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Departments &

_ Letter from the Editor Down With The Man

Dear Game Informer GI readers from across the globe interact with Game Informer.

Envelope Art -. You can't win if you don't enter GI's Monthly Envelope Art Contest.

GI News . Sega gives Dreamcast out for free, Sony ponders modem and hard drive for PS-2, Foreman endorses something other than his Lean Mean Grilling Machine, and tons-o-fun with Name That Game!, Trivia, and Gl’s Top Ten.

Photophile

Normally we love anything mini, but

|. this month with love everything HUGE. Huge tracks of land, Huge Hefner, and especialy Tiny Elvis’ favorite saying when he walks into the Game Informer locker room, “it’s HUGE!”. But that’s another story. Check out this month's huge Photophile with over 15 pages of previews. |

Pg 8

-— Game Informer PC The PC Jedi jumps at the chance to hone his Jedi power on Force Commander, and even finds some time to review Soldier of Fortune and Risk Il.

Play To Perfection

Left or right? North or south? The strategy gurus of GI tell you the answers to these burning questions and more in both our complete Legend of Dragoon walkthrough and the final half of our Wild Arms 2 guide.

Secret Access Tips from our readers and the infamous Game Shark Swap Shop.

Classic Gl

GI looks at classic games on the Super NES, Genesis, and replays some codes from the vault.

etc

This month's etc takes a look at some resin, ponders what to do with it, and decides that making awesome figures like Palisades' new Chrono Cross Statues is probably best. Pokémon Origami and a vibrating pad are among

T the other highlights. g 104 Ms

Game Informer Magazine* (ISSN 1067-6392) is published monthly at a subscription price of $19.98 r year, or five trial issues for $9.98 by Sunrise Publications", 10120 West 76th Street, Eden rairie, MN 55344. (952) 946-7266 or FAX (952) 946-8155. For subscriptions, back issues, or cus-

tomer service inquiries (952) 946-7266. Periodicals postage paid at Hopkins, MN, and additional

mailing offices. SUBSCRIBERS/POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Game Informer

Magazine*, 10120 West 76th Street, Eden Prairie, MN 55344-3728. Foreign or Canadian orders

must be | prepaid i in U.S. dollars and must include $20/year additional postage.

Game Informer? does not claim any copyright i in the screenshots herein. Copyright in all screen-

shots contained within this publication are owned by their respective companies. Entire contents

Products named in these pages are trade names, or trademarks, of their respective companies.

o Game Informer * June 2000

Over 4

Features

Cover Story: Legend of Dragoon It's got an intense battle system, characters that transform into winged beasts, and a story so deep, it's practically cavernous. Game Informer blows the lid off Legend of Dragoon, Sony's new RPG that will challenge the champion of the genre. Get all the minute details, and a complete walkthrough to boot.

Feature: Battle of the Bitstream: Video Game Deathmatch

From the sick and twisted minds here at Game Informer comes yet another forum for us to be stupid in. Enter the Vidiot, a powermad, galaxy hopping *!@#er who loves to pit today's top video game talent in a duel to the death. The results of his insanity are a definite must-read.

Feature: Toyko Game Show 2000 Twice a year, some of Japan's biggest game companies show their stuff in Tokyo. Craving information (and some sushi), Game Informer sent our roving reporter to the spring Tokyo Game Show to give you a taste for what was there.

pe — Reviews & Previews

e Nintendo 64

Excitebike, Perfect Dark

PlayStation Final Fantasy IX, Grind Session, Nightmare Creatures Il, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, Vanguard Bandits

PlayStation2 Driving Emotion Type-S, Onimusha: Warlords, Tekken Tag Tournament

Dreamcast | Jet Set Radio, Maken X, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, MDK J 2. Virtua Tennis

At a Glance

PlayStation Galerians, Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed, MLB 2001, Mr. Drilller, Need for Speed: Porsche Challenge, Sammy Sosa Softball Slam, Street Fighter EX2 Plus, Street Sk8er 2, Superbike 2000, Urban Chaos

Dreamcast 4 Wheel Thunder, Gauntlet Legends, Roadsters, Star Wars Episode |: Racer, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Game Boy Pokémon Trading Card Game, Rayman 2, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Neo Geo Pocket Color Last Blade

What can you get for under $10?

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^A great new game for the PlayStation' game console..."

g 99 YOU GOT GAME $9 qu

GRUDGE WARRIORS

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FRIENDLY FIRE.

= "m fJ d unb fJ 23 mission battle arenas. c. 11 ruthless and unique gangs + the Final Boss to compete against in battle. Each level is loaded with secret areas, hidden power-ups and dozens

of non-gang opponents like attack droids and robotic gun turrets. Head-to-head 2 player split screen combat.

Dozens of power-ups including invulnerability, invisibility, double

damage, guided missile jammers, nitro boosts...

An arsenal of destructive weaponry including shield-draining bombs, energy mega-bolts, corrosive gas bombs and mini-thermonuclear warheads.

SLUS-00000 00000

April 2000

DARKSTONE DEFEAT THE ULTIMATE EVIL IN THE ULTIMATE QUEST

The world is living under the dark shadow of a nefarious dragon. Villagers are turning to stone. Armies of skeletons, swarms of wasps, and lumbering ogres lurk everywhere. Evil is spreading like a plague. And only you can stop it. Scattered across the kingdom are seven ancient magic crystals that together invoke the power of the Orb. Without it, you have no hope of defeating your fire-breathing nemesis. As a knight, monk, thief or sorcerer you will creep through dungeons and castles, explore wilderness and glades, and encounter traps, curses, and puzzles on your quest to unearth the crystals.

lon

32 levels of closed environments and huge open spaces — dungeons, castles, caves, glades and villages.

More than 200 enemies and interactive characters.

More than 30 types of weapons and 32 different spells; many with multiple variations.

Secret characters unique to the PlayStation®

— T 99

a sini Noah aet d i rne ure d Une I Cn

| [AKE2GAMES. COM

PlayStat

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July 2000

$9.99 worm $9.99

SPEC OPS: stealth Patrol

THE ENEMY IS EXPECTING YOU TOMORROW... YOU'RE ALREADY THERE!

Choose stealth or all-out frontal assault as you lead your team of Rangers into combat against ultra-powerful terrorist units. Fight against time and huge enemy forces in global terrorist hotspots. An arsenal to choose from including night-vision goggles, sniper ee R rifles, machine guns, tripwire mines, grenades, shotguns, and more. (n SH L T H FA TRE Two player split-screen battle mode.

ee ae Lead your team with guns blazing or silently under the cover of darkness

April 2000 across landscapes of thick jungle, barren desert, arctic tundra and dense forest.

MARTIAN GOTHIC

EXPLORE THE DARKSIDE OF THE PLANET.

Year 2018. On Vita 1, a base constructed on the face of Mars, man searches for evidence of | bacterial life beneath the frozen surface. During the excavation, a giant sarcophagus opens E into a vast and ancient necropolis. Soon after, all communication with Mars ends. l Reason for breakdown of transmission: unknown. : Fate of Vita 1 base: unknown.

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a Through the complex, layered plot follow three investigators siad sent by Earth Control to assess the situation on Vita 1.

Co Dozens of treacherous subterranean city caverns to explore.

Non-linear puzzle structures challenge you at every turn. Strange and violent creatures stalk you constantly as you seek answers to the disappearance of Vita 1’s staff and the mystery of the ancient Martian necropolis.

* Suggested Retail Price=$9.99.

. ©2000 Take-Two Interactive. All rights reserved. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and the Take-Two logo are registered trademarks of Take 2 Interactive Software, Inc. Spec Ops & Zombie are trademarks of Zombie 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 registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icons are trademarks of the Interactive Digital Software Association.

$9.99 worm $9.99

WWW. TAKEZGAMES. COM

T EEN RATING PENDING

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PlayStation

Down With The Man

BY ANDREW McNAMARA

GAMESIUNDEX:

Game Informer has certainly done a good job of taking care of role-playing gamers lately, as we come at you with our second PlayStation RPG cover story in a row. Which I actually find quite amusing, as | would be willing to bet that it is the first time in video game

collective sigh.

Which is why | want to take this opportunity to let all you Nintendo 64 @ pom. gamers out there know that we are SEES : D trying here. We have received many e m g letters from readers concerned about T noce id our lack of Nintendo 64 coverage, so | j

June Issue 2000

olume X * Number 6 +

Richard A. Cihak Publisher

Issue #86

Andrew McNamara Editor Paul Anderson Andrew Reiner Senior Associate Editors Jay Fitzloff

erie history that a magazine has had back- wanted to let you know that many times meee M icin to-back RPG covers. What can | say? this is not by choice. Nintendo has had $% i -..2

Md We are innovators. little third-party support in recent SI ME Production Director Unfortunately, | don't think Game months, and many times, as was the — SAFE EE 49 Pa astra ne Informer can take all the credit for this case with Perfect Dark, Nintendo is | Gomes, natoarding a

Ryan MacDonald Coast Correspondent

one, as Nintendo once again denied us by saying it didn’t have the time to help

less than helpful at supplying us the information we need to keep all you

West Gabrielle Dane

uae. us put together a Perfect Dark cover Nintendo gamers happy. gar gta story. So obviously we had to move on I can tell you that Game Informer will vasi amt MM to the second best game in the issue, keep coming after these Ninten- ECS MM ish a . . Po T ee Pa I, GANA ol 28 Kroens Thomson Benke Legend of Dragoon. I know the RPGers dictators until they finally break down I. at s | y ges . . . . 4 E s c MMC OR mH out there are thanking their respective and start being more concerned about | MAE | 7 Mui o gods (and with RPGers, you just never taking care of their faithful fans than shot seit” iss know who or what that might be) that lining their pockets with cash siphoned NN: Gotin od bre Nintendo is a pain to work with, but from the blood, sweat, and tears of y 70 lass I’m sure you Nintendo 64 fans out there Pokémon trainers everywhere. ^ 72 for change of adess are once again letting out another Mare Dnr E cription inquir ry only fel Vs. Capcom 2. 54 (952) 7266 Fax (952) 946-8155 Ma lofiman sProBMX 69 B co OUR NEW LOOK FOR E3 Megalo Horor Udi 1008 Eden Prairie MN 55344-3728 T ege 58 Attn: CIS Dept 75 Arthur 58 Mascot Mun e! Monstar el enture as

Illustrator

I" Need Tor Jn pee: od Challenge Dan Veesenmeyer Ra

“L GameDay 200

: NHL Face Ott. E

Colorist Jess Heitland .

Manufactured and printed. Ji in the United States of America

The Editor welcomes company product information for all video games. Such te ould be

b. Punisher, The | Rampage Through Time 68

s cannot be returne! d or acknowledged Entire contents copyright 2000. Game Informer ine. All rights reserved; reproduction in whole or art without permission is prohibited. Game Informer a ark of FUNCO, Inc

Products named in these pages are trade names, or tradéiiarks, of their respective companies

| Sammy Sosa Softball Slam MS 58

. Sheep Dog N' Wolf ; 72

b. Sno-Cross Championship Racing 2 Y Of Fol

lier of Fo Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon . ....... 65

PUBLISHER LIABILITY FOR ERROR | Siar Wars Episode | Racer —À

Thé publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessenthe: value of an advertisement. The. publisher's liability. for- other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement i limited to republication of the advertisement in an Y subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertiseme

3 Superbi ke 2000 59 1 foid 29 m Buddies 73 akken Tag Tournament 48

INDEMNIFICATION

The advertiser and/or Advertising hen cy agrees to Titan A.E 68 defend and indemnify the publis inst any and al E Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation 61 liability, loss, or expense arising from claims of libel -Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (DC) 61 unfair competition, unfair trade practices, infringement Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (GBC) 62 of trademarks, copyrights, trade names, palents, or _ Tony H. Pro Skater 2 .. i 45 proprietary rights or violation of rights of privacy 59 resulting from the publication of the Advertiser's we

itement. 2

©

Audit Bureau of Circulations Member

me Hombre Matt, The dde —

“You know what? You stink. Yeah, that's right. You think l'm talking to somebody else? No, I'm talking to | you, buddy. You stink so bad | can smell you reading this magazine, _ and | wrote this a month ago! _ That's how bad your odor is. It | reaches into the future. Why don't you take a shower? Or a bath? Or | like six of each? Gahh! My nostril hairs are burning off here. Does _ your religion prohibit deodorant or | something? Probably wouldn't help = you, though. Ya can't cover up a | reeker like you. From now on, l'm t gonna call you stenchy."

8

"What a aarti Not ónly did | travel to Japan for the Tokyo Game Show, | hit the road and went to Silicon Valley to get the dirt on Capcom’s Onimusha for PS-2. This game is essentially a samurai version of Resident Evil, but Capcom won't reveal a playable version until E3 (which is going on right when this issue is mailed to you). Needless to say, | am pretty stoked. | am equally pumped to again have the chance to speak with two of video games’ premiere designers, Shigeru Miyamoto (Mario) and Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear). | hope they don't ask for advice on their

games. Yeah, righ

"When I was a little guy, ; id a day over six, my grandpa taught me an important lesson in life. Actually, he hit me over the head with a hammer and told me to shut the hell up. When that steel hammer pierced my skull and tickled my gooey brain, | was given a special power. It's not a stupid power like flying, seeing dead people, or shooting death rays out of my eyes. Nope, my power is really cool. Three or four times a day, blood doesnt get to my brain and | pass out. When | come to, great lengths of time have passed, and l'm usually soaked in urine. Awesome, huh?! Superman, eat your heart out! | know you're all jealous!”

‘This whole free Dreamcast thing has got me weirded out. | just don't know what to think. Are people willing to exchange 200 dollars out of the gate for two years of 20 bucks a month Internet service? Sure you could use the connection with your PC, but surfing the ‘Net with DC is still painful. | know there's no way | would get in on that deal, but I’m sure there are many out there who would, especially with Sega's very solid lineup for the fall. In fact, Sega may deliver the most innovative and interesting titles we'll see this year on any system with Jet Set Radio, Shenmue, and Phantasy Star Online. Who knows? Sega may

Still have a shot."

"I'd like to devote my ane this month to an overlooked genius, Jesse Camp. Many of you might remember this gangly glam metal scarecrow as a VJ on MTV a couple of years ago. Weighing in at probably at least 75 pounds, Jesse thrilled us with his gift of gab, speaking in a dialect that recalled Jeff Spicoli with Tourette's Syndrome and several hits of helium. Not just a mere television personality, Jesse rocked the world with his 1999 album, Jesse & the 8th Street Kidz. I'll be damned if it wasn't the best Faster Pussycat record since Wake Me When It's Over. Here's to you, Jesse. Shine on, you crazy diamond!"

"What is it about Star Wars first trilogy games that excite me more than the second? Did you know that a new Space combat sim based on Episode lis being planned? So what? They're going to call it Naboo Vs. Droid Fighter and there are only four different ships. Don't get me wrong, | loved the Jedi-Fu in Phantom Menace, but winning the day by blowing the crap out of the enemy's most welldefended installation through the goofy mishaps and wily shenanigans of a nine year old (force. SR hea isnt an e eag alk particularly want to relive. Escort the Queen. Shoot Droid Hortas, Escon ie uc

Visit www.esrb.com or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info.

ANGRY GAMERS

'.] throwing abuse.And whos got the worst

| temper when it comes to losing ! games? My bet for some reason is Andy, | with Matt coming in second. | | concluded this just from the probing | picture in the last issue. What a face. The Mad Jackyl

Nokesville, VA | As muchas we love them, video games | have a tendency to be extremely | frustrating...especially in beta and alpha

THE FUTURE OF 989

| Dear Game Informer, | have a few questions to ask you guys.

| 5. Will Nintendo make an adapter device

that lets you play Game Boy on

| N64? If they do, will they call it

| Game Boy 64?

| 6. What will happen to the games that

| 989 was planning to make? Will Sony

| make them or will they just forget

| about them?

| Ryan Delaney Forbney, TX

NINTENDO WILL LIVE ON

yet in the game. Moments like these

lead to some highly intensified scenes { within the office. Usually, chairs are | kicked, Paul is abused, and profanity | is sprayed freely. Just a few weeks ago, | Andy destroyed the first controller |

within the sacred Gl office. His reason? "The computer cheated."

$299 when it comes Stateside later |

this year.

2. Nowadays, we receive more email |

than we do letters. However, your letter came straight out of the mailbag!

3. Sony always owned 989, and]

therefore, always had control of the Syphon Filter license. With a property

this hot, and a cliff-hanging ending in | Syphon 2, you can expect a sequel. Maybe

not next year, but soon.

4.The editors answer all the mail. On top of this, Paul has a strange disease that forces him to put his daily activities off to the side to answer every email sent to him.

5.We actually have a device in the office 1

that allows just this. Nintendo lent it to us to take screen captures. Its name is the Wide Boy. From what we understand, it won't be made into a household accessory.

6. Sony will continue where 989 left off. All games in development are still in the works.The only difference is that they won't bear the 989 logo.

Hmmmnm...yeah, Nintendo is in deep

i poopie. You would have thought they would | have been busy making sequels to the games like Super Mario 64, and all the |

| other good games.When the N64 first came out, | was already hyped to get

| the sequel for Super Mario Bros.The first Nintendo had all those other sequels, :

| so why not the N64?

Mark Grand Prairie, TX

| Thanks to Pokémon, Nintendo is in no danger whatsoever. The Nintendo | 64 still has some life in it yet as well. With games like Conker's Bad Fur Day, | Perfect Dark, Banjo-Tooie, Zelda: Majora's Mask, James Bond:The World ls | Not Enough, Turok 3, and Resident Evil Zero, there are plenty of reasons to | hold on to the Nintendo 64.This lineup should transition nicely into the highly

| powered Dolphin days.

Snail Mail:

Game Informer Magazine

Attn: Dear GI 10120 W. 76th Street Eden Prairie, MN 55344

HOMEWARD BOUND

Do you play games at home,or is it strictly an office thing?

David

Somewhere in TX

After working with video games for

| ten hours a day, you'd think games would | be the last thing we'd want to see when | we retreat to our homes. Nothing could

be further from the truth. Since last August, Andy has racked up nearly 60 days (that's over 1,400 hours) on the PC hit, EverQuest. He also loves Tony Hawk! Reiner plays through a game

DOIN’ THE CLAW!!!!

This may be nothing, but | figured | would ask anyway. In the Envelope Art section of your June 1999 issue you had my drawing (thanks, by the way) with the comment ‘Doin’ the claw... doin’ the claw... come on everybody... let’s do the claw.” Now, in your

| latest issue (April 2000) for LeVar

Williams’ drawing, you had "Doin' the claw...doin’ the claw... everybody loves doin the claw!” I’m glad to see that within a year everybody has come to love “doin’ the claw” but what exactly is it? Some kind of dance you do around the GI offices while playing German techno music and wearing leather masks? Or perhaps something more sinister? Claw or no claw, you guys are still the

THE DREAMCAST ANTHEM

I'm 128 bit,

with 4 slots in my hip,

and a processor speed

that can outrun an alien spaceship, you want reality,

| welcome all contenders

who want to battle me

THE IOWA ANIME SOCIETY

Is everyone that works for Gl from Minnesota? And who is the biggest anime fan at GI?

Brian Bell Oklahoma City, OK

Out of all 49 states

(California is going to

| fall off and sink in the

ocean, so we'll write

| them off now), Minnesota

is home to the largest

| gaming populous in the

United States. Both Paul

| and Matt are hometown

heroes. Andy is from

| Texas (loser). Erik's mom

felt safe enough in New

| York City to drop a load. | Reiner is also from

Minnesota, yet he swears

Email: deargi@gameinformer.com

WWW www.gameinformer.com

guzzles liquids while experimenting with new part combinations in Armored Core. Jay plays a fair share of vids and pen-and-paper RPGs. But be wary, if you do play with him, watch yourself, he loves to dip his boys § into drinks.After falling into a coma when he was seventeen, Matt is catching up on the classics.As for Paul, he likes to play video golf and babble baby talk to his adorable little girl, Elsa. Don't tell Paul, but we call her Stink Bomb. She smells funny.

best at what you do. Keep up the | exceptional work! Best regards, Roy Thompson | worldnet.att With video games sucking away every second of our lives, we haven't found time to express ourselves religiously. | We love ya Jesus! And can hardly wait to meet you and your pappy...but games | come first. When we feel depressed and completely lost in the world, we | enter the Gl confession chamber, where | we spill the beans to The Claw. For those of you who don't know, The Claw is | the greatest gamer (and thumb wrestler) in the world. He enlightens | our hearts and always gives us a | thumbs up.

local or overseas, who's ready to see, the capital D,

make history,

Keenan Young Hampton, VA Word.

up and down that he's from a small { desert planet. Jay is from lowa. When he's not making corn puppets or playing games, he's watching anime. His favorites include...uh...actually we cant list any. His anime of choice include a ton of slimy tentacle action.

PLAYSTATION ROAD RULES

Can you tell me if there is a thing | that will allow you to play PlayStation | in the car? It has a little screen? Have | you heard of it???

Bizkit8985 aol.com

GAME INFARCER: THE SEQUEL2222

You have a magazine with a good | humor content. Game Infarcer was | hilarious!!! Will we be seeing it again? | Will the next cover story be Girl in | Bikini 2: The Thong?

Y would | tell U

LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS

Stauffer Quarryville, PA

AWAY...WE RE HIDEOUS!

another popular one | won't mention, | | and probably all the others. | mean, | think it's great that you guys spend an | | entire month for maybe one hour of happiness for all of us people. But | | | have a question to ask... Why are all of you guys butt-ugly? Is it from all that | | vending machine food, or were you guys hand picked for your individual hideousness? § | Personally, | think whoever beat you with the stick was ruthless. Back the | | ugly truck up guys, I think a few fell off... ;

| (Insert long dramatic pause here) H-h-how dare you!!! Just because we | play games all day doesn't mean we're ugly little geeks. Seriously man, we're | | all hot...sizzling hot. The faces we hide behind, those that you call butt-ugly, | | are actually not our own. We pay ugly models to pose in our place and conceal | | how truly hot we are. If you saw us in real life, you'd say,"Damn! Those guys | | are hot!" You'd then try to touch us. Seriously... |

TTA Winner Isaac Willnoite, Miamisburg, OH

Josh Gilbert Glendale, WI Gotta love the Matrix, but here is a little known outtake: origi-

nally the red and blue pills were suppositories.

VS This guy is p 1 good, but some- one teach him how to color.

You're stoopid. He he! (What our immature editors are trying l ] to say is “No — we have not heard of | i iN. wi a portable PlayStation device. The only i iN way to play PlayStation games in the car is through a built-in screen or a | portable television. Either way, you'll | need your PlayStation and a power source.")

| | !

mom-and-pop magazine stand turned it down. All 400,000 copies have | been stashed in a secret underground | bunker, never to see the light of day again

Don't worry though, a second | issue is in the works; and if all goes well, it'll hit retail shelves next April. Our | good buddy, Khung Shu, The Tibetan | Monk, just sent us a letter saying, “I hate you all, you stupid Americans. Please leave me be.” Since Khung is aj peaceful man who wouldn’t hurt a fly, we believe this was a mistransiation. Either | this, or some evil man § intercepted his letter and replied in Khung's name. The real response was probably something like," hate | my life and want to § move to America to | play games. Please tell my brother, Lang Kao to keep his hands off į

Rapp een, UMEN

andor

" Jason Rodriguez ae Santa Rosa, CA We believe Mr. Ben DeGaetano Cold is telling Lancaster, PA Rocky to turn it Yippee....Yahoo..,.who ! sideways and... We've actually watched a PlayStation2 the @#%" are you? sell on eBay for 1,500 smackers. Just like the Dreamcast and any Robert Desimone console before it, we strongly suggest | Nashua, NH that you wait for the U.S. launch. Why : lng spend the money when you'll have the | What is she doing

chance to get a localized one a few | with the other gun?

months later with all the software in | I$" English? There's no reason to spend J A ' 1 ; the big bucks now. Patience Danielson. | : : ^ A R Wax on... Wax off... Wax on... Wax off.. : F. - É

Adam Bennett Aurora, CO ||

| In the words || of the Plastic |!

Ono Band,

“All we are

saying..."

| love the mag. It’s way better than |

Steve, “The Sweaty Butcher" | Ohio

Game Informer « June 2000

Animated Blood Animated Violence RERET emar En

Qs HODA

Alti

A GOTHIC JOURNEY TO DIE

At the dawn of the 32-bit systems, the RPG market suffered a huge lull in the U.S. Hordes of lackluster RPGs deemed unwor- thy of exportation to the States remained in Japan due to an apparent “disinterest” in the phenomenon and low response to pathetic probing attempts like Beyond the Beyond. Game Informer cried out and attempted to rally our loyal readership behind us in our solid support of the RPG to little avail. They were dark days indeed.

Disinterest? When so many gamers would rather discuss their fond recollec- tions of Chrono Trigger, The Legend of Mana, and Final Fantasy rather than start dating for the first time or help their cus- tomers out at the comic book store, how could it be? Did the mighty software pub- lishers hear our cries? Probably not. But when Final Fantasy VII came to the U.S. and blew away the competition with record numbers they certainly smelled the money.

Since that glorious day, the PlayStation has been bombarded with RPGs due to one of the most reliable maxims in the gaming industry — If it ain't broke, do a cheap imi- tation or find something like it and get it out fast! Unfortunately (or perhaps fortu- nately), few were willing to emulate a com- pany that was willing to bet the salar

CHASING SQUARE SOFT

Until now, only one attempted to match Square at its own game. Craveyard

Entertainment for Crave Publishing collect- ed a team of big names in the video game

and cinematic industry to create the well written, but graphic and gameplay trou- bled, Shadow Madness. S&M, as we like to call it, showed that a small team of huge tal-

ent is no match for a huge team with huge talent and years of experience making the

decisions. Only another giant like Sony could hope to match Squares manpower - and commitment to a big investment for a big payoff.

Sony's Legend of Deacon may be a little late on the heels of Final Fantasy VII's mas-

sive repertoire of gorgeously rendered

cutscenes and unbelievable summo effects, but it definitely holds its own as close cousin to Final Fantasy VII Featuring a plot with a love trian: fixed view rendered environments, finely animated combat system that features three character and luscious FMVs and real- i

‘momma. Despite having such a similar -

existence with a plot steeped in the mytho ‘mation into the legendary Medo ni

Addition combo system. The chase on

The only questions to be answered about Dragoon is what sets it apart from its ——

delivery system and a love triangle, Dragoon definitely stands up for its own

ogy of an ancient war, character transfor-

(or Dragoons), and a wicked y oa

PlayStation —— | -

E ~ . Cover Stor

TE i ar Me

ately, his- pletely worthless until she acquires her Dragoon spirit stone, - Second i

pode Status:

; skills along the Ea r interactions with gins, ith sh

le gam m vays £ f San: or taking Gle a a child. Her lac total lack of Addition combos make her com-

a allows her the use of powerful healing magic and light St

sessed at all the E. abil-

: a ‘ities as Lavitz, but his- “moves show alittle more flair cosmetically. Al is the source of a great deal of humor in the game due to his nopsaan!

ous curiosity and his e. school romantic side.

ke, Miranda is the-

d : of the tour

Dart’ S honey- -poo is forced to reject h the game. Miranda has a high nd, particularly when dealin r her command. She regu characters ‘throug iis g

... Dragoon magic crosses the spectrum of attack, recovery, -

Ó X uud cm c c c T C

- -. by his modest hit points. His His

Weapo Really T Mer : oon: Wat

Status: “shunned

by Her People But Both

| Parents Miraculously Alive. -.

The. obnoxious kid of the

apparently facilitates easy movement through water. Her

and defense. When not performing a dance, Meru likes to practice BERE her. op t pane mallet.

evastate creatures ix begins rca like =

Sword | Dragoon: Darkness | | Family Status: Pareri |Long Dead; . Tragically Bitter and Alone e

y Having a severe case of [extended teen angst no - doubt du am

de

„the t scover ar they have more in” common than just the jour- | ney they partake in. Haschel_ is a master of the ma "i arts, but has spent 20 years travel- ing the world trying to find the daughter who ran away from.

him after he put too much pressure on her to be the next - 2s grand master in the martial arts form he has devoted his life —

Haschel's rapid and reasonably powerful attacks are offset ' j Thunder Dragoon magic exerts. ne :

Weapon: Realy 5 m ha Dragoon: Eath —— — Family Status: Last of Hi

K ide

eres later in the game. She entually gains the spirit i Poles - stone of the Water Dragoon whose armor's skimpy look '®" S :

ences are in the game's wem sm hich “nike Final

aside from Final Fantasy. While the look is very similar, and — Fantasy, is turn-based and allows the player all the time in the _ | the general formula obvious, a number of important details _ world to decide what to.do next. without being reminded RS an. | make LOD a different RPG experience. Most of these suit : Bnsmy attack that the clock is running.

The real question about the Legend o agoon is what sets it

PE Addition Combos. "WW During a sarees initial attack, a targeting square quickly collapses on a smaller square. To execute the next attack, you- must hit the attack button right before it closes in. The timing is tricky — . atfirst, but once you get used to it you'll be curs- ing yourself whenever you miss a full combo. The .... More successful you are with a combo, the more - it levels up, leading. to the eventual gain of more. powerful combos. Leveling up Addition combos is important as this will also help advance your : S ed WM

| Dragoon Addition | Dragoons can also execute powerful combo attacks. When the attack option is chosen, a- Overland Map CERIS dragon eye appears on the screen. A sphere with In Legend of Dragoon, any noti a free-roaming Jj s - a small marker starts spinning rapidly. You must RPG is completely abandoned. Even the overland map | i M _hit the attack button each time the marker passes consists entirely of paths that open up as you meet plor - | — the top of the eye in order to execute a full combo. objectives. This was a sticking point for some of us, but Doing this flawlessly will execute a Perfect attack _ it did allow the game to focus more on plot. - that ends the combo with a powerful hit full of ee special effects related to that Dragoon's particular element.

b Counterattack! : * Sometimes a combo gets- interned: by an | enemy N Special Transformation 7 counterattack. To avoid taking damage and to continue When every character in combat has maxed out their SP, a peil DE Kansiornatior. can nbe the combo, you must hit the @ button instead of 3€ - . . initiated that bathes the battlefield in whatever element the initiating Dragoon represents and caus- - when the zooming square turns orange. - 1 esal three characters to transform. This will strengthen the initiating Dragoon's attacks, causing that Se qM character's Addition attacks to automatically achieve a Perfect, and enhance their magic attacks.

©, Dragoon Transformation - a oo. us pO» X Magic - Eventually, all of your characters gain the a jity to transform into the Dragon - 7 Aside from item- based out attacks, kanlong intoa i Dragoon i is the only way : Knights of legend. Once a character has a Dragon Spirit Stone, they acquire the — - to cast spells. Each character gets three spells and Eo the ability to sum- ability to accumulate SP. When 100 SP are gained through successful physical — mona dagen spin to Beastie enemies with. attacks, the character can transform into a Dragoon. As characters gain new levels — : — s „in their Dragoon ability, they can amass even more SP, allowing them to remain. ed Dragoons another round for every 100 SP they accumulated before transforming. Q

“A few things in this game rubbed me the wrong way. | don’t like the lack of exploration on the map, the item management system is downright yucky (okay, that's a Serious nitpick, but just wait until you have to unload a bunch of crap at an item store before writing nasty letters), and | just felt like the characters could have had more going for them than four spells apiece and a handful of combo attacks. Fortunately, both the combos and the spells are all lavishly put together and a lot of fun to pummel enemies with, even if they do get kind of repetitive. | was also impressed by how well the plot and theme of the game were conveyed. Featuring a lively combat system, great story, and some FMV whoppers, Legend of Dragoon is definitely a game every RPG fan should own.”

“The developers of Legend of Dragoon tried very hard to create an adversary that could take on the RPG bully known as Final Fantasy and, considering that this is their first attempt at such a feat, do an admirable job. In the categories of graphics, FMV, and depth of character options, Final Fantasy comes out on top. With its voice-overs during combat and FMVs, Dragoon edges out FF in the sound category. Story is a dead heat. What really makes Dragoon a contender is its combat interface. The high amount of player interaction during battles brings involvement in the game. You simply can’t be napping when a monster is about. If Final Fantasy and Legend of Dragoon were to face off in a boxing ring, FF would come out on top, but only via decision, not a knockout. "

"Legend of Dragoon is the missing link between Final Fantasy VII and VIII. Imitating the best, this high quality adventure tries to match Square Soft stride for stride, upping the ante at any given time. While its gameplay holds many innovative qualities, the look of the game doesn't come close to delivering the graphical prowess of FF VIII. Final Fantasy's strong suits are graphics and story telling. Legend of Dragoon's is gameplay. Through every inch of this RPG, players have a hand in the action. Combat is a stressful exercise of timing, and without overworld exploration, the story is constantly progressing. All of the cutscenes, realtime and FMV, are animated superbly, and the plot is surprisingly good. The journey is a little too linear for my liking, but the gameplay kept me immersed. As intended, this is the next best thing to Square’s monumental series.”

| Game Informer + June 2000

ERIK

THE PC JEDI

Concept

8.75

Graphics

9

Sound 8.5

Playability 8

Entertainment

9

EXD

OVERALL

JAY

THE GONZO GAMER

Concept 8

Graphics 9

Sound 9.5

Playability 9

Entertainment

9

OVERALL

REINER

THE RAGING GAMER

Concept 9

Graphics

9.5

Sound 9

Playability

9.25

Entertainment

9

EXD

OVERALL

biggest difference is the plot. No one has amnesia. The main characte is nship with. the love interest. al the pe and. me overall x.

- Quite a dew EM e. cem since that die; but war ce again hreaten the peace of the now domi- at inglies and dragons are all thought

| to have been extinct for i ex some time and the humans

PlayStation

Review

* Size: 4 CD-ROMs

* Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Game

* Special Features: 9 Characters (2 Get Replaced); Addition Combo System Adds Action Element to Combat; Dragoon Transformation Allows Spell Casting & Powerful Physical Attacks; Over 40 Minutes of FMV

* Replay Value: Moderately Low

* Created by: SCEI for SCEA

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Bottom Line:

“Oh... you meant this kind of party!” B. “Time for snackies!”

. “Wonder Twin Powers >>Ahhrrrmmm<<” Rose is the master of the cool finishing pose.

*Glergh! I need that!" (f. Some of the towns are quite unique. "Yeah right. Your ID's in your ‘other’ pants."

“HELLO, FOOLISH MORTALS. | AM THE VIDIOT. I EXIST FOR ONE REASON AND ONE REASON ALONE: | AM HERE TO FULFILL YOUR WILDEST GAMING DREAMS...AND BEFORE YOU ASK...LARA IS NOT THAT TYPE OF GIRL. FOR FAR TOO LONG, | GAMERS HAVE BUTTED HEADS, ARGUING THAT SONIC IS BET- TER THAN CRASH, FINAL FANTASY VII BETTER THAN FINAL FANTASY VIII, AND SO ON. TO BE QUITE FRANK, IF | HEAR ANOTHER ONE OF THESE STUPID CONVERSATIONS, I'M GOING TO SHRINK EVERY HUMAN TO THE SIZE OF A PEA AND INSERT | THEM INTO ELTON JOHN'S REAR! |

WITH THE HELP OF THE MOST BRILLIANT SCIENTISTS IN THE | WORLD, | BEGAN WORK ON A DEVICE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY _ | MAKE CHARACTERS FROM DIFFERENT GAMES BATTLE FOR — SUPREMACY. ON MARCH 28, A MIRACLE HAPPENED. INSTEAD | OF CREATING THE DESIRED CONTRAPTION, | ACTUALLY OPENED A PORTAL TO AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. A UNIVERSE (C KNOWN AS THE Y ZONE. IN THIS WORLD, THE ENVIRONMENTS,

| CHARACTERS, AND STORIES OF THE GAMES WE KNOW AND | LOVE ARE ACTUALLY REAL.

MY ORIGINAL GOAL WAS TO KIDNAP POPULAR CHARACTERS FROM THEIR HOMES, CAGE THEM IN OUR REALITY, THEN WHEN THE TIME CAME, FORCE THEM TO FIGHT. THE ENTIRE WORLD WOULD THEN PAY $59.95 TO WATCH THE BLOOD FLY ON PAY- PER-VIEW. MUHA HA HA!!!

THIS PLAN WENT SOUR WHEN | FOUND OUT THAT I COULD ONLY OBSERVE THE ALTERNATE DIMENSION. | COULDN'T ACTUALLY ENTER INTO IT OR MESS WITH IT IN ANY WAY. AFTER BUTTING HEADS WITH SCIENTISTS

DD | ; FOR A SECOND TIME, | SACRIFICED MY COMIC BUDGET - cE Å J TO CREATE THE VIONIC SLIDER - THE WORLD'S FIRST

ec t/07321/^ P nA: CYBERNETIC-POWERED ARMOR EQUIPPED WITH THE ABILITY TO SLIDE INTO THE Y ZONE AND COEXIST IN BOTH UNI- VERSES. OUTFITTED WITH A TRUSTY REMOTE CONTROL CTHAT IS ACTUALLY LITTLE MORE THAN AN AMALGAM OF ALL EXISTING CONSOLE CONTROLLERS), THE VIONIC SLIDER ALLOWS ME TO ENTER THE Y ZONE. THE VIONIC SLIDER ALSO FEATURES A KUNG FU GRIP AND A PARTICLE CANNON THAT ALLOWS ME TO ZAP ANY CHARACTER I DESIRE INTO A VIRTU- AL BATTLEFIELD HELD WITHIN A MAINFRAME IN OUR DIMEN- SION. BEFORE CREATING THIS VIRTUAL HOLDING CELL, WE SIMPLY TRIED TO ZAP CHARACTERS INTO OUR REALITY. BIG MISTAKE. THE MOMENT A VIDEO GAME CHARACTER’S PIXELS TOUCH OUR AIR, THEY MELT. SORRY, BUBSY! MUHA HA HA!!!

WHEN CHARACTERS ENTER THE BATTLE ARENA, AN IMPULSE IS SENT INTO THEIR BRAIN, ORDERING THEM TO USE THEIR SPECIAL TALENTS TO DESTROY THE OPPOSITION. THE SET- TING IS A FAMILIAR ONE TO BOTH CHARACTERS, AND THEIR MISSION SEEMS ENTIRELY NORMAL. WHEN A CHARACTER DIES IN THE ARENA...UH...WELL, | HAVEN'T WORKED THE BUGS OUT ON THIS ONE YET... BUT REST ASSURED, IN THE FUTURE, BOTH COMBATANTS WILL RETURN TO THEIR WORLD, COMPLETELY UNHARMED AND WITH NO RECOLLECTION OF WHAT JUST HAP- PENED. FOR NOW, WELL...WE WON'T GO THERE. HA HA HA!

| TIRE OF TALKING TO YOU FLABBY PRIMATES. | HAVE HUN- DREDS OF MATCHES SET UP, BUT INSTEAD OF BLOWING THE ENTIRE LOAD NOW, ILL ONLY GIVE YOU A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME. NOW THEN, ON WITH THE CHAOS!”

AGE: I7

HEIGHT: 5’ 5" (5' 7" WHEN NOT SUFFERING FROM SCOLIOSIS) WEIGHT: 165 LBS

FAVORITE FOOD: VANILLA PUDDING FAVORITE SONG: PROTECK YA NECK II THE ZOO - OL’ DIRTY BASTARD LIFELONG DREAM: TO LIVE ON THE PLANET CYBERTRON

ROLE MODELS: SHIGERU MIYAMOTO; RONALD REAGAN

MOST HATED THINGS: EVERYONE AT DC COMICS FOR CANCELING ATARI FORCE; BOWSER

ADVANTAGES: CONTROLS THE VIDEO GAME BITSTREAM

DOWNFALLS: POWERED ARMOR RUNS ON WINDOWS 98

ILLUSTRATION: DAN VEESENMEYER COLORS: JESS HEITLAND

Ó Game Informer * June 2000

Came Informer

Feature

“A FEW WEEKS AGO, LARA ACTUALLY INVITED ME ON A DATE. WE HAD DINNER AT PIZANO'S FANCY ITALIAN EATERY, BUT HER ANNOYING ACCENT DROVE ME BONKERS, SO | POKED HER IN THE EYE WITH A BREAD- STICK AND FLED. MUHA HA HA! ANYWAY, ID LIKE TO SEE HOW VIDEO GAMES’ PIECE OF MEAT, DUKE NUKEM, FARES ON HIS OWN DATE WITH THE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL LARA CROFT. MY MONEY IS ON DUKE. HELL FILL HER FULL OF LEAD BEFORE THE APPETIZERS ARRIVE.”

He spots her the second those long legs carry her into the restaurant. Duke

never was much for blind dates, but The Vidiot painted quite an intriguing por-

. trait of this Lara Croft, and he obviously wasn't exaggerating. Duke has seen lots of babes in his day, but she is something special.

Dinner is going better than he could hope for. They seem to share sim-

ilar careers, and are swapping stories like old triends. That English

accent drives him wild, and her figure would make a mathe-

matician fumble his digits. Sipping cocktails after a large,

charred hunk of ad meat, Duke makes his move. "This

night has been so great, Lara. What say you act like

gum on my boot and stick with me a little longer?"

Lara giggles, and her huge eyes give Pin the

answer he wants, even before her mouth opens.

“I'd love to, love." Again, that accent tickles his

ears like a feather. Duke pays the tab, leaving a

enerous tip and making sure Lara catches sight of

Ris kindness. Hand in hand, they stroll

to Duke's Canyonero, bound for the nearest lodg-

ing facilities.

Struggling with the key in the darkened hallway,

he finally opens up the door to number 36D.

