Future Completes The Set...

[Ish]

Official mags make me laugh. It's like buying a "Official Sony Records Magazine" or "Official Paramount Magazine".

Absolute genius

[Concept]

At least there aren't official webzines (bar the filler pages for official magazines) out there for the different formats. With these magazines out there doing their thing, at least we've got that to be thankful for.

[Kongster]

I think 1998 SSM was the best example of how an official mag should do things.

Indeed, especialy the issues towards the end of the mags life - they were the some of the best ever.

It was sad to see the magazine end but at least it went out in a blaze of glory in the last ever issue

[Dogg Thang]

Yep, at the end of its lifespan it really benefitted from the lack of releases because we got some really in-depth articles that there is rarely space for in other mags. It was a great read.

[Kongster]

Indeed, the in depth articles about the likes of Panzer Dragoon Saga, Radiant Silvergun and X-men Vs Street Fighter was a joy to read.

In today's magazines, great games would get about one page dedicated to it, or two at the most. And yet the latest Fifa or Wrestling games would get loads more pages dedicated to it...

[Duddyroar]

It's a sad day because it brings to an end EMAP's interest in videogame magazines. The company was a driving force in the late 80's/early 90's with releases such as CVG, Mean Machines, MM Sega, Megatech and of course, Nintendo Magazine System (which later become Official Nintendo Magazine).

In the beginning, NMS was a quality read (anyone remember the cool GameBoy watch keyring that was given free with issue one?), thanks mainly to the fact that the original MM staff was kept on and they simply divided them between NMS and MMS. NMS remained a decent mag right up to the release of the N64, but started to go downhill from that point on. The last issue I bought (around the time of the Resident Evil remake on the Cube) was a complete joke, it smacked of the same misguided corporate foolishness that was killing CVG at the time. Ultimately they made the mistake most magazines are making these days - employing writers who happen to play games rather than gamers that happen to write. Most mags these days are devoid of any editorial identity and they all look the same.

Ah well, I'm sure Future will turn it into another faceless publication.

As for Official Sega Saturn Magazine - the main reason it was such a good read was the staff. Richard Leadbetter and Gary Cutlack were (and still are) 'proper' gamers and their love of all things Sega poured through onto the pages. They understood what their readership wanted and produced excellent features as a result. The magazine never spoke down to its readers, like so many others did at the time (and still do now). Towards the end of its life, with official releases all be dried up, SSM devoted loads of space to import reviews (Radiant Silvergun got massive coverage) and that made it a dream publication in my eyes. I doubt very much we will ever see its like again.

[Kongster]

The magazine never spoke down to its readers, like so many others did at the time (and still do now)

*Looks at Edge in particular* ft:

[Wools]

*Looks at Edge in particular* ft:

What?

I'm not even going to bother arguing with you on that one.

[Kongster]

Each to their own, mate

[eastyy]

I have said it before with cvg when they went to the new look i stopped buying it.

The new look was cluttered and they removed the free play section with its highscores/art/retro which was one of my fav things.

Why do Mags change there appearance every few years?

Sega saturn magazine was what convinced me to start importing
king of fighters/radiant silvergun/vampire saviour just looked to good to pass up.

I do remember them mentioning a pal version of xmen vs streetfighter was that ever close to happening?

[vertigo]

The official Nintendo mag's review of Fighter's Destiny on the N64 made me laugh.

Especialy the bit which said something like: "Fighter's Destiny has arrived to send the likes of Virtua Fighter and Tekken on to the ropes"

N64 Magazine said the same thing so you might be thinking of them. Fighter's History had a dodge button that you could hold down and almost nothing could hit you. Crap! Either that or the sequel, F-Cup Manix (insert double entendre here) had a board game thing in it that was a bit bizarre, massively unfair, and entirely pointless.

[Kongster]

I do remember them mentioning a pal version of xmen vs streetfighter was that ever close to happening?

Yeah it was..

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showthread.php?t=43517

[vertigo]

A bit OT but are there any good arcade magazines out there?
I've heard someone mention, funnily enough, 'Arcade', but I've never seen it anywhere and don't even know if it still exists.

[Kongster]

N64 Magazine said the same thing so you might be thinking of them.

Nah, I remember vividly reading about it in the official nintendo mag at my cousin's house (he was and still is a nintendo fanboy, only has eyes for the official mag)

Fighter's History had a dodge button that you could hold down and almost nothing could hit you. Crap! Either that or the sequel, F-Cup Manix (insert double entendre here) had a board game thing in it that was a bit bizarre, massively unfair, and entirely pointless.

[eastyy]

think i played fighters destiny was that the game you got points for throwing them or for knocking opponents down?