Nintendo Gamer - Sections During The NGamer Era (issues 1 To 70)

Sections During The NGamer Era (issues 1 To 70)

NGamer had the following sections or features in its magazine from issues 1 to 70. This was subject to change as new issues were published.

• Welcome!: This was where the editor introduced him/herself to the readers of the magazine. It also featured a mini legend of everything featured on the cover, and the full credits for the magazine.

• Meet the Team: Small biographies for each member of the team, including their answers to select questions that differed every month. This page also showed the guest (freelance) reviewers for that issue, and what they reviewed.

• Contents: Where everything in the magazine was given its corresponding page number for quick browsing.

• NGExpress: A round-up of recent news, rumours, gossip, facts and opinions. Also occasionally included a one-page interview (known as NGamer Interview), and a release schedule for then-upcoming games software.

• News Blast: This section contained a page of pictures, each accompanied by a couple of sentences describing a rumour or news story of the last month. It also usually contained the charts for British game sales for Nintendo console formats, as well as international charts.

• Online Desk: A double-page section dedicated to Nintendo on the Internet, including information on games that used the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, choice websites that could be viewed on the Wii's Internet Channel, and a section on Flash games that were compatible with the Wii Remote.

• Previews: This section gave previews of upcoming games on Nintendo systems, beginning with a contents page detailing which previews appeared in the issue. The major previews varied in length from one to six pages, with a double-page spread at the end in which other games "they didn't have space for" received small pictures and paragraphs each. It also had an NGamer Diary, in which each member of the team wrote a short article about their current favourite upcoming game. Although primarily for comical purposes, it did give away small bits of relevant information about the games.

• Reviews: This section had reviews for games released over during the previous month, or those available between the current and next issues. It had a front page explaining how they score, along with another contents section detailing the pages of the reviews. As well as UK releases, the magazine also reviewed the major Japanese and American releases and had a 'round-up' of other games at the end of the section.

• Feature: A section of the magazine that contained a special feature on a certain subject. These ranged from detailed break-downs into the construction of a certain game or piece of hardware to a chart or case file of significant events. An example of this was "20 Magical Nintendo Moments", a list of the staff's favourite obscure, forgotten or hard-to-reach moments in Nintendo games. In some issues of the magazine, this was integrated into the World of Nintendo section (see below).

• World of Nintendo: Almost a tribute to Nintendo, this section was varied. During issues 1 to 70 it the section contained
  • A "20 Nintendo Happenings" feature, usually four pages long, detailed odd Nintendo-related events, websites or objects that the team have discovered or readers had sent in.
  • A tips section or walkthrough solution for a specific game, examples included New Super Mario Bros. and Mario Strikers Charged.
  • One or two articles that contained anything relating to Nintendo games - examples include a guide to the toughest stages of the Super Monkey Ball series and a double-page spread of pictures showing 100 ways that Mario has been able to die in his series of games.
  • A Top Tips section, where readers sent in tips for various games along with NGamer's own, usually for recently-released games.
  • A section about what people have done Nintendo-wise outside of gaming, for example, getting Nintendo -themedtattoos, modifying an NES, and creating a cardboard Wii.
  • An interview with a video game developer, for example Yasuhiro Wada, the creator of Harvest Moon.
• Page 89: A selected page designated for random happenings in NGamer. It was no longer called this in later issues of NGamer, as movements in the magazine meant it no longer occupied a selected page.
• Mailbox: The letters section of the magazine, where letters, e-mails and texts from readers were published. The majority of the section comprised several letters sent in by readers, with the editor replying to each one. It also contained many mini-sections (some of which originated in predecessor N64 Magazine), including:
  • "Star Letter", where the best letter received was displayed, with the reader who wrote the letter winning a prize, usually a Wii game or some DS games. Past star letters ranged from standard letters to poetry.
  • "Correction Corner", where readers pointed out errors in previous issues, including spelling mistakes, inaccurate information, and printing errors. Also occasionally featured alongside it is "Not Correction Corner", where letters are displayed from readers pointing out mistakes that aren't actually mistakes.
  • "Bonus Letters", where bizarre excerpts from letters that didn't make the main section were printed, usually with a humorous reply from the editor.
  • "So Tell Me This...", a Q&A section where the NGamer team attempted to answer questions that readers sent in.
  • A section containing the best text messages received.
  • An art section where the best artwork sent in was displayed.
  • A section displaying the best messages sent by readers to NGamer's Wii console. Also a few pictures of the best Miis were sent in are displayed, in pictures labelled "From You to Mii".
  • A section containing jokes that readers have sent in.
  • "Why Haven't They Made...", a section containing a concept, pitch and box art for a new game that a reader has sent in. This section was put in after a post on the NGamer forums.

• Download: This section was dedicated to retro gaming and fielded by "R.O.B.'s brother: DR64", as designed by illustrator Wil Overton. It usually contained:
  • A "History Lesson" section which looked at the story of a video game company, character, console or game series - examples included the MSX and Mega Drive.
  • A Classic Levels series where levels from retro games were looked at in detail. Examples of games that have featured in this section include: GoldenEye 007 and Pilotwings 64
  • A column called "The Way We Were", which took a look back at an old issue of N64/NGC Magazine, or occasionally, Super Play.
  • A section on the Wii Virtual Console (VC), including announcements and rumours of upcoming games, a list of every VC game released so far, and a challenge section where the staff challenged the readers to beat their high scores or best times on select VC games. Occasionally there was another retro-related article - one of example of this was a two-issue game on how to make an arcade joystick for use with the Wii.

• Meanwhile...: An unusual double-page spread which summarised key new titles and news related to non-Nintendo platforms, usually focusing on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

• Subscribe: A double-page spread describing how to subscribe to NGamer. A free gift was often included in the subscription offer, which changed every few months; sometimes a game, other times a peripheral or a Nintendo-related accessory.

• NGamer Directory: Contained a list of the top 50 Wii games judged by NGamer, along with a summary and review score for each one. The Directory also listed NGamer's Top 50 DS games, and their top five Game Boy Advance games. It also contains a small mini-section where each member of staff lists what they were currently playing, and a mini-section showing the attempt of each member of staff to draw a well-known video game character using the DS's PictoChat.

• Next Month: This was a single page previewing the next issue.

• The Back Pages: In early issues, the last page of the magazine was a quiz that gave readers a chance to win a prize - previous prizes including a Nintendo DS Lite. However, the questions were very hard and could only be answered by someone who had read the magazine cover to cover, as it asked very obscure questions. It also contained a random image, such as an early photograph of Mark Green trying to play professional wrestlers at a wrestling game on Nintendo 64. For issue 12, however, the staff have requested readers to send in Nintendo-related photos of themselves to fill the page. This page also contained "The Very Last Gasp", which contained four or five items that either didn't fit in anywhere else or were only added just before the magazine went to press. On the very last page, there was a Nintendo-related picture. In issue 35, this was a Nintendo DSi and a circle with a smiley face inside saying, 'NGamer'.