Next Generation (May 1995)

Next Generation was a magazine that covered “next generation” systems if the title didn’t make it obvious. Primarily that included 16-bit systems and beyond as well as the PC. It also was written with a little bit older audience in mind than the typical gaming magazine. The May 1995 issue of Next Generation includes:

Talking

Can Sony handle the PlayStation? – An interview with the person in charge of the Sony PlayStation launch in North America, Steve Race.

Breaking

News – Sega Saturn launch planned for September 2, 1995 with 20 games on the shelves; stats on Saturn sales in Japan; Nintendo adds satellite gaming to the Super Famicom; Tao Systems develops high end arcade/VR hardware that includes a Pentium based motherboard with four PCI cards each featuring a 100MHz PowerPC chip and a 50MHz 3Dlabs GLINT processor; and more.

Joyriding – A look at the Internet and stuff you can find there such as PC gaming newsgroups, FTP sites, and this new fangled thing called The World Wide Web.

Arcadia – A look at new stuff in the arcade including Battle Tek, Sega Championship Rally, Virtua Fighter II, Street Fighter: The Movie, Cyber Commando, and more.

Generator – A look at a new optical disc format that would become DVD and Peter Molyneux talks about cartridge vs. CD formats.

NG Hardware

Ultra 64: the story so far… – A look at rumors, speculation and facts surrounding the upcoming Nintendo Silicon Graphics machine then known as the Ultra 64.

NG Special

The ripe stuff – A look at the history of Apple and their latest strategies which include Apple clones, the Bandai Power Player and more…which was all a pretty massive failure for Apple as a company, but not to worry, Steven Jobs would soon be back…

NG Software

Alphas – Previews of upcoming games including Daytona USA (Sega Saturn), Prisoner of Ice (DOS), Panzer Dragoon (Sega Saturn), Kingdom (DOS), Jumping Flash (PlayStation), Secret of Evermore (Super NES), MechLords (DOS), Cyber Commando (Arcade), and Chrono Trigger (Super NES).

Rating

Finals – Reviews of 54 new games for the PlayStation, 3DO, Atari Jaguar, Sega 32X, Neo-Geo, PC, Macintosh, Sega CD, Genesis, SNES, Saturn, CD-i and arcade. Some highlights include Raiden for the PlayStation, Theme Park for the 3DO, Burn Out for the Jaguar, Mortal Kombat II for the 32X, Night Trap for the Sega CD, Samurai Showdown II for the Neo-Geo, Atari Action Pack for the PC, Descent for the PC, Discworld for teh PlayStation, Heretic for the PC, Dark Forces for the PC, Spaceward Ho 4.0 for the Macintosh, Dungeon Explorer for the Sega CD, Lords of Thunder for the Sega CD, Earthworm Jim for the Sega CD, Lemmings 2 for the Genesis, Kirby’s Avalanche for the Super NES, and much more.

Corresponding

Letters – Letters from readers regarding Doom at the shareware method of marketing, the upgradeability of the 3DO, supporting the Macintosh, PC gaming, the Atari Jaguar, and more.