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C O N S O L E M A G A Z i N E
FRoNTiER magazine is (c) copyright 1994
April 1994
EDiTOR: Gordon Craick
3Do ? Jaguar ? Genesis ? CD-i ? CD32 ? GenesisCD ? Super Nintendo
and all other consoles
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
iNDEX TO iSSUE 2
*******/\*******
Welcome
Updates
Changes
Feedback
News:
- Saturn looks hot
- Creative Labs obtains license for 3DO technology
- Jaguar on the prowl
- CD32 software hits home
- SX1 expansion port for CD32
- Sony's Playstation-X
Features:
- The Asian Connection - Part 2
- The inside specs on the CD32
Editorial/Opinion:
Reviews:
- Cybermorph (Jaguar)
- NBA Jam (SNES)
- Super Turrican (SNES)
- Wolfenstein (SNES)
The Cheater's Den
Trading
Support sites/distribution
How *YOU* too can help out Frontier
How to contact Frontier
Credits/Thanx
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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?? ? ??????????? ?? ?? ????????????????
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Hi again from the editor of Frontier! This should be a lot smaller
than the last one, the formalities of introducting the magazine
out of the way. Issue one was received very well from what I have
received from readers - and that was only the first issue. Things
can only get better from here on, the more that here about the
magazine the better so if you can, keep spreading the word. I know
several people who have been which is good to see. Pass it on to
BBS, FTP sites, your friends, relatives, family dog or whoever
you think might find it interesting. I can't do that all on my own
8)
Sorry to those who were expecting issue two on the first of
April, but I, like many others was wrapped in holidays, Easter, etc
for the last few days. Such delays can't really be helped. In
future I will aim for the first of each month, however if I am busy
with other things it may be an extra few days. Don't worry though,
each issue will be out at least in the first week of the month.
There have been many developments in the last few months, the US
CD32 rollout, increase in Jaguar support and sales, plus other
developments on hot machines such as the Saturn, and PS-X. Late
1994 looks like being the most exciting period in the industry,
with all consoles set to be on the market around Christmas-time
1994. One of the things obvious so far in the console wars is that
consumers are not going to pay for machines that are going to cost
tremendous amounts of money. $400 looks like being about the
maximum limit that people will pay, forcing machines such as the
3DO to lower their prices. The cost/quality of software is a factor
also being taken into strong consideration.
Issue two as you will probably notice includes quite a bit of
news, and less features. This will probably be a trend with
Frontier, if one aspect is increased (due to bursts of creativity,
news, ideas, boredom, etc :) ), less time can be spent on some
others. Hopefully by spreading things evenly Frontier will
include enough of each to keep most readers happy.
That's all I feel the need to say at the moment, if you want to
have a more indepth chat about the console industry, send me some
mail and we can start a conversation. Enjoy issue two!
Gordon Craick (Editor -> FRONTiER magazine)
< April 4th, 1994 >
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
UPDATES
***/\**
ALTHOUGH Frontier aims to make fewer mistakes than some other
magazines, it would be naive to think there wouldn't be any. In
issue one several people have pointed out some inaccuracies or
clear mistakes. Thanks to those people who did so, if I don't know
about it - I can't correct it :)
- In the glossary it mentioned that 'Famicon' was the Japanese
version of the Super Nintendo. That is close to the mark, however
the Famicon is the name given to the Japanese version of the 8 bit
NES. The Super Famicon is the Japanese model of the Super Nintendo.
I was aware of that - brain must have been turned off when I wrote
it :)
- Another slight inaccuracy in the glossary of terms was the entry
for NTSC. It stated that NTSC was a standard for the US only, but a
reader pointed out the fact that it is a standard in Canada and
other American continental countries.
CHANGES
***/\**
Frontier aims to provide what readers want, and as a result of
feedback after issue one, a few changes have been made as
requested.
- A left margin, creating a text which appears to be easier to read
for many. It might make the magazine a bit larger K-size, but if it
makes it easier to read why not..
- Better paragraph structure and separation. Some have found that
Frontier is a bit hard to read because of overly long paragraphs.
English structure is not my strong point I must admit, but I have
done my best to separate appropriate points into separate
paragraphs.
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??
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???? ??????????????? ??????????????????? ?????
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FEEDBACK from issue one has been quite amazing, though having to reply
to 15+ Frontier related messages a week can take a fair amount of time!
There weren't any one message that especially stood out, so rather than
publishing some of them I have just answered the main points covered.
If you feel like a conversation on the console industry (or in fact
anything!) send my some email, the best ones will be published in
Frontier for others to join in on.
Q: Can I be added to the Frontier mailing list? Can you send me
Frontier via email? I don't have FTP access, can you please send me
issue one?
A: The answer to that is unfortunately no. At present there is *no*
Frontier mailing list, though I have been posting for people
prepared to set one up adamantly. My site does not have the
facilities to set up such a mail-server to send issues via email,
so that support must come from an external source.
I have however been recording all email addresses sent to me so
that when somebody can offer to set one up they will be sent each
issue. True other electronic magazines have this feature, but then
again they have been going for a while longer than Frontier
Q: I cannot find Frontier via FTP, where is it available?
A: When Frontier was first released, I had spent so much time
actually campaigning for the magazine and getting support, that I
didn't have much time to consider adequate distribution. The FTP
site organised fell through just before release, which made things
more frustrating. As a temporary measure I uploaded the magazine to
wuarchive.wustl.edu in pub/frontier_magazine - where it still as of
issue two release for those still after issue one.
Luckily through the resources of Scott Patton, a new official
FTP site has been organised. FTP to ftp.digex.net via anonymous FTP
and then change directory to /pub/access/spatton/frontier_magazine
were more information is given.
C (comment): Frontier offers a different perspective to all other
magazines I have read, keep improving the magazine!
R (reply): That is what Frontier has aimed to give in the
beginning, so it is good to see that the magazine is coming across
to readers as I intended. Frontier sure will keep up in providing a
better electronic magazine, so keep reading!
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?? ???????? ?? ?????????
?? ???????? ?? ? ?????????
????? ???????????????????????
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SATURN LOOKS HOT
*******/\*******
As the months pass realistic specifications on the much hyped Sega
Saturn is beginning to filter through, and by all indications is
looking more and more impressive each time.
Already there are reports of preliminary versions being shipped
to major developers though all are under a non-disclosure agreement
so second opinions are non-existent at this time :(
What Sega representatives *are* keen to point out that the
arcade board used for Virtua Racing is *primitive* compared to the
Saturn's board. Now if this turns out to be true you can bet that
thousands are already hanging on for Virtua Racing (Virtua Racing
2?) and Virtua Fighting on the Saturn.
While Sony is still at work on their PlayStation_X machine they
have also helped Sega out in developing software for the Saturn.
Rather than putting all their coins in the one slot :), Sony has
taken the view that both giant companies can help each other out in
a time of electronic and economic downturn in Japan.
The Saturn is in no way backward compatible with either the
GenesisCD or Genesis, Sega is quick to point out.
Sega believes that their 32 bit machine will easily be as
powerful as the 3DO and CD32, and even the Jaguar (though of course
that comment is predictable :) ).
Sega looks as though they have just about pushed Nintendo to the
side at present, and have their sights firmly set on outselling all
other 32 bit consoles by the end of 1995.
What Sega is willing to let on is the basic specifications, which
are by no means final at this stage:
PROCESSOR : 32 bit ARM RISC running at 29.1mhz
GRAPHICS : 24 bit, Palette of 16.8mil colours
SOUND : 8 channel digital/16 channel synthesised,
16 bit stereo sound
STORAGE : Triple spin CD ROM drive, 450-500kb/sec transfer rate
EXPANSION : Cable connection to Sega channel (where available)
RELEASE : Japan - September 1994, US/Elsewhere - March 1995
PRICE : $400 with software included
Look out for a complete overview when the full specifications are
known.
CREATIVE LABS OBTAINS LICENSE FOR 3DO TECHNOLOGY
*********************/\*************************
Creative Labs/Technologies, makers of the popular Soundblaster
range of sound cards for the IBM PC family of computers has obtained
licensing from the 3DO company to include 3DO technology in their
future products.
Technology likely to be licensed includes the dedicated graphics
RISC processors, and possibly 3DO MPEG/video technology and other
chips. Creative Labs is planning on incorporated this technology
into a special plug-in 'GameBlaster' card for the IBM compatible
range of computers. Developers would likely need to write software
specifically for the GameBlaster, meaning that GameBlaster games
are not likely be compatible with non-GameBlaster equipped PC's.
Despite what many might hope, this would only be an additional
card for specific compatible software, and would NOT allow you to
play 3DO discs on your PC :( However, it could mean a totally new
game-playing experience on your PC.
In the not to distant future, if Creative Labs proves successful
with its hybrid 3DO/PC card, we may see the IBM compatible computer
emerge as a very dominant entertainment machine. Building on the
existing base of tens of millions of computer systems sold across
the world, it seems unlikely PC owners would feel the need to
purchase a console if they owned a GameBlaster.