Grumbling about how a hotel whose name has

the number 6 in it could charge fifty bucks, Duke

relaxes on the bed. Lara sits next to him, and

f they continue their flowing conversation.

Hours later, Lara is fast asleep. Duke drapes the silk sheets over her, and reaches down to his ankle, where he has concealed a shiny magnum. A job is

a job, and though he isn’t happy with it, Duke knows what he has to do. After a moment of reflection, he presses the gun against her tem- ple. “Sometimes this line of work really sucks,"

Duke mumbles as he cocks the hammer.

"Don't you mean it blows, darling?" Lara replies as her eyes open. In a flash, she grabs his arm, snapping his wrist

back. In pain, Duke eet his

grip on the gun, which falls

into Lara's waiting hand

Gasping in surprise, he finds

the barrel shoved into his gap-

ing mouth. "Thank you for the

wonderful evening, Duke,"

remarks the sneering beauty

as she pulls the trigger.

"There's something special

about that Lara," Duke thinks

as his body levitates above

the bed, rising rapidly. "It's

a shame we had to stain

these sheets, though."

Game Informer ù June 2000 21

“RPGS HAVE TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM, AND THE GAMES STARRING SQUALL AND CLOUD ARE THE THUNDEROUS CLOUDS BY WHICH THAT STORM ERUPTS. WHICH IS THE BETTER GAME WILL BE DEBATED UNTIL THE END OF TIME, BUT WITH MY TECHNOLOGY AND WIT, WE CAN SEE WHICH LEADING MAN'S BLAUE IS THE BADDEST. IT’S NOT THE SIZE OF THE SWORD BUT THE SPEED OF THE STROKE.”

irl with is face.

Getting to his feet, he looks beyond the cage. A brown-haired 2 rers in her hands screams at him from the Be side, and spits in all moves towards her, only to be cut off by another figure. —— Pick on someone your own size, mascara boy!” shouts the figure inhab-

iting the cage with him, and a massive blade swoops

toward his skull. Reacting fast, Squall's gunblade meets the strike. His opponent's sword is tremendous,

. and it’s unbelievable that this spiky-haired punk can . even pick it up. But he can, and swings it once again. -

The. mammoth weapon slices the air, heading

toward Squall's neck. Again his "m gunblade turns

it away. Sensing a moment of imbalance by his foe,

Squall launches his first attack. Though repelled, the

enemy "pu DL A. € Squall lunges for-

ward, sword extended. He feels it make contact, and pulls back.

Eyes open, Squall sees blood drip from the razor-

rp tip. He locks back, expecting to see the blonde

kid laying lifeless, but instead sees the girl who spat at

him, motionless on the ground outside the cage in a

pool of crimson.

. "Aerisl?l?" shouts Squall’s cage-mate, staring hor-

rif

ied at the fallen girl. "Not again!” With a fury he ould see in the opponent's eyes, Squall knows he’s in trouble.

^| am Cloud Strife, and | will take your life!" bel- lows the enraged boy. He lunges forward with suc speed, Squall is almost canbe to repel the attack. Again and again, Cloud racks Squall with strike after strike. One swoop to the base of the blade, an Squall's sword shatters in half, leaving him holding the handle.

“Never bring a gunblade to a swordfight. Die!” Cloud, eyes ablaze, raises the sword for a death blow. Calmly, Squall points the remains of the gun- blade at his foe, and pulls the trigger. The force d the blast sends Cloud's body into a backflip, landing in a

loody heap.

Squall stands tall, savoring the victory. He hears a loud bang behind him. Looking down, he notices blood on his own chest and turns around. A dark, brutish man glares at him, with his deformed gun-

and smoking. "Screw you, ya sissy cheater," snarls the husky man on the other side of the cage.

e Game Informer * June 2000

“PAVING THE WAY TO PLATFORMING NIRVANA, THESE TWO RODENTS HAVE ENTERTAINED MILLIONS OF GAMERS ACROSS THE GLOBE. | LOVE BOTH OF THEM LIKE I WOULD A FAMILY PET. BUT REALLY NOW, I'D SACRIFICE MY PUPPY IN A HEARTBEAT, AND | HAVE NO REMORSE FOR THESE TWO REJECTS.”

Game Informer

Feature

As Coco slaves away at a week's worth of dirty dishes inside the Bandicoot household, her brother, Crash, has parked his oversized buttocks on a nearby tree stump, where he busily gnaws away at a ripe wumpa fruit. Splattering orange and purple wumpa panicles all over his body, Crash is oblivious to the large shadow spreading rapidly across the valley. Through the scorching summer sky, a large spacecraft centers directly above Crash's location. The arrival of the ship has created a whirlwind around the Bandicoot household. Leaves rip across the sky and pebbles skip across the lawn. Yet through the chaette storm, Crash remains unfazed and completely occupied by his tasty treat.

Then without warning, a bright light appears before our marsupial friend, and in a flash, the silhouette of a figure unfolds within the light. Wearing snazzy red sneakers and sporting a sinister look, the visitor is none other than the world famous adventurer, Sonic the Hedgehog. Not worrying in the least that he has been kidnapped, Sonic reaches over and taps the orange Bandicoot on the shoulder. Licking his fingers, Crash awkwardly gazes up at the mysterious being. For at least five minutes, both Sonic and Crash stare at one another, blinking when needed. Then finally, Sonic's mouth slow- ly opens. In a slightly feminist tone, he blurts out, “Hi!” Crash scratches his head, smells his armpit, then exchanges the gesture. “Hi.” Again, the curious mam- mals sit in silence. Then in unison, they both say “Hi” again.

A second storm tears across the land, and another flash of light erupts right between the two dumbfounded strangers. Standing tall, the Vidiot, the king of this strange video game tournament, grabs both Crash and Sonic by the ears and speaks boldly. “Listen you two morons! You were ordered to fight to the death, not make semi-retarded chit-chat!” Pausing for dramatic effect, the Vidiot continues. “Since neither of you under- stands the meaning of deathmatch, I’m going to lace both of your right paws with anti-matter. Whoever touches the other first will win, and live to see another day. Understood?”

The hands of Crash and Sonic ignite with vibrant col- ors, then magically begin to glow and hum. Instead of scrambling to their feet, both characters remain in the positions that they had assumed when they first met.

Then Sonic takes the initiative, barking, “Hi!” for the third time. Taken back, Crash struggles to understand what Sonic had just implied. Raising his finger to his brow, he curiously scratches his forehead. When his fat little hand makes impact with his hollow head, Crash’s body explodes, showering burnt orange hair everywhere. Laughing hysterically at this event, Sonic unintentionally marks his territory in Crash’s smoldering sneak- ers, then turns and walks away.

Game Informer *« June 2000 23

“| ABSOLUTELY ADORE BOTH OF THESE SUR- VIVAL HORROR AGENTS, AND I'D HATE TO SEE HARM COME TO EITHER. YET ONE OF THEM MUST DIE. IF | HAD TO PICK A VICTOR, JILL IS MY CHOICE. IT’S NOT THAT SHE HAS AN EDGE IN ANY WAY. BOTH GIRLS SEEM EQUALLY BALANCED, | JUST HEARD A RUMOR THAT SHE MAKES EXQUISITE HAM AND CHEESE OMELETS. IF SHE WINS, ILL FRY HER BRAIN, MARRY HER, AND TOSS HER IN MY KITCHEN. HA HA HA!”

oor, Regina a eyes her surroundings...peering into darkness all around. Holding her throbbing forehead, _ she searches for answers to what just happened. Other | than a blue blur streaking across a black void, her memo- ry is blank. All she knows is that she is in grave danger, | stalked by someone...or something. Freezing from ‘head to toe, she hears the sound at faint footsteps approaching from behind. Reaching to her hip she readies

Slowly pulling herself to her feet, she stands motionless with her back still turned to the intruder. The footsteps sub- _ side...again dead silence. Tensing up, Regina rolls to the

ground just as a shower of bullets streak past her face. With each shot fired, a flicker of light reveals the mysteri- ous assassin's location. “Checkmate,” Regina murmurs. With one fluid motion, she strikes, hurling the knife at great speed across the room where it makes contact. A loud “THUD” signals the end of the game.

Popping a handful of Tylenol to kill her migraine, Regina casually glides to the location of her attacker. Lying motionless and bearing a STARS. badge, the petite female attack- er lies in the pool of blood forming around her head. Remorseful, Regina whispers, "What a shame." Digging through what seem to be end- less pockets, she finally finds an LD. “Jill Valentine, huh?" Taking the identification for further research on this mysterious organization, Regina kneels and aggres- sively rips the combat knife from Jill's skull. Not fond of the dark, she also confiscates the night-vision goggles and activates them. Fully illuminat- ed in a green tint, Regina eyes what seems to be the confines

Ó Game Informer « June 2000

ounding headache on a damp tile

... a combat knife, the only weapon she has in her possession.

of a vast warehouse. The entire interior is empty, except for one door at the far end of the expansive structure. Slightly shaken by the encounter, Regina strides to the door. Wrapping her fingers around the handle, Regina pulls. As she does, a Crunching sound erupts all around her. Losing her breath, she bows her head and looks down to her feet, gasping as a large tentacle waves violently within her chest cavity. Pulling free and falling to the ground, she turns about face to see the eyes of her attacker. It’s Jill Valentine, mutated and double her previous size. Letting out a bloody cry, the beast swipes at Regina, knocking her head to the floor, After rolling over and over, Regina looks oddly at the body next to the door. It's hers...only headless. Closing her eyes, she slides back into the darkness...but not before feel- ing a slimy tentacle wrap around her mouth. “Game Over,” she thinks. “Game...Over...”

— M Á——Ü: ET oo

Game Informer

Feature

"HE'S PINK. SHE'S PINK. HE'S FAT. SHE'S FAT. WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY? THEY'RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER! THESE TWO PUFFSTERS ALREADY COLLIDED IN SUPER SMASH BROTHERS...BUT THIS MATCH WON'T END IN A CHEESY NINTENDO WAY. IT'S A DUEL TO THE BITTER END. A FIGHT TO THE FINISH. THE FINAL STRETCH. THE LAST SUPPER, BABY!”

THE BATTLE: TUFF PINK PUFFS

Rising from a metal folding chair, Kirby smiles. "That was deathmatch thing.” Not listening to a word he says, Jigglypuff í Shaping his snatches up the rocket launcher, threatening to use it on Kirby.

the best Overeater's Anonymous meeting yet."

fingers in glee, he waddles out of the classroom into the hall- Frightened beyond belief and kind of grossed out by the

way where a faint siren-like melody tickles his eardrums. stinky pile he just made, Kirby flees, racing toward the exit. In "That's the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.” Turning hot pursuit, Jigglypuff follows. Smashing through the glass

to his left, he sees the siren, practicing singing as she mops door, Kirby rolls into the parking lot, showered in Jap

he shards. Cut badly, he looks up to see Jigglypuft just a few feet

the floor. “Wow, she's beautiful...and her voice...” As gazes lovesick at the girl, his stomach growls, and the myste- ^ away...still with rocket launcher in hand. "No....(cough)

rious singer's pink hide transforms into a gigantic cheesecake. “Argh.... must...eat..." Flying like a Macy's Day Parade bal- loon to her location, Kirby seems nervous. "Hi. I’m Ki-i-rby. Wh...who are you?" Romantically, she sings her name "Jigg-

...don't...shoot..."

Just then, a speeding car smashes into egypt With a faint fizzle she pops. Eyeing the vehicle, Kirby makes out what appears to be a yellow rat with a large lightning bolt shaped

ly-puff” Then again, her skin transforms into a cheesecake.

With the creamy joy of cheesecake on his mind, Kirby unin- tentionally engulfs Jigglypuff into his gut. Noticing that he’s just

tail at the wheel. “Hmmm.... Who was that?” Crawling to his feet and dazed by what just happened, Kirby looks at the flat pink smear...which magically transforms into a pancake with

steamy butter and maple syrup on top. With a suction that puts a Hoover to shame, Kirby sucks up the corpse, pats his chest, then bounces to the nearest Dairy Queen for an after dinner treat.

committed a terrible act, Kirby quickly scopes out the scene expecting to see shocked citizens with his death warrant in hand. Luckily, no one is around. Sighing in relief, he wipes his brow, oniy to feel a sharp pain shoot through his stomach. “Ouch!” It is Jigglypuff, alive and gnawing on od intestinal wall. "That's not possible... Acids would have..." From within his gut, the glorious melod he heard just bids ago commences again. This time, it’s in | a much lower tone, one that makes his bowels shake....and eventually unload everything he | has eaten over the last three weeks. Along with a soggy cookie, a Rolling Stones box set, and a powerful rocket launcher, Jigglypuff emerges...mad as the devil. Bashful as ever, Kirby apologizes to the lovely (and now somewhat stinky) Pokémon goddess. “I’m sorry, Jiggs. | have a ferocious appetite, and well...that hel

Game Informer « June 3

26

Resident Evil O

When we say that there were only a handful of Nintendo 64 games at the Tokyo Game Show, we mean that literally - there were only five! Still one of these titles was extremely interesting as it was the next in the Resident Evil series.

Capcom presented a short, playable demo of Resident Evil 0 that consisted of some typical events, such as killing some zom- bies, locating a key, and unlocking a door. As reported in our March issue, the game stars Bravo team member Rebecca Chambers. However, we discovered more details on a second playable character, Billy Cohen. It seems Billy was on his way to the electric chair and is set free when the train that he and Rebecca are traveling on is mysteriously overrun by zombies.

This exclusive N64 title is sure to make PlayStation and Dreamcast owners jealous. It should be out in Japan this sum- mer with a holiday release in the U.S.

Game Informer « June 2000

umping on a spacious Boeing 747 and taking a. f

12 hour flight to Tokyo, Game Informer was | n hand for the spring Tokyo Game Show. For Japan’s largest video game exhibition, gamers from around Japan converge on the Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Center) in an attempt to see and play the latest and greatest. : Attendance at this spring's Tokyo Game Show was at its lowest since the inaugural event in the spring of 1997. This may have been due to the fact that, just a few weeks earlier, Sony had hosted a PlayStation2 festival. Also, . Nintendo has never taken an active role in the show Y and does not exhibit any titles. In fact, there were only a handful of Nintendo 64 titles on display. This doesn't mean there weren't a number of fantastic games to playtest and evaluate. To say the least, Sega had the most impressive display, with a healthy dose of Dreamcast RPGs as well as some other surprises. But we don't want to forget about powerhouses like Capcom, Square, and Konami - all of which had equally impressive showings.

aie Game Informer

The continuation of Sega’s most popular and longest running RPG will take place entirely in cyberspace. No, the Featil re game setting is not in this netherworld, but players from around the world will be able to play together via the Dreamcast’s modem capabilities. : oe

Scheduled to release in Japan this fall, with a U.S. version soon to follow, Phantasy Star Online boasts incredible graphics, and a language translation feature to allow Japanese and Americans to play together easily. The only drawback with Phantasy Star, as opposed to many existing online RPGs, is that it is not massively multiplayer. In other words, the number of users in the adventure will be restricted. Phantasy Star will only allow parties of four players. Yet, this fact will allow Phantasy Star Online to include a rich and interesting storyline - something the massive multiplayer games lack.

Phantasy Star Online looks incredible; it was definitely the most interesting and impressive title at the Tokyo Game Show.

E———————É—

y Eneas Bc m

Hoa x Capcom has been working on this RPG sequel for quite some time. In fact, it was featured in our Tokyo Game Show reports last year. Despite Breath of Fire IV's long development, the game is shaping up quite nicely and has already been released in Japan. An October release is expected for the U.S.

Expanding on the same storyline that gives the hero the ability to transform into powerful dragons and others characters that can meld into each other, this new adventure is sure to please the legions of fans who have played Breath of Fire since its days on the SNES. Another memorable and interesting aspect of the game series is fishing, and it will be further expanded upon in this quest. We have word that the fishing segments will be compatible with the PlayStation's fishing controller.

BEEPS. PIES katuan AMA.»

Game Informer e June 2000 27

isi peu thought that Konami’ s Hideo Kojima’s first work on n PlayStation2 | would be a Metal Gear Solid. sequel. The appearance of Z.O. E. changes this | impression. Kojima and Metal Gear artist, Yoji Shinkawa, have designed a mecha masterpiece that has been dubbed a robot action game. Basically, Z.O.E intertwines a dramatic story with mocna clashin’, armor bashin’ melee. ioa to

i

cud As. received bios of Ede: when it released the first in this RPG series for the Saturn. The f game was then ported to the PlayStation. Again, § GameArts is focusing its attention on a Segaf console, and Grandia n will power-up the Dreamc t 1 RPG line-up.

Grandia Il has a fantastic look that overshadows : its Dreamcast counterpart, Eternal Arcadia. Even so, f both games will create a Dreamcast APG mere that i is | hard to beat.

. Although Square said the likelihood of this game arriving | in the States is slim, there were rumblings that Square may B. work a deal with EA to label this game Triple Play at some

point. Either way, we- were extremely impressed by the highly detailed animation. Broken bat loopers over the infield, spinning throws, and dusty slides were just a few of the intricacies that we unearthed. = is While it is still too early to na n» an exact Japane : release date, Square's. baseball game is one of the better Paystsliens games that was poyan at the show.

]| wrestling ray that we are, we quizz

| Acclaim? Electronic Arts? All of these companies seem like possible suitors, as All-Star Pro beets already |

Shows off stunning animation that puts other games to shame. E f course, Square's relationship with EA put this company’s

ense at the forefront of contenders to convert this game -

to an American wrestler. However, Square was still adamant about keeping it in Japan. Since the game was still young, the computer Al was almost

completely missing. Luckily, t this fact made it easy to beat our E

computer component to a pulp. Using both the analog sticks (one to move, one to execute moves), we were able to unleash some crushing moves and grapples. Throws, dropkicks, top rope maneuvers, and other familiar wrestling stunts weren't exactly easy to execute, but we can't be too Slap of such an early game. i

M Final Fantasy IX, X, XI - PlayStation, dedo Online.

| we stormed into the Tokyo Game Show expecting [: e cavalcade of info regarding all that is Final Fantasy. To

our dismay and disgust, Square showed little more

| thanateaser video containing a few paltry images from

-Final Fantasy IX, the first to come to Japan on July 19.

Even though the info was slim, we couldn’ t help but get -

excited by FF IX’s retro stylings. The game will be sure

to please diehard fans of the NES and SNES versions

who loved to hate FF VII and VIII. - M As for the other games, Square surprisingly. showed ;

a large segment of conceptual play for the completely online Final Fintan XI. it showed a rather inple. yet

detailed environment where players across Japan were chatting with each other while on their quest, For more eh and Incredible artwork, be sure 1o look e at our oie on P 46.

i is [induding a olco isor that

clips onto the analogs to convert the game into an - almost. Tech Deck like - simulation. Now if they could only devise some- thing lii as iad JD Hawk...

— Game Informer

. Feature

hr introduci indi Boong Ga Boong Ga

This wins the prize of the most interesting and hilarious game at the Tokyo Game Show. This -

B arcade unit is not a game, but rather one of -

those redemption/skill games that dispenses

E rubber doo-doo to the lucky winner. Using an he

Boong Ga Boong

begins. The face on the screen gt of rollers spin. How hard yo

We highly doubt that w r ever see this

game again.

Game Informer e June 2000 . 29

News

FROM THE GI NEWS CENTER IN EDEN PRAI

Sega introduced a new spin-off, Sega.com, hoping to take the Dreamcast to the forefront of online gaming and console dominance. The new independent company will be an Internet destination for online gamers, as well as an Internet service provider (ISP) for gamers who want to connect to the ‘Net. Sega also revealed a rebate plan to, in essence, provide gamers with Dreamcast hardware at no cost.

At the core of the new company will be SegaNet, an online gaming network offering multiplayer games and other content that gamers like us crave. Scheduled to launch on September 7, SegaNet plans to provide 10 to 12 games during its first three months online. As reported last month, NFL 2K1 and Phantasy Star Online are expected to be some of the first games offered for online use. Additionally, Sega announced NBA 2K1 and Quake Ill Arena for online play.

As mentioned, Sega.com will also offer ISP service for both Dreamcast users and PC users alike. Those who sign up for two years of service, at $21.95 per month, will receive a $200 rebate or a free Dreamcast. Sega believes this strategy will greatly increase the installed base of Dreamcast users, as well as give current Dreamcast owners some extra spending cash to buy games. Gamers using their own ISP will still be able to play games via SegaNet. However, the more than 20 million AOL subscribers are currently out of luck as Sega has not

been able to get AOL users online via the Dreamcast. Sega Dreamcast. b

At the same time Sega of America introduced Sega.com, Sega of Japan unveiled a number of new Dreamcast peripherals aimed at the Internet age. Sega’s new emphasis on multiplayer gaming with the Dreamcast was never more apparent than with the introduction of its new, high-speed ISDN modem, as well as a LAN (Local Arena Network) component.

Sega of Japan also displayed its Dreamcast digital camera, as well as a device that works in conjunction with cellular phones to connect to the Internet.

Dreamcast LAN Link — A definite for U.S. release, the LAN link Sega of America acknowledged that it is working on similar products for will allow players to link multiple DCs together in one location. the U.S. market.

Dreamcast Cellular Phone Link — No U.S. plans have been Dreamcast ISDN Modem - This high-speed modem is not announced, but this device allows Japanese DC owners to use planned for the U.S., although Sega of America is likely to their cell phone as a modem. produce a similar DSL modem.

The Star Wars universe will greatly expand on con- soles this year, with no less than four new titles coming from LucasArts by year’s end. Plans from LucasArts call for games to hit PlayStation, PlayStation2, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast. At the time this issue went to press, P , the company was beginning to reveal these titles on its m website - www.lucasarts.com. , rU E. a

On the PlayStation front is Star Wars Demolition, a driving combat game created by Luxoflux, the same team who brought you Vigilante 8. With a ton of vehicles, including the Tatooine landspeeder and Federation ATTs, Demolition will also feature such settings as the Death Star, Sarlac Pit, and the ice planet Hoth.

Marking LucasArts entry into PlayStation2 develop- ment will be a title known as Starfighter. This game is said to combine Lucas' X-Wing/TIE Fighter series with a hint of Rogue Squadron. Including familiar Episode I starships, such as the Naboo Fighter and Amadala's Royal Starship, the game may also expand the Episode I universe with a variety of never before seen craft. Also in the works for PlayStation2 (and Dreamcast) is Super Bombad Racing — a super-deformed character- based racing title along the lines of Mario Kart.

Finally, LucasArts and developer Factor 5 are working on a follow-up to Rogue Squadron that has been tentatively titled Naboo. Expect to see the same great graphics and sound package found in the first game, but now with a completely Episode One theme. `

Star Wars Demolition

In an attempt to keep the PlayStation2 in the minds of consumers and steal some glory from its competitors, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan leaked plans to introduce a PS-2 modem and hard drive at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

Although no concrete details con- cerning either of the Sony devices were made clear, many took a report from the Bloomberg News as an indi- cation that Sony would include both the hard drive and modem with the launch of the PlayStation2 in the U.S. Speculation ran rampant that the cost of the PS-2 would then be increased over its projected $299 price tag. However, this strategy seems extremely unlikely given Sony's tight hardware production schedule and sensitivity to price. A more likely sce- nario would have Sony offering these components as separate add-ons after the system is launched.

Regardless of Sony's plans, which might be clearer at E3, its strategy seems to have worked. The company got the industry buzzing about possi- bilities of PlayStation2 and made folks think of it rather than its com- petitors.

When creator Hideo Kojima debuted Metal Gear Solid at the 1997 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), a crowd of enthusiastic gamers applauded and cheered the masterful video sequence that was shown. Three years later, Kojima will likely bring down the house with the debut of Metal Gear Solid 2 for PlayStation2.

Word has spread of a special Konami event the night before the opening of E3 and Konami's U.S. rep- resentatives have told us that this event would shed light on Kojima’s newest masterpiece.

To be sure, Game Informer will be privy to the Konami event and have scheduled an interview with Kojima himself on the new Metal Gear game.

Game Informer ¢ June 2000 €D

Sony Europe Spills The L

REST RAS

The folks over at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) unloaded all of its lentils, bangers, and crumpets, announcing eight new PlayStation2 titles it expects to release with the PlayStation2. Headlining the batch of PS-2 titles are sequels to some memorable games that appeared on the original PlayStation, as well as some impressive looking new franchises. Here’s the lowdown, ol’ chap!

Dropship

If you are a fan of Starship Troopers (the novel) or Aliens, you know the ramifications of a dropship game. We are uncertain if the dropships in Dropship will carry troops, but we are certain that this is a futuristic flight combat game.

Spin: Sprint Car Racing Another racing game? You bet! We hope this influx of racing games isn’t starting a trend. Wait, it is.

Formula One 2000

Yet another Psygnosis franchise that race hungry Europeans went ga-ga over, this game will again include all the pageantry that is Formula One.

Evo Rally

A European game lineup would not be a lineup without a rally rac- ing game. Four-wheel drive cars

and countersteering seem to . : always dazzle the Brits and Euros The Getaway, WipeOut Fusion, Drakan

| the whole episode S y alike. Check out our Photophile section, pages 74 and 75, for information q She’s got yen in one pocketand and pictures of these potential blockbusters.

This Is Football 2 No, SCEE isn’t taking over the NFL. It obviously isn't a racing

onon | game either. This soccer title is _ Game Informer Magazine — the follow-up to the title that

Attn: Top T 1 a Steet appeared on PlayStation.

The Getaway WipeOut Fusion

Homer Trades In Ball For Steel Chair

In a strange and twisted development, The Simpsons are moving from the alley and into ring. Fox Interactive has revealed that a wrestling title featuring the misfit characters from Springfield is in the works for PlayStation. As we reported many months ago, Fox was originally developing a bowling game based on the cartoon series. Apparently this venture was either put on hold or changed into the current project. The game is being developed by Big Ape Productions. Fox has not announced an exact release date for Simpsons Wrestling, but has said it will release this winter.

First Look At Time Crisis: Project Titan

Anyone who enjoys light gun games on

PlayStation constantly poses the question,

"When's there going to be another game that uses á

the gun?" Your virtual handgun prayers have been @ 1T T 5606660. mee, D192799 answered as Namco has released a preliminary s du OOOO look at Time Crisis: Project Titan.

Obviously, the game is a followup to Time Crisis and promises those with a quick trigger finger plenty of rewards. The game is slated for a fall release. Go get 'em, cowboy!

lick It Up! KISS Comes. To Dreamcast

Gathering of Developers is bringing heavy metal icons, KISS, to the Dreamcast. In conjunc- tion with developer Tremor, KISS Psycho Circus is a first-person shooter featuring one of rock's most flamboyant and popular bands.

The game is tentatively scheduled to release in September and will rock n' roll all night on Sega's system with plans for full online support. It is said that Psycho Circus will also party everyday.

SITE OF THE MONTH

www.amish.net

Here is the ultimate piece of irony on the web. A site devoted to people who will never look at it. This should be a joke, but it’s not. Here you'll find everything you need regarding the Amish. General information, Amish-produced products, and tourism services can all be had from this one address. There's even a deep pictorial discussion on that ultimate Amish icon, the horse-drawn buggy. Weird.

TRIVIA CONTEST * -;

What is the best-selling pinball machine of all time?

) What actor played Bison in the Street Fighter movie?

What Atari video game appeared in a Dabney Coleman spy movie of the same name?

In Enemy of the State, what portable video game system is incriminating

evidence hidden in?

Who directed the cinema version of

Mortal Kombat?

[Answers on the bottom of page 36]

NAME THAT GAME

This erapola carnival for Super Nintendo starred "everyone's favorite St. Bernard” in his one and only SNES game. Players attempt to rescue lost puppies and return them to mama. The box, which hears a different game name than the title sereen, boasts that it’s “Based On the Hit Movie!" Hit with a bunch of rotten cabbages by theater patrons, maybe. What game is it?

[Answer on the bottom of page 36]

Game Informer ¢ June 2000 33

JSIHEIES

pes Ofiami and Universal Studios

will_tean’ up for games' based on the upcoming film The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The film stars none other than Jim Carrey. The developers are also working on a game based on the movie The Mummy.

» Sony hopes to provide one PlayStation2 for every 600 people on the planet through the next busi- ness year (April 2000-April..2001). This adds up to four million shipped in Japan, and three million-each for both Europe and North America, meaning people in Africa, South America, Australia, and the«sub- continent are pretty well out of luck, forced to beg for a couple stray units.

zi

Data File: =)

» Enix America announced that two classic NES RPGs are in the works for Game Boy Color. The company will release versions of both Dragon Warrior I & II later this year.

» Red Sox strikeout king Pedro Martinez has inked a deal to be the coverboy for Sega’s World Series Baseball 2K1. Pedro finished last year’s season leading the American League in ERA, strikeouts, and wins. World Series Baseball 2K1 is scheduled for a summer release.

» A true dog in the financial world these days, Eidos Interactive is still planning a full scale assault on the PlayStation2. Eidos has stated it has over seven titles in the works for Sony’s new system. We would like to bet large sums of cash that one of these titles stars Lara Croft. Unfortunately, no one will bet against this proposition.

» Ruins of Kunark, an expansion for the wildly popular, Verant developed PC game EverQuest, has been released by Sony. Remaining GI staff members will conduct a memorial service for an MIA comrade on May 29.

»- We are still keeping a keen eye out for the Dreamcast version of Rainbow Six. Its publisher, Majesco, first thought it would be available in April and then considered the month of May. Word on the street pegs it for June. Or was that October?

» Ubi Soft will produce PlayStation, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color games based on Disney's computer animated film, Dinosaur.

CWS

Wii i ; FROM THE GI NEWS CENTER IN EDEN PRAIRIE

BiA4Gise

World's Scariest Network Brings Equally Frightening Game To Dreamcast

Admit it, you've watched the tube and gotten sucked into one of Fox Television's series that features cops, bad guys, and

| insane vehicular mayhem. No, we are not talking about the bad

boys of Cops, it's the World's Scariest Police Chases. it's coming to the Dreamcast from Fox Interactive.

Fox and developer Teeny Weeny Games are work- in£ on a good old game of cops and robbers for release later this year. Players can choose to play as either the police or take the role of some doped up felon as the series’ host, Sheriff John Bunnell, calls the action. Fox promises that the game will include "the largest and most expansive metropolitan area ever designed."

Sounds interesting, now where's that When Animals Attack game?

Mega Man Legends 2 To Feature True Legend

Capcom’s upcoming sequel to Mega Man Legends 2 may feature a throwback to the glory days of one of video games’ most popular characters. In a recent interview with Mega Man creator, Keiji Inafune, Game Informer learned that he was considering the inclusion of a minigame featuring the. original Mega Man game. While Inafune was not sure if it would be possible to include the entire game or if he would fea- ture excerpts from a selection of Mega Man classics, he did tell us that both were a strong possibility.

Mega Man fans craving to relive the Mega Man days of old should keep their eyes on these pages for future developments. Capcom is currently developing Mega Man Legends 2 for the PlayStation to release later this year.

Sega Arcade Title Falls Into Hands Of Activision

Activision has revealed that it has acquired the publishing rights for Sega’s Virtual On 2 for Dreamcast. Currently on the shelves in Japan

and still a favorite in Japanese arcades, Virtual On 2 is a 3D mech combat game where | players compete head-to-head in combat arenas. Activision plans to release the game for Dreamcast this summer.

Sega is currently working on a Dreamcast $s

online version of the game for release in Japan.

X

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Limit one per customer. Quantities are limited. Quantities and product selection vary by store. Prices and offers expire June 30, 2000. Manufacturer reserves the right to delay game title at their discretion. Dreamcast is a trademark of Sega. Sega is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. © 2000 Funco, Inc. FuncoLand is a registered trademark of Funco, Inc. All rights reserved.

N64 Owners To Chat With Pikachu

Poké-fanatics with a soft spot in their hearts for Pikachu will be shouting, “Hey You" later this year. Nintendo of America

is currently developing a Nintendo 64 game that will utilize a voice recognition system and come packaged with a micro- phone. Aptly entitled Hey You, Pikachu, this new title has been reworked from a Japanese title that appeared there some time ago.

The basics of this new Pikachu game center around caring for and raising the cute yellow friend. The game will recognize different phrases and respond to com- mands, making it like owning a pet Pikachu.

Hey You, Pikachu will be unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo and will arrive in stores this holiday season.

UGLY

Acclaim has announced it has signed heavy- weight grillmaster George Forman, as well as tal- ented Roy Jones, Jr. for its upcoming boxing game, tentatively entitled HBO Boxing. The game is under development for PlayStation.

You may fondly (or not so fondly) recall Foreman was Acclaim’s posterboy for two boxing titles in the 16-bit era. Big George lent his name to Foreman For Real and George Foreman’s KO Boxing that Acclaim pro- duced back in its heyday.

We're not sure whether Acclaim would be bold enough to use the past engine for its new PlayStation game, but sources close to UGRY the Game Informer staff have said that this

would not be the case.

Which game will rule the first-person roost on N64 this year?

UGhe

n a perfect world, For Change of Address, New there wouldn't be Subscriptions or Inquiries please send correspondence to:

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Publisher/ Distributor

Release Title Date

System

MAY

5/15/00 Toy Story 2 Activision DC 5/15/00 Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure Atlus PS-X 5/16/00 Casper Interplay GB 5/16/00 — Super Shot Robot Golf Crave GB 5/16/00 Toobin’ Midway GB 5/16/00 — Vagrant Story Square PS-X 5/19/00 Dinosaur Ubi Soft GB 5/20/00 Digimon World Bandai PS-X 5/22/00 Perfect Dark Nintendo N64 5/23/00 | Caesar's Palace 2000 Interplay DC 5/23/00 _ Nightmare Creatures 2 Konami DC 5/23/00 All Star Baseball 2001 Acclaim GB 5/23/00 Pro Pool Activision GB 5/23/00 T Tex Eidos GB 5/23/00 Carmageddon Titus N64 5/23/00 X Fighters Destiny 2 South Peak N64 5/23/00 — World Rally Challenge 2000 South Peak N64 5/23/00 Arena Football Midway PS-X 5/23/00 Grind Session Sony PS-X 5/23/00 Nightmare Creatures 2 Konami PS-X 5/30/00 Arena Football Midway DC 5/30/00 — Bust-a-Move 4 Acclaim DC 5/30/00 South Park Rally Racing Acclaim DC 5/30/00 Lemmings Revolution Take 2 GB 5/30/00 Mary Kate & Ashley... Acclaim GB 5/30/00 Wario Land 3 Nintendo GB

5/30/00 Duke Nukem: Planet of the Babes GT Interactive PS-X 5/30/00 In-Fisherman Bass Hunter Take 2 PS-X 5/30/00 Martian Gothic Take 2 PS-X 5/30/00 Mike Tyson Boxing Activision PS-X 5/31/00 — Draconus:Cult of the Wyrm Crave DC 5/31/00 NASCAR 2000 THQ GB JUNE

6/1/00 Dragon Dance Crave GB 6/1/00 International Rally Tommo GB 6/1/00 MIB 2 Crave GB 6/1/00 Pocket GT Interplay GB 6/5/00 Blaster Master 2 Sunsoft PS-X 6/5/00 Countdown Vampires Bandai PS-X 6/6/00 Gauntlet Legends Midway DC 6/6/00 Space Channel 5 Sega DC 6/6/00 Tony Hawk Pro Skater Crave DC 6/6/00 Ronaldo V Soccer Infogrames GB 6/6/00 PGA European Tour Infogrames N64 6/6/00 ESPN MLS: Game Night Konami PS-X 6/6/00 Reel Fishing 2 Crave PS-X | 6/7/00 Legend of the Blademasters South Peak DC 6/12/00 StarCraft 64 Nintendo N64 6/13/00 __ ESPN Baseball Tonight Konami DC 6/13/00 Fur Fighters Acclaim DC 6/13/00 Spec Ops: Omega Squad South Peak DC 6/13/00 Looney Tunes Collector: Alert Infogrames GB 6/13/00 ReVolt Acclaim GB 6/13/00 Titus the Fox Titus GB 6/13/00 Toca Tour Racing South Peak GB 6/13/00 Towers:Lord Baniff's Revenge Vatical GB 6/13/00 X-Men Mutant Academy Activision GB 6/13/00 Blues Brothers 2000 Titus N64 6/13/00 Iron Soldier 3 Vatical PS-X 6/13/00 Legend of Dragoon Sony PS-X 6/13/00 Legend of Mana Square PS-X 6/13/00 McGrath Supercross 2000 Acclaim PS-X 6/13/00 N Gen Racing Infogrames PS-X 6/13/00 Rampage Through Time Midway PS-X 6/13/00 Test Drive Cycles Infogrames PS-X

All dates subject to change. Call your local retailer for more details.

Release Title Publisher/ System

Date Distributor

6/13/00 — World Touring Car Activision PS-X 6/15/00 Arcatera Ubi Soft DC 6/15/00 Railroad Tycoon 2 Gathering DC

of Developers

6/15/00 Virtual On 2 Activision DC 6/15/00 Micro Machines V3 THQ GB 6/15/00 Moomin Sunsoft GB 6/15/00 Road to El Dorado Ubi Soft GB 6/15/00 ToonSylvania Ubi Soft GB 6/20/00 Austin Powers 1: Oh Behave Take 2 GB 6/20/00 Cannon Fodder Activision GB 6/20/00 _ Wacky Races Infogrames GB 6/20/00 Xtreme Sports Infogrames GB 6/20/00 DarkStone Take 2 PS-X 6/20/00 —X Paperboy Midway PS-X 6/26/00 Crystalis Nintendo GB 6/26/00 Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Nintendo N64 6/27/00 Arcade Hits Midway DC 6/27/00 Demolition Racer Infogrames DC 6/27/00 Hidden & Dangerous Take 2 DC 6/27/00 Silver Infogrames DC 6/27/00 Wacky Races Infogrames DC 6/27/00 Austin Powers 2: UG Lair Take 2 GB 6/27/00 Test Drive Cycles Infogrames GB 6/27/00 Test Drive LeMans Infogrames GB 6/27/00 Hercules Titus N64 6/27/00 Aladdin Sony PS-X 6/27/00 — Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn Activision PS-X 6/27/00 MK Special Forces Midway PS-X 6/27/00 — Vanishing Point Acclaim PS-X 6/27/00 Who Wants To Be a Millionaire Sony PS-X 6/27/00 X-Men: Mutant Academy Activision PS-X 6/30/00 Earthworm Jim Interplay PS-X 6/30/00 Lunar: Eternal Blue Working Designs PS-X JULY 7/1/00 Mag Force Racing Crave DC 7/1/00 Super Magnetic Neo Crave DC 7/1/00 Xena Titus GB 7/11/00 Ecco the Dolphin: Sega DC Defender of the Future 7/11/00 McGrath Supercross 2000 Acclaim DC 7/11/00 SeaMan w/microphone Sega DC 7/11/00 Virtua Tennis Sega DC 7/11/00 World Series Baseball 2K1 Sega DC 7/11/00 ECW: Anarchy Rulz Acclaim GB 7/14/00 Peter Jacobsen's Golden Tee Off Wizard Works PS-X 7/15/00 Evolution 2 Ubi Soft DC 7/15/00 Kiss: Psycho Circus Gathering DC

———— ee ee a ^.

7/15/00 . Monster Breeder Tommo DC 7/15/00 | MTV Sports: Skateboarding THQ DC 7/15/00 MTV Sports: Skateboarding THQ GB 7/15/00 Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue THQ GB 7/15/00 Scooby Doo THQ GB 7/15/00 Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage THQ N64 | 7/15/00 International Superstar Soccer Pro Tommo N64 7/15/00 Super Bowling 64 Tommo N64 7/15/00 | Moho Take 2 PS-X 7/15/00 MTV Sports: Skateboarding THQ PS-X 7/15/00 Surfing Ubi Soft PS-X 7/18/00 Metropolis Sega DC 7/18/00 Vanishing Point Acclaim DC 7/18/00 Teletubbies Havas Interactive PS-X

7/24/00 Perfect Dark Nintendo GB 7/24/00 | Warlocked Nintendo GB

7/24/00 Banjo Tooie Nintendo N64 7/30/00 Super Runabout Interplay DC

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Crash Knee- df, df+K Flying Mare- QCB+S+P Figure 4 Leglock- d, d+S Dancing Doll Kick- S+K Surfboard-Style Lock- b, f-S«P Rolling Cross Lock- f, d+S Shoulder Tackle- b, -P Japan Ocean Suplex- d, Leg Split- f, d+S Short Range Lariat- u+S+P P+K Fisherman's Suplex- HCF+S+P Pounces Elbow Suicida- f+P+K Japan Ocean Cyclone- D, f, Hip Drop- u+P+K Rolling Sabot- b-K —— b«S«P Elbow Drop- d+P , Front Roll Kick- German Suplex- S+P Special Moves {+S+K Double Break- d+S+P Appeal “Come On!" b, f, Low Drop Kick- f+S+K — Release German Suplex- b+S+P+K (taunt) Moonsault Press- b+P+K f+S+P Appeal Guts Pose- d, Bust Suplex- f+S+P d+S+P+K (taunt) Throws Full Nelson- f, b+S+P Front Roll- d+P+K Death Valley Bomb- P+G Dragon Suplex- f, b+S+P . Body Slam- f+S+P Bass Bomb- d+S+P Tag Throws Texas Driver- d+S+P Trans-Four Leg Lock- d, Spike Tombstone [to Bass]- f, Bust Cyclone- f+S+P d+S+P f+P+K+S Frankensteiner- b+S+P Double Arm Suplex- db+S+P Double Armstrong Buster [from Hammer Throw- f, f+S+P Tiger Driver- d+S+P Bass]- f, f+P+K+S Japan Ocean Suplex- S«P Japan Ocean Bomb df, df+S+P Bombe de la Rougeau [to Bust J.O.S.- f, f-S4P Neck Crasher- d+S+P Zack]- f, f+P+K+S Tackle- b, f+S+P Iron Claw-Skytwister [from Oki-Agari Tackle- [FD/FA] S+P Holds Bass]- qcf+P+K+S Tackle Giant Swing- hcf+S+P Locking Hammer- f, u+S Double Lariat [to Bass]- Pile Driver- f, b+S+P Spring Leg Lock- f, u+S qcf+P+K+S Gorii Bomb- d+S+P Arm Whip- f, b+S Tag Arm Drag [anyone but Skytwister Press- d, u+S+P Dragon Screw- b, f+S Bass] - f, f+P+K+S

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| Supercross is as big a mystery as why so | Bottom Line: 7 2 "ts many. games devoted to these spectator kk kiek S Mai | ' E E . sports have been released lately. Despite titles | @ involving motorcycles and dirt tracks being plentiful, none have successfully captivated an audience like Excitebike on the NES. It was simple, it was fun, and it had a track creator that gave the cart near-infinite replay value. It may have taken 16 years, but it finally looks like Nintendo has gotten wise, bringing an updated version of this NES classic to the N64.

