Cover art by Luis M Retro reviews for Consoles & Computers Including: Sega, Nintendo, Playstation, Commodore 64, Spectrum & more! © The Retro Games News MonthlyPage Reviews 1 & Retro News Welcome to Issue For our first issue, we were However, I knew it couldn’t be very excited to land an 1 of TRGN done alone, so I enlisted the interview with industry legend help of fellow retro game Roger Kean, who was the Having spent much of my enthusiasts from YouTube, to editor of Zzap!64, Crash, and youth flipping through the ensure the content would be much more. pages of Zzap!64 and Crash, I rich and varied. often dreamed about the Editor – Phil Wheatley prospect of being part of a We’ll be bringing you reviews Reviewer – Pete Jones computer magazine. Thanks of classic games and exclusive Reviewer – Michael Smith to technology, it is now interviews. Reviewer – Owen McCarthy achievable, and thus TRGN was born. Front cover art by Luis Martins: http://luismartinsartwork.daportfolio.com To view other available issue, please visit: http://www.theretrogamesnews.com/back-issues Contents Welcome.................................................................................... Page 2 StarFox ...................................................................................... Page 3 Roger Kean Interview ............................................................... Page 5 Trojan......................................................................................... Page 7 Fire Emblem .............................................................................. Page 8 Barbarian................................................................................. Page 10 Meet the Team......................................................................... Page 11 Skull Monkeys......................................................................... Page 12 Super Mario Bros Movie......................................................... Page 13 Skooldaze................................................................................ Page 14 Super Nintendo System ......................................................... Page 16 © The Retro Games News Page 2 StarFox (SNES) Reviewed by Pete Jones Until the dawn of the 16 bit era I was only able to get the big budget blockbuster experience when I went on holiday and found an arcade. I always wished for the day when I could get arcade quality graphics in the home. One particular holiday always sticks in my mind as it was when I first got a glimpse of what 16 bit graphics could offer with a two page spread on the classic Street fighter 2. Playing Starfox for the first Toe Tappingly orgasmic to this That was the moment when I time in the 90's was mind day, I can't help but smile as I knew that the industry was blowing. Revolutionary zoom along in my Arwing changing and gaming as an art Graphics, 3D Polygons, lush blasting enemies and saving form was evolving. When I colours, triangular spacecraft that damn toad from an finally got my first Super and an epic soundtrack all untimely death. Nintendo with Super Mario melted into one sublime sci-fi World it was the turning point experience. Going back and playing in my gaming history. From Starfox today it can take some that point on gaming was Fox, Slippy, Falco and Peppy. adjustments to a gamers play never going be the same Those four names bring smiles style compared to modern again. to the faces of a whole Shoot-Em-Ups or Shmups as generation of gamers. they are affectionately known. Back in the 90's I was a kid The digital d-pad isn't quite as with little income and unable to Gamers who have been there forgiving as a modern analog experience all of the fantastic since the 80's watching on the stick. Also there is no reticle to 16 bit games that were side lines as the industry has aim your weapon which can available. However the small evolved from 8 bit sprites to make shooting enemies a little number of games I did play will expansive open worlds. The awkward. Once you get into always stick with me and will 16 bit era was and always will the groove though everything be very dear to my heart. be the greatest era in video feels perfectly natural and game history. An era where most importantly fun. Games such as Street fighter developer's took risks and the 2, Super Probotector, arcade experience was Like all retro games you need Castlevania IV, Super Mario replicated in the living room. to adjust to old style game World, Super Mario Kart and mechanics. While this can be a Starfox made a huge Nowadays graphics have little jarring you'll find that you impression on my young mind. come a long way but back then adjust pretty quickly. I've never One of the biggest and best the Super FX chip was the had any major problems titles for me was Starfox, it was equivalent of seeing the new adjusting