reviews, SpriteCell

Overview

Video game magazines used to be the hub of video game discourse, with the latest news, editorials on the state of the industry, and reviews. While the internet eventually led to the demise of most of these magazines I still find it fascinating to look through them to see what was and wasn’t a big deal at the time.

I made this archive to make these magazines more accessible and to help fans of my favorite genre. I have collected as many JRPG reviews from magazines as I could find and presented them here. If you’re here you’d probably also be interested in my JRPG project, where I analyze JRPGs based on review scores, price, exclusivity, and more.

These scans mostly come from RetroMags, Out of Print Archive, Datassette, this archive, and the Internet Archive (including many uploaded by Foxhack). I update this archive periodically, see the section below. As for the games, I am mostly using JRPG Chronicle’s JRPG Index, which is maintained by Lucca/Blingles, but I have included some additional games, like those developed in South Korea. It’s a great website and discord channel for JRPG lovers, check it out if you’re into JRPGs.

This project includes video game magazines from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Every English language gaming magazine I could find:

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360Zine
64 Extreme
@Gamer
Advance
Arcade
Australian PlayStation
Computer & Video Games
Computer Game Review and 16-bit Entertainment
Control
Cube
Cube Australia
DC UK
Dreamcast Magazine
Dreamcast Monthly
Electric Brain
Electronic Entertainment
Electronic Game Player
Electronic Games
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Extreme PlayStation
Fusion
G-Force
GameFan
GameFan (reboot)
Gamefreaks
GBA World
GMR
Games World
Game Boy Official
Game Boy Power
Game Informer
Game On!
Game Players
Game Player’s
Game Zone
GameNow
GamePro
Gamereactor
Gamestar
Gamers’ Republic
Games Domain Offline
Games TM
Hardcore Gamer
HGZine
Hyper
IGN64.com
Incite
Intelligent Gamer
Maximum
Mean Machines
Mean Machines PlayStation
Mean Machines Sega
Mega
Mega Drive Advanced Gaming
Mega Play
Mega Power
MegaZone
Megafan
Megatech
Mr Dreamcast
N-Force
N64
N64 Magazine
N64 Pro
NGC
NGamer (UK)
NGamer (USA)
NewType Gaming
New Age Gaming
New Zealand PlayStation
Next Generation
Next Generation
Nintendo Game Zone
Nintendo Gamer
Nintendo Magazine System (Australia)
Nintendo Official Magazine
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power Flash
Official Dreamcast Magazine
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
Official NZ PlayStation Magazine
Official PlayStation 2 Magazine UK
Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine
Official Sega Magazine UK
Official Sega Saturn
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Official UK PlayStation Magazine
Official UK Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
P.S.X.
PLAY
Play (Australia)
PS Max
PSExtreme
PSM2
Planet Game Boy
Play (UK)
PlayStation Magazine
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Pro
PlayStation Official Magazine-Australia
PlayStation 2 Official Magazine-Australia
PlayZine
Pocket Gamer
Pocket Games
Polygon
Power
PSW
P2
P3Zine
Pure
Q 64
R-Zone
Raze
S the Sega Magazine
SNES Force
Saturn Plus
Saturn Power
Sega Force
Sega Magazine
Sega Master Force
Sega Power
Sega Pro
Sega Saturn Magazine
Sega Visions
Sega XS
Sega Zone
Silicon Magazine
Station
Super Action
Super Control
Super Gamer
Super Gaming
Super Play
Super Pro
Surge
Team Sega Newsletter
The Games Machine
The Official Australian PlayStation Magazine
Total 64
Total Control
Total Game Boy
Total Gamer
Total Games
Total PlayStation
Total Saturn
Total!
TurboForce
TurboPlay
Ultimate Future Games
Ultimate Gamer
Ultra Game Players
UVGM
VSIXTYFOUR
Video Games Underground
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment/Video Games – the Ultimate Gaming Magazine
Videogame Advisor
Walmart GameCenter
Xbox Live Gamer
Xbox Nation

Games are listed by their official title in North America at the time and in mostly alphabetical order without leading articles. Series with roman numerals or other inconsistencies have been put in an order that hopefully makes sense. The order can look weird with the varied usage of spaces, numbers, colons, and other special characters. Games with the same name on different systems are separated, unless they came out around the same time and are pretty much identical.

