Favorite Gaming mag?

[Vigilante8]

EGM? Tips & Tricks? Gamepro? NP?

my fav gaming mag would have to be tips & tricks, of course i praise them for haveing 'the collectors closet'

[Half Japanese]

My favorite still-going gaming mag is Play. I like the layout and the content better than pretty much any mag out there, as they're generally not afraid to tell it how it is (a while back they silenced the fanboy hordes by stating the fact that most multiplatform games are simply better graphically and audio-wise on the Xbox, controller preference notwithstanding, than their ps2 and GCN counterparts). When they get their hands on a game to do a special feature on, they don't waste your time, but instead write an in-depth article that features tons of useful and interesting information (see: Castlevania issue, last month's Demon Stone issue, etc.). As far as the writing and devotion to the hobby go, there is nothing finer currently in print.

A close runner up would be the UK's GamesTM, which is a fine magazine that offers up some pretty harsh reviews and has one of the thickest mags out every month (featuring a decidedly awesome retro section, with the main focus being on a different system every month). Well worth the $10 you can purchase it for at Barnes & Noble.

[MarioAllStar2600]

Tips & Tricks but I only use like 15% of the magazine. The guides are very helpful, collectors closet is great, japan report is fun, cool stuff, sprts desk, and sometimes there is an intresting tidbut in the final fantasy thing. I like select games and previews also. My fav. game magazine.

[Parodius]

UK mag Games TM gets a vote from me as well. You really get what you pay for. ( www.paragon.co.uk )

UK magazine Edge is my overall favorite though. It is a bit more serious than Games TM. It is really a hardcore gamer's mag for hardcore gamers with production values second to none. ( www.edge-online.com )

Edge is like a glossier Cineaste to Games TM's Premiere, to EGM's Entertainment Weekly, to Gamepro's People Magazine.

For US magazines I have to say Play or Game Informer as Next Generation is no longer around.

Though lots more expensive British magazines offer so much more for your money. They aren't as advertising driven and offer much more editorial content and higher production values compared with our magazines.

....and no offence MarioAllstar but IMHO a real games magazine doesn't have a tips/codes/solutions section. ;)

[zmweasel]

Though lots more expensive British magazines offer so much more for your money. They aren't as advertising driven and offer much more editorial content and higher production values compared with our magazines.

For what it's worth, UK magazines get away with less advertising than US magazines because it's much cheaper to distribute a magazine across an island than a continent.

-- Z.

[junglehunter]

I occasionally read Tips & Tricks but just for the Collector's Closet/Cool Stuff sections. Other than that, most mags nowadays suck. :o

[tholly]

i know most people probably dont like it, but i like Nintendo Power

i grew up on Nintendo and i am a big fan of the company, so....even if it is a self written mag, i still love hearing nintendo news

[Steven]

For me, the best game mag ever.

SEGA SATURN MAGAZINE (UK)

Ran from Nov. 95 to Nov. 98

Diehard enthusiasts writing for diehard Saturn fans. Oh man it was beautiful. These mags (37 in all) are hard and expensive to hunt down as well. I'm just 3 issues away from completion. I won a lot of 29 of them almost one year ago. Freaking cost an arm and leg but if I could do it all over again I would have done the same thing.

Sniped with no time to go! :D

Long live the SSM gang! Rich Leadbetter we are not worthy!

[Evil E]

OXM

[swlovinist]

I used to dig EGM, till they went to a totally different format :o The only reason I still collect the dam thing is because I have stuck with it since issue 9. I usually dont mind Game Informer, and for only $1.00 an issue, you cant go wrong. EB's mag is not total crap either, and some of the writers are funny. Tips & Tricks is great, but I really only read the section Joe does. I give it respect though, no other mag in the US is doing what that mag does for collectors!

[FantasiaWHT]

I work for EB and EB's mag is total crap LOL IMO at least hehe. I love how in the "Is it hot?" section rating looking forward to games EVERY game gets at least 3/5...

I like EGM for the multiple-opinion reviews.

Play I've gotten into more, but honestly I don't like interviews too much, which they REALLY hit heavy. I don't like their review system, but I like their anime section :D

[DigitalSpace]

My current favorite is Game Informer. Before that, I liked Gamepro, but they aren't what they used to be.

[aremid23]

I subscribe and read almost every gaming magazine (usually through the free subscription deals), but my favorite is:

play

Followed by Game Informer and XBN.

DrJustinRamone gave the best reasons to enjoy play, so I won't even attempt to outdo that. I will add that I think they have the best looking screenshots in the business.

