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[SatelliteOfLove]

Even as a SMS/Genny kid growing up, this is a sad, sad day.

...

Game Informer is going to be the last one standing, ain't it?

It's 2012, we have more lines of communication open than ever, but it feels like we're hearing less from Nintendo than ever. Not that a magazine is the most efficient means of communication anymore (especially when a third-party contractor is running it) and maybe this isn't the best time to make this statement considering Nintendo just announced a Wii U event, but feels like Nintendo isn't expanding its marketing or its basic availability in the way that Sony and Microsoft have.

*reggienotmyproblem.gif*

 

[Alebrije]

Wow , another one....bring back memories.... : (

 

[Incitemaybe]

Ah, I used to get them when I was a kid starting with the very first issue with Mario 2 on it.....the memories

 

[GimMick]

I never read the magazine of course, but seeing the memories and anecdotes narrated by the Gaffers in this thread, I wish I could have lived this experience as a young kid.

Even I can see how bad those news are, even though it was bound to happen.
The twilight of the gaming press is just around the corner...

 

[grandjedi6]

Noooo. This is all my fault for not renewing my subscription lately D:

 

[N4Us]

I remember when I was 7 years old and my mom surprised me with an NP subscription. It was like the greatest thing and I kept it going for over a decade too, but sometime around college I didn't renew just because I didn't have the time to read them anymore.

I also remember sending in really shitty envelope art, I'm glad none of them got published.

It's funny how I see people these days look back on the Nester/Mario/Zelda comics with fondness, when back then I'd see reader mails every issue about how people hated them and wanted them gone.

 

[Bravocado]

Well now I'm definitely not getting rid of that box of old gaming magazines. I may need a nostalgia fix, considering I won't be able to find this or Gamepro anymore.

 

[ohlawd]

holy shit I remember spending hours at my friend's house reading his huge stack of Nintendo Power mags... ;_;

 

[N4Us]

Also this is a must-read

http://seanbaby.com/nes/mark.htm

 

[grandjedi6]

They even took down their subscription page

 

[revolverjgw]

One thing I remember about the mag from the time I read it (SNES era) is that they seemed to use the whole scale when rating games.

 

[JorSneezy]

Still have the first three year of issues on display in my video game room.

 

[HylianScribe]

I used to have every single issue. When I moved a year-and-a-half ago to my new place, I finally caved and threw them all away. I have been a subscriber since 1989 I believe.

Nowadays, I don't even really bother to read the issues anymore. I skip to the community section if I do read anything because almost everything in the issue has already been covered elsewhere. The last time I was actively reading Nintendo Power and anticipating new issues was leading up to the release of Twilight Princess, when Nintendo Power had all those exclusive interviews and new screenshots. After that and NP going to Future, it just wasn't the same. Honestly, the only time I read NP is when doing research for Pop Fiction.

When Nintendo Power was still ran by Nintendo, you could see your subscriber status dating back to the beginning in the old account page on Nintendo.com, and you could also all the renewal bonuses you got. I remember waiting for the catalogs each quarter, and begging my parents to order all the Zelda crap in them. I got nearly all of my Player's Guides through renewal bonuses. I first got into competing for high scores and time trial stuff thanks to their contests. Like the Mario Kart 64 competition for a Gold Controller. You had to crack 1:30 on Mario Raceway. I remember I found one of my first useful "glitches" competing in that minigame for The Wind Waker where you have to glide as far as you can and reach the finish line, where it then drained all your magic and you fell down. I figured out if you had the Tingle Tuner and timed it just right, you could replenish all your magic and keep going beyond the finish line.

This just goes along with the demise of NSIDER, Nintendo's online community and forums, in marking another part of my childhood pretty much gone for good. Also Camp Hyrule's closure a few years back.

 

[Stage On]

Darn it my subscription was still good until October 2013!

Now how am I going to get reviews on obscure download only games and other stuff only they covered

 

[zeelman]

Nintendo Power was dead to me when Future Publishing took over, so I'm not sad to hear this news.

