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:''This article is about the Nintendo of America produced publication. For the Japanese-only flash ROM cartridge for the Super Famicom and Game Boy, please see Nintendo Power (cartridge).
'''Nintendo Power''' magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine published by Nintendo. The first issue published was July/August of 1988 spotlighting the NES game ''Super Mario Bros. 2''. It remains one of the longest-running and most successful video game magazines in the United States.
Design
The magazine was from the start heavily focused on providing strategy, in contrast to other video game magazines that often focus on game reviews, previews, and gossip. As the magazine is published by Nintendo itself, ''Nintendo Power'' has often featured detailed in-game maps provided directly by programmers and companies. As a result, the magazine has earned a reputation as an "insider" source of game information with "official" content that differentiates itself from the more speculative, "amateurish" approach of its contemporaries.
The magazine has remained financially successful and is one of the longest-running game oriented magazines still in circulation. Today, though still "officially" affiliated with Nintendo, the magazine has become more similar to its contemporaries (i.e. ''Electronic Gaming Monthly''), with a greater focus on staff reviews, gossip, and fan letters than in previous years. However, it still includes game strategies from time to time.
In July 2005, ''Nintendo Power'' created a new design to appeal to a more general audience, including a new logo and article format. However, the change was not merely cosmetic, as more pop culture references and use of swear terms were birthed along with the design, one can only assume to capture a wider teen demographic as well.
In an effort to gain more customers, Nintendo also created a promotional offer that involves registering three products in Nintendo's site, and receiving three ''Nintendo Power'' issues for free (as well as receiving the option to order an extra year - twelve issues - for USD$12.00, $15.00 CAD).
Additionally, up until mid-1998, ''Nintendo Power'' did not allow any outside advertisements - only ads were allowed for Nintendo games and accessories, or ''Nintendo Power'' promotions. In its early years, ads only appeared in the first and last few pages of the magazine, leaving no ads to break up the magazine's editorial content. The ads on the inside front cover were almost always subscription offers.
In addition to the aforementioned redesign, the magazine has since gained an unspoken reputation for consistent typos of both a factual and grammatical nature, with Pulse's "Corrector's Corner" heading for eagle-eyed readers' critiques approaching monthly column status.
History
Pre-Nintendo Power: Nintendo Fun Club News issue #2
''Nintendo Power'' began as the several page long ''Nintendo Fun Club News'', but after a few years changed to Nintendo Power.[1] The first issue published 3.6 million copies, with every member of the Nintendo Fun Club receiving a free one. Almost one third of the members subscribed. In mid-1988 Nintendo Fun Club News quit publishing and was replaced with Nintendo Power. Nintendo Power was a real magazine that was available on newsstands.
The magazine was edited at first by Fun Club "President" Howard Philips, himself an avid game player. While the Fun Club News focused solely on games made in-house by Nintendo; Nintendo Power was created to allow for reviews of games produced by those licensed by Nintendo, such as Konami, Capcom, and the like. ''Nintendo Power''
During the early 1990s the magazine used what was a unique and very expensive promotion; it gave a free copy of the new NES game ''Dragon Warrior'' to every new subscriber. However, this promotion was in part a sly move on Nintendo's part to make money off a failure: ''Dragon Warrior'' (''Dragon Quest'' in Japan) games had not sold nearly as well as Nintendo had anticipated, and it was left with a large number of unsold cartridges on its hands. The promotion both helped the company get rid of the unsold merchandise, and won the magazine thousands of new subscribers.
Following the release of the Super Nintendo, the magazine featured lengthy, continuous comic stories based on ''Super Mario World'' and ''. After these stories ended, they were replaced by similar multi-issue stories based on ''Star Fox'' and ''Super Metroid'', and later on, N64 games like and Blast Corps. were made; as well as comics based on the animated series of ''Pokémon'' and '', respectively. More recently, short excerpts of comic books based on ''Custom Robo'', as well as ''Metal Gear Solid'', have been featured (as well as a short ''Metroid Prime'' comic). ''Nintendo Power'' has concluded a comic based on the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games, which is translated from the original Japanese version and reads in traditional manga format.
In issues 196-200, ''Nintendo Power'' did a top 200 game list with 40 each issue. The top 5 were ''Super Mario 64'', '', '', ''Resident Evil 4'', and '' taking the top spot.[2]
In issue 211, ''Nintendo Power'' began listing upcoming Wii games and Virtual Console titles.
