I think that is the most disturbing aspect of the technology. It is going to be, and already is used in this way, on many levels and lay people will not/cannot be able to tell the difference...
Would recommend reading Empires of AI by Karen Hao on this topic.
Nice feature. Enjoyed reading it, sometimes it is easy to forget the videogames industry was still relatively young in the 90s in many ways, and on a learning curve in multiple areas. Lost a little of its charm and innocence compared to the present for sure..
Fun article, good read, I quite like learning about regional and continental differences of previous console generations, and there is not too much historical information on South America with Nintendo.
I am trying to think of what SNK games from the original run founded in 1978 as Shin Nihon Kikaku (新日本企画; 'New Japan Project') would be politically incorrect or get them cancelled/into trouble in this more enlightened age we live in now!
● Ikari Warriors = (Cultural Appropriation/Colonization or Commando rip off)
● Beast Busters (Zombie/Undead Demonization)
● NAM 1975 (Controversial Vietnam Conflict exploitation)
● Ghost Pilots (Money made from WW2 and evil N*zis)
● Fatal Fury (Making fun of orphans)
● Mutation Nation (Genetic Engineering/Experiments run amok and encouraged)
Things were simpler in the 90s with just the SEGA v Nintendo console wars it seems, and finding extra batteries for your handheld...back in the day when prices of consoles went down instead of up and your greatest weekly concern was catching the next Gamesmaster episode.🤷
You could say that is one of the worst traits of the AAA game space on consoles for the last decade and a half odd years for sure though.
The industry instead of forging its own path fully, fell back and mimicked the film industry approach as many more game designers wanted to be digital film directors.
Both structurally in terms of a select number of super studios and developer numbers eventually, as well as aesthetically in terms of grandiose cinematic and dialogue heavy adventures, that were all frankly becoming rather indistinguishable from one another.
I think that's one of the reasons why the PS2/XBox/Cube/Dreamcast Era is still so fondly remembered as this style of game had yet to fully dominate while others reached their logical conclusion and apex.
Arcade style and twitch games plus traditional evolutions of the 80s and 90s reached their apotheosis and were still relatively plentuful on certain consoles, you got the last true coin op/arcade console from SEGA, Microsoft innovated online and were a fresh player so certain elements still felt new, Nintendo refined their 3D N64 output with flashier graphics and gameplay and SONY double downed on what made Playstation work.
Yet the begginnings of narrative heavy interactive cinematic games have their routes predominantly in SONY's approach to games, I would argue and the birth of the emotion engine start here for sure 100%
PS3/360/Wii was sort of a transition era to what was to come next in terms of cinematic game styles over the last 10-15 years with Nintendo's console of that generation being a little bit of an outlier waggle and everything else included as Nintendo purposefully went out to disrupt elements.
This trend continued with Mario and co playing by their own more traditional or innovation based rules and Microsoft basically followed the SONY approach to gaming as the innovation space I felt contracted before the indie scene emerged and the rise of Steam on PC opened a new door...
Has he basically become the James Cameron of videogames though and not in a good way?
Kojima spent what two decades iterating on only one franchise Metal Gear Solid very similar to Cameron's Avatar juggernaut now, the parallels are a little scary.
William Gibson at least writes new fiction in conjunction with the changing world around him to this day.
I always felt Kojima was somewhat stuck in the 80/90s influences of his youth... (not saying that is a bad era to be obsessed about or take inspiration from)
He easily could have such a wider and more varied portfolio of games through his career I believe especially from mid 90s to 2012.
Why he was never allowed or even considered to make a next generation sequel to Snatcher or even give it an experiment/concept is a big question.
It is also noticeable that he appeared during the same era as the filmaker and has been less original as time went on and the industry imitated his approach...(for the worse in my opinion)
Comparing Kojima to say Shigeru Miyamoto it is like night and day always to me in terms of output and originality, and a little bit of a case of style over substance once the 21st century got going... but I guess that is the Kojami MO in the end. I prefer his earlier work.
I think his career would have been more varied and interesting if MGS had not been such a worldwide success, and he was able to experiment to a greater degree under Konami from say late 90s/early 2000s onwards.
Then again Sony and Playstation needed it to be a big seller, and to and extent created that landscape then conditions that kept him coding sequels for nearly two decades and the money arriving at intervals for Konami and shareholders.
