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Retromags review of Classic Video Gamer Magazine #1


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I just posted up a review of Classic Video Gamer Magazine #1 on Retromags, I am posting a little bit of the article below, suffice it to say, order your copy today, it is great and very reminiscent of the late great Video Games and Computer Entertainment in writing and layout.

 

 

 

 

What does it take to be successful in the highly competitive world of gaming magazines/e-zine? Determination? Hard work? Passion? The team at Classic Video Gamer has those qualities and a layout that is very reminiscent of the late great Video Games and Computer Entertainment. You might even think while reading this, that VG&CE might have had a layout quite similar to that of ClassicVG if they had been able to stick around.

 

coverhkl.jpg

 

The quality in layout starts at the cover, where it should, with two girls from Power Instincts Matrimelee appearing to be entertained by either Kim Kapwhan kicking out of the page or the two screen shots available, it is your choice which is right.

 

 

page6a.jpg

 

King of Fighters, by Mike 'STGuy1040' P., the mashup series of fighting games from SNK, looking back, how many gamers remember seeing this when it first started and thought, that will never last? I did. I was wrong. Very wrong. Coming soon is number 12 in the KoF series! 12, that is quite a feat in todays market (or the market over the last many years to be honest). What does KoF 2k2 have that the newest iteration doesn't? How about Blue Mary for one and Mai Shuranai for seconds? Got your attention now?

The pics chosen are full of action and show off the graphics of the game quite well, take a look at the number of playable characters in the player select screen (each one is detailed enough to be picked out by their pic)!

Definitely a well written article and very interesting for those sitting on the fence about this title or those interested in some of the history behind the series.

As far as returning characters in this version, you have to get your own copy of Classic Video Gamer to find out (you won't be disappointed).

 

There is more at Retromags.

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wow, real great review thanks for the two pops as well.

the double dragon review was actually done in my old fanzine the Atari Zone and redone in CVGmr format witha bit here and there thrown in.

you can count seeing some more the classic reviews from me in the future,since my own fanzine had hit the skids after a long run.

(don't worry it's going to return witha new name and format, coming in January(just have to figure a few things out first), we were supposed to

return this year witha new editor but he never got back to me after he agreed to take over so I'm going get back at helm and reluanch it)

I'm still waiting for my two copies(pdf and print since I am a staff writer )

btw: also thanks for the nice comment on the MGC report, it was the best I can do being that I had to stick at my table most of the day.

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Thank you kevincal for the comments, I agree with you about it being a great magazine, I hope to see more from this team, if we had more e-zines like Classic Video Gamer Magazine it would surely raise awareness and trust in the format for more people.

 

Hey Dan Iacovelli, thank you for the great review of Double Dragon, I didn't know they were in that game, I have seen screen shots of it and such but always dismissed it as yet another Neo Geo fighter. I look forward to reading more of your work, wherever it is available.

I look forward to seeing your own magazine return, in what, January? I am sure it is going to be worth the wait. I would ask you a bunch of questions about it but I see you said that you are in a transition between editors (it is a shame that there are quite a few people out there that are just not dependable-at least you found out before launch about that other person).

About your MGC report, you did a great job in getting the basics of the event down, who you were and were able to build interest in the reader to want to read more at the convenient link to online content. Good job on that. I read the article and came away surprised to find myself having gone to the site to view more pics of the show.

 

Reviews are easy when what you are reviewing is great in the first place and that is exactly what ClassicVGM #1 was to me, great. I have gone back re-read it a few more times (much like I would with a good issue of a mag in print) and placed it on my PSP so I can view it on the go when out and about (helps to show it to interested parties too).

 

Hopefully more of the people involved with getting the first issue of Classic Video Gamer Magazine up will see the review and comment on it.

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Hey Dan Iacovelli, thank you for the great review of Double Dragon, I didn't know they were in that game, I have seen screen shots of it and such but always dismissed it as yet another Neo Geo fighter. I look forward to reading more of your work, wherever it is available.

I look forward to seeing your own magazine return, in what, January? I am sure it is going to be worth the wait. I would ask you a bunch of questions about it but I see you said that you are in a transition between editors (it is a shame that there are quite a few people out there that are just not dependable-at least you found out before launch about that other person).

About your MGC report, you did a great job in getting the basics of the event down, who you were and were able to build interest in the reader to want to read more at the convenient link to online content. Good job on that. I read the article and came away surprised to find myself having gone to the site to view more pics of the show.

 

Reviews are easy when what you are reviewing is great in the first place and that is exactly what ClassicVGM #1 was to me, great. I have gone back re-read it a few more times (much like I would with a good issue of a mag in print) and placed it on my PSP so I can view it on the go when out and about (helps to show it to interested parties too).

 

Hopefully more of the people involved with getting the first issue of Classic Video Gamer Magazine up will see the review and comment on it.

