Luckily, I’ve found a way to eliminate the problem of NXE freezing… clearing the Xbox 360 hard drive cache. Boot up your Xbox 360 system and go to the system option. Highlight your 20, 60, or 120 GB hard drive option and press Y, then press X, X, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X, X. Then you will get a message asking you if you would like to perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage device. Select yes and the process will be complete. Your Xbox 360 dashboard should be free of the freezing and slowdown problem.

Once you have downloaded and installed Ad Hoc Party, here is how you use it to play Phantasy Star Portable online with other people. Make sure your Playstation 3 is connected online through a wired connection. A wifi connection will NOT work with Ad Hoc Party. Then, select the Ad Hoc Party application in the “Game” column of your media bar. In the main menu, you will see four options in the right hand corner. Select the first option and press circle to go to the next screen. In Japan, the circle button is “yes” and the x button is “no”. Keep that in mind as you make your way through the menus.

You are now in the World Screen. Pressing L1 or R1 will move you from world to world. Most English speaking players are in World J, Room 50. So press the L1 button to move to World J. Then use the right analog stick to select room 50. While holding the right stick on room 50, press the circle button to enter room 50. You will see a screen showing you the number of players, hosted games, and locked hosted games. Press the circle button to continue once again.

You will see little people and houses on the next screen. Move the left stick around and you will see a circle. Move the circle to a point on the screen and press the circle button. You have two options: the first is to move to that position. The second option is to build a house (host a game) there. Select the option to build a house. The next screen will show some text fields. The first field is to name your house. I like to rename it to the game I will be playing so people know what game I’m hosting. For example, I named mine PS Portable. Go to the last (bottom) option and press circle to build your house. You are now inside your house.

If you are playing Phantasy Star Portable, be sure to select your character and then select Multi-mode. You have a choice to host a party or join one. If you are hosting the match, select “Start a Party” and sit there and wait for players to join. Once you have your party together, you are good to go! You can join a game by entering a house with people who are setting up a Phantasy Star Portable game (put your circle on a house, press circle to enter it). If they have already started, you have to wait for them to finish in order to play. You can type to other players on your PS3, or use the bluetooth headset to chat while playing.

My name is VGMmemories and I will see you there!

Here are the steps. Create a new user on your PS3 media bar. I named mine “Japanese Account”. Sign-in using the new Japanese account, move right on your media bar to sign up for a new Playstation Network (PSN) account. Then create a new account. Change the country/residence option to Japan. Note that there are no English words after this step, so be prepared and don’t lose track of which screen you’re on. Once the language changes, go directly to the third row. The third row is for your birthday. Be sure to select 89 (1989) or earlier so you don’t have parental control issues. For example, if you select the year 1995, you’ll be a minor and may not have full access to all the PSN services. After entering your birthday, highlight and click the “next” button (on the bottom row, last button to the right) to continue to the following screen.

The next screen is simply for agreement acceptance - simply scroll down and press the next button again (last button on the right, bottom row) to move onto the next screen. The new screen contains the following information… “Sign in ID (enter a valid email address here)”, “Password (enter a six digit password with letters and numbers)”, “Confirm Password (re-enter the same password)”, “Check Box (check this box to remember your password)”, “Hint/Secret Question (select any question)”, and “Hint/Secret Question Answer (enter anything, it doesn’t matter)”. Then press the next button (bottom row, far right) to continue.

The next screen has a field for your ID. This is your online ID… enter a name for your ID. It must be different and unique than your sign-in name (do not enter an email address) or you will get an error message. Press the next button again to continue. It may take a few tries to get this one right so keep trying. Once this is completed, you will be taken to the Naming/Gender Screen. The fields are “First Name (enter anything)”, Last Name (enter anything)”, and Gender (select anything, male or female).” Then highlight and click the “next” button to continue.

One the next screen, in the first box, just type in 5 digits. I used 1 2 3 4 5. Then in the drop down menu, select the 2nd option. On the following three rows, just enter random characters and press the next button (bottom row, far right) to continue.

The final screen has a check box. Do not check this box. Simply press the next button (bottom row, far right) to complete the process. Select the option to go to the Playstation store and you’re all done! In the next tutorial, I will show you how to download the “Ad Hoc Party” program from the Japanese Playstation store and set up an online game with Phantasy Star Portable.

Click here for a tutorial on how to use Ad Hoc Party to play Phantasy Star Portable online with others

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

HAL’s Revenge of the Gator Pinball combines alligators and pinball on the Gameboy screen much the same way the Turbo mixed aliens and sliver balls in Alien Crush. The alligator pinball game features a poor-man’s scrolling playfield that is four screens high. By performing certain feats, such as knocking down drop targets, hitting specific ball locks, you can enter three different bonus scenes where more gators are waiting! A two-player feature expands the play even more for direct competition.

Steve (6)
Revenge of the Gator is a very good pinball game for the Gameboy, with multiple levels and three bonus rounds, but it does get repetitive after several plays. Working your way up the playfield can become slow and tedious, but for a portable pinball game, this one isn’t too bad.

Ed (6)
One wouldn’t think that pinball would come off looking decent on the small Gameboy screen, but Gator does. With nicely animated screens you get a game that offers good, light, and enjoyable game play to help you pass the time. Pure entertainment.

Martin (7)
A good pinball game for Gameboy, Revenge of the Gator is filled with lots of hidden bonus rounds. The gators and other characters are animated well and provide an interesting diversion from the normal breed of drop targets. Gators is pinball on the go.

Jim (6)
Pinball is always a good standby for the small screen, and HAL’s attempt is a worthy try that succeeds in a lot of areas. The multiple playfields are good, but the lower ones get repetitive and the higher you go the more difficult it is to keep the ball in play. A good alternative when you’re tired of Tetris.

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Ultra’s first Gameboy entry is very similar to the classic motorcycle action game from Nintendo called Excitebike. Motocross Maniacs is strictly two-dimensional, however, and by including a number of power-up options and Nitro Boosters for extra speed, the game is actually better as a “super” version of Excitebike. Three different skill levels are included, which have no real affect on the 8 courses, but do eliminate the available tiem you have to complete the 2-lap course.

Steve (7)
Motocross Maniacs is a very good game that has plenty of addictive qualities. With dual scrolling that takes your racers flying off ramps and spiraling through loops high in the air. Motocross Maniacs is a very fun game to play. Lots of options and multiple skill levels help you tailor the game as well!

Ed (8)
The name says it all. Start with Excitebike and make it better. Add 360 degree loops, Nitro injection for speed, even Jet engines for flight, and this game and this game really takes off. It’s hard to believe that a Gameboy game would be better than its NES counterpart. A definite must-have.

