Game Informer
Encyclopedia
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles
. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations. Today, the magazine has nearly 3 million subscribers, making it the highest circulated video game magazine; and as of the first quarter of 2009, it has been listed as the 12th largest overall magazine. Game Informer is now ranked among the top four magazines for reaching males 18 to 34.
It is owned and published by GameStop Corp.
, the parent company of the video game retailer of the same name, who bought Funcoland in 2000. Due to this, a large amount of promotion is done in-store; this has contributed heavily to its subscription base, which is now larger, as a subscription is included with the store's new Power Up Rewards Discount Card
.
Game Informer saw a complete redesign of both its magazine and website in November 2009, just prior to their 200th issue, in December of that year. In celebration of their 200th issue, The Legend of Zelda was awarded the best game of all time.
's LamePro, it's released only in the April issue, as an April Fool's
joke. In 2008, Game Infarcer received a new Chief Editor, DarthClark, who replaced Garnadan, and the cover game for the same Game Infarcer issue was a mix of both Assassin's Creed
and Dawson's Creek
, which resulted in Assassin's Creek. Another joke is the reviews in GameInfarcer almost never receive numeric scores, such as WiiNap (also a fake game) which got a score of "one penny".
In the July 2008 issue, Game Informer had its second annual Sacred Cow Barbecue (annual, in their case, means whenever they feel like doing it). Similar in style to a celebrity roast
, the occasion is meant to "knock some of gaming's most revered icons off their high and mighty pedestals."
, PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
, PC
, Nintendo DS
, PlayStation Portable
, 3DS consoles. The reviews of games for the Game Boy Advance
and GameCube
consoles were discontinued during 2007, primarily because the number of games for both systems were dwindling. Older games, three per issue, are given brief reviews in the magazine's Classic GI section (compared with the game's original review score, if one exists), though this was also discontinued in 2009 with the redesign of the magazine. The magazine's staff rate games on a scale of 1 to 10 with quarter point intervals. A score of 1 is considered worse than terrible; 10 is a rare, "outstanding", nearly perfect game; and 7 is "average", a decently playable (but flawed) game. To this date, 21 games (22 if one counts the Playstation 2
version of Resident Evil 4
) have received a perfect "10", in order, they include
Super Mario World
, reviewed in October 2000 in a Classic GI Review,
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
, reviewed in November 2000,
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
, reviewed in December 2001,
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
, reviewed in December 2002,
Metroid Fusion
, reviewed in January 2003,
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
, reviewed in April 2003,
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
, reviewed in November 2004,
Halo 2
, reviewed in December 2004,
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, also reviewed in December 2004,
Resident Evil 4
, reviewed in March 2005 for Gamecube and November 2005 for Playstation 2,
God of War
, reviewed in April 2005,
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
, reviewed in January 2007,
BioShock
, reviewed in September 2007,
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
, reviewed in December 2007,
Grand Theft Auto IV
, reviewed in June 2008,
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
, reviewed in July 2008,
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
, reviewed in November 2009,
God of War III
, reviewed in April 2010
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, reviewed in October 2010
Batman: Arkham City, reviewed in November 2011.
and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
, reviewed in December 2011.
Some games received even lower scores, scores below 1: Batman: Dark Tomorrow
received a 0.75, Shrek: Fairy Tale Freakdown
for Game Boy Color
got a 0.5, and the Xbox
launch title Kabuki Warriors
scored a 0.5. In the latter review, editor-in-chief Andy McNamara said, "I literally won a match just by bashing the controller against my ass. I wish I was joking, but the score is seriously Kabuki Warriors zero, my ass one." This was confirmed by his fellow editors. Another game reviewed for Classic GI — Marky Mark: Make My Video for Sega CD — was given a 0. More recently a score of a 1 was handed out to the Kinect game Hulk Hogan's Main Event in the December 2011 issue. Dan Ryckert said" Hogan lends his orange face(and a few brief voice overs) to this baffling product, which plays like a glorified version of "the Hokey Pokey". The best compliment I can give this atrocious title is that Kinect picks up on what you want to do some of the time, but that would be like complimenting a Mario
game for recognizing that you want to jump when you press A". A recurring gag in every issue is in the review "table" (the magazine defines what each score means), the 1 score is always changed to a different joke.
