Electronic Gaming Monthly's 200th Issue

[swlovinist]

Boy have the mighty fallen. I see EGM as a mere shell of what they used to be. The microsoft interview was seriously half of the magazine. I am sure that the Magazine is just happy to make it to issue 200, although it really shows that the magazine is hurting. Although Game Informer is not perfect by any means, I feel that the magazine has taken over what EGM used be. I have been with EGM since issue 9, and now I feel like leaving it for good. Between Gamestop, IGN, this webpage, I dont think I need EGM anymore. I f I was to buy this piece of shit issue on the stands for 5.99, then I too would feel ripped off.

[RJ]

I just got it yesterday & found it an underwhelming, less-than-exciting read myself, although I did a little pretend dance in the street near the mailbox in front of my wife .

Their criteria was based on how big a deal a given game was, how much they "consumed our lives &...rattled the video game biz" or words/ideas to that effect. They even acknowledged no one would be in total agreement w/ the list, & they felt they had to explain why Pac-Man is "better than"/ranked higher than HALO2, for all those who think HALO2 is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

That being said, they had Moon Patrol (#154) ranked 45 places higher then Super CastleVania IV (#199)? No way.

Legend of Zelda: LttP at #50? Yeah right. I'm playing through it right now for the 1st time & am amazed at how good this game looks, feels, & challenges me!

Tomb Raider shouldve ranked a little higher than #35.

Other than that, I'd say they got the final 20 or so right on.

[MagicMajenta]

Just in case everyone wants to know all 200
Here it is:

200.The quest for rings.
199. Super castelvania IV
198. Utopia
197. NFL 2K1
196. guitar hero
195 the chronicles of riddick
194. nam 1975
193. ssx
192. shadow of the colossus
191. devils crush
190. bushido blade
189 metal gear
188. chu-chu rocket
187. mario party
186. 1080 snowboarding
185. dragon's lair
184 blaster master
183. gorf
182. psychonauts
181. river city ransom
180. super off road
179. magician lord
178. DDR
177. Burgertime
176. flashback
175. oddworld abes oddysee
174. snatcher
173. LOZ: link's awakening
172.Katamari damacy
171.Beyond good & evil
170. Perfect Dark
169. Crazy taxi
168. sega rally championship
167. medal of honor
166. POP: sands of time
165. double dragon
164. bionic commando
163. millitary madness
162. burnout 3
161 devil may cry
160. nights into dreams
159. eco the dolphin
158 herzog zwei
157. LOZ: windwaker
156. legendary axe
155. LOZ: majora's mask
154 moon patrol
153. Y's book I & II
152. cybernator
151.FRONT LINE
150 kirby's adventure
149. ghost's n goblins
148. parappa the rapper
147. spider man (atari)
146. tom clancy's splinter cell
145. road rash
144. international superstar soccer
143 tekken 3
141. paper mario n64
140. panzer dragoon
139. rbi baseball
138. wario ware gba
137. dig dug
136. phantasy star IV
135. ice hockey
134. yar's revenge
133. FFX
132. virtua tennis
131 sinistar
130. twisted metal
129. revenge of shinobi
128 samurai shodown II
127 zaxxon
126. animal crossing GCN
125. MGS GBC
124. Pole posistion
123. battlezone
122. virtual fighter 4
121. ico
120. outrun
119. Castlevania III
118 pro wrestling
117.indy 500
116. shenmue
115. star fox snes
114. card fighter's clash neo geo pocket
113. lunar: silver star sega cd
112. god of war
111. dragon force
110. SF2: alpha arcade
109. gradius
108. SMB2
107. ms pac man
106. donkey kong
105. karate champ
104. wipeout ps1
103 Super mario rpg
102. landstalker
101. ninja gaiden xbox
100.KOTOR
99. final fight
98 strider
97. phantasy II
96. Marble madness
95. nfl blitz arcade
94. centepiede
93. track and field
92. SSBM GCN
91. after burner
90. advanced D & D
89. golden axe
88. Super mario world
87. missle command
86. ridge racer
85. advance wars gba
84. gunstar heroes genesis
83. super mario world 2: yoshi's island
82. MGS2
81. Ikari warriors
80.panzer dragoon saga
79.contra arcade
78. daytona usa arcade
77. Splinter cell pandora
76. halo 2
75. Socom
74. chorno trigger
73.guantlet
72. spy hunter
71. tempest
70. MKII
69.f-zero
68.NFL football
67. RE2
66. rc pro-am
65. RE
64. excite bike
63. breakout
62. frogger
61. pokemon red/blue
59.ff tactics ps1
58. baeball stars
57. virtua racing
56. sonic the hedgehog
55. nba jam arcade
54. defender
53. mega man II
52. metroid prime
51. castelvania
50. LOZ: Link to the past
49.nhpla hockey 93
48.warlords
47.joust
46. RE4
45 john madden football genesis
44. mike tyson's punchout
43. tron arcade
42 r-type
41. Double dragon arcade
40. zelda II: adventure of link
39. combat
38. asteroids
37. virtua fighter 2
36. FFIII
35. tomb raider
34. tony hawk pro skater
33. tecmo bowl
32. robotron 2084
31. star wars arcade
30. castlevania: SOTN
29. FFII
28. galaga
27. FFVII
26. phantasy star
25. gran turismo
24. tetris attack
23. super metroid
22. soul calibur
21. phantasy star online
20. virtua fighter arcade
19. super mario kart snes
18. pitfall
17. halo
16. golden eye 007
15. donkey kong arcade
14. SMB3
13. adventure
12. MGS PS1
11.metroid
10. pong
09. GTAIII
08. LOZ: Orcarina of time
07. space invaders
06. Super mario 64
05.legend of zelda
04. tetris
03. SFII
02. Pac man
01. SUPER MARIO BROS

