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[PezDispenser]

Holy shit. End of an era indeed.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Whether or not you still read Nintendo Power, this is indeed the end of an era.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Man, I subscribed to that when I was about 9 and it was Fun Club News. Later, I sure loved hanging those tri-fold posters up in my room, like this one:

That was in the Ninja Turtles issue! May/June 1989. I could never forget, I loved the artwork.

 

[Teknoman]

Too sad. My parents basement is filled with stacks of these mags from the original up until the end of the N64 days. They're in crap condition, but still cool nonetheless. Wonder if I should start a new sub to get the last few? What kind of pricing do they have these days?

For NA, $19.95 for a year.


Guess I better hold onto that Nintendo history special issue. The one with a blue cover and mario on the front.

I wonder what posters I still have...know that Contra 4 one is around somewhere, think I lost the spy hunter from awhile back.

 

[NichM]

Man, I subscribed to that when I was about 9 and it was Fun Club News. Later, I sure loved hanging those tri-fold posters up in my room, like this one:

Haha, I had like 9 of these hanging around my room too.

 

[Takao]

What are you even getting at.

Apparently Nintendo were dicks to work with, and weren't interested in doing digital versions of the magazine. Given Future got the publishing rights from NoA it's likely NoA is to blame.

 

[MyEpitomeCliché]

So sad. I remember getting the promotional SMB 2 issue in the mail, and my first sub issue had TMNT III on the cover. Getting a new issue every month in the mailbox became an event for me. End of an era, indeed.

And glad to read Phil will be okay. Hope your ambitions for the last issue come to fruition, as I'll probably be picking up a copy.

 

[ZeroGravity]

Nintendo Power was the best.

 

[The Real Abed]

That sucks! We were subscribers from pretty early on when they were still bi-monthly and put out strategy guides every other issue. I wore the shit out of my Super Mario Bros 3 guide which covered the entire game except the final castle which only showed screenshots. I had even put tabs on the page ends to flip to each different world. I was the master with this amazing guide. I wore it out so much we had to buy a second. Man I wish I still had that.

We originally got it early on and when that brochure for a little-known game called "Dragon Quest" came, we had to get it. $15 shipping for the game for free. It introduced me to the concept of an RPG. Forget Final Fantasy. Dragon Quest was where it was at. And still is. We never had a FF game. And my first exposure to one was the SNES version years later at a friends house.

Once after letting our first subscription end my grandmother and I started it up again but in the interim we moved into a new house and I stopped receiving them. We must have had a multiple year subscription because once my grandmother called to get a replacement mouse for Mario Paint and the support person told us that we had issues that had been returned because the address was wrong. So we had them sent to our new address.....

They sent me a box FULL of about 40+ issues all the way up to issue 55. I had sooooo many issues to go through. It was like OVERLOAD. Nintendo was amazing. They kept the issues in stock for MONTHS waiting for us to somehow get in touch with them. If it weren't for the mouse, who knows if they'd still even have them now? The day I got that box was amazing. It was heavy as hell and full of so much awesome I could barely contain myself. I still had them up until about 10 years ago when we moved again and my parents destroyed them not thinking they were worth anything.

After that in the early 2000's I picked it up again for a few years during their transition to binding which totally sucked. And that shitty Mario rendering on the spine that never actually lined up properly. Especially when they shipped me an issue with a "Subscription ending!" notice GLUED TO THE FUCKING COVER so the spine was destroyed anyway.

281 issues so far? They should just let it get to 300 and end it there with a spectacular finish. I had issue 50 and 100 and possibly 150, I don't remember. But I would buy issue 300 just to have it. They should go all-out and make it a special issue double sized with so much information and history. Would be the perfect way to end their 23/24 year run. Would suck to just end in the 280's.

Side note: I just learned Mac|Life is still going. Go figure. I was a MacAddict subscriber in the first half of last decade. But with Cable internet and now FiOS, who needs paper magazines anymore? I was a member of the MAF forums and then the M|LF (giggle) forums until they ended them last year and everyone moved over to MacStack.

 

[Ooccoo]

r.i.p.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Does anybody remember when they were doing monthly Mario and Zelda comics?? It was very early in the SNES' life.

Oh man, how excited I used to get to read the next chapter every month.

 

[EvilMario]

Those days when I have Nintendo Power, EGM, Game Pro and GameFan subscriptions were my golden days of gaming. RIP Nintendo Power

 

[Howard Ballou]

Wow. Sad to see it go. I still have a chest full of old copies at my parents' house.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

I remember that one year I subscribed; I needed that Animal Crossing strategy guide so I got it with NP. My first issue included the SSBM orchestra CD and my head asploded.