Fall 1991: Super Sonic Tips
Nov/Dec 1991: ToeJam and Earl Tips and Review
Jan/Feb 1992: Lemmings
Spring 1992: Super Adventure Island: Master Higgins
Summer 1992: Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livingston
Sep/Oct 1992: Righty the Cat
Nov/Dec 1992: Chester Cheetah
Jan/Feb 1993: Mega Man 5
Mar/Apr 1993: Claws Encounter of the Furred Kind
May/Jun 1993: Return of the Dinosaurs
Jul/Aug 1993: Jungle Strike
Sep/Oct 1993: Mortal Kombat
Nov/Dec 1993: Alladin
Jan/Feb 1994: NBA Jam
Mar/Apr 1994: NBA Jam Is Here
May/Jun 1994: MLBPA Baseball
Jul/Aug 1994: BattleTech
Sep/Oct 1994: Mortal Kombat II
After the September/October issue, Game Informer switched to a monthly service:
Nov 1994: Sonic & Knuckles
Dec 1994: Doom
Jan 1995: Ristar
Feb 1995: Killer Instinct
Mar 1995: NBA Jam Tournament Edition
Apr 1995: Eternal Champions
May 1995: GEX
Jun 1995: Daytona USA
Jul 1995: The Adventures of Batman & Robin
Aug 1995: Lunar: Eternal Blue
Sep 1995: Killer Instinct
Oct 1995: Mortal Kombat 3
Nov 1995: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest
Dec 1995: Toy Story
Jan 1996: Nintendo Ultra 64
Feb 1996: Descent
Mar 1996: Resident Evil
Apr 1996: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
May 1996: Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei
Jun 1996: Tekken 2
Jul 1996: Legend of Oasis
Aug 1996: Super Mario 64
Sep 1996: Crash Bandicoot
Oct 1996: Tobal No. 1
Nov 1996: Tomb Raider
Dec 1996: Twisted Metal 2
Jan 1997: Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire
Feb 1997: Mario Kart 64
Mar 1997: Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
Apr 1997: NBA Shoot Out 97
May 1997: Fighters MegaMix
Jun 1997: Star Fox 64
Jul 1997: Treasures of the Deep
Aug 1997: Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Sep 1997: Final Fantasy VII
Oct 1997: Madden 64
Nov 1997: Crash 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Dec 1997: Tomb Raider 2
Jan 1998: Resident Evil 2
Feb 1998: Yoshi's Story
Mar 1998: GEX: Enter the Gecko
Apr 1998: 1080 Snowboarding
May 1998: Tekken 3
Jun 1998: Banjo-Kazooie
Jul 1998: Mission: Impossible
Aug 1998: Heart of Darkness
Sep 1998: Spyro the Dragon
Oct 1998: Rogue Trip
Nov 1998: Metal Gear Solid
Dec 1998: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Strategy Guide
Jan 1999: Savage
Feb 1999: Street Fighter Perfection
Mar 1999: Licensed to Kill
Apr 1999: Super Smash Brothers
May 1999: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Jun 1999: Crash Team Racing
Jul 1999: Ape Escape
Aug 1999: WWF Attitude
Sep 1999: Legacy of Kane: Soul Reaver
Oct 1999: Dreamcast
Nov 1999: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Dec 1999: Resident Evil 3 Nemesis
To see all of these covers and the ones from the 21st century go to www.gameinformer.com/mag/covers.aspx
purchase of the magazine, the site was closed around January 2001. Both Leeper and Kato were eventually placed on the editorial staff of the magazine.
GI Online was revived in September 2003, with a full redesign and many additional features, such as a review database, frequent news updates, and exclusive "Unlimited" content for subscribers. It was managed by Billy Berghammer, creator of PlanetGameCube.com (now known as NintendoWorldReport
.com). Berghammer is currently the editor in chief of the EGM Media group
On March 2009, the online staff began creating the code for what would be the latest redesign to date. The redesign was to release hand-in-hand with the magazine's own redesign. On October 1, 2009, the newly redesigned website was live, with a welcome message from Editor-In-Chief Andy McNamara. Many new features were introduced, including a rebuilt media player, a feed highlighting the site activity of the website's users, and the ability to create user reviews.
