25 zie oats | NINTENDO 64• GAMECUBE « PLAYSTATION • PS2 • DREAMCAST • HANDHELDS • ARCADE ELECTRONIC САМІМ с C19 MONTHI ES- INSIDE SAME BUYING THE SYSTEM? BUY THIS MAGAZINE FIRST m rem THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE LAUNCH GAMES, DVDS AND EVERYTHING PLAYSTATION 2 [ses __ » THE GAME LINEUP » THE FREE TRIAL > BROADBAND WHEN? MEET NINTENDO'S NEW SYSTEM: GAMECUBE PG. 30 GAME BOY ADVANCE REVEALED! PG. 36 DISPLAY UNTIL OCTOBER 30 mber 2000 9/56.50 Canada 4.9 2 | | | 11> 0714024706960 в | | | p- Эй “нё = Я апа Practice Modes, to the expansion teams апа ир to the тіп "NHL Face ОН is a trademark of the National Hockey League. NHL, National Hockey League, the МНЕ Shield and the Stanley Cuj EVERYONE of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © 2000 ally ? of the МНІРА and are used, under license by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. € NHLPA. Officially Licensed Product of the National PlayStation с gies the express written consent of STATS is strictly prohibited. 989 Sports and the 989 Sports logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment . Entertainment Inc. 9 2000 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ШЕ: trademarks of the National Hockey League: All iL logos and marks and NHL Team logos and marks depicted herein are the property licensed product of the National Hockey League. National Hockey League Players’ Association, NHLPA and NHLPA Logo are Trademarks Hockey League Players’ Association. Copyright 2000 by STATS, Ir "Апу commercial use or distribution of the Licensed Materials without America Inc. Desi ед and developed by Solworks. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Qu, one game has this kind of effect on people. Introducing Kessen, the military conquest experience so epic it could only happen on Playstation 2. Immerse yourself in the world of 17th century Japanese warfare, where you command huge armies through sweeping landscapes to wage history-deciding battles. To qet a taste of this spectacular new DVD title, preview its eye-popping screen shots and adrenaline pumping battle sequences on our website. WWW.KESSEN.EA.COM 4 а Раучайоп.е ELECTRONIC ARTS You can always tell who's been playing Kessen. = < 1.9 3 "иа ©2000 KOEI Co. 110. A1 Rights Reserve Kassen a trademark КОН Со T Bionic Ansis a todemarcr registered trademark ol Вс Artsin the US and other cours. Al Been Play Staion 2 ax the Рубі 2 logos are registered denar болу Computer Enterteinment кс. EDITORIAL The Best of Times e're breaking fresh coverage on no less than four new consoles (PS2, Gamecube, Game Boy Advance and Xbox) this month. And while we've always considered it a pleasure and privilege to cover this most fascinating of industries, we can say that the next year will surely be the best of times for gamers everywhere. Of course, PS2 hogs most of the limelight this month as Sony puts the finishing touches on what will undoubtedly be the biggest one-day product launch in entertainment history. We give you the obligatory nuts and bolts info on the most By Joe Funk • |06 funkGziffdavis.com finally unveiling Gamecube (still sounds weird to me) and Game Boy Advance. The simultaneous announcements are not a coincidence as Nintendo clearly plans to expand and explore the immense possibilities of linking stand-alone handheld and console systems together. Already, Mario Inc. is puffing out its chest. "Developers and the market have pretty much dismissed Sega. We certainly can't ignore Sony, but Gamecube will perform very well against PlayStation 2," George Harrison, Nintendo of America's vice president of marketing, confidently told Forbes.com. “Microsoft has the novelty factor "Sony appears poised for world—or at least living room—domination.” powerful home gaming console ever produced, but then we also take a fresh angle by dreaming ир the perfect PS2 launch party—think of this PS2 Xanadu as a hermetically sealed biosphere designed exclusively for you, your friends and your brand-new PS2. We were so intent on finding the perfect spot that Crispin even broke out his old red, white and blue Olympic team Speedo from yesteryear to inspect good spots. Sony appears poised for world —or at least living гоот— domination, and SCEA COO Kaz Hirai told us he has some lofty goals for PS2: "The truth is the biggest competition is not necessarily traditional competitors like Nintendo, Sega and Microsoft, but rather...seeing a movie or going out to play pool...any type of entertainment really, is our competition." Nintendo made double-barreled news of its own in late August at the Spaceworld Expo in Tokyo by and plenty of money, but no existing customers." Microsoft, meanwhile, widened their growing block of supporters by announcing several more third-party developers who'll be hopping on the Xbox bulldozer. Apparently they're close to unveiling the hardware. Xbox CXO Robbie Bach confirmed at the Ziff Davis Electronic Gaming Summit that the chip set and gamepad design are finished. Microsoft VP Ed Fries heightened curiosity and fueled speculation that Xbox might be a bit larger than its competitors and look more like a home theater amplifier by cryptically telling the SF Chronicle, “We're finishing the space between the fins..." whatever that means. On top of all this, we have pantloads of new previews and reviews for all of the current consoles. With all this good stuff, it’s probably best now that | shut up and get out of your way... Contributing Writers Our very own violence connoisseur, Mike is an expert in more kinds of kung fu than we can pronounce. When he's not teaching martial arts or starring in Mexican chop-socky specials, he's bulking up to become a real-life WWF wrestler. The author of this month’s how-to feature is a freelance journalist for Playboy, USA Today, Yahoo! Internet Life and more than 40 other mags. Marc is also the editor of Game Design: Secret of the Sages, in which he interviews hundreds of game designers. Peter M. Bracke We wanted to include a DVD primer in our PS2 feature, so we turned to a true digital-flick expert to write the thing. Peter is the editor in chief of DVDFile.com (www.dvdfile.com), your ultimate source for DVD movie and hardware news and reviews. ELECTRONIC Number 13.11 GAMING \ovember 2000 === MONTHLY WWW.videogames.com Editor in Chief 5 SES умо а ал сол naging Edi "Dean Hager e dean. hagerGziffdavis.com Features Editor Edd г р, 52 DID Boyer • crispin_boyer@ziffdavis.com f Mark Macponaid e mark_macdonald@ziffdavis.com itor, Chris СУ Johnston ® chris johnstonGziffdavis.com Previews Editor 3 3 Greg Sewart * greg sewartGziffdavis.com Senior Associate efor ~ AS Kraig Kujawa • kraig_kujawa@ziffdavis.com Associate Editors Y 5 рат кетпесі * sam kennedyGziffdavis.com ricks Editor Terry Minnich • tricksGziffdavis.com West Coast Editor. X d И lames Mielke ® james mielkeGziffdavis.com соб (this ORIS эте ae Раме Adelsten, Peter M. Bracke, Mike Price, s Frank Provo, John Ricciardi, Marc Saltzman, „ Jeremy "Norm" Scott, Shawn Smith, Phil Theobald Ninja from the 69th Dimension ushi-X е sushi. xGziffdavis.com Senior Art Director Cyril Wochok е суп! wochokGziffdavis.com Art Directors im Cordani соляною, 'iffdavis.com ike Reisel e mike reisel&ziffdavis.com TOKYO BUREAU Mixx Entertainme! Managing Copy Edit атага Vtesides т Director arlos Lu; 1 Assistant Prepress Manager Mike Valles E Project Leader "Mark Lefebvre • mark_lefebvre@ziffdavis.com Vice President/Game Group Editoral Dieci itorial Director Creative Direct reative Director Michael Stassus * mstassus@ziffdavis.com Business Director ‚ Cathy Вепао! Circulation Director Joan Мсіпетеу Circyjatjon Director Shirley Viel Senior Newsstand Sales Manager Don Galen SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE NUMBER: 03665-8939 (U.S. ONU 1 scription Service Web Site: http://service.egmmag.com Advertising Inquiries Contact: Game Group 50 Beale, 12th floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, Telephone: 415-547-8783 Group Publisher Lee Uniacke 415-357-4910 • lee_uniacke@ziffdavis.com Group Associate Publisher Suzie Reider 415-357-4915 * suzie@ziffdavis.com District Sales Representative Tallie Fishburne 415-357-5226 • tallie_fishburne@ziffdavis.com SALES, EAST Regional Sales Manager Marc Callison Account Executive EmilyOlman |, 425-357-5226 • emily olmanGziffdavis.com SALES, PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND BAY AREA PENINSULA Account Executive Mary Gray 415-547-8782 * mary_gray@ziffdavis.com ‘SALES, TEXAS, WASHINGTON, SAN FRANCISCO. Regional Sales Manager Marci Yamaguchi Account Executive Meighan O’Rourke 415-357-4920 • meighan_orourke@ziffdavis.com SALES, SOUTHWEST (So. CA, NV, UT, AZ) Regional Sales Manager Karen Landon Account Executive Linda Philapil 415-547-8781 є linda_philapil@ziffdavis.com Senior Marketing Manager & Creative Director Rey Ledda 415-547-8775 • rey_ledda@ziffdavis.com Marketing Coordinator Annie Lipscome 415-547-8248 • annie_lipscome@ziffdavis.com Advertising Coordinator Tipler Ubbelohde 415-357-4930 • tipler_ubbelohde@ziffdavis.com Sales Assistant Kristeen Laut 415-547-8778 * kristeen lautGziffdavis.com Advertising Production Coordinator Wen Laws 415-357-8114 * wen. lawsQGziffdavis.com Foupder $ steve Harris EEE See ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (ISSN 41058-9185) is published monthly by Ziff Davis Media Inc. P.O. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338. Periodicals Class Postage Paid at New York, NY 10016 and additional mailing offices. Single issue rates: $4.99. The one yar (12 issue) subscription. Tate is $24.97 in the U.S. and $40.97 outside the U.S. Checks must be made payable in U.S. currency only to Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Electronic Gaming Monthly, Р.О. Box 55722, Boulder, CO 80322-5722. Рог sulscription service questions, call (303) 665-8930 (U.S. Only) and (303) 604-7445 outside the U.S. ог visit us at our subscription Web site at http: //service.egmmag.com. We periodically make lists of our customers available to mailers of goods and services that may interestyou. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please write to us and include a copy of your mailing label. Please include your subscription label when writing to us. It contains valuable information about your subscription that will help us. Please allow 6-8 weeks before receving your first issue as well as for апу subscription changes to take place on any existing subscription. 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 a retrieval system, or transmitted, www therel Printed in the USA. yright.com/ziffdavis/, or have a form faxed or mailed {о you by calling (425)430-1663. © 2000 Ziff Davis Media Electronic Gaming Monthly - 6 any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the the prior written notice of Ziff Davis Media Inc. To reuse апу material in this publication, obtain a permission equest form at АП Rights Reserved. Electronic Gaming Monthly and EGM are trademarks of Ziff Davis Media Inc. TM and © for ай other products andthe characters contained re owned by the respective tracemark and copyright owners. All materials listed in this magazine are subject to manufacturers’ change and the publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. The Canadian GST Registration number is 140496720RT. ‘uci Bureau Orators ЈЕ pol ШІ 1 ОК CODI while | Л! uinga Doubie а ` „Especially whe your coffee ево те EMIX | Sure, mom told you not to ride your bike in | the house, but she's never seen Dave Mirra | Freestyle BMX from Acclaim Max Sports. With 12 vert, dirt and street courses to tear up, | you'll be ripping like the pros in no time. Use | |= the Trick Modifier to create more than 1,300 | | insane tricks. And with 10 sick multi-player games including Longest Grind and Gnarliest Crash, the couch will mold to your butt long before you put down the controller. Developed by peu GAME BOY Sega 224476 @ Dreamcast. Miracle Boy | ҰШ E => " and Nyquist | Б | feet are р ~ ONLY FOR N64 Expansion Pak" required. яз. THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON YOUR SHOULDERS IS THE WEIGHT OF THE MOON. 72. HOURS. 24 MASKS. 1 MOON. THE WORLD IS WAITING ON YOU. &. а ома) game screen. БАСА CONTENTS Game Directory 154 007 Racing 104 Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage 252 Alien Resurrection 74042164 Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare 112 Animal Forest Animorphs Army Men: Sarge's Heroes Backyard Football Balloon Fight GB Bouncer, Тһе Buchigire Kongou Bugs & Taz Time Busters Champ. Motocross Feat. Ricky Carmichael Championship Surfer Cool Boarders 2001 Cool Cool Toon Cotton Cruis'n Exotica Custom Robo V2 D2 Dance Summit 2001 Danger Girl Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore Demolition Racer-No Exit Destruction Derby Raw Deuce Dino Crisis 2 Donald Duck Goin’ Quackers Dragon Warrior VII Dragon Valor Driver 2 Dynamite Slugger Dynasty Warriors 2 Disney's Dinosaur Echo Delta Emperor's New Groove, The Eternal Ring Evergrace Evil Dead: Hail to the King Evolution. Final Fantasy IX Gold & Glory: Road to El Dorado Grandia Parallel Trippers Grandia || Gungriffon Blaze Hidden and Dangerous Hogs of War Incredible Crisis Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine Jarrett & Labonte Stock Car Racing Jedi Power Battles Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 Kessen Kirby Tilt ‘п’ Tumble Legend of Starfi Little Nicky Looney Tunes Racing Looney Tunes Space Race Madden NFL 2001 Maestromusic, The Mario Party 3 Mario Tennis GBC Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX Max Steel Metal Gear Solid 2 Micro Machines V3 Micro Maniacs Racing Midnight Club Mobile Suit Gundam Monster Forest Monster Rancher Explorer Mort the Chicken Moto GP Moto Racer World Tour Motor Mayhem! 166 МТУ Sports: ТЈ Lavin's Ultimate BMX NASCAR 2001 NBA Live 2001 NBA ShootOut 2001 NHL 2001 NHL FaceOff 2001 Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee. Ogre Battle Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber Orphen Paper Mario Phantasy Star Online Planet Harriers 002 Pokémon Crystal. Pokémon Stadium: Gold Silver & Crystal Pokémon Puzzle League Polaris SnoCross Power Spike Pro Beach Volleyball Prince of Persia November 2000 Issue 136 The Ultimate PlayStation 2 Launch Party We leave no stone unturned in our quest to help you throw the biggest launch celebration since NASA shot that monkey into space. Inside, you'll find in-depth guides to the launch games, DVDs, audio gear and more. The festivities begin on page 176 Pro Pinball Fantastic Journey Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear RayCrisis RC Revenge Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 Red Dog Reiselied Ephemeral Fantasia Resident Evil: Survivor Ridge Racer V Robopon Rock'n Megastage Rockman Battle & Fighters Rugrats in Paris The Movie Rune Jade Scooby Doo! Classic Creep Capers Sega GT Sin and Punishment SlashOut Sno-Cross Championship Racing Spawn Speed Devils 2 Spider-Man Spin Jam 55Х StarLancer Star Ocean Blue Sphere Star Trek: Invasion Star Wars Episode І: Demolition Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo Star Wars Episode I: Starfighter Stunt GP Super Runabout: San Francisco Edition Swing Away Golf Sydney 2000 Team Buddies Test Drive Cycles Test Drive Le Mans Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Torneko: The Last Hope Turok 3 Tyco RC Ultimate Fighting Championship Unreal Tournament Virtua Athlete 2000 WCW Backstage Assault WDL: Thunder Tanks Who Wants to be a Millionaire-2nd Edition Wild Wild Racing. Wipeout Fusion World 15 Not Enough, The WWF No Mercy WWF SmackDown! 2 X-Squad Xtreme Sports Mor Star Wars: Episode І: Battle for Naboo Ep. 2 talk may be flaring up, but Lucas isn’t done milking Ep. 1 yet. Games Biz Writer Marc Saltzman talked to the hottest developers in the industry and asked the big question: How do we get a job? pg 222 How to Get a Job in the lustrations by Chris Martin Q Hiitorial Ө Letters 6) Gossip © @ Tricks 18 News 28 A new Wave Race? A new Metroid? And even a new Zelda? Find out about all the goodies headed your way through Nintendo's shiny, new Gamecube and Game Boy Advance. 48 We're hearing whispers about Daytona 2 and Half-Life for DC, Spyro 4 and more. «=== ЕШ д Ready 2 Rumble Р52, NASCAR 2001, Unreal Tournament, Mobile Suit Gundam for PS2, WWF SmackDown! 2, Cool Boarders 2001, Alone in the Dark for PS, Mario Party з, Paper Mario №64 topped off with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and Grandia I! for DC. Review Grew — 244 Would you believe we're rating PlayStation 2 games? It's time to put aside the hype, speculation, and fanfare, and give those fancy- lookin' games the ratings they deserve! 218 @ The Final Word 285 Is it a space-age box or perhaps an '80s alarm clock? Find out what we think of Nintendo's bizarre-looking Gamecube. ШО Dreamcast Ше: э Nintendo 64 Bb = — PlayStation2 | ШО = Playstation | Game Boy Color | NeoGeo Pocket Color | Arcade | шецо 0} 1oefqns әтеп *5ә1015 3981/0130 0с ‘ЭС 1940400 2іденелу 66665 === g'uoneis/eld RIDE LIKE АЛОТИМЕ WORLD M - BMX vert innovator, Bicycle Stunt Series creator, bike manufacturer extraordinaire - has skills to loan. Ride like Mat and BMX's top pros as they rip realistic vert ramps, street courses, dirt tracks and the infamous Hoffman Bikes" Park. You'll gap with Escamilla. Flip with Nastazio. X-up everything with “Butcher” | Kowalski. And do what no other rider can: launch 27 feet with the Condor himself. There's also a Real-Time Course Editor to create dream terrain. And a career mode that challenges you to go big and move up the ranks. Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX - ride like the world's best, without having to shop for black market internal organs. FEATURING THE TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER” GAME ENGINE MAT/HOFFMAN'S FEROIBM X,. TRICKS + TERRAIN 2-PLAYER MODE Ride fike the king о BMX = Mat: Нону B Ride head-to-head in 2-Player Mode ESCAMILLA HOFFMAN / KOWALSKI / MCCOY NASTAZIO / ROBINSON / TABRON / THORNE V" ж | дүн ON. | UlAOUS SIOUS 4958 „ОП ИМ oe тұла ник Sn Animated Blood Mild Animated Violence What if cigarette ads told the truth? Ка А ge. № T. Ws 525. » AN —— www.thetruth.com th FORGET ALL THE HEALTH RISKS. If The Beautiful People Do It, It Must Be Okay! um і 4 F 12 mg of "Hey, I'm addicted!" 200 mg of “I'm,gool, right?" and 2000 mg Мы: Е" E = of "I'm livin’ dangerously so | must be sexy." ^ Letters to the Editors LETTER FACTS ¢ Letters/letter art from prisoners: 9 Letters about Monster Parties: 5 * # of letters we're sorry we couldn’t respond to: 873 * it of letters we're sorry we could respond to: 3 * Avg. # of daily e-mails: 150 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 222 for official rules. LETTER OF THE MONTH Thank You Sir, May We Have Another Гат a retired USAF officer who happens to like to play video games for a diversion. Needless to say, | am older than anyone on your staff—including yourself. | subscribe to five game magazines. Know why? I want to know what to buy. Too many magazines lose sight of that prime objective in their zeal to provide "interest" items. They fail as a magazine. readers have to search for the info they seek?? Organize! Recall why people read a game magazine! Undesirable mindless filler: 1. Wasted space on stories about game designers. Who gives a shit? Do you want to know all about the man who designed the automatic transmission in your car? Or the garbage grinder in the sink? Who gives a shit? It's space wasted that could have been used to better inform readers about new games and equipment. Cut it. 2. Crap like “Girls of Summer" in a competitor's July issue. This is incredibly "Endless stupid frigging pictures of the staff picking their noses or goosing each other. Who gives a s#!%? Cut it.” What is desirable: 1. Complete and detailed data about new and upcoming games. What—when— how much—quality—etc. 2. Good pictures for graphic quality assessment. Also profile of new upcoming games. Twice a year would also be dandy. 3. Detailed info on upcoming new systems. 4. Detailed comparison data on additional electronics that can be used with a system. What the hell is “S” video anyway? Where can you get one? How many kinds are there? How much? etc. What about sound systems? Amplifiers? How do you tie it all together? Give us some info., i.e., до a spread comparison on all hand controllers. Videos. Sound systems, etc. Compile and publish a listing of stores and dealers where one can purchase games and supplies. 5. Better organization: EGM's Game Directory Aug. 2000 p. 14. Nice. Informative. Reader friendly! Should be on PAGE ONE however. Also same issue р. бо Coming Soon section— пісе. Organized. Should be on PAGE TWO however. Why in the hell should your Thanks for the impassioned “critique,” B.J. We are all now “standing tall before the man.” Seriously, you make some good points, and you made most of us silly, childish and a waste of space. It deviates from the prime objective of a game magazine: info needed to buy games! Cut it. 3. Rock music? Who gives a shit? Cut it. 4. Artwork by staff and readers. Who cares? Cut it. 5. Letters from readers, etc. Who reads this shit? Cut it. 6. Questions and Answers, etc. See above. Cut it. 7. Editor’s response, etc. See above. Highly unlikely to be cut. Too bad. 8. Endless stupid frigging pictures of the staff picking their noses or goosing each other. Who gives a shit? Cut it. g. Endless pictures and wordplay concerning E3 2000...Е7 20001, etc. Who gives a shit? Cut it. 10. Bizarre colored type, і.е., blue type оп a red background. Some people (partly color blind) can’t see this and other combinations very well. Consider your reader! Gentlemen—| need intelligent insight concerning games | may wish to purchase! Sincerely, B.J. Hill almost wet our little civilian shorts with laughter. We have sent your requests up the chain of command, and are waiting for our CO to give the order to proceed. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 18 Reader Angered Over Good Screenshot | can't believe you guys! With your words you say that Chrono Cross is an incredible game with an excellent story. That part | don't deny. But with your screenshot you blew the best part of the story: the part where a switch takes place by showing that you play Lynx and Zoah and Karsh, all enemies, later in the game. | won’t reveal more because | could easily be called a hypocrite by revealing the In case you missed it, here’s the screenshot that made Nathan curse. story, but you f-ers at EGM who are reading this know what | mean. | just played that part in the game апа I pretty much could tell what would happen because of your damn picture. You should at least apologize to all of us who were screwed by your mistake and please pay more f-ing attention to your work! Holy S%!&!!! Nathan Spangler ghettogimp@hotmail.com We always take the best pics possible, and if they happen to show a key part of the game, then so be it. This merely proves our dedication to our craft, and that we make our decisions on a game after an exhaustive amount of playing time. DC Owner Wants “Mod Life” 1 own Half-Life for the PC and | download a lot of the mods (modifications) for the game. I’m looking forward to buying it for the cont. on pg. 20 LETTERS cont. from pg. 18 Dreamcast. | was wondering if there was any way | would be able to get and play mods for the Dreamcast? “angrymac1o” Mark Howland wyrms@bellatlantic.net Definitely not with the first version of Half-Life (which won't even include Internet play), but who knows what the future may hold? Once the Dreamcast and other consoles get mass storage devices (zip drives, hard drives, etc.), we could see a community develop of people creating their own levels, characters and other mods for games and circulating them over the Net, just like the one currently thriving around PC games. You can already make your own levels in some games (like Tenchu 2), then Dexdrive them onto the Net to trade with other gamers; it’s up to developers and the hardware companies whether or not this trend continues or declines. This is an open- ended letter to those who hate Pokémon. Гат a brave man, | ат also a big man. | am proud to say | have caught about 110 Pokémon and will have the rest caught before October. | am 18 years old and engaged. | also study weapons in general with a particular fascination with machine guns. While not that many, but more than most, | have fired over a dozen machine guns, including two versions of everybody's favorite the МР5. | also work on my car because it’s EGM@ziffdavis.com Send us your thoughts, your wishes, your innermost weirdness. ..or your pictures, crazy screenshots or photos of bizarre game-related moments. cheaper and any real man can do it "Those who (not to say that women can't, | don't hate Pokémon, wanna open that can of worms). how many The point of all this is such: bred and Pokémon fans aren't just little kids. У Your boss might be one, your teacher bred "til you might be one, and if you are one, stand got the Golden proud and shout it from the rooftop. Chocoho in Pokémon is not just a simple game. FFUN? | thought It is ап RPG in the truest sense of the $0... Wise word. It is entertaining on many levels, no even the simplest of minds can learn it, man once said, and most importantly it is fun. ‘Only а fool Of those who hate Pokémon how hates that many bred and bred ’til you got the which he olden Chocobo in FFVII? І a knows nothing Awise man once said, “Only a fool about. hates that which he knows nothing about.” Before you go on your next anti- Pikachu rant sit down and play the game—the original Red, Blue or Yellow for 20 minutes. Perhaps it seems childish, but one of the best games | have ever played, | almost passed over. I'm glad | didn’t make that mistake. If you are so afraid of a little cartoon rat, then maybe you should be emasculated...that is all... Jimmy the Viper (іт Reed) We are proud to announce the addition of a new special section, “Ask Jimmy the Viper,” we’re not sure what will be in this section, but Mr. Viper assured us it would be “Real good, such as it is, you pencil- The very bottom of the neck freaks.” So, with this ringing БИ letters barrel. endorsement of our staff, coupled What's new. with his knowledge/love of machine pussycat? Whoa- guns, the column seemed like a ooh-whoa-ooh- “good fit.” whoa-ooh. What's А new pussycat? Whoa-ooh-whoa- ooh-whoa-whoa. a t on || whoa, Tyra Banks is hot. Whoa-ooh- Wrath ої с” oh whoa. iguanaman323@h Rakan otmail.com Fascinating, Руе been a fan for five ушы s years all the way from fascinating. i ial Saudi Arabia! aee о: Where | live the Р52 doo-doo! is already out since jfadcGyahoo.com May 2000 and | own a niis кайа Nintendo 64. | was ctronic Gaming Monthly - 20 Question of the Moment What Р52 launch title are you going 10 buy first? None. | was gonna buy a PS2 but now that l've seen pictures of Metroid and Zelda on Starcube (Dolphin), | say screw Sony. Citanoog@aol.com PS2? No thanks. | think | will grab Majora’s Mask instead. Big813@aol.com What? PS2? F*** PlayStation 2, it’s time to get with the Gamecube. KroSsOVeR@aol.com The game | am craving for is... THE BOUNCER!!! It has a Matrix-like feel, really great graphics and martial-arts action. webe@inu.net The Working Designs launch games: Gun Griffon Blaze and Silpheed: The Lost Planet. Mmmm...Game Arts, Treasure...(he drools). name withheld Definitely Smuggler’s Run which | already have paid off—woo hoo!! Crash416Gsnip.net Not a one. l'Il just sit there and marvel at my $300 DVD player that has the ability to play games (read: all the games look s#!%%y, IMO). bigglesworth3626@yahoo.com TIMESPLITTERS!! TIMESPLITTERS!! and maybe TIMESPLITTERS!! pstaianoGyahoo.com Personally...l'm gonna do what | did with the original and wait about two years to get a PS2. By then Armored Core and GT2000 will have received Greatest Hits treatment and Metal Gear Sons of Liberty will be in stores. Snooch-to-the- nooch. GregoryJRansomGemail.msn.com The first game | am going to pick up is Ridge Racer V. Why you ask? So | сап unlock Pac-Man and race with him!!! mr. 5fivesGhotmail.com Next Month's Question of the Moment: What do you think of the Nintendo GameCube? Send your short but sweet responses to: EGM@ziffdavis.com with the subject heading: N-Cube Поа ЊЕ (ШЇ POSSE 4 [ "| > 4 - ) К hy ШЕ “Торос | l0 Ren 9 | 1 с NEW VUS QUU SS У ИА, [7] ©2000 The Island Def Jam Music Group A Universal Music Company Psychopathic Records - The label that runs beneath the streets! ® www.islandrecords.com i ánsaneclownposse.com www. LETTERS 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). cont. from pg. 20 going to buy a PS2 but | remembered what you said, “If we told you to buy a thousand fireflies would you buy them?" So | decided to wait for the Dolphin. Anyway, my point is that gaming isn't what it used to be. Now the consumer has to make a lot of choices, and there's a lot of crap games out there. | am thinking there's going to be a lot of them on the X-Box. | am not saying that's bad or anything, because competition is good; it gives the consumer better options at lower costs and stuff like that. But are we happier now? I know that some of us are and some of us aren't. And ONE MORE THING: PLEASE STOP PRAISING EVERY SYSTEM that COMES ALONG like when Sega came: "ОНН SEGA RULES" and when you talk about PS2: "OHH PS2 IS THE BOMB." So asa favor, could you stop doing that please? Rakan Aksoy rakthevirus@hotmail.com What do you want from us, firefly lover? Father-Son Alien Hit Squad Hi—I’m зд and have a 6-year-old son. I’ve always loved video games and still have my first Atari 2600. My son and | now have a PlayStation along with a NES, Sega, TG16 (for Galaga 98) and several games for each. We really enjoyed playing the new Space Invaders game—it’s kinda neat because two players are playing at the same time in “cooperative” or team mode. What I’m trying to find out is if there is a list somewhere of PlayStation games that includes a two-player cooperative mode? I'd like to find more games like this (I prefer the simple shoot-'em-ups and platform games like Crash, Space Invaders, Hercules, Sonic (for Sega), etc. They are the easiest for very young children to play, plus lm kinda old-school (my all-time favorite game is Galaga). Mike Cousins MJ SEPCO mc979377@msxspec.shell.com “My point is that gaming isn’t what it used 10 be. Now the consumer has to make a lot of choices, and there's a lot of crap games out there.” Jesus Diaz Mt. Olive, NC is on the мау-ап ASCII rapid-fire controls for all those intense moments. 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 P0 Box 3338 дак Brook, IL 60522-3338 (All entries become the prop Congratulations! Your prize Specialized Control Pad for the PlayStation. It features buttons and solw motion for The ASCII Control Pad We love co-op games too, and while we can’t give you a comprehen- sive list, here’s a few of our favorites we're sure will fit your old-school sensibilities: Devil Dice, G. Darius, Pong and the piece de resistance: Midway’s Arcade Party Pak—which includes Rampage, Toobin’, Super because | don’t know nothin’.” Sprint and Smash TV. Monster Parties: 1117171777177) ош Of Control? m 4 еш - = ) гі T By any chance, is Crispin's Monster Parties a sequel, or related in any way, to the Monster Party 8-Bit title? Szotial@aol.com deposition: “I don’t know nothin’ about that NES Monster Party crap. I don't know a thing about its hero, Mark, or how he befriends a monster named Bert to rid the land of some of the lamest monsters I’ve ever зееп—ег, | mean never seen, The game “Monster Parties” you created with the help of RPG Maker is a ripoff of a classic NES game by the name of Monster Party. That game was so cool that occasionally | still play it. | don't know if you've ever heard of it, but you should know that you are blatantly ripping off another game's name. Finalgglenn@aol.com Due to pending litigation and on the advice of his lawyers, Crispin has declined to comment. We did, however, obtain a copy of his court The original NES Monster Party (top,© 1989 Bandai) and Crispin Boyer’s PS Monster Parties (© 2000 Blandai) LETTER ART — 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! Christian Dahl Rancho Santa Marcus Dillard Hollywood, FL Margarita, CA Electronic Gaming Monthly - 22 92000 Levi Strauss & Со kohl's® mervyn's california® goody’s ' INACLASS OF ж SM BOXING ~ = " Go toe-to-toe with over 35 boxing legends & current stars: Hagler, Marciano, Duran, Vargas, Tua & more! IH g Move up the ranks іп HBO Boxing's : = Career Mode: КО Nation, HBO Boxing After Dark, HBO World Championship / Boxing & ТУКО Pay-Per-View! ЈЕ Punch-by-punch commentary from Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant & Harold Lederman! B" Debut of female knockouts, Atlantic City & Las Vegas boxing venues, signature styles & punches plus much more! ж» Ж - dii THE ONLY GAMEFEATURING ROY JONES JR: AND GEORGE! FOREMAN: THEIR OWN." PlayStation]: і Bi E " d | С a гаса ж? | | > у 8۴ Visit www.esrb.org [ Т _ adi fo За "я. = - died or call 100-771-3772] Siam pe | т e TS for more info. SPORTS © © А ESRB WWW.ACCLAIMSPORTS, COM Па. NES historic, a ПАР Mianen P3 Well, first, of course, you have the nifty new start-up sequence (far right), and if you have а PS1, PS2, or DVD disc in the system it will automatically load. But if there's nothing in the system, or the drive tray is open, you go to the new system menu where you have three choices: Browser, System Configuration, and Version. No, not Netscape —this isn't that type of Browser. This is where you mess with everything hooked up to your PS2: Any memory cards, PocketStations, DVD video discs, audio CDs, PS1 or PS2 games in the system will appear here as little icons. If you select a memory card, you will go to the memory card management screen: Select any software and it will load. Presumably other peripherals, such as hard drives, modems, and other extras will also be accessed through here in the future. The only CD that comes packed in with the PlayStation2 isn't a bunch of game demos (as was previously promised), but more or less an electric version of the instruction manual. It walks you through the use of various parts of the hardware, and also includes a short sample of DVD video and the PS2's DVD player driver so you can reinstall it to your memory card if you need to. The controller ports and memory card slots, all the same size and shape as on the original PlayStation. Only two sets? Yup. Sony says they didn't include more controller ports in order to keep costs low. The good ої" PlayStation logo, which you can rotate easily to suit a vertical or horizontal configuration. The light in the Reset button glows red when the system is idle, and green when it is active. The eject button has a blue light that flashes when the drive is opening or closing. You might recognize these little buggers called USB ports —they come standard оп The IEEE 139; — — —— [modern PCs. АП kinds of peripherals —mice, keyboards, scanners, printers, cameras, |. | interface port hard drives —can plug in here, quick and easy. PS2 an incred SYSTEM CONFIGURATION Here's where you can customize your system's settings: change the language for the menus to Japanese or English, the time and date (yes, the PS2 has an internal clock), turn the digital audio out on or off, set the component video out to RGB or Y Cb/Pb Cr/Pr, and finally adjust the screen ratio to full screen or the letterboxed 4:3 or 16:9 ratios. VERSION These are the programs that run various functions inside your PS2, and will surely be upgradeable in the future. The list on the system as it stands now is browser, CD player, PlayStation driver and DVD driver, all of which are version 1.00 (not surprising since this is from one of the first PS2s off the production line!). You can't really do much here yet, except for one very important, very cool setting under the PlayStation driver, where you can adjust the PS2 to play your PS1 games with faster loading and smoother textures. МАСССАТЕ 2 МЕМОВУ САВО port, also known Бу the much more friendly name “Firewire.” This same digital can be found on camcorders, cameras and iMac computers, and will give the Ыу fast connection to those kinds of peripherals in the future. EASELS MIST Trip Hawkins, CEO ої ЗОО, on the PS2 to NEWSWEEK the same way the printing press did.” STEM PlayStation.2 On bootup, four colored lights (purple, red, bie; d апа brooks sir around a dark blue mist, with any number of transparent cubes | scattered about—the number of cubes seems to i crease ће! |тоге you play your PS2. After a couple of seconds and ја loud tone, the "camera" zooms into the mist, and your disc a Huzzah! | | | | | Неге ме һауе а ріс оғ ће | | -Р828 CD player interface | (top)— unfortunately even | more boring than the PS1’s. Next i isia shot of a system. settings screen | (middle), which keeps up the “clea cry: stal and swirling lights mot if of all the system | menus. [And finally | we Бе мћа! the browser looks li (bottom), with à memoty card, PocketStation and DVD i in the PS2, all төріе- | sented by ipons. | [Two different stands went о | sale along with the PS2 in cal stand. The horizontal sand (about $9) lays ul der the! Р52 апа |really doesn t do much | | ехсері look пісе, while the мег- | Шы stand (bout $1 4) stabi | li me card file to play DVD T movies, the SUE = -мегзїоп. аПом5 уоп to- Watch: your favorite flicks — -іп visual quality that it offers. ^ | those nifty extras such as trailers, behind the | ‘scenes footage and director's commentary, that SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TURN ОМ THE Р52? Well, first, of course, you have the nifty new start-up sequence (far right), and if you have a PS1, PS2, or DVD disc in the system it will automatically load. But if there's nothing in the system, or the drive tray is open, you go to the new system menu where you have three choices: Browser, System Configuration, and Version. THE BROWSER No, not Netscape this isn't that type of Browser. This is where you mess with everything hooked up to your PS2: Any memory cards, PocketStations, DVD video discs, audio CDs, PS1 or PS2 games in the system will appear here as little icons. If you select a memory card, you will go to the memory card management screen: Select any software and it will load. Presumably other peripherals, such as hard drives, modems, and other extras will also be accessed through here in the future. UTILITY DISK The only CD that comes packed in with the PlayStation2 isn't a bunch of game demos (as was previously promised), but [ more or less an electric (52 1 version of the instruction d manual. It walks you through the use of various parts of the hardware, and also includes a short sample of DVD video and the PS2's DVD player driver so you can reinstall it to your memory card if you need to. he controller ports and memory card slots, all the same size and shape as on the original PlayStation: Only two sets? Yup. Sony says they didn't include more controller ports in order to keep costs low. The good ol’ PlayStation logo, which you can rotate easily to suit a vertical or horizontal configuration. e light in the Reset button glows red when the system is idle, and green when it is active. The eject button has a blue light that flashes when the drive is opening or closing. You might recognize these little buggers called USB ports — they come standard on modern PCs. All kinds of peripherals — mice, keyboards, scanners, printers, cameras, hard drives — сап plug in here, quick and easy. MEMORY CARD The IEEE 1394 port, also known by the much more friendly name "Firewire." This same digital interface port can be found on camcorders, cameras and iMac computers, and will give the PS2 an incredibly fast connection to those kinds of peripherals in the future. SYSTEM CONFIGURATION Here's where you can customize your system's settings: change the language for the menus to Japanese or English, the time and date (yes, the PS2 has an internal clock), turn the digital audio out on or off, set the component video out to RGB or Y Cb/Pb Cr/Pr, and finally adjust the screen ratio to full screen or the letterboxed 4:3 or 16:9 ratios. VERSION These are the programs that run various functions inside your PS2, and will surely be upgradeable in the future. The list on the system as it stands now is browser, CD player, PlayStation driver and DVD driver, all of which are version 1.00 (not surprising since this is from one of the first PS2s off the production line!). You can't really do much here yet, except for one very important, very cool setting under the PlayStation driver, where you can adjust the PS2 to play your PS1 games with faster loading and smoother textures. МАСССАТЕ 2 MEMORY CARD Trip Hawkins, CEO of 300, оп the PS2 to NEWSWEEK that fundamentally changes. society in the same way the EET. press did." —THE DVD MOVIES "а memory card file to play DVD movies, the 0.5. Ea ES * эш | ВООТУ CALL On bootup, four colored lights (purple, red, blue, and bres swirl around a dark blue mist, with any number of transparent cubes scattered about—the number of cubes seems to increase the|more you play your Р52. After а couple of seconds апа а loud tone, the “camera” zooms into the mist, and your disc loads. Huzzah! Here we have a pic of the PS2's СО player interface (top)—unfortunately even more boring than the PS1's. Next is а shot of a system settings screen (middle), which Keeps up the "clear crystal-and |swilling lights" motif of all the system menus. Апа finally we See | мћа the-browser looks like (bottom), with à memory card, PocketStation and DVD in the PS2, all герге- | sented by icons. Two different stands went on sale alohg-with the PS2 in Japan, à horizontal and à verti- cal stand. The horizontal stand (about $9) lays under the PS2 and really doesn't do much except look nice, while the ver- tical stand (about $14) stabi- lizes the PS2 so it can stand on one end and save space. Unlike the Japanese PlayStation2, which requires, version allows. you to watch your favorite flicks right out of the box. If you've yet to watch a movie on DVD, you'll immediately see the giant increase | in visual quality that it offers. And don't forget all | - those nifty extras such as trailers, behind the | scenes footage апа director's зі that can be found on many DVD releases. - pired by Lt -asArts! rich Star Wars flight-game legacy, STARFIGHTER combines intense air and space combat in a fast-paced action-adventure. Live the lives of three fighter pilots ina о of harrowing missions to save the galaxy from the evil Trade Federation. Pilot extraordinary 3D vehicles—including the Naboo № plus a variety of never-before-seen craft—through stunningly real worlds іп 14-plus air and space missions. Animated Violence Press Start By Chris Johnston chris_johnston@ziffdavis.com Mark MacDonald mark macdonaldG7iffdavis.com The Hottest Gaming News on the Planet The Future of Nintendo is revealed all at once at Space Worlt 2000 ew hardware isn't unveiled often, and when two new systems debut in the same day, it's something to shout about. That's exactly what Nintendo did when they fulfilled every gamer's dream twice over at Space World 2000, held Aug. 25- 27, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. At a private industry-only event the day before the show Nintendo's unveiled their next- generation portable, Game Boy Advance. And—only during that private showing— Nintendo finally uncovered its next-generation home console, previously known as Dolphin or Starcube, now known as Gamecube. Game Boy Grows Up Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s Executive Vice President Atsushi Asada took the stage first and introduced the crowd to the next level of Game Boy hardware, pulling a Game Boy Advance from his shirt pocket. Nintendo plans to release it іп Japan on March 21, 2001 for X9800 (about $90). One million GBA hardware units are Scheduled to be shipped between the launch date and the end ої March, along with 10 games (although specific titles were not announced). GBA will ship to the U.S. and Europe in July 2001 for NCL’s Genyo Takeda, introduces the world to the finer points of Nintendo Gamecube. an unspecified price tag (likely close to the sub-$100 price of the Japanese system). “This game system is simple, yet complete. In a sense, the Game Boy Advance has combined the strengths of Super NES and Game Boy,” Asada told the crowd, “evolving into the ultimate game machine.” So why do we have to wait until next year for GBA? It’s all a matter of the continued popularity of the Game Boy Color. “The manufacturing capacity of 1.5 million Game Boy Colors a month will be increased to 2.5 million in December, but the number of GBC sales never seems to slow down,” Asada told the crowd. “Shortages of GBC hardware, especially in Europe, seem to continue. If the release of GBA was to be in this calendar year, a sufficient number could not be made at its launch due to a shortage of materials.” Gleaming the Cube For the unveiling of the 'cube, Nintendo employed the help of two rogue magicians, who presented an empty, doorway- sized box, out of which—after a few turns and a few tricks— stepped five women with Gamecubes in their hands. After much applause, NCL’s Director and General manager of Integrated Research and Development Division Genyo Takeda took the stage to introduce us to the finer points of the hardware and to apologize for the problems with the N64. "Unlike the common Electronic Gami philosophy of popularizing the hardware using games and then trying to dominate in other fields," Takeda said, taking an obvious jab at Sony's strategy with PlayStation 2, *Our goal is to create the ultimate hardware for playing games. The origin of the concept for Gamecube came from a reflection on ourselves. When we developed the N64, the thought was that software development for games would naturally become more difficult. This was interpreted as a kind of challenge to developers. But that was not the case. The №64 definitely had far superior g Monthly - 28 capabilities in those days. However, in order to utilize them, special adjustments had to be made and developers said that it was difficult to work with N64." “We view technology as a tool, used to create new entertainment. The gameplay should receive the main spotlight," Takeda said. The gameplay didn't receive the main spotlight that night, though. АП the demonstration videos we saw (see the following pages for screens) were only referred to as demos and not confirmed titles. We won't get to see any near- finished games until E3 2001 in Los Angeles, May 17-19. Mario's creator Shigeru Miyamoto did step forth to demonstrate some of the nuances of the system's unique controller and to present a short demo titled ‘Mario 128' (that was merely а tech demo). “If | showed you software today that was earth-shattering, | may regret it if someone else uses the same idea. After all, there is some time before the machine’s release,” Miyamoto told the crowd. Gamecube will be released in Japan in July 2001, with five (undetermined) software titles. Nintendo did not announce a price for the system. Matsushita’s own Gamecube/DVD player, which was rumored canceled in the Japanese press before being once again reconfirmed by the company, will launch simultaneously. Stateside gamers will experience the system when it launches here in October 2001. the Gamecube in five ijonable colors. N64-gotten? The М64 also seems doomed to an uncertain fate, especially in Japan (though its games are still strong sellers). Despite a handful of promising titles from Nintendo and second parties (including Animal Forest, Treasure's Sin and Punishment, and Marigul's Echo Delta and Custom Robo V2—see N64 previews for more), the N64's library for this next year is looking pretty thin. Even Nintendo officials admitted that keeping the games coming between now and the Gamecube will be a challenge. We'll likely see a lot of the Japanese games shown at Space World 2000 show up stateside in 2001. But enough depressing N64 talk— where's all the Gamecube and GBA info and games? Turn the page and find out what'll replace the PS2 in your just out-of-reach dreams. ж “We view technology as a tool, used to create new entertainment. The gameplay Should receive the main spotlight.” Game Boy Goes Mobile The other big announcement at Space World was that of the Mobile GB System, an adapter that hooks the Game Boy (and soon Game Boy Advance) up to a cellular or PHS phone. You can then browse the Net, read e-mail or play games over the Net (the first game confirmed to use the system is Pokémon Crystal, found in this issue’s Previews section). Remember that DD thing? The 6400, released in Japan this past year, wa: conspicuous by its absence from this year’s show. Any future game releases for the system are now up in the air. Miyamoto confirmed that the DD version of Zelda is complete—but when and if it’ll ever see a release in Japan (much less the U.S.) is unknown. How The Gamecube 5 The Hood MPU (“Microprocessor Unit") IBM Power PC “Gekko” Manufacturing Process: 0.18 microns Copper Wire Technology Clock Frequency: 405 MHz CPU Capacity: 925 Dmips (Dhrystone 2.1) Internal Data Precision: 32-Bit Integer & 64-Bit Floating-point External Bus Bandwidth: 1.6GB/second(Peak) (32-Bit address, 64-Bit data bus202.5MHz) Internal Cache: L:: Instruction 32KB, Data 32KB (8 way), L2: 256KB (2 way) System LSI “Flipper” Manufacturing Process: 0.18 microns, NEC Embedded DRAM Process Clock Frequency: 202.5MHz Embedded Frame Buffer: Approx. 2МВ Sustainable Latency: sns (1T-SRAM) Embedded Texture Cache: Approx. 1MB Sustainable Latency: sns (1T-SRAM) Texture Read Bandwidth: 12.8GB/second (Peak) Main Memory Bandwidth: 3.2GB/second (Peak) Color, Z Buffer: Each is 24 Bits Image Processing Function: Fog, Subpixel Anti-aliasing, HW Light x8, Alpha Blending, Virtual Texture Design, Multi- texture Mapping/Bump/Environment Mapping, MIPMAP, Bilinear Filtering, Real- time Texture Decompression (5370), etc. Other Sound Processor: Special 16-Bit DSP Instruction Memory: 8KB RAM + 8KB ROM Data Memory: 8KB RAM + 4KB ROM Clock Frequency: 101.25 MHz Maximum Number of Simultaneously Produced Sounds ADPCM: 64ch Sampling Frequency: 48KHz System Floating-point Arithmetic Capability: 13.0GFLOPS (Peak) (MPU, Geometry Engine, HW Lighting Total) Actual Display Capability: 6 million to 12 million polygons/second (Display capability assuming actual game with complexity model, texture, etc.) System Main Memory: 24MB Sustainable Latency: 10п5 or lower GT-SRAM) A-Memory: 16MB (100MHz DRAM) Disc Drive Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) System Average Access Time: 128ms Data Transfer Speed: 16Mbps to 25 Mbps Electronic Gaming Monthly - 80 Game Boy Advance Adapter You can use the Game Boy Advance as a private color screen for the Gamecube. Just plug it into a controller slot and уоште ready to go. One of the uses specifically mentioned in Nintendo's presentation was the ability to use the GBA as a separate screen for selecting plays privately in sports games such as football. Digicard There are two slots at the front of the machine for Digicards— Nintendo’s Gamecube memory card. It stores 4 Megabits of information into a card that’s smaller in size than а PlayStation memory card. While there are only two Digicard slots on the machine, Nintendo says there will be a way to swap them so four people can load data. SD-Digicard Adapter With this adapter, you can use Panasonic/Matsushita's postage stamp-sized SD. (Secure Digital) Memory Card, compatible with digital cameras and music players, to store Gamecube data. To give you an idea of the increased storage capacity, one 64 Megabyte SD card holds about 128 times the data of one standard Digicard. Modem Adapter Gamecube has a slot on the bottom for a 56k modem, although it will not include. one out of the box. Nintendo. has not announced specific plans for Gamecube's online connectivity, but said they will do so when it makes sense to use as a tool in games. It’s truly plug ‘n’ play—just snap it into the bottom and уоште. ready to go. Broadband Adapter Not to be left in the 20th century, Nintendo has also announced a Broadband Adapter to connect to future "fat pipe" networks such as cable modems and DSL. This allows for high-speed data transmission. The bottom of the system has two other ports—a high-speed parallel and a second serial. Uses for these haven't been specified. Digital Video Cable In addition to the same A/V out connection that Nintendo's been using since the Super NES days, the back of the GC sports a Digital Video Ош. This will support the D Terminal standard, compatible with the advanced digital broadcasting environment for DTV and HDTV. You can also see the handle on the back of the machine for easy carrying. Nintendo Saves the Best for Last After the dazzling hardware introduction, Shigeru followed with a demonstration of the Gamecube's controller (which he was instrumental in designing) using a real-time demo running on the Gamecube chipset. As he performed and explained the functions, the ghost you see in the background at the right belched out letters with each press of a button. The controller was designed with simplicity in mind—easy enough for a casual gamer to pick up and play without being intimidated by the number of buttons, yet with everything the experienced gamer will need to control more complex games with ease. Gone are the days of using “paks” to expand the controller—it already has the Rumble function built-in (no batteries required!). Miyamoto stated that while the controller design you see here is close to how the finished product will look when the Gamecube goes on sale, it is not the final, complete version; there are still undisclosed features that Nintendo won't reveal until E3 to prevent the competition from "borrowing" the design. Games will come on small, proprietary, 8 cm- diameter discs developed in conjunction with Matsushita. The discs hold 1.5 gigabytes of data, and Nintendo believes that this format will eventually become a standard. By comparison, you could put a game 190 times the size of Super Mario 64 on the disc, and it’s pocket- sized. Nintendo has also employed Matsushita’s technology to protect the discs from being illegally copied. The Gamecube Concept Book handed out after the demonstration mentions the possibility that this disc format may be used for future portable game machines. Another big chunk of Miyamoto’s presentation stressed how easy Gamecube was to develop for. In order to make creating games as easy as possible, Nintendo integrated 17-КАМ technology into the main memory and Graphics LSI Mixed Memory. This, along with Land R buttons The L and R triggers are now analog, like the Dreamcast and PS2's shoulder buttons, and include a groove for your finger. Analog stick This part hasn't changed much from the N64’s controller, except that it has been moved to the main position for easier access. Digital pad The ol' D-pad has been moved down, but is still easily accessible for games that'll use it. No, it does not have any analog functions. Shigeru Miyamoto demonstrates the benefits of the Gamecube's controller. It may look like d monster, but it's about the size of the PlayStation's now-classic Dual Shock. a secondary memory cache in the MPU removes bottlenecks developers ran into with the N64. Miyamoto and other Nintendo representatives repeatedly acknowledged (and even apologized for) how difficult N64 development has been, and the Gamecube was designed from conception to address those shortcomings. Later in an interview with EGM, Nintendo of America VP of Marketing and Corporate Communications George Harrison confirmed that Nintendo was actively pursuing third parties for Gamecube development including big names like Namco, Capcom, Square and Enix, who either skipped the N64 or released only token games for it. Size Matters? The Gamecube disc holds almost double the amount of data of a CD- ROM —1.5 GB compared to 650 MB. Definitely an advantage, but not quite the amount of space of a DVD-ROM (which holds 4.9 GB). Z Trigger The Z Trigger from the N64 controller has been moved to the top of the controller, just in front of the right shoulder button. A, B, X and Y buttons “А” might be the main button, but the idea here is that you can feel which button is which without looking down at the controller. C button Really a secondary analog or camera button, "С" has been moved and altered so that it too is easily distinguishable from the rest. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 81 | Nintendo's wireless Gamecube | controller, Wavebird, can be | played from a maximum distance | of 10 meters. Up to four Wavebirds can be used on one system [simultaneously | 1 Luigi's Mansion Officially titled Luigi's Mansion, in this demo we see the other Super Mario brother dodging ghosts and a falling chandelier. This is probably a very good indication of stuff we'll be seeing next year. The images at right are from video footage presented only during the private showing of the Gamecube the day before Space World opened. This sequence of Luigi being revealed inside the mansion was particularly cool—it sent a shiver down our spines. `: Super Mario 128 Besides Miyamoto's controller demo, the only other live, real-time demonstration of the Gamecube's power was Super Mario 128. The blocks you see in this picture, when viewed from afar, were the pixels that made up the original Mario sprite from Super Mario Bros. on the NES. A single Mario (using the exact character model from Mario 64) emerged from underneath one of the blocks. As he picked up another block, another Mario emerged from inside that block, and so on and so on until 128 Marios were on the screen together (each acting and rendered independently). Notice that the hills in these pictures are completely smooth —no polygon "seams" that are normally found in other 3D games. °з к. other than Yuji Naka, Sonic Team's fearless leader, scopin' out the competition's latest hardware. Or does he have other ideas? Hmmm... Samus makes a cameo in the Gamecube demo reel, seen here running from a horde of nasty critters. Meowth's Party First seen at the end of the Pokémon cartoon on Kids WBI, this sequence of prancin' and dancin' Pokémon was rendered using the exact same polygon models from Pokémon Stadium. Here we see it running in real time on the Gamecube hardware. Remember a little N64 game called Perfect Dark? Well, this render of Joanna looks like a quickly thrown-together but clear sign that Rare is onboard Gamecube development. Link (who tosses his shield before the last sequence) and Ganon clash swords in this short battle sequence. © 2000 Nintendo кее гг FOR YOUR SELF -POWERED BY: THE TOF CHOICE IN GAMING ші FIND THE STORE NEAREST YOU BY GOING TO Www. лГоРМм=аж ва ме 5. СОМ Star Wars LucasArts prepared this brief X-Wing demo, which will reportedly be used in the next Shadows of the Empire game. Lookin' better than ever, this Wave Race demo featured amazingly realistic water reflections and Dolphins diving out of the way. nene MIC Secret ELECTRONIC (опе$. SPRO SKATER 2 x О SEE PAGE 36 ш "uum" CU. Reviews - NLL THE NE TATION GAMES = E previews. (сс ыла Та RE зарар cer п Electronic Gaming Monthly ELECTRONIC SAVINGS 1% gives readers the latest news, d game reviews, and tips about the E hottest new games for the leading video game systems. Don't miss out on the exciting issues coming up! Detach and mail back the order form or call us at: cya у Ve 20045 ORDER FORM |. [V] YES! Send me Electronic Gaming Monthly for 13 the savings term I’ve selected below. І І І І І І І І One year (12 issues) $19.97 – SAVE 67% 8ВСВ1 І Two years (24 issues) $34.97 – SAVE 71% І І І І І І І І І Мате (Please Print) Address City/State/Zip E-mail Annual newsstand price $59.98. Non-U.S. add US$16 per year; О Payment enclosed. О Bill me later. Canadian GST included. Allow 3-6 weeks for delivery. Mail this form back to: L Electronic Gaming Monthly • РО. Box 55722 * Boulder, CO 80323-5722 PRESS START Game Boy Finally Advances It may not come through as clearly on these pages, but the GBA is one tiny game system. It's about the same size as a GBC, held horizontally instead of vertically, and much thinner (easily Stored in a pocket), but with a larger screen. Two holes on either side of the Link Cable port at the top of the system are for peripherals to "lock" on (including lights, magnifying covers, etc.) that will be designed for the system later. There is no infrared communications port on the GBA, and no backlight (which Nintendo claims is to life; we say look for GBA Light in a Link cable port 3 extend battery couple years). Game Boy Advance Breakdown In other battery news, Nintendo will release a Battery Pak and Charger for the system that gives 10 hours of GBA play time with a two-hour charge. The system's graphics are very close to that of the Super NES. 16-Bit classics like Mario Kart and F-Zero are already being developed for the system, with truckloads more on the way. Unfortunately, we didn't get a glimpse of any Game Boy or Game Boy Color games running on the system to see how the backward compatibility works. We've heard two different stories: One that regular GBC screens are "stretched" to fit the GBA screen (which seems rather odd), and another that black or colored bars fill the sides of the screen, limiting it to regular GBC resolution. Check out the next few pages for all the games we know of so far (only a select few were playable at the show) and stay tuned for more as the GBA release approaches. Peripheral Notches SNES-style R Button SNES-style Standard A L Button | and B GAME BOY. buttons return The good Ж ol’ Gane Nintendo® Boy D-pad Speaker Volume GAME BOY ADVANCE Gal New round control, Select and ыр 5 јаск аге m on the 1445 mm bottom GBA By The Numbers LCD: Reflective TFT Color LCD Screen Size: 40.8mm x 61.2mm Resolution: 240 x 160 dots Display Capability: 32,000 colors CPU: 32-Bit RISC-CPU + 8-Bit CISC-CPU Memory: 32 Kbyte WRAM + 96 Kbyte VRAM (in CPU) 256 Kbyte WRAM (external of CPU) Sound: Speaker, Headphone Terminal Communication Function: Multiplay by up to four people possible with Game Boy Advance Communication Cable Power Supply: 2 AA Alkaline Batteries or special Battery Pak Battery Life: 2 AA Alkaline Batteries: Approx. 15 hours Battery Pak: Approx. 10 hours Power Consumption: Approx. o.6W Main Unit Weight: Approx. 140g Game Pak: Max. of 256Mbits(Game Boy Advance Only) Compatible with Game Boy/Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance Game Paks Forecasted Price: 9,800 yen (approx. $90) Estimated date of sale: Japan: March 21 , 2001 U.S. and Europe: July, 2001 NCL Executive VP Atsushi Asada introduces the world to Nintendo's next- generation portable, Game Boy Advance. 4 From the Start The GBA Communication Cable allows for four-player action right out of the box. Plus, you can play a four-player game like Mario Kart Advance with just one copy of the зате— which wasn't possible before with previous versions of the GB hardware. RPG fans who still remember the Genesis days and the Shining Force series should recognize Camelot's upcoming GBA RPG Golden Sun (3095 complete). While it uses sprites and looks 2D, the battles actually employ a cool pseudo-3D effect —the angle whips around from your party's to the enemies' perspective, depending on who is attacking. The music sounded great, and the crisp graphics gave us more faith in the GBA —one of the best games on display and definitely one to look forward to. Gimme some sugar, baby » ees ы. ШІ. € Somewhere between the original Super Mario Kart and the М64 version in terms of graphics, and identical to both іп terms of gameplay, Mario Kart Advance lets one to four players link up and battle itout on the Mode 7-style racetrack. | Easily the best of Nintendo's GBA titles so far, and still only 50% complete. Remember that PlayStation game Irritating Stick? No? Well, this is sort of like that, except that you must steer a constantly clockwise-twirling stick through paths without touching the walls. Timing your movements is key, as you'll have to squeeze through some tight spots. Touch a wall and you'll begin to lose energy, but there are areas in each stage where you can take a moment to refill your life. A fun little puzzle game by Nintendo (60% complete), but nothing that really uses the GBA's power. Europe—to do this you've got to uphold your soldiers’ willingness to fight by expanding your kingdom and rewarding your troops after battle. You can control y > individual soldiers ог put them under the watch of your commanders. They will give 3 you advice and regular reports on how their units are faring in battle. Konami's Wacky Racing - Konami shoulder buttons for jumping into power slides. Join famous Konami characters from the After choosing your character, you select a level Parodius, Goemon, Twinbee and Metal Gear also based on any game (we chose the Metal games (among others) in this racing/battletitle. | Gear Solid level, which had lots of crate Wacky Racing looked and played just like Mario | obstacles and a nice variation on the famous Kart Advance, from the Mode 7 tracks to the MGS theme song). Cool, but another cart racer? Silent Hill - Konami If you're expecting a carbon copy of the PlayStation adventure game, you'll be disappointed. Silent Hill for the GBA is an "interactive novel"—that means text pasted over still screens, where you choose between different actions at crucial points —kinda like the old Twist-A-Plot books. Small bits of FMV, however, were right from the PS game, and were especially impressive to see on the small screen (and on a cartridge’). Still, not what we were hoping for from Konami. Rockman EXE - Capcom Capcom brings Mega Man (known as Rockman in Japan) to the GBA, but throws away the old platformer formula. Instead, you're a boy who must enter a computer network and defeat viruses constructed by Dr. Wily. Basically, you move up and down on three planes, shooting enemies who appear on each of them, depleting their hit points. From what we played atthe show, it was more RPG than action game, and is going 10 need a lot of work if its going to get as good as we expect from the blue bomber. WHOLE LOTTA LOVE The number of Game Boy Advance demo units Nintendo had on display at Space World 2000. kh Electronic Gaming Monthly - 88 In this wartime strategy game for one or two players, you take on the role of Napoleon, French general and emperor in the early 19th century. Your ultimate goal is to take over We have no info and only one tiny picture of each of these games, but they were just too good not to pass along. Hopefully we'll know more about these titles soon, especially Castlevania and F-Zero! Castlevania: Circle of the Moon - Konami Dokapon - Asmik Ace Doraemon - Epoch Fire Emblem - Nintendo F-Zero Advance - Nintendo Game Boy Wars Advance - Nintendo Golf Master - Konami Monster Breed - Konami Tactics Ogre - Nintendo Pinopi's Adventure - Hudson Pocket GT Advance - MTO Bomberman Story - Hudson Fire Pro Wrestling Advance - Spike Top Gear Advance - Kotobuki Systems Connected Using the Mobile Adapter GB, you can use a PHS or cellular phone to connect to the Internet and play games online. Shown here (counterclockwise from top left) are a proposed GB Net Golf game, Game Boy Wars Mobile, an e-mail application, Net browser (both of which come in the Mobile Starter Game Pak, bundled with the Mobile Adapter GB). Pokémon Crystal (below right) lets you trade and battle over phone lines. It all goes оп sale Dec. 14 for 5800 yen (about 554). Because of conflicting U.S. cell phone standards, Nintendo is still considering if and how to bring the connector here—one option they are looking at is using standard phone lines instead. 