Sections
Currently running
''Note: Not all of these sections are in every issue''
★ 'Player's Pulse' - "Mailbag" section that features letters to the editor submitted by readers. At first, it was two different sections titled 'Mailbox' and 'Video Spotlight', the latter of which featured mail from really good players. But during 1989, they merged into one section. Currently, it is titled just 'Pulse'.
★ 'Pak Watch / Game Watch / News' - A look at upcoming games and gaming news.
★ 'Top 30 / Top 20 / Power Charts' - The top-rated games as voted by the readers. Originally, it featured the top 30 NES games, then changed to feature the top 20 games for all the systems in 1992. In 1995, the name was changed to Power Charts, with varying numbers depending on which system (the handheld systems would have half the list length of the consoles). It was removed in 2001, but brought back in 2002, this time being listed in order of top sales and the ''Nintendo Power'' staff's choice of the "best games". Recently, when a game that the staff gave bad ratings to is the top seller, they make a joke at its expense.
★ 'Classified Information' - For codes and strategies and gaming secrets. Despite being the magazine's most popular department, it is no longer monthly as of Volume 193, but instead will appear when there are enough new codes and secrets in a given month to justify including it.
★ 'Player's Poll Contest / Player's Poll Sweepstakes' - Monthly contest where readers send in included cards to enter and provide feedback to the magazine.
★ 'Now Playing / Reviews' - Editor reviews for the latest game releases. During 1992, the games were reviewed by two employees named George and Rob, but this change was not popular with the readers, and George and Rob were removed the following year. More recently, though, the section has featured reviews by one editor per game, with the occasional "counter-point" by a dissenting editor who feels that a game warrants a different score.
★ 'NP 411/Contact Us' - Information on how to reach the magazine's departments and where to find information on a specific game in that magazine.
★ 'Playback'- A section reminiscing about games of old. This department made its debut in the March 2006, volume 201 edition of ''Nintendo Power'' with ''Earthworm Jim''.
★ 'Game Over'- A one-page strategy divulging details on how to conquer a final boss of a selected game. This feature also made its debut in the March 2006, volume 201 edition of ''Nintendo Power''. Game Over sometimes takes the place of Power Quiz.
★ 'Power Quiz'- A quiz about a selected game, series, or area of Nintendo. Alternates issues with Game Over. Answers are posted in the next issue, as well as on Nintendo.com.
★ 'Point/Counterpoint'- In this section, two or more NP staffers go head-to-head on a Nintendo-related topic.
★ 'Power Profiles' - A column containing information and an interview with Nintendo designers. It debuted in issue 216 and featured Shigeru Miyamoto.
★ 'Community'- Covers events, music, collections, Pokémon, cosplaying, , Nintendo food, websites and other Nintendo-related things, though not all sections show at the same time.
★ 'Wii Channels'- A monthly column which provides information on latest releases on features for the Wii, such as Virtual Console games, new Wii Channels, and new updates from WiiConnect24. This column made its debut in issue 212.
It is somewhat difficult to firmly establish what is a consistent monthly column in the magazine, as compilation has been fairly unpredictable following its "new look", with sections such as Classified Information, Game Over and Power Quiz printed on and off throughout recent publication (strangely, the "Inside Zelda" series of articles ran more steadily than aforementioned features without being considered a monthly column).
Discontinued
★ 'Beat the Boss' - A number of final bosses were listed every month with strategies on how to defeat them. This has recently returned in the form of Game Over.
★ 'Counselors' Corner' - Nintendo's game counselors answering game-related questions, such as hints and strategies. It was removed in 2002. Nintendo of America eventually closed its game counselor hotline in 2005, and all employees working as counselors at the time were moved to other departments.
★ 'The Crossing Guardian / The Crossing Quarterly' - A little section (about 1-2 pages) about Animal Crossing. It was later made into the Crossing Quarterly, but as the game got old, the section left the magazine.
★ 'Epic Center' - Role-playing game information and coverage. Originally written by Alan Averill, who has since left ''Nintendo Power''.
★ 'NES Achievers / Power Player's Challenge / Arena' - Players send in their best game scores to try to win free T-shirts, originally Super Power Stamps. Later it challenged readers to do insanely hard stunts such as a 3 heart run with no continues in Zelda games.