Martin (8)
An excellent Gameboy game that’s fun to play. Motocross has excellent scrolling that serves as a background for the stunt maneuvers you must perform. The hidden options, like the Jet, are a big improvement over Excitebike. Check this one out.

Jim (7)
Motocross Maniacs isn’t a complex game, but it is one of the best yet for the Gameboy. Although the only enemy in the game is yourself, the aerial acrobatics that your motorbike can accomplish are fun to do. The hidden power-ups add to the game play of this Gameboy title.

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Scramble Spirits assigns you to a search and destroy mission against an enormous armada of enemy warplanes and weapons. Loosely based on the Sega arcade game of the same name, Scramble Spirits features most of the sights and sounds from similar shooters, including big bosses to blow apart, squadrons of smaller attackers, and methods of increasing your abilities.

Steve (3)
Scramble Spirits is a mediocre translation of the arcade original that’s too easy and doesn’t throw enough thrill into the play. Although Sega shooters are rare, both Power Strike and Activision’s Bomber Raid provide more interesting shoot-em-up scenarios. Scramble Spirits is a big disappointment.

Ed (4)
Another game from Sega which is too easy for the average player. The graphics are very good, with attention paid to the detail in the enemy planes and battleships. The vertical scrolling is good, but the game is just too easy to appreciate what this game has to offer.

Martin (5)
Here’s another shooting game that dishes up nothing but targets. Real weapon power-ups and such aren’t to be found in Scramble Spirits - it does have some variety, but not enough to sustain the game play. This reinforces the fact that shooters are one territory that Sega has never mastered.

Jim (4)
Scramble Spirits is alright as a shooter, but as a game I’ve seen a lot better on the Master System. The graphics are O.K., but the game play gets slow and tedious in many spots and there’s just not enough to shoot at. Way too easy.

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Steve (6)
Ed (5)
Martin (6)
Sushi-X (6)

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Steve (4)
Ed (4)
Martin (4)
Jim (4)

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Steve (7)
Ed (6)
Martin (7)
Jim (6)

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Steve (5)
Ed (5)
Martin (6)
Jim (4)

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

Capcom continues their line of Disney character games (following on the heels of Mickey Mousecapade) with Duck Tales, based on the animated cartoon series. In the game you star as Scrooge McDuck, exploring multiple levels of action and adventure on foot or on your special pogo stick! You can eliminate enemies and overcome obstacles with the stick. Each round (which can be selected at any time from a menu screen) is filled with its own set of dangers and obstacles to overcome.

Steve (8)
Duck Tales appears as though it was created with younger players in mind with options such as selecting any level at the beginning of the game. This doesn’t detract from the superior graphics and play mechanics, however, and despite some easy areas, Duck Tales is too good to ignore.

Ed (9)
The best game ever made for the young player. After a dog of a game in Mickey Mouse, Capcom comes back with a game that combines all the right features to catch the younger players, hold their interest, challenge their abilities, and keep them coming back. Only for the very young.

Martin (8)
This game has good graphics and a nice feel with plenty of emphasis on the cartoon-like characters. Duck Tales is not overly challenging, but the theme is different and the game is fun to play. Don’t get scared by the kiddie-look, this is a prime example of very good game designing.

Jim (7)
This is another Disney game that, like Mikey Mousecapade before it has some decent play mechanics that are toned down for the younger players. While I’m sure this is nice for kid brother or sister, you’ll probably enjoy this game but find it beaten after the first day of play.

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

In this new RPG, you set forth on a quest filled with puzzles to solve and places to visit. Along the way you must use your reasoning skills to interact with a wide cast of characters who will respond to you with text passages. This new level of communication is supported with an adventure that is straightforward and doesn’t rely on dozens of sub-screens, yet remains lively and entertaining throughout.

Steve (5)
An interesting variation of the normal RPG, that relies more on graphics to support the quest than similar efforts. The graphics, unfortunately, are nothing revolutionary, but the quest has its high points and the interaction between the game is handled nicely. Nothing sensational.

Ed (6)
Its been a awhile since there’s been a decent quest game. Link was the last one, and Sharazade comes along at the right time. Great for the average player, this is a challenging game that makes you think about what you’re doing. If you’re done with Link get this game.

Martin (6)
Not the best role-player, but not the worst either. While the quest is a bit unclear, this game, like most RPGs, gets more involving as you progress. It’s easy to catch on to the game play but the graphics are only average. If you aren’t ready for Ultima, then this may be for you.

Jim (5)
Sharazade is nowhere near as classy looking as other RPGs currently populating store shelves, but it may provide some diversion for game players looking for another adventure to overcome. The game looks cheesy graphically, but the play isn’t that bad. Fans may enjoy some parts of it.

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

American Sammy snapped up the rights to this two-player simultaneous Tecmo arcade shooter. The home version expands upon the arcade original by including some text screens and new methods of attack. Players can still choose between a helicopter gunship that maneuvers in the air or a mobile jeep that has a rotating cannon that can fire at ground level or at flying obstacles. Two-player cooperative play enhances the action even more, and power-up weapons increase the intensity with each round completed!

Steve (7)
Silkworm is one of the better side-scrolling shooters I’ve seen on the Nintendo. Its got super bosses, challenging game play, and the heli/jeep option is original and welcome. Silkworm doesn’t offer much more beyond its “destroy-the-enemy” theme, but for shooter fans, its pretty good.

Ed (5)
A fair translation of the arcade game. Tons of screen flicker and only average graphics equals nothing spectacular - just another shoot-em-up. What saves the game is the two-player cooperative function. Otherwise not a very good shooter.

Martin (7)
This game has everything from the arcades brought home faithfully to the NES. All of the straightforward shoot-em-up action has been captured, although a bit of the detail has been washed out of the backgrounds. The game is slightly repetitive, but challenging throughout.

Jim (6)
Silkworm is a good variation of the basic shooter, with dual player options and two different types of attack vehicles. Beyond this twist, however, Silkworm doesn’t have a lot in the way of original game play. This is another highly challenging game that should keep shooter fans occupied.

Reviewed in EGM issue 6 January 1990

The arcade hit Rolling Thunder is finally here for the NES! All of the features from the coin-op are here, including dual levels of play, different weapons, and multiple levels of shoot-em-out adventure! As in most action games, you’re constantly moving toward the right, blasting anything that gets in your way. A wide variety of different guards will try to stop your progress, and they become increasingly difficult as you approach the final confrontation with the Big Boss who holds your girl captive.

Steve (8)
Rolling Thunder is a tough game, but it’s not so difficult that it becomes frustrating. Since most of the enemy characters appear in the same location. It’s essentially a pattern game, but the super graphics and strong game play make this one of my favorites in the genre.

Ed (7)
Very addicting side-scrolling shoot-em-up that is also a very difficult game. Normally, difficult games mean frustration, but Rolling Thunder doesn’t give that impression. A limited number of continues requires a lot of practice, but a passcode feature helps. Limited graphics and good game play.

