GamePro (April 1998)

Next to Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro was perhaps the most popular video game magazine for many years, at least in North America. I always preferred EGM but GamePro had some great content to. The April 1998 issue includes:

GamePro (April 1998)

GamePro (November 1997)

GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly were really the two biggest video game magazines throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s. I preferred EGM myself but picked up an occasional issue of GamePro. The November 1997 issue of GamePro includes:

Source: GamePro (November 1997)

GamePro (April 1993)

GamePro was the most popular gaming magazine in the U.S. after Electronic Gaming Monthly. They were usually pretty close in sales though I always preferred EGM. The April 1993 issue includes:

Source: GamePro (April 1993)

GamePro (February 1997) | PeakD

GamePro (February 1997): Along with Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro was one of the most popular gaming magazines for a long time. In 1997 is was primarily covering the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn and was also still covering the Super NES, Sega Genesis and Neo Geo. It also had a little PC and arcade coverage. The February 1997 issue includes:

GamePro (June 1996)

GamePro (June 1996)

GamePro was one of the most popular gaming magazines of the 1990s. I didn't pick up GamePro very often because there were other magazines I preferred (e.g. Electronic Gaming Monthly) and I didn't have unlimited funds for magazines. GamePro always felt like it had a slightly younger target audience but it was still a solid magazine. The June 1996 issue includes:

FeatureS

• GamePro Readers' Choice Awards - The best games and systems of the year as determined by readers. Some of the highlights include Myst (Saturn) for best strategy game, Chrono Trigger (SNES) for best role-playing game, Zoop for best puzzle game, PlayStation for best overall system, Ultimate Mortal Kombat for best arcade game, Road Rash 3 (Genesis) for best 16-bit racing sim, Donkey Kong Land (Game Boy) for best handheld game, Destruction Derby (PlayStation) for best next-gen racing game, and Doom (PlayStation) for best next-gen corridor shooter (I guess "first person shooter" wasn't as universal of a term as it would become?). There are a bunch of other categories with each category having several entries.


• Electronic Entertainment Expo Sneak Previews - Better known as E3, this used to be an important event in the gaming industry. Some new things shown (most still under development at the time) include Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire (Nintendo 64), Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), Turok Dinosaur Hunter (Nintendo 64), Shredfest (PlayStation, Saturn), Tigershark (PlayStation, PC CD), Pandemonium (PlayStation), Bogey: Dead 6 (PlayStation), Jumping Flash 2 (PlayStation), Dark Forces (PlayStation), Rebel Assault II (PlayStation), Bubsy 3D (PlayStation, Saturn), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Saturn), Tomb Raider (Saturn), Gun Griffon (Saturn), X-Perts (Genesis), Vectorman 2 (Genesis), and lots more.


• War Gods: First Look from the ACME Show - A first look at the War Gods arcade game. This was a new 3D fighter from Midway.

_{Table of Contents from the June 1996 issue of GamePro}

SWATPro Strategy Section

• Resident Evil PlayStation ProStrategy Guide - A detailed strategy guide for the game that popularized the survival horror genre.


• Super Mario RPG Super NES ProStrategy Guide - A strategy guide for Super Mario RPG. These guides aren't something you want to use unless you are really stuck. Otherwise, I think they spoil the game.


• SWATPro - Hints, tips, cheats and more for Bases Loaded '96 (PlayStation), NHL All-Star Hockey (Saturn), Earthworm Jim: Special Edition (Sega CD), Return Fire (3DO), PO'ed (PlayStation), Doom (3DO), ViewPoint (PlayStation), Last Gladiators: Digital Pinball (Saturn), Raiden Project (PlayStation), Shinobi Legends (Saturn), Sega Rally Championship (Saturn), Darius Gaiden (Saturn), Toy Story (Super NES), and more.


• Lunar II: Eternal Blue (Sega CD) - A guide to reaching both endings in this RPG. I always wanted this (and its predecessor) for the TG-16 CD-ROM but for some reason never got around to playing them.

_{Table of Contents from the June 1996 issue of GamePro (continued)}

Departments

• Letter from the GamePros - A look at some of the latest changes to the magazine.


• The Mail - Letters from readers about "palette swap" characters in games, NBA in the Zone, AC adapters for the Sega Nomad, and more.


• GamePro Gallery - Video game related artwork from readers.


• Buyers Beware - Questions answered about the shareware version of Duke Nukem 3D, the price of Killer Instinct 2, Squaresoft, XBand keyboard repair, playing old games on new systems, and more.


• ProNews - Angry mom gets Primal Rage removed from store shelves; Sega, Sony and Nintendo cut console prices; PlayStation sales go over the 1 million mark; new VR baseball game; and more.


• GamePro Online - Some of the GamePro content you can find on America Online, various web sites, and more.

_{Back cover from the June 1996 issue of GamePro} ...and more!

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/09/17/gamepro-june-1996/

GamePro (January 1997)

GamePro (January 1997)

Next to EGM, GamePro was probably the most popular gaming magazine in North America. The 100th issue of GamePro from January 1997 includes:

Special Features

• 100th Issue! - A timeline of GamePro dating back to April/May 1989.


• Hanhelds for the Holidays! - A guide to new handheld games available for the holidays. Games covered include Donkey Kong Land 2 (Game Boy), X-Men Mojo World (Game Gear), Tetris Attack (Game Boy), FIFA Soccer '97 (Game Boy), Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble (Game Gear), Pinocchio (Game Boy), Madden '97 (Game Boy), Street Racer (Game Boy), Sword of Hopell (Game Boy), and Battle Zone/Super Breakout (Game Boy).

