.99 | Macross VFX 2 $54.99 | | Die Hard Trilogy 2 $36.99 | Risk 2 $32.99 Ecco the Dolphin $54.39 | Space Griffon Hamlet $54.89] | Dragonball 2 Legends — $37.99| Panzer Front $54.99 | Dukes of Hazzard $21.99 $40.99 Elemental Gimmick Gear $49.99 | Speed Devil $54.99 | | Dragonball Z U22 $37.99 | Patlabor the Game $54.99 | | Extreme Drag Racing $15.99 | Soldier of Fortune $44.99 Eternal Arcadia $54.99 | Star Gladiator 2 $54.99] | Dragon Quest 7 $58.99 | Psychic Force 2 $54.99 |Giants $44.99 | Star Trek Armada $44.99 F-1 World Grand Prix $54.99 Steet Fighter 3 Dbl Impact $54.99 | | Dragonball Final Bout $37.99 | Rival Schools 2 $58.99 | Half Life Team Fortress $42.99 | Star Trek Klingon Academy $44.99 Geist Force $54.99 | Street Fighter 3 Impact W$54.99| | Exciting Bass 2 558.99 | Rockman 4 Special $38.99 |Ниед Guns $37.99 | Star Trek. New Worlds — $44.99 Giga Wing $54.99 | Super Producers $54.99 | | Fatal Fury Wild Ambition $48.99 | Rockman 5 Special $38.99 | | Imperial Conquest $40.99 | Star Wars: Force Commander $37.99 Grandia 2 $54.99 | Super Runabout Е | Final Fantasy Collections $54.99 | Sokaigi $63.99 | | Imperium Galactica 2 535.99 | Super Hornet F-18
Gundam SS 0079 $54.99 | Undercover AD 2025 х Fire Pro Wrestling $58.99 Star Ixiom $49.99) Пе Mans $24.99 Hiyruu No Ken Retsuden $54.99 | Virtua On & | Front Mission 3 $58.99| Valkyrie Profile. $54.99 | (Magic the Gathering: Gold $23.99 Jo Jo Adventure $54.99 | Zombie Revenge Gaia Master_ $58.99 | Wild Arms 2 $52.99| |Меїаі Fatigue $38.99
ИИ ИЯ LE DINE
Get geared-up for the bloodi- est vamp wars ever as you + prr enter Castievania's 12th E НТ D I L О incarnation, Step into this iaka tangled-trap-filled castle, 3-50 J ready to whip and slash В " |" Assume the role of Gustave XIII, a young ‘As one of five distinct character types, explore the world these suckers to Hell and ү Resurrection У prince who's been ехй from his home- of Diablo Il, joumey across distant lands, fight
land due to his inability to conjure magic. new vilains, discover new у.
7 Ey 3 + Set in а world where magic rules over all, ‘treasures and uncover = 4 SaGa Frontier 2 blends beautiful graphics | ancient mysteries with an epic storyline to deliver a truly j inue experience Windows Ne bAa.
аль жь
СУ е.
о о m ш u = o Ш
Place your order on our secure web site
WWW- gamercave.c om
ame Cave makes it easy to find and order the hottest ti ables, import music, a posters, DVD and much more at the absolute lowest me Cave is
les in
s. wallscrolis, ings bad ass!
Available Colors • Clear Purple
Available Colors • Frozen Mint
Available Colors + Anthracite
• Clear / 4 • Blue • Sherbert Melon
+ Green • Clear • Skeleon Black
• Yellow A * Ocean Blue * Skeleton Green /
* Platinum Silver * Soda Blue
* Stone Blue
U.S. systems also available. Visit our web site at wwW.gamecave.com or call for available colors.
NeoGeo Pocket Color System NeoGeo Pocket Color's 16 bit CPU generates unbelievable graphics and superior game play. Loads of awesome games to challenge and entertain everyone of all ages. Pack your Pocket for infinite fun to take anywhere. Get Pocket Power!
Import Game Boy Color System These import versions of the world's most popular hand held system will play Japanese AND American games. With hundreds of games to choose from and at a price like this, now there's no reason not to own one
WonderSwan System Ё 25 Squaresoft, Namco, Konami, Bandai... They're all here. You know if the big boys have signed on that this baby rocks. Ghouls and Ghosts, Evangelion, Beatmania, Klonoa, just to name a few... WEEEEE!