Martin (6)
This is an O.K. scrolling action game that has nothing spectacular, except for plenty of challenge - even for the most seasoned players. Not a lot of depth either, but you don’t have to be a fan of the arcade version to appreciate this translation.

Jim (8)
This is a cool action game that some may find to be way too hard for their liking. The upper levels are very intense, but the action is coupled with some great graphics and play techniques. The passcode is a must for this cart, which should entertain gamers who blast through similar games in a day.

The 46th issue of EGM has Street Fighter II: Champion Edition on the cover. The Sega Genesis version was hyped but was not as highly regarded as the SNES version, due to the Genesis version having poor sound quality. Also featured in this issue of EGM are previews of Mega Man 6, Golden Axe 3, Phantasy Star 4, and WWF Royal Rumble. The May 1993 issue also features an interview with the inventors of the Super FX chip.

Reviews

Flashback (Sega Genesis) 9, 8, 9, 9 Gold Award
Battle Grand Prix (SNES) 5, 6, 6, 5
Dream Probe (SNES) 5, 6, 5, 5
The Lost Vikings (SNES) 6, 8, 8, 8
Bubsy (SNES) 7, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Cool Spot (Sega Genesis) 8, 9, 8, 9 Gold Award
Mutant League Football (Sega Genesis) 6, 7, 6, 7
X-Men (Sega Genesis) 6, 7, 6, 8
After Burner III (Sega CD) 4, 6, 5, 7
Make Your Own Music Video: C&C Music Factory (Sega CD) 3, 5, 5, 6
Magical Chase (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 7, 7, 7
Riot Zone (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 5, 6, 5, 5
Duck Tales 2 (NES) 7, 7, 7, 7
Super Side Kicks (Neo-Geo)
Yoshi’s Cookie (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 7, 7, 7
Double Dragon (Sega Game Gear) 6, 7, 5, 6

You can’t talk about the best games of the 1980’s without bringing up the plumbing brothers themselves, Mario and Luigi. “Super Mario Bros.”, both in the arcade and on the NES, is a game that will always be loved by gamers everywhere. Sequels, like “Super Mario Bros. 3″ (which sold 18 million copies!), which released near the end of the 80’s, are considered to be some of the greatest games of all time.

Another great game from the 80’s was “Metroid”, which was released in 1987 in North America, for the NES. The game was instantly praised for its Sci-Fi setting, great controls, and non-stop action. However, one of the best aspects of the game has to do with the story itself. While it is pretty bare-bones (which was common in 80’s games), it is revealed at the end of the game that the main character, Samus, is actually female. This undoubtedly paved the way for all of the female heroes we see in games today.

It is hard to talk about video games at all, and definitely 80’s video games, without mentioning 1980’s “Pac-Man”. Pac-Man was a pretty basic character with a pretty basic goal: eat all of the pellets without getting caught by the angry ghosts roaming around. However, the addictive game play led the game to be probably the first true mega-hit in gaming history, at least in many areas.

Finally, “Donkey Kong” appeared on the scene in 1981, picking up right where “Pac-Man” left off. The game featured Mario to an unsuspecting public, who has since become probably the most famous character in video game history, next to Pac-Man himself. The game itself was brutally challenging and is still played competitively today.

Perhaps 80’s video games are beloved because they let the player make up their own story. Since we never knew why Pac-Man was being chased by ghosts or why the Princess was kidnapped by Bowser, players could make up their own stories. Or, perhaps the simple-yet-addictive game mechanics are the reason. One thing’s for sure: great video games from the past are still just as relevant today.

Read more information about Console Gaming and video games that people love at => http://playconsolegaming.com

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I also love the more obsure Sega arcade machines, the ones not fit for mass consumption. For example, the aforementioned Sega Bass Fishing, or Samba De Amigo. These Sega arcade machines were bigger back in the Sega Dreamcast days, so those two games not being hits when they were re released on the Wii is not surprising. But even when I purchased them (on the day of release) on the Sega Dreamcast, they didn’t exactly seem like they were big sellers. And that’s a shame. In a way, as the arcade industry died, so did Sega. In the past, arcade ports were huge portions of a home console’s game library. But as time has passed, they’ve become less and less important. Now, “home arcade ports” are irrelevant. More gamers care about the new first person shooter release than a short arcade game port. Current games offer a lot more gameplay, but I’ll never stop buying and playing games such as House of the Dead: Overkill, Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection, or Samba De Amigo.

Sega’s great arcade game lineup is what made me want a Sega game system as well. Even though the Sega Master System is not remembered as one of the best home console systems, many game releases for the Sega Master System were ports of Sega arcade games… After Burner, Fantasy Zone, Outrun, and Hang-On. Later, Golden Axe and others. These translations weren’t close to perfect ports, but they were intriguing enough to make me HAVE to buy the console system! In fact, in many ways I enjoy the Sega Master System more than the NES. Sega arcade game ports didn’t stop there, as many Sega arcade games were ported to other Sega systems over the years, such as Sega Genesis and Sega Dreamcast. Sega Dreamcast arcade games were some of my favorite games of all time. House of the Dead 2, Zombie Revenge, and Dynamite Cop to name a few.

Tracklist: 1. Feena 2. First Step Towards Wars 3. Palace 4. Holders of Power 5. Palace of Destruction 6. Beat of the Terror 7. Tower of the Shadow of Death 8. Tension 9. The Last Moment of the Dark 10. Final Battle 11. Rest in Peace 12. The Morning Grow 13. See You Again 14. Open Your Heart 15. Lilia 16. Ruins of Moondoria 17. Noble District of Toal 18. Cavern of Rasteenie 19. Protectors 20. Ice Ridge of Noltia 21. Inside the Ice Wall 22. Palace of Salmon 23. Subterranean Canal 24. Campanile of Lane 25. Fair Wind 26. Termination 27. A Still Time 28. Stay With Me Forever 29. Ys1 COMPLETE -Opening- 30. To Make an End of Battle

The first game I purchased was House of the Dead: Overkill for the Wii. Even though most gamers are down on Sega these days, I still pay attention to a new release by the company… let it be the newest poorly made Sonic game (Sonic Unleashed) or a remade franchise (Golden Axe), I’ll at least take a look at it. House of the Dead: Overkill has actually gotten respectable reviews by the mainstream media outlets, which is surprising because most Sega games are judged very harshly these days. Being a fan of arcade style games, especially rail shooters, made buying House of the Dead:Overkill a no-brainer for me. I’ve beaten the story mode and I’m currently working my way through the Director’s Cut, so look for a review very soon.