Good times.

 

[radcliff]

So many good memories. I remember ordering the Player's Club thing and I was like "WTF" when I got Nintendo Power. I was blown away when I read it. I have the NES/SNES era issues and sporadic issues from the GCN/Wii era. I currently have a sub and feel that when they changed formats from a mini strat guide to a typical preview/review magazine, it kind of lost what made Nintendo Power what it was. But still, you can't beat NP for Nintendo related coverage and for that it will be missed.

 

[ASTROID2]

I always looked forward to getting new issues. Been getting NP since GameCube came out. Me sad.

 

[Jibbajabbawockky]

Well thats sad. I think I still have a stack of Nintendo Powers from back in the N64 days. I remember waiting for the mail to come after school to get my Nintendo Power and see what new games were being announced.

 

[Mandoric]

You guys should get J Scott Campbell to reboot the artwork he did in that Nintendo Power Game Design contest from years back. That would be one hell of a throwback.

http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9008878

"Boss: The Gooch".
That's funny, I don't see a mustache on him.

 

[stolin]

This is really, really disappointing to hear... But also not very surprising...

I've been subscribing to Nintendo Power since Issue 32 (January 1992), and had since also gone back and gotten all of the issues of it that I had missed, as well as all of the issues of the Fun Club News that came before it except for the first issue of that.

That said, when Nintendo Power switched over from being published by Nintendo, to being outsourced to Future with Issue 222 in December 2007 (following the closing of their online forum the month before as well of course), the feeling of the magazine changed dramatically. I know people criticised it for being "Not much more than a big Nintendo advertisement," but, taking it for what it was, it did a magnificent job at it, and having those close ties directly to Nintendo produced some wonderful stuff. After it switched over to being published by Future, it became "just another magazine."

Still, despite the past few years having been rather discouraging for it, I had kept up my subscription, because I just kind of felt like it was something I needed to do. And while, as I said, it's not surprising at all that something like this would happen, it's still very disappointing...

(Picture's a number of years out of date, but nonetheless)

I have the same collection of Nintendo Power. From #1 to #225. One day I'll sell it as a complete collection. The memories in these magazines are fantastic. Same experience on the change to Future. I just felt that the changing of the guard didn't feel the same.

I also missed those Nintendo Strategy Guides that I regularly got from them. The quality was always great!

 

[Suzzopher]

That sucks

I would be gutted if Nintendo Gamer(formerly, NGC, N64, Super Pay) were to cease.

 

[Omegasquash]

Y'know, if they put out a digital collection, I'd pony up for it. And include all the Fun Club stuff too, because I was fucking there for it.

I hope you're listening, publishers. I WOULD GIVE YOU MONEY FOR SOMETHING.

 

[Hero of Legend]

nooooo

i still remember when they sent me my Banjo Kazooie tape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUqd1Y1p_Jg

@0:50: "Egg shitting" WHAT THE FUCK?!

And yeah, my exact words out load to reading the headline at Go Nintendo was "WHAT?!".

My childhood, now in heaven along with Pokemon Beckett Collector. :'(

I hope we have at least one more finale issue.

 

[JazzmanZ]

So uh, what happens to people who try to subscribe now? do they not get it or what.

 

[EMBee99]

Don't worry. I've already got my feet in a few doors. I (and more importantly Finn) should be fine. The other guys are all in pretty good shape, too. Although I doubt we'd complain if the internet wanted to start throwing money at us. We'll, uh...so a podcast...yeah...and we need money for...gaming computers. To talk about on the show. Yeah, that'll work. Kickstart away!

And for the record, I am currently in the middle of attempting to get something crazy awesome set up for the final issue. I really, really hope that it pans out.

It better be a Howard and Nester reunion issue.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

I hope the last issue is just one huge nostalgia trip that looks back at all the good times through it's 24-year history.

Yes! And one final Nester comic, please.

 

[Teknoman]

Honestly, I dont think i'd read a digital version when I can just check out a normal website. There is something different about reading an actual magazine vs a digital mag.

 

[MrT-Tar]

I'm a subscriber to the U.K's Official Nintendo Magazine. I'm really hoping they won't have the same fate...

 

[Anth0ny]

I remember that one year I subscribed; I needed that Animal Crossing strategy guide so I got it with NP. My first issue included the SSBM orchestra CD and my head asploded.

Good times.

greatest cd ever?

Yes.

