• Tag Archives PSX

  • GamePro (December 1997)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: GamePro – December 1997

    While I always preferred Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro was almost as popular though it seemed to be aimed at a slightly younger audience. At about 250 pages, the December 1997 issue had to be pretty much at its peak. It includes:

    Features

    • Star Wars: The Masters of Teras Kasi – An exclusive, hands-on look at this new Star Wars themed fighting game.
    • GamePro’s Holiday Shopper’s Guide – A list of the best games, peripherals and other gaming items for the holiday season according to GamePro.
    • Metal Gear Solid! – Metal Gear Solid was the first Metal Gear game since the NES days and also transitioned the series to 3D. It came out in 1998 but was set in 2005.

    Spotlight On!

    • Messiah: Rising Shiny – A visit to Shiny Entertainment to look at the upcoming Messiah for the PlayStation and PC.
    • SEAL Squad 2040: A Special Force To Be Reckoned With – A preview of SEAL Squad 2040 for the PlayStation, described here as Wave Race 64 with guns.
    • WCW Nitro: Of Kingpins and Pin Kings – A talk with Diamond Dallas Page, the Giant, Curt Hennig, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall about WCW Nitro and games in general.

    SWATPro Strategy Section

    • Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter – A detailed strategy guide for this classic arcade fighter, featuring basic strategies, special movies, and more.
    • Star Fox 64 – A strategy guide for Star Fox 64 on the Nintendo 64 featuring secret areas, alternate skill routes, how to defeat the bosses and much more.
    • The Fighter’s Edge: Street Fighter EX Plus – Combos and strategies for Street fighter EX Plus for the PlayStation.
    • How to Master Madden – Strategy guide for Madden football for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64.
    • Final Fantasy VII – Part 3 of a massive Final Fantasy VII strategy guide.

    ProReviews

    • PC GamePro – Reviews of Jedi Knight, Hexen II, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Dark Reign, Total Annihilation, Take No Prisoners, Half-Life, and Wing Commander: Prophecy.
    • Nintendo 64 – Reviews of Diddy Kong Racing, WCW vs. NWO World Tour, Duke Nukem 64, San Francisco Rush, Bomberman 64, and Extreme G.
    • PlayStation – Reviews of MDK, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Resident Evil Director’s Cut, Moto Racer, Test Drive 4, Shipwreckers, Marvel Super Heroes, Dragon Ball GT Final Bout, Jet Moto 2, Pandemonium 2, Red Asphalt, Vs., Frogger, Rampage, Mass Destruction, and Reel Fishing.
    • Saturn – Reviews of Duke Nukem 3D, Resident Evil, Last Bronx, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Mega Man X4, Bust-A-Move 3, and Ten Pin Alley.
    • Sports Pages – Reviews of NBA Live ’98 (PlayStation), Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey ’98 (Nintendo 64), NHL Face Off ’98 (PlayStation), NFL Quarterback Club ’98 (Nintendo 64), Cool Boarders 2 (PlayStation), and Formula 1 Championship Edition (PlayStation). Previews of NCAA Football GameBreaker ’98 (PlayStation), NBA Shoot Out ’98 (PlayStation), Tennis Arena (PlayStation), NHL All-Star Hockey ’98 (Saturn), and Sega Touring Car Championship (Saturn).
    • Role-Player’s Realm – Previews of Tactics Ogre (PlayStation) and Quest 64 (Nintendo 64).

    Departments

    • Head-2-Head – Video games, violence and ESRB ratings.
    • Buyers Beware – OEM vs. 3rd party RF adapters for the Nintendo 64, missing animation in Saturn version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, and Rumble Pak battery life.
    • ProNews – Microsoft and Sega in 128-bit console discussions (this would become the Dreamcast), Blasto for Nintendo 64 delayed until early ’98, console game sales exceed PC game sales, and much more.
    • NetPro – A look at Saturn’s NetLink and the games that support it.
    • Overseas Prospects – Capcom, Square, Sega, Konami, Namco and others reveal their game lineups for 1998 at the 1997 Tokyo Game Show. Plus, highlights of the European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) in London.
    • Sneak Previews – Early looks at Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown (PlayStation), F-Zero 64 (Nintendo 64), Quake (Saturn), Cardinal Syn (PlayStation), Burning Rangers (Saturn), Crime Killers (PlayStation), Yoshi’s Story (Nintendo 64), Command & Conquer: Red Alert (PlayStation), Auto Destruct (PlayStation), Sonic R (Saturn), Enemy Zero (Saturn), Need for Speed V-Rally (PlayStation), Powerboat Racing (PlayStation), Pitfall 3D: Beyond the Jungle (PlayStation), Rascal (PlayStation), Lode Runner (PlayStation), Monster Rancher (PlayStation), Arcade’s Greatest Hits: The Midway Collection 2 (PlayStation), Riven: The Sequel to Myst (PlayStation), and Forsaken (Nintendo 64, PlayStation).
    • Hot at the Arcades – A look at some of the latest arcade games, including Mortal Kombat 4, The Lost World, and Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact.

    …and more!


