Video games

Where I Read – GamePro #43

Magazine GamePro - Star Trek_ The Next Generation V4 #2 (of 12) (1993_2) - Page 1It’s time for our next recap of Game Pro. We continue ever foreward with our coverage of issue 43. This issue is about 201 pages long and our cover story is Star Trek: The Next Generation, and various games based on that. However, our cover art, while it’s not an original art asset, it’s not well chosen either. I’m not going to cover the editorial this issue, because (again), it’s just covering the stuff that was in the table of contents.

Letters: We have questions about getting the Sci-Fi channel on your local cable provider, and a bunch of other Street Fighter II questions, some of them involving illegal bootlegs of the game.

Cutting Edge: This issue they’re taking a step into the realm of PC Gaming, with talking about using a CD-ROM Drive on your PC. Now there’s a nostalga hit for you – I remember when games took boatloads of floppy disks to install. Yeah, I hated that and I love how CDs and now DVDs help limit the amount of disk swapping. Oh, and if someone says they liked swapping 10+ floppy disks during installation, punch him (and he will be male) in the crotch. Anyway, to be more specific, this is a hack that allows you to hook up your TurboDuo to your PC. This is probably not legit, at least as far as Turbo Technologies is concerned, but it is kind of cool. Speaking of TTI, they’re working on a 32-bit system, which isn’t much of a surprise, and Sega’s working on one too. Oh, and Camerica is putting it’s “Aladdin System” aka the Game Genie.

Hot at the Arcades: Lethal Enforcers is now in the arcades, and we have a pirate themed pinball machine in Black Rose.

NES Coverage: Well, every other console is getting an Alien 3 game, so why not the NES? Well, the game isn’t quite as exploration heavy as the 16-bit versions, as it does have defined levels, there are some exploration elements there. The game gets 4s for Graphics, Control & Fun Factor, and a 4.5 for Sound. There’s also the shooting game/platformer combo Kid Klown in Night Mayor Land. It gets a 3.5 for Sound, and 4s for Graphics, Control & Fun Factor. There’s also Rollerblade Racer, which is a racing game on (wait for it) rollerblades, that uses the Paperboy camera angle. The game gets a 2.5 for Sound, 3s for Graphics & Fun Factor, and a 4 for Control. We also have a preview of the enviromentally themed action game Zen: Intergalactic Ninja.

Genesis Coverage: We have a review of Flashback. The game’s apparently pretty difficult, though it’s also pretty pretty. They really like it though – it gets 5s across the board. There’s also a review of Ecco the Dolphin, which also gets 5s across the board. Captain America & The Avengers have their own brawler now, and they generally like it, and it gets a 4.5 for Graphics and 4s for Sound, Control & Fun Factor. Just for good measure, we’ve got a review of Streets of Rage II, which also does really well and gets a 4.5 for Control, and 5s for Graphics, Sound & Fun Factor. JVC has the action platformer Wolfchild, which gets good scores and they don’t say anything bad about, thus it gets 4.5s across the board. Flying Edge has a port of Double Dragon 3, which they consider to be inferior, at least in terms of graphics & sound and difficulty (they complain that it gives you too many continues, which I consider to be bulldrek). The game gets a 3 for Sound and 3.5s for Graphics, Control and Fun Factor. Konami has ported Sunset Riders to the Genesis, and it gets 4s across the board. Out Of This World is coming out for the Genesis too, giving you a double dose of cinematic action. The game gets a 4 for Sound but 5s for everything else, though they find the manual rather vague.

Sega CD Coverage: Secret of Monkey Island has been ported to the Sega CD. They’re not a fan of the graphics, but they like everything else, with the game getting a 3.5 for Graphics, a 4 for Control, a 4.5 for Sound and a 5 for Fun Factor. There’s also Sewer Shark, which I’ve heard not so good things about, though they really like it and give it 5s across the board. There’s also Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, with the game getting a 4.5 for Graphics, and 4s for Sound, Control and Fun Factor. There’s also a port of the Wolfteam shump Sol-Feace, which gets a 5 for sound, 4.5s for Graphics & Fun Factor, and a 4 for Control. We also get a preview of the adventure game The Adventures of Willy Beamish.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Game Coverage: We get some coverage of the SNES version of the game, as well as a look behind the scenes of the game. We also get a preview of Star Trek: DS9 as well.

