Darksfalkers; Jadatra Oamnalien FINAL FANTASY VII World's Best RPG? m pi - SyM u . p 1997 Nintendp/ftare.' Game Ipy Rate. logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America- Inc. © 1997 Nintendo of America Inc. www.nintendo.com For game hints call 1-900-933-SONY(7669). The charge is $0.95 per minute. Callers under the age of 18 must get parental permission to call. Touch-tone phone is required. Available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. U.S. only. Sony Computer Entertainment logo is a trademark of Sony Corporation. PlayStation and the PlayStation logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. U R NOT E® is a registered trademark Camaraderie. Brotherhood. Sportsmanship. That’s what NBA Shoot Out '97 is all about. Oh, victory has its spoils, but they’re not as rewarding as the shared fellowship one feels after capping off a drive to the hole with a towering Tomahawk Jam. Particularly when you’re jammin’on Ewing, Malone or Olajuwon. And now, with revolu- tionary Icon Passing;" you can execute pinpoint passes that would make Payton, Kidd or Hardaway jealous. Plus, new motion capture will make all your moves appear much, much smoother. And faster. So if you’re going to demonstrate the pump fake, fade-away jumper or the flying windmill, you’ll want to perform them over and over again so students of your game don’t miss any fine points. NBA Shoot Out ’97. Don’t let it mess with your head. ONLY ON PLAYSTATION and Icon Passing is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. NBA Shoot Out is a trademark of NBA Properties, Inc. The NBA and individual NBA Team identifications used on or in this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and other forms of intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc., and the respective member Teams and may not be used, in whole or in part without the prior written consent of NBA Properties, Inc. ©1997 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. ©1997 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, www.sony.com SUPPORTS 4 PLAYERS ! (NINTENDO 64 VERSION ONLY) welcome, ninrendo 64 u>er.s\ ro rbc deeAvin*? world or beven i.l5 A iua^c, a cleric, or WArrior. you And rhree nricndjr hAvc rbc Abiliry ro <^o be Ad-to-be Ad m a 5plir .screen deAtbmAtcb you bAve a wicked Ar.senAl or medieval wcAponry. you bAve su perhn nun powers, you bAve HO ideA wbAr you'll be yerrim; yourselr mro. be ven. be yorid ALSO AVAILABLE FOR www.gtinteractive.com www.idsoftware.com MACINTOSH and Mnddws* Kdljfcil Sbillvare. Im Ml K*;;IU» K JjKflnirHiU'r inu-rl.iiiiiih'iil In. iS tr.it^r.irk^Tii NiiVrndo m \inelu.l It >llv\l X f-lblSJ ri.ivsi.tiit hi .mil iii .ll Sr.ll Niulnlilnl. Nil Hi 'III In e/uMEPHa The World's Largest Multlplatlorm Gaming Magazine Publisher John F. Rousseau Editor-in-Chiet Wes Nihei Creative Director Francis Mao Manag ing Editor Kathy Skaggs Senior Editors Chris Strotfder Lawrence Neves Mike Weigand Senior Associate Editor Paul Curthoys Assistant Editor Jon Robinson Copy Editor Brett Rector Editorial Intern Lindsay Young Online Development Manager Jill Cook Manager, Online Services John Fisher Assistant Online Editor Janice Yenpasook Senior Designers Carey Perez Charmaine Conui Art Intern Claudia Fung Senior Production Manager Susanna E. Hoflert Assistant Production Manager Shelly Reimer Senior Production Coordinator Cathie Burgyan Director ot Circulation Suzanne McCloskey Newsstand Sales Manager Bill Horan Subscription Manager Amy Nibbi Customer Service Representative Irene Basurto Marketing Director Elaine M. Starling Marketing Manager Erin Gaffaney Sales Associate Josie Dollente Marketing/Advertising Coordinator Sara Wood Marketing Intern Yeon Kim GAMEP/10 President and CEO John F. Rousseau Executive Assistant to the President Lonnie M. Gee MEDIA GROUP Vice President and Associate Publisher Cynthia Sandor Vice President, Human Resources Christine Y. Yam Vice President, Finance and Operations Brian F. Sours Accounting Manager Laura Rosenga Senior Financial Analyst Leona Ching Senior Accounting Coordinator Terry Gering Director of Manufacturing Fran Fox Manufacturing Manager Lynn Luis Director of Operations and IS Nancy Durlester Office Services Supervisor/ Network Administrator Rob Rubright Help Desk Specialist Kevin Smith Facilities Coordinator Bobby Galea Receptionist Staci Colacicco Founder Patrick J. Ferrell Entire contents copyright 1997 by IDG Communications. Inc. All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or pari without prior written penrussion oy the publisher is prohibited An submissions including Oui not limited lo. artwork. ten. phologiaplis, and videotapes become the properly ot the publisher. Submissions cannot be returned; senders should retain a copy The GAMEPRO * and NETPRO'- names and logos are registered trademarks ot IDG Comtnuntodions, Inc. Nintendo W. Super Nintendo Mnfendo. Virtual Boy. and Game Boy are Registered Trademarks ot Nintendo ol America. Inc Sega Saturn, 32X. Genesis, Sega CD, and Game Gear are Registered Trademarks ol Sega ot America Inc Sony PlayStation is a Registered T rademark ot Sony Computer Entertainment ot America 300 is a Registered Trademark ol The 300 Company. CD-i is a Registered Trademark ol Philips Consumer Electronics Company. Alan Jaguar is a Registered Trademark ol Atari Corp. Neo-Geo is a Registered Trademark ol SNK Home Entertainment, Inc. Printed iri the U.S.A For subscription problems only, please write: P 0. Bo« 55537, Boulder. CO 80322-5537 „Vbpa "Superb graphics and flawless gameplay!" -GamePro it's here. TUROK, DINOSAUR HUNTER. 64 hits of mean, green shooting machine. (jet TUROK at TARGET today and make dinosaurs extinct. ..Again! F=i ^ >fl«laim • Multiple proofs required. Valid only in U.S.A. t Expires May 1 5. 1 997. ft Expires June 30, 1 997. tff Expires December 31 , 1 997 Windows"'95 is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. © 1996 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. "Twentieth Century Fox." “Fox" and their associated logos i ! the property of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. You’re in the cockpit against Earth’s deadliest menace in this high-tech flight-based game with blazing arcade thrills. Battle alien attack fighters as you obliterate the City Destroyers deployed overhead by the massive Alien Mothership. As your mission progresses from city to city, you fly faster and more heavily-armed planes, from the F-18 Hornet to the captured alien fighter from Area 51, building to a death-defying climax in a whiplash-paced assault inside the Mothership! mffimMtm Fly over 1 5 of the hottest fighter planes including F-18s, Soviet MIGs and Alien Attackers. Blast your way through over a dozen missions that take you from the Grand Canyon, to Tokyo, to Paris. Multi-player capabilities provide head-to-head combat. PlayStation COVMR FiAmti 42 The Lost World: Jurassic Park This exclusive sneak peek takes you inside the minds and bodies of the dinosaurs lurking inside these PlayStation and Saturn games. 32 Final Fantasy VII It's no fantasy! If you don't believe the hype, believe this review of the Japanese version. 36 GameWorks: Ready for Gameplay There's a revolution going on. . .in the arcades! 37 Mortal Kombat Annihilation! While you're waiting for Mortal Kombat 4, check out the new movie. Mortal Kombat Annihilation! Page 37. 114 SWA ftYa aSfottgr Station Doom 64 Nintendo 64 ProStrntegy Guide Here's how to avoid gloom in Doom by surviving the toughest levels. The Fighter's Edge Soul Blade (Part 2) Specials, supers, and combos for the last five fighters — Rock, Sophitia, Siegfried, Seung Mina, SWATPro Secret codes and tricks for NFL GomeDay '97, Pandemonium, Andretti Racing, and more! . Dark Forces cheats! Page 130. Samurai Snoaown IV: Amakusa's Revenge (Neo*Geo) Complete move list! 96 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Super NES ProStrntegy Guide (Part I) and Cervantes. Also, how to activate the time-released hidden fighter, Soul Blade! The Light World mapped out for first-time explorers I Cover: Courtesy of Matt Hall & DreamWorks HEY MADE THE Nl DOOM 64. i We made it the toughest ever because you look so good in black. The last and most brutal DobnWnerHmWP be. Enhanced for the N64 with even more twisted challenging levels plus new looks for all your old frienfls and weapons. Only the N64 could handle a Doom this tough. So now you can go out in a blaze of glory. Or a body bag. idway Games Inc. ndlhe 3-D “MT logo Gambare Goemon 5! Page 38. 1 6 Head-2-Head: Letter from the GamePros 1 6 The Mail 1 7 Art Attack 20 Buyers Beware The consumer's hotline! 22 ProNews Sony sloshes PlayStation's price, plus hot new games for all systems. 28 NetPro Successful Internet search techniques! 38 Overseas Prospects Metal Gear Solid and Gambare Goemon 5! 42 Sneak Previews The Lost Worid: Jurassic Park, Duke Nukem 3D (Saturn), Castlevania X, Star Fox 64, Yoshi's Island 64, and more! 64 Hot at the Arcades Tekken 3, Darkstalkers: Jedah's Damnation, Sega Super GT, Rampage World Tour and... Mortal Kombat 4 ! 5 6 mmm* Ecstatica II, Star Command: Revolution, Hexen II, and more for your PC pleasure! §1 'P/ayiasy-j) All-Star Baseball '97 Featuring Frank Thomas 110 Battle Arena Toshinden 3 52 BattleStations 84 Blast Corps 76 Castlevania X 46 Clayfighter 63 1/3 51 Comanche 3 59 Contra: Legacy of War 94 Darklight Conflict 53 Darkstalkers: Jedah's Damnation — 68 Dragonheart Fire & Steel 94 Duke Nukem 3D 44 Ecstatica II 56 Extreme Assault 60 FIFA Soccer 64 102 Final Fantasy VII 32 Hexen II 57 The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga 88 K-l : The Arena Fighters 84 League of Pain 88 The Lost Vikings: Norse by Norsewest 92 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (PlayStation) 42 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Saturn and Arcade) 43 Lunacy 92 MDK 52 Meat Puppet 58 MechWarrior 2 80 Metal Gear Solid 38 Mortal Kombat 4 72 Motor Mash 53 Quake Mission Pack #1 : Scourge of Armagon 60 Rally Cross 106 Rampage World Tour 72 Redneck Rampage 58 Riven: Sequel to Myst 60 Sega Super GT 70 Sentient 86 Star Fox 64 50 Star Command: Revolution 57 Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo 95 Tekken 3 ..64 TNN Motor Sports Hardcore 4X4 . ..95 Triple Play '98 .108 Tunnel B1 ..94 VMX Racing 53 VR Baseball '97 104 Vandal Hearts 112 Virtual Pool 88 Triple Play '98! Page 108. Ecstatica II! Page 56. PC GamePro Nintendo 64 PlayStation 56 76 80 L r_ Sports Role-Player's Super NES Pages Realm 96 lOO • 112 m Page 51 Gambare Goemon 5 38 HardBall 6 Ill Heir of Zendor: The Legend and the Land 95 Here's Adventures 90 Hexen 51 NBA Jam '98 Ill NBA Live '97 101 NBA Shootout '97 100 NFL Quarterback Club '98 Ill NHL Breakaway '98 110 Perfect Striker 106 WCW vs. The World 82 Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom 86 X-COM: Apocalypse 59 Yoshi's Island 64 50 Tekken 3! Page 64. USE WHATEVER IT TAKES: MACHINE GUNS. MISSILE LAUNCHERS. FLAME THROWERS. BROKEN BOTTLES. ^ SEGA SATURN “CRUSADER’S AWESOME, IN-DEPTH ACTION WILL UTTERLY ADDICT YOU.” 5 (out of 5) -GamePro • HEALTH ADVISORY* pROBLem: “CRUSADER DELIVERS BIG TIME!” 92% -PSExtreme ©HEALTH ADVISORY* our tReatmeNt: | eLimiNate tHe coRpses. | Toast victims to crusty cremation with the AR-7 “Rico” Rocket Launcher. Tan lucky recipients to the bone courtesy of the UV-9 “Pulsar” ultraviolet rifle. Reduce targets to bits through tight, controlled bursts of the JL-2 “Purifier” mass driver. Convert your enemy into a misty aerosol using the EM-4 “Vortex” rifle. Head 2 Head Letter from the gamepros mm volution has always been the driving force behind the video game industry. Old systems die out, big compa nies swallow up smaller companies, and on store shelves, it’s survival of the coolest. "Sweetwater” wrote the letter to the right that asks about the Philips CD-i. He must’ve missed our “Hot News” item posted last June on CamePro Online’s Website ( http://www.gamepro.com ), which announced that Philips stopped making games for its beleaguered system. We’ve also had letters about the Neo*Ceo system which was announced with much fan fare (see “Neo*Ceo CD: The New Kid in Town,” October 1995) but is also going the way of other failed systems that never i ^ mmmm — caught on with the public. Here are q. ip./../.. the systems that have officially ex pired since 1995: the Atari Jaguar THE COOLEST anc j j ag cp f t he $ ega cd ( the Sega 32X and 32X CD, the Sega Neptune (never released), the 3DO Multiplayer, and the Virtual Boy. Sys terns still on life support but dangerously close to extinction are the Came Gear, the Super NES, and the Genesis. Don't look for big announcements when these systems officially disappear because companies would much rather have you focus on tomorrow’s possibilities. Fortunately, tomorrow does offer lots of possibilities. Evolu tion doesn’t just mean early death for certain systems; it also means renewed hope that better games and systems are just up ahead. Despite seeing some of its hardware plans go up in smoke in the last two years, Sega is loudly announcing a big merger with Bandai that could change the fortunes of these two wobbling companies (see “ProNews,” this issue). Perhaps the Next Big Thing will be M2, or digital video disc (DVD), or Nin tendo’s 64DD, or a new PlayStation. CamePro has written about all of these subjects lately, both in the magazine and in CamePro Online’s “Hot News” area on the Web ( http://www.gamepro.com ) and AOL (keyword: GamePro). And with the Electronic Enter tainment Expo coming June 19-21 in Atlanta, Georgia, there’s undoubtedly much more news to come. Keep checking with us to see which old systems are struggling and likely to die and which new systems look like survivors. In today’s expensive video games wars, doing your homework really does pay off. It’s survival of the smartest. 3jl GAMEPRO READERS SPEAK OUT The GamePros comments.gamepro@gamepro.com San Mateo, CA Vanishing Systems Y ou haven’t reviewed a CD-i game since 1995. Why hasn’t there been any- thing else about CD-i games? I’ve been looking for more. “Sweetwater” via Internet Captain Squideo replies: We get the same question from angry owners of the 32X, Jaguar, and other de- funct systems. See the adja- cent editorial for a discus- sion of vanishing systems. The Magazine Biz I really like Resident Evil for the PlayStation. Are there any plans for a movie based on this game? Matt Dean Byron, GA The Feature Creature replies: A European company, Con- stantine Films, has bought the rights from Capcom, who made the game, and has hired Alan McElroy to write the screenplay (he wrote the screenplay for the upcoming film based on The Spawn comic book). The RE flick starts shoot- ing this summer in hopes of a release sometime between winter '97 and spring ’98. , Games 'n’ Gear M y friend Luke and I were playing Twisted Metal 2 for the PlayStation. During a challenge match in New York, Luke blew up the Statue of Liberty with napalm and the statue turned into a girl wearing a bikini. Soon af- terwards she grew very fat and blew up. Has anyone else written to you about this? Aaron and Luke Athens, GA The Net Nut replies: Nicely done, but there’s no trick to this (other than just keeping enemies at bay so you can fire at the Statue of Liberty). After you light the statue’s torch with your gunfire, she does indeed turn into a bikini-clad girl. Address Central I want to ask Squaresoft why Final Fantasy VII is coming out for the PlayStation and not for any other systems. What’s their address? Dana Liles Miami, FL Art Angel replies: Squaresoft's U.S. office has moved around in the last year, but it’s finally settled in Califor- nia’s Orange County. Here's a phone number for taped infor- mation (not live counselors): 714/540-8822. Call Monday- Eriday 8 a.m.-S p.m. PST. Here's Square's address: Squaresoft Customer Service 959 South Coast Dr., Suite 400 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 > May 1997 Russell Hardcaslle , address unknown & In February, your faithful Reader Reporter asked you to suggest names for our new ratings guy. Here are some of the entries that came to us, most via the Internet (the nominator is identified in parentheses): Captain Ratings (“ tearle ”) Frank Expressions (“nalfar”) GameHead (“Robert") GameKiller (“diazducc”) GamePro Jr. (“Kevin") Geno the Gameman (“ Rhoner4 ”) G.P. Think (Zac Cook) Jack (Zachary Bader) Jojo the Rating Chump (“Daxx412”) Joy (Jarrod “Ninja Master” Williams) Lenny (“U_695375703_19_A”) Momo the Ratings Pro (“Pzac107”) Mr. Gaming Judge (Sebastian Torres) Ralph the Ratings Guy (“Tiger136") The Rating Dude (Christopher Nieto) Rob Rater (Robert Preziose) Rudy the Rater (Zachariah Hartman) Zak (“Cranky45") Joey Reinartz is a Winning Run fan who wants to write tc Ken Griffey, Jr. Reach Griffey the Kid through his agent: Ken Griffey, Jr. c/o Nike Sports Management One Bowerman Dr. Beaverton, OR 97005 Kriss Mizelle. Meridian , MS Whaddaya Think? This is your magazine, so tell us what you'd like to see in it. Send your suggestions to: GamePro Magazine Dear Editor P.O. Box 5828 San Mateo, CA 94402 GAMEPRO (TT) May 1SS7 Adam Meyer, Eustis, FL We cannot publish all letters and e-mail messages, and we cannot send personal replies to your letters or e-mail. Victor Watts, Sparta, GA Pick of the Month E-mail us your comments through America Online or at this Internet address: comments.gameproi8gamepro.com The two greatest fighting games of all time. 10 hidden mystery Together, at last, ‘til death do they part. 11 vicious Fighting Vipers" 11 combatants from Virtua Fighter'" 2. V A io m ll'Jg.VrifTTl ATURN www.sega.com Choose from 32 rockin' 5 battle Modes, including Team. VIRTUA FIGHTER 2 VS. FIGHTING VIPERS By The Watch Dog L'alihl April showers bring May flowers, right? Big deal! Keep the showers and flowers, just bring on summer! While 1 start planning my three months of chasing sticks at the beach, here are answers for some conhised consumers. Q Catapult ran an offer for a free XBand modem on page 119 of your September ’96 issue. I sent in my m coupon, but I never received my modem, nor did any of my friends who sent in the same offer. “DCCooper7” via Internet A Lynn Heublein, vice president of business development at Catapult (makers of the XBand modems), explains: "Catapult was deluged with thousands and thousands of the forms we ran in GamePro announcing the offer for a free XBand modem. As it clearly says on that page, it was a first-come, first- serve offer valid while supplies lasted. We shipped out about 600 free modems, which exhausted our inventory.” Q An ad for Tomb Raider for various systems ap- pears on page 152 of your November ’96 issue. * The ad prominently shows a grenade, and the text even mentions you’ll use a grenade, but I’ve never found grenades in the PlayStation version. Are they there or not? Justin, Denver, CO A Susan Boshkoff, product manager at Eidos Interactive, replies: ■ “As a product is developed, certain fea- tures are added and others are deleted. Grenades were included in Tomb Raider’s original specifications, but they weren’t included in the final version. To meet magazine deadlines, the ad was created way before the weaponry for the game was finalized. It’s possible that grenades will be in- cluded in Tomb Raider 2, which should be out by this fall." E-mail us your product complaints through America Online or at this Internet address: buyers_beware.gamepro@gamepro.com No grenades in Tomb Raider, though they’re possible for Tomb Raider 2. Q h The manual for NHL ’97 for the PlayStation describes all the fighting moves you can use, but no matter how hard I try I can’t get my guys into a fight. I’ve been illegally checking all over the place, but all I get is a rough- ing penalty. Is the manual wrong to mention fighting? “Gester07” via Internet A The Watch Dog replies: * First, make sure ® you haven’t acci- dentally turned off fighting at the main start-up screen. Then, aggressively go after the other team (not everybody will get in fights— Gretzky won’t, for in- stance). Fights will occur ran- domly, usually at least once per game. Roughin' it with NHL '97. Q I’m pleased with my Nintendo 64, but I can’t un- derstand something about two of the games. Su- per Mario 64 and Wave Race 64 have options for headphones. I’ve looked all over my system, and I can’t find a headphone jack. Is this false advertising, or is there something I’m missing? “Ace,” Jackson, MS A A Nintendo gameplay counselor explains: ® "It’s not false advertising. Using the stereo A/V ® cable that comes with the system, you can hook up your N64’s white and red connections to a stereo system’s audio inputs, while still hooking up the yellow video connec- tion to your TV. Then you can listen to your game through your stereo’s headphones for a richer, more natural sound." The sound of 64 A t GamePro, 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 product, I write to: GamePro ’s Buyers Beware P.O. Box 5828 San Mateo, CA 94402 GAMEPRO ( 20 ) Mai 1997 • 10 all new arenas, and this time they’re enclosed. • 30 characters. 12 completely new, each armed with their own deadly weapon. Select from an unbelievable 30 frames per second or an even faster 60 frames per second. • Unique save/ranking feature holds your place between matches. • 2 player mode. • Dozens of brand new fighting combos. • Improved game and control dynamics. http://www.playmatestoys.com iark of Playmates Interactive Entertainment Battle Arena Toshinden 3 and 1997 All rights reserved. Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment Ami console. PlayStation and PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Compu PlayStation vith the PlayStation Sony Slashes PlayStation Price to $149 Launching a pre-emptive strike in the U.S. system wars, in March Sony surprised the video game world by suddenly cutting the price of the PlayStation to $149. Representing a 25 percent price cut from the previous price of $199, the new $149 price took effect immediately throughout North America. This follows Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s slashing of the Nintendo 64’s price tag in Japan to $140 U.S., although at press time Nintendo of America had no plans to reduce the $199 price of its N64 units. In addition to knocking $50 off the hardware, Sony also took about $10 off the software by announcing a new standard price of $49.95 for all new PlayStation CDs. These games typically are listed as high as $59 but usually get discounted to under $50. Sony said that discounts will now take the price of some games below $40. What’s more, Sony announced that a “Greatest Hits” series of games will be available at $24.99 per game. To qualify as a greatest hit, games must have sold over 150,000 copies and been on store shelves for at least a year. As of March the games that qualified were the orig- inal NFL GameDay, Twisted Metal. NHL Faceoff, Warhawk, and Battle Arena Toshinden. Announced price cuts like these were expected this year, but not before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to be held in June. By dropping the price so dramatically so soon after Christmas, Sony got the jump in the U.S. on its two main rivals, Nintendo and Sega, both credible $200 million in the fiscal year that ended March 31 . Bandai, best known for creating the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, has seen that license take a nosedive since 1995. What’s more, the Apple Pippin, the game system for kids that Bandai sunk $130 million into, has been a dis- aster, according to most analysts. The new Sega Bandai regime will be headed by familiar names. The chairman will be Sega’s current chairman, Isao Okawa. Bandai ’s president Makoto Yamashina will assume the role of Sega Bandai’s president. They’ll oversee a company with over $6 billion in revenue and about 400 U.S. employees working in northern California. Their mission will be to successfully meld Sega’s video game po- tential, its coin-op titles, and its arcade holdings in Japan and the U.S. with Bandai’s toy products. High on Bandai’s hot list of products right now is the latest toy addiction in Japan, a key ring with an electronic egg. Called a tamagocchi, the gadget features an electronic chick that grows to adulthood if properly nourished. Sega’s long-time rival responded to the news with a big yawn. Nintendo spokespersons said they had “no worries” about the new Sega Bandai; flush with its remarkable Nintendo 64 success in the U.S., Nintendo is plenty busy these days trying to ramp up production of N64s to meet the worldwide demand. The company hopes to ship a BAMfm (**) Maj 1997 With Bandai Two wobbly companies have merged to form. . .one really big wobbly company? That’s what some financial analysts are saying after Sega and Bandai got together in February and morphed into a huge new company to be called Sega Bandai. The deal, worth over $1 billion, should be finalized October 1 . The merger comes at a time when both companies are struggling for an identity in the video games market. Both Sega and Bandai have taken serious financial hits in recent years after finding success earlier in the decade. Sega, locked in third place in the system wars behind Nintendo and Sony, had already announced that it would lose an in- of which have systems priced at $199 (Sega’s Saturn includes three free games). Industry insiders expect both Nintendo and Sega to eventually follow Sony’s lead and cut the prices of their systems. According to Sony, PlayStation sales topped 3.4 million systems in the U.S. and over 1 1 million sold globally as of February. In response to questions, Sony executives dismissed any talk of a PlayStation 2 as pure speculation, and they also said that there are no immediate plans for an Internet add-on a la the Saturn Net Link. GIVING BIRTH TO NEW PLAYSTATION PRICES Approximately every nine months, Sony lowers the cost of the PlayStation. If this tradition holds, the next price cut is due in December 1997. 