zb coy. * idee a SOFTBANK / Official — E LU B PlaySt tation Magazine. OM MENACE EELS, 5 '9 Cana I Hl | DU 06968 Iiluctration bv ^1 USUALLY VISUALIZE THE THAT'S ABOUT ALL cL PlayStation PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. CRASH BANDICOOT: WARPED TM & © 1998 Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. Find us JUMP BEFORE I TAKE OFF THE HELP | NEED.” After some hard-core training, he’s ready to warp through time and take on all-new worlds. Ride down Route 66 on a bike. Dogfight in a biplane. Swim through Atlantis. Orrun through the Jurassic era. You up for it? Crashis, He's got an all-new, supercharged body-slam, a double jump, a death tornado spin and a bazooka. You can even play as Crash's kid sis- ter, Coco. CRASH BANDICOOT; WARPED“ is here. And it’s his most insane adventure ever. OH YEAH...HE'S READY. www.playstation.com ed by Naughty Dog, Inc. All rights res Visit us at Sar cam neers ® PlayStation The price you pay for losing isn't just pride. It's your 396 hp exotic. Watch for nasty hairpins. Aggressive opponents who might damage your baby. Er And, of course, the cops. They all want to see you lose it in a very big way. I SS a ae 2 bes WWW.NEEDFORSPEED.COM Ahh aL 7^. o SS ELECTRONIC ARTS Editorial Play E A few unofficial words from the official editor-in-chief ayStatio Magazine Dale Strang Il Director J.E. Funk e joe_funk@zd.com -Chief Kraig Kujawa * kraig_kujawa@zd.com Managing Editor Dan Peluso * dan_peluso@zd.com Deputy Editor Joe Rybicki « joe_rybicki@zd.com Associate Editors Dave Malec * dave_malec@zd.com Mark MacDonald e mark_macdonald@zd.com West Coast Editor Wataru Maruyama © wataru@gamespot.com News Editor Chris Johnston Contributing Editors Kelly Bradley « Joe Gray Tom Ham e Ryan Lockhart e Johnny Masthead Senior Copy Editor + Gary Steinman Copy Editors Jo-El Damen « Jennifer Whitesides Creative Director Michael Stassus Senior Art Director Bob Conlon * bob_conlon@zd.com One Huge News Item At A Time, Please Art Director Donna O'Hara just don't get it. Why do two of the biggest things that have happened to TOMO BUREAU Uc the PlayStation—the official announcement of the next PlayStation and the E M Coe raRmest ue ; Star Wars: Episode I games—have to fall on the same darned issue? NowI "Matthew Galgari, rq. have to pick which topic to ramble about, instead of being able to indepen- Kiyomi Fukuyama, Editorial Manager dently ramble on about each topic on different months. Such is one of the Yutaka Ohbuchi, Japanese Correspondent many decisions that we editors-in-chief must face on occasion. Feel our pain. ENSUNRUSSNEBODUSTIONSISUECUESHNNM I was at Sony's little shindig unveiling in Japan in early March, and I must admit— Production Director Marc Camron I was floored. I've been covering the gaming business for six years (I got paid for it for reduction ies d pons only four of those, though), and I've never seen an event quite like it. I've seen systems Production Assistant Chris Melody get unveiled, launched, but never like this. Sony made it quite clear they weren't mess- Advertising Coordinator Mike Darling ing around at all. Project Leader Mark LeFebvre Analyst Scott Parus Just about every new “ hardware demo I've been shown before was done in the back of someone's The Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine is the booth by appointment only Sony Computer Entertainment America-licensed only. They usually show a magazine and is published by ZD Inc. through few boring demonstrations MEEUEETTS TET METER T HT MARET LEO ECT LETTRE] geared toward highlight- independent from SCEA, and is a critical, autonomous ing the power of the new voice that helps readers get more out of their Vice President Jonathan Lane Business Director Cathy Bendoff Corporate Counsel Rob Kabat Circulation Director Joan McInerney Associate Circulation Director Shirley Viel Newsstand Sales Manager Don Galen Circulation Coordinator Ann-Marie Mrozynski o 8 hardware, so you can get PlayStation system by delivering the most current, Subscription Service Number: > an idea in your head what comprehensive and candid coverage of (303) 665-8930 (U.S, Only) E the games might look like PlayStation software and hardware. Witpsiisubécrtboplsyetounmaqupias conven a in the future, Well with Sony's E sates (e) PlayStation 2 demo, picture 1,500 people from all over the world crowded around. Group Publisher z Sony displayed those little technology demos, and then let the audience have a few Dale Strang * dale_strang@zd.com I a 2 A : Telephone (415) 547-8771 N minutes to surmise what they might mean in terms of gameplay. And then they ‘Account Executive Ej showed the audience what those demos meant, by having playable Tekken 3 and Linda Philapil e linda_philapil@zd.com = Gran Turismo on the stage floor. It's something I'd never seen before, especially the , Telephone (415) 547-8782 = Y 5 : A z z Regional Sales Manager, Northwest ry first time a piece of hardware was announced—it was an amazing sight. ‘Jon Yoffie « jon_yotfie@zd.com * Apparently, just about everyone else agreed. Following the conference, practically Telephone (415) 547-8773 A everyone within earshot could be heard muttering about how much trouble Sega is District Sales Manager, Soulitwest N ; ; A A 2 A Karen Landon * karen_landon@zd.com EN really in. And indeed they are. The next PlayStation, whatever it might be called, is Telephone (760) 942-6277 s truly an amazing piece of hardware—something that just about everyone now knows, District Sales Manager, Midwest & East Coast thanks to that well-orchestrated day. To the naysayers who think the hardware is too Aithony, bee PME LUE "i : à : d : à 3 powerful to be priced right for the public, consider this: Years ago, when Sony Marketing Manager 3 released the PlayStation, pundits were amazed at the low price it launched at. Ever Susan Carroll « susan_carroll@zd.com o : NOE 2 t € since then, Sony has been the leader in pricing when it comes to console hardware. Totphone (415) 84778778 o With so much experience at making hardware affordable, do you really think the ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: PlayStation 2 will debut at a less-than-affordable price? Of course not. And when it Ziff-Davis Video Game Group arrives in stores at the great pri think it won't and/or can't achi "ll all b Fea arrives in stores at the great price many think it won't and/or can't achieve, we'll all be San Francisco, CA 94105 in line waiting to buy a PlayStation. Again. I can't wait. Telephone: (415) 547-8000 "n 4 Fax: (415) 547-8777 Kraig Kujawa Editor-in-Chief Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (ISSN #1094-6683) is Changes Write to: Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, P.O. any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record- published monthly by ZD Inc., P.O, Box 3338, Oak Brook, Box 55362, Boulder, CO 80322-5362. Call us: (303) 665- ing, or otherwise) without the prior written notice of ZD Inc. IL 60522-3338. Periodicals Postage Pending at Lombard, 8930 U.S. or (303) 604-7445 all other countries. Fax us: Copyright © 1999, ZD Inc. All Rights Reserved. TM & © for IL and additional mailing offices. Single-issue rates: $7.99. — (303) 604-7455 U.S. or (303) 604-0540 all other countries. Or — all other products and the characters contained therein are Subscription Rates: One Year (12 issues and 12 demo . visit our subscription Web site at http://subscribe.playsta- ^ owned by the respective trademark and copyright holders. discs) $39.97 U.S., $65.97 all other countries. We periodi- tionmagazine.com/service. The editors and publishers are All materials in this magazine are subject to change and cally make lists of our customers available to mailers of not responsible for unsolicited materials. Without limiting the publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. goods and services. If you do not wish to receive such _ the rights under copyrights reserved herein, no part of this ^ The Canadian GST registration number is 14049 6720 RT. mailings, please write to us and include a copy of your publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced Printed in the USA. mailing label. Subscription Service Questions and Address into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by Red lights will be run. Cop cruisers wil be totaled. And barnk-robbhing low-lifes will escape. If you're arly good. YOU ARE THE WHEELMAN FROM THE CREATOR OF DESTRUCTION DERBY 1 & 2" driver.gtgames.com Driver™ © 1999 GT Interactive Software Corp. All Rights Reserved. Created by Reflections Interactive Limited, a GT Interactive Software Corp. studio. Published & distributed by GT Interactive = GT Interactive Software Corp. Reflections and the Reflections logo are trademarks of Reflections Interactive Limited. ND. Software GT is a trademark and the GT logo is a registered trademark of GT Interactive Software Corp. PlayStation REFLECTIONS PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment MEX Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. i Hi BARS "PEL Pd ` M re s L] p í > 4 H e LI : T v 1: y i Here’s what readers are saying about ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY.. S rhe main reason | buy your magazine is because of your Unbiased opinions on all your video game coverage.? John Suter jdsuter@bellsouth.net si have read lots of differ- ent game magazines, but I don’t think they are half as good as EGM.°? Isaac Yim Irvine, CA $6 want to commend you for putting out Great Issues After Great Issues.” Scott E. Ostertag1@juno.com S vou guys are Funny.” Ed Zombie Hackensack, NJ Subscribe Today or Buy It on Newsstands! OM MEN ACI THE VIDEO GAMES Wintends 64+ Playstation « Dreamcast » 16-Bit - Hangnelas + Arcade i Multiperson Reviews! The First with Big Gaming News! The Latest Gaming Gossip! Exclusive Previews! Cool Tricks for All Game Systems! But Get It. Get It? Gti vas ZD INC. CHAIRMAN AND CEO Eric Hippeau Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Chief Internet Strategist President, ZD Market Intelligence President, ZD Events President, ZD Brand and Market Services President, ZD Publishing President, ZD Internet Productions President, ZD Education President, ZD Television Executive Vice President, International Senior Vice President, Human Resources Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Senior Vice President, Planning and Development Senior Vice President, Communications Vice President, Corporate Real Estate and Facilities Vice President, Information Services Vice President, Controller Vice President, Human Resources Operations Vice President, Treasurer Corporate Sales Executive Vice President Vice President, Marketing Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director ZD Brand & Market Services Senior Vice President, Communications Vice President, Brand Marketing Vice President, Corporate Research Timothy O'Brien Claude P. Sheer Bob Brown Jason Chudnofsky Terri Holbrooke Michael S. Perlis Dan Rosensweig William Rosenthal Larry W. Wangberg Aymar de Lencquesaing Rayna Brown J. Malcom Morris Daryl R. Otte Charlotte Rush Marylou Berk Steve Gladyszewski Mark Moyer Tracy Nadi Thomas L. Wright loe Gillespie ^. Michael Perkowski Jeff Bruce Scott Murphy Rita Burke Charlotte Rush Brooke Correll Elda Vale ZD PUBLISHING President Executive Vice President Executive Vice President Executive Vice President Executive Vice President Executive Vice President Executive Vice President Senior Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Director, Benchmark Operations Director, ZD Labs Director, ZD Testing and Analysis Group Director of Public Relations Michael S. Perlis Chris Dobbrow Jack Dolce Al DiGuido Thomas McGrade Michael J. Miller Jim Spanfeller Nancy Newman Jonathan Lane John Dodge Roger Herrmann Peter Longo Eric Lundquist Bill Machrone Jim Manning Charles Mast Paul Somerson Mark Van Name Eric Hale Lauren Black Bill Catchings Glynnis Woolridge Ziff-Davis, A SOFTBANK Company NNAL Biage oF steel al Tournamentyit ma Ascension NFL Blitz "99 sin Academy Duke Nukem Time To Kill Quake ke T111SimCity 3000 Mortal Kombat Mythtilgie oe etal cee Aat B Bass Fishing opuious 1e eginoin Jon City 30 ations WWII dighier rk Grand Inquistitor, Mario Party Wario Land II se Wars Rogue E ddr L Blade of Steel Warzone ET: = NFL Blitz ose Combat II Army Men 3D Hi FaceOff T ETT WarZone Driver South Pa mand termina Warzone, 100 sat oaan Kemon Stadiutage of pires T Deer Avenger ar Craft Total Annihilation Resident Evil Quake HI Battle Zone Populous The Beginning "m on Acade SA NH Blade ol Steele real Tournament Kia Roll de Star Craft Wario Land II AA Final Four '9. /GHMEIJERLER.IZDM. sre Grand Inquistit E EverQuest ;.,get hooked up: 2: Seeds of E atender South Park Heretic Jedneck Rampag Sia Agee of MPiTes TT NFL Quarterback Club '99 L FaceOff "99 E = Lands of Lore Duke Nukem Zero Hou tal Annihilatiomopemon Stadium Barkatanc pomene [Eam Fortress 2 NCAA Final Four "99 Lander RE Avenge oe. fishing Rollcage WCW/NWO Thunder a scensrémitout 2 Cool Boarders. X:Wing Alhhanepuke N Nukem Zero Hour SimCity 300 Scar Baldur's Gate or es Seo of Evil- ees web Raider HI ntender P "NHL Blade of Steel S Sve quadron- 2 doin Ras? Soa eget Akujr- Datrkatane Fowerslide Duke Nukem Zero Hour KlingonAcaden Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped NHL Blade of £ am Fortress 2 NHL Blade of Steel Slave Zero i Pol Boarder: 3 Ultima Ascension d X-Wing Alliance ştar Wars: Rogue Squad edneck RampagM AD DEN NEG Nai ikem Zero HouSlave Zer: en Hic mieMers Street FL- Quarterback Club ‘99; St Cra | Starsiege Tribes ay ma milli d SIAE u 610-2614 Fax eon. diram ibid MEAS QU t Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped f Parasıte Eve — Why limit yourself to a dozen, hell even a hundred, different weapon choices when you can have thousands? It's time to remove the shackles of 2D, top down strategy games. Because in Warzone 2100, you have complete control over unit designs. As a result, it'll be your wits and ability to create an invincible battle arsenal that will save your hide from extinction. une 400 technologies allow you to design and build more than 2000 battle units. Turret, body and propulsion design options allow you to create anything from cyborgs to flamethrower tanks to V-TOL aircraft. esse bn SLUICE Oso recycle the experience of field units into bigger, better and even more fierce war machines. And as a Commander gains experience, the greater number of units he can control and the more accurate his laser designation becomes. user ieu - lightning fast, fully functional 3D game engine with rotatable « and zoomable cameras for fast and furious gaming action. Strategically placed radar units warn you of hidden enemy units and allow you to lob mortar shells over 5 mountain obstructions. IT'S NOW TIME TO TAKE YOUR FATE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS. SO GET INTO OUR VAST 3D WORLD: DESIGN, DEPLOY AND DESTROY. V UARZUÜIE dioe = apa, PlayStation _ The Phantom Menace |^ long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a movie that inspired video s] k| games for decades to come The latest is an adventure enti- | tled The Phantom Menace. Out 3 WipeOut has a new look, sound and feel. Find out what Psygnosis has in | store for fans of the 1 futuristic racing series. Not getting the most from | Spider-Man's Web Ball | attack? Check out this strate- gy to play better as Spidey mj and all the other characters in this fighting game Legaia is a vast world that requires much exploring. Find all the game's secrets, including the hidden Ra-Seru powers and much more in this strategy. Contents Letters Sometimes a joystick is just a joystick, or is it? Find out how a reader feels about the "shape" of a new joystick and other controversial issues, like what Kellogg's cereal has to do with OPM. News At long last, the successor to the PlayStation has been officially revealed. Read all about it in our in-depth report. Previews Sony unveils their upcoming lineup, including Gran Turismo 2, Omega Boost and Ape Escape. Also, check out our previews of 3Xtreme, Driver, MLB 2000, Ultimate Eight Ball and Evil Zone. International An update on Square's latest title in their flagship series (FFVIII) as well as a look at Combat Choro Q, Space Battleship Yamato and LSD (the game, not the controlled substance). Reviews Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, R4: Ridge Racer Type 4, Need For Speed: High Stakes, Point Blank 2, Triple Play 2000, Army Men 3D and Hello Kitty’s Cube Frenzy all get rated. Tricks We dug deep into the OPM tricks vault to give you codes for past PlayStation Star Wars games, along with help for favorites like Tomb Raider III and Contender. from Lego sets to talking action figures—all Star Wars, of course. We also take a look at a Crash Bandicoot handheld game and the colorful new Dual Shocks. IBI Te DIETO Get your hands on Ehrgeiz, Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, Legend of Legaia and Contender and find out how we rate the non-playable videos. e Uniquely immersive role-playing experience is limited only by your imagination. Collect over 150 creatures including rare and ultra-rare breeds. Then custom combine them into millions of powerful new monsters. que a Strategically use your monster's dominance of one of the four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire or Water. “TALE LM Meh LJ Welcome to the world of Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu. As Levant, a uu A Cocoon Master, you will engage powerful monsters in deadly one on one combat. 3 As the magic and talon clash of these titanic battles turn to your favor you can call A li on the mystic Cocoon powers and capture a fallen foe as they are on the brink of t death. Once captured these mighty creatures can be trained to fight for you and A ti. combined with other monsters to form millions of new beasts. Once created these creatures will be your key to surviving the perils of the forest. Pit your creation against a friend in the arena mode. | PlayStation LEARN THE SECRETS OF THE TAMAMAY LU. VISIT WWW.CRAVEGAMES.COM Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu, Crave and their respective logos are trademarks of Crave Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Crave Entertainment is a registered trademark in the U.S. © 1999 Crave Entertainment, Inc. Genki is a registered trademark of Genki Co, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. COMMS: JU LV. 1M. Te Letters A glimpse into the demented minds of our readers Letter of the Month Dear OPM, It’s come to the point now that the Letters section is turning out even funnier than the magazine itself. | seriously flip to the first few pages just to crack myself up sometimes instead of delving into the video game world first. Why? Take the whole gender issue thing mentioned in the February issue. Yes, maybe categorizing every girl as a non-video gamer might’ve been a bit harsh. However...it was funny! I got my kicks, and yes, I’m a girl—a girl who loves video games, but who can also take a joke. The fact that so many people took offense to that is—l'm sorry—hilarious! One of the reasons why this society, not to mention the video game genre specifically, seems so sexist is because PEOPLE LIKE TO MAKE A BIG Caption Contest Winner Freudian Stick Dear OPM, Did you guys mistakenly print an ad that was meant for Hustler or Playboy? This ad I'm referring to is for the “GameStick.” What a dis- gusting-looking accessory for a ter- tific system like the PlayStation. Did the inventor really think that a joy- stick that resembles a...well...you know...would be popular? Even my 8-year-old son said he wouldn't be “Mmmm...a Demon Baby Carver sandwich sure would hit the spot right now.” Congrats to Jason Walstrom of Fort Worth, Texas! ow you too can have your shot at history with the OPM Caption Contest! Every month, we run a game-related picture or screenshot. Your job is to write a humorous caption for it and submit it to us at any of the addresses on the following Letters page. The winner will be chosen by the following scientific method: We'll read them all, and the one that makes us laugh our asses off will get a sparkling new game or game-related item. Now, see what you can do with this pic: [You didn't really think those were the official rules, did you? For all the legal stuff on this and our other contests, please refer to page 77.] your input! caught dead with this thing in his hand. Thanks, but no thanks, I'll stick to the old-fashioned controller. | Karen Randle Thunder Bay, Ontario You know, our first response to this was, to paraphrase Freud, “Sometimes a joystick is just a joystick.” But then we took a good look at the thing, and... well...geez. You've got a point there. Somehow we doubt it was intentional, though. Sound Advice Dear OPM, I want to warn all PlayStation owners of the dance craze they are housing. Thanks to the CD format, PlayStation owners can play actual songs from the game on a regular CD player, and even some that aren't in the game. Even our favorite magazine has silently put songs in their demo discs. (For instance, if you put in the demo DEAL OUT OF IT! That’s my opinion anyway. Another thing | just briefly want to touch on: The nudity issue with that loveable green gecko and the oh-so-famous pose...It's not that bad, people. It’s really not. Just a word of advice to the main reading audience out there: Sit back and think about the whys and possibly the humor of things before you go to your computer or get your pen and paper and write down every possible complaint you can think of (and no, I’m not complaining). Even though it’s making the readers and the writers more aware of mistakes and offenses, it’s stepping over the line between humor and seriousness. Celene sky-rose@att.net We have to admit we're partly at fault for devoting so much space to these controversial issues; but hey, it's fun to discuss, and what other games magazine do you know of that throws open its Letters section to its readers’ serious concerns? But what do you think, folks? Should we keep a tighter reign on “Big Issues” letters? Do you think you have what it takes to write the Letter of the Month? Send us your timely, original, well-written video game expositions (you don't even have to agree with us!) and you too could win an official OPM Box or Joy. New surprise goodies every month! disc with the Dead or Alive demo on it, you'll get the in-game music.) If you put the Spawn game in, you get songs and an interview with Todd McFarlane. Other discs that include music are Destruction Derby 1 and 2, all the Twisted Metals, Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi and many others. You have to skip to the second song if there is one because the first track never has any sound. I urge everyone to try every disc they have. Dennis Goring dgoringevaxxine.com We'd just like to add a word of warning: It has been said that in very rare cases playing CD-ROM data tracks (which is what Track One is and why it never includes music; it houses all the game information) can damage your stereo, so we urge you to never play the first track on any data CD. These extra tracks show up in games using Redbook Audio; see our PlayStation Dictionary in the March ‘99 OPM for more info on these different sound formats. Oh, and speaking of which... How do you like the mag? What about the design? Are we leaving anything out? Let us know! To get special attention as far as design and content issues go, label your letters or e-mails with the heading: PlayStation Magazine suggestions c/o the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine at the addresses on the final Letters page. We can't wait to hear from you. FA must have NA ce PlayStation game... LR Move over Crash!" GO FROM THE HISTORICAL TO THE HYSTERICAL WHEN BUGS BUNNY™ TAMPERS WITH A TEMPERAMENTAL TIME MACHINE! Bugs visits the Stone Age! ENTERTAINMENT Official U.S. (HEVAAEL NOL [rosse ( S) May 1999 Letters id you buy a copy of our magazine that did not contain a demo CD? Simply send the receipt in an enve- lope marked “OPM Replacement Disc” to the address below with the name and address of the store plus your phone number and address and we'll send you the disc. Make sure you specify which month the corresponding disc belongs to in order to ensure you get the right one. Also, if you have a malfunctioning or non-working demo disc, call SCEA at 1-800-345-SONY. They will provide instructions to obtain repair or replacement ser- vices. For more information see this month’s Demo Disc section. A glimpse into the demented minds of our readers gra-ti«tude Dear OPM, Thank you, thank you, thank you for the PlayStation Dictionary! I have had a PlayStation since November 1997 and I have sub- scribed to OPM for almost a year. I didn't understand some of the words you were using...until now! The "PlayStation Unabridged Dictionary" will be forever used! Marc Abernathy via the Internet You're welcome. 0P^ M? Dear OPM, With all the new specs and info about the PlayStation 2 now surfacing, I've been wondering what's going to happen to my favorite PlayStation magazine when the PlayStation 2 finally hits U.S. shores. I know it's about a year and a half away, but that still leaves time for worry. Are you planning on changing the format of your maga- zine to the "Official U.S. PlayStation 2 Magazine" and following its games and news, and providing great demos of the games? Scott Iburg via the Internet Naw, we decided we'll just hang it up come next year. :) OF COURSE we'll extend our cover- age to the next PlayStation; we wouldn't miss it for the world! After all, we've kept you updated on all the PS2 info so far, right? And don't worry, we don't expect a name change, either. | Disc Krispies? Dear OPM, In my school we are writing to companies to request information about their products. I chose OPM. The product I would like to know about is Kellogg's Cereal. Can you please send me information on Kellogg's Cereal? Thank you. name withheld for obvious reasons Honest, folks, we don’t make these up. Err...April Fools? Apparently, evil babies crawled into our Silent Hill strategy last month and cut off the end of a paragraph on page 101. It should've read, “...a platform that will take you to the Basement Boss.” Mea culpa. Do YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO OPM? POINT YOUR BROWSER TO http://subscribe. playstationmagazine.com/service AND FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE FORM. WITH A CREDIT CARD, YOU CAN EVEN START A NEW SUBSCRIPTION! Yikes, More Reader Art! Every month we'll be picking one exceptional piece as our Reader Art of the Month. The creator of the winning work will have his/her piece published and will receive a new game (a good new game) in the mail—so include your mailing address with all submissions. Runners-up (as many as we want, 'cause it's our magazine) are printed as well. Good luck! Check out this month's artists! Clockwise from above: this month's winner, Kara Hedge, Moravia, IA; Todd Adamson, Sandy, UT; Curtis Kent, San Leandro, CA; Steven Denten Zabel, Crest Hill, IL; Robert Sampson, El Cajon, CA; and at center, Christopher Dang, panda- man83@hotmail.com. Nice job, everyone! snail mail: P.O. Box 3338 PlayStation Magazine Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 If you need to reach us now 630 382 9010 opmezd.com and check us out on www.videogames.com IN STORES EVERYWHERE! “ja tasty meal for an adventerous soul.” Game Informer “Shadow Madness has story-line inked to near perfection.” PSM "m An incredible, dark story that combines fantasy, science fiction and humor. Intelligent run-time battles with innovative “twitch attack” and magic styles. exAllRights Re = ( asaid tradema F E ; Designed by the rtalians. wo wonder it’s aHialctad to anything with curves. Se ig i95 MN RIRIDGE RACER TYPE 4 © 1998 Namco Ltd: All Rights Reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association, AIO "The first great racer of 1999 could be a Gran Turismo Killer.’ - Official PlayStation Magazine, February 1999 It is speed incarnate. Its sexy sheet metal restrains a 3000 cc power plant that hits O-190 mph in the snap of a linguini. It is the Bisonte - just one of the automotive marvels that scorch the streets in R4. With over 300 new cars, 45 fantas- tic models, 8 thrilling courses, a 2-player split-screen mode and only one way to drive. Fast. R4’s asphalt gulping graphics and spectacular racing environments deliver racing speeds that were once deemed impossible. But not anymore. Now you've got R4. Ciao, baby. RIDGE RACER TYPE 4 Think fast. Drive faster. namco' www.namco.com "R4 has to be the bestlooking PlayStation racer ever (yes, edging out even Gran Turismo]." - Official PlayStation Magazine, December 1998 * Sensational graphics and lighting effects give every race a cinematic feel * Race at all times of day and night, even during dramatic sunsets * Relive your greatest moments through the dynamic-camera replay mode. * Watch your race with all-new motion- blur effects J * Battle head-to-head | in split-screen vs. mode / A e Speed-tuned physics keep the arcade-style action fast-paced * Championship performances unlock secret hidden supercars * Don't be afraid to bump the other car, it's all part of a winning strategy * Join one of four international race teams - each with individual strengths and weaknesses * Design original logos to customize your car { f N * Race on | ) gorgeous f cityscape, | countryside and racetrack courses = * Money can't bari) victory. You've got | to earn new cars with your race | performance | * Experience all | the ups and | downs of a full racing season in | the Grand Prix | mode | * Includes a Ridge | Racer Turbo Mode | bonus disc with 8 | 60 FPS tracks | j OE, o — PlayStation Official U.S MENSEM [ne X) May 1999 News layStation has become more than a tradi- Pe console game system. It's captured the hearts and minds of millions of gamers, both hardcore and casual, and provid- ed hours upon hours of electronic entertain- ment these past three (four, if you start from the Japanese launch) years. It's made the suits at Sony sit up and take notice ever since it became their most popular product in compa- ny history. But technology is always evolving, and what was hot five years ago is eclipsed by bigger, better and flashier graphics hardware. That's where PlayStation 2 comes in. On March 2 at an invite-only event in Tokyo, 1,500 attendees, including publishers, develop- ers and the media, witnessed Sony pulling back the curtain on its next big thing—the next gen- eration of PlayStation hardware. While Sony is reluctant to call it "PlayStation 2," for the sake of clarity we'll refer to it that way in this story. An official name for the machine and its appearance will be revealed later this summer. But don't get ready to sell off all your other games and systems just yet. PlayStation 2 won't be out for a while—Sony plans a release this winter in Japan (sometime before March 2000) and a U.S. and European launch in the fall of 2000. Gettin' All Emotional At the heart of Sony's next-generation system is the Emotion Engine, a 128-bit CPU co-devel- oped by Toshiba and Sony Computer A monthly wrap-up of all the information for your favorite system For up-to-the-minute gaming news, check out www.videogames.com PlayStation 2 Official Sony Takes the Wraps Off Their Monster System This fully playable Tekken 3 game demo featured hundreds of fully polygonal onlookers cheering on the fight. The graphics were absolutely amazing, and Namco even apologized that they didn't have time to do a crowd of thousands, like they originally planned to. Entertainment Inc. (SCEI). The chip's floating point capabilities are multiple times beyond the latest PC technology, and it incorporates MPEG2 decoding (the compression standard for DVD) and high-performance DMA controllers on one chip. Using Direct Rambus DRAM in two channels allows the system to move data at high speeds, achieving a 3.2 GB/second bus bandwidth, four times the output of PCs built using PC-100 architecture. Graphics Synthesizer Working in tandem with the Emotion on how quickly Sony can make enough of them. Here's a peek at the Emotion Engine (left) and Graphic Synthesizer (right). They're relatively big and fancy- looking. When they debut in the PlayStation 2 depends Engine is the Graphics Synthesizer, optimized to display the kinds of CG effects that previously could be turned out only by supercomputers. With a 2,560-bit-wide data bus, the Graphics Synthesizer can keep up with the data flow from the Emotion Engine, giving it a peak drawing capacity of 75 million polygons per second. In addition, the GS can render 150 million particles a second, which help to create effects like fog, smoke and haze. As more effects are added to the mix, the number of polygons that can be turned out does get lower. With Z-buffering, textures, lighting and alpha-blending (transparency) turned on, that number falls to 20 million poly- gons a second. The GS takes care of each ren- der pass, adding effects without the need for an additional push from the main CPU or bus. The Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesizer add up to what's called "Emotion Synthesis." SCEI executive vice president Ken Kutaragi's of vision for the new machine is to create in-game graphics that are very close to real life. "Our dream is to create a new form of computer- based entertainment," he said. Demos displayed at the conference showed that creating ultra- realistic rendered graphics is not as unbelievable as once thought (more about the demos later). To bring both the Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesizer to market, Sony and Toshiba have joined forces, creating two new chip plants. One will be majority owned by Toshiba and will produce the Emotion Engine using new produc- tion lines and existing Toshiba clean-room facil- ities. The other will be wholly owned by SCEI to produce the Graphics Synthesizer. These new production facilities will help to keep the cost of the machine down. While a final price hasn't been announced yet, it will definitely be under $500, and most educated guesses put the price around $299. You might be thinking that with all this pro- cessing power, you'll have to sell your old sys- tem and games to buy all new controllers, new games, etc. But wait—you won't have to do (as much of) that with Sony's new machine, as it's backward compatible with the original PlayStation games and accessories, including peripherals like the Dual Shock, PocketStation and memory cards. PlayStation 2 won't enhance the graphics in the old games, but you will be able to play 100 percent of your current PlayStation game library on the new system. So, in other words, all your Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine demo discs will still be playable. Sony doesn't plan to create games that branch off—that is, are compatible with the standard PlayStation model but will play with enhanced effects when used on PlayStation 2. Crash 3 provided the proof of the PlayStation 2's backward compatibility. Backward compatibility is achieved by using the system's I/O Processor, developed with LSI Logic. The entire PlayStation CPU is located on that chip, with enhanced cache memory and a high-performance DMA architecture that gives it a bit of a speed boost with loading times. Official PlayStation 2 Stat Sheet CPU: 128 Bit “Emotion Engine” System Clock Frequency: 300 MHz Cache Memory Instruction: 16KB, Data: 8KB + 16KB (ScrP) Main Memory Direct Rambus (Direct RDRAM) Memory Size: 32MB Memory Bus Bandwidth: 3.2GB per Second Co-processor FPU (Floating Point Unit) Floating Point Multiply Accumulator x 1, 6.2 GFLOPS 3D CG Geometric Transformation: 66 Million Polygons/second Compressed Image Decoder MPEG2 Graphics: “Graphics Synthesizer” Clock Frequency: 150MHz DRAM Bus bandwidth: 48GB per Second DRAM Bus width: 2560bits Pixel Configuration: 2) Number of Voices ADPCM: 48 channels on SPU2, plus definable, software programmable voices Sampling Frequency: 44.1 KHz or 48 KHz (selectable) IOP: 1/O Processor CPU: Core PlayStation (current) CPU Clock Frequency: 33.8MHz or 37.5MHz (Selectable) Sub Bus: 32 Bit Floating Point Divider x 1 Vector Units VUO and VU1 Floating Point Multiply Accumulator x 9, Floating Point Divider x 3 Floating Point Performance: Second Sound: “SPU2+CPU" Sony has created a platform that incorporates not only the latest in computer graphics tech- nology, but also select digital standards that will help PlayStation 2 climb above the next generation from the start. Of those standards, the most important inclusion is DVD. A single DVD-ROM disc can hold 4.7 GB of data, giving developers a lot bigger canvas to work with. Not only that, but with the Emotion Engine's ability to decode MPEG2 video, games can have high-quality video during gameplay or in cinemas. Initially, it's expected that developers will create games using the tried-and-true CD- ROM format, eventually moving up to DVD as titles begin to require the amount of space the format can provide. Sony hasn't decided whether or not PlayStation 2 will be able to play DVD movies—so don't throw away your DVD player just yet. Using DVD opens up digital audio, and Sony has made sure your ears will hear the differ- ence (if you've got the equipment). The machine will output Dolby Digital AC-3 and Digital Theater Systems (DTS), giving develop- ers the ability to create audio that surrounds the player. Sony's I/O Processor also has incorporated new PC technology to give it expandability for the future. It will feature the use of IEEE 1394, known as FireWire because of its speed, and Universal Serial Bus (USB) technology. Both of these give PlayStation 2 the ability to connect to any digital device imaginable, like a digital camera, VCR, printer, keyboard, mouse, etc. SCEI's Terry Tokunaka explained that the use of FireWire and USB will change the way users look at games, too. “Maybe you could take your own pictures through a digital camcorder through the IEEE 1394 port and modify charac- ters in games so that you can be the hero.” Now instead of imagining that you are Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid, you could actually be him. um Polygon Rate: 75 illion Polygons per Interface Types: IEEE1394, Universal Serial Bus (USB), communication via PC-Card (PCMCIA) Disc Device: CD-ROM and DVD-ROM The system also uses PCMCIA, the PC standard for card-based modems and peripherals. Sony does have plans to include modem connectivi- ty, although it's not known whether Sony will set up an online service to go with the system. Kutaragi commented that "online gaming is very attractive—but the infrastructure of the Internet is not satisfactory at the moment. It is very easy for us to give the system communica- tion capabilities through the USB and PCMCIA Square's Final Fantasy demo was a jaw-dropper. At first, this scene looked like full-motion video, until they stopped the scene then moved the camera around, proving it was 3D rendered. They then dropped new characters into the scene and added special screen effects. News A monthly wrap-up.of all the information for your favorite system interfaces, but it will all be down to the applica- tion of the software in the end.” As Digital TV and HDTV become more accepted as visual formats, the new PlayStation will be able to adapt, including support for Digital TV and VESA display formats, and including NTSC and PAL display compatibility. It will be a few years before these new TV standards begin making their way into consumers’ homes, but when that happens, PlayStation 2 will be ready. As part of the presentation, Sony built a wide array of technical demos, showing off the sys- tem’s graphic capabilities. Each was created by p A e wa s 4 From Software's graveyard demo featured a fairy that would destroy these skeletons (left), top developers—Square, Namco, Polyphony Digital and From Software—and ranged from simple shapes created on screen to realis- tic effects and even, yes, game demos that were playable. Is this the end of the PlayStation? No. Sony is adamant that it will continue supporting the original PlayStation as long as it makes sense to do so. New games are being developed now and will continue to be even after the next sys- tem is launched. The company also said it will not launch the system until there are enough games to support it, currently estimated at eight titles. eee d CIXN which would then reassemble to create a huge beast (right). The future of boss creatures? A Question of Control One of the remaining questions regarding the new system is how many controller ports will be built in. When asked, Kutaragi replied coyly, "How many do you want?" It seems like a no-brainer that the PS2 will have four, but it probably won't be officially confirmed until the physical hardware is shown sometime this summer. 