Imagine the power of a 486 combined with professional quality
sound and graphical processing! Frontier estimates that the price
of 3DO technology fitted PC cards may sell for $300.
JAGUAR ON THE PROWL
*********/\********
March 7th 1994 - Atari has announced that 86 developers have
currently signed up to produce hardware or software for the Jaguar.
An additional 48 developers have been signed up since the beginning
of the year, indicating a definite and continuing confidence in the
machine.
Jaguar distribution for Europe is currently said to be in June,
however many are predicting full release in the last quarter of the
year. Apparently some European stores are a little reluctant to
stock the machine due to a broken promise of units shipping before
1994.
One of that will surely attract attention over 16 bit machines
is that PAL versions will include a full-screen picture and be
equivalent speed-wise to the NTSC. No more letter-box displays that
we have had to put up with in the PAL SNES and Genesis!
In other Jaguar news, Atari is adamant that their CD addon unit
will be out in September 1994, with a RRP of $200 - bringing the
total cost of a Jaguar+CD to $450. They have also announced plans
to release the Jaguar with a RRP of $200 in late 1994 to make
prices competitive with other new machines.
Black Cat Design and ICD has developed the first hardware addon for
the Jaguar machine. Named the 'Cat Box', the small unit (around
15cm x 4cm x 2.5cm) plugs into the external DSP and AV port of the
Jaguar. The box gives all external connections in an easily
accessible fashion such as *two* stereo headphone jacks, SVHS port,
composite video out, RGB out, left/right sound out, serial port
output, DSP, ComLynx port and supposedly space for a modem/etc.
Probably what the Jaguar should have included in the first
place, however with a RRP of $50 it makes it affordable to all
Jaguar players. The Cat Box will be start shipping in the US in
May.
CD32 SOFTWARE HiTS HOME
***********/\**********
While support for the CD32 looked rather disappointing when it was
first released in Australia, Europe and Canada, increased developer
confidence and licensing has meant a bright future for the machine.
Around 50-60 developers are producing titles for the CD32, and a
reported 100+ titles are to be released this year alone.
Many top titles are being ported to the CD32, as well as a stack
of new CD32 specific titles. All look very promising, though it
will be several months until we begin to see the best of these
titles appearing. It isn't just platform and arcade games CD32
owners can look forward to either, top RPG's, adventure and
strategy games are also on their way to the machine.
Initial sales have been indicated to be 200,000-300,000
worldwide and demand especially in the UK is high. During the
Christmas period CD32 gained a 38% share of CD-ROM sales drives
sold, well outselling the GenesisCD. It is too early to say of the
success of the CD32 in the United States, only being a month since
release there.
SX1 EXPANSiON PORT FOR CD32
*************/\************
Microbotics has announced the release of a new expansion module for
the CD32 that turns into a fully functioning computer. Plugging into
the 32 bit expansion port of the CD32, it gives the CD32 a standard
serial, parallel, and floppy drive port. An IDE interface is also
included, allowing the connection of standard hard-disk drives.
Maximum RAM expandable on the SX1 is 8 megabytes. For those who
still want to maintain MPEG compatibility, a pass-through for the
MPEG1 cartridge is included.
Included in the price is software, a parnet cable and keyboard
adaptor to allow the connection of standard PC compatible
keyboards.
Once you have the SX1, all that is needed is a floppy disk drive
and keyboard to have a fully functioning computer. With new disk
drives selling for approximately $45, and PC keyboards for $25 the
cost of 'upgrading' your CD32 to a computer (including the price of
the SX1) would be about $220.
The SX1 module will be compatible with existing Amiga 1200
software which makes it an even greater incentive for existing
Amiga owners.
SONY'S PLAYSTATION-X
*********/\*********
Sony, keen to enter the already bulging console market are planning
on releasing their PS-X console in late 1994.
Many would remember the Playstation, a co-operative venture
between Nintendo and Sony. First planned to be released in 1993,
the Playstation was due to be a hardware addon to the Super
Nintendo. Adding a CD-ROM, powerful 32 bit processor and other
enhancements, the future of the SNES looked assured for many years
to come. Then, when everything looked exciting, a fall out with
Nintendo and reported complications of interfacing the Playstation
with the SNES meant its cancellation. Sony continued development on
their own, and are hard at work on the PS-X, a dedicated 32 bit
console.
Boasting a RISC processor running at 33mhz, the PS-X from
indications appears to be many times faster than other 32 bit
machines. At the heart of the PS-X is a custom graphics
architecture named the 3DGE (3D Graphics Engine) which can
reportedly move around polygons and sprites a lot quicker than
either the 3DO or Saturn. Sound will be CD quality, which will be
in full stereo with multiple channels.
Software wise, Sony has signed major Japanese developers Namco,
Capcom, Konami, and in house developers Epic. All of these
companies have PS-X titles in production, which will mean that
when released players will have a fair library of games to choose
from.
While the Playstation looks promising, Sony will be entering a
market that is becoming increasingly competitive. Not only will
they have to sell the machine at a cheap price, but to muster the
support of developers and most importantly the consumers. One thing
is sure, the machine looks like being the most powerful of all the
32 bit machines, the 3DO, CD32 and Saturn. Even Sega admits that
the Saturn will not be quite as powerful as Sony's machine....
The PS-X will be out in the home market in approximately
December this year, with incarnations appearing in numerous arcade
machines soon afterwards.
PROCESSOR : 32 bit R3000A RISC running at 33mhz
GRAPHICS : 24 bit, Palette of 16.8mil colours
SOUND : 16 bit/24 channel stereo (44.1khz)
STORAGE : Double spin CD ROM drive, 300-350kb/sec transfer rate
EXPANSION : MPEG, expansion to digital networks
RELEASE : Late 1994/Early 1995 (approx)
PRICE : $450 as estimated by Sony
OTHER NEWS
****/\****
- Panasonic has dropped the price of its 3DO R.E.A.L player to a
RRP $499 (including Crash and Burn). Commodore has also dropped its
CD32 price to $399 (including three CD games). Both machines are
now widely available in many stores.
- Doom will allow the linking of two Jaguar units for multi-player
games. 90% of the game is reported to be finished, with a predicted
release in May/Early June. 16 bit (64,0000) colour is also planned
on being implemented.
- For CD32 owners who have internet access, campaigning for a
specific CD32 newsgroup has been in progress. I would say without
much doubt that one *will* in fact be set up, as there is a big
need/demand for one. Keep looking, the CD32 group should be up
after tallying votes, etc some time this month. The proposed group
name is rec.games.video.cd32 so look out for it at your site soon.
- Laying rest to the rumour published in Frontier issue one,
Nintendo's Project Reality is in full development with the help of
Silicon Graphics.
SG has already offered several exciting demos of what it can do,
indicating "This is what our $50,000 work stations can offer, just
wait until you see the same technology in a home console for $200".
The marketing of Project Reality indicates a new direction from
Nintendo - and reports indicate that Silicon Graphics is going to
design the technology while Nintendo will be licensed to produce
and sell it. Silicon graphics will also receive a share of every
'Reality'? console sold, which could be as high as a 30-40% stake.
Project Reality is still scheduled for home release in 1996.
- Nintendo's new FX racing game, FX Trax has gone through several
changes to increase its appeal and capabilities - possibly to
ensure that SNES owners do not desert too quickly. Now named FX
Stunt Trax, it has enlisted the aid from the designer of the Mario
series to add that extra bit of appeal. As a result, many see it as
the sequel to Super Mario Kart. Players will now be able to choose
several cars: a 4WD, dune buggy and rally car, plus several
different driving conditions. Two player/split screen is also
implemented, which looks like a standard for the new super FX chip
(which Stunt Trax uses) so should make greater playing against a
friend. FX definitely looks a marked improvement over the rather
plain alpha version shown at the CES earlier this year and is one
title to look out for in 1994. The Super Nintendo is definitely not
dead yet.
- An adaptor that will allow you to play Gameboy games on SNES
machines will be released soon by Nintendo. The device will exist
in the form of a standard cartridge in which standard Gameboy games
are plugged in.
According to Nintendo, multiple borders will be selectable to
surround the main screen and fill the rest of the screen. Palette
and colour selection is also a function of the Gameboy adaptor,
allowing the player to adapt sprite colouring to their tastes.
Future Gameboy games will include new information on board to
automatically select possible colours, while still remaining
playable on standard Gameboy units.
A novel idea, but playing rather basic Gameboy games on their 16
bit Super Nintendo is not exciting for most. The Gamegear adaptor
will be priced at around $40
RUMOURS
***/\**
- While this sounds *very* rumoured, Sega is apparently at work on
an upgrade to the Genesis unit. When the upgrade board is plugged
into the Genesis, it will supposedly allow many more colours,
increased speed, sound and other enhancements. Technology is
rumoured to be 'left-over' from some older aspects of the Saturn
design.