1 PlayStation Pricing History Experts' projection December '97 aR'elfeng dv^ e rt This Coupon To Save $10 On Your IText Sony Offer valid 4/15 to 5/31/97. To receive $10 certifi- cate you must mail this coupon along with your regis- ter receipt showing purchase of your Sony Playstation title at any Babbage's or Software, Etc. store. In order to qualify for the $10 certificate the product pur- chased must be $40 or above. Coupon and receipt must be received by June 30, 1997. Upon receipt, you can redeem certificate to receive $10 toward tne pur- chase of any Sony Playstaion title priced at $40 or above at any Babbage's or Software Etc. store. Allow 4- 6 weeks for delivery of certificate. Limit 1 coupon per cus- tomer. No photocopies of coupon or receipt accepted. Mail this coupon and your register receipt to: Name (Please print) Address Babbage’s Etc. Marketing Department 2250 William D. Tate Avenue Grapevine, TX 76051 Babbage's million N64s around the world every month (up from 700,000 a month) just as the system is about to launch in Europe. Parade of Popular PC and Arcade Titles Coming to Home Systems This Winter Less than two months before formal announcements are made at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June in Atlanta, game compa- nies are firming up their plans for the winter. The biggest news so far concerns some hot arcade and PC games that will soon be making the jump to the home console systems. Leading off the parade o’ ports is Darkstalkers: Jedah’s Damna- tion, the newest addition to Capcom's hit series of fighting games. After the arcade version hits U.S. shores this fall, a home version will reach store shelves at Christmas. Capcom still won’t specify which sys- tem the game will be for until it makes an announcement at E3; the orig- inal Darkstalkers game came out for the PlayStation in March 1996, while the sequel, Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge, was released on the Saturn two months later. Saturn owners worried about their system’s future can worry a little less, thanks to one arcade hit and four hugely popular PC games. The arcade game is Manx TT Superbike, a motorcycle racing game that’ll utilize the Saturn’s analog controller. Additionally. Sega has al- lied with GT Interactive to bring two of the biggest PC sellers ever— Duke Nukem 3D and Quake — to the Saturn this summer. The announce- ment is a coup for Sega, because this will be the first time that Quake has appeared on a console system. Some new features will be added to make the games different from their PC versions, and Duke will have a multiplayer option using the Net Link, according to a Sega spokes- person. Also coming to the Saturn (and the PlayStation as well) are two PC strategy games from Blizzard Entertainment — Diablo and Warcraft II — both due at the end of the year. One of the biggest surprises is the announcement from Westwood Studios that it’s developing the PC strategy classic Command & Con- quer for the new DVD (digitial video disc) systems that debuted last Christmas (see “ProNews,” October 1996). The first game made for DVD, Command & Conquer should be out by summer. Expect more DVD games from Westwood, according to Brett Sperry, the company's president and CEO. “The commitment we are making to DVD is signifi- cant,” he says. “Very few game companies have announced plans to support DVD, but we know that this is a next-generation technology that we must help nurture.” In additional DVD news, computer sys- tems from Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Packard Bell, and Gateway 2000 with pre-installed DVD drives should be available soon. Other companies working on their own DVD players are Toshiba, Phillips, and Sony. Not all the news is good regarding upcoming games. GameTek has cancelled Jimmy Johnson NFL ’97, its long-awaited football title for the PlayStation. After lengthy negotiations collapsed over the sale ews from GamePro Online America Online users can now get daily game news updates. Use the keyword GAMEPRO to access GamePro Online, then head straight to the Hot News section to get the latest video game news. You can also read daily updates of news in the GamePro Online Web site at http://www.gamepro.com. of publishing rights to Konami, GameTek decided to skip the ’97 ver- sion and concentrate on a ’98 version that’s already in the works and tentatively scheduled to be released during the upcoming football sea- son. GameTek also announced that Robotech: Crystal Dreams for the N64 has been delayed yet again and now looks like it’ll come out for Christmas, a year behind the original schedule. Finally, Capcom has also cancelled two games that would’ve been out in 1997 — Major Damage and Werewolf: The Apocalypse, both of which would’ve appeared on the PlayStation and the Saturn. □ Inside Scoop i • Sony has revised its U.S. release plans for Final Fantasy VII. The eagerly awaited RPG will be released as a three-disc set on September 7. A pre-sell program will run in July and August to ensure that FF fans have a chance to reserve a copy in advance. Such a program is necessary in light of what happened in Japan: When the game was released there in January, it sold 2 million copies in the first week- end, instantly making it one of the most popular games in history. • Acclaim has lassoed two more big-name athletes for upcoming video games. Frank Thomas will get star billing in All-Star Baseball ’97 Featuring Frank Thomas, a PlayStation and Saturn game that also features ESPN announcer Jon Miller. Meanwhile, Super Bowl hero Brett Favre will be the chief spokesperson for NFL Quarterback Club ’98, a PlayStation and Saturn game scheduled for a fall release. • Fox Interactive has signed on to publish a couple of new products for late ’97. Coming to the PlayStation, Saturn, and Windows 95 CD-ROM is Alien Resurrection (developed by Argonaut Software), and coming to Windows and Mac CD-ROM is X-Files Data Files (developed by Byron Preiss Mutimedia). Little is known about these titles so far, so stay tuned for more details. • Spectrum HoloByte has filed a lawsuit against Acclaim over Magic: The Gathering: BatdeMage. Spectrum claims that Acclaim violated an agreement the two companies made last November which established a release schedule for Magic, which both companies were releasing for different platforms. Spec- trum filed its suit when Acclaim released its PC version in January ahead of schedule. Spectrum also reported record sales and profits for the past holiday season. Its net revenue for the October-November 1996 sales period jumped to almost $36 million, a 168 percent increase over the same period in 1995. • When SWIV 3D comes out for the PlayStation, it’ll come out as an Interplay game. Interplay has bought the U.S. publishing rights for this overhead-view shooter from Sales Curve and will bring it out in June, a month after its ex- pected arrival on the PC. • You’d better hurry if you want to take advantage of Sega’s “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” promotion for Saturn games. Ending mid-April, the deal enables gamers to get one free game if they buy any two games from this list: Amok, Bug Too!, Dark Savior, Daytona USA CCE, Fighting Vipers, NFL ’97, Scorcher, Sonic 3D Blast, Soviet Strike, Tomb Raider, Virtua Cop 2, and World Series Baseball 2. The free games available are Nights, Sega Rally Championship, Sega Worldwide Soccer ’97, and Virtual On. Now playing for Acclaim . . . GAMEPRO (m) Mai 1997 IrTinra 8 www.konami.com va\dm hums ■ i QjJ ^ IF' oliiiji non li ii itgulciti) iiodtiMil ol Hit 1 Get Shafted for An all-new addiction exclusively for the PlayStation game console. The best parts from the original have been super-charged for the latest and final version of Descent for the PlayStation game console. Use upgraded weapons, a faster reaction time and blow through never-before-seen levels and you'll see why this one is called MAXIMUM. Your newest addiction comes faster and hotter for you gamers who just, want to plug-in and play! ^ But you better hurry - this is the last time Descent is coming to the PlayStation game console. After this, the only thing left will be some incredible memories and a few new craters. MC •-* BY GAMERS. FOR GAMERS.™ Interplay Website: www.interplay.com Developed by: Parallax Software *r( 36 All-New levels never-before-seen in any Descent game. High-impact, non-stop subterranean action designed specifically for the PlayStation game console. rf New throbbing stroboscopic light soun shading effects brings the intensity right in-your-face. ^ I More than a dozen weapons of devastation, from double-damage cannons to Level 6 Lasers. 'rf We mean 360° fluid movement - any direction, any time, at full speed. Use Sony's Analog Joystick for more enhanced control. 'rf Grab a Link Cable and go from One- player to Two-player Anarchy Levels. Metal pounding digital soundtrack / takes your sensory input past all A safety zones. /if MAXIMUM © 1997 Pc NFTPRO Tips & Tricks on the Net By Bone ith the thousands of video games out there, no magazine could possibly offer gameplaying info for them all. Fortunately, gamers have a ready resource— the Internet! The Net is packed with tips, tricks, cheats, and strategies for video games, and it connects video game communities, too. Here’s how to do Internet searches so you can get the most out of your games. Search engines are the keys to navigating the tangled lines of the Inter- net. The main search engines— AltaVista, Excite, Infoseek, Lycos, Web- crawler, and Yahoo!— all basically do the same thing. You type in a term, and they list documents on the Internet that use that term. Not only that, but search engines prior- itize the results they find, listing first the doc- uments you’re most likely to use, and they provide colored hypertext links that will automatically transport you to the per- tinent sites. Sounds easy, right? Unfortunately, search engines do their jobs too well. They'll find literally every Internet use of the words you give them, which means you get thousands of documents you don’t want. For ex- ample, conduct an Excite search for quake, and you’ll get 52,000 results, some of them pertaining to earthquakes, not id Software’s hot shooter. To shorten the list of possible results, you can make your search terms more precise. For starters, always type game titles with the first letter capitalized, especially if it’s a multi-word title. That way, the search en- gine treats the group of words as a proper noun, and it will find only the documents that use the entire title. Otherwise, if you type a multi- word title in all lowercase letters, like super mario 64, the search engine will locate all documents containing the word super, all docu- ments with mario, and all documents with the number 64 (on Info- seek, that’s an overwhelming 675,000 documents). You should also place quotation marks around multi-word search terms to force the engine to treat all the words as a single term. By add- ing quotation marks around “Super Mario 64,” an Infoseek search pares that list of 675,000 sites down to a more manageable 875. With AltaVista, you can get more results to ap- pear on a single page if you switch the Display the Results box to Compact Form. Yahoo divides Web sites into big categories. One of them is Video Games, with over a dozen subcategories like Companies, Reviews, and Cheats and Hints (http://www.yahoo.com/ Recreation/Games/ Video _Games/). Narrowing Your Search Include these terms in your search for game info to shorten the list of results. Join terms with a plus sign to find only documents that use both terms: • Game name • Company name (id Software, Midway, and so on) • Game enhancer you have (Game Genie, Game Shark, and so on) • Name of a move or weapon • Name of a character • If there’s a movie of your game (such as Independence Day or Mortal Kombat), limit your search to just the game by including in your search terms a minus sign and the word movie. • If there are versions of your game for different platforms, in- clude in your search terms a minus sign and the name of the platforms you don’t want results for (each platform gets its own minus sign). Depending on the search engine, you can narrow your search even more by adding words to your search terms, all joined together by either a plus sign (+) or the word AND in all capital letters. Don’t put spaces around + or AND, just link all the words together. Here's an example of how to use a plus sign. An Excite search for tomb raider generates 51 ,000 documents, including many that dis- cuss Egyptian tombs. Tomb Raider narrows the list to 2400; Tomb Raider+Playstation cuts the list to 800; Tomb Raider+PlayStation+ cheats yields 200 doc- uments; and Tomb Raider+Playstation+ cheats+level brings 99 Instead of plus and minus signs, WebCrawler rec- ognizes the words AND and NOT (both capitalized). Consult their Search Tips pages for detailed exam- ples (http://www. webcrawler.com/ V/ebCra wler/ Search Tips, h tml). GAMEPRO o May 1997 See, in VMX Racing, both you and your bike have fully articulated bods, which means infinite opportunities to sling soil. And VMX has lapped those other Moto- cross games with the haulingest enduros and stadiums in the country. We've road tested and totally 3-D repro'd 6 tracks including San Jose National (watch that radioactive waste), and Tijuana (think of yourself as a Mexican jumping bean on Qp.jL ^ e jj I 1 64 “ I I illlllllll 5 l/s |://www. p I ay m atestoys.co m full throttle). And for the ultimate visceral experience: 4 different points of view. So when you kick out the ass-end of your 250 and pop it through the hole- shot, you can practically taste exhaust. Trick out your ride with moves like the knack-knack, and can taste humility, ause once you rev 's sure as hell gonna hit you. n table REPLAY PRESS X TO CONTINUE Why go out for mud when you can have it delivered? PlayStation VMX racing developed by Studio E. c 1997 Studio E. All rights reserved. Studio E and the Studio E logo are trademarks of Studio E PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PIE is a trademark of Playmates Interactive Entertainment. ^netpro InfoSeek ( http://www.inloseek.com I uses plus and minus signs to narrow searches. Click on Tips next to the Search box for more info. possibilities, with the level-select cheat listed right at the top. Now that's smart searching. Usenet is another way to get game information. The term stands for "USEr NETwork" and represents a wide collection of ongoing conversa- tions being conducted around the world on almost any topic. These conversations are grouped together as newsgroups based on common themes; there are over 10,000 newsgroups in Usenet. Using a newsgroup is like sending e-mail to thousands of people at once who can all reply to you or add comments to your message. These aren't chat rooms, where the conversations happen in real-time. Instead, newsgroups offer threads of posted messages from different readers over time. Newsgroups also offer lengthy files (such as strat- egy guides) and images to download. You need newsreader software to access newsgroups, but every major browser (such as Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer) has a newsreader. Newsgroups like rec.games.video.nintendo are more than groups of files; they represent the work of gamers who are enthusiastic about a In the AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com) and the Infoseek ( http://www . inhseek.com) search engines, click on the word Search above the Submit bar to switch your search between the Web and Usenet. Common SearcK Engines These search engines are listed according to their search speed (fastest to slowest), though faster searches may not necessarily be the best ones, because the slower search may yield more info. Check each site for specific help with refining your searches. AltaVista: http://www.altavista.digital.com Excite: http://www.excite.com Infoseek: http://www.infoseek.com Webcrawler http://www. webcrawler.com Yahoo: http://www.yahoo.com Lycos: http://www.lycos.com Head to GamePro Online for these areas full of game cheats. The Web Site (http://www.gamepro.com) • Back Issues: A year’s worth of back issues filled with tips, tricks, and strategy • Special Interest Groups: Strategies for sports, PC, and fighting games, plus an archive of SWATPro cheats • What’s New and Current Issue: Tips, tricks, and strategy from the latest issue of GamePro • NetPro: Links to game-related Web sites On AOL (keyword: GamePro) • File Vault: Hundreds of downloadable tips, tricks, and strategy files created by readers • SWAT Tips: Cheats from the GamePro editors for hundreds of console and arcade games • GamePro Archive: Two years’ worth of back issues filled with tips, tricks, and strategies All the search engines provide tips to help you refine your searches. Excite 1 s search info is at http://www.excite.com/lnlo/searching.html. particular game or type of game. You won’t find fancy graphics or flawless text, and some of the sites come and go. To find a newsgroup with files you want to download or messages you want to reply to, use the same search techniques described above for documents or Web sites. You can also use minus signs to help narrow your search, though. On AltaVista, “Mortal Kombat” generates about 3000 Usenet sites; “Mortal Kombat’V'Super Nintendo’-Genesis means that you'll find only Mortal Kombat sites concerning the SNES game (about 700 sites). Do the reverse to see the difference: “Mortal Kombat”+Genesis-“Super Nintendo’’ yields only 22 results. If you're not using search engines to look for game-related info, you're not learning everything you can about your games. And if you’re not accessing your favorite game’s newsgroup, you’re not sharing in all the activities created by the community of gamers. Remember: There's so much information on the Internet that doing the math can help you search for only those documents and Web sites that you really want. □ GAMEPRO O May 1997 Special Feature: Overseas ProReview The first 32-bit Final Fantasy game released in Japan to record sales, but does the game maintain Final Fantasy’s tradition of excellence? Find out in this ProReview of the Japanese version. By Nob Ogasawara An Epic Fantasy Shinra blows up th porting the floating Slum U7 to place bi ecology-minded tei The story focuses on Cloud, a former soldier, and his com- patriots in a terrorist organi- zation which is fighting the Shinra Company, a monopo- listic power company that’s draining the very soul of Cloud’s planet. Romance, adventure, terror, inspiration, humor, and just about anything else you can think into the vast story line. FFVII’s probably the most v tale of the Final Fantasy series, thanks to the three mat. The spacious storage media enabled Final Far signers to flesh out the supporting cast in ways thai ! possible in the past. New Gameplay The basic gameplay design remains true to the FF ! series’ tradition. The big change is in the ; casting of magic spells, which now require the use of specific Materia crystals that i must be fitted in slots | on weapons and ar- j mor. Otherwise, the i game should be easy I to get into, especially if you’re familiar with . preceding FF titles. When necessary, tuto- rial-like lessons are „ _ Chocobo and IZIoglm summon a spell. Boom! T he announcement that Final Fantasy VII would appear for the PlayStation sent shock waves rippling through the Japanese video game community. It marked the end of Square’s long-time association with Nintendo and the beginning of a new era with Sony. Upon release, the three-CD RPC shook Japan again by registering sales of over 2 million games in just three days. So does Final Fan- tasy VII live up to the hype? In a word: Yes! provided for special sequences such as a 3D chase scene and a hide-and-seek section. Fantastic Graphics and Sound It’s rumored Square spent close to $30 million developing FFVII. It certainly shows. For the most part, GAMEPRO ( 32 ) May 1997 Final Fantasy VII: Made in the U.S.A. The American version of Final Fantasy VII is currently in the hands of translators. Sony has the U.S. debut slated for Sep- tember. The American version will feature the same gameplay the Japanese original. PRO TIP: Find the missing pieces of the city model to obtain a floor key. This view of Shinra headquarters represents one of the many awesome computer-generated scenes in Final Fantasy VII. PROTIP: Hundred Gunner and Heli Gunner attack the escaping party in an elevator. It’s impos- sible to do physical attacks, so use magic and items. But look! They’re mechanical! Zap them! PROTIP: Enemies usually have specific weaknesses. For ex- ample, the first boss, Guard Scorpion, is a mechanical unit Therefore, it’s weak against Thunder spells. the 3D graphics use gorgeous computer-generated images as backgrounds and polygons for characters. The combination looks a bit odd, but it's surprisingly effective— especially during events in which characters convey subtle emotions with lifelike body language. Battles occur entirely in the blocky polygonal style, but extravagant special effects and freely moving camera angles help keep the action fast and furious. FFVII's equally fabulous sonic atmosphere resounds with superbly crafted sound effects and a stirring soundtrack by composer Nobuo Uematsu. Fantasy Come True Final Fantasy VII doesn’t just live up to the expectations of gamers, it surpasses them. This RPC towers over the competi- tion in terms of graphics, sounds, story, and playability. This game defines an entirely new standard— perhaps an in- surmountable level of excel- lence— against which all RPCs must be measured. □ PROTIP: Cloud must dress in drag to rescue Tyfa from the lecherous Don Comeo. Get the tailor to make you the dress, and obtain a wig from the guys at the gym. PROTIP: In the train, you must dash to the next car before the countdown stops, or the secu- rity system detects you. PROTIP: In the 3D bike-escape sequence, you can wipe out enemies by forcing them into the wall. GAMEPRO (2) May 1997 Special Feature: Overse "The ability to zoom in from a mile away within the sniper mode is remarkable." -ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY "MDK promises 3-D technology so cool and action so. ..realistic that it will send everything else running for cover." - PC GAMER "...we could be looking at a 1997 Playstation game of the year..." - GAMEFAN "One of the most innova- tive games ever created." - GAMEFAN Created by Shiny Entertainment, Inc. © 1997 Shiny Entertainment, Inc. MDK is a trademark of Shiny Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Artwork and design © 1997 Playmates Interactive Entertainment Inc. PIE™ is a registered trademark of Playmates Interactive Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. PlayStation ana the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PlayStation Your planet is being bulldozed by the ton. Alien controlled mobile mining cities are strip-mining the earth's surface overrunning and crushing anything in their path. ..Unless you can stop them. BATTLE TO SAVE IT WILL BEGIN SOON. • Fully 3-D rendered graphics unlike any- thing you have ever before seen. • Over 60 arenas spread out over 6 cities • Never before seen "sniper mode" that allows you to zoom in on the enemy and pick it off with astounding accuracy. • The most sophisticated enemy artificial intelligence ever created. Fully reactive "smart enemies" think, listen, and communicate in a calculated assault on your life. • An arsenal of totally innovative weapons and equipment including: - A helmet-mounted sniper rifle that tar- gets enemies from over two miles away. - A living polymer suit that protects from piercing projectiles. -A high-tech reusable parachute. - Bombs... decoys... homing sniper grenades... and many more. Two styles of adrenaline- pumping game dynamics featuring first and third person point of view. IT THINKS. THEREFORE IT KILLS. http://www.playmatestoys.com www.shiny.com GameWorks: Ready for Gameplay A behind-the-scenes look at the new GameWorks arcades L ast year, three entertainment powerhouses— Sega, Universal Studios, and DreamWorks SKG- announced that they were teaming up to design Game- Works, a series of state-of-the-art location-based entertainment centers (see “ProNews,” January 1996). A year later, the first GameWorks sites are here. The Revolution Is Here The GameWorks team hopes to reinvent arcades, starting with the Seattle, Washing- ton, location and then a tar- geted expansion of another 100 centers by the year 2002. Typical of future centers, GameWorks Seattle offers top arcade attractions set in an atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy. They’ve even thought of a new way to pay: Instead of quarters, you’ll carry a “smart card” that slides into the games like an ATM card. To keep each GameWorks entertainment center differ- ent from the others, future sites will feature an attrac- tion that is unique to that