• Tag Archives Genesis
  • GamePro (January 1997)

    Source: GamePro – Issue Number 100 – January 1997

    Next to EGM, GamePro was probably the most popular gaming magazine in North America. The 100th issue of GamePro from January 1997 includes:

    Special Features

    • 100th Issue! – A timeline of GamePro dating back to April/May 1989.
    • Hanhelds for the Holidays! – A guide to new handheld games available for the holidays. Games covered include Donkey Kong Land 2 (Game Boy), X-Men Mojo World (Game Gear), Tetris Attack (Game Boy), FIFA Soccer ’97 (Game Boy), Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble (Game Gear), Pinocchio (Game Boy), Madden ’97 (Game Boy), Street Racer (Game Boy), Sword of Hopell (Game Boy), and Battle Zone/Super Breakout (Game Boy).

    SWATPro Strategy Section

    • Star Gladiator PlayStation ProStrategy Guide – A detailed strategy guide for this sci-fi themed fighting game from Capcom for the PlayStation.
    • The Fighter’s Edge Power Move Pro Wrestling – Strategies, moves and more for Power Move Pro Wrestling for the PlayStation.
    • Silverload – A walkthrough of this difficult point and click adventure for the PlayStation.
    • Game Enhancers – Game Genie codes for Alien 3 (Genesis), Castlevania Bloodlines (Genesis), Super Metroid (Super NES), and Scooby Doo Mystery (Super NES).
    • SWATPro – Tips and tricks for Mortal Kombat Trilogy (PlayStation), Formula 1 (PlayStation), Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Genesis), Madden ’97 (PlayStation), Wipeout XL (PlayStation), Andretti Racing (PlayStation), Black Dawn (PlayStation), Die Hard Trilogy (PlayStation), The king of Fighters ’95 (PlayStation), Guardian Heroes (Saturn), Twisted Metal 2 (PlayStation), Project Overkill (PlayStation), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Genesis/Super NES), Star Gladiator (PlayStation), Bogey: Dead 6 (PlayStation), and Gunship (PlayStation).

    Departments

    • Role Player’s Realm – A reviews of Suikoden for the PlayStation and a preview of Magic: The Gathering – BattleMage for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn.
    • Head-2-Head – Editorial reflecting on 100 issues of GamePro.
    • The Mail – Letters from readers about Star Wars games on the Saturn, Nintendo 64 controllers, and more.
    • ProNews – Many games facing delays including the PlayStation version of Duke Nukem 3D, Independence Day for the PlayStation and Saturn, MegaMan 8, Marvel Super Heroes, Final Fantasy VII and more. Sega cuts price on highest price Saturn games from $69.99 to $59.99. American Laser Games ceases development of live action games. And more.
    • NetPro – A guide to using four online multiplayer gaming services including DWANGO, Mplayer, TEN (Total Entertainment Network), and Engage.
    • Overseas Prospects – A preview of the upcoming Japanese release Castlevania X: Moonlight Nocturne for the PlayStation.
    • Sneak Previews – Early looks at Crusader: No Remorse (PlayStation, Saturn), Cruis’n USA (Nintendo 64), Spider (PlayStation), MechWarrior 2 (PlayStation, Saturn), Tunnel B1 (PlayStation), Pitfall 3D (PlayStation), Broken Helix (PlayStation), Amok (Saturn), Wild 9s (PlayStation), Apocalypse (PlayStation), Scorcher (Saturn), Starwinder (PlayStation), Dare Devil Derby (PlayStation), Samurai Showdown III (PlayStation), SWIV (PlayStation), XS (PlayStation), Mega Man 8 (PlayStation), and Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn).
    • PC GamePro – Reviews of Toonstruck starring Christopher Lloyd (definitely seems inspired by Who Framed Roger Rabbit), ZPC: No Flesh Shall be Spared (a Doom-like game), Screamer 2 (racing game), Descent II, and XCar. Plus a look at a PC based arcade system designed for multiplayer over the Internet play.
    • Hot at the Arcades – A look at WarZard, a fantasy based fighting game from Capcom.

    …and more!


  • Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars (Sega Genesis)

    Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars is a multi-sport title released on the Sega Genesis that featured characters from the Tiny Toon Adventures animated series. This game was released by Konami in late 1994. The sports featured include basketball, soccer, bowling, baseball, and an obstacle course race as well as a whack-a-mole style game called “Montana Hitting”. While there was a similar game for the Super NES, it featured a different set of sports.

    As you can probably imagine, these sports were more like mini-games, not full sports simulations. For instance, the basketball game was a two-on-two match-up. Soccer features a five-vs-five match-up. Each sport features both the basic moves you would expect along with special moves. Whichever sports you choose, you get to select the players from a roster of characters from the show including the likes of Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck, etc. There were a dozen characters to select from. Each character had different characteristics making them better for some sports than for others.

    As far as difficulty level, it really depends on the sport. Some are pretty simple (like bowling) while others require more precise control to be able to do well (like baseball). Your computer component gives uneven performances, sometimes being too hard and sometimes not hard enough. However, most are fairly fun as long as you aren’t expecting a realistic sports simulation experience. There is also a nice multiplayer feature. Not only can you play against another player but you can also play co-op against the computer. This feature more than anything else gives it some serious replayability.

