Nintendo Magazine System was the official Nintendo

Nintendo

is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....

 magazine of Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. In publication for seven years until 2000, the magazine was a branch of Official Nintendo Magazine, the UK's official Nintendo

Nintendo

is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....

 magazine, which was also called Nintendo Magazine System at the time. On 12 November 2008 a new official Australian Nintendo magazine was announced.

Trielle Corporation

The Australian version of NMS was originally published by Trielle Corporation as a 68-page magazine, with a cover price of $4.95. The first issue appeared in April 1993, and featured Super Mario Land 2 on the cover. It was Australia's official Nintendo magazine, and was very critical to poorly made videogame software, with scores for such games often in the low thirties. The magazine often included news and articles not relating to Nintendo products, from information on the idea of virtual reality

Virtual reality

Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...

, to the highest selling coin-operated arcade game

Arcade game

An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...

s at the time. The mail section held feedback from the editors, who at one time, for example, cited multiple reasons why upcoming consoles such as the 3D0

3DO Interactive Multiplayer

The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by...

 were superior to the SNES

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...

, possibly showing a lack of bias found in many "Official" magazines today (however, the SNES is today generally praised, while the 3D0 is criticized). The cheat section included GameShark

GameShark

GameShark is the brand name of a line of video game cheat cartridges and other products for a variety of console video game systems and Windows based computers. Currently, the brand name is owned by Mad Catz, who actively markets GameShark products for the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and Sega game...

 and Action Replay

Action Replay

Action Replay is the brand name of a series of video game cheating devices created by Datel. As of 2010, Action Replays are currently available for some of the current major gaming platforms which include the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, PlayStation 2, and the PlayStation Portable, and many older...

 codes, something Nintendo, at the time, was heavily against.

The first 100 subscribers of Nintendo Magazine System received a free bonus Snake Rattle 'n' Roll

Snake Rattle 'n' Roll

Snake Rattle 'n' Roll is a platforming video game developed by Rare. It was published by Nintendo and released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in July 1990 and in Europe on March 27, 1991. It was ported to the Mega Drive and released by Sega in June 1993...

 game for the NES, and later in Issue 4 all subscribers could, for a reduced cost of $30, buy a copy of Probotector, the PAL

PAL

PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...

 version of Contra

Contra (arcade game)

, known as Gryzor in Europe and Oceania, is a run and gun action game developed and published by Konami originally released as a coin-operated arcade game on February 20, 1987. A home version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in , along with ports for various computer formats,...

.

Catalyst Publishing

Starting with Issue 34 in January 1996, Catalyst Publishing took control of the magazine, but retained the issue numbering. The most noticeable change was the lack of advertisements in the magazine, with almost every issue only having two in the last page and back cover.

Less noticeable was the swing in attitude towards any unlicensed third party peripheral for Nintendo consoles, being cited in the mail section as "bad" and having the ability to void the warranty on such machines. At Issue 54 the cover price increased to $5.95 with the page count increased to 84 (this later increased again at Issue 69 to 100 pages).

Controversy

The magazine caused controversy when it awarded Superman a score of 80%. Superman was called the 7th worst game of all time in Electronic Gaming Monthly

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...

, the second worst game of the 90s on Filter

Filter (TV series)

Filter is an American television series on the G4 cable television channel which follows a countdown format. It was canceled in December 2005, resurrected in a re-formatted form, and then once again was canceled in August 2006. It is currently airing as a commercial break hosted by Candace Baily....

, the worst game of all time by GameTrailers

GameTrailers

GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...

, and the Worst Game of 1999 by MTV's Gamer 2.0.

In June 2000, the cover price was increased to $6.95 and had "This product includes G.S.T

Goods and Services Tax (Australia)

The GST is a broad sales tax of 10% on most goods and services transactions in Australia. It is a value added tax, not a sales tax, in that it is refunded to all parties in the chain of production other than the final consumer....

" printed next to the price, which at the time was set to come in at the first of July in Australia. Ironically, after being forced to apologise in the next issue (the July issue) by the ACCC

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...

 about the printing error, by making a full-page notice and stating it was nothing more than a cover price increase, the issue of the magazine in question retained its release date of 28 June, making it the second issue to break the law. Surprisingly the price of the magazine did not increase by ten percent to $7.70 due to the goods and service tax (GST) but stayed at $6.95.

