Gametraders May Magazine!

May 2013

over

pages of fun!

Warm up this

winter! See page 21

Godzilla:

Previews

Millennium Series

AND

Check page 5

GAMES: Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new releases!

Reviews

See pages 13 & 14

RETRO TIME! Remembering the PC 486 See pages 19 & 20

www.gametraders.com.au

Check page 3

DON’T THROW IT - FIX IT!

ne of the challenges with being a fan of retro gaming is that unfortunately parts sometimes wear out. While some owners of older equipment will do their own repairs, Gametraders has parts available for a variety of machines and controllers and some stores will even do the repair for you. Rather then throw out broken equipment check in with your local store and see if they have parts that can get you gaming again on your favourite older console.

Some of the parts available include: Nintendo 64 replacement toggle. NES 72 pin connector. Replacement DS stylus for various models. Nintendo DS and PSP replacement batteries. Replacement AV cables - Nintendo, Sony and Sega consoles. Xbox controller thumbstick toggle. Replacement power supplies for DS, PSP and Super Nes and SNES. PSOne, Gamecube, Dreamcast and Wii memory cards.

Out 22nd May

Out 16th May

Out 9th May

may’s hot games!

Out 30th May

Out 25th May

Out 23rd May

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godzilla:

mIllenNium series boxset

odzilla, the to a US cartoon series, king of all the way to the 1998 monsters. Hollywood movie. What â&#x20AC;&#x153;The series started climaxes out as a warning of the with the epic dangers of nuclear war became a 28-movie battle against global phenomenon that every Godzilla has been everywhere monster ever..â&#x20AC;? from Marvel comics,

The Millennium era of Godzilla (1999-2004) saw Godzilla being rebooted back to the very first film, and seeing him again face classic and new villains. The series climaxes with the epic battle against every Godzilla monster ever in Godzilla: Final Wars.

featuring the following films: Godzilla 2000 Godzilla vs. Megaguirus Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (III) Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. Godzilla: Final Wars

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KIDS ON THE SLOPE

ids on the Slope is the latest anime to be released by Hanabee. It is the first fully directed series by the acclaimed Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop) since his 2004 hip hop samurai series, Samurai Champloo. A coming of age story set in 1960s Japan, Kids on the Slope focuses on Kaoru Nishimi, the new kid at school. Shy

and socially awkward, he finds his life changed through jazz introduced by classmate Sentarou Kawabuchi, the school’s delinquent. Like all Watanabe series, Kids on the Slope features a strong and memorable soundtrack.

“..this series is both an audio and visual delight not to be missed.”

It’s entire focus on jazz will make fans recall Watanabe’s hit series Cowboy Bebop, quite rightly too, as it unites the director with music composer Yoko Kanno who had also composed Bebop’s famous tunes. Animated by up-andcoming studio MAPPA, from the founder of Madhouse, this series is both an audio and visual delight not to be missed.

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ichonne (pronounced Me-Shone), intimately referred to by fans as Samurai Girl, has proven to be one of the most lethal, battle-hardened walker assassins on the hit AMC series, The Walking Dead. This katana has been replicated from the original prop design used by Michonne in the series. It is assembled with traditional Japanese sword making techniques and 1045 high carbon steel and genuine ray skin and leather on the handle wrap and strap. Fight the Dead. Fear the living.

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RETRO ROUND UP S EGA has announced the reboot of the classic Disney title ‘Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse’. The game first made it’s debut in 1990 on the Mega Drive, with Master System and Game Gear ports following suit in 1991. It’s ostensibly a simple platform game with a straightforward storyline where you play as Mickey pushing your way through hordes of enemies in an enchanted forest, up through numerous rooms in a castle until you eventually challenge the witch Mizrabel who kidnapped Minnie. The re-release of ‘Castle of Illusion’ is being remade from the ground up with updated gameplay, graphics and sound, yet still keeping true to the original game with its storyline and locale. Castle of Illusion is scheduled to be available in Summer (U.S.) of 2013 on Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network and Windows.