Last night my girlfriend and I took a trip to our local GameStop, mainly to see if they had any Street Fighter IV FightPads in stock (nope) and I noticed a new Xbox 360 game had been released. Star Ocean: The Last Hope came out! Even though I was a huge RPG fan back in the day, lately I haven’t had the time or will to finish any next generation role playing games. The last one I completed was the story mode of Phantasy Star Universe, which most would not consider an RPG at all. Blue Dragon, Infinite Undiscovery, and The Last Remnant are sitting on my shelf, nearly untouched and therefore unbeaten. So why did I buy Star Ocean? Because it’s “The Last Hope!” Believe it or not, I’ve never played a Star Ocean game before, even though it is one of the most respected RPG series. I also looked over the Star Ocean Strategy Guide and the game looked quite impressive.  I’d also really like to focus on and play a next generation RPG from start to finish. For whatever reason, I have trouble connecting with new RPGs and would much rather sit down and play Sword of Vermillion, Phantasy Star 2, or another old school role playing game. I don’t think role playing games are the same anymore. Can Star Ocean: The Last Hope change that? We’ll see…

And what a mission it has been. For the past week I’ve searched for Mad Catz’s Street Fighter IV FightPad and I’ve had absolutely no success. GameStop… sold out and not offered online at this time. Best Buy? No FightPad there either. Toys R Us? They’ve never heard of it! Circuit City…. out of business. Kmart? Dead man walking. Ebay? Be prepared to pay twice as much. Why aren’t enough FightPad’s in local stores? Street Fighter is a legendary franchise and Mad Catz/Capcom should have realized there would be demand to own this special controller, especially on the Xbox 360 due to its poor D-Pad.

Have you found one? Where and when?

Rare’s Donkey Kong Country is on the cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 63. One Platinum Award and seven Gold Awards were handed out in this issue! Sounds like a great month for gaming!

Reviews

Final Fantasy II (SNES) 9, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award - Game of the Month
Mortal Kombat II (SNES) 9, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Demon’s Crest (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Mortal Kombat II (Sega Genesis) 8, 7, 7, 7
Contra Hard Corps (Sega Genesis) 8, 7, 7, 7
Earthworm Jim (Sega Genesis) 9, 9, 9, 8
Panic (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 5, 5
Aggressors of Dark Kombat (Neo-Geo) 7, 7, 7, 7
Star Control II (3DO) 9, 9, 7, 8 Gold Award
Wolfenstein 3-D (Atari Jaguar) 7, 7, 7, 8
Lil Divil (CD-i) 8, 6, 6, 6
Mortal Kombat II (Nintendo Game Boy) 8, 6, 5, 5
Bubble Bobble (Sega Game Gear) 8, 8, 7, 8
Maximum Carnage (SNES) 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Virtual Bart (SNES) 7, 5, 4, 4, 4
Bonkers (SNES) 7, 6, 7, 7, 7
Vortex (7, 8, 4, 5, 6)
Super Return of the Jedi (SNES) 9, 7, 7, 9, 8
Crazy Chase (SNES) 8, 7, 8, 7, 8
Sparkster (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8, 9 Gold Award
Wild Guns (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Tetris 2 (SNES) 9, 8, 8, 7, 8 Gold Award
Earthworm Jim (SNES) 8, 9, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Samurai Shodown (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 6, 8
Ballz (Sega Genesis) 8, 7, 5, 5, 6
Lethal Enforcers 2: Gunfighters (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 5, 6, 7
Sparkster (Sega Genesis) 8, 7, 7, 7, 7
Beavis & Butt-head (Sega Genesis) 7, 5, 4, 5, 5
Axis & Allies (CD-i) 8, 6, 6, 6, 8
Mortal Kombat II (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 6, 7, 8

The X-Men attack the cover of EGM number 64 from December 1994. This issue contains previews of Super Street Fighter 2 (3DO), Dragon (Atari Jaguar), and Flashback (3DO). Sega also reveals Project Venus and a Super Genesis!

Reviews

Sonic & Knuckles (Sega Genesis) 10, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award - Game of the Month
Ballz (SNES) 8, 7, 6, 6
Pagemaster (SNES) 7, 7, 6, 6
Brutal (SNES) 7, 7, 5, 7
The Tick (Sega Genesis) 5, 4, 4, 4
Ecco: Tides of Time (Sega Genesis) 8, 7, 6, 8
Zero, The Kamikaze Squirrel 9, 8, 8, 8
Flashback (Sega CD) 8, 7, 7, 8
VR Stalker (3DO) 7, 7, 5, 5
Pataank (3DO) 8, 5, 5, 6
Dragon’s Lair II (CD-i) 8, 8, 6, 7
Contra: The Alien Wars (Nintendo Game Boy)
The Lion King (Game Gear) 9, 8, 6, 8
Robotrek (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 7, 7
Carrier Aces (SNES) 7, 7, 5, 5, 8
The Tick (SNES) 6, 4, 5, 4, 5
Ghoul Patrol (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 8, 8
Dragon View (SNES) 7, 7, 6, 7, 8
Sonic Blastman 2 (SNES) 8, 7, 7, 8, 8
Ardy Light Foot (SNES) 8, 7, 6, 7, 8
Sink or Swim (SNES) 6, 7, 6, 5, 8
Viewpoint (Sega Genesis) 8, 6, 7, 7, 7
Pagemaster (Sega Genesis) 7, 5, 6, 6, 6
Brutal: Paws of Fury (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 5, 6, 6
Generations Lost (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 6, 6
Red Zone (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 7, 7
Lethal Enforcers II (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 6, 7
Snatcher (Sega Genesis) 9, 9, 7, 8, 9 Gold Award
Android Assault (Sega CD) 6, 7, 6, 6, 6
Bouncers (Sega CD) 6, 6, 5, 6, 7
Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold (3DO) 7, 6, 5, 6, 7
Soccer Kid (3DO) 6, 5, 6, 7, 7
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 5, 5, 7

Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 64 features nearly 400 pages of news, reviews, and previews from November 1994. Doom for Sega’s ill-fated 32X is on the cover, while Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo was the Game of the Month.