The end

The last issue of Nintendo Magazine System was Issue 89, the August 2000 issue, which featured Lara Croft

Lara Croft

Lara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...

 on the cover. Issue 90 was to have Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is a Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color video game released in August 2000. It is a sequel to Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, and is itself followed by the 2002 entry in the Turok video games series, Turok: Evolution.-Gameplay:...

 as the feature review and the July 2001 issue would have been the 100th issue, had the magazine continued. The cancellation seemed abrupt, ending without any announcements in previous issues that had hinted toward this. Declining readership made this inevitable.

Magazine sections

One of Nintendo Magazine System's most notable sections was its letters page, as it continuously posted multiple fan submitted drawings of Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog (character)

, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...

 getting either killed, beaten to death, or humiliated by one of Nintendo's mascots (usually Mario), or by one of the NMS staff members. This was split into two sections: the first went through different changes, starting under the name "Fat Boy", then as the magazine changed hands, under the same title as the magazine itself, "Les" and then finally "Nursie". The second section was entitled "Skull's Mailbag", which started out as a rough-and-tumble, sexist, masochistic aggressive type of mailbag. Amongst other things, writers pledged allegiance to the legions of DSV (Death, Suffering and Violence), and competitions were held to draw the sexiest female game character. Eventually it was toned down from a heavy metal type skull to a cartoon horror type skull, as the magazine changed its target audience to younger readers.

Game guides

While the Magazine itself included game Guide material, five Nintendo Magazine System branded game guides were produced for Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Kazooie is a platform and action-adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998...

, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...

, Pokémon

Pokémon Red and Blue

Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...

, Jet Force Gemini

Jet Force Gemini

Jet Force Gemini is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Rare. It was exclusively released for the Nintendo 64 in late 1999 in North America, Europe and Japan...

 and Donkey Kong 64

Donkey Kong 64

Donkey Kong 64 is a platform game, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in North America on November 24, 1999 and in Europe on December 6, 1999. The game is a follow up to the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System...

. Each had 100 pages except Donkey Kong 64 which had 116. They were all priced at $9.95.

Front cover headlines

• 1993
• Australia's Only Guide to Game Boy, NES & Super NES (Issues 1-8)
• Australia's No. 1 Guide to Game Boy, NES & Super NES (Issue 9)

• 1994
• Australia's No. 1 Guide to Game Boy, NES & Super NES (Issue 10)
• Australia's Only Guide to Game Boy, NES & Super NES (Issues 11 & 12)
• Still Australia's Only Game Boy, NES & Super NES Experts (Issues 13-15)
• More Game Boy, NES & Super NES News Than You Can Poke a Stick At (Issue 16)
• It's Official - We're the Biggest Games Mag in Australia! (Issue 17)
• Top-Selling Video Game Magazine in Australia!!! (Issue 18)
• The Top-Selling Video Game Mag in Australia!!! (Issue 19)
• Top-Selling Game Mag...Cool!!! (Issue 20)
• This is the Best Video Game Mag in Australia, Can You Live Without It? (Issue 21)

• 1995
• All the Game Boy, NES, Super NES and Nintendo News You Need to Know! (Issue 22)
• All the Game Boy, NES, Super NES, & Nintendo News That's Fit to Print! (Issue 23)
• We Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Nintendo! (Issue 24)
• Everything You Need to Know About Nintendo! (Issue 25)
• The Grooviest Nintendo Mag on the Face of the Earth! (Issue 26)
• More Nintendo News Than You Can Poke a Stick At! (Issue 27)
• Warning - This Magazine Bites!!! (Issue 28)
• Warning: This Magazine Could Fry Your Brain! (Issue 29)
• The Hottest Nintendo Games in the Galaxy! (Issue 30)
• This Magazine Commences Self-Destruct in 5 Seconds! (Issue 31)
• Smoking This Mag Could Be Hazardous to Your Health! (Issue 32)
• Do Not Attempt to Stir Fry This Mag! (Issue 33)

• 1996
• Latest Ultra 64 News Direct From Japan (Issue 34)
• This Month Only - One Extra Day Free! (Issue 35)
• 12 Primal Rage Carts Up For Grabs!! (Issue 36)
• 12 DKC2s For Lucky New Subscribers! (Issue 37)
• Mayday! Mayday! Launch Escape Pods! (Issue 38)
• Nintendo 64 - Shadows of the Empire! (Issue 39)
• NMS - One For The Record Books! (Issue 40)
• DOOM and YOSHI Guides - Final Parts (Issue 41)
• 29 Pages of Top Nintendo 64 Action! (Issue 42)
• WIN! Evermore Carts (Issue 43)
• TUROK - Exclusive New Shots (Issue 44)
• 6 Great Comps (Issue 45)

