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  It is a tough task to accrue reliably accurate sales figures for coin-op machines. But, this month, we have breaking news concerning these numbers, and it ain't pretty. For the summer months of '96, industry insiders are whispering of a 40% decline in arcade profits from 1990. We're looking at earning drops from 7% to around 17% from arcade chains since last year. Why is that? Simple: Advanced consoles like PS-X and Saturn.
  Sega reaffirmed its unrivaled arcade supremacy with the introduction of the Model 3 board at a recent Japanese trade show. Far surpassing anything out today, this souped-up hardware can render a million polygons/second. Evidence of this tech materialized via the show-stopping Virtua Fighter 3. Sega claims each VF3 fighter contains more polys in their head than an entire VF2 fighter's body!
  AM2 is developing an all-new Sonic arcade game based on the ever-popular one-vs.-one fighter formula. Its gameplay is said to be near-identical to Sega's Fighting Vipers coin-op, only with the famous hedgehog and his pals. Early screens show Sonic and Tails in action, with others like Robotnik, Knuckles, Metal Sonic, and Amy Rose to be included as well. Look for this cab later this year.
  Certain credible sources are claiming Atari is planning to drop support for their Jaguar system in the wake of slow sales and a failed deal with Virtuality to create a low-cost VR display. This insider, of whom Atari staunchly refutes, states the company's intent to move onto third-party PC development work. This seems to be backed up by reports of mass layoffs by Atari USA.
  Dueling digital video formats may be on the horizon! Just as VHS once warred with Betamax for tape supremacy, electronic giants ready their camps for a new phase. Sony hopes their Multimedia CD will reign, while Toshiba and TimeWarner are betting on the Super Density CD (SD). Toshiba leapt forward this month with their announcement of a SD-ROM Drive for next-generation data storage. We await the winner of this one.
  The life and times of everyone's favorite worm-turned-hero is about to be cartoon-ized! The WB network is set to begin airing an animated show based on the smash hit video game Earthworm Jim. It will premier this fall on an all-new Saturday morning block titled Kids WB, alongside a Sylvester & Tweety series and Steven Spielberg's Freakazoid!, from the Animaniacs studio.
  The hottest new arcade cab is Killer Instinct, an eye-popping 3-D fighting game developed by Rare. Featuring ten playable fighers, fatalities, and a spectacular auto-hit combo system capable of unleashing some insane multihit combos, KI is set up to topple the almighty Mortal Kombat. Bring plenty of quarters! Folks waiting on a perfect home release may have to hold out for the Ultra 64.
 From Cabbage Patch to Teddy Ruxpin, the holiday toy craze is a seasonal tradition. It should come as no surprise to those paying attention to headlines or Christmas catalogs that the Power Rangers are topping every kid's wish list to Santa Claus. Action figures, gadgets, accessories - you name it! Just try and find a Red or Pink Ranger in stock, you'll have better luck seeing reindeer fly!
 AT&T is set to release a modem peripheral for the Genesis named Edge-16. When attached to your landline and slotted in the Genesis, Edge-16 will permit players to play games over the net while chatting on the phone! This revolutionary device will use VoiceSpan technology to open up a new frontier for players to communicate from anywhere in the country. Sign us up!
 Games players visiting Epcot Center over at Walt Disney World are in for an electronic treat thanks to a multi-year agreement from Sega of America. Epcot's Innoventions exhibit, a virtual playground with tons of futuristic displays, will now feature a swathe of Sega offerings, including Genesis, Sega CD, and Game Gear stations. The 10,000-sq ft display is open free-of-charge to all park guests!
 For those eager to travel out to the Land of the Rising Sun, consider taking a pit-stop at the all-new Tokyo Video Game Museum. This is a one-of-a-kind shrine for classic games dating back to the beginning. Their historical exhibits are all playable as well, so younger players can try out relics like Defender and Donkey Kong. Not as swanky as an Ultra 64, but oldies can be goodies!