1000 2000 Release Games Ken Kutaragi stated that the hardware would not be launched in Japan until the games were ready, so here's our guess about what those Japanese release games might be. Don't you just love speculation? We sure do. Gran Turismo 3 - This is the sort of game that can easily launch a system. Tekken 4 - Namco already had Tekken 3 up and running to show things they would like to implement in the next addition to the series. Ridge Racer - It launched with the PS. Why not do it again? From what you know of PlayStation 2, what is the MOST you would be willing to spend on one? total number of votes: 15,192 poll taken by videogames c; 3000 4000 5000 6000 set. m | e puj fi E FS axi $ M T There were various demos demonstrating different capabilities (transparencies, physics, reflective surfaces, etc.) of the PlayStation 2. They were just the appetizers to the main course, which were the amazing game demos shown afterward. EVERYONE REVENGE K-71 REVENGE combines all forms of M in a raucus type of fighting simulation that combines the Sos moves and combos of the best fighting games with the gritty realism only possibla when the action is based on due true life capabilities of ACTUAL K-71 FIGHT 5 PlayStation NOW YOUR FAVORITE FINAL FANTASY? VII CHARACTERS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES AGAIN (OD BLESS THE RIN¢ mm MAY 1999 SQUARE.SOFT' © 1997, 1998, 1999 Square Co., Ltd/DreamFactory Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered www.squaresoft.com trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Square Soft and Final Fantasy are registered trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. PlayStation Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. EHRGEIZ is a trademark of Square Co., Ltd. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. News A monthly wrap-up.of all the information for your favorite system Though these pictures don't quite capture the complexity apparent in Square's demonstration, this facial animation demo put a face to the Emotion Engine's immense capabilities. How does what you have seen and heard so far of the PlayStation 2 meet with your expectations? Exceeds Expectations 69% Lower Than Expectations The two chips hidden under fans are the Emotion Engine and the Graphics Synthesizer (the Emotion Engine is on the left and the Graphics Synthesizer is on the right). Immediately to the top of the duo is a smaller processor bearing the LSI logo—we assume this is the 1/0 chip that will give the PlayStation 2 its ability to play current PlayStation titles. Inevitably, just about all (and maybe even more) of the PlayStation developers will end up developing for the next PlayStation— it's just a matter of when they'll make it offi- cial. Below is a list of the companies that have already publically made their intentions blatantly obvious. Namco - Long time Sony ally, and major contributor to PlayStation 2 Demonstration. Square - Strong ties with Sony. It was even mentioned in Q&A session that the compa- nies would on occasion discuss the new platform over drinks. Major contributor to PS2 Demonstration. From Software — Showed skeletal demo at event. Polyphony Digital — A playable Gran Turismo was up and running—what more proof do you need? Infogrames — After PS2 demo, the CEO of Infogrames announced his company's inten- tion to develop for PS2. Rockstar Games - They want to bring over a Duke Nukem game to the next PlayStation. Electronic Arts — Right before the event, EA was publically making a point of singing the praises of PS2. They should. The success of the PlayStation has helped EA become the power they are today. Ubi Soft — Ubi Soft has always been quick to jump on new hardware, and they've made PlayStation 2 noises already. In addition to the Tekken demo, Namco showed a fighting-game demo with four fighters duking it out in a huge two-story room. They threw each other off ledges and into objects, in addition to knocking the hell out of each other. The Phantom Menace will break Titanic's record for highest-grossing film ever. In the first weekend. Backward compatibility is a good idea. Colored Dual Shock controllers are cuter than colored iMacs. Cheaper, too. It's a good time to bea PlayStation fan. The only place boxers can ever be guaranteed a fair fight is on the PlayStation. Except for the one Don King owns. The Emotion Engine will break new ground in video games. It will make those Japanese girlfriend simulators more realistic than ever. Mr. Domino should be in those upcoming Star Wars movies. Fox Interactive announced a sequel to Die Hard Trilogy. Gamers just can’t get enough of that “Yippee-Ki-Yay, M*f*er” line. Jeff Gordon Racing was recently delayed. It’s the first time he hasn’t crossed the finish line on time. Sega’s screwed. We’re pretty sure about this one. News News Bits Cast Your Vote THE FACTS: Tecmo is polling gamers over the Internet to find out whether or not there's interest in a new Ninja Gaiden game. If all goes well, we might actually see Ryu Hayabusa in his natural habitat, fighting the scum of the earth (and not just in Tecmo's fight- ing game Dead or Alive). Want to voice your support? Send e- mail to tecmoinc@earthlink.net and tell them you want to see a new Ninja Gaiden game! THE RUB: Does the question even really need to be asked? Of course we would buy a new Ninja Gaiden game. It never left the confines of the original 8-bit Nintendo, and you've got to wonder what the possibili- ties would be for a new title using the PlayStation's power. ^. Big Sales, Little Glitch THE FACTS: Square's Final Fantasy VIII had an amazing opening day in Japan, raking in sales of 2.21 million copies between its own DigiCube dis- tribution service (1.65 million) and other retailers (560,000). Opening day sales are estimat- ed at 17.2 billion yen (about $145 million). Sales of the A monthly wrap-up,of all the information for your favorite system game have now reportedly topped 3 million. THE RUB: Unfortunately, Final Fantasy VIII has been scarred by reports of a software glitch in the game that messes with your game saves (ouch!). Square says that a little more than 1,000 cases of the problem have been reported—minuscule compared with the game's overall sales. Final Fantasy VIII will be released in the U.S. later this year, bug-free. Duke Debut on PS2? THE FACTS: Rockstar Games and the Gathering of Developers have announced a co-publishing agreement that will bring Duke Nukem to a next-generation console. Scheduled for a release in 2000, the yet-unnamed game will star everyone's favorite gun-totin' wiseguy in a third- person perspective game. THE RUB: While the two com- panies won't say which next- generation system the new Duke will be released on, we've been hearing that PlayStation 2 is the frontrunner, as the company said it would be for a soon-identified plat- form (and right after that, PlayStation 2 was announced). Question is, do we need anoth- er Duke game? Color Controllers THE FACTS:They've been avail- able in Japan for more than a year, but finally, Sony's multi- colored versions of the Dual Shock controller are making their way to the U.S. The con- trollers will come in various colors, including clear, black, green and blue. The pads will retail for about $30 and should be available by the time you read this. THE RUB: It's taken a while, but finally these colored Dual Shocks are coming out. While there's nothing different about them from the standard Dual Shock that's been available for a year, the new colors do pro- vide a new incentive for people to buy additional pads. False Start THE FACTS: Jeff Gordon's PlayStation debut is being held at the starting line for the time being. ASC Games has pushed back the PS release of Jeff Gordon XS Racing to the fall, saying that it will add additional platforms to the lineup, which may include a PlayStation 2 release later on. The PC version will be out in May. THE RUB: Jeff Gordon's a leg- end in NASCAR. Whenever this game does get the go-ahead, there will definitely be people poised to buy it—but hopefully they're doing some final tweaks on the game during the delay. Japan's Top 10-Selling PlayStation Games March sales rankings courtesy of The PlayStation Magazine Weekly, SOFTBANK: 1. Final Fantasy VIII Square - RPG 2. Option Tuning Car Battle Jaleco - Racing 3. Space Battleship Yamato Bandai - RPG 4. Beatmania Konami — Misc. 5. Simple 1500 Series volume 1 Culture Publishers — Misc. 6. Bass Landing Ascii - Sports 7. Armored Core: Master of Arena From Software — Action 8. Beatmania Append 3rd Mix Konami - Misc. 9. Crash Bandicoot 3 Sony CEI - Action 10. Tales of Phantasia Namco - RPG U.K.'s Top 10-Selting PlayStation Games February sales rankings courtesy of ChartTrack: 1. A Bug's Life Disney/Sony - Action 2. Premier Manager Gremlin — Sports 3. WCW/nWo: Thunder THQ - Action 4. FIFA '99 EA - Sports 5. Crash Bandicoot 3 Sony - Action 6. Cool Boarders Sony - Sports 7. Tomb Raider 3 Eidos - Action 8. Spyro the Dragon Sony - Action 9. Brian Lara Cricket Codemasters - Sports 10. Abe's Exoddus GT- Adventure Would you be interested in seeing Star Wars Episode | games come to the PlayStation? Sony filed three requests on March 11, 1999, with the San Francisco Federal District Court regarding 1500 Connectix's PlayStation emulator, Virtual GameStation, all of which were rejected. Those requests 1200 demanded that Connectix cease use Official U.S EWA GITON [vasezine( S) May 1999 of all copies of PlayStation BIOS, deliver all BIOS copies to Sony 900 counsel, and give Sony all proto- types for the Windows version of the software. The court has ordered Connectix to halt development on 00 the Windows version of the soft- ware for 20 days, when another court hearing can be held. 300 0 total number of votes: 2,993. poll taken by videogames.com illustration by Chip Wass wELcoMe Te SILENT py YARE HARRy MAson, Yoy Ens : E P Z i kS b. N : | es f to UR = "AN z lend? is i ae ak Use im USe-Your brawn. And What it Seems in this er 7 afraid of the Fire your lost daughter, before you Be afraid of what it's hiding. ago ie Your mind. fon lg aro raid demos aF Sony oops Entercom Int. The rang on o edenerk f e lel Dii Softvaro Icon. Konami D o gd nademak of Konami Go, d. © 1999 Kona o America, Inc. M tights reserved €> PlayStation | - A ‘Sent Hil is o trademark of Konami Cor EVERYONE E rj ESRB RARIOGE RACER TYPE 4 1998 Namco Lid: AM Rights Reserve iu on and tho PlayStation logos are registered warlemarks of Sot Born in the v.s.aA. Believes in every citizen's right to freedom of speed. attainment Inc; The ratings icon is a tradem: vf the Interactive Digital Software "The first great racer of 1999 could be a Gran Turismo Killer.’ - Official PlayStation Magazine, February 1999 oo QO p & 2 [c n = ir) ig It boasts an American stock car pedigree. Built Tallahassee tough and water-moccasin fast. Its muscle-bound V8 unleashes 317 stampeding horses, as well as unlimited “Yee-Haa’s!”. It is the Detector - just one of the auto- motive marvels that torches the streets in R4. With over 300 new cars, 45 fantasy models, 8 thrilling courses, a 2-player split- screen mode and only one way to drive. Fast. R4’s asphalt gulp- ing graphics and spectacular racing environments deliver racing speeds that were once deemed impossible. But not anymore. Now you've got R4. So long, pardner. Think fast. Drive faster. namco' WWW. ni'amco. corn "R4 has to be the bestlooking PlayStation racer ever (yes, edging out even Gran Turismo).” - Official PlayStation Magazine, December 1998 * Sensational graphics and lighting effects give every race a cinematic feel * Race at all times of day and night, even during dramatic sunsets * Relive your greatest moments through the dynamic-camera replay mode * Watch your race with all-new motion- blur effects d » Battle head-to-head EN in split-screen vs. mode} * Speed-tuned physics keep the arcade-style action fast-paced * Championship performances unlock secret hidden supercars * Don't be afraid to bump the other car, it's all part of a winning strategy * Join one of four international race teams - each with individual strengths and weaknesses * Design original logos to customize your car e Race on gorgeous cityscape, countryside and racetrack | courses * Money can't buy victory. You've got to earn new cars with your race performance * Experience all the ups and downs of a full racing season in the Grand Prix | mode | * includes a Ridge | Racer Turbo Mode bonus disc with 8 60 FPS tracks PlayStation Top 20 The best-selling U.S. PlayStation titles as reported by the nation’s top retailers WCW/nWo Thunder @O00O) PuBLISHER: THQ Last MONTH: 1 GENRE: ACTION ReLEASE Date: JAN. 1999 The masses have spoken. Thunder tops the charts for the second month in a row, proving that melodrama staring beefy men really is good entertainment. Frogger @OOCO) PUBLISHER: HAsBRO Last MONTH: 3 GENRE: ACTION Revease Date: Oct. 1997 Hop, hop, hop...Frogger just won't stop on its way to the top. This retro title is winning over yet another generation of gamers. Gran Turismo 3 PustisHer: SCEA LAST MONTH: 4 GENRE: RACING Revease Date: May 1998 We're all drooling over the pics of Gran Turismo 2 in this month's issue, but until that game comes out, this one’s still the best realistic racer out there. Metal Gear Solid (00000 PUBLISHER: Konami Last MONTH: 2 GENRE: ADvEeNTURE — RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1998 The only time this game should fall out of the top 20 is when every PlayStation owner out there has a copy of this masterpiece. Rugrats: Search for Reptar (000€O) PuBLISHER: THQ Last MONTH: — GENRE: ACTION Revease Date: Dec. 1998 More evidence of the PlayStation's broad audience: The ultimate kid game stakes out a spot in the top five best sellers. Crash Bandicoot 2 PUBLISHER: SCEA Crash Bandicoot: WARPED PUBLISHER: SCEA Last MONTH: 5 WCW Nitro PusLiSHER: THQ (00000 ReLEAsE Date: Oct. 1997 Last MONTH: 8 Retease Date: Oct. 1998 ©0000) Release Date: Nov. 1997 (000 60) Last MONTH: — Spyro the Dragon Presents As compiled by our attractive, intelligent readers Metal Gear Solid Just imagine what the sequel to this game would look like on the PlayStation 2... Silent Hill This genuinely disturbing game combines psychological terror with a satisfying dose of gore. Syphon Filter Sniper shots, great enemy Al, tough-to- beat missions and more make this a worthy game. Crash Bandicoot: WARPED Crash continues to crush the competition in the platform genre. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Some of you would probably sell your souls to play this game. Need For Speed: High Stakes Another opportunity to sharpen your skills at evading The Man while on the road. Tomb Raider III Lara can still steal the hearts of many a gamer, even though this isn't her best outing. R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 Namco's incredible racer has many a heart racing in anticipation. WCW/nWo Thunder It’s ironic that the competition in this game is more real than its real-life counterpart. Ehrgeiz A true 3D fighter with loads of great charac- ters, including some fella named Cloud. Our monthly contest winner's top five picks Tomb Raider III Hey, Coral—you want that top- secret nude code? Heh, heh...just kidding! PuBLISHER: SCEA ReLEAsE Dart: Sept. 1998 (00000) Lasr MONTH: 7 NBA Live 99 Jeopardy! You'll need more than quick thumbs to beat your buddies at this brain-buster. PUBLISHER: EA Revease Date: Oct. 1998 ©0000 Last MONTH: — Namco Museum Vol. 3 Metal Gear Solid This instant classic is so good that it basically created a whole new genre of games. PUBLISHER: NAMCO Last MONTH: — ReLEAsE Dart: Fes. 1997 MediEvil Sir Dan has got to be one of the coolest Contender (00660 lesser" mascots out there. PUBLISHER: SCEA Last MONTH: — Release Dart: JAN. 1999 A Bug's Life PUBLISHER: SCEA ©0000) Last MONTH: 9 ReLEAsE Date: Dec. 1998 ©0000) ReLease Date: Auc. 1996 ©0000) ReLEAsE Date: Nov. 1997 ©0000 Release Date: Oct. 1998 (00000) ReLEAsE Date: Nov. 1996 (00000) Release Date: Oct. 1998 (00000) Namco Museum Vol. 1 PUBLISHER: NAMCO Last MONTH: — Cool Boarders 2 PUBLISHER: SCEA Last MONTH: 11 B Knockout Kings PUBLISHER: EA Tomb Raider PUBLISHER: EIDOS B Cool Boarders 3 PUBLISHER: 989 STUDIOS Last MONTH: 6 Last MONTH: 12 Last MoNrH: 10 (E) Twisted Metal 2 Gran Turismo Nothing's more satisfying than complet- ing a perfect race, then watching your own replay. What we've been playing instead of working PlayStation 2 movies We can't stop gawking at those videos showing Sony's supersystem in action. Phantom Menace trailers A week before deadline, the second trailer was released. Simply incredible. Driver Sure, the graphics aren't the sharpest, but so far the gameplay more than makes up for it. Final Fantasy VIII Who can wait for the translation when we've got a Japanese copy here already? Triple Play 2000 How can you resist a baseball game where you can make a 5-foot, 300-pound shortstop? PUBLISHER: SCEA Last MONTH: — Release Date: Nov. 1996 & Tetris Plus ©0000) Send your votes for the Readers’ 10 Most Wanted games to: Official PUBLISHER: JALECO LAST MONTH: — RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1996 PlayStation Magazine Attn: Readers’ 10 Most Wanted, P.O. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 or e-mail us at: dan pelusoezd.com or visit the OPM section on www.videogames.com Source: NPD TRSTS Video Games, February 1999 (weeks one and two). Call them at (516) 625-2345 for questions about this list. Note: No games for competing console systems (e.g., N64, Sega Saturn, etc.) were included. Overall sales figures may vary. Game descriptions are written by the OPM staff. IP's anyone who starts a sentence, “When | was your age...” IFs your parents when they say, 7 “Why couldn’t you be more like your brother?” E es Ils all ihe Bis Who ever gave you a fake phone fiumber. Show them how you really feel. Wreak havoc in 40 different missions, in four unique, upgradable ships, using 13 different weapons against 30+ enemy craft. Experience wormholes, asteroids, cloaked planets, and kamikaze drones. Even play against that person you're ticked off at, head-to-head. d © 1998 Psygr aininent Irc. The ratings www.playstation.com A deadly mist grips the land. Jn its wake lies a decomposing herd of corpses. Jn its path are the last remaining outposts of civilization. 77o save them, you must fend off an army of mad beasts, a giant monster and a mysterious wizard who will stop at nothing short of total annihilation. 77he secret that you will discover lies in the Genesis trees. Can you find and save all the trees? Cr will you be taking one last breath before the long dirt nap? PlayStation © News A monthly wrap-up of all the information for your favorite system Clockwise from top left: Xena Warrior Princess, WipeOut 3, Knights of Carnage, Dino Crisis and Le Mans 24 Hour. E D> PlayStation Coming Soon Compiled by Dan Peluso with extensive verification by Johnny Masthead July All release dates are tentative and subject to change. More information on all future releases will be given as it becomes available.
PlayStation
Next party, lose the pifiata. New Point Blank™ 2 allows up to 8 of your gun-crazed pals to unload on over
70 wild and wacky shooting scenarios - from fish and fowl to ninjas and gangsters. Blast through an all-new
Arcade Mode, Theme Park Mode, Endurance Mode - plus a VS. Mode for the perfect head-to-head
(no pun intended) party game. Point Blank 2. Time to get pistol whipped.
www.namco.com
Point Blank™ 2 & © 1994 1997 1998 Namco Ltd. All Rights Reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation
logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of
Guncon for use with software that displays the Guncon icon.
Point Blank™ 2 sold with Guncon and without. the Interactive Digital Software Association. Guncon™ & © 1996 Namco Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
== Easily The
Best Street
Fighter Alpha (2
JJ OFFICAL U.S.
y
PER
- GAME INFORMER
GAME PURCHASE WORTH
òà — 20 FIGHTERS EDGE”
POINTS!
:
i
|
1
Street Fighter Alpha 3 scores a triple K.0/ It's the
© CAPCOM CO., LTD. 1999 © CAPCOM
ES 3l USA INC. 1999. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
most accurate translation of an arcade game to ma ` j
a tered t
LTD. STREET FIGHTER
grace the circuits of the PlayStation” game console...
featuring all new enhanced modes of play, including
3 fighting styles for every character — plus the skill building,
World Tour Mode. Maybe nobody's
perfect. But as of today, at least
PlayStation
one fighting game is.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Driver
Fight crime by committing crimes! Is this great or what?
Official U.S (AEVAAE IOI] [scc ( S) May 1999
chase film, now's your chance. GT Interactive is
preparing to release Driver, the newest automotive
adventure from Reflections, the creators of Psygnosis’
I you've always wanted to star in a fast-action car
Destruction Derby series. The
game throws you into a nation-
wide ring of organized crime as
you take on the role of an under-
cover cop working to bring the
gang down.
Set in New York, Los Angeles,
Miami and San Francisco, the
game is modeled closely on the
actual cities. As you've no doubt
heard by now if you're following
the development of this game, the designers actually
hit the streets of these four cities with a video camera
in order to be able to reproduce the settings as faith-
fully as possible. While the environments aren't per-
fectly accurate (the streets, for example, are all arrow-
straight), the game does include a number of instantly
recognizable landmarks that allow players familiar with
Action
1
6096
July
the towns to easily find their way around.
You'll need to learn to navigate these streets well in
order to complete the dozens of missions. You'll also
need to learn to watch out for the cops—who aren't
aware you're working undercover
and will be all too happy to take
you out if they catch you doing
something naughty. Run too many
red lights, for example, and you'll
find yourself with an unwelcome
escort—and in most cases you'll
need to find a way to ditch 'em if
GT is careful to distance Driver
although you spend much of the
ers stress that your character is himself a
cop, and thus your illegal activities are
game is also careful to avoid serious vio-
bad as it gets. You can't even run over
out of your
GT Interactive
you want to complete your mission.
from games like Grand Theft Auto;
game running from the police, the publish-
actually in service of the greater good. The
lence; spectacular car crashes are about as
pedestrians—they're programmed to dive
Reflections
You are the
camera man
One of the most interesting.
features of Driver is its
Director's Mode, which
allows you to view the
replay of an entire mission,
setting camera views
around the environments
(and even in pursuing
police cars) to design
way every time.
Even at this still-early
stage, the nicely realis-
tic car physics make
Driver a blast to play.
We can't wait to see the
final version
your very own custom
replay reel.
The boys at the body shop will
love you after maneuvers like this.
How gangsters unwind
If the tense life of crime gets to be too stressful, Driver offers a number of short driving games
to hone your automotive skills. First, in order to prove your worth for the mission-based
mere of the game, you'll need to run an obstacle course of sorts inside a park-
lin ing garage (above far left). Other games include Cross-Town Checkpoint
(above center left), which requires you to find and hit checkpoints in
the shortest time possible; Pursuit (above center right), in which you
p—— need to chase and destroy a fleeing gangster; and Trailblazer (above
- far right) in which you need to follow a difficult path of checkpoints
in a very limited amount of time. Each challenge is sure to work
wonders for your driving ability.
=
* ke ke
™
yk ke ke
am x*
zm A You're a low-level street hood, working your way up the corporat
S ; ladder of crime, taking on 200 missions in order to show the
Ic] crime bosses what you're capable of. Car-jacking, Mob-Hits,
in
e Random Assault. All on your first day!
[s An Equal Opportunity Destroyer
£A,
Now also available: for the first time ever on
PlayStation» game console. Mission Pack Technology!
i
ij
GRAND THEFT AUTO
PlayStationit
PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. The Rockstar logo, GTA London, and the GTA London logo are registered trademarks of Take Two Interactive Software, Inc.
©1999 All rights reserved. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
raAREN TAL
ADVISORY =
EXPLICIT CONTENTS
ei T Ai
Poystaton |. ROCKSTAR
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
3Xtreme
Racing t2:
80%
989 Studios
April
989 Studios
Extreme racing gets an extreme overhaul
s a sequel to one of the
As original U.S.
launch titles, 3Xtreme follows
ESPN Extreme Games as a
"freestyle racing game." Licenses
are added this time around, along
with the option to buy and sell
equipment with points earned in
the game. Santa Cruz, Toy
Machine, Creature and GT join a long list of
name-brand manufacturers of skateboards, in-
line skates and BMX bikes—but, sadly, the luge
from the first game is nowhere to be found.
The graphics have gotten a major overhaul:
The choppy and inconsistent look of the 1995
game has been replaced by a more solid pre-
sentation and a steady frame-rate. Also, each of
the characters you choose from—there’s a total
of 13—has his or her own equipment, look and
style. A total of 27 tracks
are presented from five
u:s GENS elated) [oo ( 8) May 1999
new locations—Aztec Island, Seacliff, The
Metro, Lakeside Park and Arroyo Grande. All the
tracks consist of long stretches of banked pave-
ment, with ramps, drop-offs, rails and objects
that can be used to propel you above other
players and to perform stunts. Hidden courses
and racers can also be found within the early
stages of the game.
Racking up points and
winning races are quite
challenging due to the
placement of the various
obstacles and point gates
along the tracks. Adding to
the challenge are CPU-con-
trolled players that block
and punch you and each
other in classic Road Rash style.
3Xtreme has four modes of play. Freestyle
allows you to practice stunts for points, while
Time Trial is simply a race against the clock.
Exhibition and Season modes make up the bulk
of the gameplay, though, so you'll need
to get good at both to
B win. All but Freestyle
may be played in
two-player split-
screen, which can be
configured either hori-
zontally or vertically.
Spankin’ Sounds
The sounds of bone-crushing and
pole-thumping are accompanied by
the music of Ultraspank. The
group's latest video is even includ-
ed as a movie on the disc—a mar-
keting strategy we're sure we'll see
more of in the future.
Nothing says good morning
quite like cracking your skull
on a metal beam at 60mph.
KONAMI.
EVERYONE
ize of your skill, with Fisherman’s
how on PlayStation® Two player
lets you feel the bass biting
Can you land a lunk
Bait you can prove
versus mode - fish
PlayStation Fisherman's Bait is a trademark of
are registered trademarks of Sony C:
fal Software Association. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos
onami Co., Ltd. ©1999 Konami of America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
RPG 1
60%
Sony CEA
June
Enix
Star Ocean: The Second Story
Star Ocean will finally cross the oceans to reach U.S. gamers
he original Star Ocean was a treat for
T game players. It had a long and
enthralling quest, graphics that were noth-
ing short of stunning, and a musical score that
swayed with power and adventure. In short, it
was an epic RPG. The recently released
PlayStation sequel, aptly titled Star Ocean: The
Second Story, follows its predecessor in nearly
every detail, except one. It's coming to America.
In Star Ocean: The Second Story you'll pick one
of two main characters, and shape their destiny
throughout a great
adventure. A
strange meteorite
has fallen on the
planet of Expel, and
you quickly discover
the chaos it causes
goes far deeper
than the monsters it
has created or the
earthquakes that
have begun—something dark is taking over
this once peaceful land, and it's up to you
to stop it. The basic story may lack original-
ity, but this isn't where Star Ocean shines.
Instead, the game focuses more on litter-
ing subquests and back stories into
the main scenario, and succeeds in
delivering a tale that starts off
7^ being shallow and slightly tedious,
but then thrusts you into a twisting plot
full of surprises.
Most of the graphics in Star
| š Ocean are a combination of
May 1999
hand-drawn sprites over preren-
dered backgrounds, with a fully
polygonal world map to
explore. The overall look of the
game is quite impressive, with
characters that scale seamlessly
through beautiful environments §
that challenge Final Fantasy VII
in quality. Most of the renders in
this game were done by a company
called Links, one of the main teams
behind the backgrounds in Square's
masterpiece. The overworld map is
also very similar to FFVII's, if not
more dramatic. Giant structures
and mountains fill every island on
the world of Expel, and although
you'll see a bit more pop-up in
the distance, you'll have the plea-
sure of having more realistically
sized towns and temples covering
the landscape.
Times are certainly changing. A few
years ago, Sony's announcement to
bring out Enix/tri-Ace's latest ven-
ture to the States
would have been
unheard of, but now
it's just a pleasant sur-
prise. These games are
finally getting the
recognition they
deserve. What a great
time to be an RPG fan!
Y
Tune Sani
Encounter a
wide array of
characters and
monsters as
you explore the
planet Expel.
How do you take your battles?
Star Ocean offers a unique take on classic RPG fighting formulas by allowing you to pick
from three different styles. Do you enjoy the classic turn-based conflicts found in most
console RPGs? Or do you want to try something with a bit more speed and chaos? Standard,
Semi-Active and Full-
Active all have their
own attributes, from
the amount of free
movement you have
Official U.S. PlayStation Nageine( &)
to the way you target
and launch attacks.
Great stuff!
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
MLB 2000
Can 989 Studios’ baseball title stay on top?
game on the PlayStation, but this year it's
going to be even more difficult to retain that
title, due to EA’s much-improved Triple Play 2000
(reviewed on page 84 of
this issue).
With such a good
game already in place,
MLB 2000's updates
mostly consist of minor
tweaks in gameplay,
sound and graphics. The
biggest change is that
MLB is going to a two-
man commentary, with
ESPN Baseball analyst
L: year's MLB '99 was the best baseball
Dave Campbell joining Vin Scully in the broadcast
booth. Right now, the commentary is quite good:
The play-by-play is steady, and the color commen-
tary provides some interesting bits of information
Infield colli-
sions are an
unfortunate
yet amusing
occurrence on
the field.
about the players up to bat.
Graphically, the game has been just slightly
enhanced. New player animations have been
added (check the sidebar to see which players
and the graphics have been
improved. Unfortunately, MLB
2000 won't be using the
players’ actual faces, but the
player body types often look
parts, thanks to some keen-
looking 3D polygonal models.
Also, the action from the bat-
ter's box to the field moves
quickly and fluently, much like
the MLB before it, despite the
improved aesthetics.
As for depth, well, MLB is fast
approaching Triple Play 2000 in
terms of features and options.
Everything important has been
implemented in the game,
including a Home Run Derby,
season play, player creation, farm
system recruiting and trades.
