NEW FINAL FANTASIA КЕ ПО ЪДНУШЕ NINTENDO 64 • PLAYSTATION • PS2 • DREAMCAST ° HANDHELDS + ARCADE Ca. ONIG " EN ST. RIKE | =), Pax CF K EXCLUSIVE: SEGAS ONLINE ARSENAÛ > ТНЕ NEW SONIC BARW n А >PHANTASY STAR REVIEW ONLINE > QUAKE Ill: ARENA ЭМЕЕ > МЕС 2K1 AND MORE 1 А Те PLUS, Т Y O ЕПА PREVIEWS н METAL СЕА E, & GAME BOY COLOR REVIEW 2 SPYRO > í FEATUREDINSIDE чш > SOUL REAVER 2 <РОКЕМОШ GARD HAME HEYI YOU, PIKACHU! p PLAYS IAD NAV REOL RE LODE: VERONICA P POWER STONE 2 ез با‎ (E 64 > ONIMUSHA? WARLORDS: ену 94 > THE WORLD 15 NOT ENOUGH THE WORLD'S #1 VIDEO GAMES MAGAZINE FOR 10 YEARS ` pm а d 06960 в 14024 — — — = TEEN IT THE KNIGHT IN SHINING BONE MARROW 1S BACK. Sir Dan's back. And the world is a dark and sinister place. The evil Lord Palethorn’s spell has turned London into an ип-јоПу old place. A gang of sadistic villains now roams the streets. And it's up to Sir Dan to destroy them with his lethal arsenal — Gatling guns, torches, axes, his own removable arm and more. Between the mighty battles and baffling puzzles, Sir Dan's facing a deadly challenge. He'll need smarts and some helpful friends — a mad professor, a wily ghost and his Egyptian princess girlfriend — to prevail, Demonic terror has a new address. And you wouldn’t want to be caught alive in a place like this. MEBIEVIL. LE A GOTHIC JOURNEY TO DIE FOR. BON B IS | DL Ul UL ai INE | я OLLED BY SADISTIC THERMO-TE 4 DORS LIFE HA | ad CEMENTS ARE COMING... m En de he ACTION/ADVENTURE MULTIPLE DECISIONS. SEARCH. SOLVE. GOES HIGH-SPEED. MULTIPLE OUTCOMES. AND DESTROY. = Lose yourself in a heart-pounding Every decision becomes crucial as Search computers and bodies to find 3-D thrill-ride that stretches across you change routes, engage enemies, clues; then dispose of terrorists using 30 different cities and 12 countries. and alter the outcome. 10 different military weapons. www.activision.com С Animated E- Blood & Gore ACTION-PA KED CDs Exungn] Animated Violence “> PlayStation Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn O 2000 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn is a trademark of Activision, Inc. Published and distributed by Activision, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc. 7 АМ rights reserved. 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. All other trademarks or trade names are the properties of their respective owners. jeye1edes pjos шафзАв pue әшеку шоогориәјши’ммл ‘ощ еоџәшу JO OPUAJUIN 0002 O "opuajuiN JO 5нешәррд әле 0607 suods „№, euj pue E) 'OPUAJUIN 0002 © EDITORIAL Lights...camera... (Inter) ACTION! By Joe Funk joe_funk@ziffdavis.com hen asked why he became the first man to climb Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary responded simply, “It was there.” The same situation exists right now in our industry with online gaming—it’s an uncharted territory of Himalayan proportions. We all know it's the next step in gaming, but who will claim the prize? intriguing. By forming their own ISP, Sega 15 basically making the hardware an appliance like a telephone— it's the experience on the other end of the line that really matters. On paper, Sega's assault on the mountain appears to have some real potential. But are they simply paving the way for Sony and Microsoft (who have done such a good job of building on the pioneering "Sega plunged a shiny new ice pick in the mountain and ushered in an important new era in the history of video games this month..." Sega plunged a shiny new ice pick in the mountain and ushered in an important new era in the history of video games this month when it announced the most ambitious and detailed plans yet for an online component for the Dreamcast. Here are the highlights: е Sega is first to offer free hardware to gamers who subscribe to its new high-speed Internet service provider. (Check the cover feature for more info.) * Sega's the first to offer online console games, from Quake III Arena to Phantasy Star Online. * This'll be the first time gamers on a DC can play against those on a PC (although the developers of Quake III are still ironing out the kinks). The hardware giveaway is particularly efforts of others that they've been spoofed on The Simpsons) to lay in the weeds and exploit the pioneering network's flaws and expand on its success? Sony dismisses Sega's hardware giveaway as a reflection of “ebbing confidence in a platform with limited shelf life.” Maybe they're right, but we're here to applaud Sega's initiative: Somebody's got to round up the Sherpas and establish that first base camp. And this may be the most significant campsite since the inception of cartridge-based gaming on the Atari 2600. Sega must not only take the lead, however; they must execute well. For unlike mountain- climbing, this climb is not about who is first— it's about who lasts. Joe Funk m Michael Price We called Mike a pussy last issue, so he went and got a third degree black belt in Chen To-un kunk fu and jammed three of our editors’ noses into their brains. (Cmon— you don't really think Shoe, Che and Ricciardi quit this dream job of their own free will, do you?) Now Mike's more qualified than ever to preview the industry's most violent games. He also hopes to someday tangle with one of them Dead or Alive gals. The Milkman is neither plant, mineral nor vegetable. He is a force unto himself, and operates on the principals of cold-fusion. Fear not the Milkman, for he is the friend of children, small animals, the elderly, and of course gamers everywhere. He is most importantly, your friend. This does not mean he doesn't have superpowers, and he will use them when provoked. Keep an eye on him. Andrew Pfister By the time you read this, Andrew has completed his third (and hopefully next-to-final) year at UW- Madison, home of Bennett Ball and daily anti-sweatshop protests. Between magazine deadlines, 15- page research papers, and final exams, marathon sessions of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 and a few Rolling Rocks are the perfect way to unwind. Baseball, cookouts and video games—ah, sweet summer. ELECTRONIC GAMING = MONTHLY Number 13.6 June 2000 G Publisher rep el isher ran Editorial Director J. E. Funk ° joe funkGzd.com Editor In Chief "ohn. Davison * john_davison@zd.com Managing Editor Dean Has er e dean hagerGzd.com Features Editor Crispin Boyer е crispin_boyer@zd.com Hardware Editor awn Smith е shawn_smith@zd.com Reviews Editor Mark MacDonald * mark macdonaldGzd.com di Ne ank God Fo! Chris Johnston е cl ris johnstonQzd.com Senior Associate E itor Kraig Kujawa Sl Associate Editor . Greg Sewart е greg_sewart@zd.com Tricks Editor. б, Terry Minnich e tricks@zd.com West Coast Editor Wataru Mosam * wat_maruyama@zd.com Contributions to this month's EGM were made by: lan Di На * Sam Kennedy е John McC е James Mielke е Andrew Pfister Pixel Pushers Design е Michael Price wis Ds Office CERAM movie inja from the imension С . Sushi x 'zd.com Senior Art Director Cyril Wochok е cyril. wochokGzd.com Art Director Andrew Burwell е andrew burwell&zd.com Art Director E$ Jim Cordano е jim_cordano@zd.com TOKYO BUREAU Mixx Entertainment "Stuart ew CEO 8, Bureau Chief Matthew Galgani, Producer Kiyomi Fukuyama, Editorial Manager Yutaka Ohbuchi, Japanese Correspondent Managing Copy Editor Jennifer Whitesides Production Director Фаро Lugo епог i isa Manager Peter Discoe Prepress Manager Dave McCracken Project Leader "Mark Lefebvre e mark. lefebvreGzd.com Vice President/Game Group Dale Strani Business Director .. Cathy Bendoff Circulation Director .. Joan Мсіпегпеу Circulation Director Shirley Viel Senior Newsstand Sales Manager Don Galen SUR RON EE NUMBER: SOBs BUF Service Web Site: hittp//service egmmag.com averting Incullies Contact: ame Grou] S 59 Beale, 12th floor, San Francisco, СА 94105 Tel: 415-357-4915 e-mail: suzie@zd.com Natl Sales Manse Northwest огве Tel: 415-547-8774 e-mail: anthony georgeGzd.com Account Executive, Northwest ST Tef: {8 347-8782 e-mail aud. fel: 415-! -{ 2 e-mail: та! тау@га.сот District ls: еу ғау Karen Landon y el: сле 7 e-mail: karen landonQzd.com Account Expat ще outhwest, Midwest and East Coast i Пар! Tel: 415-547-8781 e-mail: linda philapil&zd.com District ES anager, Midwest and East Coast Marc Callison Tel: 630-382-9034 Fax: 630 382-0010 e-mail: marc_callison@zd.com ^ —— Senor Marketing Manager and Creative Director е d Tel rdinator elohde luction Manager tzgerald nd el -357-4998 Fax: 415-547-8868 email dennis, Неве 8 com Advertising Production Coordinator Teresa Newson Y Tel: 415-357-5428 e-mail: teresa newsonGzd.com Founder Steve Harris ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (ISSN 58-918 is published monthly by Zif Davis Media 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 (1zissue) subscription rate is $24.97 in the U.S, and $40.97 outside he 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, c (303) 665-8930 (U.S. Only and (303) 604, 7445 outside the U.S. or visit us at our subscription Web site ət http: /service.egmmag.com. We periodically make lists of our customers available to mailers of goods and services that may interest you. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, pleasewrite to us and include a copy of your mailing abel, Please include your subscription label when writing to из. It contains valuable information about your subscription that will help us. Please allow 6-8 weeks before receiving your f rst issue as well as for any subscription changes tc take place on any existingsubscription, The editors and the publisher are not responsible. for unsolicited materials. Without limiting the rights under copyrights reserved herein, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into а retrieval system, or 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 re is 44967207. Printed in the USA. N.Videogames.com form at www.icopyright.com/ziffóavis/, or have a form faxed or mailed to you by calling (425)430-1663. © 2000 Ziff Davis Media Inc. АП Rights Reserved. Electronic Gaming Monthly and ЕСМ are trademarks of ZD Inc. TM and © for al! other products and the characters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright owners. АП materials listed in this magazine are subject to manufacturers" change and the publisher assumes no responsibility for sich changes. The Canadian GST Registration number asme И e pueda 20015 са Í © MLBPA ОШ Licens - Majog League Baseball Players Association, y © 2000 Acclaf Entertainment, Inc. Distributed by Acclaim Distribution | intendo of Amefica Inc. 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. Game Boyland їп Licensed by Nintendo. The follow-up to “THE BEST BASEBALL GAME EVER.” -PC Gamer “SPORTS GAME OF THE YEAR.” -Gamespot.com -Computer Gaming World -PC Accelerator -PC Gamer Visit www.esrb.org г call 1-800-771-3772 for more info. BONUS STRATEGY GUIDE INSIDE EVERY GAME! ANDÍTAEY SAID THAT BEFORE WE MADE The awards, the critical acclaim, and now - Sammy Sosa. The latest and most-action packed version of High Heat Baseball™ includes... е Intense pitcher vs. batter match-ups and life-like base running, fielding, and managing. е Stunning new graphics including player face mapping, photos, body types and body size scaling. Authentic player and stadium animations, too. * The most detailed Player Editor available to modify your teams' players. * New Custom Leagues mode on the PC game to structure your own leagues, pennant races and rivalries. e All 30 officially licensed МВ" teams, as well as the most dead- on predictions for 2000 MLBPA™ player profiles. е All new Action-Camera mode that shows up-close TV style presentation. * Up to 6 different play modes, including Exhibition, Batting Practice, Season, Career, Home Run Derby™ and Playoffs. www.3do.com CONTENTS Game Directory 102 1/4 126 Alien Resurrection 126 Alone in the Dark 112 Arena Football 94 Armored Core 2 129 Army Men: World War 112 Blaster Master 84 Bomberman 64: The Second Attack 169 Bomberman MAK 124 Breakout 110 Breath of Fire 4 118 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command 168 Championship Bass 80 Conker's Bad Fur Day 116 Crash Bash (working title) 80 Cruis'n Exotica 164 Cyber Tiger 114 Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 82 Dead or Alive 2 66 Demolition Racer-No Exit 128 Destruction Derby Raw 68 Dragonriders: Chronicles of Pern 90 Driving Emotion Туре 5 130 Duece 78 Eternal Darkness 90 Evergrace 62 Evolution 2: Far Off Promise 164 Excitebike 64 168 F-12000 94 Fantavision 132 Final Fantasy IK 118 Frogger 2 124 Galaga 166 Galerians 70 Grandia Il 90 Gran Turismo 2000 111 Grind Session 96 Gunslinger 78 Hey You, Pikachu! 118 Hogs of War 166 Jedi Power Battles 128 Kengo: Master of Bushido 76 Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards 113 Knockout Kings 2001 62 Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 109 Legend of Dragoon, The 111 Legend of Mana 169 Looney Tunes Collector: Alert! 113 Madden NFL 2001 132 Maestromusic 161 Maken X 61 Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 128 Mat Hoffman's Pro ВМК 161 MDK 2 102 Mechsmith Run=Dim, The 112 Medal of Honor Underground 136,170 Metal Gear Solid 96 Midnight Club 130 Mike Tyson Boxing 166 MLB 2001 169 Mobile 1 Rally Championship 100 Motor Mayhem! 169 Mr. Driller 98 Munch's Oddysee 124 NASCAR 2001 113 NCAA College Football 2001 167 Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed 64 NFL Blitz 2001 66 NFL Quarterback Club 2001 126 NGEN Racing 98 Oni 96 Onimusha: Warlords 165 Perfect Dark TI2 Planet of the Apes 110 Pokémon Trading Card Game 60 Power Stone 2 130 Rampage Through Time 128 Rayman 2 10 Record of Lodoss War 162 Resident Evil Code: Veronica 89 Ridge Racer V 116 Rock Raiders 167 Sammy Sosa Softhall 124 Sno-Cross 61 Spawn 116 Spyro: Year of the Dragon (working title) 64 Starlancer 40 Star Wars: Demolition 161 Star Wai isode | Racer 100 Star Wars: Episode | Starfighter 100 Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing June 2000 Issue 131 Sega Strikes Back Just when you thought Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo were gonna roll right over Sonic and company, Sega has fired back with an amazing rebate offer, a high- speed network and — best of all—killer games in every genre. Find exclusive info on the new Mario Party- style Sonic game and all of Sega's Es titles inside. pg 144 Perfect Dark So is Perfect Dark perfect? See our review on page 165 Resident Evil Code: Veronica We review this monster on page 162 98 Street Fighter EX 3 163 Striker Pro 2000 Stunt GP 64 Stupid Invaders 169 Superhike 2000 $ junabout Tech Romancer 84 Tekken Тао Tournament 68,129 Test Drive Cycles 8 Test Drive Off-Road 3 Threats of Fate Time Crisis 163 Time Stalkers 116 Titan A. 164 Tomh Raider 4 110 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 108 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 198 T-Rex 68 Ultimate Fighting Championship 167 Urban Chaos 168 Vagrant Story 168 Vanguard Bandits 138 Wario Land 3 138 Warlocked 169 WDW: Magical Racing Tour 116 Who Wants to be a Millionaire 116 Wineout Fusion 66 World's Scariest Police Chases 78 World 15 Not Enough, The 100 X-Squad 80 Zelda 64: Majora's Mask LOE. Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games| Microsoft X-Box We have a robust FAQ that'll answer any and all questions you have about the X-Box. page 32 Departments @ Editorial 8 @ Letters 20 @ News 30 Our News section is chock-full of stuff this month. Check out our Tokyo Game Show coverage, an interview with Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune and more. @) Gossip 40 OM-="=2B Ш û Previews 54 DC: Soul Reaver 2, Power Stone 2; PS2: Tekken Tag, Star Wars: Starfighter; PS: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, Medal of Honor Underground; N64: Kirby 64, Zelda 64: Majora’s Mask and many more. Review Crew 160 Check out our reviews of Tomb Raider 4, MDK2, REC:V and Racer on DC; Excitebike 64 and Perfect Dark on N64; Vagrant Story and Jedi Power Battles on PS; Metal Gear Solid on GBC and many more. (3 Tricks 172 @ The Final Word 178 15 Microsoft unleashing a serious console contender or just a dummied-down PC port machine? The crew talks about the X-Box. що | i Nintendo6%4 | | ==> PlayStationz | B э PlayStation | MB Game Boy Color | | m а Neo*Geo Pocket Color | | | PlayStation e DESTROY ALL YOU WANT. WE'LL MARE MORE. Tread not where you are unwanted. Or pay the ultimate price. If sheer numbers are not your downfall, alien creatures and mysterious opponents of unfathomable strength surely will be. But, wise Jedi, the choice is yours. Enter at your own risk. STAR. WARS JEDIPOWERBATTLES 1 Animated Violence ‘Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. АЙ rights reserved. Used under authorization. PlayStation and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Worth America, inc. 5300 Stevens Creek Blvd. Suite soo San | СА gS tefogrames and V-Seccer ave tredemarks or trademarks of smc mesogenic Noe Ameen sigs Acc rs pe d ete te Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, and the name, andi өт! are trademarks. or: A Teges, and other indicia of Confedereçae | de Futebol and? tn tne hich ae e oye pres and copyrighted designa. amd feels Ернст ie erar Xtreme Sports and Infogrames are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infogrames North America, Inc. Xtreme Sports € 2000 Infogrames North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. Test Drive, Test Drive Cycles and Infogrames are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infogrames North America, inc. Test Drive Cycle: © 2000 Infogrames North America, Inc. AR rights reserved. © rece Harley-Davidson. АЙ Rights Reserved. RIES! EXTRA BATT Dustin Ocean Beach, California ⁄ That's 100 more than rat poison. зсезшее( O EOS REAL IT HURTS, = 32262 = н БЕ ШЕЙШ Шу ` Tony Hawk's Pro Skater ond Pro Skater are trademarks of Activision, Inc. (с 1999, 2000 Activision, Inc. Tony Hawk is a trademark of Tony Hawk. Published and distributed by Crave Entertainment, Inc. under license from Activision, Inc. CRAVE ENTERTAINMENT and the CRAVE ENTERTAINMENT Logos are trodemarks of Crave Entertainment, Inc. up CRAVE ENTERTAINMENT is a registered trodemark in the U.S. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. This game is licensed for use with the Sega Dreamcast [ENTERTAINMENT] system onl rights reservec dl other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. ET stem only. All rights d. Al trademarks the properties of the pect WWW.CRAVEGAMES.COM Letters to the Editors Congratulations. You win an InterAct controller. You will be receiving a Barracuda (PS), an Alloy Arcade Stick (DC) or a SharkPad Pro 64° (N64). See page 183 for official rules. Public Envy е Percentage of letters that needed proofreading/ spellchecking: 95 е Cream filling references: 1 е Most overused phrase: “You guys rule!” е E-mail about “gamer's high”: 1 LETTER ОЕ THE MONTH PC/DC: Port In Crap You know what? I’m REALLY getting annoyed with these damn PC to Dreamcast ports! | see preview after preview of lame PC to DC crap. They might enhance the graphics a tiny bit, but all in all, it's the same freakin" game all around! Just a boring old PC port. The Dreamcast is a beautiful system, and | love it that so many games are coming out for my Dreamcast, but when half of them are recycled-regurgitated-all-ready-seen- out-of-date-inferior-graphics-bearing- enhance it! The one game that really got to me was Virtua Cop 2. | still have the game for Saturn, and | love the fact that it’s coming out for Dreamcast, and of course, it's another light gun game, but when | heard that it was a port of the PC version, | just about threw my EGM across the room (then | realized that it's my favorite mag, so | didn't). How could this be? It's a travesty!! | read the interview with Yu Suzuki on videogames.com (favorite Web site), and he didn't know about it until the interviewer asked him about it. When he heard it was a port of the PC version, he was appalled (if | “aif they're going to port a game, ENHANCE Mi More than just cleaner textures or slightly higher poly count, REALLY enhance it!” nonenhanced-played-out-not- necessarily-very-popular-in-the-first- place-PC games, it's kind of disappointing. | mean, if they're going to port a game, ENHANCE IT!! More than just cleaner textures or slightly higher poly count, REALLY There's always going to be some stuff that's just ported from one system to another. “Shovelware” has been something that's been with us ever since there was more than one system capable of playing magazine, then | have but one request. My wish is not to change the | feel compelled to correspond with you about E3. Why is E3 not opened to the public? | become more irritated with each passing year! | mean, how hard would it be to extend the expo until Sunday? We only have access to limited information via the Internet. Let's not forget that eagerly anticipated June issue of EGM. However, none of this can compare to actual attendance. Why is T.G.S. and Nintendo Space World opened to the Japanese public when E3 is exclusive to gaming press? If this is truly a subscribers’ magazine's format. Instead | want to plead with the EGM/Expert Gamer editors to be our lobbyists. You have the power to help us be heard! After all, this an industry fueled by the fans! remember correctly). This must stop! Sure, bring us those PC games— Half Life, Quake Ill, but make them good! Thanks and goodbye Hsu and Che! This reader will miss you. Bryan Lounsberry blounsbe.MPAGmpa.candler.nc.us games. Future PC to DC ports should be impressive though. Check out the feature this month to read about what is being done with Quake III to make it more interesting for those playing with a joypad. “Why is T.G.S. and Nintendo Space World opened to the Japanese public when E3 is exclusive to gaming press?” Jason Pendleton Loveland, CO E3 isn't only for the press, it's less about the games than the business of games. Retailers, buyers, manufacturers, distributors and others get together to show off the latest products and figure out what will be on store shelves. T.G.S. and Space World are less about business and more about putting new products in front of the public (although there's a business day for both— usually the first day). The Summer CES was opened to the public in the mid "905, and it was a disaster for all involved. Perhaps the answer isn't opening up E3, but creating a new event specifically geared toward consumers. That's something we'd all like to see happen. And because gaming's more mainstream now than ever, perhaps such an event is not too far away. Perfect Scoop | was recently reading your preview for Perfect Dark for the Game Boy and I noticed you mentioned the fact that after beating the game you will be able to open up new cart modes in the N64 version of the game. However, your cover article in the same magazine (#129) did not mention one word about it. What's the scoop? DanMano585@aol.com You answered your own question, my friend. We didn’t need to mention the cross-compatibility feature in the cover story because we explained it in the GBC Perfect Dark preview. We had a lot of territory to cover in that cover feature, so we didn’t want to waste space with info found elsewhere in the mag. Paperweight PCs lam а hardcore gamer writing to say that | think PS2 will be the savior of console gaming. | have been extremely frustrated by the ever-growing trend of PC gaming where | see all these excellent PC games that fail to ever make it to the console front and believe that the PS2's capabilities will stop exclusive PC games. Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with gaming on the PC, it's just that a PC is a multi-purpose machine. Because of the PC having multiple purposes, it also COSTS Want to grow? ` The calcium in milk helps your bones grow. „Momma Mia! gut? www.whymilk.com ©2000 AMERICA'S DAIRY FARMERS AND MILK PROCESSORS. MARIO CHARACTER ©2000 NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. multiple times what any console would. There are some who complain about the PS2's high price, but a high- quality PC costs even more! Because of its multi-purposeness, the PC also has an astoundingly high rate of CRASHING! Whose PC has never crashed on them when they were doing nothing wrong?? Now, whose N64 has never frozen/crashed on them?? Another reason many people go to the РС is because of its online gaming capabilities. Once the Dreamcast and PS2 perfect their online gaming strategies, this should no longer be such an advantage. The MOST annoying quality of PC gaming is the intense need to upgrade your hardware monthly. With console gaming, all hardware upgrades of any kind are purely optional. The only upgrades that are needed to play the new games are buying the new systems. These do not become outdated nearly as quickly. Look at the Game Boy!!! It's still here!!! They're still making games for it! PCs from the Game Boy days are used as paperweights now! | rest my case. | sincerely hope that console gaming prevails in the end! Brandon Madsen Bloomington, MN Your argument is valid...and probably reflects the thinking behind Microsoft's X-Box too. The PC market бз Five Games You Couldn't Do Without | EGM@zd.com Send us your thoughts, your wishes, your innermost weirdness. ..or your pictures, crazy screenshots or photos of bizarre game-related moments. is going to change over the next few years...just you watch. There will be a lot more machines that do specific tasks, and a lot less emphasis on a big box full of goodies that has a fair crack at doing everything. Soon you'll have a console, a host of portable devices, Web access in your car and even an iFridge (or whatever they end up calling them). Lackluster Video (Games) First off, EGM is the only mag | read regularly as well as subscribe to. It is (in my humble opinion) the only one that represents all sides fairly, and gives all games a fair inspection when rated. Now down to business. | find it disturbing that games are losing originality. Often times | see another lackluster sequel to some 3D platform game (need | even say the name Tomb Raider?) or some cheesy ripoff of an original title (the billions of snowboarding games that all play the same). | am tired of seeing the same old, same old. Thank God for those game designers who aren't afraid to take a risk and try to create a new genre or original title, and the publishers who risk money to distribute them. Games like Pop'n Music 2 and Project Seaman look to be amazing and fresh titles with creative 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@ziffdavis.com. Mark the subject line ‘Desert Island Games.’ GoldenEye 007 Suikoden Tekken 3 Final Fantasy VII Super Mario Kart Final Fantasy VIII Civilization 11 Tactics Ogre Mario Party Dead or Alive 2 NHL 2K SNK vs. Capcom: MOTM Super Black Bass Civilization II Gran Turismo 2 | dannymackinnon@hotmail.com matt914861@aol.com virtualgameboy@go.com | Final Fantasy VII Soul Calibur RE Code: Veronica Grand Theft Auto 2 NHL 2K Harvest Moon (SNES) Metal Gear Solid ekgmach@worldnet.att.nat Gran Turismo Sonic Adventure Gran Turismo 2 Final Fantasy VII patriciajtrish@aol.com WWF SmackDown! Resident Evil Nemesis Final Fantasy VIII | Final Fantasy УП af88rich@aol.com 22 “Whose PC has never crashed on them when they were doing nothing wrong? Now, whose N64 has never frozen/ Crashed on them?" "Thank God for those game designers who aren't afraid to take a risk and try to create a new genre or original title, and the publishers who risk money to distribute them.” What Do You Want In An Online Game? Anything but the usual crap, or in other words: Tomb Raider or Twisted Metal. Hostilis@concentric.net As a SURVIVOR of a game called Everquest (aka EverCrack), | hope online games don’t become more in-depth and controlling as Everquest was. | call these games “real life destroyers.” Warning to everyone: It can happen to you. krow9977@earthlink.net | don’t want any online games. They are the downfall of the hardcore gaming exp. chewy45@citlink.net Two words, POKéMON...or is that one word? Either way, it is the PERFECT game for online... donotcomenear@hotmail.com Absolutely nothing. If single-player games go the way of the dinosaur, | will find a new hobby. GLB.TUCK@worldnet.att.net biz kitguyGps2k.net Voice chat, like Roger Wilco for the PC. Now that Sega is coming out with the microphone (with the camera), we can only hope... pdcareyGworldspy.net 1 want to see Final Fantasy games online in America. If Japan can do it, we can too. More multiplayer games would be nice also. mikhail_omega@yahoo.com Cheap, Fast and Addictive as hell! yoman2@hotmail.com What do | want in online gaming? Baby, it’s already official, Phantasy Star Online & Quake 3 Arena simultaneously putting DC & PC owners head to head! That’s a gamer's dream and it’s ONLY on SEGA DREAMCAST...it's thinking: Sony, suck on that! KILIK@worldnet.att.net Plenty of cream filling. 3110bitwisesystems.com Next Month's Question of the Moment: Will you sign up for SegaNet and get a free Dreamcast? Why or why not? Send your short but sweet responses to: EGM@zd.com with the subject heading: rebate You can write ЕСМ at: EGM Letters P.0. Box 3338 Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 e-mail: EGM@ziffdavis.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). LETTERS twists (growing animal-men in a digital your own brain could have ever done. | of which ones | loved but haven't seen water tank апуопе?). Then there are the cases where games add a new twist to an already tried-and-true formula. While THOUSAND ARMS 15 another RPG, it adds in the love factor, pretty much new to the U.S. | would hope to see more games with dating elements in them, but one can only dream.... You see, | am the consumer. | want quality for my hard-earned cash. | don't understand why companies continue to pump out stale old 3D ripoffs of good games and sequels to once original titles when us consumers grow tired of them. | miss the days of the NES where almost any game was original. And despite the fact that they may look horrendous by today's standards, they Still play BETTER than 9096 of the games out now. This letter is a plea from the average consumer, to the publishers: Take a chance on games that don't follow the trend. For those Metal Gears and Resident Evils are what make the gaming community what it is today. Brian Breed brian.breed@juno.com Even in the days of the NES there were dozens of “me too” games. But you bring up a good point— companies need to take chances on originality. As consumers, you have the power. If you buy cookie-cutter games, that’s what you’re going to get more of. If you support originality, that’s what you’ll get more of. Companies aren’t going to produce more of what doesn’t make money. Power to the people—now where the hell is Vib-Ribbon? Don’t Bogart That Racing Sim While playing mostly action-oriented video games, | have noticed that a kind of video gamer’s high comes over me. Much like a runner's high, it’s that moment when you stop thinking about playing. Your eyes may get crossed and your brain shuts down. It feels like your fingers have a mind of their own and they play the game much better than The very bottom of the EGM letters barrel. What do the Japanese symbols stand for in FFVIII when Odin attacks? have noticed this feeling in mostly first- person shooters and racing games. Games that require you to think (Metal Gear Solid) keep your brain awake and you never get the video gamer's a good sequel to. With all the new systems out or coming out, like Dreamcast, PlayStation2 and Dolphin, | would like to see these sequels: 1. Splatter House (Namco) high. Then there are games that are 2. Altered Beast (Sega) John Spinella i © - я Loosely translated, more action than anything else (Medal . Shinobi (Sega) they mean “Get a of Honor and GoldenEye). Those types . Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo) life.” You think there are a lot of systems that have 2 in them, what about 64? Commodore 64, Amiga 64, Nintendo 3 4 often give me the video gamer's high. | 5. Chakan the Forever Man was wondering if the good people at 6. A good Castlevania game EGM have ever experienced this great 7. Guardian Legends (Nintendo) feeling of video gamer's high. 8. Streets of Rage Nicholas DiQuattro 9. Demon Crest (Capcom) 64, and I'm pretty San Bruno, CA 10. Blaster Master ы are a few Jason Siler Totally. There's more than one way Chicago, IL to get high, baby tasopapa@earthlink.net No, we don’t think about this at all. You can play a Blaster Master UCK...BUTT...YUM... S | S K sequel on your Game Boy Color right Eric Sch O doo ецие 66 er now, and a Dreamcast update to ...Uh, no thanks, Eric. Looking back through my vast Chakan is in the works. collection of games, | started to think Shane Fernald Baltimore, MD 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! Congratulations, your prize is on the way-an ASCII Specialized Control Pad for the PlayStation. It features rapid- fire controls for all buttons and slow motion for those intense moments. 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 Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 (All entries become the property of Ziff Davis Media Inc. and will not be returned!) Jennifer Arellano San Bernadino, CA Chao Sen Chen (again!) Brooklyn, NY Nick Fullmer Berkeley, CA AAA CS E YOUREYLUCKY) I MAYBE THE SOUND’ BARRIER * WILL TBREAK YOUR’ FALL: st. | | Hack AND SLASH THROUGH MORE THAN 30 TYPES OF GROTESQUE ENEMIES, FACH wirh UNIQUE AND FEARSOME АТТАСКЅ FichriN TWO COMBAT MODES (INCLUDING THE DEVASTATING BERSERK RAGE), UNLEASH POWERFUL COMBINATION MOVES AND WIELD FOUR DEADLY WEAPONS OVER ONE HOUR OF ENGROSSING CINEMATIC MOVIE SEQUENCES UTILIZING ENHANCED IN-GAME MODELS SUPERB HicH RESOLUTION GRApHics wirh FLUID COMBAT ANIMATIONS Я рова с РУ "и Кам e / action game "...a white-knuckle experience that keeps * was this creative... your finger on the attack button." - IGN.com - videogames.com An outcast warriür. Фе * . A mighty blade of retribution. MATURE Animated Violence Animated Blood and Gore pepan Sega© Dreamcast" Press Start By Chris Johnston chris_johnston@zd.com The Hottest Gaming News on the Planet Sega Takes Spring TGS By Default he usual excitement of the twice-yearly Tokyo Game Show was replaced this year by gamers and journalists scratching their heads. With PlayStation2 newly released, we expected to see dozens of new titles for it—at least from Sony itself. But Sony was unusually quiet, showing off three already-released games (Fantavision and IQ Remix on PS2 and the Japanese Spyro 2 for PS) and the average PS2 music puzzler TVDJ. So if Sony wasn't showing anything, surely Square would have a playable Final Fantasy IX demo on show. Alas, Square's booth was Final Fantasy-less except for short teaser videos showing little new of the game. Instead, the company focused on its PS2 sports games (baseball, wrestling and the already-released Driving Emotion Type-S). FFIX is close enough to its July release that something more could have and should have been shown to at least generate a little excitement. geile che 3 име CUI FIERE None of the other publishers had any surprises either. Namco, Konami, Tecmo, Enix— nothing. Konami's booth was filled with the latest versions of the company's music games. But how many times can you repackage the same game with different music? If you're an N64 owner you have even less to be excited about in Japan. You could count the number of N64 games at TGS on one hand. Of them, only Bio Hazard Zero (Resident Evil Zero in the U.S.) was worth looking at, but it's still early on in development. The only real excitement being generated at the show was at Sega's booth. They had at least a dozen new titles, with Phantasy Star Online, Eternal Arcadia and Grandia Il leading the pack into the neglected RPG genre on the DC. Other impressive games shown at Sega's booth included Jet Set Radio, Samba De Amigo, Metropolis Street Racer, Napple Tale and Rent A Hero No. 1. But is ittoo late for the Japanese 30 i ЖУ gaming audience to care? While the DC market is growing in the U.S., in Japan the PlayStation2’s release has caused DC sales to suffer. While there were plenty of Dreamcast titles to get excited about at Tokyo Game Show, looking at the sales numbers, Seaman is still the best-selling DC game in Japan to date over titles like Sonic and Soul Calibur. Whether the unexciting spring TGS was merely a symptom of E3's prominence as the place to debut new product or a sign that there's just nothing new coming to Japan in the next six months is anyone's guess. Perhaps it's a little bit of both. Attendance at this year's show dropped for the first time in the show's history— 30,000 less people attended this show than the last, which was the record-breaking PS2 debut. Check out this issue's Previews section for looks at the big games of TGS and come on back next issue for the first news from Ез. ull | | We asked Inafune what his favorite character in the Mega Man | series is. He told us, “Elecman from the first Mega Man. It was | the first boss character that | designed. | was inspired by | American comics for his helmet, which kinda looks like | Wolverine's. But it's not considered as good looking in Japan." = FGM Talks With the Man Behind Mega Man We recently had a chance to sit down and talk with Capcom's Keiji Inafune, creator of the Mega Man series. In his 12 years at Capcom he has worked on games like Mega Man, Mega Man X, Mega Man Legends, Resident Evil 2 (as producer) and the NES classics DuckTales and Chip N' Dale's Rescue Rangers. He's currently hard at work on Mega Man Legends 2 (PS) and Onimusha: Warlords (PS2). Here's what was said: EGM: Will there be another 2D Mega Man game in the future? Keiji Inafune: | can't say anything about that right now, but we are thinking about doing it. EGM: How did the concept of Mega Man first come up? KI: We wanted to create a very simple action game that had the elements of janken (rock- paper-scissors). That was the plan for the original game—and that certain boss characters have a weak point and are vulnerable to certain weapons. And actually, we originally developed Rockman (Mega Man's Japanese name) as an arcade game, because we thought that players in arcades will want to see all the different stages if you offer them The creator is attacked by his creation-Capcom's Keiji Inafune gets assaulted by a Servbot, one of the characters introduced in the Mega Man Legends series. Six stages they can choose to start with. They'll put in more coins that way. But the plan backfired, because the arcade division didn't like it. So that's why we changed it to the NES. That's how it started. | finished the first Mega Man and brought it to the sales department, they asked, “Can a game like this sell?" But when it was released, it sold out in three days and they had to reorder. EGM: Why was the decision made to go from the Mega Man games to X? КЇ: It was during the transition from NES to Super NES, so | wanted to make something new for the Super NES. | created the basic setting and placed Mega Man X 100 years after the original Mega Man. | actually talked to other people in R&D about the ideas | had and got their opinions if the ideas | had were good or bad. If | didn't like it then | changed it. EGM: Where did Rockman get his name from, and does it mean anything? KI: When people hear the word “rock” in Japan, they think of rock music instead of a stone. Since he is Rockman, someone suggested that his partner's name should be Roll—as in rock *n' roll. EGM: So what do you think of the name Mega Man? КІ: | laughed when | first heard the name Mega Man. It doesn't Sound very good in Japanese. EGM: Are you just working on Mega Man Legends 2 and Onimusha: Warlords now? КІ: And two other secret projects (for a total of four). EGM: Has anything in Onimusha changed when development was switched from PlayStation to PlayStation2? КІ: The reason why the game shifted from PS to PS2 was that many more things are possible on the PS2. As a developer, when | get better hardware I want to develop for it right away. When we made the decision, the game was half done, so it was a very tough decision. But we wanted to do something much better and much better-looking. As for the changes between them...the original PS game was supposed to start at night and end in the morning. But for PS2 it starts in Inafune-san is currently working on Onimusha: Warlords (above) and Mega Man Legends 2 (below). "v early evening— dusk. The biggest difference is the character animation. In the PS version it was 30 FPS, and now it's 60 FPS. You can express little details on PS2 not possible on the older hardware. EGM: Was there any talk of using real-time backgrounds over prerendered for Onimusha: Warlords? КЇ: We are still talking about that now, actually. But our ultimate goal on this product is to achieve the highest quality look on PlayStation2 this year. We use 10,000 polygons per character and it's impossible to use that many polys per character and do detailed real-time backgrounds on the current PS2 hardware. As a creator, | wanted to go for all 3D because of the technology. But we needed to sacrifice something, so we went with more detailed characters. EGM: Can you say if the Game Boy Advance game you're working on is a Rockman title? Kl: That's a secret, but | can say that it's a game designed for kids. EGM: Is there any chance Onimusha will come to another system, like DC or PC? KI: There is a possibility for Dolphin or X-Box, but it would be impossible to bring the game to Dreamcast as it is now. | Here are the latest few screens of | | Rare's sequel to Banjo-Kazooie, | appropriately named Banjo-Tooie. | The game's set to make its public | debut at E3, and — тау we say— it | already looks better than DK64. A Everything You Always Wanted to Know About X-Box Q: First, what is it? A: X-Box is a game console built from custom —although conventional—PC hardware that runs off a hacked-down version of Microsoft’s Windows 2000 operating system. That said, Microsoft is going out of its way to convince us this thing won't look, act or play anything like a PC. “This is not simply taking your PC experience and putting it onto a new device,” Bill Gates said. “We're talking about a device here that has no boot time, no software installation; what we're talking about here 15 a real console.” Q: When will it come out? A: The system will launch simultaneously in the U.S., Japan and Europe in fall 2001. Q: How much will И cost? A: Microsoft hasn't announced a specific price, although Ed Fries, general manager of Microsoft's games division, said, “We understand how console prices work. We know what price Е points matter.” EGM expects it will launch for $299 or less. Q: Who's making games for : the X-Box? Е А: So far, Konami, Midway, Е Eidos, Capcom, Acclaim, Е Infogrames, Enix, Activision, Rockstar Games, ТНО, Sierra, f Lionhead Studios, Hasbro Interactive, Universal Interactive, Koei, Titus, Ubi Soft, Kalisto, Hudson and Bungie have all jumped on board to develop X-Box titles (expect Ready 2 Rumble 2, a Rayman game and some Acclaim titles at launch). Namco, Electronic Arts and Fox Interactive have stated they're excited about the system. Q: Can I play PC games on my X-Box? A: No. Like any console, it's a closed system. Q: Can | play DVDs on X-Box? A: Yep. The X-Box has a 4-speed DVD-ROM drive, and you won't need DVD software on a memory card like you do with the PS2. Q: Can | go online with my X-Box? A: Yes. As long as you have a cable modem, DSL line or other broadband connection, you can plug it into your X-Box's ethernet port and hit the Net as soon as you unpack your system (it will come with a browser of some sort). Or you can buy the 56K modem, which'll ship separately, and connect the old-fashioned way. Q: What kind of games will hit the X-Box? A: The easy answer here is PC ports, and lots of them. The system's OS and conventional architecture make it a snap for PC developers to port their games over. But Microsoft stresses that this machine won't be a dumping ground for PC ports. In fact, more than 550 people are working on games now at Microsoft, and a considerable percentage of those folks are developing X-Box-only titles. Rumor has it Microsoft will beef up its first- party support by buying a big-name third- party developer. Even more interesting: Microsoft is not building in a territorial An artist's conception of X-Box, had it been conceived in a Seattle coffee shop. (above), and Microsoft's ad that appeared on the show guide for the Tokyo Game Show (below). lock-out, so you'll be able to play games shipped in Japan and Europe just as easily as American releases. Q: Will the X-Box be upgradable like a PC? A: No. Microsoft wants the X-Box to remain a stable, unchanging system for the next five years, until the release of X-Box 2. “We want to build the ultimate platform from the start and leave it out there as long as we can,” Fries said. That's a good thing—developers won't have to code for a “moving target” like they do with PC games. 