Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly – Issue Number 69 – April 1995

I think the mid 1990s had more video game systems actively marketed than any other time in history. Electronic Gaming Monthly was covering at least the following systems: Super NES, Genesis, 32X, Sega CD, 3D0, Saturn, PlayStation, Jaguar, CDi, Neo Geo, Game Boy and Game Gear.

The April 1995 issue of EGM includes the following:

Departments

• Insert Coin – Lamenting the failures of the 3DO. It failed because since the hardware was a licensed “standard”, hardware manufacturers had no direct revenue from games and could not price their machines below cost as companies like Nintendo, Sony and Sega did since they made money via game game licensing and publishing games.

• Interface: Letters to the Editor – Subjects of letters this month include choosing the best game system, the Atari Jaguar, import games, XBand, SNK, Mortal Kombat 3, the Sega Saturn in Hong Kong, EGM on CD-ROM, Mortal Kombat 2 on the PC, and more.

• Press Start – In the (gaming) news this month: Sega Channel holds first contest; Mortal Kombat Arena Show; Nintendo (Super Famicom) gaming via satellite in Japan; official launch of Sony Online; Gex hits the 3DO; Earthworm Jim cartoon in the works; and more.

• Review Crew
  • Sega CD
    • Earthworm Jim – An excellent platform gaming featuring a humorous worm.
    • Fatal Fury: Special – A solid translation of the arcade fighting game.
    • Lords of Thunder – A very good shooter but already old by this time. Much better on the TurboGrafx-16.
    • RDF: Rapid Deployment Force – A pretty mediocre tank sim with too much reliance on FMV.
  • Super NES
    • Metal Warriors – A solid shooter from Konami.
    • True Lies – A pretty solid action/shooter, especially given that it is a movie license.
  • Genesis
    • Phantasy Star IV – A must have RPG.
  • 32X
    • Brutal: Unleashed – A uniquely themed but average-ish fighting game.
    • Metal Head – An average (at best) Mech sim.
  • 3DO
    • Need for Speed – An excellent driving sim.
  • Jaguar
    • Syndicate – The best console version of this game.
    • Theme Park – Fun but difficult theme park sim.
  • CD-I
    • Lemmings – A good translation but very dated by this point.
  • Game Gear
    • Stargate – A not so great puzzle game based on the movie.

• EGM Top Ten Lists – Topping the list this month is Sonic 3 for the Genesis, Donkey Kong Country for the Super NES, Sonic & Knuckles for the Genesis, Final Fantasy III for the Super NES, Super Metroid for the Super NES, NBA Jam for the Super NES, and Mega Man X for the Super NES.

• Gaming Gossip – News and rumors, including: Silicon Graphics Onyx Reality Engine based development kits for the N64 cost $250,000; Kill Instinct 2 in work for Ultra 64; PlayStation 2 in work; possible Earthworm Jim based arcade and/or pinball game in work; and more.

• Arcade Action – A look at new and upcoming arcade games, including Fatal Fury 3, Vampire Hunter: Darkstalkers’ Revenge plus games shown at the 1995 AOU Amusement Expo in Japan including Rail Chase 2, Red Zone, Cyberbots, Virtua Striker, Cyber Cycles, Elevator Action Returns, and Attack of the Zolgear.

• International Outlook – Games coming soon in Japan include Astal (Saturn), YuYu Hakusho Final (Super Famicom), Taihoman (Super Famicom), Alien Soldier (Mega Drive), Crossed Swords II (Neo Geo CD), Deadluss (Saturn), and Super Robot War 2G (Game Boy). Also, a detailed look and Chrono Trigger.

• Next Wave – Previews of upcoming games including Primal Rage (Super NES), Rayman (32X), Kingdom (3DO), NFL Quarterback Club (32X), Lunar: Eternal Blue (Sega CD), Pitfall (32X), Rage Rally (Jaguar), Donkey Kong Land (Game Boy), Alone in the Dark 2 (32X), Cyberia (3DO), BlakckThorne (32X), Hell (3DO), Theme Park (Genesis), Slam ‘N Jam (3DO), Descent (32X), Primal Rage (Game Gear), Solar Eclipse (Saturn), Dragons of the Square Table (Saturn), Rise of the Robots (3DO), 3-D Baseball ’95 (Saturn), Primal Rage (Game Boy), and more.

• Tricks of the Trade – Tips and Tricks for Mega Man X2 (Super NES), Kirby’s Avalanche (Super NES), Brutal (Super NES), Super Punch-Out (Super NES), Wario Blast (Game Boy), Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Super NES), Super Return of the Jedi (Super NES), Burning Soldier (3DO), Clayfighter 2: Judgement Clay (Super NES), Space Harrier (32X), Space Harrier (32X), NBA Jam: Tournament Edition (Super NES/Genesis), Earthworm Jim (Genesis), and lots more.

• Team EGM – A look at some of the promotions for the launch of the Sega Channel and some of the games supported. The Sega Channel was a cable service through which Genesis games could be downloaded and hints and tips accessed. Plus a detailed look at various sports games including Roller hockey ’95 (Super NES), NBA Hangtime ’95 (Sega CD), Toughman Boxing (32X), and more.

Fact-Files

• Super NES – Previews of Spider-Man, Warlock, Wing Commander II, Syndicate, Izzy’s Quest for the Olympic Rings, Oscar, and Whizz.

• Genesis – Previews of Knuckles Chaotix, Stargate, No Escape, and Spider-Man.

• 32X – Preview of Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw.

• Sega CD – Preview of RDF: Global Conflict.

• Game Boy – Preview of Monster Max.

• Game Gear – Preview of Stargate.

Features

• The MK III Kountdown Kontinues! – A look at the latest Mortal Kombat arcade sequel, including the story, some of the secrets and possible control changes (including maybe an extra button!). Also, a brief look at the cast of 14 characters.

• Street Fighter Legends – Yet another sequel (or I guess it is technically a prequel) to Street Fighter II that is not Street Fighter III. Street Fighter Legends (formerly to be named Street Fighter Zero) is to be based on the classic Fighting Street.

• Are You Ready for the PlayStation 2 – Despite the fact that the PlayStation has not even been released yet, there is already talk of the PlayStation 2 with an original plan to release in in 1997. Then they were going to release the PlayStation 3 in 2003 which was meant to last until 2011. While they ended up being somewhat off on those dates, by the time the PS4 rolled around it was late 2013 so they were reasonably close.

…and more!