[EnemyZero]

Best mag ever is GameFan.....R.I.P.......now I guess EGM :/

[Parodius]

Though lots more expensive British magazines offer so much more for your money. They aren't as advertising driven and offer much more editorial content and higher production values compared with our magazines.

For what it's worth, UK magazines get away with less advertising than US magazines because it's much cheaper to distribute a magazine across an island than a continent.

-- Z.

What? That has nothing to do with it. The business model for UK magazines is set up differently than ours. They get more of their revenue from newsstands and subscription costs whereas our mags get most of their revenue from ads. That is why it is basically free to subscribe to EGM (even to the UK) while Edge will cost you a bit even in the UK.

Think of it as British magazines as premium cable and US magazines as basic cable. You pay more but you get better and more independent content with less advertising.

Now it is nice to pay $20 for 2 years of EGM and not so nice to pay $100 for one year of Edge, but as with most things in life you really get what you pay for.

[swlovinist]

I anyone to question the "Z" should remember that

A. He works in the industry


B. He knows his shit.

[Rogmeister]

Doesn't Play have sections on anime and music? Sorry, but for my hard-earned buck, when I buy a game magazine I'd rather the entire magazine be devoted to games and not just a little over half.

I let some subs lapse but may pick up both Game Informer and PSM again since the subs are both pretty cheap. I do like EGM the most though it's taken a bit of time to get used to the new format. GMR is a fun read though they seem to have dropped the Top 50 lists they had in the back. My least favorite? Possibly GamePro. It's a bit kiddie-fied and I prefer a magazine to have actual reviewers who get real credit, not nameless faces hiding behind made-up cartoon characters...

[Half Japanese]

Yes, Play features a fairly small section in the back of the mag for anime, dvds and music, as well as a usually 2-page "gear" section. It's not necessary, but it's still interesting, and I'd much rather read about those than have an obnoxious ass from Prima giving me "hints and tips" about the "hottest games." Also, I may not be all that big on anime, but the crossover for those that both play games and watch anime is probably staggering.

[Parodius]

I anyone to question the "Z" should remember that

A. He works in the industry


B. He knows his shit.

Bah,

Remember GameFan? or Gamer's Republic? or Next Generation? They tried a similar model here in the US. More expensive subscription cost and a more expensive cover cost. Gamefan was $5.99 at the newsstand adn $25 to subscribe to five years ago. They also had glossier, thicker stock paper, fewer ads, etc. compared with EGM for instance. I don't recall EGM's cover price five years ago but I paid about $10 for a one year subscription.


US magazine Cineaste is another good example. Though not half as glossy and with far fewer pages than Premiere it hardly has any ads and therefore is $6 at the newsstand and $20 for a mere four issues to subscribe to.

Premiere on the other hand costs around $10 for 12 issues. Same distribution area, different business model.

[Rogmeister]

I remember GameFan had the worst subscription service ever. Pay $25 and maybe get 3 or 4 issues...

[Parodius]

I remember GameFan had the worst subscription service ever. Pay $25 and maybe get 3 or 4 issues...

Thank you! Exactly my point. And a contributing reason why they are not around anymore. People simply aren't used to that over here while it is the norm in the UK.

Even though you get what you pay for most people just don't see it that way.

[Gamereviewgod]

I religiously track down GamesTM over at B & N every month. It's just so damn thick, it reminds you of the old holiday EGM issues.

Retro Gamer is decent as well, but it's almost entirely early-PC focused. I learn alot since I have no knowledge of that segment, but they do need a few more pages of console coverage.

In the US, Play is king without question. Game Informer has signifigantly improved over the years, Game Pro is really about the same it's always been with a different design, GMR is entertaining, PSM has dropped off a bit, XBN is great (really close to Next Gen in my book), OPM has improved and is readable, OXBM has always been a fave, Nintendo Power can burn, and Computer Gaming World is basically EGM with PC clothes.

I thinks that's everything I subscribe too. :D

[THXII38]

Retro Gamer is my favourite magazine. :)

The cool thing about it is, that I talk to a lot of the letter page correspondents & articl contributors, and advertisers too, on various message boards.

[Mitch_Naz]

Mostly EGM, but I do also get NP as well

[anagrama]

UK Mags > US Mags.

ACE
Zero
Super Play
Sega Saturn Magazine
Edge
GamesTM

I have yet to see a single US mag that compares to any of the above.
And I think I must be the only person on these boards that doesn't like RetroGamer.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I remember GameFan had the worst subscription service ever. Pay $25 and maybe get 3 or 4 issues...

