Chapter 14: Gaming E-Zines Sites or Magazine's Online Editions
Enjoy perusing through these magazine and e-zines pages-there are quite a few to choose from. E-zines (or electronic magazines) are those published exclusively on the Net. Magazine Web sites are a paper magazine's online counterpart to supplement, or replicate, its print version. Both have lots to offer the avid gamer but we visit these pages for the style and vibe of the particular group of writers. Fresh articles and a subjective analysis of hot games by us gamers are often more trustworthy than the company press hype. Free games, cheats, FAQs, and chat groups are also usually provided here.
[author's pick]
Adrenaline Vault Web Page
http://www.avault.com/A beautiful award-winning page such as this only comes along once in a while. Plenty of time and labor went into designing Adrenaline Vault and only the newest and hottest games are featured here. Plunge into the various side-bar columns here such as The Game Sector, The AV Times, Shockwave and Java-based real-time gaming, chat arenas, Newsgroups, links, and a new releases list. Each demo or shareware game outlined for download is color-coded to signify if it has a cheat code, FAQ, spotlight, or reviewed counterpart. This is one of only a small handful of sites I would recommend to hard-core gamers to have as their start-up page on the Net so it goes here when signing on.
Amiga Power
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/Part of FutureNet, the UK magazine empire, Amiga Power, "a magazine with an attitude," is a fresh look at an often shunned gaming system (well, in North America, anyway). Mostly reviews, news, and features are provided for Amiga games and other utilities. Articles are also taken from FutureNet's Amiga Format, Amiga Power, and Amiga Shopper magazines also found at http://www.futurenet.co.uk/. Subscription orders and past issues are also available with a valid credit card.
Burn Out
http://www.america.com/~mrfritz/BurnOut/A refreshing angle towards news, reviews, previews, and downloads. All are available at this dynamic online electronic magazine or visit the Top 10 PC and video games section, vote for your faves, or spend some time at "Gumshoe" (don't ask...just go there). The online gaming article is informative (August 1996) and I certainly enjoyed the nostalgic 8-bit console system "blast from the past" write-up as well. Creatively done.
Coming Soon Magazine
http://www.megatoon.com/~t15/The online counterpart to the paper magazine Coming Soon specializing in 3DO, PSX, PC, and Sega Saturn games. This popular Web site is best known, and used, for its game reviews and previews. It's good to know there's somewhere to go to find out if it's worth spending $50.00 on the newest game. Coming Soon has added quite a bit of PC games to their site including industry news and a Top 100 chart. Interviews with developers and a live chat room are also regular features here. Visit their Company Web site page to hot-link to all your fave gaming manufacturers.
Competitive Edge Magazine
http://www.quiknet.com/oss/index1.htmlPublisher's One Small Step have brought the board, card, and box game fans Fox One, Rebel Yell and Battlechrome. Competitive Edge (CE) magazine offline packages these complete games, and others, and provides strategy tips, interviews, and new scenarios for older CE games. This Web site serves as a background to their games and includes pictures, bonus missions, scenarios, and an online store.
Computer Game Review
http://www.nuke.com/cgr/cgr.htmA nicely arranged and informative page for computer game review, previews, and game demos. Computer Game Review (CGW) always seems to get the low-down in their exclusive interviews and they also shine in their valuable Strategy section. CGW also houses the CyberCents server which uses Kali-the head-to-head software to play your favorite arcade games against anyone on the Internet. Also check out their Radioactive Links (other related sites) and Ground Zero (downloads). Small fonts and detailed screen shots give this page a modern feel.
[author's pick]
Computer Games Strategy Plus Online
http://www.cdmag.com/A well-designed and content-rich site that complements its paper counterpart. Much effort and talent has gone into this Web page and offers surfers a milieu of game genre previews, reviews, and hot downloads. SP Online is updated often with current industry news, contests, chat groups, and an online store. If this isn't enough, check out SP's vast archive section and download hundreds of past playable demo favorites broken down by gaming genre. Keep in mind strategy tips are this magazine's forte so make sure you take advantage of the many free downloadable hints on all sorts of computer games. This handsome site is definitely meritorious of a permanent bookmark on your browser.