32 д: Can X-Box succeed in Japan? A: History shows that American consoles just don't flourish in Japan. Microsoft knows this. It's been trying to woo Japanese developers since last fall and has been promoting the system in Japan. (Microsoft even held an X-Box Developer's Conference on the first day of the Tokyo Game Show.) Microsoft's other main challenge 15 to hype X-Box among Japanese gamers and get the machine in their stores next fall. “We've got 18 months now to finish building the sales and marketing ~ infrastructure,” said Robert Bach, vice president of Microsoft's home and retail į division. “Microsoft has a | huge start there. We've done retail sales and marketing for a long time, but we do have to tune it for the console business." Q: How much more powerful is the X-Box than PlayStation2? A: A quick look at the stats shows X-Box is at least three times more powerful than PS2, and probably more like five times as powerful. Aside from its stellar nVidia | graphics processor (which is - reportedly three generations ahead of anything out now), the system's strengths lie in its unified memory architecture and internal hard drive. / Working together, the RAM and drive let developers spit out massive amounts of high-quality textures, while the graphics processor pumps more than 100 million polygons a second with «l| all effects turned on. “People will have to get used to the concept of going from 15 million or 20 million polygons per second to 2 million polygons per frame,” Microsoft tech guru Seamus Blackley told us. To be fair to Sony, the PS2 will be capable of comparable feats once developers get the hang of the hardware. Q: What's the deal with the X-Box's hard drive? A: The drive acts as a scratch disk for developers, a place to spool texture and other game information and then dump it onto memory. X-Box users won't be able to access it like they can with their PC hard drives. They won't have to install games on it. For the most part, the hard drive will be invisible to X-Box gamers. The system will ship with an 8-megabyte memory card to hold game saves and customized game data. “In Shenmue 1 we'd have five or six characters displayed at once, about six or seven at max on one screen. in Shenmue 2 we'll have up to 50 characters, on the same hardware. That's due to the change of algorithm on the software.” Yu Suzuki, the man behind Sega's multimillion-dollar epic DC game Shenmue, on the advances to be seen in its sequel TGS Tidbits... Shown above is Ascii’s special clip- on surfboard for its PS2 title Surfroid which is early in development. And tucked away in the Kid’s Corner area of the Tokyo Game Show was Dance Dance Revolution GB, complete with a clip-on dancing controller (shown above). . Everything Else Fox Interactive will bring The Simpsons back to the game screen on PlayStation in Simpsons Wrestling, being developed by Big Ape (Herc’s Adventures, Star Wars Episode One)...Namco will release Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness on the PlayStation this fall. It’s a 3D maze/platform-style game that looks a little like last fall’s Pac-Man World...Mega Man 64 (N64) and Mega Man X (GB) are just around the corner and will be shown at E3...BAM Entertainment will publish Transformers Beast Wars Transmetals on N64, but it will only be available (at least initially) for rental at Blockbuster Video locations nationwide beginning in May...The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences will present its yearly Hall of Fame award to Hironobu Sakaguchi, president of Square USA and creator of the Final Fantasy series, at the Academy’s awards presentation during E3...Bio Hazard 3 (Resident Evil 3 Nemesis in the U.S.) is coming to the PC in Japan this June. The game will feature an Internet ranking mode and the Mercenaries mini-game available right from the beginning...THQ has taken a minority stake in Japanese developer Yuke's (responsible for such games as WWF SmackDown! and the Japanese Toukon Retsuden) for future PS and PS2 games. Capcom's menagerie (top), a Rival Schools fan (middle left), one of Namco's babes (middle right), Jet Set Radio girls (bottom left) and photographers taking pictures of dressed-up fans (bottom right). ебас INIMNIHL 5.1 зсезшееа way әлцвәВВп$ јод pareuuy ри TITLE THEME SONG You dance like a white guy. And now the universe depends on your sorry rhythm. Don't freak space cadet. Cosmic diva Ulala will show you some fly moves. Before long you'll be rump shakin”it against an alien posse. But don't get too funky or they'll light you up like a Christmas tree. Visit spacechannel5.com *No Morolians are actually harmed in this game. Their little souls are returned to the planet Morolia where they are recycled and go on to live happy, productive lives. "Representing a Superhero that can fight, wall-crawl, weh- swing and web-up bad guys is going to be a challenge on almost any system." — Chad Findley, lead designer on Spider-Man DEVELOPER PROFILE Black Box Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada Web Site: www.blackboxgames.com # of employees: 35 Recent project: NHL2K (Dreamcast) The most challenging thing about making a sports game today 15: Satisfying the most demanding of game players, including ourselves. The hardest thing(s) from real hockey to re-create in a game 15: That nasty smell on your hands you get from sweaty hockey gloves! The thing we're most excited about to work on Dreamcast is: Being able to do things on a home platform that seemed inconceivable a few short years ago. During breaks from late-night programming sessions, we: Watch hockey, spin some vinyl, snowboard, rock climb and deplete Canada's beer resources. Our favorite game to play in the office (not by us) is: Soul Calibur (Crazy Taxi is a close second). Favorite snack food(s): Coca-Cola, potato chips and Domino's Pizza. Music that inspires us around the office: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, KISS, Frank Sinatra, Lenny Kravitz, The Tragically Hip, The Cure, Chantal Kreviazuk, Amanda Marshall, heaps of club music, Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Whitesnake, AC/DC, Eric Clapton, The Beatles Story behind our name: We just thought it sounded cool. Simple as that. Favorite catchphrase or slogan: “That 15 so PORN!” Spidey Team Talks About Spidey, the Future It's been a while since we checked up with the team at Neversoft finishing up Activision's Spider-Man game. So we asked Joel Jewett (Neversoft President), Chad Findley (Spider-Man Lead Designer) and Kevin Mulhall (Spider-Man Producer) a few questions about Spidey and got their thoughts on the future of console gaming. Here's what they had to say: EGM: What kind of reactions to Spider-Man have you gotten from the Spider-Man demo on the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine disc? Kevin Mulhall: Overall, the response has been very positive! We've received praise for capturing the essence of Spider-Man in a 3D environment, which has been one of the hardest and most time-consuming aspects of the game's development. We've also received hundreds of requests from Spider-Man fans of all of the features and characters they would like to see. Hopefully, we'll be able to please everyone with what we've selected. EGM: What are your thoughts on PlayStation2 and X-Box? Joel Jewett: The simple fact that there is all this new technology just waiting for us to make games on is a very exciting thing indeed. The fact that two of the world's most powerful industry corporations are going to be able to bring these new machines into everyone's living rooms, puts game developers in a great position. Therefore, | don't really spend a ton of my time speculating on who will do what or who will win the battle. | just focus on making The Neversoft Spider-Man Team the best games we can and on preparing ourselves for the future. That is pretty much where the fun is for all of us...making games. EGM: Do you think console developers can get excited about X-Box? CF: I'm pretty excited about the X-Box— it is a very fast and powerful system with a fairly simple architecture as well as a lot of integral peripherals —and as far as being merely a PC in a big X-shaped box, it's not really the same. With the X-Box we can design and program for just the one setup—no additional Video Cards, no worries about extra memory, no processor variations—just one screamin' system to focus on. But, we still have to wait to see the box... EGM: What do you see happening in the next three years in the console business? CF: | really think that each of the big four have great things to look forward to as well as some things to worry about. There are so many variables and everybody's got a few good cards and a couple of hurdles. A lot of it will center around what the developers want to do. KM: That's a tough one to call. You now have two industry veterans and two huge powerhouses bringing machines to the next generation lineup. That's four completely distinct machines, with four distinct companies at the helm. I think it will be extremely interesting to not only see what developers do, but see how the consumer market handles the choices they will have to make on which machine they should purchase over another. | | | | | | | | | Import Pick of the Month: Sega's DC music game, Samba De Amigo. PlayStation April Breath of Fire IV, Capcom (RPG) 5/18 Dance Dance Revolution 3rd Mix, Konami (Music) Dreamcast 4/27 Samba De Amigo, Sega (Music) 4/27 Power Stone 2, Capcom (Fighting) 5/25 RentA Hero No. 1, Sega (Action) 5/25 Sakura Taisen, Sega (Strategy RPG) PlayStation2 4/27 Evergrace, From Software (Action RPG) Nintendo 64 4/27 Legend of Zelda: Mask of Mujula, Nintendo (Action RPG) Nintendo 64DD April F-Zero X Expansion Kit, Nintendo (Racing) *Schedule subject to change without notice. Consult your local import game store for the latest release information. | JAPAN TOP 1 | 1 Kirby's Dreamland 64 Nintendo | | | Weekly | Famitsu, week ending 3/26/2000 Wario Land 3 | к a — —— Muscle Ranking Vol. 2 р | pe а World Stadium 4 | Наро 2 Ridge Racer V E | А А УЬ RETURN The King of Fighters 99 | The King of Fighters p | Golf Paradise =r= L T&E Soft | Pocket Monsters 6019/51 Pocket Monsters Gold/Silver B | | Kessen =-=, Koei | al NBA 2K | 1 Sega O Castlevania, Resident Evil Get Canned | Eager to get your bloody hands on the DC Castlevania from Konami or the Game Boy Resident Evil from Capcom? Looks like you'll be waiting...indefinitely. Both games are the | victims of cancellation. Resident Evil got the axe because it wasn't up to Capcom's | standards. As for the DC Castlevania —no one's saying for sure, but it wasn't looking good. Sony Sheds Light on n Broadband Plans Sony has never been secretive about its ambitious plans for the PlayStation2’s broadband network. We know it'll go online next year. We know it'll let you connect—via the Internet—to a number of specialized servers that'll stream digital movies, audio and other content to your console (Sony's finding partners to provide this content right now). And we know standard Web browsing is probably the last thing you'll do with your PS2, since Sony's gearing its network to the delivery of flashier online stuff. But at the recent Game Developers Conference, Phil Harrison, SCEA vice president of R&D and third-party relations, clued us in on what this flashier stuff might be—as well as how you'll access it with your PlayStation2 early next year. “The broadband adapter will be 100-megabit ethernet, with a very high- capacity hard-disk drive, connected by a PCMCIA port on the PlayStation2 system,” he said (although he gave no details about the adapter's price or launch date). “Connected to the network will be a number of servers which will deliver discreet products and services into the home via the PlayStation2.” Harrison said, as an example, “Because the PlayStation2 is backwardly compatible...it's very straightforward for us to launch us a server that contains all those PlayStation1 titles ever made. And perhaps for titles that are no longer on the shelf, we can see a business model and a market that'll exploit these titles well into the future." Harrison told us to expect innovations far beyond standard stuff like downloadable demos. Watch for hybrid games, for instance, which reside partly on disc, partly on the network. He told us to imagine dynamic advertising; stadium banners in a sports game, for example, could display ads for different real-life products every time you play. Even gaming events following the pay-per-view TV model are possible on the PS2 network. “How about a pay-per-play wrestling event, where the last man standing out of 100 people Square has teamed up with Coca-Cola in Japan to promote the next game in the Final Fantasy series. The first commercial, starring the FFIX characters as they experience the “Enjoy!” of Coca- Cola (or so reads the press information), began airing in Japan in early April. Consumers who buy Coca-Cola products can get promo items like Final Fantasy series trading cards, small plastic figures and more. wins money?” Harrison asked. Yet he seemed most keenly interested in seeing episodic games—games you buy and download in installments—bloom on the broadband network. And several developers are working on this very concept already. “The idea behind this is we deliver games in smaller chunks and have them build on one another over a period of time,” said industry veteran Jim Perkins, president and CEO of Web Corp, which will publish episodic games for the PS2, X-Box and PC. “The first episode 15 free, and any episode after that is anywhere from $3 to $6 per episode.” [ The PS2's PCMCIA port is eventually where all the information will flow-from downloadable demos to episodic games. Perkins is working with several developers, including Paradox, Sunstorm and Imagine Engine, to build RPGs, action games, racing titles, browser games— even smaller games you can download to your cell phone. So imagine an RPG in which you pay to download a new mini-quest every month, or a racing game that has you visiting a Web site every few weeks to download another track. That's what episodic games are all about, and you'll definitely see it on the PlayStation2 and X-Box. "[Developers] could just build the engine and leave it to other people to make the story and characters," Harrison said. *The game could go on forever." JARA PW REM, Cr eis Eg GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR INNER PSYCH And you better learn fast. Because you're Keith Snyder, bodyguard, trapped in the Desert Moon Hotel when all the patrons are turned into vampires. Your job... find out why and destroy a few million nasty + vampires in the process. There is а myriad of environments, g pu. to keep you the your po type and X. i t Jac A a human or vampire. Videogames.com said, «1tydure Pokna awesome weapons and challe edge of your seat. You can even an RE-style game with a twist this might be your best move.” So get moving, before you become...uuhhh...dead meat. ©1999 Bandai Co., Ltd. Countdown Vampires and all related logos, names and distinctive likenesses thereof are the property of Bandai. All rights reserved. Used under license by Bandai America Incorporated. Distributed by Bandai America Incorporated, 5551 Katella Avenue, Cypress, California 90630. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. MIRA SWISH JULES DOORS CLAUDIA SWISH PlayStation ext month should be a gossip frenzy as all the gossipy old women in the games industry get together in the various bars in downtown Los Angeles, get drunk, and spill the beans on what they've been working on and what they've heard person x has been doing with person y. It's all good fun, and we take notes while they spew BS at each other. Rumor The original PlayStation is soon to be replaced by a new, smaller, cheaper unit which could well be marketed under the name “My First PlayStation." This will be how Sony differentiates the two markets that it will soon be selling machines to. Truth All production has temporarily stopped on PS1 production to accommodate the demand for PS2. We've learned from a number of Sources that Sony is considering consolidating much of the technology within the original PlayStation (as already exemplified by the new 1/0 port-less PlayStations) to make it cheaper to manufacture. While doing this, an opportunity could be taken to introduce a differently designed, kid-friendly PlayStation. Expect an announcement of some sort within the next month. Let's just hope it's not too garish and ugly. Rumor The Legacy of Kain series is set to expand considerably over the next year. Soul Reaver 2 is expected to be revealed over the next few months, and we've also heard that the team is piecing together Blood Omen 2. Er...hello? Blood Omen 2? Wasn't Soul Reaver the sequel to Blood Omen? We hear now that the Blood Omen story line could well take the "legend" in a different direction picking up at Kain's "decision Last-Minute Update Here are the first shots of LucasArts’ Star Wars: Demolition, a vehicular combat game coming this fall for PlayStation by Vigilante 8 scribes Luxoflux. Jump into just about any Star Wars vehicle, or onto the backs of gun Rancors, and blast your way over alien terrains. WEI L | We thought we'd seen everything with Choaniki. But boy, were we | wrong. Here's a shot of Boong Ga Boong Ga, an arcade game by | Korean manufacturer Taff System and NTS Soft. The object is to ram | the hand-shaped-with-pointing-index-finger controller into the | “butt” to get a reaction from computer-generated characters on- | screen, The harder you do it, the odder the reaction. You get one | shot and, like a slot machine, numbers scroll through which | determine your prize (which falls out of a slot on the left side). Quartermann - Game Gossip & Speculation point" at the end of the first game. The Soul Reaver games assume that Kain's decision was to remain a vampire and develop down the "dark side" and, from what little we've heard, we're assuming that the Blood Omen stories will assume otherwise. Truth Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but we'll be in a position to find out more next month. Rumor Sonic Adventure 2's in development and is coming along splendidly, but won't show up in stores until 2001. Truth The Q's inside sources have let spill that Sonic Adventure 2 is indeed in development, and some of the work is being handled in the U.S. by the portion of Sonic Team that relocated to San Francisco during the localization of the first DC Sonic. And just like the Genesis Sonic 2, it'll have a two-player mode. The Q hears a new look is in store for the blue dude, too...hey Sonic, have you been working out? Rumor Acclaim's struck a deal with Sega to produce five of Sega's games on PlayStation2. Two of which are Crazy Taxi and Zombie Revenge. Acclaim will bring Sega's Ferrari 355 to Dreamcast in the U.S. Truth It's true that Acclaim will bring Ferrari to the U.S. (Acclaim has the Ferrari game license for anything in the U.S.). The two have been in rather serious talks about the PS2, and while everything's still hush- hush, the Q wouldn't be surprised to see Crazy Taxi and Zombie Revenge on PS2 in the near future. What this says about the Dreamcast's future is anybody's guess. If it's only a handful of titles (and older ones at that), it probably won't sway anyone from droppin' the dough for a DC. It wasn't long after the PS2 landed that someone found out how to play Region 1 (U.S.) DVD movies on the Region 2-specific PS2 DVD player software. The codes don't allow you to play all U.S. DVD movies, and sometimes don't let you access features of the discs that normally would be accessible on a regular Region 1 player, but the fix is enough to get DVDphiles excited. When Sony discovered the bug, they were quick to announce that all new shipments of the PS2 hardware will include updated DVD player software that removes this workaround. These systems began shipping to stores in Japan in early April. SCEI will also distribute the discs to stores that have sold PS2s in Japan so that customers can get the updated version of the DVD player software (why they would do that just to disable this Easter egg, we have no idea). So how do you do it? The easiest way is to plug a regular PS1 controller into the first player controller port of the PS2, insert a U.S. DVD, reset the machine, | andafterthe SCEI boot | screen fades to black, | press and hold “up” on | the control pad. You'll get | a one-line message in | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Japanese on the screen if itworked. Press select to get into the DVD menu, select Play, sit back and enjoy the show! me Тор 20 Best-Selling Games | of LT 2000 1- Pokémon Yellow £ 2 | Chris | Crispin Жш Жашын This is the first time in recent memory where every major game system on the market 15 represented in the top five. Of course, it wouldn't be a top five [ni ıa venonar rd without one or two of Nintendo’s 8,0 | 6.0 [sepes Che Shoe Pokémon games, now would it? 2- Mario lo Party 2 1:94 Nintendo brings Mario and his 13 59! gang of buddies back to the N64 with a smorgasbord of new boards and addictive and challenging mini-games. Roll the dice and don't get caught by the wily and tyrannical Baby Bowser. 8- Gray Taxi 19 8.0 Shoe | Crispin d — place—Cy's cube ти СТ, по doubt). In Sega's Crazy Taxi you deliver passengers to their «mj destinations as fast as possible, МЕН no matter what gets in your way. 4 - Gran Turismo 2 GT will make the jump to PlayStation2 sometime this year (hopefully), but until then PS 4 owners are getting their fill of Sony's real driving simulator. J| The first GT—now in the Greatest Hits series—is still on the top 20. J- Pokémon Red 6 How many years has it been since - Nintendo first released this E 10 John Crispin | 10 10 | Dein ае sapos game? Two? At any rate, it's still | John R | Crispin 2 on here and its popularity doesnt ———F show any sign of slowing (look for Ps ls Trading Card to show up on here 8.0 90 аз” + in the next few months). ее Г я OA күш | 6 Pokémon Blue H | | | Nintendo | 4 | NHL2K Sega WWF Wrestlemania 2000 | 8 тно _ K. ттт | | Tony Hawks Pro Skater | — | 9 por o 2 3 | E CEETITINE Dukes of Hazzard 10 11 “Donkey Kong 4 Ж Е мно 1 Pokémon Pinball Ari = 13 Spyro the Dragon SCEA | 1 Gran po | SCEA 1 Sled Storm | Electronic Arts 16 Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Nintendo ——TT — 1 NBA Live 2000 Electronic Arts p= suanetasuusdsesseenes 1 Crash Bandicoot: t WARPED SCEA 19 Super Smash Bros. Nintend 20: Frogger Hasbro Interactive 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 ЕСМ staff. Тоо Much of A Good Thing? | Doyou think the game industry is strong enough to support four systems (Dreamcast, Dolphin, PS2 and X-Box)? 540 | 31% Source: Videogames.com main poll results for 3/14/00 Experience speed beyond your wildest -" NS. - the ultimate thrill. Battle your way through 5 08 your jets, challenge adversaries and becom "407 high-s ‹ i ster, day and night 'o-head and innovative "Power Ball" put you night in the thick of. the action NG ; ¡HE PlayStation | Coming Soon - June 2000 Game Boy Color 1942 - Capcom Action All-Star Baseball 2001 - Acclaim Sports All Star Tennis 99 - Ubi Soft Sports Armada: F/X Racers - Metro 3D Racing Bomberman MAX - Vatical Entertainment Action Brunswick Pro Pool - Vatical Entertainment Sports Croc - THQ Action Dinosaur - Ubi Soft Action Driver - GT Software Racing Golf King - Crave Entertainment Sports Heroes of Might and Magic - 300 Adventure International Rally - Konami Racing ISS Soccer - Konami Sports Lemmings Revolution - Take 2 Interactive Puzzle NASCAR 2000 - THQ Racing Pro Pool - Activision Sports Rally Racing - Konami Racing Ronaldo V-Soccer - GT Software Sports Titus the Fox - Interplay Action Tomb Raider - THQ Action Toobin’ - Midway Misc. Totally Angelica - THQ Action Trick Boarder - Crave Entertainment Sports Triple Play 2001 - THQ Sports Wario Land III - endo Action PlayStation Arena Football - Midway Sports Caesar's Palace 2000 - Interplay Misc. Colony Wars 111: Red Sun - Psygnosis Shooter Duke Nukem: Planet of Babes - GT Software Action Gekido - Interplay Action Grind Session - SCEA Sports ISS Pro Revolution - Tommo Sports Jeremy McGrath 2000 - Acclaim Racing Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed - Midway Sports Legend of Mana - Square EA RPG LEGO Rock Raiders - LEGO Media Action MediEvil II - SCEA Action Micro Maniacs - Codemasters Racing Mike Tyson Boxing - Codemasters Sports Mr. Driller - Namco Puzzle Nightmare Creatures 2 - Konami Action Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure - Atlus RPG Rollcage Stage 2 - Psygnosis Racing Strider 2 - Capcom Action Vagrant Story - Square EA RPG Vanishing Point - Acclaim Racing Wild Arms 2 - SCEA RPG Nintendo 64 40 Winks - GT Software Action Bomberman 64: The Second Attack - Vatical Ent. Action Carmageddon - Titus Action Excitebike 64 - Nintendo Racing Fighter's Destiny 2 - Southpeak Fighting Looney Tunes Space Race - Infogrames Adventure Looney Tunes Taz Express - Infogrames Adventure Perfect Dark - Nintendo Action PGA European Tour - Infogrames Sports Dreamcast 4 Wheel Thunder - Midway Racing Arcatera - Ubi Soft Action Arena Football - Midway Sports Caesar's Palace 2000 - Interplay Misc. Draconus: Cult of the Worm - Crave Entertainment Adventure ESPN NBA 2 Night - Konami Sports Giga Wing - Capcom Shooter 1 Spy - Tommo Action Nightmare Creatures 2 - Konami Action Off Road - Interplay Racing Renegade Racers - Interplay Racing Street Fighter Alpha 3 - Capcom Fighting Compiled By Chris Johnston chris_johnston@zd.com Striker Pro 2000 - Infogrames Sports Tech Romancer - Capcom Fighting Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - Crave Entertainment Sports Viva Soccer - Interplay Sports Game Boy Color 2001 Tunes - Infogrames Misc. Alice in Wonderland - Nintendo Adventure Austin Powers 2 - Take 2 Interactive Action Crystalis - Nintendo RPG Dark Angel Anna's Quest - Metro 3D Adventure Doug: Quailman to the Rescue - Mattel Action Frisbee Golf - Vatical Entertainment Sports Hercules - Titus Action KISS: Psycho Circus - Take 2 Interactive Action Looney Tunes Collector: Alert! - Infogrames Misc. Lord Baniff's Deceit - Vatical Entertainment RPG Men in Black 2 - Crave Entertainment Action Micro Machines V3 - THQ Racing MTV Sports: Skateboarding - THQ Sports NBA Live 2000 - THQ Sports Pocket Racers - Interplay Racing Re-Volt - Acclaim Racing Road to El Dorado, The - Ubi Soft Action Test Drive Cycles - Infogrames Racing Test Drive Le Mans - Infogrames Racing TOCA Tour Racing - Southpeak Interactive Racing Тот & Jerry - Mattel Action Toonsylvania - Ubi Soft Action VR Powerboat - Vatical Entertainment Racing Wacky Races - Infogrames Racing WDW: Magical Racing Tour - Eidos Racing X-Men: Mutant Academy - Activision Action PlayStation Alien Resurrection - Fox Interactive Action Baldur's Gate - Interplay RPG Blaster Master II - Sunsoft Action Carmageddon 2 -Interplay Action Countdown Vampires - Bandai Action Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn - Activision Action Dragon Valor - Namco-Hometek RPG In Fisherman Bass Hunter - Take 2 Interactive Iron Soldier 3 - Vatical Entertainment Legend of Dragoon, The - SCEA RPG Major League Soccer - Konami Sports Mortal Kombat Special Forces - Midway Fighting Paper Boy - Midway Action Polaris Snocross 2000 - Kemco Racing Reel Fishing II - Natsume Sports Saboteur - Eidos Action Test Drive Cycles - Infogrames Racing Wacky Races - Infogrames Racing WTC: World World Racing Champ. - Activision Racing Blues Brothers 2000 - Nintendo Action Caesar's Palace - Crave Entertainment Misc. Hercules - Titus Action Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Nintendo Action Looney Tunes: Duck Dodgers - Infogrames Action StarCraft 64 - Nintendo Strategy Stunt Racer - Midway Racing Dreamcast Dark Angel: Vampire Apocalypse - Metro 3D Adventure Demolition Racer - Infogrames Racing Ecco the Dolphin - Sega Adventure ESPN Baseball Tonight - Konami Sports Fur Fighters - Acclaim Action Gauntlet Legends - Midway Action Legend of the Blademasters - Ripcord Games Action Midway Arcade Flashback - Midway Misc. Silver - Infogrames RPG South Park Rally - Acclaim Action & Jennifer Whitesides Space Channel 5 - Sega Misc. Space Invaders - Activision Shooter Spec Ops: Omega Squad - Ripcord Games Action Toy Story 2 - Activision Action Wacky Races - Infogrames Racing July Game Boy Color Barbie Fashion Pack - Mattel Misc. Carnivale - Vatical Action Perfect Dark - Rare Action Pokémon Attack - Nintendo Puzzle Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue - THQ Action Warlocked - Nintendo Strategy Xena - Titus Action PlayStation Darkstone - Take 2 Interactive Earthworm Jim - Interplay Action Lunar 2: Eternal Blue - Working Designs RPG Rampage Through Time - Midway Action Speedball 2100 - Empire Sports Threads of Fate - Square EA Action/RPG Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage - THQ RPG Banjo-Tooie - Nintendo Action Super Bowling - Tommo Sports X-Men: Mutant Academy - Activision Action Dreamcast Deep Fighter - Ubi Soft Ecco the Dolphin - Sega Evolution 2 - Ubi Soft RPG Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 - Acclaim Racing Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 - Capcom Fighting Metropolis Street Racer - Sega Racing Monster Breeder - Tommo Action Vanishing Point - Acclaim Racing Virtua Tennis - Sega Sports World Series Baseball 2K1 - Sega Sports Game Boy Color Animorphs - GT Software Action Bowling - Vatical Entertainment Sports Carmageddon 2 - Interplay Action Donkey Kong Country 2 - Nintendo Action Dragon Tales - Mattel Action Jack Nicklaus Golf - Vatical Entertainment Sports Jimmy White's Cue Ball - Vatical Entertainment Sports Seadoo Hydrocross 2001 - Vatical Entertainment Racing Sydney 2000 - Eidos Sports T-Rex - Eidos Action Chrono Cross - Square EA RPG ECW: Anarchy Rules - Acclaim Sports Kengo: Master of Bushido - Leightweight Action Re-Volt 2 - Acclaim Racing Rock Raiders - LEGO Media Action Tenchu 2: Birth of the Assassins - Activision Action Ogre Battle 64: PoLC - Atlus RPG Polaris SnoCross 2001 - Vatical Entertainment Armada II - Metro 3D Action 02 - Sega Action Deep Fighter - Ubi Soft Fighting ECW: Anarchy Rulz - Acclaim Sports Power Stone 2 - Capcom Fighting Quarterback Club 2001 - Acclaim Sports Sega GT - Sega Racing Sydney 2000 - Eidos Sports futuro af Gaming arrives this fall with © channel вита and Sand of manny, UE viens and ай of your current Pl Store Customer: <= ص‎ A i Reserve Your Copy Now! Call: Mail Order Customers Call: Playstation | — 1-800-800-5166 1-800-800-0032 EVEN THE GOOD EVENING, VIDEO GAMERS, V АМ HSU ТАМАКА, THAT 15 MY BROTHER CHAN, AND TODAY WE ARE CONDUCTING A SPECIAL 51009 ON Ам AREA OF GRAVE CONCERN то THE INDUSTRY: VIDEO GAME VIOLENCE. MIND- et NUMBING VIOLENCE OF WHICH I АМ CAPABLE CANNOT FROM THE QUESTION 15 POSED: DOES VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA AFFECT BEHAVIOR IN Аъ. CHILDREN? BURSTS \ OF THOSE THE TESTING PRO! ITSELF -- OUR SUBS GAMES FoR A SET AMOU! WHEN THEY ARE OBSERVE THEIR BEHAVIOR, UNTIL WE GET D OR HUNGRY BoRE! oR CESS 15 SIMPLICITY FECTS шц. PLAY VIDEO NT OF TIME, THEN, FINISHED, WE WILL ТОВ COULD IT BE THAT WITHIN EVERY CHILD 1$ A PSYCHOTIC ANIMAL READY To WREAK НАЧОС ON ALL Hod DEAR... SUBTECT x, YOU uu BE PLAYING "MOK VIOLENT ROMP WHERE THE FUN FLOWS FREELY IN GREEN, GOOEY ALIEN GLOBS... SOMETHING. RIGHT. SPEAKING OF WHICH, WE HAVE LUNCH RESERVATIONS үч 20 MINUTES, SO LETS GET THIS Road, Stow ON WHAT x= BOUNCING \CEBERGS! VIDEO GAMES Do MAKE KIDS VIOLENT! THE THIS 1S A DISTURGING Y T = DEVELOPMENT, HSU, мот BUT AS GAME DESIGNERS, IT 15 OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT CONTENT OF GAMES BE DICTATED во OUR OWN SACRED £^ VALDES, POES VIDEO GAME _ VIOLENCE BEGET REAL VIOLENCE? AS GAME DESIGNERS OURSELVES, WE CONSIDER үт OUR DUTY To SEEK OUT THE SOLUTION То THIS DISTURBING TREND, AND TO REMAIN IMPARTIAL T0-- id CHAN! gro? PLAYING wa THE qRoPs! мамите. | AMT. TO АР US IN OUR STUDY, Lt THE LIBERTY OF RENTING ا‎ AMPHITHEATER WHICH, FOR THOSE INTERESTED, WILL APPEAR IN THE EXPENSE REPORT TO OUR PARENT COMPANY UNDER "MISCELLANEOUS" IT WIL AFFORD OUR RESEARCH A STERILE ENVIRONMENT FAR AWAY FROM THE DISTRACTIONS OF OTHER HUMANITY. ... ALTHOUGH MOU SHOULD NOTE (T DOOR HAS ¡EX " qure ed Род A STAR TREK NON, $o THINGS MIGHT TLE WEIRD. IN GOOD AGERS, AVERAGE TIME, де JN EVERY WAY EXCEPT 1 Tuar THEY ARE PERHAPS А TAD HOMELIER THAN MOST, WORKING ON ¡SHORT NOTICE. им PLAYING WHAT? 15 GREED А SACRED VALUE? ONWARD, то не RESTAURANT! HE END/ \ МИКЕ LUNCH, NOT WAR" Fishing Experience Ever! Reel Fishing II builds on the success of Reel Fishing by offering all the extraordinary game play features that made it the most popular PlayStation? game console fishing game, while at the same time set new standards by being the deepest and most realistic fishing simulation to date. 2} AR БР 2 š > 5 я Serious Fun™ a ET logos are registered trademarks ol Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ТЇ sociation. Natsume is a registered Trademark of Natsume lnc. Serious Natsume Inc. © 2000 Natsume Inc. АН rights reserved, © 2000 Victor Int " TT oi ER All males are dead. All females are enslaved by vicious aliens. Against all odds, the Unified Babe Resistance e has formed, and right now they need a hero. J4 There's only one man from Earth's past A that's big enough for the job—Duke Nukem. New Duke Nukem™ game, only for the PlayStation® game console! Immersive 3rd-person shoot'em-up action! 14 unique missions, loaded with secrets! Auto-targeting and "automatic" simple actions! Over 30 in-game cinematics. Unlockable “bloopers”! 6 1st-person 2-player multiplayer maps. 3 split-screen modes! Rescue babes and terminate over 20 different enemies! Features music by Static X (courtesy of Warner Bros. Records*)! Supports DUALSHOCK™ analog controller! >. INNOVATIVE EGO SYSTEM for Duke! Use Duke's Jetpack, Infrared Goggles, Gas Mask and Shades Operating System! Sniper Rifle, Flame Thrower, Pipe Bombs and 15 other kick-ass weapons! == E E A EE E < < One million babes. One Duke. Any questions? Animated Violence GT Interactive | Animated Blood and Gore. Software | | SPACE]. š Strong Sexual Context > PlayStation - 4 www.gtgames.com ииоратезва в www.3drealms.com www.n-space.com FOOTWEAR SKECHERS.COM FREE CATALOG 1.800.201.4659 Ty secret agents with `Y — ES \ beautiful assistants challengin EJ gmg хе) power-hungry villains with А fierce conspirators and — iM K y "4 the latest weapons... / YA [ : | Ser Take on fully 3D foes modern-day spies rarely see - like fire-breathing dragons Return to a dark, gray у orld full of agents, espionage, and conspiracies алу Р Not a recent trend. ORY. www.vagrantstory.com Challenge the predecessor of all contemporary evil megalomaniacs Get medieval on your enemies with unique real-time battle and status systems poc T www.squaresoft.com Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. eer р Е Ш 5 Dreamcast 60 Power Stone 6 Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 Spawn 62 Evolution 2: Far Off Promise 66 68 70 Nintendo 64 78 80 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 84 fekken Tag Tournament 126 128 129 130 132 Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games Starlancer NFL Blitz 2001 Stupid Invaders Stunt GP. Demolition Racer—No Exit World's Scariest Police Chases NFL Quarterback Club 2001 Test Drive: Off-Road 3 Test Drive Cycles Dragonriders: Chronicles of Pern Ultimate Fighting Championship Super Runabout Grandia 11 Record of Lodoss War Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Hey You, Pikachu! The World is Not Enough Eternal Darkness Conker's Bad Fur Day Bomberman 64: The Second Attack Cruis'n Exotica Dead or Alive 2 Ridge Racer V Gran Turismo 2000 Driving Emotion Type 5 Evergrace Fantavision Armored Core 2 10 Remix+ Onimusha: Warlords Gunslinger Midnight Club Street Fighter EX 3 Oni Munch's Oddysee X Squad Motor Mayhem! Star Wars: Episode | Starfighter Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing 1/4 е Mechsmith Run=Dim опу Hawk's Pro Skater The Legend of Dragoon Breath of Fire 4 Threads of Fate Grind Session Legend of Mana Medal of Honor Underground Planet of the Apes Arena Football Unleashed Blaster Master Madden NFL 2001 NCAA College Football 2001 Knockout Kings 2001 Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX Rock Raiders Titan A.E. Hogs of War Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Sno-Cross Galaga NASCAR 2001 Breakout Alien Resurrection NGEN Racing Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare Kengo: Master of Bushido Mat Hoffman's Pro ВМХ Destruction Derby Raw Rayman 2 Test Drive Cycles Time Crisis Project Titan Army Men: World War Deuce Mike Tyson Boxing Rampage Through Time Final Fantasy IX Maestromusic Game Boy Color 138 Metal Gear Solid Wario Land 3 Warlocked T-Rex Walt Disney's The Jungle Book WARNING: Previews marked with international symbols may ог may not пе released in the 0.5. They are designed to run on Japanese or European PAL systems. Import at your own risk. This Month їп Previews ow that we've played the snot out of the Japanese PS2 stuff Chris and Mark brought back from Tokyo Game Show (take a look at our International coverage), we're back to more important things like getting this issue done. Well, that and getting ready for our annual trip to Los Angeles for E3 (lots of gaming, goodies and partying). For now, we have a butt-load of pre-E3 previews to show you—some of which are looking downright amazing. N64 owners should be pleased with an above-average showing, including: A new Kirby, Conker's BFD, the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and more (by the way, we finally review Perfect Dark in Review Crew this month). And of course let's not forget about all of the other high-profile stuff coming to Dreamcast, PlayStation, PlayStation2 and Game Boy Color, from a variety of publishers and developers. Speaking of which, in addition to the Dreamcast games we've previewed in this month's Preview section, don't forget about all of the exclusive Dreamcast E3 titles blown out in this month's cover feature (starting on page 2. Tekken Tag Tournament Power Stone 2 3. 4. Kirby 64 5. Metal Gear Solid Who doesn't love Kirby? He may have a cute, spongy pink body, but he isn't afraid to kick ass if need be. Check out the preview on page 76 of Kirby for the N64. 144). In the feature, we dissect all of the goods Dreamcast owners can look forward to in the months to come. Mario Party-esque Sonic Square, frag- happy Quake 111, the long-awaited Phantasy Star Online, Jet Set Radio and more are featured. Stay tuned next month when we showcase more games from E3—some with big names attached, but that's all we can say at the moment. The issue after next is post-E3, so we'll be able to pass along all sorts of juicy news and previews directly from the show. No doubt, it'll be a good time. + Dreamcast, Fall 2000 PlayStation2, Fall 2000 Dreamcast, August 2000 Nintendo 64, Summer 2000 Game Boy Color, April 2000 Will you still play your PlayStation after the U.S. PlayStation2 launch? Yes dont even own one lon 54 videogames.con source: videogames.com online poll 5066 1661 319 FE, Fl, FO, FUM, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread. This is a game of revenge. A dark early 1900s revenge where you'll battle against 20 different creatures using new fighting techniques, combination moves, and fatalities. A revenge that goes deep into 30 game sectors in 8 different worlds including subways, castles, sewers, cities (London|Paris), cemeteries, villages, and underwater. A gory revenge. An extremely gory revenge. Soundtrack by Rob Zombie. NIGHTMARE www.nightmarecreatures.com с 2 8 a > а a Speed Punks isa trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ©2000 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Funcom. PlayStation ond PlayStation logos ore registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. nee ЖБ EUN. Whatever it takes to win. ко supply the lead foot, we'll supply everything else. This isn't about playing fair. It's about launching missiles, taking weaselly shortcuts, ] blowing out tires and basically stooping to any level to humiliate your fellow driver. Choose from six speed-crazy delinquent racers. Defile 24 hostile tracks. Plug in the [Jg Mild Language Multi tap for a heated foursome. And remember, nice guys finish last. 2 AA — шй = Ж А PREVIEW Capcom Capcom CTN + vw Fighting СНИ 90% August 2000 CI Arcade 17 3 WWW.Capcom.com More interactive backgrounds and four-player action. COT No ability to block. ГТГ The shape of your living room after intense player matches. Power Stone 2 features | even more interactive areas than its predecessor. For example, this one stage has | you running away from a | giant boulder. Yikes! Power Stone 2 _ Four players hanging out on a rooftop. Looks similar to Super Smash Brothers, doesn't it? If you can't beat "ет with hand-to-hand combat, might as well hop in a gun turret and blast ‘em away. he original Power Stone was essentially an amalgamation of two genres—fighting and platformer. While the point was to beat up your opponent one-on-one fighter style, there was also a number of platform elements tossed in, such as collecting power-ups, climbing walls, and jumping about the interactive levels. This mix proved to be a success among gamers, so it comes as no surprise that the sequel features an even greater fusion of the two genres. Picture this: You’re in the middle of a battle and all of the sudden, out of nowhere, a gigantic Indiana Jones-style boulder comes crashing into the room. The screen switches to a 2D side-scrolling perspective and you and your opponents must keep running to stay ahead of the rolling boulder. The new objective is now to trip up your opponents so the giant rock will crush them. Doesn’t sound like your average fighting game, does it? Another stage allows you to jump in and out of gun turrets found on constantly submerging and resurfacing submarines. There are even vehicles that you can command this time around, including tanks and airplanes. These new levels of background interactivity help increase the action in each stage as well as make for a new element of strategy. Whereas the first game was more just a race to collect all of the Power Stones, the sequel forces you to also master your environment to become a true champion. But the most important new feature in the sequel is something that Capcom wanted to include in the original game, but scrapped at the last minute: four-player support. Power Stone 2 allows up to four people to go at it in two-on-two matches. However, to allow all of the characters to appear on screen at once without causing too much confusion, Capcom opted to pull the camera out a bit, so the characters appear a bit smaller this time around. Otherwise, Power Stone 2 appears very similar graphically to the original—which definitely isn’t a bad thing. The game still features the same crisp and clean graphics that made the first one sucha showcase for the Dreamcast when it launched last year. Running in hi-res at 6ofps, with four characters at once all firing weapons, tossing around items, piloting vehicles or launching off their special attacks, PS2 is a sight to behold. So most of the major changes to the Power Stone formula for the sequel add diversity to the gameplay, which ought to please fans while also adding replay value. It looks like the Dreamcast has yet another title on the way to solidify its reputation as the system of choice for fighting game fans. a There are over 120 items that you can pick up in Power Stone 2, including 65 weapons. Which Capcom fighting game series 15 your favorite? Marvel Vs. Capcom - 1847 Street Fighter Alpha - 1305 Street Fighter - 1247 | PREVIEW Power Stone - 673 GALLERY T —DÀ— MÀ SS EE LI A ШЕ _ + Cancom 2 This popular, over-the-top fighter from Capcom returns to the Dreamcast in July. Unlike its Japanese counterpart, the U.S. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 doesn't let you use your DC VMU with the arcade versions of the game to unlock characters, nor does it have online play. Nonetheless, it looks amazing, has a VMU time-release feature for characters, full-on three-on-three battles, over 50 playable characters and more. After playing Capcom's incarnation of Spawn, it appears that yes, there could actually be a good game devoted to the license. Spawn is somewhat reminiscent of Power Stone: Combatants square off in 3D arenas, where weapons and maneuverability are key, as is defeating bosses within a set time limit. Since the arcade game uses the Naomi hardware, expect a near-perfect port when Spawn hits this September. 