 If you live in the Bay Area and love a hot Cup of Joe, you may have seen one of those experimental SFnet shops. SFnet is essentially a combination computer lab/coffeehouse, and this concept appears to be catching on. The hot spot now is the Binary Cafe in Toronto, a small joint which offers much the same as SFNet, plus public internet access! Look out for a swanky Net Cafe near you!
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Web Updates for Summer
The fabulous glitz and glamor of the video game industry was put front and center at Los Angeles at the E3 Expo. A tidal wave of spectators crowded the L.A. Convention Center eagerly awaiting the next big hit of this unprecedented era in futuristic 3-D wonder. Giants rivaled for the spotlight as software developers and marketing aficionados looked to win over journalists and retailers. With over 1,700 games available to see, it was quite impossible to do it all - but we tried our best! Check out our featured article on E3 for a quick rundown of the reveals with more to come in our PPM Preview Corner.
Web Updates for June
Game developers are firing on all cylinders and beginning to take full advantage of the ellusive third dimension. Novel programming methods made possible on home console with the advent of 32-Bit tech means a plethora of fully-realized 3D adventures are well on the way. On the precipice of the second E3 trade show (at Issue #38's publishing time), our team prepared a run-down of certain massive projects set to be on the all-important show floor from the pillars of gaming: Nintendo, Sony, and Sega. Along with this exclusive, bite-sized convention preview, we count down our most eagerly awaited titles this year.
Web Updates for May
Summer is around the corner, and with it a season's worth of hot updates! The wonderment of adventurous role-playing takes center stage with this issue of PPM, led by a brilliant Square project for the Super NES. It may be a last cooperative hurrah for the two legendary entities! Web addicts and techies out there may have discovered through the grapevine that Square will part ways with the Big N in order to publish for Sony. Our team delves into this dramatic shake-up in our Spotlight feature on Final Fantasy 7. As a rattled Nintendo now finds its footing, Sega is smooth sailing with four choice Saturn releases.
Web Updates for April
Careful not to place all your eggs in one basket! The Consumer Electronics Show learned this lesson the hard way when most major video game companies opted against attending the trade show, instead preferring to gear-up for E3 this May. Winter CES in Las Vegas retained a smattering of noteworthy gaming announcements, mainly relegated to Windows 95-specific titles. See some of our highlights in this issue's Previews Corner. Elsewise, prepare for a month saturated with all things horror! Monsters, ghouls, and creatures from beyond the grave lead the way to Capcom's showstopper Resident Evil on PlayStation.
Web Updates for March
Proceeding in its quest to overtake the next-gen market, the PlayStation is climbing up to nearly 1 million sales. Sega, on the other hand, reported about 400,000 as of its January data. Having instructed developers to scrap all remaining 32X titles or upgrade to Saturn, it is clear Sega is shifting its strategy. We'll take a closer look at this unfolding rivalry in an upcoming Spotlight feature. As for the hot new games available this month, with gems aplenty there's no shortage of goodies... unless you're itching for a solid Super NES title. Those are increasingly hard to come by as the Big N refocuses on Ultra 64.
Web Updates for February
As we briskly stride through '96, the gaming biz is undeniably grabbing the 32-Bit bull by the horns. Most developers have allocated full resources to games on PlayStation, Saturn, and the highly awaited Ultra 64, leaving behind the perennial 16-Bit favorites of Super NES and Genesis. Great titles continue to emerge for the older hardware, like Yoshi's Island and Earthworm Jim 2, but now with RPGs making their initial splash onto next-gen, the PS-X and Saturn will assuredly become the main staple of your TV diets. Case-in-point: King's Field. We'll have a full review posted for this amazing RPG in this month's issue.