, there was a brief appearance of a Game Informer Magazine with the title game from the movie. This was not a real issue of the magazine and was made specifically for the movie.
The movie Grandma's Boys has multiple sightings on Game Informer Magazine posters on the walls.
In an open-ended action game from 2009 developed by Radical Entertainment, Prototype
, the Game Informer logo can be seen in many places in the game.
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations. Today, the magazine has nearly 3 million subscribers, making it the highest circulated video game magazine; and as of the first quarter of 2009, it has been listed as the 12th largest overall magazine. Game Informer is now ranked among the top four magazines for reaching males 18 to 34.
It is owned and published by GameStop Corp.
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
, the parent company of the video game retailer of the same name, who bought Funcoland in 2000. Due to this, a large amount of promotion is done in-store; this has contributed heavily to its subscription base, which is now larger, as a subscription is included with the store's new Power Up Rewards Discount Card
Loyalty program
Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior — behavior which is potentially beneficial to the firm....
.
Game Informer saw a complete redesign of both its magazine and website in November 2009, just prior to their 200th issue, in December of that year. In celebration of their 200th issue, The Legend of Zelda was awarded the best game of all time.
Current
- Andy McNamara Editor-In-Chief: 1991
- Andrew Reiner Executive Editor: 1994
- Matt Helgeson Senior Associate Editor: 1999
- Matthew Kato Senior Associate Editor: 2001
- Adam Biessener Associate Editor: 2003
- Joe Juba Associate Editor: 2003
- Matt Miller Associate Editor: 2004
- Matt Bertz Content Manager: 2006
- Bryan Vore Associate Editor: 2007
- Ben Reeves Associate Editor: 2006
- Jeff Cork Editor: 2007
- Tim Turi Associate Editor: 2009
- Jeff Marchiafava Associate Editor: 2009
- Dan Ryckert Associate Editor: 2009
- Phil Kollar Associate Editor: 2009
- Ben Hanson Video Producer: 2010
- Jack Lemon Professional Sabertooth Hunter: 2010
- Jason Oestreicher Video Editor Extraordinaire: 2011
Former
- Paul Anderson (The Pro Player, Game Professor): 1992–2001 (died 2007; a message that reads "In Memory of Paul Anderson" appears in the Staff section of all current issues)
- Elizabeth Olson: 1991–1994
- Rick Petzoldt (The Video Ranger): 1991–1995
- Marianne Morgan (The Game Master): 1991
- Ed Martínez (The Video Wizard): 1991
- Erik Reppen (The PC Jedi): 1996–1997, 1999–2001
- Ross van der Schaegen (The Rebel Gamer): 1991–1995
- David "Vinnie" Vinyon (The Video Vigilante): 1994–1996
- Ryan McDonald (The Arcade Alchemist): 1995–1997
- Jon Storm (The Greedy Gamer): 1996–1999
- Robert Stoute (The Game Cassanova): 1997–1999
- Paul Bergren (The Game Burrito): 1997–1999
- Lisa Mason (La Game Nikita): 2002–2006
- Beaux Hawkins (The Arcade Assassin): 1998–1999
- The Vidiot (Minister of Destruction): 2000–2001
- Jay Fitzloff (The Gonzo Gamer): 1999–2002
- Justin Leeper (The Digital Deviant): 2001–2004
- Chet Barber (The Joystick Jockey, The Chronic Gamer): 2002–2003
- Jeremy Zoss (Gamezilla): 2003–2006
- Kristian Brogger (The Game Dawg, The Video Viking): 2000-2003
- Nick Ahrens Media Editor: 2005-2010
- Meagan Marie (formerly VanBurkleo) Associate Editor: 2008-2011
- Annette González Associate Editor: 2009-2011
Recurring events
Game Infarcer is an annual spin-off of the normal magazine. Similar to GameProGamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
's LamePro, it's released only in the April issue, as an April Fool's
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
joke. In 2008, Game Infarcer received a new Chief Editor, DarthClark, who replaced Garnadan, and the cover game for the same Game Infarcer issue was a mix of both Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
and Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...
, which resulted in Assassin's Creek. Another joke is the reviews in GameInfarcer almost never receive numeric scores, such as WiiNap (also a fake game) which got a score of "one penny".
