Ultimate Future Games Issue 5

Overview

• Full Name: Ultimate Future Games Issue 5
• Issue 5
• Date April 1995
• Region: UK
• Barcode: 9771355 728000 04
• Cover Disc No
• Notes:

Features

• Telling the Future the way it is - Pages 43-46 Cont..Pages 55-61 - Feature showing all the current consoles (and pending ones), 3DO gets a nice 2 page spread, with soundbites from Trip Hawkins, Bob Monk from Goldstar UK and Rob Dyer at Crystal Dynamics. They bizarrely have a picture of the Samsung machine (but no mention of Samsung). Games named in the article include: Lost Eden, Myst, Hell, Quarantine, Doom, Primal Rage, Supreme Warrior, Cannon Fodder, Creature Shock, Killing Time, Corpse Killer, Wing Commander 3 and Gex. it also mentions games that didn't make it: 11th Hour, Doom 2, Dragon and Cyberclash.

• Bluffers Guide to 3DO - Page 63 - Basic 1 page guide to the 3DO.

Previews

• Gex (Page 14) - Very small article with 2 even smaller screenshots, says how the game is delayed but the gex boasts an impressive 450 frames per second.
• Flashback (Page 22) - Almost full page preview of Flashback, also for CD-i and Jaguar (Doesn't tell what system the screenshots are from)

Reviews

Game Title	Publisher	Reviewer	Pages	Pg No(s)	Rating
Cannon Fodder	Virgin Interactive	N/A	Half	90	81%
Crime Patrol	American Laser Games	N/A	Half	86	51%
Return Fire	Silent Software	N/A	2	72-73	92%
StarBlade	Namco	N/A	2	70-71	69%
World Cup Golf	US Gold	N/A	Third	76	34%

• Cannon Fodder - Insensible +Addictive gameplay -Been around for ages
• Crime Patrol - Corrupt +The lovely lady coppa -Pointless with a pad
• Return Fire - Glowing +Two-Player warring bliss -It really needs two players
• StarBlade - Shackled +Slinky looks and moves -A little too tough?
• World Cup Golf - Bunkered +Choice of Tournaments -Tedious gameplay

Adverts

Retail

• Special Reserve - 2 Page Ad, with various consoles in a retail list, 3DO has about 30+, 3DO FZ-1 is £389.99. Several games listed for sale that never made the light of day: 11th Hour, Cyberclash, Dragon and Powerslide. They have a game called "Shut Down", that I can't find any information on, and believe its a misprint (Page 2-3)
• Calculus - 2 Page spread, with 1 page being dedicated to 3DO (The other Jaguar), FZ-1 for £399.95 plus a selection of games (Pages 18-19)
• Games USA - Quarter page ad, has various consoles including 3DO, and a list of what seems to be 3DO only games, this includes a "TBA Magic Carpet" (Page 64)
• Deep Logic - Small ad with mention they stock 3DO (Page 82)
• Game Zone - Small ad with 3DO logo amongst other console logos (Page 82)
• loadeD Consoles - Small ad (Almost so small you cant read what they are selling!), Selling some imported 3DO games (Page 82)
• Jive Consoles - Small ad with mention they stock 3DO (Page 82)
• Console Connections - Small ad, mainly filled with selling a 3DO wireless controller (Page 82)
• Krazy Konsoles - Quarter page ad, Sell 3DO, Saturn and Playstation, has a picture of Road Rash underneath 3DO logo, claim over "over 100 3DO games and accessories" (Page 83)
• Megga Games - Quarter page ad, Looks like more focused on the Megadrive, small section of 3DO games, of note, Lemmings Chronicles is one (Page 83)
• The Game Shack - Quarter page ad, 3DO only "The market leaders in 3DO since Feb 94"...Has about 40 games for sale (In some random order), Dragon also appears on their list (Page 91)
• Gameplay Full page ad, various listed consoles and games, 3DO has about 30 games and the 3DO is for sale at £384.99 (Page 66)

Letters

• Choice Meat (Page 29) - Reader doesn't know if to buy a 3DO now or a Playstation later

I'm in a dither. I'm interested in buying a games console, but I cannot decide which one I want, between the Sony PlayStation or the 3DO. I like driving games the most and football. If you were me, which one would you go for? Is the Sony PlayStation worth the wait or should I go for the 3DO? Please can you help put me out of my dilemma - I've lost precious sleep thinking about it. I await in the hope of you answering my letter.