There's no doubt that MLB 2000 will be a
fun game with plenty of depth, but we won't
know whether it will top Triple Play 2000 until
we get the final version in for review. That
won't be until the following issue, so be
sure to check back next month.
70
player
were used for motion-capture),
similar to their real-life counter-
The number
of statistical
categories
used for each
Sports 12
9096 March
989 Studios 989 Sports
Spring Training
In MLB 2000, you can relive the experi-
ence of fighting for a spot on a big
league roster with the game's Spring
Training mode. You get six games to
earn enough points to make it onto the
team of your choice.
«MB. HomeRun Derk
HR DERBY LINEUP
|. Albert Belle
. Will Clark
. Barry Bonds
. Mark MoGwire.
| M. McGwire
| ankford
E. Davis
F. Tatis
D. Bragg
S PLAYERS 4)
MO VAUGHN - Anaheim Angels
SHAWN ESTES - San Francisco Giants
BRETT TOMKO - Cincinnati Reds
DARRYL KILE — Colorado Rockies
RAY DURHAM - Chicago White Sox
BENJI GIL - Chicago White Sox
MLB Players Motion-Captured
DARRYL HAMILTON - Colorado Rockies
KARIM GARCIA — Arizona Diamondbacks
4
MS speed, awesome competition and the pulse-pounding exhilaration
of flying by cars at speeds in excess of 300 MPH.
DEVELOPED BY
Windows® 95 Du E
PlayStation
n ®
WWW.aScgames.com « WWW.jeffgordonxsracing.com
ASC Games® is a registered trademark of American Softworks Corporation. © 1998 American Softworks Corporation. Jeff Gordon® XS Racing™ is a trademark of ASC Games. © 1998 JG
Motorsports Inc. Developed by Real Sports. ® PepsiCo, Inc. 1998. FRITOS @ is a registered trademark used by Frito-Lay, Inc. © 1995 PEG Limited Partnership and PEG 97 Limited Partnership.
PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Windows® 95 is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. The ratings icon is a trademark of
the Interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved.
900%"
00:30:78
è
Official U.S. EWS CUT [jocos 2) May 1999
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Sports 116
70% June
THQ Mirage
Ultimate Eight Ball
More billiards action than you can shake a stick at
Ever wanted to play pool with a
supermodel? Well, take a look at
that cutie with a pool cue (top).
More shocking
pool facts!*
* Billiards ranks second in fre-
quent participants behind bas-
ketball. Can you believe it? This
country is going to seed.
e Over 9 million people play
pool more than 25 time a year.
Most people don't see a dentist
more than once in a whole year.
Must be a lot of toothless pool
players out there.
* 4.5 million Americans consider
themselves "afficionados."
Meanwhile, 70% of Americans
are overweight. Maybe they
should become afficionados of
exercise.
(*Actual stats courtesy of
THQ. Smarmy remarks courtesy
of OPM.)
ou walk into a smokey pool hall and find
Y in a high stakes game of nine ball.
Normally you'd be nervous because geometry
was never "your bag," but tonight's different.
Tonight, there are guidelines on the table telling you
where every single ball will
go. Tonight, you'll pull off trick
shots that will leave jaws
dropped and put money in
your pocket. Tonight, you're
playing...a video game.
Melodrama aside, Ultimate
Eight Ball is shaping up to
come closer than any pool title
on the PlayStation yet in simu-
lating all aspects of the game.
In its current form it's already
impressive, with tight physics
models that move balls with
striking (no pun intended)
realism. The AI, which is still
rough at this time, actually
thinks through shots and is
said to be incredibly good but
fair. Right now, it hasn't
learned to be fair and will
often beat you without letting you get a single shot
in (which, when you think about it, is more
realistic than not).
Ultimate Eight Ball features
14 different games,
million Americans play
billiards at least once a year
including standards like eight ball, nine ball and
rotation; also included are cut throat, straight pool,
10 pin, 10 ball and various other games with U.K.
rules. But it's not just game styles that are different;
there are 15 unique tables that come in various shapes
and sizes. Don't worry, the basic
game revolves around that tried
and true rectangle—only specialty
opponents playing on their home
turf use the odd-shaped tables. To
keep things visually stimulating,
there are 10 separate environments
in which the action takes place. The
game also supports up to 16 play-
ers, so you never know who might
show up to play a quick game.
The most prominent and easily
the coolest graphical treat is being
able to see your fully rendered 3D
opponent taking his or her shot
from across the table. No more
watching a drone stick and an
occasional face in a window repre-
senting your challenger. It seems
gimmicky, but in practice you can't
help but feel more immersed in the
game when your opponent's physical presence mir-
rors what you might see in real life. Still, most peo-
ple's lives don't involve shooting pool with gorgeous
models, so you may have to suspend some disbelief
when Eight Ball hits in June.
Along with the familiar rectangle are 15 other
odd-shaped tables, like the hexagon above.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Fighting 1-2
80%
Evil Zone
Exaggerated anime-style action finds a home
inspired character designs, but no fighter has
ever gone to the lengths Evil Zone does to cap-
ture every aspect of an anime
show. Starting with the opening
animated movie, it feels like
you're watching anime rather
than preparing for a game.
The Story mode does a good
job of mimicking the setup of an
episode of your typical show, but
the fighting action is where Evil
Zone really shines. It's very hard
to describe, but the way your
character moves, executes and
reacts to attacks is very stylized.
You often wonder why no devel-
oper has thought of doing as
much cool stuff as Yukes has with
their characters. Sometimes the
camera angle will change to
highlight an attack, but that
angle will be different the next
time you do that same move (they do repeat after a
time, though). It's no stretch to say Evil Zone is drip-
ping with style.
I: not new for a fighting game to have anime-
Hair, beautiful hair
One of Evil Zone's fanciest tricks involves some of the characters’
hair. As you can see from the pictures below, a few fighters have
flowing hair with individual strands being visible. Two have pony tails
that become unfurled as they take damage. How cool is that!
Yukes obviously didn't want to alienate anime
fans who are attracted to the title but may not be
too adept at fighting games, so the control
scheme is extremely simplistic. You
have an attack button and a block
button—and that's it. Variations
in attacks occur when you press
the directional pad in conjunction
with the attack button, such as
Forward plus attack or Up plus
attack. While this simplicity may
seem like a turnoff to some hard-
core gamers, there are a surprising
amount of moves and combos,
some being obvious and others not
so apparent.
About 75 percent of your attacks
are of the projectile nature, which
can be tricky, as critics of Psychic
Force can attest. So far, we've
found that almost everything has a
counter and cheap patterns can be
avoided. The depth and overall bal-
ance are things we can't give a definitive word on
until we get a review copy in, but our fingers are
crossed that Yukes will get the job done.
"| was going to beat
you silly, but I broke a finger-
nail. See, it's glowing."
Titus
Hidden art
Once you beat the game in Story
mode, you'll. gain access to the
Gallery. Some really cool character
sketches and full-color pieces await
the skilled gamer.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Demolition Racer
A follow up to Destruction Derby a la Rogue Trip
fter Destruction Derby 2, no other car
Ac game was able to match that
wild auto smash-'em-up, mainly
because none has tried. Enter Pitbull
Syndicate, which is coming off a strong stint
with Test Drive 4 and 5. Pitbull, which hap-
pens to made up of some of the core team
members behind Destruction Derby 1 and
2, has had a lot of time to think about new
features. The result is Demolition Racer.
Although they're building on the great Test
Extra attention was paid to
making the tracks more cohesive.
Drive 5 engine, they've totally customized it for this game.
One of the biggest features is head-
to-head two-player split-screen action,
Racing 12
4096 03:99
Accolade Pitbull Syndicate
are 20 tracks that are designed specifically to allow for a
variety of spontaneous action that will be unpredictable
from race to race. Other new additions to the series,
Shao Lin
You'll never defeat my drunken fist
OPM lamenting the death of Thrill Kill, which would
have been PlayStation's first four-player fighter.
Perhaps because it lacked the same controversial themes
and had a later release date, Shao Lin was sort of over-
looked. THQ's brawler was first unveiled at last year's E3,
but it has undergone some major changes, no doubt to
capitalize on the lack of competition. The character builds
have been reworked, resulting in beefier models and
greater texture detail. There is also extensive maximizing
of the engine, which we aren't able to speak about in
R n unbelievable number of letters came pouring in to
detail yet—but we can say it's yet another first for a
PlayStation fighter. The meat of the game and the feature
that further distin-
guishes Shao Lin is
Official U.S. EWastend tela CHO May 1999
even with 16 cars on the track. There
which are becoming almost standard for all racers, are
branching pathways and shortcuts. One of the more popu-
lar obstacles from DD2 was the corkscrew jump, which
Pitbull also wanted to somehow incorporate into this title,
with the possibility of an even wilder obstacle in the
works. Demolition Racer has five modes including
Demolition Racing, Bowl Match, Suicide Racing, Career
Mode and Stock Car Racing.
The soundtrack is looking promising, with exclusive tracks
by Fear Factory and Empiron. OPM recently attended a
recording session for the game and came away impressed.
If nothing else, the game will at least sound awesome.
! Fighting t4 l
40% 02 '99
THQ Polygon Magic
its RPG mode, which requires
you to take a fighter from youth
and raise him or her to become
a champion. There will be
towns where you can talk with
people, leading ultimately to
two different endings. Along
the way, there are various
events that happen which change depend-
ing on the martial arts style you choose for
your character.
There won't be a shortage of appealing
characters since you have more than 30
fighters to choose from once they've all been
unlocked. Even though the total number of
selectable fighters is high, the char-
acter design remains solid thanks to
famous anime artist Hirotoshi Sano
(Gundam 0083, NAZCA, Vision of
Escaflowne). Even at this early
stage, Shao Lin already looks better
than Polygon Magic's previous fight-
er, Vs. We're looking forward to see-
ing more
Grab a friend or three and mop and beat
each other senseless. Yup, sounds like a
typical Friday out with your buddies.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
All-Star Tennis 99
Ubi Soft looks to serve up a solid tennis game
f all the sports out there, the one that rarely gets
O= in console gaming has got to be tennis.
Even though it’s a pretty popular sport throughout
the world, game developers have yet to embrace tennis as
much as they have football or baseball. Last year, Ubi Soft
released a very forgettable Tennis
Arena—sporting average graphics,
weak gameplay and no official
license. All-Star Tennis 99, however,
looks promising. Boasting licensed
players and improved graphics, All-
Star Tennis 99 may have what it
takes to bring the excitement of
tennis to the PlayStation.
All-Star Tennis 99 features eight
licensed players—Michael Chang,
Jonas Björkman, Amanda Coetzer,
Richard Krajicek, Gustavo Kuerten, Conchita Martinez,
Jana Novotna and Mark Philippoussis—plus four fictional
athletes. Players can compete alone or go head-to-head
with up to four friends on center court. In addition, there
are eight different courts, including Wimbledon,
California, Paris and Japan. Three gameplay modes, six
different shots and progressive levels of single and doubles
competition round out an impressive list of in-game fea-
tures and options.
The Next Tetris
Yet another version of the greatest puzzler of all time
Play on one of eight different
actual courts, like Wimbledon,
California or Paris.
aT REAN
Sports 12
80% April
Ubi Soft Ubi Soft
The look of All-Star Tennis 99 is currently a bit rough.
The graphics were sourced from 3D motion-capture video,
instead of being actual animations, so the motions look
kinda stiff and forced rather than fluid and smooth.
Hopefully, Ubi Soft will address this issue before releasing
the game.
Aside from the graphics, All-Star Tennis
99 looks to be a promising tennis game.
Everything else is in there, from the official
license and tight control to a good variety
of gameplay options.
Puzzle FE
85% June
Hasbro Int. Blue Planet Soft.
borrowed, something blue...Sure, wed-
ding season is just starting, but what's
that got to do with Alexey Pajitnov's classic
puzzler? Well, in the grand journalistic
tradition of stretching an unrelated theme
throughout a story, let's see what we can
do with this one.
Something old: All the classic one-player stuff
is here. Four basic shapes. One objective—clear
away lines by creating a solid row across the
board. Simple, elegant and addictive.
Something new: Cascading blocks. While the
four basic shapes in TNT remain the same,
some pieces come in several segmented col-
Se old, something new, something
pan: 2
ors, allowing sections of a
piece to break away and fill in
empty spaces below. These
sections can continue to cas-
cade down as lines are elimi-
nated. However, like colors
will bond with each other, so
if, say, a blue piece touches
another blue piece, a solid
chunk will form, preventing
the piece from sliding down.
TNT's two-player game offers its own twist
on head-to-head puzzle combat. Rather than
dropping “garbage” blocks on your oppo-
nent's board after you clear a few lines, TNT
Blocks fuse together, wiggle
and jiggle, and even explode.
throws your foe's playing field into a spin,
making it hard for him to see what he’s doing.
The more lines you eliminate, the more your
opponent's board whirls and twirls. Graphics
have been tweaked a bit as well, with blocks
that now jiggle, gyrate and explode.
Something borrowed: That classic Tetris
music is back, only now it's set to a groovy
techno beat.
Something blue: Oh yeah, TNT was devel-
oped by Blue Planet Software.
Clear a few a lines and your opponent's
board will go into a wild, wacky spin.
if
ju
"Very impressive indeed."
EGM
As Raziel, stalk the shadows of
Nosgoth hunting your vampire
brethren. Impale them with
spears. Incinerate th
torches. Drown them in
No matter how you destro
them, you must feed on the
souls to sustain your quest —
the ruin of your creator, Kain.
: + Seamless gameplay: No loa:
i t Shift real-time between t
: _and spectral planes
rk gothic story
“Vampire fans get ready — Soul Reaver
could be the ultimate thriller...”
PlayStation
-GamePro
EB
Action 1-2
Previews m us
An early look at the games of tomorrow = :
Psygnosis Psygnosis
WipeOut 3
Psygnosis updates their PlayStation classic once again with better visuals and gameplay
hen the first WipeOut appeared, it showed mode). WipeOut 3 will
Were: the technical prowess of the also support the
PlayStation, boasting incredibly fast gameplay, ^ PlayStation link cable.
even for a first-generation PlayStation game. For WipeOut 3, the
Continuing to push the PS even more, the Psygnosis development team
development team now presents WipeOut 3. Psygnosis wanted to give the
has respected the heritage of the original in creating this | game a completely
third title, with key members of the original WipeOut new look and feel while
still maintaining the
heart and soul of the original game. With
respect to the teams, each one has been
totally redesigned to give them a distinct
look. In addition to the structural differ-
ences of the racing crafts, each team will
have its own unique weapon. The tracks
in WipeOut 3 have been given a face-lift
as well. Instead of tracks going through
canyons and cities as in previous games,
the developers have gone with a heavy
industrial look with multileveled plat-
forms, jumps and even an impressive
downward spiral.
Graphically, WipeOut 3 is beyond
words. Even at this early stage in
development, the frame-rates are
impressive, moving at a smooth 30 fps,
even in two-player spilt-screen mode. The new
weapons sport cool lighting effects, and the
pop-up problems from previous games seem to
have been addressed. Another key advance-
ment is that WipeOut 3 will play in high-res
mode throughout the game, even in spilt-
screen mode. This feature alone is fantastic.
The WipeOut 3 team contains mem-
bers from the original WipeOut game.
team involved in the project. Designers Control has always been tight with the WipeOut
Republic will once again be responsible for the art direc- games and with the inclusion of Dual Shock analog
tion of the game, which will ensure the look of WipeOut support, the control has just become tighter. The
will be maintained. additional level of control you get with the analog
WipeOut 3 will feature eight completely new tracks and stick is astounding. It's also great to now be able to
three new racing teams in addition to the five available in — feel the controller vibrate in your hands when you
WipeOut XL. There will also be seven new weapons, bump into walls or when you receive a weapon shot
including five from the previous game, for a total of over from an opponent. There is also a new Hyper
12 weapons in all. Gameplay modes will include arcade, Thrust, which gives players a quick turbo boost at
time trial, tournament and one-on-one (spilt-screen the expense of a bit of energy.
A Psygnosis game wouldn't be a Psygnosis game
without cutting-edge music, especially a WipeOut
game, for that matter. DJ
Sasha, one of the most
prominent DJs in Europe, is
acting as musical director for the
Official U.S (Ga E WS] TST [vasi R) May 1999
Like previous WipeOuts,
dps H WipeOut 3 will be loaded
project. That will involve his pro- to HE hilt with fancy
ducing exclusive music tracks for lighting effects (above).
WipeOut 3, as well as working
with several international guest
acts for the project.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Omega Boost
This isn't exactly the sort of game you
would expect from the same company that
makes Gran Turismo, but it definitely looks
amazing. In this game, you pilot a huge robot
in space, armed with two standard weapons
and a huge weapon called an Omega Boost.
The graphics are absolutely topnotch and the
freespace environments can make you dizzy
with all the fast action.
Action 1
50% N/A
Sony CEA Polyphony Dig.
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Gran Turismo 2
Here’s some more new shots of Gran Turismo 2. The
game will feature more than 400 different cars, and you
can expect that there will be many more U.S.-licensed
ones. Already, we can confirm there will be nine Chevys,
11 Dodges, seven Ford/Mercurys, five Shelbys, one
Vector and six Plymouths, in addition to some muscle
cars. There will also be a drag racing mode and 20 dif-
ferent tracks, one of which is a dirt track. The makers of
GT2 said they want this to be an encyclopedia of cars—
looks like it's already damn close.
T [
Racing 1-2
70% 02 ‘99
Sony CEA Polyphony Dig.
Knights of Carnage
Ready for a good ol'-fashioned hack-'n'-slash game?
If so, perhaps THQ's new action game is the one for
you. Armed with all sorts of medieval weaponry, your
male or female warrior must bludgeon and slash his/her
way through hordes of gargoyles, hellhounds, giant spi-
ders and other creatures just aching to be hacked to
bits. Various weapons like swords, cannons and axes will
aid you in the quest.
May 1999
Ape Escape
Control Jake or Spike in their quest
to stop the evil Spectre and his
band of monkeys gone mad. Ape
Escape is a very innovative title that
can only be controlled with dual ana-
log sticks. One stick is used for move-
f - 1 ment, and one aims the gadget being [ = 1
Action r2 used (slingshot, propeller, net) to catch Action 1
60% June the monkeys. This is a very promising N/A 03°99
THO Rushware title, and we'll have more on it soon. Sony CEA Sony CEA
Official U.S. GIEMSLEM TT] sone ( 3)
Black Bass with
Blue Marlin
Featuring Hank Parker
Hot-B has a reputation for doing fishing games
and this will be their seventh one. The developer
touts that this will be the first game that combines
freshwater and saltwater fishing. Let's hope the
PlayStation can handle such a whale of a feat.
Warrior Princess
Here’s some updated shots from 989
Studios’ forthcoming game based on the TV
show. The game has been oft-delayed, but
looks like it's finally coming together.
Action 1
65% 03 '99
989 Studios USDA
Le Mans 24 Hours
Infogrames is trying to make the complete Le Mans racing simulation, so they
have spared no expense, licensing the Le Mans name, race teams, circuits and
ACO rules. The game will be a test of endurance, where retrogressive and collision
damage simulate the wear and tear that
affects a car during a 24-hour race.
Outfitting your car correctly and making
the right pitstops can counter that.
Racing 12
50% 03 '99
Infogrames Eutechnyx
Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Action 1
40% 04 '99
Acclaim Iguana
May 1999
Official U.S. (AEEA ETT [iss (8)
After a voodoo priestess plants a
spiritual mask in his chest, a for-
mer hitman becomes the voodoo
warrior Shadow Man. A third-per-
son shooter of sorts, Shadow Man
involves puzzle solving, black magic
and "flesh-wasting" weapons aimed
at wiping out legions of undead serial
killers and other vermin. Multiple
game endings and various cutscenes
move the game's plot along.
Action 1
04 '99 Capcom
Action 1
4096 TBA
Namco Namco
Ace Combat 3:
Electrosphere
To be quite honest, not much is known about
the latest sequel to Namco's popular aerial
game, except that it's going to come to the U.S.
at some point. The game will be shown at the
Tokyo Game Show in March, so expect us to have a
lot more information for you after that show. In the
meantime just enjoy this one, solitary screenshot.
Dino Crisis
It seems that Capcom's next Resident Evil-style game
will involve dinosaurs, not zombies. Dino Crisis takes
place in the near future on where else but an island. You
assume the role of Regina, a member of a special forces
team, and your mission is to capture Professor Kirk, whose
lab has unleashed the dinos. The sheer size of the
dinosaurs should add something new to the genre. You
can look forward to being stalked by huge T-rexes, raptors
and other monsters of the like. When you're injured, you'll
leave a blood trail, and your character will be more cau-
tious when she suspects danger. It should be a chilling
adventure from Capcom, the company that revitalized this
sort of game.
Rotary Call Accepted Younger than 18 years old must have parents’ permission
1 (900) 773-8439
ELECTRONIC L— 72 |
GAMING PER |
REMOTE WIZARD WIRELESS FOR PS X
= AR
Recent Winners!!!
Nick Simpson, Sandy, UT * Morgan Tryst, Detroit, MI + Lavell Johnson, Pittsburgh, PA + Nathan Miles, Hobbs, NM » Bret Heckler, Independence, VA * Nicholas Sesner, Pine
Bluffs, AR + Mike Townsend, Strum, WI + Dorothy Rich, Essex, MD * Irvine Wade, Country Club Hills, IL + Joe Bees, Taylorville, IL + Paul Anderson, Proctor, WV + Jason Brown,
Moro, CA + Jim Pappas, Taft, CA * Thomas Antroll, Knoxville, TN * Mike Sherman, Mount Joy, PA «Alvin Smith, Bonaire, GA - Jason Ruffels, Quitman, TX + Michael Oak, Denver
CO + Marco Brownmark, Lacey Springs, AL Brandon Manze, Dearborn, MI * Derrick Roeback, Central, UT * Anthony Barrineau, Hollywood, FL + Dave Gregory, Hazard, KY *
Allen Thomas, Los Angeles, CA * Kevin Taylor, Elizabeth, NJ * Dan Saenz, Howard City, MI « David Landis, Tiro, OH + Greg Bennet, Tipp City, MI « Alex Latham, Rocky Mount,
NC + Chirs Young, Toledo, OH + Jonnie Wright, San Jose, CA *, Kile Rhines, Allentown, PA + Justin Johnson, Covington, KY + Danny Wiler, Arkdale, WI * Bobby Fennington,
Dothan, AL « Preston McGee, Pilot Mountain, NC * Chris Hunt, Rochester, IN.
BOOMERANG 64
Correctly Answer a Series
of Video Game Questions & Win!
Listen to Quartermann Gossip Before It’s in EGM!
Call and Test Your Knowledge of Video Game Trivia!
Get the Latest Expert Gamer Codes & Tricks
Hear Review Crew Members’ Game Ratings!
Only one winner per household per month!
TRIVIA CONTEST RULES: 1. Entry. To enter, correctly answer six consecutive trivia questions and leave your name, address and phone number as instructed. Winners will be determined by judges whose decisions are final. One winner per househ
month. Zif-Davis assumes no responsibilty for unintelligible, incomplete or misdirected responses. 2. Prizes: Winners will receive one (1) of the following at Zifi-Davis! sole discretion: Remote Wizard, Boomerang64, Reality Vest, X-Wire Wireless Con
Prizes have an approximate retail value of at least $25.00. All prize winners will be notified by mail. Prize(s) are non-transferable. No substitutions of prize(s) are allowed, except at the option of Zif-Davis should the featured prize(s) become unavailable.
3. Eligibility: Contest open to residents of United States and Canada. Void in Maryland, Non-compliance with the time parameters contained herein or return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqui
guardians shall return a signed affidavit of eligibility/release of liabilty/prize acceptance within 5 days of receipt or forfeit prize. Employees of ZD Inc., NUBY HOLDINGS CORPORATION and their respective affiliates are not eligible
their respective affliates, subsidiaries, divisions or related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes or expenses resulting from this contest. Winners acknowledge that ZD Inc. has neither made nor is in any manner res
ranty or guarantee, whether express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize including but not limited to its quality, mechanical condition or finess. Winners accepting prizes agree that all prizes are awarde ndition that ZD Inc., its
resentatives and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of the prizes. 4. Winners List: For a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed en
Line Trivia Contest,” PO. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. 5. Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply
Product names are registered trademarks of NUBY HOLDINGS CORPORATION
International Previews
An early look at the games of tomorrow
Cybernetic Empire
Wolfteam, Availability: June
Once-famous Japanese developer
Wolfteam returns with this exciting-
looking action/adventure. Set in the
future, CE
puts you in
the role of
both male
and female
task-force members on their mission to
stop a group of terrorists. With real-
time levels and gameplay that includes a
grapple beam, swimming and shooting
elements, CE looks like it could be hot.
Monster Rancher 2
Tecmo, Availability: Now
The original monster-raising sim
returns in this sequel just released in
Japan. All the key elements from the
first game are back—creating a mon-
ster based on any game or music CD
you insert, training it and then fighting
your pet against others—but the
sequel includes refined graphics and a
few added tweaks. Among them is a
PocketStation numbers minigame to
earn money
you can use
back in the
PlayStation
game to buy
food and
other items.
No
word
yetona
possible
US.
release,
Still the No. 1 selling game in
Japan and likely to remain so for
quite some time, FFVIII has
already sold almost three million
copies after just its first month in
stores. For the latest edition to
their flagship series, Square Soft
wasn't afraid to alter some key
areas of gameplay, and it seems
to have paid off. Here are some
of the biggest changes you can
look forward to when FFVIII
comes out here this fall.
Spells in Final Fantasy VIII are
handled very differently than in
most RPGs. They are treated
more like regular items—you get
them by drawing (basically steal-
ing) them from monsters, or find
them lying around at certain
spots in dungeons. You can store
them, equip them and even trade
them between charac-
ters.
More than any Final
Fantasy before it, part
VIII concentrates on
summoning magics,
now called
"Guardian Forces"
(or GFs). These pow-
erful creatures have
appeared in previ-
ous games in the series
(remember Ifrit, Shiva and
Leviathan from FFVII?), but
now they have added impor-
tance. First is their ability to
be equipped, or "junctioned," to
your party. A character without a
Guardian Force is basically naked,
and can't even use items or
magic. Once you
equip a GF to any of
your characters, it not
only can be used as a
spell in battle, but, as
a Guardian gains
experience, it also
gives that character
extra skills and abili-
ties (increased magic
power, hit points and
battle avoidance, for
example). Best of all
you get to
decide which
skills your GFs learn, so
you can customize them to
suit your own tastes.
Another benefit of
equipping Guardian Forces
is that they allow you to
enhance your character's
attributes by connecting
the GF with specific spells.
For example, if you link a
heal spell to the hit points
attribute, you can increase
your HP total. Or by con-
necting the thunder GF to some-
one's magic power, you can
increase the effects of his/her
spells. How much you benefit
from these links depends on both
the number of the spells you have
stored and the strength of the
spell.
Instead of all the different
minigames in FFVII (Chocobo
raising, snowboarding, etc.), part
VIII involves only one, but it's a
big one—the card battle game.
Almost anywhere you go in the
game you can challenge
strangers to this one-on-one
match to try to win some special
collectable cards from them. But
there's a larger purpose for this
highly addictive game-within-a-
game beyond just being a fun
diversion; later you can change
some special cards into items
that can be traded to improve
your weapons.
# of Players 1
Developer Squat
complete stop. Why? Good ques-
tion! Here’s how it plays out: You tion
get hit, you slow to a stop. By the
time you finally start to move
again—boom!—you're hit once
more and stopped. Repeat until
your controller lays smashed into
The first Choro Q games were
car racers, then came speed-
boats, and now we have tanks.
With its stripped-down graphics
and cutesy look, Combat contin-
ues the Choro Q tradition of toss-
ing reality out the window in
favor of quick controls
and simple fun—at
least in theory.
Unfortunately it
didn’t turn out that
way this time; the
tanks in this game
steer with all the
speed and grace of a
# of Players.1-4
Now Developer Taka
some interest-
ing features in
its one-player
game. You battle
through a series of missions with
different objectives, like protect a
train, destroy a plane before it
can take off and, of course, good
ol’ kill-everything-that-moves.
After each mission you receive a
rating and money based on your
performance. You can use that
cash to customize and improve
your tank in every area, from the
weapons to the exhaust to its
paint job. Nice, but not enough
to make it worth your time.
dead elephant. Your top
speed is roughly five miles per
hour, and each time you're hit by
enemy fire you are brought to a
tiny pieces at your feet.
All these control problems are
ashame, because CCQ does have
know it. As the damage
begins to approach the
point of no return, a com-
munication is received
from the far-off planet
Iscandar, which promises
technology that can save
Earth from its fate, but
only if a ship from Earth
can make the 148,000
light-year journey to
Iscandar to retrieve it.
Luckily, the message also
includes plans for a faster-
than-light starship engine, but
even so the voyage will take a full
year—which, of course, is exactly
how long the earth has before the
radiation destroys everything.
Your job is to command the
Yamato, complete the journey,
and save the world (of course).
Along the way you'll encounter
plenty of hostile aliens and other
space hazards, but never fear—
you have full control over every
key position on the ship. You'll
conduct battles both in space and
on strange planets, all in real time.
Fans of the old animated series
Star Blazers are no doubt aware
that it was based on the Space
Battleship Yamato series from
Japan. Now, Bandai has based
an extremely faithful RPG on this
potent license—one that can be
appreciated by U.S. gamers (at
least for the feelings of nostalgia
it evokes in Star Blazers fans) as
well as Japanese consumers, who
have already pushed the game to
the top of the charts in Japan.
The plot of the game is a time-
honored one: Earth is under
attack from hostile aliens bent on
colonization, and it won't be long
before the radiation from the
bombs puts an end to life as we
The game is quite complex and
also rather text-heavy, so let's
hope that some publisher picks
Yamato up for a U.S. release.
PG # of Players 1
ty Now Developer Bandai
LSD
Asmik Ace, Availability: Now
Take a first-person shooter, remove all
the enemies as well as the guns, the
items, the
keycards
and puz-
zles—and
just about.
any point
to the
game at all,
for that matter—and you've got a good
grasp of what this super-freaky import is
like. The idea behind the game, if it can
even be called a game (it’s labeled a
“dream emulator”), is original at least.
There’s no text and no real actions to
perform in LSD (other than walk and
look at stuff). You simply wander around
different bizarre dream-world landscapes
until you bump
into an object,
then the game
melts into the
next dream.
Once you wake up (usually after you fall
into a pit or stay in one place for too
long), your dream is rated on a chart
that ranks it in four categories: upper,
downer, dynamic and static.
The disappointing part about LSD is
that, even though it tries to be surreal
with its crazy colors and moody, ambient
soundtrack, it’s hard to look very
dream-like when the worlds are made
up of huge blocky polygons, all chugging
along at about 10 frames a second. This
game looks like it was made in some-
one’s basement in Japan, its creation
fueled by instant ramen noodles and
powerful psychoactive drugs.
It’s fun to see someone try something
different, and if LSD is anything, it’s most
definitely dif-
ferent. But if
you can’t
spend $50
for novelty,
just say no.
O9IWYNAQO
Driving on the ground is so 90’s.
PSYGNOSIS
c
o
z
[E
dee
va
>
a
[2
Break every law. Including gravity.
BEST
RACE 01:22:19
Drive any of 6 indestructible vehicles anywhere and everywhere,
from the sides of walls to the roofs of tunnels.
Blast away at the scenery with 8 innovative weapons to slow down
your opponents. 3 v
a eee
Race through 20 different tracks spread over 4 distinct environments.
2-player split-screen, head-to-head racing action with 4 specially
designed tracks
313...
Official U.S. GM EVA EMMY) [vaseane( R) May 1999
can't easily be explai
fact that in spite of th
films, the ongoing story is, a
familiar one. Perhaps it
ters are equally familie
'es. More likely,
ars universe is
many times I'v
trailer for Star Wars: Episode I The
Phantom Menace, | still get chills every
time (and I know I'm not the only one).
And it would explain the countless fans
worldwide who wait anxiously for each
new drop of carefully rationed information
that comes out of Skywalker Ranch regard-
ing the new film—and the countless others
who refuse to hear a single word about
The Phantom Menace for fear it will spoil
the surprise, lessen the magic.
Being more a member of the former
camp than of the latter, I jumped at the
chance to visit LucasArts in San Rafael,
Calif., to get an early look at the first
PlayStation game of the prequel trilogy.
And being familiar with former Star Wars-
licensed games, I admit that I went with a
certain trepidation. Yes, the Star Wars
license produced gems like X-Wing and
TIE Fighter for the PC, but it’s also respon-
sible for the uninspiring Rebel Assault
games and Masters of Teräs Kasi.