★ 'NES Journal' - A newsletter within the magazine, often featuring media news relating to Nintendo (such as the premieres of the cartoon shows and the release of ''The Wizard'') and celebrity interviews. The column disappeared after Volume 16, but the celebrity interviews remained until late 1992.
★ 'The Nindex' - A list of all of the GameCube games. Appeared shortly after the launch of the GameCube, and left mid-2004.
★ 'Nintendo Online' - Showed information and news on video game websites.
★ 'Game Boy' - Early on in the Game Boy's lifespan, the magazine ran a special column focusing on the handheld, even giving it its own section within. However, it ended shortly after the Super NES came out.
★ 'Game Boy A-Go-Go / Title Wave' - This section featured short strategy reviews for games that weren't big enough to receive full ones. Originally, it focused on Game Boy Color games, but then changed its name in 2002 to accommodate GameCube games as well. However, it vanished from the magazine during 2003, causing all the games that would've been appropriate for this section to receive two-page strategy reviews.
★ 'Power On' - Entertainment section featuring caption contests and celebrity interviews. Began in 2002, but ended in mid-2005. As of volume 215, the caption contests have returned, this time by itself.
★ 'Pokécenter' - For latest Pokémon news and updates, TCG strategies, and team analysis. It came into the magazine in April 1999, but ended in the July 2005 issue when it merged with several other sections.
Player's Guides
Main articles: Nintendo Player's Guide
''Nintendo Power'' has also produced another series of strategy magazines called Player's Guides. The first Player's Guide was simply called ''The Official Nintendo Player's Guide''. When ''Nintendo Power'' switched from a bi-monthly magazine to a monthly magazine in May 1990, every other issue was a Strategy Guide focused on a single game. This didn't last long however, and only four such Strategy Guides were released. The reason for this, as stated in the magazine's 50th issue, was because the strategy guides were intended to review the games that they considered the best, but they eventually abandoned the concept upon realizing that the best games usually come out shortly before Christmas. Starting in January of 1991, ''Nintendo Power'' became a full fledged monthly magazine with issue #20. Issues prior to that have become highly collectible.
The first four Player's Guides in book format were the ''NES Game Atlas'' (featuring maps of popular NES franchises), ''Game Boy'' (featuring select Game Boy games), ''Mario Mania'' (featuring information about Nintendo's mascot, Mario, but was mostly a full strategy guide of the then-new Super Mario World), and ''Super NES'' (featuring select Super NES games). All four were mailed free to subscribers of ''Nintendo Power'' in 1992. Later, a fifth free Player's Guide, ''Top Secret Passwords'', featured passwords (and a few cheats) for selected NES, Super NES and Game Boy games. This guide was sent to subscribers who were now in the Super Power Club. Through originally billed as a subscriber exclusive, it was eventually sold at retailers.
Beginning with ''The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past'', Player's Guides now feature one specific game, much like the earlier ''Nintendo Power Strategy Guides''. They are separate entities from the magazine itself. The concept is now emulated by other publishing companies such as Brady Games or Prima for Nintendo and other video game consoles. Almost all major Nintendo video games released today will have an official Player's Guide associated with it.
Player's Guides are often sold at gaming stores or can be ordered direct from ''Nintendo Power''. Most ''Nintendo Power'' subscription packages include a free Player's Guide as an incentive.
With all of the FAQs for video games on the internet in modern times, Nintendo's Player's Guides have a tougher time competing, and they have long been a major incentive used for renewing subscription through the mail. T-shirts and the like are in fact offered on occasion through the mail-in offers, however, by subscribing through the internet, many more premiums are available (more T-shirts, for example).
Nintendo Power Awards
The 'Nintendo Power' Awards, once called the 'Nester Awards' (after the cartoon character featured in early issues of ''Nintendo Power''), are the magazine's annual ceremony of recognition for the previous calendar year's games. The awards are nominated by the staff members, and the awards are voted on by the readers. The results, which appear in a following issue, reflect both the winners based on readers' votes and which candidates the writers felt should have won. As of 2006, there have been eighteen annual awards featured in what is usually the May issue of the following year, the first awards having taken place in 1989, honoring games released in 1988.
Controversy
The cover for the controversial second issue.