This upgrade will be Sega's link between the upcoming Saturn
console, and existing Genesis/16 bit markets. The predicted price
of this addon is $100. As more news of this is available (I am
still quite suspicious of the news myself) Frontier will be
covering it.
- Despite the initial phenomenal support by developers for the 3DO,
some developers have apparently turned cold towards the machine.
While nearly 500 developers signed up to license games paying a
developers fee which is virtually free. Many see the initial support
as a marketing move designed to sell more 3DO units by using the
draw card of 500 developers. In real terms, only 80-90 3DO
development stations have been purchased, with many stating that
they will not develop 3DO games until the machine sells more units.
In a way 3DO is an a catch-22 situation - because of the high
price-tag of the machine it makes the 3DO out of the reach of the
average player and without good software/or promises of good
software, the machine won't sell :(
- While 3DO's feels it is a little early to announce sales figures,
3DO sales are estimated to be only in the tens of thousands in
United States. This figure is a lot less than Trip's original
planned sales. The main prohibiting factor appears to be the
hefty-price tag.
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????
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???? ????????????? ??? ?? ??????????????? ??????
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The INSiDE SPECS ON THE AMIGA CD32
***************/\*****************
Last issue we covered the Jaguar, and this month Frontier gives an
in depth overview of the CD32 machine. The CD32 made its debut on
March 1st in the United States, although it has been available here
in Australia and in the UK/Europe for several months.
Machines have been selling quite well so far (reports indicate
several hundred thousand in the first few months), but it will be a
few more months until an accurate assessment of world-wide sales
can be published. Material for this overview has been compiled from
various press releases, and published specifications from Commodore
and others.
MANUFACTURER/APPEARANCE: CD32 is manufactured by Commodore
(Business Machines Inc), makers of the popular range of Amiga
computer systems. For your $399 you get the unit, one game
controller, stereo audio cable, RF video cable, and the CD's
Pinball Fantasies (pinball), Oscar (platform), and Wing Commander
(space simulation/shoot 'em up). In some countries (such as
Australia) the bundled software is Oscar, Pinball Fantasies, James
Pond, plus a CD32 demo disc.
The unit is matt grey in appearance, with a slightly blocky look
(though not ugly) with physical dimensions of around 12"x3"x8" (or
311x181x212mm). On the left half of the machine there is the CD
drive, and on the right, the operating controls and main processing
unit. About the the closest comparison appearance wise that can be
drawn from the CD32 is the PC Engine Duo.
Unlike the 3DO's tray/drawer arrangement CD's are inserted
directly onto the spindle (the part that spins the disk), identical
to the design found in most portable CD players. This helps cut
down on costs though makes the machine a bit more prone to
'skipping' if the machine is moved during play - otherwise equally
as functional as a tray/drawer player.
On the top of the machine is the CD open, and volume control
settings and at the rear of the machine are the output sockets
(see: expansion). In simple terms, the design is quite neat, and
also accessible.
CONTROLLER: The controller bundled with the CD32 consists of four
'action' buttons, 8 way joypad and pause/select buttons. Some may
find it a bit hard to access some of the buttons during play as
comfortably as the SNES controller - this may vary between players.
Easy to hold in the hand, quite durable and that extra action
button (over some other machine's controllers) may come in useful
for future games.
PROCESSOR: The heart of the CD32 is the 32 bit Motorola 68EC020,
running at roughly 14mhz. This is similar to the chipset used in
Macintosh computers (somewhere in between the older and latest
models), and a remodelled version of that used in the Amiga 1200.
The CD32 is probably the last of the consoles to include a CISC
processor, which the 68020 is. Presumably it would be a simple
matter to emulate existing Amiga software because of this.
Secondary to the main processor are the AA (Amiga Architecture)
co-processors, which consist of the AGA (see: graphics), video
processor, sound processor (see: sound) and internal DMA (for
transferring data). Another important part of the CD32 is the new
Akido chipset, used as a form of secondary processor to
spool/process information off CD. Akido means that the CD32 is not
likely to jerkiness or slowdown due to poor CD access (such as the
3DO can suffer from)
All of this works in tandem with the 68020 to provide parallel
processing, taking the load of the main processor by transferring
specialised functions to the AA and Akido co-processors.
GRAPHICS: Similar to its Amiga counter-parts, the CD32's graphics
chips are highly programmable. Essentially if you can program it
the chips can do it.
Called the AGA (Amiga Graphics Architecture), it allows
resolutions from 320x200 to 1280x400 depending upon output used.
With overscan, a method which allows greater resolution than
normally possible by including extra scan-lines (a line of pixels),
a less squashed 800x600 format is possible. Out of a total of 16.8
million colours a maximum of 256,000 can be displayed on screen.
The AGA chipset sets the CD32 apart from older machines, and only
the newer Amiga 4000/1200 include this chipset.
One of the main disadvantages that lie in the CD32's AGA chips
set is that polygons and other display methods are not really a
natural function of the hardware. Unlike other machines, the
graphical chipset is basically one modified from the higher-end
Amiga computers, and has not been designed from scratch. Polygons
and shading are of course possible, but is a lot more reliant upon
the main processor than with other machines.
SOUND: Sound is maybe one of the main features below par with other
new consoles. Only 4 channels of sound is possible (2 pairs of
stereo channels) using a disappointing 8 bit DAC (digital to analog
convertor). This is the technology that has been used in Amiga
computers since 1986, and was very advanced back then - it is not
so now.
The redeeming feature of the CD32 sound is that sound can be
pulled direct from CD at a high fidelity 44khz using the 18 bit DAC
and Akido chip.
Due to the poor standard DAC and high quality CD DAC Commodore
is pretty much replying on audio being spooled directly from CD for
most games. This wastes a large amount of CD space, and means that
any real-time generation of sound can only be 8 bit. Audio wise, CD
playing from the CD32 is on par with better CD players, so hook the
CD32 up to your stereo and you have high quality CD sound.
EXPANSION/PORTS: One big advantage that the CD32 holds over other
machines (eg: the Jaguar) is that every type of output socket you
would need is built in as standard - not having to feel cheated by
being charged $30 just for a few plugs and wires which you can
quite easily make yourself.
Output includes PAL (or NTSC, depending on where you are),
stereo RCA (phono plugs), and SVHS with the bundled cables. A
stereo headphone socket is also standard, meaning that you can
listen to full stereo all the time, no matter what type of TV you
have. The two controller ports are standard digital which may be a
disadvantage for more precise control, but according to Commodore
able to accept mice, extra joysticks, virtual reality devices, etc.
At the rear of the machine is a standard serial port for the
attachment of either a keyboard, modem or link to other CD32s. Most
importantly a 32 bit expansion bus is provided for the addition of
hardware modifications - such as the MPEG module which is now
available.
Maybe one of the best things about the CD32, is that you are
basically getting a computer, as well as just a console. According
to Commodore, the keyboard, and (hard?) disk drive that is in
production will turn your CD32 into a fully functional 32 bit
computer for only a few hundred dollars more.
OPERATING SYSTEM: Like Amiga systems, the CD32 runs on a version of
AmigaDOS. AmigaDOS gives natural multitasking and a GUI interface
to those games which need it. The operating system is stored on a 1
megabyte ROM, which can be overridden by the use of a disk version
(for possible updates or emulation versions).
STORAGE/MEMORY: Of course the standard storage medium for the CD32
is CD-ROM, with capabilities to accept other storage interfaces
(disk drives, etc) so that the CD32 is not just limited to CD. The
CD drive, like most these days is rated double speed, and can
transfer data at either 150kb or 300kb per second. Included on
board the CD32 is a 1kbyte EPROM which can permanently store high
scores, save games, etc - though being limited to 1k means that you
aren't going to fit much from several different games. For
temporary saving of program information and the loading of data the
CD32 contains 2 megabytes of high-speed RAM.
MPEG1 MODULE: Purchased separately is the MPEG module, a device
that plugs into the expansion bus and provides industry standard
FMV from a single CD. Up to 74 minutes of 25 FPS (Frames Per
Second) video can be played from a single disc.
With all machines now, or soon including the capability to add
MPEG, the future of the standard looks bright. Something that needs
to be pointed out is that because MPEG is a standard, all machines
must be able to display the standard to be compatible - that is
16.8 million colours. Although the CD32 can only display 256,000 on
screen for software, 24 bit colour is used for MPEG display.
