• Tag Archives Computer Gaming World

  • Computer Gaming World (December 1987)

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    Source: Computer Gaming World – Issue Number 42 – December 1987

    Computer Gaming World was really the best computer gaming magazine available for most of its life. In its earlier days it covered multiple platforms but eventually became a PC only magazine. The December 1987 issue includes:

    Features

    • Plundered Hearts – A run-through of Plundered Hearts, an adventure game from Infocom which is sort of a spoof on pirate romance.
    • The Electronic Gridiron – A survey of the various computerized football games available at the time. Games covered here include 4th & Inches, GFL Championship Football, Gridiron, Football, Head Coach, Mac Pro Football, Super Bowl Sunday, 3-in-1 Football, Instant Replay, Computer Quarterback, and NFL Challenge.
    • 1987 CGW Game of the Year Awards – The 1987 Computer Gaming World Game of the Year awards were presented at DragonCon where there was also discussion of the future of computer gaming and a gaming tournament. Award winners include The Bard’s Tale II (Electronic Arts), Starflight (Electronic Arts), Leather Goddesses of Phobos (Infocom), Trinity (Infocom), Might and Magic (New World Computing), Hardball (Accolade), Marble Madness (Electronic Arts), Earl Weaver Baseball (Electronic Arts), Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon (Cinemaware), Gunship (Microprose), Defender of the Crown (Cinemaware), Under Fire! (Avalon Hill), Balance of Power (Mindscape), BattleCruiser (SSI), Gettysburg (SSI), Battlefront (SSG), and the overall winner, Ultima IV (Origin).
    • Project: Stealth Fighter – A review of this combat flight simulator for the Commodore 64/128.
    • Beyond Zork – Review of this classic adventure game from Infocom for a variety of systems. This was one of the last games in the long running Zork series of interactive fiction games.
    • Secret Agents, Man! – A look at The Spy’s Adventures in Europe and The Spy’s Adventures in North America. These are two games in a series of educational adventure games for the Apple II.
    • Victory At Sea – The second part of a strategy guide for SSI’s Warship, a naval strategy game.
    • Battles In Normandy – A review of this World War II strategy game from SSG for the Commodore 64 and Apple II.
    • Firepower – Review of this arcade tank game from MicroIllusions for the Amiga (coming soon for the Commodore 64, Apple IIgs, and Dos).

    Departments

    • Editorial – An overview of recent changes to the magazine including both content and layout changes as CGW moved to an IBM AT and desktop publishing.
    • Taking A Peek – Previews of new and upcoming games including Thunderchopper (Apple II, Commodore 64), Wings of Fury (Apple II), California Dreams (Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga), Vegas Gambler (Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga, Apple IIgs, DOS), Shirley Muldowney’s Top Fuel Challenge (Commodore 64), Dark Lord (Apple II, Commodore 64), Force 7 (Commodore 64), Tomahawk (Atari, Commodore 64), Street Sports Basketball (Apple II, Commodore 64, DOS), Heartland (Commodore 64), Silicon Dreams (Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, DOS), Solar Star (Atari), Plutos (Amiga), Terrorpods (Amiga, Atari ST), 3D Helicopter Simulator (Dos), Thexder (DOS), Connect (DOS), and Halls of Montezuma (Apple II, Commodore 64).
    • Game Ratings – A list of the top 50 strategy and top 50 action/adventure games as rated by CGW.

    …and more!