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  • Electronic Gaming Monthly (March 1996)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly – Issue Number 80 – March 1996

    In early 1996, EGM was covering the PlayStation, Saturn, Super NES, Genesis, 32X, 3DO, Atari Jaguar, CDi, Neo Geo, Game Boy, Game Gear, and the yet to be released Ultra 64. It was definitely a much more varied era of videogaming. The March 1996 issue includes:

    • Insert Coin – An editorial on the high price of games…generally $60-$70 for new releases at the time.
    • Press Start – Konami releases Hyper Blaster light gun for the PlayStation in Japan; SNK releases Neo Geo CDX with double speed CD-ROM drive; Namco releases new controllers, Goldstar to cease producing 3DO consoles; Atari plans 16 new CD-ROM PC titles; Infinity Multimedia working on new 3D display; ZON sensor eliminates need for controllers; and more.
    • Review Crew
      • Real Bout Fatal Fury (Neo Geo) – The latest Fatal Fury fighting game.
      • Pocahontas (Genesis) – Disney action platformer with puzzle elements.
      • Darius Gaiden (Saturn) – Decent side-scrolling shooter.
      • Mortal Kombat II (Saturn) – The best MKII home translation so far.
      • Zero Divide (PlayStation) – A somewhat unique polygon fighter.
      • A-Train (PlayStation) – Another city simulator from Maxis.
      • Descent (PlayStation) – PC port of the classic.
      • Star Fighter (3DO) – A good but difficult shooter reminiscent of Star Fox.

    • Gaming Gossip – Atari to get out of video games but produce PC games; Sony adjust release schedule to better compete with Ultra 64’s pending release; Nintendo predicts selling 3 million Ultra 64s during the first year, rumored prices include $250 for the console and $100 to $150 for the games; disk drive for Ultra 64 to use disks that contain up to 64 MB of data with 20 MB being re-writeable.
    • Tricks of the Trade – Tricks, tips, strategies and codes for Loaded (PlayStation), Earthworm Jim 2 (Super NES), Zero Divide (PlayStation), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (arcade), Doom Troopers (Genesis), Earthworm Jim 2 (Super NES), The Raiden Project (PlayStation), Sega Rally Championship (Saturn), Toshinden 2 (PlayStation), Destruction Derby (PlayStation) – one of my favorites!, and much more.
    • Special Features
        • First Look at the Games of CES – Previews of some of the games shown at the Winter CES including Pocahontas and Maui Mallard by Disney Interactive for the Genesis, Casper for the PlayStation, VR Golf and VR Soccer for the PlayStation and Saturn, Bubsy 3D from Accolade for the PlayStation, Star Control 3 from Accolade for the PC (DOS), Power Rangers for the PlayStation and Saturn, Independence Day, Planet of the Apes, Hell Raiser, NCAA Basketball, Time Lapse, Alone in the Dark 2, Metalwerks, Orion Burger, and more.
        • The Developers of Resident Evil Spill Their Guts – An interview with Mr. Shinji Mikami, director of Capcom’s Resident Evil for the PlayStation.
        • Cover Story: Tekken 2 – A first look (with screen shots) of the Tekken 2 arcade conversion for the PlayStation.
        • Killer Instict 2 – A look at the Killer Instinct sequel in the arcades, including a list of combos and how to perform them.
    • Next Wave
        • Maui Mallard (Genesis) – A platform game featuring a Donald Duck look alike (85% done).
        • Pocahontas (Genesis) – An action/puzzle game from Disney (100% done).
        • Mortal Kombat II (Saturn) – Closest version to the arcade original (100% done).
        • Darius Gaiden (Saturn) – Destroy the mechanical fish armada (100% done).
        • D (Saturn) – A horror/adventure game (100% done).
        • Battle Arena Toshinden 2 (PlayStation) – Classic 3D fighter (80% done).
        • Descent (PlayStation) – Port of the classic PC sim (100% done).
        • Zero Divide (PlayStation) – A more obscure 3D fighter (100% done).
        • Krazy Ivan (PlayStation) – Sounds like it should be a submarine game but it’s a mech game (100% done).
        • A-Train (PlayStation) – Another city sim from Maxis (100% done).
        • Casper (3DO) – An adventure game featuring the friendly ghost (80% done).
        • Real Bout Fatal Fury (Neo Geo) – The latest Neo Geo fighting game (100% done).

    • Next Wave Protos
      • Magic Carpet – An early look at this PC game.
      • Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (PlayStation/Saturn) – Action/adventure game that might remind you of something like Golden Axe (10% done).
      • Earthworm Jim 2 (Saturn) – Sequel to the popular 16-bit game (70% done).
      • Dirt Race Extreme (PlayStation) – Off-road racing game.
      • Shining Wisdom (PlayStation) – An RPG from Working Designs.
      • D (PlayStation) – Horror themed puzzle/adventure game.
    • Team EGM – An interview with Magic and Kareem in regards to Slam ‘n Jam ’96. Reviews of various other sports games including VR Soccer ’96 (PlayStation), F-1 World Championship (PlayStation), F-1 Live Information (Saturn), Bottom of the 9th (PlayStation), VR Golf ’96 (PlayStation), and Valora Valley Golf (Saturn). Previews of Hang On GP ’95 (Saturn), Goal Storm (PlayStation), Road Rash (PlayStation), and Atari Karts (Jaguar).
    • Contest – Simply complete the entry form for your chance to win a Run N’ Gun arcade machine, In the Zone video game, or a Konami T-Shirt.
    • Interface: Letters to the Editor – PlayStation vs. Saturn, next-gen RPGs, FMV games, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and more.