A controversy ensued upon publication of the second issue of the magazine. Parents called in to complain to the magazine's office that the cover, featuring '' with an image of Simon holding the severed head of Dracula, frightened their children and had resulted in many of them having nightmares.[3] For a long time following, ''Nintendo Power'' steered clear of cover artwork that features such graphic imagery and instead now place it inside the magazine. Also, in the January 2007 issue's "PlayBack" column, which spotlighted ''Simon's Quest'', Chris Shepperd mentioned the second issue's cover as being "one of our favorite cover images of all time".
''Nintendo Power'' has received controversy concerning ''Conker's Bad Fur Day'', a Nintendo 64 video game developed by then-second party developer Rare. The game was very controversial, containing sex, alcohol, obscene language, and drugs. ''Nintendo Power'' did not even mention the game upon its release, causing mild controversy about the family image that Nintendo was trying to preserve.
Comic series
★ ''Howard and Nester'' / ''Nester's Adventures'' (Volume 1-55)
★ ''Battletoads'' (Volume 24-25)
★ ''Super Mario Adventures'' (Volume 32-43)
★ '' (Volume 32-43)
★ ''Mario VS Wario'' (Volumes 44 & 56)
★ ''Star Fox'' (Volume 45-55)
★ ''Super Metroid'' (Volume 57-61)
★ '' (Volume 89-93; excerpts from the graphic novel)
★ ''Blast Corps'' (Volume 97-99)
★ ''Pokémon'' (based on the long-running animated series)
★ ''Kirby: Right Back At Ya!'' (based on the animated series)
★ ''Metroid Prime'' (based on the video game)
★ ''Custom Robo'' (short excerpt from the comic book)
★ ''Metal Gear Solid - The Twin Snakes'' (short excerpt from the comic book)
★ ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: '' (Manga). Based on a 6-part serial in Japan, the English translation reads right-to-left as in its original format. (Volume 207-212)
Spine pictures
Starting with issue #92, pieces of Nintendo characters were printed on the spine of the magazine. When placed upright in order, the magazines form complete characters when viewed from the side. When ''Nintendo Power'' was redesigned, the spine picture idea was abandoned. The printed characters include:
★ ''Mario'' (though some sections were either misprinted/printed twice, resulting in a disfigured Mario)-1997
★ ''Link''-1998
★ ''Donkey Kong''-1999
★ ''Lugia''-2000; incomplete
★ ''Fox McCloud'', ''Mario'', and ''Samus Aran'' (side-by side)-2002
★ ''Link'' (Wind Waker)-2003
★ ''Link, Mario, Samus'' (Square Pictures From Up to Down)-January 2004 through May 2004
★ ''Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Fox McCloud'' (Square Pictures From Up to Down)-July 2004 through December 2004
★ ''Nintendo DS''-January 2005-June 2005; incomplete
Promotional VHS tapes
On occasion, many subscribers received promotional VHS tapes, although this practice has ceased with the availability of DVD and online video. Among these were tapes promoting Donkey Kong Country ([1]), Nintendo 64, Star Fox 64, and Diddy Kong Racing.
Spin-offs
During 2001, ''Nintendo Power'' released a spin-off semi-magazine named ''Nintendo Power Advance'', featuring the Game Boy Advance and its games. Four issues of ''Nintendo Power Advance'' were printed, the last of which served as a strategy guide for ''.
With the release of ''Pokémon'' for the Game Boy; ''Nintendo Power'' included 6 mini-issues of 'Pokemon Power' mainly featuring tips and strategies for the game.
Player's Poll
Since Issue one, ''Nintendo Power'' has had a "Player's Poll Contest" (later called "Player's Poll Sweepstakes") where there would be a grand prize, a 2nd place prize, and 3rd place prize. The grand prize is often centered around the game, the 2nd place prize is the game itself, and 3rd place prize is a T-shirt.
See also
★ ''Official Nintendo Magazine'', the U.K. equivalent.
★ ''Nintendo Magazine System (Australia)'', the Australian equivalent publication.
★ The ''Howard & Nester'' Comics Archive
★ Nintendo
★ History of computer and video games
References
1. EGM Retro: 20 Years of NES from 1UP.COM Jeremy Parish
2. .
3.
External links
★ ''Nintendo Power'' official site
★ ''Nintendo Power'' Issue 1 cover
★ ''Nintendo Power'' Contents
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