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  • Computer Gaming World (August 1986)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Computer Gaming World – Issue Number 30 – August 1986

    Computer Gaming World was the first major computer games magazine in the U.S. It was published for many years, eventually morphing into Games for Windows and dying not long after that. In its early days, it covered computers of all types. The August 1986 issue includes:

    Features

    • American Dream – Review of a management simulation in which you are the CEO of a robot manufacturing company.
    • Phantasie II – Review of this RPG from SSI for the Apple II and Commodore 64. The mechanics of the Phantasie games are a sort of rudimentary predecessor to the AD&D Gold Box games that would come later.
    • Industry Update – An overview of the June Consumer Electronics Show. Some new products shown and/or announced include Accolade’s Ace of Aces, Electronic Art’s multiple new titles including Thomas M. Disch’s Amnesia, Battlefront, Chessmaster 2000, Murder Party, Ogre, Mind Mirror, Scavenger Hunt, Bard’s Tale II, Autoduel, Ultimate Wizard, Business Simulator, Ultima III and others. Plus releases from a new company called Cinemaware and more.
    • The Kobayashi Alternative Revisited – A look at a still buggy new revision of Star Trek: The Kobayashi Alternative with some tips on how to avoid the bugs.

    Departments

    • Sports Scoreboard – A look at some of the latest sports games including GBA Championship Basketball, Bop ‘N Wrestle, an add-on disk for Leader Board as well as Avalon Hill’s Tournament Golf and Micro League Baseball.
    • Amiga Preferences – A brief look at new games for the Amiga including Mynd Walker, Mastertype, Rogue, and The Temple of Apshai Trilogy.
    • Commodore Key – A brief look at the latest Commodore 64 game related releases including Garry Kitchen’s Game Maker, Elite, Colossus, Booty & Cylu, Willow Pattern & Chimera, Gerry the Germ & Microcosm, Runestone & The Helm, Sabre Wulf & Underwurlde, Rasputin & Chicken Chase, Battle of Britain & Battle for Midway, Brian Bloodaxe, Revelation, Quovadis, Spell of Destruction, and lots more. Also noted is the fact that the Commodore 64 has sold more than any other home computer at this point at 3.5 million units.
    • Macintosh Window – A look at the latest entertainment releases for the Macintosh including Orbiter from Spectrum Holobyte and Flight Simulator.
    • Atari Playfield – A look at the latest Atari computer games including Silent Service and Starfleet I.
    • Over There! – A column with some of the latest news out of England. Games mentioned here include Way of the Tiger, Uridium, a Commodore 128 version of The Rocky Horror Show, Jet Set Willy 2, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, The Hunt for Red October, Knight Games, and more. Plus games for the C16 and Plus/4.
    • Game Ratings – Ratings of the top 100 games by readers separated into “Strategy” and “Adventure/Action” categories. At the top of the Strategy list is Kampfgruppe and at the top of the Adventure/Action list is Ultima IV.

    …and more!


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  • Computer Gaming World – Issue Number 7 – November 1982

    Posted on by Azrael 1 Comment

    The November/December 1982 issue of Computer Gaming World

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    Source: Computer Gaming World – Issue Number 7 – November 1982

    Throughout most of the 1980s all the way through the early 2000s Computer Gaming World was known mostly for its coverage of PC games (DOS and then Windows). It’s easy to forget how early they actually started. This issue is from November/December 1982. The PC, as in the ancestor of the Windows based computers we use today, wasn’t even introduced until the previous year and it was quite expensive as it was designed as a business machine. The IBM PC Jr., the first feeble attempt to market the PC as a home computer wasn’t introduced until 1984. In 1982, the PC was not the dominant platform for computer games. This issue of Computer Gaming World covers games for machines like the Atari 400/800, TRS-80 and Apple II.

    The contents of this issue include:

