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 MOMENT FROM THE LEGEND OF ZELDA SERIES?

LOADING…

THE CLEAR CHOICE FOR RETRO • We play some of the games coming soon from Clear River Games

Illegal formation: The making of NFL Blitz for Game Boy – part 1

GREAT LOSSES • THREE JAPANESE ICONS OF GAMING HAVE SADLY PASSED

The walk of shame

A world of mystery

The Spectrum • Darren Melbourne and Chris Smith on RGL’s new colour variant of its popular system

NEWS NOVEMBER 2009

THE LATEST NEWS FROM NOVEMBER 2009

CHARTS • NOVEMBER 2009

THIS MONTH IN…

3D Starfighter • STAR WARS ON A BUDGET

THE CHRONICLES OF: ZELDA • WHEN NINTENDO RELEASED THE LEGEND OF ZELDA 40 YEARS AGO, NOBEDY COULD HAVE PREDICTED HOW SUCCESSFUL, INFLUENTIAL AND BELOVED THE SERIES WOULD BECOME. TO CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY, WE TRACE ITS RICH AND STORIED HISTORY THROUGH THE WORDS OF ITS CREATORS

LINKS TO THE PAST • THE LEGEND OF ZELDA CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE GAME DEVELOPERS. HERE, FABRAZ’S FABIAN RASTIORFER (DEMON TURF, DEMON TIDES) AND CASTLE PIXEL’S ROB MAHER (BLOSSOM TALES, BLOSSOM TALES II) REVEAL HOW THE SERIES HAS INSPIRED THEM

SIDE QUESTS • CELEBRATING THE HIGHLIGHTS OF LINK’S HANDHELD HERITAGE

CARTOON QUEST • THAT TIME LINK AND ZELDA TURNED UP ON OUR TELLIES

LINK UNLEASHED • RELIVE THOSE KEY MOMENTS WHEN THE GAMEWORLD SUDDENLY OPENED UP

POLISHING PERFECTION • ROUNDING UP THE VERY BEST REMASTERS

SUBSCRIBE TODAY • AND ENJOY GREAT SAVINGS!

GHOULS 'N' GHOSTS • FROM THE TITLE SCREEN THROUGH TO STAGES TWO, FIVE AND BEYOND, THERE IS NO DOUBTING THE IMPACT TIM FOLLIN’S INTRICATE AND AMBITIOUS SCORE HAD ON PLAYERS OF THE HOME-COMPUTER VERSIONS OF THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED GHOULS ’N GHOSTS

FROM SID TO SNES • Tim Follin highlights some of his favourite systems for making music

THE MAKING OF MATCH DAY II • RELEASED IN 1984, OCEAN SOFTWARE’S MATCH DAY REVOLUTIONISED FOOTBALL GAMING, PARTICULARLY ON THE ZX SPECTRUM. RETRO GAMER CAUGHT UP WITH CREATOR JON RITMAN TO CHAT ABOUT ITS SUPERIOR SEQUEL

IT’S A FUNNY OLD GAME • RETRO GAMER LOOKS AT THE MAIN VERSIONS OF MATCH DAY II

BACK OF THE NET • BECOME A FOOTBALLING SUPERSTAR WITH THESE HANDY HINTS

THE KING OF THE GAME • RETRO GAMER CHATS TO CRASH MAGAZINE’S CHAMPION MATCH DAY II PLAYER, PHIL KING

Warbirds • STEALING A WIN

THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO SUPERIOR SOFTWARE Limited • ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PUBLISHER OF BBC MICRO GAMES, SUPERIOR SOFTWARE SUPPORTED THE SYSTEM FROM SOON AFTER ITS OUTSET UNTIL NEAR ITS DISCONTINUATION. THE FOLLOWING PAGES HIGHLIGHT SOME OF SUPERIOR’S FINEST RELEASES

REVISITING RAVENSKULL • MARTIN EDMONDSON ON HIS COMPELLING ARCADE ADVENTURE

ACORN ARCADE • PETER JOHNSON on his coin-op tributes Overdrive and DeathStar

LEMMINGS ABILITIES • OUR GREEN-HAIRED MEANDERERS...