52-29116 j»oT-6442 1417141 „| кл, | 5-3 That's right, the trademark “Sega!” scream that ended all of ће | | company's commercials back in the glory days of the Genesis (and lasted a bit into that whole Saturn mess) is back in a new | series of ads that started running Sept. 7 during MTV's Video Music Awards. АЦ we сап say is it's about frickin' time. Sega! Sega's Game Plan The Price Drop. The New Games. The New Attitude, ith Nintendo finally making noise at Space World, Sony about to launch its PlayStation 2, and Microsoft charming its way into the console biz, Sega is busy reminding the world that its Dreamcast is kicking off a gaming revolution. “That box there doesn’t have a modem,” Charlie Bellfield, Sega of America’s director of communications, told us while pointing at the PlayStation 2. “Xbox doesn’t have a modem. Sega is an online-entertainment company, and our focus is giving you great online content.” By the time you read this, you may have already tried Sega's first potential online killer app: NFL 2K1, which hit Sept. 7, the same day SegaNet went live (check back next month for a full review of NFL 2K1 and SegaNet). But what's next? We asked Bellfield what Sega has up its sleeve for the rest of the year and beyond. * What first-party online games hit next? Quake III Arena, which arrives in stores Oct. 10., will be the next big game to hit SegaNet, followed by МВА 2К on Oct. 31. Next up is Phantasy Star in January 2001. Shortly after, we'll get 18 Wheeler American Pro Trucker (you read right—this will be a network title), followed by Outtrigger in March 2001 or so. And we haven't even mentioned all the third- party online games—such as Unreal Tournament—that’ll hit this year. Bellfield said to expect at least a dozen first- and third-party network games by the end of this year. * And what about that mouse for Quake ПІ Arena? This handy gizmo launches a few days before ОШ in October. * When can we use the microphone for more just than jibber-jabbering with Seaman? Apparently by this Christmas, you'll be able to use the mike for voice-to-voice communication over the Internet with other SegaNet users (kinda like an Internet phone). And Visual Concepts is hoping to include voice chat in next year's NFL 2K2. * When do we get the LAN/Ethernet adapter? Bellfield said this peripheral —which snaps into the same slot used by the modem now will arrive here this fall. Sega is working with Genuity (formerly GTE Internetworking) to ready a broadband DSL connection to SegaNet. If you already have a cable or other broadband connection for your PC, you can simply unplug the ethernet plug from your computer (or run a cable from your ethernet hub, if you have one) and snap it into the LAN/Ethernet adapter, which will autodetect * What about those wonderful toys —the camera and MP3-playing VMU? Unfortunately, Sega has no firm release info on these gadgets, other than to say expect them within the next six months. The Dreamcast Camera (which was just released in Japan as the Dreameye) will act as a stand- alone digital camera or provide full-motion video when hooked to the Dreamcast. The "Sega is an online-entertainment company, our focus is giving you great online content." your connection and begin working immediately. Quake III Arena will be the first game to support the adapter (NFL 2K1 lacks the necessary drivers). Bellfield asserted we can expect speed-required content such as streaming video in Sega online titles once broadband becomes more commonplace. Oh, and the LAN/Ethernet adapter can also be used to create a local-area network between several Dreamcasts. Start gearing up for your LAN party now. * And the ZIP drive? It's set for a winter release, not long after the ethernet adapter. camera will reportedly be redesigned for the U.S. market. The MP3 VMU, on the other hand, has been scratched altogether. Instead, Sega will release a USB adapter for the DC controller port, letting you jack in whatever MP3 player you want. "The costs of bringing a unique VMU player, although competitive a year ago, isn't anymore," Bellfield told us. *VMU players have really dropped in price. We'll leave the manufacturing up to the Diamonds and Creative Labs out there." | We all knew її was coming, and it finally happened оп August 31—Sega dropped the Dreamcast's price to $149. So what does that mean for the $200 rebate program Sega planned for SegaNet subscribers? Simple: Sign up for SegaNet now and get a rebate check for $150 (shipped to you with a free keyboard) instead of the original $200 that Sega announced months before the price drop. But before you begin accusing Sega of being cheapskates, bear in mind that Sega has changed the terms of the rebate deal, too. Now, you only need to sign up for an 18-month commitment to SegaNet to get the rebate instead of the original term of two years. And Sega is also offering a 50-hour free trial of the SegaNet service. All you gotta do is buy NFL 2K1 or Quake ІП Arena to take advantage of the offer (it’s included with these games). “Sega’s job is to remove апу barriers for you the gamer to go online and sign up for the service and play great games," Bellfield said. Head to www.sega.net or call 1-800-688-8460 for more info on Sega's ISP and rebate offer. М н. ми телі Te Man-Ass Ads... After getting piles of angry letters from gamers and parents, we had to ask: What’s the deal with Sega’s Virtua Tennis ad? (You know, the one with the fat naked guys hanging out in a posh locker room.) “Tennis can be fun for anybody,” Bellfield said in defense of the ad, which is also churning up plenty of ire in Internet newsgroups. “That ad was poking fun and pointing the finger at the country-club set who believe they are the purveyor of tennis. But our ads are not about being irreverent to the point where we have no connection with the game. Our ads are about really standing out in a crowded space in the press.” Крок: Microsoft Secures Developers If you thought making the decision between console is finished and ready to go. Hints have DC and PS2 was tough this year, just wait until been dropped that it'll be in line with the PS2's 2001. By this time next year we'll be sizing up look— more stereo component than video the Gamecube and Xbox launches. To stay game machine—and that the controller may fresh in everyone's mind, Microsoft announced sport expansion slots similar to that of the DC a list of 17 second-party developers (spread controller. between console and PC veterans) working on Xbox projects to be released under Microsoft's label. Announcements regarding Japanese Microsoft Second-Party Developers developers could come as soon as the fall * Lionhead Satellites Tokyo Game Show in late September. * Universal Interactive Studios We've also confirmed that the design of the * Stormfront Studios * Kodiak Interactive Software Studios, Inc. * Totally Games * Rainbow Studios * Artificial Mind and Movement * Boss Game Studios * Climax Development, Ltd. * Digital Illusions * High Voltage Software * KnowWonder Digital Media Works * Pipeworks Software, Inc. * Pseudo Interactive, Inc. * Tremor Entertainment * VRi Entertainment (Circadence Corp.) ANIMATED BLOOD & GORE | ANIMATED VIOLENCE analy DA. Hail to the King, Ihe Hai to the EDN CHAINSAWS, BOOMSTICKS, АМО DEADITES, ОН MY! = ӘШІР АМО DICE THE UNDEAD WITH А WEAPON IN EACH HAND. = FIGHT EVIL ACROSS THE SPANS OF TIME: FROM THE INFAMOUS CABIN ТО ANCIENT DAMASCUS. | BEST OF АЦ... BRUCE CAMPBELL AS ASH! к . Screenshots from Sega Dreamcast WINDOWS HEAVY 2 © Dreamcast. 8/98 — (eov. WWWLEVILDEADGAME.COM IMPORT CALENDAR Import Pick of the Month: Onimusha Capcom brings its survival horror universe to the PS2 in this new adventure game loosely based on historical characters and events. The polygonal characters and prerendered backgrounds look a lot like Resident Evil, but Capcom promises that the gameplay will hold some surprises. PlayStation 10/5 Kamurai, Namco (RPG) 10/26 Fistofthe North Star, Bandai (Action) PlayStation 2 10/12 MotoGP, Namco (Racing) 11/33 Onimusha, Capcom (Adventure) 11/11 Silent Scope, Konami (Action) Dreamcast 10/5 Eternal Arcadia, Sega (RPG) 10/5 Eternal Arcadria Limited Box, Sega (RPG) 18 Wheeler, Sega (Racing) Napple Tale, Sega (Action/RPG) Sega Marine Fishing, Sega (Sports) 10/26 Sega Tetris, Sega (Puzzle) Oct Silent Scope, Konami (Action) 10/12 10/19 10/19 Nintendo 64 Oct біп and Punishment, Nintendo (Action) 11/27 Viewpoint 2064, Sammy (Shooter) Nov. Custom Robo V2, Nintendo (Action) Game Boy 10/31 Daikatana, Kemco(Action/RPG) Oct. | Phantom Zonar, Nintendo (RPG) 11/16 Dance Dance Revolution 682, Konami (Music) Nov. Mario Tennis, Nintendo (Sports) *Schedule subject to change without notice. Consult your local import game store for the latest release information. ALL LINED UP On August 26, Dragon Quest fans all over Japan lined up to buy the seventh game in the series (this time for PlayStation). Sales the first day reportedly totalled 1.8 million units. Enix expects to ship over 4 million in Japan. Nintendo wasn’t the only company showing off a new handheld in Japan this month. Just as we closed this issue, Bandai revealed the WonderSwan Color, an upgraded version of their popular black-and-white WonderSwan handheld. This new color-enabled version of the hardware (which is backward compatible with all original WonderSwan games) is capable of 241 colors on screen from a palette of 4096, all at a 224x114 pixel resolution. It will be powered by one AA battery, which Bandai claims will last for 20 hours of play. Most exciting of all, reports (unconfirmed as we go to press) are coming in that the WSC is definitely coming to the U.S. It will be available in five different colors when it goes on sale this December in Japan for ¥6800 (about 565). The original WonderSwan has been a relative success across the Pacific, where its tiny size (about 5” x 3”), light weight (95 Square's early Final Fantasy games have been remixed (РЕШ shown here) for the new WS Color. WonderSwan Color Takes Flight grams), low price (about $45) and big games (Beatmania, Super Robot Wars, Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon) helped it capture a respectable chunk of the handheld market (but still a distant second to the Game Boy). Almost exactly the same size and shape as the original, and launching well before the Game Boy Advance, the WonderSwan Color would seem to have a good chance at success there as well. Square is working on upgraded versions of Final Fantasy |, Ії and III (with other FF games up to part VI planned). Bandai also showed a USB cable for the WSC, which will allow it to connect to cell phones, PCs and the PS2. Look for more on the WonderSwan Color and any U.S. launch details next issue. Tidbits... Square to Continue Going Hollywood Square and Columbia Pictures are planning to jointly produce three more computer- generated movies following the release of Final Fantasy: The Movie in 2001. Square’s U.S. unit will produce the CG films and use the technology implemented in the upcoming FF movie. In other movie news, the third Pokemon flick—based on the Gold and Silver games—will hit the U.S. in spring 2001. LucasArts Makes Nice With THQ LucasArts inked a deal that grants THQ worldwide rights to publish games based on Indiana Jones and Star Wars for the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. Obi-Wan’s Adventures, due in fall 2000, and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, due in spring 2001, will be the first two LucasArts-developed games that THQ will publish on the GBC. Four Game Boy Advance titles will follow. І Choose You, C:/Windows! As if it hadn't infiltrated every facet of everyday life, Pokémon will now take over your hard drive. The Pikachu virus will appear in the form of an executable file with a Pikachu icon. When opened, it re-instructs your autoexec.bat file to erase your Windows directory upon Electronic Gaming Monthly - 4 restarting, so if you happen to "catch it," check your autoexec to make sure it hasn't been modified before you shut down. Pad Pad Revolution Tired of having to use those weak third- party pads to play Dance Dance Revolution at home? Konamistyle, Konami's online store (www.konamistyle.com) is polling interest on whether they should produce an arcade- replica pad for use at home. Fifty-five pounds of stainless steel and LEDs, the unit will be available online and in retail stores if response is positive. At $1,800 a pop, we'll see who the real hardcore dancers are! Konami has confirmed that its mega-popular (in Japan, anyway) Dance Dance Revolution PlayStation game is headed to the states in January. Raymanbow Six? Red Storm, producers of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Rogue Spear games, was acquired by Ubi Soft (Rayman, Evolution 2) earlier this fall. Ubi Soft explains the acquisition as an important step in becoming “опе of the world's top five publishers." The company hopes its association with Red Storm will broaden its capabilities and increase its presence in the U.S. market. n | птоза и For icy cool breath that lasts: | Winterfresh. CHOOSE YOUR JEDI e | D a n With the power of the Force and your trusty Jedi lightsaber, you must deflect, defeat and destroy legions of Trade Federation droids, Sith assassins, alien creatures— and ultimately, Darth Maul himself! The Jedi are now coming to бега Dreamcast— to take advantage of its power and offer some new surprises! Find out more at http://jedipowerbattles.lucasarts.com. ©2000 LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC. ©2000 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM or © as indicated. The LucasArts Dreamc st ogo is а registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under а оп. Sega. Dreamcast Sls. ын logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Er s. LTD. From the creators of Vigilante 8” ie and wea Vigilante 8: па Offense’ я О ТАН WARS = EOL ШП) eec ее E CONTENT RATED BY Quartermann - Game Gossip & Speculation owzers. Got me a spread in the magazine this month—yee haw! You know what that means, don’t you? An overflowing bowl of industry rumor and dish, baby. So let's just go ahead and jump into it, eh? ...Remember а few months ago when yours truly said that Mother 3 had been put on the D.O.A. list? Well it's finally been confirmed. Miyamoto told a roundtable of American and Euro press at Space World that had they had an assurance that 500,000 U.S. gamers would've bought it they might've reconsidered canning it. Hrmm, hey guys over at starmen.net, get crackin’! Ah, it's probably too late...Star Fox coming for Gamecube? Sure is! Yes! ..Oh how the О loves the Daytona. | remember hearing of a Daytona 2 DC port a long time ago, but only recently has it come to fruition. A playable version's now ready, but apparently there's a slight problem. Seems that Sega doesn't have the Daytona license (the arcade game was co-published by EA). So they've been checking around with. publishers-of other Daytona games (either Hasbro or Sierra EA already said по) to see if they willdo.the game. At ECTS, Sega was showing a video of Daytona Online so you know we'll see it soon... ...ToeJam & Earl, come back!!!! The fine people at Visual Concepts are riow helping the original funky duo make a triumphant return to game screens everywhere. It's been a long time, boys. But the вате іѕ indeed headed to Dreamcast and we should start seeing the first glimpses of it soon...Speaking of older Sega games, seems that all hope is lost for a new Streets of Rage game. Good ol' boy and kick- ass musician/game designer Yuzo Koshiro told a source close to the Q that while he was keen on doing a sequel, Sega wasn't so enthralled with the idea. Darnit! „Мом that Gamecube has been announced and those little demos shown, you've gotta wonder, which ones are actually going to turn into real games, especially the one we've all been waiting for— Metroid (*drool*...someone get me a bib!). Seems that Samus' next adventure will come out of the Lone Star State, from a lil' company we like to call Retro. Let's just hope those boys know how to do Metroid justice...Medal of Honor PS2? Awwwwww yeah... ...The Xbox release is getting closer and there Still haven't been any announcements about Japanese developers. The Q-meister's beginning to think that maybe it's been a tough road getting developers across the Pacific as excited about the system's power as everyone in the U.S./Europe seems to be...speaking of being excited, Eidos is so enthusiastic that Xbox is the way of all things gaming that they're already plotting a new Lara Croft adventure for the Xbox launch. But wait, | thought Lara was dead...Speaking of the boys at Eidos, seems they just may've been victorious in snatching future Tokyo Extreme Racer games away from Crave Entertainment after TXR2. And the series' next move is to PS2... ...Spyro the Dragon is being freed from his PlayStation shackles in 2002. Due to a deal struck between Universal and Havas Interactive, the lil’ dragon pal will land on Xbox, Ps2 and Game Boy Advance—among other platforms yet to be named (can you say, Gamecube?). Well sorry to rain on your parade, boys, but if the fine folks at Insomniac aren't designing Spyro 4, will it really be any good? Ready the award for "the most pimping of a video game franchise..." ...Infogrames has absorbed another company! Mattel is the latest to be bought, but it hasn't been formally announced yet... ...Electronic Arts is working on an Ultima BLOW YOUR OWN B Online-derivative title for PS2. Since the game'll be ready before the broadband strategy for PS2 is in place, it'll come with a 56k USB modem in the box...Hmm, the PS2 is becoming quite the home for online RPGs. Everquest, the other major online RPG, is definitely PS2- bound... ...LucasArts' next Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire game which was shown as a Gamecube demo will also be coming to PS2 and Xbox. Ah, it's good to hear that finally game consoles have reached a point where they can more accurately depict the Star Wars universe we've become so accustomed to all these years... Wonder what kinds of games will accompany the release of Episode ll... ...Мап oh man. This lil’ tidbit is one the О saved for last this month (Still reading? Good.). Polyphony Digital is still hard at work on GT2000, but lead designer Kazunori Yamauchi is already looking towards the future. In GT3 TM © (the official “sequel” to 672) instead of buying cars off the CD when you've earned credits — you'll be buying them off of the official GT3 Web site. Yamauchi's plan for the series eventually is to get every car ever made into the game (yeouch, big plans!), and that can only be done by offering the cars online... Next month I'll have more straight from the floor of TGS...wait a sec, no Square, Konami or Sega? -TheQ UBBLE. Download my screensaver and watch me blow "ет away. Just waddle over to CANDYSTAND.com The Тор 20 Best-Selling Games of July, 2000 1- Kirby 64 Nintendo's little pink blob hits the charts and shoots straight to the top this month, proving that N64 owners know a good game when " they see one. It’s exciting to see а Nintendo game in the top five that isn't starring Pokémon! 2- Pokémon Yellow Pikachu and company may have lost the top spot, but you can bet that they агеп'ї far away. Nintendo's franchise holds strong at number two, with the release of Gold & Silver (and Crystal in 2001) just on the horizon. 3- - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater _ Activision's top skater might get pushed off the chart by its own | sequel. Then again, if they drop the price, this one could be around for a while. Either way, expect to see Tony here again soon with a "2" in the title. Seems lots of people ignored our esteemed sports guys on Sega's = new baseball game, then again we don't get numbers on how many were eventually returned. Nice to see a Dreamcast title crack the top five—too bad it's such a turd. З - Pokémon Trading Card pos и Trading cards оп the Game Boy! 0000 Nintendo could sell loads of just about anything with the Pokémon name on it, but this Game Boy Color rendition of the popular card game is actually quite good...if you're into that sort of stuff. Freak. Legend of Dragoon Sony CEA 6 1 Spec 0р5 Take 2 Interactive Perfect Dark Nintendo Driver GT Interactive Pokémon Blue Nintendo 1 Pokémon Red Nintendo Star Wars Episode |: Racer LucasArts WWF SmackDown! THO Т Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Nintendo Tony Hawks Pro Skater Activision Wario Land 3 Nintendo Tekken 3 Namco Syphon Filter 2 989 Studios " 19 1 Pokémon Stadium Nintendo | 20 Syphon Filter 989 Studios JAPAN TOP 10 intendo. Mario Tennis М қа ii 8 [7] From Software. My Summer Vacation 10 Medarot 3 Kabuto/Kawagada Version о Bandai 8 Armored Core 2 9 Sony ct Electronic Gaming Monthly - 50 LAST WORTH LAST MONTE LAST MONTA LAST MONTH LAST моята тазт MONTE Е манти са MONTH ЕШ нота LAST MONTE LAST MONTH 5 че LAST MONTA = мента ЕЙ менти LAST MONTH Source: NPD TRSTS Video Games Service. Call Mary Ann Porreca at (516) 625-2345 for questions regarding this list. Top 5 game descriptions written by the EGM staff. CEE Don't call а comeback! Mario takes the top two spots in Japan with Mario Story (Paper Mario here) and Mario Tennis. FFIX may not be on top, but it's Still selling strong. Impressive since we figured everybody who wanted it already bought it in its 2 million+ opening week of sales. october 2000 where the world shops for interactive Р5 ОМЕ САМЕ NFL САМ CONSOLE 3 (с) #183534-7 Ў (с) #183279-9 | PlayStation | S.C.E.A. PlayStation | 5.СЕА. PlayStation | СЕА. ation. & E PlaySE 7 GRAN TURISMO 2 GREATEST HITS 1 KA 21627041 PlayStation | S.CEA. Бољи РУКО ТНЕ 6 DRAGON 2 OF #773543 "М PLAYSTATION 2 PlayStation | S.CEA. Q GAME CONSOLE >5299 99 #172982-1 5.СЕА. www.ebworld.com Call 1-800-800-0032 to place your order! 88 DUAL |МРАСТ 2 GAMEPAD $29. #182254-3 PlayStation 2 | Performance INTERACF www.interact-acc.com #182259-2 PlayStation 2 | InterAct Performance | mvc | PlayStation 2 | Performance PlayStation 2 | Performance 39.99 PlayStation 2 | Performance PlayStation 2 | Performance PlayStation 2 | Performance — < ап 1.800.800.5166 for the store nearest you! —9 Шы ion A KATE LAB A STOCK сағ RACING 2 PlayStationi > PlayStat TEEN (су) АВВЕТТ & LABONTE Qs ( К CAR RACING 544.99 MIKE TYSON BOXING СУ) #179349-6 ED #176481-0 Ж PloyStotion | Codemasters PlayStation | Codemasters ICGENERATOR MUSIC CREATION FOR ТНЕ PLAYSTATION іш PlayStation FOX KIDS MICRO MANIACS RACING #177529-5 PlayStation | Codemasters PlayStation. || - ПОВЕ ЛАРЕ ТЕККЕМ ТАб À QES 4999 QEDD PlayStation 2 | Namco бос ]se»uueaic] fy \ DREAMCAST SPORTS PACK $ Q 7184665-8 169.99 Dreamcast! Sega © Dreamcast М SEGA SPORTS NBA 2K! (AY #115505 Dreamcast! Sega © Dreamcast ТУУ SEGA MARINE FISHING 544,99 Dreamcast! Sega 6- 8- #176690- | 6700- NINTENDO 64 FUNTASTIC COLORS HARDWARE Nintendo LEGEND OF ZELDA: verto MAJORA'S MASK PLAYER'S GUIDE #188451-9 ЕАСОЕ є POKEMON PUZZLE LEAGUE 5 ЕЕ 59.99 Е БЕ... VR POKÉMON GOLD & SILVER PLAYER'S GUIDE #185072-6 Hintbook | Nintendo Game Boy Color | Nintendo Game Boy Color | Nintendo Prices valid in U.S. only. Typographical errors are not the responsibility of Electronics Boutique. Not all items may appear at our outlet locations. Prices may vary in Puerto Rico and New York City locations. At time of printing, all products are expected to be available. Some packaging and special offers may differ in Canada. Prices and availability are subject to change. Manufacturers’ delays are not the responsibility of Electronics Boutique. ©2000 Electronics Boutique. www.ebworld.com Call 800-800-0032 to p 55 RT РВЕ STA Coming Soon - November 2000 Compiled Ву Chris Johnston chris_johnston@zd.con & Jennifer Whitesides ame Boy Color Animorphs [1 Brunswick Pro Pool - Vatical Entertainment Bust A Move Millennium - Acclaim Cruis'n Exotica - Midway Cybertiger - EA Sports Fi Championship 99 - Ubi Soft Formula 1 Racing - Take 2 Interactive Galaxian - Majesco Grand Theft Auto 2 - Take 2 Interactive Hercules - Titus Jimmy White's Cue Ball - Vatical Entertainment Lemmings Revolution - Take 2 Interactive Magical Drop - Electro Source Micro Machines V3 - THQ MTV Sports: Ultimate BMX - THQ. NASCAR Racers - Majesco NBA Jam 2001 - Acclaim Pokémon Gold - Nintendo Pokémon Silver - Nintendo Puzzle Collection - Electro Source Rugrats in Paris - THQ. А VR Sports: Powerboat Racing - Vatical Entertainment Racing World Destruction League - 3DO Xena - Titus гт 5 Heroes 2 - 300 Backyard Fo: Infogrames Breath of Fire IV - Capcom Buzz Lightyear of Star Command - Activision Dark Stone - Take 2 Interactive Dragon Valor - Namco Earthworm Jim - Interplay ESPN Outdoor Games: Bass Fishing - Konami FIFA 2001 - EA Sports Ford Racing - Take 2 Interactive Formula 1 2000 - Tommo Galaga - Hasbro Harvest Moon Back to Nature - Natsume Jarrett & Labonte Stock Car Racing - Codemasters Jungle Book - Ubi Soft Martian Gothic - Take 2 Interactive Medal of Honor Underground - Electronic Arts Mega Man Legends 2 - Capcom Mike Tyson Boxing - Codemasters Mort the Chicken - Electronic Arts Moto Racer World Tour - Infogrames Muppet RaceMania - Midway MTV Sports: TJ Lavin’s Ultimate BMX - THQ NASCAR Heat - Hasbro NBA Live 2001 - EA Sports МВА ShootOut 2001 - 989 Sports Pro Pinball: Fantastic Journey - Take 2 Interactive Rollcage Stage 2 - Midway RPG Maker - Agetec Rugrats in Paris - THQ Sheep - Empire Interactive Speedball 2100 - Take 2 Interactive Superman - Titus Ultimate fighting. Championship - Crave Ent. Vampire Hunter D - Jaleco Vanishing Point - Acclaim WCW 2001 - Electronic Arts Worms Pinball - Infogrames WWF SmackDown! 2 - THQ Big Mountain - Southpeak Caesar’s Palace - Crave Entertainment Cruis’n Exotica - Midway Fa Championship 99 - Ubi Soft International Track & Field - Konami Legend of Zelda 2: Majora’s Mask - Nintendo Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber - Atlus Rugrats in Paris - THQ Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers - THQ 4Ха Evolution - Gathering of Developers Austin Powers: Mojo Rally - Take 2 Interactive Buzz Lightyear of Star Command - Activision Dark Angel: Vampire Apocalypse - Metro 3D род of War - Take 2 Interactive ESPN NBA 2 Night - Konami Evil Dead: Hail to the King - THQ. F1 Championship 99 - Ubi Soft Frogger 2 - Majesco Grand Prix 4 - Hasbro Half-Life - Sierra Heroes of Might & Magic 3 - Ubi Soft Jet Grind Radio - Sega KISS: Psycho Circus - Gathering of Developers МВА 2K1 - Sega Peace Makers - Ubi Soft POD 2 - Ubi Soft Pro Pinball Collection - Take 2 Interactive Q*Bert - Majesco Quake III Arena - Sega Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear - Majesco Samba de Amigo - Sega Sega Marine Fishing - Sega Silent Scope - Konami Spawn - Capcom StarLancer - Crave Entertainment Star Trek: New Worlds - Interpla Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles = LucasArts Vanishing Point - Acclaim Worms Pinball - Infogrames Game Boy Color in - Ubi Soft Army Men Air Combat - 3Do Army Меп: Sarge's Heroes 2 - 300 Batman Racing - Ubi Soft Blade - Activision Buzz Lightyear of Star Command - Activision Cannon Fodder - Codemasters Carnivale - Vatical Chicken Run - THQ Dave Мита Freestyle BMX - Ассіаїт Donald Duck: Quack Attack - Ubi Soft Donkey Kong Country - Nintendo Dukes of Hazzard - Southpeak FIFA 2001 - Electronic Arts Force 221 - South Peak Gauntlet Legends - Midway Godzilla 2 - Crave Entertainment Grinch, The - Konami Harvest Moon 2 - Natsume Inspector Gadget - Ubi Soft Jungle Book - Ubi Soft Lego Action Team - Lego Media Lego Stunt Rally/Racers - Lego Media Little Nicky - Ubi Soft. Madden NFL 2001 - EA Sports Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX - Activision Mummy, The - Konami NBA Live 2000 - THQ Road Rash - Electronic Arts Robopon - Atlus Roswell Conspiracies - South Peak Scooby Doo! Classic Creep Capers - THQ Surfing - Ubi Soft Tech Deck Skateboarding - Codemasters Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 - Activision VIP - Ubi Soft Warriors of Might & Magic - 3Do Woody Woodpecker Racing - Konami X-Men: Mutant Wars - Activision 007 Racing - Electronic Arts 102 Dalmations: Pup to the Rescue - Eidos Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare - Infogrames Army Men Arcade Blasts - 3D0 Batman Racing - Ubi Soft Blade - Activision Bugs & Taz Time Busters - Infogrames Carmageddon 2 - Interplay Championship Motocross 2001 - THQ Championship Surfer - Mattel Chicken Run - Eidos Cool Boarders 2001 - Sony CEA Crash Bash - Sony CEA Disney: Emperors New Groove - Sony CEA Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers - Ubi Soft Dukes of Hazzard ІІ - Southpeak Evil Dead: Hail to the К, THQ Final Fantasy IX - Square EA Grinch, The - Konami HBO Boxing - Acclaim Hidden and Dangerous - Take 2 Interactive Inspector Gadget - Ubi Soft Knockout Kings 2001 - EA Sports Looney Tunes Racing - Infogrames Lunar 2: Eternal Blue - Working Designs March Madness 2001 - EA Sports Mat Hoffman's Pro ВМХ - Activision McGrath/Pastrana Motocross - Acclaim Mummy, The - Konami Muppet Monster Adventure - Midway N R Racers - Hasbro NCAA Final Four 2001 - 989 Sports Persona 2 - Atlus Power Spike Pro Beach NolleyBell - Infogrames Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 - Midway Rock Em Sock Em Robots - Mattel Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear - Red Storm Scooby Doo! Classic Creep Capers - THQ ‘Spyro: Year of the Dragon - Sony CEA Star Wars Demolition - LucasArts Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001 - EA Sports Tomb Raider Chronicles - Eidos Torneko: The Last Hope - Enix VIP - Ubi Soft Warriors of Might & Magic - 300 Woody Woodpecker Racing - Konami Misc. Sports Action Action 2 Action itrategy Action Racing Misc. Action Flight Sim Adventure Action Action Racing Action Action Action Racing Adventure Sports Sports Action = асіп, RPE Adventure Adventure Sports Sports Sports Action Action Racing Action acing Action Action Action Racing Action Action Racing Racing Sports Action Adventure Action Sports Adventure Racing Electronic Gaming Monthly - 57 World Is Not Enough, The - Electronic Arts. Actior X-Men: Mutant Wars - Activision Actio апјо-Тооіе - Nintendo venturi Blues Brothers 2000 - Titus Action Carnivale - Vatical Entertainment Actior Eternal Darkness - Nintendo RPC Greatest Arcade Hits | - Midway Misc Hercules - Titus Actio Hey You! Pikachu - Nintendo Misc Mia Hamm 64 Soccer - Southpeak Sport: Mickey's Speedway USA - Nintendo Racin; Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 - Midway Sport: Spider-Man - Activision Actior lorld Is Not Enough, Тһе - Electronic Arts Actio WCW Backstage Assault - Electronic Arts Sport: WWF No Mercy - THQ Sport: 102 Dalmations 5 to te Rescue = tides Acto Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare - Infogrames Actio Arcatera - Ubi Soft Adventur: Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes - Midway Actio! Capcom vs. SNK - Capcom tin; Ball Breakers - Take 2 Interactive right р i Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX - Acclaim port: Disney's Dinosaur - Ubi Soft Adventur: Dragon Rider - Ubi Soft Adventur: CW Anarchy Rulz - Acclaim Sport: ESPN Baseball Tonight - Konami Sport: ESPN Links Golf - Konami Sport: Evil Twin: Cyprien’s Chronicle - Ubi Soft Actio! Gold & Glory: Road to El Dorado, The - Ubi Soft Adventur: Greatest Arcade Hits ПІ - Midway Misc Grinch, The - Konami Actioı Legend of the Blade Masters - Ripcord RPC Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX - Activision Sport: Metropolis Street Racer - Sega Racin; Monster Breeder - Tommo RPC Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness - Namco Puzzli Polaris SnoCross - Vatical Entertainment Racin Quest of the Blademasters - Ripcord Adventur: Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 - Midway Sport: Shenmue - Sega Adventur: Skies of Arcadia - Sega RPC Sno-Cross Champ. Racing - Crave Entertainment Каст! Soldier of Fortune - Crave Entertainment Actio Sonic Shuffle - Ses Misc Speed Devils 2 - Ubi Soft Racin; Star Wars Demolition - LucasArts Actio! Stunt GP - Infogrames Racin; System Shock 2 - Vatical Entertainment Adventur: Test Drive Le Mans - Infogrames Racin; Tomb Raider Chronicles - Eidos Adventur: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - Activision =P rt: Unreal Tournament - Infogrames Fightin; VIP - Ubi Soft Actio! Who Wants to Beat Up a Millionaire - Sierra Misc Game Boy Color Aliens Thanatos Encounter - Capcom Action Croc 2 - THQ Adventur: Lion King: Simba’s Adventure - Activision Adventur: MTV Sports: Pure Ride - THQ Sport: The Simpsons - THQ Actioı WWF No Mercy - THQ Sport: Blade Arts - Enix Adventur: EA Sports Supercross 2001 - EA Sports Racin; Gold & 595: Road to El Dorado - Ubi Soft Adventur: lyn Chronicles: The First Mage - Donald Duck - Ubi Soft Actior Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness - Namco Puzzli ws Mario - Nintendo RPC е of Empires || - Konami trateg' Grandia II - Ubi Soft RP( Max Steel - Mattel Actior Mummy, Тһе - Konami Actio! Stupid Invaders - Ubi Soft Actio! SWAT 3D - Sierra Strateg Game Boy Color Mega Man Extreme - Capcom Metal Walker - Capcom Pocket Racers - Interpla: Каст! Deuce - Mi is ШЕПТІ 452 Actio Shoote Armada 1 - Metro 3D Cannon Spike - Capcom = = Aardman In this 3D action adventure, it's up to уои to lead Ginger, Rocky and their feathered comrades in an attempt to escape Farmer Tweedy's deadly pie-making operation. Using stealthy, strategic moves rather than pure firepower, you'll sneak around the farm collecting your tools of escape while avoiding the evil farmers and their bloodthirsty dogs. What are you, chicken? ШЕКЕР Г www.chickenrungame.com VES, IT'S А TME OF MADNESS AND FEAR, HALLOWEEN 15 ALSO А TIME OF REFLECTION — THE ONE I ТИМЕ OF YEAR WHEN, IN OUR INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATI AND WELL-LIT WORLD, WE CAN GINE Pause ТО OUR АҚЫНЫ: MINDS AND FACE THE DISQUIETING THOUGHTS WE TRY SO HARD TO HIDE: OUR PRIVATE DARKNESSES, OUR PRIMAL FEARS, PERHAPS EVEN OUR VERY MORTALITY! R Pius, TLL HELP TAKE YOUR MIND ОЕР THE FACT THAT You 5057 [4 Brew FIFTY воско ом canny FoR SNOT NOSED. tRicK- 08: TREATERS! БОО, VIDEO GAMERS! M ИЗО TANAKA, THIS 5 МЧ BROTHER CHAN, [AND AROUND HERE THE HALLOWEEN SEASON. 15 IN FULL SWING! чо OSTUMES ARE 'UNINSPIRED. WELL, UNLESS You Сам HOSE чем DOWN FIRST, THIS ISSUE HALLOWEE | STUFF ! oo {THATS WHY we, OURSELVES, HAVE GOTTEN INTO ТАЄ SPIRIT OF THE SEASON THIS YEAR BY CREATING OUR OWN SPOOKHOUSE WELL, THAT, AND, У NEEDLESS To SAN, ALL PROCEEDS Go TO US. LET'S 60 HALLOWEEN HOLDS SPECIAL SANE FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY КЕТЕР ALL, WHAT OTHER FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT BOASTS SUBJECT FIRST EXHI Ti T Оой FIRST EXHIBIT OF TERROR: [»s HALL SIMULATES WHAT 15 PERHAPS THE “$ "THE KID WHO NEVER LEFT HIS ROOM!" iT STARTED WHEN НЕ MOST TERRIFYING PORTION OF АМУ RES рми TITLE= THE PART WHERE You REALIZE MATTER C SISTING ALMOST ENTIRELY PLAYED "stmoN's QUEST ALL THE Я COMPLETE STRANGERS TRYING то Wt ЧОО? [176 2957 LIKE YOU'D FIND АТ YOUR MORE UPS CALE AMUSEMENT GROUNDS, EXCEPT THIS ONE 15 | ENTIRELY VIDEO GAME- THEMED ^ WAY THROUGH їм ONE SITTING~AND NOW HIS SKIN HAS ACTUALLY BEGUN To MELD WITH THe RECLINE! THIS, CHYLDRER, 15 WHY You SHOULD YOU WILL HAVE TO BACKTRACK OVER SENEN _ MILES OF DESERTED SCENERY То REACH SH NEAREST ITEM Вох BECAUSE You PICKED UF THE WRONG KEY THE LAST TIME YOU WERE THERE ALWAYS TAKE ONE FIF TEEN-MINUTÉ BREAK FoR EVERY HOUR OF GAMEPLAY, "SEGA. HERE'S AN IMAGE FAMILIAR TO AND HERE WE HAVE... UM. SATURN.” ANYONE WHO'S PLAYED KoN AMIS WAIT A MINUTE, 1 DON'T DISTURBING “SILENT HILL” 085 REMEMBER ING АМУ оғ THICK, CLAUSTROPAOBIA- INDUCING, OF THis... “MEDIEVIL," WoRROR-coNcEALING FOG! MAYBE? “BARNEY'S HIDE AND-SEEK ADVENTURE?" WE CALL THIS ONE, "i FORGOT To SAVE.” HEAVENS. THATS PATHETIC. гоми IN"SUFERMAN'" For THE У NGG! / 144718 тақ WERE INA GRANENARP- в AGAIN WE TEASE THE UNPLAVABLE WAD OF CRAP! AIGH?! TE ATaR vic Bs SATURN! THE REO- ORATE 16! ALL OF OUR OBSOLETE GAME SYSTEMS, RISING FROM THER GRAVES! Hed = 3 607 To CATCH CATH. FIGURE OUT WHATS GOING ON. MAYBE THE GAME боч COLOR САМ Ete D Psst: foU 6045! IN HERE QUICK) THANK GOD! THE GAME Boy COLOR! COME ON! CHAN. jos. You MEMBER... BoNKS о ADVENTURE? SPLATTERHOUSE? bu usep 70 CUT CLASSES TO PLAY! COME TOME, y CHAN! WE CAN PLAY. FORENERRR:! сом со5: ER! ADJUST МУ CONTRAAAST/ GOT FOUR роцвив-к5 HANDY? BWAR RA МАМА Ў cex! d ее AYARI JAGUAR! ants THE WATER? THAT. THATS NOT THE GAME — 9 WHAT ARE Yor TAKING WILL HSU AND CHAN SURVIVE THIS, INIGHTOF TERROR? WELL, PROBABLY, AS [THE NEXT EPISODE момо BE KIND OF | DULL OTHERWISE .. FROM Att OF US. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ALSO, ВЕ SURE то REMOVE ALL RATORS AND SYRINGES FROM YOUR CANDY BEFORE EATING. er с өс PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, END! 2000 За 7 e nid КР: I oww.aPe-L aw. comm /@ vilmon ke v. tronic Ge SIBILITIES . "EST MYSELF PHYSICALLY -еоо-чев-овае Www.eirieence. ue | лаа А FREES EIDOS RADICAL Spend quality time getting to know the brutal quirks of all 30 playable characters. Enjoy the blistering speed of 60 frames per second with as many as four players. Exit + Armour Place Armour Low A simple level editor lets you make your own maps for endless new environments. ТМ ==) The fastest first-person 2 = з 2 5 5 5 5 A = а $ = 5 £ 5 Е 4 8 a Ш 8 з 8 8 E] 4 t4 = 5 8 Б 5 8 5 = $ 2 E] 8 = ш 2 = 5 2 = 5 Е 5 3 8 з E = С $ = Ed 2 5 о 5 2 о = 5 5 5 2 8 з ш 2 = 2 2 5 о = 5 в 8 Е 8 = üi 8 8 E Ф 2 È 5 8 8 Я 5 © З č 2 2 3 5 E 5 Е 5 E B 2 5 8 5 2 з 5 2 2 Е 5 8 3 є 8 Е logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other registered trademarks are properties of their respective owners. АН rights reserved. shooter ever made Death has never been faster. for а gaming console: www.eidos.com INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE МЕМ MISSION! س о азетат of Valve, L.L.C. Tarks of Captivation Digital tered trademarks of Sieffa On. л апа the Captivation Digital La rademarks or trademarks of Sega Е! *e New weapons, characters and Intelligent characters and an effects designed to take advantage intense story create a unique of Dreamcast's power. action game experience. | RATING PENDING Г 4 j RP ©2000 Sierra On-Line, Inc. Sierra, Sierra Studios, and Half-Life ап | з Gearbox and the Gearbox logo are trademarks of Сеађохиво аге. Capt; Laboratories, Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Огеатсазь ово are ейбер registere MALF-LIFE|, “THE BEST FIRST-PERSON > mt | ©* Dreamcast “Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine Just another day at the office. Or so you thought...until your experiment blew up in your face. Now, with aliens coming through the walls and a military death squad killing everything in site, you're scrambling to stay alive. Half-Life combines great storytelling with intense action and advanced technology to create what many _ consider to be the greatest action game experience of all time. Plus, here for the first time is an entirely new Half-Life mission created exclusively for the Dreamcast - Blue Shift! In this huge new campaign, you take command of a security guard at the Black Mesa research facility and battle your way through the í chaos of an alien invasion. — 2 пе E м zy - A WT 19 1 ту Huge new mission, Half-Life: ve Play the game that has won more Blue Shift - designed just for than 50 Game of the Year awards the Dreamcast! from publications around the world. DEVELOPED B gearbox [VALVE] SIERRA Sega@Dreamcast. и — LIA $ Previews 7011 — Grandia И 72 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Jedi Power Battles то Unreal Tournament. Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare 76 Test Drive Le Mans Xtreme Sports 84 Speed Devils 2 Super Runabout: San Francisco Edition Looney Tunes Space Race 86 StarLancer РОД 2 Army Men: Sarge's Heroes Stunt GP. 90 Max Steel Prince of Persia Cool Cool Toon 94 Disney's Dinosaur Championship Surfer Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear Red 009 96 Rune Jade Phantasy Star Online 100 Paper Mario Spider-Man 102 Sin and Punishment WWF No Mercy 104 Star Wars Episode І: Battle for Naboo Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage 106 Rugrats in Paris The Movie Scooby Doo! Classic Creep Capers Cruis'n Exotica 108 Маго Party 3 Echo Delta Custom Robo V2. 112 WCW Backstage Assault Animal Forest Pokémon Stadium: Gold Silver & Crystal 118 Kessen 122 Star Wars Episode I: Starfighter The Воипсег 123 NHL 2001 NASCAR 2001 Unreal Tournament 124 Gungriffon Blaze Metal Gear Solid 2 126 Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore Evergrace Motor Mayhem! 127 Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 Moto GP Wild Wild Racing 128 Mobile Suit Gundam. Reiseleid Ephemeral Fantasia Midnight Club 129 Orphen WipeOut Fusion 132 Buchigire Kongou Dance Summit 2001 Rock'n Megastage World Domination League: Thunder Tanks 133 Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee X'Squad PlayStation 138 Final Fantasy IX Star Wars Episode I: Demolition 142 Driver 2 Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare 143 The World Is Not Enough Torneko: The Last Hope 144 WWF SmackDown! 2 Moto Racer World Tour 145 Looney Tunes Racing Bugs & Taz Time Busters 146 Donald Duck Goin’ Quackers Mort the Chicken Power Spike Pro Beach Volleyball The Emperor's New Groove 147 Cool Boarders 2001 Championship Motocross - Ricky Carmichael 148 WCW Backstage Assault NHL 2001 Deuce 153 Evil Dead: Hail to the King Danger Girl 154 007 Racing NBA ShootOut 2001 NBA Live 2001 156 Gold and Glory: The Road to EI Dorado The Maestromusic RayCrisis Dragon Warrior VII 162 This Month in Previews ith all the excitement around the PS2 launch and the unveiling of the Gamecube, it might be easy to miss something here, now, right under our noses—the Dreamcast. The third(?) generation of DC software is upon us, and plenty more killer games on the way in the next few months: WARNING: Jet Grind Radio, Quake 111, NFL 2K1, Previews Phantasy Star Online, the list goes on. marked with This issue we have what looks to be Benetton the first truly great DC RPG in Grandia стин uiy |. And out of left field came Test Drive ог may not be 2 Е released in the Le Mans, which quite frankly blew US. They are everyone at the office away. We weren't designed to expecting more than a port of the PS run on game—needless to say we һауе а Japanese or whole new respect for Infogrames. European PAL The graphics in Xtreme Sports really systems. suprised us as well; It seems the Import at your European third parties in particular аге own risk. dedicated to the Sega system, something we'd like to see more of here in our own country. As everyone —gamers and developers alike — waits for the PS2, and now Gamecube and X-Box, Sega seems caught in the awkward transition period. They sold a lot of 1. Sin and Punishment 2. Grandia II Wipeout Fusion 3. 4. Alone in the Dark 5. Test Drive Le Mans Robopon MECH Sega and their third-party developers know the holiday season is key. Titles like Grandia II (раде 70) will lead the charge in what could be the DC's last stand. units by being the first out of the gate (2 million installed users is nothing to sneeze at), but now comes the true test—once the mass market sees the PS2, will they decide the DC is still worth it? Or do Gamecube and Xbox look good enough to wait for? With all these great games, the price drop and SegaNet finally going live this month, Sega seems to be doing all they can. The question is, will it be enough? This holiday season will be the answer. We've got a soft spot for Sega, the scrappy underdog, but may the best system (and games) win. й Nintendo 64, October [6] Dreamcast, December PlayStation 2, 02 2001 Game Boy Color, Q1 2001 Dreamcast, November When Doves Gry 164 Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare Star Ocean Blue Sphere Mat Hoffman's Pro ВМХ Mario Tennis GBC 166 MTV Sports: TJ Lavin's Ultimate BMX Micro Machines V3 Little Nicky Who Wants to be a Millionaire-2nd Edition 168 Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble Pokémon Crystal Grandia Parallel Trippers 170 Backyard Football Balloon Fight GB Legend of Starfi Pokémon Puzzle League Neo-Geo Pocket 172 Rockman Battle & Fighters Cotton Ogre Battle Evolution 174 SlashOut Planet Harriers The loss of SNK’s Мео•бео Pocket Color in the U.S. market has hit some of the EGM staff pretty hard. Especially Mark MacDonald, who’s refused to come out of his room since issue #134. Every time one of us tries to coax him out using old Scorpions albums or promises of a nifty new Ziff Davis T- shirt, he simply cries out, *Bullstuff!" Then the relentless sobbing resumes. But we've got a new plan. We've devoted a section of Previews to the NGPC, and we hereby dedicate it to Mark (the big baby). All the stuff you see on page 172 is out now and should be available through most import shops (or at astronomically high prices on ebay). Hopefully this plan works. Mark's apartment is starting to stink something fierce since his cat has had the run of the place for a couple months now. We'll be sure to keep you all posted. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 68 TWO WORDS 11.11.00 Animated Violence Mild Language Use of Tobacco and Alcohol esas шшш.веда.сот/вћептџе © CRI 1999-2000 Presented by AM2 of СВІ. Ай Rights Reserved. SEGA, DREAMCAST, the Dreamcast logo, and SHENMUE are trademarks or registered trademarks of SEGA ENTERPRISES. LTD or its affiliates. я О Е р с © PREVIEW Ubi Soft Developer: Game Arts (Developer | 1 Genre: RPG C 777777 100% (Japan) Now (Japan)/Dec. (U.S.) Grandia (PlayStation) www.ubisoft.com www.gamearts.co.jp The deep story line and incredible graphics. With the DC's current performance in Japan, how many more games like this will we get? Mareg's eating habits. As you're probably already well aware, the first Grandia came out for the Saturn originally in Japan, and then was quickly ported over to the PlayStation— which was the only form of the game we received over here. Even though the first time we'll see Grandia ІІ in America will be on a Sega system, don't be surprised if it shows up a year or so later on a certain new Sony machine. When asked if Grandia И would be ported over to other systems, producer Miyaji turned to Saito-San, the game's director and gave the comic answer of, "Actually we both have differing opinions on this. We're going to go back to Tokyo to decide by rock, paper, scissors." Sounds like an important game, but we've got a feeling that whoever wins, we'll still see a PlayStation 2 version of Grandia ІІ in the future... The dungeons are designed like the ones in the original-beasts walk around and the battles begin when you touch them... You can swing the camera around freely, a feature that comes in most handy when you're exploring the incredible-looking towns. PG fans have had a rough year with the Dreamcast. Sure, Evolution and its sequel PS2 Bound? В were fun, and EGG could be considered = enjoyable as long as you didn't mind the visuals, but both Silver and Time Stalkers left something to be desired. Of course, despite all these games having role-playing elements, none of them could be considered “traditional RPGs”; a genre the Dreamcast has been seriously lacking in— until now. Skies of Arcadia, Sega’s big RPG being handled by the creators of Phantasy Star is approaching fast, but even more exciting is a certain sequel to one of the greatest 32-Bit RPGs ever...Grandia 11. In spite of what the name might imply, Grandia II isn’t a true follow-up to the previous game. You won't see Justin or Sue, and the world they inhabited has been totally forgotten. Instead, Grandia ІІ introduces us to a whole new slew of characters and locations while retaining a look and feel similar to the first game, much like every Final Fantasy sequel. But art style and gameplay systems aren't all that link these two titles together. *The final message of the Grandia series is that humanity is good—that's the common theme between the two games," explains Mr. Takeshi Miyaji, producer for Grandia ||. Another similarity between the two titles is the feeling of a world divided—the first Grandia had a great wall that separated the main continent, Electronic Gaming Monthly - 70 and Grandia ІІ has a great gorge in the earth that has the same effect. And there's little doubt the two games share an equally deep focus on delivering a grand tale. Game Arts' RPGs have always been applauded for their strong story lines and rich character development, a tradition that began with the original Lunar and has continued through both its sequel and the first Grandia, but this latest title brings these elements to a whole new level. Thankfully, though, while Ubi Soft is putting an incredible amount of work into the localization, they promise to keep the game as faithful to the original Japanese release as possible —meanwhile sidestepping the problems that hindered the original Grandia's impact when Sony released it here. If you played Grandia, you know what we're talking about. The few problems that everyone had with the original game were with its poorly translated script and horrible voice acting, both of which Ubi Soft are working to insure won't be an issue with the sequel. A team of talented writers are spending months to smooth over the text, but even more impressive is the work going into the speaking roles. ^We have already arranged the voiceover audio direction, courtesy of voice director Kris Zimmerman, who worked on Metal Gear Solid," confirmed John Chowanec, Ubi Soft's marketing manager for Grandia ||. "We're very confident that this title is in the best hands it could be." There's been no word on exactly who will be offering their voice talents to the game, but we've been told there will be a few recognizable names in the bunch — perhaps some of the same voice actors from MGS. A more serious cast of voice talent would fit perfectly with Grandia 11% new story line focus. Unlike the first game, which was based on lighthearted adventure, the sequel is taking things to a slightly darker level. “There is some evilness іп Grandia II that only adults can understand — inhumane cruelty, or emotional cruelty, which might not be as evident to children." Explained the game's director, Katsunori Saito. This isn't to say Grandia || won't have its simplistic fun moments, and the overall mood of the game is pretty light, but expect much more somber undertones to be littered throughout. You play the role of Ryudo, a young man who's considered one of the best monster hunters in the land. There's a great evil slowly enveloping this once peaceful world, hinting that the great war between the ultimate forces of light and darkness that nearly tore the planet apart years ago (hence the giant gorge in the earth) might have only been a foreshadow of the true battle to come—a battle that could begin at any moment. It seems the god of darkness, Valmar, is returning, and Granas, his counterpart on the side of light is nowhere to be found. As Ryudo you'll search across the globe, gathering friends and discovering dark secrets, eventually coming to terms with what's happening around you and what you must do to combat the oncoming menace. The strong story line won't be your only incentive С Chaotic action, beautiful spell effects, and full-motion video clips saturate the intense battle scenes. to keep playing, though. Grandia ІІ has a graphic engine that looks to be second to none; there are towns we visited in the import version that were literally jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The texture quality easily makes Grandia II one of the best- looking RPGs ever, just look at the screenshots. However, what these pictures don't display is the Silky-smooth framerate, fluid animation and the small details you'll experience while playing— like the way the main hub of a town will slowly fade into mist in the background as you climb a nearby hill. And then there's the battles: think of the confrontations in the first Grandia with way better graphics (wait until you see some of the FMV- infused spell effects) and much more strategic gameplay. Many people considered Grandia to be the Saturn’s “Final Fantasy” when it was first released in Japan, and the comparison is being made once again with the Dreamcast and Grandia II. Will it be able to live up to this lofty claim? Better yet, will Dreamcast fans finally be able to own an RPG they сап be proud of? Hopefully we'll have the answer in time for the holidays. ж One of ће main problems in the original Grandia was the super linear gameplay. Very rarely was there a time you could venture off the beaten path and explore alternate areas—a feature that unfortunately carries over to the sequel. Yes, it could be argued that Grandia releases are story- based games, and giving players the opportunity to go off and explore on their own would disrupt the flow. But, at the same time, it sucks to have a game look this good and be stuck on a flat overworld map—one that you can't even control a character on. How it works is every time you complete a quest in a town or dungeon, the map often displays one new area you can click on, and then you instantly travel to it. There is little in the way of optional dungeons, | towns, or even mini-games | of any kind. Grandia Il, like the first release, doesn’t try | to keep gamers interested by offering extras of any kind, instead the game just presents a compelling story (along with some nifty graphics). Hopefully that will be enough for today’s RPG fans. Young Hawk-wannabes should head over to the Birdhouse (www.b-house.com) and grab a Tony Hawk deck. You can find stuff from other skaters in the game there too. PREUIEW GALLERY кон Рго Skater 2 <> Я SPECIAL à 3 Activision must have liked the job Treyarch did on the first THPS port, because they're back developing the DC version of Tony Hawk 2 for a November release. Like the first game, THPS2 doesn't promise anything new over the PS version as far as gameplay is concerned, but who cares? The game already rocks, why mess with perfection? We'll be plenty happy with the kick-ass graphics only Sega's system can deliver. БЕ тт 180 BONELESS + HEELFLIP + STALEFISH 945 X25 LucasArts’ second Dreamcast game is more an upgrade than a straight port of the PlayStation action/fighting title Jedi Power Battles. Yes, it certainly looks better than the original version—LucasArts actually went in and replaced every texture, but the changes don’t end there. Dreamcast owners will be able to enjoy an exclusive one-on-one fighting mode, new characters (Ki-Adi Mundi and the Battle Droid are unlockable), Darth Maul with а double-bladed saber, and, with the keyboard plugged into the system, you'll be able to go in and actually modify the game (assuming you have rudimentary skills in BASIC). We gave Ki-Adi Mundi a flower petal for a head, shrank him down to a few inches tall, and then drew colorful lines across the screen. Nifty! Look for the latest version of Jedi Power Battles this fall. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 72 ULED by DESTINY... > PlayStation. 2000 Vouition. luc. Pustisitib хен муну ву THQ іне, знишоник, ши зушшотик too, VOLITION amb їн оной поко iig клітинку OF Verition, іне. PHO em tin Тис, вы os ТК и, ву а ои atp Din "PST amity LOGO ng рої юр TRADEMARKS OF Sony СО ото ко Во килимом ис |i raa Bonn WITH THE MARK огл хошо, JOSEPH ol CIRAN TS DATGEROUS ATED Valli b, BUT THE oll Y HOPE TOR німа ом, His b. ABILITY TO CALL FORTH Ыхы DEEELREHT DEMONS, DRAGONS, AHD EELIEH Ends, AHD CONTROL THEER EVERY movi GIVES ніш Іні POWLR TO TOPPLE сине, CHALLLITGI GODS, AHD PRIVEUT THI түй Шувор кош RULING EHE LAND. CROSSING A MASSIVE HEW WORLD, PROM THE SEWERS TO THE СР TO Ent ток, ін SEEKS Ти Rines That ком рог ніш йно POWER TO summon, ALONG THE WAY, josten HICOUBTERS AN LHORMOUS COST OF CHARACTERS, THCLUDENG His THREE party шыш. оса ил, ry win DİSCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE RINGS AND Fact Іні DANGERS THAT Lit анга, PREPARE ток ntl ORIGINAL, Leic Fantasy RPG, UU) SU THOT RC OU ФУР шшш THQ. COU THQ LOGO iiy. Hobbs пат ok ig isti usto ege OF PHO panine renome +. PlayStation. Вони witu THE MARK or A summontk, JOSEPH or Сан is DANGEROUS AND Шан, BUE THE оту HOPE TOR SALVATION, His ABILITY То CALL FORTH ХТ DÉEELRETIT DEWONS, DRAGONS, AND аи а, AND CONTROL ТИ EVERY тома GIVES ніш Іні POWER TO FOPPLL Ра, CHALLENGE GODS, AHD | Ert EVER Шувор PROM RU LEG Ent alb. CROSSING A MASSIVE ПОМ WORLD, PROM THE SEWERS TO THI citiis То THE FORESTS. HE SELKS Тир ninos taat PROVIDE nim ТЕ POUR FO summon, ALONG їні Way, [омен LHCOUDTERS AL LHORIDOUS CAST OF CHARACTERS, Тисо ис mis Тиши party mimbi. Госа Тик, tury virt DİSCOVER THE SECRETS OF Іні RÌNGS AND гаса Іні DANGERS PHAT Lit ангар, PREPARE TOR ап ORIGINAL Leic папу RPG. РЧЛ УШШОКИ FEIE UI UI. но СОШ Зенон 2000 Votition buc. Іннийчни м же пе У НО Рис. Se Y LOGO ны мої Vorition ono Пи iere nid VOLITION LOGO нку TRADEMARKS OF Vc mint Тик пе PH к, пи Soma nma t шашак OI TUM) luc. Вы іони nasce ps Pra Sad ion an Tt "Р SCAREDY CAT You may be alone in the dark, but are you afraid of the dark? If so, then you have lygophobia, you chicken. But there are people who have it worse than you. There are all kinds of phobias. See what freaks you out at http://www.gananoque.com/phobia/list.html PREVIEW Woop! Woop! - GALLERY һ The New Nightmare Infogrames has been working on this one for a while now (we first saw it at E3 two years ago), but all that time in development seems to be paying off. While the PlayStation version is quite impressive in its own right, the DC edition of AitD is absolutely stunning. Yes, these are real screenshots. The DC's buttload of VRAM allows for super hi-res backgrounds without the dithering found in the PS version. The DC version also provides real-time shadows, better lighting effects, and detailed character models with over three times as many polygons as the PS game. Developer Darkworks is putting the screws on this one for a first-quarter 2001 release. You can't blame Infogrames for seeing the imminent release of Quake III on the Dreamcast, complete with SegaNet support, and asking, "What the hell are we sitting on Unreal Tournament for?" Keeping in mind how much the French publisher seems to like supporting the Sega powerhouse it's not surprising that they've decided to bring their Quake-killer to the Dreamcast, complete with eight- way Internet play (or two-player split-screen if you're too cheap to hook up to the Web). That's right, now the two arena-based first-person shooters that took the PC gaming world by storm are coming home to the Dreamcast, which should make Sega fans very happy considering that future PS2 owners will only be able to play Unreal Tournament on a four-way split-screen. Yuck! While the version we played was very early and fairly sluggish (developer Secret Level is concentrating on faithfully porting over all the code before tweaking the framerate and Internet-compatibility), the Dreamcast's PC-styled guts should make the conversion a relatively painless one. Don't let the screens on this page fool you, we're sure by the time this game comes to market it'll look just as good as the PC version, maybe even better. 5” Thirty-five maps to play оп, 10 different weapons, spectator- 2 у cams, advanced "Бої Al and improved HUDs all in the rumored lag-free environment of SegaNet—Unreal Tournament gets ready to frag this fall. ~ „М ^. ^ You picked up @hother Enforcer! - 4E AIR LIN FEATURING A BUILT-IN PUMP. (PATENT PENDING) USED TO FINE TUNE THE FIT FOR PERSONAL TASTE. GORE TickeRs, POSTERS AND SEND задо (ІБ CURRENCY ONLY) ТО ‘SYCAMORE AVENUE #0371, VISTA, CA 92083. OFFER VALID IN USA ONLY, DEALER R INFO 800-886-8225 TEAM INFORMATION AND SHOES, VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.DCSHOECOUSA.COM PREVIEW GALLERY EDY AT LE MANS The 1955 24-hour race at Le Mans saw the worst accident in motorsports history when Pierre Levech’s Mercedes collided with a slower car and flipped into the grandstands, killing Levech and over 80 spectators. Following the wreck, Mercedes pulled out of racing completely for 22 years. Test Drive Le Mans None of that fancy-schmancy online stuff here. Infogrames is only committed to giving DC owners a kick-ass port of Le Mans. They're on track, too, as this version features more cars, tracks, cups and some absolutely stunning graphics and effects. Just take a look at these screenshots and picture the game moving at a solid 30 frames per second. Scheduled for a November release, this one's gonna be awesome! REPLAY PESE START SUTTON BEST ААР}. eim REPLAY о е Ж | s у Ktreme Sports Infogrames is getting extreme with their latest release in the Sega Sports lineup, Xtreme Sports. Players will tackle some tough terrain racing mountain bikes, ATVs and snowboards, not to mention some stomach-churning flights on the hang glider, all in the same race! Players can switch from one vehicle to another during a race while competing on 12 different tracks based in Scotland, the Himalayas, Streyn and Maui. Connecting to the Internet will allow players to upload high scores and download ghost-players to compete against, as well as unlocking extra track sections. Even though we've come to expect DC games to look great, XS still garnered a few oohs and aahs at the office, a testament to just how great it’s coming along. XS only needs some minor tweaking before its release this October. Electronic Ga ЊЕ [E] оо [Г 05 g Monthly - 16 PHYSICAL SCIENCE: blood № drive Tlosic т arrarel Spring WI E.T.A: www.phys-sci.com DOWNLOAD THE TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER” 2 PC DEMO AT WWW.BLUETORCH.COM Mild Animated Violence M Mild Language PlayStation © 1999, 2000 Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Published and Distributed by Activision Publishing, Inc. Developed by Neversoft Entertainment, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Pro Skater 2 are trademarks of Activision, Inc. Tony Hawk is a trademark of Tony Hawk. 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. Licensed by Nintendo. Game Boy and Game Boy Color are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1989, 1998 Nintendo of America, Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. 1002235.997.US. CREATE YOUR OWN LEGEND Hawk’s back. And this time he’s brought new pros (Caballero, Koston, Mullen), new tricks (Bluntslides, BS/FS Noseslides + Tailslides, Hurricanes, Нее! р Varials, Melon Grabs, Airwalks, Judos, etc.) and new technology (Real-Time Skatepark Editor, Create -A-Skater). Build a skatepark in your house. Then shred it (the park, not the house). Build your own pro (mullet or not, you decide). Then compete against the real ones. You'll also find sick new terrain, insane videos and a Career Mode where you earn cash money to move up in the rankings. THPS2, taking you to levels that were once reserved for mere legends. OVERVIEW: SKATEPARK EDITOR New Tricks, New Terrain 3D Real-Time and New Skaters Skatepark Editor FEATURING SKATEBOARDING'S TOP PROS BURNBUIST / CABALLERO / CAMPBELL / BLIFBERG / HAWK / KOSTON LASEK / MULLEN / MUSKA / REYNOLDS / ROWLEY / STEAMER / J. THOIMIAS INCLUDES HIP НОР АМО PUNK SOUNDTRACK FEATURING: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE NAUGHTY BY NATURE "PAPA ROACH & MORE NeVERS@ET | ACTIVISION. www.activisionseen 2-PLAYER MODE 2-Player Modes and Single-Player Career Mode nudi SEGA.COM/QUAKESARENA соате ane, COME MLL. E IT'S BEEN Я LONG TIME SINCE YOU WERE INVOLVED IN A FREE-FOR-ALL OF THIS MAGNITUDE. QUAKE 111 ARENA ом SEGA DREAMCAST 15 A PRIMAL STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL WHERE THE FIT BECOME CHAMPIONS AND THE UNFIT BECOME STAINS. PRACTICING ALONE сам ONLY TAKE YOU SO FAR. 1= YOU'RE READY TO TRY YOUR CHARM ON OTHERS, TRY A CASUAL ONE-NIGHTER IN THE ARENA» YOU NEVER KNEW IT COULD RE LIKE THIS. mmenieicurion | вазах 1 BECOME ONE OF OVER ЗО \ LI SAVAGE GLADIATORS FROM \ ALL OVER THE UNIVERSE TO 3 д MEET IN THE ARENA. 1 % Hak 1 f $ х mug Ugiesisiusew RS ІШІШІШШІШ Diameter: 3.14 атотс мол: 39 DESCRIPTION: OPTIMAL HOST FOR MULTIPLAYER ACTIVITY. нсскет ма suesriTuTEs. зжвокої 790543 E e e тистівцачни | SURROUNDINGS. Чуй FULLY RERLIZED X-D ENVIROMENTS, AS 5 THEY ARE DEA ЕДІ © са. E RASTER 54 PRODUCTIONS " Animated Blood and Gore Animated Violence Quake ІІ Arenad, ОША? ©1999-2000 Id Software, Inc. АП Rights Reserved. id by Raster Productions LLC. Publi ; Published and distributed by 5 аке and ће 165 logo аге Г * о are trademarks of ld Software, Inc, Raster Productions?" атса! and the Dreamcast RPRISES, LTD. All Rights Reserved, Mild Language Syeuspe tue јат ONIN 13r ‘0%! решена оці "169 Y3NO "yos PONS зу "sepe su 01 S3stidH31N3 YORS Jo өйешеред poisia, ю. кле, i ЕВА PO за А E 4 > E ES а s- sae ЧЕ я А 1 к 2 $ Я Фен Best known for being the voice of Bugs Bunny, Mel Blanc (1908-1989) actually hated eating carrots. He used to do the eating sounds for Bugs at Й | the end of each recording session, to PREVIEW | be edited in where needed. GALLERY This November Dreamcast owners get this follow-up to perhaps the most overlooked launch title back in '99. Besides the usual upgrades everyone expects in a sequel (better graphics, more cars and tracks, etc.), Ubi Soft intends to take full advantage of SegaNet with Speed Devils 2. If they manage to combine online play with the smooth framerate, blistering speed and unique gameplay of the original, SD2 looks to be a winner. You probably recognize this game by now. Since we last previewed it Interplay has translated this Climax game, slapped an extended title on it, and plans to bring it stateside this month. We didn't get a reviewable version in time for this issue, so expect a review next month. Space Race Infogrames is going license crazy! At least this one is better than Wacky Racers. This November release features all your favorites: Bugs, Daffy, Wile E. and more, racing rockets around a collection of cartoon- based tracks like the Pyramids of Mars and Planet Acme. Drop anvils and pianos on up to three of your friends in the multiplayer game, or work to unlock all the secrets in the single-player campaign. Respeot How should we protect the rights of artists in a digital world? Get the online music debate from a ` different point-of-view. ARTISTS www.ArtistsAgainstPiracy.com PREVIEW GALLERY Though we didn't get a chance to try the online aspect of StarLancer this month, the rest of Crave's PC- to-DC port is looking pretty authentic. All of the ships feature lots of detail, and the pyrotechnics when you send those Coalition dogs to meet their maker are very impressive. All this with no slowdown whatsoever. On top of that the convoluted control Scheme really isn't too overwhelming after a few minutes' practice. Choose your wingmen and ready for launch in October. Since 3DO hasn't seen fit to flood the DC with Army Men games, Midway picked up the slack. This shooter doesn't quite push the Dreamcast, but it offers four-player split-screen action, better graphics (not by much, so calm down) and an improved framerate from the PS version. Still, it's Army Men, so if you dig it, that's good, if you don't, this isn't likely gonna change your mind! Sarge's Heroes ships this fall. first combat racer available for online play through SegaNet. The gameplay is very reminiscent of their old N64/PS game S.C.A.R.S. odd-shaped vehicles around a Е collection of psychedelic tracks rife EE with power-ups and weapons. This world will not only be able to log on and race against up to four other contestants, but see where they rank in the POD “online hall of ^ ‚ version we played didn't include it, 2 Ubi Soft hopes this will be the Drive one of a half-dozen very November players around the fame" as well. Infogrames' GP Racer is coming along nicely. The graphics are looking sharp and the control, well, it's still being tweaked. Cars can be upgraded by spending points earned during the races—the more Ж insane the stunt, the more points earned. Chain stunts together for combos and double or triple the points awarded. Although the a four-player mode is provided as well. The developer, Team 17, is putting the finishing touches on this title for its fall release. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 86 Hey, Lucky/Friend! Be Awesome With Moat Honorable М/ігеіелА Hook-Up Machine!!!) «Un un ffi fe їч HIE e Play Wireless Gamea you get free from INTERNET Cybiko is a registered trademark of Cybiko, Inc. © 2000 Cybiko, Inc. All rights reserved. 1-877-4-СҮВІКО ^. I E frec gamer and applications fromwww.cybilkko.com “The most impressive racing engine we've ever seen." —dailyradar.com m “A killer racing experience.” -GamePro ‚ “Fantastic graphics, fast speeds, slick cars. Any questions?” —ign.com з Online Worldwide Ranking System! Its not just racing. It's an all-out assault of arcade-style, stunt-based and realistic driving madness. Comprehensive state-of-the-art vehicle; dynamics. Authentically licensed cars: Lotus”, Aston-Martin", BMW", | Alfa Romeo" and more. One of the i most advanced 3-D driving engines | | ever. It all gets inside of your head and $ | pins you around. And when you're ! nished, it's time for another ride. Timos SMINSIYIT у | ix PlayStatio «= | pira Де куйшй Sega : (5 Dreamcast. брада Gua www.acclaim.com PlayStation à leckwo es reserved. Developed by Clockwork Games, Ltd. Ай rights reserved. © 2000 Acclaim Entertainment, inc. Ali rights reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. © SEGA ENTERPRISES, LTD. All ™ rights reserved. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Screens shown were taken from the Sega Dreamcast” version of the voto ине cmm AIR TiGHT CAP м PUMP VANISHING POINT COOL COOL WORLD A ‘toon that, well, didn’t turn out so cool is Ralph Bakshi’s 1992 flick Cool World. Dubbed “Roger Rabbit for adults,” it was turned into a video game for the Super NES courtesy of Ocean—and was | to be а Sega CD title too. PREVIEW GALLERY Max Steel, Mattel's November release based on the popular cartoon show, plays a lot like the Dreamcast sword-fighting action title Draconus, and for good reason. Developed by Treyarch, the same team behind Crave's medieval mayhem game, Max Steel is similar to their first console attempt—but also vastly improved. Aside from beefing up the visuals, the game engine is now refined, allowing for things like a zoom feature for sniper weapons and an improved framerate. Like the television show, players will be able to use Max's Nanotech powers to grant super strength or the ability to turn invisible for a short while. сис [ими] The latest in а string of PC to Dreamcast conversions, РОР is coming to Sega's system this November from Mattel Interactive. But unlike many PC ports, Avalanche Software rebuilt this title from scratch to better utilize the DC's strengths. That means better camera angles, improved visuals and tighter control —which is good considering the amount of sword swinging and perilous jumping you have to do. ЅМК first foray into the music genre breaks new ground in one area: control. Like all music games it's "press the right button at the right time," but you also need to point in different directions with the analog Stick and make sweeping controller motions. The music's not great, but you can upload your data to the Net (shown below) or use it in conjunction with Cool Cool Jam for NGPC. Available now in Japan. осо та SF ОФ OFFICIAL VIDEO GAME His legs take him 200m in 19.32 seconds. ^ ы -Тіте Gold Medalist Michael Johnson і — | How fast are your fingers? EVERYONE LET THE GAMES BEGIN, МАТЕ. PUBLISHED BY EIDO Dreamcast. ESRB ‘Copyright © 2000 Intemational Olympic Commitee. All rights reserved, Distribution in the United States authorized by the US Olympic Committee, 36USC220506. ТМ © SOCOG 1996. Developed by Attention to Detail (ATD). Published by Eidos Interactive, Inc. under license. Eidos, Eidos Interactive, Inc., and the Eidos Interactive, пс, logo are registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive, Inc. Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo аге either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Lid. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos aro registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Ine. The ratings icon is а trademark of ho Interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved. Screenshots shown are from the Sega Dreamcast version. ашро залом СТ => му ana NOW NAS әзе} 1eÁAe|d-e|Buis ınoA ui бшцбпе $1 ејозпш пол djeu 1uBiuu snf sjeuJ09 ay} punoue ламод $ ‘ле әз! уполо гицио əy} ці гиоМеле pue 'Aoqpod ‘би!цзоч 106 ел,пол Mou "еовоб eui aye) зелеја ошпешма ay} шолј Jund имо; цешѕ зубі эзпеээя газапод әләці и! 199) `}! 