Reviews

Donkey Kong Country (SNES) 10, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award - Game of the Month
The Lion King (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 8
Shaq-Fu (SNES) 6, 5, 5, 4
Pac-Man 2 (SNES) 8, 7, 7, 7
Boogerman (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 5, 5
Virtual Bart (Sega Genesis) 8, 5, 4, 4
Animaniacs (Sega Genesis) 7, 8, 7, 7
Mickey Mania (Sega Genesis) 9, 8, 7, 8 Gold Award
The King of Fighters’ 94 (Neo-Geo) 9, 9, 8, 8
Burning Soldier (3DO) 7, 6, 7, 6
Alien vs. Predator (Atari Jaguar) 6, 7, 5, 5
Burn Cycle (CD-i) 9, 9, 6, 8
Sonic Triple Trouble (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 6, 7
Radical Rex (SNES) 6, 6, 5, 5, 6
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (SNES) 8, 9, 7, 7, 8
Metal Morph (SNES) 5, 5, 5, 5, 6
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (SNES) 8, 7, 6, 7, 7
Animaniacs (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8, 9
Ren & Stimpy: Time Warp (SNES) 6, 8, 6, 7, 7
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Sega Genesis) 7, 8, 6, 7, 7
Jurassic Park: RE (Sega Genesis) 5, 6, 5, 5, 7
Samurai Shodown (Sega Genesis), 8, 8, 7, 7, 8
Lawnmower Man (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 6, 5, 6
The Lion King (Sega Genesis) 9, 8, 7, 8, 8
Guardian War (3DO) 9, 8, 7, 7, 7
AD&D Slayer (3DO) 9, 7, 6, 6, 7
Mutant Rampage (CD-i) 6, 5, 5, 5, 6
Solitaire Funpack (Nintendo Game Boy) 6, 6, 5, 5, 7
Samurai Shodown (Nintendo Game Boy) 8, 7, 7, 7, 8

Primal Rage graces the cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly number 62. The cover exclaims “Primal Rage: Better Than Mortal Kombat II!” I’m not so sure about that. I remember Primal Rage in the arcade, but was never a big enough fan to play a home version. I’ll have to check it out. This issue also has the first pictures of Sega’s top secret Sonic And Knuckles game.

Reviews

Blackthorne (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8
Power Rangers (SNES) 7, 6, 6, 7
The Death/Return of Superman (SNES) 6, 5, 5, 5
Zero Tolerance (Sega Genesis) 9, 7, 6, 8
Super Street Fighter II Turbo (Sega Genesis) 6, 6, 7, 8
Tax in Escape From Mars (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 8
Battlecorps (3DO) 8, 6, 5, 6
Way of the Warrior (3DO) 5, 4, 3, 3
Dynamite Headdy (Sega Game Gear) 9, 7, 6, 8
Yogi Bear (Nintendo Game Boy) 8, 5, 3, 6
Brainlord (SNES) 8, 7, 7, 8, 7
Yogi Bear (SNES) 7, 6, 5, 7, 6
R-Type III (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8, 8
Clay Fighter (SNES) 7, 6, 6, 7, 7
Dynamite Headdy (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 6, 8, 8
Shining Force II (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 7, 7, 7
Power Monger (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 7, 6
Eye of the Beholder (Sega CD) 7, 7, 7, 7, 8
Alone in the Dark (3DO) 9, 8, 7, 8, 8
Gridders (3DO) 8, 7, 7, 8, 8
Shining Force (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 6, 7, 7
The Blues Brothers (Nintendo Game Boy) 6, 6, 6, 6, 5

Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 61 features a great cover of Super Return of the Jedi for the SNES. The cover proclaims that “Super Street Fighter II is coming to the home in November!” The August 1994 issue also features Virtua Cop, Jurassic Park 2, Super Punch Out!, and much more.

Issue 59 of EGM highlights Virtua Fighter for the 32-bit Sega Saturn. Previews in the issue include Stunt Race FX, Outrunners, Double Dragon 5 (the fighting game), Kirby’s Battleball (?) and Fatal Fury Special.

The May 1994 cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly features Street Fighter II yet again. For awhile, every other issue of EGM was either Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat related. I can’t say I blame them, because both of those games absolutely rock. This was also a THE time period for fighting games. As such, this particular issue was a “fighting game spectacular,” covering Mortal Kombat II, Fighter’s History, and Virtua Fighter.

MTV’s Beavis and Butt-head appear on the cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly for April 1994. “From TV to Video Game!” Streets of Rage 3 is also featured in this issue. I’m a big fan of the Streets of Rage series, but skipped out on the third installment until recently when I played it on Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection. I remember various gaming magazines complaining about the music of Streets of Rage 3 compared to its predecessors, and having now played the game, I agree. The music of part 3 is not up to the high standards set by the first two. Still, it’s a fun game.

The crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation beam themselves onto the cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly number 56. The Press Start section features information on the upcoming Sega Saturn from the 1994 Winter CES. Actual Saturn screens of Daytona, Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter and Soccer are shown. This issue also previews Fatal Fury 2, Super Metroid, Alien vs. Predator, and Mutant League Hockey.

Reviews

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega Genesis) 10, 10, 9, 9
Metal Combat (SNES) 9, 7, 8, 7
Pirates of Dark Water (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 7
Flashback (SNES) 9, 8, 8, 8
Pro Moves Soccer (Sega Genesis) 7, 8, 5, 5
Belle’s Quest (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 5, 7
Jurassic Park (Sega CD) 8, 6, 6, 7
Monster Manor (3DO) 7, 8, 6, 6
Raiden (Atari Jaguar) 8, 7, 4, 5
Kether (CD-i) 6, 5, 5, 7
Alfred Chicken (NES) 5, 5, 5, 5
Micro Machines (NES) 8, 7, 6, 6
Desert Strike (Atari Lynx) 5, 5, 4, 5
Super Battletank 2 (SNES) 8, 7, 6, 7, 8
Super Pinball (SNES) 8, 6, 6, 6, 6
Sengoku (SNES) 5, 4, 4, 4, 5
Winter Extreme (SNES) 8, 7, 7, 7, 7
Riddick Bowe Boxing (SNES) 9, 6, 7, 7, 7
Claymates (SNES) 8, 7, 6, 7, 7
Legend (SNES) 8, 7, 6, 6, 7
F-117A Night Storm (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 5, 5, 5
Lotus 2 (Sega Genesis) 6, 6, 4, 5, 6
Skitchin’ (Sega Genesis) 7, 5, 6, 5, 6
Bubble and Squeak (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 7, 6
Roar of the Beast (Sega Genesis) 7, 5, 4, 5, 4
Dragon’s Revenge (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 6, 6, 6
Prince of Persia (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 8, 8, 7
Microcosm (Sega CD) 6, 5, 6, 5, 5
Dune CD (Sega CD) 9, 8, 8, 8, 7
Dino Dudes (Atari Jaguar) 7, 7, 6, 6, 6
Caesar’s World of Boxing (CD-i) 9, 7, 7, 7, 8
Lemmings (Atari Lynx) 7, 7, 6, 7, 7
Malibu Biking Volleyball (Atari Lynx) 6, 5, 4, 4, 5

“The hottest new game of the year”, NBA Jam, is on the cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly for February 1994. This was one of the few times in the mid 90’s that the cover of EGM was not a fighting game. I can’t fault EGM here, because anyone who played NBA Jam in the arcade during that time can attest to the greatness of the game. Soon, home versions would be released for the Sega Genesis and Super NES and I was first in line to grab a copy. NBA Jam is great sports game!