‘Donkey Kong Country Returns’ on the Wii was a breath of fresh air for the long-running franchise of games set in the Donkey Kong universe. With new elements of control, and a divergent storyline not involving King K. Rool as the antagonist, fans and critics praised its return. However, the game’s five million selling comeback will not only be limited to the Wii. Nintendo announced in February that they are bringing ‘Donkey Kong Country Returns’ to the 3DS handheld console, with its release scheduled for May in Australia. The game itself will be a direct port of the Wii edition, and appropriate changes the control layout to suit the 3DS are to be expected.

While the 3DS re-releases as of late have been oozing ‘retro’ in the west, Japan too is also getting it’s fair share of returns of classic franchises otherwise thought to have been long forgotten. A game called ‘Umihara Kawase’ was released in 1994 on the SNES (or Super Famicom as it is known in Japan), hitherto exclusive to the Japanese market. The gameplay involved playing as a young girl who is on

Famicom before…how many of you have visited a games store and seen various games of consoles you don’t own or can’t find? Or perhaps you have the consoles stored away or put on display and you don’t want to drag them out? The Retron 5 might be the answer for you. It is a new console from Hyperkin which lets you play games produced for the NES, Famicom, SNES (PAL and NTSC), Super Famicom, Mega Drive, Genesis, Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games all on the one box. With the Retron 5, not only

her way to school, all the while fending off large fish creatures with a grappling hook. Fast forward to thirteen years later and, after numerous sequels on the Playstation, PSP, and DS, the original developers have collaborated with the original illustrator culminating in the release of ‘Sayonara Umihara Kawase’. In this incarnation the game sticks closer to the original Super Famicom game in terms of gameplay, but the graphics are naturally closer to today’s expectations.‘Sayonara Umihara Kawase’ for the 3DS is due for release in June in Japan, however there’s no mention of a western release as of yet. Which reminds me to ask you all, especially as I mentioned the Super

can you play original cartridge games, but you can also use original controllers (with the exception of the Game Boy games, and Famicom since the controllers are hard-wired on most models). I digress; in addition to using original cartridges and controllers, you can tweak the visuals to give you a better experience on modern TVs (via HDMI). This is important as, let’s be honest here, if you play an old-school game and consoles on a modern TV, they can look horrible in comparison to how they were intended to appear on the old bulky CRT TVs.

Get in touch with your local Gametraders for info on the Retron 5 and pre-orders for Donkey Kong Country Returns on the 3DS. This is Dave K. from Retrospekt, signing off!

BY DAVID KUDREV

anime NEWS

a certain magical index

Released as a twopart collectable DVD, A Certain Magical Index is set in Academy City, a technologically advanced city located in western Tokyo which studies scientifically advanced superhuman students with powers, and is set in a world where magic is real. Kamijou Touma is a

having magic powers, he possesses on his right hand the Imagine Breaker, an ability to negate any power whatsoever. Touma finds a young girl named Index who is trying to run away from Necessarius, a powerful magic organization that she is member of. Blessed with the skill of memorising any student living in Academy sort of information, she holds 103,000 forbidden City and despite not

magical books within her head. As science and magic cross paths, Touma must face several dangers amid espers and magicians who appear at the exciting scientific town. Spellbinding and actionpacked, no fan can afford to miss A Certain Magical Index Season One, Part One and Two

armitage III Featuring the voices of Juliette Lewis (Due Date, Natural Born Killers), Keifer Sutherland (Melancholia, The Lost Boys), Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls, First Wives Club), Bryan Cranston (Argo, Breaking Bad), the Armitage III DVD pack includes episodes 1-4 of the original video animation (OVAs) and feature films Dual Matrix and Poly Matrix. Armitage is a brash

cybernetic cop who sports a racy wardrobe and an attitude to match. Patrolling an unruly metropolis on Mars, Armitage has got a grudge against a society where androids are at the mercy of unsympathetic humans. In the original OVAs and the film Poly Matrix - Armitage risks everything to hunt down a vicious android killer and solve the secret

to her existence. The sequel, Dual Matrix, finds Armitage in an overcharged battle to save her loved ones from an obsessive doctor and his deadly Armitage replicas. Sexy, fierce and voiced by some of the best known voices in Hollywood, make sure you take home the Armitage III DVD set home this season.