The MPEG module costs $249
RELEASE: Australia/UK/Europe - September 1993
Canada - December 1993
United States - March 1994
SUMMARY -
PROCESSOR(S):
- 68E020 (68020) CISC processor
- Clock speed of 14.19mhz
- 32 bit at a reported 4 MIPS (Millions Instructions Per Second)
AA co-processors consisting of:
- AGA processor (Amiga Graphic Architecture)
- DMA processor (for data transfer)
- FMV processor (for MPEG/animation)
- Sound processor (for 8 bit sound)
- Akido CD processor (for CD manipulation)
GRAPHICS:
- 16 bit
- Resolution 320x200 to 1280x400 (more with software programming)
- Palette of 16,777,216 colours
- Maximum of 256,000 on screen
SOUND:
- 8 bit stereo
- 4 channel digital sound
- Software selectable volume
EXPANSION/OUTPUT:
- 32 bit expansion bus
- RF output
- Composite stereo
- Two digital control ports
- Serial port
- SVHS miniDIN output
- PAL or NTSC (depending on country)
CONTROL:
- Digital control pad:
- 4 action buttons
- Multi-directional control pad
- Pause, Select buttons
STORAGE:
- 2 megabytes of general RAM
- 1 kilobyte EPROM
- 1 megabyte AmigaDOS ROM
CD drive:
- 18 bit DAC
- 44.4khz
- 8x oversampling
- 150/350kb transfer
- 540 megabytes uncompressed data
COMPATIBILITY:
- PhotoCD (through software)
- Amiga? (through software?)
- CDTV (not all titles)
- CD&G
- Audio CD
PRICE: $399 (including the Oscar, Pinball Fantasies, & Wing
Commander games)
$249 (optional MPEG1 module)
The CD32 is possibly the underdog with regard to *expectation*,
though its technical abilities are quite on par with other
machines.
For $400 you are getting a pretty powerful computer simply
without the standard attachments such as a disk drive, keyboard,
monitor, etc. Most won't feel the need for the slightly expensive
MPEG adaptor - at least the ability is there for those who are
interested. The expansion port is possibly one of the most
comprehensive on any of the new consoles and through it even the
processor can be upgraded. If it is implemented successfully many
players will never have to worry about their CD32 being obsolete in
a few years time like many other consoles.
There is a wide range of software already in development from
previous Amiga and other PC developers, plus many big names such as
LucasArts, Electronic Arts, Microprose, Sierra, Psygnosis, and too
many more to mention here. The bundled games while not outstanding
are a fair indication of the CD32 and the games you are likely to
see in the future.
Many of the software since first release is disappointing (with
a few clear exceptions), most games consisting of CD ports of Amiga
software - not exactly what players are wanting for a full 32 bit
CD machine. Good CD games as many have probably noticed take a
while to appear after the console first does, due to the extensive
amount of extra time that has to be taken.
A suspected price drop to $300 later this year means that it
will be very attractive to existing Genesis/SNES consumers. What
the CD32 offers is a full CD machine for less than both the 3DO and
Jaguar/Jaguar-CD combination, which cannot be sniffed at. Software
may not have the initial jaw-dropping atmosphere as other new
consoles but games may in fact turn out to be more playable in the
long run.
Continuing the series next month we cover Panasonic's FZ-1 Real 3DO
player (now say that with one breath!). Just how does it compare
technically to the CD32 and Jaguar? find out soon in issue three!
??????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????? ??????????????? ?????
?? ???? ????????? ???????? ?????? ??
?? ????????????? ?????????? ???? ????
???????????? ????? ???????????????? ????
?????????????????????????????????????????????
IF you wish to express an opinion in an editorial style article, please
let me know. Frontier aims to be a focus point for intelligent debate on
the console industry so you should be willing to backup your opinions
from readers. If you strongly agree or disagree on an editorial,
consider writing one of your own with some opposing or contrasting
opinions.
16 BIT R.I.P ?
******/\******
IT has been six years since we first saw the world's first 16 bit
console, the Sega Genesis. Three years later we saw the arrival of
the Super Nintendo, Nintendo's much awaited answer. Several years
later these machines (and others) are now beginning to show their
technical age.
No longer is 16 bit or small cartridge facilities suitable for
the type of games that consumers want, and developers are moving
towards. The high speed race for interactive multi-media, CD-ROM,
multiple-player networks, professional audio and digitised video is
well upon us.
1993 saw the announcements for the new generation of consoles
that we are now beginning to see take off in 1994. We are talking
here of machines such as the 3DO, CD32, Jaguar, and Saturn. To
many, the future of older machines begins to look less and less
optimistic.
As the news and hype is announced more and more frequently
pertaining to the new generation of console machines, many existing
16 bit owners might now be feeling a bit left behind. What was hot
stuff maybe only a year ago now looks rather passe' and much of the
talk is beginning to shift to the new market. Most console owners
are not going to simply abandon machines that they have may have
invested many hundreds of dollars in. Why sell a collection of
still playable games to get a machine that may or may not have a
better selection of games?
Although many developers are going to be producing games for new
machines, that does not necessarily mean they have abandoned the
older formats.
Most are planning on releasing their new games on multiple
platforms, which still includes the 16 bit market. Nintendo is in
fact banking its continuing success on the format, having no
immediate plans for a new console until 1996.
Quite rightly too, the 16 bit era is definitely not dead - in fact
the reverse could be said to be true. Possibly we may see some of
the best games for these machines in the next year or two.
In my opinion, 16 bit owners are the ones that are going to
prosper the most from the introduction of these new consoles. As we
begin to see games that offer jaw dropping technically impressive
features on the new machines, 16 bit developers will need to remain
competitive by trying to match this. Games *will* become and *have*
to become more graphically impressive, more original, plus being
able to provide games which are immensely playable at the same
time. The failure to do this will only quicken the exodus to the
new systems.
If 16 bit games continue to improve significantly, people are
going to stay with their machines until the software and quality
begins to dry up. Prices will also have to drop immensely - when a
full 32 bit game which may contain megabytes and megabytes of
video, music, more levels, and other improvements that 32 bit can
offer costs $70 and the equivalent Super Nintendo game costs $90,
just which system are *you* going to stay with?
Unless Nintendo, Sega and other 16 bit developers can release
their software at a price of around $50, people are simply going to
abandon their existing systems in the tens of thousands. Only the
consumer can profit from the battle if they make their purchase
decisions wisely.
It is not really a question of 16 bit vs 32 bit, but a question
of what software we are going to see on these machines. 32 bit is
clearly superior, it is just the way in which these formats will be
utilised to the maximum extent.
True, 16 bit games may not contain the most impressive graphics,
jaw dropping soundtracks, or fancy hardware effects, but the
gameplay will essentially be equally as playable, if not more so.
Many developers have so far taken the easy way out on CD based
games, offering impressive visual effects to hide an essentially
poor game. CD deserves a lot better than this, and I don't yet
believe we have seen the best that CD can offer by a long stretch.
Despite the hype from some magazines (I admit it, possibly this one
to an extent) - the CD32 ($400), Jaguar ($350), and especially the
3DO ($500) are still largely out of the price range of many
consumers. Unless they can offer a competitive price and exciting
games people are simply not going to make the upgrade.
16 bit consoles will continue to stay prevalent for at least the
next two years, possibly even longer depending on the support
developers are willing to give. Super Street Fighter 2, Eye of the
Beholder, Rise of the Robots, Star Wing 2, FX Stunt Trax,
MegaRace, Rebel Assault, Xwing, Virtua racing, Elite 2, Syndicate,
and other hot possibilities are just *some* of the titles sure to
make your fingers itch for the controller in the next one-two
years. Many still are quite happy with their 8 bit machines, and it
has been almost a decade since *their* introduction!
Staying with your Super Nintendo or Genesis in the next year at
least may be in fact the best bet for the average owner - those who
don't have thousands to spend on what is simply an expensive form
of entertainment.
Wait until the console wars sort themselves out, and observe
which machines *are* going to succeed and those that clearly won't.
You are likely to get the cheapest prices, and even more likely to
get the more playable and lasting games/machine. With 16 bit
hardware prices likely to drop even lower (possibly even the $100
mark for the SNES), you may be in fact be better off with one foot
in both worlds.....
?????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????? ?????????????? ????????????
?? ???????? ?? ??????????? ?? ?????????
???????????? ?? ???????????? ?? ? ?????????
????? ???????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????
THE review section is not an integral part of Frontier, though an
important one. What is the use of talk on consoles, without reviews to
assess the quality of games that are available? If you wish to write
reviews for Frontier for any console, please check out the section: How
- YOU* too can help out with Frontier. While reviews of new games is
preferred, reviews of games up to around 6 months old will be published.
Issue 2 also marks a few additions to the review system. Included after
the final ratings is a short series of comments for each of the
percentage categories. Thanks to Snoopy (alias Tim Wenas :) ) for using
this format and encouraging me to use it as standard.
In addition to that, new comments/and percentages are given for:
- Conversion. How it compares to to other versions, 100% being equal,
50% being half as good, 200% being twice as good, etc)
- Impressions. How if feels to play the game. Was it easy to get
enthralled or have an initial jaw-dropping atmosphere?
- Difficulty. A short note on how hard you found the game, and how
others are likely to. This complements the difficulty given at the
start of the review.
- Interest factor. Despite a games difficulty, would you be likely to
come back to it even after finishing it? Or alternatively is the game
too boring to even attempt finishing?