Thankfully, it appears that the develop-
ers of The Phantom Menace (formerly
known simply as Star Wars: Episode I,
The Adventure)—the first game to appear
on the PlayStation—are as concerned
about creating an involving, rewarding
game experience as they are about being
faithful to the license. The result appears
to be a Star Wars game unlike any other.
STAR WARS: EPISODE
Ladies and gentlemen,
may we present the first
PlayStation Phantom
Menace s
"ens seen any-
where. Note the sight
distance and che many
layers of detail on the
Theed levels (two center
shots above); the transla-
tion from the PC version
looks surprisingly good.
RISE OF THE APES
he Phantom Menace'is being developed
first for the PC, so our first stop was the
offices of developer Big Ape Productions.
In case the name doesn't ring any bells,
Big Ape developed Konami's 16-bit B-
movie spoof Zombies Ate My Neighbors,
as well as LucasArts’ Herc's Adventures for
the PlayStation and the Saturn. Both
games were roaming adventures viewed
from an overhead perspective, and both
showed.a keen sense of humor and sharp
character development.
Although at first this may seem a
strange choice for the designers of a Star
Wars game, it soon becomes clear
LucasArts was specifically in search of
developers who would take the license in a
new direction. What they wanted was a
group that wasn't going to bow to conven-
tion. And they got it.
Dean Sharpe, project leader, explains:
"There are certain rules you have to break
when developing a game for a film. I
would normally never have a game where
you play multiple characters. Why would
you? You want to familiarize yourself with
a single character. And in normal video
sca
Every saga has a beginning...
games you start out weak and slowly get
better, get new skills, get power-ups, get
new weapons. But here, you start out as a
bad-ass. You begin the game playing as
Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon [pronounced
"Kwai-Gahn," Liam Neeson’s character in
the film] is there to help you through the
level. And when these guys start out in
the movie, they're just bad-asses. They
start out kicking the crap out of every-
body. Bad guys come up and they're like,
‘Yeah, whatever, get out of the way.’ So
you have nowhere to go; you're already a
tough guy."
This setup is intriguing, because it forces
Big Ape to shift the focus of the game
from the standard formula of collecting
bigger weapons and nastier power-ups,
and instead concentrate almost exclusively
on the more essential elements of an
adventure game, like puzzles, exploration
and character interaction.
Why JEDI Kick Ass
Of course, Big Ape hasn't abandoned con-
vention altogether. Sharpe continues: "We
do have some of your normal power-ups.
You do get blasters, thermal detonators
Below you can see Qui-Gon in
the Tatooine city of Mos Espa,
home to junkyards, Pod Races,
and a certain overweight gang-
ster named Jabba the Hutt.
you have to break
game for a film."
Dean Sharpe
and the like. You also have what's called
the Force Push, which basically knocks
everything out of your way. But we don't
go crazy, because you'll find out quickly
that the Lightsaber is pretty much your
weapon of choice. From the beginning
you can use it to block shots as well as to
just hack people down."
To illustrate, Sharpe gave an extremely»
eloquent demonstration of the power of
the Jedi. In one level, Obi-Wan must
help Queen Amidala of Naboo elude an
invasion force of Battle Droids. Rather
than following the Queen's lead, Sharpe
instead turns and faces the horde of
attackers. The confrontation starts
impressively, with Obi-Wan facing 10 or
so Droids, deflecting blaster shots and
even reflecting some back into the
group. But reinforcements soon arrive, ..
bringing the size of the horde up to per-
haps 30 or 40. Unfazed, Obi-Wan wades
into the group, Lightsaber flashing and
whirling almost too fast to follow as the
screen fills with explosions and Droid
bits. Obi-Wan ends up hacking the
group down to about a fifth of their for-
mer size before he's forced to retreat,
PRELUDES TO
A PREQUEL
The Phantom Menace won't be
the first Star Wars game to
make an appearance on the
PlayStation. We first saw ports
of the PC titles Dark Forces (top,
a crawling-frame-rate first-person
shooter) and Rebel Assault II
(middle, a severely limited FMV-
based shooter "on rails"), as
well as the silly, but entertaining,
console fighter, Masters of Terás
Kási (bottom). None of these, of
course, was developed in sync
with a film—a distinction that
may prove very important.
Force Pushing the group backward to
keep them off his tail as he and the
Queen make a clean getaway.
The moral of the story: Don't mess
with a Jedi.
"YOUR WEAPONS...YOU WILL
NOT NEED THEM."
bout firepower. What about
The Phantom
eally distinguish
Star Wars titles.
he game is
plenty of scenery. Although players pri-
marily control Obi-Wan, during parts of
the game control will switch to Qui-Gon,
Queen Amidala or the Queen's General,
Panaka—though Sharpe indicated that
the Amidala and Panaka roles are more
or less cameos, included to help develop
the story.
As you might guess from this, the
game does indeed closely follow the
story line of the movie. “The only differ-
ence,” says Sharpe, “would be in the
places we've expanded to make them
work for gameplay. And, of course,
because we're developing the game at
the same time as the movie, sometimes
things may end up on the cutting room
floor that we've already put into the
game. It's not that big a deal, because if
we were just to follow the movie, well,
you could probably get through the
game in about two hours. So we obvi-
ously had to expand on just about every
little thing in the movie. For example,
there was one scene in the script where
the Queen and Panaka have to take a
taxi to the Council Chamber on
Coruscant. That whole scene got nixed
for the film—at least, I think it did—and
we still have it in the game. It’s not a
huge deal; people aren't going to say,
‘Oh my God, that wasn't in the movie,’
but there are a lot of things like that.”
And what about any bits taken from or
constructed to resemble the actual film,
like those found in other Star Wars
continued on page 72
Official U.S EMBLEM [sss ( S) May 1999
Get reacquainted with an all-new GEX.
And his Miss Adventures.
e All-new intuitive camera system guides you through hazardous 3D missions
ve. Eidos tteactvo is trademark of EROS PLC 1908 EDOS- AN rights reserve. Praia
* Over 25 all-new disguises with new abilities like scuba diving and snowboarding
* Baywatch's Marliece Andrada stars as Agent Xtra in all-new full-motion video
e An all-new GEX spits fireballs, controls tanks, crocodiles, burros and more
* Over 1,000 all-new celebrity impressions and wisecracks
"...the most in-depth platforming game on the PlayStation.’
characte are trademarks of Crit Dynamics ©1999 Crysta
-Official PlayStation Magazine
www. crystald.com www. eidosinteractive.com
Official U.S. EMS Eka ey [iasezine( N) May 1999
Leading Apes: PC project leaders Mike Ebert (left) and Dean Sharpe (right)
titles? This appears to be another area of
departure for Big Ape. “The cinemas at
the beginnings of the levels are verbatim
from the movie,” says Sharpe, “but we
probably only have about three minutes
of FMV; we tried to do a lot more in-
game cutscenes using the game
engine.” This allowed Big Ape more
freedom to direct the scenes in a way
that's better integrated into the game,
and gave them the ability to write longer
and more involved scenes without the
limits of time or storage space that come
into play with lots of rendered cinemas.
“I AM FLUENT IN OVER SIX
MILLION FORMS OF
COMMUNICATION.”
And it's a good thing, too, because they
needed the space for the 4,000-odd lines
of spoken dialogue that carry the story
of the game. Recorded using some of
the actual actors from the film as well as
some sound-alikes ("A lot of the time,”
chuckles Sharpe, “the sound-alikes
photo by Jay Blakesburg
Apes in Space: the Phantom
Menace team at Big Ape
“The general feeling
could do it, it
sound more like the actors than the someone who's hiding there."
actors themselves, because the actors Of course, actions speak louder than
just aren't into the game as they are into words, and your conduct—and how it's
the movie."), the spoken script will be perceived by the inhabitants of the Star
absolutely essential—this is, after all, an Wars universe—affects the game every
adventure game. Although perhaps 30 bit as much as your conversation. Sharpe
to 40 percent of the dialogue will be for offers an example: "The town of Mos
the purpose of helping players through Espa has about 150 people who are just
the level, the majority of the dialogue is going around, doing their business—it's
interaction between characters that a whole living town. And if you want to,
actually does affect the game. you can go up to them and hack 'em
“How you react to characters will down, but the town doesn't like it very
change how the game plays," says much. There will be consequences. And
Sharpe. "You won't necessarily hurt the Jawas really don't like it if you mess
yourself, you're not going to answer with their horses.
wrong and all of a sudden lose the “But it also depends on who sees you.
game. But it will change the game. For It's very much a living town, and if
example, in one level you need to guide someone sees you hack down somebody,
the queen from one side of the area to they'll tell the rest of the town, the
the other, and at times she'll ask, 'Do guards will come around, and, well, you
you want me to stay here, or follow you?’ probably won't live. There are also so
If you tell her to follow, sometimes you'll many people who you need in a level
go right into an ambush and she'll get that if you just start hacking them down
taken out. Other times, if you leave her you probably won't be able to complete
where she is, she might get taken out by the level anyway."
THE SPOILER MENACE
What's the worst part about working on an Episode | game? “I read
the script about a year and a half ago," says a glum Dean Sharpe,
z
E:
i
$
g
z
z
Ei
S
Fi
E
7]
$
A
8
E
“and | saw the movie in an early incarnation, so | pretty much know
how it goes." Not every LucasArts employee has suffered the same
fate, however; in fact, Nick Pavis tells us he's *managed quite well so
far" to avoid ruining the secrets of the films. Even with an in-house
resource room filled with everything you ever wanted to know about
the film, most employees we talked to have managed to restrict
themselves to only the information needed for their projects. But will
they have the willpower to wait until the film's street release?
GAT COA SCIPS CORVEREION “Well...” says Pavis, “we will be seeing the final film before the street
team (l. to r.) Pat Costello, release.” He grins. “...At a top-secret location.”
John Menzies, Nick Pavis
MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES
f courseyithe!game, isn’t just about slashing
roids, talking to townspeople and eluding
guards. So just what exactly is the focus of
the game? Well...that depends. "It's an
equal distribution between just about
every type of game you can think of,” says
Sharpe. “In order to allow you to do every-
thing they do in the movie, we had to have
just about everything. But each level has a
specific focus; one may be an action level,
one may be more of à puzzle level, and
one may be very.dialogue-oriented, where
you're really just talking to people."
So each level serves as sort of a game
unto itself. In one level the player will need
to travel around a town in search of a
shady character from whom to buy some
specialized machinery. In another the play-
er needs to find his way through a com-
plex submarine city in order to locate a
friend being held prisoner. Yet another
sees the player driving a STAP (the small
repulsorlift vehicles piloted by Battle
Droids) through a dense swamp. But one
seenees
photo by Jay Blakesburg
thing is constant: If you see it in the movie,
you'll see it in the game. And then some.
THE SAGA CONTINUES
But for The Phantom Menace, as with most
multiplatform games, the design is only
part of the story. So we left Big Ape and
headed back to LucasArts to talk to the
folks in charge of making The Phantom
Menace happen on the PlayStation.
“Big Ape was doing the PC version with
the PlayStation in mind,” says PlayStation g
programmer Nick Pavis, "but I think they
misjudged what the PlayStation was capa-
ble of; as they started putting the
PlayStation bits together, it wasn't fitting
very well. But John [Menzies, who, along
with Pat Costello, makes up the remainder
of the PlayStation programming team]
and I have quite exceptional experience
with what the PlayStation can do and what
it should be able to do. So the general
feeling was that if anyone could do it, it
would be us. So we said we'd give it our
best shot."
`
enes from the PC version offer a
glimpse of the character design, which is best
shown off when the camera cuts close for an
in-game cinema. As we've already seen, the
Play.
ation version is doing an admirable job
of reproducing these complex settings.
In these additional PC
screens, we see interac-
tion between the char-
acters, both friendly
(above left center) and
hostile (right). Don’t
worry about ol’ Obi-
Wan here at right—he
can handle about 10
times as many of those
pesky Battle Droids.
Because of the gruelling development
schedule, it was crucial to find a develop-
ment team with PlayStation experience.
At the beginning of January, Pavis was
taken off the team working on the
PlayStation conversion of Indiana Jones
and the Infernal Machine. At that point,
no work at all had been done on the
PlayStation version of The Phantom
Menace. Due to be released concurrently
with the film in mid-May, The Phantom
Menace needed to be completed by early
April in order to leave enough time to pass
Sony's approval process—meaning that
Pavis and his team had almost exactly
three months to turn a PC game into a
PlayStation game.
“The PlayStation version involves a very
strict plan as to who's going to do what,
when it's going to be ready and how it
will interface with the PC code,” Pavis
says calmly. “Because we have such a
short time to do this conversion, we
"| have to do it in a very specific way.
f We're maintaining the PC code as far
9 as gameplay and logic is concerned;
that’s C code that will run and compile
on the PlayStation. But graphics
and interface and so on need to
be reworked specifically for the
PlayStation. So we've taken
A
each individual unit—the rendering of the
world, the rendering of the objects, the
animating of the objects, the sound—and
worked on them to make sure they're
identical to how the PC version works.
Assuming that we've done everything cor-
rectly, then we should be able to slot all
the different elements into the PC code."
That's the theory, anyway. Of course,
you can never quite plan for every contin-
gency, and this project has already had its
share of challenges. One of the more
prominent of these dealt with the
PlayStation's handling of music and sound
files. "There are 4,000 lines of voice," says
Pavis, "and we wanted to make sure the
voice stayed in for the PlayStation version.
And we also had to incorporate the iMUSE
System [LucasArts' interactive music
engine that customizes the game's sound-
track to the level of action onscreen]. This
sort of dynamic soundtrack is usually done
with MIDI. But we're not doing MIDI,
because we have John Williams' orchestra
in there. So we wrote a system that allows
us to blend CD music from one track to
another seamlessly, and loop seamlessly as
well. We thought the music was very
important. It's a Star Wars game; you have
to have John Williams' music blasting out
of the speakers!"
In Mos Espa, the Pod Racing
arena has its own band (bot-
tom center). Look familiar?
Wonder what other familiar
figures might be involved...
A demonstration of this system proved
extremely impressive; apparently Pavis
and company flagged segments of the
music tracks so that when a new track
needs to be loaded the music can switch
smoothly at a sensible transition point,
avoiding the more abrupt cuts that char-
acterized LucasArts’ first iIMUSE titles.
The result—in the case of this particular
demonstration, at least—was an almost
imperceptible transition from one track
to another.
THE DEADLINE MENACE
tion schedule so that the most important
features were completed first. That way,
if the time constraints proved too much
for the project, only nonessentials would
be left out.
"We can't miss the movie release,"
Pavis explains. "We're definitely going to
have something by that time, and we're
doing our best to ensure it's as much as
can be done. But there may be a few
things that we just don't have time to
put in, little things. For example, there
are two different animations that happen
when a Battle Droid explodes in the PC
version; perhaps we'll just use one. It
means that there may be just a few
things that you're not going to really
notice. We've chosen carefully what
needs to be done such that it's all about
the game experience, and we have all
the components there.
"The worst is definitely behind us,
because we have the worlds up and run-
ning. Getting these levels to the stage
where they're running at a good frame-
rate, that was major. And getting every
single model in and running at frame-
rate, running every animation, running
every sound, that was quite a hurdle as
well. We've solved the memory issue by
breaking the levels up into smaller bits.
We've done the music, which I thought
was quite important. That's all behind
us. The pressure work is done."
PHANTOM FANATICS
What's most exciting about this project
is that The Phantom Menace, the game,
ON THE HORIZON
When LucasArts sat down to decide what
had been under devéfBpment by people
for whom Star Wars is an inseparable
part of their culture. Like many of us,
these folks have been Star Wars fans
from elementary school or before. Most
can't remember a time when they didn't
know what Star Wars was. And now
they're helping contribute to a new gen-
eration of fans. They're helping to build
a new empire.
“I look at clips from this movie," says
Pavis, "and I realize it's got that thing
that the original Star Wars had. It puts
you in this world that's fun to spend time
in. I'm definitely a fan of Star Wars, and
of this movie.
"I'm also definitely a fan of this game.
The first week we spent on this game,
we just loaded up the PC game and
played it for a week straight just to find
out what it was all about. And I found it
fun to play. I think that counts for a lot."
Considering the gruelling schedule
they're putting this guy through, we
think so, too.
Any further doubts were quashed
when Pavis brought up the teaser trailer
as a demonstration of the game's video
compression. After it ended and we all
caught our breaths, he smiled. "Gets me
every time."
games they wanted to create with the Episode
I license, the Pod Racing scene (seen first in
the "teaser" trailer) was an obvious choice for
gamehood. Enter Star Wars: Episode | Racer,
under development for the PC and the N64
(seen here) and slated for the PlayStation in
“the not-too-distant future." The game will fea-
ture 23 tracks on eight different planets, on
which 23 distinctive vehicles piloted by all man-
ner of bizarre creatures will race at top speeds
exceeding 1,000 mph. That's all we can tell _
i E he
Official U.S (MEVAGA Toli] cuo May 1999
w On Sale Everywhere
THE ONLY
MAGAZINE
WITH 2.
>i
I
AYABLE
sei
vid DIS
EACH ISSUE!
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4,
Bust-A-Move 4, NFL Blitz, Elmo's Letter Adventure, Abe's Exoddus,
Bloody Roar 2, Star-Ocean, MLB 2000, Jade Cocoon, sb EW LG Aat
Official Contest
and Sweepstakes
Rules
TOP 10 MOST WANTED SWEEPSTAKES
Official Contest Rules:
1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send a etter or standard
sized postcard containing your name, address and phone number
together with your list of 10 most wanted video games to “Top Ten
Most Wanted" Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, P.O. Box 3338,
(ak Brook, IL 60522-3338 or e-mail it to dan pelosoezd com or fax
it to (630) 382-9010. No purchase ar payment af any money is nec-
sary to enter. One entry per household per month. Entries must
be received by the 10th day of the month for the next available
issue of OPM. All entries become exclusive property of Zif-Davis
and wil nat be acknowledged or returned. Ziff. Davis assumes no
responsibility for lost, mutilated, late, ilegible, incomplete,
postage-due or misdirected entries. Sponsors reserve the right to
cancel this contest at any time with appropriate notice. Only one
prize per family, organization or household per month. 2 Prizes:
One Grand Prize winner wil receive two (2) video games os deter-
mined by Namco. Grand Prize has an approximate retail value of
‘$80, Winners shall be determined by a random drawing of ll valid
entries by OPM editors, whose decisions are final. All prize winners
wil be notified by mail, Prizes) are non-transferable. No substitu-
tions of prizes) are allowed, except atthe option of Sponsor
should the featured prizes become unavailable. 3. Odds of
Winning: The number of winners and the adds of winning will be
determined by number of valid entries received. 2. Eligibility:
Contest open to residents of United States and Canada. Vold in
Quebec. Non-compliance with the time parameters contained
herein or return of any prizefprize notification as undeliverable
wil result in disqualification. Winners or their legal guardians shall
sign an affidavit of eligibiity/release of liability/prize acceptance
within 5 days of receipt or forfeit prize. By acceptance of prize,
winners) agree to the use of their name and/or likeness for pur-
Posos of advertising, trade or promotion without further compen-
‘sation, unless prohibited by law. Neither Z0 Inc., Namco nor their
respective affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions or related companies
aee responsible or liable for any damages, taxes or expenses that
consumers might incur as a result of this contest or receipt of
prie. 5. Winnars List: For a list of winners, send o stamped, self-
addressed envelope identifying the month for which the winners
list is requested to OPM Top 10 Most Wanted Winners List, P.O.
Box 3338, Ook Brook, IL 60522:3338. Allow 4 weeks for delivery of
winners list. 6. Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted
by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply.
‘OPM CAPTION CONTEST
Official Contest
1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, sand an original caption for
the attached screen shot on a standard-sized postcard containing
your name, address, and phone number to “OPM Caption
Sweepstakes" PO Box 3338, Ook Brook, IL 60522-3338. No pur-
chase or payment of any money is necessary to enter. All entries
must be handwritten. Mechanically reproduced entres wil not be
accepted. Entries must be received by the 10th day of the month
for the next available issue of OPM. All entries become exclusive
property of ZD Inc. and will not be acknowledged or ceturned. Ziff
Davis assumes no responsibility for lost, mutilated, late, illegible,
incompleto, postage-due or misdirected entries. 2. Prizes: One
Grand Prize winner wil receive one (1) video game or one (1) video
‘game-celated item as determined by ZD. Grand Prize has an
approximate retail value of $20-50. All entries wil be judged on
the following criteria by OPM editors, whose decisions are fina:
(60%) originality and (50%) creativity. Entries containing obscene
language wil be disqualified; All prize winners will be notified by
mail Prizes) are non-transferable. No substitutions of prizes are
allowed, except at the option of ZD should the featured prizes
become unavailable. 3. Odds of Winning: The odds of winning wil
be determined by number of valid entries received. 4. Eligibility:
Contest open to residents of United States and Canada. Void in
Quebec. Non-compliance with the time parameters contained
herein or return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will
result in disqualification. Winners or their legal guardians shall sign
an affidavit of eligibility/release of liability/prize acceptance within
5 days of receipt or forfeit prize. By acceptance of prize, winners)
agree to the use of their name and/or likeness for purposes of
advertising, trode or promotion without further compensation,
Unless prohibited by law. Neither Z0 Inc, nor its affiliates, sub
sidiaries, divisions or related companies are responsible or liable
for ary damages, taxes or expenses that consumers might incur as
a result of this contest or receipt of prize. 5. Winners Ust: For a list
of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope identifying
the month for which the winners list is requested to “OPM Quote
Contost Winners List” at the address listed above. Allow 4 weeks
for delivery of winners list. 6. Restrictions: Void where prohibited
or restricted by law. All federal state and local regulations apply.
OPM LETTER OF THE MONTH.
Official Contest Rules
1. No Purchase Necessary: To enter, send a letter or standard-size
postcard containing your name, address, and phone number
Together with your comments to “OPM Letter of the Month”, PO
Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338. No purchase or payment
of any money is necessary to enter. One entry per household, Al
entries must be handwritten, Mechanically reproduced entries wil
not be accepted. Entries must be reclved by the 10th day of the
month for the next available issue of OPM. All entries become.
‘exclusive property of ZD Inc. and wil not be acknowledged or
returned. Zíf-Davis assumes no responsibility for lost, mutilated,
late, ilegiblo, incomplete, postage-due or misdirected entries. 2
Prizes: One Grand Prize winner will receive a box containing vari
ous items from the OPM offices, Grand Prize has an approximate
retail value of at least $10, Winners wil be selected by a judging
panel whose decisions are final. Winners shall be selected from all
valid entries received. All entries wil be judged on the following
criteria by OPM edits, whose decisions are finat: (50%) originality
and (50%) creativity. Entries containing obscene language will bo.
disqualified Al prize winners will be notified by mai. Prizes) are
non-transferable. No substitutions of prze(s) are allowed, except at
the option of ZD should the featured prizes become unavailable,
3. Odds of Winning: The odds of winning will be determined by
number of valid entries received. 4, Eligibility: Contest open to res-
idents of United States and Canada: Void in Quebec, Non-compli
ance with the time parameters contained herein or return of any
prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualfica-
tion. Winners or thei legal guardians shall sign an affidavit of eli-
gibiity/release of liability/prize acceptance within S days of receipt
or forfeit prize. By acceptance of price, winner(s) agree to the use
of their namo and/or likeness for purposes of advertising, trade or
promotion without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.
Neither 20 Inc., nor its affiliates, subsidiarias, divisions or related.
‘companies are responsible or liable for any damages, taxes or
expenses that consumers might incur as a result of this contest or
receipt of prize. 5. Winners List: For alist of winners, send a
stamped, self-addressed envelope identifying the month for which
the winnors list is requested to “OPM Letter of tha Month Winners
List” at the address listed above. Allow 4 weeks for delivery of
winners list
6, Restrictions: Void where prohibited or restricted by law. All
federal, state and local regulations apply.
Collect Them All!
Order OPM Back Issues or Demo Discs Today!
To order, simply send your order form indicating which issues you would like to: Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Back
Issues, P.O. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 All requests must be paid for by check or money order ONLY made
payable to ZD Inc. (Please do not send cash). The cost for each issue is as indicated on the order form PLUS shipping and
handling. Shipping and handling charges are as follows: $3 U.S., $3 Canadian and $5 foreign. All payments MUST be in
U.S. funds. Prices and availability subject to change without notice. (Note: Vol. 2 Iss. #5 is completely SOLD OUT.)
Issue #1- $15
October 1997
Ghost in the Shell, Final
Fantasy VII Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
Blayables: Intelligent
Qube, PaRappa the
Rapper, Ace Combat 2,
Fighting Force non:
pi ables: Tomb Raider II, NFL GameDay
Issue #2- $10
November 1997
PaRappa the Rapper
Bushido Blade Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
Crast
landicoot 2, Croc,
Armored Core, Madden
NFL 98, Cool Boarders 2,
Colon) Ware
: NHL FaceOff 98,
Ghost i in the Shell
Issue #3- $10
December 1997
Cool Boarders Strategy
Deme. Disc includes:
plavables: layables: Bushido Blade,
's., Star Wars: Masters of
Terás Kasi, Jet Moto 2,
Cardinal SYN, Ghost in
fhe Shell, Moto Racer,
Issue #4- 510
January 1998
Resident Evil 2 Feature
Tomb Raider II Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
: NFL GameDay
98, CART World Series,
Frogger
noneplayables: Spawn,
Final Fantasy Tactics,
Pandemonium 2, Gex 2
Issue #5- *10
February 1998
Dead or Alive Feature
1997 OPM Editors"
Awards
Demo Disc includes:
playables: NCAA
GameBreaker 98, Tomb
Raider II, Command &
Conquer: Red Alert, Crime Killer
non-playables: Pitfall 3D, Resident
E
Issue #6- $7.99
March 1998
Demo Disc Only!
playables: Bloody Roar,
Monster. ucc
Shipwreckers
non-playables: Alundra,
NBA Shoot Out 98, Saga
Frontier, Mega Man Neo
Issue #7- *10
April 1998
10 Overlooked PS Picks
Resident Evil 2 Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
: Hot Shots Golf,
fall 3D, WCW Nitro,
INE non-playables:
EAD The Granstream
Saga
Issue #8—*10
May 1998
Psybadek Feature
'ekken 3 Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
playables: Einhánder,
Gex: Enter the Gecko,
Klonoa non-playables:
Dead or Alive, Gran
Turismo
Issue #9- *10
June 1998
Metal Gear Solid Preview
Gran Turismo Review
Demo Disc includes:
playables: Cardinal SYN,
Vigilante 8, Forsaken,
N20, TOCA, Dead or
Alive. mn playables:
Tomba, Jersey Devil
Issue #10-
July 1998
Demo Disc Only!
: Gran.
Turismo, Tomba!, The W
Granstream Saga, Jersey sim
Devil, NBA Shoot Out,
Blasto, Speed Racer. non:
NEL Xtre Xtreme, MLB 99, Tekken 3
Issue #11- 515
August 1998
Metal Gear Solid
Vigilante 8 Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
ables: Tekken 3,
Turbo Prop Racin
; Duke Nukem:
Time to Kill, Lunar: Silver
Star Story, Ninja: Shadow of Darkness,
Metal Gear Solid
Issue #12- 510
September 1998
PlayStation's Birthday
Elemental Gearbolt
Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
bles: Spyro the
Dragon, Duke Nukem: Time
ill, WWF War Zone,
The Unholy War, S.C.A.R.S.
on playabl les: Metal Gear Solid,
Rival Schools, Test Drive 5
Volume 2- *10
Issue 1
October 1998
Spyro the Dragon Strategy
PlayStation:
Demo Disc includes:
y of Ka
Reaver, ‘est Drive 5, Devil
Dice, Brunswick Bowling,
Ninja, NFL Xtreme, Cool
Boarders 3
non-playables: Parasite Eve, Rival Sc
NFL GameDay 99
Issue 2
November 1998
Tomb Raider III Metal
Gear Solid Strategy
Demo Disc includes: playables:
MediEvil, WarGames: Defcon
1, G. Darius, Dragon Seeds,
Colony Wars: Vengeance,
Future Cop LA.P.D., non-
playables: Crash Bandicoot: WARPED, Abe's
Exoddus, Brave Fencer Musashi, Rugrats,
T'ai Fu, Tenchu, You Don't Know Jack
December 1998
Metal Gear Solid
Crash Bandicoot: WARPED
Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
al : Tomb Raider III,
Crash Bandicoot: WARPED,
Bomberman World, A Bu
Life, Running Wild, Invasi dorem Beyond,
Kagero: Deception II, Metal Gear Solid
Gran Turismo, bles: Silent
Hill, Knockout Vo Big Air
Volume 2- 510
Issue 4.
January 1999
Gex Deep Cover Gecko
Tomb Raider III Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
bles: Silent Hill,
Mato ees: 2 Brave
Fencer Musashi,
Apocalypse, T^
non-playabl
Test Drive:
Volume 2- 510
Issue 6
March 1999
PlayStation Dictionary
Syphon Filter Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
playable: Syphon Filter,
lust A Groove, Shadow
Madness, Fisherman's Bait,
Akuji the Heartless, No -
One Can Stop Mr. Domino, Street SkBer
non-playables: NCAA Final Four '99,
Guardian's Crusade
Volume 2- 510
Issue 7
March 1999
The Year of the RPG
Silent Hill Strategy
Demo Disc includes:
: R4: Ridge Racer
ype 4, WCW/nWo Thunder,
Rollcage, Warzone 2100,
Rugrats: Search for Reptar
non-playables: Legend of Legaia
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
Meet the Critics
Editor-in-Chief
After playing a mock-up of
Gran Turismo on the next
PlayStation (or whatever
they're gonna call it), every-
thing else just seems insignificant. It's too bad
the flu sent Kraig crashing back to reality.
Sports, Strategy
Triple Play 2000
Omega Boost, Gran Turismo 2,
Tomba! 2, Dino Crisis
Deputy Editor
Having managed to so far
elude the superflu, Joe spent
this month gloating that he
knew more than anyone else
about The Phantom Menace. But unlike certain
colleagues, he’s not trying to spoil it for anyone.
Adventure, RPG, Puzzle
Driver, Hydro Thunder
(arcade), and my new C64!
PlayStation 2. Duh.
West Coast Editor
Wat is normally a healthy lad,
but this year’s flu strain had
him out for the count.
Perhaps the superflu is right
around the corner, along with Y2K—or perhaps
Wat is just out of shape.
Fighting, Racing, Adventure
Silent Hill, R4, Point Blank 2
FFVIII, the games I talk about in
the review intro
Associate Editor
With the Tokyo Game Show, Star
Wars movie and game, then E3
and a new PlayStation machine
around the corner, Mark just
realized this month that his next moment of free
time will probably be sometime in August 2001.
Action, Adventure, RPG
Final Fantasy VIII, R4,
PocketStation everything, green peppers
Jade Cocoon, Dino Crisis
In the Year 2000 by Wataru Maruyama
have to admit that all the talk about
I the "next generation" PlayStation
got my head stuck in the clouds. I
thought about what games would come
out for it and what I'd like to see on it;
but the funny thing is, it got me thinking
about what I'd still like to see on my
trusty PlayStation I've got in front of me.
So, here is my wish list of titles that I feel
would kick ass on the 32-bit workhorse:
(Capcom) - Come on,
Capcom! Will we ever see a follow up
to this awesome title? I'd like to see it
handled in sort of a 2.5D deal like Klonoa.
The PlayStation is great at han-
dling stuff like that. I would
have put Strider on this list,
but it looks like the
forces of all that's good
in the world have
already convinced you of
that title's worthiness.
(Capcom) - This would Y
include Black Tiger, r+
Punisher, Aliens vs.
Predator and the
original Final Fight.
Another set of
classics that
would keep me
warm at night.
4
4
(Capcom) - They've
been on the tentative list
Games Reviewed
Army Men 3D .
Hello Kitty..
Monster Seed......
Jacme ROOTS 99...
|
for sooo long. This Christmas season is
lacking in fighters, making it an ideal time
for these two overlooked arcade gems.
(Square Soft) - Who could
resist another go at some sword-slashing
action? Not me.
(Koei) - Who would have thought
a sim game about running airlines could
be so addictive? I'd even put aside my
Civilization IL...at least for a little while.
(American Technos) -
One of the greatest games of all time.
It was basically Final Fight RPG for
the NES and was way ahead of its
time. Come to think of it, no game
has EVER come close. The
PlayStation could be the system
to bring it back.
(Vic Tokai) - Another
one that was ahead of its time.