Welcome to PPM Volume 4! With the release of Issue #33 for the month of January, PPM is officially in its fourth volume! Per tradition, we have tweaked PyroPlayers Net Edition with a number of improvements and minor layout changes. This includes a refreshed cover design made to reflect the increased focus on the 32-Bit market, renovation of our Netguide, the integration of BonusBytes and Hit List infoboxes, a renewed Information Terminal look, and much more planned for the year ahead. As for news updates, let's just say January is jam-packed. You think Saturn vs. PlayStation is hot stuff? Just wait until you see what Nintendo has in store.
Web Updates for December Happy Holidays from your friends at PyroPlayers Magazine! Seeing as it's the season of gift-giving, your PPM Crew put out a bundle of presents for all of you lovely cyberspace fanatics. To begin, check out this helpful guide detailing all of the hot systems and their best games: PPM Holiday Handbook. To commemorate the spirit of Christmastime, we bring you three in-depth articles at The Review Station, including Rare's DKC 2, Loaded on PlayStation, and the first Saturn RPG Mystaria. This month's Snapshots are MEGA-sized with a total of 18 game reviews from kiddie fun in Toy Story to chicken slaughter in Killing Time. We wish you all the joy and happiness this holiday season!
Web Updates for November Boy oh boy, do we all have a ton to be thankful for! Ingenious and groundbreaking titles appear to be dropping all over the place, ripe for the enjoyment of players everywhere. Miyamoto's latest Mario masterpiece, Yoshi's Island has landed on SNES, and a revolutionary 3-D platformer named Jumping Flash is now out on PS. See 'em both in-depth at The Review Station. Among this issue's Snapshots, see a plethora of fun, action-packed games including Wipeout, Earthworm Jim 2, and the stunning-for-16-Bit Vectorman. Plus, see previews for two upcoming action-adventure games over in the PPM Preview Corner. Oh, and Happy 10th Birthday to the NES!
Web Updates for October PyroPlayers has tons of treats and goodies for you this month! The PlayStation and Saturn are officially in high-gear, the next-gen RPGs are starting to roll to market, and that idiotic O.J. trial is finally, finally at an end. Check out our long-form reviwers over in the The Review Station for high-flying ninja fun in Shinobi on Saturn and legendary fighting mayhem in the long-awaited home version of MK3 on PS-X. Our Snapshots is filled with plenty of game highlights from shooters like Kileak and Robotica to RPGs like Lunar: Eternal Blue. Speaking of role-players, stop by the PPM Preview Corner for a look at 5 upcoming titles for Saturn, PlayStation, and SNES.
Web Updates for September Welcome to our favorite month! This month marks the 3rd Anniversary of PyroPlayers Magazine and we are thrilled to continue our multi-year run alongside you, our dedicated Net readers. Stay subscribed as we trek down the tricky boulevard that is the next-generation. On September 9th, the Sony PlayStation made its official launch in North America. Our team scored a system, as well as all 11 of its launch titles! As we try to pry our reviewers away from the tv set, check two long-form reviews on PS-X games in The Review Station. First up are Ridge Racer and Rayman. Take a peek at the Snapshots site for a look at some more Sony games including Toshinden, as well as three more Saturn hits!
Web Updates for Summer July kicks off with our round-up reviews for the most exciting entry for console, yet! As Mr. Kalinske announced at the E3 Conference, Sega has released the Saturn early! With the systems on store shelves, our team ran to the nearest electronics store and snagged a few. In this issue, we take a look at the new console in all of its glory, as well as a few titles available for it. Full coverage of the Saturn launch can be seen on the Spotlight site. Over at the the PPM Snapshots, take a look at three hot Saturn games: Virtua Fighter, Clockwork Knight, and Daytona USA! As always we also have highlight reviews for newly-released SNES and Genesis games, including dual versions of Judge Dredd.
