FREE! WtiMaM, 15-Page Arcade ProStrategy Guide Tekken 2 Special Moves S Hidden Characters WrS^vM^^ Hot Strategies • Mortal Kombat 3 Kodes! • Chrono Trigger Endings! ofMmM .w 74470 6 94 itArtlstl (Saturn) 'v P inatchemei^m J Sega Rally Clr^plmsm^ 1 ;^ BattidArdna Wuka0i SobiwivW ^ , SkirtS\«k GftWEWt lDIZEC7G27Q3m03j!7 PlayStation <7 Manufacturing Manager Cathy Theroux Manulacturing Specialists JIM McWilliams Lynn Luis Circulation Manager Marcia Newlin newsstand Sales Manager BillHoran Newsstand Speciaiisi Donna J. 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Change ol Addrns: Pleasa send oM laM and new address lo GAMEPRO. P.O. Bon 55527, Boutder, CO 80322-5527. Foreign and Canadian orders must be pre- paid m U& dollars on a U.S. bank and must Include S3Cvyear addidonal postage. Cenadian GSTA 131 304 347 . THE REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN! STOP THE NEW ORDER NATION! ;WHERE YOU GO FROM H0)E IS UR TO YOU!*: FREE THECAPT‘VkS! JOIN THE REVOLUTlONl f Music is the weapon! It's you against NON# ' the Mew Order Nation! The #1 argade ^hoot 'em up smash of the. season hits home on the formats! jmam ffli? 2ES ' 4'v^ES Nintendo Mortal Kombat...The Artist 34 The GomeMakers: John Tobins Are you pbnning lo create the next Mortal Kombot? John Tc^ias explains bow he creoted the first one! 40 ' iip in the ^hinfc Quse ' A look inside Ninllf^S ifiink tank for hot new gomes 46 At Home with the Away Team Sega's top Saturn game designers share their secrets Climb Into Nintendo's gme^naklng lab with prefect leaders Dan Owsen and Kea Lobb. Page 40. VwAway Team creates Sega’s Saturn games. Page 4S. 140 Your ultimate source for the best strategies, codes, techniques, and tips. Now you'll find GomePro's ProStrategy Guides, Fighter's Edge, SWATPro, and more -all in one great section. Chrono Trigger Strategy Guide Explore 1 1 endings for Chrono Trigger (SNES), courtesy of Role-Player's Realm. Poge 13d. Tekken 2 Fighter's Edge Special ProStrategy Guide (Arcade) I The Fighter's Edge presents special moves and ten-hit combos for each fighter in T^en 2. Also, learn to pfoy as the hidden drarocters! SWATPro Mortal Kesnbot 3 codes and other secr^ weapons, tricks, and tactics Cov«r dolmEstu P&wm' to Perform BOSS YOUR GAMES WITH NAKI POWER You don^t have to take it anymore! Games that last too long. Games that interrupt your favorite TV show. Now you'll rule with NAKI's GameSaver Plus™ for Super Nintendo®’. The gamer's only backup system that saves any game. Any time. Any place. Anywhere. Not just on any level, but at the exact point you choose. Savor the action, Or return later to pick up where you left off. Even days later. NAKI's supersmart software technology does it all at your command. Even at half-speed with no sound or picture distortion. Remember, you give the orders after all! NAKI GameSaver Plus™ for Super Nintendo®. Turbo Control programmable for SNES* & Genesis*’ Pro Fighter 6 programmable for SNES* & Genesis*’ Cool Screens replacement screens for Gamebo^’ Power Pod for Saturn* & 3D0** Moster Switch 4-way universal Cor Power H^rSfotion 74 Loaded 76 Worhowk 78 DefconS 80 Off-WorW Interceptor Extreme 80 Sheet Fighter Tlw Movie 82 Kileok: The DNA Imperofive 82 NBA Jam Tournament Edition 116 98 Genesis 90 S^rotion Anxiety 92 Toy Story Super NES 98 Separation Anxiety 100 Boogerman 100 Sid Meier's CMlization Jaguar y^' 106 Pitfoli; The Mayan Adventure 106 Highbnder: The Animated Series 108 Neo*Geo 108 Aero Fighters 3 108 Voltage Fighter Gowcoiser 110 SuperGoMeBoy no ShoqFu no DebrKlerar)d Joust 112 Game Gear 112 Sonic Labyrinth 112 Garheld Sports Pages 116 World Series Baseball (Saturn) 117 Quorterbock Attack (Saturn) 118 College Football's N^onal Chamf^sKip II (Genesis) 118 NBAGive'NGo(SNES) 120 PGA Tour '96 (Super Game Boy) 120 PGA Tour '96 (Game Gear) 1 22 Intemafional Superstar Soccer Deluxe (SNES) 1 22 Frank Thomas "Big Hurt'' Baseball (Genesis) 124 NFL GorneDoy (PlayStation) 125 NFLQuarterbakClub'96 (Genesis) 126 Tecmo Super Bo«vl III Final Editioi! (Genesis) 126 Preview NFL Full Contact (PlayStation ond Saturn) 1 28 Preview; Modden NFL '96 (PloySation) 132 102 3D0 102 Wollenstein 3D 104 Killing Time Role-PIo] 132 Breath of Fire II (SNES) 134 Discworld (PfoyStation) 136 Chrono Trigger Strategy Guide (SNES): 1 1 Endings 138 Light Crusader (G^tesis) 16 Lotter from the GamePros 16 The Mail 17 GomePro Gallery 18 Buyers Beware A consumer hotline! 22 ProNews Shadows of the Empire and Killer InsHnct lead the U.S. charge lor the Ultra 64. 26 GomePro Online Game inlb from AOL and the Internet 28 The Cutting Edge Vedorman: Upgroding Genesis grophb 30 GomePro Labs Pro Action Replay (Saturn), Eclipse Stick (Saturn), and the Advanced Controller (PlaySlation) 52 Overseas ProSpects The PlayStation Expo, Snatcher Returns, and more! 54 Short ProShots Previews of Sega Roily Championship, Revolution X, Uex, Mi-Udane, and more! 62 ssmsPS'D died out the top 25 PC games of '95! 72 Hot at the Arcades Rail Chase 21 Slam ‘N Jam ‘96 by Crystal Dynarrics Worldwide Soccer" by Sega Sports Pebble Beach"' Golf Links by Sega Sports Quarterback Attack ‘96' by Digital Pictures Center Rin^ Boxing NFL Quarterback Club ‘96 NBA Jam TE' Daytona USA' by Sega Sports X 'mm IS THAT ALL YOU EUER THINK ABOUT? COOL SEGA SATURN IS THE ULTIMATE SPURTS MACHINE FUR YOUR UNE-TRACK MIND. Forget THE satellite dish. To get the games YOU REALLY WANT, YOU JUST NEED SEGA Saturn. 