 

[Metroid Hunter]

I used to have every single issue. When I moved a year-and-a-half ago to my new place, I finally caved and threw them all away. I have been a subscriber since 1989 I believe.

Nowadays, I don't even really bother to read the issues anymore. I skip to the community section if I do read anything because almost everything in the issue has already been covered elsewhere. The last time I was actively reading Nintendo Power and anticipating new issues was leading up to the release of Twilight Princess, when Nintendo Power had all those exclusive interviews and new screenshots. After that and NP going to Future, it just wasn't the same. Honestly, the only time I read NP is when doing research for Pop Fiction.

When Nintendo Power was still ran by Nintendo, you could see your subscriber status dating back to the beginning in the old account page on Nintendo.com, and you could also all the renewal bonuses you got. I remember waiting for the catalogs each quarter, and begging my parents to order all the Zelda crap in them. I got nearly all of my Player's Guides through renewal bonuses. I first got into competing for high scores and time trial stuff thanks to their contests. Like the Mario Kart 64 competition for a Gold Controller. You had to crack 1:30 on Mario Raceway. I remember I found one of my first useful "glitches" competing in that minigame for The Wind Waker where you have to glide as far as you can and reach the finish line, where it then drained all your magic and you fell down. I figured out if you had the Tingle Tuner and timed it just right, you could replenish all your magic and keep going beyond the finish line.

This just goes along with the demise of NSIDER, Nintendo's online community and forums, in marking another part of my childhood pretty much gone for good. Also Camp Hyrule's closure a few years back.

It hurts man.

 

[Htown]

.

 

[gamergirly]

It hurts man.

Didnt know they were gone for the longest time, but when you went to Nintendo.com they had it listed in the FAQ

 

[Glix]

Also this is a must-read

http://seanbaby.com/nes/mark.htm

This is actually painful to read. Reminds me of listening to prank calls. Pathetic.

 

[Firemind]

Damn, I still have these lying around somewhere.

What happens to the UK based NP?

 

[thezerofire]

kinda sad, but not unexpected. It's sucked since Future took over anyway. I did love getting my Zelda Collector's Edition for GCN from them though.

 

[Zeal]

Times they are a changin'.

 

[IrishNinja]

this sucks, i only got like 3 or 4 issues out of this subscription too. i knew i shouldve gotten on this and EGM/gamepro and shit earlier.

 

[The Real Abed]

Aw, RIP! Loved that mag as a kid.

Guess Apple claims another victim.

Why would you blame Apple? They didnt kill magazines. Digital Internet publishing did. Blame motorized cars for killing the horse drawn carriage. Blame video for killing the radio star.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

I find it funny that many people who claim to be sad over the news admit to not buying the magazine anymore.

I haven't bought it regularly since the mid 90's and I'm very sad.

It represents the end of something a lot of people loved when they were kids. Of course they're going to be a little sad about it.

 

[gblues]

Last issue's cover needs to be New Super Mario Bros 2, done in clay. Would be a perfect bookend for the magazine.

 

[Loxley]

Not unexpected in this day and age, but still sad

 

[RetroGreg]

Last issue's cover needs to be New Super Mario Bros 2, done in clay. Would be a perfect bookend for the magazine.

That would be glorious! Great idea!

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

I read since I was kid, but alas, another piece of childhood gone.

 

[ED Cantu]

Even though it was inevitable it's sad too, with this I'm sure the official Nintendo Magazine of my country (Club Nintendo) will cease publication soon enough too.

 

[Ondore]

Last issue's cover needs to be New Super Mario Bros 2, done in clay. Would be a perfect bookend for the magazine.

Or NSMBU, which would be more likely by the time the last issue would be coming.

 

[Culex]

It's a shame that they won't make it to 25 years. This really isn't a surprise, though...print has seen the writing on the wall since 2000. I still have the original year of Nintendo Power and EGM at my parent's house.