but if you find the truly revolutionary and Frostbite 2 engine running older games to be a little something completely fresh. Battlefield 3, your jaw literally clunky a bit of persistence can dropped. However graphics go a long way. In 1993 Nintendo released don't make the game, this is For gamers who are not fans Starfox (Star Wing in Europe), where Starfox excels, not only of Shoot-Em-Ups or have a tale of four mammals and does it have super slick never tried to play a Shoot- their spaceships. As crazy as gameplay and fantastic Em-Up this is a great place to it sounds the fact that character interaction but it has start. Although very basic in its mammals can fly planes was one of the best soundtracks visual style and overall never an issue. ever committed to cartridge. gameplay, Starfox is easy to pick up and play. © The Retro Games News Page 3 Nintendo Gamecube. Both of which put a severe dent in Fox Mcloud's Arwing. The major flaw with both titles was allowing Fox to leave his Arwing and run around. While this probably seemed like a wise move to expand the gameplay and give the player a more complete experience I believed the developer's failed. The beauty of Star Fox has always been the space combat, as a fan of the series I have never wanted to climb out of my Arwing and run around. Should Nintendo release further Star Fox game's on their upcoming next generation home console I can only hope that they have learnt gameplay and the experience this lesson. The beauty of Shoot-Em-Ups of space combat. is the sheer simplicity of the With Starfox643D available for gameplay. Fly your ship and Don't be put off by the the 3DS, now blast anything that gets in your outdated polygons and is the perfect time to dust off way. While most 2D Shoot- triangular craft, just remember your Super Nintendo Em-Ups are about the point that gameplay is key. Within and your Nintendo 64 and re- scoring, Starfox tried to do 10 minutes the rose tinted discover the genesis something different. glasses came off and I found of this amazing franchise. myself being absorbed into this Good Luck Starfox introduced characters fantastic world and my only and a storyline to give the goal was to survive. Rating 90% players a bit more depth than the average shooter. For the Starfox is a classic plain and most part the story is your simple, from the revolutionary average graphics, to the sublime revenge tale but serves its soundtrack, simplistic controls purpose and it won't be long and fantastic character design. before you have decided who's You won't find a better 3D your hero and who's your Shoot-Em-Up on the Super nemesis. For fans of the series Nintendo. Slippy the toad is a bone of contention as he is a thorn in The Nintendo 64 saw Fox's side. Constantly Starfox64 (Lylat Wars in requesting help and never Europe) take everything to the really putting up a fight Slippy next level with improved can quickly make you want to controls via the fantastic kill him. analogue stick and upgraded graphics, new vehicles and I would recommend Starfox to bigger worlds to explore. anyone who needs something However for me the original is simple to play which doesn't still the greatest as its so basic take too much thought. but so fresh. Modern games can sometimes take themselves too seriously Two more Starfox titles, Star so it’s a pleasure to play a Fox Adventures and Star Fox game that is all about the Assault were released for the © The Retro Games News Page 4 Interview with Roger was common to have long TRGN: Would you ever lines waiting to get a word with consider starting a magazine Kean Robin Candy, Gary Penn and again? Julian Rignall; to get Anybody who spent hours in autographs or a T-shirt Roger: I don’t think I’d their bedroom reading emblazoned with an Olibug or consider starting a magazine magazines such as Zzap!64 a Rockford by Oliver Frey. I again. A decade of publishing and Crash have a lot to thank think Crash and Zzap!64 were up to six monthlies was quite this man for. Both of those the first magazines in which enough! Besides, there are titles were shifting 100,000 the reviewers and tipsters plenty of publishers doing a units a piece and changed the became stars in their own very good job and face of computer game right, though none of them lost incorporating Internet editions journalism forever. sight of the real job, providing and I think I would be out of authoritative and trustworthy touch today. We were able to catch up with reviews. Roger to get some behind the TRGN: What is the secret of scene information about the TRGN: From the outside, it having such a good and long magazines, and about what he seemed very glamorous working relationship with Oliver is up to now with another working with the Zzap!64 Frey? legend, his business partner team, what was the reality Oliver Frey.