- Would you buy the game. (if you had the money!) If you have already
bought the game, do you regret it? If you have played a borrowed or
friend's game would you consider buying it for yourself at the price
listed? This is related largely to price vs value for money.
This rating system I believe gives the best and most complete seen in
any other magazine. Lets watch the others try and copy it :)
As promised in issue 1, Issue 2 includes many more reviews. With some
more help from readers, hopefully we can regularly have 4-5 reviews per
issue.
CYBERMORPH
****/\****
By Tim Wenas
TYPE ................ Shoot 'em up
FORMAT .............. Jaguar
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER . Attention To Detail/Atari
RELEASE ............. Same as Jaguar (approx March 1994)
PRICE ............... N/A (Comes with Jaguar)
SIZE ................ 16 megabit
LEVELS .............. 52 (actually 52 worlds)
DIFFICULTY .......... Not specified (average)
PLAYERS ............. One
EXTRA INFO .......... Uses password system to save position
<Drum roll>... This is it. The world's first 64 bit video game! And
the good thing is, it is very good. The Atari Jaguar, a very smart
piece of console hardware indeed, comes with this cart to
demonstrate its abilities.
In the mould of Starfox/wing on the SNES, Cybermorph is a
Gourard-shaded polygon based 3D shoot 'em up. The plot synopsis:
get through 52 planets by collecting enough pods on the planet
you're on. Perhaps not the most original idea we've ever seen, but
the difference here is the way it is done. Somewhat like the
classic Spindizzy, the pods you need are often well hidden, guarded
by nasty enemies or surrounded by force fields. To get to those pods
involves large amounts of death, destruction, flying, sex... just
kidding about the sex actually :^]. Oh yeah, you're in a
plane/helicopter type of thing.
Your craft is (strangely enough) called the T-Griffon, which
changes shape as your speed changes (Cool!). It also looks kind of
like the plane from Starfox. However, the choice of view is yours.
You can view the action from the pilot's seat, or from behind
(like...well, Starfox). You can also see the T-Griffon from the
left, right and even in front which is actually pretty useless.
Personally, I didn't ever use the right/left/front views. The
cockpit view is much like your average PC flight sim except for a
noticeable lack of complex controls, knobs and buttons. The main
features here are your radar in the top-right, and an altimeter in
the bottom right. The external behind view is less "real" than the
cockpit view, but a lot more arcade like. No matter what view you
choose to have, the radar and altimeter always stay visible. You
can even make the T-Griffon stop and go in reverse for a while,
shooting ahead all the time. The craft turns fairly quick, but
after getting used to it you'll be causing mass mayhem in no
time... There's also a message screen at the bottom that ticks off
how many pods are left to collect before you can move onto the next
planet...
The playing field (planet) that you skim over is really worth a
mention. Unlike the flat polygons you get in Starfox/PC flight
simulators, the ground in Cybermorph are beautiful undulating
mounds and dips, with the occasional towering cliffs and valleys.
And all this occurs in Gourard shaded 16 bit colour at a speed
which puts a 486dx2/66 to shame...
The speech here is perfect, spoken by your holographic assistant
called Skylar. This bald female lets out such literary gems as
"Ouch:, "Let's Go!" and even "Portal Now Open" (soon to be released
on CD and cassette). No joke though, the speech is really good.
Atmospheric laser blasts, explosions and growls set the mood, and
the frantic action hardly ever lets up...
Putting aside all the gorgeous graphics, great sound/speech and
speed, what are you left with? This is no strategy game, although a
fair amount of thinking is required to get to some of the pods.
This is action from the start, and thankfully each and every one of
the planets are a little different from the last, either in
enemies, background, layout, etc so you never feel like you're
playing one long level. 52 planets would take a long time to play,
so there's a password option after about 8 planets. In addition
there are a few secret planets to behold if you're good enough.
I've only found one, but it's a beauty, with power-ups aplenty...
Final verdict? This is one good game to be packaged with the
Jaguar. The machine is well ahead of its time, which is one thing I
can say for certain. This game does it justice, although there are
a few minor flaws in it. For example, despite the brilliant
graphics, a square building is still a square building. Not to
mention a purple square building with yellow square windows... The
pods are nothing special, just a yellow triangle shaped thingy, and
the enemies are nothing scary.
But when you're getting it free with the machine, I wouldn't
complain. When everything is being shifted fast by a couple of
64bit RISC processors in tandem, with a thumping Pantera track on
your CD player it's a 64bit experience that is not to be missed.
Now I have just got to decide whether to import a machine for
myself or wait for the (probably overpriced and retarded) local
Australian machine. I've heard that the Jaguar will have no country
protection in the cartridges, which is good news, but we'll have to
wait and see...
If all Jaguar games can match the standard that Cybermorph has set,
the Jaguar will be a hard machine to resist. Battlemorph
(essentially Cybermorph ][), a 2 player version of Cybermorph with
enhanced everything should be due out later this year. I can't
wait.
I played Cybermorph on my cousin's Jaguar which he bought in the
US. If you haven't seen the joypad, do! It's pretty chunky, but you
get used to it.
Final analysis
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
GRAPH SCORE
Sound effects |******************************** 80%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Music |************************ 60%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Sprites |************************************ 90%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Backgrounds |************************************ 90%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Playability |************************************** 96%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
IQ factor |************************ 60%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Fun factor |**************************************** 100%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Overall graphics |*************************************** 97%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
OVERALL |************************************* 92%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Percentage % 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Extra Comments
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SOUND FX : Good stuff.
MUSIC : Not really worth noticing, but functional.
SPRITES : Great Gourard shading you'll love!
BACKGROUNDS : Brilliant. See for yourself.
PLAYABILITY : Frantic arcade action all the way.
IQ. FACTOR : Some thought needed.
FUN FACTOR : I loved it! Kept me coming back for more.
OVERALL GFX : Everything works.
OVERALL : Excellent start for Atari's latest baby.
IMPRESSIONS: I was knocked out by the excellent graphics. The
gameplay was addictive, and on my cousin's large projection system
it couldn't be beat. Could this be Atari's "Mario" or "Sonic"? I
don't think so, but it's great anyway.
CONVERSION: N/A. Produced by ATD, famous for "Last Ninja" trilogy.
INTEREST FACTOR: 100% for arcade addicts, 95% for everyone else.
DIFFICULTY: How can you grade difficulty? This game's difficulty
level is not hard enough to put you off, but hard enough to make
you come back for "just one more try, honest!"
WOULD I BUY THE GAME: It's free with the Jaguar. It's definitely
encouraged me to buy the Jaguar though!
OVERALL: (though not specified by the author) I think Tim likes
it ;-)...
NBA JAM
***/\***
TYPE ................ Sports/Basketball
FORMAT .............. Super Nintendo (Genesis version similar)
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER . Acclaim/Midway
RELEASE ............. March 1994
PRICE ............... $100
SIZE ................ 16 megabit
LEVELS .............. 27 teams to play/27 wins to win the game
DIFFICULTY .......... 2-4 weeks (easy/normal/hard)
PLAYERS ............. One/up to four simultaneous
EXTRA INFO .......... Can use the multi-tap to allow up to 4 players
Password save for game position
It's a minute to go in the last quarter, the Bulls trail the Suns
64-65. The action is frantic, Pippen hurtles down the court with
the ball. He's blocked, he passes to Barkley. Barkley lays up,
leaps....camera's flash....JAM'S!! The crowd goes wild, the siren
sounds. The Bulls win by a point - what a game at the Arizona
Stadium. Such is the atmosphere in NBA Jam, you might actually feel
you were actually at a game.
NBA Jam first appeared in the arcades more than a year now, and
its popularity finally meant that people were talking about
something *other* than a beat-em up. The conversion to the SNES
(and Genesis) comes nearly a year later, but the game was well
worth waiting for.
Plug in the cartridge and you are greeted with the theme music
and listing of teams. The whole effect is *very* TV like, and
similar to what you would see on your favourite sports show. There
are two different ways to play the game, tournament or challenge
match. Differences in the two are not that great, one being to play
in a successive team 'season' and the other a simple team vs team
arrangement. In the options screen you can also set options such as
'Computer assistance' (or allow the computer to cheat), difficulty,
configure your player buttons, etc. Computer assistance makes the
game much harder, by letting the computer get more shots in and you
less when things get tougher - basically what the arcade machine
does all the time :)
Each of the 27 NBA teams is available to choose from, the game
being an official NBA endorsed product (no prizes for guessing that
one). From each of the 27 teams you can select two players, one for
you to control, and one for the computer to assist you. Two of the
better players have been selected from each of the teams.
One of the disappointing things about the conversion is that
some characters in the arcade are not included in the home version
(such as Shaq and others). Most of the important characters have
been though, so nobody can feel too ripped off. And before you ask,
not Jordan - he costs too much and is out of the game anyway (well
the NBA at least!).