17 adrenaline-jacking games IN SEVEN DIFFERENT SPORTS, INCLUDING SIX INTENSELY AUTHENTIC, EXCLUSIVE SEGA Saturn titles you can’t play anywhere ELSE l The sports experience is so real, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to Saturn! So get your nose out of this MAGAZINE AND GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME! A LITTLE TOO REAL SI14 l‘Ue>ne»USaSIVin««Sinrm|iiv,ll CHI'm-UI-KUinCanidateiasmiilM/rKwaMlI MmnMmu Into >-8oo-5ee-satum amaii. segaaatumUsepoa.com ht(p://www, segaoa.com CompuStrvt GO SEGA. Play for gold! Hidden among the many torrid ^ ^ levels of Cutthroat Island are five real treasure chests! Find them.. .if you dare! Then correctly answer three sweepstakes questions to be eligible for the drawing, and you could sail away with one of a treasure trove of prizes! The streets are crawling Behold the treasure of with barbarous Buccaneers! Cutthroat Island "! Sharpen vour long swords for the ultimate high seas battle! in plundering two-player action, team up as Morgan and Shaw to uncover a treasure trove of priceless gems and gold bullion! Battle bloodthirsty pirates with knives, pistols and flaming torches! Chart your course through the treach- erous locales, but think twice before you loave-a new world may await upon your return! And rcmember...dead men tell no tales on Cutthroat Island '! Watch your backs with cooperative two-player action! Battle atop a runaway carriage! "If your opponent doesn't idU you, the road win." ^ Wkat's next? Its the^tult-melting, h;a^to-lleall (split screen) combat race ^ame with mini ^uns. Hissile launchers. And a track that morphs in real time to create crevices, barriers, and curves. Just hop in your hovercraft (6 to choose from) and hit the road (9 to choose from). But beware. It'll hit hack. OCTANE THE TRACK FIGHTS BACK PLAYSTATION SEGA SATURN P C ■ C D lmp;//www.M.(om/liiilll(o^.htiiil(tDt mMiitoniidiion) So Many Gamas. So Little Space fact: There are always more games to preview and review each month than magazines can fit into their pages. Fact; Many games are of no interest to many readers. Dilemma: Should CamePro try to preview and review every single new game that's made for every single system? Or should we devote our precious pages to a smaller number of games with larger mass appeal? In other words, goodbye Barney's Hide and Seek Came ProReview, and hello extra Killer Instinct coverage. It's not an easy problem to solve because we know in ad- vance we can’t please everyone. If you own a CD-i, and Philips finally releases a new game for that troubled system, you want to know all about it and whether other titles are coming soon. You’ve been waiting a long time for some attention, so you're entitled. Conversely, if you're a Mortal Maniac, you couldn’t care less about the CD-i, the Neo«Ceo CD, the Jaguar CD, or any of the other lesser-known systems or games. All you want is MK, MK, and more MK. MKPro magazine sounds pretty good to you. So far CamePro has tried to cover all the titles - good or bad - for all the video game systems. We were still reviewing NES and Lynx titles, remember, when those dying systems were on life support, and we’ve started covering Neo'Ceo CD games even though relatively few people own this new unit. To us, the video gaming universe is a vast space sparkling with a wide variety of stars, big and small: Our Job is to show you as many of those stars as we can so that you can go anywhere you want, not to just a few of the most popular destinations. Until enough of you tell us otherwise, we still intend to preview and review as many games for all systems as possible. It’s a big universe out there, and somebody’s gotta be the map. The GamePros the-mail.gamepro@iftw.com San Mateo, CA S o many systems, so many games.. .and so little space. T PThat’s a video game maga- zine’s endless dilemma, as identified by reader Kevin Flint. W hy do you use space in your magazine for pre- views of Neo'Ceo and Neo*Ceo CD games? Who ac- tually owns either of these systems? You could use that space to preview games for I the systems that people actu- I ally have, such as the Genesis, I SNES, Saturn, and PlayStation. Kevin Flint ! Salem, NY Toxic Tommy replies: Good question, but we think • we have a good answer. Read I our adjacent editorial for an explanation of our coverage. Company Wars ■ am very outraged that the Saturn will not have Mortal I Kombat 3 like all the other I systems until much later. I With all the money that Sega P has, why didn’t it purchase I the rights to the game for its I new system? If it is coming I out for the Genesis, why not [ the Saturn? Jared DeLuca Alpharetta, CA Quick-Draw McCraw replies: We posed Jared's question to Sega spokesperson Terry Tang. Brace yourselves, Sony: “Sony paid $12 million for a six-month exclusive; in the meantime Williams will be working on a Saturn version that will include all of the fea- tures found In the 'extreme' version of MK 3, plus other ‘special features.’ The Saturn version will be worth waiting for. Sony paid ridiculous amounts for exclusives, but eventually all the best games will be on the Saturn, and the PlayStation will never have any version of Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop, or any of our other arcade blockbusters." W hy can’t video game companies Just get along? If companies like Sega and Nintendo teamed up to make a version of Sonic for the SNES or Donkey Kong Country for the Genesis, both companies would probably make a huge profit. If team- ups like this were to happen, the video game industry would always be around, and so would the 16-bit systems. Austin Vedder Internet Andromeda replies: Maybe that could happen in a perfea world, but not in this one. It's like Pepsi and Coca- Cola teaming up to make a single soft drink - it won't happen because neither com- pany wants to help the other; they would rather drive them out of business. Fierce rivals like Sega and Nintendo are too competitive to ever team up for what could be some fasci- nating games. Sonic sequels from Nintendo? Not very likely. 16 GAMEPRI JaRuiry 19BB Cart Queries I n your September 1995 issue you have a ProStrategy Guide on Primal Rage. Under Chaos, you show the Golden Shower finishing move. We tried this move for over an hour, and every time, we would get the music that means you did the finishing move correctly. But Chaos just beat his chest and a circle with a slash through it ap- peared. Doesn't the move work? Michael Pirone & Dave Cilia Internet Captain Squideo r^iiesi The move does work on the SNES - the fact that you hear the correa music proves that you’ve done it right. Unfortu- nately, you can't see the pre- ferr^ screen anymore. A Time Warner Interactive spokesper- son told us that Nintendo took it out of the SNES game at the last minute and replaced it with the screen you now see. The move is there - it's the screen that's different. You have to play the Genesis game to see the complete graphics. This sho¥\ter acOon Isn’t In the SNES version of Primal Rage. intendo tells us that the Ultra 64 will cost less than the other next-generation systems, but how come they never discuss the prices of the games? Could it be that they'll cost a lot more than the CDs for the Saturn and PlayStation? J.K. Pace Tempe, AZ Bro’ Buzz replies: That's a fair question, and no- body knows the answer yet. A Nintendo spokesperson assures us that prices of the games will be "competitive." Still, you have to wonder how expensive the/ll be because Nintendo's been hinting at some games with huge memory and typi- cally games with extra megs and special chips cost more (remember Virtua Racing for the Genesis for $100?). ■ enjoyed and still have Sonic the Hedgehog for my Gene- sis. I would like to know what you rated it when it came out. “FroshZ” Internet Doctor Devon replies: Sonic was on the cover of our June '91 issue and scored these ratings inside (back then the Control category was called Cameplay): Racin’ to the end of Unlracers. M y friend and I have re- cently beaten Uniracers for the SNES, and we were wondering what one of the ending screens means. It’s the one that says “Who Dunnit" and shows a picture of unicydes with human heads on them where the seats would be. Greg Merchlinsky Internet Air Hendrix replies: According to a Nintendo spokesperson, those heads belong to the programmers at DMA Design, the software com- pany that created the game. Pick of the Month Arlington Beethoven Cna, Haverstraw, NY E-mall us your comments through America Online or at this Internet address: Peter Che, Newton, MA PRIZE This month's winning artist will receive a GAMEPRO my »e,osieV ' your suggestions to: Dear Editor P-O.SOX5S2S I Son Mateo, CA 94402 /’•“'//oft aii letters “"“o-tuoil messages, onim relies to your letter e-mails. GAMEPRO Jienary 188B 17 By The Watch Dog / The Watch Dog is in the house, ringing in the new year with a new batch of complaints about Batman Forever and Mortal Kombat 3. Father Time never had it so ruff! Q What’s with the " utility belt in Bat- * man Forever for the SNES? Many belt weapons and their names don’t match those in the manual, and most of the belt weapons In the game don't function with their assigned buttons {for instance, the Batarang for each character). When I press Down, Forward, and Button B, Robin shoots something at the ground, but this combination of buttons isn’t found in the manual. Why? Kevin Kuntz, Las Vegas, NV Hi^ tout-ups! Atom and Eve Q With regard to the Saturn, what’s the difference between X-Men: Children of the Atom by Acclaim * and X-Men: Children of the Atom by Capcom? Karash Kashanian, Queens, NY The Watch Dog replies: - Only the publisher of the game. Capcom is the — — - developer of Children ofthe Atom, but Acclaim will distribute the home versions for the Saturn and PlayStation. The same applies for Street Fighter: The Movie. The original arcade version was made by Capcom, but the home versions were dis- tributed by Acclaim. A A representative from Acclaim’s Consumer Service Department states: ■ There were a few misprints in the manual. For the Batarang, press Down, Forward, and Button A. A The Watch Dog states: - Shame on you. Acclaim! If there were misprints, t you should offer an updated manual at no charge to consumers who bought the game. Now every time someone needs the correct button assignments, they have to call your expensive consumer line! Q i bought Mortal Kombat 3 for my Genesis and tried * the Ultimate Kombat Kode from your August issue, * but it was too long to fit in the code box. The code is ten spaces long, but the