 

[Exeunt]

That's too bad, but I suppose rather inevitable in this Internet era. I remember poring over issues in middle school and I think the first time I heard about E3 was when I got the issue which included the preview DVD with different trailers (including Twilight Princess of course). Their screenshots for portable games often weren't very flattering and I spent a lot of time reading about games I would never play but it was a fun magazine for a good portion of my younger years.

I stopped subscribing during high school when I really started using the Internet as my source of gaming news but I enjoyed the magazine when I read it. Interesting to think that Wii U will likely be the first console not to have post-release coverage from an official Nintendo magazine, but I guess that's what it's come to.

 

[GDGF]

It better be a Howard and Nester reunion issue.

That would be great

Also, somebody should get Howard Phillips on the phone. Don't let him forget the bow tie.

 

[Rebel Leader]

nooooo

i still remember when they sent me my Banjo Kazooie tape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUqd1Y1p_Jg

I still remember the majora's mask video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40HKpmYLV38

 

[FStop7]

 

[Talamius]

In the NES days Nintendo Power was a necessity. There goes a part of my childhood

The Howard and Nester comic stands out too. Old NP was classic.

 

[Effect]

On the day we finally learn the date fo the Wii U event as well. I was actually looking forward to a 100% Wii U issue that I assumed would be done. Think of the increase sales they could have gotten on the day the system came out as people were picking what they can.

 

[TheLastCandle]

awwww, so now all my memories of childhood are gone. school lunch, David bringing in the latest EGM, Gamepro and Nintendo power. all gone....

Those were my 3 favorites.

I haven't read NP in a while, but it's still sad. It was a great magazine.

 

[Just take it with you.]

Like a lot of folks in this thread, I had a subscription from the NES era to right around the time the N64 came out. I remember sometimes going absolutely crazy waiting the new issue to arrive in the mailbox.

At any rate, I had no idea that Nintendo had dropped their own magazine like a bad habit. Once NP was left out in the cold, I can only imagine that getting information out of notoriously reticent Nintendo would have been like pulling teeth...

 

[Ifrit]

Wow, end of an era right there

Any word from Phil?

EDIT: He already posted, good luck on your future projects man

Player One Podcast rocks

 

[Triz]

My buddy has every issue since #1. Subscribed since day one and they overtake an entire bookcase in his office. He will be very sad.

 

[Lumpy Onion]

Does anybody remember when they were doing monthly Mario and Zelda comics?? It was very early in the SNES' life.

Oh man, how excited I used to get to read the next chapter every month.

I sure do! Really dug the art in those.

 

[cjkeats]

Can Nester be in Smash Bros now?

 

[Cow Mengde]

Does anybody remember when they were doing monthly Mario and Zelda comics?? It was very early in the SNES' life.

Oh man, how excited I used to get to read the next chapter every month.

I never got to read the ending to the Super Mario comics ;____________;

 

[The Real Abed]

A few years ago you could download this whole issue in PDF form. This was one of the issues we borrowed from a work friend of my dad's back before we got our own subscription. We also borrowed games from her too when we first had our NES and had barely any games yet.

 

[GhaleonQ]

Wow, end of an era right there

Any word from Phil?

Twitter. *sad face*

 

[Byronic Hero]

I just renewed my subscription. Although they haven't sent me my first issue since I lost it. Ah well.

 

[MyEpitomeCliché]

So how many times did you guys watch that Star Fox 64 promo tape? That thing was on loop in my house, and the day when I finally got the call from K-B Toys to pick up my copy was almost surreal. I don't think I've ever been nearly as hyped for a videogame as I was then thanks to that damn tape. The DKC one was good, too.

 

[Ifrit]

Twitter. *sad face*

Well, at least he seems somewhat ok with this. Still, it will be weird not having NP around anymore

 

[LiK]

Wow, end of an era right there

Any word from Phil?

he's been posting in in this thread already

 

[Pharros]

I feel like taking the cover prints of the first and last issues and framing them. It would also be amazing if the last issue had a throwback cover.

 

[Whimsical Phil]

Wow, end of an era right there

Any word from Phil?

Not in this thread.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

So how many times did you guys watch that Star Fox 64 promo tape? That thing was on loop in my house, and the day when I finally got the call from K-B Toys to pick up my copy was almost surreal. I don't think I've ever been nearly as hyped for a videogame as I was then thanks to that damn tape. The DKC one was good, too.

I still have my DKC promo tape. Remember the SECRET GAME at the very end that turned out to be Killer Instinct? Hypeeeee