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Issue 215
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THE EVOLUTION OF WIZBLL
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17 MIN READ TIME
THE EVOLUTION OF WIZBLL
During its first seven years, Sensible Software’s focus was on making weird and wonderful shoot-’emups. Jon Hare explains how his firm’s earlier shooters led to Wizball, and how Wizball influenced the Sensible shooters that followed
WORDS BY RORY MILNE
STAGES OF EVOLUTION:
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
STAGES OF EVOLUTION:
UPGRADE PATHS
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This article is from...
Retro Gamer
Issue 215
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Other Articles in this Issue
retro GAMER
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THE HISTORY OF SEYMOUR
When a Dizzy game ended up being canned for being too real a new character began to form. Peter Ranson discusses the birth of ‘movie star’ Seymour whose role in two Dizzy-style adventures and a host of spinoffs made Retro Gamer want to see more
THE SIMPSONS
LONG BEFORE TELEVISION’S MOST ICONIC FAMILY BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME, THEY WERE A HIT IN THE ARCADES. SO JOIN US AS WE LOOK BACK AT THE SIMPSON FAMILY’S CLASSIC GAMING BEATDOWN ON THE STREETS OF SPRINGFIELD
THE MAKING OF ENTER THE MATRIX
TWO MOVIES. ONE ANIMATED ANTHOLOGY. AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE LICENSED VIDEOGAME EVER MADE. SEVENTEEN YEARS AFTER ITS ORIGINAL RELEASE, WE EXPLORE HOW ENTER THE MATRIX TRIED TO DEFY TRADITIONAL VIDEOGAME STORYTELLING BY SLOTTING INTO A WIDER TRANSMEDIA EXPERIENCE
RETRO RADAR
VIRTUAL REALITY GETS A VIRTUAL REVIVAL
Video Game History Foundation shows us what Sega VR could have been
SMASH GETS SMASHED
NINTENDO ACTS TO PREVENT ONLINE MELEE TOURNAMENT
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THE LATEST NEWS FROM FEBRUARY 2004
FEBRUARY 2004 – All of the holiday madness
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DON’T PANIC, IT’S JUST BROKEN
FEATURED
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WHETHER YOU KNOW IT AS THE ROLLS ROYCE OF HOME CONSOLES OR THE WORKHORSE THAT POWERED ARCADE CABINETS FOR OVER A DECADE, THE NEO GEO IS A PLATFORM THAT EVERY RETRO GAMER SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH. WE SPEAK TO VETERAN SNK DEVELOPERS TO FIND OUT WHAT MADE THIS POWERFUL PLATFORM TICK
THE MAKING OF UTOPIA
INSPIRED BY A SCHOOL CAFETERIA AND BRINGING REAL-TIME COMPETITIVE GAMEPLAY TO A CONSOLE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, UTOPIA IS WELL REMEMBERED FOR THE NOVELTY AND INNOVATION THAT IT BROUGHT WITH IT. WE SPEAK WITH CREATOR DON DAGLOW ABOUT HOW THE FIRST GRAPHICAL GOD GAME CAME INTO EXISTENCE…
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» PLATFORM: COMMODORE 64 » RELEASED: 1989 »
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» PLATFORM: ATARI 5200 » RELEASED: 1982 »
BLAZING RANGERS
Working on modern platforms is everyday business for Japanese programmer Karu_Gamo, but his new firefighting action game is a red hot NES release that showcases a burning passion for Eighties arcade classics
THE STORY OF Special Reserve
ITS ADVERTS WERE UBIQUITOUS ACROSS 1990S GAMING MAGAZINES, BUT WHERE DID SPECIAL RESERVE COME FROM? AND WHY IS THERE A PICTURE OF GROTBAGS IN THIS FEATURE?
LOST IN TRANSLATION
How the rest of the world experienced your favourite games
THE MAKING OF: ALFRED CHICKEN
CREATOR JASON MCGANN SPEAKS TO RETRO GAMER ABOUT THE HATCHING OF HIS CAREER IN GAMES, THE LEGACY (EGG-ACY?) OF TWILIGHT SOFTWARE AND, OF COURSE, THE EMERGENCE OF THE RED-FEATHERED, DIVE-BOMBING HERO (AND PROSPECTIVE MP FOR CHRISTCHURCH, DORSET) HIMSELF, ALFRED CHICKEN
NINTENDO 64 GAMES
Even though many of its best games have had physic al reissues and remasters, there are still plenty of grea t N64 games that remain exclusive to the system. Here are 20 you may want to consider if you plan on building or expanding your collection
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» MANUFACTURER: NEC » YEAR: 1989 » COST:
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Sheathe your Blades Of Chaos and grab your Leviathan Axe, as we’re about to cut into SIE Santa Monica’s epic reinvention. Discover how the team reinvented Kratos and created not only the best God Of War, but one of the best examples of a reboot
THE MAKING OF SABRE WULF
AFTER ONE SCORE YEARS THE MAN RETURNED AT SPECIAL REQUEST FROM THOSE CONCERNED HIS GOAL TO FACE THE WULF AGAIN AND PROVE HE STILL REMAINED ITS BANE BUT WOULD HE FIND THE STARS ALIGNED? OR HAD THE WORLD LEFT HIM BEHIND?
In The Chair with JON DEAN
He was a videogame producer before the role even existed and has overseen the creation of a multitude of hit games. From the tumultuous rise and fall of Atari to management consultancy and the halls of Midway and Electronic Arts, this is Jon ‘The Guv’ Dean, in the chair
REVIVALS
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WHEN FANTASY HARDWARE JUST DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH FANTASY
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NOT JUST FOR KIDS
REVIEWS
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros
NINTENDO CELEBRATES MARIO’S 35TH WITH STYLE
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ESSENTIALS
MINI CONSOLES
Team RG discuss these cool miniature machines
ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL
George ‘G’ Gracin’s love for Sega is obvious when you see his Genesis collection
A WRITER’S JOURNEY
Retro Gamer freelancer Graeme Mason takes us through his very personal collection
MAILBAG
HAVE YOUR SAY… SEND US A LETTER OR MAKE YOURSELF HEARD ON THE ONLINE FORUM – WWW.RETROGAMER.NET
END GAME
3D TETRIS » Honestly, what sort of ending
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