• Tag Archives Super Nintendo

  • Super Play (August 1993)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Super Play – Issue Number 10 – August 1993

    Super Play was a U.K published magazine dedicated to the Super Nintendo. I know we had at least once such magazine in the U.S. but it really only had a handful of pages and was published bi-monthly. Nintendo Power was probably a better option though it would have covered the NES and Game Boy to depending on what time period we are talking about. Issue number 10 of Super Play from August 1993 (100 pages!) includes the following:

    Features

    • Different Strokes – A look at how advertisements and cover art for the same games differ between Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.
    • Troubleshooter – How to easily and cheaply fix a Super NES that has been damaged by adaptor (mis)use.
    • CES! – A look at the Summer CES in Chicago on June 3-6, 1993. Super Nintendo highlights included Arcus Odyssey, Beast Ball, a new version of the NES, Brawl Brothers, Beauty and the Beast, Dream Probe, Super Battletank 2, Crash Dummies, Caribbean Kawasaki Challenge, Ultima: The False Prophet, Rabbit Rampage, T2, Monday Night Football, Legend, Yoshi’s Cookie, Aladdin, Rock ‘n’ Roll Racing, River Raid, Super Mario All-Stars, Street Fighter II Turbo, Side Pocket, Pac-Man 2, Jurassic Park, Super Brawl, Utopia, Last Action Hero, Family Feud, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Inspector Gadget, and tons more.

    Import Reviews

    • American Gladiators – A game based on the T.V. show of the same name involving the same challenges.
    • Bubsy – A great side-scrolling platform game.
    • Doraemon – A sort of combination action/RPG featuring a cat.
    • Dracula Kid – A Zelda-like RPG featuring Dracula as a kid.
    • Final Fight 2 – Featuring a two-player mode and upgraded graphics for the SNES.
    • GP-1 – A motorcycle racing game with average reviews.
    • International Tennis Tour – An Ok tennis game.
    • Run Saber – Basically a wannabe Strider but Strider is much better.
    • Shadowrun – A SNES version of the classic tabletop cyberpunk themed RPG. It’s set in 2050…we are already more than halfway there from when this game was released.
    • Septentrion – An action adventure game set on a sinking ship.
    • Super Black Bass – A pretty good fishing game if you like fishing games.
    • Super Turrican – Thirteen levels of sci-fi platform action.

    Super Player’s Guide

    • Legend of the Mystical Ninja – A complete strategy guide for this action RPG that received no official UK release.

    UK Reviews

    • Striker – One of many soccer games released in the U.K. though this one seems to be a pretty good one.
    • WWF Royal Rumble – A pretty good wrestling game featuring the WWF.

    Regulars

    • Super Express – The latest Super NES related news including the latest on the Super NES CD, info on upcoming U.K. releases, Mega Man X, some new SNES controllers and other peripherals, a look at recent fantasy games including Ogre Battle and Neugier, more on the Summer CES in Chicago, and much more.
    • Gamefreak – Questions answered about Pop ‘n Twinbee, Street Fighter II Turbo, PAL vs. NTSC, upcoming RPGs, Actraiser vs. Soul Blazer, Sensible Soccer, and much more.
    • Playback – Feedback from readers about downbeat reviews, extra speed in U.K. games, upgrading Street Fighter II, violence in games, and more.
    • What Cart? – A brief summary of reviews of older games.
    • Next Month – Coming in the next issue, tons of game designer interviews, Final Fight 2 and Dragon Ball Z coverage, a look at the Japanese games industry, reviews of Troddlers, First Samurai, Super Back to the Future 2, World Soccer, and more.

    …and more!


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  • SOS (Super Nintendo)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly – Issue Number 56 – March 1994

    The above ad is from the March 1994 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. I have to say, I didn’t remember this game at all when I came across this ad today. I know I was buying EGM at the time but I don’t even remember seeing this ad before. My guess is that this game was not heavily advertised and that this ad probably didn’t appear in very many issues…maybe even only one. Vic Tokai published quite a few well known and, on average, high quality games in the 8-bit and 16-bit era. S.O.S. does not appear to have been a bad game, but it is definitely not one of their more well known games.

    S.O.S. was released for the Super NES in 1994 and appears to be loosely based on The Poseidon Adventure, a 1969 book and 1972 film. The goal of the game is to escape a sinking ship within an hour. It plays more or less like a combination platform/adventure game but there are some puzzle elements and some rather unique aspects to the game. You can play as one of four characters, each of which has their own story. You can also help to rescue up to seven other people, each of which has different requirements for rescue and can help you in different ways.

    S.O.S. got mixed to positive reviews so it does not appear to have been a bad game. It apparently does a good job making you feel as though you are in a movie though some parts are better designed than other. Graphics and sound are fairly average for a 16-bit title. Play control is ok but could be better. Personally, timed games always tended to annoy me. For instance, I loved Impossible Mission but thought it would have been a much better game had they implemented it without a timer somehow.