Genesis code box has only six spaces. What gives? Scott Hewitt, Livermore, CA A Major Mike answers: - The Ultimate Kombat Kode you reference ('The ■ Fighter’s Edge," August ’95) was strictly for the arcade version. We ran another Ultimate Kombat Kode for the PlayStation CSWATPro," December ’95), but we haven't yet pub- lished an Ultimate Kombat Kode for the Genesis or SNES. In this issue's “SWATPro," we run other codes that achieve the same effects on the SNES as the Ultimate Kombat Kode. Look for simi- lar Genesis codes next month. Q When! set the options to "All" in * Mortal Kombat 3 for the PlayStation, the game freezes as ShangTsung morphs. What’s going on? Is my copy bugged out? Should 1 return it? The Tseng never rises. Brian Skieff, Long Beach, CA A The Watch Dog responds: ® If you return it, you’ll find that your next copy does ■ the exact same thing. A programming error causes the game to freeze for about five seconds when Shang Tsung first morphs, and for another four seconds when you morph back into Shang Tsung. If your game freezes permanently (locks up so you can't play at all after the wait), you should return your copy. CamePro, listening is what we do best. When you have a problem with a product or feel you've been ripped off, we want to know. If you have a complaint about a produa, write to: GamePro^ fiiiyars Beware RO. 80x 5828 San Mateo, CA 94402 E-mail us youp product complaints through America Online or at this Internet address: buyers_beware.gamepfK>(|)ittwxom . GAMEPRQ • Jinnapy 1996 18 The challenging game of combat and strategy where you lead a team of commandos on a full-out extraterrestrial assault. Exclusively designed for use on the PlayStation” game console. 1-800-879-PLAY http;//www.mlcroprose.coin and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Cocnputer Entertainwnt, Ine. ®1995 Mlcrtftt«e Softvare, Ine. All rights leseived. didn't think a bait could fit Iht don't think gou're supposed to move them when theg’re all broken like that.' Fost-poced, head turning oction so real gou con almost toste the Astroturf. Welcome to Quarterback Attack. The bone-crushing action of real football that puts gou In control- Six skill levels, hundreds of plays and over a thousand ways to get your ass kicked. This Is the first pro-sports simulator that puts you in the helmet of the quarterback. How long you manage to stoy there is up to you. QUARTERBACK JanyargliSS Ultra 64 Debuts in Japan The Ultra 64 made its first public appearance In Japan this November. At the winter Shoshinkai show in Japan. Nintendo displayed the Ultra 64, the system’s never-before-seen three-handled controller, and about 10 games, including many third-party titles. Particularly notice- able among the Ultra 64’s many intriguing physical details is an exter- nal I/O port on the bottom of the con.sole, which is presumably for an external memory device. Check out our complete Shoshinkai report in the next issue for more info on the most eagerly awaited hardware of the year. As for Ultra 64 games, Nintendo has Cruis'n USA and Killer In- stinct coming down the pike. In addition, several important third-party companies have signed on as part of Nintendo’s “Dream Team” to make exclusive games for the new system, including Acclaim (Turok: The Dinosaur Hunter). Williams (Doom, Open Ice), Sierra On-Line (Red Baron). GameTek (Robotech), Mindscape (Monster Dunk), and Spectrum HoloByte (Top Gun). The Force will also be with Ultra 64 owners because LucasArts is coming to Nintendo's party in a big way. Nintendo and LucasArts are collaborating on Shadows of the Empire, a never-before-told addition to the classic Star Wars saga The game will appear sometime in mid 1996 exclusively for the Ultra 64. Shadows of the Empire is set between the film plots of Return of the Jedi and The Empire Strikes Back. While the story is new, many of the character will be familiar; gamers will confront such infamous nemeses as Boba Fett, Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader, Imperial Walkers, and the Emperor, in addition to a dominant new enemy. As usual for Star Wars-based games, flying vehicles, including snowspeeders, will figure prominently in the action. This time, however, gamers will have complete freedom of movement as they fly using new 3D techniques. GIIMEPRO • Matsushita Grabs M2 3DO‘s M2 graphics-processing technology will appear in a new CD- based game system in 1996. For a cool $100 mil. Matsushita Electric Industrial (MEI) of Japan purchased the high-speed, high-perfor- mance technology from 3DO for exclusive use in its future products. MEI plans to apply the M2 architecture to a new 64-bit system that it hopes to launch in the second half of 1996, as well as an M2 64- bit upgrade to its Panasonic 3DO hardware. Other potential uses in- clude MEI arcade games, software, the networking of multimedia prod- ucts, and other consumer electronics. With the backing of an entertainment giant like MEI (better known for its labels like Pana- sonic, Quasar, and Technics), the 3DO system's standing on much firmer ground as it faces off against Sony, Sega, and Nintendo in the coming months. Game Industry Rebounds As the four head honchos of video game hardware - Sega. Sony, Nin- tendo, and 3DO - wrestle for the top next-gen spot (see “ProNews.” December ’95), members of the