$19.99
Baseball Stars $27.99 | Metal Slug 2nd Mission (Import) $39.99 Mary Kate & Ashley $23.99 || Beat Busters (Import) $39.99 | Neo Cherry Master $28.99
$18.99 Biomotor Unitron $29.99 | Neo Dragon's Wild $28.99
Armada: Secret Weapon $23.99 Bust-A-Move $27.99 | Neo Mystery Bonus $28.99 Armonnes: Project Swarm $23.99 | NB, Crush Roller $23.99 | Neo Turf Masters $31.99 Azure Dreams $23.99] Dark Arms Beast Buster 1999 $33.99 | Pac-Man $26.99 $24.99 Digital Primate (Import) $39.99 Pocket Tennis $24.99
Б 98 Nini " Fatal Fury $31.99 | Puyo Pop $27.99
Oddworld Adven ^ 4 King of Fighters Adv. (Import) $39:99| Puzzle Link $26.99
$18.99 | Polaris Snow Cross 2000 $24.99 King of Fighters R-2 $31.99 | Rockman Pocket (Import) $39.99
Metal Slug 1st Mission — $31:99| Samurai Showdown 2 $31.99
Shenmue Orchestra Final Fantasy 8 4CD Wild Arms 2nd ignition
Dark Angel: Anna's Quest $19.99 $58.99 $23.99 Darts —
Deer Hunter
Dragon Warrior. Monsters F-18 Thunder Strike
Langrisser D 539. .99 Macross World $39.99 | MSVS Gundam $39.99 | Pocket Fighter $39.99 | Rockman & Forte
Hot Wheels Stunt Track Driver International Rally
at! Track & Field
ош Kings 20
Metal Gear Solid
Vigilante [Army Men Sarge's Heroes $12.99 | Pokemon Yellow Final Fantasy 8 Soul Calibur Orig.
Magical Dr $23.99 | VR Powerboat Crusaders of Might and Magic $12.99 | Power Stone Arranged $39.99 Orig. $19.99 $19.99 Magical Tetris Challenge — $23.99 | WCW Mayhem Donkey Kong $12.99 | Rainbow Six
Mask of Zorro $23.99 | Wick fing Indiana Jones Infernal Machine $1 ‘Soul Calibur 4
Micro Machines 1 & 2 $24.99 Armageddon Jet Force Gemini $12.99 | Tomorrow Never Dies
Microsoft Puzzle $23.99 Juggemaut $12.99 Virtua Fighter 3TB
Waliscrolis Waliscrolis Waliscrolis Waliscrolis DE ИВА ~ di
Wild Arms Original $19.99
Chrono Trigger Orig. 3cp $42.99
Final Fantasy 6 Oi 30D $39.99
Final Fantasy 4 Се! Fantasy 6 Gra Final Fantasy Pray Ghost in the Shell Anime Ghost in the Shell PS Ong. G Rock Arranged 99 n Azel Complete 200. $35.99
Moons
Vampire Digimon Final Fantasy 8 Ninja Scroll Xenogears хезер ооо Song Princess Miyu #8 #1 #12 #1 #1 #1 $28.99 | Serial Expenments Lain Оппа! $19.99
$16.99 | Sar Ocean Second Story Orginal 200 $32.99
$28.99 | Sailormoon Memori $72.99 $29.99
n 2 on $2 Works 6CD
Xenogears Original 20D
InterAct AC Cable
$6.99 InterAct Astro Pad $21 ЕЈ InterAct AV Cable 57. InterAct Quantum Fighter Рай 524. % InterAct RFU Adapter 59. interAct S-Video Cable $7. 39
InterAct AC Cable $3. InterAct MultiPlayer Adpater $18. se InterAct RFU Adapter $7.9! Nyko AV Adapter 56. 39 Nyko Classic Trackball $29.99 Nyko Extender Cable $7.99
InterAct AC Cable $42.99 InterAct Extension Cable $7.99 InterAct Tremor Pack $6.99 Nyko AC Power Adapter — $18.99 Nyko Extender Cable $4.99 Nyko Game Switch $5.99 InterAct Game Shark $21.99 InterAct Mega Memory Card 524, 99 Nyko Pocket Vision 99 Nyko Power Grip seal Nyko Power Pak $14.99 Nyko PowerLink $5.99
Nyko RF Game Switch Nyko S-Video Cable
9 Pelican Extension Cable
Pelican Memory Card 4 МЕС $28.99 9 Pelican RF Switch
Pelican S-Video Cable
PSX Accessories
99 Nyko Multi-Tap Adapter
$18.99
Nyko Super Cobra Light Gun $28.99 Pelican 72x Memory Card $33.99 Pelican Light Gun $1299
$6.99
Pelican S-Video Cable Pelican X-Wing Contro!
Nyko Hyper Alpha 64 Original Controller Original Controller Pak Pelican AV Cable Pelican Memory Card Pelican Super 64 Anak
Pelican Recharge:
$6.99 geable Battery $7.99 Pelican Survival Kit $24.99
La Gaurdian Figure Series These Final Fantasy figures come completely assembled
and pre-painted in amazing detail
1. Ifrite
3. Odin 4. Siren
2. Cerberus
Vinyl Fi igure Series
These
vinyl fig- ures come pre- assembled & paint-
ed to pure perfection!