In the July 2008 issue, Game Informer had its second annual Sacred Cow Barbecue (annual, in their case, means whenever they feel like doing it). Similar in style to a celebrity roast
Roast (comedy)
A roast is an event in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming tributes, the implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and...
, the occasion is meant to "knock some of gaming's most revered icons off their high and mighty pedestals."
Reviews
Game Informer currently reviews games on the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, 3DS consoles. The reviews of games for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
and GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
consoles were discontinued during 2007, primarily because the number of games for both systems were dwindling. Older games, three per issue, are given brief reviews in the magazine's Classic GI section (compared with the game's original review score, if one exists), though this was also discontinued in 2009 with the redesign of the magazine. The magazine's staff rate games on a scale of 1 to 10 with quarter point intervals. A score of 1 is considered worse than terrible; 10 is a rare, "outstanding", nearly perfect game; and 7 is "average", a decently playable (but flawed) game. To this date, 21 games (22 if one counts the Playstation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
version of Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific...
) have received a perfect "10", in order, they include
Super Mario World
Super Mario World
, subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 for its original Japanese release, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series...
, reviewed in October 2000 in a Classic GI Review,
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, often abbreviated as THPS2, is the second game in the Tony Hawk's series. It was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision in 2000...
, reviewed in November 2000,
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
, reviewed in December 2001,
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
, reviewed in December 2002,
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Fusion
, also known as Metroid 4, is an action-adventure video game published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2002, and in Japan in February 2003. The game is the fourth main installment in the Metroid series...
, reviewed in January 2003,
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
, reviewed in April 2003,
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal is a platform game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony. It is the third installment in the Ratchet & Clank series and was released in North America on November 3, 2004...
, reviewed in November 2004,
Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
, reviewed in December 2004,
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, also reviewed in December 2004,
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific...
, reviewed in March 2005 for Gamecube and November 2005 for Playstation 2,
God of War
God of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
, reviewed in April 2005,
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
, reviewed in January 2007,
BioShock
Bioshock
BioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston and designed by Ken Levine. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007 in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. It became available on Steam on August 21, 2007...
, reviewed in September 2007,
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...
, reviewed in December 2007,
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
, reviewed in June 2008,
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...
, reviewed in July 2008,
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an action-adventure platform third-person shooter video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to the 2007 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It was first shown and announced on December 1, 2008...
, reviewed in November 2009,
God of War III
God of War III
God of War III is an action-adventure video game released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010...
, reviewed in April 2010
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, reviewed in October 2010
Batman: Arkham City, reviewed in November 2011.
and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November...
, reviewed in December 2011.
Some games received even lower scores, scores below 1: Batman: Dark Tomorrow
Batman: Dark Tomorrow
Batman: Dark Tomorrow is a console video game exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox systems, based on DC Comics' Batman. It was developed by HotGen and published by Kemco in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
received a 0.75, Shrek: Fairy Tale Freakdown
Shrek video games
There have been several licensed video games that have been based on the Shrek series. They have been released on many different platforms such as the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and...
for Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
got a 0.5, and the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
launch title Kabuki Warriors
Kabuki Warriors
Kabuki Warriors is a 2001 video game released for the Microsoft Xbox, shortly after the release of the console. It was published by Crave Entertainment, and co-developed by Genki and Lightweight.-Reception:...
scored a 0.5. In the latter review, editor-in-chief Andy McNamara said, "I literally won a match just by bashing the controller against my ass. I wish I was joking, but the score is seriously Kabuki Warriors zero, my ass one." This was confirmed by his fellow editors. Another game reviewed for Classic GI — Marky Mark: Make My Video for Sega CD — was given a 0. More recently a score of a 1 was handed out to the Kinect game Hulk Hogan's Main Event in the December 2011 issue. Dan Ryckert said" Hogan lends his orange face(and a few brief voice overs) to this baffling product, which plays like a glorified version of "the Hokey Pokey". The best compliment I can give this atrocious title is that Kinect picks up on what you want to do some of the time, but that would be like complimenting a Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
game for recognizing that you want to jump when you press A". A recurring gag in every issue is in the review "table" (the magazine defines what each score means), the 1 score is always changed to a different joke.