A victim of own success with that series in the end, after all he basically left Konami as he was sick of creating the same game over and over again for every new Playstation hardware.
Thanks for the article though, hopefully get some conversation going about his true place in the pantheon of great video game designers.
The other text was 'Home Computers 100 Icons that defined a Digital Generation' if you are into computers and all things micro over consoles, this is the book to get with amazing photography!
Good review. I am ordering this book I'd also recommend another one about the visual history of obscure computers from the late 70s, 80s and 90s that I cannot find on Amazon or recall the name of edited by Alex Wiltshire...will update once foud name...
Here's my review and that Olympic Fencer blonde was not up to speed in Die Another Day anyway!
"Yet another early film choice (this seems to be a growing trend for Dwayne's worst films). Based off the hugely popular 1990s ID Software FPS video game about battling monster sent directly from a hell dimension, Doom was reworked a little from the original concept. The plot involves a portal to Mars buried deep within the Nevada desert and a squad of Marines sent out that reads like a loose reinterpretation of James Cameron's Aliens.
The fantastic Karl Urban and Bond Girl Rosmaund Pike turn up as co-stars, and The Rock plays The Sarge who gets to yield the destructive and distinctive weapon of choice from the games. It is lighthearted horror science fiction fun, and easily digestible, with it taking a decade for the film to come to screens."
I picked up the triple pack on Wii for around a fiver recently and had a blast for the weekend, although the boss shootouts are really tricky due to the remote, but still a lot of fun.
Gamecube had the nicest graphics of all that generation, lovely and crisp...playing Rogue Squadron 2 at launch made a friend join NASA, they were that good!
I want an updated modern version of this in both 16 or 32 bit style to make games of the quality like Thunderforce, or Ranger-X, Axelay, UN Squadron, R-Type, Einhander and so on plus a CAPCOM System I game generator...
The Megadrive is his greatest work IMO, still an all time classic and I believe it contributed a massive amount to the success of that console, as it literally looked amazing to what had arrived before it. I wish videogame industrial design was still this interesting...
Well I looked at Belmont's Curse appears yet another Metroidvania despite being very pretty, was sincerely hoping for a straight arcade scroller like Castlevania IV!
I cannot even get to the end of level 1 in Super Ghouls and Ghosts anymore! Tried playing the GBA version and it was rock hard...plus set to easy, the zombies were everywhere, everywhere I tell you!
@slider1983 There are also the Retro Collectors Edition with the Panini Stickers design artwork, a great artistic touch and specific one off magazines on PC, Cube, XBOX and PS2 from this era that you should read/pick up plus some other specials...
Sanches Era, 1999 to late 2003, the interesting string of covers and features happens around late 2001, 2002 and 2003 coinciding with Gamecube/XBOX launch and a new generation/landscape evolving...
Funnily enough that era produced a lot of great content, some in fact consider it the final hurrah of a golden period of the first decade with many specials and extra one offs created on specific systems plus interesting articles...
I think Mott is back as Editor now again as well according to my Nov 2025 issue.
I would say 1993 to 2003 is the best of the magazine personally, however not as familar with it from early 10s to present just jump in from time to time...however there are sometimes interesting articles that crop up to this day...
The Culture Era is very easy to recognise due to different size/format of magazine from 2004, definitely a left turn.
It was redesigned again more in keeping with original ethos and the future of interactive entertainment tagline was brought back after 2004-11 which remains to this day.
Good post, witnessing and reading about the generational changes then the shifting nature of games as a distinct medium, was always something EDGE handled very well...
It is definitely an element that has been lost, as the industry and tech became more incrimental and generational change was not as distinct...
I kind of zoned out/stopped reading during the tail end of the Wii/PS3/360 era full time.
Lastly I think most of the back catalogue of issues is now available digitally on certain magazine apps...Magzter like you say maybe a few others which is handy if you need an old article for reference...
Nothing beats having the physical magazine in your hand though...although the paper quality is not as good as it used to be!
@Sketcz No, this is slightly more complicated, it deals with the digital insurrection circa 2003 online that created a schism that apparently lasts to this very day...probably had to live through it, interesting times.
The EDGE Hive Mind mentality definitely has pros and cons, ironically it was that very issue that got them into bother all those decades ago digitally...