location. For instance, GameWorks Las Vegas will house a world- record 75- foot climbing wall with cameras posted to snap photos of you while you climb. To appeal to all fam- ily members, every Game- Works will be divided into areas geared toward different interests. The Loft will feature classic arcade games and computers with In- ternet access for multiplayer gaming or Web cruising. For cutting-edge players, the Loading Dock will present hot new arcade games for immediate testing. There will also be two separate lounges, one where adults can gather and another where teens can socialize. GameWorks’ Gameplay In the Seattle Game- Works, the center’s main gamesite is the One hundred artists and engi- neers have joined forces to re- invent arcades with GameWorks. The 50,000-square-foot Las Ve- gas site will feature a climbing wall (in the center of this model) and the Arena in the foreground. The GameWorks offices are lo- cated at Universal Studios in southern California. Inspirational art and concept drawings cover the walls. This model of Vertical Reality shows the four chairs ascending. The villains appear in the win- dows in front of the chairs. Check Out GameWorks Online! http://www.gameworks.com http://www.sega.com/world/gameworks Arena. This stadium-like set- ting is home to games that were created with input from Steven Spielberg, one of Dream- Works’ founders. Three games are currently in operation. The most intense is Vertical Reality, in which four players sit in chairs that ascend while they shoot bad guys appear- ing in the windows of a build- ing in front of them. The seats rise 24 feet, then plummet downward so fast you might actually reach zero Gs and float from your seat. Descent fans will enjoy the eight-player arcade version of that inside-the-earth vehicle shooter. Special mini-cams will display the faces of your opponents so you can watch them squirm. If you’re into the dino creeps, there’s also an eerie, dark game in the vein ofjuras- sic Park. You’ll sit behind the wheel of a jeep-like vehicle, wearing night-vision goggles. The gameplay relies on sound as much as sight while you try to avoid marauding dinosaurs. In the Works Flaving debuted in Seattle, GameWorks hits the Las Vegas Strip in May and then Ontario, California, this summer. These three towns are just the first stops in a wave of GameWorks fun centers that hopes to revo- lutionize arcades and show America a new way to play. Q 6AMEPRI (36) May 1887 This summer the Mortal Kombat movie sequel is koming to a theater near you! T here’s no telling when or if Mortal Kombat 4 will hit the ar- cades, but Mortal Kombat Annihilation, the second movie based on the Mortal Kombat games, is definitely punching its way into theaters this August. Producer Lawrence Kasanoff is trying to make Mortal Kombat Annihilation even more spectacular than the first movie, which earned a healthy $73 million in the U.S. “Annihilation is three times more ambitious than MK,” says Kasanoff. “Our theme for the sequel is to shoot for more— more fights, more special effects, more Outworld, more everything.” More exotic international lo- cations, too, which is why the film was shot in Israel, Thailand, Jordan, and London. From left Smoke, Uu Kang, and Kitana. Says Robin Shou (Liu Kang): “As in the first movie, Uu Kang continues to look for his destiny. He has to go through a series of trials to find himself, sort of like Luke in The Empire Strikes Back.” thing, they’ll leam more about the characters.” Besides Shou, a few other familiar MK names are back for MKA. Talisa Soto returns as Kitana, and John Leonetti, the director of photography for MK, steps up as director of MKA. Other roles have changed. Gone are Christopher Lambert (the original Rayden), Bridgette Wilson (Sonya), and Linden Ashby (Johnny Cage). All are replaced by new cast members, such as James Remar (the vil- lain in 48 Hours) and Liefoot (from Indian in the Cupboard). The fighting, of course, is a hot topic for a movie with “Kombat” in the title. Thanks to fan requests, MKA contains a fight between Sub-Zero and Scorpion. Also new to MKA is a fight between an actor and a Raptors in the Outworld digital image. “In MK,” explains Kasanoff, “we showed a fight between a digital Johnny Cage and a digital Goro, but in MKA we’ll show a real character go- ing up against a digital Motaro.” I All the fights, he promises, are going to be “bigger and longer.” Immortal Status? What’s next? Well, Shou’s orig- inal MK contract was a three- picture deal. If MKA is a hit, Hollywood could possibly catch sequelitis once again. MK 3, anyone? Q Characters assemble on the Royal Road in the Outworld. The Kombat Kontinues MKA’s story continues where the first movie left off, making the two movies one long ad- venture. “Annihilation” refers to Shao Khan’s new attempt to destroy the world with one final strike, but at press time plot details were scarce. “Ex- pect surprises,” says Robin Shou, who plays Liu Kang in both movies. “I think fans al- ways expect something new from a sequel, and they defi- nitely get it in MKA. For one Sub-Zero (left; played by MKA newcomer Keith Cooke Hirabayashi) backs up Uu Kang (Robin Shou). Hess as Sonya Talisa Soto reprises her role as Princess Kitana. Jax (Lynn “Red” Williams) takes on Cyrax. Robin Shou choreographed the fights for all the characters in MKA. GAMEPRO (37) May 1997 Mortal Kombat Annihilation Konami’s readying two big releases for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. By Ken Ogasawara Metal Gear Solid comes from the same development team that produced Policenauts and Snatcher (the latter title was released in the U.S. on the Sega CD). In MG Solid, you play as Snake, a secret agent on an espionage mission. You Japanese version of FINAL FANTASY VII elsewhere in this issue! m etAlgeA r creep down hallways, avoid- ing detection and traps while gathering information. There is some shooting involved, but this game is more focused on strategy than on twitch- style arcade action. Developed and published by Konami 1 player Action/adventure Available Fourth Quarter '97 in Japan Gambare Goemon 5 Remember Legend of the Mys- tical Ninja for the Super NES? Now Goemon is going to the Nintendo 64 in Gambare Goe- mon 5. Instead of the 2D look of the 1 6-bit title, Gambare puts Goemon in a fully devel- oped 3D world that’s reminis- cent of the one in Super Mario 64. You guide Goemon, along with three sidekicks, through a series of hop-n-bop item- hunting adventures set in me- dieval Japan. The jump to the Nintendo 64 adds some pol- ished visual effects, such as detailed surroundings and 3D movements from the Goemon Im- pactor robot. Could this episode of the Mystical Ninja be leg- endary? G AMIPRO ( 38 You can almost smell the freshly cut grass. The hot dogs. The pine tar. Unique Batting Meter lets you keep your eye on the ball and control the power in your swing ...everything it takes to find the sweet spot and "park one." On-the-fly 3-D environment and free-moving camera give you the action from field level in 28 authentic stadiums. Accelerated animation pro- vides the smoothest, fastest graphics for the most realistic baseball action. Exclusive Pitching Meter lets you control your wind-up and release like an ace reliever. Feel the pressure on the mound that it takes to throw big-league pitches. Superior Artificial Intelligence creates over 800 MLBPA players and prospects who think, move and play like the pros, based on up-to- date player statistics by STATS Inc.® It's your average against theirs. And they didn't come to < S7AT&; 01 .. 02 , PLAYERS the majors to lose. mt i i •" vi.jf f U) been defined by gamers 4 as the ultimate multiplayer game. Now "the man” is available in an enhanced 10-playcr multiplayer package complete with 3D rendered graphics, new character animations, and a vast repertoire of spiteful canned and custom taunts. Keeping true to the original addictive gameplay, you better think fast as you vie for deadly power-ups, race against the clock and blow your opponents to smithereens. itwvw.interplay.com A lot of people have a problem with the vi olence in video ga mes. We, for example, feel it hasn't been realistic enough. BEEBIBBIM An evil corporation is threatening to kill off humankind, and it's up to you as Tenka, a war-hardened resistance fighter, n to stop them from putting man at the top of the extinction list. This is the real deal. This-is-the-baddest-most-realistic-kill-or-be-killed-switching- to-fully-automatic-how'd-you-like-a-nuclear-rocket-up-your-butt-?-did-l-just- feel-someone's-brain-spIatter-on-my-face-?-corridor-shooting game ever built. CODENAME: TENKA gives you features you just can't get in Dark Forces™ and Final Doom™: A Fully 3D playfield and enemies in a smooth non-pixellating environment. A Freedom of movement to look up & down, jump and crouch while moving. A Laser sighting on your gun to target more effectively. With terrific light sourcing, fluid controls, non-stop action and superb graphic quality, Tenka will blow you away. "Makes the flat, pixellated characters in titles like Doom and Alien Trilogy pale by comparison." — PSExtreme "...redefining the state of console shooters as we know them." - Next Generation "This one kicks butt!" — GamePro I: ■ V \ www.psygnosis.com Nintendo s warming up its clas- sic 16-bit shooter for an N64 debut, and judging from these early screens, Star Fox 64 will live up to its predecessor’s stellar reputation. Playing once again as Fox McCloud, you and three wingmen (Falco, Peppy, and Slippy) face challenging space-combat missions from that familiar behind-the-ship perspective. The missions re- quire teamwork with the wing- men, though — if one guy gets dusted, it’s game over, man. A four-way split-screen mode also enables up to four pilots to dogfight in head- to-head combat. McCloud and his crew do battle from the cockpit of an Arwing, a sleek fighter/bomber that can also morph into a tank, so you can kick butt on the ground as well as in the air. Star Fox will also support the Force Pak, a plug- in that will make the controller shudder and shake when you get hit or fire the big guns. —Air Hendrix Details on this adventure are scarce, but Mario’s sidekick is getting ready for the limelight again with a game that stays true to its Super NES roots. Yoshi’s Island 64 has 60-plus stages loaded with that age- old style of Yoshi platform gameplay. The 2D graphics are souped-up with pre-rendered levels and creatures that greatly resemble the look of Donkey Kong Country, according to Nintendo. Background anima- tions also keep the visuals lively . — Air Hendrix GAMEPRO May 1997 Developed by Software Creations Published by GT Interactive Available June Developed and published by Interplay Available Second Quarter ’97 50 % CO MPLETE The sword-and-sorcery corridor- shooter Hexen joins Doom as an- f other PC-to-N64 release. Instead of presenting new levels and mon- l "' sters as Doom 64 does, Hexen casts the same 30 levels as the PC version, but with sharper graphics for the monsters and smoother gameplay. The addition of the four-way split-screen mode where a quartet of players can engage in a death match or in a cooperative game sweetens this Hexen. The preview version controlled adequately, but the frame rate tended to dip, especially during the four-player death match, resulting in choppy visuals. Hopefully, the game will overcome these hexes before it hits in June . — Major Mike Clayfighter 63% Clayfighter is about to bust onto the N64 with its latest sta- ble of doughboy battlers. Vet- erans Blob, Taffy Man, and Bonker return to the fray, sup- plemented by new fighters like pick-and-flick star Boogerman. There are at least 18 clayma- tion combatants, plus some hidden fighters. This time the game has 3D inter- active backgrounds, so if you punch an opponent through a wall, you’ll con- tinue the fight outside! Can Clayfighter compete with Mortal Kombat Trilogy ^ and Killer Instinct Gold? The clay hits the fan this summer .— Major Mike Developed by Shiny Entertainment Published by Playmates Interactive Entertainment Available May Developed by Takara Published by Playmates Interactive Entertainment Available April 90% COMPLETE Now that 32-bit fighting games B have advanced to the point of near perfection (with stellar titles like Star Gladiator, Soul Blade, and Tekken 2), gamers often for- & get what the first wave of fighting = games looked like. After all, Toshinden, one of those origi- nals, is easily a forgettable game. Not so with Toshinden 3. This weapons-based fighting game is smoother, with less graphical breakup and cleaner, more de- tailed fighters. It also features 30 characters, more explosive spe- cial moves, and screen-clearing super moves. The U.S. version includes options, such as tournament and practice modes, that aren’t available in the Japanese version. Don’t pass • " . : - - up this one on name alone . — Scary Larry Developed by Studio E Published by Playmates Interactive Entertainment Available April 90% COMPLETE B B Jr Jet jockeys will want to slip into the customized cockpits of Darklight Conflict, EA’s sophis- ticated new space-combat game. Playing in 50 single- player missions or in Tag, Death Match, Cooperative (group vs. group), and Capture the Flag multiplayer modes, you must master an array of 15 weapons and cloaking de- vices as well as the language and customs of your alien wingmen. Graphically, EA’s promising impressive lighting effects such as multilight sources and lens-flare effects We’ll see . — By Bone vmx Racing ■ft.r-Tli ■ 1 Get ready to crank the throttle, VMX looks like it’s revving up to take the checkered flag among motorcycle-racing games.. You choose from four leather-clad bikers and hit the dirt against seven racers on 10 tracks, including stadium, desert, and beach courses. Multiple views (including first-person and over- ies, slides, and V * V.. jumps), and ; two-player ^ I head-to-head competi- tion put high octane in VMX’stank . — By Bone Motor Mash From the people who gave you Micro Machines comes Motor Mash, a cartoony racer that should appeal to younger dri- vers. A dozen armed charac- ters, including a hippie in a bus and an astronaut in a remod- eled space shuttle, race and shoot around themed courses, such as Atlantis, the Jungle, and Nightmare. The 40- plus levels of racing are viewed from an over- head perspective, with texture-mapped terrain and detailed cars providing the graphical glitz .— By Bone Developed by Merit Studios Published by Ocean Available Summer '97 80% COMPLETE GAMEPRO KILIN, Twice The . . „n Talt The INTELLIGENCE. °istol Ever launch TNT at pig-stealin' aliens and turd minions... “tuJ ye ?'. l5aid Wr d minions") an d watch \ V\ecV e m fry?i Y'all Will Now! Ever fire live mosquitoes and Ever hack down a bunch a good ol' boys with a her hit the ^ P ower saw 9° ne haywire? park With a °' 3 ,0r " ad °-wre C k o w 454 Cas ull Pistoh 'V'vt, ©1 997 Xatrix Interactive Design. All rights reserved. Redneck Rampage and Interplay are trademarks of Interplay Productions. Gin-u-wine redneck dialogue and humor 14 levels of 3D SVGA graphics featuring mortuaries, trailer parks, chicken processing plants and tons more fighting locations 10 brutal weapons including crowbars, dynamite, double-barrel shotguns, ripsaws, and an alien arm gun (yank the tendon to fire!) £ Gas up with pork rinds, whiskey, and beer a-plenty wV( 8 player multi-player, death-match action and modem play Rockabilly soundtrack featuring Mojo Nixon, The Beat Farmers, The Reverend Horton Heat, and Cement Pond \)o^iW load tVie Interactive freVreW At- NN'W'W.im'UrpW-C' 0 ™ All rights reserved. Interplay is the sole publisher and distributor. All other trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective owners. Ecstatica II by Psygnosis Price not available Challenge: Available April Replay vali RPG/adventure ESRB ratin H fr-, Since the original adventure, Ecstat- ica M’s hero has fallen on hard times— the Archmage left his castle in ruins and kidnapped his fair lady. With the — “ •S Elder Sign destroyed and scattered PROTIP: a throughout the castle, the player must rescue the damsel-in-distress and re- thro L hol trieve all the pieces of the talisman to M restore peace. However, many mon- sters and puzzles stand between you and victory. Upon starting the game, the most notable im- provement over the original is the beautifully ren- dered ellipsoid graphics, which are sharp and highly detailed. Everything from the castle to the surrounding flora is rich with substance and color. While the sound isn’t up to par with the graph- ics, it’s still very good, especially the voice-overs. Often, however, there’s a lot of dead air between action sequences. hile the appeal 'fi* of the first Ecsta- tica faded too quickly, Psygnosis’s latest entry may find a home in the brutally crowded PC gaming market. With much improved graphics, an expanded « 1 map, increased character move- ments, and a larger variety of ene- * . . mies, Ecstatica II has surpassed its - predecessor in almost every way. PROTIP: A key’s hang- ing from the mouth of a gargoyle at the stocks near the top of the Guard Tower. Approach it from the side and kick it to get the key that unlocks the main balconies. C PROTIP: After clearing an area of enemies, always look for crystal balls, which give you hints throughout the game. PROTIP: When executed consis- tently, 360-degree low sweeps are an effective attack, espe- cially when many enemies sur- round you. vays look tor crystal PROTIP: In the ruins in the wilderness, ex- give you hints terminate a plant to get the third part of 'he game. the Elder Sign. and attacks are too complex or don’t respond fast enough. For example, while waiting for our hero to decapitate an ogre, other ogres gang up behind him and use his head for batting practice. As for the gameplay, patience and nimble fingers are the overall keys to surviving Ecstatica M’s engaging mix of monster- bashing and puzzle-solving. Still, a kamikaze approach won’t see you through the game’s strategic elements. Replenishing health doesn’t come easily, and Ecstatica II boasts a diverse lineup of enemies that behave and attack differently even when their ap- pearance is the same. But the biggest disappointment is the control, which really hasn’t improved from the original. Although our hero has added new moves to his repertoire, it takes lots of practice to master them. Key configurations for movements Overall, Ecstatica M’s a great concept with amazing graphics and a solid story line. While the complex controls kill some of its ap- peal, Psygnosis has still fashioned a solid RPG/adventure. □ PROTIP: Make sure you obtain the green shoes so you can get past the green slime PROTIP: Preserve your health meter by iso- j n //, e pr j S on cell, lating enemies one-on-one. Back yourself into a corner or line them up in a corridor. PROTIP: Killing the Necromancer Sign and opens up access to the ruins in the forest and the final area, the Dark Tower (bring a lantern). Minimum System Specilications • Win 95 • SVGA graphics • Pentium 60 • Double-speed • 8 MB RAM CD-ROM drive • 20 MB on hard drive GAMEPRO o May 1997 $49.99 Challenge: Advanced Available now Replay value: High Real-time strategy ESRB rating: Kids 4 players to Adults Overhead view Minimum System Specilicalions • DOS 5.0 or higher • SVGA, 256 colors • 486/66 or higher • Sound Blaster 16 • 8 MB RAM and compatibles • 15 MB on hard drive • Double-speed CD-ROM drive All Hands Report In Flawless controls complement the action. While the mainte- nance aspects, such as keep- ing inventories and servicing damaged ships, are confusing at first, they’re easily mastered the more you play. If you’ve tired of Red Alert, chart a course for Star Star Command: Revolution hits the PC, surpassing other real-time strategy clones with some intriguing and addictive gameplay. In Command Star Command stands apart from the average Command & Conquer clone. First off, the game’s nonlinear, so you can return to any previously con- quered area, enabling you to escape from hopeless situa- tions. There are also four alien races to choose from, each with different technologies and unique methods of attack. While the play mechanics are point-and-click, occasionally the game will focus more on exploration than on intense PROTIP: Build up an attack squad before assaulting a tough enemy. When you unleash your attack, surround your enemy rather than taking him head on. Command. This is one galactic battle that kills hours as fast as you kill enemies. □ PROTIP: The switcher ship is one of the most valuable. Build sev- eral in each area. head-to-head battles, which adds welcome depth. Star Command sports solid graphics and sound. The visuals show fine details on the various spacecraft, along with explosions that fill the screen. The sound effects are rich with excellent voice digitization. The music works well, but some- times it obscures important sound cues. PROTIP: Use the switcher ship to move the mother ship near mother ship to build offensive weapons near your enemy. Hexen II continues the sword- and-sorcery adventure that started with Heretic. This game, however, uses the Quake engine and polygonal objects for an effect that’s more 3D. Gamers can play as four characters: A necro- mancer, an assassin, a cru- sader, and a paladin. As usual, each has their own selection of weapons and spells. As the game progresses, characters can also develop skills, such as immunity to poison and stealth capabilities, and their weapons and spells can also be upgraded. For multiplayer mayhem, Hexen II supports co-op and death-match modes. We’ll have a hands-on preview of this promising title in an up- coming issue— Major Mike By id Software and Activision Availability date not yet released Playmates is courting the Crusader: No Re- " \ ' - morse crowd with Meat .. Puppet, an impressive ■ ist, 3 /4-overhead shragfest with a delightfully . / twisted feel Playing as < ^ \ . Lotos Abstraction, a ^ ^ party girl forced to turn ' ' assassin, you set out to terminate the leaders of six diabolical corpora- tions. An Aeon Flux look-alike, Lotos is decked out in slick body armor and blasts away with a killer gun that you aim by sweeping a cursor anywhere onscreen. MP’s six huge 3D levels are packed with some of the creepi- est enemies ever to grace a game— for instance, the level set in a genetics corporation features toddlers that hunt you down with cleavers. Beautifully detailed graphics bring all the eeriness to life. MP’s charm lies in its macabre yet humorous sen- sibility, but there’s plenty of adrenaline-choked action to keep you bustin’ chops, too. If intense Crusader-style mayhem sounds like a recipe for fun, Meat Puppet’s r— r. gonna hook you like a < side of beef in the meat locker .