Web Updates for June Summertime is back, baby! Now that the much-anticipated Electronic Entertainment Expo is all wrapped-up, our team is prepared with loads of news to share. But, first, we have a collection of sparkling-new games reviews. This month's featured reviews explore two excellent Super Nintendo experiences: An oddball, Big N-published RPG called Earthbound and a swift-moving ninja platformer, Hagane. See both over at The Review Station. Inside the home for quick takes, the PPM Snapshots, see our new release coverage from Tempo on 32X to Core Design's Skeleton Krew for Genesis. Our two-issue long E3 highlight will begin with a Spotlight piece on the best announcements. An afforable PlayStation? Early-release Saturn? An invisible Ultra 64? Wow!
Web Updates for May As school starts to wrap up and graduation ceremonies are underway, we here at PyroPlayers Magazine are celebrating our 25th Issue this May! We're happier than Luke Perry is to ditch 90210! This month, Sega's red-haired echidna will star in his very own adventure. Knuckles' Chaotix has hit the scene for 32X - but can it revive interest in Sega's add-on? See our full review for this title, as well as a brand-new Enix RPG called Ogre Battle within The Review Station. Meanwhile, our team put together 12 spankin' new Snapshots for your reading enjoyment, including a look at the new Kirby cart. Be sure to peek at the Preview Corner for some 32-Bit goodness, too. Lots to come as we brace for the big Expo. Expect an online-exclusive piece to cover any big announcements. Stay tuned!
Web Updates for April Burnt out on Easter candy and looking for a more exciting flavor? We at PPM have just the treat for you. As we inch closer to a slew of worldwide premiers next month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the games keep on rolling off the production line. The highlight article this month concerns the tongue-snapping Crystal Dynamics gecko named Gex. Check out our full review of this 3DO exclusive platformer, in addition to peek at a hot Sega action game over at The Review Station. Our Snapshots this time focus on some other long-awaited releases, including X-Men 2 on Genesis and Earthworm Jim: Special Edition on the Sega-CD. An upcoming Mortal Kombat Cool Zone update will showcase the upcoming feature film as well as a live-action stage show coming soon.
Web Updates for March Time to spring into action with a whole issue's worth of complete video gaming goodness. This month, we reflect on our time at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronic Show! We saw all kinds of wonders and oddities (and that weirdo Virtual Boy is the oddest of them all!), as well as a couple of neat tidbits of next-gen info. See it all in the latest Spotlight. Joining this highlight reel is a Preview Corner update filled to the brim with CES titles! Over at the The Review Station, see our in-depth thoughts on the excellent Crusader of Centy and the curious Robotrek RPG. And last but not least, the Snapshots page features 12 all-new reviews ranging from Kirby to Bomberman. Stay safe and beware the Ides!
Web Updates for February What better way to commemorate the month of love and togetherness than by releasing an all-new issue of PyroPlayers Magazine with "WAR" splattered right on the cover! That's right, folks, the 16-Bit battle is at an apex! Which do you prefer in the fight - Final Fantasy III or Phantasy Star IV? This month's update to The Review Station features highlight articles on two top games landing on the scene, Popful Mail for Sega-CD and Mega Man X2 on SNES. Our Snapshots page is updated as well with a plethora of reviews from Ristar to Home Improvement. Gaze into the crystal ball over at the Preview Corner for a quick glance at a couple groundbreaking titles for PlayStation and Saturn. Happy Reading!
Welcome to PPM Volume 3! To celebrate the ringing in of this brilliant new heliocycle, your PPM Crew is proud to announce the launch of PyroPlayers Magazine Volume 3! PyroPlayers Net Edition has undergone a marked facelift with a multitude of revolutionary renovations. Our layout has evolved to a whole new level. Version 3.0 adds an upgraded Sidebar with novel navigation tools to make surfing our site easier than ever, and an experimental Chat Room net-box to converse with your fellow virtual pals. The Review Station has been revamped to house more detailed game reviews, with two articles set for release each issue. Short-form reviews now live within the Snapshots site. And as ever, we game enthusiasts pledge dedicated coverage to the news and topics you care about. Let the fun begin!
