Source: Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine – Volume 3, Issue 1 – October 1999
- Category Archives PlayStation
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MLB 98 (PlayStation)
Source: Next Generation – Issue Number 8 – September 1997
The PlayStation was the Sega Genesis of the 32-bit generation in terms of sports games. There were a vast number of sports games for the PlayStation but that’s probably mostly because that system dominated the era. The Saturn died an early death and the Nintendo 64 was later in coming and never had the same volume of games because of Nintendo’s licensing and the fact that it used expensive cartridges. MLB 98 was (almost) the start of a long series of baseball games. However, technically MLB Pennant Race was actually the first game in the series.
MLB 98 is an above average arcade style baseball simulation. However, sports games, particularly ones designed to be realistic, often don’t hold up well over time and this one is really no exception. MLB 98 was a solid baseball game for its time but it wasn’t especially innovative and it has been succeeded by a huge number of better baseball games starting with MLB 99. This particular series of games went on until 2005. World Series Baseball ’98 on the Sega Saturn was probably MLB 98’s most direct competition.
Unless you are a sports game collector or just have to have every game ever made for the PlayStation then there isn’t much reason to pick this one up. The good news is that if you do want it, it should be dirt cheap. Most sports games (with a few exceptions) lose their value almost instantly. Buying a sports game new is like driving a new car off the lot. It depreciates instantly.
The ad at the top is from the September 1997 issue of Next Generation. It includes a $10 off coupon if you get the game at Sears. I remember buying games for my Commodore 64 at Sears but by the PlayStation era I don’t think I even looked there…
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PSM (May 1999)
Source: PSM – Issue Number 21 – May 1999
PSM was among the earliest magazines for the PlayStation. Originally an independent magazine, it covered most of the PlayStation systems throughout the years, eventually becoming the Official PlayStation Magazine in 2007. The May 1999 issue was still primarily covering the PlayStation but some early PS2 coverage had already started. Contents include:
- Legend of Legaia – The latest RPG to hit the PlayStation is quite a doozy. With more secrets than you can shake a stick at, Sony’s Legend of Legaia not only packs in a lengthy quest, but also incorporates an innovative battle system that’s sure to have players punching in commands like crazy to find all the hidden “Arts” for each character. Beyond each character’s battle moves, there are also countless magic spells to master and a pile of items to collect. PSM is here to provide you with all you need to know to master one of the biggest RPGs of the year.
- Guardian’s Crusade – One of the cutest, quirkiest and most innovative RPGs to surface so far this year, Guardian’s Crusade not only packs in a lot of breeding sim elements into its gameplay, but also a lengthy quest to find each and every one of the 70 Living Toys. You’ll most likely end up losing sleep if you don’t have a trusty handbook to help you track down some of the hard-to-find toys lurking in the game, so PSM made sure to compile a list of their locations for you on top of a few extra goodies to help you out. So get playing!
- PlayStation 2! – Sony finally unveiled its next generation PlayStation system in Japan, and of course, we were there to bring back all the info and screenshots! We’ve got four full pages of nothing but PlayStation 2! No if that doesn’t get your heart racing, then you’re just not a serious gamer! So what are you waiting for? Take your shaky, sweaty, PlayStation addicted hand and turn to page 14 for the absolute biggest story of the year!
- Cover Story: Street Fighter Alpha 3 – Can you tell that we really like Street Fighter Alpha 3? This game could very well be the best fighting game we’ve ever seen for the PlayStation, or any other system for that matter. Could it even top the Tekken games? Check out our review to see what we think, and then be sure to check out our interview and strategy guide for the full story on this incredible new game.
- Monitor – The latest PlayStation news and up-to-the-minute info
- Checkpoint! Game Release Schedule
- Rumors
- Q&A
- Reviews – This month’s new games, thoroughly tested by PSM experts
- Previews – All the best dirt on tomorrow’s hottest games
- Bloody Roar 2
- Croc II
- Dino Crisis
- D.I.R.T. / The Next Tetris
- Driver / Ultimate 8 Ball
- Evil Zone
- Jade Cocoon
- Omega Boost / Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
- Star Ocean
- Suikoden II
- Final Fantasy VIII
- G Police
- Tomorrow Never Dies
- Code Junkies – The latest codes for all you addicts
- Letters – You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers
- Link-Up
- Pause
- Fan Art
- Top This!
- Marketplace
- Otaku Station – Welcome to Otaku Station, the official PSM gift shop – the only place on earth to buy cool official PSM shirts, hats, and other special collectibles. Aiko and Uchu-Kun are waiting for you. Check it out!
- Bloody Roar 2 – When you think of fighting game makers, there are those that immediately spring to mind, such as Capcom and SNK. But Hudson Soft? Though the company may not exactly be synonymous with the genre, it did surprise its aficionados in late 1997 with the release of Bloody Roar. Now, more than a year later, the franchise returns, thanks once again to Sony.
…and more!