[author's pick]
Computer Gaming World
http://www.zdnet.com/gaming/Computer Gaming World (CGW) is an outstanding online counterpart to an ever more outstanding paper publication. Truly one of the most respected authorities on computer games from both the maker's and purchaser's side of this booming industry. The layout of the front page is very simple and text-oriented but content is this Web site's biggest attribute: covering the latest scoops on PC games, reviews, previews, screen shots, FAQs, add-ons, secrets, surveys, strategy sections, patches, demos, and hot links. Peruse the current paper issue and exclusive articles for the CGW Web site alone or browse through the archived collection of past issues. Bonus: Their well-organized Shareware section allows you to read the CGW review of the game prior to download.
Edge
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/This UK magazine's Web site is dedicated to any electronic gaming fan whether your preference is computer, console, or arcade systems. The Edge (self-pronounced "the future of interactive entertainment") has a colorful and effective design and brings fresh gaming content to its visitors. Each page offers reviews, behind-the-scenes scoops and previews, contests, hints n' tips, charts, and other eye-catching headlines. One such article dives into the world of game music and another on computer art. What else would you expect from FutureNet's award-winning paper publication?
Electric Shorts
http://www.win.net/~tybeelytes/chipnet/s7toc.htmlA plain game and utility site that has some interesting Doom info and game reviews by John Di Saia. Although Electric Shorts has a cool "Doom Wad of the Month" section, you cannot download them here-the appropriate file name and FTP site is given only. Not much here peaked my interest even though a Pamela Anderson WAD file for Doom II was retrieved on my visit!
Electronic Gaming Monthly
http://www.nuke.com/egm/egm.htmThis site possesses the identical graphical and content layout as the Computer Game Review site (also housed by the spiffy Nuke InterNetwork), but this time for console games. The latest and greatest for the PlayStation, Saturn, Nintendo 64, 3DO, and Jaguar is presented in print, but also in Real Audio and various video formats. The online version of the paper magazine contains a wealth of information: reviews, previews, interviews, and best of all-cool strategy tips and secrets to get through even the toughest games.
Electronic Playground
http://www.elecplay.com/"Electronic Ramblings for the Video Game Generation." Slick Canadian e-zine with news, reviews, and previews of all TV gaming console systems, PC, Mac, arcade games, and hand-held units. Excellent graphics and animation (not just on their intro page either) make this site entertaining to navigate though. When you cut through the glam you find some very informative features here (check out their non-gaming Sights, Sounds, and Syllables area too). You may have heard of the Electronic Playground from their U.S. and Canada television show of the same name.
Enemy Lock On!-The Military Flight Sim Magazine
http://www.webcom.com/elomag/The Enemy Lock On (ELO!) UK print publication is read by flight sim fanatics in over 30 countries and this Web site previews the material to be found in those pages. While at ELO! Online, download game patches, read many articles from past issues, hot-link through related links, or subscribe online. ELO! is delivered six times a year anywhere in the world.
Entertainment Online
http://www.e-on.com/Well I may not agree that this Web site is "absolutely the best games site in the world" as their home page boasts, but it is unquestionably up there. Launched in early July 1996 by UK partners Mark Bernstein and Hermann Hauser, E-Online is a fresh, new, kaleidoscopic and informative mega-site. E-Online promises to be the definitive online entertainment channel for the entire family. On the downside, however, there is a pay option for formal subscription which carries the bulk of the Web site's gaming offerings. With reliance on sleek design powered by Silicon Graphics Webforce, they may very well be one of the premiere entertainment sites to look for in the years to come.
Escapade
http://www.escapade.com/This Web E-zine describes itself as "The No-nonsense Guide to Interactive Electronic Entertainment," and that is exactly what they are. No logging in or subscribing is necessary-just up-to-date information to satisfy your multiplayer gaming needs. Provocative articles and amusing features spice up this site. While visiting this page you get the warm sense of a tight online gaming community. There is a lot to see and do here and this site proves you don't need a lot of advertising or money behind you to produce a concise specialized gaming site. A job well done!
Fun Online
http://www.egmont.de/://www.egmont.de/A German e-zine dedicated to covering PC games and is directed at kids. This site is heavy on selling these CD-ROMs but also includes a Hints n' Tips section, tech support, and a modem list of other like-minded for some head-to-head action. A cartoon alligator is your host here for Fun Online! who will take you to other fun areas such as real-time Java games and a Top 10 list.