10) рлом INO әзе 1,uop ӘЧ] 9180/8425 ued sued пол Bulmouy - Адипоо əy} и! элэулАие ing ‘soe релелеј-упш ‘элпоелази! A[sso[r248uu xis 5,роа чбполуј "ашилив - эинио 9081 e ој гзиоЛив эбиэечцо ued пол yey} MON 31GNVH NV9 ПОЛ МУНЈ шош JILIN У 187г S.LVHL ONIOVE 3NTINO 1 (lane wean. The , Me! [1] Dragon PREVIEW GALLERY | 5 ogue Spear is more or less a rehashed sequel, Tom Clancy has just released his newest book, The Bear and the Dragon, to | stores. It takes place in the same universe as Rainbow Six, but focuses more | | on President Jack Ryan trying to deal with crises involving Russia and China. | Can there be a video game based on this far behind? - св Dinosaur The idea behind Ubi Soft's conversion of Disney's latest rendered movie is an interesting one: you've got to use all the different powers of a group of dinos to help them help each other pass certain areas. In other words, Dinosaur is a puzzle game of sorts, but it carries plenty of action. It's quite a bit different than the PlayStation version, so if you played that pile don't let it keep you from trying this one when it arrives this fall. Surfer Developed by the Australian- based Krome Studios, a bunch of surfing nuts, Championship Surfer sets out to mix realistic surfing action with the arcadey feel of a game like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Instead of trying to catch waves, it sets you going almost instantly after you fall—as if you're on one continuous wave. The DC version looks great, as it sports some very cool water and wave animations. Й CS hangs 10 this fall. TAKE OFF + Style 1100X). (e UN ек — В Majesco's sequel to Rainbow Six is looking pretty nice. This time team Rainbow has to deal with the Russian mafia as well as renegade Middle Eastern terrorists. The game includes the complete Urban add- on pack, 10 new playable characters (in addition to the original 20), and numerous weapons upgrades. Also new are sniper support, harsher weather effects and improved multiplayer. Rogue Spear hits the market this October. Almost two years ago, developer Argonaut showed this game and then it silently disappeared from the release lists. Now, it has re- emerged almost complete, and is looking mighty fine. You control an ugly off-road moon-buggy that has a unique array of weapons, the best of which is a grid-like reflective shield that bounces projectile back at who fired them. 4 The triggers are used to accelerate, while the analog stick is used to | point your gun and choose where you want the move. Challenge areas (such as races) can be opened up as you complete the main levels, where you can earn better weapons and armor if completed. The levels are impressive, and the bosses enormous. This is looking like it could be a sleeper hit when it arrives this October. 94 Canoy Oih MC < CIGNA ода». БЕС am. 774 NOTAS FEES 6 2, * І ЖИЕ Ж Комег 100 miles of highway ET HhBORLSLBATISL—-RZETFS, Hundreds of opponents е strong competition QE ¥ S geom mas * (ty N = ы г. ар. ‹ "ес МУ аи ” ж Hes «її к”, ” І ` xX ® » ту”. „~ Ж. i н i. : МЕРЕ UCM : ° | ЛИР i 2 а р | BiblzIc 5 5 eiim va E Sam роди Јес S | is 1 ILI c Bu. MSlktEOHTS 2 7 КЛ & create and | і ” 05338 |. 6 AORVER< LBS. edit logos FS. f i5 0 |^ р і : Emperor of the Streets DA = ВЕЧА. "E | У" 1 ® АЊА LAY share LL. | ` 1 — AN www.cravegames.com Sega© Dreamcast. гы өзе PREVIEW GALLERY Diablo Il hits the Dreamcast...kinda. Rune Jade plays just like the PC action/RPG hit, right down to the online aspects. Choose from a Grappler, Ninja, Knight or Rune Master and form a party with three buddies over the Net for real-time fightin' fun. Considering the insane popularity of Diablo, this would seem like a safe bet for the fledgling online console community. Rune Jade is out now in Japan. Phantasy Star The worldwide simultaneous release of Sega's upcoming online RPG has been pushed back a bit to early next year, but after seeing these new pics we're willing to wait. Gamers can play PSO over the Net in parties of up to four people (or alone with three А! characters) in any of five languages— Japanese, English, French, German and Spanish. No characters return from earlier PS games, but a few enemies do look familiar... Electronic Gaming Monthly - 96 xg E ECC Outrageous Action! | 2/1 77 л ЖЕЛ МР UP THE ACTION! Now's your chance to save the world from the evil Dr. X! As Action Мап", you'll spy, fly, drive and dive your way through 6 deadly domains - from Professor Gangrene's desert lab to Dr. X's frozen arctic fortress! Use state-of-the-art equipment and awesome vehicles like the tricked-out Silver Speeder! Action Man: Operation Extreme - it's where the action is! www.hasbro-interactive.com ©2000 Hasbro, Inc. ©2000 Hasbro Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. <> PlayStation A HASBRO Interactive. "ACTION MA wh Animated Blood and боге X 3 S.A. INC. 2000 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM LOGO i . LTD. DINO CRISIS is a trademark of CAPCOM CO.,LTD. PlayStation and ARI Үйіне li i trádémarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association = 4 É Yes, Regina is back in the action-packed sequel to the blockbuster survival-horror hit. Sent in for search and rescue, she is now armed with even more dino-fighting, heavy artillery. Only Regina is ргерагед for the adrenaline-pumping battles the recon team will soon encounter. More action! More intensity! More prehistoric predators! One question remains.. Ч are you the hunter – or the hunted? : WWW.CAPCOM.COM һеуте а few of the | villains from the original Spider-Man series, | which hit the airwaves on Sept. 9, 1967. Some | ofthe originals are still around, even today. | For a real treat, check out the original theme PREVIEW Paper Mario Since we just got the import version of Nintendo's famous plumber's latest adventure, here's a quick update (look for a full preview next month). Like Super Mario RPG (SNES), it combines RPG aspects (gaining levels, turn based combat, etc.) with reflex actions (timed button presses for extra damage, platform jumping), all within the brightly colored confines of the Mario universe. We can't wait until Dec. 26 to play it in English. Spider-Man Making his debut on the N64 courtesy of Activision, Spider-Man takes to the skyscrapers in full force this fall. As one might expect, the animation is noticeably more fluid than the PS version. Don't worry, most of Spidey and Stan Lee's voice-overs should squeeze into the cart, if not every Stitch of script found on the PlayStation disc. As for the gameplay, if you've seen Spider- Man do it in the comics, you can до it in the game—sling between buildings, climb on walls and tangle enemies in your web. It makes for some real variety in each level of the game, something not a lot of action titles can claim. Rhino, Venom and, of course, J. Jonah Jameson are some of the familiar faces you'll have to deal with as you help the wall-crawler unravel the sinister plottings of Doctor Octopus. Electronic Gaming M THE GLADIATOR BLOODSPORT OF THE FUTURE Unreal Tournament coming this Fall for the PlayStation» and the Sega Dreamcast” iue ©Dreamcast. 9 PlayStation.2 Unreal” Tournament © 2000 Epic Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Created by Epic Games, Inc. in collaboration with Digital Extremes. Published and distributed by Infogrames, Inc. Infogrames, Inc. and the Infogrames logo are trademarks of Infogrames, Inc. Unreal and the Unreal logos are trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. 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 are the property of their respective companies. PREVIEW GALLERY Punishment The excellent Japanese developer Treasure (Gunstar Heroes, Mischief Makers) is finally back on the N64, doing this interesting shooter for Nintendo due October. From what we played at Space World, Sin and Punishment feels similar to other action/ shooters like Star Fox and Panzer Dragoon: You control your character (left right and jump) with the D-pad as she runs into the screen, aiming a crosshair with the analog stick to take out huge swarms of enemies and giant bosses. Two players can also play simultaneously, with one controlling the character and the other where she aims and fires. S&P looked great, with great style and intense action, and no slowdown—the N64 needs more games like this! Tack on another couple hours to your Monday night wrestling stint. When THQ releases No Mercy this November, dorm rooms and living rooms alike are sure to be packed with mat maniacs looking to take out some aggression in the ring. Choose one of the 65-plus brawlers in a single, tag or survival match and watch the personalized intro as he/she makes his/her way to the ring. Use a ladder to flatten your foe, or mix it up Andy Kaufman-style and take on some of the ladies who frequent the circuit. If you get bored of the Squared Circle, toss your. opponent backstage and fight it out behind the scenes in one of three different scenarios. To really get folks roped in, Aki is adding transfer Pack support for compati- bility with the GBC version, as well as an option to create your own wrestler if you've exhausted the WWF superstars. - 102 | The number of dollars people shelled out for Pay Per View wrestling in 1999 alone. That's | awhole lot of Slim Jims! FORGET YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE... YOU'RE GONNA NEED А passPORT United Gamers of the World Cruis'n Exotica" returns with a race circuit that gives new meaning to the phrase "world tour." Cruis'n is your passport to 60 tracks in exotic worlds that include Atlantis, the Amazon and Mars. Choose from қ 28 Nitro-Boosted racing machines, from sleek and trendy sports cars to rough and rugged all-terrain vehicles. Cruis’n Exotica's four player capability gives you non-stop arcade action. Take shortcuts, perform flips, spins and midair stunts in 3 exciting play modes. All EVERYONE new features with the classic Cruis'n gameplay and control you know so well. So, join the tour, explore new worlds and we'll see you in the winner's circle. MIDWAY Check Out The All New www.midway.com © 1994 Nintendo Co., Ltd. © 1999, 2000 Midway/Nintendo, All rights reserved. Used under license. CRUIS'N EXOTICA and the NINTENDO RACETRACK LOGO are trademarks of Nintendo. MIDWAY and the M IN A CIRCLE DESIGN are trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. Used by Реп Distributed by Midway Home Entertainment Inc. NINTENDO, NINTENDO 64 and the “N” logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. GAME BOY and GAME BOY COLOR аге trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1989, 1998 Nintendo of America. Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. PREVIEW GALLERY | Even though Jar Jar Binks isn't in the game, you can still take out your built-up frustrations on the many other Gungans that populate the levels in Battle for Naboo. The game doesn't reward you for “inadvertently” blowing these annoying aliens away, but it doesn't exactly punish you either. Even though the words “Rogue Squadron” are nowhere to be found in the title, Battle for Naboo (coming out this fall) could be considered a follow-up to the popular Nintendo 64 shooting title in almost every way except story and setting. Naboo has the same type of flight/shooter gameplay, but this time it takes place during the events that surround Star Wars: Episode І, plus graphics that make its predecessor pale in comparison. (That nasty fog has been pushed way back.) LucasArts has also added a feature that allows you to switch between two vehicles in the middle of a mission, so you might start a mission іп а land cruiser, and end the battle flying through the sky in one of those freaky-looking Naboo Fighters. The computer version of Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine was a bit of a flop; the game was fine and all but it had a horrible control scheme. Indiana Jones was a console game at heart, and now it’s finally coming home this December where it belongs: on the Nintendo 64. LucasArts isn’t just porting over the PC version though, they’ve improved the camera, implemented a useful “save anywhere” function, and added many Zelda-like control schemes. Now when you attack a creature, you have a choice between a “loose target” which gives you the ability to easily run away, but at the same time, makes it harder to hit your foe. Or, closer to Zelda’s system, a “hard target” which keeps your weapon locked on the enemy, but Indiana’s movement speed will be cut in half. Indiana Jones also utilizes the Expansion Pak for improved graphics and framerate. Аут Chronicles: The First Mage Let's face it: It ain't easy being ап RPG-loving №64 owner. This fall is shaping up nicely though, with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Ogre Battle 64 and this new title from THQ and Canadian developer H20 Entertainment (Tetrisphere, Blues Brothers 2000). Aidyn Chronicles follows a boy named Alaron as he travels from town to town, wandering through dangerous monster-ridden forests, deserts and mountains to fulfill his destiny (where have you heard that before?). Along the way he'll meet up with 10 other warriors who'll join him in his quest (four to a party). The realistic world you travel features changing weather conditions and time passes from night to day, affecting characters with lunar/solar strengths. Battles are turn-based with an eye toward keeping the action up and it supports the Expansion Pak to give it that extra "oomph" in the graphics department. Chris Klug (designer behind TSR's pen-and-paper RPG Dragon Quest) is lending a hand on the game's development, so all you Dice-heads get ready. Electronic Gaming Mont PREVIEW GALLERY Rugrats in Paris The Movie In concert with the release of their feature film this fall, the Rugrats will be returning for a Second adventure on the N64 compliments of THQ. Voices from the original cartoon cast pervade 16 levels of 3D gameplay and a handful of bonus scenarios. This time Avalanche has included multiplayer support for the mini- games and room for two in the full game, so plenty of Rugrats (er, fans) can get in on the action. Cruis'n Exotica Looks like Cruis'n Exotica has come a long way since our last update. We're still waiting to play it but we can give you the stats: 30 vehicles (12 default and 18 secret), plus 12 courses including Korea, Vegas, Hong Kong and even Atlantis. The bottom line? As the sequel to Cruis'n USA and World, you know what to expect: lighthearted arcade-inspired gameplay. Midway will release the game this October. | Cruis’n Exotica gives you a chance to гасе | | on the planet Mars. With an average | temperature range of -116* to 32* F, and an | 1 | atmosphere comprised mostly of carbon | dioxide, Mars wouldn't be our first choice. | Scooby Doo! Classic Creep Capers If you think you can do a better job than those meddling kids, developer Terraglyph is giving you the keys to the Mystery Machine. In this 3D adventure, you must solve three different mysteries, two of which are based on real | episodes Кот the TV show. The gameplay is skewed young, but no one's too old to grab a Scooby Snack or two this October. SOUNDS LIKE A MYSTERY ТО МЕ. WE NEED TO GET INSIDE THAT. MUSEUM! 106 IT'S THE ULTIMATE پڪ Straight out of the arcade, Capcom takes to the mean streets with Street ighter III: 3rd Strike. This juggernaut ighter stars 4 brand new characters — 9 characters in all, and introduces the wa ew Leap Attack and a Grade Judge ч System which evaluates player performance at the end of each match. Totally seamless animation and an innovative hit-frame system team SA Animated Violence GARCON © Dreamcast. = 2000 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, C/ 2000 © CAPCOM ИЗА. РСОМ and the CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM СО. LTD. STREET FIGHTER ШІ: ЗАО STRIKE and CAPCOM EDGE © САРСОМ Со, LO. ara ether reg trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. The кадала o he interactive Digital S се Ц id а ало ess MELIUS рана Battlebots has arrived on Comedy Central | (check your local listings). Why do we bring | that up? It's got robots that have been constructed and customized by tech-heads | that duke it out on the battlefield — just like Custom Robo! | PREVIEW í GALLERY 3 е ee Mario Party З Hudson and Nintendo have teamed up once again for a third Mario Party game, coming to Japan in December, this time with 10 тар boards and 70 all-new mini-games. Twenty items and “Action Events” оп the main map (that require button tapping) have been added to the Battle Royale mode and a dual map feature gives you the option of bringing along a helper in the single-player game. Sweet! Bored with Command and Conquer? Played Starcraft to death? Well here's a new real-time strategy for your N64: You have 18 minutes in each level to repair a sunken ship and raise it from the bottom of the ocean. Avoid the bad guys and mine resources you can use to upgrade your sub, beef up the guns on remote defensive stations, or fix parts of the derelict craft to finish the level. We had a chance to play this one at Space World and although the visuals were simplistic, we were quickly hooked. Nintendo's press materials note that Echo Delta is a "deep" game— get it? Deep? "Cause it’s, like, in the ocean and stuff? Yes, well anyway, Echo Delta is due out December in Japan; no U.S. release has been announced, but Nintendo is desperate for quality N64 games, so hopefully they will bring this one over. Custom Roho V2 Marigul’s Noise Team gives Japan a sequel to last year's robot buildin' and fightin' game this November in Japan. Years have passed since the events that took place in the first game, and new rivals, arenas and robo-parts are available as you build and customize your own fighting robot. One of the more interesting additions is a new two-on-two tag battle mode for the Virtua On- esque combat segments. 28 Electronic Gaming Monthly - 108 PlayStation Andy Hartnell Dare to tak з beautiful yet г Girls іп ап Dange espionag thrill-ride б control ої АЛА = lethal e-themed deemed 199 Varied modes of play: stealth, sniper and more Animated Violence Animated Blood TEEN Suggestive Themes Classic Danger Girl signature moves Ы #777 Original art by the creators Dozens of weapons (whips-need we say more?) Danger Girl-The Game © 2000 n-Space, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Danger Girl was created by J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell. DANGERGIRL characters and images TM & © 2000 ATOMICO. ALL 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. Published and Distributed by THO Inc. THO and the THO logo are trademarks of THO Inc. All Rights Reserved. ONLY FOR N For cool stuff go to www.banjo-tooie.com to split up to get ће job done. PREVIEW GALLERY wew Backstage Assault After the semi-success of last year’s WCW Mayhem, Electronic Arts decided to focus on the most interesting aspect of that game—the backstage brawling. This time around you'll find 5o various WCW characters fighting it out (women included), using a possible 40 weapons in various arenas spread out over three different rooms. WCW Backstage Assault lands in stores this fall. Animal Forest In Nintendo’s Animal Forest (scheduled for a February release), you take up residence and go through daily life in a virtual forest. Time and seasons pass as you play using a real-time, in-game clock. Buy a house (and furnishings), clothes, and get games that you can play (like Donkey Kong, shown below) on a virtual NES system! Save and exchange data with friends to visit and talk to animals in other towns. окон Е-%72Е650%87. émokt5 &&6ЁБЕ “4 зотскаввисчи? M PLAYER GAME PLAYER GAME PLAYER GAME A PLAYER GAME NINTENDO CO. MADE IN JAPAN ENUY MEO ВЕ BARUVTSAKE. Pokémon Stadium Gold Silver & Crystal Of course Nintendo’s next Stadium game (due December in Japan) works with all three of the Pokémon Game Boy sequels— Gold, Silver and the just-announced Crystal (see Game Boy previews for more info) — but it also includes new mini-games and a few other little extras. 12 Бен еі ———— (DEATHS HERE RENT I ІШІ "SMART AND SCARY AS HELL" - LAUNCH Radio Networks “... TERRIFYINGLY REAL..." - Los Angeles Times DEATH DOESN'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANS | й рүр DEATH DOESN'T TAKE МО FOR AN ANSVIER. AVAILABLE ON VHS AND 2¥ SEPTEMBER 26. нен iir cie poc Lo perle аи d RR]. vazas AAM VITEN AR BRENER "= WARE ZDE CRAIG PERRY ===? GLEN MORGAN ВН НО LE MORGAN VAES WONG о ERE ERI AMEN — n "Platinum Series" is а licensed trademark of Wamer Steel Vision, Inc. © 2000 New Line Productions, Inc. www.deathiscoming.com © 2000 New Line Home Video, Inc. All Rights Reserved, ONE VIDEO SCORE 00000000 PLAYER LIFE пава E SILENT SCOPE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PLAYSTATION 2 AND DREAMCAST, COMPLETE WITH AN ON-SCREEN TARGETING ` SYSTEM, MAGNIFIABLE SCOPE, MULTIPLE, BRANCHING PATHS AND DETAILED GRAPHICS» DRAWN STRAIGHT FROM THE ARCADE ORIGINAL. AND YES, THE PRESIDENT 15%. STILL BEING HELD HOSTAGE. YOU'RE THE SNIPER WHO'S SENT TO SAVE HIM. ~ ALL YOU'LL NEED ЈЕ РТ ' A GOOD EYE, AND ANJRON STOMACH. * Konami®@is a registered trademark of Konami Co., Ltd. Silent Scopes а trademark Of Koei Gd, Ltd. PlayStation and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks. or te di of Sega, Enterprises Ltd. The ratings icomis a ой теа trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. ©2000 Konami, рог America, Inc. All rights reserved. + * NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void in Florida and where prohibited. You must be 13 ог older and a US resident to enter. Sweepstakes ends December 31, 2000. See www.codemasters.com for complete rules. © 2000 The Codemasters Software Company Limited. ("Codemasters") Al Rights Reserved. “Codemasters” and the Codemasters logo are registered trademarks owned by Codemasters. "Mike Tyson Boxing""'^ and "Genius At Play™” are trademarks of Codemasters. “Mike туоп""м is a trademark of Mike Tyson Enterprises. Mike Tyson's name and image are used under license. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Animated Violence a= Playstation CODEMASTERS.COM Codemasters @, GENIUS AT PLAY роз во (IES Electronic Arts Koei СІН ! ІСІНЕН strategy 15% Fall СТИ Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI (PS) www.ea.com www.koeigames.com Beautiful cinematics. PS2 controller surely Not built for an RTS. ПОЛИТ ТАН Camera is never where you want it. Battle Lines 2-4 It wouldn't be a war without some underhanded politics! Although Kessen focuses on a bitter conflict between the Eastern and Western armies of Japan, the thin line between the two can be blurred prior to battle for an extra advantage. Each side is allowed to confer with the opposing army's generals before battle begins. They can be asked to either jump sides or bide their time and choose an ally once the tides of battle are evident. Each general has a bias rating that shows his loyalty to either side and determines which way he is most likely to swing. If you're confident in your battle abilities, a few extra thousand troops might just Нор onto your wagon...or try to burn it if you're losing! "Does this thing make my head look fat?" One of Kessen's best features is the ornate style and attention to detail-even during battle sequences. Every single one of these warriors is at your command! Not really. The unit control system avoids micromanagement nicely. ny hardcore real-time strategy fan who has played the console versions of such staples as Command & Conquer and Starcraft has probably sworn off using anything other than a hot-keyed interface on a PC for their strategy gaming. Times they are a-changin' though, and as consoles become more versatile, so might gamers. Koei is once again integrating the RTS into the console world, this time on the PS2, and the product is actually quite impressive. With a heavy emphasis on strategy and battle tactics, Kessen looks and feels like a very no-nonsense title that will probably appeal more to the military enthusiast than Blizzard or Westwood fans. The player controls several battalions of varying size, each headed by an identifying general, under the Tokugawa Shogunate. A well-designed tutorial introduces several of the game's functions, which include selecting and customizing generals, issuing The Western army is an equal- opportunity employer. Check out the detail on this triple line of gunnin" girls! Electronic Gaming М - 118 ur EEP не Kessen (which means "strategic battle") is based | on real, historical Japanese warlords and events. | How accurate is it? Take a virtual tour of Japan | during the Edo period in which Kessen is set at | http://www.us-japan.org/edomatsu and find out! ge re ree аз ee ee сама ы 22221 e orders to individual units or blanket commands to the whole army, developing battle strategy, and performing special maneuvers. The battle system works something like a real-time Military Madness. Units have relative strengths or weaknesses against each other (riflemen are strong against cavalry, for example), and once a command is given, the game cuts to a cinematic showing the executed order and its effect on the field or opponent. During the action, the player can view engagements from above or focus in on individual units hacking it out. Realistic battle noises and ambient sounds accent the detailed characters and their environments. Between skirmishes, tons of CG movies show off the gorgeous artwork and the hardware's proficiency at bringing it to life. Troops will react in different ways to orders and battle outcomes, so commands need to be planned rather carefully — generals will protest or even refuse an unwise order. Moreover, the morale of each detachment is influenced by every action and tracked with a zeal meter, which allows the troops to perform special attacks on the field. Players can expect an absolutely seamless experience from Kessen, but does it have what it takes to win the PC strategist over to the console side? Barring some possible interface gripes, it's tough to see how even the finicky RTS crowd could find a problem in a game with so much visual appeal and immersive action. й "У SINIT. 7 77777 4 —À——— | cian D the | roles, ST there are no rules. + ы " N №: mus CUTTING EDGE SOUNDTRACK FROM SOME OF THE WORLD'S LEADING TECHNO/DRUM AND BASS ARTISTS - DOM AND ROLAND, DERRICK MAY AND SURGEON STAR 575ВМ/У _ 1 ROCKSTAR 575BWY. ROCKSTAR 575BWY .ROCKSTAR 575BWY ;ROCKS^ ги Ка я они и ш ш а а шш ун уш уш Ја ш ш ш ш ш ш а ш ш ш ш ш ш )ш ш ш Race across two accurately modeled cities - Win the рік slips об пров g A Play in a persistent world with New York and London! Rise up through the ranks in the interactive traffic, pedestrians illicit world of the Midnight Club. and law enforcement. AWW ТІЛЕ SAWP A S РОШ М ел ИШИ Зо ШТАЛТЫ зол РЕШИ i ШИ . WWW.ROCKSTARGAMES.COM/MIDNIGHTCLUB PlayStation and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony TEEN C or Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the ~ کے‎ e Digita а iation, Angel Studios and the Angel Studios me «до trademarks of Angel Studios. Rockstar Games and the Rockstar , Boa go are trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. counterbalance Weer ny, ۴ © 2000 All rights reserved. Кр =— rr uu PREVIEW GALLERY SHIPS TO SCALE Just to give you an idea how big the droid control ship is at the end of Starfighter, picture this: The droid lander craft is so big your ship looks like a | speck next to it in comparison (it's easily a hundred | times larger), and the control ship can fit 30 to до of these inside it! That's crazy huge! Starfighter PlayStation 2 games are expected to look incredible, but really now, LucasArts is almost going too far with their first release for Sony’s new machine (due this fall). We had the chance to spend some time with Starfighter, and are happy to report that not only are the controls feeling good, the gameplay is perhaps the most exciting part of the title. Unlike many shooting games, where it’s you against everybody else, Starfighter is designed to give you the feeling that you’re only a small part of the ongoing battle—an impressive effect made possible by having dozens of other crafts realistically fighting each other while you fly over, below or into(!) them. “There’s a battle already going on,” is how Daron Stinnett, the project leader for Starfighter explains it. "You're only there to turn the tide." The Bouncer Square EA just sent us these Screens from The Bouncer and they look fantastic! Having incorporated at least two modes, story and versus, Dream Factory promises 20+ hours of gameplay on the former if you want to acquire all of the characters and moves (and you will). Multiplayer capability will also be included for the versus matches. Based on what we've seen from the PS2 and its ability to smoothly handle multiple characters on-screen at once, it's pretty exciting to see what Square might cook up for some of the fights in this game. The three main characters will each have easy-to- perform special moves and will also respond to the analog sticks for greater control. Square EA has set a Winter release for The Bouncer, so keep your eyes glued to EGM for updates on a playable version in the next couple months. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 122 ped PREVIEW GALLERY NHL 2001 As it nears completion we can tell you that EA's newest hockey game is absolutely breathtaking. This game comes so close to re- creating the feel of a hockey match, it's scary. The animations are amazing — players rub their jaws after a fistfight and grimace during hard hits. Fast gameplay didn't take a backseat to the graphics either—it's deep as ever, with season, draft and shootout modes, in addition to selectable uniforms and tons of stats. This is gonna rock come November. * я E iti | NASCAR 2001 Tut We finally spent some quality time behind the wheel of the first PS2 NASCAR game, and мете happy to say it definitely feels more solid than its PS counterpart. Whether it’s drafting down the long straights of a super-speedway or beating and banging through the turns of a half- mile bullring, EA Sports is definitely on the right track (no pun intended) -so far. Once they smooth out the framerate, the game should be just about right. This fall release should get racing fans off the fence and in the stores to buy a PS2. — Unreal Tournament Shown іп super-choppy form at this year's Ез, we're glad to see that Unreal Tournament has come a long way since then. While not quite running at 6ofps, the game plays much smoother than before, even in four-player split-screen (which is good since there's no Internet multiplayer mode). Textures are a little soft, but only the anal-retentive will really notice. Infogrames is planning UT for this fall. YOU SPAZ! қ Since we last covered them, Working 7 4 А Designs has announced that U.S. -— | لس‎ 9 4 gamers will get English versions of both \ 4 Gungriffon Blaze and Silpheed on Oct. ( 5 26! Look for them under the Spaz label. PREVIEW GALLERY "— x Gungriffon шташ, Tg — Blaze Looks like Working Designs made a good choice, picking up LucasArts' Gungriffon Blaze for the Р52. It’s so much more than just a mech-based shoot- 'em-up. Not only can you create a pilot and adjust his/her stats (right down to weight and IQ), but you get to customize your weapons before each outing. The missions all take place in vastly different landscapes, from the desert to snow-capped mountains, and nothing is safe. Not only can you destroy your enemies, but just about any structure you see as well. When the PlayStation 2 launches on Oct. 26, Gungriffon Blaze is definitely a game to check out. A note to owners of the first game: You're gonna absolutely love this one. ме os- 13 Scone (044280 С 212712004 Metal Gear Solid 2 Ever since the unveiling of MGS2 at Еҙ this year, gamers have been begging Konami for a new look at the game. At the recent ECTS in London, Konami came through with more. The new М652 trailer opens with a hooded man, cigarette in mouth, walking across a suspended bridge at night. Cars race by, illuminating the man's face— it's Snake. All of the sudden he rips off his jacket, breaks into a run and disappears (in the same semi-transparent way the stealth camouflage suits worked in the last game). Then he jumps off of the bridge in dramatic John Woo slow-motion style and tumbles toward the water. But you quickly see that it's not the water he's headed for, it's a large ship. And he's not freefalling, he's attached to a bungie cord. The whole sequence is very reminiscent of the stylings of the Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell. The new trailer continued to show more of Snake on the ship. Enjoy these new shots, and look for updates on every piece of new info we can scrape together on this game in the coming months. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 124 Ж. | денною i ШЕТІ ва, 3 : spree are Зара fe Asosan = X $ i Af с 2 Ж тела eee PREVIEW GALLERY DEAD OR ALIVE Dead or Alive is not only a game filled with busty ladies defying the laws of gravity. It's also the name of a cross-dressing band from the '8os who thrive on the retro circuit to this day. Spin me 'round like a record, ‘round, ‘round, like a record at http://www.deadoralive.net Dead or Alive 2: Harticore Leave it up to Tecmo to fashion four different versions of the same game. In the case of Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore it seems as if American PS2 audiences will get the best of the bunch. While it won’t feature Acclaim’s Shadowman (as the Japanese DC version will), DOA2: Hardcore will include all-new arenas, special combination moves no matter which two characters you pick, multiple tag-battle arenas, loads of secret costumes, and the return of Bayman. Kind of a surprise, since Leon is essentially a carbon copy of the red-hatted marine, but oh, well. Tecmo’s Team Ninja has high hopes for 0042: Hardcore when it arrives in time for the PS2 launch in October. Maybe Tekken Tag Tournament won't be the only superb 3D fighter on the PS2 this fall. Evergrace From PlayStation 1 pipe dream to Р52 reality, Agetec’s Evergrace is just around the corner from landing in the U.S. this fall. Evergrace feels like a traditional RPG in many respects, but exhibits some nice little novelties that skew it toward an action game as well. Crystals that let you snap between the two characters, shop for items, and save all in one are scattered about the landscape. The real-time battle system is based on frequent encounters with respawning enemies, and attack strength is affected by the player’s physical condition, which goes down every time you attack or run. After giving an early English version of Evergrace a test run, мете a little concerned. The voice acting is barely adequate thus far, while the text itself is merely functional. Hopefully Agetec puts some final tweaks in before release. Motor Mayhem! Developed by Beyond Games and published by Infogrames, Motor Mayhem! is the first in a series of games designed to Showcase the VCL (Vehicle Combat League). Featuring a rich, WWF-like backstory, nine different vehicles, eight unique fully destructible arenas, Championship, Endurance, Last Man Standing, Quick Start and split-screen modes, Motor Mayhem! has an immersive quality that gives it more character than Twisted Metal or Vigilante 8. Expect it to arrive sometime this winter. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 126 READY 2 RETIRE Think you're pretty good іп the virtual ring? During the 1940s, boxer Hal Bagwell went 180 fights without a loss. That’s some — | со streak, even by today's standards. Hal Bagwell's Punch Out? It could happen... PREVIEW GALLERY Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 Midway is bringing its own version of a Rumble Pak to the PS2. The sequel to their '99 DC title is still in development, but looks like it will retain most of the original cast and add close to 10 new faces to the four playable modes. A more advanced version of the *RUMBLE" power-up and finishing-move style knock-outs have also made their way into the game. Expect to throw down on this one right around PS2 launch. Moto GP We just got our hands on a playable copy of this impressive-looking title. So how does it handle, you ask? It's a cross between EA's Moto Racer 2 and Sega's Manx TT. You can lean into the corners until your bike is just inches from the pavement. The analog stick is very sensitive so it takes restraint to avoid plunging from side to side— definitely more sim than arcade. Look for Namco's Moto GP this November. Wild Wild Racing As you could probably guess from the title, WWR features lots of fast- paced racing through crazy obstacle-laden environments. After about a year of development at U.K.-based Rage Software, the game seems to be coming together nicely. Everything moves really quickly and the cars Sport some great physics (when you hit a jump or obstacle, your car reacts accordingly). Interplay plans to have the game out at launch. / - 121 ВАМ GREAT! New to the Gundam series or just | can't get enough of it? Catch the | awesome Gundam Wing cartoon | en Cartoon Network weekdays at | | 4:30 and 11:00 p.m. Don't have | cable? Go see a friend who does. mu ШЫ == PREVIEW GALLERY Mohile Suit Gundam While still early in development and lacking a final title, Bandai's first entry into the PS2 market will be a 3D action game with a third-person perspective. Players will be able to train and control their own units using mechs from the Universal Century Gundam series. Also, these mechs will learn new strategies on their own the more you fight. Bandai proposes furious multi-mech battles. Look for it in early 2001. Merging the RPG with musical performance, Konami's Reiselied is not yet confirmed for the U.S. but was shown at E3 as Ephemeral Fantasia. As a musician hired to perform on a magical island, our hero faces a variety of tasks (including Guitar Freaks-style mini-games) to unmask its hidden secrets. The major drawback: It's pretty darn ugly for a PS2 game, or even a PS game for that matter. Reiselied is out now in Japan. Here's one last look at Midnight Club before it comes out during the PS2 launch window. Rockstar is big on the huge, go-anywhere driving sims this year, so MC is much like Smuggler's Run in that you have set goals in each level or race, but can pretty much accomplish them however you like. We've only seen New York and London so far, but they both feel authentic in look and layout. 4 1 PREVIEW GALLERY Wipeout Fusion We still haven’t gotten a playable of this early 2001 release, but lucky for us Studio Liverpool has The rumors are true: Activision is officially bringing Kodokawa Shoten’s Orphen to the PS2 in America. This dark platformer been generous with the shots. promises some great gameplay ши 5 Тһе game is being rebuilt from the elements, including both on-the-fly |ИМЕ round up to properly exploit the enemy encounters and staged power of the PS2. Major changes battles using all party members. include new track designs (much During these scripted battles, the wider and dynamic), customizable player can target any one of several ships and revamped Al. Twenty one attacking monsters and unleash levels incorporate corkscrew turns, magical, elemental or physical tremendous banked curves and attacks in real time. The result is а other previously unseen elements. fast and furious combat system In accordance, the ships will be without the artificiality of Final able to defy gravity like never Fantasy-type recharge periods. The before. An upgrade system works game further boasts tons of in conjunction with points earned phenomenal lighting effects and for winning races. You'll be able textures, over 100 enemies and to totally alter the way your craft bosses, several playable allies with looks and performs. The game unique abilities, and dozens of looks terrific so far; hopefully they interspersed cutscenes to won't have to sacrifice any of the introduce new characters and plot graphic splendor for a speedy twists. It's due out here this spring, ^ framerate. but we'll be importing this one. This title is not yet approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America. \ Parasite Eve ||. Combat monstrous enemies with an optimized real-time battle system. Horrifying CG cinemas and sharper graphics bring the shocking new storyline to life. Upgrade and customize your weapons and armor to take on new foes. Use powerful new Parasite Energy abilities to attack the new Neo Mitochondrion Creatures. > PlayStation www.squaresoft.com Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. Aya Brea is back on the job: The Neo Mitochondrion таз infestation ‘has resurfaced and has taken a sinister twist. The outcome of this battle will determine earth's dominant species. Animated Blood and Gore Animated Violence © 2000 Square Co, Ld: АП rights reserved. SQUARE SOFT and the SQUARESOFT logOS are registered trad 5 Based on the novel: Hideaki Sena “parasite EVE” (Kadokawa Horror Bunko). Character designed by Tetsuya Nomu 89 SQUARE/SQUARE VISUAL WORKS. Play: and ie PlayStation logos are registered trademarks o Sony Compuler Entertainme ni Ino, The tain oon пава othe ers Dial баанан мен le PREVIEW GALLERY Finally! The long wait for a construction equipment fighting game is over! Choose a character and a vehicle (forklift, bulldozer, steamroller, etc.), then mash one of three buttons to attack left, right, or straight ahead. Yes it plays like crap and yes, it's very weird. Then again, compared to other Artdink games (Tail of the Sun, Aquanaut's Holiday), this one is downright mainstream. Out now in Japan, and never coming here. Dance Summit 2001 This fall, Enix/Metro bring the third game in the Bust A Move (or Groove, depending whether you're in the U.S. or Japan) series to PS2. Four-on-four battles replace the one-on-one's from the first two games (though you can break into solo dances). Choose from three groups of all-new characters, each masters of one style. The goal is to become a part of the Dance Summit, the biggest dance party ever. A wide selection of Japanese pop tunes can't save Jaleco's Rock'n Megastage (now available in Japan) from the pitfalls of its interface—not to mention that the graphics are much like Р51. Perhaps it's just too hard to tear away from the tried-and-true interface of Konami's Bemani series, but following the instrument icons that slowly fade-in is a pain. It comes with a special arcade foot controller for the drum sections. WDL: Thunder Tanks The latest іп the Battletanx series is coming to the Р52 this fall from 3DO. It features 11 armored vehicles with their own style and special attacks, nine modes of play and multiplayer support for up to four. Players will deal with weather and terrain effects over a dozen realistic battle arenas, and the processing prowess of the PS2 makes it all happen at 60 frames per second. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 182 pretty unique, it's still just a video game. If you want some insight to a truly odd world, you need to go to Canada. Those funny guys just don't make much sense. Check out this link to see what we mean. http://www.yorku.ca/twainweb/troberts/raising.html Making the leap from 2D to 3D is never easy, but Oddworld З қ У сі C" s Inhabitants is doing it in style with an “idiot-friendly” camera l 4 у 5 d system, new Gamespeak technology, innovative new gameplay mechanics introduced by mono-ped Munch, and some quality time with old pal Abe. Infogrames will ship Munch's Oddysee Q2, 2001. In Electronic Arts’ “Delta Force for Dummies" you take control of a commando team that looks like it was yanked out of an anime cartoon. While there is the potential for some interesting puzzles to be solved by teamwork, but really you usually just use the four heroes to open doors by hitting big buttons. You control silver- spike-haired Ash who barks orders (stealth, assault, follow, stay, recon) and cheesy “buddy-talk” lines (*Game, set, match!”) to the rest of his team: Maya, the standard-issue leather-clad vixen; Ving Rhames knockoff Judd; and Melinda, a roughhouse blonde. Each character can upgrade their weapons, armor and other killing essentials when they score bonus points within the level " by having a steady aim. Once you have them all powered up, it's і боп t buy а lame game. ы as explosive as a Chuck Norris В-томіе flick. Get your guns loaded Check it out on FirstLook.com first. for X-Squad in October. FirstLook.com lets you see streaming samples of games before you buy, so you can see them in action. Log on to FirstLook.com and see it before you buy it. first look.com Playstation. PlayStation ul: 5115-01248 01248 trophies your angling skills have awarded you. In this action-packed arcade style fishing game, the player can either spend time leisurely casting across lake waters waiting for a bite on the line or they can enter an intense fishing competition where the only fish that matters is the biggest catch of the day. Along the way players will face all sorts of challenges including shifting water conditions, unstable weather and even more skilled opponents as he continually attempts to outwit the wily bass during each | season of the year. Amazingly realistic fish behavior ensures that no fish is caught without a fight and | that reeling in a winner delivers optimum angling action excitement. | | Оши“ | | Tournament-style Challenge Mode, free-wheeling Free Mode, and an Extra Bonus Mode. й Lure Action Gauge allows the player to monitor lure movement easily. :: Enjoy watching fish (up to five heaviest) you brought back in the Aquarium Mode. | | Five diverse 1цте$ are available at the beginning, covering a wide range of water conditions and lure | movements. More lures will be available as the player gains experience. п Wide variety of "lure action" possible to attract bass, some requiring retrieving or rod movements only, others requiring skillful combination of the two. LLILLI LLI T FACES = E3 FAIT] EE =. IC ст NTSC = 3 lon 4 m m z EX PlayStat ESRB SLUS-01131 01131 | Welcome to the US Army Rangers, one of the toughest and most elite of the world's military task forces. Your main objective is to control your team of Rangers and eliminate opponent targets while completing mission sub-tasks in the time allotted. Choose between stealth or all out frontal assault- it's up to you. 3D action, time pressure and realistic combat will keep you begging for more. Immersed in huge, outdoor 3D environments you and your team members must successfully execute your tasks which revolve around several different mission objectives including reprisal attacks, seize and destroy missions, counter-terrorist attacks and raid and destroy missions. Each environment is unique, not | only in look and feel, but in game play as well. With the emphasis on action and realism, navigate your team with guns blazing or silently under the cover of darkness across landscapes of thick jungle, barren desert, arctic tundra and dense forest. Do you have what it takes? Will you be able to complete your mission, | | though you may be the lone survivor? го TL | = о | [m | | 5 intense mission campaigns each with numerous sub-missions based on real activities carried out | by the US Army Rangers | An arsenal to choose from including shotguns, grenades, machine guns, sniper rifles and more 3 difficulty levels - Private (Easy), Corporal (Medium), Sergeant (Difficult) offers massive replay value In the 2 Ranger option the player has simultaneous control of 2 Rangers | й | Create an inventory filled with hi-tech equipment to aid the Rangers in their tasks - GPS navigation for | | moving through dense landscape, tripwire mines to booby trap enemies, nightvision goggles for stealth accuracy, med kits for injury repair and more LLILLIELLI T FAK Ez e E3 FAITI Е E. IC 3 ITI 2 UWSBERHLL. BREAKERS _Roll Ыы the punches! Roll over the competition! || Horror on an intergalactic scale!! | OSPEC OFS: STEALTH PATROL The enemy is expecting Eon tomorrow. Екей те already there! | _пвар Еп. -PiniBHLL EIG RACE МЕН | | ER BU UU Pro Pinball: Big Race USA delivers more adrenaline-pumping action than your brain can handle! «ХДУ PlayStation ii LLILLI LLI T FAC EE & ES FAITI EE E. IC C3 ITI ""SPEEDERLL 2100 B: lon E PlayStat ы | mu FORD. тейен А Y OP RO-PInNERLL Ріаузгатіопі Е E й id * Suggested Retail Price=$9.99. ©2000 Take-Two Interactive. All rights reserved. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and the Take-Two logo аге PRODUCTS RANGE FROM registered trademarks of Take 2 Interactive Software, Inc. Spec Ops & Zombie are trademarks of Zombie EVERYONE ro TE EN Software Incorporated. Grudge Warriors is a trademark of Take 2 Interactive Software and Telstar Electronic Studios Ltd. Martian Gothic is a trademark of Creative Reality, Ltd. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are PlayStation registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icons are trademarks of the Interactive CONTENT RATED ВУ Digital Software Association. Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for Rating information. BESRE "cor came =. шшштнакевван тест PREVIEW GALLERY We just got the first English revision of Final Fantasy IX, and oh mama, we're impressed. Squaresoft knows a new standard was set with the U.S. release of Vagrant Story, and is not taking the translation of its flagship title lightly. The lighthearted vein that runs throughout the story has been retained without cheapening the overall experience. Look for a review next month! = “um, | don't think that's а good idea. * vou might get addicted. How about І sleep with you tonight, instead?" Finally, an answer to the burning question, “If Boba Fett were stuck in the middle of the Ваше of Hoth against a Rancor and a Battle Droid, who would win?" Demolition might not be the most serious title in LucasArts' holiday lineup, but it really isn't trying to be. Developed by Luxoflux, the folks behind Vigilante 8, this game keeps the same look and lighthearted feel as the popular vehicular combat series, but the classic cars and realistic locations have been replaced by AT-STs and familiar Star Wars settings. Get ready to use the Force (and some giant guns) this fall. | "Fs Electronic Gaming Monthly - 188 y BETTER Y9 ең OUT! GAME IS COMING THIS FALL, ® UNIVERSAL 7 i UNIVERSAL. PlayStation INTERACTIVE STUDIOS • и ROM vu iridis cim Comic Mischief Асло Mind + MaVement The Grinch” interactive game © 2000 Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. Based on “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" book and characters ™ & © Dt. Seuss Enterprises, LP. 1957. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing. Inc. Published and distributed by Konami Corporation А! Rights Reserved. Konami@ is a registered trademarks of Konami Со, Ltd O 2000 Konami. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo аге ether registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LID. Game Boy and Game Boy Color are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc.© 1989, 1998 Nintendo of America Inc. Win with what's strapped on Тор. PlayStation Ai Rgn бете Customize your wheels Transform through portals Blast your way through for maximum firepower. to battle by land, with all the hard-core sea and air. weapons you find. Take й to the Extreme! Modify then race one of eight customizable cars through some of the toughest tracks' Transform your vehicle to handle the terrain. But to win, you need fire power. Pick up machine guns and missile launchers to knock your opponents ош! Because in this game, the best way to win is to make sure the other guys dont finish at all! Available late November. < — PREVIEW GALLERY The first Driver (developed by Destruction Derby masterminds, Reflections) tapped into the felonious instincts of today's video gaming youth, both in the States and abroad, where the game was a runaway success. Now Driver 2 is heading home, courtesy of Infogrames, the game marks the appearance of...curved roads! Not only curved roads, but two-player action as well. Can you say “tag”? It may seem slightly silly, but no one really noticed that the first Driver was nothing but a series of grids and 9o-degree angles. Now the environments feel much more organic and natural. Whereas the first game really didn't give you much to drive with, this time around, virtually any vehicle in the game can be hijacked via a simple third-person action sequence where you run around and liberate various owners from their cars. There are also many, many cars hidden in secret locations should you be intrepid enough to find them. Does a certain yellow car with black stripes sound enticing? It probably does. Driver 2 will crash its way into your lives this Halloween. The New Nightmare The series that invented the survival-horror genre returns. Developed by Darkworks for Infogrames, Edward Carnby and Aline Cedrac team up for a Поттійс adventure as amazing as it is frightening. The lighting effects alone are worth the price. Look for AitD:TNN later this fall. nmi cG lonthly - 142 Who wouldn't want the chance to be James Bond? You know, all those nifty gadgets, blowing away bad guys without a second thought, and of course all those beautiful women with enticing yet subtle names like Pussy Galore. TWINE, the latest first-person shooter from EA is coming out this fall, allowing you to step into Jimmy's shoes and experience everything he does...well, except the women (maybe in the PS2 version!). This won't be just a total blastfest though; you'll have to use your head to survive. In fact, many missions have little to do with combat— you might be required to sneak through a mansion and do some heavy gambling to complete levels and move on. We get to blow Bond's cash at Blackjack? Sign us up! Torneko: The Last Hone If you've played Chocobo's Dungeon 2, you don't need to wait until the November release — you've pretty much already played this new Enix game. It's got the same step-by-step dungeon crawl gameplay, randomly created levels, tons of items and enemies. This one is actually second in a series starring the Dragon Warrior character Torneko —the first was made for Nintendo's 16-Bit Super Famicom but never came to the U.S. ficld hos turned Phantom wa dungeon? 10 HP дата Slime struck for _ HP dama > PREVIEW GALLERY SmackDown! 2 Do you like wrestling games? It doesn't matter if you like wrestling games! THQ is about to layeth the smacketh down on you candy-asses yet again. Yuke's has added more new features to SD!2 than dimples on Rakishi's butt, including The Undertaker's (American Bad-ass version) infamous Casket match and Foley's terrifying Hell in a Cell match. Players can also send someone through a table and swan-ton bomb off a ladder in the new table and ladder matches. Tag-team bouts have been updated with new double-team moves and Tornado Tag rules. With wrestling superstars jumping ship from one company to another so often, THQ has done a good job of keeping the roster up to date. SD2 includes over 5o WWF superstars, including relative newcomers like the Radicals, Chris Jericho and Trish Stratus, not to mention some supporting characters like Patterson, Brisco, Stephanie and the Posse. THQ is betting that all you jabronies out there will smell what the Rock is cookin' when SmackDown! 2 is released this November. Delphine has teamed up with Infogrames for this third installment of the Moto Racer biking series. Featuring 18 tracks based on real-world locations, MRWT offers 34 bikes, both dirt and street racers, of 125, 250, 250 and 500 cc classes respectively. New crash animations and TV-style presentation enhance the already excellent control. Look for MRWT to arrive late this winter. Electronic Gan Aonthly - M4 Looney Tunes Racing Just what we need—another cutesy Super Mario Kart/Crash Team Racing clone. If you've played any of the previous PlayStation kart racers, you know what this Infogrames offering is all about. There is some charm to the game-—it has а lot of recognizable melodies from the cartoons, eight ofthe 'Tunes characters and 18 different tracks. With the Acme Challenge, you can open new tracks, characters and even artwork in return for accomplishing tasks on the tracks (collect things, shoot enemies, etc.). The progressive power-up system is also interesting since you move up 1.3 a "ladder" of strength to get better goodies by picking up numbered icons on the track. It's nothing too original, but Looney Tunes fans can polish their anvils this fall. Bugs & Taz Time Busters Two of Warner Bros.' finest team up to iron out some historical wrinkles in this mid-November release from Infogrames. Players can expect appearances from Granny, Tweety, Yosemite Sam and several other old favorites as they guide Bugs and Taz along. Advancement is based on collecting coin-like items scattered throughout each level, so fans of Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie stay tuned. NUCLEAR DETONATOR => PREVIEW GALLERY t^ Someone's stealing baby chickens from Mort's world, and it isn't KFC. In Crave's oddball combination of a 3D puzzle and platform game, you control Mort who must gather all his lil’ chickies and deliver them to safety. Along the way you have to peck away (literally) at your enemies, piles of birdseed, and huge eggs that conceal power-ups such as “Corn Missiles." Get ready to cluck and pluck this October. Using the Rayman 2 engine, DD Goin' Quackers is a bright, peppy wigglewort of a game. Perfect for younger kids, but perhaps less challenging for older gamers. It's kind of like the “гіде the animal" sections of Crash Bandicoot, minus the animal, and minus about 5096 of the speed. DD Goin’ Quackers is still in an early state, but shows potential. Ubi Soft is doing the honors, and the game should be available this October. Pro Beach Volleyball 7 = Take the lovely and talented Gabby Reece, add 45 pro volleyball players _ fom апа match-'em-up іп two-on-two tourneys, championships and exhibition matches and this is what you get. It's a simple game on several levels. Control consists of jumping for blocks, attacks for dives and the almighty power spike for, well, spiking. We're not sure who Infogrames hopes to capture with this unique title, but we'll find out this fall. The Emperor's Disney's newest animated feature is coming to the PlayStation this November, courtesy of Sony. This 3D action adventure title looks and plays a lot like Spyro the Dragon (and that's an understatement), but it's got its own unique feel thanks to some very witty humor and a cool kickboxing fighting style. There's also a keen first-person shooting mode, where you can fire grape seeds at anything that annoys you. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 146 т Coo! Boarders 2001 The next installment of snowy goodness is coming to you this winter from 989 Sports. CB 2001 offers over 20 new, multi-path courses, new tricks and an improved create-a-rider mode. Completing different objectives unlocks new courses, boards and pro riders. Players can challenge pros such as Todd Richards and Michele Taggart to one-on-one events and boost their attributes, allowing for new special moves. Motocross featuring Ricky | 5 “ MISSILE LAUNEHER Carmichael m p. Thirty pro-riders, career mode and create-a-rider modes, a combo system, signature moves and tricks for each rider, plus the ability to play as three-time AMA champion Ricky Carmichael add up to a whole pile of reasons you may want to inspect THQ's latest dirt- track game. Funcom is back in the driver's seat for this one, and they have retained the use of their smooth graphics engine and realistic physics model, along with a nice game engine that simulates the highs, lows and bumps and jumps of motocross racing so well. CMFRC is scheduled to collide with the PS2 launch, right at the end of October. cd — PREVIEW GALLERY Don't have an N64, but want some WCW Backstage Assault action? Never fear, EA is here! This follow-up to WCW Mayhem ditches those boring old ring matches for unbridled trailer-park panic in the form of three “leveled” battle environments, 40 useable objects to bash brains with, a buttload of characters, and oodles of FMV that N64 owners will never see. Look for WCW Backstage Assault to arrive in stores this fall. ай коло ЖЕЛИ жағын Like Madden, EA's NHL series seems like it's оп cruise control. It's basically last year's game with a few more bells and whistles—a new momentum meter, more camera angles, authentic crowd involvement and additional teams (Ukraine and Latvia). As for gameplay, you can now add "cannon shots" and one-footed wristers to your scoring arsenal. NHL 2001 hits the stores in September. Who would ever expect Midway to release not only a platform game, but a funky-fresh platform game? Deuce is a playing-card (you read that right), who travels with a wizard and a warrior, in an attempt to rescue the Royal Family, and thus become crowned a knight. Magic, melee weapons and more are at Deuce's disposal in this Alice In Wonderland- ish adventure. Look for it this November. 18 ctronic Gaming ренні зі» mcd ОИ ALL THE GADGETS і ET З 2 pe Rae 5 BE BOND, TD LIVE LIKE BOND 3 as а T 5 4 не BEHIND THE WHEEL Available only on PlayStation® HOS MGM INTERACTIVE THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH and 007 RACING Interactive Games (source code) © 2000 Electronic Arts Inc. All rights reserved. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH and 007 RACING Interactive Games (audiovisual components) © 2000 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation. James Bond, 007, James Bond Gun and Iris Logos and all other James Bond related properties © 1962-2000 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation. JAMES BOND, 007, James Bond Gun and Iris Logos and all other James Bond related trademarks TM Danjaq, LLC. Electronic Arts, EA GAMES and the EA GAMES logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. PlayStation and the PlayStation logo are a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and the "М" logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo of America Inc. Game Boy and Game Boy Color are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1989, 1998 Nintendo of America Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. а Mer X Games” М. Ew а а etre мис о ESPN, Inc. АСОИ HeServed «92000: і. ; уы tly logo aseo! | | sar | | | | | DT / PlayStalion and "PS" Fam of ESPN, Inc. Konami: yt cul | REAL PRO ВО SER аваа шарда E] | == =thegames AMERICA’S #1 GAME NEWS & TRICKS! 1-900-PRE-VIEW Call Now and Win! 1-900-773-8439 Listen to Quartermann Gossip Before It's іп EGM! ELECTRONICS • Call and Test Your Knowledge of Video Game Trivia! | НЕГЫ • Get the Latest Expert Gamer Codes & Tricks • Hear Review Crew Members’ Game Ratings! SNIPER FOR PS GAMER Correctly Answer a Series of Video Game Questions &Win! RECENT WINNERS - Max Gustofson, South San Francisco, CA; Cory Conn, Peru, IN; РЈ Теппеу, Clarksburg, CA; Michael Welsh, Sicklerville, NJ; Dale Exinvil, Jamaica, NY; Jeffrey Burt, Dunkirk, NY; Chris Grace, Covington, LA; Joe Johnson, Round Rock, TX; Robert Short, Odenton, MD; Patrick McAuliffe, Norco, CA; Charles Ewing, Jackson, МІ; C. Young, Concord, MI; Dave Gregory, Hazard, KY; Chris Coburn, Linden, NJ; Christopher Ratvil, Chippewa Lake, OH; Michael Mandrel, Newport, RI; Benjamin Nesbith, Upper Saddle River, NJ; Boyns, Jacksonville, FL; V. Martin, North Hollywood, CA; Michael Vazquez, Rochester, NY; Justin Gray, Shreveport, LA; Ramon Motine, North Hollywood, CA; Elliot Wichrowski, Cleveland, OH; Curtis White, Emporia, VA; Orlando, Maplewood, MO NOLWYOdYOO SDNIGIOH ANN Jo ѕУзешәред pejejsidie1 эле зешеи jonpoJd GAME BOY ACTION PACK ONLY me $1.49/minute Only one winner per household per month! Rotary Calls Accepted PRIZES PROVIDED BY NUBY WWW.nubyonline.com 1. Entry. To enter, correctly answer six consecutive trivia questions and leave your name, address and phone number as instructed. Winners will be determined by judges whose decisions are final, One winner per household per month. Ziff Davis Media Inc. assumes no responsibilty for uninteligi- ble, incomplete, or misdirected responses. 2. Prizes: Winners will receive one (1) of the following at Ziff Davis Media Inc.'s sole discretion: Boomerang 64 controller, PS Sniper Gun, or Game Boy Color Action Pack. Prizes have an approximate retail value of at least $25.00. АП prize winners will be noti- fied by mail, Prize(s) are non-transferable. No substitutions of prize(s) are allowed, except at the option of Ziff Davis should the featured prize(s) become unavailable. 3. Eligibility: Contest open to res- idents of United States and Canada. Void in Maryland. Non-compliance with the time parameters contained herein or return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification. Winners or their legal guardians shall return a signed affidavit of eligibility/release of liability/prize acceptance within 5 days of receipt or forfeit prize. Employees of Ziff Davis Media Inc., Nuby Interactive, and their respective affiliates are not eligible. Neither Ziff Davis Media Inc., Nuby Interactive, nor their respective affiliates, sub- sidiaries, divisions, or related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes, or expenses resulting from this contest. Winners acknowledge that Ziff Davis Media Inc. has nei- ther made nor is in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize including but not limited to its quali- ty, mechanical condition or fitness. Winners accepting prizes agree that all prizes are award- ed on the condition that Ziff Davis Media Inc., its agents, representatives, and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of the prizes. 4. Winners List: For a list of winners, send а stamped, self-addressed envelope to Preview Line Trivia Contest, PO Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338. Please specify the month for which you are requesting the winners list. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. 5. Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply. eases Га Soy | to the King Due out in time for Halloween, Evil Dead: Hail to the King takes the Bruce Campbell cult hit and straps it to Sony's 32-Bit console. Have shotgun and chainsaw, will travel. Get ready to take on the Deadites through a vast array of prerendered backgrounds that give “survival-horror” a new meaning. Let's hope THQ and Heavy Iron get the gameplay thing down in time for its release. www.empir | Danger Girl is loads of fun. But | out there, and his name is Danger Mouse. This British rodent is loved | all around the world, and tons of info can be found at | http://www.dangermouse.org/. Skip on over there to see what DM | and his sidekick Penfold are up to. саар ‘ous 10-8: there's another danger: us tom оодег Danger Based on ). Scott Campbell's comic book of the same name, Danger Girl is a third-person action game along the lines of Tomb Raider, minus its trademark stiff-as-a-board control. Danger Girl offering three different playable characters. Players Will be able to crouch, jump and snipe through a variety of levels. Danger Girl is almost Syphon Filter-y in a sexy sort of way. THQ plans to have Danger Girl in stores by the time you read this. em INTER pire RATING PENDING = w Limited for Entertainment nal (UK) Lt ational (UK) Limited. Exclusively distributed in North America by Ј This ad is a parody, and is for entertainment and amusement only. Duh. Created by Mind's Eye Productio: International (UK) Limited. Published by Empire Interactive. Empire is a registered trademark of Entertainment => PREVIEW GALLERY The "racing" part of oo7 Racing is a little deceiving. This isn't just a racer featuring a Bond theme, instead it's more like a mission-based action game—each level has some sort of task, such as rescuing а prisoner or racing against time with a bomb in your car. EA has this game set for a November release, which gives them time to lower the currently insane difficulty level down a notch or two. The new version of ShootOut, due out in October, plays and looks very similar to last year's, which seems to be the case with 989 Sports' annual crop of games. There are some new player animations, but aside from that, the focus here is added details, like the college draft mode, team-specific playbooks and play creation mode. Plays could be used more this year since the half-court offense also runs more realistically. см O Playbook 30 CREATE DUNK NBA Live 2 EA's roundball series is nearing the end of its championship run on the current PS hardware. Did they save the best for last? The early version we played includes all the requisite Live-style goodies with only a minor assortment of upgrades. One area this year's game focuses on is the low-post game, as you can now perform new up-and-under and drop-step moves. Look for NBA Live 2001 sometime this fall. IT ^£ НА жа is one of over Step into the Octagon as one ® UFC fighters with ай | "n 20 top i skills, moves and attitudes: 3-0 рћого-та) Capture е Pped polygon char acter: Very physical detail У Tom sweat down to tattoos ғ о о . [c un > 5 ЈЕ: РОМСН, КІСК, = GRAPPLE and WRESTLE ы your competition into m ОЕ гог беса ратови submission as ап - БОЗ Nintendo” Game Boy" Color. authentic UFC fighter in ultra-realistic, full-contact bouts. Are you ready for the Ultimate Fighting Championship'"? STEP INTO THE OCTAGON” AND FIND OUT 7 BUST” AVE 2. mme TES CRAVE, PlayStation үм PEN TERTAIN MEN 1] www.cravegames.com tendo of Americ The Maestromusic isn't the first time a video game has revolved around classical music. In 1993, Microprose released CPU Bach on the 3DO, developed by celebrated game designer Sid Meier (whose credits include Civilization and Railroad Tycoon). In it, a virtual J.S. Bach would play music according to the parameters you set. ‘Twas a lot of fun. No really, it was! 4 по» PREVIEW GALLERY ЕЛИНЕ НЕНИ 0 т E Ала ро yet ee‏ ت Maestromusic‏ Ever think you'd use a baton to play a video game? In Global А‏ Entertainment’s The Maestromusic, you use a special baton controller‏ Based on the DreamWorks movie, Ubi Soft’s Road to El Dorado is an (included with the game) to conduct the music. You have to vary the speed adventure in the old PC sense of the genre. You'll play as both the movie's апа strength of your motions, matching them to the required level of the main characters, Tulio and Miguel, as you search for items and talk with music. Mini-games like “Mr. Pizzaler” (bottom left) unlock when you finish characters to solve puzzles and find the lost city of gold in December. the game, and you can even read up on the featured composers. РЕАЛА е4 ж а же After а long hiatus, Working Designs' Spaz label is making a return Warrior Vil appearance on the PlayStation this fall with RayCrisis, the sequel to RayStorm and Galactic Attack (remember that old Saturn shooter from Finally, it’s out! Enix has Acclaim?). It features all the frantic shooting action you'd expect froma released the long-awaited Dragon Taito game, and even includes a PocketStation mini-game to mess with. Warrior VII in Japan (ОК, we know Check out our review of RayCrisis in this issue. it’s called Dragon Quest over there), and we (along with nearly UNO 2 million others) nabbed a copy p y the morning of release. We've only had a few hours with it so far, but we can at least say that if you liked the past games in the DQ series, you're probably going to like this one too. Be sure to check back next month for a full preview. lectronic Gaming Monthly - 156 /7 АЦЕ سر‎ Get ready to be blown away by the world's best-known drag racing € om stars racing today's hottest cars on 1/4 and 1/8 mile tracks. Enjoy day and night racing and full weather dynamics at 10 IHRA-sanctioned tracks. You can choose from more than 50 vehicles, including classics and late models, and IHRA Drag Racing features the top cars and drivers from Top Fuel, Pro Mod, Pro Stock, and Funny Car. Nitro Burning! З UAM | Whether you're new to drag racing в — 3 | iis or a lifelong fan, IHRA Drag Racing is one racing game you can't live without! Comes with more than 50 dragsters, or customize your own! Tweak and tune over 70 different components in the car shop to build the ultimate dragster. Custom paint shop lets you create your own, special look. Spectacular graphics bring the action to life, including hair-raising crashes. айшы Day and night racing on 10 IHRA- sanction tracks! Realistic physics and incredible car dynamics deliver all of the fantastic PlayStation action of real-life drag racing. www.hethsoft.com і Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. 