While gaming really burst onto the scene in the Seventies with the likes of Space Invaders and Galaxian hitting arcades, it was the Eighties that truly revolutionised it. Not only did the arcade craze continue to grow, but over the decade home computers and consoles became more commonplace, while some of the best-loved videogame franchises and characters were born. Among the many gaming highlights of the decade were Pac-Man, Tetris, Frogger, OutRun, Zelda and the Super Mario franchise to name just a few. Inside you’ll find fascinating in-depth features on these games, while we’ll also run down the greatest games from the best home consoles and computers of the Eighties – from the NES and C64 to Sega’s Master System and the Amiga 500. So join us as we take a stroll down memory lane and discover why Eighties gaming ruled.
ULTIMATE 80S RETRO GAMING COLLECTION
ULTIMATE 80S RETRO GAMING COLLECTION
WHY 80s GAMING RULED • THE EIGHTIES WAS AN EXHILARATING TIME TO BE PLAYING VIDEOGAMES, WITH NEW COMPANIES AND GENRES FORMING OVERNIGHT. HERE’S OUR GUIDE TO ONE OF GAMING’S MOST IMPORTANT DECADES
DEFINING SYSTEMS
GAMES THAT DEFINED THE 80s
THE STORY OF…PAC-MAN ON ATARI 2600 • PROGRAMMER TOD FRYE MADE VIDEOGAME HISTORY WHEN HE DESIGNED THE AT ARI 2600 VERSION OF PAC-MAN. BUT NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER, THAT INTENSE EXPERIENCE, THE GAME’S RECEPT ION AND GHOSTS OF THE PAST ARE STILL CHASING HIM. TIM LAPETINO RUNS DOWN THE STORY
10 OTHER ATARI 2600 ARCADE PORTS
CREATIN G PAC-MAN • The differences between arcade and 2600 Pac-Man
FIVE HOMEBREW VERSIONS • The best from the new wave of Pac-Man conversions
THE GREATEST NES GAMES • Nintendo’s 8-bit machine established the company as the dominant force in the international console market, and it couldn’t have done so without classic software. Nick Thorpe counts down its top 25 games, as voted for by Retro Gamer readers…
5 reasons why it’s great
THE MAKING OF DOUBLE DRAGON • It’s the most iconic beat-’em-up of all time and spawned the most famousvideogamesiblingsaftertheMarios. Therefore, StuartHunt was honoured to study the fascinating story of Double Dragon under the tutelage of its legendary creator, Yoshihisa Kishimoto
Porting the Lee twins
THE OCTUPLE DRAGONS • Our complete rundown of the entire Double Dragon series
30 YEARS OF ROBOTRON • “The human race is inefficient and therefore must be destroyed.” Ten words that kicked off the cult of Robotron. Along with some of the new wave of game designers who helped revitalise the twin-stick shooter for the modern age, Mike Bevan explores the enduring appeal of Eugene Jarvis and Larry DeMar’s arcade masterpiece
EUGENIUS! • The ten best games of Eugene Jarvis… aside from Robotron
FANCY A CHALLEN GE? • Eight rock-hard arcade games
ROBO EVOLUTION • 20 games with a debt to Eugene Jarvis’s classic blaster
THE HISTORY OF TETRIS • FOR CLOSE TO 35 YEARS, TETRIS HAS INFILTRATED THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF GAMERS. CREATOR ALEXEY PAJITNOV, AND TETRIS BOSSES HENK ROGERS AND MAYA ROGERS REVEAL HOW THIS SIMPLE PUZZLER TURNED INTO A WORLDWIDE JUGGERNAUT
GOING MAINSTREAM • The puzzle masterpiece is so popular it’s broken into other forms of media…
THE DNA OF TETRIS • Alexey Pajitnov tells us why he thinks Tetris is beautifully addictive and works so well
CONVERSION CAPERS • Official versions of Tetris that will steal away your time
BLOCK BUSTERS • The tetromino sequels that are worth your time
HOW MUCH!? • A version of Tetris has collectors’ wallets cowering in fear
THE TETRIS EFFECT • The iconic puzzler heads into the world of virtual reality
TOP 25 COMMODORE 64 GAMES OF ALL TIME • How do you decide the best games for the Commodore 64? Do you...