Oh sweet memories
This is indeed my very first Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) magazine. Issue 167, June 2003. We received this in the mail as a sort of a trial issue I guess. I remember reading the hell out of this as a kid. In case the date didn't give it away, this is from what I like to call a "golden era" in gaming. The PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube generation of consoles. There was a lot of good stuff during this time. It was so good in fact that even today we are seeing sequels to franchises that got their start here. It was a great time for experimentation in gaming, which today is mostly found in indie games, versus the full budget titles from this era. We got a lot of cool games, many of which I'm proud to own. It may be because I was younger at the time, but I feel this will always be my favorite console generation. I love you SNES and PS1, but you guys don;t have much on this time. Now lets open it up shall we?
Ads already?
Apologize for the weird formatting here, as I didn't feel all these pages were worth their own paragraphs. And I can't get 4 pages on one line even when shrunk like this so... Anyway, I never played Alter Echo though I always really liked the design of the Stealth Form why would I even want to play any other form? Its so cool looking! The other two page ad here is for Sonic Adventure DX, something I have actually played (bringing my total Sonic games played up to 4 if you're generous). While there is no way I'm a Sonic fan (have you seen the internet?) I did enjoy this game. Other than Sonic 2 on the Game Gear and a rental of Sonic Heroes, and possibly another Game Gear game I haven't played much Sonic. This is actually the only one I've finished. Overall a pretty neat game, though of what I know of Sonic lore, it seems it should of just stopped here. I mean.. Why exactly should Knuckles protect that damn giant emerald if all it was for was to hold the game's final boss? Kind of a stupid thing to do when its now basically an empty box. Yet another reason for me to not follow this franchise. As if the furries weren't enough.
This worked out GREAT didn't it?
Whats new in 2003!
Here is the table of contents, as I feel it needs to be posted. Because, why not? At least let you see the articles I didn't upload. Oh look a PDA! In a time before smart phones... These kept your affairs in order, crazy right? Kids today.
Why wouldn't I post this page exactly? The puns are perfect. Never played DOA but I have played some of Ninja Gaiden. Couldn't get past the 3rd level back then, that game was freaking hard. No idea how I'd be at it now, considering that I've actually taken up a little Dark Souls, but then again that is a completely different type of game lol.
Letters to the Ed(ge)
Every month I would usually gloss over this letter section. Half the time I have a hard time believing these are real, probably because it says they may (read: will) edit them for printing purposes, making them seem fake. Just look at the second letter. You tell me you believe that was written by an actual person on the first read.
Shocking Grudge Match
Another monthly addition, Grudge Match is where they compare two characters in several (sometimes strange) categories and see who would win in their hypothetical scenario. And they have Wind Waker's version link here! But more on that later. This page also includes a nice little interview with Miyamoto. And on the EA partnering with Nintendo, boy how things change...
Where are they now?
Short article on some then delayed games. I just find the modern parallels on the Halo 2 section to be too funny to not point out. All of these did get released eventually at least. Maybe not so much Angel of Darkness. Yes I continue to rag on a game I never played. Its just, don't call yourself TOMB Raider and not have any actual tombs to raid.
Wind Waker FTW!
An article with an interview on The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. The first Zelda game I ever actually played, and the first one I finished. I love this game. The huge ocean to explore, the CEL graphics, the story with a bit more of twist to it, all the side quests, even the little things like connecting to the Gameboy Advance to have a map at all times. If it weren't for this game warming me up to CEL graphics (I was young and stupid, I didn't appreciate this kinda thing) I would of passed over the equally amazing Okami. Wind Waker is just so cool, and while the only other Zelda games I've played are Twilight Princess, and Ocarina of Time 3D. This might just continue to be my favorite entry. As for this interview, I find it interesting that they asked, much less got an answer about Tingle being gay. Thats some journalism. I guess. Also because its coming up WIND WAKER HD!
What a killer croc!
Truth be told, this is yet another game I haven't tried either. As we did not own an Xbox until a few years after it's life cycle ended. The ads for this always did look cool, you know why? This guy, right here. Nothing can peak my interest more than some reptilian monster. One that is a good guy? Nice. You don't see that enough. It obviously reads as more of an ad itself now too, but of course, that is overlooked by the fact hes a freaking crocodile alien man with a grenade launcher. How did this guy never get his own game?
They are trying really hard to sell me on this.
Its not working.
Thats some game, boy.
Another neat little article on something I don't recall seeing more of in any more of the issues I received. Look at that Gameboy! As a kid I loved this page because its just so freaking cool to play something like this on a big screen. Yes I had a Super Gameboy for the SNES, so in hindsight this is a lot more of a hassle than its probably worth. But a Pokemon gamecart big enough for it to require a handle like a suitcase is still pretty sweet! The Painstation doesn't sound as fun by comparison. Unless you are a masochist or something.
Copy pasta?
My younger, anime crazed self loved this ad for weird reasons. I just thought it was so cool that the anime characters were encountering their game versions. I tried when I was younger to get into .hack, but I just couldn't follow it. Make no mistake, I wanted to but just couldn't figure it out. Would of probably helped if I actually watched it on Toonami when it came on most of the time. At the time I didn't realize it was more of a drama anime than an action one, so I got bored when I did tune in. I was expecting more fights with monsters, rather than character building and concepts such as being trapped in a virtual world forever. Still thought it had an awesome theme song. I still listen to it now. I'd try watching it now but there are so many verses and spin offs I wouldn't know where to begin. Besides, I prefer watching things on TV, despite the convenience of the internet.
Rumors, and whispers
Another monthly section. I'll let you do the research to find out what came true and what didn't. As I don't really see much in this that jumps out at me as particularly noteworthy.
Breaking news!
This section was just to give basic rundowns of upcoming games for that year and next. The full spread has 60 games, I only uploaded a couple select pages (plus an additional one below). Of these I know Full Throttle 2 was cancelled (as it was on a Cinematech episode of cancelled games), and would still like to give Wrath (full title, Wrath: Unleashed) a try, no idea how it holds up now but mixing a monster fighting game with a board game sounds pretty neat even to this day. On the last page I've played: Chaos Legion, Maximo, and some Otogi. I loved Chaos Legion and Maximo, and only played a bit of Otogi with a friend (I gave it to him as a birthday gift one year) but I liked the Japanese mythology base of that one a lot, and I know it got a sequel too. Everything else, absolutely no idea.
Tips AND coupons!
Ratchet and Clank 2. Yes.
Tips and Sword Tricks!
I skipped over the review section of this issue as there was absolutely nothing interesting enough to scan. What would a gaming magazine be without some hints somewhere? Game Informer? This issue continues on with the awesome that is Wind Waker with some nice info on heart locations, as well as other fun stuff, this whole section was 3 pages of just Wind Waker. Hell yeah! After this though is just a section on games too awful to get their own reviews (a section every month titled: The Rest of the Crap, for a reason).
Obligatory back cover image.
This is all I know about Clock Tower 3. Woo, long article! That is it for this week for real this time. Hope you enjoyed reading this, and look forward to more eventually! Peace out!
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