"Classic Gamer" letter in EGM

[grimbal]

In the current issue of EGM (#192) in the letters section a guy submitted a picture of his "Galaga" tattoo.

If you look at the picture he submitted it is cleary a picture from the box cover of Yar's Revenge. x_x

I've included a scan of the picture for your own inspection:

http://img232.echo.cx/img232/1361/yarsrevenge0rx.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

------------------
Here's the text from the article word for word:

"Old-school gaminggraffitied onto my arm: This Galaga tat is still a work in progress. It'll be a half sleeve soon enough (it all depends on whether or not I can sell my '71 waterbed-in-the-back, mural-of-your-mom-and-a-dragon-on-the-side Dodge van)"
------------------

Extra money. Couple of hundred dollars

No brains. Free at birth

Getting a tattoo of one game when you think you're getting another. Priceless

[Fuyukaze]

Me and a friend saw the same thing and laughed our ass off at it. It reminds us of all those people who get "asian" tatoos that either say nothing, or say something like man whore and think it looks cool cause they were told it ment strong, lover, or some such.

[esquire]

Man, the editor at EGM needs to be fired because he clearly is not doing his job. First the rip on Dangeboy's auction, which if actually read stated is was a joke auction not to be bid on, and now this. I am beginning to wonder if that free 12 month subscription I just signed up for it that other thread is even worth it. Sure its free, but if they can't even get their facts straight on two little things like these, why bother? You still lose your time reading their idiocy. Now I know why I like Game Informer.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Getting a tattoo of one game when you think you're getting another. Priceless

Yeah it has to be a editors mistake or something. I mean Wouldn't he need a copy or picture of the Yar's Revenge boxart to get it done anyways? It would say the name of the game right on it.



It reminds us of all those people who get "asian" tatoos that either say nothing, or say something like man whore and think it looks cool cause they were told it ment strong, lover, or some such.

:above me:

Haha, so true.

[Ed Oscuro]

Man, the editor at EGM needs to be fired because he clearly is not doing his job.
It's not just EGM, though...

We recently discovered over at the CV Dungeon Forums that Nintendo Power got its facts wrong on who directed CotM (there had been some controversy over statements Igarashi, director of SotN, HoD, and AoS, had made about CotM), in stating that it was Iga. Far from the truth, as we discovered, here (http://www.forumplanet.com/classicgaming/castlevania/topic.asp?fid=3691&tid=1643583&p=4).

There's more, though...looking again at that same page, our intrepid poster noticed some glaring errors from Gamepro mags of the '90s. Basically, EGM, Gamepro, Nintendo Power...working guys on deadlines make errors, even if this is their passion.

[sabre2922]

"EVEN IF IT THEIR PASSION?" Give me a freakin break LOL these guys no less than a so-called gamer that was winged on PSone every damn issue.

as stated in another post I think that the majority of reviewers and so-called"'CRITICS" they have on EGM staff has next to no video game knowledge past the 16-bit era IF THAT :hmm:

I used to really enjoy EGM not that they have EVER compared to the almighty GAMEFAN but at least they used to have ppl and EDITORS that knew the difference between Galaga and freakin YARS Revenge shit I bet the editor wasnt even born when YARS Revenge was released he probably doesnt even know that it was made by the same man who was responsible for E.T. LOL

I respect your posts ED but they have very little "PASSION" about video games in my opinion.
I think that many of the newest ppl at EGM started their video game experience with PSX anyway their ignorance of video game history both in consoles and games pops up in just about every issue they put out these days.

Here is there list of top overrated games from their May issue:
#10. ICO
#9.SHENMUE
#8.Banjo-Kazooie
#7.Final Fantasy IX
#6. NIGHTS- Nights can u believe this $hit?
#5. Perfect Dark
#4.Donkey Kong 64
#3.KILLER INSTINCT man Im really starting to hate these guys
#2.Donkey Kong Country tell me they arent crazy?
#1. Battle Arena Toshinden

and Honerable mentions go to Mortal Kombat SNES and Genesis, Turok2:seeds of evil N64 and Tomb Raider PSX and Saturn

Wow they went ALL the way baaaack to the 16-bit era with 2 games yeah they are really experienced and passionate about video games x_x You can just see their infinite video gaming knowledge in every one of their choices and how it dates all the way back to the ancient days of Mortal Kombat on SNES. ;)

[AB Positive]

Here is there list of top overrated games from their May issue:

#1. Battle Arena Toshinden



zuh?

Wouldn't a game have to be raved and well thought of to be overrated? I like BAT, but as a fighter it's not really up there in most peoples lists like Soul Calibur or Street fighter.


... or even Killer Instinct.