61 Soul Reaver was first released, fans were concerned about the game's rather abrupt ending. “We realized...that we had essentially over-designed the game, and that the epic story we wanted to convey was too ambitious for a single PREVIEW product," Amy Hennig, the producer of Soul Reaver told GALLERY us last year. So when you pop Soul Reaver 2 into your Dreamcast later this year, you're playing the second act of the originally planned product. Legacy of Kain: Raziel returns to the Dreamcast (and PlayStation) this fall in this latest installment of Crystal Dynamics/Eidos’ Kain series. This time around you must travel back in time to find Kain and discover the cause for the extinction of the vampire clans and other mysteries of Nosgoth's past. Hordes of new enemies, such as vampire hunters, humans, spectral spirits and demons await your return to the spectral realm. Ubi Soft Entertainment ¡s busy translating the sequel to the first- ever Dreamcast RPG, Evolution 2: Far Off Promise, for a U.S. release this July. ly, ny husband runs the n үз " rade Shop over there Mag Launcher is back, and in his З! ite a bit ^ quest to become a world-class adventurer, he journeys to the town of Museville to further enhance his reputation as a great treasure hunter. This follow-up from Sting will feature more of the dungeon crawling, turn-based battle action players experienced in the first game. Ubi Soft has made it a point to declare that Evolution 2 “builds off the strengths of Evolution 1." Translated, that means there are both randomly generated and predefined dungeons this time. Hopefully more of the latter than the former, since the first game's mazes got mind-numbingly boring after a while. N43 © 1V43 ^w] X— NAIL TET === 1414 www 1580 282 274 293 62 Iñ ууу, Сод ТҮРІ Het Up to 8-player pacing • 3 single-player modes • 2 multiplayer modes « 8 mutated characters + 16 special weapons « 32 twisting tracks « 3D racing action Y Codemasters Á GENIUS AT PLAY © 2000 The Codemasters Software Company trademark of Codemasters. PlayStation and, АП other trademarks and trade names llheir respective owners. Reckless, destructive, wicked, aggressive, manic fun! Micro Maniacs punch, kick, and fight dirty as they run wild through the house. No principles, no prisoners, just 12 mutant characters devastating anyone and anything that comes between them and winning. It's multiplayer mayhem at its maniacal best. If you see them coming... Run! Name: Twister Аде: 23 Е. а S Weights 9% CSRS ғо гапат Ishowsenocvisiblegsigns Very тор @ е апо < арте g ES surroundings- ecial abilities ornado deyastatio бесарт ШШ о уе EVERYONE A Animated Blood Animated Violence PlayStation IE q Ам. They?re off. And r D unn ("Codemasters"). All rights reserved. "Codemasters"* and the Codemasters logo are regis; by Codemasters. "Micro Ма! logos are registered trademarks, > ¿j Inc. The ratings ji le Interactive Digital Software г “ча PREVIEW GALLERY Headed to the DC this September from Crave 15 Starlancer, a space shooter developed by Digital Anvil (soon to be a PC game). Major nations from Earth have formed strategic alliances and are battling against each other (Alliance versus Coalition) for planetary control of Mars, Earth and other planets across the solar system. It's your job to join the 45th Volunteers Squadron and battle for the planets. Olympic Games If you don't feel like falling asleep while watching the Olympics on КВС, you can try playing this more interactive version from Eidos. The game seems ambitious —you can train your entire Olympic team, dress them in sexy shorts, and then have them compete in 12 different events. NEWG ss= 2 oae y LH: ща . 5 J Ип вв Predictably, Midway 15 set to release the latest in their pigskin brawler this fall. Expect a revamped playbook, a more robust editor, new player animations, and tons of new bonuses and codes. € Tao A star 7 | Does Starlancer look a little Wing | Commanderesque? While we hope this isn't too foreboding for the game, the developer, Digital Anvil, was also the same team behind the special effects in the ill-fated Wing | Commander movie. It was one of the worst science-fiction flicks ever, but at least the visuals weren't too bad, especially when you | consider its laughable budget. You and your alien pals crash land on Earth, only to be pursued all over the place by an evil doc who collects aliens. This 3D adventure is coming in September from Ubi Soft and Gaumont. qam 64 It's Gundam Side Story 0079, Rise from the Ashes with 3D battle simulation, movie-quality sound track and Gundam - quality mass destruction. Electronic Gaming Monthly" called it, “... some of the richest graphics yet on Dreamcast. Each of the mechs are cut with so much detail, they look like FMV at a glance." And a glance is all the insidious Zaku forces will get, before your jump jet action and zoom-in weapon features blow them into another dimension. move SEARCH ATTACK GUARD aNVWWOS WATCH GUNDAM WING ONLY ON Toonamr © SOTSU AGENCY = SUNRISE 01999 Bandai Со, 1 d distinctive likenesses thereof are the property of Sotsu Agency and Sunrise, All Used under license by Bandai. Distribi America Incorporated, 5551 Katella Avenue, Cypress, California 90630. Sega, Dreamcast and the registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. CARTOON NETWORK and logos are trademarks of Cartoon Network ©2000. Driving in a demolition derby is more painful than you'd think. Just ask former EGM editor Che Chou. | Ata recent Sony sponsored demo derby, Che injured | his neck after plowing into another car...poor kid. PREVIEW GALLERY ni GP This Infogrames title (due out this summer) combines racing and stunt action. The futuristic vehicles can flip multiple times, perform 3605, and maneuver loops while in pursuit of the checkered flag. Demolition Racer (PS) got decent scores; hopefully this version will as well. We only hope it doesn't use the overly arcade-like Test Drive 5 (DC) game engine. Regardless, it won't be an exact port by any standards. All-new cars, power-ups and two new tracks are featured. The premise remains the same, however—race for position and points for wrecking others. Infogrames will release DR-No Exit this June. Police Chases You've seen the scariest police chases ever caught on tape on TV. Now you get to create them yourself. Get behind the wheel of a police car and chase down the bad guys in Fox Interactive's latest, coming Q4 2000. Developed by Teeny Weeny Games, it's set up as a special edition of the hit television show— with host Sheriff John Bunnell providing the play- by-play. The shots shown here were taken from PC development stations. NFL Quartertack би 2001 Gird your jocks straps and take to the gridiron this August with NFL Quarterback Club 2001. Acclaim has done a major Al overhaul along with updating the player graphics so receivers look scrawny compared to the behemoth linemen. A new passing scheme has been added (thankfully) in addition to an “oomph” button which allows runners to bust through the line while protecting the ball. (DREAMCAST NGA 65 ОМЕЛА PCS 4 For | cool, the sub-woofer/satellite — „7 DONT JUST HEAR THE GAME... SOUND PLAYSTATION! BE m | | || | Jl | dl |“, ПЕ "In addition to just looking 4 ONIC GAMING MONTHLY — Í А | "Whether your plosging in your | player or your computer you'll | be sure to "Еве! the sound' he way it was meant to be" 1 | "With а 300 watt sub-wodfer, two | satellite speakers, and separate volume and bass controls, you get clean stereo sound along with ) pumping bass undertones. Highly ) recommended" 4.5/5, OFFICIAL PLAYSTATION (US) E <= SOUND STATION UR Great game, awesome graphics. But what about the sound? With the Dicen ria o ScreenBeat SOUND STATION you get - > -< < of pure sound arc duds quality та cool ees vien engineered speaker system. Listen to — cn e һе world in - around” sound from these advanced A A M “From the melodic sounds оЕ Final N ee sa i p | Fantasy VIII, to the upbeat 70's “The ScreenBeat SOUND STATION is the MUST HAVE audio odd em Station helped provide a great atmosphe: á on for the serious gamer, and comes with connecting cables for PlayStation, Dreamcast and Multimedia PC's. You can also connect ' ” it up to your мна еще мені Ф очі MP3 player, У f + giving you a true — го 5 J уулы anywhere you want. г SPECTRA — ° SpectraVideo USA Inc. i ка ЕРМА MESE GD DETTE RORY 4660 Duke Drive, Suite 325 —339, Mason, Ohio 45040, USA. WIDE) TEL: (513) 336 1370 FAX: (513) 336 1329 WEB: www.spectravideo.com AN trademarks or trada names re e registered proper Of heir respecte companies. Logie За registered trademark ot Log 3 Internationa Lt, Wembley, UK “addtional cables required AVAILABLE FROM: /Babbages| |efoys | Го: _ Games! Sour Ei. AND ALSO IN MOST COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES RETAILERS | | Ren & Stimpy creator John K. is a | big fan of Ultimate Fighting | Championship. In fact, at one | point a while back, he had a big | article on the Spumco site about PREVIEW | how much he liked it. Check out GALLERY | www. spumco.com. | | Off-Road 3 Ifyou have an urge to take big and rowdy vehicles into the wild, then Infogrames has just the sequel for you—complete with Hummer, no less. The races won't be very fast, but you won't have to slow down for the wildlife either. Test Drive: Off-Road 3 focuses on real-life physics in addition to different types of terrain in this roughneck's wet dream. Cycles EGM had a chance to witness an exclusive preview of Infogrames* Test Drive Cycles for the Dreamcast. Beyond a silky-smooth frame-rate and gorgeous graphics, the title packs all the same features as its PS counterpart (12 tracks, over 35 licensed bikes, etc.), plus a few other goodies. Specifically, an additional course and more Al riders competing in each race and the Special Events Mode. Look for TD Cycles this fall. Chronicles of Pern This 3D action/adventure from Ubi Soft is based on the Dragonrider series of sci-fi/fantasy novels by Anne McCaffrey. The game takes place in the dying world of Pern, where you take on a variety of quests, puzzles, combat and more. As you might have guessed, the game's filled with lots of dragons and...well, dragon riders. We'll have more on this one after E3. It's due for release some time in September. Crave and Japanese developer Anchor are bringing us this fighter based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship. UFC features over 20 of the most dangerous brawlers around (some real-life UFC combatants, and others created specifically for the game). Like the real-life UFC matches, the game is as real as it gets— raw punches, kicks and a variety of amazing fighting styles. Look for it later this year. GET THE HOTTEST GAMES AND FREE STUFF FROM SQUARESOFT'! попа OF MaNi А TENES A ا‎ e GEN ШЕТ SELECTION HRONO _ ROSS uu p^ 5 MUSIC SELECTION gore FREE KNAPSACK! When you purchase each game, you'll Pre-order all three games at the same receive an exclusive FREE Music location and receive a FREE SQUARESOFT Selections audio CD" for that title Summer of Adventure 2000 Knapsack" "While supplies last - see participating retailers for details. som pl Pune Babbages" Funcoland software (9 America's Software Headquarters © 1999, 2000 Square Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. SQUARE SOFT and the SQUARESOFT logos are registered trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. Legend of Mana, Threads of Fate, and Chrono Cross are trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony SQUARE. SOFT 5 Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association Music CDs will be distributed when each respective video game title is pu от participating retailers. Summer of Adventure 2000 Knapsacks be al www.squaresoft.com September 30, 2000. Quantities for all Summer of Adventure 2000 merchandise Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. while supplies last. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. takes no responsibility for this offer. PRODUCTS RANGE FROM EVERYONE то TEEN PlayStation в If you want to know more about the Lodoss War RPG or anime series, there's tons of fans and info to be found out there on the Web. A good place to start is http://www.meta earth.com/ lodoss/index.html. PREVIEW GALLERY Combine one part Crazy Taxi and one part Driver, and you've got a good idea what this new Runabout sequel from Climax is all about. (Other games in the series include the original PlayStation game, released here as Felony 11-79, and Runabout 2, also for the PS and due next month from Hot-B. Got all that?) After choosing your car and mission (the one we tried had you find and disarm six bombs around San Francisco), it's the same drive anywhere-style gameplay as the previous games, just with beefed-up graphics courtesy of the DC. You earn money for smashing up other cars, busses, and just generally causing mayhem, but be careful— damage to your vehicle makes it harder to drive, and if you bust it up too bad it's game over. The version we played looked great but with slightly sluggish controls — making it hard to turn and accelerate after collisions—but we'll reserve judgement until after Super Runabout is released May 25 in Japan. Lodoss War Based on the popular Japanese anime series and pen and paper role-playing game, this action/RPG from Kadokawa Shoten may not look like much from these screens, but we found ourselves hooked on the playable demo we got at the last Tokyo Game Show. In many ways, Lodoss War borrows from recent PC RPGs like Diablo—the small characters, detached 3/4 overhead perspective, conversations with non-player characters, and inventory system are all similar. The graphics may look simple, but they allow plenty of enemies on screen simultaneously, and they make it possible for the camera to zoom way in or out of а scene as needed. Lodoss War is due out June 29 in Japan. No word on a U.S. release. Arts' upcoming RPG this month except for "it's looking freaking good!" We had to pass along more screens after we saw this game in action at the Tokyo Game Show. 10 Rea ming. Box 14778, El Cajon, CA 92022 USA. ас 1 Д Dream Blaster is officially licensed by erpris S the atents pending. Made in China. (опа. а ес “Virtual On: Oratario Tangram is one of the most visually impressive Dreamcast titles yet.” — Next Generation But А. nd RE AS T (ДЕИН Extreme 3-D battlegrounds! www.activision.com Sega Y Dreamcast. dE ACTIVision. “The title hard-core gamers have been waiting for!” — GameFan The wildly popular arcade game comes to your Sega Dreamcast" in a perfect detail-by-detail sequel. You won't believe how exact, how frenetic and explosive it is... until you take on a 60-foot enemy Fantastic futuristic weapons! with your extinction on its mind. Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram” © Sega Enterprises, Ltd., 1998-2000 Characters © Sega Enterprises, Ltd /Automuss Character Design: Katoki Hajime. Sega, Sega Dreamcast and Virtual-On:Oratorío Tangram are either registered trademarks or trademarks. of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. This game is licensed for use on the Sega Dreamcast System only. Published and distributed by Activision, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc. All rights reserved. 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 Association. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. WHEN чои Have A MAGNEGIG HEAD, зогге GOING. TO яга TI'HUBLEE: esa Sega©Dreamcast. www.cravegames.com “Every facet of the game, from its zany appearance to its goofy character designs and nutty score, is tailored to perfection. Rating: A-" Dave Halverson « Gamers' Republic “Its rather unique look and feel, combined with solid gameplay and a zany cast of characters...ensure Neo a place among the Dreamcast's elite." Greg Orlando + DailyRadar.com Жез, чы KON " Pinki and her goons have taken "Everything moves so well, and the worlds are over Pao Pao Park and it's up so full of color that Neo will make quite to Neo to set things right! an impression on anyone who sees it." Brandon Justice • Dreamcast.IGN.com Use Neo's magnetic powers to capture metallic enemies, catapult off platforms and rocket through the air! Jump, run, ride and swing your way across fantastic colorful worlds! ы TM eErmagnetic Paccion BEGINS JULY 2 © 2000 Genki Co.. Ltd. All rights reserved. Published and ted by Crave Entertainment, Inc. under license from Genki Co.. Ltd. Super Magne! Crave Entertainment, Inc. Crave Entertainment is a regi trademark in the U.S. Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either regis! trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective holders AS PREVIEW Kirby 64 has gone through some major changes over its many years of development, including plans to make it a racing game (called Kirby's Air Ride), and as a title for Nintendo's 64DD expansion drive. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards CTE Nintendo HAL Laboratory, Inc. res ++ CT Action 100% Release: Now-Japan m Hone www.nintendo.com The same ol' Kirby you know and love, now on the N64. The same о!" Kirby, just now on the N64. [лпа тпе оу: What the hell took so long for this game to come out? And where's Metroid already?! POWERPUFF You can mix and match the different abilities you get by swallowing enemies in all sorts of ways— here's just a few examples. Spike + Boomerang = Bear Trap Kirby H Flame + Boomerang = Fire Sword Kirby ми Flame + Stone = Volcano Kirby : Spike + Spike = Swiss Army Kirby Here's where the enemy abilities you've swallowed are displayed (see sidebar). Kirby can fly, but only for a limited time until he gets tired and falls. These green things shoot you around like the barrels in Donkey Kong Country. ou can dislike Nintendo for a lot of reasons— sticking with the cartridge format, not enough RPGs or fighting games for their system—but rushing their games out to market certainly isn't one of them. They don't mind delaying their franchise titles as long as it takes to get them right, and the results have been great so far—Zelda, Perfect Dark and now Kirby. Although Nintendo originally started developing Kirby for the N64 as a racing game of sorts (see sidebar on top of the page) when the system was first shown years ago, that game was scrapped and work began on the more traditional platformer you see here. And traditional it is. If you've tried any of the previous Kirby games on the NES, SNES or Game Boy, you should feel right at home with Kirby 64. The graphics got the N64 treatment, of course— all characters and backgrounds are fully polygonal, so as you move the perspective changes realistically, There are also three super- simple, Mario Party-style minigames for 1-4 players in Kirby 64, including this racing game (left). 16 but gameplay still takes place on a flat 2D path. The visuals aren't going to blow anyone away, but then that's not really the point. Everything looks simple, with a clean, cartoony style that's definitely pleasing to the eye. Plus, as anyone who's played any of the previous Kirby games knows, underneath those simple graphics lies a very deep game, oozing with technique and secrets. Kirby may look all cute and harmless, but hidden in that doughy pink blob of a body is the power to transform into any one of a whole arsenal of deadly weapons— just suck in an enemy or two, swallow and voilá! You steal their power. For example, suck in a flame-spitting enemy and Kirby can turn himself into a raging fireball. Suck in a cactus and Kirby can puff himself into a spiny ball like a blowfish. Or combine any two of these abilities at once for even more different special attacks (check the sidebar for more examples). These transformations are good for more than just defeating enemies, too—some levels have special sections and bonus areas Kirby can only enter if he’s got the right kind of attack ability equipped. While we don’t have a firm release date yet, Nintendo is definitely bringing Kirby 64 over here sometime soon. And after all, what’s a few more months waiting for a game we've already been anticipating for over three years, right? gh Take your 50 bucks. Buy Code Veronica from them. Pay $5 shipping. Play Code Veronica. Or, take 45 bucks. Buy Code Veronica from us. Pay Only: 5 929 (Original price $44.99, less $25 VA.com mail-in rebate.) Get free shipping. Play Code Veronica. Enjoy it with 35 tacos.* VA.com. Serious about your fun. Value America Best Selection. Reliable Service. Competit Over 2,000 games ° Even hard to find titles PREVIEW GALLERY Hey You, Pikachu! What if you had your very own Pikachu to talk to? What would you say? Nintendo's going to give you that chance this holiday season. In Hey You, Pikachu! you get your very own Pika-pal to talk to and go on special missions with. Whether #5 gathering food for a hungry Bulbasaur, helping out a group of Caterpies and their Butterfree friend, or just going for a walk, you've gotta keep Pikachu happy and entertained. The World Is m Not Enough EA and Eurocom are bringing us this Bond FPS based on the movie late this year. Could it be better than Perfect Dark? We'll soon see. We don't have much to show you on this one, but we can tell you a little bit about the game. It's a rather cinematic action/adventure title from Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain developer Silicon Knights and Nintendo coming sometime later this year. Players travel through time, fighting gangs of thugs and various beasts, in order to prevent the human race from being enslaved. We should have more on this one after E3. 2741 #5 oqo ч «t Bigger Better Bombs! * "mis 22 Z | Dr] 4t Five Battle Modes 4t Four Player Split Screen Capability er =”. 8 E 1 E "а P н Ө tHe omy INFRARED RESPONSIVE C a P” ЕН lr " ENGER GAME (ге. use your TV remote control to Ë unlock secret mini-games) | © m BATTLE YOUR FRIENDS! COPYRIGHT € 2000 VATICAL ENTERTAINMENT AND n AND SOFTWAREO 2000 HUDSON SOFT, BOMBERMANG AND HUDS! IEGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF HUDSON COMP! LICENSED BY NINTENDO, NINTENDO, GAME BOY, ' GAME BOY COLOR , NINTENI ) ARE ISTERED. NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC ENTERTAINMENT PREVIEW GALLERY Conker's Bad Fur Day Here's an update on Rare's Conker's BFD. It looks amazing, and should be a blast with its M rating. Look for it late this year. Gruis'n Exotica Midway takes a lot of heat for putting out archaically simple arcade racing games, and it looks like their latest title isn't going to change that trend. This eager beaver takes the tried and true Cruis'n engine to the next level by offering 12 new tracks set in imaginative locations. For example, you'll get a chance to race under water in the Lost City of Atlantis track (as you can see from the picture, there's plenty of atmosphere down there). Other locales include the Planet Mars course and the glitzy Vegas run. Look for sharper graphics and a faster frame-rate, but don't expect a drastic difference from the previous Cruis'n games. Cruis'n Exotica will be four-player, Rumble and Memory Pak capable when it debuts sometime in the next four months. Bomberman 64: The Second Attack It's been a couple of years, but Bomberman 15 finally returning to the N64. To be honest, the Second Attack looks a helluva lot like the first game. You will find at least a couple of interesting new features though—a two-player simultaneous Story mode, and new bomb types including ice, hurri- cane, lightning and gravity bombs. Bomberman ships this May. H L/ Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Nintendo recently released new shots this one, so an update 16 in order. In this sequel, Link finds himself in an alternate dimension where a rather evil Moon is оп its way down— its crash will destroy the world and everything on it. You have three days to stop this from happening. Link can turn into new characters with interesting powers and abilities via magical masks. Majora's Mask should be available in the fall. el i à ectronics boutique presents NOR DICO SPREAD THE WORD world com AOL KEYWORD: EBWORLD WWW.EBWORLD „сом ^d о E т 0 а 0 т 0 Е 0 2 N o 2 4 4 DROP To ма \ \ M BE 4 Sarn. жин M К mum V AA 1 я 57 pm - BEAR BOX Pag 11:40 pm - WHEELS CHANGED, Tith POSITION. 2:18 ат - SPUN INTO GUARD RAIL. 15th POSITION. 6 $ EVERYONE ac { CONTENT RATED BY { ESRB All Rights Reserved. Developed by Eutechnyx” Limited. Le Mans 24 logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. АП other trademarks and trade names are the puse ot ‘their r— [| c ~ Tekken Tag Tournament [Punisher Namco Namco СТИ < [бепе | Fighting % Done: 10096 Release: Now-Japan CE None www.namco.co.jp Tekken hits the next- gen in style. If you've played Tekken 3 you've played this. Soul Calibur still looks better. The boys and gals are back and they look pretty damn good. Along with the usual cast of Kazuya, Paul, Yoshimitsu (who moonlighted in Soul Calibur), and Nina, is almost everyone who's appeared in Т1, 2 and 3. Added to TTT is the mysterious boss known only as Unknown. Spare! | Lj Get your bowl on with Tekken's bowl-o-thon. ekken is back (as if you ever really thought it was gone) and better than ever. Just released in Japan on March 30, roughly a month after the release of the PlayStation 2, Tekken Tag Tournament (along with Ridge Racer V) is arguably the most anticipated title in the PS2's first- generation salvo of software. Much like Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast, Tekken Tag Tournament was originally developed on Namco's PlayStation-based System-12 hardware. What this has enabled Namco to do is hone the gameplay on the technologically dated arcade hardware, then subsequently jack up the graphics “to eleven" on the PS2’s infinitely more powerful hardware. So what does that mean for Johnny Gamer? For starters, just about every character that's ever appeared in a Tekken game (a total of 38 if you include “body-doubles” like Kuma/Panda and Alex/Roger) is assembled here. Kazuya is back from There's something strangely comforting about having the whole Tekken family back together for a friendly melee. the bottomless chasm that Heihachi dumped him in at the end of T2, but novelty manga-character Gon the dinosaur has been jack-booted to the great unknown. Doctor Boskonovitch is also on hiatus, presumably lying down on his back somewhere. As the title indicates, this is Tekken, with the ability to tag a partner in and out of action at the press of a button. This makes for some interesting strategies and intriguing match-ups. Combine power and speed? A defensive expert with an offensive powerhouse? TTT offers a multitude of possibilities, but it's all up to you to decide. It's not a fight to the finish as in games like Marvel vs. Capcom; instead, the match is decided by the first player to knock out any one of his opponent's characters. As you'd expect, the graphics in ТТТ take a huge leap over what the PlayStation is capable of. While the arcade setup had loads of RAM to store the four characters, the original PlayStation could never handle this much data. The PS2 obviously is a different matter. Higher polygon-count character models, 3D backgrounds (no 2D wrap-arounds like the PS version of T3) and hi-res, 60FPS graphics are all part of the basic package. In addition to the usual versus, survival and training modes, there is also a "secret" mode called Tekken Bowl, which lets you take to the lanes with your favorite Tekken characters. Expect this to be a launch title when the PS2 arrives in the U.S. this fall. № [Publisher. — | Tecmo Team Ninja [nes < семе: Fighting 10096 Release: Now-Japan СТИ None www.tecmo.co.jp The fastest 3D fighter yet. There is no bad. Tengu looks like a walking dookie. Girlfriend! Here are some of the extra outfits in the PS2 version. Dead or Alive 2 The classic “reversal” style of gameplay is back, but improved to prevent unnecessary “turtling.” No, it's not a bad screenshot. The final battle in the PS2 version of DoA2 uses this special trippy blur effect. he bounce is back in town, and so are Kasumi, Lei Fang, Tina Armstrong and the boys. Ayane returns in even bustier form, and new characters Helena and Ein are introduced for the first time. Strangely, Bayman has been ejected for the carbon-copy but completely original turban-wearing character Leon. As in the first game, the fighting engine is an evolution of the famous Virtua Fighter setup, meaning there is a punch and a kick button, while pulling back effects your block. The hold button from the first DOA has been renamed the “free” button, while the final offensive command arrives in the form of a throw button. Whereas the first game was a nonstop reversal-fest with often comedic 85 displays of two players constantly trying to negate each other's attacks, DOA2 rectifies the problem by adding a three-tiered application of the system. Instead of just reversing your opponent to death, you have to anticipate whether their attack is going to arrive high, medium or low. If you forecast your enemy's blows correctly you'll pull off a nifty counter move of significantly damaging power. If you don't, you'll get an Express Mail smackdown that'll teach you a quick lesson in manners. The PlayStation2 version doesn't boast much over the already released Dreamcast version, but there are differences. The PS2 game features a few different backgrounds and gives some characters an extra costume or two. No big deal, but worth noting if you're digging for extra stuff. The game balancing from the "millennium" arcade version has also been implemented. Oh, and there's the “Kasumi floating naked in a blob of jello" cinema that went missing from the Dreamcast version. Otherwise, this is generally the same game we all know and love on Sega's system, just without some of the anti-aliasing the DC offers. While Sega has an exclusivity contract on DOA2 for the U.S. market for a while, it may expire by the time the PS2 launches in the States. If it does, we might see this one as part of the initial lineup of software. And as the fastest 3D fighter around, expect this to be a must-own for serious fighting buffs. + е (SAMEDEAL ERRADA "Ground MORE GAMES FOR LESS DREAMCAST | Bust A Move 4 | Bust A Move д brings the zany puzzle adventure world to the Dreamcast. Armada Ë An RPG set in an Asteroids-like set- ting a thousand years in the future. LU Half-Life combines all the visceral action of legendary action games like Doom with great storytelling in the tradition of Stephen King. World Series Baseball 21 Featuring 28 ballparks re-created in full 3D along with updated Major League Baseball Rosters for the 2000 Season. Dark Ange! Vampire Apocalypse A gothic fantasy adventure in which you play as Anna who's trying to dis- cover the secret behind her superhu- man powers. Sega GT The best-looking racing game to hit the Dreamcast so far. The trackside detail and atmospheric effects are all top-notch. Shenmue Absolutely stunning visuals in this action/adventure title that clearly demonstrates the potential of the Dreamcast. ¿noc 005. Omega Squad You'll have to watch your back in this one. Lots of covert action for fans of the long-running Spec Ops series. Castlevania Resurrection Castlevania's 12th and bloodiest incarnation. Step into this tangled, trap-filled castle, ready to whip and slash these suckers to Hell and back. Tony Hawk Pro Skater * Filled with many extras not found on other systems, Tony Hawk for Dreamcast will feature improved graphics, and a four-player mode. Space Channel 5 The Morolians are trying to take over the Earth and Ulala (a reporter for Space Channel 5) 15 trying to cover the event. The Hottest Pre-Orders PLAYSTATION Messiah It was foretold that the messiah would return after 2,000 years. Apparently, he caught an earlier flight. Lunar 2; Eternal Blue 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. Evil Dead: Hail to the King In this adventure set eight years after Army of Darkness, you must continue the search for the Book of the Dead. Time Crisis: Project Titan with Guncon The Time Crisis games continue! Get out your Guncon and take aim. Nightmare Creatures 2 | The evil scientist Dr. Adam Crowley is back—bigger and meaner than before. With the help of a zombie you must stop the doctor's evil doings. yle game from Sony that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Dead or Alive 2 Іп Тесто? latest Dead or Alive install- ment, you'll find multi-level stages, a Tag Match mode, and new characters such as Helena, an opera singer. Vanishing Point An ambitious racing game with strong emphasis on physics and excruciating attention to detail. Gekido With 10 levels of intense fighting action and a four-player arena to duke it out in, this scrolling fighter is a hot one. Spider-Man With the help of Black Cat as a guide, Spidey must work through various missions of danger-filled adventure. The Legend of Dragoon This game from Sony is a combina- tion of scrolling fighting action and platform jumping that has a distinctly old-school flavor to it. NINTENDO 64 StarCraft 64 The PC hit will make it to the N64! Marines, Zealots and Zerglings will battle it out on a split-screen two- player action. Spider-Man Activision's hoping to fully realize Spidey's potential in dynamic 3D. You gotta love swingin’ from ledge to ledge...that never gets old. Perfect Dark Even better than GoldenEye, this 3D shooter offers more options than any before. An instant classic. X-Men Mutant Academy This installment from the popular comic franchise features 13 characters, including favorites like Wolverine, Gambit, Iceman and others. Conker's Bad Fur Day Conker awakens to find himself in a scene out of Saving Private Ryan... Our happy squirrel friend is thrust into a violent, M-rated very adult world. GAMEBOY COLOR Xena The star of the television series makes it to the GameBoy. A must have for fans of the series. Resitlent Evil One of the most intense Game Boy Color System titles ever. A direct conversion of the original PlayStation blockbuster. Wicked Surfing Assume the role of one of five differ- ent characters and hit the tides. You can even take on the waves with a friend if you have a link cable. X-Men Mutant Academy This game features a state-of-the-art fighting engine and stunning anima- tions, plus real-time character morph- ing and battle damage. Spider-Man You didn't think Spidey would forget about the GameBoy Color, did you? There's plenty of adventure and web- slinging action in this cart. $10 Off your order of $30 or more $20 Off your order of $100 or more* Use VIP EGMJ2 code in the shopping cart Earn points toward free games with every purchase you make at GameDealer.com. Create an account and track your point total on our site using your e-mail address and by creating your own password. Then fill 'em in on this card so you won't forget 'em! What could be easier? “(Otter expires July 15, 2000 and is limited to one per customer) Frequent Buyer Program Members SGAMEDEAL (EIS E ORT MORE GAMES FOR LESS ot 5 The Coolest What | Want: FREQUENT =ч OTAL е shop online at GameDealer.com, + call in your order to 1-800-610-2614, or ° place your order through the mail by sending us your checklist. . ' і 1 + 1 1 П П D П 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ' ' ' 1 П 1 1 1 1 !' DREAMCAST PRICE POINTS 1 Time Stalkers ' a Bust A Move 4 $28.95 29 Enter a new dimension, where time 1 O Armada И $44.95 45 portholes collide and create sheer 4 .) Half-life $42.95 43 chaos. Crack the riddle that spans — | — C) World Series Baseball 2K1 -— 50 iJ Bark Angel Vampire Apocalypse $44.95 45 1 мок2 | ! © Sega GT $49.95 50 owen: [ С ewm ws н humor, and a totally new experience. і - Spec Ons: Omega Squad ms и All new levels of маску action! : iJ Castlevania Resurrection $41.95 48 ï ıJ Tony Hawk Pro Skater $42.95 43 Maken 1 Q Space First-person rendition of Zelda 64's : d Channel 5 $20.85 5 combat. One-hundred percent unset- — tling descent into the world of the d PLAYSTATION occult and ass-kicking gameplay. 3 Q Messiah $42.95 43 Danger Girt ; Q Lunar 2: Eternal Blue $42.95 43 Play as one of three comic book 1 O Evil Dead: Hail to the King $31.95 38 1 Danger Girl characters involved inan — ; CQ Time Crisis: Project Titan with GunCon $42.95 43 elite spy agency duking it out with 1 O Nightmare Creatures 2 $36.95 31 terrorists and other villains. I 2 Chase the Exp и 5 Wild Arms 2 " ¦ Dead or Alive 2 $31.95 38 Continues the PSX tradition of excel- : Q Vanishing Point $42.95 B lent RPG action. Supports a fully 1 C) Gekido polygonal world, new characters and 5 a $31.95 38 a fresh, compelling story line. i Q Spider-Man $36.95 3 ' Q The Legend of Dragoon $39.95 40 MediEvil 2 П Undead anti-hero Sir Daniel Н Fortesque awakes once again from ' NINTENDO 64 his peaceful eternal slumber to fight H о StarCraft 64 $41.95 48 foul demons and evil villains. Н O Spider-Man $46.95 a ди Star Baseball 2001 i D Perfect Dark $50.95 я Home run-swatting, double play ; OQ X-Men Mutant Academy $41.95 48 turning, hit and run, throw-'em-out- d O Conker's Bad Fur Day $41.95 48 at-the-plate phenomenon that is the ' answer to all your baseball prayers. 4 GAME BOY COLOR 1 The best Seli Excitebike for th 0 oum mo = е best-selling Excitebike for the П NES leaps to the N64. Wear your 1 O Resident Evil ms и virtual leathers and lead a pack of 1 Q Wicked Surfing $26.95 п knobby-tire Paks іп at home. $ O X-Men Mutant Academy $26.95 п i Q Spider-Man $26.95 a Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2001 ~ Vastly superior to the original-bigger- — : badder bikes, challenging tracks and ч REGENT RELEASES the most ferocious competitors on 1 3 Time Stalkers $49.95 50 the Supercross circuit. ! a -— i $38.95 39 Tomb Raider П a $39.95 40 oe i ot MM ше = i - ion of the game, where she must search for the i Q Wild Arms 2 $2695 = all-powerful Dream Stone. i A MediEvil 2 $36.95 31 ؛‎ Û AM Star Baseball 2001 $48.95 49 You Got The Descriptions... : C Excitebike 64 $46.95 п NOW GET THE GAMES! ! 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SM CEU MORE GAMES FOR LESS | Д | ' | U i Namco Namco 1 Racing pone 100% Now-Japan None www.namco.co.jp The graphics, the speed, the sound, it's all good! LICHEN Having to complete the game with every car to unlock every secret. ГАТ You need to pay exorbitant import prices to play this game right now. Pac-Mania! Complete 3,000 km and get a nice surprise. Pac-Man racing has to be the coolest hidden extra in a Namco game to date. “You can do it! You can do the Pac-Man!” Namco maintains that RRV contains no clones of real cars, but we're not so sure. The McLaren F1 looks a lot like the Kamata Angelus from the game, don't you think? The Kamata Angelus (above) has the highest top speed and the tightest handling in the game. The car's so good it's almost scary. As usual, the key to success in the world of Ridge Racer is knowing how to powerslide around every curve. t would have been easy to slap together a bare-bones racing title with some shiny graphics and call it a PS2 game. Of course, Namco's never been known for taking a minimalist approach to anything. Although it went on sale the same day as Sony's new system, Ridge Racer V doesn't feel like a launch game at all. Anyone willing to spend a bit of time playing it will find that this is a full-featured racer. Whether it's just a matter of winning every race to getting the odometer past a certain milestone (the game keeps track of the total distance you've driven after every race), it seems like every other time we turn on RRV there's something new. Endurance racing, new engines, the Duel mode and even a ге ва Pac-Man race featuring our favorite pellet-gobbler (see sidebar), can all be found. So how does it play? Beautifully. The Ridge Racer series has always been about white-knuckle speed and powersliding around tight turns, and so it is in this latest sequel. Fans of any game in the RR series, be it the original Ridge Racer or the more original Rage Racer, will find something to love here. The different cars in RRV cater to any driving style, and the unique handling of each machine makes racing a pleasure no matter who you are. And of course the visuals are stunning. While it does have some of the "jaggies" many PS? titles seem to share, the whole thing still looks gorgeous and moves at a super-smooth frame-rate. The roadside detail is superb and especially easy to appreciate during the replays. As usual, car models are sleek and sexy and adorned with decals of Namco's past arcade hits. Later in the game you can even customize your car's designs yourself. Namco's done it again...how surprising. * Of course RRV is just a first-generation game, but quite a bit of fog and some slowdown in the split-screen multiplayer mode (below) shows that the PS2 has its limitations after all. pe ue PREVIEW GALLERY Gran Turismo 2000 Even as Gran Turismo 2 continues to tear up the PlayStation sales charts, Polyphony Digital is hard at work porting it to Sony's powerhouse PlayStation2. Needless to say, it's going to be an extremely pretty racing game. Most of the improvements in Gran Turismo 2000 are slated to be strictly visual. Improved vehicle and track models are the most obvious features, along with a really impressive, real-time reflection effect on the surface of your car. The lines in the road and track walls are clearly visible on the car's finish as you drive by them. Gameplay-wise, Gran Turismo 2000 is currently supposed to contain the same tracks, cars and events as its PlayStation counterpart. However, the game will take advantage of the DualShock 2's analog buttons. No more "feathering" the gas and brake to make those tricky turns; now it's a matter of how much pressure is applied to the controller buttons. There's still no release date set for GT2K. Driving Emotion Tyne $ Having finally played Square's Type S, our first impressions are mixed. Our disappointment stems from the game's surprisingly loose control. Initially it seems like the vehicles are sliding on ice, and it can be hard just to drive straight. Once we tweaked a few ride settings it was better, but overall it needs work. Perhaps there's still time to tighten it up before the North American release...we'll see. SELECT CAR 4 MR-S веотон > Evergrace It's been a while since we've last shown you From Software's Evergrace, so here are some new pics from the long-awaited action/ RPG. The title is currently slated for release on April 27 in Japan. | In Evergrace, you can use any | items or objects you collect as | | clothing/helmets. So let's say you | happen to pick up a jack-o-lantern | along the way. You can use that as | a helmet. Or let's say you grab some pots and pans...you can wear a pot on your head and use a skillet as a weapon. Cool, eh? Ban le If you're going to try playing 4. World, you'd better make sur E underpants. See, some of these Digimon are so vicious and twisted ` television. That's okay with them, there are more things to blow up f got e for Digim : ing i | Mummies. The Undead. Ancient Curses. What's a nice girl to do? ( | j 4 bs | | 1 в ] / 4 m е A T ua FT v" THE WA. Beauty, brains and br. of Tomb Raider: The Last Rev а ° Out to save the world from a deadly curse, you can bet it won't be with her good looks. ва ED Sega Dreamcast. соз E PREVIEW GALLERY e Fantavision Sony's Fantavision (available now in Japan) seems like just an excuse to show off some cool PS2 effects. The game itself is a mix of connect the dots and missile command, where you connect like-colored fireworks and detonate them before they fizzle out. You can create combos which yield even more dazzling eye candy, and save your level replays on a memory card to watch at your leisure. Addictive, yet short, puzzle game. 10 Remix+ A few years ago, Sony released a little-known puzzle game called Intelligent Qube. While not a mega- hit (what puzzle game is, except for Tetris?), it gained a small cult following. Developer Sugar & Rockets now brings the game to the PS2 with a few changes: a soft, motion blur-induced look, plus two new types of levels. Forbidden Wall presents you with a “wall” of the black blocks stacked up. There are holes in it, and you have to move your character to the space on the board where a hole will fall so he won't get crushed. Then there's the Forbidden Maze, which zooms in tight on the board, forcing you to play a hedge maze- type game. You also get a mode called 100 Attack, which presents you with 100 different set puzzles. IQ Remix+ is available now in Japan. Wonder what your IQ is? (That's intelligence quotient, not your mad skillz at the game IQ.) Check out www.iqtest.com for some quick and fun insight into your intelligence. Then continue killing your brain with wrestling. Armored Core 2 We had a chance to try From Software's latest mech building/ shooting action game at the last Tokyo Game Show, and what we played seemed mostly just like the previous games in the series (including no analog support—why?!), but of course with way better graphics courtesy of the PS2. The explosions and swarming missiles are especially impressive, and reps did tell us the game will allow more customi- zation of your robots than before. AC2 15 due out this summer. 