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Before we begin, you'll have to forgive me for making this piece even more personal and introspective than my typical content, as it relates to what is possibly one of the most important issues of a magazine that I've ever seen – primarily because, were it not for Retro Gamer issue 28, I might not even be writing these words (I'll let you decide if that's a good or bad thing).
Back in 2006, I was working in a full-time job that was totally unrelated to video games. Throughout my teenage years, I'd aspired to be a games journalist, having been a massive fan of magazines like Mean Machines, EDGE, Super Play, GameFan, and many, many more. When adult life arrived and I suddenly had a young family to support, I put aside such lofty ambitions, which inevitably meant taking a decently paid job wherever I could find one.
However, I never fully abandoned my wish to write about games, even if only as a hobby. I launched the now-defunct Mean Machines Archive in 2004 (the same site that brought me into the orbit of fellow Hookshot Media director Darren Calvert), and wrote unpaid reviews for NTSC-UK in exchange for free copies of import games (this same forum would later change its name to Bordersdown). I then secured some paid work for Pocket Gamer, initially reviewing (mostly) terrible Java-based mobile phone games for – on reflection – a laughably small amount of cash. It was a small step, but it felt like a significant one.
My memory is hazy now, but I believe it was on NTSC-UK that I messaged Retro Gamer editor Darran Jones about potentially contributing to the magazine. I showed him my work on NTSC-UK and Pocket Gamer and pitched the idea of digging into the genesis of the original Star Fox, one of my all-time favourite SNES games. He gave me all of the encouragement I felt that I needed, so I set about tracking down Argonaut founder Jez San.
After successfully finding him online and peppering him with questions, I started to pull together what would become my first professionally-published magazine article – a five-page deep-dive into the creation of Star Fox which (to my knowledge, at least) was the most in-depth feature of its kind back in 2006, as San hadn't previously spoken at length about the game all that much (remember that this was a mere 13 years after it had been released – the game is now 33 years old).
I must have spent weeks honing and fine-tuning the feature, and when I finally submitted it to Darran, he seemed happy enough – although he did inform me that next time I should probably wait until I had an actual commission before starting work on a feature (the purchase order would follow shortly after, but it was an important early lesson for me).
As luck would have it, I also pitched another feature for the same issue about Herzog Zwei (another McFerran favourite), which meant my Retro Gamer debut would feature two articles in the magazine, one of which was the cover piece (you could say my career has all been downhill from that point).
They say you always remember your first time, and Retro Gamer issue 28 is the perfect example. It may not have been the best writing of my career, but having a physical, tangible indication that my words were good enough to be read by others was a huge confidence boost.
I even remember standing in my local WH Smith when the issue came out and seeing someone pick it up and show it to their girlfriend, excitedly pointing out the game on the cover. I almost tapped him on the shoulder to explain that I'd written the piece, but stopped myself as I wasn't actively seeking a restraining order at that point in my life. Needless to say, I was filled with pride not only at getting my words printed but also at having those words be about a game that clearly resonated with millions of players worldwide.
Over the next few years, I would contribute regularly to Retro Gamer, and getting my work printed in that esteemed publication opened doors elsewhere, including GamesTM, SFX, Eurogamer, GamePro, IGN and more – but it all started with that one speculative message on a tiny import gaming forum.
It's no exaggeration to say that, had Darran not been kind enough to take a punt on a laughably inexperienced writer, I wouldn't be doing what I am today; I'm eternally grateful to him for that chance, and it's always at the back of my mind whenever we're commissioning new writers across the Hookshot Media network of sites today.
It's hard for me to believe this was all 20 years ago now, as it feels like only yesterday in so many ways. The release of Star Fox on Switch 2 reminded me of just how important this series has been to me, both as a gamer and as a writer, and I can't wait to dive back into the Lylat System.