The earliest game included is 1988’s Phantasy Star, the third JRPG to reach North America or Europe, while the latest is 2023’s Final Fantasy XVI. There are fewer reviews from after 2010, as there were few magazines left, and even fewer scans available of them. The 1992-2005 era probably has the most coverage.

There are a few anomalies worth noting. Magazines occasionally reviewed games that never came to their region, or never left Japan at all. There are a few retrospective reviews, written years after a game came out. Nintendo Power’s early days threw out review scores inconsistently, sometimes giving scores to games without a written review, or giving scores in a walkthrough. They even reviewed Brandish twice.

You can click on the images to expand them to full size. Pressing the right arrow key or clicking on the right half of the image will go to the next image, while the left arrow key and left half of the image will go to the previous. Pressing escape will close the image lightbox. You may want to open some very large images in a new tab. Filenames start with the the name of the magazine if you ever want to check.

Update Log and Totals

October 9th, 2024 Update

I was sure that the previous update would be the largest, that there wasn’t much left to add. This update is almost three times as large thanks to a new source of scans with magazines from around the world, because Game Informer has shuttered, and because I decided it was time to go ahead and include GameFan scans. This update has almost doubled the archive’s size. Final Fantasy XVI replaces Soul Hackers 2 as the newest game with a review.

3,316 new scans have been added and about 38 new magazines are included.

I have also updated the navigation on each page to hopefully be more clear and easier to use.

168 new games have reviews:

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7th Dragon, Arc the Lad III, ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat, Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk, Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky, Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland, Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland (PSVita), Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (PS4), Bahamut Lagoon, Biomotor Unitron, Blazing Souls Accelate, Bloodborne, Bravely Second: End Layer, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Chaos Rings, Code Age Commanders, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars, Cosmic Star Fantasy, Dark Souls III, Deception IV: Blood Ties, Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess, Demon Gaze, Der Langrisser FX, Digimon Adventure 02: D1 Tamers, Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance, Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness, Disgaea Infinite, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, Dragon Ball Fusions, Dragon Ball Xenoverse, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS), Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, Dragon Quest Builders, Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below, Dragon Quest Heroes II, Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon, Drakengard 3, Drakerider, Dungeon Fighter Live: Fall of Hendon Myre, Dungeon Fighter Online, Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl, Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight, Etrian Mystery Dungeon, Ever Oasis, Fairy Fencer F, Fantasy Life, Final Fantasy (WSC), Final Fantasy VI (PS1), Final Fantasy VII (PC), Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy All the Bravest, Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition, Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition, Final Fantasy Dimensions, Final Fantasy Legend, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Fates, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Warriors, From the Abyss, Giftpia, God Eater 2: Rage Burst, Grand Kingdom, Gravity Rush, Gravity Rush 2, Growlanser: Heritage of War, Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time, Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure, Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed, Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors Legends, I Am Setsuna, Key of Heaven, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Last Rebellion, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Monster Farm Battle Card Professional, Monster Hunter 3 Tri, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Monster Hunter Generations, Monster Hunter Stories, Mugen Souls, New Little King’s Story, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, Nier: Automata, Nioh, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, Ogre Battle Gaiden: Prince of Zenobia, Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy, Paper Mario: Color Splash, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Persona 5, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Phantasy Star Collection (Saturn), Phantasy Star Portable 2, Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Pokémon Sun/Moon, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, Pokémon X/Y, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!/Let’s Go, Eevee!, PoPoLoCrois (PS1), PoPoLoCrois Monogatari II, Project X Zone 2, Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition, Record of Agarest War 2, Rune Factory 4, Sakura Wars (DC), Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable, Sigma Harmonics, Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God, Soul Sacrifice Delta, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, Super Robot Wars W, Sword & Sorcery, Sword Art Online: Lost Song, The Sword of Etheria, Tales of Berseria, Tales of Hearts R, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles, Tales of Xillia 2, Tales of Zestiria, Tears to Tiara, Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, Tokyo Xanadu, Toukiden 2, Toukiden: Kiwami, Treasure Hunter G, Trinity Universe, Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen, Valkyria Revolution, The Witch and the Hundred Knight, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, World of Final Fantasy, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Xenosaga I & II, Yakuza 0, Yakuza 3, Yakuza 5, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Yakuza Kiwami, Yo-Kai Watch, Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits/Fleshy Souls, Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand (SNES), Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand (PS2), Ys: Memories of Celceta, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 2