Past issues of The Atari zone is still available for free in PDF form(including what was supposed to be my final one as editor)

and then we were going relaunch this year with new format but same name and new editor. but the person never got back to me after the one e-mail he said he would.

so after trying to contact him many times with no reply, I deiced to put the fanzine on hold for while and do rethink that might work out better. (another problem that

when our subscriber base went down,we also lost some of contributors who did some reviews for the fanzine) so I figured to hold off

and figure to do relaunch. the one person, was an editor of clubs newsletter before when public after we got a great review from Arnie Katz

our subscription base went to 30 people and for ever one we lose we get 2 new.(we even had atari and telegames on board as corporate members)

 

RE:MGC report glad you enjoyed that,plan do more reports like from when I go to the shows.

I gave mike my pics from the show as well some from Todd Friedman to use, the pics Ihave kodak gallery might be getting deleted

since they are going be charging for it now,but I found a new place for them and I think it will work out.

currently I 'm working on a side project for Jagfest on tour : a tenth anniversary book that has information on every jagfest

from 1997 to 2007,I'm hoping to get out some time around July.

Re: Double dragon: yep that game exist for the 7800, I own it that's how I did the review I played it first, and read the instructions and based it on how far I got

and what was in te instructions. it's a pretty decent game.

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Triverse, thanks for your kind words and good review.

 

The experiment was (and sometimes is) as fun to watch and be a part of as it is to write about. Right now, at my office, there sits a nice 6 switcher ready to play. The cart in the machine changes from time to time, so I know it's seeing a bit of love.

 

Perfect for the boring corporate conference room!

 

(and yes I've got a set of paddles hooked up!)

 

I really love the home brew scene. The goal of the column is to get people more into it. Your reaction makes me happy. Thanks!

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Triverse, thanks for your kind words and good review.

 

The experiment was (and sometimes is) as fun to watch and be a part of as it is to write about. Right now, at my office, there sits a nice 6 switcher ready to play. The cart in the machine changes from time to time, so I know it's seeing a bit of love.

 

Perfect for the boring corporate conference room!

 

(and yes I've got a set of paddles hooked up!)

 

I really love the home brew scene. The goal of the column is to get people more into it. Your reaction makes me happy. Thanks!

 

Potatohead, thank you for writing a great article. When you have this many great writers come together and someone to pull it all together and make it all 'click' it makes for an easy review, other than constantly getting sidetracked re-reading it because it is so good.

Thank you all for the hard work you obviously put into it, the time and effort spent on making the first issue great is apparent in all aspects of the magazine.

I look forward to issue #2 and can't wait to see what you guys are able to pull together for it.

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triverse, I noticed in another post that you have copies of VG&CE.

look in one of the issues for Arine Katz Fandom artice. you might be able find

a review of the Atari Zone in it(don't recall what issue it was in but he did review

my fanzine a couple other times as well)

if I get other faneds to send me their fanzines I might be doing a fanzine review in a future CVGmr issue.

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triverse, I noticed in another post that you have copies of VG&CE.

look in one of the issues for Arine Katz Fandom artice. you might be able find

a review of the Atari Zone in it(don't recall what issue it was in but he did review

my fanzine a couple other times as well)

if I get other faneds to send me their fanzines I might be doing a fanzine review in a future CVGmr issue.

I have seen reviews by Arnie Katz in VG&CE for fanzines, I know I have seen Atari Zone in there as your name and AZ are quite familiar, I haven't found the issue yet, but I am sure I have seen a review of AZ in there. I will keep looking though.

It would be cool to see more reviews of other fanzines out there as most are great and deserve more attention.

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triverse, I noticed in another post that you have copies of VG&CE.

look in one of the issues for Arine Katz Fandom artice. you might be able find

a review of the Atari Zone in it(don't recall what issue it was in but he did review

my fanzine a couple other times as well)

if I get other faneds to send me their fanzines I might be doing a fanzine review in a future CVGmr issue.

I have seen reviews by Arnie Katz in VG&CE for fanzines, I know I have seen Atari Zone in there as your name and AZ are quite familiar, I haven't found the issue yet, but I am sure I have seen a review of AZ in there. I will keep looking though.

It would be cool to see more reviews of other fanzines out there as most are great and deserve more attention.

theres not many of us out their: digital Press, the 2600 connection and mine are basically the three are still going(well mine stopped for now,because of I mentioned before)

the 2600 connection and and AZ basically started around the same time. there might be others out there but I haven't much from from them.

I got met arnie at CGE once he inspired me to continue my fanzine and even boost it to popularity when he reviewed it.

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That is a testement to the determination of you guys that are still going when other fanzines were lucky to get out a second issue let alone make it past their first year of publishing.

that is true, my fanzine actually started as a one page newsletter for my local club,then I put a small ad in the A exchange newsletter (this was put out by bre software)

it where I also saw an ad for the 2600 connection. eventfully it grew to 30 subscriber base fanzine with many format changes till subscription base finally dwindled down to 4 people

this is why right now most of my current issues are online.

hopefully when we relaunch it under a new format and name it will get back to what it was.