Each of the characters and teams have their own strengths and
weaknesses but for my choice I choose the Hornets, having the best
all-round team.
In play, NBA Jam is excellent. Non-complicated and easy to get
the hang of it is instantly playable. There are your basic moves of
pass, shoot, block, etc and run but there are also the less legal
ones (and effective ones :) ) such as elbow, and shove.
You can control your player either defensively or offensively
depending on where you are on court. Block the oppositions pass (or
vice versa) and the ball is yours to score.
Get close enough to the ring and you can do the ultimate in
modern basketball, the slam. There are a number of different slams
available, depending on which player(s) you have on court. Some are
more impressive than others, such as spinning around and then
slamming it in, or slamming it in backwards. The overall result of
a slam is the same though, two points.
Score more than three goals in a row and your player is on fire.
Moving down the court without losing any speed, your player is much
better overall. If you can get it in without losing the point, the
net and ball will literally catch fire!
All the frivolities of basketball are there, such as the cameras
in the background flashing as a slam is attempted. One of my
favourite parts of the game is the board-smash. Slam it in during
certain parts of the game and the ring will shatter, splinters of
glass raining down on players.
At the end of each quarter summaries are also shown, giving all
the stats for the game. Half time is really one to watch out for,
the SNES giving its all displaying a short (2-3 second) digitised
animation from a real NBA Match. The novelty wares off after a
while, but it is an exciting taste of such animations that are
common in CD-based games.
Audio-visuals are possibly some of the best ever seen or likely to
be seen in a SNES game. All players are digitised, from their faces
to their bodies. Animation is smooth and realistic, unlike some of
the frame-chopped versions on other games. The court looks as it
should, and the same as you would see it on TV. As your players
move up and down the court the screen is scrolled, much like the
panning that the cameras do.
In addition to graphics, sound is on par with the best the SNES
is capable with only 16 megabits (2 megabytes). Speech is given
throughout the match from the "Boom, shaka, laka!", "He's heating
up", to the "Jams it in!" when you score. The crowd is realistic
too, bursting into applause whenever your player scores, or the
atmospheric "ooo!" as a player is knocked down. Music is not used
widely, however it doesn't detract that much from a game with such
good speech.
Despite all the impressive sound, graphics and gameplay, what many
would find is that NBA Jam doesn't offer enough. Really it is only
a simple one-on-one basketball match and with only four players on
court with the match kept simple. Although passing to your own
computer controlled player does not detract from your overall
ability to play well, it does take out a lot of important parts of
the game.
Another thing to point out is that in little ways NBA actually
indicative of a truly realistic game. Catching on fire and being
able to jump and slam from up to three meters into the air is not
what you are going to find in your average basketball match (not on
this planet anyway!). While these features make the game fun to
play, for serious sports fans NBA Jam is not recommended.
NBA Jam is very good and despite some of the negative features
pointed out, is still one of the best sporting games available for
any system. It will keep you coming back for more and more, and
with a friend the game is as exciting head-to-head as Street
Fighter 2. Everything is there that is needed to make a good game,
and players of all types will find NBA Jam a worthwhile challenge.
Now only if a company could combine the features of NBA Jam with
that of an accurate basketball simulation......
As a newer version of NBA Jam - Tournament Edition hits the
arcades, look out for it. Most Jaguar owners are crossing their
fingers for a Jaguar version of Tournament (Midway/Acclaim being
Jag developers).
Final analysis
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
GRAPH SCORE
Sound effects |************************************** 95%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Music |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Sprites |************************************ 90%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Backgrounds |************************ 60%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Playability |************************************** 95%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
IQ factor |******************** 50%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Fun factor |************************************ 90%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Overall graphics |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
OVERALL |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Percentage % 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Extra Comments
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SOUND FX : The best digitised speech/effects seen on the SNES!
MUSIC : Fits the game, but there should be some during play
SPRITES : All the players look real
BACKGROUNDS : Boring! The main action occurs on-court
PLAYABILITY : Action is intense and very playable
IQ. FACTOR : Have to plan moves to a degree
FUN FACTOR : Good for a while, though the sameness gets boring
OVERALL GFX : Backgrounds could be better, otherwise excellent
OVERALL : A very good game, which needed more variety
IMPRESSIONS : Plug in NBA Jam and you are greeted with a very
television looking theme. It works well though, and once you get
into the game things get even better.
CONVERSION: 90% - Not quite as good as the arcade. Not as many
secret characters to play, plus many things are left out (such as
the nice women :) ). Could be better, though for a perfect
conversion look forward to the probable Jaguar version!
INTEREST FACTOR: Only a week or two really. I started getting bored
with the game after a few days continuous play. Leave it for a few
days though and it looks interesting again, especially with 2 or
more players
DIFFICULTY: I found the game *hard* even on the easy level. After
several hours play I could only defeat 3-4 teams and that was on
the normal difficulty level. Arcade machine addicts should find it
a lot more familiar.
WOULD I BUY THE GAME: Probably, though Nintendo's policy of
charging higher prices for games they think will sell is
frustrating!
FINAL COMMENT: NBA Jam is a game that looks simply excellent and
plays equally well, however underneath lies a game that is largely
overrated.
SUPER TURRICAN
******/\******
TYPE ................ Platform/Shoot 'em up
FORMAT .............. Super Nintendo
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER . HudsonSoft
RELEASE ............. Approx December 1993
PRICE ............... $80 (ish)
SIZE ................ 12 megabit
LEVELS .............. 13
DIFFICULTY .......... Hard (selectable Easy/Medium/Very hard)
PLAYERS ............. One
EXTRA INFO .......... Dolby Surround sound supported
If you have ever owned (or still own!) a C64 or Amiga, you would
probably be familiar with the Turrican series. It has been quite a
few years since the first Turrican was first released, and many
have been waiting many years for a full 16 bit conversion. At the
time Turrican was a first, offering an excellent arcade quality
shoot 'em up with many new and exciting features. Now Super
Turrican hits the Super Nintendo in full 16 bit and old fans won't
find it a disappointment!
Like all shoot 'em ups, Turrican has about as much story-line as
your average tv-soap. Aliens take over planet, while the local
population pins its last hope on its only surviving warrior. In
this case you slip into your special Turrican armour, giving your
character super-human abilities and nice and massive firepower. The
rather poor introduction narrates this plot, and is one that is
even worth watching.
Your task is to eliminate all the enemies, plus the evil boss
aliens battling in the caverns, skies, cities of your world. Armed
with you basic weaponry of laser pistol, stun rifle and power-bomb
you must move through each of the nasty packed levels.
Super Turrican is pretty much your basic horizontal/vertical
shoot 'em up, jump on various platforms and objects while shooting
as fast and accurate as you can at the enemy. While you can only
shoot in one direction, by jumping or using multiple direction
bullets you can hit just about anything. Nothing new in that
regard, but there aren't *too* many shoot 'em ups set in a platform
environment - especially not as good as Turrican.
Turrican offers a number of impressive power-ups and weapon-ups
along the way. Gather the right coloured weapon packs and your
weapons can be transformed into a high speed laser, flamer or other
device. Your laser is good for general purpose firing, however for
the more difficult enemies your stun-rifle can allow you to disable
the alien while you blast it to pieces. Each offers different uses
for different situations, so often it is a good idea to swap
weapons for a certain section. In some places this is almost vital
to pass the level.
Switching between firing several different weapons can be a
difficulty at times, and often the ability to do so is important to
your success.
Each of the levels involves a different part of the world. From
being outside to travelling inside factories and underground, each
level is different in many ways. Each level includes some new
feature, such as conveyor belts, flying platforms, etc. Turrican
won't leave you the feeling of "done this, done that" because each
new area offers something new to try and get to grips with. It is
unusual for a plain shoot 'em up, and probably why Super Turrican
is initially very playable and also very lasting.
Pump the music in Super Turrican through your stereo and you are in
for one of the best orchestrated sound-tracks for ANY game on ANY
system that you are likely to find outside of a professional CD.
The SNES sound chips are shown in their full capacity, and with
audio like that who really needs pre-recorded CD-ROM music?
I didn't have a chance to evaluate the Surround Sound while is
part of the game (not having the DSS encoder in my stereo which is
needed), though most will tell you, sounds coming from many
different angles should add that third audio dimension.
While some might find the music irritating and a bit
melodramatic, it sounds good to me - if every game could include
similar quality sound then all players would be happy. Without such
thumping sound, Super Turrican just wouldn't be the same.
Sound effects are nothing spectacular, though from a shoot 'em
up point of view they are above that of most. Digitised speech is a
used a small amount - "Power Up" an example. Effects fit in well
with the soundtrack, meaning no annoying clashes with the music.
The trend in 16 bit games is of increasing graphics and keeping
them consistent throughout the game - Super Turrican is no
exception. My only complaint is that sprites (and the enemies)
could look a bit larger and include more detail. Every level
includes something different and a different look and feel, which
means that the urge to play on is even greater.