@Guru_Larry Joao's time as Editor coincided with lots of great cover and original content ideas, plus expansion/experimentation 1999-04, if I recall...
I will always have a soft spot for Jason Brookes stewardship of the magazine at the very beginning.
He really is its founding father in my view beyond others even Jarrett, as he set the template for the publication, and its standard, but the industry was also different in the 90s and much more interesting as it was young and hungry, as was the magazine...
Joao time was Editor was very well done, with some excellent issues also, massive workrate and a huge page count, with a lasting legacy of a group of troublemakers that thought they were bigger than the magazine itself, and in the end had to be dealt with...
I still recall his one post on the old EDGE forum just after the revolution had begun...and the closing of the second flawed iteration to howls of disbelief by the malcontents as it grew even more toxic in different ways...
Tony steadied the ship, and has been around in one way since the turn of the millenium.
Margaret had a whirl during tricky times, and Alex's innings should have lasted much longer as Editor as he had lots of good ideas...
Last ten years, I am glad it is still there as Future use it as a premium legacy magazine of their thin games division, less connection with it now but check in from time to time on big events...
Solid article, still waiting on the hardback book on "The Making of Edge" as well...
Recently purchased Arkanoid Doh it Again by Taito on SNES as it has a level editor, and therefore can create the most fiendish block related levels in all existence...
One of the very first memories of 16 bit fun I have was playing Arkanoid on a neighbour's Atari ST, and being amazed when the power ups floated down and you got the firewpower upgrade, or multiball, then forcefield shatter ball that ripped through all blocks...
Simple times, but always something relaxing about this genre.
Never played it with a paddle controller though, it was hard enough with a mouse!
"With Emlyn Hughes International Soccer in 1988 Audiogenic pioneered the concept of a fast-moving sports simulation featuring on-screen commentary, named players and management elements; later with World Class Rugby and then European Champions.
Audiogenic introduced the concept of sports simulations with a choice of viewpoints."
Appears Fifa/ISS owes a debt to Audiogenic...
Always recall Exterminator on the 16 bit machines as well.
Comments 367
Re: Random: "This Isn't Real, Is It?" - These Annoying Gen AI Adverts For Retro Consoles Are Fooling A Lot Of People
@gojiguy
"The AI misinformation culture war begins"
I think that is the most disturbing aspect of the technology. It is going to be, and already is used in this way, on many levels and lay people will not/cannot be able to tell the difference...
Would recommend reading Empires of AI by Karen Hao on this topic.
Good read and objective.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460331/empire-of-ai-by-hao-karen/9780241678923
Re: Interview: "It Was An Amateurish Company In A Good Way" - Capcom Japan's First Localisation Lead Talks Marvel, Resident Evil, & Working With Shinji Mikami
Nice feature. Enjoyed reading it, sometimes it is easy to forget the videogames industry was still relatively young in the 90s in many ways, and on a learning curve in multiple areas. Lost a little of its charm and innocence compared to the present for sure..
Re: More Neo Geo Games Are Coming To Evercade In 2027, And It's One Of The Cheapest Places To Play Them
@slider1983 Is it a licensing issue to do with the cars?
Re: "It's Almost Like A Religion" - The Incredible Journey To Document Nintendo's History In Brazil
Fun article, good read, I quite like learning about regional and continental differences of previous console generations, and there is not too much historical information on South America with Nintendo.
Re: Talking Point: "We, The Consumers, Need To Vote With Our Wallets" - The Moral Dilemma Of Supporting SNK In 2026
I am trying to think of what SNK games from the original run founded in 1978 as Shin Nihon Kikaku (新日本企画; 'New Japan Project') would be politically incorrect or get them cancelled/into trouble in this more enlightened age we live in now!