— Air Hendrix By Playmates Interactive Available June Taking tongue-in-cheek aim at all things rural, Redneck Rampage is a 3D first-person shooter that uses the Duke Nukem engine. The game takes place in the bogus town of Hickston, Arkansas, where aliens have kidnapped the locals and replaced them with killer clones. Several weapons, in- cluding bear traps, double-barreled shot- guns, and dynamite, are available to help you battle these in- vaders. There are 14 levels to blast through, includ- ing Stanky’s Bar & ’ill, a trailer park, and a mortuary. This hu- morous rampage gives new meaning to the phrase “South- ern hospitality .” — Major Mike By Interplay Available April Redneck Rampage * |jj -S' ** , V"*'/ NovaLogic takes to the air for a third time with its latest attack chopper sim, Comanche 3. This Comanche is armed with the new Voxel Space 2 graphics engine that uses impressive texture- mapped 3D polygons and may deliver unparalleled visual realism. You grab the stick for 30 real-time missions that send you into some very unfriendly skies where you go head-to-head against Russian Hind choppers, T-80 assault tanks, and even a moving train. A multi- player option enables two to eight pilots to enlist, and you need only one copy of the game. With other promising flight sims like Viper and Falcon 4.0 crowding the PC tarmac this spring, it’ll be interesting to see if Comanche 3 can really get off the ground. —Major Mike By NovaLogic Available May I DOS 1 | Win 95 | The third in the popular strategy/combat series, X-COM: Apocalypse opens as the aliens are once again on the march, this time taking over the bodies and minds of key citizens in the city of MegaPrime. At the helm of the X-COM forces, you can choose either the turn- based tactical action of the previous X-COMs or a new, more in- tense real-time combat mode. Gameplay begins in an exploratory mode where you investigate possible alien incidents and research better technology to face the threat. As the invasion pro- ceeds, gamers face tougher battles against larger alien forces, culminating in the invasion of the alien home world. MicroProse reports that its new randomization feature resets the game's parameters so that no two games are alike. —Air Hendrix GAMEPRO O May 1397 Quake Mission Pack #1 Scourge of Armagon D? For those of you who played the hell out of Quake, Activision’s loading up a new shragfest that serves up more missions, new weapons, and new monsters. Mission Pack piggybacks onto the existing Quake game with three new episodes: Fortress of the Dead, Dominion of Darkness, and The Rift. Quake nuts will find new weapons like a laser gun and lava nails, and new booby traps like razor-sharp pen- dulums. The game’s a lot of fun to play, but it may be too difficult for Quake novices. — Major Mike By Activision Available now ■laauaniKM As anticipation builds for Myst’s long-awaited se- quel, Broderbund’s keep- » ___ „ ing a tight lid on details Jtfe A 2 k -i|< about the game so as not to ruin the surprise. But we do know that - • Riven’s set in the future ^ 4 . after Myst, and begins as Atrus returns to ask you for help in freeing his kidnapped wife. As expected, Riven will still be all about exploring a fascinating envi- ronment, and the development team’s also focusing on enriching the game’s interactive, storytelling, and visual sides . — Air Hendrix By Broderbund Software Available Summer ’97 malm | Win 95 | | Mac | Extreme Assault Extreme Assault’s whirling to- ward the PC with a healthy dose K of arcade-style chopper action. ■ This 3D shooter challenges you I \ ' to fend off the advancing aliens f L -'JH that want to transform Earth’s at- p— mosphere into something that they can breathe— and we can’t. Not for the flight-sim crowd, the combat-heavy missions task you with releas- ing imprisoned scientists and trashing atmospheric con- verters from the controls of a futuristic chopper and (oc- casionally) a tank. With MMX-tuned graphics, Extreme’s headed for an impressive visual showing . — Air Hendrix By Blue Byte Software Available June GAMEPRO © May 1997 ..'HI ' N, E -I! E--' $ I. RDUEHTIin-ES HUE COMING 10 . • • 1 E L E U I S I- 0 N, . • • • ’ and© U9FkasMn tii'PIt Rights Sescrued Used Under IM Mils Paint lo &.3IS.0S? Sant) » a trademark of Soau Cerpsiailon PBjJ Drop that remofe. Tuto action-packed StarUJars games haue arrioed - specially enhanced for tffl PlayStation™ game console Dark Forces™ surrounds you luith its uisceral brand of first-person fire- pouter. while Mel Assault II: The hidden Empire™ launches its perfect cocnhination of line-action ■oideo and intense space combat. Two thrilling StarUJars euperiences - both designed to take manimum adoantage of the pouter found in Sony's stellar game system. IDho said there's nothing good on TD? ayStailon i lojisieied iiademan of lucasflrts Interiamment Company iKItSE lie IradeiMiks of Sony Computet Inlerlainmenl, Inc the ratings i (’ The bone-cruncbiri, quarter-rnuncbiri, intensity-laced fighting series returns to arcades looking to reclaim its number one spot. By Johnny B allgame T ekken 3’s jammed with all the mad maliciousness and fist-flailing fun the series is known for. Judging by the 60 percent test version GamePro was able to play, Tekken 3 looks like it will join its predecessors on the list of all-time best arcade fighting games. Fierce and Fast Fists ol Fury Tekken 3 is the first game to utilize Namco’s new System 12 tech- nology, and the improvements are remarkable. The game runs 50 percent faster than Tekken ^ , 2, and the increased speed J-i j J— 1 -— - | is visible in every move from King’s Suplex to Law’s Backflip Kicks. System 12 also enables Namco to fill the back- grounds of each stage with more details, to de- pict each fighter’s move- ments more realistically through motion-capture, and to add new moves and combos for every character. Long Live the King Gameplay has always been the Tekken series’ strongest selling point and Tekken 3 follows this trend with truly stellar beat-em-up Jin’s strong moves and fast fists make him one of the favorites to win the tournament. of the year! With its graphical improvements and the promise of sub-bosses that will become available on a time-release ba- sis, Tekken 3 will be one of the most talked-about games in ’97. Start saving your quarters now— the crowds to play should be the biggest to hit the arcades in quite some time. An unorthodox fighter like Eddy can throw even the most poised fighters off their game. Developed and published by This mystery man’s athleticism is shown through his unique hand-spring attacks. Barbed Wire Tap LK Boomerang Tap hold tap (LK RK) Satellite Moon Tap RK, LK Slippery Kick Tap LK, RK Fruit Picker Tap ^ , (LK RK) Tap iZ, LK, LK Monkey Trick Tap RK Crying Needle While crouching, tap (LP RP) action. The four-button control setup is identical to Tekken 2’s, but it’s even more responsive, making combos and special moves easier to pull off. Innovative new moves include Lei’s Art of the Drunken Fighter, where he tries to rip off his opponent’s head, and Xiaoyu’s treacherous Crane tech- nique, where her quick, low-to- the-ground strikes are difficult to defend against. Rise of the Phoenix What do you get when you com- bine the latest technology with Hwoarang’s long reach and kick- traditionally topnotch game- ing strength are a truly fearsome p| a y? The hottest arcade game combination. GAMEPRO May 19)7 Push Away When standing close to an oppo- nent, tap ■», hold tap (LP RP) Hammer of the Gods Tap ■*, (LP RP) Tap (LP RP) Hot Plate Special During Rewinder, tap LK During Rewinder, tap 4-, RK Jumping Jacks During Rewinder, tap t, LK Lei learned some new tricks be- tween games, like the Art of the Drunken Fighter. He’s definitely one of the coolest characters. King’s all yoked out and ready to rumble with powerful new moves and throws. Jin’s the son of Jun (from Tekken 2), but his style is more reminis- cent of Kazuya, only with added flare and power. Play Dead Hold 4- , tap (LK RK) Spring Kick As you lie down, with your opponent standing near your head, tap (LK RK) Turn Around Hold*-, tap (LK RK) Flit-Flip-Flop With your back turned to your opponent, tap (LK RK), (LK RK), (LK RK) Rave Spin Tap ^ , LK, LK Tornado Kick Tap LK, RK Beating Middle Kick Hold tap RK, RP, LP,RP, RK Clean Sweep Tap RK, LK Cannonball Hold «-, tap (LP RP) Snakebite Tap «-, (LP RK), RP, RP, RP Kiss My Fist Tap ■*, (LK RK), LP Staggering Slide Tap (LK RK), (LK RK) Art of the Dragon Tap (LP RK), (LK LP) Paul is the essence of bad-boy machismo, and his punches still pack a wallop. Fortunately, he’s not quite as cheap as he was in Tekken 2. Exploder Tap (LK RK) KonvictKick Tap RK Stagger Kick Tap 4-, (LK RK), RK, RK Head-First Lunge Tap (LP RP) Frankensteiner Tap *, (LP RP) Jaguar Lariat Hold ■*, tap (LP RP) Elbow Drop Tap 4-, (LP RP) Disgraceful Kick Hold «-, tap RK Break Neck Speed During sidestep, tap (LK RK) Leg Breaker Hold 4-, tap *, LP Head Spinner Tap (LP RP), LP Moon flip Body-Press Tap (LP RK) Phoenix Smasher Motion I * -» RP Bone Breaker Tap 4-.RK, RP Neutron Bomb Tap ■*, RK Triple-Kick Combo Tap hold tap LK, RK, RK Hammer Punch to Power Punch Tap 4, LP, RP Hangover Tap 4% LP, RK, RP Gut Buster Hold*, hold*, tap RP, LP Flash Elbow Tap hold tap RP Stone Breaker Hold 4*, hold *, tap RP, RP Thruster Motion 4* * -» LP Tap pause, motion 4- * LP Tap (LK RK) GAMEPRO O May 1997 When in close, tap hold (-» RP LP) Law Catapult High Kick Hold t.tapRK Rave War Combo Hold-*, tap RP, RP,RP Rainbow Kick Hold 4-, hold t, tap (UK RK) Slide Kick While crouching, motion * I, hold n, tap LK Low Kick to Somersault Tap 4, RK, LK Body Blow to Somersault Tap i, RP, LK Triple Head Kick to Somersault Tap i, UK, LK, LK, LK, RK Back Flipper Tap (LK RK), LK Dragon’s Tail Tap K, RK Junkyard Kick Tap RP, LK, RK Elbow Spring Kick Tap K, RP, RK Poison Arrow Hold-*, tap RP, LP Xiaoyu’s crane technique is deadly. Allot phoenix Tap 4* , (LP RP) Ait Phoenix to . Firecracker During Art of Phoenix, tap RK, LK Art off Phoenix to Ptewer Gorden During Art of Phoenix, tap *, RK, RK During Art of Phoenix, tap t, RK, RK While getting up, tap RP Tap t, (LP RP), RP Tap 4* , LP Hold ir, tap RK Tap 4, ■*, LK While crouching tap LK, RP, LP, RK Butter the Breast Tap \ LP Nina’s still a nasty brawler, and definitely a character to be reck- oned with. Right Backhand Body Blow Tap , LP Assault Bomb Tap LK, LP, RP, hold tap (LP RP) TWisted Mind When opponent is down, tap 4- , (LK RK) Bad Habit Tap hold tap LK Wipe the Floor While crouching, hold *, tap RK Panther Claw Tap hold tap RP Left Backhand Body Blow Hold tap LP Screw Kick Tap hold ■*, tap RK, LK Yoshmitsu nents with his sword and take home the championship. His Harakiri move is still one of the craziest moves in the game. Hwoarang can fight as either a lefty or a righty. His kicking com- bos and air juggles are reminis- cent of Baek. Motion Switch Tap (RK LK) As a Rishjty Machine-Gun Kick High Tap LK, LK, LK, LK Flying Eagle Tap LK, RK pPECIALj Hold tf, tap LK, LK, LK, LK, LK Tap LP While crouching, hold LK Hold tap RP, RP, RP, RP, RP, RP Tap (4- LP RK) While crouching, tap LP Tap RK, LK Tap (LK RK), (LP RP), (LK RK) Hold 'll, tap LP, LP, LP, LP Forward Flip Kick Tap hold RK Can Opener Tap a, RK, LK, RK Jail Crusher Tap LP, RP, hold 4-, tap LK, RK Double Explosion Tap LP, RP, LP, RP, hold tap (LP RP) Geyser Cannon Combo Tap * , RK, LK Power Blast Hold ■*, tap LK, (LP RK) Hunting Hawk Tap LK, RK, LK Bird Hunter Tap <1, RK, RK Hot Feet Tap RK, RK, RK, RK As a Lefty Chainsaw Kick Tap RK, LK Bad Dancer Tap LK, RK GAMEPRO O May 1997 Hold (* LP RP), tap *• Hold (4- LP RK) Tap (t LP RP) Tap * , LP TURN GAMES INTO AT: SEE PARTICIPATING STORES FOR DETAILS 1 996° MOVIES & GAMES 4 SALE L.P. Capcom counts to three twice — first with Street Fighter and now with its latest entry in the Darkstalkers series. By Major Mike Fifteen fighters take the stage in Jedah’s Damna- tion— the most ever in a Darkstalkers game! Despite her innocent looks, B.B. Hood's a bounty hunter who Isn’t afraid of the big bad wolf. She packs an Uzi machine gun and a rocket launcher. This queen bee looks harmless, but she can deliver a nasty sting to opponents that makes them swell up. Here, she stings Hsien- Ko in the face. T hey’re baaaaack! Darkstalk- ers goes a third round with Darkstalkers: Jedah’s Damna- tion. The cast from Night War- riors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge returns with a few omissions — Huitzil, Pyron, and Donovan, namely— but the “?” at the bot- tom of the fighter-select screen may mean they’ll resurface as hidden characters. Joining the lineup are four new characters (see “The New Fighters") with some awesome powers of their own. The game is still 2D, but one of the new features is the elimination of fighting rounds, which results in one long, un- interrupted battle. New combat stages add to the visual im- Newcomer Jedah teaches Demitri the definition of pain. pact, and some of the old ones have been modified with new background elements. Ghastly Story The story line takes place in the Darkrealm. All is chaotic there following the defeat of Huitzil and Ftyron in the last tournament. Jedah, one of the ancient Three Lords of Darkrealm, has gath- ered the Darkstalker fighters for another battle. Stay tuned to GamePro for more on this fighter that’s sure to curse arcades with long lines and big crowds. □ This young succubus looks a lot like Morrigan but has her own distinctive arsenal of attacks. Jedah is the only new male char- acter. In addition to some projec- Developed and published The Frankenstein monster, Victor, B. B. Hood and Jon Talbain square off. Q-Bee unleashes a nasty swarm on Felicia. a (68) May 1997 GAMEPR Winners Grand Prize Winner Richard Turley Lexington, KY (1 min. .08 sec.) Honorable Mentions Martin Bruno New Market, VA (1 min. 1 sec.) Robert Shockley Southfield, Ml (1 min. 16 sec.) Peter Palestino Philadelphia, PA (1 min. 16 sec.) John Stephens Garland, TX (1 min.18sec.) Tony Chan Brooklyn, NY (1 min. 26 sec.) Jeremy Bowman Washington, DC (1 min. 26 sec.) (6) Runners-Up: Official collector’s item Test Your Skills and Try to Win These Awesome New Prizes Grand Prize: Advanced video game system of your choice! (Nintendo 64, PlayStation or Saturn) CANADIANS join the fun! Call: 1-900-451-3335 Only $1.49 per minute ^ilil / ‘r QUPERljl Sega sizzles the track with its latest high-performance racer. By Johnny Ballgame Super GT’s behind-the-wheel action really gets your blood pumping! P ull into the fast lane of dri- ving excitement with Sega Super 6T, a road-roaring track burner that will overheat racing fans on sight. Fearsome Foursome Super GT features four fero- cious roadsters, ranging from a Porsche to a Viper, each with its own strengths and weak- nesses in the areas of balance, control, speed, and cornering. Four crazy courses, including the mysterious Aztec ruins and a seaport city at night, test your skill. Controlling your ve- hicle is both fun and realistic: Super GT is easy to sit down and play, yet difficult to master due to the force-feedback steer- ing system which reacts pretty radically to bumps and potholes in the road. Processing polygons at the speed of 1 million per sec- ond, Sega’s Model 3 board does the best job of capturing details of any arcade racer. At one point, you drive through an underwater tunnel that’s surrounded by sharks and dol- phins — the sight will knock your driving gloves off! Super Sega Mind-blowing, lead-foot-con- vulsing graphics coupled with nitro-charged driving should speed Sega to the top of the arcade circuit. Racing fans of all ages, start your engines: Sega Super GT’s the most fun you’ll have racing without need- ing an airbag. Developed by AM2 Published by Sega Available now 80% COMPLETE These classic high-octane cruisers feature both smooth looks and rides. GAMEPRO (n) MIG 19 9 7 GET $ 5.00 CASH BACK OR A FREE GAME BUY OFFER SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: Requests must be received no later than TO/1/97. Otter not payable or redeemable at any retail stores. Only one otter application per envelope. Games must be purchased and receipt dated between 4/1/97 and 8/31/97. Only one application lor each otter per family address, household, group organization. Offerjwo and Three good only while slocks last. Offer-not valid lot any games other than.as listed above. Otters cannot be used in conjunction with any other otters. Caih register receipts, materials from non-compllani or duplicate requests cannot be returned. Psygnosis cann' acfcpt any responsibility lor any late, misdirected, incomplete, postage d or Illegible requests. theR, diversion, reproduction, transfer, sale or pur- chase ol proofs ot purchase or cash register receipts Is strictly prohibitec and constitutes Iraud and will not be accepted by Psygnosis as a valid request. Otter available in USA (and Canada)., Its territories aod.mllitary ; addresses In which this offer form Is displayed or advertised only, Void where taxed, restricted or prohibited. All games & Psygnosis 1996/7 except as below. Psygnosis and the Psygnosis logo are trademarks ot Psygnosis Limited >CL RIGHTS.' RESERVED. *Clty ol the Lost Children licensed @ 1995'ConstaltaUon, LUmiere. Le Studio Canal ♦ France 3 Cinema: adidas Is a "registered trade- mark of adidas AG; formula One is licenced by FOCA to- Fuji Television. tipts cannot be returned). : Psygnosis GameMania-PlayStation, 1 I AM REDEEMING OFFERS 2 AND 3 C I OFFER • 1 " . J I V'tI a major international city. There are also several hidden areas, including Area 69 and Hades, to trash for extra points. Not enough for your monster chops? Then find the four bonus levels where players are pitted against each other in a battle to the death! Can the world survive? Can Rampage survive the test of time and be a hit again? Do you have enough quarters? Find out when Midway unleashes the World Tour this spring. ^ j —Monster Mike W L ook out, King of the Mon- sters! Rampage, the bash- and-smash title of yesteryear, gets a complete graphics face- lift with this new version of the arcade classic. Revamped Rampage Dubbed Rampage World Tour, the game allows you to pick from one of three former sci- entists who have mutated into gigantic monsters (see “The Terrible Trio”). Each monster is loaded with special abilities and attacks, like the groin at- tack, and can also perform se- cret moves. The object is simple: Wreck cities and score big points before the air force A shows up. If you're low on health, you can eat civilians for an energy boost. Just watch what you munch because some items make you sick! Wreckin’ Time! The titanic beasts face 130 levels that each take place in A gigantic ape A large leapin’ lizard A whopper of a wolf B loodthirsty fighting fans have been kraving the latest info on Mortal Kombat 4, but there just hasn’t been any — until now! MK4 will be the series’ first 3D fighting game, featuring the latest Midway hardware that promises a faster-playing game and charac- ters composed of over 3000 poly- gons each. Both Rayden and Scorpion are set to return. MK4 is seeking a decisively darker tone, eliminating both Babalities and Friendships. Check out GamePro Online (http://www. gamepro.com) for the latest facts, rumors, and pics and watch for more info in future issues of GamePro— Johnny Ballgame MORTAL KOMBAT41 The wrath of Scorpion! Rayden’s return! All the screens shown here seem to be taken from the game’s introduction. Developed and published by Midway Available August 50% COMPLETE GAMEPRO Sub Zero, Liu Kang, and Sonya look ready to return in MK4. Available for PlayStation or Sega Saturn Seize the power of programming with Psychopad K.O. and Psychopad JR. from ACT Labs. HYPER Programmable technology EXECUTES UP TO 10 COMBAT MOVES FROM ONE NASTY BUTTON. MASTER COMBO ASSAULTS IN TEKKEN 2 Street Fighter Alpha 2 , MK3 , Virtua Fighter 2 and all your HOSTILE FIGHTING GAMES. Paint the corners ALL 28 3-D RENDERED MAJOR LEAGUE " STADIUMS PHOTO REALISTIC PLAYER GRAPHICS ...or he’ll spray the bleachers. We could tell you that ALL-STAR BASEBALL ‘97 FEATURING FRANK THOMAS' has every feature you ever wanted (because it has) . But every ball player will tell you he can hit. Or pitch. Or field. It’s how you play that matters. Just like an All-Star, we’re bringing you the complete package. Intuitive. Fast. Accurate. Consistent. And multi-talented. Because an All-Star isn’t just a pitcher. He’s a fielder, too. An All-Star isn’t just a batter. He’s a threat to steal. An All-Star isn’t just a catcher. He’s a pitching coach. An All-Star is a workhorse. And a stallion. An All-Star is a player. All the time. FULL SEASON TEAM AND PLAYER STATS TRADE PLAYERS BETWEEN TEAMS A PERFECT GAME Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc, ©MLBPA Officially Licensed By Major League Baseball Players Association, Officially licensed by Big Hurt Enterprises, Inc. PlayStation and the ‘ A" logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Sega and Sega Saturn are trademarks of SEGA ENTERPRISES. LTD. All rights reserved. Acclaim is a division of Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. ® 8 © 1997 Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Screen shots shown were taken from the PlayStation version of the videogame. WWW.aCClaifTlSportS.COfn Blast Corps (By Capcom) BySloMo Action/strategy to retain W COOTFR mnr ^ '■ L . 1 — ,** sp . This crisis spans the 64 mi Erl AV3 ' I: pRpi re you the kid who con- r7 I \ structs Lego buildings, Ufwk. then pulverizes them with Tonka trucks? Is dynamit- ing buildings into rubble your idea of "high art?" Any way you cut it, recruit— the Blast Corps wants YOU! Construction Destruction Blast Corps is like Pilotwings with a kamikaze twist. It’s a multifaceted game that melds a slick vehicle sim and a mind- thumping action/strategy chal- lenge with massive destruc- tive force. The name of this game is to utterly destroy buildings so as to clear a path for a runaway truck that threatens to turn the world into a radio- active wreck. As you plow through the 60-plus levels, however, you undertake side missions to find six nuclear scientists and assemble a motley fleet of vehicles. Eventually, you comman- deer 12 vehicles, including a bulldozer, a dump truck, a motorcycle, and robots. You even guide a little man. This mechanical melting pot deepens the multifaceted gameplay. Blast Corps wheels and deals as a vehicle sim, with each piece of equipment pro- ducing unique handling char- acteristics and unique ways of destruction. In some levels you run a lap-based road race against the clock; in others Impressive precision enables you to do a great job of orchestrating the unique movements of a wide variety of machinery. Mastering maneuvers with the analog joy- stick requires driving lessons, but even that’s fun. I The graphics are...weli.. I explosive! The vehicles and the robots rock, and the fine animation endows each one with a distinctive look and feel. you operate cranes and barges to overcome obstacles. The controls do a first-rate job. Blast will challenge average gamers to hone their technique. The Blast Picture Show Blast Corps is a visual tour de force. Although it doesn’t immediately blow you away, Boom! Blam! Kerrrunch! I If this is music to your ears, Blast Corps is positively symphonic. You’ll probably tune down the middling tunes. many of its impressive details will just knock you out. The vehicles, from the futur- istic mechs to the bulldozer right down to the little running man, show excellent details. The awesome-looking explo- sions whip you into a build- Clearing a path for the rolling A-bomb is a pro- gressively tough challenge, but running all the hardware is such a kick that you’ll have a good time anyway. Over 60 levels and hidden areas within hidden ar- eas give you your money's worth, too. ing-smashing frenzy. Blowing up stuff never looked so sweet. Hard Corps Maybe using a Wrist Rocket to launch Hot Wheels at your sister’s Barbie Dreamhouse is more fun, but when it comes to video game destruction for brains and brawn, Blast is def- initely the master. □ GAMEPRO (76) May 1997 van) have • rformance ' , , , V V p ,ls massive single arm. PROTIP: The Ra TNT crates the Scour the bot PROTIP: You must learn PROTIP: n a structure has absorbed enough blows, you can save time by destroying it with simple “nudging" as opposed to an all- out crash. PROTIP: To beat the c, mg the race-car time learn to power slide tl the turns. PROTIP: Don’t skif. tot'l pa* it in the nuke truck’s path, tf they col- late, you’re toast, even if your driving skills. The J-Bomb and it’s waiti PROTIP; The Side Swipe’s side- mounted Jackhammers require An' 3 Hammer Cartridges. PROTIP: PROTIP: The little man i plenty of time to mn to machinery he needs to, 9AMEPR0 (rf) Ma» 19 97 a hidden Cold, alone, unsure even of A genetic lab holds the key to your. identity. A deadly virus survival. As you unlock the courses through your veins. mystery of your identity, more disturbing questions arise. ft' Change characters to master changing circumstances. Raz, the man of action. Millie, the mysterious woman who may be no stranger. And Pipo, the friendly robot. Multiple perspectives and compelling cinematics bring the 3-D world to life. Can you find the cure in time to save yourself? Challenging puzzles. Intriguing storyline. No compromises. Ouer 13-] Sci- fi flduentine ELECTRONIC ARTS' www.ea.com Electronic Arts and the Electronic Arts logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use with the PlayStation game console. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. uwr-s Price not available Available now Mech combat 1 player 48 missions 12 mechs In-the-cockpit view PROTIP: If you’re armed with long-range lasers or missiles, play it safe by stopping w | With practice, Mech 2’s 4 o responsive controls enable you to whip through the battlefield with ease. Still, a third-person view would’ve been real handy in crowded combat, and the mech-maintenance screens are too tricky. PROTIP: If you’ve crippled an enemy by blasting off their leg, circle behind them so they can’t pivot and target you, then finish the job. PROW: Use light, spe, missions and p the heavy-duty T 1^1 he term “PC port" often makes console gamers wince because many PC titles suffer severely in the switch. MechWarrior 2 deftly avoids that pitfall, ditching the complexity of the classic PC sim in favor of gripping arcade- style mayhem. Set in the popular Battle- Tech universe, Mech 2 drops you into a war between Clan Wolf and Clan Jade-Falcon. As a grunt at the helm of a mech loaded with hellacious fire- power, you destroy enemy in- stallations, collect intel, and more in the fight for your clan's supremacy. Mech 2’s frenzied combat and huge, varied lineup of missions make for blistering gameplay. But Mech 2’s not without its flaws: The absence of multiplayer action's a real downer, and some of the mis- sions are dull and unchalleng- ing. Still, it leaves posers like Krazy Ivan munching mech exhaust. Mech 2’s a battle worth signing up for. ► PROTIP: If you’re surrounded in a slow mech, back up into a moun- tain in order to cover your back while shooting. Fun Factor Sound $41 The solid sounds per- 3 5 form just fine. The grinding guitar tunes wear thin but the raucous roar of the weaf ons and exploding mechs com- mands most of your attention. r | if mech combat’s your 4 . a thing, Mech 2 ranks as the PlayStation commander-in- chief. Even without two-player action, the fierce combat, awe- some weapons, and unending mis- sions offer plenty of fun for one. MechWarrior 2 (By Activision) ByAirHendrix FOR SEGA SATURN AND SONY PLAYSTATION • PlayStation version features all of the original C&C missions plus 6 extra levels and all of Covert Operations ' • Saturn version features all of the original C&C missions and a [ sound track that has been recorded in Red Book Audio for super ^stereo sound • Both versions hove fast paced game play scrolling at 60 frames per second • Cinematic movie scenes put the player in touch with the action Over 40 missions on two CD-ROMs Dozens of close-ups and action shots The ultimate strategy gam^ * 1 et ready to butt heads - ■ - with the big boys of I %rl professional wrestling. Some of , the WCW’s most g i outrageous charac- c ters kick their way ^ onto the PlayStation with Watch out! Hulkamania’s runnin’ the free-for-all fisticuffs and the H>yStattm. raucous, roughhouse style , i. . — ^ ^ i,' ^ > j. w- - ■ that's made them ... k the most popular 0k organization in the H* ■ '* I world of wrestling. jfing When it comes to options, wcw 3 vs The World pile- • y • ! I drives its competi- tion through the | Im mat - An unprece- I-ii ihit IBL ^piriJ dented 52 wrestlers PROTIP: When your opponent is wobbly, go f r0 m around the for the kill. Tap R1 to duck behind him, then wor | c j are featured tap G to strike him. including 12 of the WCW’s top stars, I <- £$ - •rA such as Hulk Hogan and Sting. Combatants compete in League Challenges, Tourna- ments, Exhibition, and Elimi- nation matches, but it's the detailed mat techniques, bar- baric brouhahas, and count- less signature wrestling holds (from Lex Luger's Torture Rack to the Ultimo Dragon’s Asai Moonsault) that will ulti- mately crown WCW “Lord of the Rings.” ■ PROTIP: When playing with a high-flyer like the Ultimo Dragon, throw your oppo- nent outside the ring and, while pushing against the ropes, tap G to Sting. pounce on him with a spe- cial move. Whether you’re leaping 5 0 off the top turnbuckle with a Missile Dropkick or pounding opponents with Power- bombs, WCW has the controls that make it easy to pulverize your opponents. PROTIP: After whipping your opponent into the turnbuckle tap O to hoist him up onto the ropes for a high-risk maneuver. I Fun Factor From pillar to post, > 5 WCW vs The World gives wrestling fans what they've been lacking: A game with real wrestlers and real wrestling holds. WCW's one of the best wrestling titles ever to “walk the aisle” into the home arena. It pins Power Move in almost every respect. ESi j5Ku' and tap x to deliver a fierce blow to the head. PROTIP: A head-butt where it counts is an effective way to injure your opponent. Graphics El The polygonal wrestlers capture the authentic looks and attitudes of the real- life brawlers, while the hair- raising holds of havoc are per- formed with great detail. PROTIP: To perform a reversal simultaneously tap □ and O when your opponent is punch ing or kicking. PSSSTTT- WMTYOt/R Send Foreign and Canadian orders prepaid in U.S. funds, with $30/year additional for air delivery. Annual newsstand rate: $59.88. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue. 575G0 Y6S! FNTFR Ft/ SUBSCRIPTION TO SflMFPRO <52 FICTION- PACKED ISSUSS) FT THC INORFOIBl/ LOW PRICE OF $19.97. ru. spiff swoo offthfco/fr PRicei mi TO: P.O. BOX 55527 B0C/W5R, CO 80322-5527 w/ne fimess err/, stats, zip O biums □ P 0 M£trr eoaoseo By The Rookie Load the main guns, man the torpedoes, and clear the flight decks — BattleStations invades the PlayStation with seafaring arcade action that has a strategic flair. This battleship combat sim lets you square off against tyran- nical dictators with a fleet of war- ships. You build a task force from eight types of devastating ships, including aircraft carriers, destroy- PROTIP: Send planes from the air- craft carrier on kamikaze runs to damage your opponent. PROTIP: Use hit-and-run tactics to take out your opponent. PROTIP: In the Campaign mode, use the pa- trol boat to finish off any severely damaged aircraft earners. PROTIP: Watch your ship’s damage closely and send out the rescue helicopter at every opportunity. ers, and even submarines. You can play head-to-head arcade-style against a friend or the computer, or complete strategic missions similar to those in Soviet Strike. The graphics and sounds are superb. The ships show excellent detail that includes fighter squad- rons taking off from the aircraft carrier. Equally well-done and re- alistic are the explosions and the near-misses that hit the water. The sonic concussions, confirma- tion from your subordinates, and the driving soundtrack create au- thentic audio. Controlling your ves- sel is tricky until you learn the physics of each ship. The Arcade mode will help you hone your naviga- tion skills, though. BattleStations is a solid com- bat game. It’s tough sailing, but it’s worth at least a weekend to see if it floats your boat for in- tense sea action. BattleStations by Electronic Arts Challenge: Advanced Replay value: High ESRB rating: Kids to Adults By The Rookie - ' r- " Fight fans, get ready .< for a pugilistic party! . H * i K-l : The Arena Fight- ers is an authentic kickboxing game that requires you to use more than your fists to win. K-l showcases eight real-life kickboxers from around the world in One Player, Versus, Tourna- ment, and Team Battle modes. As in real kickboxing, your fighter tosses fists and feet, enabling you to string together wicked com- I bos. This game is pure ■HH kickboxing, so don’t look for fancy fireballs P '«'*'■ or projectiles. You must analyze your oppo- pMs? nent’s style, and then fight accordingly. I Each fighter ex- sifeik hibits lifelike move- f ment via a well- defined, polygonal look, slick sounds, COnStani and excellent controls. A rotating camera brings the action right to you by displaying an awesome ringside panoramic view. The re- alistic punching and kicking au- dio effects are enhanced by the crowd chants and a flawless an- nouncer. The ease of the controls enables you to orchestrate your fighter’s every move with explo- sive precision. Even though it’s not a tradi- tional boxing or martial arts sim, K-l is the most realistic fighting game to date. Because of its lim- ited array of fighters, though, you might want to rent it first to see if it deserves a permanent spot in your arena. ■ PROTIP: When an opponent ducks, grab him by the head and give him a knee to the chops. PROTIP: For the best success, use a fighter like K. Changpuek that’s well balanced in both strength PROTIP: Make your opponent swing and miss, then connect with a right cross. 4.5 4.5 Price not available Available now Fighting 2 players Rotating view Challenge: Adjustable Replay value: Medium May 1987 BRAMMA Force The Assault on Beltlogger 9 PlayStation Genki ©1997 GENKI CO., LTD. Presented by JALECO LTD. Jalecp and the Jaleco logo are trademarks ot Jaleco Lid. Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America lor use with the PlayStation game console. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are trademarks ol Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark ot the Interactive Digital Software Association. THIS SOFTWARE IS COMPATIBLE WITH PLAYSTATION GAME CONSOLES WITH THE NTSC/UC DESIGNATION. Sentient is a well- crafted, immersive iR*^S 1 sci-fi thriller. Fans of complex strategy will enjoy this thoughtful RPG-like adventure. A careful search for informa- tion drives the gameplay. You’re a medic who's crash-landed on yuu m hum. ^ ^ ^ Ham ,„ and Mal . CD game, Wings packed with en- colm McDomll Cm _ tertainmg bdt lengthy video se- mander )/s , quences. Moreover, numerous data loads^hoticeably break up the action. There’s a good assortment of missions, which include deploying space commandos, intercepting base ships, and flying spy missions— r _ ’ all.the while engaging in good ol’ dogfights. . s - ' — It’s a grand space epic, ' but unfortunately the S .-. si', v, actual combat’s dry. The dogfights fea- ture sweaty chase-and- be-chased intensity, but they’re chaotic, even though enemy ships 12 as you speak), and you’ll some- times get different responses. Wing’s superb animations star. The Price of - Freedom PROTIP: The intro isn’t just for show— it gives you clues you can follow up later. s. form a multitude of simple tasks s, in his search to uncover the info ig, needed to save the station. x- The sound is the game's weak link. There are few voices, and the music isn't always appro- priate for the slowly building aTil strategy. Conversely, the graph- ics are strong, especially the de- tailed rendered BD environ- ments. The crew’s goofy faces, however, are a letdown. In Sentient you encounter no monsters or mayhem— you use your mind, not your trigger finger. But the intricacy and sus- pense make the brainwork re- warding (and replayable, too, with six endings). H Sentient by Psygnosis Graphics Sound Control Fun Factor are few. Bogeys are as tough to track as runaway meteorites, and you rarely get a good look at them. The graphics and sounds are a treat. The story cinemas and ani- mated sequences are outstanding, but the gameplay visuals rely a lit- tle too much on radar blips. The macho dialogue drives energy in- to the,yoices, and with a Prologic sound system, the Dolby Surround is very cool. Wing Commander IV presents an engaging story. With more inter- esting enemy encounters, this * game could have taken wing. M ynOTIP: Speeds in the greet, the Speed Indicator are the effective in dogfights. PROTIP: Eavesdrop on conversa- tions to learn about plot develop- ments and traits of characters you’ll soon meet. Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom by Origin PROTIP: When facing two enemy fighters, attack one, but as soon i as red blaster bolts zip past your windshield, veer off. PROTIP: Save your torpedoes. They’re the only ordnance that can take out certain rebel ships. » Available now Space-combal : 1 player work your way toward the center until you reach the inner gate. GAMEPRO O May 1997 Yesterday, you were a cocky 2-D arcade shooter. Today, you totally suck. destruction. Where the fighting is fast and furious enough to turn you into a certified junkie. With progressively difficult levels and an intense play environment, NanoTek Warrior offers awesome replay value. Which means just maybe, by the turn of the century, 1 you'll be back to your same old cocky self. NanoTek Warrior shot, take it— if you try to back up for more points, you’re liable By Mister Blister Marvel Comics' In- credible Hulk sulks onto the PlayStation with a mediocre effort. The Hulk has been captured by The Pan- theon, and he must escape while ■ assembling the missing pieces of PROTIP: Don’t destroy the crates! Use them to reach high places. PROTIP: Cluster enemies together and execute the Floor Smash to take ’em out By Johnny Ballgame League of Pain is a barely above-average cybersports title that combines elements of basket-brawl and hockey in a game full of goals, punches, and horrendous cam- era angles. Your team competes in an arena divided into halves with a spherical goal hovering over midfield. The object is to charge the ball in your end of the sta- dium and shoot it into the goal from distances that are assigned gles. Some of the views are too close, limiting your play perspec- maEiaaiaiini JPantheon^aga a destructive time machine. In 14 levels of mazes, ene- mies, and obstacles, Hulk goes green by punching, kicking, and using limited special moves. All action is presented in a third-person perspective while you clunk through average-look- ing 3D environments that are hin- dered by an overuse of shading that hides details. With animation and sound effects that are as ragged as the Hulk’s clothes, the whole incredible experience soon becomes repetitive. This one is a rental for diehard Hulk comics’ fans only. 0 The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga by Eidos Price not available Passwords Available now Action 1 player Third-person vii 5 stages Challenge: Adjustable Replay value: Low ESR8 rating: Kids to Adults tive, while others are too far re- moved, making it difficult to see exactly what’s going on. FIFA-style crowd chants add excitement, but the announcers quickly become repetitive. League of Pain is fun at times, especially with two players, but the camera angles and some- times frustrating control doom it to strictly rental status. K various point values. Controlling your players is at times difficult, mainly because both the charge and pass options are executed with the same but- ton, causing you to sometimes lose possession. Graphically, the main problem is the lack of good camera an- PROTIP: Your opponent can’t score if he can’t charge the ball. Block his charger at all costs. Available now Replay value: Medium Cybersports ESRB rating: Kids 2 players to Adults Multiple views By Gideon Interplay effec- tively brings the pool hall to your PlayStation with Virtual Pool. You can play solo or chal- lenge a friend to 8-Ball, 9-Ball, Straight, and Rotation. A thor- ough options menu customizes everything from camera angles, stick handling, and shooting the cue ball. Impressive 3D graphics cre- ate a real-time, 360-degree envi- ronment that lets you move around and view the table from any angle. The controls are exact and enable you to plan each shot PROTIP: Apply English by hitting the cue ball off-center and to the left for a left spin (or vice versa). This can also decrease ball speed. O ® L using actual pool-table physics. Mixed tunes and good back- ground sound effects complete the experience. Detailed instruc- tions and a clear interface also make this pool game accessible to all skill levels. □ PROTIP: Always keep in mind how your shot affects the 8-ball. Virtual Pool by Interplay Price not available 4 games Available now Challenge: Adjustable Pool Replay value: High 2 players ESRB rating: Kids Multiple views to Adults P assurance that this product meets the highest quality I standards ot SEGA.™ Buy legend of eldean d Borne Of Enchaniwijfl ra*e Exist Only One lljne: The Impossible. Price not 2 available Available view now Action/ adventure ■ erc’s Adventures is a 2D sprite game in a 3D polygonal arena, but so what? It’s a blast to play, and a nice relief from the del- uge of polygon-infested titles so commonplace for 32-bit systems these days. You play as one of three heroes— Hercules, Jason, or Atlanta— on a quest to free PROTIP: Be careful when hunt- ing the evil Medusa; the ground Greek gods like Zeus make cameo appearances! You start with a simple weapon, but you can gather special weapons and other items and power-ups, such as Pan- dora’s Box and inflat- able cow decoys, during your adventure. One of the best things about Here’s Adventures is its epic scope. You travel across a gi- gantic landscape filled with Roman soldiers, monsters, and hidden areas. Some of the hid- den areas are difficult to find and make for many hours of fun exploring. Another excellent aspect of the game is the fun you’ll have spotting famous relics of Creek mythology. Here’s throws in PROTIP: Atlanta is the best character— her bow and arrow gives her excellent range when she attacks. everything from the Hydra to the Minotaur, all done with ex- cellent hand-drawn animation. There's also a clever twist when you die: You’re sent to the un- derworld, and you must fight your way back to the surface. The more you die, the farther back in Hades you start. Here’s adventures are defi- nitely worth undertaking. This is one of the most enjoyable games to hit the Saturn yet, and that ain’t no myth. PROTIP: Instead of hitting enemies like the soldiers or the skeletons, pick them up and throw them. PROTIP: Be careful whenever you encounter Cassandra; her i result in 1 Attacks with his trusty club. Uses a short sword. Vanquishes enemies with her bow and arrow. Wonderful cartoon 5 0 graphics provide an eyeful, with huge bosses and superb animation. The cine- matic interludes are also a plus. Whimsical music ac- 5 . 0 companies your every move. The sound effects really shine, from the wimpy “ouch” of your character to the haunting taunts of Medusa. Moving your character 5.0 is a breeze, as is main- taining the inventories of special items. The jumps are the only tricky part, but those are easy to master with practice. GAMEPRO May 1997 f Futt Factor Challenging bosses, hu- 5 . o morous anecdotes, and gigantic landscapes-Herc’s has it all. The gaming gods should be pleased with this Saturn offering. Eddy Guerrero VS THE WORLD sets the standard for next ge wrestling games...'" :. P * Available for PlayStation | • 15 of your favorite ’ . WCW superstars j Huiuuitan ' • BO wrestlers from j Lnugcr 6 different organizations ' • 30 to 40 moves per wrestler ■ Over 10 hot 3-0 arenas Also appearing: Sting. Rick Steiner. Scott Steiner. Ultimo Dragon. Masahiro Chono. Lord Steven Regal...and more! Visit your local retailer or call 1-800-WCW-8468 for orders only www.wcwwrestling.com www.thq.com <2 S The Lost Vikings: Norse by Norsewest By Interplay $59.95 Available now 1 player Puzzle/adventure 31 levels Challenge: Advanced Replay value: Low ESRB rating: Kids to Adults PRO TIP: Picking up a key doesn’t always automatically activate the key. If a door re- mains locked after you pick up a key, select the key from the menu, and try it again. PROTIP: Look near the red rope for the matches. Later, in the abandoned bar, reach over the counter and grab the lamp. Lost VI KINGS: PROTIP: Remember to utilize Olaf’s shield as a platform. Challenge: Advanced Replay value: Low ESRB rating: Kids to Adults Norse^Norse west PROTIP: Always check overhead for hooks or other areas where Baleog can attach his mace and swing from it Vikings is tough, and the path to success is not always clear. In- tellectually challenged gamers may give up in frustration early on. You can control either one of three characters or one of two characters, depending on the sit- uation. You climb, swing, bash, and even fart your way through 31 challenging levels to solve puzzles and battle enemies. The otherwise solid controls have but one major hitch: transferring items between characters is a chore. The graphics are tiny, de- tailed, and boring. At least the challenging puzzles overcome the visual shortcomings. The sounds, on the other hand, are excel- lent! Effects, like swords slicing the air, are crys- tal clear, and the nicely crafted vocals feature some of the funniest dialogue ever. Lost Vikings will pro- vide an entertaining evening of deep puzzles and fun gameplay. With better graphics, these Vikings might have found a permanent home with you. □ PROTIP: Use Scorch’s fire to open some switches. ■ | By Scary Larry It's sad that puzzle/ adventure games are sometimes written off as too complex by the uniniti- ated. Lunacy may strike first- timers as “too hard to play" ini- tially, but even those not given to games like D or Myst should try it. This slick, creepy game com- bines D's eerie, latent sensuality with Myst's otherworldliness to create a challenging, captivating, movie-like mystery. You’re seek- ing your stolen memories on a PROTIP: Visit the graveyard, then return to the Rower shop for a Rower to place on the grave. A man will approach you with some new info. PROTIP: You must try your prison- cell gate three times before you get the key. quest through two gigantic worlds, the World of Dark and the World of Light. You interro- gate denizens to gather clues, and interact with environmental objects— pulling switches, pick- ing up items, and solving puz- zles. Lunacy moves at a leisurely pace, but the story line really grabs you. The clean graphics de- pict imaginative render- ings of people and places, though some objects look fuzzy. The sounds are likewise impressive. The vocals are rich, though some voice-overs don't rn to match lip movements. on Lunacy is a thoughtful vith game, but be prepared for deliberate pacing and tough prob- lem-solving. Overall, this is a nice little By Scary Larry ] The Lost Vikings: I Norse by Norsewest I rediscovers the puz- zle-solving and teamwork of the Super NES hit, along with new characters and much funnier dia- logue. Unfortunately, sparse graph- ics and brain-teasing gameplay are not hot-sellers. TH6 Explore the Universe of GAM£PH0 £Jj x J_LJ j n J_^ >AOL 4 On The WEB A America Online Members’. CHOICE 1 Hot This Month... Check for daily game industry news updates, the latest game tips, tactics, and strategies, and more. Fighter’s Edge OPEN 24 HOWS Visit GamePro on America Online and check out: Complete move lists, strategies, and cheats • Plus, dedicated Message Board PC Games • More PC previews and demos on the hottest new games Sports Pages Live conversation with other gamers Weekday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. PST in the chat room Now introducing the new GamePro Virtual Sports Network Special Interest Groups • Fighter’s Edge • PC GamePro • SWAT • Sports Pages • Role-Player’s Realm Web Unks • To over 800 game-related Chat Room companies and sites Message Boards GamePro Magazine • Current and archived issues (Requires Java Plug-in) Daily Game Industry News Special Features on the Game Industry Library • Game demos, screens, FAQs, and more Call AOL to get connected 1 - 800 - 714-8100 Price nol available Available now Corridor shooter Challenge: Adjustable Replay value: Medium ESR8 rating: Kids to Adults By Dr. Zombie Tunnel B1 combines i a high-speed driving | L ^ i aP H T i sim with a difficult corridor shooter. From a first-per- son view, you pilot a ship through endless mazes of obstacles, ene- | mies, and dead ends. The easy-to- PROTIP: Avoid harm to your ship by strafing, punching reverse, then re-engaging with another burst of gunfire. Tunnel B1 by Acclaim PROTIP: light barrier only once to a response somewhere within the level. handle ship packs machine guns, and you can acquire power-ups like rockets and smart bombs. The overhead map of each level is your key to victory. Detailed graphics and smooth scaling create believable motion; however, the average sound ef- fects grow repetitive. Although it doesn’t feature groundbreaking gameplay, if you like flying and shooting, Tunnel B1 is captivat- ing enough to be a good week- end rental. □ ' cheap hits galore, and battles with bosses are more wars of attrition than tests of skill. The graphics are seamless but bland, plagued by occasional slowdown when the action gets intense. Some arresting visuals, such as bosses so large they fill the screen and a cool rendered- cinematic opener, top off the graphics, but these highlights are minimal. The music consists of a few stirring overtures, with al- most inaudible sound effects. By The Gun Nut ♦^. 7 ' Konami’s Contra games have usually — been a cut above other action titles, but this Con- tra fails to live up to the legacy. The game is still run-n-gun ac- tion, but Legacy sports a new 3D look that hampers the action: Off- screen enemies shoot you before you even see them, and precision jumping is difficult. There are also PROTIP: Use homing weapons to find hidden areas containing weapon power-ups. HT fcflc Y rORAGGN HEART FIRE* STEEL PROTIP: When you drive the pon- toon boat, use the radar to find the big bosses and water mines. to use against the bosses. The simple jump-and- shoot control scheme is fairly responsive. The main rough spots are the loose jumps, which are especially annoying since one false move can cost you a life. At times, the game is more frustrating than fun. Contra is worth a rental for the curious, but there are better offerings out there like Loaded and even Spot Goes to Hollywood. The Legacy of this Contra will be short-lived. B PROTIP: When you ride the raft, jump to shore whenever you have the chance; the sea serpent will drop hard-to-shoot baby snakes on the raft. ^-overhead view Challenge: Advanced Replay value: Medium ESRB rating: Teen Price nol available Available now 2 players Action 7 levels By Gideon Dragonheart: Fire and Steel brings last year’s movie to 32-bit life. You're a knight who battles rogues and mercenaries while searching for evil dragons to slay. You wield a sword and bow, but you can also call upon a friendly dragon for fiery support. Most of the game is side- scrolling action requiring timed movements against obstacles and hack-n-slash swordplay against enemies. An innovative fatigue factor adds a wrinkle to PROTIP: Barrels hide power-ups and items. Beware the ones that blow up! the combat by preventing you from attacking endlessly. Detailed backgrounds create a movie-like setting, but stiff character ani- mation, average sounds, and a clumsy controller interface deter from Dragonheart’s enjoyment. You’re probably better off firing up the movie. b PR0T1P: Urnut labgae by making the enemy come to you. Dragonheart Fire and Steel by Acclaim Price nol available Multiple views Available now Challenge: Adjustable 1 player Replay value: Low Action ESRB rating: Teen 94) May 1997 6AMEPR0 Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo by Capcom Price not available Challenge: Adjustable Available now Replay value: High Puzzle ESRB rating: Kids 2 players to Adults PROTIP: Line the same-colored blocks in snakelike trails across the screen, then drop a Crash Gem on the bunch. to-head mode is where you get intense puzzle action, providing hours of enjoyment. Street Fighter and puzzle- game fans alike should defi- nitely give this game a look. Q PROTIP: The Super Gem can clear out huge sections and get you out of tight jams— use this valu- able item wisely. Hardcore 4X4 is a slow, bouncy, one- player racing game, g Racers should go elsewhere for R fast, fun two-player action. E 4X4 covers a nice range V of tracks, non-licensed trucks, 1 and climactic conditions. Unfor- w tunately, the gameplay is slow. Without two-player action, you bounce endlessly with con- trols so squirrelly you can’t hit the gas without running j into something. The sound effects are the f highlight— you hear your £ truck’s every squeak. Graph- PROTIP: Bump opponents into walls to get by them. PRO TIP: Good suspension and superb traction make the Snow Spider the best buck for the Arche Inferno. ically, you can choose four views, but the tracks are too pixelated, the courses are undetailed, and the frame rate’s slow. Hardcore 4X4 is for desperate off-road fans; more demanding racers should steer clear. □ TNN Motor Sports Hardcore 4X4 By ASC Games Graphics Sound Control Fun Fact! By Para Noid m Puzzle Fighter combines ad- ITT dictive puzzle strategy with familiar Cap- com fighting characters from Darkstalkers and Street Fighter Alpha 2. You pick from eight characters, each with different puzzle skills, then try to match similarly colored gems to clear them out and drop 'em on your opponent. You can even perform combo moves by eliminating a series of blocks in succession. The one-player modes are enter- taining, but the two-player head- 6 backs Heir of Zendor fea- tures a jggp stQr y I line, spartan graphics and sounds, and a strenuous mental challenge. HOZ puts you in air battles using futuristic aircraft. You as- sess your ships' strengths, set formations, then watch the shots fly. Your ships have unique move- A ments and weapons features, and you have detailed control over their performances as you plan your combat strategy (though you have no control over the ac- tual shooting). The graphics scream 1 6-bit with low-res ships, identical-look- ing backgrounds, and ordinary cut-sceen animation. The music is fine, but the voices are hokey. With better graphics, HOZ might have soared. It manages to fly, just not very high. □ PROTIP: Be sure to test forma- tions carefully— with the right one, your outnumbered ships can still win battles. PROTIP: Somehmes it’s better to attack distant enemies first; they may be more dangerous. Heir of Zendor The Legend and the Land by Koei Graphics Sound Control Fun Factor 2.0 2.5 3.5 3.0 $59.95 Challenge: Advanced Available now Replay value: Medium Strategy ESRB rating: Kids 1 player lo Adults Multiple views EIMEPR9 Mai 1997 The Legend oe 1 Link. To the past Zelda sets the standard for action/adventure games. In the first part of our strategy guide, we map out the Light World for first-time explorers. By Bone T he Legend of Zelda has been enthralling gamers since it made its Super NES debut in April 1992. It has recently been re-issued so that newcomers to 16-bit gaming can share the Zelda experience. One of the first games to receive perfect 5.0 ratings in CamePro, Zelda was also selected by Nintendo as one of its top-five SNES games of all time. Known for its complexity, Zelda’s gameplay is mea- sured in months, not hours. The game’s adventures cover two huge areas, the Light World, which is the home of the diminutive hero, Link, and the Dark World, where characters show the sinister side of their per- sonalities. Here is a map of the Light World, which hides the key health icons and power-ups needed to reach the Dark World as you search for the kidnapped Princess Zelda. Next month well spotlight the Dark World and the items needed to defeat Ganon, the Prince of Darkness, who has brought evil to the land. The Lineage of Zelda July 1987: The Legend of Zelda (NES) December 1988: Zelda II: The Adven- tures of Link (NES) April 1992: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 1 . 