Reviews

NBA Jam (SNES) 9, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award
Rabbit Rampage (SNES) 8, 7, 5, 7
Joe & Mac II (SNES) 9, 8, 8, 8
Wolfenstein 3-D (SNES) 7, 8, 6, 7
Jim Power (SNES) 7, 7, 5, 5
Castlevania Bloodlines (Sega Genesis) 9, 8, 8, 8
Dashin’ Desperadoes (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 6
Jammit (Sega Genesis) 6, 6, 5, 5
Ground Zero, Texas (Sega CD) 8, 7, 7, 8
Night Trap (3DO) 8, 7, 7, 7
D/Generation (Amiga CD) 7, 8, 7, 7
Cybermorph (Atari Jaguar) 6, 5, 4, 5
Terraforming (TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo) 4, 4, 4, 4
Cliffhanger (NES) 3, 3, 3, 3
Kirby’s Pinball Land (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 7, 7, 7
NBA Jam (Sega Game Gear) 8, 7, 6, 6
X-Kaliber 2097 (SNES) 7, 7, 6, 6, 6
Choplifter III (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 8, 8
We’re Back! (SNES) 5, 5, 4, 5, 5
The Peace Keepers (SNES) 7, 6, 4, 7, 8
NHL Stanley Cup (SNES) 5, 5, 7, 5, 5
The Lawnmower Man (SNES) 8, 8, 6, 5, 6
Turn ‘N Burn (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 7, 7
RoboCop vs. The Terminator (SNES) 6, 6, 6, 6, 5
NBA Jam (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 7, 8, 7
Goofy’s History Tour (Sega Genesis) 7, 5, 4, 5, 5
Mega Turrican (Sega Genesis) 9, 8, 8, 8, 8
Family Feud (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 7, 7, 7
Wiz ‘N Liz (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 7, 7, 6
Toejam & Earl 2 (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 7, 7, 7
Soldiers of Fortune (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 5, 6, 7
Stellar Fire (Sega CD) 6, 7, 4, 4, 4
Double Switch (Sega CD) 7, 7, 5, 5, 6
Prize Fighter (Sega CD) 7, 6, 6, 5, 7
Dragon’s Lair (Sega CD) 8, 7, 5, 5, 6
Chuck Rock 2 (Sega CD) 7, 7, 6, 7, 7
Fatty Bear’s Birthday (3DO) 8, 7, 6, 8, 7
Trevor McFur (Atari Jaguar) 5, 4, 4, 4, 3
Ms. Pacman (Nintendo Gameboy) 7, 7, 7, 7, 7
Pinball Dreams (Sega Game Gear) 7, 6, 6, 4, 6
RoboCop vs. The Terminator (Sega Game Gear) 8, 8, 6, 6, 6

Yet another fighting game cover, but this time it was not Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat related. Instead, Sega’s Eternal Champions is featured on the December 1993 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. Hype for Eternal Champions was very high before the game was released; unfortunately the general consensus after release was that the game did not live up to the hype.

What’s this? Street Fighter II on the cover of EGM? No way! Actually, this time it’s Super Street Fighter II. This issue has the first hands on test of the Atari Jaguar and 3DO game system. I was on my way to becoming a fanboy of the 3DO, buying one on the day it was released, October 1, 1993. I still have the system and box in my closet! During the Christmas season of 1994, the 3DO actually had a good version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo come out for it, but by then it was too little too late with the Sony Playstation and Sega Saturn on the horizon. This is also the first issue with “sidebar reviews”. There were so many games to review, that several were pushed to the side of the page with one paragraph written about each game.

Reviews

Super Bomberman (SNES) 9, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award
Goof Troop (SNES) 7, 8, 8, 8
Operation Logic Bomb (SNES) 6, 8, 8, 9
Battle Cars (SNES) 9, 8, 7, 7
World Heroes (SNES) 8, 6, 6, 6
Plok! (SNES) 7, 8, 9, 8 Gold Award
NHL ‘94 (Sega Genesis) 9, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Ranger-X (Sega Genesis) 8, 9, 7, 7
Strider Returns (Sega Genesis) 8, 6, 6, 7
Technoclash (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 6, 6
Silpheed (Sega CD) 9, 7, 7, 7
John Madden Duo CD Football (TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo) 7, 8, 7, 8
Star Trek: The Next Generation (NES) 6, 6, 6, 8
Final Fantasy Legend 3 (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 8, 8, 8
Jurassic Park (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 8, 8
Strider Returns (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 7, 7
Redline F-1 Racer (SNES) 7
Bio Metal (SNES) 6
Battle Blaze (SNES) 5
Super James Pond (SNES) 5
Run Saber (SNES) 8
Super Widget (SNES) 4
NBA Showdown (SNES) 7
Nigel Mansell Racing (SNES) 8
GP-1 (SNES) 7
Rock & Roll Racing (SNES) 8
Incredible Crash Dummies (LJN) 4
Hyper V-Ball (SNES) 7
F-1 Pole Position (SNES) 7
Wolfchild (SNES) 5
Rocky & Bullwinkle (Sega Genesis) 4
Sorcerer’s Kingdom (SNES) 7
MiG-29 (Sega Genesis) 6
Bill Walsh College Football (Sega Genesis) 7
General Chaos (Sega Genesis) 8
Chase H.Q. II (Sega Genesis) 8
Flintstones (Sega Genesis) 5
Pugsley’s Scavenger Hunt (NES) 7
Aliens vs. Predator (Nintendo Gameboy) 6
Real Ghostbusters (Nintendo Gameboy) 6
Global Gladiators (Sega Game Gear) 7

The 50th issue of EGM is presented with a combo Street Fighter II Turbo and Mortal Kombat cover. Which one scores a perfect ten? The 50th issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly also discusses Sega’s Saturn system for the first time. It also features previews of Sonic CD (yeah!), Madden ‘94, and has ten pages of Mortal Kombat strategy.

Reviews

Street Fighter 2 Turbo (SNES) 9, 10, 9, 10 Platinum Award
Boxing Legends of the Ring (SNES) 6, 7, 5, 5
Cool Spot (SNES) 8, 9, 9, 9 Gold Award
Mortal Kombat (SNES) 7, 8, 7, 7
Rocky Rodent (SNES) 8, 8, 7, 7
Super Mario All-Stars (SNES) 9, 10, 9, 9 Platinum Award
Super Off Road: The Baja (SNES) 6, 8, 6, 6
Check Rock II: Son of Chuck (Sega Genesis) 7, 8, 7, 8
Jurassic Park (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Micro Machines (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 7, 7
Mortal Kombat (Sega Genesis) 8, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Shinobi III (Sega Genesis) 9, 9, 9, 9 Gold Award
Super Baseball 2020 (Sega Genesis) 6, 8, 5, 6
Samurai Shodown (Neo-Geo) 9, 9, 9, 9 Gold Award
Mortal Kombat (Nintendo Gameboy) 5, 6, 5, 4
Mortal Kombat (Sega Game Gear) 8, 8, 8, 8

Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 49 has a surprising cover of Aero the Acrobat (?), while Street Fighter makes a “guest appearance” in the bottom right corner of the page.  Other featured games in this issue include Aladdin, Rebel Assault CD, SNK’s Art of Fighting, and Plok. Plok?

