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  1. I usually only post in my own thread (since almost no one ever replies, I figure I may as well talk to myself in one thread as opposed to starting dozens of new ones). But this one calls for some reactions, so hopefully someone out there will deign to comment. Way back on page 6 of my thread, I posted the results of Famitsu's 1987 game awards. For the curious, those can be found here. Now, it's time for THE BEST GAMES OF 1988!!! First, the top 10, as chosen by the readers: #10 Famicom Tantei Club (Nintendo) A Japanese-style menu-driven graphic adventure, and the only game from Nintendo on this list. #9 Sangokushi Chuugen no Hasha (Namco) A Three Kingdoms turn-based strategy/war game (similar to Koei's bread-and-butter games) #8 Kyuukyoku Harikiri Stadium (Taito) A baseball game #7 Captain Tsubasa (Tecmo) A soccer game, released in the West with altered graphics as Tecmo Cup. #6 Nobunaga no Yabou Zenkokuban (Koei) The second of Koei's Nobunaga strategy games, released in the West as Nobunaga's Ambition. #5 Best Play Pro Yakyuu (ASCII) Another baseball game #4 Wizardry (ASCII) One of the first commercially-sold RPGs ever (1981) and the biggest influence on early JRPGs, this port is (obviously) graphically superior to the original #3 Final Fantasy (Square) I've searched everywhere, but can't seem to find any information about this game??? I think maybe it's a pinball game? #2 Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium '87 (Namco) Yet another baseball game #1 Dragon Quest III (Enix) Still, even in 2020, likely to make the top 5 of any Japanese "best of all time" rankings OK, so, comparing the 1988 list to the 1987 list, there are some noticeable similarities between the two: For 2 years in a row, a Dragon Quest game sits at the #1 spot (I wouldn't be surprised if Dragon Quest took the best of '86 award as well, but I don't have that year's award issue). There are 3 baseball games in the top 10, and the #2 spot for both years is Namco's Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium (the '88 poll has the sequel, Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium '87 - which is essentially the same game but with updated rosters.) There are 3 RPGs only 4 games from each list were released outside of Japan (well, 5 in '88 if you count the complete graphical reworking of Tecmo Cup) So what do you guys think of the list? Personally, Dragon Quest III bores me to tears - I just don't see the appeal, and think that the first Final Fantasy is a superior game. Actually, Final Fantasy is the ONLY game on this list I'd put in a top 10. Here's my personal top 10 of games initially released in 1988 (regadless of region) These aren't necessarily objectively the best, but are the ones I enjoyed the most. 10. Bionic Commando - a classic, but one I didn't own, so it ranks lower than it might have if I had stronger memories of playing it as a kid 9. King's Quest IV - the first of Sierra's games to use their updated SCI engine, the first with sound card support, and the first with a female lead 8. Ninja Gaiden - hard as balls. Never had a hope of beating this game until emulators with save states became a thing. But I had a friend who could do it. Legend. 7. Leisure Suit Larry 2 - I somehow conned my parents into getting me Larry 2 and 3 for Christmas one year. Looking at them now, they're completely harmless, but at the time it seemed downright scandalous. 6. Super Mario Bros. 3 - This wasn't released in the USA till later, but it's still an '88 game (in Japan) 5. Super Mario Bros. 2 - The American version, which yes, I like better than Mario 3. 4. Mega Man 2 - Still my favorite Mega Man game 3. Final Fantasy - The best RPG with "Final Fantasy" in the title. Later games would stop resembling RPGs at all and become strictly JRPGs more focused on linear storytelling. 2. Manhunter: New York - probably the most love-it-or-hate-it game on the list. Incredible atmosphere - dark and quirky - this game is unlike anything else (except the sequel, Manhunter: San Fransisco ) 1. Pool of Radiance - The first of SSI's legendary gold box RPGs. So good, and light years beyond what was happening on consoles. Tactical combat where careful deployment of resources was necessary to avoid death...every...single...time. None of this "attack attack attack heal" nonsense that could be played on autopilot. This game had combat that demanded your full attention, and was rewarding and entertaining as a result.