• 1997
• Win an SNES and DKC3! (Issue 46)
• Win an Nintendo 64! (Issue 47)
• Full N64 Intro! (Issue 48)
• WIN an N64 and Turok! (Issue 49)
• Tips - 20 Pages (Issue 50)
• WIN! Prehistoric Prizes! (Issue 51)
• WIN! MK Trilogy & Blast Corps Carts! (Issue 52)
• WIN! 6 Turok Carts! (Issue 53)
• 9 Competitions! (Issue 54) (Page count increased to 84)
• WIN! Lylat Wars Carts (Issue 55)
• WIN an N64! (Issues 56 & 57)

• 1998
• WIN an N64! (Issue 58)
• WIN! Great Comps Inside! (Issue 59)
• 5 Compos! (Issue 60)
• N64 To Win! (Issue 61)
• Win Heaps of Prizes! (Issue 62)
• Exclusive - Design a Bike For Extreme G2!! (Issue 63)
• Win a Game Boy Camera! (Issue 64)
• WIN! Iggy's Reckin' Balls Carts! (Issue 65)
• Win Banjo-Kazooie (Issue 66)
• 8 Compos! (Issue 67)
• N64 to Win! (Issue 68)
• Win a Game Boy Color (Issue 69) (Page count increased to 100)

• 1999
• Zelda Carts to Win (Issue 70)
• Turok Atlas (Issue 71)
• Rogue Squadron Review (Issue 72)
• Mario Party (Issue 73)
• Exclusive Pullout! Game Boy Color (Issue 74)
• Star Wars Flythrough (Issue 75)
• Nintendo's New Machine - Details Inside (Issue 76)
• Win Top LEGO Stuff (Issue 77)
• Exclusive Pullout! Game Boy Color (Issue 78)
• Game Boy Successor News (Issue 79)
• Win Pokémon Yellow! (Issue 80)
• Win JFG Carts (Issue 81)

• 2000
• Hey Kids! Collect all 4 South Park Covers! (Issue 82)
• WWF Games and Merchandise to be Won! (Issue 83)
• Exclusive Pullout! Game Boy Color (Issue 84)
• Mario Party 2 Treads the Boards (Issue 85)
• Pulling No Punches in Pokémon Stadium (Issue 86)
• Rare's Biggest Ever N64 Game! Dinosaur Planet First Details (Issue 87)
• WIN! Tony Hawk N64 (Issue 88)
• You Can't Win Enough! Bond Videos Inside! (Issue 89)

Nintendo People System, from 1993 to 1995

Those behind Nintendo Magazine System when it was published by the Trielle Corporation from 1993 to 1995.

• Publisher:
• Michael Mohi (1993-95, Issues 1-33).

• Editorial Director:
• Gerard Reynolds (1993-94, Issues 1-13).

• Managing Editors:
• Rod 'Fat Boy' de Martin (1993-95, Issues 1-29)
• Mary Gillespie (1995, Issues 30-33).

• Editor:
• Mary Gillespie (1994-95, Issues 14-29).

• Senior Writer:
• Andrew Iredale (1994–95, Issues 10-33)

• Art Directors:
• Helen Reynolds (1993, Issue 1)
• Kuen Kam (1993-95, Issues 2-33)
• Gary Fletcher (1994-95, Issues 16-33)
• Garry Harrod (1994-95, Issues 19-32).

• Designers:
• Fraser Gray (1993-94, Issues 1-11)
• Tom Cox (1993-94, Issues 1-11)
• Gary Harrod (1993-94, Issues 1-14)
• Dave Kelsall (1993-94, Issues 1-14)
• Amos Wong (1994, Issues 12-13)
• Claire Coulthard (1994, Issues 12-14)
• Brad Lonergan (1994, Issue 15)
• Zaphod Sloth (1994, Issues 15, 17-21)
• Geoff Shaw (1994-95, Issues 15-29)
• Derek The Drop-Bear (1994-95, Issues 16-33)
• Alex Watson (1995, Issues 30-33).