94 We Do Not Advocate The Use Of Firearms. (Unless you're hunting down guerilla rebels) n and Third-Pe cial Forces Missio Ops Series Now On ©2000 Ripcord Games. All righis гезе! с the Ripcord logo and "Buzz" icon are trademarks of Ripcord шщ reamcast and the Dreamcas! logo ar е tra e Runeeratt is e Runecraft, Ltd. The rating icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Ass е pror of their Qh =‏ ا PREVIEW GALLERY Capcom's Onimusha is a fictional tale set against the historical backdrop of 16th-century Japan. Warlord Nobunaga Oda is about to invade Inabayama Castle —but before he does, the princess Yukihime is mysteriously kidnapped. Samanosuke, a warrior, sneaks into the castle and declares that he will rescue her. He faces an uphill battle against human and non-human opponents. The game combines puzzle solving of the Resident Evil series with Samurai swordplay. Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro was motion captured and used for the likeness of the main character. Here are FMV clips from the game's intro, set for a fall Japan/U.S. release. Ever wish you could just drive anywhere you wanted to in a city —on the sidewalks, smash your way through traffic —and not get arrested for it? Sure, we all have. Rockstar Games and Angel Studios are making that dream a reality this fall with Midnight Club. Race through some of the biggest cities in the world, ignoring traffic signals and laws against some of the toughest opponents on the road. |: 1 g. 1 1 1 Gunslinger Activision seems ready to tackle the wild wild west without the help of Will Smith in this spring 2001 release, 3D action game. Gunslinger lets you be a villain or a hero, depending on your actions during the game. Lots of old west distractions are available such as poker games, hijacking stagecoaches, and rescuing prisoners. As you progress through the game, your character acquires new skills —maybe even cow brandin’. 4 0009921 FORGE 8 ym a ОЗ?) am взад DREAMCAST” т Y е“ Sega Dreamcast © CAPCOM СО, LTD. 2000. € CAI of CAPCOM СО, LTD. Sega, Dreat A PREVIEW GALLERY All's not well in the land of Oddworld. Munch has been kidnapped, trapped, and now has some sort of alien device in his skull. What's more, his race is nearly extinct. Your job is to get things back on the right track for the Mudokans. Munch's Oddysee is the second chapter in the Oddworld Quintology, and looks simply amazing. No doubt this one from Oddworld Inhabitants and Infogrames will be a killer app. Street Fighter EX3 Capcom/Arika's 3D Street Fighter EX series has made the jump to PlayStation2. This version includes your favorite characters from the 2D SF series including Blanka and Chun-Li (Spinning Bird Kick!). The graphics are nothing too special for a PS2 game, but up to four combatants can be on- screen at once and you also get a new Tag Battle system, where the characters run in a little circle before leaving the screen. Available now in SCORE айа. Combining hand-to-hand combat with gunslinging action, Oni (Japanese for “demon” or “ghost”) 15 the tale of Konoko, an agent with the Tech Crimes Task Force who inadvertently discovers the truth about her past. After finding out that her mother and father were killed by the organiza- tion that she was once a part of, she strikes back hard. Оп! 15 being developed for the PC (pictured here) by Bungie Software, and will be released later in 2000 on the PS2 by Rockstar Games. DON'T SET THE PAGE: DEMOLISH II. ill and tradition of the world's most time- enito racing series are yours to experience Y RACING” 2000. INDY RACING” 2000 is the only official Indy Racing* game available, c all the excitement and high-speed action of 225 mph toward victory. LS . AR ys df SIM OE! š AE e: E T е ра [I w < : 184200 came ones пак es оп MS Popes lac Al iol Rese казые кык кыны иы жышын шымы distributed by Infogrames, Indianapolis Indianapolis Motor Speedway are trademarks Infogrames, inc. Infogrames logo are trademarks of Infogrames ine Nintendo, Nintendo ton вее logo arë ademas a Nintendo ol America. 138 Mondo of America i. by Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. Motor Mayhem may feature some radical-looking futuristic cycles but for our money nothing beats this awesome mini drag-bike. И PREVIEW GALLERY Star Wars: | Episode | Starfighter Inspired by LucasArts’ X-Wing and Rogue Squadron flight- combat games, this PlayStation2- exclusive title drops you into the cockpits of the Phantom Menace’s sleekest dogfighters. Ship types include the Naboo Starfighter, as well as several never-before-seen craft. You’re in for a wait, though; LucasArts won't ship Starfighter until the first half of 2001. Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing When LucasArts’ top brass announced their first Episode | titles last year, they said to expect future games in every conceivable genre. They weren’t kidding. Super Bombad Racing—due this fall— drops Jar Jar, Sebulba, Yoda and five other Star Wars personalities into a Mario Kart-inspired race set in far-flung locales from that galaxy far, far away. Motor Mayhem! Infogrames isn’t saying much about Motor Mayhem, but from what we've gathered it’s a motorcycle combat racer set in the far future. The year is 2166 and the World Vehicle Combat League is the popular sport of the day. Like other apocalyptic titles a pretentious, sometimes cheesy story line boils down to just racing and fighting. We're digging the way those vehicles look, though. Watch for Motor Mayhem! this fall. X-Squad It’s the year 2037, naughty terrorists have released a biological plague, and it’s time for you to do something about it. In what appears to be a futuristic take on Rainbow Six, X-Squad (previously X-Fire) is a third- person, 3D action game where you must coordinate squads to accomplish your missions. Loads of high-tech weapons are at your disposal to clear out the dreary cityscapes, sewers and subways in this fall release from EA. BANDITS ak Кет с Наз IO v: rege rim Whentt Пеева B] J Миз Ela TES Watenn Торе уа Це ма Cut @ дА й Въ : A 0 - pz m r == PREVIEW GALLERY 10.Е. First of all, just take а gander at these screenshots—and yes, that's all real-time graphics. Now, as if Z.O.E. didn't already look good enough, Konami has announced that this new action/adventure game 15 being produced by Metal Gear Solid mastermind Hideo Kojima! Yes! 7.0.Е. (short for Zone of the Enders) will feature exploration elements similar to Zelda for the N64, along with more action-oriented battles. The Mechsmith Run=Dim Another mech game, this one from Idea Factory. Run=Dim is set for release this year in Japan, with an anime and comic series in 2001. 1/4 From Software released these teaser pics of their next Play- Station2 game, the oddly named 1/4. Take control of up to three party members in this fantasy RPG, set to come out sometime this year. Хау y 7222271 3 WE Д 102 == => EM EM EM w =- ww w ШШ чш €— — SC 9 P o A TY ка [| A y \ 4 corti Y D „98 y AMM m A, ZA y y v rN IN 50 Im >N. í Ап-Еуп, SORGERER...A MvsricaL HERO;.. POWERFUL. SPELLS & SWORDPLAY... ALL LHE ADVENTURE You Can HANDLE in One. KricaT! Marvel at VİVİD SPECIAL EFFECTS, POWERFUL MAGICAL SPELLS, AND THE MIGHTY WEAPONRY THAT YOU'LL ACQUIRE ОП YOUR jOVRIIEY я an е Е m p (e © 5 Ф A Terror GRiPS THE LAND... THE EVIL AND POWERFUL SORCERER SILVER HAS RULED THE LAND or JARRAH FOR OVER 1,000 years. Поч HE HAS ABDUCTED THE WOMEN FOR His OWN EVİL PURPOSE. It’s UP TO YOU to FOIL His Р я Таке Him on, as Davin, а SIMPLE HERO ОП A QUEST TO DEFEAT THE ALMIGHTY а SILVER AMD RESCUE His BELOVED. RECRUIT ALLiES, MASTER SWORDPLAY, mp LEARN THE ART OF MAGIC, апр VENTURE THROUGH HOSTILE WORLDS ТЕЕ ПС WitH SiLVER's CORRUPT FOLLOWERS. SİLVER- ВЕС THE QUEST, BECOME THE HERO, WW ilvergame.com се 1182000 The 300 Company. All Rights Reserved. 300, Army Men, World War, Real Combat. Plastic Men. d their respective logos, are trademarks and/or service marks of The 300 Company in the U.S. and other countries. Ў ion and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Father trademarks belong to their respective owners. PlayStation е Edna? How'd you get this number? No! Тсап talk right now...we're about to launch a major offensive! е A PA intense | ical action with s covering 6 terrains All-new.game engine vividly recreates the pain of battle. cooperative ти 4 ¡ARMY M Е N] > аач TWh Wi ma REAL COMBAT. PLASTIC па |. PLASTIC. as зро MEN." Tony Hawk's Activision Neversoft 1-2 Action 50% Summer/Fall Dreamcast,GBC,PC www.activision.com www.tonyhawk.com Can't stop playing. Wait, that might be the bad. Loads of dexterity required to pull off big combos. Virtual broken backs, noses and necks. Check out this brief rundown of deck evolution: It all started with metal roller-skate wheels on a thick wood plank. us urethane wheels and fiberglass decks. In the "805, wider was better, so were grind protectors, bumpers and grab rails. Today's boards are simple, light and symmetrical. Тһе "705 brought | NOSE, MANUAL ШЕ) The nose or tail manual gives you a transition move between grind points. Can you say million-point combo? THPS2 keeps track of your board orientation, making switch stance moves and grinds harder to pull off and control. ony Hawk’s first skateboard game has been on the shelves for six months and on the top- 10 best-sellers list for most of them. Neversoft listened to THPS’ legion of fans and added their most requested features to the sequel. The game provides as much gotta-play-one-more- time addictive gameplay as the first version, with even more moves and multiplayer modes to keep you in a permanent state of procrastination. You can potentially perform an infinite combo with the new manual transition move. Tapping up then down starts the move, which you must balance like a grind while you ride it to the next grindable obstacle. The multiplayer modes are still a favorite around the office, and THPS2 offers plenty new WEAK JUDO. 108 KICKFLIP options to keep us busy. A split-screen trick attack mode lets you play against a friend to see who can pull off the most bitchin’ tricks. There’s a full-on judged skate competition for up to seven opponents. You also get an enhanced H-O-R-S-E mode, as well as an improved one-player career game and beefed-up replay features. Of course, the most exciting new feature would have to be the skatepark editor. The interface is super-intuitive: We were able to crank out a pretty sweet park in about 10 minutes. A real-time 3D editor provides isometric or top-down views and hundreds of parts including ramps, bowls, rails, funboxes, obstacles and quarterpipes. We were told you could build stuff up to 60 feet high. There's such a diverse assortment of objects that Neversoft was even able to faithfully re-create the first level of Tony Hawk 1 with the editor. And you can save your personal skatepark to the memory card, so look for lots of custom parks coming soon on DexDrive sites. The levels sprawl larger than in the previous version, with several real-world locations including Paris, Manhattan, Ventura, Calif., and Philadelphia. You'll see plenty of seemingly inaccessible areas and objects, but there are ways to reach everything. A full-blown character customization option lets you modify the pro skaters' clothes, create a new you or just about anybody else you can think of. Sorry, no E-Sak option. ph 75% June None www.playstation.com Engaging battle system and gorgeous art direction. Derivative story line. Eighty hours of gameplay. Gah! Who's got that kind of time?! Fighting is no passive event in Dragoon. You'll be putting that thumb to work! The Additional (top) and Dragoon (middle) attacks call for carefully timed presses, while magic item attacks (bottom) require all- out button mashing much like the Guardian Force boosts in Final Fantasy VIII. Thumb Taps Transform into a Dragoon and you'll get your own supercool outfit and delicate pair of wings to match! Battles require a mixture of strategy and quick reaction times. You'll need razor- sharp reflexes in order to pull off the most powerful "Additional" attacks. ot content to merely have built the world's leading consoles, Sony has thrown its hat into the RPG developers' ring with their ambitious new project titled The Legend of Dragoon. Featuring a cast of nine playable characters, Dragoon immerses you in a world where mankind's very existence is threatened by numerous factors, ranging from civil war to the return of a mysterious race of beings that threatens to unleash a devastating evil force on the populace. The story focuses on Dart, the young hero on a quest for revenge who ends up pursuing loftier goals as he learns of his role in ensuring the future of humanity. Yes, we know— it’s certainly not the most inspired story line. But Dragoon has plenty of other intriguing elements to capture the fancy of RPGers. Take the battle system, for example. Fighting centers on "Additional" attacks, which require you to nail a Arrows direct you to the numerous entry points in towns and dungeons. Thankfully, you can turn these indicators off if you so desire. 109 Я HP 203/24) MP 20/20 MP 070 SP E10 Raits г HP 201/264 ~M -HP {61/168 МР 20/4) SP =a] 2 Dart series of carefully timed button presses to trigger a powerful finishing blow (see sidebar). Precision is a must, as the slightest misstep will throw off an attack. Adding to the challenge is the fact that enemies will occasionally counterattack, which requires a quick reaction in order to avoid being blown back. And then there are the Dragoon attacks: Throughout the game, your party members gain the ability to harness the power of dragon spirits. Build up enough special points during battles and you'll be given the choice to transform; you'll then have to pull off a different series of timed button presses to pummel your foes with furious power. As a Dragoon, you'll also have access to a range of magic attacks, which vary greatly depending on the character. When you're not fighting, you'll be treated to a gorgeous world composed of CG backgrounds that rival those found in Square's Final Fantasy series. Details abound, including nifty visual effects like dancing flames, running water and billowing fog. Spanning four discs and promising some 80 hours of gameplay, Dragoon may be yet another premier RPG for the PlayStation. But does Sony have what it takes to rival the likes of Squaresoft? From what we've seen so far, Dragoon holds plenty of promise— but we'll know for sure when we get our hands on the reviewable version next month. + foart |. ---Do you feel it? ^ is the power of the f -х. the Dragoon. LÁ] = Eb «<-> PREVIEW GALLERY 4 Capcom has started work оп an English version of their latest RPG, Breath of Fire 4, and hopes to have it out here September of this year. Besides an all-new art style and improved graphics, BoF4 features а new combat system, including combos and a frontline/rear tactical setup. The popular fishing game 15 also rumored to return, and may be compatible with the PS fishing pole controllers! More on this one soon. Threads of Threads of Fate is probably the least known and anticipated game in Square's 2000 lineup. The game formerly known as Dew Prism (its Japanese name) is reminiscent of Square's last foray into the action-RPG genre, Brave Fencer Musashiden. Threads of Fate boasts a story line that is dependent on which of the two main characters you choose. Those who are in the mood for a lighthearted adventure can choose Mint's quest. If you're more of a pensive, serious type, Rue's story of revenge and redemption is more up your alley. You are unable to switch characters in the middle of the game, but their paths will eventually cross. The gameplay is a rather simplistic setup; both Mint and Rue have weapons for physical attacks, and can perform “hack-hack-slash” combos. Mint also possesses the ability to use magic, based on seven different colors of elemental. Rue can't use magic, but he can transform into any enemy he has defeated, enabling new attacks and abilities. Threads of Fate is scheduled for a July 18 release. 110 Fred Flintstone used his feet to stop his vehicle? Yep, that guy probably has some serious E bunions. You could say every time he stopped he had his very own kind of grind session. PREVIEW GALLERY TM & O 2000 Cartoon Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Here's an update on this one from Shaba Games and SCEA. We can't help but think of Tony Hawk when we play Grind Session, but there are some distinct differences. Some of the levels are bigger with a variety of interesting extras. The graphics are sharper as well (although it's debatable whether they're better). Keep in mind, these shots are from an early version. Look for it May 23. Legend In October, we brought you the first details about the fourth installment of the popular Squaresoft Seiken Densetsu series, Legend of Mana. We now have a near-complete copy of the English version in our hands, and things are looking very nice. Here's a bit of a refresher preview before the game's highly anticipated release in June. Legend of Mana is based around a “Landmake” system, which allows the player to place towns and other locations on the world map wherever they please. Proper placement of map locations requires you to pay attention to the Mana level of the land; placing a town on a patch of land with high Mana levels has an effect on what is created. The battle system is very similar to Secret of Mana, with up to three players (depending on who is in the main character's party at the time) joining in the real-time combat. The remarkably beautiful sprite-based artwork and sweeping, emotive musical score makes Legend of Mana the one to watch this summer, as part of Square's “Summer of Adventure" RPG fest. m Ready for more Nazi-busting? This time you'll fight Hitler's regime in North Africa and Europe— but you'll have to wait until this fall. NFL Blitz is a lot like Arena Football in many ways, so after tiring out that once-innovative franchise, Midway is now aiming to make the first *extreme" football sport even more extreme. At its heart, Unleashed is basically like NFL Blitz —anyone who has touched that game should be able to jump right in and throw a few quick strikes downfield without much problem. All of the league's iconic rules (shortened field, goal posts shrouded in nets, and the motion receiver being able to move forward as the ball is hiked) are all in place, in addition to the league's teams and players. Still, Midway has their work cut out for them—they need to make this compelling enough so that it becomes much more than Blitz with a new coat of paint. I! z A TUON YCOMPUHIY COMPUTO COMPUTO In the future, apes will run the world. And humans will crouch a lot. Look for it late this year from Visiware and Fox. Sunsoft's Blaster Master plays suspiciously like a free-roaming Off- World Interceptor. If you don't remember that game, it's probably a good thing. Here, you take control of a few different weapon- and Jump Jet-equipped buggies that are great at traversing rough terrain and shooting the hell out of weird- looking aliens. Of course, the requisite power-ups and other bonus items enhance your destruc- tive power in this fall release game. 112 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL Now that Previews Editor Dan “Shoe” Hsu has left the magazine, the Nebraska vs. put to rest. Nebraska wins! Michigan argument has mercifully been в” > 4 PREVIEW GALLERY — he 2001 It's going to be really interesting to see how EA tinkers with this year's version of Madden after the last one was so amazing. What we know so far is that EA has gone so far as to license real-life coaches to put on the sidelines, in addition to some teams adopting their philosophies. Also, special “Madden Cards” will be rewarded for feats on the field, you can then trade these cards via memory card. Look for И this August. Football 2001 Ah yes, it's time to start thinking about college football again. Our current favorite has undergone a few changes but, for the most part, looks similar to last year's game. Some of the highlights include special moves specific to player's positions, a deeper Dynasty Mode, and several improvements to the running game (not that it needed it). Tweaks have been made to the defensive Al as well. EA will release CF 2001 this fall. You have to love one of the new signature features in this year's edition of Knockout Kings —female boxers. You get the feeling EA is having a hard time thinking of new stuff to add to their big boxing franchise? Other additions include new fighting styles (specific to boxers), an enhanced Career Mode, and a broadened Create-a-Boxer feature. Look for it to land a punch this fall. 113 <> PREVIEW GALLERY | Have a hankering to play a game based on Titan A.E. early or just wonder what in | the hell this FOX Interactive PlayStation game might be about? Check out www.titanae.com to play a rudimentary game of resource management where you get to pick and design your very own Titan A.E. ship. It's really not very entertaining, to tell you the truth, but it is amusing to see what movie studios try to pass off as interactive these days. The Flash-powered presentation of the site | is nice, however, and you can download the movie trailers, which do seem pretty interesting. More so than the online game, anyway. Freestyle BMX Fans of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, listen up: DMF BMX has some cool features that set it apart. Players choose from Dave Mirra and other freestyle pros, taking their rider from chump to champ, earning sponsors, better equipment, and new bikes along the way. Spend some time ripping your own lines through the different courses (even Camp Woodward's famous Lot 8) and you'll discover secret areas throughout the game. Are the basic tricks not insane enough for you? Pull a hand or foot offin mid-stunt using the modify button, or modify the modifiers for no hands and no feet! Using analog control also allows players to adjust their speed as well as freeze their rider in mid-trick to pan the camera around in a cool instant-replay mode. Acclaim 15 even trying to fit in a snapshot feature so you can save a grab of your superman to show off to your friends. There are also 10 different multiplayer modes including Sickest Trick and Longest Grind, so players don't have to go it alone. Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX will be grinding it's way onto the PlayStation courtesy of Acclaim coming this winter 2000. Youngsters should have a good time with this simple yet fun PlayStation action/adventure game from LEGO Media. It stars a cast of LEGO spelunkers, as they battle different kinds of creatures, save their chums and recover lost crystals hidden within cave walls. Players can take control of a variety of vehicles, and travel through themed, progressively more difficult caverns. It should arrive in August. It looks like Fox Interactive has high hopes for their after-Earth animated movie, Titan A.E, as they are gearing up to have a 3D shooter ready to go shortly after the movie's release this summer. TM HERR KUT po HERR) GEL $ Y со Хей This little piggy joined the army This little piggy stayed home This little piggy had grenades This little piggy had none This little piggy went BAM BAM BAM and blasted all of the other pigs into bacon! ЖЕТТТ? | PlayStation | RATING PENDING | u Е . n CONTENT RATED BY в < — PREVIEW GALLERY k e WHAT'S THIS? PS2 IN THE These Wipeout Fusion screen shots are so fresh that we literally got them in | | the final hour of deadline. Obviously we wanted to include them forallof | you to drool over (as we did). And since we didn't have any space in our PS2 | section, we threw them in with some PS previews. In any case, enjoy. Wipeout Fusion с Dear lord — screens of Psygnosis' Wipeout Fusion for PS2! Developed by Psygnosis' Liverpool Studio, the game is basically the most advanced Wipeout in the series, both graphically and otherwise. There are a number of new tracks which are much wider than in the previous Wipeout games, and certain courses allow you to race in an open area instead of just on a track (some even allow you to race upside down). There are also new vehicles with advanced handling, weapons and more. It should be out right around PS2 launch. The N64 has Mario Party. The DC will get Sonic Square. And now the PS has Crash Bash, a party-style title that developer Eurocom is readying for a November release. In the game's Battle Mode, one to four players compete in arenas, and you get nine four-player competitive events that test your riding, racing and jumping skills. Crash Bash also offers an Adventure Mode, in which one or two players experience platform- style gameplay similar to that found in the previous Crash games. of the Dragon Insomniac is already hard at work on the third Spyro platform adventure, set for release this November. Year of the Dragon (working title) follows Spyro and Sparx on an all-new adventure through 30 worlds in their quest to rescue dragon eggs from an evil sorceress. Check out all these added features: boxing, skateboarding, and sharp shooting sections, as well as submarines, tanks, and speedboats you can control. Who Wants To Don't listen to that snob Alex Trebeck— Who Wants To Be A Millionaire rocks. What's better, this game version from Sony doesn't make you crap your shorts when you answer a question wrong, since you don't have thousands of dollars at stake. This 2nd Edition plays just like the show, featuring Regis Philbin with his trademark attitude, over 600 questions and all three types of Lifelines. It'll hit June 2oth of this year. 116 - www.video: > BRAWL BETWEEN THÈ -6 on 6 ARCADE-STYLE ACTION WITH NO PENALTIES! -INCLUDES ALL 17 TEAMS 8 ARENAS FOR AUTHENTIC HOME GAMES ENDORSED by last year's football MVP -50-YARD FIELD SURROUNDED BY WALLS MEANS THERE'S NOWHERE TO HIDE! KURT WARNER -POWER UP MODE GETS YOUR TEAM "CHARGED-UP" -4 PLAYER SUPPORT FOR WALL-SLAMMING TEAM ACTION! MIDWA www.midway.com FOOTBALL Midway Am Arena Fi + --4 PREVIEW GALLERY === === === = + Here's the gist of this опе: Take three to six of your best oinkers, lead them onto a 3D battle environment, blow the crap out of another army using lots of interesting weapons, and move on to the next round. The emphasis is on humor (no surprise) and strategy. Weaponry includes sniper rifles, Ripple bombs, Madness gas, Jet-packs, tanks, boats and more. Twenty-five missions and multi-player capability fill out this summer release Infogrames title. Og Buzz Lightyear of Based on the forthcoming television series, Activision's new action game chronicles the “real- life” adventures of Buzz this fall. This sequel is being brought to us by Hasbro Interactive and Atari Games. It features the same basic style of play as the first game, with a bunch of new levels, characters to...uh, hop against, and a multiplayer mode. It's also priced at $30, so parents won't mind buying this one for the kiddies. Frogger 2 is slated for September at the moment. Note: These shots were taken straight from a development system. 118 - „videogames. 0'387112 „Тв game really gat: “ our juices HOWE, JI LL amazing!” Sega O' Dreamcast tieni З WHEEL THUNDER MBs a trademark of MidwayHBme Entertainment, nar: а trademad ala way Games Inc. Канто Entertainment. Used by idwayakiome Entertainment Inc. Sega. Dreamcast and the Dreamcast loggquate either registered trademarikeor trademarks elena Entero: E ç AT ч. РАМЕ Ц st puesta Midway's Thunder Racing Series continues with a four-wheel frenzy! Choose from one of four classes of rugged off-road vehicles and watch the dirt fly by at a blistering 60 frames per second! 25+ detailed tracks as well as bonus trucks! Loads of short cuts and strategic power-ups! VMU" compatible to save your progress, replays and upgraded vehicles! 2-player, split- screen racing action! The Premiere — Il-Terrain ‘ кы Game for the = dreamcast T I è Sega© Dreamcast. ig > Tired of the counlry club lelling you whal lo wear? | PlayStation 0068000 > ae ши | IL = ; >= = | EVERYONE www.playstation.com ESAS | B е + si Thirteen different golfers who'd probably under-lip the valel. Fierce head-to-head foursome and lournamenl compelilion on ds seven glorious Courses. Oduibmenl upgrades for the Irue fanalic. Swing free, friend Swing free. GOLF FOR THE PEOPLE. PREVIEW * And the parade of extreme snow sports games for the PlayStation continues. This one, courtesy of Swedish developer UDS, features three different classes of sleds, all licensed Yamaha vehicles. Sno-Cross will also focus on realism, as UDS claims the sleds will handle just like their real-life counterparts, in addition to showing visible damage. The game features eight circuits set in different world locations, a track editor, and vehicle upgrades. RACE аши LAYER SELECT SLED PHAZER 54 Р 500R ‘ VMAX 500 + 2001 EA hasn't revealed a whole lot about NASCAR 2001 other than it’s a “brand-new” racing game. That could mean a lot of things. New physics, new car models, new graphics? It’s a mystery, especially since last year’s game was spot-on in many ways. Does it really need to be rebuilt? Offhand, it looks like all the drivers from the 2000 season are present, including the young Earnhardt and Adam Petty. We'll bring you a proper update on NASCAR 2001 after we see and play it at E3. Since Crew Ray Evernham left the Gordon team last year, Jeff has only won two races. Hopefully he can hush the critics by winning the 2000 NASCAR Cup. Hasbro-Atari/Action, is finally bringing out an updated Galaga game. This 3D version operates on the same general principle-blow the hell outta invading insects. Look for it in September. If you've played any of the Hasbro Interactive retro updates, then you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Breakout. It features 3D graphics and fancy effects, but with the same basic gameplay principles as the original game. Of course, some enhance- ments have been made (some blocks are sheep, it has bosses to fight, etc.). Work your way through a variety of themed environments, blasting through all sorts of blocks. It should be released later this year. 124 (LET. INFOGRAMES NV ka Alone in the Dark was the pioneer of “Survival Horror” when it landed on the Commodore Amiga and PC in the early 905. The game was like a в” spooky Sherlock Holmes novel, though it starred no-name Edward Carnby t Э in a tale inspired by Н.Р. Lovecraft's writings. Suffice it to say, the game was more cerebral than most of what we're used to today with the likes of PREVIEW Resident Evil, etc, even though Alone in the Dark certainly had its share of GALLERY gore and violence—and zombies. | The New Nightmare It’s unfortunate, but very few know that this game was the innovator of the “Survival Horror” genre. Detective Edward Carnby returns in this fourth edition of the series, which, if like the previous games, should be as heavy in puzzles as it is horror and action when it comes out this fall. ^ It's the year 2012. The world hasn't seen a military conflict in years. So what do they do? They turn their military jets into racing machines. Race up to 40 different craft, each equipped with a variety of non-lethal weapons (guns serve to slow opponents rather than eliminating them altogether). Fourteen locations feature narrow canyons, bridges and other challenging obstacles. Infogrames will release NGEN this fall. Fox Interactive and Argonaut want you to kill a bunch of aliens. Amazing they've pulled this off on the PS. Look for it in June. 126 AEAGLE::-*; ` : HP AWRY ВТЕ" Н "ТАТ ТТА СИК“ = LZ ^ " a æ Aloha...Hawaii 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. * Pilot your fully loaded Harrier Jumpjet through 25 adrenaline- pumping.missions. + АНосК enemy planes, ships and ground forces in frenzied anti-terrorist action. ° 158. 3rd person views capture the non-stop heat. F Choose Action.or Sim Modes to experience the battles in 2 different ways. Spl TE? player action puts you in the middle of head-to-head dogfights; tab mailto take out the enemy in cooperative mode. www.eagleone-thegame.com => PREVIEW GALLERY Master of Bushido - What's this, Bushido Blade 3? Well, almost. Developed by Leightweight, the same people responsible for BB1 and 2, Kengo promises similar free-roaming samurai sword-fighting action. The big difference this time is the addition of a Ki (spirit) meter, which slowly drops the more you attack, making patience and timing more important than ever. THQ plans on releasing Kengo here this August. Imagine Tony Hawk Pro Skater, except with pro BMX riders and bikes instead of pro skaters and skateboards. This Runecraft-developed title uses an enhanced version of the THPS engine, and features a variety of tracks, a track editor, various multiplayer modes and more. Of course, players can also perform hundreds of tricks and combos. Look for this Activision title sometime closer to the holiday season. X> Mr M M E th š — Rayman We won't believe it until we actually hold it in our dirty little hands, but Ubi Soft swears up and down that the PlayStation version of Rayman 2 is actually going to be released soon. The first Rayman created quite a stir with its breathtaking graphics, but then again that was a 2D game. We liked this sequel on the N64 and DC, but is the PS machine enough to handle it? We'll find out this fall. Derhy Raw After a very long absence, Psygnosis has finally decided to revisit their glory days and bring out another sequel in their Destruction Derby franchise. The developer even claims that the game includes combo moves inspired by wrestling. Hmm, OK. Expect four-player competition, 24 cars, 25 tracks, and loads of *moves" with names like “Bone Cruncher” and “The Undertaker.” вт 128 g Test Drive Project Titan Dust off that GunCon! It looks like all those Time Crisis 3 rumors turned out to be true—Namco’s Project Titan is an original Time Crisis game, built from the ground up for the PlayStation. Don't confuse it with Crisis Zone, the awesome Japanese arcade shooting game also from Namco which hopefully will appear for the PS2 someday. Project Titan is still early in development but it's expected for release this fall. The best thing Infogrames TD Cycles has going for it is a sh#!- load of licensed bikes. They even have the new Indian 2000 (yes, they're making them again). All together there's more than 35 real bikes divided into Sport, Muscle and Cruiser categories. Staying true to the TD format, the tracks are scattered over 11 locales world- wide. Each race includes five Al riders (except in two-player mode). TDC is a summer release title. Buy? Or sell? Either way, it's half off. And so are tons of other used books, movies, m ©2000 Halt.com, Inc. Half.com and the H: marks of Half.com, Inc: All other trademarkg PREVIEW GALLERY Army Men: World War Another month, another new Army Men game, this one due in spring. The unfinished version of World War we played stuck pretty close to the Army Men 3D formula—run, crawl and sneak around big outdoor levels, taking out the evil tan army with what- ever weapons you can find. The controls need strafing bad, and the graphics could certainly use a boost—let's hope 300 15 listening. Midway 15 bringing out this 3D action game starring a number two playing card who battles all sorts of enemies in a variety of locations. He needs to save the “royalty.” Look for it in November. Mike Tyson Boxing We won't make any disparaging remarks about Mike out of fear he'll come to Chicago and kick our asses. So here's the straight facts: Over 90 boxers, each with 12 special hits, adorn this May release Codemasters title. Play modes include: Career, Versus, Showcase and Practice. A special combo system (where you can find and implement the perfect one-two punch) and of course two-player support as well. Rampage Through Time After World Tour we aren't so sure we need another Rampage, but Midway insists with this very similar-looking upcoming sequel. Soule س‎ BEE VETO) Unlock the secrets within this long-lost place and time Mild Animated Violence Suggestive Themes CONTENT RATED BY © 1999, 2000 Square Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. SQUARE SOFT and the SQUARESOFT logos are registered trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. LEGEND OF MANA is a trademark of Square 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. Е Experience а story of incredible depth and flexibi SQUARESOFT: www.squaresoft.com Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. PlayStation PREVIEW GALLERY Final Fantasy IX Square 15 being awfully secretive about the one game everyone wants to know about. FFIX comes out in Japan soon, July 19 to be exact, and they've still only handed out a handful of screens (what you see here is just about every single one released so far) and almost no story or gameplay details. The game wasn't even at their booth at the Tokyo Game Show last month, and when they had only sports titles in its place, angry RPG-loving showgoers looked like they might riot. What little we do know about Final Fantasy IX shows the series returning to its roots: gone are the guns, factories and space stations of the last few FFs, and in their place are the "super deformed" (i.e., huge-headed and small- bodied) characters, crystals, dragons, four-person party, and medieval swords-and-sorcery setting typical of the earlier games. Even the ol' black mage, with his oversized yellow hat and dark blue robe, is back in part IX. Hopefully we will get more specific info this month at E3, along with more screens of actual gameplay to help pass the time until FFIX makes it here this fall. Need proof that the Japanese industry is running out of music-themed game ideas? Look no further than Maestromusic—the world's first and only orchestral-conducting simulator. Just pick up the special custom baton controller (pretentious moustache and stuffy British accent not included) and wave it along to the notes on screen, Beatmania-style. Look for it in Japan this summer, and as for a U.S. release? Yeah, right. 132 3-D FREE-FOR-ALL DRIVING! Live the life of a secret agent and drive anywhere at top speeds. Dodge traffic and crush anything in your path as you rage through beaches, buildings, airports, cities and more. Tune up and test drive thirty-one vehicles to leave your enemies in the dust! Change vehicles and use e-mail tips to gain any advantage possible. Thirteen adrenaline-packed missions require superior intelligence. YOU OWN THE ROAD! AWAD 7 ESA 3. M b U WWW. runaboui2.com Rey fe pito Srunabout2. E^ ` |a > PlayStation сы! E USA. m CLIMAX CO. . Ny Pi 199-2000 oF THE "Pre мета: | RUNABOUT2 TRADEMARK OF HOT-8 USA, INC. HOT-B I A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF HOT-B USA, INC. DEVELOPED BY CLIMAX CO... LTD. y IN LOGOS ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS DF SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC. THE RATINGS ICON IS A TRADEMARK + wen ARE THE PROPERTY OP THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. q. ГА ИА * ° Superior rally racing ° Powerful track editor * Crossroads, short cuts and double road super stages | (IN [EVERYONE | = eden 5 Dreamcast. _ | INFOGRAMES Mille 2 0 | — L. ega eamcast. | Test Drive, Test Drive V-Rally and Infogrames are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infogrames North America, Inc. Test Drive V-Rally © 2000 Infogrames North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Developed by EDEN STUDIOS. Sega, Sega Dreamcast and the Dreamcast swirl are trademarks of CONTENT RATED BY SEGA ENTERPRISES, LTD. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. LJ + of $ PREVIEW -- И Action/Adventure e — 100% li April Ш PlayStation (sorta) Ji www.konami.com www.metalgearsolid.com ТЕ The gameplay of the PS version has been retained, as well as an original story line. ETUWE The incredibly long, text-heavy cinemas. CCITT Snake's cigarettes are now "Foggers." | Tales of the morality requirements for Nintendo games are not exaggerated. Though Nintendo has loosened up a little, allowing characters to exclaim words like Christ and God, and make references to homosexuality and drug use in Metal Gear Solid, the big N still has some hangup about smoking. | Inthe screen above you'll | see the “Fogger.” No, it’s not | a game about a small reptile | trying to cross a busy | highway. It’s actually a | smoke-emitting device that | allows Snake to see infrared | beams and look decidedly like the Marlboro Man. | Sostop smoking and | go get yourself a fogger. | You'll be a better person | forit. Is that your idea of a compliment? The rather expansive story is told through cutscenes like this and long radio transmissions on your Codec. This pint-sized version of MGS has a surprising number of features, including a full set of VR training missions. he Game Boy Color seems an unlikely candidate for a sequel to one of the biggest games in PlayStation history. Nonetheless, the latest game in the Metal Gear saga has found a home on everyone's favorite 8-Bit portable game machine, and—surprise—it’s actually good. It's been seven years since Solid Snake destroyed Metal Gear at Outer Heaven. However, thanks to the American government, the Metal Gear menace is not a thing of the past. Research has continued on the bipedal nuclear tank, and when the plane carrying Metal Gear is hijacked, the government needs Snake to return to Outer Heaven once again to stop the terrorists and save the world. Sound familiar? What's odd about the Game Boy version of Metal Gear Solid is that it seems to take place at the same time as the PlayStation game, even though each one has its own completely different setting and story. Campbell and Mei Ling both make Use your "fogger" to find and avoid infra-red tripwires, just like in the PlayStation version of MGS. | God bless the Internet. If you'd like to play a fan translated English | version of the elusive MSX Metal Gear 2 (the real sequel to Metal | Gear that never made it to the U.S.), check out this Web site: l аг à http://www.stack.nl/ ~ mth/msx/solideng/ Ll | ka appearances in the GBC game, though Snake acts like he’s never met Mei Ling before, just like he’d never met her before in the PS game. The whole thing is presented as though the stories are taking place parallel to each other. Otherwise Metal Gear Solid on the GBC encapsulates just about every aspect of its PlayStation cousin. From the need to avoid detection and conflict to the seemingly endless collection of cinemas, it’s all been shrunk down to Game Boy proportions with relative success. Besides the story mode, Metal Gear Solid on the Game Boy includes the now-famous VR missions and even a two-player Battle mode. Players can also go back to stages after they complete them in the main game and attempt to get a better rating based on their completion time, rations used and kills. It may still be awhile until we see the true sequel to MGS for the PlayStation2, but this gem of a Game Boy game should at least make the wait a bit more bearable. + Wondering how you сап реек around corners to spot guards and security cameras in this new 2D version of MGS? Just lean up against a wall, hold down the B button, and push the control pad in the direction you want to look, and the | screen will pan over a bit. Cool! | pa A ск Failure Is Not Aa Option Choose your controller wisely latrodycing NYKA First L ENSED Controller with Vibration Function and Dual Analog Sticks nY ko online PlayStation PLATINUM ا‎ Y SERIES NYKO, the NYKO Platinum Series Logo, Viper 2 and all NYKO product names are trademarks of NYKO Technologies, Inc. Produced under license 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. CJ 4 ее Ts PREVIEW GALLERY Land : Nintendo's antihero is coming back May 30 for a third adventure. After crash-landing in a strange forest, a mysterious face convinces Wario to help recover his treasure. No doubt Wario will want it for himself in the end. This sequel has a golf mini-game which is required to get past certain parts of the game, and as usual, there's plenty of puzzle solving and exploration. Leave it to the big N to make a GBC game that looks ВЕ: this good. i Г T-Rex has several innovative features. For starters it's the only real-time 3D game for the GBC. In this first- person shooter you battle Dinosaurs and Robot Droids on 15 different levels. Here's the interesting part, the link cable allows players to deathmatch...that should be interesting. Look for this Eidos game in August. Believe it or not, this Warcraft-inspired realtime head link-up. And get this: When you turn the game on strategy game from Bits Studios and Nintendo is about for the first time, it randomly decides what kind of as robust as similar games on the PC. You get more than Wizard you receive (the Wizard is the most powerful two dozen detailed one-player missions to play as either character). In order to get other types of Wizards, you humans or beasts, and plenty of innovative two-player have to trade with friends. This is the kind of stuff we stuff— including infrared character trading and head-to- want to see on the GBC. Look for it in July. ed You are Mowgli in this GBC version of Walt Disney's classic The Jungle Book. Five lush and expansive areas allow you to mix and mingle with all the same characters from the movie. Mowgli must learn special moves to mimic his foes and progress through the game. Look for this Ubi Soft title in October. td ore trece 138 | eM 5 reserved, Nintendo, Game Во are Association А Aive by Ше Sword; (Also pillage, plunder, hack, slash ea ./ The Rock Monster, Yalta Desert "From stone to sand, by the force of my blade." LEGEND OF THE ADZ MASTERS Sword. Яна сопдиег Бу the sword. ) Trial of the Worms, Wizard's Cave “Green is for the precious life that I take from thee." with Queen Arachnid, orest her exoskeleton tough as her will. * Quest-Based Action RPG For All G * Beautiful Anime-Style Landscapes Immersive 5D Environment and Breakthrough Interface for Inventoi agic Spells Sega Dreamcast Joss. E we acord) fine GAMES ©2000 Ripcord Games. All rights reserved. Ripcord Games, the Ripcord logo and "Buzz" icon are trademarks of Ripcord Games, LLC. