All Issues

Issue 79

NGC Magazine Issue 79

April 2003
Release Date: 19 Mar 2003
Pages: 116
Editor: Jes Bickham

Introduction

Hitman 2 hit the cover as we got to April as the team got their first play of Interactive’s assassin game. There was great anticipation that Gamecube would get the best version of the game, and it looked fantastic from the preview build they got to play. Conflict Desert Storm was the only decent preview, with a lot of anticipation around the way the war game played with AI teammates, which was a concept very much in its infancy at this stage. 

In the news, Kittsy reported on a meet and greet with Miyamoto in London as he discussed a wide range of topics including Mario Kart and even a sequel to Wind Waker. There was also the first look at Pikmin 2 and Kirby’s Air Ride. The team also got their hands on the GBA SP, which hadn’t even launched in Japan at that point. They also asked the question if Mobile gaming was a threat to the GBA - as the N-Gage had recently been launched.

Metroid Prime was finally launched in the UK this month, and Al Bickham gave it a point higher than the US release at 97%, with praise for almost every aspect - the only issue being that it had quite a bit of backtracking. Once again it was time for the annual EA Sports games, with NFL 2K3 scoring 86% and NBA 2K3 scoring 85%, showing that EA’s games were evolving pretty well. Winning Eleven 6: Final Evolution (AKA ISS/Pro Evo) scored 93% from Japan, showing itself as a very good Football game on Gamecube. It was also a good month for GBA, with Monkey Ball JR scoring 87% and Bubble Bobble Old and New Scoring 90%.

The second half of Resident Evil Zero was tipped this month, and once again another 10 pages were devoted to finishing the game. At the back of the mag there were a couple of features from Japan: Japanese Dream Super News looked at everything happening in Japan, direct from their Japanese correspondent - similar to Made in Japan from the N64 days. Q&A spoke to Nob Ogasawara, who was the translator for the Pokemon games and previously worked on N-Force and Sega Force magazines.
 

Articles

Previews

  • Conflict Desert Storm
    Anticipation Rating: 5
  • Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter
    Anticipation Rating: 3
  • X-Men Wolverines Revenge
    Anticipation Rating: 3
  • I, Gladiator
    Anticipation Rating: 3
  • XGRA
    Anticipation Rating: 4
  • 1080 Avalanche
  • Urban Freestyle
  • Burnout 2

Special Investigation

  • Hitman 2: Silent Assasin

Reviews

  • Metroid Prime
    Author: Al Bickham
    Country: Uk
    Score: 97
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
    Author: Al Bickham
    Country: Uk
    Score: 66
  • Evolution skateboarding
    Author: Tom Mayo
    Country: Uk
    Score: 78
  • Evolution Snowboarding
    Author: Geraint Evans
    Country: Uk
    Score: 23
  • The Sims
    Author: Geraint Evans
    Country: Uk
    Score: 81
  • Defender
    Author: Rich Owen
    Country: Uk
    Score: 50
  • Dr Mutto
    Author: Rich Owen
    Country: Uk
    Score: 70
  • Summoner A Godess Reborn
    Author: Geraint Evans
    Country: Uk
    Score: 68
  • Blood Rayne
    Author: Tom Mayo
    Country: Uk
    Score: 65
  • Sonic Mega Collection
    Author: Geraint Evans
    Country: Uk
    Score: 70
  • Vexx
    Author: Jes Bickham
    Country: Uk
    Score: 66
  • NBA 2k3
    Author: Tim Weaver
    Country: Uk
    Score: 85
  • NFL 2k3
    Author: Tim Weaver
    Country: Uk
    Score: 86
  • Super Monkey Ball Jr
    Country: Uk
    Score: 87
  • Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
    Country: Uk
    Score: 79
  • Contra Advance the Alien Wars EX
    Country: Uk
    Score: 65
  • Bubble Bobble Old & New
    Country: Uk
    Score: 90
  • Treasure Planet
    Country: Uk
    Score: 81
  • Mega Man & Bass
    Country: Uk
    Score: 55
  • Winning Eleven 6: Final Evolution
    Author: Martin Kitts
    Country: Jap
    Score: 93

How To

  • Fill the Undead with Lead in Resident Evil Zero

Features

  • Japanese Dream Super News
  • Q&A Inside the head of NOB

Staff

  • Jes Bickham Editor
  • Martin Kitts Reviews Editor
  • Dan Geary Production Editor
  • Justin Webb Art Editor
  • Paul Edwards Deputy Art Editor
  • Geraint Evans News Editor