News: After Two Decades Official Nintendo Magazine has Ended Page 1

bearman (guest) 07.10.2014#1

Very sad, been buying it on and off since the Nintendo Magazine System days.

Ofisil 07.10.2014#2

MUST. RESIST. NOSTALGIA.

Can't a fella drink in peace?
-Farnham

Cheesing It Up 07.10.2014#3

I'll definitely pick up the last issue.
Very sad but it's a sign of the times.

Flynnie 08.10.2014#4

Seriously who does read magazines anymore? The content is outdated and overpriced. They struggled to evolve. Magazines are relevant in 2014 but unfortunately just not ones related to gaming!

Marzeee 08.10.2014#5

As sad as it is, I'm surprised it didn't stop sooner. All the best memories I have are from the NOM days, but the the ONM re-launch was still good. I stopped buying it years ago though, there just wasn't any point to buying it anymore. I'll probably pick up the last issue, for a keep-sake.

Sad times.

SirLink 08.10.2014#6

It's hard for me to feel sorry for them when some more recent issues of ONM have had some of the most terrible and disrespectful previews/reviews for niche Japanese games I've ever seen. Internet trolls write more insightful stuff and I'm not even kidding about that. How drivel like that got past the senior editor is baffling. They must have had more problems than just the decline of print gaming media.

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Azuardo 09.10.2014#7

Story time.

On that point of what they said about Senran and another JP game I remember seeing, despite the obvious change of staff over the years, even back in the day when I bought the mag under the NOM banner, they were a very bad example. The Nintendo fanboyism in the mag was pretty awful, to the extent that, when they actually almost reluctantly had to mention the competition's names on occasion, they used words like GreyStation Poo (PS2) and DreamPants (Dreamcast).

It's the total opposite frame of mind that professional publications (remember, this was supposed to be the "official" mag of Nintendo in the UK - but we all know "official" is actually pure bollocks) should be feeding to their readers, and I believe it rubbed off on young ones that bought the mag. I admit it probably had an effect on my younger self. The way this putrid fanboyism has been going on for so many years, and is STILL going, as evident in so many people's posts across the internet, is pathetic, and a big problem (imo), and really needs to be driven out of the industry.

In contrast, I discovered CUBE magazine when the GC was about to come out, and it was the complete opposite of NOM (or ONM as it became). I think CUBE having sister mags dedicated to Xbox and PS2 helped matters (I think they worked in the same building and such, playing games on different consoles as effectively one big team, just smaller teams writing each individual mag - from stuff I remember them saying). But it was brilliant. Never ignoring the other systems as if they never existed and thinking Nintendo was the only console manufacturer on the market, always respectful of the competition, etc. Just normal fans of video games that had a passion for Nintendo. They really got the message out perfectly.

Ironically, I believe that one of the guys who eventually became editor of CUBE moved on to ONM. I remember him being at the Nintendo post-E3 event in London last year, actually. Whether you can pin the blame of the silly Senran etc articles on him, I don't know. But CUBE was a real eye-opener of a magazine. Made me realise just how poor NOM was in many respects.

I did still love it during my kid years though. I think it was great for young Nintendo fans (aside from the fanboyism it sadly drilled into likely many kids' heads). I had a letter published in the 100th issue, which was pretty special (before they started counting from scratch again after the rebrand).

So I kinda have mixed feelings. I have an obvious soft spot for the original mag, and still have my collection of loads of them. Good memories, good free gifts, learned loads of things from it, got a letter published. Sad for people to lose jobs. But on the other hand, that fanboyness remains in my head. I think they changed their ways a bit after the rebranding in particular (new staff etc), but obviously some of the silly articles didn't help either. Plus, mags are pointless these days. Was inevitable.

Edit this post:

Story time.