Smoking, assassination and sex on the
NES. Metal Gear Solid is close, but
Snake was a pussycat compared
with the iron-willed Duke
Togo. Golgo would be a
great addition to the
growing list of mature
PlayStation titles.
E:
$ (EA) -
F T They finally fixed their
j frame-rate problem! It'd be
a crime if they moved on
without building on this
great achievement.
Point Blank 2.... =
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4......80
Shanghai: True Valor..........
TR.A.G..
Triple Play 2000.
It doesn't get much more simple yet effective than OPM's five-disc rating system. Very few games are lucky
enough to get our golden five-disc salute, but if one does, be sure to pick it up!
We'd rather watch old
Designing Women reruns
than play this game.
Below average. There are
fundamental flaws with this
game; get something better.
jo00
A good title. It’s a fun
game with some flaws that
can be overlooked.
Definitely a topnotch
game. Very good and well
worth your time.
Fabulous! These are the
games that really make you
proud to own a PlayStation.
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
Memory Card
1-6 blocks
| Analog Control
ge» Compatible
Crystal D.
Eidos Vibration Function
Action Compatible
PlayStation
his game scored major points with me a few hours into
gameplay when I entered the Ghost Town level and the
game displayed the mission objectives, one of which was
“Visit the world’s largest mound of poop.” And so I did—I
walked right up to the steaming pile of excrement, hopped right on
top of it, and picked up some power-ups. If I saw that in any other
game, I would probably be shocked, but when it comes to the Gex
series, such an event is right up the alley of these games. Any game
that can make me laugh at something other than horrible gameplay
deserves at least some credit, right off the bat.
Most of Gex takes places in various themed worlds, be it a Christmas-
style wonderland, a pirate ship, a desert island or a mansion (there's a
ton of levels). Most of the humor is derived from some obvious as well
as subtle pop-culture gags placed throughout the environment, and
less effectively through Gex's wisecracks. It gives the game a flavor all
its own—which is good, because Gex: Deep Cover Gecko can't stand
among topnotch platformers, although it is an above-average one.
Part of the problem with Gex is that it relies too much on explo-
ration, and there's not enough combat with enemies. Most of the fight-
ing involves running right up to one and hitting the tail-whack but-
ton—yawn. Thankfully, the environments are interesting enough to
make you want to forge on to see what the next one looks like.
Unfortunately, the game has many of the same technical problems
that plague most 3D platformers. There are plenty of camera glitches
that make it hard to maneuver around tight spots in addition to some
polygonal clipping that adds some annoyances to navigation. None of
the problems are by any means fatal, but they are noticeable, and they
will piss you off here and there.
If you want a 3D platformer, this
is one of the better ones. Just be
prepared to spend most of your
time looking for things, instead of
having fun killing them.
—Kraig Kujawa
Remember that mound of poop I was talk-
ing about earlier (above)? Here's the
damsel in distress you must save (left).
Box Score
On the Sherlock Holmes level, you must use your
magnifying glass to find places where you can play
minigames (above). The crocodile is just one of
many animals and vehicles you can ride (left).
"Any game
* Tons of levels that can make
* Lots of secrets me laugh at
* Nice graphics something
other than
* Enemy combat is pretty horrible
shallow gameplay
* Gex's comments get deserves at
repetitive least some
* Plenty of camera problems Se
credit.
Magazine,
0000.)
Rating
Official U.S. EWEN Cog [roses 8) May 1999
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
acer Type
RA: Rid
zt
1or2
Players
pea
Memory Card
1 block
‘Analog Controller
‘Compatible
Vibration Function
Compatible
Namco
Namco
a PlayStation! +
Racing
e
PlayStation
s one of the few initial launch titles for the PlayStation, the
original Ridge Racer stood out as both a technical feat and
a great-playing game. Even with that first game for the sys-
tem, Namco managed to squeeze more power out of the
PlayStation than any other developer and set a standard
against which other racing games would be judged. Now, almost four
years and countless imitations later, Namco continues that same domi-
nance with their fourth Ridge Racing game, R4.
If you thought Gran Turismo was the best-looking PlayStation racing
game, you would have been right—until now. With tons of scenery
lining the tracks, no pop-up on the horizon, a smooth, constant 30 fps
frame-rate, and none of the little white lines and other graphical glitch-
es that plagued earlier Ridge Racer games, R4 is a technical marvel.
But more than that, the game is drop-dead gorgeous. From the huge
office buildings and bridges of the city courses to smooth rolling hills
and cottages in the countryside, R4 is visually exhilarating, making you
feel that you're actually behind the wheel better than any other PS
racer so far. Incredible lighting effects, like a sunset illuminating the
road and other cars as well as streaking taillights, help lend the game a
feeling of speed and style like no other. This game has been polished
down to the smallest details.
Like previous games in the series, R4 features two very different styles
of cars for you to control—grip and drift. Grip cars hug the road and
force you to wind your way carefully through turns, while drift vehicles
swerve and skid sideways, letting you corner sharply at top speeds.
Unlike the earlier games, however, it's not nearly as difficult to control
your car and outrun the computer opponents. In previous Ridge Racers,
powerslides were difficult to execute properly, and harsh penalties for
bumping the side of the track or other cars (which were controlled by
an almost flawless AI at later levels) made the courses hard for players
Directional dativos: Sect | Cutten:0X. | Button: —
The split-screen two-player mode (up to
four players using the link cable) is the
best new addition to R4.
to finish, let alone master. This difficulty level and tough competition
kept the player racing even though there were only a couple of differ-
ent tracks to choose from. R4 eases up on this philosophy with both
good and bad results. The good news is, there are now more totally
unique courses than ever before (four, with two variations each), and
powerslides are easy enough to perform that almost anyone can pull
them off (although mastering them is still another story). Novice play-
ers will also appreciate the fact that they can make a few mistakes in
each race and still finish well enough to go on to the next.
The bad news is that this ultimately makes for a much easier, and
shorter, game overall. After a few days spent getting used to the con-
trols and courses, it isn't very tough to beat the computer opponents
even on the expert level Grand Prix circuit. R4 tries to keep your inter-
est with a huge number of different and secret cars you can earn (321
in all), but that payoff just isn't enough to motivate real long-term
replay. Faster computer cars to keep the challenge level high as the
player becomes experienced would have worked far better.
* More tracks and cars than
Included with R4 is an extra bonus CD
containing movies of past Namco
PlayStation releases (and some footage of
the upcoming Ace Combat 3), as well as
the entire playable Ridge Racer game and
a new Turbo version (above), which runs
at an incredible 60 frames a second!
What R4 does have that somewhat makes up for this loss in replay
value is a split-screen two-player mode. Playing against a friend is
always more fun than racing with faceless computer drones, and as
the first RR game to feature a same-screen versus mode, R4 does an
excellent job. The graphic details remains high, and best of all the
frame-rate doesn't seem to suffer one bit. The few of you who can use
a link cable will also be happy to know that it is supported in R4,
allowing up to four people to play at once.
At its heart, R4 is still pure Ridge Racer—solid controls, unbelievable
graphics and fast-paced arcade-style gameplay. Although softening
the difficulty and learning curve may have hurt its long-term value
(especially for more experienced players), this is still one wild ride that
shouldn't be missed by racing fans—and their friends.
—Mark MacDonald
Box Scor
“At its heart,
Outside of their legacy for making great
PlayStation games, Namco has also built a
reputation as the makers of some of the
finest peripherals available for the plat-
form; their NegCon and GunCon are still
the best racing and shooting controllers on
the market.
Now gamers have the option of buying
Namco's latest creation with R4, the
ever before
* Incredible graphics
* Split-screen multiplayer
R4 is still pure
Ridge Racer—
solid controls,
support unbelievable
graphics and
* Computer opponents are fast-paced
too easy d l
* Earning all the different cars | arcade-style
is more trouble than it's gameplay.
worth
JogCon. The JogCon is basically a standard
controller with a large rotating disc in the
middle that provides realistic feedback and
resistance, like an actual car steering wheel.
A neat trick, but even after you adjust to
using it, the JogCon never feels as smooth
or as natural as its older brother, the
NegCon. My advice is to buy the JogCon
package only if you don't have a NegCon
and do have the extra money to spend. It's
a fun little diversion, but not useful
enough that you can't race without it.
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
10r2
Players
Memory Card
1 block
FY Analog Control
S| Compatible
Vibration Function
Compatible
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Racing
NFS: High
Stakes
PlayStation
fthere's one thing I've learned in the past few years, it's
that as long as new cars keep rolling out every year, there
will be a new Need For Speed game to follow. Need For
Speed III was a great racing game, and I really didn't think
EA could possibly find more things to pack into a sequel, but indeed they
have—and Need For Speed: High Stakes came out pretty damn well.
The big improvements in this year's sequel are the various
risk/reward elements that include the risk of losing your car in a pink
slip (if you beat your friend, you get his car saved onto your memory
card!) and the necessity of repairing car damage. I like both of these
new features, as they force me to drive honest when I'm playing in
those new modes. Honest? Well, one of the things I would always do
the minute I'd boot up a new NFS game is start ramming my expen-
Sive car into oncoming traffic. Now, the game makes me pay for my
sick fetishes. But don't fret too much if you're like me—there's plenty
of plain-vanilla test-driving modes that let you turn the interstate into a
death trap without any worries.
NFS also has a ton of cool new tournaments that segregate car types.
One might be a Corvette-only race, while another might only let you
race upgraded BMWs. Yes, upgrades. Not satisfied with the obscene
horsepower in your new supercar? Well, now you can make it even
more obscene, provided you have enough cash winnings to add consid-
erably more pep to your pickup. But be careful—make your car too fast
and the highly detailed tracks become nothing but a passing blur.
The only minor problem with Need For Speed: High Stakes is the jit-
tery frame-rate during the game's Hot Pursuit Mode (where cops
madly chase you around). The rest of the game is very smooth, but
when it comes to this play mode,
there are some problems here and
there. Still, it's a really minor flaw
in the grand scope of things, and
in no way should deter you from
picking up this fun and well-round-
ed game. —Kraig Kujawa
© car select
RAC
AUD 0.0/0.0
SLC499
Go to different dealerships and find a car that fits
your style and pocketbook (above).
The Hot Pursuit Mode pits you against a
pack of very irritated cops (left).
Box Scor
“As long as
new cars keep
rolling out
every year,
there will be
a new Need
For Speed
game to
follow."
* Tons of modes
* Excellent gameplay
* Lots of cars
* Jittery frame-rate in
Hot Pursuit Mode
BMW MS
275400
at
Magazine,
60000
Rating
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
Namco
Namco
Action
oint Blank
tor2
Players
Memory Card
1 block
sk any 10-year-old, hunting enthusiast or psychotic killer difficulty settings, you won't be getting tired of this game anytime
and they'll all agree: Shooting things is fun. That's the soon. Its simple theme and ability to handle up to eight players (not all
overall idea behind the Point Blank series—quick thinking, at once, of course—two at a time) also make Point Blank 2 a perfect
fast reflexes and simple fun. This isn't a game that will party game, even for beginners and non-gamers.
mee your problem-solving skills or make you think differently So what problems does PB2 have? The way the game scores in multi-
about the world. Point Blank 2 is basically just a huge collection of vari- player could be balanced better, and a few of PB2's 70 games could
ous shooting-gallery minigames, but it's packed with enough ingenu- be improved—there are some unfair tricks and cheats to some of them
ity, humor and variety to make it worthwhile for any GunCon owner. that can spoil a multiplayer game.
The one major complaint most people have with gun games is they Whether or not you'll like Point Blank 2 comes down to a simple
never seem to last. Once you know exactly where and when every ski- question of what you're looking for in a light-gun game. If you're look-
masked villain or duck is going to pop out, it’s just not challenging ing for impressive graphics, innov-
anymore. Point Blank 2 avoids this problem with the sheer number of ative gameplay or a deep, serious
different games it has (more than 70 in all) and by including random game, look elsewhere; if you just
elements in almost all of them. want to have fun and a laugh or
Even more variety can be found in the various game modes in PB2. two shootin’ stuff, look for Point
With Practice, Arcade, Endurance, Theme Park and three different Blank 2.
versus modes (Tournament, Team Battle and Turf War), plus four —Mark MacDonald
napped princess.
Simple and addictive
Two-player game almost
anyone can enjoy
Large variety of different
games, play modes, and
options
Really need two GunCons
to fully enjoy it
Many of the games are
basically the same
The Practice Mode introduces new players to the
basic rules of the different games and even charts
their progress as they improve.
For an added twist to the one-player game,
Point Blank 2 includes the new Theme Park
Mode. You have to complete four challenges
(the haunted house maze is pictured
above) and survive numerous minigames to
gather clues and eventually save the kid-
Box Scor
“If you just
want to have
fun and a
laugh or two
shootin’
stuff, check
out Point
Blank 2.”
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
J| 1or2
Players.
za
-|Memory Card
=| 9-12 blocks
Analog Control
| Cog. Compatible
EA Sports
Electronic Arts
Sports
May 1999
Official U.S GIEMSLEM Tyg) (iasazine( R)
Triple Play
200
PlayStation
have always said that if EA could ever find a way to
improve the frame-rate and game speed in Triple Play,
they would have an excellent PlayStation baseball game
on their hands. Lo and behold, after years of messing
around, they've finally done just that.
Triple Play 2000 might come as a shock to those who are used to the
previous clunky versions of the series. The game has been redesigned
with simplicity in mind, making gaudy menus and complex controls a
thing of the past. The game is much more intuitive now, at the
expense of very little. The only item I wish they hadn't removed are the
useful team categorical rankings (offense, defense, overall) at the team
selection screen. But I suppose if you have a favorite team, those don't
matter too much anyway.
What matters most, however, is the tremendously improved game-
play. Everything happens at a feverish pace (relative to baseball) in
Triple Play, but the beauty of it is that the game's realism isn't harmed
in the process. For example, the batting is very fun and has an arcade
——ereate-player
en PEYE
Ist Base
[3
Poop
The scouts said our five-foot, 300 Ib Ist baseman
would never make the big leagues, but he defied
the naysayers to make it into the pros (above).
feel to it, but is still quite precise and realistic if you play on a higher
difficulty level. Once the ball is out of the batter's box, the frame-rate
is excellent as you move your players around to make a play.
One particular thing that struck me is Triple Play's mastery of the
“Tv-style presentation.” The way the cameras track a ball as it's
launched out of the park or simply follow a bloop single into the out-
field is the best I’ve seen in any baseball game. It gives TP2000 a flair
for the dramatic, something that might be a little overemphasized
when coupled with the Fox-esque light trails that shine behind every
ball that’s hit or thrown.
There aren't many weaknesses at
all in Triple Play 2000—the atmos-
the best I've seen in a PlayStation
baseball game. And you can even
pick it up right on Opening Day.
—Kraig Kujawa
Various fielding aides pop up to help
you quickly chase down those hard-hit
balls (above).
Box Scor
x “Triple Play
Great game pace
) * Fast frame-rate 2000 might
* Lots of options and come as a
features shock to those
Excellent atmosphere
SUME k who are used
to the previ-
* The different Home Run ous, A
Derby is bizarre versions oft e
cance * Light trails should be series.
able to be turned off
Official
US.
Play
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
) 1
J| Player
| Memory Card
1 block
F| Analog Control
PlayStation! è
Sunsoft Compatible
Sunsoft Vibration Function
Adventure Compatible
esident Evil meets sci-fi Die Hard—if you had to sum up
T.R.A.G. in 10 words or less, that would just about cover it.
Unfortunately, comparing it with that classic Capcom hor-
ror title and excellent action movie might give you unrealis-
tic expectations; T.R.A.G. (Tactical Rescue Assault Group, in case you
were wondering) isn't a terrible game, it's just terribly average.
The year is 2046, and terrorists have taken over the hi-rise headquar-
ters of Machinery Gear, Inc., a major player in aerospace and weapons
development. You start the game as two SWAT team members who
sneak into the building to rescue hostages and find out what the ter-
rorists are after. Told through real-time and prerendered cutscenes,
T.R.A.G.'s story and setting are interesting, but it's not enough to really
suck the player in. Some awkward dialogue ("People who lie really get
up my nose.") and uneven voice-acting doesn't help matters.
Gameplay is mostly standard adventure-game fare: You battle
through enemies, find items and solve puzzles to progress. One idea
T.R.A.G. adds to the mix is allowing the player to switch between four
As you explore the Togusa office building you'll
need to avoid the building's automated security
forces as well as the invading terrorists.
characters at any time, each with different weapons and varying speed
and power. Some parts of the game even have you split into two sepa-
rate teams, exploring different sections of the building at the same
time. An interesting idea, but T.R.A.G. never really develops it, and
only rarely does it matter which character you are playing with.
Another area that could have used more attention is T.R.A.G.'s con-
trols. Despite a good number of different moves, with special attacks,
combos, backflips and more, turning and maneuvering precisely in
T.R.A.G. is difficult. Most of the enemies are ridiculously easy to kill
anyway, but when trying to fight bosses and dodge some of the booby
traps you really start to wish the
controls had been handled better.
In the end, it's hard to really love
or hate T.R.A.G; it meets all of my
minimum expectations but rarely
exceeds any.
—Mark MacDonald
E d
Time to kiek some butt!
Like Resident Evil, T.R.A.G.’s story is told
through both real-time and prerendered
cutscenes. Unfortunately also like Resident
Evil, the voice-acting is often laughable.
Box Sco
* Interesting premise
* Four playable characters
to switch between
Some good puzzles
“In the end
it's really hard
to love or hate
TR.A.G; it
meets all of
my minimum
expectations
but rarely
exceeds any."
* Controls need improve-
ment
Dialogue and voice-acting
doesn't let you take the
game seriously
Average graphics with
occasional slowdown
o00 .
GES
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
Sunsoft E Player
Sunsoft
Monster Seed
Official U.s GEMS ELOI [ieszrine( R) May 1999
PlayStation
here's nothing quite like the tried-and-true story of a
young man raising assorted monsters in order to save his
land from evil. It reminds me of my youth, when I would
gather local insects and battle them against other bugs. Of
course I wasn't saving any land, and perhaps the only evil was my
meddling with the littlest of God's creatures, but you get my drift.
As with most monster raising games, you'll go through a great deal of
trial and error with your creatures and spend a considerable amount of
time building them up before you can advance. This is usually half the
fun of this genre, but the pacing and odd dialogue in Monster Seed
make for a grueling and mind-numbing experience. I really can't say
enough about the awful dialogue in this game. It usually make no sense
at all and oftentimes contradicts what the character or creature had
said earlier. It's somewhat excusable for a strict monster raising title,
but you can imagine how much it hurts an RPG. The music, though, is
good enough that it doesn't annoy you—except during very long mon-
ster encounters, which will have you reaching for the volume nob.
The monster designs range from interesting to just
plain ugly. Oh Pikachu, where are you, my friend?
On the bright side, hatching the eggs is quite fun, and the ability to
mix solutions to influence the strengths of the final product is pretty
cool. The option to buy pre-hatched monsters is also very helpful since
they'll be your most powerful fighters until your newer hatchlings gain
more experience. The diversity of monsters is great—they can even
have different characteristics within the same species. You'll rapidly
learn which personality types work best for your team, so you can
quickly sell monsters that didn't "come out right."
Monster-raising is such a specialized genre that the only comparable
titles are Monster Rancher and Dragonseeds. MS blows away Dragon-
seeds but doesn't come close to
Monster Rancher. It's not even in
the ballpark when compared with
strict RPGs like Final Fantasy VII or
Legaia. This is a game for fans of
monster raising only.
—Wataru Maruyama
Most of your monsters can perform magic
attacks...when they feel like it. And that's
only when they want to attack at all. Try to
dump monsters with selfish personalities.
ox Score
* Not bad for monster
raising fans “It blows
* Lots of creatures away
* A long game Dragonseeds
but doesn't
* Unsatisfying as a hybrid come close to
RPG
* Horrible dialogue Monet
* Barebones story
* Average character designs
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
4or2
Players
Memory Card
1 block
~
‘Analog Control
3DO oU» Compatible
3 DO Vibration Function
Action Compatible
PlayStation
ike many other PlayStation adaptations of PC titles, Army
Men 3D is a seriously simplified action-game version of a
strategy-oriented title. This being the case, and having
seen the game in its early stages, I have to admit I wasn’t
expecting a whole lot. I'm happy to report that Army Men 3D left me
pleasantly surprised.
In bringing the game to the console market, 3DO severely narrowed
the focus of the original Army Men, shifting it from large-scale strategy
to single-unit mission-based play. Thankfully, in doing so they didn't lose
sight of the original goal: to remind us why we enjoyed “playing war”
when we were kids. Your character (with the mind-bogglingly generic
name of "Sarge") is in most missions a lone soldier struggling against
tremendous odds. And these aren't throwaway Rambo enemies; these
guys are equipped with the same weapons you are, and can put an
end to your little crusade real quick. This forces you to think and
move strategically, rolling out of cover to squeeze off a few shots and
then diving for the nearest foxhole. It's surprisingly entertaining. Also
amusing is the ability to drive different vehicles, including a giant tank
in which you can go one-on-one against an enemy tank, Combat-style.
All this is driven by a fairly solid engine. Although the frame-rate can
be a bit shaky when a lot of enemies are on screen (and in two-player
mode the game is almost unplayable), Army Men generally runs at a
surprising 60 frames per second.
Unfortunately, the game as a whole feels as if it were rushed out the
door—or perhaps thrown from a drop plane without a 'chute. Spotty
controls, whacked camera angles, flat or nonexistent sound effects, lots
of serious pop-up and a general graphical blandness give the game an
unfinished feel. That's too bad,
because a little extra effort spent
on polishing the product could
have upgraded it from a good
rental choice to a good purchase
choice. Nevertheless, it's still worth
a look. —Joe Rybicki
The game begins with an entertaining spoof
of old propaganda films (above), keeping
the citizens up to date on the whereabouts
of the evil Tan empire.
Box Sco
Not only can you take control of one of four differ-
ent vehicles, but you can also control the vehicle’s
weaponry (above), which is perfect for traveling a
long distance quickly—and in one piece.
* The game retains a lot of “A little extra
strategic elements effort spent
* Surprisingly fast engine on polishing
* Solid challenge
* Tank battles!” GS puectuss
could have
upgraded it
* Spotty controls fromiacood
* Some bad camera angles I F :
* Lots of pop-up and other rental choice
graphic errors to a good
* Weak sound effects purchase
choice."
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
Publisher NewKidCo
Genre Puzzle
Hello Kitty's
Cube Frenzy
Say hello to the PlayStation’s cutest game
NEXT WORLD Y
uddenly, Hello Kitty realizes she is.
wearing her school uniform.
Developer Culture Pub.
nce again proving that it's really tough to make a great kid
game, Hello Kitty's Cube Frenzy is an unusual mix. The
O game claims to be aimed at girls six to 13 years old, and
this target audience (the low end, anyway) is evident in
the ultra-cute, ultra-simplistic Picture Book, which traces
Kitty's adventures, joining the different costumes and locales into an only
semicoherent story.
But the game itself seems (to this 20-something male reviewer, anyway)
to be far too complex for even the average 13-year-old. A convoluted rule
scheme makes it extremely hard to predict the results of your block
placement. This wouldn't be a problem if you didn't have to arrange the
blocks so carefully, but you can't just drop blocks at random and expect
The Picture Book (above left) assembles
itself as Kitty progresses through all the
game's possible story choices.
to get anywhere; you need to carefully maneuver Kitty around the board
to pick up all the items.
The good news is that for an older crowd—or at least for those of us
who can put up with the excessive cuteness—this is a reasonably enter-
taining puzzle game and a new take on the falling-block concept, espe-
cially in two-player mode. It's worth a rental.
Developer Pitbull Syndicate
Publisher Accolade
—Joe Rybicki
May 1999
Expect to get into plenty of scrapes when
more than one other character appears
onscreen (right), since the frame-rate will
drop to somewhere around negative three.
Official U.S. PlayStation Mmagazine( 88)
Pros Cons
* Extensive board | è Sluggish
and clothing controls
licenses * Inconsistent
* Challenging physics
trick system * Shoddy
graphics
* Tired genre
OCOLO
Pros Cons
e Interesting take | ¢ Probably too
on falling-block challenging
games for its target
* It’s just too audience
cute! * It's just too
cute
60000
Big Air
Big frustration
ou know what I really don’t like about the PlayStation con-
troller? The way the handles are set up, it would be all too
easy to grab each one, twist in opposite directions and tear
the whole damned thing in half. And when it comes to games
like Big Air, the possibility is almost too tempting to resist.
It's not the glitchy, clunky graphics that make this game so frustrating.
It's not the awful soundtrack (usually the one thing that can be counted
on to be really above-average in most "extreme sports" games), or the
baffling slowdown that sets in seemingly at random. It's not even the fact
that Big Air is YET ANOTHER snowboarding game in a genre that's man-
aged to produce few superlative titles.
No, the problem is the control. See, Big Air not only suffers from the
most ridiculously sluggish controls in the genre, but mixes these nasty
controls with incomprehensible game physics—and it's a deadly combi-
nation. Why is it that it's sometimes possible to land a jump when you're
tilted at a 45-degree angle, but other times impossible to land a jump
straight up onto level ground? Argh! Only those who can appreciate the
extensive board and clothing licenses need apply. —Joe Rybicki
Reviews
The final word—official and unbiased
OT ter2
(| Players
A Memory Card
1 block
Shanghai:
True Valor
hanghai is best described as a mixture of solitaire and memo-
ry with some of the trappings of mahjong. That may sound
confusing, but the important thing is that it's one of those
games that's easy to learn and hard to master. Don't let the
mahjong tiles with Chinese writing scare you away.
A vital part of any Shanghai title is a game's ability to serve up unique
tile placements every time, which is a sure sign the engine behind the
game is solid. True Valor achieves this (50 games and I swear no two have
repeated yet). There's the standard Classic Mode along with several varia-
You can play with the Chinese Kanji charac-
ters or change them to the alphabet or
household items. I suggest you stick with the
Kanji and learn something for a change.
Box Score
tions to round out the package, with my favorite being the Battle Mode, * Challenging * Dull music
in which you pick one of several ancient Chinese warlords and throw * Endless hours * Just a few play
down Shanghai style. In this mode, certain tile combinations can be used of gameplay modes
; P ; : * Neat special
as weapons against your opponent, like creating a fire attack that makes Gia
it impossible for your foe to create combinations until the effect wears off.
In a game where you sit for long periods of time matching tiles, you
really need some catchy tunes to either pump you up or relax you in that
Eastern sort of way—and here True Valor comes up a bit short. Overall, a
very nice distraction, but it lacks ambition. —Wataru Maruyama
OPM Rating
OQ 1or2
Players
LZ [Memory Card
Cot) 4 block
Vibration Function
Compatible
Magneta Soft.
Psygnosis
ji Ua
a ARIES
Eliminator
n a roundabout sort of way, Eliminator is like the classic arcade
game Smash TV. You fly about from room to room, not
allowed to move to the next room until you've cleared the
current one of enemies. The magical thing about Smash TV
is that somehow it never got boring—a magic that Eliminator
clearly lacks.
Everything about this game—from the graphics to the gameplay and,
oh lord, especially the horrific sound—feels like an amateurish effort. The
The two-player mode is the best thing
about the game, but it gets pretty boring
a little too quickly (above).
ox Scor
EUMANN * Bad graphics aesthetics of each level are as grainy and dull as the one before it, and
* Hmmmmmm © Bad sound many of the end bosses are exactly the same, save a few different colored
* Hmmm * Bad gameplay textures here and there. The regular enemies are even less impressive,
* OK, the usuelly consisting of very low numbers of polygons and looking like the
two-player most rudimentary of shapes. This game resembles a first-generation
nomble PlayStation game, and makes no bones about it. But worst of all are the
sounds, which are a collection of some of the most annoying bleeps and
bloops imaginable.
With better aesthetics and sound, Eliminator might have been salvage-
able, but as it stands now, it's just an utter waste. —Kraig Kujawa
OPM Rating
Official U.S. GEMS CUO] [rosae 8) May 1999
Review Recap
The final word—official and unbiased
Brave Fencer
Musashi
Square ventures out of the
cozy turn-based confines of
the traditional RPG and ends
up with a fine action/RPG, with
the emphasis on action. Young Musashi has at his
command a wide range of moves that he learns
by defeating his enemies. The game can feel a
bit linear at points, but the good graphics, excel-
lent control, and variety of action, puzzles and
minigames make Brave Fencer well worth a look.
OPM Rating (O6 960
Civilization Il
This is a rare thing in the
world of PC-to-PlayStation
ports: a completely faithful
translation of an incredibly
complex game. Civ II has
everything strategy fans could ask for, allowing
players to manage every facet of an entire civi-
lization. Whether your goal is technological
supremacy or simply global domination, you'll
find plenty to whet your appetite for power.
OPM Rating ©OOOO
Contender
In contrast to Knockout Kings’
statistic-heavy simulation,
Contender is a genuinely fun
boxing game that takes cues
from classics like Punch-Out!
and Ring King. Sure, the baloony characters may
look a bit goofy, but no one ever said boxers are
supposed to be attractive.
OPM Rating @©OOOO
Crash Bandicoot:
WARPED
The third time's the charm for
Naughty Dog's immensely
popular marsupial. The latest
game includes some much-
needed variety in the form of widely different
areas and gameplay mechanics, as well as
graphics that are simply without peer.
OPM Rating
FIFA 99
It's amazing what a difference
a year can make. This time
around EA gets their act
together to put out their best
soccer game ever. In-depth
features, improved graphics and phenomenal
multiplay make it the soccer game to beat.
OPM Rating ©OOOO
A roundup of the most notable games of recent months
Guardian's Crusade
Although Activision's new RPG
has a lot of great ideas (like
the ability to train your little
porcine sidekick, Baby), it fails
to truly exploit any of them,
resulting in a game that offers the illusion of
depth but doesn't deliver. The entertaining char-
acters and dialogue are dulled by the too-simple
graphics and the short play time. Not bad, but
not great by any means.
OPM Rating @OOOO
Madden NFL 99
Simply the deepest, most real-
istic NFL football game on the
PlayStation. No, it may not
have the graphical punch of
its major competitor, but it's
got the stuff where it counts. This excellent
pigskin simulation is the ideal choice for the
die-hard football fan.
OPM Rating @OOOO
Metal Gear Solid
Some have said that this
game doesn't live up to its
prerelease hype because it's
just too short. We say the
game is so packed with
extras, secrets and "holy-crap-that's-cool"
innovations that the 10- to 15-hour completion
time doesn't hurt it enough to matter. The
story is wonderfully engrossing, the graphical
style topnotch, and the voice-overs are the best
yet. It was our Game of the Year for a reason.
]
S
Fa
Ed
z
FJ
a
You need to own this true classic.
orm rating (86008)
NBA Live 99
EA's newest installment in the
Live series sports AI improved
from the previous version, loads
of options and features, and
improved graphics that actually
show the players’ emotions through an almost
creepy use of facial expressions. The frame-rate
could use some work, though, and because of
the NBA lockout, the rosters are woefully out of
date. Still, it's one of the best b-ball games yet.
OPM Rating @OOOO
NCAA Football 99
A development team all its
own has made NCAA 99 one
hell of a college football game.
Excellently challenging AI,
loads of options and great
polygonal graphics make this one a winner on all
counts. And although its frame-rate could use a
boost, EA's 32-bit football games have always
been about realism over action. Nice job!
OPM Rating @OOOO©
NFL Blitz
"Oh, that HAD to hurt!” To
everyone's surprise, the console
version actually more than does
justice to Midway's arcade hit.
Throw in Dual Shock support
and Tournament and Season modes and you've
recap pick of the month
Legend of Legaia
SCEN's newest RPG is a solid, entertaining game that punches a
lot of classic RPG buttons while rarely sliding into cliché. The com-
bat engine employs interesting hand-to-hand and magic systems:
For hand-to-hand attacks, each character has a set number of slots
with which players can create custom attacks, planning out each
strike. The magic system is also unusual, requiring characters to
dispatch magical enemies and absorb their powers for even the
most basic spells.
Where Legaia really shines are in the writing and char-
acter development. Both are exceptional, with the writing
being especially surprising given the translation problems |
that tend to plague native Japanese RPGs. hs
While the too-frequent (and too-lengthy) random
battles can be frustrating, Legaia should offer a satisfying
quest for any RPG fan.
PlayStation}
got one excellent port on your hands. Fast,
addictive, brutal and just plain fun.
OPM Rating
NHL 99
In an unfortunate example of
why you shouldn't try to fix
something that ain't broken,
EA made some changes to thei
stunning NHL 98 engine and
ended up with a slower, choppier game than last
year's version. The inclusion of some new coach-
ing strategies, a shot power meter and the
Coaching Drill Mode almost compensates for its
flaws—but not quite; last year’s is still better.