11 ! niiii J 8 8 Si 8 S I i i I Sf.il! | I 111 Sill | 5 5 Sj g 3 3 3 sss sissisis 8 si 8 S S K I 1 lllillli ~ ” s GAMEPRD 96 May 1997 THE 16-BIT GAMER’S SURVIVAL GUIDE G A M E P R 0 97 May 1997 VR BASEBALL TIP Check out VR Baseball ’97 at www.vrsports.com Check out the official Major League Baseball web site at www.majorleaguebaseball.com MORE CONTROL THAN ANY OTHER BASEBALL GAME! » VR Baseball '97 is the next generation baseball game that lets you control both the batter and baserunners simultaneously. Hit and run, tag up, steal, stretch out a double or execute a squeeze play. VR Baseball's completely new, easy-to-use controller design provides total bat control for power, contact, bunt and pull-hitting as well as control over pitch selection and speed with unlimited pitch locations. You can even control a real 3-D camera that let's you play from any position or angle because VR Baseball has a true 3-D engine. After 3 years of internal development and a total commitment to quality, VR Sports delivers a winning roster for the '97 season: Virtual FieldVision™ technology creates an immersive, ultra-realistic, © gaming environment that lets you play the game from any view or perspective. You can even play from the ball r s view if you don't mind getting knocked around. Total control over all aspects of game play including simultaneous batter and baserunner control. Play baseball in a true real-time 3-D world with unlimited 360° views and motion captured polygon models for all players. Updated stats, rosters, uniform styles, logos and inter-league play with a real-time in stadium scoreboard and big screen in stadium television. The Difference Is Real." © Four uniform options per team including updated colors and team logos for 1997. Plus, four play options and three difficulty settings for the skill level most challenging to you. Instant access to pitch selection, speed and control for unlimited plate locations without menus. Total bat control for power, contact, bunt and pull-hitting without tipping your hand to your opponent. Super-fast Season Play mode with top 10 or full stats, mid-season All-Star voting and game. Pius, Try it. It's new. It's different. You may never go back to your old game again. Over 700 Major League Baseball “ Players and all 28 3-D Major League Baseball '' stadiums including three new stadiums: Atlanta, Anaheim and Oakland. Plus, a true physics model controls velocity, rotation, gravity and air friction for true flight, bounce and roll for varying surfaces like Astroturf, grass, dirt and fences. VR Baseball '97 Corporation.AII rights reserved. All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. COMING SOON!!! Knicks at Night Graphically, Shootout scores with the smoothest, sharpest animations seen to date of players dribbling the ball behind their back and between their legs. Latrell Sprewell was motion-captured to bring his athletic style to the game, and his trademark tomahawk jams appear so lifelike, it’s amazing. The sound is the only bricklayer in Shootout. The announcer grows annoying fast with his over-the-top calls, and the music isn’t up to the high standard of the rest of the game. NBA Shootout ’97 Sets the Zo Diggity, Zo Doubt Sony Sports continues its commitment to excellence with Shootout ’97, providing a dream team of features and play options. All 29 NBA teams are represented, along with three skill levels; Exhibition, Season, and Playoff modes; and the ability to create, trade, release, and sign players. B-ball fans have the option to play Simulation mode where players tire and the stats resemble real life, or Arcade mode where players jump higher and the game plays more like playground run-n-gun basketball. Even with all the options, it’s the revolu- tionary control that takes Shootout coast-to- coast for the championship. Icon passing is implemented for the first time in a basketball game, enabling you to pass the rock to the man you want simply by tapping the button that corresponds to the icon (A, □, O, or X) found directly over each player’s head. You can call for a cutter, shoot fadeaway jumpers, throw alley-oops, use an array of special shake moves like the killer crossover, and call one of six authentic NBA plays like the Box or Hi-Lo Post. iak, pass the ball up-court , then go in for ar PROTIP: Go back up strong with offensive boards by simul- taneously pressing Shoot and Turbo for the monster dunk. Plantation most realistic The Price Is Right If you already own Live ’97, Shootout’s still worth buying because it offers you advanced controls like icon passing that aren’t found in any other game. If you don’t own a hoops game and you’re looking to buy just one, you can’t go wrong with either title, but Shootout’s the top pick. □ NBA Shootout '97 g By Johnny Ballgame NBA Shootout '97 shakes up the basketball world, cooking the court with spectacular, slam-dunkin’ gameplay and the five-on-five hoops action ever brought to the 32-bit arena. 8AMIPB0 (loo) May 19 97 Live ’97 Knocks Down a Buzzer-Beater on the Saturn been sharper with more vibrant colors and a less hazy appearance, Live is still graced with realistic-looking slams, alley-oops, and lay- ups — even jump saves while falling out of bounds. Even though the control is very respon- sive, players still tend to glide rather than run Use the trade feature to bring the Monster Mash down the court As with NBA Action, Live ’97 to Miami. , , , also features a create-a-player option that en- ables you to tweak everything from attributes to overall appearance. Live’s sounds work nicely with swishes, rim-dinkers, and the slap of the rock on the hardwood, but there should have been more color commentary by the in-game announcer. Ernie Johnson does, however, lend some superb vocals to pre- and post-game reports. In the Knick of Time Live ’97 is a definite must-buy for Saturn owners. The gameplay and style are identical to the PSX ver- sion, but the graphics aren’t as im- pressive. You will find, however, that the addictive gameplay makes up for any lack of detail in Live ’97 ’s overall look. O NBH Live '97 By The Rookie Go coast-to-coast with NBA Live ’97, the first solid of- fering of the Saturn season. With only NBA Action in its way, Live ’97 is sure to break thumbs in the homes of Saturn owners even though it lacks the graphics superiority of the PlayStation version. Put Up or Shut Up Live ’97 brings all the action home in Exhibition, Season, and Playoff modes. Be prepared to get your shwerve on with intense five-on-five play, choosing from all 29 NBA teams. Live ’97 also features more than 300 real players — including Shaq. Customize your game by selecting ei- ther arcade or simulation play, while choosing your skill level and quarter duration. You can even construct your own dream team through trades! Want strategy? Live ’97 provides you with a combination of 52 offensive sets and quick plays as well as 10 defensive sets and quick plays. Go back door for two, or set the screen on a three-point bomb. From Way Downtown... Bang! Better camera angles and better motion-captured moves, compliments of Mitch Richmond, separate this game from NBA Action. Although the graphics could have (AMIPRO 101 Mai 1007 Solid as Always, FIFA Drills One into the N64 FIFO Soccer G4 By Air Hendrix PROTIP: Whenever you have a corner kick, lob the ball into the crowd in front of the net and try for a high-percentage header or bicycle kick. Competing with only arcade-style sports games on the NllllcllUU 0 1 N64, FIFA Soccer 64 immerses sports fans in a fine round of intense, realistic soccer. That said, it lacks the pizzazz and orig- inality of a runaway N64 hit like Wave Race. FIFA’s an undeniably strong title, but most gamers will expect more from the first U.S. N64 soccer game. Teams Galore As always, FIFA dishes out the largest list of teams and players in soccer gaming. Play in in- ternational circles with a huge list of teams from countries that range from Argentina to Zambia, or hit the local circuits in England, the U.S., Italy, France, and Gennany. With a great lineup of Exhibition and Tournament modes, as well as arcade- and sim-style action, FIFA packs in huge replayability. Of course, you’ll also find team strategy and formations, as well as two tackles, rainbow kicks, bicycle kicks, headers, and the like. But these have been standard FIFA features on 32-bit plat- forms for a while now. Where are the innovations — cool new kicks and moves, a create-a-player op- tion, indoor action, and so on — that would help it shine as 64-bit soccer? Those questions aside, FIFA still puts on a solid match, offering gripping games and fun action. Rainbow Kick PROTIP: Challenge your opponents fiercely if they move the ball into the far corners at your end. Otherwise, they’ll lob it in for a shot that’s tough to defend. PROTIP: Always angle your one-on-one shots; straight-on kicks rarely score. L PROTIP: When facing a penalty kick, it's best to change your for- mation to Sweeper and your strat- egy to All-Out Defense for maxi- mum protection. PROTIP: Team management pro- sides that key edge in tight matches. Play on All-Out Offense or Attack until you earn a lead, then use a strong defense to ensure victory. PROTIP: I se long clearing kicks only when y ou're relatively close to your own net. From midfield, oppo- nents will almost always recover such kicks. Ttnnn PROTIP: On breakaways, shoot just as you cross the first line in front of the net. but before the goalie advances on you too far. On the control side, FIFA generally responds smoothly. Passing and shooting handle fine, though the quirky player switching can be frus- trating as it occasionally leaves you out of the play. Graphically, FIFA boots one in with gorgeous stadiums and fluid, realistic player movements. But the players are too small in the playable views, and the game speed is definitely sluggish at times. As for sounds, FIFA’s trademark crowd chants and on-the-ball commen- tary keep the stadium rockin’. More lively onfield effects would’ve added a lot, though. Bottom Line When the ref’s whistle blows, FIFA ranks as a strong but unremarkable first effort with plenty of room to improve. If you’re jonesin’ for some hardcore soccer (or sports, for that matter) on your N64, snap it up. But if you want to wait to be daz- zled by 64-bit soccer, Konami’s International Superstar Soccer (see review of Perfect Striker in “Sports Pages,” this issue) has more promise. □ FIFA Soccer 64 by EA Sports $55.75 8 views 64 megs Challenge: Adjustable Available now Replay value: High Soccer ESRB rating: Kids 4 players to Adults G A M E P R 0 ( 102 ) Mil 1917 CHIPS& BITSinc. POB 234 DEPT 10890 ROCHESTER, VT 05767 INT’L 802-767-3033 FAX 802-767-3382 A tine 0nl or sefM'ce Custom® 1 VIDEO GAMES: PLAYSTATION AD&D Iron & Blood i re Dark NOW $46 NOW $51 NOW $29 I S46 NOW $51 Alpha Storm Arcade Classics 2 Area 51 Ball Blazer NOW $52 Beyond the Beyond NOW $50 Blazing Dragons NOW $50 Brahma Force NOW $46 Bubsy 3-D NOW $50 Bust-A-Move 2 NOW $36 Castlevania Bloodltng NOW $42 Chronicles ol Sword NOW $50 Code Name:Tenka NOW $52 Command & Conquer NOW $46 Contra:Legacy ol War NOW $46 Cool Boarders NOW $52 Crash Bandicoot NOW $52 Cfflicom 2 05/97 $54 CrowiCIty ot Angels NOW $50 Crusader:No Remorse NOW $49 NOW S42 NOW S49 NOW $44 NOW $50 NOW $51 NOW $54 NOW $46 NOW $42 NOW $52 Hyperblade NOW S Ghost Rider 05/97 $52 Ghost in the Shell NOW $52 Golden Nugget NOW $44 Grand Theft Auto NOW $52 Grid Runner NOW $36 H.O.S.T. NOW $52 NOW $49 NOW $49 NOW $54 NOW $52 NOW $51 ID4:lndependence DayNOW $52 Impact Racino NOW $50 Incredible Hulk NOW $50 Jajamaru NOW $50 JetMoto NOW $50 Johnny Bazookatone NOW $42 NHL Hockey 97 NOW $50 Panzer General NOW ! Primal Rage NOW ! RayMan NOW S Rebel Assault 2 NOW ! Resident Evil NOW ! Ridge Racer Revolutn NOW i Road Rash NOW ! Skeleton Warriors NOW i FIFA InU Soccer 64 NOW S69 Freak Boy 08/97 $66 Golden Eye 007 07/97 $64 Chrono Trigger NOW $16 Doom NOW S8 Fighting Game SecrelsNOW $8 Killer Instinct 2 NOW $11 Legacy ofKain NOW $13 05/97 $64 Lunar NOW $12 06/97 $72 Lunar 2 NOW $13 06/97 S69 Mortal Kombat Trilogy NOW $8 N64 Game Secrets Playstn Game Secrts2 NC Super Mario RPG Super Mario 64 Tekken 1&2 Tomb Raider ua Fighters Pckt NOW $6 COMPUTER GAMES: ARCADE NOW $33 Mystical Circle Axis & Allies Car Wars Deluxe Deluxe Diplomacy NOW $42 Robo Rally DieHanse NOW $55 Settlers ol Catai Dragon Dice NOW $9 Space Chess 3C Dungeon NOW $16 Space Hulk Grand Prix NOW S19 Warhammer 40 Knightmare Chess NOW $13 Warhammer Fantasy NOW ! Lunch Money NOW $15 Warhammer Quest Tempest 2000 NOW $ TigerShark NOW $ Toh Shin Den NOW $ Virtua Fighter W95 NOW $ COLLECTIBLE CARD GAMES NOW $37 Worms PAPER/ROLE PLAYING www.cdmag.com/chips.html or call 1-800-699-4263 Source Code 10890 SONIC X-TREME’ Robotnik has created a Death Egg so huge that its grav- itational pull is sucking up all five surrounding worlds. Sonic's job is rescue the Mips before they are completely destroyed. Sega Release Date: 10/97 SAT $46 COMMAND & CONQUER' Welcome to a new worid where the art of electronic intelligence and covert sur- veillance reigns supreme. Where guerrilla strategies and savage combat are the norm. Build bases, muster forces and dominate your enemies. Virgin Release Date: NOW PSX $46 SAT $52 'MECHWARRIOR 2’ The year is 3057. A struggle for power fuels a I society of warring dans. Bitter infighting perpetuates a universe of unrest War is constant Victory is temporary. Cease-fire is nonexis- tent Time is scarce. For the Mechwarrior. war is life and death is the [ only true peace. Activision ■ Release Date: NOW PSX $49 SAT $49 y ] 'NBA LIVE 97' mirrors the style of the NBa. capturing 3D animation from real players, so they look and move natu- rally at both ends of the court. Choose players from all | NBA teams, over 300 players. Create, trade and draft play- 'SOUL EDGE ' Choose from 10 unique char- | acters with their owns weapons and fighting style, in amazing 3D, spectacular graphics. , Namco Release Date: NOW PSX $45 'TUROK: DINOSAUR HUNTER' Prepare yourself for gut wrenching gameplay and terrifying combat, as you battle raptors, triceratops, t-rex and more. Amazing 3D graph- ics give you realistic and varied special effects along with 360 degree aim power. Acclaim Release Date: NOW N64 $74 ny time. Release schedule or which $10.00 of the ist will be allocated. M ffl Night m «d W ailH 2 Day llax iXOays 7-14 Pays $2.00 52® MOO S2C0 $2.00 >er Shipment $1.25 $1.00 $3.00 $7.00 $2.00 f*" 01997 CHIPS l Swing into Spring with VR Baseball ’97 STRIKEOUT VR Baseball ’97 Leading off the baseball season is VR Baseball ’97, a game long on stats but rough around the graphical edges. The gameplay’s pretty solid, but with offerings such as Triple Play ’98 on the way, fans might want to do a preseason scouting report before they make their final decision. Opening Day VR Baseball steps to the plate with Exhibition, Season, and Playoff modes; three skill levels; batting practice; and a Home Run Derby set up like the one used in the All-Star game. VRB keeps the rosters stacked with more than 700 real players and up-to-date trades for the new season. When playing through your own season, VRB keeps accurate stats for each team in 20 categories. VRB also generates All-Star votes based on player performance, which are used to decide who plays in your mid-season classic. Standard options such as create-a-player and in- stant replay were unfortunately left out. Swing, Batter, Swing! VRB features a nice polygonal look. The frame rate, however, is a bit slow, often stilting the action when you’re at bat, which can throw off your timing. When you're on the field, redraw problems cause the action to be choppy, creating an uneven flow to most plays. Those who think commentary during baseball games becomes stagnant after a while will appreciate VRB’s minimalist approach. Other nuances, however, such as a stadium vendor and ran- dom crowd comments in the background, make it seem like you’re ac- tually at the game. Controlling your players in the field is a breeze, while the pitcher interface makes it easy to throw the heat, curves, and sliders. Even though you can’t move your batter around in the box, you can still crush the ball like Belle. Simple base-path control makes it easier to send the correct man to the correct base with less confusion than in other games. Humm Billy While VR Baseball ’97 is a good ti- tle, keep in mind that it’s the first of the new season. With more base- ball action due out in the coming months, take this chance to rent it first to get your initial baseball fix. You might find that the others are worth waiting for. □ PROTIP: Vary your pitches to keep your opponent out of synch. Season St atistics MAJOR IFnntlf BATTING STIITS TERM B ERBERS AUERRGE k sco't£*fldmrti .413 >■ B.J. SlIRHpFJF .411 • 4 jjiM Edmonds .40s j|f~|jnS0N GIQMBI .405 © I Jeff Cirillo .398 <-' Cimhpnv > CtuiNot IfBGiif o Pitchers a Go brck GflMEPRO (jm) Mai 19 97 Funco Mail Order We Accept: Personal Checks and Money Orders Are Also Accepted. RUSH DELIVERY! is available on all in stock items. These are Partial Lists More Titles Available! We also offer: Sega CD, Nintendo 64, CDX, & 3DO Want Something? Can't Find It? WE’VE GOT IT! We Sell Previously Played Video Games and Accessories at Great Prices. We also Sell New Product! CALL FUNCO TODAY! 612 - 946-8101 HU the Dirt Up to four players can race in simultaneous split-screen mode, or you can go solo to try and master the tracks. With its solid lineup of 20 cars and trucks, six race locations with three courses each, and single-race or tournament modes, Rally Cross ensures replayability. The game also features beautifully rendered 3D racing environ- ments with off-road surfaces like sand, dirt, grass, snow, and ice. 5 touches such as leaves and mud kicked up by wheels, skid marks burning into the pavement, and dents and bruises on the cars enhance the realism. The only graph- ics drawback is a shortage of directional signs indicat- ing sharp turns. Crisp sound effects, such as gravel spit- ting up and the squeaks of the vehicle’s chassis, com- PROTIP: Master the 180-degree hard-reverse turn to spin your car around quickly and face the oppo- site direction. PROTIP: Roll into the direction of sharp turns to prevent the car from spinning out. Rally Fun! High-speed racing fans may be disappointed with Rally Cross as hot doggers will continually find themselves running off embankments and ending up top down. Mastering your ride instead of driving fast is the key. The ability to roll your vehicle is essential when tackling sharp turns or flipping your car back over onto the road. Although there are plenty of crashes, bumps, and flips, with a little practice and patience, you can rule Rally Cross’s roads. Go 4x4 it! □ Rollij Cross By Dr. Zombie p|,||p|.,|.jnn With Rally Cross, Sony effectively delivers all the ex- r Uljimi U citement of off-road racing — minus the mud, debris, and bruises. Extremely sharp graphics, numerous game options, and good ol’ rock ’n’ roll racing fun ensure a fine time for 4x4 racing fans. plement the sound. t ■ ! Perfect Striher Overseas Review By Ken Ogasawara Sports action on the N64 is awfully hard to come by Japanese ' n ^-S. these days, but Japanese gamers have a few Uintonrin more titles to choose from. Since Konami of America NllllcllUU u i hag announced that Perfect Striker will be released in the U.S. later this year under the name International Superstar Soccer, this inside look at Konami of Japan’s topnotch soccer game will help get you stoked for “football” in the fall. Kick Off! Perfect Striker has all the standard features that you would expect from soccer games, such as line combinations and set plays. PS takes it a step further, however, by providing the ability to create your own line Perfect Striker by Konami of Japan $98 Available now in Japan Soccer 4 players 16 learns Multiple views Challenge: Adjustable Replay value: High ESRB rating: Kids to Adults PROTIP: Use a one-two pass when PROTIP: Don’t use the Run button PROTIP: Center the ball from the breaking dow n the wing. This will too much with the forwards or the w ing using the left C button, then get you in the clear so you can make midfielders. The longer your best hold Button B and a directional to a centering attempt. play ers stay in the game, the better get a player to either head or kick, chance you have of winning. combinations. Another innovation is that players can be given a specific playing style above and beyond their normal field positions. For example, one defender can be assigned to be the sweeper, while another can be told to overlap into the offense. The innovations provide added depth, but if the basic game doesn’t deliver, there’s no point to them. No worries on that front, though, as Perfect Striker delivers fluid graphics and great sound effects with crisp play-by-play announcing. Controlwise, the single-button passing is easy to learn, and by utilizing the various C buttons, gamers can experiment with more advanced passes and plays. Perfect Striker's easy enough for beginners to pick up and enjoy while veterans will love tinkering with j all the options. Football Fury Perfect Striker ranks as the best soccer game for the Jap- anese N64 and quite possi- bly one of the best soccer titles in Japan. If you own a Japanese N64, Striker's worth a kickoff. □ " >.;) ^ GAMEPRO (1M) May 1997 /j'.III'J- For Ordering: _ .. (212) 290-0031 Deafer Hotline: ’ (212) 290-0426 For Fax Order: (212) 290-0432 Visit Our Mega Showroom at: 126-128 W. 32nd St. New York, NY 10001 L.l. Showroom: 167 Glen Cove Rd. Carle Place. NY 11514 Tel. (516) 248-4911 Fax. (516) 248-4913 fll J i! % >1 | Triple P lan ’98 Visually, TP '98’s on its way to a topnotch outing. The frame rate has been cleaned up nicely since the original’s sluggish showing, and the new 3D polygonal style definitely catches the eye. Nice touches include authentic uniforms with names and numbers, real-life signature movements for batters and pitchers, a 3D mound and ball, and “intelligent" crowds (if you’re having a lousy season, the stands are dead empty). As for sounds, the robust two- man commentary — ESPN's Buck Martinez on color and former Blue Jays announcer Jim Hughson on play-by-play — creates a TV broadcast feel that’s really compelling. Last year’s Triple Play clinched the video game World Series hands-down — but the competition didn’t put up much of a fight. Will Triple Play '98 have what it takes to survive the season and retain the top spot? Opening Day’s just around the corner.... Triple Play ’98 hits the diamond with a fresh batch of new features. Players can swing for the fences in Arcade mode or get hip-deep in realism with Sim mode. Of course, you’ll find all the major league teams, players, and stadiums, as well as ramped-up stats, interleague play, and a new Practice mode. Disappointingly, one of the cool- est features of last year's version — ad- justing your batter's stance — was ejected from the game. While this unfinished preview version was still too early to judge definitively, TP ’98 already han- dles well enough that it ranks as one of the spring’s leading prospects. Graphics Sounds 0""" *Vp o Fm CM«gi S KM Ctvt . • • F Developed and published by EA Sports Available May GAMEPR9 (job) Ml) 1997 • /. GUARANTEE YOURSELF A COPY OF THE O * HOTTEST NEW RELEASES S9 PRE-ORDER NOW! Prices start at $19.99 (a few double disc titles may be more) Blast Corps • Golden Eye 007 • Lamborghini 64 • Lethal Enforcer Buster Bros. • Golden Nugget • Kumite • Necrodome • Grand Slam Hexen • MDK • Rage Racer • Syndicate Wars • War Gods • Quake Marvel Super Heroes • Alien Striker • Albert Odyssey • ManxT.T Super Motorcross • Sacred Pools • Ultimate Football Call for our Weekly Specialsl FACTORY SEALED PLAYSTATION ACCESSORIES Core System 149.99 Converter 29.99 PSX Memory Card 15 Blocks 22.99 Memory Card + 360 44.99 Game Shark 57.99 PSX Standard Controller 14.99 PSX Advanced Controller 16.99 PSX Ultra Controller 19.99 Multi-Tap 49.99 Link Cable 19.99 MadCatz Steering Wheel 69.99 RF Unit 19.99 Sony Double Flight Stick 69.99 Ascii Advanced Joy Stick 49.99 Maximizer Joy Stick 39.99 SATURN ACCESSORIES Core System 149.99 Arcade Racer Steering Wheel 69.99 Memory Back-up CD 49.99 Memory Card+ 39.99 Game Shark 57.99 RF Unit 19.99 Sega Virtua Stick 49.99 Eclipse Stick 44.99 Advanced Controller 19.99 MULTISYSTEM TRUE ARCADE CONTROLLER BY MAS 119.99 Each additional system add 29.99 Video Game Call now for a FREE catalog WE SHIP GLOBALLY! SHIPPING: FedEx 2nd day service 1-4 games $6.50 5-8 games $7.50 Systems $12.00 Please call for International Rates. California residents add 7.25% sales tax Call 7a.m. -7p.m. PST 7 days FAX: (415) 893-8190 or send mail order to: P.O. Box 2708, Novato, CA 94948 ALL SALES FINAL. For Mail Orders, please include Name, Address, Phone Number and Game Titles. All Cancellations must be received within 72 hours of original order. Defective merchandise will be repaired or replaced under the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty. All returns will be tested, non- defective merchandise will be returned to customer at the customer’s expense. DISCOUNTERS Srorts Insider Previews Developed by Iguana Entertainment Published by Acclaim Entertainment Available April fill-star Baseball '97 Featuring Franh Thomas ESI Frank Thomas and Acclaim are digging in at the plate once again. This year’s at-bat showcases re- tooled batting, pitch- ing, and fielding con- trols that Acclaim hopes will make this ballgame more intu- itive and realistic. Ac- claim also scored with the licenses this year, so gamers will find all the major-league teams (including the two expansion teams), players, and stadiums — and you can also make trades. The Show begins in Exhibition, Season (includes interleague play), Playoff, All- Star, Batting Practice, and Home Run Derby modes. Stat hounds will revel in the full-season stat tracking for the entire league, and ESPN’s Jon Miller puts on the finishing touch with play-by-play calls .