Source: GamePro – Issue Number 79 – February 1996

GamePro was a popular gaming magazine during roughly the same time period as Electronic Gaming Monthly, however it seemed to be targeted towards a younger audience and I never really thought it was as good. It was loved by many though. The February 1996 issue includes the following:

Features

• Editor’s Choice Awards for 1995! – Top honors went to Doom for the PlayStation, Virtua Fighter 2 for the Saturn, Vectorman for the Genesis, Donkey Kong Country 2 for the Super Nintendo, Tekken 2 for the arcade, NFL GameDay for the PlayStation as the best sports game and Chrono Trigger for the SNES as the best RPG. Best games were also named for the 32X, Atari Jaguar, Virtual Boy, Sega CD, CD-i, Game Boy, 3DO, Neo Geo and Game Gear. Doom in particular seems like an odd choice as it was much better on the PC a couple of years before and there were better PlayStation games.
• Cover Feature: Street Fighter Alpha – The Street Fighter craze seemed to go on forever. GamePro considered Street Fighter Alpha to be the best ever and this article goes into detail about this game on the PlayStation.

SWATPro Strategy Section

• Loaded ProStrategy Guide (PlayStation) – Loaded was a top down, sci-fi themed shoot-’em-up with a dark sense of humor. This strategy guide features the first four levels.
• The Fighter’s Edge – A column dedicated to strategies for fighting games. In this issue, Street Fighter Alpha for the PlayStation is featured, tutoring you on the basic moves and combos for six of the characters.
• SWATPro – Shorter tips and tricks for various games. This month the featured tip is how to play as Smoke in Mortal Kombat 3 on the Sega Genesis.
• Breath of Fire II Strategy Guide (SNES) – One of the best RPGs on the SNES, this is part one of a strategy guide that would be continued.
• Earthworm Jim 2 ProStrategy Guide (SNES) – Maps and other tips and tricks for this Super Nintendo platformer.

ProReviews

• PlayStation – Featuring reviews for Zero Divide, Alien Virus, Cyber Speed, Criticom, Gex, Twisted Metal and Viewpoint.
• Saturn – Featuring reviews for Sega Rally Championship, Ghen War, Virtua Cop, Cyberia and Solar Eclipse.
• 32X – Featuring reviews for T-MEK, Primal Rage and Star Trek: Star Fleet Academy
• Genesis – Featuring reviews for Revolution X (featuring Aerosmith!), VR Troopers, Scooby Doo Adventures, Mutant Chronicles: Doom Troopers, and Gargoyles.
• 3DO – Featuring reviews for Primal Rage and Psychic Detective: The Case of the Black Diamond.
• Game Boy – A review for Killer Instinct…fighting games were great choices on the Game Boy in my opinion…
• Game Gear – Featuring reviews for Tails’ Adventures, Cutthroat Island, Sonic Drift 2, and Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger: The Movie.
• Sports Pages – Featuring reviews of sports games for all systems, including Center Ring Boxing (Sega Saturn), NFL Quarterback Club ’96 (Super Nintendo), FIFA ’96 (PlayStation), and more.
• Role Player’s Realm – Featuring reviews of RPGs for all systems, including Lost Eden (3DO) and Breath of Fire II (Super Nintendo).

Departments

• Letters from the GamePros – The monthly editorial with the topic being the hype for Nintendo’s upcoming Ultra 64.
• The Mail – Mail from readers.
• GamePro Gallery – Artwork from readers, this month featuring Mortal Kombat.
• Buyers Beware – Questions answered about the Atari Jaguar, Mortal Kombat 3 warranty, diminishing releases for the Sega CD, and Chrono Trigger strategies lost in translation.
• ProNews – News about Sega’s restructuring, the Neo Geo CD and 3DO’s M2.
• GamePro Online – Samplings of messages and other online content from AOL and from the Internet at large, including how you can get demos of WarCraft, Blackthorne, Mortal Kombat 3 and Hexen.
• The Cutting Edge – All about the upcoming Ultra 64 (or Nintendo 64 as it would ultimately be called).
• GamePro Labs – Info about new peripherals including The Programmable Pad and MK 3 Kontrol Pad for the PlayStation, ASCiiPad PS for the PlayStation, TeamTap (turns one controller port into four) for the Atari Jaguar, MemoryTrack save game cartridge for the Atari Jaguar that would let you to have up to 250 game saves from CD based games in its whopping 125K of RAM, Jaglink (allows you to link to Atari Jaguars for head to head action), and ProController (also for the Atari Jaguar).
• Overseas ProSpects – Previews of games from other countries that may or may not make it to North America featuring Virtua Fighter 3 news and rumors.
• Short ProShots – Mini-reviews of Ridge Racer Revolution for the PlayStation, Samurai Showdown 3 for the Neo Geo, G Police for the PlayStation and PC, Alien Trilogy for the PlayStation, Saturn and PC, Shock Wave 2 for the 3DO, VR Baseball ’96 for the PlayStation, Saturn and PC, Steel Harbinger for the PlayStation and Saturn, and Parasite for the PlayStation and PC.
• PC GamePro – GamePro’s PC (and Mac) column featuring Duke Nukem 3D, IndyCar Racing II, Into the Void, The Hive, and Dungeon Keeper.
• Hot at the Arcades – GamePro’s arcade column featuring NHL Open Ice: 2 on 2 Challenge.

…and more!