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are trademarks of SEGA Enterprises, Ltd. Ronin is a trademark of Ronin Entertainment Company. The rating icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. YOU MAY LAUGH IN THE FACE OF FEAR. BUT IT'LL BE A NERVOUS, UNCONVINCING LITTLE LAUGH. RESIDENT EVIL CODE: Veronica, L kil LN ln (за 15узиузна V93S NO TINO | (you sick pup). then kill the lights and immerse ' 40 hours — of the most vile, mutated, flesh-eating raphics, and P.O.V. battles bring the horror to 'ans you'll get to see how brave you really are. Sega Dreamcast IT'S THINKING B5 Sega's Sot the strategy (free Dreamcast?) and the Sames (Sonic Square?) to swipe a legion Of Samers from the competition (6 million?) Illustrations by Pixel Pushers Design reg Thomas, Sega's lanky vice president of product development, appeared especially enthusiastic when we talked to him at the Game Developers Conference in early March. His exuberance seemed misplaced, considering that Sony, only a week before, had sold its entire initial allotment of Japanese PlayStation2s in a weekend, while Microsoft had just unveiled the X-Box across the street to a crowd of developers awed by the prototype's considerable power. *Technology just keeps getting better and better. That's what it does," Thomas told us, dismissing the competition. “But for the first time in video games, the revolution is not about visuals. It's network. | look at the Dreamcast 144 -\ and | say our biggest deal is network.” And now we know what he was so excited about. Less than a month after we talked to Thomas, Sega announced the formation of a new company, Sega.com. Staffed by the crew who runs Heat.Net at now defunct SegaSoft and the folks working on the current Sega.com Web site, the new company 15 Sega's most formidable weapon in its battle against Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft (we'll tell you why in a bit). To that very big gun, Sega's publishing an arsenal of games that will dominate every genre. Sega gave us early access to its lineup of games for this month's Electronic Entertainment Expo, and you'll find exclusive info on all of these second-generation titles later on. But first, get this: Sega wants you to experience these games on a free Dreamcast—as long as you play by certain rules. The new company, Sega.com, is more than just an Internet destination for DC info and gamer chat; it'll also offer a full-fledged Internet service provider called SegaNet, which will go live in the U.S. this August, with an official launch оп Sept. 7. If you agree to sign up for a two-year commitment to SegaNet—at $21.95 а month —Sega will send you a $200 check and a free DC keyboard. You can spend that money on anything, and this deal's legit even if you already own a Dreamcast. Current DC owners can sign up for SegaNet, get their check in the mail and splurge on games. New DC buyers can use the check to cover the cost of their system—in some cases, just minutes Ecco The Dolphin Defender of the Future after they buy it. “Many retailers are now able to handle in-store registration," said Peter Moore, Sega of America's senior vice president. “You can go to the checkout counter, pay for your DC, then go to a second counter and do the registration process and receive an immediate refund." Like any other ISP, SegaNet will also work with your computer. PC owners who commit to the two-year contract will get a free DC and keyboard, and they can use their account interchangeably between their Dreamcast and computer. But rebates aside, why commit to paying $21.95 a month for two years—a grand total of $527 —for a new ISP when you can probably find a local provider for half the price or just stick with one of the big boys like Sega's current ISP partner, AT&T WorldNet? Short answer: Sega's designing SegaNet strictly with 3D online gaming in mind. The network infrastructure, being built by GTE Internetworking, will reportedly offer enough access points so that you're always within one hop of a game hub when you play online— as opposed to most ISPs, which keep you five or six hops away. A portion of Sega's proprietary KAGE network API will reside on each server, too. “When someone plays a KAGE-based game, the network goes, “Cool, | know exactly how to make it go faster,” said Greg Chiemingo, Sega.com's vice president of marketing. It could all make for narrowband performance several times faster than what you'll find on ISPs not tweaked for online gaming. "Because of the chaos of the Internet, it's generally said that your tolerable latency for online games is between 200 and 400 milliseconds for any action," Chiemingo said. “What we'll offer SegaNet customers playing on a Dreamcast is something much better than that." Sega.com president and CEO Brad Huang said to expect latency below 200 milliseconds. Although you'll be able to play DC games online with whatever ISP you're using now, SegaNet promises to run them with much less latency. Sega plans to have as many as 12 online games available by the end of the year. Chu Chu Rocket is already up and running, and Parlor Games-— which packs 3D versions of checkers, card games, etc.—hits early June. But the big stuff will debut the same time SegaNet launches. Expect Quake 111: Arena to inaugurate the network, followed by NFL2K1 in early September. After that, we'll see Sonic Square, МВА 2K1, Tetris, Magic: The Gathering, Black & White, Railroad Tycoon 2, Half-Life and other third-party games by the end of the year, with the epic Phantasy Star Online scheduled to kick off 2001. The first massively multiplayer games will follow. By the time Sony just begins to unveil the bits of its broadband network, Sega’s content will have fully embraced online play. “Our new games are built with network at their core,” Thomas told us. Sega.com is also building partnerships with music, movie and other entertainment companies to deliver content other than OJpey 195 101 games. A VMU MP3 player will debut in September for under $100. With slots for two 64 megabyte ScanDisks, the gizmo will hold about two hours of music you can downloadfrom'the Internet or гір from CDs played:inthe DC. “We also have a deal with MP3.com to create a Sega virtual record label,” Chiemingo told us. “So. users Di | lese more ambi ous network plans fall into place at the end of the year, when Sega releases its ethernet adapter. At the same time, Sega.com will announce its partners for a new broadband network infrastructure. But right now, Sega says 56K narrowband is the only connection worth supporting. They claim Sony and Microsoft are jumping the gun by focusing on a broadband-only network. Sega.com's top brass point to a ¿Que new Cs аге b ilt em network at their core. —Sega's Greg Thomas report by New York research firm Jupiter Communications that says, by 2003, less than 25 percent of the online population will connect via cable modems, DSL and other broadband connections. And if you think Sega's burning money by giving away free DCs, think again. If Sega.com can convince the 2 million current U.S. DC owners to commit to SegaNet, the company will make $1 billion. And Sega is so confident in its triple threat of free hardware, fast network and great games, that it expects an installed base of 6 million U.S. DC owners by next March. That would mean more than just huge profits from SegaNet subscriptions, advertising and license fees—such an installed base would set up Sega as a major contender in the coming hardware battles, instead of a company fighting for scraps. At the very least, Sega's plans have intrigued the competition. "We all agree that the online-multiplayer aspect of gaming is really exciting," an SCEA spokesperson told us, adding that Sony has already formed its own online company, PlayStation.com, in Japan and will announce its network plans in due course. “The hardware giveaway component of Sega's announcement clearly reflects ebbing confidence in a platform with limited shelf life and comes as recent software releases show no sign of spiking sales of the console." Robbie Bach, senior vice president of Microsoft's home and retail division, had a similar take on the situation. "Clearly, online play is a major part of the future of gaming and X-Box is designed to drive that trend," he told us. "While Sega's approach is interesting, we think that exciting, interactive gaming on video game consoles will require broadband support and the local storage that X-Box will provide with its ethernet connection and 8-gigabyte hard disk." Nintendo, meanwhile, sees SegaNet as a sign of desperation. “I think it was a bold move for them, but | also think they had no other choice," Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo's director of corporate affairs, told us. “The Dreamcast was a nice surprise. It's had some success, but it hasn't made enough of a dent in the market share to sustain Sega as a company." Of course, Sega believes otherwise. It's devoting 40 percent of its Ез floor space to SegaNet. The rest of its booth will be filled with games you'll find in the following 10 pages. Ultimately, it’s these second- generation titles that'll lead Sega's charge against the competition. “The best games better win," Thomas said. "Because if the best games don't win, | quit. | absolutely don't want to be around if this turns into the movie industry, and all you do is watch stuff. | want to play stuff.” Where the heck is Sonic Adventure 2? Last month we promised the first screens and info on the hush-hush sequel to Sonic Adventure. Unfortunately, Sega of America told us too late that the timing wasn't right to unveil a Sonic Adventure follow-up in this issue. In Sega's words, "While we had heard that there may be a new Sonic Adventure-style game ready for E3, we discovered after the May issue of EGM had already gone to press that the featured Sonic title at E3 this year would be Sonic Square (tentative title). We're very excited about this game and glad we could show it to EGM's readers first." So when will SA2 finally surface? We figure the game's absence from Sega's E3 lineup is a good indication we won't see this sequel until next year. 146 E3 weapon. it а! t Son Adventure 2 like you probably thought, but it is a Sonic game and—more importantly— it supports network play. Sonic Square (tentative title) is a multiplayer experience that'll no doubt draw lots of comparisons to Mario Party. In fact, some members of the crew who developed Mario Party are working on this game. Due for U.S. release this fall, Sonic Square features Sonic and his entire roster of sidekicks and enemies, as well as several new characters. Most notable among the new guys is Void, the game's main villain, who has locked up the power of special crystals called Precioustones. (Wanna see Void? That's him on our Table of Contents page.) It's up to you and three other players to compete in Sonic Square's mini-games and see who will be the first to get the Precioustones. Characters will also have unique abilities to aid them in the quest, although we're not sure yet how those powers will factor into the mini-games. All the classic Sonic collectibles— especially coins — will be crucial to the gameplay, as well. Like Mario Party, Sonic Square includes several themed boardgame- style maps, on which players move their characters by choosing cards. The boards are covered with meandering tracks of color-coded and iconic Spaces. It's these spaces that determine the general types of mini- games players will engage in when everyone's done moving their character. If all four players land on spaces of the same color, they'll engage in an every-marsupial-for-itself mini-game. If two players land on one color and the other two land on another, they'll pair off in two opposing teams. If one player lands on a color other than everyone else's, that player is "it" in the mini-game and everyone tries to avoid him or her. Of course, the field will also be littered with penalty spaces, power-up zones and other specialty areas. Again, if you've played Mario Party, you pretty much know the play mechanics we're talking about here. The game's producer in Japan tells us Sonic Square will pack approximately 50 mini-games. Expect a lot of twitch stuff— plenty of Track *N' Field-style rapid-fire button tapping. You'll also play, for instance, a shooting-gallery game set in the wild west. And we've seen a few contests that have everyone racing around expansive environments and bounding off bumpers— all in four- player split screen. Sonic Square offers a Story Mode for one player, a Battle Mode for two to four players on the same Dreamcast, and a Network Mode for two to four players across the Internet. Sega told us the mini-games played online in Network Mode are mostly the same as the ones played in regular Battle Mode. And we've been assured that we'll see no lag in Network Mode. "The offline gameplay stays intact," the game's producer told us. Sega has opted to apply Jet Set Radio's stylized “celshading” graphics routine to all of Sonic Square's characters. So, as you can see from these early screens, Sonic and company share the same cartoony style as JSR's skatepunks. It's a wild touch of visual flair that'll look even better when you see the game in motion. And all of the gameboards are presented in full 3D, too, unlike Mario Party's prerendered maps. In fact, Sega is emphasizing that Sonic Square will be a much different experience from Nintendo's premier party game franchise. Considering that Mario Party never let players in Peoria, Ill., compete in a minigame against opponents in Tokyo, we tend to agree. Some of Sonic Square's mini- games will even feature boss battles. Note that the game is early in development and may look different when Sega releases it this fall. ul TERES. 7 Kl ith a release window of late August/early September, Quake III: Arena will conceivably be the first game to put Sega's new network through its paces—so you better believe it'll be a better-than- flawless translation of the ultimate PC frag party. The product of a partnership between publisher Sega, Activision and developer Raster Productions (who brought Quake II to the N64), QIII is being ported under the watchful eyes of John Carmack and crew at id Software— just above those watchful eyes, to be exact. “The guys at Raster are actually on the floor right above id's offices,” said Scott Hawkins, ОП” producer at Sega. “The id guys are _ there all the time, day in and day out. They're totally behind this project." QIII will hit the Dreamcast with all the single-player trials and multiplayer modes— namely Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag—of the PC original. It will keep many of the same level maps, as well as include several new arenas. Up to four players can battle each other in split screen if they don't feel like going online for network play. But Internet deathmatching is QIII’s main draw, and the DC version will let up to 16 players duke it out online. The developers are currently tweaking the game's interface to make picking a game server as user friendly as possible. “The menu screen is similar to the way the PC version does it where it lists different servers or different games you can join,” Hawkins explained, “but we've changed some of the information on that screen. li stead of listing different ping times, it 148 actually displays a It'll be different len depending on how connection is. It will automatically disregard games that are not going to give you optimal gameplay." Sega also announced that owners of the DC QIII will be able to play against gamers on a PC—although, according to Hawkins, that feature might not make it into the final product. “1 know it has been announced that we're supporting that," he said, “but we're still looking into that. At a minimum, PC users _ Will have to download some — type of patch. Technically, we're pretty sure we can do it. As long as it’s a good experience for both sides, we'll definitely put that feature in there.” QIII will support a variety of control configurations, including one that lets you use your joypad and keyboard in tandem, much like the mouse-and- keyboard setup PC Quake freaks are so fond of. But will you be able to use a mouse? "| know we are looking into supporting it," Hawkins answered. "And if Sega does release a mouse here, we'll definitely support it in the game." Our prediction: Expect Sega to release a mouse in time for ОШ. The DC version will look at least as good as the PC original. It'll pack new textures and support all the major effects, including curved surfaces, while running at a solid 30 frames per second. You'll even find special VMU Unfortunately, we didn't get DC Quake 111 shots this month (but we sure did try). Hawkins told us it will look just like the PC version seen here, though. S wm. Сал display functions, such as messages that pop up during gameplay, a frag counter, an in-game compass and more. But what'll really set this version apart is its collection of characters and the novel, seemingly Pokémon-inspired way you'll open some of them. Locked away on the GD-ROM will be many Dreamcast-exclusive ОП! characters. You won't be able to open these guys by playing solo. The only way to get them is to go hunting on the 0111 servers. “Let's say you go online and see this character you've never seen before,” Hawkins explained. “If you can frag that character online, then it will unlock in your version so you can actually select that character in future battles.” Hawkins said Sega and Raster will leak these character models one at a time on various servers or perhaps even during special Ез tournaments. Players who unlock the characters in the tourneys will then pass them on in regular games, and eventually the new characters will trickle down to all the servers. "We're gonna be pretty tightlipped about how many characters there will be," Hawkins said, “but it will be very cool and a great way to encourage gamers to go online." Just don't expect to see any familiar blue hedgehogs running around the arenas. "We've been talking about having Sonic as а hidden character,” Hawkins told us, *but legal's not too happy about it. No one wants to see Sonic fragged." » hile Quake 111 Arena will surely lure the die-hard PC deathmatching crowd to the Dreamcast and SegaNet, it's gonna be NFL 2K1 and, later in the year, NBA 2K1 that'll bring in the masses. Due at the beginning of September— probably within a week of Quake 111 Arena —NFL 2K1 will offer the same basic modes as last year's model. Team rosters, of course, have all been updated (Bruce Smith is now in the Redskins, for instance). NBA 2K1 will have new moves, such as a swat block. But the big addition to both games, of course, is network play. And here's the really cool news—NFL 2K1 will let up to four players on one Dreamcast go against four players on another. So you can invite over three pals, pick a team, choose your positions, then go online and take on another group of dudes across the country. You'll be able to pick plays together and strategize in the privacy of your own home, without your opponents looking over your shoulder. Expect the same option in NBA 2K1. Four players running, leaping, tackling and intercepting in 3D on a single Dreamcast sounds like a lot of data to cram through the system's 56K pipeline, but NFL 2K1's developers assure us that narrowband is more than up to the challenge. “I've heard Unlike the other 2K1 games, World Series Baseball 2K1— due this fall—is being developed in Japan and won't support network play. It will, however, pack all 28 baltparks and updated Major League Baseball Rosters for the 2000 season. reports online where people are saying, ‘Oh, they only have a 56k modem, so the game's probably only going to have an online coach mode or something,” said Greg Thomas, who aside from his product-development duties at Sega is also president of Visual Concepts. “I'm reading that stuff and I’m laughing because we're playing the game over the Internet right now and have been for over a month. There's no jerkiness, no lag. Everything's perfect and smooth. We're not sending enough data to cause a bottleneck at all.” Thomas said NFL 2K1's online gameplay 15 already locked at 30 frames per second, and there's even a chance Visual Concepts will get that number up to 60 FPS for the final version. (Sega's already demonstrated the game's smooth Internet play to industry reps at a recent Las Vegas retailer summit.) It's an impressive feat— especially considering that NFL 2K1 is Visual Concepts' first online game. "Whereas a lot of other people are used to using DirectPlay or this or that," Thomas said, *we just kind of wrote our own book on this because we've never done it before. | think that gave us a leg up." ntil now, all the benefits of those incredibly addictive multiplayer online RPGs— angry teachers and bosses, broken marriages, alienated friends and family —have been restricted to the PC community. But soon Dreamcast owners, not just in Japan, not just in America, but all over the world will get their own chance at ruining their lives with Sonic Team's foray into the genre, Phantasy Star Online, set for an early 2001 release. Although it's still in the early stages of development, a recent demo at the Tokyo Game Show (the same demo all the screens you see here are from) gave us a pretty good idea how the game will work: First, four characters— each displayed on their own screen from their own perspective — meet in a large, futuristic city (the game only supports parties of four characters). After saying hello and introducing themselves, they decide to team up and go after a Boss monster. As they chat, the text is displayed in Japanese on some of the characters’ screens and English on others, highlighting the fact that gamers all over the world will be able to play PSO together. You can either type in your messages via the Dreamcast keyboard, or choose phrases from a preset list (a la Chu Chu Rocket) and the game will send the appropriate translation to the other players. In other words, when Hiro- chan says “C Alcbl&" from his apartment in Osaka, it shows up on your screen as "Hello." Next the party sets off into the Wilderness and soon comes across a group of praying-mantis-type beasties. Battles in PSO take place in real-time, with players free to move and attack at will. In the demo, two characters held back and fired long-range rifles and spells at monsters while the rest of the party charged in to fight with swords and spears. Teamwork and cooperation will obviously be an important part of PSO—and not just in combat. One sequence we saw had a huge metal object blocking the party's path; after a single character tries unsuccessfully to move it, a second player comes up to help and together they push it out of the way. Another section had a door that required multiple switches What's a PS2? The buzz at the recent Tokyo Game Show was all about Phantasy Star Online. scattered around it to be triggered at once in order to open. It looks like Sega is treating the multiplayer aspect of PSO as more than just a gimmick. With these kinds of ambitious ideas, and the incredible graphics you see here running smooth, without a hint of slowdown or lag (let's wait 'til we see it on a 56k modem though), it's easy to see why PSO was the game everyone was talking about at the Tokyo Game Show. Check next month's News Section for an interview with Sonic Team's Yuji Naka and more PSO info. and other Hollywood deals in the works, Sega's got big plans for Ulala (pronounced ooh- la-la), the sassy miniskirted star of Space Channel 5, due here in June. But even if her celebrity never sputters to life, this newsgal of the future will always be remembered for her flashy debut title. A rhythm-driven game similar in play style to PaRappa the Rapper, Space Channel 5 has Ulala taking on an invading army of Gummi- skinned aliens who shake their tentacled groove thangs to hypnotize and enslave hapless Earthlings. You can only break the aliens’ spell by making Ulala match their dance moves through all five levels of the game's retro-futuristic world (think Stanley Kubrick's 2001, except with an injection of flower power). Ulala even bumps into pop god Michael Jackson—named, appropriately enough, Space Michael— in the final level. He's one of several humans lured into submission by the aliens' herky-jerky dance, and it's up to Ulala to bust him free. A long-time Sega fan (remember Moonwalker?), Jackson ' [ЖАКАДА ith a possible MTV show gl, l. singing,” Mizuguchi said, “but @ 0 met Space Channel 5's producer and played the game two months before its development wrapped up at the company's Tokyo-based headquarters. “Michael really loved it,” said Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Space Channel 5's designer (his credits include Sega Rally 2 and Manx-TT). “He wanted to add something to this game, and | agreed.” What followed was a down-to-the- wire scramble for the art team to build a 3D Michael model, animate it and stick it in the game. Jackson sent in a tape of his trademark oooh-hooo howl, as well as soundbites such as “Thanks, Ulala!” and cries for help. “We wanted to do a lot more, lots of his style of acrobatic dancing and his 0 €) G) unfortunately there was a limit. The game was almost completed." Space Channel 5 creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi frequented Japanese clubs to “research” the game's dance moves and funky attitude. Sassy Ulala, however, isn't based on any real gal. Too bad. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 181 - www.videogames.com d Ф > D 2 ° 2 [Ш [ j (PUSE ` www.ifuse.com Electronic Gaming Monthly - peed has always been a theme of legendary Sega game designer Yu Suzuki's life. A sportscar fanatic, he's the man behind every breakneck arcade classic from Hang On to Daytona USA to F355 Challenge. But, oddly enough, it was Suzuki's first console-only game, Shenmue, that slammed the brakes on his fast-paced social life. “When | was making this game, | was always tired,” the 43-year-old designer told us. “I really didn't have the strength to drive my Ferrari. So | was driving my automatic-shift car." Suzuki's sacrifice paid off. Shenmue: Chapter 1, released in Japan last December and due for U.S. release this winter, is an epic title that combines numerous play styles into an adventure unrivaled in its scope and attention to detail. The plot centers on Ryo Hazuki, a young Japanese man seeking answers behind his father's mysterious death. Set in Yokosuka, a small rural town, the game packs its own working weather system and a population of more than 300 yokels who respond to proper day 194 - www.videogames.com and night cycles. All of these fine-brush touches—as well as its deep plot and characters — will make it into the U.S. version. In fact, Suzuki himself is overseeing the localization. “We have currently finished auditioning the English voice actors," he told us. “Most are American. We also have Canadians. We have 200 voice actors so far.” All dialog will also be subtitled, and street and shop signs will be written in both English and Japanese. With Shenmue: Chapter 1 done, Suzuki can now focus on the game's second chapter (as well as his ongoing work on Virtua Fighter IV). But it doesn't look like the guy will have free time for his Ferrari any time soon. Suzuki's not even sure how many chapters he'll need to complete his grand vision for Shenmue—a game he Says will only grow more ambitious. "Shenmue is to evolve in the future, just like the first Virtua Fighter did," he explained. “I met many new challenges in Shenmue and it's turned out to bea fine game, but inside of me it's still a child, still an infant. It's still needs to grow up." Suzuki said he set Shenmue in the town of Yokosuka because it reminded him of rural Japan 10 years ago. “It has a special atmosphere," he told us. t first gander, Sega's extraordinary-looking Jet Set Radio—due here this fall —may seem like a ? stylized take on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, but don't think you've figured this unique title out that easily. “The development team [which includes veterans of the Panzer Dragoon and Sega Rally games] kinda wanted this game to be a genre breaker," producer Klayton Vorlick told us. “They didn't want it to be classified as another skating game. And it's not a racing game. There isn't one specific goal." Instead, Vorlick says JSR assails you with several simultaneous objectives. Whizzing around town in special "Overdrive Magnetic-Motor Skating Shoes" (the 21st century's answer to inline skates), you spray graffiti at specific tag points such as cars and walls throughout your turf and pull off tricks—all while evading cops and dodging rival gangs. An onscreen arrow guides you to the next tag point, as well as scattered safety zones where cops won't touch you. On top of ча eH Í ча that, the game packs a story filled with plot twists; it's not just spray, run, spray, run. Graffiti designs come in three sizes (and you can even edit your own designs; more on that later). The larger your design, the longer it takes to spray it—and the more cops you'll have hot on your tail. “When you first start out,” Vorlick said, “no one's around. You spray once or twice and the cops come. Spray a few more times and they send in reinforcements. Spray a few more times and they send in the captain. Depending on the level, they Sometimes send in parachute troops or SWAT teams. Basically, at the end of the stage you're running from every type of police force possible." The trick system is simpler than what you'll find in Tony Hawk. Depending on your speed, angle of jump, etc., you'll perform one of several tricks per character. Grinding is automatic when you leap onto a rail. “While grinding, you can jump and do tricks," Vorlick said. “Jump and you'll do a flip, and if you spray while doing that your character will twist around and do another trick, then spray, then land back on on the railing." The Japanese version of JSR contains three massive cities —each crammed with pedestrians and traffic—to wreak inline havoc in, but the U.S. version will contain a fourth metropolis. Cities are divided into several sectors. Depending on the current mission, you can access other sectors by skating to SURFE ing Monthly - 155 the edge of your current area. Terrain types include train tracks, parks, residential areas (where you can skate on rooftops) and back alleyways. “In some levels you can actually go through buildings as shortcuts and secret areas,” Vorlick said. JSR gives you 10 characters to choose from, and each has his or her own set of tricks and graffiti designs. Better still, you can make your own designs with a special graffiti editor, which lets you type in words and dress them up with a variety of effects. Although you don't get any multiplayer modes or network play, Sega is planning to provide downloadable extras for this surefire blockbuster soon after its release this fall. Wie NÀ м Y= Jet Set Radio's designers created a special program called “Celshader,” which renders black outlines around polygons to give your character a hand-drawn look. Expect lots of games to copy this revolutionary art style. SEAM ear not (or, perhaps, be afraid) — developer Vivarium’s 4 oddball life sim Seaman 15 indeed coming to the States this fall, but not before Sega immerses the little fish dude in American culture with the help of Jellyvision, creators of the outrageously witty You Don't Know Jack games. “We took Seaman over to visit Jellyvision,” Osamu Shibamiya, the game's localization producer, told us. “He got the chairs a little wet, but they did have a lot of input in what Seaman is going to talk about and were very helpful in shaping his impressions of the United States." The game itself will play essentially the same as the Japanese version. You'll raise Seaman through various life stages, then chat with the guy via the included VMU microphone. “This will be a very different Seaman in terms of the conversations he has and the observations he makes," Shibamiya said. "He'll be a lot more talkative than in the Japanese version. He's got a lot more to say now." But don't expect radical alterations to Seaman's look or attitude. “The way he says things is pretty much the same," Shibamiya continued. “He's still the same fish." he Dreamcast's library of first-party RPGs has yet to inspire awe in fans of the genre, but that'll change this winter when we get Eternal Arcadia, the first of the two high-profile role-playing epics Sega's readying for U.S. release (the other being PSO). As a member of the Blue Sky Pirates, you take on an enemy nation bent on conquering the world with its airship armada. When you're not bumming around towns on the standard 3D field map, you're soaring between floating 156 islands in your airship, which you guide with the analog stick while the L and R triggers control altitude. Battles are random and turn-based, and you'll nab special moon stones you can mold into weapons or wield as magic spells. Eternal Arcadia is lush, with expressive characters and a soaring musical score. But it's not just the presentation that's convinced us this'll be a triple-A title. Members of the Phantasy Star team are crafting Eternal Arcadia, and you can't ask for a better design pedigree than that. | izarre Creations” Metropolis Street Racer, which Sega will publish this fall, has built a lot of buzz among racing-game fanatics—even more than Sega GT. And it's not just "cause this thing packs 60 cars (which were chosen because they were within the price range of most ordinary Joes). It's not just 'cause everyone who's played this game raves about the tight control. Simply put, no other racing game has matched the authenticity of MSR's real- world locales. “In the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco, for example, we had to model each street, each building and even each garden!” said Sarah Dixon, Bizarre Creations’ business director. “As a general rule of thumb, anything over one meter in size should be there in the game.” To capture the realism, the guys at Bizarre collected more than 35,000 photos, compiled over 4o hours of research videos, and flown at least 250,000 air miles for research trips. his is definitely not a game you would want to rush through," said Gergely Csarzar, producer of Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (due this fall). *It has its own pace, and the focus is on enjoying the environments, exploring them, and learning new things." To hear Csarzar explain it, Ecco sounds like it's half adventure game, half something you'd see on the Discovery Channel. Heck, the development team at Appaloosa Interactive even scoured nature documentaries and taped 50 hours of dolphins in the wild to help nail the game's true-to-life look. “Our goal is to create the visuals to match the quality, the colors, the beauty of National Geographic," he told us. But that's not to say Ecco's some touchy-feely edutainment title. At its heart you'll find the same gameplay basics established by the original Genesis Ecco games. You'll turboboost into enemies and jab 'em with your bottlenose, as well as manipulate Switches and other obstacles to solve puzzles. You'll master Ecco's jumps and mammal-outa-water acrobatics, including tailwalks across the ocean's surface. You can morph into other animals at key points to pass obstacles. You'll encounter futuristic machinery, blasting currents and an enormous variety of sea life you can tickle with Ecco's sonar. “You can talk to all mammals in the game," Csarzar said, "but turtles, sharks— especially enemies— won't communicate with Ecco via text. Depending on Ecco's 191 je actions, whether he sonars these animals or bumps them or charges or Swims around them, they'll change their behavior accordingly." Appaloosa has essentially created a living environment teeming with intelligent sea life, and it's your job to figure out how to coax these creatures into helping you solve the game's many puzzles. During the course of your adventure, you'll explore four oceans— and these seas are massive. The coral reef in the first world, for instance, stretches a mile-and-a-half long and one mile wide. Some levels can take as long as six hours to complete. In all, Ecco should pack about 50 hours of gameplay, said Csarzar. But with such novel gameplay, fascinating worlds and a story crafted by sci-fi author David Brin, Ecco seems like one game you won't want to end. m NINTENDO or call 1-800-771-3772 Visit www.esrb.org 2 Y N cat Ў i2 for more info. k Look for Army Men" on © 2000 The 300 Company. All Rights Reserved. 300, Army Men, Air Combat, Real Combat. Plasti Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the "М" logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nintendo registered trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. O 1989, 1998 Nintendo of America Inc. License: 300 Comp: e Boy and P AIR COMBAT: A SOLDIER'S CALL TO DUTY. ARMY MEN AIR COMBAT! player helicopter пе Nintendo’ 64 system. WWW.armymen.com Ом Hum This Month... ou may notice two big changes Y this issue: First, Shoe and Che are gone (we miss you guys!), and in their place sits a whole mess of new names on the Crew. Don't worry, we had had them all checked out—they're cool. (Except for that Canadian, Sewart. We're still running DNA tests on him.) Second, there are only three reviews per game. Here's the deal: With so many titles to review each month (usually more than 30), there just ain't enough time for four people to play each game enough to fully review it. We debated long and hard but in the end decided three well- informed, comprehensive reviews are better than four with one or two half-assed. We figure you'd agree. Ош Philosophy DD. 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 о.о. 