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So apparently the primo gaming magazine my generation grew up with is printing it's last issue this December. Y'know, I gotta wonder...am I the only one that thought this had already happened like, years ago?

Nintendo Power is how I actually met my best friend of twenty years now as I hanged around with him at first just so I'd have a chance to read it. Eventually I got my own subscription to Game Players magazine. I always felt I got the sweeter deal because my magazine was 'edgy man!' with it's scatological humor, but that didn't mean I'd still bother him about new issues of NP in the hopes they'd started another one of their awesome 'game comic book' runs!

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It kinda did happen years ago, from what I read. I guess when Nintendo stopped running it themselves, that is when the beginning of the end started, though I really didn't pay enough attention to care. I was a subscriber from the first issue, with Super Mario Bros. 2, through... boy, I want to say the 100th plus a few. They're all still stored somewhere at my parents' house, aside from a few that I have with me at my house now for some reason.

It's a shame to see it go, but it's really pretty impressive how long it did make it.



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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

I don't go quite as far back as Rangers (since the first issue!) I was a long time subscriber. I'm not sure which one is older, the Ducktales issues or the Mega Man 2 issue, but one of those was my first. I loved getting those magazines as a young girl. Even though I didn't get most games that were talked about or featured, I still read in wonder as to the games that would be coming out. One of the things I remember was reading about this weird sounding game called "Mother" that would never make it over here to the states (which of course is the parent game of Earthbound, one of my all time favorites). I may have stopped reading sometime in the late 16bit era (have the FFIV issue, don't have the FFVI issue), but it still holds a special place in my heart.

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kame, tortue, tortuga, schildkröte, tartaruga, turtle

"Arthur Dent?"
"Yes."
"Arthur Philip Dent?"
"Yes."
"You're a total knee biter."

I loved the comics they used to feature in the issues. Starfox, legend of zelda, Mario. I think there were some metroid ones too. I have plenty of older issues but they are mostly falling apart and in general bad condition. Sad to see it go, though I haven't read an issue in ten years.

Quote (Reno @ 28th August 2012 18:44)

I loved the comics they used to feature in the issues. Starfox, legend of zelda, Mario. I think there were some metroid ones too. I have plenty of older issues but they are mostly falling apart and in general bad condition. Sad to see it go, though I haven't read an issue in ten years.

Even before that there was "Nester and Howard" :3

(Howard was the Nintendo Fanclub president back in the day and "NESter" was well... named after the NES)

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kame, tortue, tortuga, schildkröte, tartaruga, turtle

"Arthur Dent?"
"Yes."
"Arthur Philip Dent?"
"Yes."
"You're a total knee biter."

The Swedish equivalent to this disappeared many years ago

I found this out at what I pretty much call my home forum now...

I use to get issues from a friend of mine who lived around the corner...

Subscribed myself to it when Final Fantasy Advance came out...

Now after it being my way of keeping up with games more accurately. Being they had a list of upcoming games for Nintendo systems. That was unique to they're magazine...

I don't know what to do it's gonna mean I'll have to go to the Game Slop website and see they're less extensive list that should be in they're lousy gaming mag. Which I only subscribe to mainly for the discount card. I'll miss Nintendo Power No longer will I be playing with power.

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I treasure those who I love that love me in return. <3

I was going to start a thread on this when I first heard it was likely, but then it slipped my mind.

I actually never subscribed to Nintendo Power, but I did flip through friends' copies or stop by the local Gamestop in order to have a look. I've never really been a big Nintendo person, in part because I got into gaming a bit late (both in respect to the company and my own age, both of which seem to be pretty relevant when determining the degree to which someone likes Nintendo). Still, it's always sad to see a media go; I was glad that there was such a thing called Nintendo Power, because I know they did a pretty good job of it.

Makes one wonder if other videogame-concerned print medias will be able to stay alive. To be fair, Nintendo Power was inherently restricted in terms of content; I imagine Game Informer (to which I did briefly subscribe) has considerably better odds of survival. Sadly, it's the sign of the times.

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

Game Informer is about to stop printing its magazine as well. It's already offering a digital-only subscription method and has hired additional bloggers to create more online content (including Kimberly Wallace, formerly of RPGFan).

Look, I never subscribed to Nintendo Power, but print magazines are kind of dying out in general. This shouldn't have surprised anyone.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

The final NP cover leaked this week:

http://trib.al/s9BvC4w

I think I need to go buy this in a couple weeks, even though I've never bought an NP off the shelves before.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Somewhere in my house I might still have the issue where they introduced Earthbound.

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

Quote (Rangers51 @ 30th November 2012 09:10)

The final NP cover leaked this week:

http://trib.al/s9BvC4w

I think I need to go buy this in a couple weeks, even though I've never bought an NP off the shelves before.

