Retro Gamer Magazine Interview VC Reviews

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Posted Thu, 17 Jul 2008 - By Darren Calvert

Pick up Retro Gamer issue #53 today!

Pick up Retro Gamer issue #53 today!

Recently we did an interview with Retro Gamer magazine about the success of VC Reviews and our thoughts on the Virtual Console service so far. If you are interested to read it why not pick up the magazine (issue #53) and take a look for yourself? It is available today in all good newsagents such as WHSmiths in the UK.

For our many international readers, we would hate for you to feel left out so our pals at Retro Gamer kindly agreed for us to host a scan of the interview for you to have a look at here:

Untitled Retro Gamer interview

VC Reviews is no stranger to fame of course. Our longstanding readers may recall our interview with GamesTM way back in Feb 2007 or even when the site featured on German TV show WiiMotion.

Aside from our interview this month, there is lots of other great stuff to entertain any self-respecting retro gaming geek or otaku in this issue, including our very own Damien McFerran’s retrospective on NEC’s PC-FX system. There is also a nostalgic look at Konami’s key franchises along with features on Alex Kidd, Marble Madness and the Star Wars series of games. Basically more great retro stuff than you can shake a stick at!

Posted in Features, 15 Secs of Fame.

Have your say about this story

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1. Madmanonfire Canada 17 Jul 2008, 14:38 GMT

Congratulations with the interview.

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2. Adam United States 17 Jul 2008, 14:40 GMT

Sounds like quite a cool magazine. Congratulations!

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3. angel m. rivera collazo Puerto Rico 17 Jul 2008, 15:13 GMT

good work vc reviews! a retro gamer magazine?...thanks!

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4. Adamant Norway 17 Jul 2008, 15:16 GMT

Yeah, it's an amazing magazine, and I suggest all who can start preordering as soon as possible.

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5. Tides of Chaos United States 17 Jul 2008, 15:18 GMT

I wish they had that magazine here. I want to read about Marble Madness! :(

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6. Dazza United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 15:26 GMT

@Tides - Corbie told me his local comic book store in Texas actually imports Retro Gamer so he picks it up now and then. It might be worth emailing them to ask if they stock it in certain stores in the USA.

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7. Bass X0 United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 15:36 GMT

VC Reviews really is the best place online for the vc. Yeah, I'm sure I'd enjoy it but I don't have much money to spend on video game mazines - I only get NGamer and NOM these days. The rest goes on comics and Transformers - I'm not even buying as much games these days like I used to. Surprisingly, I'm playing Tingle's Rupeeland on DS more than I am Smash Bros. Brawl even though I got both about the same time.

8. Jupiter Adept Canada 17 Jul 2008, 16:03 GMT

Why didn't you mention me!?!?

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9. slangman United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 16:13 GMT

Awesome congrats on the interview. I always like to have the odd glance of Retro Gamer in WHSmith, though i always find it quite expensive so i end up not getting it.

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10. megacody United States 17 Jul 2008, 16:20 GMT

A retro gaming magazine!? Why doesn't America have this? Why haven't I emailed them already about this?

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11. Sharecrow United States 17 Jul 2008, 16:28 GMT

@Dazza - whereabouts in Texas? I happen to live there, that's why I thought I'd ask. I may email them too; I bet I would really enjoy that magazine! I spend more time playing old games than I do new ones....

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12. mwellert Canada 17 Jul 2008, 16:53 GMT

I picked up a copy of the previous Retro Gamer at McNally Robinson. You might want to checkout one of your larger bookstore retailers for the magazine as they might have it. And yes the magazine is wicked.

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13. Bensei Austria 17 Jul 2008, 17:32 GMT

lol'd at the "old! where normally stands "new!"

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14. Cally United States 17 Jul 2008, 18:10 GMT

Congrats VC-reviews. I've picked up this mag a few times in the store, actually. I saw that comment about Zelda 2 . . . that's a good fight. :)

I'd had a thought for a while about something. Everybody has their games' list on their profiles along with the rating they gave each one. Why not make it so we can check out each others' individual lists?

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15. Rexy United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 18:12 GMT

Congratulations - I managed to read through the article and I must say it was very apprehensive.

