ISSUE: 23Content
PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE
-
Sega Saturn
-
Sega Genesis
-
Nintendo 64
-
3DO
-
PC - PC CD-ROM - MMX PC
-
Macintosh
-
Sony Playstation
-
arcade
---
(The following is loosely based on this issue's table of contents, with select issue excerpts included. Magazine accurate text formatting (lower case headers, etc) purposefully retained. (Notes) and bullet lists are added for clarity.)
(Beginning this issue, Next Generation began regularly producing 'Disc Editions' of each issue - with a PC/Mac compatible CD-ROM included with the magazine - in addition to the standard, non-disc edition. This disc/non-disc trend would continue until Next Generation #41. This issue, the CD is mentioned in the 'opening' section of the Disc Edition.)
(Starting this issue, the '32-bit gamers guide' begins to include N64 titles and is renamed the 'Next Generation gamers guide.' This issue includes a 32 page inbound Electronics Boutique catalog.)
(CD edition: $7.99 USA, $8.99 Canada; standard edition: $4.99 USA, $5.99 Canada)
(Page 42 of this issue contains a significant misprint, reprinting content from page 39. A correct version of the full article - edited for UK audiences - can be found in Edge #36.)
talking
Who's the real boss of Sony?
Next Generation speaks exclusively with Terry Tokunaka, the President of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan. ('Will the real boss of Sony please step forward?;' five page interview)
breaking
News
(Original news articles along with regular, recurring news features; one page each unless noted. While original news stories regularly included related sidebars, unrelated sidebars would often be used to fill space as well - these are noted.)
Nintendo's leap into the unknown
Are two great games enough? No one knows. Nintendo 64's U.S. launch on September 29 asks gamers to place their bets... (3.5 pages; includes 'The real Mr. Yamauchi' sidebar)
"Sega City" nears online launch
Saturn's NetLink peripheral readies for launch. But so far, the one thing missing is the games...
(Recurring news features; one page each unless noted:)
Crib sheet (sidebar; 'everything gamers should know, but probably forgot;' 'No. 5 Myst')
Stop press (sidebar; 'late-breaking news;' headlines:)
-
No Nintendo 64's for Europe - yet
-
On-line gaming, friend or foe?
-
$149 PlayStation?
-
Psygnosis bidding "starts at $300m"
Datastream (sidebar; numbers related news/trivia)
Joyriding
Gaming on the Internet. ('Play games on the Internet for free? As in, no charge?;' online gaming news by Bernard Yee)
Arcadia
All the latest arcade and coin-op news. (misc. arcade news by Marcus Webb)
In the studio (1/2 page; games in development; from LucasArts, Namco, Blizzard, Konami, Mindscape, Team 17, Sega (Sonic X-treme cancelled))
movers & shakers
The business news that affects the games you play. (misc. business news by Christian Svensson)
Generator
The issues affecting the way games are made. ('You see games. You hear games. Why can't you feel games?;' behind-the-scenes by George Zachary)
Datebook (1/2 page; calendar of events)
Gadget (1/2 page; 'Peripherals, accessories, gizmos, add-ons, thingies, and stuff')
-
Presario 8712 (PC)
-
Game Guru (PC 'game enhancer')
ng hardware
Total recall
A console or a computer lives, thrives, and survives on its memory. So how come so little is known about it? ('Total Recall: the future of data storage;' eight pages, including 'History of RAM' and 'Future Developments' sidebars)
ng special
Artificial life
A new branch of science may fundamentally alter the way we play games. A Next Generation special report. (ten pages, including 'Anark's Galapogos,' 'Computer Artworks,' and 'Millenium Interactive,' articles, and 'Essential Reading' section)
reporting
The great videogame swindle
Just who is responsible for the birth of the videogame industry? Next Generation unveils the real story. ('The Great Videogame Swindle?;' approx. 11 pages; includes comments from Steve Russell, Ralph Baer, Tom Zito, Nolan Bushnell, Al Alcorn; article based on the first four chapters of 'Electronic Nation' by Steven L. Kent)
ng software
Alphas (game previews, sometimes presented as part of a themed overview or interview; one page each unless noted:)
(Next Generation's game previews often varied in scope and size. Smaller previews were usually traditional in presentation, while larger previews often incorporated developer commentary. The largest previews were typically presented as a themed article (focusing on a development studio, accessory, etc) previewing one or more titles and were often accompanied by an interview (noted).)