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 average grade, 5.0. We repeat: 5.0 ISAN AVERAGE GRADE. Simple, ain't it? Ош Awards Platinum Awards go to games that get four 10's, the best and rarest review a game can get. Gold Awards go to games whose average score equals 9.o or higher. Games that average at least an 8.0 receive Silver Awards. The Players.... John's month included midgets, go-go dancers, alcohol, being sick, school buses with blacked-out windows and Gary Coleman. Rock 8, roll baby. Favorite Geures Action, Racing Mark MacDonald Fresh from The Offic 5 PlayStation Magazine, Mark was shocked to learn there are other game sys- tems, like the Dream-Cast and Gaming Boy. Favorite Genres Action, Adventure, RPG ` Chris Johnston Our globe trottin' news hound has found a new addiction—Samba De Amigo. But it's hard to type with maracas in your hands. Shake shake shake! Favorite Genres Adventure, Puzzle, Music Dan Leahy. Dan’s beloved Tribe has been chasing Zuni’s Red Sox for ASB 2001 suprema- cy. If the little Injuns get by Boston, look for a sweep in the Fall 3 Favorite | Sports, м Fighting Kraig Kujawa The sameness in sports games is beginning to make Kraig's mind numb. Next-gen sports games can't get here quick enough as far as he's concerned. Favorite Genres Sports, Action, Strategy As this semi aws to a close, Andrew is ‘anxious for E3 to arrive. He has exams the week after, so he'll be studying while in line for Final Fantasy IX. Favorite Genres RPG, Action Cyril Wochok Cy's finally forced his way onto the review crew. He's been an A.D. for years, but his first love has always been game testing. He says all games are OK this month. Favorite Genres Driving, Action, Adventure Crispin Boyer Crispin's the guy who, like Shawn, didn't quit EGM. While Shoe and Che ride the dotcom gravy train, Crispin is bucking for Cyril's boffo game-tester job. Action, Adventure After some serious thought, Shawn has decided to become EGM's on-site Puzzle Game Editor. He fig- ures it would be the easiest and most rewarding choice. Favorite Genres. Action Adventure, Puzzle Dean Hager Getting ready for the E3 rush has put Dean in a pinch. He hasn't had enough time to ride his vin- tage mini-bike...Yeah, he still likes it a lot. Favorite Genres. Sports, Racing . Todd Zuniga Todd's been settling in nicely at Wrigley Field this spring, but what a pleasant distraction the dominating St. Louis Blues have been. Cup bound? Zuni thinks so. Favorite Genres Sports, Action, Adventure Joe Funk Joe put his landmark chimp study on hold and came out ofthe trees to help out with reviews. We had to retype it all, though, since it was all grunts and hand signals. Favorite Genres Hittin’ Shootin’ Fishin’ Greg Sewart We could barely get our new guy away from Ridge Racer V long enough for him to get some actual work done this month. Canadians need strict discipline. Favorite Genres Racing, RPG, Adventure Jim Cordano Due to his unhealthy love of Pokémon, A.D. Jim also bum tushed the show to have a crack at Pokémon TCG. This frightens some, but don’t worry; he’s all man. Action, Puzzle, Driving 160 Perfect Dark p.165 What an incredible month for games. In this corner you've got Resident Evil Code: Veronica, an awesome new addi- tion to the series and one of the best Dreamcast games so far. For the PlayStation there's Vagrant Story, a fantastic-looking and great-playing action/RPG. And what's this? Metal Gear Solid for the Game Boy Color? Maybe there's some life left in that sys- tem yet. Most other months, any one of these could have earned Game of the Month, but Rare's Perfect Dark just blew us away. Most of the crew agrees this game delivers the best single-play- er shoot-a-thon ever, and no game matches its multiplayer options. + Perfect Dark Resident Evil: Code Veronica Ridge Racer V Namco Metal m m = в Konami Star Wars Episode | Racer ' | Vagrant Soy Square EA Kirby 64 Nintendo МК? Interplay Tony Hawk Pro Slater 10 20 Activision 10 Vib Ribbon 2 maana = Publisher: LucasArts Developer: LucasArts Featured In: ЕСМ #129 Players: 1-2 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Incredible sense of speed Worst Feature: No button mapping feature Web Site: www.lucasarts.com Now this 15 podracing! It seems fitting that the most exciting sequence in Episode | has spawned the best game based on the movie. Racer on the Dreamcast 15 a direct port of the PC version, which results in a far better game than the N64 cartridge. Still, it does suc- cumb to the same problem that plagues almost every PC-to-DC port: quick and dirty conversion. While the game is a beautiful, fast and exciting experience, it's a shame that LucasArts didn't take the time to optimize it a little for the Dreamcast. The simple craft and level models make the DC version feel like it was made for low-end Pentium computers. Even so, Episode | Racer won't disappoint any Star Wars fan who craves to relive the speed and excitement of the racing sequence from the movie. The frame-rate is fast and smooth, creating an awesome sensation of speed. Playing through the championship mode allows you to unlock dozens of tracks, new podracers and drivers. Couple that with the fact that you can buy Pod upgrades with your winnings and you have a seriously customizable racing game on your hands. The two-player mode suffers a little in the frame-rate department, but it's still fast and furious racing. Players can even upload their top scores to the Sega Web site. All in all, this is a game that Star Wars freaks will play no matter what the reviews say, but it's also a game casual racing fans should defi- nitely check out. Greg At first glance, Racer's incredible speed will make your jaw drop. In fact, I've never seen a faster racing game on the consoles. The graphics are pretty good, too (except for a couple of chunky textures). Once you play Racer for a while though, the excitement will lull. Basically, it's a bare-bones port of the PC ver- sion. So that means the courses are very interesting, there are a lot of pods and pod upgrades and the Al is ridiculously easy until later levels. That's more or less the story. The game does have a couple of DC- exclusive bells and whistles— specifically, the ability to post high scores and talk to other Racer chums online. Not a huge deal, but kind of neat. Shawn Ah, finally a game that restores my belief that The Force can exist in a good video game. Racers are a dime a dozen these days, but | have to say that this is a unique racing game with its own merits outside of the Star Wars license. Sure, it helps to have “Duel of the Fates" trumpeting melodramat- ically as you scream down tunnels, but it's only icing on the cake. Plenty of well-designed tracks keep the game interesting, and | think the learning curve is just about right—which is important since this is a very fast game. But really, it was slamming young Anakin's pod into a wall at 600 mph that real- ly sold me on Episode I Racer. Kraig SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY иа Publisher: Sega of America Developer: Atlus Featured In: ЕСМ #130 Players: 1 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Ability to change characters Worst Feature: Repetitious gameplay Web Site: WWW.Sega.com While most first-person games strive to perfect a realistic 3D world, Maken X seems content to offer a bare-bones variation of the genre, albeit with some pretty visuals. You can run, jump and look around, but there is very little interaction with the levels, save hitting really obvious switches over and over. | really would have liked to see much more interaction with objects and scenery. The graphics look pretty good, but it only makes you wish for more complexity. That is definitely a shame, given that the Dreamcast hardware is the most powerful box of chips out there right now. On the positive side, the game offers a few interesting twists, such as being able to leap into the minds of different characters, thus giving you new abilities and interesting weapons to toy with. The controls stay roughly the same for each one, making the transition a painless one. Also, you can build up your character over time (through kills) to increase his strength during battle. The RPG-ish character-building elements of the game and the ability to control new characters gave Maken X a good chance to present an interesting story, but here it also falls short. The cinematics are helter- skelter, never really delivering the punch necessary to give you the feeling that Maken X is more than a sum of its parts. Moreover, the repetitious (and often droning) music and sound do little else but punctu- ate Maken X's mediocrity. ig The plot in Maken X is ambitious to the point of absurdity. With so many little twists and turns it becomes more humorous than intriguing. Factor in the generic voice work and it’s something fit for ridicule on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Well, maybe not that bad. To be fair, | did eventually warm up to the game but it felt similar to playing Doom with no guns. The environments look great (lots of nice reflection effects, among other things) but are a bit short on interactivity. Multiple paths and endings are a good idea however. In the end, Maken X is inter- esting to a point but patience is required. Definitely rent before you buy. Dean There's no doubt Maken X is a pretty game—awe- some character and weapon designs, with a silky- smooth frame-rate—but there's just not enough technique to the gameplay. Outside of some inter- esting boss encounters, it's mostly killing enemies over and over in a similar fashion each time, and maybe flipping a switch or two along the way. The brainjacking feature is a good idea, but it doesn't really end up mattering enough which character you play as. An interesting story (what's up with those voices though?) and multiple paths and endings help, but more variety in the levels and gameplay is what Maken X really needed. Mark VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 161 Publisher: Interplay Developer: BioWare Featured In: ЕСМ #128 Players: 1 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Gorgeous visual, dark humor Worst Feature: Some might not "get" the humor Web Site: www.mdk2.com The original МОК was misunderstood — partly because no one knew what MDK actually stood for, but mostly because its dark humor and unusual wit was way over the heads of a lot of people. Great game. Not great sales. Fortunately though, the guys at Interplay knew they were on to a good thing and pushed ahead with a sequel. The premise is the same (it's a 3D, behind-the-dude shooter with added sniping), the story line is almost identical (aliens invade earth, must kill aliens) but this time it looks better, is more involved, and more importantly it's bigger. The main change comes from the fact that you now get to control the three eponymous charac- ters...Max, Dr. Hawkins and Kurt (MDK, geddit?). Max is a psychopathic, six-legged, gun-toting dog, and represents the "mindless shooter" aspects of the game. Dr. Hawkins represents the think-'em-up puz- zle-solving sections while the leather-clad, silly-hat- ted Kurt now provides the stealthy more Metal Gear- like portions. The three characters are woven effec- tively through the ludicrous story very effectively and the actions of each have a tangible effect on what you see and do when playing another role. Think of it as an "intelligent" action game, and then give thanks forthe splendid visuals which really are stunning. It's always cool to see something distinctive and unique, and MDK2 will probably be the most stylish game in your collection for some time. John The first MDK was pretty innovative in a weird sort of way—if not graphically, then because of its simple yet fun gameplay. Part two has more of the same— and then some. There are simply tons of enjoyable and challenging puzzles and action sequences to work your way through. The game really captures a certain 16-Bit feel, and puts it into 3D (just be wary of the platform jumping bits). Aside from this, the main difference is the graphics. Where the first used the power of the PS to create surreal, almost glitchy- looking environments, the DC offers amazingly color- ful, detailed levels that really show off what the sys- tem is capable of. It truly is gorgeous. Shawn BioWare has done an excellent job taking the cool parts of the original MDK and expanding upon them. The game boasts some excellent and distinctive visuals, but this is now matched with an involved story line that is both witty and somewhat abstract at the same time. There are some great gameplay mechanics utilized throughout, and | real- ly like the way the three main characters all behave and play differently while still maintaining the basic feel of the game. The humor may be a bit wacky for some, but everyone can appreciate what a damn fine-looking game this is. The bosses especially are truly spectacular. Dean VISUALS SOUND REPLAY INGENUITY Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom/Sega Featured In: ЕСМ #127 Players: 1 Supports: Jump Pak, VMU BestFeature: Incredible graphics Worst Feature: The sappy love subplot Web Site: www.capcom.com ound for pound, zombie for zombie, giant, mutated boss for giant, mutated, boss, Code: Veronica is the best Resident Evil so far, and a must-play for any Dreamcast owner. It’s true that, as far as gameplay fea- tures go, there’s really nothing new here—in fact it’s missing some of the cool new things RE3 had. But Veronica makes up for it in just about every other way. First of all, as you can hopefully tell from these screens, this is one of the best-looking games out there, period. And the spectacular graphics are more than just eye candy—they really add to the overall experi- ence. Searching the darkness by the soft glow of your lighter, a swinging overhead lamp cast- ing eerily moving shadows, how the camera can pan like a movie to follow the action or switch right into and out of real-time cutscenes. Resident Evil has always been less about play mechanics and more about setting After playing as Claire for a while, REC:V switches you to her brother, Chris. The dual roles makes for a pretty long game-it took us over 15 hours on average to finish. a mood the player feels, and all these things help draw you into the game and achieve that effect. The story helps too. There’s a few moments where you will snicker at the voice- acting and unnatural dialogue, but the sheer amount of cinemas and a number of interest- ing twists and surprises will keep you playing. Complaints? Yeah, we have a few. Like how you can get stuck right before a boss without the equipment you need to get past them (don’t save in the same slot all the time or you’re screwed). Or how there never seems to be an item box around when you need one. Or all the backtracking you have to do. Oh, and one other thing—you can’t blow zombies’ heads off with the shotgun anymore; what up with that? Anyway, regardless, anyone who's ever enjoyed any of the previous RE games, or adventure games in general—hell, if you like video games at all you should at least give this one a try. 162 Besides the little love story, Code Veronica's plot is excellent. It steals from a couple of movies (Psycho and The Thing), but what do you expect from a game origi- nally inspired by Night of the Living Dead? Since this game is unfortunately already out in stores as | write this (Capcom just sent out the English ver- sion this month and we don’t review games based on imports like the other mags), all of you fall into one of two groups: those who have played Code: Veronica, and those who haven't. Let me address you separate- ly. To those who have already played it: Great game, isn’t it? Those are definitely some of the best graphics Гуе seen on the Dreamcast so far, and Resident Evil all in real-time, with cutscenes on the fly and the cam- era moving all around—wow. | could have done with- out the heavy-handed love subplot, but overall the story is probably the best of the series so far, don't you think? Hey, remember that boss at the end of disc 1? Yeah, that part kicked ass. To those who haven't played it: You need to give this one a chance. Maybe you've tried a Resident Evil or two before and they weren't your cup of tea, or maybe they just never interested you, but this might be the one that con- verts you—l've seen it happen to a few people already. Not that Code: Veronica is very different from the previous games, but it takes their best parts (spooky atmosphere, challenging puzzles, intense zombie-blastin' action) and wraps them all up in one incredible-looking package. The game does lag at a couple points with too much backtracking, but it's still the best adventure game for the DC by far, and one of the best for any system. Mark Like any great Resident Evil game, Code: Veronica takes you to intensely creepy places, introduces you to interesting new characters, then kills them. This is vintage RE gameplay packaged with 3D visuals so slick you gotta wonder if PS2 games could really look much better. Despite some lovey-dovey sappiness, the plot is pure dynamite, and the overall adventure runs longer than past RE games. | gotta say, though, that at least one puzzle 15 too tricky, and you'll run into key points where you're up crap creek if you packed the wrong weapons. But for every annoying quirk, you'll find dozens of scenes and plot twists that make you go, “Wow— this rules! Crispin When | first heard about this game, | figured it'd be a cookie-cutter survival-horror title thrown together just so there's a RE on the DC. Nothing could be fur- ther from the truth. What a difference real-time graphics make. Not being able to see around cor- ners, watching as the camera pans to reveal a horde of undead...it creates real tension. | never thought the DC would've been capable of this level of graph- ic clarity outside of Soul Calibur. An excellent story line, ambient music, and a lot of genuine "jump out of your seat" moments make it not only a great game, but the best of the series thus far. Turn off the lights and knock yourself out. Chris VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Striker Pro 2000 München 0 1 Rovas de Мо Publisher: Infogrames Developer: Rage Featured In: ЕСМ #125 Players: 1-4 Supports: VMU Best Feature: Fun certification mode Worst Feature: Players auto-switch Web Site: www.us.infogrames.com Consider this: The only soccer competition on the Dreamcast for Striker Pro 2000 is the dismal and ver- tigo-inducing Virtua Striker 2. So for DC owners who crave soccer, SP2K is really the only answer, and it’s a pretty decent game. First, you get a really cool cer- tification mode. You'll be invited to pass a series of skill tests to unlock hidden modes and teams. The skill tests are set up by shooting, passing and play- ing defense. You'll have 10 challenges per category and the more successful you are, the more you'll unlock. This mode 15 the best part of the game. But the gameplay 15 pretty fun, too. Control does have some problems which keep me shaking my head. The players auto-switch to whoever's closest to the ball. Don't the developers have enough faith in me as a gamer to decide who | want to go after the ball? I'm constantly dashing the wrong way because my auto-switched player decides he wants to run the show. It's not impossible to overcome; it just takes an annoying amount of time to get used to. The com- mentary is, as usual, a real clambake. You'll hear all the English remarks you'd expect from a live broad- cast. The game packs 130 teams, so there are plenty of strange names to memorize and guys to make national heroes. Graphically, the game is really tight. Stadiums look brilliant and the player animations are well done. It's a fine game, and if you need soccer on the Dreamcast, it's your only hope. Todd | Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom (O) | Featured In: ЕСМ #127 Players: 1-2 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Giant robots fighting Worst Feature: A bit too flashy Web Site: WWW.capcom.com Hulking robots: Ain't nothing like 'em. Tech Romancer takes the cheesy, cool, badly lip-synced style of Japanese '70s giant robot shows, and turns it into a fighting game. No doubt, fans of this stuff will absolutely eat the game up— especially the various story modes that play out like a TV show with animat- ed cutscenes, various enemy encounters and the like. | was never really into that sort of thing, so it doesn't mean as much to me. But even from an outsider's per- spective, there's something really kick-ass about a couple of giant mech-like robots duking it out with all sorts of flashy, over-the-top attacks. After awhile—and | imagine this is a universal desire—all you really want is a solid fighting engine that'll pro- vide hours of one- and two-player fun. And thankfully, TR has the graphics and gameplay areas covered (although its fighting engine isn't on the same level as Soul Calibur). | like the variety of characters you can select, and the weapons and power-ups you can pick up during a fight (giant canons, defensive upgrades, etc.) There are tons of regular moves as well. Graphically, the game is above-average. Mech models are detailed and animate well. Some of the explo- sions are lame (some look like giant gray turds extending toward the heavens, while others look like sprite-based stuff from the Super NES). But all in all, | like it. And I'm sure non-hardcore fighting-game lovers will too. shall ann tive? И suara А big turtle Sega Publisher: Developer: Climax Featured In: EGM #125 Players: £ Supports: Jump Pack, VGA Box, VMU Best Feature: Sharp, colorful graphics Worst Feature: Bland, randomly generated mazes Web Site: www.sega.com It's almost painful to think that the developer of this game created some of my favorite Genesis RPGs back in the day. As a random dungeon-generating RPG, like Evolution, Time Stalkers tosses together a collection of poorly designed corridors and rooms each time you enter a new maze. In order to flesh out your party, it's possible to capture monsters, name the beasts and then release them as allies. They won't always listen to you though —orcs and wyverns can be difficult that way. It’s like a pseudo-Pokemon game mechanic gone awry. The biggest irritation is that Sword, the main character, is set back to level one every time he starts a new area. That’s right, it’s like starting the game anew every hour or so. Time Stalkers isn't without its positive points, but they're few and far between. My favorite parts are when protagonists from past Climax titles like Landstalker and Shining in the Darkness make cameos. In fact, some of them are even playable characters. Unfortunately that means only fans of these relatively old games will be able to appreci- ate them, but oh well. The concept behind Time Stalkers isn't necessarily a bad one. If Climax hadn't decided to throw in some ill-conceived gameplay aspects which totally destroy any sort of play value, the game could have been a decent distraction for a few hours. As is, only big Climax fans and freakishly hardcore RPG lovers should bother. Greg Striker is a good soccer game whose subtle realism doesn't sap fun away from the gameplay. Casual soc- cer fans can jump right into things and the use ofthe VMU for on-the-fly formation calling is great, even though most of us probably will never use it. The graphics are pretty good by Dreamcast standards, but there's a few nagging problems. Animation can be jerky, and all too often the players look like they're running on ice—especially when they do sliding tackles that send them flying across the field. | like this game, but Striker Pro 2000 needs more fea- tures, licensing, and polish before I'll be willing to put away my copy of FIFA. Kraig This one should appeal to the burgeoning Japanese animation market in North America. Much like Virtual On before it, Tech Romancer takes the huge, nimble mechs that personify the Japanese animation experi- ence and pits them against one another in mortal combat. The massive robots do damage to buildings and leave trenches and craters all over the place as they wage war on one another. The control is tight, as you'd expect from any Capcom fighter, and the learn- ing curve is very user-friendly. With the help of the in- game moves list you'll be pulling off some spectac- ular attacks in no time. Tech Romancer may not be overly deep, but it's a good casual fighter. Greg | thought Evolution was a ho-hum RPG, but it's a freakin' masterpiece compared to Time Stalkers. Like Evolution, this game packs a weak story and ran- domly generated dungeons. (Now there's a trend in RPG design l could live without). On top of that, you get a lot of bad gameplay elements. Chief among them: Every time you enter a dungeon, your charac- ter starts over at level опе — meaning you can't wield the powerful weapons you've already found until you build up experience again. On the plus side, you'll find mini-quests and bonus games galore. This thing uses the VMU for mini-games more than any DC title, although most of the games ain't fun. Crispin Being a true FIFA aficionado, | probably went into playing Striker Pro 2000 with a slight bias against it. I'm happy to say | was wrong. SP2K is a realistic affair with deep sim options. Visuals and gameplay don't set any new standards but don't hurt the game either. Player control is a little sketchy thanks to a system that automatically gives you control of the player closest to the ball (without a button press). It's frustrating because it really limits some defensive strategies (crowding the middle, dropping back). In addition to the regular battle on the pitch, the game also offers a unique training mode that unlocks spe- cial teams and other goodies. Dan VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 6 9 1 I'm not a big fan of them fancy fightin' games, but (like Soul Calibur and Tekken 3) Tech Romancer is one of the rare exceptions. Many so-called "hard- core" fighting game aficionados will scoff at Tech Romancer's unfashionably simple controls and man- ageable move list (you won't need to remember 40 combos to be proficient), but those are the qualities that most endeared the game to me. All right—that, and the fact that the gameplay involves making lots of big, goofy robots (many of which anime fans will recognize) hurt each other. If you typically don't like fighting games, this is a different one that might change your mind. Kraig SOUND REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY I don't really understand this game. Why in god's name do you have to start with experience level one and no more than four items every time you enter a dungeon? It’s incredibly frustrating. The fighting sys- tem is nothing special either. Luckily, TS has a couple of features that make things interesting. First, unlike everyone else | actually like the whole random dun- geon thing. It’s not terribly innovative, but it spices things up enough. Same goes for the array of VMU mini-games and bonus stuff (although paying for these extras isn't easy). | also like the way cultures and time periods are fused together in the story. But all in all, it's one to rent. Shawn VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 6 9 4 2 UFO Interactive Hunex EVERYONE ЕСМ #130 га It's nice to be in charge of everything Jump Pack It also sucks you can't be in the action www.ufointeractive.com | Spy's quite the hybrid. It’s a little strategy, a little RPG and a little action. In a sense, it plays out like an action movie— like an interactive version of Mission: Impossible. But instead of being in the middle of the action like Ethan Hunt, you're behind the scenes like Mr. Phelps, in charge of a group of highly skilled (and kind of cheesy) espionage agents. You tell them where to go, what to do and how to do it. You send your people on missions to obtain items and/or data to trade for money from wealthy, rather important clients. Sounds cool, and it can be. But since you're not really in the game, things tend to drag on in some levels. And when you get stuck—or lost— things get worse. Of course, the remedy there would be notto screw up. But when you're dropped down in the middle of a huge, multi-leveled complex with tons of things to look through it's easy to lose your way. If you're in the mood for something more slow- paced than a lot of the stuff that has been released for Dreamcast lately, you may want to look into | Spy. It's well made...for what it is. Shawn SOUND REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY Eidos Core EGM #130 e E, Lots of explo- rations, hi-res graphics Jump Pack Too much slowdown, bad control www.eidos.com Lara's first appearance on a Sega console since the original Saturn adventure is mediocre to say the least. New to the DC version is a ton of slowdown, pop-up and fog—now that's just lazy program- ming. The control setup 15 horrible too, requiring you to switch between the D-pad and analog stick to walk or run. It doesn't help that The Last Revelation really isn't much of a game to begin with. An incredibly long and boring quest, with some of the most illogical puzzles I've seen in a video game, awaits those poor souls who plunk down their hard-earned cash for this hack job. Even players who have somehow remained fans of this series over the past few years will be hard-pressed to find much positive to say about this latest edition. It's a shame, really, since it's easy to see that Core was trying to get back to Lara's roots with The Last Revelation, but ultimately ended up with a perfect reason to go back to the drawing board. They need to scrap this premise or totally reworkit. Either way, this is a poorly translated, slow- down-ridden version of a poor game. Greg REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Left Field Productions Featured In: ЕСМ #129 Players: 14 Supports: Expansion, Rumble, Mem Pak Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: Several excellent game modes Could be a touch faster www.nintendo.com Unfortunately | must preface this review by mention- ing the Excitebike ROM we were given by Nintendo did not have a working track editor. After a long and sweaty debate we decided that, in the interest of timeliness, we would review the incomplete game. So bear in mind our reviews here can't take into account that potentially very exciting feature. That said, | can get to the good news. Excitebike 64 15 easily the best moto-x game I've ever played and arguably the greatest motorcycle game ever. lt has seven different play modes and all of them are very entertaining. The standard game is full of well- designed tracks (over 24) laden with lots of challeng- ing obstacles and well-placed shortcuts. The bike physics are good enough that perfecting jumps, slid- ing around corners and even riding wheelies becomes an obsession. The bikes are extremely maneuverable (even in flight) so catching massive air is quite a thrill. A helpful tutorial teaches the funda- mentals including jump timing, cornering and effec- tive turbo use. The original Excitebike game 15 even available in both normal and a great 3D mode. In addition, a Desert Race option and a surprisingly addictive soccer game will keep you entertained for a long time. Oh, and don't forget the Hillclimb option...this game is just packed with quality. Multi- player is quite functional as well. | can't say enough about this title. You must check it out. Dean | doubt many of the N64 owners will remember the original Exitebike, which is probably a good thing, since this game has little to do with the original. Instead, try to think of games like Wave Race and Beetle Adventure Racing. Excitebike 64 offers the same tight control and unique track design with gobs of addictive gameplay. You'll want to take the time to open every secret track. The soccer, hillclimb and desert bonus tracks are worth the price of admis- sion alone. My only major knock is the steep learn- ing curve. Other motocross games offer better real- ism with licensed bikes and riders, but for sheer fun, Excitebike 64 can't be beat. Cyril Everything old is new again. That's a tried-and-true Nintendo policy when it comes to releasing hit titles for the N64. And outside of a couple graphical glitch- es and a somewhat steep learning curve, Left Field has managed to recapture the feel of the classic Excitebike. Excitebike 64 is the best motocross sim on the N64 to date. Strategic use of the turbo button and landing square on two wheels after every jump is the key to success, just like the 8-Bit classic. Of course, with a full season mode and nifty secrets like the Hill Climb and Excitebike 3D, there's also enough to satiate N64 players who are used to a little more bang for the buck. Greg VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 164 Cyber Tiger 959396 A Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Electronic Arts Featured In: ЕСМ #125 Players: 1-2 Supports: Rumble Pak Best Feature: Battle Mode Worst Feature: Analog swing meter Web Site: www.ea.com EA is tapping into the world of “gonzo-golf” a little late here, as Mario Golf (and the Hot Shots series on PlayStation) has been out for some time. Being late isn’t inherently a bad thing, if you can be better. But that’s where Cyber Tiger fails miserably, as it falls well short of the benchmarks set by the competition. The visuals are fine, but course layouts are unin- spired and could have benefitted from a thematic approach. Gameplay controls are the game's biggest flaw, however, as Cyber Tiger requires gamers to con- trol their swing via the analog stick. Hitting the ball straight and far is dependent on bringing the analog stick straight back until the desired power percent- age is reached, and then pushing it straight forward. If you jiggle the stick a little left or right during the swing, the result will be a shot which is a little off line. This method is clever, but it is also inconsistent and frustrating. The game's best moments occur on the driving range and in battle mode. On the dri- ving range, a variety of targets allow you the chance to earn power-ups (extra spin, no bounce, extra dis- tance, etc.) for use in actual competition. Battle mode is a quick and amusing two-player romp where players try to bomb their opponent by hitting an accurate shot. It wears wears thin quickly, but a nice extra. True golf buffs will probably appreciate Tiger's presence and the inclusion of five real PGA courses, but video game fans will not feel the love. Dan L Probably the most important part of Cyber Tiger is that you can cruise through 18 holes in about 30 minutes. That's pretty key, considering how long it usually takes to play through one hole of golf if you're as bad as | am. The secret golf balls that you can earn at the driving range add an element of strat- egy and fun, but what's up with the A button serving as a replay button? When I'm trying to cycle through all the bull-hooey, I’m intent on tapping A to get me there. But instead | get a plethora of replays. It’s annoying, and there's no real purpose of making instant replays so incredibly accessible. It's a small gripe for an otherwise decent game. Todd If EA was going to mimic anything from Hot Shots Golf (the de facto standard for console golf games), it should have been the outstanding subtleties and gameplay, not the cartoony graphics. Clearly this game follows the recent dubious trend of kiddie- based licensed games that do a better job of milking a celebrity license than delivering a fresh gaming experience. And while Tiger has attracted a new gen- eration of people to golf, this game lacks any mag- netic appeal. Probably the best thing about CT is the driving range mode, where you can hit different tar- gets for power-ups. But for now, Mario Golf remains the resident pro on the М64 5 links. Joe VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 9 6 9 "s E š Ё Publisher: Rare Developer: Rare Nt Featured In: ЕСМ #129 Players: 1-4 Supports: Expansion, Rumble, Mem Pak BestFeature: Limitless multiplayer options Worst Feature: Stuttering frame-rate Web Site: www.perfectdark.com o doubt about it: Perfect Dark's got frame-rate problems. Although the one- player game zips along at around 25 frames per second, the Cooperative, Counter- operative and simulant-packed four-player modes can bog down so badly that players accustomed to high-powered PC deathmatch- ing might just upchuck. Check out our Chop-o- Meter chart for more frame-rate info, but bear in mind that the game's pretty much unplayable when four humans and eight sim- ulants trade shots in the same arena. But that's OK, “cause PD gives you so many multi- player options (most of which you'll open by clearing 30 Challenge missions) that you're bound to find a variation that works for you and your buds. You can combine human and simulant players in any team combination. (Holding A and tapping the Z trigger twice calls up a menu of orders you can issue your Perfect Dark Chop-o-Meter™ | player solo jr deathmatch SMOOTH w PLAYABLE Perfect Dark MATURE You can choose to play cooperatively on a level-by-level basis. Can't beat mission six solo? Call over a pal and try it together. simulant teammates.) Social concerns may have forced Rare to remove the game's face- mapping feature, but you'll still find enough head and body types here to build a decent custom character. The weapons menu lets you pick any mix of guns and gadgets you desire. Submenus let you tweak player handicaps, turn off radar or turn on special Matrix-style slow-mo effects. You'll even uncover cheats such as the original GoldenEye weapons and Perfect Darkness, which shuts down the arena's lights and forces everyone to hunt with night-vision. PD lets you do everything short of designing your own deathmatch lev- els. Best of all, you can save your custom setup to a Controller Pak, name it, then tote it to a friend's house—or transfer it to your Web site via the DexDrive and share it with the world. Oh, and one last thing: You won't want to play PD without the Expansion Pak. More than half of the multiplayer options are closed without it, and it'd be a crime not to experi- ence this game to the fullest. 165 No other game tops Perfect Dark's nearly limitless supply of tweakable features. In fact, the sheer number of submenus can be overwhelming at first. You get options on top of options on top of options... Perfect Dark is not perfect. Choppy frame-rates plague the more ambitious multiplayer-modes. But you know what? You'll still want to spend months locked in a room with this masterpiece. Heck, PD's training level packs more stuff to do than most entire games. The blood-soaked one-player adventure is perfectly paced, mature, funny and reason enough to buy this game. And the higher difficulties offer so many new areas, options—even plot points—they make for an entirely new experience when you play “em. But just.as in prequel GoldenEye-007, it's the multiplayer options that'll keep you playing PD until the franchise arrives on Dolphin. The Cooperative and Counter-operative modes—which Rare included at the cost of delaying the game's release four months—get choppy (sometimes to the point of being unplayable), but they're fun and welcome additions nevertheless. You get six different multi- player games and the option to throw in as many as eight "simulant" "bots, who come in their own mas- sive variety of difficulty levels and personality types. But those options are barely the beginning; PD lets you tweak every deathmatch feature you can imag- ine, especially once you open some of the wilder cheats. Everything about PD—from the visuals to the cinemas to the clever weapon design—screams high production values. Rare took as long as it needed to craft this game, and it shows. Crispin Hello Joanna, good riddance Bond. Perfect Dark is everything I'd hoped for, | just hoped it'd get here sooner. As usual, Rare has pushed the Nintendo 64 to the limits—this game is absolutely gorgeous. The first-person. mode usually moves pretty smoothly, but if you try any of the multiplayer modes the slow- down often gets to be a little unbearable. But that's been one of Rare’s annoying trademarks. Fortunately, that's my only complaint—the story, atmosphere and level designs are meticulously put together, and the amount of game modes is simply unbelievable. Rare thought of just about everything, and finally GoldenEye can be put to rest. Kraig As someone who thought GoldenEye was over-rated (heresy around here), and as a big fan of PC first-per- son shooters, | was extremely skeptical of Perfect Dark, but once | tried it | was hooked. This isn’t the kind of great game you play for a week or two, finish, and never pick up again—it's the kind of incredible game you live with for months, trying all the different play modes and difficulties, opening up new secrets, and inviting friends over to fight with and against. | still wish the frame-rate in multiplayer was smoother, but the solo and co-op games make this the most ambitious, addicting, and just plain fun FPS I’ve ever played for any system. Worth the wait. Mark VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 9 9 9 10 MATURE Publisher: Crave Developer: Ascii/Polygon Magic Featured In: ЕСМ #126 <-> Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Story line Worst Feature: Why so many meds? Web Site: www.cravegames.com If only I could give a game a score based on its story alone. If this was the case, Galerians would get a 9 or a 10. Without giving anything away, | really enjoyed the psychic abilities (the offensive kind that make heads explode and those used for solving puz- zles), and all of the stuff you could dig up on your parents, and the experiments that were performed on you. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you sucked into the unfolding drama. Too bad the voice-acting sucked. Anyway, like many survival hor- rortype games, the control in Galerians is a little annoying. You know, the whole walk, stop, turn, stop, walk type of thing. And | didn't like running out of important (and rather scarce) items. For example, at one rather tricky point in the game, | found myself out of a kind of medication | desperately needed (not health per say). So | had to go back more than three saves and made sure | conserved the medication for later. Standard fare | suppose, but if this med is so important, why not have a couple more scattered around? It's more annoying than anything else. | also think the combat system is clunky— different, mind you — but also clunky. Because of the combat and the scarce meds, | suggest avoiding as many battles as possible. Overall, even with its minor problems, the game is very interesting. There's plenty of challenge involved if you're up for it, and the story should leave a lasting impression on your brain. Shawn Galerians offers an interesting psychic twist to the survival horror genre, but the follow-through on it is horrendous. In order for a game to be scary, the atmosphere has to be just right. Well, Galerians has the disturbing visuals down pat, but everything else is anti-dramatic in every way possible. The voice- acting is horrific, to the point that you can't take anything seriously, and most of the characters are just silly. To top it off, Galerians sports one of the most annoying load screens of all time— a flashing "Galerians" logo—that pops up everytime you open a door or run down stairs. It's too bad this decent script didn't have a better director. Kraig Don't expect a Resident Evil-quality experience from this three-disc survival-horror clone. It offers no-frills visuals. Puzzles often come in the humdrum haul- item-A-to-point-B variety. The latter half of the game can get pretty frustrating if you don't conserve cru- Cial medicines earlier on. And the entire game just feels clunky. But that's not to say Galerians has nothing going for it. The gritty, Akira-inspired story is gripping, not to mention bloody and geared toward us grown-ups. Your character’s “sense” power is a novel idea that yields some freaky results. The com- bat system demands clever resource management, although it ain’t all that deep in practice. Crispin SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS Publisher: LucasArts Developer: LucasArts Featured In: EGM #128 A Players: 1-2 > Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Sound Worst Feature: Clumsy controls Web Site: www.lucasarts.com Until now there wasn't a Star Wars game that involved much saber-whacking, and maybe it should have stayed that way. After playing Power Battles, | wondered if it would have just been easier to become a real-life Jedi than it is to control a video game one. After enduring one of the cheesiest СС! intros to a game, you must pick one of several Jedi to control. Each looks and moves differently, but they all control equally horribly. Combat consists of press- ing buttons to execute different types of Jedi attacks, some of which are combos. The problem is that the attacks take too long to execute, watering down the action into a chess game where you must block then decide which attack to use over and over again— who would have thought Jedi warfare would be so boring? This wouldn't be completely bad if LucasArts polished things up. Right now, the 3D graphics are incredibly glitchy, to the point that their flakiness causes you to die because of disap- pearing scenery. Checkpoints are few and far between, making these problems worse since you must retrace large parts of the levels. Nothing seems to be hashed out well—even the potentially cool two-player cooperative mode is ill-conceived. The only great part about the game is its superb music and sound effects, but you might as just buy the movie soundtrack CD instead since that's just about all this game has to offer. To its credit, Jedi Power Battles tries to be more than asimple Phantom Menace-flavored beat-'em-up. The developers implemented a control system that seem- ingly adds depth, while you also get a decent amount of combos and Force tricks for your five characters. Trouble is, the control scheme only works wella third of the time. Locking onto enemies and focusing attacks is fine when only one or two baddies appear on screen. But when surrounded, you must rely on hit-and-run tactics, which become a chore with the loose control (platform jumping's no picnic, either). You can unlock some nifty fighters and mini-games, but they're not worth the frustration. Crispin It would've been one thing if the game was either strictly a platformer or a side-scrolling beat-'em-up. But the developers tried to do both, creating a frus- trating mix, suffering from shoddy-looking graphics and loose control. Forget about being able to pull off quick jumps or blocks. Seems as if the levels were designed with more attention to accuracy within the Star Wars universe than making them fun. There are awe-inspiring moments —1їке the way bat- tle droids sometimes mistakenly kill their own kind with their blasters, or being able to deflect shots with your lightsaber. But those moments can't save this game from mediocrity. Chris VISUALS SOUND REPLAY INGENUITY 166 Publisher: 989 Sports Developer: 989 Sports Featured Іп: ЕСМ #128 <> Players: 1-2 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: New franchise mode Worst Feature: As slow as real baseball Web Site: www.989sports.com If you've played one, you've played them all. That's the biggest knock against MLB 2001. If you don't mind having outdated rosters (something that drives me crazy—and these game makers know it!) than you're really not missing out on much. My biggest issue, though, is there's not really anything about the game that excites me. It's missing the essential element of baseball drama, partially because of its lack of a risk/reward pitching system. If | get in trou- ble on the mound, no problem, because | don't need to warm up pitchers before bringing them in. This is a big simulation element that needs to be in there. It's baseball! On the cool end, there's an interesting point-based franchise mode. If you earn enough points (by winning, performing well in the game, etc.) then you can sign high-end free agents, but it only goes on for one season. What kind of Franchise mode is that? One good thing is the pitcher/batter inter- face. If you're looking for a curveball low and in, and the pitcher surprises you with a 90+ fastball high and away, you'll be hard-pressed to catch up with it. But overall, the game moves too slowly. It may be base- ball, but there was no poetic license exercised when it came to purging the boring elements of America's pastime. That's a mistake. | hate to say it, but I’m vot- ing for the lesser of two evils when I say Triple Play 2001 is the best baseball game on the PlayStation this year. Since the PlayStation's power has been all but maxxed out, | must say that it has been particularly hard to distinguish this year's crop of baseball games from last year's. MLB 2001 feels almost virtually identical to 2000's edition —that is to say it is good, but not great. At this point, | wonder if all of the sub- tle changes warrant another purchase, especially when the rosters aren't even up to date. Triple Play 2001 at least had some wholly new notable features, where MLB 2001 is mostly a slight across-the-board update that's still playing catch-up with EA's baseball game. What it all comes down to is this is a good sec- ond-place game, but why settle for less? Kraig l'm pleasantly surprised about this year's MLB. Updated rosters aren't the only change in this offer- ing from 989 Sports. Graphically, they've cleaned and sharpened the look of the players, many of whom actually