The first thing a fan of the original will notice is that Excitebike 64 has gone fully 3D, but the basic rules of the game have remained the same. When taking a jump, the best way to land is on both wheels. When two riders collide, the one whose front wheel is farther ahead rides on while _ the other licks dirt. Using the turbo boosts your speed, but care less about mastering its repetitive " using it too much slows you down from engine overheating. Loe EM oe T

These basic Excitebike rules must be taken quite seri- (55 i i ously through the game's grueling Season mode. Not only QUU. iste. Col the: thal that are the Al opponents. amazingly competent, the indoor OVERALL Excitebike once delivered is now gone." courses have tight turns that demand a mastering of power- Slide techniques, and the outdoor tracks have plenty of Shortcuts to be discovered. The higher the level of competi- tion players achieve, the more tracks there are to explore. If, however, you consider all the available tracks not extreme enough, you can once again design your own.

Once players begin to build a winning Season record, six special games gradually become unlocked. In Desert, play- j ers race across randomly created dunes to distant checkpoints. Hill Climb poses the question, who would win 1 in a battle between a 150cc motorbike and a 70 degree B mountain incline? Players can even unlock all the original M Excitebike courses in 3D form. But if all of this isn't enough to rev the engines of you old school gamers out there, rest easy in the knowledge that the original Excitebike is also included in the cart, waiting to once more be admired in all its P bit i Ld dun

tin’ t Of f School

"Excitebike certainly brings back memo-

ANDY ries..g00d memories of a time when

THE GAME HOMBRE — games were simple and no one cared

Concept about the poly count. But times have

5 changed and so has Excitebike. This new

0 — 3D edition is not fun, as a matter of fact

Graphics ^ the only part of the game that | enjoyed

6 was playing the original. Secondly, the

Sound polygon count isn't that great, which is

5 painfully obvious in the ho-hum levels that

——— — ——— lack detail and innovative design. On the

Playability ^ other hand, the control is rather interest-

6.75 ing and does seem to add a good bit of

“Entertainment challenge, but | quickly found that | could 5

“After all the motocrap and supercrap

JAY games that have come out lately, | never

THE GONZO GAMER thought the day would come where |

Concept actually found myself enjoying a title

8 involving motorcycles and dirt tracks. Lo

- — and behold, that day has arrived.

Graphics Excitebike 64 has left behind the exact-

8.25 ing physics and real-life courses, and

Sound brought back the fun. This game has

75 what everyone wants out of motorcycle

—— T... racing: tons of air and cool crashes. The

Playability ^^ control is simple enough for anyone to

8.5 pick up and play, yet leaves plenty of

"Entertainment [om for mastery. Best of all, the plenti- 8

ful £ame modes and options give mondo single and multiplayer replay value.

Although certainly not a classic like the original, Excitebike 64 delivers on the promise inherent in its name - it

OVERALL excites."

"To be dead honest, | really didn’t want to 77/7/71 | REINER _ play this game; but surprise surprise, ee : : rp THERAGINGGAMER developer Leftfield Productions actually Concept pieced together a decent follow-up to the 8 NES classic. Along with a track editor and ——————————- aslew of hilarious minigames, Excitebike ` Graphics 64 delivers realistic physics and a hearty 8.25 challenge. All of Excitebike 64's tracks

- Gound — 3E diverse in design, and loaded with varied terrains and huge air. Just like in

8 Wave Race, differences in the terrain Playability force the player to keep constant control, otherwise, you'll wind up eating dirt. For

———— —— the truly skilled, a handful of tricks can Entertainment be performed. Of course, one of the 1.5 minigames is the 8-bit release; and get

this, another mode is the original NES | game presented in Excitebike 64's 3D killer graphics. Very cool. This is the game

OVERALL motocross fans have been waiting for.”

After teasing gamers for years on end, Nintendo is finally letting the dog get the bone. Rareware has just put the finishing touches on Perfect Dark, and as suspected, the final product is a work of art that gamers will cherish forever. It may not deliver the star power that the James Bond license did so well, but rest assured, Perfect Dark packs more than enough heat to whet the appetites of crazed first-per- son fanatics. Shaken and stirred, the gameplay in this pseudo-sequel has evolved into a powerful new entity. The wildly popular multiplayer options have sky rock- eted through the stratosphere, and the single-player game has received similar enhancements, including a much more cinematic touch.

With Bond on hiatus, Rare decided to play the role of God by creating a brand new universe for gamers to explore. Set in the distant future, this shooter has a Blade Runner feel to it. Flying cars, robotic beings, and even aliens show their beady eyes from time to time. Not veering too far away from the past, Perfect Dark’s main character, Joanna Dark, stealthily slinks through the future with double-O agent qualities ooz- ing out of every pore. Her struggles, on the other hand, dwarf those of any modern day hero. To put it mildly, the future is not a very nice place.

Ms. Dark’s wild adventure is spread across 17 stages. Just like in GoldenEye, these stages present a number of different objectives for each of the difficul- ties...and yes, the hardest setting is next to impossi-

ble. If you are fortunate enough to emerge without a || If you thought |

body bag, you'l be well rewarded. GoldenEye showcased a ton of secrets, think again. Perfect Dark is crawling with goodies buried in the woodwork.

One of the sections featuring the most secrets is multiplayer. To begin with, there are more than enough multiplayer options to keep gamers immersed for decades. Two players can team up in a Co-operative game spanning across all 17 missions; and get this, in Counter Operative, one player controls the enemy, the other the hero. Players can also customize their weapon list, and if you feel homesick, several arenas and weapons from GoldenEye can be unlocked. We could go on for pages as to how great this game is, but instead, we're going to ask that you run out to your local retailer, buy the game, and see for yourself.

All the powerful weapons have explosive secondary functions.

pase

Nintendo 64.

* Size: 256 Megabit

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Action

* Special Features: 17 Levels (3 More Hidden); 4 Difficulties; Over 40 Weapons (All With Secondary Functions); Co-Operative & Counter Operative Modes; Tons of Deathmatch Options; Hidden GoldenEye Arenas & Weapons

* Replay Value: High

* Created by: Rareware for Nintendo

* Available: Now for Nintendo 64

Bottom Line: Q 25

i There are a ton b. multiplayer characters to choose

use rocket quart

Note self: Don launchers i

al GoldenEye

arenas are den

Players can now disarm enemies and choose whether they should live or die. 4

\

PlayStation

a 5

Speed Punks is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ©2000 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Funcom. PlayStation and PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

\Wwww.fancom.com

Whatever it takes to win. \w supply the lead foot, we'll supply everything else. This isn't about playing fair. It's about launching missiles, taking weaselly shortcuts, : blowing out tires and basically stooping to any level to humiliate your fellow driver. Choose from

six speed-crazy delinquent racers. Defile 24 hostile tracks. Plug inthe Eyggrone

Mild Animated Violence Mild Language Multi tap for a heated foursome. And remember, nice guys finish last. Ss

PlayStation Review

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1-Player Strategy

* Special Features: Turn-Based Combat; 56 Missions; 3 Storyline Branches; Combat Moves Discovered Through Ability Advancement; Battle Cutscenes

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Human Entertainment for Working Designs

* Available: Now for PlayStation iant, mechanical exoskeletons could be put to many

benign uses in a pre-industrial society. They could

B tt li š help lift heavy keystones for castle walls or be a kind

0 om ine: of super-plow for the serfs in the potato fields. On the con-

e tinent of Cretia, however, as is so often the case when some

explorers discover just such technological wonders, they

are immediately used for war. Known as ATACs (a reference

to Working Designs' TurboGrafx-16 title, Vasteel), these machines

resemble 25 foot-tall armored knights, and anybody who is any-

body uses these bad boys on the battlefield. Players initially follow

the story of Bastion, a young man determined to reunite the king-

dom with his charisma and, when necessary, the steel fist of his ATAC.

Like a cross between Vandal Hearts and Front Mission, Vanguard Bandits weaves a tale of intrigue, but the gameplay focuses on combat. Before and after almost every mission, players watch and read as this tale of a kingdom divided unfolds in role- playing game-like cutscenes. After the necessary plot portion is unveiled, a menu screen comes up that allows players to receive a mission briefing, talk to others in the ATAC squadron, and occa- sionally use money earned in battle to purchase better weapons and accessories. After all this chaff is cut through, it's time to get into what this game is all about - war!

Each of the 56 missions begins with friendly and enemy forces placed on a rotatable, overhead 3D map. It is from here that all the major decisions are made. In turn, characters move about and, when close enough, attack others. What your characters can do is mostly up to you. Combat experience transiates into level advance- ment that allows players to allocate earned ability points. When cer- tain thresholds are met, new attacks, skills, and abilities are learned. Depending on which side you are attacked from, various defense options are available. Defend almost assures getting hit, but lessens damage. Avoid will completely duck an attack, but if it doesn't work the full blast is taken. Counterattacks are nice, but y excessive reliance on them will wear your character out quickly.

Once all the decisions are made, a briefing screen pops up that shows the chance of attacks working and the likely damage. If all looks satisfactory, the camera cuts to a close cutscene of that com- bat's results, with the pilots trading such clever quips as, "You're a piece of dung!” War...Uh! Good God, y'all. What is it good for? Absolutely nothin'? NO! It's good for about 40 hours of gigantor action in this carefully crafted Working Designs game.

. Reyna, that is truly one of the most traoit tales Fue ever heard.

has diu i eptional « Sequences and Tob tweakit j

“Considering that | enjoyed the first Nightmare Creatures very much, you can understand my dismay at how utterly disappointing and lackluster this sequel is. When | first started playing, | thought the control was the same as the original, but in time | noticed that it has been altered just enough to make it completely annoying. Combine this little fact with the addition of the unbelievably unoriginal fatalities and you are starting to get the idea of how nightmarish this game is. | will say | do like the new character designs, but the enemies and the environments are incredibly boring and leave you wondering what took them so long to get this mediocre sequel finished. | thought Activision was stupid for not jumping on this sequel but apparently they knew something Konami didn't — this game sucks."

"Kalisto created an entirely new engine for Nightmare Creatures Il, but they should have left well enough alone, for what it's made is an ugly beast that's in all ways inferior to the original. The graphics would have been adequate about four years ago, but nowadays it's hard to be impressed with, or frightened by, environments consisting entirely of differing shades of brown. Perhaps you've noticed how all the Screenshots on this page look the same? Well, that's what playing the game is like. Wander around until you find a monster, then fight it usin£ the same strategy you used on the other 50 before it. After a half hour, | couldn't even bring myself to do fatalities because I'd seen them so much it was boring. | swear, better gameplay could be had by spinning a piece of toast on your PlayStation."

"Hello, nasty! Three years ago, | fell head over heels in love with the original Nightmare Creatures. It's gameplay was vigorous, loaded with combos, and incredibly challenging. The announcement of a sequel sent shivers down my spine. Another Nightmare Creatures meant another week in hack n’ slash paradise. The second | played the sequel, | fell to my knees and cried. Everything that made the original a smash hit has been removed. The main character moves like a sloth. Combos have been replaced by horrible fatalities. The enemy Al is wretched. The texturing and effects are generations behind everything else on the market. Kalisto's focus was to enhance the gore. Apparently, to add more blood, the gameplay had to be sacrificed. As the name suggests, playing this game is a serious nightmare."

ANDY

THE GAME HOMBRE

Concept 5

Graphics

7

Sound 7

Playability

4

Entertainment

2

OVERALL

JAY

THE GONZO GAMER

Concept 5

Graphics

6.5

Sound 6

Playability

5

Entertainment

3.5

EXD

OVERALL

REINER

THE RAGING GAMER

Concept 6

Graphics

7

Sound 6.5

Playability

4.5

Entertainment

5.25

OVERALL

eveloped by Kalisto, the first Nightmare

Creatures had players chasing after an evil

necromancer named Adam Crowley.

Slight changes are expected when it comes to

sequels, but the previous sentence sums up the only similarities Nightmare Creatures I shares with its predecessor. The game even has a new publisher in Konami, which snatched away the rights from Activision. Taking place exactly 100 years after the first story, the singular protagonist (there is only one playable character in part two, as opposed to two in part one) in Nightmare

Creatures IL is Wallace, an escaped lab experiment of

Crowley’s. Looking like a partially mummified Marilyn Manson, Wallace finds a nearby axe and quickly learns to make chop suey of all the freaky monstrosities haunting his ‘hood.

Nightmare Creatures II boasts a world that is ten times bigger than that in part one. Within these large environments are many hidden items that Wallace needs to find to progress. Some doors require keys, some chained gates need to be taken on with wire cutters, and some blockades can only be dismantled with dynamite. Chopping apart items will also reveal secret passages and power-ups that will do such things as incinerate or completely blow apart enemies.

Rather than have the combat and exploration portions of the game flow together as in the original, whenever a monster nears Wallace the game shifts to a kind of combat mode. Jump is disabled and more attacks enabled. Either through experimentation or Therapy mode, a minigame that continually throws beasts at the character to slice and dice, devastating combo moves can be learned. When an enemy’s health bar is reduced to nothingness, a double- button press activates a fatality animation showing Wallace dismembering his opponent in a most unkind way. Maybe there is one more similarity between Nightmare Creatures I and II — they both splatter more red than a cracked Kool-Aid Man.

PlayStation

Review

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1-Player Action

* Special Features: Vicious Axe Combos; Fatality Animations; 3 Difficulty Settings; 8 Deadly Power-Ups; Music by Rob Zombie; Therapy Mode; Bloody, Bloody, Sick, & Bloody; Dual Shock & Analog Compatible

* Replay Value: Moderately Low

* Created by: Kalisto for Konami

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Bottom Line: b 25

The wire cutters will get Wallace through chained doors.

SS KS NNNM gomme mee È

*Hey, man, your grandma's pretty hot for 157."

i t

Game Informer e June 2000 43

Review

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 6-Player Sports/Action

* Special Features: 6 Professional Boarders; 8 Tracks; Tony Hawk-esque Controls & Play; Balance Meter; Several Multiplayer Modes; Tons of Tricks; Rockin’ Soundtrack With GZA & KRS-One

* Replay Value: Moderately High

* Created by: Shaba Games for Sony

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Bottom Line:

life Tony's million selling me play...sounds like a

res the same controls and understatement. Players who ill have no problem getting into sion. The button layout is exactly Imost identical. And the goal me. On each of the eight ifferent high score marks pping Tony Hawk, Grind

o complete technical

s to air maneuvers. By

will appear within the

scoured thé ghts to six additional professional

skaters, including Pigpen and Willy Santos. Sony has also partnered with Vans Triple Crown, G-Shock, ESPN, Mountain Dew, and Ford. As for musical talent, players can skate to the

| hardcore beats of Black Flag, the sensual styling of Sonic.

- Youth, and the jingles of Zen Guerilla.

Tony Hawk may have had his day in the sun, but that was yesterday. Step aside bird boy, the empire is taking over...or at least trying to.

Hit R2 to display difficult tech sli that must be accomplished.

ANDY

THE GAME HOMBRE

Concept 8

Graphics

8.25

Sound 8

Playability

8.5

Entertainment

8

8.25

OVERALL

JAY

THE GONZO GAMER

Concept 1

Graphics

8

Sound 8

Playability 8

Entertainment

8

OVERALL

REINER

THE RAGING GAMER

Concept 2.25

Graphics

7.75

Sound 8.25

Playability 7

Entertainment

4

OVERALL

“Grind Session is such a blatant rip-off of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, it's not even funny. All the controls and moves are virtually iden- tical, as is the camera work which gives you this strange deja vu feeling the whole time you play it — like when you buy Hydrox rather than Oreos. Sure they look the same and even kinda taste the same, but it’s just not the same thing. That's how | feel about Grind Session. | will give it some props though, as | like the tech challenges, and the ability to pick the moves for your character is kinda cool (even though it completely destroys the skater's individuality). The mutliplayer modes on this one are pretty weak, but overall Grind Session is interesting to check out as it is just a poor man’s Pro Skater. Save your pennies for Tony Hawk 2, but waste a couple dollars on a weekend rental and have some fun with Grind Session.”

“Did the designers of Grind Session bla- tantly rip off Pro Skater, or is the stagger- ing similarities between the two just a coincedence? There's plenty of people at Sony arguing the second explanation. Personally, I'm sure that if this were high school English class, Shaba would be expelled for blatant plagarism. The two games certainly look alike, but the differ- ence in quality is obvious. Grind Session's controls are frustratingly less responsive, and its graphics and trick animations aren't as smooth. Plus, being able to see where all the hidden point bonuses are detracts from the fun. If Pro Skater didn't exist, l'd probably have scored Grind Session much higher. But it does, and all Grind Session does is make me wish | was playing it instead. Shaba, go sit in the corner until you've learned your lesson!"

"What a poser! In an attempt to jump aboard the skating bandwagon, Sony has done everything but call its game Tony Hawk. In all my years as a reviewer, | have never seen a clone job as blatant as this. Grind Session wants to be Tony Hawk so bad, every inch of it has been constructed to play exactly the same. Sure, it tries to hide its tracks by tossing out a few different things here and there, but come on! All of my Tony Hawk skills transferred flawlessly to this copycat. The grinds are the same. The controls are the same. The grabs and spins are the same. Even the level objec- tives are the same. Coincidentally, since it is a carbon copy, Grind Session is actually somewhat entertaining. Even so, | won't endorse this game, nor will | ever play it again. If | want to play Tony Hawk, then I'll play Tony Hawk, not this lackluster leech.”

The Ambésgodor of A EEAS is soaring like an eagle, taking names, and laying waste to all who dare compete. Over one million units of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater have been gobbled up by PlayStation gamers, and the frenzy doesn’t appear as though it will die out anytime soon. Hot on the heels of this instant classic, Neversoft is working feverishly to produce a worthy sequel. The goal of this speedy development process? To develop a Super Tony Hawk game with infinite replayability. Along with new songs, tracks, and skaters, THPS 2 offers a snazzy track editor and the ability to insert yourself into the game with the create-a-skater. Not wanting gamers to get too comfortable, Neversoft has added a handful of new biffs, including the incredibly painful nutter.

Park Editor >>>

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Thrash Masters >>>

Preview

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports/Action

* Special Features: Original 10 Professional Skaters & More; Create-A-Skater; Park Editor; New Grabs, Grinds, & Specials; Ground Manuals; Hidden Areas; New Multiplayer Modes

* Created by: Neversoft for Activision

* Available: Late Summer for PlayStation

65% Complete

Tired of the standard courses? Have an idea for a park of your own? Or have you ever wondered what a park filled with nothing but 50 halfpipes would be like? The development gods at Neversoft have forged a fabulous track editor in THPS 2. Over

100 different pieces can he set, a handful of texture themes can be applied, and each l

created park only takes up-one memory card block. Neversoft states that THPS’s

The original posse of professional skaters are making a return, and from what we hear, they've brought a few friends with them. Who? We don't know yet. But we can't wait to check ‘em out. Neversoft actually let each skater pick his or her own moves list. Not only special moves are exclusive to each skater. They may also =e a different grab or grind assigned.

Warehouse level can be recreated almost perfectly in this editor. However, you may _ Rot have the power to implement scoring gaps or bonus points.

E Hidden Areas >> New Parks >>>

Ran SHEN

ANKLE SOCKS

Amo A

DO seser A CHANGE Gr acces

On each level, players will be on the look out for well-hidden areas. Pictured: When a board propping up a tree is smashed, the tree will fall OR, pain. a hidden zone.

All the parks are brand spanking new. This isn't a complete listing, but here are the courses we've confirmed thus far:

Marseille (France), (Ventura), NY City (New York), School 2 (Southern CA), Philadelphia (PA), Venice Beach (CA), The Hangar (Tadzhikistan),

Switch Footing >> -

and The Bullring (Mexico). Neversoft has - PE. ei iA also added new multiplayer challenges TOS ean | to each level. Apparently, four (and will affect certain ME Te : m

"" wago Sega:

ermIte- A- Skater >> Landings >> gens

If you don't like any of the iana skaters in THPS 2, then insert yourself „into the game and see how you fare on. some of the world’s most dangerous - parks. Clothing, skin and hair color, and even trick lists can be feed to your liking.

Skate Street — ce ua E

By pressing R2, the | kater will switch L

SLOPPY Sao CROSSBO|'*FRF&CI 540 CROSSE

Landing straight on will give you a perfect score modifier. Landing skewed (sloppy) reduces the point total.

Manuals >>

Is that the mana tree?

Taking a fashion tip from Orco, Vivi hides | behind a long hat and Jawa-like eyes.

À To tie up all loose ends in this nine part sequence, the "Crystal," which is viewed as the starting point J of the series, has been restored. Every question you 've ever had about the Final Fantasy lineage will be answered in this release. Hironobu Sakaguchi has returned as producer. Nobuo Uematsu is providing the score. And after a long, two-game absence, Yoshitaka Amano nas returned as world and character designer.

With Amano back in the saddle, Square Soft has also returned to its character class roots. This means characters will have specific functions for combat r ows what else? Not tossing out the realistic direction of FF VII and VIII completely, Square has entwined Amano's unique manga art within detailed backdrops and environments. The majority of Fi lasy IX's world is composed of floating islands, some hosting complete metropolises and civilizations. Because of this, the entire world travels via airship.

While it appears that most of the development effo focused on the look of the game, Final Fantasy IX features a deep and emotional story, not portrayed through the eyes of one character but through what is to A believed to be eight different i characters. Square Soft hasn't tipped us off about what combat will be like, but we're sure it will be amazing. Another interesting note is the overabundance of little creatures. In each of Amano's character sketches, a tiny beast accompanies the hero. Is this just artistic flair, or something much more? We'll have to wait until July 19 to see. IB

The character designs have de-evolved to resemble the popular 16-bit styling and classes, but as you can clearly see from the imagery, the background details continue the PlayStation tradition of realism.

How big is Final Fantasy in Japan? Huge. Here in America we watch CG polar bears drink Coke. In Japan, beautifully rendered Final Fantasy IX characters go hog wild for this delicious beverage. Check out these amazing shots from the FF IX/Coca-Cola Japanese commercial.

PlayStation

Preview

* Size: Unknown

* Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Game

* Special Features: Classic Character Classes From FF IV & V; Gorgeous FMV Cutscenes; Summon Guardians; Restored Crystal; Characters & World Designed by Yoshitaka Amano; Score by Nobuo Uematsu

* Created by: Square Soft

* Available: July 19 in Japan for PlayStation (U.S. Release Fourth Quarter)

60% Complete

In what appears to be a scene from Star Wars, the | entire world of Final

Fantasy has taken to the Es v Ed P . Skies. This time around, — 1 "m Ee dn the foreground. ared |

! TO ess : -dragon ignites the n "han Herd y TUNE IESUS neighborhood while a Could this bethe — f gigantic walking city lays $ : | Game Over screen? — waste lo the capital. Or did Vivi hit — Adelbert's cider a little

toohard? Eoo z "M M 3 " 3 f f,

Instead of focusing heavily on the struggles of one specific character, this adventure will unfold through the eyes of many. Thus far, only three characters have

been introduced, but Square Soft insists that there will be at least eight different personalities. In the Coca-Cola promotion, we've also seen: Garnet Till Aexandros (a princess), Quina Quen (a bizarre cook), Slamander Coral (a hard-

headed warrior), Freya

Crescent (a courageous

female warrior), and Eiko

Callor (an intelligent

young girl).

Game Informer + June 2000

47

Preview

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Fighting

* Special Features: 38 Characters; New Arenas; Enhanced Character Models & Lighting; Tag Tactics; Team Battle & Training Modes; Hidden Bowling Minigame

* Created by: Namco

* Available: Now in Japan for PlayStation2

(U.S. Release Pending)

80% Complete

Almost every char- acter ever to appear in a Tekken game is readily available or hidden in Tekken Tag Tournament. All of the characters feature the same moves and com- bos you know so well. | The modeling for each character has. been touched up and improved greatly.

CHARACTERS

ning/losing animations.

The graphics have been mitan up, but the gameplay hasn't changed a bit.

As the Tekken franchise continues to flourish, the story of the iron fist tournament continues to change. Within each of the four chapters, a new boss has arisen. The first challenger was Heihachi. In the next game, Devil Kazuya took over. After this, Ogre made his presence known. Now, players must battle a mysterious character named Unknown. She looks and moves like a sadistic Jun. What makes her truly unique is the wolf spirit floating over her shoulder, mimicking her every move. Unlike the rest of the characters, Unknown's health rapidly regenerates, making her one tough encounter.

TAG TACTICS |

mode.

FOLLINA IENS THE FIGHTING EDGE

Namco’s fighting heritage has always been a success on the console side, despite lackluster numbers in the arcade market. Namco’s latest fighter, Tekken Tag Tournament, came and went from U.S. arcades without a sound. For the PlayStation2 release, Namco has tapped into the power of the new kid on the block to beef up the look of this fighter. Just like Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast, Tekken Tag Tournament is expected to kick off the U.S. PlayStation2 launch.

iraul GAIRO 14—-] EG fj oa T 4)

Beating the game with a majority of the characters unlocks the obscure new mode, Tekken Bowling. One or two players can compete in ten frames of traditional bowling with any of the characters in the game. All the characters feature different attributes and skills. Certain characters, like Yoshimitsu and Jack, have a different targeting system. This is one of the best bonus games we've seen, and to be quite frank, one of the best bowling games out there.

As the name | implies, the gameplay features tag play. At any fime during a match, the player has the power. to tag a partner. Injured players on the bench will regain health, and of course, the player can P) 1A D p tá call upon both charac-..... Tekken's introductory movies have ters to perform a dou- always featured amazing visuals. Tekken ble team maneuver. If Tag's movies are no exception. For the

Many of the characters also feature new costumes and win- . you don't like this sian Namco has incorporated a single-match . piqyStation2. release, Namco has pieced

together a new intro.fo.accompany. the original from the arcade.

Changing the tradition-of- rewarding with highly detailed FMV end-

— the power of — Tekken’s arenas have never . ings, Tekken Tag Tournament comes to

looked —À

a close through real-time endings.

Preview

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 or 2-Player Racing

* Special Features: 11 Car Manufacturers (Including Porsche & Ferrari); 7 Tracks; 4 Difficulties; Racing School Mode; Intricate Vehicle Customization; Realistic Physics; State-Of-The-Art Cockpit View

* Created by: Escape/Square Soft * Available: Now in Japan for PlayStation2

SQUARE TURISMO

B "M a racnt online survey, Game Informer readers cast a vote for Square Soft as their favorite third-party developer. Until now, Square has received its fan base for its killer role-playing lineup. Oddly enough, Square's first PlayStation2 games are not RPGs. The first one out of the gate is a racer, Driving Emotion Type-S; and the second will be a baseball game, Gekikuukan Pro Baseball.

We're under the assumption that Square’s thinking, “If they can do it...we can do it better." Will Type-S come Stateside? Not this year, but according to our reliable Square contacts, U.S. gamers will be graced by its presence early in 2001.

VIEWS

LAP POS Veo /6

(X re TIME 5

Type S i is the first PlayStation2 game to deliver an over-abundance of motion blur, and it's also the first game to display realistic windshield reflections. The motion blur is a tad distracting, but it is cool. If you look closely, you can actually see the driver's reflection in the glass. Crazy!

Instead of sitting back and gliding through a race, Type-S is demanding of control. This means the wheel must be ‘cranked constantly to maintain control. You'll also be asked to master a realistic slide. Counter steering has never played a larger role in a racer.

EEE

A wide array of Beina modes are avail- able to the two-player crowd, including a fantastic drag racing mode.

VEHICLES

Arcada

f SwlectPartern

The name of the game nowadays is .

quantity. Type-S doesn't feature hundreds of cars, but rather nearly 50 highly detailed rides from 11 different manufac- turers: Honda, Subaru, Mazda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Ferrari, TVR, Alfa Romeo, and BMW.

(U.S. Release 2001)

65% Complete

WRECKS

htlp:/ /www.escape.co.jp n

REPLAY

eW oa to implement wrecks into neplay mix. Vehicles don't take on

“to you, and you don't recover, the ‘is over.

If a car doesn't handle to your fancy, tweak it. Type-S takes vehicle customiza- tion to the next level, allowing players to

individual gear ratios, and even or-to-weight ratios.

REPLAYS

] www.escage.co.jp

REPLAY,

After a race, a beautifully tendered instant replay is available for viewing. While watching, players can switch between four different views, and if they like the race, they can save it.

Capcom Parries PlayStation2

"ONIMUSHA: WARLORDS :

The development of Onimusha began over two years ago liela a boncept Musee by Yoshiki — a Okamoto at Capcom subsidiary Flagship. Originally, Okamoto envisioned a game using Ninjas. He then went to Keiji Inafune, Capcom’s general manager of development and creator of Mega Man, with his vision. Inafune told Okamoto that a better action game would involve samurai and changed the concept of this game. After nearly two years in development, Onimusha is

~ nearly complete and ready to debut (in a playable form) at the E3 show in Los Angeles. | ht £573 Ojev

PANN

50 Game Informer « June 2000

PLAVCONTRHO?}., MORE GURARI HORRORT

Cheha like almost any other game, is def finitely about survival, but nu is and | ‘no horror. Inafune said that the emphasis is on action, confrontation, and sword fighting. Resident Evil commonly forces players to fight : from a distance, whereas Onimusha will encourage the player to attack enemies at close range. Plans call " i ifferent feudal weapons ranging vds a standard samurai also pl |

* Size: 1 DVD-ROM

* Style: 1-Player Action/Adventure

* Special Features: Loosely Based on Actual Japanese History; 10 Different Blade- Based Weapons; Nearly 50 Real-Time Cutscenes; Weapon Powers & Special Attacks

* Created by: Flagship/Capcom

* Available: September for PlayStation2 (Possible Launch Title)

75% Complete

— Dreamcast -

Review

* Size: 1 GD-ROM

e Style: 1-Player Action

* Special Features: Lock-on Combat System; Branching Storyline; Brain Jack To Control 13 Different Characters; Real-Time, FMV, & Single-Frame Cutscenes; 20 Levels; 7 Different Endings

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Atlus for Sega

* Available: Now for Dreamcast ing staple back in the early ‘90s, the first-person

" shooter has soared to.unprecedented popularity on

Bottom Line: the PC and console systems. Strangely, Sega's upstart e console has thus far been without.such a game.

All this is set to change with Maken.X, a title which will go down in history as the game that pioneered first-person action on the Dreamcast. Developed by Atlus, Maken X-has-a plot packed. with so many convoluted twists that it almost defies summary. Briefly, a top secret Al project created Maken, a sentient being that somewhat resembles a one-eyed jalepefio pepper. Maken then morphs into the form of an intelligent sword, which feeds on human consciousness, or Psi. The game’s protagonist is Kai, a beautiful girl whose father was in charge of the Maken project. Kai merges with the Maken sword, which is quickly devouring her Psi. As Kai, you-must save your father and conquer the forces of evil | before your Psi is devoured by Maken. Oh, and did we mention the | mysterious. kingpin Mr. Lee? What about the Blademasters? Widespread mind control? Satan? These are but a few of the myriad

elements that are a part of Maken X's confusing plot.

| Luckily, Maken X's gameplay is as simple and visceral as its plot | is complex. Instead of the traditional first-person gunplay, Maken . focuses on classic hack n’ slash action, with a few twists. Atlus has | implemented a lock-on function, which gives you a much needed | strategic advantage when dealing with hoards of vicious and wily | enemies. The most useful move in your-repertoire is a lock-on/jump maneuver that allows you to leap over an enemy in your sights, and |! immediately deal damaging blows to his unprotected rump.

|... Another point in which Maken X diverges from typical first- | person fare is your ability to Brain Jack other characters. Instead of | gaining new weapons and power-ups, you actually take control of | another character's body, assuming his special powers and . Weapons. Some areas may only be accessible by certain characters, requiring you to backtrack through zones once you've acquired a =) new body. To add to the intrigue, the branching storyline has seven — different endings.

| Moving at a smooth 60 frames per second, Maken X is as | visually stunning a first-person game as has been seen on a | home console. While-some might scoff at first-person swordplay,

| daunting quest.

Brain Jacking lets you to gain control of another character.

“I'm not sure that acupuncture is the answer for you.”

E ver since the Doom series made ihe genre a gam“

| Maken X will make true believers of those brave enough'to join its

-MAKEN X-

ferentia

If This Dreamcast's A Maken, Don't Come A Knockin"

MATT

THE ORIGINAL GAMER

Concept 8

Graphics | 9.5

| Sound

Playability

7.75

Entertainment

JAY

THE GONZO GAMER

Concept 8.5

Graphics

8.5

Sound 7.5

Playability 7

Entertainment

7.75

OVERALL

REINER

THE RAGING GAMER

Concept 7

Graphics 8.5

Sound 7.5

Playability

7.75

Entertainment

7.75

OVERALL

“So far, the lineup of Dreamcast action titles, from Expendable to Blue Stinger, reads like a list of inductees to the Hall of Videogame Shame. Dreamcast owners should thank their chosen higher power for Maken X, a game that, while not perfect, does provide all-out white-knuckle action. This is one of the best looking first-person console games ever, and despite the sometimes shallow hack n’ slash game- play, is one of the premier Dreamcast titles to come down the pike in some time. Brain Jacking different characters and exploring the branching plotline adds some depth and replay value to a game that could have easily been a one-dimen- sional bore. The ludicrous plot is harder to follow than Joyce's Ulysses, but that does- n't detract from the enjoyable gaming expe- rience.”

“Maken X has one of the smoothest first-

person engines one could hope to see cou- pled with some of the most brilliant ideas the genre has yet seen. Being able to Brain Jack to switch characters makes for some interesting dilemmas, as does the fact that the choices you face actually matter. Often players have to ask themselves, ‘Do | or don’t |?’ Unfortunately, the developers chose to take this wonderful framework and bury it in inappropriate gameplay. Rather than getting elaborate sword bat- tles, players get something more akin to a first-person puzzle/platformer game with hoards of ninjas around to make life frus- trating. Maken X is a good game that could have been so much better. If this game were given an understandable story and a workable interface, a huge hit for Dreamcast would be born.”

“Did something get mixed up in the trans- lation, or is the story so deep that it's not supposed to make any sense? | tried to fol- low the plot. | tried to get in touch with the characters. Yet after each cutscene, | was left in a state of confusion. | felt like a monk on Viagra. | was excited...but | didn’t know why. Even with its inability to flow from step A to B, Atlus has pieced togeth- er a smooth first-person game that delivers crisp visuals and decent gameplay mechanics. Unlike most first-person games, this one doesn't deal in excessive firepower. It's all about hand-to-hand com- bat. There are no new weapons to find. The only way to acquire new abilities is to Brain Jack different characters. Even though it's developed by Atlus, Maken X feels like a good Sega arcade game. It's not incredibly deep, but it is an entertaining ride."

Kurt's Atomic Toastbin

"| wasn't expecting a whole lot from MDK2, so | was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this game turned out to be. In a way, MDK2 is three games in one, as each character's controls and missions are completely different. The sniper missions with Kurt Hectic are familiar to fans of the original, but the new pure action delivered with Max the dog and the puzzle- solving action platforming of the Doctor are completely foreign. While | really enjoyed playing Kurt and Max, ! found the Doctor's levels to be pretty annoying and the downfall of this game. Which is a shame, as the story's comic-styled delivery was brilliant. In the end, however, since there has been a recent drought of Dreamcast games, | would say you should give MDK2 a whirl. It's a lot of fun."

“At first, | really enjoyed MDK2. Kurt and his Coil Suit had a variety of cool features and weapons to try out, and the game was pretty challenging. Then | started playing Max. The mindless carnage seemed like a nice break from the hectic scenes | had just worked my way through. The game was all good until | hit the entertainment wall that is Dr. Hawkins. Using a 3D action engine for a slow-paced platformer not only bored me, it frustrated me to the point where | didn't care at all about the adventure that previously had me involved. Also, whoever designed this game should know that it's better not to use humor than to force it. If MDK2 were a straight-ahead action game without the less-interesting side characters, this title would have fared much better."

| "In my book, the first MDK resembles a leaflet of toilet paper. Whenever | see it, | wipe my butt with it, then flush it. Of all the miracles in the world, the development of MDK2 has to be the biggest yet. Bioware actually pieced together a noteworthy sequel that stands tall as a unique release, completely burying its grizzly past. The action is still fast as all heck, but now more variety has been added. Two new playable characters offer new gameplay techniques, and all of the levels feature different objectives. The serious quest has also been replaced by a wacky EWJ-esque story. | actually laughed out loud several times. At the same time, the incredibly difficult play made me curse my existence. Yet | kept pressing forward to unlock more of the plot. Because of its harrowing play, | recommend this one only for the hardcore crowd.”

ANDY

THE GAME HOMBRE

Concept 8.5

Graphics 8.5

Sound 8.5

Playability 8

Entertainment

8

8.25,

OVERALL

JAY

THE GONZO GAMER

Concept 8.25

Graphics

8

Sound 1.15

Playability 7

Entertainment

6.75

OVERALL

REINER

THE RAGING GAMER

Concept 8.25

Graphics 8.5

Sound 8.25

Playability

7.75

Entertainment

8

| stealth/action game. | while the Chain Gun can spray an area with hundreds of bul

/ Kill, but in the sequel it stands for Max, Doctor, Kurt. . Unlike the original, players not only get to control Kurt and

his amazing Coil Suit, but also Max the robotic dog and Dr. Fluke Hawkins. Picking up right" where the first left off, ou heroes are celebrating Kurt's victory over alien invaders whe suddenly, more. alien invaders show up! The doctor orders Ku to check it out, and thus another adventure begins. -

Suit are largely the same as the arts in the game play like a classi

ibbon Chute allows Kurt to glid

were in MDK, and

in a flash. Kurt's gun can also shift to a Sniper mode whe small and distant targets need to be capped. Power-ups dis: persed throughout the levels allow the Coil Suit to do such things as turn invisible or send out decoys that the enemy wi shoot at.

When Kurt suddenly disappears, however, it's time for M to step in. Putting his four arms to good use, this robo-pupp

| has the ability to wield four Weapons of any size, simultane- | ously firing at anything that gets in his way. Max later finds a je

| pack that allows him to briefly | points. With pu overwhel

fly when he finds refuelin ) a the Max portions o: he

y dt isn't long kins takes h spotlight, me

: | H

| to rid his ship of aliens trying to take it over. As an inventor, the

| Doc's biggest weapon is his brain. This character’s adventure are a kind of puzzle/platforming game. Players must find vari- -

* Size: 1 GD-ROM

* Style: 1-Player Action

* Special Features: 3 Playable Characters, Each With Varying Abilities; 8 Humorous Levels; Sniper Mode; Ribbon Chute; Atomic Toast; Jump Pack Compatible

* Replay Value: Moderately Low

* Created by: Bioware for Interplay

* Available: Now for Dreamcast

Bottom Line:

,

"| loved you in Little Shop of Horrors.’

ous parts and items, then discover how to combine them to -

make such things as a ladder, a leaf blower, and the ever-use- ful Atomic Toaster.

As perhaps you ve gleaned, MDK2 hardly takes itself too -

| serious diei ds pr | its original appellation.

| Seriously. Setting itself up as a comic book adventure in 3D | | form, every cutscene i is reed with s triple th Of course, if yo

The Doc invents a ladder and puts it to good use.

* Size: 1 GD-ROM

* Style: 1 or 2-Player Fighting

* Special Features: 3-on-3 Gameplay; 24 Characters (30 More Hidden); Item Shop Containing New Costumes & Characters; 3 Ism-Type Meters; New Polygonal Backgrounds; Head-To-Head Internet Play

* Created by: Capcom

* Available: Now in Japan for Dreamcast (U.S. Release Pending)

85% Complete

Hare Age of

o Mx odo

When Heroes in Tights Collide With Pixelated Posers

Notorious for its plethora of fighting game rehashes, Capcom is finally changing gears from its tried and true formula. Instead of piecing together a standard Marvel Vs. Capcom sequel, Capcom has actually redesigned most of the game. These changes are so drastic that fans of the original will struggle to come to terms with this game's fighting techniques. All of the medium attacks have been removed; super and standard cancels can be performed at whim; and, for the first time in Capcom history, players must travel to the arcade and link to the Internet to gain the precious points needed to unlock hidden characters.