-
Sega AM Annex (six page studio overview with game previews, including two page 'An interview with Tetsuya Mizuguchi' and 'Sega AM3' sidebar)
-
Gundam Gaiden (Sat)
-
Resident Evil 2 (PS; 1/2 page)
-
Rev Limit (N64; 1/2 page)
-
Toshinden URA (Sat)
-
NFL GameDay '97 (PS)
-
Pro-Yakkyu King (N64)
-
Virtual On (Sat)
-
Steel Legions (PC; three pages)
-
Meridian 59 (PCCD; two pages)
-
Crimewave (Sat)
-
Dark Savior (Sat; three pages)
-
Shadows of the Empire (N64; two pages) (Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire)
-
Killer Instinct Gold (N64)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment U.K. (PS; company overview with various game previews; four pages)
-
StarCraft (PCCD; two pages)
-
Interstate '76 (PCCD; four pages)
-
Wave Race 64 (N64; two pages)
-
Army Men (PCCD; two pages)
-
Crusader: No Remorse (PS,Sat; two pages)
-
Mass Destruction (PS,Sat,PC)
-
Herc's Adventures (Sat)
-
NBA Live '97 (PS,Sat,PC)
-
Titanic (PC,Mac; two pages)
-
POD (MMX PC; two pages)
-
Treasures of the Deep (PS; two pages)
-
Jet Ski Sports (arcade; two pages)
-
Comanche 3 (PCCD)
-
MechWarrior II (PS,Sat; two pages)
rating
Finals
(While all video game magazines make the occasional slip, NEXT Generation's game review section was especially notorious and/or exceptional for reviewing games never formally released in North America, or were instead eventually released under a different title. In some cases an import title would be reviewed with the domestic release also reviewed in a later issue. Japanese import reviews are noted when known. Reviews were usually 1/8th to 1/4th page in length, though this varied wildly and length was never pre-determined - one page reviews would see print on rare occasions. Higher rated and/or spotlighted games would usually receive more page real estate than lower rated.)
PlayStation
-
Beyond the Beyond
-
Black Dawn
-
Crash Bandicoot
-
Gridrunner
-
Project Overkill
-
Die Hard Trilogy
-
SimCity 2000
Saturn
-
Alien Trilogy
-
Robo-Pit
-
Saturn Bomberman (Japan)
-
Tetris Plus
-
Three Dirty Dwarves
-
Virtua Fighter Kids
3DO
-
Olympic Soccer
-
Olympic Summer Games
PC
-
Afterlife
-
Normality
-
Albion
-
Z
-
Qin: Tomb of the Middle Kingdom
-
Shell Shock
Macintosh
-
Indiana Jones and his Desktop Adventures
Genesis
-
NHL '97
Next Generation gamers guide (review score reference guide; one page)
corresponding
Letters
Of course, this is your magazine (without readers, what are we?) so make sure your voice is heard. (reader mail; two pages)
PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE
- Sega Saturn
- Sega Genesis
- Nintendo 64
- 3DO
- PC - PC CD-ROM - MMX PC
- Macintosh
- Sony Playstation
- arcade
---
(The following is loosely based on this issue's table of contents, with select issue excerpts included. Magazine accurate text formatting (lower case headers, etc) purposefully retained. (Notes) and bullet lists are added for clarity.)
(Beginning this issue, Next Generation began regularly producing 'Disc Editions' of each issue - with a PC/Mac compatible CD-ROM included with the magazine - in addition to the standard, non-disc edition. This disc/non-disc trend would continue until Next Generation #41. This issue, the CD is mentioned in the 'opening' section of the Disc Edition.)
(Starting this issue, the '32-bit gamers guide' begins to include N64 titles and is renamed the 'Next Generation gamers guide.' This issue includes a 32 page inbound Electronics Boutique catalog.)
(CD edition: $7.99 USA, $8.99 Canada; standard edition: $4.99 USA, $5.99 Canada)
(Page 42 of this issue contains a significant misprint, reprinting content from page 39. A correct version of the full article - edited for UK audiences - can be found in Edge #36.)
talking
Who's the real boss of Sony?
Next Generation speaks exclusively with Terry Tokunaka, the President of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan. ('Will the real boss of Sony please step forward?;' five page interview)
breaking
News
(Original news articles along with regular, recurring news features; one page each unless noted. While original news stories regularly included related sidebars, unrelated sidebars would often be used to fill space as well - these are noted.)
Nintendo's leap into the unknown
Are two great games enough? No one knows. Nintendo 64's U.S. launch on September 29 asks gamers to place their bets... (3.5 pages; includes 'The real Mr. Yamauchi' sidebar)
"Sega City" nears online launch
Saturn's NetLink peripheral readies for launch. But so far, the one thing missing is the games...
(Recurring news features; one page each unless noted:)
Crib sheet (sidebar; 'everything gamers should know, but probably forgot;' 'No. 5 Myst')
Stop press (sidebar; 'late-breaking news;' headlines:)
- No Nintendo 64's for Europe - yet
- On-line gaming, friend or foe?
- $149 PlayStation?