look like their real-life counterparts. A Franchise as well as a modified Spring Training Mode are also new, both of which are welcome additions. Gameplay and other pertinent areas are solid-good hit variety, smart player Al, etc...Now a few com- plaints. The play-by-play lags at times, the pitching interface doesn't like the analog control, and some unique scenarios repeat too often (players caught in run-downs, etc.). Dean VISUALS SOUND REPLAY INGENUITY Publisher: EA Developer: Eden Featured In: ЕСМ #129 = > Players: 14 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Good attention to detail Worst Feature: Only one brand of vehicle Web Site: www.EA.com When all is said and done, limiting a Need for Speed title to a single brand of cars is not necessarily a good thing. It’s great if you like Porsches, but for every- one else it’s an adjustment. | like most Porsches, but once you factor in all the variations among models 911, 911 Turbo, 911 Carrera 4, etc., it seems like you're only getting a handful of unique driving machines. (On the flipside, Porsche fans will drool over the exhaustive selection.) The meat of the game, the Evolution and Factory modes, provides a good amount of story and driving challenges. The tests, while not as strict as those in Gran Turismo, are quite fun and can be mas- tered ina reasonable amount of time. Transversely the longwinded Evolution Mode is a journey through the history of Porsche. This game definitely takes patience: The early cars are painfully slow, and the races can be monotonous. Still, between that, and the variety of models and tracks, there’s a good amount of replay value in this title. Factor in the competent arcade gameplay and decent Al (forthe most part) and you've got a pretty good package. A few negatives however—The Pursuit Mode is far less exciting than in years.past. It only takes a tap from the cop car to end the chase. | also miss the long sweeping curves and tremendous power-slides present in High Stakes. Oh, and the music seems really out of place. A few selec- tions sound like country-rock or something. Laments aside, Porsche Unleashed is very good. Dean Publisher: 3DO Developer: 3DO Featured In: ЕСМ #129 => Players: 12 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Create female players Worst Feature: Everything else Web Site: www.3D0.com Who are the marketing wizards who came up with this title? If the game were an added mode to its baseball cousin, Heat Baseball 2001, it might have garnered a laugh or two. As it stands, 3DO is actual- ly selling this piece of tripe in exchange for 35 or 40 of your hard-earned dollars. Everything about this game is sub-par. The graphics harken back to the first-generation PlayStation days. Sounds are fine, except for the ear-splitting announcer who bellows over every insignificant play (e.g. “HE PICKED THE BALL UP, WOW!"). Player models are terrible, but hey, it doesn't stop there. Nope, they threw in really sucky animation and horrid, lagging camera angles to boot. It's hard to match the excitement of seeing a close play at third base while the camera is still pan- ning the outfield. Of course, that's assuming anyone would be excited about this game in the first place. It'd almost be cool if these were beer-drinking slug- gers capable of belting every other ball over the fence (like real softball). But these lame-ass teams consist of a politically correct blend of coeds who don't know their cleats from their chins. Throwing and catching the ball is a crap-shoot at best, as the chances for an error on any given play are extremely high. That's supposed to make it fun and wildly unpredictable but it just adds to the frustration of looking at an awful game. DanL = À с. | Publisher: Eidos Developer: Mucky Foot Featured In: EGM #122 > Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Stealthy, strategic missions Worst Feature: Poor visuals, clunky interface Web Site: www.eidosgames.com If | judged this game on the first half hour | played it, it'd get a 1.0. The required tutorials at the beginning are frustrating and ridiculously useless (they don't teach you how to use any advanced techniques). The actual game is like GTA, only you're on the side of the law. Control is incredibly jerky and the game locks onto baddies automatically (you can switch around, but it's difficult to tell who you've switched to). If you're up against a group of any more than two ene- mies and any of them have guns—you're screwed. Controlling vehicles in UC is like driving a bumper car. The graphics are nothing to write home about either. Ambient garbage blowing around is nice to look at, but it would've been better to see more detailed environments. What city has catwalks on top of buildings over streets? One good thing is that the level and mission design are topnotch—lots of 'em and a wide variety. Plus you can retry missions for time—a nice touch. It's cool that you can go any- where you want to explore a level, but Mucky Foot did little to create a presentation that's at all com- pelling. There's по music to speak of, the characters are plain, dialogue appears as lines of text at the top of the screen (very “PC-ish”), characters are stereo- types, and there’s little reward or visible outcome after completing missions except “good work, Stern!” UC has some good things going for it, but they're hidden under its clunky interface. Chris Long before Gran Turismo ruled the roost, Need for Speed offered the virtual driver a chance to pilot the world’s unattainable super-cars. After | beat GT, | still played NFS: High Stakes because ultimately, it was just more fun. Porsche Unleashed retains the lush, scenic tracks and forgiving control, but for me, loses something by only having a Porsche license. Also, what happened to the insane, hyper-aggressive Pursuit mode? Now the police need only touch you to catch you. Porsche freaks will dig the Career and Evolution modes and the chance to drive every Porsche ever made, but 1 really think that overall High Stakes was a better game. Cyril While an interesting idea, I'm sorry to report Softball Slam is choppy and cheesy. Pastels are the primary colors on both the characters and the environments, which minimizes contrast and makes the ball and play- ers difficult to see against like-colored backgrounds. The voice-overs get repetitive after one inning. The worst part, however, is the cardinal sin of a sports game-sluggish control. Even as a game aimed at kids and casual gamers, sloppy controls aren't fun for anybody. While playing, | won the most exciting way a ball game can be won-a gth inning home run. Sadly | was more psyched about the game ending than hitting the homer. Say it ain't so Sammy. Joe This ain't gonna win any awards for originality that's for sure. It's pretty much your basic Need For Speed just filled with Porsches. | guess that's either good or bad depending on your level of passion for teutonic automotive genius. As an educational stab at tracking the history of the marque, the game works remarkably well. After a few hours with it you'll recognize a 356 Roadster and be able to tell what year each 911 shape and style originated from. You'll also be able to astound friends by informing them that the really old Porsche bathtubs couldn't top 100mph. Aside from this...it’s NFS, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. John VISUALS SOUND REPLAY INGENUITY This game is one of those bad ideas that ranks along side his and her toilets—except those bad ideas have an excuse for stinking. I’m not sure what annoys me more about this—the stupid license (a hardball hitter for a softball game?), the obnoxious announc- er, or the amazingly bad graphics. Loads of more complicated baseball PlayStation games have been made—I don't understand how 300 could let this choppy, sluggish and ugly game out the door. Did they really think that anyone would want to play with teams full of badly animated misfits in an atrocious game with very few features? Sammy is stuck on yet another bad team. Kraig VISUALS SOUND REPLAY INGENUITY Outside of the sloppy controls and the first generation graphics, Urban Chaos isn’t all bad. The hard part is getting past the crap to find the good stuff. The pos- itives include a good overall theme (hunting down crim- inals in а free-roaming environment) and some enter- taining scenarios. Even though | hated the control (especially when. using the vehicles) | kept running around looking for more baddies. It’s sort of addictive that way. Even so, | encountered a lot of things | didn't like. For instance, many of the clues are vague and con- fusing. Plus it would've been nice to have a mission reminder menu. The best 1 can recommend for Urban Chaos is a one-night rental. Dean Whenever publishers ship a title before sending us a review copy like this it usually means the game is total crap, and Urban Chaos certainly has its share of problems. The graphics are piss-poor—blocky and glitch-o-rific, with noticeable draw-in, and the stiff controls aren't much better. But it's not all bad; the game design (mixing driving, fighting, and Tomb Raider-style action/exploration) is a fresh variation on the stale 3D action formula, and the adult story is definitely a nice change. There's some really cool missions you are sent on too. It's just too bad that the game's look and feel aren't up to the same level as the exciting gameplay ideas. Mark VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY RISK 100 Publisher: Square EA Developer: Square Featured Іп: ЕСМ #129 < > Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Amazing graphics, great gameplay Worst Feature: Nothing Web Site: www.squareusa.com Just when you think PlayStation games can't look any better, here comes Vagrant Story. This is the best- looking PlayStation game to date, and the fact that it's a fantastic-playing game doesn't hurt either. It has a really unique comic-book style to it that grabs your attention from the first sequence and doesn't let go, with cinemas done in real time. The combat system is a logical combination of selecting areas to attack through a menu and twitch Action-RPG gameplay. Chain and Defense Abilities allow you to perform attack combos or defend against enemy attacks by correctly timed buttons presses. If you fancy yourself a swordsmith you can disassemble weapons and use the parts to create new ones. Weapons gain experi- ence points too, as you use them against different kinds of enemies, but they also degrade over time (you can repair them at shops along the way). There are so many weapons you can pick up that it's almost a shame there aren't weapon shops where you could sell them for loot. Dungeons are huge, and you never quite know what the next room will hold. Music fits the action perfectly—sonically different from Square's FF music, but locked in the same orchestral vein. This is a long game, too— if you take your action RPGs slow and easy, expect at least 30 hours of play. It's almost all combat, as there aren't any towns or people to talk to that'd slow down the pacing. A great addition to any RPG fan's library. Chris Vagrant Story is two genres done well and rolled into one game. Action (jumping around, block puzzles, timing button presses for combos) and Role-playing (intense story, cool skills system, and tons of unique items, spells, and weapons —not to mention the abil- ity to make and name your own). And the graphics? Crisp and detailed, with absolutely no jagged edges or glitches; PlayStation games just aren't sup- posed to look this good. The combat can get repeti- tive after awhile, and | wish some of the bosses were balanced better (you can be doing fine and suddenly get killed by one big attack), but this is still one hell of an action/RPG. Mark Vagrant Story was a real question mark for me; an Action/RPG from the group that developed FFT didn't sound like a sure thing by any stretch of the imagi- nation. That said, the game has turned out beautiful- ly. The pseudo-real-time fighting interface works extremely well. Even though Vagrant Story assaults the beginner with what seems like far too many attributes to keep track of, once you start to under- stand how the myriad of abilities affect one another it's easy to see the beauty of the game. My only real complaint is that the entire game is simply dungeon crawling and fighting. A town or two to visit would have been a nice touch. Greg SOUND REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY Publisher: Working Designs Developer: Human Featured In: EGM #122 Бс ت‎ Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Simple interface Worst Feature: Dated graphics Web Site: www.workingdesigns.com At first glance Vanguard Bandits isn't all that impres- sive. The graphics look extremely dated and the music sounds like it belongs on a SNES cartridge. However, those who give the game a chance will see that there's a lot of depth to be found here. This is one of the few strategy/RPGs with some semblance of replay value. Depending on choices you make and how well the main character, Bastion, performs in bat- tle, there are multiple story line branches. The only way to complete all 56 missions is to play the game a few times. Vanguard Bandits' fighting system is both simplistic and deep all at the same time. It's very rem- iniscent of Sega's Shining Force games. Frontal attacks almost never do any real damage, while attacking from the rear or sides gives one a huge advantage. Take that simple concept and put it into practice on a wide-open field or a small corridor and it's easy to see how diverse each battle can be. Players also have the choice of defending, avoiding or countering blows depending on how they're being attacked. The biggest problem in the game is that the battles can sometimes run for over an hour, so it gets a little tedious at times. In fact, it can become quite tedious after a while. The story isn't overly interesting either—something Working Designs games usually don't suffer from. Still, strategy fans looking for some- thing lighter than Front Mission 3 should find a lot to like in Vanguard Bandits. Greg I'm normally a fan of the games Working Designs chooses to localize, but for the life of me I can't understand why they chose Vanguard Bandits. It's gameplay is bested by virtually any PlayStation strategy RPG— Vandal Hearts or its sequel, Final Fantasy Tactics, Kartia. Unlike those games, most battles here quickly degenerate into groups of char- acters hacking and slashing at close range every turn. The translation itself is great—an excellent job once again by WD. But that isn't going to make what is, at its heart, an average game great. There are plenty of good PS RPGs out there—skip this and go straight to Lunar 2. Chris One thing about Working Designs—they do a great job localizing text and telling a story, and so it is with Vanguard Bandits (don't listen to Greg). But unfortu- nately the plot is about the only remarkable aspect of this game. The graphics are pathetically simple, and the tunes sound like bad Genesis music. Of course in a strategy/RPG | could deal with that if the gameplay was deep and involving, but it's pretty dull too. The combat and stages are way too repetitive, and the goal always seems to be just kill every- thing. Only hardcore fans of the genre should try this old-school dropout, especially with Front Mission 3 out there. Mark VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY 168 Career mode, fat fish Dual Shock Soundtrack will drive you insane Www.easports.com For a rather serene sport, fishing seems to translate to the video game world rather nicely. EA SPORTS amps the excitement factor just enough with a solid pace of play, intelligent fish, and a Career mode which will keep you coming back. Overall, gameplay is repetitive (cast, reel, repeat) but the experience is different each time. Fish behave in a completely realistic and random manner, requiring the gamer to actively manage all factors involved. Use the right bait, at the right time of day, in the cor- rect fashion, and chances are you'll land the lunker of your dreams. The underwater camera is great until you cast your line, at which time the view seems to get a little too tight. That's a minor complaint, though, and one which accurate casting will remedy. Tournaments are carried off nicely, with five-hour expeditions compressed to take place within an hour of gameplay. Once you've mastered the basics, set out to unlock secrets by meeting goals in career and challenge modes. This adds a lot to the replay value of an already solid game. Dan REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY EA > Visual Sciences EGM #130 1-2 АЦ the real teams of the F-1 circuit Dual Shock Overall lack of excitement www.EA.com Whenever | review an F1 game I'm reminded that the balance between realism and gameplay is very important in this genre. Too much realism can make the racing frustrating to the point of abandonment, while too little can cause a game to look and play silly. Most recent F1 titles have toned down their dri- ving gameplay while keeping options and depth intact, and this is essentially what EA has done with F1 2000. Let me add they've done it very well, espe- cially on the depth and options end. Having the full F1 license means there are plenty of recognizable dri- vers and teams including Alesi, Schumacher, Irvine and several others. The play modes are extensive and include an option to use telemetry analysis— very cool. Another fun detail: The brake disks turn red under heavy use— nice touch. Overall, consider- ing the options, ease of use (especially the menus) and the competent gameplay, I'll put F4 2000 in the top five of PS Fa titles. (I'd be higher but the sen- sation of speed is not the best I’ve seen.) F1 fans should definitely check it out. Dean REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY EA 42 HotGen EGM #129 1-2 Decent graphics Dual Shock Incredibly tight car control www.ea.com Mobil 1 Rally Championship 15 a niche rally sim with steering so touchy and unforgiving, it makes the original V-Rally seem like a cream puff. This isn't a condemnation, but its ultra-precise handling is far from friendly and will most likely alienate even the most hardcore rally fans. If you stray from the road in the least your wheels grab the ruts and send you careening into the woods. The all-important power- slide is truly hit-or-miss. Even if you time your slide correctly but happen to just touch the grass, it's all over. To say it's frustrating is an understatement. | can appreciate a racing sim that dictates precise dri- ving, but at some point it must be fun as well, that's where Mobil 1 misses the mark. On the upside, it's not a bad-looking game. The English countryside is represented nicely and, as you can see from the pic- ture, the depth of vision is very good. The cars them- selves are detailed, if a little narrow-looking. Still, the decent graphics can't make up for the handling prob- lems. Hopefully next time more attention will be paid to that area of the game. Dean REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY T Time Attack Mode Dual Shock Is It An Action or Puzzle Game? www.namco.com Mr. Driller is a puzzle game, but it's also a kind of action game. You drill through blocks, and as you make your way down, blocks from above come falling. You have to avoid these so as not to be smashed, and set up combos so colored blocks match up with other like-colored blocks as they fall. But that's not all. You also have to pick up air canis- ters along your journey (since you're underground and all). Eventually, you'll make your way to a goal, and score points based on your skills. Obviously, Mr. Driller isn't mindless. You have to be VERY aware of what's above, and what combos you're able to set up. Strange thing is, it's not as thoughtful as some puzzlers out there like Tetris Attack or Kirby’s Avalanche. Мг. D's a weird hybrid that'll take some time getting used to. Mind you, the game can be particularly fun (especially the Time Attack Mode), but all in all, it just doesn't have that special some- thing that makes other, more popular puzzle games as addictive as they are. Give it a chance though —for the right price, it could be a fun one. Shawn REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY EA T Milestone EGM #129 1-2 Real riders and bikes Dual Shock Rough game- play mechanics www.EA.com Superbike 2000 isn't horrible, but overall it suffers from enough flaws that it falls well below average in the hierarchy of motorcycle racing games. Amongst the list of problems, it can't decide if it's a sim or an arcade title. The gameplay 15 far from real- istic, yet as an arcade racer it fails to generate any thrills at all. The turning radius is too large making low-slung, corner-huggin' maneuvers tough to pull off. Most of the time your forced to slow way down and take them in the upright position. You can get cookin' on the straightaways, and it does seem like you're going pretty fast, but once you hit the turns you're reminded of the lackluster gameplay. The other major problem —the bikes won't crash. That's right, they're permanently upright...Ugh. Frame-skips and the resulting jerky animation are troublesome. The backgrounds are bland and the sound effects muted and weak. The list goes on and on. After two tries it’s discouraging that this series can't nail it. Hopefully next time the game can take a definitive path be it arcade or sim oriented. Dean REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY Eidos دح‎ Crystal Dynamics | EGM #129 12 Courses Frame-rate Dual Shock When A Lot Of Stuff Is Happening On Screen www.eidos.com Is this a kid's game or not? It starts off with Jiminy Cricket giving this kid-friendly storybook spiel. Then it jumps to the races, which include all sorts of cutesy Disney World songs and scenery. This 15 all fine and good—but | can't help but wonder why the thing 15 more challenging (although not near as enjoyable) as a “grown-up” cart racer like Crash Team Racing. It just doesn't make sense. Speaking of CTR, I don't know if Magical Racing Tour could've borrowed more from Naughty Dog's creation. On the good side, the game does look pretty good, and the control is a tad above average. Unfortunately, there are still problems here. The graphics look great until there are a few carts or something else going on on screen at one time. Then the frame-rate goes to the crapper, making it difficult to play. And as far as the control goes, the power slide is confusing and makes your racer shift left or right on the screen in an almost buggy sort of way. All in all, parents and gamers alike would be well-advised to stay away from this one. MRT is definitely not on the level of CTR. Shawn REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY 169 Publisher: Vatical Ent. Developer: Hudson Featured In: None PL O 12 Best Feature: Traditional Supports: Bomberman goodness Infrared port Worst ture: Battle mode Web Site: is two-player only www.vatical.com This second set of Bomberman games for the Game Boy Color tries to take the Pokemon route, offering two different versions, Red and Blue. Each game contains different characters and missions that are unlocked by—surprise! —trading with another copy of Bomberman. The single-player mode is traditional Bomberman (a good thing), providing a nice variety of mission-based levels. But because of the muted col- ors, it gets difficult identifying enemies that blend into the background. The biggest shortcoming of Bomberman Max, however, is being unable to play Battle mode unless you can find another Game Boy Color (and of course, another copy of the game). The ability to create and battle your own characters using the infrared port is a great idea, but there should still be link-cable support to provide a more reliable con- nection. Overall, Bomberman Max is a quality title with a few shortcomings. But unlike Pokemon, it's difficult to justify purchasing both versions—there's not enough difference between the two and there's not much incentive to unlock everything. Andrew VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Publis! Infogrames Developer: Feature: Different rts: L ney Tunes characters ink, Infrared port w e: Collecting Web Site: items isn't very exciting infogrames.com Looney Tunes Collector: Alert!, besides having an odd title, is another game “inspired” by Pokemon. If you like games that allow you to run back and forth all over a world map, collecting items in order to find new tasks—which in turn involve the collection of more items then this game 15 for you. By itself, Collector Alert! is a pretty decent find-the-items game. But when compared to other action games, it doesn't offer much to keep you entertained. Being able to play as a bunch of different Looney Tunes characters adds a bit of variety, and thankfully there's some sem- blance of an underlying plot and a reason for collect- ing stuff. Combat can be a bit frustrating, depending on what character you use (the Daffy Duck/Elmer Fudd battle is nigh impossible). The two-player mini- games are somewhat entertaining, but the meat of the game—the Adventure mode—is for one player only. There's fun to be found if you're a Tunes fan, oth- erwise Collector: Alert! (like too many action games on the Game Boy Color) is an exercise in repetitive- ness and monotony. Andrew VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY E EVERYONE Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami Featured In: ЕСМ #127 Players: 10r2 Supports: Link Cable Best Feature: Play mechanics ofthe PS game Worst Feature: Long-winded cinemas Web Site: www.konami.com Who'd have thought Metal Gear Solid would trans- late so well to an 8-Bit handheld? It's truly impres- sive how well Konami has ported the complex play mechanics of the PlayStation game to the Game Boy Color despite its fewer buttons. Sometimes that means pressing two or three buttons in combination to switch weapons and items, or to use your Codec. Once you play a bit, though, the control layout feels logical and becomes second nature. Outside of the obvious hit in the graphics and sound department, this cartridge would make a great game on any sys- tem. The story line, which seems to run parallel to the one in the PS MGS, has Snake returning to Outer Heaven to once again put an end to the Metal Gear menace. It's the most intriguing story in any Game Boy game to date, and it's delivered well through a series of cinemas featuring some beautiful hand- drawn art. Unfortunately, the cinemas in this game are just as plentiful and long-winded as their PlayStation counterparts. Even so, it's nice to see that Nintendo didn't force Konami to dumb down the story and allowed them to use a couple of mild exple- tives and some other PG-13 dialogue in order to keep the Metal Gear feel intact. Metal Gear Solid on the MGS features all the tactical-espionage action that made the PlayStation version a hit, plus a totally original story that's sure to please. Game Boy games just don't get any better. Greg Finally, a big-league franchise on the Game Boy that's actually faithful to its namesake. It's amazing how much Metal Gear Konami was able to stuff into this lit- tle cart. You have the stealth elements, the weapons, the items, the codec, distracting guards—there's even a VS. battle mode and a crapload of the VR train- ing missions. It's like the old 8-Bit Nintendo and PlayStation Metal Gear games made sweet, sweet love and this was born. The pinnacle of GBC graph- ics, animation, and sound, with a great story that wasn't dumbed down to a sth grade level (no offense, sth graders). This joins Zelda and Pokemon as one of my favorite handheld games ever. Mark Gamers whose first experience with Metal Gear was on the PlayStation might be taken aback at first by the old-school look of this portable version. But make no mistake, it's got the same kind of game- play that made the PS version a hit (and the guards are less intelligent than ever). Gone are the 3D cine- ma screens, but it just makes the gameplay stand out even more. And in case you want a quick MGS fix you can go right into the VR Training Missions. Games like this and Nintendo's 8-Bit adaptations like Bionic Commando, Crystalis and Super Mario Bros. Deluxe are making the GBC the place for updates to classic games. And | say, keep 'em coming. Chris VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 9 8 9 1 Pokémon Trading Card Game FEAL THES LULI сЕ РНИИ POWER Nintendo Publisher: Developer: Hudson Featured In: EGM #127 Players: 1-2 Supports: Link cable, Infrared Best Feature: Over 200 cards, some GB exclusive Worst Feature: Spotty Al Web Site: www.nintendo.com For the millions of you who are into the Pokémon Trading Card Game, you're going to love the elec- tronic version. No more searching stores or waiting in long lines to buy booster packs. Every American card and most Japanese promos can be found here. There are also several exclusive GB cards to be had. For the rest of you...try it. | never thought I'd be into the card game, but now I'm hooked. The card duels require much more skill and strategy than traditional | Pokémon fights. The focus of the game is collecting cards, building decks and battling. There is a simple plot involving a quest for the Legendary Pokémon cards, and where your character visits eight different clubs to battle a leader and his or her minions. The game offers lots of pre-fab deck designs, but none are as good as the tournament winning decks found on most Pokémon TCG Web sites and magazines. Up to five of your decks can be saved in the laboratory. The in-game graphics have the look and feel of previ- ous GB Pokémon games and the card art is repro- duced nicely. There are some Al concerns, however; the computer will often just let you win, even in a tight contest. On numerous occasions the computer built up its bench instead of retreating its severely damaged Pokémon right before | took my last prize. | miss the sounds and smells of a real card duel, but when space is limited or there are no live opponents around, this is a great substitute. ril 1 am not a fan of trading-card games like this or Magic. When | play a game, at least for the first time, | want to be able to quickly understand the rules and put in a decent showing in the very beginning with- out having to customize my own freakin' deck or read a huge manual of instructions. So when | started to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game, | became frus- trated. No matter what | did or who | went up | against, ! got royally schooled by virtually every opponent except, of course, the tutorial match. Don't get me wrong, | love the regular Pokémon Game Boy games. But I just can't get into the coin-flip, oops- you're-dead gameplay. Chris | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater |) | Publisher: Activision Developer: Natsume Featured In: EGM #128 Players: 1-2 Supports: Link Cable Best Feature: Half pipe Worst Feature: Awkward trick system Web Site: www.activision.com Dumbing down big-name games from other systems to the Game Boy must be some sort of standard procedure with game companies. Maybe kids who don't really play games much, or are just learning how to play, will enjoy the simplicity found in this title. | didn't, and | have a gut feeling any experi- enced gamer will feel the same way. Sure, | under- stand there are certain technological limitations that prevent a game like THPS from being ported over intact, but I'd like to think there's some innovative way around (at least some of) these limitations. Take Metal Gear Solid on the GBC for instance—it does the Metal Gear name justice. Outside of the hand- held restrictions, there's the issue of fun. When it comes down to it, you simply want a game you're playing to be fun, no matter what system it's on. And these days, games have to be more than just button-pressing mindlessness. Unfortunately, that's all Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is when it comes down to it. Yeah, it has a couple of modes, and all of the real pro skaters, but not much else. It also has a trick sys- tem but it's not near as intuitive as | was hoping. In fact, it's downright boring. | wasn't expecting the same incredible play | found in the PS version. But | figure if I'm going to play a game with the THPS name emblazoned on it, it better be damned good. This version might as well be called Xtreme Skater Attack 2000, or whatever. Shawn If | didn't know the name of this no-frills, fun-for-a- while title, I'd swear | was playing the Game Boy ver- Sion of Street Sk8er and not Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. This game packs little of the depth of its console big brother. The courses are too linear. You feel like you're just racing through them and dodging obsta- cles instead of linking trick combos. The PlayStation original offered wide-open levels you could explore— why couldn't this version? You can stretch out mas- sive grinds by jumping from one rail to another, and you can unleash some major rotations on the half pipe, but that's about the only thing this game has in common with my beloved THPS. Crispin Being a huge fan of the original GB game and the Trading Card Game, you might say | was a wee bit excited about a GBC version of the TCG. | was not dis- appointed. This little gem holds very true to its real- world cousin. It's fun, addictive, and really makes you consider each move carefully. There are a few variations from the real card game (ї.е., the number of prize cards vary, and you get no extra cards when an opponent pulls a mulligan hand). But the only true negatives | found were the inability to back out of an attack, length of the opponent's turn, and as Cy said, the soft opponent Al. All in all, if you're a fan of Pokémon, or just like TCGs, this is a must-have. VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 110 - www.videc ming Monthly Tony Hawk is such a great home game that you'd think they would have put more time and effort into crafting the portable version. Instead, we get a run- of-the-mill skateboarding game that feels pointless, has no goal and isn't half the game its console cousins are. It's like whoever developed this game didn't even play the home versions to find out what makes the game fun. Tony Hawk was never about racing; it was about performing tricks and racking up as many points as possible. And what is up with the three-line passwords you need to write down and input? The game doesn't even keep track of that much info! Skip this one. Chris VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 6 4 3 3 | W ансапое Go online. Meet People. Play Games. available now at: www.zdnet.com/gamespy From the people who made free online gaming a reality. Copyright © 2000 GameSpy Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. GameSpy”, GameSpy Arcade”, and the GameSpy logo are registered trademarks of GameSpy Industries, Inc. ZDNet and the ZDNet logo are trademarks of ZD Inc. By Trickman Terry tricks@zd.com Syphon Filter 2 (For PlayStation) Level Skip Pause the game in the middle of play. On the Pause Screen, highlight Map and press and hold these buttons in this order: Right+L2+R2+ Circle+Square. With these held, press X. You will hear a sound when entered correct- ly. Now go to the Options Screen and enter the Cheats option. You'll find an option to end your current level and go to the next one. Super Agent Pause the game in the middle of play. On the Pause screen, highlight Weaponry and press and hold these buttons in this order: L2+Select+Circle+Square. With these held, press X. You will hear a sound when entered correctly. Now go to the Options Screen and enter the Cheats option. You'll find an option to turn Super Agent on or off. Movie Theater Pause the game in the middle of play. On the Pause Screen, highlight Briefing and press and hold these buttons in this order: Right+L1+R2+ Circle. With these held, press X. You will hear a sound when entered correctly. Now go to the Options Screen and enter the Cheats option. You'll see an option for movies on disc one or two. Move Gabriel up to the Movie Screen and press Triangle to watch a movie. DREAMCAST Fighting Force 2 Level Select m On the Title Screen, while Press Start is flashing, put in Left, Up, X, Up, Right, Y. You will see a flash on the screen if the code was entered cor- rectly. Now choose the Start Game option and a Level Selection Screen will appear. Now you can choose your starting level. NHL 2K Black Box Team, Big Heads [2] Black Box Team Note: Plug a controller into the 4th port and enter these tricks into it. At the Black Box logo, press and hold the L+R buttons. While holding these, press B, B, X. Announcer says, *Oh, Black Box baby." You can choose Black Box as your team. ш Big Heads Note: Enter tricks into 4th controller as above. At the Black Box logo, press and hold the L+R buttons. While holding these, press B, A, B, Y. Announcer says, “Oh, Black Box baby.” All of the team will have big heads except for the goalie. TNN Нагйсоге Heat Killer Codes On the Mode Select Screen, press the following button combinations to unlock these new features in the game. You will hear a voice if they have been entered correctly. More Colors Down, Left, Up, Right, X, Y, L Trigger, R Trigger. LE-2001 Vehicle Y, X, Right, Left, Right, Left, Down, Down, Up, Up. 1 Combat Jet Left, Right, Down, X, X, X, X. Tons of Tricks Enter these codes during the game to unlock new features (note: Use the D-pad for Right, Left, Down and Up). Invincibility Y, Right, B, Left, X, Down Friendly Al Units B, Down, A, Down, X, Y Boost Up, X, Down, B, A, Y [BÍ All Weapons A, A, Right, Y, A, Right Maximum Health Down, Down, A, X, B, X Show All Token Locations Y, B, A, Left, Down, Down Motorsports: SOUND LEVELS END RUN Hydro Thunder Super Start and Boost Jump [П Super Start At the countdown (3, 2, 1, Go Go Go!), press and hold the A button immediately after announcer says 1. You'll hear “Super Start” then hit boost. И Boost Jump To jump over an obstacle or to get a boost power-up, just hold the A button and press B+Z at the same time. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Random Locations, Less Falls EJ Random Locations to Begin Choose Career Mode at the Main Menu and begin game. Press Start to pause. Press and hold the L button. While holding it, press Left-C, Right-C, Down-C, Up, Down. The screen will shake. Less Falls Choose Career Mode at the Main Menu and begin game. Press Start to pause. Press and hold the L button. While holding it, press Up-C, Right-C, Left, Right-C, Right, Up, Down. The screen will shake if entered correctly. You'll fall less often. FORCED-F SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR LOYAL FED IBA ONLY! SUBSCRIBERS EGM 131 Comments? FORCED FEEDBACK + Р.0. Box 3338 + OAK BROOK, IL 60522-3338 + E-MAIL: SHAWN_SMITHOZD.COM GAME BOY CAMERA FILM FESTIVAL HITS THE NET As many of you know, мете big fans of the Game Boy Camera— 15 the most entertaining peripher- al we've ever used. In fact, we've run our very own movies right here in the Forced Feedback section, and used Game Boy ‘Camera snapshots in our company holiday card. Well, now it's your turn to have your Game Boy Camera #5 about time someone did this. So get online, submit a film and/or check out the site! masterpieces displayed proudly in a film festival, hosted by film stu- dent Skot Leach on his Web site, www.freevg.com. "Being a film student I found this little toy amaz- ing. My only frustration was that there was no way to show my masterpieces, unless | carried my Game Boy with me everywhere," Leach mentions on his site. Then he picked up the Mad Catz Camera Link (about $10) and the rest you'll see on the freevg site...well, with your help. All you need to do is submit a Game Boy Camera movie by the deadline listed on the site, and make sure all shots are taken with the Camera. Editing can be done and sound/music can be added via a PC in post-produc- tion. There are other rules and submission guidelines listed on ihe site as well. Films will be posted as they are received, and viewers can then vote on them. There will be two winners over- all: an audience choice, and an FVG.com winner. Check the site for details, and good luck. th LIFE AFTER CHE CHOU AND DAN You might be wondering what #5 like to work at EGM now that two of our key guys have moved on to bigger (and some might say better) things. Well, #5 a little weird and we miss Shoe and Che dearly, but all in all we're doing just fine. After all, we've recently had sever- al new and extremely talented people join the EGM team—a group who you will no doubt come to love in the months ahead. First, we have Mark “Da Mack” MacDonald from Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine fame. He'll take on various responsibilities, including Review Crew, previews and more. Next we have Greg "SHOE" HSU “Canadia” Sewart on board from Expert Gamer. He brings a wealth of gaming knowledge to EGM, and a lot of action figures nobody else wanted. Look for him on Review Crew. And finally, we are fortunate to have young Sam Kennedy and James “The Milkman” Mielke from Videogames.com. Sam will be helping with news, as well as reviews, and James will be review- ing and making sure the game companies out on the West Coast know EGM still exists. As always, we'll keep bringing you the latest gaming news, reviews and pre- views—except now with some new faces on board. дъ "LEONARDO OK, so Steve Burnside from Resident Evil Code: Veronica isn't really supposed to be Leonardo DiCaprio, but he sure does look like him. Steve even has that rebel- lious teen attitude Leo has become known for thanks to such films as Basketball Diaries, Titanic and What's Eating Gilbert Grape...well, maybe not Gilbert Grape, but defi- nitely the others. Word on the street is Capcom wasn't sure if they could run with the Steve char- acter since he looks so much like the Hollywood star (some say Leo is the suing typel. Whatever the case, little women of the world will play Code: Veronica again and again the same way they saw hype-fest Titanic just to catch a STARRING IN RE C:V DICAPRIO" This one's for the ladies: If you want a little something to think about over the weekend, take a look at the picture above. Hot- as-lava Steve Burnside from glimpse of Leo...er, Steve. E Code: Veronica is on the way. EGM QUICK FACT: Crispin and Shawn often play the HORSE Mode Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Except they change it to TURDEAT to spice things up a bit. in THE MOST EXCITING PICTURE IN THE HISTORY OF EGM Art-guy Jimmy Cordano and newcomer Greg Sewart look at a very complicated chart during a recent staff meeting. The chart explained how Che and Shoe were originally hired to entertain the staff during deadlines, but how they eventually started doing real work. EGM's Random Quote of the Month WEB SITES PHATTER THAN FAT Thank you to all who continue to send us sites. We love checking them out more than we love Meatclown. As usual, here are all kinds of sites: Weird, gaming-related, zany, funny, cool, stupid and so on and so forth. Send Web site submissions to shawn smith&zd.com "Meatclown, Meatclown you're the one..." A line from the Meatclown theme song, found in the Meatclown Animated short on atomfilms.com WIN STUFF It's Quite Simple: We're Giving Away A Bunch of Stuff for Free 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 often 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 simple as sending in a postcard with your name, address and phone number on it to the address below. We'll then pick one winner in a few weeks, and send out the goods. е www.atomfilms.com е www.alexkidd.org е www.absurd.org/a.html е www.backstreetboyssuck.com • www.geocities.com/bandlogos/ е www.buttsacrossamerica.com е members.xoom.com/bmifc/ е www.ocf.berkeley.edu/-yoav/feces/ е www.w-p-f.com е www.angelfire.com/sd/sticksofdoom/ е www.mtnloco.com/WAZUP!/ е www.abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/ fossil000315.html е www.bluefly.com е www.oldmanmurray.com/seanbaby/hostess/spidman9.htm ЕСМ” Box o” Stuff Sweepstakes #131 c/o Electronic Gaming Monthly P.O. Box 3338 Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 Take a look at what we're passing on to you this month: + A number of Crimson action figures * A shiny new pack of SmackDown! collector cards * An Evil Zone T-shirt * Fuzzy dice * A Tomba! 