    ACME All-Stars also makes great use of the 16-bit graphics of the Genesis. It really looks like you are playing the cartoon. There is tons of detail and lots of references and gags that are throwbacks to the show. There is also plenty of humor injected with interactions between the characters. The sound and music, while perhaps doesn’t stand out as much as the graphics, fits right in with the cartoony nature of the game.


  • GamePro (December 1991)

    Source: GamePro – Issue Number 29 – December 1991

    Back when video game print magazines still existed, GamePro was one of the most popular. From the late 1980s until they ended, while there were others, GamePro and EGM really dominated, at least in North America. The December 1991 issue of GamePro includes:

    • Letter from the GamePros – An editorial on the upcoming 16-bit holiday battle.
    • The Mail – Letters from readers on technical capabilities of the Genesis vs. the Super NES, hooking a Super NES to a computer monitor, the Game Genie, renting games, and more.
    • Cutting Edge – Updates on the state of the art in gaming, including a sequel to the PC Engine, upcoming CD-ROM systems, a new version of the PC Engine GT that has external CD-ROM, TV, and controller ports, the new Phillips CD-I, and more.
    • Hot at the Arcades – A look at some of the latest arcade games including Steel Talons (Atari) and Batman (Pinball, Data East).
    • Pro Reviews
      • Nintendo – Reviews of The Simpsons: Bart vs. The World (featured on the cover), Mega Man 4, Batman: Return of the Joker, Wizardry II, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, Dragon Warrior III, Tiny Toon Adventure, Uncharted Waters, The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy and the Miracle Piano System. Almost all of these are excellent games.
      • Genesis – Reviews of Rolling Thunder 2, Battlemaster, Pit-Fighter (pretty awful game on any system), Chuck Rock, Fatal Rewind, and Quackshot.
      • Super NES – Reviews of U.N. Squadron (one of the earliest horizontal shooters for the SNES), Final Fight, Lemmings, Super Adventure Island, and Smash TV (one of my favorites though it is hard).
      • TurboGrafx-16 – Reviews of Cadash, Champions Forever Boxing, Andre Panza’s Kick Boxing, and It Came From the Desert.
      • Master System – A review of Sonic the Hedgehog (an excellent 8-bit translation)
      • Game Boy – Reviews of Teenage Mutant ?Ninja Turtles II: Back From the Sewers, Terminator 2 Judgement Day, Double Dragon II, Prince of Persia, Blaster Master Boy, and Atomic Punk.
      • Game Gear – Reviews of Ninja Gaiden, Space Harrier, and Pac-Man
      • Lynx – Reviews of Stun Runner and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

    • Special Feature: So, You Want To Buy a 16-Bit System… – A comparison of the major 16-bit systems going into the holiday season including the Sega Genesis, TurboGrafx-16 and the newly released Super Nintendo.
    • Special Feature: GamePro’s Video Football Playoffs – A comparison of some of the available football games including John Madden Football ’92 (Genesis), Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football (Genesis), Mike Ditka Power Football (Genesis), John Madden Football (SNES), Tecmo Super Bowl (NES), Tecmo Bowl (Game Boy), Joe Montana Football (Game Gear), and NFL Football (Lynx).
    • Overseas ProSpects – A brief look at new games released in Japan including Spriggan (PC-Engine CD-ROM) and Valis IV (PC-Engine CD-ROM).
    • S.W.A.T. (Secret Weapons and Tactics) – Tips, tricks, passwords and more for Maniac Mansion (NES), Turrican (Genesis), Bonk’s Revenge (TurboGrafx-16), Little Ninja Brothers (NES), John Madden Football (Genesis), Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), Devil’s Crush (TurboGrafx-16), Moonwalker (Genesis), Bases Loaded II (NES), Super Mario Brothers (NES), Power Ball (Genesis), Fantasia (Genesis), Gradius III (Super NES), SCAT (NES), Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (NES), Batman (Genesis), Hunt for Red October (Game Boy, NES), and more.
    • Ask the Pros – Readers ask and get answers about difficult gaming situations in Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (NES), Skate or Die 2 (NES), Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), Spider-Man (Genesis), Bonk’s Revenge (TurboGrafx-16), Operation C (Game Boy), Shinobi (Game Gear), and more.
    • Short ProShots – Short previews if recently available and upcoming games including Space Shuttle Project (NES), TaleSpin (NES), Back to the Future (Genesis), El Viento (Genesis), Darkwing Duck (TurboGrafx-16), Earth Defense Force (Super NES), Lagoon (Super NES), Star Trek (Game Boy), Viking Child (Lynx), and Halley Wars (Game Gear).
    • ProNews – Nihon Falcom to develop software for Sega CD (e.g. Ys), SNK to introduce CD-ROM drive for Neo Geo, Game Genie coming for the Sega Genesis, Microleague to develop games for NES, Home Alone and Sonic 2 coming for the Genesis, Chester Cheetah game coming for the Game Gear, and much more.
    • The 1991 Index – An index of most of the contents for the 1991 issues of GamePro.

    …and more!