Super Turrican is a game that is exciting to play, and fortunately
offers a lot more variety than has been seen over the last few
years in shoot 'em ups.
Obvious comparisons can be made between Turrican and Super
Probotector (aka Super Contra Spirits in some countries), though it
was long before Probotector that we saw Turrican on a home format.
Both games are so good it is hard to judge which is the better.
Turrican offers more impressive sound and graphics, however
Probotector includes the cool two-player co-operative and
split-screen modes which makes the game more fun to play with a
friend. The most obvious difference I can think of is that Turrican
is much harder than Probotector. Whereas Probotector might take you
a few days, Turrican will take you weeks.
If you like shoot 'em ups I can recommend Super Turrican without
much doubt. Most other players will likely find it just as good as
any other SNES game, even if shoot 'em ups aren't quite their
thing. At the least, Turrican uses some unique elements which are
sadly lacking in most genre of games that have come out in the last
year...Definitely take a look.
Final analysis
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
GRAPH SCORE
Sound effects |************************************* 92%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Music |*************************************** 97%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Sprites |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Backgrounds |************************************* 92%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Playability |*********************************** 88%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
IQ factor |**** 10%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Fun factor |******************************** 80%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Overall graphics |************************************ 90%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
OVERALL |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Percentage % 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Extra Comments
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SOUND FX : Rather 'crashing' yet suits the game
MUSIC : Some of the best I've heard in ANY game!!
SPRITES : Could be bigger and a bit more thought out
BACKGROUNDS : Impressive scenery in most levels
PLAYABILITY : A bit hard to get to grips with
IQ. FACTOR : Mindless shoot 'em up.....
FUN FACTOR : but fun!
OVERALL GFX : Everything fits in well
OVERALL : A basic shoot 'em up, and a good one!
IMPRESSIONS: While the introduction is below standard, once you
get past the initial rigmarole, the game simply blasts you away
with the audio-visuals alone.
CONVERSION: N/A (though compared to the first Turrican 200%)
INTEREST FACTOR: If you're into shoot 'em ups you'll be playing for
at least a few months. Otherwise many players will be after
something more variety, and most will only get a few weeks (at
most) out of what is simply a *good* shoot 'em up.
DIFFICULTY: On easy level you will be able to pass the first few
stages with ease - it won't make the game easier in the later
levels however. Very hard is indicative - very hard!
WOULD I BUY THE GAME: Another of those games that you would prefer
not to buy for the price listed, until it came down another $30.
Since I find shoot 'em ups quite fun, I myself would but others
with different tastes probably wouldn't.
WOLFENSTEIN
*****/\****
TYPE ................ First person/shoot 'em up
FORMAT .............. Super Nintendo
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER . ID Software/Imagineer
RELEASE ............. January 1994
PRICE ............... $80
SIZE ................ 12 megabit
LEVELS .............. 30
DIFFICULTY .......... Medium (four different difficulty levels)
PLAYERS ............. One
EXTRA INFO .......... Password save for each level
Just about everybody who has a PC would be familiar with the game
Wolfenstein that appeared in 1992. At the time the game set many
landmarks, offering a truly new type of game that was unlike any
others. It won many different awards for its ingenuity and also
playability, not surprising either!
The most remarkable aspect of Wolfenstein is that it was produced
by a relatively small software company called ID software, who
offered the game as shareware, meaning that you could freely
distribute the first episode (of six) and then purchase the rest at
a price much cheaper than other games on the market.
Since ID's initial success, the game has been surpassed by the
technically superior Doom, though even now during a dull moment I
can spend the time blasting away Nazi zombies in Wolfenstein.
Wolfenstein on the SNES breaks ID's philosophy of cheap and
immensely playable games, but I suppose that is more to due to the
pressure of the big players such as Nintendo that ID software's own
wishes.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, you as BJ are sent by the US
President to eliminate the Master State before they can raise their
evil army of un dead against the human race. The game takes place
across six different episodes, each consisting of an really evil
end of level bad guy to contend with. Complete each episode and
then you move on to the next one, until you have to battle the
leader of the Master State himself in the last level.
The action all takes place in a first person perspective, about as
close to virtual reality as you can get without buying an expensive
helmet. As you move or look around, the world scrolls in a truly
360 degree environment, causing you feel *really* there - rather
than sitting just watching. Your currently selected weapon appears
at the bottom of your screen, and as you fire it it flashes
appropriately. Below the actual viewscreen is your stats such as
health, points, usable objects, and even an animate of your face.
Each level consists of a dungeon, with lots of different stone
walls, plants, tables, lights, skeletons, bodies, scenery and other
items to give the world a truly homely feel :) There are also doors
and secret passages to navigate through along the way.
The world looks *fairly* real, but could be better in many
respects. Things look rather cartoon-like (while probably
intentionally) detracting from the realism. These are mainly due to
the relatively poor Super Nintendo processor than anything else.
The dungeon is not there just to look at though! and you've got
the Master State to contend with - eliminate them before they can
do the same to you. There are a number of different bad guys, from
the standard MS Soldier to un dead zombies and machine gunners. Each
one is not so tough on its own, but when they gang up on you you
are in trouble. One of the best features of Wolfenstein is that the
enemies aren't stupid, and actually react to your movements. If
they hear you firing your weapon they are likely to come after you,
or if you walk around the corner they aren't just going to stand
their staring at you!
There a number of different weapons to choose from in Wolf (as in
the PC version), such as a knife, single shot pistol, machine gun
and the ultimate, the (50 rounds per second!) chain gun. Added to
the SNES version is also a flame thrower (!!), missile launcher and
a backpack to carry extra ammo. The flame thrower is great fun, it
would have been good in the original version.
Another worthy addition is an auto-map, meaning that you can
never really get lost or walk around in circles (well that is the
idea anyway). It makes the game a lot less frustrating, however
also a lot easier.
Other items can be picked up in the game as you go along such as
weapons (you only start off with the pistol), ammo, lives, door
keys, bonuses, health, etc. Many of these are vital during some
parts of the game, and thankfully they have been placed where you
most need them.
The graphics in Wolfenstein seem to have suffered most in the
conversion from PC to SNES. Everything has a very chunky feel to
them, even from a distance. Speed and scrolling also seems to be
slow and slightly clunky compared to the PC version. Nothing runs
quite as well as the smooth 'gliding' of the PC, though it isn't as
bad as I first thought when I heard Wolfenstein would appear on the
SNES format. Comparatively, Wolf doesn't stack up that well to
other games on the SNES graphics-wise. If ID Software had included
the FX chip (which they did consider) to speed up the gameplay and
graphics the conversion (and overall game) could have been a lot
better.
The music has been ported almost perfectly from the PC and adds the
perfect atmosphere to the game. Even though it could have been
better considering the SNES' vastly superior sound processors, it
does sound good nonetheless. FX are excellent and many of it
digitised. Everything has been re-sampled in English though, and I
kind off missed the "mein leiben!" as the bad guys bit the dust.
There isn't as much speech as the PC version unfortunately, but
there is quite enough to keep you interested.
Probably one of the most disappointing features of Wolfenstein is
that a lot of the fun of the PC version has been removed. All
political references are gone, meaning that the game no longer pits
you against the Nazi's and Hitler but rather the Master State. Even
the pictures and Nazi symbols on the walls has been altered to
a more 'world-friendly' look.
Blood and guts is also absent due to Nintendo's censorship
policy, shooting the enemy is nowhere near as fun when they just
appear to 'flop' to the ground instead of splatter.
For those who have never played the game before these things
probably won't be noticed, but for those who have Wolfenstein will
be a lot more disappointing than the PC version.
Wolfenstein has been converted pretty successfully to the SNES in my
opinion, considering the many limitations the machine imposes. I
was kind of hoping for some large improvements on the original
game, however ID has opted to basically convert the game as it
appeared on the PC. Of course, that isn't a great problem for
players who have never played the game before.....
Despite many of the fun things that were taken out to comply
with Nintendo's no offense is good defense, SNES Wolfenstein retains
most of the charm which made the PC version a hit.
Final analysis
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
GRAPH SCORE
Sound effects |********************************* 82%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Music |*********************************** 88%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Sprites |****************************** 75%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Backgrounds |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Playability |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
IQ factor |****** 15%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Fun factor |****************************** 75%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Overall graphics |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
OVERALL |********************************** 85%
+___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I.
Percentage % 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Extra Comments
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SOUND FX : Nice digitised FX and speech
MUSIC : Moody, though could be more evocative and 'thumping'
SPRITES : Not quite detailed enough
BACKGROUNDS : Not too much detail, quite repetitive
PLAYABILITY : A bit unresponsive to movement, etc
IQ. FACTOR : Move and shoot (tiny thought)
FUN FACTOR : Still fun to play despite censorship
OVERALL GFX : Good but is too chunky for my liking
OVERALL : A good game which could have been better
IMPRESSIONS: Hard to guage since I am very used to the PC version
and know how *it* plays. Exciting and something new for those who
have never played this type of game before.