2 key chain * A Color Protector for the Game Boy Color from InterAct * Soundtrack from Thousand Arms * Ken Shamrock Action Figure * A Dead or Alive 2 calendar * A Hot Shots 2 golfing tool * We cannot be held responsible for any of the material presented on ti listed above. Parents or guardians may want to verify the content of the siteis before allowing their children to venture forth. Remember to surf safely Congrats to EGM #129 Winner: Matt Brown of San Jose, CA HOT & NOT — ш m Шш u û) EGM The EGM 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 more. Note: Particular entries may or may not coincide with the opinions of particular staffers. * AC Delco beats * PlayStation2 launch problems * A Nyko 2000 date book ою di ү is P е Mario Ра! loves е Cheese tongues е Shadow Man glasses and case a riy g ; 9 . rd Air b ll h * Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 е Not having a DVD player when — : A Forward Air baseball hat th ht Club is rel d е Rendered horses in Kessen Î ге + Club DVD is release А in April е Spring weather « Háit metal * eBay (when you want to buy LEGAL STUFF Ош ү Stirn * Eva т 5 Е Во е Mainstream media not cl Sveepsaes Rok 4 Ei Sweepstakes open o residens of ite States and Canada е Tekken Tag Tourney understanding PS2 problems Земан Ме ШИ е) he ia to EGM for at least 30 da th 1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send a standard size postcard containing (ша in Quebec} who are subscribers to EGM for at least 30 days prior to the е X-| Р " our name, ades and pon number t "EGM Box Ü Sf Sweepstakes” commencement o he rent reni sweepstakes, Nee wih X-Box е Eating meat with a meat PO. Box 3338 Oak Brook, Ilinois 605223338. No purchase or payment of the time parameters contained herein or return of any prize/prze notification е People staying and/or uffoo! any money is necessary to enter. One entry per household рег month. Entries — 5 undeliverable will result in disqualification. Winners or their legal pl м ying bi n must be andwitn and must be received byte day ofeach montto arms shal sign and return an afidavit of lilas of transferring to EGM • People leaving ‘qualify for that monllis sweepstakes. Mechanically reproduced entries will liability prize acceptance within 5 days of receipt or forfeit prize. By accep- SR be void. Al entries became exclusive property of if Das Media Iac. and tance tÍ prize, міте agree to the use ol their name and/or likeness for е nVidia е China nuclear threats will not be acknowledged or returned. Ziff Davis Media Inc. assumes по purposes of advertising, trade, or promotion without further compensation, responsibilty for lost, mutilated, late, ilegible, incomplete, postage-due, or aiiud e eiie di: mor its officers, па * Meatclown е Мауо misdirected entries. Ziff Davis Media Inc. reserves the right to cancel this tors affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, or related companies are responsible or " " В ера cud, [able for any damages, taxes, or expenses that consumer might incur as a е Getting online with your ° Styrofoam 2 Prizes: | Grand Prize. Each month the Grand Prize winner wil receive a resul of this Sweepstakes or receipt of prize. console system A package containing miscellaneous tems rom the ЕМ offices with a total 5, Winners [t For a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed enve- е Browsing the Net on a approximate retail vale of at east $30. Winners shall be determined by a lope to "EGM Вох (7 Stuff Sweepstakes Winners List,” PD. Box 3338 Oak е Playing American DVDs оп Maci h random drawing оп all valid ente by EGM edits whose decisions are Minis 6052233. Please speci for which month that you are я iacintosl Final. Drawing to be held on or about the last day of each month. Al prize requesting the list. Allow 4 weeks for delivery of winners list, the PlayStation2 e Fi winners wil be notified by mail. Pizek] are non-transferable, No substitu- 6. Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Al federal state inely aged tuna tions of przels) are allowed, except at the option of Ziff Davis Media Inc and local regulations apply. * Tokyo Game Show should the featured prizes become unavailable ] Odds of Winning: The number of winners and the odds of winning wil be determined by number of valid entries received. 7, Sponsor: This sweepstakes is sponsored solely by Ziff Davis Media Inc. 2000 Zif Davis Media Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. е Canned air е 20” Sony WEGA TVs е The Dreamcast not doing well in Japan е This last entry AYSTATION Crash Team Racing Tons of Codes On the Main Menu Screen, hold L1+R1 and press the fol- lowing button combinations to get the results as shown. You will hear a noise when entered correctly. E Unlock Komodo Joe Press Down, Circle, Left, Left, Triangle, Right, Down. You can play as Komodo Joe in any mode except Adventure. Unlock Papu Papu Press Left, Triangle, Right, Down, Right, Circle, Left, Left, Down. You can play as Papu Papu in any mode except Adventure. Unlock Pinstripe Press Left, Right, Triangle, Down, Right, Down. You can play as Pinstripe in any mode except Adventure. More Tracks Right, Right, Left, Triangle, Right, Down, Down. H Invisible Racer (only wheels) Up, Up, Down, Right, Right, Up. Super Turbo Pads Triangle, Right, Right, Circle, Left. CTR cont. [П Scrapbook Option Up, Up, Down, Right, Right, Left, Right, Triangle, Right. After entering one of these next tricks, you will have to reset the game to get a dif- ferent unlimited object. Unlimited Wumpa Fruit Down, Right, Right, Down, Down. Unlimited Bombs Triangle, Right, Down, Right, Up, Triangle, Left. Unlimited Masks Left, Triangle, Right, Left, Circle, Right, Down, Down. Die Hard Trilogy Viva Las Vegas At Main Menu Screen, press L1, L1, Circle, Circle, Square, Square. The Debug Menu will appear with options for a Movie Player and Direct Level Access. Watch any movie, or start at any level! COOL DEX DRIVE SITES PlayStation: http://skyscraper.fortunecity.com/rhapsody/821/download/dexindex.html http://www.geocities.com/dexland_9000/ http://www.psxmax.com/cheats/dex/index.html Fear Effect Many Cool Codes E Press START at Title Screen, go to the Options Screen. Now access the Credits option. Then enter any of these codes. The screen flashes and a gunshot sounds if entered correctly. 999 Ammunition L1, Triangle, Up, Down, Circle, Circle, Triangle, Square, Left, Triangle EJ Unlimited Health L1, Triangle, Up, Down, Circle, Circle, Triangle, Square, Right, Square One-Hit Kills with Firearms L1, Triangle, Up. Down, Circle, Circle, Triangle, Square, Down, R1 Suicide Mode (NPCs are stronger) Down, Down, Down, Triangle, Down, Down, Down, Square, Left, Right Nintendo 64: http://members.aol.com/Big16mike/UVW/N64/DEXDRIVE/index.htm http://pages.sssnet.com/daringone/n64lair/dexsaves/ http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Corridor/8554/N64Saves.html TOP 10 TRICKS The top 10 games of the last month given the full- on Trickman treatment: 1. Pokémon (Yellow) (GB) Easy Level Gain To easily 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. Once you win the battle, the beginning Pokémon and the fighting Pokémon both gain experi- ence points. This is especially useful if the Pokémon you want to build up has no initial attack in its first form. 2. Gran Turismo 2 (PS) Find Codes Send in codes for this game. If we print yours, you'll score a free game! 3. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (PS) Awesome Codes Enter the following cheats while paused during play. If you entered these 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, cont. on pg. 175 HEY, YOU: WANNA WIN FREE STU зае provided by InterAct, | and a Pro Shock, or a Hyper64, ог a VIPER controller from Fire _ International. If you are given АЕ for submitting a hot trick іп Send your best tricks, codes, Web sites, anything that can help make games more fun or inter- esting to: Tricks of the Trade P.O. Box 3338 Oak Brook IL 60522-3338 or send e-mail to tricks@ziffdavis.com TRICKS ЕФ TOP 5 GOLDENEYE 007 BUTTON CODES Button codes have finally been revealed for GoldenEye 007! Just enter these codes during a single-player game (don't pau with the L and R buttons, С buttons and D-pad. Т codes are tricky, so make sure to hold the but- for about one or two seconds before going to the next step of the code. > giving you five of the best ones, with more to come next issue! All Guns Unlocked Hold L+R Buttons and press Down, hold L Button and press C-Left, hold L Button and press C-Right, hold L+R Buttons and press C- Left, Hold L Button and press Down, hold L Button and press C-Down, Hold R Button and press C-Left, hold L+R Buttons and press C- Right, Hold R Button and press Up, Hold L Button and press C-Left. Maximum Ammunition Hold L+R Buttons and press C-Right, hold R Button and press Up, hold R Button and press Down, hold R Button and press Down, hold L+ R Buttons and press C-Right, hold L+R Buttons and press Left, hold R Button and press Down, hold R Button and press Up, hold L+R Buttons and press C-Right, hold R Button and press Left. Invulnerability Hold L Button and press Down, hold R Button and press C-Right, hold R Button and press C-Up, hold L Button and press Right, hold L Button and press C-Down, hold R Button and press C-Up, hold L Button and press Right, hold R Button and press Down, hold L Button and press Left, hold L+R Buttons and press C-Right. Invisibility Hold R Button and press C-Left, hold L+R Buttons and press C-Up, hold L+R Buttons and press Left, hold L+R Buttons and press Up, hold R Button and press Up, hold L Button and press C-Left, hold R Button and press C-Up, hold L Button and press C-Down, | hold L+R Buttons and press Left, hold R | Button and press Right. Line Mode Hold R Button and press C-Down, hold L«R Buttons and press Down, hold L Button and press Right, hold R Button and press C-Up, hold L+R Buttons and press C-Right, hold R Button and press Up, hold L Button and press Down, hold L Button and press Right, hold R Button and press C-Left, hold R Button and press C-Up. Videogames.com WWW. The ultimate online resource for strategy. And be sure to pick up a copy of s теле номни Wicks aad а. Si bese 2000 Hidden Super Teams After choosing a mode of play, go to the Team Select Screen and cycle through the categories until you see Rest of the World. Now move down to the teams and cycle through until you see four EA teams (EA1 through ЕА4). These special Electronic Arts teams have very high attrib- utes. For a perfect team, scroll through until you reach a team called Special Guests. This incredible team has full attributes. NHL Incredible Hockey Players 14 Under the Advanced Options, select Rosters. Now go to the Player Management option and choose Create Player. From here, you can create high statistic players as shown. Awesome Players Name your player Peter Forsberg or Joe Sakic. After you do this, it will ask you if you want to create a player like him. Answer “Yes” to this question. Now you can change this player’s name, but don’t change any other attributes. Create many players like this to get a i Bie back accept aight 390 be. EXTRA TRIPOD AWARDED as team with high stats. Awesome Defensemen Name your player Sandis Ozolinsh. After you do this, it will ask you if you want to create a player like him. Answer “Yes” to this ques- tion. Now you can change this player’s name, but don’t change any other attributes. Create many players like this to get defensemen with high stats. Awesome Goalie Name your player Patrick Roy. After you do this, it will ask you if you want to create a player like him. Answer “Yes” to this question. Now you can change this player’s name, but don’t change any other attributes. Now you can have a goalie with high stats. Loop Killer Codes On the Main Menu Screen, press and hold the START button. With START held, press the following buttons for these results. Class 2 H&K Tripod Down, Left, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left Class 2 Sinus Tripod Down, Left, Up, Left, Down, Left, Up, Right Killer Loop cont. Class 3 Pulse Tripod Down, Left, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, Right Class 3 Reac Tripod Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Left, Up, Left Class 3 Sinus Tripod Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Left (Note: This also opens up Killer Loop Mode.) Class 4 H&K Tripod Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Left, Up, Right Class 4 Sinus Tripod Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Right, Up, Right Class 4 Pulse Tripod Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Right, Up, Left El Class 4 Reac Tripod Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, Right All Tracks Up, Left, Down, Left, Up, Left, Down, Right The Smurfs Level Select И Begin a New Game from the Main Menu and when asked to choose what type of game, press up to see “It's No Picnic." Now press the X button and wait for the cin- ema to complete. Once you see "Start of the Adventure," press L1, Up, Up, Down, Up, Left, Left, Up. R2. You will hear a harp sound and your e 00:1 Вола Captain PITCHING icon will now be all the way over to the last level. Now you can choose to start at any level in between the beginning and the end! Tracks and Pro Drivers [1| From the Main Menu Screen, choose Game Options. Access Load and Save and move Left for the Password option. On the Password Screen, enter Co9P5AUBNAA. All drivers under the pro level will be open and all the tracks will be available, including the bonus. Triple Play 2001 Announcer Commentary И During a game, press and hold the L1+L2+R1+R2 but- tons. While holding these, press the following buttons to get the different types of quotes from the announcers: Baseball History Up, Triangle, Right. Circle. Weather X, Down, Triangle, Up. Trivia Down, X, Right, Circle. More Batter Info Left, Square, Up, Triangle. Note: This will only work on certain batters. Wu Tang: Shaolin Style All Fighters, Etc. Ю All Fighters in Versus Mode On the Main Menu Screen, press Right, Right, Right, Right, Left, Left, Left, Left, Square, Circle, Square, Circle. You will hear a groan- ing sound. И Now go into the Versus Mode and you will see that all the hidden fighters are now available for use. Fearmentor In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight RZA and hold the Select but- ton. With Select held, press the X button. Cerith In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight GZA and hold the Select but- ton. With Select held, press the X button. Sinesis In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight U-God and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. EJ Bone Gear In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight Raekwon and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. 15 TOP 10 TRICKS Triangle. Get 13X Multiplier Hold L1 and press X, Square, Square, Triangle, Up, Down. Slow Mo Hold L1 and press Left, Square, Left, Square, Left, Square, Left. Get All Practice Mode Levels Hold L1 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. 4. Pokémon (Blue) (GB) Fight Safari Zone Pokémon This will allow you to fight and catch the Safari Zone Pokémon outside the Safari Zone. To begin, you must have a Pokémon with the Surf Ability. Now go to the Safari Zone and enter the area where the Pokémon you are trying to catch is found. Stay in the sec- tion until the time runs out. Go to the Seafoam Islands by surf- ing south of Fuchsia City. Be sure you don’t encounter any enemies on the way, or the trick won't work (this does not include the Pokémon in the water on the way there). On the edge of the islands, there is a strip of the screen that is half land, and half water. Now, surf on this section and just keep going up and down on it. When you run into an enemy, it will be the Pokémon from the Safari Zone section you just left. This time though, you will be able to fight them and use the other Balls. 5. Donkey Kong 64 (N64) Arcade Donkey Kong First complete DK's Barrel Blast inside Frantic Factory. 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 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! 6. Pokémon (Red) (GB) Find Codes Send in codes for this game. If we print yours, you'll score a free game! TRICKS 1-900-PRE VIEW The number to call for Strategies & gaming info $1.49 per minute. Must be 18 years or older. Under 18 must have parents' permission. 3% The amount of respondents that feel classic games should be remade poll results from video games.com TOP 10 TRICKS (CONTINUED) 1. Spyro The Dragon (PS) 99 Lives In the middle of the game, press the SELECT button and then press Square, Square, Square, Square, Square, Square, Circle, Up, Circle, Left, Circle, Right, Circle, START. Your life counter will increase to 99! 8. Gran Turismo (PS) Find Codes Send in codes for this game. If we print yours, you'll score a free game! 9. Pokémon Pinball (GB) Animate Unevolved Pokémon If you want to animate the Pokémon you've caught, go to the Pokédex and highlight one ofthe regular, unevolved Pokémon. Now press and hold the Start button to see the char- acter move! 10. Crash Bandicoot WARPED (PS) Free Apples When you are playing a level that has the rock-throwing mon- keys, after you have destroyed the vases that they occupy, you can jump on the monkeys and get free apples. Wu Tang cont. Gasche In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight Masta Killa and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. Hystrix In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight Method Man and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. Lecher In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight Ol’ Dirty and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. Xin In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight Inspecta Deck and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. Я otis In the Versus Mode Character Selection Screen, highlight Ghostface Killah and hold the Select button. With Select held, press the X button. GAME BOY Babe and Friends Level Passwords Go into the Options and enter these passwords with the B button. Babe cont. Level 2: ВоВ Level 3: RN6 Level 4: GSM Level 5: RM1 El Level 6: Now Level 7: TYQ Last Level Password From the Main Menu, move down to password and enter the following code to get to the last level and face the last level boss. EJ Final Boss: N8C(Heart Icon)K4oN Boarder Zone Hidden Time Track From the Main Menu, enter the Options Screen. Highlight and access the Password option. Now put in your password as: 020971. The screen should tell you that you've opened a new level. Now go into Challenge Mode and access the Time option. After selecting your 16 ET TRACH Наз ОРЕМЕО Boarder Zone cont. board and rider, move Left on the Course Select Screen and you will be able to E] access the hidden 4th track. Puyo Pop Special Custom Option On the Mode Select Screen, highlight and choose Option by pressing and holding the A+B buttons simultaneously. Hold these buttons until you see the Option Mode Screen appear. Now move down to Game Setting and press A or B. On the Game Setting Screen, choose Custom and press A or B. On the Custom Screen, you will see a new option called Special Custom. Now you can choose Person o to play a smart computer vs. computer matchup, change the com- puter's method of dropping blocks, and have 2P mode available without a linked up opponent by using the option Connected Mode Off. Your beeper beeps. Your PDA chimes. You can make a quick call wherever you are. Yup, technology is an integral part of everyday life. That's why ZDNet has all the product reviews to help you find the latest gadget. In fact, ZDNet was named “Best Overall Online Site” by the Computer Press Association. However technology touches your life, ZDNet's Reviews Channel has something for you. et www.zdnet.com FINAL WORD Crispin Boyer Kraig: There's little doubt that Microsoft's X-Box is going to do a lot for the games industry. Not only is it going to legitimize gaming even further (a process begun when Sony jumped into the industry with PlayStation) by adding yet another "mainstream" company to the mix, it's also going to further invigorate competi- tion with what looks to be a quality product that's to be taken seriously. Whether or not it becomes more than a stable platform for PC ports remains to be seen, but quite frankly, PC gaming is in so sad a state that | would welcome “if X-Box is going to he a case where PC developers...shovel their crap onto X-Box, it'll fail." | some sort of box that standardizes and stabilizes the games. And that Box might as well have an "X" etched on its lid. Chris: | have to say that | was quite impressed by the demos of X-Box shown at GDC. If that's what the games will actually look like, then | can't wait to play 'em (as long as they're made by talented and trusted developers). | think you hit the nail on the head when you say that PC gaming is in a sad state, and | believe it's in such a state because 9096 of the games are overpriced garbage. But if X-Box is going to be a case where PC developers think they can shovel their crap onto X-Box just to make a tidy profit, it'll fail. It’s good to see Microsoft taking a very console attitude and downplaying the fact that it'll be a PC port machine. The real question for me is, will Japanese developers support it? Because in my mind, without the support of Japan (and not just on paper, but in practice— there's a difference, remember that Namco was supposed to make Cybersled for the Saturn?) the X-Box will drown in a sea of first-person shooters and cookie- cutter games. Greg: Yeah, the whole *easy PC port" aspect is both a blessing and a curse if you ask me. Too much shovelware will flood the X-Box library almost immediately if there's no quality control. The other problem | see is that the PC hardware industry is always moving forward at a fevered pace, something the console industry just doesn't cater to. Sure, when the X-Box comes out the PC ports will come fast and look gorgeous, but what happens when PC hardware gets so advanced that quick and dirty ports are Kraig Kujawa + kraig kujawaGzd.com Chris Johnston • chris johnstonGzd.com Greg Sewart • greg sewartGzd.com Jim Cordano + jim cordanoGzd.com Crispin Boyer + crispin_boyer@zd.com ZJ) ZIFE-DAVIS a SOFTBANK Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Chief Operating Officer no longer possible on the console? and Senior Executive Vice President Will all those PC companies even bother supporting the machine anymore? Kraig: Microsoft is going to put a system in place to "regulate" the garbage, butas | we all know from past experiences, plenty President, Consumer Magazine Group. | President, Business Magazine Group ive Vice President and Editorial Director Chief, PC Magazine) ТРОСТИ James D. Dunning, Jr. | ce dwk ss was pl Тот McGrade оно James J, Spanteller | ЕЗУ Al Perlman + + Michael J. Miller | of crap will make it onto store shelves. | Executive Vice President and Publishing Director . . . Scott Crystal | (Consumer Magazine Group) | There are a lot of great РС games out | there, and there would be a lot more if | Senior Vice President (Corporate Sales) . Rita Burke | they weren't drudged down by the helter- — | senior vice resident (Publisher, РС Magazine) . Skelter PC architecture. | think we all | Senior Vice President (Circulation) know that X-Box will be more than PC | ports, but | also think that Microsoft's lineage will welcome more of them than Charles Mast } Mice Present 22. аа сс. б. Barry Golson | (Editor-in-Chief, Yahoo! internet Life) Peter Longo | | Vice President (Editor, еЖЕЕК)..................... John Dodge | Vice President (Production) .. . . Roger Herrmann | Vice President . Howard Kaplan n P (Marketing, Consumer Magazine Group) ever, but we shouldn't necessarily be | | afraid of that. After all, Microsoft seems to | Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, eWEEK) ........... Eric Lundquist | have things together as they are already | Vice President (Technology) garnering Japanese developer support. Mo E d В Machrone А | Vice President (International) ................... Jim Manning As for the PC market overtaking X-Box, [s EM A ОО; DC everything progresses, but as long as ice President (Editor-in-Chief, FamilyPO) ........... obin Raskin | there are lots of X-Box units out there, Vice President (Publisher, еЖЕЕК).............. Sloan Seymour | the software will continue to flow. For ОЕ eral Paul Somerson example, don't expect PS1 games to dry (Editor-in-Chief, Ziff Davis SMART BUSINESS for the New Economy) up anytime soon after the PS2 launches. Chris: Well, just remember that 3DO had 300+ licensees when it hit shelves...some of them Japanese developers (that never ended up making games or just threw together token games). X-Box can have all the Japanese developers signed up— still wouldn't mean they'd make a game for it. Vice President (Game Group) . Vice President (Human Resources) | Vice President and General Manager ............1 Mark Van Name Jim: | think as long as they have some | Chief Technology Officer ....................... Bill Catchings | solid mah jong and horse racing titles, it can't lose. Throw in a couple dating MEDIA sims, a good chess fighter and a pachinco TIFF DAVIS ING. game or two, and we could be talking | S PORTO, он оа rro ій James D. Dunning, Jr. PlayStation killer. Crispin: Don't worry, Jim. If it's dating sims you want, it's dating sims you'll get. Seriously, I’m just really impressed by the VE Ease MIN ifm X-Box hardware. Developers are gonna | : love this thing. It's got straightforward PC guts, it's got plenty of RAM (probably | Chief Information Officer even more by the time Microsoft's finally [еа 6 done designing the thing), and it's got a | built-in hard drive. That drive is a keen [Psi кеша. advantage, since developers will be able | to use itto spool textures into the RAM. | So we won't just see high poly counts; | we'll see photorealistic textures, too. | Sure, Sony will release a hard drive for | the PS2 built into the ethernet adapter, | but developers won't want to make | games that require the hard drive, since | not everybody will buy one. | Chief Executive Officer and President | Chief Operating Officer ........................ Tom McGrade | and Senior Executive Vice President President, Business Magazine Group ................ Al Perlman 118 - www s AST VR A James J. Spanfeller | Sony Playstation Dual Shock, Sega Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, and Nintendo 64 Funtastic Series. Get all four or trade what you don't want for cash. Options include accessories, plenty of games, Sony Playstation 2 and 36” monitor. Base prize package value $1200. All this and more could be yours. In these contests everyone starts out equal. There is no luck involved. You win the prizes by outscoring other players in games of skill. Begin your journey by solving the below. If you stick it out till the end and have the highest score, you go зргее and we foot the bill. This first puzzle is easy but it gives how the contests work. You will receive full information when you given the opportunity to live your dream. Are you up to it? тез! you enter, you will receive by mail, tie-breaker at $1. You have three weeks to PRIZE PUZZLE #1 WORD LIST TOWER -P LEGAL -Y EARTH -X EMPTY -V WORLD-U WATER -T SPACE -W COAST -A HAPPY -O FIELD -B SHARE -Z BLADE—D- DIRECTIONS Fill in the puzzle with the correct words going across. Transfer each word's corresponding letter to the line at the end. This should spell the secret word going down HINT: Read the secret word clue. Clip This Order F. but after yesterday? 700 MHz, 128 mb RAM, 27 gig hard drive, 8X DVD-ROM, CD-RW drive, modem and 17” monitor. Options include software and acces- sories. Base prize package value $2600. below puzzle. A SECRET WORD CLUE: What comes before tomorrow TN 60" big screen, 100 watt receiver with Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound, DVD, 200 CD changer, dual tape, HI-FI VCR and tower speakers. Base prize package value $7475. Typically 78% attain the highest score in phase 1, 65% in phase 2, 38% in phase 3 and 31% in phase 4. The winner will have the highest score after the tie-break- er. Each contest has its own tie-breaker. In the unlikely event that players are still tied, they will split the value of the package they are playing for. f 5. Follow the directions below to fill in the puzzle. Check the boxes on the entry form to specify the contests you are entering. Add up the entry fees and send that amount with the entry form to the address below. Remember, you can't win И you don't enter. Only one entry per person. Prize totals are descibed fe m fun ENTER ME IN THE FOLLOWING CONTESTS: L (83) Video Game [0 ($3) Home Theater [1($3) Computer O ($5) All Three - Save $4 Name 101 Address City State Zip SEND CASH, MONEY ORDER OR CHECK Ti ELATION, P.O. BOX 62126 DEPT 953, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55426 This puzzle is void where prohibited. Employees of Elation, Inc and its suppliers are ineligible. Judges decisions are final. Where judges are in error the sponsor's liability is limited to the amount of entry fees paid. Elation is not responsible for lost, delayed or stolen. mail. Winners will be determined no later than July 01, 2001. This contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. 2000 Elation, Inc. | -4— AYOM 13н235 = == = =A s === wu: 2 ГЕШ? : Value of prize packages as follows: Video Game package $1200 base prize, bonus options $2350, cash options $1250. Computer package $2600 base prize, bonus options $2850, cash options $1250, Home theater package $7475 base prize, bonus options $6375, cash options $1250. For any questions e-mail us at elationG uswest.net. PLAYSTATION ] DREAMCAST | Tme йили Price Tm Reese Pre Tmu Rese Pace Тт Reese Price Ace Combat 3 03/00 $39.95 Fatal Fury Wid Ambtn 12/99 $38.99 PGA European Tour Golf 04/00 $39.99 Аде of Empires 05/00 $46.99 Alien Resurrection 04/00 $39.99 PSX Dual ShockAsstd Clrs 11/98 $28.99 — Alone in the Dark 08/00 $46.99 Alundra 2 03/00 $39.95 Final Fantasy VIII 09/99 $39.95 PSX Memory Card 09/95 $14.99 Armada 12/99 $46.99 Armored Core Mstr Arena 03/00 $39.99 Front Mission 3 03/00 $38.99 Boarder Zone 04/00 $46.99 Army Men World War 04/00 $39.99 Galerians 03/00 $39.95 Panzer General Assault 0400 $39.95 Carrier 03/00 $39.95 Battletanx 2 03/00 $39.95 Gekido 03/00 $46.99 Paper Boy 06/00 $39.95 Blaster Master 04/00 $39.95 Gran Turismo 2 12/99 $35.95 Parasite Eve 2 06/00 $48.95 Chu Chu Rocket 03/00 $34.99 Grind Session 05/00 $39.95 Rally Champ Mobile 1 03/00 $38.99 Crazy Taxi 02/00 $46.95 Broken Sword 2 12/99 $37.95 High Heat Baseball 2001 03/00 $39.99 Resident Evil 3:Nemesis 11/99 $44.95 Dead or Alive 2 03/00 $39.95 Brunswick Bowling 2 02/00 $34.99 Hot Shots Golf 2 03/00 $39.95 Draconus 03/00 $46.99 Caesars Palace 2000 04/00 $39.95 Jackie Chan Stuntmstr 03/00 $39.95 Revelations Persona 2 05/00 $49.99 Dreamcast Controller 09/99 $29.99 Carmageddon 2 06/00 $39.95 JoJo's Venture 04/00 $29.99 Romance 3 Kingdoms 6 03/00 $43.99 Chocobo Magic Dungn 2 01/00 $39.99 Koudelka 05/00 $44.99 SaGa Frontier 2 02/00 $39.95 Dreamcast Visual Memory09/99 $29.99 Colin McRae Rally 02/00 $39.99 Legend of Dragoon 06/00 $44.99 Samurai Showdown Warrior04/00$39.95 ECW Anarchy Rulez 08/00 $46.99 Colony Wars 3 Red Sun 03/00 $39.95 Lion King 2 08/00 $39.95 Silent Bomber 03/00 $39.99 Ecco the Dolphin 04/00 $46.99 Cool Boarders 4 10/99 $38.99 Lufia3 06/00 $48.99 Sim Theme Park 03/00 $38.99 Evil Dead Ashes2Ashes 06/00 $46.99 Countdown Vampires 03/00 $39.95 Star Wars Jedi Pwr Batt 05/00 $42.99 Fur Fighters 05/00 $46.99 Covert Ops Nuclear Dawn 06/00 $39.95 MLB Pennant Race 2001 03/00 $38.99 Street Fighter EX2 Plus 03/00 $38.99 Grand Theft Auto 2 03/00 $46.99 Crusaders Might Magic 03/00 $39.95 — Macross VFX 04/00 $42.99 Street Sk8ter 2 03/00 $38.99 ^ Hidden & Dangerous 06/00 $46.99 Destruction Derby3 04/00 $39.99 Madden Football 2000 08/99 $39.95 Suikoden 2 09/99 $39.95 JoJo's Venture 04/00 $46.99 Die Hard Trilogy 2 02/00 $39.95 Major League BB 2001 05/00 $39.99 Syphon Filter 2 03/00 $39.95 ^ Legacy Kain Soul Reaver 01/00 $46.99 March Madness 2000 12/99 $39.99 Tecmo Deception 3 03/00 $42.95 — Makem X 04/00 $42.99 Dino Crisis 09/99 $49.99 MediEvil 2 06/00 $39.95 Plasma Sword 03/00 $39.99 Disney World Racing 03/00 $39.99 Messiah 06/00 $39.99 Test Drive Le Mans 03/00 $39.99 — Rainbow Six 04/00 $46.98 Driver 2 04/00 $39.99 Micro Maniacs 04/00 $39.95 Tomb Raider Lst Revitn 12/99 $3495 RayMan 2 03/00 $46.99 Duke Nukem Planet Babes05/00 $39.99 Monster Rancher 2 09/99 $39.99 Топу Hawks Pro Skatr 2 09/00 $39.99 Resident Evil Code Veron 03/00 $46.99 Mort the Chicken 08/00 $39.95 Triple Play 2001 03/00 $39.95 Sega Sports NHL2K 02/00 $46.99 ECW Hardcore Revoltn 02/00 $3895 N GEN Racing 08/00 $39.95 Urban Chaos 03/00 $3495 — Sonic Adventure 09/99 $46.99 Ehrgeiz 2 06/00 $39.99 NASCAR Rumbie 02/00 $36.99 Vagrant Story 04/00 $39.99 Soul Calibur 09/99 $40.99 Eternal Eyes 03/00 $39.99 NBA In Zone 2000 02/00 $36.95 Vandal Hearts 2 12/99 $39.99 Striker Pro 2000 04/00 $42.99 Evil Dead Ashes2Ashes 06/00 $38.99 Vanguard Bandits 03/00 $44.99 Extreme Hockey 03/00 $38.99 МН. Championship 2K 04/00 $39.99 WWF Smackdown 03/00 $39.95 Time Stalkers 03/00 $46.99 F1 2000 03/00 $39.99 Need Speed 5 03/00 $39.95 World is Not Enough 08/00 $39.99 Тоу Commander 03/00 $46.99 FIFA Soccer 2001 07/00 $39.95 Nightmare Creatures 2 03/00 $39.99 X Меп 3D Mutant Acad 06/00 $39.99 Миша Striker 2 03/00 $39.99 1 NINTENDO 64 USED GAMES | GAMEBOY COLOR | Aidyn Chronicles 06/00 $59.99 Legend of Zelda 11/98 $29.95 Air Force Delta DREAMCSTO1/00 $29.99 1942 04/00 $28.99 All Star Baseball 2001 03/00 $49.95 Lion King 2 08/00 $52.99 Akujithe Heartless PSX 09/99 $17.99 — Bionic Commando 01/00 $28.99 Army Men Air Combat 05/00 $49.99 Mario Golf 64 08/99 $44.95 Armada DREAMCAST 02/00 $34.99 Вид Bunny 4 03/00 $28.99 Banjo Tooie 06/00 $59.99 Mario Party 2 02/00 $49.95 Banjo-Kazooie N64 09/99 $34.99 Crystalis 06/00 $28.99 Castlevania Spec. Ed. 12/99 $49.95 Ма Hamm Soccer 08/00 $52.99 Blue Stinger DREAMCAST 01/00 $29.99 Dragon Warrior Monster 02/00 $28.99 Conkers Bad Fur Day 11/00 $59.99 — N64 Controller Asstd. Color10/96 $26.99 Вирву 3D PSX 09/99 $19.99 CyberTiger Golf 03/00 $49.99 — N64 Rumble Рак 09/97 $19.99 Buck Bumble N64 09/99 $29.99 Destruction Derby 10/99 $46.99 Crow City of Angels PSX 09/99 $19.99 Link Cable Asstd. Colors 06/99 $7.99 Diddy Kong Racing 12/97 $39.99 МВА Live 2000 11/99 $49.95 Cruis'n the World N64 11/99 $29.99 Mission Impossible 03/00 $28.99 Die Hard 64 10/00 $59.89 PGA European Tour Golf 04/00 $48.99 Flying Dragon N64 10/99 $24.99 Pokemon Silver 09/00 $36.99 Donkey Kong 64 12/99 $59.95 Hydro Thunder DREAMCSTO2/00 $29.99 — Pokemon Trading Card 04/00 $28.99 Duck Dodgers 06/00 $49.99 Pokemon Snap 08/99 $49.95 Killer Instinct N64 09/99 $34.99 SF Alpha Warriors Dream 03/00 $28.99 ECW Hardcore Revoltn 02/00 $49.95 — Pokemon Stadium 03/00 $58.95 Legend of LegaiaPSX 08/99 $29.99 Тор Gear Pocket 2 03/00 $28.99 Eternal Darkness 07/00 $59.99 Ridge Racer 03/00 $49.95 Master of Monsters PSX 08/99 $24.99 Towers Lord Baniff 03/00 $32.99 Smash Brothers. 05/99 $46.95 Mortal Kombat Trilogy PSX09/99 $14.99 Wario Land 3 05/00 $28.99 FIFA Soccer 99 12/98 $49.99 — Star Wars Racer 05/99 $26.95 Myst PSX 08/99 $19.99 — Worm Light Asstd. Colors 03/00 $9.99 Fighters Destiny 2 05/00 $49.99 — Starcraft 04/00 $49.95 Myst 2: Riven 02/00 $29.99 GEX 3:Deep Cover 10/99 $59.99 Nagano Wintr Olympics N6409/99$29.99 BOARD GAMES Gauntlet Legends 09/99 $49.95 Таг Express 03/00 $52.99 Pen Реп Trilcelon DC 02/00 $28.99 Acquire 06/95 $29.99 Golden Eye 007 09/97 $39.99 Топу Hawks Pro Skater 03/00 $49.95 Project Over Kill PSX 09/99 $19.99 Axis 8 Allies Europe — 03/00 $39.99 Harrier 2000 04/00 $59.99 Тор Gear:Hyper Bike 04/00 $54.99 Ready 2 Rumble Boxing 0С01/00 $34.99 Battletech 4th Ed. 12/94 $21.99 Harvest Moon 12/99 $59.99 Toy Story 2 11/89 $54.99 Sentinel Returns PSX 11/99 $19.99 Car Wars Deluxe 07/96 $21.99 Hydro Thunder 03/00 $54.99 Vigilante 8 2 Offense 02/00 $49.95 Slave Zero DREAMCAST 01/00 $34.99 Chez Geek 02/00 $1299 Indy Racing League 2K 04/00 $39.99 WWF Wrestlemania 2000 11/99 $54.99 Speed Devils DREAMCASTO2/00 $34.99 — Guild Wars 12/98 $34.99 Jet Force Gemini 10/99 $45.95 — WinBack 10/99 $49.95 Star Wars Rogue SquadN6409/99$29.99 — Knightmare Chess2 06/98 $13.99 Kirbys Dreamland 64 06/00 $49.99 X Men 3D:Mutant Асай 07/00 $49.99 Trickstyle Skateboard DC 02/00 $29.99 Young Olympians 06/00 $56.99 WarGames Defcon 1 PSX 09/99 $19.99 Мем Diplomacy 03/00 $39.99 COMPUTER GAMES & HARDWARE е аы Abomination 10/99 $27.95 Най Life Oppsing Fre 12/99 $27.95 Rainbow Six Gold 06/99 $24.95 — Samurai Swords 04/97 $48.99 Age of Empires 2 09/99 $39.95 Най Life:Game of Year Ed 07/99 $32.95 Revenant 10/99 $29.95 Settlers of Catan 11/96 $32.99 Asheron's Call 12/99 $42.95 Rogue Spear 10/99 $35.95 Stratego Legends 01/00 $26.99 Baldur Gate w/EP 1 12/99 $38.95 Indy Jones Infrnl Mchne 11/99 $44.95 — Septerra Core 1199 $3795 ммм Battlezone 2 11/99 $39.95 Interstate 82 11/99 $34.95 50-27 Flanker 2 11/99 $39.95 H INT BOOKS C&C 2: Tiberian Sun 08/99 $39.99 Jane's USAF 10/99 $38.95 Thief Gold: Dark Projct 11/99 $24.99 Асе Combat 3 03/00 $12.99 Cutthroats 09/99 $26.95 Madden NFL 2000 09/99 $34.95 Tomb Raider 4 11/99 $28.95 Castlevania Spec. Edtn 02/00 $17.99 Dalkatana 12/99 $32.95 Master of Orion 2 11/96 $9.95 Unreal Tournament 11/99 $33.95 Crazy Taxi 02/00 $12.99 Delta Force 2 11/09 $37.95 Messiah 02/00 $39.95 WarCraft 2 Battle.net Ed 10/99 $18.95 Crusaders Might & Magic03/00 $12.99 Descent 3 06/99 $26.95 MS Flight Sim 2000 10/99 $38.95 Hardware Donkey Kong 64 12/99 $12.99 Descent 3 Mercenary 11/99 $27.99 MS Flight Sim 2000 PE 10/99 $59.95 — 3Dfx Voodoo3 3500 08/99 $249.99 Dragon Warrior Monsters03/00 $12.99 Myth: Total Codex 11/99 $19.99 3Dfx Voodoo4 4500 03/00$179.99 — Gran Turismo 2 02/00 $1299 Diplomacy 11/99 $39.95 Nations Fighter Command 10/99 $33.95 Diamond Monster MX300 01/99 $85.95 Mario Party 2 02/00 $12.99 Disciples of Steel 09/96 $5.99 Odium 11/99 $39.95 Perfect Dark 05/00 $1299 EverQuest 03/99 $34.95 Omikron: Nomad Sou! 11/99 $28.95 Everglide Mouse Surf 11/99 $12.95 Pokemon Stadium 03/00 $10.99 Forgttn Rims Silver Ed 08/99 $28.95 Pharoah 11/89 $37.95 Fortissimo Sound Card 10/99 $49.99 — Resident Evil Code Veronica03/00 $12.99 Gabriel Knight 3 11/99 $32.95 Planescape Torment 11/99 $39.95 Maxer Gamer 3D Prophet 10/99$289.99 SaGa Frontier 2 OSG 02/00 $12.99 Grand Theft Auto 2 10/99 $28.95 Quake 3 Arena 12/99 $39.99 Мах Gamer Cougar TNT2 10/99 $119.99 Star Wars Jedi Pwr Bttl 04/00 $10.99 Half Lite 11/98 $29.99 Rage of Mages 2 10/99 $22.99 Saitek X-36 Cont Sys 05/98 $107.99 Syphon Filter 2 03/00 $12.99 Half Life Adrenaline Pk. 01/00 $39.95 Railroad Tycoon 2 Gid 09/99 $37.95 Saitek X-36T System 12/98 $69.99 WWF Smackdown 03/00 $1099 Visa, MC 8 Discover accepted. Checks held 4 weeks. Money Orders under $200 same as cash. COD $8. Price, |& offer not guaranteed & are subject to change at any time. Hardware may require added S&H. Within 10 days defectives repaired or replaced at our 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 “per order" charge is charged once per order placed, the “per item” charge pam E is charged once for each item ordered and the ‘per shipment" charge is тї Jeu, Bes cpress Mul Мао charged once for each shipment we make to you. For each US order $10.00 Per Ord nis m oR oR " Edd will be allocated to a 12 issue subscription to Computer Games Strategy Plus. par shipment — $125 — $100 500 1300 $200 $200 Call for details. Per item $0.75 йо бо 5200 5200 $500 release, availability, shipping times] 2000 CHIPS & BITS INC. "DIGIMON WORLD' play a young boy who is a whiz at raising Digimon. Each Digimon has unique powers & abilities that will help you advantages in bat- tle. Explore huge 130 worlds, inter- act with hundreds | of. characters, as you & tures | become number 1 You gain your crea- battle to | in Digimon World ax PlayStation] it Bandai (Roleplaying) Release: 4/00 PSX | c а NT BIRTH OF THE ASSASSINS “TENCHU 2: BIRTH OF THE ASSASSINS’ You play опе of 2 ninjas:Rikimaru ог Ayame. You must avenge your ninja master's death Fight in 20 missions, each taking place in different venues against different enemies. Use stealth, cun- ning, ninja magic, & invisi- bility to defeat the evil assassins of Lord Gohda. Activision (Fighting) Release: 5/00 PSX ИШ Dreamcast. "CASTLEVANIA: RESUR- RECTION' Get geared-up for the bloodiest vamp wars ever as you enter Castlevania's 12th incarna- | tion. Step into this tangled- trap-filled castle, ready to whip and slash these suck- ers to Hell and back. Konami (Roleplaying) Release: 6/00 Dreamcast Dreamcast. Sega І 'DRACONUS' Bring knowl- edge of the arcane arts and mastery of deadly sword- play to bear on the evil that threatens these last bas- tions of civilization. Use dif- ferent weapons and over 20 magic spells to defeat the vile Dragon Lord as you explore over a dozen levels, each with their own puzzles, NY enemies and traps. та Crave (Fighting) Release: 4/00 Dreamcast Nintendo (Adventure) paliza: 5/00 person shooter with a twisting plot line set in the near future. Control spe- cial operative Joanna Dark as she completes missions & wastes tons of bad guys. Motion captured villians. | dynamic lighting & explo- | sive effects, surround Кола and 3 difficulty lev- J "PERFECT DARK is a first Е els with increasingly smarter Al in each stage. Single or multiplayer action. "BANJO-TOOIE" Join |Banjo & Kazooie as they travel through 9 3D |worlds, full of magic, | power ups & enemies. The | worlds cover about 150 areas & 9 bosses, which the pair can explore [together or separately. Mini-games are featured in every level and players can control the spell-casting Nintendo (Adventure) Release: 6/00 N64 Mumbo Jumbo. Up to 4 players can play. AMERICA’S #1 GAME NEWS & TRICKS! Pop Quiz: Where will you find the most fun? women whiskey whips d. whizgig.com SNIPER FOR PS г Call NOW and WIN! Answer: "ODO*PRESUIE TM 1(900) 113-8439 inis mmm PRIZES PROVIDED BY NUBY Г? www.nubyonline.com ИЛЛ com Angie Dremean, Decatur, IL; Stephanie Smith, Hagerstown, MD; Justin Nicholls, Barbourville, i КҮ: Henry, Milwaukee, Wl; Tracy Nicholson, San Jose, CA; Doreen Stanelonis, Colchester, e listen to Quartermann CT bana Hialeah, FL Nathan Haviend Augusta, KS; Matt Frenis, Waterbury, CT; Sean е Playstatione Gossip Before It's in EGM! Halderman, Otis, OR; M. Rosas, Lehigh Acres, FL: Corwin Wiliams, Memphis, TN; Ken Jordan, Florence, AL; Even Revish, Alpharetta, GA; T. 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NOILV3Od3NO2 SONIGTOH ABNN JO 5ешарец pə1Ə1sI8ə1 әзе ѕәшеи NPO EI LA NEXT MONTH ЕГЕСТВОМЕ| GAMING July 2000 к= СОЛУ? On sale June 6 ES EXTRAVAGANZA • The Hottest ЕЗ Games— What will this year's Ез have in store for us? What does Sony have up their sleeve? A new Spyro, perhaps? Or a new Crash? Previewed Here! е Tony Hawk's Pro We know you can't hardly wait to Skater Reviewed find out, so next month's EGM for Dreamcast reveals some of the games on hand at the Electronic е Entertainment Expo. Don't Grand Theft Auto miss this early look at the latest 2 Previewed and greatest for Dreamcast, for Dreamcast PlayStation2, Nintendo 64 and AER ° The Latest Tricks 79 for all systems < e News hot off | the wire from wr v RB ES in LA. Ë With all the new systems on the horizon, expect lots of " x E M " i " е E surprises at this year's ES held in May in L.A. It's where the Plus win cool я Tony Hawk makes his way to the Diggest and best demo their latest games and hardware. prizes in the Tricks DC with loads of new features. EGN's going to be there to bring you the scoop! and Letters sections! June 2000 S321, GAMER June 2000 On sale May 23 Demo Disc Perfect Dark OPM 15 blowing out everything you More Perfect Dark you say? + X-Men: Mutant Academy ever wanted to know about everyone's You'll see tons of Perfect Dark T favorite mutants, the X-Men. They'll tips in our е Perfect Dark * Grind Session е Deception Ш: Dark Delusion cover the film, the TV series, the toys, magazine in N moves and tricks е WWF SmackDown! the spin-offs and a little game called the months € + Grind Session X-Men: Mutant Academy. They've to come, so < е Wild Arms 2 even got a playable demo on the disc! don't miss out. + Gauntlet Legends Also, check out previews of the latest The criminal -throug *All editorial content is subject to change. е Теа f Fat PlayStation and PS2 games mischief of Grand е Toy Story 2 tis of Fate reviews of top games like Jedi Power Theft Auto 2 А guide Battles, Wild ARMS 2 and Vagrant should keep you е Legend of pe pu ша e demos busy; ч when е Excitebike 0 тасКОоууп! ап you see how it Dragoon Gauntlet Legends. looks on the 64 motorcycle е Vanishing т Dreamcast, you mayhem Point won't want to miss Excitebike 64. The NES * Grand Theft Auto 2 classic gets an N64 for the Dreamcast makeover. Also, check out | Grind Session, Wild Arms 2 and Toy Story 2. 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