Other German E-Zines
PC Player Magazine
http://www.pcplayer.de/
SpieleNewshttp://www.spielenews.com/
Zox-Uphttp://www.heiend.com/zoxup/
Power Playhttp://www.magnamedia.de/powplay/index.html
In Fusionhttp://www.infusion.de/
GamesMania: German Editionhttp://www.gamesmania.com/cgi-bin/german/default.cgx
Game Cabinet, The
http://www.gamecabinet.com/Ken Tidwell's monthly gaming Web zine covers many other forms of amusement rather than computer games. Family, strategy, role-playing, board, and miniature games are featured here. With a dozen or so contributors this is a different Web site worthy of a closer look. Game news, reviews, language game rules translations, an interactive mail box, and purchase information for most of the games highlighted.
Game Fan Online
http://www.gamefan.com/Another impressive online counterpart to the colorful Game Fan publication focusing on console, hand-held, and PC games. Right off the bat a clickable large graphical image takes the surfer to the various pages: Hot Info, Reviews, Downloads, Mailroom, and Game Stuff. News is broken up into daily industry headlines and is laid out chronologically so if a caption appeals to you click for the full story. The Game Stuff area has some interesting trinkets such as game music, Hocus Pocus (cheats/codes), and reader survey Most Wanted games by platform.
Game Japan
http://www.rcp.co.jp/recca/A weekly English and Japanese e-zine from Tokyo, Japan. Every issue has a top story, gossip section, game archive, links, mailing list, and a "hot release" area. Don't mind if the English isn't completely up-to-par-you'll get the gist of the what the articles are getting at. This crisp n' colorful PC- and Mac-based publication is brought to you by Recca-sha Inc. Also note their PC Top 40 download page and Top 100 Video game chart.
Game Over!
http://www.ftech.net/~strat/index.htmA cool free UK-based online 'zine dedicated to computer gaming. A scrolling newsreel runs at the bottom of your browser and large screen shot graphics grace the main page. This e-zine contains PC game reviews and other features (The War Room, Re-boot, and On the Grapevine) are broken into the specific games themselves. Game Over! is designed well and their Links section contains some serious game-related lists.
Game Revolution Magazine
http://www.game-revolution.com/An e-zine glorifying Saturn, PlayStation, Mac, and PC games. The Revolution is a fun site with personalized options such as frames and a keyword search to get right to games of interest. Dividing between computer and console games this page provides gaming news, reviews, contests and other tidbits such as a Q & A, press releases, and hot links. The Game Revolution magazine is an elementary and descriptive Web page. Check out their Quake beastiary section.
Game Review, The
http://ns2.clever.net/~ionizer/The Game Review is a weekly gaming mag released every Sunday at 5pm EST. This ambitious online zine contains raw and unbiased opinions on the PC game products available today. A neat option here is that you can download the edition you are interested in to read offline if you wish, or you can submit your e-mail address if you wish to have it automatically sent to you. The Game Review is proud to be the longest running and most popular weekly Warez (hacked or cracked game available on the Net) mag/review publication. The issues themselves are bare-bones text but the flavor and cunning approach to these games keep you not only interested, but enthralled.
Gamers Online
http://www.neca.com/~online/gamers-online.htmPlatform systems such as Nintendo, Sega and Sony consoles are highlighted here and the staff of Gamers Online offer previews, reviews, features, and game listings on all the hottest TV systems today. This site is easy to navigate through and game fans can download movie clips or save screen shots on new titles or older classic standbys. Cheats and Top 10 lists are also available as well as a small PC section.
Gamer's Zone
http://www.worldvillage.com/wv/gamezone/html/gamezone.htmWorld Village's popular online gaming section caters to almost 1,000,000 registered citizens! For those of you who are not familiar with World Village, it is a World Wide Web society for members to enjoy, for free, its many areas...facets of a real community such as a Chapel (religious studies), Cafˇ (chat groups), School House (educational software and articles), and of course, the Gamer's Zone. Enjoy cool online real-time games such as Web Jotto, Mozart's Musical Dice, MYST Trivia Challenge and the new online graphical epic adventure entitled Sanctuary. Great World Village exclusive games in a modern and friendly entertaining environment.