shakugan no shana Shana and Yuji face their greatest foes yet as they battle Denizens who desire the Midnight Lost Child for their own, in part two of the second season of Shakugan no Shana. Amidst a whirlwind battle with the beautiful Pheles, Flame Haze goes berserk and friends get caught in the chaos. Then, the Bal Masque returns to execute a scheme that

could spell the end for Yuji. Discover if a newly found strength gives Yuji and Shana the edge to save themselves and the city from total destruction, or if evil engulfs both his world and hers.

reviews PROVIDED BY WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM

bioshock infinite.

xbox 360. ps3. pc

The latest instalment in the critically acclaimed Bioshock franchise takes players in a new direction; from an underwater utopia now into the clouds above! Bioshock Infinite is a heavily storyfocused FPS, and much like the original titles, there’s a lot of mature content weaved into the narrative so this is definitely not one for any youngsters or those wanting a mindless shooter. While certain

defiance.

aspects of the gameplay and combat have taken a step back from the depth of the original, Infinite has just set a new standard in video game storytelling, raising the bar of just what’s possible to move and capture the players imagination. This is a visually stunning and artistic game that’s sure to satisfy any story-loving gamer looking for a truly magnificent title.

9/10

xbox 360. ps3. pc

MMO games are a rapidly growing (with very little sign of slowing) market, but one untapped area are console MMO’s. Defiance looks to change that, bringing the latest Massively Multiplayer Online title to both PC and home consoles, in Xbox 360 and PS3. Brought to you by Trion Worlds - the team behind the popular Rift - Defiance features a unique classless system with a largely personalisable

perk tree, making your character truly your own, as opposed to being pegged with labels and definitive purposes. It’s a refreshing change to the MMO formula, and a very welcome one at that. However, Defiance has some serious ‘early bird’ issues that litter any title of this size and ambition. Many of the problems, such as very noticeable lag, graphical glitches or poor design choices, will be ironed out

through future patches, but it will definitely hinder enjoyment at the moment. That said though, taking inspiration from other shooter such as Mass Effect and Borderlands has allowed Trion Worlds to developed a fairly solid title, despite a few ugly textures (which could also be patched) and boring sound design. Everything that matters in Defiance (missions, gameplay, co-operative fun) works well.

7/10

Previews PROVIDED BY WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM

deadpool preview.

In the last few years, games made from licensed media have really taken a steep turn for the best, with the likes of Batman: Arkham Asylum & Arkham City leading the pack. In fact, comic book characters have such become a staple of all other primary media forms lately that it only makes sense to spread the fashion and delve into certain other, largely untapped, characters. And that’s just what Activision and developer High Moon Studios are doing with Deadpool, creating a brand new Third Person Action title based around everyone’s favourite

(or just plain hated!) insane, whacky, over-the-top and painfully interesting comic book legend, Deadpool.

good hands, and with High Moon aiming to deliver the full Deadpool experience no matter the costs - to fans with the game. This may spell Admittedly, Deadpool is a bit of a hit & miss with comic book disaster in certain areas, given fans. You either love him, or you his unpredictable and very individual style which could hate him. But those that love him, and his 4th wall-shattering very well translate poorly to gameplay and narrative, style of maniac will love what especially in large portions. But Activision have in store for us with some polish and the right with this game. With former frame of mind, Deadpool may Deadpool comic creator Daniel Way penning the script, just be what comic fans have been waiting for since Arkham and video game veteran Asylum released back in 2009; Nolan North (Nathan Drake, another game every bit worthy Desmond Miles, innumerable of its name. other voices) bringing him to life, the content is surely in

remember me.