Covers
In order, the covers were and are:Fall 1991: Super Sonic Tips
Nov/Dec 1991: ToeJam and Earl Tips and Review
Jan/Feb 1992: Lemmings
Spring 1992: Super Adventure Island: Master Higgins
Summer 1992: Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livingston
Sep/Oct 1992: Righty the Cat
Nov/Dec 1992: Chester Cheetah
Chester Cheetah
Chester Cheetah is a fictional character and the official mascot for Cheetos brand snacks and Chester's Puffcorn. According to an article in The New York Times, DDB Needham Worldwide is responsible for the creation of Chester; however, an episode of Unwrapped claims that the mascot was created by...
Jan/Feb 1993: Mega Man 5
Mega Man 5
Mega Man 5, known as in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It is the fifth game in the original Mega Man series and was originally released in Japan on December 4, 1992. It saw a release during the same month in North America and in 1993 in...
Mar/Apr 1993: Claws Encounter of the Furred Kind
May/Jun 1993: Return of the Dinosaurs
Jul/Aug 1993: Jungle Strike
Jungle Strike
Jungle Strike is a video game developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1993. It was originally released for the Mega Drive, before being ported to several other systems including an upgraded version for the Amiga...
Sep/Oct 1993: Mortal Kombat
Nov/Dec 1993: Alladin
Jan/Feb 1994: NBA Jam
NBA Jam
NBA Jam is a basketball arcade game developed by Midway in 1993. It is the first entry in the NBA Jam series, and was written entirely in assembly language. The main designer and programmer for this game was Mark Turmell...
Mar/Apr 1994: NBA Jam Is Here
May/Jun 1994: MLBPA Baseball
MLBPA Baseball
MLBPA Baseball, known in Japan as , is a baseball video game for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, and Game Gear.-Summary:The game included the 1993 season's major league players and stats thanks to its MLBPA license, but could not use team names for lack of an MLB license...
Jul/Aug 1994: BattleTech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
Sep/Oct 1994: Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II is a competitive fighting game originally produced by Midway Games for the arcades in . It is the second game in the Mortal Kombat series. Like its predecessor, various home versions were produced...
After the September/October issue, Game Informer switched to a monthly service:
Nov 1994: Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed in the United States at Sega Technical Institute by members of Sonic Team, and was published by Sega worldwide on October 18, 1994.As well as working as a standalone...
Dec 1994: Doom
Doom
Doom may refer to:* dōm, the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "judgment", "law"** Doom book the Laws of King Aelfred, Legal Code of Alfred the Great, Code of Alfred 893* Doom , a painting that depicts the Last Judgment...
Jan 1995: Ristar
Ristar
Ristar, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis in 1995. A Sega Game Gear version, which features different levels than the Mega Drive version, was also released in the same year.The game stars a humanoid cartoon star...
Feb 1995: Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct is a fighting game developed by Rare and published by Midway and Nintendo. Initially released in arcades in 1994, and rumored to use an "Ultra 64" hardware engine, in reality the proprietary arcade hardware was co-developed by Rare and Midway. The game received a high profile launch...
Mar 1995: NBA Jam Tournament Edition
Apr 1995: Eternal Champions
Eternal Champions
Eternal Champions is a 2D fighting game originally conceived by Scott Berfield, produced by Mike Latham for Sega of America and was developed by the Sega Interactive Development Division....
May 1995: GEX
GEX
GEX is a German stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies, which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years....
Jun 1995: Daytona USA
Daytona USA
Daytona USA may refer to:* Daytona USA , a 1993 arcade racing video game* Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition, exclusive home-based extension of the first game* Daytona USA 2, the sequel to the original game...
Jul 1995: The Adventures of Batman & Robin
Aug 1995: Lunar: Eternal Blue
Lunar: Eternal Blue
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts and Studio Alex for the Mega-CD as the sequel to Lunar: The Silver Star. The game was originally released in December 1994 in Japan, and later in North America in September 1995 by Working Designs...
Sep 1995: Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct is a fighting game developed by Rare and published by Midway and Nintendo. Initially released in arcades in 1994, and rumored to use an "Ultra 64" hardware engine, in reality the proprietary arcade hardware was co-developed by Rare and Midway. The game received a high profile launch...