 

[898]

We didn't have enough money to have a subscription when I was younger but I remember buying the occasional magazine from the store and reading friends' issues when I would go to their house. I have a current subscription now but I can't say I spend a lot of time reading the current issues. I did like their interview with various game designers and other industry greats.

Well, this is going to spur my back issue collection before the speculators/resellers start grabbing them up.

 

[Starsunder]

 

[illadelph]

Last issue's cover needs to be New Super Mario Bros 2, done in clay. Would be a perfect bookend for the magazine.

oh my god oh my god

this needs to happen

 

[Doctor Decimate]

and there goes the only good games magazine that isn't EDGE

 

[IrishNinja]

and there goes the only good games magazine that isn't EDGE

speaking of magazines we dont get over here, i really liked retro gamer

 

[CronoShot]

Sad to see it go. I suppose it was inevitable.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Way to ruin my day Nintendo

So many memories.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Everyone whose posts begin or end with 'I don't read it' are to blame.

It remained great for all things Nintendo. You'd think NOA could afford to keep their only publication afloat.

 

[Stumpokapow]

It remained great for all things Nintendo. You'd think NOA could afford to keep their only publication afloat.

It's not their publication. That's the whole point.

 

[cj_iwakura]

It's not their publication. That's the whole point.

Still, it's the only go-to magazine for Nintendo. You'd think they'd want to keep it publicized.

 

[Takao]

Still, it's the only go-to magazine for Nintendo. You'd think they'd want to keep it publicized.

Apparently Nintendo is part of the reason it's dying.

 

[Mandoric]

Still, it's the only go-to magazine for Nintendo. You'd think they'd want to keep it publicized.

A promotional organ that sells only to dedicated fanboys is no promotional organ at all.

 

[Rafaelcsa]

I haven't bought it regularly since the mid 90's and I'm very sad.

It represents the end of something a lot of people loved when they were kids. Of course they're going to be a little sad about it.

I get it, but it was inevitable that the magazine would end since no one seems to be buying it.

 

[cj_iwakura]

A promotional organ that sells only to dedicated fanboys is no promotional organ at all.

I'm anything but, I grew up on Sega. But they had great coverage of niche Nintendo games like 999 and SMT Strange Journey.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Still, it's the only go-to magazine for Nintendo. You'd think they'd want to keep it publicized.

www.nintendo.com

 

[Lumpy Onion]

I was just browsing through issues 1-20 of Nintendo Power just now and realized just how many games are completely spoiled by their amazingly comprehensive articles. The guide for Castlevania III literally takes you through the entire game (minus the final stage). Every enemy location is practically mapped out for you and everything. The same could be said for most of the big games covered in the magazine, like Megaman, Super C, and Mario. And they are really fun articles too. Full of hand drawn monsters and characters from the game brought to life. I am thinking that issues 1-40 would be the perfect years imo.

I bet some games I ended up not even buying because I could just follow NP's maps from beginning to end and then imagine the gameplay in my head. I guess that was probably better for stuff like Bayou Billy though.

 

[Terrell]

Still, it's the only go-to magazine for Nintendo. You'd think they'd want to keep it publicized.

Why?
Nintendo Directs announce games and Miiverse removes some of the need for strategy guides and reviews. The Internet covers the rest.

 

[Muku]

Nintendo Power wasn't the same once it was outsourced. I tried reading Future's version, but it just wasn't something I liked, so I ended up letting my subscription lapse. Even though I just moved to Japan, I'd have kept my subscription running if it had stayed under Nintendo's wing. Would just mean a boatload of reading once I moved back.

To be honest, I'm surprised Nintendo didn't just let it die. As terrisus said, they'd just closed the forums. It felt like they were becoming very anti community at that point. So, it was interesting that NP had a few years left, even if outsourced. I still say in many ways Nintendo is anti community. I don't really consider their Facebook or Twitter presence to be much of anything but a front. Perhaps I'm just a bit bitter still, even after all these years.

In any case, fare the well NP. I'll always have magazines from your heyday to browse through. At least I got some artwork and a letter published before it died. But those were all so long ago, haha.