Thankfully not an adaption of the 2010 film... Remember Me is a stylish new IP from Capcom, mashing together gameplay elements from all over the shop into what looks to be a very fluent and interesting action game. With touches of stealth, platforming and exploration, and tied together with an ambitious new combat system, Remember Me brings a sci-fi storyline to all major platforms this June. Players can create their own combat combos and chains to morph the playstyle to suit their own tastes, and unlock

xbox 360. ps3. pc

new moves and possible combinations as they progress through the story and prove their worth. As the name suggests, memory plays a big part in the tale here. Players take control of Nilin, a ‘memory hunter’ who’s had her own erased and must fight her way through a futuristic representation of Paris circa 2084 to discover her own identity and past. But rather than another generic ‘amnesiac protagonist’ narrative, Remember Me looks to merge the concept into the gameplay and

visuals themself, playing a big part in the players abilities and different gameplay mechanics, as well as the artistic direction. With so few new IPs risking to be different from the crowd in this day and age, it’s great to see an age-old publisher like Capcom take a bold step and put faith in an unproven name. Will Remember Me be something to remember?

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REGULAR SHOW!

reated by J.G Quintel for Cartoon Network, Regular Show is about two friends, Mordecai and Rigby. These two characters work as groundskeepers at a park and they have a ton of fun slacking off and entertaining themselves. With a cast of characters including their boss Mr Benson who’s always hassling Mordecai and Rigby about their work, plus Muscle Man and High Five Ghost there’s tons of fun in each episode. Check it out on Cartoon Network!

Mordecai and Rigby are serious slackers, looking for any distraction to keep them from actually doing work. These two friends love funny internet videos, grilled cheese deluxe and general slacking. They hate work of any sort, but don’t we all!

Gametraders ‘must have’ products include: • Regular Show 6” Mordecai figure • Regular Show Mordecai figure and sunglasses • Regular Show Freewheelin’ Rigby • Regular Show Deluxe Plush with Sounds Mordecai and Rigby

Check out more great Banter gear at products.gametraders.com.au

RETRO PC GAMING

486

uring the 80s home computers were taking over households in a big way. In Australia, Amstrad and Commodore went head to head for the home market, with both companies pushing to get their machines in the public school system. At this time parents were more likely to buy the same computer that the school had. This also meant that in the schoolyard you either supported Amstrad or Commodore, though occasionally these microcomputer wars involved a 3rd system depending on where you lived, such as the Apple 2 or the ZX Spectrum. These arguments can be compared to the similar Sega vs Nintendo console schoolyard fights. The world was in the throes of an 8-bit war, then the 90s happened...

and Commodore 64 was that if you wanted to expand the machine you had very few choices. Yes you could buy memory expansions for both machines with a few other peripherals, but the core of the machine could not be changed. With technology progressing at a rapid rate the customisable PC became the gaming machine of choice.

Both Amstrad and Commodore were already in the PC market, but this shift forced them to leave their non â&#x20AC;&#x153;IBM compatibleâ&#x20AC;? home machines by the wayside. Commodore released the Colt range of PCs, though they were still focused on the Amiga as an alternate gaming machine. On the other side of the fence Amstrad were trying different ways of appealing to gamers, most notably with the Amstrad Mega PC. This The thing to remember hybrid machine features about the 8-bit micros a built in Megadrive such as the Amstrad CPC and even today is highly

desired by collectors. In Japan this was mirrored with the Sega Teradrive which featured more options than the Amstrad machine.

“..it wasn’t until Intel released the 486 on the world that PC gaming took off in a big way.” While gamers were catered for during the era of the 386 processor, it wasn’t until Intel released the 486 on the world that PC gaming took off in a big way. Companies such as the now deceased LucasArts released point and click classics such as The Secret of Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle and Sam and Max Hit The Road. Sensible Software released Sensible Soccer and Cannon Fodder, while iD software cornered the market with 3D inspired games such as Doom and its many clones.