third-party video game community are showing strong signs of recovery from the recent industry downturn. At the front of the pack. Acclaim's business is booming with an impres- sive series of revenue gains, acquisitions, and alliances. In its latest fiscal year, Acclaim posted revenues of $585 million, up fiom $48 1 million the previous year. Looking to the future, the company recently hooked up with Warner Brothers to jointly develop games based on upcoming Warner Brothers movies. Although a Warner Brothers spokesperson said that the two companies hadn't de- termined which films the games will be based on, the alliance calls for three movie-based games for the next-gen systems, PC, and arcade that utilize the sets, props, and costumes from the movies. Janiarii 1988 22 In the video game arena. Acclaim nailed down the rights to pub- lish Taito’s Japanese games in the Western Hemisphere. First out of the gate will be Galactic Attack for the Saturn and Jupiter Strike for the PlayStation, both due in December. Acclaim also acquired two promi- nent game developers, Probe and Sculptured Software, which are known for their work on titles like MK 3. Primal Rage, FIFA Soccer, and the Star Wars games. Other top software companies have been posting strong figures as well. Electronic Arts reported revenues of $93.7 million for its latest fiscal quarter, up from $88.8 million the previous year. Williams an- nounced that more than 250,000 copies of MK 3 for the SNES and Genesis flew off store shelves in the first weekend they were available, positioning tho.se carts as some of the top-selling games of the year. Even smaller companies like Activision and Galoob Toys (makers of the Game Genie) reported revenue gains in their latest fiscal quarters. As promising as these developments look for the video game in- dustry, they’re not sure signs of recovery from the past year's sales slump. Consolidation trends like Acclaim's recent deals show that smaller companies need the support of the larger, more prosperous firms to stay afloat. In recent years when 16-bit systems reigned supreme, development houses and smaller companies such as Sunsoft, Kaneko, American Technos, and Takara were able to thrive, but in 1995. these and many other third-party companies canceled their video game plans. Hopefully, figures from the Christmas sales season and the Ultra 64’s spring arrival will solidify the industry's rebound from tough times, though the record may show that fewer independent companies survived the transition to next-gen gaming. 32-Bit Game Busters Datel, makers of the Pro Action Replay, has joined forces with In- terAcI Accessories, formerly STD Bitertainment, to develop the Game Shark, a game enhancer for the Saturn and PlayStation that's based on Datel’s Pro Action Replay, Scheduled for release in January with a $59.95 price tag, the Shark will offer Game Genie-like codes for the two new platforms, as well as extra backup RAM memory for saving games. The Game Shark will replace the Pro Action Replay for the Saturn, which is currently The Game will help you sink your teeOi Into Saturn and Play^Oon games. Hot News from GamePro Online : available in the U.S. only on a mail-order basis (see “GamePro Labs"). InterAct plans to add more features to the Game Shark and distribute it through toy stores nationwide. InterAct also plans to release the Game Shark for the Ultra 64 when that system becomes avail- able in the spring. Saturn Extends Its Orbit According to a story in the San Jose Mercury News, Sega’s plan- ning to take the Saturn into cyber- space by developing the “Inter- net Saturn," a connection device that will link the 32-bit machine to the Internet. Presumably the device would be some kind of key- board/modem that would connect gamers who already own a Saturn with online services and would dis- play text and commands on a TV. Sega's hoping to have the unit ready for sale in the U.S. by summer 1996 for about $100. A Japanese version is already in de- velopment and is targeted for a spring '96 release with a price of approximately $200. □ HOT SHEET Super Nes axOar Instinct 3. Morul Kcmblt 3 4. ToyStotv 5. N3A LM '96 e.RwoluUonX . Madden Na '96 >. Me$a Mar X’ Eyo*br«Wand 3. Madden NFl 96 4-ToyStoij 5. Mortal Xomt>at 3 6. Earthwern jiiia 7. KeroluUon X f* VVrvfrirft'im«*i 9. NFL Owtert>ack Qub96 10. Vectormar Ouicii fliis • Gamers are happily getting Bugged, according to Sega. Bug!, Sega’s new Saturn game, has turned the cheeky insect into such a popular character that discussions are under way for an animated TV series. With 1 50,0(X) cepies out the door, the game ranks behind Day- tona as the Saturn's second most popular game, according to Sega. • In other Sega news, the video game giant has just allied itself with Dream "Works and MCA with the goal of opening several new lo- cation-based entertainment centers late in 1 9%. The centers will fea- ture high-tech attractions, arcades, and simulators. DreamWorks is the production company formed by Steven Spielberg and other entertain- ment innovators, while MCA is a long-time Hollywood heavyweight, • Interplay has just released a nifty stocking staffer for 3DO owners. Called the Interplay 3DO Buffet Pack, the disc contains playable samples of Interplay's latest 3DO titles, including Casper. Out of This World, and Alone in