GAMEPLAY CANCELS

Another huge addition to the Marvel Adding standard and super Vs. Capcom experience is the chang- cancels adds a ton of depth to ing of two-on-two play to three-on- this fighter. When a character three. Tag partners can be called in to begins a move, the player can perform actions such as attacking or quickly hit QCF + a tag button to healing. Unlike the original, these make another character enter actions are unlimited. Because of and perform a super or special. these drastic changes, the game is These can then be linked back i much more strategic and each match to back, creating a magnificent a is a heck of a lot longer. It's the same combo.

style of game, only tweaked a tad differently.

NEW FACES

The typical Capcom fighting game sequel usually includes two to three new characters. With a list of 56 char-

SHOP

Throughout gameplay, the play- er will be awarded points for his or her performance. These points can

be cashed in to buy new charac- ters, costume colors, and even arenas. There are three different point types. You'll get D-points from the Dreamcast version, N- points by competing online, and V- points by bringing your VMU to the arcade. You cannot open every character through standard play. Capcom is pushing players to com- pete in different ways.

S,

a. trees atiam m Á em i mr Ó— P Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 is equipped with Internet- play. This means that you can link up and compete with players across the U.S.

toons P

The last boss is gigantic.

acters, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 features dozens of new personalities to step behind and lay down the smacketh. These characters include Jill from Resident Evil, Cable and Marrow from X-Men, Miss Tron from Mega Man, and new creations, Amingo, SonSon, and Ruby Heart.

STANT BUTTON EER

SPECIALS

Just as with its predecessor, the special moves not only light up the screen with magnificent colors, they also deal out the most damage. To really unleash a ferocious blast, players can also perform double and triple team specials.

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3 5 D zm

2 i

A GOROSRAL FORGE 18 vn (3 A S HEORONESEGAROREAMCA CITA

WWW.CAPCOM.COM

© CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2000. © CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 2000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD.TECH ROMANCER and CAPCOM EDGE are trademarks of CAPCOM CO,, LTD. 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.

Preview Size: 1 GD-ROM

Style: 1-Player Action Special Features: Deeply Skateable Environments; Urban Chaos Through In- Line Skating/Graffiti Spraying; Painting Combos & Trick Moves; Unique Artistic Stylings; Be a Fugitive From Justice & Run From the Law

* Created by: Sega

* Available: Summer in Japan (U.S. Release Pending)

50% Complete

ACRYLIC PAINT 6,IN-LINE SKATE

"N

4

I

preview

* Size: 1 GD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports

* Special Features: 8 Professional Players; Realistic Player Likenesses; Varying Court Surfaces; Singles & Doubles; Career Mode; VMU & Jump Pack Compatibility

* Created by: Sega

* Available: July for Dreamcast

85% Complete

Lobbed From the Arcade : Overhead Smash

ake 30*

ESTONE Mi weider

Released last December as Power Smash, this tennis game has seen tremendous

success in arcades across Japan. Utilizing Sega's NAOMI technology, this title takes n APERTA 1 DE : — a simple game and beautifully recreates it in a virtual world. With other NAOMI games, Given the arcade origins of Virtua Tennis, the game's playcontrol is relatively sim

; . ; ' ple. Serves are executed using a powerbar and quick timing to get the most muscle on

pe Ns ues are fotu due iis ait qeu d dde the ball. Variation in serve can be changed using not only a directional pad, but one of two stroke buttons. These two buttons are also used with regular ground strokes in

conjunction with where you are on the court, as well as the type of shot that is played

A ll ey for Home to you. For example, when a player is near the net, he or she can either send a quick volley with one button or lob it with the other. Conversely, when a player is on the base-

line, a normal shot or lob can be executed. All this sounds simple enough, but there is a little more to the dynamics of Virtua Tennis. Player momentum and balance play a large role in successfully placing shots and winning points. The game takes into account which way players are running and their distance to the ball when calculating the return. In other words, you won't be a skilled player if you overrun shots or are out of position for a return. The game rewards play- ers who set up good shots and anticipate where the opponent will return their volley.

veido — DpwuGESTUME A Banucestone ivesi

CERT i : RB Ed

As you m probably already seen, the home version men not share a name gem its arcade counterpart, and for good reason. Virtua Tennis is being revamped with a number of options not found in the arcade version. The arcade has only a singles match for one or two players, while Virtua Tennis will have singles or doubles. With the additional players on the court also comes four-player support, as well as a Career mode that saves individual statistics and win/loss records. Finally, Sega is also working on adding some minigames to increase the replayability, just like it did with Crazy Taxi.

Ground Strokers & Baseliners: The Players

There are a total of eight real players in Virtua Tennis, and there is a possibility we may see more before the development of the game is finished. Although we don't anticipate any big-name players, | there have been hints at possibly adding some females to the mix.

Jim Courier — U.S.A. Cedric Pioline — France Tim Henman — England Carlos Moya - Spain Mark Philippoussis — Australia Tommy Haas - Germany

| Yevgeny Kafelnikov — Russia Thomas Johansson — Sweden

PlayStation

by Matt, The Original Gamer

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports/Action

* Special Features: 10 Skaters; 30 Powell Decks; 10 Levels; Park Create Mode; 2-Player Split-Screen Mode; Pool Duel Minigame; Features Music by Static X, Del the Funky Homosapien, Deftones, & Ministry

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Micro Cabin for Electronic Arts

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line: J

PlayStation by Andy, The Game Hombre

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1-Player Puzzle

* Special Features: Arcade, Time Attack, & Survival Mode; Simple Yet Addicting Gameplay; 4 Difficulty Settings; Dual Shock & Memory Card Compatible

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Namco

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertanment:

Bottom Line: $

PlayStation

by Reiner, The Raging Gamer

* Size: 1 CD-ROM * Style: 1 or 2-Player Sports

Since most of my time here is spent giving Reiner foot massages, | was tickled to death when | actually got a game to review. This highly-unanticipated sequel is light years ahead of its predecessor, a game that was as painful and pointless as jabbing a pencil in your ear. Street Sk8er 2 is more like flogging a poodle

with a Nerf bat - amusing for a while, and f

nobody walks away from it seriously harmed. Graphically, a host of improvements, from texturing to a higher framerate, have been implemented. The wider variety of tricks and Park Create mode give the game some much- needed replay value. Despite these improvements, Street Sk8er 2 falls far short of the standard set by Pro Skater. The game's Achilles’ heel is a muddled and unresponsive control system, which makes it difficult to pull off fluid trick combos. Also, to the annoying “California Dude” announcer that kept saying “The wheels go on the ground, not your face!” - | will hunt you down like the dog you are.

Mir Driller

There's just something about a good puzzle game that will keep you playing for days...and if there is one thing that | can do for days...it’s drillin’...with Mr. Driller, that is. The premise of Namco's newest puzzler is to see how deep you can dig into a field of colored blocks. Sounds easy, but here is the catch: you must collect air capusules to keep yourself alive, but these are often surrounded by X-blocks (that can only be broken for a very prohibitive air

penalty) that you must drill around to collect ;

your prize. So you must move fast to keep your air supply up, all the while avoiding block cave-ins that collapse behind you. To add to the danger, the structure is never really stable because any time four or more blocks match up they disappear, causing even more chain reactions. After you master Arcade mode there is also a Survival and Time Attack mode to challenge your skills.

Sammy Sosa Softbal Slam

Wi

3

LIN

a

Rem you ready for a naw challenge?

PlayStation

by Reiner, The Raging Gamer

* Size: 1 CD-ROM * Style: 1 or 2-Player Sports

RBAN. ee c 35803 30 ei.

EVERYONE

RED Q /5

THICM S C OW

730B8-.

it-

SWITCH MUTE

e Special Features: 8 Teams Featuring Male, Female, & Coed Lineups; League Editor;

e Special Features: New Franchise Mode; Spring Training; More Than 250 Motion-Captured Animations;

Tournament Mode; 3 Difficulty Settings; Wacky Animations; Errors Galore

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: 3DO

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line:

Ó Game Informer ¢ June 2000

senses E Messen cene

| respect 3DO for trying something out of the norm, but who wants to play softball without beer? The really sad thing is, this game is better than 3DO's flagship baseball game, High Heat 2001. Just like an amateur softball league, this game is loaded with erratic throws, players ducking on pop-ups, and fat thighs. It’s moderately amusing for 15 minutes. After that, you'll regret picking it up.

Improved Al; Detailed Stat Tracking; Commentary By Vin Scully & Dave Campbell

* Replay Value: Moderately High

* Created by: 989 Studios

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line:

e

The radically redesigned Triple Play 2001 receives my vote for best baseball game of the year, but | still recommend enthusiasts of the sport check out MLB 2001 as well. Its gameplay hasn't changed too terribly much since we last saw it, but the frontend has been beefed up big time. Joining the innovative Spring Training mode is the phenomenal new Franchise mode, allowing players to sculpt a baseball dynasty. Very cool.

dacsaialeca uo

K E ight X2 PI i Street Fighter EX2 Plus is yet another BAF UCM TELE TUE: chapter in Capcom's legendary SF series. dm Street Fighter EX2 Plus is yet another pained nied chapter in Capcom's legendary SF series. EB i cial Fe Res gh E ids in Getting a strange feeling of dejá vu? You will Director Mode; 20 Immediately after playing EX2 Plus, a game that offers Playable Characters: At Least 3 only slight improvement over its predecessor, Hidden Characters: 4 New Street Fighter Ex Plus Alpha. Graphically, Characters; Excel Moves; Bonus EX2 Plus is a cut above Plus Alpha. The Games; Meteor Combo Super backgrounds are more detailed, and the Attacks character models have been buffed and FERO EAEAN High eros polished to a brilliant sheen. The Excel FERACE ACERO cone ccs: -— — $5 uc combos add a greater variety and depth of PEE AOA AEEA = moves to the age-old SF formula, without Concept: taking away from the storied SF control Graphics: scheme. On the downside, the new Sound: characters are lackluster and Blair and Playability: Garuda, two of the best characters from Plus Entertainment: Alpha, are MIA. Those of you who still buy new SF games will no doubt love EX2 Plus, everyone else should wait for Street Fighter FELL at) MAT CR 7. 75 = EX5 Omega n Criterion, which Capcom is already developing for PlayStation3.

Galerians PlayStation

Crave's new psychological thriller takes MAE by Reiner, The Raging Gamer um deep into the mind of a frightened child who is — US suffering from total amnesia and painful brain f AESA e aic spasms. Stepping into the shoes of this troubled. | ° Style: Player Action/Adventure li youth proves to be an invigorating rush and an [i Seded n sr dels ( emotional tug of war. He may not remember his ipie pides Lm Porn past, but he's not afraid to take a life to find Roue de feel E aea answers. In the end, the character you control Rage P a nies: may very well be true evil. Galerians story telling fiA Replay Value: Moderately Low 1 is intertwined nicely to the quest, and the | © Created by: Ascii Soft /Polygon gameplay is pieced together in an equally Magic for Crave Entertainment impressive way. Since the main character uses. | [ANNE ETS Cen ea PlayStation psychic powers and telekinesis, the weapons pallet is not very explosive. The quest also has a tendency to be quite repetitive at times. On the Concept: graphics front, the backgrounds are a little Graphics: washed out, but house nice details. The Eu e character animation also leaves much to be ha Aid eR desired. Yet even with its shortcomings, this diii action/adventure is filled with amazing plot twists that keep you engrossed and on your PEtat m Ali toes. Altogether, Galerians is a nice substitute to 3 the survival horror genre.

PlayStation c Urban Chaos PlayStation

by Matt, The Original Gamer | $4 : nn Bar rem by Matt, The Original Gamer

* Size: 1 CD-ROM . é * Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 or 2-Player Racing | "a ae ^ | m * Style: 1-Player Action/Adventure

° Special Features: 20 Su iperbike : : . Special Features: 30 Missions Riders: 12 Modeled Tracks From P us Driving & Action Levels; Hand- to- The Superbike Cir Hand Combat Combos; 2 Playable Characters; Real-Time Cutscenes; Interact With Pedestrians; Naughty Langua

* Replay Value: Low

* Created by: Mucky Foot for Eidos

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Player Split-Sc Championship, ¢

It seems that companies will put out a crappy | i poke by Vies de one fa We r EA M Chaos? Not exactly. Tedium, perhaps. Words fail racing game based on any license they can get | ttes ON to describe how utterly awful this game is. Urban their greedy paws on. | wouldn't be surprised if Concept: Chaos is the video game equivalent of Larry King Concept: there is an officially licensed Cub Scouts Graphics: - ugly, boring, and generally unpleasant. The Graphics: Pinewood Derby game in the works. Come to Sound: combat is of the most vile beat ‘em up variety, and Sound:

think of it, that would probably be more fun than Playability: . the camera is set to a drunken reel. Terrible to be Playability: : playing Superbike 2000, a drab racer that offers Emeriaihmont: wd dum pun wa THe nds 1 o icio norma n d SU fur ar E e SIBBpN : | seen driving levels this bad. Urban Chaos will " Ina. framerate, pixelated textures, uninspired control MET err TIR make you regret buying a PlayStation. In fact, Bottom Line - a virtual compendium of suck. you might regret ever being born.

Game Informer « June 2000 Ó

PlayStation

by Paul, The Game Professor

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports

* Special Features: Based On Midway's Blitz; Arcade & Season Mode; All The Arena Football Teams; Play Editor; Dual Shock & Analog Compatible

* Replay Value: Low

* Created by: M In A Circle for Midway

* Available: May 25 for PlayStation

SConcept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment

Bottom Line:

PlayStation by Andy, The Game Hombre

* Size: 1 CD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Racing

* Speical Features: Evolution & Factory Driver Single-Player Modes; Capture the Flag, Chase, Time Battle Multiplayer Modes; Nifty Era Videos; Porsches From The Classic, Golden, & Modern Era

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Electronic Arts

* Available: Now for PlayStation

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Lire:

by Andy, The Game Hombre

* Size: 1 GD-ROM

* Style: 1 or 2-Player Racing

* Special Features: New Online High Score Posting Through Dreamcast

Network; 24 Tracks On 8 Unique Worlds; 23 Pods; Soundtrack by John Williams; Exclusive Dialogue by Jake Llyod, Andy Secombe, & Lewis Macleod

* Replay Value: Moderately High

* Created by: LucasArts

* Available: Now for Dreamcast

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line:

Ó Game Informer * June 2000

| have to come straight. | have probably watched a total of one quarter of Arena Football

since it started a few years back. Although | $

don't give a rip about the lowa Barnstormers or whatever they call Milwaukee's team, | do think

the sport has its merits. It is also a great way for !

NFL fans to satiate their football cravings in the off season. However, there is just no way that

any Arena fan should get excited about this $

piece of putrid PS-X software. Why would anyone want to play an exact clone of Blitz with

less teams and a shorter field? Sure, Midway § added some more after-the-whistle slams and Ex

crashes into the boards. Yet, shoddy player models, horrible camera movements, and

general lack of polish on this game make it a ll true eyesore. The entire concept of the game is

ludicrous, so poignantly indicated by Midway's choice to sign Kurt Warner. Hello? He's not in the friggin’ league anymore. Midway should

TURO C

bury its collective head in the sand on even Re

considering the development of this junk.

Like any red-blooded male, | have always

dreamed of owning a Porsche. What can | say? There is just something about them. In Porsche Challenge, Electronic Arts lets you race and collect Porsches from three eras, taking you from the early 956 all the way to today's modern GT racers. As you work your way through the eras you can buy and sell your cars to make money or just leave then in your garage to stare at them in appreciation. But be careful racing your little gems as the vehicles take on damage and each race devalues the cars. Ifthat's not enough to keep the single player happy, you can also go through 12 assignments in Factory Driver mode where you get to read a story from behind-the-scenes as they challenge you with driving tests that lead to promotions. Unfortunately, all the single-player modes are pretty easy, and the multi-player

* puteo xd

modes are only so-so even though it features Es

four-player split-screen. The only real value this | game offers is to the car aficionado looking to IS

collect a few Porsches. It's fun, but a disappointing | mea

follow-up to the fantastic High Stakes.

Star Wars Episode l: ys

LAP

Racer 144.80

rime

This is a ness will be a solid racer no matter what platform it is on, but the Dreamcast version gives consoles players a chance to enjoy all the bells and whistles that were found on the PC version, including hi-res graphics, red-book audio, and FMV cutscenes for each world. This heart-pounding racer is a tad easy at first, but later requires Jedi-like Zen to compete in the Executioner class. The only thing new to this version, is the ability to post your high scores on the Dreamcast Network.

COMPUTERY, COMPUTEL, Y COMPUTER ` " me ye "

Y COMPUTE. COMPUTER ae (o T ma

Dreamcast

by Jay, The Gonzo Gamer

* Size: 1 GD-ROM

* Style: 1 to 4-Player Racing

* Special Features: 8 Tracks; 30 Cars; Vehicle Upgrades; Variable Weather Conditions; Shortcuts; Pit Stops for Nitro Canisters; The Titus Seal of Quality; Jump Pack Compatible

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Player 1 for Titus

* Available: Now for Dreamcast

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line:

pay 99 GLANCE

aie tl

It 2

COMPUTER | COMPUTER

ED AND. GOAL — Z

Have you ever seen a car stopped dead in its tracks by a highway cone? Would you like to? Then by all means check out Roadsters. Other things you can look forward to are bumper car physics, annoying voice-overs, collision fields bigger than the vehicles, and the ability to go outside the track boundaries and strand yourself in a place you can't get out of. Lackadaisical programming at its finest.

f

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TARE $

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Dreamcast

He's here, he's there, and now he's officially everywhere. Pro Skater revolutionized and revitalized the skateboarding video game genre, and with the Dreamcast release, no home console owner has a reason not to play it. The graphics aren't remarkably better and the control isn't quite as responsive as other versions, but the fun is still present. If you haven't played this game yet, the Dreamcast isn't a bad place to begin.

Treyarc h for

* Available: Ma

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Piayability:

Entertainment:

Bottom Line:

Jester, and Knight) are a nice bonus if you j| have played this game before, as they give | Available: Now for Dreamcast

4 Wheel Thunder Dreamcast

As you may have guessed from the title, 4 B B TELE E PTT

Wheel Thunder is basically a dirt track version aw Size: 1 GDROM

of Hydro Thunder with some good BESTEN 2-Player Racing improvements and some nagging changes. B PPM oerte quam

4 The main similarity is how they both require Upgrades; 30 Tracks Across Single you to collect boost icons to maintain enough & Multiplayer; 3 Camera Views;

4 speed to keep up with the leaders - so there is Jump Pack Compatible; Save

anice challenge here (or frustration depending Replay & High Scores To VMU

on how you look at it), as missing one boost iiu ALL ECCE

may just cost you the race. The tracks are also ff iiihana eS well designed with both indoor and outdoor B Batakan settings. | especially liked how the outdoor

“™ | tracks featured shortcuts and even allow you to , wander off-road to cut short turns (something Concept:

many "off-road" games don't let you do). For all Graphics:

| the things this racer has going for it, its Sound:

staggered racing field kinda mucks it up. Every Playability:

li race you start in last place and must work your Entertainment: lE way to the front - which works in some racers If - but when you combine that with 4-Wheel Bottom Line: 7. 25

Thunder's required booster collecting, it makes

i the game a little too over the top.

Gauntlet Legends Dreamcast

Based on the arcade game of the same BIJETTIMLTE IE uuu

EE name, Gauntlet Legends has made [i ayes Bm) appearances on the PS-X and N64 thus far. M EEST EREA

To add a little something extra to the BI ermal Comm ene

B. Dreamcast release, Midway has added new Characters, Including 4 New meee. characters and levels from the Dark Legacy Additions From Dark Legacy; 4 NE. sequel that is in arcades now. The four new E GERLO RN d

Compatible * Replay Value: Moderately Low * Created by: Midway

playable characters (Dwarf, Sorceress,

players something new to master, but the new Dark Legacy levels and bosses are where this patchwork Legacy really shines.

Like previous versions, this game is best Concept

Graphics:

@ played multiplayer, but the ability to gain Sound:

items, familiars, and experience makes the Playability:

| one-player game interesting as well. Gauntlet Entertainment: Legends’ hack n’ slash gameplay certainly isn’t for everyone, but fans of the arcade will

E love this mix and match edition as | did.

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation

Dreamcast

by Jay, The Gonzo Gamer * Size: 1 GD-ROM

* Style: 1-Player Actio

° Spent Features: Y

Finishing a Tomb Raider game is like breaking up with your girlfriend for the first time. You feel

completely worn out, then later you wonder if you should take her back. So if you still have love in your heart for Lara, then you'll most likely find momentary happiness in Last Revelation on Dreamcast: the best looking console Tomb

Raider yet. If you've sworn to yourself that you've |

kicked that skank to the curb for the last time, maybe it's time to date someone else.

Concept: Graphics: Sound: Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line: 7. 75

Game Informer « June 2000 Q

by Reiner, the Raging Gamer If you collet and trade Pokómm cards i in the real world, Nintendo is inviting you to do it all * Size: 8 Megabit * Style: 1 or 2-Player Puzzle/RPG * Special Features: Over 200 Cards (Several Exclusive to the Game Boy Version); Build & Manage Decks; Difficult Trainer Battles; 2-Player Matches Via Link * Replay Value: High * Created by: Game Freak/Creatures for Nintendo Meowth card not available anywhere else! The ML ACUMSAN Game Boy version of this card frenzy is actually pieced together with a surprisingly Concept: deep interface. All the menus are easy to |

hold close to your heart are in the game, and as an added bonus, Nintendo has thrown in

Graphics: . navigate, and building decks is a piece of f

Sound: cake. Through the power of a link cable, two

Playability: i Entertainment: players can compete or trade cards. The |

battle, and a ton of secret cards to unearth.

| | |

* Size: 8 Megabit * Style: 1-Player Action/Platform

* Special Features: Unlock Special Abilities; 20 Enemies; Bonus Minigames; 30 Levels; Trade Ubi Keys With Friends Via Infrared GBC Link; Password Save

* Replay Value: Moderately Low

* Created by: Ubi Soft

* Available: Now for Game Boy Color

Unlike many ‘Gare Boy Color versions of p: profile titles (vile GBC ports like Tony Hawk, Concept: : WWF Attitude, etc.), it appears that some time Graphics: and effort acually went into creating Rayman. Sound: Although the graphics aren't spectacular, they Playability: are definitely above par, and the gameplay is Entertainment: challenging and addictive. Dust off your old 2D platforming skills, because this game puts your reflexes to the test, particularly the flood levels. Ubi Soft should be commended for putting out a GBC game that is actually fun to play.

Bottom Line: 8

Last Blade

The Neo Geo Pocket Color has plenty of

Dy Jay, Tho Cole Ganer fighting games to choose from - probably too

* Size: 16 Megabit

* Style: 1 or 2-Player Fighting

* Special Features: 14 Characters (5 Hidden); Story, Survival, Vs., & Training Mode; Two Storylines to : UNE AA S The game has a fair amount of characters, all MCCA NESSSEIBUSTENEEN with their share of special maneuvers, but & Minigames there isn't a good balance between them.

* Replay Value: Moderate Playing certain characters makes the game

* Created by: SNK harder than upping the difficulty level in the * Available: Now for Neo Geo

Pocket Color

bottom. There's nothing particularly wrong with

fighter has more play options than Last Blade. Concept: The Gallery mode is the only thing it's got over Graphics: . the rest. Through play, combatants earn points sie ee that can be used to purchase scrolls. These Es i d " unlock art, text, fighter profiles, ending scenes,

: and minigames that add a bit of replay, but only fighting fanatics will have the endurance to collect 'em all. Last Blade isn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but it just can't stack up to the competition.

Bottom Line:

over again in the video game realm. In } Pokémon Trading Card Game, Wizards of the $

several new ones as well. Within the game |I box you'll also receive a limited edition foil |

single-player mode features a graphical styling M similar to the original Game Boy release. f There are also a ton of different trainers to |

many, in fact - and out of all the fighters the | system has to offer, Last Blade ranks in at the |

it, but nothing particularly compelling either. |

Options menu. Practically every other NGPC F

* Size: 8 TEE

* Style: 1 or 2-Player Sports/Action

* Special Features: 10 Professional Skaters; Halfpipe & Racing Modes; 10+ Tricks; Freeze-Frame Special Grinds; Turbos; Head-To-Head Racing Via Link Cable

* Replay Value: Moderate

* Created by: Natsume for Activision

* Available: Now for Game Boy Color

Expecting maximum grindage similar tothe GB

and NES classic, Skate or Die 2, | dropped all Concept: of my daily activities to soar in Tony Hawk's first Graphics: handheld venture. Big mistake. Every trick, Sound: every track, every little aspect of this game made me gag. Where's the gameplay?

Playability: Entertainment:

Bottom Line:

ONTENT RATED BY SR

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ijt the PlayStation logos are reg ster Aa Pidemarks of Sony Comp

I üman Entertainment, In¢. 1998. English Translation © Working Designs% eerie? Web Address: htto:/A vorkingdesigns.com. For a dealer near/gu. call

CREATED BY: CAMELOT FOR NINTENDO AVAILABLE: UNKNOWN

The last truly great tennis video game was Super Tennis for the SNES, so naturally we were giddy when we got our first glimpse of Mario Tennis for the N64. Developed by Camelot, the masterminds behind the highly- successful Mario Golf, Mario Tennis should balance a cartoonish feel with realistic gameplay. In addition to racket-bashing action, the game will mark the debut of a new character in the Nintendo universe, Waluigi. Brother to Wario, Waluigi is an evil doppelganger of the taller, less famous of the plumbing brothers, Luigi. Mario Tennis is set to be released for the Game Boy Color as well, which will be compatible with the N64 version via the Transfer Pak.

CREATED BY: RARE FOR NINTENDO iN CREATED BY: ELECTRONIC ARTS AVAILABLE: DECEMBER AVAILABLE: LATE 2000

This game’s been @*#%ing delayed so much, nobody thought it would ever After the proven success of : Qr ird

@*#%ing be released. This Christmas, Conker is finally coming to N64, but with an = GoldenEye and the very probable MEM : : gee “M” rating and an entirely new @*#%ing attitude. Conker's world is filled with cute Success of Perfect Dark, EA is in

creatures, but he doesn't want to be their friend, he just wants to @*#% with ‘em. molding its next N64 Bond game in a

Players can @*#%ing go solo and help Conker in his quest (whatever the @*#% | Very Rare way. This first-person

that is), or find some @*#%ing friends and take part in some four-player | Shooter boasts 40 weapons and

deathmatches. Sounds pretty @*#9%ing cool. gadgets, 10 levels, and many multiplayer modes. It certainly looks

like something to get excited about,

but given EA's timing with Tomorrow Never Dies, don't hold your breath or you'll most likely suffocate by Christmas.

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CREATED BY: INSOMNIAC/CERNY /UNIVERSAL INTERACTIVE FOR SCEA AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER

The heart-warming tale of a dragon's growing pains continue this November in Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon. An evil Sorceress has captured a clutch of dragon eggs, and it's Spyro's intention to rescue all those little buggers and help ‘em hatch. Four new critters that players can control join Spyro's quest (take a look at the pictures for clues to what animals to look forward to). Their adventures will lead to boxing, skateboarding, sharp shooting, submarine diving, tank piloting, and cruising in a speedboat.

CREATED BY: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT CREATED BY: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AVAILABLE: SEPTEMBER AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER

What's there to look forward to in NHL Face Off 2001? Well, there's four new play modes 989 is no more, but its legacy lives on in Sony's upcoming sports titles. NBA Shoot Out

(Tournament, Shoot Out, Practice, and Draft), an enhanced line manager, and 30 NHL [ — 2001 is striving for yet more authenticism to become every hoopster's heavenly hobby.

teams, including the Minnesota Wild — the team with the butt-ugliest logo in all of hockey. Additions to this year’s version include new player models and animations, Touch Shooting

North Stars, Tupac, Big Pun, we miss you. One love, y'all. and Touch Dribbling — which supposedly has nothing to do with the Original Gamer's favorite pastime, touchy dribbly.

20 16

3

Jackson,

CREATED BY: KRONOS FOR EIDOS AVAILABLE: FALL

What's better than being in control of the sleek and sexy Hana Tsu-Vachel? Also being the master of her hotsa-hotsa buddy, Rain Qin. These two bad-to-the-bone babes are joined by the rest of the Fear Effect cast for a prequel that once more combines action and mysticism in a cinematic shell. In addition to four playable characters, this story before the story boasts many secrets to boost replay value and absolutely no loading time, even after you die.

CREATED BY: STUDIO 33 FOR PSYGNOSIS AVAILABLE: AUGUST

The last edition of this series blew our minds with its groundbreaking Deforming Geometry system, so naturally we expect great things of DD Raw. If you couldn't tell by the name, Psygnosis has taken some inspiration from Vince McMahon's grappling empire by creating gem special destructive combo A moves that allow you to maneuver your car in ways you never thought possible. Sporting an impressive 31 tracks, Destruction Derby Raw boasts improved driver Al, four-player mode, 24 vehicles, and a Cash/Car upgrade mode.

DISNEY'S EIVMIPEROR'S

CREATED BY: ARGONAUT SOFTWARE/DISNEY INTERACTIVE FOR SONY AVAILABLE: DECEMBER 2000

Groove. Madonna got into it. Stella got her's back. Now Disney is groovin’ with this PlayStation title based on the upcoming animated feature film of the same name. Apparently Kuzco, an Incan ruler, has been transformed into a llama (Michael Jackson is going to LOVE this game!). As Kuzco, players must find the magical potion that will change him back to human form. Exploring through over 30 action/platform levels, Kuzco must take out his enemies by kicking, head-butting, and even spitting (Yeeechh!). Features cutscenes and voice-overs from the motion picture.

WHO WANTS TO BE A

CREATED BY: BUENA VISTA INTERACTIVE FOR SONY AVAILABLE: JUNE 20

REEEEEEGGE! REEEEGGE! Like the rest of America, we here at Game Informer are

enthralled with what might be the most explosive phenomenon in American television history - Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. This quick and easy quiz title already topped the PC sales charts, and now it's coming to our beloved PlayStations, packed with over 600 mind-bending questions, lifelines, and soundbites by the man himself. Ah Regis, that excitable personality, the heavy pancake make- up, the hair that may or may not be fake — you divine man. Will we be your love slaves? Yes! And that's our final answer!

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slap reer eect Novus

989's, oops, we mean SCEA's once proud GameDay franchise received a vicious drubbing at the hands of both long-time rival Madden and Dreamcast rookie NFL 2K last year. Can this struggling um — dynasty regain its footing in 2001? Time will tell, but Sony has overhauled GameDay with 200 new CPERTED UE COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT motion-capture animations and photo-realistic stadium models. Over 70 NFL players took time off from their busy schedules of praising Jesus, abusing illegal chemicals, and stabbing people in nightclubs to

help the developers create enhanced playbooks and improved opponent AI.

DONE S ALADDIN IN

AVAILABLE: JULY dn BY: 'EUROCOM FOR = AVAILABLE: AUGUST 29

Perhaps the coolest The entire cast of Disney's Aladdin comes together in this Sony platformer for the whole release of 2000, RPG family. There'll be jumping, swinging, pushing, swimming, and carpet flying aplenty. Best Maker allows gamers to of all, the game features absolutely no “witty” voice-overs by Robin Williams. Thank fulfill their lifelong dreams — you, Allah!

to make a game of their

own. Everything from the

color of the main

character's hair to script

and town location can be

set to your liking. We can’t

wait to get our hands on

this one, and when we do,

we'll make the ultimate

RPG based on How Stella

Loveline. It'll rock!

rink prewviet

The Hollywood hype machine has been working overtime heralding the summer release of Titan A.E., Fox's computer animated sci-fi epic. Set to be released in conjunction with the film, Titan CREATED BY: INTERACTIVE STUDIOS FOR FOX INTERACTIVE A.E. allows gamers to take on the role of one of the movie's two main characters, Cale or Akima, AVAILABLE: SUMMER 2000 as they battle the nefarious Drej aliens in search of the lost ship Titan. The game combines action/adventure levels with space fighter combat set against lush backdrops that capture the CG beauty of the feature film.

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CREATED BY: POINT OF VIEW FOR MIDWAY HOME ENTERTAINMENT AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER

Midway's main dish is still arcade to console conversions, but when gamers get sick of playing 12 different versions of Blitz they can always turn to Deuce, Midway's obscure adventure. Players assume the role of a playing card named Deuce whose quest is to take down the nefarious villain, Jack of Spades. For years now, we've begged developers to make a platform game based on playing cards. Our dream is finally a reality. Thanks, Midway!

CREATED BY: MAGENTA FOR PSYGNOSIS | >] CREATED BY: MIDWAY AVAILABLE: OCTOBER AVAILABLE: JUNE It's not easy being green. There, we said it. Now that we've got that hoary Muppet cliché out of the way, let us speak about this sure to be legendary title. Muppet Monster Adventure stars Kermit's nephew Robin, a wee tadpole who can not only swim, but glide through the air and put the smackdown on a host of terrifying enemies. The title looks to be pretty standard action/platform fare, and belies a strong Spyro the Dragon influence in its design. Features realistic weather effects and authentic Muppet voices.

While some might feel that the Rampage series is a little prehistoric by today's standards, Midway is bringing back those building bustin’ beasts for one more voyage of destruction. Since the mutated bad boyz have already laid waste to the globe, this time they're hopping in that phone booth outside of the Circle K and going back in time. Yes children, imagine being able to travel back to the days of yore, observe the wonders of the ancient world, then crush them into a pile of smoldering rubble.

BL = Bottom Line

“Armored Core: Master of Arena

Army Men: Air Attack

Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes Assault Rigs

Asteroids

Ballistic

Bass Landing

Bass Rise

Battle Tanx II: Global Assault

mL MM"

Blast Radius -

Bloody Roar II

Bomberman Fantasy Race Boombots

Broken Sword II

Bugs Bunny Lost In Time

Bust A Groove

Bust-A-Move ‘99

Castrol Honda Superbike Racing

.. Centipede ,............... nen

Championship Bass - Championship Motocross Chocobo Racing

Chocobo's Dungeon 2 Civilization ll

Clock Tower 2

Colin McRae Rally

Colony Wars: Red Sun Contender

C00) Boarders 4... Crash Team Racing

Croc 2

Crusaders of Might and Magic Cyber Tiger

Darkstalkers III

Dead in the Water

Deception III: Dark Delusion Destrega

Demolition Racer

„Die Hard Trilogy, 2... ees

Dino Crisis Driver

Dukes of Hazzard: Racing for Home

Dune 2000

Echo Night

ECW: Hardcore Revolution Eggs of Steel

Ehrgeiz

Evil Zone

„Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition 8

Fear Effect

FIFA 99

FIFA 2000

Fighter Maker

Fighting Force 2 Fisherman's Bait 2 Final Fantasy VIII

Final Fantasy Anthology Fisherman's Bait

,E0Nfla One 99r... ease tle

Freestyle Boardin ‘99

Front Mission 3

G Police: Weapons of Justice Gallop Racer

Gauntlet Legends

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo 2

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

"Grandia

Guardian's Crusade

Hardball 99

Hello Kitty: Cube Frenzy

High Heat Baseball 2000

Hot Shots Golf 2

Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Hydro Thunder

International Track & Field 2000

_Interplay Sports Baseball 2000 — —

“Invasion From Beyond Jackie Chan's Stuntmaster Jade Cocoon

Jedi Power Battles Jeopardy

Jet Moto 3

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Juggernaut

K-1 Grand Prix

K-1 Revenge

gE 770 6

Killer Loop

Knockout Kings

Knockout Kings 2000 Konami Arcade Classics Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Legend of Legaia

Life

Lunar: The Silver Star Story Complete

TITLE BL DATE PLAYSTATION

3Xtreme 5.75 Jun-99 40 Winks 7 Feb-00 A Bug's Life 7.5 Jan-99 Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere 7.75 May-00 Akuji the Heartless 6.75 Mar-99 Alexi Lalas Int'l Soccer 2.25 Jun-99 Alundra 2 May-00 Ape Escape Jul-99 Apocalypse Jan-99

.... Arcade Party Pak

Dec-99 May-00 Feb-99 Jan-99 Jan-00 Oct-99 Nov-99 Apr-00 Jun-99

"Mar99

May-99 Mar-99 Jan-00 Jan-00 Aug-99 Jan-99 Apr-99 Jun-99 Jul-99

May-00 —

Oct-99 Aug-99 Jan-00 Mar-99 Feb-99 Feb-00 Apr-00 Feb-99

) Dec-99.

Nov-99 Jul-99 Mar-00 Dec-99 Jan-99 Feb-99 Apr-00 Mar-99 Dec-99

..Har00 — Sep- 99

Sep-99 Mar-00 Nov-99 Aug-99 Mar-00 Jan-99 Jun-99 Oct-99 Mar-00

' Mar-00

Jan-99 Dec-99 Jun-99 Feb-00 Dec-99 Sep-99 Oct-99 May-99

Apr-00 Oct-99 Nov-99 May-00 May-99 Jun-98 Feb-00 Jul-99 Dec-99

E NoVBS T

Apr-99 Jan-99 Jul-99 Jun-99 Mar-00 Nov-99 Apr-00 Dec-99 Jun-99

| Apr-99° —

Mar-00 Aug-99 May-00 Jan-99 Oct-99 Apr-00 Nov-99 Feb-00 Apr-99

Rr m

Mar-00 Jan-99 Dec-99 Aug-99 Sep-99 Apr-99 Jan-99 Jul-99

| Octo9

TITLE

March Madness 2000

Marvel Super Heroes vs. X-Men Medal of Honor

MediEvil Il

Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions Mission: Impossible

Misadventures of Tronne Bonne, The

MLB 2000

Mobil 1 Rally Championship Monaco Gran Prix 2 Monkey Hero

Monster Seed

MTV Music Generator NASCAR 2000 NASCAR Rumble NBA In the Zone '99 NBA in the Zone 2000 NBA Live 99

NBA Live 2000

NBA Showtime

Srey Wace cir T TL 6

NCAA Final Four ‘99

NCAA Final Four 2000

NCAA Football 2000

NCAA GameBreaker 99 NCAA Gamebreaker 2000 NCAA March Madness 99 Need For Speed: High Stakes Next Tetris, The

NFL Blitz 2000

NFL Xtreme 2

NHL 2000

NHL Blades of Stee! 2000

NHL Championship 2000

NHL Face Off 2000

No Fear Downhill Mountain Biking No One Can Stop Mr. Domino Omega Boost

Pac-Man World

Point Bank?

Pool Hustler

Populous: The Beginning Pro 18 World Golf Psybadek

Quake II

Railroad Tycoon II Rainbow 6

Rally Cross 2

Rampage 2: Universal Tou — —

"Rat Attack

R/C Stunt Copter Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Resident Evil 3

Re-Volt

Ridge Racer Type 4 Rising Zan

Road Rash: Jailbreak Rock the Rink

Rollcage

“Rollcage: Stage Il Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI

R-Type Delta Rugrats Rushdown SaGa Frontier 2

Sammy Sosa High Heat Baseball 2001

Shadow Madness Shadow Man Shadow lent Bo Silent Hill Silhouette Mirage

Sled Storm

Smurfs, The

Soul of the Samurai

South Park Chef's Luv Shack South Park Rally

Space Invaders

Speed Punks

Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage

Star Ocean

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Streak

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Street Ftr. 2 Collection

Street Sk8er

Suikoden Il

SuperCross Circuit — — —— i.

“Syphon Filter Siphon Filter 2

Tai Fu

TR.A.G.

Tail Concerto

Tarzan

Ten Pin Alley

Test Drive 5

Test Drive 6

Test Drive Off Road 2

ac UNE OL 6 eq

Thousand Arms

Thrasher: Skate and Destroy Tiger Woods 99

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2000 Time Stalkers

Tiny Tank: Up Your Arsenal Tiny Tank (Revised)

Tiny Toon Adventures

TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge 8.

