Deuteros

Does it include an authentic blue screen of death?

I imported or bought one in USA and brought it back on the plane to UK, primarily because the exchange rate was 1 pound to 2 dollars at the time so made it super cost effective, and I learned all about horrible PAL optimisation plus speed differences and borders... thanks Mean Machines! Did not once think of any warranty matters.

The books are great, plus industry and creative individuals have realised there is a huge market for legislated nostalgia and company profiles plus biographies.

Having it physically present in front of you and tactile is so much better than any digital version, still in any capacity.

With the physical magazine industry on last legs it is the best/only alternative...

Final Fantasy, R Type, Gradius, Kings Quest Collection, North and South and Streetfighter ones are my favourites.

Especially the Super R-Type painting used for the official SNES American box, with the giant boss dominating the picture against the tiny ship.

Made an impression back when box art sold games.

Talented. Best wishes to family. RIP.

Will back, one of the best software houses UK ever produced.

Collecting all the Psygnosis and Psyclapse Amiga boxed games at present for Roger Dean artwork and others.

In other news have been scrolling through EGM digital archive beta test run as up and running for compendium book kickstarter backers since last week.

Pretty comprehensive even already, defintely should be done for future retro magazines.

Floating red monster hell head demon is hilarious, might make entire thing worth it!

Are they all gigantic PC games from the 90s back during the glory years of packaging?

Will buy no doubt, I got the cover art one at Christmas.

One thing I did notice is Paper Mario prices on Gamecube have flattened to reasonable levels after the recent re-release/remaster on Switch.

Basically cut in half as game was going for close to a hundred or over, now hovers around 50-60.

More a case of a new improved edition coming to market, giving more ways to play the original.

Cannot wait for the Greg Norman and David Beckham announcement!

@Lorfarius You finished it in a weekend! Just arrived today, lots of content and more writing than expected, over 400 pages!

Who can forget the classic EGM Shen Long prank!

So good they did it again for Streetfighter III.

Obviously no need for Streetfigjter IV!

https://www.gamepressure.com/editorials/april-fools-jokes-that-turned-out-real/street-fighter-iv-sheng-long/z23f9

This Castlevania one is high up there, lots of effort went in by looks of elements.

@FPGAguru I thought it was released in France in the end? Recall lots of official adverts in a Consoles XS magazine I picked up early 90s.

Just ordered his book as well, hopefully be a special issue 25 celebratory one like that extra Super Play issue for the SNES mini launch!

Its not too bad, never played it at the time but gave it a go over Pandemic, plus has the N64 Goldeneye feel in places due to the hardware. Unlike say certain games afterwards on the next wave of consoles that could move the Bond games in new directions...also probably the first ever digital recreation of Denise Richards/Christmas Jones!

Konami used to release a Gradius game as a programming exercise for their coders I read, to learn the architecture of a new console. Gradius III with SNES, Gradius IV with PS2, must have stopped with PS3/360/Wii.

Still regret selling that copy of Gradius V on my PS2 clearout. Oops.

Not super expensive now, but pricier...

Recently picked up Gradius Collection on PSP with IV and Gaiden amongst some of these titles included, plus an art gallery and extra features...

Sonic sneakers next surely if not done already!

Looks good, could be a market for these mods/customisations!

● MSG style cardboard box
● Crash Bandicoot
● Final Fantasy sword
● Astro Boy

Looks good from the video, was unaware of it as Japanese exclusive, will now check it out!

Its either an MSX clone of Neo's grey work IBM PC or ultra deluxe hacker version of his home rig or a next gen Nokia Engage to whatever flip phones they used from late 90s to early 00s...

If not then letdown.

Have they ever released Propeller Arena the cancelled flying game in some capacity and is it playable offline/online does anybody know?

Edit: I see it was leaked online a disk image a few years back.

Best videogame hardware scandal since Gizmondo!

https://www.thedrive.com/news/2559/the-weird-wild-saga-of-gizmondo-part-1

This Midway to Acclaim 1990s transfer was way before that I believe all covered here...

The Story Behind NBA Jam | A 90s Gaming Masterpiece

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3HoCv1gzVC8

I did not know that Midway somehow lost the NBA Jam license to Acclaim during the 90s until recently amazingly...

According to Singleton, "employees have been invited to take whatever they want"

Appearing on ebay/auction sites and grading emporiums near you very soon!

NBA Jam 2025, make it now!

I enjoyed reading this one.

Endless sessions of Streetfighter, Mortal Kombat, Bomberman and more on the SNES with multiplayer and Goldeneye on N64 with groups of friends and the WCW wrestling games at University, all huddled into one room with four controllers.

Plus do not forget siblings, many a family feud created over gaming or bonds formed...over the likes of Sensible Soccer, Kick Off 2, Tanx n Stuff, and others.

One of the first 16 bit memories was playing this coverdisk PD game Byplane or Bip free with Amiga Format, mechanics were simple for a 2 player game but amazingly deep and addictive, must have clocked hours/days on that over Christmas 91.

With the new film I would like them to include some different characters from III, IV, V and VI yet they will probably stick to the classic sequel game iteration, test the waters see the box office.

Although looking at logo again I kind of get Streetfighter 1 vibes, and it might be more interesting to start at the very beginning with just Ryu and Sagat storyline for ease of access.

If it is a success could easily expand it to multiple films and even its own universe with an original film, prequels and Alpha series as well.

Most of the best films were the anime versions and some of the recent graphic novels/comics have been great.

The Capcom storyline lore is deep with this one, plus much more easily translated to film than many videogames.

