magazine

THE VAULT
the cool retro stuff that we’ve had our eye on this month
Sonic The Hedgehog: 1991-2016
It’s a good time to be a Sonic fan, as this belated 25th anniversary art
book joins Sonic Mania in evoking memories of the Blue Blur’s best days.
This book features just about everything a fan could desire, from familiar
artwork, such as game covers and in-game sprites to preproduction
sketches and concept artwork – much of which hasn’t been seen before.
Interviews with key staff members give insight into the design choices
made over the last 25 years, and the presentation is enhanced with foldout
and transparent pages. The book covers the whole series, but is heavier on
the early games due to their introduction of key characters and concepts.
There’s also a lavish Collector’s Edition, which includes an outer box,
an inner sleeve which folds into a book stand, and an art print from Yuji
Uekawa which shows Sonic in his three different incarnations.
Price: £40.00 (Collector’s Edition £95.00)
From: candb.com
PICK
OF THE
MONTH
Altered Beast soundtrack
Although the Mega Drive version of Altered Beast was
popular due to its status as the machine’s first pack-in
game, we’re surprised that Data Discs has opted to
go with this version for a soundtrack release instead
of the original arcade music. The usual high-quality
production applies, though, with a printed inner sleeve
and art poster accompanying the record.
Price: £19.99 From: data-discs.com
Fighting Fantasy:
The Port Of Peril
You know the deal with Fighting
Fantasy – the gamebooks popular in the
Eighties and Nineties have you create
a hero, then choose your own path
through an adventure, flicking back and
forth through the book to find the next
section. This is Ian Livingstone’s first
new Fighting Fantasy since 2012’s Blood
Of The Zombies, celebrating the 35th
anniversary of the classic series.
Price: £6.99
From: waterstones.com
SmartBoy
If you’ve got a library of Game Boy cartridges kicking around but
your hardware’s a bit knackered, why not try the SmartBoy? The
USB Type-C accessory gives your phone a cartridge port and
physical controls, allowing you to enjoy the classics with modern
display technology. We’re using it with a Google Pixel here, but it’s
officially only designed for Samsung phones.
Price: £59.99 From: funstockretro.co.uk
PlayStation Hoodie
There are few symbols more recognised
in the gaming world than the classic
PlayStation logo – it’s been visible
for over 20 years and on six different
platforms. So why not wear it across
your chest? This hoodie lets you do
exactly that, throws the Japanese text
for PlayStation in too, and keeps you
warm while doing all of that.
Price: £40.00
From: insertcoinclothing.com
10 | RETRO GAMER