BL 8.25

‘Konto ae

saoao REDEEM a

DATE

Feb-00 Jan-99 Dec-99 May-00 Nov-99 Feb-00 May-00 May-99 May-00 Jun-99 Feb-99

May-99 Jan-00 Nov-99 Mar-00 May-99 Jan-00 Jan-99 Jan-00 Jan-00

> Mar-00 -

Mar-99 Jan-00 Oct-99 Jan-99 Oct-99 Mar-99 May-99 Jul-99 Sep-99

Sept-99 Nov-99 Dec-99 Dec-99 Nov-99 Jan-00 Jan-99 Oct-99

Nm AG

Dec-98 Jun-99 Feb-99 Feb-99 Dec-99 Apr-00 Feb-00 Jan-99 Jun-99

| Nov99-

Oct-99 Feb-00 Dec-99 Nov-99 May-99 Sep-99 Mar-00 May-00

Apr-99 —

"Apr-00 Mar-00 Aug-99 Jan-99 Apr-99 Jan-00 May-00 Apr-99 Nov-99

Nov-99

Apr- 99 Feb-00 Sep-99 Mar-00 Aug-99 Feb-00 Mar-00 Dec-99 May-00

Jun38

Dec-99 Jun-99 Oct-99 Dec-98 Jun-99 Feb-99 Apr-99 Oct-99 Dec-99

Mar-

Apr-00 Apr-99 May-99 Nov-99 Sep-99 Jan-99 Jan-99 Dec-99 Jan-99

Nov98 ^

Nov-99 Jan-00 Jan-99 Feb-00 May-00 Jan-99 Nov-99 Mar-99

fan

Od 7X

TITLE

Tomb Raider III

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Tomorrow Never Dies

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

Toy Story 2

Trick'N Snowboarders

Triple Play 2000

Triple Play 2001

Twisted Metal III

Twisted Metal 4

V-Rally 2

Uprising X

Vagrant Story

Vanark

Vandal Hearts II Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense

Walt Disney World: Magical Racing Tour

Warpath: Jurassic Park Warzone 2100

“WENN ROR nnn Be”

Wheel of Fortune

Wild 9

Wild Arms 2

Wipeout 3

Worms Armageddon Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style WWF Attitude

WWF Smackdown X-Files

Xena: Warrior Princess You Don't Know Jack

NINTE Airboardin' USA All-Star Baseball 2000 All-Star Baseball 2001 All Star Tennis '99 Armorines —

pee [pes or [775 ania

Bassmasters 2000

Battle Tanx

BattleTanx Il: Global Assault Battlezone: Rise of the Black Dogs Beetle Adventure Racing

Blades of Steel 2000

Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling Bug's Life, A

.BustA-Move 98 see

California Speed

Castlevania 64

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Chameleon Twist 2 Charlie Blast's Territory College Hoops 99 Command & Conquer CyberTiger

Destruction Derby 64 DonkeyKong64 — Duke Nukem: Zero Hour Earthworm Jim 3D ECW: Hardcore Revolution Extreme G 2

FIFA 99

Fighting Force 64

Gauntlet Legends

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko Goeman's Great Adventure

. Harvest Moon 64

“Hot Wheels Turbi

Hybrid Heaven

Hydro Thunder

In-Fisherman's Bass Hunter 64 International Track & Field 2000 Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 Jet Force Gemini

Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest Knockout Kings 2000

Lego Racers... ess 279, SAMO0

Lode Runner 3-D.- Magical Tetris Challange Mario Golf

Mario Party

Mario Party 2

Micro Machines 64 Turbo Monaco Gran Prix 2 Monster Truck Madness Namco Museum 64 „NBA Courtside 2

“NBA In the Zone 2000

NBA Jam 99

NBA Jam 2000

NBA Live 99

NBA Live 2000

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC New Tetris, The

NFL QB Club 99

NFL QB Club 2000

NFL Blitz 2000

NHL Breakaway 99 Nightmare Creatures Nuclear Strike Paperboy

Penny Racers PilotWings 64 Pokémon Snap Pokémon Stadium

St aarm

Gane paca es

NDO

BL DATE Jan-99 Jan-00 Jan-00 Jan-00 Nov-99 Jan-00 Oct-99 May-99 May-00 Jan-99 Jan-00

Jan-00

Feb-99 9 May-00 7 May-00 7.75 Dec-99 7.75 Jan-00 6.5 May-00 6.75 Dec-99 7.75 Jul-99

7 Jan-99 6.25 Dec-98 8.5 May-00 7.75 Nov-99 8 Dec-99 6.25 Dec-99 9 Aug-99 9 Apr-00 3.75 Jan-00

7.75 Nov-99 8 Feb-00

64 5.5 Oct-99 8 May-99 7.75 May-00 5.5 Aug-99

129, Jan-00

7 Dec-99 8 Mar-00 6.75 Feb-99 7.25 Nov-99 3.25 May-00 8 Apr-99 3.5 Jan-00 5.25 Jan-00 5.25 Jul-99 9 .Apr99

225 Apr99

6.5 Mar-99 5.25 Mar-00 6.5 May-99 3 May-99 5 Feb-99 8 Sep-99 7.25 May-00 7.25 Dec-99

9.75 Dec-99.

8.75 Sep-99 5.75 Dec-99 8 Mar 00 8.25 Dec-98 8.25 Jan-99 6.75 May-99 7 Dec-99 7.75 Sep-99 7.25 Sep-99

„NHL Blades of Steel 99 nnn Ora Apr99.,

aa C

TITLE

Rainbow 6

Rampage 2: Universal Tour Rayman 2: The Great Escape Resident Evil 2

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Re-Volt

Ridge Racer 64

Road Rash 64

Roadsters Trophy

Rocket

Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA

Shadow Man

Snowboard Kids 2

South Park

Space Station: Silicon Valley StarCraft

Star Wars: Episode | Racer Star Wars: Rogue Squadron Starshot

Superman

Super Mario 64

Super Smash Brothers South Park Rally Tarzan

Tonic Trouble

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Top Gear Hyper Bike Top Gear Overdrive

Top Gear Flaly2........ esca

Toy Story 2

Triple Play 2000

Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Turok: Rage Wars Vigilante 8

Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense VR Pool 64

WaveRace 64

WipeOut 64

Winback

Tee Cha 7E

WCW Nitro

WWF Attitude

WCW Mayhem Wrestlemania 2000 Xena: Talisman of Fate Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

DREAMCA

AeroWings

mes Bg mm

Armada

Blue Stinger

Carrier

Chu Chu Rocket

Crazy Taxi

Dead or Alive 2

Dynamite Cop

ECW: Hardcore Revolution

Elemental Gimmick C Gear TE “Evolution ~~ —

Expendable: Millennium Soldier F-1 World Grand Prix

Fighting Force 2

Flag to Flag

Giga Wing

House of the Dead 2

Hydro Thunder

Incoming

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Marvel Vs. Capcom

Monaco Grand Prix

Mortal Kombat Gold

NBA 2K

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC NFL 2K

NFL Blitz 2000

NFL Quarterback Club 2000 — —

NHL ZK Pen Pen Trilcelon

Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Blistein

Power Stone

Psychic Force 2012

Rayman 2: The Great Escape Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Resident Evil Code: Veronica Re-Volt

Sega Rally Championship Shadowman

Slave Zero

Sonic Adventure

Soul Calibur

Soul Fighter

South Park Chef's Luv Shack Speed Devils

Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing “Sword of the Berzerk — ii

Tee Off

Test Drive 6

TNN Hardcore Heat Tokyo Xtreme Racer TrickStyle

Toy Commander Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense Virtua Fighter 3tb

AET E EE NR

BL

2.25

Ugo

4 7.25

DATE

Feb-00 Apr-99 Nov-99 Nov-99 Feb-00 Oct-99 Feb-00 Oct-99 Jan-00 Nov-99 Dec-98

5,..Dec-98

Aug-99 Sep-99 May-99 Jan-99 Dec-98 Oct-99 Jun-99 Feb-99 Nov-99

Aug-99 Aug-96 Apr-99 Apr-00 Mar-00 Aug-99 Mar-00 Feb-00 Jan-99

Dec:99

Jan-00 Apr-99 Jan-99 Dec-99 Apr-99 Jan-00 Dec-98 Nov-96 Dec-98 Nov-99

B

May-99 Aug-99 Oct-99 Dec-99 Jan-00 Dec-98

Oct-99

5 Oct-99

Feb-00 Oct-99 Apr-00 Apr-00 Feb-00 Apr-00 Nov-99 May-00 Mar-00 Dec-99 Oct-99 Feb-00 Mar-00 Oct-99 Mar-00 Oct-99 Oct-99 Mar-00

...Mar-00. Oct-99

Mar-00 Oct-99 Oct-99 Oct-99 Jan-00 Dec-99 Oct-99 Oct-99

Feb-00 -

Apr-00 Oct-99 May-00 Oct-99 Jan-00

„Supercross 2000 — sss 9, $AN-00

TITLE

Wetrix+

Wild Metal

WWF Attitude Zombie Revenge

GAME 720

A Bug's Life All-Star Baseball ‘99 All-Star Baseball 2000 All Star Tennis

Bass Masters Classic... 725.

Beauty and the Beast Bust-A-Move 4

Billy Bob's Huntin’ ‘N Fishin’ Bionic Commando: Elite Forces Blaster Master: Enemy Below Bugs Bunny Carrot Crazy Catwoman

Chase HQ: Secret Police Conker's Pocket Tales

Contra; The Alien Wars... 879.

Deja Vu I & II

Dragon Warrior Monsters Duke Nukem

ECW: Hardcore Revolution FIFA 2000

Gex 3: Deep Pocket Gecko Gex: Enter the Gecko Ghosts N' Goblins

Harvest Moon

5.5 77 E

Ken Griffey Jr. Slugfest Klax

Klustar

Kwirk

Logical

Lucky Luke

Madden NFL 2000

Men In Black: The Series

„Mario Golf — — Mickey's Adventure Racing -

Micro Machines 1 & 2 Millenium Winter Sports Missile Command Moon Patrol/Spy Hunter Mortal Kombat 4 Motorcross Maniacs Ms. Pac-Man

Mulan

NBA In The Zone '99 —

“NBA Jam 99

NFL Blitz

NHL Blades of Steel ‘99 Oddworld Adventures Pac-Man

Pitfall: Beyond the Jungle Pokémon

Pokémon Pinball Pokémon Yellow

Prince of Persia. Quest for Camelot R-Type DX

Rampage: World Tour Rugrats Movie

Small Soldiers

Smurf's Nightmare Spawn

Spy Vs. Spy

Star Wars: Episode | Racer

„Super Black Bass. lo

Super Mario Bros. DIx Survival Kids

Tarzan

Tetris DX

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Top Gear Pocket Toy Story 2 Twouble

V-Rally Ed. ‘99

„Wings of FUY e

World Cup 98

WWF Attitude

WWF Wrestlemania 2000 Yar's Revenge

BOY

BL

DATE

Mar-00 May-00 Jan-00 Feb-00

Jun-99 Dec-98 Oct-98 Jul-99 Dec-99 Feb-00 Jan-00 Aug-99 Dec-99 Mar-00 Apr-00 Apr-99 Dec-99 Dec-99 Sep-99 Oct-99 Dec-99- Mar-00 Dec-99 May-00 Dec-99 Mar-00 Mar-99 Nov-99 Oct-98 "um 99 Sep-99 Jun-99 Oct-99 Jun-99 May-99 Oct-99 Dec-99 Mar-99

8.5

6.5 7.25 6.25

Ma 00” May-00 Jan-00 Jan-00 Jul-99 Apr-99 Sep-99 Nov-99 Dec-98

,JUm99 .—. May-99

Apr-99 Apr-99 Feb-99 Sep-99 Mar-99 Oct-98 Sep-99 Nov-99

.1JU-99 — Mar-99

Sep-99 Apr-99 Feb-99 Dec-98 Jan-99 Sep-99 Aug-99 Mar-00

.Jam99 . Aug-99

Sep-99 Aug-99 Dec-98 Mar-99 May-99 Feb-00 Apr-99 Ap 99

“Oct: ‘98°

Jul-99 Dec-99 Jan-00

NEO GEO POCKET COLOR

Baseball Stars

Beast Busters: Dark Arms Bio Motor Unitron Bust-A-Move Pocket Crush Roller

Dive Alert

Faselei!

Fatal Fury: 1st Contact Gals Fighters

King of Fighters

Magical Drop Pocket Match of the Millennium, The Metal Slug: 1st Mission

„Metal Slug; 2nd Mission... Neo Geo Cup '98

Neo Turf Masters Pac-Man

Pocket Tennis Color Puyo Pop

Puzzle Link

Puzzle Link 2 Samurai Shodown 2

SNK Vs. Capcom: Card Fighter's Clash . Sonic Pocket Adventure

j

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Tina Armstrong Step Hammer- u, P

LEGEND P- punch Jab -P Kangaroo Knee Step- u, K K- kick Upper- df+P Back Step Hammer- ub, P iis Dreamcast. | Low Knuckle- d+P zu CPU ME f- forward High Kick- K rikes b- backwards Middle Kick- df+K Jab High Kick- P, K ET Low Kick- d+K Jab Straight- P, P

a Machine Gun Middle- P, P, K

Turn Spin Knuckle- [back] P Turn Middle Knuckle- [back] d«P

Turn Low Knuckle- [back] d+P Turn Spin Kick- [back] K

Turn Sidekick- [back] d+K Turn Low Kick- [back] d+K Turn Savate- [back] S+K Moonsault Attack- [back] S+K Front Fist Drop- uf, P

Drop Kick- uf, K

Front Step Hammer- uf, P Kangaroo Knee Kick- uf, K Flying Fist Drop- u, P Branching Kick- u, K

df- down and forward db- down and backwards uf- up and forward

db- up and backwards

Machine Gun Elbow- P, P, P Machine Gun Knee- P, P, P, K Knuckle Arrow- ub+P Blazing Chop- u+P Backhand Elbow- uf+P

Back Elbow Knee- uf+P, P Double Hammer- b+P

Low Spin Knuckle- df+P Elbow- f+P

Elbow Back Knuckle- f+P, P Infinity Combo- f+P, P, P Ultimate Combo- f+P, P, K Spin Knuckle Combo- f+P, P, d+P

acf- quarter circle forward (d, df, f) qcb- quarter circle back (d, db, b) hcf- half circle forward (b, d, f)

hcb- half circle back (f,d, b)

[when direction letters are capitalized, press and hold]

[FU/FA]- On the ground with face up and feet away from you

[FD/FA]- On the ground with face down and feet away from you

[back]- your opponent's back has to be facing you

Low Drop Combo- f+P, P, d+K Dashing Upper- f, +P Double Upper- f, «P, P Combo Drop Kick- f, f+P, P, K Tina Special- f, f+P+K Vertical Back Chop- DF«P Vertical Hammer- DF«P Dolphin Upper- df, df+P Rolling Elbow- d, df, f+P High Kick- K

Ankle Spin Kick- K, K

Middle Kick- df+K

Double Middle Kick- df+K, K Step Kick- uf«K

Back Brain Kick- ub+K

Drop Kick- u«K

Front Step Kick- f, f+K Jumping Knee Pat- f+K Knee Hammer- f+K, P

Turn Low Kick- D«K

Alley Kick- D+K, K

Double Alley Kick- D+K, K, K

Oa ev Curs BOE ree pai fi 1 Tm

CREATED BY: DREAMWORKS INTERACTIVE FOR EA AVAILABLE: FALL

Sure, pretty much every red-blooded American loves a game where you get to put Nazis in their graves, but would we still like it if we had to play the French? EA's upcoming Medal of Honor: Underground puts players in the shoes of Manon, the French Resistance member who was a great help in the original game. Touring through Europe and North Africa, it's Manon's task to liberate France. Hmmm...Kill Nazis or free France? Kill Nazis or free France? This may the first game in history where players purposefully try to fail in every mission.

Those obsessed with the movie Gleaming the Cube finally got their video game wish granted when Tony Hawk's Pro Skater came out. But what about devotees of the film Rad? Activision will be answering freestyle bikers' prayers this fall with Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. Using the same engine that brought you Pro Skater, Pro BMX definitely looks to heat up the halfpipe wars.

BREAKOUT: THE GREAT

CREATED BY: HASBRO

AVAILABLE: SEPTEMBER First Pong, and now Breakout. What next, Arkanoid? Anyway, Hasbro is once more bringing decades-old gameplay into the third dimension. Up to four players can compete in the game’s ten chapters, enjoying its compelling storyline...Say what!? A storyline for a game about a brick that breaks other bricks? Eh, guess it sounds better than most of WB's fall lineup.

CREATED BY: TRAVELLER'S TALES FOR ACTIVISION AVAILABLE: FALL

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is based on Disney/Pixar's upcoming animated series. Making the correct decision by giving old Woody the boot, players assume the role of Buzz. His mission: explore the galaxy and put an end to Zurg's evil empire. Mr. Lightyear is expected to blast off this fall for the PlayStation, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color. Rocket man!

UNO GaN

CREATED BY: CRYSTAL DYNAMICS FOR EIDOS INTERACTIVE AVAILABLE: FALL

If all goes as expected, Soul Reaver II will be delayed for three years. When it does hit retail, Crystal Dynamics will rush it out, chop off the ending, and leave bloodthirsty gamers with a big fat “To Be Continued...” From early footage, Soul Reaver Il looks almost identical to the original. Raziel can still shift between spectral and material realms, but this time around the story spans across all of time. Kain is the nemesis, and from what we hear, Raziel will find out about the extinction of the vampire clans. Soul Reaver || will release on both the PlayStation and Dreamcast.

supermini previews Super mir previevve

CREATED BY: ANDNOW FOR CRAVE CREATED BY: EUROCOM/UNIVERSAL INTERACTIVE FOR SONY AVAILABLE: UNKNOWN AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER

From Toe Jam & Earl to Earthworm Jim to the legendary Boogerman, console gaming Crash Team Racing followed Nintendo's plump plumber into the cart racing sweepstakes, has always held a place in its small, black heart for idiosyncratic platform stars. Now but Mario was already racking up big sales by showing everyone how to party. Now Crash Crave is bringing forth Mort the Chicken, the star of a free-roaming 3D adventure in which follows Nintendo’s lead once again with Crash Bash, a four-player title jam packed with our fowl hero must battle an invasion of Boolyon Cubes and free his imprisoned chicken nine different minigame events. Apparently Eurocom's inaugural attempt at creating a brethren. Instead of pecking out eyes, as cubes don't actually have eyes, Mort battles his new Crash platformer crashed and burned, so the game was scrapped in favor of this foes by whipping them with his ultra-elastic comb (that's the weird, red thing on top of a more modest title. Crash Bash features eight characters, including Crash, Coco, chicken’s head, for those of you not well versed in veterinary anatomy). N.Cortex, and Dingodile, as well as both Adventure and Battle modes.

CREATED BY: INFOGRAMES AVAILABLE: JUNE Mix the Black Sabbath classic "War Pigs" with 3DO's Army Men series, and what do you have? No, it's not Ozzy biting the head off a machine gunner; it's Infogrames’ Hogs of War for PlayStation. This military game uses literal swine to represent the superpowers of Earth's armies (as opposed to the more realistic figurative swine). It's a turn-based 3D strategy title, where simple piglets can be promoted to generals, and loads of different weapons are makin’ bacon.

can cdd

CREATED BY: UDS FOR CRAVE ENTERTAINMENT AVAILABLE: AUGUST

Authentically detailed Yamaha snowmobiles hit the Dreamcast

slopes this August. As the first and only snowmobile game for the

Dreamcast, Sno-Cross doesn’t have much to live up

to...but any games that dare follow in its tracks will.

à Swedish developer, UDS, is working on

an ambitious project that is said tọ

make EA's PlayStation

(# game, Sled Storm, look

prehistoric. Sno-Cross

3 will feature variable

- à weather, time of day, realistic

By physics, awesome multiplayer challenges, and a fantastic track editor.

CREATED BY: INFOGRAMES AVAILABLE: FOURTH QUARTER

We don't know if we should be thanking Naughty Dog for creating a best selling kart racer, or if we should be hunting them down for placing Crash behind the wheel. Ever since this gigantic PlayStation game hit the market, there's been an influx in PS-X kart racers. The latest creation? Looney Tunes Racing by Infogrames. If this one sells well, expect to see Tiny Toons Racing followed closely by a Road Runner game.

CREATED BY: INFOGRAMES

AVAILABLE: FALL Lookit all dem sheep! Yeeee doggie! Huh huh...dem sheep sure are purdy. We reckon you could nit an antire sweater wit all dem sheep dere. Yes sir, dem sheep be worth a purdy penny. We can’t wait to pop dem into our PlayStation. Huh huh...

SU mi-DOmc-; Pre vean

DAVE MIRRA

CREATED BY: ACCLAIM

AVAILABLE: FALL Stunt-based games are popping up like Korn clones in the music biz, making it hard for gamers to separate the thrashers from the posers. Acclaim's Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX just might be the genuine article. Sure, the riders wuss out by wearing helmets, but they Still pull off sick tricks and joint-popping crashes. The control is stylin', and a modifier button lets you flail any number of appendages mid-trick. Take the training wheels off your Huffy, kids. It's time to ride.

tailwhip air 69

candy bar 487.

JU COALS SUC FEHEH ak AVIONS SUPE rr

CREATED BY: PSYGNOSIS AVAILABLE: JULY CREATED BY: HEAVY IRON STUDIOS FOR THQ AVAILABLE: FALL Never trust a red...or a blue, Hail To The King indeed. In our distorted world, Bruce Campbell is the one and orange, yellow, or green for that only god. We bow down to his brilliant acting and spread his word whenever we matter. The candy shaped get the chance. If something cool happens in our lives, we say, “Groovy.” If we characters may be cute as a confront a girl, we confidently | button nose, but the object of bellow, "Give me some sugar, | Team Buddies is to obliterate all baby.” THQ has big plans for the f ^ opposition as swiftly as possible. continuation of the Evil Dead Grab parachuting boxes, stack

series. Bruce Campbell has signed on as voice talent (excellent), and both Sam Raimi

them, and then break 'em to create new Buddies to join your army, weapons for them to carry,

and Robert Tapert have signed on to give the script the flavor it needs to sedate horror fans. The action is reportedly gory as all heck, and the cutscenes on the mark humor-wise with the

PlayStation : motion picture trilogy.

the game really shines during a four-player split-screen session. : Fo Much better than that over- PlayStation vr ut glamorized My Buddy doll from p the ‘80s.

Dreamcast

PlayStation l l

Dreamcast Dreamcast

73

GALAGA:

CREATED BY: HASBRO INTERACTIVE AVAILABLE: 2001

Pushing the PlayStation to the limit in graphics, effects, and speed, this Galaga reincarnation clings to the original arcade formula while blowing gamer’s socks off with new gameplay techniques. Without Hasbro Interactive, the PlayStation would be a boring system. Thank goodness for the classics!

d j & " cups itt] accuracy GGI scone x 1

CREATED BY: PSYGNOSIS FOR SONY EUROPE AVAILABLE: TBD

In Europe, the Wipeout series is just as popular as those sissy boy rockers, Oasis. To kick off |

the Euro-launch of PlayStation2, a new Wipeout entitled Wipeout Fusion will be on hand. This series sold fairly well in the States as well, so don’t be surprised if Sony adds it to its E3 lineup. It looks very similar to the 32-bit run, only much cleaner and heavily detailed. Now then, rock on sissies! “Maybe this is going to be the game that saves me. After all, you're my wonderwall.”

SUper-eeaun

v

CREATED BY: SURREAL STUDIOS FOR SONY EUROPE

AVAILABLE: TBD

previct

Drakan has already romanced the PC realm with its addictive fantasy hook, and now its | moving to the console realm. Early indications point toward a more action-orientated quest | with RPG elements on the side. The main character, Rynn, shares a sort of Banjo-Kazooie- B esque relationship with her dragon friend, Arokh. Both beings posses different powers and | abilities. Rest assured, this is not a port. This will be a full-on sequel, and as the European |

release inches closer, we're sure a name change will occur.

CREATED BY: TECMO

AVAILABLE: NOW IN JAPAN (U.S. RELEASE UNDETERMINED)

| Japanese Dreamcast | owners didnt get the

pleasure of DOA2, so when the PS-2 makes it to the States will it be a launch title? Only time will tell, but DC owners shouldn't fret that their version of DOA2 is destined to become an inferior pile of feces. The

| PS-2s DOA2 is nearly B identical, with only some

touched up lighting effects and new alternate costumes to set it apart.

F

CREATED BY: TSE SOFT AVAILABLE: NOW IN JAPAN (U.S. RELEASE UNDETERMINED)

As David Lee Roth would E

say, "This must be just like

livin’ in Golf Paradise, and | | dont wanna go home." PS- d B 2's premier bogey blaster

has a Hot Shots look, but also an option-heavy frontend for those who take their clubbin' and ballin’ a bit more seriously than Diamond Dave did his life.

SUPENUH Previews superer ar Sys nup run previevurs t

GETAWAY

j CREATED BY: STUDIO SOHO FOR SONY EUROPE AVAILABLE: TBD

With over 70 square kilometers of London mapped out and textured in amazing realism, players may actually be able to transfer their gaming skills into a real-life getaway. Now now, don't get any crazy ideas. These things always lead to a bullet in the keester, and believe us, it's not pretty. Developed by Studio Soho, the team behind Porsche Challenge and Spice Girls, The Getaway looks to be one of the most promising action/racers we've seen in a great while. If the driving is too hectic and the chase too intense, players can hop out of their car and check out their surroundings on foot. What a cool little feature.

ESPN X GAMES:

CREATED BY: KONAMI AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER

Following in the footsteps of Square Soft, Konami is kicking off its PlayStation2 festivities on an off-beat. ESPN X Games: Snowboarding will feature the best professional boarders in the world, tons of game modes, full ESPN integration, plus tunes by big name artists. Hopefully, they'll add a couple of tracks by Jesse & The 8th Street Kidz. Who knows though, Jesse ain't cheap y'allz.

Serre wey a E : 7 AI-E z 2pi-ri

MOTOR MAYHEM!

CREATED BY: INFOGRAMES AVAILABLE: 2001

The year is 2166. The populace of the world is bored to death with its everyday activities. To find a cheap thrill, it has created the World Vehicle Combat League. Here speed and firepower collide to create the ultimate rush. Live by the seat. Die by the seat. Motor Mayhem is a bike racing tour de force you won't want to miss!

Game Po * June 2000 75

f

ias aro fetis

i CREATED BY: ACTIVISION AVAILABLE: SPRING 2001

Listen here, ya yella-bellied snake. | don't know what in tarnation these here other game

companies are thinkin’, tryin’ ta jingle their spurs like they're the cock o' the walk. After

Activision releases Gunslinger, a few o' them greenhorn PS-2 developers might find their games layin’ six feet deep up on Boot Hill. Gunslinger lets you slip into the boots of a straight- shootin’ pistelero whose done been double-crossed by an evil land baron. Dang varmint! Robbin’ stagecoaches,

quick draw at ten paces,

springin’ outlaws outta the

pokey, and playin’ 5-Card

Stud are just a few of the

skills you'll need to tame

the Old West. Better sleep

with one eye open,

pardner — Gunslinger ll

spit in yer eye and put

some lead in yer tail.

\ INDEPENDENCE WAR 2:

Set 100 years after the explosive conclusion of the original adventure, Independence War 2 will warm the hearts of its PC fan base along with the Dreamcast crowd. Don't expect just another space sim. This one asks that you manage resources, control squadrons, and save the galaxy — a usual night's work. It really will drive you to the edge of chaos.

CREATED BY: FROM SOFTWARE FOR AGETEC AVAILABLE: FOURTH GUARTER

Agetec has picked up all three of From Software's PlayStation? titles. In addition to Armored

Core 2 and Eternal Ring, the U.S. audience will have the chance to get up close and personal

with Evergrace. While similar in design to Nintendo's Zelda, Evergrace dishes out just as

much exploration as it does hack n' slash combat. Players can also customize their character's appearance in a multitude of ways. Heck, you can pick up a pumpkin and wear it as a helmet if you want to. Our early prediction is that this will be one of the most highly touted PS-2 games in America. Just wait and see!

POWER 100%

2

"n . JF'POWER 100 95 É i d

2:

i © ' CREATED BY: CRYSTAL DYNAMICS FOR EIDOS INTERACTIVE

" AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER

Cuter than Leonardo DiCaprio, more action-packed than Star Wars, Disney's surprising live action sequel, 102 Dalmatians, is expected to break box office records and (through hostile actions) become the largest grossing film of all time. Yeah right. For those who saw it, the first film wasn’t bad. The video game references were great, and if the sequel is anything like it, 102 should score a perfect 10. Cruella De Vil is back and it's up to the puppies to send her to the dog pound. 102 Dalmatians is a platform game similar to Toy Story 2. Look for it this November!

; SUPeMini previews Supermink previews super-mint previews stuper-muint previews. super-munt previews Super-min

Mtm AA

CREATED BY: CAPCOM __ z Ü CREATED BY: VALVE SOFTWARE/GEARBOX FOR AVAILABLE: AUGUST | / HAVAS INTERACTIVE | "u^ AVAILABLE: JULY

As long as first-person shooters have been around, you would think that the concept is growing stale and people would be getting pretty tired of them. Of course, a game like GoldenEye put a kick start back into the genre on the console side of things. On the PC side, the same might be said for Half-Life. With more “Game of the Year" awards than levels, Half- Life's appearance on Dreamcast is definitely worth keeping an eye on. In fact, initial word on the game points to the fact that it may be even better than its PC mother. Developer Gearbox, under the direction of Valve Software, will keep the lauded game Al and general story details, but are upping the poly count for enemies, as well as giving the graphics a general remodeling for the better. Half-Life will go on display in a playable form at E3.

With six new characters, 120 items, 65 weapons, three playable vehicles, and simultaneous four- player battle, Power Stone 2 is more than a standard Capcom update. It's a full-on sequel. The gameplay has changed focus a tad, feeling more and more like Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers. Players can i save and trade items via the VMU. They can also team up and play the > O CD game cooperatively.

Er i i 0c

m LEN

CREATED BY: SEGA

AVAILABLE: SUMMER Conspiracy Theory 23-TH004: Kevin Costner Killed Baseball. As we all know oh so well, everything that Kevin Costner touches is cursed. Let's examine the evidence, shall we? When he made Field of Dreams, we had a bad season of crops. When he made Waterworld, a ton of whales died. When he made For Love of the Game, everyone forgot about baseball. He must be stopped. Thankfully, Big Mac is still swinging for the fence, and Sega has returned to the diamond. Later this year, World Series Baseball will bring unprecedented realism to the Dreamcast. All of the big leaguers and their fat, flabby fannies will be a part of the package. Stay tuned for more info on America's favorite (yawn)... 2-2-2-2-2

AES

6) CREATED BY: STING/ESP FOR UBI SOFT

AVAILABLE: SUMMER

Despite its simplistic design, Evolution is a surprise hit for both the Dreamcast and its publisher, Ubi Soft. Even more surprising is the fact that developer Sting has already pieced together and released a sequel in Japan. Later this summer, Ubi Soft is expected to port this bad boy Stateside, and believe us, if you enjoy the first game, expect the sequel to deliver the same gameplay, same graphics, and same list of awesome characters!

6) CREATED BY: GENKI FOR CRAVE AVAILABLE: FALL

Just when it seems that there are no fresh ideas left in the well-worn

| action/platform genre, along comes

Super Magnetic Neo. Developed by Genki, the game features unique gameplay based on the principles of magnetism. Neo, a lovable scamp that resembles some lysergic burnout's

vision of a breakfast cereal mascot, is |

able to generate red and blue magnetic fields. The day-glo levels are littered with moving tracks, bounce pads, and swinging ropes that are charged either red or blue. Neo can either repel from a

| pad by using his matching-colored

magnetic field, or attach with the opposite field and hitch a ride on the ski lift- styled tracks. Levels

are filled with hidden |

items, coins, and bonus stages. Super Magnetic Neo's vibrant visuals and innovative gameplay makes it a title to watch.

| CREATED BY: WARTHOG FOR CRAVE ENTERTAINMENT

AVAILABLE: SEPTEMBER

Taking full advantage of Sega’s upcoming Internet prowess, StarLancer thrusts players into intense intergalactic space combat. Chris and Erin Roberts, the masterminds behind the Wing Commander series, have once again worked wonders with first- person space combat. Along with sophisticated gameplay, StarLancer offers an intriguing story. Sadly though, Luke “Mark Whatshisname” Skywalker won't be making an appearance.

by Erik, The PC Jedi >>KRUNCHEE<< >>KRUNCHEE<<

^ Nothing stirs the spirit quite like the > -KRUNCHE!

sound of AT STs on the move or a TIE fighter’s high-pitched

engines. After George's new “musical number” in Jedi, and then Jar Jar making me embarrassed to be a Star

Wars fan, | wasn't sure if | would ever return to my loving fascination with the trilogy, but my recent binge Rogue Squadron experience (all Gold Medals baby!) and the mixing and matching of walker battalions for that final

. IIa ` 1 nu

HERE OOS Er uüJjirirnrpits COWWIOoOfe —

WHERE SOLIDES

We were pretty giddy with anticipation when we first heard

LucasArts would be doing a real-time strategy game set in

Ed the Star Wars Universe. As far as plot, units, and missions

go, this game kicks butt. Unfortunately, a couple of problems keep it from the place that a Star Wars RTS ought to be in.

Force Commander features a fully three-dimensional environment that can be explored with the game's camera system, which allows you to zoom right up into a storm trooper's face, and sometimes far enough out to make AT-STs findistinguishable from other units. While an excellent tool for portraying ‘cutscenes and getting a close look at units and battles, the camera system is “the game's Achilles’ heel. It is sometimes extremely awkward to use and on some levels you can barely get a 45 degree angle view, much less a 90 egree bird's-eye look at the action.

, The other ugly factor is the graphics. While | enjoyed the look and the ani- mations of the game's units, the terrain is pretty ugly, clothed in simple tex- tures and trees that are nothing more than two flat planes intersecting one "another. The discrepancy between the environment and the attractive units ‘definitely takes a little away from the game's sense of realism.

The interface for this game has been getting some remarkably contrasting reviews People hate it because it takes up a third of the screen (although it can be turned off once you become accustomed to the quick keys) and it isn't very pretty. Others seem to love it. | fall in the middle ground. Some of the icons are too small despite the enor- mous amount of space the interface screen takes up, and the text gets blocky to a | point where it is difficult to read. Despite these problems, however, it becomes rea- sonable intuitive in a relatively short period of time, and you can do quite a lot with it.

Borrowing much from the original movies, many of the missions are pulled directly © from events in the movies, but from the perspective of an Imperial officer who even-

| tually defects. Between these important chapters directly from the films, a great number of holes are filled in by new missions. If you're |

wondering how the Empire actually figured out the Rebel's plans before their fateful attack on the second Death Star, or why the Ewoks were pissed off enough at the Imperials to instantly ally against them (hee hee), Force Commander has it all. | Whether stomping out the Ewok infestations with scout walkers and troops, capturing Rebel dignitaries with storm trooper stun | weapons, or enlisting the aid of the fuzzies with ‘3P0 and Leia, and then sending Han and Chewie to take out the shield generator, Star Wars junkies are constantly reminded that they are in fact playing a game in their favorite setting.

~

in a Star Destroyer or rebel capital ship in orbit where they can be be aed down at any time. Thus, the only thing that takes time when building a base is the flig | to base site.

3 enemy unit is wiped out, a portion of its total purchasing command point value is added | to your total. The only source of regenerating command points comes in the form of

E! they are held by your troops. One of the best ways to garner a steady flow of income is 4 to set up a massive defense to wipe out rebel raiding parties.

all the Imperial weaponry from the movies plus a few returnees from previous LucasArts games like the AT-PTs

and one troop carrier car, but you are eventually granted access to a host of walkers, fighter craft, and artillery.

Imperial units are devoted primarily to one task. Of the three smaller walker types for instance, the AT-PT makes an excellent infantry killer, the AT-ST works best against armored targets, and AT-AA is solely devoted to wiping out Rebel Speeders and Y-Wings. Even when you get the almighty AT-AT, you will still need these units to fend off Rebel infiltrators, tow cabling speeders, and units hitting at the heavily armored but incredibly slow walkers from long range.

Other Imperial units include the TIE fighters and bombers, probe droids with extended visual range, light and heavy mobile artillery

units, dewbacks, speeder bikes, and a slow, bulky shield disabler unit with a Secondary ion cannon attack.

Rebel units are generally more diverse in their tasks and have a much greater tendency toward special attacks. Rebels have also

invested a great deal more in shield technology, providing their primary attack vehicles with shields that regenerate allowing them to make !

it through a host of minor skirmishes unscathed. The Rebel hover tank for instance, eliminates a third of the Imperial walker formula by coupling a powerful anti-infantry weapon with

an anti-aircraft launcher. To fill the gap between a lighter armor-attack unit and the deadly but expensive Heavy Attack Tank, the Rebels

have a heavy trooper unit equipped with a large gun and secondary grenades for wiping out infantry.

Other Rebel units include Speeders, Y-Wings, unarmed Swoop Bikes, the Loratus proton tor- |

pedo launcher and mine layer, Infiltrators, and a scanner jamming unit with long-range sensors.

but | still managed to have a blast wiping out Rebel scum, exterminating Ewok villages, and

* lot better, but they also could have (and have) done a lot worse.

assault in Force Commander, has returned me to the Source Er Wii Tl El £3 us Sit. Co E —

" Rather than wasting time constructing bases from scratch, all components are stored | t time from orbit |

Resources are not mined, but take on the form of command points. Every time an :

The play balance between units in this game is probably one of the factors | was most impressed with. Nearly |

have returned. At the beginning of the game, you start off with a mere handful of troops, a couple of dewbacks, |

| loved the missions, the balance between units, and the amount of attention that was put 1 © into making the game feel like the movies. Yes, the heavymetal Imperial march on the menu Til screen is cheesy, the interface goofy and sometimes awkward, and the camera system awful, |

| then turning around and playing as the good guys all over again. LucasArts could have done a t~ |

of my silly nickname. It's good to be back.

= PC

Soldier of Fortune - Raven Software - |

Make no mistake. | This is a total action game and a serious- | ly gory one at that. | simdi alata had fun playing it, but it doesn’t come close to Unreal Tournament and stays on par with rest the of the mediocre first-person shooters out there. Aside from its weapons and the occasional nifty gun animation, | really wasn't that blown away.

Quickies

maruel UC

Majesty - T Microprose - k&

At first | thought | this game was kind of silly because you can't control any of B the units directly, bu "inti te instead have to provide incentive by placing a bounty on important targets; yet as it moved on, | was having an excellent time building up my townships and trying out new things. Unfortunately, single-player could be easily finished in two sittings.

Alien Vs. Predator: Gold Edition - Fox Interactive

This game stil stands as one of the | most frightening first- Ese : ake person shooters of all time, at least when you are play- ing as a lowly marine facing off against Aliens that lit- erally leap out at you from dark corners, walls, ceilings, and move at speeds that boggle the mind. If you already have the Millennium Pack, skip it, but this game is an absolute must for Aliens’ fans.

Hasbro Interactive - At first | was look- 8 ing forward to making | fun of this game and | anyone who would 5 buy it for not having zi poar TiN the social skills to make enough geek friends at a local gaming convention to play the regular board game with. Then | became seriously addicted. Risk Il offers classic modes, tournament play, and a hardcore Simultaneous mode. Serious replay value here. -

E en Sgen

Game Informer * June 2000

| find every single non-vital i item. F

| guide only when they are stuck.

eis

game. Four discs big to be exact. To fi a pide anus, for

details on conversations youl

reading anyway, and bow.

the most part, thorough searching of. :

caves and towns will reveal all. O course, reveal Dragoon’ plot, so those who wish to be surprised should use this

A eame ‘Informer « June 2000

| | egend of Dragoon is a big |

reading this guide will also |

The Beginning

After the opening CG and cutscenes, players will be in control of Dart. Move across the fence to see two soldiers playing soccer with a villager, and to get into your first fight. After giving the guards a thrashing, talk to the battered peasant and he'll tell you to rescue Shana. Also, look for a Save Point and a chest nearby.

Go west to meet another injured fellow. He also requests you rescue Shana. As he does, an enemy sergeant will see you and then brag like a good villain that Shana has been sent to prison. A fight with the Sergeant ensues.

(X aN That’s al cheeky of yout!

Move further west and chat with the village weapons master. After receiving his tutelage on the Addition system, check the third grave from the left to find some Star Dust. Exit the village by heading north.

Prison Break Once outside, follow the path from South Serdia

_ to the Forest. In the Forest, talk to the merchant to

pick up some items and get a quick lesson on using things in battle. Note the chest on the hidden path to the right. Head west to find another chest upscreen from the bridge. Continue on and you will come to a really easy forest maze. Search all the entry points for two chests and the exit to the Southwest. Exit the Forest to return to the overland map, and from here follow the path to Hellena Jail.

Follow the cart going into the prison and jump into it as it goes through the gate. From the first room,

go through the northwest door to find a chest. Return - to the first room and talk to the merchant. The

cowardly toady will call a guard, but after the fight he changes his tune and will sell you items if you talk with him again. After this, you can avoid combat with guards by sneaking by them, but we found it more beneficial to take them all on for experience and improving Addition combos.

Go through the door the guard came through, head to the right, and go up the stairs. Cross the bridge to a Save Point, then head into a nearby

* barracks to find some guards and chests, one of

which has armor for a soon to be acquired character. Once finished in here, take an elevator up and head

After some dialogue and a fight with three guards, Lavitz joins your party. Check the cells for ems, and when finished exit the way you came in ake the elevator up and go left to a room with

plethora of guards tha presence. Head up a ramp to find a key _ where Shana is imprisoned.

Head east to find said tower and three guards blocking your path. Fight them, then head into Shana's cell. After some discussion and a fight, Shana joins the party. Equip her with the armor you found and head back to the prison entrance. There you'll meet the big boss man of Hellena Jail, Fruegel.

Boss Battle: Fruegel.-

Fruegel will have two guards with him, and will summon two tougher guards if they are defeated. Take out all his sidekicks first, then concentrate on the solo Fruegel and you shouldn't have any problems.

Once you're out of the prison and back to the overland map, head toward the Forest, but take the newly branching path to the Grassland. A cutscene commences where your characters hide behind a tree. Take the semi-hidden trail to the south to get to a hut. Enter for a dose of plot progression. Everyone decides it's time to head for Bale to talk with King Albert.

Off to Bale

Exit the hut and head north. Examine the tree, then go back to the hut, get an axe, and return to the tree. Go to where your characters were hiding and go north. The tree is now a makeshift bridge, allowing you to cross the river. Follow the trail to find a chest, an exit, and a suspicious family.

On the overland map, take the path to the Limestone Cave. Inside, check out the chest above the cliff, then jump into the first stream to be taken to another chest. Jump back in the stream, hold right and then down to get to another chest. Leave the room to come to an area where you have to jump over some rocks. After a harrowing experience occurs, be sure to check out the nearby chest before

moving on.

gy thing W). € | Recover y Point and more chests. A ath: to Ae. east

southeast leads on. Once you come to a chest, head north and chase the froggy monster down. After catching it, it drops another chest. Back out and head east to find a large cave with a Save Point and two chests. Head north to meet the boss of the Limestone Cave.

Boss Battle: Uroboros

Uroboros has poison, so you may want to equip Shana with a poison guard. Uroboros can dish out the damage, but you will have the opportunity to heal whenever it crawls into the wall. Just block and you will be immune to its status effect attacks and most likely heal back to full by the time it comes back down.

Once Uroboros is beaten, a Shana scene commences. After this, exit the area to find two chests. Head back out to the overland map and follow the trail to Bale.