- Psygnosis bidding "starts at $300m"
Datastream (sidebar; numbers related news/trivia)
Joyriding
Gaming on the Internet. ('Play games on the Internet for free? As in, no charge?;' online gaming news by Bernard Yee)
Arcadia
All the latest arcade and coin-op news. (misc. arcade news by Marcus Webb)
In the studio (1/2 page; games in development; from LucasArts, Namco, Blizzard, Konami, Mindscape, Team 17, Sega (Sonic X-treme cancelled))
movers & shakers
The business news that affects the games you play. (misc. business news by Christian Svensson)
Generator
The issues affecting the way games are made. ('You see games. You hear games. Why can't you feel games?;' behind-the-scenes by George Zachary)
Datebook (1/2 page; calendar of events)
Gadget (1/2 page; 'Peripherals, accessories, gizmos, add-ons, thingies, and stuff')
- Presario 8712 (PC)
- Game Guru (PC 'game enhancer')
ng hardware
Total recall
A console or a computer lives, thrives, and survives on its memory. So how come so little is known about it? ('Total Recall: the future of data storage;' eight pages, including 'History of RAM' and 'Future Developments' sidebars)
ng special
Artificial life
A new branch of science may fundamentally alter the way we play games. A Next Generation special report. (ten pages, including 'Anark's Galapogos,' 'Computer Artworks,' and 'Millenium Interactive,' articles, and 'Essential Reading' section)
reporting
The great videogame swindle
Just who is responsible for the birth of the videogame industry? Next Generation unveils the real story. ('The Great Videogame Swindle?;' approx. 11 pages; includes comments from Steve Russell, Ralph Baer, Tom Zito, Nolan Bushnell, Al Alcorn; article based on the first four chapters of 'Electronic Nation' by Steven L. Kent)
ng software
Alphas (game previews, sometimes presented as part of a themed overview or interview; one page each unless noted:)
(Next Generation's game previews often varied in scope and size. Smaller previews were usually traditional in presentation, while larger previews often incorporated developer commentary. The largest previews were typically presented as a themed article (focusing on a development studio, accessory, etc) previewing one or more titles and were often accompanied by an interview (noted).)
- Sega AM Annex (six page studio overview with game previews, including two page 'An interview with Tetsuya Mizuguchi' and 'Sega AM3' sidebar)
- Gundam Gaiden (Sat)
- Resident Evil 2 (PS; 1/2 page)
- Rev Limit (N64; 1/2 page)
- Toshinden URA (Sat)
- NFL GameDay '97 (PS)
- Pro-Yakkyu King (N64)
- Virtual On (Sat)
- Steel Legions (PC; three pages)
- Meridian 59 (PCCD; two pages)
- Crimewave (Sat)
- Dark Savior (Sat; three pages)
- Shadows of the Empire (N64; two pages) (Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire)
- Killer Instinct Gold (N64)
- Sony Computer Entertainment U.K. (PS; company overview with various game previews; four pages)
- StarCraft (PCCD; two pages)
- Interstate '76 (PCCD; four pages)
- Wave Race 64 (N64; two pages)
- Army Men (PCCD; two pages)
- Crusader: No Remorse (PS,Sat; two pages)
- Mass Destruction (PS,Sat,PC)
- Herc's Adventures (Sat)
- NBA Live '97 (PS,Sat,PC)
- Titanic (PC,Mac; two pages)
- POD (MMX PC; two pages)
- Treasures of the Deep (PS; two pages)
- Jet Ski Sports (arcade; two pages)
- Comanche 3 (PCCD)
- MechWarrior II (PS,Sat; two pages)
rating
Finals
(While all video game magazines make the occasional slip, NEXT Generation's game review section was especially notorious and/or exceptional for reviewing games never formally released in North America, or were instead eventually released under a different title. In some cases an import title would be reviewed with the domestic release also reviewed in a later issue. Japanese import reviews are noted when known. Reviews were usually 1/8th to 1/4th page in length, though this varied wildly and length was never pre-determined - one page reviews would see print on rare occasions. Higher rated and/or spotlighted games would usually receive more page real estate than lower rated.)
PlayStation
- Beyond the Beyond
- Black Dawn
- Crash Bandicoot
- Gridrunner
- Project Overkill
- Die Hard Trilogy
- SimCity 2000
Saturn
- Alien Trilogy
- Robo-Pit
- Saturn Bomberman (Japan)
- Tetris Plus
- Three Dirty Dwarves
- Virtua Fighter Kids
3DO
- Olympic Soccer
- Olympic Summer Games
PC
- Afterlife
- Normality
- Albion
- Z
- Qin: Tomb of the Middle Kingdom
- Shell Shock
Macintosh
- Indiana Jones and his Desktop Adventures
Genesis
- NHL '97
Next Generation gamers guide (review score reference guide; one page)
corresponding
Letters
Of course, this is your magazine (without readers, what are we?) so make sure your voice is heard. (reader mail; two pages)
-
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