— Air Hendrix NHL BreoHomoi] '98 Acclaim’s getting into the hockey game this fall with NHL Breakaway ’98, an already-promising title that sports topnotch features. Beyond the usual NHL players and teams, Breakaway will deliver World Cup teams, trades, player creation, and the ability to sign and release free agents. In-depth coaching lets you order a player to “shadow” an opposing star, plus you can call plays like the neutral-zone trap. But this game stands out from the crowd with “total team management,” a point-based system that enables you to _ __ __ hire coaches, develop players, treat in- jJlflj juries, and more. Other killer features /\\Af/ V 1 include icon passing, switching to players who aren’t the puck carrier, and the ability to load custom teams on a memory card. Smooth, snazzy polygonal graphics polish it off with graceful movements and detailed uniforms. — Air Hendrix Developed by Sculptured Software Published by Acclaim Entertainment Available August GAMEPRO (m) May 1S87 Srorts Insider Previews NFL Quarterback Club With the Packers' Brett Favre as its star, QB Club 3 is setting up for a better season with a newly redesigned A.I. and engine. Its graphics are getting a facelift, too — Acclaim reports that QB Club’s new motion-captured animations and revamped camera angles eliminate the pixelization problems that plagued last year’s game. Of course, QB Club fea- tures all the pro players, teams, and stadiums, and NBC’s Marv Albert calls the play-by- play. New bells and whistles for this edition include season-long stats and roster management, which lets you trade, draft, create players and teams, sign and release players, and handle the salary cap . — Air Hendrix Developed by Iguana Entertainment Published by Acclaim Entertainment Available August % COMPLETE HardBoll 6 i NBA Jam ’98 U32S23 One of the longest-run- ning baseball series will return to the PlayStation after making the jump into 3D with motion-cap- tured, polygonal players and real, fully-detailed stadiums. HardBall 6 also delivers all the big-league players and teams, as well as player creation and drafts over multiple seasons. Accolade’s also working on a new control interface .— Air Hendrix Above and beyond its N64 debut, the big news with the next round of NBA Jam is five-on-five sim-style hoops. Yup, you read that right — Jam ’98 will be two games in one as players can choose ei- ther the now-famous two- on-two dunkfest or take it to the hole in realistic five-on-five hoops. Jam ’98’s other intriguing features include a play editor, on-the-fly play calling, and player cre- ation . — Air Hendrix GAMEPRO (llT) ay 1997 By Art Angel IT'onami releases another strong offer- IVing in its growing RPG library. Com- bining a solid story line, challenging strategy, and origi- nal gameplay, Vandal Hearts is close to being as good as Konami’s earlier title, Suikoden. Hearts of the Matter Vandal Hearts’ original gameplay and strong graphics and sounds should satisfy even the most particular RPCers. It would be a scandal to miss Vandal. □ / Check out "Final Fantasy x VII" elsewhere in this issue for a review of the long-awaited v Japanese RPG. ✓ PR0T1P: In Plain of Sorrow, protect only one of the Mage Towers to guarantee warp travel back to your world. Make sure it’s guarded on every side and always heal your comrades- in-arms if they’re ailing, or else you’ll spend the rest of eternity in limbo. PROTIP: When fighting Hassan and his crew in the Gadar Sea, split your party in two, cover both gangplanks, and wait for enemies to attack. Make your party members with bows and arrows face the gangplanks, and keep Huxley The Healer between both groups. Kick Some Ash Vandal Hearts is based on the elements of war and betrayal. You play as Ash, a commander in a peaceful kingdom, Ishtaria. When war threatens, you must discover who is wreaking havoc in the kingdom, and why. During your mission, you pick up clues and add members to your party, while fierce enemies and monsters block your path to the truth. Though the story may seem familiar, Vandal Hearts has some unusual gameplay features. Unlike most RPCs, Vandal Hearts allows strategic movements during battle, making the placement of your party members around enemies as impor- tant as using spells correctly. The more you have flanking an enemy, the more offensive and defensive bonuses you’ll re- ceive. Strategic positioning is especially important when battling larger, stronger opponents. Also unique to the game is the advanced control you have over your characters. Unlike most RPCs, Vandal Hearts enables you to determine a character’s class (including hawknight, bowman, mage, bishop, and ninja). The controls are further complicated by your many offensive abilities: Not only do you use spells and weapons, you can also set booby traps. Sights and Sounds Vandal Hearts' 3D graphics are good, with sharp sprites and special effects for the spells that are reminiscent of Suikoden. The characters’ celebrations can become an- noying and sometimes distracting, but they’re well bal- anced by creative and flawless full-motion videos (FMV). The clean, crisp audio will keep your spirits high; the sounds are always on cue no matter how long you’ve been playing. The voice-overs during the FMVs add intrigue and help deepen the story line. PR0T1P: In any battle, always rid yourself first of troubling magic-users, healers, and missile-using enemies. PROTIP: As you enter the map for Sand Dunes of Sea, go as far forward as possible in a tight formation. The Death Ant will resurface in front of you, and then you can launch a mass attack to defeat him. PROW: After defeating the Death Ant, go to the tavern in Port City Minato and talk to everyone. Be- fore you leave, you’ll get a Nova Key, which you use at the Dojo to undergo the first of The Six Trials of Toroah. GAMEPRO (Tt2) May 1997 Call GamePro s Hot Tips Hotline 1 -900-860-TIPS 32-Bit Tip of the Week! A new slammin’ 32-bit tip every week! Getta Clue The latest tips for your favorite system: PlayStation Saturn Arcade Hit Us With Your Best Tip Leave or pick up tips and cheats from some of the best gamers around! You can leave a tip for the PlayStation, Saturn, 3 DO, Genesis, or Super Nintendo systems. Get A Classic Clue Dust off those old carts and get the best tips for your favorite system. Call for a different tip every day. Scary Larry’s Hot Picks Leave your best tip for Scary Larry.. .you may get picked. [ 1 - 900 - 860 - 8477 ] Call today to hear the hottest game tips and strategies. Plus, this month, the latest NG4, PlayStation, and Saturn news! TOURNAMENT WINNING COMBOS AND STRATEGIES Call to hear complete move lists for every character in the hottest fighting games— like Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Tekken 2, Killer Instinct 2, and Star Gladiator. New games every month. Also available in CanTi' 1-900-451-5S52 Calls cost $1.49 a minute (Canadian] New Tips Every Week! Calls average three minutes in length and cost $1.29 a minute. Be sure to get your parents’* permission to use GamePro’s Hot Tips Hotline if you are under 18 years of age. Messages subject to change without notice. Coming soon.. .Rote-Player’s Realm. A service of GamePro Media Group in San Mateo, CA. There are several hidden levels in Doom 64. Here’s where you can find two of them. To reach the secret level, look for the pillar with the > Supercharge { located on j the top. I Get ready to fight for your life with Doom 64! This version of Doom has the toughest stages yet. We'll show you a few secrets and how to beat some of the most difficult levels in the game so you won't be doomed to failure. By Major Mike ■Methods to the Madness The Beastly Bunch do sizable damage. You can use them to your advantage by luring monsters into their line of fire. Location of the “ Secret Exit Crushing Ceilings Homing Fireballs Next to the BFG-9000, confusion and chaos are your two best friends. Why? Because monsters are care- less and have little regard for the safety of others. Monsters can eas- ily shoot each other, which leads to a fight that doesn’t end until one of them is dead. However, members of the same species don’t fight each other, except for Former Sergeants, Shotgunners, and Lost Souls. Run toward the top of the tower and keep going. It may seem like you will run into the wall on the op- posite tower, but you won’t — the wall is actually an illusion, and you’ll run right through. These activate when you least ex- pect them. Be leery of long, seem- ingly clear hallways. Although the ceilings don’t always kill you, they can cause a lot of damage. Similar to the guided fireballs the Revenant uses, these suckers chase you until they hit something. They also do serious damage. The only advice here is to run like hell. Illusion Walls Other Dangers and Things to Look For Flying Darts The Teleport Factor Inside is a narrow corridor with a Knight. Ice him and go to the exit. This takes you to level 30, The Lair. These could answer the question “Who’s hitting me?" In some lev- els, walls aren’t really walls, but illusions. To find these, fire a cou- ple of rounds at a wall. If you see the shots impact on the surface, they’re real; if you don’t, then the wall is probably fake. Monsters teleport in Doom 64 — a lot. Whenever something teleports, it makes a distinctive sound, so lis- ten for the audio cue. New to the Doom lineup are flying darts. Although they’re small, they GAMEPRO May 1997 Walk up the steps toward the exit very slowly. When you hear the door open, immediately ^ awn ear When the first wave finishes, several Knights and Cacodemons appear, but you can now go to the outer perimeter (B). During this phase, change tactics and run around the perimeter, firing at the monsters in the courtyard. Try to bunch the mon- sters together— it’s easier to get them to fight each other. You start the level in a small room facing a switch (A). Gather all the ammo and items in the room, then press the switch. The wall drops, putting you in a courtyard with five Mancubuses— four on pedestals in each corner and one roaming freely. This one should be facing you, so give it three quick rocket blasts and start running. The best way to survive the first wave is to keep moving— if you stop, the Mancubuses will burn you with fireballs. Run in a circle, firing rockets as you move. Limit your rockets to one per monster with each pass. The Second Wave backtrack down the stairs, out the door, and to your left. You should then see the secret door. Veterans of the PlayStation version will recognize this variation of Dead Simple, one of the levels in that game. The most important things to remember are that there are three waves of monsters, and that with each passing wave, another part of the level opens up. There are no keys in this stage. The First Wave The secret exit is at the end of the stage. When you go up the stairs to the exit door, you can hear another door open somewhere. It is open for only a brief moment, so you must move quickly. It may take a few attempts, but success takes you to level 31 . In the Void. up- □ i A Eng ll ; L= 'll When the last monster dies, the third and final wave begins as Barons, Pain Elementals, and Man- cubuses teleport into the level. A Temporary Invincibility Orb also teleports into the level (A), and the farthest perimeter of the level also opens (C). Grab the orb, ready the rocket launcher, and head to the outer perimeter. Mancubuses will be here, so blast them as fast as you can. In the corners are dart blowers (D), which can help you kill the Mancubuses. Trigger them by stepping on the small pedestals near each corner (E). Now the fun begins. When you go back to (A), Marines and Bulldog Demons teleport in. Then Imps. Then Barons of Hell. You can waste these monsters from the hallway (L). However, if you're low on Stay in the outer perimeter during the third wave and sporadically blast the monsters through the openings. Before leaving the level, do a thorough search for ammo and other items. lllEPll (Qj) Mav 1997 There is a Berzerker kit halfway down this corridor.. If you grab it, an Imp will teleport next to you. Re- member — grabbing the Berzerker kit defaults you to your fists, so you must get close to the Imp to kill it. Grabbing the Berzerker kit also trig- gers a teleport trap of Lost Souls. After polishing them off, go to the teleporter at the end of the hall (H). This teleporter takes you to (I). When you move off the plat- form, be prepared to blast the Marines that teleport in. There is Mega Armor in a recess at the end of this hall. Back into it when you collect it— an Imp will teleport next to you, along with a Pain Elemental. When two or three monsters are left, head back to the center where you started the level. The Third Wave Level 17: head north. When you’re halfway down the hallway, Marines tele- port in front of you. Get ready to have every monster in the book thrown at you— includ- ing two Cyberdemons! After you get the Blue Key, go to the gate at the main house in the center (E). A Pain Elemental is inside the gate. Open the gate and blow it to hell. Go to the end of the hall, press the switch, and take the elevator up. There are Imps waiting at the top, so have the shotgun ready. Take the teleporter in the middle (F). This takes you to (G). Move slowly off the platform and F You start in an arena (A), Grab the weapons, then head to the open passageway (B). This leads to an- other area (C). When you reach the other area, move very slowly— this is where the level gets its name— and listen for teleporting sounds. As you move farther into the stage, more monsters will teleport in. Don’t make a mad dash for the Blue Key in the far corner (D) — if you do, mon- sters will blow the hell out of you. Slow and steady wins this race. Secret Items There are two secret areas at the teleporters at (G) and (H). When you teleport to (G), fire a shot down the hall, then move backwards. The panel behind you opens. Once inside, press the wall switch. This opens a secret recess at (J) that con- tains a Temporary Invincibility Orb. There is a similar secret with the teleporter at (H) that opens a passageway at (K). This passageway leads to a Megasphere. B ■%r 4 n *1 IBfill ,»• health or ammo, sneak back into the arena when the Barons appear. You have to move fast, so look in corners to find ammo and health items. Make sure you’re clear of that first arena when the last Baron dies— you don’t want to be stuck there for what’s next. * After the last Baron dies, the main arena floods with Arachnotrons, Knights, and Mancubuses. This is to your advantage, however. Go to (C), and then go to the bars. Pump off a few shots to get the monsters’ attention. If you do, they’ll start shooting each other, saving you time and ammo. Whatever you do, save the plasma rounds for the two Cyberdemons at the end. When the last monster dies, two Cyberdemons appear. Grab the Temporary Invincibility Orb, and run into the arena with the Cyber- demons. Unload as many rockets or BFG shots as you can at close range until the orb wears off. You should be able to take out one of the Demons. For the other Cyber- demon, go back to the bars in the second arena where you shot at the Arachnotrons and Mancubuses. Don't even think about firing rock- ets through the bars.lnstead, use the chaingun, shotgun, or laser beam to shoot the other Cyber- demon. It requires patience, but with luck you should be able to take it out. Level 23: 1 Unholy . \ Temple ' This level is an ugly tale of three switches. You start on the ground level facing an Arachnotron to your right. Immediately move to your left— Barons on a high ledge throw fireballs at you. There are translucent Bulldog Demons on the second ledge and Barons on the third. Run around the perimeter and blast the Arachnotrons. While you’re doing this, the Barons throw fireballs at you, but they mostly hit the Demons. After you kill all the Arachnotrons, two teleporter pads on the ground level open up (A). Before entering the teleporter, shoot all the Demons on the sec- ond ledge and all the Barons on the third ledge. When you step in the tele- porter, you’re taken to the sec- ond floor. However, there are two stretches to look out for on the west and east sides (B): When you head down these two stretches, homing fireballs fly after you, so always run through these areas. Head to the elevator to the north, take it to the third floor, and press the switch to the south (C). There is a secret on the third floor. Go to the north and face the red emblem across the way (D). If you shoot the emblem, the ledge will drop. When it does, run forward so you land on the ledge. There are several items here, including plasma charges. Go to the doorway on the sec- ond floor and run to the stairs at the opposite side (E). Why? There are two Barons on pedestals that flank you as you enter the room. When you get to the stairs, turn and ice the Barons. and go toward the armor power-up. Get the BFG ready— this is where Hell gets its name (F). When you grab the armor, the walls on both sides drop, revealing Arachnotrons. Keep going straight into the court- yard with the pillars (N). Once you’re in the courtyard, several Bulldog Demons teleport in. Use the BFG to clear them out. After the Demons are gone, a wave of Barons teleport into the courtyard. The Blue Key is on a pedestal on the far wall. A switch on one of the pillars lowers the pedestal. There is a gated section in the north- east corner of the courtyard along with three skull key icons embedded in the wall. Note the order of the col- ors of the icons as they appear from left to right. When exiting the court- yard, don’t forget the Arachnotrons in the next room. GAMEPRO <2> May 1997 Doom 64 you noted the appearance of the color keys embedded in the walls? Press the colored skulls in the or- der you saw them. Each time you press a sequence, go back to the corresponding gate where you saw that sequence. The gate should be open, enabling you to press the switch inside. Head back down to the second floor and open the blue door. This is a short tower that has a Lost Soul inside (G). At the top of the tower is the Red Key, but when you get the key, you acti- vate two crushing ceilings. Go down to the ground floor to the north (H) and look at the key- cards embedded in the wall. Make a note of the colors as they appear from left to right. When you leave the room, be care- ful— Cacodemons have teleported into the courtyard. Stand on one of the two platforms in the northeast or northwest corners and run off onto the ledge below. Press the switch on the north wall to open a teleporter.. This teleporter takes you back to the center pillar where you can navigate the ledges back to the entrance of the room. Go to the ground floor of the last room (L). While you’re grabbing some of the items, three Arach- notrons teleport into the room. Blast them, then blast the two Knights in the recesses at the south end of the room. Take the elevator in the cen- ter up, and press the switch at the top. This turns the floor to blood and raises a catwalk. Walk to the recesses where the Knights were and hit the switch inside each room. Then, carefully navigate the platforms to the inside of the center pillar and press the switch facing south. This makes the walls drop, and Cacodemons flood the room. Have the chaingun ready to gun them down. Head back to the fourth floor and go to the yellow gate (J). Open the gate and blast the Shotgunners in the room to the east (P). Run to the platform in the center and keep go- ing— there is an illusion wall here with a teleporter behind it. Enter- ing this teleporter takes you to the far east side and puts you on a pedestal with an Arachnotron (K). However, you kill the Arachnotron instantly by teleporting on it. A Su- percharge and some rockets are on this ledge. Go to the pedestal in the cen- ter of the room. Remember how The exit to the stage is in the room to the south where you played the Yellow Key shell game. Return to the second floor, and open the red door to the south (I). Two Knights and two Shotgunners are inside. Use the rocket launcher to clear them out. If you thought Level 17 was bad, this one pits you against three Cyberdemons! The Yellow Key is in this room (M), but you have to play a shell game before you can get it. You see the key, but when you get close it’s re- placed by a Baron. This happens three times, after which you can grab the key. Before leaving the room, make a note of the three key- cards embedded in the wall (0) as they appear from left to right. from a distance. You start in a room with four doors facing a switch. Get the super shot- gun ready, press the switch, and enter the door to your left. When the Lost Souls are gone, it's time to deal with the Cyberdemon. Go to the balcony (F), and ready the super shotgun. You’re at head- level with the Cyberdemon, so he can’t hit you with his rockets. Blast away at him until he explodes. When the Cyberdemon’s gone, jump to the ledge to the south (G), and press the switch. Head to the tower where you started the level (A). There are four enclaves (H) up high around the tower. Press on the ledges in front of these en- claves to activate the elevator. There is a switch in one of these that opens the gate at (L), and a teleporter that takes you to a plat- form (I ) across the way. When you take the teleporter to (I), you’ll see two boxes of rockets and a Mega- Armor. Grab the armor, then retreat back onto the teleporter pad be- cause Shotgunners teleport in front of you. After wasting the Shotgunners, go to the gate that opened at (L). Three Pain Elementals are inside. Time to use the chaingun. Go back to the main courtyard and blast the two Mancubuses riding the elevators to the south and to the east (N). When the last Man- cubus dies, Nightmare Imps, Lost Souls, and more Mancubuses tele- port into the area. A great hiding place is in one of the tower re- cesses. From here, you should be able to pick off the monsters. There are two Cyberdemons left. They're in the cage to the north (P). Depending on your ammo supply, you can kill one or both of them through the cracks in the bars, us- ing the shotgun, the chaingun, or the laser beam. Chances are, how- ever, you’ll have enough ammo to take out only one, so be sure to kill one, even if you use all your ammo. After killing one Demon, press the switch to the west (Q) to drop the bars on the cage with the Cyber- demons. There are also several boxes of rockets in there. Wait for the Cyberdemon to leave the cave, then double back and col- lect the rockets. This solves your ammo problem and gives you a fighting chance. The level ends only when the last Cyberdemon is destroyed. When you hit the ground, take off to the left and keep moving— several Nightmare Imps and a Cyberdemon are waiting. Run to the opening on the other side of the blood lake to the north (B). There are some Night- mare Imps in here. Take the tele- porter at (C) to get to (D). Get off the teleport pad and run upstairs. There is a pool of toxic waste with an armor power-up on an island in the middle (E). There are also three barrels to your right, and a Man- cubus awaits around the corner. Shoot the Mancubus, then go to the wall opposite the start. Run, get the armor, and go halfway downstairs. When you grab the ar- mor, three doors open to your left, letting Lost Souls into the room. From the stairway, shoot the bar- rels to help kill the Lost Souls. in ■ Hell There is a hidden area along the wall that has a plasma rifle and several energy charge packs (M). You’re going to need them for what's coming up. There is a nasty trap in the room I in the southeast corner of the | level (0). Press the switch on the pillar in the north row, and a pillar in the southeast corner. | drops with a shotgun on top. When you grab the shotgun, several Shotgunners teleport into the room, and a barrier | also seals you in the room. The only way to open the room is to kill all the Shotgunners. GAMEPRO <£> May 1997 n the final installment of Soul Blade, we reveal all the special moves and the best combos for the five remaining fighters. Plus— we tell you the secret code to play as the final end boss, Soul Blade, and we toss in all of his moves! By Bruised Lee X Basic Skills X Here are some basic skills you should use during a fight. 