!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zine Scene - O t a k u B o y O n l i n e - Zine Scene The best news from the best vid-gaming sites -- Dec. 11, 1998 Vol. 1 No. 33 Hot Eats! -- written by OtakuBoy - "Cool Treats!" Now on superriffic, magical ICQ! # 21176515 Resouces obtained through Gaming Central! http://www.startpath.com/gamingcentral/ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OtakuBoy loves you. OtakuBoy cares. That's why OtakuBoy unleashes his virtual scrubbing bubbles onto all the online console video game sites -- even on sites you've never heard of before -- to scour out the best features, reviews, previews, and news. Then OtakuBoy tells you where to go get them. OtakuBoy loves you. Now, love OtakuBoy back. _____________________ Sponsor's Message ____________________ ConsoleCity is three (click) three (click) three (click) three sites in one! First, there's PSXMax, a premier PSXsite with all things PlayStation. (You have to check out Kingboxer's Rumor Mill!) Then there's The Nth Dimension, with their oft-scoops on cool movies. And, finally, there's Dreamcast Insider, which sticks to Dreamcast like cooked rice sticks to a bride and groom. OtakuBoy's always heading there for the latest info. Why not you? http://www.consolecity.com _____________________ Sponsor's Message ____________________ =OtakuBoy Speaketh ========================================= It's one of those days when nothing really sticks out. Lots of news. Lots of reviews. Lots of previews. Oh, of course there are important news bits here and there... ----------- PlayStation (PSX) For instance, here's a shocker from the government. It turns out some PSX's are zappin' the be-jeesus out of some gamers. (NO, Bobby, you didn't accidentally set your Dual Shock too high.) See the details at IGN64. (Ha! Isn't that funny? An N64 site reporting about zapping PSXs. Oh, how fun.) PlayStation's sales are goin' gang busters... according to Sony. Well, the figures do come from an independent source. GameFan gives a more objective look at the numbers, but IGNPSX has a real meaty story, one that's not neces- sarily PSX-pro. Of course, if you're a PSX Rabid Fan (tm), just believe me when I say, "10 bazillion PSXs were sold in the last few hours. Honest." In light of this news, however, comes weepy, sad news. Firstly, FGNOnline reports a story in the Japanese press that claims the Japanese videogame industry is slowing down. (Of course, this could have no affect on the U.S. videogame industry, but why ruin a good downer story with something hopeful?) Details at FGNOnline. Psygnosis is having some reeeeeel troubles, much worse than reported recently. IGNPSX has the pink-slipped details. And, if that weren't enough, the PocketStation's Japan release has been delayed one month. I have two links. One from IGN PSX, another from Nikkei. Want the news right from the country it affects? Go to Nikkei. I hoped you kinda glazed over that information, cause there's lotsa good news to report, too. For instance, re- member that damn "PaperBoy" arcade game with the handlebars? Well, it's comin' to PSX! (It's comin' to N64, too, but we won't mention that here.. oh wait, I just did.) Gaming-Age reports that "Final Fantasy VI" (U.S. FF3) is comin' to PlayStation with a few added surprises. Atlus Japan's RPG "Thousand Arms" is comin' over to the states. Details at IGNPSX. In a quick bit o' import news, PSXNation reports that "Capcom Generations: 1942" ain't comin' to the U.S. Is this punishment for importing all those Marvel Vs. SF Saturn games? ;) More details at PSXNation. IGNPSX has a reeeealy big preview of "G-Police 2." It looks to be a lot better than the foist one. IGNPSX also previews "Marvel Vs. X-Men." (Sorry, I don't get it. It looks so Genesis to me.) Oh, GameInformer says it knows what form the sequel to "Mega Man Legends" will take. Next-Generation DOT COM takes out their Japanese playin' hands and reviews the import of "Ridge Racer Type 4." While the review is good, I'd