0 Е І WOR KS PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Bethesda Softworks Inc. is a registered trademark of ZeniMax Media Inc. Copyright © 2000 ZeniMax Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. a division of ZeniMax Media Inc. MIN РИ ЕХІТ ОРЕКАТІОМ: OBSERVE SURROUNDINGS. IF SCENERY I$ MOVING-REMAIN IN VEHICLE. IF STATIONARY, PROCEED WITH CAUTION TO NEAREST EXIT. posan, 1 ІП NOAH 6% шоэ-рмомшешКел мм. [Punisher ль; Hudson СЕН ШИ (еле. Frc 95% LT CNN, November Pokémon R/B/Y www.atlus.com A fun Pokémon alternative with loads of gimmicks. The Вай: Too similar to Pokémon in spots. ІШІҢ Pokémon Gold & Silver come out at the same time. GAME BOY KISS Robopon’s instructions suggest a near-endless set of possibilities by using an infrared remote control with the game. Using a Sony universal remote, we tested this assertion. After trying 12 different TV and VCR brands, we gave up. If the possibili- ties aren't endless, they're darn close. Even though you can only use it with chests or in labs, power-ups run the gamut from useless to utterly valuable. During evolutions, you can haphazardly add or subtract levels or hit points. Should you run into a door you can't unlock, no problem, just use your remote to open it. There's nothing better than evolving your Robopon only to have random button mashing increase your attack statistic by 10 points. Charm sumito пуб avs Hao Hao 30741 о Some of these little contraptions put any Pokémon to shame in the sickeningly cute department. As you can see from the screenshot on the right, battles play out in a style very similar to the ubiquitous Pokémon. n the world of handheld gaming, there are two types of games: the Pokémons and the Poké- nots. Seeking to capitalize on the success of the former, while offering the innovation of the latter, Atlus’ Robopon wraps Pokémon-inspired gameplay around solid RPG storytelling, throwing in a couple of cool gimmicks for good measure. One day, Grandpa Hogle, tired of seeing his Robopon Dispatching Facility stagnate, gives control to his grandson, Cody. Oddly enough, Cody’s efforts to rebuild the company quickly evolve into wholesale Robopon raising and battling. Sound familiar? With 150 Robopon to collect, evolve and train through a series of one-on-one battles, the game unashamedly mimics Nintendo’s franchise. Thankfully, though, it also breaks this mold in a number of ways. For starters, Robopon’s battle system is much more diverse. You acquire new attacks by purchasing and finding software packages, which fall into five elemental categories: earth, wind, water, electricity and fire. While each piece of software represents a single attack, they can be combined to form stronger assails. Different Robopon have a propensity for different attacks. Arm-type Robopon are generally good with close attacks, while Boot-type Robopon excel at defensive yout Do rou want to battle т Не», Electronic Gaming Monthly - 162 Zap 999/999 Sunny |: 11 пуб Sen SCP EF Hi 29/46 ауаа Escape Evasion Defense maneuvers. Combine this with inherent strengths and weaknesses based upon the aforementioned elements, and what you have is more than 300 unique attacks with three dimensions of strategy. Evolving Robopon is accomplished a variety of ways. Leveling up increases your statistics, but to evolve Robopon you need to feed your team energy balls won in battle. Then, when your Robopon begins to glow, it is time to bring it to the lab and have it transformed. Some require greater amounts of energy to evolve than others, while other Robopon can’t evolve at all. You can also choose not to evolve your lil’ robot buddies, instead opting to upgrade their CPU and software characteristics. In addition to incorporating the one-on-one battle and trading options found in Pokémon, Robopon’s link mode offers four additional arenas for various events. There’s a jumping contest, a shield mode to see who can take the most punishment, and an arm mode to see who can dole it out the best. You can battle for a belt in the Robopon title match as well. The cartridge itself contains a GB KISS infrared port. It also has a built-in real-time clock and speaker system, alerting you when something is happening in the game. Top it off with a quirky big- business sub-plot and Robopon might just have enough to step out of Pikachu’s great shadow. ж у ES Tj CALLED. HEAT. NASCAR. - Actual game footage BRING HOME THE HESTON X. PURYSLETIUN GAME CONSOLE AND THE РС. шоп © 2000 Hi 00 ® — NASCARG PREVIEW GALLERY Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare Looking at these screens, the first thing that comes to mind is, "That's on GBC?!” The answer is an emphatic "Yes." Whether the final version will be able to handle the slated background and sprite scaling smoothly while retaining its high-quality appearance remains to be seen, but the game looks fantastic so far. Let's hope AITD succeeds where the fabled Game Boy Color version of Resident Evil failed. Mat Hoffman's Pro ВМХ Like its PS and DC big brothers, this little pup features half pipe, dirt and vert action. Mat along with seven other pros are available for single-player action only (unfortunately there is no link play). As you can see from these pics, the emphasis is on mid-air tricks and maneuvers. Hoffman GBC is set for a November release. — № —— Star Ocean Blue Sphere Tri-Ace itself is developing this sequel to their PlayStation RPG Star Ocean: The Second Story. The Game Boy edition features 16 characters —including many from Second Story (recognize any from the screens here?). You control a single character during combat (the computer controls the other two) and take on enemies one at a time. Mario Tennis GBC Looks like we guessed right a few issues back when we first saw Mario Tennis for the N64—a Game Boy Color edition is on the way, due this November in Japan and early next year in the U.S. It’s basically to tennis what Mario Golf was to golf—lots of easy-to- pick-up, fun-to-play, very arcadey tennis matches (you only use the A button) strung together with light RPG aspects. Also like Mario Golf, you can build your character up after you win games in areas like power, control and running speed, plus open up four new characters in the N64 game by using the Transfer Pak (see screens at right). Mario Tennis even supports the link cable for two-player games. Camelot (the same company that did Mario Golf) is working on this one for Nintendo, so мете expecting great things. It's what you fear. © Dreamcast. DARKWORKS Game DEVELOPMENT STUDIO INFOGRAMES вот PlayStation Alone in the Dark™ : The New Nightmare © 2000 Infogrames Entertainment S.A. All rights reserved. Infogrames and Alone In The Dark are trademarks of infogrames Entertainment S.A. PlayStation and the Playstation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Sega Enterprise, Ltd. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are sroperties of their respective owners, E ou Тын MECHANICAL MICROCOSM _____ а X dh You probably know that Micro Machines, the toys, have been around quite awhile, but you might not know that there’s been so many Micro Machine-themed video games. It’s one of $ бы у 6 the quietest monster franchises. There's Micro Machines 1 and 2: Twin Turbo (pictured left) - в ым ~ for ће NES and GBC, Micro Machines 64, Micro Machines V3 PlayStation, and finally this S 3 one for the GBC and Micro Machines 4/2000 for the PlayStation. PREVIEW GALLERY Six pro riders, signature moves, real- life sponsors, customizable bikes, and dirt, street and vert modes all add up to one funky BMX game. Apparently, a large number of tricks, both land and air, have Machines Va It appears that Network Technologies is delivering one of the few GB titles that remains true to the console version. As the name implies, you race "тісто" vehicles on tracks that range from a been implemented. Tricks such as the RR dinner table to a pair of pants. There are Superman Seat Grab, Indian Air, 7205 ^ e uj eight different tracks, 15 vehicles, and an and grinds can be used over the six } 122. уран eight-player mode that gives this game courses. THQ will publish the game this fall. Ма а рам == | pepe ELA * СЕС) the potential to be one of the better GBC racing titles when it arrives this fall. = о о Гата estar Little Nicky Mirroring the story of the upcoming Adam Sandler flick, Little Nicky charges the player with 14 platform levels and close to a dozen mini-games. A battery of moves are at Nicky's disposal, including a flaming burp and "evil ray." How Ubi Soft will keep the ESRB happy remains to be seen-Digital Eclipse has apparently kept the Sandler spirit, for better or for worse. Nicky GBC will be singeing shelves Nov. 17. | Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-2nd Edition Get with Regis and company in the handheld version of the runaway hit TV show. Developed by Eurocom and published by THQ, WWTBAM2E features over 600 questions, and all the features (lifelines, etc.) found in the actual show. It's due in stores this October. ng Monthly - 166 Electronic Gan 00 From Softv ractive Digi PREVIEW GALLERY Kirby Tilt ‘п’ Tumble Nintendo recently released Koro Koro Kirby, the Japanese version of what will be called Kirby Tilt "п" Tumble in the U.S. when it's released on Dec. 4. The tilt function of the cartridge works really well. Only problem is that it's a bit of a chore to keep it in direct light while moving around. Each level is divided into four sub-levels, ending with a boss. There are often multiple paths to take, some not-so obvious. You'll be forced to float through the air by inhaling balloons, steer rafts over river currents, and ride on moving clouds to get past the game's tough levels. Finding a large blue star hidden in each level gives you a chance to take on one of five mini-games, including a dancing game (top left) and hurdle race. a smile or a frown from Kirby while the game saves. 12424122122 ; 20 А 1 27 ОЕ йс 1 2141 Grandia Неј ај Ри Parallel Trippers One pleasant surprise at Space World was Hudson's announcement of Grandia for the GBC. The unique battle system remains intact, and it seems like most of the characters are from the original game as well. Grandia will hit Japanese stores on Dec. 15. As of yet no U.S. release date has been set, but hopefully Ubi Soft is considering it. Pokémon Crystal Gold and Silver just weren't enough. Nintendo will release Pokémon Crystal in Japan on Dec. 14 to coincide with the release of the Mobile System GB adapter (see Press Start). The biggest addition in Crystal is the ability to trade/battle 'mons over a cell phone! Each monster has been given new entrance animations for battle, and there's a new “mystery” girl sporting silver/blue hair (shown at right) who could be a main character. Crystal will come to the U.S. in 2001. Nintendo is still figuring out how to implement the cell phone feature for the U.S. (it may use normal phone lines instead). pepo} ео u X ју 7 5 vs Homma 199 те Тео Gray Bs. f= 96 51i, == Quer $2 rt-2L233»? ж „ижа | Сһеск оці 6 = the all-new det Pokémon | animations. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 168 КЕЛИ 94059 сүраса я 5 = 5 E 4 %, фу, Bay St Mandewaler $ 4, AA Houston А = St Fielding St JSSIAN- | оао | HILL Roach Filbert St TIME ИМ! AEN \d (40025 үс sie о {285 , 304 је Pick-up bombs, take out kidnappers, y on St stop a runaway cable car and more. Every mission you complete unlocks new options, vehicles and sections of the map. Chinese Plow through the streets in a tank, jump Hospital your motorcycle over Union Square or az 2 um keep it low and fast down Market Street 4l => і паї) GdF a in the Formula One racer. Speed or i NM. destruction, the choice is yours. 1 M \ \ Féry Buildin (World Trade Traffic Laws Are For Tourists Rack up the cash by smashing through Everyone knows the shortest distance between two points is a straight line... especially when you go over, under or through anything in your way! White- knuckle it through the streets of San Francisco in Super Runabout, the ultimate go-anywhere driving game for the Sega Dreamcast. Drive anywhere you мат through parks, buildings, garages and тоге... just don't let silly things like traffic laws get in the way of a little fun. buildings and landmarks, over turning cable cars and taking out taxis. "..-тау just give the taxi boys а run for their. money." -Gamers Republic, April 2000 "Take the playability and polish of Crazy Taxi, throw:in:the seamy under- belly of ОТА 2; then add a healthy dose of the interactive factor found іп... Destruction Derby..." Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine, July/August 2000 www.interplay.com/superrunabout «є» digitalmayhem.interplay.com, —- Sega Visit www.esrb.org. Dreamcast; or call 1-800-771-3772 РД, 2 teveloped һу © 2000 Climax. Super Runabout: San Francisco Edition, the Super Runabout: San Francisco Edition logo, Digital Mayhém; the Digital Mayhem logo, Interplay, f 27 for more info. the Interplay logo and "By Gamers. For Gamers." are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. All rights reserved. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. All other trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. BY GAMERS FOR GAMERS.” _ ENTERTAINMENT These Backyard games for the PlayStation and GBC have come out of the blue, making our heads spin. Apparently, they've gained some attention on the PC as kid's games that emphasize character and teamwork. For | example, grouping kids friendly with each other strengthens the overall | team: Right now, there's football, soccer and baseball, with plans of more | to come. If you want to know more about these, go to | | www.humongoussports.com and enjoy. Diapers not included. | | ПЕ: e] PREVIEW GALLERY Backyarti Football As if the PC and PlayStation versions of this younger-skewed sports title weren't simple enough, Humongous Entertainment is bringing the game to the GBC this fall. Here's a few kiddified pros such as Aikman, Жур McNair, Seau, Bledsoe and Favre, but don't be fooled—there is very little M a B real to the game aside from throwing to your open receiver. Who knows it could work just perfectly for the small Game Boy screen. = TAGE aq AL I E - O4 Ü =o 000 РА Balloon Fight GB O Available only through the Nintendo Power distribution service at Lawson = Ф convenience stores in Japan, Balloon Fight GB is a modern take on the classic NES Ф x XX у title (which is also included). Fly through multiple, auto-scrolling levels collecting 4 Ж 4 balloons, all the while avoiding sharp objects. While BF's graphics are upgraded, the gameplay is the same "Joust" technique. Flap your arms to stay afloat and avoid the obstacles. It's available now in Japan. |... ИО Е Legend of Starfi | There's trouble іп the sky kingdom of Tenkai. Accident-prone prince Starfi has been marooned deep in the ocean. Run, jump and spin bash your way through watery dangers as Starfi in this side-scrolling platformer, similar in style to the Kirby games. Starfi lands in Japan courtesy of Nintendo this December. = 8) (2) 22 Ci (3 e у uid Apparently, Nintendo wants to halt all productivity here at the EGM office, and Pokémon Puzzle League is their tool for doing so. Take the über-addictive Tetris Attack and toss in those lovable Pocket Monsters and you've got a game that'll keep us occupied for months. Work will grind to a halt this February. (score Т 1192) {SPEED tU || і | f : PREVIEW GALLERY a Fighters A few years back, Capcom released a series of Mega Man fighting games in the arcades. Consisting of two separate titles, Rockman: The Power Battle and Rockman: The Power Fighters, each ignored the series’ platforming routes and featured one-on-one matches between Mega Man and various bosses from earlier games. Now, five years later, NGPC owners are treated to respectable renditions of both ona single cartridge: Rockman Battle & Fighters. Had the NGPC not gotten the axe, gamers this fall would have earned the privilege of playing one of the most time-honored representatives of the shooter genre. OK, so maybe Cotton isn’t exactly R-Type or Gradius. It is, however, a five-level shooter full of cute fairies, ghostly enemies, magical power-ups, anda cantankerous witch. Although “pocketized,” all the same bosses, power-ups, and cut- scenes from the PC Engine original remain intact. If you’re hungry enough, the Asia market release (out now) is in English. One part RPG and two parts strategy, Ogre Battle on the NGPC will always represent the tragedy that is SNK’s exit from the American market. Similar to the SNES release (and the more recent N64 game), you assume the role of commander in the King’s army, trying to quell a vicious coup. To do so, you must deploy your units from town to town, ridding the countryside of rebel influence. Containing night versus day nuances, public-opinion polls, quirky plot-twists, and the classic turn-based battle system that emphasizes formation and planning, Ogre Battle purports “same great tactics, double the story line.” Unfortunately for all you importers out there, the game is strictly in Japanese, no English language option to be found. What is the rarest English-language Мео•бео Pocket release? Give up? Hint: Evolution. The story revolves around Mag, a young adventurer called on to protect the world from the evil 8th Empire. Using his trusty Cyframe weapon, he and his cohorts, Linear and Gre Nade, embark upon a tale rife with turn-based battling and RPG high jinks. Yeah, it’s exactly like the somewhat underwhelming Dreamcast series of the same name, but Evolution actually makes quite a good handheld RPG. FP TROUBLE АТ ALL. | onthly - YOU DEFEND | ALL THAT IS соор жабо zie BUT FIRST, YOU MUST DEFEND ҮДА 25 ТЕЕМ т Animated Violence Есте DRAGON VALOR" & © 1999 idm ae trademarks of Sony Computer Ent 3 ЕХ PlayStation www.namco.com You are the very first dragon slayer, a fearless hero who must combat the most horrific of enemies. You will vanquish evil, marry the heroine, and continue your heroic legacy with cach new generation, You will fight as 9 brave characters т 3 action-packed storylines, and battle to prove your worth, your might, your Dragon Valor. PREVIEW GALLERY Pseudo-sequel to the Sega arcade game SpikeOut, SlashOut takes the Й same basic idea—up to four-player simultaneous free-roaming fighting, with combos and special moves —and places it into a swords-and- sorcery setting. Gather gems from defeated enemies to gain levels and strengthen your characters. Hopefully this Naomi game, out now in Japan, is DC bound (and added network support would be nice!). Planet Harriers Who else has been praying for a Space Harrier follow-up? Amusement Vision (formerly Sega АМ4) has stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-player simultaneous hybrid of Space Harrier and Fantasy Zone. Choose from four different characters to blast through wave after wave of 3D shooting action. Keep your hit percentage up to make more money and buy better weapons. No word on a U.S. release yet. Ele ectronic Gaming Monthly - 114 be will RISE AGAIN! UNIVERSAL вка Ме Animated Violence © Dreamcast UNIVERSAL, Animated Blood PlayStation INTERACTIVE STUDIOS ‘CONTENT RATED BY ® www nniversalstudins сот The Mummy" interactive game © 2000 Universal Interactive Studios inc. ТМ Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing Ine. Developed by Rebellion Interactive Limited. Published and distributed by Konami Corporation, АН Rights Reserved, Konani is a registered trademark of Konami Co. Ltd. 2000 Konami. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. Game Boy and Game Boy Color are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc.© 1989, 1998 Nintendo of America Inc. The ratings icon is а registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Р8г9а - 50009 IHL 88/94 - УЗЛЕ НОМПУТ JHL 61:94 - 33015 010 3Н1 90294 - зала AN@-ISNW JHL |" Ta Sty Ny А 5 71294 – 3939 31VWIEIQ 3H1 є Ж 4 2” Electronic Gaming майну m РНОТОСКАРНУ ВУ RAFAEL FUCHS don't know if you've ever seen a million PlayStation 25," Kaz Hirai, chief operating officer of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), says. “Тће most l've seen at once was 50,000 in a huge warehouse, and it's unbelievable how much Space that takes. The logistics of moving a million units for launch day— т not going to say it's as difficult as launching the space shuttle, but it's pretty УЕ close." iini ч i №. Something tells us Sony will figure out the logistics just fine. Regardless, it ain't our problem. We got a launch party to throw. And when Sony's first batch of 1 million PlayStation 2 units hit U.S. stores on Thursday, Oct. 26, we reckon we won't be the only gamers phoning in sick and calling over pals to play with the most powerful, most stylish, most “midnight-black” game console on the market. Without a doubt, the PS2's launch will mark = ге , 3 2 the biggest 24-hour event 0 the games industry has ever p ці seen. If our math is right, LT р 5 you'll have more than 20 ames to choose ћ à atte. à g оо5е from on day one— not to mention à 3 thousands of DVD flicks. > It's almost too much g^. T. digital entertainment to 1 "d 25; 5 absorb іп опе day. t 5 Relax— we're here to 3 help. Within this massive N 3 article, you'll find a N а complete guide to the first round of PS2 games and peripherals, an in-depth look at Sony's gameplan, and smaller articles written by experts on DVDs and the Z audio/visual components that'll squeeze the most out of your new system. In short, you'll find everything 4 “ Electronic Gaming Monthly. 172. you need to get your PS2 launch party off ће ground. (Our only warning: You'll need to supply your own models and posh, pool- equipped party palace.) Or, at the very least, this feature will help you decide if you want to ignore the whole shabang and wait for Xbox and Gamecube. But before you even think of getting this soiree started, don't forget the most crucial step of all: nabbing a PS2. Now that's not going to be easy if you didn't preorder a system. Game stores Babbage's, Electronics Boutique and Funcoland are still taking pre- orders, but at this point it's too late to get in on the initial launch- day shipment of 1 million systems. They're pretty much spoken for (unless you hop in line— see sidebar). So how long will you have to wait If you miss the system on day one? Sony is planning to release another 2 million consoles in the U.S. by the end of its fiscal year in March —and we're told these systems will hit sooner rather than later. “Тһе important thing really is for us to take those remaining 2 million units after launch and frontload them as much as possible before the holiday season,” Hirai says. "We're trying to meet the pre- holiday and holiday demand as much as possible." One thing you won't have to worry about on Oct. 26 is a lack of games. As of press time, до titles are set to hit the PS2 at launch ог within a month after. And Sony hasn't even announced its lineup of first-party launch games yet. You'll find a complete guide to all these titles later in the feature. But beyond its record-breaking debut, is Electronic Gamin Sure, you can throw your Р52 shindig in any number of lame locations —your bedroom, your auntie's basement, that vacant lot behind the 7:11. But why not get creative? We gathered our gear and headed to the Sybaris іп Northbrook, Ill. Its plush, pool-equipped rooms are usually reserved for couples who, er, come to get their game on. But we thought the moody lighting, tricked- out A/V system and slight risk of electrocution (don't place your PS2 by an indoor pool, kids) would make for the hippest party palace in the Midwest. So pick your party locale accordingly—this is only going to be the biggest system launch of all time. the PS2 really guaranteed a lifetime of supply of titles from the big- name developers and publishers? While the obvious answer might seem to be "of course!" consider this: Both Microsoft and Nintendo have more powerful consoles on the way next year—and some publishers have confided that Microsoft is easier to work with than Sony. What's to keep publishers from jumping Sony's ship? *We're making sure, first and foremost, that we have a successful launch so we can grow the installed base of the hardware as quickly as possible," says Hirai, *because at the end of the day, when you have a large installed base, that's a bigger business opportunity for all the companies that publish on that platform. And we have a five- year track record now of developing and nurturing our relationships with the third-party publishers, through co-promotions, co- marketing and lots of interesting things to support the platform and their titles as well." In other words, Sony's saying that if they throw the biggest party in town, everybody'll wanna come. Simple as that. In fact, Hirai says he isn't even sweating the other guys right now. “Тһе truth is our biggest competition is not necessarily traditional competitors like Nintendo, Sega and Microsoft," he tells us. *We're really trying to offer a compelling entertainment experience so that people will play the PlayStation 2 as opposed to seeing a movie or going out to play pool with their friends. Any type of entertainment, really, is our competition." g Monthly - 118 Р52 00Е5Т Whazzat? You say you didn't preorder a PlayStation 2? Then surely you're 5' out of l’, right? Wrong. As of press time, these stores and Web sites haven't begun PS2 pre-order programs. They may be your best bet for nabbing a system this October. Just be sure to check in with them early and often. * Best Buy * Circuit City * Wal-Mart * www.ncsx.com * www.buygames.com * The JC Penney Catalog * CompUSA * Target AUDIOSTORM PST SPEAKERS Price: $300 www.galantcom.com These PS2-styled speakers are the perfect choice for pumping sound out of your new system. Not only does the set include a remote, five mini- satellites and a subwoofer, it comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 amp. Not quite as fancy as the components listed elsewhere in this feature, but still a solid setup for the price. Bold words, sure, but we don't doubt Sony has the brand recognition, marketing muscle and vast library of games to get what it wants. So the only big question left is, what's next? Hirai offers no new details on the PS2's broadband network, which will launch next year along with the hard-drive/ethernet-port peripheral. We know Sony is lining up partners now to provide digital movies and music for the network, as well as episodic games, dynamic in-game advertising and other broadband applications all in addition to traditional online gaming and Web browsing. But a year is a long time to wait in this industry. Sega, meanwhile, is kicking off its own online-gaming revolution with SegaNet —while Sega officials point their fingers at Sony and say the PS2 is jumping the gun by going straight to broadband connectivity. "We've heard а lot of people say, 'Why don't you start with a conventional modem and then move up to broadband?"" Hirai says. *But we don't want to dilute the picture by offering something we don't think is truly compelling in terms of the infrastructure. And with the PlayStation 2, we may be able to accelerate the deployment of broadband connectivity because of the types of entertainment we'll have to offer, Hopefully people will start calling their cable companies to say, *When is cable-modem connectivity or DSL coming to my neighborhood?” No doubt about it—Sony is cocky. But then, with more than 70 million PlayStations sold worldwide, they have every right to be. Even now on the brink of the bloodiest console war in gaming history, the company has no intention of changing its gameplan or softening its policies with third-party publishers. * think one of the reasons we've been successful is that we've always stayed true to our vision,” Hirai tells us, “and our support for broadband is a good example of that. And did | mention backward compatibility? How many reasons for the PS2’s success do you want here?” That's plenty for now. We're excited. Let's get this party started. FIREWIRE AND HUB Price: $60 (hub), $30 (cable) www.belkin.com Like the link cable on the PS but a hundred times faster, FirewWire cables allow you to join two Р525 in unholy matrimony. Nicer still, get yourself a FireWire hub and slap together a bunch of PS2s for multiplayer high jinks. Unreal Tournament is the first game to support the FireWire. gaming M@nthly [119 Crash & Bash your way through eight hazard-filled environments Supercharge your vehicle with a turbo injection of high-speed energy Play Off-Road bumper cars with split-screen head-to-head racing Smoke your opponent in Battle Mode. One of five hair-raising modes of play PlayStation Mild Animated Violence PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. © 2000 Mattel. Inc. Ali Rights Reserved Тусо" R/C Speed Wrench” vehicle also available. Sold separately. Batteries not included. Tyco...That's How You Spell R/C" ек For the PlayStation’ game console і WWW.tycorc.com Осе 8 РЁ Аў тА. ~ computer entertainment system © 2000 Electronic Ars. SSX, EA SPORTS, the EA SPORTS logo and the EA SPORTS BIG logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S, andlor other counties. A rights reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is а trademark — of the Interactive Digital Software Association, Manufactured and printed in the U.S.A. THIS SOFTWARE IS COMPATIBLE WITH PLAYSTATION 2 CONSOLES WITH THE NTSC UIC DESIGNATION. U.S. AND FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING. 097 VERTICAL STAND: MSRP: $15 Standing the PS2 on its side is a great way to save space in your entertainment center, but you better splurge on this handy stand before drunken partygoers tip over your machine. =з ТНЕ 6000$ Here they аге: all the basic ingredients for your launch party (well, except for the models and massage oils). But you might те б № your college fund to ^ pne of the first-party үй analog buttons. e pan t в 5 oder. tó play = SONY PLAYSTATION 2 MSRP: $299 The party machine itself doesn't look much different from the Japanese model that launched in March —at least from the front. Its rear end, however, features a hollowed-out bay, covered by a plastic hatch, in place of the PC card slot on the Japanese model. It's here that - you'll plug in the hard-drive/ethernet adapter _Sony is releasing next year. Otherwise, the U.S. machine has the same USB and Firewire ports as the Japanese system, as well as the same component video and optical out sockets for gamers with high-end TVs and audio gear (check out the end of this feature for more info). The Р52 comes with composite video cables (the RF adapter and S-Video and component-video cables are sold separately), опе Dual Shock 2 joypad and that's pretty much it. Unfortunately, a memory card is not included. On thee bright side, you don't need to insert a card loaded DVD drivers to play movies like you did on the The drivers come buil PlayStation 2. | party dies dow: DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK. BE AFRAID OF WHAT'S IN IT. "Mien Resurrection is the most technically superb game available on the PlayStation" PSExtreme “Compelling gameplay and genuine tension set Alien Resurrection above all other FPS games." Gamers Republic WWW.FOXINTERACTIVE.COM зах | MATURE р | т Animated Blood and Gore > Animated Violence PlayStation pom] Ign і e ESRB H INTERACTIVE w = = тм & ©2000 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. FOX, FOX INTERACTIVE, ALIEN RESURRECTION AND THEIR ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS ағ TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. LICENSED ву 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 15 А TRADEMARK OF THE INTERACTIVE DIGITAL SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION. From the option attack and wing Т formations, to the fight songs апа crowd chants of 115 Division I-A teams, we've captured EVERYONE cially Licensed Collegiate Products" label is the exclusive property of the The Collegiate Licensing mascots associated with the NCAA, universities, bowls, and conference are the exclusive property of а Inc. Developed by Red Zone Interactive, Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered PlayStation | the rivalry and spirit of college football. It'll get in your head and stay there. Company. The “Collegiate Licensed Product” label is the property of the Independent Labeling Group. А! names, logos, team {һе respective institutions. GameBreaker, 989 Sports and the 989 Sports logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. © 2000 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. сл LL — pom x | | AB Г T . o = о < na = | NL 60) : - FIVE LAUNCH = SEL = Я EA SPORTS © M U ST B U Y e зе Ж о е game that ` <. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you pao Й GAM ES YOU 2 Football nf І 5 “SSX ~ Ша c definitely continues the trend. If % the sleeper hit PlayStation 2 Р yov're looking for a game that says ишге. There's not another launch We locked ourselves in our “This is why you bought 3 | Ж _ title with-as much depth or style as party room with the PS2, a Рјаузганоп 27"; then this is probably а k^ SSX, which i set to hit Oct. 31. You big-screen TV апд all the it. Maddéh plays almost as ме as it could са Tony Hawk on snow, | d launch titles we could get our hands on. When we emerged days later, shaken and stained, we declared these five games the ultimate showpiece titles for your spiffy new system. Bust out your credit cards —yov'll want looks, and compared to a lot of the but it's feally so much more than PS2 launch games, this one looks that. Tricking out every character and to nab all five of these games like a supermodel. You wouldn't'deny unlocking all this game's secrets will within the first week of the yourself bringing hóme the Cindy 'take the average player months to Crawford of video games, would you? do...but what a blast! SSX'should PS2's splashdown... leave the store with you when you pick up.a PS2. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 188 52: BY THE NUMBERS launched in 1995 MILLION lumber of PS2s Sony is р shipping for the U.S. launc he staff wanted irst-person shooter.. e er half wanted the glo! OU û look for a айпсһ title, but 2 mugsgler's Run is a combination of your everything that made Driver and LE AND THE REST... Just as with the launch of the Dreamcast, the PS2 is set to make its U.S. debut with dozens of games hitting within the first month. And as with the DC's launch, we expect many of these titles will slip past their release dates. We don't mean to spoil your party—that's just the way things go as Sony and the third-party publishers jostle their lineups so everything doesn't hit at once. Nevertheless, we've assembled this all- inclusive list of “launch window" games that, as of press time, аге confirmed to hit stores between now and the end of November. Note that games with black titles are set to hit on or even before launch day. JET ION GRAND PRIX Crave No WipeOut? No problem? This game has the looks and depth to suit your futuristic racing needs, but the lack of a two-player mode is something that could send this racer crashing into the wall. SWING AWAY GOLF EA Sports Fans of the Hot Shot Golf games will feel right at home with this easy-to- learn title. Think of it as Hot Shots Lite. READY 2 RUMBLE ROUND 2 Midway In this sequel you get to pound the tar out of Michael Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal—what more could you possibly ask for. Indiana Pacers fans should especially love it. ESPN WINTER X GAMES SNOWBOARDING Konami Just in time for the Olympics, Konami's ESPN-licensed sportster looks incredible, and should provide fans of button-mashing tactics plenty of action. Check this one out if you need that thumb-busting sensation only T&F can provide. ESPN INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD Konami The classic Track & Field rapid-tap gameplay hits the PS2. You get more than 12 events, including the 100-meter dash, long jump, weightlifting, gymnastics and skeet shooting. Heck, even the world's fastest man, gold medalist Maurice Greene, endorsed this thing. SILENT SCOPE Konami Grab a sniper rifle in the home version of Konami's latest quarter-cruncher to rescue the president's daughter from kidnappers. WILD WILD RACING Interplay True to its name, this game packs some truly inspired racing modes and a freaked-out physics model that'll have you rolling and bouncing all over the mountainous courses. GUN GRIFFON BLAZE Working Designs A surprise entry from Working Designs, it should satiate all the hardcore types out there who long for big mechs and even bigger explosions. SILPHEED: THE LOST PLANET Working Designs Developed by Treasure (a name shooter fans worship), this one didn't make our top five only because we hadn't played it by press time. X-SQUAD EA If you like 3D shooters or B-Movie action flicks on Cinemax, you should like this game, which borrows from each. KESSEN EA Go back to a time when feudal lords solved their problems on the battlefield. Orchestrate epic battles to become ruler of the free world. THEME PARK ROLLER COASTER EA Design and build 12 different coasters across eight levels, then fill the rest of your park with sideshows and other rides. Don't forget bathrooms. ORPHEN Activision This action/RPG based on a Japanese anime boasts plenty of platform jumping, dungeon exploration and semi-turn-based fighting. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 190 SWING AWAY GOLF PARTY FAVORS X-SQUAD qr Tholenes list opine. Eo Вне KESSEN USB MOUSE Price: $30 www.logitech.com www.microsoft.com Some PS2 games in Japan already support a USB mouse, and there's talk of Unreal Tournament supporting it when it comes out in the U.S. Any old USB mouse will do, but we suggest going with a two- button USB wheel mouse from Logitech or Microsoft. SPEAKERS 'ourPointSurround" FPS2000 Digital Gaming With These Speakers Is Almost Like Cheating With the FourPointSurround" FPS2000 Digital speakers, winning is within your power. You will hear your enemy sneaking towards you from any direction. The FourPointSurround" FPS2000 Digital speakers surround you with razor-sharp sound clarity, power for the most intense gaming, and bass that will kick you in the chest. If that’s too much to handle, the FourPointSurround" FPS1800 or the FourPointSurround" FPS1500 speakers deliver true-to-life surround sound that no real gamer should be without. You can still choose to "ріау by the book" - just don't come whining to us when you lose. S CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS | EREAX| CREATIVE Visit www.creative.com for more information. r з PERSONAL DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT (02000 Creative Technology Ltd. All brand or product names listed are trademarks or registered trademarks and are aste Masi property of their respective holders. If you're not on the net, give us a call at 800.998.1000 for more information. == ^ ІМТЕВАСТ САМЕЗНАКК Ргісе: 550 www.gameshark.com InterAct will release a PS2-specific version of their popular cheat-generating software, but not until after the system's European release on Nov. 24. Like the newest GameShark СОХ for the PlayStation, the PS2 version will come in CD form. PARTY FAVORS ETERNAL RING Agetec This action-RPG looks nice, but it doesn’t offer much more than the original King’s Field in the gameplay department. ARMORED CORE 2 Agetec Huge mechs, heavy combat and beautiful graphics collide in this new installment of the popular PlayStation series. MIDNIGHT CLUB Rockstar Rockstar’s other launch game. Picture Smuggler’s Run in New York...kinda. It might miss the launch window by a few days. EVERGRACE Agetec Developed by the lads who made King’s Field, Evergrace is another action-RPG that’s heavy on swordplay and light on puzzles. STUNT GP Titus SUMMONER Can't find a sim-racing launch game that revs your throttle? Try ETERNAL RING Stunt GP, in which you string together stunts for big combo points. TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT Namco Got Tekken? Namco serves up a sequel with the benefit of tag battles, a bowling mini-game and some amazing-looking graphics. DYNASTY WARRIORS 2 Koei Throw thousands of enemies on a feudal battlefield against you, a warrior with a bloodthirsty sword, and you've got а carnage-fest. ICO SCEA This high-minded puzzle-adventure game is an ambitious attempt to tell a story about a boy trying to rescue a princess by using extremely detailed visuals instead of voice-overs or text. STREET FIGHTER EX3 Capcom It ain't a very impressive-looking PS2 game, but SFEX3’s cast of 20 fighters and classic EX play provide an old-school alternative to Tekken Tag Tournament. DEAD OR ALIVE 2: HARDCORE Tecmo Multiple-tiered stages, tons of secrets and even more characters. DOA2 Hardcore takes it to Tekken Tag Tournament and delivers a sucker-punch. Super-fast tag-battle action at your fingertips. FANTAVISION SCEA An addictive and fun puzzle game where you connect the colors of fireworks and set them off to create a brilliant virtual light show. SUMMONER THQ Role-playing fans will find much to love about Summoner, one of the most dazzling titles in the launch window. RC REVENGE PRO Acclaim If this game plays as well as the PS version, and looks this good, it may be a sleeper hit. GRADIUS III & IV Konami Konami’s Gradius series is the granddaddy of horizontally scrolling shooters, and these are the latest two games in the series on one disc. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 192 PARTY FAVORS G DYNASTY WARRIORS 2 DEAD OR ALIVE 2: HARDCORE MONSTER CABLES Price: 530-50 www.monstercables.com You’ve just spent $300 on a sophisticated game machine that doubles as a piece of hi-tech A/V equipment. So it only makes sense you get ahold of the best cables money can buy— namely, standard A/V, S-video and component Monster Cables specifically designed for the PS2. The battle Бедії Ragnarok, the apocalypse, is approaching. Your ultimate purpose will transcend life itself. From the creators of 'STAR OCEAN: The Second Story' comes Valkyrie Profile" a stunningly beautiful RPG adventure with a story like none before. Your mettle will be tested as you face tormenting decisions involving powerful issues of love, death and revenge. Destiny hinges on your choices, and your ability to recruit and train the souls of fallen warriors for a war between the gods. Heed the call. And find c © = сі — un >- uc с ы ош why death is only the beginning. Valkyrie Profile and STAR OCEAN The Second Story are trademarks and ENIX is a registered trademark of Enix Corporation. ©2000 TRI ACE INC./PRODUCTION 1.6./ ACTAS INC./ENIX. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of Interactive Digital Software Association. All Rights Reserved. C PlayStation ENIX. www.enix.com Mild Animated Violence Mild Language Suggestive Themes 208 Number of PS2 titles that Sony promises we'll see in the U.S. by April 1, 2001 THE BOUNCER NHL 2001 EA Sports This is looking as good as Madden NFL 2001, and even better in some ways. There's nothing like being able to see the player's expressions of joy —after he’s punched someone's teeth out. ESPN NFL PRIMETIME Konami Sick of coma-inducing Madden and Summerall commentating on your football game? Maybe it’s time to give Chris Berman and Tom Jackson a shot in ESPN's first NFL video game. ESPN NBA TONIGHT Konami After floating between the PS and PC for a few years, this game is finally going to bring Stuart Scott into your living room. THE BOUNCER Square EA Square has yet to put a game under the graphics, kind of like William Shatner and toupees, but the screens still look delicious. So here's hoping Dream Factory gets the gameplay down. It could be ground-breaking. И CHAMPIONSHIP Ubi Soft One of three F1 games slated to come out on the PS2, Ubi Soft continues their critically acclaimed series on the powerful new hardware. RAYMAN 2 Ubi Soft If you haven't played this fun 3D adventure game on the N64, Dreamcast, PlayStation or Game Boy Color, well, here's your big chance. STAR WARS EPISODE 1: STARFIGHTER LucasArts We wanted to include this incredible flight-combat shooter as one of our five must-buy launch games, but unfortunately it doesn't come out until the end of November. UNREAL TOURNAMENT Infogrames No Internet play, but a four-player split-screen should make up for that. It's running fast and since Quake III won't be out until much later, UT is the only other frag-fest besides Time Splitters. Square's Vagrant Story looks fine without any fancy hardware tricks (top)— but switch on the PS2's smoothing option and it looks even prettier (right). STAR WARS EPISODE 1: STARFIGHTER ESPN NFL PRIME TIME GO RETRO... Amidst all the hubbub and hot new games of your PS2 launch party, it's easy to forget one of the system's coolest features: backward compatibility. But remember, the PS2 not only plays PS1 games, it enhances them, too. Switch on the "smoothing" option and the PS2 filters the textures on all the polygonal models in your games. In other words, pop in something with a lot of real-time visuals — Dino Crisis or Medal of Honor—and everything becomes cleaner and much less pixelated (you'll especially see an improvement in games that show detailed textures up close). You won't notice any difference in games filled with prerendered stuff, like the environments in Resident Evil or Final Fantasy VIII (only the polygonal characters in those games will benefit from smoothing). If you want to see this effect in its full glory, we suggest you pick Vandal Hearts, Metal Gear Solid, PaRappa the Rapper, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2—anything with large textures. The PS2 also gives you the option to speed up the loading times of PS1 games. Most titles we tried loaded about a third faster with fast loading turned E on. But this feature only seemed to improve load times within the game (say, between rounds or levels); it didn't actually speed up a title's initial boot time. Also, fast loading can mess up the visuals in games designed to constantly stream data from the disc. But before you decide to break out your PS classics and add a retro twist to your party, you need to keep a few things in mind. You can't use your PS2 memory card to save PS1 games; you need to use a PS1 card (so don't go throwing all yours away). You can use regular PS joypads and Dual Shocks with the PS2, but only with games that don't make use of the Dual Shock 2's analog buttons. Finally, you can't use your PS multitap for PS2 games; you'll need to buy the new PS2 multitap. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 194 SoMETHING SPECIAL FOR Comments? FORCED FEEDBACK • BANNED Believe it or not, this early concept for the Donkey Kong 64 cover (EGM December 1999, Issue #125) wasn't approved by the powers that be at Ziff- Davis...nor by anyone other than looney EGM editors. Perhaps it had some- thing to do with the way ће арез hand was gripping the shaft of the rather large banana. Or maybe it was the placement of the hairy coconuts near the base of the shaft. Whatever it was, this early con- сері never saw the light of day. 15 too bad, really. Stay tuned for other covers that never quite made it to the newsstands. эз buoy Anyus + Aon бише эвелзиз ЕСИ 2:5 -COLLEC- ТТОМ ОР МАТІ ҒКОМ ІММАТЕ5 KEEPS: GROWING We've always felt we had something special going on here in ће pages of EGM, but perhaps we didn't realize the impact we make month after month on those less fortunate than ourselves—namely, gamers who are in prison. Time and lime again, we receive letters from inmates asking for tips or cheats for a дате, or others simply saying hello and thank- ing us for giving so much gaming info in every issue. And still other times we receive strange scrawls from inmates who go on and on about things we would rather not hear about (some addressed to specific editors), or some sort of body hair that we hope wasn't intentionally placed in the envelope. Whatever the case, thanks to all of you inmates who keep reading EGM. One question though: Is it true you can't play video games in prison? ж P.0. Box 3538 . LOYAL IN THE USA OAK BROOK, SUBSCRIBERS IL 60522-3338 • E-MAIL: ONLY! EGM 136 SHAWN_SMITH@ZIFFDAVIS.COM VIDEO GAME STARS BAND TOGETHER Not long ago, realistic face- mapping was a mere dream of developers. Now it's common- place— although, not everyone is happy about its current state. Recently, a group of stars from a variety of popular video games held a press conference to voice concern and disgust over the quality of face-mapping textures used on their polygonal charac- ters in games. “It's ridiculous, and | shan't stand for it any longer," declared Bruce Willis, star of Neversoft's Apocalypse. "| sounded like myself, but | looked like some- one wearing a Bruce Willis mask." True, most sports and movie stars represented as characters in games seldom express true facial expression and emotion. Instead, they often just stand there with a blank stare and а slightly. Worse still, most of the time if a star's voice is used in the game, the polygon version's mouth doesn't even move. One star who would rather go unnamed explained how eerie it is to see himself in a game. “I look like an emotionless corpse." A supposed World War Il veteran at the rally was particularly dis- turbed with the lack of detail in the faces of Allied and Nazi sol- diers in DreamWorks' PlayStation first-person shooter Medal of Honor. Strangely, this man admitted not being directly involved with the project in any way, later became deranged and had to be detained by ani- mal control. Hopefully, new and upcoming technology in systems like the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 and X- Box will allow for more realistic representations of video game pasted-on smile, bouncing stars. № CNY INTENDO FINALL GROWS In an attempt to show gamers of the world they no longer cater to a strictly kiddie audi- ence, Intendo plans to release two blood and feces-soaked M-rated games and one other rather unique title on its whimsically code-named Flipper system (other name rumors include StarFun, Uncle Jimmie's Super Fun-Time Machine and FunBox 642). A hunting simulator starring Flanjo from Flanjo-Kablooie fame is the first “adult” game for the upcoming powerhouse. Instead of hunting for salmon, fruits or berries, you control Flanjo, searching for unarmed campers who leave food out- side of their tent. After. rummaging through the trash, you earn points for tearing these campers from limb to limb as they Sleep. Extra points are awarded for slaugh- tering children. The next game, another type of murder simulator, puts you in control of Intendo-star Mariccio. As a hitman for the mob, your job UP is to take out key people from rival gangster families. Points are awarded for accuracy and blood splatter. In a strange twist to an otherwise realistic title, Mariccio is accom- panied by his coked-up dinosaur pal Yocci on a number of jobs. Hilarity ensues. The final game in the lineup is a shuffle board simulator geared to older gamers— those 55 years old and above. Taking full advantage of the system's graphical capabilities, Shuffle Board 642 is sure to be one of the most impressive additions to the new system's growing library. "We realize there is a segment of the gaming public out there who happens іо be really old,” says an Intendo spokesperson, “and they want to play games created specifically for them.” Although details are still sketchy, there is talk of an adult diaper add-on from а third-party peripheral manufacturer. “We're taking so-called adult games to a whole new realm.” gy HOT & NOT — нк шынын = шшш) ЕСМ Тһе ЕСМ Hot & Мої 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. Send yours to shawn smithGziffdavis.com WEB SITES PHATTER THAN FAT Thank you to all who continue to send us sites. We love check- ing them out more than we love С.І. Joe and Cobra T-shirts. As usual, here are all kinds of sites: Weird, gaming-related, zany, funny, cool, stupid and so on and so forth. Send Web site sub- * Seganet * Virtua Tennis ads missions to shawn_smith@ziffdavis.com • PS2 * Big Brother * Madden NFL 2001 PS2 * Censorship of D2 www.8eestees.com _ * Survivor Finale * Shawn going back to school www.tlites.com e Survivor || * Canada (in the winter) www.treats.com • 5-lion Voltron * Trailer-park Voltron { ` | www.poweredbyart.com www.rsub.net || www.da3.net а www2.tpg.com.au/users/sastan/FreeStuff.html WWW.W24.com www.ph-heidelberg.de/stud/bechters/www_mail.htm www.garage-a-records.com www.fastweb.com www.lava.net/~artbeat/ www.beats.com www.abcdefghijkimnop.com www.philips.com/expanium/ www.glad.com It's Away Very Simple: We're Giving A Bunch of Stuff for Free * We cannot be held responsible for any of the material presented on the sites listed above. Parents or guardians may want to verify the content of the site(s) before allowing their children to venture forth. Remember to surf safely. As you may or may not know, we get а lot of cool items from the companies we deal with оп а regular basis. 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. Stuff like hats, shirts, pens, pieces of plastic, toys, games and other such things. So we thought, “Let's pass some of this fodder on to our readers, instead of just having it 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 three-inch by five-inch 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. ЕСМ°% Box о” Stuff Sweepstakes #135 A WORD FROM ESAK Hello, gaming friends. It has been some time since we last spoke, but | am back for now. | was in my home country of Turkey most of ће time, training with Mahir and generally having good times. Did wrestling games (mostly in Europe). | know there are times when | might hurt someone on the video game, but | know it is fake. When | am in the ring, that is real. More real than any of you есітопі М somebody say homemade wine? соціа ever imagine. People | c/o El nic Gaming Monthly | know | just did. | am here today to should know this. In Turkey, there i P.O. Box 3338 talk about video game violence. | is по roblem. Granted, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 Congrats to EGM #134 Winner: Jeannie Rosebeary of Wenatchee, WA LEGAL STUFF Oficial Sweepstakes Rules 1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send a standard size postcard cona your name, address, and phone number to "EGM Box O Stuf Sweepstakes PO Box 338 Oak Brook, inis 60522-3338. Мо purchase or payment of any money is necessary to enter. De entry per household per month. Entries must be handwritten and must be received by the Sth day of each month to quality for that morts sweepstakes, Mechanically reproduced entries will be void. М entries become exclusive property of ЇЇ Davis Media Ic and will not be acknowledged or retumed. 21 Davis Media Inc. assumes no st, mutilated, late, illegible, incomplete, postage-due, or entries, Zif Davis Media Inc. reserves the right to cancel this sweepstakes at any time with appropriate notice. 2. Prizes: 1 Grand Prize. Fach month һе Grand Prize winner wil receive a package containing miscellaneous items irom the EGM offices with a total approximate retail value of at least $30. Winners shall be determined by a random drawing from all valid entries by EGM editors whose decisions are final. Drawing to be held on or about the last day of each month. М prize ners И be notified by mail. йзвіз) are non-transferable, No substitu- tions of prz are allowed, except at the option of Ziff Davis Media Inc. should te featured prizes become unavailable. 3, Odds of Winning: The number of winners and the odds of winning wil be determined by number of valid entries received ^, Ед; Sweepstakes open to residents of United States and Canada Nod in Quebec) who are subscribers to EGM for at Teast 30 days prior to the commencement o the current monthly sweepstakes. Non-compliance with the time parameters contained herein or retur of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will resul in disqualification. Winners or their egal guns sial son and etn not iilos iabiity/prize acceptance within 5 days of receipt or fret pize. Ву accep tance of prize, wines) agree to the use o their name and/or Петер for purposes of advertising, rade, or promotion unless prohibited у law. Neither Zi Davis Media Inc. nor its officers, direc- tors alates, subsidiaries, divisions, or elated companies are responsible or liable for any damages, taxes, or expenses that consumers might incur as а result of this Sweepstakes or receipt of prize. 5, Winners ist: For a list of win stamped, self-addressed enve- loge о "ЕМ Box Û Stuff Sweepstakes Winners list, PO Box 338 Dak Brook, ingis 6052-338. Please specify or requesting the list. Allow d weeks for delivery of winner 6, Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Medea sae ions apply, sweepstakes is sponsored solely by Zi 2000 2 Davis Media Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ask you, who cares? There are children starving in many places and people do not mention this. What about the nuclear bombs in hidden . shelters around the world? Instead, strong United States politicians mention the Mortal Kombat and the gun shooting. | heard оп TV something about murder simulators. What does this mean? | am no genius of learning, but до know what is not wrong and what is more than wrong and violent video games are not the problem. Maybe the parents of these children should sit down and have a time of play- ing. Then they might realize these games aren't so bad. Or if they are bad, tell the children NO, NO, NO. Take for a moment, wrestling games. | am a star of many we have no electricity most of the time to play video games...but that's no matter. Keep an open mind. And also, before | go | am trying to get citizenship to USA but am having some trouble. Sorry about the politician comment | mention. That is just for a joke. Until next time, Esak. apent iis dios in summer да Баска the ргоќоѓуредії It was just a љойе ої wires and ~ # green box that could. ~ supplies in the about hardware. among the complaints: The System’s funky t "architécture is a bitch toworl@with, only the biggest development ің have.the resources to bd tap this thing, and there's not enough video RAM. And when the PS2 fingtly did launch in Japan last Match, the жй complaints didn't screech to a halt. This time, it was gamers and the gaming press who did all the bitchin’. “Why do the launch games look so darn jaggie?" you asked. "Why aren't the games selling so ме іп Japan?" we wondered. Now it's time to address these gripes. After all, even a few 2 flaws with the system could spoil your launch party faster th: week-old bean dip (or, in our case, a drowned model clogging up - the pool filter). So here's a point-by-point analysis of the cae .. Potential po ê1 1: Game sales in Japan have been low i ion to the number of PlayStation 2 units that have been sold. There’s no denying that the PlayStation 2 is a huge hit in Japan, where more than 2 million units have sold since the March launch. But Sony’s competition is saying, “So what?” The only reason the PS2 made a big splash, they claim, is because Japanese consumers са ~ аге buying the system just for its DVD playback capabilities, Paltry ales for i Japanese PS2 titles support that theory. ils But SCEA's Kaz Hirai says the U.S. launch wi geti er. *In March, the PlaySta! nsive DVD players on the Japane: now, in the U.S., if you're pu lool lks а are looking . 50 | I think the the U.S. who are buying a PlayStation 2 are buying it for uter ntertainment experience, and they're getting the "aiiud VD | player, you albe }> Potential poc ` first laid eyes on the Japanese jag-jag-jaggie меша Eye-candy junkies nearly c окей on bubble gum when they 2 games. "What's with all that asked. And, “Џећ, look at all shimmering in Ridge Racer V?" those jaggies." For the uninitiated (or for you folks who haven't seen Tekken Tag Tournament), jaggie: the rough, stair-stepped edges that show up on polygons when the PS2 draws them on your TV screen. Anti-aliasing is the generic term for the technique that smoothes out these jagged edges. The Dreamcast is capable of anti-aliasing. Heck, so is the Nintendo 64. Surely the PS2 can pull it off, right? “Yes. Starfighter supports full-screen anti-aliasing,” says Chris Corry, senior programmer for LucasArts’ hot-looking space-combat game, “but this question really falls into the infamous category of, ‘It depends on what your definition of anti- aliasing is.’ The PS2 has built-in hardware support for geometry- based anti-aliasing — sometimes referred to as ‘edge-based anti- aliasing.’ However, using this feature can be problematic, particularly when rendering transparent geometry, and it requires a great deal of up-i t effort to accomplish effectively. For this reason, Starfighter does not use this form of hardware-supported anti-aliasing.” | Эжы ж Corry adds, however, that developers һауе access to a whole range of hardware-independent techniques that can be used to simulate a full-screet anti-aliasing effect. LucasArts’ Р52 gi discovered these 5 some time ago, Corry says, implemented them iter. We know—we’ve see! mal jaggies. Plenty of other roblem too. “Summoner uses a techniq down on interlace flicker and, as a side effect, Continued on page 202 "s ae iex 5 ‘Suggestive Themes > 5 Ша а Play$i КАНОР ze «жу - ‘ony oo ТЕДІ ТІП ТУУ дара РРА НЕТО TH қ дан oues qu "ТЕЗУ Lento о. БИ. спо entero nc Е. ИШ ana printed in the 1154 TES SOFTWARE 15 COMPATIGLE ir АТАН СОА 25 TH THE NTSC ONG DESIGNATION Н.Л}: FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING. RIDGE RACER У P J = | ых ià p ARAT TS Look within. Find that part of you which knows no surrender. Come 9 +. UM: " £e ty Because Namco has issued the greatest challenges for the PlayStation*2 computer entertainment system. Whether it’s the furious Tekken Tag Tournament, the flat-out Ridge Racer V, or the heart-pounding MotoGP, victory won't come easily — if at all. But when you finally seize it, you will discover your inner champion. WWW.NAMCO.COM пагпсој 2 — M PRODUCTS RANGE FROM EVERYONE ro TEEN PlayStation.e Racer V & ©1999 Namco Led. All rights reserved. Tekken Tag Tournament! & ©1994, 1995, 1999 Namco Ltd. АН Rights Reserved, MotoGP ©1998, 3000 Namco Led. АН. Reserved. Play tion and the Pl; а des i Е eed ck eques тын dee ы ` INVITE YOUR FRIENDS ov OVER FOR SOME. EL A party game! - Next Gen (тег 120 Usable ltems! 2d „См = 2 == sais, PHARAOH WALKER. Battle Huge Bosses! , зеда E carer Dreamcast. lead programmer at Volition. “If you don't address interlace flicker, some textures and polygon edges tend to shimmer. That's what people were seeing in Japanese launch games and labeling ‘aliasing’ for lack of a better term. It took less than a day to get rid of this effect in Summoner, using code provided by Sony." Sony has shared this "pixel offset" method with the development community. Meanwhile, companies like Angel Studios have written their own edge anti-aliasing routines. It looks like the jaggies' days are numbered on the PS2. Potential pooper # 3: The system's 4 Megs of video RAM just ain't enough. When Phil Harrison, Sony's VP of third-party relations, first announced the stats of the PS2 at the 1999 Game Developers Conference, programmers and artists in the audience let out a collective groan when he said the system's Graphics Synthesizer would only pack 4 Megabytes of embedded RAM. After all, that's the same amount of video RAM (VRAM) found on the 4-year-old Nintendo 64, and the Dreamcast has twice as much. And plenty of high-profile developers have griped about the VRAM issue ever since. “The limited УКАМ compared to the PS2’s polygon-rendering ability has definitely been a hurdle to overcome," Takashi Tokita, director of the team developing The Bouncer at Square, tells us. And Yoshiki Okamoto, president of Capcom subsidiary Flagship, has gone on record as saying the next Resident Evil game on the PS2 currently doesn't look as good as the Dreamcast's Code: Veronica because of the lack of VRAM. Sony has maintained all along that the limited VRAM isn't a problem because of the lightning-quick speed (1.2 gigabytes per second, to be exact) of the bus that connects the Graphics Synthesizer to the PS2's 32 Megabytes of main memory. In other words, the bus is so zippy at streaming graphics data into the Graphics Synthesizer's VRAM that it's almost like the GS is jacked directly into the main memory. And some developers agree. "We certainly thrash textures in and out of VRAM more often than we would like," LucasArts' Corry says, "but eep in mind there are some pretty big ‘pipes’ connecting the major components of the PS2 together. That data bandwidth translates into ast texture loads into VRAM, so we're not really complaining." Volition's Hague adds, “That huge pipe is key. We're uploading an obscene amount of textures per frame in Summoner. We're not holding back. You're going to see a huge variety of texturing within a single Summoner level." For some developers, the Р52'5 limited VRAM isn't even an issue. t's all a matter of perspective. “Тһе system's VRAM has been a big deal in the media," says Steven Chiang, executive producer of PS2 killer app Madden NFL 2001, “but the way we look at it is we have а system with more VRAM and RAM than we have ever had. Now, what can we do with it? We are using huge textures in Madden NFL 2001 PS2, and I’m sure we can optimize usage more in the future.” > Potential pooper # 4: The system's revolutionary architecture is just too darn tricky to develop for. No doubt about it: The PS2's got a lot going on in its guts. Aside from all the Graphics Synthesizer and VRAM hubbub we talked about before, the PS2 is also a multiprocessor system, with two “vector unit” microprocessors running in parallel to the Emotion Engine (the main CPU). These vector units are optimized for lightning-quick geometry processing, but they also come with their own set of technical hurdles. *Both VUs have a relatively small amount of onboard memory for code and data,” Corry says. “This means that VU programming is an extremely low-level chore that requires a tremendous amount of patience and knowledge of the Р52 internal architecture. For many programmers—particularly programmers like myself with a PC background—this level of commitment can be very intimidating.” Many developers have been quite open with their gripes about the PS2’s development environment. (Oddworld Inhabitants’ Lorne Lanning—the most vocal PS2 critic of all—said the thing’s a “bitch” to work with.) And both Nintendo and Microsoft are hyping how developer-friendly their new systems will be. To their credit, the folks at Sony appear more than aware that they’ve built a tricky system. Years ago, they established an extensive developer-support program and even fly SWAT teams of techheads out to the offices of coders who hit technical roadblocks. “Sony of America has sponsored development gatherings and has paid for third-party game developers to write example code that solves problems the development community will encounter,” explains Clinton Keith, director of development at Angel Studios, the makers of Smuggler's Run. “They’ve created an online support and gathering place for developers, which has been a critical resource.” In the final analysis, it’s highly unlikely that developers will abandon the Р52 in droves when the supposedly easier-to-work-with Gamecube and Xbox debut. Sony’s system will just have too large an installed base to ignore. And this isn’t the first time Sony has heard developers moan about a game system. “The same thing was said to me about the PlayStation development systems when they first came out,” SCEA’s Hirai tells us, because developers weren’t used to working in 3D, so the system was going to wreak havoc and be the end of the world. But, lo and behold five years later, people can literally come up with PlayStation development with their eyes closed. And | think in a year or two, once developers have embraced the PlayStation 2 technology and become acclimated to it, they’re going to be a lot more comfortable with the system.” Electronic Gaming Monthly - 202 Jn The Darkest ит, Prope Springs Eternal. Hardbound de! 250* Page Strategy Gui ж 00 © 0000 PlayStation. Cer MS ку Ж, ting Retailers; ЛЕ сот. Der pane gelo {атк of З! cr«ing Designs. Licensed from ESP by Working Designs. Original Game © Game, Я a registered trademark of Working Designs, Inc. All rights reserved. If you're stil all (530) 2: diem BY PETER М. BRACKE THE 15 MUST-BUY FLICKS With over 6,000 DVDs available in the U.S. alone, the choices for the new DVD consumer can be intimidating to say the least. Below are 15 essential DVDs, which represent the best the format currently has to offer in quality and breadth of supplemental features. 