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 GAME WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO PLAY DURING LOCKDOWN?

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NINJA THEORY • Developer Jack tells us about his spiritual successor to Shinobi

TRIVIA • With all sports currently shut down by the lockdown, here’s a collection of questions about sports and games to get your brain into gear

CROSSWORD

PICTURE QUIZ

The soundtrack of our lives

Game on

Facing the music • Videogame composer Aubrey Hodges on digitally releasing his back catalogue

THE LATEST NEWS FROM JUNE 2003

NEWS JUNE 2003

CHARTS • JUNE 2003

THIS MONTH IN…

Galaga • IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HIGH SCORE

40 PAC-MAN 40TH ANNIVERSARY • NAMCO’S YELLOW MASCOT STANDS PROUD AS THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST RECOGNISABLE VIDEOGAME STAR. AS PAC-MAN CELEBRATES HIS 40TH YEAR, WE FELT IT WAS THE IDEAL TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH PAC-MAN CREATOR TORU IWATANI AND QUIZ HIM ABOUT HIS GROUNDBREAKING GAME

SPECTRAL SABOTEURS • HEROES ARE ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT THEY NEED VILLAINS TO CONTRAST WITH. ENTER THE GHOSTS, PAC-MAN’S LONG-TERM ADVERSARIES AND THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE GAME DESIGN. TORU IWATANI EXPLAINS THEIR IMPORTANCE AND HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THEIR UNIQUE QUIRKS

DESIGNED TO PAC ARCADES • AS ONE OF THE FIRST IDENTIFIABLE PROTAGONISTS IN VIDEOGAMES, PAC-MAN’S DESIGN WAS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ORIGINAL ARCADE GAME AND THE SERIES AT LARGE. TORU IWATANI ELABORATES ON SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT GAVE US THE ICON WE KNOW TODAY

PAC-POWERS • SOME OF PAC-MAN’S MORE NOTABLE SKILLS AND ABILITIES FROM OVER THE YEARS

THROWPAC FASHION • THE MAKEOVERS THAT HAVE HELPED PAC-MAN STAY FRESH OVER FOUR DECADES

AHEAD OF THE PAC • HIGH SCORES AND COMPETITIVE PLAY ARE AT THE HEART OF THE ARCADE EXPERIENCE, AND PAC-MAN OFFERS ALL THE THRILLS YOU’D EXPECT IN THAT REGARD. WE SPEAK TO JON STOODLEY, ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE TO HAVE EVER PLAYED A PERFECT GAME OF PAC-MAN, ABOUT THE GAME’S COMPETITIVE SCENE

TIMELINE • THE KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF PERFECT PAC-MAN PLAY

PAC PEAKS • SOME PAC-MAN WORLD RECORDS THAT YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO BREAK

PAC TO THE FUTURE • PAC-MAN’S HUGE SUCCESS IN THE WORLD’S ARCADES MEANT THAT SEQUELS WERE INEVITABLE. WHAT’S INTERESTING, HOWEVER, IS THAT WHILE SOME FELT RATHER OBVIOUS, NAMCO FOUND PLENTY OF WAYS TO ENSURE ITS YELLOW MASCOT COULD ADAPT TO WHATEVER NEW GENRES WERE THROWN AT HIM

REINVENTING PAC-MAN • TADASHI IGUCHI ON CREATING THE PAC-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP EDITIONS

JOINING THE PAC • THE OLIVER TWINS ON CREATING PAC-MAN WORLD 3

PAC OF ALL TRADES • NAMCO’S MASCOT IS ONE OF THOSE FEW GAMING ICONS THAT HAS MANAGED TO CROSS OVER FROM VIDEOGAMES AND ACHIEVE GLOBAL SUCCESS ACROSS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FORMATS. HERE WE EXAMINE HOW PAC-MAN WENT BEYOND BEING A VIDEOGAME PHENOMENON TO BECOME A GENUINE WORLDWIDE SUPERSTAR

40 THE BIG BIRTHDAY BASH • SUB-CHIEF PAC-MAN OFFICER EMEA, LEE KIRTON ON...