go for the movies. PSXMax reviews the import "B.L.U.E. Legend of Water." (Good thing it's not G.R.E.E.N. or B.R.O.W.N. water.) Also on PSXMax's import- review hit parade, "Tobal 2." They call it, "the thinking- man's fighter." In "Jeopardy," when you answer a question incorrectly, Alex pulls down his pants and wiggles his free-willy in your face. That's a rumor. Is it true? Oh... um... ah... no. At least the review over on IGNPSX doesn't mention it. What's this? A _good_ puzzle game. Liars. That's all IGNPSX could be in their review of "Roll Away." GameFan reviews "Tomb Raider 3." Why so late? I dunno. But it's a nice lead in to another story that Lara's Third Romp is awfully buggy. Details on that at IGNPSX. Also at IGNPSX (did I mention they have a LOT of material today), The review of "Kensei: Sacred Fist." And after you read it, you might just call it "sucky fist." Console Domain takes a look at an odd bugger -- "Rosco McQueen Firefighter Extreme." You are Dudley-do-right with a penchant for fighting fires. Also, Hype.se reviews "Brave Fencer Musashi," for those who want a review from the conti- nent. Nintendo (N64, GameBoy) GameSpot spied a Yamauchi (Head o' Nintendo) interview in the Japanese press. And -- WOW -- he's actually defending the N64. Read the surprising twist of opinion at GameSpot. Videogames.com updates their "Castlevania 64" section with new clips and a really large bit of information on the game. Wow. Wow. Wow. Speaking of "wow," The Nth Dimension publishes the "South Park 64" commercial, airin' on TV about now. "Turok 2" broke free today. Hear it roar? Roar. GameFan has news of the release, Next-Generation.com reviews the game, and IGN64 has a few comments from the Turok 2 project leader about 64DD and the 4MB Expansion PAK. Remember that damn "PaperBoy" arcade game with the handlebars? Well, it's comin' to N64! (It's comin' to PSX, too, but we won't mention that here.. oh wait, I feel like I already wrote these words. Weird. ;) RareNet runs a fea- ture called the Top Ten Reasons Perfect Dark is THE Game of '99. Is it a Feature? Or a Joke? I classified it as both. I am clever. Here's a couple of news items about "Gauntlet Legends," and you have to reallly examine your biases to decide which story to read. Digital-Ages is pissed that the game won't be in High-Res Mode. If you're apart of the Committee to Promote Games in High-Res mode, then you want to join the bitch session. If however, you want to read something from a site that played the 10% completed game, then you want IGN64. Choose wisely. Retailers in the UK have had enough. "Nintendo! You suck- a-doodle-do for not sending enough Zeldas!" Details at FGNOnline. Game-Online has a statement from a UK distributor admitting their responsibility in the whole debacle. Mean- while, way over in Japan, Famitsu reports the super sales numbers Zelda's reaching. Details on that at 64 Source. (They have it all in a nice chart, too. But some of the numbers are NOT lining up properly. Watch out.) Gaming-Age says that Miyamoto is into his next project --- but doesn't know what it is. Perhaps he's gone for a high-calonic? Just a thought. But of more importance at Gaming-Age, movies from the upcoming "Zelda DX." GameSpot has a smallish, but decent preview of "Mario Golf 64." IGN64 asks, "Remember 'Snowboard Kids'?' Well, here comes 'Snowboard Kids 2.'" IGN64 has the preview. Luke, I am your father. Oh, and IGN64 reviewed your game, "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron." Over at GameSpot, Matthew Paul of Crave Entertainment talks about the highs and lows of developing for the machine we know and love, GameBoy Color. ASCII ships their "Super LightBOY!" Details at FGNOnline. GameSpot runs news that "Tokimemo" and "Beatmania" are coming to the little, color- ized bugger. Really cool stuff on Euro-Asia GameBoy. First, they have links to Pokemon and GameBoy Commercial AVIs. Download and be merry, dammit. Also, a side-by-side comparison of the U.S. and German "Harvest