Now, let's shoot for 200 comments in less than a day thanks to the promotion :D

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16. Corbie United States 17 Jul 2008, 19:14 GMT

I live in the Midland/Odessa area and the Hastings store here carries the Retrogamer magazine as well as J.S. Comics. We have two Hastings stores around here and I've seen the magazine at both stores fairly frequently. There are a couple of other UK gaming mags there as well, I just can't remember their names. :)

BTW: If you love classic games, Retrogamer is the best mag out there. It's really the only magazine I still read with any type of frequency.

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17. retrogarden United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 19:26 GMT

I bought and love the magazine, and was surprised to see this site at it.

You do a great job, keep at it :)

18. saturnkid United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 20:18 GMT

retroGAMER is the only magazine worth buying anymore.

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19. Kevin United States 17 Jul 2008, 20:33 GMT

Congrats!

20. dimlylitmonkey United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 20:49 GMT

I was hoping that my favourite retro mag and website would mention one another, but I didn't realize Damo had already written for them. Turns out he did their 'Making of StarFox' article way back. It's a good 'un too (it's compiled in Vol.1 of the Retro Gamer collection 'bookazine'; get it!).
Anyway, I'll be popping into town to pick this baby up tomorrow. Good stuff.

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21. D00M United Kingdom 17 Jul 2008, 22:17 GMT

RetroGamer is a great read, I just had to pick up the Manic Miner issue, a two page spread of all the levels! Brought back some great frustrating memories :)

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22. ballkirby1 United States 17 Jul 2008, 23:19 GMT

I used to always read Retro gamer in my mall because it's so expensive I didn't buy it.

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23. timp29 Australia 17 Jul 2008, 23:31 GMT

VC-reviews is no doubt the best site for retro games of vc fame... unfortunately tho, nintendo has let you guys down lately with a fairly significant slowdown in content :(
Still I read the news posts like a forum troll, so kudos to you guys, congrats!

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24. Mr. Cheez United States 17 Jul 2008, 23:40 GMT

Yay, people know we exist!

A magazine devoted completely to retro games? I'd like to take a gander at this magazine! Never saw it in any American bookstore before.

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25. jackaroo Spain 18 Jul 2008, 00:26 GMT

Sweet. Im a RG Subscriber so ill read about it when it comes in my postbox. Also Mr Cheez its a UK Mag so thats why you probably havent seen it.

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26. Sharecrow United States 18 Jul 2008, 00:28 GMT

I finally read the interview and it was pretty good. I need to look around some for this magazine - I bet I would like it a bunch. I wonder if they allow American subscriptions....

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27. deadly.by.design United States 18 Jul 2008, 02:41 GMT

Nice work. As others have said, it's a shame there's no equivalent in the U.S.

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28. Adamant Norway 18 Jul 2008, 03:02 GMT

@Sharecrow: Yes, they allow worldwide subscriptions. Be aware that it's going to seem rather pricy to an American, though, since Britain has far higher wage level than the US. A year's subscription will cost you 160$.

https://secure.widearea.co.uk/cisubs/IMAG/RET/WEB100

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29. Mr. Cheez United States 18 Jul 2008, 04:13 GMT

^$160 for a 1-year subscription? YIKES! :o

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30. Sharecrow United States 18 Jul 2008, 04:24 GMT

@Adamant - not too bad.....probably worth it. I'll look into it after I move into my new place....

Thanks!

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31. Nobarai United States 18 Jul 2008, 04:43 GMT

160 Bucks?!? HOLYCRAPTHATSREALLYEXPENSIVE!!!
I mean jeez! I could get a good three Wii Games or 15,000 Wii points and a couple energy shots for that much!!

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32. Adamant Norway 18 Jul 2008, 04:53 GMT

@Mr. Cheez: No, really 80£.
See...
a) It's a niche magazine. They're not cheap.
b) It's being shipped halfway across the world. That's not cheap. UK subscribers pay around 100$ a year.
c) Britons are richer than you and have more money to spend. Would you buy factory-new games for 100$? They would, gladly. Would you accept a job for 10$ an hour. They'd spit in the guy's face. This is a British magazine, so the price is tailored to their economy.