_{Table of Contents from the January 1997 issue of GamePro}

SWATPro Strategy Section

• Star Gladiator PlayStation ProStrategy Guide - A detailed strategy guide for this sci-fi themed fighting game from Capcom for the PlayStation.


• The Fighter's Edge Power Move Pro Wrestling - Strategies, moves and more for Power Move Pro Wrestling for the PlayStation.


• Silverload - A walkthrough of this difficult point and click adventure for the PlayStation.

_{Table of Contents from the January 1997 issue of GamePro (continued)}

Departments

• Role Player's Realm - A reviews of Suikoden for the PlayStation and a preview of Magic: The Gathering - BattleMage for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn.


• Head-2-Head - Editorial reflecting on 100 issues of GamePro.


• The Mail - Letters from readers about Star Wars games on the Saturn, Nintendo 64 controllers, and more.


• ProNews - Many games facing delays including the PlayStation version of Duke Nukem 3D, Independence Day for the PlayStation and Saturn, MegaMan 8, Marvel Super Heroes, Final Fantasy VII and more. Sega cuts price on highest price Saturn games from $69.99 to $59.99. American Laser Games ceases development of live action games. And more.


• NetPro - A guide to using four online multiplayer gaming services including DWANGO, Mplayer, TEN (Total Entertainment Network), and Engage.

_{Back cover of the January 1997 issue of GamePro}

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/08/27/gamepro-january-1997-2/

GamePro (December 1991)

GamePro (December 1991)

Back when video game print magazines still existed, GamePro was one of the most popular. From the late 1980s until they ended, while there were others, GamePro and EGM really dominated, at least in North America. The December 1991 issue of GamePro includes:

• Letter from the GamePros - An editorial on the upcoming 16-bit holiday battle.


• The Mail - Letters from readers on technical capabilities of the Genesis vs. the Super NES, hooking a Super NES to a computer monitor, the Game Genie, renting games, and more.


• Cutting Edge - Updates on the state of the art in gaming, including a sequel to the PC Engine, upcoming CD-ROM systems, a new version of the PC Engine GT that has external CD-ROM, TV, and controller ports, the new Phillips CD-I, and more.


• Pro Reviews
• Nintendo - Reviews of The Simpsons: Bart vs. The World (featured on the cover), Mega Man 4, Batman: Return of the Joker, Wizardry II, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, Dragon Warrior III, Tiny Toon Adventure, Uncharted Waters, The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy and the Miracle Piano System. Almost all of these are excellent games.
• Genesis - Reviews of Rolling Thunder 2, Battlemaster, Pit-Fighter (pretty awful game on any system), Chuck Rock, Fatal Rewind, and Quackshot.
• Super NES - Reviews of U.N. Squadron (one of the earliest horizontal shooters for the SNES), Final Fight, Lemmings, Super Adventure Island, and Smash TV (one of my favorites though it is hard).
• TurboGrafx-16 - Reviews of Cadash, Champions Forever Boxing, Andre Panza's Kick Boxing, and It Came From the Desert.
• Master System - A review of Sonic the Hedgehog (an excellent 8-bit translation)


_{Table of Contents from the December 1991 issue of GamePro}
• Special Feature: So, You Want To Buy a 16-Bit System... - A comparison of the major 16-bit systems going into the holiday season including the Sega Genesis, TurboGrafx-16 and the newly released Super Nintendo.


• Special Feature: GamePro's Video Football Playoffs - A comparison of some of the available football games including John Madden Football '92 (Genesis), Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football (Genesis), Mike Ditka Power Football (Genesis), John Madden Football (SNES), Tecmo Super Bowl (NES), Tecmo Bowl (Game Boy), Joe Montana Football (Game Gear), and NFL Football (Lynx).


• Overseas ProSpects - A brief look at new games released in Japan including Spriggan (PC-Engine CD-ROM) and Valis IV (PC-Engine CD-ROM).


• S.W.A.T. (Secret Weapons and Tactics) - Tips, tricks, passwords and more for Maniac Mansion (NES), Turrican (Genesis), Bonk's Revenge (TurboGrafx-16), Little Ninja Brothers (NES), John Madden Football (Genesis), Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), Devil's Crush (TurboGrafx-16), Moonwalker (Genesis), Bases Loaded II (NES), Super Mario Brothers (NES), Power Ball (Genesis), Fantasia (Genesis), Gradius III (Super NES), SCAT (NES), Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (NES), Batman (Genesis), Hunt for Red October (Game Boy, NES), and more.


• Ask the Pros - Readers ask and get answers about difficult gaming situations in Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (NES), Skate or Die 2 (NES), Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), Spider-Man (Genesis), Bonk's Revenge (TurboGrafx-16), Operation C (Game Boy), Shinobi (Game Gear), and more.

_{Back cover of the December 1991 issue of GamePro}

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/07/30/gamepro-december-1991/

GamePro (March 1992)

GamePro (March 1992)

In 1992 I was mostly reading EGM and VG&CE but I saw GamePro on the shelves all of the time. It was an exciting time for gaming. 16-bit gaming was still pretty new (with the original NES still going strong), CD based gaming was on the way and color handhelds were around. The March 1992 issue of GamePro includes:

• Letter from the GamePros - A mention of the Winter Consumer Electronics Show and a look at what 1992 holds in store for gamers.


• The Mail - Letters from readers about a Video Game Enhancer for the Genesis, Game Action Replay, Game Genie, NES rebates, winter sports games, and more.


• Cutting Edge - A look at Virtuality, a virtual reality coin-op system from Spectrum Holobyte. One of the first and most iconic of such systems.