The City of Bale

Once you arrive in Bale, it would behoove you to do a bit of town exploration. Be especially sure to examine the well in front of Lavitz's house, and the bottom of the weapon shop to find some Star Dust. If you're curious what this stuff is for, go into a house to the left of the well to meet an informative lass you run into when you try to exit the town. After you've done the city to satisfaction, head for the castle.

The castle has plenty of good items to find, so don't rush while touring this keep. On the first floor, be sure to check the fireplace to find some Star Dust. Take the ladder near the exit to find an underground area, and turn the wheel here. On the second floor, Star Dust can be found on a northwest platform. After you're confident in having found everything, go all the way upstairs to talk to King Albert.

Some dialogue will transpire, and Shana will walk to the balcony. Go over and talk with her. The characters decide to go to Hoax, but Lavitz wants everyone to come to his house in Bale first. Before going to Lavitz's house, however, go to the pub in front of the inn and talk with the bartender. He will sell you a bottle of wine. By the fountain is a drunk blocking a passage. Give him the bottle and he'll move. Head down this corridor to find a boat that can be used to cruise around town. Check the room where it stops to find more Star Dust.

leads to rock fireflies and a chest. The path to the ]

. brawn vs. Prawn Just whadi him and dont ler yo

After this, go to Lavitz’s house. Discussion, dinner, and character exposition occur. Lavitz’s mom will be blocking the way to the kitchen, where some Star Dust is kept. This can be gotten after completing the Hoax portion of the adventure.

To Hoax

Follow the overland path to Hoax. After entering, Lavitz wants to head to the war council. A little town exploration before heading to the council isn't a bad idea though. There's plenty of items to be found about the city, but in particular, a house to the west has Star Dust hidden in a fireplace in the basement.

Once this burg's been checked, head for the war council in the center of town. There you'll discuss strategy with Kaiser. Afterwards, go back into the room and dig up the Star Dust in the southwest corner. Then head for the wall near the front gate. Relieve the soldier on duty and the scene shifts to evening. As you discussed with Kaiser, enemy forces attack during the night. Your characters will have to fight two soldiers, and then two bosses.

caus i

Boss Battle: Black Knight

After damaging this boss halfway, he will begin casting a spell that creates an illusion that there are three of him. If you hit his true body, the illusion ends. Guard when he divides into three, then wait for him to perform a magic attack. His true body is the one that casts spells. After defeating this boss, a second one arrives.

Boss Battle: Kongol

Kongol will.do a counterattack every time an input for an Addition is incorrect. To prevent this, use the Additions that are simplest or that you are very good at performing. Otherwise, this boss is all about

of fighting as a Dragoon. Handy advice. On tt

tell you a quick story about the sculpture before

After Kongol's apparent defeat, some story twis take place which cause Dart to collapse. Upon Dart awakening, the characters meet Rose, a fei Dragoon. The characters are told to help out stronghold in the Marshland. As you're abou leave, Rose spouts off instructions regarding the i

overland map, make a quick detour back to Ba get the Star Dust you left behind in Lavitz's hous then head for the Marshland.

It's Not the Heat...

Once you get to the Marshland, tread north to g to the stronghold. By the time you get there, the for already pretty much wiped out. Check the che: outside the stronghold, then head inside and the chests there. Also investigate the fireplac Star Dust. Nearby, talk to the dying soldier for ano trinket. After searching the entire stronghold, back to the front gate. Be sure not to miss the from the interior of the stronghold that leads to a weapon for Lavitz.

Go west from here and walk acros: branches. Jump in the boat and take a trip, st to get all the chests on the way. After you've rea the terminus, head back and meander north until see a cutscene and return to the overland ma

The path leads to Volcano Villude. L entering, a fiery bird scares the bejeebies out o characters, making them run to the next screen you'll find a handy weapon and a chest. Wher path forks, go right to find an item, then left to fi Save Point.

Continue west to see some rocks resting at magma. Jump across the rocks and follow tt suddenly upset Shana to a statue. Rose has tim

comes to life and attacks!

Boss s Battle: Virage

me Informer ® June 2000 81

y . The arm is the weakest part, but it regenerates. ttack the body first, then take out the head to defeat This mean old rock.

After hacking apart Virage, head east to find a erson trapped on top of a cliff. Helping him is in your est interest. Continue around the magma lake to e more face the bird that scared you so. This time, there's no escape.

d OREL i uidi ee

Boss Battle: Piton

Use Rose’s Astral Drain and Dart’s regular ragoon attacks to dispatch this flaming featherhead. summons fiery rocks from the volcano, attack hese quickly to avoid the full brunt of a " special attack.

Return to the overland map. From here, follow je path to the Dragon's Nest.

Double Dragon Hunt

- Head north until the characters talk of feeling uncomfortable. After resting, continue on. Eventually he characters fall into an underground cave. Take ote of the recovery pond that you start off next to as ou will need its waters for a special task later. This ve is filled with chests and mushrooms. Open all chests and touch all the mushrooms. When ve felt all the fungi, the plant blocking passage to upper area will wither. Again, crack open any you come across.

Past a Save Point, Lavitz runs into an old buddy is. An argument ensues that ends in a knock , drag out fight against Greham and the green

Boss Battle: Greham & Feyrbrand

ate

Once more, Rose’s Astral Drain can work ionders against this pair of losers. Feyrbrand actually seems to go down more quickly than ireham so take the dragon down first.

this fight, and Shana passes out. Turns out "s poisoned. Lavitz thinks going to Lohan to see hysician wouldn't be a bad idea. Get out of the e, go south to a chest, then backtrack and exit h to the overland map.

Take the path to Lohan. The characters ediately go to the hospital. The doctor there tells ‘ou that he can't cure Shana unless the characters

| explore Lohan. Visit a shop run by a man named

| truly exists. Thanks for the positive prognosis, doc!

Put aside your emotional pain for now and

Dabas to hear a little tidbit about the Dragoni Plant. Be sure to check out the suit of armor in the shop to find Star Dust. Next go down to the ground level of the city-and talk the merchant down from 1,000,000 to 100 coins for the bottle you will need. Some more Star Dust can also be found in the box opposite the chest by the merchant you just talked to, in a fireplace located behind a secret panel in the room next to the one with the big bird (use the examine button on the bookcase to find it), and in a bottle to the right of the city entrance.

Once the treasure hunt is concluded, return to the Dragon’s Nest. Go back underground to the recovery pond. Get some water, then head south. Try to exit this screen and Dart will pour some of the recovery water on the strange plant. Here you'll be able to return to the overland map.

Take the trail that leads to Shirleys Temple (groan). It looks like someone's already been through this place. Explore until Rose has your characters bring out the Dragon Spirits. Further exploration will reveal a dial that requires a three digit password. Climb up the stairs to find a box that, when opened, takes you on a cart ride around the temple. The numbers 352 will be revealed on this trip. Decipher the dial code to reveal another exit. Go through this and up the stairs until you come to a silver and a gold statue. Turn the gold one to the north and the silver one to the west to continue. Soon you'll come to a Save Point and a bad boy named Drake.

xci up cic ae

Boss Battle: Drake

Drake will occasionally roll bombs at your characters. Be sure to destroy these before they reach you to avoid serious damage. He also summons a barrier which must be destroyed before you can hurt him.

When Drake is defeated, Shirley shows her face. She tells you that there isn’t any Dragoni Plant, but she can give you her Silver Dragon Spirit which possesses powerful healing magic. Sounds fair. Ah, ah, ah, not so fast. Before you can have the Dragon Spirit, you must first answer some questions. The game will shift into combat mode. Stay on guard while you answer the questions. The correct responses must be given, but it isn't too hard to figure out what's right, and even if you get the question wrong you're given another chance to get it right. Just place compassion before revenge or duty and you'll be fine. Guard to heal up when facing Shana

| Spirit to heal Drake. After doing so, go collect all the | items in the building's chests, then head back to

Shirley asks that you use Dragon |

[ Lohan. Enter the hospital to see a miracle. The doctor is so impressed he doesn't charge you for any of his services (what services?), and he tells you about a contest in the arena. Sounds interesting, no?

Clash of the Champions

At the arena, talk to the register. Should you decide to enter the contest (and you should), Dart will volunteer for action. In the waiting room, Dart meets his old buddy Haschel.

The contest consists of five fights. The first four shouldn't present too much of a problem. The last one is impossible to win. After the fight, an introduction scene takes place during which Lavitz gives Dart some tickets that allow him to play some minigames.

Leave the city after this. One of those "loyal soldier clinging to life just in time to warn the hero" Scenes commences, and you are told King Albert has been captured and sent to Hellena Jail to be executed. Haschel joins the party and everyone decides to go save the king.

Back Behind Bars

Go directly to Hellena Jail. Lavitz will take care of the gate this time. Inside, a scene describing Fruegel's plan to execute the king at sunrise plays.

Once again, there are no random encounters. Fights only occur if you touch guards. The merchant by the entrance is still your buddy and won't rat you out to the guards if you need to buy anything.

Go to the formerly broken elevator. Stop on every floor and make a thorough search for chests and items. Once finished, take the main elevator all the way up. Stop to open the chest, then continue on your way.

Your characters will eventually run into a group — \ of guards that spring a trap on you. The party falls \ into an underground cavern. Open the chest, and

‘then check the east wall a monster. | agg Jie nn DARREN 9

Boss Battle: Jiango

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Rose's Astral Drain once more works wonders.

A dramatic moment happens after Jiango is defeated. Go up the stairs, fight a couple guards, check the chest, and keep fighting your way up until you come to an area with three chests and a Save Point. Keep moving on to arrive just in time to save the king.

Boss Battle: Fruegel 2 ii d

Fruegel's learned that his men are no good, so he has the only things he can rely on with him this time — his pets. Kill his dog first to stop it frm causing confusion on the party, then slice up his bird. Once only Fruegel is left, use Rose's Astral Drain to heal between giving out beat downs.

Along scene in which Lavitz is replaced by Albert commences. Afterwards, all the characters wind up back in Seles. More of this grand tale is told there. The party decides there's only one thing to do and vow to kill Emperor Doel.

The Black Castle

On the overland map, go through the Forest, and then southwest. The Black Castle is south of Lohan. Make the rounds in Cathas, but be sure to pick up the Star Dust in the barrel inside a room by the city entrance. Opposite this room is a counter where you can register as a soldier. Do so, go upstairs, and search a pile of stuff to find more Star Dust. In a weapon shop, a snake oil merchant will get nabbed as you walk in. Check out the pile to the left of the counter for another dose of Star Dust.

The guards at the gate of Black Castle won't let you in. Head into the abandoned fort for help. Go into the first door and search the bookshelf for Star Dust. In the shopping area there are two Star Dusts inside barrels.

| Eventually, he tells you his name is Popo and that he knows a way into Black Castle. Use the nearby Save

A kid blocking the way asks you some questions.

| Rose's Astral Drain and Albert's Flower Storm [ you've gotten him halfway down, Doel cre shield that will block all attacks. Guard until th drops. Hit him as hard as you can after this to finish him.

Before dying, Doel tells you to stop Lloyd before he destroys the world. Lloyd has gone to Tiberoa: The party decides to head out, Haschel gets à Purple Electric Dragon Spirit when he has doubts, and disc one ends.

Point if you wish, then talk to Popo again to enter the basement of Black Castle.

Climb down the first rope to a chest, then go to the far right and go down that rope. Climb up the ladder to a room with some guards. Fight your way to the chest, then exit the room to get to the front of the castle. Battle to the entrance hall and go east to the room with the weird columns in the middle. The two researchers here tell you that the center column is the power source for Black Castle. One of them will give you Magic Oil that you can use to activate elevators and other machines with.

Grab some of this oil and meander east to an elevator. Put some Magic Oil in the slot and go down. Meet some more researchers, then continue down to a magical garbage dump. Cross the platform while... dodging falling rocks. Open the chest and talk to the man for a Red Stone key. Backtrack, go down the ladder, and open the other chests.

Return to the entrance hall, go west, and use the elevator to go up. Travel on and fight until you come to another research area. After an impressive magical display, check the chest in the room.

Return once more to the entrance hall and take on the guards in front of the north elevator. Go up to arrive on the second floor of Black Castle. Search this floor, then take an elevator up to the third floor. Fight the guards who were training, move onward a bit, then take another elevator to meet the captain. Turns out he's a friendly bloke, and he gives you one of the stone keys for Black Castle.

Go back down and continue the way you were going. Fight on until you find an elevator going up. After fighting the special guard, travel east to the rail car. This takes you to a construction site. Grab all the booty here, then head back to where you met the three guards in training.

Take the elevator up to a huge hall with a statue and a Save Point. Have a conversation with the priest, then take a closer look at the triangle by the Save Point. Put your colored stones in the slots and a door will open in the statue. Go in and take this hidden elevator up into the statue. Head east to another run in with Kongol.

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Boss Battle: Kongol

Kongol’s in full armor this time and more prepared for your party. If you attack with spells, he creates a magic barrier so you will only want to nail him once with magic. It might be a little tough, but good use of Additions will eventually defeat him.

It's probably a good idea to return to the Save Point after this. Once your game is saved, continue on past where you ran into Kongol. Sooner or later, you'll meet Doel, who will weave you an interesting tale, then fight you.

Boss Battle: Emperor Doel owes

Welcome to the final fight of disc one. Expect a tough fight. You will want to have a host of heal d "

Looking for Lloyd

This disc begins with the characters arriving in the city of Fletz. Cross the bridge to hear of a weird coincidence. Spooky. Now search the town. Examine the wine cask just outside the bar, the stairs by guy working on his plants, the west box in the: weapon shop, the southwest corner of the jewel shop, and the telescope in the item shop north of t jewel shop to find Star Dust.

Go to the entry to Twin- Castle. The guar refuse to let you through. Climb the ladder to the side: to have a look, then return to the now open bar. The barmaid gives you some local history. Talk to her again and she will tell you to find Fester.

Exit the bar and go to the house next to the in Eventually Fester will let you in and give you an astronomy lesson. After Fester leaves, go to the first house to the west to meet Nello. He'll tell you abo his environmental project and bore everyo to sleep.

Everyone meets at the gates in the morning. The party decides to go on to Donau. Before departing, return to the bar where Martel will offer you items | exchange for Star Dusts.

Make your way north on the overland map t Deserted Land. Get the item out of the chest in tl first screen, then head north to meet three gang looking for a fight. Just as Dart's preparing for the k the head thief begs for mercy. With the pa distracted, the thief will cause Dart’s Dragon Spi fall off. This master pilferer then gets away with t Spirit before anyone can do anything about it. The group decides the only thing to do is continue on to Donau and gather information on this gang of th

June 2000

Take the northeastern path and, after a quick search for treasure in this area, exit to the overland map. Follow the path to the north to arrive at Donau.

Beautiful Donau

Once the cutscene that begins when the party enters Donau is finished, take a look around this flowery community. In addition to the usual shopping 'and gabbing pleasures, Star Dust is to be found in the water pond near the town entrance.

-Visit the first house on the right to have a chat With Kate. She tells you a terrible tale of the thief gang's antics and asks you to take a letter to the Mayor. The mayor's house is up the stairs near the harbor. The mayor will tell you that the bandits’ den is somewhere beyond Valley of Corrupted Gravity. fter he tells you this, search the northwest part of his e for Star Dust. While going back down the stairs, your party will et a silver haired vixen by the name of Meru. Not ly is she the best dancer in Donau, she knows ut Valley of Corrupted Gravity and that you need it from the king in Twin Castle to go there. She on joining the party. Head back to the overland , go through the Deserted Land, and return Fletz.

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Fletz Lives

Return to the entry to Twin Castle. A guard still cks the way, but Meru has a plan...that doesnt ork. You're then given options on how to get into astle, but either one will result in you having d someone that can get you past the guard.

Search around town for Fester. He's in the item king at a telescope. Go outside and talk to again, and he will take you to his home to discuss egy. Once all is figured out, follow him and he'll ing you to meet King Zior. The king grants you the ecessary permit.

From the castle's entry hall, head east to the mory to find some Star Dust. As you try to exit the stle, a maid will ask you to meet the princess in her Toom. Much discussion and an invite to a banquet

further discourse, it's beddy-bye time.

the party is invited to stay in a guest room. After

Upon waking, you have free reign of the castle. Check the altar in the lower room of the east tower for Star Dust. After this, go to the Deserted Lands, and go through the west exit to make tracks to Valley of Corrupted Gravity.

On the Culprit's Tail

When he sees the permit from King Zior, the guard will open the gate to the valley. Upon entering, a cutscene demonstrating the magic of this area will play. Eventually you regain control. Search the whole area for chests. While disorienting, the valley isn't as bad as it seems. Just use the hovering rock platforms to move between rocks. Eventually you will get to an area with numerous hovering rock masses. Some of these have white shiny dots on them. Step on these and hit the examine button to reverse your own gravity and land upside down on other platforms. When you get to a Save Point and a cutscene, you are near the end of the valley and close to a nasty boss. If you see any more chests floating around, grab those first and then continue onward to get into a fight with a full fledged Virage.

This Virage has a head, body, and two arms. Be sure to keep the left arm out of action to prevent the Virage from using its instant death attack. If the body's confusion attack is bothering you, take it out next. Killing the head will defeat this creature.

Exit the valley to the north, then take the trail to the Giganto Home on the overland map. Traps go off as soon as you enter the city. Run around to prevent getting shot by them. Examine the shiny thing on the screen to the west to call a cease fire. Look carefully for two chests. You will have to go into the temple where the switch was and take the third door to the south to getto one of them. Continuing north from the first area will reveal a bunch of thieves shooting arrows at you. Both exits are blocked. Keep dodging arrows until you get into a fight with a tougher than average thief and his gang. When this lot runs off, Haschel will break his way through the north door.

The party goes through and wants to continue on. Haschel wants to go it alone, so much so he's willing to use violence to get his way. After Haschel departs the party, go east to where a chest and a Save Point are. Continue on until you meet Kongol again.

A scene with Gehrich and Mappi at their hideout will then play. A fight breaks out soon after.

Boss Battle: Gehrich & Mappi

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These guys are two of the toughest bosses yet - the first that we actually had to take some time to power-up for. If you're low on healing items, don't even bother. Get rid of Mappi first to eliminate his instant death attack and the combo he shares with his partner. We also recommend putting Shana into the group equipped with a Physical Ring (to up her HP). Her Dragoon healing abilities can come in quite handy.

After beating these two, it looks like the battle will end in disaster, but Kongol comes in and saves the day. Kongol doesn't care too much for the bandits, and joins the party after some sweet talk. Before leaving this room, take a closer look at the east candle to find some Star Dust. Head to the basement after this.

Downstairs, the party will release Lynn and find the Red Eye Dragon Spirit. Return to the Deserted Land for some special time with Lynn, who invites you to his wedding in Donau. Attend the wedding, then go to Lohan to buy the Dragon Spirit for Kongol from the wacky merchant who sold you the jar. After business is taken care of, return to Fletz.

Fletz Three

Once in Fletz, the party finds out that the ceremony for Princess Emille's birthday is going to begin shortly. After attending, everyone thinks something not so nice has happened and a trip to Twin Castle is immediately planned.

If you've been collecting all the Star Dust, meet Martel in the bar to collect another item. Also be sure to visit any shops if there's anything you need. No, really. Its pretty important to be fully stocked for whats coming up. Ready? Okay, head for Twin Castle.

A guard in the front entrance will tell you that all the guards are up to no good. Search this level for stuff, then go up the stairs. The new guards don't want to let you pass. Tell them you're here for Princess Lisa and they'll let you by.

You can't get into Emille's tower, so head for Lisa's. Avoid the guards or you'll be taken back to the starting point. When you reach Lisa, she'll tell you that Emille is an impostor and the real deal is missing. The party decides to check out Emille's room.

Once again, avoid guards or you'll be forced to backtrack. Talk to the guards in front of Emille's door,

and Lisa's presence will cause them to back down.

Three party members stand : else ransacks that room. Examine the portrait on the right. The group is shifted to another dimension where an unconscious Emille can be seen, but not gotten to. Chat with everyone, then check out the glowing bits on the wall. A bridge appears that allows the group to cross to Emille. Albert awakens the princess and Emille insists on immediately going to stop the birthday ceremony. Go back to where you first met King Zior. The party arrives just in time to see the false Emille reveal her true self.

Boss Battle: Lenus

This boss is pretty tough. Have Albert use Flower Storm right away and use Darts Final Bust continuously until he runs out of magic points. Then switch to physical attacks. Rose's Astral Drain is also handy.

When defeated, Lenus jumps off the balcony and flies away. The king asks you to recover the Moon Dagger. Emille says that Lenus has gone towards Elisa Bay, and that the party should meet up with the captain of the Queen Fury in Donau. Sounds like a plan.

Fury Ghosty

Go to Donau's harbor to meet Tim. He calls for the Captain, who lets you aboard the Queen Fury. Set sail for Elisa Bay. Part way through the trip, Shana gets a chatty bug. She wants to talk to Dart, who happens to be on the bridge. Don't be so hasty in finding him, however.

Go down to the engine room where Kongol lurks and discover Star Dust in a box next to him. More Star Dust can be found on a pipe next to the exit to the front deck. If you're so inclined, you can also play a minigame with the chef in the kitchen.

Once Shana finds Dart, she runs off. Players are now in control of Dart. He wants to find Rose, who is at the top of the mast. Once found, you now control Rose. She wants to go for a walk. Go find Haschel sleeping on the upper deck, below the bridge. After talking with him, Rose walks off. Haschel has some inner reflection, then decides to go talk to Kongol in the engine room. During their discussion, Haschel tells Kongol to talk to Albert. Take Kongol to see Albert in the first cabin north of the door to the front deck. Albert will then want to take a stroll. Have him hook up with Meru in the next cabin over. Meru plays some mind games with him, then decides she wants to find Dart. Meru and Dart then decide to look for everyone else. Go find Rose to see that something Spooky this way comes.

like she's on the Ghost Ship, and the party has to go rescue her. When the party gets to the spirit schooner, the demons surrounding Shana get chased away by spirit knights and she rejoins the gang.

Like the prison, the Ghost Ship doesn't have any random encounters. Only if you touch someone do you battle. Take the stairs down, then go into the door on the right. Head back to the stairs and follow the little ghostie through the door. Open the chest and get in a fight, then watch the little bugger escape. Go out and open the second door on the left. Another chest and another fight is inside. The Magician Bogy escapes again. Go to the door at the end of the hall and open it for another fight with him and his two Bogy buddies. Winning this will release the captain's spirit and he invites you to his cabin.

Before going, check the shiny thing to the northeast. Four spirits will materialize and give you four numbers. You can use three of these for the locked chest in the room closest to the bridge back to the Queen Fury. The numbers used for the combination change every time you open the chest and get an item, so you will have to return to the room with the number speaking ghosts to find out the next set. If you don't get it right in ten tries you get in a fight and the combination changes. This chest can be pilfered in this manner many times, but with you getting less guesses after each successful attempt. Numbers can not be repeated in the three digit code unless the ghosts mentioned the same number more than once, so the methodical approach is best. If none of the numbers match, there are 24 total combinations. Our first set was 0789. We started with 0 for the first digit, 7 for the second digit, and then tried 8 and 9 in the third. Next we moved up to 8 in the second digit and tried 7 and 9 in the third. By following this pattern, we knew which codes we had already tried. Once you get 100 gold from the chest, you've gotten everything there is to be had.

Go to the captain's quarters just to the right of the stairs on the deck after he invites you. The door will be open. After talking with him, check the chests and pick up the key on the floor. Use this to get through the locked door. Open the chest, then go west. Some ghost knights will think you're the Black Monster and a fight breaks out.

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Boss Battle: Dead Captain & Four Dead Knights BEC

This fight isn't too hard. Use Shana since her Star Children spell will completely eliminate the four regenerating knights in one hit and do sizable damage to their leader. Work the leader until the fight is over.

Shana tells the warriors to rest in peace. They vanish and the west door unlocks. In this room, examine the chest and the baby bed. A nanny spirit recognizes Shana. After this, the ship begins to shudder. Time to go! As your party jumps back on the Queen Fury, Rose and Dart end up getting thrown lo sea.

Rosy Details

Turns out Rose and Dart made it to a cave. Dart is out cold. In the meantime, players are treated to lengthy details of Rose's past. Eventually, she falls asleep on Dart's lap. Developing a love triangle in an RPG? How novel.

In the morning, a boy named Pete takes you to Lidiera, his village. Pete's mom is sick, and they are. heading to the hospital in Feuno. Since Feuno is where the Queen Fury was before the man overboard incident, Rose and Dart decide to go there. |

Before leaving, explore Lidiera. Enter the cage in the large house by going outside, up the ladder, then down the ladder on the roof. Star Dust is in cupboard next to the ladder.

As you leave town, Pete and his mom join you. Go to the Underwater Cave on the overland map. Cruise through this cave and get back out to the overland map. From here, follow the path to Feuno.

In town, Pete and his mommy thank you and go: their separate ways. Visit them at the hospital, then: check the painting below the staircase to discover Star Dust. Across from the hospital is an Investigate the barrels underneath the stairs more Star Dust.

Head for the harbor to see the Queen Fury. Tim is happy to see you and tells you that everyone went: into town. Go back and Meru will tell you everyone's atthe inn. All the party members are glad you're aliv They tell you to see Shana upstairs. After talking to Shana and scaring off eavesdroppers, the screen goes black. Hmmm...what happens then? Well, the two goo-goo eyed lovers probably have some fast food. Shana eats a hot dog and Dart L chows taco.

After this interlude, the party throws caution to the wind and decide to continue their quest. Go back to the Fury and speak with the M? Captain. He tells you of Prison . Dragon Island that can only be reached © by going through the Underwater Cave. Go there.

Lenus Rising

Once some plot stuff finishes in the Underwater Cave, the party finds that their path is blocked. They decide to go to Lidiera to see if the mayor can help.

In Lidiera, go to the sea platform and talk with the mayor.

around ai

June ato 85

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te's house to find a cave. Open the chests there, then descend and examine the wheel there. Return the Underwater Cave.

Go through the cave, merrily opening chests before heading up the tower. When you get to a Save Point, heading north will prompt a scene between oyd and Lenus. The party shows up to put a stop their shenanigans. Lloyd flies off, while Lenus ansforms into a Sea Wave Dragoon and fights you.

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Boss Battle: Lenus & the Sea Dragoon

The dragon should be your main priority in this fight. Use everything you've got to finish it off, then "use standard attacks to take out Lenus.

_ Meru inherits the Sea Dragon Spirit after this. ryone decides to go to Fletz and report to the . Head for Feuno and gather anything you might ve missed. Chat with the captain and then Tim to Sail for Donau. From there, it's on to Fletz.

Fletz Four: The

Lost Adventures

In Fletz, head directly for Twin Castle. The party arrives to see Emille giving a 9) speech. Talk to the guard and he'll let uA you in. You'll then be whisked to the B Chamber of the Sun and make your report to the king. The king declares you "I heroes and arranges a party for you.

As everyone prepares for the party, Dart and Shana try to have a little smoochy-smoochy up on the balcony. After that fails miserably, go find the rest of the party. Rose is », inthe guest room, Albert he is in Emille’s room, WW Haschel and Meru are in the dining room, and Kongol is in the training area beneath the Chamber of the Sun.

With the party assembled, go to the dressing room behind the training area. You are then sent to the guest room until called to the party.

At the shindig, talk to your fellow party members. Enjoy yourself, have

y | after. Then kiss this disc goo

a good time. Hey, why not

Who's Afraid of Furni Wolf?

This disc begins with the adventurers aboard the Queen Fury. The ship is bound for Dart's original home, Mir Sezo. The ship soon docks at Furni. Take this opportunity to explore the city. Be especially sure to investigate the pile of crap near the house across from the inn. There is scme Star Dust hidden there.

Wandering about town, the characters learn of a monster and a reward for killing it. Go to the inn and speak with the innkeeper. She gives you a permit to use the town's boats and tells you to see the mayor. Use the boats to check out the town, then go see the mayor. The mayor invites you to stay at his house, and much plot progression occurs during the night.

In the morning, a path in town that was formerly blocked is now accessible. It leads to Teo's house. Get inside by using the slide. Go upstairs and look for a switch in front of the painting. This opens the way to the basement, where Star Dust can be found by a crystal ball. After this, leave town and go to the Evergreen Forest on the overland map.

The Evergreen Forest is a bit of a maze. Don't leave the forest until you find a boy and talk with him. It's Teo, who will run away with the monster (a wolf). Follow Teo to an area with three exits. Take the top one. Just when things look under control, some people out to kill the wolf spoil everything. The beast then turns on you.

Boss Battle: Kamuy

Not only does this wolf have a healthy amount of hit points, it also has magic that can damage or

Teo isn't too happy with his wolf friend being dead. To cheer him up, Shana heals it. Somehow, this transforms this formerly brutal beast into a cuddly cub. Return to Furni to collect your reward. With the cash in your pocket, go back to the Evergreen Forest and find your way to Deningrad.

Tri-Town Boogie

On the way to Deningrad, Rose and Meru take off for a while. Don't worry, you'll all meet up again. In the meantime, explore this new town. Talk to Bishop Dille in the temple to hear some interesting stuff and see a nice movie. He tells you to go to the library to learn more. It just so happens that the librarian is standing next to the altar. Talk to him and he'll go unlock the door to the library.

The library is near the Crystal Castle. Talk to everyone in the library to hear more interesting stuff and see another movie. When allis finished here, the scene switches over to Rose.

Rose is in the town of Neet. Explore the nearby area to get to know Rose better. The scene now shifts to Meru.

Meru tries to visit her home, but with mixed results. Once you finally get Meru in the town, wander until the chief comes to see you. Personal info on Meru and a movie eventually follow. After all this, players will be back in control of the main party back in Deningrad.

Everyone in Deningrad is waiting for Rose and Meru. Leave the town to find Rose and her newfound companions. They all go to chat at the inn. After a tremor, Meru rejoins the group. One of Rose's new buddies suggests you speak to Queen Theresa. Head for Crystal Castle.

The queen is at the top of the castle. Much discussion follows and a quest to find the Dragon Block Staff is finalized. As you're ready to depart, Shana can't be found. Find her in the room up the stairs from the queen's chamber. She's sick, and Miranda takes her Dragoon and her place. Good riddance.

Return to the Evergreen Forest and go where you first ran into Teo. Go through the southeast exit which is no longer blocked by a guard. This path leads to Neet, which is a dung heap of a town, but there is Star Dust in the lamp near the entrance. After collecting this, go back to the Teo point in the Evergreen Forest and head north.

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Meru reveals a secret to the party, then leads you into the Winglies' city. Talk to a Wingly next to a Save Point to be taken up to a building. Wander through the rooms until you find Meru's parents. They ask you to take care of Meru.

In this area are three teleporters. The one on the left takes you to the ground, the upper right one goes to some shops, and the lower right one will teleport you to a rec room. Go to the shops and buy whatever you need. Exit this area to the northwest to go to Guaraha's house.

After Guaraha and Meru argue, search the northeast portion of the room for some Star Dust. Go back to the shops and check out the area to the northeast. Meru opens a secret door that reveals a statue. Go back to Meru's parents and use the teleporter to go to the rec room. Get Star Dust from the right column, then exit the room.

An interlude with the Bardel brother commences. Afterwards, talk to the Wingly outside and he'll take you to where the chief is. The chief allows the party to go after the Dragon Block Staff. To get it, you must travel to the Forbidden Land. When you're ready to go, talk to the chief again to be taken there.

Dragon Block Staff Infection

Welcome to the Forbidden Land. Travel through this area until you're inside a building. Explore the innards of this place until an arena is discovered. Meru is ashamed of her brutal past. Dart says it's okay. We've really learned a lesson here, haven't we?

When you find a Save Point, there are two ways to go. Both lead to the same place, but the trip there will be quite different.

North Path

This will take you to six statues, each of which represents a race. You must examine them by the

order in which the race was created. Consider the statue all the way to the left number 1, the next one — over number 2, and so on. Investigate the statues in $

Boss Battle: S Virage

"———————Ha aa ip ee

Your goal in this fight isn’t to kill, but to stay alive while the Virage kills itself. It has ten lives and every other round or so he loses one. Keep your hit points up when he's about to die because he'll use a devastating attack near the end. Just use the characters with the highest hit points and block. You should be fine. After defeating this boss, we recommend going back and taking the east path so you can get a new sword for Dart if you haven't already.

East Path

This room contains five marks on the floor and a bunch of flying robots. If you touch a robot, they fight you. Destroy all the marks on the floor to destroy all the robots and open the exit. The next room contains some flying blocks and chests. If you haven't defeated the S Virage for a ton of easy experience points yet, return and take the north path after you get Dart's new sword by hopscotching to hovering platforms. Take the northeast exit to get to the Dragon Block Staff if you've done both paths.

Both paths lead to a room with the Dragon Block Staff hanging above. Meru flies up to get it, but is stopped by something looking for a fight.

Boss Battle: Grand Jewel

Grand Jewel can be really nasty and will use the Dragon Block Staff to mess up your characters when they are in Dragoon form. The trick is to deplete all of your characters’ SP down to level 1 before the battle so you can cast spells without making yourself vulnerable to attack.

After getting the Dragon Block Staff, return to the Wingly Forest. The chief tries to teleport you, but fails. Luckily, the Winglies have a change of heart and take the party to Deningrad.

Gótterdámmerung

You're party gets to Deningrad a bit late, and it ain't pretty. The Divine Dragon beat you here and destroys everything. Miranda hurries back to the castle, but you should be a bit insensitive and check around the ruins for stuff first.

The pile in front of the new shops has two Star Dusts. Go to the upstairs of the inn and look at the gyroscope thingy to find another Star Dust. Now head for the castle.

After talking and finding out Shana is fine, look at the destroyed entryway to Shana's room for Star Dust. Head up to a room where Shana is. She tells you how she was able to protect the queen.

The party decides this Divine Dragon has got to pay for what he's done. Time to travel to Mt. Mortal Dragon and give him a thrashing he'll never forget: Before leaving, check the wrecked entrance to the seal room for a bit more Star Dust. Make sure you: load up.on Healing Fogs and Healing Breezes as your in for a whopper of a boss battle.

Bad Dragon! Bad Lloyd!

Go to the Evergreen Forest and speak with the guard blocking passage. He lets you pass. Once 0 the overland map, take the trail to Mt. Mortal Drago

Explore this area for chests and items. When a cutscene regarding goings on at the top of the mountain transpires, head up to a Save Poin Continue up to see Lloyd fighting the Divine Drago After a CG sequence, Lloyd vanishes, leaving Divine Dragon to you.

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Boss Battle: Divine Dragon

Dart uses the Dragon Block Staff immediately to weaken the Divine Dragon. This also has the unfortunate side effect of weakening the character: Dragoons, making their effectiveness in this battle: near nil with the exception of support magic lik healing and Al’s Rose Storm. Once again, the Dragoons will be extremely vulnerable in battle so be sure to drain their SP levels before the battle and never transform a character who has acquire second SP level. The Divine Dragon has thre sections: the main body, the Divine Dragon Cannc and the Divine Dragon Ball. Take out the Cannon Ball, and then the body to finish this boss off. recommend having Miranda in the party as back for when the healing items run out. You might wai to eat lunch first. This is a lonnnggg battle.

As Dart goes for the killing blow, Lloyd steps back finish the job. He steals the Divine Dragon's pirit. Lloyd disappears and the party must backtrack nd him. In a cave filled with magma, Lloyd shoots eball at the party that knocks Dart and Rose off ledge. Rose has a flashback before Meru flies n to make the save. Miranda then has a lation and the party must hurry back ingrad. After a short scene in the Evergreen Forest, go rystal Castle. Turns out Lloyd has beaten you to punch once again. Knowing where Lloyd is , the party must head for Kashua Glacier.

The Cold Shoulder

the overland map, take the trail to Kashua r. Upon entering, a little character development 5. Follow the slippery path until you arrive in cave. Two merchants have set up shop in this y location.

sing the ice pillars, work your way down the cliff. after the Save Point, a cutscene and a boss

cur.

Boss Battle: Divine Dragon

This boss isn't overly tough, but it does have ity of hit points. If a character gets captured in its destroy the snow cannons to release him.

ontinue on to reach Falanvel Tower. After Rose you a history lesson, search the tower innards. using the teleporter. You will now have to rt from room to room. Being sure to grab any on the way, use the teleporter in the southeast then west, then southwest. Use the Save 'oint and you will soon see where Lloyd is.

Queen Theresa has just given Lloyd the Moon . Lloyd brags, then tries to destroy you.

Boss Battle: Lloyd.

you may have expected, Lloyd is no slouch. plenty of strong magic attacks and is very at dodging. Thankfully, he doesn't have a ve amount of hit points. Since Lloyd uses an lant death attack if any of your characters sform into Dragoons, this may not be the best roach. Additions and constant healing are the go in this fight.

anks to Wink, Lloyd escapes death. Emperor has ordered Lloyd and the party to come to |

iI the

rs Grab the item from the chest under his nose.

| lengthy speech.

Return to Kashua Glacier and use the formerly inaccessible exit to the northwest. Take the trail to the west to the Snow Field. While moving through this area, Lloyd suggests taking a break in a nearby cave. There Lloyd shares his knowledge of Diaz's plans. You can now continue on.

In the final area of the Snow Field there is a sign warning of slippery ice. Go west to fall off the cliff and see two chests. When you fall, you're prompted to press the button four times. To get to the left chest; press, don't press, press, and press. To get to the right chest; don't press, press, don't press, press. The first time you're at the bottom of the cliff, the party notices a glowing tablet that tells of ancient cities.

You can get to a side quest boss by continuing on and getting to the ancient ruins of Magrad. See the end of the strategy guide for details. Once you've collected everything, exit the Snow Field to the northwest, and follow the northwest trail on the overland map to Vellweb.

The Emperor's Plan

Enter Vellweb and move along until Rose tells you about one of the towers. To the southeast of here is some merchants if you need any stuff. Continue on your way and Shirley will appear to give you direction. At the Save Point there are two ways to go. West leads to Diaz, while north takes you to the Dragoon Towers, an optional adventure. No matter what you decide, be sure to go into the center tower that belongs to Rose to collect Star Dust from the altar.

Diaz is in his throne room, holding Shana captive. Diaz tells you of his evil intentions, then takes Lloyd out of the picture. Who exactly is Emperor Diaz? You find out, then get a

Many shocking plot twists occur. Just when you think you can't take it anymore, the game asks you

| to switch discs.

The Deadly Frontier

As this disc first spins, the party finds themselves in what Rose calls Death Frontier. Rose also tells you of a Wingly settlement that is somewhere in the area. There is an underground cave to go to, but there isn't much there. Another exit leads to where you came

ke the path that leads into the sand

| There are sand falls scattered about the area. you

This area has no rando. prison, only if you touch s

get caught in one, you'll end up in the underground caves and will have to return to the beginning or the

| closest oasis. Some sand traps will drop you next to

a treasure chest in the caves.

Work your way southeast to get to the first oasis. Head east and then north from that oasis to get to the next one. You will occasionally have to backtrack, but the general direction is north to the exit of this insane desert. There are some halfway decent items to be found in this desert but it takes a lot of patience to get to them.

After figuring out the way through the sand maze, exit to the overland map and follow the trail to Ulula.

Ulula & The Winglies

It looks like there isn't a city here after all, but Rose knows better. After Ulula is revealed, open the

| chest and step on the teleporter. You'll arrive in town

and be greeted by Karon. She tells you to see Charle.

On the way, check out a flower bed to hear of some developing enmity and to find Star Dust. Inside a shop there is Star Dust on the north wall in addition to the standard wares. At the place where Rose talks to a local about the seals, take a look at the carnivorous plant to find more Star Dust.

‘things she has ss. im. | you've chatted on three subjects, a fourth, and then a fifth topic will appear. After this lengthy discourse, Charle invites you to spend the night.

Check out her house for treasure chests, then head outside for a flashback. Take a trip to the shop after this. Once you've talked with Albert and Kongol, trek on over to the bar which is now open. Miranda and Haschel spill their guts. After listening to these drunks, find Meru talking with Karon near the city entrance. Once you've gathered some more information, it’s time for bed.

In the morning everyone will be waiting by the city’s entrance. You leave the city and are once more on the overland map. Head for the Home of Gigantos. Go through Home of Gigantos, Valley of Corrupted Gravity, Barrens, and on to Fletz. Once there, step on in to Twin Castle. Talk with the king, go to the basement and chat with Pyura and Tim, then talk to Tim again to set sail on the Queen Fury.

Pit Stop At Rouge

The Queen Fury first stops at Rouge. The mayor comes out and invites you to come talk with him. Go up to where the mayor is, but don’t discuss anything with him yet. Exit his room through the other door and search around for items and chests. Eventually you'll run into Martel. Her son is sick and she needs Star Dusts for a cure. Walk past her, go around the balcony, and search the chest in the next room. Below that is the final Star Dust. If you’ve been collecting them all, return to Martel. She cures her son, thanks you profusely, and gives you everything she promised and a Dispel Illusion Stone.

Now it’s time to talk to the mayor. After swapping stories, the mayor mentions a pillar jutting out of the sea. Go outside to a large platform where a bunch of kung fu guys are practicing. The pillar is here and Rose thinks it's the lost city of Aglis. Ask Rose about all the things on her discussion list. Now all you need to do is figure out how to get into Aglis. It's decided to return to the Queen Fury and see if anyone can help. Return to your dinghy.

While out at sea, choose to investigate Aglis.

When there, a little scene will take place. Talk to

everyone in the party, examine the door, and head on in to Aglis.

The Magical Mystery City

Use the teleporters to get around Aglis.