K. A. Hensman, Newhaven

Dear Hensman: Sorry to hear about your dithered circumstances.

Anyway, it’s probably a good idea to wait until the UK release of Sony’s little marvel if you’re still unsure. Sorry, it may seem a little watery, but it’s the best advice. That way, there will be a much bigger catalogue of games available in Japan with Ultimate keeping you up-to-date with all the latest releases. This will help you make a more informed decision. No football games yet, but there’s always Ridge Racer to satisfy your driving desires. The 3DO does have the rather remarkable FIFA however, backed up with Striker and Need for Speed, so if you can’t wait...

• 3DO:2B or not 2B? (Page 29) - Letter downplaying the 3DO in the UK, and only reason why people bought one was because there was nothing else to buy

I am still not really convinced that the Panasonic 3DO is going to be a success here in the UK. Very soon the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn will finally be released here in the UK which will definitely affect the sales of the Panasonic 3DO. I think the sole reason why people have decided to invest in a Panasonic 3DO is because there’s nothing else to invest into except for a Sega Mega 32X or an SNK Neo Geo CD. It's very unlikely that games like Ridge Racer, Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter and Sega Raiiy Championship 1995 will be released for the Panasonic 3DO for obvious reasons. The Panasonic 3DO may have a good conversion of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo X, but is it enough at the moment and will the above four games ever be released? Gary Osborne, Middiesbrough

Dear Gary: Those games won’t see the light of day on the 3DO, but don’t write it off. The 3DO has got an ever-expanding assortment of quality games and its popularity in Japan is growing. The prospect of the powerful Bulldog upgrade and 3DO 2 machines themselves appearing this year also makes it that bit more attractive. SSF2X,

Need for Speed and Return Fire are certainly top notch games. The 32X comparison doesn’t really hold, seeing as that’s an expansion for an established system, and the Neo Geo CD is really only a serious option if you like yer beat-em-ups hot and sweaty.

Other 3DO mentions

• Front Page - Text mention - "3DO Return Fire - Guns Roaring, cannons booming - Get ready to kick some ass!"
• Page 12 - Panzer Dragoon - Has the same information box for Magic Carpet in issue 1, claiming that its for PC/3DO, this looks like a mixup as they compared Panzer Dragoon to Magic Carpet but obviously forgot to update the data.
• Page 45 - UK CD Chart - Doesn't say which format its on, but potentially 4 3DO games. Picture next to it, is of Theme Park and the caption "Theme Park gets a new lease of life now its out on the 3DO as well"

Credits

• Editor - David Roberts
• Art Editor - Lam Tang
• Deputy Editor - Rob Pegley
• Staff Writer - Marcus Hawkins
• Art Editor - Brad Merrett

Media

• 

  Telling the Future Feature

• 

  Bluffers Guide to 3DO Feature

• 

  3DO 2B or Not 2B Letter

• 

  Choice Meat Letter

• 

  Flashback Preview

• 

  Gex Preview

• 

  Cannon Fodder Review

• 

  Crime Patrol Review

• 

  Return Fire Review

• 

  StarBlade Review

• 

  World Cup Golf Review

• 

  Calculus Ad

• 

  Console Connections Ad

• 

  Deep Logic Ad

• 

  Game Zone Ad

• 

  Gameplay Ad

• 

  Game USA Ad

• 

  Jive Consoles Ad

• 

  Krazy Konsoles Ad

• 

  Loaded Consoles Ad

• 

  Megga Games Ad

• 

  Special Reserve Ad

• 

  The Game Shack Ad