CONVERSION: 70% - Too many things taken out for my liking
INTEREST FACTOR: Many weeks of exploring and shooting. You'll never
really get bored of it as there are many secret passages/levels,
etc to discover.
DIFFICULTY: On easy you can finish the game with no troubles
without really dying. Medium is a good challenge and hard is very
challenging unless you are a Wolfenstein addict (like me :) ).
WOULD I BUY THE GAME: If you have a PC I strongly recommend you go
for the slightly superior, cheaper, non-censored, and more fun to
play PC version over the SNES version. If you didn't have the PC
version I would probably buy it - being very different in style to
many of the boring games on the SNES.
????? The Cheater's ??????
????????????????????
?? ???????? ?? ??
?? ???????? ?? ??
?????????????????? ?????
??????????????????????????
FRONTIER hopes to include a variety of different cheats, hints,
solutions, etc for systems and games of all different types. The aim is
to produce new information that has not been published before, though
this of course cannot always be guaranteed. If you have discovered a
secret level, willing to contribute some accurate playing hints, just
finished a game and are willing to produce a solution, or for that
matter anything that will help out gamers, Frontier is after them!
NBA JAM (SNES and Genesis versions) - Here are some general tactics
that should help out first time players:
- To score frequent three pointers, the best place to score is from
about half-way along the arc of the three point circle. This is
the shortest distance to the ring and the easiest to get in.
- This might seem obvious, the best way to intercept the ball is to
get your player between the two opposition players then block and
elbow. Eventually if they don't manage to pass they will be
fouled, or in the least you should be able to force an error.
- For the best overall team, choose the Hornets! Although nothing
really stands out, everything is balanced evenly between the
different abilities
NBA JAM (SNES) - To play Bill Clinton!, at the password screen
enter A, then R and then move your cursor to the letter K but DON'T
press a key. Then press buttons L,R,X and then enter K.
Another cheat to move to the last match of the season - enter
the name DAN and then password Q4DPBGX ZXJBT3H
NBA JAM (Genesis) - Similar to the SNES version, to play Bill
Clinton enter A, then R, move to K and then press A and START, then
enter K.
PRINCE OF PERSIA (Genesis) - Here are the level codes for each
level:
Level 2 - EJKIDC
Level 3 - HJKVRE
Level 4 - OOPPVE
Level 5 - GEFRZH
Level 6 - APPYIC
Level 7 - WJKHCS
Level 8 - GPPEGS
FINAL FIGHT (GenesisCD) - For rapid-fire mode, at the options
screens move to exit, then hold A, B, RIGHT, and press START.
NIGHT TRAP (GenesisCD) - For some strange video, you will need to
finish the game. When it says "In memory of...." press UP, and A
five times.
ALIEN 3 (Genesis) - At the options screen, use controller 2 to
press C, UP, RIGHT, DOWN, LEFT, A, RIGHT, DOWN. Then during the
game, pause it and press C, A, B. Unpause the game to skip to the
next level
TRADiNG
AT present this area has not been included, due to the fact that nobody
has contacted me wanting to place any private ads. If you do have
something console related you would like to sell, contact me and I will
include the section in issue three for your ad.
SUPPORT SITES/DISTRIBUTION
- ***********/\************
THE following places are the first to receive Frontier each month, and
also carry previous issues. If you are after the latest issue of
Frontier, these places are where you will find it:
VIOLENT CRIMES (BBS)
Melbourne, Australia
+61-3-562-1008
Sysop: Sudden Death
Extra: Mention Frontier to receive the magazine.
EMPIRE (BBS)
Melbourne, Australia
+61-3-591-0020
Sysop: Matthew Clemants
Extra: This is still being worked on, issues are distributed here
Fidonet 3:632/530
CUBENet (BBS)
Munich, Germany
+49-089-149-8811
Sysop: Peter Koehnkow
Extra Info: 44 lines! One of Europe's biggest BBS
Fidonet (2:2480/66)
X=Link BBS
Singapore
+065-345-2083
Sysop: Melvin Chia
Extra Info: 24hrs (Sat/Sun/Singapore public holidays)
1200-0000 (Mon-Fri : Singapore Time)
Fidonet (6:600/638)
FTP
ftp.digex.net in /pub/access/spatton/frontier_magazine/
Admin: contact Scott Patton (spatton@access.digex.net)
Extra Info: Only the latest issue of Frontier will be available
here due to limited archive space.
FTP (non-official)
California, United States
wuarchive.wustl.edu in /pub/frontier_magazine/
Admin: archive@wugate.wustl.edu
Extra Info: At present only on a temporary basis and is not
official (could disappear at any time).
* The Cardiff archives had to be cancelled as an FTP support site
at the last moment. Sorry for any inconvenience this might have
caused. Thankfully Frontier has set up a new FTP site which will
hold the current issue in its place.
* Frontier is looking for somebody who can set up some sort of
internet list-server so that Frontier can be sent via email to
people who don't have FTP access. Contact the editor if you are
willing to provide this.
* You too can become a support site and be added to this list. All
that is required is for you to hold the current and back issues of
Frontier, and be able to FTP each issue as it is released.
Simple...
HOW *YOU* TOO CAN HELP OUT FRONTIER
- **************/\******************
FOR a magazine such as this to prosper, Frontier needs regular
contributions from its readers. From general articles, new releases, to
reviews and opinions, Frontier needs them all. Even small pieces of
information which you feel may not or may not be important, don't
hesitate to send them in. Most likely, if it hasn't been mentioned, we
don't know about it!
If you wish to become a regular reviewer for Frontier, drop me a line
stating the consoles you own, and which game(s) you want to review and
I'll email you the 'Frontier reviewer's guide'. This guide should cover
everything you need to know about writing a review for this magazine, or
for those who have never written a review before and want to.
The following things are specifically needed at present:
- Gameplay co-ordinator position: To compile a list of cheats,
hints and solutions for many games on many different platforms.
You should be an avid game player and be able to discover
material for yourself - eg: not taken straight from magazines.
- More reviewers: Although many have asked for and have been sent
the reviewer's guide, I have heard very little back in the way of
reviews from those people. Please get those reviews in if you
intend on having them published!
- More cheats: A lot of the cheats as you may notice are reprints
of those that have appeared in other magazines. I am trying to
stay away from this, so if you have an original cheat or hint
please send it in.
* For information on where to send any material or contributions,
see the following section.
HOW TO CONTACT FRONTiER
IF you need to contact Frontier for any reason, to ask a question, to
pose a question, to comment on the magazine or industry in general, or
for any other reason, don't hesitate to mail! (as it were).
* Gordon Craick (chief editor) *
.._@/` Post: Gordon Craick For those who do not have access
16 Gums Avenue to the internet
Belgrave, Victoria
AUSTRALIA 3160
Email: pred@zikzak.apana.org.au For response within a few minutes
to a few days!
FidoNet: Netmail to 3:632/530 (Gordon Craick)
* Bradley Lascelle (new co-ordinator)
Email: bradley.lascelle@canrem.com - Canada
.:. If I don't receive your mail, try sending it again. If i
*still* don't receive your message, try posting a 'where are
you?' post in one of the console newsgroups (which I regularly
monitor) and I should be able to get back to you. Otherwise,
don't worry, I'm probably just dead :)
CREDITS/THANKS
KEEP up the great support everybody! Specific thank you's go to:
. Tim Wenas - His article/plus Cybermorph review & extras ;)
. Peter Koehnkow - For being a Frontier support BBS
. Melvin Chia - For being a Frontier support BBS (Singapore - wow!)
. Scott Patten - For being a Frontier FTP site (at last an official
FTP site)
. David Mansell - For his many CD32 contributions.
. Bradley Lascelle - For being the news co-ordinator and hopefully
some reviews in the future!
. DiE productions - Distribution, support and more!
. YOU
* Unless otherwise indicated, all articles are written by Gordon
Craick.
That's about it from the second issue of Frontier! Look out for
issue three out in early May....
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION - FRONTIER MAGAZINE AND ALL ARTICLES
CONTAINED WITHIN REMAIN THE LEGAL PROPERTY OF THE AUTHOR(S) UNDER
EXISTING WORLDWIDE COPYRIGHT TREATIES AND IS (c) COPYRIGHT 1994. NO
PART OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE DISTRIBUTED SEPARATELY OR SOLD FOR
PROFIT WITHOUT EXPLICIT PERMISSION FROM THE EDITOR AND RESPECTIVE
AUTHOR'S.
ALL COMPANIES AND NAMES MENTIONED IN THIS MAGAZINE REMAIN
TRADEMARKS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPANIES.
FRONTIER CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSSES INCURRED FROM
INFORMATION IN THIS MAGAZINE, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY. WHILE
CARE IS TAKEN TO ENSURE ACCURATE INFORMATION, FRONTIER CANNOT BE
HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSSES.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-