10 MILLION The total number of PS2s Sony expects to sell worldwide by March 1, 2001 * Ж a The Matrix—The current Men in Black —Available in best-selling DVD of all time; both a collector's edition and the disc boasts stellar video - a limited-edition two-disc ~ 5 А and audio and extensive set, this disc is so feature | d м making-of footage detailing packed it takes hours to get the film's award-winning through it all. The *editing special effects. . room" on the limited edition breaks new ground in DVD interactivity. Fight Club— In what may be the most feature-loaded disc on the market, this two-disc set boasts no less than four audio commentaries(!) and hoürs'of behind-the-scenes material covering every aspect of the production. The Exorcist: 25th Anniversary Edition— The horror classic gets the top- notch treatment, with an excellent new transfer and 5.1 mix; two audio commentaries with the filmmakers, a terrific BBC documentary and some truly scary deleted scenes. American Beauty— Last year's Best Picture gets the DVD treatment, with an informative audio commentary by the filmmakers and a transfer that shows off Oscar-winner the-scenes material and a Conrad Hall's cinematography nifty “storyboard to screen” to its fullest advantage. interactive comparison. Tomorrow Never Dies— Perhaps the best of the Bond discs, this double-o DVD winner boasts a killer soundtrack, plenty of behind- Electronic Gaming Monthly - 206 ditor's note: We EGM editors are early adopters, every last one of us. But when we first heard the PS2 would play DVD movies, half the staff held off on buying a standard DVD player. After all, why waste dinero on a stand-alone gizmo when the handy PS2 will pump out both DVD movies and high-powered games? So now that we're ready to spin DVD flicks at our swank launch gala, we turn to Peter M. Bracke, editor in chief of DVDFile.com, and asked him to prepare this ultimate newbie's guide to the world of DVDs. Need more info than what you'll find here? Head to www.dvdfile.com for everything from hardware reviews to movie news. It's the only DVD resource you need. First thing's first: How does the PS2 stack up as a DVD playback device, especially as high-quality stand-alone DVD players continue to become more and more affordable? Connecting the unit is as straightforward as with any VCR. As with the current PlayStation, the PS2 comes with ап АЈМ cable that supports composite video and two-channel audio outputs options (although Sony has kindly included an optical digital connection for outboard 5.1 surround-sound decoders). Once you've powered up the system, you may find the somewhat lengthy setup procedure intimidating, since you'll be selecting parameters such as audio configurations and screen shape. And unfortunately, the PS2's game controller is not the optimum Independence Day — While nm the sci-fi film may be derivative, the disc is a fan's delight, with both the theatrical and extended version of the film (with nine The Mummy —One terrific- tiis А Bug’s Life— The collector's looking and sounding DVD, the disc of the 1999 remake includes a bevy of behind- the-scenes material, including a look at the eye- Z of the making of the film, from conceptualization, minutes of additional à popping special effects. production, marketing and footage), an alternate ending Я promotion. and plenty of “hidden” e SET surprises... RON p Terminator 2: The Ultimate Saving Private Ryan— Austin Powers: The Spy као ғ edition —James Cameron's While short on supplements Who Shagged Me— The ак. sci-fi blockbuster features а outside of a heartfelt 30- comedy blockbuster features minute tribute to МАМИ veterans, Ryan is an aural and visual assault, and remains perhaps the ultimate piece of DVD demo material yet released. an eye-popping image and tons of great extras, including outtakes, deleted scenes, a Dr. Evil “Spy-O- Graphy” and plenty more. J pristine transfer and reference-standard sound mix, and hours and hours of тевмимктоне supplemental material no 3 ` Terminator fan should miss. ALIEN — Available artien individually-or as part of the 9 four-disc АЦЕМ Legacy set 4 Ghostbusters—The comedy classic goes interactive, with the first “video commentary,” making-of footage on the special effects, deleted scenes and nifty interactive menus. The Sixth Sense—The most financially successful horror film of all time comes to DVD with a transfer and sound mix that keeps the film's creepiness intact, extensive (with all four ALIEN movies,) the first disc remains the standout, with a Ridley Scott audio commentary, isolated interviews and a hidden music score, outtakes and short film from Director M. deleted scenes. Night Shamaylan. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 207 Ever felt like the whole world was against you? You're about to experience déjà vu. As if Mother Nature wasn't enough to deal with, now the number competitors you must climb over to get to the top just increased by a few million. 57 Introducing 4х4 Evolution, the first game with internet connectivity for heavy-duty off-road competitions between Sega Dreamcast, PC, and Mac users simultaneously. The world is far from a level playing field. EVERYONE ниш ІШІП! sor ода is, LTD. (C) SEGA ENTERPRISES, ved. The ratings icon а trad the Interactive Digital Sofware Association. AND DIFFICULTY • GO ANYWHERE GAMEPLAY — NO PREDETERMINED TRACK • ACCURATE PHYSICS, PHOTO-REALISTIC GRAPHICS, AND UNFORGIVING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Е|РС Sega(9 Dreamcast. | мас | ЄЮ FIN Dau CAREY: Bo, DAVE BARRETT “о “HRT Апи" BUCKY Вил RYAN нді: Boy” Cristy, МОМЕ HART ASEK Қауө мі Performance You THINK YOU cAN _ GO BIGGER тнак THis В v \f With a combined total of 41 X Games and Gravity Games medals, you think you’d have no chance in hell of ever going bigger than this crew. That's where you're wrong and InterAct is going to help you get there. And the payoff is oh, so sweet. When you purchase InterAct, GameShark and Performance brand videogame accessories now through the end of February 2001, InterAct will give you chances to win posters, skateboards, snowboards, BMX and motorcross bikes, big ticket electronics and some killer trips. Those chances will come every day, every week, and every month through February 2001. It's simple. Buy products. Earn points. Win. What are you waiting for? A personal invite from Dave Mirra? Check out GoBigWinBig.com for official rules and instructions. navigation device, so even simple tasks like fast forwarding and rewinding can be frustrating. (Third-party remotes will be available at launch, though.) But with a disc finally fired up, the PS2 offers solid video and audio playback on par with a good mid-level player. Since DVD is a "variable bit rate" format, the main task of any player is keeping up with the flow of digital information streaming off of a disc. The PS2 rises to the challenge, delivering a bright, sharp picture with only occasional artifacting (picture break up) noticeable on some movies. The audio is clear and free from distortion, though occasionally on the “bright” or harsh side (an outboard 5.1 decoder is recommended). And like all DVD players, the PS2 can output video in either the 4:3 aspect ratio of current television sets or 16x9 widescreen shape of the new DTV standard. The better your monitor, the better the image you'll most likely receive. KNOW THE LINGO For the uninitiated, the DVD format can be confusing and often intimidating. Below are a number of common DVD terms and features that should help any newbie successfully navigate the torrid DVD waters: * Analog Video— Format that uses electrical signals to reproduce pictures and sounds. Precursor to Digital Video. * Digital Video— The representation of audio and video data in the form of bits and bytes, or a series of ones and zeroes. DVD and PlayStation 2 are digital formats, and digital signals can be converted to analog for playback on current analog television systems. * Anamorphic (also 16x9 Enhanced) — The process of optically squeezing an image to provide for higher resolution. DVDs that are anamorphically enhanced can work on existing analog televisions but offer superior resolutions on digital television systems. * Artifact —An unwelcome visual distortion caused by the digitization and compression processes the DVD format is based on. The most common is blocking, in which a small group of pixels are combined to form “blocky pictures" and other distracting effects. * Aspect Ratio — The proportion of the height and width of an image, expressed as a ratio. Common aspect ratios include 4:3 (the roughly squarish shape of current televisions) and widescreen ratios such as 16x9 (the shape of Digital TVs), or even wider theatrical ratios. * Authoring— The process of creating and designing DVD software. * Audio Commentary —A separate audio track that can feature filmmakers, actors, crew or other participants commenting and discussing the program material synchronous to the video. Electronic Gz ing Monthly - 212 * Chapter Stop—A location on a disc authored as an access point for a user to access, analogous to a “track” on a CD. * Component Output — The highest-quality output currently available for home electronics components. It provides pure digital connection with little to no loss in color and detail. Both Sony and Monster Cable are offering a component cable at launch. * Composite Output — Тһе lowest-quality output, this combines all color and brightness variables in one signal, which can create deficiencies in the image. • Compression (also MPEG-2) — The process of reducing the quantity of data by combining redundant video and audio information to consume less storage space on a DVD disc. * CSS—A means of digital copy protection included on most current DVD discs. Can be defeated by the *DeCSS" hack, which is currently under legal fire by the MPAA and all motion-picture studios. * Digital Televisions (also DTV, HDTV) —Refers to the new digital television system characterized by higher resolution, digital sound and often a widescreen aspect ratio. The Playstation 2 is compatible with DTV and HDTV monitors, although you'll need a component video cable. * Dolby Digital —An audio encoding process created by Dolby Laboratories for the compression of from 110 5.1 channels of audio. The standard audio format for DVD. • DTS—An optional audio encoding process to Dolby Digital, currently supported by some software studios and hardware manufacturers. It requires a DTS decoder. • Letterbox (also Widescreen)— The process of placing black bars at the top and bottom, or left and right of an image to re-create a different aspect ratio (screen shape). Many DVDs are letterboxed to preserve the original widescreen theatrical aspect ratio. • Pan & 5сап--А means to avoid letterboxing by “panning and scanning" the camera across a widescreen image, cropping the picture to the 4:3 aspect ratio of current TV monitors. * Macrovision —A copy protection currently employed on most DVDs to protect copying to analog formats like VHS. * Multi-Angle—A feature оп some DVDs that offers access to separate video tracks at the touch of a button. DVD is capable of switching from one angle to another if multiple views have been encoded, and this feature can be used to show different program material synchronized to the same audio. e Parental Lock — The ability to encode a DVD with a parental control level to prevent playback of material higher than the level set. * Region Code— Every DVD disc is "flagged" with a Region Code number from “о" (all regions) or *1" to *8," which corresponds to a specific region of the world where the DVD can only be played. The U.S. PlayStation 2 will be a Region 1 device, (U.S. and Canada.) INTERACT PS2 DVD REMOTE Price: $15 www.interact-acc.com Having a full-fledged DVD remote for the PS2 eliminates having an unsightly cord draped across your living room while watching The Matrix. Pop in a couple of batteries, plug the infra-red receptor into the controller port and you're good to go. For $10 more, InterAct is also offering a slightly beefier version that controls your TV, too. PARTY FAVORS PlayStation ® For use with compatible software оп the PlayStation? game console and the PlayStation?2 computer entertainment system Viper 2 and NYKO are trademarks of NYKO Technologies, Inc. Produced under license by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use with the PlayStation game console. PlayStation and PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The total number of titles Sony promises will be on store shelves by Christmas TURN IT UP! Е ditor's note: Believe ii -isn’t gonna be the ultim machine right outta the box. To get the mos you're gonna need to hook it up to somé high-end audio and video. gear. So we turned to Joe McBetts, who's written for several. home- , гі theater magazines, to give us the lowdown on the PS2's A/V. abilities, as well as recommend the right equipment. . «Жақ ENS M Are you already impressed with the capabilities of current vide game technology? Wait until you see, апд hear, the high-end ^ - _ | audio/video potential that Sony's new.PS2 console brings to the ` which only separates | | table. It starts with the PS2's compatibility with Dolby Digital and | from chrominance (color) DTS 5.1-channel surround sound. These formats offer five full- ` connections use three separa bandwidth, discrete (each speaker delivers а different sound) | ` jacks. Li Т channels and а зеа -га пе low-frequency effects (LFE) channel | | blue color informati (designated as “.1”), which deliver a significant sonic improvement 4 -information on the thi over Dolby Pro Logic's two discrete front channels, matrixed center picture, less susceptible to anomalies channel and mono rear channels. Both Dolby Digital and DTS are better color rendition and overall accuracy. he PS2 also s excellent-sounding formats which sounds better is a matter of VGA output, like | ‘the Dreamcast, but only certain games will personal opinion. DTS uses less compression (requiring three support this output initially. | NES times the disc space of Dolby Digital to store), which some feel So what kinda stuff will you need to take full adige of the offers a richer, more natural sound. Dolby Digital proponents point Р52% spiffed-up audio-visual features? Read on. ме assembled.a to its more efficient encoding process, engaging dynamics, and the variety of components that'll help you get the most out of your far greater availability of Dolby Digital software. PlayStation 2 just in time for your launch party. The PS2’s optical output allows you to make a direct digital audio connection to an outboard processor. This quality interconnect is highly resistant to interference of any kind, Electronic Gaming Monthly - 214 12:00 AM Havana са Go for а јод. Get away from it all. DRIVER2.COM Driver 2 © 2000 Infogrames, Inc. АЙ Rights Reserved, Created by Reflections Interactive Limited, an Infogrames, lnc. studio, Published & distributed by Infogrames, inc. Infogrames, Inc. and the Infogrames logo are trademarks of Infogrames, Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer |® Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association, —— Sony Wega KV-36XBR400 television The créme de la créme of Sony's non-HD direct-view TVs, the 36-inch KV-36XBR400 makes everything —video games, DVD or plain old TV —look outstanding. Picture quality alone makes the $2,699 price tag bearable, and features are plentiful too. Less expensive alternatives include the 32-inch KV-32XBR400 ($2,199), 36-inch KV- 36FS12 ($1,699), ог the 35-inch КУ-35566 ($1,299). Denon AVR-3300 A/V receiver The AVR-3300 gives you a lot to work with for $999: Dolby Digital and DTS processing, 105 watts x 5 channels of amplification, plenty of digital and analog inputs/outputs, component video switching, and all the convenience and user-friendliness you should expect from an A/V receiver. The AVR-3300 will give you everything you need until you’re ready to graduate to separates. $ M&K LCR-45 satellite speakers At less than eight inches high and $199 (each), the LCR-45 is a convenient and relatively inexpensive way to build a 5.1- channel system, or add surround sound to your two-channel setup. МАК is virtually synonymous with studio sound and it shows in their speakers, even the little guys. Add a powered sub and you've got yourself a punchy, full-range Phase Technology Teatro 11.5 system that knocks out a sound speaker system far larger than the diminutive cabinets would suggest. Whether purchased separately or as a whole ($1,785 for a 5.1 system), the Teatros offer excellent sound that should cost a lot more. The left and right front speakers each house powered subwoofers, and the system includes a dedicated center channel speaker and compact surround speakers. In addition to their sonic і B ifi capabilities, the Teatros are well-designed Lexicon МС preamplifier/processor and well-built, not to mention easy on the When you're ready to step up to the major leagues in eyes with a variety of finishes. For a more processing, look up the MC-1. Sure, $5,995 ain't cheap, but enveloping rear image, try some of Phase considering this unit's unbeatable performance, and Tech's dipolar surround speakers. Lexicon's unique upgrade/trade-in policies, the money is truly an investment. The sound is sweet, the interface is user-friendly, and the amount of processing options — as well as the control you have over them—is unsurpassed. Mitsubishi WT-46807 television Prepping yourself for the widescreen, digital future, and getting the most out of today's video offerings, can be done in style with the WT-46807. It's HD-ready at $4,300, and through Mitsubishi's “Promise” program it can be fully outfitted for HD for about $1,000 more. (For the unitiated, HD-ready means the set has the necessary horizontal and vertical resolution to display HD signals, as well as the necessary scan rates, but it doesn't actually have an HD decoder/tuner built in. This set is a solid deal compared to full-HD sets that sell for thousands more. The picture is great, the 16:9 aspect ratio adds a cinematic quality, and the set will handle just about everything you throw at it. Я Electronic Gaming Monthly - 216 “F355 CHALLENGE LEADS THE RACE FOR THE [MOST] REALISTIC DRIVING SIMULATION EVER... TRULY SOME GIFT FROM THE GODS" - GAMERS’ REPUBLIC *THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE-LOOKING RACING GAMES EVER SEEN" - OFFICIAL DREAMCAST MAGAZINE “VISUALLY, THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING" DREAMCAST MAGAZINE AVAILABLE NOW ONLY ON SEGA DREAMCAST ciated (дов. жый y ad ЕСА В RISES, LTD., 1999 GSEGA ENTERPRISES, (ТО /CRI 2000 fks of ейп 1 2 of CRI „Аа Distributed -Distibuted by Alam Ot bU ‘Acclaim Distribution, Inc. © 2000 Acclaim Entertainment, All rights reserved, Acclaim & © 2000 Acclaim Entertainment, Al rights. да, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are eilhor registerod trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises. \ ast м СА ENTERPRISES, LTD. All ome ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactivo i (ital Software Assocutio ш- H 1 Ға | Time to reach out апа posterize someone. Our new online gameplay lets you and-up-to three of your boys use one console to take on wannabes-nationwide — from gloating Laker groupies in L.A. to nostalgic Knicks-worshipers in Queens. There’s e-mail 50 you can, uh, “chat?” Plus» franchise mode, swat blocks, and ill crossovers and spin moves. All with graphics tighter than a point guard's shorts circa 1974. Now we'll.see who's got internet game. 6105:5140958595 HOWITOIGETIA t sounds like the ultimate dream job: creating video games for a living. But nowadays, that dream can easily be a reality—and the timing couldn't be better. The interactive entertainment industry has ballooned into a multibillion-dollar business, with revenues rivaling box-office movie receipts for the first time in its 25-year history. In other words, what took Hollywood 75 years to do, the gaming industry has surpassed in less than a third of the time. And talk about an industry with a future. We're on the brink of the bloodiest console war to date. Plus there's PC games, Internet-only titles, handheld systems (Game Boy Advance, Palm/Pocket PCs and cell phones), and coin-op arcade machines are making a long-overdue comeback with the music-game craze sweeping Asia and America. Get the picture? But as you're probably aware, there are many different kinds of jobs in “да biz." You'll also find many different ways to break into the industry, though the most common routes are to either apply for a job at an existing studio or to create the game on your own terms and sell it yourself or approach a publisher and/or distributor to pick up the title. This industry is full of successful folks who have chosen either of these two approaches, but the former is more likely these days. If you're passionate enough to put up with nightmarish crunch-time work marathons, game jobs can pay a decent chunk of change, too. Sure, starting pay may not fill your garage with Ferraris like the guys at id Software drive, but if you establish a proven track record, a salary well over 100K is not out ofthe question. This comprehensive EGM feature is designed to help you decide what kind of job you're after by outlining the responsibilities per position and the best ways to break into the industry. We went straight to the pros and got a novel's worth of great advice from some of today's on how to maximize your chances of getting in, and becoming as famous as they have. Everybody in? Well, flip the page and let's begin! Illustrations by Chris Martin | н T Crucial Tools: Maya, Put together and distribute a high-quality portfolio/demo reel that showcases your artistic creativity and versatility Be flexible, both artistically and functionally. Communication and teamwork are essential parts of the job Get professional instruction if you have access to it. Whatever you know, you can always learn more Salary: 535,000 to 590,000 3D Studio MAX, Photoshop, Softimage et's face it—we live in a visual culture, so it's easy to see why both | makers and game players put such a very heavy emphasis оп а game's graphics. In most cases, it's what is used to sell a game (see the ads in this magazine!) and will likely be the first thing you'll notice in a game (“Whoa—check out how realistic the cars are in GT 2000!”). Graphics also happen to eat up the biggest chunk of the game-design budget, so game development houses invest heavily in good 2D and 3D artists, not to mention the software needed to create the visuals. Art-related positions at а company come in a huge variety. You'll find artists who create "classical" hand-drawn concept sketches, artists who create computer-generated 2D backgrounds and sprites, artists who render 3D characters and objects. And then you have the animators who give the characters and objects life. There are also “art technicians,” who work specifically on the programming side of placing the graphics in the game engine. And if any game features beautiful artwork and animation it's Square's beloved Final Fantasy and Parasite Eve series, led by Tetsuya Nomura. This prestiged graphic designer says those looking to break into the industry as artists must actively look for employment opportunities and just apply for the position. He adds, "It is also very important to prepare a portfolio that shows passion and talent." Nomura says that while they use Adobe Photoshop quite often, it's important for game artists to be able to draw with a pen and paper, too. “| don't think there аге any specific tools that artists need to have mastered," adds Nomura. *In many instances, artists will learn hands-on at work if the tools they can use are different from what's being required." They also need a personality, Nomura believes. "If | was to hire someone, I would want them to understand me entirely— my visions, my thoughts. He or she needs to think on the same page as me. Even if they can't tell a joke, they'll at least have to laugh to mine!" And if you've ever hung around video game art circles, the word "personality" will likely conjure an image of Rodney Greenblat, the talented freelance artist who is best known for the unique visuals seen in Sony's WE ASKED MORE THAN A DOZEN GAME DESIGNERS THE BIG QUESTION: HOW DID YOU BREAK INTO THE INDUSTRY? THEIR RESPONSES ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THIS FEATURE. My partner, Andy Gavin and І, wrote a game for the Apple Ile called Ski Crazed. It used some assembly sprite routines from a company called Baudville. We sent them a sample of the game and asked if we could publish it locally in our hometown of Washington, D.C. At that time, publishing meant selling three copies to each store in the area packaged in a Ziplock bag, with a color copy for a cover. They asked if they could publish | it nationally, and so it began. Two games later, when we were both 17, Andy and І scored a contract with Electronic Arts. We were in the big time at that point. Electronic бат! PaRappa the Rapper and UmJammer Lammy. Greenblat believes the Internet "is such a great place to experiment with interactivity and show your work. In the early '905, CD-ROMs were the medium of choice for these kinds of experiments, but the distribution was terrible." When asked what is the first thing a budding artist should do to get a job at a development studio, he replies, “If you are into 3D design and animation, you better come up with a demo reel of models and interesting motion. Use the highest-end software you can get your hands on...but mostly get out the paper and pencil and draw. Make storyboards and character designs. Write proposals that anyone can understand." Greenblat also maintains that a successful game artist must be able to compromise his work for the greater whole (the game) and must also be able to work with lots of people, as it's not usually a solo venture. Is schooling all that important? Do they teach you what you need to know or is it best to be self-educated? Greenblat ponders the question and answers, "College and design schools are good places, because the instructors and other students can help you get a professional edge. At the same time keep your eyes on the current market. What sells and what is good are usually two different things. They always forget this at college. "And don't worry about the tools. If you can make something great with Windows 95 and an old copy of Director, studio management will appreciate this. Being able to run effects filters on a high-end system is not a good way to show your creativity." Lastly, Greenblat reminds anxious artists not to expect to enter any company at the top—or even the middle—of the corporate structure. "Be prepared to empty wastepaper baskets and pick up the boss' kids at dance practice," he says. For more on game-artist jobs, we turned to Visual Concepts, Sega's in- house development teams responsible for such jaw-dropping Dreamcast games as NFL 2K1 and МВА 2K1. Greg Thomas, а 12-year video game veteran, is the VP of product development there, and says while his first job was making games in a garage, it has become much more difficult to do it 5010 these days. Instead, Thomas advises that you get a very strong portfolio together, and be sure to have strong traditional art skills. “That’s what | look for,” he says, “but also mainly passion and talent. With these two things, I’m sure budding game artists will succeed. They also need to be a good communicator, and not have an ego.” Thomas says knowing how to use Alias-Wavefront’s Maya and/or Adobe Photoshop is handy if applying as a modeler, texturer or animator. “And go to school for sure," he adds. "The Biggest, Baddest RPG to ever hit the №4!" - IGN64 YSignund Over 50 Hours of non-linear gameplay on one of the largest N64 carts ever Fight epic battles while commanding over 50 types of characters Experience an epic storyline worthy of the Ogre Battle name Mild Animated Violence і 4 || ! 1 Ic Mild Language ———— 4 "i a m а "T Есе Staal he 30°N lop we tent Арата Ре rags remark ol Ве erat Dl Ser Assn М Reserved www.atlus.com Practice tweaking others' code while gaining experience and education wherever you can | Crucial Tools: visual С++, Assembly Language programming. Of course, programming refers to designing and writing a computer program, and, in our case, a game or game engine. In a nutshell, it's a programmer's job to decide what the game needs to do, develop the logic of how to do it, and write instructions for the computer in a language that it can translate into its own language and execute (such as Microsoft Visual С++). Bear in mind there are many different kinds of programmers hired at game development houses. Lead programmers are in charge of all other programmers; artificial intelligence (А.І) specialists must make computer-controlled objects appear to be lifelike; network programmers work on the multiplayer code for Internet/LAN games; audio programmers are responsible for the implementation of all audio in the game (music, sound effects, voice talent); graphics programmers code the display engine and the tools related to it; interface programmers work on the, well interface; and so forth. Whew! These code-crunchers are accountable for creating the backbone of the game, so their job is extremely important (not coincidentally, they typically get paid more than folks in other game-related jobs). Are you ready for that kind of reward and responsibility? Great then, So let's continue... Matt Householder, Senior Producer at Blizzard Entertainment, has been in the industry for almost 20 years, having worked on the Krull coin-op, Moon Patrol for the Colecovision, Winter Games, Summer Games, and most recently, Diablo | for the PC and Mac. He says there's one thing a wannabe game programmer should keep in mind— you're not alone. “It’s more difficult to get a job as a programmer now than before because there are lots more people who want to become game programmers. However, the best way to get noticed is to put yourself ‘in the right place at the right time.' Go to the game industry annual conventions. In North America, these are the Game Developers’ Conference —especially the Job Fair—and Ез [the Electronic N ow we've arrived at the meat and potatoes of game production— I'm originally from Springfield, Mass., and when І was a kid | always wanted to move to Southern California to be a musician (doesn't everybody?). Anyway, when I turned 21, I left Massachusetts and drove across [the] country to Southern California. The only thing I really knew out here was Hollywood, 50 І drove to Hollywood. І didn't have a place to stay, didn't know anybody, didn't have a job, and oh yeah, І didn't have any money! So І showed up in Hollywood, took a look around and said, “What the hell is this?!” For those of you who have been to Hollywood, you know what I’m talking about. Hollywood isn't exactly the way they portray it оп TV— it's pretty much а dump. 50 І picked up a newspaper and І got a job the very next day selling keyboards at Guitar Center. | was sleeping either in my car or on Huntington Beach at this point, so 1 Gain exposure to companies at conventions or other public events Be able to write concise code and find/fix bugs in your own and other programmers' code Entertainment Exposition]." Furthermore, Householder maintains budding programmers should demonstrate that they play, know and love games and can code expertly. One suggestion is to write some kind of demo “mini-game.” As far as the key personal or professional attributes you need to be a games programmer, Householder says, "Ве able to find and fix bugs quickly. Be able to read code written by other programmers. Be able to write tools for use by others (generally non-programmers) on the game development team. Be able to work effectively for weeks at a time during ‘crunch mode' —high-stress, long hours, late nights and all-nighters—to meet deadlines for tradeshows, beta, and final product releases." was looking for anything І could find. Believe it ог not, the very first person to walk in the store happened to be a producer for a new software company starting up called Virgin Mastertronic. I’ve loved music my whole life, I’ve been playing piano since | was 3 years old. My second love has always been video games. Never in my whole life did І ever think of putting my two loves together...until that day. I became the first tester at Virgin the next day. There were only about 15 people at Virgin at the time, so they didn't need a full-time musician. When the first opportunity arose for music (Prince of Persia on the Game Boy), ! jumped on it. | would sit down with the programmers and technicians every chance І got to learn about the machines. І worked on Prince of Persia for free and on the weekends and after work. The VP of the company was so impressed he made те the music guy! My next game was Global Gladiators on the Genesis which won “Везе music of the year" and Руе been doing it ever since! Householder says programmers should get their hands on any compiler/debugger/source code they can find to tweak their skills. On a non-technical note, he says to *be prepared for rejection or even the feeling that you're being ignored, but don't take it personally. Persistence pays off, so don't give up." Have you ever heard of a couple of successful medical doctors becoming game programmers? Meet Ray Muzyka, Joint CEO of BioWare, who founded the company back in 1995 with Greg Zeschuk. In just five years, BioWare has grown to more than 100 employees and developed a number of hit titles such as Baldur's Gate and MDK 2. When he hired these 100-plus employees, Muzyka says he looked for a few things such as education, experience and personal references, as well as a real interest in and understanding of video games. “А game programmer must be diligent, hardworking, willing to work in a team, and a touch of perfectionism thrown in won't hurt," he explains. "It's hard sometimes to get that last 5 percent of a game's development done, but it is often the most important 5 percent— finding and fixing every last bug is critical for quality." Much like the other famous "algorithm analysts" featured in this section, Muzyka says the languages they use (mainly) are Microsoft Visual С++ and Assembly language, so a good working knowledge of these is ideal, but again, he reverts back to his earlier advice: “If you work hard and get a good education and some good experience, things usually turn out OK." Our last few words of wisdom on game programming are from Ed Logg. You may not know his name, but chances are, you've played a number of his time-withstanding arcade classics, including Super Breakout, Asteroids, Centipede, Millipede, Gauntlet, Gauntlet Il and many, many others. He's been programming and designing games professionally since (gulp!) March of 1978, and unofficially 10 years earlier! Logg admits it was easier to do game programming back then because the games were simpler and there was just one programmer and one artist (if any at all), but “the old hardware often had severe limitations so it was often harder to get what you wanted done." Logg says a budding game programmer must definitely have a deep interest in games, some C experience, and the ability to quickly write good code. He elaborates: *Experience with multiple C compilers will teach the proper technique for writing code that is more portable. Experience in assembly language is often a great tool to understanding how to design a game and write better programs and algorithms. Unfortunately very few schools seem to teach this anymore." That said, Logg also maintains that experience is always a plus, but he also looks for inexperienced programmers “у/һо seem to be so much better than their peers." Є » 2quare Lookin’ for Work? Head to the Web This feature may cover a lot of ground in a number of areas, but by no means is it the final word on how to break into the gaming industry. The Internet is an outstanding medium for both novice and seasoned game developers to interact, learn and make connections. The following few Web sites and Usenet newsgroups are perfect for those who want to hone their craft as a game designer or to help find work, or both. Be sure to bookmark these babies... • Gamasutra [www.gamasutra.com] is simply one of the best game design Web sites, covering a wealth of topics, from programming to graphic design, sound engineering to music, even areas dedicated to the production, legal and business angle of the gaming industry. • бате)оһ5 [www.gamejobs.com] serves as a comprehensive listing of companies involved with the video-games industry, with a direct link to the appropriate human resources page for each company. * Game Developers Conference [www.gdconf.com] is a must- attend annual show for those thinking about breaking into the biz. It takes place every March in San Jose, Calif., (just outside of San Francisco) and this site offers all the information you'll need on how to register and get there. Plus, it lists all the events, seminars, keynote speeches, contests and more. • GameDev, Net [www.gamedev.net] is an excellent Web ’zine devoted to the development of computer games. It's got news, feature articles, community info, editorials, Q&A, helpful books and other resources. * Game Design Newsgroup [rec.games.design] is ideal to keep abreast on all the latest happenings, to exchange ideas or ask queries yourself. * Game Development Search Engine [www.game-developer.com] is the definitive search engine and directory to many of the game developer sites on the Internet. * GarageGames.com [www.garagegames.com] is the first Web-based publishing label for independent games and gamemakers. It provides everything you should need to make and sell high-quality games. * Loony Games [www.loonygames.com] offers insight on game design and development and houses many feature stories and regular columns written by some of the industry's finest game designers, programmers and artists. Free Tools for Budding Game Designers Fortunately, for those looking to become full-time and famous game designers one day, many computer games offer free tools to help tweak your trade. Think about it—if you want to become a programmer, why not create a few MODs (modifications) for your favorite first-person shooters, while up-and-coming artists could start designing “skins” (character textures) for these games, and level designers can start designing maps, and so forth. And uva No hundreds of PC games are released each year with У these free tools available on the CD or as a free қ download off the Web. Recent examples include | was a fan of Mr. Yoshitaka Diablo Il, Vampire: The Masquerade —Redemption, Amano and his work, so І thought Dark Reign Il or KISS: Psycho Circus — The Nightmare Square would provide me some Child. And recently, Valve Software and Sierra Studios sort of opportunity to lead me in released the Half-Life Full SDK (Software — that direction. It Development Kit), which contains all the resources actually wasn't needed to build any type of game imaginable to run that | wanted to as an add-on for Half-Life. You can even learn a few get in the video- lessons in basic game design on the consoles by game industry building courses in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 or your (and become a own RPG with Agetec's RPG Maker. designer for Р So, instead of complaining about the quality of The ultimate “edutainment”: Tony Hawk 275 level video games). 5 today's PC games, put your mouse where your mouth editor will teach you a thing or two about game is and start creating your own. design. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 227 Р A friend had left the company to join Atari across ! moved to Chicago to work on my Computer Science the street and suggested І apply for a job. І had master's degree (and look for a game played a prototype of the Atari 2600 several months programming job) and met the VP of before at a holiday party and І was very impressed, Software for a coin-op video game > so I decided to give it a try. They had openings in company in one of my classes. He was their coin-operated games division, so that is looking for programmers and hired me where I started. when I graduated. s Joanna Dark, you take a ||| step ош of the elevator, look to the right and left, then run down the hallway, dodging bullets spewing from a couple of office doors. You then find an empty room full of ammo, change weapons, take a breather, and then proceed back to take out the three terrorists hiding behind the desks... If it wasn’t for level designers, there would be no elevator, no hallway, no rooms and no ammo. You see, level design pertains to creating the architecture of a game (i.e., the office building), along with dealing with object placement (ammo), mission or goal of the map (stay alive, kill the bad guys), and often mini- missions within the level (find a key to the room holding the kidnapped scientist). And here's the good news: Many hardcore gamers who make levels in their spare time for fun are now being snagged by world-renowned development houses to create the maps for their upcoming games. How cool is that? Take, for example, Paul Jaquays, the brains behind many of the beloved id Software maps in Quake II and Quake II] Arena. When asked what a newbie level designer should do to get a job in the industry, Jaquays advises, “Ве able to show а track record of designing product...that means he or she has to have something that they have done and can show that they can do the work. If possible, this should be something original...this includes designing maps for first-person shooters or real-time strategy games.” Jaquays maintains that the level designer needs to be a creative problem solver and must adapt quickly and with grace to changes in the project and his or her work environment. He says, “A designer needs to be self-motivating and be able to turn an assignment around without having to be reminded that it’s due. And a designer absolutely, positively must work well in a team setting.” Practice using the level editors that ship with first-person On the console side, DreamWorks Interactive’s Medal of Honor shooters and strategy games features some incredible level design, replicating many of the real- world locales found during WWII. Peter Hirschmann, producer and writer of the game (and its sequel) was responsible for its level design, as well. Hirschmann advises that budding level designers should scour the career section of their favorite developers’ Web sites and scan for openings. "We'd never hire anyone for a junior designer position just off Know the hardware's limitations, but don't be afraid to push the programmers to achieve something original Salary: $30,000 to 545,000 Crucial Tools: LightWave 3D, 3D Studio MAX, Level Editors, Design Programs (Visio, CAD), IMAGINATION! 228 READY www.squaresoft.com Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. © 2000 Square Co., Ltd. А! rights reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation К ы logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Animated Violence FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE SOFT and the SQUARESOFT logos are registered trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. COMPUTER GRAPHICS MOVIE: © 2000 Mild Language L Square Co, Lid, & Square вшәмонв Со. а = ILLUSTRATION: © 2000 YOSHITAKA AMAN( CONTENT RATED BY PlayStation U.S. Patent No. 5390937, 5649862, ESRB . 30 ft ^ A " и pamasa: зіцби ту “oul хелу ЖӘ (Poueuept цовівва Эч | 'регзавај релзеза 5146 En зуби Wy di oho геоо Spig! о 1007 fa рада T 13 2 The First Xe xes 9607 зуј эці Parnasas siut IPO} џопоу [2007] 241 "perasse: 5146: 4 Public Humiliation Simulator shacked. Master awessme serials to Cer indien uve machhe for the Руна! qome hede. {5 pro boards against ее crushing ()' Surf Riders, Не Брет оће и тање. pedes. 3m. Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771- for more info. PlayStation амилеџајиз јарашор Коб jo өз ешәред рэзэ бал әле 5обо) uogerS ej еці рив исп Леја 3 HOS юп jo жешеред e si әрін pns ощ 0510110 змешеред parasia әле обо) yos кап eui pue jueuurepejus yos Tan f Раш Jaquays, Level Designer for id Software | started doing art for fantasy RPG magazines and published The Dungeoneer, my own D&D fan magazine, in the '705. | parlayed that into my first job designing and illustrating D&D adventures for Judges Guild. In 1980, my acquaintance with Mike Stackpole (who now writes the Star Wars Rogue Squadron novels and his own fantasy adventure epics) took me to Coleco. Mike and І were supposed to design a fantasy-adventure game that played on a combination bar-code reader/speech-synthesizer device, but the device was never developed beyond a prototype. І eventually became director of game design at Coleco. In 1985, the video game biz went down the tubes, and І followed a varied path that had me freelancing for companies that made Dungeons & Dragons and for computer companies like Epyx, Interplay, Crossover Technologies and EA. Eventually, a fortunate meeting with another acquaintance developed into a job opportunity with id. the street with no professional experience," Hirschmann says. “Тһе key word is ‘professional,’ meaning that you've actually worked in person with other live human beings, not just designing levels alone in your basement. The design department touches every element of a game's production, so being organized with your work, communicating ideas clearly, and having a cheery personality (or at least one that allows you to get along with others) are all vital to your success. But, how does one hone in on their skills as a level designer? What programs are needed? What about schooling? For these questions, we turned to the always affable Cliff Bleszinski, a 25-year-old level designer and game designer at Epic Games. You may have sampled his architectural artistry in games such as Unreal and Unreal Tournament. Bleszinski says gamers should definitely start toying around with the free editors that ship with many games these days (see the sidebar on this). “Unreal Tournament ships with the Unreal Editor, which is the exact same tool that we used to build our content with and, with a little patience, you can be making great professional art software, Bleszins| LightWave and 3D Studio MAX are content like the pros." On i says 3D applications such as great to learn, as well, as they are commonly used in many areas of the business, from 3D art to level design. Explains Bleszinski, “Тће job of the level designer is shifting to a balance between one half 3D arti st and one half game designer. So, when | look for talent | look at leve s that strike that perfect balance between great looks and playability. The designer must understand lighting, texturing and scene composition, as well as the more abstract gameplay notions such as flow and pacing. For instance, is the level too easy or too hard? Am | having a good time, ог is my head getting stuck on torch holders that are too low as an alien is chewing on my leg?" Bleszinski also adds patience and the ability to accept constructive criticism as two of the key attributes any level designer must possess. "Frequently, when a project is in development, the tools that the designer uses break or change," he says, "so it's key to stay cool under pressure and roll with the punches that the tumultuous development process can throw your way. It is also key to seek and take to heart suggestions from peers on the development team, as the best way to improve is to seek input and act upon it. Don't give up—if gaming is in your blood then you'll find a way in." And last, but certainly not least, we hear from the lord himself—the Levelord, that is. As co-owner of Ritual Entertainment, Richard "Levelord" Gray has designed some of the best maps in the history of the first-person shooter in games such as Duke Nukem 3D, Sin and, most recently, Heavy Metal: Ғ.А.К.К. 2. The Levelord decrees there is Marty O'Donnell, Total Audio After І got my master's degree in music composition, І broke into the music industry by working as a grip on the set of a commercial being shot in Chicago. І waited until І saw they needed some music, then went back to my friend's recording studio and did a quick demo and gave it to the director the next day. It was on the air that weekend... 9 9 only one way to get in the door of a development studio — make levels! "| believe that if you asked most of the professionals," he says, "they would tell you that they made levels purely for the pleasure of making the levels, not simply to make a portfolio to get hired. They had the Passion." Along with the passion, the Levelord says successful designers need to "not think within any boxes or restrict yourself to any borders. We are constantly pushing envelopes which, of course, is why the technology is constantly evolving. This is a very cool job, but it is a very demanding one time-wise. We seem to have little if any personal lives and spend most of our time at the office, or at home, working on game- related activities." And lastly, if you have the passion, “уои absolutely need to get your work out in the public's еуе— оп the Internet,” says the Levelord. “Also be a little proactive and pursue game developers to look at your work... They will probably already know about you because they do have time to go online now and then and see their world. E-mail developers about your interest and be persistent. Do not be a pain in the arse, but don't be afraid to ask more than once, as this shows part of the Passion." Want to break into the industry but none of these jobs sound right for you? Why not try for the glitz, glamour, sweat stains and 16-hour workdays of an EGM editor? Editor-in-Chief Joe Funk, who has hired just about all of us editor-types around here, explains which would-be editor tactics worked and which didn't over the years (and, yes, these are all true stories): What worked: * One guy sent me a full-size black-and-white picture of his mug. He looked cold and scared— like a deer in the headlights—so | felt sorry for him and hired him. * Another guy told me he had never written anything before but worked part time at Babbages and loved gaming. We talked apes, chimps and other primates in his interview and the next thing | knew he was working here. * One woman drove from Kansas to Chicago on a day's notice for an interview on her own dime. * One of our art directors did a mockup of an EGM cover that was actually pretty good. * Several of our guys worked on fansites or fanzines as a labor of love before coming here. What didn't: * One guy wore a really dirty shirt to the interview. * Many people tell me they want to be screenwriters and are doing this mostly to pay bills. * Some people mention games or systems in their cover letters and get the spellings and names wrong. * Handwritten cover letters and résumés. * Calling me at home. Please don't. I’ve had to have my number unlisted. 232 PlayStation.e Dn Sale October 26! — € ot it pit — ради спра ота tem! й % Witness extrai rdinary graphics on bai of truly epic рго different— and playe industry veterans eadof ha e Ae re the wide variety ої бі іле cards, controllers, drivei «М Д great esperien е: ‘con le s World Шаты his section is really two T scooped into one to save on space, but they're both related to the game's audio, one of the most vital facets of the entire game-design process and experience. Audio, of course, refers to any and all stimuli heard throughout the game, be it music, voices or sound effects. Thanks to the advent of CD and DVD players in console systems and home PCs, game audio has become even more important. Much like the other sections of this feature, there are probably as many ways to break into the industry as a sound technician and/or musician as there are examples of those who have done it, but the following looks at a couple of the bigger names in the biz. After writing and producing scores for TV, radio and film in the '805, Marty O'Donnell became involved with Cyan and the ground- breaking PC adventure game Myst. He later worked on Riven: The Sequel to Myst (also for Cyan) and then a few titles for developers Bungie (namely, Myth: The Fallen Lords, Myth II: Soulblighter, Oni and Halo). O'Donnell says budding sound and music creators “should have great facility with current Sound and music programs, as well as a good demo CD." Then, O'Donnell says you should find out who makes the hiring decisions and send your demo and a short letter of introduction to that person. “Ве persistent. The worse you can do is annoy someone, but if they're not aware of you, you'll never get the job anyway," says O'Donnell. O'Donnell says when he's looking for talent, he pays attention to “опата! music, stellar production values, and unique sound design." An education or background in music and audio production is a must, and previous experience in game audio development is a definite plus. As far as gear is concerned, O'Donnell says access to electronic and acoustic musical instruments and recording equipment is extremely important. “Learn how to record sound and music. A computer is a *Another'&rea B ut Valvé's s Newell'also reminds budding game аа that “the gra phics forthe console audience are quite different from the PC nce, so you need to make sure you understand who the game is ands: “Along with the configuration differences, the 0 fhe game has to reflect the differing user inputs — mouse Бо rd on a desk versus console controller held in hand —as L difference in resolution, contrast and color saturation between шо: and ТУ," ми / 234 DigiPen: The Ultimate Game School While more and more technical colleges around the country are offering game programming and game art courses, DigiPen Institute of Technology is the oldest and most recognized within the video-gaming community. DigiPen Corporation was founded by Claude Comair in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1988 and specialized in 3D computer animation and special effects. In 1991, they had a meeting with Nintendo of America (NoA) and discussed the possibility of DigiPen offering educational programs in video game programming. This idea became reality in September of 1994, when DigiPen started the first-known computer-game programming program. DigiPen soon expanded the two-year course to a four-year bachelors degree program. In February, 1998, DigiPen opened a larger campus in Redmond, Washington., right near Nintendo of America’s offices. This past July, DigiPen had its first batch of graduates from the school’s four-year Baccalaureate Degree of Science in Real Time Interactive Simulation. Allegedly, many of the students have already secured positions with top companies such as Interplay, Dreamworks Interactive and KnowWonder. To learn more about DigPen and its courses, visit them on the Web at must of course, but many people make the mistake of thinking that a computer is all they need. Many consumer computer audio programs and hardware just aren’t good enough to produce professional- sounding audio. | still believe that the Mac is the best computer platform for MIDI and audio recording. Programs like Pro Tools, Peak, Performer and Studio Vision are just some of the most common programs found in many professional studios. On the PC side, Cakewalk and SoundForge are excellent.” In closing, O’Donnell says to practice, practice, practice: “Take lessons, go to music school, intern at a recording studio, play games and develop audio with friends who are programmers. And lastly, come up with some ways of designing sound effects that sound different than the expected.” Matthew Lee Johnston is another respected audio engineer who has worked on many stellar games in Microsoft’s PC lineup over the past five years. His last few titles were Midtown Madness (1 and 2), Combat Flight Simulator (1 and 2) and Flight Simulator 2000. Johnston says the romantic aspects of the industry have been played up to make people believe that fun takes precedence over business and money seems to be of no object. If you believe that, you'll be sorely disappointed. “Naturally this ideal environment appeals to the creative person, because it smacks of freedom,” Johnston tells us, “but this is not the reality. Making the transition from being purely creative on your own terms to making compromises in your creative output based on someone else's vision of what's best for the product can be extremely difficult." As with O’Donnell, Johnston also believes keeping up your “chops” as a musician is the best way to prepare for a job in the industry, along with honing skills on PC or Mac audio authoring tools and other related technologies. Field recording experience is also a plus. Second, he believes an understanding of the medium—to know the platforms and their limitations—is paramount. And lastly, you have to be as much of an expert at listening as you are at making noise. “Listening is half of the job—listening to people carefully as they painfully try to explain (using visual metaphors, of course) what they envision the audio landscape of the product to sound like.” But what about actually getting in the door to these companies? Is it doable? Enter Chance Thomas, president of the HUGEsound Network, who has worked on many PC games while at Sierra (including a fully orchestrated soundtrack for Quest for Glory V, which was also released Electronic “Be persistent. The worse you can do is annoy someone, but if they're not aware of you, you'll never get the job anyway." aming Monthly DigiPen www.digipen.edu or call 425-558-0299. It's not an easy school to get into, so good luck. as a separate CD). He now runs the HUGEsound Network, a group of talented musicians and audio engineers. "Ії seems like developers and publishers alike are always looking for full-time employees in audio," begins Thomas. “Іп the past couple of months alone | have seen audio positions available at Angel Studios, Microsoft, lon Storm, Turbine Entertainment and lots of start-ups." Breaking in as a freelancer may be getting harder. Thomas explains, *The bar has certainly been raised substantially over the past two to three years in terms of who the competition is and what can be expected from game audio, particularly on the music side. Today | also have to compete against Trent Reznor, David Bowie, Yes and Motley Crüe. That would be tough for someone new in the business." If the competition doesn't scare you from taking the plunge, Thomas advises, “Play lots of games and pay attention to how the music is used in those games. Make mental and written notes of what works and what doesn't, and learn why it does or doesn't work. Next, dedicate yourself to learning everything you can about the art, craft and technology of music. And lastly, put together a killer demo reel and blanket the industry." The last audio specialist we'll hear from is the ever-colorful Tommy Tallarico. Over the past nine years, he has written soundtracks to such titles as Earthworm Jim 1 & 2, Aladdin, Cool Spot, The Terminator, Madden Football, the Test Drive series, MDK and Tomorrow Never Dies. We asked Tallarico what the first thing a budding musician should do to get a job at a game-development studio. He says the freelance route isn't a bad way to go. "[Freelance] is definitely going to be the future of our industry," Tallarico says. “But it's not for everyone! Some people like the stability of a weekly paycheck, benefits, not paying for your own gear, etc. If that's the case then an in-house job is more for you. Just realize that you'll never make the really big bucks." Either way, though, Tallarico says to put together a great demo CD ої your very best stuff and to make sure to put your contact info directly on the CD. He also suggests you include a short bio or résumé, and make sure to show how much you love video games. *Once you have your package together," he advises, "таке about a hundred of them and send them out to every single video game publisher and developer you can find on the Interriet— you'll want to send them to either a music supervisor or even game producers." Tallarico also reminds musicians/sound designers to go to every video-game trade show you can. He says, "You'll meet more people there in three days than you'll meet all year long." - 235 . Superstars in the ring at once. Can t handle the heat? Stay out of the kitchen. is gonna get ugly. Or the boiler room. Or the parking lot. © 2000 World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. World Wrestling Federation, its logo, and all other distinctive titles and names used herein are trademarks of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. THQ and the THQ logo are trademarks of THO Inc. THQ ™ 1998 THQ INC. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Sega is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Animated Violence Suggestive Themes Sega@ Dreamcast How to tell if you ready for М You spend hours in the mirror working on raising one eyebrow. М You call co-workers “Jabronis.’ М You've created your own entrance video for whenever you enter a room- W Your apartment is furnished with metal chairs and cheap buffet tables. М You give your girlfriend the "stinky-face-" W Youve rigged your apartment with elaborate pyrotechnics for dramatic effect. М Finally having а =, game for your Sega Dreamcast brings a tear to your eye. PRESS START strom OF tm we x M уот А ACTIVE World Wrestling Federation® www.jakkspacific.com www.thg.com | wanted to make games ever since the age of 6, when I first saw Space Invaders at my friend's house on the Atari 2600. It has been my lifelong dream to do what | do, and | don't ever anticipate doing anything else. | began to make my own games, first on "construction sets" that were available on my Apple Ис and Commodore 64, then by programming and drawing all the graphics myself. І sent a computer adventure title | built to Tim Sweeney (Lead Programmer of the Unreal Technology and founder of Epic Games) and ће liked what he saw. The rest is history. Get professional design experience as soon as possible, even if that means starting very small and working your way up (start as a tester, for example) Play a lot of high-quality games to learn how to achieve an overall balance and flow to your game designs Education in artistic design and screenwriting can be helpful | | Salary: 535,000 to 590,000 К, we've now соте to the end of our long journey toward breaking 0": the fast-paced gaming industry, and we've saved the most sought-after—at least by our readers— position for last. Though definitions may vary, a lead game designer is someone who must sketch out the game from start to finish and must oversee the entire game design process, including its art, programming, level and mission designing, and so on. In many cases, the lead designer is the person who came up with the concept for the game to begin with. Needless to say, this is a very important and respected position to hold at a game development studio. Because a game designer must be a Jack (or Jacqueline) of all trades, most newcomers to the game industry do not get hired as a game designer right off the bat. Instead, they apply for another position and work up the proverbial ladder from there. Jason Rubin, co-founder and president of Naughty Dog Inc., has been making games for the past 14 years with his partner in crime, Andy Gavin. Naughty Dog's last four titles— Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot: Cortex Strikes Back, Crash Bandicoot: Warped and Crash Team Racing —have sold over 20 million units collectively, thus making Naughty Dog the most successful independent developer in America. In Rubin's opinion, it is quite expensive to start your own development house these days, so getting a job at an existing company may be the better way to go. Then, once you've gained considerable experience and contacts, you may choose to leave to start your own company down the road. “Just as programming is learned over the years, design is not something that you are born with," begins Rubin. “Everyone should expect to start at the bottom. Most designers | know of started as game testers and moved up after a few long hard years after they proved that they knew what they were talking about. Then—after showing their worth on a few projects—they were given projects to manage themselves as an associate producer. Every designer Гуе hired has done design for at least one other company and for multiple successful products before coming to Naughty Dog." Rubin says that a person who wants to be a game designer should “һауе the ability to translate seemingly immeasurable elements of gameplay, such as frustration and fun, into numbers." He offers the following examples: “А game designer must know ‘x’ deaths in this area would be frustrating, ‘у’ lives is too few and ‘2’ would be too many and make the level too easy." Rubin also urges budding game designers to "accept criticism, to your résumé, to your beliefs, to your opinions." And you'll need to understand that the gaming industry is not non-profit; publishers need to make money. “Just because your idea is ‘artistic,’ a company won't likely make it if the audience will be tiny," adds Rubin. And you must acknowledge that large teams make games these days, and large teams like to have input. 15 getting a job as a designer in the U.S. any easier or harder than in Japan? We asked Shinji Mikami, Manager of R&D 4th Development Team at Capcom, who is responsible in part for the coveted Resident Evil series. He responds by saying he doesn't know if there's a difference in getting a job as a game designer between the two countries, but insists creativity is something he looks for when hiring, and hey, that's universal. *Over everything, he or she needs to be a 238 да Кулан, ow adc) dio сті Tec sera racemos o MR т LIN DISNEY'S DINDSRUR - MASTER THE SURVIVAL SKILLS OF BLADRR, FLIR, AND ZINI - MRREH REROSS TERRIFYING 37 LRNDSERPES б RAGING WTIH LAVA, RAFTORS, | CARNOTAURS AND MORE. IT'S THE ULTIMATE TREK FOR SURVIVAL! ~ > Od) hg ate звена э СУ ТУЗ сто 3 аб Страва * - * ^ 4 Р Gay TEN і | E A Ф > EO е үл i? - F 57; = DINOSAUR VE 5 Bas 24 БЕЗ | 5 = дь 776 | k Visit www.esrb.org j АЖ о 42 i or call 1-800-771-3772 | Ор > DiNOSAUR for more info 1 a 7 ~ a ЕЕ; M З DINOSAUR: BE: NI M ti ei рам = h & = == Also Available from Ubi Soft у PlayStation Disney's Dinosaur for the Game Boy® Color person who loves creating things," begins Mikami. “Не or she also needs to have strong sensibility about things. I also believe it is important what the person has seen and experienced before the age of 13 or so. This is where creativity and imagination begin. It is also very helpful to have some art skill if you want to be a game director." Furthermore, Mikami says he puts the most value on whether the person seems to be easy to work with or not, and has good qualities as a person. “1 also make sure the person has at least one excellent skill," he says. *Without one very solid skill and good people skills, is difficult to succeed in this industry since creating a game is a team effort." But Mikami and Rubin broke into the gaming industry over a decade ago. Is it easier or tougher now? For this, we asked a true game-design veteran —David Perry— president of Shiny Entertainment, which created such memorable games as Earthworm Jim, MDK and Messiah. Next year marks Perry's 2oth year in the biz. “It’s a lot, lot, lot easier now because of all the help that you can get via the Internet," Perry tells us, *and there's also tons of great books on the subject. In the old days, І had to make my games in assembly language by poking numbers into RAM by hand before commercial assemblers were available. If | wanted art, І had to write my own art package or draw it on graph paper like everyone else." Perry says today's game-design tools are helpful, but then games aren't that simple anymore. “Тһеуте turning into epics. Making them has become a way of life instead of just a hobby." Perry's advice on getting a job as a game designer is to make your ideas visual. “If | pop іп a VHS tape and see something that looks interesting, you will have my attention a lot faster than making me read a 200-page document with numerical tables and endless character bios," admits Perry. *To do this, use the Internet to team up with a good artist, and even programmer, who shares your vision and lay out your plan in the form of a visual demonstration. The design on paper should then accompany the tape. If the tape looks great, send it to the executive producer at the companies you would like to publish it. But wait til you have it looking really sweet.” The last famous game designer we chatted with is at this very moment enjoying the fact his latest PC game, The Sims, is the number one-selling game of the year thus far. We're talking about the one and only Will Wright, who says while it may be hard to break in as a “lone wolf" programmer/designer as he did 18 years ago, there are many more ways to get a job now than ever before. Wright suggests applying as a tester or low-level producer, and learn as you go. Mirroring Rubin's sentiment, Wright agrees it is very difficult to get a starting job as a designer with no experience. “А designer needs to understand all parts of the development process: programming, art, production," he explains. *On top of that you need to have a good sense of the design tools and process: prototyping, playtesting, design- risk assessment. Probably the best way to get into a design role is to start somewhere else on a production team (as a producer, artist or programmer) and learn the ropes of design by working closely with the designers on your project. See what works and what doesn't. Learning how not to design a game is just as important as knowing how to design one." ж When І started, there were no games in the stores. You had to buy a book or magazine and then type the program into your computer to play it. | sent my games to be published in magazines and was extremely proud to see my work in lovely black “ink.” Little did | know І was actually getting paid for this. So the checks started arriving (550 a game!!!) and І was hooked. © | taught myself to program on the Apple Il. When the Commodore 64 first came out 1 bought one and learned it as fast as | could. | then created my first game on it (Raid on Bungeling Bay) and then sold the publishing rights to Broderbund Software. The Nintendo version of this game sold 750,000 units in Japan. Like most of us in the action genre of computer games, it was through the Gateway of DOOM. І don't think І know a single person 3 who entered this industry in the mid-1990s who didn’t cross that gate. What a great game and what a great time—DOOM, Nine Inch Nails and easy access to the Internet! Anyone 3 b. 4 with the passion (or curse, if you butter your toast on the other side) could cast their magic, whether it be code, levels or art, and send it out to the entire world. І personally made four DOOM levels called GrayDOOM and uploaded them to CompuServe's Action Forum. It wasn't long before I was noticed and hired to do contract levels for Blood. Those led to full-time work on Duke Nukem, which in turn got me here...an owner at Ritual Entertainment. @ OK, here comes the shameless plug, but І take pride in the fact there is no other book in the world like mine. Game Design: Secrets of the Sages, Second Edition (BradyGAMES) is a 460-plus book on how to create the perfect console or computer game, as well as how to best break into the exploding gaming industry. | had the distinct pleasure of interviewing over 150 of the world's best-known, respected and loved game designers, including Shigeru Miyamoto, Jason Rubin, Shinji Mikami, Sid Meier, Peter Molyneux, David Perry, Hironobu Sakaguchi, Richard Garriott, Alexey Pajitnov, Warren Spector and Will Wright, just to name a few. Reading this book is like sitting at a roundtable with the best in the biz, all offering their individual tips, tricks and techniques on how to create a perfect game. Game Design: Secrets of the Sages, Second Edition is available as a stand- alone book, or you'll find it as a bonus inside the Game Programming Starter Kit 4.0 (Macmillan Software), a software package designed to help you make your own games (it even includes a С++ compiler). 