● Ikari Warriors = (Cultural Appropriation/Colonization or Commando rip off)
● Beast Busters (Zombie/Undead Demonization)
● NAM 1975 (Controversial Vietnam Conflict exploitation)
● Ghost Pilots (Money made from WW2 and evil N*zis)
● Fatal Fury (Making fun of orphans)
● Mutation Nation (Genetic Engineering/Experiments run amok and encouraged)
● Windjammers (Frisbee exclusive Elitist sport, unrealistic lifestyle pursuit and possibly steriod use)
● Voltage Fighter (Using Natural Disasters and Criminality as major plot points)
● Neo Turf Masters (More Elitist sport excluding the unwashed plus no real players)
● Mark of the Wolves (Promotion of Geese Howard's late stage Capitalism uber plan by Kain at the expense of socialism)
Re: Talking Point: "We, The Consumers, Need To Vote With Our Wallets" - The Moral Dilemma Of Supporting SNK In 2026
Things were simpler in the 90s with just the SEGA v Nintendo console wars it seems, and finding extra batteries for your handheld...back in the day when prices of consoles went down instead of up and your greatest weekly concern was catching the next Gamesmaster episode.🤷
Re: "No Emulation, No Compromise, No Comparison" - The $250 Neo Geo+ AES Aims To Be A 1:1 Replica Of SNK's Classic Console
Another release of the obligatory Magician Lord!
It is literally Altered Beast levels of rising from the grave with this title!
Re: "Pond Versus Bond" - James Bond's IP Owner Opposes Trademark For Cult UK Video Game Character
@KingMike It is probably an Amazon/MGM edict no doubt.
Re: The DNA Of Hideo Kojima, Video Gaming's Greatest Auteur
@slider1983
You could say that is one of the worst traits of the AAA game space on consoles for the last decade and a half odd years for sure though.
The industry instead of forging its own path fully, fell back and mimicked the film industry approach as many more game designers wanted to be digital film directors.
Both structurally in terms of a select number of super studios and developer numbers eventually, as well as aesthetically in terms of grandiose cinematic and dialogue heavy adventures, that were all frankly becoming rather indistinguishable from one another.
I think that's one of the reasons why the PS2/XBox/Cube/Dreamcast Era is still so fondly remembered as this style of game had yet to fully dominate while others reached their logical conclusion and apex.
Arcade style and twitch games plus traditional evolutions of the 80s and 90s reached their apotheosis and were still relatively plentuful on certain consoles, you got the last true coin op/arcade console from SEGA, Microsoft innovated online and were a fresh player so certain elements still felt new, Nintendo refined their 3D N64 output with flashier graphics and gameplay and SONY double downed on what made Playstation work.
Yet the begginnings of narrative heavy interactive cinematic games have their routes predominantly in SONY's approach to games, I would argue and the birth of the emotion engine start here for sure 100%
PS3/360/Wii was sort of a transition era to what was to come next in terms of cinematic game styles over the last 10-15 years with Nintendo's console of that generation being a little bit of an outlier waggle and everything else included as Nintendo purposefully went out to disrupt elements.
This trend continued with Mario and co playing by their own more traditional or innovation based rules and Microsoft basically followed the SONY approach to gaming as the innovation space I felt contracted before the indie scene emerged and the rise of Steam on PC opened a new door...
Re: "Pond Versus Bond" - James Bond's IP Owner Opposes Trademark For Cult UK Video Game Character
Better change my username back just in case, you never know these days in the world of gaming!
Re: The DNA Of Hideo Kojima, Video Gaming's Greatest Auteur
Has he basically become the James Cameron of videogames though and not in a good way?
Kojima spent what two decades iterating on only one franchise Metal Gear Solid very similar to Cameron's Avatar juggernaut now, the parallels are a little scary.
William Gibson at least writes new fiction in conjunction with the changing world around him to this day.
I always felt Kojima was somewhat stuck in the 80/90s influences of his youth... (not saying that is a bad era to be obsessed about or take inspiration from)
He easily could have such a wider and more varied portfolio of games through his career I believe especially from mid 90s to 2012.
Why he was never allowed or even considered to make a next generation sequel to Snatcher or even give it an experiment/concept is a big question.
It is also noticeable that he appeared during the same era as the filmaker and has been less original as time went on and the industry imitated his approach...(for the worse in my opinion)
Comparing Kojima to say Shigeru Miyamoto it is like night and day always to me in terms of output and originality, and a little bit of a case of style over substance once the 21st century got going... but I guess that is the Kojami MO in the end. I prefer his earlier work.
I think his career would have been more varied and interesting if MGS had not been such a worldwide success, and he was able to experiment to a greater degree under Konami from say late 90s/early 2000s onwards.
Then again Sony and Playstation needed it to be a big seller, and to and extent created that landscape then conditions that kept him coding sequels for nearly two decades and the money arriving at intervals for Konami and shareholders.