Moon" boxes. And lastly, a big whopper of a review of "Robot Ponkottsu," a title that ain't goin' anywhere but Japan. Sniff. :( Oh, in case you doubt the powerhouse that is Donkey Kong, here's news from GameWEEK that the animated series is, like, NUMBER ONE (?!) in daytime children's entertain- ment or some such. Wow. Dreamcast & Saturn (DC & SAT) Sega Otaku has a neat little feature on their site that compares prices for imported Dreamcasts from all the major Web importers. One of those importers is National Console Support, and they have a really neat story about the history section on the "Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle" disc. On the disc, you can find out all kinds of cool-io stuff about the develop- ment of the entire Virtua Fighter series -- and National Console Support details it all on their site. Also on NCS, news that there are an awful lot of defective Dreamcasts. Uh Oh. Sega Otaku spies an interview in an obscure Japanese newspaper with one of the Sega-heads. They've translated it fer you! GameSpot reports that "D2" has been bumped and reveals details about "Real Sound." (Just what the heck kinda game is this?) Details at GameSpot. After news that Blue Stinger has been delayed, new news that the game will a go PuriPuri (DC Rumble Pak) when it finally comes out. Also, Sega Otaku reports developer Seta is ready to do Dreamcast. (Seta does Dreamcast. Sounds like a neat title for a porno movie.) Woah! SegaX has a movie ripped outta "Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle!" It's a Gold vs. Dural clip. Download it. Also a must-download, a "Powerstone" movie on IGNDreamcast. "Bye-bye Street Fighter," they say. Really? In new game news, imagine running around in a game world where four other characters, all AI-controlled, run around the same world in real time, helping you out, but affecting how/if you win the game. Imagine! Digital-Ages and Gamers Republic reports on this new "Carrier." (Gamers Republic runs a MUCH bigger story. Want short and sweet? D-A.) Gaming- Age and Sega Otaku both take a very special look at "Maken X." (Remember? This is the game that has Nazi's in it.) Read stories on both sites for a full preview. Dreamcaster runs a tiny story about the NEC Power VR2. This is only important in that this PC card is more or less an easy way to port games between Dreamcast and PC. Dreamcaster runs a link to Sharkyextreme.com which has pics of popular PC titles running under the new card. Did you know that the weird locomotive title "Densha De Go!" will come with a pedometer? No, it doesn't measure kiddies. It does a bunch of other things which Gamers Republic has detailed. Also on Gamers Republic, more info on "Evolution" including three movies. Wooohoooooooooooooo! Plus, check out the "Shen Mue" TV Ad! Gamers Republic, yet again. And Dreamcast-finally, Sega Otaku reports that Yukawa Hisekazu, a Sega d00d, is kinda weird, but famous. There's more at Sega Otaku. Multi-format A new Square title? "Racing Lagoon?" Wow. Check out Gaming-Age for the skimpy details. Also on Gaming-Age, news about the "Final Fight Revenge" arcade trial. In fact, d00dz, they get to play and.. well, it kinda sux. IGNPSX goes gangbusters over "NBA Showtime," the NFL Blitz of the NBA world. (They also wonder, whether it will get ported to home machines.) Also, Solid Snake has indeed been immortalized in action-figgy plastic and rubber, and IGNPSX has pics! Cheers, folks. See a cool story? Send it to me! Otakuboy@bigfoot.com ============================================================ PlayStation links: -- Painful zaps coming' from your PSX? NOT good! - News -- http://ign64.ign.com/news/6053.html -- PlayStation sales go gangbusters! - News -- http://www.gamefan.com/hotinfo/12_98/12_10b.htm -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6079.html -- Is the videogame season coming to an end? - News -- http://www.fgnonline.com/web/fgn_archives.html?publish_date=1998-12-11 -- "Japanese Industry Decline?" -- Psygnosis