You'll soon meet someone who's been waiting quite a while to meet you. Follow

those, then use the

him to a place with two chests. Open - orter near -

' the creatures are doing research.

After checking out their work, you'll come to more teleporters. Work through these and you'll soon meet someone who tells you to speak with the person in charge of research, Savan. In a room with seven colored portals and a Save Point, Savan says hello.

Savan has quite a story to tell. Turns out he's got a courage-powered device. Your party looks like they might be good fuel sources, but you must be tested. Save the game, then talk to Savan to begin the quiz.

py 3 ’ d ] aic A

Unfortunately, you didn't win in time. The bomb. goes off, but Savan sacrifices himself to save the party. Head back out to witness more tragedy. Befo keeling over, one of the city's denizens tells you to use a teleporter near the entrance of Aglis. Return the beginning of the city and use the door that w formerly locked. Witness a short scene, then use t teleporter inside.

Martial Law

Exit the place you've been transported to a you'll discover that you're in Zenebatos. A robot te you that no races but the Wingly are allowed insid but then flies away without enforcing its decree. giant creature named Cooron then flies in a introduces itself. Cooron was summoned by S. to bring you to any important locale on the overla map. Should save you some time in the futu

By talking to denizens of the city, the characte’ quickly come to realize how strict the laws in this tor are. Talk to the robot by the Save Point twice to taken to Legislation Hall and make some chang this bunk system.

In this area, the goal is to not get caught. Getti captured on purpose, however, isn't a bad ide. Kongol will get you out of prison and you'll find sot items to boot. When you do make it to Legislati Hall, stand in line. When it's your turn, go investiga the center of the hall. You'll be asked if you want make a new law. Say no. You'll then be asked if y want to change an existing law. Say yes. Wh asked for a code, enter 703. You'll be given a perm

f

In Kongol’s test, he's faced by Rose and Emperor Doel. When Doel moves to strike you, take his sword to pass the test.

Miranda goes through a Q&A session. Choose the second option to both queries and she'll pass with flying colors.

Albert is told by one of his ministers that an unknown enemy is attacking the city. Have Albert tell the minister that the force is not an enemy to get through his quiz.

Meru faces a Bardel brother out for revenge. Guaraha blocks the attack. When the brother attacks again, have Meru block the attack herself to pass.

Have Haschel choose the second option in his courage quiz to have him make the grade.

It turns out, Rose doesn't have to be tested.

Dart is given his trial last. His sword forces him to kill Shana. Choose to help her instead to prove Dart's courage.

After passing all the tests, follow Savan. Head through the teleporters and you'll eventually meet up with Savan. He gives you a Psychedelic Bomb. Continue following him past a place with a Save Point. You'll eventually wind up in a seal chamber. When you arrive, Zieg is there with Last Kraken. The party has to stop them from destroying everything.

Boss Battle: Last Kraken

This overrated octopus isn't too hard. It will occasionally whip out multiple attacks that can bring a character down from perfect health to near death. It can also summon two helpers that aren't too much of a threat. Standard boss defeating methods apply here.

Go to the Law Factory and once more dod security bots. Move inside and speak with the robi to the left of the machine. It also gives you a perm

It's now time to visit the Law Launch Area. Avo getting caught and head for the platform. Go up a your law will be enacted. Return to the roof of t teleport facility and talk up the robot by the blue r Speak with it a second time and choose to see tl Grand Magistrate.

informers June 2000 89

Although we run m = to find all the Star Dust in our Play to Perfection, this quick reference should help . you quickly find where to look for one or figure out what you ve missed. For more details on how to get a particular one, see the guide. Trade your Star Dust in to Martel, who can first be found in the bar in Fletz, and later in Rouge. Every ten you trade to Martel earns you an item.

am i Donau , Disc One. * Water next to entrance Celes * Kitchen in the mayor's _* Third grave from the left house Bel pes of pone * * Candle near treasure .. * The weapon shop on dae

*Aroom in the basement | reached by boat Queen Fury * The well by Ravitz's * Pipe near path to lower house deck * The kitchen in Ravitz's * Near Kongol in engine house toom * Third floor of Inderus - Castle Rediela

i tha fi * Cupboard next to the 7 AM fot cage in the middle tent : Hocus Phino « Fireplace in bce ent of Below the stairs of the inn - northwest house * The painting by the

. war council C m —- —— Disc Three Farni

* Barrel in house to east

* Crystal ball in Teo's house

Humid Terrain

- * Fireplace of the stronghold

| Lohan.

* Armor in Dabas' shop Winged Forest + Pot near the town's exit * Northeast of Guaraha's * Cargo near the arena room entrance * Rec room * Hidden cabinet in the bookshop ba: * Lamp near entrance - Cathas : Denningrad

_ + House west of the city

entrance * Gyroscope in the inn

.* The weapon shop * Stuff in front of shop (x2) + Upper floor of the house * Wrecked door to Shana's east of the city entrance old castle room * Bookshelf in a top room of ° Wrecked door to seal .. Shantytown chamber + Barrel near the bottom oft Belweb m Bx ud * Altar of center Dragoon * Barrel at the bottom of Tower :

Shantytown shop’s stairs Disc Two

"Het;

_ + Box in the weapon shop

.. * Box by the bar

. oe in the item

= Shop

* Gem shop

_ «Platform north of Nero's house

- * Statue near the castle's front hall

.* Lower room in the east One of the castle

Disc Four

Wurara

* Pot on the north side of weapon shop

* In mouth of carnivorous plant

* Flowerbed

Rouge

* Near the chest in the room next to Martel's

. Point, for you'll soon gis found nd gui | lo S out your punishment ar

Boss Battle: Kubila, Vector, & Selebus

Take out Selebus as she has the nasty habit of healing her companions and enlarging Vector. Next work Kubila and then Vector. Miranda's Star Children works wonders on these characters.

Having avoided sentencing, go up to the seal chamber. Zieg has again beaten you to the punch. The party now has to find the city of Mayfil. Go to the teleport facility and talk to one of the robots. It will tell you it's illegal for anyone but Winglies to go to Mayfil. As before, follow the steps for changing a law, but this time it’s code 410. After enacting this new ordinance, speak to the robot again and you will be able to transport to Mayfil.

Mayfil So Bad

When you get to Mayfil, you'll see Zieg arriving. Go out to have a cutscene, then use the teleporters to move on. In the next room, Albert's Spirit feels something in the middle of the chamber. Investigate to meet the ghost of Feyrbrand. It’s trapped. Continue talking to it to release it the only way it knows how, by fighting. The dragons are optional, but you may want the experience for some of the upcoming battles.

Boss Battle: Green Dragon Ghost

It doesn't seem like the Dragon Ghost wants to win too badly. It's attacks aren't very strong and you should be able to mop the floor with this palooka. You might want to bring Kongol along for this battle.

Once you've bested this specter, travel on to another teleporter maze. Eventually you'll be in another room with a Dragon Ghost looking to be free.

Boss Battle: Sea Dragon Ghost

This one has a lot more hit points than the previous boss, but you should be able to cope with that at this point. Fire works best.

Move on to another room with another trapped spirit. Hey, one more time.

— 5 Boss Battle: Divine Dragon Ghost

Do NOT underestimate this boss. This Dragon Ghost is like the Divine Dragon, but it can perform multiple attacks and the Dragon Shot and Dragon Cannon can't be destroyed before the body. Fortunately you don't have to worry about being vulnerable in your Dragoon state this time. Be sure

to have someone able to heal lots of damage in the

Past the eave Point in the next room is a grid.

| When the squares are red, they're safe to walk on.

Stepping on a white square will cause you to fall through. Safely cross this checkerboard to see Rose being haunted, and later a teleporter.

After another Save Point is a ghost. Follow it. Suddenly, someone notices something on Lavitz's back that's Bd him harm.

Boss Battle: Lavitz's 5 Ghost

Talk to Lavitz when prompted, and attack him when he isn't facing your character. When enough damage is dealt, the creature changes.

Boss Battle: Zackwell

————————— MÀ RR RII € (MR

The Zackwell will occasionally turn into a bat. In this form, all attacks against it do no damage. In its other form, this boss will certainly dish out plenty of damage. Be sure to have a good healer in the party. Other than that, strike hard and true.

Lavitz suddenly becomes possessed again. He resists the demon's power, but at a heavy price. Be sure to use the Save Point before using Lavitz's gift to travel up. Also, if you have any optional areas or

| unfinished business in the game, do it now. From

here, there's no turning back.

Beam Me Up

Using Lavitz's last act will deposit the characters in a high chamber. Wander through to come to the seal chamber. It looks like you beat Zieg here. Whoops, no you didn't. The party knows they have to follow Zieg into the Setting Moon. Cooron shows up for a rescue, and takes you to the Divine Tree, which holds the Setting Moon. Too hurt to continue

| on, Cooron can help you no longer.

Use the Save Point, then sally on up the tree. Examine all glinting object on the way. In time you'll come to an air current that will carry the party up. Being so heavy, when Kongol lands he shakes a giant caterpillar loose from the tree. Continue up, again examining anything shiny. Just after a Save Point another caterpillar shows up and mistakes the party for a tasty leaf.

Boss Battle: Divine Tree Butterfly

The caterpillar can shoot out paralyzing and poison gas. After it's defeated, it transforms into a cocoon which doesn't attack at all. Once enough damage is dealt to the cocoon, it becomes a butterfly. This form is the most dangerous, but still not a major threat. Standard boss tactics will win the battle.

Move on and soon you will find the portal to the Setting Moon.

The Setting Moon

Not long after exploring this place, a tremor will take place and the characters will fall. When everyone comes to, you're in a forest. Rose discerns that the Moon is creating illusions from the characters' past. Explore this bizarre landscape. Soon you'll come to a place from Miranda's past. After a deep insight, her past comes back to haunt her.

Boss Battle: Bad Momma

Not a tough battle at all. What's more important is to choose to have Miranda forgive her mother after you win.

Continuing on you'll pass through a cave, eventually arriving at an inn. There is a Save Point nearby. Wander this area to discover shops and interesting personal facts of the characters’ past. Once you felt you've seen everything, follow the girl that went through the mirror.

You're now in a village of the Mininto. Explore the area until you find the girl again. Claire and Haschel follow her into the hole she goes in to. Inside, Claire and Haschel will get into a fight.

Boss Battle: Claire

Possessed by a god of martial arts, Claire uses a forbidden move against Haschel. This devastating maneuver reduces its victim to one hit point! Heal when necessary and attack when you can. Eventually you are given a choice. Choose to go with the hidden eye and all will be well again.

After everyone regroups, return to the inn. The guard that blocked a lower exit has now moved. Go through here and you will see a castle. A guard tells you that Doel has gone to the Home of Gigantos. Go

As you move on, the party Bros avoids Rose's Dark Dragon. Dart and Rose, however, have inadvertently split from the party. Kongol then sees a scene from his past. Have the party go up the stairs. Kongol will split from the group to enter the top ideis on his own. There he meets Indora.

Boss Battle: Indora

Indora fights like Kongol used to. Any missed Addition is automatically countered. Kongol is declared the best warrior of his race after winning.

Once everyone’s back together, return once more to the inn. The group will decide to wait for Dart and Rose. The scene shifts to them. Search the area they're in to find some little dragons and some stuff. Rose will eventually recognize a place where she met her first dragon. Turns out, that first dragon is M for a fight.

Boss Battle: Dark Dragon Michael

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Until Rose tells you this dragon's weakness, you will be unable to harm it. When prompted, use Rose's advice to attack its heart. Guard or practice your Addition combos until your time comes.

You will now be able to exit and will end up in the cave above the inn. Go to the inn and chat with everyone. Then head out and talk to the guards of the castle. Albert will ask to speak with Doel. After the two let some of their past out in the air, they fight.

Boss Battle: Dark Doel, Light Blade, & Dark Blade

You must break both the dark and light blade before you'll be able to hit Doel. Standard attacks will work just fine.

Return to the place where the party was split because of Rose’s dragon and continue to where you intended to go. You'll come before a grand palace and Meru will be teleported inside alone. Inside, a a ee God accuses Meru of treachery.

Boss Battle: Archangel

Archangel has an attack that will lower Meru to one hit point, but otherwise doesn't do too much damage. Use healing when needed.

With the party reassembled, head up. Continue through the weird rooms until you find a Save Point. Get ready for a big battle, then continue on.

FINAL BATTLE

Boss s Battle: Super Virage

| Killing the body wil defeatt it's a good idea to concentrate on that.

araz, and in thiscase

Go to the next screen and use the Save Poin Continue on to meet Zieg.

Boss Battle: Zieg

Having lost Dart's Dragon Spirit, this power is unusable this battle. Zieg attacks like Dart would, but - in an enhanced manner. Zieg’s hit points ari mercifully low.

A lot of stuff happens. If you want to know wha stop reading this and start playing the game. Go back and use the Save Point, get all your characters ready, go to the bathroom, and get yourself a snack. Like Final as the final boss battle can take a while,

Boss Battle: Big Bad MuthaShutYoMouth

Defeating this boss takes patience. It defends well against all attacks, and if you attack it while it's - guarding jit automatically counterattacks. The backgrounds, as well as the boss’ attacks, wi change as the battle progresses. Standard strategy without any mistakes is the basic strategy of taking © this one down.

For your efforts, you'll be well rewarded. Sit back and a enjoy the show.

sin Cashua Glacier after your fae pel Illusion. Stone, you will s

BASIC TRAINING

We wanted to squeeze in some general pointers in the last issue, but the walkthrough took up most of - the space. Here are a few tips for making your way through Wild Arms 2.

Personal Skills

Upgrade. your personal skills whenever you get

the chance. The first thing you should upgrade to full

is Up HP as this will add even more to your total

„number of hit points.every time you gain a level. You'll

notice the difference when you start picking up new

characters. At Level 40, Lilka and Tim had roughly the

same amount of Vitality and Strength, but she had a thousand more HP.

Next we moved on to Critical and Counter as both of these will frequently do additional damage to enemies when fully upgraded, and they are relatively cheap. We also found it useful to take one level of Convert HP to automatically patch up those minor - wounds at the end of each battle instead of allowing them to build up over time. After that, we started building up an immunity to those pesky attacks like

| instant death, ability block, disease, sleep, and

confusion.

Upgrading Weapons ..... Choosing what upgrades to use for your guns can be a tough decision as you will. only- be able to upgrade each ammo type ten times. Due to the different nature of Ashley and Brad's Force Skills, you | will probably want to take a different approach with . each. Here are some of our thoughts on how to go about it.

We found that by relying on Brad's Lock On ability for most of his gun attacks, we didn't need to bother with accuracy and just used the extra upgrade levels on raw power. It might be a good idea to up the accuracy on weapons found after he acquires the Rail | Gun attack (but don't bother with the Rail Gun itself) | so he has a couple reliable attacks to use with the

| Force Power skills he picks up later in the game, but

don't waste points on accuracy for earlier weapons. For most of his guns, we didn't push the ammo past five. By the middle of the game, you'll have more than

“enough ammo from new types to.take down bosses without running out.

Ashley can't rely on Lock On so you will want most of his gun attacks to be at least 80-85% accurate with. a couple in the 90s for when the shot really counts. Ammunition is considerably more important to Ashley as he can eventually gain the Full Clip attack, a Force Skill that uses all of the ammo in a gun.at

. once. Don't trade off power and accuracy on all of I| your attacks for this skill as you don't get it until late a inthe game, but you may want to consider loading up

the ammo on one powerful multiple gromy attack and one single enemy attack.

Learning New Skills

Aside from their PS skills, the starting trio of characters learn most of. their battle skills automatically. Kanon, Tim, and Marivel, however, all have to be in actual combat to learn a lot of their abilities, While-you will definitely bring members from your original team into boss battles, it's a good idea to always use the new ones for fighting regular monsters.

Tim lóamé 4 new spell-like abilities by fighting enemies while being equipped with a medium. Once Tim has acquired all the skills he can from a medium, be sure to equip him with a new one. We highly recommend picking up. First Aid and Turn Undead from Odoryuk right off the bat as both are quite potent. Light and Darkness attacks are useful as well, as they are frequently the weakness of enemies immune to all other elements, and Lilka doesn't get any spells of those types.

Kanon learns new special attacks through use of her bionic moves. Use her normal attacks to boost her FP to a higher level, and then use her best Bionic Arm attack for the rest of the battle, finishing with a Gatling attack when it looks like things are coming to a close.

Marivel has to use her Skill Drain. on certain monsters to pick up new skills. Unfortunately, which monster you have to do this to isn’t always obvious, $0 whenever you come across something new, have the other two characters block while Marivel uses Skill Drain. Using her “My Mike" at old dungeons is a handy way of finding monsters. quickly. Just make sure you're not in a room with a pyramid. |

WALKTHROUGH — DISC 2

The second portion of this guide starts at the very beginning of Disc Two. For Disc One, see last month's issue.

Errata

Somehow, while editing the text for the previous E issue’s walkthrough for Disc One, the brilliant author l managed to wipe out an entire chunk of text devoted {£ to thé Closed Mine Shaft dungeon. We apologize and hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience. The Closed Mine Shaft can be found by teleporting to

| Holst and then to the hovercraft to get down to the

lower level of the island. Search the Northeastern tip | of the island to get to it. It's a really easy dungeon to 7 get through, but the fight with Kanon is kind of rough. 1 The Dark medium dungeon, Dark Reason, can be | found directly to the West of the Mine Shaft. Also, the f abandoned Ice Box has nothing to do with getting | Level 2 Crest spells. That was another editing | Screw up. |

Memory Maze: The Secret of the Sword Magess

This “maze” is pretty simple. Just find your way through the invisible barriers between the columns to get close enough to the knife cylinders. Hit these to unlock any gates blocking your way. When you get to pink force fields in front of doors, it means you have to find the mysterious girl and talk to her first. The fields will disappear when she moves on. When you get to a dead-end room. Simply examine the crystal to see a vision and you will automatically be teleported to another room.

Enjoy your powerful but temporary new characters in combat, but watch your health if you're low on items, as you will only have health crystals and one of Anastasia's Force Powers to heal you. Just keep on puzzling your way to the North until you get to some more plot stuff and a return to Filgaia. The f only area where the solution doesn't become pretty obvious is in a place between the second memory. | crystal and the third. You will need to hit a cylinder with a knife while the mysterious girl is standing on the gray walkway to the Northeast. Turn your view to the South to see her. Eventually you will get to the end of the puzzle, and the perspective will return to your friends on Filgaia.

Millennium Puzzle Mk. Il: Same Ol Millennium Puzzle

The second coming of the Millennium Puzzle is pretty much the same as the first, but there are now five blocks to be cleared rather than three. We recommend you start with the gate to the West of the central area and work your way counterclockwise, but skip the South gate until you're done with the rest. Although, you may want to pay a brief visit to the South path for a save point. You will frequently come across moving blocks that never come together. In order to get past them you will have to freeze one in place with Lilka's Freeze Rod in order to make it possible for them to connect.

Many of the puzzle paths have junctions where you can take multiple routes. On the Western puzzle

th be sure to take the route to the South to get the end with.no further serious complications. ke note of the blue block that is only one space tall.

On the Southwestern path the first area has hree blocks you can go up. Take the one to the ortheast. Note the column of three red blocks before xiting the Southwestern puzzle path. On the Southeast path you will get to an area with

„a series of descending square walkways. The crystal

| gate you want is the one farthest to the South. When

' you see the green boxes that are two columns high,

"you are at the exit.

| The East path is a little tricky. Ignore the moving blocks in the first area. Just hit the activation boxes

rom angles to get past barriers and take the

Northernmost crystal. You will eventually get to

nother area with more than one crystal to choose. | Pick the Northeastern one and make your way | through the puzzle to get to it. Note the yellow column

- that is four blocks high.

: The puzzle path to the South has a block puzzle imilar to the final puzzle in the original. Just raise all he blocks to the same height that you saw them at he end of the previous puzzle paths by standing on hem and then getting off them when they've reached

certain height. Blue is one, red is three, green is two, nd yellow is four blocks high.

When you've hit all five of the smaller activation )0xes in the central chamber, run up the path to the North and plot stuff will follow. After Ashley's return

- and a long update on current events, a new quest

- js given.

Grotto of Lourdes: Kanon's Past Revealed

To get to the Lourde's Grotto, teleport to Sielje and then to your hovercraft. Head due South until you hit a beach. Exit the boat and explore thé area to the Northwest to find it. Switch to Kanon to get past the retinal (eye) scanner at the first door. The next area is the central chamber of this dungeon. You will see

| a door open. Go through it.

- - Keep on heading South, using Kanon's -Wire | Hook when necessary to cross the lava. Eventually ! you will get to a chest. Hop down to it to get the Rad - Blades for Kanon. You can now scoot across - dangerous materials, like lava, by using this tool. ' Head to the Western side of the stairs and activate the _ Rad Blades while facing South. This will get you back | to the other side of the room. Now get in the middle | of the stairs and use the Blades while facing North; this will stop you at a switch. Hit it to open a door and - use the blades again to get to the North. Use the — blades to get to the Southern side of the area again * and go North, using the Wire Hook. Enter the square | in the middle of the next room for a Kanon flashback. - When it’s over, head back to the central chamber.

' Anew door opens. Go through it and use Kanon's |. tools to get across the next two sets of obstacles and - another memory square:: Step into it, see the | sequence, and then return the central chamber.

Once again, a new door opens up. Enter it. Once | again, the puzzles are quite simple. Use Pooka to | open a. chest with a Mega Berry and use the Rad des to scoot over some lava at an angle when you

to the ramps, but otherwise, you should escape atively unscathed. See the memory and move back the central chamber.

In the next area, use Pooka to help get a couple of chests and then Brad to kick off the wall while standing on a large wooden crate. Walk in, have the flashback, return to the central chamber, and go through the next door.

In the next area, be sure not to miss the hidden door that can be reached by jumping off the platform with a chest on it. This door leads to a.room with four duplicator keys in it: Jump into the glowing hole in the floor to get back to where you were before you jumped off the platform with Kanon's Maine Gauche. Head South through the door and up to the final memory square of this level.

Baskar: Wanting Contact

When you're done with the Grotto of Lourdes, head over to Baskar and enter to get to some dialogue and your next mission. When you're done talking to the village elder, exit Baskar Village and teleport to Guild Galad. Head North up around the peninsüla and then follow the Eastern coastline to the South until you get to a beach that is directly Southwest of the large circular island. Search here to find the Sacrificial Altar.

Sacrificial Altar: Home of the Guardians

The trick to this dungeon is finding hidden switches. At the first gap you get to, there is a small switch on the pillar to the Northwest. Hit it with the knife to close the gap. At the next hole in the floor, use Brad to kick the pillar to the East to reveal another switch. Hit it with-the knife to. get across. There is a hidden room at the beginning of this area. Just look at the black space on either side of the first set of pillars and you should see a platform with a door next to it. Drop down and go up the stairs to get to a puzzle room. Step on the bow-and-arrow symbol and wait a few seconds to make the door open. Go in and get your statue.

Continue on until you get to an area with a switch. Hit.it and move up to the next hole in the floor.

Examine the hole:by turning your view to the East. Theré is a platform in the middle of the gap. Grab one of the nearby blocks and drop it onto the platform to create a bridge. Now push the other block across the new bridge and push it into the gap in the stairs so that you.can go up them and hit the switch to lower the barrier. Exit through the South door.

In the next area, kick the pillar supporting the platform to the North to make the platform drop. Cross it and go through the door to the Northwest to get to the next area. There is another statue room hidden in this area. Look under the bridges for a doorway. To solve this puzzle, you have to go up the stairs and drop down.on one of the large gargoyle heads hanging on the wall. Drop down to one of the heads © on the floor and shoot the elevated stone head with Lilka's Fire Rod to open the door to the next statue.

All you have to do in the next room is step on floor switches to. make the blocks move. The one to the North:can be activated by jumping off the walkway above and landing on it.

Take note of the next area. A secret door can be found by kicking the two bricks lodged between the pillars to the East. At the next statue puzzle room, push the rocks into different pools of water to open the door and get another statue. When you return to the previous area, the upper door to the East leads to the end of the dungeon and some dialogue.

Leea n e o a E a EPICURI NEM ENNIUS The Lost Garden: Anger Manage ment Gone Awry

Get off the Chateau, teleport to the Chateau (to move the hovercraft) and then to the hovercraft. Head to the island to the Southwest off the Northeastern tip

„Of the large peninsula and explore it to find the’Lost

Garden. Enter. The first room has two red columns. Go up the ramp and step on the first to raise it and lower the one to the North. Step on the one to the North and it will raise you up to the door. Go through and.continue on until you get to the area with a smiley-faced block, which can be activated later with Marivel's windup key. To the Northeast there are two doors. The farther one leads to a room with a magic chest. Use a duplicator key to get a Crest S. Exit and go through the other door to get to .a room with a magic symbol on the floor.-Step on the symbol and leave a character there (we left Lilka) to open the . door. The next puzzle area has more of the moving columns. It's not.hard. Ignore the Northern red block and hit the blue block to East first.

Continue on until you get to another magic symbol. The hole in the floor will allow you to return to the room where you left your first character, so don't . jump down unless you think you made a mistake. Leave another character here (we left Brad) to open the. door and. continue on until you get to a complicated blue and red column.room: Step on the red column on the floor to the Northeast and then cross the bridge of red columns onthe East until you get to a blue one. Cross the regular walkway to the West and step on the red-column to get to the upper platform where the door is.

Continue on until you get to another column puzzle. This one is easy but don't forget to get Ashley's new ammo, Fantom Fang, to the North. Leave another character at the magic symbol in the next area (we left Kanon) and move on.

The next puzzle has a moving platform with a blue column attached to it. Get on the platform and step on

1e blue column. Get off the column and stand on the

lest side of the platform until it slides by a row of blue ‘columns. Get onto these columns and they will raise up. Before hopping down, step on another blue column to lower the row to the floor. Hit the red column in the floor and stand back on top of the | columns to wait for the platform to come by again. Get | back on the platform and get off when it passes the | rowof red columns. Get off and then take the platform | that passes on the South. Continue on until the |. next puzzle.

| There will be one more place to leave a character. | Justmake sure Ashley is the final character. After that, you will get to the final puzzle. Jump down to hit the red column to the East of the walkway. Get off it and then cross the series of columns to the West. When you get to the green one, go back and get on the green column to the South. Throw a knife to the South, and it will bounce, drop, and hit the knife cylinder, causing a set of stairs to move right in front _ of you. Prepare for a boss fight against Caina and go up the stairs. Trust us on this one. You might have to | use a healing item once or twice, but you shouldn't | need any help. Just keep on pounding away with the - second attack on the list. iE S45 TE COS USNECINEERE || Grauswein: One Ugly Boss Vs. | One Ug ly Friend Following the boss battle with Caina and a | Serious upgrade to Ashley's Access power, a ton of _ plot stuff follows and you will fight Grauswein, a - nuclear dragon capable of doing a ton of damage to your characters with its Nuclear Sphere attack. It's | probably a good idea to have both Lilka and Tim in the . party for this one. Equip Tim with Odoryuk for massive | healing and cast Quick on him at the beginning of the battle. Once party members start losing health to the point where any of them are well under 1,000 HP, use Tim's Combine ability. Just try to space out the _ Odoryuk Combine so he has enough FP to cast First Aid at the beginning of the next round. Grauswein is intimidating but it doesn't cast nuclear sphere every . round, so you should be able to get your hit points back up to a reasonable level before he does. We highly recommend using a Lucky Card for this battle _as the experience points you get are enormous.

After the first round with Grauswein, the party gives up and Ashley/Lord Blazer takes over. Again, Blazer is just plain nasty and the odds are definitely stacked against the boss. You may be in trouble if you -don't have any healing items though. Don't use Blazer's third attack, but his fourth will most likely wipe the boss out if you've been going at it for a while. Just "be certain, as this attack will lower Ashley's hit points to one and he will return to plain ol’ Ashley. After the next series of plot junk, you will get a new mission. You just might want to pick up three elemental Water

Rings from the guy at the B1 Level of Valeria Chateau as most of the enemies in the next area are vulnerable to water.

Sleeping Volcano: A New Ally

Head over to the live reflector near Valeria Chateau and activate the yellow beam to get to the area. where Raline Observatory is located. Head Northwest until you get to the base of a huge mountain. Explore the foot of it to find the Sleeping Volcano and enter.

Sleeping Volcano

The inside of this mountain is fairly tricky to describe as the paths don't always follow one cardinal direction for long. In the first area, there are no hidden items, so just keep on moving North to. find the entrance to the next area.

When you get to it, use Lilka's Fire Rod on the flammable gas to cause the floor to cave in so you can move on. In the next area you will get to a river of magma. For the sake of reference, we will refer to this area as the central junction.

Switch to Kanon, so you can use her Rad Blades to cross the lava. Cross to the West and then to the North to get to the power-up for Brad. Kick the chest open to get the Mini Scud ammo and zip back across to the South. Now head North to get to an area with another flammable gas outlet. Burn it and watch the floor go down.

Go back to the central junction, cross to the East and then to the South to get to the next area. Cross to the South to get to an island. Drop down onto the Southwestern side of the island and cross to the South. Now skate to the Northwest to get to another island. Get the item out of the chest and then drop down to the Northeastern corner of this island. Cross to the Northwest to get to the door leading to the next area.

A save point lies to the West, but you will want to take the path on the Eastern side to get to the next area. There is a line of three crystals on the magma to the West. Cross a little bit West of this line to cross the magma and then go over a bridge. Head to the East and drop down to get to a Northern door. You will get to a platform facing a gas leak. Use Lilka's Fire Rod to collapse the floor and return to the previous area.

Drop off the cliff to the South and follow the path to get to a door going to the West. Hug the wall to your character’s right until you get to more lava. Head West until you pass a large rock. Cross the magma here to the Northwest. Keep on followingthe path to the North and drop down to the East to get to the next door.

In the next area is a maze with two chests and a

door to the East. It's not too complicated. When you find and go through the door, use Lilka's Fire Rod on

the gas and cross the new walkway you've created to the East and up some hilly terrain.to get to an obelisk with a hint on it. Blow up the silly thing with Brad's bombs to reveal the final gas leak. Flame it to reveal a door, prepare for a boss battle, and enter.

Lombardia is similar to Grauswein. His Dragonic Blast isn't quite as powerful as Nuclear Sphere, but

Odoryuk and even items when necessary. Get Ashley to transform as soon as possible and you should be okay.

Lombardia: The Quest for the 4

Raypoints ; Before searching for any of the silly Raypoints, we !

suggest you use Lombardia to scour the world for all -| those juicy items and extra dungeons you have yetto |

explore. See the secrets section for a listing.

| Palace Village

The final town is on a large island far North of `

Meria. Stop here first to pick up the best store-bought | :

weapons and items you can find and then head Northeast to get to Raypoint Flam.

Raypoint Flam :

Get Lilka's Change Rod in the first area of this dungeon and then use it to get through the orange blocks. Use the Wire Hook to get to the door. Throughout the dungeon you will see red and gray blocks. To get these block to disappear and cause things to happen, you need to light the red blocks with Lilka's Fire Rod and put out any lit gray blocks with the Freeze Rod.

oan Wewpoint Flos —

In the room after the first of these puzzles, get the apples from the chests to the Northeast. Then hit the Southern row of crystals and blocks with the Change Rod and hit the Northern row a couple times to get through. Throw a knife at the remaining orange block to make it fall down and hit the cylinder below. Go through the door that opens to get a Gimel Coin in the next area. Return to the previous area and take the Southern door to move on.

Light all'the torch blocks in the next area and then use Freeze Rod from the cardinal directions to put the gray ones out. Later, you will get to blue torch blocks that go out after time. You will have to light them all quickly to make them disappear. When you get to a large circle of blue torch blocks, stand in the middle of it, hold R2, and hit the blocks individually to get the whole circle to disappear.

Go down the stairs. Continue on and you will get into a boss battle with the Flam Knight. We recommend using Brad or Ashley to do damage with

a and Tim providing support. Don't bother using emental attacks on his shield as these will be sorbed. Stick with Saber or just physical attacks. hen you get to the body, be sure and cast Dispel efore casting any other spell as his Mirror spell will ause magic attacks to bounce back at you. The rest f the dungeon is a cakewalk.

Raypoint Wing

Position yourself directly over Sylvaland, get as igh as you can, and fly due West. Raypoint Wing is ctually floating in mid-air above the ocean. In the first rea, use Tim's Air Ballet on the bridge to make it level nd move on. Next, hit the first bridge and get on it hen it evens out. Use Pooka to get Tim's Mist Cloak ut of the chest to the North. Use the cloak to travel 0 the platform with the HP crystals to the South and it the second bridge. Use the Mist cloak to get back o the bridge and then to get to the door to the South.

Raypoint Wing

Eventually you will get to an area with a duct blowing wind. Get in front of it, face West, and use the Mist Cloak to get to the door. In the next area there are four wind ducts, but only one is blowing. Move to the Northwest to get to an area with a large weather vane. Whack it with Tim’s Air Ballet to change which duct is blowing. The duct to the East is just a “hint,” but the ones to the West and South contain chests with items for Tim. Just use his Mist Cloak to blow | over and then go through the gates to get the goods. | The exit is to the North. When you go through it, | prepare for a boss battle and continue moving to the | North. The Wing Knight is pretty much the same deal | as the Flam Knight. Just use the same strategy. | Continue on until you get to a wind duct pointing. up. | Step on it and use the Mist Cloak to fly up to the next

- area. There are five different directions to go from | here. Before going into the Northern building, you | have to acquire four tablets with symbols on them by _ taking the four paths to different puzzles.

_ Northwest Path — Hit the two bridges with the Air - Ballet and then take the stairs to get on top of the | Eastern one. Get on the edge of the bridge and go | East, crossing the gap with the Mist Cloak. Repeat the | process on the next bridge to get to a-door and a | chest with one of the pieces.

| Southwest Path — You will get to a room with wind _ ducts. Ignore the door to the Southeast as it leads to a weather vane you don't want to use. Get on the East „Side of the wind duct and use the Kanon’s Wire Hook on the post to the West. Step on the switch and jump into the hole to return to the door. Use the Mist Cloak front of the wind duct to get across to the platform ast of the flipping bridge, which should now be in the pright position. Use the Mist Cloak to cross over to le edge of the bridge, and then use it two more times 0 get to the area with a barrier and then through it to e chest with a tablet piece.

Northeast Path — Run around behind the flipping bridge and nail it with the Air Ballet. Go up the stairs and use the Mist Cloak to cross over the switch without touching it. Go through the apor to get another tablet piece.

Southeast Path - Skip the South entrance to the puzzle room and go up the ramp to get to the Eastern entrance. Hit the block with the Air Ballet and use Pooka to get the final tablet piece from the chest.

When you've collected all the pieces, enter the building to the North. Place the pieces in descending order from North to South — Cloud, Moon, Sun, Star ~ and the gate will open. This will get you to the end of the dungeon.

Raypoint Geo

Explore the large round island to the Southeast of Guild Galad that we've constantly been using for reference to find Raypoint Geo. Enter the dungeon and run down the hallway to the next area. Use a bomb to lower the block barriers and run through them before they move up again. Just jump into a hole if you don't make it in time to try again.

In the next room, use Pooka from the first set of stairs to open the chest and get Brad’s Earthquake tool. Take the door to the Northeast and use Earthquake to make the platforms swing. Whenever the platforms don’t swing far enough, just use Earthquake again.

Continue on until you get to a long corridor. Head to the South to get a new ammo type for Brad and then North to a room with a bunch of medicine boxes. Just detonate one to set off a chain reaction, go up the stairs, and cross over to the East by moving at an angle and then back again to the North to get past the gap. Continue on.

Eventually. you will get to a series of platforms suspended in midair. Walk along them until you are stopped and then use Brad's Earthquake toy to make them descend. When you getto the other side, head South first to get to a treasure chest. Return and head North, and then continue on until you get to a boss battle

In the next area, go through the Eastern door first, cross another suspended plate puzzle, and kick the large slab in the next area to make it fall. Return back to the area with the torches and take the Northern door. Continue on to get to the end of the dungeon.

R aypoint Muse

In order to get to Raypoint Muse, you will have to land on the West'side of the Gate Bridge and enter. Use Tim's Mist Cloak to go through the screen and examine the console to raise the bridge. A new ammo

type for Ashley is in the chest on the wall. Go outside, teleport to Sielje and then to the hovercraft. Head West to get to the bridge and go through the new opening. Head all the way North and you should pick up Raypoint Muse's location on the radar.

In the first area of this dungeon, you need to find the switch hidden on the North side of a pillar to get the door to open. Use Tim’s Mist Cloak in the next area to get over to the wooden platform and over to the open door. Use Pooka from the stairs to get the item from the chest in the next room and continue on. Push your way through the blocks and then grab an. . item out of the chest to the West. Go through the door to the East to get to the next area. Hit the switch and go back to the room with the floating wooden platform.

Now that the water level has been lowered, a new door has been revealed. Use Mist Cloak to get over to it. The next areas are identical to the ones you just went through. Repeat the process two more times until the water has been lowered all the way down to the bottom floor. Go through the large door here to get to.a’boss battle with another knight.

When the boss is defeated, head North to get to Kanon's jump boots. Head back to the central wooden platform room and jump from the marker to the South. Continue on until you get to the room that used to have a block puzzle in it. Stand next to the statue (if it's not a single statue, you're in the wrong area) and walk five steps to the North and then three to the West. Jump up and down on the tilé and fall through the floor. Continue on until you get to an area with water. Head East to the next. area and then jump up the stairs. Jump up and down on the second wooden platform from the East to fall down to the previous water area with a new bridge. Use Pooka to get the items and then head through the door to the West. Jump from the pad to the South to get to an item and then jump back. Use the pad to the North to get up above and go through the door. This time jump on the platform two spots from the Western side to make a bridge to the next door.

The next room is filled with statues. The trick is to get them all to face a partner by examining the jewels to make them rotate. Start with the statues that have broken gems first, as they can only have one partner. Next, look for statues that are near one of the broken gem partnerships to find statues with only one possible partner. The rest should fall into place and the door will open. Go through the door to get to the end of this final Raypoint dungeon. When you attempt to exit, the phone rings. Answer it and a series of plot junk will follow.

SRE SS A Life Form SELLA ea e]

Just head East to find this dungeon on your radar. To do a step by step description of this entire dungeon would probably take up the whole magazine. It's

timidating at first, but all you have to do is keep on "trying new teleport pads to create new bridges and “eventually unlock new locations. Many of the pads have three health crystals in front of them. These | pads will actually take you somewhere. Ones that | aren't marked by the crystals are just entry points. We | found it was useful to leave one crystal behind as a - reminder that we had already taken that path and that it would indeed take you somewhere. When you get to a new location where three very long paths branch . out, take the Northern one to get. to the boss. We fought it with Ashley, Lilka, and Tim and had no problems. Go for the mouth first as this seems to be | the source of its status attacks which are the only real threat it has.

: Fiery Wreckage

Teleport to Halmetz and you'll see the blip on your

radar to the East. When you get to the area, use _ Brad's Earthquake tool to blast open all the doors in the area. You'll want to turn on all the computers you come across as you go. The first door is to the Northwest. Use Tim's Mist Cloak to cross over to.it. Get a coat for Ashley through the door to the South and go back outside heading East. You will pass a | large chunk of debris and then get to another one. Climb it to get to the top of a hill. If you get on the Eastern edge of this plateau, you should be able to see a place where Kanon can stick her Wire Hook. Go | to it and then use Mist Cloak to get to the door to the North. Before messing with the sword in the next room, put Kanon, Lilka, and Tim in your party. Touch the sword and a boss battle with the ghost of Vinsfield will commence. Have Kanon use a lucky card, Lilka | cast Quick on Tim, and Tim cast Turn Undead on the | ghost to make the quickest 24,000 experience points in the game. Head back outside and get back to the | plateau from which you used the Wire Hook. Cross | over to the Northern passageway with the Mist Cloak and go West to get to a door. Hop down to get a new | gun for Ashley, go outside, and then come back the way you came to get back on the upper level. Go through the big door and examine the large computer.

Spiral Tower

Head West and a little South to get to an area where you can land that is just North of a long rocky _ path leading to the South. Follow this route until you get to a junction and then take the Western path. | Eventually you will get to a mountain with a path going up to its top on the Western side. Head up and search

the area for the Spiral Tower.

The first puzzle is just a bunch of blocks, some of which fall. Just use Tim's Mist Cloak to cross the gaps. | The first real puzzle of the game requires you to hit seven plates in the wall in proper order. Hit the Right Western plate, Right Eastern plate, Left Western plate, Left Eastern plate, Middle Eastern plate, Middle Western plate, and then the Northern plate to open the door.

In the next puzzle room you have to use bombs on the purple eggs and then stand on a nearby orange tile before it detonates to cause platforms to lower. After that, the room is pretty straightforward, but at the egg on the Southwest wall, you have to run to the East after dropping a bomb next to it in order to get to the tile on time.

Following that are a couple puzzles involving bridges that are self explanatory. Just make sure you

don't miss Ashley's Flare Gun on the Western wall of the first bridge puzzle. The room after the second bridge puzzle room is a set of candles burning in a pattern. Memorize it and continue down the stairs to a similar set of candles that aren't blocked by a wall. Ignite all the candles with Lilka’s Fire Rod and then put the Northern and Southern rows out with the Freeze Rod. Now just ignite the Northern candle from the North side and then stand on the row of bricks to the South of the Southern candle and light it. This will open the door to the North. Continue on and you will get to a surprisingly easy boss that is extremely vulnerable to electrical attacks. We had no problem taking this guy out.