It is a really beautifully done gesture. Really makes the finality of the whole thing bite.

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

Quote (laszlow @ 30th August 2012 17:37)

Game Informer is about to stop printing its magazine as well. It's already offering a digital-only subscription method and has hired additional bloggers to create more online content (including Kimberly Wallace, formerly of RPGFan).

Look, I never subscribed to Nintendo Power, but print magazines are kind of dying out in general. This shouldn't have surprised anyone.

Game Informer's been making a big push by offering video content on their site too, with stuff like Replay and Test Chamber (both of which are pretty fun to watch). Honestly, I don't mind for magazines that much, since most of my subscriptions just make recycling fodder that I don't care keeping.

About the sadness, I can't say I am to be honest about the matter. Maybe it's because I was a little oblivious as a kid, and besides a few games I basically was into other things. So I never really had a subscription, or kept up with anything, and because of this I have no personal memories and see it for what it was. But I can certainly understand people growing up, seeing the preview for a new game in their favorite series, and putting the poster on your wall really being sad over it.

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Praise Be To Helix!

I'm honestly torn about NP folding. On the one hand I'm nostalgia-ing out because it was a HUGE part of my gaming childhood. On the other, I recognize in the wired world, you can find just about any information, hint, cheat, whatever on just about any game, NP just isn't a source.

Kudos though for that last issue cover, what a way to end it all.

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kame, tortue, tortuga, schildkröte, tartaruga, turtle

"Arthur Dent?"
"Yes."
"Arthur Philip Dent?"
"Yes."
"You're a total knee biter."

Quote (laszlow @ 30th August 2012 17:37)

Game Informer is about to stop printing its magazine as well. It's already offering a digital-only subscription method and has hired additional bloggers to create more online content (including Kimberly Wallace, formerly of RPGFan).

Look, I never subscribed to Nintendo Power, but print magazines are kind of dying out in general. This shouldn't have surprised anyone.

Oof, I didn't realize that. I know I'm old fashioned in this regard, but I am quite grieved at the loss of printed media. I think it really is an unfortunate casualty of the electronic age. But this, I suppose, isn't an argument much worth assembling; it's a losing case either way.

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

I never thought I'd be so sad to see both of them go. When I was younger I never cared for either, but Nintendo Power surprisingly wedged itself into my heart, granted, there's a family history and an old Nintendo licensed toy chest involved. Game informer I'm not too terribly upset to see go, as they never quite gave the information I wanted about the games (more about the art, music and story inspiration and the little technical tidbits.) I admit it, I am exceedingly picky about my entertainment and have set my standards too high. So, it's easier to say that I don't like anything and go from there. (Nerd TV heresy: Didn't like firefly. Please don't burn me. o.o; )

On track: Game informer seemed to favor the explosive more destructive games (Call of Duty, GTA, etc) over the RPGs by far. Granted, this is probably due to the newer genre (the shooter and theft inspired games) being the more popular. It;s asking a bit too much for them to cover the old games, but they could have at least given equal attention to all genre's. Now, they do give fantastic attention to the big rpg releases, but everything else they tuck into tiny articles at the back of the magazine where they keep the fun little quizzes. I am going to miss the awesome covers though. They were always a pleasure to see in the mail.

I'm going to miss these magazines, at any rate and sincerely hope that the move to online only will keep them going forward.

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I'm your Mama Terra, come hang out with me around the internet!

Retro gaming cosplayer with a focus on Terra Branford.

I picked up a copy at Target last night. Not had a chance to look at it yet. The poster included is apparently one of every cover of every issue, which is pretty neat.

It cost six dollars! When did magazines get so expensive?

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Quote (Rangers51 @ 15th December 2012 13:35)

It cost six dollars! When did magazines get so expensive?

I'm gonna figure it was when they needed to recoup their losses after everyone migrated to a *ahem* different format.

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Arts

Farts

Twarts

I got mine in the mail but haven't opened it yet.
Think if I keep it somewhere safe it will be worth a lot and how long should I wait to cash in?

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I treasure those who I love that love me in return. <3

Quote (seraphimdreamer777 @ 15th December 2012 22:17)

Think if I keep it somewhere safe it will be worth a lot and how long should I wait to cash in?

Who knows. Keep in mind that valuable collectibles are valuable cuz they're both rare and in demand. If other people think as you're thinking...

I had a year's subscription that came with a larger deal back in the mid/late 90s. Good read, and I still have 'em boxed up somewhere. I never bothered with NP again after that, though, save for one issue that caught my eye a couple of years ago. I might get that last issue, too, just to see if they go out with a bang.

This post has been edited by Galsic on 16th December 2012 13:57

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