Web Updates for December Happy holidays to one and all! With Christmastime at our doorstep and the season of gift-giving upon us, your PPM Crew worked extra hard to deliver a cyberspace treat to all you good kiddos out there. Aside from the hot new PyroPlayers Holiday Handbook, a helpful guide for shoppers looking for games, we've uploaded a MEGA-sized Review Station for your viewing pleasure. In honor of the spirit of the season, this edition includes six extra reviews! That will give you all some reading material to hold you over 'til the New Year, we hope! Want some more? Check our the updated Slime of the Season to see one stinker of a bobcat. As for the special announcement, let's just say we have some huge renovations happening behind-the-scenes here at PPM! More soon!
Web Updates for November It's the time of year to be thankful for all the blessings in your life. Around the Thanksgiving table, be sure to recount your sentimentality for your Super Nintendo, your Genesis, and don't forget that Game Boy of yours! Oh, and I suppose health, and happiness, and blah blah blah. This month, Rare will release their absolutely astounding Donkey Kong Country, a sure-fire contender for Best Game of 1994. Check out our Review Station for our condensed thoughts on that one, as well as the all-new Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic: Triple Trouble! We bring you two exclusive coming attractions within the Preview Corner, a highly anticipated SNES RPG and a 3-D action title for 3DO. Something exciting is in the works for PPM Net Edition - Stay tuned for a special announcement!
Web Updates for October In this month of tricks and treats, PPM is your go-to for an incredible autumn of gaming galore. The leaves may be a'changing, but the fun times keep rolling onward. Our Review Station is practically bursting off the hinges as loads of goodies finally hit release time. Earthworm Jim promptly set a new bar for action-platformers. Final Fantasy III earns high marks for exhibiting the best of RPGs, and Contra on Genesis is no joke. See our total Mortal Kombat II blowout with 4 mega reviews! Over at our Preview Corner, the team examines two upcoming launch titles: Entries for the Ultra 64 and the Sega 32X. An all-new Cool Zone as well as a Nintendo VS. Sega Spotlight are coming this month, too!
Web Updates for September Just like that and we are back in September! This month marks the 2nd Anniversary of PyroPlayers Magazine and we are super glad that you Net readers have shared this journey with us. These two years have been a blast, and we are just getting started. Stay subscribed as we brave the coming leap to a whole new generation of gaming! Check out our monthly Reviews and Previews, featuring titles from Dynamite Headdy to Way of the Warrior. We have also posted the latest edition of Top Ten, featuring our favorite cooperative games - We bet you can't guess #1! Much more coming your way in the near future, including the newest Adventurer's Guild episode all about some awesome RPGs.
Web Updates for August August has dawned upon us, and I for one cannot wait for this irritating Elton John song to get off of the radio, already. Our team has documented all of our fascinating findings from the Chicago CES, and presented the entire package to you in a lovely Spotlight Feature for your viewing pleasure. Preview screenshots for tons of upcoming games are posted over at our Preview Corner, and our monthly Reviews are up as well! Our absolute favorite game shown off at CES was, and this is unanimous among our staff, Donkey Kong Country. See our thoughts in the Previews! Coming this month is a new update to the Cool Zone and the Summer edition of Slime of the Season.
Web Updates for July The dog days of summer have arrived, and these dogs sure are barking! Summer's peak brings with it plenty of new games for us to explore. The latest Reviews and Previews are now live on the web to check out. Super Street Fighter II is here at long last, as is the exciting 3-D racer Stunt Race FX on SNES! For an all-new treat, we've posted our Special Console Edition of PP Preview Corner featuring the Sony PS-X and Sega Saturn, with game screenshots and more! Be sure to click our new "Wonders of the Web" webpage too, PPM's home for Home Computer content. First off is our snapshot look at Microsoft Dinosaurs. Expect further updates comin' real soon, including a fresh visit to the Adventurer's Guild.
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