Games First
http://www.turbonet.com/games/This online publication caters to the computer game fanatic. The Just Out and PC Tech Tips sections are handy and informative along with the huge game indices broken into numerous categories. Games First has a five member staff not including the contributing male and female authors. This Web site is arranged well and I particularly liked the classic shareware, new demos, and PC charts of download distinctions.
[author's pick]
GamesMania
http://www.gamesmania.com/cgi-bin/english/default.cgxGamesMania is a crisp and colorful multilingual gaming e-zine. Whether your preference is English, Italian, Japanese, or German you can access insightful gaming news, reviews and previews, contests, demos, and a great Tech Support and Developers page. The layout and design of this cutting-edge page is bright and attractive and I could see why this site has been rewarded with "the most resourceful" gaming site on the Net. Definitely one to bookmark as a favorite to keep up-to-date on all your computer gaming news and more. Much more...
GamesMaster
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/Welcome to Britain's best-selling video games magazine. This Web site is fairly plain considering its colorful paper cousin but the cutting-edge reviews, news, and major strategy section is rich in content. PC, Amiga, and Console systems are all equally attended to and the many articles will provide many hours of material to sift through for the electronic gaming enthusiast. As with other FutureNet products here you can order a subscription or read past issues online.
Games Online Zine
http://www.magicnet.net/~postman/games_online/An e-zine devoted to games of all sorts. PC, Mac, Console, and online RPG games are covered and reviewed by various writers. Heavy on feedback and reader interaction, this site focuses on providing the visitor with an all-around comprehensive gaming encounter. Not much to look at, but heavy on filling and variety.
Games Update
http://www.gamesupdate.com/You know you're in for a treat when you are notified right away what browser plug-ins you will need to get the most out of a site. The Games Update Webzine gives the gamer current news and gossip, downloads, videos, a top 10, and give-aways-all related to home console, handheld, and PC games. Other non-game related articles were found in the news section as a bonus (e.g. DVD technology and other high-tech movie and educational happenings). Check out the N-64 movies to download.
Game Wire
http://www.gamepen.com/gamewire/Joshua Arnold, Editor-in-Chief's e-zine is affiliated with The Game Pen site at http://www.gamepen.com/ so you know this site has to be good. Game Wire is a gamer's mecca with attractive laid-out sections: downloads, news, reviews, links, interviews, and more. Sleek design and informative articles grace this zine's pages. Mac, PC, and console game fans will have lots to see and do here. Cool sections include Center Stage (inside industry news) and the Wall (bios, Game Wire networks, screen shots, etc.).
Geracao Digital-Revista de Games
http://www.roadnet.com.br/gd/Geracao Digital is a Brazilian magazine's Web site honoring PC, console, and arcade games. Completely in Spanish, this page is a hip, modern site with colorful graphics, animations and frames (if you choose). Many in-depth reviews, online chats, strategy tips, and links are available here if you have Netscape 2.0 or higher as a browser.
Inside Mac Games
http://www.imgmagazine.com/Inside Mac Games is a beautifully detailed magazine site whereby its sleek appearance is only second to its content. Mac addicts can access the newest info on their favorite games, flip through the online archives of past issues, order games directly, contribute to the voting booth, or scan the many game and Mac-related links around the world. Readers and subscribers of the paper editions (and bundled CD-ROM) will find other useful and entertaining information here.
Other Related Mac Sites of Interest
Apple Computer
http://www.info.apple.com/
Networkable Mac Gameshttp://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/netgames/
MacWorldhttp://www.macworld.com/
MacSensehttp://www.macsense.com/home.html
MacUserhttp://www.zdnet.com/macuser/
MacWeekhttp://www.macweek.com/
Cyberian Outposthttp://www.cybout.com/cyberian.html
Intelligent Gamer Online, The
http://igonline.escape.com/This is the online counterpart to the printed magazine most noteworthy of its industry news and console-gaming previews. IGO offers those without fast connections a text-only option of their page-a rare consideration these days. IGO is a light site with not much content but the Discussion Forums for Sega, 3DO, Atari, Nintendo, or Playstation games may be of interest.