_{Table of Contents from the March 1992 issue of Game Pro}
• ProReviews
  
• Nintendo
  
• The Empire Strikes Back - An excellent multi-genre Star Wars game featuring side-scrolling adventure, side-scrolling shooter and more.
• Nightshade - A side-scrolling adventure game somewhat reminiscent of a cross between Solstice and Shadowgate.
• The Blue Marlin - GamePro says it is fun but I could never get excited about fishing games.
• Terminator 2 - A game based on the movie of the same name the proves that not EVERY game based on a movie is absolutely terrible.


• Genesis
• Heavy Nova - A beat-em-up game featuring robots.
• Winter Game - Like a sequel to Games: The Winter Edition featuring eight sports seen in the Winter Olympics (without the olympics license apparently).
• Desert Strike - Another in the excellent series of 'Strike' shooters.


• Super NES
• Contra III - The first 16-bit entry in the Contra series.
• WWF Super Wrestlemania - An OK wrestling game that you would definitely want if you were a wrestling fan.


• Game Boy
• Tiny Toons Adventures - A platform game based on the excellent cartoon of the same name.
• Gradius - A great shooter but the Game Boy was never a favorite platform of mine. Too much blur.
• Game Gear
• Donald Duck - Maybe not as good as Castle of Illusion but still a pretty solid Disney platformer.


• Lynx
• Xybots - Conversion of the arcade game for the Lynx. The Lynx was an excellent system with some pretty good games.


• Special Feature: Get in Control! - A look at various controllers including the Beeshu Ultimate Superstick, Beeshu Zipper, Beeshu Zoomer, Bondwell Quick-shot Intruder 2, IMN Game Handler, Nexoft Dominator, The Triton Pad, ASCII Power Clutch, Beeshu Striker, Happ Competition pro, Sega GeniStick, ASCII pad, and Halken's JB King.


• Special Feature: Capcom - A sneak peak at Capcom's 1992 product line-up including Magic Sword (Super NES), Barcelona '92 (NES), The Little Mermaid (Game Boy), Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Super NES), Darkwing Duck (NES), Gargoyle's Quest (NES), Bionic Commando (Game Boy), and TaleSpin (Game Boy).


• Pro Strategy: Final Fantasy II - Tips for this classic RPG on the Super NES.


• Overseas ProSpects: Lady Phantom - An action RPG that works a little like Military Madness. One of the vast number of games for the TurboGrafx-16 (Super CD in this case) that never made it from Japan to the U.S.


• Short ProShots - A brief look at new and upcoming games, including Wally Bear and the NO! Gang (NES), Gemfire (NES), Super Play Action Football (NES), Jordan vs. Bird (Genesis), Ernest Evans (Genesis), Missile Command (Game Boy), Snow Brothers Jr. (Game Boy), Top Gun (Game Boy), Magical Puzzle Popils (Game Gear), and Super Skweek (Lynx).


• ProNews - Hudson and NEC join forces, Mega CD not compatible with the Genesis (meaning you have to wait for the U.S. version), Konami publishes Gradius for the TurboGrafx-16, and much more.

_{Back cover from the March 1992 issue of GamePro}

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2023/04/07/gamepro-march-1992/

GamePro (May 1997)

GamePro (May 1997)

GamePro wasn't a magazine I read a lot but it was probably the next most popular gaming magazine behind Electronic Gaming Monthly, at least in the U.S. The May 1997 issue includes:

Cover Feature

• The Lost World: Jurassic Park - This was about the time the move The Lost World came out and here is a preview of the game that goes along with it for the PlayStation.

Special Features

• Final Fantasy VII - Final Fantasy VII was probably the most anticipated Final Fantasy game and the most popular. Here's an early preview of its release in Japan.


• GameWorks: Ready for Gameplay - GameWorks was a new mega arcade that was a joint venture between Sega, Universal and Dreamworks. The first opened up in Seattle, Washington in 1997 and there were plans for 100 of them by 2002. I don't know if that expansion ever happened but as far as I can tell the Seattle GameWorks still exists and there are no others.

_{Table of Contents from the May 1997 issue of GamePro}

SWATPro Strategy Section

• Doom 64 Nintendo 64 ProStrategy Guide - A detailed guide for Doom on the Nintendo 64, including maps, secret exits and more.


• The Fighter's Edge Soul Blade (Part 2) - Part 2 of a comprehensive guide to Soul Blade on the PlayStation.


• SWATPro - Hints, tips, tricks and cheats for Andretti Racing (Saturn), WWF: In Your House (PlayStation), The Legend of Oasis (Saturn), Dark Forces (PlayStation), NFL GameDay '97 (PlayStation), NHL Faceoff '97 (PlayStation), SlamScape (PlayStation), Vectorman 2 (Genesis), Bubble Bobble (PlayStation), Command & Conquer (Saturn), Crusader: No Remorse (PlayStation), Ten Pin Alley (PlayStation), Impact Racing (PlayStation/Saturn), Pandemonium (PlayStation), and Madden '97 (Genesis). There's also a list of the top game rentals and Blockbuster. Top of the list for each platform were Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64), Need for Speed II (PlayStation), Tomb Raider (Saturn), NBA Live '98 (Genesis), Donkey Kong Country 3 (Super NES).

_{Table of Contents from the May 1997 issue of GamePro}

ProReviews

• PC GamePro - Reviews of Ecstatica II and Star Command Revolution, plus previews of Hexen II, Meat Puppet, Redneck Rampage, Comanche 3, X-Com: Apocalypse, Quake Mission Pack #1: Scourge of Armagon, Riven, and Extreme Assault.


• Nintendo 64 - Review of Blast Corps.


• PlayStation - Reviews of MechWarrior 2, WCW vs. The World, BattleStations, K-1 The Arena Fighters, Wing Commander IV, Sentient, The Incredible Hulk, Virtual Pool, and League of Pain.