    Features

    • The History of a Wargame Design – The history of SSI’s Guadalcanal Campaign from conception to implementation and beyond as related by its author.
    • Japanese Strategy in Guadalcanal Campaign – Another article on SSI’s Guadalcanal Campaign for the Apple II. This one provides a strategy for helping you win when playing as the Japanese.
    • Four for the Atari – Reviews of Attack at EP-CYG-4, Hockey and Soccer (apparently sold together), and Shamus for the Atari 400/800.
    • Eastern Front: Scenario Options – An article on creating a custom scenario for Eastern Front for Atari 8-bit computers.
    • Star Maze – Review of this space based arcade game by Sir-tech for the Apple II. Also, prizes are offered for the first three people who can get to the 16th level and prove it by providing a map.
    • Legionnaire: Review and Analysis – Review of the strategy/war game Legionnaire by Chris Crawford/Avalon Hill for the Atari 400/800.
    • Cytron Masters for Atari – An article about porting the action/strategy game Cytron Masters from the Apple II to the Atari 400/800.
    • Andromeda Conquest – A review and strategies for the strategy game Andromeda Conquest. Also includes the best settings to achieve shorter games as games can run as long as ten hours.
    • Bungo Pete and the Wonder Bear – Two New Scenarios for SSI’s Torpedo Fire, a naval strategy game for the Apple II. These scenarios are created with something called the Shipyard program which I assume is some kind of scenario generator for the game.
    • Beyond Sargon II – Various chess variations that can be played with Sargon II.

    Departments

    • Inside the Industry – An overview of the number of games released by each company and for each system in 1981 and the first half of 1982. It’s interesting to note that in 1982, the Apple II had the most games followed by the TRS-80 then Atari and finally all other systems. In the first half of 1982, Atari overtook the TRS-80 for second place.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about piracy and back issues.
    • Taking a peek – Previews of the following games:
      • Alien Garden by Automated Simulations/Epyx (Atari 400/800)
      • Fore! by Automated Simulations (Apple II)
      • Escape From Vulcan’s Isle by Automated Simulations (Atari 400/800)
      • Crypt of the Undead by Automated Simulations (Atari 400/800)
      • King Arthur’s Heir by Automated Simulations (Atari 400/800)
      • Death Race ’82 by Avant-Garde (Apple II)
      • Federation by Avant-Garde (Apple II)
      • Zero Gravity Pinball by Avant-Garde (Apple II)
      • Teleport by Cavalier Computer (Apple II)
      • Money Munchers by Datamost (Apple II)
      • Mars Cars by Datamost (Apple II)
      • Tharolian Tunnels by Datamost (Apple II)
      • Kamikaze by Hayden Software (Apple II)
      • Klondike 2000 by Hayden Software (Apple II)
      • Shuttle Intercept by Hayden Software (Apple II)
      • Final Conflict by Hayden Software (Apple II)
      • King Cribbage by Hayden Software (Apple II)
      • Star Traders by Hayden Software (Apple II)
      • Frazzle by Muse Software (Apple II)
      • Monster Mash by The Software Farm (Apple II)
      • Picnic Paranoia by Synapse Software (Atari 400/800)
      • Protector II by Synapse Software (Atari 400/800)
      • Claim Jumper by Synapse Software (Atari 400/800)
      • Frogger by Sierra On-Line (Atari 400/800, Apple II)
      • Battle for Normandy by SSI (Apple II, Atari 400/800, TRS-80)
      • S.E.U.I.S. by SSI (Apple II)
      • The Cosmic Balance by SSI (Apple II)
      • Valley of the Kings by Dynacomp (Atari 400/800)
    • Hobby and Industry News – News mostly about upcoming games, many of which were briefly covered in the previews section above.
    • The Silicon Cerebrum – A technical article on computer based decision making.
    • Real World Gaming – Second part in a series of articles on the phases of creating a simulation based game.
    • Microcomputer Mathemagic – Parlor tricks using a computer.
    • Route 80 (TRS-80) – The future of computer gaming, programs by subscription and PEEKS and POKES on the TRS-80.
    • Micro-Reviews – Reviews of:
      • Crazy Mazey by Data Most (Apple II)
      • Lazermaze by Avant-Garde (Apple II)
      • Seafox by Broderbund (Atari 400/800, Apple II)
      • Computer Foreign Exchange by Avalon Hill (TRS-80)
    • Writing for CGW – Guidelines for submitting articles and reviews to CGW.
    • Reader Input Device – A survey for readers, this month featuring the results of a computer ownership survey and a new survey about ranking games.

    …and more!


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