[ManciGames]

Boy have the mighty fallen. I see EGM as a mere shell of what they used to be. The microsoft interview was seriously half of the magazine.

See, I have no problem with that. I thought they asked some good questions. Some tough questions. A couple even made Peter squirm. The Gates ones were softballs, but, whatever... I thought it was 4 pages well spent.

By the way, I can't remember if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the list is:

The Top 200 Games *Of Their Time*.

Not: The Top 200 Games *Ever*.

That's a pretty big difference, and a nice twist on the usual lists. In other words, what games had the biggest impact at the time of their release. That being the case, there is no question that SMB belongs at #1.

[NeoZeedeater]

That list is better than I expected of them but it's a shame the Wonder Boy/Monster World series got shafted again. I know they can't include everything it's as required as any of the other series' on there.

[swlovinist]

I too thogght the interivew was good, however the rest of the mag is not there. The interview is a good article, but it should not be the main supporting article for the entire magazine. After promoting the 200th issue in thier magazines for monthsw now, the issue comes as a sorry dissapointment. As of now, and what it has been for awhile, the magaine is riding on nostalgia to carry subscribers like myself who have been with the mag for over a decade. I have decided to ride out my subsription and not renew it. I am happy with my decision, and will seek alternative sources for my game info.

[Kid Ice]

By the way, I can't remember if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the list is:

The Top 200 Games *Of Their Time*.

Not: The Top 200 Games *Ever*.

That's a pretty big difference, and a nice twist on the usual lists. In other words, what games had the biggest impact at the time of their release. That being the case, there is no question that SMB belongs at #1.

Wow, that puts the list in a totally different light. I'd like to know how it's possible that Mortal Kombat and Final Fantasy VII didn't make the top 10.

Figures, just when I was starting to like the list. EGM just can't do anything right anymore. And does anyone understand why they have such a boner for Metal Gear Solid?

[NeoZeedeater]

You can vote here for one game EGM missed and they'll make a Top 25 of those later on.
http://egm.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3146608&did=2

Wonder Boy III is the correct way to vote BTW.

[ManciGames]

fter promoting the 200th issue in thier magazines for monthsw now, the issue comes as a sorry dissapointment.

You know, you've got an excellent point there. Agreed.

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

I mainly bought the issue since someone told me that I had a quote in the letter section...

[NE146]

I haven't bought an EGM since the SNES days. But I still happen to have kept most of my old issues. The ones shown are the ones I have left where pages haven't fallen out. And yes, that's a #2 and #4.


In issue 2, Mega Man 2 got all 8's!

I got every single of EGM.. but one thing I've noticed is they always seem to shy away from their true roots.. as EGP!

Electronic Game Player that is. They did mention it once in a small section of the magazine but from what I remember they pretty much dismissed it. Of course that's far from the truth. The magazine is every bit EGM through and through. One read through EGP and comparing it to the white EGM with Megaman 2 on the cover and there's no denying that they are one and the same magazine. Same editors, same layouts, Quarterman, "Direct Hit" reviews etc.

Anyway, I guess I've just always been curious why they seem to shy away from it?

[Rogmeister]

I'm starting to get subscription renewal forms from EGM but I think I'm finally ready to let all of my video game periodical subscriptions expire.