OPM Rating @©OOOO
Oddworld: Abe's
Exoddus
The loveable Abe returns in
what amounts to little more
than a collection of new levels
to add to the excellent Abe's
Oddysee. Further variety in environments helps
differentiate between the games, however, as
does the ability to possess more creatures, the
increased GameSpeak vocabulary and the vector
of Mudokon emotions. The much-needed
Quiksave eliminates the pesky checkpoints of the
previous game. An all-around topnotch title.
OPM Rating @©OOOO©
Rollcage
Psygnosis' insane racer features
indestructible vehicles in a
world where gravity don’t
mean jack. It's an extremely
entertaining racing experience
(especially in two-player mode), marred only by
the unbalanced levels of challenge, too-short
tracks and occasional graphics glitches.
OPM Rating ©OOOO
Silent Hill
When Konami decides to do a
horror adventure in the vein of
Resident Evil, they don’t mess
around: Silent Hill is perhaps
the most disturbing game on
the PlayStation. Although the controls could have
used a lot of work, the creepy story, multiple
endings and assortment of extras make the
game worthwhile. Buy it for the sheer atmos-
phere and you'll find yourself leaving a light on
at night. Not for the faint of heart.
OPM Rating (©0000
Street Sk8er
The PlayStation's first dedicat-
ed skateboarding game leaves
quite a bit to be desired.
Although EA manages to come PYN
through on most elements of
skater atmosphere, the trick system is far too
simplistic and the game in general simply isn't
challenging enough to warrant more than a
rental. Great soundtrack, though.
OPM Rating (OG OO
Syphon Filter
This game of high-tech espi-
onage has drawn more than a
few comparisons with Metal E
Gear Solid, but stands easily on a
its own merits. Although the
game suffers from minor graphics and control
issues, these pale in comparison to the imagina-
tive level design and spectacular AI. A good bet
for those seeking a thinking man's action game.
OPM Rating (OO OO
Tomb Raider III
It's frustrating that two full
years after the original title this
game still looks and plays fun-
damentally the same. What was Py
revolutionary back then is get- Mi
ting a bit tired. Still, this episode features the
most realistic levels yet, most notably the city
levels (light years ahead of the Venice levels of
the previous game). But the controls are irritat-
ing, the levels are very unbalanced, and the
game is loaded with bugs. Patience will pay off
with this one, and you'll need a lot of it.
OPM Rating OOOOO
Twisted Metal Ill
Without SingleTrac at the helm
of this beloved franchise, the
game is far less imaginative
than the previous versions. If
you can't stand being without
the familiar characters, this is for you. Otherwise,
V8 and Rogue Trip are much more entertaining.
OPM Rating (OO COO.
re
z
Ei
8
2
[3
=
a
Vigilante 8
This game of vehicular combat |
takes the formula set forth by f
Twisted Metal and runs with it.
Gigantic, realistic environments
are the arenas, funky ‘70s char- E
acters are your enemies, and your vehicles range
from a school bus to a (hidden) alien spacecraft.
The powerful engine even allows huge craters to
be blown in the ground. It’s a blast!
OPM Rating @©OOOO
WCW/nWo Thunder
This is the unfortunate result
of all the faction-and-alliance
melodrama that's made
wrestling so popular of late.
Thunder includes lots of treats
for the die-hard fan, but fails to deliver anything
resembling fun. Bad AI, horrible controls and a
useless camera make this one for avid fans only.
OPM Rating (OO OOO
K PlayStation}
Xenogears
Square proves they still got it
with an immense RPG with an
entirely unique engine and
loads of other innovations. A
great story, a necessity for any
good RPG, is complemented by great graphics.
A worthwhile experience for any RPG-er!
OPM Rating (OO 9C
Ratings at
a Glance
Ace Combat 2
Activision Classics
Batman & Robin
Blasto
Breath of Fire III
C: Contra Adventure
Castlevania: SotN
Col. Wars: Vengeance
Crash Bandicoot 2
Dead or Alive
Final Fantasy VII
Forsaken
G.Darius
Gex: Enter the Gecko
Gran Turismo
Heart of Darkness
Hot Shots Golf
Judge Dredd
Kartia
The Lost World: JP
Micro Machines
MLB 99
Mortal Kombat 4
NBA Shoot Out 98
Need For Speed III
NFL GameDay 99
NFL Xtreme
OW: Abe's Oddysee
Parasite Eve
Pitfall 3D
Point Blank
Rogue Trip
Rugrats
SaGa Frontier
San Francisco Rush
Soul Blade
Spyro the Dragon
Tekken 3
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider II
Tomba!
Triple Play 99
©0000
©0000
Q@0O00O0
©0000
©0000
OO©OO0O
©0000
©0000
©0000
0000€
©0000
00000
©0000
©0000
00000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
@0O000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
00000
©0000
00000
00000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
©0000
@0©0O0
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine!
Strategy
Acquiring new spells can become quite time-consuming.
You may need to fight an enemy several times before you
actually absorb its attack into your Ra-Seru. The key thing
to remember when you are trying to obtain the new spells
is to not use magic. Killing a creature with hand-to-hand
combat is the only way to receive the new Seru powers.
The game rewards you for using magic, even though it is
pretty time-consuming. After so many uses with a specific
magic spell, its level will increase. There are a total of nine
levels any one Seru can raise. As your spells increase in
their levels, they will gain extra effects. For example, when
you use Vera [Light] a lot, eventually it will begin to cure
more than just your health. It will begin to remove rot and
numb plus poisons. The more attack-oriented spells will do
extra effects as well. This takes a lot of time, though, and
should only be done when you are not pushing forward in
the game. Try to do this in areas where you can rest for
free, like at the spring west of Rim Elm.
COMBO SYSTEM
The enemies you face will sometimes be weaker in the
upper areas of their bodies rather than the lower. Some
may also be floating or flying creatures. In those cases, any
attack directed at the lower area will definitely miss. Just
look at the enemies with a little common sense and plan
your attacks accordingly.
The best way to find new techniques is to just experiment.
There are a pretty good amount available for each charac-
ter. If you really want to know the combos for each, there
are complete lists of each character's combinations. Keep
in mind that equipping certain weapons on certain charac-
ters may change the number of different commands that
can be entered.
egaia is a vast world, requiring a
great deal of exploring, as all self-
respecting RPGs do. The hero, Vahn,
must save the world from devastation
using the mystical powers of the Ra-Seru.
The following walk-through has been bro-
ken down into the main events in the
TM story line. Included to aid you on your
journey is a comprehensive moves list
for all three characters. To top it all
off, you will find a list of game
secrets, hints to the various
minigames and locations of the
hidden Ra-Seru powers. Now,
prepare to delve into the mon-
ster-strewn world of Legaia.
* The beginning of your adventure. There is
not too much to do here, so walk around and
talk to everyone. Be sure to speak to Tetsu on
the southern beach. He will teach you the
basics of fighting and combos.
* Soon after you start resting, you will be
awakened by a banging sound coming from
the outer wall. Before you examine the wall's
gate, use the memory statue to save. There
will be several battles to fight soon, which can
be a little challenging at the start.
* When the battles start, head quickly over to
Mei's home. Take her with you to your home
and then head to the Genesis Tree in the cen-
ter of town. Touch the tree and then accept
the Ra-Seru. Head back to Vahn's house and
talk to your father.
* This is a great place to stop and replenish
your health and magic for free. You should use
this place as much as possible in the beginning
to build some levels.
* All the people in the kingdom have locked themselves in cages to prevent the
Seru that are controlling them from doing much harm.
* You will have to find a key for each door you get to. The keys for these doors
will always be in the immediate area. Your ultimate destination is Mt. Rikorouku.
Don't be afraid to travel back to the Fresh Spring to recover lost health or magic.
* The forest itself is not too hard for a party of
three—just be sure to have a good supply of
Healing Leaves. You will need to find the Weed
Hammer in order to get all the treasures and
get to the end of the forest. The hammer can be
found in a treasure chest on the east side of the
East Forest.
* At the end of the forest you will face a pair of
bosses. They are not too difficult and should be
easy to confuse with Nighto.
* After heading up the last set of stairs in Drake
Kingdom, you will switch to Noa. Use her early
training battles to get used to her. She will be
your fastest fighter.
* After following the story you will get to run
through the mountain a little. Be sure to check
in all the little nooks and crannies to acquire
some useful healing items. Also in the beginning
areas, try to take advantage of the wolf as much
as possible, since when you are defeated in a
battle she will revive you for free.
* Once you get to the top the game will switch
back to Vahn and you will have a short run up.
Save before you head to the top, because a
somewhat tough battle will shortly follow.
* The monastery is where all Biron monks come
from. Here you can learn a few new techniques
(one for each character) and meet your future
rival. To get to the next Genesis Tree you will
have to talk to Zupo, the head monk. He will
give you access to the East Forest and give you
Gala as another party member. Gala will be
pretty weak, and you will have to baby him
throughout the forest.
* This is the source
of all the mist. It is
a pretty easy dun-
geon with some
moderately difficult
enemies. There are
two save points
inside the place, so
don't be too afraid
of losing your
progress.
* Here you will have to battle Songi in a one-on-
one with Gala, so be sure to have him prepared
with the Vera Seru beforehand. Once you put
Songi down you will have to continue down-
stairs and take on Zeto. Zeto uses a big wave
attack that damages the whole party for a lot of
hit points, but he must charge it one round
beforehand. When he does charge it, be sure to
use Spirit for the next round, or you will take a
lot of damage. Keep your party healed and con-
tinue to dish out damage to take him out.
* When you enter Jeremi you will notice that
the whole town is filled with Seru-controlled
citizens. You can talk to them and they won't
attack you. But for the most
part, try to examine the
houses scattered throughout
the town and collect as much
treasure as you can before
heading to the center-north-
ern building.
* In this building you will get
access to the Sky Garden.
This is a somewhat simple
area with a little treasure
- Rim Elm
- Fresh Spring
- Drake Kingdom
- Mt. Rikuroa
- Biron Monastery
- East Voz Forest
- West Voz Forest
- Zeto’s Dungeon
- Ancient Water Cave
- Jeremi
- Vidna
- Octam
- Gate of Shadows
- Dohati's Castle
- Ratayu
- Mt. Letona
- Karisto Station
- Buma
- Nivora Ravine
- Usha Research Center
- Uru Mais
- Mt. Dhini
- Soren Camp
- Conkram
- Jette's Fortress
Spirit up when Zeto uses the Call Wave. The next turn you
will receive much less damage when the Big Wave hits.
scattered around. One piece of advice to find all
the treasure here is to be sure to enter every
elevator. When you reach the top, go through
the maze and enter into battle with the Seru
chomping on the Genesis Tree.
* This boss is pretty tough because he can—and
will—dish out an enormous amount of damage.
Try to use big Spirit-charged combos and high-
level magic. Make
sure to designate
at least one fight-
er as your healer.
Strategy
A EY
NOV k
Super Arts
t Miracle Arts Basic Arts
> eERERDY€& Vahn's Craze
€ « Rolling Combo
3 Tri-Somersault
b. Maximum Blow
Fire Tackle
Power Slash
Burning Flare
Fire Blow
Tornado Flame
Cyclone
Hurricane
PK Combo
3 € Spin Combo
W-Upper
Cross-Kick
Power Punch
Slash Kick
Somersault
Tackle Crush
Hyper Elbow
* This town is located north of Jeremi and is
free of the Mist. Here you will meet Zalan's
son and also get some hints on where to go
next. From here you can go back to Jeremi
and deliver the item to Zalan or head north
and east to Octam. If you return the trinket
to Zalan, you will receive Zalan's Crown in
return. Once you're done, head to Octam.
* Explore the town. There are a few things
here and there you can pick up, but the
main clue is in the east house. In the cup-
board you will find a note giving a clue as
to what happened to the people.
Official U.s. PlayStation (iazezine( ] May 1999
CON N
PPreay
«44423
PF
4
Po
* Once you finish, head to the center door
and go down to the lowest level. Read all
the books and another staircase will appear.
You will then learn that you must go back
to Jeremi and collect the Star Pearl from
Zalan. Once you do that, head to the
Shadow Gate.
* To activate the correct sequence in the
gate, remember the hints given back in
Octam. In case you forgot here they are:
North Gate, the Key is Earth. East Gate, the
Key is Wind. South Gate, the Key is Water.
West Gate, the Key is Fire.
* When you enter into the gate, go to the
right path (the left only leads to a Healing
Flower), then go left. The right path
leads to a Life Ring. Next go left
(the right path leads to a Wonder
Elixir). These paths all lead to one
place, Lower Octam.
Xain: Don't interrupt me!
something important ord
Hyper Arts
€» V €» NosasArk
MOVE N
Love You
Super Tempest
Triple Lizard
Dragon Fangs
Super Javelin
Hurricane Kick
Vulture Blade
Frost Breath
Tempest Break
Rushing Gale
Tough Love
Swan Diver
Bird Step
Dolphin Attack
Mirage Lancer
Wind Strike
Sonic Javelin
Beast Fangs
Lizard Tail
* Here you will meet Hari and get some
direction for the future. After talking to
Hari head to the northwest side of town to
get into the fire path. The fire path itself is
not complicated. Follow the pathways and
you will get through.
* Be sure to check the pillars with yellow
light coming out of them. This means there
is a room inside with a treasure chest.
* Once you hit the lava area, be careful of
the stronger enemies. You will face Xain,
who is the one creating all the tremors.
After beating Xain, he will freeze the lava
and give you the Wind Book II. Head back
up to the surface.
ob ok 4 «« Biron Rage
REED Neo Rising
Heaven’s Drop
Back Punch x2
Super Ironhead
Rushing Crush
Explosive Fist
Lightning Storm
Thunder Punch
Bull Horns
Hand Fangs
Neo Raising
Black Rain
Side Kick
Head-Splitter
Guillotine
Back Punch
Tronhead
Battering Ram
Flying Knee Attack
* In the town you can find a treasure
chest in just about every building.
You will need to go to the east side to
get to the Genesis Tree, but in order to
get through the checkpoint, travel to
the palace.
Head all the way to the back of the
palace and talk with Saryu. He will give you the key to the east side. The
east-side area is pretty small, but there are some strong creatures there.
* At the top of the mountain you will find a Genesis Tree
covered by a force field. You can't get through this force field, so
after collecting the treasure chest on the west side of it, you'll have to
leave. However, when you try to leave, Songi will attack. You must
defeat him in order to lower the force field. Once you beat him, head
back to the town, but be sure to save along the way.
* When you get into town, rest and upgrade your weapons and armor.
Head to the inn and talk to Eliza. Talk to her again and have Noa go in
her place. After a moderate dialogue, you battle Saryu. He is somewhat
strong and only gets stronger as the game progresses. After beating him
you will free all the town's daughters and get the key to the west area.
* After the Mist arrives in Rim Elm and before Vahn puts on the
Ra-Seru Meta, talk to the lady in the weapons/items shop and she'll
give you Healing Leaves.
* Check the tree in Rim Elm that's near one of the windmills. You
will be attacked by a swarm of bees, but if you defeat the bees, you
will get Honey! Honey increases all stats by four. Careful—if you
talk to Nene with Honey in your possession, she will take it from
you to bake a cake.
* If you leave Rim Elm once and then go back to the town, the
drawer that was locked on the second floor of the shop will be
opened. Inside there is a Poin d. The Point Card earns points
worth 5 percent of the price of is, etc. when you shop.
Exchange points for items at thi prize-exchange counters in Sol, at
the slot machines or at the fishing holes.
* When the Mist arrives in Rim Elm, go to Mei's house and take her
to your house so she won't be alone. Mei will give you her Pendant
when you leave Rim Elm. (Otherwise you won't be able to get this
item until you talk to Mei in the final area, the Bio Castle.)
* When Noa is training in Mt. Rikuroa, talk to Terra after two
battles. She will teach you an art move.
* After reviving the Genesis Tree at Mt. Rikuroa and the Mist has
cleared from Drake Castle, the people of the castle open shops in
the castle's front area. Noa gets all excited and will run off to the
weapons shop, items shop and inn. If you follow her to the
weapons shop and talk to her, she'll ask you what money is. Answer
that you don't know and you'll get the Fighting Robe for free.
Follow her to the items shop, and of the three questions, answer
two to three questions correctly to receive five to 10 Healing
Leaves. Answer all incorrectly, and you'll get a Magic Leaf.
* When Vahn, Noa and Gala have learned all their art moves, travel
to the Genesis Trees where each respective character obtained
his/her Ra-Seru to unlock the hidden Terra, Meta and Ozma spells.
* After defeating the final Songi, pick up the Dark Stone at the base
of the Genesis Tree in West Voz Forest. Go to Jeremi and talk to
Zalan. Get the Dark Talisman to be able to use the hidden Dark Ra-
Seru Jedo spell.
* With all characters’ levels at 99, head to Ratayu and talk to
Saryu. Get the key to the basement to enter the Juggernaut Room.
Here you'll obtain the Evil Talisman in order to use the Juggernaut
magic spell.
* After the event where you visit the Soren Camp, if you go to Mt.
Dhini again, a hidden boss enemy—Lapis—appears. If you defeat
him, you get the Evil Medallion—an item that is otherwise only
available by defeating the final boss character. You will not be able
to control a character wearing an Evil Medallion (Berserk status),
but that character will be able to attack enemies with learned art
moves 0-15 times at a certain percentage rate. However, Lapis is
extremely strong; he will always attack first and leave you with
zero MP.
u.s. PlayStati "CHO May 1999
Strategy
DANCE FEVER
When you get to Sol you can go to the
Muscle Dome and win a prize called the
Gold Card. With this prize, you will be
able to go to the Dance Club. With 500
gold pieces you can enter the dance con-
test. Before you do that, go up to the
guy with the big ‘fro on the dance floor
and ask him to teach you how to dance.
* Once you have the timing down try to
enter. You have to go through two
rounds to win the contest. The first
round is pretty easy, and as long as you
don't miss many steps, you should be
able to progress to the next level. In the
second level, you will need to bust out
some special moves in order to win.
The easiest way to win is to use your
Triangle specials on the first three
moves. This gives you a good lead, and if
you don’t miss any steps, you should eas-
ily win.
* What do you win? Well, you win some
gold pieces and a swimsuit. You'll also
earn the respect of some of the Sol resi-
dents. You also should definitely check
out the lady in the Jazz Club sitting next
to Grantes.
Dohati’s Castle preme
fecl the power of my wrath!
* When you enter the
castle, take the left
branch first, because
every hall leads to a
treasure box. The right
hall will take you to the
next level by escalator.
Each time you see an
escalator, take it up. The
generator is on the top
level of the castle.
* At the top you will have to fight Dohati. His
attacks do an enormous amount of damage,
and his Chaos Breath can inflict venom on your
fighters. Try to keep a medium-level orb in
your spell list and have it ready to use. He
takes a lot of damage but you should be able
to dish out a good amount of damage on him
each round as long as you keep one of your
fighters dedicated to healing.
* Once you beat him the generator will be
destroyed and the flying trains will be back
in service. You need to go to Octam to use
these trains.
Sol
* This extremely large town has a bunch of
attractions for you. One thing you should be
sure to check out is the casino. You can play
the games for coins or fight in the arena. The
Baka Fighter game is a pretty easy way to
earn coins. For the first fight, all you need to
do is press Square, the second fight is X, and
the third is Circle. The fourth match is Square
and X, and the fifth is Circle and X.
* Travel to the top floor and talk with the
leader of the Biron monks. After talking with
him, you fight Gaza. He is very tough to beat,
because his Astral Sword attack can easily:
deplete all your HPs. Keep one or two of your
fighters healing the party and the rest laying
into him.
* After beating him, go
to the lower levels.
Obtain eight loaves of
Soru bread—this can be
done easier if you go
into the Muscle Dome
and play the games to
acquire enough coins to
buy them. Once you have
the bread, head to each
treasure chest and exam-
ine them and use the
bread on them.
The Stone, Stage awai
* Once you get to the
bottom level, manipulate
the switches for the elec-
tric grates to get to the
center. Start by going to
the right and then to the
middle. Hit the top-mid-
dle switch and go to the
Dohati is a powerful
adversary to face.
top-bottom switch. Follow the switches until
you can flip the bottom big switch.
* Once you get to the center, prepare for a
big battle. Songi will show up with Gaza again,
and you will have to fight a much tougher
version of Gaza. Keep your guys' health
over 1,100, or you may fall victim to Gaza's
huge power attack. Once you beat him, plant
the Genesis Tree, and you'll be able to go on
your way.
Usha Research Center
* To get into this tower, you will need the
password you should have received from the
Emperor. He is in the lower floor of the inn
that's in Sol Tower. The doctor is on the top
floor. He will say you need to go to Uru Masi
to get the much-needed Fire Droplets.
* To get the key for the city, the doctor's wife
will test you. She will ask three questions, and
you will need to answer all of them to get the
key. The questions are simple, and if you were
paying attention throughout the discussion
with the doctor, you should get them easily.
Uru Mais
* Here you will need to examine the book in
the smaller house area. Once you do that, you
should examine the center of the machine.
Once the doors on the sides open, go through
each open door to light up the center. When
the center is lit, you will get some more infor-
mation and then the fire
droplet. Upon getting the
droplet, leave and head
back to the research center
and Dr. Usha.
Nivora Ravine
* To get through this ravine,
split into three groups. Each
group will have to help the
other to get through their
respective areas. If you play
them in order until one of
them gets stuck at an area
and can't go any farther, the
first person to get to the
end will be Noa, followed
by Gala and finally Vahn.
The key to beating Che is to
know when to avoid his
Megaton Press. He will
attack normally twice and
then perform the
Megaton
Press. The
key to beating
Lu is the same as
Che. She will do
two normal
attacks and then her
special power attack.
The same strategy
also applies to Gi.
After beating the
Delilases, you will get a
short opportunity to rest and
recover. You will then have to battle Koru in a
certain amount of time (under four turns). To
beat Koru unleash everything you have on him,
and if you have Kemaro, use him. Otherwise,
use your new Level 3 Hyper Arts a lot. Once
you beat him, head to Buma.
* Here you will make the three Genesis Trees
recover and then you will meet with Cara. She
will ask you to give her sheet music to
Grantes. In order to get him to listen to it, talk
to the pianist and have her play it. Once
Grantes hears the music, he will head back to
Buma and to Cara. You need to leave Sol and
go back to Buma and talk with the two of
them. Cara's house is the one in the
northwest corner of the village.
* This is the home of the Soren. You will need
to push your way through the mountain and
get to the top, so you can use the flute and call
the Soren for help.
* After talking to the Soren elder, visit the
floating castle. The dungeon itself is pretty
easy. There is one spot where you can pick up.
some free life water. After taking the elevator
down, in the first hallway, you can go down
the right-hand side. A secret tunnel lies there
which will lead to the treasure chest.
* The Soren secrets that were mentioned back
in the town can be found inside the horrible
machine. You need to open the machine. To
get into the Throne Room, activate both
switches that are outside the door.
* When you enter this town, you will notice
that it is actually one big Seru. You need to go
SLOT MACHINES
When you get into Vidna, you will get
your first chance to play a casino game.
Buy some coins in order to play the slot
machine. It costs 100 gold coins to get one
game coin.
* In Vidna you can win some good prizes
early in the game, if you want to spend the
time. In Sol you can win much better prizes
and can get some free coins, if you play the
Baka fighter game.
e There is no real good way to win at the
slot machine. You simply need a lot of luck
to get a good match. Try to get the three
punches or three kicks to match up. When
you do this, you will get to go to a bonus
game that will give you massive coins if you
get high numbers on the spin.
* If you want to get some more coins for
free, fight in the Muscle Dome contest. It
takes 100 gold coins to enter and the con-
test is very challenging, even on the begin-
ner level! Try to enter once you have
Kemaro and some good armor. You should
be able to win at least the beginner level. If
you win that level you will be rewarded with
818 free coins. ee :
Power Elixir
Shield Elixir
Speed Elixir
Phoenix
Heavy Lure
Normal Lure
to the back of the town and enter the Throne head to the west side with the guards. You
Room. Go all the way to the back and talk with Will now be able to get past them and into Light Lure
Noa's mother. After talking with Noa's mother, ^ the basement.
head back to the courtyard of the castle and
Finally reaching Conkram, your party will
discover that it has been completely taken
over by the Mist.
* In the basement you can talk to
the king and acquire the Seru
flame. Once you have the flame
go back upstairs and into the
room to the right of the queen.
From there you will be teleported
into Conkram's past. In the past
you should do whatever business
you can and talk to all the people,
then go to the inn and spend the
night there. After watching the
new demonstration, make your
way to the basement.
Evil God Icon
Lost Grail
Life Armband
Deluxe Rod
Vitality Ring
Magic Ring
Healing Berry
Incense
Fury Boost
Soru Bread
Gold Card
Official U.s. PlayStation (acezine( $ | May 1999
Strategy
THE ROGUE TOWER
* In the tower you will have a good
old-fashioned teleporter maze. See the
map to find the correct path through.
You will need to face a couple of
upgraded bosses here, so be ready for
anything. At the end of the third level,
you will face the head rogue. The key
to winning is to attack one round then
block one round. Every other round
that passes the rogue will attack.
* After beating the rogue tower you
will be teleported back to Conkram in
the past. Finish any business you have
in the shops, talk to all the people
again, and then go to the mirror room
and head home. Once you get back to
the present time, head to the Absolute
Fortress to the north of Conkram.
. The Rogue Tower itself is a big
teleporter maze. To read the maps just
follow the numbers (i.e., 1 leads to 1,
2 leads to 2, etc.). Also keep in mind
that you should only go through a tele-
porter when the tower is like a castle,
or you will be teleported back to the
beginning. Some teleporters have
more than one destination.
* The fortress maze in the beginning is
not complicated. Usually there is only
one way you can go, and that is the
way you have to go. There is an occa-
sional treasure chest thrown around
for good measure. Try to always col-
lect these things as they are usually
high-level items that cannot be
acquired anywhere else.
* Your first major battle will be with
The path to battling Rogue
at the top of the tower is a
treacherous one to take.
Jette. His most dangerous attack is his
Shadow Break. This will cause a good
deal of group damage. Keep one of
your fighters ready with an Orb or
Spoon Seru, and you shouldn't have
too much trouble.
* The path to the end of the fortress is
pretty straightforward, but be ready
for a great challenge at the end. Right
as you reach the Mist Generator, you
will encounter Cort. His first attack
will be his Mystic Shield. While his
shield is up, only Arts attacks will do
any damage. To get the most damage
on him, use your Miracle Arts (see
moves list).
* After a brief rest in Rim Elm the
story continues with Songi making a
return appearance. After his cinema,
head to Uru Mais. From there go to
the Seru's world. It is a simple
labyrinth with some valuable treasure
scattered around.
* At the end of the path you will find
the great Genesis Tree and Songi.
To rescue the tree, you'll fight
Songi, and he is much more power-
ful now than before. His normal
attacks are the biggest problems.
He can easily do more than 2,000
points of dam-
age in one
combo.
Juggernaut
* After beating Songi you will be back in the
normal world. You must now enter Juggernaut
and finish it off from the inside. The maze
inside Juggernaut is pretty easy, but expect
some strong resistance as far as general
encounters go.
* Before you enter into Juggernaut you should
check a couple of the Genesis Trees, namely
the one in the east Voz Forest and the one on
Mt. Rikuroku. You should be able to get a cou-
ple new Seru from there. These will aid you
immensely in your upcoming battle, but they
MP EFFECT
(Earth)
Ra-Seru Palma
(Water)
Ra-Seru Mule
(Thunder)
Ra-Seru Ozma
<
w
=
2
S
N
Š
a
Juggernaut
[Ra-Seru Palma ——
Ra-Seru Meta
do suck up a lot of magic points. If you can,
train them outside of Juggernaut, where you
can rest. Juggernaut on the inside is a pretty
easy labyrinth to navigate.
* When you get to the end you will face the
ultimate boss. You must keep your fighters at
max hit points at all times. Cort can perform
an attack that, if your fighters are slightly
weak, can wipe them right out. Keep your
party healed and use high-level combinations
like the Miracle Arts. This is also a great place
to use your point card, if you collected it (see
secrets).
TARGETS
(Evil) Unknown
(Dark Eclipse)
SECRET RA-SERU LOCATIONS
| pem
1 Ra-Seru Terra ——
There are two places in the Legaia world
where you can fish for a while. As you go
through the world you will find a total of
three different rods. The first rod is found at
the beach in Vidna when the Mist enters the
town. The second can be won in the Sol casi-
no. The third can be obtained from Dr. Usha
after you open up Nivora Ravine. You will
also need to get some lures before you can
fish. To get the much-needed lures, play the
slot machine in Vidna (see casino sidebar).
* When you are fishing, cast into places
where the fish can hide, like behind rocks or
in the brush, There you will find some of the
larger fish that are worth more points.
* After you cast try tapping your line in to
lure the fish to bite. The heavier the lure the
deeper it will stay and the heavier the fish
you will catch.
Fishing Prizes - By VIDNA
Mettle Armband 1,500
Power Ring 1,000
Healing Fruit 500
Lippian Flute 200
Spikefish Flute 200
Fishing Prizes - By BUMA
Life Grail 6,500
Magic Grail 6,500
Spirit Talisman - 4,000
Lippian Flute 200
Spikefish Flute
Strategy
An Expert Gamer Strategy
by Pat Dolan
As the name implies, Marvel
Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
allows you to use characters
from the Marvel Super Heroes
game and characters from
Street Fighter in head-to-head
combat. You choose your
Getting Started
earn to combo! Go into the Training Mode
Lis practice linking your chosen character's
moves together to form deadly combos. The
goal is to land a single blow on your unblock-
ing opponent, then take advantage of that to
do severe damage with a big combo. Be sure
to set the CPU opponent to auto blocking, so
you can judge whether your attempts are suc-
cessful. If you want to land the maximum
number of blows, concentrate on air com-
bos. They're a little easier to execute than
ground combos, since the victim remains help-
"main" character, then choose a
partner who can assist during
certain Super Moves. Combat is
fast and furious, with spectacu-
lar, over-the-top attacks and
effects all around. In other
words, it captures the feel of
comic-book combat quite well.
As in X-Men vs. Street Fighter,
the "tag team" feature of the
arcade game has pretty much
been eliminated from the
PlayStation version. In the
basic game modes, you can't
change between your main
character and his/her partner.
However, a new play mode,
Cross Over, allows you to
switch between characters at
any time. The catch? Both play-
ers must use the same two
characters. Still, this does give
you some variety, and is a wel-
come inclusion.
-
character with distance
attacks, use them to tick off dam-
age slowly, but be ready to deal
with a jump-in attack at any time.
Most characters have good moves
to counter this. If your character
Team-Up Attacks
Hes oS
less for a longer period of time because of the
launcher, allowing you to fudge the timing of
your blows a bit more. Also, most characters
can link a larger selection of moves during air
combos than they can on the ground.
AZ the CPU, if you’ve got a
oncentrate on mastering quick
2- to 4-hit combos, preferably
ending in a Super Move. Many char-
acters are capable of doing 5- to 10-
hit combos, but those tend to be
useful only in very specific circum-
stances, or require extremely fast
reflexes to pull off. If you mess
them up, you're a sitting duck. Plus,
the longer the combo, the less dam-
Vs. the CPU
has aerial missile attacks, use
them. The CPU does a poor job of
blocking these attacks. Once the
CPU gets in close, it’s quite good at
unleashing combos off of hits that
you don’t block, so be on your
guard. Unless it’s executing an
he bread and butter of this game
is found in the combo system. Each
character can link moves together in
such a manner that if the first move
hits an unblocking opponent, the rest
will also connect before the victim has
a chance to recover. Each character
has a slightly different pattern that
he or she can follow while creating
combos, but in general you can
always follow weaker attacks with
stronger attacks.
© Another element of combos involves
the use of Super Moves and Super
Combos. Basic moves and Super
Moves can be interrupted by trigger-
ing a Super Move or a Super Combo,
resulting in both the initial move and
the newly activated move hitting
the victim. The progression for this is
as follows:
Regular move ¢--interrupted by
Super Move ¢~interrupted by
Super Combo
age each blow in the combo will do.
As a result, you can often do as
much or more damage with a 4-hit
combo as with an 8-hit one.
attack of its own or is still eed
ing from one of your attacks, the
CPU will almost never fall for your
Super Combos. Use your Super
Combos only when you’ve got a
clear opening; otherwise you're
just wasting energy.