A victim of own success with that series in the end, after all he basically left Konami as he was sick of creating the same game over and over again for every new Playstation hardware.
Thanks for the article though, hopefully get some conversation going about his true place in the pantheon of great video game designers.
Re: We Find Out What The 'Evercade Nexus' Is Tomorrow
Gizmondo compatibility announced!
Re: Gallery: Leaps + Bounds - A Visual Guide To Nine Console Generations
The other text was 'Home Computers 100 Icons that defined a Digital Generation' if you are into computers and all things micro over consoles, this is the book to get with amazing photography!
MIT Press
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262044011/home-computers/
"A celebration of the early years of the digital revolution, when computing power was deployed in a beige box on your desk."
Re: Gallery: Leaps + Bounds - A Visual Guide To Nine Console Generations
Good review. I am ordering this book I'd also recommend another one about the visual history of obscure computers from the late 70s, 80s and 90s that I cannot find on Amazon or recall the name of edited by Alex Wiltshire...will update once foud name...
Re: DOOM Star Says The Movie Was "Probably One Of The Worst Films Ever Made"
Here's my review and that Olympic Fencer blonde was not up to speed in Die Another Day anyway!
"Yet another early film choice (this seems to be a growing trend for Dwayne's worst films). Based off the hugely popular 1990s ID Software FPS video game about battling monster sent directly from a hell dimension, Doom was reworked a little from the original concept. The plot involves a portal to Mars buried deep within the Nevada desert and a squad of Marines sent out that reads like a loose reinterpretation of James Cameron's Aliens.
The fantastic Karl Urban and Bond Girl Rosmaund Pike turn up as co-stars, and The Rock plays The Sarge who gets to yield the destructive and distinctive weapon of choice from the games. It is lighthearted horror science fiction fun, and easily digestible, with it taking a decade for the film to come to screens."
Re: Bodice-Ripping Epic 'Defender Of The Crown' Is Getting Remastered For Its 40th Birthday
I bought Defender of the Crown and Wings for GBA recently as I wanted an easy way to play them on go.
Or it might have on been on watching Knight of Seven Kingdoms with all the jousting.
This remake looks pretty lush from screenshots and graphics.
They really should remaster all their games now, as the majority have stood the test of time due to presentation and flair...
An Evercade cart or steam collection I think would sell well...
Still to play a few of them though like Lords of the Rising Sun, Sinbad and S.D.I. then select others.
Re: FMV Western 'Mad Dog McCree' Now Playable In ScummVM, Alongside Six Other Titles
I picked up the triple pack on Wii for around a fiver recently and had a blast for the weekend, although the boss shootouts are really tricky due to the remote, but still a lot of fun.
Re: A Lost Sega Saturn Port Of An FMV Boxing Game From Night Trap's Developer Has Just Been Preserved Online
Michael Buffer appearance! Must have cost a bit to get him involved!
Re: "I Was Their 'Man In Japan', But In Reality, I Was A Teenager In Putney" - Shintaro Kanaoya Talks Raze, Bullfrog And Rare
Long article, yet good read. I am collecting the original Raze at the moment only 2 issues to go of the 12.
Re: New Cheat Codes Discovered In SNES Baseball Game, Almost 30 Years After Its Original Release
Had no idea this was a Rare game until quite recently just last 12 months and a couple of nice copies on ebay have slipped through my fingers curses!
Re: Pure FX Appeal - Unpicking The History Of The PC-FX, One Of Japan's Biggest '90s Console Flops
Nice article, please make obscure 90s hardware a series of columns!
Re: Random: Mortal Kombat Made An Unexpected Appearance At This Year's Winter Olympics
Just booked my tickets for "Mortal Kombat on Ice" for Christmas to tie in with new movie!
Re: Review: The Turrican Collection (Evercade) - A Proper Anthology
Super Turrican 1 and 2 prices on SNES might get cheaper at last!
Re: GameCube & Wii Emulator Dolphin Adds Support For Triforce Arcade Platform From Namco, Nintendo, & Sega
Gamecube had the nicest graphics of all that generation, lovely and crisp...playing Rogue Squadron 2 at launch made a friend join NASA, they were that good!
Re: Ever Fancied Creating Your Own Shoot 'Em Up? This Week's Console Archives Release Has You Covered
I want an updated modern version of this in both 16 or 32 bit style to make games of the quality like Thunderforce, or Ranger-X, Axelay, UN Squadron, R-Type, Einhander and so on plus a CAPCOM System I game generator...