the Dark 2. If you're interested, check your local toy or software stores. • Haste Makes Waste, Chapter 147: Virtually every video game system in history, from the NES to the 3DO to the Saturn, has seen its debut price quickly fall. The latest system to have its price cut is the Virtual Boy, which dropped in October to $159.95 after debut- ing in August at $179.95. • Nintendo did achieve a positive milestone this fall, however. Just before Halloween the company installed its KXKJth Starlight Nintendo Fun Center in a U.S. hospital. For more than three years, Nintendo ha.s worked with the Starlight Foundation and Wal-Man to bring these mobile entertainmen^video game units to the bedsides of young patients. GAMEPRO Jinuiry 188B 23 The burning sensation you feel is from your broken ribs, not some fireball. ARS ON FIGHTING GAMES BUY THE RIGHT ONE. The one with ehough phehomenal reviews to take down an entire forest. The one with super smooth texture- mapped poiygons performing countless motion captured martial arts moves at 60 frames per second. The one with four points of view, whether you're kicking some- one’s butt or getting yours kicked. The one with some of the most impressive environments you've ever seen, in arcades or out. The one that's so tough, it even knocks out the arcade version. Tekken TEKKEN"* & V-' iv|94 t999 NaircD Lid Kll lights isseived To lind oul mole adoul why Tekken beats olhei fighlmg games lo a pulp gel a hold of us on Ihe web ai http //www namco coin Or ipst get a hold of the package This sollwaie is compatible with PiaySiaiion"' game console with the NTSC U/C designalion PlaySlalion and the PlaySlahun logos are liademaiks of Sony Compulai Enleilainmenl. Inc O I99S Sony Eieciionic Publishing The ratings icon is a legisleied irademaiii ol the Inieraclive Digital Soltwate Associaiion PlaySlailon / Glossary of ^ Online Terms Spam - A form of luncheon meat. This term also refers to the sending of duplicate and/or undesirable data to a person's chat-room screen or their e-mail box. Spamming's a form of harassment and is not looked upon kindly. Spamming can result in V expulsion from AOL y The Best of GamePro Online A recap of recent highlights on CamePro Online, plus a look at whafs new on the Net By The Net Nut Right now, CamePro Online is speeding along on America Online 24 hours a day. If you're not yet connected, here's a sample of what you’ve been missing. Message Boards Subj; Mario From; Mog Nothin Square Soft's making iti It’s got the 1 5 mHz SA-1 chip to power it! It's rendered! It’ll be awesome! Subj: Rt Mario RPG From:KSmlth5436 The graphics look awesome, the sound is said to be out- standing, but Is Mario the right character for an RPC? Maybe a new character should be the star. Subj; RE: RE: Mario RPG From; Vonbearl Mario is a success, no matter what. An RPC will only add to the past success. This game is successful overseas, so I’m guessing it will do extremely well here. Subj: How to Get Channel Frofli:TSCob For the people asking how to get the Sega Channel, call your local cable company or the Sega Channel at 800/896- 7342. Sulil; Primal Rage From; EnosUvesI Write me if you want all the moves for Primal Rage for the Cenesis or the PC. I will be glad to send them to you. □ Conference Calls One of the most exciting experiences AOL subscribers can have is a direa discussion with an industry insider. In one recent con- ference, Williams/Bally/Midway exec Roger Sharpe discussed his company’s hottest games. Some highlights: • Open Ice features big heads, huge heads, fat heads, and tiny heads for players and goaltenders. • Adam Bomb is in WWF Wresdemania. NerPro What’s on the Web? Tons! One way to keep up with the latest computer games is by accessing Pacific HiTech’s Web site (http: //www.pht.com/). Pacific HiTech houses the largest and most popular games archive on the Net, storing hundreds of playable samples that you can instantly download. GameHead is an offshoot CD you can subscribe to, which brings the games right to your computer on a regular basis. Here are more Web addresses for game companies: 3DO: http://www.3do.com Atari: http://www.atari.com Mortal Kombat3: hnp://198.49.168.S/~mkruse/mk3/mk3.html Philips: hctp://spider.media.philips.com Time Warner Interactive: http://www.pathfinder.com/twi/ III an exclusive GamePro Online * Scorpion and Kitana are in conference, Roger SAarpe revealed Ultimate MK 3. some of the secrets of HHUNHI^A Open fee; 2 on 2 Challenge. * Multiple views of fatalities are a possibility for a future MK game. Online Options Some of the areas you can explore In GamePro Online: • Chat rooms (live conversation) * File vault (game-related • Talk with a CamePro info, including FAQs) editor (every afternoon * Archive (back issues of in the chatroom) GamePro) • Message boards (posted • Guest conferences comments and tips) (meet the experts) E-mail us youp comments through America Online - — - or at this internet address: GAMEPRO Jiiiiry 1890 26 BUSTEfS Get back into the game immediately with Power Swan.” Power Swap gives you a permanent replhceAentnnit NOW. You'll be back into the game with no wait and little expense!! y lar since he's composed en- tirely of geometric shapes. Thanks to Vector Piece Anima- tion, though, the 'Man’s body is actually 23 individual sprites moving in unison. Ordinary 16-bit