• Tag Archives retrogaming
  • TV Gamer (March 1984)

    Source: TV Gamer – March 1984

    TV Gamer Magazine was published in the U.K. from the Summer of 1983 through March 1985 and covered the various video game consoles of that time. The last two issues were incorporated into Big K before disappearing completely. The March 1984 issue includes:

    Cover Feature

    • Tanks a lot – Taking time out from outer space, we beam down to earth for tank-based battle games, with a survey of tank games.

    Reviews

    • The New games – Big Brother – that’s Darrin Williamson to you, folks – takes a look over the new goodies, and finds the future far from black.

    In Depth Reviews

    • Night Stalker – New it isn’t, but this intriguing Mattel maze is still adding new addicts, so perhaps they’ll be relieved that assistance is at hand, in the form of Paul Whiffin who shows you how to zap the robots, spiders and other meanies.
    • Pitfall – Harry, the hero of Pitfall, has a total of 256 jungle screens to negotiate before he can collect enough money bags, gold and silver bars, and diamond rings to make it worthwhile braving the crocs, scorpions, fires and death pits that lie in wait. Dave Bishop shows you how harry can make it.
    • Mr. Do – Life is just a bowl of cherries for Mr. Do – or it would be, if the Bad Guys would let him pick them from the cherry orchard, not to mention the Alpha Monster and the Blue Choppers. High scorers will cherish (sorry!) the Dave Trutzenbach guide to the eight screens and beyond.

    Systems

    • Atari Excels – Inside the new XL generation of computers, we find there’s a lot of power, plus a keyboard that really works. We take the lid off while not baffling you with the scientific jargon. Don’t you wish all hardware reviews were written this way?

    Competition

    • Win the new Atari 600 XL

    Special Delivery

    • Getting games into your machine – A no-nonsense guide to carts, cassettes, floppies, microdrives and other thingies, from Karl Dallas, who got it all out of his bubble memory – before it burst.

    The Arcade Scene

    • The laser game is here – After its frenzied fictional role as a space weaponry, the laser finds a real-life existence as the technology behind some of the finest video graphics you’ve ever seen. Andy Harris spits on his hands and climbs into the cockpit of two of the most realistic ones.

    Games Governments Play

    • Sky wars – These games are deadly serious, as today’s Biggleses throw themselves about a computer-generated sky, without endangering a million quids’ worth of jet fighter. Plus some dazzling full-color pictures of what it feels like to be in the cockpit.

    The TV Gamer Awards

    • The nominations – To guide you in filling in the nominations card inserted in this issue, here are 16 pages of reviews of the TV games of the year, listed alphabetically from Action Force to Z-Tack, complete with details of prices and the systems they play on.

    Regulars

    • The green eye shade department
    • News
    • Top 20
    • TV gamer club
    • Advertisers, subscriptions and fine print

    …and more!


  • Computer & Video Games (November 1996)

    Source: Computer & Video Games – Issue Number 180 – November 1996

    Computer and Video Games was published in the U.K. and has the distinction of being the world’s longest running video game magazine but alas, even it has ceased publication. It was published between 1981 and 2004 with an associated website operating from 1999 until 2015. The November 1996 issue includes:

    Features

    • Cover Feature: Virtua Fighter 3 – It was in this space only two months back. But now it has arrived and it is the best thing ever seen.
    • Freeplay – A double-sized retro computer cabin for our birthday issue, The only VF3 moves guide in existence, Complete moves for diehard arcade, Your jabberings in Freeplay Fan, The Worldwide Charts, Your fanzines, depressing news and, at last, some flinkin’ highscores!
    • Quake Challenge – He is known only as…The Master! And he has gathered us for an awesome 14-player frag fest!
    • Mortal Kombat Trilogy – Red-hot info on the monster PlayStation compilation! Plus – MK4 exclusively revealed!
    • Tokyo Game Show – Our hot new games section is hotter than ever this month, thanks to this single incredible event!
    • What a Porsche Oh! – When Porsche released their first new car in 19 years, Sony snapped up the gaming rights!

    Reviews

    • Crash Bandicoot – What better way to celebrate PlayStation’s first birthday than with a visit from old uncle Bandy-Knackers. Yup, Crash has landed!
    • Wipeout 20197 – And what better way to celebrate our own mad bonkers birthday than with the arrival of the best PlayStation game since… Wipeout!
    • Worldwide Soccer – This really is the best soccer game.
    • Fighting Vipers – VF2 with dynamite shoved up its…
    • Overkill – Not to be mistaken for underkill!
    • Sonic 3D – And you don’t need special glasses.
    • John Madden ’97 – He’s a fat troll with a fiery football.
    • Tetris Attack – Not Tetris, but just as awesome!
    • Burning Road
    • Real Bout Fatal Fury
    • Orion Burger
    • Scorched Planet
    • Actua Golf
    • Gene Wars
    • Tunnel B1

    Previews

    • Star Gladiator – And just when you though the celebrations were all over, Capcom gatecrash the party with their first awesome foray into 3D fighting games!
    • Daytona USA Circuit Edition – Be careful what you wish for…
    • MDK – It stands for Murder, Death, Kill!
    • Virtual On – Supercharged robot battle action!
    • Street Fighter Alpha 2 – The best 2D fighting game is coming.
    • Virtua Cop 2 – AM2 blow Saturn owners away!
    • Sega Ages – Classic conversions on one disc!
    • Contra
    • Wild Nines
    • Victory Boxing
    • Dark Savior

    Regulars

    • News
    • Subscriptions
    • Arcade
    • Editorial
    • Back Issues
    • Mail Bag
    • Checkpoint
    • New Games

    …and more!


  • Winning at Computer and Video Games (Summer 1984)

    Source: Winning at Computer and Video Games – Summer 1984

    I’m not really sure of the history of this magazine but Winning at Video and Computer Games was another 1980s video gaming magazine published in the U.K. It covered both console and computer games. The name makes it sound like it emphasizes tips or strategy guides but that does not seem to be the case. I’ve only found a couple of issues online so I don’t get the impression it was very popular or around very long. The Summer (May/June) 1984 issue includes:

    News

    • Software News – Computers on video
    • Hardware News – The Ultimate Trip!

    Test File

    • Atari 600XL – All keyed up?
    • CGL M5 – The game brain?

    Features & Regulars

    • Readers Letter – Have your say
    • The Perils of Piracy – Go directly to jail
    • The Adventure Game Maze – How do they work?
    • Arcade Blockbusters – Arrival of the laser games

    Profiles

    • The Sharp Edge – In Sharp Focus
    • The Nasty Programmer – Games with a difference

    Listings

    • Beebkey – A type of game!
    • Star Trek 48 – Drive Scotty potty

    Competitions

    • The Coleco Double – Two top games consoles
    • A Ton Of Tapes – 100 games to be won
    • Missing Lynx – Two 48K Lynxs to be won

    …and more!