• Contributors:
• Peter Shiels (1993, Issues 1&2)
• Simon Tambourine (1993, Issues 1&2)
• Daniel Toone (1993, Issues 1&2)
• Steve Merrett (1993, Issues 1-9)
• Angus Swan (1993-94, Issues 1-13)
• Tony Hall (1993, Issues 1-13)
• Julian Rignall (1993-94, Issues 1-14)
• Radion Automatic (1993, Issues 1-14)
• Paul Davies (1993-95, Issues 1-32)
• James Leopard (1993, Issue 3)
• Jim Molston (1993, Issue 3)
• Andrew Iredale (1993, Issues 3-9)
• Robert Whitfield (1993-94, Issues 4-13)
• Jane Wilde (1993-95, Issues 4-31)
• Michael Lee (1993-94, Issues 5-18)
• The Skull (1993-94, Issues 7-13)
• Andy McVittie (1993/1994-95, Issues 9/11-33)
• Tim Boone (1993/1994 Issues 9/13-17)
• Amos Wong (1994-95, Issues 10-33)
• Benjamin "The Champ/Bentendo" Smith (1994-95, Issues 12-33)
• Michael Mundy (1994-95, Issues 15-33)
• Aaron Rudgley (1994, Issues 15-21)
• Nick Smith (1994-95, Issues 19-33)
• Baragoon (1994-95, Issues 20-29)
• Blake 7 (1995, Issues 22-28, 31-33)
• Paul Bufton (1995, Issues 23-31)
• Shaun (1995, Issues 32-33)
• Simon (1995, Issues 32-33)

• Accounts Manager:
• Kerry Wyatt (1993-95, Issues 1-33).

• Office Managers:
• Vanessa Liberou. (1993-94, Issues 1-10)
• Julie Wall. (1994-95, Issues 11-22)
• Rebecca Stewart (1995, Issues 22-27)
• Gabby Clarke (1995, Issues 28 & 30)
• Cecilia Granstrom (1995, Issue 29)
• Leah Wright (1995, Issues 31-33).

• Advertising Managers:
• Phillip Marc (1993-94, Issues 1-15)
• Karen Mohi (1994-95, Issues 17-33).

• Minister For Information:
• Skull (1994-2000, Issues 14-89).

Nintendo People System, from 1996 to 2000

Those behind Nintendo Magazine System when it was published by Catalyst Publishing, from 1996 to 2000.

• Publisher
• John Fletcher (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)

• Managing Editor
• Willy Adams (1998-2000, Issues 68-89)

• Editor
• Willy Adams (1996-98, Issues 34-67)
• Natalie MacKenzie-Ross (later Griffith) (1998-2000, Issues 68-89)

• Deputy Editor
• Natalie MacKenzie-Ross (later Griffith) (1997-98, Issues 53-67)
• Sue Clark (1998-99, Issues 68-76)
• Alex Bowden (1999-2000, Issues 77-89)

• Staff Writers/Contributors/Designers
• Will Robinson (1996-97, Issues 34-56)
• Lousie Lawler (1996-2000, Issues 34-85)
• Steve Orange (1996-2000, Issues 34-88)
• Harry Makings (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)
• Alan Beard (1996-98, Issues 34-65)
• Firenzo Matricardi (1996-99, Issues 37-73)
• Hayley Down (1996, Issue 42)
• Jeremy Duns (1996-97, Issue 43-46)
• Rum Charles (1996-97, Issues 44-46)
• Rob Griffith (1997-99, Issues 48-70)
• Alex Bowden (1998-99, Issues 66-76)
• Sue Clark (1999-2000, Issues 77-89)
• Kim Hull (2000, Issues 86-89)
• Andrea Bujdosó (2000, Issues 86-89)
• Ben Hughes (2000, Issue 87)
• Cameron Lawton (2000, Issue 89)

• Designers
• Sue Clark (1996-98, Issues 34-67)
• Natalie MacKenzie-Ross (1996-97, Issues 34-52)
• Lee Jones (1997-98, Issues 53-62)
• Tony Dixon (1998, Issue 62)
• Kevin Price-Ward (1998-99, Issues 63-70)
• Anna Campbell (1998-99, Issues 64-70)

• Artwork
• Harry Makings (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)

• Repographics
• John Marley (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)
• Harry Makings (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)
• John Oliver (1996-97, 1997-99, Issues 35-50, 56-70)
• Tony Brittle (1998, Issues 58-68)
• Emma Cook (1998-99, Issues 63-70)
• Simon Moffatt (1998-99, Issues 69-70)

• Administration
• Becky Hornsby (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)
• Tanya Ives (1996, Issues 38-39)
• Shelley McCarthy (1996-98, Issues 44-62)
• Sharon Keenan (1998, Issues 63-66)
• Sharan Manik (1998-99, Issues 66-70)
• Dawn Walker (1998-99, Issues 66-70)
• Austin Lawler (1998-99, Issues 69-70)
• Lesley Fletcher (1999-2000, Issues 71-89)
• Loreta Dobson (2000, Issues 87-89)

• Advertising Sales
• Jo Fletcher (1996-2000, Issues 34-89)