Many of the accessories that console gamers had enjoyed for years started to appear for PC gamers. Devices such as control pads and steering wheels were released by companies such as Logitech and Gravis. A PC with a decent spec could also handle the latest flight simulator, for which companies released chunky flight sticks with a multitude of buttons and switches. With the arrival of Windows 95 and the Intel Pentium processor the world of PCs was turned on its head. Computers were getting more powerful with an operating system that promised something for everyone, including the gamer. Console releases such as Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure and Sonic CD made their way onto what was now known as the “Windows 95 platform”. Sonic 3 with Knuckles received a release later on, though it is interesting to note

486

that while there were Mario games released for the PC, Mario’s main adventures forever remained exclusive to Nintendo branded systems.

These console ports were received favourably, though they hardly exploited the power of the PC. Later games such as Quake and Dark Reign featured high resolution graphics which really showed just how great the divide between PCs and consoles was becoming. As we all know, PC gaming is still a current format with new systems and games coming out that are on par with the power of the PS3 and XBOX 360. While consoles may come and go, the old “IBM Compatible” computers have been with us since the dawn of gaming and will continue well into the future.

PAUL MONOPOLI RETRO WRITTER

Classic PC Gaming!

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PROFILE: ARDELLA

ach month we’ll be talking to someone involved in the world of gaming, cosplay, anime or pop culture...

This month Gametraders talks to Cosplayer, Ardella about her love of gaming, comics and cosplay. Gametraders: Ardella you’re best known for your comic book cosplays, tell us what are your favourites? Ardella: I adore comic book cosplays! My favourites so far are probably Black Canary and Power Girl... Power Girl especially! Gametraders: Why is Power Girl your favourite comic hero to dress as? Ardella: She’s such a strong female character. She’s sassy and clever, and while she knows she’s attractive (and isn’t afraid to show it) she won’t let men use her as an object. She

owns herself and has a strong moral compass. I also love capes. Capes are fun!

Mario. They’re usually uncomplicated enough to just let me unwind, relax and enjoy the downtime.

Gametraders: With so many events available such as Supanova, Comic Con and so on, tell us what you like about going to those events?

Gametraders: Do you have a favourite game and why?

Ardella: I adore meeting all the like minded people at these events! It’s like walking into a whole new universe full of people who like the same sorts of things that I do and who are able to proudly declare it. Gametraders: Tell us about gaming, what games do you love to sit down and play when you have time? Ardella: There’s one game I always seem to go back to, and that’s Team Fortress 2. I love the multiplayer aspect. I’m also a pretty kick-ass offensive engineer if I do say so myself! Apart from that I do go back to my old school favourites a lot... Zelda, Sonic,

Ardella: Zelda: Ocarina of Time, without question. It brings back so many fond memories, but it’s also a beautiful, engaging game with so many facets that every time I play it I find myself saying things like,“I forgot all about this part!!!” It’s really timeless, I think, and it holds it’s own against all the newer, shinier games thanks to some ingenious story telling. Gametraders: Do you have a favourite Gametraders store and why? Ardella: Parramatta is my nearest store and I make sure to stop in every time I’m in the area. I love playing with the swords and chatting with the staff who are always so happy! It’s uplifting!!

Check out more from Ardella by visiting her Facebook page - www.facebook.com/ArdellaCosplay. Huge thanks to Kris at www.whatabigcamera.com for allowing us to use photographs of Ardella.

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BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

amers love talking games. They love discussing strategies, high scores, what they liked and what they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Social media sites such as Facebook gives all gamers a voice. In the past gamers were limited to how they could express their views on the latest game they bought. A letter to the editor or talking amongst friends face to face has changed to sharing experiences on social media and including pictures and video. Gametraders uses social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram to share gaming news, show off the latest products hitting shelves and giving fans a place to hang out online and talk games!

Want to be part of the conversation? Then join in now at:

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