Oct 1995: Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed by Midway and released in 1995, first as an arcade game. It is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series...
Nov 1995: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest
Dec 1995: Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
Jan 1996: Nintendo Ultra 64
Feb 1996: Descent
Descent
Descent may refer to:In genealogy and inheritance:* Common descent, concept in evolutionary biology* Kinship and descent, one of the major concepts of cultural anthropology**Pedigree chart or family tree**Ancestry**Heritage*Phylogenetics...
Mar 1996: Resident Evil
Apr 1996: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, often shortened and officially known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was originally released on March 9, 1996 in Japan and on May 13,...
May 1996: Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei
Jun 1996: Tekken 2
Tekken 2
Tekken 2 is the second installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It was first released in arcades in 1995, and later released for the PlayStation in 1996...
Jul 1996: Legend of Oasis
Aug 1996: Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
Sep 1996: Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot may refer to:* Crash Bandicoot , a video game protagonist* Crash Bandicoot , a video game series* Crash Bandicoot , a 1996 PlayStation video game and first Crash Bandicoot...
Oct 1996: Tobal No. 1
Tobal No. 1
is a fighting game for the PlayStation developed by DreamFactory and published by Square in 1996. The game was DreamFactory's first release, as well as Square's first release on the CD-based console....
Nov 1996: Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
Dec 1996: Twisted Metal 2
Twisted Metal 2
Twisted Metal 2 is the second and most successful game in the vehicular combat Twisted Metal series...
Jan 1997: Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire
Feb 1997: Mario Kart 64
Mario Kart 64
is a racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the second installment in the Mario Kart series. It was released in 1996 in Japan and in 1997 in North America and Europe. In January 2007, Mario Kart 64 was released on Nintendo's Virtual Console service for the Wii...
Mar 1997: Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a first-person shooter video game developed by Iguana Entertainment and published by Acclaim for the Nintendo 64 console and personal computer platforms. It was released in 1997 in North America and Europe. Turok is an adaptation of the Acclaim Comics comic book series of...
Apr 1997: NBA Shoot Out 97
May 1997: Fighters MegaMix
Fighters Megamix
is a 1996 fighting game developed by AM2 for the Sega Saturn and Game.com. It combines several characters from various Sega games, from the complete cast of Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers to Janet from Virtua Cop 2 and the Hornet car from Daytona USA, while allowing to play the bosses of both...
Jun 1997: Star Fox 64
Star Fox 64
, known in Australia and Europe as Lylat Wars, is a scrolling shooter video game for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is a reboot of the original Star Fox, and the only game in the Star Fox series to be released on the Nintendo 64....
Jul 1997: Treasures of the Deep
Treasures of the Deep
Treasures of the Deep was a game released for the PlayStation on July 1, 1998. It was developed by Black Ops Entertainment, notable at the time for flight simulators Agile Warrior and Black Dawn, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe....
Aug 1997: Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee is a multi-award–winning platform video game developed by Oddworld Inhabitants and published by GT Interactive. It was released in 1997 for the PlayStation video game console, DOS and Microsoft Windows in North America, Australia and Europe...
Sep 1997: Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
Oct 1997: Madden 64
Nov 1997: Crash 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Dec 1997: Tomb Raider 2
Jan 1998: Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, known as in Japan, is a survival horror video game originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. Developed by Capcom as the second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game, Resident Evil...
Feb 1998: Yoshi's Story
Yoshi's Story
is a side-scrolling platform game, published and developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 entertainment system. It is the sequel to the Super Nintendo game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. It was released on December 21, 1997 in Japan, March 1, 1998 in North America and April 9, 1998 in Europe...
Mar 1998: GEX: Enter the Gecko
Gex: Enter the Gecko
Gex: Enter the Gecko is a platform game released in 1998. It is the sequel to the 1994 game Gex. The game involves collecting 3 types of remotes to unlock different levels, and to aid in the fight against Rez.-Story:Since his retirement from the public eye in 1996, Gex has resided himself to a...
Apr 1998: 1080 Snowboarding
May 1998: Tekken 3
Tekken 3
Tekken 3 is the third installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It was released for Arcades in March 1997, and for the PlayStation in mid-1998. The original Arcade version of the game was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 as part of Tekken 5s Arcade History mode...