© If you're doing a regular move, you
can interrupt it with either a Super
Move or a Super Combo. If you're
doing a Super Move, you can only
interrupt it with a Super Combo.
This is an ideal way to maximize the
amount of damage done to your
opponent, and helps to make sure you
connect with the powerful Super
Combos.
* Another key feature in Marvel Super
Heroes vs. Street Fighter are the
launchers and the associated Air
Combos. Each character has one or
more moves that will hurl his or her
opponent straight up into the air. If
the attacking character immediately
taps Up after executing this move,
he/she will follow the victim and can
launch a combo while that opponent
is flying upward through the air, help-
less. The air combo must be delivered
before the victim starts falling back to
earth, though, or he/she will be able
to block.
Secret Characters!
* There are at least six secret
playable characters in the game. They
are accessible at any time, by simply
highlighting the appropriate charac-
ter, holding Select and then pressing
any Punch or Kick button. The secret
characters, and the characters that
must be highlighted to select them,
=
‘Super Moves
NAME
1 Shield Slash
1 Stars 'n' Stripes
1 Charging Star
4 Cartwheel
Best Combos
are listed on the right.
e The only really "new" character is
Shadow, a version of Charlie from
Street Fighter Alpha, who's been
brainwashed by Bison. The rest of
the characters play pretty much, or
exactly, like their counterparts.
Bison
Blackheart
Spider-Man
Dhalsim
Omega Red
Hulk
U.S. Agent
Mech. Zangief
Armored Spider-Man
Shadow
Mephisto
Dark Sakura
CAPTAIN AMERICA
Captain America!
DAMAGE
15
26
19
LP, LK, #, LP, LK, MP, MK, HP
Super Combos
se the shield to harass opponents at a
distance, but try to get in close enough to
nail them with the Charging Star (V, A, >,
K) or a good combo. When jumping toward an
opponent, use HP to attack as you come in; it has
excellent coverage. Captain America can Double
Jump; use that to get clear of powerful Super
Moves or Super Combos while jumping in on
an opponent. Use the Hyper Charging Star
Super Combo (V, à) ®, KK) when
you've got the energy and your opponent
leaves an opening. If he/she is jumping in,
or just missed a close attack, use the Hyper
Stars 'n' Stripes (P, V, 4, PP)
1
1
1
1
nt LK, MK, HP
1
1
1
1
1
I Hyper Charging Star |, 54
‘Hyper Stars ^n' Stripes e, — 9,
1 Final Justice *, 4
| Launcher
Use Captain America's Heavy Punch when jumping in to an opponent.
It's not only quick, but covers a substantial portion of the screen.
We Spider-Man the basic idea is to sim-
ply jump around and keep moving. His
ability to absorb an opponent's blow ranks
among the lowest in the roster, so stay a
moving target. Dart in and attack when your
opponent has his/her guard down. When at a
distance, annoy your opponent with Web
Balls (V, &, ®, P). Once you're in
close, nail him/her with a Web Ball, then
combo him/her or unleash the Maximum
Spider Super Combo (V, 4, *, PP).
Use his ability to stick to walls to avoid your
opponent's Super Combos.
Use Spider-Man's ability to stun his opponent with a Web Ball to set
up his usually difficult-to-connect-with Maximum Spider Super Combo.
ARMORED SPIDER-MAN
xactly the same as Spider-Man,
Eeexcept with armor. As a result,
Armored Spider-Man takes less damage,
but is quite a bit slower, and all his
attacks do less damage, making him dif-
ficult to use. Without Spider-Man’s
speed, you need to rely more on baiting
opponents into coming to you. Throw
Web Balls (¥, %@, ®, P) to goad
opponents into jumping toward you,
then nail them with the Spider Sting
(>, ¥, *& P).Also, his armor
allows him to ignore single hits—so
long as they are weak—allowing you to
often counterattack through an oppo-
nent'’s attack.
=
Super Moves
I——————9
4
[i
1
Web Ball
! Spider Sting
1 Web Swing
| Web Throw
| Best Combos
1
1
L
g
1
Spider-Ma
1
| Web Ball (V, s&, 9», HP), MP, Wf, LP, LK, MP, MK, HP
1 Jumping HK, MP, Spider Sting (M, ¥, %, P)
[1
i Super Combos
| Maximum Spider v a,
*, a
>, PP
I Crawler Assault > KK
Launcher
1
! MP or Crouching HK
Fighting Apocalypse
Just keep hammering. Get ready to
block when you see his gun ports
opening, and use your most powerful
Super Combo or team-up attack
whenever you've got enough power
levels. You need to aim for his arm
or his head to inflict damage, but
everything you connect with will do
damage. Use your Super Combos as
soon as you have enough power to
activate them.
| Fighting Cyber Akuma
A very difficult opponent, Cyber
Akuma’s fast, has overwhelming mis-
sile attacks, and does a lot of damage
when he hits. Play very defensively
against him. If he lands a single blow
on you, he'll combo it for heavy dam-
age. It's critically important to take
advantage of any openings he leaves
to deliver a powerful combo. Build up
your Super Combo Meter, then hit
him with your longest-reaching attack
when he leaves an opening or while
he's advancing (often the CPU won't
block while advancing).
BLACKHEART
Blackheart 1
DAMAGE
ie
1 Super Moves
NAME
1 Dark Lightning " 5 5 y
4 Dark Inferno E E 27
I
Best Combos
o win with Blackheart, you must capi-
talize on your opponent's mistakes—
and hope he/she makes a lot of them. Stay
at a distance and hammer your opponent
with Dark Inferno (>, M, ¥, è, @,
P (use HP for best results)) while you build up
your Super Meter, then unleash Heart of
Darkness (#, 4, P, KK) as soon as he/she
leaves an opening. If he/she gets in close, use
HK to spawn demons that will paralyze your
opponent, then launch him/her and hit him/her
with an air combo, or nail him/her with Dark
Inferno.
22 6hits
1
| HK, MK
26 6hits
1Crouching MK, MP, W, LP, LK, MP, HP
[i
| Super Combos
+, PP
>, PP
>, KK
i Judgement Day
I Armageddon
Heart of Darkness
1
i Launcher
I
The best way to play with Blackheart (and Mephisto) is to play defen-
sively. Wait for an opening in your opponent's strategy and counter.
T: get the most out of Zangief, you've
got to master the trick of performing a
uc x TT — — rm 360-degree motion on the joypad to per-
uz A + WN Oe ic Siete UE form his Spinning Piledriver. It's his best
1Body Splas Super Move, and the same motion is used
iJumping Grab for the Atomic Piledriver, his only Super
Green Glove Combo. Get close to your opponent and unleash
QUEE Throw one of these moves to cause some heavy dam-
| Suplex age. Use his Body Splash (, HP, while jump-
1 Spinning Lariat — ing) when jumping in on opponents, and follow
| Short Spinning Lariat it with a combo. When close to an opponent,
1 Spinning Piledriver use his Walking Throw (#, f, ¥, 4,
®, K). When activated, Zangief will walk
through single-hit attacks without being
knocked down, allowing him to throw an
opponent who's trying to attack him.
=
1 Super Moves
(throw)
360 on joypad, P
! Best Combos
I
| Body Splash (&, HP while jumping), ¥,MP, 4, LP, MP, HP
| Jumping MK, HK, Spinning Clothesline
! Super Combos
PlayStation [Maenan 6] May 1999
I
1 Atomic Piledriver | 360 on joypad, PP
Launcher
I
1
Crouching MP You're not going to achieve any degree of success with Zangief until
L you learn to master and perform his 360-degree commands at will.
MECHANICAL ZANGIEF
V, P) on opponents trying to keep their
distance, but spend most of your effort
Mechanical Zangief can be played simi-
larly to Zangief, but some adjustments
have to be made. Mechanical Zangief is
much slower, has some different moves
and cannot be knocked down or stunned
by any attack your opponent can throw
at you. Use the Flame Breath (V, ,
trying to get close enough to pull off a
Spinning Piledriver (360 on joypad, P).
With Mechanical Zangief you've got to
concentrate on taking your opponent out
before he/she takes you out.
SAKURA
Sakura
ump around and try to get in close to r
l
‘Super Moves
your opponent to combo him/her. Use
the Hadouken (V, #, @, P) to take
out opponents who try to jump in on
4
[i
1
you, and use the Dragon Charge 1 Hadouken 20
(V, *$ ®, P) to rush a close | Dragon Charge E 3 23
opponent who's missed with an attack — 1 Senpyu Kyaku » 19
or is activating a missile attack (the charge — |
will go through the missile). The Midare 1 Best Combos
Zakura(W, 4, >, PP) is her best 1
Super Combo, but use it only when your
opponent leaves an opening.
{Crouching HP, f, LP, LK, MP, HP, Dragon Charge (V, 44, P) | 32 10 hits
1 Crouching LK, Haru-Ichiban (¥, 28, 4, KK) 48 19 hits
! Super Combos
I
1 Shinkuu Hadouken v,
| Haru-Ichiban v,
I Midare Zakura +
1
‘Launcher
Utilize Sakura's Hadouken as an effective air counterattack. Use her VCrouchin HP
Midare Zakura combo only when there is an opening for it. L 3
DARK SAKURA
{Super Moves Dark Sakura |
NAME DAMAGE
| Hadouken ; P
1 Dragon Punch Q9, AP
\Teleport , ¥, 4, PPP or KKK
1 Hurricane Kick ; , K
'Best Combos
ark Sakura plays differently than regu-
lar Sakura, mainly because she has an
effective missile attack to keep opponents
away. Plus, a couple of her Super Combos
do a heck of a lot more damage. Play pret-
ty much the way you would with Sakura,
but use the Hadouken (V, t, >, HP)
to nail opponents at a distance, and try to
connect with the Haru-Ichiban (V, Jè,
Æ, KK) or Midare Zakura (V, &, »,
PP) when you've filled your Super Meter.
Be more careful up close, as Dark
Sakura takes more damage than
regular Sakura.
1
{Crouching HP, W, LK, LK, MP, HP, Dragon Punch (®, ¥, 4, P)
1LP, MP, Shinkuu Hadouken (V, #,@, — PP)
1
1 Super Combos
'Shinkuu Hadouken
1 Haru-Ichiban
l Midare Zakura
1 Shun-Goku-Satsu
[i
i Launcher
I
1 Crouching HP
L
Watch your life bar when playing in close! Dark Sakura takes more
damage than her counterpart.
se ground or air missile attacks to nail oppo-
U from a distance, then jump in and do
some combo damage. If your opponent fires
a missile attack, counter with the Messatsu
Hadouken (V, J, @, PP). Use the same
basic strategy as you would with Ryu, but
concentrate on staying a little farther away,
as Akuma takes more damage than Ryu. Use
his ground and air Messatsu (V, &, >, P)
to keep opponents away, and use Gou Tatsumaki
Senpyuken (V, J, @#, K) when you get up
close. Once you've got Super Levels built up,
use Messatsu Hadouken or Tenma Gou Zankyu
(V, &, ®, PP, air only) when your opponent
drops his/her guard.
Akuma is still an effective air fireball thrower, so use it to your
advantage to keep advancing enemies at bay.
1 Messatsu
! Gou Retsuken
1Gou Tatsumaki Senpyuken
| Demon Blade Kick
1 Teleport
! Best Combos
(air only)
PP or KKK
Jumping MP, crouch HP, LP, MP, ¥, 44, * , PP. 54 17 hits
LP, MP, HP, Gou Tatsumaki Senpyuken (¥, IE, & , K) 40 6 hits
Super Combos
M
essatsu Hadouken ; D 40
Messatsu Gou Shoryuu 5 5 P 35
P (air only | 40
(level 3 only) | 52
l'TenmaGou Zankyu
| Shun-Goku-Satsu
| Launcher
1
1 hing HP
1 Croucl ing
1 Psycho Shot
1 Scissors Kick
1 Psycho Palm
I Head Stomp
i Levitation
\Teleport
{Best Combos
3 Ale difficult character to use, Bison
requires a lot of practice to be mastered.
Use his Scissors Kick (4, A, *, 4,
®, K) while jumping over missile attacks to
take the opponent by surprise. Jump around,
use the Head Stomp (charge V, 4, K, P)
and Psycho Palm (charge ¥, &, P, P)
to keep your opponent on his/her toes,
and Teleport (>, , ‘4, P or K)
to avoid his/her Super Combos. Use
the Psycho Crusher (V, %, *,
PP) whenever you fill your Super
Combo Meter.
HP, W, LK, HP, Scissors Kick (#, I, V, %,®, MK)
LP, crouching HP, Psycho Crusher (9, 4, , PP)
Super Combos
l Psycho Crusher 5
Koen -Kick Nightmare| *,
| Launcher
1
Use Bison's Psycho Crusher whenever you have the energy for it,
especially before landing from a jump to take opponents by surprise.
his is Charlie, from Street Fighter Alpha, after
being corrupted by Bison. He plays pretty
much the same as he did there, with some new
vs. powerhouse moves thrown in for good mea-
sure. Constantly keep the pressure on your
opponent by throwing Sonic Blades (charge @,
V, P), then follow them in to attack your oppo-
nent from the air or the ground. If you want
to play defensively, charge the Flash Kick
(charge ¥, — 4, K) and be ready for jump-
in attacks. By holding Æ on the joypad, you
can charge the Sonic Blade and the Flash
Kick at the same time, simply by completing
the second two motions of whichever move you
want to activate. Use the Blade Slice (&, W,
®, K) for defense while jumping; you can also
use it to hit while jumping in on an opponent.
erage + >, P
charge*, 4,K
4, W, *,K(aironly)
1 SUE Blade
l Flash Kick
1 Blade Slice
!Best Combos
l
{Crouching LK, crouching MK, #, K (Flash Kick)
1 Crouching HP, 4., LP, LK, MP, MK, Blade Slice (4 Wf, %, K)
| Super Combos
16 3hits
33 6hits
4 Shadow Break
I Shadow Justice
| Cross Shadow Blitz
I Final Mission
The Cross Shadow Blitz (V, %, >, KK) is
Shadow's most useful Super Combo—it comes
out quickly, hits from a pretty good distance
and does heavy damage
May 1999
| Launcher
Don't get into a fireball fight using Shadow's Sonic Blades or you'll lose {crating HP.
every time. Instead use them to set up a couple quick-hit combos.
CHUN-LI
T. 1 se her Wall Jump, Triple Air
I Super Moves Jump and Air Dash i5
avoid your opponent's attacks
KES and drop in on him/her
p Vertical Spin when he/she least expects
1 Mini-Kikosho it, then hammer him/her
į Kikoken — with her Head Stomp (9 +
iLigntumg Kicks MK while jumping) or à
1 Head Stomp Jumping Kick comboing into
Usos a Lightning Kick (tap K). If
‘Best Combos
your opponent meets you in
N the air, throw him/her or use a
1 LP, MP, HP, Lightning Kicks (V, 4, >, KK, tap K)
| Jump, Air Dash (®,®), Lightning Kick (tap HK)
MOVE
>» *, AK
+ > y 4 DP
charge 4, *,P
tap K rapidly
* + MK while jumping
VT RP.
PlayStation ‘Magazine! (3)
Lightning Kick to knock him/her down.
! Super Combos
| Lightning Kicks
r Hazan Tenkyo Zaku
*, a pu
> o *, AKI
| Launcher
Chun-Li is a refined character in avoiding enemies' attacks with her
off-the-wall and triple air jumps
hittle your opponent down with the Optic
Blast (W, 4, ®, P), and nail him/her
with Gene Splice (>, , A, P) if he/she
tries to jump in and attack. When you see an
opening, dart in and unleash a combo. Cyclops
can jump again while in the air, so use that
ability to get clear of powerful Super Moves
and Super Combos when jumping toward your
opponent. Use Cyclops’ HP punch to fire quick
blasts, then follow them immediately with an
Optic Blast for maximum harassment. If you
see your foe start to throw a missile attack,
use the Mega Optic Blast (V, à) ®, PP)
to cancel his/her attack and hit him/her for
some heavy damage at the
same time. The closer you
are to your opponent, the
more damage the Mega
Optic Blast will do. It's also
great for nailing someone
after you've blocked an
up-close attack.
Cyclops' optic blasts are the fastest projectiles in the game. Use his
standing HP to set up an unexpected strong Optic Blast.
P
‘Super Moves
1Gadoken ,
I Kouryuken 3
1 Autograph
1 Tornado Kick
1 Rolling Taunt
| Best Combos
[c
E
|o
KOTISSES
1 Optic Blast
| Optic Sweep
1Gene Splice
l Sweep Kick
t Rushing Grab
! Combo Punch
iBest Combos
4944
wees
Cyclops
= DAMA
13
14
24
28
27
33)
E]
LP, LK, MK, Sweep Kick (V, iè, @, K)
LP, HK, Optic Array (>, 4 , 2,4 PP)
34 Shits
50 9 hits
Super Combos
M
v, 4 «=» PP
> A, v, B PP
lega Optic Blast
Optic Array
auncher
joke character who requires an
extreme amount of skill to win
with, Dan doesn't have any strengths,
so you basically have to hope your
»
a
*, a kK
*
>
,selector¥ M «
1 Crouching HP, LP, LK, MP, HP
| HP, Tornado Kick (¥, Jt, 4e, HK)
l
| Super Combos
1
I Kouryuu Gadoken
+,
1 Kouryuu Reppa +,
1 Hissho Murai Ken N
I
! Launcher
P opponent makes mistakes you can
sl? exploit. The Tornado Kick (V, è,
5 *, K) is really his only offensive
EK! weapon, and the Kouryuken (P, ¥,
M4, P) provides some defense against
opponents jumping in. When you've got a
Super Combo level ready to go, use the
Kouryuu Gadoken (¥, s, 9», PP)
after getting close to your opponent. Don't
use the Otoko-Michi (MP, LK, @, LP, LP)
unless your opponent
has only a tiny amount
of life left (less than 20
points) and you're right
on top of him/her, as it
leaves Dan with practi-
cally no life.
l
1Crouching HP
L
ED
a a mal Mu cH MUR RE IPM |.
Avoid using Dan's Otoko-Michi unless your opponent is nearly
defeated and you're in relatively close range.
DHALSIM
rimarily a defensive character, Dhalsim lacks
the combos to be used well offensively.
Hang back and hammer your opponent with his
long-reaching attacks, then nail him/her with a
Yoga Blast (P, *& *, Æ, @, HK) as
he/she tries to jump in on you. If your opponent
is close and throws a missile, use Dhalsim's
Sliding Attack (V + K) to go underneath and
attack. When jumping in, use the Yoga Drill
(V + K) or Yoga Mummy (* + HP). For
Super Combos, use the Yoga Inferno (¥,
*4, >, PP). You can aim it with the joypad
to take out jumping opponents, or just leave
it alone to hit an opponent on the ground
Riemer ent
Dhalsim returns as a defensive fighter. Use his long-range Yoga
Flame not only as a counterattack, but to keep opponents away.
z
1 Super Moves
1 Yoga Fire
1 Yoga Flame
1 Yoga Blast
1 Yoga Mummy
| Yoga Drill
1 Levitation
| Teleport
i Best Combos
Li
4*44*44
| MP, 4, LP, LK, HP
1Yoga Fire ( ¥, 4, >, LP), HK as Yoga Fire hits opponent
! Super Combos
1 Yoga Inferno
1 Yoga Strike
I
! Launcher
et in close and do some damage!
Hulk can ignore single-hit attacks,
allowing him to attack through an oppo-
nent's attack, which makes him hard to
stop once he gets in close. Jumping in on
your opponent works better than dash-
ing, and don't forget you can hit from a
distance with the Ground Wave (¥,
%, >, P) if your opponent tries to keep
out of reach. Once you get in close, start
a combo; your opponent will have to hit
Hulk twice before he/she can stop it. Use
the Spinning Throw (P, 4, ¥, Æ,
Æ, P) when you're right on top of your
opponent. Use the
Gamma Wave Super
Combo (¥, $$) >,
PP) when you've got the
energy for it; if your
opponent is right on top
of you, he/she will take
more damage
Jumping in on your opponent works better than dashing when playing
as Hulk, but you can still attack from a distance with his Ground Wave.
I Super Moves
NAME MOVE
1 Ground Wave *, 4 *P
ISpinning Throw >, 4, 4 B «P (close)
1 Gamma Charge (horiz.)| charge #, ®, K, any direction, K
| Gamma Charge (vert. | charge V, 4, K, any direction, K
iBest Combos
38 3 hits
39 3hits
Jumping HK, LP, HP
VHP, Gamma Charge (charge ¥, #, K)
Super Combos
4 >,PP 66
B, €, PP (aim with @ +>) 40
Gamma Wave *,
Gamma Crush v,
L
aunchers
HK or Crouching HP
r-
--2
Bes of his weak Hadouken (V, 44,
>, P) attacks, Ken can't keep opponents at
a distance as well as Ryu, so he's got no
choice but to get in close and combo. Use
EL
PlayStation [ecazne( 8 ] DEVE
his Shoryuken (P, , 1$) P) to
take out jumpers or to punish an
opponent who misses an attack; it's
got a terrific range, so you can often
surprise opponents with it. For a
Super Combo, use Shoryu Reppa
(V, *à ®, PP) because of
1 Hadouken
| Shoryuken
1 Tatsumaki Senpyu Kyaku
! Best Combos
LP, MP, HP, Shoryu Reppa (V. à, 9, PP)
its reach.
If you can get close enough to an Um with your meter maxed,
use Ken's Shinryuken while tapping K for devastating damage.
z
1 Super Moves
S SMON 3 MES :
1Carbonadium Coil Ww, % >, P (Kin air), tap P or K
| Omega Strike Ww, í, $, K (MP+K to cancel)
1 Coil Slam any direction +P after Coil
1
‘Best Combos
1
ILP, Crouching MP, HP, Omega Strike (V, *&, 9, LK)
I Jumping MK, LK, MK, HK, Omega Strike (V, 4, >, LK)
I
Omega Red
45 4 hits
40 5 hits
i Super Combos
>, PP
9», PP (only while in air)
] Omega Destroyer *, 4
| Carbonadium Smash |, $4
| Launcher
i Super Combos
60
24 hits
|
I Shoryu Reppa
1 Shinryuken
l Shippu-Jinrai-Kyaku
1
1 Launcher
1 Crouching HP
L
1
1
L
B: used at a medium distance from your
opponent, Omega Red has decent reach
with his HP, HK and Super Moves, so take
advantage of this range. Try to hit your
opponent with a Carbonadium Coil
(V, *& >, P,tapP)ifhe/she
misses an attack, or if he/she launch-
es a missile. Once you've grabbed
him/her, his/her missile will pass
through Omega Red harmlessly. Use
the Omega Destroyer (V, 4,
®, PP) when your opponent has left
a clear opening, or he/she will just
Like Dhalsim, Omega Red has excellent attack range but is relatively
Slow and ineffective in close combat.
d a |
Uz the Hadouken (V, 4, ®, P) to keep
an opponent at a distance, then nail
him/her with a Shoryuken (P, ^ *, 4, P)
when he/she tries to jump in. It's an old tac-
tic, but it still works. Once you've got some
Super Levels built up, try to get close and
activate the Shinkuu Hurricane (V, Jè,
**, KK) for maximum damage. If your
opponent launches a missile while
you've got super levels, nail him/her
with the Shinkuu Hadouken (V, — s,
®, PP); it'll cancel the incoming
attack and damage your opponent.
Try to sucker possible fireballers with Ryu's Shinkuu Hadouken Super
Combo. If done right it will nail them before they can recover.
Shuma Gorath ! 1
DAMAGE
>, 4 *, XR 4K 20
charge #, >, P 36
charge, >, K 16
of ®, MK or HK 15
! Super Moves
NAME
1 Devitalization
t Mystic Stare
! Mystic Smash
! l Regeneration
iBest Combos
hep: HK, MK, #, LP, MP, MK
{Jumping HK, crouching LP, crouching HK
| super Combos
Ww, a * KK
BY, 309, PP (3 SC levels), P
|The Spawning
H Chaos Dimension
Launcher
! Super Moves
NAME
1Hadouken 2034, >P
| Shoryuken > €, WP
1Tatsumaki Senpyu Kyaku *, A, @,K
| Best Combos
LP, MP, HP, Hadouken (¥, fà, * , P)
Jumping HK, crouching HP, 3f, LP, MP, Shinkuu Hadouken
1
1
I
I
1
1
1 Super Combos
4 hits
20 hits
| Shinkuu Hadouken |,
4, >, PP
1 Shin Shoryuken >, *, WX PP
1 Shinkuu Hurricane v, B «KK
1
! Launcher
[i
| Crouching HP
huma Gorath is very difficult to use, due to
his poor combo abilities. Concentrate on
hitting your opponent with his long-reaching
attacks, then throwing him/her with
Regeneration (€ or ®, MK or HK) when
he/she gets close. His Mystic Stare is very use-
ful, both for the damage it does and the
combo potential it gives you. Try to hit your
victim with HK as the eyes explode to really
rack up the hits and damage. While charging
a Mystic Stare, if your opponent advances or
jumps, try to hit him/her with a Mystic
Smash (charge 4, >, K). Don't waste your
Super Meter on anything
except the Chaos
Dimension, and try to
activate it when right
next to your opponent to
ensure you can catch
him/her.
While charging up Shuma Gorath's Mystic Stare, if your enemy
advances or jumps, try to nail him/her with a Mystic Smash instead.
WOLVERINE
est used
up close,
7 Wolverine has the
speed to get on top
of any opponent who tries to keep
him at a distance. Jump in or dash
toward your opponent when you see
an opening. Try to tack a Berserker
Barrage (V, 4, ®, P, tap P) or
Tornado Claw (f, ¥,
4, P) onto the end of
any string of moves you
get going. Above all else,
keep attacking!
Wolverine has some of the easiest Air Rave combos in the game.
Launch your foe with HK, then jump and hit LP, LK, MP, MK and HP.
I Super Moves
NAME E
* *,P(tapP)
> v «P
MP+LK+any direction
3 - HK while in air
I Berserker Barrage
l Tornado Claw
1 Drill Claw
I Head Stomp
iBest Combos
H
Wolverine i !
DAMAGE
28
22
21
8
Lp, MP, crouching HP, Berserker Barrage, Berserker Barrage X
THK 4. LP, LK, MP, MK, HP
! Super Combos
69 26 hits
25 6 hits
1
1 Weapon X
i Fatal Claw
1 Berserker Rage
! ! Berserker Barrage X
! Launcher
i I Standing HK
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
F
1
1
1
1
i
Tricks of the Trade
Our support resource for cheaters
May 1999
orca Us ET... (8)
Cool Codes
On the Title Screen when “Press Start” is flashing,
press and hold the Select button and press the
following buttons in this order for the results
as shown:
Unlock Classic Asteroids - Circle, Circle, Circle,
Triangle, Square, Square, Circle
Unlock the Fourth Ship - Triangle, Circle, Circle,
Triangle, Square, Circle, Square
Level Select - Square, Triangle, Circle, Triangle,
Triangle, Square, Circle. Once you are in a game,
you can change levels and zones and turn the colli-
sion off by simultaneously pressing Select+Start.
Then choose the option you want and press L1 to
activate that cheat.
Classic Asteroids Codes
The following codes will work once you pause in
the middle of the classic Asteroids game.
Add One Life - Up, Down, Left, Right, Circle,
Square, X, Triangle
99 Lives - Up, X, Down, Triangle, Left, Square,
Right, Circle
Invincibility - Down, Down, Up, Up, Circle, Square,
Triangle, Triangle
Secret Moves
Perform these moves in order during your dancer's
“solo” to score big points.
HEAT:
Up, Down, Up, Circle
Down, Up, Down, X
Right, Left, Right, Circle
Down, Up, Down, Circle
FRIDA:
Up, Down, Up, Circle
Right, Left, Right, X
Down, Left, Up, Circle
Up, Right, Down, X
STRIKE SIM:
Up, Up, Left, Circle
Left, Left, Right, Circle
Right, Left, Left, Up, Circle
Left, Up, Down, Right, X
HAMM & BURGER DOG:
Down, Right, Up, Circle
Up, Left, Down, X
Up, Right, Up, Circle
Down, Left, Down, Circle
KELLY:
Right, Left, Right, Circle
Right, Left, Left, Circle
Left, Right, Left, X
Left, Up, Right, Circle
SHORTY & COLUMBO:
Down, Down, Down, Circle
Left, Right, Up, X
Up, Up, Down, X
Up, Down, Left, Right, Circle
Debug Mode and Invincibility
Debug Mode
Press Start to pause the game, then hold L2 or
R2 and press Left, Up, Up, Triangle, Right,
Square, Left, Triangle, Up, Down, Right, Right.
Then press X for the Debug Menu to appear.
You can choose many options, including your
starting level!
Many Cool Codes
Press Start to pause the game in the mid-
dle of play and enter these codes for the
results shown:
Fill Health
Left, Right, Left, Right, Square
Fill Mana
Left, Right, Left, Right, Circle
Invincibility
Press Start to pause the game, then hold L2 or R2
and press Right, Right, Left, Triangle, X, Up, Circle,
Left. Akuji will be invulnerable to all hits.
When the invincibility code has been
entered, Akuji will be unstoppable.
Fill Ammo
Left, Right, Up, Down, Circle, Square
Power-Up Weapons
R1, L1, R2, L2, Left, Right, Up, Down
Raise Abilities
Square, Circle, Triangle, Select, Left
Fill Experience
Circle, Square, L1, L2, R1, Select
Turn Off Monster Energy
Triangle, Square, Circle, Triangle, Circle
50 Lives
Triangle, Up, Circle, Right, Select, Square
Raise Level for Each Spell
Down, Triangle, Select, L1, R1, Select
Enter a variety of codes, including Fill
Ammo, to enhance the game while
playing O.D.T.
Do you have a trick that you, and only you, know? Don't hold back—write us at:
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
P.O. Box 3338
Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
Sorry, we cannot respond to individual
letters asking for codes or tricks.
Many Cheats and Hidden
Characters:
The following tricks are to be done during
the. Character Loading Screen and can be
done in the Versus and Practice Modes only.
Big Head - Hold the Select button during
loading.
Super Deformed - Hold the Select, Down
and X keys during loading.
Tiny Mode - Hold Select, Down, X and R2
buttons during loading.
The following characters or arena select fea-
tures can only.be unlocked if “Player Change
at Continue" in the Options Menu is set to
"No," which is the default setting.
Unlock Darth Vader - Play through Arcade
Mode with Luke Skywalker on “Standard” or
“Jedi” difficulty.
Unlock Stormtrooper - Play through Arcade
Mode with Han Solo on “Standard” or “Jedi.”
Unlock Jodo Kast - Play through and
win against seven or more characters in
“Survival Mode.”
Unlock Slave Leia - Play through Arcade
Mode with Princess Leia on “Jedi” difficulty.
Unlock Mara Jade - Hold the L1, L2 and R1
buttons às you enter Team Mode on "Jedi"
difficulty. After the computer selects the
characters, you will see “Battle for Mara
Jade." Win and she will be released.
Unlock the Ability to Select Arenas ~
(Practice and Arcade only) Play through
Arcade Mode with Chewbacca on
"Standard" or "Jedi" difficulty.
Chapter Cheat
In order to access all the chapters in the game
7. just go into Options.and then into the Password
Screen and enter this password: X, Square, X,
X, X, Triangle. Then when you go into the
Chapter Select Screen you will be able to select
all the chapters in the game, including the
finale! Choose your chapter and begin playing!
Cheat.Menu and Level Passwords
In order to access the Cheat Menu, begin your: `~,
game. During play, enter the code: Left, Circle;
X, Right, Circle, X, Down, Circle, X. If-done cor-
rectly, the Cheat Menu should appear. Now,
select the options you wish to use in.your game
by turning them green. For Level Skip, select the
Game Won Option and then exit the menu and
pause within the game. A new menu should
appear with the option to advance to your Next
Mission. The Level Passcodes are as follows:
Level 2- Y785T75183; Level 3- 3WKKVMKHWZ;
Level 4- 9WJHBLCNOO; Level 5- 8XKGBKDPZ1;
Level 6- 7YBKBJFL22; Level 7- Y7C4L70193;
Level 8- X8D3L6R2C4; Level 9- W9F635SZB5;
Level 10- VIQ534TOF6; Level 11- NVHL4LFQIR;
Level 12- MYGMIKBR2S; Level 13- LXFN4JCSZT;
Level 14- 205F6HJTOV
t, Up, Down, Circle
Up, Left, Right, X
Left, Left, Down, Circle
Right, Right, Up, X
PINKY:
Up, Left, Up, Circle
Right, Left, Down, Circle
Up, Down, Right, X
Left, Right, Down, X
GAS-O:
Left, Down, Right, Up, Circle
Up, Left, Down, Right, X
Right, Down, Left, Up, X
Down, Right, Up, Left, Circle
KITTY-N:
Down, Down, Right, Circle
Up, Right, Right, Up, X
Right, Up, Left, Down, X
Left, Right, Up, Left, Down, Circle
CAPOEIRA:
Right, Up, Right, X
Left, Down, Left, Up, X
Right, Up, Right, Left, Circle
Down, Up, Left, Down, Circle.