    S.O.S. was apparently successful enough to warrant a sequel. Septentrion: Out of the Blue was released as a follow-up in 1999 for the PlayStation. However, this game was a Japan only release. The premise is much the same as S.O.S. except that Septentrion is set in modern time (instead of 1921) and there is no time limit. I would probably like the lack of a time limit better but I could see how it removes a bit of the suspense element.

    If you want to give S.O.S. a try, you will have to track down an original or be content with emulating it. Emulation is probably the better choice as original copies are absurdly priced on eBay (from $200-$600 depending on completeness and condition). It seems to be fairly rare. There are no re-releases that I am aware of. Also, don’t confuse it with Sink Or Swim. On the other hand, in addition to the original PlayStation release, Septentrion also had PSP, PlayStation 3, and PS Vita releases but as far as I know, none of them were released in North America.


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  • Nintendo Power (March 1992)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Nintendo Power – Issue Number 34 – March 1992

    If there is a single magazine that most people have the most nostalgia over, it is probably Nintendo Power. I was never really that big into Nintendo Power because, even though I had both an NES and Super NES during their peak (as opposed to the Genesis or other systems), I was always curious what was out there for other systems. Also, I didn’t exactly consider Nintendo Power to be impartial. Nevertheless, it was always a great resource for Nintendo owners. The March 1992 issue includes:

    NES

    • The Empire Strikes Back – While most licensed games are pretty crappy, Star Wars has done pretty well on average and The Empire Strikes Back was a solid platform game on the NES…especially if you were a Star Wars fan. This guide will help you through it.
    • Terminator 2 – A guide to this multi-staged platform game based on the movie of the same name. Another licensed game that isn’t as bad as most.
    • Nightshade – A guide to an adventure game I’m not very familiar with. My biggest complaint with game like this was that they tended to be not long enough and lacked much in the way of replayability. Probably a good rental.
    • M.C. Kids – A guide to this advertisement for McDonald’s. Apparently it wasn’t a half bad game but I’m not sure how a McDonald’s themed game would do today.

    Game Boy

    • Mega Man II – A guide to the second Mega Man game for the Game Boy. A great game if you liked Mega Man and the Game Boy (Mega Man was ok but I was never fond of Blur Boy).
    • Tiny Toon Adventures – A guide to this game based on the excellent cartoon of the same name.
    • High Stakes – A gambling game that includes various casino games. This type of game works pretty well on the Game Boy.

    Super NES

    • Lemmings – An excellent game on the SNES (and other platforms). Though it could definitely be frustrating at times.
    • Joe & Mac – A pretty good platform game with a caveman theme and humor.
    • The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – Even though I haven’t played all of the Zelda games, this one is still the best. Here’s an extensive guide if you need the help.

    Tips from the Pros

    • Classified Information – Tips, tricks and passwords for Rockin’ Kats (NES), Captain Planet (NES), Spud’s Adventure (Game Boy), ActRaiser (Super NES), Super Tennis (Super NES), Super Mario World (Super NES), Sim City (Super NES), and Mystical Ninja (Super NES).
    • Counselors’ Corner – Questions answered about Lagoon, Drakkhen, Dragon Warrior III, and Metroid II.

    The Info Zone

    • Celebrity Player Profile – An interview with Corin Nemec, star of Parker Lewis Can’t Lose.
    • Next Issue – Games featured in the next issue include The Addams Family, Captain America and the Avengers, Star Trek, and WWF Super Wrestlemania.

    Video Updates

    • Now Playing – Opinions on some of the latest releases, including Blazebusters, The Empire Strikes Back, Godzilla 2, Super Square Deal, High Stakes, Terminator 2, Wizardry II, Pop Up, Pyramids of Ra, Star Trek, and more.
    • Pak Watch – Previews of recently released and upcoming games including WWF Super Wrestlemania, The Addams Family, The Duel: Test Drive 2, and Gargoyle’s Quest.

    Comis

    • Zelda – For those that like Zelda and their comics based on games.
    • Super Mario Bros. – Ditto the above but replace Zelda with Super Mario Bros.
    • Nester’s Adventures – Nester was the mascot of Nintendo Power and had a regularly occurring comics trip.

    Player’s Forum

    • Player’s Pulse – Readers answer the question, “What do you want?”.
    • Nester Awards – The best games as ranked by Nintendo Power in various categories. Winners include Battletoads (NES), Battletoads (Game Boy), Actraiser (Super NES), Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES), Caesar’s Palace (Game Boy), Final Fantasy Adventure (Game Boy), PilotWings (Super NES), Final Fantasy II (Super NES), Castlevania II (Game Boy), and more.
    • Power Players – High scores and accomplishments for ActRaiser, Battletoads, Battle Unit Zeoth, Castlevania II, Drakkhen, Dr. Mario, Duck Tales, Faria, Final Fantasy II, Final Fight, The Immortal, Klax, The Little Mermaid, The Adventures of Lolo III, Ninja Gaiden III, Princess Tomato in The Salad Kingdom, Super Mario World, Tetris, The Uninvited, and U.N. Squadron.
    • Top 20 – At the top of the charts this month are Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES), Super Mario World (Super NES), and Super Mario Land (Game Boy).

    …and more!


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