240 E ~ — 5 ion. мом WWW.WOrmspinhall.com (hy Dreamcast Worms Pinball © 2000. Team17 Software Limited. All rights reserved, Published under license by Infogrames Entertainment S.A, Infogrames is а trademark of Infogrames Entertainment S.A, Team! 7 and Worms are registered trademarks оГТеат 7 Software Limited. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. The ratings icon is а trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Screen shots are from the Sega Dreamcast version. PlayStation Wield an energy blade in close-quarters combat ~» Replays highlight your " Customize your A.C, for. maximum damage FROM SOFTWARE . ESRB | enm 4 \ © 2000 From Software, Inc. All rights reserved. From Software and the From Software logo are trademarks of From Software, Inc. Agetec and the Agetec logo are trademarks of Agetec, Inc. Armored Core is a trademark of Sony Computer, Entertainment America Inca PlayStation. ; destructive kills. e 1. > and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Ж The ratings icon is а trademark ђе Interactive Digital Software Association, N чи МЕР / ©5 7 “б 27 + k ` ow р ого В This Month... adies and gentlemen: the first PS2 |: (applause). That's right, after months of waiting, the first PS2 review games finally started to trick- le in, and they did pretty well: Three of the five we looked at received EGM gold awards. Not every company was able to get us their launch games in time for this issue (including Sony), so look for many more reviews next month, including Silpheed, Tekken Tag Tournament, NHL 2001, Evergrace and Armored Core 2. DC lovers don’t despair—we're busy playing NFL 2K: for a full report next issue too; ’til then watch for DeanEGM, KraigEGM, JoeEGM and DanEGM, kickin’ ass and chewin’ bubblegum on a server near you. ж Я n 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: а 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 IS AN AVERAGE GRADE. Simple, ain't it? Platinum Awards go to games that get three 10%, the best and rarest review a game can get. Gold Awards go to games whose average score equals 9.0 or higher. Games that average at least an 8.0 receive Silver Awards. The Players... Crispin Boyer After playing Sydney 2000, Virtua Athlete 2K and ESPN Track & Field for days, Cris has declared November to be National Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Month. Favorite Genres Action, Adventure Dean wasted no time tak- ing over Shawn's prime cubicle by the windows. He's sorry to see him leave but hey, a window seat is a MR seat. Sports, Ra "x Jonathan Dudiak Having infiltrated the core of EGM's operation with his. tactical journalism, Jon is trading in his Civic on a Metal Gear unit to make the commute more exciting. Favorite Genres Fighting, Shooter, Action Dan’s been “working from home" а lot since NFL 2Кі went online. If you catch him in some chat room please tell him to get his sorry ass to work. Favorite Genres Sports, Action, Fighting Greg Sewart Greg’s got an unhealthy infatuation with Elise from SSX. The way to his heart must be a snowboard with a big maple leaf on it... yikes. Damn Canuck! Favorite Genres Racing, RPG, Adventure Stoppa talkin’ like a-dis. The Joe Funk, ist rearing its ugly head e as Joe continues on his Mario Tennis binge. Maybe if he can get a peek up Toad's skirt...or shorts... Favorite Sports, Acti Chris Johnston Now that Space World has restored Chris’ faith in Nintendo, he's decided to go into hibernation until E3 when he'll get a real look at whatthe system can do. , Puzzle, Music Kraig Kujawa Kraig has been playing games involving athletes in tight clothes. There's the women in Sydney 2000, the girls in Swing Away and the men in Madden 2001. Favorite Genres Sports, Strategy Ever-a seen-sa Mark ha: been a-playin’ de import Paypah КЕЛЕ һе po “Please. Someone fet Science, Andrew is keeping a close eye on this year's election. His assessment of the presidential race? E-Sak all the way. Favorite Genres RPG, Action Ryan Lockhart Ryan went to Las Vegas to play some Smuggler’s Run, broke a real jeep during the event, learned how to play craps, and quickly lost 200 bucks. Hurrah! % RPG, Action | Electronic Gaming Monthly - 244 Sound the trumpets! The sequel to Activision's oft-imitated skating classic is only the fifth game ever granted the coveted EGM Platinum award. It didn't come easy—after the reviews were turned in, a heated debate ensued here at the EGM offices as to whether or not Tony 2 was fit to rub shoulders with the likes of Metal Gear Solid, Zelda (N64), Soul Calibur and Gran Turismo 2. But when all three reviewers stood by their scores, and when we realized that the only people fighting the award hadn't even played the game (or even the first THPS, so shut up Chris and Mark), cool- er heads prevailed and Tony 2 got our highest honor. Congrats and thanks to Neversoft for one helluva game! ж Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 Activision 55X Electronic Arts Madden NFL 2001 EA Sports Dino Crisis 2 Capcom 1 2 3 ATUM jas 6 Test Drive Le Mans 1 8 9 Infogrames Virtua Tennis Sega Chrono Cross Square EA Ridge Racer V Namco а: Hoola tli iie 10: Publisher: Sega Developer: Warp Featured In: EGM #133 Players: 1 Supports: VGA Box, Jump Pack Best Feature: Creepy story line WorstFeature: Tedious gameplay Web Site: WWwW.Sega.com D2 is a strange little game. While technically a sequel, the only thing it bears in common with the original is a creepy story line and the main character Laura. After years in the making, Warp has ditched the full-on CG FMV for a real-time cinematic approach. That means everything that used to be prerendered is now done using the game engine. Funny thing is it really doesn’t make much difference since all the events are scripted, and the game moves at a Myst-like pace. Supplementing the glacial tempo of the game is а third-person exploratory mode, where you can actually move a 3D Laura through a beautiful snow-covered Canadian environment. The hitch is that you run into “random” battles along the way that switch you to a first-per- son perspective. While it sounds like fun, these bat- tles cease to be random when they occur every 15 vir- tual feet. You'd think the snowmobile would scoot you around faster and farther, but all it achieves is getting you caught in battles that much faster. The gunfights themselves are agonizingly repetitive with the same few monsters showing up time after time. You can shoot rabbits and fry 'em up with your cook- er, but-health canisters are everywhere anyway, so why bother? The story line is enjoyably bizarre in that uniquely Japanese way, but the pretentious ending feels like Warp ran out of ideas. If you're interested I'd definitely rent it first. ктап Publisher: Infogrames Developer: Pitbull Syndicate Featured In: EGM #133 Players: 1-2 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Insane gameplay Worst Feature: Gets old kind of fast Web Site: www.infogrames.com One thing's for sure: If nothing else, Demolition Racer-No Exit is a great outlet for all that built-up aggression you've been holding onto. Really, slam- ming a car into a wall and watching it explode is a great feeling —something | wish every racing game let you do. Most other racers punish you for tapping the back of an opponent's car, or giving them a friendly nudge into a pylon, but in Demolition Racer you're expected to. Actually, you can't really win the race without being a bit nasty (you get points for the damage you cause), which, just like the PlayStation version this game is based on, makes for a super-fun competition. Unfortunately, also like the PlayStation version, the idea gets old kind of fast. New features added since the original release include a new game aptly titled the “Demolition Mode" in which 16 cars face off in one arena. The tracks have been redesigned, new cars have been added, and even the soundtrack has been upgraded by adding remixed tunes along with the original music by Fear Factory. But easily the greatest draw for Demolition Васег-Мо Exit is the visuals. Yes, of course you'd expect the Dreamcast version of a game to look better than the PlayStation one. But really пом, (5 game moves almost too smooth, even in two-player mode. Overall, Demolition Racer is a good game, but one I'd recommend renting before you consider buying. It's fun, just not that deep... Ryan LS 5⁄4 TOTAL RECORD. 0328087. 01005 40 Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Featured In: EGM #130 Players: 12 Supports: VMU, Jump Pack Best Feature: Fine-tune every саг Worst Feature: Game feels dated Web Site: WWW.Sega.com If only Sega GT had come out before Gran Turismo 2, or even just sometime earlier this year. The game was released in Japan what seems like eons ago, and it shows. Graphically it just doesn't measure up to today's Dreamcast standards. It also doesn't come close to the variety of cars found in GT2, and the 100 ог so cars that are in the game suffer from some questionable models (the Viper looks more like a Supra to me). Of course, this is a Sega racer, which usually means there's something unique and exciting waiting for the discerning player. Sega GT doesn't disappoint. The control is arguably more realistic than Gran Turismo 2, though first-timers will find the cars very "floaty" and next to impossible to han- dle at high speeds. Just remember to slow down before each turn and you should be fine. It's one ої those things you'll either love or hate, so І suggest renting this game before plunking down the pur- chase price. Another cool aspect is the corporate sponsorships: win. McDonald's or eXcite.com.spon- sored races and every time you win from that point on they'll give you some extra cash over the regular purse; Even minoradjustments to your car make very noticeable handling differences, unlike GT2. And finally, there's the Carrozerria, a place where you can build your own dream machine from the ground up. In many ways Sega GT seems to miss the mark, but it also sets a few important precedents. Greg Ah...snow-covered mountains, single-room shacks, people "blossoming" into monsters left and right. Good ol’ Canada, how | miss her! This game is not D, it's more like D meets Parasite Eve. When Laura's indoors the game feels a bit like Warp's original 3DO title, but outdoors she's got monsters to shoot, vast mountain ranges to navigate, and animals to hunt. It's an odd mix that seems pretty unintuitive at first, but grows оп you as the very disturbing plot of D2 begins to develop. Although Sega screwed up the experience with horrible. dubbing and а comical attempt at censoring the more inappropriate sec- tions of the game, D2’s still worth playing. Greg Like the Destruction Derby series, DR offers you car- wrecking action in a high-speed-chase kind of way. The action is fast and it controls well. The game looks very nice, even in two-player mode, with little loss of detail or framerate. While the car. models lack some finesse, there are a large number of them on screen, with little to no compromise in the gameplay. The extra modes are nice, but the multiplayer stuff isn’t as compelling as it could be. The different “power-ups” can be confusing, often causing you major damage when you mistake one for something good. Not a game with staying power, but certainly worth spending a few days with. Milkman Sega GT is not in the same league as Gran Turismo. It tries, but unfortunately it can’t measure up in one important category: handling. Initially you're given a moderate selection of stock vehicles, but sadly they all hug the track about as well as your.granddad's '58 Buick. Even the high-end cars sway and roll with the slightest nudge of the stick. Thankfully, with mods, you can tighten things up significantly, but given the game's obvious devotion to realism | find it hard to believe that even stock vehicles would slop all over the road like this. Still, patient racers will like tin- kering with the vast selection of cars; Casual fans should definitely rent first. Dean This is a strange game. Wait, that’s an understate- ment. D2 is one of the most screwed-up games ever made; Sega toned it down a bit from the Japanese version, and the game suffers for it. The one true thing D2 has going for it is its incredibly strong sense of the surreal. And while that feeling still exists, it doesn’t have quite the impact found in the original release, bringing the problematic gameplay closer to the forefront. The combat system is horrible and you're often just walking around in a very boring snowy landscape. 02 is stillstrange, wacky and won- derfully unsettling —just not as much so as it once was. And that's kind of sad. Ryan REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY This game’s attitude is apparent right from the intro screens. DR fills а crash-'em and smash-'em niche оп DC quite admirably, and also has a solid driving feel to it. But like the title implies, players are rewarded more for ramming their cars into other drivers and taking them out than they are for finishing first. | found this aspect particularly appealing because it tapped into a dark fantasy of mine about slow- moving cars riding in the passing lane. There is a nice variety of vehicles, the tracks aren't too hard or too easy, and the replays are almost as fun to watch asthe game is to play. Some minor pop-up didn't get in the way of the fun. Joe REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY Electronic ¢ Even though the Dreamcast is a superior system, Sega GT might as well have been called Gran Turismo lite. It shamelessly tries to imitate Sony’s killer racing title but falls short in nearly every mark— even.the graphics. Sure, it looks better than your average PS game, but not by much. Some of the worst tracks are so cluttered with lens flares and spe- cial effects that її becomes distracting to drive on them. There's lots of cars to choose from, but most people will only recognize a few; and all of them feel floaty and difficult to control. Sadly, these flaws make GT a game that only racing enthusiasts will have patience for. Kraig VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY Publisher: Eidos Interactive Developer: Attention to Detail Featured In: EGM #131 Players: 14 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Good staple of events Worst Feature: Subpar graphics Web Site: www.eidos.com It’s funny how this works out, but Sydney 2000 seems like Virtua Athlete’s evil twin. The two are almost an exact antithesis of one another. Whereas Virtua has a shallow pool of events and controls sim- ple enough for a toddler (but still fun), this game has plenty of events (12 in all) and clunky controls. Kayaking, diving, skeet shooting and track & field— you name it, Sydney 2000715 got it. One thread com- mon to all the events, however, is the subpar graph- ics. Almost everything in the game looks eerily ster- ile. The environments have a dull look to them, and even simple objects (such as the field) have occa- sional clipping. What’s worse are the disproportion- ate athlete models. Not only are they devoid of much detail, but the blobby human builds just don’t look right (these are supposed to be athletes?) and their faces look ridiculous. Any way you slice it, these visuals are not up to Dreamcast standards. Aesthetics aside, there are a few good events in the game, such as the Platform Diving that lets you choose your type of plunge and the Javelin, which is pretty simple but entertaining. Another disappoint- ment is the training mode where you can build up your player's abilities. Here, you work your athlete out in this weird techno “Virtual Gym,” complete with annoying music that seems totally inappropriate. It’s just a microcosm of what's wrong with Sydney 2000 even though it is a tolerable game. Kraig Publisher: Crave Entertainment Developer: Anchor Featured In: ЕСМ #133 (5 Players: 12 Supports: Jump Pack Best Feature: Realistic graphics Worst Feature: High frustration level Web Site: www.cravegames.com UFC is one of those games that's only worth playing against a friend, because playing against the AI isn't fun, it's just frustrating—and you can't trash talk the computer except by yelling expletives at the screen. Almost everything, with the exception of the fighting engine and graphics (which are detailed and realis- tic) feels like it was being held back in hopes of adding more features to a sequel. This game just doesn't have the amount of features or polish that it needed. Since UFC fighting is very different from wrestling, you'd think that there'd be a detailed tutorial mode or at least a decent moves list included so you could jump right in and fight. No such luck. There are also only a scant few body types in the Create-A-Fighter mode, so you can't put a spitting image of yourself in the Octagon. You unlock moves and the bodies of the fighters themselves to use by working through the one-player game with each character, but what fun is that? If only it had the cus- tomization depth of WWF Wrestlemania to boost replay value. Since most of the gameplay is depen- dent on countering (by pressing buttons at the right time), you have a chance against a human, but against the AI it's almost hopeless. It also would've been nice to be able to turn, off submission holds— the infuriating “Tap Out” happens way too often. Rent with friends first. Chris 72.985. BU 13055 КООП FT Publisher: Agetec ~ Developer: Climax Entertainment “ Featured In: ЕСМ #135 9) Players: 14 Supports: Jump Pack, Internet Best Feature: Plays just like DecAthlete Worst Feature: Only seven events Web Site: www.agetec.com Being a big fan of Sega's DecAthlete on the Saturn, І was happy to hear of Agetec's last-minute decision to localize Virtua Athlete. However, when Га finished all seven events 20 minutes later, my excitement fiz- zled. Compared to the amount of events in other upcoming sports titles, there's just no excuse to skimp like this. The control is the same as just about any other track & field title out there, which isn't nec- essarily a bad thing, but the difficulty level in Virtua Athlete is set so high that it's nigh impossible to reach the podium in most events. Playing against three friends helps a bit, but it's still frustrating that any character you choose only has a decent chance at winning in two events at most. It saps the fun right out of the game. VA does have a few redeeming qual- ities, the most obvious being a great player edit mode. You choose a nationality, number, name, favorite sport and dress your creation right down to the color of his socks (sorry, no women in the game). Still, DecAthlete's competitors had way more charac- ter—everyone in this game feels pretty bland and lifeless. The other cool feature is the ability to upload your records to the Internet and see how you rank. It's unfortunate that Virtua Athlete doesn't have some more substance. As it stands, this game is only a short diversion, and even then you'll wish there was more to the experience. Rent this one before you think about buying it. Greg We've got three button-slapping Olympic titles head- ing to the Dreamcast: this game, Virtua Athlete 2K and ESPN International Track & Field. Sydney 2000 belongs at the bottom of the heap. You get a decent number of events, but only a few deliver any thrills—namely the javelin throw, high dive and weight lift (you. really feel like you've lifted a load after tap, tap, tapping through that event). The sim- type Olympic mode offers a few innovative ideas, including the ability to build up your character through training mini-games. It's just too bad that most ofthe events are so dull, and that the game is devoid of personality and looks so blah. Grispin With over-the-top fighters like Marvel vs Capcom 2 dominating the Dreamcast scene these days, it's refreshing to play a realistic brawler that's just as addicting. The 22 UFC fighters may not have the dis- tinct personalities of Capcom characters, but they do give the player access to several different fighting Styles and look great in the ring. Punchy sound effects and smooth visuals make the fighting come alive, with quick load times between matches. Unfortunately the single-player vs. CPU matches are a bit stiff and sometimes very frustrating, but games like this are made for two-player action, and that's where I had fun with UFC. Jonathan Sporting event video games like this are usually pret- ty simple when it comes to gameplay, but this one is particularly shallow. To begin with, it only has seven events. If each provided a lot of variety, it might be just enough, but most are so similar in con- trol and timing that it often feels like the same thing over and over. It's a bit of a double-edged sword because if there were enough different events, | would probably dig the simple controls, but as is | just came away from each tournament wanting more variety. | can't see anyone buying this title and being happy unless they wanted a super-simple party game—rent it for that. Kraig I'm a sucker for Konami's track and field games; I’ve enjoyed 'em all. Unfortunately Sydney 2000 is a poor example of the genre. In general, it lacks finish on all fronts. The animation is well below-average com- pared to other DC sports titles, The gameplay mechanics are similar to the T&F archetype but con- trol is not as precise. Plus, some of the events (like the 100 meter swim) are so ridiculously long you'll get а fore-arm cramp before you finish the race. Oh yeah, the Olympic Mode forces you to complete а lot of goofy exercises to gain endurance. It's a good idea butthe graphics in those sections are hideous. | can't recommend Sydney 2000. Dean VISUALS | SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY - Even though there's plenty of depth to this Crave fighting game, it really doesn't surface unless you play against another human opponent. Matches against the computer are pretty boring: You slap each other around a bit until both. of you grapple, then if you counter you win. If you don't, the CPU usually puts you down for the count. Since humans make mistakes, grappling is more forgiving and pulls more of the game's depth and subtleties into the matches —plus it's just fun sitting on your oppo- nent and slapping the crap out of him. It's a unique brand of brawling, but it's only fun with someone who makes mistakes. Kraig VISUALS | 50! Remember DecAthlete on the Saturn? This game is just about the same, except with three fewer events. Why couldn't they have taken DecAthlete and added more events? With the Olympics fresh in everyone's mind, including more events would've made the game last a lot longer. Graphically, the game is somewhere between reality and the brightly colored arcade graphics of DecAthlete. | love the "tap the buttons as fast as you can to gather power" game- play—it reminds me of the days I spent playing Track & Field Поп the NES—but as it stands, this one's only a possible rental; there isn't enough here to really sink your teeth into. Chris INGENUITY — REPLAY VISUALS 1 $0 АРОЄЛГҮРДЇСЇ ПИЧИ ШЕ YSTA DUDANA :WILOOK 11 1-800-7 for more info. Talonsoft Illusion Softworks MATURE EGM #128 1 Easierthan Rainbow Six Jump Pack, Keyboard Stupid team А! www.talonsoft.com If you found Rainbow Six a little tough on the ol’ brainsicle, with its wickedly complex controls and anal-retentive pre-mission planning, then Hidden and Dangerous might be what you're looking for. It's got that Tom Clancy-style team-based shootin’ fun, but it's a bit more forgiving—kind of like Delta Force for the PC. That's not to say it's a cakewalk. The con- trols are still a chore to learn, with every possible button-trigger combo having a separate function. The fact that the game supports the keyboard is great, but it also should give you a good idea how complex the controls are here. Fortunately, it's pretty simple to arrange and equip your men as there are auto-equip functions to make life easier for novices. With 23 missions taking your snipin' ass from Norway to Italy, H&D sticks you right in the heart of World War II—sorta like the atmosphere of Medal of Honor (but not done as well here). The game can be pretty ugly at times, as textures aren't hi-res like their PC counterparts, and your team’s Al occasional- ly borders on the retarded. Milkman INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND Capcom ) Capcom EGM #131 ў 1-4 Lots of unlockable players None Camera angles are problematic www.Capcom.com Despite his mediocre history in the gaming realm, the new DC Spawn is a great, fast-paced multi- player action game. Capcom has combined all the spazziness of Power Stone with the shooting mad- ness of Quake in this conversion, which is pretty much arcade-perfect. That's great news as far as the graphics and gameplay are concerned, but it also means that the slowdown in multiplayer mode found its way into the home version. It's certainly tolerable, but can be annoying, especially if you're spoiled by smooth PC shooters. The larger concern is camera problems. | found myself blocked by many а crate ог wall while getting pummeled by an opponent | could- n't see. With over two dozen unlockable characters on top of the 10 stock fighters (each with his/her own distinct advantages and drawbacks), there's plenty of motivation to play through the different modes more than once. The single-player game gets a little old, however, especially against the unusually talent- ed computer opposition, so recruit some friends (or enemies) before picking this one up. Jonathan VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY | | | Џ Ogre Ваше 64 Can you handle ту sword? „Мой, let's begint!” Publisher: Atlus Developer: Quest Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 1 Supports: None Best Feature: Awesome strategy RPG action Worst Feature: May be too deep for casual gamers Web Site: www.atlus.com From the get-go, the most immediately striking fea- ture of OB64 is the stunning sprite-based graphics. The backgrounds, both 3D and 2D, are lush, colorful and detailed, as are the characters. It's visually appealing as you lead young Magnus Gallant through the chain of strategic battles the series is known for. If you're familiar with the other Ogre games, you'll find the same deep combat system in place here, leading parties of up to five characters into battle. Some folks may not appreciate the tacti- cal elements as much, especially compared to Tactics Ogre or FF Tactics, because OB64 uses the same sys- tem found in the original game —you're confined to a rectangular "arena," and square off as is. Since you can't move freely around the environment, the game feels a bit more like Suikoden than one of the better strategy RPGs, like Shining Force ІІІ. The overworld map movement is also a bit on the slow side, so if you like your games with a quicker tempo, 0864 may irritate. In any case, being that it's the only strategy- RPG on the N64, that makes it the BEST strategy- RPG on the №64. Seriously though, there's enough gameplay to make 0864 stand out even if there were some real competition for it on Nintendo’s machine. Couple that with the high. production values, along with the fact that it's one of the biggest N64 car- tridges to date, and it's clear that OB64 provides а serious amount of RPG gaming. Milkman Turok 3 пинин Мо й Oblivion Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Acclaim Studios Austin Featured In: EGM #134 Players: 14 Supports: Expansion Pak, Rumble Pak Best Feature: Graphics in High Resolution Mode Worst Feature: Short play length Web Site: www.acclaim.com ГІ admit it, I'm not a huge Turok fan. Sure, | enjoyed the first game, but Turok 2 (with its huge levels and inane save feature) was an exercise in frustration, and don't even get me started on the crap that was Rage Wars. So, naturally, | started Turok з with а lit- tle apprehension. But after only a few minutes of play, that feeling completely disappeared. Almost everything that irritated me about Turok 2 has been fixed: While the overall levels are still huge, they've been divided up into dozens of smaller areas. Even better, the new save feature allows you to mark your place at any time in the game. | love the fact you can now play as two different characters with their own distinct skills and optional paths, and it's cool to see the amount of emphasis put into the story line. The part that impressed me most about Turok 3, though, was the graphic quality. This is the first N64 game I've seen truly use the Expansion Pak to its potential—the difference between low and high res- olution modes is stunning. My only real problems with T3 are its length (it's only about six hours long for each character), and the fact that it's still hard to aim your weapons in high-stress areas. But despite those gripes, and even though it doesn't have quite the same depth and all.the extra goodies of Perfect Dark, Turok 3 still delivers an excellent first-person shooting experience, and should be an instant pur- chase by any fan of the genre. Ryan The long wait is finally over! Thanks to Atlus we have а real RPG (well, Str/RPG) on the М64, and a good one. ОВбд lives up to its lofty heritage by offering up a huge campaign with an engaging story line. In fact, | think the story in this installment is better than the previous games. Some people might not like that gameplay is limited almost entirely to troop move- ment, since each battle more or less plays itself out. Still, knowing that you've completed a mission solely because you deployed the right units to take care of the situation is extremely:satisfying, and keeps you coming back for more. Ogre Battle 64 may be in short supply, so Га find one while you can. Greg As a huge fan of the two previous Ogre Battle games, it's great to see Person of Lordly Caliber finally arrive, and in such excellent shape. Ogre Battle titles, while strategy games at heart, have always been about incredibly deep story lines, something Atlus, retained perfectly. Even though 1 personally prefer the Tactics Ogre (or FF Tactics) style of game- play over the type found here—which is more remi- niscent of the battles found in the original game— OB 64's still very enjoyable. Plus, thanks to the huge car- tridge size, this game looks great. If you're a strate- gy/RPG fan and own a Nintendo 64, this is one game you don't want to miss. Ryan VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 1 This is a nice surprise. After Rage Wars, | wasn’t expecting big things out of Turok 3, but big things are exactly what T3 delivers—the two characters to play as, the best hi-res graphics on the N64, a smooth framerate, cool weapons, a slick story line, and an almost Half-Life-line pace. The levels are short, and to the point (avoiding a major pitfall of Т2) while a generous save system has been added as well, The multiplayer moves at a smoother framerate than Perfect Dark, and revamped versions of the Lost World levels from the first game are even included, а sure sign that the former Iguana loves its fans. Not as deep as PD, but almost as much fun. Milkman T3 delivers most everything that got people into the Turok games in the past, but also offers some much- needed improvements. Now you can save at any time, and there are points in levels that you can restart if you.die. Graphically, the game is a marvel with the RAM Pak. | couldn't play Perfect Dark in high-res because of the huge hit to the framerate, but T3 is usually fine. If there's one complaint 1 have, it's the cheap hits. All too often enemies will hit you before you can even see them. It doesn't make the game too difficult (you're given plenty of health), it does get annoying. Still, a fine conclusion to the Turok series on the N64. Sam VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY hope Jos (he Best | уу Or a бамог [13 Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info. Ое „дат 72 o f "- ` қ E3 and the PlayStation’ isterey trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. 'SILPHEED: is a registered trademark of Game Arts, Licensed from Game Arts by Working Designs. *ошупай ате. са Game Arts 2000. Ропіорв et the English Translation’ Working Design’ 2000. ‘Working Designs’ із a registered trademark of Working Destyns, Inc: All rights reserved You obviously donit have a life if yeu re reading this far, 50 1 check out the far more nief&sting content at http://virtivrorkingüesigns.com? For a dealer gear you, call (530) 243-3417. ° $ 5 Mates: Training, Arcadeg Free Surf, Rumble and Get air, baby! Real Water, Ghampionship. Circuit Real-Waves. г These screenshots) are from PlayStation® lacific island, 10 different beaches, and 8 world class surfers including Corey Lopez, Shane Beschen, and Rochelle Ballard. All you have to do is rip barrels, 360's, aerials, slashes, Rio's (more than 40 tricks in all) against the best surfers in the world — and you can grab the Island Championship. Maybe you've got the cajones to be king of the waves. We'll see. Check it out this fall at a retailer 22%; 2 near you ог visit us online at ndis www.championshipsurfer.com. Available on your favorite video game consoles. Also available on Windows® Choose from eight of the — E best surfers in the world. SELECT A SURFER ООО 44H 11 Р crc ШШ HB | Fi inb [iun рт р im] РС screenshot (62000 Mattel Interggive, a division of Mattel, Ing] о m Publisher: Fox Interactive Developer: Argonaut Featured In: EGM #132 => Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock, Mouse Best Feature: Scary as hell atmosphere WorstFeature: Frustratingly difficult Web Site: www.foxinteractive.com This is a game of extremes. For starters, it is easily the toughest game | have played in the two years | have been reviewing games. Maybe tough isn't the right word—it is incredibly, frustratingly, mother- blanking hard as hell. Ammo, health and save points are scarce, and the aliens are nasty; if one gets in close it's pretty much “game over, man, game over!". But that adds to another area where AR outdoes its peers—it's got to be the scariest game yet for the PS. Walking through the dark, narrow corridors and ven- tilation shafts, waiting for facehuggers or aliens to leap out at any moment, knowing that one mistake could mean instant death—it gets the ol' ticker going, especially if you play it in the dark. The levels are huge and pretty well-designed, with some cool tasks and puzzles built in and awesome scripted events that happen in real time as you play (although | wish there were more of them). Controls are iffy— even with the mouse/controller combo (and don't even think about playing this game without the mouse), strafing and changing weapons is really awkward. Graphics are pretty good for à PS game, although the fluctuating framerate (sometimes out- standing, sometimes just decent) can be disorient- ing. Basically, AR isn't worth.it unless you have a lot of patience, a PS mouse and a love for the Alien movies. But if you have all three (like me), there's nothing else like it. Mark Publisher: Midway Developer: Studio 33. Featured In: EGM #134 => Players: 1-4 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Great vehicle control Worst Feature: А touch of slowdown Web Site: www.midway.com No doubt this series has fallen on tough times recently. Thankfully developer Studio 33 has stepped in to impart their racing expertise, and I’m happy to report they've done an excellent job. The three most impressive things about Destruction Derby Raw are the driving physics, the damage models and the gnarly sensation of speed. Running a close fourth are the smartly designed tracks. When | say driving physics I’m referring to the intuitive control. These pups handle like champs (a lot like the vehicles in Driver, if not more aggressive). They react to every bump and dip in the road like they should. But most- ly it’s their massive power-sliding abilities that won me over. Oh yeah, doing 180-degree reverse pullouts is awesome as well—all without losing any forward momentum. It’s a gearhead’s dream come true. Taking and inflicting damage is as advanced as I've seen in this genre. Each car has multiple zones of damage, and they all get really messed up as the bat- tle rages on. It’s not all random either—it takes care- ful hits to perform the desired effects. Spinning, flip- ping and barrel-rolling your opponents earn the big points: Essentially you can't win unless you master both the racing and smashing. Multiplayer is decent—beyond the regular one-on-one smash-'em- up, a game called Pass the Bomb is pretty entertain- ing. Aside from a hint of slowdown, DDR is firing on all eight cylinders. Dean As the game loads, Alien Resurrection suggests that you play it "in the dark." | highly recommend this as well—the game's atmosphere is absolutely fright- ening. In fact, it's almost as scary as the shoddy con- trol scheme. Most of the corridors in the game are dimly lit and thus, you don't have much time to react and line up your rifle with the aliens scampering toward you. The dual analog control scheme is good, but aiming at the beasties before they get you is way too difficult, even with a mouse. AR needed some kind of autoaiming bad—there’s just way too many cheap deaths, making this PS game more frustrating than the movie's hairbrained plot. True to the DD series' roots, this game only gives you two things to worry about—racin’ and smashin'. But while this new installment may not look as pretty as the past games (car damage doesn't appear as real- istic as. in the Reflections-developed DD titles), Raw's control is the tightest in the series. You get plenty of play modes, too, including four-player smash-a-thons (which are nothing special—your view is too limited; | prefer four-player bomb tag). Some tracks are too dinky, while others sprawl and get confusing, but уои ве! 50 many courses—and, of course, the classic bowl-shaped arena—that you're bound to find a few you really like. Crispin 925/893, А і Publisher: Namco Developer: Namco Featured In: EGM #134 => Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Good controls Worst Feature: Boring levels Web Site: www.namco.com Action/RPG seems to be the one genre no one can nail on the PlayStation; Namco actually makes a pretty good attempt with Dragon Valor—good con- trol, including duck, crawl, block, all kinds of sword attacks and special combos. There’s even a ton of cool spells (fire, ice, invisibility, etc.) the only prob- lem is, the game doesn’t take advantage of any of that stuff. You pretty much get by using the same sword slashes and one spell (heal). The dungeon designs and “puzzles,” if you can call them that, never incorporate the finer parts of the play mechan- ics, like Zelda or other great action/RPGs do. Light the torch with the fire spell is about as complex as it gets, and even that's rare— it's usually just kill every- thing in the room and move on. The puzzles (or lack thereof) don’t help the game’s already low level of challenge; the bosses have really obvious patterns and most of the enemies are easily beaten by a sim- ple overhead chop. There also isn’t a lot of weapon and armor upgrading, and whoever designed the shop system needs to be put down. One very cool feature in DV is how the game follows a family through generations, branching to different playable characters depending on your actions, but it isn’t enough to carry the rest of the game. Most of the framework for a good, maybe even great, action/RPG is here, but without the level design or enemies to showcase it, what does it really matter? Mark As much as | wanted to walk away from Dragon Valor feeling assured that | had finally found a great action/RPG for the PlayStation, it quickly became clear this wasn’t the game | had hoped for. Problems include some horribly cheesy dialogue, a formulaic and repetitive story line, dated graphics, and an item/shop system that’s more pointless and frustrat- ing than shopping at Ikea on a Saturday. | liked the variety of attacks—it took me until the end of the game before | even discovered one or two of the more obscure ones—but unless you're really des- perate for an action/RPG, DV just isn't worth it. Vagrant Story it ain't. Now here's a case of a game that looks great, sounds great and plays...er, not so great. Be sure to play Alien Resurrection in the dark with the volume cranked. The sound effects—from the ping of your motion detector to the brap-brap-brap of your pulse rifle—are dead-on true to the flicks, while the ambi- ent screams and hums of machinery really add to the atmosphere. This is a scary game, filled with scripted events and ideas borrowed from Half-Life. №5 also а friggin"hard game. To preserve your sanity, play оп easy and play with a mouse (unless you want to lose a fortune in busted joypads). Even then, the game's often too dang tough to be fun. Grispin SOUND INGENUITY VISUALS REPLAY Once you get past the novelty of beating on other cars to gain points, there’s not a whole lot to get excited about here. The collection of tracks range from inspired to downright boring, and the control is just too arcadey for my tastes. The cars don’t even feel like they’re making contact with the road, they float all over the place. It's very hard to have any real control омег your car at any speed. The multiplayer - aspect is pretty cool, though it usually comes down to two players squinting at a quarter of a screen try- ing to find one another, while the other two competi- tors wait for the match to be over. All in all, | can't rec- ommend DDR as more than a rental. Greg VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 252 Dragon Valor is an RPG for action game fans. The idea’s great, but it’s too much Final Fight-like fighting and not enough RPG. | found myself leaving health potions behind because | didn’t need them, only to find | couldn’t get back to them when | did. And you can’t pick up health to use later like you would in an RPG. The story plays out so slowly I wished there was a button to advance the text—instead, you can either skip entire cinemas or wait for the text to slow- ly make its way оп screen. The dialogue is dry, emo- tionless and devoid of wit. The graphic style of the game suggests a comedic undertone, but there's nothing funny to be found. Weak. Chris SOUND REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY Build your own mountain, full of cars, kickers, trees and rails. па rather be pissing off skiers Combine jumps, tricks and grinds in the all-new stunt mode. ге © 2000 Radical Entertainment, WI jos and all related titles and logos ion of Viacom International Inc. 7 5 г ід а! related titles and logos are of Viacom International Inc. Ware exclusively licensed and ively licensed to THQ Inc. The ТНО Ч ГНО lemarks of THQ Inc. All of their respective owners, Allright L Ё compl riment America for use on the id the PlayStation logos are registé r Шу © Inc. Nintendo and the Official егіса Inc. Game Boy and Game Boy. а t [ic (€) 1989, 1998 Nintendo of ө отоу сиик amano e Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Featured In: ЕСМ #135 - > Players: 3 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: New style of gameplay Worst Feature: A little too “агсадеу" at times Web Site: www.capcom.com sk any gamer to describe the original Dino Crisis, and chances аге you'll hear something along the lines of, "It's like Resident Evil...but with dinosaurs." And they would be totally right. Because despite the fully polygonal backgrounds, more puzzle- oriented gameplay, and an entirely original setting and cast of characters, Dino Crisis looked, played, and sounded a lot like a cer- tain popular Survival Horror series. That isn't the case with Dino Crisis 2, not even close. It's almost like Capcom was angry at all the com- parisons between these two similar series, so when it came time to create the next Dino Crisis they went back to the drawing board and returned with something so alien, so dif- ferent, it would almost be a crime to mention the words "Resident Evil" in the same breath as Dino Crisis 2. OK, maybe they didn't go that far, but nonetheless, Dino Crisis 2 is almost MATURE To give you a break from the heavy arcade- like action of the main adventure there's mini-games featuring...arcade-like action. frighteningly different than the previous game. While it still holds a very similar look to Resident Evil (even moreso than the first Dino Crisis, thanks to rendered backgrounds), the gameplay is nothing like its sibling. In fact, it's almost an opposite feeling. Survival Horror games have always been about being on edge, taking things slowly and having your weapon drawn just in case. With Dino Crisis 2 you're expected to run from screen to screen, blowing away dinos as fast as possible and racking up points by achieving combos, and then you can Spend these points on new weapons, ammo, upgrades and items at computer terminals. Yes, there's still the old-fashioned puzzles, the strange but cool story line twists, and boss fights, but the periods in between these ele- ments almost feel more like a fast-paced arcade action game rather than a Survival Horror one. Is this a bad thing? Of course not, Resident Evil and Dino Crisis games should be different experiences, and it's great that Capcom realized that. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 254 One of the coolest areas in Dino Crisis 2 is this underwater base. Not only is Regina in à keen costume, but the graphics are insane-there's this cool wavy effect and your character moves in slow motion. OK, Ilove Resident Evil games, | really do. Well, maybe not Survivor, but still. Very few releases excite me as much as Capcom's horror series, which was probably the only reason | gave the first Dino Crisis a fair chance, but | still walked away a bit disappoint- ed. Let's face it, Dino Crisis was a Resident Evil clone, and not a very inspired one at that. Dino Crisis 2, on the other hand, is a completely different experi- ence. Sure, it has Regina, there are still plenty of dinos to blow away, and the basic idea is the same as before —but it's presented in a totally different way. Even though it took me a while to get used to the action-filled gameplay—even more so because I'm so used to Resident Evil—once | got the combo sys- tem down І was racking up points and buying new weapons like a madman. The story line is cool too, certainly better than the one in the first game, and the graphics have been substantially upgraded— there’s plenty of blur effects to go along with the pre- rendered backgrounds. There із опе тајог problem with the new action-focused gameplay though: | hate the fact that nearly every time the camera angle changed, a dino would approach from the exact spot | was just standing in, which kind. of. cut down the "realism." Hardcore Resident Evil fans who are look- ing for a Ах ргобабју won't enjoy Діпо Crisis 2 as much as the original, but those who want something a bit different shouldn't pass it up. Ryan This is much more than the same old survival hor- ror with dinosaurs. It's nonstop action, with tons more enemies, awesome control, great graphics and sweet cutscenes. Plus, ГІЇ take a fiery red-headed Regina any.day over Jill or Claire— but that's just me. | thought the polygonal backgrounds іп the. first game were a nice change of pace, so | expected to hate DC2’s switch to prerendered BGs— but | don't: They look great, and allow outdoor settings, plus more dinos on screen at once. | also like how you can buy and upgrade your gear-with points you earn by snuffing dinos, and there's less dumb item-fetching than usual for this kind of game. Milkman I'm a Resident Evil-aholic, but even І have gotten a bit tired of the same old survival horror formula—that's why | love Dino 2. The whole game has been rebuilt to revolve around the action-packed run-and-gun gameplay. Sure that means you sacrifice some of the slow, burning fear and almost all of the superior puzzles of the first game, but | was having too much fun blowing away the big lizards to really care. Capcom took some chances that really paid off—the first-person sections are great, and the underwater part kicks some serious-ass-(You can jump! Finally!). Graphics and sound all are topnotch as well. Almost makes up for Survivor. Almost. Mark VISUALS 5 INGENUITY REPLAY Jarrett & Labonte Stock Car Racing Publisher: Codemasters Developer: Codemasters Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 12 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Excellent driving physics Worst Feature: Totally misleading license Web Site: www.codemasters.com Please, look past the incredibly misleading license of this game. You won't be racing Fords, Chevys and Pontiacs around oval tracks in Jarrett & Labonte. What you will get is one of the best touring car sim- ulators ever to grace a home console. Codemasters has a reputation for ultra-realistic racing sims, some- thing that’s caused them some heartache in the past since most console gamers are looking more for immediate gratification than total realism. Keeping that in mind, anyone can pick up and enjoy some success in J&LSCR. The extended setup features should draw in the vets just as quickly, though, as this is one of those racing games that'll have you try- ing to shave thousandths of a second off your lap time. The most impressive aspect, outside the con- trol, is the Al of the competing drivers. If you nudge an adversary out of your way to complete a pass, pray that guy doesn't catch you. The drivers in this game remember everything you do, and they're vin- дісіїме, They'll put. you into the ма in a heartbeat if they feel you've wronged them; This feature comes into play a lot since most of the cars in the game are evenly matched—you won't out-power other vehi- cles, you-have to out-drive them. Expect lots of doorhandle to doorhandle.racing on every track (all of which аге тоде!ед on real road courses). This is a race fan's dream, unless of course the title led you to believe this was a NASCAR game... Greg As long as you know this isn't a traditional stock car game you won't be disappointed. It's mostly a tour- ing car sim with some NASCAR elements mixed in for flavor. All right, it's TOCA 3. But don't worry, it's a great racing game no matter how you slice it. The number of cars to'choose from is huge, something like 40-plus brand-name vehicles, so it’s not. hard to find one уош Ке. Several real tracks as well, includ- ing Laguna and Watkins Glen ensure that NASCAR fans won't feel left out. But the starofthe show is the tight gameplay—bumperto:bumper all the way, it's really competitive. If | could change anything I'd make it a tad faster. Otherwise it's excellent. Dean Codemasters’ lengthy press release justifying the licensing of two drivers you may or may not have heard of seems to indicate that they may be as unsure as | am about why they bothered. But J&LSCR isn't about.the.names slapped on the box—it's all about the cars. It’s an emotional thing...and very “male.” Codemasters has pushed the PlayStation about as faras it will go in pumping out the detail, and the result is a racer that is comparable to 672 in some areas. Handling is excellent (ifa little twitchy), opponent Al is superb andithere’s plenty to keep you absorbed. If only the championship mode wasn’t so long-winded and slow to get going. John VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY 8 7 8 9 || NHL FaceOff 2001 Publisher: 989 Sports Developer: 989 Sports Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 18 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Balanced gameplay Worst Feature: No franchise Web Site: www.989sports.com Despite being little more than a casual fan of the real-life version, I’ve always had a penchant for video game hockey. The sport just seems to translate well for gamers, with its subtle blend of speed, finesse and violence. NHL FaceOff 2001 captures the above ingredients with style and the result is nothing short of the best hockey game available for the PlayStation. The game engine is true to the FaceOff series, with fluid skating and a nice feeling of momentum-based physics. Once into the game, players will notice a tight AI routine which is markedly different from previous lackluster efforts. Scores are realistic and goalies offer just the right amount of resistance. On offense teammates cycle through the zone in various patterns, offering unique scoring opportunities at every turn. It's a nice change from games which require players to create the same crusty scoring plays over and over. Another unique first for the genre (at least on the PS) is the abilityyf change forward and defense lines indepen- dently, a feature which really adds to the sim value. Speaking of.sim, the one "bell and whistle" which 989 left out was any sort of Franchise Mode. Still, you can play General Manager for-a-season, pulling the trigger on blockbuster trades and creating any new players; necessary to take a (еат to the top. Hopefully this title doesn't get overlooked as the wave of PS2 sports stuff hits the shelves. Dan It seems like this game has reached its zenith. Even with the absence of a franchise mode it still packs enough gameplay punch to stand up to EA's NHL. The animation looks a little funky at times but over- all it's very.smooth and fast. Рог me, that's the most important thing, but if you're looking for more it has a few new, albeit minor features. A ShootOut mode lets you practice your attack skills against the goalie alone (it's nothing special). The new expansion teams are included as well. There's also an option that lets you aim your shots more precisely-but it doesn’t work that well. While not а huge advance over ҒасеО 2000, it’s stilla solid game. Dean 989 puts forth a good effort with NHLFO, and includes a few nice touches that give the game added depth. The players look OK, but more impor- tantly they move quite fluidly across the ice. Players also play fairly similar to their real-life counterparts, and teams accurately reflect appropriate strengths and styles for each club. One element that bothered me about this game was scoring: It’s missing that eminently satisfying feeling of snapping а wrister разі the goalie and'seeing the net bulge behind him. Also, whenılıplayed a team with dark jer- seys, | found myself passing to the ref in front of me, thinking he was my winger оп а breakaway. Joe VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 8 1 8 Electronic Gaming Monthly - 255 EVERYONE Publisher: Working Designs/Spaz Developer: Taito Featured In: ЕСМ #136 2. Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Old-school shooting action Worst Feature: No two-player mode Web Site: www.workingdesigns.com Scrolling shooters are pretty hard to come by on the PlayStation, so fans of the genre tend to snap up whatever they can no matter the quality. That usual- ly leads to a bunch of shovelware being released. However, Working Designs takes this stuff pretty seriously and it shows. RayCrisis not only has the old-school gameplay of shooters past—it has the bang-your-head-against-a-wall difficulty that machoistic shooter gamers out there thrive upon. On normal difficulty in special mode, RayCrisis 15 а good challenge for casual players, but on maximum diffi- culty—watch out! For the wimpier players out there it's possible to enter regular mode and play а five- mission game that’s pretty easy to finish. The game- play is intuitive if somewhat simple: You have a reg- ular shot and a lock-on weapon that can be chained together for combo multipliers (both different on each of the three available ships), plus the kill-every- thing bomb. Of course, no shooter is complete with- out а collection» ої screen-filling bosses, and RayCrisis succeeds here too. The bosses are huge and take a lot of punishment before succumbing to your superior firepower. Working Designs also gets some extra credit for including the PocketStation game PocketRay (it sucks,.but hey, it’s a cool extra). The only big thing keeping RayCrisis down: why no two-player mode when even the last Ray game, RayStorm, included it? Jg It's not often that | see an old-school shooter come across my desk, and for about an hour ог so | was thrilled to play this. It has a few of the things | really like in shooters: The screen gets crazy with swarms of enemies, and there's some great end-level bosses. Everything gets a little messy at times, as any shoot- er does, but this one is worse because of all the pix- elated graphics that are thrown up at once. Also, RayCrisis doesn't have enough of what makes shooters really fun—tons of cool power-ups. You can level up your weapon abit, but there's no variety. This is a good rental, but if you want to buy а shoot- er, try Einhánder. Kraig It's been awhile since the PlayStation had an honest, straightforward shooter, and on that level RayCrisis delivers. There's a good number of higher difficulties, and the boss battles are intense without being impossible—with strategy and good reflexes you can master almost all of them. Graphics are nice, smooth in most places and only slowing down when things get so intense you welcome it. The three ships also һауе distinct play styles that add some пісе variety. Although I'd have liked to see more levels, and the gameplay doesn't'have the technique or pol- ish of an R-Type Delta or Einhander, this should keep shooter fans happy for a bit (until Silpheed). Mark VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 1 4 6 PlayStation.e Ye > RELEASE DATE: PLAYSTATION 2 LAUNCH WWW.ROCKSTARGAMES.COM/SMUGGLERSRUN PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the MATING PEINE Interactive Digital Software Association. Angel Studios and the Angel Studios logo are trademarks of Angel Studios. Guidance Recordings and the Guidance Recordings logo are trademarks of Guidance Recordings Inc. Rockstar Games and the Rockstar Games logo are trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. © 1999 All rights reserved. з | This title із not yet approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America. AS А MEMBER ОҒ А RUTHLESS GANG ОР SMUGGLERS, IT'S YOUR JOB TO EVADE THE U.S. BORDER PATROL, CIA AND CUTTHROAT RIVALS TO DELIVER ILLEGAL CARGO. IT'LL TAKE COMPLETE MASTERY OF YOUR OFF-ROAD VEHICLE TO MAKE IT ACROSS UNFORGIVING TERRAIN AND STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE FORCES OUT TO DESTROY YOU. DELIVER AT ALL COSTS SMUGGLER S RUN Levels are over 5 square miles, each with a "drive anywhere" environment filled with other smugglers and law enforcement officials. Choose from 35 different vehicles, each with unique modifications and strengths. Compete head-to-head or run "pick up and deliver" missions against Al opponents or in full multiplayer mode. Maneuver your way through arid desert, icy tundra, or rocky mountain forest. Real Time Damage Models allow you to watch the parts fly as you pay the price for punishing collisions! SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE ON GUIDANCE RECORDINGS ROCKSTAR 575BWY ROCKSTAR ш Ен јен ри ры јен вы шш jun jeu јен ша |а |е NY ROCKSTAR 575BWY ROCKSTAR 5758WY jm pum jus jus jum на Yes Ба е меры Ја ша ше јен шы јен јен > о RIIH АМА то МИНИ зод mM Rm БІН о РИМИНИ еШ Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Featured In: ЕСМ #129 = Players: 1 > Supports: Dual Shock Best Featui Semi-interesting story -..where should I start? WWW.capcom.com Worst Feature: Web Site: Sooner or later it had to happen—a bad Resident Evil game had to make it to market. Let's put aside the fact that the GunCon support, included in the Japanese and European versions, has been removed. Sure it was cool being able to move your guy around and shoot using the GunCon buttons, but in practice it made it a bitch to maneuver, and Survivor has enough control problems as is. What kind of prob- lems? You can't strafe, can't look up or down, you turn way too slowly, and the game has a horrible habit of autoaiming and moving the screen around to where it thinks you should be looking. It makes try- ing to kill jumping or fast-moving enemies almost comical. You can't blow off specific parts of a tar- get—like arms, or the head—and there's practically nothing you can shoot in the backgrounds. Monster Al is pretty pathetic; | had a spider humping my leg for about a minute without biting, and the big tyrant enemies seem to enjoy walking in circles while you slowly blast away. And the graphics? Unforgivable— blocky and pixelated, they still chug along in virtual slo-mo, sometimes with as little as one enemy on screen! It’s also a fairly short game: There are a few branching: paths, but each run-through the game barely lasts a couple hours. The story is practically the only reason to play—that and a couple surprise moments that’ll make you jump. Otherwise it's just one big mistake. Mark Publisher: Crave Entertainment Developer: UDS Featured In: EGM #131 я Players: 1-2 > Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Realistic gameplay Worst Feature: Realistic gameplay Web Site: www.cravegames.com The balance between keeping a racing title realistic and fun is a precarious one, and only a few games— Ridge Racer and Gran Turismo, for example —have ever truly achieved it. As you can probably guess by the rating, Sno-Cross was one of the far more numer- ous titles not up to the challenge. It’s not that UDS didn’t try with their first snowmobile racing game; they worked closely with Yamaha and utilized actual CAD drawings to create 12 super-realistic vehicles, and everything from the physics, to the sound | | | | Publisher: Activision Developer: Warthog Featured In: ЕСМ #133 я Players: 1-2 => Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Mission variety Worst Feature: Extreme difficulty Web Site: www.activision.com If ever there was a game that brings Trekkies and Trek-haters together in Borg-blastin’ peace and Cardassian-creamin' harmony, this is it. Star Trek: Invasion dishes heaping helpings of fan service: Michael *Worf" Dorn delivers plenty of voice-overs, and even Patrick Stewart chimes in as Picard every once in a while; you'll find famous friend and foe races, including Bajorans and the Borg; and familiar ships and ship types, such as the Enterprise, scoot through the ether. Oh, and the game introduces a effects, to the computer players’ Al are all about as | new alien race. Put simply, Invasion is a Trekkie's true-to-life as you can get. But, of course, that's the problem — it's almost too realistic. | don't know about you, but slipping and sliding around a course with an easily damaged snowmobile, all while trying to race against three opponents who apparently don't share my control troubles, isn't exactly my idea of fun. Sadly, the two-player mode isn't that enjoyable either—in fact | couldn't get anyone in the office to race me more than once. Unfortunately the visuals don't help the situation; this game can get down- right uglyattimes, with its close draw-in and horrible textures. There are some interesting other modes though, like a Hill Climbing mode and a well- designed track editor (which is one of this game's highlights, despite a lack of tiles to build courses with), but neither mean much when the core game isn't fun to play. Ryan | | wet dream—even though its Top Gun-in-zero-G theme is an alien concept in Gene Roddenberry's uni- verse, where usually only big ships brawl. But it's the mission variety here that'll suck in all types of space- combat fans. During the 30 missions, you'll fly a cloaked ship past enemy scans to nuke an entire planet (Prime Directive? Whazzat?). You'll man а star- ship turret and fend off buzzing attackers. You'll infil- trate a Borg cube and blast its guts. Two-player cooperative missions pop up once in a while, too (they're way.more fun than the regular two-player versus mode). Invasion ain’t without its faults. Crafted by some of the members of the Colony Wars team, the game is often as difficult as those Psygnosis shooters. Fortunately, you can save after every mission. Just prepare for plenty of frustration before you boldly go...well, you know. Grispin І really enjoyed all the previous RE games, and | rec- ognize Capcom’s attempt to put a new twist on the series, but Survivor lacks the best defining traits of an RE game. The traditional feel is lost to a first- person perspective (with no strafe option), and while doing away with prerendered backgrounds for Code: Veronica worked. on the DC, it only makes things sloppy on the PS. Unlimited handgun ammo also kills the resource management aspect, which made the previous REs more than just mindless plug-fests. The spatial audio placement із nice, but periodic techno beats disturb the game's eerie placidity. Ра like to see a sequel done right on the PS2. Jonathan Sno-Cross is a weak starter but becomes more toler- able as you build up your sled. That's not exactly high praise but often decent racing games are brought down by their early, less exciting levels. I’m not saying it gets great but compared to the initial.crappy sleds and courses, it picks up. Still, | have to say it's no Sled Storm—not by a long shot. Overall, the han- dling is loose, the courses awkward and the graphics just so-so. The difficulty level is a bit whacked as well. It's a challenge to win on any level, due in part to the slippery handling. The track editor is nice and the first-person view surprisingly good, but in the end, | didn't have much fun with this one. Dean Invasion is a fresh take on the Trek universe, even if it does stretch things a bit to make the dogfighting concept fit. Die-hard PS fans can think of it as Colony Wars meets Starfleet. The atmosphere of the game is excellent—the graphics are eye-popping and the thematic music does justice to the series. The opening scene of the Enterprise-E cruising by an asteroid field really foreshadows some of the fantas- tic visuals to come; The only problems lie with the controls. They are a tad touchy, and the weapon selection is cumbersome; particularly during com- bat. Eventually you'll get used to it but until you do, you'll feel like a red shirt ensign. K The worst part about Resident Evil: Survivor is it could have actually been a good game. | mean, the idea is cool: a first-person shooter taking place in the Resident Evil universe. Sadly though, the game doesn't live up to its potential. First of all, it looks like crap. Really. The zombies are pulled right out of Resident Evil 2 and everything gets horrifically pixel- ly at times. Then there's the gameplay—you can't strafe, the bullets fire out way too slow, and turning your character takes forever. The low price ($29.99) is great, but it doesn't make up for the fact Survivor looks and plays like a first-generation PS title. RE fans will likely be disappointed. Ryan INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND Sno-Cross is perhaps the epitome of the “average” game. Despite decent controls, the game only allows four racers to compete at a time. That makes for some boring races since the CPU’s usually kicking your ass, and the tracks are too damn long. The lack of a competent vibration system also, saps whatever tactile. excitement could have been had from the game. |5 it а too-realistic simulation? Not really. Riding a snowmobile is an often terrifying experience contingent on the conditions of the show you're riding on. Sno-Cross offers not only very little ofthe adrenaline-pumping fear, but also very lit- tle fun. Milkman VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY Take Colony Wars, hell—take the Colony Wars team, and insert Star Trek references wherever possible. It may sound odd, but it works. Once you get over the culture shock of the Trek universe being filled with small fighter ships, which just seems. inherently wrong, it's remarkably absorbing. The story is involv- ing and sucks іп all the Trek faves; you go up against Romulans early on in the game and then have a crack at both the Cardassians and the Borg before encoun- tering the games “all-new” race of psycho aliens. It’s compelling stuff, and it-looks beautiful. Trekkies will love it, and space combat buffs will revel in the excruciatingly tough gameplay. John VISUALS | SOUND REPLAY INGENUITY Electronics. Boutique Presents ENSIS WORLDY Y ©Ш К GAMES ERN ORI ip) s COM Team Buddies NEA Publisher: Midway Developer: Psygnosis Featured In: EGM #127 Players: 14 Supports: Multi-tap Best Feature: RTS action on PS Worst Feature: Sometimes confusing interface Web Site: www.midway.com Originally part of Psygnosis' lineup before they closed up shop, Midway has decided to release this funky puzzle/party game. Team Buddies is a brightly col- ored slab of high-energy weapon and buddy building that lets you square off against three other friends (provided you have the Multi-tap of course). Your job is to grab as many little blocks as you can from the "pile o' blocks," return them to your building pad and cash them in for a variety of weapons. You'll wield rocket-launchers, extra buddies, machine guns, grenades, etc. 125 nicely balanced for either solo play or party time—there's a cute story mode to play through if you have no friends, and there's many, many multiplayer games if you do. The game can be confusing at times as it's occasionally difficult to place the blocks in the right spots; trying to figure out what exactly you're building can also be a challenge. As you progress through the game, you unlock more and more secrets to use in multiplayer. The odd cam- era perspectives can be tough, but once you've adjusted to it, the game becomes a graphically appealing romp that boasts one of the best game soundtracks you've ever heard. Ranking right up there with Wipeout XL, Street Fighter Ill: Third Strike and Ridge Racer Type 4, the music and sounds are one of the best parts about Team Buddies. This one isn't essential, but it's one of the best multiplayer games since Poy Poy. Milkman Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Publisher: Activision Developer: Neversoft Featured In: EGM #130 2. Players: 1-2 Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: The new manual move Long character-select load times www.neversoft.com Attention all developers working on THPS clones— come out with your hands up. Neversoft has built the ultimate skate game with this sequel. It packs more pro skaters, more tunes, more level objectives, more moves and more real environments. But let's not gloss over the details. Rapid-tap the X button after you bail, for instance, and you'll hop back on your board more quickly. Switching to a goofy stance actually affects your performance. It's easier to wall ride. Landing sloppy or busting out of tricks early screws your score. And now you can perform manu- als, which singlehandedly make THPS2 an entire- ly new game when it comes to combos. Perfect your manual technique апа you can theoretically combo an infinite number of tricks (well, as long as you don't lose momentum). Manuals make for astronom- ical trick totals—not to mention a much more inter- esting game of two-player H.O.R.S.E. Unfortunately, Neversoft didn't have time to implement a multiplay- er tournament mode. But you'll find no shortage of hidden areas and secrets (scrutinize the Title Screen for a big hint). And then there's the intuitive course editor, which gives you all the tools you need to build any track you can imagine. (DexDrive users, listen up—custom courses only take up one block.) Combine the track editor with the ultra-deep create- a-skater option and THPS2 gives you all the tools you need to build your own Tony Hawk clone. Grispin Am | supposed to feel bad I’m blowing away cute lit- tle jellybeans? | mean, they have guns and are blast- ing away at me—it’s cool to kill them, right? This is such a weird little game. But, at the same time, it’s also very cool. The gameplay is fun, 1 love the mis- sion structure, and the graphics are quite keen. Think of Team Buddies as a simple version of Command and Conquer laced with a very wacky story line, except you can only control a couple soldiers. Who look like candy. My only real problem with Team Buddies is it gets a little too silly at times; it's easy to see this game was made for strategy gamers of all ages, which kind of alienates hardcore fans. Ңуап Take Tony Hawk, put in bigger levels, a park editor, a skater editor, more tricks and an even better sound- track. A winner? Hell yes! There are some really sick combos possible in THPS2, thanks to the new manu- al system. Some of the guys around here can string together tricks like nobody's business. It takes а lit- tle practice (much like balancing grinds did the first time you picked up the original game), but like every- thing else in this series it feels entirely natural after a short time. THPS2 suffers a bit from the limited power of the PlayStation, but what game on this sys- tem doesn’t? Go buy this game now...unless you wanna wait for the DC version like me. Greg | must give Team Buddies credit—it's a fresh idea, and once you get used to the puzzle elements (stack- ing boxes in order to create power-ups), it becomes a lot of fun. The game is pretty humorous too—l thought it was incredibly funny when | repeatedly ran over to the Milkman's base to steal and break his boxes. (He didn't find it so amusing). | think Psygnosis did a fine job of mixing the action and puzzle elements, but there were times when | just felt that I'd rather have one or the other done better (usually when | was getting blasted in the back by the Milkman). Worth checking out if you're into Bomberman-style action. Sam VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 8 8 Many times sequels are botched by overly ambitious developers. That’s not the case here. All the stuff they’ve added is really useful, namely: create-a- skater, the manual trick and the track editor. Thankfully they didn't. mess with.the game engine. The level editor.is the best idea of all. Everything is displayed in 3D so basically it’s just a matter of plac- ing each chunk in the desired location. Throw in some rails, benches, ramps, whatever and you have your own park. The manual trick is my next favorite. It lets you link tricks by balancing on two wheels between maneuvers. They've done a great job of for- tifying an already stellar game. Dean SOUND REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY Electron Hogs of War Publisher: Infogrames Developer Infogrames U.K. Featured In: EGM #131 | Players: 1 1-2 Best Feature: It's like Supports: Worms in 3D Dual Shock Worst Feature: Difficult to Web Site: aim weapons in 3D www.acclaim.com If you have never played Worms, then you might not fully appreciate Hogs of War, the first game to put the addictive turn-based combat style of Worms into three dimensions. Originality is very important to me, so | was a little wary of giving such a blatant knock-off of Worms a high score. But the transition to 3D is executed very well, and Hogs of War is fun to play solo or against friends. The missions start out slow, all of your troops are basic grunts, and you only have a few tools available for combat. As you progress, however, you can upgrade your corps of pigs to either heavy weapons, engineer, medic or espionage types and fully develop. the unit to your liking. The pig theme adds some character and sur- prisingly doesn’t get tired, but the voicework and the attack phrases can grate the nerves (fortunately, you can turn voices off). The few problems | had with Hogs were trying to aim widespread projectile weapons like the bazooka, as well as trying to navi- gate my soldiers over hilly terrain. Unspectacular, yet surprisingly solid. Andrew SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 6 6 1 VISUALS Incredible Crisis Publisher: Titus Developer: Polygon Magic Featured In: EGM #134 Players: 1 Supports: None Web Site: WWW.titus.com Best Feature: It's so crazy! Worst Feature: Too strange for U.S. audiences? Whoever green-lighted bringing this game to the States has got to have balls the size of Philadelphia. Strongly Japanese in feel and design, some may dismiss Incredible Crisis as a niche title, but they'd be missing an oddly entertaining little game. Essentially a large collection of simple but fun mini-games (24 to be precise), IC is a one-player party game that is equal parts inspired and bizarre. What other game has you give a sexy woman in a red dress a backrub on a ferris wheel? Or steer your ambulance stretcher through the oncoming traffic of crowded city streets? Or trying to stop an elevator in mid-plummet as objects fall on your head? This game has a great sense of humor, and parodies everything from movies to other video games. Plus every mini- game you beat becomes unlocked in your "library," 50 you can play your favorites again easily and show your friends the funny ones. The graphics are simple, but attractive enough, and the sounds are amusing. If you're in the mood for something different and a lit- tle "out there," give this one a shot. Milkman VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 6 5 8 Џ ТЕМРО G4. = GAMEBOY COLOR TWARE | A FULL LINE OF ACCESSORIES SPREAD THE WORD К world) com AOL KEYWORD: EBWORLD WWW.EBWORLD.COM MONSTERMAN™ 2000. Michael Manley @ ActionPlanet.com 170 кар ps Acclaim A> Acclaim N/A 12 Many tracks Tracks pretty | Dual Shock much the same— all dirt www.acclaim.com Having limited knowledge of the sport of motocross, І dove into Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 assum- ing it would be a somewhat respectable simulation. After five minutes of play, | decided that if this is what the real thing is supposed to be like, | hope | never sit on a dirt bike. Supercross 2000 suffers from the two most significant flaws a racing game can have: poor framerate and sloppy controls. If the framerate of this game renders it nearly unplayable, then the loose controls render it com- pletely unplayable. Now we know the reason why the Series mode is limited to only two players, the engine can hardly handle seven computer oppo- nents. One other thing that doesn't make much sense, the two-player splitscreen is horizontal and cannot be changed in the options menu. Already annoying in other genres, it's especially frustrating in a racing game where peripheral vision is important. Struggling to control your racer and eye fatigue are two reasons to avoid McGrath at all costs, and | don't think you need any others. Andrew VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Mattel => Lucky Chicken 12 Dual Shock It's gotthe actual Tyco RC vehicles www.mattelinterac- Bumping into | бме.