Electronic Games LC2 supplements

[RetroDefense]

Hello all,

I've been working on indexing RetroMag's Electronic Games LC2 run and have finished everything except for a couple of mystery supplements. Unfortunately, I don't know which supplement supplemented what issue. I'm hoping the RetroMags community can help - my memory isn't what it used to be, sadly.

The first is the 3DO Holiday Buyer's Guide. It's labeled "Supplement to Electronic Games" but unfortunately doesn't provide the EG issue number. Advertisements within the supplement carry a 1994 copyright date.

The other is EG's Complete Guide To Mortal Kombat II. Also labeled "Supplement To Electronic Games" with no issue number given. In-house ads spotlight EGM & EG issues with Feb-Apr 1994 cover dates. (This supplement actually isn't as complete as it sounds - a companion supplement was included with an issue of EGM back in the day. It's similar in layout design but features different characters.)

Any tips or help is appreciated - thanks!

note: edits in bold

Edited June 9, 2015 by RetroDefense

[Areala]

EGM's Complete Guide to Mortal Kombat II, which was the other half of that MKII supplement, appeared in their June 1993 issue to coincide with the release of the game in arcades. I would surmise EG's guide appeared in their June 1993 as well so they would coincide and give folks a reason to purchase both magazines.

Also, I'm not 100% certain on this, but I would swear the 3DO Holiday Buyer's Guide supplement came with the Winter 1994 issue of EGM2, not Electronic Games. Does the one you have feature Akuma from Super Street Fighter II Turbo on the cover, or was this a different guide?

*huggles*
Areala

[RetroDefense]

EGM's Complete Guide to Mortal Kombat II, which was the other half of that MKII supplement, appeared in their June 1993 issue to coincide with the release of the game in arcades. I would surmise EG's guide appeared in their June 1993 as well so they would coincide and give folks a reason to purchase both magazines.

That certainly makes sense - releasing both supplements in the same month. But looking at the supplement's back cover - an EGM2 house ad - it mentions the "hottest video game mag in the world hits twice a month beginning in July." According to the RetroMags dbase, EGM2 launched in July '94. So I'm thinking this supplement was released sometime in '94? June '94 at the latest? The other house ads seem to fall in this time frame, what with displaying Feb-Apr '94 covers. Perhaps the sup was released alongside a MK II code revision or something, instead of initial release?

Also, I'm not 100% certain on this, but I would swear the 3DO Holiday Buyer's Guide supplement came with the Winter 1994 issue of EGM2, not Electronic Games. Does the one you have feature Akuma from Super Street Fighter II Turbo on the cover, or was this a different guide?

That's the one. The copy I have is clearly labeled "Supplement To Electronic Games" but I wouldn't be surprised if Sendai included it with other 'zines. Or maybe it was a last minute decision and they decided to bundle it with EGM2 instead without revising the cover. I've seen stranger.

Thanks, Areala - you're one of the reasons RetroMags rocks when it comes to this stuff!

[Areala]

That certainly makes sense - releasing both supplements in the same month. But looking at the supplement's back cover - an EGM2 house ad - it mentions the "hottest video game mag in the world hits twice a month beginning in July." According to the RetroMags dbase, EGM2 launched in July '94. So I'm thinking this supplement was released sometime in '94? June '94 at the latest? The other house ads seem to fall in this time frame, what with displaying Feb-Apr '94 covers. Perhaps the sup was released alongside a MK II code revision or something, instead of initial release?

OK, I just realized I made a massive mistake on the dating. I went back to the database to check, browsing covers, and the issue of EGM that carried the first part of their Mortal Kombat II guide was Issue 54, from January of 1994, not July of 1993 as I previously thought. I'd bet almost anything the other half of that supplement came from the January '94 issue of EG, and that makes much, much more sense.

*huggles*

Areala

[RetroDefense]

That definitely fits the time frame!

Man, it was such a mistake, de-bundling all of my supplements from their magazines back in the day. Live and learn.

[Areala]

OK, this drove me so up the wall that I went through and dug out my own copies just to have a look. Good thing I did, because January '94 just wasn't sitting right with me.

The EGM guide came first, and was bundled with the April 1994 issue (Beavis & Butthead are on the cover) to coincide with the v3.1 arcade board release information.

The EG guide was the second one released, and it was bundled with the May 1994 issue (The New Look of Gaming).

EGM's guide on the first page flat out says the second part of the guide is coming "next month in the May issue of Electronic Games" and it will be "On sale everywhere May 21st". I should have just gone and grabbed them in the first place instead of relying on my faulty memory of twenty-freakin'-one years ago (Mortal Kombat II is now officially old enough to drink legally in the US and I want to cry), but then y'all would lose out on the spectacle of me being stupefyingly wrong about something and fumbling to fix it.

So that settles it. EGM's guide comes from Issue 57, and EG's guide comes from Issue 20, and we can put it all in the database so nobody else ever has to ask these questions or hunt through a massive stack of mags to learn the truth, at least where these guys are concerned.

*huggles*
Areala

[RetroDefense]

You're doing far better than I - until digging through my collection the other day, I had forgotten these supplements even existed.

RetroMags Above and Beyond achievement unlocked, Areala - thanks again!

[Areala]

Most welcome.

*huggles*
Areala

[Kombatologist]

Would that EG supplement happen to be uploaded to the site somewhere? Probably not since the May '94 issue hasn't been scanned/uploaded yet, eh? I've been searching high and low for that damn thing.