• Saturn - Reviews of Herc's Adventures, The Lost Vikings, Lunacy, Contra Legacy of War, Tunnel B1, Dragon Heart, Super Puzzle Fighter II, Hardcore 4x4, and Heir of Zendor.

Departments

• Head-2-Head: Letter from the GamePros - The evolution of the gaming industry.


• The Mail - Readers write in about the CD-i, Resident Evil, Twisted Metal 2, and Final Fantasy VII.


• Art Attack - Envelope art and other reader submitted gaming art.


• Buyers Beware - Customer complaints about a free XBand modem offer, Tomb Raider ads, fighting in NHL '97, and more.


• ProNews - PlayStation price drops to $149, Sega plans merge with Bandai, upcoming games, Final Fantasy VII release plans, and more.

_{Back cover of the May 1997 issue of GamePro}

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2023/02/24/gamepro-may-1997/

GamePro (December 1997)

GamePro (December 1997)

While I always preferred Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro was almost as popular though it seemed to be aimed at a slightly younger audience. At about 250 pages, the December 1997 issue had to be pretty much at its peak. It includes:

Features

• Star Wars: The Masters of Teras Kasi - An exclusive, hands-on look at this new Star Wars themed fighting game.


• GamePro's Holiday Shopper's Guide - A list of the best games, peripherals and other gaming items for the holiday season according to GamePro.

Spotlight On!

• Messiah: Rising Shiny - A visit to Shiny Entertainment to look at the upcoming Messiah for the PlayStation and PC.


• SEAL Squad 2040: A Special Force To Be Reckoned With - A preview of SEAL Squad 2040 for the PlayStation, described here as Wave Race 64 with guns.

_{Table of Contents from the December 1997 issue of GamePro}

SWATPro Strategy Section

• Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter - A detailed strategy guide for this classic arcade fighter, featuring basic strategies, special movies, and more.


• Star Fox 64 - A strategy guide for Star Fox 64 on the Nintendo 64 featuring secret areas, alternate skill routes, how to defeat the bosses and much more.


• The Fighter's Edge: Street Fighter EX Plus - Combos and strategies for Street fighter EX Plus for the PlayStation.

_{Table of Contents from the December 1997 issue of GamePro (continued)}

ProReviews

• PC GamePro - Reviews of Jedi Knight, Hexen II, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Dark Reign, Total Annihilation, Take No Prisoners, Half-Life, and Wing Commander: Prophecy.


• Nintendo 64 - Reviews of Diddy Kong Racing, WCW vs. NWO World Tour, Duke Nukem 64, San Francisco Rush, Bomberman 64, and Extreme G.


• PlayStation - Reviews of MDK, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Resident Evil Director's Cut, Moto Racer, Test Drive 4, Shipwreckers, Marvel Super Heroes, Dragon Ball GT Final Bout, Jet Moto 2, Pandemonium 2, Red Asphalt, Vs., Frogger, Rampage, Mass Destruction, and Reel Fishing.


• Saturn - Reviews of Duke Nukem 3D, Resident Evil, Last Bronx, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Mega Man X4, Bust-A-Move 3, and Ten Pin Alley.

Departments

• Head-2-Head - Video games, violence and ESRB ratings.


• Buyers Beware - OEM vs. 3rd party RF adapters for the Nintendo 64, missing animation in Saturn version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, and Rumble Pak battery life.


• ProNews - Microsoft and Sega in 128-bit console discussions (this would become the Dreamcast), Blasto for Nintendo 64 delayed until early '98, console game sales exceed PC game sales, and much more.


• NetPro - A look at Saturn's NetLink and the games that support it.

_{Back cover of the December 1997 issue of GamePro}

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2022/11/22/gamepro-december-1997/

GamePro (October 1993)

Source: GamePro - Issue Number 51 - October 1993

There were tons of video game magazines from the late 1980s through the late 1990s. GamePro wasn't my favorite (I preferred EGM and VG&CE) but there is no doubt that it was one of the most popular. The October 1993 issue includes the following:

• Letters from the GamePros - The GamePro editors explain their rating system.

• The Mail - Letters from readers with comments and questions on video game violence, playing NES games on the SNES, taking the Turbo Duo on the road, converting Japanese RPGs, obtaining back issues, choosing games to create strategy guides for, baseball games, and more.

• Cutting Edge - A detailed look at the upcoming Atari Jaguar, including some of the first games. It's a shame Atari didn't put more effort into games development and courting 3rd party developers. This could have been a great system.

• Special Feature: Hot at the Arcades - Part 2 of a Slam Masters Strategy Guide, an arcade wrestling game from Capcom that plays a bit like Street Fighter II.

• Role-Player's Realm - Hints and strategies for RPGs including Shining Force for the Genesis, The Seventh Saga for the Super NES, Final Fantasy Legend III for the Game Boy, and Defenders of Oasis for the Game Gear.

• Special Feature: 3D0 Games - A look at some of the first 3DO games including Battlechess, Crash ' Burn, Intelliplay Football, Mad Dog McCree, Oceans Below, Out of This World, San Diego Zoo, Total Eclipse, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

• Cover Feature: Super Street Fighter II - It seemed like there were endless variations of Street Fighter II. Street Fighter II: The New Challengers was released after Turbo Street Fighter II Champion Edition and its main changes include four new fighters plus new and improved moves for existing characters.

