Magazine pack-in history

[mvangord]

We should try to make some kind of thing here that lists all the pack-in stuff various magazines had for each issue.  Nintendo Power was probably second only to GamePro in just how much crap they managed to shove into that plastic casing.  They had that subscriber bonus issue (which was just a catalog), those Pokemon comics, the pull out posters that ruin the magazine when you take them out since there's part of an article on the back, rare Pokemon Eon Ticket, a whole bunch of catalogs (there was this blue one from 2003 I'd like to see someone archive) and the like.  Does something like this seem feasible to anyone here?  This does seem like the kind of stuff that tends to fall through the cracks.  Especially those goddamn posters.

[kitsunebi]

American magazines can't hold a candle to UK or Japanese mags in the pack-in department.  USA mags just throw in a poster or mini guide and call it a bonus.  In the UK, you might well find a package of snack food glued to the cover, and in Japan, magazines sometimes come in boxes containing a combination of towels, puzzles, trading cards, figurines, or full-body-length pillow case covers in addition to traditional stuff like posters.  Try scanning that crap.

[mvangord]

9 hours ago, kitsunebi77 said:

American magazines can't hold a candle to UK or Japanese mags in the pack-in department.  USA mags just throw in a poster or mini guide and call it a bonus.  In the UK, you might well find a package of snack food glued to the cover, and in Japan, magazines sometimes come in boxes containing a combination of towels, puzzles, trading cards, figurines, or full-body-length pillow case covers in addition to traditional stuff like posters.  Try scanning that crap.

I found a British lottery ticket in an issue of Cube UK I bought once.  Too bad I'm American so the only pounds I'm gaining are on my thighs

[Ethereal Dragonz]

One of the Hobby Consolas (Spanish magazine) that I bought long ago came with a Dragon Ball Z VHS movie. That was pretty neat.

[twiztor]

On 3/24/2019 at 10:12 PM, mvangord said:

We should try to make some kind of thing here that lists all the pack-in stuff various magazines had for each issue.  Nintendo Power was probably second only to GamePro in just how much crap they managed to shove into that plastic casing.  They had that subscriber bonus issue (which was just a catalog), those Pokemon comics, the pull out posters that ruin the magazine when you take them out since there's part of an article on the back, rare Pokemon Eon Ticket, a whole bunch of catalogs (there was this blue one from 2003 I'd like to see someone archive) and the like.  Does something like this seem feasible to anyone here?  This does seem like the kind of stuff that tends to fall through the cracks.  Especially those goddamn posters.

someone on another forum documented all the Nintendo Power variant covers/posters/extras. 

http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=92951

[mvangord]

1 hour ago, twiztor said:

someone on another forum documented all the Nintendo Power variant covers/posters/extras. 

http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=92951

This is just what I was looking for.  Thanks!

[MigJmz]

On 3/24/2019 at 8:46 PM, kitsunebi77 said:

American magazines can't hold a candle to UK or Japanese mags in the pack-in department.  USA mags just throw in a poster or mini guide and call it a bonus.  In the UK, you might well find a package of snack food glued to the cover, and in Japan, magazines sometimes come in boxes containing a combination of towels, puzzles, trading cards, figurines, or full-body-length pillow case covers in addition to traditional stuff like posters.  Try scanning that crap.

try full retail games packed in with the mag. WOW! Overseas magazines rocked.

 

[kitsunebi]

I like how the cover claims Unreal (which was 4 years old at the time that mag was published) is "worth $90."  Because I'm pretty sure it was bargain bin by then.(btw - I just noticed you aren't including the dates on those PC Powerplay covers? Had to check my copy for the date.)

Here's one from America.  And a collection of games I'd MUCH rather play than Unreal.  Ultima Underworld, Monkey Island, XCOM, Wing Commander...all better games than Unreal.  And Alone in the Dark and King's Quest are dated but important example of games that launched important genres (survival horror and graphic adventures).

And then they had to ruin it by adding the Daikatana demo.