    …and more!


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  • PSM (February 1998)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: PSM – Issue Number 6 – February 1998

    I don’t know if it was in fact the most popular PlayStation magazine but PSM (short for PlayStation Monthly) always seemed to be. The February 1998 issue includes:

    Features

    • Cover Story: Massive Resident Evil 2 Preview! – Survival horror was all the rage at the time so the upcoming Resident Evil 2 was a pretty big deal. This was a last minute preview before the game was released.
    • What Makes Good Gameplay? – This covers everything from innovation to character design to game length to difficulty level and much more.
    • Alundra: The Ultimate Secrets Guide – Getting to secret places, finding secret items and how to use them.
    • Final Fantasy Tactics: Tips and Items – Some tips on doing well in Final Fantasy Tactics as well as descriptions and abilities of all of the character classes and all of the items.
    • Star Wars: The Ultimate Secrets Guide – This covers Masters of Teras Kasi. Not the best fighting game in the world but this strategy guide will teach you all of the moves and combos for each character.
    • Broken Sword: The Complete Walkthrough – These guides can be a blessing and a curse. While it is useful to have somewhere to look if you are stuck, the temptation to look ahead and ruin the game for yourself is high for some reason.
    • Steel Reign: All the Hidden Tank Power-Ups – Each level in this tank shooter has a hidden power up and this guide tells you where to find each one.
    • Grand Tour Racing: The Hidden Bonus Levels – Three extra tracks and how to find them.

    Main Menu

    • Monitor – The latest PlayStation News: Metal Gear Solid gets U.S. release date; new 3D Contra game on the way; Eidos shows off Ninja; Sony exceeds sales goals (one million PlayStations sold in November 1997 alone); Alien: Resurrection game coming soon; info about the Net Yaroze Development system and how to get one; Tekken 3 coming soon; Metal Slug coming soon; Sony considers renaming Gran Turismo for U.S. market (but that didn’t happen); Square’s deal with Sony expires; Bushido Blade 2 in the works; Namco working on Soul Edge 2; some info on the upcoming Tenchu; other upcoming releases include Einhander, 3-D Fighter Maker, Bust A Move, Gundam the Battle Master 2, and more.
    • Reviews
      • Alundra – A pretty good action RPG from Working Designs.
      • Micro Machines V3 – The latest iteration of Micro Machines gets an ok review here.
      • FIFA ’98 – Is it soccer or football?
      • Auto Destruct – Compared in this review to a city-based Spy Hunter.
      • Nagano Winter Olympics ’98 – Winter Games on the Commodore 64 is still my favorite Olympics themed game.
      • One – A 3rd person run and gun game reminiscent of an action movie.
      • Tennis Arena – A mediocre tennis game.
      • Lode Runner – An update of the classic that doesn’t get a very good review here.
      • Reel Fishing – I was never a fan of video game fishing.
      • NBA In The Zone ’98 – An OK basketball game that might tide over fans who were waiting for something better.
      • Dragon Ball GT Final Bout – An apparently terrible fighting game.
      • Broken Sword – What turns out to be a not so great graphics adventure.
      • Ray Tracer – A racing game that looks and plays like a lot of others but isn’t as good.
      • Also a look back at Twisted Metal, WipeOut and ESPN Extreme Games
    • Previews – Previews of upcoming games, including: Bloody Roar, Gex 2, Breath of Fire III, Tekken 3, Rascal, Tonba, Newman-Hass Racing, Master of Monsters, Mega Man Neo, Power Boat Racing, Need for Speed 3, Diablo, Riven and NBA Shootout ’98.
    • Code Junkies – Codes to get infinite lives in Frogger, various easter eggs in NCAA GameBreaker ’98, a first person view in Armored Core, invincibility and level select in Fighting Force, plus tons more codes for G Police, Pandemonium 2, MK Mythologies – Sub-Zero, NHL ’98, Tomb Raider 2, Courier Crisis, Resident Evil: Director’s Cut, NHL FaceOff’ 98, Nuclear Strike, Grand Tour Racing, Colony Wars, Fantastic Four, Bravo Air Race, Castlevania X, Moto Racer, Dragon Ball GT, and more plus a bunch of Game Shark codes too.
    • Letters – Feedback on previous content, ‘Girls and Games’, questions about RPGs, retrogaming on the PlayStation, and more.
    • Reset – Coming next month, a massive Resident Evil 2 strategy guide, a preview of Dead or Alive, and the PlayStation’s craziest, wackiest games (and much more I’m sure).

    …and more!


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