• Special Feature: Disney's Aladdin - Aladdin was near the pinnacle of 2D gaming on 16-bit systems in terms of graphics, animation, sound and music. This is a preview of Aladdin on the Genesis.
• Special Feature: Star Wars - A look at recent and upcoming Star Wars games, including Super Empire Strikes Back (SNES), Rebel Assault (Sega CD), and Star Wars (Game Gear). Plus, a behind the scenes look at the making of some of these games.

• ProReviews
  • Genesis - Reviews of Aero the Acro-Bat, Haunting Starring Polterguy, Dashin' Desperadoes, Dinosaurs for Hire, Gauntlet IV, The Adventures of B.O.B.; Plus previews of Street Fighter II Special Champion Edition, Robocop Vs. Terminator, Robocop III, Pink Panther: Pink Goes to Hollywood, and Sonic Spinball
  • Sega CD - Reviews of AH-3 Thunderstrike and Spider-Man vs. Kingpin plus a preview of Stellar-Fire
  • SNES - Reviews of Terminator 2: Judgement Day, SimAnt, Legend, Battle Cars, Super Aquatic Games, Incredible Crash Dummies, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Mr. Nuts; Plus previews of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighter, ActRaiser 2, Captain America and the Avengers, and Cliffhanger
  • Nintendo - Reviews of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Mario is Missing!
  • Neo Geo - A strategy guide for Samurai Showdown
  • Game Boy- Reviews of DuckTales 2, Ring Rage, Lemmings, Tumble Pop, and WWF: King of the Ring
  • Game Gear - Reviews of WWF Steel Cage Challenge, Strider 2, Cave Dude, and Off the Wall
  • Lynx - Review of Gordo 106

• Overseas ProSpects - A look at Jim Powers for the Super NES and Genesis.

• The Sports Page - Reviews and previews of sorts games including NHL Hockey '94 (Genesis and SNES), Legends of the Ring (Genesis and SNES), Riddick Bowe Boxing (SNES), Evander Holyfield (Game Gear), Madden NFL '94 (Genesis and SNES), Football Fury (SNES), Top Gear 2 (SNES), and Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing (Genesis, NES, Game Boy). Plus news about upcoming sports releases.

• GamePro Lab Report - A look at the Dual Turbo wireless controllers for the SNES and Genesis, the Naki Pro Control Pad for the Genesis, and more.

• Short ProShots - Brief looks at Formula 1 World Championship (Genesis), Prince of Persia (Genesis), Pit-Fighter II (Genesis), WWF Royal Rumble (Genesis), Super Baseball 2020 (Genesis), Dune II (Genesis), Wizzy 'n' Lizzy (Genesis), Puggsy (Genesis), Incredible Hulk (Genesis), Bubba 'n' Sticks (Genesis), Microcosm (Sega CD), EA Sports Soccer (Genesis), The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (Genesis), F-1 Pole Position (SNES), Lester the Unlikely (SNES), NBA Showdown (SNES), Redline: F-1 Racer (SNES), Super Battletank 2 (SNES), Turn and Burn (SNES), Super Putty (SNES), Super Off Road: The Baja (SNES), Kirby's Pinball Land (Game Boy), John Madden Duo CD Football (Duo), James Pond II (Game Gear), and more.

• S.W.A.T.Pro - Hints, tips, codes and passwords for Alien 3 (Super NES), Mario is Missing! (SNES), Time Gal (Sega CD), Spy vs. Spy (Game Boy), Muhammad Ali's Heavyweight Boxing (Genesis), The Lost Vikings (SNES), Side Arms (Duo), WWF Royal Rumble (SNES), Panic Restaurant (NES), Green Dog (Genesis), Mutant League Football (Genesis), R.B.I. BAseball (Genesis), Bomberman '93 (Duo), Gates of Thunder (Duo), Mousetrap Hotel (Game Boy), Cotton (Duo), and more.

• GameBusters: X-Men (Genesis) - A more detailed strategy guide for X-Men on the Genesis.

• ProNews - AT&T acquires Sierra Network, new SNES bundle featuring Super Mario All-Stars for $149, a new handheld video game featuring barcodes, Double Dragon: The Movie coming soon, Pitfall Harry: The Mayan Adventure delayed, and more.

...and more!

GamePro (April 1996)

GamePro was one of the two most popular video game magazines of the 1990s (the other being Electronic Gaming Monthly). GamePro wasn’t my personal favorite but it did have a long life and some good content along the way. In 1996 the transition from 16-bit to 32-bit consoles was in full swing so a lot of systems were being covered.

The April 1996 issue includes the following:

Features

• Nintendo 64 Is Coming! - Nintendo sets the release date for the newly renamed Nintendo 64 to September 30, 1996. Specs include a MIPS 64-bit RISC R4000 CPU, SGI Reality Immersion 64-bit RISC processor (for graphics and sound), and 4.5 MB of RAM. Initial release games are supposed to be Super Mario 64, Killer Instinct, Pilotwings 64, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Cruis'n USA, and Doom 64.

• LamePro - GamePro parodies itself.

• Creating Evil Incarnate: The Making of Resident Evil - An interview with Shinji Mikami, leader of the team that created Resident Evil for the PlayStation

• Resident Evil ProReview - GamePro gives top marks to Resident Evil for the PlayStation.

• Where Are All the 16-bit Games? - The number of Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis releases are shrinking but the quality, overall, is better than ever. Intriguing upcoming releases include Lufia 2, Killer Instinct 2, Ultimate MK 3, Super Mario RPG, Super Road Rash, Marvel Super Heroes, and more. Of course, there are a number of sequels too. There are also some cancelled games listed including Akira, Comanche FX, Star Fox 2, Time Killers, Super Turrican 2 and Virtual Hamster among others.

SWATPro Strategy Section

• The Fighter's Edge Presents Soul Edge ProStrategy Guide (Arcade) - All you need to know to beat your opponents (the the machine) in Soul Edge.

