Like most of you within this article’s earshot, I read Nintendo Power religiously growing up. Still sorta do, but being in the industry, I no longer have the thrill of receiving a glossy, high-res cover of something mindblowingly amazing that I didn’t expect. Obviously, you geek out over some covers more than others, but nothing sent my brain into a complete and utter tailspin quite like Street Fighter issues. This wasn’t just a game I was going to play… EVERYONE was going to play it, against one another. For hours… Eventually years. So upon receiving this March NP issue, my reaction was the headline above verbatim (give or take an expletive).
Above: Beautiful. And a over a decade and a half in the making!
So what happened? Why exactly has it been so long? Well, obviously Nintendo platforms missed out on Street Fighter IV. However, that game singlehandedly reignited the fighting game craze to early 90’s levels semi-recently, and the 3DS has finally got a kickass SF game to call its own. (Coincidentally, this issue also covers the impending 3DS launch extensively.) So… when exactly was the last time Street Fighter graced the cover of Nintendo Power?
July 1994: T-Hawk quietly ponders his entrance into the exciting career of road pugilism on this cover devoted solely to Super Street Fighter II. Think he’s an odd choice for cover boy? Look Down!
August 1993: In case you’re wondering why Vega’s presented here instead of more popular mainstays like Ryu, Ken or Guile, you gotta remember that these were the variant sequels to SFII, yet people like me couldn’t wait to know everything possible about the FOUR new added fighters. In this case, SFII: Turbo added the four “bosses” from the previous game as playable characters, among other things, but the world may as well have exploded
July 1992: Ah, The first time SF made the front of Nintendo Power, and it was none other than Guile representin’ Capcom’s arcade sensation arrival on consoles. Sadly, there’s no soldier in the background punching himself in the dick, though his greatness was substituted by a Hair-oic pun!
That’s it, just thought that was cool enough to share with you guys. Subscribers should be seeing their’s now.
Feb 13, 2011
A horrifyingly preserved look back at gaming's most regrettable hype! This could get ugly...
If you laughed at the bad covers, it's only fair you recognize the great ones
60 bits of olde tyme game propaganda we dug out of our closets