NEXT Generation
http://www.next-generation.com/The online version of Imagine Publishing's successful print mag is a solid and resourceful console and computer gamer's Eden. The NEXT page is constantly updated and tweaked for its many visitors and boasts news, reviews, previews, screen shots, forums, charts, demos, contests and Q & A sections. Heavily leaning toward TV console systems this is a worthwhile site for any 32- or 64-bit systems such as the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64, or Matsushita M2 player. PC and Mac gamers really need not apply here.
Online Gaming Review
http://www.ogr.com/A savvy page that gets thousands of hits per day. Dedicated to the mature PC Gamer, Online Game Review (OGR) started out in the fall of 1995 with a mission to provide up-to-date and honest reviews and news of PC games for their many visitors. Columns, editorials, and in-depth coverage on the gaming industry and Internet happenings as a whole are also looked at among cheats, hints, tips and FAQs for games of all genres. A very good Web zine site.
OS/2 Games Home Page
http://www.austin.ibm.com:80/os2games/IBM sponsors this much-needed games page for OS/2 Warp users and programmers. Their goal is to offer OS/2 game-related information tips to both game players and developers wishing to combine the power of OS/2 Warp with PC-based games. Important sections are "Running DOS & Windows games on OS/2" and "Native OS/2 Consumer Products" (such as SimCity and SimCity 2000).
PC ACE Online
http://www.fogstudios.com/pcace/pcace.htmlAn online counterpart to the print mag PC Ace. Read reviews of the hottest PC flight sim games (among other genres), get behind-the-scenes news on current and upcoming titles, find out how to tweak your Windows 95 to support better flight sticks, or fill out subscription information. PC ACE Online lets you preview what you'd find in their paper publication with readable columns such as "Over There" and "PC ACE Academy."
PC Firestorm
http://wings.buffalo.edu/~mfs2/Headed by Max Stewart and Jeff White, PC Firestorm is one of the more down-to-earth and non-intimidating e-zines around, written by University of Buffalo students. They maintain their PC game reviews are unbiased since these are the same people buying the games-the articles are honest and accurate. Their downloads section has been influenced (and contributed) by the folks at the mega Games Domain site. Don't forget to check out the far-reaching links area as well.
[author's pick]
PC Gamer
http://www.pcgamer.com/One of the better magazine sites on the Web today. This is the online counterpart to the North American version of the PC Gamer mag from Imagine publishing. Keen and discerning writers preview and review the hottest games and provide many strategy tips for their guests. An effective newspaper feel on their front page is effective (columns, headlines) and their left-framed sidebar allows the visitor to steer to 20 or so destinations. These include the contents of the current paper issue, next issue, and bundled CD-ROM. Moreover, chats, forums, downloads, cheat codes, links, feedback, and industry news are all available...and more. This is a Grade A Web site worthy of countless returns.
PC Gamer-UK edition
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/Another worldwide magazine giant has an excellent Web page (as with all the other FutureNet paper gaming publications: Sega Power, Amiga Format, Edge). Big colorful buttons, charming graphics, and acute game reviews grace these pages. These extensive sections (Hot Lists, Classics, Best of the Rest, Guidelines, Hardware, and more) are comparable to how big the paper edition of this magazine is (have you ever held one of these puppies?) Past issues and an online subscription (with valid credit card) are also available.
PC Games Online
http://www.pcgamesmag.com/Another nicely arranged Web site to serve as supplement to a fine print magazine. A good use of frames organizes the many game reviews, cheats, behind-the-scenes developments, and a rich archive section. As with most of the other Web sites that have paper counterparts you can subscribe online and offer useful feedback for the publishers. A clean and user-friendly PC games site especially for newer gamers or computer novices.
PC Industry and Entertainment News
http://www.mbay.net/~dtingley/Scott Tingley created a fairly humble online center for game news, reviews, previews, demos, patches, and links. Most sections have stated "Under Construction" for some time now but perhaps Scott will finish off his computer gaming pages more sooner than later.