3D Movement In addition to guard blocking, characters can sidestep incoming moves. Tap l . t to sidestep left, or tap 1 . 4- to sidestep right. Note: Players can even sidestep and attack. After you sidestep, tap any of the attack buttons. Knockdown Attack After you knock down an opponent, you can jump in for an extra hit. Tap ( t HA) or (t VA) to further damage a downed opponent. Controller Legend „ HA = Horizontal Attack VA . VA = Vertical Attack G = Guard (/ K K = Kick i( p o ) Motion = Move the joystick in one smooth, con- tinuous motion. Tap = Tap the buttons and directions indi- (J / ha X\ ' cated in sequence. v/ ' ( ) = Execute commands in parentheses simultaneously. 1 Note: All techniques are described under the assumption that your character is facing to the II 1 right. If they’re facing left, reverse any -» and «- directions. Critical Edge Each fighter can perform a multi-hit super move. Performing this super move, however, drains half your weapon meter. Tap (HA VA K) to do the Critical Edge. Weapons Clashing If timed right, weapons can lock to- gether during battle. When weapons are locked, tap any attack button re- peatedly to counterattack. XPlay As Soul BladeX Soul Blade is a time-release hidden fighter similar to the hidden characters in Tekken 2 s arcade version. To acti- vate Soul Blade, leave the game running for approxi- mately 18 hours. Soul Blade will be automatically added to the lineup of fighters. GamePro, however, doesn't recommend that you leave your PlayStation on for long periods of time unattended. Special Moves Tap hold tap (HA VA) Power Dive Spinning Uppercut Motion -» A ^ VA Torpedo Charge Motion i * *- VA, tap VA Behind Grab Tap («- HAVA) T\n/in-Blade Grab When in close, tap (HA G) Super Move When behind an opponent, tap (HA G) or (VA G) When in close, tap (VA G) Charging Flip Kick Tap hold tap (VA K) GAMEPRO M3) 1997 Leg Sweep Tap (4 K) Overhead Throw Thrust and Jump Attack Quick Jab When in close, tap (HA G) When in close, tap (VA G) Tap (-» HA) Behind Grab Grab Takedown High Drop When behind an opponent, When in close, tap tap (HA G) or (VA G) (<-HAVA) Spinning Axe Axe Stab When in close, motion i * <-(VAG) Overhead Attack Tap (-> VA) Axe Thrust Knee Thrust Rock Charge Super Move Motion l 'x •* (VA K) Hffe T-Jtn- ! Special MoVes Neck Breaker Neck Breaker to Back Flip When in close, When in close, tap (VA G| When in close, tap (VA G), When behind an opponent, tap (HA G) (t HA VA K) tap (HA G) or (VA G) THE FIGHTER’S EDGE Super Move Front Flip to Back Flip Charging Stab Uppercut Charging Uppercut Motion 4- * -» VA Motion -* 4- ^ VA Power Roundhouse Tap (4- K) Front Flip Tap (HA K) Backfist Attack Five-Hit Sti Rt. ,3 /■ > r 5 A j rap HA GAMEPRO May 1837 THE FIGHTER’S EDGE J^qV'QS Spinning Knockdown Charging Stab Stab Takedown Leaping Attack Tap («- HA) Charging Kick Tap (-» VA) Snap Kick Tap KVA) Tap («- VA) Power Roundhouse Forward Flip Tap hold tap VA Dashing Attack Motion 4> ^ K Tap (HA K) Tap hold tap (HA VA) Tap ('a VA K) Acrobatic Enforcer Behind Grab Super Move When in close, tap (4» HA G) When behind an opponent, Motion I 'ii VA tap (HA G) or (VA G) When in close, tap (HA G) When in close, tap (VA G) 123 THE FIGHTER’S EDGE Special MoVes Staff Attack Turn-Away attack Step-In attack Snap Kick Sweep Kick Tap (-* HA) Tap (* HA) Tap(«-VA) Tap(TiK) Tap K) Forward Flip Leg Takedown Overhead Throw Behind Grab Super Move 124 GAMEPRO May 1837 THE FIGHTER’S EDGE A 1 Special j4 0 ves Low Takedown Torpedo Attack Motion 4- * <-HA, tapVA Reverse Upward Attack Overhead Swipe Low Swipe Spinning Takedown Forward-Flip Attack Charging Roll Tap (■* HAVA) Tap (* HAVA) Tap (V HA K) Tap hold ■*, tap (HAVA) Tap hold tap (VA K) Windmill Attack Twin-Blade Grab Batter Up Behind Grab Super Move When in close, tap (VA G) When behind an opponent, Tap HA VA) tap (HA G) or (VA G) Four-Hit Swinging-Madness Com jJSSL • m .Mm, V HI Tap HA Tap HA Four-Hit Slicing Combo * * Motion -» <1- * VA Dual Stab Tap hold tap VA When in close, tap (HA G) Charging Kick Tap hold tap K ** * * • • * * 125 (Mp£ NEO - GEO rj •, ,1 LkWWVw Jim By Major Mike Methods of Mayhem Rage Explosion When the POW meter is maxed out and flashing, tap (LS MS SS) Combo Slash After the Rage Explosion, tap LS, MS, SS Flash Attack After the Rage Explosion, tap (MS SS K) Taunt Tap the Start button three times Dodge Back Attack Tap (LS MS) when close to opponent Jab Attack Motion 4- * <- -* K Pounce Jab When an opponent is down, tap LS mmasm Special Moves Teleport Teleport Advance Motion 4- ^ K Tap (LS MS) Crouch Block Attack Tap (MS SS) Combo Slash Tap (SSK) Motion i * «■ K Flaming Skull Throw Motion 4 1 S Human Fireball Hovering Fireball Motion 4- ^ S Controller Legend Motion = Move the joystick in one smooth, continuous motion. Tap = Tap the indicated buttons or directions in sequence. () = Execute commands in parentheses simultaneously. POW Move = Designates a move that can only be done when your POW bar is maxed out and flashing. Tap -*,-* = Dash toward opponent Tap «-,«- = Retreat quickly from opponent Special Note: All techniques are described under the assumption that your charac- ter is facing to the right. If they're facing left, reverse any *■ and -* directions. Fireball Attack During Hovering Fireball, tap any S Fireball Cancel During Hovering Fireball, tap K Orb Throw Motion 4< x «- S Orb Shield Motion -» 4* ^ K POW Move Tap 4-, (LS MS) Special Moves Head Stomp During jump, tap 4-, K Friendly Rip Motion -* 4- 41 S or K Aerial Blade Attack Motion 4 ii -rs Teleport Motion 4- ft *■ S or K Aerial Blade Throw During jump, motion 4 4r -4 S Electricity Ball Motion «- 4 i4 s POW Move Tap*-,-*, 4- , (LS MS) nmmm Special Moves Power Gradation Motion -» 4- VS • Splash Fount Press and hold and tap any . Slash rapidly Tri-Slash Motion 4- ^ •» S Note: Hold the Slash button to delay the strike. POW Move Tap <-,•*, 4«, (LS MS) Special Moves Overhead Smash During jump, tap 4,SorK Dashing Smash Motion -* 4 4r s Necklace Flail Motion 4 * -» S Earthquake Pounce Tap 4, 4, Sor K Takedown Jumping Takedown Motion «■ 4 v LS Mid-Level Takedown Motion *■ 4 V MS Low Takedown Motion *- 4 V SS POW Move Tap*-,-*, 4, (LS MS) Special Moves Motion 4 41 -* S , Teleport Away from Opponent Motion -* *- V 4 4r -* LS Near Opponent Motion -> «- V 4 4r 4 MS Drop From Above in Front of Opponent Motion-* 4r 4 V *- (LS SS) Drop From Above Behind Opponent Motion -> 4* 4 V <- (MS K) From Above (In Front of Opponent) When damaged, tap (LS SS) Counterattack From Above (Behind Opponent) When damaged, tap (MS K) Dog Attacks Charging Dog Motion 4 V f- LS — Dog Takedown Motion 4 V *- MS Dog Drop From Above Motion 4 V *- SS Bouncing Oog Motion 4 V *- K Air Throw During jump with opponent, tap 4,SS POW Move Tap <-,-*, 4, (LS MS) K' SAMtPBO IJ26) Mai 1117 enjurc Special Moves Toha Kouyokujin Motion -* I ^ S Sanrensatsu (Kiba, Tsuno, ton) Motion 4 * -* S Note: You can repeat this move up to three times consecutively. Oukazan Motion 4- it *■ S Throw and Slash Motion -* 4 *i K Fierce Card Slash Motion *- 4 V S POWMove Tap ■*, 4., (LS MS) liiUiM*. Special Moves Ground Flame Motion 4 V «- S Teleport Away From Opponent Motion -* 4- V 4 Ti -* LS Near Opponent Motion -> «- a 4 V <- (LS SS) Ground Slash Motion-* H 4 K- «- (MS K) Shippu Kogetsuzan Motion -* 4 S Secret Earthquake Slice Motion <- 4 V S POWMove Tap 4, (LS MS) Above Opponent When damaged, tap (LS SS) Counterattack Below Opponent When damaged, tap (MS K) Jumping Throwing Star During jump, motion 4 Ti -> S Spinning Piledriver Motion -* 4 t* S Air Throw During jump with opponent, tap 4, SS POWMove Tap 4, (LS MS) JSMMiH'WI Special Moves Secret Cyclone Slash Motion 4- ^ -» S Special Moves Geyser Thrust Motion 4 *i-*S Tsunami Sabre Motion -* 4 Ti S Sabre Thrash Press and hold ■*, and tap any Slash rapidly POWMove | Tap 4* , (LS MS) Special Moves Soul Burner Motion 4 ti -» S or K Exploding Death Motion -* 4 in S or K Flames of Disaster Motion 4 V 4* S or K ' s Exploding Flames of Disaster Motion <- 4 V S POWMove Tap 4, (LS MS) Special Moves Flame Breath Motion <- 4- S TWirling Blade Motion 4< ^ S ■ Frog Attack Motion 4- ^ -» K Ground Water Motion 4- -> S Jumping TWirling Blade During jump, tap 4-.S Jumping Lion Motion 4> * *r S POWMove Tap 4<, (LS MS) AhUMMiilliiW Special Moves Annu Mutsube Lela Mutsube Motion 4 -* S or motion -* 4 ti S Kamui Risue Motion 4- 4 V S WithMamaha Mamaha Attack Motion 4 v 4- s Hang On to Mamaha Motion 4 V 4- K Slash Attack Tap LS or MS Downward Attack Tap (LS MS) Get Oft Mamaha TapK Air Throw During jump with opponent, tap SS POWMove Tap 4, (LS MS) MtihiUlillUW Special Moves ifartion 4< S % Air Iceberg During jump, tap 4-,S Ground Ice Blast Motion 4- * «- S Freezing Iceball Throw Motion 4- ^ -» S Rising Ice Flower Motion 4- S POWMove Tap 4- , (LS MS) BSSnnSBB! Special Moves potion i * <- S Umbrella Throw Motion i ^ S Umbrella Deflect Motion 4- ^ -* K G AMEPRO May 1997 Sword Uppercut Motion -> i ^ S POWMove Tap 4-, (LS MS) Special Moves Moon Rise Motion 4- * -> S or K Moon Glow Motion ■* 4- S New Moon Motion 4* kf <- S POWMove Tap 4-, 4*. (LS MS) msm mnw Special Moves Paguna Paguna Press and hold and tap any Slash rapidly Moora Gaboora Upper Moora Gaboora Motion 4 -* LS Lower Moora Gaboora Motion 4 it 4 MS Ahaooh Gaboora Motion -* 4 ti s Paguna Dios Motion e 4 T S POW Move Tap -*,4, (LS MS) Special Moves Snowfall Slash Motion 4 V 4- S Snowfall Kick Motion 4 V 4- K Swallow Swipe During jump, motion V 4 ^i -* S Afterimage Attack Motion 4 ti -* S POWMove Tap K Counter Slash Motion 4 ir S POW Move Tap 4,(LSMS) ^UUUU Special Moves Geyser Thrust Motion 4- * -> S High Yagyu Shingantou Motion 4- * «- SS Mid Yagyu Shingantou Motion 4- * *r MS Low Yagyu Shingantou Motion 4- V <- LS POW Move Tap «•, 4«,(LS MS) Special Moves Flame Kick Motion 4- ^ S Hades ’ Flame Hades’ Flame Motion 4- ^ LS Demon Path After Hades’ Flame, motion 4> ^ MS Heaven’s Glow After Demon Path, motion 4- WSS Exploding Flames of Disaster Motion <- 4" S or K POW Move Tap 4-, (LS MS) Special Moves Flaming Dragons Motion 4- ti -> S Spinning Blade Motion -> 4 t, S Dashing Slash Motion 4 -t K Jumping Lion Motion 4 V «- S POW Move Tap 4, (LS MS) NAKOHURU Special Moves Cape Smash Motion «- 4- * S Wolf Moves Get on Wolf Motion 4> * «- S Low Wolf Charge Motion «- * 4- S High Wolf Charge * 1 Motion -» 4- ^ S High Blade Attack During High Wolf Charge, motion -» 4- ^ S Ground Ice Ball Motion 4- S Multiple Icicle Blast Press and hold and tap any Slash rapidly POW Move Tap ■*, 4<,(LSMS) SHI/U ./A/A R 1I Special Moves Pogo Head Stomp During jump, tap 4-, S Umbrella Throw Motion 4< ^ S Sword Uppercut Motion -» i ^ S POW Move Tap 4>, (LS MS) Get off WoK Tap K POWMove Tap ■>, 4>, (LS MS) RlMflRURU Special Moves Ice Sword Stab Motion 4- ^ S Ground Ice Blast Motion I * «- S Special Moves Moon of Death During jump, motion 4> «- S Full Moon During jump, motion 4< ^ S Water Ball Motion 4- S Moon Beam Blast Dqring jump, motion 4- ^ S POWMove Tap 4, (LS MS) T MLlAM— Special Moves Caboora Caboora Motion 4 ti -t SS Skull Throw High Skull Throw Motion 4 ti LS Low Skull Throw Motion 4 ti -a MS Paguna Dios Motion 4- 4 V S POWMove Tap 4, (LS MS) — - Special Moves Power Pole Jab Motion 4- * «- K Snowfall Stab Motion 4- * «- S Swallow Swipe During jump, motion ^ 4- * -» S Power Sword Wave Motion 4- ^ S POW Move Tap 4-, (LS MS) L NFL GameDay ’97 Easter Eggs I At the Options menu, press LI , R1 , L2, R2 to access the Easter 1 Egg screen. Enter any of the following passwords for these special abilities: Receivers have no hands on blast hits, injuries up: assassin Explosion on severe hits: atomic bomb Strong passing arm: bazooka Huge cheerleaders: big girls Superstars are extra large: big stars More time to pop a receiver and get the ball out: blasters Ref doesn’t call pass interference or personal fouls: blind ref Strong winds in the snow: blizzard Shoulder charge is juiced: bo knows Frequent injuries: brittle Quarterback has increased accuracy, but slower foot speed: Broadway joe More penalties called: busy ref Defensive charge and hits are high: butkas Show credits: credits Louder football noises: crunchy Lights out during night game: dark night Better defense: defense Field-goal range increases: dempsey Spins are more effective: dervish Reduces injuries: doc Players twitch: electric fb All players are almost equal: equalizer Tiny players and squeaky sound effects: flea circus Jumbo-sized players: fridge Jump high: frog Players move faster: gb speed Hidden difficulty level: gd challenge CPU remembers 30 plays: genius Receivers have great hands: gloves Huge players and weird sound effects: goliath Punts are slower: hang time Forearm shiver is juiced: hatchet Offensive line blocks better: hogs No pass interference or personal fouls called on home team: home cooking Players slide along field: ice skates CPU makes bad decisions: idiot Ball pops out of receivers’ hands like in original GameDay: infamous pop ups One-handed catches tip off a lot: juggler Hyper-speed bursts: juice Stiff arm, forearm, and swim juiced with no recharge: ] Fumbles are more frequent: kraig Dives are farther: long jump Loud PA announcer: loud mouth Offensive line at disadvantage: mandarich Game clock doesn’t run: no time Swim moves juiced: nyse Defenders dive from far away: offense Big hits, high flip hits: ouch Blocks resolve quickly: pancake Jostling increased: pinball Jackhammer of a stiff arm: piston Defensive jump is higher: rejection Defenders dive from very far away: sayers QBs get speed boost: scrambler Loud crowd buzz: shout Game speed is slower: slo mo Strong winds in the rain: squall Special moves recover faster: steroids High one-handed catches: stretch Darkness during rain setting: tempest Receivers are tightly covered: tight cover Bad pass coverage: toast Quarterback lobs passes: torreta Strong winds during windy conditions: twister Video Game Strategies, Weapons, and Tactics NHL Faceoff ’97 Hidden Players SlamScape Hidden Codes and Passwords At the Create Player screen, enter the following names: I Raja Altenhoff I Tam Braski I Craig Broadbooks Peter Dille Josh Hassin Jody Kelsey I Tawn Kramer Craig Ostrander I Kelly Ryan I Alan Scales I Chris Whaley Enter 1 for the player num- I ber, F for their position, 150 I for their weight, R for their ] handedness, and leave all I the other numbers the same. I When you go to the Sign Free Agent screen, you’ll notice that their overall abil- ities are 99. I fectorman2 Refill Energy During gameplay, enter the following button presses: Invincibility: Press and hold Select, then press □, □, O, O, □, □, A. Full weapons power-up: Press and hold Select, then press Left, □, Right, O, Up, A. Passwords Enter the following at the password screen: Level 2 - Uraniumania: xxxAOxDA Level 3 - Repsychler: □ODDAOAA Level 4 - Endless Bummer: □ODxAADx Level 5 - Viva Los Vagrantes: OAxAxDDA Hidden Movie: □□xDDAOD Art Level: AOxAx xAO Credits: OOODOxxa Game Over/Win: OOOAxxAO Game Over/Lose: OOOOAOxO Quit: O O O A A O x □ Uraniumania movie: OOOAAADA Repsychler movie: O O O x A x □ Endless Bummer movie: OOODDAAx Viva Los Vagrantes movie: OOOxxxDD I Pause the game at any time and press B, A, B, A, Left, Up, Up I to refill Vectorman’s energy supply. 6 Video Game Strategies, Weapons, and Tactics Bubble Bobble Also Featuring ft Debug Menu I At the game-select screen, pick Bubble Bobble. Then, at the Bubble Bobble title screen, press Down, Up, Down, Up, Right, Down, Left, Down, Up, Down. You’ll hear a chime. Start a game and press R2 at any time. This brings up a debug menu that lets you warp to any level and increases your lives. Press L2 to exit the debug menu. Crusader: No Bemorse Level Passwords Level 2: fwqp Level 3: plrq Level 4: sznf Level 5: tdss Level 6: jibt Level 7: K2cv Level 8: n3ew Level 9: 4fx Level 10: xsgz Level 1 1 : c6ho Level 12: d7ji Level 13: F8K2 Level 14: fgl3 Level 15: jfm4 Command & Conquer Nuclear Bomb, Ion Cannon, and Air Strike Ten Pin Alley Taunts Enter the following codes during gameplay, not while the game is paused: Nuclear Bomb: Press A, B, C, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, A. Ion Cannon: Press A, B, C, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, | Right, Up, B. Air Strike: Press A, B, C, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, C. In Team Play mode, during your opponent’s approach, simul- taneously press and hold LI , L2, R1 , and R2. Keep the but- tons held and press any of the following buttons to taunt your opponent: Choke: Press A. Loser: Press □. You suck: Press x. Miss: Press O. 9 97 PlayStation/ Saturn I Impact Racing Passwords for Invincibility, Ammo, and More Enter the following passwords at the Password screen to access these power-ups: Invincibility: i. am. imortal Unlimited ammo: loadsofstuff I All weapons: all.tooledup Six bonus tracks: bonus . levels Final level: endgamelevel Level select: rabbitbadger Weird music: journeys. end Madden ’97 Hidden Teams Official Tryout Registration Pandemonium Power-Up Passwords enter password > TO ACCEPT » TO EXIT At the Password screen, enter the following words to access various power-ups: Enemies come back to life: evtldead Allows you to rotate the screen by holding LI and L2, then moving the directional pad from right to left. Press Down to re-center screen: twisteye Allows you to quit in the middle of levels and choose to restart, or move on to another level without sending you back to the main screen: inandout Change your body shape by holding L2 and pressing O. Turn your body to its original shape by pressing L2 and x: THETHING Makes you invincible: hardbody Change characters in mid-game: bodyswap I Once you get a weapon you won’t lose it unless you switch j weapons: ottofire Gives you 31 lives: vitamins Finish a level to play bonus game filled with power-ups: tom- MYBOY Finish a level to visit fast-paced bonus area: cashdash Allows you to visit any world you want: bornfree I At the create-a-player screen, create players with the following I names to access hidden teams or a special ability: All-70s team: disco All-50s team: happy days | AII-80S team: new wave dl-time all-Madden team: boom I EA Sports team: itsinthegame Bypasses salary-cap restriction: overpaid || Scary Larry’s Can’t Miss Saturn 1. Mario Kart 64 2. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter 3. Doom 64 4. FIFA Soccer 64 1. Tomb Raider 2. Die Hard Trilogy 3. NHL '97 4. Road Rash 5. Sonic 3D Blast 6. Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition 7. World Series Baseball II 8. Virtua Cop 2 9. Nights 10. FightingVipers 1. NBA Live ’97 2. NHL ’97 3. Sonic 3D Blast 4. NBA Hang Time 5. Bass Masters Classic Pro Edition 6. Road Rash 3 7. Scooby Doo 8. Urban Strike 9. Separation Anxiety 10. Simpsons' Virtual Bart 1 . Donkey Kong Country 3 2. NBA Live ’97 3. Super Star Wars 4. Super Empire Strikes Back 5. Super Return of the Jedi 6. Super Mario Kart 7. Marvel Super Heroes 8. Street Fighter Alpha 2 9. NHL ’97 10. NBA Hang Time 10. 3D Baseball : "FaPftnHB g/flffiPIg/y Advertising! Bfimcmu Saioc Offices V P/Associate Publisher Marketing Director Midwest/East Coast Cynthia Sandor TEL: (415) 349-4300 csandor@gamepro.com TEL: (415) 286-2560 FAX: (415) 349-1598 jdollente@gamepro.com Elaine Starling TEL: (41 5) 286-2590 estarling@gamepro.com Erin Gaffaney Marketing Manager TEL: (415) 286-2598 egaffaney@gamepro.cor Craig D. Lee Regional Manager Karen Keavey Regional Manager List Rentals: Amy Nibbi (415)286-2507 TEL: (415) 286-2583 FAX: (415) 349-1598 clee@gamepro.com Reprints: Erin Gaffeney (415) 286-2598 Sara Wood Marketing/Advertising Coordinator TEL: (212) 880-6470 FAX: (212) 880-6442 kkeavey@gamepro.com Subscription Questions: Please write to: P.O. Box 55527 Boulder, CO 80322-5527 TEL: (415) 286-2516 FAX: (415) 349-1598 swood@gamepro.com 951 Mariner’s Island Blvd. Suite 700 San Mateo, CA 94404 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS This index is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions due to last-minute changes. Acclaim Entertainment, Inc 7, 74, 75 ACT Laboratory Ltd 73 Babbages, Etc 23 Chips & Bits, Inc 103 Electronic Arts 78, 79 Funco, Inc 105 Game Express, Inc 107 GT Interactive Software 4, 5 Interact Accessories, Inc ... . 136, 3rd Cover Interplay Productions 26, 27, 45, 47,54,55,98,99 Movies and Games 4 Sale 67 Nintendo of America, Inc 2nd Cover, 1 Origin Systems, Inc 14, 15 Twentieth Century Fox Home Interactive Entertainment, Inc 8, 9 Playmates Interactive Entertainment ... 21, 29, 34, 35 LucasArts Entertainment Company 61, 62, 63 Psygnosis, Inc. 48, 49, 71 Sega of America 13, 18, 19 Sony Computer Entertainment 2, 3 Virgin Interactive Entertainment Inc 39, 40, 41, 81, 87 • V A 1 . Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Nintendo 64 2. Doom 64 Nintendo 64 3. Blast Corps Genesis Super NES 4. Need for Speed II 5. NBA Shootout ’97 6. Soul Blade 7. Nights Saturn 8. Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition 9. Urban Strike 10. NBA Live ’97 Super NES Nintendo 64 1. Need for Speed II 2. NBA Shootout '97 5. Blast Corps 6. NBA Hang Time 7. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire 8. Cruis'n USA 4. Independence Day 5. Spider 6. Mega Man 8 7. Test Drive: Off-Road 8. WCWvs The World 9. Wing Commander IV Seeing spots? Maybe the game you’re playing is driving you nuts. imagine the countless hours of expensive therapy that could be avoided if you just use the Game Shark to help ease you through those tough times. The Game Shark turns any title into a mind-bending programmable gaming experience with options like endless ammo. Infinite health, extra vehicles and many more. You’ll never need to strain your brain because the Game Shark has enough pre-programmed codes to fill a loony bin. The Game Shark also provides you with space for thousands of additional codes, so the only thing you'll ever outgrow is your straitjacket. Overpower the hottest games and revive the old ones. fou'd be crazy not to. Game Shark HOTLINE FOR THE LATEST CODES: 1-900-773-SHARK Call costs SI. 29 per minute. Must be at least 18 years of age or have parent's permission to call. [honest] MIDWAY Jet Set Radio Our goal is to preserve classic videogame magazines from years gone by, before they are lost forever. Thanks goes out to everyone who makes this possible. Starting with the original writers and editors, to all the people involved in acquiring and digitizing these magazines. People interested in helping us out, in whichever way possible. Either by donating magazines, scanning, editing or helping in the distribution, visit us at www.retromags.com We are only interested in preserving magazines which are at least 5 years out of print. We have no desire, nor intent to profit from these scans in any way. So please, if you come across people trying to sell these releases. PO NOT SUPPORT THEM! THANK YOU RET 0/*\AC BE1 OWVC