-AG

[Cthulhu]

I haven't read EGM in quite a while (importing the mag overseas really isn't worth the money) but I still find it the best out of the US gaming mags, even with all its problems. Yeah, they don't seem to give much respect to classic gaming, but EGM is made for the mass market. It's not aimed at people who pay hundreds of dollars for games that are decades old. Yeah, the "Galaga" mistake is sad. And while I haven't read the "top 10 overrated games" article, I too vehemently disagree with some of the games on there (although I will admit that I never did like Nights all that much ^^;). Keep in mind that said article is just one item out of dozens in a single issue, and it was written by one person out of a large staff. It's leaps and bounds better than GamePro or PSX Magazine still LOL

[Graham Mitchell]

I think one of the saddest things about EGM is that, as somebody mentioned, they used to be great...probably the best U.S. gaming magazine. I remember back when they had columns like "the Super Famicom Times" and they were trying to show a lot of imports, and let U.S. gamers what was going on in Japan. The last issue I read had nothing like that. They were raving about God of War and the upcoming Jaws game, though.

Sorry, Cthulhu, I hate them. I've bitched about why I dislike them in many other threads, and I'll spare you the rant, but there's been a change somewhere along the line, and they're not really writing for the same crowd anymore.

[Trevor Belmont]

AdamG said:

Wouldn't a game have to be raved and well thought of to be overrated? I like BAT, but as a fighter it's not really up there in most peoples lists like Soul Calibur or Street fighter.
That's exactly what I was thinking. I didn't even realize Toshinden was even on the radar as far as esteemed or widely praised games go. I'm confused about this choice anywhere on the list, let alone the top spot. Then again maybe my mind's playing tricks on me ... wasn't this one of the first games released for the PSX? Maybe it was looked at as being great during its time.

[Kid Ice]

Here is there list of top overrated games from their May issue:

#1. Battle Arena Toshinden



zuh?

Wouldn't a game have to be raved and well thought of to be overrated? I like BAT, but as a fighter it's not really up there in most peoples lists like Soul Calibur or Street fighter.


... or even Killer Instinct.

-AG

When the game first came out I remember a great deal of adulation. Nowadays I think it's pretty much forgotten. So yeah, it was overrated *then*, but to call it overrated now doesn't make a lot of sense.

EDIT: Oh yeah, if I remember correctly, the principal parties involved in hyping the game were gaming mags such as EGM. x_x

[jslithy]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I didn't even realize Toshinden was even on the radar as far as esteemed or widely praised games go.

I didn't read one bad review for Toshinden when it was released. It was by far the best reviewed of the PSX launch games. One major magazine gave it a 98%, then their highest score (until VF2 came out and they gave it a 99%).

[slip81]

Actually everyone is wrong. That appears to be a tat of the ultra rare R11 game, Galaga vs. Yar for the 7800 LOL

[zmweasel]

I didn't read one bad review for Toshinden when it was released. It was by far the best reviewed of the PSX launch games. One major magazine gave it a 98%, then their highest score (until VF2 came out and they gave it a 99%).

It was very well-reviewed indeed; in fact, I wrote one of those positive reviews. (In my feeble defense, I gave Tekken a higher score.)

It's one of three times in my reviewing career that I fell into the graphic-whore trap and got impaled by punji sticks. I also bungled my reviews of Disgaea (I got too fixated on the 2D-ness) and Super Bombad Racing (I'd just come off my Working Designs stint, and 3D graphics seemed like magic after three years of super-deformed sprites). I'm usually wise enough to give the visuals a passing mention and focus on the gameplay.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

I used to really enjoy EGM not that they have EVER compared to the almighty GAMEFAN but at least they used to have ppl and EDITORS that knew the difference between Galaga and freakin YARS Revenge shit I bet the editor wasnt even born when YARS Revenge was released he probably doesnt even know that it was made by the same man who was responsible for E.T. LOL

Out of curiosity, when were YOU born?

-- Z.

[XxMe2NiKxX]

I have one question. Where's Final Fantasy VII in all of this...?




...You may open fire...


...Now.

[Kroogah]

Here is there list of top overrated games from their May issue:
#10. ICO
#9.SHENMUE
#8.Banjo-Kazooie
#7.Final Fantasy IX
#6. NIGHTS- Nights can u believe this $hit?
#5. Perfect Dark
#4.Donkey Kong 64
#3.KILLER INSTINCT man Im really starting to hate these guys
#2.Donkey Kong Country tell me they arent crazy?
#1. Battle Arena Toshinden


Whoa, I agree with almost all of these. I'd put ICO higher on the list but that's about it.

[RetroYoungen]

Here is there list of top overrated games from their May issue:
#10. ICO
#9.SHENMUE
#8.Banjo-Kazooie
#7.Final Fantasy IX
#6. NIGHTS- Nights can u believe this $hit?
#5. Perfect Dark
#4.Donkey Kong 64
#3.KILLER INSTINCT man Im really starting to hate these guys
#2.Donkey Kong Country tell me they arent crazy?
#1. Battle Arena Toshinden


This is one reason why I don't read that mag anymore.

Maybe some of those they put up there as overrated because some people absolutely HATE them, like personally, I hated Shenmue. Though I take offense to NiGHTS being up there (read: I'm a NiGHTS fanboy , but again, that's just me. :D ). BAT I enjoyed, but I don't really hold it highly at ALL. Just a nice game that's some fun every once in a while.

And I have to say that I think they've lost their passion too. The Yar's mistake I have trouble taking in, as it was released before I was born (I'm an Orwell baby, 1984) and even I know. Galaga? I can't see that as a "simple" mistake.