Jun 1998: 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...
Jul 1998: Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
Aug 1998: Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. Before its 1903 publication, it appeared as a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine. It was classified by the Modern Library website editors as one of the "100 best novels" and part of the Western canon.The story centres on Charles...
Sep 1998: Spyro the Dragon
Spyro the Dragon
Spyro the Dragon is a platform game developed by Insomniac Games for the PlayStation. It stars the title character, a young purple dragon named Spyro and his dragonfly friend, Sparx, and is the first game in the Spyro the Dragon series...
Oct 1998: Rogue Trip
Nov 1998: Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
Dec 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...
Strategy Guide
Jan 1999: Savage
Savage
- Places :Canada* Lower Savage Islands, Nunavut* Middle Savage Islands, NunavutSlovenia* Savage Lake, a karst lakeUnited States* Savage, Maryland* Savage, Minnesota...
Feb 1999: Street Fighter Perfection
Mar 1999: Licensed to Kill
Apr 1999: Super Smash Brothers
May 1999: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
Jun 1999: Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing is a racing video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The game was released in North America on September 30, 1999 and in Europe and Australia later the same year. It was re-released for the Sony Greatest Hits line-up in...
Jul 1999: Ape Escape
Ape Escape
Ape Escape is a platform game published, produced and developed by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It was originally released in 1999. It was re-released for the Sony Greatest Hits and Best for Family line-ups in 2000; for the Platinum Range in 2001; and for the PSone Books...
Aug 1999: WWF Attitude
WWF Attitude
WWF Attitude is a professional wrestling video game based on the World Wrestling Federation released by Acclaim Entertainment in July 1999 for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. A slightly enhanced port of the game was later released for the Dreamcast, as well as a handheld version for the Game Boy...
Sep 1999: Legacy of Kane: Soul Reaver
Oct 1999: Dreamcast
Nov 1999: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
-Reception:The game was very well-received by most critics, scoring an outstanding 92 on Metacritic based on 18 reviews for the PS1 version. IGN gave the N64 version of the game a 9.1 out of 10 praising the gameplay for "genius control, combo system and design" despite little criticism with sound...
Dec 1999: Resident Evil 3 Nemesis
To see all of these covers and the ones from the 21st century go to www.gameinformer.com/mag/covers.aspx
Website
Game Informer Online was originally launched in August 1996, and featured daily news updates as well as articles. Justin Leeper and Matthew Kato were hired on in November 1999 as full-time web editors. As part of the GameStopGameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
purchase of the magazine, the site was closed around January 2001. Both Leeper and Kato were eventually placed on the editorial staff of the magazine.
GI Online was revived in September 2003, with a full redesign and many additional features, such as a review database, frequent news updates, and exclusive "Unlimited" content for subscribers. It was managed by Billy Berghammer, creator of PlanetGameCube.com (now known as NintendoWorldReport
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
.com). Berghammer is currently the editor in chief of the EGM Media group
On March 2009, the online staff began creating the code for what would be the latest redesign to date. The redesign was to release hand-in-hand with the magazine's own redesign. On October 1, 2009, the newly redesigned website was live, with a welcome message from Editor-In-Chief Andy McNamara. Many new features were introduced, including a rebuilt media player, a feed highlighting the site activity of the website's users, and the ability to create user reviews.
Other media
In the 2006 horror film Stay AliveStay Alive
Stay Alive is a 2006 horror film directed by William Brent Bell, who cowrote it with Matthew Peterman. It was produced by McG, co-produced by Hollywood Pictures and released on March 24, 2006 in the US. In the U.S. the film was rated PG-13 for horror violence, disturbing images, language, and brief...
, there was a brief appearance of a Game Informer Magazine with the title game from the movie. This was not a real issue of the magazine and was made specifically for the movie.
The movie Grandma's Boys has multiple sightings on Game Informer Magazine posters on the walls.
In an open-ended action game from 2009 developed by Radical Entertainment, Prototype
Prototype (video game)
Prototype is an open world action video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision. The game was released in North America on June 9, 2009, and in southwestern parts of North America as well as Oceania on June 10, and was released in Europe on June 12.The game is set in New...
, the Game Informer logo can be seen in many places in the game.