September 29th 2024.
In today's world of gaming, it's easy to get caught up in the latest news and updates from dedicated sites and YouTube channels. But as technology has progressed and our habits have changed, it's important to take a moment and look back at the golden age of British video game magazines.
From the 80s to the present day, publications like Crash, C&VG, Mean Machines, and Super Play have left a lasting impact on our gaming culture. These magazines were more than just a source of information - they were a way of life for many of us.
I remember walking into WH Smith and being greeted by wall-to-wall shelves filled with dedicated gaming mags. It was a sight to behold, and I couldn't resist picking up a few issues to satisfy my gaming cravings.
As I look back on my personal history with UK-based gaming mags, I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. So, for no particular reason other than to indulge in a little reminiscing, I'd like to take you through my journey with these beloved publications.
Let's start with Crash, which was my jumping on point for dedicated gaming journalism. As a ZX Spectrum owner, I was immediately drawn in by the fantastic covers created by Oliver Frey. The writing style set a trend for British gaming magazines and would continue to do so for decades to come.
Although Computer and Video Games (CVG) launched before Crash, I didn't start picking it up until after I discovered the latter publication. It's worth noting that the number of gaming mags was relatively large, but the number of people working in the industry was quite tight. As a result, many writers would often switch between publications, resulting in a similar writing style across different magazines.
At first, CVG focused on computer games such as the Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad, Atari ST, and Amiga. But as the 16-bit era rolled in, they began featuring the new consoles and their games. The demand for more console coverage was so high that they eventually launched a separate magazine to cater to it.
And thus, Mean Machines was born. This publication was just as bombastic as the Mega Drive and SNES games it covered, with colorful and personality-driven writing that highlighted its writers. It only ran for a couple of years before splitting into Sega and Nintendo dedicated magazines, but it made quite an impact during its short time.
As we entered the 90s, ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) captured our attention with its slightly more cerebral approach to gaming journalism. It also used a unique scoring system that attempted to predict a player's enjoyment of a game over time using a graph. It was a refreshing change from the usual review scores, and I welcomed it with open arms.
Super Play was a must-read for fans of Japanese gaming, as it leaned into the import scene more than other magazines. The art style mirrored this focus, and the writing had a more mature tone as the audience grew up alongside the industry. And speaking of maturity, Edge played a significant role in the evolution of gaming journalism. It was a more mature, wide-ranging, and sometimes offbeat publication that recognized gamers as not just teenagers in their rooms, but also adults with jobs, hopes, and dreams.
Finally, we have GamesTM, which I believe was the perfect blend of Edge-style writing and Super Play-type content. It covered both new and retro games, and its high-quality writing made it stand out as a top-tier gaming magazine for nearly two decades.
Although I no longer buy magazines, I look back at those decades fondly, where I'd take great pleasure in hiding away for a few hours, pouring over the pages of gaming goodness. And while I don't begrudge the current way of consuming gaming information, I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the days of dedicated gaming magazines.
So why not take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of these titles online? They may not be as popular as they once were, but they will always hold a special place in the hearts of gamers everywhere.
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