Yeah same with me! What the fuck. :angry:

Gamefan was still the best though followed by gamers republic and play. I also injoy games TM.

[EnemyZero]

Yeah GameFan had a horrid subscription sending problem, which is why I bought mine from wilson farms every month

[delafro]

It used to be Next Gen, and maybe even the Official Dreamcast Mag, but we know what happened with those... :(


If I had to choose now, I'd probably pick up Game Informer or EGM. And of course, I get Famitsu whenever I can :D

[EnemyZero]

Oh hell how can I forget the official DC mag..doh!l i have every issue still

[RCM]

I anyone to question the "Z" should remember that

A. He works in the industry


B. He knows his shit.

This isnt geared toward "Z." Just b/c one works in the industry doesn't mean that they know their shit. I find that a lot of people i've met in the game journalist industry are far below par. Read my "good friend" Troy Roberts "Gamers Thumb" column on cinescape.com for just one example. Horrible shit really.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[Predatorxs]

Though lots more expensive British magazines offer so much more for your money. They aren't as advertising driven and offer much more editorial content and higher production values compared with our magazines.

For what it's worth, UK magazines get away with less advertising than US magazines because it's much cheaper to distribute a magazine across an island than a continent.

-- Z.

We are an island but a big one in terms of population, the "it costs less to distribute" isn't right really, and the magazines here in the UK aren't exxactly cheap from £2.90 to £5 and £6 which is $7 to $8... and alot of the UK magazines strive to fill magazines with games driven info and not make it advertisment heavy.

Edge is a good mag, i also read up on Cube as well.. comes with a dvd each month of new games and movies, all that for £3.99

:vamp:..XS

[THXII38]

Well, the distribution would be cheaper actually, but for our high fuel prices!

:angry: It's about £4 a gallon or something stupid now.

[Predatorxs]

Well, the distribution would be cheaper actually, but for our high fuel prices!

:angry: It's about £4 a gallon or something stupid now.

I know.. But hell they can buy there own petrol LOL , also i checked out your FFUK it's pretty cool!.. ;)

:vamp:..XS

[TougherToast]

My favorite used to be Next Generation before they went away :(

Now I subscribe to EGM and Game Pro.

[Rogmeister]

I decided (with all this magazine talk) to go ahead and subscribe to a few more magazines. I found one of those discount subscription sites...I managed to subscribe to a year of Game Informer for just under $5 and 3 years of Tips & Tricks for the same price as you usually pay for one year, $20. I may use the old subscription card to sub to PSM.

I just realized there's a magazine I haven't seen in awhile...GameNow. Did that one fold? Also, have any other magazines either folded or debuted in the last half-year or so?

[Rogmeister]

Well, I found the answer to my own question...GameNow has been gone for over half-a-year, it's last issue being the January 2004 edition. Someone should post a list of all currently published U.S. gaming mags so we all know what's out there. Also, is it possible to get a subscription to PSE2? The last issue I had, I looked through it and couldn't find any subscription info at all. :hmm:

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

Game Informer is my current favorite. I used to enjoy reading EGM, but I lost interest in their magazine over the last few years.

[scorch56]

Remember GameFan? or Gamer's Republic? or Next Generation?

That's IT! NextGen! I saw this thread and knew somebody would mention this mag even if it no longer exists; and I couldn't remember the name.

Does anybody know where I can get old issues of this mag? I WANT them again! If you have some for sale.. pleae PM me! I remember they used to review SNES & Genesis games as well back then.

[fennec fox]

Someone should post a list of all currently published U.S. gaming mags so we all know what's out there.

Ziff Davis Media:
- Electronic Gaming Monthly
- Official US PlayStation Magazine
- GMR
- Xbox Nation
- Computer Gaming World

IDG:
- GamePro
- Gamestar
- Code Vault

Future USA:
- PC Gamer
- PSM
- Official Xbox Magazine

Other:
- Game Informer
- Play
- PSE2
- Computer Games
- Tips and Tricks
- Nintendo Power

Think that's it...

[Rogmeister]

Well, I'm familiar with all those you did mention but I know you did miss a couple...

Tips & Tricks--Of all the ones to forget...the one our own Joe Santulli does a column for!

Nintendo Power

PSM--One of the Playstation-exclusive magazines...

I also saw one other new magazine but the title escapes me right now.