has real troubles. - News -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6055.html -- PocketStation DELAYED! - News -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6074.html -- http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/AC/TNKS/Nni19981210D09JSN26.htm -- Cool! Paperboy's comin' back! - News -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6049.html -- Neat. Final Fantasy VI (US FFIII) comin' to PlayStation - News -- http://www.gaming-age.com/news2/december98/120998c.htm -- Atlus' Thousand Arms coming soon! - News -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6075.html -- Capcom Generations: 1942 ain't comin' to U.S. - Import News -- http://www.psxnation.com/news/121198b.html -- Super Preview of G-Police 2 - Preview -- http://psx.ign.com/previews/10600.html -- Pics of Marvel Vs. X-Men - Preview -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6072.html -- Could this be the sequel to Mega Man Legends? - Preview -- http://www.gameinformer.com/news/dec98/121198e.html -- Ridge Racer Type 4 - Import Review and Movies! -- http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/news/5283.html -- B.L.U.E. Legend of Water - Import Review -- http://www.consolecity.com/psx/games/rev_blue.htm -- Tobal 2, The Thinking-Man's Fighter! - Import Review -- http://www.consolecity.com/psx/games/rev_toba.htm -- Alex wiggles his free-willy-clinton in your face - Review -- http://psx.ign.com/reviews/10380.html -- Woah! A good puzzle game?! Roll Away - Review -- http://psx.ign.com/reviews/3993.html -- Tomb Raider 3 - Review -- http://www.gamefan.com/gmx/pictures.asp?game=832&group=review -- Problems with Tomb Raider 3 - Feature -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6062.html -- Kensei: Sucky Fist - Review -- http://psx.ign.com/reviews/10437.html -- Rosco McQueen Firefighter Extreme - Review -- http://www.consoledomain.com/psx/reviews/Rosco_McQueen_Firefighter_Extreme.html -- Brave Fencer Musashi - Review -- http://www.hype.se/docs/reviews/psxgames/musashi.html Nintendo 64 Links: -- Yamauchi interview! - News/Feature -- http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/11_vg_yama/index.html -- SUPER, SUPER Preview of Castlevania 64! - Feature -- http://www.videogames.com/n64/adventure/castle64/index.html -- Check out the South Park64 commercial! - Feature -- http://www.consolecity.com/n64/movies/southpark01.mov -- Turok 2 Breaks Free! - News -- http://www.gamefan.com/hotinfo/12_98/12_10a.htm -- T2 Review - Review -- http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/reviews/1969.html -- Comments from Turok 2's project leader - Feature -- http://ign64.ign.com/news/6069.html -- Cool! Paperboy's comin' back! - News -- http://www.fgnonline.com/web/fgn_archives.html?publish_date=1998-12-10 -- "Paperboy's Progress" -- Top Ten Reasons Perfect Dark is THE game of '99 - Feature/Joke? -- http://www.rarenet.com/specials/pdtop10/ -- Gauntlet Legends - D-A upset no hi-res mode ign64 played it - News -- http://www.digital-ages.com/dao/news/next/w34_15.htm -- http://ign64.ign.com/news/6054.html -- The new hardware bring N64 online! - News -- http://ign64.ign.com/news/6066.html -- Retailers getting a bit pissed at Nintendo - News -- http://www.fgnonline.com/web/fgn_archives.html?publish_date=1998-12-11 -- "Zelda Misses The Boat." -- And something straight from a UK distributor - News -- http://www.game-online.com/cfdocs/site/news/newstemp.cfm?newsid=1228 -- Famitsu's Top 10 Videogames sold - News -- http://www.64source.com/news/120998.html#3 -- Meanwhile, Miyamoto hip-deep in next project. - News -- http://www.gaming-age.com/news2/december98/120998e.htm -- New Zelda DX Movies! - Feature -- http://www.gaming-age.com/news2/december98/121098i.htm -- Mario Golf 64 - Preview -- http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/11_vg_margolf/index.html -- Remember Snowboard Kids? Here comes 2! - Preview -- http://ign64.ign.com/previews/10080.html -- Luke, you've been reviewed. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron - Review -- http://ign64.ign.com/reviews/3964.html -- Matthew Paul of Crave Entertainment talks about developing for GBC - Feature -- http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/10_vg_crave/index.html -- ASCII shops to Super LightBoy! - News -- http://www.fgnonline.com/web/fgn_archives.html?publish_date=1998-12-10 -- "Super Light Boy Ships" -- Tokimemo and Beatmania coming! Toki will be broken into TWO carts? - News -- http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/11_vg_gb/index.html -- Pokemon and GameBoy Commercial from Euro-Asia GameBoy - News -- http://members.xoom.com/nestalgia/pkmnbus.avi -- http://www.alphalink.com.au/~kosy/movies/gbc.avi -- Harvest Moon boxes, differences between German and U.S. - Feature -- http://gameboy.s-one.net.sg/news_flash.htm -- Review of Robot Ponkottsu - Import Review -- http://gameboy.s-one.net.sg/g_news033.htm -- Animated Donkey Kong doin' er.. pretty good. - News -- http://208.232.126.111/news/12_11/news1.html Dreamcast links: -- What are importers chargin' for DCs? - Feature -- http://www.sega-otaku.com/news/dec98/120998e.html -- The history section on the Virtua Fighter 3tb disc - Feature -- http://www.ncsx.com/ncs120798/ncs1207th.htm -- Also, there are an awful lot of defective Dreamcasts - News -- http://www.ncsx.com/ncs120798/ncs1207th.htm -- Obscure Japanese newspaper article - News -- http://www.sega-otaku.com/news/dec98/121098g.html -- D2 gets bumped and Real Sound looks awfully weird! - News -- http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/11_vg_gb/index.html -- Blue Stinger to go PuriPuri! - News -- http://www.segadreamcast.net/news/news_981210_stingerpuru.htm -- Developer Seta doing the Dreamcast - News -- http://www.sega-otaku.com/news/dec98/121098f.html -- Gold vs. Silver Dural movie! - Preview -- http://www.segadreamcast.net/news/news_981210_vf3tbmedia.htm -- Powerstone "Amazing" and "bye-bye Street Fighter." Movie - Preview -- http://dreamcast.ign.com/news/6076.html -- Carrier - Preview -- http://www.digital-ages.com/dao/news/next/w34_14.htm -- http://www.gamersrepublic.com/12_10_1998n2.html -- A very special look a Maken X - Preview -- http://www.gaming-age.com/specials/maken-x/ -- http://www.sega-otaku.com/news/dec98/121098e.html -- What could Dreamcast-to-PC games look like? - News -- http://www.dreamcaster.net/news/121098-02.htm -- http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/nec_powervr2_s/ -- Check out the pedometer for Densha de Go! - News/Preview -- http://www.gamersrepublic.com/12_10_1998n7.html -- More info on Evolution and 3 movies! - News/Preview -- http://www.gamersrepublic.com/12_10_1998n1.html -- The Shen Mue TV Ad - News/Preview -- http://www.gamersrepublic.com/12_10_1998n3.html -- Yukawa Hisekazu is... ah, kinda weird. - News -- http://www.sega-otaku.com/news/dec98/121098d.html Multi-format links: -- New Square Title! Racing Lagoon? - News -- http://www.gaming-age.com/news2/december98/120998b.htm -- Final Fight Revenge in the arcades... and it kinda sux. - Review -- http://www.gaming-age.com/news2/december98/120998f.htm -- Arcade NBA Showtime! Like NFL Blitz! - News/Preview -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6065.html -- Solid Snake looks good in plastic - News -- http://psx.ign.com/news/6073.html ----------------------------------------------------------- And, hey, when you wanna go out and surf on your own, stop on by Gaming Central. They're linked to every gaming site in the world! They kick TOCK! (As in But-TOCK!) -- http://www.startpath.com/gamingcentral/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Thus ends another ish of OtakuBoy Online. The place for the squeeky clean zine scene... and those zines better get to writin' better features. Zine Scene - O t a k u B o y O n l i n e - Zine Scene -- Dec. 11, 1998 Vol. 1 No. 33 Hot Eats! -- written by OtakuBoy - "Cool Treats!" Now on superriffic, magical ICQ! # 21176515 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!