ELECTRONIC,
NEXT MONTH ИМЕ Магсћ 2000 шва Iuba | On sale Feb. 8
• First info on the new Star Wars Episode One game...Jedi Power Battles
Driver 2
We bring you the first big exclusive of the new millennium. Reflections and GT Interactive are already well on the way to finishing the follow- up to one of the biggest games of 1999. We'll bring
you the first look at the
game, along with
interviews with the team,
and news on the future " ofthe Driver franchise. Driver з оп PS2 апуопе?
• The big Dreamcast games for 2000 and beyond. What's the next big thing?
• Pokémon lunacy continues. Each month we'll bring you all the Pokémon information that's out there. When will , the hacklash begin?
* The countdown to Perfect Dark begins. Are you excited yet?
• Tricks for all the hottest games.
February 2K February 2K
Check out OPM's reviews of top titles like Vigilante 8: Second Offense, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (also on the Demo Disc!), SaGa Frontier 2, The Smurfs, Thrasher: Skate & Destroy. Then cruise on over to OPM's massive Gran Turismo 2 strategy and learn how to master all the courses and ace the
Un sale Jan. 18 On sale Jan. 25 Demo Disc Gran Turismo 2 Playahles Get ready to burn rubber as we * Tomba! 2: The Evil kick off the new millennium with Swine Return coverage of the hottest racer • Ballistic the PlayStation has ever seen—
* Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
• SuperGross Circuit
* MTV Sports: Snowboarding
* Intl. Track & Field 2000
Non Playables
* Hot Shots Golf 2
Medal of Honor
driving tests. Don’t miss all the latest previews on the hottest games of the new millennium—
that is, if we all survive the Y2K meltdown!
204
Gran Turismo 2. With more than 500 cars and 20 tracks, this baby’s gonna keep you driving fans busy for a long, long time. We'll also have the second halves of our Donkey Kong 64 and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation guides, as well as new stuff like Tomba! 2, Fear Effect, and more! Best of all, we've got a little surprise for you Pokémon fans out there...(Did somebody say Gold and Silver?).
"АП editorial content is subject to change.
Advertiser Index _ Official
FfuncoLand
Contest and 300 Company............. 58-61, 117, 119, 122-123 Sweepstakes S u per S tore propose TEM NE 9, 24-29, 151 Rules
Trick of the Month www.funcoland.com
WWW.FUNCOLAND.COM 1-888-684-8969
cM ME ў j Letter of the Month
i No Purchase Necessary: To en
send your.
at lude your
Е , 0 * Get all your Pokèmon supplies at FuncoLand!
ES 28 &A i
* New & Pre-played
* Buy & Sell online!
Sega(9 Dreamcast. +. УМ c ~ € GAME GEAR seres SUPER NINTENDO
Fungo Ine. : 10120 W- Téth 2t Mple, MN 85344
205
fou know in that Sci-Fi thriller - hacker kid taps into
Wer. there ain't nobody coming for you.
грчепблрод oiueBueqAo опоц-ре
UMO опол SI чаил әшоо зизаор з! бита Auo aua ‘зе; ц ууч-а eaeAiud UMO „под 986 uana пол puy ‘ээ® од диеәш USASU ƏLƏM пол зеца smau squods pue еруазају 'ивпш Buipeeu аопод 'зебедејадв pue sepoo биҳоојип au,noÁA 'Aueppns ‘әѕләлип бишеб әзелма e озш рәүе!р eu,noA pue Wa sks ешеб tg @OPUSIUIN 4noÁ ози! pueogAe» pue шерош aua бпіа под ‘ход eua uedo пол uaym ѕшбәд eunqus^pe 241
"цопш ооз mouy пол 'Ajusppi
ее ==
0 Ш 0 Ш E < Ir Е 0
GAME SAVES
ONLINE
SHARKWIRE™
Mk j
“ E!
С 3 ЊУ РИ m AME Sone secrets come
f back to haunt you.
Just days after surviving the grisly disaster at the mansion lab, Jill Valentine resigns from 8.T.A.R.8. and attempts to escape a nightmarish city in ruins. Trapped in a town crawling with hordes of flesh-eating zombies, hideous mutants, and a relentless new nemesis, she must rely on cunning and brute force to stay alive. What she soon discovers is that the evil created by Umbrella Corporation’s bio-tech terror is even more horrifying than she ever imagined...
CONTENT RATED BY PlayStation ®
www.capcom.com
© CAPCOM CO., LTD. 1999 © CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. RESIDENT EVIL 3 NEMESIS and CAPCOM EDGE are trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
they are not lost permanently.
People interested in helping out in any c
please visit us af www.retromags.c
No profit is made from these scans, nor do we offer ar available from the publishers themselves.
[f you come across anyone selling releases from this site, please do not support them and do let us know.
Thank you!