ROBO-Z:
Up, Down, Left, Right, Circle
Up, Left, Down, Right, X
Down, Up, Down, Up, Circle
Down, Down, Right, Left, Left, Circle
Bust-A-Move 4
Another World
You'll get an entirely new set of levels when you
enter this code. At the Title Screen, press
Triangle, Left, Right, Left, Triangle. You will hear a
sound and see a little green spinning icon in the
lower-right corner of the screen to confirm that it
worked. From the Game Menu, choose Puzzle
and then pick Arcade. Choose your difficulty level
and then you'll be able to play a plethora of
new stages!
Colony Wars: Vengeance
Password Cheats
Here are some password cheats for CW:V (all are
case-sensitive):
Invincibility: Vampire
All weapons: Tornado
Primary weapons available: Dark Angel
Infinite secondary weapons: Chimera
Infinite afterburners: Avalanche
Infinite money: Hydra
All ships: Thunderchild
FMV and mission select: Demon
All missions, all ships, infinite
secondary weapons, etc.: Blizzard
Disable Cheats: Stormlord
Contender
Main Event Characters in
Two-Player Mode
Start a new boxer in thé Main Event. Pick one of
the boxers and immediately save him to your
memory card. Exit, then repeat with another char-
acter. When you have saved each boxer start a
two-player match. At the Character Select Screen
Our support resource for cheaters
Official U.S. GEMS EMT [sn ( 2) May 1999
press Square to pick one of the other boxers from
your memory card.
Free Apples
When you are playing a level that has the rock-
throwing monkeys, after you have destroyed the
vases that they occupy you can jump on the
monkeys and get free apples.
Hidden Characters
These characters can be used in any mode of
the game.
For Armored Spider-Man:
Highlight Spider-Man, hold Select and press any
button.
For Dark Sakura:
Highlight Hulk, hold Select and press
any button.
For Mephisto:
Highlight Omega Red, hold Select and press any
button.
For Shadow:
Highlight Dhalsim, hold Select and press
any button.
For Dark Zangief:
Highlight Blackheart, hold Select and press any
button.
For U.S. Agent:
Highlight M.Bison, hold Select and press
any button.
Cool Cycle Codes
Faster Bikes:
Press Up (3x), Right, Left, Triangle, X at the Main
Menu.
Higher Jumps:
Press Left (2x), Up (2x), Right (2x), Down (2x),
Square, Triangle, X at the Main Menu.
Other Racers Limited to 50 km/h:
Press Circle, Square, Right, Left, L1, R1, X at the
Main Menu.
Blitz Cheats
These codes worked on the arcade, and now they
also work for the PlayStation version! Enter the fol-
lowing codes during the Vs. Screen. Some codes
may not work in one-player games and some two-
player codes may require both players to enter
the code.
For No CPU Assist press: Jump (1x), Pass (2x) and
pad Down. (Note: Only works in Two-player Mode.)
To Show More Field press: Jump (2x), Pass (1x)
Tricks of the Trade
View Arenas
Enter these passwords to do a "flyby" of the
following stadiums:
ANA: Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (Anaheim)
BOS: FleetCenter (Boston)
BUF: Marine Midland Arena (Buffalo)
CGY: Canadian Airlines Saddledome (Calgary)
CAR: Greensboro Coliseum (Carolina)
CHI: United Center (Chicago)
COL: McNichols Sports Arena (Colorado)
DAL: Reunion Arena (Dallas)
DET: Joe Louis Arena (Detroit)
EDM: Edmonton Coliseum (Edmonton)
Gane st OP
ott
E Sp
contro!
Password
to Advance
SELECT
FLO: Miami Arena (Florida)
LOS: Great Western Forum (Los Angeles)
MON: Molson Center (Montreal)
NAS or NSH: Nashville Arena (Nashville)
NYI; Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
(New York Islanders)
NYR: Madison Square Garden (New York
Rangers)
OTT: Corel Center (Ottawa)
PHI: CoreState Center (Philadelphia)
PHO: America West Arena (Phoenix)
PIT: Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)
STL: Kiel Center (St. Louis)
TOR: Maple Leaf Gardens (Toronto)
VAN: GM Place (Vancouver)
WAS: MCI Center (Washington)
and pad Right.
For Fog On press: Jump (3x) and pad Down.
For Fast Turbo Running press: Jump (3x), Pass (2x)
and pad Left.
For Huge Head press: Jump (4x) and pad Up
For Thick Fog press: Jump (4x), Pass (1x) and pad
Down.
For Super Blitzing press: Jump (4x), Pass (5x) and
pad Up.
For Big Ball press: Jump (5x) and pad Right.
To Hide Receiver Name press: Turbo (1x), Pass
(2x) and pad Right.
For Tournament Mode press: Turbo (1x), Jump
(1x), Pass (1x) and pad Down.
For Random Play Choice press: Turbo (1x), Jump
(1x), Pass (Sx) and pad Left.
For Super Field Goals press: Turbo (1x), Jump (2x),
Pass (3x) and pad Left.
For Big Players press: Turbo (1x), Jump (4x), Pass
(1x) and pad Right.
Invincibility and Level Select
Invincibility
Pause the game at any time and press L2, R2, L2 3
times, R2 3 times, then Circle, Triangle, Square,
Circle, Triangle and Square. Listen for a chime to
verify that you entered the code correctly. When you
unpause, you'll now be a skeleton with infinite lives,
energy, smoke bombs, magic potions and full scroll
power! To revert back to a ninja, simply pause and
re-enter the code. However, when you do, you'll get
to keep all the maxed-out items you got when you
were the skeleton!
Level Select
Remove your memory card and turn on the
PlayStation. When the screen says “Checking
Memory Card” quickly press L2, L2, L2, R2, R2, R2.
The words “DELS LEVEL CHEAT ON” will briefly
appear. Start a new game and you'll access the
Level Select menu.
Cool Codes
Level Select:
At the main menu hold R1, then press Down, Up,
Left, Right, Triangle, Square, Circle, Triangle,
Square, Circle, Down, Up, Left, Right.
View all FMVs:
At the main menu hold R1, then press Up, Down,
Left, Right, Square, Circle, Triangle, Circle, Square,
Circle, Up, Down, Left, Right.
Invincibility:
While playing a game, hold R1, then press Circle,
Triangle, Square, X, Down, Down, Down, Circle,
Triangle, Square, X.
Game Cheats
Level Select:
Highlight either the "R-Type" or "R-Type II" option
at the Title Screen. Quickly press L2 (10x), R2 (10x).
Begin gameplay and press Start to access the Stage
Select and FMV sequences within the Menu options.
Choose your stage and then press X to begin
Slow Down Ship:
Pause game, hold L2 and press Right, Up, Right, Up,
Down, Left, Down, Left, X.
Speed Up Ship:
Pause game, hold L2 and press Right, Up, Right, Up,
Down, Left, Down, Left, Circle.
Cheat Codes
To make any of these cheats work, you must first
enter the Enable Cheats code while in the middle of
a game. Then put in one of the other codes as
shown:
Enable Cheats:
Press L1+R1+R2+Select at same time when you first
start the level
Invulnerable:
Press L1+R1 at same time, then press Up, Down,
Left, Right
Hornet's Nest:
While stingers are selected, press
Triangle+L2+L1+R1+Left. Hold these buttons until
you see the text confirmation that it worked
a bi-
0 ango, a
lotsa top mang
price of $24
Babbages.
Can’t find
Blow Up Earth:
Lay an upgraded lob bomb in the back corner within
100 feet of the UFO wreck. Transport up to the
moon, then detonate the bomb. Debris from Earth
will pummel the moon. Eventually you'll be in
weightlessness. It ruins the game, but it's fun!
Incredible Cheats
In the middle of the game, without pausing enter
any of these cheats as shown:
All Weapons: L2, R2, R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, R2,
R2, L2, R2, R2, L2, L2, R2, L2, L2, R2. You will hear a
scream.
Fill Energy: R2, R2, L2, R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, L2, L2,
R2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, L2. You will hear
Lara grunt.
Level Skip: L2, R2, L2, L2, R2, L2, R2, L2, R2, L2, L2,
L2, L2, R2, L2, R2, R2, R2, R2, L2. Lara says "No."
All Secrets (access All Hallows): L2, L2, L2, L2, L2,
R2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, R2, L2, L2, R2, L2, L2, R2, L2,
L2. Lara will sigh
Get Race Key at Laura's House: R2, L2, L2, L2, R2,
12, L2, L2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2, L2, L2, L2, L2, R2, L2,
L2. Laura says, "No."
PETSA UI ay er S
f.e.a.r.
adgets, electronics, arts and recreation
: a
Build Your Own
Since it's not likely we'll ever pilot an X-Wing Fighter,
we figured the next best thing would be to actually
build one. That'll soon become possible, thanks to
these Lego Star Wars kits. Here's a sneak peek at
the five Star Wars Classic construction sets, which
range from the 47-piece Landspeeder ($5.99) to the
407-piece TIE Fighter and Y-Wing set ($49.99). Lego
will also be releasing eight Episode I sets around the
same time the movie comes out. There are no plans
yet for a Death Star kit, but that's surely high on
everyone's wish lists.
May 1999
Lego (prices vary, depending on the set)
Tatooine Two
Who are Muftak and Kabe? Well, other than
being a pair of thieves who made an appearance
in the first Star Wars film, they're also nifty
action figures that you can't find anywhere in
stores. Head over to STARWARS.HASBRO.COM and be
the first one on your block to own a set of these
Internet-exclusive toys.
Official US. PlayStation tagazire( 2)
Hasbro $13.99
56 No question, this should be in your home
4G Recommended, very cool
36 Pretty good, check it out
26 Below average
16 Very lame
Muttering
Mace
Remember when the only way to get your
action figures to talk was by pulling a
string in the middle of their backs? Well,
Hasbro will be introducing in May a line of
Episode I toys with a COMMTech chip
built in to their stands. The chip will allow
the figures to recognize and interact with
each other and even re-enact scenes from
Phantom Menace. Set these figures atop a
COMMTech Reader (pictured at left, with
Mace Windu on top) and listen as they
jabber away.
Small Star
Nobody would ever accuse Battle Droids
of being cute—at least not until they see
the 3 millimeter figures packed in with
this Star Wars Episode I Gian Speeder &
Theed Palace action set. Along with the
diminutive droids are Capt. Panaka and a
Naboo Foot Soldier, plus a Gian Speeder
with missiles that actually fire.
Hasbro (price TBA)
Galoob approx. $20
Flashers
These may not be the best Star Wars
figures out there, but they certainly
satisfy some of our appetite for any
Episode I product—at least until the
flurry of new stuff is unleashed. Each
Power of the Force figure comes with a FlashBack
Photo card showing an "after/before" image, like /
the two faces of C-3PO, shown on the right.
Hasbro $6.99
and recreation
with Color
Picking the best PlayStation controller
just got a bit tougher. While most would
give the nod to Sony's Dual Shock, gamers
now can choose among four different Colored
Dual Shocks in addition to the standard gray
one. Our current fave is the clear controller,
which offers an unfiltered glimpse into the inner
workings of the Dual Shock mechanism. And
there's nothing more colorful than watching
technology in action.
Sony $29.99
April 1999
Crash Minigame
Hey, check this out: One of the world's most pop-
Wlar video game characters is now starring in his I'll show you a
own...handheld video game. With scrolling dot colored dual shock!
matrix graphics, the ability to connect two sys-
tems for mutiplayer action, and a link cable to
upload high scores and download codes from a
dedicated Web site, the Crash Bandicoot 99X
game offers more depth than the standard
single-title handheld—but that's countered
by its relatively high price.
Official U:S CERE Mey itagazine( 2)
Tiger $29.99
zow GAMER
Formerly EGM? :
Essential Playing
he Your
What Is Expert Gamer?
e 1,0005 of tricks and
codes for all systems!
9 Incredibly detailed
Maps reveal every
secret and item!
e Playing Tips and
Strategies from the
experts themselves.
© Features on special
Controllers and
Peripherals.
FE DAVIS,
Apri s
AÍSQ: Vigilante 8 N64 « Tai Fu © NHL Blades of Steel © NBA In the Zone ‘99
NEED EXTRA CHEATS & CODES?
e Expert Gamer's Codebook Vol.2
On Sale Now! &
Demo Disc
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a playable demo is worth a million
Ehrgeiz
€ kick
@ Projectile Weapon
(8) Ja
(^) Punch
Jump
Jump
GD Block
(3 Block
Grasping Attacks
To reach out and grab your
opponent (assuming he is within
range), tap both high and low
attacks while guarding. Once you
are holding him, what comes
next is up to you. You can do
nothing, which will execute one
of several different throws; tap H
or L repeatedly for a series of
beatings; or (our personal
favorite) push the D-pad in the
direction of the closest wall or
object to slam your opponent
into it. Ooof! If you grapple your
opponent as you are running at
him (G+H+L while running),
you can hold him down and dish
out some serious hurt with mul-
tiple H or L attacks, then toss
him over. There are also different
throws depending on where you
grab your opponent (like from
behind), so try 'em all.
Players
Availability
Analog Compatible Yes
1-2 Developer DreamFactory
May Publisher Square EA
Genre Fighting
A free-roaming 60fps silky-smooth all-out brawl from
the same people who brought you Tobal No. 1 and 2.
For the demo you can try out the
standard fighting mode alone
(against three computer oppo-
nents) or with two players, with
only one playable character avail-
able for either—Godhand.
Eight main characters and six
secret characters (including
Sephiroth, Yuffie, Tifa and Vincent
from Final Fantasy VII), minigames galore (Othello-like
puzzle game, several track-and-field style footraces),
and an extensive action/RPG-esque Quest Mode, com-
plete with a town, swords, shields, monsters, bosses and
a randomly generated dungeon to explore.
Moves List
(NOTE: Since there are several different controller
setups and you can configure your own,
we won't refer to specific buttons but instead
igh attack, L=Low Attack, G=Guard,
=Special Attack.)
EXPANDED CONTROLS:
Roll: twice in any direction while guarding
Strong Upper Attack: G+H
Strong Lower Attack: L+H
Triangle Jump: H while running toward
a wall
Blade Catch: G as opponent attacks with sword
Body Press: H+L when standing on a level above
opponent
GETTING UP AFTER BEING KNOCKED DOWN:
Get Straight Up: G
Roll: D-pad
Jump Rise: G+S
Rotational Kick: H+L (opponent is near
character's legs)
Head Spring: H+L (opponent is near
character’s head)
There is a lot more to Ehrgeiz than first meets the eye.
This is no ordinary fighting game, so don't treat it like
one. Run and jump around the environ-
ment a bit. Get a feel for blocking and
long-range fighting via the Special
Weapon attack. Once you get used to
the controls you can really pull off
some amazing-looking combos, so be
patient and practice. Check out our
moves lists and keep a close eye on
the action—when characters turn blue
it means their back is turned to their
opponent and they can't defend.
On the other hand, when characters
turn red they are powered up and their attacks cannot
be blocked.
"Probably the best-looking fighter for the PlayStation,
and all the extra modes in the final version are great
(especially the Quest Mode), but the Special Weapons are
too powerful!"
Godhand knocks
the hero of Final
Fantasy VII off the
top floor of the air-
ship level. Sephiroth,
eat your heart out.
NATIONALITY: Japanese
OCCUPATION: Ex-mercenary; president
of Mishima Construction Co.
SPECIAL MOVES:
One-Two-Three Kick: H, H, H
Rising Uppercut: H--L
Arm Gun: $
Triple Arm Gun: Hold down $
Grenade Toss: $ while jumping
Mach Punch: H, L, H, H, H, H, H, H,
H, H, H
Shoulder Tackle: H+L while
running
e Jump
e Tongue Lash
(8) Tail whip
[^ First-Person View
Rotate Camera Left
Random Gesture
Rotate Camera Right
Duck
Look for the spinning magni-
fying glasses and tail whip
them to shrink down for mini
(literally) game fun.
BUBBLE BUSTER: Break five
bubbles while avoiding the
nasty fishies. Make sure you
have enough air when you
hit the last one—it continues
to run out while the camera
pans to show you your prize.
POOL HUSTLER: Atop the
pool table on the second
floor, eight pool balls stand
between you and another
coin (and don't fall into any
pockets, either!)
FLEA FLICKER: Nail all 10
fleas off the bear's head and
grab the coin before time
runs out. Look for three on
his nose, three on top of his
head, and two by either ear.
Demo Disc
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a playable demo is worth a million
Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko
PlayStation
Players
Availabi
Analog Compatible Yes Genre
1 Developer Crystal Dynamics
Now Publisher Eidos
Action
lity
What is it?
The latest in the Gex series of action/platformers.
For the third installment, Gex once again travels
through a series of TV classics and clichés, all to
save his sidekick Miss Adventures from the evil Rez.
The demo level is "Clueless in Seattle," with Gex
taking on the persona of Sherlock Holmes.
What to expect in the full game:
More than 25 different costumes for Gex (only two
are in this demo), more minigames, Baywatch babe
Marliece Andrada helping you out, vehicles and
other things you control like tanks and crocodiles,
and over 1,000 of Gex's trademark wisecracks.
Our advice:
Gex isn't one of those games you just tear through
once and never go back to. There's a lot to be done
in any one
level—including
getting all 100
flies, minigames,
secrets and
more. First, just
walk around to
get the controls
and basic layout
Use this map to find all the
secrets and minigames on
this level. The one part that
will probably give you the
most trouble is the hedge
maze—just get in, find the
statue there, and get out.
Remember to hit the statue
heads to open new locations
and the secret room, and
use Dracugex's gliding
power to get all three of the
blood tanks.
LEGEND:
y Blood Tan
= Minigame
To become Dracugex, knock over the statue in the hedge
maze and a secret room will open back in the main section
of the house (see map). Flip the switch here and you are
transformed into Dracugex!
Now you can glide using your
cape (jump and hold the but-
ton) and make it to that paw
coin in the first room within
the five seconds. (OK, it’s pos-
sible without being Dracugex,
but it’s much harder.)
of the level; then go back and pick an objective and
try to complete it. After you do everything you can
on your own, there are a few hidden rooms and
secrets (see sidebar) that you should make sure you
don't miss.
Did you try: Hitting everything—and we mean
everything—with your tail? Anything you see that
stands out (TVs, paintings, etc.), smack it. You may
just uncover a secret.
What the hell is the English hunter saying?
“Hold still.”
OPM psychic sez:
“See the review on page 79 and you tell me!”
k
= Statue Head
| = Secret Room
Demo Disc
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a playable demo is worth a million
PlayStation
Players
Legend of Legaia
Availability
Analog Compatible
1 Developer Contrail
Now Publisher SCEA
Yes Genre RPG
e Action
A small taste of Sony's giant new RPG from the same
e Cancel ys i
people who brought you Wild Arms. The story begins
@ Not Used in the small village of Rim Elm, as a young hunter
Menu named Vahn is prepar-
ing to embark on his
first trip outside the
village walls.
Map (when outside)
E Cancel
Dash (w/direction)
Not used
Enough towns, dun-
geons and countryside
to fill a huge (roughly
60-hour long) quest, lots of great minigames
(dancing, slot machines, fishing), 20 special
Hyper Arts attacks per character, awesome
spells and more
The Legaia demo is pretty straightfor-
ward, but here's a tiny walk-through for
our less patient readers. 1) Talk to and
train with Tetsu on the beach. 2) Go
home and meet Mei, then leave your house.
3) After the
cinema, head
back home
and talk to
Val to sleep.
4) Another
cinema and
your first real
combat. Now
head to the
Genesis Tree
in the center of town. 5) Wander around to fight ene-
mies. (You can also open the chest in the cave now for
the Wind Book and check out the lady at the shop
above your house for some weapons.) 6) When you've
had enough fighting, return home and talk to Val again
for a nice closing cinema and the end of the demo.
By the way, if you needed a walk-through just for
this tiny section of Legaia, you're definitely going to
need our full walk-through in this issue for the real
game...you wuss.
"Graphics are a little rough and combat takes too much
time, but a solid, quality RPG that fans shouldn't miss"
Players 1 Developer JVC
Contender Availability Now Publisher SCEA
Analog Compatible Yes Genre Sports
Lower Level Punch
e
e
e
e
May 1999
Sony's entry to the (finally) emerging PlayStation boxing
genre. The demo is one-player only and just one round
long, but you can choose between two different fighters.
Upper Level Punch
Guard Lower Level
Guard Upper Level
Clockwise Sway
Counterclockwise Sway
Special Punch
EB Special Punch
Checking out all the
cool replay modes?
You can slow the fight
down (even make it go
backward), speed it
up, freeze frame and
more—all from any
camera angle you like.
Also don't miss all four
of each fighter's lame
taunts (hold Select and
hit any button).
Official U.S PlayStation Magazine( 3)
LESTER YOUNG
EX
+ 190lbs.
Uy
“the animal”
“old nickname: í
NT attribute:
"nipples?
"fast
ang
Well, a two-player mode and 12-round fights, obviously.
But also the chance to build your own boxer to fight
against friends, and special punches you learn as the
game goes on.
First of all, pick Lester if you want to win.
He's faster than Marvin, but they're exactly the same in
all other attributes. Then if you play the demo enough
that you want a bigger challenge, switch to Marvin.
Tap your buttons
frantically to get up
before the count
reaches 10.
vs. MARVIN WOODS
SI..
249lbs.
Demo Disc
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a playable demo is worth a million
PlayStation
1-2 989 Studios
April 989 Studios
No Racing
A hell of a lot better looking than 2Xtreme, for
one thing. The new all-polys-all-the-time engine brings this
extreme gaming festival out of the Stone Age graphically. But
then, having read the preview on page 44, you knew that
already, didn't you?
Because extreme
gamers break the rules, including the rules of spelling.
"While I'm not a big fan of the
extreme games (not enough Surge, snowboarding off build-
ings or cliff diving, I guess), the movie is all gameplay. Scenes
with biking, skating and "blading give you an idea of the
game's variety and what the courses are like. Thumbs up."
1-2 Leaping Lizard
April Hasbro Int.
Yes Action
Yet another 3D update of a classic arcade game.
This one comes with a free-roaming 3D shooter interpretation
as well as a polygonal presentation of the original
Well, about a gazillion of you picked
up Frogger when it was first released, so the market for
updated nostalgia is a thriving one. Why, we're not quite sure.
"I still have my doubts about the
game itself (the Frogger remake may still be selling well, but
the game is a disaster as far as I'm concerned), but the movie
here is solid. Some FMV starts things off and a lot of in-game
footage shows you what the game will be like, both the classic
mode and the new stuff. Thumbs up."
1 Reflections
July GT Interactive
Yes Action
Full-throttle cops-and-robbers car-chase action.
Check out the preview on page 42 for more info.
This one comes with
extremely limited violence (severe car damage is the worst of
it) and a slightly (in our opinion, very slightly) less sinister
theme: You're actually an undercover cop, only posing as an
evil gangster in order to bring down a crime ring. Seems a lit-
tle thin, guys, but it just might work.
"Man, does this game look sweet.
The movie loses points for showing only replays, but the real
game engine actually looks identical. Great car-chase action.
All that's missing is some wah-wah guitar funk. Thumbs up."
1 Psygnosis
May Psygnosis
Yes Action
The sequel to Psygnosis' excellent but oft-over-
looked sci-fi action flight sim.
The original G-Police was a nicely
atmospheric game with a great flight engine and a well-devel-
oped story; this looks to be every bit as good. Expect lots of
nicely rendered cinemas, as well.
"The movie is a bit blurry and dark,
but there's a lot of action going on and you get a good idea of
what the game itself will be like. Big explosions (always a
plus), lasers a-flying, and all sorts of futuristic sci-fi vehicles
fighting it out in an immense futuristic city. How could you go
wrong? Thumbs up."
1-2 Blam!
Q2 '99 Midway
Yes Action
might just be put off by Legends' complexity.
"As much fun as it is to see the
demon play patty-cake with some wizard's body, what the hell
does it have to do with the game? I've played the arcade ver-
sion quite a bit and I still have no idea. Without game footage
the FMV doesn't give you any idea of what Legends is about.
Yet another 3D update of a classic arcade game.
Legends adds to the Gauntlet formula huge, complex levels, a
character level-up system and lots of power-ups.
Well, we've played the arcade
version of Legends, and as far as we can tell, it depends on
whether you were a fan of the original. Part of the attraction
Sony Computer Entertainment America
(SCEA) warrants to the original purchaser of
the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine that the
demo disc included is free from defects in
material and workmanship for a period of
ninety (90) days from the date of purchase.
SCEA agrees for a period of ninety (90) days
to either repair or replace, at its option, the
SCEA product. You must call 1-800-345-SONY
to receive instructions to obtain
repair/replacement ser
Tri waranty shall not be apoticable and shall
arisen through abus
treatment, neglect or breakage during ship-
ment. THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL
OTHER WARRANTIES AND NO OTHER REPRE-
SENTATIONS OR CLAIMS OF ANY NATURE
SHALL BE BINDING ON OR OBLIGATE SCEA.
of the original Gauntlet was its simplicity; fans of the classic
ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES APPLICABLE TO
THIS SOFTWARE PRODUCT, INCLUDING
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND.
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE
LIMITED TO THE NINETY (90) DAY PERIOD
DESCRIBED ABOVE. IN NO EVENT WILL SCEA
BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSE-
QUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM
POSSESSION, USE OR MALFUNCTION OF
THE SCEA SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
Some states do not allow limitations as to how
lona an implied warranty lasts and/or exclu-
sions or limitations of consequential damages,
so the above limitations and/or exclusions of
liability may not apply to you. This warranty
gives you specific legal rights, and you may
also have other rights which vary from state to
state.
Color me unimpressed. Thumbs down.”
DEMO DISC
PRODUCERS
Jon Manahan
Gary Barth
Perry Rodgers
PRODUCT MANAGER
Shelley Ashitomi
EXEC! PRODUCER
Andrew House
AUDIO
Buzz Burrowes
MUSIC COMPOSITION
Nathan Brenholdt
TEST MANAGER
Mark Pentek
LEAD TESTERS
Ben Briones
Kenneth Chan
Charles DeLay
PROGRAMMING AND
INTERFACE ARTWORK BY
LIFELIKE PRODUCTIONS,
INC.
LEAD PROGRAMMER
Alex Peck.
3D ARTIST
Sonia Ivonett
PRESIDENT
Katherine Williams
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Tim Edwards
CD INTRODUCTION BY
CINEMA DIGITAL
IMAGING, INC.
PRESIDENT
Dave Fisher
ANIMATOR
Kurt Rauer
CG MODELLERS
Chris Burnbaum
Matt Eskew
EDITO!
Ryan Ramirez
SPECIAL THANKS
Karen Borowick
David Greenspan
Kerry Hopkins
Ninalei Morrison
Michelle Manahan
Riley R. Russell
OPM Demo Disc is
published monthly
by Sony Computer
Entertainment America
Inc., 919 E. Hillsdale Drive,
Foster City, CA 94404. All
titles shown herein are
trademarks of and copy-
rights of their respective
publishers and/or their
licensors.
See individual screens
for details. 91999 Sony
Computer
Entertainment
America Inc.
Please submit all
related demo disc
inquiries to: OPM Demo
Disc, Inquiries, 919 E.
Hillsdale Drive, Foster
City, CA 94404
Next Month Advertiser Index
A look ahead at our next issue Official
U.S. EJ
PlayStation
Magazine
Action World ............e. eee 11
IASG:GaMes? ares A ise ced 48-49
On sale May 18
UmJammer A — : CAREM erea epe rers 40-41
Lammy! = : |
Next issue check out our review of the latest d > ES E 5 Crave Entertainment
retro-game, Centipede, in addition to Rampage £ ; [
Universal Tour, Baseball 2000, MLB 2000, Big Bass
with Blue Marlin and Monaco Grand Prix i -
We'll also have previews of Xena Warrior Princess, fc GAS Eldos 2. 12-13, 54-55, 70-71, 124!
Jet Moto 3 and the sequel to PaRappa the Rapper, A zi Xp FE
UmJammer Lammy!
Plus, we'll get you through Gex 3: Deep Cover
Gecko with our complete walk-through Electronic Arts «esee eee 45
Check Out Our Next Demo Disc! GT Interactive Ent ........ esse 7
PLAYABLES
Bust-A-Move 4, R4: Ridge Racer Type 4,
NFL Blitz, Abe's Exoddus, Elmo's Letter Infógrames.. 5. scirent 19
Adventure
NON-PLAYABLE
Jade Cocoon, Tony Hawk Skateboarding, Bloody :
Roar 2, Star Ocean, MLB 2000 Interact Accessories ........... 8-9
On sale June '99
Jal8Qos SS VV e reu RI T rie 27
We'll blow out Gran Turismo 2 in
a 10-page feature. With over
400 cars and many more V
| tracks, we'll have plenty to gg Konan ases 1 os rated ie 31, 45
talk to about. Also, look
for a review of 989
Sports' MLB 2000. /
MidWay- is sss ite nosles sedo c 122-23
Namco. 5a kn 22-23, 32-33, 39
PSYBNOSISS zo serrer hs 35, 64-65
Expert Gamer's June issue will be chock full of strate- Sony Computer Ent ...... 2-3, 36-37
gies on some of the best sequels released this spring.
It's been a while since we saw the limbless hero of ( r
Rayman. However, he’s back in Rayman 2: The Great
Escape, and XG Squaresoft ......... cs cece eee 28
will provide a lot a
of tips on this frantic-paced game. Also in the
issue will be the much-anticipated Soul Reaver
guide with detailed maps and a level-by-level
walk-through. And Quake fans shouldn't miss the
guide on the title's sequel, which will help them
enjoy the full experience of this awesome game.
Take 2 Interactive .............. 43
It’s All You Need to Know
ELECTRONIC™ n
eame Da PlayStation
—— MONTHLY
SM
aSOFTBANK
company
www . videogames .com
4
el
g
-i
jin
"opuajuN Áq pesueor ouj eoueuiv jo opueiuiN 66610 2U) eoueuiy jo opuejuiN Jo syreuepex 21e CBO] .N, Q-€ eui pue p9 opuajuiN *opuejuiN u) puawueyazug Jejnduio? Áuog jo sxreuiepej pejejsi6e! ese soBoj uoneis eld
Əy} pue uonejS/elg “UI ‘SAOL qoojeo uj paee 1ou s! "2uj jueuiureueju3 euo Áempiy *esueoi| e oj juensind jonpoud Siy} 10} YEW seuru2ejoJory eu Duis quawureyajuy euioH Aempiyy ^2uj ‘shoy qoojeo Aq paumo
xeuiepen pajersibo. e si seuluoejNoJoI "uj SEWED AEMpIW\ jo »euepen pareisiei e si AVMQIIN "oui jueuiureueju3 OWOH ÄEMPIN Aq OXON pue epeue») “S'N euj ur esueoi| jepun peinquisip Áje'snjxe pue sjejseuepoo
Áq pedoje^eg ‘siasewapog jo xreuiepen e si ,Aejdaweb end, ‘payu siajsewaepog Aq paumo »ueuepej pejejsi6e1 e si sIaJSEWAPOD "peaiesed siubig IV Pwr AuedwoD eJewyog sjejseuepoo 6661 © 1u8uÁdoo
MIDWAY
first of eight gigantic worlds.
Pick one of 32 vehicles and put it
in gear. Who knows? You might
catch a whole inch of air!
Kick up some sand as you race
against up to eight players and
Get your elbows off the table, pal
And put your wheels on. Welcome
over a bikini or two.
tothe
e =>
PlayStation |@
Codemasters"
NOW ON
LE SCE
CT. WC TEE
TOMB RAIDER is a trademark of Eidos, plc. alid Core Design Lid: 1999 Eidos plc. and Core Design Lid. Eidos Interaktive is a registered trademark of Eidos plc. @'1999 Eidos ple. GEX9: Deep Cover Gecko,
Geckland. and the GEX character, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Omikron: Tlsilllgmad Soul are trademarks of Eidos, plc. © 1999 Eidos plc. Urban Chaos, Developed by Mucky Fool. © & Published by Eidos'Interáctive
1999. AlrRights Reserved. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registerem Watemerks of Sony Computer Enfertainment Inc. The products in this advertisement ar@rated "T" to "AP" by the ERSB.
[Xe SY T LO 9)