• Loaded ProStrategy Guide (PlayStation) - The second part of a strategy guide for Loaded for the PlayStation. This part covers levels 5 through 8.

• Breath of Fire II ProStrategy Guide, Part 3 (SNES) - The third and last part of a strategy guide for this Super Nintendo RPG, including the three endings.

• SWATPro - Codes and passwords for tons of games including Loaded (PS1), Vectorman (Genesis), Earthworm Jim 2 (Genesis), Solar Eclipse (Saturn), Eternal Champions (Sega CD), Spawn (SNES), Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES), Sega Rally Championship (Saturn), Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES), Izzy's Quest for the Olympic Rings (SNES), Doom (PS1), Blackthorne (32X), Pitfall (Jaguar), Killer Instinct (Game Boy), Toy Story (Genesis), Rayman (Jaguar), The Adventures of Batman and Robin (Sega CD), and Samurai Showdown III (Arcade).

• Open Ice Codes (Arcade) - Various codes for this arcade hockey game.

ProReviews

• PlayStation
  • Resident Evil - The classic survival horror game.
  • Darkstalkers - One of my favorite Capcom fighters. One of the first games I owned for the PS1.
  • Descent - Like Doom only flying a ship through tunnels.
  • Return Fire - Overhead combat mayhem with tanks and jeeps and helicopters and...
  • The Hive - A poor PC conversion of a 3D shooter on rails.
  • Assault Rigs - A futuristic tank combat game that may remind you a bit of Tron. I had this game too but just remember it being fairly average.
  • Road Rash - The classic motorcycle racing game.
  • Revolution X - Arcade conversion featuring Aerosmith.
  • Philosoma - A not so great 2D/3D shooter.
  • In the Hunt - An ok side-scrolling shooter.
  • Space Griffon - A combat/exploration game featuring mechs.
  • A Train - A railroad sim.
  • X-Com - An outstanding strategy classic but better on the PC.
  • Geom Cube - Like Tetris but played from an overhead perspective.

• Saturn
  • Street Fighter Alpha - Arcade conversion of the latest and greatest in the Street Fighter series.
  • Clockwork Knight 2 - An interesting platformer with outstanding graphics...but not really as fun as it should be. But if you liked the original you'll like this one.
  • Mortal Kombat II - It seems like there were an infinite number of Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter games...
  • Hi-Octane - I had this futuristic racer for the PC and it was a disappointment. Sounds like the Saturn version is no better.
  • D - A sort of horror themed Myst.
  • Skeleton Warriors - Basically an update to games like Golden Axe.
  • Darius Gaiden - Classic 2D side-scrolling shooter.
  • The Horde - This basically plays as a simple real-time strategy game in which you must build up your land then defend it from Hordes.
  • Defcon 5 - A Doom-like FPS in which you are supposed to avoid combat.
  • Revolution X - Arcade conversion featuring Aerosmith.
  • Sim City 2000 - An update to the classic city sim.

• 3DO
  • Star Fighter - A sort of open areana 3D shooter.
  • Johnny Bazookatone - A humorous platform game that ends up being pretty average.
  • Cyberdillo - Doom but with an Armadillo. Unfortunately, its not a great game.
  • Iron Angel of the Apocalypse: The Return - A second rate sequel to a second rate mech game.
  • Battlesport - A futuristic soccer game with tanks.

• Neo Geo
  • Real Bout Fatal Fury - One of many great 2D fighting games on the Neo Geo.
  • Puzzle De Pon - Basically Bust-A-Move.

• Jaguar
  • Defender 2000 - An updated version of the classic arcade game.
  • Atari Karts - Atari's version of Mario Kart...but without the weapons.
  • Super Cross 3D - A pretty terrible motorcycle racing game.
  • Zoop - The Jaguar version of this fairly simple but addictive puzzle game.

• Jaguar CD
  • Primal Rage - A fighting game...but with dinosaurs!
  • Myst - The classic atmospheric adventure/puzzle game originally released for the PC.
  • Baldies - A God sim game for the Jaguar.

• Super NES
  • Frantic Flea - An underwhelming platform game that seems like an odd release this late in the life of the SNES.

• 32X
  • Spider-Man: Web of Fire - Side-scrolling action game featuring Spider-Man that, while not spectacular, does offer solid game play and better graphics than the Genesis alone could offer.

• Role-Player's Realm
  • Death Keep (3DO) - A sort of upgraded Eye of the Beholder style official Dungeons & Dragons games. One of the relative few good games for the 3DO.
  • King's Field 2 (PlayStation) - Conceptually not all that different from Death Keep above but not as good.
  • Lucienne's Quest (3DO) - Ultimately, a rather boring RPG for the 3DO.
  • Future Fantasies - Short sneak peeks at upcoming RPG games including Shining Wisdom, Kingomd II: Shadoan and Iron Storm.

Departments

• Letter from the GamePros - Commentary about ads that get complaints.

• The Mail - Readers complain/comment upon ads.

• GamePro Gallery - Envelope art from reader.

• Buyers Beware - False rumors of hidden characters in WWF Wrestlemania for the Genesis, reader asks about cross compatibility between 32X, Sega CD and Saturn (there is none), reader complains about Ultimate MK3 being released after he bought MK3, and Blockbuster's $400 deposit for renting a PlayStation.

• ProNews - Rumors of Atari's demise; Psygnosis announces plans for Saturn games including Wipeout, Destruction Derby, 3D Lemmings and Discworld to start with; 16-bit sales for the holiday season (1995) far outpaced those of newer systems and games; Sega lays off people; Final Fantasy VII announced, and more.

