A great start to the year as two more small-press magazines have made it into the hands of readers. The first is a Sega Powered which, as the title states, is about all things Sega and the second is a new publication from the publisher behind Amiga Addict, entitled Pixel Addict.
I backed Sega Powered on KickStarter and, as with most of my magazine posts, that is as far as my connection to the magazine goes. With Pixel Addict, I contributed an article to the magazine which appears in the first issue. Having said that, I paid for this issue myself and there has been no discussion with the editorial team about this post.
With that out of the way, let's talk about Pixel Addict. The title focuses on classic computer users so fills a retro tech niche. There are 60 pages including the covers and it's very similar in its physical approach to Amiga Addict, which is no bad thing at all. As you can see from the contents page, there are a mix of articles, columns and the like that follow the news pages. Each is well written and they cover a huge range of subjects, from living a digital nomad lifestyle to the conflict between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. CPC users get a lovely interview with YouTuber Xyphoe, the Centre for Computing History has a very informative two pager, the Osborne Effect gets an explanation (I've never seen an Osborne on the wild and would love to have a play with one) and games are covered with pieces on post-cancellation Dreamcast releases (both hardware and software) and Command and Conquer. Teletext fans get a smart, potted history, the Dragon 32 gets a two pager and more mature Mac owners will appreciate the incompatibility article. As someone who uses AS400 (or IBM i as we're supposed to call it) daily, that was a fun read. The Acorn section (where my article fits in) has a couple of corkers too - The Lie That Was The... ...BBC Micro?! could be a contentious one but I can totally see where the author is coming from, whilst the first part of the BBC story covers the 8-bit legend's beginnings well. The highlight, for me was the review of RISC OS Direct 5.26+ on the Raspberry Pi. Great score, and as an almost daily dabbler in the OS (see my review of my RISCOSbits kit here), it was nice to see a new user experience it. Hopefully that review will tempt others to give it a go.
I really enjoyed Pixel Addict and, I have to admit, had not subscribed when it was first announced. No, I just ordered the first issue. Having seen the finished mag, I have now subscribed for a six issue run. If the theme of the magazine appeals to you, give it a try, and I apologise now to you for having to see yet more of my scribblings. The next issue is due in March, and if you thought I could bore for hours on RISC OS, wait until you see the piece on Windows CE handhelds!
In all seriousness though, launching a new magazine is never an easy thing to do. Jonah and the team have done a terrific job and I do feel a sense of pride in having been involved in a small way. Check out Pixel Addict here, where you can buy single issues and subscriptions. You can also follow them on Twitter here. Single issues are £4.99 plus postage and subscriptions can be had for 6 and 12 month periods. If you do subscribe, be aware that the sub will start with the currently available issue, which I knowingly did so I would have two copies of issue 1, just for posterity.
And now, Sega Powered. This began life on KickStarter and, as noted above, I backed it for one issue, though subscriptions were available. I decided to shy away from that level of commitment but thought that if it turned out to be good, then a subscription might be worthwhile in the future. Well, that all important first issue landed on the mat a few days ago (alongside Pixel Addict, so a good news day as far as the post went), and I set about giving it a damn good read.
The first thing that strikes you is the quality of the stock. This is a hefty magazine even though it's only(!) 80 pages including the covers. This feels like a premium magazine and it's nice to see, even if it does bump the price up a bit.
Contents wise, this is a packed first issue, with well-written pieces on Sonic at the tender age of 30 (including a great article by Retro Faith who selects a smorgasbord of Sonic levels for the ultimate gameplay mix), what Sega did next (after the Dreamcast's sad demise) and an interview with Roel Van Mastbergen (who, incidentally, features in Pixel Addict as well). There are regular columns and a packed review section, covering new and older titles that have graced a Sega machine or have been published by Sega. Of particular interest was the piece on Over Jump, a recreation of Sega Rally in the Unreal 5 engine. That is something I'm really looking forward to seeing in the wild. The Hardline section is also an excellent utility, listing essential titles for each of Sega's platforms alongside a rough price guide, very handy for the collectors out there. The make your own Chaos Emerald at the end of the magazine is the jewel in the crown that is issue one and a lovely nod to what games magazines of yesteryear would provide to their younger readership. I would apologise and get my coat for that one, but it's my blog so deal with it. Overall, the tone is light and there is a good dose of humour abound, especially in the reviews.
Sega Powered is a magazine that I approached with some trepidation, as I am already a subscriber to Sega Mania and I did wonder if the current small-press market could sustain another publication. I need not have worried, as the magazines are a complimentary double act. Just as back in the day when print magazines were a big thing in the videogames market, they both scratch that Sega itch in different ways and styles, and both are deserving of any Sega fan's support. As with Pixel Addict, the team behind Sega Powered have done a brilliant job on getting their first issue out and the future looks bright.
You can find out more about SEGA Powered here, where single issues and subscriptions can be had. You can also follow them on Twitter here. Single issues start at £6 plus postage and the monthly subscription offer is a tad different from the usual, taking a pay as you go path, in the same vein as Netflix and Amazon Prime. I know I shall be buying issue 2 when it is released and signing up for a subscription.
There you have it, two new print magazines that demonstrate once again that, for interests that seem too small for mainstream magazines, there is a market for the printed word. This pair now join the ranks of Sega Mania, Amiga Addict, Amiga Future, Archive Magazine and Switch Player as subscriptions I have made. That is not to dismiss SAM Revival (published as and when), [lock-on], E1M1 and Ninety Fresh (both Kickstarter funded) either. They don't offer subscriptions but I will be supporting each of those as and when new issues/editions are released (in fact, I have already paid for SAM Revival issue 26). It is heartening to see so many printed publications being released (and thrive). Long may it continue.
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