Re: "The Father Of Sega Hardware", Hideki Sato, Has Passed Away
The Megadrive is his greatest work IMO, still an all time classic and I believe it contributed a massive amount to the success of that console, as it literally looked amazing to what had arrived before it. I wish videogame industrial design was still this interesting...
Re: Check Out This Complete Overhaul Of The Original Castlevania While You Wait For Belmont's Curse
Well I looked at Belmont's Curse appears yet another Metroidvania despite being very pretty, was sincerely hoping for a straight arcade scroller like Castlevania IV!
Re: This Is The Best Way To Play Fan Translations On Original Hardware We've Seen So Far
I like getting USA expert fan made versions of untranslated games with new maps and inserts...
Alcahest
Secret of Mana 2
Final Fantasy 5
Lufia Series
Live a Live
Bahamut Lagoon
Front Mission Series
Treasure of the Rundras
This device does appear pretty neat though especially as Super Famicom versions are a fraction of English originals...
Example Boxed
Chrono Trigger USA = 500-1000 pounds
Chrono Trigger JAP = 50 pounds
Re: Community Challenge: How Far Can You Get In Ghosts 'N Goblins NES Without Taking A Hit?
I cannot even get to the end of level 1 in Super Ghouls and Ghosts anymore! Tried playing the GBA version and it was rock hard...plus set to easy, the zombies were everywhere, everywhere I tell you!
Re: This New "Dark Science-Fiction" Shoot 'Em Up Aims To Push The SNES Hardware
Space Megaforce/Super Aleste is still an amazing title on SNES for vertical shooters 30+ years later.
Re: "We'll Never Be Able To Reach That Level" - Final Fantasy Legend Nobuo Uematsu's Reaction To Yuzo Koshiro's SNES Debut
The vinyl and cd are in my collection. The music is outstanding for such an early title.
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@slider1983 Not sure the current trend but if it is EDGE the ethos will remain consistent throughout, that does not change despite its 30+ history
EDGE does love games just in its own unique way.
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@slider1983 There are also the Retro Collectors Edition with the Panini Stickers design artwork, a great artistic touch and specific one off magazines on PC, Cube, XBOX and PS2 from this era that you should read/pick up plus some other specials...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@slider1983
Sanches Era, 1999 to late 2003, the interesting string of covers and features happens around late 2001, 2002 and 2003 coinciding with Gamecube/XBOX launch and a new generation/landscape evolving...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@slider1983
Funnily enough that era produced a lot of great content, some in fact consider it the final hurrah of a golden period of the first decade with many specials and extra one offs created on specific systems plus interesting articles...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@slider1983
I have not read it full time really since around 2012...
Culture Era is just different they tried something new, to change with times, some of it worked, some did not...
I think it will depend on your age and interests, nostalgia, favourite systems and games, when started playing and so forth...
You may get more out of post 2012 than self as a result.
The journalism is of a high quality throughout, but the industry changes through the decades/years...and that is reflected in the magazine...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@slider1983
It is best probably to go with different Editoral Shifts...
So it is something like...
1993-99 Brookes
99-03 Sanches
03-06 Mott
06-07 Robertson
07-12 Mott
12-13 Wiltshire
13-20 Brown
20+ Simpkins
I think Mott is back as Editor now again as well according to my Nov 2025 issue.
I would say 1993 to 2003 is the best of the magazine personally, however not as familar with it from early 10s to present just jump in from time to time...however there are sometimes interesting articles that crop up to this day...
The Culture Era is very easy to recognise due to different size/format of magazine from 2004, definitely a left turn.
It was redesigned again more in keeping with original ethos and the future of interactive entertainment tagline was brought back after 2004-11 which remains to this day.
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@alvangee
Good post, witnessing and reading about the generational changes then the shifting nature of games as a distinct medium, was always something EDGE handled very well...
It is definitely an element that has been lost, as the industry and tech became more incrimental and generational change was not as distinct...
I kind of zoned out/stopped reading during the tail end of the Wii/PS3/360 era full time.
Lastly I think most of the back catalogue of issues is now available digitally on certain magazine apps...Magzter like you say maybe a few others which is handy if you need an old article for reference...