[author's pick]
PC Multimedia and Entertainment Magazine
http://www.mortimer.com/users/pcme/Award-winning PCME site is a avid gamer's heaven. Tons of content and graphics in many areas of gaming will keep any visitor's attention for quite a long time here. Besides up-to-the-minute news and behind-the-scenes previews you can also capture downloads, reviews, strategy guides, chat and discussion forums, exclusives, patches, interviews, links, and give-aways (catch all that?). Depending on your tastes zap over to the Adrenaline Zone (3D games), Fantasy Zone (Adventure and RPGs), Strike Zone (Simulation and Combat games) and others. Sections on hardware and educational/children's software is an added asset here. Michael Bendner exhibits his acute know-how on the PC gaming scene and delivers it with sleek organization. This site is optimized for Netscape 2.0+ in 640x480 mode using at least 64,000 colors.
PlayStation Power
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/UK magazine's shrine to the Sony PlayStation console system. The paper press is heavily geared toward previews, reviews, and playing tips but PlayStation Power's online relative is very light and scarce in content. A few articles are available for perusal but not much else is here. I thought this might be a ploy to purchase the glossy paper mag but even the past issues have little substance. I would stick to FutureNet's other related magazine Official UK PlayStation Magazine also at http://www.futurenet.co.uk/.
Pulse and The Puppy Press, The
http://www.happypuppy.com/pulse/index.htmlAn informative and interactive zine brought to you by the people at Happy Puppy headquarters. PC, Mac, and TV Console reviews, Q & A, Strategy advice, and older archived collections are accessible here. Internal quick-links shoot to other sections of the Happy Puppy realm of gaming goodies. Plain looking site but wealthy in content and relevance to what's hot.
Sega Power
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/Another FutureNet magazine publication that has gone online. Sega products, news, game reviews, and previews are all covered here on Sega Power's online counterpart. There are many other features here but Sega Power's most notable area (and probably most accessed) are their hints, tips, walkthroughs, and cheat codes for all the toughest games. Sega Power online also claims they have more reviews than any other Sega magazine. If a Sega Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear, 32X, or Saturn is your current gaming system hit the Sega Power Web site and see why it is Britain's best-selling Sega magazine. Note: also check out the Sega WWW links section.
Titania Magazine
http://www.bluestar.net/programs/titania/This online publication contains current and past issues, GameBytes (news and reviews), Interactive Forums, a Quake Chamber, and FTP archives (shareware, FAQs, patches, and editors). Titania magazine is a graphically clean-looking site with a fast load rate between pages. The content on all the hot PC games is worth reading, downloading, or printing out. Good articles on War and strategy titles by editor Martin Kozicki.
Top Secret Home Page
http://www.atm.com.pl/~ts/ or http://www.atm.com.pl/~ts/2000.htm (English version)A Polish e-zine Web site for computer games fanatics. Cute animation and a colorful layout help lift the gaming reviews, tips and tricks, and screen shots. A variety of games are highlighted-not just one particular genre-and a lengthy links area is provided with mainly corporate and developer sites.
Total!
http://www.futurenet.co.uk/This time FutureNet brings us their Web page to complement their #1 Nintendo magazine. Forwarded by Rob Pegley, Total!'s editor, find out all the current going-ons in the Nintendo sphere. Game previews, reviews, and strategy tips make up the bulk of this site but there are also links, cheats, past issues, and other feature articles on the future of 64-bit gaming. Meet the team that produces the UK paper mag or start your subscription online with a valid credit card.
VrE Online
http://biz.swcp.com/coach/vre/frames_index.htmlA modern e-zine dedicated to Virtual Reality worlds with many games-related section. Optimized for Netscape 3.x, music, frames, and animation fill your eyes and ears with vibrant color and climactic music (from Interplay's Shattered Steel game). View the "Most Popular PC Games in the World" (or download the Top 40 of them), see what's In The Pipe (news, previews and the rumor mill), read new or past articles, peruse links, access hints or cheats for tough games, indulge in forums, or enter for free stuff. Bonus feature: download VrE Online to read offline.
Will's Wonderful Game Magazine
http://www.hipark.austin.isd.tenet.edu/pub/cns95/wogame2/game2.htmlA tribute to Mac gaming, this site has downloads, cheats, and hints for a few strategy and action titles. Besides the area on SimCity 2000, this page is designed more for kids with the average age suggestion of 9 to 13 years old. Many links and shareware/freeware is accessible from Will's page.
