May 11, 2009

Retroaction Issue Two Released

After any teaser it is customary for the real thing to come, and the time for this particular real thing has apparently... err... come. All you now have to do to grab your very own, very freeware, very retro and very PDF version of Retroaction #2 is follow this link and click your way to 84 pages of retro gaming goodness. And yes, it is indeed a fantastic new issue of everyone's favourite retro gaming magazine, sporting new writers, shiny design, top quality content and even a few pieces by yours truly. Here's what you can expect:
Features:

Building Classics
We take a look at one of the most successful game engines ever, including the many games developed for it.

The Retr0brite Project
Are your old computers and consoles looking “not-so-mellow yellow”? Then read our Retr0brite feature where we explain how to deal with this problem.

Retromags
Want to re-live old retrogaming nostalgia or discover old publications that you didn’t read first time around? Then join us as we bring details of some of the most popular magazines of olde.

Twilight of the Spectrum
The Sinclair ZX Spectrum didn’t really disappear in the early 1990s. As we explain, in this first part of a huge Spectrum retrospective, Europe enjoyed many years of rubber-keyed gaming...

MAME: Emulator Profile
Often referred to as the best arcade emulator and most recognisable names in the emulation world. We tell you why, while examining the history, the software, and some of the better known games.

Computer Warrior, Part 2
Memoirs of the Computer Warrior comic strip, from the 1980s Eagle comic, where gamers discover how to play computer games within the computer's realm.


Interviews:

Ken Silverman
We talked to Ken Silverman, the creator of the Build engine, about the development of said engine and the games that have appeared on it.

Simon Ullyatt
We managed to corner indie publisher Simon Ullyatt, and chat with him about Cronosoft, new games on old machines, bedroom coding and obscure 8-bit micros.

Mort
The retro magazine scanner king gives us a moment to speak about his scans, the DVDs, his current projects, and future plans.


Regulars:

Retroscene
The latest happenings in the world of retrogaming.

Retro Respect: Hexen
We've all missed a classic during our time (I know I have). This is where we pay respects to the forgotten classics, the misunderstood, and the underdogs.

GamesMaster Lookback, episode 2
Lookback at an episode of the classic GamesMaster television show. The challenges, the games, the celebrities, the journalist commentators, and Dominik.

Raiders of the Lost Arcades: X-Men: Children of the Atom
Unfortunately, the arcade is becoming extinct as a gaming platform, so we take a trek back through time to relive some of the arcades' greatest and underrated games.

Retro Respect: Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
SSI's Tactical RPG gets the Retro Respect treatment.

Killer App: Killer Instinct Gold
These are the games that are so outstanding that you would buy the system just to play that game. The essential games that every retro gamer should play.

How to Cause a Complete Controversy: Night Trap
Forget the GTAs and Manhunts of the new generation of consoles; games were causing controversy from as far back as the 8-bit days. Here we look at the controversy that surrounded these games.

Retro Respect: Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa
We pay respect to one of the Famicom's best Disk System game.

The Weird and Wonderful World of Retrogaming: Traffic
There have been some truly strange games, demos, and cover disks released in the heyday of retrogaming. This is where we dig up some of these weird and daft creations.


Reviews:

Rock Boshers (windows)
BeTiled! (Amstrad CPC)
Legion of the Damned (C64)
Phantomas Tales #1: Marsport (Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum)
K.O. Cruiser (Atari 2600)
W*H*B (ZX Spectrum)
Star Sabre 128K (Amstrad CPC)
Captain S (windows)
Deathchase (Dragon 32, Tandy CoCo)
Frogger (ZX Spectrum)
Nanako Descends to Hell (Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum)
I Need Speed (ZX Spectrum, MSX)
Giddy 3 (Windows)
Danger Tower (MSX)
Sort'em (Amstrad CPC)
Banger Management (ZX Spectrum)
Deep Dungeon (MSX)
Horace Goes Skiing (Windows)
Eternal Light (Amstrad CPC)
Supaplex (ZX Spectrum)
SEUD (ZX Spectrum)
Oh, and please be nice and let the Retroaction forum (and its inhabitants) know what you thought of this very issue.Better yet stay a bit longer and discuss your retro obsessions.

11 comments:

  1. Crikey Gnome, that looks nothing short of brilliant... Gotta get us a copy of that.

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  2. You absolutely have to dear brothers. I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely...

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  3. Yay! Games Master! In which Britain's most notable astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore, appeared as a cyborg who adjudicated video game contests. Classic.

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  4. That's Duke alright..ah..apogee...what a company back there..Great News..

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  5. @ Pacian: Yes? Well, then that's as classic as a classic can get...

    @ Dualnames: And what a coincidence eh? Right at the moment of 3D Realms' death..

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  6. The coincidence is that before entering the site to see what has become of Duke, I had decided to play Duke Nukem (2d) from Apogee, installing it after 7 years on my computer..

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  7. I have to be honest - I was expecting yet another online retro mag for people so stuck in the past that they don't like current games. I only downloaded it because Gnome recommended it... and because Spectrum was in it.

    But hey, it is brilliant! I am reading it and having a lot of unexpected fun. Downloading issue 1 as well!

    Question though - is the person that wrote the ZX Spectrum retrospective the same as the one that wrote the article I was linking to here ( http://www.bartsnews.net/2009/03/heap-of-gnome-inspired-zx-spectrum.html ) or did you or someone else from Retroaction actually use it as a reference?

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  8. Glad you liked Retroaction dear Barts! Thanks! Oh, and as I don't exactly know much about that -admittedly great Speccy piece- besides the fact that it was written by Richard Tarjan, I suggest you ask around at the Retroaction forum.

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  9. Oops the zip download is broken but it's OK, I'll grab the direct PDF download instead.

    Now if only I had the time to actaully read this ...

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  10. Oh, if you start it I'm sure you'll make the time :)

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