• GamePro Online - A summary of what is available on-line from GamePro, mostly on AOL. This includes game demos, conferences and more.

• The Cutting Edge - "Network Computers" (computers that get all of their content online vs. via cartridge, CD or other media) predicted to take over electronic entertainment...and I guess that's largely true though the prediction was a bit premature.

• GamePro Labs - Two massive analog controllers are tested including "Analog Joystick" (what a creative name) for the PlayStation and "Mission Stick" (not much better) for the Saturn.

• Overseas ProSpects - A preview of games released overseas including Battle Arena Toshinden 2 (PlayStation), Kirby Super Delux (Super Famicom), Bahamut Lagoon (Super Famicom), Guardian (Saturn), and Lone Soldier (PlayStation).

• Short ProShots - Previews of upcoming domestic releases including X-Perts (Genesis), Crash Bandicoot (PlayStation), Super Mario RPG (SNES), Magic Carpet (PlayStation, Saturn), Congo the Movie: The Lost City of Zinj (Saturn), Mortal Kombat II (PlayStation), Casper (PlayStation, Saturn, 3DO), Chronicles of the Sword (PlayStation, PC CD), City of the Lost Children (PlayStation, PC CD), Deadly Skies (PlayStation, Saturn, 3DO, PC CD), Floating Runner (PlayStation), Maximum Surge (Saturn, PC CD), Mohawk (SNES), Phoenix 3 (3DO), Sentient (PlayStation, PC CD), Snowjob (3DO), Syndicate Wars (PlayStation, PC CD), The Need for Speed (PlayStation), and Top Gun: Fire at Will (PlayStation).
• Hot at the Arcades - A look at Time Crisis, a light gun shooter from Namco, and Killer Instinct 2, Rare's arcade fighter.
• PC GamePro - A look at Diablo, the famous overhead dungeon crawler; Whiplash, a more modern take on Stunt Driver; Command & Conquer: Red Alert, one of the hottest real-time strategy games of the time; Strife, a game based on an upgraded Doom engine; Z, an overhead action/strategy game from Bitmap Brothers; EarthSiege 2, another mech combat game; Abuse, a side-scrolling action game featuring a unique control system; Wetlands, a first person adventure game; and a trio of sports game including NBA Live '96, NCAA Championship Basketball, and Greg Norman Ultimate Challenge Golf.

...and more!

GamePro (June 1993)

At 164 pages, the June 1993 had to be somewhere near the peak for GamePro and there were a lot of systems to cover then. 8-bit systems were still being covered (the NES), 16-bit systems were being covered, CD based add-ons were being covered and multiple portables among other things. This issue includes:

• Letters from the GamePros - GamePros's monthly editorial. This month the subject is Virtual Reality.

• The Mail - Letters from readers about virtual reality, mystery zones in Sonic 2, fear for the future of the NES, video game violence and more.

• Cutting Edge - Article about the Hornet-1 F/A-18 Hornet flight simulator used by pilots.

• Hot at the Arcades - Focusing on Capcom's Slam Masters with inevitable comparisons to Street Fighter 2.

• Special Feature - Covering all things Battletoads related including Battletoads/Double Dragon for the NES, Battletoads on the Game Boy plus other media such as the Double Dragon and Battletoads comics and the Double Dragon animated series.

• Special Feature: Ecco the Dolphin Strategy Guide, Part 2 - Part 2 of a strategy guide for Ecco the Dolphin on the Sega Genesis.

• Special Feature: Yoshi's Cookies - A look at a Yoshi themed puzzle game for both the Super Nintendo, NES and Game Boy.

• ProReviews - GamePro's review section covering the Genesis, Sega CD, Super NES, NES, Turbo Duo/TurboGrafx-16, Game Boy and Game Gear. Games Reviewed inlude Rolling Thunder 3 (Genesis), Sorcerer's Kingdom (Genesis), Jeopardy (Genesis), Championship Pro-Am (Genesis), Chase HQ II (Genesis), The Terminator (Sega CD), Batman Returns (Sega CD), WWF: Royal Rumble (SNES), Aliens vs. Predator (SNES), Super Widget (SNES), Run Saber (SNES), The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (SNES), Cool World (SNES), Sonic Blast Man (SNES), Super James Pond (SNES), Mario Is Missing! (SNES), Kawasaki Challenge (SNES), Lethal Weapon (SNES), Bignose Freaks Out (NES), SimEarth (Turbo Duo SuperCD), Magical Chase (TG16), Star Trek: The Next Generation (Game Boy), Darkwing Duck (Game Boy), Q*Bert (Game Boy), Super Ninja Boy (Game Boy), WordZap (Game Boy), and Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Game Gear). Also included are previews for Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (Genesis) and Splatterhouse 3 (Genesis).

• Special Feature: Super Star Wars ProStrategy, Part 1 - The first part of a strategy guide for Super Star Wars on the Super Nintendo. I remember really wanting this game and it was a beautiful game but man was it ever hard. I never finished it...or really made it very far i don't think.

• Overseas ProSpects - Previews of game released in other countries that may or may not ever have made it to North America. Games (and systems) looked at include Populous II (Super Famicom), the Duo-R which was the successor to the Turbo Duo, Super Chinese World 2 (Super Famicom), Super Back To The Future 2 (Super Famicom), Darius 3 (Super Famicom), Noigear (Super Famicom), and Pop 'N' Twin Bee (Super Famicom).

• The Sports Page - News, reviews and previews of sports games for all systems, this month including reviews of Hardball III for the Sega Genesis, RBI '93 for the Sega Genesis, Bases Loaded 4 for the NES, an interview with Tony La Russa about Tony La Russa Baseball, and more.

