Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly – Issue Number 21 – April 1991

EGM was one of the most popular and one of my favorite video game magazines. Though I was never really a subscriber, I bought it pretty regularly from late 1989 until 1996 or so. The April 1991 issue includes:

Departments

• Insert Coin – The editorial this month discusses rumors and how the CD add-on for the Super Famicom and presumably Super Nintendo how now moved past the rumor stage. Too bad it was just into the vaporware stage…

• Interface – Readers write in about the TurboGrafx-16, the latest info out of Japan, Sega Master System coverage, and more.

• Review Crew – The following games were reviewd in this month’s issue: Double Dragon 3 (NES), Star Tropics (NES), Ikari 3 (NES), Magic Darts (NES), War on Wheels (NES), Klash Ball (NES), Totally Rad (NES), Shadow Dancer (Genesis), Sagaia (Genesis), Fatal Labyrinth (Genesis), Valis 3 (Genesis), Flicky (Genesis), R-Type (Game Boy), Mickey’s Dangerous Chase (Game Boy), Hunt for Red October (Game Boy), Mysterium (Game Boy), and Blockout (Lynx).

• Gaming Gossip – More about the supposed Super Nintendo CD-ROM add-on developed jointly with Sony (this would later become the PlayStation), Cinemaware goes out of business, more Simpsons games, Rumored Atari Panther (Jaguar) rumored to have numeric keypad, and more.

• International – Previews of games being released in Japan, including Verytex (Mega Drive), Heavy Unit (Mega Drive), and Wanderers from Ys (P.C. Engine CD-ROM).

• High Scores – A list of high scores for tons of games. The Game of the Month is Legendary Axe with a top score of 30,068,300.

• Game Over – The end screens of Castlevania II: Dracula’s Curse.

Features

• EG Express – News this month includes Data East using Intel’s i750 chip, a chip designed to decompress video to make 30 fps full motion video playback from a CD possible, to make arcade games. It’s not clear to me any such games were produced though. I can’t find any other references to “Thunderstorm” which was one game mentioned here as being released soon. The MMX instruction set would be in part derived from the i750. Also making news was that Nintendo and Sony were going to introduce a Super Famicom CD-ROM device this year.

• Next Wave – Brief looks at games coming in the near future including S.C.A.T. (NES), Laser Invasion (NES), The Lone Ranger (NES), Dead Moon (TurboGrafx-16), Raiden (Genesis), PGA Tour Golf (Genesis), Space Invaders ’91 (Genesis), James Pond (Genesis), Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), Battle World (Neo Geo), and Street Fighter 2 (arcade).

• Tricks of the Trade – Tricks, codes and strategies for: Strider (Genesis), Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker (Genesis), GI Joe (NES), Mega Man 3 (NES), Silver Surfer (NES), Techno Cop (Genesis), Ms. Pac Man (Lynx), Rampage (Lynx), Mega Man (NES), Tiger Road (TurboGrafx-16), Sword of Sodan (Genesis), Roadblasters (Lynx), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (NES).

• Super Famicom Times – A look at Super Famicom games coming soon to Japan, including Dragon Quest 5, Goemon, and Actraiser.

• Behind the Screens – The story of how Bullet-Proof Software acquired the license for Tetris.

• Arcade Express – A look at the New Simpsons arcade game.

• Nintendo Player – A look at new and upcoming Nintendo games, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Totally Rad.

• Sega Masters – The release of the Game Gear which was based on Mastery System hardware caused a bit of a revival of the Mastery System with a new cost reduced version of the system being introduced along with a number of games that were also released on the Game Gear such as Mickey Mouse, Ghouls ‘N Ghost, Moonwalker, Dick Tracy, Joe Montana Football, Super Monaco GP and Columns. Also coming soon were Strider, Golden Axe Warrior, Spiderman, and Pat Riley Basketball.

• Turbo Champ – A look at Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective for the TurboGrafx-16.

• Outpost: Genesis – A look at new and upcoming Genesis games including Abrams Battle Tank, Flicky, and Sagaia.

• Super Play – A detailed look at Shadow of the Ninja, including maps, for the NES.

• Micro Gaming – A mini-mag insert covering the latest in portable gaming. Some of the things include: The Game Gear gets released and includes an optional TV Tuner; Mega Man makes his Game Boy debut; R-Type makes its way to the Game Boy; Rolan’s Curse also get released on the Game Boy; Ultima from one of the all time great RPG series gets a Game Boy release; previews of tons of other Game Boy games; a look at Game Gear and Game Boy games being released in Japan; and a Turbo Express related contest.

• Atari Adventure – The Atari Lynx gets its on mini magazine insert with details on the Atari Lynx and various peripherals plus a look at the games currently available including Blue Lightning, Chip’s Challenge, Electrocop, Gates of Zendocon, Gauntlet: The Third Encounter, Klax, Rampage, Roadblasters, Ms. Pac-Man, Paperboy, Robo-Squash, Rygar, Shanghai, Slime World, Xenophobe, and Zarlor Mercenary with more detailed looks at Ninja Gaiden, Tournament Cyberball, and Blockout. Also brief looks at Hard Drivin’, Rolling Thunder, Hockey and NFL Football. And then there are also previews for Stun Runner, World Class Soccer, Turbo-Sub, Vindicators, Toki, Warbirds, 720, Robotron, Scrapyard Dog, A.P.B., Casino, Pacland, Basketbrawl, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Golf, Checkered Flag, Viking Child, Grid Runner, Geo Duel, Crystal Mines 2, And Fidelity Ultimate Chess.

…and more!