Nintendo Power shuts down after 24 years.

[OrochiEddie]

I have all the issues of the n64, and most of the gamecube era. I even have the first issue of the GBA spin-off magazine.
As a child I loved it, but thinking back it also pissed me off how often in the n64 era you would see previews for games that never came out, or just not in the US. I remember looking at photos of Conkers for years wondering when it would finally come out, or Robotech64. Then I remember a tiny blurb about Super Mario 64 2 and losing my shit, only for it to never pop-up again. Still, in an era before the internet really took over the news world it was pretty freaking cool. I loved seeing some of the pieces of art submitted, the samus action figure made from a barbie doll comes to mind, or the gameboy made of bread.

In this day and age the video game magazine needs to seriously evolve in order to be relevant. They can't rely on trying to post news reports, they'll always be outdone by blogs like Kotaku and Joystiq. NP could have had a life in discussing the old days, showing off gamer collections, and showing off rarities (Star Fox2?).

I also feel like that the writing wasn't exactly geared towards anyone over the age of 10.

In the end, they chose not to change with the times, and they paid for it.

 

[SNKorSWM]

I had a friend who subscribed to Nintendo Power back in the day so I never needed one of my own. Though I still have a number of the NP special guides like Ninja Gaiden II and the NES Game Atlas. Those guides also had comics in there to explain the story in addition to the maps.

 

[90s]

Nintendo Power is (presumably) only a US mag? We have the 'Official Nintendo Magazine' here in the UK. Do you guys have that too, as well as the now defunct NPower?

Many book stores import UK mags. I'm sure North American readers could just subscribe to them as well. Here in Toronto, I see "N Gamer" from time to time, but I don't like it as much as NP. Some foreign mags like Games and Edge are pretty good, but too serious. I miss the humour and style of mags like GamePro and GameFan.

When it comes to games, I still like print. I don't go to videogame sites for news, just for discussion and opinions. But I'm probably in the minority.

 

[mainman]

I lost interest in print media after gamers republic and gamefans went out of print long ago.

 

[Hot Chocolate]

hey guys did you like Sega Visions too

Yes

On topic:

I read the early 90's one through my cousin( I believe he had the subscription that came with the DW guide ) and I remember loving the Mega Man 3 issue and I really loved the comics, once his subscription ran out that was pretty much the last time I touched a issue

 

[ki_atsushi]

Sad news to hear, although I haven't touched an issue since the end of the N64 era.

I still have a binder with a bunch of early issues. I'm gonna bust them out and read them over again.

Also, +1 for the Final Fantasy guide being awesome as fuck. I have 2 copies! My beater copy from when I was a kid, and a better condition one that I got later.

 

[Wachenroder]

I knew it was only a matter of time. Still sucks none the less. Poor a 40 out for NP.

 

[Normdog]

Well that sucks, I used to love reading NP growing up. I always looked forward to the games/systems previews sections of the mag.

hey guys did you like Sega Visions too

Sure did. That was a cool mag to peruse through.

 

[DangerousK]

Are there any gaming magazines even left in the US outside of Game Informer?

 

[LoneSage]

Your trolling seems to continue rising in quality, LoneSage.

Nintendo Power was a dumb mag. Always was. Even when I was a kid I realized how inane Nintendo Power and GamePro were. I have no nostalgia for either.

 

[Domino-chan]

I still have my Street Fighter and Secret of Mana issues plus the Final Fantasy bonus guide. But yeah, I too kind of lost interest after the N64 era.

Still it's sad to see it go.

 

[DangerousK]

Nintendo Power was a dumb mag. Always was. Even when I was a kid I realized how inane Nintendo Power and GamePro were. I have no nostalgia for either.

Gamepro was fun to read back in the late 80s, early 90s. Actually I liked it up until around 1995 or 1996.

EGM was obviously much better, but it went to shit by the early part of the '00s.

 

[OrochiEddie]

I am a bit bummed that my mario RPG guide has been roughed so badly. Pretty sure that was a subscription bonus.

 

[Xian Xi]

Nintendo isn't the juggernaut it used to be. Makes me wonder what would've happened if they came out with the CD based system that was designed by Sony instead of Sony themselves entering the market.

 

[ki_atsushi]

Nintendo isn't the juggernaut it used to be. Makes me wonder what would've happened if they came out with the CD based system that was designed by Sony instead of Sony themselves entering the market.

Yep, huge mistake on Nintendo's part. They could have had a friend instead of a rival.

The market would be completely different. Hell, who knows, it might still be Nintendo Vs. Sega in this alternate universe!

 

[SNKorSWM]

And this tower would continue to grow, eventually to be taller than a neo cab.

 

[90s]

So this is the cover of the final NP. Brings things full circle in a nice way.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Don't know why, but this makes me sad.

 

[Renmauzo]

Eagerly awaiting my issue in the mail. Man, the last couple of issues were really something. I guess they went all out since the end was near.

 

[SNKorSWM]

Guess I'll go get the final issue after all.

 

[mainman]

Yep, huge mistake on Nintendo's part. They could have had a friend instead of a rival.

The market would be completely different. Hell, who knows, it might still be Nintendo Vs. Sega in this alternate universe!

Would everyone have a goatee

 

[SNKorSWM]

Would everyone have a goatse

FiXD

 

[PleaseKillMeNow]

Yep, huge mistake on Nintendo's part. They could have had a friend instead of a rival.

The market would be completely different. Hell, who knows, it might still be Nintendo Vs. Sega in this alternate universe!

Something tells me Nintendo would've just bowed out of the hardware market and licensed everything to Sony. By '98, realizing Nintendo can only rehash so much, Sony would end their first-party relationship. All we'd see of Mario and pals would be on bargain bin compilations.

 

[Grandmaster]

quite simply, the Nintendo Power magazines were a huge part of my childhood. i will never forget it.

 

[OrochiEddie]

Yep, huge mistake on Nintendo's part. They could have had a friend instead of a rival.

The market would be completely different. Hell, who knows, it might still be Nintendo Vs. Sega in this alternate universe!

Nah, Sega could have been the only console available and they still would have screwed themselves up. They were just exceptionally good at making very poor decisions.