The October/November issue, released in September.
Cover
Content
News
This time the news starts out with a not so great entry: Sega added checks to their Mega Drive games to prevent imported games from working in different regions. The first titles with such a check are Thunderforce 4 and Xenon 2. Additionally, a news item on the second page warns about pirated copies of as of yet unreleased games being distributed, Mic & Mac: Global Gladiators being the newest one. As these games are not yet released, the pirated copies are often unfinished and might be buggy as well.
On the more regular news entries we get bits on Streets of Rage (Game Gear), Superman (Mega Drive), Super Off Road (Game Gear), Trivial Pursuit (Master System), John Madden ’93 (Mega Drive) and Dolphin (Mega Drive). Going by the screenshots, Dolphin obviously got released under the name “Ecco”. Additionally, there’s an entry confirming that Konami is going to be releasing multiple games for the Mega Drive, the first three being the Turtles game The Hyperstone Heist, Sunset Riders and Tiny Toons.
The “Ultra Shorts” mention that the Mega CD is going to be delayed to Spring 93 at the earliest, due to its lacking games library and some in development titles not being done on time. According to the second entry, Sega is building multiple family-friendly arcades in England and France. Due to the local laws, no such plans exist for Germany. The last short mentions a break-in that happened to an English journalist where among other things, a Mega Drive and some games were stolen, while the Nintendo system was left untouched. Apparently, a thief with taste, according to the writer…
Interview
After the report on the Sega Championship in the last issue, this one features an interview with the freshly baked European champion in Sega games, Reza Abdolali, who won the German Championship in June.
Previews
This issue features a few more game previews: Thunderforce 4 (Mega Drive), Mega-Lo-Mania (Mega Drive), Lemmings (Master System), Shinobi 2 (Game Gear) and Sonic 2 (Mega Drive).
Complaints Corner
The senior editor wonders who at Sega decides what titles get released in Europe. While a great Game Gear game like Aleste does not get a release, something like Super Kick Off is pushed to market. As Sega only gives publishers a limited amount of “slots” for European releases, bad titles like Galaxy Force, Super Hydlide or Paperboy see a release while more interesting ones like Cadash or Gley Lancer are nowhere to be seen. Other titles like Batman only come to Europe 18 months after their release in Japan. Pretty glad this sort of thing doesn’t happen as often anymore.
“On Topic”
The special asides this time are about Ice Hockey, Tabletop Fantasy RPGs and Indiana Jones (specifically the Last Crusade movie).
RPG-Special
Originally planned for the previous issue, but delayed due to the CES coverage, this issue sports a 5-page special on role-playing games for the Sega systems. After a 2-page article on the topic, there are 2 ½ pages of short reviews and lastly half a page with a list of RPG-terms with explanations.
The games are as follows:
Master System: Phantasy Star (2-), Golden Axe Warrior (1-), Heroes of the Lance (3), Ultima IV (3-) and Y’s (2-)
Mega Drive: Buck Rogers (2-), Phantasy Star 2 (2), Phantasy Star 3 (2-), Shining in the Darkness (2), Might and Magic (2-), Starflight (1-) and Dungeons & Dragons (2).
Game Gear: Crystal Warriors (2).
Reviews
Rating spectrum: 1 (best) to 6 (worst), with possible + and – modifiers.
Mega Drive
NHLPA Hockey ’93: 1
Aquatic Games: 2
NFL Sports Talk Football: 2
Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge: 4-
Grand Slam Tennis: 2
Batman: 3-
Greendog: 3
Paperboy: 4
Speedball 2: 2-
Gley Lancer: 2-
Xenon 2: 3
Corporation: 4-
DJ Boy: 4
Crüe Ball: 3
Test Drive 2: The Duell: 3
Master System
Space Gun: 5-
Back to the Future 3: 4
Speedball 2: 2-
Prince of Persia: 2
New Zealand Story: 2-
Game Gear
Out Run Europa: 4
Taz-Mania: 2
Terminator: 4
Paperboy: 3
Prince of Persia: 2
Super Kick Off: 4-
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: 3-
The Rest
“Toys”, Classifieds, Tips & Tricks, Music, TV&Video… Encyclopedia games: Altered Beast (Mega Drive): 4, Arnold Palmers Tournament Golf (Mega Drive): 2-, Alex Kidd: Enchanted Castle (Mega Drive): 3-, Alien Storm (Mega Drive): 2-, Black to the Future 2 (Master System): 5, Battle Out Run (Master System): 3-, Bank Panic (Master System): 3- and Basketball Nightmare (Master System): 4-
Preview
The preview covers the whole page again, unlike last issue. Planned reviews are Team USA (unspecified system, but likely the Mega Drive), Vampire (Master System), Popils (Game Gear) and LHX Attack Chopper (Mega Drive). A Sonic 2 special is mentioned as well as the next issue being the “Christmas Issue”. The planned release date was the 19th of November 1992.