SNES Coverage: We’re starting out with Super Strike Eagle, another fighter flight sim. They definitely find it an improvement over the older console flight sims of the SNES era, giving it 5s across the board. There’s also the brawler The Combatribes, which gets 3.5s for Sound & Fun Factor due to the game’s length, and 4s for Graphics & Control. Ultima VI has been ported to the SNES as well, and they’re finding it kind of tedious, giving it 3s for Control, Graphics & Fun Factor, and a 3.5 for Sound. There’s also the action-puzzle game Gods, which they like though the game apparently has some control difficulties, getting a 3.5 for Control, 4.5s for Graphics & Sound, and a 5 for Fun Factor. Super Valis IV has also come out for the SNES as well, the game gets a 4 for Sound, a 4.5 for Graphics, and 5s for Control & Fun Factor. We also have the helicopter shump Firepower 2000, which gets a 4.5 for Sound and 5s for Graphics, Control & Fun Factor. We then get a bonus strategy guide for World Heroes and Art of Fighting for the SNES. There’s also a preview of The Adventures of BOB from EA and Cool World.

Turbo Duo Coverage: Super Buster Brothers has come out CD, which is a bit of a shooter game, and gives it 4s with Graphics & Sound, a 4.5 for Control, and a 5 for Fun Factor. There’s also the action platformer shump Shockman, which is apparently way too hard, with the game getting a 2.5 for Fun Factor, a 3 for Sound, and 3.5s for Graphics & Control. There’s also a preview of the CD shump Lords of Thunder.

Overseas Prospects: The Genesis in Japan is getting the RPG Landstalker, which is something of an Action RPG. We also have our first mention of what will become the 32X peripheral.

The Sports Page: We start off with George Foreman’s KO Boxing for the Genesis, which gets a 3.5 for control (though I’m not sure why), and 4s for Graphics, Sound & Fun Factor. The SNES is also getting Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour, which gets a 4 for Graphics, a 4.5 for Control, and 5s for Sound & Fun Factor. Virgin has Super Slapshot for the SNES, which does pretty well, despite some control problems, getting 3.5s for Sound & Control, and 4s for Graphics & Fun Factor. EA has NHLPA Hockey ’93 for the SNES, which gets a 5 for Fun Factor, a 4.5 for Control, a 4 for Graphics, and a 3.5 for Sound. The Duo is getting Hit The Ice, which gets a 4.5 for Fun Factor, and 3.5s for Graphics, Sound & Control.

Neo-Geo Coverage: We have a review of the isometric shump Viewpoint which gets 5s across the board.

Game Boy Coverage: Super Mario Land 2 is out, and it’s introducing Mario’s other arch nemesis of Wario, which they like – giving it a 5 for Fun Factor, a 4 for Control, and 4.5s for Graphics & Control. There’s also a review of the Game Boy version of Alien 3, which has no password, continue, or save option, and it’s on a portable system – not a good idea. It gets a 4 for Sound, and 4.5s for Graphics, Control & Fun Factor. There’s also the Little Mermaid game, which they like, giving it 5s for Sound & Control, and 4.5s for Graphics & Fun Factor. There’s also a port of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves for the Game Boy, getting a 3.5 for Fun Factor, and 4s for Graphics, Sound & Control.

Game Gear Coverage: We’ve got a portable version of Taz-Mania, which they aren’t too enthused in, particularly because of the music. The game gets a 2 for Sound, a 3 for Sound, and 3.5s for Graphics & Fun Factor. There’s also an Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade action platformer. The controls are over sensative, but otherwise it’s solid – it gets a 2.5 for Control, a 3 for Fun Factor, a 4 for Sound, and a 4.5 for Graphics.

Lynx Coverage: We have a Dracula adventure game. They like it, giving it 4s for Graphics & CVontrol, and 5s for Sound and Fun Factor.

Short ProShots: The notable titles in this segment are T2 Arcade for the SNES, Shinobi 3 for the Genesis.

ProReport News: Lucasarts is putting out Super Empire Strikes Back, Capcom is putting out a bunch of Disney games, Acclaim is putting out CD-ROM games, software piracy for financial gain (as in a profit) is now a felony, the confusion between the EA Sports Network and ESPN has been cleared up.

Well, that wraps up this issue. I’ll have another movie review up tomorrow.

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