сот walls hurts bad As with Acclaim's RC Revenge (also reviewed in this issue), Tyco RC: Assault With a Battery is a game that comes as a result of the recent popularity of the kart racing genre..and offers absolutely nothing new. And unfortunately, Tyco RC isn't nearly as enjoyable as RC Revenge (which | happen to really like). The only reason you'd want to pick up this game is to play with the Tyco RC cars, which are all found here. But even fans of the cars will soon become frustrated with this game, since despite the accurate car mod- els, it certainly doesn't offer accurate physics. In real life, when you race these Tyco RC cars, they bounce, flip and jump. around whenever you. hit obstacles. However, in the game, there will be times when you'll just nudge a wall and it'll bring you almost to a complete stop. That, | find, is pretty ridiculous and definitely very annoying. Graphics in the game range from decent to actually pretty good, but the music and sounds are just blah. If you're looking for ап RC-style racer, RC Revenge both looks and plays better than this effort. Sam SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS EA Sports F> EA Sports EGM #131 ҚЫ 12 Licensed dri- vers and tracks including Dual Shock Daytona Car control www.easports.com Every year we expect NASCAR to be better than the last, and for the most part it hasn't disappointed. Unfortunately this edition doesn't follow tradition, and suffers from enough problems to say that it's a step backward. A couple nasty flaws really stand out. The first | can only describe as excessive camera shake. The effect is meant to re-create the violent jostling that real drivers experience on the raceway. That's great—it's a good idea in theory anyway — but they've got it dialed up to a crazy level. The screen jumps around to the point of absurdity. My second gripe involves the way the cars handle or, more aptly, don't handle. They sway from side to.side like the waves on the ocean. Every deviation in direction has them rocking back and forth like an old Chevy with loose springs. It's possible to clamp things down somewhat, but the problem still persists. І guess new physics models weren't all that necessary. On a positive note, Daytona is in the game. Still, in light of the problems I'd cool my heels until the PS2 version comes out this fall. Dean INGENUITY | REPLAY VISUALS SOUND Vatical => j Vicarius М/А 14 The price The monoto- Dual Shock ny www.vatical.com This game reminds me of the original and outstand- ing Road Rash for the Sega Genesis except you're on snow, the screen wobbles a lot more, and, uh, this is a PS game. The mediocre production values in this title are apparent from startup. Drivers and sleds look like they're put together with jumbo-sized pix- els, and the snow couldn't even pass for really bad fake snow. The courses are fairly bland and the com- puter Al wimpy: without even looking at the instruc- tions, | was able to win the first race | entered. Following a recent trend of niche-based, budget- priced, shallow-premise games that remind me of late '805 arcade classics, PSC is a fairly one-dimen- sional experience. While PSC did not exactly keep me riveted to the screen, the game is not unplayable and with the lower price point, it may even appeal to a very specific type of gamer. If you're a hardcore snowmobile enthusiast, or you're looking for a new, cheap racing game to ріау аг your next social gather- ing then PSC may be for you. For everyone else, I'd recommend taking a pass on this one. Joe INGENUITY — REPLAY. VISUALS | SOUND 262 Empire => Cunning N/A z 1-4 Authentic pinball feel Dual Shock Hard to see everything www.empire.co.uk Pinball machines are cool because they are real, charmingly mechanical machines that can still enter- tain us in this era of virtual everything. Empire adds a new table to their lineup of solid pinball sims with PPFJ. Like their other titles, Empire gets the ball physics just right as PP has a wonderfully authentic feel to it. At the same time, the board is still a little tough to see from every angle, and some of the intricate details get lost in the aging graphic capabil- ities of PS. It is ironic that games which celebrate a nostalgic slice of interactive entertainment's heritage will benefit from advances in technology as next- generation consoles will be better suited to re- creating the vivid colors, sharp: details and three- dimensional boards that make such games timeless. Meanwhile, the board on РРЕ) has a time travel theme and hasa nice mixture of ramps, spinners and other contraptions, My biggest complaint is the same one I’ve had with previous installments of video pin- ball: The entire board is hard to see from any angle and from any view setting. Joe VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY Acclaim > Acclaim EGM #135 е 12 Atrack editor Atrack editor Риа! Shock with limited memory = worthless www.acclaim.com The world needs more kart racers. No, seriously. The market should be so flooded with mediocre kart rac- ers that everyone will get sick of them and the genre will die (or at least go away for a while). RC Revenge from Acclaim is a good first step in the kart racer reju- venation plan, as it offers absolutely nothing new or innovative and at the same time manages to screw up the accepted conventions of the genre. The first time through most of the tracks will appear to be creative and fun, but by lap two they quickly turn obnoxious and cluttered. Let's run through the list of power-ups: a shield, a projectile missile, tem- porary speed boost...you get the picture. Being con- stantly battered around by your opponents doesn't help, and makes RC Revenge more akin to bumper cars than actual car racing. Thankfully, Acclaim fixed the framerate problem that plagued the awful port of Re-Volt, so the game is at least somewhat playable. But with Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart as avail- able options, who would want to try one of the other 10,000 alternatives instead. Andrew VISUALS INGENUITY REPLAY SOUND SPREAD THE WORD М world) com AOL KEYWORD: EBWORLD WWW.EBWORLD.COM Publisher: Таке 2 Developer: Empire Interactive Featured In: N/A |- Players: 2 1-2 Best Feature: Addicting Supports: arcade-like gameplay None Worst Feature: The cuteness | Web Site: of the characters wwwtake2games.com Let's face it, Take 2 Interactive's series of $10 games has been...well, disappointing to say the least. No, scratch that, releases like Spec Ops and Grudge Warriors have been little more than pricey drink coasters. Thankfully that's not the case with Spin Jam. Not only is this game worth the measly amount of money it retails for, it's one of the few puzzle titles Ра recommend grabbing even if it carried а full-price sticker—it's that good. The basic idea is similar to Bust-A-Move, but the overall objective is much more involved. Like BAM, you have to link up three bubbles of the same color to make them pop, but in Spin.Jam.the explosion causes the.other bub- bles on the far side of the сепіга ба to fire outward. Before they launch you have to turn the playfield to line them up so they hit the larger colored bubbles on the outside, eventually making them burst. You've got to see it in action to understand, but suffice to say, like any good puzzle game, it gets addictively complex the further you go—and the two-player mode is a blast. Give it a try. Ryan VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Sydney 2000 Publisher: Eidos Developer: Attention to Detail Featured In: EGM #131 Players: 1-2 Supports: None Web Site: www.eidos.com Best Feature: Lots of events Worst Feature: Crappy and sluggish graphics Like the DC version, Sydney 2000 on the PlayStation has a robust variety of events, but it suffers from a lot of the same problems—only they're worse. First and foremost, the player models are laughable, and that's a big blemish since the Olympics focus on indi- viduals. There's no way in hell most of these peo- ple could be Olympians—they'd look more at home at a Weight Watchers clinic. Not only do they look funny, but they animate very poorly as well. For champions of speed and finesse, these athletes move pretty damn clunkily. Some events are worse than others—kayaking is so choppy your boat skips across the water like a rock, and the Hurdles compe- tition takes place from a bad camera view to comple- ment its ugly graphics. What it all comes down to is that although Sydney 2000 has its moments, it has too many problems for it to really be fun. While the Dreamcast version is just passable, this one slightly fails. Hopefully something more deserving of the five rings comes out soon, while anyone still gives a damn about the Olympics. Kraig VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 4 4 9 5 Dynasty Warriors 2 a Publisher: Koei gm Developer: Koei/Omega Force Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock 2 BestFeature: Consistent action Worst Feature: Repetitive gameplay Web Site: www.koeigames.com If nothing else, Dynasty Warriors 2 is a unique gam- ing experience presented within a stunning graphical shell. Its best and worst attributes can all be traced to the game's most prominent quality—its reluctance to fit into any one particular genre. On one hand, DW2 defies strategy game convention by putting full control of only one character into the player's hands. As a result, the game is dripping with action. When you're not slicing at enemies with one of several available weapons, you're riding a horse across the map to support units in trouble and boost your troop's morale. Watching two or three dozen warriors clash at once while the PS2 effortlessly keeps pace is impressive. On the other hand, rolling action, fight- ing and strategy elements into one package means making sacrifices in each area, so more particular gamers may long for greater depth. The strategy ele- ment is really limited to either attacking or not attacking a mass of enemies, and there is little need for planning before battle. As far as the action ele- ment is concerned, the attack moves look nice but there are very few of them, which means the same monotonous button-pressing over and over most of the time. And since single БаШев-сап last over an hour, all this repetition.definitely hurts the overall experience. Nevertheless, DW2 is fundamentally intriguing and a decent execution of a very origi- nal concept. Jonathan Publisher: Agetec Developer: From Software Featured In: EGM #125 Players: 1 Supports: Dual Shock 2 Best Feature: Making magic rings Worst Feature: Simplistic combat Web Site: www.agetec.com Eternal Ring is so similar in most ways to From Software's earlier King's Field games that it makes you wonder if it was shot out solely to take advantage of the PS2 launch. There's a disturbing lack of control— no analog stick support, no jump, no dodge, no shield or block move. You basically run up to an enemy, strike with your опе same attack—repeat until one of you is dead. And the bad guys are pretty dumb too; most of them would be a snap to kill if not for a bug that allows their projectile attacks to fly through walls. But combat, as well as the overall game, is elevated a bit by the rings you can find and create. Gems left by defeated enemies can be forged into magic rings with all sort of different powers, depend- ing on the elements of the gems used to create them. There аге 100 different rings in all, and experimenting with gem combinations and fiddling with all the different magics is really the one part of the game that works well. Graphics are crisp and smooth, but then again this is the PS2 and there’s nothing that compli- cated going on—buildings and outdoor segments аге simplistic-and textures repeat often. The game tries to inject some life through real-time story cutscenes and voicework, and it does become inter- esting later but never totally engrossing. Basically ER comes down to this: a decent launch title for new PS2 owners desperate for an adventure, but ulti- mately flawed and disappointing. Mark Imagine what any of Koei's strategy titles would be like as an action game and this is what you get. There are а few flaws once you get past the initial *wow" factor ofthe graphics (which are amazing). It feels like a first- generation.game—like a PS1 game with upgraded graphics. Control is tight, but the camera is too often not where you want to be looking. The biggest prob- lem, though; is that the combat in the hour-plus bat- tles gets monotonous. Hack, slash, look at the map, repeat. Each character has his/her own style, but you're stuck with his/hersmoves and weapon all the way through. The combat’s too simple for a game that professes to have more strategic elements. Ghris With a good deal of action and pretty decent artwork, DW2 seems really appealing at first. | found the action to be reminiscent of the old Ninja Turtles arcade game-once you figure out which of the two or three moves.to use when, you lose interest after a couple of levels. Although there are several different characters to play the game with, they're not going to make you want to start an hour-long battle over again. The sound, story and gameplay are pretty average, So there's not much to bump it up the chart. While fun for about the first-half hour, DW2 gets too repetitive to really enjoy long-term, so you'll probably want to rent this one first. Dean SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 5 8 5 ronic Gaming Monthly - 264 VISUALS It’s King’s Field all over again. | guess the thinking behind releasing Eternal Ring is pretty sound Кот а financial point of view, but this game has that “we need to rush out an RPG for launch, who cares if it’s any good” feel to it. The real-time sword fight- ing quickly becomes a repetitive affair: step forward, jab, step back, repeat. Even after gaining the use of magic, combat is an incredibly boring experience, with control so dicey that dying unexpectedly is an all-too-common occurrence. Eternal! Ring doesn't even have the luxury ofiaminteresting story to gloss over the bad gameplay. From Software still doesn’t know how to make a good RPG. Greg Eternal Ring won’t sell you on the PS2 hardware, but it’s worth checking out for FPS and Action- RPG fans. The ring system, which lets you develop strengths and tweak spells, is very cool. | would liked to have seen more brainwork in the. game, though— a healthy set of Zelda-esque’ puzzles could have worked wonders. | also found myself hoping for fancier special effects; most of the levels and mon- sters look good but a lot of the spells are disap- pointing. Unfortunately combat could also use a lit- tle sprucing ир—уоџ епа up employing the same simple tactics in almost every situation. Not a block- buster but worth a try. Jonathan SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS 1 6 3 3 ele i : ctronics boutique presents IRMO Їй SPREAD THE WORD К world) com AOL KEYWORD: EBWORLD WWW.EBWORLD.COM EVERYONE Publisher: EA Sports Е ГЕ Developer: Tiburon Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 14 Supports: Dual Shock 2 Best Feature: Oh, those wonderful graphics Worst Feature: More sluggish than PS1 version Web Site: www.easports.com There's no doubt in my mind that this is the best- looking PS2 game out of the gate. When І first boot- ed it up, I thought I'd died and gone to football heaven, and for good reason. The attention to detail is incredible. There's the things you'll see during gameplay, such as the receivers reaching out to catch the ball, or the way players' body parts react when hit. Then there's the coaches on the sideline, or the chain-gang moving the First Down marker before the players barrel into it. But the most amazing things are the moments you might need an Instant Replay to catch: a QB grimacing at a receiver who drops the ball, the grass stuck in helmets, or players following the ball into their hands with their eyes—you can even see them spread their fingers to accept it. Of course graphics aren't the only draw. Just like its PS1 counterparts, Р52 Madden is a very realistic brand of football that's made even moreso by the animations. For example, you can't just hit a receiver in the back for him to make a.catch anymore, now you have to put it somewhere his hands can reach. The news isn't all good, however: whereas Madden PS1’s gameplay might be a little too fast, this one is a little too slow. Players don’t seem to move quick enough, even if you pound on the speed. burst. It’s not too bad, but Madden fans shouldn’t expect this опе to play as quick as you're used to. A small price to pay for such amazing progress. Kraig Publisher: Namco ГЕ Developer: Namco Featured In: EGM #131 Players: 12 Supports: Dual Shock 2 BestFeature: Excellent control Worst Feature: Allthat fog in multiplayer Web Site: www.namco.com | love this game. Even with all the great American- developed launch titles on the way, RRV is the reason I'll be buying a PlayStation 2 this month. It embodies almost everything | look for in an arcade-style racer: awesome graphics, smooth framerate, intense speed and a collection of cars that caters to every driving style imaginable. Once you've discovered which machine works best with your style, there's nothing you can't do on the track. The cars handle so well it's almost scary. The debate as to which of the first four Ridge Racer games had the best control can be put to rest, since fans of every one of them will find a car they like in RRV. Much like earlier games in the series, all seven of RRV's tracks are connected, usually featuring some of the same turns every time. That said, each track offers a unique challenge, so lack of variety isn't a problem. The only place where some more variety would be nice is in the car designs. Once you've seen the main group of vehi- cles, they just keep reappearing with different body modifications (the hidden cars are a little more inter- esting, but you can't use them in (һе отћсја races anyway). A:collection of vehicles more akin to the ones found in Rage Racer would-have been best here. But the big reason why Ridge V isn't receiving a 10 from yours truly: The two-player split-screen mode is ugly to the point of being offensive—inex- cusable on a system this powerful. Greg It's a brand-new ball game. Pardon the cliché but it applies. The plays, sound effects and controls may be familiar but the soul of the game is completely new. The overwhelming theme? It's more a sim than ever before. It truly requires a knowledge of football strategy to be successful. In the-PS version you сап get away with a lot of slop: that won't happen here. A smooth framerate, killer animation and decent А! keep things very honest. | miss the exaggerated col- lisions, butthat would look out of place with the real- istic nature of this Че Өле complaint; It's mighty tough to break through the offense line. Otherwise, I've found my new obsession. Dean Undoubtedly one of the highest profile launch games for PS2, EA has done almost everything right with Madden. Jaw-dropping graphics and attention to subtleties never seen before in a football game close the gap. between this simulation.and the real thing more than ever before. The eye movements and facial'expressions are astonishing, and the huge vari- ety of catching and tackling animations make this game come alive. Fortunately, EA included just about all the controls and plays you're used to from previ- ous Madden games. About the only minor gripe | have with M2001 PS2 is that gameplay has a slightly sluggish feel to it. Joe VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY 10 1 9 9 No surprises here; Ridge V is as good as ме antici- pated. Having played the Japanese version for some time we knew what to expect. If you're a fan of the classic Ridge Racer panache you won't be disap- pointed. Тһе game manages to retain. its famous drift-style gameplay while incorporating new flash. It's amazing that it can look so good yet still keep a respectable framerate. | still think it's odd however, that the cars made for grip actually slide better than the drift vehicles. The drift cars tend to slow quite a bit when you whip 'em around the corners, whereas the grip cars slide and keep speed. Not much of a complaint really. RRV is a very solid game. Dean In part because І expect great racing games from Namco, and in part because of similarities to earlier Ridge games, | liked RRV but it never blew me away. The graphics are nice—there are a couple bad tex- tures you. may. notice, and some serious fog in the two-player mode you can't miss —but mostly it’s blaz- ingly fast, crisp and detailed. Controls feel great (although I prefer the Grip-type cars now for the first time) with good use of the analog buttons; | adjusted and was back in form after only a few races. But win- ning don't come easy. Computer cars are fast and love to box you out (a relief after R4's wimpy AI). All said, | found RRV polished, but predictable. Mark VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Electronic Gaming Monthly - 266 TAE 0:03.38 Publisher: EA Sports = Газ Developer: EA Canada Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 22 Supports: Dual Shock 2 Best Feature: Great overall presentation Worst Feature: Little bit of slowdown Web Site: www.easports.com SSXis a pure adrenaline rush. It bombards the senses with incredible speed, fantastic graphics and excellent sound. Rather than go the licensed music route, EA actually had a real artist (Mix Master Mike) come up with original songs to fit the game. The result is astounding, and the combination of the tunes and voices (each announcer and rider speaks in their native language and/or accent) is unparal- leled. You’ll even hear the WCW’s Mean Gene announcing a race! All eight boarders have unique trick repertories containing 50 different maneuvers (including my favorite, the Canadian Bacon Air) which you unlock as you build up their stats by com- peting in different races. There are several boards to unlock for each character as well, and using different types results in a different trick set for your rider. This all adds up to a surprising amount of depth for a game that could have been just another snowboard- ing title. While the control takes a little getting used to (most people automatically want to play it like Tony Hawk), it’s easy to appreciate the subtleties after only a couple of races. | can't зау'епошаћ good things абоші 55Х, but there is one downside: slow- down. It's very infrequent and doesn't really bother me in the heat of competition, but it's there. | guess the new-system blues hit the guys and gals at EA...bummer. Oh, and the Canadian girl is totally hot. I'm all for that in any video game. Buy this. Greg Snowboarding games haven't held my interest since Steep Slope Sliders on the Saturn (І was never a big Cool Boarders fan), but SSX succeeded in bringing me back for more, even when | was doing poorly (some advice; Don't start the game playing with Mac). Courses are long and varied enough that it doesn't feel like you're whizzing past the same scenery over and over, The sense of speed is intense (helped along by the excellent soundtrack), and aside from an occa- sional drop in framerate, the game runs “sweeter than candy,” as Elise wouldisay. This is one PS2 game that plays as good as it looks—a rarity in what I've played of the launch lineup. Chris SSX is about the most creative snowboarding game I've played. The flashy environments, shortcuts and insanely long tracks keep the adrenaline flowing. But most importantly, it really looks and feels like you’re snowboarding. Like how the snow trails behind your board change shape depending on your angle. Sure it may seem like no big deal, but the game is packed with small touches like that. | also like the freedom of the tracks—each has multiple routes, including many rewarding (and challenging) shortcuts. So essentially it's golden, except for one-thing. All the graphical bells and whistles drag the speed slightly. Even so, SSX is a must-buy launch game. Dean INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND дате R'S DREAM Ж Жо bid on ће most exciting рбСкадеѕ from the hottest names in the іпацзігу- апа even get a shot at owning one of the very first Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Dolphin or Sony PlayStation 2 game consoles in the U.S.! Even better, it's all to benefit youth and teen programs across America, as part of the interactive entertainment industry's charity event, “Nite to Unite for Kids!" Going once, going twice... Bidding begins Saturday, October 7, 2000 and ends Friday, October 20, 2000. Log on to http://www.amazon.com/ nite-to-unite-auction 58 SPONSORS: SONY Interactive D MID WAY « Digital 4 > Software = Ж Association* (GAMES ө SOMENTER e ONLINE AUCTION SPONSORED BY: amazo қ PARTICIPATING COMPANIES: Acclaim Entertainment Ж Capcom Entertainment Inc. Ж Crave Entertainment * Disney Interactive * Eidos Interactive * Electronic Arts * Hasbro Interactive/ Games.com Ж Havas Interactive Ж Imagine Media Ж Infogrames Inc. Ж Interplay Productions Ж Konami of America Inc. Ж Mattel Media Ж Microsoft Corporation Ж Midway Games Inc. Ж Namco Hometek Inc. Ж Nintendo of America Inc. Ж Rare Inc. Ж Sega of America Dreamcast Inc. Ж Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Ж Тһе ЗОО Company Ж THQ Inc ж UbiSoft Entertainment Ж Ziff Davis Media Game Group Start your Holiday Shopping early, and bid on these unique туа AUCTION! EO A certificate for one of the FIRST One of the FIRST of Son eagerly BÉ рабина ніч Pr One of the FIRST hot new Xbox * NFL Blitz 2000 Gold Edition Midway Arcade Machine * Backstreet Boys' decorated Color Game Boy systems » Limited edition Star Wars gift set Game packages from leading я publishers, such as Electronic Arts, THG, Microsoft, Humongous, The 3DO Company and Nintendo Personal tours of Development Studios » N64 Pokémon hardware and software package Unique, framed and signed animation cells from popular games * Limited edition custom-made THQ Pure Ride Snowboard pod “Test Drive” gift pack » Collector's edition XFL and WWF "mystery package" Collector's edition “Tin of Evil » Dead 2" signed Бу Ем! Dead hero Bruce Campbell » Original Framed artwork from North America's first PS2 RPG, "Summoner" Motorcross sports pack, including » jersey signed by award-winning rider Ricky Carmichael Framed Animation cell exclusive to the lad “Danger Girl” game, autographed by the Danger Girl comics creators d ---ап4 MUCH more! Log on to htip;/ / www.amazon. com/ nite-to-unite-auction *Auction items may change without notice. Swing Away Golf Publisher: Electronic Arts ГЕ Developer: T&E Soft Featured In: EGM #135 Players: 1-4 Supports: Dual Shock 2, Multi-tap 2 Best Feature: Story mode Worst Feature: Goofy caddies Web Site: www.ea.com Quite a bit of time passed between the original PlayStation launch (September '95) and the release of the first fun golf game (Hot Shots Golf, April ’98). That won’t be the case for PlayStation 2 owners, however, as Swing Away Golf mimics the Hot Shots formula with some success. Whimsical characters and a cartoonish look give the game a light feel, but underneath lies a deep game of golf. There are a number of shots to master and success depends on coming to grips with some of the intricacies of the sport. For instance, did you know that moving your front foot toward the ball will help induce a draw? Swing Away knows it, and allows you to adjust such minute details. If you’re intimidated, don’t be, as the game brings you along the learning curve with a well- designed tutorial. The course generator is а cool idea which falls short of its potential. You suggest para- meters for a hole, such as par 3, dogleg, lots of water, and the game randomly generates it. Kind of a hands-off approach, if you will. The real fun in the game rests in the Story mode, where you work through imaginary calendar years to progress from Amateur to Pro. Along the way, you'll meet the vari- ous characters in the game, earn points for winning, and buy fancy new equipment. The game's only real drawback is the pace of play, as load times between shots and holes get to be a bit much. Still, it's a small price to pay for a solid game. Dan Hot Shots Golf it isn't, but it's not too far off. І don't think it's possible to make a more obnoxiously cute game that involves steel clubs and a small, white ball than Swing Away on the PS2. Pastel colors, cute anime-style players, pre-pubescent voices, and melodramatic reaction shots may turn off serious golf players, but it shouldn't. The game is challeng- ing and the graphics are great, save a few minor choppy animations and camera pans here and there. There aren't that many play modes (like Skins, Fourplay), but there із а сошгзе editor, and a really cool Story Mode that adds tons of depth to this pleasantly fun golf game. Kraig | couldn't wait to get my hands on the first golf game for PS2, and was especially excited about SAG because of its resemblance to the now classic Hot Shots series for PS. While there's no question that it sports absolutely beautiful eye-candy and brings courses alive with amazing detail, l'm a little bummed out to report that the feel of the game does- п'є stack up: | found the delay between taking ту swing and watching the onscreen follow-through detached me from the game and left me feeling like I was coaching a player instead of being the player. Putting is also unacceptably stiff as ту ball appeared to stop abruptly instead of trickling to a stop. Joe VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 1 1 8 Publisher: Ubi Soft Developer: RunnyFun Featured In: EGM #133 mu Players: Е pte А Best Feature: True to the Supports: kid's books None Worst Feature: Mice-fighting | Web Site: aliens www.ubisoft.com If | didn’t know any better, I'd say this was a terribly hacked-up foreign version of Pokémon. While Animorphs is ambitious and does a fine job of trans- lating the books into a video game, (it’s even presented by the book’s publisher, Scholastic), there isn't much originality here. You start in a little village and have the ability to talk to all sorts of people, and run into little creatures. Instead of sickeningly cute Pokémon, Animorphs has mice, goats, snakes, dogs and other such animals. Instead of capturing these beasts after defeating them, you simply morph into them. The more battles you win, the more animals. уоч сап morph into, and.the further you progress, the more exotic the animals become. The password..system is terrible, filled with tons of different symbols to jot down and scroll through. Like 99% of games out there, it's your job to save | the day—in this case, from a race of evil, mind- controlling aliens who ріап оп taking over the Earth. OK, so it's not very unique— it's а Pokémon rip-off, but it's not too bad of one. Shawn SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 5 5 2 6 VISUALS Monster Rancher Explorer REESE Publisher: Tecmo Developer: Tecmo Featured In: N/A Players: E 3 Best Feature: Simple Supports: | gameplay Link Cable | Worst Feature: Stiff control Web Site: and boring puzzles www.tecmoinc.com When | first popped Monster Rancher Explorer into my trusty Game Boy, | was reminded of the glory days of the NES— simple graphics and unique game- | Play hooks. Аз | got further into the game, though, | | was reminded about another aspect of the glory days—nostalgia aside, most games really weren't that good back then either. Monster Rancher Explorer initially looks fun, but quickly gets repet- itive. The game takes place in a mysterious tower that becomes overrun with monsters. Ascending the | tower requires moving through each floor and solv- | ing a key/locked door puzzle; you possess the abili- | tytocreate and destroy boxes at will, using them as stepladders to navigate those puzzles. The problem with the control.is that your character moves around very rigidly. The puzzles themselves are adequately challenging, but tend to get repetitive after about the 10th stage: Boss fights every 10 |еуе Бапа being able to unlock monster assistants helps to alleviate this problem somewhat, but not enough to maintain interest in MRE long term. Andrew SOUND REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY Test Drive Cycles Publisher: Infogrames Developer: Xantera Featured In: N/A Players: 1-2 Best Feature: Supports: Pseudo scaling Link Cable Worst Feature: Simple, Web Site: sloppy control www.infogrames.com It doesn’t matter that TDC is chock-full of race modes, features over 10 real-life bike types with assignable power-up attributes, tons of tracks and surprisingly detailed graphics. Nor does it matter that it has an interesting Cop Chase Mode that allows you to dish out tickets to crotch-rocket speedsters, or that you can link up with a chum for some two- player fun. It doesn’t matter because the actual гас- ing part of the game sucks. Sure it’s got all the gravy, but when you get to actual meat of the game— the racing itself—things fall apart. All too often l'd get into a groove in the Tournament Mode and then come.across a fundamental.flaw that zapped the fun right from the game. Most of the time it was the tedious turning process, thanks to the.unrefined control. This really threw a wrench into the works. Other times, the game suffered from a general lack of challenge in a lot of the races (oütside of the difficul- ty caused by the control): TDC isn't a total loss, but it’s not what it should’ve been. Get another racing game instead. Shawn VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 5 4 4 Turok 3 Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Bit Managers веом ПИ Featured In: де РЙ EGM #134 Ё Players: wid 2 1 Best Feature: Vehicle type Supports: of gameplay None Worst Feature: Web Site: Tedious levels www.acclaim.com I've said this time and time again іп the past, but nine times out of 10, the GBC version of a big console game is going to suck—such is the case with Turok 3. Granted, it looks nice, but it's just not that fun to play. Each of the game's five main levels is broken up into two gameplay types. One is a 3/4-overhead per- spective vehicle-based jaunt, where Turok gets to show off his driving skills in a tank, jeep and power boat. The other is a side-scrolling, kill-the-enemies and-find-a-key sort of thing. The vehicle stuff can be entertaining (though | don't remember this from any N64 Turok game), but the side-scrolling areas are ridiculous..On.various levels (ап enemy.compound, prison, forest, etc), you're confronted by enemies who just keep coming and coming no matter what you do. Тһе whole process is wildly tedious and repetitive. Controls are clunky, which is only made worse by the fact that health packs give back only about 1/10th of your totalehealth (although some packs respawn). There's. no good reason to buy this game—so don't. Shawn VISUALS | SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 3 4 3 МАТОВЕ PlayStation ® ВЕКУ Some secrets сове ! back to haunt you. Just days after surviving the grisly disaster at the mansion lab, Jill Valentine resigns from 5.Т,А.Б.б. and attempts to escape a nightmarish city in ruins. Trapped іп a town crawling with hordes of flesh-eating zombies, hideous mutants, and a relentless new nemesis, she must rely on cunning and brute force to stay alive. What she soon discovers is that the evil created by Umbrella Corporation’s bio-tech terror is even more horrifying than she ever imagined... www.capcom.com © CAPCOM СО, LTD. 1999 © CAPCOM U.S.A., ІМС. 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. RESIDENT EVIL 3 NEMESIS and CAPCOM EDGE are trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. AWO 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 02000 ZD Inc. ZDNet, the ZDNet logo, and Where Technol a етагі zi ESRB Rating System: www.esrb.com EARLY CHILDHOOD у EARLY CHILDHOOD RATING: Deemed Suitable For Children 3 Or Older. Products Carrying This Label Have Absolutely No Material That Would Be Considered Inappropriate By Parents. CONTENT RATED BY ESRB EVERYONE g= | EVERYONE RATING: The E Replaced The Previous K-A Rating Last Year. Suitable For Kids Ages 6 And Up, E-Rated Games May Contain Minimal Violence Or Crude Language. CONTENT RATED BY ESRB TEEN RATING: Contains Suggestive Themes, Mild Or Strong Language And Animated Violence. Some Parents May Want To Supervise Children Playing T-Rated Games. CONTENT RATED BY ESRB MATURE RATING: These Games Contain More Adult Themes, Such As Blood And Gore, Stronger Language And Sexual Themes. Deemed Not Suitable For Those Under 17. CONTENT RATED BY ADULTS ONLY | («s | ADULTS ONLY RATING: The Extreme Of The Ratings, Suitable For Adults Only. Packs Sexual Themes And Extreme Violence. Console Manufacturers Have Yet To Allow An AO-Rated Game. CONTENT RATED BY ESRB zm TEC ОМ СИ Ў ZIFF DAVIS Ca к= ONT FLV > “As желі ЕХРЕНЦ СУ 134 OWLE = . _ EGN's Last 102 Reviews Review Archive From ЕСМ #131 - 135 Game Publisher Best Feature Worst Feature Scores Issue tt Dreamcast 4 Wheel Thunder Midway Solid Framerate Too Difficult 560. 15 65 132 Aerowings 2 Crave You Can Shoot Stuff Now You Don't Get Any Air-To-Ground Missions 4.0 134 ШІ BustA-Move 4 Тайо Addictive Gameplay Sickeningly Cute 8.0 134 Cannon Spike Capcom Old-School Gameplay. Levels Too Short 60 65 60 135 Deep Fighter Ubi Soft Nice Graphics, Lots Of Missions Controls, Tough Bosses 7.5 132 Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm Crave Level Design Enemy А! 80 55 75 133 BW Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of Future Sega Gorgeous Graphics And Sound Tough Learning Curve 90 95 60 135 Evolution 2: Far Off Promise Ubi Soft Nice Combat Engine The Bosses Are Mean 70 45 10 132 F1 World Grand Prix Sega Completely Customized Setups Slows Down With Lots Of Cars 80 80 70 132 Fur Fighters Acclaim Huge Variety Of Gameplay Styles Some Areas Get Tedious 15 133 Gauntlet Legends Midway Smooth, Even In Four-Player Damn This Game Is Hard 80 70 55 132 Grand Theft Auto 2 Rockstar Graphics Analog Control Feels Weird 85 60 50 132 Gunbird 2 Capcom Old-School Shootin' Fun Often Can't Avoid Death T0 75 5. 135 MagForce Racing Crave Smooth Framerate Tripod Vehicles 50 20 55 133 № Marvel vs Capcom 2 Capcom Awesome Graphics And Gameplay It Doesn't Cook Breakfast 90 95 80 133 © мок? Interplay Gorgeous Visuals, Dark Humor Some Might Not "Get" The Humor 90 90 90 131 № Power Stone 2 Capcom Awesome Environments Can Be Confusing With Four Players 90 85 85 134 Railroad Tycoon || 6.0.0. Strategic Depth Online Play Joypad A Little Too Cumbersome 7.0 135 Rainbow Six Red Storm Ent. Realistic, Lots Of Missions Complicated Controls 65 10 85 133 Ring, The Infogrames Detailed Environments Sound Or Controls, It's A Toss-Up 30 60 50 134 Rush 2049 Midway Battle Mode Mostly Just The Same Ol’ Rush 6.0 135 88 Seaman Sega Deadpan Humor, Opinions On Life Little Loose On Voice Recognition 568 90 134 Silver Infogrames Story Line, Voice-Overs Battle System 70 60 70 134 South Park Rally Acclaim Graphics, Tons Of SP Characters Pretty Much Everything Else 3.0 134 5расе Сћаппе! 5 Sega Funky Music, Graphics, Flash Video Is Sometimes Out Of Sync 80 80 70 133 88 Street Fighter Ill: Double Impact Capcom Smooth Animation No 3rd Strike 70 90 80 134 Super Magnetic Neo Crave Colorful Graphics Cheap Deaths 65 30 60 133 BE Test Drive V-Rally Infogrames Track Editor Some Slowdown 85 90 75 135 © топу Hawk's Pro Skater Crave Graphics Nothing Really 95 85 90 132 Toy Story 2 Activision Standard Disney 3D Platform Game Exact Same Game From Six Months Ago 50 134 № virtual On: Oratorio Tangram Activision Solid, Colorful Graphics. Noticeable Slowdown In Multiplayer 8.5 133 IW Virtua Tennis Sega Awesome Graphics And Animation Limited Replay Value 15 80 95 134 Маску Races Infogrames Cel-Shaded Graphics Gets Too Hard 70 65 75 134 WDW Magical Racing Eidos Fanciful Music And Graphics Too Tough For Kiddie Theme 55 135 World Series Baseball 2K1 Sega Graphics No Fielding 30 50 25 135 WWF Royal Rumble THO Nine Wrasslers Оп Screen At Once! Not Enough Modes And Options 55 40 55 135 Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 300 Variety Of Weapons, And The Music Touchy Control 40 40 40 135 Duck Dodgers Infogrames Looney Tunes Graphics Simple Gameplay 30 45 30 133 Fighter Destiny 2 South Peak Unique Point Scoring System Unresponsive Control 30 134 WE Indy Racing 2000 Infogrames Fast And Fun Racing Gameplay The Graphics Are Slightly Blurry 8.0 134 IW Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Nintendo Old-School 2D Gameplay In 3D None 90 75 85 134 © Madden NFL 2001 EA Sports Sharp And Smooth Graphics Madden/Summeral Commentary 9.0 135 @ Mario Tennis Nintendo Doubles Action Losing At Multiplayer 95:099 0) 135 Perfect Dark Rare Limitless Multiplayer Options Stuttering Framerate 10 95 10 131 PGA European Tour Infogrames Real Courses Too Hard To Pick Just Опе ПЗ ОТО; 134 Rally Challenge 2000 South Peak Race Options Graphics, Especially In Multiplayer Modes | 3.5 134 № StarCraft 64 Nintendo Best RTS Console Controls Ever Slowdown 9:059 0591.9: 134 PlayStation Action Bass Take 2 It Only Costs 10 Bucks It's Not Worth Much More Than That 45 135 Armorines Acclaim Exploding Spiders The Graphics Are Pretty Ugly 40 35 30 133 Army Men: World War 300 Sound Effects Glitches, Bugginess 210255205225) 132 Aonthly - 212 бате Bust-A-Groove 2 Chrono Cross Digimon World Expendable Flintstones Bedrock Bowling Gekido Grind Session Grudge Warriors Iron Soldier 3 ISS Pro Evolution Koudelka Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed Legend of Dragoon Legend of Mana Madden NFL 2001 Monster Rancher Battle Card: Ep. || Mortal Kombat: Special Forces NCAA Football 2001 NCAA GameBreaker 2001 NFL GameDay 2001 N.Gen Racing Nightmare Creatures || Parasite Eve || Pro Pinball: Fantastic Journey Rayman 2 Rhapsody RPG Maker Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage Spider-Man Surf Riders Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins Test Drive Le Mans Threads of Fate Valkyrie Profile Vampire Hunter D Who Wants To Be A Millionaire X-Men: Mutant Academy е Boy/Game Boy Color 1942 All-Star Baseball 2001 Crystalis Dragon Warrior 1811 Frogger 2 Galaga Perfect Dark O*Bert Spider-Man Test Drive Le Mans. Tomb Raider Wario Land 3 Wacky Races Warlocked X-Men: Mutant Academy Publisher Enix Square EA Bandai Infogrames South Peak Interplay Sony CEA Take 2 Vatical Konami Infogrames Midway Sony CEA Square EA EA Sports Tecmo Midway EA Sports 989 Sports 989 Sports Infogrames Konami Square EA Empire Interactive Ubi Soft Atlus Agetec SNK Activision Ubi Soft Activision Infogrames Square EA Enix Jaleco Sony CEA Activision Capcom Acclaim Nintendo Enix Majesco Majesco Rare Majesco Activision Infogrames THO Nintendo Infogrames Nintendo Activision Best Feature Some Cool Level Effects Stunning Music Tamagotchi-esque Breeding Fluffy Special Effects The Official Voice Actors Do The Lines It's А Beat-'Em-Up On The PS Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Feel No One Forces You To Play Two-Player Cooperative Mode Spiffy Graphics And Animation CG Movies High Scoring Beautiful CG Cinemas Great 2D Hand-Drawn Artwork Madden Cards Random Monster Generator Using CD Beat Guys Up! Still A Very Competent Sim Keith Jackson Tackles Animations Awesome Speed Movie-Like Production Values Resident Evil-Style Gameplay The Price Excellent Style Great Dialogue Comprehensive Suite Of Tools You Can Turn It Off Swinging Around As Spidey Cool Surf Tunes Day And Night Missions Lots Of Options Two Separate Quests Battle System, Beautiful Graphics Slick Anime Styling Technically Faithful To TV Show Great For Fans Old-School Vertical Shootin’ Simple, Yet Still Fun Graphics Two RPGs For The Price Of One Classic Frogger Gameplay It's Portable Galaga Gameplay Variety Just Like Arcade Looks Really Good For A GBC Game Loads Of Cars, Tracks And Features True Tomb Raider Feel Excellent Graphics, Difficult Puzzles Smooth 3D Scrolling On The GBC Those Wizards Graphics Electronic Gaming Monthly - 278 Worst Feature Music Isn't Very Good The Game Ends No Analog Control Shoddy Controls It's Not Bowling. Why, God, Why? Frustratingly Cheap Hits It's Just Not Very Original Does Not Provide Any Entertainment Some Missions Too Darn Frustrating Automatic Player Switching Uneven Enemy Difficulty Limited Playbook Robotic-Sounding Dialogue Weak Battle System Madden Opening His Mouth Repetitive Gameplay The Whole Game Is Half-Assed Not Much Different Than Last Edition Suspect А! Al Could Still Be Better Awkward Button Configuration Cheap, Crappy Gameplay Tedious Puzzles There's Only One Table Camera Boring Fighting Steep Learning Curve For SNK's Last U.S. Effort, It Blows Camera In Enclosed Areas Gets Repetitive Quickly Camera, Sluggish Control Bad Music And Sound Annoying Autoaiming Sometimes A Little Monotonous Frustrating Controls Lame Multiplayer Mode Lame Al/Combos Horrible, Horrible “Music No Multiplayer Aggravating Play Mechanics Games Feel Slightly Dated Questionable Maze Design Can't See Incoming Attacks Idiotic Guards Controls Are A Bit Tough Far Too Difficult For The Youngins Frustrating Control Monotonous At Times Bosses Are Too Easy The Whole Experience Is Far Too Brief Troops Get Lost Too Easily Way Way Way Too Simple Scores 60 9,5 10 35 05 65 60 15 55 10 60 65 60 60 95 65 15 TS 10 65 10 40 80 15 90 10 90 20 80 30 10 15 65 90 40 60 1.0 5.5 65 65 95 80 10 55 50 15 30 85 85 8.0 9.0 20 60 10 30 [2] 45 55 70 6.5 5.0 70 9.0 6.0 8.5 15 10 60 45 80 85 60 80 85 15 15 5.5 90 45 65 6.5 15 85 5.5 80 95 85 1.0 50 10 90 85 Issue # 134 134 134 132 135 132 132 133 134 134 133 132 133 133 135 134 135 134 135 135 133 132 135 135 133 133 133 135 135 133 135 132 133 134 135 133 134 134 134 134 135 135 135 135 135 135 135 133 133 134 135 134 қа Dg Draconus © What we said: *The story is interesting, with excellent narration...just when you start hating this game, something cool happens..." How we rated it: What you said: People who don't like Draconus are smoking crack. The game has a few minor problems, but nothing that takes away from the overall experience. Once | got used to the battle system, and earned some weapon and armor upgrades (one of the best features of the game, by the way), | had a TON of fun playing through this game. And the nice thing is, there are so many levels...HUGE levels, filled with all sorts of enemies. When you throw in the incredible graphics, crystal-clear sound effects and excellent narration, | don't think you can find a better action/adventure title on the Dreamcast. | couldn't help but get caught up in the story either (this really kept me going level after level). When you're all done with one adventure, you have a whole new character to play through the game with again. You can't beat that. Sean Cauffield Woodridge, IL Kirby 64 ін 1.5 What we said: “It looks like a kid's game, but do not be fooled!...slower pace and low difficulty made it hard to stay interested...for anyone who loves a solid platformer...” How we rated it: 9.0 1.8 What you said: I think Ра be happy if Kirby games were the only carts that came out on the N64. There's something about the way Kirby and his world are so cute, yet every level and boss fight have so much action and emotion involved. | love this “People who don't like Draconus are smoking crack." Here's your chance to vent your views on recently released games. If you have something you think needs to be said about either one of our reviews or a game you've recently bought, e-mail us your thoughts at review crewGziffdavis.com or write to us at the following address: EGM Reader Reviews, P.0. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 juxtaposition of elements. | realize there are times when the game is really easy, and this is a bummer. But 90 percent ої the time things kick a whole lot of butt. Take the graphics and neat-o effects for instance. And what about the interesting level design? That's not to mention the variety of enemies, and how you can transform into so many combinations of things. For my money, there is no other game that's as fun as Kirby (except maybe the Wario Land games). Ра give this one a perfect 10. Bethany Whitaker Grand Island, NE Tomb Raider GBC « What we said: “The gameplay is adequate for a handheld action/adventure, but could definitely be better...isn't mindless side- scrolling crap like other GBC titles..." How we rated it: What you said: For a Game Boy Color game, Tomb Raider looks incredible (especially the animation). But when you look past the graphics and all of that stuff, there isn't much to the game. Many of the levels look the same, and really all of the puzzles are the same sort of thing over and over and over again. And where in the heck are boss battles? It's almost like Core got so far in the development process but then had to get the game out on schedule, so they 1.0 What we said: "Chrono Cross is a masterpiece, plain and simple...There just isn't a weak link...Buy this game!" How we rated Chrono Gross > it: 10 10 What you said: Graphically, Chrono Cross is almost flawless. The game features pre- rendered backgrounds, same as FFVII and FFVIII, with 3D characters. The characters themselves look good, and do not suffer the pixelation problem that FFVIII had. In terms of music, Chrono Cross really shines. Featuring probably some of the best works of Yasunori Mitsuda, the music is truly something to remember. The opening theme was excellently done, and complements the intro quite well. Other notable tracks are the overworld themes, as well as the boss theme. My only complaint is the final boss song, which....well I'll let you hear it yourself. Allin all, Chrono Cross is a very good RPG. It has everything a hly - 274 good RPG should have: interesting story, challenging battles, excellent music. However, compared to most RPGs today, Chrono Cross is quite short. Even the creators admitted that you can finish the game in 30 hours. Besides that, Chrono Cross is probably not suitable for those searching for a simple story, as the story is anything but that. Some of the major battles are also almost impossible to win, which gets frustrating sometimes, although luckily there aren't many of these. But if you don't mind any of these, then rest assured: Chrono Cross is the excellent game it is hyped up to be, and delivers much more than that. Rating: 10 James Ng address withheld “к has everything а доо! RPG should have: interesting Story, challenging battles, excellent music.” failed to implement more puzzles and other gameplay ideas. Certain areas can be fun, but | wish | wouldn't have bought it. Matt Pilford Albuquerque, NM Wario land з 8 What we said: “Wario 3 is an even mix of platform- style gameplay and puzzle solving... Is it wrong for a man to be in love with a video game?..." How we rated it: 8.9 9.5 9.0 What you said: Maybe I’m insane, but Wario Land 3 doesn't do much for me. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that you can't die. Sure, it's innovative or whatever but it's also annoying. Half of the time | didn't know where | was supposed to go next, and the rest of the time І didn't know what | was supposed to do. Am | supposed to be on fire? Or maybe a ball of yarn? | don't know. Maybe I’m just not hardcore enough or something, but | like games that are a little bit more linear. I’m going to pick up Perfect Dark instead. Bobby Jones Dayton, OH WWF SmackDown! > What we said: “Тһе game engine far surpasses anything else on the market...The thing controls like a dream...enough WWF schtick to satisfy any fan..." How we rated it: What you said: The ватерјау...! can't figure why people give their praises here. The controls are simple, but despite the fast rate of the game, that's not a good thing. Similar to the problems in how the moves look, the execution seems rather departed from the action. That might sound a little crazy at first, but once you realize you can't land more than two hits in almost any situation, it becomes apparent that the way you win in this game is just timing throws, and that something great. The fact that the quality varies so much between characters is an extreme letdown. The lack of real impact in the moves keeps you from feeling dominant or toasted. It's a playable game certainly, but there is no real reward for running through the season mode extensively (unless you NEED to look at a few extra people), weapons feel useless (no horrible noises or even real damage), and there's just not much that is genuinely impressive. Rent it first —this isn't a groundbreaking title, and | don't suggest just running out and buying it if you haven't already. Rating: 6.4 Arkala Miserachordia Portland, ME X-Men: Mutant Academy > What we said: “While the game has responsive controls, the enemy А! is surprisingly dimwitted...after extended play or against the CPU it gets dull..." How we rated it: 1.0 6.5 10 "Any fan of X-Men will be hard-pressed to find a game that's as good...” really is not much fun. The story mode, or whatever you want to call it, adds very little to the game, the fact it exists is welcome, but the writing displayed is groaningly matter-of-fact, and downright terrible in wording. (Farooq's name is actually misspelled to give you an idea of quality.) There just isn't enough here to get excited about, all that it really adds to gameplay is occasionally weakening someone. And the rewards, because of the totally lackluster create a wrestler feature, are no encouragement to keep going. The game comes off as pretty soulless in my eyes; nothing gives you the idea that the developers really wanted to make Electronic Gaming Monthly - 275 What you said: This is the best fighting game I’ve played. Any fan of X-Men will be hard- pressed to find a game that's as good that has all of the Marvel Mutants in one place. And once you finish the game, there are tons of secrets to find (hidden characters, modes and a bunch of other stuff). | think it's not getting the attention it deserves mainly because it's not from Namco or Capcom. This is a load of crap in my opinion, since X-Men has all of the gameplay, modes, characters and options Tekken and the Street Fighter games ever had. Excelsior! Chris Shepherd lowa City, ЈА SYDNEY CONVENTION CENTER SHOOTING CENTER, CECIL PARK VELODROME, BANKSTOWN 2 | OLYMPIC SPRINT CYCLING SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL REGATTA CENTER, PENRITH LAKES KAYAK K1 100M FREESTYLE SWIMMING 10M PLATFORM DIVING EVERYONE AVAILABLE ON THESE GAMING SYSTEMS CONTENT RATED BY 1 PlayStation ESRB 2 DEVELOPED BY Е Ара ао L www.olympics.com A еі [m] о = Dreamcast. www.olympicvideogames.com e OFFICIAL VIDEO GAME GAMEPLAY FEATURES: • 12 challenging events • 32 countries • 4 gameplay modes: head-to-head, Olympic, coaching, and arcade + 2 gold medal commentators OLYMPIC STADIUM | | HIGH JUMP JAVELIN 100M SPRINT | = — Á—————ÓÁÍ— nra ТЕТ THE GAMES BEGIN, МАТЕ. 110M HURDLES: TRIPLE JUMP и ——7 > Copyright © 2000 International Olympic Committee. All rights reserved. Distribution in the United States authorized by the US Olympic Committee. 36USC220506. TM © SOCOG 1996. Developed by Attention to Detail (АТО). Published by Eidos Interactive, Inc. under license. Eidos, Eidos Interactive, Inc., and the Eidos Interactive, Inc. logo are registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive, Inc. Sega, Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, 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. АП rights reserved. Screenshots shown are from the Sega Dreamcast version. Tricks Trade By Trickman Terry tricks @ziffdavis.com Bust-A-Move 4 Cool Codes On the Title Screen with “Press Start Button” flashing, enter the following codes for the results shown. Е Another World X, Left, Right, Left, X. You will hear a sound if the code was entered correctly. Now you will have more puzzles available in Puzzle mode under the Arcade setting. More Characters Right, Right, X, Left, Left. You will hear a cheering sound if entered correctly. On the Character Select Screen, you will have access to more characters. Tarot Card Reading Up, X, Down, X, Up. You'll hear a sound if entered correctly. At ____tricks > 7iffdavis.com Ме want your tricks! We want to include your best codes and tricks in every issue, to тия along with ай our great tricks we pack in ‘every issue. You can even win prizes if we pick yours as Trick of the Month! "зве page 289 for contest rules STARTED ЛО, the game menu, go into the Option Screen to see the new Tarot Reading (Love) option. Talk Demo You must first enter the More Characters and Tarot Card Reading codes as shown above before entering this code. Then at the Title Screen, press X, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, X, Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, X. At the game menu, go into the Option Screen to see the new Talk Demo option. АП Tripods, Classes and Tracks On the Main Menu, highlight the vehicle select and hold the X«Y buttons simultaneously. While holding these, press Up, Left, Down, Right, Right, Up, Down, Right. You will hear a sound when the trick is entered correctly. Now access the vehicle and track select options to see all the new tripods, classes and tracks at your disposal. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 278 Striker Pro 2000 Be the Ball In the middle of the game, press Start to pause. Now press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Left, Right, Right, L-Trigger, L-Trigger, L-Trigger, R-Trigger, L-Trigger, R- Trigger, L-Trigger. Press Start to go back to the game and then hold the L-Trigger+R-Trigger simultaneously and hold Right on the D-pad to move the ball up, and hold Left on the D-pad to move the ball down. Rapid Evolution Once your Seaman eggs have hatched and four have been eaten by the Nautilus, they will evolve. Once this evolution process happens, you can do this trick. After you’ve saved your session, turn the Dreamcast off and pop open the lid on your system. Turn on the power again and when the screen comes up, access the Settings file. Change the Date/Time to one or two days ahead. Set it and then start up E the Seaman game again. The game will think that this time has actually passed. Repeat this process to develop your Seaman more rapidly. Remember to clean the tank and heat it each time to make sure he’s growing well. тће PERFECT DARK insider У PERFECT DUCK HUNT On the first solo mission, dataDyne Central - Defection, you can do a little target practice on the passing cars. Just work your way up to one of the rooms with a wall taken up by windows and shoot out one of them. Now watch for a passing car, take aim and fire! Thanks to Joe Wags for this fun little waste of time. Wait for it... Wait for it... KABLAM!!! BIG OUCH! This is another method that works in the firing range. Position yourself so that you are halfway between the door of the firing range and the entrance to it. If you are far enough in the range, you can press Start to access your weapons. Pick the Crossbow and fire away at the | lackeys! Oh, how fun Wee it is to stick a 1 |__| plethora of arrows EASIER ESCAPE | In Area 51 - Escape, get to the end of the level with the UFO. When Jonathan and Elvis are talking, make your way up the ramp and across to the computers that control the hangar doors. When Jonathan talks about escaping on the hoverbike, access the computer to the inner door, then the outer Got your own PD tidbit for us? Send иза letter or e-mail us at EGM@ziffdavis.com, subject: Perfect Dark. If we choose your letter you'll get your name іп ЕСМ and maybe even a little somethin’ extra! SECRET SHAFT Note: You need an explosive weapon such as the Rocket Launcher to use in the Cheat Solo Missions, in order to do this trick. In the Carrington Institute, access the computer in "hacker central" with the Cheats on it. If you've unlocked the Rocket Launcher under Weapons for Jo in Solo, turn on this cheat. Exit this menu. Choose Cheat Solo Missions. Play the dataDyne Central - Defection level on any difficulty. Make кт unos] YOur way down the єт ien]. platform in the beginning of the level and shoot the first guard and go in the double doors and shoot the guard around the corner. Go down the ramps and over by the security hub. To the right of the security hub is a large shaft. Switch to the Rocket Launcher and fire a rocket at the shaft. This will make a hole in the middle of it. Go through the hole and you will drop into a small room. Turn to your left and fire another rocket at the far wall. This will make a hole that you can see after the smoke clears. Now switch to your Punch and go through the hole. You will be in Cassandra's office. Run up and punch her to take her out, but don't shoot her or you will fail the mission. Exit door. The cinema will show the UFO escaping. This is much quicker than having Jonathan do it all. Thanks go to James E. Messina. чы a EE Ghonissapening | through the large doors to surprise the guards, which makes them easier to kill. Thanks go to Loren Walsted for a this secret! De Vries’ nerklac Zr BS RUMOR WATCH ture to look like it really existed SWEET SCENARIOS There seems to be a thriller/ scary movie theme for this month’s scenarios. Bring up your Combat Simulator and try these settings: SURVIVAL HORROR (RESIDENT EVIL) Check out this one sent in by Richard Sue. Scenario: Combat Options: No Radar and Fast Movement Arena: Felicity Weapons: Combat Knife, Falcon 2, DY357 Magnum, Shotgun, AR34, Rocket Launcher Optional Weapon Substitutions: Shield, Reaper, Mines, Devastator, Laser or Farsight XR-20 Limits: Your Choice Simulants: 2-5 FistMeatSims, 1-2 FistHardSims, and 1 RocketDarkSim Teams: Humans VS. Simulants Other Team Options: Be the Blue team and name your team S.T.A.R.S. Make the Sims be the Brown team Soundtrack Music: Maian Tears HOLLOW MAN Scenario: Combat Options: Default (for a more difficult challenge, try No Radar Arena: Felicity Weapons: 2 Tranquilizers, 2 Falcon 2 guns, Thermal Goggles, Cloaking Device Limits: Team Score of 10 or 10 minutes Simulants: None Teams: 3 oni (Three people must wear the Thermal Goggles and the one person that plays as Hollow Man will have the Cloaking Device There’s a pretty realistic-looking hoax going around that involves the rumored GoldenEye Archives level. Someone made up a pic- in the game. Alas, this is not true. This one’s been fooling a lot of people, so it gets an 8.5 out of 10 on the EGM-PD-BS-O-METER. on.) In the scenario, the three other people must try to kill the invisible player. Thanks go to Ryan Posey for this scenario. TRICKS TOP 10 TRICKS The top 10 games of the last month given the full- on Trickman treatment: 1. Perfect Dark (N64) Weird Cassandra in Cinema In the third part of the first mission (dataDyne Central - Extraction), play on Agent setting and finish first. objective. Go to the last room where Cassandra talks to you with her bodyguards. Before finishing the second objective (defeating her bodyguards), run up the stairs and catch up with Cassandra before she leaves the building. Shoot her multiple times to get rid of her shields. Follow her outside, she'll stand still. Now shoot up her face until it looks bad. Now go back into the building and take care of her guards. This completes the second objective. Go back outside and rendezvous at the helipad (third objective). While the cinema is playing, you'll see. that her face will be mangled. 