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that is true, my fanzine actually started as a one page newsletter for my local club,then I put a small ad in the A exchange newsletter (this was put out by bre software)

it where I also saw an ad for the 2600 connection. eventfully it grew to 30 subscriber base fanzine with many format changes till subscription base finally dwindled down to 4 people

this is why right now most of my current issues are online.

hopefully when we relaunch it under a new format and name it will get back to what it was.

 

Very cool. I remember reading the back magazines and seeing ads fro Bre Software (I was always too impatient to wait for my games to come in the mail to actually order anything).

 

Will you continue working with ClassicVGM after the relaunch of Atari Zone?

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Triverse, thanks for your kind words and good review.

 

The experiment was (and sometimes is) as fun to watch and be a part of as it is to write about. Right now, at my office, there sits a nice 6 switcher ready to play. The cart in the machine changes from time to time, so I know it's seeing a bit of love.

 

Perfect for the boring corporate conference room!

 

(and yes I've got a set of paddles hooked up!)

 

I really love the home brew scene. The goal of the column is to get people more into it. Your reaction makes me happy. Thanks!

 

 

I love your new avatar... ;)

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Thought you would!

 

Seriously, I have been using the SGI logo on various places for years. Really love those IRIX computers, but... that time has passed. I did a purge on a forced move. Some guy came by and just went NUTS! He was so excited to get those machines. I know they have a good home :) I sure spent a lot of time on the things. Great computers. Actually, still great computers. I just don't have the focus anymore.

 

Took one look at that bit of art and said, "It would fit!"

 

:D

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that is true, my fanzine actually started as a one page newsletter for my local club,then I put a small ad in the A exchange newsletter (this was put out by bre software)

it where I also saw an ad for the 2600 connection. eventfully it grew to 30 subscriber base fanzine with many format changes till subscription base finally dwindled down to 4 people

this is why right now most of my current issues are online.

hopefully when we relaunch it under a new format and name it will get back to what it was.

 

Very cool. I remember reading the back magazines and seeing ads fro Bre Software (I was always too impatient to wait for my games to come in the mail to actually order anything).

 

Will you continue working with ClassicVGM after the relaunch of Atari Zone?

yes, I will continue contribute to CVgamer after my fanzine will be relaunched,most of my articles will come from classic atari zone issues for CVGM

and articles in my new fanzine will be some classic and some news(and maybe some from contributes)

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I will do that after I go through most of my reviews from the classic Atari zone,the only things that won't be carried over from old issues of AZ to CVGM is articles that was done by somebody else.

I'm working on doing a background article on my Laserman games for CVGM ,which dates back to it's origin on the ti-99/4a and resurfaced on the 2600.

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I will do that after I go through most of my reviews from the classic Atari zone,the only things that won't be carried over from old issues of AZ to CVGM is articles that was done by somebody else.

I'm working on doing a background article on my Laserman games for CVGM ,which dates back to it's origin on the ti-99/4a and resurfaced on the 2600.

I bet that Laserman article will be phenomenal. Can't wait to read it.

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that is true, my fanzine actually started as a one page newsletter for my local club,then I put a small ad in the A exchange newsletter (this was put out by bre software)

it where I also saw an ad for the 2600 connection. eventfully it grew to 30 subscriber base fanzine with many format changes till subscription base finally dwindled down to 4 people

this is why right now most of my current issues are online.

hopefully when we relaunch it under a new format and name it will get back to what it was.

 

Very cool. I remember reading the back magazines and seeing ads fro Bre Software (I was always too impatient to wait for my games to come in the mail to actually order anything).

 

Will you continue working with ClassicVGM after the relaunch of Atari Zone?

yes, I will continue contribute to CVgamer after my fanzine will be relaunched,most of my articles will come from classic atari zone issues for CVGM

and articles in my new fanzine will be some classic and some news(and maybe some from contributes)

 

 

I was hoping you would! I look forward to reading whatever you contribute. :)

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Well everyone, it's a definite winner. Great writings, pics, layout, it's great to have. I do get a couple of mags, this one will definitely be on my subscription list.

 

As for my review, I hope it influenced some one somewhere to get that great game. Hopefully I will be able to contribute more for future issues!

 

Because there will be many MANY more issues!

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Well everyone, it's a definite winner. Great writings, pics, layout, it's great to have. I do get a couple of mags, this one will definitely be on my subscription list.

 

As for my review, I hope it influenced some one somewhere to get that great game. Hopefully I will be able to contribute more for future issues!

 

Because there will be many MANY more issues!

 

I liked your review of Cybermorph, it was great and you refrained from going spastic about it like Dave Halverson did in Gamefan when he reviewed the game (never really figured out what he was on at the time as I have yet to see the little people in the windows waving at you from the buildings, or whatever it was he said).

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