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 RARE GAME?

LOADING…

SUPER POCKET SURPRISE • Blaze walks a fine line with its new handhelds

IN MEMORIAM

Up, up and away

Elite memories

FPS: First-Person Shooter • Faith Johnson quizzes David L Craddock about his new FPS documentary

NEWS JANUARY 2007

THE LATEST NEWS FROM JANUARY 2007

THIS MONTH IN…

CHARTS JANUARY 2007

HERO • HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO

A RARE CELEBRATION • FROM ITS EARLY DAYS AS ULTIMATE TO AMBITIOUS HITS LIKE SEA OF THIEVES – RARE HAS ALWAYS MANAGED TO BLEND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY WITH GREAT GAMEPLAY. JOIN US THEN AS WE LOOK BACK AT EVERY ERA OF RARE’S HISTORY AND SPEAK TO THE MANY CREATORS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, THAT ARE BEHIND ITS MANY MEMORABLE GAMES

THE INTERVIEWEES

THE ARCADE ERA • IF YOU THOUGHT CHRIS AND TIM STAMPER’S FIRST PUBLISHED GAME WAS FOR THE SPECTRUM, TIME TO THINK AGAIN. JOIN US AS WE INVESTIGATE THE BROTHERS’ ARCADE ROOTS

TRUE GEMS • THREE CREDIT-WORTHY ARCADE TITLES BY THE STAMPER BROTHERS

THE ULTIMATE ERA • IF YOU WERE GOING TO LEAVE COIN-OPS BEHIND AND CREATE THE ULTIMATE GAMES FOR HOME COMPUTERS, YOU NEEDED A CATCHY NAME THAT PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATED YOUR AMBITIONS. AND SO IN MARCH 1983 THE ULTIMATE LABEL WAS BORN

RARE GEMS • THE SHINIEST JEWELS IN ULTIMATE’S CROWN

LOST GAMES • THE TITLES PLANNED AND THEN CANNED

THE NES & SNES ERA • THE MID-EIGHTIES UK GAMES CRASH INSPIRED ULTIMATE’S TIM AND CHRIS STAMPER TO FORM RARE, AND THEIR NEW FIRM WENT GLOBAL WITH ITS HIT NES AND SNES TITLES. EARLY RARE HIRES KEVIN BAYLISS, PAUL MACHACEK AND CHRIS SUTHERLAND RECALL THOSE DEFINING YEARS

RARE GEMS • MEMORABLE RELEASES FROM RARE’S NES AND SNES YEARS

LOST GAMES • THE UNRELEASED TITLES OF RARE’S NES/SNES ERA

TRUE ORIGINALS • NOTABLE ORIGINAL IPS FROM RARE’S NES AND SNES DAYS

THE N64 ERA • THE NINETIES SAW RARE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH NINTENDO GROW EVER STRONGER, RESULTING IN SOME OF THE FINEST GAMES TO GRACE THE N64. WE ASK FIVE FORMER RARE EMPLOYEES TO RECALL THOSE GOLDEN YEARS

RARE GEMS • FIVE TITLES THAT MADE THE N64 SHINE

LOST GAMES • THE N64 GAMES THAT WEREN’T

THE MICROSOFT ERA • MICROSOFT’S DECISION TO PURCHASE RARE IN 2002 HAS PAID HUGE DIVIDENDS. WHILE THE STUDIO WAS ENJOYING FRESH SUCCESS WITH ITS MONKEY ISLAND DLC FOR SEA OF THIEVES, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO CATCH UP WITH A NUMBER OF RARE VETERANS TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE LONGEST AND MOST VARIED CHAPTER OF THE STUDIO’S LIFE

RARE GEMS • DON’T MISS THESE CLASSICS FROM THE MICROSOFT YEARS

LOST GAMES • WHAT DISAPPEARED AT MICROSOFT?

FOSTERING A COMMUNITY • WE CHAT TO CHRISTINA MCGRATH, HEAD OF COMMUNITY AND COMMUNICATIONS AT RARE

THE ULTIMATE COMPILATION • HOW RARE CREATED RARE REPLAY

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