Nothing beats having the physical magazine in your hand though...although the paper quality is not as good as it used to be!
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@Sketcz No, this is slightly more complicated, it deals with the digital insurrection circa 2003 online that created a schism that apparently lasts to this very day...probably had to live through it, interesting times.
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
I genuinely used to love Christmas issues of EDGE back when news and reviews were obtained by more traditional methodology...
All the big releases were scheduled for year end so the number of top tier reviews was cascading...plus you did get an extra thirteenth edition...
I think the Ocarina of Time issue might be one of my all time favourites, back when 10/10s were still so rare...
Or the Gamecube/XBOX launch at end of 2001 with mountains of new titles on both systems and the impending death of SEGA...
Artwork and design are still top notch, if a little thin on page count to past eras...
The Breath of the Wild covers were very well done for example...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@Sketcz
The EDGE Hive Mind mentality definitely has pros and cons, ironically it was that very issue that got them into bother all those decades ago digitally...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@Guru_Larry Joao's time as Editor coincided with lots of great cover and original content ideas, plus expansion/experimentation 1999-04, if I recall...
Re: 'Leaps + Bounds', A Visual Journey Through Nine Console Generations, Launches Next Month
That is me down another 40 pounds...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
@Guru_Larry
Bored to Death of Videogames?
I remember that cover! I put it down to the existential dread felt by the team at the time!
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
EDGE moves through different eras.
I will always have a soft spot for Jason Brookes stewardship of the magazine at the very beginning.
He really is its founding father in my view beyond others even Jarrett, as he set the template for the publication, and its standard, but the industry was also different in the 90s and much more interesting as it was young and hungry, as was the magazine...
Joao time was Editor was very well done, with some excellent issues also, massive workrate and a huge page count, with a lasting legacy of a group of troublemakers that thought they were bigger than the magazine itself, and in the end had to be dealt with...
I still recall his one post on the old EDGE forum just after the revolution had begun...and the closing of the second flawed iteration to howls of disbelief by the malcontents as it grew even more toxic in different ways...
Tony steadied the ship, and has been around in one way since the turn of the millenium.
Margaret had a whirl during tricky times, and Alex's innings should have lasted much longer as Editor as he had lots of good ideas...
Last ten years, I am glad it is still there as Future use it as a premium legacy magazine of their thin games division, less connection with it now but check in from time to time on big events...
Solid article, still waiting on the hardback book on "The Making of Edge" as well...
Re: "Annihilate All Enemies!" - Namco's Block-Breaking Arkanoid Rival 'Quester' Arrives On Consoles This Week
Recently purchased Arkanoid Doh it Again by Taito on SNES as it has a level editor, and therefore can create the most fiendish block related levels in all existence...
One of the very first memories of 16 bit fun I have was playing Arkanoid on a neighbour's Atari ST, and being amazed when the power ups floated down and you got the firewpower upgrade, or multiball, then forcefield shatter ball that ripped through all blocks...
Simple times, but always something relaxing about this genre.
Never played it with a paddle controller though, it was hard enough with a mouse!
Re: Apparently, The PSP Counts As A Failure To Some People Now
Always finding new games to play on it though!
Re: Audiogenic And ELSPA Founder Peter Calver Has Passed Away
Rest in peace plus best wishes to family...
"With Emlyn Hughes International Soccer in 1988 Audiogenic pioneered the concept of a fast-moving sports simulation featuring on-screen commentary, named players and management elements; later with World Class Rugby and then European Champions.
Audiogenic introduced the concept of sports simulations with a choice of viewpoints."
Appears Fifa/ISS owes a debt to Audiogenic...
Always recall Exterminator on the 16 bit machines as well.
Re: Hallelujah! The Dubious Quest To Find Monkey Ball's Lost "Adult" Levels Is Complete
I am sure UK Resistance would have had a field day with this news!
Re: Another Classic Dreamcast Title Has Just Come Back Online
Just picked up Smash Court Tennis by Namco never played on back of this article for a spin...
What are the major/best Tennis franchises these days?...
Back then we had
● Virtua Tennis
● Top Spin
● Mario Tennis
I see we have...
● AO Tennis
● Tennis World Tour
● Matchpoint
Plus I think a new Mario Tennis is due this year on Switch 2
Virtua Tennis being dormant since number 4 in 2011 is madness! What are SEGA thinking!