October 9th, 2023 Update

I expected updates to get smaller and smaller over time, yet this is the largest I have made. 1,151 new page scans have been added. This is mostly due to really going through Out of Print Archive and discovering a mysterious archive. I have also split a few more letter pages and redistributed a few split letters to be more even.

A total of 53 (or so, it became very difficult to keep track of) new magazines now have scans. One of these is WalMart GameCenter, which I wasn’t sure I should include. It is something given away for free by WalMart to entice people to buy games, but it does have the typical sections of a video game magazine, with a smaller page count. There’s typically a single game review per issue and they seem pretty fair and in line with other reviews so I decided to include them. This is the newest magazine included in the archive, making Soul Hackers 2 the newest game to have a review.

Fifty-nine new games have reviews:

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Azure Dreams (GBC), Bleach: The 3rd Phantom, Bomberman Tournament, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, Chrono Trigger (iOS), Crimson Shroud, Crystal Defenders, Dark Arms: Beast Buster 1999, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (Wii), Dragon Force II: Kamisarishi Daichi ni, Dragon Quest 25 Shunen Kinen: Famicom & Super Famicom Dragon Quest I·II·III, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, Elden Ring, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Wii), Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VIII (PC), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fossil League: Dino Tournament Championship, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, Genji: Dawn of the Samurai, Genji: Days of the Blade, Graffiti Kingdom, Grandia Digital Museum, Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax, Harvest Moon DS, Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven 3: Lightning Bolt/Bomb Blast, Knights in the Nightmare (PSP), Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom, The Last Remnant, The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean, MagnaCarta 2, Monster Hunter Tri G, Monster Hunter: World, Monster Racers, Monster Rancher DS, Mother 3, Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, Ninety-Nine Nights II, Octopath Traveler, Phantasy Star II (iOS), Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness, Remindelight, Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (DS), Seiken Densetsu 3, Shining Force (iOS), Soma Bringer, Sorcerian: Shichisei Mahou no Shito, Soul Hackers 2, Spectral Force: Genesis, Valkyria Chronicles II, The World Ends With You: Solo Remix, Yakuza: Dead Souls, Ys Strategy, Zoids Assault

November 28th, 2022 Update

I didn’t expect to ever have more magazines to add, but 6 more are now included. A total of 596 new images have been added and 78 new games. A new letter has also been added: #.

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New games: 3D Dot Game Heroes, The 3rd Birthday, Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel, Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland, Brave Story, Crimson Sea, Crimson Sea 2, Custom Robo (N64), Digimon World: Data Squad, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Dragon’s Crown, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, Dragoneer’s Aria, Drone Tactics, Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3, Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, Fate/Extra, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, Final Fantasy VI Advance, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2, Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel, Gods Eater Burst, .Hack//G.U. Vol. 3//Redemption, Hyperdimension Neptunia, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel, Inuyasha: The Secret of the Cursed Mask, Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, Mana Khemia: Student Alliance, Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker X Ninja/Zerker X Saurian, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Muramasa Rebirth, Mother 1 + 2, Metal Dungeon, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2, Orphen: Scion of Sorcery, Pandora’s Tower, Persona 4 Golden, Phantasy Star Portable, Pokémon Black Version /White Version, Project X Zone, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, Radiant Historia, Record of Agarest War, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny (PS3), Shaman King: Power of Spirit, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, Star Ocean: The Last Hope, Soul Sacrifice, Summon Night: Swordcraft Story, Summon Night: Twin Age, Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity, Soul Nomad & the World Eaters, Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation, Tales of Xillia, Tales of Innocence, Tales of Destiny: Director’s Cut, Tales of Graces f, Traysia, Unchained Blades, White Knight Chronicles II, Way of the Samurai 4, Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls, What Did I Do To Deserve This, My Lord!?, Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum, Yakuza 4, Ys I & II Chronicles