The next set of puzzles involve doors that you must examine. Then you'll get into battle with the Spiral Tower’s. standard monsters. Defeating them causes the doors to fade. You will sometimes need to cross between gaps on top of these doors, so attacking them all isn't always the best way to go. In fact, you can frequently avoid the doors altogether.

The third monster door puzzle is kind of tricky. Don't attack any of the doors. Instead, use the stairs to get up to the top of the first door and use the Mist Cloak to keep on crossing to the North until you can't continue. Now cross over to the West and then move up North and use the Mist Cloak to cross to the final door. In order to cross over to the East you have to stand on the Northeastern corner of the door to avoid bumping into the torch.

At the fourth door puzzle room, you just have to choose’the right corridors. The Eastern corridor has a chest and the Western corridor has the least number of doors. At the fifth and final puzzle, you must work your way from the West corridor to the Northeast corner, only attacking doors that you need to use. When you're past the door battles, go up the stairs and use the Mist Cloak and the doors to get to the Northern door.

Continue down until you get to a room with stairs and two sets of doors on the West and East walls. Attack the doors on the East wall to get to a lightning bolt symbol. Zap it with Marivel's Electel to open a door leading to a treasure room with Ashley's Rising Nova ammo. After you get the ammo, prepare yourself for a boss fight and continue down until you get to it. This boss is of medium difficulty. You may want both Lilka and Tim in the party as this boss does do some pretty serious damage. After you defeat the boss, you automatically go to the next dungeon.

Using the Mist Cloak to cross gaps, Get the Flare Gun through door on West wall. Use it by the locked door to South. LATTA IR SSS NNN a TAS Glaive Le Gable AAAS aN AEE ORE OMI TRS, Glaive Le Gable is a maze of corridors. When you get to paired statues, turn them toward a nearby door to get it to open. Statues sitting by themselves must be turned to the North. There are six of them and each opens a treasure door in a room to the Northeast. This room has a large door and six smaller ones. Be sure to pick up the goods through the smaller doors before moving through the big one.

When you go through the large door and through the next area, you will have to choose three of your characters to go and fight three bosses by themselves. We recommend choosing, in the following order, Marivel, Brad, and Kanon. Cross the wacky bridges with each of the three and you will fight three consecutive boss fights with each character

going solo. These bosses shouldn't be too tough, Y as long as you have a few Mega Berries to spare.

The next boss is unbelievably nasty. We recommend being at least up to Level 50, and also suggest you complete as many of the secrets below as possible. We actually managed in the mid-40s, but it was only by the seat of our pants. Equip Ashley with the Full Libra item (found behind one of the six doors we told you check out earlier) and pick out the very best magic resistance mediums for your group. Get Ashley set to attack.

Secrets

Level 2 Spells

The only way to get Level 2 spells is by accidentally teleporting to a small island with ahouse 1 inside it. Go inside and talk to the man there. Head | back out and teleport to Sielje. Talk to the man in the | library and then teleport back to the Island Outpost to get the spells.

The Mediums

While many of the mediums are acquired E automatically, most have to be found. Here is a listing of their locations.

Valeria Chateau (Schturdark & Moor Gault)

Search the. second floor the moment you gain access to the Chateau to find these mediums.

Wind Tiger's Den (Fengalon)

This area is Northeast of the large, very round island in the gulf to the Northwest. You can actually get there with Valeria Chateau. All you have to do is ignite all the candles in each room before the wind blows them out. Sometimes, several candles can be ignited with one shot.

Shining Garden (Stare Roe)

You can-get to this area when you first get the hovercraft. It's Southeast of the island; we used it as a landmark for Wind Tiger's Den. When you teleport to the room with three doors, take the East one, the West one, and then go back to get to a room with a staircase. Going up the stairs and looking at the wall gives you the password “RAY,” which you'll need for the next area.

Thunder Lion Cage (Noua Shax)

This dungeon is on the delta formed by the forking canyon on the West side of the Inland Sea. When you first get the upgraded hovercraft, you can go there. It's a pretty easy dungeon, but be sure and come back with Marivel as you can use her Electel on the lightning symbol to get a Mecha Boost for- her weapons and one of her best capes.

Abandoned Ice Box (Aru Sulato)

You will need the upgraded hovercraft to get to the next dungeon. Teleport to Halmetz and take the hovercraft to the beach to the North and explore the area. There is a puzzle at the end of this dungeon where you need to hit colored tiles in the following order: Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Black, and White.

Lost City of Archeim (Ge Ramtos) * . When you get to this city, bomb open the hidden doors on the building to the Southwest to get to | this medium.

Dark Retreat ( Leitea Salk)

This dungeon is North of Holst. Just use trial and | error to find your way across the collapsing bridges.

Promised Catacombs (Dan Dairam) You will need the Lombardia to get the time medium. See below for details.

Meteorite Crater (Rigdobrite)

You can. only get here with the Lombardia. This dungeon is on an island far to the Southeast from | Halmetz. Explore the center of the crater to find it: Be | sure and get all eight of the elemental artifacts to take ull advantage of the medium's powers.

Additional Dungeons Once you get the Lombardia, almost all. the dungeons are now accessible. We highly recommend doing as many of the side quests as you can before moving on. At the very least, get Marivel at

Crimson Castle Head South from Guild Galad and you should come across a couple of green dots on the radar. The Northern dot is Crimson. Castle. Make your way through this dungeon to get the sixth character, Marivel. Her tools in particular are key to unlocking a lot of the game's secrets. .

Werewolf's Den

The Den is South of Guild Galad, within radar.

range of Crimson Castle. This dungeon is pitch black | outside of a short radius so it's difficult to navigate, but | its also really small. When you get to the first dark . room, head South to get to a door. In the next area, _ look for a blocked passage on the Northern wall and F blow it open with Brad's bombs. In the next room _ there is a larger door that must be blown open on the _ West wall. Go in and get an upgrade to Ashley's first Lord Blazer power, by typing in the proper name, "Lucied." If you just can't find your way through this ungeon, you could always wait for the Flare Gun, but

t's really not that hard.

Promised Catacombs After completing Raypoint Wing and getting Tim's t Cloak, use Marivel to read the book in the Meria stle library that you couldn't understand before and

head to the Southwestern-most island. Land in a grassy patch and search the Eastern side of the isle.

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Use the Mist Cloak to cross to the North and then use Electel on the lightning symbol to the Northwest to open the door. Get the Windup key in the next room and use it on the block with a face on it. Grab the Ebony Cloak and go East. Use the Windup Key on the block and follow its path. Every time it stops, hit it again to make it move. The following is a list of the steps you have to take to avoid falling into the pit. If the path gets close to a wall, sometimes you can see it by using the proper camera angle.

LIESN TE 226,25, 2E 2N 45N3W,2S 4.2W,7N

When you get to a room with four coffins, check out the walls to find a magic door. Using a duplicator key here will you get you the Time medium, Dan Dairam. This is the only medium we found that works with Tim's Hi-Combo. You will want to return to Lost Garden to use Marivel's Windup Key on the smiley- face block found there. This will open a door leading to Marivel's third tool, “My Mike."

Marivel Monster Locations

To gain powerful items and additional Force Powers for Marivel, you must use her "My Mike" tool at all of those pyramids you were passing by before. This will initiate a fight with an extremely deadly boss. Some of the bosses are easier, but you will definitely want to save your game before fighting each one. There are eight in all, but for the life of us we could only remember where seven were. Most are in plain sight in the first room of dungeons, however, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding the eighth.

1. Mt. Chug Chug - East of Damzen

2. Slayheim Castle — Northeast of Quartly

3. Wind Tiger's Den - East of Guild Galad, Northeast of large round island

4. Golgotha Prison — West of Halmetz

5. Closed Mine Shaft — Northeast of Holst

6. Meteorite Crater

7. Northeast corner of Halmetz

Odd Headquarters

After you get Marivel, you can get to an item shop that that sells healing items and carrots. Head to Odd Headquarters, go downstairs, and zap the robot with Electel to open the way. On the lower level you can get to a Teddy Bear if you have Tim's Mist Cloak and Lilka’s Change Rod.

Pirates’ Warren

Head to an island off the Northeastern tip of the deep water East of Sielje. The dungeon contains a

number of powerful items in magic chests to the East and West, and when you get Tim's Flare Gun in the Spiral Tower, you will want to return here and shoot the dragon. Head to the North with the gun to open a door leading to a chest with a powerful pair of gloves.

Coin Purse Search the area on the Western side of the peninsula to the South of Sylvaland to get an item that enhances. the amount of cash garnered for defeating enemies.

Lost City of Archeim

After getting Brad's Earthquake and Tim's Mist Cloak, return to the Lost City of Archeim to the North of Quartly. You can get some good. stuff in the Western room of the large Northern building by using Earthquake to smash open some boxes and then fetch the goods with Pooka. Use Tim's Mist Cloak to get some good stuff from the building in the Northeast.

PRI and Lilka's Third orce Powers

Aside from Marivel, Ashley and Lilka are the only two characters that don't get their Force Powers automatically. Some time between the end of the Ray Point dungeons and preceding the Spiral Tower dungeon, Ashley's third Force Power becomes available in Guild Galad. Just go to the throne room and talk to the King's son. To get Lilka's third power- up, go to the library in Sielje and talk to the same guy you gave the Level 2 spell research to. If fie whines about having to take care of yet another task, head back to.the Island Outpost and talk to the researcher with Lilka to get her third Force Power.

MIA

Hey, we're pretty good at this stuff, but there were some areas that even we couldn't figure out. If you discover any of these for yourself, feel free to send us the info and we'll print it in Secret Access. 1.There is one of those doors "locked by a mysterious mechanism" in the upper levels of Guild Galad. We're sure the switch can't be far away but we're stumped.

2. The eighth monster pyramid location.

3. Just what do you do with those statues you find at the Sacrificial altar anyway?

SHG OX SOO

mnang

Enter all these codes from the Pause screen. Note: If the codes are entered , 1 D D i : correctly, the screen will shake. 2 1 AC E 2X R P-90s - Up Right, L + Left, R ;

All Tapes - Hold the L Button and press Right C, Left, Up, Up C (x2), Right, Down, Up.

Faster Specials — Hold the L Button and press Up C, Left, Down C (x2), Up, Down, Right.

Random Starting Location - Hold the L Button and press Left C, Right C, Down C, Up, Down.

Less Falls - Hold the L Button and press Up C, Right C, Left, Right C, Right, Up, Down. Full Special Meter — Hold the L Button and press Up C, Left, Down C (x2), Up, Down, Right. Boost Stats x10 - Hold the L Button and press Down, Right, Up, Right, Up, Left, Left C. Turbo Mode - Hold the L Button and | press Right, Up, Down (x2), Up, Down. Slow Motion — Hold the L Button and press Down (x2), Up C, Right C, Left. Unlock Officer Dick — Collect all thirty tapes with one character and Officer : Dick will appear at the Boarder Select L+ Right, R + WC C, L+ R + Right C, R screen. a Down, L+ Pr Re Left CR Hidden Image - Hold the L Button then D press Left C, Down C, Right C, Left C, Down C, Right C (x2). Unlock Private Carrera — To skate as

“cheat during gameplay .. dealing with combinations ike . R first, then apply ft T

Deel ia Down, is Down,

005 5 a Lr MIN GE L+R+Ri All D +LeftC,L+ L+Down,L+LeftC,L+ re L+R + Left C, L+ Down, L + :

|| +L oo R

C, L+ R + Left, L + Right, R + Do + Left L«R « Left C, Lege

4, Caverns -L + Down, AE oa Up le Right, R+ Up C, R +L +Up,L+LeftC,L+Up,R+LeftC — —

| Qude-LeRAUpC Lilet Ri

this well-hidden character, Officer Dick | 5 L LA C dues 2 must be unlocked first. Select Officer Down, L + Down, L + Up + Down, Enter all these d at {the Mission (0m Right, R+Up Gls LeftC, Re Rich

Dick as your character, then enter Select screen. Note: You'll need to hold — ' Career mode. When the game starts, the last button press to make the level — Enter all these codes at the Cheat menu. — Silver PP7 — L + Left, L + R 3

pause, then hold the L Button and press appear. Levels will only appear i ifthe level Note: You'll need to leave this menu and Right, L+ R + Up, L+ R + Left C L+R+ Left C, Down C, Right C, Down C, Up, | Reet -renter to make the cheats appear. You Left, L + R + Down, Down C, L + R + Right, Left. The screen will not shake — aC . may also need to hold the last button Right, L+ R + Left — — Ve

affer this is entered. Now, quit Career Fa ity-L+R+ - Up C, R * Lett C, L qm : mode. Begin again and Private Carrera Left, R+ UpC,L«Left Re Down C L+ — pere DN TAN und we .. Gold PP7 -L + R + Right, L+ R + Down, L- Up, L+R « Down, Up C, R + Up, L+

will replace Officer Dick on the Boarder — - Right C, R + Right, L + R«UpCLe | signal code completion. Select screen. Here are her special Right | iners fe s W, Upo, R Plight L "m dis L i Down, L + Down C. , moves: - Runway - L + R + Left, R + Left, w POTETE NITE oo ou | Well Hardflip — Right, Left, Left C CL + Left, R + Up C, R + Down C, R4 o oe L+R+Up,L+Down (locat unkn seen arg oy Somi Spin - Left, Down, Right C Right C, R + Right, L + Down, R + LeftC : : . . Ringwalds pee) v ~ DK Mode -L+ R + Up, RightC,R+Lef, 7 ~A surea dd Le Us qoe R + Up, Up, R + Right, Up, L+R +Down [- ENTER TO WIN! > L+ Right, L+ Right C, L+R + Down -n r ab js iu : ... Turbo Mode - L + Down LA Bow Bunker - L + Down C, R + Right, L4 du Right C, R + LeftC, L+ Down C Le Re — t Down, U RADA aee pe Le RightC, L+R+Up, R + Right C, _ + Down C, Up, R + Down, L + Right L«Up. : invincibility — R+ Left, L+ Down, Li

“Mister Disaster”

Webville, COM our codes si eese B choc

Enter the Options screen, and input these codes within the Enter Cheats sbo- Le Up, Bu Down ©. LaLe R: Up, Down, R + Left C, L+LettC, E: |

Bis Ball - BCHBLKTPTY Down L+ LeftC, L+R+ Right, L+Up Lef L+ R + Right, L+ Let C Small Players - TOMTHUMB OR: Right, | R+ Right, R + Right C . All Guns - Down, Left, Up C, Right Le

Trail Mode - WLDWLDWST Frigate- R + Up C, L+ Down, R + Right | o + Left L+ Ùp, Left C, Left, oo...

Fly Mode - FLYAWAY C,L+Left,L+R+Up,L+R+Downc, ~

Blackout Mode - WTOTL | Ay OR: ‘UP, L+ R t Down C, n Infinite Ammo -L + Left C, L+R + Right, Toe

Blur Mode - MYEYES Roc letC HeLet LoDownO Le | "The Rhino" .. R+Left, L+R + Down C, L + Up, Right C x Toledo, OH ___.__aiza.._._LC_i«iCi(WN¥y”._ Ba. ids. © Game Informer « June 2000

Cheat Mode - At the Press Start screen tap B, A, R Button (x2), A, Right C, Up, Down, A. As this is a little out of the ordinary, don’t expect to hear a sound when this is entered. Now, head to the Main menu and select Replay Mission. Press L Button to display all missions and R Button to select your team. During gameplay press the L and R Buttons to display debug info, or press Up, and the L and R Buttons to automatically win.

Don Baylor Chicago, IL

Enter all of these codes from the in- game pause screen. Correct code entry is signaled by a sound or through the restarting of the game.

All Vehicles — Up, Down, Z, R Button, Left, Up, Down, Left, Down (x2) Low Gravity - Z, R Button, Z, R Button, Down, R Button (x2), Right (x2), R Button Super Jump - Down, Up, Down, Z, Up (x3), R Button, Up, Z Super Speed - Z, Right, Down, Up, Down, R Button, Up, Down, Left, Up Super Grapple - R Button (x2), Right, Up, Z, Left, R Button, Z, Left, Up Heavy Rocket - Up, Right (x2), R Button, Right, R Button, Z, R Button (x2), Up Super Grab - Down, Left, Right, Z, Down, Right, Down (x3), Left Low Friction — Up, R Button (x2), Left, Z (x2), Down, Left, Up, Right Disable Cheats - Up, Z, Right, Up, Down, R Button, Up, Down (x2), Up

: "Big Mama V"

Louisiana Bayou

Enter all these codes as Player Names.

Unlock Starr - Retro Unlock Kimmi — Rapper Unlock Marvin - Ufo Unlock Festus — Golddgr Unlock Lil' Tiger — Prodigy Unlock Biker — Delvis Unlock Cindy - Instyle Unlock Bobby - Brat Unlock Mark — Marko Unlock TwFan — Cybertw Unlock EAGamer - Willi Unlock Robert - Ice Unlock Traci (Leopard Outfit) - Safari Unlock Bengal - Tigerrrr Volcano Course - Sthelens Sam Snead Sarasota, FL

ETE!

gan torn m av aU MEA HASSE

Play as Darth Maul - This may be next to impossible, but to unlock this Sith lord you'll need to beat the game with frail boned Qui-Gon Jinn. If and when this is completed, head to the Character Selection screen and highlight Qui-Gon. Now, press Select. Doing this will replace Qui-Gon's picture with Darth Maul’s. Sadly, Maul only has one of his saber's lit, but he's still a blast to play.

Play as Queen Amidala — Not quite as difficult as the Darth Maul code, Amidala is unlocked when the game is beaten with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Next, head to the Character Selection screen and highlight Obi-Wan. Now, press Select. Doing this will replace Obi-Wan's image with Amidala's. She's not a Jedi, therefore she shouldn't be in this game. But pegging off battle droids from a distance proves to be a joyous experience.

Play as Captain Panaka - Beat the game with Plo Koon and Mr. Panaka's bucket of butt kicking will rear its head. Next, head to the Character Selection screen and highlight Plo. Now, press Select. Doing this will replace Plo's image with Panaka's. Just like the Queen, this guy has no business in this game.

Hidden Levels — A whole slew of new challenges await, and if you're truly talented (and lucky) you'll have a chance to check out the well-hidden bonus levels. What you'll need to do could take years. Three of your characters must reach Level 10 with 100 Skill Points each. This feat will unlock Level 11 and 12. If you power-up all five characters, two additional levels will become available for play. One of these stages lets you play as a destroyer droid! Marcus Lands Pittsburgh, PA

Enter this code at the Password screen. To find the Password screen, head to the Main Menu and press Right on the Memory Card option.

All Tracks, Cars & Drivers - C9P5AU8NAA Kelly Gordon Trenton, NH

EDITI

All these feats must be completed in Season mode.

Willie McCovey - Hit three consecutive homers.

Hank Aaron - Hit four consecutive homers.

Mickey Mantle — Hit a homer over 575 feet.

Reggie Jackson - Hit an in-the-park home run.

Mike Schmidt - Hit two consecutive in-the-park home runs.

Jimmie Foxx - Hit a ground rule double.

Babe Ruth - Hit a homer with a pitcher.

Lou Gehrig — Hit for the cycle.

Ty Cobb - Hit two consecutive triples.

Satchel Page - Throw three consecutive strike outs.

Cy Young - Pitch a shutout.

Eddie Mathews - Perform a triple

play.

EA Sports Team - Enter the Single Game mode, then at the Team Selection screen press Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right. If entered correctly, the announcer will say "Triple Play Baseball."

Announcer Commentary

Enter all these codes during gameplay.

Weather — Hold L1, L2, R1, and R2, then press 3€, Down, A, Up. Historical — Hold L1, L2, R1, and R2, then press Up, A, Right, 6.

Trivia - Hold L1, L2, R1, and R2, then press Down, 3€, Right, 6. Batter Info — Hold L1, L2, R1, and R2, then press Left, W, Up, A.

Secrets All these feats must be completed in Season mode. Big Bats - Hit two homers in a game by the same player. Big Balls - Strike out nine consecutive batters. Flaming Ball - Strike out six consecutive batters. Skinny Players - Hit a homer with a player weighing under 160 pounds. Large Players — Hit a homer with a player weighing over 250 pounds. Thin Heads - Strike out six consecutive times. Stronger Arms - Get caught stealing more than twice in one game. Frank Castle New York, NY

Enter all these codes at the Name

Entry screen.

All Tracks - OPENROADS All Cars - SHOEBOXES Nicky Grist Drives - BACKSEAT Four Wheel Drive - TROLLEY Reversed Tracks - SKCART Night Tracks - NIGHTRIDER Jelly Car - BLANCMANGE Smoother Play - SILKYSMOOTH Wave Car - MAGFLOAT Rear Steering - FORKLIFT Euro View - WHITEBUNNY Mini Cars - DIDDYCARS Hover Mode - HOVERCRAFT Collision Detction - GHOSTRIDER Metal Cars - TINFOILED Fog - PEASOUPER Turbo - MOREOOMPH Big Jumps - KITCAR Faster Acceleration - BUTTONBASH Low G - MOONWALK High-Pitched Announcer - HELIUMNICK

Ombuguula Anandankye

Enter all these codes at the Press Start

Screen. All Characters — Left (x2), & (x2), L2, E, Right, R2

All Tracks - Left, Right, Left, Right, @ (x2), R1, MI

Max Player Status & Tricks - L1, E, Left (x2), R2, Left, R1, Left

View FMV - R2 (x2), L1, L2, L1, R1 (x3) All Boards - 6 (x2), i, 6, E (x2), @, R1

New Clothing — When selecting a

character, hold L1, L2, R1, or R2, then hit 3€.

Randolph Harrison

New Britain, KY

Game Informer « June 2000 Ó

JOOCEUY

meme e-

yor (nu £ +S WO

Secrets

Rockies Stage - On the first stage, Colorado Rockies, follow the mission until you come to the waterfall where you meet chance. Hang on the ledge overlooking the waterfall and drop into the cave. Grab the H11 to open the Rockies Multiplayer stage.

Caves Stage - In the Colorado Interstate 70 stage, run into the tunnel and enter the door to the left. Once inside the tunnel, run to the left, and enter the door. Grab the Binoculars to unlock the Caves Multiplayer stage.

Rhoemer's Bunker Stage - In the Moscow Streets level, follow the mission until you jump and grab a pole to avoid two speeding cars. After the cars crash, turn around and search them to find the PK-102. This will also open the Bunker Multiplayer stage.

Aljir Prison — This level can only be unlocked in Mission 15: Aljir Prison Break-In. Trek across the entire level without using the crossbow and this level will be added to your multiplayer arsenal.

D.C. City Park - This level can only be uhlocked in Mission 19: New York Slums. When you enter the sniper building, search the washing machines to unlock this killer multiplayer arena.

Moscow Club 32 - This level can only be unlocked in Mission 11: Moscow Club 32. Nail all three guards that enter the disco room before they start throwing grenades and you and a friend can reenact Saturday Night Fever deathmatch style.

Wacky Multiplayer Characters - To unlock a bag lady, CBDC agent, corpse, monk, and viral test subject, simply beat McKenzie Airbase Interior in under three minutes. You can unlock even more characters by beating C-130 Wreck Site in under three minutes as well.

Bonus Videos After unlocking these videos, you'll need to input the Movie Theater Code.

Video 1 - Beating Mission 5 (McKenzie Airbase Exterior) on the hard difficulty will unlock the first bonus video entitled "Before and After I."

Video 2 — Beating Mission 10 (Morgan) on the hard difficulty will unlock the second bonus video entitled "Before and After II."

Game Informer « June 2000

Video 3 - Beating Mission 16 (Aljir Prison Escape) on the hard difficulty will unlock the bonus video entitled "Deleted Scenes."

Video 4 - Beating the game on the hard difficulty will unlock the bonus video entitled "Congratulations! Party Time!"

End Level - During gameplay, pause, then highlight the Map option and hold L2, R2, Right, @, W, 3€. After hearing a buzzer, enter the Options to find the newly added Cheat menu.

Movie Theater 1 & 2 - During gameplay, pause, then highlight the Briefing option and hold Right, L1, R2, %, @. After hearing a buzzer, enter the Options to find the newly added Cheat menu.

Level Select & Movie Theater 1 & 2 - This code may seem obscure, but it does work. First, enter a two-player game. Make Lian Xing the first player, and Agency Operative as the second player. Make sure the game is set to 10 points and the stage is the Abandoned Bank. Now, enter the game and have Lian Xing take down the second player with seven headshots, one knife slit, and two regular kills. After the match is over, back out to the Main Menu and enter the one-player game. Talk to the Gl next to the fire, then scale the hill and talk to the GI on the ledge. After this, head to the left of the cave and grab the M-16 from the Ammo case. From here, pause the game, then enter options to find your newly added cheats.

Super Agent Mode - During gameplay, pause, then highlight the Weaponry option and hold Select, L2, @, B, and * (in this order). After hearing a buzzer, enter the Options to find the newly added Cheat menu.

Expert Mode - At the Title screen, highlight one-player, then simultaneously press and hold Up, L1, R2, e, *, E, and Select. Note: This must be done perfectly, otherwise it will begin the game. A frustrating code indeed.

Mission Select - Successfully

complete the game on the normal

difficulty setting to unlock the level select option.

James Jefferson

Seattle, WA

om “ome meme Ld

WHI

Linear Launcher - In the Battle mode,

score an A ranking with Claire, Steve,

Chris, and Wesker to unlock the Linear |

Launcher.

Rocket Launcher - This feat will be impossible for most, but it does work.

the first Item Box.

Albert Wesker - To unlock this mean | man, simply complete Battle mode with |

Chris Redfield.

Steve Burnside - In the main game, | when you come to the underground | save room (with Chris), complete the | drawer puzzle in the corner. Grab the |

Gold Luger to unlock Steve.

Battle Mode - Simply beat the game | on any difficulty setting to unlock the | action-heavy Battle mode. To play this | game in first-person, pick up Alfred's |

sniper rifle that he drops in Disc 2.

Orlando Williams | San Antonio, TX |

Slo Mo - With Max the dog as your | character, Hold the R Button and tap | Up (x4). The words “Slo Mo” will shoot | across the screen and the game will :

chug.

Fart Code - With the Doctor as your | character, simultaneously press the L | and R Button, Left (on the d-pad), and |

A. Let her rip!

Jeremy Valenzula | Iris, OR |

Enter all these codes from the in-game Pause screen.

99 Raymen - A, Right, B, Up, A, Left, B, Down, A, Right, B, Up, A, Left, B Full Energy - B, Right, A, Up, B, Left, A, Down, B, Right World Map — A, Left, A, Left, A, B, Right, B, Up, B, A, Left, A, Down, A

"Daddy Fat Sax"

Memphis, TN

Enter both these codes at the Password menu.

Chapter 5 — Heart, Skull, Spawn, Spawn Chapter 7 - Skull, Spawn, Spawn, Heart "Virtual Gap Boy 2001"

Phoenix, AZ

Challenge Sebulba — Complete all four races on a planet, and Sebulba will become available on any of the four courses. If you win, you'll unlock his killer pod.

Faster Anakin - Complete all five

planets and Anakin's max speed will increase to 735.

Sam lam

Ploto Goto, IL

Here’s a listing of how to get a few of Dragon Warrior Monsters’ most powerful critters.

DragonLord - Breed together a Great Drak with a Servant (pedigree) to unlock the original NES DragonLord.

Gophecada - Breed together a Madcat

with a Giantslug, and you will receive a Gophecada egg. Pay to have it hatch.

"The Kramer Gamer"

White Fish, MT

Enter this code at the Password screen. Stage Select - BG65

"Mr. Monday Night" Fargo, ND

NUUS

Enable Code - f124ffa0 2400

Place 1st - 812c4c96 0001

Infinite Turbo — 802c4c9d OOff

All Tracks — 812b5c94 0101 812b5c96 0101 812b5c98 0101 812b5c9a 0101 812b5c9c 0101 812b5c9e 0101 812b5ca0 0101

All Boats — 812b5ca2 0101 812b5ca4 0101 812b5ca6 0101 812b5ca8 0101 812b5caa 0101 812b5cac 0101 812b5cae 0101

Army Men: World War

All Levels (After First Save) — 800f7ad8 0002 800f7adc 0006

Infinite Health — 800feb7c 0250

Infinite Health (PT Boat) — 800feca0 1710

Infinite Health (Jeep) — 800ff80814b0

Infinite Health (Tank) — 800ffa50 ead0

Infinite Health (Train) — 80100c901ff0

Infinite Grenades — 80018998 0909

Infinite Bazooka/Mortar — 800f899a 0909

Infinite Flamethrower/Auto Rifle — 800f899c 0909

Galerians 2

Infinite Health — 801c2f9c 00c8

Psychic Level Maxed — 301af994 0003

Infinite Nalcon PPEC - 801af978 00c8

Infinite Red PPEC - 801af97c 00c8

Infinite D-Felon PPEC - 801af980 00c8

D-Felon Ability — 801af9ae ffff

lpf

/ A,

ul hints * passwotr

gies * helpful

The codes below only work with Interact's GameShark enhancer attachment

Front Mission 3

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: Body - 801e4fd2 03e9 801e4fd4 01dd

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: L.Arm - 80165032 03e9 80165034 0246

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: R.Arm - 80165062 03e9 80165064 0246

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: Leg - 80165002 03e9 80165004 0207

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: Body - 8016523e 03e9 80165240 01dd

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: L.Arm - 8016529e 03e9 801e52a0 0246

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: R.Arm - 801e52ce 03e9 801e52do 0246

Shunyo MK111 Max HP: Leg - 8016526e 03e9 80165270 0207

Zenislev Max HP: Body - 80112016 03e9 80112018 03e9

Zenislev Max HP: L.Arm — 80112016 03e9 801123078 0369

Zenislev Max HP: R.Arm - 8011a0a6 0369 8011a0a8 03e9

Zenislev Max HP: Leg - 80112046 0369 80112048 03e9

Kyojun MK107 Max HP: Body - 8011a4ee 03e9 8011a4f0 0369

Kyojun MK107 Max HP: L.Arm - 8011a54e 03e9 80112550 03e9

Kyojun MK107 Max HP: R.Arm - 8011a57e 03e9 80112580 03e9

Kyojun MK107 Max HP: Leg - 8011a51e 03e9 80112520 03e9

Drake M2C Max HP: Body - 80112282 03e9 80112284 03e9

Drake M2C Max HP: L.Arm - 8011a2e2 03e9 8011a2e4 03e9

Drake M2C Max HP: R.Arm - 80112312 03e9 8011a314 0369

Drake M2C Max HP: Leg - 8011a2b2 03e9 8011a2b4 03e9

Qm Core: Master of Arena

Note: These codes are very touchy and may not work at all times. Be warned, when activated, you may lose all of your saved game data.

Infinite Health — 800b240c 0064

Infinite Force — 800b2414 0064

Infinite Health (Player 2) — 800b2428 0064

Infinite Force (Player 2) — 800b2430 0064

Infinite Credits — 800b2404 0000

Max Score - 800b2408 05f5 800b240a eOff

Infinite Jedi Jumps — d409d094 0020 8009d094 0004

Infinite Health (Anakin) — 800b247c 0064

All Secret Levels — 800ad29c 000f

Hidden Characters — d40b2cbc 0100 800b2cbc 0001 (Press Select on Plo, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan to unlock Maul, Amidala, and Panaka)

All Levels (Plo Koon) - 50000201 0000 300b2675 0001

All Levels (Qui-Gon Jinn) - 50000201 0000 300b2619 0001

All Levels (Darth Maul) — 50000201 0000 300b2694 0001

All Levels (Mace Windu) - 50000201 0000 300b2637 0001

All Levels (Obi-Wan Kenobi) - 50000a01 0000 300b25f9 0001

Max Credits — 8003ea74 eff 8003ea76 05f5

Infinite AP - d007afd8 0168 801e73b0 9c3b

Infinite Small Missiles — 800454be 0028

Infinite Rifle — 80045480 00c8

Codes found in this issue:

All-Star Baseball 2001 .......................... iN Armored Core: Master of Arena............ L Army Men: World War ......................... æ% Colin McRae Rally ............................... p Command & Conquer 64 ..................... oy UVBOr TIGOT odiis R ORS E Dragon Warrior Monsters ...................... a Front Mission J. oiiire L Galenans E eN E E A E GoldenEye.007. iie E Hydro Thunder cities je Matchbox Caterpillar Construction ........ a MDK2 o pe Oe deer © NASCAR Rumble ............................. 2 Rayman cosi Celi aded E Resident Evil Code: Veronica................ © Rocket: Robot On Wheels .................... E Spawn Lc AR AGO MN AN de | Star Wars: Episode | Racer ................. | Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles .............. B Street SKOOD ss d ehini 2 Syphon.Filtet 2... eet A Tony Hawk's Pro Skater ........................ sN Triple Play 2001. 5o oer 2

ama

These lines may not have information for all titles. If you're under 18 be sure to get your parent's permission. All calls cost between $.95 and $1.25 per minute.

Acclaim 516-759-7800 Activision 1-900-680-HINT Capcom 900-976-3343 Eldos 1-900-773-4367 Electronic Arts 900-288-4468 GT Interactive 900-225-5248 Konami 900-896-4468 LucasArts 900-740-5334 Midway 903-874-5092

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1-900-200-SEGA Sony 900-933-7669 Square Soft 900-407-KLUE(5583) THQ 900-370-4468

Game Informer « June 2000

aming feom the past to the present

| Access Tip: To earn an extra life at the end of a | level, grab all the red plungers you see and destroy | all the red blobs that cross your path. Also, fart, |. burp, and flick as much as you possibly can.

: Overall:

ociety may be. ‘down on " but we “ a acis PUO believe picking boogers is a natural thing. As natural as coughing. If "s w breathing is hampered by a boogie woogie and there is no Kleenex around, what are you going to do? Leave it and suffocate? We say pick it! Also, if you’re hungry, eat the darn thing! Mmmm...tastes like a salty gummy bear. Anyway, Interplay's conceptual masterpiece, Boogerman, is a celebration of all things crude and rude. Flicking boogers, farting on enemies, and even hocking a loo- gie are the fundamentals that bring to life this bizarre package. Unfortunately, these grotesque antics didn't add up to much, since the gameplay was incredi- bly monotonous. He's a great looking character who should have had a promis- ing future, but due to poor sales and a notso-notable appearance in Clay Fighter, Boogerman is now just a crusty, dried up piece of snot.

The Punisher

Availability: Uncommon Geaesis Replay Value: Moderately Low

Similar Games: Double Dragon Series (NES, SNES, SG); Final Fight Series (SNES); Streets of Rage Series (SG)

Created by: Capcom

Access Tip: When you get into a tight situa- tion, use the jump kick to knock the opposi- tion away. Overall:

e doesn't transform into a rampag-

ing green giant when he gets angry.

He doesn't ride a galactic surfboard across the Milky Way. He doesn't even wear a cape. Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, has no powers. He’s just an angry man who needs to vent his rage at life. Call him psychotic if you like, but never bad-mouth him, or you may end up dead. To commemorate the return of The Punisher as a monthly Marvel Comic, we've pulled Capcom's side-scrolling flop out of the closet. Unlike his ultra cool (and abusive) comic persona, Frank is a serious wuss in the game - one who opts to use his fists instead of a firearm. Say what?! Just like Capcom’s other arcade title, Final Fight, The Punisher is a side-scrolling brawler that tosses endless streams of enemies at the player. With poor con- trols, a slim move list, and choppy graphics, The Punisher was not warmly accepted by the gaming nation. Actually, he was spat on and kicked to death. Poor Frankie...

Availability: Uncommon : Replay Value: Low DEUS i Similar Games: Ghen War (SS); Doom (PS-X, SS, ! Created by: Jumpin’ Jack Software for Sega

| the movie. | Overall:

Availability: Common Replay Value: Moderate

Similar Games: Toshinden Series (PS-X, SS); Rise of the Robots Series (SG, SNES, SS, PS-X) Created by: Zoom for Time Warner Interactive Access Tip: Tiny Phalanx - With the PlayStation power off, grab controller two and hold Select and Start. While still holding this combo, turn on the PlayStation and continue holding Start and Select until the Zoom logo appears and disappears. Overall:

long time ago, in a video game indus-

try far, far away, a promising developer

named Time Warner Interactive did everything in its power to win over the hearts of fighting game fanatics. Investing all of its cash into the prehistoric fight- er, Primal Rage, a game that looked cool but ultimately sucked, Time Warner found itself sinking in a tar pit. Instead of lending a hand to pull this company out of its death trap, the industry watched it die; and as it sunk, we yelled, "Good rid- dance!" Before Time Warner vanished, it released a PlayStation game entitled Zero Divide. Developed in Japan by Zoom, this fighter was actually quite amus- ing. Its combat was a tad clunky, but the difficulty was good, and the secrets were divine. You could unlock an awesome Phalanx minigame, time-released charac- ters, and even hidden comic strips. A sequel was eventually forged, but without Time Warner to publish, the robotic follow-up remained a Japanese secret.

SNES), Powerslave (SS, PS-X)

Access Tip: Run from this game like you did

‘hrough. mountains of letters. and email, you annoying Sega lovin’ wee nies continually remind us that Sega's games are perfect, never once dis- appointing. Well then...how the hell do you

explain Congo? Based on the film that ripped to shreds Michael Crichton's best-selling novel, Congo will forever be one of the worst licensed games ever made. Just being in the same room as this Sega title gives us shivers. Playing it is an excruciating experience and a complete waste of life. We'd rather scrub toilets for a living. Using state of the art 2D sprite enemies set in a choppy 3D world, Congo pits the player against large spiders, wooden totem poles that shoot fire, and even lizards with enormous tongues. Later in the game, evil apes await. Oh boy. If you have a friend who is head over heels in love with Sega, show them this review, then point and laugh at them until they cry.

Q Game Informer * June 2000

This i5 Your Jams On The blink.

ANY Q

Dust and dirt can damage your game system. The result? Poor picture quality, fuzzy sound and slow or "buggy" game play. Cleaning your system and games regularly will maintain high quality gaming and ensure a longer product life. Players Edge cleaning kits will keep you and your system in the game.

NOHITOS SRINTTA

e]

Game maintenance products available from Player's Edge:

Cleaning Kits for: NINTENDO? 64 e SUPER NINTENDO? * NINTENDO? « SEGA" GENESIS" e GAME BOY? * GAME GEAR" e MULTIMEDIA & GAME CDs

Available at FuncolLand

PLAYER'S © 1997 Player's Edge. Player's Edge is a trademark of InterAct Accessories, Inc. InterAct Accessories is a trademark of STD Manufacturing LTD. BRE, TA =" Wipeout, Wipeout XL and Psygnosis are trademarks of Psygnosis. © 1996 Psygnosis Ltd. Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo, Nintendo and Game Boy [I Æ |

are trademarks of Nintendo of America, Inc. Sega Genesis and Game Gear are trademarks of Sega Enterprises Ltd.

ADD iS e PERIPt RAL SS SPIN-OFFS » STUF DVO . ADD-ONS « PERIPHERAL TTAR: a n 2 1 3c ‘ se

RX150 Racing Wheel Chrono Cross Resin Statues

Manufacturer: Saitek Manufacturer: Palisades Marketing List Price: $59.95 List Price: $74.95

Driving games on the PlayStation can just about simulate every road experience except having a foxy honey at your side. The RX150 won't get you any dates down at the malt shop, but it will get you a lot closer to the reality of piloting a hot rod yp.

down the sunset strip. If noth- ji c ing else, its six buttons, d-pad, two gear shift switches, gas and brake pedals, desk clamp, and rumble feedback will impress your other single friends - and you can "practice kiss" them between laps.

Pokémon Origami 2 Manufacturer: Viz List Price: $8.95

If ever there was proof that the Pokémon mer- chandising machine is running out of gas, here it is. Behold! The ancient Japanese art of paper

folding in pocket mon- ster form. If you're about three and bored out of your mind, maybe...Ahhh; who are we trying to kid? We admit it! For some reason this is fun. What, like we're less- er men because we can find enjoyment in creas- ing colored paper? You think you're tough or something? You want tough, try folding an Oddish. Yeah, that's what we thought, ya origami pansy.

Game & Video Selector Manufacturer: Sony List Price: $19.99

With plenty of last-generation consoles still float- ing around, current-generation systems - being sold for a song, and next-genera- tion platforms on the way, a multi- ple console household is about as common as a multiple television

one. Hather than fussing with cables every time you want to

swap systems, you should

pick up a switch box like this one from Sony. With it, you and your couch will be able to spend just that much more quality time together.

® Game Informer e June 2000

Color Jolt Pad

Manufacturer: Innovation List Price: $39.99

Here's a good idea that could have been better. This Dreamcast controller has a jump pack built into it, but it also has one less expansion slot. Save a slot, lose a slot apparently. If you're really paranoid that people are out to steal your controller accessories, this is the device for you.

THE OFFICIAL

PLAYER'S GUIDE

Visit us @ www.funcoland.com

Limit one per customer. Quantities are limited. Quantities and product selection vary by store. Prices and offers expire June 30, 2000. Manufacturer reserves the right to delay game title at their discretion. Nintendo 64, “N” logo, Game Boy, Pokemon and Nintendo are registered trademarks of Nintendo of America. © 2000 Funco, Inc. FuncoLand is a registered trademark of Funco, Inc. All rights reserved.

Now the most chilling game series of all time awaits you on Sega Dreamcast." Resident Evil Code: Veronica delivers a terrifying new chapter in «survival horror. Frightening Ly realistic. Graphically astonishing- Relentlessly ten^rftwinge It's two disks ef t007 pure “fear. And it's all so real, you'Lli-*statt sleeping. with’ ’the

lights otm:

MATURE Animated Violence

Animated Blood

apo Sega@ Dream¢e

CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LT e either registed trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises

ODE: VERONICA Dn is a trademark of

e

FTN —

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