2. Pokémon Trading Card (GB) Find Codes Send in codes for this game. If we print yours, you'll score a free game! 3. 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 experience points. This is especially useful if the Pokémon has no initial attack in its first form. 4. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (Ps) Cool Codes Enter the following cheat while paused during play. If done correctly, the screen will shake. Blowout Trick This blows open the game, and a new character. From the menu, access Career Mode. Begin a new game and press NINTENDO 64 GoldenEye 007 Cheat Menu Button Codes Enter these codes on the Cheat Menu Screen with the L- Shoulder and R-Shoulder buttons, C buttons and D-pad. You will hear a beep to confirm correct code entry. You will have to exit the Cheat Menu and enter it again to make each code appear. These codes are tricky, so make sure to hold the buttons for about one or two seconds before going to the next step of the code. Gold PP7 Hold L+R-Shoulders and press Right, hold L+R-Shoulders and press Down, L-Shoulder+Up, hold L+R-Shoulders and press Down, C-Up, R-Shoulder+Up, hold L+R-Shoulders and press Right, L-Shoulder+Left, Down, L- Shoulder+C-Down. All Guns Down, Left, C-Up, Right, L- Shoulder+Down, L- Shoulder+Left, L-Shoulder+Up, C-Left, Left, C-Down. [22 Grenade Launcher Press R-Shoulder+ Down, R- Shoulder+Up, Right, hold L+R- Shoulders and press C-Down, L- houlder+Right, R- oulder+Left, Left, Down, Up, -Shoulder+C-Down. X Rocket Launcher ress R-Shoulder+Right, L- oulder+Up, Down, Down, R- houlder+ C-Down, L- houlder+Left, L-Shoulder+C- Left, R-Shoulder+Up, R- Shoulder+Down, R-Shoulder+C- Left. Indy Racing 2000 шо (OU CN z 0 Ut АЦ Gold Cup Cars and Gallery Option БА! Gold Cup Cars From the Main Menu, access the Gold Cup option. Choose an empty file and put in YOU. DA MAN for the name. On the Gold Cup Racing Menu, all the cars will be open and you will have golds for every set of cars. Gallery Option From the Main Menu, access the Gold Cup option. Choose an empty file and put in WOODY. COOKIES for the name. As soon as you choose "Done," the gallery option will appear. 100:00.39 LAP TIME Here is a key to the functions of the gallery: A = Zoom in, B = Zoom out, C-Up = Rotate clockwise, C-Down = Rotate counter clockwise, L-Shift = Switch views, R-Shift = Switch galleries, Analog stick = Rotate view, Down on D-pad = Switch between top and side views and change animation rate, Start — Exit. LAYS} Eagle One: Harrier Attack Invincibility, Level Select and Infinite Ammunition Invincibility At the Main Menu Screen, access the Options Menu. Now press R1, 11, R2, L2, 11. You will hear a sound to confirm the trick was entered correctly. Еее Select At the Main Menu Screen, access the Options Menu. Now press R1, L1, R2, L2, Start. You will hear a sound to confirm the trick was entered correctly. Infinite Ammunition At the Main Menu Screen, access the Options Menu. Now press R1, L1, R2, L2, R1. A tone will confirm if entered correctly. 280 Awesome Tricks On the Main Menu Screen, enter the following tricks to acquire these results as shown below. All Arcade Mode Tracks, Classes and Jets Ка, 12, Ri; R2, ГӘ; R2, L2; 11. NGEN Mode Extra Jets R1, R2, L1, L2, L2, L1, R2, R1. 400,000,000 Credits R2, L2, R2, L1, R2, R1, R2, L1. HEY, YOU; WANNA WIN FREE STUFF? If your trick is selected a of the Month, you will win a GameShark provi by InterAct, and a Pro Shock, or a Hyper64, ога VIPER controller from Fire International. If you are given credit for submitting a hot trick in this section, you will win a free game. See page 289 for rules. Note: If you send your trick by e-mail, you must include your real name and address. Send your best tricks, codes, Web sites, anything that can help make games more fun or interesting to: Tricks of the Trade Р.О. Box 3338 Oak Brook IL 60522-3338 to: or send e-mai tricks@ziffdavis.com | EX PlayStation? expeqtencemtnemutugemommentegcvatnment EW TOUR play the Hottest neu PlayStation’ 2 canes free admission e multi-play е cool prizes Los Angeles ® San Diego • Ontario • New York • New Jersey \ | и е Baltimore е Washington D.C. е Delaware • Boston • Зап Francisco | october 13th through november 5th “во to у ми to find the єв store and event Locations in your city. Play until you drop! o "PlayStation" and the "ре" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony сот ы Entertainment Inc. Produced by: а TRICKS ТОР 10 TRICKS Start to pause. Press and hold the L1 button and enter Circle, Right, Up, Down, Circle, Right, Up, Square, Triangle. The Screen shakes if entered correctly. Go to the Main Menu Screen. Choose to continue the Career Mode and Officer Dick, all tapes, levels, medals, stats and FMV movies will become available. 5. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (N64) Awesome Cheats All Tapes Choose Career Mode from (һе Main Menu and begin your game. While playing, press Start to pause. Press and hold the L button. While holding it, press Right-C, Left, Up, Up-C, Up-C, Right, Down, Up. The screen will shake if entered correctly. Faster Specials Choose Career Mode from the Main Menu and begin your game. While playing, press Start to pause. Press and hold the L button. While holding it, press Up-C, Left, Down-C, Down-C, Up, Down, Right. The screen will shake if entered correctly. 6. Wario Land 3 (GB) Find Codes Send in codes for this game. If we print yours, you'll score a. free game! 1. Spec Ops (PS) Find Codes Send in codes for this game. If we print yours, you'll score a free game! 8. Pokémon (Blue) (68) Fight Safari Zone Pokémon This will allow you to fight and catch the Safari Zone Pokémon outside the Safari Zone. You must have a Pokémon with the Surf Ability. Go to the Safari Zone and enter the area where the Pokémon you are trying to catch is found. Stay there until the time runs out. Go to the Seafoam Islands by surfing South of Fuchsia City. Be sure you don't encounter апу 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 PLAYSTATION NCAA Football 2001 Secret Codes At the Main Menu, select the Game Settings. Then highlight and enter the Secret Codes Menu. Now press Select and enter any of these cheats. You'll hear “It’s in the game” if entered correctly. Full Poll POPULARITY (Press R1 twice on the Poll Screen to view more team rankings. Slower Players CEMENTFEET А! Stadiums Unlocked OPENSESAME View CPU Plays MINDREADER Faster Players SCRAMBLE Faster Daytime Effects DAYNIGHT Maximum Attribute Points BALLER Maximum Recruiting Points HEADCOACH Receivers Always Catch HANDSOFGLUE Defense Always Intercepts OSKIE Wind at Maximum SAFETY Change the Date Y2K Juggernaut Team BULLDOZER Populous: - The Beginning Cheat Mode At the Main Menu Screen, begin a New Game. Choose the first Scenario; The Journey Begins. Move arrow onto a tree in the level and press X. Do this for every tree in the level. Then press Start to pause. You will See a new option at the bottom of the list called “Cheats.” You can now access all buildings, spells and maximum mana! X-Men: Mutant Academy Unlock Everything Яо" the Main Menu Screen, press Select, Up, L2, R1, L1, R2. You will hear a voice if the code was entered correctly. Now go to the Arcade, Survival or Academy modes and you will be able to play as Toad, Mystique, Sabretooth and Magneto. In Cerebro mode, you will have access to all the cinemas and behind-the-scenes footage! GAME BOY Army Men Essential Passwords From the Main Menu Screen, move down and select Password. Now enter any of the symbol passwords below to open up various levels in the game. Desert - All Cactus Flats Levels: Machine Gun, Grenade, Machine Gun, Grenade. All Casa Plastica Levels: Jeep, Jeep, Grenade, Machine Gun. All Winding Canyon Levels: Machine Gun, Mortar, Machine Gun, Helicopter. Alpine - Prison Camp Levels: Plane, Machine Gun, Grenade, Machine Gun. Winding River Levels: Plane, Tank, Mortar, Jeep. All Levels Open (Desert and Alpine): Plane, Tank, Plane, Machine Gun. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 282 Croc Open All Levels On the Main Menu Screen, access the Password option. Now enter РОНРВЕОНЈВ to get access to all levels, but no pickups. Hot Wheels Stunt Track Racer Ай vehicles and Levels On the Main Menu Screen, select the Password option and enter this code with the D-pad and buttons: Down, Left, Up, A, Down, Right. Tazmanian Devil: Munching Matiness Level Passwords China Level BLGNGJPDFFT) Switzerland Level LMBPBKTFKDPK 1-900-PRE VIEW The number to call for the GameShark Codes ЗРАМСА ПЕР оғ Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 Start On Lap Four D1FB807BCo705041, D1F8807B00000003 Always Place 1st 591474F3Co707041 Always Place 1st 591774F300000000 Rayman 2 Flying Rayman 89E080A320704E1E 58FBo4DBoooo0040 Have Swinging Power Up Е23768СЕ00000060 Infinite Health 5E3304DBoooooo1E Infinite Air D4ooCE4DooooooE1 Seaman Air Never Drops When Game On 2DF76F200000FFFF Heat Never Fluctuates When Game 15 Оп 335928220000418В Silver Мах HP 1st Character 8EA3BBBCo00003E7 D458B563000003E7 Max МР 1st Character 8153ВВВСооооозЕ7 1САд2020000003Е7 Infinite Gold F8518F6800000010 NINTENDO 64 Asteroids Hyper 64 Infinite Lives 8007F90E0063 Infinite Points 8107F8FEFFFF Infinite Armageddon 8107F8920001 Infinite Items on Pickup 8107F8A2270F Hydro Thunder Armed Response 802B5CA2 0001 Enable Code Ғі24ҒҒАо2400 Place ast 812C4C960001 Infinite Turbo 8o2C4CoDooFF Enable All Tracks 812B5C940101, 812B5C960101 812B5C980101, 81285С9А0101 812B5C9Co101, 81285С9Е0101 812B5CAo0101 Enable All Boats 812B5CA20101, 812B5CA40101 812B5CA60101, 812B5CA80101 812B5CAA0101, 812B5CACo101 812B5CAEo101 Pokémon Snap Rapid Fire Apples and Bombs 80382CB70000 Have Apples, Bombs and Flute 803AE51F0004. Have Apples and Bombs 803AE51F0002 PLAYSTATION Strider 2 Infinite Health 800ABA320006, 800ABA340006 Max Score 800D9DECEOFF, 800D9DEEo5F5 Have Infinite Boosts 800ABB380004 Unlock All Levels 300D9E070006 Stop Timer 30009Е030063 Hien Mode 800A8D5A0001 Stop Timer (Strider 1)8006308A0032 Max Score (Strider 1) 80062F5CEoFF Max Score (Strider 1) 80062F5E05F5 Infinite Lives (Strider 1)80062F520363 Have Robot (Strider 1) 80062F860100 Tenchu 2 RIKIMARU: Press SELECT for Ninja Rebirth Available at Weapon Select Screen DooCE97AFFFE, 8001002CFFFo АҮАМЕ: Press SELECT for Ninja Rebirth Available at Weapon Select Screen DooCEZ97AFFFEZ, 8001004AFFFo AYAME & RIKIMARU: Invisible to Normal Enemies EZoo8CDC80000, 3008CDC80002 X-Men: Mutant Academy Ра Infinite Health | 800A1EZ5CB400 P2 Infinite Health ^ 800A2432B40 GAME BOY Mr. Driller Infinite Air 016486C6 Infinite Lives о10283С6 Tomb Raider: Starring Lara Croft Have Gold Bars 0163B3C1 Have Iris 0163B4C1 Have Snake Eye, Nightmare Stone апа Orb о1ЕЕВ5С1 Have Staff Segment 1 0163B7C1 Have Staff Segment 2,3 о1ҒҒВ8Сі Have Heavy Bullets 01638EC1 Infinite Health O1FF89C1 Infinite 02 ОТРЕВАСТ Have Large Health Paks о163АСС1 Have Small Health Paks 0163ADC1 Have Door Keys 0163AEZC1 Have Panel Pieces 0163AFC1 Have Dynamite 0163BoC1 Have Snake Key 0163В1С1 Have Skeleton Key 0169B1C1 Have Alter Key 0169В1С1 Have Rapid Bullets 016380С1 Rampage 2: Universal Tour Play as Bosses Play as Lizzie On the Main Menu Screen, highlight and enter the Password option. On the Password Screen, enter S4VRS4560 as your code. Play as George On the Main Menu Screen, highlight and enter the Password option. On the Password Screen, enter SM14N1230 as your code. Рау as Ralph On the Main Menu Screen, highlight and enter the Password option. On the Password Screen, enter LVPVS7890 as your code. Иру as Myukus On the Main Menu Screen, highlight and enter the Password option. On the Password Screen, enter NoT3T3210 as your code. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Character Codes On the Main Menu Screen, enter any of these codes while highlighting Arcade Mode. Е Уліоск Кето Claw: Left, Left, Left, Right, Right, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right. Unlock Nat Daddy: Right, Right, Right, Left, Left, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left. Unlock Damien Black: Right, Left, Right, Right, Left, Left, Right, Right, Right, Left, Left, Left. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 283 TOP 10 TRICKS half land, and half water. 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. Hidden Stuff As you play through an entire season іп SmackDownl, you will either unlock secret characters or get extra attribute points for your created wrestler. Here is a list of what you will unlock each year. ast Year: lvory, 2nd Year: Prince Albert 3rd Year: Jaqueline 4th Year: Viscera 5th Year: 80 points for created wrestlers 6th Year: Mideon 7th Year: Gerald Brisco 8th Year: Pat Patterson gth Year: 90 points for created wrestlers 10. Pokémon (Red) (GB) Infinite Items WARNING: USE THIS TRICK AT YOUR OWN RISK. Now you can give yourself an unlimited supply of whatever item you have in your sixth inventory slot. This trick only works in the Red and Blue versions of the game. First, head to Viridian City and talk to the old man who instructed you how to use Poké Balls. When he asks you, choose to watch his demonstration again. Then immediately fly to Cinnabar Island. Choose a Pokémon who has the Surf Ability. Ride up and down the east coast (hugging the shoreline) until you get into a battle. You will encounter one of two glitchy Pokémon, either one with a name made up of scrambled boxes or the infamous Missingno. Important: Do not catch any Pokémon that you encounter here. It will ruin your saved game! Run from every battle. After running from a battle with a glitch Pokémon, check your inventory. Whatever was in the sixth slot should have a strange symbol where the quantity used to be. This usually means that you have well over 100 of that item. This can be done repeatedly, so you essentially have infinite items. Now, you can have a ton of Master Balls or enough rare candy to power up all your Pokémon to level 100. Just don't power them up past that because you then run the risk of damaging your saved game. Star Wars Episode 1 PlayStation 2 FFVII EE Power Stone | WWF Attitude Dino Crisis Super Smash Bros. SFIII 3rd Strike Pokémon Pinball Issue #118-56.00 June '99 Gran Turismo 2 Resident Evil: Nemesis Crash Team Racing Soul Calibur Spyro2 Shao Lin Dino Crisis WWF Attitude Issue #119-$6.00 July "99 WWF Attitude Tekken Tag Tournament R-Type Delta Metal Gear Solid Integral Pokémon Stadium Carrier Donkey Kong 64 Issue #120-$6.00 Rugust '99 Resident Evil RE 3 Nemesis Jet Force Gemini Perfect Dark NFL 2000 Hydro Thunder Dino Crisis Tarzan NCAA Football 2000 Issue #121-$6.00 September 99 Dreamcast Final Fantasy VIII MGS Integral Soul Calibur Dune 2000 Pokémon Snap WCW Mayhem Issue #122-56.00 Tomb Raider: Last Rev. October "99 | Spider-Man WWF Wrestlemania 2K Twisted Metal 4 Strider 2 Seaman Zelda Gaiden Legend of Mana Chrono Cross Castlevania: Spec.Ed. Issue #123-$6.00 Issues Not Listed are Also Available! Tekken Tag Tournament November '99 Pokémon Phenomenon Pokémon Gold/Slvr. Final Fantasy Anth. Star Wars Episode 1 Road Rash 64 Jet Force Gemini Mario Golf (GBC) Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Issue #124-56.00 December 99 Donkey Kong 64 Tekken Tag Tournament Gran Turismo 2000 Street Fighter EX3 Resident Evil: Code Veronica WWF Attitude (DC) NBA Showtime Macross VF-X2 Ridge Racer 64 Issue #125-56.00 January ‘00 Dreamcast Purchase? Gran Turismo 2 Soul Reaver DC Zombie Revenge Tony Hawk М64 WWF SmackDown! Tomb Taider TLR Turok: Rage Wars Fear Effect Sega GT Issue #126-$6.00 February ‘00 | Crazy Taxi Pokémon Gold/Silver NHL 2K Syphon Filter 2 Pokémon Stadium Mario Party 2 1 Metal Gear: Ghost Babel Gran Turismo 2 Ridge Racer 64 Zelda Gaiden Issue m qas Driver2 MDK2 Space Channel 5 Syphon Filter 2 Front Mission 3 MLB 2001 Crazy Taxi Hot Shots Golf 2 Spider-Man Tony Hawk (DC) ГЕЙЕЕТЕОМТЕ a САМИМ; Issue #128-$6.00 April ‘00 Perfect Dark Final Fantasy IX, X ХІ Dead or Alive 2 Fur Fighters Sega GT Turok 3 Vagrant Story Evil Dead Daikatana Alone in the Dark Issue #129-$6.00 Tiff Davis Media Inc., Back Issues, Р.О. Box 3338, бак Brook, IL 60522-3338 — тео [ELECTRONIC Tony Hawk Ridge Racer V Gran Turismo 2000 Spider-Man X-Men | Tomb Raider 4 (DC) Star Trek Invasion Wild Arms 2 Tenchu 2 Street Fighter EX3 Issue озеш. Sega Strikes Back Phantasy Star Online | Quake Ill Arena Soul Reaver 2 Hey You Pikachu! RE Code: Veronica Excitebike 64 Pokémon Card Game PS2 Wipeout The World Is Not Enough Issue #131-$6.00 Final Fantasy IX Driver 2 PS2 Madden PS2 МВА Live PS2 NASCAR PS2 NHL Hockey Star Wars: Battle for Naboo Mega Man X ECCO the Dolphin Issue #132-56.00 August ‘00 Soul Reaver 2 Conker’s Bad Fur Day Tomb Raider GBC Metal Gear Solid 2 Space Channel 5 Seaman Zelda: Majora’s Mask Black & White Banjo-Tooie Star Wars: Starfighter Issue #133-$6.00 September ‘00 Pokémon Gold & Silver Seaman Jet Grind Radio Kirby 64 Smuggler’s Run Chrono Cross Dragon Warrior 1811 Dino Crisis 2 Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX Virtua Tennis Issue #134-$6.00 October ‘00 Zelda: Majora’s Mask Final Fantasy IX Game Boy Advance Onimusha Ogre Battle 64 Quake Ill Smuggler's Run Madden 2001 ТНР5 2 Магіо Теппі5 Issue s ELECTRONIC Check or Money order only Gn U.S. Funds) made out to: Ziff Davis Меша Inc. $3 for each magazine ($3 Ganada and Mexico, $5 foreign) Prices and availability subject to change without notice. Thanks :) 7 2) ZIFF DAVIS ^ Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President тн James D. Dunning, Jr. Chief Operating Officer and Senior Executive Vice President .............. Лот McGrade Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President President, Consumer Magazine Group Bob Madore „James J. Spanfeller President, Business Publication Group .............. А! Perlman Executive Vice President and Editorial Director . . Michael J. Miller (Editor-in-Chief, PC Magazine) Executive Vice President and Publishing Director . . .J. Scott Crystal (Consumer Magazine Group) Executive Vice President and Publishing Director (Ziff Davis SMART BUSINESS for the New Economy, Corporate Sales) d Bill Flatley Executive Vice President and Publishing Director .... 1 Peter Longo (Consumer Magazine Group) Senior Vice President (Circulation) ................ Charles Mast Vice President (Editor, eWEEK) -John Dodge. Vice President . б. Barry Golson (Editor-in-Chief, Vice President (Production) ................. Roger Herrmann. Vice President: 222222 ИЕ сате Gordon Lee Jones ||| (Publisher, Ziff Davis Smart Business for the New Economy") Vice President... ... алт ТІ Howard Kaplan (Marketing, Consumer Magazine Group) Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, eWEEK) ........... Eric Lundquist Vice President (Technology) .................... Bill Machrone Nice Presente А Michael Perkowski (Marketing, Business Publication Group) Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, FamilyPC) . Robin Raskin Vice President (General Counsel) . Carolyn Schurr Levin Vice President (Publisher, eWEEK) . . . + +» Sloan Seymour Vice President М Paul Somerson (Editorial Director, Ziff Davis Development) Vice President (Game Group) .................... 1 Dale Strang | Vice President (Human Resources) ............. Vincent Stabile eTesting Labs Vice President and General Manager -Mark Van Name Chief Technology Officer Bill Catchings Ziff Davis Меша Inc. Chairman, ‚ James D. Dunning, Jr. Chief Exect Chief Operating Officer ....................... Лот McGrade and Senior Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President... . Bob Madore President, Consumer Magazine Group ......... James J. Spanfeller President, Business Publication Group . Al Perlman President, Brand Development lustin McCormack Vice President and General Counsel 'arolyn Schurr Levin Chief Information Officer ........................ Kim Hoover Director of Communications .................. Elizabeth Estroff Publishing Consultant ........................... Chip Block Chris Johnston • chris johnstonGziffdavis.com Greg Sewart • greg_sewart@ziffdavis.com Kraig Kujawa • kraig_kujawa@ziffdavis.com Crispin Boyer е crispin_boyer@ziffdavis.com Jim Cordano • jim_cordano@ziffdavis.com James "Milk" Mielke е james mielkeGiffdavis.com FINAL WORD The Gamecube Cometh Chris: Nintendo did what they had to do at Space World—show everyone that even with X-Box and PlayStation 2 looming over the horizon they’ve still got what it takes. They decided to go against Sony’s “we are the embodiment of all that is entertainment and our system will control your toaster” line and go for the simple, yet effective, “мете out to make a damn good game machine.” Granted, we didn’t see gameplay footage from anything on Gamecube (and РИ hold my final judgment until then), but it’s exciting just to see what kinds of things can be done on the system. As for the look of the machine, | don’t care what anyone says, | dig the cube. It’s different, but it's far from the worst game system design I’ve ever seen (the toilet-esque Jaguar CD). Is this going to make anyone second guess a decision to buy a Dreamcast or a PS2? Probably not. If we as gamers decided not to buy a piece of hardware just because something new was on the horizon...well, we would never buy anything. Does it mean Microsoft's going to have a bigger challenge next fall? Count on it. Greg: Рт pretty excited about the cube, though | can’t get over that horrendous controller design. It looks like Batman dropped a Dual Shock into a vat of acid. The thing gives me nightmares! | am, however, very excited about the Game Boy Advance. Who wouldn’t want what is basically a portable SNES? But again with the design, what the hell? It looks very uncomfortable. At least Nintendo announced a new Metroid game! Kraig: Nintendo is obviously deciding once again to lock up the younger crowd that's put gazillions of $$ in their bank. They'll have their Joanna Dark games and sports games to try to attract the older players, but once again, Nintendo's game plan seems the same—X-Box and PS2, take all the older gamers you want. As for controller design, it may look stupid, but nothing could possibly be worse than the lame controller the N64 has. Crispin: Y'all need to quit harping on that poor controller. It looks like a jumbled pile of crap, sure, but wait until you actually try it with a game before you stick your noses up at it. I’m more interested in how the Game Boy Advance will work as a Gamecube controller. | think it'd be cool if Some games required you to use both the regular controller and the Game Boy Electronic Gaming Monthly - 285 Advance. Maybe something like a Metal Gear Solid-style game, where you control your spy character with the joypad but then have to use the GBA to pick locks or defuse bombs. The GBA will certainly give you a lot more interaction with the Gamecube than the PocketStation or VMU did with their systems. Jim: I'm really encouraged by what | see 50 far, including the design. | think it's nice to see them break out of the grey/black/white box and mix it up a little. The early screens look amazing, and the emphasis on the GBA interaction from the get-go seems to ensure that companies will incorporate it into their games on a much bigger scale than on other platforms. As far as the “kiddie” thing goes, just look at those Metroid shots! It seems like they may be the smartest contender in the console cold war yet. They had time to sit on the side- lines a little and hear what the pros and cons of the first two “next-gen” systems were, and build on them. One big example of this is the apparent distaste many developers have for programming for PS2. Nintendo says they concentrated on making the cube developer-friendly, and didn’t get caught up in making it the biggest and fastest. This could mean tons of good companies/titles flooding in if developers really are as pleased as Nintendo thinks they will be; and good games always win over flashy specs in my book. Where do | preorder? Milkman: | was semi-impressed by the Gamecube demos but then again, | was really impressed by the Mario face-pulling demo that was shown when the №64 first arrived. A year later the М64 didn't look so hot anymore. | can't tell from the specs what's going to appear on screen, but it doesn't look to outpace the PS2 in any way besides a purportedly programmer- friendly development environment. The fact that Retro Studios is doing the new Metroid game (Retroid?) doesn't inspire confidence. After all, they're little else besides an Iguana offshoot. It'd be like Naughty Dog doing the next Castlevania. I’m still looking forward to the Gamecube, as Nintendo always makes good games, but when it comes out it will be facing Nth-generation Dreamcast games, fourth-gen PS2 games and the X-Box. In my opinion it should be on the shelves right now! ЄТ Та» | @ кый ELECTRONIC Decemher 2000 Sî MONTHEY On sale Oct. 30 e You hought the PlayTested 2 system, now what The PlayStation 2 has landed, and we games should you welcome it with open arms and our game buy? All the answers rating clipboards. If you enjoyed our few PS2 = E 2 reviews in this issue, just wait for next month, in our PlayStation 2 when we'll look at Tekken Tag, Smuggler's review blowout! Run, FIFA and NHL 2001, Armored Core 2, Sipheed, Evergrace and lots more. The PlayStation 2 may be online in the future, but the Dreamcast has it now. We'll burn up e NFL 2K1 has arrived and now we can put the phone lines to review NFL 2K1 and the SegaNet to the test rest of the SegaNet online games. • Previews of Capcom vs SNK, Dragon Warrior ЛІ and Paper Mario How will Sega's NFL 2Кі perform over the Internet? We'll let you know. Demo Disc Playables • Spyro: Year of the Dragon • Ultimate Fighting Championship • Incredible Crisis • Jarrett & Labonte Stock Car Racing • Crash Bash Non-Playables • MGS2: Sons of Liberty • Final Fantasy IX • Driver 2 Star Wars Demolition • Cool Boarders 2001 Smuggler's Run is shaping up better than we anticipated. Get the full scoop on this potential hit next month. ae EO PlayStation Nov. 2000 MAGAZINE PlayStation 2 This month OPM will celebrate the launch of Sony’s latest and greatest machine: the PlayStation 2! They'll take a look at the PS2’s capabilities, the launch titles and the future of this mega-machine. Expect a full comple- ment of DVD-related news, as well as a look at the actual system launch. OPM will also have more than 30 PlayStation and PS2 reviews, including SSX, Ridge Racer V, Tony Hawk 2 and Dino Crisis 2. If that isn’t enough, check out the demo disc: It’s got running video of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty along with playable Crash Bash and Spyro: Year of the Dragon! PLILES GXLvGAMER Dino Crisis 2 Sony's über-machine is almost here and XG pays homage with an early introduction into PlayStation 2 strategies. They've got all the secrets, hints and gaming voodoo possible on three must-have launch titles: Tekken Tag Tournament, SSX and Ridge Racer V. Moving right along, don your jockstraps and hit the turf for some serious football. We're talking Madden (PS2), and we're talking NFL 2K1 (DC). Also, get old-school with a Street Fighter Ш: 3rd Strike (DC) strategy. Finally, XG throws a bone to all the regular PlayStation owners with a Dino Crisis 2 blowout. ly - 286 e Power Tools returns with an all-new line- up of gadgets. Nov. 2000 On sale Oct. 16 • Comprehensive guide to Dine Crisis 2 • Topnotch strategies fer Р52 launch games • Fall football fun with NFL 2K1 and Madden 2001 • Street Fighter Ill: 3rd Strike moves and combos • DVD feature on hidden tips and tricks for your flicks *All editorial content is subject to change. i BANDS OZZY Osbourne МіпейпсиМатів: CONTEST 1 - VIDEO GAMES Sony Playstation 2, Sega Dreamcast, PS1, and GameCube. Get all four or trade what you don’t want for cash. Options includé plenty of games, accesories and оше: Вазе prize package value accessories. ! All this and more could be yours. In these contests everyone starts out equal. There is no luck involved. You win the prizes by outscor- ing other players in games of skill. Begin your journey by solving the puzzle below. If you stick it out till the end and have the highest score, you go on a shopping spree and we foot the bill. This first puzzle is easy but it gives you an idea of how the contests work. You will receive full information when you enter. You have been given the opportunity to live your dream. Are you up to it? For each contest you enter, you will receive by mail, four more puzzles at $2 each and a tie-breaker at 51. You have three weeks to solve each CONTEST 2 - COMPUTER 700 MHz, 128 mb RAM, 27 gii hard drive,8X DVD-ROM, СО- drive, modem and 17" monitor. Options include software and Base prize package value $2600. га ш ї уо | СОМТЕЗТ 3 - НОМЕ ТНЕАТЕВ 60" big screen, 100 watt receiver with Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound, DVD, 200 CD changer, dual tape, HI- FI VCR and tower speakers. Options include Sattelite TV and camcorder. Base prize package value $7475. phase 1, 47% in phase 2, 39% in phase 3 and 34% in phase 4. The winner will have the highest score after the tie-breaker. 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. Follow the directions below to fill in the puzzle. Check the boxes on the entry form to speci- fy 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 if you don't enter. Only one entry per person. Prize totals are descibed below puzzle. ALL ENTRY FEES MUST BE PAID IN U.S. Limp Bizkit puzzle. We сап not predict the number of entries for FUNDS ONLY. WE WILL МОТ ACCEPT CANADIAN Papa Roach each phase. Typically 59% attain the highest score in | CHECKS. E tones DIRECTIONS Incubus й ees Fill in the puzzle with the correct words going across. Transfer each AC/DG) Р В | 2 Е Р U Z Z L E word's corresponding letter to the line a the end, This should spell РОВ the secret word going down. HINT: Read the secret word clue. Staínd WORD LIST Static TOWER -P LEGAL ENTER ME IN THE FOLLOWING CONTESTS: Led Zep EARTH -X EMPTY П ($3) Video Game [0 ($3) Home Theater GreenDa WORLD -U WATER zu Ug SPACE -W COAST П ($3) Computer [Д ($5) Enter All Three Nirvana -HARPY—O FIELD Slipknot SHARE -Z BLADE 102 ап тоге Name o PRODUCTS) о ا‎ T-shirts 5 ailing ress Apartment # Patches | 2 m Billboards: о City State Zip Posters | & = cos} = 2 Stickers о о | Area Code Phone Number Videos: 2 SEND CASH, MONEY ORDER OR CHECK ТО: i Y à BasetialliCaps a ELATION, Р.О. BOX 62126 DEPT 953, EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 55344 Promotional Photos z This puzzle is void where prohibited. Employees of Elation, Inc and its suppliers аге Key Chains DE пе aS Ter Ма m error Ше sponsor's (аршу is limit о the amount of ent fees paid. Elation is not responsible for lost, дејауе« and more What comes after yesterday or stolen тай. Winners wil be determined no later han December 01, 2001. THs Gon but before tomorrow? test is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. If you are under 18, you must have parents permission to play. © 2000 Elation, Inc. Value of prize packages as follows: Video Game package $1400 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 elation@uswest.net. or call us at 952-826-0033. BOARD GAMES Looney Tunes Space Race 09/00 PLAYSTATION DREAMCAST Tme паши Price Tm Рад Pace Тш Resse Ри Тош йиш Price Alien Resurrection 09/00 53995 Suikoden 1296 529.95 18 Wheeler Pro Thunder 10/00 $46.95 Animorphs 08/00 $2995 Macross VFX 07/00 $42.95 Super Cross 2000 08/00 $4495 Age of Empires 2 11/00 $42.95 Armored Core Project Ph 10/98 $36.95 Madden Football 2001 08/00 $39.95 Syphon Filter 2 03/00 $39.95 Alone in the Dark 11/00 $46.95 Baldur's Gate 09/00 $46.95 Маге! Super Heroes 1097 $2495 Baldur's Gate 1000 $52.95 Bass Masters Classic: 10/00 $44.95 Marvel Vs. Capcom 01/00 $32.95 Тез Drive Cycles 08/00 $39.95 | Bleem! Paks 09/00 $19.95 Blaster Master 06/00 $39.95 — Medal of Honor 2 1000 53995 Тот Raider 5 11/00 $39.95 Castlevania Resurrection 09/00 $46.95 MediEvil 2 05/00 53995 Топу Hawk's Pro Skater 10/99 $35.95 Brigandine 11/98 $46.95 Меда Man Legends 2 10/00 53995 Топу Hawk's Pro Skater 2 09/00 $39.95 Dreamcast Controller 09/09 $29.95 Brunswick Bowling 10/98 $3495 = “FINAL FANTASY 9" The] Dreamcast System 09/99 $199.95 Bust A Groove 2 08/00 $29.95 Е? "и (у |world of Gaia is at war. Young | Dreamcast VGA Adaptor 0800 $3295 Carmageddon 2 0900 53995 ШІ AN ] bandits are enlisted in the | Dreamcast VGA Adaptor 01/00 $39.95 Chrono Cross 08/00 $39.95 V fight against the ruthless | Dreamcast Visual Memory 09/99 $29.95 Civilization:Call to Power 09/00 $42.95 queen of Alexandria, Features | ESPN Baseball Tonight 11/00 54455 Command 8 Conquer 03/07 $29.95 ) 4 characters, wizards, &| Е Dead Hail to the King 10/00 $44.95 Command & Con Red Alert10/97 $19.95 knights. The crystals from | F355 Challenge SEGA 11/0 $46.95 Countdown Vampires 08/00 $39.95 earlier titles аге back too! One| На! Ше (Online) 09/00 54695 Covert Ops:Nuclear Dawn 06/00 $39.95 young bandit & his entourage | Intern Superstar Soccer 0900 $46.95 Danger Gir 09/00 $39.95 must meet many challenges | 129 0! KainSoul Reaver 2 08/00 $48.95 Darkstone. 1000 $1495 to bring peace to their world. | Мах Payne 10/00 $46.95 Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 11/00 $39.95 EA (Roleplaying) | Metropolis Street Racer 10/00 $46.95 Destruction Derby 3:Raw 09/00 $32.95 Release: 11/00 | Power Stone 2 08/00 54455 Diablo 03/98 51995 PSX| Rush 2049 09/00 $42.95 Dinosaur 08/00 $3295 Messiah 08/00 $3995 Torneko:The Last Hope 11/00 $4495 Sega Sports NFL 2K1 0900 549.95 Dino Crisis 2 0900 $39.95 | Metal Gear Solid 1098 51995 Тірі Play 2001 03/00 53895 Shenmue 11/00 $46.95 Disc World 12/95 $29.95 Mortal Kombat 4 06/98 $29.95 Vagrant Story 05/00 539.95 бөліс Shuffle SEGA 11/00 $46.95 Dragon Quest 7 02/01 $49.95 NASCAR 2001 0900 $3995 Valkyrie Profile 08/00 $44.95 Star Trek New Worlds 10/00 $46.95 Dragon Valor 10/00 $3995 — NASCAR Heat 10/00 $29.95 Vandal Hearts 2 19/99 $3995 Star Wars Trilogy Arcade 09/00 $46.95 Driver 2 11/00 $42.95 NCAA Football 2001 07/00 $39.95 Vanishing Point 0900 $39.95 Street Fighter 3 Third Strike 09/00 $44.95 Duke Nukem Planet Babes 08/00 $39.95 NCAA Game Breaker 2001 08/00 $39.95 Warcraft 2:The Dark Saga 08/97 $24.95 Time Crisis 2:Titan 11/00 $52.95 ECW Anarchy Rulez 08/00 53895 World is Not Enough 11/00 $39.95 Tokyo Extreme Racer 2 09/00 $46.95 Evil Dead Hail to the King 10/00 $38.95 М GEN Racing 07/00 $39.95 Fear Effect Retro Helix 10/00 $39.95 Panzer General Assault 09/00 $39.95 Xenogears 1098 $39.95 — Virtua Tennis 07/00 $38.95 Final Fantasy ЇХ (9) 11/00 $4995 Parasite Eve 2 09/00 53995 Х Men 3D:Mutant Academy 08/00 $39.95 WWF Royal Rumble 08/00 54495 Final Fantasy Anthology 10/99 $42.95 Prince of Persia 09/00 $39.95 Formula 1 2000 08/00 $39.95 PSX Controller 0995 $945 PSX2 GAMEBOY COLOR Frogger 2 09/00 $29.95 PSX Memory Сай 09/95 $1495 Armored Core 2 11/00 $48.95 All Star Tennis 99 08/00 52859 Gauntlet Legends 09/00 $39.95 RayMan2 08/00 54295 Dark Cloud 10/00 $4895 AMF Bowling 08/00 52899 Golden Tee Golf 0900 $29.95 Resident Evil Survivor 09/00 $42.95 Blaster Master 2 09/00 $2899 Revelations:Persona 2 — 11/00 54495 ета Ring 11/00 $48.95 Brunswick Pool 1000 52899 Guilty Gear 12/98 $39.95 Romance of the 3 King 6 04/00 543.95 Evergrace 11/00 $52.95 ^ Cannon Fodder 09/00 $19.99 Harvest Moon 08/00 $44.95 Roleplaying Game Maker 10/00 $44.95 FIFA Soccer 2001 11/00 $48.95 In Cold Blood 0900 53995 Shao Lin 09/00 $39.95 Final Fantasy ХІ 03/01 $52.95 Frisbee Gol 07/00 $28.99 International Rally Champ 08/00 $39.95 — Soulbringer 09/00 $44.95 Gauntlet Dark Legacy 11/00 $4895 Harvest Moon 11/99 $31.99 Leg of Kain:Blood Omen 11/96 $39.95 Speed Racer 07/98 $2495 Gran Turismo 2000 1000 $4895 Legend of Zelda Fruit Tree 11/00 $32.99 Leg of Kain Soul Reaver 2 09/00 $42.95 Kessen 11/00 $4895 (ша Ruins Chaser 10/00 52829 Legend of Mana 06/00 $39.95 Star Trek Invasion 0800 53895 Knockout Kings 2001 11/00 $4895 | Monopoly 05/09 51959 Lufia 3: Ruins Chasers 09/00 $48.95 Street Fighter EX Plus 11/97 $29.95 Madden Football 2001 10/00 $48.95 | Pokemon Attack 0800 53299 Lunar: Silver Star Story 06/99 54905 Strider 2 08/00 $29.95 ч 5 › | МВА Live 2001 11/00 $48.95 Pokemon Silver 10/00 $29.99 M ШИ; Пааа Ninja Gaiden 10/00 $48.95 Polaris SnoCross 2000 08/00 $28.99 ears after the first adven- Oddworld: Munchees Ody 10/00 548.95 — Towers:Lord Baniff's Deceit08/00 $29.99 y they work to unlock | OnimushaWeroris 1000 $48.95 ог Blue Spire PSX 2 Dual Shock2 10/00 $33.95 ОГ. | PSX 2 Memory Card 8MB 10/00 $3495 Axis & Allies 11794 54959 Meet new characters, fight PSX 2 Multi Tap 1000 $3495 неон ває ТОШ 95 Galacia& Tannenberg 01/00 $36.99 tains, & crawl through dun- | ses 2 Rumble: Round 211/00 $48.95 New Diplomacy 03/00 $99.99 geons as you wind YOUF Way) nice Racer 5 10/00 $48.95 і toward the terrifying climax! | Абе Poe Over the Reich 1294 $32.99 Working Designs imuggler's Run 11/00 $48.95 Pacific Victory 07/00 $49.99 (Roleplaying) | "et Роме" ec 10/00 $4895 Risorgimento 1859 08/00 55945 Relense: n) Summoner 1100 $4895 — Samurai Swords 04/97 $4899 PSX Settlers of Catan 11/96 $3299 The Bouncer 11000 54895 Totaler Krieg! 01/00 $6999 COMPUTER GAMES & HARDWARE War in Europe 10/90 $199.99 Age of Empires 2 0999 53995 Half Life Adrenaline Pk. 01/00 $39.95 Revenant 1099 $29.95 Wooden Ships Iron Меп 12/94 $22.99 Half Life Oppsing Fre 12/99 $27.95 — Rogue Spear 1099 $35.95 World in Flames Dix 11/96 $99.99 Baldur Gate WEP 1 12/99 $38.95 Half Life:Game of Year Ed 07/99 $29.95 — Rogue Spear Platnium Pk 11/00 $39.95 Battlezone 2 11/99 92895 Homeworld 09/99 52895 біте 02/00 53995 HINT BOOKS Bugs Bunny Lost Time 09/99 $28.95 Interstate 82 11/99 $18.95 SimCity 3000 Unlimited 05/00 $3795 — Dalkatana 0300 $16.99 C&C 2: Tiberian Sun 08/99 $42.95 Madden NFL 2000 0999 $17.95 System Shock 2 08/00 $18.95 Half Life Team Fort2 0900 $17.99 C&C:TiberianSunFirestorm03/00 $25.95 — Master of Orion 2 1196 $9.95 Anachronox 0200 $1799 Datkatana 10/09 $28.95 — Messiah 0200 $34.95 | Tomb Raider 4 11/09 $28.95 Delta Force 2 11/99 $37.95 МӘ Flight Sim 2000 PE 10/99 $59.95 | Tomb Raider 5 1100 $28.95 — Deus Ex 03/00 $17.99 Descent 3 06/99 $26.95 Myth: Total Codex 11/99 $19.99 Unreal Tournament 11/99 $28.95 Diablo 2 056 05/00 $1799 Diablo 2 0200 54295 Odium 1199 $14.95 Hardware EverQuest:Ruins Kunark 04/00 517.99 Diplomacy 1199 53995 Omikron: Nomad Soul 11/99 $28.95 3DfxVoodoo55500 | 08/99$279.95 Might & Magic 8 0300 $17.99 EverQuest: Ruins Kunark 03/99 $34.95 Pharoah 11/99 $29.95 Diamond Monster MX400 02/00 $7495 Мох 0300 $1799 Earth 2150 06/00 $38.95 Planescape Torment 11/99 53995 Elso Gladiac GeForce2 06/00 $279.29 Fate of the Dragon 08/00 $3395 Quake 3 Arena 12/99 $33.95 Everglide Lrg АНК Pad 11/99 515.95 B-17 Flying Fortress 2 03/00 $17.99 Fying Heroes 05/00 $28.95 Everglide Mouse Sur 11/99 $1295 Heroes ММЗ Shadow Death03/00 $17.99 Gabriel Knight 3 11/99 $29.95 Rage of Mages 2 1099 52299 Fortissimo Sound Card 11/99 54595 Majesty 03/00 $17.99 Grand Theft Auto2 10/99 52895 Railroad Tycoon 2 бій 0999 $28.95 Hercules3DProphetl 64MBO7/00 $399.95 Star Trek Armada OSG 05/00 $17.95 Half Lite 1198 $19.95 — Rainbow Six Gold 06/99 $24.95 — Махег Gamer 3D Prophet 10/99523925 — The Sims 0300 517.99 Visa, MC & Discover accepted. Checks held 4 weeks. Money Orders under $200 same as cash. COD $8. Price, release, availability, shipping times] 8 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 а per order, per shipment, and per item basis. The "рег order" charge is charged once per order placed, the "рег item" charge is charged once for each item ordered and the "рег shipment charge is Deka шщ oes Бех ір М, charged once for each shipment we make to you. For each US order $10.00 | order Tab раз з ща ӛң um te Зима will be allocated to а 12 issue subscription to Computer Games Strategy Plus. |Бегбпіртем — 3175 — 3175 — 5678 $13/5 ОУ $275 Call for details. Per item $1.00 $100 _ $100 _ 5200 $200 — $600 02000 CHIPS & BITS, INC. | ‘TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT’ features more than 30 charac- ters who have appeared throughout the Tekken series since the first arcade game. Pick your favorites and join the. fight as you use the unique strengths of each combatant to annihilate your opponents. A special tag-team mode creates new combinations of attacking never before possible. Sophisticated and highly detailed backgrounds. Sony (Siínulation) Release: 11/0 Р5Х2 We've Got Playstation 2! PlayStation? 2 hard PlayStation.2 2 dling mate ‘GRAN TURISMO 2000" will give die- wheel of over 500 vehicles, each with unique attributes such as speed, han- 3D environments as you go for the ulti- PlayStation 2, the physics model is iden- tical to that of a real car. Feel the speed as you maneuver through curves & down straight-aways. It blurs the line between game and reality. fans a chance to jump behind the & more. Drive several courses in | speed rush! Using the power of the Sony Simulation) Release: 11/0 PSX2 NINTENDO 64 40 Winks 08/00 $46.95 № Monopoly 12/99 $42.95 AeroFighters Assault 11/97 539.95 Б Mortal Kombat Trilogy 11/96 $39.95 Aidyn Chronicles. 10/00 $59.95 || NBAShowtime:NBA on NBC11/99 $42.95 Banjo Tooie 11/00 $49.95 “1 N64 Controller Black 10/96 $26.95 Bomberman Second Attack08/00 $49.95 Caesar's Palace. 10/00 $52.95 Carmageddon 64 07/00 $49.95 Cruisin’ Exotica 10/00 $52.95 Dinosaur Planet 12/00 $59.95 Donkey Kong 64 12/99 554.95 Dragon Sword 10/00 $59.95 Earthbound 11/00 $59.95 Eternal Darkness 02/01 $52.95 FIFA Soccer 99 12/98 $49.95 Game Shark Pro 05/99 $39.95 GoldenEye 007 09/97 $38.95 Harvest Moon 12/99 $59.95 Hercules Legendary Journ 11/00 Hey You Pikachu 09/00 $54.95 582.95 549.95 $49.95 $49.95 $49.95 $59.95 $49.95 Madden Football 2001 09/00 Major League Soccer 99 08/00 Mario Tennis 08/00 Mickey's Speedway USA 11/00 Mini Racers 09/00 Nintendo 64 Memory Cart 11/96 512.95 N64 System w/Star Wars 05/99 5114.95 Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak 03/00 $19.95 OgreBattle 3:Lordly Caliber 09/00 $56.95 Perfect Dark 05/00 $54.95 Pokemon Attack 10/00 $59.95 Polaris SnoCross 2000 09/00 $49.95 Rainbow Six 11/99 $54.95 Rally Racing 06/00 $52.95 Resident Evil Zero. 10/00 $52.95 Rush 2: Extreme Racing 11/98 $44.95 Shadowgate Rising 10/00 $54.95 Starcraft. 06/00 $44.95 Super Mario Adventure 09/00 $59.95 ‘Taz Express 09/00 552.95 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 03/00 $44.95 Transformers:Beast Wars 07/00 539.95 War:Final Assault 09/00 $54.95 World is Not Enough 11/00 $49.95 WWF No Mercy 11/00 $52.95 WWF Wrestlemania 2000 11/99 $54.95 "LEGEND OF ZE MAJORA'S MASK’ relives the same 3 d nights, exploring hi world & interacting characters like before. Use his Noti Of characters, tas zles, find treasures, battles & discove mystery of the Mask. Nintendo avonture) Release: 11/00 | N64 "МАЗК: НІМТ В00К” appointments. Solve puz- LDA: Link lays & is 3D with never ebook ks & fight r the y Ж” A SS POKEMON GOLD’ Over 250 Pokemon in 3] out with others. Blue, Yellow & now GOLD!!! | original 150. Each Pokemon. | leads to more variation, so collect the critters & fight it Nintendo (Adventure) | Release: 10/00 Gameboy ‘POKEMON SILVER’ Release: 10/00 "GOLD & SILVER HINT BOOK | Red, сі. the 147100 Advertiser Index 8 Acela ..1,24-25, 8 Official ППТ Contest and Мінсе 7 ws Sweepstakes LOI Heu ا‎ 01 Rules ушне ЧО Artists Against pir «y. Trick of the Month 1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send a letter or Dura 228 standard size postcard with your best trick codes for any video game to “Tricks ofthe Trade,” Р. 157 Вок 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338, ог e-mail us сыра T at: ticks fdv com. Be sure to include your name, address, and phone number. No purchase or 98-99, 107, 200-201, 269 payment of any money is necessary to enter. One entry per household, Entries must be received by 28 Oct. 18, 2000. 5 A entries become exclusive property of Sponsors and wil not be acknowledged or returned. ... 116-117 Sponsors assume no responsibilty for lost, mutilated, ate, legible, incomplete, postage-due, Crave tutertsinment’.........:.-...- 085; 155 or misdirected entries. Sponsors reserve the right to , cancel this contest at any time with appropriate WWW.Cravogamos.com notice. Only one prize per family, organization, г Creative и UB household per issue. Winning entries may be www.creativelal printed in EGM and/or Expert Gamer, however, only опе prize shall be awarded. 2. Prizes: First Prize winners will have their name and trick displayed in the magazine and wil receive a videogame cartridge selected by Sponsor. First Prize has an approximate retail value of $60.00. n The best rick submitted by the First Prize winners E SAE will be declared the Grand Prize Winner. Ore Grand Prize winner wil receive (in addition о the First -63, 91, 125, 216-277 Prize awards) one (1) Game Shark. Grand Prize has an approximate retail value of $99.95. Winners will ANSE UT Vd be selected by г judging panel whose decisions are Е final. Winners shall be selected from all valid entries received. Entries shall be judged on the following Порти pi l-5, 10-11, 143, 145, 147, 149, 158-159, criteria: () Uniqueness (25%); (0 Novelty (25%); 12-188, 196-197 Www.eà.coi (i) Accuracy (25%; and (v) Originality (25%) Electro) Hes Bouta Judging to be held on or about Oct. 30 2000. All ww br 661 Color - Pokemon Silver *Video Games ‘Decks & Accessories ell us your games on-line! Phantasy Star Ш prize winners wil be notified by ma. Prae) are hon‘ransfeable. No substitutions of re) are них... DH pen allowed, except at the option of Sponsors should ‘enh the featured prizes become unavailable, 3. Odds of Winning: The number of winners and the оваз of winning il be determined by number of valid entries received, 4. Eligibility: Contest open to residents of United States and Canada. Void in Quebec, Non- compliance with the time parameters contained herein or return of any prize prize notification as undeliverable wl resultin disqualification. Winners or their legal guardians shall sign an affidavit of міцну release of ably/pre acceptance ...91,183 win fve days of receipt or forfet prize. By acceptance of prize, winner) agree to the use of their name and/or ikeness for purposes of Іші ram s ......... 101, 165, 215, 241 advertising, tace, or promotion without fther www. infogrames.com compensation, unless prohibited by law. Employees *Order On-line! Жі: *Or Call Toll Free Hey You Pikachu! 00 Donkey Kong Country *Great Prices Interact Accessories................. 210-211 of Zi Davis Media Inc., InterAct Accessories and www. int | бег respective fatis are rot eiie Neither МЕТ ес Tiff Davis Media Inc., InterAct Accessories nor their eee eene eee 169 tapete ase subsidiaries, dins or "ete companies are responsible би any ЕЕ 220) damages, taxes, ог expenses that consume's might caras result of this contest or receipt of pie Winners accepting prizes agree that al prizes are 2. 114-115, 189, 150-151, 175 Svardevon ne conton thot 2 Do Media nc, Trek Accessories and their agents, | PM FE I) representatives, and employees will have no. www.12.com liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any id relig Коп acceptance, LucasArts Entertai 20.21, 4807 ротатор WWW.lucasaris.com 5. Winners List: For a list of winners, send a . 250-251 stamped, self-addressed envelope identifying the month foc whi he ا واد‎ "riso he Trade Winners а, PO. Вол 3338, 148-141, 180-181 oso cs 60932 3338. Rest wines ist mst be received by e th day of text month flowing the о date ofthe publication Мон four weeks or delvey of Vene i. S Restos: Void where prohibited or гена By lv. AI federa state and loca regulations apply. seres. 18, 198-199 7. Sponsors: This contest is sponsored by 24 Davis fida nc and tec Accessories, ine. Огооо f Davis Madia пе AL Rights Reserved. Printed in ZU x —PD'M "À *Retro games *Over 6,000 Titles! 110-111 Letter of the Month eee 2B 1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send your. letter to EGM Letters, Р.О. Box 3338, Oak Psychopathic Records. Brook, Ilinois 60522-3338, or e-mail us at WWW. ineclownposse. EGMQziffdavis.com. Make sure to include your Sega of America . . . . . . 61-69, 80-83, 218-221, 292 A CRM панк e purchase or payment of any money is wuw.sega.com necessary to enter. Entries must be received Sierra ..... 64-65 by the 10th day of the month for the next www.si available пине. леп, те vé о responsibilty for lost, mutilated, late, ilegible, lerica2-3, 186-187 incomplete, postage-due, or misdirected entries. Contest open to residents of United .......... 130-131, 228 States and Canada. Void in Quebec. 2. Prizes: One Grand Prize winner will receive й % ane ofthe following prizes at Sponsors sole 2 Interactivo 119. 129, 134-131, ТИ, 286-28) tion: One) shatPad Pro e42 foris One www. и (9 Barracuda for PlayStation; ог One () Talonsoft. MAE sie iere ои Ри а | Eclipse Stick for Saturn. Grand Prize has an www.empire-us.con approximate retail value of $29.99 U.S. dg Winners will be selected by the Letters Editor Bes whose decisions are final. Winners shall be Selected from all valid entries received. Entries shall be judged on the following criteria: (i.) Originality (50%); and Gi.) Topic (50%). Judging to be held on or about the 15th day of sach month. Al prize winners wil be notified by mail Prizes) аге non transferable. Ко тне . . 37, 39, 41-43, 13-14, 109, 236-231, 253 substitutions of prize(s) are allowed, except at Www.thü.com the option of Sponsors should the featured Y = prizes become unavailable. The odds o 92-93, 160-161, 230-231, 239, 290-291 ‘winning will be determined by the number of Valid entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply. FOR AN OFFICIAL COPY OF THE RULES, SEND A SELFADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE TO: LETTER OF THE MONTH CONTEST RULES, РО. Вох 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522:3338. бю ul ü REQUIRED, p~, Қ im Рені БА || ГІ enira nus A NINTENDO PlayStation West 76th 94 Electronic Gaming Monthly - 289 peer arta nals нај See \ су Born of different worlds, voven together by fate, each shall rise | | to face their destiny. ao ИПИ PENING саш. романи Visit www.esrb.org Ubi Soft or call 1-800-771-3772 Eel Dreamcast. |GjEARS| — www.ubisoft.com for more info. Licensed from ESP/Game Arts by Ubi Soft Entertainment. Original game © 2000 Game Arts. English Translation © 2000 Ubi Soft Entertainment. Grandia is a trademark of Game Arts Co., Ltd. Character designs by Youshi Kanoe. World Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, LTD. All rights reserved le "The level ої detail paid to every single moment, circumstance and environment is overwhelming." Official Dreamcast Magazine " „undeniably the prettiest role-playing game ever to grace a console." www.dailyradar.com "this will indeed be the first epic RPG on Dreamcast." www.ign.com \Grandia II is easily the most impressive next- generation RPG-we've seen, and the first true RPG epic for a next-generation console." www.thegia.com "Таке а new look at what is surely the best-looking S п RPG yet on а next-generation console..." Gamer's Republic Online "...set to give sub-par developers a lesson in how to до а DC RPG right." GameFan Magazine "Any RPG fan would be insane to miss out or this fantastic gameplay experience and it could go far in converting those who previously rode the RPG fence." GamerWeb.com "It you want your copy ої Grandia 2 this holiday season, don't expect Santa's little elves to make you a special сору, pre-order it now or. you may not get it until late January." www.GA-Console.com designs by Katsumi Aizaki and Masashi Hazama. Ubi Soft Entertainment and the Ubi Soft logo are registered trademarks of Ubi Soft, Inc. Беда о Dreamcast IT'S THINKING You'll need skill, endurance and a reliable blowhole. E > 01538 THE DOLPHIN DEFENDER OF THE FUTURE Appaloosa Stay away from jellyfish. Remember to come up for air. Don't eat bad fish. Or you could die. Of course, a shark could kill you too. On top of all that, the ocean's in a downward spiral and it's up to you to save it. Tough job. but you'll figure it out. You're the chosen one. The big fish (although you're not a fish). Too bad you can't even count on Greenpeace. The weight of the ocean rests on your dorsal fin. i3 Animated Blood EVERYONE The controls for Mario Tennis are amazingly simple, yet amazingly deep and refined. Tap A for a topspin Shot and B for a slice shot. Tap A then B for a lob, or B then A for a drop shot. Other variations are: double tap A for a slightly juiced topspin ball (orange trail); double tap B for a slightly better fade or slice shot (blue trail). At the net, try hitting A+B at just the right time for a power smash (pink trail).- There are different factors that affect your shot. The most important is how early you hit A or B. The bet- ter you anticipate where your opponent is going to hit the ball, the sooner you can get there. Once you're in place, tap the shot button early and you'll notice your character charging up. The idea is to get max power on as many shots as possible, but don't get caught out of position. Too many players worry about power over placement — we're here to tell you placement is top priority. One of the many great features of Mario Tennis is the variety of the courts. Different players excel on the various surfaces depending on their indi- vidual traits. For instance, Yoshi is a fast character on any surface, but put him on a grass court and he'll be even quicker. Anyway, here's a quick run- down of the courts we found and their characteris- tics: Normal ball speed, strong bounce. Slow ball speed, weak bounce. Fast ball speed, weak bounce. Fastest ball speed, normal bounce. Fast ball speed, weak bounce. Some other general tips based on the courts are to tailor your shot based on the bounce factor. Use slice balls on weak bounce courts to deaden the ball. This will force your opponents to rush their shots. The opposite is true on strong or normal bounce courts. Here, use your power topspin ball to force the action. The topspin action, combined with a big bounce, will result in a very quick shot. (Жоае/о ркау; Pick up а racquet and try any of the many modes Mario Tennis has to offer. There are singles and doubles matches, === (рани tournaments, exhibitions and а ж = я ton of minigames (Bowser, <= Ў Рігапһа, Ring Shot). You'll be Е happy to know, however, that Mario Tennis doesn't require you to unlock a lot of characters (remember Mario Golf?). The only two characters to unlock are Donkey Kong Junior and Shy Guy. DK Jr. can be unlocked by winning the doubles tournament in the Star Cup; Shy Guy can be unlocked by winning the singles tournament in the Star Cup. The other 14 characters are all available from the beginning. If you want a real challenge, try winning all of the tour- naments with each of the different characters. The tour- naments are Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup and Star Cup, with Star Cup being the most difficult. Mushroom and Flower Cup are each one-set tourneys, while Star Cup is a demanding three-set match. A Game МЕ Some Balls by Dan Leahy dan leahyGziffdavis.com І can't remember the last time І was this surprised by a game. Sure, І knew Camelot would develop a good product for N64, but Mario Tennis achieves the same level of quality as Mario Golf. It is excellent in every regard. Great characters (even a new one, Waluigi) and simple controls will have anybody mashing the ball with Bowser in a minute or two, and deep gameplay will have sea- soned veterans coming back for more. One feature that's sure to help the game stand the test of time is its multiplayer mode. Get a room database | full ef people together and let the All-Around | tennis wars begin, Mario style. 7 pudo sees Of course, if you're having people ө $ аена over, you wouldn't want to suck est character best advice at the game now would you? OK, "MET then. Read up on the next few бузы pages for some inside details on developer how to become a pro. See you at center court! Mario Tennis is not a game built on serving, but а good service е гуїно /е game can help make the difference between winning and [05- t F а & і ing. When serving, you really have two main choices: You ед е can go wide to the corner (А), ог straight down the middle (B). By going wide, you're forcing your opponent to run off the court and to tap one back your way. By the time they manage to get back into position, you can usually crack a winner to the opposite corner. If your serve isn't wide enough, however, you may find yourself flat-footed as your foe hits a winner down the line. Still, we recommend a wide serve most of the time. The risk/reward factor is high, and that kind of thing adds replay value. If you choose to go down the middle, you're basically encouraging a safe return and a longer rally-style point. The exception is if you can hit a power serve (А+В) perfectly at the “Т” of the center line and service line—that's probably the toughest serve to accomplish. It's worth it, though, as your opponent will barely have time to get the ball back. Often, you'll have an outright ace. • Baseline play and net play аге the meat and potatoes of Mario раје, || ме Tennis. As the meat, baseline play is the largest and most important component of the game. You can't have an effective net game without it. The first rule of baseline play rallying is to stay near the middle of the court. That doesn’t mean you can’t stray to one side or another, but if you’re in the middle, it’s extremely hard for your opponent to hit a shot by you. Another key to baseline play is to mix it up a bit when you have an opportunity to score. If your opponent is out of position in the top-left corner, it would make sense to smash one to the right side of the court (A). However, sometimes it makes sense to hit it right back to the left. Why? Because your opponent will be running like heck toward the right side of the court in an attempt to thwart the obvious shot. By doing the unexpected, you'll probably win the point with the added bonus of confusing the enemy. All-Around PLAYING As: Always a basic, solid and well-rounded character, Luigi does a little bit of every- thing well. Use this to your advantage. Mix up your A and B serves, rush the net, play the baseline and so on. Basically, throw everything but the kitchen sink at opposing players. If you keep them on their heels, you're sure to swing the action to your favor—then it's up to you to decide how to win the point, as Luigi can end things with a variety of shots. PLAYING Against: Due to the wide-ranging talents of Luigi, pick your spots to be aggressive very care- fully. If things go well, you'll have a chance to pierce his armor with a strong shot or two. Also, don't get in a rush to make the perfect shot. A series of well-placed balls can keep your opponent on the defensive and force a mistake. Remember, it's not always about winning the point. Sometimes it's better to let your opponent lose it. PLAYING As: Waluigi may be recognized as a speed char- acter, but he actually seems a step slower than some of the other quick cats. He makes up for it, though, with a lengthy reach that helps solidify his net game. To excel with Waluigi, you'll have to force the action. Hit sharply angled shots, backing your opponent up until his/her only choice is a lob. Because Waluigi's serve is pretty average, you may not want to charge in after your first offering. PLAYING Against: The longer the point lasts, the better chance Waluigi has of getting to the net. That usually spells trouble, so concentrate on getting the point over with quickly. Depending on who you're using, force the action with net play or powerful baseline strokes. Donkey Kong or Wario should have good success against Waluigi, as their power games can negate his net skills (if used correctly). PLAYING As: Daisy's another one of those technique players who thrives on just about every " aspect of the game. Use her in tandem with a power doubles player for a potent team. In the singles game, you can use most of the same strategies applied to Peach. | PLAYING Against: If you've got Daisy in your sights, you k shouldn’t worry too much. Her reach is a bit — к shorter than most of the characters in the imp. game, so it's relatively easy to blow one by her. PLAYING As: One of the cutest little video-babies around, Baby Mario makes his appearance in Mario Tennis one to remember. Faster than mercury, Baby Mario is the Michael Chang of Mario Tennis. Run your opponent ragged by returning anything that crosses the net (that is the point of tennis, right?). Baby Mario is one of the few characters who can play between the baseline and the net effectively (an area known as “по man's land"). Hit mid-range topspin shots to cross up your opponent. PLAYING Against: Use Baby Mario's lack of height and reach against him. If he's sitting on the net, a good cross-court lob should send him reel- ing. Also, despite his speed, he can't muster up much of an offense. Eventually, if you press the issue with firm ground strokes, you'll have your way with Baby Mario. е working When you're at the net, it means two things: You're in a good posi- th N 11 tion to win the point, or you're іп а defensive mode trying to stay e e alive. Either scenario presents its own problems and opportuni- ties, and there are too many to mention here. Let's start with the best-case scenario. You've driven your opponent into a corner and are awaiting his/her return. When positioned either just to the right or just to the left of the center line, you'll have a great chance of hitting the next ball for a winner. If your opponent goes down the line, reach and pop the ball back at him/her (A). If he/she tries to go cross court, pick the ball off and send it into the open court (B). Of course it doesn't always happen this easily. Sometimes you'll mishit the ball, sometimes your opponent will make a perfect shot, and sometimes you'll hit the ball out. Just remember that the closer to the net you are, the better your chance of clos- ing out the point. And if you see a star appear near your side of the net, that's an opportunity for a strong overhead smash (А+В). Be careful not to swing too early, though, or you'll stand a chance of dinking the ball into the net. PLAYING As: You loved him in Super Smash Bros., you had to like him in Mario Golf and now you get to feel the rush of Donkey Kong with a tennis racquet. First off, DK’s physical size is a benefit, as he can smash high lobs at the net with ease (we've never seen a ball ever make it over Donkey Kong's head). His lateral movement is suspect, though, so keep your opponent back with slice shots (B) and strong topspin balls (double tap A). Kong's strength makes it easy to take advantage of mistakes. PLAYING Against: To beat Donkey Kong, you'll have to get the big ape moving. DK has never been accused of being fast, and nothing's changed here. Work the corners and use what we call a yo-yo strategy: Send him deep with a strong shot, then pull back on the Analog for a short ball —he won't know if he's com- ing or going! If you really want to throw a wrinkle in, tap B, then A. The result will be a soft drop shot that has little bounce. PLAYING As: Another goofy Nintendo character who could combine with Toad for the “all-weird” doubles team. Birdo is a fast dude, but he won't intimidate anybody off the court with his appearance. As with most speed charac- ters, just try to frustrate your foes by run- ning down every ball. PLAYING Against: Birdo is one easy chump to beat. Once he coughs up a lollipop serve for you, hammer it down the line opposite where he served from. By the time he runs that down, you should be able to get to the net. If you can’t follow to the net, use a slice ball to the mid- dle of the court—this will take away any great angles and should result in a nice opportunity. PLAYING As: Boo needs to use a funky serve to set up easy points. Once mastered, you can steer Boo’s serve in the air and after the bounce. This works to great effect, as opponents have to guess correctly or miss the serve. Boo also seems to have a little extra wag- gle on his slice. If you’re playing as Boo, spend a lot of time back near the service line. He's not overly quick, so you'll need the extra space to track down good shots. PLAYING Against: If you're playing against Boo, you might be in for a confusing match. His serve will bend in or out at the last second and, depending on which way you're leaning, it will squirt away from you. One tactic which helps offset this is to step nearer to the service return line. That way the ball won't have as much time to angle away from you before you can hit it. Playing back too far just ensures Boo a chance of acing you. PLAYING As: Ah, we saved the best for last. Well, he's not necessarily the best, but Shy Guy does have a great all-around game. As a technique player, Shy Guy thrives on doing everything better than average. Use his vast array of shots to the fullest and opponents will struggle to find a rhythm. Shy Guy is anoth- er one of the rare characters who can thrive between the backcourt and the net. His mid- range shots, especially with slice applied, are particularly effective. PLAYING Against: Playing against Shy Guy is like practicing against a wall. Practically everything comes right back at you. The one positive is that it doesn't necessarily come back at you with a lot of pace—this means that if you pick the right moment, you can go to the net and end a point quickly. Be careful, though! Don't approach the net if Shy Guy has worked his way past the baseline, as he's sure to hit it by you. Good luck! returNiNg Returning serves is more of an art than a science. It's read fervef and react. Rarely do you have enough time to say, "ОН, here's a nice yellow ball coming to me slowly, so I think I'll hit it to the left." Doesn't happen — not with Bowser's 108 mph heater coming at you, anyway. The best advice is to watch the ball from the second your foe tosses it in the air. As soon as he/she hits it, you'll know if it's to the right or to the left, so just react and get there. Returns are as follows; down the line (A); or back to the center (B). One common mistake is trying to cheat a little bit. If Bowser has been serving out wide all game, you'll be tempted to take an extra step in that direction before the serve. Don't do it. As soon as you do, a screamer will come down the middle and you'll be defenseless. Stay at home and you'll be increasing the chances of returning serves effectively. ча KEEP RACING REAL CODEMASTERS.COM сто рон ISTOCK CAR RACING or call 1-800-771-3772 PlayStation for more info. Ф ESRB GENIUS AT PLAY © 2000 The Codemasters Software Company Limited ("Codemasters"). All rights reserved. "Codemasters" is а registered trademark owned by Codemasters. “JARRETT & LABONTE Stock Car Васіпо""" is a trademark of Codemasters. Jason Jarrett used by permission of Jarrett / Favre Motorsports, Inc. Justin Labonte and Slim Jim used with permission of Labonte Racing. Slim Jim is a registered trademark of GFI Holdings, Inc. © 2000 TLI. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks or copyrights, designs or images are rights belonging to their respective owners and are used under license. All rights reserved. “ LABONTE RACING GALLERY Ac Alfa л — да Audi Ac Aceca Ac Ace Superblower Romeo 156 A4 Quattro RWD 340 BHP RWD 340 BHP RWD 355 BHP FWD 252 BHP 4WD 249 BHP Audi Bentley 2 A4 Quattro Hunaudieres BMW 328i BMW 328i 4WD 249 BHP 4WD 225 BHP RWD 623 BHP RWD 252 BHP RWD 252 BHP Chrysler | Chrysler 300M 300M , Dodge Viper , Fiat Marea Ford Falcon FWD 255 BHP FWD 255 BHP RWD 460 BHP FWD 245 BHP RWD 255 BHP у Ford Ford Mondeo Mustang GT Ford Taurus Commodore Commodore FWD 251 ВНР RWD 260 BHP FWD 262 BHP RWD 260 BHP RWD 260 BHP Lincoln LS . > Lotus 3408 RWD — 254 ВНР RWD- 199 BHP Accord Accord Lexus GS300 FWD 243 BHP FWD- - -243 ВНР RWD 257 BHP еы, 7. sere >’ i Mitsubishi y = Mitsubishi жə Mercury Sable Mazda RX-7 Galant Galant Mitsubishi FTO FWD 261 BHP RWD 280 ВНР FWD 245 BHP FWD 245 BHP FWD 198 BHP Mitsubishi : Mitsubishi GT Lancer Nissan Primera Nissan Primera ~ " Nissan Primera 4WD 280 BHP FWD 249 BHP FWD 256BHP . FWD 256 BHP FWD 256 BHP Peugeot ~ < У E Plymouth Opel Vectra 306 GT-6 Peugeot 406 а Peugeot 406 Ргомлег FWD 255 BHP RWD 260 BHP FWD 243 BHP FWD 243 BHP RWD 250 BHP Renault Renault Subaru SE Laguna Laguna "ч ЅААВ 95 Аего Imprezza WRX Toyota Camry FWD 259 BHP FWD 259 BHP FWD 254 BHP 4WD 280 BHP FWD 240 BHP u _ = 10 5 тун Toyota Cerbera Vauxhall Toyota Camry Celica GT-Four Speed 12 Vectra қ Момо 540 FWD 240 ВНР 4WD 251 ВНР RWD 800 ВНР FWD 255 ВНР FWD 257 ВНР An editorial supplement to Electronic Gaming Monthly™ they are пої lost permanently. People interested in helping out in any please visit us at www.retromags.c No Profit is made from these scans, nor do м available from the publishers thems If you come across anyone selling releases from this site, Please do not support them and do let us know. Thank you!