So, if we remove 60$ for extreme shipping costs, then halve the remainder to accomodate to your lousy economy, we got 50$ for 13 issues of a relatively sizy niche magazine straight to your doorstep. That's not too bad, is it?

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33. Mr. Cheez United States 18 Jul 2008, 06:29 GMT

Well, now that you put it that way, no. I guess it's not too bad. Those damn Brits.

I'm pretty rich anyway, so I guess costs aren't a huge problem. :D

But I'm sure my parents would still blow a gasket if I paid 160 dollars for a subscription to a magazine across the globe. :(

Thanks for the free economy lessons!

34. dimlylitmonkey United Kingdom 18 Jul 2008, 09:00 GMT

...actually, I think I'll just send my butler to fetch a copy.

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35. link64 United Kingdom 18 Jul 2008, 15:08 GMT

Adamant
GDP - per capita us $45,800
GDP - per capita uk $35,100

would people please stop repeating this myth that people in the uk are richer than people in the us.

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36. Bananiac Germany 18 Jul 2008, 15:47 GMT

Cool. Didn't even know such a publication exists! Shame you don't get it here in Germany... although I might check out the international press store at Munich's train station. They feature quite a good selection of magazines, maybe I find myself a hardcopy of the retro gamer :)

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37. William Netherlands 18 Jul 2008, 17:53 GMT

You also got a little mention in Gamesmaster magazine. Did you ever get that scan I sent you?

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38. vherub United States 18 Jul 2008, 19:14 GMT

nice write-up. For vc reviews of games I haven't played or forgotten about, I definitely consider this site a top resource.

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39. Dazza United Kingdom 18 Jul 2008, 21:58 GMT

@William - Yes I still have the scan of the Gamesmaster shout out!

Awesome stuff, now whos next? :-p

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40. TBoneTony Australia 19 Jul 2008, 09:22 GMT

I just got Retro Gamer issue 50 this week,

that is because of the 3 month delay that I have to wait for a UK Magazine

Anyway, I am so thankful for the Virtual Console because it reminds me of a time when Videogames never had to please anyone just to be important.

Because to gamers like me, Videogames are always something spescial because Videogames were great by just being themselves.

and that is fun.

I just feel that even though the Wii is appealing to the casual audience, it sometimes feels like Nintendo has never listened to those like me who wish for some good quality RPG action that I always wanted for a long long time.

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41. Clayfrd United States 19 Jul 2008, 17:10 GMT

Actually, this magazine is available in the States (at least at a book store where I live). I'll check it out. I actually have a copy here at my house with Street Fighter II as the feature/cover. I had no idea a subscription was $160!

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42. redrum666 United States 19 Jul 2008, 18:19 GMT

i have seen this magazine on sale at Borders book store and Barnes And Noble the only problem is the issue they have is a few months old you would have to wait a few moths for them to get this issue

43. Bendover83 United States 19 Jul 2008, 19:20 GMT

I've seen them also at Borders book stores.

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44. That Guy from Faxanadu Sweden 19 Jul 2008, 20:49 GMT

Too bad Retro Gamer cost as much as an average Neo Geo cart here in Sweden. It´s a fun magazine.

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45. timp29 Australia 20 Jul 2008, 01:27 GMT

Wow, how well has retro gamer done out of this thread?
@TBoneTony: whered you find it in aus?

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46. ChocoDK Canada 21 Jul 2008, 03:34 GMT

Congratulations on your interview =).

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47. stinssd United States 21 Jul 2008, 04:42 GMT

£80 for 13 issues shipped to the USA? Hmmm. It looks like a fun mag, but eighty quid?

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48. ZEIDO Jordan 21 Jul 2008, 14:44 GMT

My fave magazine. Got every issue since number 4..... my daily bathroom reading :)

Go VC Reviews

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49. Wiinze Italy 22 Jul 2008, 10:48 GMT

This awesome magazine has been published in Italy (in italian language) for several months. For some reasons (maybe due to the low amount of sales), the publishing house has discontinued it. Too bad. :(

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