Video Games Issue 15

PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE

• Atari VCS - Atari 2600
• Atari 400 - 800
• Commodore VIC-20
• Commodore 64
• Texas Instruments 99/4A
• Coleco Gemini
• arcade

(TOC transcription follows, with (notes) and bullet lists added for clarity.)

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FEATURES

THE RITES OF PASSAGE

An open letter to all game designers. (by Moses Ma; 'The Rites of Passage: An Open Letter to Video Game Designers')

ALTERNATIVE FORMATS

Plugging into interactive telecommunications and games. (by Susan D. Prince; 'At Your Service: Plugging Into Interactive Telecommunications and Games')

MIKE USLAN

The evolution of videodiscs. (by Richard Goodwin; 'Mike Uslan and the Evolution of Videodiscs: Interactive Game Play Comes Home')

SENSORY FEEDBACK

Computer intelligence? Fact or fiction. (by George Mazzei; "Computer Development Looks Toward Touch, Sight and Sound')

AN ACT OF CREATION

Rob Fulop take you behind the scenes of home game design.

SPECIAL SECTION:

THE LASERDISC AGE BEGINS

The latest arcade game introductions: Dragon's Lair; Space Ace; Laser Grand Prix; Bega's Battle and M.A.C.H. 3.

• The LaserDisc Age Begins: Don Bluth's Animation Leads the Way to a New Coin-Op World (by Mary Claire Blakeman)
• Fantastic Fantasy: Data East's Bega's Battle (by Mary Claire Blakeman; includes 'Japanese Super Heroes Get Americanized in Bega's Battle' sidebar)
• The Racer's Edge: Taito's Laser Grand Prix (by Jim Gorzelany)
• Airbourne Adventure: Gottlieb/Mylstar's M.A.C.H. 3 (by Jim Gorzelany)

DEPARTMENTS

HYPERSPACE (editorial)

Insights into the issue at hand.

DOUBLESPEAK (letters column)

VIDEO GAMES' readers speak out.

BLIPS (news section)

Artists byte the computer bug; A videogaming digest; cartoon capers; lone star sensation and lots more.

• Artists Byte The Computer Bug (computer-generated art exhibit)
• Club Feats (Apple Computer offers club organization kits, competition)
• Design Competition (The Kraft Kideo Game Contest; nutrition-themed game design contest)
• Video Gaming Digest (World Game Records; magazine tracking high scores)
• Sticky Business (new line of Coin Controls Inc. controllers)
• Lone Star Sensation (TI 99/4A contest)
• Cartoon Capers (B.C. comic strip themed video games; including Quest for Tires, Wiztype)
• What's In Store: Part II (Electronic Boutique's contact info)

COIN-OP SHOP

New game themes and developing trends; Cluster Buster; Juno First; Pro Bowling and Elevator Action. (commentary and arcade reviews by John Holmstrom; 'New Game Themes And Developing Trends;' while the TOC description indicates a review of Elevator Action, Starjacker is reviewed instead)

SOFT SPOT

Galaxian; Q*bert; Moonsweeper; Pooyan and more. (commentary and Atari 2600 game reviews by Dan Persons; 'Year-End Outlook: Home Games Getting Better and Better)

• Galaxian
• Q*bert
• Moonsweeper
• Pooyan
• Ghost Manor/Spike's Peak
• Porky's
• Strategy X
• Kangaroo
• Marine Wars

COMPUTER CORNER

Game for the Commodore 64 and more. (commentary and game reviews by Mark Brownstein, Dawn Gordon and Dan Persons; 'Games On View For The Commodore 64;' includes 'Games For The TI 99/4A' commentary)

• Neutral Zone (C64 disk/tape)
• Supercuda (C64 disk/tape)
• Saint Nick (994A cart)
• Rabbit Trail (994A cart)
• Astroblitz (VIC20 cart)
• Flip 'N' Match (VIC20 cart)
• Serpentine (VIC20 cart)
• Space Eggs (400/800 disk)
• Gorf (VIC20 cart)
• Snake Byte (400/800 disk)
• Wayout (400/800 disk)
• Fast Eddie (VIC20 cart)
• Cyclod (400/800 disk)
• Turmoil (VIC20 cart)

HARD SELL

Coleco's Gemini: Dual purpose game system. (by Mike Sittnick)

STATS (high scores and Top lists)

Cover Illustration Courtesy of Don Bluth Animation.