May 6th, 2022 Update

Instead of just using the biggest magazines I have added every English language magazine I can, a total of 46 additional magazines with at least one scan have been added. A total of 824 new images including 132 new games have been added.

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New games: Arc Rise Fantasia, Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica, Astonishia Story, Blaze and Blade: Eternal Quest, Baroque, Battle Hunter, Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow, The Bouncer, Castlevania: Double Pack, Chaos Wars, Class of Heroes, Code of Princess, Crimson Gem Saga, Cross Edge, Dark Souls, Demon’s Souls, Digimon World 2, Digimon World 4, Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Day, Disgaea DS, Dissidia Final Fantasy, Dokapon Kingdom, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2, Dragon Warrior, Dragon’s Dogma, Drakengard 2, Drakkhen, Dual Hearts, Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of the Ancient Art, Dungeon Maker 2: The Hidden War, Dynasty Tactics, Dynasty Tactics 2, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2, Eternal Poison, Eternal Sonata (PS3), Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City, Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan (PS2), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage, Fossil Fighters: Champions, Front Mission (DS), Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir, Generation of Chaos, Glory of Heracles, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Guardian Heroes (Xbox 360), Half-Minute Hero, Harvest Moon DS Cute, Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar, Harvest Moon: More Friends From Mineral Town, Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns DS, Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns 3D, Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility, Hexys Force, Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth Remix, Infinite Space, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, Langrisser III, The Last Story, Legaia 2: Duel Saga, Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked, Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals, Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis, Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy, Mario Tennis: Power Tour, Master of the Monster Lair, Medabots: Infinity, Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS, Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel/Team Protoman, Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar/Cybeast Gregar, Mega Man Star Force: Dragon/Leo/Pegasus, Metal Saga, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Monster Hunter Tri, Monster Rancher Evo, Naruto: Path of the Ninja, Nier, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure, Operation Darkness, Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2, Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II Plus, Pokémon Black Version 2/White Version 2, Pokémon Conquest, Pokémon HeartGold Version/SoulSilver Version, Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, Ragnarok DS, Record of Agarest War, Resonance of Fate (PS3), River King: Mystic Valley, Riviera: The Promised Land, Rondo of Swords, Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny (Wii), Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, Sands of Destruction, Shaman King: Legacy of the Spirits, Soaring Hawk/Sprinting Wolf, Shaman King: Master of Spirits, Shaman King: Master of Spirits 2, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Shiren the Wanderer, Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, Spectral Force 3, Spectral Souls: Resurrection of the Ethereal Empires, Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals, Star Ocean: Second Evolution, Star Ocean: The Last Hope International, Steambot Chronicles, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Tales of the Abyss (3DS), Trinity: Souls of Zill Ơll, Uncharted Waters (SNES), Valhalla Knights 2, Way of the Samurai 3, White Knight Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles, Yakuza 2, Ys Seven, Ys: The Oath in Felghana, Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound Kingdom, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Sacred Cards, Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman, Zoids: Legacy

November 22nd, 2021 Update

26 games have had new reviews added, and 12 new games have been added: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Car Battler Joe, Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warrior, Dragon Warrior III, Exile, Faxanadu, Lufia: The Legend Returns, Metal Gear Ac!d, Mystic Heroes, Pokémon Crystal Version, Ring of Red, Star Ocean: First Departure

Totals

Total Images: 7,176

Total Games: 963

Total Games with a Colon in the Title: 373

Total Magazines: 160

Quest 64