[ianoid]

I am a huge fan of Game Informer. Of course the classic section in Tips and Tricks is fantastic (Joe!) I love their midwest sensibility and self-depricating humor.

GI has great scathing reviews, some a little lathering, but generally pretty accurate picking out the superstars. Enjoyable writing for reviews. Features are kinda dull, but they are pretty much promotional, so it's hard to make them tell it like it is.

I thought (years back when I was in the UK visiting) that UK mags were better. US mags only recently got as entertaining and honest.

[neo-zen]

i love gamefan, r.i.p.

now i just read what intrest me im not too picky.

[YoshiM]

IGN. I do have subscriptions to magazines (some free, some part of a funky "magazine subscription sale" my wife got, one I actually paid for) but they are only good for a quick read to see if anything catches my interest then a quick toss to the "donate" pile. I've pretty much been doing most of my game reading online since 1996 when the N64.com was around.

If I had to pick a modern magazine I'd say it's OXM. Not because it's got great writing or a lot of content (thin magazine) but because it comes with a demo disc.

Nothing so far has matched the quality of VG&CE in my eyes.

[zmweasel]

I anyone to question the "Z" should remember that

A. He works in the industry


B. He knows his shit.

Unfortunately, in this case, I was totally wrong and didn't know my shit at all. Thanks to the posters who cleared up my outdated misconception, which I'd received from a UK mag editor back in the early '90s.

Also, I don't know that a journo-weasel such as myself can claim to work in the videogame industry. During my Working Designs stint, I was "in," but as a journalist, nah.

-- Z.

[abdul]

as of now, I have a subscription to OXM and Nintendo Power, and I love NP, great layout, with excellent content.

Gamefan and Gamers Republic are probably the best, even thought I only own one issue of each.

[The Manimal]

Nintendo Power 1990-1994

[jezt]

Tips and Tricks, Mostly for the Collectors closet section,
I have also taken to GI lately

Tips and Tricks is my fave though.

Collectors Closet Rocks :D

[Neonsolid]

Gone.

[max 330 mega]

WOO 200 posts! :)

gamefan is the best gaming mag ever

but now i settle for egm and nintendo power. :o

[LiquidX01]

I have had a subscription to EGM for like 6 years now and its still my favorite. Tips and Tricks is OK...The collectors closet is the best part of it. I F-ing hate GamePro and have'nt really checked out any others.

[Barbarianoutkast85]

The only gaming magazine ive ever had a subscription to was PSM because it was a dollar an issue and it was worth every dollar

[PhoeniX]

I have to say my favorite gaming mag, has to be my long venerated Nintendo Power. Sure its not what it used to be, but I LOVE the first 50 or so issues, not to mention that on a bookshelf a complete collection looks really nice (how cool is it that it has been out for like 16 years!) Granted the writting is a little banal even childlike at times, but in its biased self indulgent pages a real spirit of reverence is created around nintendo; it really creates a sense of community. I even think that its irrationally flippant self promotion is even cute at times. Reading the early 90's mags would lead you to believe that they were the only company. Later, we learned of the exclusive square FF titles for the NU64 (oops, bad idea to make that a selling point). Even today NPs E3 coverage might lead you to think they were the only company there people wanted to see.

But, finally, the best for last, the real reason I like NP, the ultra cool looking councelors from the councelors corner. I remember being a weee lad and wishing that someday I too would be a mullet clad profesional video game guy. :)

[Daniel Thomas]

I've noticed that Andy Eddy is writing a column in Tips and Tricks. How about that, eh? This is the closest we've come to bringing back the old VG&CE crew.

Heck, why don't they just bring VG&CE back? I'll pay for that. Hell, I'd work for them for peanuts if the chance came by.

[Rogmeister]

I recently subscribed to Game Informer and yesterday I received my first two issues. Naturally, I'd already bought the first one off the stands myself. I hate when they do that...

[Fuyukaze]

The curent mags, I guess it would be game informer and OXM. I dont realy like either much but they are the best I have seen so far (dont get tips & tricks localy). All the mags I realy love to read are dead. ODCM and PC Acelerator. XBM does have a few editors from both mags but its still missing something I enjoyed about the other 2 mags.

[chicnstu]

I love Game Informer. The don't talk crap about any of the consoles and they seem to LOVE Nintendo. They are one of the few magazines that actually likes Nintendo and doesn't just slap a rating on there so that people won't send in hate mail.

[ig88vsbobafett]

Well mine used to be EGM but now its Game informer ( i just love the lay out)