[Zap!]

I bought this issue because I had to see the top 200. Not a bad list, I must say. Remember, it's the top 200 most important games, NOT best games. I haven't bought an issue in years, and I was with them when they were called Electronic Game Player, BEFORE they changed their name to EGM. Still, I wasn't impressed with the rest of the magazine. I would do anything for Steve Harris, Ed Semrad, and Donn Neuert to return.

BTW, how long has the Quartermann column been gone, and why? 15 years ago, that was the first page I went to.

[ManciGames]

BTW, how long has the Quartermann column been gone, and why? 15 years ago, that was the first page I went to.

It's still there. At least it was in #199... But it is a pale shadow of its former self. Whereas that column used to dish some dirt and real scoops, it now just sounds like a really cheesy press release. Here's an example of what it's like now:

"And now, my friends, I've got some exciting news for you! News that only the Quartermann can bring you. I have it from very good inside sources that Sony is readying a sequel to God of War...and get this...it will be on both the PS2 and the PS3! That's right! And remember, you heard it here first!"

No shit? You mean they are making a sequel to a best selling game? Lame.

[ManciGames]

Double post. Three lashings!

[GrayFox]

By the way, I can't remember if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the list is:

The Top 200 Games *Of Their Time*.

Not: The Top 200 Games *Ever*.

That's a pretty big difference, and a nice twist on the usual lists. In other words, what games had the biggest impact at the time of their release. That being the case, there is no question that SMB belongs at #1.

Wow, that puts the list in a totally different light. I'd like to know how it's possible that Mortal Kombat and Final Fantasy VII didn't make the top 10.

Figures, just when I was starting to like the list. EGM just can't do anything right anymore. And does anyone understand why they have such a boner for Metal Gear Solid?

Yeah at first, I thought the list was for the BEST games ever, but alas, its more of a 'Which games were the most important for the industry" list. I was wondering how the hell FF7 beat out FF4, FF6, and Chrono Trigger.

Anyways, they have a hard on for Metal Gear Solid.. because its one of the best games of all time? Pretty much.

[XYXZYZ]

The last time I looked at an EGM issue, all I saw were ads. I mean I could pick out one or two little articles with some idiot making fun of a video game because that was cooler than actually reviewing it, (It wasn't a Seanbaby article, those are entertaining.)but for the most part I was really, really overwhelmed by the ammount of ads. That magazine should have been free.

I still have the EGMs I do like, from the 16 bit days. I love to flip through them once in awhile, remembering the days when I yearned to play the Japanese PC Engine/DUO games, lusted after the NEO GEO like so many red blooded western gamers...

You know, it was EGM's international Outlook article that got me interested in Japanese animation, 15 years ago. That's brought me all kinds of joy too. I really do owe EGM a lot, for turning me on to all these great things. So as much as I dislike what they evolved into, I've gotta salute them.

[DeputyMoniker]

10. Pong
9. Grand Theft Auto III
8. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
7. Space Invaders
6. Super Mario 64
5. The Legend of Zelda (NES)
4. Tetris
3. Street Fighter II
2. Pac-Man
1. Super Mario Bros.

Those are some good games but most of them wouldnt make my top 50.
Remove GTA, Ocarina of Time, Space Invaders, Mario 64 & Pac-Man and you have a pretty good top-5. Space Invaders & Pac-Man are legends...I never enjoyed them though. Im gonna pick that issue up, Im curious as to how many of my favs made the list. Probably all of them did, 200 games is a lot. Id like to know why Mario 64, Ocarina of Time & GTA all made the top 10. It wasnt because they were revolutionary, right? Its like the designers set the table with Mario 64, then somebody did it with an RPG (Ocarina) then somebody did it with an action game (GTA).
...maybe Im just refusing to accept it because I didnt like any of them. Thats a strong possibility.

[slapdash]

I got every single of EGM.. but one thing I've noticed is they always seem to shy away from their true roots.. as [Electronic Game Player]

I've always wondered how much EGP and Top Score Newsletter had in common -- it wasn't as direct as EGP to EGM, but some of the staff on TS was the same as EGP, so it was at least an indirect predecessor, if not direct.

[Ruudos]

Thank god they put down gta III, the first two total rubbish. Back in the day gta I & II were a very popular shitty game, cause it was on the mega selling ps and you could steal cars and kill people.

I liked GTA a lot. It was one of the few games that hold my attention on the PC. The graphics were simple but it was addicting.