For example I had a friend who thought his Atari Football t-shirt showed a screenshot from Space Invaders, and he called himself a good, knowledgable gamer.

[Melf]

Now I know why I like Game Informer.

GI is better somehow? I only get it because GS tacks it onto the 10% discount card, otherwise I'd never touch it.

[puxley]

WTB: Rare Galaga vs. Yar on the Atari 7800!!!!
Great idea -- you better hurry up, Atari!

Yeah, I noticed that pic as soon as I started reading the new issue.
Sure, it's a mistake, but I bet Shoe & Crispin would know the difference if you asked them about it. They'll probably mention they screwed up, and maybe even bring up their old "Astrod" joke to boot.

Guys, you'll go crazy if you take those lists too seriously. Look at every list of "100 Greatest" anythings.....it's always crap. I always find lists like that to be just space filling time-wasters.

EGM is not a s good as it used to be. I used to be able to tell who wrote a review without even looking at their byline - guys like Chris Johnston, Dean Hager, and that goofy ass Shawn guy were all funny, distinctive voices. I liked their style and their honesty, and most of them started gaming in the classic era, too.

Now, it seems like every review is by some Justin/Dustin/Jason guy who's
first console was an SNES. They are totally un-interesting and lack the perspective of the older (and presumably now totally burned out) review crew.

I still read EGM becuase no other magazine comes close to giving me the coverage I want. I got a free sub to Game Informer from Gamestop, and I find it to be far more shallow and lame than EGM. Even in it's currently weakened state, EGM is the only game mag I'll actually pay to read.

[esquire]

Now I know why I like Game Informer.

GI is better somehow? I only get it because GS tacks it onto the 10% discount card, otherwise I'd never touch it.

Never said I subscribe to it, just that I like it better. With Classic GI in every issue, along with Retro Reviews and Greatest Game of all time reviews, GI is much better than EGM when it comes to classic gaming. Morever, I am sure they would at least know the difference between Yar's Revenge and Galaga.

I would never pay for a subscription for EGM. I only got my subscription free.

[sabre2922]

I just picked up the JUNE issue with ZELDA on the cover overall a much better issue than the last few months with good coverage on the new Zelda on GC maybe theres hope after all.

also I was born in 1973 the first actaul "home console" that I ever played was the PONG system of my cousins and the first video game system I had was an Atari2600.

Yeah Im an old f&*(% and even though I can read just about any of todays magazines and spot out mistakes in just about any issue especially when they attempt to talk about any retro games or systems in mags like EGM or GameInformer I still make mistakes of my own sometimes when I post on this board and I learn something new about my favorite hobby on a constant basis here thats why I luv this board and about 99% of the fellow gamers that are regulars here.

I honestly think that there are many ppl on this board that would make better Reviewers or Critics for any mag including EGM or any other magazines of the current day than the seemingly very inexperienced gamers that staff the likes of EGM right now that seemed to have been winged on SNES or even PSX ;)

DAMN I MISS GAMEFAN :(

[Kid Ice]

I didn't read one bad review for Toshinden when it was released. It was by far the best reviewed of the PSX launch games. One major magazine gave it a 98%, then their highest score (until VF2 came out and they gave it a 99%).

It was very well-reviewed indeed; in fact, I wrote one of those positive reviews. (In my feeble defense, I gave Tekken a higher score.)

-- Z.

As you should have, they were both outstanding games for their day, as were Donkey Kong Country and Nights. I think it's EGM's reasoning that's really out of whack...I don't think because a game has been done better over time (as is clearly the case with BAT) makes it overrated.

There are a couple games on their list that I am in agreement with because they were overrated at the time of their original release, hello Donkey Kong 64 and Perfect Dark. But just because a game hasn't aged well isn't a good reason to call it overrated.

[Melf]

Why is everyone bashing EGM over this? The mistake was made by the idiot who submitted the letter, not the mag. They simply didn't edit his letter is all.

[FlufflePuff]

I'm usually into bashing EGM as they tend to ignore the retro gamers and focus on the new, but I've come to the realization that they are only catering to their audience. I mean how many people, relative to their total subscription base, would read EGM for retro articles. Probably very few. I generally prefer Game Informer because they at least give nods to pre SNES games. EGMs top 100 lists are really good though. I'm looking forward to the one they kick out for issue #200, but if Halo 2 is on there I will cancel my subscription. And to comment on the overrated games list, I personally thought that list was almost dead on. I wouldn't put ICO on the list, but every other game deserves its spot. I would personally replace FF 9 with FF 7, but that's a small quibble.

[Push Upstairs]

They should have put "Street Fighter 2" on that list...

But then again, EGM did spend two years talking about how every game was not as good at SF2.

[Graham Mitchell]

They should have put "Street Fighter 2" on that list...

But then again, EGM did spend two years talking about how every game was not as good at SF2.

The SNES port was the first game they gave a 10 to. It got straight 10's. I myself was caught up in the hype of that game; I actually thought it was really fun, so I didn't question it at the time. In retrospect, I can hardly see how SF2 is a better game than Zelda: A link to the past, or even Super Mario World.

So, I agree with you...okay back on topic.