Reviews

Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES) 9, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award
Alien 3 (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (SNES) 9, 8, 8, 8
NFL Football (SNES) 6, 7, 6, 5
Troddlers (SNES) 7, 8, 7, 7
B.O.B. (Sega Genesis) 6, 6, 7, 6
P.T.O. (Sega Genesis) 6, 7, 6, 6
Pirates! Gold (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 7, 7
Toys (Sega Genesis) 5, 6, 4, 4
Robo Aleste (Sega CD) 7, 8, 7, 7
Bubble Bobble 2 (NES) 7, 7, 7, 7
Mighty Final Fight (NES) 8, 6, 7, 7
Nigel Mansell WC Racing (Nintendo Gameboy) 5, 7, 6, 5
Speedy Gonzales (Nintendo Gameboy) 7, 7, 7, 7
Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 8, 9, 8 Gold Award
WWF Steel Cage Challenge (Sega Game Gear) 5, 7, 6, 5

Jungle Strike “The Sequel to Desert Strike” and Jurassic Park share the cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly from July 1993.  Also previewed is Ecco CD, Mario Collection, and Castlevania: Bloodlines. Also, some kind of exclusive Bubsy preview/info is proudly proclaimed to be “only in EGM!”

Reviews

Pocky & Rocky (SNES) 9, 8, 9, 8 Gold Award
Super Black Bass (SNES) 7, 7, 6, 7
Tuff E Nuff (SNES) 8, 7, 8, 7
WWF Royal Rumble (SNES) 7, 7, 7, 7
Davis Cup (SNES) 6, 7, 7, 7
Jungle Strike (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Ninja Warriors (Sega CD) 5, 8, 4, 6
Ecco CD (Sega CD) 8, 9, 8, 6
Exile: Wicked Phenomenon (TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo) 7, 8, 7, 7
Sherlock Holmes Volume II (TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo) 6, 6, 6, 6
Bases Loaded 4 (NES) 5, 6, 5, 7
World Heroes 2 (Neo-Geo) 8, 8, 8, 8
Star Trek: The Next Generation (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 7, 5, 7
Battletoads/Ragnarok’s World (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 8, 8, 7
Streets of Rage 2 (Sega Game Gear) 8, 8, 8, 8
Surf Ninjas (Sega Game Gear) 8, 7, 7, 6

Another month of EGM, another fighting game on the cover! Mortal Kombat graces the cover of EGM issue 47. An 8-page EGM exclusive preview highlights the game for the Super NES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo Game Boy, and Game Gear. Not to be outdone, Turbo Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition is announced for the SNES, while Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition is arriving soon on the Genesis.

Reviews

StarFox (SNES) 9, 8, 9, 9 Gold Award
Super High Impact (SNES) 5, 6, 5, 4
Taz-Mania (SNES) 7, 7, 7, 7
Mario is Missing (SNES) 6, 8, 6, 3
Blaster Master 2 (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 6, 6
R.B.I. Baseball ‘93 (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 7, 7
Cyborg Justice (Sega Genesis) 6, 7, 5, 7
The Humans (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 7, 6
Batman Returns (Sega CD) 5, 7, 5, 4
Final Fight CD (Sega CD) 6, 6, 8, 8
Bonk 3 (TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo) 8, 8, 8, 7
Dungeon Master (TurboGrafx, TurboDuo) 7, 7, 5, 7
Kirby’s Adventure (NES) 8, 8, 9, 9 Gold Award

Bram Stoker’s Dracula bites its way on the cover of EGM issue 45. The Sega CD version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula was hyped up by many gaming magazines to be one of the first great Sega CD games. Unfortunately, the Psygnosis developed movie tie-in was a disappointment, mainly due to the controls and grainy full motion video sequences. Also previewed in this issue are Batman Returns, Cool Spot, and Shining Force.

Reviews

Bomberman ‘93 (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 8, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Shadowrun (SNES) 6, 7, 6, 7
Family Dog (SNES) 4, 7, 4, 5
B.O.B. (SNES) 5, 7, 7, 5
Super Turrican (SNES) 7, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Ourtrun 2019 (SNES) 5, 7, 5, 6
Battletoads (Sega Genesis) 7, 8, 8, 7
Fatal Fury (Sega Genesis) 4, 5, 4, 3
Time Gal (Time Gal) 8, 8, 6, 8
SimEarth (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 4, 6, 4, 6
Fatal Fury 2 (Neo-Geo), 7, 8, 8, 8
Tiny Toon Adventures 2 (NES) 6, 7, 7, 7
Fire ‘n Ice (NES) 7, 8, 7, 6
Kid Dracula (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 7, 7, 5
Milon’s Secret Castle (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 7, 6, 5
Spider-man (Sega Game Gear) 6, 7, 6, 7

StarFox FX takes center stage on EGM #44 from March 1993. This issue also serves as the 1993 Video Game Preview issue. “Mortal Kombat : The Arcade Hit Comes Home To Super NES And Genesis!” is announced, while EGM previews Sonic CD, X-Men, Batman CD (?) and Final Fight 2. This is another classic retro issue of EGM!

Reviews

Lords of Thunder (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 8, 9, 8, 9
Super Strike Eagle (SNES) 6, 7, 6, 7
Football Fury (SNES) 4, 7, 5, 8
Toxic Crusaders (SNES) 5, 7, 6, 8
SimEarth (SNES) 6, 6, 6, 7
Hardball 3 (Sega Genesis) 4, 7, 4, 3
Risky Woods (Sega Genesis) 4, 5, 4, 3
Roger Clemens’ MVP Baseball (Sega Genesis) 6, 7, 7, 6
Championship Pro-Am (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 7, 7
Road Avenger (Sega CD) 8, 8, 6, 7
World Sports Competition (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 6, 6, 7, 6
F-117A Stealth Fighter (NES) 4, 5, 4, 5
Breaktime (NES) 7, 6, 6, 6
Flintstones (Nintendo Gameboy) 7, 8, 7, 5
Arch Rivals (Sega Game Gear) 6, 6, 5, 7
Dinolympics (Atari Lynx) 6, 7, 6, 6

Everyone’s favorite videogame mascot, Bubsy, makes the cover of EGM for February 1993. Bubsy himself can’t even believe it, exclaiming “Holy Hairballs, I made the cover of EGM!” Previewed within are Humans, Flashback, Super Mega Man, Splatterhouse 3, and Rolling Thunder 3.

