The Def Guide to Zzap!64

thrustlevel10 just gave me the idea for this topic.

I always checked first the reviews for the best games in the issue (Sizzlers and Gold Medals), and also for games I was eagerly awaiting for (due to previews or whatever).

Then I think I went for the Charts.

And then I began reading the issue from page 1 through the end.

Having a fresh new issue of Zzap! was always really a top emotion

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My top games: 1.Hawkeye, 2.Delta, 3.Creatures 2, 4.Armalyte, 5.Bubble Bobble, 6.Uridium, 7.Ikari Warriors, 8.Bionic Commando, 9.Buggy Boy, 10.Archon.

I remember checking the newsagents on the way to school, hoping that the new ZZap would be there! I always loved the early oli covers, studied those for ages (I loved the zombies cover from issue 13). Then checking the new sizzlers then the tips section.


Its just not the same these days


Ps Games tm is a good modern zzap substitute (Arcade was better but that sunk without trace )

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Where`s my screwdriver, need to replace another 6581 Sniff

I always had a quick skim through the Editorial first, to see who was leaving/joining!

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Contributor to Def Tribute to ZZAP!
Compilation64 - http://compilation64.zzap64.co.uk/
Crazy about the C64? - www.lemon64.com
Amiga Anguish? - www.lemonamiga.com

Nice topic!
I always flicked through the whole mag searching for the full colour review pages, I found those huge FC screenshots soooo impressive!
Most of the time the games on those pages were the ones to get that month during the crack/swop weekend. (oh dear...)

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Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.

The Zzap Rrap was what I went to first! and then other editorial stuff like features etc. Reviews were actually the last thing I looked at although in my latter years, Tips was the section I had zero interest in.

I think I went straight through from start to finish really...

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Another visitor... stay awhile... stay forever!

First page was the letters page to see my letter I sent was in that issue - scanning all the names of the senders to see if I made it in! Also remember looking at the competition results pages as well before I bought the mag to see if I was a winner. Alas, none of my letters made it into Zzap, only had 2 letters published, one in Amiga Power and the other in The One ( which was Letter of the Month - whoo hoo! )

I pretty much followed this procedure religiously:

-Mumble excitedly over the Oli cover
-Scan the list of the games reviewed that issue to see if any took my fancy
-Go read the reviews of the ones that did
-Go back and look at the Oli cover some more
-Flick through the mag and check out anything interesting
-Read the whole thing through from start to finish
-Repeat

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"Isn't this where ... we came in?"

After the "cool!!" thoughts on the front cover -oli artwork id then dive into the tips section. Needed to know if i could abuse or monkey with any of the games in my collection.

Id look for mastertronic reviews (as the games were within my budget), and then get stuck into reading a "is piracy killing the games industry" letter in the rrap section, which was always a really good read. Terminal man was top on the reading list too, back in the early days.
The scorelord might get a looksie (remember that!?- never sent it in, but I clocked park patrol..). Then id plough through everything else. Im sure I read them all cover to cover in the end.. I mean, how good was zzap!64 ?? awesome. I had a subscription so got mine a little earlier -

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I *always* went straight to the Gold Medal / Sizzler review in each issue, to see what would be next on my shopping list... Then after a while, when I'd built up a bit of a games collection, I started checking out the tips. News and previews didn't really interest me, nor did the editorial.

And oddly enough, I absolutely hated the Scorelord / Challenges until I joined the mag. Ho hum.

g.

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The Burrow

I used to like the Editorial, and it was the thing I read first! I was quite upset when Stu didn't really do any. (I feel the same these days, too - I much prefer the mags that have an opening piece from the editor, at least if it's not an advert in disguise.)

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http://www.craiggrannell.com | http://www.projectnoise.co.uk

Me too, now. One of the mags I used to write for, PC Gaming World, did what I thought was a great idea: in the reviews section they had separate editors for different game genres, and each one wrote something about their particular genre each month -- not just a "this is a great game" piece, but discussions about what made that genre interesting, or where it was headed, or what the next innovation was... It was always interesting.

g.

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The Burrow

This is off-topic, but its kinda weird you being on this forum Mr G.H.

(weird in a cool way).

I feel a bit star-stuck! (does anyone else feel like this?)

Did you get to meet musicians and programmers and other god-like people? And can I have an autograph?

No, really. A signed copy of a chrismas special would be luverleee..

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It'll pass -- just ask the regular posters on this board. Most of them regard me as a fat old git with too much time on his hands. Have you spotted Paul Glancey and James Price yet? (Look in the memberlist under PGTips and Yossarian.)



Oh yes. And can I remember any of them apart from a few names and faces? Nope. That's age for you.



Hey -- I already signed that one in the editorial! Cheek.

g.

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The Burrow

I used to be torn, because I did a paper round which included my own house, so I always wanted to hold off from reading ZZAP! on my paper round, and keep it until I got home. I could feel the magnetic pull from inside the bag though!

I think I just used to go to the first review in the mag, whatever it may have been. It was always a great read though.

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They Were Our Gods - a website charting my progress on an upcoming book of the same name, about the UK gaming scene in the 1980s.