Well I thought I would comment as nobody else has...C Viper figure next.

A collection of Daytona, Virtua Racing, Hang On, Afterburner, Space Harrier and a few more in this style would probably sell well for SEGA.

@Andee I think I did know that or stored it away somewhere useless. Oz the art chap went to Titan Magazines, not sure what up to now, Rich does Digital Foundary...

Getting the back catalogue of magazines is not too tricky or expensive so far, just got a mint SF2 Arcade Guide edition, some are more expensive than others though, mostly early ones and obviously depends on condition...

Almost half way there already...plus I got the UN Squadron edition first, still think the screenshots are the best ever in terms of quality and selling a game!

@X68000 One thing I noticed was Shekhana says incorporated 1978 on their advert in a back issue of Mean Machines.

Was just wondering who lays claim to fame as being the first large scale grey importer of Japanese stuff to these shores?... always thought it was PC Engine Supplies, but could be wrong, plus Shekhana might have started out as a computer micro specialist...

Definitely a book to be written about this era and industry that came and went from UK perspective by somebody...

If you have not checked out the original GBA F Zero titles they are worth a blast as well...closest thing to a true 16 bit SNES official sequel...

Good interview, deserves more comments. Probably one of the writers/journalists most influential from the UK for instilling a love of video games into a generation...

Should do a new Mean Machines magazine issue 25 or whatever with most of the crew as a one off, lots of modern retro titles out there like the extra Super Play issue not too long ago...

Not sure who holds rights to it now from EMAP to Bauer to Ascential or Metropolis International...

Old games are more accessible, have that pick up and play mentality, do not even need instructions...

@X68000 Just collecting Mean Machines magazines at the moment and the biggest nostalgia hit is all the grey importers advertising during the early boom period plus their adverts, Shekhana, Raven Games, Console Concepts and everyone...

Book looks like one to get, always enjoyed his writing plus interesting career.

@PXAbstracftion Great game by Cryo, I guess the new more recent Dune game this year is a spitritual successor. Endless time wasted with his soundtracks flying in the Ornithopter trying to find sietches! Game really grasped the Frank Herbert universe/world as playing in the 90s was very immersive for the time.

@Ristar24 I noticed pre Christmas HMV were stocking a select number of videogames, mainly popular titles, maybe a test to check out market again.

@mattb2020 I believe the only ones left are EDGE, Retro Gamer, PC Gamer UK wise. PLAY closed last year and was one of the last single format magazines left. WIREFRAME closed over Pandemic I believe or just before. Amiga Addict does have a news stand presence amazingly. Rather a shell of former self. Very surprised there is no market even for a Nintendo magazine, given demographics of players, yet times change. Hence the resurgence through crowd funding a little, but era has passed, with everything nearly now moved online.

I will get back to you in half a day...

Only items I tend to buy are magazines at Smiths, more of an impulse purchase. If they restrict outlets to railway stations, airports and hospitals you are left with the reduced selection at certain supermarkets, some of these do not carry EDGE for example due to sales as mentioned. Would never have discovered the new Amiga Addict magazine in the main shopping centre Smiths randomly by chance recently otherwise. Looks like subscriptions might be only way to get them for certain people in future, plus browsing will be confined to digital means or specialist newsagents that are already on last legs.

These books/creations just raise profile/popularity of the title/game in general, would be interesting to know specifics...

I think there is a section on "Here Comes a New Challenger Documenatary all about this series , recall watching it over Christmas.

Initially my mind thought it was an online retrospective from likes of Secret Galaxy Channel in head.

Goes into all the GI Joe Hasbro crossover stuff in final third plus feature film and other memorobilia from 90s era.

Harper should do a Mortal Kombat one next, actually will suggest that to him...

Entire series available on you tube to experience it for yourself!

The last decade's philosophy is "monetize anything if you can" it feels at times. Retro gaming's popularity/reniassance is that it bucks the cold hearted capitalism that the modern games industry willfully embraced and descended into...with some noteable/few exceptions...

Losing track of all these video game books, tend to stick to Bitmap and ROM plus select others. Backed that EGM kickstarter that reached over a million in funding, so hopefully that one is 99.9% locked due to popularity, due February, still livid did not get to purchase the "You are Sushi X" tier as only 12 slots!

That is what is great about this period loads if undiscovered gems and hardware particularly from Japan. I just found out about the Taito Console the other day for example...

From the Neptune thread.

Lastly I just found out about a Taito unreleased console from this era the WoWoW of all things! Taito/Ascii using CD Roms plus downloadable games via satellite!

Best Longform read on console.

https://www.unseen64.net/2015/08/10/interview-taito-wowow-console/

Taito X-55! The Video Game Console You Didn't Know Existed! The Taito Wowow Story!

https://youtu.be/ypiMiO6yU_A?si=thS1IdAQ3K3YOezD

Still find it great amazing that from this decade still secrets to be discovered with so many prototypes, cancelled consoles computers and stuff from the 90s when everyone wanted to be involved and tech was at a nodal/inflection point...

@MetaCrystal

Speaking of SF2 I watched Oliver Harper's "Here Comes a New Challenger" just before Christmas as have followed his retrospectives for about a decade and there was a special guest appearance from Time Extension!

Documentary was very good...enjoyed it.

I guess many versions of Streetfighter 2/3/4 or other CPS system fighter conversions have extra bells and whistles plus group battle options not found in arcade but too easy that one...

Surprised Area 88/UN Squadron not mentioned yet...oh there we go 5 mins ago...