games are created by using animation techniques similar to those used for two-dimensional ani- mated cartoons. Basically, these techniques involve flip- ping through individually drawn, static ceils to create the illusion of motion. In video games, the animation "flips" through sprites, the 2D graphic images we know as video game characters, Vector Piece Animation enables pro- grammers to coordinate the movements of several individ- ual sprites at a time and com- bine them to create complex onscreen images like Vector- man and his foes. In order to quickly perform all the mathematical calcula- tions necessary to keep the swarms of sprites in sync, the Vector Piece Animation pro- gram uses the 16-bit Genesis CPU to identify locations where sprites will move rather than redraw each individual sprite. This frees up additional memory within the 16-mega- bit Vectorman cartridge for other gameplaying activities. Thanks for the Memory That newfound memory can be put to good use by savvy 8AMEPRQ • programmers. Most notice- ably, the animation speed can be boosted significantly. For example, Veaorman clocks in some animation at a blis- tering 60 frames per second! Up to this point, the best that most 16-bit carts could pro- duce was approximately 26 frames per second, close to the frame rate of animated TV cartoons, Vector Piece carts should be better able to display 3D graphics, and in fact every Wctorman boss charaaer is a unique 3D image. That's all possible because the cart sili- con is now free to manage all the mathematical calculations necessary to manipulate all those 3D polygons. Vector Piece Agreements VP Animation doesn’t bump up Genesis polygon-pushing to Saturn levels, but from now on, 16-bit carts will be able to handle more complex imagery than before. You can bet that Sega won’t keep Vector Piece Ani- mation under wraps; how- ever, it may take time for third-party developers to master the new graphics tech- nique. You may have your heart set on a Saturn, but keep an eye on your Genesis. Q Jaiiirir U88 E ven as Sega pumps up the Saturn, it’s continuing to push the Genesis develop- ment envelope with Vector Piece Animation. VP Anima- tion is a rendered animation programming technique that’s designed to create complex, three-dimensional worlds within standard Genesis cart specs. If you’ve played Vector- man (and anybody who con- siders themselves a Genesis gamebuster definitely should), you're witness to Vector Piece’s 3D handiwork. BotlybySega in a nutshell, Vectorman (see ProReview, November ’95) is a heroic robot who must morph into a variety of high- tech weapons in order to rid the Earth of a maniacal walk- ing A-bomb. At first glance, the Vectorman character looks fairly simple and unspectacu- Vector Piece Animation coordi- nates the movement of Vector- man's 23 individual sprites. Ihanks to Vector Piece Animation, every boss Is also a menacing mass of polygons. ALL NEW MAYHEM MOVES LIKE THE SHOCKING "HAND BOZZER"! NO RING CAN CONTAIN W. WRESTLEMANIA' MORE REALISTIC WRESTLING ACTION THAN EVER— REVERSALS, PIIEDRIVERS AND BODYSLAMSI » AiiliA' iniiim SUPER NES ^tENESIS t £ WorlO Wrestling federation. WiestleMania and Its logos are registered trademarks ot TitanSoorts. Inc. All distinctive character names and tikeitesses ate trademarks ot TitanSoorG. Inc. €>1995 TltanSoorts, Inc. All nghts reserved. Nintendo. Super Nintendo Enteriamment System and the otficial seals are regisieied trademaiks ol Nintendo ol America, Inc. €1991 Nintendo ol America. Inc. Sega. Genesis and 32X are trademarks ot Sega Enterprises Ltd. All rights reserved 'PlayStation" Isa trademark ot Sony Computer Entertainment. Inc. Windows '95 is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Acclaim Is a division of Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.® & 0199S Acclaim Entenainmeni. Inc All rights reserved Screen shots shown are,takentromiHe Sony PlayStation version of me videogame. ' Bam Bam Bigelow and Yokozuna are not on Super Nes. A Player’s Guide to Power Peripherals ByTtieLabRat We’ve been ringing in the New Year, “lab style.” It’s out with the old and in with the new, so you know we're talking more accessories for 32'bit systems! Now if I could only get the Lab Hamster to take the lampshade off his head.... the U.S. distributor, will have more codes and updated ver- sions of the Pro Action Re- play as the info becomes available (see "ProNews" for more details). While the PAR Saturn’s cost is steep at $80, you’re getting quite a bit for your money. Pro Acikm Replay Rings Saturn Thanks to Datel Electronics in the U.K., you can now break the programming barrier on the Saturn with the Pro Ac- tion Replay. This cart drops into the memory-cartridge slot and actually doubles as a memory cart, among other things. VWth one meg of Flash RAM, you get five times the added storage capacity of the Saturn, so you can copy saved games to and from the internal memory. It also unlocks your American Sat- urn to play European and Japanese versions of games. A PC connector port en- ables you to connect your ftoXctHKi Replay System.’ Sabint Features: ms cart expands your Saturn's memory five Omes over and enaUes you to play Japan- ese end European Saturn games on ^Hir American sys- tem. Most Impor- tantiy,llletsyou enter cheat codes Just like antiielS- bit Game Genies. Price: $79.99 Availatde: Now 1 Contact Tommo 81S/839-875S Edgise stick System: Saturn Feabires: AatiiNre, slo-mo, and synchro fire Price: $39.95 Available: Now Contact Tby and electronic- games stores fhe main menu screen of the PAH Saturn with the Select Cheats and Memory Manager opOons Saturn to a PC for use with a soon-to-be-available “Comms Package.” The package con- tains software that helps you find cheats and debug Saturn games. Unfortunately, this cart won’t search for new codes as the 1 6-bit Pro Action carts did. However, once you have a new code, you won’t have to re-enter it every time because a new menu-driven system saves the codes after you initially enter them. The cart comes with codes for only three Ameri- can games (Bug!, Robotica, and Virtua Fighter), plus codes for 20 Japanese and _J European games. Tommo, Black Hole stick Like the Eclipse Pad before it, STD's Eclipse Stick for the Saturn is ajoystick that’s cheaper than the one being offered by Sega. This lightweight unit is en- cased in black plastic and has a metal bottom. An LED display enables players to customize slo-mo, autofire, and synchro fire. One of the first things you’ll notice about the Stick is how small it is. Only the hand of an 1 1 -year-old will comfortably rest on the small base supporting this Joystick. While the Stick's six buttons don't have a great deal of spring, they're a good size compared to the wafer-thin L and R buttons. If you can live Jiiiary 1181 with the small base and tiny shift buttons, though, this Stick isn't a bad deal. Mad About Mad Cab The Advanced Controller from Mad Catz offers Sony players another control-pad alternative. It looks and feels like the stock PlayStation pad with a few differences. Up front you get added slo-mo, autofire, and turbo- fire options. It has a much nicer rolling directional pad, which is especially helpful The Advanced Controller System: nayStatkm Features: Offers sh-mo, auto^^ and turbo Ore. Frtee: S24.9S Available; Now Contact Ibyandelectmnic- gaming stores for fighters who have a hard time pulling off special moves that incorporate diagonals. On the downside, the but- tons aren't the same quality plastic found on the stock pad, but they have good spring. At $25, this is definitely one of the nicer PlayStation controllers you can get for your money. □ 30 Mill „ How Ions can you 50 with- ’ . out sleep’ Because if you even blink, Baron M's diabolical dream will annihilate your wwld. And tbe human race is looking to you to reclaim the powerful Li^isiar Oystal. Hot to mention his death 1 squad of Skeleton Warriors!“ Iliese ?uys don’t have a forgiv- " ing bone in their bodies, so with ovH' 20 levels of ^esome }-D gamage, p may lose your mind in a sleepless hell. But if you're defeated, it's a sure bet you'll be sleeping with the enemy, For eternity. SEGA SATURN 24 megs. With rendered graphics. Battery backup. A hero and his shape- changing dog. Ancient civilizations, prehistoric jungles, medieval king- doms, futuristic cities. All on one strange planet. Discover the Secret of Evermore. And remember to put on your game face, 'cause this one ain't going to be pretty. THE FORCE OF EVIL THE FORCE OF GOOD HAS 'ItlEGUV|EMAKER& ^^our first encounter with a video X game is usually from a picture in a magazine, an arcade screen, or a TV commercial. Every good game needs a unique and compelling “look" - sort of a visual personality - that sets it apart, That “look" is generated by artists who use pens, paper, and computers to turn imagined scenes into video games. John Tobias, one of the industry’s most famous artists and one of the originai creators of Mortal Kombat, tells us about his life as a video game artist. The Background “When I was about seven years old, my dad bought a Pong/racing game. From then on, I was a video game Junkie. 1 played everything I could. I worked at John Tobias Williams Bally/Midway Video game designer/artist Carnage, Smash T.v. Ultimate MK, 3 American Academy of Art, Chicago (Illustra- tion major; also stud- ied figure drawing , and computer graphics Name ^ Company Currenfjob title writtM and drawn by John. (Copyright ^ 1994 Midway. Reprinted by pemlsslon.) previous games Usigame Education have creative ima»i nation and the abiliti^ $0 express ideas visu- ally. Excellent drawing] ^kills and knowledge of-^ (^puter- illustration P^K^s required. Comic^ ^ Mailing address leplay- 34 GAMEPRB Jaibipy I88B a grocery store carrying bags to earn quarters for the arcade. “Meanwhile. I’ve been draw- ing for as long as I can remem- ber, Like any five-year-old kid, I was into drawing Superman and Spider-Man. i kept on draw- ing, even when I lost interest in comic books. I took all the art courses in high school and weekend courses at the Art Institute of Chicago. “My first professional art job came when I was a high school senior. I created an album cover for a compilation album of Chicago bands. Shortly after that I went to the American Academy of Art, where I got a Job doing art for a company called Now Comics. For almost two years I worked on the comic-book adaption of The Ghostbusters canoou. ‘Throughout high school, I was always dabbling in com- puter graphics. I worked on the Amiga when it first came out, then I got an Apple II. At the Academy I studied a few early 3D-graphics packages. “My break came when a 6