Retro Gamer

Retro Gamer is the only magazine in the UK that’s fully dedicated to the halcyon days of classic gaming. If you’ve ever fondly blasted away at the Bydo Empire in R-Type, swung Bowser by the tail in Super Mario 64, or navigated all 20 levels of Matthew Smith’s Manic Miner, then this is the magazine for you. Created by a dedicated team of experts, Retro Gamer’s mission is to deliver constantly engaging and passionately written articles that cover a wide range of subjects. We offer our readership in-depth looks at classic games and franchises, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the software houses from yesteryear, and one-on-one exclusive interviews with industry veterans such as Archer Maclean and Hideo Kojima. Stylish, entertaining and beautifully presented, Retro Gamer is the ultimate guide to videogaming’s rich and diverse history.

THE RETROBATES • WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PS2 GAME?

LOADING…

ANCIENT HEDGEHOG DISCOVERED • Long-lost prototype of Sonic’s first outing found

PREVIOUS PROTOTYPES • What have we learned from prototypes of other Sonic games?

OUT OF THE DARKNESS

CAPCOM CLASSICS SWITCHED UP • NINTENDO BENEFITS FROM BACK CATALOGUE GOODIES

COURTING CODIES • RIVAL PUBLISHERS BID TO TAKE OVER CODEMASTERS

Is There Anybody Out There?

Crossing The Streams

What’s next for Evercade? • Andrew Byatt on Blaze’s early 2021 plans for its popular handheld

THE LATEST NEWS FROM MARCH 2004

CHARTS MARCH 2004

THIS MONTH IN…

Doki Doki Penguin Land • ANYONE FOR PENGUIN OMELETTE?

CRITICAL MASS: THE STORY OF THE PS2 • THE PLAYSTATION 2 BECAME THE VIDEOGAME INOUSTRY'S BEST-SELLING CONSOLE WITH SALES EXCEEDING 150 MILLION UNITS. BUT HOW DID IT REACH SUCH LOFTY HEIGHTS? RETRO GAMER TALKS TO PAST STAFF AND DEVELOPERS TO FIND OUT

GAMING FOR THE MASSES • THE PERIPHERALS THAT HELPED POWER PS2’S SUCCESS

GOING LIVE • HOW SONY’S CONSOLE STUMBLED ONLINE

HARDCORE HEAVEN • THE PS2 EXCLUSIVES THAT REMAIN UNIQUE TO SONY’S CONSOLE

SERIES STARTERS • THE BIG GAMES THAT BECAME BIGGER FRANCHISES

UNDER THE HOOD • HOW SONY POWERED ITS SUPER SEQUEL

SUBSCRIBE TODAY • AND CHOOSE YOUR FREE PIXEL FRAME

MANIC MINER • It’s the legendary platform game that instigated a whole genre and introduced the world to wonders such as Eugene’s Lair and The Central Cavern. Revered by a whole generation of Spectrum gamers, this is the ultimate guide to the pixel-perfect legend that is Manic Miner

THE LEGACY OF MINER WILLY • HE INSPIRED A WHOLE NEW GENRE OF SPECTRUM GAMES – BUT HOW?

CONVERSION CAPERS

DEVELOPER INTERVIEW • RETRO GAMER CHATS TO STEVE WETHERILL, PART OF THE TEAM BEHIND MANIC MINER’S AMSTRAD CPC CONVERSION

Missile Command • NIGHTMARE FUEL

THE EVOLUTION OF: THE LAST NINJA • The Last Ninja was influenced by Ultimate’s adventures, Bruce Lee and International Karate, and it subsequently inspired a series of hit follow-ups. System 3 founder/designer Mark Cale explains how his combat-based arcade adventure evolved

STAGES OF EVOLUTION: OBJECT LESSON • FROM APPLES AND CACTI TO FINDING EVIDENCE AND FORGING KEYS

STAGES OF EVOLUTION: MORTAL COMBAT • HOW FISTS AND NUNCHUCKS LED TO SLINGSHOTS AND UZIS

STAGES OF EVOLUTION: LEAPS OF FAITH • STEPPING STONES, FLOATING BOATS, GAPING CHASMS AND LAVA LAKES

Neo Geo Pocket

THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO TIM SCHAFER & DOUBLE FINE • Looking back over the credits and contributions of a gaming great in his own words

DOUBLE FINE THE PUBLISHER • THE FAMILY KEEPS GETTING BIGGER

TIM SCHAFER’S OTHER CREDITS • THE DOUBLE FINE FOUNDER MADE HIS NAME ELSEWHERE TOO

Rambo III

Bluffer's Guide to Metroid vanias...