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  2. The above list was chosen by Famitsu's readers. Next up are the genre awards, chosen by the Famitsu staff: Best RPG - Dragon Quest III (Famicom) Choosing otherwise would have caused riots in the streets, I presume Best Shooting Game - Gradius II (Famicom) - This one never made it stateside, but I've played it, and yep...it's a Gradius game, all right. Best Sports Game - World Court - (PC Engine) - GREAT SCOTT!!! It's not a baseball game!!! (This selection caused riots in the streets, I presume) Best Strategy Game - Famicom Wars (Famicom) Advance Wars was great fun, but going back afterwards to try this one was a let-down. Best Action Game - Super Mario Bros. 3 (Famicom) And just like 1987, the editors decided that certain genres didn't have any games good enough to qualify for an award, so they only get "runner-up" status: Runner-Up Action-RPG - Ys (Master System) Sigh. I'm not sure that "bump into the bad guys over and over" qualifies as "action," but there you have it. Runner-Up Adventure Game - (tie) Famicom Tantei Club, Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (Famicom) As a huge fan of the graphic adventure genre, I'd like to disqualify every Japanese adventure game ever made from attaining anything higher than "runner-up" status. Even that might be too generous. At least Princess Tomato isn't another murder mystery, I guess. Runner-Up Puzzle Game - Tetris (Famicom - Bullet Proof Software version) BPS's stupid backwards control scheme (down on the D-pad to rotate, A button to drop) relegates one of the greastest puzzle games ever to "runner-up" status And finally, the special category awards: Best Story - Final Fantasy II (Famicom) It didn't take much for a console game in 1988 to win this award. This game perhaps begins the devolution of the JRPG into the "visual novel with battles" railroad experience they would become by introducing distinct characters with predetermined dialog and plots. You're no longer roleplaying a character - you're simply guiding a pre-scripted character along the path determined by the developers. Best Character Design - Dragon Quest III (Famicom) Akira Toriyama is like a god in Japan Best Graphics - Alien Crush (PC Engine) Well chosen Best Music - Galaga '88 (PC Engine) Err..... If you say so. Best Topic (?) - No-Ri-Ko (PC Engine) The first ever CD-ROM for the PC Engine. This was a pile of crap that almost doesn't even qualify as a game, but that didn't matter. People could watch and listen to jpop idols prance around on their screens, and the landscape of Japanese gaming would never be the same. Best Port - R-Type (PC Engine) near arcade-perfect Best Production - Ninja Gaiden (Famicom) The cinematic cut-scenes between levels were groundbreaking, even if the plot was ridiculous Best TV Commercial - Famicom Wars (Famicom) Allllll righty then. Best Design - (tie) Matsumoto Tooru no Kabushiki Hisshougaku, Kaettekita Mario Brothers (Famicom) A stock trading game. Yawn. Also, a remake of the original Mario Bros. (not SMB) which is more accurate to the arcade version - only sold for the FDS Disk Writer, so no actual disks/packaging were ever produced. An old-school "digital-only" release, if you will.
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  3. 741 downloads

    Pokémon Power Volume 3 (October 1998)
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  4. 444 downloads

    Covering bishoujo games for the PlayStation, Saturn, Dreamcast, and PC. I made this scan for everyone, so please download it, share it with your friends and enjoy! If you share this scan elsewhere, please say that the file is from Retromags, where you can download it for free. Magazine preservation is for everyone. Thank you! このスキャンは皆のために作ったので、ぜひダウンロードして、友達に伝いて、楽しんでください!もしほかのところでこのスキャンを分け合ったら、そこで「このファイルはRetromagsからで、そこでタダでダウンロードすることできる」と伝いて下さい。雑誌電子化は皆のために。よろしくお願いします! PS: Please don't upload this file to the Internet Archive. K thnx bye!
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  5. 794 downloads

    Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 202 (April 2006)
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