On that point of what they said about Senran and another JP game I remember seeing, despite the obvious change of staff over the years, even back in the day when I bought the mag under the NOM banner, they were a very bad example. The Nintendo fanboyism in the mag was pretty awful, to the extent that, when they actually almost reluctantly had to mention the competition's names on occasion, they used words like GreyStation Poo (PS2) and DreamPants (Dreamcast).

It's the total opposite frame of mind that professional publications (remember, this was supposed to be the "official" mag of Nintendo in the UK - but we all know "official" is actually pure bollocks) should be feeding to their readers, and I believe it rubbed off on young ones that bought the mag. I admit it probably had an effect on my younger self. The way this putrid fanboyism has been going on for so many years, and is STILL going, as evident in so many people's posts across the internet, is pathetic, and a big problem (imo), and really needs to be driven out of the industry.

In contrast, I discovered CUBE magazine when the GC was about to come out, and it was the complete opposite of NOM (or ONM as it became). I think CUBE having sister mags dedicated to Xbox and PS2 helped matters (I think they worked in the same building and such, playing games on different consoles as effectively one big team, just smaller teams writing each individual mag - from stuff I remember them saying). But it was brilliant. Never ignoring the other systems as if they never existed and thinking Nintendo was the only console manufacturer on the market, always respectful of the competition, etc. Just normal fans of video games that had a passion for Nintendo. They really got the message out perfectly.

Ironically, I believe that one of the guys who eventually became editor of CUBE moved on to ONM. I remember him being at the Nintendo post-E3 event in London last year, actually. Whether you can pin the blame of the silly Senran etc articles on him, I don't know. But CUBE was a real eye-opener of a magazine. Made me realise just how poor NOM was in many respects.

I did still love it during my kid years though. I think it was great for young Nintendo fans (aside from the fanboyism it sadly drilled into likely many kids' heads). I had a letter published in the 100th issue, which was pretty special (before they started counting from scratch again after the rebrand).

So I kinda have mixed feelings. I have an obvious soft spot for the original mag, and still have my collection of loads of them. Good memories, good free gifts, learned loads of things from it, got a letter published. Sad for people to lose jobs. But on the other hand, that fanboyness remains in my head. I think they changed their ways a bit after the rebranding in particular (new staff etc), but obviously some of the silly articles didn't help either. Plus, mags are pointless these days. Was inevitable.

Save Changes Cancel Full Edit

SirLink 09.10.2014#8

Enjoyed reading that story, mate. Smilie for you.

I did hear those 'nicknames' they gave other consoles back in the day and it definitely didn't help matters. So tired of all of this nonsense and I've only been following games actively online for about five years now. I don't recall getting or even seeing any gaming magazines that weren't Pokémon-only here in Austria when I was younger, so I wasn't influenced much at all. I just played whatever I thought looked fun (or had a really cool looking cover, you know how it was back in the day lol), then I got addicted to MMORPGs like a maniac for a few years and now I'm back to my previous mentality, but with a much broader taste in games. Too bad things aren't that simple on the internet and the voices of hateful people are louder than those of gamers that just enjoy what they have.

( Edited 09.10.2014 01:53 by SirLink )

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Marzeee 09.10.2014#9

I was probably influenced a little bit by the fanboy stuff, because I remember I used to say similar stuff here on Cubed3 when I first joined up. I was never a proper fanboy though, because me and my brother always got all the consoles and I enjoyed playing them all. Over the years though, I've really just grown completely out of that sort of thing.

I play games I like, it's as simple as that - no matter what console they are on.

CUBE was the follow up to N64 Magazine and later went on to become NGamer. NGamer was considered by many to be one of the best gaming magazines around when it was still going.

( Edited 09.10.2014 10:14 by Marzy )

curtiscdragon 14.10.2014#10

Well Im glad Nintendo Force Magazine is out. Even though i miss Nintendo Power Nintendo Force has been trying to keep the spirit of Nintendo Alive and well with the Magazine and with the Youtube and Iphone pod cast. NFMagazine.com