Reviews

Out of This World (Sega Genesis) 9, 9, 9, 9 Gold Award
Wayne’s World (SNES) 5, 6, 4, 3
Hunt For Red October (SNES) 5, 6, 4, 5
Firepower 2000 (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8
Dragon’s Lair (SNES) 6, 7, 4, 3
Chakan (Sega Genesis) 6, 8, 8, 8
Ecco the Dolphin (Sega Genesis) 8, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Super Buster Bros. (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 4, 6, 6, 6
Samurai Ghost (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 4, 6, 4, 6
Somer Assault (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 8, 8, 7
The Terminator (NES) 5, 6, 4, 5
R.C. Pro-Am 2 (NES) 8, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
Super Mario Land 2 (Nintendo Gameboy) 9, 9, 9, 8 Gold Award
Adventure Island 2 (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 8, 8, 7
The Majors Pro Baseball (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 6, 6
Joust (Atari Lynx) 6, 7, 7, 8

Road Rash II races to the cover of EGM issue 42 from December 1992. An incredible new Street Fighter II trick is revealed (exclusive to EGM) and top secret Sega CD games and peripherals are highlighted at the top of the page.

Reviews

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis) 8, 10, 8, 9 Gold Award
Death Valley Rally (SNES) 8, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Desert Strike (SNES) 7, 7, 6, 8
Q-Bert (SNES) 4, 7, 6, 5
Super Valis IV (SNES) 7, 7, 7, 7
Spiderman and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge (SNES) 6, 8, 6, 7
Mega Man 5 (NES) 6, 9, 8, 8
Batman Returns (NES) 5, 7, 6, 6
John Madden Football ‘92 (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 9, 9 Gold Award
Crue Ball (Sega Genesis) 6, 9, 6, 7
Bio Hazard (Sega Genesis) 5, 6, 6, 5
Sewer Shark (Sega CD) 7, 9, 6, 6
Black Hole Assault (Sega CD) 6, 8, 7, 5
Night Trap (Sega CD) 5, 8, 6, 5
Cobra Command (Sega CD) 8, 7, 7, 7
Loom (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 7, 7, 6
Dead Moon (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 8, 7, 7
Hit the Ice (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 5, 8, 6, 7
Alien 3 (Sega Game Gear) 7, 7, 8, 7
Bonk (Nintendo Gameboy) 7, 7, 8, 5
Ren and Stimpy (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 7, 6, 5
Pit Fighter (Atari Lynx) 5, 6, 7, 7

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wayne and Garth, and Bubsy The Bobcat explode onto the cover of the January 1993 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. Featured reviews include Cybernator (SNES), the great Terminator 2 arcade  game, and Tradewest’s Pro Quarterback.

Reviews

Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (SNES) 9, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award
Cybernator (SNES) 8, 8, 8, 8 Gold Award
X-Zone (SNES) 7, 8, 8, 8
Gods (SNES) 7, 7, 5, 6
Pro Quarterback (SNES) 6, 7, 7, 5
Chester Cheetah (SNES) 6, 9, 8, 8
TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 8, 7
Road Rash 2 (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 7, 8
Jerry Glanville’s Pigskin Footbrawl (Sega Genesis) 5, 7, 6, 4
Aquatic Games (Sega Genesis) 4, 6, 5, 6
Exile (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 8, 7, 7
Time Cruise (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 5, 6, 6, 5
Shock Man (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 4, 5, 6, 7
RoboCop 3 (NES) 6, 6, 6, 5
The Jetsons (NES) 7, 8, 7, 7
Swamp Thing (NES) 3, 4, 3, 3
T2: The Arcade (Nintendo Gameboy) 7, 7, 7, 6
Dig Dug (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 6, 6, 5
Mega Man 2 (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 8, 9, 7
Prince of Persia (Sega Game Gear) 8, 8, 7, 5
Super Off Road (Sega Game Gear) 5, 6, 4, 5
Dirty Larry: Renegage Cop (Atari Lynx) 5, 6, 6, 7

“The Ultimate 16-Bit Sequel”, Super Star Wars, is in your face on the cover of EGM #40. This November 1992 issue has the first info on the SNES CD Rom (that sadly never came out), as well as previews for Shinobi 3, Mega Man 5, and John Madden ‘93.

Reviews

Super Star Wars (SNES) 9, 9, 9, 9 Platinum Award
Blazeon (SNES) 7, 7, 5, 7
Wordtris (SNES) 5, 7, 6, 7
Amazing Tennis (SNES) 6, 7, 7, 5
Spindizzy Worlds (SNES) 7, 8, 7, 8
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES) 7, 8, 7, 7
Super Mario Kart (SNES) 9, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Felix the Cat (NES) 7, 8, 7, 7
Tyrants (Sega Genesis) 7, 7, 4, 5
Joe Montana Sports Talk Football 3 (Sega Genesis) 8, 8, 7, 7
LHX Attack Copter (Sega Genesis) 5, 6, 6, 6
Air Zonk (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 8, 7, 7
Gate of Thunder (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 8, 9, 8, 8 Gold Award
Lemmings (Sega Game Gear) 5, 7, 6, 7
Joe & Mac (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 8, 7, 6
NFL Football (Atari Lynx) 4, 6, 5, 6

What do you get when you combine the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Alien 3, and Joe Montana? The crazy cover of Electronic Gaming Monthly number 39, of course! This retro issue features the Ninja Turtles, new Sega CD’s (Final Fight CD), and Air Zonk for the Turbo.

Reviews

Mario Paint (SNES) 8, 8, 9, 8
Humongous (SNES) 6, 8, 7, 7
Super Buster Bros. (SNES) 4, 7, 7, 8
Test Drive (SNES) 5, 6, 5, 6
Super Batter Up (SNES) 5, 5, 5, 4
Gargoyles Quest II (NES) 7, 8, 7, 7
Power Blade 2 (NES) 6, 6, 5, 5
Greendog (Sega Genesis) 6, 6, 7, 7
R.B.I. Baseball 4 (Sega Genesis) 7, 6, 7, 8
Cosmic Fantasy (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 8, 7, 7, 6
Soldier Blade (TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo) 7, 7, 7, 6
Chuck Rock (Sega Game Gear) 7, 6, 6, 7
Star Wars (Nintendo Gameboy) 8, 7, 6, 6
Knight Quest (Nintendo Gameboy) 6, 6, 5, 6
Pinball Jam (Atari Lynx) 6, 6, 6, 8
Shadow of the Beast (Atari Lynx) 7, 8, 7, 7