• Hardware Helpers - This column covers various peripherals and hardware add-ons for video game systems. This month, devices covered include The Miracle Piano Teaching System for the Sega Genesis, various rechargeable battery systems by Naki, including the Naki rechargeable battery system for the Game Boy, the Solar Pak which is a solar powered version, The Turbo Twins which is a version for the Game Gear, The Turbo Twins for the Turbo Express, the Atari Lynx Power Pak for the Atari Lynx and more.

• Short ProShots - Short previews of upcoming games, this month including Bram Stoker's Dracula, Indiana Jones Fate of Atlantis, Rebel Assault and Thunder Hawk for the Sega CD, WarpSpeed, Mig-29, RocketKnight, Bubsy, Davis Cup Tennis, Dune II, Robocop vs. Terminator, Star Cruiser and Shining Force for the Genesis, Aero the Acrobat, PTO: Pacific Theater of Operations, Cool Spot, Grand Prix One, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Last Action Hero, Mega Man, Super Empire Strikes Back, and Obitus for the Super NES, World Cup Soccer for the Game Gear, Spider-Man 3: Invasion of the Spider-Slayers for the Game Boy, Jurassic Park for the NES.

• S.W.A.T.Pro - GamePro's strategy section this month includes tips for Shadow of the Beast (Genesis), Wonder Dog (Sega CD), Chuck Rock (Sega CD), Prince of Persia (SNES), Super MarioKart (SNES), Battleclash (SNES), Hook (SNES), RoboCop 2 (Game Boy), Super Mario Land 2 (Game Boy), Basketbrawl (Lynx), Ecco the Dolphin (Genesis), Batman Returns (Genesis), Paper Boy 2 (SNES), Street Fighter II (SNES), and Sewer Shark (Sega CD).

• GameBusters: Wing Commander (SNES) - Tips for the final mission of Wing Commander for the Super Nintendo.

• ProNews - News for June 1993 includes the impending release of Street Fighter II Turbo for the Super Famicom in Japan, virtual reality news, the announcement of a Mutant League sports product line by EA, new deals by EA with Shaquille O'Neal and Bill Walsh, Castlevania coming to the Genesis, upcoming releases of Jurassic Park, Dennis the Menace and Addams Family 2 games, Game Boy Game Genie legal news, and more.
• Ad Index

...and more!

GamePro (June 1997)

GamePro was one of the top multi-format video game magazines throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s. The June 1997 issue covered The Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, arcade games and PC games. This issue includes:

Cover Feature: The Fighter’s Edge Fighting Games Roundup

• Tekken 3
• Street Fighter III: New Generation
• Mace: The Dark Age
• Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
• Vampire Savior (Darkstalkers: Jedah’s Damnation)
• The King of Fighters ’97
• Dynasty Warriors
• War Gods
• Battle Arena Toshinden 3
• WCW vs. The World
• Fighters Megamix

Special Features

• Arcade World ‘97
• E3 Sneak Peeks!

SWATPro Strategy Section

• WCW vs. The World PlayStation ProStrategy Guide
• The Fighter’s Edge - Fighters Megamix (Saturn)
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Super NES ProStrategy Guide (Part 2)

• NetPro - Online gaming with Kali, the Arena, VR-1, and Engage
• The Cutting Edge - High-powered new generation arcade systems
• GamePro Labs - The Preview TV Box and the TV Genie
• Hot at the Arcades - On the scene at the ASI Show
• Overseas Prospects - Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Vampire Savior and other new Japanese arcade games
• Sneak Previews - Duke Nukem 3D, Spawn: The Eternal, Mega Man X4, Dynasty Warriors, and more
• PC GamePro - MDK, Interstate ’76, Blood, Atomic Bomberman, Starcraft, and more

Game Finder (Reviews & Previews)

• 3D Baseball 2
• Aaron vs. Ruth Baseball
• Ace Combat 2
• Albert Odyssey
• All-Star Baseball Featuring Frank Thomas
• Alpine Racer 2
• Alpine Surfer
• Armadillo Racing
• Armageddon
• Atomic Bomberman
• Battle Arena Toshinden 2
• Battle Circuit
• Blood
• Bottom of the 9th ’97
• Bug Riders
• The Crow: City of Angels
• Crypt Killer
• Deadeye
• Duke Nukem 3D
• Dynasty Warriors
• Final Fantasy Tactics
• Flying Saucer
• Goal Storm ’97
• Grand Slam
• GTI Club
• Hang Pilot
• Hardball 6
• Harvest Moon
• The House of the Dead
• Interstate ‘76
• Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball
• The King of Fighters ’97
• The Legend of Zelda 64
• MDK
• MVP Baseball
• Mace: The Dark Age
• Machine Hunter
• Mageslayer
• Magical Drop III
• Major League Baseball ‘97
• Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
• Mass Destruction
• Maximum Force
• Mega Man X4
• Mission: Impossible
• NASCAR ‘98
• NBA Fastbreak
• NHL Powerplay ‘98
• Need for Speed II
• Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey
• Operation Thunder Hurricane
• OverBlood
• Rampage World Tour
• Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
• Scorcher
• Sega Super GT
• Spawn: The Eternal
• Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition
• Starcraft
• Street Fighter III: New Generation
• Syndicate Wars
• Tekken 3
• Test Drive: Off-Road
• Thunder Truck Rally
• Top Skater
• Treasures of the Deep
• Triple Play ‘98
• VMX Racing
• VR Baseball ‘97
• Vampire Savior
• Virtua Striker 2
• W.A.R., Inc.
• War Gods
• World Series Baseball ‘98

…and more!

GamePro, March 1997

GamePro, March 1997